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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