A Catechism.
Q. What desirest thou of God in this Prayer? A. I desire my Lord God our heavenly Father, who is the giver of all goodness, to send his grace unto me, and to all people; that we may worship him, serve him, and obey him, as we ought to do. And I pray unto God, that he will send us all things that be needful both for our souls and bodies; and that he will be merciful unto us, and forgive us our sins; and that it will please him to save and defend us in all dangers ghostly and bodily; and that he will keep us from all sin and wickedness, and from our ghostly enemy, and from everlasting death. And this I trust he will do of his mercy and goodness, through our Lord Jesus Christ: And therefore I say Amen; so be it.
Question.
How many Sacraments hath Christ ordained in his Church? A.
Two only, as generally necessary to salvation; that is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord.
Q. What meanest thou by this word Sacrament?
A. I mean an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us, ordained by Christ himself, as a means whereby we receive the same, and a pledge to assure us thereof.
Q. How many parts are there in a Sacrament?
A. Two; the outward visible sign, and the inward spiritual grace.
Q. What is the outward visible sign, or form in Baptism? A. Water; wherein the person is baptized, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Q. What is the inward and spiritual grace?
A. A death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness: for being by nature born in sin, and the children of wrath, we are hereby made the children of grace.
8: What is required of persons to be baptized? A.
Repentance, whereby they forsake sin; and Faith, whereby they stedfastly believe the promises of God made to them in that Sacrament.
Q. Why then are Infants baptized, when by reason of their tender age they cannot perform them?
A. Because they promise them both by their sureties; which promise, when they come to age, themselves are bound to perform.
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