his eldest son, when President of the India Board, was pleased to intrust to me in this country. I may add in this connexion, that it fell under my own notice to witness, before I left England in 1832, Sir Robert's zeal in preparing a bill for the erection of two bishopries, now so happily filled by my right reverend brethren, and which was incorporated into the New Charter Act the following year. What share he took in the general enactments of that charter, as well as of the preceding one of 1813, and in the provisions more especially for the freest diffusion of Christianity, all acquainted with the detail of those great measures well know. The two large and valuable volumes on the subject, which he published in 1813, testify his powers of mind, his elegance and force in composition, and the vast fund of information on which he could draw. "It has pleased, however, the Almighty to remove him from us. Happy for himself the transition from an earthly to a heavenly kingdom! He has served his generation according to the will of God.' Nor did his humble, holy, pious death, his poignant confessions of sin, his fear of himself, his delight in hearing holy scripture, his firm but trembling reliance alone on the merits of his Saviour, leave any thing to desire to his family and friends in the way of alleviation for his irreparable loss. Irreparable to them it undoubtedly is; nor can it be soon even partially supplied as to his public station; for it is the confession of all who can best judge of the case, that for capacity and variety of talent, for sincerity and singleness of purpose, for purity of private life, for bright example as a husband and parent, for deep religious principle, for calmness and impartiality in his decisions, for undissembled and active philanthropy, and for a statesmanlike knowledge of India, no governor has surpassed, and few have equalled, Sir Robert Grant." this is entirely agreeable to the order of things in providence, as to all matters affecting the state and happiness of children. The parent represents them, acts for them, claims all advantages for them which may accrue, enters into beneficial engagements and obligations, signs contracts, takes possession of titles, dignities, inheritances, in their name-on the supposition that the child when of age will confirm by his own acts, when necessary, what the benevolence and forethought of his parent and guardians did and undertook by anticipation for him. I make the remark, because it is possible that some may have doubts thrown into their minds on the subject of the reception of infants into the church by baptism. But the commission of our Lord could be understood in no other sense than that which, from the time of Abraham, had marked the divine proceedings with respect to children. It was addressed to Jews, who knew that long before the Mosaical law, infants had been expressly and by name ordered by Almighty God to be admitted, at the eighth day after birth, into the covenant of grace by circumcision. There had never been any doubt upon the question. The command, therefore, for the promulgation of the gospel with the corresponding initiatory sacrament of baptism, could never have been understood by them in any other light. Had the commission been to extend the Jewish religion all over the earth, and had the command run thus, "Go ye therefore and teach" (make disciples, or Jews, of)" all nations; circumcising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you;" no one of the apostles would or could have hesitated for an instant-it would have excited no surprise, it would have been merely the continuance of a principle expressly enhave wanted no new command under the gospel, for joined in preceding dispensations. There would the admission of infants into God's merciful covenant, any more than there wanted any new commands for the various matters of natural religion, or for the observation of one day's rest after every six days of labour, or for a variety of other things, the princi upon for thousands of years. A new command would have seemed, indeed, to call in doubt the merciful will of God in the preceding institution and observance of circumcision. This testimony is the more valuable, as coming from ples of which the church of God had been acting the pen of one who had, for a long series of years, had constant opportunities of being intimately conversant with the feelings and views, as well as the conduct of Sir Robert; who from personal observation could give a candid statement of his mode of conducting the affairs of the presidency; and his own zeal for the stability of the church, of which he is himself so valuable an overseer, and his willingness to make personal sacrifice for its welfare, is now more than ever displayed, by his munificent donation to the cathedral now erecting in his diocese.* T. BAPTISM.+ It is impossible not to pause here to observe the essential benevolence of Christianity propagated by such a system of gentle, never-ceasing instructions as this; beginning with the first training of the learner, and carrying him on, and all that appertain to him, till this world of conflict is exchanged for one of rest and joy. And surely no part of this system is more evidently compassionate and divine, than that which comprehends the helpless and unconscious infant within the arms of the divine mercy, till he is of age to understand and act for himself We take the opportunity of cordially recmmending to our readers" Sacred Poems, by the ate Right Hon. Sir R. Grant. London. Saunders and Otley. 