spirit who guides unto all truth, and as at any rate the words in themselves shew forth a feeling which I personally entertain on the matters to be treated of, I take them as suitable to my present design. I dare not expect, as a mere consequence of what I am about to say, to aid in these particulars the apprehension of very young and tender minds. Such minds may perhaps have the gift of a better knowledge of these things than any human words can impart, for the Holy Spirit may choose to take of these things of God, and show even unto babes, but even in what they do not yet attain, they can surely understand, and should believe that in all things that help forward salvation, though they know them not now, they shall, if they will keep a teachable spirit, be allowed, in fitting season, to know them hereafter. I will at any rate aim at all the plainness in my power in the remarks now to follow.

There are in the catechism three parts or divisions of the questions and answers on the sacraments. The first part relates to sacraments in general, the second to that of baptism, the third to that of the Lord's supper. In the beginning it is asked—“How many sacraments hath Christ ordained in his church?" It is answered-"Two only, as generally necessary to salvation, that is to

say, baptism, and the supper of the Lord." Observe particularly that nothing is yet said of the meaning of the word sacrament, that the question is not simply how many sacraments are there, but moreover how many Christ hath ordained in his church; and that the answer is not absolutely two only, but with the further qualification or property, as generally necessary to salvation." The question and answer may appear to stand more clear and distinct if put thus. Qu. How many sacraments hath Christ ordained in his church as generally necessary to salvation? Ans. Two only, that is to say, baptism and the supper of the Lord. The occasion for using the word only, and in an earnest manner after the number two, arose from the practice of the Roman Church, from which our branch of the Catholic Church was reformed, to reckon seven sacraments, five of which, that is to say, confirmation, penance, orders, matrimony, and extreme unction, are not to be counted for sacraments of the gospel-Why so, will be seen when we shall have considered the next question: "What meanest thou by this word sacrament," and its answer: I mean 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 as

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sure us thereof." Many ideas and words are here given as an explanation or definition of a single one. I have generally found also, that to learners and repeaters of the catechism, this sentence requires to be made clear as to the construction and dependence of its parts. I therefore request all to remember or to refer to the passage, and to observe that all the expressions in the answer are hinged and turned on the word sign, which is the direct and leading explanation of the word sacrament in the question. The term sacrament before it served Christian purposes meant a sign for other uses, and the outward visible sign though not the greater essential of a Christian sacrament, is in first view the more prominent and noticeable essential. But a sacramental sign must be a sign of an inward spiritual grace accompanying the due use of it; this grace, not the sign, is what is declared to be given unto us; the sign is what is ordained by Christ himself, and is ordained as a m means whereby we receive the same grace, and also as a pledge to assure us of that grace. As every sign implies something of which it is the sign, and as a sacrament thus understood is a sign of a grace, so when it is asked--"How many parts are there in a sacrament?" the answer includes, for the complete idea, both sign and thing signified, and declares—

"Two, the outward visible sign, and the inward spiritual grace."

In the catechism regarding sacraments, we have now gone through the first part which treats of them in general, and have just put the words into train for being better understood in their connexion and agreement. It seems to be now seasonable, and not unprofitable, to lay before you something more of the growth and force of this word sacrament. It was in the Latin language long before the gospel of Jesus Christ was made known to the nations, and at first meant anything sacred or set apart. The Romans in course of time employed it as the name for the solemn ceremony and engagement, by which a soldier among them was set apart and devoted to the service of his country, and vowed obedience to his commanders. This was the sense in which the word was generally used, when it first came to be employed in the cause of Christianity. It aptly then became the name among Christ's followers to declare and specify their master's institutions, for the outward part in both these institutions is made to serve holy uses, and is joined with the strictest engagements in either case to become or continue to be Christ's faithful soldiers and servants. Before, however, that the word was finally limited to signifying the

two great and distinct ordinances of baptism and the Lord's supper, it was less carefully applied, even among Christians, to anything regarded as holy or sacred, and especially to institutions that contained anything of emblem or allusion, of promise or engagement; thus confirmation, penance, orders, matrimony, and extreme unction, obtained, though perhaps in a lower sense than baptism and the Lord's supper, the name and consideration of sacraments in the church of Rome. I throw in the notice, for those who do not already know it, that the term extreme unction, the only one of the above that seems now to need particular explanation, means touching with oil the body of a person supposed to be in extremity, that is to be dying, and was founded, if not on a wrong interpretation, at least on an unnecessary application of a passage in the Epistle of St. James. Now the application to these five rites and ceremonies, of the same name as to baptism and the Lord's supper or Eucharist, led to gross abuses and misconceptions, so our church, following the example of the best ages, confined at the reformation the name sacrament to these two institutions, as being not only holy, not only approved by God, but as being also ordained by Christ, for use throughout his whole church, not limited to particular persons or classes,