circumcision in this manner? The ceremonial law indeed is considered as a yoke of bondage; as burthensome, not injurious, for it would ill become the teachers of religion to represent God as injuring his people by his institutions: But circumcision, considered as a token of the covenant, is treated as a great privilege.* What advantage hath the Jew? And what profit is there of circumci sion? Much every way. It was a great privilege for the children of Jews to have God for their God, in such a sense as he was not the God of heathen children; to be born to the enjoyment of the oracles and ordinances of God; and to be under the care of parents, who were solemnly bound to bring them up in the knowledge and service of the God of Israel. And if the profit of circumcision was much every way, then the loss by its abolition is much every way, unless there be something appointed in its room.

It is often said, 'Circumcision was applied only to males: Baptism is designed for both sexes, therefore they are not parallel

* Rom. iii. 1.

ordinances, nor can we argue from the one

to the other.'

But it is certain, they are parallel in their main design, as initiating seals of the same covenant. And females were admitted into covenant, as well as males, though no visible token was appointed for them. Every first born male was to be publicly presented to God in token of the obligation of the whole family to be holy to him; for if the first fruits be holy, so is the lump. So the parent's dedicating his males to God by circumcision, was a token that all his children belonged to God. Accordingly God equally claims an interest in children of both sexes, by virtue of the covenant relation of their parents. God says to the Jewish church, Ezek. xvi. 7. I entered into covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine. And then he complains, ver. 20. Thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, which thou hast born UNTO ME, and these thou hast sacrificed. Thou hast slain MY CHILDREN. So Deut. xxix. 10. Ye stand this day before the Lord-all the men of Israel, your little ones, and your wives, that thou shouldst enter into covenant,

that he may be unto thee a God-as he hath sworn to Abraham. They were all admitted into covenant, though the males only received the visible token. But under the gospel there is no distinction of male and female, but all are one in Christ, the visible seal being affixed to one as well as the other. In this respect the gospel dispensation is more large and free than the former that it makes no distinction of nation or sex. And shall we think it was intended to be contracted in another respect, by cashiering all children, who are more than half of mankind?

The author before mentioned tells us, that children were admitted to the passover; and hence we may infer their right to the Lord's supper; as well as from their circumcision infer their right to baptism.'

It seems probable, that persons of all ages partook of the first passover mentioned Exod. 12, which was in some respects singular, and different from succeeding passovers. But it appears from Luke ii. 42, that it was not the custom of the feast, for parents to bring their children to it, until they were about twelve years old; at which age, they

might be able to inquire of their parents, What mean ye by this service? And at this age, no doubt, many are capable of understanding the nature and end of the Lord's supper.

But if infants had been usually admitted to the passover, it would not in the least weaken our argument from circumcision; for the passover was not a seal of the Abra

*Children at the age of 12 years, were brought by their parents to the temple: And from that time they began to eat of the passover and other sacrifices. Hyrcanus in Josephus, B. 12. Chap. iv. says, The Jewish law forbids the son to eat of the sacrifices, before he has come to the temple, and there himself presented an offering to God.' (Pol. Syuop. in Exod. xii. 26.

The law prescribed, that when the Jews were come into the land, which God would give them, all their males should appear before him every year at the passover, in the place which he appointed. But it is added, They shall not appear before me empty, but every one according to the gift of his hand. (Deut. xvi. 16, and alibi. vide. Marg.)

The male, or men children, who were to appear before God, in their appointed place, to eat of the passover, were only such as could bring a gift in their hand; or present an offering for themselves. This probably is the law to which Hyrcanus alludes. Bp. Patrick, who was very learned in the Jewish laws and customs, says, 'When children were twelve years old, their parents were bound to bring them to the temple, at the passover, where, seeing what was done in this festival, they would be led to inquire, what mean ye by this service?' (Comment in Exed. xii.)

hamic covenant (it being appointed more than 400 years after that covenant was made) but one of the Mosaic rites. Now the ritual law is superseded by the gospel; but the Abrahamic covenant remains. The Lord's supper is a commemorative sign, intended to shew forth Christ's death and bring him to our remembrance. But baptism is a token of admission to the visible privileges of God's people; and therefore infants are capable of this, though not of the other.

As the end of the passover was to perpetuate the memory of the deliverance from Egypt, and as the express reasons why children were to attend it in the appointed place, was that they might be instructed in that wonderful deliverance, parents could not view themselves as bound to bring their children to the solemnity, before they were capable of inquiring and understanding what was meant by it. Luke tells us, chap. ii. 42, that the parents of Jesus went up every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the passover; and when he was 12 years old, they went up after the custom of the feast. Their going after the custom of the feast, doubtless intends their taking their son with them, who was now 12 years old; for it appears that he accompanied them; and this is the first time we hear of his going to the festival. It may also be observed, that the males only were required to appear before God at the passover; and none can imagine, that infants and sucklings were taken from their mother's arms to be carried to, and detained at the temple, during the continuance of se long a solemnity.