1839." Lately edited by Lord Glenelg. From Bishop Wilson's Sermons in India. mitting the Gentiles at all into the Christian covenant The apostles, accordingly, long hesitated about adwithout the observation of the Mosaical law; but they never doubted whether, on receiving them, they should admit also with them the children and households which formed a part of themselves. That the prehension under the gospel was natural, and in the mercy of God should be enlarged to the utmost comcourse of things; but that it should be narrowed and contracted all at once with respect to the objects of the divine compassion, and that the infants of the Jewish believers should be thrust out of the covenant of grace, on their parents receiving Christ, when they were in that covenant the moment before they the genius of the gospel, and the order of the divine received him, would have been wholly contrary to mercy in the last and most gracious dispensation. The apostles had already heard their Master say, "Suffer the little children to come unto me and forin his arms and lay his hands upon them and bless bid them not." They had seen him "take them up them." They had heard him declare, "of such is the kingdom of heaven." No doubt therefore upon this subject seems ever to have crossed their minds. The baptism of Lydia and her house;" and of "the jailor and all his," is mentioned as a matter of course, and is perfectly intelligible to every reader of the Old Testament. St. Paul, in the same unartificial manner, alluding to the well-known extent of " the administration of baptism, says, "the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; else were your children unclean; but now are they holy." Accordingly, though we have inspired epistles written to churches during a series of sixty or se venty years after the first promulgation of the Gospel, no one allusion is found to any class of unbaptised youth, which must have been numerous in every land within a few years after its being founded, had the infants of the converts not been admitted with them into the covenant of mercy. The universal practice of the apostolic and early Christian church confirms this view of the case as it lies in scripture. The heretics of the first four centuries, when they wished to evade the confession of their sentiments, as to the fall of man, still avowed their faith in the baptism of infants, as a point never questioned. Nor was it till the sixteenth century that any body of Christians arose to deny the validity and extent of baptism, as applicable to the children of the faithful. And even now, after eighteen ages, the whole universal church, including all the Lutheran and protestant communities, and the smallest subdivisions of persons separated from national churches, with the single exception of the small body who are known by the name of Baptists, hold the primitive doctrine of infant baptism. The subordinate question of the mode of administering the rite, I pass over as of little consequence. Our own church baptizes by immersion, except when the parents can plead the inability of the infant by reason of health. But baptism by sprinkling, espccially in the colder regions of Christendom, where necessity dictates it, is agreeable to the general goodness of that God, who "will have mercy and not sacrifice." The import of the original word is allowed to be capable of either interpretation. And the greater or less quantity of the emblematical element is, under a spiritual dispensation, surely of subordinate moment. It is important further to observe, that all the supposed advantages of baptism in adult years are secured by the primitive and edifying rite of confirmation, which is retained, after the example of the apostles, in all the branches of Christ's holy church; when the parents and sponsors resign their charge, and the catechumen, ratifying and confirming his vows, is solemnly admitted, after due examination, by prayer and the imposition of hands, to the profession of his faith in his own name, and all the personal blessings and privileges of the covenant of grace.* The minds of the young and unstable are sometimes disturbed by persons misinterpreting or misapplying our Lord's command, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature; he that believeth and is baptised shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned." This passage, say they, is clearly against the baptising of infants; for if believing be a requisite qualification for baptism, as children cannot believe, so ought they not to be baptised. It is surprising that those who reason thus, do not advance a step further, and contend that as believing is here represented as necessary to salvation, it follows also that, as infants cannot believe, so neither can they be saved. Arguments that involve such glaring contradictions must necessarily be false. The truth is, the objectors here introduce into their conclusion an entire class of individuals who were never thought of in their premises. For to whom amongst the heathen and Jews was the gospel preached at the