lieve it? We maintain that it does not, but that there is strong presumptive proof that a sign is included. Immediately preceding the promise and closely connected with it, we find the direction to the awakened inquirers, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Christ, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost." In the application of this to adults, Baptists agree with us. But we go farther and maintain that the promise to their children was to be confirmed by a visible seal to the faith of parents as well as the promise to themselves. If the baptism of an adult is needed to establish him in the belief that the Lord is his God, much more is the baptism of his children needed to assure him that he is their God. A believing Jew might naturally ask, What is there to confirm my faith that God will be the God of my seed now, when circumcision that was designed for that end is no longer to be observed? This inquiry, we know, did occupy the thoughts of the Jewish converts, and occasioned no little trouble to the apostolic church. Close attention to the words of Peter might have relieved their anxiety. "Be baptized every one of you; for the promise is unto you and to your children." We have already seen that the substance of the promise is, "I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed." The circumcision of Abraham sealed this promise to himself, the circumcision of his children sealed to him as well as to them the same promise. When Peter said, "Be baptized every one of you," had he added only, "for the promise is unto you," it would have been clear that parents and other adults were to be baptized; but when he said further, "and the promise is to your children," how reasonable is the inference, that as by circumcision the children under the former dispensation were sealed to be the Lord's, this is done under the present dispensation by baptism. And when we take into the account, that there is no curtailment, but an enlargement of privileges under the New Testament dispensation, we feel that the position is impregnable, that children are to be baptized in order to confirm the faith of parents in the truth that the Lord is the God of their seed.

We do not forget the objection by Baptists, that inasmuch as the same persons who are baptized are commanded to repent, and as infants cannot repent, they should not be baptized. The sophism in this reasoning is, that it extends the command in a prohibitory sense to a class of persons to whom it was not addressed. We admit that all to whom Peter gave the command were required both to repent and to be baptized, and that repentance was necessary to their baptism. If there were infants present, of course they were not addressed, and to them the command did not apply. But it is urged that Peter by connecting baptism with repentance taught that none should be baptized who were incapable of repentance, and therefore infants are excluded. We answer, that this rule is to be applied only to the class to whom the command is given-in this case, to adults. It leaves the question of the baptism of infants untouched. Their right to baptism is found in the annexed statement: "The promise is to your children." And there, too, we find the duty of parents to have their children baptized. This rule of interpretation will make sad work with children in

regard to another duty. The command, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved," according to it, would exclude infants from heaven. Believing is essential to salvation; but they cannot believe; who will accept the conclusion? When it is considered that the command is to those only who are capable of believing, the difficulty disappears. We believe, and so do Baptists, that the Holy Spirit can and does implant the principle of both faith and repentance in the souls of infants; and we believe, but Baptists do not, that the prayers of parents offered up in faith, in connection with the baptism of their children, are blessed by the Spirit as means to this end.

It is objected also to this interpretation of the promise, that "all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God shall call," are connected with children as the objects of the promise. It is argued, that if the promise to children requires parents to present their offspring to God in baptism, the same promise "to all who are afar off"-the heathenimposes on parents the same duty in regard to them. This objection is intended to be a reductio ad absurdum; an argument that proves too much, proves nothing. The objector overlooks the word "your" connected with "children." The children to whom the promise is, are in a most intimate relation to their parents. Peter says, "your children," but he does not say "your all who are afar off," "your heathen." It does not require much logical acumen to detect the fallacy of changing the premises, and deducing the same conclusion. Moreover, correct punctuation, as in Alford's Greek Testament, will show that there are but two classes to whom the promise is made-parents and their children, members of the church, one class; and those who are afar off, the heathen, the other. Remove the comma after "your," and the whole is perfectly plain. A literal rendering, retaining the order of the words, is," For to you is the promise and to your children, and to all that are afar off." And that we are correct in making the objects of the promise consist of two classes, will appear by placing the promises to Abraham in juxtaposition with the same promises, as reproduced by Peter-"I will be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee," Gen. 17:7; "In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed," Gen. 12:3; "The promise is unto you and to your children,"—and the promise is "to all that are afar off, as many as the Lord our God shall call." To the first class, parents and their children, the promise is, "I will be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee." To the second class, "such as are afar off," it is, "in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed." And this Peter emphasizes, in a subsequent address to a Jewish audience-" Ye are the children of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." Acts 3:25. And the testimony of Paul is to the same effect: "The scripture, seeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel to Abraham, saying, "In thee shall all nations of the earth be blessed." Gal. 3: 8.

