death; and, perhaps, we are warranted, from facts to affirm, that more die in infancy than in any other period of life. It eannot be considered unimportant, that we feel a proper coneern for them. In order to this we must have correct views of their state, as it is represented in the word of God. It may then, be observed,

1. Infants are immortal beings.

As soon as they commence existence, or as soon as they breathe the breath of life, they commence an existence which will never terminate. Their bodies, like those of their parents, are mortal; but they are inhabited by spirits which are immortal. When God breathed into Adam the breath of life, he became a living soul. In like manner when God breathes into the infant the breath of life it becomes a living soul. The soul is immediately from God; is distinct from the body, and can exist, and we are assured will exist, when separated from the body. The infant as well as the adult, is to be ranked among immortal beings. Whether it dies in infancy or not, it will go with its parents, into the eternal world. It is written in the inspired volume, Ezek. xviii. 4. All souls are mine: as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine. As to immortality, the father, though he may have lived many years to progress in knowledge, and may have acquired a distinguished reputation in the world, has no pre-eminence over the infant at the breast. In this point of view how important is the birth of a child! There is no describing the greatness of the event, nor the weight of the charge devolved on those who have been the instruments of its existence.

Surely infants, as immortal beings, have an importance attached to them, which claims our serious attention. Feeble and helpless as they now appear, they may yet act a distinguished part, in this life. Among those who are now in this infantile state, are to be found the future pastors of our churches, the future generals of our armies, and our future senators and statesmen. But, what is more, infinitely more than all this, when we look upon an infant, we look upon one, who will be an inhabitant of the future world, and who will have a place in heaven or in hell.

2. Infants are moral agents and possess moral characters. By their being moral agents is meant that they are capable of having exercises, which do in reality, though in a low degree, partake of a moral quality ;-exercises, of which either sin or holiness is predicable. If infants are moral agents, they are capable of having exercises of this kind, and begin to form a character, as soon as they commence exist

ence. They have all the organs and senses of an adult ;~ they possess all the faculties of the soul, and when they begin to exist, they begin to receive, tho' at first in a small degree, impressions on their minds. These impressions, from external objects, are accompanied with feelings, or exercises, which partake of a moral quality.

By their being moral agents is farther meant, that they are proper subjects of prayer, and ought to be remembered with fervency at the throne of grace, by their parents, and others, who have come to the knowledge of their existence. It is also meant that they are capable of being saved and liable to be lost-eternally lost.

In view of candid and discerning minds the truth of a proposition is sometimes made evident, by looking at the consequences of denying it. We may do this in the case before us. If the truth of the proposition, that infants are moral agents, and possess moral characters, be denied, then they cannot be ranked among moral beings. They cannot be considered as deserving evil, nor as being subjects of happiness. On this ground it is difficult to conceive of their being subjects of prayer; for with what consistency can a person approach the throne of grace, and pray for one, whom he does not view as a moral agent? Farther, if the moral agency of infants be denied, they cannot be considered, as being even in a state of probation. On this hypothesis should they be taken out of the world, as many of them are, we can have no light respecting their future condition. The holy scriptures state no ground on which they, if removed from the world without character, can be ranked among the redeemed, or among the reprobate. And certainly infants have no character, if they have no exercises of a moral nature.

Having seen, that if infants are not moral agents, and do not possess moral characters, they can neither be subjects of prayer, nor candidates for eternity, we may proceed a step farther, and observe,

3. That they not only possess characters, but they are sin

ners.

Under this particular it is designed to speak of infants, as they are by nature. It is readily acknowledged, that sovereign grace may be imparted to infants, and that God is able to sanctify them from the womb. Nothing appears but that there may be many instances of this kind. Thro' the sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit, infants as well as adults may be made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. "Out of the mouth of babes and suckrings, God can perfect praise." But, while it is admitted, that

sovereign grace can effect all this, it is maintained, as a scriptural truth, that infants are by nature depraved. They are sinners. There it is written Ps. Iviii. 3. The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. By this however we are not to understand, that infants are guilty of overt acts of wickedness, nor that they sin against that light and conviction, which persons of mature age and understanding do. Still they are to be denominated sinners. If infants have not sinned and are not capable of sinning, as some pretend, they cannot be subjects of pardon. There can be no pardon where there is no transgression. If they have no exercises of a moral nature, or if they are innocent and pure, and die in this state they cannot be saved by Christ; because he expressly informs us that he came to seek and to save that which was lost. He did not come to save the innocent and puré; but he came to save sinners. None but sinners can be subjects of grace :-none but they who have been recovered from sin, can unite in the song of the redeemed.

