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Sacraments divefted of fhadows. APPLI. CON. of fhadows; the Devil no doubt, now fees clearly the Sacraments leading directly to Chrift, honoring him, and calculated to excite and maintain in the mind, a reverend and grateful fenfe, and remem brance of him; teftifying and exhibiting that truth which he, the old Infidel, always difbelieved, and denied; and which he has exerted himfelf fo much to prevent and difprove. It cannot but engage him with all his malice to revenge, his faculty to deceive, and power to moleft, in perverting those Sacraments; to infignificance or idolatry.

Accordingly we find that he foon perverted the Holy Supper, among the Corinthians; running them into fuch a rude manner of attending it, that

ii. 2. The ruler of the darkness of this world, Eph. vi. 12, And would, by his emiffaries, if it were poffible, decaive the very Elect, Mat. xxiv. 24. And no doubt he does deceive them into many things, and fift them like wheat. Though by divine reftraints, he is not fuffered to lead them into fatal deception, Yet many times fo as to difhonor Chrift and wound his caufe. The fword of the fpirit, to withstand him, is the Word of God. If any therefore depart from the Scriptures, they fall within the Devil's reach, and will most certainly be deceived by him. If perfons adopt any opinion, and then endeavor to bend the Scriptures to their opinion; it may be depended on, that the Devil will focond them therein; he can bring detached mutilated paffages of Scrip ture, fuited to the object, as he did to Chrift, adapted to his own object: And having power to operate on the mind, he can doubtless fill them with a tranfport of joy and delight, in their own fpeculations, and admiration of themselves; as well as he filled the heart of Ananias, to lye about the price of his land. And thus the Devil by his art, and wiles, may bring them to believe any thing he pleafes; however auti fcriptual or abfurd. And its being fo generally the opin, ion, that the Devil can do nothing among mankind, gives him all the opportunity he can with, to affault perfons, and do what he pleafes, unfufpected. And no doubt he origin. ated that opinion; for while perfons believe he cannot mo left them, they are neceflarily ignorant of his devices.

APPLI. CON. The Corinthians perverted the Holy Supper. 255 the Apostle faid it was not to eat the Lord's Supper, to eat and drink as they did. I think we mull fuppose this was of that old deceiver; for the Apostle fpeaks to them as real chriftians notwithstanding, and folemnly admonishes them to reform that abufe, and perverfion of the ordinance. Here we fee that the Devil had very foon run christians into at least infignificancy, as to the Lord's Supper, making nought of it; fo that it had no Sacramental fignificancy. There can be no doubt that this was moft confummately gratifying to the Dev i,to have the object of his inveterate hatred fo contemned and openly difhonored. And he no doubt hoped the Apoftle would tell them they had better not pretend to have the Lord's Supper at all.

But though Satan was at that time defeated of his defign with the Corinthians; yet he did not a'bandon his object; nor forfake Chrift's Churches; for we find he foon had a fynagogue in the Smyrnaan Church. And the Devil caft fome of them into prifon. Satan had alfo a feat and develt with the Church in Pergamos; and obtained there to have at least one faithful Martyr murdered.

It appears alfo that Satan was in Thyatira, and fet up a Jezebel prophetefs, teaching; and feducing many of the Church; and led them into forni cation and idolatry.

Satan had alfo a Synagogue in Philadelphia who practifed hypocrify and falfehood, to interrupt and injure what they could, the cause of Chrift.

Thefe are mentioned, to notice how indefatiga. ble and unremitting the Devil has been, in oppofing Chrift, God manifeft in the flesh; and endeavoring to injure his caufe, though there does not appear in thefe inftances; fo direct an attack upon the Sacraments. It is probable, that the Apoftle's

.256 Papifts pervert the Sacraments. APPLI. CON admonition to the Corinthians was then fo recent, that he could not prevail any thing, as to them::Therefore, plyed himfelf to thofe means or meafures, to which the genius of the times was adapted: Which was chiefly perfecution and seduction

in their moral conduct.

But foon after the Church had reft from perfecution, by her heathen enemies, the Devil prevailed to pervert the Sacraments, to infignificancy, fuperftition and idolatry.

