The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 265

quarters and enrolme_nt are in ~eaven (see Heb. xii. 23). (2) It is the one Church of all the ages.. It col:Ilpnses t~e ansto_cra.cy of virtue under every dispensation. Christiane frvm all ~limes sit d~wn m the ~mgdom of ~od with all the prophets of the Mosaio dispens~-~1on, and with th~ _Patriarchs of still more ancient times (cf. eh. viii. 11; L~e xm: 28, 2D). ~- This is al,s_o a name/or the collective <Jhrutian <Jhurch. (1) In this restncted sense 1t does not mclude the kingdom of Israel or the Mosaic Church, '!'he Baptist spoke of it as future to him; so a.lso did the seventy disciples speak of it e.s future to them (see eh. iii. 2; iv. 17; x. 7). (2) The gospel dispensation is the kingdom of hea.v'ell a.s bringing heaven nea.r to us. Christ is "the Lord from heaven." The spirit of the gospel is the very spirit of heaven. It brings us also nea.r to heaven. We are spiritually risen with Christ., a.nd sit with him in heavenly places. II. THE CHILDREN oF THE KIXGDOM. 1. These are the disciples who are childlilce. (1) Those who a.re without this resemblance ha.ve no pla.ce in this kingdom (see eh, xviii. 1--4). (2) In the innocence a.ud simplicity of childhood we see in outline what a man will become when born again and created anew. 2. These are also little children proper. (I) Such were the "little children» brought to Christ. They were "brought," viz. by their pa.rents. They were so "little" that Jesus "took them into his a.rms" (see Mark x.. 16). They a.re described as "babes" (see Luke xviii. 15). (2) 'I'hese be received a.s belonging to the kingdom of God. 'l'here would be no good reason in rebuking the disciples for forbidding such little children to come .to him, because childlike grown persons had a right to admission into the kingdom. (3) This blessedly disposes of the dreadful doctrine of non-elect infants' damnation. The parents in this case were in some sense believers in Jesus, else they. would not have brought their children to receive his blessing. Yet his grace comes to aJl·infants through his relation to them as the second .Adam (see Rom. v. 14, 15; 1 Cor. xv. 22). Christ loves little children, because he loves simplicity and innocence. (4) The pro• minent place infants have in the gospel is in keeping with the incarnation of innocence :itself in the infant Saviour. IIL THE KING OF SAINTS. L Jesus is present to welcome the little one,. (1) Infants belonged to the Church of the covenant under its more exclusive dispensations of the past. By circumcision they were anciently admitted. (2) .Are they now to be excluded from the same Church of the covenant under the more liberal Christian dispensation? Baptism is the circumcision of Christianity (see Col. ii. 11, 12). (3) If little children belonged to the kingdom of heaven in the invisible sense of .which the visible Church is the type, why should they not also be welcomed into the typical kingdom? Wby should water be forbidden to those who ha.ve received the.Holy Ghost (cf. Isa. xliv. 3 ; .Acts x.. 47)? 2. Present to rebuke those who would keep them from him. (1) He who had recently defended the rights of marriage (vers. 3--12) now defends those. of -children. In rebuking his disciples he commended the pa.rents. (2) There are still those who would keep the little ones from Christ, not only through their irreligion and neglect, but also under false zeal for the dignity of the Lord. (3) Notably those <lisciples who refuse them baptism because they cannot voluntarily believe. May not those ba.ptized in infancy believe when they grow up? "The strongest believer· loves not so much by apprehending Christ, a.s by being apprehended of him" (cf. Gal. iv. 9; PhiL iii. 12). 3. He is there to bless them. (1) 'l'he little ones were brought to Jesus -expressly for this purpose. The Jews to this day bring their young children to their mbbis for their blessing. The custom seems to have been very ancient (cf. Gen. xlviii, 14, 20). (2) Jesus is not said to have prayed, as he was asked to do (ver. 13); pro- bably because those who asked him had no knowledge of his Oneness with the Father. (3) But it is recorded tha.t he "blessed them" (see Mark xi. 16). Little children, then, are capable of receiving blessing from Christ. (4) Let us humble ourselves to the simplicity of the child.,_th.at we a.I.so may receive the blessing of the- Lord.-J. A. M. V'ers. 16-22.-The perfection of goodness. To attain to this should be the aim of .every rational being. In quest ofit we should be willing to do anything and to sacrifice anything. "Who will show us any good?" I. CHRIST IS THE UIPERSONATION OF PERFECT GOODNE88. 1. The rttJ,er, in a sense, .di&cernw. this. (1) He addressed him as "good Master" (cf. Ma.rk x. 17; Luke ~viiL 18). He also evinced his veneration by " kneeling," as stated in Mark. (2) He cu. x1x. 1-30.] THE GOSPEL ACCOHDING TO ST. MATTUEW. 2~3