infidel in disguise, or morally a hypocrite, why then, not even in the New Church is there any security to be found that a baptized infant will enjoy the intended advantage of baptism. To keep clear of this depressing conclusion, necessarily resulting from the belief that baptism, when performed literally according to the Lord's words, only takes effect when the administrator is principled in goodness and truth, we must conclude that there is no difference in the angelic operation, whether the parties present at the baptism be in a false or a true faith. All that the angels have to do with is, the sign; perceiving this, they have only to carry out their unvarying commission under its guidance.

We sometimes hear New Churchmen talk of being "baptized into the Old Church," or "into the New Church," as if, when they are baptized into connection with some visible church in the world, they were at the same time connected with, and thus baptized into, a corresponding church in the world of spirits, heretical or otherwise; thus into the society of either the Roman Catholic, or some Protestant church in the world of spirits belonging to the Old Church, or a society of spirits of the New Church, as the minister is of one or the other of these persuasions. But there is no authority for this supposition. It is altogether fanciful; and it has even led to the extravagant idea, that a child of Old Church parents is more likely to receive the doctrines at maturity, from having been baptized by a New Church minister in its infancy! The very serious practical extravagancies to which this notion directly leads, will be anticipated by the reflecting mind, without being exposed here. As regards the church in the spiritual world with which all infants are connected on their baptism, it is the church in the Lord's heavenly kingdom, the faith of which church is the purest divine truth; for it is said that angels are appointed on the baptism of children to take care of them, consequently, the saying of Swedenborg that baptism causes insertion amongst Christians in the spiritual world, must be construed in harmony with the other sayings, that they "are introduced by baptism into the Christian heaven," (T. C. R. 677.) which can only be done by supposing the "Christians in the spiritual world" to mean exclusively, the inhabitants of the Christian heaven, and not any heretical body in the "world of spirits." This view seems to be clearly established by the explanation afforded in T. C. R. 729, to be quoted below. Let, then, the phrase "baptized into the Old or New Church" be confined in its signification, as it ought to be, to the visible church in the world to which the administrator belongs. To add any thing to this in idea, beyond the true idea of angelic operation, as above described, is to mix up error with truth, fancy with fact.

But, it may be asked, "If an infant is baptized visibly into the Old Church, and afterwards receives the faith of the New Church, will he be any more firmly connected with the new Christian heaven by undergoing re-baptism into the visible New Church?" According to the principle above advocated, that, in all adult cases, connection with the angels is primarily according to state, and not primarily according to the outward ceremonial, it will follow, that the reception of a more interior faith grounded in charity, will bring about consociation with more interior angelic attendants; and as such improved connection must precede re-baptism, it cannot therefore be dependent upon that ceremonial. Still, upon the ground that bringing a conscientious principle or devotional feeling into ultimates is always beneficial, there can be no good reason why a person should not be re-baptized, if he is impelled to desire it by views of duty. But there is no authority for believing that all the benefits intended by baptism are not enjoyed by a person baptized into the Old Church (whether as an infant or as an adult), who afterwards receives the New Doctrine, but declines re-baptism. It is perfectly in vain to attempt to dignify suppositions or fancies with an unreal value, by pretending that they are founded on "the laws of Divine Order,” when the phrase " Divine Order" in this instance means nothing more than our own fanciful views of Order, having no good foundation in substantial Truth. Either let distinct authority be produced to prove re-baptism universally obligatory, or let it be shewn that absolute spiritual loss accrues by neglecting it; or if neither of these demands can be complied with, re-baptism must (so long as it cannot be proved to be itself an infraction of order) be left to the conscience and discretion of individual converts. To impose any heavier yoke on Christians than the Lord has imposed, is not a requirement of order, but an exercise of tyranny, however unintentionally so.

The case of the infants of "Baptists," or more properly Dippers (for the baptizers of infants are equally entitled to the designation of Baptists"), may next be considered. During their infancy, they have, doubtless, no connection with the heaven of Christians, for want of the sign of baptism. On coming to mature age, like the first Christian converts, they will form a spiritual connection, according to the quality of their adopted faith and life, with kindred spiritual associates. If, after adopting some form of the Christian faith, spurious or genuine, they nevertheless decline being baptized, they will be on a par with individual converts in the apostolic times (supposing such to have existed) who should say to their apostolic instructors, We take heed to all you teach us, except your injunction to be baptized." But still, if their faith be

sincere and grounded in good, and this refusal be owing to mistake or mental infirmity, and not to perverseness, it will not prevent their conjunction with their like in the world of spirits, although that conjunction, no doubt, will be less firm and beneficial through the want of the seal of baptism. Whether the refusing party be a professor of the Old Church or New Church, it is conceived a similar disadvantage will accrue, but no doubt greater in the latter case than the former; that is, supposing the disobedience to be practised in contrariety to a greater degree of light than could be enjoyed in the former case.

ALL the benefit of baptism arises to an infant from a literal conformity to the Lord's own injunction. Supposing this to be practised, the benefit cannot be increased by anything that can be added, such as prayers, readings, or hymns, however pure their truth; neither can the benefit be diminished by any erroneous words then uttered by, or erroneous thoughts existing in the minds of, the administrator, or parties present. All that the Lord enjoined was, to apply water in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He did not say—“ Go and say I baptize, or apply water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," but "Go and do the act of applying water,” saying, at the same time, the words "In the name of the Father," &c. The Greek church most literally complies with the Lord's direction, for the priest dips the infant in water, saying the words, at the same time"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." There is no reason, however, to suppose that the addition of the words "I baptize thee," adding the name of the party baptized, in the slightest degree affects the use of the baptism.

