of infant baptism: for, if infants are capable of receiving Christ's blessing, are we not to bring them to him that they may obtain it ? If they are capable of receiving the thing signified, are they not fit subjects to receive the sign? And if Christ was so angry with his Disciples for keeping them from him, can he be°pleased with us, if we keep them from him ? In a word, Christ has shewn us, by this act, that children are as much the subjects of his kingdom now, as ever they were under the Jewish dispensation; and every member of our Church has reason to rejoice, that the sentiments of our Reformers on this disputed subject were in such perfect unison with the word of God.
If it be objected, that Christ did not baptize the children; we answer, His baptism was not yet instituted : the only bap- tism that was now observed, was that of John. The question is, Are children to be regarded as subjects of Christ's kingdom? and are they entitled to the privileges of that kingdom? Christ expressly says, they are : and so say we : and therefore accord- ing to his command we bring them to him, that they may be admitted to a participation of those blessings, precisely as the Jews by God's command brought their children to be admitted into covenant with him.]
In perfect agreement with these sentiments is, II. His instruction to us —
Our Lord uniformly engrafted some general in- struction on the passing occurrences of every day. He here instructs us,
1. By precept —
[Whilst children are to be received into the Church of Christ, they are to be regarded also as emblems of those moral qualities, which all the subjects of his kingdom must possess. There is in children a simplicity of mind, a teachableness of spirit, a consciousness of weakness, a dependence on their parents' care, an obedience to their commands, and a submis- sion to their will. Now these must be the dispositions of all who would be numbered with Christ's people here, or be partakers with them in a better world : nor can any thing but a resemblance to children in these respects warrant any person to believe himself in a state of favour with God. The decla- ration in our text is as strong and clear as words can make it. The very entrance into Christ's kingdom is by this door : it is low, and we must stoop ; it is narrow, and we must be little in in our own estimation, before we can by any means find admis- sion within it: there is no space allowed for the cumbrous ornaments of worldly wisdom, of moral goodness, of human