The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-04-14

oISu. Iue IlOsy OplrlU, OF whose agency
in this work of salvation we have already
been informed (No. y, takes this word
and shows it to us John xvi: 15), guides
us into all truth John xvi: 49,, con-
vinces us of sin (John xvi 81, and OF the
perfect Righteousness of Christ John xvi {:
lO). He also renews our wills and ena-
bles us to accept Christ thus set forth in
His word. Here is the combination of
mans agency, utterly inefficient of itself,
with the divine agency So in the natu-
raj world. God sends the rain and snow
which Isaiah Qv: 10, I'D compares to
His word. Man sows the grain or sets
the plants. If no grain is sown, no
plants set, the rain and snow, of course,
produce no results; and so the grain and
plants may be put in the ground, but the
rain and snow fall in vain on the naked
soil. These agencies, however, are not
equal in power. Mans part is the use of
the means, Gods part the efficient agency
in giving the means power to benefit. We
cannot understand, perhaps, why this is
so. We can explain the process by which
these agencies, moisture and heat, cause
seed to sprout and plants to grow, but as
man cannot make blade of living grass
or grain of wheat, and only uses what
God prepares, it is evident the efficiency
is of God. We may cavil and object and
dispute, but the fact remains. Would he
be thought wise man who sits down in
Incidence and says, If I am to make a
crop, [ will make it; and if not will
not, do what | may because he knows
the power is Gods, the ordering of the
clouds and seasons are Gods and yet
the whole mystery of the reproduction of
its kind by every seed cannot be under
stood. No, in worldly matters men act
on facts and ignore mysteries VIII a
man say | will not dig or chop or rake or
plough till [ understand the whole mys-
terry of vegetable life; and because 1 must
depend on Gods power for good result
OF my labor, | will do nothing, but wait
for God to give fruit from unsown fields
and implanted orchards? By no means.
SO let none reject or overlook this means
of grace, the hearing and prayerful read
ing of Gods word, because he cannot un-
derstand hoaO it is that Paul may plant
and Apollos water, and God alone gives
the increase.
~ The Sacramento are means of grace.
by baptism, the publication of the soul,
through the renewing of the Holy Spirit,
Is set forth in significant manner By
receiving this sacrament, believers are
" sealed or marked as Gods children
In the fact that it is administered but
once, there is signifed the perpetual
power of the renewal which it symbolises.
In It's administration to children on the
faith of their parents, the same great
truths are declared, though in such sub
jects, the administration does not imply
that the work Of renewal has taken nLace,
but that the parents profess the belief
of its necessity, and pledge the use of
the appointed means by which the child
may become subject of Gods grace. In
the Sacrament of the Lord Supper, the
recipient receives Christ Jesus, set forth
in the great central work Of redemption
His death-as a vicarious sacrifice for the
sins of men, and also that his entire spir-
itual life is derived from Christ, so that
eating bread and drinking wine, sym
bolises spiritual feeding on Christ, that
is, the nourishment of his soul by the
truths which Christ's death declares.
1t may be asked, OF what use are these
mere visible signs? Why NAV we not
as well accept the fact of the necessity of
regeneration by the Holy Spirit, without
the reception of the ordinance of baptism,
and the necessity Of his death for us ard
our dependence on it and all the truths
connected with it, as essential to our sal
vation-our faith and love and engage
ment to Him and union with Him, with
out receiving the tokens of His death, in
the ordinance of the Lords Supper? l.
the washing with water in the name OF
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, of itself
confers no benefit and "the giving and
receiving of bread and wine, of itself
imparts no blessing, why use such ordi-
nances? a. Because Christ has com
handed us to do thus. o. Because, as
in other relations and duties, sensible
sig11s are by all admitted, and by expe-
rience attested to be attendent with de-
cided power and benefit in reminding us
impressively Of the truths they set forth
Thus the observance Of days marking
great events in history-the lives and
services Of great benefactors- whether
personally to us, as of parents and others.
or to us In common with Others by the
customs Of the world, have ever proved
minently useful in keeping alive and
efficient the memory of blessings
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