[M2.148L]                                                             [M2.148]								148
                                                                      
                                                                      		We may learn from Christian life s whom we consider
                                                                      		Blessed:  Those whom he blesses must be so in the sense
                                                                      		which his own lips have given to the word:
                                                                      		Blessed are the Pure in heart, for they shall see God,
                                                                      		Blessed are the Poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom
                                                                      		of heaven.
                                                                      		You came therefore that your child might be made Pure in
                                                                      		heart and lovely in spirit.
                                                                      		Is this anything else than Regeneration;  or would Christ
                                                                      		call any one blessed - whose since he retained?
                                                                      	x	I believe that nothing less than the Being a Child of God,
I press no other argument respecting Baptism than this -              		and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of heaven, would make a
others have at length enough   - displayed the force of the           		child blessed in the eyes of its Redeemer.  This
passages which describe the efficacy of the rite.                     		therefore I believe they become, when he has blessed them.
But I could not press them on you ^ I                                 		And can the Child who is once a Child of God, you ask me
would rather have you to think in your own heart whether,             		incredulously - ever fall away, and is a Baptism to which
less than the being a Child of God etc and to remember                		a believing Christian has brought the child, a full and
those words of           "Thou blessest, oh Lord, and it              		certain assurance of its final salvation?
shall be blessed for ever.                                            		Reader, I would not ask you to answer this question unless
- at least until you can tell me how much less than the               		you are an experienced Christian:  But if you feel
Inheritance of heaven will make a child blessed - in the Eyes         		in your heart that you have taken up your cross and
of its Redeemer                                                       		followed Christ;  and that you are yourself a child of
                                                                      		God, and if therefore you feel that your Salvation is
                                                                      		secure;  then do you answer it boldly and say that the
                                                                      		Salvation of that new Christian

[Version 0.05: May 2008]