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petitions. And though they are not usually repeated in the Catechism, they seem to be referred to in the statement of what we desire of God in this prayer; wherein we are directed to say, and "this I trust He will do of his mercy and goodness, through our Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore I say Amen, So be it." I trust, because to God belong the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. I trust, because the Father has committed all power to the Son, in whose name I make my supplication. (See John 16. 23.) I trust; and therefore I pray. I trust; and therefore I say, Amen. I repeat as it were my whole prayer already uttered, saying Amen, meaning, So be it. God grant that it may be so. I trust that it will be so; through Jesus Christ our Lord. To Him, the ever blessed Son of God, to Him who both has taught us how to pray, and is ever ready to present our petitions at the throne of grace, to Him, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, henceforth for evermore!

SERMON VI.

THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM.

1 COR. 12. 13.

"For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."

THIS text has been very generally considered to refer to the two sacraments, of which an account is given in the latter part of the Church Catechism. Two there are, and two only; two ordinances, and no more, answering to this description, "an outward visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us, ordained by Christ Himself, as a means whereby we receive the same, and a pledge to assure us thereof." And these two are Baptism and the Lord's Supper. And as the text expressly mentions one of them, "by one

Spirit are we all baptized into one body," it seems highly probable, from the tenour of St. Paul's argument, that the other is intended by these words, " and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." For certainly this interpretation is in harmony with the obvious meaning of another passage in this same Epistle: "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? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread." (1 Cor. 10. 16, 17.)

These two sacraments are said to be "generally necessary to salvation," not absolutely necessary in every case, but necessary where they may be had. The one is the sacrament of our regeneration, or new birth; and we therefore partake of it only once. The other is the sacrament of our spiritual food and nourishment; and therefore we partake of it frequently. That baptism is generally necessary to salvation appears plainly from these words of Christ: "Ex

cept a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom

of God." (John 3. 5.) that believeth and is

And again, "He baptized, shall be saved." (Mark 16. 16.) The general necessity of the Lord's Supper is proved in like manner from our Lord's own words, which plainly point to this other sacrament: "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you." (John 6. 53.) Thus both are shewn by Christ's own words to be generally necessary. See therefore that you honour Christ in both. Refer thankfully to your baptism, as to the ordinance from which you date your new birth as a child of God. Regard yourself as having been thenceforward one of God's children, pledged to serve Him with dutiful affection. And remembering to what a state of salvation you then were called, give all diligence to make your calling and election sure. (See 2 Pet. 1. 10.) When you become a parent, bring your children to be baptized, with a lively sense of the privileges and the duties to which they are

thereby admitted. And thenceforth bring them up as if you really felt that they then became members of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven. Honour also the Lord's Supper, by partaking of it frequently, reverently, thankfully; and by persuading others as far as you can to partake of it in like manner. For remember that if you wilfully refuse the invitation given you so graciously and so urgently, there remains for you a sad foreboding of those words of the king in the parable: "None of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper." (Luke 14. 24.)

It is hardly necessary to quote passages of Scripture, which prove that both these sacraments were "ordained by Christ Himself." Every one must remember how plainly our blessed Lord commanded his disciples to baptize, and with what solemnity He instituted the Lord's Supper the night before his crucifixion. (See Matt. 28. 19. 26. 26.) But further, each sacrament is an outward sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us," and not

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