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New Teftament, which knows nothing of it, cannot lead any Chriftians into the Notion of it, as applied to the Lord's Supper.

The Latin word [Sacramentum] primarily fignified an Oath; or an Obligation expreffed by an Oath; which was always esteemed as a Sacred thing. And in this Senfe, though it be improper to speak of receiving a Sacrament; yet the action of partaking of the Lord's Supper may be called the Perfor mance of a Duty which is in effect a Solemn acknowledgment, and recognizing, of our Obligations: as it is a Profeffing Ourfelves Chriftians; and as fuch obliged, as truly as by an Oath, to all the Practice becoming Chriftians.

The word foon came to be used by the Latin Writers of the Chriftian Church (Tertullian and St Cyprian particularly) for almost every thing under the Old Teftament, that bore any fimilitude to Things under the New; and for almoft every thing relating to Religion, under the New: and this to fuch an excess, that the pious and learned Editor of St Cyprian at Oxford, observed, in One of his Notes, that "there was no word "amongst Ecclefiaftical Writers of a more "loofe

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" loose fignification, than the word Sacra"mentum;" which may eafily be believed, when this very Note was made upon occafion of a Passage * in which St Cyprian speaks of the many and great Sacraments of the Lord's Prayer.

Thus, amongst other things, this word came to fignify Any Religious Ceremony; bęcaufe Every Religious Ceremony implies in it the profeffion of that Religion to which it peculiarly belongs; and, by confequence, the owning our felves under all the Ties and Obligations of That particular Religion. And in this fenfe, Receiving the Sacrament is the performance of a Religious Ceremony peculiar to the Chriftian Religion; and the Virtual owning Ourselves, by this action, to be under all the Obligations belonging to that Religion.

But at length the Ufe of this Word came to be more confined: And in Ma

ny parts of the Chriftian Church to be appropriated to Two only Ceremonies, under the Definition of an "Outward and visible

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Sign of an Inward and Spiritual Grace given unto Us, ordained by Christ himself,

Cypr. de Orat. Domin. Ed. Ox. p. 142.

as

"as a Means whereby We receive the same, "and a Pledge to affure us thereof."

And in this Senfe the Lord's Supper may be called a Sacrament. For the Bread and Wine are outward and visible Signs, or Marks, ordained by Chrift to call to our Minds, and to point out to Us, the greatest Inward and Spiritual Grace, (i. e. Favor or Mercy) beftowed upon Man by Almighty God. They call to mind the Death of Chrift, and are Memorials of his Body and Bloud, given and fhed for our Spiritual Advantage; and confequently, Memorials of all the Benefits we are entitled to, by that Inftance of Grace or Mercy: and fo the Lord's Supper is an Outward and visible Sign of the greatest Inward and Spiritual Grace given unto Us.

It is likewise an Outward Sign, ondained, or appointed, by Christ himself, to be the Mark, or Memorial, of all this. Not only fo: but ordained by Him as One Mean, amongst many others, of our Improvement in the practice of the Religion We profefs by our attendance upon this Sacrament; and of our receiving hereafter, in confequence of that practice, all the Benefits of his Body broken and Bloud shed, now call'd to mind by these

Outward

Outward Signs. It may be confidered alfo as a Pledge, on Christ's part, to affure Us of all this; as the Bread and Wine are appointed by Him to be eaten and drunk, as Signs, for in remembrante,) of that Death of Chrift which was the highest Affurance He could give Us of his Love to Mankind, and of our own. Title to the partaking of that Love upon his own Conditions. We cannot indeed, duly partake of the outward and vifible Bread and Wine, in remembrance of Chrift; without calling to mind also the AsJurance given Us by Him, of our partaking, upon the Terms of his Gofpel, of all the good Things promised in it.

In partaking therefore, of the Lord's Supper, We may be faid to receive a Sacrament, in the present Senfe of that word; as We receive Bread and Wine, which are outward and vifible Signs or Memorials of those Inward and Spiritual Mercies which are given to Us by our Lord, upon the Terms of his Religion; and these Signs ordained, to this purpose of Remembrance, by Christ himself; and upon this account to be confidered as Means (amongst others) tending to that Chrif tian Behaviour, which will at laft entitle Us

to

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to the Poffeffion of thofe Mercies: and alfo as Pledges to affure Us that, as certainly as thefe Outward Signs were ordained for the Remembrance of these Benefits promised to Us; fo certainly God will be ready to bestow upon Us hereafter all the Benefits thus promised, upon our perfeverance in the practice of Every Inftance of Virtue and Holiness required of Chriftians.

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