which at once encourages the Parent to present his Infant for incorporation into the Communion of the saints-the Child to holy effort, and holy perseverance in his Christian course the Sponsors to undertake and to persist in their tutelary work with any hope of success-and the Church to extend her interest to every such incorporated little one, as a nascent believer, growing up under her prayers and affectionate communion, a sound member of that body of which Christ is the Head, and thus privileged to be a child of God, and an heir of glory.

LETTER II.

THE PARENTS.

If we ask then, how are the benefits of Infant baptism to be secured, so as to answer the ends of a holy education? we answer, from faith in the general promises made to believing Parents in behalf of their Children, and particularly in the promise made at the celebration of this Sacrament to all who partake of it in faith. And these relate to the PARENTS-the SPONSORS-the INFANT baptised-and the CHURCH.

Ir is surely no small consolation to Christian Parents and to those who belong to the communion of our Church, in common with others who have entered into the married state, 66 reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God," "that they may see their Children christianly and virtuously brought up" to the "praise and honour" of God. According to the doctrine of our Church, founded on the word of God, the loveliest Child living is "by nature born in sin, and the Child of wrath," "forasmuch as all men are conceived and born in sin, and none

can enter into the kingdom of God except he be regenerate and born anew of water and the Holy Ghost." It must therefore be the leading desire of these Parents' hearts that their Children should be partakers of covenant mercies, and should be interested in all the blessings connected with that name, than which there is none other given "under heaven whereby we must be saved." And as Baptism has ever been considered by the Church of Christ as that initiating Sacrament, by which the Child receives the solemn investiture of his privileges as a believer in Christ; and as it is eminently so considered by that portion of the Church to which they belong; while they will hope for no blessing upon their Child but as faith draws it from the promise of a gracious God, so they will be desirous that every blessing of the promise should be sealed to him by that Sacrament which is its sign and pledge.

It might be expected, that, as our Church takes for granted, that all the Infants of her members will be presented for the sign and seal of their Church-membership, in the initiatory Sacrament of Baptism, any formal mention of the grounds of Infant-baptism might be spared, and that nothing more was necessary than to insist on the privileges and duties of this Sacra

1 Acts iv. 12.

ment, and to encourage all within the pale of the Church to enjoy the one and to discharge the other. Our Church assumes that all who are engaged in the ordinance, are "persuaded of the good-will of our heavenly Father towards this Infant, declared by his Son Jesus Christ: and" are "nothing doubting but that he favourably alloweth this charitable work of ours, in bringing this Infant to his holy Baptism." It assumes, therefore, that all such are convinced of the excellence of the rite, and of the propriety of its institution. And to such all further mention of the grounds of Infant-baptism might seem superfluous. But so low is the general estimate of Baptism among us, that it is to be feared, that few have taken pains to inform themselves of the grounds on which the Baptism of Infants rests. The introduction, therefore, of the more obvious reasons for the administration of Baptism to Infants seems indispensable. I say "the more obvious reasons," for it would be quite inconsistent with the plan of this letter, as well as unjust to the subject itself, to attempt any thing like a complete statement of all the grounds that may be adduced in favour of Infant-baptism, within the short compass proposed. What I shall offer, by the blessing of God, are such as are conclusive in deciding my own mind on the subject; and if they should appear to be insufficient to any who may favor

them with a perusal, I must refer such to the authors who have written professedly on the question.

I am aware that the acceptance which this subject will find, will vary with the quarter from which it is presented. If it come from the regions of controversy, and address itself dryly to the mind, apart from those circumstances in which fallen man is found as a rebel to his God, desirous of reconciliation to his favour, and anxious for every mark and pledge which may assure to him and his, the possession of that favor; it will meet with a cold reception probably, and produce no greater effect than the attempts which have preceded it. From those regions of controversy, therefore, where mere mind reigns devoid of feeling, and intolerant prejudice banishes the kindlier dispositions of the heart, I make no approach. Religion is only really acceptable to a mind rightly disposed, or what the Scripture calls an "understanding heart." We do not so much need the logical acuteness of the head to comprehend ideas, as the kindly disposition of the heart to approve and to embrace them. With all the advantages ever yet ascribed to it, I am one, who have long thought that controversy has done more harm to the Church than it has ever done good.1 Truth

'If the proverbial allusion to express the bitterness of human hatred, is not-the hatred of philosophers, or the hatred of poli