For long fince the Papists have reckoned feven Sacraments. In this they take in the true Sacraments among the reft; yet it makes fuch a confufion of Ideas, that the meaning of the true Sacraments, is fo abforbed in the chaos; that the meaning can hardly if poffibly be found; and thus they become infignificant.

Again, as to baptifm; they have devifed fuch a nafty compofition of oil, wax, balsam, spittle and fometimes fome other things to apply inflead of water, that it cannot give the Idea of cleanfing. And thus wholly obliterates one effential Idea, of the ordinance and is at least fuperftitien, and total. perverfion of the Sacrament. Then applying it in form of the Crofs, is a fpecies of idolatry.

As to the fupper, they have a fort of wafers made; and pretend it is the real body of Chrift, and likewife that the wine is the real blood of Chrift. And then deny the wine to the common people. All this, can be nothing short of real idolatry; and a grofs perverfion of that holy ordinance.

Having touched upon the ancient and foreign conduct, of that old ferpent called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; we may perhaps, be better prepared to detect him at home. Me deceiveth the whole world.. We cannot fup

APPLI. Cox. Temptation does not exculpate perfons. 257 pofe he has neglected us. It concerns us then, to fearch him out, and not be ignorant of his deces. Wherein I have no doubt we fhall find, that he has been as búfy here, as ever he was any where; and has deceived people into many things to difhonor Chrift, and pervert his Sacraments.

But here let every one be cautious, and not flatfer himself with impunity for his errors, or mildoings because he is tempted or deceived into them; for although they may extenuate faults in a perfon, yet they cannot exculpate him. For our first parents were tempted and deceived; yet their vi olation of God's Sacrament, was of awful confequences. Therefore it infinitely concerns every one, duly to appreciate; and properly to attend

all God's ordinances.

It is well known there are many who hold in opinion, there are no Sacraments. I cannot fuppofe that those persons mean to oppose God, or difhonor Chrift. But I muft fuppofe they are deceived, by that old deceiver, who was always oppofed to Sa craments; who deceived our firft parents, and who deceiveth the whole world, ever fince.

But there are many who in opinion, and profeffion hold to Sacraments; and fpeak of them with great veneration, and I have no doubt they think fo; yet through mifapprehenfion, being as I have no doubt deceived, by that old deceiver; they do in effect pervert or make nought of them.

Thus as to baptifm, fome fay it is a dedication; that when an infant is baptized, it fignifies that the parent who is active in the dedication, does keep. covenant; or is a token of the parent's good cov enant standing.

I can difcern no Sacramental Ideas in this of any kind ; there is nothing in this, denoting a

Improper meanings of Baptifm. ArFLI, Com cleanfing or tranfplanting from Adam to Chrift, in order to falvation. Indeed it is not pretended to be a Sacrament; but a dedication. This then is an entire, and total fubverfion of the ordinance ; it is ftating the meaning of it to be fomething wholly diverle from what God inflituted it. And not only diverfe; but directly contrary to God's word; for the child is not the parent's to give or dedicate 10 God, in covenant relation: It is the Lord's. Ip is born his, in covenant relation; and what the parent has to do, is in obedience to God, publicly to recognize God's right to the child, having his name put upon it according to his inftitution. And there is the fame impropriety in confidering baptifm a dedication; that there is in confidering coming to the Lord's Supper a gift or a vow...

Again fome will fay the meaning and defign of baptifm is, It is an initiating ordinance into the chriftian Church.

Another statement I have heard, is, It is a prere-quifite for admiffion, into the Church.

Others will fay, It is following Chrift into the Water.

Others, not much diffimilar to the laft, will fay, baptifm is an example, to follow the example of Christ, because he was baptized.

The fame perhaps will fay, baptism is a burial as we read, buried with him by baptifm.

I cannot difcern one Sacramental Idea, in alk these statements, of the meaning of Baptifin, if Sa. crament is defined and explained right, in the foregoing Treatife; to be an outward fign or 10Len, of fame fpiritual or invifible thing. And if ́ baptifm is defined and explained right, to be a fign. or token of Salvation by cleanling and tranfplanting,. from the kingdom of Satan, to the kingdom of Cod,