Christ himself as the channel of the conveyance, and the seal or pledge of the reception of the inward grace. And the sign so consecrated by Christ has ever been esteemed by his Church to be so blessed and holy a thing, that the prophanation of it by an unworthy reception is a sin of the deepest die, and may justly draw down the severest judgments of God. Accordingly St. Paul, in the well-known passage of his first Epistle to the Corinthians °, rebukes in the strongest language their irreverent use of the sign or symbol of the communion of the Lord's body and blood. And the words of the Apostle being incorporated into our Communion Service, continues to be felt so forcibly to the present day, that it is sometimes even difficult for the Minister of Christ to remove the over-scrupulous and unfounded misgivings that are excited by them, and persuade the real penitent to accept the proffered blessing. And think you, brethren, that Baptism is not as much a Sacrament as the Lord's Supper? think you, that it is not equally ordained of Christ himself? equally sacred as a holy Christian mystery? equally on the unworthy receiver provoking GOD's indignation and wrath?

What then shall we say of the melancholy but numerous instances, where they who have received the outward sign live in utter ignorance,—it may be in contempt,-of the inward

• 1 Cor. xi.

grace; in whom the two component parts of this blessed mystery, united by Christ himself, are sacrilegiously divorced by the wickedness of man, and the seal and emblem of regeneration is unblushingly worn on the foreheads of those, whose works could only prove that they are yet in the death of the old nature, strangers to the promises of GOD in Christ, and aliens from the covenant whose sign they have assumed? Brethren, this is a consideration which should excite “great searchings of heart,” earnest strivings of the spirit, in all the followers of Christ. The two Sacraments stand on the same footing. The one is, indeed, often repeated, as it is the way of renewing and confirming the Covenant to which the other is the way of admission. But this difference affects not their common nature as Sacraments. Neither may we limit our view in this respect to the moment of actual administration of Baptism. The sign of admission once conferred can never for a moment be effaced. It must remain as an open unconquerable witness, either for good or for evil, to all who have received it. And every day and hour that a baptized person continues in wilful sin, he does as surely prophane one of Christ's holy Sacraments, as if he took the symbols of the other to be eaten and drunken amid the sensual revellings of an unholy feast. How then, we ask with earnestness, how are these fearfull but too

frequent prophanations to be avoided? How is the institution of Christ to be vindicated from this abuse, and the Church of Christ to be relieved of this scandal? How, but by all its members zealously endeavouring to bring men to a sense of the guilt which we deplore; labouring in their vocation, and as opportunity is given them, for the better promotion of Christian knowledge; and so leading them, under the Spirit of GoD, which is expressly promised on such efforts, to the full reception of Christ, whereby at length the divided Sacrament may be reunited in every heart, and become indeed to all that Baptism which saves us, not only the "putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward GOD P."

III. There is yet another consideration belonging to this part of our subject, which I would briefly notice, of inferiour moment doubtless to the other two, yet deserving (especially in the present day) the attention of all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. The main use of the Sacraments is undoubtedly their direct spiritual advantage to the individual receiver; yet they have a further design, indirectly tending to the same end. They are "badges or tokens of Christian men's profession," as well as signs of grace, and God's good will toward us";" and accordingly that is defined by our

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P 1 Peter iii. 21.

4 Article XXV.

nineteenth Article to be "a congregation of faithfull men," and so a portion of the visible Church of Christ, "in which the pure word of GOD is preached, and the Sacraments be duly administered, according to Christ's ordinance, in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same." Now we have seen, that it is of necessity to the Sacrament of Baptism, according to Christ's ordinance, that spiritual regeneration should effectually accompany the outward and bodily washing. It follows then that whosoever directly or indirectly consents to the separation of these essential parts,directly by his own continuance in open sin, or indirectly by allowing the ignorance and sin of others,—does in so far virtually withdraw himself from the visible Church, and add another to the many schisms which in these unhappy days are rending the body of Christ. And again: again: since the Sacraments are the visible signs and badges of the Catholick Communion, which by these schisms is so grievously dismembered, are we not constrained by the love of Christ to strive, by the promotion of religious truth, to restore the several members of his body to the agreement of the faith?" By one Spirit," says St. Paul," are we all baptized into one body: the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee; nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. And

whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular "."

It needs only a slight reference to history and experience to convince us, that all these deplorable departures from sound doctrine, which have not had their origin in scepticism and determined vice, have sprung from want of information. And this is a consideration that appeals with an especial force to all dutiful members of the Church of England, established as it is on the national recognition of the sound scriptural principle, that all are to be instructed in the truth; and which has therefore well been called, "The Poor Man's Church." In any Church, or with no permanent Church at all, the affluent might procure the means of Baptism, and of instruction in their baptismal engagements. But the sound wisdom and piety of our ancestors were led, by God's mercy, to provide the opportunity of Baptism for all alike within the "land which the Lord their God had given them." And we, if we have their zeal for Christ's honour, and their love to the poor, shall be ready to follow up their designs. In spite of all that we can say or do, there will still be parents and godfathers unwilling or unable to impart the necessary instruction; and persons of every age will thus be found, who have been

r 1 Cor. xii. 13. et seq.