distribution. The Sacraments may therefore be truly called the visible word; as representing to our eyes by visible signs, what in the word is spoken to our ears. They are therefore a most useful confirmation of our faith, as the seal and word of God, that in the exercise of faith we shall as surely be partakers of Christ, and of all the benefits of the covenant, as we are of its outward signs. The definition of Sacrament may therefore be taken generally—“ the seal of the righteousness of faith." What a sacredness does this view give to their authority! that nothing should be added to them, or taken from them! What less than treason would it be to alter without authority the royal seal? And to violate the integrity of the Christian Sacraments is no other than the defilement of which God complains in Israel" the setting up of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts." 2 The mode, decency, order, and circumstantials of their celebration, the church justly claims the liberty to prescribe within the limits, and agreeably to the spirit of the Apostolic rules; 3 preserving at the same time most carefully the substance and form of the elements, and the representation of the blessings shadowed forth by them.

Yet in the administration of the Sacraments, how often are parochial Ministers conversant with the errors of Popery without the name! How much has their real nature and efficacy been obscured by the veil of ignorance or misconception! Specific instruction therefore upon their spiritual character, privileges, and obligations, is of the utmost importance.

1 Rom. iv. 11. 2 Ezek. xliii. 7, 8.

3 1 Cor. xiv. 26, 40.

SECTION I.

BAPTISM.

WHAT mean ye by this service?' is a question that might be asked of us by many, who bring their children to baptism, only because it is the custom of their place, or the usual mode of naming their children. They need the plainest instructions 1 upon the nature of this sacrament, as the door of admission (not into any particular church, but) into the visible church of Christ; and as a seal of the covenant of grace, by which we are mutually engaged to God and God to us; and by which we are visibly consecrated to his service, bound to our duty, and inheritors of his promises. Its Divine institution proves its spiritual character. To conceive of Christian ordinances for hypocrites or unbelievers is an anomaly. The privileges of Baptism as explained by our Church, are an investiture with the promises of the Christian covenant, such as union with Christ, adoption into the family of God, and the inheritance of heaven. 2 The grace of Baptism is

1 Bishop Burnet strongly inculcates the necessity of baptismal instruction. Pastoral Care, ch. viii.

2 See Church Catechism. We might here ask-Is not this strong language of our Church, fully warranted by the Apostle's detail of the privileges of the Jews (Rom. ix. 4, 5)—which belonged to them not as converted (for the contrary was their palpable character verses 2, 6.) but as circumcised? Their title was valid-derived from their admission into covenant with God; though, unless it was pleaded and wrought out in faith, it was a title without possession. Again-wherein does the Church's expressed assurance of the regeneration of every baptized infant differ from the distributive individuality of St. Paul-" As many of you" (not "all"-as in the preceding verse-a general assertion) "as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ?" (Gal. iii. 27.) If this assumption included cases of a doubtful profession (iv. 19, 20); much more does it embrace the case of infants, against

defined by the same authority to be "a death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness;" a real, not a relative change.

Though however these are the real privileges of the covenant, of which baptism is the initiatory seal; yet experience and observation too plainly prove, that they are not necessarily linked with the outward administration of the ordinance. The promises (as to our interest in them) are invalid without faith. And the design of baptism was, that the believer's covenant interest for his children might here be pleaded and made good.

But a doubting spirit, or positive unbelief, substitutes uncertainty in the place of the appropriate act, confession, and thanksgiving of faith; and consequently, as to this point, annuls the covenant interest of the believer made to faith.1 A Christian parent, bringing his child to the font for the sign and seal of spiritual regeneration, in the assurance of his child's joint interest in the promises of the covenant ; the sponsors at the same time in dependence on the promises, engaging in the child's name, to renounce the service of his enemies, "to believe in God, and serve him," and joining in prayer for the confirmation of those privileges to the child-such a sight exhibits a clear and animating warrant of faith, most honourable to the Divine ordinance.2

We are

whom no moral ground of exclusion can be alleged. not here concerned to explain the difficulty, which may yet be conceived to exist; but only to admire the precise accuracy, with which the language of our Formularies is cast into the mould of Scripture phraseology.

