I am able to answer for the good effect of it. I can therefore recommend it to you with the greater confidence. Ifit succeeds in my hands, it may succeed better in your's; who, from your own judgment, will enlarge upon my several subjects in a familiar conversation with your little disciples; and thereby render these lessons more instructive, as well as more agreeable. In the way I have marked out, go on, after your own manner, and the Lord prosper you. May, 1, 1792. THE BOOK OF NATURE, &c. PART II. 1. THE CHAPTER OF CHILDREN. JESUS CHRIST took a little child, and set him forth as a pattern, to shew with what temper of mind his doctrine must be received; and that men, even the greatest and the wisest of them, must become as little children, before they can be his disciples. For the same reason the Apostle also exhorts all christians to return to the state of children, and to desire like new-born babes the sincere milk of the word. They can receive nothing on any other condition: for, is it not said, that he who will enter into the kingdom of heaven, must be born again? And he who is newly born must be in the state of a child? When a child comes to be taught, it comes in simplicity: it has no opinion, of its own to be proud of: it receives the word of God from its spiritual parent the Church, as children receive milk from the breast of their mother, and are nourished thereby. When a master undertakes to teach, he does not find his labour easier, but harder, and sometimes, hopeless, from the ill habits the scholar has acquired in teaching himself, and the opinion of his own suffi ciency. This case, though generally troublesome, is never so dangerous, as when human wisdom has been meddling with divine things: therefore, when God teaches us such things, he will have none of our wisdom to begin with. He hath warned us, that his thoughts are not like ours; that he measures good and evil by a different rule: whence it comes to pass, that a man's own wisdom will never assist him in receiving the wisdom of God. The things of God cannot be seen but by the gift, that is, by the grace of God: and his gifts are never thrown away upon a proud mind; he resisteth the proud, and sendeth away the rich empty and ignorant. And in this the judgment of God is not to be censured, but adored. I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. Matth. xi. 25. If Christianity were doubtful, or of human invention, then it would be a good way to provide ourselves with as much of our own wisdom as we could, that we might be able to judge of it but if it is from God, of whom we are unfit to judge, this method will never fail to lead us into error; and many who pursue it wander from one error to another, till they fall into total unbelief. As children are preferred to be taught of God here upon earth; so we are told, that they are received into heaven; and that the whole kingdom of God is made up of children, and of those who are like them. They who will not be taught with children, shall not go to heaven with children. Many are too proud to make children of themselves, even when they have God for their master, and therefore many will fall short of it. Try the Gospel upon a child:-he receives instruction from God without gainsaying, as he received milk from the breast of his mother. Try the same upon the wise man of nature:-he must judge of it by some rule of his own; he must put the light of the sun to some test, before he consents to see by it; and so he walks on still in darkness: he has been poring and prying, by a bad light, into things he does not understand, till he has hurt his eyes, and cannot see so much as a little child can: yet he is full of conceit, and thinks he can judge of every thing. When Elymas, the sorcerer, was struck blind, he sought for somebody to lead him by the hand but these take upon them to be guides, and think no body can go right without their leading. If the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation, blessed are they who are not offended at it, and have no reason against it; who rejoice to see the things of heaven by the light of heaven, as they adore God in his works when they see them by the light of his own sun. They, among the Jews, who became reputedly wise under a false education, were the worst hearers our Saviour ever met with, because they were fond of their own traditions, and proud of their own attainments. He that hath been taught ill, is more incapable than he who hath not been taught at all. If ye were blind, said our Saviour, ye should have no sin; but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth. This a child never says; therefore he is fit to be taught of God: and every human teacher, who begins with his scholars in their childhood, will soon find, that he does more good by teaching one child than by teaching some twenty men; which consideration is a great encouragement, and gives much hope of success to the writer of this little book. THE QUESTIONS. Q. What temper must be found in all the disciples of Jesus Christ? A.. The temper of a child. Q. Why so? A. Because no other can receive his word. Q. Why cannot men receive the Gospel as well as children? A. Because they are apt to have wrong opinions of their own, on the authority of which they presume to judge the doctrines of God. Q. Why did not the Jewish Doctors receive the Gospel? A. Because they had been ill taught, and had a great conceit of their own learning. Q. To what is the word of God compared? A. To sincere or pure milk. Q. Why so? A. Because it gives nourishment and growth to the mind, and is fit for those only who are of teachable dispositions, like children. Q. How does God treat those who are wise in their own conceit? A. He hides from them the things of heaven, so that they cannot see what a child can see. Q. To whom does he reveal mysteries? A. To babes, and to those who are like them. A. Because they are too proud to make children of themselves, even in the sight of God. |