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In the Creed I have been taught that God by his Son hath redeem∣ed me and all Mankind; and in the Doctrine of the Sacraments (which makes the last part of my Cate∣chism) I have been taught, how that by them God doth exhibit and seal unto Believers, that Re∣demption which Christ purchased for them.
And as to the Number of these Sacraments, I have learned they are but Two, and only Two, namely, Baptism and the Lord's Supper. And I am convinced, that all Men ought to receive these Two, who desired to be saved: Which I do not so understand, as if God could not save with∣out them; but that they are the Instrumental Means, and or∣dinary Seals, by which God hath promised to convey and assure Christ's Merits to me, and commanded me this way to re∣ceive them; so that wilfully to neglect, or to want the Sacra∣ments when they may be had, is to cast aside God's Ordi∣nance, which every Christian is bound to obey. And as I have been taught, so I look upon the Sacraments, as the Conditi∣onal Means which God requires to be observed of them unto whom he imparts his Grace: Not as if this Grace, whereof a
Worthy Receiver partakes, were a Natural or Supernatural Qua∣lity in the Sacrament, but that it is from God himself, which is the Author of the Sacra∣ment; so that Grace is receiv'd from God by means of the Sa∣craments.
And this I have learned not only from you who are our Parish-Divine, but also from Mr. Hooker, whose Judgment I have heard much praised by many of our best Clergy. This (saith he) is the Necessity of Sacraments: That saving Grace, which Christ Originally is, or hath for the General Good of his whole Church, by Sacra∣ments he severally derives into every Member thereof. Sacra∣ments serve as the Instruments of God to that End and Pur∣pose. Moral Instruments, the Use whereof is in our Hands, the Effect in his: For the Use we have his express Command∣ment;
for the Effect his Con¦ditional Promise: So that with∣out our Obedience to the one there is no apparent assurance of the other: As contrariwise where the Signs and Sacrament of his Grace, are not eithe•• through Contempt unreceiv'd or not receiv'd with Contempt We are not to doubt, but they really give what they promise and are what they signifie.
I fully acquiesce (as to this Point) in the Judgment of this Considerable Author. The Sa∣craments of the Christian Church, are, as I said, Two; namely, Baptism and the Lord's Supper. By Baptism I have my Admissi∣on and Entrance into the Church; and it is the washing of Re∣generation, by which I am new born: And by the Lord's Sup∣per (to which I now earnest∣ly desire to be admitted) I be∣lieve I shall be nourished, pre∣served, and grow up in Christ.
And these Two Sacraments I am sure were of Christ's own ap∣pointment. And seeing that by the one I am entred into the Christian Profession, and by the other I am therein strengthned and made perfect; I see no neep of any more.
And not to trouble my self with the secular use of the Word Sacrament, it serves my turn to understand it in the Sense of the Church; which tells me it is an outward and visible Sign of an inward and spiritual Grace, Ordain'd by Christ himself, and a means whereby we receive the same Grace, and a Pledge to assure us thereof. Now, this Description of a Sacrament I have been often told, is the uneasiest Point in all my Cate∣chism: I will therefore, in order to be better inform'd, set down my sence of this Description.
And first, By an Outward and Visible Sign, I understand that which presents its self to my Eye, and represents somewhat else to my Understanding. As for Example, in Baptism the Out∣ward and Visible Sign is Water, wherein the Person is dipped or sprinkled. And the inward and spiritual Grace which is thereby signified, is a Death unto Sin, and a New-birth unto Righte∣ousness, both which by the means of Baptism are convey'd to the Baptized.
I have heard you, Catechizing upon this Point, declare that it was the ancient manner of Bap∣tism, to put the Person baptiz'd under Water, and then to take him out again; and that this was done to signifie his dying unto Sin, and rising again to Newness of Life.
The first declared the weak∣ning, the deading, and putting off of sin: The latter shewed the
performance of those Actions of Men, who being quickned by the Spirit, endeavour to serve God all their days in Righteousness and true Holiness.
And in the Lord's Supper there is also an Outward and Visible sign, namely, Bread and Wine, and an inward Part or Thing sig∣nified, to wit, the Body and Blood of Christ, which are spiritually received by all Worthy Commu∣nicants, and which being so re∣ceived, their Souls are strengthned and refreshed; and the same Ef∣fect is wrought in the Inner Man, by the Holy Mysteries which is in the Outward by these Elements. And as strength is from Bread, and chearfulness from Wine; so I hope, and expect, that when I am admitted to the Lord's Supper, my Heart will be established by Grace, and my Soul strengthned, and my Conscience made chearful and light with the Blessings and Benefits that the Sacrament will
exhibit, seal, and convey unto me; still supposing that I am in some competent measure fit to communicate. And in order to be so, I have learned from my Catechism, that these following Duties are required of me, name∣ly, Self-Examination, Repentance, Faith, Thankfulness and Charity.
And for my assistance in the Knowledge and Examination of these Graces, I have chosen The Introduction to the Sacrament, writ∣ten by Doctor Addison, Dean of Lit••••field, on purpose for such if Capacities as my own: And after this familiar account of my knowledge in Religion, you (to whom I commit the care of my Soul) shall judge me competent to be admitted to the Lord's Ta∣ble, I shall esteem my Condition happy, as being perswaded, that I have no other means to repair my Vow of Baptism, which by numerous ways I have broken, and to renew the Covenant I made
with God when I was Christen'd; and to be restored to all the Be∣nefits of Baptism, forfeited by the sins I have committed since I was baptized; I say, I am perswaded that I cannot obtain these things by any other Appointed means, but by a due receiving the Holy Communion.