Christs School, Class 1 · Part 1
I. That there is ſuch a ſtate.
THE word Babe is uſed ſometimes in a natural, In foreign, and foreign.and other times in a Metaphorical ſenſe: in a Natural ſenſe, and thus, 1. A Child in the Womb is called (foreign) a Babe, as Luke 1.44. The Babe leapt in my Womb for joy. 2. A Child new-born is called a Babe, as was our Saviour once, Luke 2.12. and 16. Ye ſhall find the Babe wrapt in ſwadling cloaths. 3. 'Tis uſed alſo to denote children grown up (as I may ſay) to Boys and Girls, ſo in Matth. 21.16. Out of the mouths of Babes and ſucklings, thou haſt perfected praiſe: and though the word there uſed for Babes be (foreign, which Etymologiſts derive from (foreign à non fando) becauſe they cannot ſpeak) a word that often ſignifies one that cannot ſpeak, and is joyn'd with Sucklings which are uſually ſuch; yet theſe were ſpeaking and praiſing Babes, for they cryed Hoſannah to the Son of David, and are called (foreign) Children, Verſ. 15. Laſtly, 'Tis uſed indefinitely for Children (of any underage) that ſurvive their Parents (Pſal. 17.14. they leave the reſt to their Babes) ſuch as we call Orphans.
2. In foreign.The word Babe is uſed (when applyed to Morals) in a Metaphorical ſenſe, and that firſt by way of commendation, and excellency, as 1 Cor. 14.20. Brethren, be not Children in underſtanding, but in malice (or in evil) be ye Children (foreign) be ye Babes, but in underſtanding be men (foreign) perfect. Thus to be Babes, as to unacquaintedneſs with evil, were an excellency worthy of our ambition. Secondly, Babe is uſed by way of diminution, derogation and diſparagement, to ſet out the defectiveneſs of perſons in underſtanding and other attainments, Iſa 3.4. oppoſed to them in Verſ. 2.3. ſo 'tis oppoſed to men, or being perſect in underſtanding, 1 Cor. 13.11. and 14.20. and joyned with fooliſh, Rom. 2.20. 'Tis all one as to be (a Servant) in bondage to the rudiments of the world, oppoſed to the adoption of Sons, or having the ſpirit of Sons, Gal. 4.1,—6. it notes unſteadineſs and inſtability, ſuch are toſſed to and ſro, Eph. 4.14. In which places the word ſhould be tranſlated Babes and not Children, as ſometimes 'tis. It notes an ignorance or unskilfulneſs, Heb. 5.13. oppoſed to them who have their ſenſes exerciſed to diſtinguiſh and diſcern things, and conſequently to approve of what is beſt.
'Tis in this laſt Metaphorical and Moral ſenſe that I am to ſpeak of Babes, and by the way 'tis, perhaps, not unworthy of obſervation, that in the Metaphorical ſenſe foreign is but once uſed (as I remember) and that by St. Peter, 1 Epheſ. 2.2. but foreign is the word ſo frequently uſed by St. Paul; though by both they mean the ſame ſtate of perſons, as appears by the Milk which both mention when they ſpeak of theſe Babes. Now that theſe metaphorical Babes (be they young or old for years) are a ſort of profeſſers inferiour to, and of a lower rank than, the foreign, little Children which St. John ſpeaks to, I evince not only from the different words uſed, and that ſo frequently *Of which before in the Introduction.(which is not inconſiderable) but from the characters and proper attainments of the one and the other ſtate, which is the beſt proof, and indeed, ſuch as is undeniable and cannot be gain-ſayed.
