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the people as it ought to be. It is placed towards the end, in the following words “ Note, that every Parishioner shall communicate at the least three times in the year, of which Easter is to be

And now, my beloved brethren, I will close my discourse with an earnest and affectionate appeal to all of you who wish to live and die like Christians, that you will think most seriously of receiving this blessed Sacrament on Easter day.* Some of you have already manifested their Faith in Christ, at His holy Altar. Do let me trust that the day is not far distant when all of you, who are come to years of suitable reflection, will join themselves to their brethren in this holy bond of Christian fellowship. Did not your Redeemer command you to" do this in remembrance" of Him? are you not grieved, are you not afraid, to disobey the command.of Him who has done so much for you? have you never reflected that the Sacrament of Baptism, when unworthily received, is as dangerous as the Lord's Supper under the same circumstances? are you unworthy to come?-then you are unfit to die, while this very night your souls may be required of you; and then how would you wish in vain that one day, one hour, might be

Y

* Preached on Palm Sunday.

spared you to commemorate your Saviour's most precious death.

Are you afraid to come to the Lord's Table?of what need you be afraid? does He not invite you all to come to Him? does He not say, "He that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out,"and "come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will refresh you?"-are you unwilling to give up your darling sins?-ah! my brethren, make but the trial, and you will find these sins a much heavier burthen than a sincere

repentance would be. Hear again the Divine Voice charming you with infinite kindness and condescension to eternal life-" take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."(St. Matthew xi. 29, 30.)

Do you find difficulties, and are you not satisfied with the explanation which I have given you of the word" damnation" as used by St Paul, and by the Service of the Church, on the subject of the Lord's Supper?-do, I pray you, come and converse with me in the mean time as with your sincere friend, and as your brother and Pastor in Christ, and I feel confident that I shall be able to dispel every difficulty, and to satisfy every scruple, by a reference to the Scriptures of Truth.

I will, by God's help, advise with you, I will comfort you, I will pray for, and with, you.

And O! my most good and gracious God, do not humble me by seeing that any part of the flock which Thou hast committed to me thy unworthy servant, that flock which Thou hast redeemed by the blood of Thy dear Son, which Thou hast justified, and sanctified, and elected, and predestinated to eternal life, refuse to come to that heavenly feast which Thou hast prepared for them, and to commemorate that most precious death whereby alone they must be saved. Turn their hearts, O Lord, I pray Thee, and dispose them to the attainment of everlasting salvation. Send Thy Holy Spirit among them, and by the various means of grace, which Thou dost mercifully and most freely extend to them, by the Holy Scriptures, by Prayer, by Preaching, by the Sabbath, by the blessed example of Thy Saints, and by the various dispensations of Thy own good Providence towards them, bring them eventually unto Thy glorious and everlasting Kingdom.

LECTURE XII.

BAPTISM.

Galatians iii. 27.

AS MANY OF YOU AS HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST HAVE PUT ON CHRIST.

THERE are two Sacraments ordained by our Lord in the Gospel; and both of these are declared by the Church to be "generally necessary to salvation." We say "generally necessary" in opposition to the Church of Rome, which asserts. that the Sacraments are always and absolutely necessary to salvation, and that, unless a person has had them administered to him, he cannot possibly be saved.

Now we may be placed in countries, and in circumstances, in which it would be impossible to have the Sacraments administered to us by lawful Ministers of the Gospel. In such cases therefore they cannot be procured, and may therefore be

dispensed with. But nevertheless, where Baptism, and the Communion of the Lord's Supper, can be procured, they are absolutely necessary to salvation, and no one may safely neglect them without infinite hazard and danger. It is true that they. are forms; nevertheless a high spiritual grace and efficacy are attached to them. But, if they were outward forms only, it should always be remembered, that Christ has plainly commanded them, and that we are bound to keep His commandments. If we wilfully and perversely disobey, or neglect to observe them, we prove ourselves most assuredly none of His faithful disciples.

Again, it is to be observed that there are only Two Sacraments-i. e. only two ordained by Christ. It is necessary for the Church to assert this, because the Church of Rome declares that there are seven Sacraments of the Gospel, viz. Baptism, Confirmation, the Communion, Matrimony, Penance, Holy Orders, and Extreme Unction. When I state to you, my brethren, the names of the Seven Sacraments of the Church of Rome, I am sure you will immediately perceive that they are not, with exception of Baptism and the Communion, ordained by our Lord, nor, in this sense, to be considered Sacraments of the Gospel. To these two ordinances of our Lord therefore, viz. to Baptism and the