On the hypothesis that infants are not sinners, it will be no less difficult to conceive how, if they die in infancy, they ean be subjects of eternal misery. Not having sinued, or having no sinful exercises, as some pretend, they can never be punished as sinners; but if punished at all, it must be for the sin of Adam, which would be inconsistent with all common ideas of equity and justice. It would be inconsistent also with plain declarations of scripture; such as the following, The soul that sinneth shall die. God represents infants as subjected in common with adults, to those evils and sufferings, which are testimonies of his holy anger towards our race indiscriminately. This appears to be his language in Rom. v. 12. Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. The universal mortality of men is, here, considered as an evidence, that they are universally sinners. The evidence is as clear with respect to infants as adults; and in assigning the reason why men of all ages, from the hoary head to the infant, are called to pass thro' death, God expressly says. For they all have sinned. But as has been already remarked, there can be no sin-no sinful character no desert of punishment, where there is no exercise of a moral nature.

To say infants are propor subjects of punishment, because, tho' they have no moral exercises, yet they have in them a dormant principle, and that if they should live, they wouldbe capable of moral exercises and of committing sin, is an

idea too grossly irrational and inconsistent to deserve refutation. God is holy. The judge of all the earth will do that which is right. None of his creatures will be punished for sins, which they might commit, nor for sinful exercises, which at some future time, they might possess. If there be such a principle for which some plead, it must, in the nature of the case, be either active or inactive. If active, it cannot be distinguished from exercise ;-if inactive, neither sin nor holinass, praise nor blame, can be predicated of it.

Farther, the doctrine of our Saviour respecting the necessity of the new birth naturally leads us to suppose, that infants as well as adults need this new birth, and cannot be saved without experiencing it. Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. The ground on which the necessity of this new birth is urged, is particularly stated in the following words-- That which is born of the flesh is flesh. Infants have been born of the flesh, and, therefore, cannot see the kingdom of God without being born again. Being born of the flesh is put in opposition to being born of the Spirit. By these phrases are designated two opposite characters; a sinful character and a holy character. The necessity of the new birth, as applicable to all men, whether old or young, proves that infants are by nature sinners, and shews us that we are to understand the words of the Psalmist as literally true;The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go. astray as soon as they be born speaking.lies."

Against the conclusiveness of this reasoning it may, perhaps, be urged, that infants are free from sin, because they have no knowledge of the rule of duty, or no knowledge of law. But to this, it is sufficient to reply, that all our exercises are either sinful or holy, before we compare them with any law or rule. He who searcheth the hearts of all men, knows perfectly the nature of our exercises, tho? we may not have compared them with any rule whatever. The moral nature and qualities of voluntary affections are to be found in the affections themselves, and are inseparable from them. The knowledge.or discernment of their nature is consequent on their existence, and is always the result of comparing them with some rule or standard. With this view of the subject, the words of the Apostle correspond, when he says, "For by the law is the knowledge of sin." The heathen doubtless have awfully wicked exercises; but they never have had opportunity to compare them with the holy law of God, which is the standard of right and wrong, and consequently are ignorant of their nature; God, however, sees them as they are. This, it is conceived is true in the case of infants.

Admitting what has been advanced, as agreeable to the oracles of truth, it is a solemn thing to have the charge of an infant. Many in the providence of God, are bro't'into this situation, without appearing to have any serious reflections. or manifesting any special concern respecting the consequences. If such feeble, helpless and dependent creatures as we see infants to be, are not subjects of instruction, yet they are proper subjects of prayer. Have they, as has been stated, commenced an immortal existence? Then, whether they die in infancy, or not, their parents will meet and no doubt recognise them in the future world. Not one of them will be overlooked in the resurrection. Are they moral agents, and moral beings? Then, they will have a place assigned them in the future world, and will be seen among the inhabitants of heaven or hell. Are they estranged from the womb? or, in other words, are they, by nature depraved and sinful? Then if ever they are saved, they must be saved by grace, they must be saved by Christ, and they must be saved in consequence of being born again. The holy seriptures point out no other way.

Impressed with these tho'ts, parents will see, that they have much to do for their infant children. Viewing them as depraved creatures, and viewing themselves the sinful instruments of their existence, they ought to be fervent and incessant in their supplications; that sovereign grace might be extended to them, and that Christ the hope of glory might be formed in their hearts.

Extracts from a Sermon, preached by the Rev. AZEL BACKUS, September 27, 1794, to the Free-Masons at Litchfield, Connecticut

THE generality of men cultivate friendship on the same grounds that Herod and Pilate became friends, in opposing

Jesus.

Men herd, instead of associating together, by that spirit which Christ reprobates as repugnant to true love and virtue. Such combinations may answer political and worldly prudential purposes: but they disgrace the name of friendship, as they have not a spark of that disinterested and noble chris tian virtue, which seeketh not her own.

This stipulated commerce of friendly acts; this mock benevolence, for value received, chills the growth of the cions of humanity, friendship and philanthropy, and all that is generous in the soul A man who exercises it, makes him