ment and fervent pleading with the Christian parent on behalf of the consecrated child, and with the child himself, touching his "special relation to God," and the eternal welfare of his own soul! In the view of such a parent, what sacred and pleasing associations of thought and feeling, must cluster round such a child! What cogent reasonings, what thrilling motives, are naturally furnished by a child's covenant with God, ratified by divine appointment, fitted well to touch, soften and subdue that child's heart, and bring it into sweet submission to the faith of Christ!

Yet, effective as such a moral instrument might seem to be in the work of conversion, by "the wisdom of God," the use of it has not been deemed fitting or proper. Strange as it may seem to some, in all the Bible, there is no motive to action addressed to the child, drawn from the baptismal covenant, no remonstrance, argument, entreaty or address of any kind, made on this ground. Although the Holy Scriptures profess to have been "given by inspiration of God,” and to be

profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works," yet it contains not a word of reproof, correction, or

instruction, addressed to "baptized children," as such, nor yet the model of an appeal to ministers or parents, on their behalf. Although the epistles of Paul, Peter and John were addressed to the churches at so late a period, that, on the supposition that infant baptism was practised from the first, "baptized children" must have become men, yet no allusion is made to such a class. Although baptized Christians are urged to remember the high profession which they have made, and parents and children are exhorted to perform their mutual duties faithfully, yet not a single precept, warning or exhortation is connected with the prolific theme of infant baptism.

On this account, we have opened the book before us with some degree of curiosity, to see in what manner the appeal which it is designed to urge upon parents and children, is conducted by its well-known and respected author. Aware that he had to strike out for himself an avenue to the hearts he would reach, -that the New Testament sheds no light upon his way,

-we desired to see what course he would take, what moral direction he would give to his subject, and how nearly the tone of his address would accord with that of appeals made to parents and children by the Spirit

of inspiration. But alas! a different note is struck, and one which "grates harsh discord," while the simple, spirit-stirring appeals of an apostle still linger on the ear. The moving arguments which the book contains are drawn, not so much from the positive appointment of God, the plain precept, the bright example, the precious promise, or high authority of the great Head of the church, as from the constitution of nature, the fitness of things, the adaptedness of a beautiful ceremony to arouse parental and filial sensibility, to awaken fond remembrances and sweet anticipations, and to soothe a parent's anxiety for the safety of a child, living or departed. In the prosecution of his object, the author's poetic mind has full scope for the play of its powers, and he does not fail to invest his subject with all the pleasing associations which he can command. He apparently seeks, first of all, to gain the natural sympathies of his female readers in favor of his design, and to lead captive the heart of the mother, ere he addresses her understanding. Throughout the book, therefore, there is blended much that is charming in sentiment, with much that is weak in argument; much of conception, that is true to nature and fact, with much that pertains only to the realms of imagination.

While perusing this work, we have been more deeply impressed than ever, with the truth contained in the celebrated maxim of Chillingworth, "The Bible, the Bible alone, is the religion of Protestants." Especially is it so, in regard to positive institutions. If the church wanders from the sphere of plain revelation, and ventures to set her seal upon any rite, on account of its fitness to excite certain hallowed emotions in the mind, then, if she would lay the least claim to consistency, let her hold back her censure from those who advocate chrism, or the offering of incense, or the whole splendid ceremonial of a Romish cathedral, much of which bears upon it the stamp of an august antiquity. May it not be to Romanists themselves, a just matter of marvel, that a Protestant minister of the nineteenth century, in the metropolis of New-England, acknowledged on all hands to be pious, learned and loved, should publish to the world his belief, that a Christian parent, who uses the ordinance of infant baptism aright, “may be sure, that the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls has written the name of that child before him, in letters which his infinite forbearance and mercy will long keep from being blotted out, though the child should perversely break its father's

covenant;" that, "whenever a parent, who has had his child baptized, feels anxious in regard to the future, the recollection of the baptismal covenant will quiet his mind; that if the parents die while the child is young, the remembrance of its dedication to God, and the confident belief, that it was received into his covenant, will help them to look at it from the dying pillow, with peace;" that, "if a youth, whose father is dead, and whose mother is recently converted, is refractory at her proposal to offer him in baptism, is a grief to his mother, and takes advantage of his having no father to govern him, the minister should be made acquainted with his case, and appeal to his feelings towards his widowed mother, his departed father, and try to remove the shame which he feels at the thought of being taunted for his baptism, by his wicked playmates."* Where, oh! where, within the compass of the book of God, can the premises be found for such conclusions as these, the precedent for such appeals to the strongest natural affections and sympathies of man? Is there not "internal evidence" in the system which gives rise to such sentiments, that it is not the simple system of Christianity, of which John the Baptist was

* Pages 36, 59, 38.