Thirdly, Remark, it is confiftent with ftrict integrity toward God, and faithfulness in the discharge of his duty, for a minifter of Jefus Chrift to treat his hearers with affection, and even those who may differ from him with refpect. Bitter invectives and foul calumny do not, by any means, become the followers of the meek and lowly Jefus. "In meekness we are to instruct thofe that oppose themselves, if peradventure God may give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth." The text is the language of kindness-" I fpeak as to wife men; judge ye what I fay." There are ministers of the glorious Gofpel, who occafionally labour in this town, from whom I conscientiously differ with reference to Baptifm, but for whom I have a fincere perfonal respect.

I now proceed to addrefs my dear hearers as perfons of intelligence, capable of comparing what they hear with the blessed word of God. As the ordinance of Baptism is now to be administered, you will naturally expect to hear fomething relative to that

facred

facred inftitution; but my addrefs fhall not be confined to this fubject, as I wish. to fpeak to you on things of ftill greater importance, things effential to your happiness and mine.

I will speak to you, firft, concerning the moft miferable condition into which mankind univerfally are fallen, by original apoftacy from God, and by actual violations of his holy law. All are become guilty, are under the curfes of a broken covenant, and exposed to the everlafting wrath of Jehovah. "Whatsoever the law-faith, it faith to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be ftopped, and all the world become guilty before God." Rom. iii. 19. They are all gone afide; they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." Pfa. xiv. 3. "Curfed is every one, who continueth not in all things written in the book of the law, to do them." Gal. iii. 1O. And The wages of fin is death." Rom. vi. 23.Judge ye what I fay. May the Lord, by the almighty energy of his Holy Spirit, give A 6

you

you to know and feel these things, that you may cry for mercy!

Again, I will speak to you relative to the way of pardon, peace with God, and eternal happinefs. Salvation fprings from the free and fovereign favour of Jehovah. -By grace are ye faved. The important bleffing was obtained by the obedience, fufferings, death, and refurrection of the Son of God, in our nature, who, being made perfect through fufferings, is become the author of eternal falvation to all them that obey him. So that there is no pardon for the guilty -no acceptance for the ungodly-no peace for the diftreffed-no happiness for the miserable, but through faith in the person, obedience, facrifice, and interceffion of the adorable Immanuel."Neither is there falvation in any other : for, there is no other name, under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be faved." Acts iv. 12. Confider what I fay; and may the Lord give you understanding in these things.

Farther,

Farther, Give me leave to fpeak to you refpecting the nature and neceffity of the work of the Holy Spirit upon your hearts; for Except a man be born again, he cannot fee the kingdom of God. John iii.3. Remember the speaker in this chapter is the great prophet of the church; a teacher sent from God; of whom it was faid, "Never man fpake like this man!" Oh! that I could fo fpeak, as to affect your confciences upon this very important fubject! But it may be fome of my hearers may fay" Why "all this earneftnefs? I have been prefent "when children have been baptized; "I have feen the minifter fign them with "the fign of the Crofs; I have heard him "afterwards addrefs the people prefent, in "the following words: • Seeing now, dearly beloved brethren, that this child is regenerate, and grafted into the body of Chrift's church, let us give thanks to Almighty God for thefe benefits.'"He has then added, We give thee hearty thanks, most merciful Father, that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this

• in

infant with thy Holy Spirit, to receive < him for thine own child by adoption, and

to incorporate him into thy holy church.' "Yea, more; when I was under the in"structions of my parents or schoolmafter, "I was taught to reply, in anfwer to the "fecond question in the Catechifm-Who

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gave you this name? My godfathers "and godmothers, in my baptifm; where"in I was made a member of Chrift, a "child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven! Have I not, there"fore, been born again?-am I not a "chriftian?" -Thefe are the very things

I was taught to repeat when I was a boy; but do they agree with the word of God? -Judge ye..

Suffer me to afk, is there a serious thoughtful perfon in this congregation, who does not tremble at the thought of fuch fentiments being inftilled into the tender minds of children? Remember, these things are not taught by Protestant Diffenters, but by perfons of a different perfuafion. Confider, therefore, whoever

were