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follow with a glad mind and will his admonition, thus performing a plain and palpable duty, though at the sacrifice of an imagined right? In proposing this case, I am, for the sake of the illustration, admitting a question, where I am convinced that no reasonable ground of question exists: for it is essential to the episcopal office, that every inferior minister who officiates in a diocese should be deemed subject to the Bishop's jurisdiction. But, supposing such a case as I have stated, the case of a difference of opinion between the Bishop and a parochial clergyman of his diocese on a point of ecclesiastical discipline, what, I ask, in such a case, should the parochial clergyman do? Why, surely, in such a case, where no superior law can be alleged to warrant disobedience to his Ordinary, his ordination vow calls upon him for obedience, though he may in his own mind doubt the correctness of the Ordinary's decision. This is indeed the sort of case which puts to the test the principle of obedience. For those things, which are good or bad, right or wrong, of themselves, ought to be respectively done or forborne, whether or not our superiors command them. It is in matters of an ambiguous or indifferent kind, that the principle of obedience to our superiors is brought into action; and in such matters we ought to do or forbear as we are directed, because obedience itself is a virtue and a duty.

I have thus gone briefly and summarily, as the time will allow, through the engagements which the Church requires to be made by her candidates for Holy Orders: and I have suggested to your minds such reflexions, as seemed most likely to be practically useful to you in the discharge of the solemn trust which is about to be committed to you. I am persuaded that there is no better study for a clergyman than the ordination services of our Church, both the particular parts of them which my course of observation has led me to specify, and the other portions of them likewise, most especially that awful and alarming exhortation, which the Bishop is directed to address to the candidates in the ordering of Priests. These services, I trust, have been already made the subject of your most earnest consideration and prayers; and that they have produced or strengthened in you sincere resolutions, to conduct yourselves, by God's grace, in the ministry of his Church after a manner worthy of your high and holy vocation.

I shall now conclude, with offering you two words of admonition, the propriety of which will probably be obvious without any lengthened argument to recommend them. One is, that you will employ some portion of the interval between this time and our re-assembling to-morrow for the purpose of the intended solemnity, in reperusing the service, in which you are to take so important a

part, and in meditating upon your engagements, with humble prayer to Almighty God, through the mediation of his Son, and for the sanctifying grace of his Holy Spirit, that you may be enabled to observe and fulfil them. My other advice is, that you will never suffer any considerable portion of time to elapse, without refreshing your memories as to the engagements which you will have formed, by a careful reperusal of the Ordination services, nor without strengthening your good resolutions by repeated and earnest supplication for assistance in your endeavours to act as faithful ministers of Christ.

I pray God, my brethren, to give you his blessing: to "prevent you in all your doings with his most gracious favour, and to further you with his continual help, that in all your works begun, continued, and ended in Him, you may glorify his holy name, and finally by his mercy obtain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Note. The sentiments, briefly expressed in the foregoing Address, are expanded in a small volume by the Author, intitled "The CLERGYMAN'S OBLIGATIONS Considered; as to the celebration of divine worship, ministration of the sacraments, instruction of the poor, preaching, and other official duties; and as to his personal character, and conduct, his occupations, amusements, and intercourse with others; with particular reference to the ORDINATION Vow." Second edition, 12mo. W. Parker, Oxford; Messrs. Rivington, London.

DISCOURSE X.

THE CHURCH'S PROVISIONS FOR HOLY BAPTISM.

MARK X. 13-16.

And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

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THE Church introduces this very pleasing and affecting narrative into her Ministration of the Publick Baptism of Infants, with a lively appeal to the attention of the people: "Hear the words of the Gospel written by St. Mark, in the tenth chapter, at the thirteenth verse." And after the reading of the passage, she directs the minister to make a brief exhortation upon the words of the Gospel :

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"Beloved, ye hear in this Gospel the words of our Saviour Christ, that He commanded the children to be brought unto Him; how He blamed those that would have kept them from Him; how He exhorteth all men to follow their innocency. Ye perceive how by his outward gesture and deed He declared his good-will toward them; for He embraced them in his arms, He laid his hands upon them, and blessed them. Doubt ye not, therefore, but earnestly believe, that He will 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."

Thus the Church makes application of a passage, which, although not spoken by our blessed Saviour with express reference to the holy sacrament of Baptism, was anciently applied to it with great and manifest propriety, as indicating the will of Christ that little children should be brought unto Him; and, if brought at all, then plainly by the way of his own appointment. And, according to the doctrine and practice of the Catholick Church, she gives assurance out of holy Scripture, whereby we may be "persuaded of the good-will of our heavenly Father towards such children, declared by his Son Jesus Christ;" and may be "nothing doubting, but that He favourably allow

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