1

Whosoever shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." And on another occasion, when "they brought young children to him that he should touch them, and his disciples rebuked those that brought them, Jesus, on seeing this, was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come to me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." It has been common to find the points of analogy between Christians, especially young Christians-new converts, and little children, in comparative innocence and gentleness. But this I apprehend is to mistake our Lord's meaning. It is their conscious helplessness, their entire confiding dependence on others, their ready belief, as their faculties expand, of every thing told them, till the falsehood of men teaches them distrust, that make infants fit emblems of the disciples of Christ. They "renounce themselves." They believe what he says to them, because he says it. They do what he bids them, because he bids them. They feel that they are entirely dependent on Him, and they are well pleased that it should be so. They confide in Him, in his wisdom, in his power, in his grace, just as an affectionate child feels safe and happy in his father's house, or in his mother's arms, and takes no thought for himself, because he knows they will take thought for him; and never doubts either their affection for him, or their following out the dictates of that affection in protecting him from evil, and obtaining for him every thing he needs.

As the reference here is to "new-born" infants, a leading idea intended to be conveyed to the mind seems to be, that, like new-born infants, the Christian has a kind of instinctive, unquenchable desire, after the suitable, spiritual aliment of his new nature. He loves the truth as it is in Jesus; he is restless when it is out of the

1 Matt. xviii. 3; xix. 13, 14.

view of the mind. The whole world without this cannot make him happy; and he never enjoys himself more, than when clearly apprehending the meaning and evidence of these "exceeding great and precious promises" by which his new nature is sustained; like the healthy infant on its mother's bosom, "he sucks, and is satisfied with these breasts of consolation; he milks out, and is delighted with the abundance of their glory."

(3.) There is yet another idea which we conceive the figurative appellation is calculated and intended to bring before our minds. Young Christians are very far from being what they are yet to be even on earth; and all Christians are very far from being what they are to be in heaven.

The young convert is to grow in all Christian excellenceto "grow up in all things to him who is the head." Paul was a very different person when it was at first said of him, "Behold he prayeth"-a poor helpless sinner falling into the arms of the Saviour; and when he said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." "I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me; and not to me only, but to all that love his appearing." And Paul even then was but a child in comparison of what Paul is now; the "spirit of a just man made perfect" "with the Lord," and fully, so far as his capacities admit, conformed to his mind and will, “like him, seeing him as he is."

This view of the subject is so beautifully illustrated by that heavenly man Leighton, that I can make no apology for the length of the following quotation:-"The whole estate and course of the Christian's spiritual life here is called their infancy, not only as opposed to the corruption and wickedness of their previous state, but likewise as signi* Eph. iv. 15.

Isaiah lxvi. 11.

3 Acts ix. 11. Phil. iv. 13. 2 Tim. iv. 6-8.

fying the weakness and imperfection of it at the best in this life, compared with the perfection of the life to come; for the weakest beginnings of grace are by no means so far below the highest degree of it possible in this life, as the highest degree falls short of the state of glory: so that, if one measure of grace is called infancy in respect of another, much more is all grace infancy in respect of glory. And sure as for duration, the time of our present life is far less to eternity than the time of our natural infancy is to the rest of our life; so that we may still be called but new or lately born. Our best pace and strongest walking in obedience here, is but the stepping of children when they begin to go by hold, in comparison of the perfect obedience in glory, the stately, graceful steps with which, on the heights of Zion, we shall walk in the light of the Lord; when 'we shall follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.' All our knowledge here is but the ignorance of infants, and all our expressions of God and of his praises, are but as the first stammerings of children (which are, however, very pleasant both to child and parent), in comparison of the knowledge we shall have of him hereafter, 'when we shall know as we are known;' and of those praises we shall offer him, when that new song shall be taught us," which is sung before the throne, and before the four living creatures, and which none can learn but those who are redeemed from the earth.1 "A child hath in it a reasonable soul; and yet, by the indisposedness of the body, and abundance of moisture, it is so bound up, that its difference from the beasts, and its partaking of a rational nature, is not so apparent as afterwards; and thus the spiritual life that is from above infused into a Christian, though it doth act and work in some degree, yet it is so clogged with natural corruption still remaining in him, that the excellency of it is much clouded and obscured but in the life to come it shall have nothing at all encumbering and indisposing it. And this is the

VOL. I.

1 Rev. xiv. 3.

M

Apostle Paul's doctrine: For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as I am known.'1

"And this is the wonder of divine grace, that brings so small beginnings to that height of perfection that we are not able to conceive of; that a little spark of true grace, that is not only indiscernible to others, but often to the Christian himself, should yet be the beginning of that condition wherein they shall shine brighter than the sun in the firmament. The difference is great in our natural life, in some persons especially, that they who in infancy were so feeble and wrapped up like others in swaddling clothes, yet afterwards come to excel in wisdom and in the knowledge of the sciences, to be commanders of great armies, or to be kings: but the distance is far greater and more admirable, between the weakness of these new-born babes, the small beginnings of grace, and their after perfection, that fulness of knowledge that we look for, and that crown of immortality that all are born to who are born of God. But as in the faces and actions of some children, characters and presages of their after greatness have appeared, as a singular beauty in Moses' countenance, as they write of him, and as Cyrus was made king among the shepherd's children, with whom he was brought up, so also certainly in these children of God there be some characters and evidences that they are born for heaven by their new birth. That holiness and meekness, that patience and faith, that shine in the actions and sufferings of the saints, are characters of their Father's image, and show their high original, and foretell their glory to come; such a glory as doth not only surpass the

11 Cor. xiii. 9-12.

world's thoughts, but the thoughts of the children of God themselves. 'It doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.'

Before proceeding further in the exposition, let me urge the importance of putting this question seriously to ourselves, What part or lot have I in this matter? What is my state before God? What is my spiritual character? Have I been born again? Do I possess the instincts and dispositions of the new creature? The question is a serious one; for if I have not been born again, I am a stranger to true wisdom, worth, and happiness; and should I die, not having been born again, it had been better for me never to have been born. For, "except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven." He can neither enjoy the peculiar blessings of Christianity here nor hereafter. The question is one which should not be difficult to answer; for the characteristic qualities of the new creature are sufficiently palpable. There is one in particular, with regard to which no one can mistake without absolute wilfulness: "Whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world." He lives above the world, through the power of faith. The terrors of the world cannot drive him, the blandishments of the world cannot allure him, from the course on which he has entered. When he became a new creature, he came into a new creation; and "the world to come," in its power, opening on his mind, delivered him from the dominant influence of "the present evil world." Are you looking at things seen and temporal? Are present and sensible things the chief subjects of your thoughts, the chief objects of your affections? Then you have been born only of the flesh. "Ye must be born again." You must be thoroughly changed, for if you are not so, you are quite unfit for heaven; and heaven would be no heaven to you even were you placed in it. You must repent, that is, change

11 John iii. 2.

2 John iii. 3.

31 John v. 4.