CHILD, CHILDREN, SONS
These are variously used in Scripture, to denote one and the same. All the race of Israel are called the children of Israel. And in like manner, the children of God in Christ are called, children of the kingdom. But these things are so obvious and plain, that I should not have thought it necessary, in a work of this kind, purposely contracted into the narrowest compass, to have noticed the word Child, but for the introducing a short observation on the term itself, as applied to the Lord Jesus Christ. On his account I think it important, and the reader will, I hope, forgive me.
We meet with the word Child, in relation to Jesus, several times in Scripture; but there are two places where it occurs, with a peculiar emphasis of expression, and where the word holy is prefixed, as if to give it an endearedness to the believer's heart. The passages I refer to are in the prayer of the church, on that memorable occasion when the Lord answered, by an immediate shaking of the place where they were assembled. (Acts 4:27-30) "Of a truth, Lord, against thy holy child Jesus, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together. And now, Lord, grant that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus." I know not whether the reader enters with me into an apprehension of the very great loveliness, as well as importance, of the expression, in respect to the holy child Jesus; but I cannot but think, that the church, in this prayer, laid the whole stress, for their prayers being answered, upon the person of Jesus, in the holiness of that nature; which nature the church considered as its own. And for the complete justification of the church, the Lord Jesus took that nature in its perfect holiness. So that as the church then did, so may, and so ought, all believers now to rest the whole hope and expectation of an answer to all their prayers before the throne, upon the sole ground of the same sweet and lovely expression, sent up to God Father, "by the name of thy holy child Jesus." Nothing, among the Hebrews was a more afflictive providence, than to no children; probably with an eye to the promised seed. Hence Abraham, the great father the faithful, when the Lord promised, that he himself would be his shield, and his exceeding reward, said, Lord God, "what wilt thou give me seeing I go childless?" (Genesis 15:1-2) And the punishment the Lord appointed to unnatural alliances, was to bear their sins in dying childless. (Leviticus 20:20) And in the case of Coniah, the Lord said, "Write this man childless," (Jeremiah 22:30) It were well among Christians, if this was well understood. How many consider a large family the reverse, and overlook that Scripture, which declares the man "happy, that hath his quiver full of children!" (Psalms 127:5)