sequently, there cannot be any valid objection against the unconscious infants being so made the object and subject of the Spirit's care, as tobe brought into such connection with Christ, the second Adam, the fountain of a renovated life, as to secure, alike its holiness and salvation. Wherefore, the question of its translation by death to another world, where it shall not be affected by the operation of causes which here contribute to corrupt developments, cannot be agitated, so as to prejudice its security-we mean on supposition of the Spirit's bringing it into connection with Christ.

Is it necessary that the human mind and heart, must have been previously in every case, actually exercised in faith, and repentance, and love? Then can there be salvation for none other than adults, or those whose moral susceptibilities have, in this world, been developed so far as to enable them to apprehend and believe the truth. For most unquestionably "there is no other name, given under Heaven among men, whereby we must be saved, but the name of Jesus;" and we must therefore maintain either that infants are not subjected to the consequences of Adam's sin-when their very death is indisputable proof of the fact-or that in the economy of grace, there is provision made, in some way, as God, in his holy sovereignty, hath seen fit, to bring them into connection with Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit and to share in the benefits of His redemption. The former as we have seen, is directly contrary to fact, so that we rejoice to give to our blessed Saviour all the glory of the rescue of immortal souls from perdition, at whatever period of their existence, they are removed from under the operation of those causes, which have been brought into action, by the rebellion of the first man, and would, if not frustrated by the grace of God, infallibly and eternally ruin the whole race. The infant's song in Heaven,

1. Acts.

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 glo

ry.

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 Occan 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,

of death, but to be caught by the under-current and borne into the bosom and blessedness of eternity.

While satan rages and appears to triumph, there is a mighty conqueror that triumphs over him, and rescues the victims of his malice. He that has the power of death has been himself destroyed. The very reign of death, secures from every people, kindred, tribe and tongue the largest additions to the family of the redeemed. How few in comparison with the countless myriads on high, will remain among the wilful rebels, that refused to submit to the government of God, and shall be shut up in the penitentiary of Hell? How will the temporary triumphs, but eternal disappointments of the God of this world, contribute to illustrate the wisdom and grace of the divine government, and the folly and madness of rebellion? How delighted will be the believer's experience in Heaven, there to be made, under circumstances inconceivably glorious, to see how easily the God of truth and justice, has discomfited falsehood and iniquity! How will the darkest features in the mysterious history of man, be developed in the brightest exhibitions of grace and sovereignty? And, how will the very curse, in all its odious features, prove through the exceeding riches of divine grace, in his kindness by Christ Jesus a blessing to the ruined family of man?

And even here, before we reach that bright world, where our delighted eyes shall survey the rich and varied prospect of bliss unfolding its unceasing wonders to our view, what lessons of rebuke and consolation may we not draw from the infant's death? Reader, are you a parent, and yet unreconciled to God, through the blood of Jesus Christ? And have you lost a darling babe, that in the midst of sufferings, and exquisite agony of body, has been torn from your fond embrace, and hurried to an early grave? Then learn in it, the rebuke of Heaven. That child, on which perhaps your fond heart was set, and which

already had began to bind, and rivet those affections which should have been given to God, has been removed from you in mercy to it. Had it been allowed to remain in your embrace, it would have imbibed your rebellious spirit. The love of its heart for you, would have given you a power and influence over it, which would have secured the earliest developments of sin, and placed it in an attitude of direct rebellion against God. You would have proved the murderer of its soul, and stamped on it, your own character, so infamous in the sight of God, and involyed it in the condemnation under which you lie.

But God in taking it away, has in effect said, "You are not fit to have the care of this child. You would have infused into it, your own unbelieving, and rebellious temper, and armed its little heart, in hostility against me. It would have learned from you, to break my Sabbath-to profane my name-to despise my law-to rebel against my authority-and proclaim itself a candidate for Hell. But I have had mercy on it. I have seen that you are not fit to have it live with you, and have therefore brought it home to Heaven, that it may be brought up under the immediate eye and care of my dear Son, away from the contagion of your example. Read in the death of your child the vengeance of Heaven, and its frightful record against you.

But are you a believer, and did you cast your dear little one over upon God, when you brought it to the baptismal font, and there in the arms of your faith and love, presented and devoted it to God, to be washed in the blood of Jesus, and sanctified by his Spirit, to be redeemed from all the consequences of the sad and ruinous apostacy of our race? And has that child, for which you have plead the promises of the well-ordered, and everlasting covenant, been removed from you, and been taken from this world of sin, before it could itself sin, how rich is your consolation! God has in effect said to you, "I take you at your

word-I have heard your prayers-I have received the offering of your faith, and have removed your child to other scenes, where it shall not come in contact, or be contaminated with sin. I know how great would have been your solicitude; how many heart-rending anxieties, you would have had on its account, and that, with all your care, you could not have prevented it from becoming a wilful transgressor of my law, nor have proved half faithful and watchful enough for its training for the skies. I have therefore taken this work out of your hands, and given your child to my dear Son, that it may pass at once into the seminary of Heaven, and escape the consequences of your unfaithfulness, and mismanagement, as well as the ills of this dying and rebellious world, in which you dwell." Read then in the death of your sweet smiling babe the mercy of Heaven: and learn to humble yourself at the feet of God, adoring the grace of his covenant, and receiving the kind and paternal admonition, his providence administers.

But has it pleased IIim to spare the little prattlers round your table? And already do they begin to strike their roots, and grow like willows by the water courses, then see what a work His providence has laid to your hands. Those sweet lips have already perhaps been soiled. Those bright eyes have fallen on rebellious scenes, and they have left their traces on the little mind and memory. The little bosoms have begun to heave with passion, and swell with desire. And shall the young immortal fall under the damning sentence of God's holy law? Parent, teacher, nurse, friend, what have you to say? Say ye mothers, will you neglect the moral culture of your darling babes, and suffer the passions and propensities of their nature to rise and gather strength, and bear them off to objects which God has forhidden? Will you allow all this to go on before your eyes, and neglect to tell your little charge of God, and of