The Author has no apology to make for the sentiments propounded in the following Discourse; though he claims the indulgence of his readers for the imperfect manner in which they are maintained. And he prays that this humble effort "to set forward the salvation of children" may be blessed by Him, who was their loving friend on earth, is now their advocate in heaven, and must therefore look with complacency upon every attempt made for the advancement of their spiritual interest.

SANDBACH,

DEC. 9, 1830.

A SERMON,

ETC. ETC.

MATTHEW, xviii. 14.

*EVEN SO, IT IS NOT THE WILL OF YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN, THAT ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES SHOULD PERISH."

THE circumstances, which led to this declaration, were these: the disciples, under the influence of those carnal notions respecting the Messiah's reign, which for a long time darkened their view of its real character, came to Jesus, saying, "Who shall be greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" that is, who shall have the chief place of dignity in that mighty empire which the Messiah is about to establish on earth?

And Jesus, after a mode of teaching common in the East, placed before their eyes a living, pal

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pable illustration of the lesson, which this question gave him an opportunity of inculcating. He "called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, except be converted," from all lofty, ambitious desires, "and become as" free from them as "little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever, therefore, shall thus humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

And then, by a beautiful transition, from the child to those humble disciples so strikingly represented by it, the full force of which one must have seen the Saviour's look to have felt, he said, “Whosoever shall receive one such little child," one such humble believer, "in my name, receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Take heed, therefore, that ye despise not one of these little ones." And that you may not think it beneath you to regard them with kindness and attention, "I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven," that is, (as interpreted by Whitby,) "the angels of heaven, which are ministering spirits to

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them, stand always in the presence of God ready to receive his commands concerning them." highly do the very angels esteem them.

Nay, moreover, even the "Son of Man is come to save that which was lost"-to seek and to save these little ones which must otherwise have perished. "How think ye? if a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. "Even so, it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish."

And this, my brethren, was, no doubt, spoken by the Saviour respecting, not only his humble disciples of that period, but all future ones; and especially respecting little children, for whom he ever shewed the tenderest regard.

Now the words of the text contain something more than a negative assertion. Our Saviour meant by them, not merely that it is not the will of our heavenly Father that these little ones should perish. The expression, by a peculiar figure of