rank, or patronage'. Be prepared, with your Common Prayer in hand, to make those responses which the Church requires; and be not dependant on a prompter, on so solemn an occasion. Believe in your hearts, that a Divine grace is imparted, which, if you watch over your child, and pray for him; and teach him according to the Gospel, will surely spring up, and bring forth the fragrant blossoms and the heavenly fruit of holiness, under the dews of God's blessed Spirit.

We have all, I willingly hope, been admitted into the family of Christ, by the Sacrament of Regeneration. Have we seriously considered how great a trust was then committed to us? Great as the baptismal blessing is, through the unmerited goodness of the Lord, it may utterly be quenched by sinful neglect, or open rebel

'In the judgment of the Church, none should undertake the office of sponsors, who are not communi- !

cants.

lion. Good were it for such men, if they had never been born again. How shall we answer it at the great day, if we have refused to humble ourselves, and believe? if we have hardened the heart in sin, which the Comforter had once taken for his dwelling place, and there would have inhabited for ever? Can we seriously reflect, that, in the hour of Baptism, we were brought back to a state of imputed innocence—and not deeply mourn over the transgressions, which, in childhood, in youth, yea in our present state, have often interrupted the enjoyment of Divine peace? Happy indeed, those of us (few, it must be feared) who have never lost their filial state of acceptance.

But for those who have erred and strayed, is not the door of mercy open? Flee again to the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ! Seek to lay hold afresh, on the covenanted pardon, the assured grace! Strive to attain unto that power against sin-that peace of conscience, that joy in the Holy

Ghost, that fervent hope of life everlasting, which are the amazing privileges of the Believer. I tell you, on the word of God, "before you call, he will answer: while you are yet speaking, he will hear 1:" and "he that overcometh, shall finally be received among those, who have washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb 2."

1

1 Isa. Ixv. 24.

2 Rev. vii. 14.

SERMON VII.

THE CREED.

66

MARK ix. 24.

LORD, I BELIEVE-HELP THOU MINE UNBELIEF."

THESE words were addressed to our Saviour by an afflicted parent, anxious for the recovery of his child. He felt that every thing depended on his being able to realize the power and readiness of the Lord to relieve him; he avows that he believes; yet, fearing for the event, and conscious of the weakness of his faith, he implores Christ to pity his infirmity, and to strengthen his dependence. Our Lord's miracles, indeed, form some of the best illustrations of mercy and grace proceeding from God:

and they as clearly explain the character of those dispositions, by which we bring the dealings of God home to ourselves. Now the faith of the distressed man in the Gospel, and the faith of the disciplined, the awakened, and the enlightened Christian, is the same in principle: while the object, to which the mind is directed, is different. He, had faith in Christ, as able to remove bodily disease; we, must have faith in Christ, as able and willing to take away the charge of guilt which lies against us, and to give us dominion over sin.

Having seen, in a former discourse, that pardon, grace, and salvation are covenanted in baptism to the true penitent; and that a faith, combining with repentance, andfruitful in love, is needful for us as hopeful members of the Christian covenant-it is desirable for us, now, to consider the re vealed subjects which our faith embraces. And in order to assist the Christian herein, our Church sets before us, "all the articles of the Christian faith" collected together