spontaneous thing, and when it is of the right kind, it springs not from fear or interest, but from a sense of evil as evil. The best way to get a true view of our past sins is to renounce them, and get as far away from them as possible. The more completely we are changed from what we were, the more vividly shall we be struck with wonder that we ever could have been what we have been, and done what we have done. To be going over in thought all the circumstances of past sins-as books of devotion sometimes recommend-is a dangerous and unhealthy process; but when, though truly converted to God, memory flashes upon us, as it often will, glimpses of hateful thoughts and deeds long gone by; without any affectation, we shall feel ready to smite upon our breasts and cry, "God be merciful to me a sinner," and then we may safely add, as St. Paul did, I thank Christ Jesus, my Lord, who hath counted me faithful, for the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which was in Christ Jesus.*

SECTION XXXII.

LITTLE CHILDREN BROUGHT TO CHRIST.

MATTHEW Xix. 13-15; MARK X. 13-16.

THEN were brought unto Him little children, that He should put His hands on them, and

pray."

The course of events now takes us back to the

* 1 Tim. i. 14.

point where St. Matthew's Gospel is left behind by St. Luke. St. Matthew, after relating the departure of our Lord from Galilee and His arrival in the coasts of Judea beyond Jordan (between which events it would appear He visited Jerusalem and was driven from thence as related by St. John), proceeds to record several incidents which took place during our Lord's residence in these parts. His account of the period is very short compared with the full and interesting details we have in St. Luke, but he mentions some things at length, which St. Luke passes over quickly.

And first he relates the question put to Jesus by the Pharisees, as to the lawfulness of divorce. The law laid down by our Saviour on this occasion has been the law of the Christian Church ever since. They are no more twain but one flesh. What God therefore hath joined together, let not man put asunder."*

After some further conversation with the questioners and with His disciples on this subject, we have the interesting incident of young children being brought to Christ to receive His blessing.

Very natural and touching was the desire of these poor people to obtain for their infant children such a share of the great gift of the time, as they were capable of receiving They could not hear and understand His blessed words, but He might touch them, and that would be a precious distinction to be stored up and told to them hereafter when they

* See for the excepted case, ver. 9.

"Why

should be able to appreciate its value. The disciples, however, were angry, and tried to put aside the intruders. They, naturally enough, thought their Master's time too valuable to be wasted upon unconscious infants. "They rebuked them." do you trouble the Master with children? He has enough to do to satisfy the wants of grown men. Children cannot benefit by His teaching, and He has no time to spare for mere common kindnesses." "But when Jesus saw it He was," says St. Mark,

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."* They were much mistaken in supposing that little children were beneath His notice; that He could have nothing to do with them. On the contrary, they were especially near and dear to Him-they were as children members of the kingdom of God, and moreover, such as they were, such in many important characteristics, must all who aspire to be the citizens of that kingdom become. "Verily I say unto you, 'Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." "+

The mind of a very young child is open to impressions. It is receptive. There is no questioning; no "How can these things be?" Not that a child believes every one; children are often very discriminating as to the assertions of strangers; but let it come from the right source, and " papa said so, or mamma told me so," is enough for them. Well,

this is the frame of heart in which Christ says we enter the kingdom of God. We are not required blindly to surrender ourselves to any human guide, but when we hear and recognise the voice of our Father in heaven, there is not a word to be said, we must follow Him.

And

If children are indeed so near to God-if in their yet unsullied innocence," of such is the kingdom of God," how solemn is our responsibility to them! How careful should we be lest any neglect, any mistake, any evil example of ours should contaminate them and bring them under the power of evil! may not one way of doing this be to treat them with suspicion, to talk to them of their wicked hearts, their natural and inevitable sinfulness, and so forth, as is the method sometimes recommended, till at last the child looks upon itself as of the kingdom of Satan, and under a kind of necessity to sin?

It would be well if parents thought more of these words of our blessed Lord, "Of such is the kingdom of heaven," and also if they were more careful to distinguish between what is merely natural and what is sinful, so that they may not antedate the days when the conflict shall begin between the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness.*

*For instance, you offer a little child, just able to walk and speak, some sweetmeats of different sizes. He instinctively takes the largest. You shake your head and say, "Alas! there is the selfishness of our nature early exhibited." It is not selfishness, but sensuousness, a natural desire for what seems best. When he becomes able to comprehend that by taking this piece he is depriving some one else of his share, if he yet tries to get it, the battle of evil is begun. Many a fit too of what we term wicked passion is often

SECTION XXXIII.

THE YOUNG RULER'S APPLICATION TO CHRIST.

MARK X. 17-22; MATTHEW xix. 16—22; LUKE xviii. 18.

"A

ND when He was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to Him, and asked Him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life ?"

Our Lord seems to have been in the house-in doors, as we say, when the young children were brought to Him. When He had gone out, and was walking along the street or road, He was met by this new applicant-a ruler St. Luke calls him, and evidently a person of some station and importance. He was also a young man, according to St. Matthew, which fact is in character with his fervour and earnestness. He came to our Lord with expressions of deep respect, "kneeling before Him and calling IIim, Good Master." The state of mind of this young man is very interesting. He was a person apparently of blameless life, doing his duty so far as he knew it; but he could not rest satisfied with this. He was very much in earnest about his object -that object was to gain eternal life; and he thought there might be some great act, some peculiar exercise of devotion, some large deed of charity which might render his title more secure. He seems to have had a high opinion of our Lord, as of some one eminently wise and holy, and he therefore comes to Him

only the instinctive protest of the weak against the strong, and a necessary self-defence against the ignorant mistakes of the nurse.