tates, if his house, or his body, or any thing be out of order, he is in discontent, because it is here that he seeks content, and therefore is troubled when he misseth of it. So is it with a believer in respect of Christ. If God hide his face, if the Spirit seem to withdraw, if Christ seem strange to him, if doubts of salvation come in upon his soul, he is as a bone out of joint, pained and troubled, and nothing will quiet him till he be set in joint again. Like a child that will be quieted with nothing but that which he cries for. If you offer him any thing else, he throweth it away, for that is not it which he crieth for. So is it with this poor Christian; if you tell him of riches, or honour, or pleasure, and not of Christ, and grace, and glory, you do but trouble him, for these are not the things that he looks after. There is but one thing in the world that can give him content; let him have that and he hath enough. O, did he but know that God is reconciled to him, and that he is united to Christ, and the Spirit is in him, and that he is in the safe way to the kingdom of glory, then if he have but food and raiment he can therewith be content. Yea, or if he were without them, if God so dispose of it. For he hath learned by the teaching of converting grace, to abound and to want, and in what state soever he is, therewith to be content. And therefore, his conversation is without covetousness, and he is content with such things as he hath, because God hath promised him that he will never leave him nor forsake him". So this is another fruit of conversion about men's content, or discontent. Having said thus much of the change of the affections, I might proceed to shew you, what particular reigning sins it is, that this work doth cast out of the heart, and what particular graces it there setteth up, and so go over all the chief sins and graces. But because this would hold me longer than I intend to stand upon this subject, and because these are comprehended in the change already mentioned, I shall pass these over; only that part which my text doth particularly express, I take it to be my duty particularly to handle. "Except ye become as little children." You see here, that Christ placeth much of the work of conversion in the " 1 Tim. vi. 8. P Phil. iv. 11. ¶ Heb. xiii. 5 making us to become "as little children." I shall here, therefore, stay awhile to tell you, 1. What is not meant by this; and 2. What is meant by it. 1. Christ doth not by this intend, that little children are altogether innocent, and that there is nothing in them that is hateful to God: for certainly they have all original sin; for who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? or how can the parents beget holy children that are unholy themselves? and righteous children, that are themselves unrighteous? I mean, without sin, when they are not themselves without sin. I remember what an outcry there was once against me in this town, for saying, that children by nature, considered as sinful and unsanctified, were as hateful in the eyes of God, as any toads or serpents are in ours: so that the people railed at me as I went along the streets; but doubtless the comparison is far too short; for every child by nature hath original sin, and sin is more hateful to God a thousand times, than any toad or serpent is to us. And therefore it is not by nature that children are righteous, or come to heaven. But it is by grace, through the blood of Christ that washeth them; and the covenant that forgiveth them; and baptism that sealeth this unto them; and they are capable also of the Spirit, to sanctify them. If there were not a willing nature in infants disposing them to evil, before they do it; as there is a stinging venomous nature in a serpent before he stings, or in a wasp even in the comb. How should it come to pass, that children should be so forward to evil as soon as they can commit it? Why are they not as forward to good? If children be not by nature, through original sin, even hateful to God, what need have we of the blood of Christ, to wash them and cleanse them from it? And of the water of baptism to seal this cleansing? Doubtless, there is not an infant in the world but would be for ever damned, if Christ's blood did not procure their pardon and reconciliation with God. It is not therefore in absolute innocence, that Christ here means that we must become as little children, before we can enter into the kingdom. 2. Nor yet is it in point of safety from the wrath of God, as if every child, or any by nature, were free from all dan9 Fifteen years ago. ger of everlasting perdition. By grace many are, but by nature none at all. From the hour of their birth many may be sanctified; but it is the covenant of grace, and the grace of the covenant, that sanctifieth them, and not the parent or nature. The things, therefore, that Christ intendeth in the words of my text, are these two : First, That as children are but men entered into the world, and beginning their lives, and all things are new to them, so he that will be saved, must by conversion, as it were, begin the world anew. I pray you mark it, sirs, for Christ hath not given you this doctrine and example for nothing. Therefore it is that we find so often in Scripture mention made, of laying by, or destroying, or putting off the old man. In Rom. vi. 6. “ Our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." He that hath truly learned Christ, " hath put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and are renewed in the spirit of their