He afterwards exhorts us to pray at that font, that the child

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May be baptized with water and the Holy Ghost."

In the next prayer he beseeches God, "Who sanctified water in the river Jordan to the mystical washing away of sin— to wash and sanctify the child with the Holy Ghost."

In the third he says,

"We call upon thee for this infant, that he, coming to thy holy baptism, may receive remission of his sins by spiritual regeneration, and that this child may enjoy the everlasting benediction of thy heavenly washing."

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In a subsequent prayer, commencing, Almighty and everlasting God," he says, "Give thy Holy Spirit to this infant that he may be born again, and be made an heir of everlasting salvation."

The minister afterwards particularizes what are the effects of regeneration, and prays God that they may be realized in the child. He begins,

"O, merciful God, grant that the old Adam in this child may be so buried, that the new man may be raised up in him;" and so proceeds.

He then consecrates the water in these words:

Sanctify this water to the mystical washing away of sin, and grant that this child, now to be baptized therein, may receive the fulness of thy grace."

After baptism, the minister no longer prays that the child may be regenerate, but declares that he is regenerate;

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Seeing now, dearly beloved brethren, that this child is regenerate.”

Lastly, he thanks God on that account; "We yield thee hearty thanks, most merciful Father, that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this infant with thy Holy Spirit."

And he further prays that the effects of regeneration may live and so operate in him,

"That he being dead"—now that he has been baptized" dead unto sin, and living

unto righteousness, may crucify" all his corrupt affections, &c.

Can you now doubt what is the doctrine of the Church in regard to regeneration, to being born again, to the new birth, the new creature?

In the reception service of infants at the church, after they have been privately baptized at home, there is no prayer whatever for regeneration: but, on the contrary, a declaration that "this child is by baptism regenerate." And previously, also, the minister prays, not that the child "may be born again," as in the former case, but that, "being born again,"-being already by baptism-" may continue thy servant."

Can you now doubt? Those persons, therefore, who profess themselves members of the Church of England, and denude baptism of the work of regeneration, certainly never got their doctrine from the Church, nor sound churchmen, but from the dissenting chapel, the dissenting book, or the dissent of their own mind; and should not accuse us of not knowing the

tenets of our own Church, in teaching as we do. We are at least "masters in our own Israel," in this thing.

And that this is, also, the doctrine of Scripture, has, I think, been abundantly proved already. Indeed, there never was a question of it, till of late years, when modern dissent arose.

It is now time that we hasten to our conclusion.

In the first place, my brethren, you will see the importance of bringing your children to be baptized. If you have any regard for Christ's ordinance; if you have any desire that they should be born again to live a spiritual and good life; if you have any anxiety that they should see the kingdom of God; if you have any conviction of the responsibility attaching to you as parents on this ground, you cannot pass over this sacrament of baptism. You cannot do it as Christians. Notwithstanding your own baptism, I should hardly call you Christians if you did. The mere facility, therefore, which the legislature has lately thought

fit to give you, or rather the dissenters, and include you with that body, of registering a name, without bringing your children to be baptized, will not prevent your giving them those blessings which I have enumerated. You neglect them at your peril. Whether God may think fit to call that child, who has been defrauded of this ordinance, into his fold hereafter, we cannot say. But this we can say, that you, by your contempt of it, throw an obstacle in the way in this world, and follow not the method of salvation which He has appointed. You must not be surprised, then, if the means be not resorted to, the results should not follow; if the water be not administered, the spirit of regeneration be not given.

Another thing on which I must put you on your guard is this. You must not attribute any virtue to mere water. It is not the water which regenerates, but the Spirit. The water is only the means employed for that Spirit, and the channel of his grace. The Spirit comes from God on