considered not the miracle of the loaves, for their heart was hardened." (Mark vi. 51, 52.)
The further question, "whether God imparts faith presently to the baptized infants," scarcely belongs to the present subject, and is perhaps hardly a profitable inquiry, if it be thereby meant to discriminate between the spiritual gifts imparted to children. Undoubtedly, in the new nature given them by their new birth, there is virtually imparted to them the first principle of every heavenly grace, faith, love, hope: they are united with Christ; are children of God, members of Christ, inheritors of heaven; and if for this, faith be necessary in them, undoubtedly they have this also: only it seems best not to make curious deductions from Holy Scripture, where the Church has been silent, and content that God has graffed our children into His Son, to wait, assured that in due time "all things belonging to the Spirit will live and grow in them," if we cultivate duly these "plants of the Lord," water them, and pray for God's increase.
IV. It is urged, however, on authority of Holy Scripture, that the regenerated are free from sin, and that, therefore, so long as children are such as we see them frequently to grow up, subject to sin, and without any earnestness of mind, we must conclude, that they have not been regenerated[1]. We are reminded, that our Saviour has said, "every tree is known by its fruits;" and that God has also said, "whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for His seed remaineth in him; neither can he commit sin, because he is born of God." (1 John iii. 9.) With regard to the first passage, it is obvious that our Saviour is speaking of what the tree is, not what has been done for it; not how it has been digged about, watered, cultivated, but what returns it has made for this care; not whether God has planted us in His vineyard, and given us His grace, but whether we are yielding fruit. It is
- ↑ "If every child receive grace, as a thing tied unto Baptisme, what becometh of that grace, when children growing in years, growe also extremely flagitious and wicked? necessarily it must be lost and vanished, which is both against the Scriptures, and against the doctrine of our Church. For if the child be borne of God in baptisme, he sinneth not, because the seed of God is in him." Taylor, on Ep. to Titus, p. 646.
