import to children. 2., That circumcision and baptism signify the same thing, only the former respected Messiah to come, the latter Christ come. 3. That the Abrahamic covenant, which was confirmed before of God in Christ, is the everlasting covenant under which we are; and, of course, embraces infants. He then infers, p. 109

"The charge entrusted to you, who bear the character of parents, is the most solemnly important and tenderly interesting that can be imagined by the human mind. It is the charge of im mortal souls. Every child that is born into the world enters upon an existence that is never to terminate; upon a short life on the earth, which must be succeeded by eternal blessedness or eternal woe. How affecting the consideration ! And with regard to your own children, to you is committed the sacred trust of imparting to them that knowledge which shall make them wise unto salvation. These lights, lighted for eternity, it is yours to feed with holy oil from the sanctuary of God, that they may shine, forever in his presence, to his glory. The language of God to every Christian parent, is that of Pharoah's daughter to the mother of Moses--"Take this child and nurse it for me.". Forget not, then, the sacred obligation. Let it be engraven on your hearts as with a pen of iron, and the point of a diamond, You love your children; they are dear to you as the apple of your eye-as your own souls-you would part with any thing to secure their welfare. And are no their eternal interests first in your

thoughts and first in your desires? If you feel as Christians, they are, they must be. Let them then, be first in your prayers, and first in your exertions.-Seek to impress early on their hearts a sense of the unspeakable importance of eternal things. Teach them the knowledge of the Lord, when you sit in the house, and when you walk by the way; never with the repulsive authority of a master, but with all the engaging tenderness of parental love. Let no probability of temporal advantage induce you to expose their souls to peculiar hazards from the temptations of this ensnaring world.-Let no accomplishments of body or of mind, however gratifying and endearing they may lawfully be, engross that particular joy, which, in the hearts of Christian parents, will ever be reserved for "seeing their children walking in the truth." Remembering that Ged alone can give your desires their gratifications, and your labours their increase, pray without ceasing, that He may 66 'pour out his Spirit upon your seed and his blessing upon your offspring; that they may spring up as among the grass and as willows by the water courses; and be a part of the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorifi-ed." Present them, for a blessing, to that gracious Saviour, who said, in the days of his flesh,. "Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heave. As Christians, it is a part of your experi ence that the promises of God do not operate as encouragements te indolence, but as incentives to

activity. You are stimulated to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling," by considering that it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." His declaration that "his people shall never perish," instead of lulling you in careless security, animates you, by banishing despair," to gird up the loins of your minds," and to "run with patience the race that is set before you."-So, let the peculiar regard which God, in the promise of his covenant, has been shewn to have, to the offspring of his people, encourage you in discharging the duty of" bringing up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Let it inspire your prayers for them, with the animating confidence of expectation, and enliven your exertions with the hopes of success.

The connection is indissolubly established between the fulfilment of his promises on God's part, and attention to duty in the use of appointed means on the part of his people. To expect the one without the other, is not to trust in God, but unwarrantable presumption. Set your hearts with intense desire, on the salvation of your children ;-Ask it of God, with the fervour and persevering importunity of faith. Shew the sincerity of your desires and prayers, by unwearied attention to the use of necessary means, and I doubt not, you will have the blessedness of seeing amongst your offspring a seed arise to serve the Lord.

Let the apparent failure of the blessing, in your

own families, or in those of other professing Christians, lead you rather to suspect yourselves than to question the faithfulness of God. Such cases, indeed, call to much searching of heart.Has the salvation of your children engaged your desires with a fervour and constancy proportioned to its infinite importance?-Have you pursued this object with sufficient seriousness as the "one thing needful" to your happiness as parents? While you have been teaching the truths of God, have you been careful to walk before your house in a perfect way, exemplifing in your personal behaviour, their holy, heavenly influence? Have you, in no measure, been guilty of sacrificing the souls of your children to temporal interest? Has the object I speak of occupied that place in your prayers and exertions to which its inconceivable magnitude gives it so striking a claim ?-Have your prayers been the prayers of faith?-your exertions believing exertions?Or has there not been, in both, a lamentable want of faith in God? May the "God of all the families of Israel"-lead all believing parents to lay to heart, more deeply than ever, the duty enjoined upon them! And by bestowing an abundant blessing on parental education," instead of the fathers, take the children," that race unto race may praise him !”

Secondly. To children and youth who have been baptized.

DRAR CHILDREN-In vindication of your rights has this plea been exhibited. This book has, therefore, upon your attention, a particular

claim, and that its publication may do you good, its author feels a peculiar solicitude, at the bar of a practical public. It may also be remarked, very much depends upon the conduct of the clients, and the apparent impression which the plea itself makes upon you whose cause it advocates. If you consider the matter at issue of small importance, who will be likely to take any great interest in the case. On the other hand, if it be found that you feel an early and a growing solicitude of living as free born citizens of Zion, and as early enfeoffed with great rights; high dignity, and an heavenly inheritance, few will then be so hardy as to oppose your covenant claims.

It is true,

He who has allowed you to be acknowledged heirs of such an inheritance, will not, on account of some childish foibles, have you disinherited. As appointed, however, a tutor of your minority, I would apprize you, that though you be children, you should reckon yourselves children of the light and of the day, whe should not sleep as de others, but watch and be sober. So soon as you are mature in knowledge and piety, you will be cordially allowed to pass from the tutorage of a minor state-from the class of catechumens, to the class of adult members in the Church of God. In other things of infinitely less importance, you have an eager desire of progressing, and an ardent ambition to excel. You look before you, you long for every approaching epoch and climacteric of life; why are you not more anxious to grow in grace and in the knowledge of your Lord