to that child's spiritual hopes! There it is, in the feebleness of wailing infanev-apparently so frail, that its existence, like that of the delicate flower, might suddenly be nipped even by the rude winds of Heaven-and realizing the description which Job gives of our nature, that its "foundation is in the dust, and it is crushed before the moth." Yet that frail creature is a candidate for immortality, and no power in the universe can end une existence which has now been breathed into it. Disease or violence may reduce to insensibility that tender frame, but it will only be transferring its life to another sphere of being. That weak and powerless body is the prison-house of a spirit which must live long after the material universe has passed away: and which, through all the wasteless ages of its immortality, must be rejoicing in bliss ineffable, or else mingling its wail with the despairing cry of those to whom

-"Hope never comes,

That comes to all."*

To the thoughtful mind, then, what solemn reflections gather around the unconscious infant! How strange the contrasts suggested, between what it is and what it shall be! How lofty the speculations in which we may indulge, on the destiny which awaits it in this world, and in that which is to come !

But with what intense interest should these emotions come home to the hearts of those who are intrusted with the guidance of that child! They are to give the first impulse and direction to that immortal being. They are to allure it on to Heaven, or else suffer it to be lost forever. They are to impress upon its infant mind, those earliest lessons which are to give tone and character to its expanding faculties. On them, then, ir. a great measure it depends, whether that infant is to be hereafter a saint in glory, or through eternity, undone--a castaway. What force, therefore, is there in the question-" Is it well with the child?" It is asking, whether you have done all that is in your power to lead it forward in the way of life.

*Paradise Lost, Book i. c. 66.

Neither is this an inquiry which is without meaning until your child is old enough to be benefitted by your instructions. You have a spiritual duty to perform in its behalf, even before the hours arrive when its unfolding mind allows it to profit by your teaching. Long ere that time has come, you may place it within the fold of Christ, and by the waters of baptism dedicate it to Him forever. This is your earliest duty, and until it is fulfilled, you have neglected the first step in seeking the welfare of your child. In addressing you then this evening, on THE CHURCH'S VIEW OF INFANT BAPTISM, I would endeavor, by God's blessing, to impress upon you the necessity of bringing your children forward, "that they may be baptized with water and the Holy Ghost, and received into Christ's holy Church, and be made living members of the same."*

The first point, then, to be considered is the authority for infant baptism. This rite is rejected by some, as you are well aware, on the ground that it is not expressly commanded in Scripture. The futility of this objection will at once be seen, if we remember how many other duties we perform, which are not even mentioned in the word of God. That volume is intended to be merely the outline for our guidance, and it would be impossible, within its narrow limits, to specify each particular act incumbent upon us. If we take this ground, that the authority for each rite and custom must be drawn only from the Inspired Volume, we must refuse to admit females to the celebration of the Lord's Supper, because there is no instance recorded in the New Testament of their having received it, and decline any longer to observe as holy the first day of the week instead of the seventh, because we can fir 1 no express command enjoining the change. We turn, therefore, to the practice of the Primitive Church, and as we find that the early followers of our Lord observed both these customs, we have no hesitation in following their example. And for a reason precisely similar we feel constrained to admit infants to the waters of baptism.

But although this rite is not expressly inculcated in Scripture, yet we think there are many intimations in the

* Address in the Raptismal Service.

New Testament w nich are clearly in its favor. We find that, when the heads of families were converted to Christianity by the Apostles, they were not only themselves baptised, but also their households with them. Thus it is stated, that “Lydia and her household "*" the jailer and all his with all his house "f-and "the household of Stephanas "twere baptized by St. Paul. Now, is it probable that these households were all composed of none but adults—that there were no children belonging to them? If, indeed, we examine in the original the meaning of the word (oxos) rendered "house" and "household" in our version of Scripture, we shall find that the term has a comprehensiveness, extending to children, and sometimes to even more remote descendants.§ And this interpretation is strengthened by the fact, that in the Syriac version of the New Testament, which was completed early in the second century, if not before,|| this word is in every case rendered "children;" thus-"Lydia and her children". "the jailer with all his children”—and "the children of Stephanas." The Church therefore in that age must surely have believed, that children were baptized by the Apostles. This indeed was only the enjoyment of that grace which St. Peter declared to the Jews they were to inherit. "For the promise"-said he-"is unto you, and to your children."

