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the doctrine of God our Saviour" in a day when" iniquity abounds," and when sterling integrity is so rare and so much depreciated. The enemy of souls has an astonishing power over the whole human race. It matters not whether a man be an untutored savage, or a wise philosopher, he is "taken captive by the devil at his will," 2 Tim. ii. 26, and walks in the ways the destroyer. He profits not by what he reads, or hears, or sees, but goes on regardless of conse quences, until grace visits his heart -arrests him in his course-convinces him of sin-and directs him to "the redemption which is in Christ Jesus," Eph. i. 7. How is it with you? The generation which was in existence here when my lot was first cast among you, has nearly passed away, and great inroads have been made upon the one which immediately succeeded it: an awakening record is thereby presented to us of the humbling truth, that dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return," Gen. iii. 19. The scythe of death is never blunted, and during the past year it has spread gloom throughout many dwellings, and brought sorrow into many hearts. Husbands and wives, parents and children, have been separated in an unexpected hour, and the tears of some among you have not yet ceased to flow. The Spirit of God often enters the chamber of sickness and death; and those of you, who grieve for "the desire of your eyes, which has been taken away at a stroke," Jer. xxiv. 16, are bound to pray that the heavenly visitor may dwell with you and assuage your grief. You have found the weakness of earthly props, and have learned by experience, that the world is a miserable comforter. Forget not the lesson, but "turn as prisoners of hope to the strong hold." Zech. ix. 12.

Flee to the true city of refuge, in which you will be safe for ever, because

the Great High Priest who fills heaven with his glory and perfects the happiness of his redeemed, never dies. Were you to exist upon earth until the day when it will be burned up, you would never find it to be any thing but a scene of contention and strife-of sickness and pain-of disappointment and sorrow, and death. The pleasures it affords cannot alleviate the miseries with which it abounds. Sin overspreads it with a curse, and blights its fairest prospects. But if sin and death came by the first Adam, pardon and eternal life have come by "the second Adam, the Lord from heaven;" and he is unceasingly employed in bringing to glory those who through him are adopted into the family of God. Many of them, although dead, yet speak; may we follow them as they followed Christ.

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By the death of the Archbishop of Tuam, our church has lost one of her brightest ornaments, and most strenuous and consistent supporters: kind in his manner, straightforward in his purpose, and unceasing in his benevolence; his Grace possessed an influence of no ordinary extent. Endeared to his family to his diocese-and to all who were engaged in carrying on the work of God through the instrumentality of our various religious societies; he gave ample proof of having imbibed an abundant measure of the spirit which led the Apostle Paul thus to give vent to the desire of his heart, "Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity," Eph. vi. 24. He held with firm grasp the great reformation doctrine of justification by faith only,' 11th Article; he endured much obloquy for Christ's sake, when religion was less favourably regarded than it now is; he was a lover of good men," and died as he lived, deeply conscious of his own unworthiness, and trusting in Christ Jesus alone for salvation.

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His character is in all essential points delineated in Tim. iii. 17;

Tit. i. 6-9.

Affection impels me to notice the death of a sincere and longtried friend, the Rev. Hans Hamilton, D. D. Early impressed with a strong sense of the vast responsibility of the ministerial office, he entered upon the duties of it with promptitude and zeal, and under the fostering approval of his venerated father, who then presided over this diocese, he laboured strenuously to call forth and unite the energies of his clerical brethren in furthering the great work of scriptural instruction in their respective parishes.

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see

For some years extreme debility rendered him quite incapable of engaging in any ministerial duty, but he patiently endured as ing Him who is invisible," and possessed to the last an acute sense of his own imperfections, and_an unbounded confidence in the Redeemer's merits. The poor shared largely and constantly in his bounty, while the cause of God was generously supported, and distressed brethren in Christ extensively relieved.

The limits of this address will not allow me to particularize more than two individuals, who have from among ourselves entered into

rest.

