is due to God's word. Be assured, that whatever it teaches you, cannot but be infallible; because it proceeds from Him, who is faithful and true." Be assured, that whatever it commands you, is necessary to be done; because it is the commandment of Him who is infinitely wise. That you may be fully satisfied of the duty of implicitly receiving all that is revealed in the word of God, reflect with humility on the nature of Him who revealed it, and who, you may be well assured, hath revealed nothing in vain.

When you have thus, by a quick and lively faith, received the word into your heart, be careful to retain it there. Suffer not any vain thoughts, any idle discourse, any worldly business or amusements, to banish and supersede it. Let your faith continue to be exercised upon it and faith, by the grace of God cooperating. with his word, will animate you to be "a doer of the work."

Upon the whole, as you desire never to hear the word in vain, observe the direc

tion of the Apostle in the words preceding the text: "Lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." Receive it so by faith, that it may be engrafted in your hearts, and bring forth fruit unto salvation. For this purpose, continually carry in your minds the instruction of this day; "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves:" that so the word, which ye have now heard, may by the blessing of God be the means of your doing whatever ye shall hereafter hear:—and the instruction of this day may make all others profitable to you, and effectual to the saving of your souls:-thus will our preaching never be in vain, nor your hearing vain: but being both "hearers and doers of the word," you will go from strength to strength; and every day,

grow more and more in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." To whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory for ever and ever!

k2 Pet. iii. 18.

SERMON XXV.

NECESSITY AND BENEFITS OF BAPTISM.

MATT. xxviii, 18, 19, 20.

And Jesus came, and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in

earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,

and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever

I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

BESIDES those commandments of a moral nature, which are enjoined by almighty God, and which it is the duty of all men to observe; there are two ceremonial ordinances instituted for the use of those, who hope for salvation through

faith in Christ, as means of present grace and of future happiness. I allude to the sacraments of Baptism, and the Lord's Supper; by the former of which we are admitted into covenant with God, and by the latter are continued in covenant with him. A consideration of the former of the two sacraments, namely Baptism, is proposed for the subject of the present discourse; wherein I shall endeavour to show you the necessity of our partaking in it, and the great benefits, which it hath pleased almighty God to annex to it: and shall then make some remarks on the practice, which our Church agreeably to the practice of the primitive Church observes, of admitting infants to that holy ordinance.

I. 1. The first ground, upon which I shall endeavour to establish the necessity of Baptisin to those who would be partakers of Christian salvation, is the commandment of our blessed Saviour, as contained in the text. "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore," said he to his Apostles, "and teach (or rather make disciples of) all nations, bap

tizing t them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." We have here an injunction from Christ to his Apostles, who were at that time the only ministers of his Church, to "go and make disciples of all nations;" for so the word, which we render "teach," in the 19th verse, should be rendered; nor will it properly bear any other signification. We find that the way, wherein disciples were to be made, is specifically, pointed out; they were to be " baptized,” or washed with water, "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." We hear him farther requiring, that the persons, so made his disciples, should be instructed in the things, which he had commanded his Apostles. We hear him moreover promising, that his blessing should accompany the performance of this his injunction; "lo! I am with you alway;" and we understand, that this promise of his blessing was not to be con