And this too was but in accordance with the conduct of our Lord while on earth. He seems to have loved the little ones of His flock, and to have received them into His peculiar favor. On one occasion, we are told, "He took a child, and set him in the midst of them; and when He had taken him in His arms, He said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me." And when, again, His disciples would have prevented those

+ 1 Cor. i. 16. sex, and of course,

*Acts xvi. 15. † Acts xvi. 33, 34. §"oxov, family,' including every age and infants. So Ignatius Epist. p. 21, cited by Wolf: doяáloμai tous οἴκους τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου σὺν γυναιξὶ καὶ τέκνοις.” Bloomfield's Greek Test. 1 Cor. i. 16.

"This version (the Syriac) is confessedly of the highest antiquity, and there is every reason to believe that it was made, if not in the first century, at least in the beginning of the second century." Horm Introd. t Scrip. v. ii. p. 203.

who brought little children to Him, our Lord rebuked them, and was much displeased," saying, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the Kingdom of God." And may not the phrase, “Kingdom of God," refer to the Militant Church here, as well as to the Church triumphant in Heaven? St. Mark also adds "And He took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them." Among, too, the last exhortations which He gave to His Apostle Peter, was the injunction— "Feed my lambs." Is it probable, then, with this affection for the little ones of the flock, that he would debar them from entrance into His Church-that He would bid them stand without the shelter of the fold, and not participate in the benefits it affords? No-such a course would be but little in accordance with that character, under which the prophet Isaiah foretold Him, when he described Him as the good Shepherd, who should "gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom."

Neither can any thing be argued—as is often done—from the command to His disciples, which seems to render faith a necessary antecedent to baptism-"He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned." This refers to the adults who then listened to the word, and who, of course, as the Gospel was in that generation new in the world, had never before had an opportunity of being baptized, and therefore in their maturer years were obliged to submit to that rite, when they became proselytes to Christianity. It is by no means an evidence that faith was in every case an indispensable requisite for baptism. This argument, indeed, would prove entirely too much. If the first half of the verse-" he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved"-debars infants from baptism for want of faith, then the last half-"he that believeth not, shall be damned "-would exclude them from heaven, for the same reason. The Church, therefore, in her Baptismal Service, after that portion of St. Mark's Gospel has been read, which gives the narrative of our Lord's love for little children, directs the following exhortation to be made"Beloved, ye hear in this Gospel the words of our Saviour Christ, that He commanded the children to be brought unto Hir; how He blamed those who would have kept them from

Him, how He exhorteth all men to follow their innocency. Ye perceive how, by his outward gesture and deed, Ho declared His good will toward them; for He embraced them in His arms, He laid His hands upon them, and blessed them. Doubt ye not, therefore, but earnestly believe, that He will likewise favorably receive this present infant; that He will embrace Him with the arms of His mercy; that He will give unto him the blessing of eternal life, and make him partaker of His everlasting Kingdom. Wherefore, we being thus persuaded of the good will of our Heavenly Father toward this infant, declared by His Son Jesus Christ; and nothing doubting, but that He favorably alloweth this charitable work of ours, in bringing this infant to this holy baptism; let us faithfully and devoutly give thanks unto Him."

And I rejoice, brethren, that it is so. I thank Heaven that the Church takes this wide and expanded view of the loving-kindness of Him, in whose steps she directs us to walk. Were she unfaithful to her high trust, in this particular, I could not minister at her altars, or coldly repel from her fold those who most need her nurture. I could not preach the chilling doctrines of a creed, which proclaims to be unworthy of admission into the Church on earth, those little ones, with regard to whom our Lord has expressly said -"of such is the Kingdom of God."

Again—a direct argument in favor of infant baptism is derived from the fact, that baptis:a has taken the place of circumcision. The Christian dispensation—as I have already remarked to you in a former Lecture-is only a continuation --a fuller developement of the Jewish. It is the same Church, but expanded into a nobler form.* While, therefore, the most perfect parallel can be drawn between the tvo, among other particulars, we find circumcision as an initiatory rite laid aside, ard baptism adopted in its place We should expect, therefore, to find the latter in every respect answering to the former. And so it does. When an adult became a proselyte from idolatry to Judaism, God commanded him to be circumcised; and when a heathen in this age, in the maturity of his years, listens for the first time to the news of the Gospel, and bows his heart to its sway e in he same way is baptized, in token of his allegiance

*See Lecture II.