as the infant has neither done good nor evil, the presumption arising from its death, would rather seem to be, that inasmuch as its powers, if it had remained in this world, would have been developed in sin, so its removal to another and essentially different world-where all its modes of acquiring knowledge, and also of acting, will be essentially differentwill most probably conduce to instantaneous and lofty exhibitions of holiness.

It is true, that the presumption may be applied the other way. Inasmuch, as God visits on the infant the consequences of the sin of Adam-subjecting it to disease and death, and placing it in a world, and under the operation of laws, which operate, with certainty, to secure its voluntary sinning, as soon as capable of moral agency; and inasmuch as one of the consequences of such rebellion against God, is, that a change will take place, either sooner or later, in the outward circumstances and relations of men in this world, by virtue of which, much more rapid and frightful developments of iniquity shall be made,-why may we not conclude, that, in the exercise of His sovereignty, God sees fit to anticipate such things, and transfer one and another, forthwith, as they come into this world, to a new scene of existence, when the full and final results of Adam's apostacy are displayed? Especially so, it might be added, since the promise of grace, in the covenant, seems to contemplate none other than the children of believers. "I will be a God to thee, and to thy seed after thee;" and since there can be no more inconsistency with divine justice, to place an infant in circumstances, whe it will become a sinner sooner than later, provided there is not to place it in any such circumstances at all? We confess, therefore, that nothing ought to be rashly and positively asserted on this subject, either way.

1 Gen. xviii.

It would seem as if God had not seen it proper, to give us any decisive information on this subject; and we can see great wisdom and goodness too, in His keeping us in absolute ignorance on this point. Were the former presumption an established truth, and reverently received among men, there is no knowing what mischievous consequences might result from it, nor how far men, to render their darling babes eternally happy, might be tempted to become the murderers of their offspring. And were the latter an established truth, with what heart-rending agony would every sensitive soul see the infant consigned to the tomb! It is well, that Providence has thrown an impenetrable veil over this thing. Yet, if we may be allowed to indulge a fond conjecture, the presumption seems strongest, that the death of an infant is a procedure of merey, rather than of vindictive justice. For, as the great rule of procedure on the judgment day shall be, that God "will render unto EVERY ONE, according to the deeds done in the body, whether they be good or evil," the righteous and the wicked shall receive their award and allotment upon a principle, which it is manifest, in the nature of things, cannot be adopted, with regard to those dying in infancy.

Admitting for a moment, that infants dying in infancy shall be saved, it is obvious that-if the view already given of the law of God's government in this world be correct— it is, and can only be, by virtue of some connection established between Christ and them. A mere purpose of election establishes no such connection, though it may have respect to it, and secure it ultimately: but the sacred scriptures do not speak of men as elect, and safe in Christ till they are actually united unto Him. The mere purpose of God to bring into being the offspring of man gave them no being, nor established any connection between

1. 1 Rom.

them and their great progenitor. It was their actual evolution from him, agreeably to the law established for the propagation of the race, that rendered them existent; and all their life was derived through him. In like manner there must be, the actual union with Christ, in order to the derivation of life from Him, since He, and He only, is a fountain head of life for any of the degenerate race of Adam. This union is effectuated as has been hinted by the communication of the Holy Spirit. "He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit."" The agency of this spirit in respect of the adult will be readily admitted. Why should it be denied in reference to the infant?

That there is, in fact, a care and agency of the spirit adapted to the condition and circumstances of the infant mind, there can be no doubt: and that too to receive holy developments. For, there is the example of the babe of Bethlehem, whose conception was not after the law of ordinary generation, and who therefore stood in circumstances, and was the subject of influences, which,-without violating the fundamental principle of the original constitution ordained for man-could not have been imparted to any of his proper and natural offspring. When it is said to man, that "that holy thing," which should be born of her, should be called the son of God, some peculiar agency of the Holy Spirit in its production is no doubt referred to, as the reason of this. It is evident too, that it has reference to the future exhibitions of character to be made by Him. "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, therefore also that holy thing that shall be born of thee, shall be called the son of God."

The holiness of the human nature of Christ, in its infant state, is attributed to some immediate, and special

agency of the Holy Spirit. The same is also said of it in its earliest developments. "The child grew, and waxed string in spirit, (by the spirit) filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him." It is altogether gratuitous to say, that that agency of the spirit consisted in forming the humanature of Christ free from any physical defects, of dera..gement, and that therefore the child Jesus was Colv. If holiness is attributed to that nature in its unborn naryo state, we certainly cannot suppose, that it is, la the same se se, in which it was after its birth, and growth into youth and manhood, or else we must suppose, that holiness as a personal characteristic, consists in something irrespective of the acts and exercises of a moral being. For the holiness of a being, with its powers developed, and actively excited. must be very different from that of one vet destitute of such powers.

Things inanimate, it is true, have in scriptural parlance, 80 imes been called holy, as the inmost chamber of the temycled the holy of holies; but then it was because

to God

espa and peculiar relationship, which it had

He dwelt in it. It was set apart, as pre-eminently and exclusively appropriate to God. In this sense, the yet unconscious human nature of Christ, may be denominated holy, for it was the habitation of God, and singularly and exclusively appropriate to Him, differing in this respect, essentially, and entirely, from that of any of the descendants of Adam. And this peculiar relationship of his human nature to the divine, rendering it pre-eminently and singularly an object of the divine care, and securing developments at the earliest possible period, in holy exercises, i. e, in those graces or virtuous affections appropriate to the nature of man, and denominated, in the renewed sinner, "the fruits of the spi

1. Luke ii, 40.

will be as truly and cordially to the praise and glory of redeeming love, as that of the hoary headed sinner converted, on the very verge of life, from the error of his ways. And, although we presume not rashly to decide, where God has not clearly revealed; yet, cherishing the hope of meeting among the redeemed in Heaven, the countless myriads of our race, who lived but to die or have been carried from the womb to the grave, what exalted views, of the overflowing riches of divine grace, may we not entertain? And what lessons of rebuke and consolation and parental duty may not be derived? .

It were delightful to conjecture, the rapid and wondrous. developments of the infant mind, unclogged with bodies, and placed in circumstances so propitious to holiness. But it would be all conjecture. We cannot presume even to imagine, how the babe in Heaven acquires knowledge, or to deny, but that a few hours' employment in the blissful exercises of that happy world, will render it vastly superior, in knowledge and experience, to the aged saint that goes, at the end of a long life, laden with wisdom, and filled with the love of God, to mingle his rejoicings with the redeemed on high. It is sufficient to know that all will be right and glorious, and that, perchance the gloomy feature of ruin and desolation, which over-spreads this guilty world --the early death of one half that are born into it-shall be found, in the infinitely wise and wondrous counsels of Jehovah, converted into the bright aspect of bliss and glory. How great the triumphs of grace! The most sickening and painful forms of human mortality contributing to swell the numbers and triumphs of Heaven!!!

As the vast Ocean heaving from its very depths, throws wave on wave, and rises and breaks, and scatters its foaming surges on the shore, so Time rolls its flood along, and, as it sweeps o'er the guilty race of man, generation after generation, are carried forward, and dashed upon the breakers,