reafon to think that the mercy of God will fpare them, when the greatest mercy is fhewn in obviating the mifchief of fuch examples, by treating them according to what they have deferved.

Let us behold the goodnefs of God in this light, and this is that in which we caght to fee it-this is its true reprefentation; and thus feen, it cannot but convince as how impoffible it is that we should have any thing to hope after a life unprofitably, vainly fpent-how much fuch a life has neceffarily to fear.

Dean Bolton.

CATECHETICAL LECTURES. $151. Introduction to the Catechifm. The Catechifm begins with a recital of our baptimal vow, as a kind of preface to the whole. It then lays down the great chriftian principle of faith; and leaving all myfterious inquiries, in which this fubject is involved, it paffes on to the rules of practice. Having briefly recited these, it concludes with a fimple, and very intelligible explanation of baptifm, and the Lord's Supper.

The catechifm then begins very properly, with a recital of our baptifmal vow, as the best preface to that belief, and thofe rules of practice, in which that vow engaged us. But before we examine the Vow itself, two appendages of it require explanation-the use of fponfors-and the addition of a name.

With regard to the fponfor, the church probably imitates the appointment of the legal guardian, making the beft provifion it can for the pious education of orphans, and deferted children. The temporal and the fpiritual guardian may equally betray their truft: both are culpable: both accountable: but furely the latter breaks the more facred engagement.

As to promifing and vowing in the name of another (which feems to carry fo harth a found) the fponfor only engages for the child, as any one would engage for another, in a matter which is manifeftly for his advantage: and on a fuppofition, that the child hereafter will fee it to be fo that is, he promifes, as he takes it for granted, the child itfelf would have promifed, if it had been able.

With regard to the name, it is no part of the facrament; nor pretends to scriptural authority. It refts merely on ancient uage. A cuftom had generally obtained,

of giving a new name, upon adopting a new member into a family. We find it common among the Greeks, the Romans, and the Jews; nay, we read that even God himfelf, when he received Abram into covenant, giving an early fanction to this ufage, changed his name to Abraham. In imitation of this common practice, the old chriftians gave baptifinal name: to their children, which were intended to point out their heavenly adoption, as their furnames distinguished their temporal alliance.

From confidering the ufe of fponfors, and of the name in baptifm, we proceed next to the vow itfelf, which is thus expreffed, " My godfathers did promife "three things in my name: 1ft, That I "fhould renounce the devil, and all his "works, the pomps and vanities of this "wicked world, and all the finful lufts of "the fleth. 2dly, That I fhould believe "all the articles of the chriftian faith; and 3dly, That I should keep God's holy " will, and commandments, and walk in "the fame all the days of my life."

66 renounce

First then, we promise to "the devil, and all his works, the pomps "and vanities of this wicked world, and "all the finful lufts of the flesh." "The "devil, the world, and the flesh," is a comprehenfive mode of expreffing every fpecies of fin, however diftinguished; and from whatever fource derived: all which we can only engage to renounce as far as we are able; but alfo to take pains in tracing the labyrinths of our own hearts; and in removing the gloffes of felf-deceit. Without this, all renunciation of fin is pretence.

Being thus enjoined to renounce our grofs, habitual fins, and those bad inclinations, which lead us into them; we are required next to " believe all the articles "of the chriftian faith." This is a natural progreffion. When we are thoroughly convinced of the malignity of fin, we in courfe wish to avoid the ill confequences of it; and are prepared to give a fair hearing to the evidence of religion. There is a close connection between vice and infidelity. They mutually fupport each other. The fame connection fubfifts between a well-difpofed mind, and the truths of religion: and faith perhaps is not fo involuntary an act, as many of our modern philofophers would perfuade us.

After " believing the articles of the "chriftian faith," we are laftly injoined to "keep God's holy will and command

"ments."

prepares the way for faith, fo does faith, lead directly to obedience. They feem related to each other, as the mean and the end.

"The end of the commandment," faith the apoftle," is charity out of a pure "heart, and of a good confcience, and of "faith unfeigned." Faith (which is the act of believing upon rational evidence) is the great fountain, from which all chriftian virtues fpring. No man will obey a law, till he hath informed himfelf whether it be properly authorized: or, in other words, till he believe in the jurifdiction that enacted it. If our faith in Chrift doth not lead us to obey him; it is what the fcriptures call a dead faith, in oppofition to a faving one.

To this infeparable connection between faith and obedience, St. Paul's doctrine may be objected, where he feems to lay the whole ftrefs on faith, in oppofition to works. But it is plain, that St. Paul's argument requires him to mean by faith, the whole fyftem of the chriftian religion (which is indeed the meaning of the word in many other parts of fcripture); and by works, which he fets in oppofition to it, the moral law. So that in fact, the apoftle's argument relates not to the present queftion; but tends only to eftablish the fuperiority of chriftianity. The moral law, argues the apoftle, which claimed on the righteoufnefs of works, makes no provifion for the deficiencies of man. Chriftianity alone, by opening a door of mercy, gave him hopes of that falvation, which the other could not pretend to give.

Upon renouncing fin, believing the articles of the chriftian faith, and keeping God's holy commandments, as far as finful man can keep them, we are entitled by promife to all the privileges of the gospel. We "become members of Chrift, children "of God, and inheritors of the kingdom " of heaven." We are redeemed through the merits of Chrift; pardoned through the mercies of God; and rewarded with a bleffed immortality.

