I. There is nothing in the Scriptures which can justify the supposition that they will be left in the grave. The contrary seems to be plainly implied, if not expressly asserted. The apostle Paul, in his first epistle to the Corinthians, compares the benefits of Christ's obedience with the consequences arising from Adam's transgression, and declares the one to be as extensive as the other: "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive:" 1 Cor. xv, 21, 22. If infants be included, as no doubt they are, among the number of those who die in consequence of their relation to Adam, they must likewise be included among those who are here said to be raised to life by Christ. If we admit the premises, it is impossible to avoid the conclusion.

A like inference may be drawn, as has been already observed, from the general expressions which are used in the text; or allowing, what however I see no occasion to grant, that the words all that are in the graves are to be explained by what follows, and relate only to persons who have arrived at years of discretion, and who have done either good or evil; yet there is nothing in this, or in any other passage of the New Testament, to support the contrary conclusion, that they will be left in the grave;

ABLE SERVICE, by Mr. Towgood, or THE COVENANT OF GRACE, AND BAPTISM THE SIGN OF IT, by Dr. John Taylor, where they will find them ably stated,

and this is too great a step to take without authority. Were it the intention of divine goodness that they should always remain there, we might expect to be expressly informed of it. In delivering general declarations, so important an exception required to be noticed, especially considering how liable many would be to give those declarations a false construction, and how great distress they would feel on finding themselves disappointed. In another case, pretty nearly connected with that we are considering, where there was an exception, we find the apostle takes care to mention it; for he tells the Corinthians: "we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed," I Cor. xv, 51. Might we not therefore have expected, that he would have said in regard to the present case, were it really to be fact, we shall not all rise, but some of us will be left behind. No unfavourable conclusion, it is certain, ought to be drawn from the silence of Scripture, or from it's saying nothing expressly upon the subject, should it be admitted, for that is easily accounted for, if it appear, as I shall next procced to show, that the case is of such a nature, as to render it easy to be determined by what has been already revealed; for then a particular revelation is unnecessary.

II. Children and infants possess nothing, which can render them unfit for the happiness of a future life. When born into this world, they have minds, which are capable of exercising all the powers of intelligence, and of acquiring all the virtuous and pi

ous dispositions, which constitute the character of the Christian. Nothing is wanting for this purpose but time and proper cultivation, which another state of being may afford. With regard to wicked men, there appears to be an obvious reason for their being excluded from Heaven, which is not applicable to the present case; for they have acquired dispositions and habits which are totally inconsistent with the services and employments of that place— they have contracted a dislike both for the worship and service of God-they have no relish for any happiness but what consists in the gratification of the senses, or in the possession of riches, honour, and power-their breasts, instead of being filled with benevolence, are the seat of pride and ambition, of envy and malice-instead of being habituated to obey the will of God, they have been accustomed to follow their own corrupt inclinations-and these habits are grown so inveterate, that nothing will reclaim them. Such men are justly excluded from a place for which they are totally unfit, and admission into which would only perpetuate their vices.

But in the case, of which I am speaking, there are none of the disqualifications now mentioned, if there be no virtues acquired, there are no vices contracted-if there be not perfection, there is innocence, which is an important step towards perfection in a creature capable of the highest religious attainments-there is a mind capable of all the moral virtues, and in a better state for acquiring them, than

the minds of men are, which are always in a greater or less degree corrupted. We find Christ, therefore, pointing out children as possessing dispositions, which fitted them in a particular manner for that state of moral culture, which God had provided under the Christian dispensation, and exhorting his disciples to endeavour to resemble them. "Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of Heaven;" Mat. xix, 14. "If any man would become great in the kingdom of Heaven, he must become as a little child;" Mat. xviii, 4.

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Those, that possess dispositions, which qualify them so well for the kingdom of God in this world, cannot surely be thought wholly unworthy of a place in that future and superiour kingdom, for which the present was intended as an introduction. Some persons may, indeed, imagine, that none are qualified for Heaven, except those who have made a high degree of proficiency in virtuous attainments, and that children, who have made no such proficiency, must be totally unfit for being placed there. But it should be remembered, that Heaven is not a state, upon entering which men are instantly raised to the highest point of moral excellence they are capable of attaining, and where they always remain stationary, at the same degree of perfection. Those persons give! the most rational account of a future life, who re-. present it as a state of improvement, into which men of very different degrees of virtue may be ad

mitted, from the enlightened and active Christian, to the uninformed but conscientious heathen, and where they will all find means of making continual progress in virtue without any limits, their knowledge becoming every day more enlarged, their devotion more fervent, their benevolence more disinterested and active, and every other virtue advancing with corespondent pace. If Heaven, therefore, be a state of continual improvement, as reason and revelation seem to teach-if it be adapted to the / circumstances of those who have made comparatively but small proficiency in goodness, it is easy to conceive, that it may be suited to the condition of those, who have made no proficiency at all, but whose minds are not corrupted by any wrong bias, and who are prepared to commence a career of excellence as soon as they can receive proper culture. It is easy to conceive, that the young child, being freed, like the rest of the human race, from many of those disadvantages, which are inseparable from these constitutions of flesh and blood, may in that state find his powers gradually unfolded, and his progress in virtue secured and accelerated by suitable motives and discipline.

The same means, whatever they may be, which tend to improve persons of the most refined excel- · lence, must have a like tendency when applied to those, who have yet made no such improvement. There can hardly be a greater difference between the best and least perfect character to be admitted into