soon as the child was strong enough to be weaned; and that the only visible witnesses left in attendance upon the perpetuation of the invisible work of the Holy Spirit, were the two outward and visible signs of water and blood, or in other words, the two standing inalienable sacraments of the church. Admirable, however, as is in this view the adaptation of the visible tokens to the character of the invisible work to be indicated by them, another still more remarkable beauty discovers itself in them, when we examine them separately, as to the ideas which are involved in each, and of which they are respectively the embodied expression. If we cast our eye back over the whole history of this world of ours, there are two stupendous interpositions of God, which above all others arrest our attention, both equally affecting the entire human race, both so far exceeding all human calculation and belief, that notwithstanding the most explicit intimations given of both, before the event, by God himself, they both took the world utterly by surprise; both alike powerfully displaying, though in different ways, the perfection of God's character, and the sovereignty of his power. The overwhelming destruction of the old world by the waters of the flood, to which baptism answers as a kind of anti-type," was not a more signal act of God's wrath and vengeance, than the shedding of the blood of his only begotten Son, which is shown forth in the other sacrament, was of his love and mercy; the former leading us to fear and repentance, lest he who "spared not the old world," but "made them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly, should also not spare us, if we "neglect so great salvation," while now in our days the long-suffering of God waiteth until the ark of his church be prepared; the latter leading us to love and holiness, love, "because he first loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins;"¶ holiness, because as Christ, "in that he died, died unto sin once, but in that he liveth, liveth unto God," so we likewise are to "reckon ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Farther to pursue in this place the latent treasures of varied and deep meaning that are shrouded in the sacraments, would, though not, perhaps, altogether foreign to our purpose, yet prove inconvenient as an interruption to the thread of our present argument: inexhaustible beauties, sparkling lights of ineffable brilliancy will not fail to discover themselves to every devout mind, wont 1 Cor. xi. 26. • 2 Pet. ii. 5, 6. 1 John iv. 19. cf. ver. 10. P Heb. ii. 3. to ponder on the heavenly mysteries presented to us under the veil of those creaturely elements. For our immediate object it suffices to have shown by the few suggestions now thrown out, that although we now see but "through a glass darkly," yet even our clouded sight may discern far more than a mere arbitrary juxtaposition of sovereign appointment (though if it were such, “who art thou, O man, that repliest against God?") in the connexion between the invisible witness "the Spirit," and the two visible witnesses, water" and "the blood." "the Taking, then, this connexion to be both established by the direct testimony of Scripture, and to recommend itself forcibly to our hearts and minds by the abundant matter of holy meditation it suggests, two questions arise, which being either answered in the affirmative or negative, as doubt or presumption dictated, or kept purposely "open questions" in divinity, have led to infinite confusion among the professors of Christ's religion, within the pale of the church as well as out of it: so much so, that it may safely be affirmed, that there is no system of heresy or schism on record, some of the worst features of which may not be traced to the misconstruction of the truth in regard to one or other of these two questions. It has been asked, if there be this connexion between the invisible agency of the Holy Spirit, and the outward and visible signs in the sacraments, are we thence to infer that the Holy Spirit is not effectually present, wherever the sacraments are not administered, or not received? and on the other hand, that wherever the sacraments are administered and received, the effectual presence of the Holy Spirit is a necessary consequence? As regards the latter question, it will more aptly come under discussion at a later stage of our inquiry, for which we accordingly reserve it; but in reference to the former, this appears the most convenient place for setting the matter in its proper light, which we purpose to do on two distinct grounds, first, the commandment of our Lord and Saviour himself, and, secondly, the practice of his Apostles. Touching the command of our Saviour himself, there is hardly a point in the whole range of Scripture truth so clear and distinct, so completely beyond the reach of cavil, except of the most unfair and ignorant kind," as the fact that The construction, ex. gr., which the Quakers put upon the words of institution of the two sacraments, is assuredly such as will not stand the test of fair criticism; common sense repudiates it; and, above all, it is sadly at variance with that childlike simplicity of mind which our Saviour insists on as a primary qualification for the kingdom of heaven. both the sacraments of Baptism and of the Lord's Supper were "ordained of Christ." The command, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," can hardly be understood in any other sense than that in which it is interpreted and acted upon by our church;" and when it is coupled with the declaration that precedes it, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth ;* go ye therefore," &c. the connexion between that heavenly power which Christ exercises over his church on earth by the communion of the Holy Spirit, and the ordinance enjoined, obtrudes itself irresistibly upon the mind. In like manner the other command, "Take, eat; this is my body, which is given for you," and "Drink ye all of this; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins;" with the additional injunction "Do this in remembrance of me," and the exposition of St. Paul," As often as V W y Matth. xxviii. 19. * Excepting always the question of infant baptism, the solution of which is not equally obvious, although by no means doubtful, as we hope to show in the sequel. * Matth. xxviii. 18. y Compare the different accounts of the institution of the Lord's Supper, Matth. xxvi. 26-29; Mark xiv. 22-25; Luke xxii. 19, 20.; and 1 Cor. xi. 23-25. |