that seek, find; open the gate unto us that knock; that this Infant may enjoy the everlasting benediction of thy heavenly washing, and may come to the eternal kingdom which thou hast promised by Christ our Lord."

The Church next, as I apprehend, concentrates the force of all the promises made to believing Parents or Sponsors with respect to their children, in that one gracious act of our Lord, his kind invitation, and reception of young Children, as recorded by St. Mark x. 13. by a special enumeration of the particulars of so interesting a transaction. First, here are "the words of our Saviour Christ" himself; these words are no less than a command; "that he commanded the children to be brought unto him: he even blamed those that would have kept them from him: " he proposes their loveliness, their docility, and simplicity as the very sum of gracious attainment, as the pattern of heavenly qualification. "He exhorteth all men to follow their innocency." Nor was this all: for this declaration of "his good will" toward them he confirmed "by his outward gesture and deed;" for "he embraced them in his arms, he laid his hands upon them, and blessed them." After this accumulation of blessing, so fully, so variously expressed by our Lord, what possible room can there be for doubt and hesitation, that he is less willing now to receive "young children" to the arms of his benevolence, and to confer his blessing upon them, than he was "in the days of his flesh?"

"Doubt ye not therefore, but earnestly believe,” ye kind and feeling and faithful believers, who are introducing and receiving this Child into the Church of Christ, in expectation of a blessingDoubt ye not, that he will accept this work of faith and labour of love: no, rather be assured, that as of old, so he will now, "likewise favourably receive this present Infant; that he will embrace him with the arms of his mercy; that he will give unto him the blessing of eternal life, and make him partaker of his everlasting kingdom.” Then the Church expresses a persuasion of God's good-will towards the Child presented, and concurs with the Sponsors, and by them the Parents, in one general ascription of praise to God for the "Wherefore we-Minister-Sponsorsand Parents if present, (and what Parent if able to attend would decline so interesting a scene) and all the Church present-being thus persuaded of the good-will of our heavenly Father towards this infant, declared by his Son Jesus Christ," (for this one act of Christ in receiving Children, and blessing them, is the great confirmatory declaration of all the Father's promises to them)-" and nothing doubting, but that he favourably alloweth this charitable work of ours in bringing this infant to his holy baptism, let us FAITHFULLY and devoutly give thanks unto him," &c.

same.

I cannot but remark on the above exhortation, how the Church insists on faith in the promise, as the means of any benefit to be derived to the

"Doubt ye not

Child about to be baptised. therefore, but" on the contrary, "earnestly believe"-"We being thus persuaded "-" nothing doubting "-" faithfully give thanks"-for the Church well knows that as a man is persuaded of the reality of a promise, so will he use the means to secure its blessings.

After this offering of praise follows a special address to the Sponsors, or Godfathers and Godmothers, recapitulating the subjects of their foregoing prayers, and the Gospel-promise that those prayers shall be granted; again supporting their faith with the never-to-be-forgotten suggestion, "which promise, he [Christ] for his part will most surely keep and perform." Then follows, the requisition to the Sponsors that they will promise as the "sureties" of the Infant, of the Infant, "that he will renounce the devil and all his works, and constantly believe God's holy word, and obediently keep his commandments."

We may observe on this address, that it first reminds the Sponsors of the spiritual blessings they have prayed for, and of the promise on which their expectation of them is founded: clearly insisting still on the great principle that pervades the Service, that all Baptismal blessings are grounded on the Gospel, and not on the Law; that God's promise of mercy to the Child, precedes the Child's engagement to be obedient to God; that God's mercy depends not on the obedience of the Child, but that the obedience of the

Child flows from a sense of the mercy of God to it. "Wherefore after this promise made by Christ, this Infant must also faithfully for his part, promise by you that are his Sureties," &c."Wherefore," i. e. in consequence of this promise of Christ, the Sureties are both obliged and encouraged to promise obedience for the Child. The Catechism observes the same order; first the Child is taught that at his Baptism he "was made a member of Christ," &c. then the promises made for him. The Confirmation Service recognises this order: the Bishop, in his opening prayer, gratefully addressing God, "who has vouchsafed to regenerate these thy servants by water and the Holy Ghost, and hast given unto them forgiveness of all their sins: " here their justification and regeneration, are faithfully and thankfully admitted, and on that admission is grounded further prayer for strength and increase of grace. Thus as Baptismal blessings are the result of mercy, Baptismal obedience is the obedience of faith,1

This view of adoption as introductory to sanctification is beautifully described by perhaps the most spiritual of the Reformers, Bradford. "Oh! how faint is faith in me! how little is love to thee or thy people, how great is self-love, how hard is my heart! &c. By the reason whereof I am moved to doubt of thy goodness towards me, whether thou art my father or no, and whether I be thy child or no. Indeed worthily might I doubt if that the having of these were the causes and not the fruits rather of thy children. thou art my Father, is, thy mercy, goodness,

The cause why grace, and truth

Thus encouraged, the Sponsors solemnly engage "in the name of" the Child, to renounce sin, and all its abettors, to believe the Gospel, and to obey the Law. After which, the whole Church joins in four distinct and most fervid supplications; that every spiritual blessing may be imparted to the Child, now about to be introduced to their communion. Then follows the prayer for the consecration of the element of Baptism, concluding that with the sign the baptised may receive the in Christ Jesus, the which cannot but remain for ever. In respect whereof thou hast borne me this good-will, to accept me into the number of thy children, that I might be holy, faithful, obedient, innocent, &c. And therefore thou wouldest not only make me a creature after thy image, enduing me with sight, limbs, shape, form, memory, wisdom, &c. ; where thou mightest have made me a beast, a maimed creature, lame, blind, frantic, &c; but also thou wouldest that I should be born of Christian parents, brought into thy church by baptism, and called divers times by the ministry of thy word into thy kingdom, besides the innumerable other benefits always hitherto poured upon me; all which thou hast done of this thy good will, that thou of thine own mercy barest to me in Christ and for Christ before the world was made; the which thing, as thou requirest straitly that I should believe without doubting, so in all my needs that I should come unto thee as a Father, and make my moan without mistrust of being heard in thy good time, as most shall make to my comfort. Lo! therefore to thee, dear Father, I come, through thy Son our Lord, Mediator, and Advocate Jesus Christ, who sitteth on thy right hand, making intercession for me, and pray thee of thy great goodness and mercy in Christ to be merciful unto me, that I may feel indeed thy sweet mercy as thy child." Fathers of the English Church. Vol. vi. p. 339.