benefit from baptism. But the duty of baptizing them remains the same. — ^The minds of young children are not ;i^equal to receiving religious impressions. The readiness yrith which their minds receive the doctrines of the Gos- pel, and their consciences respond to them, is matter of £aqt well known to all who have anything to do with teaching.— ^Last^ but not least, the souls of children are enable of salvation, however young they may die. To suppose that Christ will admit them into His glorified Church, and yet maintain that He would not have them in His professing Church on earth, is an inconsistency which can never be explained.
These points deserve calm consideration. The subject is unquestionably difficult, and one on which good men disagree. But in every perplexity about it we shall find it good to return again and again to the passage before us. It throws a strong light on the position of children before God. It shows us in general terms the mind of Christ.
Let us observe, for another thing, in this passage^ the Birong declaration which our Lord Jems Christ mekes about if^ants. He says, " Of such is the kingdom of God."
The meaning of these words no doubt is a matter of dispute. That they were not meant to teach that children are bom sinless and innocent, is abundantly clear from other parts of Scripture. '' That which is bom of the flesh is flesh." (John iii. 6.) A threefold lesson is prob- ably contained in our Lord's words. To that threefold lesson we shall do well to take heed.
'^like such as little children," all saints of God should strive to live. Their simple faith and dependence on others, — ^their unworldliness and indifference to earthly