CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
An Answer To That Text,
Matt. 19:13.
Further, some bring that in Matt. 19:13,
"There were brought unto him little children that he should put his hand upon them
and pray, and the disciples rebuked them, and Jesus said, suffer little
children and forbid them not to come to me, for of such is the kingdom of God;
and he laid his hands on them and departed."
In Mark 10:13 thus, "And they brought young
children to him, that he should touch them, and his disciples rebuked them that
brought them, but when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto
them, Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not,
for of such is the kingdom of God; verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not
receive the Kingdom of God as a little child, shall not enter
therein."
From these some would maintain a Covenant of
Eternal Life in the flesh, but let us examine what the meaning of these may be.
Who Were the Parents of These Children?
First, it does not appear whose children they
were who were brought to Christ. It's probable they were the seed of
Abraham, but who were their mediate parents, whether believers or wicked
persons, does not appear certainly. But by the former discourse in the
chapter, it should seem they might be wicked and ungodly persons. There were
such mentioned before who tempted Christ and asked Him questions.
Why Were They
Brought?
The next thing is, for what did they bring these
children unto Christ? Most certainly it was not to baptize them, because it
is said Christ baptized not, but the disciples, John 4:2. What then were
they brought to Christ for? One evangelist says, "He took them in his
arms and blessed them, another says, He laid his hands on them and prayed."
Children Brought That Christ Should Bless and Heal Them
All which considered, (in my judgment) it does
probably appear that they were brought to Him to be healed of some
disease, it being usual in those days that by prayer and laying on of hands, they
did heal the sick.
Of Such Is the Kingdom
of God
But the main expression in the text, to be
noted, is this, "That of such are the Kingdom of God." From these words some
gather, that all the children of believing parents, do belong to the Kingdom of
God, and if to the Kingdom of God, then to all the privileges of that kingdom.
Understanding The
Text
But (as you have heard) it will be very doubtful
whether these children had any believing parents to the fifth or sixth
degree. The text says, "for of such is the Kingdom of God," which we must
understand thus: that all the children born of the body of believers, or that
when little ones in arms do belong to the Kingdom of God, if you make this
text to countenance that error of the covenant in the flesh, which is
erroneous, as appears in that the greatest number of believer's children never
belonged in that sense to the Kingdom of God, for Adam had a Cain as well
as an Abel, Noah had a Ham as well as a Shem, Abraham had an Ishmael as
well as an Isaac, Isaac had an Esau as well as a Jacob. So I might mention all
the Scriptures wherein in like manner God does as well bring forth the
generation of the wicked out of the godly, and the generation of the elect, out
of the line of the wicked, indefinitely.
Pedobaptists Cross Christ in John 3:3-5
But, if by Kingdom of God is meant that
condition or state that men are interested in by virtue of a Covenant of Eternal
Life, and that believer's children should by birth and generation belong
to it, then this fully crosses that doctrine of Christ to Nicodemus,
John 3:5 as was formerly spoken to.
Objection
But some may say, It's possible that such a
little child may believe, because in Matt. 18:3-6, it is said, We should
not offend such little ones that believe.
Answer
If you grant that some children do believe when
little, and therefore do belong to the kingdom of God, to that I assent.
Let them be whose children they will, whether of believers, or infidels.
If they believe, they are in Christ, and so
interested in the Kingdom of God.
But what makes this for the covenant in the
flesh of carnal unbelieving
seed?
Again, if by Kingdom of God should be understood
the Jewish state or Church, and children here understood for children of
that Jewish nation, then in that sense it is true. All the children born in
the Jewish church, by virtue of their birth in that family or nation, belonged
as members to that National Church and were interested in the
Covenant of Circumcision, which was the National Covenant, and the privileges of
the same, and by natural birth were interested therein.
The True and Proper Meaning of the Text
But the true and proper meaning of the text
appears plain in Mark 10:13-15 compared together. For when He had said in the
14th verse, "of such belongeth the Kingdom of God," in verse 15
He presently says, "Verily I say unto you, whosoever receiveth not the kingdom of
God, as a little child, shall not enter therein." This interprets
these words before, "Of such is the kingdom of God." That is, of such like
in grace as these are by nature, such souls who are by God's grace, subdued and
brought into a child-like frame of spirit, they only are such as are of
the kingdom of God. For example, when the disciples reasoned as to who
should be greatest among them, Christ set before them a little child as a
pattern of humility, innocency, and harmlessness. Also the Apostle
says, "Be you children in malice, and old men in understanding," 1
Cor. 14. Peter says, "As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that
ye might grow thereby," 1 Pet. 2:7.
There
Is A Parity Held Forth Between the Natural and the Spiritual
As there is a parity held forth between a man
and his wife, and Christ and His Church, so in Scripture there is also a
parity between a child in nature, and a child in grace, as the natural
begetting and the spiritual begetting, alluding to the natural birth and the
spiritual birth by that sucking of the mother's breast, and by sucking
of the breast of God's word.
A little babe in nature will trust to his
parents. So the newborn babe will trust in Christ. If the natural babe want
anything it will go to its parents and ask them for it, so must a newborn Babe make
his request known to God in all his wants. If any thing hurt a babe, he will
cry and make his complaint to his Father, so the child of God, if any
straight oppress him, cries to God his Father. The natural child will imitate
his Father and his brethren, so the newborn babe imitates God the Father and
Christ, and the rest of his brethren. The newborn babe when young, a little
will content it, so should the newborn babe in grace, will be content in
all conditions and states. And this I understand, is the proper meaning of this
place, "Of such is the Kingdom of God," that is, of such souls who
are spiritually qualified by God's grace, answerable to little children in
nature, Matt. 18:1-6, of such godly, newborn, heavenly babes, is the kingdom
of God.This exposition agrees with the right scope of the place, and the true
analogy of faith.
Therefore, I would have you seriously to
consider that the whole word of the Lord disclaims this Covenant of Grace in the
flesh and will give no countenance to any such notion which is so
destructive in its consequence to the truth of God.
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