unfeigned piety; the gratitude and the faith, with which their parents devote them to him. The mere ceremony of applying water is comparatively of little moment.

But, that the Baptism of Infants, is a rite ordained of God, and a rite of great advantage and use in religion, the following treatise, it is hoped, will show in which it is considered, rather as a standing token, than as a proper instrument or mean, of God's mercy and grace to us; a perpetual memorial instituted in the church, signifying to believers God's readiness to pour down his spirit upon them, and his blessing upon their offspring; not properly a canal (as some affect to talk) by which these are conveyed to us.

The argument from antiquity; or apostolic tra dition, has not, perhaps, been often presented to the public, in so contracted and clear a light as its importance deserves. It is, principally for the sake of this, and to represent the moral purposes of Infant Baptism, that the ensuing tract appears.

If sentiments, on the future state of dying Infants, may here be thought by some, too freely expressed, they may, it is hoped, be admitted as conjectures at least, upon an interesting subject; upon which however the Baptism of Infants has no essential dependance; that resting securely upon other considerations, whatever force be allowed to these,

The author delights not in controversy, nor intends to engage in any, on the subject of these papers, having seldom seen good arising from altercations of this kind; but the light in which the argument is here set having been approved by several, to whose judgment he owes great deference, it is here presented to public view. As far as it speaks truth, may the God of truth succeed it! To his favour it is commended; and to the attentive perusal of the candid and sincere.

THE

BAPTISM OF INFANTS, &c.

INTRODUCTION.

A general view of the several dispensations of religion with respect to INFANTS.

FROM

ROM the exactest observations, it appears, that of those who are born into the world, scarce a third part attain to the age even of one year. Thousands of infants every day languish under grievous distempers; are tortured, convulsed, and in piteous agonies give up the ghost.-This, at first, seems a very strange dispensation; hardly reconcileable with the wisdom and justice, much less, with the goodness and mercy of God. It is scarce possible not to ask-how comes it to pass, that millions of harmless babes, in whose frame is displayed such infinite skill; who are formed with capacities of such exalted attainments, both intellectual and moral; with capacities of an happiness evergrowing, and everlasting, in the knowledge, imitation and enjoyment of God:-How comes it to pass, that they only thus glance, upon the coasts of life; are just brought into the world with exquisite pains, moan away a few weeks of misery and disease upon it, and then in terrible convulsions, fall victims to death! What light has God cast upon this dark scene of his providence? Has he left it quite covered with impe

netrable clouds? And, where the interest and comfort of so great a part of his intelligent creation are deeply concerned, has he given no intimations which may be a solid ground of hope? It can never be supposed.

There are four dispensations, under which religion has principally subsisted since the fall, viz. the dispensation of the Light of Nature, the Abrahamic, the Mosaic, and the Christian. Now, each of these casts some light upon this awful scene, and administers some hope as to suffering and dying infants. Let it then be inquired :

FIRST. What judgment doth reason, or the LIGHT OF NATURE, pass upon their case? There are but two ways, in which reason can account for this procedure of providence, viz. by supposing these suffering infants to have existed in some former state; or that they will exist in some future.

Some have imagined, that they have existed and misbehaved in a former state of being; and that their sufferings in the present, are a correction or punishment for evils done there. This the Platonic philosophy taught: and it seems to have been an opinion not uncommon amongst the Jews, in the days of our Saviour. Concerning the man that was born blind, the disciples, therefore, ask him -master who did sin; this man, or his parents ; that he was born blind.* But, this præexistence of infants, being a matter of absolute uncertainty, unsupported by any solid or probable grounds, reason derives its principal satisfaction, from the supposition of their existence in a state after death. There, the Almighty Rewarder can give them pleasures and entertainments abundantly to counterbalance the sufferings of their present state.

* John ix. 2.

This is what reason, I say, surmises and hopes; but cannot certainly conclude. It wants some revelation, some promise from God, to give stability and vigor to these wavering hopes. And under all the conflicts and pains which he sees his dying child suffer, the pious parent has nothing, from the light of nature, whereon to trust, but the uncovenanted goodness and mercy of God. Now, were it not, in these circumstances, a most desirable thing, that God would give us some revelation or promise concerning our infants? Some covenant to assure us, that they are the objects of his favour and peculiar regard; and that as they suffer and die in this world, so they shall be raised again to life and happiness in the other? Was not, I ask, some such covenant, revelation or promise, concerning our infants, what nature greatly wanted, wished for and desired; and, if God should be pleased to grant it ought it not to be highly valued and most thankfully received?* Behold!

*There is a very rational and just sense, in which God may be said to establish his covenant with INFANTS. For the scripture expressly says, GEN. ix. 9, 10, 12, 13. that he estab lished his covenant, even, with the cattle and the fowl; solemnly engaging no more to drown them by a flood. Is there any thing strange, then, or unreasonable, in God's establishing his cove nant with infants; solemnly engaging to pour his spirit and blessing on them. Or, that the evils they suffer in consequence of Adam's sin, shall be removed and amply recompensed through the righteousness of Christ? Most surely not at all.

But, if there is a rational and just sense, in which God may establish his covenant with INFANTS; there is the highest reason to presume that he actually has done it, and that they are taken into his covenant: for if he graciously condescended to establish his covenant with the brute creation, promising no more to deluge them; and appointed a standing token or me morial of this covenant, viz, the bow in the clouds; much more, surely may we hope, that he hath established his covenant also with infants, promising to deliver them from the fatal