in your Forehead, and yet fight against him in his own Camp? This is not only Hoftility, but Treafon: And as Rebels and Traitors are more feverely dealt with than Enemies, fo fhall you; and believe it, the Flames of Hell burn the more furiously for being sprinkled with Baptifmal Wa

ter.

From all this that hath been faid on this Subject, I fhall draw this one Deduction, and fo conclude. Hence we may learn what to judge, and what to hope concerning the State of Infants who die baptized. Certainly, fince they are in Covenant with God; fince they are the Members of Christ, being Members of his Body the Church ince they are fanctified and regenerated fo far forth as their Natures are ordinarily capable of, without a Miracle; we have all the Reason in the World comfortably to conclude, that all fuch die in the Lord, and are for ever happy and blessed with him. With With very good Reason therefore, and upon very clear Evidence, hath our Church determined, that it is certain by God's Word, that Children which are baptized, dying before they commit actual Sin, are undoubtedly faved: Rubrick after Baptifm. For what should hinder? Actual Sins they are supposed to have none, and

the

the Guilt of their Original Sin is pardoned to them by Vertue of God's Covenant; wherein he becomes their God, and takes them for his own Children. Baptifm is the Sealing of this Pardon, Acts 2. 28. Be baptized for the Remiffion of Sins, and certainly the Grant is made where the Seal is added; and fince they cannot forfeit it either by Hypocrify or Profaneness, without doubt they enjoy the everlafting Benefits of it. Yea, let me add, that not only Infants baptized, but all Infants of believing Parents, tho' they fhould unavoidably die before Baptifm, yea before they fee the Light, are in the fame safe and bleffed Condition, for they are in the same gracious Covenant. For fince the Promife is made to Believers, and to their Children, God will not falfify his Promise. where they break no Conditions: Since the Children of believing Parents are holy with all that Holiness that their Condition is capable of, this is fufficient to make them capable of Heaven, into which no unclean Thing can enter. Therefore if they be excluded, it is because they are unclean; which the Apoftle exprefly denies, 1 Cor. 7. 14. And Laftly, Since they are Members of Jefus Chrift, being Members of his Church, he will certainly be

the

the Saviour of his Body, and present his Church holy and unfpotted to his Father. And fince they cannot, either by Hypocrify, or any other Sin, debar themselves from the Privileges of God's Children, they shall certainly enjoy them in their largest and utmost Extent. We may therefore well comfort our felves for the Death of fuch For there is far more Ground to be affured of their Salvation, than of any other Perfons in the World, because here can be no Danger of Hypocrify, nor close Diffimulation, which might make our Charity, or their Souls, mifcarry. Upon this account, David comforts himself for the Death of his fpurious Child, 2 Sam. 12.23. I fhall go to him, but he shall not return to me. Did David only mean, that he should

go to the Grave to him, there were as little Comfort in that, as there is Senfe and Enjoyment in Death. But the Confolation was, that he should go to that State of Bliss and Happiness, where the Soul of this Infant was made perfect: And that it was fo, he could have no other Affurance, but that his Child was born within the Pale of the Church, born in the Covenant, and had the Seal of the Covenant apply'd to him. The like Confolation may we have when-ever God takes from

us

us any of our Infant-Children, that they dying in the Bofom of the Church, in Covenant with God, and confecrated to him by Baptism, are received to that heavenly Felicity by vertue of God's Promife and Covenant, to which we ought to aspire by a continued Course of Faith, Patience, and Obedience.

Tertullian calls Fidelium Filios Sanctitatis Candidatos, & Sanctos tam ex Seminis Prerogativa. Lib. de Animâ.

JOHN

JOHN VI. 54, 55.

Whofo eateth my Flesh, and drinketh my Blood, hath eternal Life, and I will raise him up at the Laft Day: For my Flesh is Meat indeed, and my Blood is Drink indeed.

T

HESE Words are altogether Me taphorical and Figurative: And to open them, I fhall enquire,

First, What is meant by the Flesh and Blood of Chrift.

Secondly, What is meant by a Christian's Eating and Drinking this Flesh and this Blood: For neither of these Expreffions must be taken according to its proper and literal Signification.

As to the Firft; By the Flesh and Blood of Chrift, we must not only understand his Natural Body, confifting of true Flesh and Blood; but the Phrase includes whole Christ as the Mediator of Believers, efpecially in the Course of his Humiliation,

to