little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." The crowd opens at his word; a path

way is cleared, they draw near to his feet, and are gathered in his arms, and blessed; and into the ear of all that wondering, listening crowd, he returns the lesson; "Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein."

There was something heavenly in the coming of these children to Christ. It was not now, a mother bringing forward her sickly daughter to be healed, or a father asking relief for his convulsed boy; or desiring the Lord to come and raise a daughter already dead; but the hearts of the parents and the children were moved by the heavenly wish, that he would lay his hands on them, and pray for them, and bless them.

Of children so brought, of children so coming, asking him to pray for and bless them, the Lord Jesus says, "of such is the kingdom of heaven."

The kingdom of heaven is, that kingdom of which Jesus Christ is King. All belong

to it, whether in heaven or on the earth, who do his will and love his person. All these enjoy his present favour, and will enjoy eternal glory, This is the kingdom of which children who seek the prayers and blessings of Christ, are already members. They are members, because they are united to it—

I. In their feelings.

II. In their services.

III. In their enjoyments; and
IV. In their prospects.

I. They are united to it in their feelings. Pious children come to Christ, desiring to obtain his prayers and blessing. They feel, in the simplicity of children, a desire to have him forgive their sins, and teach them to do his will. This feeling requires no knowledge beyond that experience of sin which troubles the mind of every pious child; and that view of the grace and goodness of Jesus, which was visible to the eye even of children who saw him on the earth; and which children can now obtain from the simple story of his life in the Gospels. It is a feeling moved by what a child may see it is love pleased with a view of Christ, VOL. I.

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and mourning over the sins for which he died. It may be as pure, it may be as strong, it may be as constant, it is as acceptable as when it warms and moves the bosom of an apostle.

Were knowledge needful, the little child must wait until he can gain it. Skill in learning or arts, he cannot get, except by years of labour. He cannot build a house, or manage a ship, or make a watch, or measure the distance of the sun, unless he will labour and study for many years: but he can love the Lord Jesus; he can sorrow for his sins, he can desire to be good, as well in his childhood, as if he had lived a thousand years, and had acquired all the learning, and knew all the arts in the world. And while he so loves, and sorrows and desires, he feels sure that the Saviour cheerfully receives him into his blessed kingdom; into as rich a mercy, into as bright a glory, as he admits the wisest of men. Thus all Christ's disciples are one in him. The learned and the skilful are his, because they love. The ignorant, and children, if they love, are surely his. Love binds all hearts to him; love binds all to each

other. Love makes the pious child a fit companion for the pious sage; love so humbles the sage, that he can mingle with the piety of a child. II. They are united to the kingdom of heaven in their services.

The Lord Jesus requires that service which flows from a loving and obedient heart. A child that loves, may be as true a servant as the grayheaded sage. If he is weak and ignorant, and falls short of doing, for want of power and skill, the Lord will still approve and accept, as he did the service of the poor woman who poured the ointment of spikenard on his head, of whom he said, "She hath done what she could." An apostle can receive no greater approbation; a little child will receive no less. The Lord Jesus is no hard master; he appoints not to children man's work. If they yield him a cheerful, hearty service, in obedience to his words, they are his approved, accepted servants.

They are also useful servants. Christ needs not the services of either men or children. He can do all that he wishes done, without the help of either; yet he condescends to employ the services of both. He uses the ser

vices of children in governing and enlarging his kingdom. Their example spreads around them a spirit of obedience; their hearty submission to his holy reign, is an honour to his government, and their praises of his Gospel are made "the power of God unto salvation.” "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings," he perfects his praise. Though his name is excellent in all the earth; though he has ordained the moon and the stars to show forth his glory in their nightly march, yet he employs the praises of babes and sucklings to still the enemy and the avenger.* So lovely, so powerful, is children's praise, in the sight of him who reigns and shines in all.

So it has been. The man whose heart has been unmoved, even while he opened his eyes upon the cloudless glory of the night: who for thirty or forty years has seen the moon and the stars shining in their seasons with undiminished brightness, and who has borne away plunder, or reeled and staggered like a drunkard, under the blazing lights of heaven, that man has been smitten by the reproof,

* 8th Psalm.