T. S.

JESUS WATCHING.*

BY REV. J. C. M'PEETERS.

These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass."-REV. ii: 18.

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Thyatira was honored with a new church. Christianity had marched triumphantly into this city of pagandom, had unfurled her banner in its midst, and had won there many friends and defendants. God for a while held back the powers of persecution, and the young church flourished like a garden of the tropics. The first love was at its full tide, and on its transparent bosom the precious cargoes of charity were gliding steadily to the shores of the needy. Faith grew strong, and portly and defiant, as she fortified herself in works, and measured her strength by her efforts. And the truth of Jesus, as it was guided by the Spirit, made steady advancement, entering the homes of such as sat in the gloom of death, breaking down the household shrines, casting their idols into the streets, and translating those families into the kingdom of God. But prosperity needs to be watched and guarded by prayer and thanksgiving, else it will yield griefs as well as joys, and produce thorns amongst its roses. Flushed with success, this new organization overstepped the prescribed limits of liberality. To embrace a large and overflowing membership, seemed to be worthy of some sacrifice. To reach around and gather in the frigid to be revived in the sunwarmth of love, and the dying to be healed with the balm of Gilead, and the vile to be cleansed in the crimson laver of the temple, seemed to justify a little compromise. Therefore, to accommodate a class of adherents, it seems that some of the more fascinating adornments of idolatry were lopped off paganism and attached to the religion of Christ. And the narrow way was repaired and made broader, and the straight gate was improved and made wider, and Jezebel, with her children, some extraneous society or semi-religious sect, was permitted to enter with her seductions and heresies. But condemn this policy as you will, was there not something in it pleasing, something magnanimous and praiseworthy? Was there not something here that illustrated the humbleness and charity and far-sighted wisdom of these primitive Christians? Humility, in coming down and standing on the plane occupied by those of an inferior faith; charity, in overlooking all doctrinal errors and inconsistencies; and wisdom, in bringing such persons into the communion of saints, for where else might they be cleansed and instructed and redeemed? Most probably that young church flattered herself in this very persuasion, and her ambitious heart fluttered with delight as the applause of outsiders was showered upon her large-hearted liberality. But what pleased herself and pleased the world, pleased not her King, the Son of God. This message from the Isle of Patmos introduces to her that royal One, "who has his eyes like unto a flame of fire." He confronts her in her sin. He reproves her for her leniency. He stays her in her decline. turns her about and leads her back again to the summit of the mount which is most holy, and establishes her once more in the purity of doc*Published by request.

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trine and discipline. And having given her new tokens of his love, and a promise that held the morning star and a royal scepter, he turns away to speak to another church. The sun has been shining from that day to this, yet his flames are bright as ever. Those flaming eyes have been flashing their brightness through all the earth since the world began, and as yet neither dimness nor fatigue withholds their sight. Look through the light of the text, and you will see the Omniscient One watching the church—

