uncommon error.

They thought that he would be annoyed

and troubled by the importunity of these parents. Perhaps they imagined that he might deem it trifling with him to ask his kind notice of the young, or feel it beneath the dignity of his office and character to notice or speak to them. Hence it was that they rebuked the parents. But they were wrong. They misinterpreted the gravity which at his age was truly venerable-the piercing look and severe tone in which he rebuked the impenitent: they knew not the full strength of that generous affection which beat in his heart for all human-kind; much as they saw in him to revere and love, they were yet but imperfectly acquainted with the generosity of his disposition, and had felt but in part the power and living grace of his

virtues.

The parents turned away in disappointment at the rebuke of the disciples. It was in reverence of Christ they had come to him. They regarded him as a sainted being whose very touch might benefit their offspringwhose blessing, uttered in prayer, might cling through life to them and avail to their virtue and happiness; and they sorrowed to think that their errand had failed, and that one of so sacred a character and worthy their deep reverence, was not to be approached. But the Master hears the request, and hastes to correct the error of his disciples, and to remove the disappointment of the applicants. Suffer little children to come unto me, said he, for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Thrice blessed words! The delighted parents heard them with transport. They pressed forward

with their little ones, and saw the condescending and amiable Jesus lay his hands upon them, and rejoiced to think that his touch had imparted some spiritual grace.

The picture is truly a delightful one-let us gaze upon it for a moment ere we proceed. See the Saviour welcoming his infant disciples! his eye looks with kindness and love upon them, he bends to them with affection, his hands are clasped over them, his prayer ascends to heaven for them; whilst the parents' eyes swim in tears of gratitude and delight.

But mark our Lord's words—of such is the kingdom of heaven. What meaning shall we attach to such words? Does he mean to commend the disposition of children—to pronounce it good and lovely? Does he intimate that disciples of maturer age, to be acceptable to him, must shew the same artlessness and simplicity, the same inoffensiveness, the same yielding temper and humble spirit? This is his meaning for he loved little children-he watched with pleasure and delight their opening dispositions, and in all his views and all his labors, for the edification and final felicity of mankind, they shared his thoughts and quickened his exertions.

And it is a lovely thing to see innocent and happy children. We look with pleasure on the smile that animates their face. We watch with warm interest their minds opening to instruction, panting after knowledge, and the speaking intelligence of their eye when some fresh idea is taken in. How joyous their spirit! how guileless their thoughts! how free from care their hearts! they have not

learnt the sorrow which comes of sin; they have not acquired the art of deceiving and betraying; their thoughts and wishes are as pure as the odour of the rose, and their sorrows as transient as an April shower. Alas! that the world should ever sully this innocence and destroy this sweetness-that it should break down this light-heartedness with sordid cares; or, conveying away these elements of happiness, deposit in their place the deadly ingredients of crime and withering remorse! And is there no remedy? Must the innocent mind be for ever tutored to evil, and the buddings of youthful virtue be scorched and withered by the fires of sin? No-no! There is a remedy. Whilst children are innocent and happy as we have described them, bring them to the Saviour. Wait not till they seek him of their own accord, lest you wait till the pleasures of sin have captivated them, and unholy thoughts and unseemly companions have led them in a direction fatal to their welfare; but guide them to him whilst their hearts are untainted, and their souls begin to expand to the perception of good and sacred things. This is the time to secure them from evil, and to obtain for them his blessing. But how bring them to the Saviour ? He does not now walk the earth in the sight of men, rousing them to just and good thoughts, and as the sower scatters his seed, spreading the blessings of heaven and happiness on every side. The parent cannot now hang with delight on the prayer audibly pronounced by Jesus over his child, nor the infant eye gaze on his sacred person. True, infants cannot be guided to his presence nor received in his arms;

but they may be taught to know him and to love him. In a figurative sense they may be led to him; for their enquiring and eager minds will soon learn to think of him in his sacred character, to understand the interest which he feels for them, and to be grateful for the kindness with which others like themselves were once honored by him. Let them be told of the engaging manner in which he received the young of ancient days. Let them hear the kind things he said of them, the admiration he expressed of their simple innocence; not to excite feelings of vanity in their young minds, but to prepare them for hearing more of him, and learning to preserve that sweetness of disposition and guileless simplicity, which their Saviour loved and commended. His own condescension prepares the way for this. Children naturally love those of maturer age who are kind to them and condescending, who manifest an interest in them and endeavour to call forth their young affections; and would they not begin to love, as a kind and gentle friend, the Saviour of the world, if they were made acquainted with his kind feelings towards them-his kind expressions respecting them-and the willingness and tenderness with which he received the youngest of them to his arms? Their affections once engaged for him, they would listen with increasing interest to plain and simple statements of the objects for which be appeared upon earth. Moved by that ever active curiosity which belongs so peculiarly to their age, they would anticipate the endeavours of their parents and instructors; and hasten, by their ingenious questions, those explanations which we advise to

be made to them at a very early period. And the curiosity which points in this direction, at the same time that it is gratified, may have its issue in consequences the most desirable and happy, inasmuch as the gratification of it may be accompanied with that moral and religious training whose advantages no mind can fully estimate, unless the final glory and felicity of Christ's disciples be justly understood and felt.

We say again, therefore, with anxious solicitude for so interesting a part of the Christian church, let little children be brought to Christ. Teach them to love him, and they will be prepared to reverence what he says to them. And when they are told that God sent him forth to teach men to be good and happy, and how he labored to carry forward this great and good work; when they can understand that he gave up life to accomplish it, and for his obedience unto death was made the Prince of Life; when their opening minds can perceive the connexion between the religious goodness of men upon earth and the happiness of the land in which Jesus prepares places for his faithful disciples; we may hope and expect that they will be prepared for more important communications, and for loving that goodness, and endeavouring to show it forth, which Jesus loved in others like themselves. Their love for Jesus exerted and strengthened by their parents, will give interest and importance to all that are taught of his instructions to the Jews, and the manner in which he lived among them. Happily for them, it can scarcely be neces