157							147
                                                                      
                                                                      	  nally Since this saving grace may be obtained By our
                                                                      one faithful Sponsor.  What grace is that obtained by the
                                                                      prayers of a congregation.
                                                                          x.   What then has God promised:
                                                                      You have said that you - in this rite  you brought the
                                                                      child to Christ and that He has laid his hands upon him
                                                                      and blest him  I ask you then, parent or sponsor, what
                                                                      does Christ’s blessing mean, and what is it worth.  You
                                                                      asked it perhaps vaguely, not knowing what it meant.
                                                                      But did Christ give it vaguely;  and without a meaning;
                                                                      You asked it perhaps as a thing of some value;  Think of
                                                                      its value how and know it.
                                                                      You have read of the worth of Human blessing before now;
                                                                      You know that it has been sought carefully and with tears;
                                                                      -(though perhaps it was without tears that you sought
                                                                      Christ’s)   Isaac [Issue] blessing you the fatness of earth
                                                                      and the dew of heaven - But a greater than Isaac is here.
                                                                      Jacob’s blessing prevailed unto the utmost bound of the
                                                                      everlasting hills - but a greater than Jacob is here.
                                                                      Shall Christ’s blessing do no more:  Did you come to
                                                                      Christ expecting no more - was it in the hope of wealth
                                                                      for your child or of honour, or of length of days that you
                                                                      brought him to be blessed by Christ:  Not so - you 
                                                                      expected something else than this, and yet you cannot
                                                                      tell me what you expected.

[Version 0.05: May 2008]