The Westminster Confession of Faith
CHAPTER 28
Of Baptism.
I. Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus
Christ,a not only for the solemn admission of
the party baptized into the visible church,b but
also to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace,c
of his ingrafting into Christ,d of regeneration,e
of remission of sins,f and of his giving up unto
God through Jesus Christ, to walk in the newness of life:g
which sacrament is, by Christ's own appointment, to be continued in his
church until the end of the world.h
a Matt. 28:19.
b 1 Cor. 12:13.
c Rom. 4:11.
d
Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:5.
e Tit. 3:5.
f Mark 1:4.
g Rom. 6:3,4.
h Matt. 28:19,20.
II. The outward element to be used in this
sacrament is water, wherewith the party is to be baptized in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, by a minister of
the gospel, lawfully called thereunto.i
i Matt. 3:11; John 1:33;
Matt. 28:19,20.
III. Dipping of the person into the water is not
necessary; but baptism is rightly administered by pouring or sprinkling
water upon the person.k
k Heb. 9:10,19-22; Acts
2:41; Acts 16:33; Mark 7:4.
IV. Not only those that do actually profess faith
in and obedience unto Christ,l but also the
infants of one or both believing parents, are to be baptized.m
l Mark 16:15,16; Acts
8:37,38.
m Gen. 17:7,9,10 with Gal. 3:9,14
and Col. 2:11,12 and Acts 2:38,39 and Rom. 4:11,12; 1 Cor. 7:14; Matt.
28:19; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15.
V. Although it be a great sin to contemn or
neglect this ordinance,n yet grace and salvation
are not so inseparably annexed unto it, as that no person can be
regenerated or saved without it,o or, that all
that are baptized are undoubtedly regenerated.p
n Luke 7:30 with Exod.
4:24-26.
o Rom. 4:11; Acts 10:2,4,22,31,45,47.
p Acts 8:13,23.
VI. The efficacy of baptism is not tied to that
moment of time wherein it is administered;q yet
notwithstanding, by the right use of this ordinance, the grace promised
is not only offered, but really exhibited and conferred by the Holy
Ghost, to such (whether of age or infants) as that grace belongeth
unto, according to the counsel of God's own will, in his appointed time.r
q John 3:5,8.
r Gal. 3:27; Tit. 3:5; Eph. 5:25,26;
Acts 2:38,41.
VII. The sacrament of baptism is but once to be
administered to any person.s
s Tit. 3:5.
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