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Page 7
In short all churches that have paid much attention to theology,
and have been careful to have consistent systems of doctrine, agree on
this point. However much those who call themselves by their names may
deny it, in their preaching and in their conversation, their own
confessions of faith and their greatest and best theologians clearly
teach it.
Yes, there must be infant regeneration. But is it possible? Can
the Grace of God reach the helpless infant? Will He reach down and
make it a new creature in Christ Jesus? Has He made provision for this
end? Yes, thanks be to his abounding Grace, we believe He can and will
save the child, and has committed to His spouse, the Church, a means
of Grace for this purpose. He, of whom it was prophesied long before
He came, that He would "_gather the lambs in His arms and carry them
in His bosom_;" who made it the first duty of the reinstated apostle
to _feed His lambs_, must have a special care for them. It is not His
or His Father's will "_that one of them should perish_." He has made
provision for these sin-stricken ones, whereby His Grace can reach
down to renew and heal them. There is Balm in Gilead. The Great
Physician is there. The Church need only apply His divine, life-giving
remedy. Of this we will speak in the next chapter.
CHAPTER III.
THE PRESENT, A DISPENSATION OF MEANS.
We have seen that the carnal, sinful nature of the child unfits
it for the kingdom of heaven; that, therefore, there must be a change
in that nature, even the birth of a new life, and the life of a new
creature, before there can be either part or lot in the kingdom of
God. We have also expressed our firm conviction that it is the good
and gracious will of God in Christ to bestow upon the poor sin-sick
and unholy child the Grace needed to so change it as to make it a
partaker of His great salvation. We do not deem it necessary to stop
to multiply scripture passages and arguments to prove this.
From beginning to end, the divine Word everywhere represents our
God as a most loving, gracious, compassionate and tender Being. The
tenor of the whole record is, that He delights in showing mercy,
forgiving iniquity, and bestowing the Grace that bringeth salvation.
He only punishes when justice absolutely demands it, and then
reluctantly. It is not His will that any should perish.
Beyond controversy, God is _willing_ to save the little helpless
sufferers from sin, by making them subjects of His kingdom of Grace
here, and thus of His kingdom of glory hereafter.
But _can_ He? Is He able to reach down to that unconscious
little child, apply to it the benefits of the atonement, impart to it
the Grace of the new life, subdue the power of sin, and remove
entirely its guilt? We are almost ashamed to ask such questions. And
yet the humiliating fact is, that day by day, in every village and on
every highway of our land, we can hear men and women, professing to be
Christians and calling themselves members of Christ's Church, gravely
asserting that their Redeemer cannot so bless a little child as to
change its sinful nature! If hard pressed, these persons, so wise in
their own conceits, may admit that He can change a child's nature if
He so wills, but they still feel certain that he cannot do so through
His own sacrament, instituted for that very purpose! Thus would they
limit the Holy One of Israel, and say to Omnipotence: "Hitherto canst
Thou come, but no farther."
With such people, wise above what is written, knowing better than
Christ, practically, even if not intentionally, charging the Son of
God with folly, we desire no controversy. Let them overthrow the very
foundations of redemption if they will. Let them argue that all things
are not possible with God if they dare. We still prefer to believe
that the Spirit of God _can_ change, renew and regenerate the new-born
child. In Matt. iii. 9, we read; "_For I say unto you that God is able
of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham_," _i.e._, as the
connection shows, spiritual children of Abraham, true children of God.
We may not be able to understand the process by which God could
change the rough, hard stones of the field into true children of God,
but we believe it, because the Word says so. And believing that, it is
not hard for us to believe that He can impart His own divine life to
the heart of the child, and thus make it a new creature in Christ
Jesus.
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