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fufficient teftimony to their being fuch means, and proper means, Acts viii. 39. & ii. 42. &c.

II. Quest. Wherein lies the efficacy of the facraments, or when may it be faid, that the facraments are effectual means of falvation?

The efficacy of a means is its reaching the end for which it is appointed. If it fall fhort of that, it is ineffectual. The efficacy of a reproof lies in its reforming the party, and of meat in its nourishing the body. Now, the end of the facraments being to reprefent, feal, and apply Chrift and his benefits to the foul, the efficacy of the facraments lies in their reaching thefe ends; and then are they effectual, when they not only represent, but feal and apply Chrift and his benefits to the receiver, Rom. iv. 11. 1 Cor. xii. 13. 1 Pet. iii. 21. In a word, it lies in effectual obfignation and application of Chrift and his benefits. And when they reach not thefe ends, they are not effectual.

Now, fometimes thefe effects of the facraments are fo lively and evident, that the foul perceives them, as the eunuch did, Acts viii. 38. when he went on his way rejoicing. Sometimes they are not difcerned by the believer, though really they are wrought in him, as it was with the two difciples going to Emmaus, in another cafe, Luke xxiv. The following are figns of this efficacy.

Sign 1. The foul's cleaving more closely to the hope of the covenant than before, going out of itself more to Jefus Chrift and his righteoufnefs. This being the confequent of the facraments, is an evidence of the obfignation, Phil. iii. 3.

Sign 2. More folid tenderness with refpect to fin and duty, and longing to be rid of the body of fin and death. This is a fign of the application, Rom. vi. 4. & viii. 23. For nearnefs to Chrift is the cause of di ftance from fin.

III. Quest. To whom are the facraments effectual? or in whom have they their efficacy?

1. Not to all who partake of them. Simon was baptized, but continued in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity, Acts viii. 13. 23. Men may partake of the Lord's fupper unworthily. The apostle tells us how highly fome were advanced in respect of facramental privileges, with whom God was not well pleafed, 1 Cor. x. 1.-5. And fad experience bears

witness to this truth.

2. It is effectual to believing receivers, as to the Ethiopian eunuch, Acts viii. 37. 39. Mark xvi. 16. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be faved. It is with the facraments as with the word, Heb. iv. 2. The word did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. But this is not to exclude infants from the efficacy of baptifm, fince they are not capable of actual believing; but they having the Spirit of Faith abiding in them, baptifm has its effect on

them.

IV. Quest. Whence is the efficacy of the facraments? Negatively, 1. It is not from any virtue in themfelves, that thefe bleffed effects are produced. God has put a power of nourishment in our meat, and of warming in our cloaths; but no power of working grace either in the water of baptifm, or the bread and wine in the Lord's fupper. So the work wrought will never confer grace. The fcripture denies this power to the facraments themselves, 1 Pet. iii. 21. Baptifm doth now fave us, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the anfwer of a good confcience towards God), by the refurrection of Jefus Chrift. And many thousands are partakers of the facraments, who yet never partake of the grace of God, as Simon. These pools will never prove healing, if there be not a moving of the waters, from a fuperior caufe.

2. It is not from the piety nor intention of the adminiftrator neither. The holiness and beft qualifications that ever were in a minifter cannot make them effectual; let them burn and fhine with light and life

in the administration, they cannot make them effectual to one foul, 1 Cor. iii. 6. 7. I have planted, fays Paul, Apollos watered; but God gave the increafe. So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. The efficacy of God's ordinances depends not on men, the adminiftrators, either as to the making or marring their efficacy, Phil. i. 16. 17. 18. The one preach Chrift of contention, not fincerely, fuppofing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am fet for the defence of the gospel. What then? notwithstanding every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and therein do I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. They may be employed in faving others, who are caftaways themselves.

Pofitively, 1, The efficacy of the facraments depends on the bleffing of Chrift, as the caufe without which they could have no efficacy, forafmuch as the Spirit of Chrift will not work by means unblessed, Matth. xv. 9. In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

But Chrift has

bleffed thefe ordinances firft, and then the Spirit of Chrift will not work by means unbleffed, Matth. xv. 9. In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. But Chrift has bleffed these ordinances firft, and then the Spirit works in them and by them. Now, this bleffing of Chrift is contained in the inftitution of the facraments; which compre hends two things, here called Chrift's blefling.

