ceedingly obfcure and carnal, making the sprinkling of infants with a little water (which they call baptism) effential thereunto; nay, the manner of their expreffing themfelves on this fubject, in the confeffion of their faith to the world, feems in my apprehenfion to make that ceremony all, or the chief, that is intended by being born from above; or that the operations of the Spirit for that end are infallibly connected to the operation of water. Papifts fay," We must believe that Jefus Christ "has inftituted in his church feven facraments, or

myfterious figns and inftrumental caufes of di"vine grace in the foul: baptifm, by way of a "new birth, by which we are made children of God, and washed from fm: confirmation, by "which we receive the Holy Ghoft by the impofition of the hands of the fucceffors of the apoftles*, &c." The Proteftant Church of England faith, in confefling their faith to the world, "In my baptifm (they mean fprinkling

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infants) wherein I was made a member of Christ, "the child of God, and an inheritor of the king"dom of heaven." After an infant is fprinkled, the priest fays, "Seeing now, dearly beloved bre"thren, that this child is by baptism regenerate and grafted into the body of Chrift's church, let us give thanks, &c." And again, "We yield thee moft hearty thanks, most merciful Father, that it hath pleafed thee to regenerate "this infant with thy Holy Spirit, to receive him

46

Popish Manual of Spiritual Exercifes, page 4.

" for

"for thy own child by adoption, and to incorporate him into thy holy church *, &c."

From thefe evafions it appears man hates death to felf, and had rather look any way than that which is likely to ftrip him of all his beloved treafure; though if he was not very blind and ignorant concerning his true intereft, he would eafily fee that his fuppofed lofs would make way for his greatest gain. However, this unhappy reluctance in man to the true way, has put him upon ftraining his invention, to find an easier way to the kingdom of felicity, of becoming heir of two kingdoms; of ferving God and mammon, though we are affured that is impoffible. Many would fain imagine, that man may be faved merely by the imputation of Chrift's righteousness; which, if it were true, would be a mighty palatable doctrine to a multitude of felf-lovers. Some, who do not fall in with this opinion, but believe they muft repent, and that they ought to experience the evil purged out by the fpirit of judgment and burning, do yet put off this great work, refting with a kind of hope, that they shall be fitted for everlasting happiness thereby fome time before they go hence; and build much upon the great mercy and long-fuffering of the Almighty, catching eagerly at the fudden converfion of Paul, and of the thief upon the crofs. Oh! how exceeding inconfiderate are fuch delays! A faying of Chryfoftom is worthy to be noted, viz. "God promifes mercy to penitent finners, but he doth not pro

"mise them, that they fhall have fo much time "as to-morrow for their repentance!" Others there be, who imagine converfion is effected in an instant; and in order that their deception may be effectual, the false prophet causes fire to come down as from heaven in their fight; he that is prince in the airy region, raises vehement heats and agitations upon their paffions. This they call the workings of the Spirit upon them for their converfion; immediately after which a kind of heaven is formed, wherein they take their reft with a feeming fecurity, erroneously fuppofing their calling and election are made fure, and that they can never fall from faving grace, which they doubt not of having in their poffeffion. Oh! how dangerous is such a security!

Much more might be written concerning the many false rests and visionary heavens which poor mortals, through the fubtlety of Satan, and their own inattention, are deluded to repose themselves in; which might all be happily prevented, were they to enter into the sheepfold by Christ, the door and way to the everlafting kingdom, which is opened and prepared for the foul to travel in, by his inward appearance, as before noted. He will certainly count all thieves and robbers, who come into his church any other way.

What abundance of robbery is found in thee, O Christendom! what ftealing the name of Christ, and the experience of God's people formerly, to live upon, and also to feed one another with! Oh, what multitudes there are of unwholesome barren

pastors,

paftors, and poor, lean, ftarved flocks, amongst most or all focieties of Chriftian profeffors! Their poor low condition, as to religion, induces them to put forth their hands and fteal. Can the God of justice and truth delight in robbery for burntofferings? No; fuch facrifices are an abomination to him. His regenerate ones, though often tried with great poverty of spirit, dare not steal; knowing nothing will find acceptance with the Source of Infinite Goodness, but that which is of his own immediate begetting. He will smell a fweet favour from that, although it be but a figh or a groan; which may be compared with the acceptable offering of the poor under the law, of a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons; and with the wi- Mark xii, dow's two mites caft into the treasury, taken notice end. of by our Lord. Those poor humble dependant ones, who are made perfectly honeft by the juft and upright principle prevailing in them, and waiting the Lord's time, may be, and often are, furnished with larger offerings, and do greatly increase with the increase of God.

To conclude this head, I shall thus fum up the matter; viz. that man's great business, upon his first awakening out of the fleep or stupefaction of fin, is paffively to yield himself into the hands of his faithful Creator, that he may be pleased to work in and upon him, to will and to do of his own good pleasure. His foul muft, with the utmost care, endeavour to abide in that which enables inceffantly to pray, Thy kingdom come, “and thy will be done on earth, as it is done in "heaven.”

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42. to the

"heaven." This bent of heart, through the grace of God, is a fufficient guard or defence against all the subtle attempts of Satan to beguile and deceive, and nothing elfe. The most crafty devices of the adversary can never prevail to pluck fuch an one out of the Almighty's hands; and by abiding therein, he is created anew in Chrift Jefus unto good works, having spiritual fenfes given, that he may continually exercise them in difcerning between good and evil. His heart being made pure in a good degree by the fprinkling of the moft precious blood of Chrift, his conftant care is, through Divine affiftance, to preserve it fo, that he may be pleased to tabernacle with him, on whom help is laid; who is made of God, to fuch paffive upright fouls, their wisdom, righteousness, fanctification, and redemption. They receive from him thofe qualifications, which enable them to co-work with the Spirit, and perfectly to understand the proper business of their day, both in the world as strangers and pilgrims, and in the church of Christ, as living members thereof.

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