Page:Tracts for the Times Vol 2.djvu/369

Rh were of no benefit to it, or, again, that the prayers of the congregation, which the Church solicits for each infant, availed nothing; but, only, that no faith, or desires, or prayers, or any thing besides, were of such moment as to affect the virtue which has annexed to His Sacrament of Baptism, or, as if the regeneration of our infants were to be ascribed in any way to our prayers instead of 's ordinance. Larger measures of grace He, doubtless, may bestow in answer to more fervent prayers; and it would argue a sinful want of sympathy, were the Church not to pray, when is about, by her means, to engraff a new member into the body of ; and, therefore, we pray: but not as if 's mercy was so limited to our prayers, that  would not render 's ordinance effectual to one who opposed it not, although we sinned in our mode of administering it.

One way in which the faith of the Church is of avail, is indeed plain and tangible. It is, namely, through the faith of true believers, that perpetuates the use of  Sacraments in the Church. For those who first sought them for themselves or their children, out of habit or custom, or any other motive, not because they knew it to be our 's will, would, obviously, never have sought them at all, but for the example originally given by those more faithful few. And thus bestows the benefits of Baptism even upon the children of those unfaithful parents who have neglected to cherish and cultivate its benefits in themselves, and yet are induced, by the faith of others, to believe that some good will result from the Baptism of their children, and so present them. For who could doubt, that if the faith of those, who in true faith offer their children to be made members of by Baptism, had not in each successive age continued Infant-Baptism as a rite and custom of the Church, those who now bring their children mainly out of custom, would disuse it; and so their children lose it and its fruits? The faith of the faithful is the salt of the earth, preserving it from corruption. 's gracious promise to Abraham has full often, doubtless, been again realized, and the city or the Church preserved for and through the five righteous men who were in it. And so the faith of every missionary from the Apostles'