promulgation of the Gospel? Was it not to adults? And to whom amongst the heathen, Jews and Mohammedans now, is it still preached? Is it not to adults, i. e., to persons capable of faith or unbelief? And of them every one "that believeth and is baptised shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned." The error of applying such passages to infants, is seen at once when other passages of a similar construction are considered. As an instance, let us try to apply the argument to the apostolic rule, "If any will not work, neither shall they eat;" infants cannot work; therefore neither shall they eat. And yet, absurd as such an argument is, it is the only one at all plausible which is advanced by those who object to the baptism of infants. Let it be well noted, once more, that there is not one single instance, in the whole New Testament, of any person born of Christian parents, ever having been baptised when grown up. THE Poetry. CHRISTIAN AND THE WORLDLING (For the Church of England Magazine.) "Godliness, with contentment, is great gain."-1 Tim. vi. 6. Why calm the Christian's brow appears, The worldling's worn with anxious cares, We know not to explain, Save we the Scripture truth confess- Is great and lasting gain. And dares not hope for heav'n? When Death knocks at the door. Thrice happy must they be; TO CORRESPONDENTS. H. L. The Tithe Tables of Mr. Willich, have been forwarded to the Editors, who recommend them again to the notice of their rea ders, lay as well as clerical. The Tables are well drawn up, an should be possessed by every tithe payer as well as tith receiver. Many excellent works are sent to the Editors for notice, and suc they will, at all times, gladly receive; but really many are of character utterly repugnant to the principles of their publication Will it be believed that a book for the use of Sunday Schon Children has been recommended, more than once, to their o tice, in which the following important truths are to be learnt the young: "That Jeremy Bentham died June 6th, 1839; W2 liam Cobbett, May 7th, 1885; Wm. Godwin, April 7th, 1856 Truly we have need of sound scriptural education. Pamphlets and letters have reached the Editors on the press distracted state of the Presbyterian Church, as by law establishe in Scotland, into the merits of which they cannot possibly enter though urged to do so; the subject is quite out of their p vince, and they presume not to offer an opinion. Perhaps, lo ever, the perusal of the documents forwarded induces them t cling more closely to the "United Church of England and Ire land." POINTS OF RESEMBLANCE BETWEEN THE history of Joseph and his brethren has always been considered as one of the most interesting and improving narratives in the whole bible; it is one that children can understand, and grown up people can enjoy; it affords at once milk for babes and strong meat for men. Accordingly there is no portion of scripture which has been the subject of so many lectures and comments, wherein all its striking features have been pointed out and its lessons practically applied. I do not propose to add to the number of these, but to confine myself to one particular point, namely, to show in how many respects the history of Joseph may remind us of the history of our blessed Saviour-it is quite curious to observe how many points of resemblance there are between them. Not that I think that the one was actually intended to be a type of the other, or that the resemblances are anything more than merely accidental, and curious, many of them, rather than important; still it cannot but be useful to observe them. Anything which fixes upon the mind any thoughts and recollections of our Saviour cannot but be profitable. The great thing to be careful about in such comparisons, is always reverently to bear in mind that we are not comparing two fellow-men, but man and God, a sinful creature and his adorable Saviour. As Jesus indeed took our human nature upon him, and became, for our sakes, very man, it is not surprising that in that nature some resemblances should be found between him and one of his fellow-men: therefore as man, with men we may compare him; but as God, VOL. VIII.NO. CCXVII. PRICE 1d. "To of course, he remains incomparable. whom," as Isaiah says, "will ye liken God, or what likeness will ye compare unto him?" With this caution beforehand, we may proceed to the comparison. And first we may observe, that the especial love which was shown towards Joseph by his father, may well remind us of that which the Almighty Father entertains towards Jesus Christ-"His beloved Son, in whom he is well pleased." Joseph had dreams which declared to him beforehand, that he should one day be raised to a high estate, and that his brethren should come and bow down before him. May not this remind us of the prophecies which went. before concerning our blessed Saviour, that he also should be crowned with glory and honour; that all things should be put in subjection under his feet; that he should have the "heathen for his inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession?" And yet what could be a more unlikely way for that greatness, that pre-eminence, to be brought about for Joseph, than the way by which God saw fit to bring it to pass-carrying him through the depths of contempt and persecution to the