from the bodily acts; and my reason for dwelling on this true definition of a sacrament, and repeating it in such different language, is to impress your minds with the essential knowledge concerning the nature of these holy rites of our Christian service. That, then, which you may collect from the explanation here afforded you, as absolutely necessary to be known, is, that a sacrament consists of two parts the outward visible sign, and the inward and spiritual grace. The first we call the positive institution; the second implies the virtue conveyed to us by a right use of it.

I will now proceed to treat of the just number of the sacraments, which will lead to some further useful observations on the nature of them.

Our Church, in the words before us, affirms that there are but "Two, as generally necessary "to salvation; that is to say, baptism, and the "Supper of the Lord." Our Church uses the word generally, to inform her members, that these sacraments do not belong to some particular description of her community (as to the minister, or the more learned order of men only), but that they are essentially necessary for ALL to receive or partake of, who wish to pos→ sess an interest in Christ, and who profess the honour of taking their title of Christians from his name; and for this indispensable reason, because Christ has commanded them to be ob

served by all who are not deprived of the opportunity of receiving them.

In this place it will be necessary that I should show you how it appears that these two are PROPERLY sacraments, and that none can be truly so called, which have not the whole nature of a sacrament belonging to them.

First, the only sacraments we acknowledge as such, do both contain an outward and visible sign, viz. water in baptism, and bread and wine in the Lord's Supper. And, secondly, there is an inward and spiritual grace, signified and conveyed by these signs. The washing of rege•neration in baptism is represented by the cleansing of water; for, as the Apostle observes (Tit. iii. 5), in allusion to this sacrament, the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward men appeared, not by works of righteous ness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost; that is, by giving us a new power, through the influence of his Holy Spirit on our hearts, which is at first communicated to all Christians, by the privilege and virtue of baptism, on their entrance into the Christian covenant; for this the Apostle further asserts is shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour. And respecting the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, the same Apostle as clearly declares

(1 Cor. x. 16) an inward spiritual grace or benefit to be conveyed to us thereby in these words-The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? In other words, these outward signs of bread and wine represent to us Christ's body broken, and blood shed, as an atonement for our sins; and by faith in the virtue of that satisfaction or sacrifice, we are in communion with Christ, or partake of the benefits procured to us by his death. The outward action is rendered a means of conveying and continuing to us a principle of new life, or strength to conduct ourselves according to God's will, which is derived to us by the intercession of Him in whom we believe. 3. It is requisite to the forming real sacraments, that there should be a divine institution of them: the authority of Holy Scripture abundantly proves, that they do not want this mark of validity, since the ordinance of baptism is established in Matt. xxviii. 19, past all dispute, in these plain and positive words-Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. And the institution of the Lord's Supper is no less clearly delivered, Luke, xxii. 19; THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME; which St. Paul confirms by a further particular revelation to HIMSELF: For

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I have received of the Lord (says he) that which I also have delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night that he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body which is broken for you—this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. (1 Cor. xi. 23, and following verses.) So that you cannot avoid seeing plainly, that they were both ordained as a means whereby to convey their respective graces to us, and as pledges to assure us of them: that is, baptism to regenerate us, according to our blessed Lord's own declaration above recited, by which all who enter into Christ's church are entitled to the benefits promised by this sacrament in the name of the blessed Trinity. And the Lord's Supper was provided both to strengthen and quicken our repentance for sin committed after baptism, and to enable us to perform the vows and conditions mentioned at baptism.

Lastly: For these plain reasons, no one can be so dull as to imagine but that they are generally necessary to salvation, and that all Christians have a right to them; nor may any, without forfeiting the helps for which they were designed, refuse the use of them, wherever an

opportunity is afforded of becoming partakers of such needful blessings. Further, to remove all manner of doubt upon the question, our blessed Lord himself assures us (John, iii. 5), that except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. This is a most serious passage to be considered by all who slight the use of this sacrament, it being no less than to renounce the positive method Christ has ordained to sanctify the members of his kingdom. It is to doubt the truth of his words, and rashly to join the multitude of heathens and unbelievers. For it is manifest, that an unbelieving spirit must prevail, before a man can be dead to the consequence of Christ's assertion (Mark, xvi. 16), that he that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; where we see, again, the outward sign is positively required, it being made the pledge or security of our faith; the ordinary means which God, in wisdom, has appointed by his Son, for making us inheritors of the promise of the kingdom of heaven; that is, of our obtaining the gift of the Spirit, which is the kingdom of God within us here, and the seal of our living for ever in the kingdom of his saints above, when we have, through grace, perfected the race that is set before us. Nor is the obligation to use the other sacrament of less force or import to all true believers; for the institution has been