because they are small, because very often God connects with them things of vast importance.

Let us only give the words of Christ their fair import, as common sense would decide it. "Except a man (tis, any one) be born of the water, and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." All sides grant, that to be born of the water, is to be baptized, and the kingdom here spoken of is the visible church, which is a state preparatory to the kingdom of God above. But Jesus says again: "Suffer the little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of God." The instruction of the Saviour, then, was plainly this: Little children, according to all preceding dispensations of the covenant of grace have, and must have their standing in this kingdom. He says they must come to him, they belong to his kingdom, of which he says, none can enter, but such as are born of the water, that is, are baptized. And surely no pious parent can set light by an institution so sacred, and which, in the purest ages of the church, has been so highly esteemed. The language of the ancient fathers was: "The church had an order from the apostles to baptize children, because the apostles receiv. ed it from Christ. Little children must be baptized for the remission of sins. It is the sign of the common redemption of mankind, and must not be denied to infants of whatever age." There is indeed such a connection between the water and the blood, that it should seem as if none can set light by the water, and yet place a proper estimate upon the blood. Christ has joined them together, in parallel streams they flow. ed from his wounded side, and no man may put them assunder.

SECTION XXII.

REMARKS AND ADDRESSES-CONTINUED.

Many children, it is said, are taken from their parents providentially, while they are very young. They go into the army, and fall in battle, or they go to sea, and perish in the

waters, and never have much opportunity of receiving instruction; and if their lives are spared, they are subject continually to the snares and temptations of wicked company, and vicious examples. Be it so; but God has not confined himself to means. He is able to follow them, by his spirit which he has promised: and this, without doubt he does, for he is a faithful covenant-keeping God. Many instances have been known, where persons, while in such circumstances, have given clear evidences of a change of heari; and how many may be converted, before their death, and are not able to give clear evidence of it, we cannot tell. The uncertainty where our children will be, what pursuits they will fol low, what company they will fall into, what dangers will surround them, is no reason why we should neglect our duty, but a strong reason why we should be faithful to perform it, that we may at all times hope in the mercy of God, and be able always to plead his covenant promises, and unfailing faithfulness.

Many children, also, are taken away by early death.— Where is the foundation of the believer's hope, for the salva. tion of these, if it is not in the covenant mercy and faithfulness of God? God hath said, "I will be their God." "I will circumcise the heart of thy seed." "I will pour my spirit on thy seed." How, then, can these promises to the seed of believers, in covenant, be made good to them when they die in infancy, or before they are capable of exercising reason and choice, except God sanctify and save them? All chil dren are polluted with a sinful nature, and do need the application of the blood of Christ, and the sanctifying influences of the divine spirit. How far this grace is, or is not granted to children out of covenant, we cannot tell. We have reason to hope for the salvation of all children who die in infancy. God's tender mercies are over all his works. This, however, is certain, that God has provided better consolation for his faithful covenant people, than he has for others. To bring children early into covenant, is his own institution, and a conspicuous part of his redeeming scheme. To those in covenant, and to no others, God has said, "I will be a God to thee, and to thy seed." His covenant faithfulness cannot fail. David was much distressed, and filled with deep anx

comforted, saying: "I shall go to him, he shall not return to me." That is, he is gone where I shall go. He was confident that the child, when dead, was enjoying the same state of blessedness, which he himself should enjoy in a future world. So when Jesus said: "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God." And when he took them in his arms, and blessed them, and when he said again: "It is not the will of your heavenly father, that one of these little ones should perish," the whole was said, and done, concerning children in covenant, who had received the covenant seal, to whom the promises were made, viz: "I will be a God to thee and to thy seed." A few extracts from the Diary and Letters of that excellent woman and eminent saint, Mrs. HUNTINGTON, may in a clear manner shew the pure consolations which result to parents, from performing their duty in this respect, and its happy tendency towards their children.

JAN. 23, 1820: "Next Sabbath, I expect to carry my lit tle Joshua to the sanctuary, and devote him to that God whose he is. May the offering be accepted. May the first lispings of his infant tongue, be the expression of holy and grate. ful affections to his Maker and Redeemer.

JULY 2, 1820: "I think I did desire to say something profitable to my children to-day, and I have some token that it was so. I scarcely ever had more freedom in prayer, for them, and with them-that God would be pleased to speak by me to their hearts. They appeared solemn and affected. I find it a great assistance to me, in prayer for my children, to remember that God has been our God for many generations back."

