creature: this cometh out of the nature of the act or separation, of which every one will be found to be prophetic or commemorative of Christ's coming in the flesh, to be cut off in the flesh-thirdly, That there must be an abiding and indwelling of the Holy Ghost: this again cometh out of the end of the separation, for God's witness and worship; and, therefore, the Spirit is properly named Holy, as being the origin and sustenance of holiness: and, let me add, that Christ is also named Holy, upon the very account, that by the Holy Spirit dwelling in him in all richness and fulness, he was preserved without sin, though he was in the form of the sinful creature. It is not the act of consecration which constituteth the holiness, but the communication of the Holy Spirit therein promised. Only no one may, no one can, separate the act from the agent, without a dishonour of Christ's institution, and limitation of the Holy Ghost, yea a misrepresentation of him as not then coming, or preparing to come, when above all other times he hath promised to come. For it is too rude a way of preventing the ordinance from being abused, to destroy its efficacy altogether; that is, to cut the knot, instead of unloosing it. The ordinances are the outward marks of sanctification; and all without them are to be counted unholy, all within them hóly. If any one say that all within them are not to be counted holy, then, a part within being unholy, they serve as no distinction at all between the holy and the

unholy. When, therefore, we apply the term unholy to those within the covenant, we imply that they are so by being hypocrites, reprobates, and covenant-breakers: which is a degree of unholiness far higher than that of those who were never included. They should have had holiness, but they have it not. They have counted the blood of the covenant, with which they should have been sanctified, an unholy thing; and they have done despite unto the Spirit of grace. It is an act of desecration, of profanation, of apostasy, of which they are guilty. Nevertheless such as are thus guilty of unholiness, and of falling away, have never been possessed of the Holy Ghost, who, as hath been said, would make good his own place, and not be dispossessed again. They have had all the demonstrations which God hath seen it good to make of his grace, and which it is possible for a fallen creature to receive, or for a responsible creature to receive without destroying his responsibility against which, having obstinately persevered in unbelief and impenitency, they do reveal the more hideous character of sin, and serve that great end of the Creator's purpose; but most surely they never have been anointed with the Holy Ghost, to bring forth holiness, and fulfil that higher end of the Divine purpose; and, of this sort, it hath been the counsel of God to permit Satan to bring a portion into his church at all times, who are the tares which Satan sows in the field while the

ministers of Christ are asleep; the wolves in sheep's clothing within the fold; the unfruitful branches which are planted along with the fruitful ones in the vine. Yet are these brought under the vows of God equally with the rest, and as such responsible for the performance of them, and admitted to the grace in the strength of which they are to be performed. Yea all who are standing in the church are to regard themselves as standing between these two conditions of election and of reprobation, entreated with all the fulness of grace proper to the former, liable to all the fulness of temptation proper to the latter. So that, knowing all these ordinances of God, that the church should hold in it persons of both sorts, yea and is to be consumed at length for being full only of reprobates, we are not the less to regard it unto the end, and until it be removed, as God's standing ordinance of holiness, which Satan hath succeeded, by the wickedness of men, so wonderfully to pervert.

Be it so then, that the church representeth the holy state, as the world doth the unholy state, of the creation: now, in order that the church may become a proper representation of the election of God, and body of Christ, and temple of the Holy Ghost, it is necessary that she should have certain visible ordinances which shadow forth the great truth, that all holiness is derived from the inhabitation of the Holy Spirit. And these ordinances must be from God, of his own contrivance for that blessed end. Let us now examine, as we pro

posed in the second place, what these are, from which we shall easily perceive the present unholiness of the church.

The first, without all doubt, is Baptism, which standeth upon the border-line, and is the boundary of separation between the creature regenerate, and the creature unregenerate. Remember, brethren, I speak of Baptism as the Lord and the Apostles speak of it,—not the sign merely, but the sign containing the grace signified,-when I say that it standeth the boundary around the church, between the creature regenerate and the creature unregenerate. Let baptism, in the true sense of that word, be done upon any man, and he is a creature regenerate and he who will suffer himself to use the word in a lower sense, doth so far forth desecrate the word, and open the way to the spoliation of God's holy ordinances. The baptised, therefore, ought to be holy, seeing baptism is for the remission of sins, and the receiving of the Holy Ghost. And because that remission of sins and gift of the Holy Ghost is not otherwise to be obtained but by faith upon Jesus Christ, those who receive this seal of the righteousness which is by faith, whether for themselves or for others, should be well looked to by the church, both as respecteth their honesty, their knowledge, and their blameless walk and conversation. And when they have been admitted amongst the regenerate church, they should keep all the ordinances and commandments of the church blameless.

All this cometh from the very nature and purpose of that holy Sacrament. Now, dear brethren, be judges between me and the church, whether the sacredness of this holy ordinance be not altogether destroyed, whether the very meaning of it be not lost. Look back into the earlier years of your lives, look back into the standards of our church, and say, whether this first ordinance of holiness hath not suffered grievously from the men of these times. The language in which it is spoken of in our Catechism can no longer be endured; the solemnity with which it was wont to be administered we can no longer bear. Out of the church, in private houses; when in the church, at a time which may not interrupt the service; is this holy sacrament huddled over. Any man presenting himself, without inquiry, for the simple paying of the fees, may have his child baptized. It is even worse amongst the Dissenters than in the churches; for some are found to stand up amongst us for the ancient purity and signification of the ordinance, and vows are imposed upon the engaging parent or sponsor; but there, as I am told, the very form of sponsorship is dispensed with. And I know that amongst no class of the church doth so much darkness and indifference exist upon the subject of baptism, as amongst the Evangelical, amongst whom I have hardly found one who hath even an idea of what is meant by this most excellent service of the Church. So that I may say, whatever