The word (foreign) which in John is rendred little Children, is once uſed by Paul to denote want or weakneſs of underſtanding, 1 Cor. 14.20. My Brethren, be not Children in underſtanding; that therefore it cannot be meant in that place of theſe little Children which John ſpeaks of is clear as the Sun, for this is the excellency which John attributes to them, that they know the Father, they are called little Children from knowledge, which notes an underſtanding that amounts to aſſurance; but Babes (conſidered in nature or in grace) know not their Father: ſo that from this very character 'tis apparent that the ſtate or rank of Babes is below that of little Children, theſe are Sons and know it, but Babes (though they be, yet) know not, i. e. have not the aſſurance that they are ſo: though they have the things that do aſſure, yet they have not (for want of light) either the aſſurance of the things, or aſſurance by them: but are in this ſenſe foreign, not reprobates (as we read it) but without proof, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks to the Corinthian Babes, 2 Cor. 13.5. They ſought a proof of Paul's Apoſtleſhip, and he requires a proof of their Converſion, but they were leſs able to prove this, than he was able to prove that, as Verſ. 6. He was not (foreign) but they were (foreign) without proof. So that though they had grace, yet it was ſo weak in its actings & operations that it afforded them no aſſurance, as ſtrong and vigorous grace uſeth to do.
The Star-light of their grace is not clear enough in Babes to diſcern their converſation by it, and many times 'tis clouded too, that the Stars do not appear: and though grace live in their hearts, yet the light and comfort of it may be wanting; for though every man having the power of reflecting upon his own actions, can diſcern what thoughts are in him and what affections, and can tell what he loves, what he fears and grieves for, and the like; yet he may ſtill be queſtioning and doubting whether this his love, ſear, grief, &c. be gracious, ſpiritual, and truly holy actings or not: whereof the reaſon is this, becauſe though the Spirit which is in a man knows the things of a man, 1 Cor. 2.11. Yet what is the true worth of theſe things which are in him, and whether given him of God, and wrought in him by God unto Salvation, this we cannot know but by a ſupervening light of the Spirit, who is not only the worker of Grace in us, but is given us to diſcover and enlighten it to us, Verſ. 12. Now without this light or Teſtimony of the Spirit (which the little Children have, but Babes have not) 'tis with them as with the natural man, who knows not the things of the Spirit, Verſ. 14. Whereas the ſpiritual man judgeth all things wrought in him by the Spirit by the light thereof: Now Babes not being ſpiritual (but as carnal) 1 Cor. 3.1. the Apoſtle could not write of ſuch things as he did to the ſpiritual, chap. 2.13. but was ſain to ſeed them with milk (like Babes as they were) for they were not able (as the ſpiritual were) to bear meat, viz. ſtrong meat, having weak ſtomachs, chap. 3.2. They like the Hebrews could hear of and believe in Chriſt, in ſome kind, but to take him as Chriſt crucified, as the great high Prieſt, as their righteouſneſs, they were yet in great part to learn and to digeſt; which was the caſe both of the Corinthian and Hebrew Babes, as will appear more anon by comparing 1 Cor. 3.2. with Heb. 5.10, 11. &c. for then by theſe diſtinct attainments and characters 'tis (as I hope) made plain that there is a Claſſis and Form of Babes in Chriſt, who are a degree below the little Children: and of this ſtate of Babes I ſhall treat firſt, becauſe they are the beginning of the new Creation of God; and I am apt to believe that the Kingdom of God and of Chriſt, in Heaven and in Earth, is made up and filled up more of theſe than of any other ſort, not to ſay than of all the other ſorts: that is to ſay, that there are more Babes in Chriſt, than there are Children or Young men or Fathers: to which peradventure that ſaying of our Saviour may bear a Teſtimony, in a fuller ſenſe than 'tis commonly underſtood, though I doubt not but the foreign little Children there ſpoken of be meant in a natural and litteral ſenſe. The place is Mark 10.14. Suffer the little Children to come to me, and forbid them not, for of ſuch is the Kingdom of God: Of Infants or Babes (for ſo foreign muſt there ſignifie, Chriſt taking them into his arms, Verſ. 16.) I ſay of Infants (both in a natural and ſpiritual ſenſe) doth the Kingdom of Heaven conſiſt, as well as, if not more than, of others.