perty of general countils, either require faith in order to baptism solely or conjointly with the pope. are interpreted by the Pædo-bapSee Smith's Errors of the Church of tists. As for his argument from Rome detected; and list of writers the Jewish children eating the saunder article POPERY. crifice, it is to be considered that INFANT COMMUNION, the this was not required as circumadmission of infants to the ordinance cision was: the males were not of the Lord's supper. It has been necessarily brought to the temple debated by some, whether or no till they were twelve years old, infants should be admitted to this Luke ii, 42, and the sacrifices ordinance. One of the greatest they ate of were chiefly peace offeradvocates for this practice was ings, which became the common Mr. Peirce. He pleads the use food to all that were clean in the of it even unto this day among the family, and were not looked upon Greeks, and in the Bohemian as acts of devotion to such a dechurches till near the time of the gree as our eucharist is; though, reformation; but especially from indeed, they were a token of their the custom of the ancient churches, acknowledging the divinity of that as it appears from many passages God to whom they had been ofin Photius, Augustin, and Cyprian. fered, 1st Cor. x, 18, and even the But Dr. Doddridge observes, that passover was a commemoration of Mr. Peirce's proof from the more a temporal deliverance; nor is ancient fathers is very defective. His there any reason to believe that its arguments from scripture chiefly reference to the Messiah was genedepend upon this general medium; rally understood by the Jews. that Christian, succeeding to the Ön the whole it is certain there Jews as God's people, and being would be more danger of a congrafted upon that stock, their in tempt arising to the Lord's supper fants have a right to all the pri- from the admission of infants, and vileges of which they are capable, of confusion and trouble to other till forfeited by some immoralities; communicants; so that not being and consequently have a right to required in scripture, it is much partake of this ordinance, as the best to omit it. When children Jewish children had to eat of the are grown up to a capacity of bepassover and other sacrifices: be- having decently, they may soon sides this, he pleads those texts be instructed in the nature and which speak of the Lord's supper design of the ordinance; and if as received by all Christians. they appear to understand it, and

The most obvious answer to all behave for some competent time this, is that which is taken from of trial in a manner suitable to the incapacity of infants to exa- that profession, it would probably mine themselves, and discern the be advisable to admit them to comLord's body; but he answers that munion though very young; which, this precept is only given to per-by the way might be a good sesons capable of understanding and curity against many of the snares complying with it, as those which to which youth are exposed.

Doddridge's Lectures, lect. 207 Peirce's Essay on the Eucharist, p. 76, &c.; Witsius on Cov. b. 4, c. 17, § 30, 32; J. Frid. Mayor Diss. de Eucharistia Infantum ; Zornius Hist. Eucharist. Infantum, p. 18; Theol. and Bib. Mag. Jan. and April 1806.

Recovery, p. 324, 327; Edwards on Original Sin, p. 431, 434; Doddridge's Lect. lec. 168; Ridgeley's Body of Div. v. i, p. 330, to 336. INFIDELITY, want of faith in God, or the disbelief of the truths of revelation, and the great principles of religion. If we inquire INFANTS, Salvation of. "Va- into the rise of infidelity, we shall rious opinions," says an acute wri- find it does not take its origin from ter, "concerning the future state of the result of sober inquiry, close infants have been adopted. Some investigation, or full conviction; think, all dying in infancy are an-but it is rather as one observes, nihilated; for, say they, infants," The slow production of a carebeing incapable of moral good or less and irreligious life, operating evil, are not proper objects of re-together with prejudices and erro. ward or punishment. Others think neous conceptions concerning the that they share a fate similar to nature of the leading doctrines of adults; a part saved, and a part christianity. It may, therefore, be perish. Others affirm all are saved, laid down as an axiom, that infibecause all are immortal, and all delity is, in general, a disease of the are innocent. Others, perplexed heart more than of the understandwith these diverse sentiments,thinking; for we always find that infibest to leave the subject untouch-delity increases in proportion as ed. Cold comfort to parents who the general morals decline. If we bury their families in infancy consider the nature and effect of The most probable opinion seems this principle, we shall find that it to be, that they are all saved, subverts the whole foundation of through the merits of the Media- morals; it tends directly to the tor, with an everlasting salvation. destruction of a taste for moral This has nothing in it contrary to excellence, and promotes the the perfections of God, or to any growth of those vices which are the declaration of the holy scriptures; most hostile to social happiness, and it is highly agreeable to all especially vanity, ferocity, and those passages which affirm where unbridled sensuality. As to the sin hath abounded, grace hath progress of it, it is certain that, of much more abounded. On these late years, it has made rapid principles,the death of Christ saves strides. Lord Herbert did not, more than the fall of Adam lost." indeed, so much impugn the docIf the reader be desirous of exa-trine or the morality of the scrip. mining the subject, we refer him to tures as attempt to supersede their p. 415, v. ii, Robinson's Claude,necessity, by endeavouring to shew Gillard's and Williams's Essays on that the great principles of the Infant Salvation; An attempt to unity of God, a moral government, elucidate Rom. v. 12, by an ano-and a future world, are taught nymous writer; Watt's Ruin and with sufficient clearness by the

