When our LORD says, we must be converted and become as little children, I suppose he means also, that we must be sensible of our weakness, 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 some new lesson every day; and as simple and artless: one without guile, having not learned the abominable art, called dissimulation. Now in all these senses, I believe we are to understand the words of the text.――――Are little children sensible of their weakness? Must they be led by the hand? Must 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 sensible 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 christians, will give up the heart, their understandings, their wills, their affections, to be guided by the word, providence, and the Spirit of the LORD. Hence it is, that the Apostle, speaking of the sons of GOD, says, “As many as are led by the Spirit of GOD, they are (and to be sure he means they only are) the sons of GOD.”
And as little children look upon themselves to be ignorant creatures, so those that are converted, do look upon themselves as ignorant too. Hence it is, that _John_, speaking to christians, 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 apostle of the _Gentiles_, that spiritual father of so many thousands of souls, that man, who in the opinion of Dr. _Goodwin_, “sits nearest the God-man, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, in glory,” that chosen vessel, the Apostle _Paul_, when he speaks of himself, says, “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the _Gentiles_ the unsearchable riches of CHRIST.” Perhaps some of you, when you read these words, will be apt to think that _Paul_ did not speak true, that he did not really feel what he said; because you judge _Paul_’s heart by your own proud hearts: but the more ye get of the grace of GOD, and the more ye are partakers of the divine life, the more will ye see your own meanness and vileness, and be less in your own eyes. Hence it is, that Mr. _Flavel_, in his book called, _Husbandry Spiritualized_, compares young christians to green corn; which before it is ripe, shoots up very high, but there is little solidity in it: whereas, an old christian is like ripe corn; it doth not lift up its head so much, but then it is more weighty, and fit to be cut down, and put into the farmer’s barn. Young christians are also like little rivulets; ye know rivulets are shallow, yet make great noise; but an old christian, he makes not much noise, he goes on sweetly, like a deep river sliding into the ocean.