with poison, though shot from a feeble bow. The doctrine which I have juft mentioned, that the Eucharift is a rite, in which God bears a part, fhall be brought forward under the protection of Waterland. He fays, "In the first place let it be noted, that the Eucharift is not merely a duty of ours, but a facred RITE, in which God bimfelf bears a part." The doctrine of our Church, and of all Christian Churches, early and late, is much the fame with what our Homilies teach us; namely, that" in the Sacraments God embraces us, and offereth himfelf to be embraced by us." A learned writer obferves, and proves, that a Sacrament relates to that which FLOWS FROM GOD TO US; and he adds, "that it is a thing neither denied nor forgotten by any, but is evident from what the Scriptures teach concerning Baptifm and the Lord's Supper *. Indeed the Socinian

* Towerson on the Sacraments, p. 12. Voffius, to the fame purpofe, fays: "Quemadmodum FIDES eft quafi MANUS NOSTRA, quâ nos quærimus et accipimus: fic Verbum et SACRAMENTA effe

Socinian scheme is, to exclude God, as it were, out of the Sacraments, and to allow him no part in them, but to reduce all to a bare human performance or positive duty; BUT WE HAVE NOT SO LEARNED CHRIST.

In the cafe of Baptifm, what does the infant do a duty? a rite is performed upon it by man, and grace to complete the Sacrament is bestowed by God. In the Eucharift, more indeed is done by the receiver; but ftill God applies the benefit.

quafi MANUS DEI, quibus is nobis offert et confert, quod a fide nobis petitur et accipitur:”-As faith is, as it were, OUR HAND, by which we feek and receive; Jo the Word and the Sacraments are the HANDS OF GOD by which he offers and confers upon us whatever is thus fought and received by faith.

SECTION XXIX.

Of the Church, as diftinguished from the World; and the Expediency of preferving our Connection with it by Sacramental Communion.

T feems probable that few, in comparifon, have given themselves the trouble to form a true idea of the CATHOLIC CHURCH; though it is abfolutely neceffary, not only that its nature should be rightly understood, but that every man, who profeffes himself a Chriftian, fhould become an incorporated member of it.

According to the plain deductions from Scripture, mankind are divided into two diftinct tribes; thofe who belong to the kingdom of Christ, and those who belong to the world. The kingdom of Christ is the Catholic Church; but here it muft. be observed, that the Church comprehends

M 3

hends all true believers in Chrift in every part of Christendom, laity as well as clergy, however diftinguished by different names, or fubdivided into national or other lefs numerous fects or focieties. It is the Catholic Church that is meant, when it is contradiftinguished from the world; it is that grand fociety which is united to Jefus Chrift, as the limbs to the head of the body.

The word ECCLESIA (the Greek for Church) originally fignifies an EVOCATION, or a calling out. It imports therefore, that they who are in the Church are called out of a wicked and unbelieving world, and admitted into a fociety of which Jefus Chrift is the head. The English word CHURCH (xvgiann, Kyriac, Kirk, or Church) fignifies a house or fociety appropriated to the LORD (xupiw); a portion of mankind devoted to, and accepted by, the Author of our holy religion. It is obvious to all but the illiterate, that the word Church, when applied to a building, where a part of the people thus feparated meet for the purposes of worship, is a

popular

popular term, and has deviated like many other words from its original and proper fignification.

All human beings must belong to one or other of thefe claffes; they must be members of the Church, or of the world; the world, I mean, in a Scriptural fense. If they believe in Chriftianity, they must acknowledge the condition of thofe who are not of the Church, but of the world, to be truly deplorable. If a limb be cut off from a living body, it must die inevitably.

It fhould be the endeavour then of every ferious man to make hafte to efcape from a fituation, in which it is dàngerous to continue; and to be incorporated with thofe who are in the way of peace and fecurity. As Chrift is the head of the Church, fo an evil fpirit is represented in Scripture to be the Prince of the World: the one is the Captain of Salvation; the other, often under the difguife of an angel of light, a Tempter to fin, mifery, and everlasting perdition. The sheep that are in the fold are under