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 176 atCaAWNTO m or,,a-r-. [Boor I[. he becomeo righteous. The sacraments of the old law, they' say', repres. ent the inward grace to be given by the passion of Christ; but those of the new law both represent and prf this interior gruc. 3. Protestants, in common with the Church of England in her cate- chism, believe that a sacrament is "an outward and vaible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us, ordained by Christ hbnoelf, as a means whereby we receive the same, and a pledge to assme thereof'. How many parts are there in a sacrament ? Two; the out* ward visible sign, and the inward spiritual grace." The Socinians, or Unitarians, believe that a sacrament is a mere naked and simple sign or mark by which Christ/ans are distingu/shed from those who are not Christians. Though this is correct enourh far as it goes, it is nevertheless faulty, because it does not go far enough, as it does not comprehend the reception of grace as the eat thing to be obtained by the instrumentality of the sacraments. In several thing8 Protestants and Romanists are ard respect/ng the sacraments. Both are agreed that the sacraments are outwsmt signs of spiritual graces; that there should be an agreement or fitness between the sign and the thing signified; and that sacraments ought to be instituted by di'ine authority. In several points respecting the sacraments Roman Catholics. and Protestants diiFer. 1. On the authority of inst/tuting a sacrament, which we afllrm to be derived from Christ only, and proved from Scrip- titre alone. 2. We differ in the form and matter of the 3. In the instrumental or ministerial cause. 4. In the use and end of a sacrament. 5. In the number of the sacraments. According tq the Roman Catholic definition of a sacrament, it will be impossible to place some of those which she calls sacraments in that number. For instance; in their sacrament of penance there is no external visible sign. There is only the application of a general pro- raise by a special ceremony. The form of absolution and the confes- sion of the penitent form, according to them, the outward slte; but this represents the subject in so ridiculous a light as to lead m to place the sign sometimes in one thing and sometimes in another.* It could be easily shown that in other sacraments of their church the component parts of one are wanting. III. Nece.yity of tapir itittioJt. 1. They maintain that sacraments are not in their nature absolutely necessary for salvation, for God could save men by other means, ms his power is not restricted to sacraments; but that there is a necesa/ty of concrviiy, or f,iess, so that men by them obtain a meetuess or pre- paration for heaven. These three sacraments are absolutely neceso 8ary, they say, as they are instituted by God. Baptism is necess' to all; penance to those who fall after baptism; and orders simply necessary to the whole church. By necessary they understand that without which a man cannot be saved. Without the other sacraments men may be saved, prodded there be no negl/gence or contentpt. BeHarmine, in conformity to the fourth canon of the Council of Trent on the sacraments, says that they are more necessary than faith. ' Whoever shall ,Arm that the sacraments of the new law are not

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