The Father, then, revealed his things to babes, because the babes were his own little ones, uncorrupted by the wisdom or the care of this world, and therefore able to receive them.  The others, though his children, had not begun to be like him, therefore could not receive them.  The Father’s things could not have got anyhow into their minds without leaving all their value, all their spirit, outside the unchildlike place.  The babes are near enough whence they come, to understand a little how things go in the presence of their father in heaven, and thereby to interpret the words of the Son.  The child who has not yet ‘walked above a mile or two from’ his ‘first love,’ is not out of touch with the mind of his Father.  Quickly will he seal the old bond when the Son himself, the first of the babes, the one perfect babe of God, comes to lead the children out of the lovely ‘shadows of eternity’ into the land of the ‘white celestial thought.’  As God is the one only real father, so is it only to God that any one can be a perfect child.  In his garden only can childhood blossom.

The leader of the great array of little ones, himself, in virtue of his firstborn childhood, the first recipient of the revelations of his father, having thus given thanks, and said why he gave thanks, breaks out afresh, renewing expression of delight that God had willed it thus:  ‘Even so, father, for so it seemed good in thy sight!’ I venture to translate, ’Yea, O Father, for thus came forth satisfaction before thee!’ and think he meant, ’Yea, Father, for thereat were all thy angels filled with satisfaction,’ The babes were the prophets in heaven, and the angels were glad to find it was to be so upon the earth also; they rejoiced to see that what was bound in heaven, was bound on earth; that the same principle held in each.  Compare Matt, xviii. 10 and 14; also Luke xv. 10.  ’See that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you that their angels in heaven do always behold the face of my father which is in heaven....  Thus it is not the will before your father which is in heaven,’—­among the angels who stand before him, I think he means,—­’that one of these little ones should perish.’  ’Even so, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.’

Having thus thanked his father that he has done after his own ’good and acceptable and perfect will’, he turns to his disciples, and tells them that he knows the Father, being his Son, and that he only can reveal the Father to the rest of his children:  ’All things are delivered unto me of my father; and no one knoweth the son but the father; neither knoweth any one the father save the son, and he to whomsoever the son willeth to reveal him.’  It is almost as if his mention of the babes brought his thoughts back to himself and his father, between whom lay the secret of all life and all sending—­yea, all loving.  The relation of the Father and the