light of nature. Bolingbroke, and signs of the times, it will appear others of his successors, advanced one of the most extraordinary much farther, and attempted to phænomena of this eventful criinvalidate the proofs of the moral sis, that, amidst the ravages of character of the Deity, and con- atheism and infidelity, real relisequently all expectations of re-gion is on the increase; for while wards and punishments, leaving infidelity is marking its progress the Supreme Being no other per-by devastation and ruin, by the fections than those which belong prostration of thrones and concusto a first cause, or Almighty con- sion of kingdoms, thus appalling triver. After him at a consider- the inhabitants of the world, and able distance, followed Hume, the compelling them to take refuge most subtle of all, who boldly in the church of God; the true aimed to introduce an universal sanctuary, the stream of divine scepticism, and to pour a more knowledge, unobserved, is flowthan Egyptian darkness into the ing in new channels; winding whole region of morals. Since its course among humble valhis time, sceptical writers have lies, refreshing thirsty deserts sprung up in abundance, and infi- and enriching, with far other delity has allured multitudes toits and higher blessings than those standard; the young and super- of commerce, the most distant ficial, by its dexterous sophistry; climes and nations; until, agreethe vain, by the literary fame of its ably to the prediction of prophechampion; and the profligate, by cy, the knowledge of the Lordthe licentiousness of its principles. shall fill and cover the whole But let us ask, What will be its earth." See Hall's admirable Ser. end? Is there any thing in the on Infidelity; Fuller's Gospel of genius of this principle that will Christ its own witness; Bishop lead us to suppose it will reign tri-Watson's Apology for the Bible; umphant? So far from it, we have Wilberforce's Practical View, § 3. reason to believe that it will be ch. 7; and books under article banished from the earth. Its in- DEISM.

consistency with reason; its incon- INFIRMITY, applied to the gruity with the nature of man ;mind, denotes frailty, weakness. its cloudy and obscure prospects; It has been a question what may its unsatisfying nature; its oppo- properly be denominated sins of sition to the dictates of conscience; infirmity. its pernicious tendency to eradi- 1. Nothing, it is said, can be cate every just principle from the excused under that name which breast of man, and to lead the at the time of its commission is way for every species of vice and known to be a sin.-2. Nothing can immorality, shew us that it can-be called a sin of infirmity which not flourish, but must finally fall. is contrary to the express letter And, as Mr. Hall justly observes, of any of the commandments.— "We have nothing to fear; for, 3. Nothing will admit of a just to an attentive observer of the and sufficient excuse upon the

account of infirmity which a man infinite is evident; for,as Doddridge beforehand considers and delibe- observes, 1. If he be limited, it rates with himself whether it be a must either be by himself, or by sin or no. A sin of infirmity is, another; but no wise being would 1. Such a failing as proceeds from abridge himself, and there could be excusable ignorance.-2. Or un-no other being to limit God.-2. avoidable surprise.-3. Or want Infinity follows from self-existence; of courage and strength, Rom. for a necessity that is not universal XV, 1. must depend on some externalcause,