This account of our baptifmal vow concludes with a question, leading us to acknowledge the necefity of obferving this vow; and to declare our belief, that our qnly hope of keeping it refts upon the affittance of God.

Gilpin.

The creed begins with a profeffion of our belief in "God the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.”

The being of a God is one of those truths, which fcarce require proof, A proof feems rather an injury, as it fuppofes doubt. However, as young minds, though not fceptical, are uninformed, it may not be improper to felect, out of the variety of arguments which evince this great truth, two or three of the most fimple.

The exiftence of a Deity, we prove from the light of nature. For his attributes, at leaft in any perfection, we muf look into scripture.

A few plain and fimple arguments drawn from the creation of the worldthe preservation of it-and the general confent of mankind, ftrike us with more conviction, than all the fubtilties of metaphyfical deduction.

We prove the being of a God first from the creation of the world.

The world muft have been produced either by defign, or by chance. No other mode of origin can be fuppofed. Let us fee then with which of these characters it is impreffed.

'The characteristic of the works of defign, is a relation of parts, in order to produce an end-The characteristic of the works of chance is just the reverse.— When we fee ftones anfwering each other, laid in the form of a regular building, we immediately fay, they were put together by defign: but when we fee them thrown about in a diforderly heap, we fay as confidently, they have been thrown fo by chance.

Now, in the world, and all its appendages, there is plainly this appearance of defign. One part relates to another; and the whole together produces an end. The fun, for inftance, is connected with the earth, by warming it into a proper heat, for the production of its fruits; and furnishing it with rain and dew. The earth again is connected with all the vegetables which it produces, by providing them with proper foils, and juices for their nourishment. Thefe again are connected with animals, by fupplying them with food. And the whole together produces the great

end

end of fuftaining the lives of innumerable

creatures.

Nor is defign fhewn only in the grand fabric of the world, and all its relative appendages: it is equally fhewn in every part. It is feen in every animal, adapted in all its peculiarities to its proper mode of life. It is feen in every vegetable, furnifhed with parts exactly fuited to its fituation. In the least, as well as in the greateft of nature's productions, it is every where apparent. The little creeper upon the wall, extending its tenacious fibres, draws nourishment from the crannies of the fones; and flourishes where no other plant could live.

If then the world, and every part of it, are thus marked with the characters of defign, there can be no difficulty in acknowledging the author of fuch defignof fuch amazing contrivance and variety, to be a being of infinite wisdom and power. We call a man ingenious, who makes even a common globe, with all the parts of the earth delineated upon it. What fhall we fav then of the author of the great original itfelf, in all its grandeur, a furnished with all its various inhabiCents?

The argument drawn from the prefertion of the world, is indeed rather the Largument advanced a step farther. If chance could be fuppofed to produce regular form, yet it is certainly beyond the highest degree of credulity, to fuppofe, it could continue this regularity for any time. But we find it has been continued: we find, that near 6000 years have made ro change in the order and harmony of the world. The fun's action upon the earth hath ever been regular. The production of trees, plants, and herbs, hath ever been uniform. Every feed produces now the fame fruit it ever did. Every fpecies of animal life is ftill the fame. Could chance continue this regular arrangement? Could any thing continue it, bet the hand of an omnipotent God?

Laftly, we fee this great truth, the being of a God, witneffed by the general confent of mankind. This general confent maft arife either from tradition, or it muft be the refult of men's own reasoning. Upon either fuppofition, it is an argument equally ftrong. If the first fuppofition be allowed, it will be difficult to affign any fource of this tradition, but God himself. If the fecond, it can fearce be fuppofed that all mankind, in different parts of the

world, fhould agree in the belief of a thing, which never exifted. For though doubts have arifen concerning this general belief, yet it is now pretty well afcertained, from the accounts of travellers, that no nation hath yet been discovered, among whom fome traces of religious worship have not been found.

Be it fo, fays the objector; yet ftill we find fingle perfons, even in civilized countries, and fome of them men of enlarged capacities, who have not only had their doubts on this fubject; but have proclaimed aloud their disbelief of a divine being.

We answer, that it is more than probable, no man's infidelity on this head was ever thoroughly fettled. Bad men, rather endeavour to convince themselves, than are really convinced.-But even on a fuppofition, that a few fuch perfons could be found, what is their teft mony against fo great a majority, as the relt of mankind? The light of the fun is univerfally acknowledged, though it happens, that, now and then, a man may be born blind.

But fince, it feems, there are difficulties in fuppofing a divine creator, and preferver of the world, what fyftem of things does the atheift fuppofe attended with fewer? He fees the world produced before him. He fees it hath been created; and is preserved. Some account of this matter must be given. If curs difpleafe him; let us have his.

The experiment hath been tried. We have had many atheistical creeds: none of which hath stood the test of being handed down with any degree of credit into future times.

The atheist's great argument indeed against a Deity, is levelled at the apparent injuftice of his government. It was an objection of ancient date; and might have had its weight in heathen times: but it is one of the bleffings, which attends chriftianity, that it satisfies all our doubts on this head; and gives us a rational and eafy folution of this poignant objection. What if we obferve an inaccurate diftribution of the things of this world? What if virtue be depreffed, and vice triumphant? It is nothing, fays the voice of religion, to him, who believes this life to be an inconfiderable part of his being; a point only in the expanfe of eternity: who believes he is fent into this world, merely to prepare himself for a better. This world, he knows, is intended neither for reward, nor punishment. Happiness unquestionably attends virtue even here,

and