1 See Rom. iv. 11-17. May not many of the objections to Mr. Budd's valuable work on Baptism be traced to a want of simple and implicit dependence upon the full extent of the Divine engagements? It is here that God most especially honours his own name-his Sovereignty in the gift of faith-his faithfulness in the acceptance of his own gift.

2 The efficacy of baptism is putting the child's name into the

But our people, as baptized professors of the Gospel, must not sleep unconscious of their obligations. In our covenant to renounce the enemies of God and of our soul, to accept the Saviour as the ground of our hope, and to walk in the way of God, is there no power of conviction to arrest the self-indulgent, the unbelieving, and the disobedient? In the privileges, sealed to the faithful acceptance of the baptismal engagements, are there no motives to deadness to the world, love to the Saviour, confession of his cross, meetness for his kingdom? Philip Henry, 'in dealing with his children about their spiritual state, took hold of them very much by the handle of their infant baptism; and frequently inculcated upon them, that they were born in God's house, and were betimes dedicated and given up to him, and therefore were obliged to be his servants.' 1

Parents and sponsors must be reminded, that the dedication of a child to God, though a common, is a most solemn and difficult, service. It is an awful profanation to "offer the blind for sacrifice; ›› and

Gospel grant. The child's actual faith, repentance, and obedience are thereby made debts, then incurred, to be paid at a future time. And surely this is abundantly sufficient to invite and encourage parents to dedicate their children in baptism. As to the real influence of baptism; when the children grow up, we are sure that their baptismal regeneration, without something else, will not bring them to heaven; and yet it may be urged, in praying to God to give them grace, and in persuading them to submit to it.' Matthew Henry on Baptism, pp. 130, 131. In the same valuable treatise, he thus bears his own personal testimony to the ordinance -'I cannot but take occasion' (said he) 'to express my gratitude to God for my infant baptism; not only as it was an early admission into the visible body of Christ; but as it furnished my pious parents with a good argument (and as I trust through grace a prevailing argument) for an early dedication of my own self to God in my childhood. If God has wrought any good work upon my soul, I desire with humble thankfulness to acknowledge the moral influence of my infant baptism upon it.' P. 118. 2 Mal. i. 8.

1 Psalm cxvi. 16. Philip Henry's Life, p.85.

most important, that they should understand what they do, in binding themselves and their children to the service of God-and why they do it-in conformity to the terms of the covenant, and to the will and appointment of God-as the renewal of their own personal covenant; and as their pledge, that their children shall be the Lord's for ever. These should be points in our Ministry of close and serious conviction, no less than of evangelical encouragement. They need to be instructed, that the covenant made with the parents and their seed, and apprehended by the parent for his seed jointly with himself, is the ground of the Christian's dedication of his child in baptism-that by this sacred act they profess their personal consecration to his service, (for who can give his child freely and sincerely to God, except he had "first given his own self to the Lord?") and that they must daily train the child in the remembrance, that he is not their's, but God's. They must be reminded of the great honour of being entrusted with such a charge, and of the fearful guilt of neglecting so responsible a trust. Where it is practicable, no sponsors or parents should present themselves at the font without previous Ministerial instruction;' that they may, under the Divine blessing, be led to this ordinance with a penitent, upright, believing, thankful, and cheerful spirit-presenting an "holy, and acceptable," as well as a "reasonable service."

Nor should we forget to inculcate the improvement of the baptismal engagements. Much use may be made

1 For this purpose the Writer begs to recommend Four Dialogues on Baptism' (Hatchard), as most valuable for parochial distribution-popular in their form, spiritual in their character, practical in their tendency. A short Catechism on Baptism by Rev. J. Bickersteth, lately published, is of a kindred character to that on the Lord's Supper referred to, p. 576, note.