being spiritually born again by the grace which is here bestowed upon us. In our natural birth from our earthly parents, we are born carnal-minded, sullied with sin, subject to eternal death, and aliens from God. In this new birth, which is the work of the Holy Ghost by the sacrament of baptism, our souls are new formed, we become spiritual partakers of the divine nature, heavenly minded, and fit for the kingdom of God, as his children, and heirs of his kingdom. Thus Jesus Christ explains this when he says, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit," Jo. iii. 6.

Q. 3. Is baptism a true sacrament ?

A. It is; because it has all the things requisite in a sacrament.

Q. 4. What is the outward sensible sign used in baptism?

A. Pouring water upon the person baptized, and saying, at the same time, these words, “I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

Q. 5. How is this action performed?

A. By pouring or dipping in water, either of which is necessary; and it is the order and custom in the Catholic Church, to pour, or dip three times at the names of the three divine persons, though the dipping three times is not so essential that the omission of it would render the baptism null and void.

Q. 6. What think you of those who administer baptism so slightly, that it is doubtful whether it can in any sense be called an ablution or washing: for instance, those who administer it with a fillip of a wet finger.

A. Such as these run a great risk of not baptising at all.

Q. 7. What is the inward grace which baptism brings to the soul?

A. The sanctifying grace of God, by which the soul is regenerated, cleansed from all the stains of original sin, and of actual sin, if there be any, and is made a child of God, a member of his Church, and an heir of heaven.

Q. 8. Where do we find that Jesus Christ is the institutor of this sacrament?

A. From the commission he gave to the pastors of the Church, in the persons of the apostles, when he said, "Go ye, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," Matth. xxviii. 19.

Q. 9. How is this outward action, a sign of the inward grace, received?

A. The word baptize is a Greek word, which signifies to wash with water; when, therefore, water is poured upon the body outwardly, and these words pronounced, "I baptize thee," that is, I wash thee with water, "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," this represents the inward washing of the soul, by the sanctifying grace of God which is poured down upon it.

Q. 10. What kind of water must be used in baptism?

A. Natural elementary water only, such as is produced by nature, and not by the art of man; and it is all one whether taken from the sea, or a spring, or a river, or a well, or be rain water, or the like. And in this we see the infinite goodness of God, who was pleased to ordain, for the matter of this sacrament, a thing so common in every place, that none might be in danger of being deprived of it.

Q. 11. When are the words to be pronounced?

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A. At the very same time that the water is poured on the one baptized, and by the same per

son.

Q. 12. And must all the words be pronounced? A. If either the words, "I baptize," or "thee," or "in the name," or any of the divine persons were omitted, it would be no baptism.

Q. 13. Who are authorized to give the sacrament of baptism?

A. The bishops and priests of the Church are authorized, in virtue of the priesthood, to administer baptism, and deacons, by commission from them, can do the same, with all its solemnities; but in cases of necessity, where these cannot be had, any lay person, man or woman, is authorized to do it, which also shews the infinite goodness of Jesus Christ lest any should be deprived of a sacrament which is so absolutely necessary for salvation, if the administration of it had been wholly confined to the ministers of the Church only.

SECTION I.

OF THE EFFECTS OF BAPTISM.

Q. 14. What are the effects of baptism?

A. The effects of baptism are these: (1.) It cleanses the soul from the guilt of all preceding sins, whether original or actual. (2.) It frees us from the eternal punishment due to sin, and from all the temporal punishment also, which the justice of God could command for the sins one may have committed before baptism. (3.) It adorns the soul with the grace of justification, and with all those other graces and virtues which accompany it; all which we have seen above, Chap. xviii., Q. 33. (4.) It makes us Christians, imprinting

the sacred character of a Christian in the soul; and, as a consequence of all this, (5.) It regenerates us by a new spiritual birth, making us children of God, members of his Church, and heirs of heaven, and makes us capable of receiving all the other sacraments, and spiritual benefits which Christ has left in his Church, and gives us a right and title to receive them as our needs may require, as also to receive the necessary helps of actual grace to enable us to live a good Christian life, and preserve the sanctity we have received in baptism. (6.) It gives us a right and title to the kingdom of heaven.

Q. 15. How can it be shewn that baptism washes away your sins, and justifies us in the sight of God?

A. From several strong and plain testimonies of Scripture. (1.) St. Paul writing to Titus on this subject, speaks thus: "We ourselves, also, were some time unwise, incredulous, erring slaves to divers desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But, when the goodness and kindness of God our Saviour appeared, not by the works of justice which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us by the laver of regeneration, and renovation of the Holy Ghost, whom he hath poured forth upon us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, that being justified by his grace, we may be heirs, according to hope of life everlasting," Tit. iii. 3. In this beautiful passage, the apostle first acknowledges his former sins, then declares, that the kindness he received from God, in delivering him from them, was not owing to his own deservings, but to the free mercy of God; that the means by which he was saved from them, was the "laver, or washing of regeneration," the sacrament of baptism, by which he was renewed, by the operation

ardour of our passions is moderated, and copious help is given us, to enable us to overcome them.

SECTION II.

OF THE NECESSITY OF BAPTISM.

Q. 18. Is baptism necessary for our salvation? A. It is doubtless the most necessary of all the sacraments, because without it we are incapable of receiving any other sacrament, and because it is ordained by Jesus Christ as the only means for receiving the first grace of justification, by which alone we can be delivered from original sin, and partake of the merits of Christ's sufferings, so as to become members of his body.

Q. 19. How does this appear from Scripture? A. From the following testimonies. (1.) Our Saviour, in his conversation with Nicodemus, declares, that" except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God;" and a little after, he shews how this new birth is bestowed upon us; "Verily, verily I say to thee, except a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God," Jo. iii. 3, 5. Here we see that this new birth, absolutely necessary for salvation, is bestowed upon us by water; that, by the use of this outward rite, the spirit of God comes to our souls, to operate in us that spiritual birth: and that these two, the outward rite, and the inward regeneration, are, by the appointment of God, so connected, that if the rite be not used, the new birth will not be bestowed, and that, therefore, without that sacred rite of baptism, we can never see the kingdom of God. (2.) When our Saviour gave his Apostles their commission to teach and baptize all nations, he immediately adds, "He that believeth,