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of that Grace, which is invisible and spiritual.

'Tis not a little in the Nature and Temper of Man, to be better pleafed and contented with fomething prefent, and in Hand (though of fmall Value in it felf) as a Token and Pledge of what is made over to him; than with the greatest Promises and Proteftations, without any Thing, as an earnest, to confirm them. Now what is inward and invifible is abfent as to Senfe, and what is future ftands in need of fomething prefent to reprefent it to us: And therefore God, in Compliance to our Infirmities, and in Affiftance to our Faith, has been pleafed, for our farther Comfort and Truft in him, to appoint vifible Signs and Pledges of that, which is invifible, and to give to our very Senfes fuch Affurance, as they are capable of, that all the Promifes of his fpiritual Bleffings fhall as certainly be fulfilled to us, as the outward Signs and Pledges, which he hath appointed, are duly received by us.

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It may be fuggefted perhaps," That An Objec "these f Things making fo deep antion a Impreffion upon the common People gaint "is a juft Reason against their use in "Religion, because the vulgar, who "generally look no farther than Exter

Vid. Chriftianity as Old, &c. f. 173.
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"nals, conceive in them I know not "what internal Holiness, and think fuch Symbolical Representations as neceffary, as the Things reprefented by them; nay, by Degrees forgetting the Rea"fon of their Inftitution, come to Ido"lize them, as the Ifraelites did the "brazen Serpent.

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But if it fhould be granted that fome ing that have erroneous Notions concerning these they are pofitive Inftitutions, fo as to lay an egainst f- qual Strefs upon them, as upon Moraliperftitious ty it felf; nay, that fome have refolved Abuse. the whole of Religion into fuch Obfer

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vances, and, instead of making it confift in the neceffary Duties of Piety, Juftice, and Charity, have placed it, not only in the inftituted Means appointed by God, but in trifling Ceremonies, and incomprehenfible Mysteries of Man's inventing and impofing; yet what availeth all this? The Queftion is not, whether the most excellent Things in the World may not, by one means or other, be corrupted, but whether the Scriptures give Countenance to any fuch · Corruption; not whether Men have been miftaken in their Apprehenfions of these Things, but whether Revelation has not laid down very plain Rules, to prevent fuch Miftakes; by declaring, that inftituted Rites have no Sanctity in them,

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and are no better than any the most ufelefs and trifling Ceremonies, if they do not promote moral Goodness: And, consequently, whether the common People (if they would use their Reason) might not eafily avoid fuch groundless and fuperftitious Conceits. a Bring no more vain Oblations; Incense is an Abomination unto me; the New Moons and Sabbaths, the Calling of Affemblies, Icannot away with; it is Iniquity even the folemn Meeting. He that killeth an Ox, is, as if he flew a Man; he that facrificeth a Lamb, as if he cut off a Dog's Neck; be that burneth Incenfe, as if he bleffed an Idol, and the Reafon is, because they have chofen their own ways, and their Soul delighteth in their Abomination. Such was God's Rejection of the Ordinances of his own Inftitution under the Law: And, in like manner, we are told in the GoSpel, that w He, who eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself, not difcerning the Lord's Body; and that it is not the putting away the Filth of the Flesh, i. e. the external Part of Baptifm, for which we are confidered as good Chriftians, but the anfwer of a good Confcience towards God.

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" Fofter's Usefulness and Truth of the Chriftian Revelation. Ifa. i 13. Ifa. lxvi. 3. I Cor. xi. 29. * Per. iii. 31.

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These and many more of the like Nature are the plain Declarations of Scripture; and whoever retains thefe in his mind can be in no great danger of idolizing the Symbolical Reprefentations of the Things, commemorated in fuch Ordinances.

Since thefe Ordinances however, when exciting rightly obferv'd, are productive of fo mamany Vir-ny Virtues and good Difpofitions in us; tues and fince, in the Sacrament of Baptifma, we good Difpofitions profefs our fincere belief in the Truth of in us. that Doctrine, which God the Father re

veal'd by his bleffed Son, and confirm'd by the miraculous Operation of the holy Ghoft; in it declare our humble Acceptance of the Overtures of Mercy and Grace, purchased for us by our Saviour, and in this Sacrament exhibited to us; in it acknowledge our Obligation to all Piety,Righteoufnefs, andSobriety, as loyal Subjects, faithful Servants, and dutiful Children to God; and, laftly, in it devote our felves to the Faith and Obedience of God the Father, our great and glorious Maker; of God the Son, our good and gracious Redeemer; and of God the holy Ghoft, our bleffed Guide and Comforter: And, in like manner, fince a devout Reception of the Supper of the Lord, Exercifes and Excites in us an awful Senfe of Mind,

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Mind, anfwerable to the Greatnefs and Holiness of him, whom at that time we approach; an hearty Contrition for our Sins, which expos'd our Saviour to fuch Pains and Agonies, as are therein remember'd; and a firm Refolution of forfaking them entirely, as injurious and difpleafing to him; a fervent Love and Gratitude to our dear Redeemer, for his wonderful goodness and love to us; a deep humility, upon the fenfe of our Únworthiness to receive fuch Teftimonies of his Favour; a pious Joy, in Confideration of the excellent fruits accruing to us from his Performances; a comfortable hope of obtaining the benefits of his Paffion by the affiftance of his Grace; and laftly, an enlarg'd Good-will and Charity to all our Brethren, as being made heirs of the fame Hope, and not only washed in the fame Baptifm, but fed at the fame Table with ourselves: Since thefe, I fay, are the Graces and Benefits, which accrue to us by these holy Ordinances, we have too juft a Sense of our Happiness in their Inftitution, to be fo far difgufted against thofe, who have clog'd and abused them with fuperftitious Innovations, as to liften to the Infinuations of others, who would deprive us of their Comfort, by having all outward Worship abolish'd.

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