Mrs. Murphy, awakened to a sense of her worldliness and neglect of her soul by the death of an only child who was wonderfully taught of the Lord, for nearly forty years "walked worthy of the vocation wherewith she was called,” Eph. iv. 1. and afforded ample evidence, if such were needed, that spirituality of mind, deadness to the world, and active usefulness, are compatible with strong and undeviating attachment to the form of worship adopted by the Church of England. Well read in the Scriptures and taught by the Holy Spirit, she was a wise and faithful instructress of the ignorant, of the

newly converted, and of such as were suffering under affliction and temptation. Her experience of God's faithfulness to his promises diffused throughout her mind a peaceful serenity, combined with humility, meekness, and love. ́Her's was the religion described by James i. 27. and exemplified in the case of Dorcas, Acts ix. 36. She knew that she had not attained, neither was already perfect, Phil. iii. 13. and therefore, forgetting the things which were behind, she "followed on to know the Lord," Hos. vi. 3. making the glory of her Saviour in his death, resurrection, ascension, and intercession, the unvarying subject of her conversation and ground of her rejoicing.

were

Rebecca Bustard, a regular attendant at our Sunday School, became savingly acquainted with the precious truths which there brought under her consideration, and which, applied as they were by the Holy Spirit, soon brought forth the genuine fruit of inward holiness and outward devotedness to the service of God. She had a clear perception of the doctrines of the Gospel; and while she rejoiced in the freeness of the salvation which it proclaims, she deeply felt that the language which befits the true believer at the end of his course, differs not from that which he uttered at its commencement, "God be merciful to me a sinner," Luke xviii. 13; Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief," Mark ix. 24. Her sufferings were great, but her faith was not suffered to fail, and her "end was peace." This I can testify from my own observation, as I had the privilege of conversing with her not long before her departure. We have here another striking instance of the value of Sunday School teaching, which I ardently hope may make a salutary impression upon the minds of the parents whom I now address, and operate as an encouragement to

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them to use all the means in their power to bring up their children in "the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Eph. vi. 4.

I should be sorry to weary you; but I trust you will bear with me, while with sincere Christian regard I address to you in conclusion a word of affectionate remonstrance

and exhortation. Some of you live apparently regardless of God who is the bountiful bestower of all your blessings. Your Bibles are unread-family worship is not established-the weekly services at the church, the weekly lectures, and monthly sacrament, are unattended by you, and one formal visit upon the Sabbath-day to the house of prayer, seems to be regarded as the sum total of Christian duty. Neglect of ordinances is a proof of neglect of the God of ordinances, and neglect of God is a proof of impenitence; and true it is, that "the word of God must be a lie, heaven a fable, hell an invention, before the impenitent sinner can be safe."

Awake then, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light," Eph. v. 14. "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof," Rom. xiii. 14. There are also some who can speak well upon the subject of religion, and because they can do so, persuade themselves, and desire to persuade others, that they are under its influence; but although the gilding of a piece of silver may make it pass for gold, yet the real nature and value of it are not altered. In like manner, it matters not what a man may know or profess-if he be not "born again "—if he be not " renewed in the spirit of his mind "-if he has not obtained deliverance from the slavery of the world's opinion-if he be "double-minded," James i. 8, seeking at one time the society of those who are religious, and the next moment enjoying that

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of the ungodly-if he has not entered in at the "strait gate," and is not walking in the narrow way," if his treasure be upon earth and not in heaven, he is not Christ's disciple. "Be not then deceived: God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap," &c. Gal. vi. 7, and v. 24. See also John iii. 3, Rom. xii. 2, and 1 John v. 4. 5.

The flock of Christ is a little, but a highly favoured flock; being continually watched over, fed, and healed by the good Shepherd, who has given his life for the sheep." To that flock a kingdom of peace--of righteousness--of glory is promised by him who cannot lie. To those who have the warrant of Scripture to believe that they belong to it, I would say great is your privilege, and great will be your blessedness, for " eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him," 1 Cor. ii. 9.

To all of you I would say, although the symptoms of your spiritual disease may be various, there is one, and but one remedy for all, and that remedy is in the Lord Jesus Christ. "He who knew no sin, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him," 2 Cor. v. 21. He bare our sins in his own body on the tree," 1 Pet. ii. 24 ; "And by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified," Heb. x. 14. He left no part of his work incomplete. By him the law in all its vast demands was perfectly fulfilled-by him justice, although ready to be the executioner of the divine wrath is satisfied by him eternal redemption is brought in-by him a way is opened into heaven itself— and by him unceasing and prevailing intercession is offered up in language such as this, "Father, I will that they also, whom thou

hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory." John xvii. 24. I intreat you by the love which brought him down from the habitation of his glory-by the unceasing exercise of that love while he was upon earth-by the recollection of all the mercies which you have received through his merits and mediation, "Look unto him that you may be saved "-glory in his cross and in nothing else go to him as you are, crying "Save Lord, or I perish;" and he will give you "the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness," Isa. Ixi. 3.

