of our sins, and everlasting happiness, when it is followed by a good conscience. Now this is a point of so much consequence, that our Church requires at the baptism of infants certain persons to come forward, as god-parents, and promise, in the name of each infant, that he shall be instructed in those duties, on the right performance of which his welfare through all eternity is ordained by Christ to depend. The promises and vows made at this time are well expressed in the Church Catechism.

1. That they shall renounce, or give up, the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh.

2. That they shall believe all those truths of the Christian religion which the Bible makes known to us.

3. And that they shall keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of their lives.

Let not parents suppose, that the charge of instructing their children, as far as they are able, is intended to be taken out of their hands; far from it. The god-parents

are merely expected to hold themselves in readiness for the instruction of the children, in whose name they answer, if their own parents shall either be removed by death, or shall fail to give their children the benefit of good advice, and a good example. While the parents discharge their duty to their children faithfully, the god-parents are not called to act, the work being already in the course of performance for which the Church has been anxious to provide. Let parents bear this in mind and, since they have their children in early life generally under their eye, let them, as they value their own eternal welfare, and that of their children, take all possible pains to bring them up in the fear and love of God.

That nothing may be wanting on my part to guide you in this important and necessary duty, I shall make it the business of the present Discourse, to consider how you may each "have the answer of a good conscience," which can no otherwise be secured, than by keeping the promises and vows solemnly entered into at your baptism.

1. The first promise was, to renounce, or give up, the devil-the world, as far, at least, as it threatens to lead you into sinand the lusts of the flesh.

לי

Now you must bear in mind, that the devil's great study and delight is to make mankind wicked. He is described by St. Peter "as going about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour'." Those then who are not on their guard he is sure to attack, and he attacks them in the most artful way, by working upon their own inclinations: every one must be aware that he is continually disposed to do what he knows to be wrong. If, instead of turning aside from this inclination, he shews any readiness to indulge it; if, instead of turning away his thoughts to some other subject, he dwells with secret pleasure on what he knows to be wrong; this is an encouragement which the devil will be eager to lay hold of; he will take care to increase the inclination, and silence, as much as possible, the voice of conscience. So it was when he prevailed over Eve:

1 Pet. v. 8.

66.

-she gazed fondly on the forbidden fruit, instead of turning away from it; saw that it was pleasant to the eye," and heard probably from the deceiver that it was good for food, as well as that it would "make her wise." These thoughts working upon her feelings, inflamed as they -were by the arts of the tempter, caused her to rebel against God. Dam !.. Whenever, therefore, you feel yourselves preparing to do what you are aware your duty forbids, stop short, as you value the safety of your souls: if you go on, you will become a prey to the devil, and he will lead you to your ruin. When, for instance, you cast your eye on the pro-perty of another, and feel a wish rising within you to become possessed of it, if you dwell on the wish, and suffer yourselves to consider how useful the possession might be to you, know that your enemy the devil is at hand, and that he is laying snares for you, by increasing your desire to possess what cannot be yours without guilt, and what He who has said,

• Gen. iii. 6.

"Thou shalt not covet any thing that is thy neighbour's" forbids you to think of.

If, again, you bear ill-will to another, and look forward with pleasure to any evil that threatens to befal him; still more if you are prepared to assist in any scheme. to injure him; doubt not that the enemy of mankind will regard this as an invitation to use his power over you, and will not rest till he has brought you into some act of guilt, for which you will have to answer, if not on earth, yet before the judgment-seat of Christ.

2. It was promised at your baptism also, that you should give up the world, as far as it threatened to lead you astray; in the words of the Catechism, "the pomps and vanities of this wicked world."

Whenever any unlawful gain presents itself to your thoughts, beware how you encourage it, for this has been the ruin of thousands. And even the lawful profits of your calling, if they engage the whole of your thoughts, so as to put out of your minds Him, who is the Author and Giver of

Exod. xx. 17.