Christian knowledge and the grace of God, remembering, that to profane the Lord's day, to neglect the holy facrament, to despise the advice and admonitions of your fpiritual guides, is to defpife the Lord; and I need not tell you what they are to expect who do fo.

Be fure to let no day pafs without begging God's pardon and bleffing; for to neglect this duty, is a fure way to lead you into an indifference for God and goodness. What is the reafon that you refpect your parents? Is it not because you frequently receive good from them? And do you hope to keep a love for God in your hearts, unless you conftantly pray to him, and conftantly give him thanks for his favours; ever remembering, that it is as impoffible to live a good life without God's grace and affistance, as it is to live without food? And pray believe me, in a matter which very nearly concerns you, when I do affure you, it is much easier now to begin to live a Chriftian life, than it will be hereafter. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before evil company has corrupted you, before evil habits have got dominion over you, before the love of the world has got poffeffion of your hearts; for then it will be hard indeed to turn to the Lord with all your heart, when fin and hell have got the dominion over you.

In one word; as you hope to be faved, (and who is there that does not?) confider what you

you are doing, That you are going to dedicate yourselves to God, with the full confent of your own wills; and that you have only this choice for the future, either you must be God's fervants, doing his will, and ferving him faithfully all the days of your lives; or the devil will take you into his fervice, and you are undone for ever.

But may God blefs, protect, and govern you all your days; may he poffefs your hearts with fuch a lively fenfe of his great mercy in bringing you from the power of Satan unto God, in giving you an early right to his holy covenant, and an early knowledge of your duty, that you may honestly devote yourselves to his fervice, that you may receive the fullnefs of his grace, and be able to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.

And as he has made you his children by adoption, may he bring you in his good time to his everlasting kingdom, for Jefus Chrift's fake. To whom, &c.

SERMON

SERMON LXXXIV.

PREACHED AT A CONFIRMATION.

THE INSTRUCTION OF CHILDREN IN THE KNOW. LEDGE AND FEAR OF GOD ONE GREAT PART. OF THE DUTY OF PARENTS.

Deut. vi. 6, 7.

THESE WORDS WHICH I COMMAND THEE THIS DAY, SHALL BE IN THINE HEART; AND THOU SHALT TEACH THEM DILIGENTLY UNTO THY CHILDREN.*

TH

HAT is, as ever you value your own or your children's happiness, you must endeavour to fix and preferve in their hearts, the knowledge, the fear, and the love of God, what he has commanded, and what he has forbidden; for, without this they will be unhappy in this world, and in the next undone for ever.

To fear God, and to keep his commands, is the whole duty and happiness of man. Forafmuch as God has declared and determined, that he will bring every work into judgment, and every fecret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. And they that have done

See Prov. xxii. 6.

• Ecclef. xii. 13.

good,

good, who have led good lives, fhall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, who have led idle and wicked lives, and have not repented, and brought forth fruits meet for repentance, fhall go into everlasting fire."

Certainly, parents do not confider this fo well as they fhould do, or they would not fuffer their children to grow wild and wicked, and ignorant of God, and of their duty, as too many of them do.

Parents are obliged, both by nature and grace, to take care of their own children; to iuftruct, to reftrain, and to correct them.And they that do not fo, do, by a juft judgment of God, bring upon themselves forrow, and upon their country a curfe, by breeding up fo many children of Satan, to corrupt their neighbours.

Parents are very often the greatest enemies that their children have. Some leave them riches, not always honeftly gotten; and these become a curse to their children, and not a bleffing.

Others ftrive all their life long to leave their children a great deal, which too often becomes a fnare and a temptation; makes their children forget their dependance upon God, and the duty they owe their Maker.

Many, very many parents are fo blind, that they cannot, or fo perverfe that they will not, fee their children's faults, nor correct them. Such parents very often live to see their chil

Matth. xxv.

dren,