There is no variableness in the love of God, towards those who are redeemed through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ-therefore they may have "strong confidence." May you all be numbered amongst them-and may the Holy Spirit work in you to " will and to do of his good pleasure." Phil. ii. 18.

"The Lord direct your heart into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ." Amen. Your very affectionate Pastor and faithful friend,

PETER ROE. St. Mary's Parsonage, Kilkenny, January 1, 1840.

SIR,-As a constant subscriber to your valuable Miscellany, and one who fervently desires the progress and triumph of the truth for which it contends, I am always gratified when, as in the first Number for this year, the attention of your readers is called to the momentous subject of regeneration by the Spirit of God.

Surely the heart which knoweth its own bitterness; the eye which hath spiritual discernment to perceive the completeness of man's ruin; the universality of his apostacy from God, will lead to thankfuluess on the discovery, that the cure also by the heavenly physician, is as effectual as the disease is desperate, but for the unsearchable riches of his grace.

And although it is a solemn and alarming reflection, that " except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God," and that the decorum of a pharisaic strictness may as effectually separate the soul from him, as even undisguised licentiousness; yet, when the necessity of a perishing sinner is felt, how relieving is the assurance, that it may be so

abundantly supplied. The cure, "all glory be to God," is radical; the moral nature of man is not to be repaired merely, but renewed, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature."

Now with such a restoration as this proposed to us in the glorious gospel of the Son of God, there is no just ground for despondency to the convinced sinner, even under the most painful sense of his guilt and helplessness. Utterly unworthy of the divine succour, utterly without strength of himself, he finds that in due time, Christ died for the ungodly; that he may be washed, he may be sanctified, he may be justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our God. For "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost," and then " we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.”

When we contemplate the magnitude of the change which the Apostle here describes, it may well appear the worst of trifling,

to speak of those as having been regenerate in baptism, who have never in after years given any indications of spiritual life, indications which are not set forth in Holy Scripture, rarely or obscurely, but prominently and repeatedly.

If there has indeed been accomplished such a blessed restoration of the soul by grace, the person. who manifests it should be admonished, and will indeed be willing, to give God the glory. By the grace of God, he will say, I am what I am; and though I confess that, I have not rendered unto him according to that I have received, and can trust only in the atonement and perfect righteousness of Christ Jesus, having no confidence in the flesh, yet, relying on his unchangeable priesthood and perpetual intercession, I rejoice in hope that the God of peace very will sanctify me wholly, and that saints and angels shall yet praise him for what he has wrought in

me.

The person, on the other hand, who gives no indication of having passed from death unto life, who has, like Simon Magus, been baptized, but is yet in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity, is not surely to be told, that he already possesses so excellent a gift of God as regeneration, but rather he is to be admonished that he needeth it. By such a work of the Spirit he may be brought nigh to God and by nothing less; whereas if we are to suppose that even this hath been wrought upon him, and been ineffectual, being twice dead, what hope is before him? Can he be twice regenerate? By what process shall he be formed in the Divine image, and made a partaker of the inheritance of the Saints in light?

But it may be objected, that the uniform language of the church conveys the notion that baptized persons are regenerate. True, it

For what is required of persons to be baptized?' not persons that have been, but persons that desire to be baptized? Repentance, whereby they forsake sin; and faith, whereby they steadfastly believe the promises of God made to them in that sacrament.'(Church Catechism.)

The possession of these indispensable qualifications is inquired into by the church, and avowed by all candidates for baptism; in the case of adults, by themselves, and for infants by their sureties. HE who searcheth the hearts, alone knoweth whether the profession is faithful; if it be so, as the church in charity hopeth, the baptized person is regenerate of course, not by undergoing the baptism of water, but previous to it; for repentance and faith are not the produce of corrupt nature; men do not gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles." If his profession be not truthful, the baptized, so far from being partakers of a new and holy nature, is, if an adult, a hypocrite and a deceiver. The church is mistaken in her estimation of him, or she would not have admitted him to the ordinance; but "verily, verily, except he be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

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If this be so, it is enough to prove that baptism and regeneration are not rightly regarded as synonymous, that the latter is not necessarily connected or properly identified with the former. If adult persons, having been baptized, are not in every case regenerate (though from their profession they ought to be regarded as such, till they give proof to the contrary) then can there be no reason to conclude that infants having