" of these is the kingdom of God," he would have given countenance to an opinion, that the privilege in question was limited to the children present. His language as it stands, shews that he considered those little ones as members of his spiritual family, not in virtue of a personal prerogative, but as they were placed under circumstances of peculiar mercy, which they shared in common with other infants.

According to the decision of Jesus Christ himself, therefore, little children, as such, belong to the kingdom of heaven; and this encouraging declaration is neither restricted to those who were then introduced to his attention, nor so far as appears, to any number discriminated from the infant race of mankind in general. Had the whole world of little ones been in like manner brought to him, our judgment and our heart must equally suggest, that he would have given them all the same welcome, bestowed on them the same benediction, and accounted for his conduct by the same declaration.

But it may be suggested, that such conclusion implies the mutability of divine love, as it supposes, that those who were objects of it during infancy, may afterwards be alienated from Christ, and perish for ever. This, however, forms no valid objection; for the love of God is not absolutely immutable with respect to its objects. The same reasoning would apply with equal cogency to the case of Adam; for he while innocent, was an object of divine complacency, but by sin lost this

high privilege. It is justly maintained, that he was under a dispensation different from that which his posterity believing in Christ enjoy; and that, therefore, there can be no reasoning from one case to the other. With equal With equal propriety it may be maintained, that there can be no reasoning from the case of adult believers to that of infants, because the cases are different. God has voluntarily engaged to carry on the good work begun in believers till the day of Christ, and therefore, his love to them is unchangable; he has made no such engagement respecting infants, and there appears nothing more inconsistent with his character in suffering them to lose their innocence, and consequently their interest in his especial favour, than occurs in the case of our first progenitor, or in that of fallen angels. The condition of infants through the mediation of Christ, appears to be more analogous to that of Adam, personally considered, than to that of believers under the operation of a new and divine nature, secured to them by infallible promises.

Upon the whole, no principle seems to be discoverable, on which the peculiar affection of Jesus Christ towards infants, arising from such considerations as he repeatedly and distinctly avowed, can be reconciled with any opinion inconsistent with the one here advocated,-that children before personal transgression are interested in the salvation of Christ; and dying in that condition, are consequently, in the fullest sense, subjects of the kingdom of heaven.

SECTION IV.

The plan of Redemption and Salvation by Jesus Christ affords strong grounds of hope.

To this, if saved, infants must be indebted.-That redemption comprehends infants argued-from the preceding facts;—no other medium of divine favour-yet this shewn to them ;-though by nature under wrath-they are beloved by God;-the declarations of Christ suggest this;-objects not merely of compassion but complacency; -this consistent with subsequent fall into sin, &c.

—From general views given of redemption;—a sovereign provision for exercising mercy;-for sinners, much more infants;—relative view of the ends to be accomplished leads to the same conclusion ;-this consistent with the great number of those that perish. -From the correspondence between the fall and restoration;—in general, both by sovereign constitutions-the latter remedial of the former; -in particular, as shewn Rom. v. 12-19-design of the Apostle illustrated; he certainly contemplated the case of infants;-the latter provision co-extensive with the former as to its objects ;-and surpassing in influence ;-infants may "receive the abundance of grace." The Apostle's summary of the fact.

AFTER all that has appeared, it must be considered of prime importance to ascertain, whether infants, as such, are comprehended in the method of redemption and salvation, as revealed in the gospel. There is confessedly, no other way of salvation for either adults or infants. A deceased child, received into glory, is as truly indebted to sovereign grace and redeeming love, as the most

awful transgressor ever wrested from the jaws of destruction. For though, being innocent of personal crimes, it seems that infants are not subjected by the constitution through which they fell, to eternal torments; yet neither are they entitled to those manifestations of divine favour which constitute the felicities of heaven, nor can they receive them, but through his mediation, who "suffered the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God."

The facts and reasonings which have already occurred, furnish various remarks, that give countenance and support to the position now under consideration. To suggest a few of these may here be sufficient.

We are aware of no medium through which the benevolence of a holy and righteous God can, honourably to himself, be exercised towards the fallen race of Adam, excepting him who is emphatically the "one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus." Hence we contend for the necessity of a mediatorial satisfaction, because it appears unworthy of God, as holy in his character, and righteous in his government, to hold immediately favourable intercourse with depraved creatures; and because the exercise of mercy ought so to illustrate his just abhorrence of sin, as to leave the great principles of moral government no less firm and conspicuous, than if sin had never intervened. And this reasoning is not less convincing

to a correct judgment, than it is obviously founded on scriptural representations. But we have seen, that both the declarations and conduct of God discover, in a peculiar manner, his benevolent care for the infant offspring of fallen man. And since these expressions of divine regard contemplate them as infants, uncharged with personal sin, we have reason to conclude that as such they are comprehended in that provision by which he is "in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself."

So also under another view, we know that infants are fallen creatures; and sharing to a certain extent the natural consequence of sin, they are " by nature the children of wrath even as others.*" Yet in very many instances, as we have seen, the blessed God speaks of them with the tenderness of paternal affection; and Jesus Christ, the fairest image of infinite moral perfection, manifested to none more benignity and love than he did to them. Now on what principle can we reconcile these apparent inconsistencies, unless on the ground that, being comprehended as infants in the gracious plan of redemption, they were saved from the wrath to which they are by nature subject?

And to pass by other reasons of this his peculiar regard, assigned by our Lord, his declaration lately considered, that "of such is the kingdom of God,"

* Eph. ii. 3.

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