Nor was their faith a weak one. How far it had excited them to bring those children, we know not; we know, however, that it did excite them to break through the obstructions which the ill judged officiousness of his disciples threw in their way. On what ground the disciples opposed the introduction of those innocents to Christ, it is impossible for us to say. Probably they thought it would be a trouble to their Master, which, especially if it should become a general practice, he would not be able to go through. But, whatever may have been the reason, the faith of those pious people in the goodness of Jesus, and in the efficacy of his blessing, induced them to procure that benefit for their infants, even at the risk of having some degree of rudeness imputed to them. Nor was their confidence ill placed. He that came to seek and to save that which was lost, readily embraced those infants, whom the faith and affection of their parents had brought to him, with the arms of his mercy. And he took the opportunity, which that occurrence presented to him, to give, both by his words and actions, a most instructive lecture to his disciples, and to all his future followers. Which brings me to the second remark I wish to make, namely,

2. The displeasure which Jesus shewed at the interruption his disciples had given to those pious people; and the peremptory command he gave them concerning their future conduct. He who was all meekness and patience, who, numberless times, had borne the prejudices and dulness of his disciples, must have found some more than common cause for displeasure, at this time. Few, indeed, were the occasions that could move his resentment. Once he spoke with seeming harshness to Peter, "Get thee behind me satan;' but it was because he savoured not the things that were of God, but the things that were of men; and had, as far as he was able, endeavoured to cast a stumbling-block before him, to prevent his submitting to the will of his Father, in enduring the sufferings that were aHotted to him.* On another occa

Matt. xvi. 23.

sion, he looked round on the Pharisees, who were present, with anger; it was not, however, the anger of wrath and ill-will, but of pity and grief*-he was grieved at the impenetrable hardness of their hearts, which could be convinced by no miracles, and which no proffers of mercy could soften. When, with apparent violence, he drove, with a whip of small cords, or more probably with a handful of rushes, the buyers and sellers out of the temple, it was because they made his Father's house, a house of merchandize, and converted that sacred building which should have been a house of prayer for all nations, into a den of thieves. In all these instances, not his own personal cause, but the cause of his Father and of mankind moved his immaculate resentment. Pitying grief, and holy indignation, arose in his breast, when he saw that all which God could do, and all that he could suffer, would be too little to save that stubborn and perverse nation from impending destruction.

Something of the same kind must have moved his displeasure against his disciples, on the occasion now under our consideration. He had come to offer salvation to a lost and wretched world-to make atonement for sin, and redeem it from death--to proclaim the mercy and forgiveness of God to the penitent believer...to open the kingdom of heaven, and make it possible for fallen man, by a new birth from the Holy Spirit, to enter into it and be saved, as Noah and his family were saved in the ark, from perishing by water, His disciples, when he should return to heaven, were to be his messengers to proclaim these glad tidings to the world; and to invite all the nations of the earth to avail themselves of the overtures of divine mercy, by coming into his church, and living under the guidance of his Spirit. Of this church, they were to be the rulers and governors; and were to be authorised by him, to admit men into it, from all nations. under heaven, by baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and then,

to teach them his commandments, as the rule of their future life.

His disciples, from their personal attendance on him, were in the habit of looking to him for direction on all occasions; his example would, therefore, have great weight with them, and direct their conduct in the ministry that was to be committed to them. On several occasions, they had been witnesses of the condescension, with which he received all who came to him for instruction. His salvation was intended for all men, and regarded not the distinction which worldly circumstances made among them. He, therefore, had never turned away his face from the poor, nor rejected those of low condition. The greatest sinners, who came with penitent hearts and lively faith, found the kindest attention from him, and drank deep of the cup of his mercy and love. He had taken our humanity, to redeem it from death and misery. All, therefore, who partook of that humanity, were objects of his care; and he regarded them as they were men; for, as they were men, they needed his salvation; because they were sinners, and, by their natural birth, could not inherit the kingdom of God.

Were infants, then, the only part of the human race to be rejected by Christ; and rejected, too, merely because they were infants? because they were unable to claim the common privilege of human nature? an interest in the Saviour of men---a privilege to which they were born, and to which their very humanity gave them a right? Should innocence be rejected, while the vilest penitent sinner was received? Could a defiled heart, and a foul conscience, be more acceptable to the embraces of perfect purity, than the unsullied simplicity of an innocent child, undefiled by any actual transgressions; but deprived of a title to the kingdom of God, merely by the misfortune of being born of a nature corrupted by the fault of its original parent? Let common sense answer these questions, and I shall rest secure that, uninfluenced by prejudice and party, common sense will give a true decision. And common sense ought to have taught Christ's

disciples then, and ought to teach all men now, that while repentance is acceptable to Christ, innocence can never be rejected by him...while the door was set open to receive applicants of all ranks and denominations of men, it never could be intended that it should be shut against infants. What Christ's sentiments were, on this occasion, may be directly learned from what he said and did. He was displeased with his disciples, that they should presume to counteract the intentions of his goodness, and set limits to his kingdom, by preventing little children from being brought to him: And to guard for ever against any more impediments of the kind, and set wide open the door for their admission, he said, Suffer,' permit, the little children to come unto 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. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.' At this conduct of Christ, every enemy to infant baptism ought to tremble, when he compares his own with it. Does such a one think to escape the displeasure of Christ, because those infants were not brought to him for the purpose of baptism? They were brought to receive his blessing by the imposition of his hands: And, is he less able to bless them in holy baptism, administered by his authorised servant, than he was to bless them by putting his hands on them? Or, is his love now extinguished, which then burnt so warmly, and the arms of his mercy closed, which were then so widely extended to receive the infant innocents? Or, is his intercession for them less prevalent in heaven, enthroned as he now is on the right hand of the majesty on high, than it was, while he ministered here on earth?

3. But we are fully justified in applying this passageto baptism, because the right of infants to that holy ordinance is directly established by the reason which our Saviour gives, why little children should be permitted to come to him,' For of such is the kingdom of God.' The true meaning of which expression is, For to such little

children the kingdom of heaven belongs---it is their pro perty, and they have a right to go into it.

To this I have heard it replied, That on this ground all children have a right to baptism: And I abide the consequence. That all such infants as come to Christ, that is, as are brought by christian people to baptism, have a right to be admitted into the kingdom of God, by the washing of regeneration. The very act of bringing them implies an obligation to educate and instruct them in the faith and duty of a christian : And being regenerate and adopted into Christ's church, they become disciples, or scholars in his school; and are there to be taught, by his ministers, whatsoever he commanded his holy apostles to teach.

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4. The next words of the text, which contain the reason assigned by our Saviour why infants should come to him, afford another strong argument against the opposers of infant baptism, as they shew that it was the intention of Christ, that they should be admitted into his church. Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not ceive the kingdom of God, as a little child, he shall not enter therein. In what way infants can receive, that is, enter into the kingdom of God, unless by baptism, let those point out who are hardy enough to deny that baptism is the instituted mode of admission. The anabaptists say, they are incapable of repentance and faith. By repentance and faith therefore they cannot enter. Unless, then, they do enter by being baptised on account of the faith of their parents or sureties who belong to the kingdom of God, they cannot enter into it at all. And yet Christ has made their receiving the kingdom of God a standard for all others who shall enter into it. That there is some difference between Christ and the anabaptists in this matter may be easily shewn, but it may not be so easy to persuade people to attend to it. The world claims an absolute right of judging for itself in religion, and is so tenacious of its liberty, in this respect, that it does not choose to have it restricted even by God himself. But the world, and Christ's church, are distinct societies, or