THE PALE BELL OF THE HEATH. 281 



babe should be carried to his bosom, before it has 

 tasted the cup of mental or spirilual distress, this 

 work goes on. Those who choose, may limit it to 

 a particular class: I firmly believe it of every 

 child of Adam, whose days are numbered and 

 ended before "they by reason of use, have their 

 senses exercised to discern both good and evil." 

 I do not suppose that an early death brings them 

 necessarily wiihin the bonds of the covenant : but 

 I do believe that, being chosen in Christ, along 

 with others, before the foundation of the world, 

 these infants are mercifully spared the stern conflict 

 awaiting those who are brought up for the church 

 militant; they are caught aw^ay to swell the count- 

 less multitude of the church triumphant. In this 

 contemplation, I see, as it were, unnumbered vic- 

 tims continually rescued from the grasp of Satan, 

 in those regions of the earth whose inhabitants sit 

 in darkness and in the shadow of death : and I 

 rejoice, that in no quarter of this magnificent globe 

 is his empire perfect; his power unresisted; or 

 the prey safe wiihin his iron grasp. Such views 

 must be, in a measure, speculative; but their foun- 

 dation is the sure word of God, from which this 

 sweet and soothing doctrine can very fairly be 

 educed. My own mind is not troubled with a 

 doubt upon the subject; and very few things does 

 this visible world afford that draw from my heart 

 Buch a full and fervent Hallelujah, as the tiny 

 24* 