mind; and put on the new man, which after God. is created in righteousness and true holiness." "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which things' sake, the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience in the which ye also walked sometimes, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him t." Upon consideration of which great change, they are said also to be "dead, and risen again, and their life now hidden with Christ in God "." You see then that here is an old man to be put off, and destroyed, and a new man to be put on. That is, there must be such a change of the qualities of the soul, and the practice of the life, that a man must not, in his affection and conversation, be the same man that he was before. For though he be the same in r 1 Cor. vii. 14. Eph. iv. 22. t Col. iii. 5-10. substance and person, and the natural faculties of his soul, yet not the same in disposition and practice. In regard of his old corrupt disposition and conversation, he is called the old man, and in regard of his new disposition and conversation, he is called the new man. As a man that hath been an ill husband, and run out of all, and having nothing left, is cast into prison, and when he lieth there, he bethinks him of his folly, and at last a friend comes and payeth his debts, and setteth him up again, and giveth him a stock to trade with; we say of this man, he begins the world anew.' So when a poor sinner is in prison, under the wrath of God for his sin, and Christ comes in his gospel and telleth him, 'I have paid thy debt, and now I will set thee free, and give thee the help of my Spirit, and means; only see thou be faithful to me, and make better use of my mercy for the time to come.' Now this converted sinner is to begin the world, as it were, anew. As a man that hath fallen into a fever, that hath consumed all his flesh to the very bones, when he is cured his natural parts do make him new blood and flesh again. So when Christ hath cured the diseased soul, the old flesh is as it were consumed, and we are made anew. As a man that hath missed his way at the first setting out, and gone the contrary way all day, and at last comes to know that he was all this while out of his way, he is then to begin his journey anew. So is it with the converted man. When the illumination of the Spirit by the word, doth acquaint him, that he hath all this while been out of the way to heaven, he turneth again and saith, “ I am now to begin my life again.' The building that he hath been setting up all this while, is blown down by the breath of God's displeasure, or consumed by the fire of his curse. And therefore he must begin again, and build all anew from the very ground. Not an earthly building like the old, but a spiritual house for himself, that may be fit for his holy Spirit to dwell in. And may attain at last to the building not made with hands, eternal in the heavens ". I beseech you, beloved hearers, mark this as we go, and see whether this be so with your own souls. I must tell every carnal, worldly sinner of you all, in the name of God, that your old condition is a miserable condition, and will y 2 Cor. v. 1, 2. * Rom. viii. 11. 2 Tim. i. 54. not serve the turn of heaven. If ever you will be saved, you must become as little children, and even begin the world anew. A new heart you must have, a new life you must lead, a new course you must take, and a new end you must aim at, and intend. But of this I must speak more anon, under the further proof and application. f Secondly, Another thing that Christ here principally intendeth in the text, is, that we must become as little children, in regard of humility, and all our designs and contrivances of the world. Though this be not the whole that he intends, yet this is the very reason for which he mentioneth the whole work of conversion, as necessary to salvation; and therefore he particularly giveth instance in this part: though children have the seed of all these in their natures, yet are they not acquainted with the acts of all, even when they begin to be acquainted with some. Children will very young shew their frowardness and disobedience, and sensuality, and some pride, but not by aspiring after great things in the world, and seeking after dominions, and dignities, and honours. They are in no care for enlarging possessions, for heaping up riches, for buying lands and lordships; they envy not the princes and lords of the world, but are as well contented with their lower matters, as kings and emperors are with their crowns; if they have meat, and drink, and clothes, and play, they are pleased: you never hear them murmur that they are not preferred to this office or that, in church or commonwealth: they do not contrive how to undermine others; nor to get above them in worldly dignities; nor to blast the name of others, that they may magnify their own. They disdain not those of the lowest rank; but the children of a lord, will play familiarly, if they be not dissuaded by others, with the children of beggars: in a word, though they have pride, and shew it in lower things, yet do they not look after the great matters of the world, as ambitious and covetous persons do. And this is the thing that Christ intendeth to his disciples, and to all Christians, that if ever they will enter into the kingdom of heaven, they must lay by their pride and vainglory, and covetousness, and become as little children to all these honours and riches of the world. So that it is plain, that Christ maketh humility an essential part of the |