height of worldly prosperity and honour-and, as it appeared afterwards, making his very ill usage the means, the actual means of his advancement. And in like manner, what, to mere human understandings, could be more unaccountable than that the elevation of Christ to his glorious throne, should have to be purchased by such humiliation as that which he passed through to arrive at it? What seemed more unlikely to the Jews, than that that poor despised Nazarene whom they rejected, and abused, and put to death as a malefactor, should be he whom God exalted as a Prince and a Saviour [London: Joseph Rogerson, 24 Norfolk-street, Strand.] R to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness | me evil for good to the great discomfit of my of sins. soul." And was Joseph hated by his brethren, so that they could not speak peaceably unto him? This may remind us, not only of the hatred which the Jews-his brethren according to the flesh-bore to Jesus personally, during his abode on earth; but also of that aversion which we all of us naturally feel towards his holy religion-the antipathy of the unconverted heart to the soul-humbling doctrines of his gospel; the contemptuous looks, the scornful words, the spiteful actions wherewith even now his people are assailed, even by those who call themselves Christians, and, as such, brethren in Christ Jesus. And so when Joseph was sent by his father to see after his brethren-a visit, we may be sure, of nothing but love and kindness and proffer of help-did they receive him gladly and affectionately? No! they sought to slay him; they said, "let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we shall see what will become of his dreams." And what said the Jews of our Saviour? The husbandmen said, "This is the Son, come let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours." As it says in St. John's gospel, "Then gathered the chief priests and the pharisees a council together, and said, what do we, for this man doeth many miracles? if we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him, and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and our nation; then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death." But Joseph found favour in the eyes, first of Potiphar, and then of the keeper of the prison, so that even in his low estate they respected him and trusted him, feeling evidently that he was no ordinary person; and so it was with Christ: even in his deepest humiliation people could not help seeing glimpses of something more than human"never man spake as he spake"-" surely this was the Son of God." Even in the prison Joseph declared the sentence of God; he foretold the forgiveness of the chief butler, and the condemnation of the chief baker. And even on the cross Christ exerted his own divine power of binding and loosing; he forgave the penitent malefactor-he left the impenitent one to perish in his sins. And was Joseph after that left to languish long in the dreary prison, and every body seemed to have forgotten him, and hope waxed faint and low; and did his heart sometimes fail him in that long interval, and his faith threaten to give way? If so, did not his feelings in some measure resemble those of our adorable Saviour, when, with the burden of a whole world's sins upon him, he too seemed for a moment bending and sinking under it, so as at length to cry out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me.' But now, if Joseph did thus resemble our Lord in the likeness of his humiliation, let us see how the resemblance is kept up in the likeness of their exaltation. Of both it may Was Joseph sold to the Ishmaelites for be said, "he was taken from prison and from twenty pieces of silver, the price of a bond-judgment." Joseph came forth from the man? It was for only ten pieces more, likewise the price of a slave, that Jesus was sold into the hands of his enemies-a goodly price that they both were prized, the one by his unnatural brethren, the other by his apostate disciple. Was Joseph stript of his coat of many colours? Let us think how the garments of the blessed Jesus were also rudely torn off from him by the soldiers, who, as it was foretold, "parted his garments among them, and cast lots for his vesture." And then, when Joseph was carried down into Egypt, and acted as a slave to Potiphar, how forcibly does this remind us of the apostle's words concerning our Lord, "that he took on him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man; and, being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient." And was Joseph falsely accused when in this low estate? and was it not so with Jesus? "False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not; they rewarded prison, and Jesus from the tomb; the one to stand before an earthly monarch, the other to sit down at the right hand of the great King of heaven and earth. And then let us think of the change in the appearance of both; of Joseph, we are told that he shaved himself, and put off his prison garb, and changed his raiment, and came in to Pharoah; and that then Pharoah put a ring on his hand, and arrayed him in a vesture of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck, and made him ride in his second chariot, and caused people to bow the knee before him. What is all this but a faint shadow of the glorious