religious instruction, continues to resist the solicitations of its
depraved nature, its continued obedience will form holy habits, and this
preponderance of holy habits, when established, constitutes its
regeneration. If the growing child, as its powers of moral agency are
developed, for any reason indulges its innate sinful propensities, it
becomes a confirmed sinner, and its subsequent regeneration, if it take
place, will be the more striking, as its change of habits must be
greater.

Baptism in _adults_, is a means of making a public profession, of
previous faith, or of being received into the visible church, as well
as a pledge and condition of obtaining those blessings purchased by
Christ, and offered to all who repent, believe in him, and profess his
name by baptism.

Baptism in _infants_, is the pledge of the bestowment of those blessings
purchased by Christ for all. " As in Adam all die, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive." And "The promise is to you and your
_children_," Acts ii. 39. These blessings are forgiveness of sins, or
exemption from the penal consequences of natural depravity, (which would
at least be exclusion from heaven on account of moral disqualification
for admission,) reception into the visible church of Christ, grace to
help in every time of need, and special provision for the nurture and
admonition in the Lord, to which parents pledge themselves.

The language of the Saviour to Nicodemus, John iii. 6, "_Unless a man be
born of water and the spirit_" doubtless refers also to baptism, which
had been known to the Jews, and practiced by John the Baptist, before
the ministry of Christ, as a mode of _public reception_ of proselytes,
who were then said to be new born. Its import is to inform Nicodemus,