ization, her laws and ordinances are divine-her king and head, is a mysterious and glorious personage-Emanuel God with us. Her great and speci fic objects, and the manner of accomplishing them are peculiar. But because she has her peculiarities, are we thence to conclude that she is in all respects unlike every other society on earth? Nothing is more absurd, and repugnant to the whole tenor of Scriptural illustration.

I have spent some time in examining the laws respecting citizens, and the alien laws, existing among the Jews, Greeks, Romans, English, and Americans, and was surprized to find that they all agree on the following points; in denying to Aliens and foreigners the right to vote in public electionsthe right to hold any office under Government--and the right to hold landed property. They all agree in granting these rights to citizens--they all agree in adopting foreigners, with their children as citizens, upon certain terms, differing in some respects. They all agree in considering the children of citizens, whether natural, or adopted, as subjects before any oath of allegiance, or formal consent of the children, when come to the years of maturity. And all agree that the State or Government has certain claims upon all citizens, and can enforce these claims; or in other words, all citizens owe certain duties to the Government, of which they are members, and which affords them protection, prior to their consent, and if they refuse to perform those duties, they fall

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under the appropriate penalty. Now as we have ascertained the law among the Jews, respecting aliens and citizens, and as the Apostle shows that the same law regulates membership in the Church of God, we have gotten something clear, explicit, and definite on that relation in which baptized children stand to the Church. They are members, and such a thing as members in part, was never heard of except among some modern religionists. Baptized children are members, and if members, they are entitled to all the privileges of the Church, and are bound to perform all the duties of members accor ding to age, gifts and standing.

You may, however, say, "they are members in minority, and therefore cannot exercise their rights." I answer, that I have no objection that the law of minors should be applied to children in the Church; but I shall insist, that God shall regulate this matter in his own house. That he has done it, and that the years of discretion necessary for the performance of certain duties, and the enjoyment of certain privileges are not left to the prudence of men, to determine, will hereafter be shown. This I would now: remark, that minors are under parents, tutors and governors that from infancy they are bound to be obedient, and must enjoy the privileges of the paternal roof, particularly the family table. To deny them these, because minors, would be worse than savage. Were the children of those Ephegians, who became, of the household of God, denied.

these privileges? Be not alarmed sir, I know you have a tender concern for LITTLE ONES.

them I am pleading.

For

Yours, Respectfully.

LETTER 3.

The Rights of Children-Right to Baptism--to a good Religious education-and to the Lord's Supper.

DEAR SIR:

IN modern times we have heard much respecting the rights of men, but we have heard little of the rights of God, and the rights of the children born under the Constitution of his Church. That the latter have rights as well as the former, none can deny. We have ascertained that children, born of believing parents, are members of the Church, and entitled, to all the privileges of members. I need but barely state, that they have a right to baptism, and that it is the duty of their parents, their natural guardians, to put them in possession of baptism. This ordinance has been called an initiating ordinance. It is so, visibly, and formal ly. But every adult presented for baptism, is supposed to be received previously, as a member of the Church; and baptism is therefore, an open recogni

tion of membership, and the visible seal of God's visible covenant put upon the subject already acknowledged in private. It thus becomes a distinguishing, and a significant ordinance. Water in this ordinance is significant of the Holy Spirit, the sanctifier of God's people. Here we remark that it is an holy ordinance. It is the ordinance of a holy God, and is significant of the Holy Spirit, and distinguishes God's holy people from the unholy world. But its holiness is of an arbitrary, or constitutional kind. The water is not made intrinsically more holy than other water. It becomes ecclesiastically holy and is applied to infants, not because intrinsically holy, or born again of the Spirit, but because ecclesiastically holy. Hence there is no profanation of the ordinance when applied to them as the members of the Church. But if they were not members, and therefore not ecclesiasticaly holy, it would be a profanation of baptism, which is thus holy, to apply it to them.

But it may be said, as baptism is a significant or dinance, it implies that all who with propriety partake of it, should have understanding sufficient to perceive the nature of the things signified; and as infants have not this understanding, they are not entitled to it. To which, we Pædobaptists reply, God alone must determine this matter; and he has determined that the children of members of his Church are ecclesiastically holy, and have a right to be recognized as such, by the sealing and distin

guishing ordinances, which he has instituted, whatever they may be. We also say, that Baptism is not. merely a significant ordinance, but a sealing and distinguishing ordinance, and as such is of use to infants, and is applied to them with the same propriety that it is applied to grown persons. Sealed, and distinguished by it in infancy, they enjoy an important privilege, and when they advance to years of understanding, they can improve it as a significant ordinance. It is thus, sir, that we defend infant baptism against our Baptist brethren. And I presume that you agree with me, in admitting, that the children of Church members have a right, a divine right to baptism, and that parents are highly criminal in withholding baptism from them, when not providentially hindered.

The second right that children have, who are born of members of the Church, is, the right to the LORD'S EDUCATION. This proposition you will find at once illustrated and supported, by referring to the following passages in the Holy Scriptures. Deut. iv. 8-10. vi. 1,9, 20, 25. xl. 18–21, xxxi. 10-13. Joshua, xxiv. 15. i. Sam. iii. 12-14. Psalm. lxxviii, 1-8. Prov. iv. 1-13. viii. 32-36, xiii. 24, xix. 18, xxii. 15, xxiii. 13, xxix. 17. Eph. vi. 1 -4. Col. iii. 20-21. 1 Tim. iii. 4, 5, 12, v. 10-14. On these declarations of God, I shall at present, make only the following general remarks.

1. The book, from which a good religious education is to be given to the children of the Church, is the Bible.