(1.) A command authorifing the use of these ordinances. (2.) A promife of benefit by them to the worthy receivers, Matth. xxviii. 19. 20, & xxvi. 26.

c.

2. It depends on the working of the Spirit in them and by them, on the fouls of the receivers, as the efficient caufe, 1 Cor. xii. 13. The Spirit comes along with them, and renders them effectual to his own.

1 fhall shut up all with a few inferences.

Inf. 1. Hence learn to prize the facraments, and behold the dreadful nature of the fin of flighting them. They are means of falvation, and therefore ought to be dear to all who would partake of falvation. Those who flight the means, undervalue the end, the great falvation. Did many amongst us confider this, they durft not fo eafily live without the word or facraments, as they dó, Luke vii. 30.

2. Reft not on the facraments. They are but means, which are not effectual to every one that receives them. Many receive them both who never receive Chrift; but for all that they wear Chrift's badge, they work the devil's work. And it is not your receiving of them, but receiving benefit by them, that will be a good plea in the end, Luke xiii. 26. 27.

3. Look more to Chrift's inititution and promife accompanying it, with refpect to the facraments, and lefs to men who have a commiflion to adminifter them, if ye would not mar your benefit by the ordinances. It is lamentable to think, that where the mi. nifter's commiffion cannot be quarrelled, and Christ's inftitution is obferved, many nevertheless are fo weak, as to be frighted from God's ordinance with fcruples about the adminiftrators, as if the Spirit of God could not be expected to work with Chrift's inftitutions, unless they be in the hands of fuch and fuch minifters. This abfurd and finful practice prevails too much at this day, as if the efficacy of the facraments depended on the adminiftrators.

4. Lastly, Be concerned for the working of the Spirit in all ordinances, and particularly in the facraments; for without that they can have no effect. When ye bring your children to baptifm, and when ye come to the Lord's table, be concerned, and earnestly wrestle and pray for it. Let it be at these seafons the matter of your exercife, that the Lord may accompany thefe folemn ordinances with divine life and power unto you, and may excite your graces unto a vigo. rous and lively exercife, without which they will be utterly ineffectual to you.

The Nature of the Sacraments.

ROMANS iv. II.

And he received the fign of circumcifion, a feal of the righ teoufness of the faith, which he had yet being uncircum cifed.

HIS text difcovers the nature of a facrament,

TH

in the description the apoftle gives us of circumcifion, which Abraham received. In which confider,

1. The facrament itself which the apoftle treats of, circumcifion, which was the initiating feal of the covenant under the Old Teftament, and has been fuc ceeded by baptifm under the New.

2. The author of it. Abraham invented it not, but received it from the Lord, whofe institution it was, Gen. xvii. 10. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep between me and you, and thy feed after thee; every man-child among you fhall be circumcifed*; even as the

every

*On this paffage the author, in his Critical essay on Genefis, from which fome extracts have been given above, p. 232. 268. thus comments. "This [is the defign of ] my covenant, which ye shall observe; between me, and you; and thy feed, after thee: That is, This is the fign between me and you, and thy feed, even the fign of the covenant. Between you; q. d. Between you between you, i. e. you and every one of you, viz. Abraham and his whole family, male and female without exception, then in being; oppofed to his feed after him. Thus all his are taken with him into the covenant, fo far as to have a right to the feal of it. -That male, be circumcised for you. The conftruction and sense of these words is, To be circumcifed is the cavenant (i. e. the fign thereof) which ye shall obferve. Thus the great duty of the covenant is made to be, believing and depending on the promife of the covenant; wholly trusting on, and cleaving to, the righteousness of faith, whereof circumcifion was the feal, Rom. iv. 11.: the which is productive of all other duties. Further, these words bear this meaning, viz. That every male of you, be circumcifed for you that is, in the name of the whole family, confifting of women, as well as of men: that fo you may be all together one people in the bond of the covenant; compare Gen. xxxiv. 15. 22. And thus there appears a twofold reafon, why our Lord Jefus Chritt was circnncifed: (1.) That it might be to him a feal of the promises men

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