1

ever perform these great things that you are going to
promise? Not without God's help.' 'But to whom
does God give his help?' 'To them that ask him.'
'But what hope have you of God's help?' 'Because
he has promised.' And what made God promise it
to you?" 'Because Jesus Christ died for sinners.'
'Now you are going to promise to renounce all that
the devil, the world, and your own wicked heart tempt
you against following the word of God; which of these
three do you find to be the hardest?' 'I think I find my
heart the greatest trouble.'
And how do you expect
to overcome?' 'By faith, by believing in Jesus Christ
so as to love him.' 'What are the Articles of the
Christian faith?' 'All that the Bible tells me of Jesus
Christ.' 'And do you really believe all that you read
about him?' 'I hope I do, but not enough.' 'Do
you believe in him so as to try to seek him?'
'I hope
I do, but not enough: I wish I did.'
• What do you

think of God's commandments: do you think you can
keep them?'
By God's grace I will try; I find them
very comfortable.'-There was not much enlargement
of mind, but sufficient to mark the guidance of the
Spirit of truth. Monosyllables, however, that in many
instances betoken no more than a cold and unmeaning
assent, in her case evidenced at once the timidity of her
character, and the sincerity of her profession.

We have only to remark the importance of sealing Confirmation engagements at the Sacramental Table; not in all cases as a necessary and immediate consequent, but as connected with a due preparation, and a competent judgment of Christian intelligence and sincerity. Nothing indeed can be more injudicious or more injurious, than the precipitation with which young persons, immediately after Confirmation, are hurried to

the Lord's table, as if all scrutiny of the sincerity of their profession, and all intelligent preparation for that solemn ordinance might readily be dispensed with. Where their consciences are not benumbed in formality or indifference, the fruit of this rash decision of treatment has usually been found in heartless profession of religion, characterized by indolent unavailing regret. Not indeed that we would wilfully err on the other extreme, and expect every thing to be quite satisfactory— "We wish their perfection," but we must not wait for it, to debar them in almost the lowest gradation of sincerity (and what more than sincerity had the Apostles at the original institution of the ordinance?) from an ordinance, which, by fixing them in communion with the Christian church, is most helpful to their establishment in the profession of the Gospel.*

CHAPTER V.

SACRAMENTAL INSTRUCTION.

THE dispensations of the Sacraments must be considered as one of the most important parts of our Ministry. The blessings of the Gospel which in the preaching of the Gospel are promiscuously offered to believers, are here sealed to each severally by a pastoral distribution. The Sacraments may therefore be truly called the visible word, as representing to our eyes by

*The admission of the young, of a satisfactory character, to the Lord's table has the sanction of many eminent Ministers. Most interesting details will be found in Philip Henry's Life, pp. 11, 84, 195. Comp. also Scott's Life, pp. 619, 620. For their especial use the Writer ventures to recommend a Catechism by Rev. J. Bickersteth, as eminently simple, intelligent, and spiritual,

visible signs, what in the word is spoken to our ears. They are therefore a most useful Confirmation of our faith, as the seal and word of God, that in the exercise of faith we shall as surely be partakers of Christ, and of all the benefits of the covenant, as we are of its outward signs. The definition of Sacrament may therefore be taken generally-"the seal of the righteousness of faith."* What a sacredness does this view give to their authority! that nothing should be added to them, or taken from them! What less than treason would it be to alter without authority the royal seal? And to violate the integrity of the Christian Sacraments is no other than the defilement of which God complains in Israel" the setting up of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts." Its mode, decency, order, and circumstantials of their celebration, the church justly claims the liberty to prescribe within the limits, and agreeably to the spirit of the Apostolic rule, preserving at the same time most carefully the substance and form of the elements, and the clear exposition of the blessed designs represented by them.

Yet in the administration of the Sacraments, how often are parochial Ministers conversant with the errors of Popery without the name! How much has their real efficacy been injured by the veil of ignorance or misconception! Specific instruction therefore upon their spiritual character, privileges, and obligations, is of the utmost importance.

*Rom. iv. 11.

† Ezek. xliii. 7, 8.

1 Cor, xiv. 26.

SECTION I.

BAPTISM.

WHAT mean ye by this service?' is a question that might be asked of us by many, who bring their children to baptism, only because it is the custom of their place, or the usual mode of naming their children. They need the plainest instructions* upon the nature of this sacrament, as the door of admission (not into any particular church, but) into the visible church of Christ, as a seal of the covenant of grace, confirming the promises of the covenant by a sign and pledge, in which we are mutually engaged to God and God to us, in which we are visibly consecrated to his service, bound to our duty, and inheritors of his promises. Its Divine institution proves its spiritual character. To conceive of Christian ordinances for hypocrites or unbelievers, is an anomaly. The privileges of Baptism are an investiture with the promises of the Christian covenant, such as union with Christ, adoption into the family of God, and the inheritance of heaven. The grace of Baptism is accurately explained by our Church to be " a death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness;" a real, not a relative change.

Though however these are the real privileges of the covenant, of which baptism is the initiatory seal, yet experience and observation too plainly prove that they are not necessarily linked with the outward administration of the ordinance. The promises (as to our

* Bishop Burnet strongly inculcates the necessity of baptismal instruction. Pastoral Care, ch. viii.

† See Church Catechism.

interest in them) are invalid without faith. And the design of baptism was, that the believer's covenant interest for his children might here be pleaded and made good. But a doubting spirit, or positive unbelief, substitutes uncertainty in the place of the appropriate act, confession, and thanksgiving of faith, and consequently, as to this point, annuls the covenant interest of the believer made to faith.* A Christian parent bringing his child to the font for the sign and seal of spiritual regeneration, in the assurance of his child's joint interest in the promises of the covenant; the sponsors at the same time in dependence on the promises, engaging in the child's name, to renounce the service of his enemies, "to believe in God, and serve him," and joining in prayer for the confirmation of those privileges to the child-such a sight exhibits a clear and animating warrant of faith, most honourable to the Divine ordinance.†

*See Rom. iv. 11-17. May not many of the objections to Mr. Budd's valuable work on Baptism be traced to a want of power to elevate our faith to the simple reception of the Divine engagements in their fullest extent ?

The efficacy of baptism is putting the child's name into the Gospel grant. The child's actual faith, repentance, and obedience are thereby made debts, then incurred, to be paid at a future time. And surely this is abundantly sufficient to invite and encourage parents to dedicate their children in baptism. As to the real influence of baptism, when the children grow up, we are sure that their baptismal regeneration, without something else, will not bring them to heaven; and yet it may be urged, in praying to God to give them grace, and in persuading them to submit to it.' Matthew Henry on Baptism, pp. 130, 131. In the same valuable treatise, he bears his own personal testimony to the ordinance'I cannot but take occasion,' said he, 'to express my gratitude to God for my infant baptism; not only as it was an early admission into the visible body of Christ, but as it furnished my pious parents with a good argument (and as I trust through grace a prevailing argument) for an early dedication of my own self to God in my childhood. If God has wrought any good work upon my soul, I desire with humble thankfulness to acknowledge the moral influence of my infant baptism upon it.' P. 118.