Not only are they to be brought to church and placed under the ordinances of religion, and to ministers and

the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

Nor is this a new policy which the Saviour has adopted in the conduct of His "Holy War" upon the heathen. In all ages since the Fall, His far-seeing wisdom, in attaching the infants of believers to Himself, has been apparent. The family of Noah had a place in the ark. "I will be a God to thee," He said to Abraham, "and to thy seed after thee." On the eighth day, among the Jews, they were dedicated to Jehovah, and received in their bodies the sign of the covenant. They had a place in His Temple, and on one memorable occasion at least they fulfilled the duties of their office when their teachers were faithless, when, with one heart and voice, they welcomed the Redeemer to His capital with shouts of "Hosanna to the Son of David." The chief of the apostles had a commission to feed, or shepherd the lambs, and the most favoured of the angels, those who always behold the countenance of our Father in heaven, are appointed "to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation." There was a promise of the Spirit made by the prophet Joel to Israel, and their "sons and daughters;" and "the promise," said Peter, on the day of Pentecost, "is unto you, and to your children, and to as many as the Lord our God shall call." The family of every believer, therefore, has an interest in the covenant. Even where one parent only is the subject of converting grace, and the other is yet a heathen, the offspring are to be regarded as the Lord's: "Else were your children unclean," says Paul; "but now are they holy."

With so clear an indication in the Scriptures, then,

of the Saviour's policy of conquest, and His known readiness and eagerness to receive and bless the children, it would be strange indeed if those who have themselves been brought into His family should hesitate to offer their little ones to the Redeemer. Have they not promised to "keep nothing back?” Have they faith that God will accept their worship, and their money, and their work, and none that He will be pleased with the "living sacrifice?" Do they see nothing more than a personal blessing in their conversion, and forget Him who said to Zacchæus, "To-day is salvation come to this house?" Or are they still strangers to the full import of the promise, "If any two of you"-say father and mother-"shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask"-say the salvation of their children-" it shall be done for them of My Father who is in heaven ?"

The faith that lays hold of the promise to ourselves and to our children, the gratitude that prompts to give back to God, next to His own Son, the greatest earthly gift of His providence and grace, the deep resolve to use all parental means and influences, in loving precept and holy example, to bias the infant heart in favour of its Redeemer, and the united, "effectual, fervent prayer" of a "righteous" congregation witnessing the dedication-this "availeth much." We need not fear, in such circumstances, to call the little one henceforth a son of the Chief." God, who entered into an everlasting covenant with the fathers when they first yielded their own hearts up to Him, will not forsake their children. Even should they forsake Him for a time, He will recall them, by grace, to their allegiance. Is not this His promise to them?

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"I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shail be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be My people, and I will be your God."