By infirmity also we understand which a self-existent Being does the corruptions that are still left in not.-3. Creation is so great an the heart (notwithstanding a per- act of power, that we can imagine son may be sanctified in part) and nothing impossible to that Being which sometimes break out. These who has performed it, but must may be permitted to humble us; therefore ascribe to him infinite. to animate our vigilance; perhaps power.-4. It is more honourable that newly convinced sinners might to the Divine Being to conceive of not be discouraged by a sight of him as infinite, than finite.-5. such perfection they might despair The scriptures represent all his atof ever attaining to; to keep us tributes as infinite. His underprayerful and dependent; to pre-standing is infinite. Psal. cxlvii, 5. yent those honours which some His knowledge and wisdom, Rom. would be ready to give to human xi, 33. His power, Rom. i. 20. nature rather than to God; and, Heb. xi, 3. His goodness, Psal. xvi, lastly, to excite in us a continu-2. His purity, holiness, and jusal desire for heaven. Let us be tice, Job iv. 17, 18. Isa. vi, 2, 3. cautious and watchful, however,-6. His omnipresence and eteragainst sin in all its forms: for nity prove his infinity; for were it argues a deplorable state of mind he not infinite, he would be boundwhen men love to practise sin, and ed by space and by time, which he then lay it upon constitution, the is not. Doddridge's Lect. lec. 49; infirmity of nature, the decree of Watts's Ontology, ch. 17; Locke on God, the influence of Satan, and Underst. vol. i, ch. 17; Howe's thus attempt to excuse themselves Works, vol. i, p. 63, 64, 67. by saying they could not avoid it. Clark's Serm. ser. 12, vol. ix; Massillon's Serm. vol. ii, p. 213, Eng. trans.

INFLUENCES DIVINE, a term made use of to denote the operations of the Divine Being upon the mind. This doctrine of Divine INFINITY. Infinity is taken Influences has been much called. in two senses entirely different, i. e. in question of late; but we may in a positive and a negative one. ask, 1. What Doctrine can be more Positive infinity is a quality of being reasonable? "The operations which perfect in itself, or capable of re-the power of God carries on in the ceiving no addition. Negative is natural world are no less mysterithe quality of being boundless, un-ous than those which the Spirit limited, or endless. That God is performs in the moral world. It

men, by their councils and sug-no motion of the spirits whereby gestions, can influence the minds it might be excited; it is, thereof one another, must not Divine fore, a mere vice, arising fromt suggestion produce a much greater pride, stupidity, or narrowness of effect? Surely the Father of Spi-soul. rits, by a thousand ways, has ac- INIQUITY. See SIN. cess to the spirits he has made, so INJURY, a violation of the as to give them what determina-rights of another. Some, says tion, or impart to them what assist-Grove, distinguish between injusance he thinks proper, without titia and injuria. Injustice is opinjuring their frame or disturbing posed to justice in general, whetheir rational powers. ther negative or positive; an inju

We may observe, 2. Nothing ry to negative justice alone. See can be more scriptural. Eminent JUSTICE. An injury is, wilfully men from the patriarchal age doing to another what ought not down to St. John, the latest wri-to be done. This is injustice, too, ter, believed in this doctrine, and but not the whole idea of it; for it ascribed their religious feelings to is injustice, also, to refuse or nethis source. Our Lord strongly glect doing what ought to be done. and repeatedly inculcated this An injury must be wilfully comtruth; and that he did not mean mitted; whereas it is enough to miraculous, but moral influences make a thing unjust, that it happens of the Spirit, is evident, John iii, through a culpable negligence. 1. 3. Matt. vii, 22, 23. John vi, 44, We may injure a person in his soul, 46. See, also, John xii, 32, 40. by misleading his judgment; by Rom. viii, 9. 1st Cor. ii, 14.-3. corrupting the imagination; perAnd we may add, nothing can verting the will; and wounding be more necessary, if we consi-the soul with grief. Persecutors der the natural depravity of the who succeed in their compulsive heart, and the insufficiency of all measures, though they cannot alter human means to render ourselves the real sentiments by external either holy or happy without a violence, yet sometimes injure the supernatural power. See Wil-soul by making the man a hypoliams's Historic Defence of Expe- crite.-2. We may injure another rimental Religion; Williams's An-in his body, by homicide, murder, swer to Belsham, let. 13; Hurrion's preventing life, dismembering the Sermons on the Spirit; Owen on body by wounds, blows, slavery, the Spirit. and imprisonment, or any unjust INGRATITUDE, the vice of restraint upon its liberty; by robbeing insensible to favours receiv-bing it of its chastity, or prejudiced, without any endeavour to ac-ing its health.-3. We may injure knowledge and repay them. It is another in his name and character, sometimes applied to the act of by our own false and rash judgreturning evil for good. Ingrati-ments of him; by false witness; tude, it is said, is no passion; for by charging a man to his face with the God of nature has appointed a crime which either we ourselves