change which took place when Jesus finally quitted this lower world-this prison-house of his divinity-and went up on high, and led captivity captive; when a bright cloud received him out of human sight, and the gates of heaven lifted up their heads, and the everlasting doors received the King of glory who came in through them to his appointed seat in majesty; when God highly exalted him and gave him a name which is above every name, that "at the name of Jesus every | knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father?" But we have not yet finished. What was the immediate cause for which Joseph was thus exalted and received into favour? No other than that he was enabled to provide a way by which the nation might be saved from famine, and kept alive through all the years of dearth. And so, too, the immediate occasion of our Lord's exaltation to the right hand of the Father, was his having provided life-salvation for a perishing world. It is as having found and accomplished a way whereby sinners may not die but live, that he now sits on the throne of grace. It is as Prince of life, as Author of salvation, that we are called upon to adore him. And when Joseph was thus exalted to his high office, was he idle in it? Was his work finished when he had given the advice about the corn? Had he nothing more to do? Was he not constantly and unceasingly employed, first in getting the corn together, and afterwards in dispensing it out? Even so now, we must remember, Jesus has much to do; he is always employed for our good; he is ever carrying out that precious work of redemption which he achieved for us by his death and resurrection; he is pleading for us in heaven; he is labouring for us on earth; he is dispensing out to us that spiritual nourishment, that divine food, that bread of life, of which he has in himself an exhaustless store, and for which he loves to see poor sinners coming before him, feeling and acknowledging that he, he alone, can supply them. Yes! there is famine, spiritual famine, in all the world besides. In the granaries of Christ, in the religion of the gospel, in the ordinances of the church, there, there only is food for the soul of man. How blessed was Joseph's office, thus to be able to deal bread to the hungry and keep their bodies from famishing! But only think of our Saviour, how he is able to "satisfy the empty soul, and fill the hungry soul with goodness; who is able to say, "I am the bread of life, he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth in me shall never thirst." And if Joseph ordered his steward to put the money, which his brethren had brought to pay for their food, back again into the mouth of their sacks, does not this remind us how it is said to us by Christ, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat; yea, come and buy wine and milk without money and without price?" Yes, what Christ gives, he gives freely. We must not think that the gift of God can be purchased with money; we must indeed bring all, all, the best that we have; we must keep nothing back. But Christ, as I may say, will not take our money; nay, he will return it to us, so as to make us in every way gainers. As he himself says, "verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.' And now, with respect to Joseph's behaviour to his brethren, his long-continued concealment of himself from them, and at length his most affecting reconciliation with them, and their all coming to live along with him and to share his prosperity-how shall we apply all this? We will apply it first to what takes place in every case of real conversion. Jesus first makes himself strange to us-it is not till he has tried us and found us to be in earnest, that he reveals himself to us, and makes discoveries to us of his love; of his relationship to us; of our connection with him, and the interest we have in him. So long as he suspects that we are mere spies, that we come as to church for instancenot from any sincere desire of getting food, but to "see the nakedness of the land," to mock and to make game; so long will he be distant with us, and his presence will be rather repulsive than agreeable. It is not till our hearts are melted, till we show signs of real repentance, till he hears us saying, "We are verily guilty concerning our Saviour," we are sinners, wretched sinners, in that he hath so long cried to us and we refused to hearken to him; it is not till then that he throws off his disguise, and says, I am Jesus, who died for you. But then, O what a difference! Then what signs of affection he displays; then with what a hearty welcome we are received to his home, to his table; all that he has is ours! "Regard not your stuff," said Joseph, "for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours"-"Fear not, little flock," says our Saviour, "for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." But I would apply it, secondly, to the present state of the Jews, and to their future reconciliation with Christ at the end of the world. Christ still maketh himself strange to the Jews; his brethren have not yet discovered him; the veil is still on their hearts; he speaks to them; the bible is before them; he afflicts them, not in anger, but in love. His bowels yearn upon them; he supports them, and keeps them together, as a distinct |
