(c) It is “being led by the Spirit of God,” for then, says the apostle,” [sic on punctuation] they are the sons of God. [Note 18]

All these evidences presuppose or involve that great change of heart and life, termed by the Saviour new birth, by which the sinner becomes morally qualified for that pardon, purchased by the blood of Christ, and appropriate to the believer by his faith.  But no outward rites necessarily imply such moral preparation, and hence they could not be the conditions of justification, according to the analogy of God’s Word.

V. Hence the sacraments, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, are not the immediate conditions or means of pardon or justification; but they are means of grace, like the Word of God, and seals of grace to all worthy recipients.  They have an intrinsic efficacy by virtue of the truths symbolically represented by them, and an additional specific efficacy in virtue of their peculiar nature, in connexion with the influence of the Holy Spirit, to awaken, convert and sanctify the soul.  The distinguished Lutheran divine, Dr. Baumgarten, speaking of adult receivers of these ordinances, thus expresses his view:  “The sacraments stand in the same relation to these influences, (namely, those of covenant grace,) as does the Word of God.  Hence they are also called the visible word of God, verbum visible; because the offer of their reformatory, changing and restoring influence is universal, and reaches every recipient of these ordinances; but its actual communication and full effect take place only in those, who permit themselves to be made susceptible of it.” [Note 19] In regard to children, however, he with equal propriety adds, that the blessings which baptism confers on them, are bestowed irrespectively of any action of their own.

These sacraments, however, do not necessarily prove the existence of any particular progress in the work of conversion, or any definite state of mind, except, a general disposition to seek the Lord, which is implied in the willingness to attend on these ordinances.  They cannot therefore be the condition of pardon or justification.

These influences, like those of the truth, may be resisted, and depend for their success on the disposition of the recipient; they do not act ex opere operato.  The special influence of the sacraments, so far as known, is the same in kind_ as that of the truth.

That the sacraments are not IMMMEDIATE conditions of pardon or justification, is evident, from a multitude of considerations.

1.  If the sincere reception of the sacraments actually secures pardon or justification per se, immediately, without the intervening instrumentality of a living faith, then faith is not the only condition of justification as the scriptures teach, but we are justified either by faith, or by the sacraments, and then there will be three conditions of justification, faith, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper!  For thousands receive the eucharist sincerely, who are unregenerate, and have not a living faith.