It has been remarked above, that a person who receives the Christian faith in the ground of good, although not baptized, becomes conjoined with his like in the spiritual world; but a question may be started, as to whether he also is equally closely connected with the angels, and by them with heaven, as if he were baptized. This is certainly a very important question. His "like," even although he may be in a salvable state, may not, properly speaking, be angels, and therefore may not have spiritual influence and power in the same degree as the angels. This is a strong reason why, in addition to the obligation to obey an express divine command, every one should submit once to undergo the ordinance of baptism. But it is obvious that without sincerity of faith in the baptized adult, the form of baptism, however administered, must be an absolute nullity. The angels could not approach to recognize the ordinance, for the sphere of the subject of it would repel them. Such a case is parallel to the unworthy partaker of the Lord's Supper, who eats and drinks to his own

condemnation. It has been noticed above, that the guardianship of angels procured for infants through baptism, ceases at adult age, as stated in T. C. R. 677, at the end; this seems, at first, to invalidate the idea that adult baptism procures such guardianship beyond the ordinary ministration of angels, regulated by the states of those to whom they minister. But in the commencement of the next number (678) it is certainly stated, that others" besides infants "are inserted by baptism among Christians in the spiritual world." This insertion, it would seem, implies something obtained through baptism over and above the association procured by likeness of love and faith; something of nearer consociation with good spirits and angels, and conjunction with the Lord; something not dif ferent in kind, but greater in degree than would be enjoyed without it.

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As sincere belief, in the case of an adult, opens some communication with heaven, although the believer may not have been baptized, and thereby so far brings to him the privilege symbolically procured in an external degree for infants,-the question arises,-If before the age when faith in the Lord begins to be possible, [when that is, we do not decide—the Lord speaks of "little ones" who believed in Him. Matt. xviii. 6; Mark ix. 42.] an unbaptized infant is called into the spiritual world, is it received into the Christian heaven by virtue of its Christian parentage, or because the attendant angels have a perception of some kind of hereditary bias in the infants of Christians towards the Christian faith? or will it, for want of this sign of baptism, be connected with angels after the manner of the children of those who belong to nations not of the Christian faith, and, being found in that condition at death, pass into the heaven of the latter? I answer, that not only does analogy favour the latter conclusion, (for what is the use of the baptismal sign if it can with impunity be dispensed with?)—but the express authority of Swedenborg goes in the same direction. He says (in A. R. 876) “In the new Christian heaven likewise are [the matured spirits of] all the infants or little children of Christians, [who died such,] because they have been brought up by angels to acknowledge the Lord and keep his commandments." The question then arises, By what test are infants newly arrived in the world of spirits, known to be the infants of Christians? Does not the following passage directly furnish an answer to this inquiry? "Such as die in their infancy or childhood, and so do not arrive at an age capable of approaching the holy supper worthily, [while on earth,] are introduced into [the Christian] heaven by the Lord by baptism, [performed upon earth before their decease;] for, as was shewn in the chapter on baptism, baptism is an insertion among Christians in the spiritual world, and the church and heaven in the spiritual world are

one; wherefore an introduction into the church in that world [by baptism] is also an introduction into heaven; and such as [after baptism] have died in infancy or childhood, being educated under the Lord's auspices, are regenerated, and become his sons more and more, for they know no other Father. But such infants and children as are born out of the Christian church, are, after the reception of faith in the Lord, introduced by another medium [than that of baptism] into the heaven set apart for those of their own religion, for they are not mixed with those who are in the Christian heaven." (T. C. R. 729.)

After reading this passage there appears little reason for believing that unbaptized deceased infants are perceived to be those of Christian parents from their hereditary genius. Indeed, when it is considered how extensively nominal Christians are at this day vastated or gentilized, both as to good and truth, it would seem that the hereditary marks of the Christian genius in their offspring must be nearly obliterated. In T. C. R. 678, no Christian sign of Christian origin is recognized except "the Christian sign, which is baptism." In this number also it is said,-"On the distinct arrangement of all things in the spiritual world, the conservation of the universe depends, but this would be impracticable unless every one [born of Christian parents] after his birth, were to be distinguished by some sign, so that it might be known to what religious community he belonged; for without the Christian sign, which is baptism, some Mahometan, or some idolatrous spirit, might apply himself to new-born Christian infants, and also to children, and infuse into them an inclination in favour of his religion."*

But something appears to hinge upon the phrase, in the passage last quoted, "born out of the Christian church." Does the author treat as identical those born in the Christian church and those baptized? I think he does; for obviously he speaks of those "born out of the Christian church,” as introduced by some other medium than baptism into another heaven than the Christian heaven. The difficulty of attaching any other meaning is obvious, on reflection. This phrase (the Christian church) cannot mean the locality of Christendom, because Christian parents might have offspring born among idolaters, remote from any Christian church. Besides, are the children of the infidel and repro

* In this passage I have introduced the words "[born of Christian parents]" in brackets. It appears that the only distinction between Christian infants and all others is, the sign of baptism, and the absence of it. Where the sign appears, the angels operate to lead to faith in the Lord; and in the absence of it, they operate to lead to such good as the religious principle existing admits of. To be a "sign," it must be grounded in correspondence. Only Christians possess such a sign.