ence at all from them, but is wholly miraculous, as every Effect immediately produ ced by God is. To me it feems more rational to fay, that as thofe Children who live till they be of years capable of understanding the Reafon and Ufe of Baptifm, are appointed by the Church to be informed.thereof, that they may make good the Engagement of their Sureties, (without doing of which, their Baptifm will not avail them to Salvation) fo Infant-Children upon the feparation of Soul and Body, are illuminated by their Angels (for, are they not miniftring Spirits fent forth to minifter for them who fhall be Heirs of Salvation? Heb. 1. 14. And that Baptized Children are fuch, we be taught by the Answer to the fecond Question in our Catechifm, where the Word Inheritor is rendred in the Latin Heres, and in the Greek negru) with the Knowledg of their Baptifm; for then they are capable of apprehending any thing offered to the intellect, it proceeding from the difpofition of their Bodies, and not from the nature of their Souls, that they are ever uncapable of actually understanding. And feeing the inclination to the Creature through Original Sin, is not by far fo ftrong, as that which is contracted by frequent Acts of finning,

their affections will be inftantly turned to
God by virtue of their Baptifm fignified un-
to them. But however the Truth in this
obfcure Point ftand, this is certain, that,
in regard Felicity confifts in the Love of
God (fect. 4. par. 13.) baptized Infants
muft, fome way or other, obtain Charity
before they arrive at Blifs, or at least upon
the very inftant of being poffeffed thereof.
And how their Baptifm fhould be useful to
them for the obtaining of Charity, except
they have Knowledg of it; and by whom
it fhould be made known unto them, but
by their Angels (unless miraculously, and
Miracles are not wrought where there's no
neceffity of them) I do not understand.
Yet fince I know of no Divine Revelation,
nor of any clear demonftration, after what
manner their Love of God depends upon
their being baptized, I do not presume to
affirm that my delivered Thoughts are pofi-
tively true.

SECT.

SECT. XVIII.

In the exercise of the hearty Love of God, or Charity, confifts the fincere obfervance of every Precept of the Decalogue, But the abfolute entire fulfilling of the Moral Law is not accomplished till Charity have attained its ultimate Perfection in Heaven.

1.WH

Hen treating of the Moral Virtues, I fhewed the Afiftance, which Prudence, Temperance and Fortitude exhibit to Charity (fect. 14. par. 2, 4, 5.) I faid I would defer my intended Difcourfe on Justice till I came to the Explication of the Ten Commandments; whither being now come, I fhall endeavour to make it appear, that every Precept of the Decalogue tends to the caufing a firm eltablishment of Charity in the Soul of Man 3 and that in the exercise thereof, when it is acquired, the fincere obfervance of the whole Law is practifed, albeit the abfolute exact fulfilling of it be not accomplished till Charity have obtained its utmost Perfection; which human Frailty will not permit the at

tainment

tainment of, while Men carry about them a Body of Flesh.

2. For fince to love God with all the Heart, with all the Soul, with all the Mind, and with all the ftrength, Mark 12.30. is required to the compleat, exact fulfilling of the Law; and that fuch Love would perpetually take up all the Powers of the Soul; it is plain, that, in regard, while we live in this world, our Thoughts must be often employed in taking care for the neceffary accommodations of Life, and in ufing Means to further our own and others Welfare here and hereafter, we cannot in this mortal ftate fo fully fix our Affections on God, as to have our Souls fully poffeffed of him.

3. And yet forafmuch as to give God the pre-eminence in our Affections, and to defpife all other things in comparison of the fruition of him to eternity, fo as that when we are tempted to violate any of his holy Commandments, the ardent defire we have for the enjoyment of him, enables us to refift and overcome the Temptation; forasmuch, I fay, as thus to love God, permits us not wilfully and advisedly to break any of his Precepts, but engages and puts us up. on the keeping them all in fincerity of Affeaion and unfeigned nefs of heart, it is ap

Farent,

parent, that in the exercife of Charity is virtually contained the fincere, unfeigned ObJervance of the whole Moral Law.

4. Which Law confifts of Ten Commandments; the four firft whereof totally refpecting Man's Behaviour towards the fupream Being, the only Object of thefe is God; whom therefore they command us to look up to, as he is the Author and Finifher of Eternal Salvation; in which refpect we are to esteem him (as he truly is) the prime Verity, whom we are to believe; the fovereign Power, in whom we are to truft; and the chiefest Good, whom we ought to love above all things; or the Object of Faith, Hope and Charity.

5. And fecing neither Faith nor Hope are available to Salvation, fave only as they contribute to Charity, either in helping to produce the Habit thereof; or being obtained, to confirm and ftrengthen it, (fect. 13), 'tis clear, that the Precepts of the Former Table are not observed till we love God as our Sovereign Good, or be endued with Charity.

6. Whofoever therefore exerciseth the Grace of Charity, he is all the while employ'd in the fincere keeping of the Four first Commandments; the whole defign of God's for

bidding