A SACRAMENT, is a separation of some visible thing from common use; and a consecration of it to God’s service, for a sign either of our admission into the kingdom of God, to be of the number of his peculiar people, or for a commemoration of the same. In the Old Testament, the sign of admission was _circumcision_; in the New Testament, _baptism_. The commemoration of it in the Old Testament, was the _eating_, at a certain time which was anniversary, of the _Paschal Lamb_; by which they were put in mind of the night wherein they were delivered out of their bondage in Egypt; and in the New Testament, the celebrating of the _Lord’s Supper_; by which, we are put in mind of our deliverance from the bondage of sin, by our blessed Saviour’s death upon the cross. The sacraments of _admission_, are but once to be used, because there needs but one _admission_; but because we have need of being often put in mind of our deliverance, and of our allegiance, the sacraments of _commemoration_ have need to be reiterated. And these are the principal sacraments, and as it were the solemn oaths we make of our allegiance. There be also other consecrations, that may be called sacraments, as the word implieth only consecration to God’s service; but as it implies an oath, or promise of allegiance to God, there were no other in the Old Testament, but _circumcision_, and the _passover_; nor are there any other in the New Testament, but _baptism_ and the _Lord’s Supper_. ------- CHAPTER XXXVI. OF THE WORD OF GOD, AND OF PROPHETS. [Sidenote: Word, what.] When there is mention of the _word of God_, or of _man_, it doth not signify a part of speech, such as grammarians call a noun, or a verb, or any simple voice, without a contexture with other words to make it significative; but a perfect speech or discourse, whereby the speaker _affirmeth_, _denieth_, _commandeth_, _promiseth_, _threateneth_, _wisheth_, or _interrogateth_. In which sense it is not _vocabulum_, that signifies a _word_; but _sermo_, (in Greek λόγος) that is, some _speech_, _discourse_, or _saying_. [Sidenote: The words spoken by God, and concerning God, both are called God’s word in Scripture.]