and "in whom the fatherless findeth mercy?" (Hos. xiv. 3.) Why injure his chiefest gift to you in providence, your other self, the impress of your own image, the creature of your most cherished affections, by hesitating to apply to him the practical benefit of those promises which adopt him into the family of Christ, and by the daily application of which he is daily encouraged to that exercise of graces, discharge of duties, and enjoyment of privileges, which by evidencing the religion of Jesus to be a reality, evidence it to be a blessing also; not an injunction harsh, repulsive, and unattainable; but the richest practical blessing the heart of man can enjoy, "full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort." 1

I should be disposed to apologise for thus gathering up the arrows of promise, and presenting them to your notice again, did not the importance of our subject imperatively demand this repetition. But the promises are my main battery, and what I am most concerned to render impregnable. It is here that my grand assailant Unbe

What a beautiful description do the following words give of the communion of the Primitive Church?" And when we had accomplished those days, (at Tyre) we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city : and we kneeled down on the shore and prayed." (Acts xxi. 5.) The communion would have failed of its full sympathy had the children of the Church been absent from this interesting group.

lief directs his most vigorous and most restless attacks. And though repeated foil frustrate each repeated attack, his assaults are not therefore the less determined or the less frequent. To speak plainly, though I have found opponents to be reduced to silence, I have not found them therefore to yield; they have commonly said, "Well, I cannot believe; I cannot think that such blessed promises belong to us." I will rein the question then within a short compass. Can it be denied that believing Parents have these promises? If it can be so denied; then deny against the plainest evidence of fact that they exist in Scripture; or prove, that these promises, unlike their fellows, have no reference to us; or expunge them from the sacred page: but consider the consequence : if you still persist in bringing up your children as Christians, you are acting without warrant, without encouragement, and therefore without any well-grounded prospect of success; for if you have no promise;-your faith has no foundation, your hope has no solid support, your expectation is presumption, and your anticipation delusion. "BELIEVE" THEN, AND "BE ESTABLISHED." (Isa. vii. 9.)

Against this unyielding objection I have but one other arrow in my quiver; and happily, that is of celestial temper, and is never known to fail. Let us quit reasoning then for prayer.

Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire,
And lighten with celestial fire;

Thou the anointing Spirit art,

Which dost thy seven-fold gifts impart:
Thy blessed Unction from above,
Is comfort, life, and fire of love.
Enable with perpetual light,
The dulness of our blinded sight:
Anoint and cheer our soiled face,

With the abundance of thy grace."

"Lord be favourable to thy land, bring back the captivity of Jacob; wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in thee? Shew us thy mercy O Lord, and grant us thy salvation." (Psalm lxxxv.) We bless thee for the memorials of the exceeding great love of our Master and only Saviour Jesus Christ in dying for us, and the innumerable benefits which by his precious bloodshedding he hath obtained to us: we bless thee that he hath instituted and ordained holy mysteries as pledges of his love, and for a continual remembrance of his death, to our great and endless comfort. Oh may we rightly understand, duly appreciate, and specially apply thy holy Sacraments to all the blessed purposes for which they were mercifully ordained. "Assure us thereby of thy favour and goodness towards us, and that we are very members incorporate in the mystical body of thy Son, which is the blessed company of all faithful people; and are also heirs through hope of thy everlasting kingdom, by the merits of the most precious death and passion of thy dear Son. And we most humbly beseech thee, O heavenly Father, so to assist us with thy grace,

that we may continue in that holy fellowship, and do all such good works as thou hast prepared for us to walk in, through Jesus Christ our Lord; to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end."

"THE PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE, IS THE SEED OF THE CHURCH of God." 1

To attempt one spiritual act, except on this ground, is PRESUMPTION; not to expect the most consummate blessedness to flow from the confident application of the promise, is UNbelief.

1 Hooker, b. v. s. 63.

LETTER VII.

SENTIMENTS OF THE REFORMERS.

BUT it is highly important to ascertain whether this view of the subject of Baptism, and the interpretation given above be confirmed by the Reformers. It will therefore be my object in this Letter, with the blessing of God, first to show the concurrent testimony of our own Reformers, on this subject; and then to establish this by the united voice of the Churches of the Reformed. And as it appears to me, the result of the following extracts may be expressed in the opening words of King Edward the Sixth's Catechism. "It is the duty of them all, whom Christ hath redeemed by his death, that they not only be servants to obey, but also children to inherit." "To obey" is the duty of an inferior, " to inherit" is the privilege of a child: and it is that discharge of duty which is the rich privilege of holiness, that is the characteristic feature of the Gospel. Into this it will be seen that the Child of the believer is admitted at his Baptism.

K