By _means of grace_ I understand, outward signs, words or actions, ordained of God, and appointed for this end, to be the _ordinary_ channels whereby he might convey to men, preventing, justifying or sanctifying grace. I use this expression, “means of grace,” because I know none better, and because it has been generally used in the Christian church for many ages: in particular, by our own church, which directs us to bless God, both for the “_means of grace_ and hopes of glory;” and teaches us that a sacrament is “an outward sign of inward _grace_, and a _means_ whereby we receive the same.” The chief of these means are prayer, whether in secret, or with the great congregation; searching the scriptures (which implies reading, hearing and meditating thereon) and receiving the Lord’s supper, eating bread and drinking wine in remembrance of him; and these we believe to be ordained of God, as the ordinary channels of conveying his grace to the souls of men. 2. But we allow, that the whole value of the means depends on their actual subservience to the end of religion; that consequently all these means, when separate from the end, are less than nothing and vanity; that if they do not actually conduce to the knowledge and love of God, they are not acceptable in his sight; yea, rather, they are an abomination before him; a stink in his nostrils; he is weary to bear them: above all, if they are used as a kind of _commutation_ for the religion they were designed to subserve. It is not easy to find words for the enormous folly and wickedness, of thus turning God’s arms against himself; of keeping Christianity out of the heart by those very means, which were ordained for the bringing it in. 3. We allow likewise, that all outward means whatever, if separate from the Spirit of God, cannot profit at all, cannot conduce in any degree either to the knowledge or love of God. Without controversy, the help that is done upon earth, he doth it himself. It is he alone, who by his own almighty power, worketh in us what is pleasing in his sight. And all outward things, unless he work in them and by them, are mere weak and beggarly elements. Whosoever therefore imagines, there is any intrinsick _power_, in any means whatsoever, does greatly err, not knowing the scriptures, neither the power of God. We know that there is no inherent power, in the words that are spoken in prayer; in the letter of scripture read, the sound thereof heard, or the bread and wine received in the Lord’s supper: but that it is God alone who is the giver of every good gift, the author of all grace; that the whole power is of him, whereby through any of these, there is any blessing conveyed to our soul. We know likewise, that he is able to give the same grace, tho’ there were no means on the face of the earth. In this sense we may affirm, that “with regard to God, there is no such thing as means:” seeing he is equally able to work whatsoever pleaseth him, by any, or by none at all.