一、圣礼是恩典之约的圣洁记号与印证（罗4:11；创17:7,10-11），由神直接设立（太28:19；林前11:23），代表基督和祂的恩惠，并确认我们在祂里面有分（罗6:3-4；西2:12；林前10:16；11:25-26；加3:27）：同时也将属教会的人与世界其他的人可见地区分开来（出12:48；创34:14；林前10:21），并严肃地要求他们照着神的道、在基督里事奉祂（罗6:3-4；加3:27；彼前3:21；林前10:16；5:7-8）。

Sacraments are holy signs and seals of the cov-enant of grace, immediately instituted by God, to represent Christ and His benefits, and to confirm our interest in Him: as also to put a visible difference between those that belong unto the church, and the rest of the world; and solemnly to engage them to the service of God in Christ, according to His Word.

二、在每一个圣礼中，在记号和所表征的事物之间都有一种属灵的关系、或奥秘的联合；因此，其中一个的名称和功效可以归于另一个（创17:10；太26:27-28；林前10:16-18）。（译注：sacrament这个词的拉丁文意思就是「奥秘」。）

There is in every sacrament a spiritual relation, or sacramental union, between the sign and the thing signified; whence it comes to pass that the names and effects of the one are attributed to the other.

三、正确施行圣礼时所显明的恩典，并非因为圣礼中的任何能力；圣礼的功效也不取决于施行者的虔诚或存心（罗2:28-29；彼前3:21），而是取决于圣灵的运行（林前12:13）和设立圣礼的话语，这话语中含有授权使用圣礼的命令，以及使按理领受者得益处的应许（太26:26-28；路22:19-20；太28:19-20；林前11:26）。

The grace which is exhibited in or by the sacraments, rightly used, is not conferred by any power in them; neither doth the efficacy of a sacrament depend upon the piety or intention of him that doth administer it, but upon the work of the Spirit, and the word of institution, which contains, together with a precept authorizing the use thereof, a promise of benefit to worthy receivers.

四、我们的主基督在福音中所设立的圣礼只有两个，即洗礼和主的晚餐：两者都不可以让被合乎律法地设立的圣道的仆人之外的任何人来施行（太28:19；林前11:20,23；4:1；弗4:11-12）。（译注：1、之所以得出这样的推论，是因为尊重圣礼是主耶稣为整个教会设立的事，而不是私人的事，所以应该由教会所承认的人施行。2、「圣道的仆人」包括牧师、传道、长老、执事、负责同工等，「仆人」就是西1:23中的「执事」。Presbyterian长老宗的教会一般有两种职分：长老、执事，长老分为教导型长老和治理型长老；Reformed改革宗的教会一般有三种职分：牧师或圣道的执事、长老、执事。）

There be only two sacraments ordained by Christ our Lord in the gospel, that is to say, baptism and the supper of the Lord: neither or which may be dispensed by any but a minister of the Word, lawfully ordained.

五、旧约的圣礼就所表征和显明的属灵事物而言，在本质上与新约的圣礼相同（林前10:1-4；罗4:11；西2:11-12）。

The sacraments of the Old Testament, in regard of the spiritual things thereby signified and exhibited, were, for substance, the same with those of the New.