Of the Kingdom of God. i67 religion, there are ceremonies of the gofpel, S E R M. that is pofitive external inftitutions, con- VI. cerning which we ought not to make the `"VJ fame judgment, fuch as baptifm and the Lord's- fupper. It is very true that the for- mer are abolifhed, and thefe are in force, and will continue fo to the end of the chriftian difpenfation. But the queftion before us loth not relate to the obfervance of any out- ward ritual inftitutions, but the moment and importance of them in the chriftian religion, confidered as fet againft and as they may be feparateci from righteoufnefs, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghofl. And, in that fenfe, the kingdom ofGod is not being bap- tized in the name of Chrift, or eating that bread, and drinking of that cup, which are the external fymbols of his body and blood ; for the apoftle, r Cor. x. telleth us, that the Ifraelites were baptifed into the re- ligion of Moles, which was the way of fal- vation, and they ate fpiritual meat, and drank fpiritual drink, that is, they ate the manna, and drank the waters of the rock that fol- lowed them in the wildernefs, which were typical reprefentations of Chrift ; and yet with many of them God was not well pleafed which he menti o neth as a warning to chri- itians that they do not, trufting to outward M 4 pri-
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