honourably have fome leaned to unfuitable connexions for their children, when there hath been a large outward profpect! It is to be feared divers parents have looked at little elfe. This hath fometimes appeared to have been the cafe, by the flight put upon the offers of thofe, who have wanted nothing to recommend them but wealth; the want of which, in the eye of fuch, has proved fo offenfive, that they seem to have been rejected on that account. This is very wrong, and ought never to have entrance amongst any profeffing the Christian name; "For the earth is the Lord's, " and the fulness thereof *”. Some perhaps may think I am very close and fevere upon parents; that it is not always their fault when children take undue liberties; (which I have already granted) that they are frequently very selfwilled and ungovernable. This is indeed faying fomething, when children become their own rulers by age, or otherwise, and have to cloath and provide for themselves; but I think it has little weight whilst their parents provide for them, who have not only power to advise and perfuade, but also to command and reftrain, They certainly may and ought to be abfolute, in cafes where the teftimony of truth is in danger of fuffering. It is very obfervable, that Eli was greatly blamed, because he, having power, did not restrain his wicked fons; though it plainly appears he much *Thefe hints are not intended to encourage any to afpire after great shings; but that all fhould, with a fingle eye, earnestly feek for divine counfel, both in making and accepting offers for marriage. ' difapproved of their practices, and expoftulated with them on that account, and laid before them the pernicious confequences of their evil conduct, Oh! how very affecting it is, to confider the fearful calamities which came upon that house; and alfo upon Ifrael, probably in fome measure on the fame account. The neglect and imprudent indulgence of parents in the training up their children, is alfo a painful loss to the fociety, as the consequence thereof tends greatly to obftruct the progrefs of truth, by ftanding in the way of ferious enquirers as ftumbling-blocks; when it is feen by fuch, that the fame undue liberties they are called out of, are indulged amongst us, they are offended. Oh! that parents, children, and all who are unfaithful, and who eafily fuffer the important branches of our Chriftian teftimony to fall (as indeed they would all appear, if they were feen in a true light) would deeply confider the mournful consequence thereof, by retarding the progrefs of truth, and grievously eclipfing the beauty of Sion! Then I greatly hope a more lively zeal and holy ardour would prevail, and that the carelefs fons and daughters thereof would arife, and shake themfelves from the duft of the earth, putting on the beautiful garment of holinefs and truth, that fhe might become more and more a praife in the earth. Having offered a few remarks concerning the important duty of parents, it now remains to do the fame refpecting the indifpenfible duty of children to honour and obey their parents in the Lord, which 7 which is ftrongly enjoined in the holy fcriptures, .. 12. The command is, "Honour thy father and Exod. xx. thy mother, that thy days may be long upon "the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." Read Matt. xv. 4. Mark vii. 10. Luke xviii. 20. Eph. vi. 2, 3. In that which is confiftent with the law of God, no children can ftand acquitted before the fupreme Judge, for difobeying or difhonouring their parents. This obedience and honour not only extend to the yielding to what they enjoin or direct, but alfo to the preservation of a reverent awe, and honourable esteem in the heart, arifing from a bottom of love, which would on all juft occafions cherish and protect them. It is a fin of a deep dye to difregard and flight parents, as appears by Deut. xxvii. 16. “ Curfed be "he that fetteth light by his father or his mo"ther;" and Prov. xxx. 17. "The eye that "mocketh at his father, and defpifeth to obey "his mother, the ravens of the valley fhall pick "it out, and the young eagles fhail eat it." Chap. xxiii. 22. "Hearken unto thy father, and despise "not thy mother when she is old." Chap. xxviii. 24. "Whofo robbeth his father or his mother, "and faith, It is no tranfgreffion, the fame is the companion of a destroyer." On the other hand, very memorable was the kind and watchful Providence which attended fuch as feared the Lord, and thofe who loved, honoured, and obeyed their parents; as Jacob, Jofeph, C 2 1 Dan. iii. Jofeph, Ruth, Samuel, and David; alfo the Rechabites. Read the account concerning them, Jer. xxxv. Refpecting such as lived in the fear of the Lord, let me recommend the cafe of Daniel, and the three children, who, because of their faithfulness to God, were preserved unhurt, when by their adverfaries expofed to the greatest torment and danger. It would far exceed the bounds of my intention, to particularize all those excellent patterns and examples we are favoured with the account of, which are wonderfully adapted to instruct, encourage, and improve the youth, as well as others. There are alfo, for caution and warning, examples and very affecting inftances of fearful judgments and dreadful calamities, which fell upon the rebellious and gainfayers. May the tender minds of youth, by reading these things, (as recorded in the holy fcriptures and other good books) be deeply impreffed with proper fentiments concerning good and evil, and the very different rewards of virtue and vice, both in this world, and in the world to come. It is a very commendable, as well as a very profitable thing, to be converfant in thofe facred writings. Remember what Paul faid of his beloved 2 Tim. iii. fon Timothy, viz. "From a child thou hast known "the holy fcriptures, which are able to make thee "wife unto falvation, through faith which is in "Chrift Jefus. All fcripture given by inspiration "of God, is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, "for correction, for inftruction in righteousness; "that "that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly "furnished unto all good works." But let the youth and all duly confider, that the profiting by these facred writings entirely depends upon the holy living powerful faith of Christ, which worketh by love, purifying the heart; and whereby we come to see him who is invifible, and confequently to understand the precious myfteries of his kingdom, as far as is proper and neceffary for us to know them, which is all that is lawful for us to defire. There are many other good and profitable books, but none in which is contained fuch a store of rich treasure, and fublime heavenly myfteries, wonderfully wrapped up, and entirely concealed from earthly wisdom and carnal policy. For none can know the things of God without the affistance of his Spirit, as appears by 1 Cor. ii. 10. to 15. and in many other places too tedious to enu merate. Great hath been the concern of the church in its largest collective body; as appears by frequent and very preffing affectionate advice, caution, and counsel to the youth, to read the holy fcriptures, and other profitable books, carefully to refrain from all fuch which may have the leaft tendency to alienate their minds from the holy fear of God, and a fober virtuous courfe of life, or which are barely for amufement, being unprofitable; whereas time is very precious, fhort, and uncertain; therefore it fhould be carefully improved to the foul's everlasting advantage. Moreover, that the youth do yield ftrict and careful obedience to the Divine Monitor |