The-papacy-its-history-dogmas-genius-and-prospects-wylie

—2d4tTHE SACRAMENTS.CHAPTER XI.THE SACRAMENTS.It has pleased God, in condescension to our weakness, toconfirm his promises by signs. The bow of heaven is a divinely-appointedtoken, confirmatory to the world of the promisethat there shall be no second deluge. The world hasbut one sign of its safety ; the Church has two of her perpetuity.The sacraments of Baptism and the Lord*'s Supper,like two beauteous bows bestriding the heavens of the Church,—are seals of the covenant of grace, and give infallible certaintyto all who really take hold of that covenant, that theyshall enjoy its blessings.But the Church of Rome has accountedthat these two signs are not enough, and, accordingly,she has increased them to the number of seven. Theseseven sacraments are baptism, confirmation, the eucharist,penance, extreme unction, orders, and matrimony. ThatChurch is accustomed to boast with truth that most of thesesacraments are unknown to Protestants :* she might haveadded, with equal truth, that they are unknown to the NewTestament. The institution of Baptism and the Supper isplainly to be seen upon the inspired page ; but where do wefind the institution of these five supplementary sacraments ?Not a trace of them can be discovered in Scripture ; and the* Milncr's End of Controversy, let. xx.