the baptismal font, and solemnly consecrated to GOD. Frequent opportunities are furnished them, in the apostolic rite of Confirmation, and in the holy sacrament of the Lord's Supper, to declare their approbation of what their parents did for them in infancy-to declare that they are not ashamed of the Cross of CHRIST―that they are desirous of renouncing sinful habits, and commencing a life of holiness.

To neglect these opportunities-to pass by that solemn rite -to turn one's back upon that celestial banquet, is nothing short of an open and contemptuous denial of CHRIST.

Will you then, Oh, inconsiderate hearer, place the seal of contempt upon your parent's prayers and kindness-and avow that your holy dedication in baptism was a useless, unmeaning thing? Will you abjure your religion, set GoD at defiance, and say of your Savior-I know not the man? You know not JESUS! Your parents knew Him!and probably I am addressing some whose parents are no more. In their mortal hour JESUS stood by them and smoothed their dying pillow.Then as their eyes were closing in death-they sent their last sightheir last prayer to Him for you. That prayer was heard: hence the ten thousand warnings that have been brought to your ear-the kind and constraining motives that have been continually held out to win you to his service. And yet—after all these-you are ready to avow, I know not the man!

Where-oh where shall I find colors to paint this ingratitude? The tears and prayers of dying parents disregarded--the kindness and entreaties of a dying Savior despised-his overtures of mercy rejected-His religion abjured-Himself disavowed, and all knowledge of Him disclaimed!

6. They deny CHRIST who refuse to confess him before men. Although an empty profession will save no man, that disposition which leads men to withhold from the Savior the honor of publicly professing belief in Him, indicates a state of feeling hostile to his cause.

In reference to the subject before us, we are so situated that we can find no neutral ground on which to stand-our acts will either deny CHRIST, or proclaim us Christians. The Savior himself

To be

has declared-"He that is not with me, is against me." with CHRIST, is to profess his name-to embrace the principles, and practice the duties of his religion. Whoever does not profess his name embrace the principles, and practice the duties of his religion, is against Him-is saying to the world, I know not the

man.

And who does not tremble to think of the vast number that stand thus arrayed against CHRIST?

Among this number, perhaps, is one who acknowledges the Bible to be the word of GOD-is conscious that if he should seek salvation he would obtain it-admits that GOD is now calling upon him to repent-and that to put off for a single day the work of reformation, is running a tremendous risk. This man sees and admits that he is a perishing sinner, and would fain fly to the foot of the Cross for safety, but for the principle that prompted Peter to deny CHRIST. He is surrounded by a circle of friends whom he holds in high esteem, and from whose society he derives much enjoyment. These friends, valuable as they are on account of their social qualities, are altogether men of the world, and place an exceeding low estimate upon religion. Their opinion of him would be instantly lowered should he take up the Cross-and, therefore, he does not he will not take up that Cross. No: he will grieve the HOLY SPIRIT-slight the invitations of mercy-repel all our entreaties-shake off his convictions-and, though the bleeding Redeemer stands stretching his arms toward him, will openly avow, I know not the man, rather than suffer or submit to sacrifices for CHRIST.

Have I drawn the character of any individual in this house? Are there no lines in it resembling yours, my young friend? When the minister of GoD pressed upon you the kind and constraining motives which the Gospel furnishes to lead you to CHRIST-When he drew aside the curtain that shuts out eternity from human gaze, and the appalling spectacle of death with his tremendous scythe passed before you,-the eternal judgment seat rose to view-you beheld all nations gathered around it, and didst recognise yourself in that great assembly, shrinking away from the piercing, the all searching look of the Judge Eternal!--

why was it that tears then trickled down your cheeks, and the signs of deep emotion sat upon every line of your countenance? Ah, you then resolved to become a Christian.

But on the morrow, when you came in contact with the world -when its bewitching smiles were again spread before you, and your gay and thoughtless companions again clustered around you, all your firm resolves melted away, and your conduct from that time to the present has told the world-has told wondering angels -has told CHRIST, who will be your judge, I know not the man.

