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written in fuch legible characters in the word of God, that he who runs may read it; and though, I think, every thing without us, and every thing within us, plainly proclaims that we are fallen creatures; though the very heathens, who had no other light, but the dim light of unaffifted reafon, complained of this, for they felt the wound, and discovered the difeafe, but were ignorant of the cause of it; yet there are too many perfons of those who have been baptized in the name of CHRIST, that dare to fpeak against the doctrine of original fin, and are angry with thofe ill-natured minifters, who paint man in fuch black colours, Say they, "It cannot be that "children come into the world with the guilt of Adam's fin lying upon them." Why? Defire them to prove it from Scripture, and they will urge this very text, our LORD tells us, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye fhall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Now their argument runs thus, "It is implied in the words of the text, ટ that little children are innocent, and that they come into the "world like a mere blank piece of white paper, otherwise our "LORD muft argue abfurdly, for he could never pretend to fay, that we must be converted, and be made like wicked creatures; that would be no converfion." But, my dear friends, this is to make JESUS CHRIST speak what he never intended, and what cannot be deduced from his words. That little children are guilty, I mean, that they are conceived and born in fin, is plain from the whole, tenor of the book of GOD, David was a man after GOD's own heart, yet, fays he, I was conceived in fin." Jeremiah speaking of every one's heart, fays, the heart of man is deceitful and defperately wicked above all things." God's fervants unanimoufly declare, (and Paul cites it from one of them) altogether now become abominable, altogether gone out of the way of original righteoufnefs, there is not one of us that doth good (by nature), no not one." And I appeal to any of you that are mothers and fathers, if ye do not difcern original fin or corruption in your children, as foon as they come into the world; and as they grow up, if ye do not discover felfwill, and an averfion to goodness. What is the reafon your children are fo averfe to inftruction, but because they bring enmity into the world with them, against a good and gracious

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GOD? So then, it is plain from fcripture and fact, that children are born in fin, and confequently that they are children of wrath. And for my part, I think, that the death of every child is a plain proof of original fin; fickness and death came into the world by fin, and it feems not confiftent with God's goodness and juftice, to let a little child be fick or die, unless Adam's first fin was imputed to him. If any charge GoD with injuftice for imputing Adam's fin to a little child, behold we have gotten a second Adam, to bring our children to him. Therefore, when our LORD fays, "unless ye are converted, and become as little children," we are not to underftand, as though our LORD would infinuate, that little children are perfectly innocent; but in a comparative, and as I fhall fhew you by and by, in a rational fenfe. Little children are innocent, compare them with grown people; but take them as they are, and as they come into the world, they have hearts that are sensual, and minds which are carnal. And I mention this with the greatest concern, because I verily believe, unlefs parents are convinced of this, they will never take proper care of their children's education. If parents were convinced, that children's hearts were fo bad as they are, you would never be fond of letting them go to balls, affemblies, and plays, the natural tendency of which is to debauch their minds, and make them the children of the devil. If parents were con vinced of this, I believe they would pray more, when they bring their children to be baptized, and would not make it a mere matter of form. And I believe, if they really were convinced, that their children were conceived in fin, they would always put up that petition, before their children came into the world, which I have heard that a good woman always did put up, "LORD JESUS, let me never bear a child for hell the devil." O! is it not to be feared, that thousands of children will appear, at the great day, before Gop, and in prefence of angels and men will fay, Father and mother, next to the wickednefs of mine own heart, I owe my damnation to your bad education of me.

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Having premifed these two particulars, I now proceed to shew in what sense we are really to understand the words, that we must be converted and become like little children. The Evangelift tells us, "that the difciples at this time came

unto JESUS, faying, Who is the greateft in the kingdom of heaven?" Thefe difciples had imbibed the common prevailing notion, that the LORD JESUS CHRIST was to be a temporal prince; they dreamed of nothing but being minifters of ftate, of fitting on CHRIST's right-hand in his kingdom, and Jording it over GOD's people; they thought themselves qualified for ftate offices, as generally ignorant people are apt to conceive of themselves. Well, fay they, "Who is the greateft in the kingdom of heaven ?" Which of us fhall have the chief management of public affairs? A pretty question for a few poor fishermen, who fcarcely knew how to drag. their nets to fhore, much lefs how to govern, a kingdom. Our LORD, therefore, in the 2d verse, to mortify them, calls a little child, and fets him in the midst of them. This action was as much as if our LORD had faid, "Poor creatures! your imaginations are very towering; you difpute who shall be greatest in the kingdom of heaven; I will make this little child preach to you, or I will preach to you by him: Verily I fay unto you, (I who am truth itfelf, I who know in what manner my fubjects are to enter into my kingdom, I fay unto you, ye are so far from being in a right temper for my king. dom, that) except ye be converted, and become as this little, child, ye fhall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, (unless ye are, comparatively fpeaking, as loofe to the world, as loofe. to crowns, scepters, and kingdoms, and earthly things, as this poor little child I have in my hand) ye fhall not enter into my kingdom." So that what our LORD is speaking of, is not the innocency of little children, if you confider the relation they stand in to Gop, and as they are in themselves, when brought ! into the world; but what our LORD means is, that as to am bition and lux after the world, we muft in this fenfe become as little children. Is there never a little boy or girl in this congregation? Afk a poor little child, that can just speak, about a crown, fcepter, o kingdom, the poor creature has now notion about it; give a little boy or girl a small thing to play with, it will leave the world to other people. Now in this fense we must be converted, and become as little children that is, we must be as loofe to the world, comparatively fpeaking, as a little child.

