conclusion, apply these truths more personally to those whom they especially concern. First, I would speak to all Christian parents. My dear brethren, I have not brought forward these subjects with the mere view of reproaching you for the past, or to recall errors, which cannot be now amended; but they may, by God's mercy, lead you to godly shame and sorrow for the past, and act as a warning for the future. I would fain stir up your minds to a due sense of the importance and blessedness of Christian baptism; that your faith in Christ's love in the institution of it may be awakened; and that your consecration of your children to Christ at the baptismal font may be more solemn and serious, and accompanied by a more understanding, hopeful, believing, and thankful spirit. What a mercy it is for believers, to know that Jesus regards their offspring with peculiar favour; and that, even if but one parent be a believer, and the other carnal and worldly, God still encourages that one to consecrate his children to him, as holy to the Lord; "For the unbelieving husband," as St. Paul says, "is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; else were your children unclean, but now are they holy." (a) Only remember, brethren, that (a) 1 Cor. vii. 14.

though a joyful, it is also a solemn and difficult act to dedicate a child to Jesus; it should be pre-eminently an act of faith, the act of a heart which knows God's promises in Christ, of which baptism is the seal, and firmly trusts in him to fulfil them. And do not think, when the child is baptized, that the matter is over, and so let it go out of your mind. Oh, no. Keep ever before you the baptism of your children; remind them often of it; bring them up as members of Christ's body. Look for the inward and spiritual grace of baptism in them; and if you see no signs of it, pray constantly and fervently for them, that they may be born of the Spirit; that their baptism may be saving and complete.

Secondly, I would say nearly the same things to all godfathers and godmothers. The Church looks to you as engaged to act the part of spiritual parents to the children, in case their parents should die, or prove neglectful of their duties to them. It was a kind and Christian act, to take on you this charge of looking after your neighbour's children. Oh, see that you fulfil it ; lest the guilt of the blood of the souls of these little ones rest on you, as well as on their fathers and mothers.

Dear brethren, we ought to love one another,

D

in

"not in word only, but in deed and in truth.
And hereby we know that we are of the truth ;
and shall assure our hearts before him." (b) Your
duties are very simple. Remind them that they
are sinners; tell them of Christ; warn them
against sin; seek, if possible, to procure them a
religious education; and lastly, pray for them.
See that you fulfil these duties. Do not fear being
laughed at. If your warnings are rejected, you have
delivered your own souls: and God will bless you
your work and labour of love; for he will see it.
Lastly, our subject addresses itself to all bap-
tized persons.
It bids you thank God for your
baptism, while it also calls on you to see that
your baptism is perfect and effectual. Have you
received the inward and spiritual grace of bap-
tism? This is, as the Catechism reminds us,
"A death unto sin, and a new birth unto right-
eousness." Are you dead with Christ; dying
unto sin daily, and mortifying the flesh, the old
man, with its affections and lusts? And are you
risen with Christ, (c) unto newness of life? Are
you "renewed in the spirit of your mind," (d) in
your affections, and principles? Are you bring-
ing forth the fruits of righteousness, as those
(c) Col. ii. 12.

(b) 1 John iii. 18, 19.
(d) Ephesians iv. 23.

who are born of God? Are you living for God? Are you living for the soul? Are you living for eternity? It is this inward and spiritual grace which makes our baptism saving and perfect. When St. Peter speaks of Noah and his house being saved by the waters of the flood, he says, "The like figure whereunto, even baptism, doth also now save us ; not," he adds, "the putting away of the filth of the flesh;" (i. e., not the mere work of the water :) "but the answer of a good conscience towards God;" (e) (i. e., the work of the Spirit in the renewed heart and life.) Have you each this answer of a good conscience towards God? Can you call him to witness, that you are neglecting no known duty; nor living in any known sin? Are you living by faith in Christ, and seeking to please, serve, and glorify him? Brethren, I pray you, "judge your ownselves;" (f) that, if destitute of the Spirit of God, you may awake to your danger, ere it be too late; or, if you have reason to hope that you are new creatures, you may thank God, and walk more closely with him. May the Lord help us all to attend to our baptismal engagements, and pour out his Spirit upon us abundantly, for Jesu's sake. Amen.

(e) 1 Peter iii. 21.

(f) 1 Cor. xi. 31.

SERMON III.

ST. JOHN III. 8.

"The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."

THESE are our blessed Saviour's words. Having told Nicodemus that, "except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God," he then drops the subject of the water, to set forth more distinctly what it is to be born of the Spirit. In this verse, the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit is compared to the wind. There is much mystery about the wind. We know not how it springs up, or whither it goeth, when it ceaseth to blow; but yet we see the effects of the wind, while it is blowing. We hear its roaring sound; we see its power moving the dust, and making the leaves rustle, and the surface of the water ripple and foam. So it is, Christ says, with " every one that is born of the Spirit." The Spirit quick