Others there may be, of less religious sensibility-who go not so far in conceding to the truth of Christianity-who are not avowed infidels, but whose notions upon all religious subjects are loose and unsettled. These men unblushingly declare that they know nothing of CHRIST, as a Savior. Strange anomaly! That men should live in a world ransomed by the blood of a Savior and know nothing of that Savior! That a divine and glorious Being should come from Heaven to save them from death, and they should spurn his offers, and avow that they know him not.

Are there any such unhappy individuals in this audience? With what language shall I address them? Ye know not the man!! -Doubtless ye have heard of his lowly birth in Palestine. Ye have heard how he was buffeted and spit upon— how he was condemned, while Justice all the time cried-I find no fault in him,-how he was led around in mock majesty, having a reed in his hand, and a crown of thorns upon his head, and the clamorous mob shouted "crucify Him, crucify Him!” Have ye not seen him bearing on his shoulder the cross up the steep of Calvary-then nailed to that cross-and at last bowing his head in agony and death? Then the earth shook-the graves yawned the rocks burst-and the sun hid himself! But all these indications of terror are not half so awful-all this contumely heaped upon the guiltless head of the Son of God, is not half so impious and heaven daring, as your cool and continued denial of the Savior!

Two reflections here forcibly present themselves.

1. If the train of reasoning pursued in this discourse be conclu

sive, every individual to whom CHRIST is made known that does not immediately embrace his offers of life, and enter upon the duties He enjoins, is guilty of the sin of denying Him. It will then follow, that every individual in this assembly that is not in very deed a Christian, is daily denying his Savior. This is one

reflection.

2. The other is-that these individuals who are thus denying their Savior are travelling as rapidly as the wheels of time can carry them to the tribunal of Him whom they are denying, and who has solemnly declared-" whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father, which is in Heaven."

Ah, in the eternal world you will know JESUS-and know Him not as a Savior, but as a Judge! The look that He cast upon Peter, after denying Him, was a look of love-but it melted his heart into penitence-shot conviction through his soul-and sent a freezing chill over his whole frame. If such be His look of love, what will be His look of wrath! how wilt thou, impenitent man, meet Him in the eternal world, clothed, as thou must be, with denials of Him as with a garment!

Peter said "I know not the man-and the LORD turned and looked-on Peter." Thou hast said, and art by all thy conduct still saying, I know not the man.

In that day-that great, tremendous day, "the LORD will turn and look upon thee"-and in his look thou wilt read thy destiny. In that mute and speechless look thou wilt see enough to rive thy very heart. How will the recollection of the denials of thy LORD--of his goodness despised, and his long suffering contemned, then rush upon thy thoughts! Ah, how will thy heart then sink within thee-and thou look around in wild dismay for rocks to fall upon thee, and mountains to cover thee, from the presence of GoD and the LAMB!

Make not the awful experiment--but this instant fly to the presence of CHRIST and own Him as your LORD and Savior.

VOL. II.-17

ON THE OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD:
A Sermon

BY THE REV. SETH B. PADDOCK,

RECTOR OF CHRIST CHURCH, NORWICH, CONNECTICUT.

Proverbs xv. 3.-The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

THE Omnipresence of GOD is frequently asserted in Scripture, and may be clearly proved by reason. It is not so properly a particular attribute, as the assemblage of many attributes of infinite extent. It is that universal property by which he communicates being to all things, knows all things, upholds all things, and directs all things.

All creatures are the work of his hands. As no power can act where it is not, GOD must be in all places, because he acts in all. My Father worketh hitherto, says our Savior. Not a seed sprouts, not a creature is brought into existence unless GOD be present to give life and being. In calling things from nothing into existence, and disposing of them in such a manner that each might work for the good of the whole in the universal dominion, God must necessarily have looked through from their beginning to their end, and consequently known all possible events. The effects of bodies moving, whether by fixed laws, or by the instinct of animals, or by the will of intelligent creatures, were provided for in the counsels of eternity. The gentlest motion, even that of the air, known only by the sailing of the thistle's down, if unforeseen and its effects unprovided for, must have endangered the whole system, and completed, long before this, the destruction of the universe. But known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Not a sparrow falls to the ground, not a hair of our head is disturbed without his knowledge. Evidently the Being who knows all things, and whose knowledge is underived, must be present with all things. Whither can we go from His Spirit, or whither can we flee from his presence? Heaven and earth are full of Him.

GOD, who created, and who knows all things, still upholds them