In a letter to her eldest daughter, then from home, she writes as follows:

SEPT. 10, 1820: "God has been pleased to say, that he will not only be the God of believers, but of their seed after them. It has accordingly been the custom in all ages, for believing parents to dedicate their infant offspring to God, before the advent of the Saviour, by circumcision, and since that event by baptism. It has been your privilege to be born of parents professedly belonging to the blessed family of believers. You have been baptized. I will endeavor to explain to you the nature of that ordinance: In baptism, you

were given to God as his child. All your powers and faculties were consecrated to his service. Your parents, by that act, professed their determination to bring you up as a christian; that they renounced this world, as your portion, and took God for your portion. They vowed unto the Lord, that they would bring you up for him, and would strive to prevent your acquiring any habits, conforming to any fashion, and forming any friendships, whese probable tendency would be, to prevent your becoming a disciple of Christ. This is what your parents have done for you. But, in order to your being interested in God's precious covenant, you must cordi. ally, willingly, and joyfully, make all this your own act. You must agree to what your parents have done. You must choose the Lord for yourself. Blessed children! who make such a choice. Wretched children, who trample on all these obligations, and make their way through all these vows and engagements, to the gulph of despair! O, my dear child, will you not go with your dear parents to heaven?"

In a letter to a friend, dated October 10, 1820, she writes thus: "With respect to our children, let us remember, God never calls his people to any duties, to which he has not pledged his own faithfulness, to give them strength to perform, if they look to him for it, in the way of his appointment.

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Nov. 22: "I have been thinking to-day, of the terms of the new covenant, which I desire to lay hold of, for myself and for my children."

SEPT. 1: "The hand of the Lord has again touched me. On the 25th of last month, I was called home (from Bridge. water) to receive the last parting sigh of my beloved Joshua. Thus, the fond, the cherished babe left me, at a moment's warning. It fell upon me like a thunder-bolt. But my mind is comforted now. My child, my lamb, is in heaven.

SEPT. 8, 1821: "I live, though death has smitten another of my number. Elizabeth was taken from all her sorrows and sufferings, eleven days after my sweet babe. I have no doubt, both these little ones, are in heaven. They were giv. en to God. They are not, because he has taken them."

To her son, at Andover Academy, she writes thus, Jan. 18, 1823: "I have had more earnest wrestlings of spirit, for you of late, than ever before. God encourages me to wait upon him, with crying and many tears, for you my son." And,

after urging many tender considerations, further observes : "You are descended, my dear J, from a long line of ancestors, on both sides, who were pious, and have finished their course, and gone to their gracious reward. Your dear fa. ther, early declared himself for Christ." Being near the close of life, at the age of about thirty, and about to leave her children, who for several years had been fatherless, she said, Oct. 20, 1823: "God helps me, to trust the promise-Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them." Here we have

a most striking testimony that such is the pious and rational pleasure, in publicly dedicating and giving to God, those children we have received from him; such the advantage which a christian parent has, in giving instruction to his children, and in making religious impressions on their minds; such the encouragement in prayer, to a faithful, covenant-keeping God, and such the solid peace and comfort, which God himself has provided for parents, when called to the painful trial of having their children taken away by death; or, when called themselves to die, and leave their tender offspring behind them.

A long line of ancestors, who were pious, &c.: So Paul writes to Timothy, "When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and in thy mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that in thee also." Is not this then, The highway of holiness, the gate of the Lord's house, into which the righteous, enter? And are not here the footsteps of the flock, whither in all ages, the Lord's people have gone up?

The following, we extract from the life of the Rev. Lemuel Haynes, Pastor of a Church in Rutland, (Vt.) page 151: "A little boy, of twelve years old, joined the church a few days ago, being asked what was the means of his being awa. kened, he said, that he thought one night, that he had been given up to God in baptism, and he thought it to be his duty to give himself up to God. He is a remarkable instance of piety. I wished that our Baptist brethren had heard the relation." Here is a striking instance of the good effects of infant baptism. A train of reflection, in his mind, in conse quence of his being given up to God in baptism, ended in his conversion; and doubtless there may be thousands and millions of others. The impression made upon his mind, was