I. To see the private conduct of her members.

II. To receive her religious services.

III. To preserve her purity in doctrine and discipline.

I. He watches to see your every day life. On ordinary occasions we feel that Christ is a good way off. But cast a glance through this divine telescope and it will bring his bright throne right into your presence, so that you can see his lovely form and brilliant eye. You can see his countenance beaming upon his people, as he commends their works of faith and sends them the acknowledgement, "I know thy works." The church serves a thankful Master. He pays his employees in full. And when he enriches his servants with the wages won, he sweetens the heart with a smile. Man may grudge to give the just compensation to his hireling; he may be absent and not have seen the merits of the service. Christ's flaming eyes are ever watching the worthy behavior of his people; his throbbing heart is ever sending them congratulations. The toil may be so hard as to force the sweat through all the pores, but the weariest flesh shall be moistened again with the dews of divine love. The labor may jade the mind and waste its energies, but it will be refreshed again as it lies down to rest on the easy and pleasant bed of heavenly smiles. The soul may be buffetted and bruised as it passes through the conflicts of temptation, but the "well done" coming from the lips of an approving Saviour, rests upon it like a healing balm and quickly restores its strength. When the day has been well spent, and evening draws her curtains around the scenes of labor, the wearied worker, retiring from his service, has untold satisfaction, as faith catches these words dropping from the Master above, " I have seen." And this compliment is won not only by those who visit the sick and comfort the afflicted, who write sermons and administer ordinances. It rests like a fadeless laurel upon the brow of each whose life reflects the grace of God. The gardener as he wipes the sweat from off his brow; the mechanic as he retires to his home; the teacher as he locks the schoolroom door in the evening; the merchant as he turns down the light and shuts up for the night, if the eye has been fixed on the Lord and the heart beat in love for him through the countless scenes of business, each may have the happy assurance that Christ has seen, and is well pleased. Every day life, and every day's work shine in the approbation of God, or lie blackened and crisped under his censures. True, all that we do is not alike brilliant in faith, and beautiful in love, yet all our doings should be tinged and tinseled with the golden touches of our religion. In the country that stretches away from the city of Boston and along

the ocean coast, large rocks are piled up rough and irregular; gray with age and grand in their antiquity. When evening came it seemed as if the sunset had burst upon them, and scattered its gorgeous colorings over rock and hill and shrubbery, till they were clad in every variety of beauty and dripping with glory. Here was pearly brightness; there a deep green; yonder an orange tint, and everywhere the changing hues spread their enchantment. So in the various efforts and duties of the day. When the evening sun pours the streams of light across the fields of employment to review what has been done, the scene will show a variety of colors; yet every part, every deed should possess its own beauty, and reflect the glory of God in gold or pearl, in orange or crimson, in iron-gray or other hue; and the labors of the entire day should exhibit the tints and touches of grace, so as to present a scene of worth and merit before him "who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire."

II. Jesus is watching to receive the religious services of his church. He has special delight in the religious works of his people. He has pleasure in the first stirrings of the soul; in its gasping after mercy; in its panting after the water of life; in its seeking the face of God. The angels rejoice in seeing the sinner bedewed with tears returning to his Father's house. How much more he who yearns for souls as a mother for her children. Conviction, conversion, confession and prayer are the four corner-stones of the Christian's life, and the sound of the hammer and the noise of labor in laying these are as the music of harps in the ears of him who sits above looking down. And those who have these well laid are prepared for building up, under the eye and guidance of him, a successful life. They know where to find the quarry that furnishes the precious stones; they have learned the way to the veins that supply the silver; they have trodden the path that leads to the place where gold is found, and they receive wisdom and skill from the Master-builder to discard the wood, the hay and the stubble; vows that contain nothing but sounds; promises that are dead as soon as the words are said; services cold as the stones beneath the altar, and praises that would tinge the cheek with shame, could we catch the eye of God, and forms of belief corrupted enough to drag the soul down, down to perdition. They understand how to rear up the morning and evening pillars of worship; to support the toils and trials and dangers of the day, that they may work comfortably without oppression, and safely without being crushed under weighty cares or startling events. They know how to adorn the hours with the gems of holy silent meditation, supplication and admiration. They know how to throw the perfume of sweet incense around all their doings, so that every deed is 'an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing unto God." They know how to fascinate the eye of flame, and hold Jesus rapture-bound in the galleries. But Christ does not admire human works or the exhibition of human greatness. They are not the production of man's native energies, but of derived efficiency of the love and wisdom and power that God has invested in him. In the Western desert certain streams flow awhile, then disappear in the sand; and