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the glories of eternity for as Christian men, our whole lives must be spent in "continually mortifying all our evil and corrupt affections, and in daily proceeding in all virtue and godliness of living." Here the Christian course is described, as a continual contest with sin, and a daily progress in holiness, even to the last gasp of life. This is real and vital and bible-proof Christianity the Child thus qualified is a child of grace, holy and humble; while every other child is merely moral, and therefore worldly and unhumbled, for he can attain nothing more than a proud and meagre morality.

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And here, my Dear Friend, permit me to ask, on what other consideration could a Christian man become responsible for the Christian education of his charge? He is too well acquainted with his own infirmity, and that of the Child committed to his care, to advance one step in this spiritual work without the encouragement of the promise, and the aid of the Holy Spirit. Unless in a judgment of faith and charity this Child is a "member of Christ, the child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven, unless he is "a lively member" of the Church, unless he is really regenerated by the Holy Spirit, received "as God's" own child by adoption, and incorporated into the holy Church; unless in answer to the faithful prayers of him→ self, the Parents, and the Church, "the Holy Ghost" is "sanctifying sanctifying" him as one of " the

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elect people of God," and being one so truly blessed, he shall "ever remain in the number of" his "faithful and elect children,"-with what hope of success could a Christian man accept the office of a Sponsor? For a man who sees nothing more in Baptism than the mere ceremony, it is consistent enough to undertake the promise without any subsequent endeavour to execute it; as he never understood the vows, so neither had he any intention to discharge the obligations of them; but for a Christian man to engage in this office knowingly and intelligently, for such an one to undertake to train up a soul for glory, to endue it with spiritual qualities, and to make it "conformable to the image of the Son of God," without believing that it was the good pleasure of God to fulfil his promise in sanctifying that soul as one of his own electwould surely be the height of rashness and presumption.

How different the process of the Sponsor's engagements when faith in the promise is ever animating him to discharge them? Grounded on faith, he proceeds in hope. "Our Lord Jesus Christ has promised in his Gospel, to grant all those things that " he has "prayed for; which promise," the Church assures him, "he for his part will most surely keep and perform." "Wherefore," he is "persuaded of the goodwill of" his "Heavenly Father towards" the Infant of his care, "declared by his Son Jesus

Christ; "he nothing doubts" that he favourably, allows this CHARITABLE WORK of his, in bringing this Infant to his holy Baptism." He doubts not but earnestly believes that Christ has likewise favourably received this present infant as he did those of old; and he is thus encouraged hopefully and perseveringly to use all the prescribed means that a child so distinguished, should. "receive the fulness of " the " grace" of God,

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" and ever remain in the number of his faithful and elect children."

And now, my Dear Friend, to this reasoning add the moral certainty, that it is only the Sponsor who acts upon this statement, that will ever be found to perform his engagements; and for this plain reason, because he only can form a proper estimate of the privileges of Baptism. A negligent Sponsor is an unbelieving Sponsor; for no man will be anxious to secure advantages, which he does not believe that a promise is given to convey. It is the man that believes the promise, who can alone expect any advantages from it, and it is his vigilance and his care alone that will be concerned to secure them.

Thus encouraged, let not the faithful Sponsor flinch from his charitable undertaking. Let him rally his weak faith by recurring to the promises in favour of the children of the Church. Let him.say "should such a man as I flee? "1

1 Neh. vi. 11.

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in the hour of difficulty is it for me to turn my back? “O Lord what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies?"1 Let him rather gird up his loins to the work, stand in the gap, and make up the breach, remembering that "it is not the will of" his "Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.":

1 Josh. vii. 8.,

2 Matt. xviii. 14.

LETTER IV.

THE INFANT.

THE Infant baptised can justly expect the benefits of Baptism in no other way than by faith in the promise. He is taught, that when his name was given him at his Baptism by his Sponsors, he was as a professed Christian admitted into all the privileges of that high character, that he was then "made a member of Christ," incorporated into his body the Church, by faith expressed for him by his Sponsors, thence "the child of God" by adoption and grace; and thence "an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven,”—if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. He is then taught to walk worthy of his calling as a "Child of God," to renounce the world, the flesh, and the devil, to believe the Articles of the Christian faith, and to keep and walk in God's holy will and commandments all the days of his life. And he "heartily" thanks his "Heavenly Father that he has called" him "to this state of salvation through Jesus Christ" his "Saviour," and it is his prayer to "God, to give" him "his grace that" he "may continue in" this state to which he has been thus graciously called, "unto his life's end." He is then taught "to believe in God the Father who hath

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