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Do not miftake me, I am not going to perfuade you fhut up your fhops, or leave your bufinefs; I am not going to perfuade you, that if ye will be chriftians, ye must turn hermits, and retire out of the world: ye cannot leave your wicked hearts behind you, when you leave the world; for I find when I am alone, my wicked heart has followed me, go where I will. No, the religion of JESUS is a focial religion. But though JESUS CHRIST does not call us to go out of the world, fhut up our fhops, and leave our children to be provided for by miracles; yet this must be faid to the honour of chriftianity, if we are really converted, we fhall be loofe from the world. Though we are engaged in it, and are obliged to work for our children; though we are obliged to follow trades and merchandize, and to be ferviceable to the commonwealth; yet if we are real chriftians, we fhall be loofe to the world; though I will not pretend to fay that all real christians have attained to the fame degree of spiritual-mindednefs. This is the primary meaning of thefe words, that we must be converted and become as little children; nevertheless, I fuppofe the words are to be understood in other fenfes."

When our LORD fays, we must be converted and become as little children, I fuppofe he means alfo, that we must be fenfible of our weaknefs, comparatively speaking, as a little child. Every one looks upon a little child, as a poor weak creature; as one that ought to go to school and learn fome new leffon every day; and as fimple and artlefs: one without guile, having not learned the abominable art, called diffimulation. Now in all these fenfes, I believe we are to underftand the words of the text. Are little children fenfible of their weakness? Muft they be led by the hand? Muft we take hold of them or they will fall? So, if we are converted, if the grace of God be really in our hearts, my dear friends, however we may have thought of ourselves once, whatever were our former high exalted imaginations; yet we shall now be fenfible of our weakness; we shall no more say, We are rich and increased with goods, and lack nothing;" we shall be inwardly poor: we shall feel" that we are poor, miserable, blind, and naked." And as a little child gives up its hand to be guided by a parent or a nurse, so those who are truly converted, and are real chriftians, will give up the heart, their under

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understandings, their wills, their affections, to be guided by the word, providence, and the Spirit of the LORD. Hence it is, that the Apostle, fpeaking of the fons of God, fays, As many as are led by the Spirit of GoD, they are (and to be fure he means they only are) the fons of God.”

And as little children look upon themselves to be ignorant creatures, fo thofe that are converted, do look upon themfelves as ignorant too. Hence it is, that John, fpeaking to chriftians, calls them little children; "I have written unto you, little children." And CHRIST's flock is called a little flock, not only because little in number, but also because those who are members of his flock, are indeed little in their own eyes. Hence that great man, that great apoftle of the Gentiles, that spiritual father of fo many thousands of fouls, thạt mạn, who in the opinion of Dr. Goodwin, "fits nearest the Godman, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, in glory," that chofen veffel, the Apostle Paul, when he speaks of himself, fays, "Unto me, who am lefs than the leaft of all faints, is this grace given, that I fhould preach among the Gentiles the unfearchable riches of CHRIST." Perhaps fome of you, when you read these words, will be apt to think that Paul did not fpeak true, that he did not really feel what he faid; because you judge Paul's heart by your own proud hearts: but the more ye get of the grace of Gop, and the more ye are partakers of the diving life, the more will ye fee your own meannefs and vileness and be less in your own eyes. Hence it is, that Mr. Flavel, in his book called, Hufbandry Spiritualized, compares young christians to green corn; which before it is ripe, fhoots up very high, but there is little folidity in it: whereas, an old chriftian, is like ripe corn; it doth not lift up its head fo much, but then it is more weighty, and fit to be cut down, and put into the farmer's barn. Young chriftians are alfo like little rivulets; ye know rivulets are fhallow, yet make great noife; but an old chriftian, he makes not much noife, he goes on fweetly, like a deep river fliding into the ocean..

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And as a little child is looked upon as an harmless creature, and generally fpeaks true; fo, if we are converted, and become as little children, we fhall be guilclefs as well as harmlefs,, What faid the dear Redeemer when he faw Nathaniel? As though it was a rare fight he gazed upon, and would