SERMON VI.

MATTHEW XX11. 37, 38.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

This is the first and great commandment.

AND surely, Children, this should be the first lesson you learn. You cannot begin too soon to love the Lord your God. His mercies to you began with your very being. Could you count them, they are more in number than the sands upon the sea shore. They are new every morning, and fresh every evening. You should love him, because he is the greatest and best of beings, the Father of mercies and the God of all grace. He is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works. You should love him, because he so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

O taste and see, that the Lord is good.

The rich and poor, the old and young, may all join in this delightful service. Let the rich love him, because it is he, who giveth them all things richly to enjoy. Let the poor love him, because the poor man crieth, and the Lord heareth him, and delivereth him out of all his trouble. Let the old love him, because he is the length of their days. Let the young love him, because he is the guide of their youth. O love the Lord, all ye his saints!

And is he thus good to you, good to all; and will you not love him with all your soul, and with all your mind? Love him above all things; let him have the first place in your affections; think often upon God; think of him when you awake in the morning, and when you lie down at night; when you go out and when you come in; let every fresh mercy lead your heart to him in gratitude, make you love him more and serve him better.

And if you love God with all your heart, you will love to pray to him, and to praise him. You will say with David, Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth, that I desire besides thee. Lord, lift thou up

the light of thy countenance upon me; and this shall put more joy and gladness into my heart, than when corn and wine increaseth.

A day in thy courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I had rather be a door keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of sin and wickedness.

This is the language of the pious soul, that loves God, above all things. And if you thus love God with all your heart, will it not grieve you to offend him?

You would not willingly offend the kind parent or friend you love, much less would you sin against that God, who is always doing you good! If ye love me, says Jesus Christ, keep my commandments.

Thus Children, you must show your love to God. And if you love him with all your heart, you will delight to please him always; you will do your duty in all things, because it is well-pleasing to your God.

To love God, and praise him, will be the work of heaven; and if you would be fit for heaven, you must begin this delightful work here on earth. You cannot wish to go to heaven if you do not love God; for there saints and angels cease not day nor night praising him, and saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.

If you love to pray to God, and praise him here, you will think with pleasure of that world, where you will love him more, and praise him better: where you will never be tempted to sin against him any more: but will love and serve him forever, and where God will be all in all.

SERMON VII.

MATT. VI. 6.

When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father, who is in secret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

Do you, children, love God above all things? is he your Father? your heavenly Father? then, surely it must be your highest pleasure to pray to him; you have much to say to him; much to ask of him; much to thank him for. Go, Children, if possible, where none can see you but No. XXXV.

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God, your heavenly Father, and there pour out your hearts before him, with all the duty and affection of a child. Tell him how much you love him for all his goodness to you; that you had rather have his favour, the light of his countenance, than all the good things that this world can give

you.

You may tell him how grieved you are, that your giddy hearts are so apt to forget him, amidst the follies and vanities of childhood and youth; that you so often pray to him without that reverence, love, and affection, which you ought ever to feel for him; that you so often read his holy word with carelessness and indifference, as if it were the word of man, and not the word of God; and that you are not madé holier and better by it.

You may lament over the pride, obstinacy, and perverseness that you sometimes feel in your hearts; and that you strive so little against these sins, which you should conquer and overcome.

Thus may you humble yourselves before God for all your sins and follies, and beg that for Christ's sake, he would forgive them all: and grant you the assistance of his good Spirit, to help you to love him more, and serve him better.

It is good, Children, to draw near to God, to show forth his loving kindness in the morning, and his faithfulness every night. Begin every day with this delightful service. You cannot surely awake in the morning to health, to friends, to every blessing of life, without thanking the God of your mercies, who giveth you all things richly to enjoy.

Dare not venture into the dangers and temptations of the day, without praying that God would be with you, to keep you from sin and deliver you from evil. Nor can you surely lie down in peace at night, without thanking the kind hand that has kept you from evil, and crowned the day with his loving kindness and tender mercies; without asking forgiveness of your heavenly Father for all that you have done amiss. Thus may you commit yourselves to his care through the dangers of the night; for it is God only, who can make you to dwell in safety.

Thus, Children, you may converse in secret with your heavenly Father; and be assured, he who heareth the young ravens when they cry, will hear you when you pray unto

him; he sees in secret the feeblest wish of your heart to love and serve him; he will remember the kindness of your youth, and will reward you openly. Fear not, Children; though you should have but a dark corner to pray in, your heavenly Father sees you there. Be not disconcerted, though your companions should laugh at you, for being so precise about your prayers: remember your heavenly Father sees when you are ashamed or afraid to pray to him, And Jesus has said, "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my word, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels." But, "whosoever shall confess me before men, him also shall the Son of man confess before the angels of God."

Believe it, Children, you will never pray to him in vain; he will reward you in this world with every thing that he sees best for you; and at the last day, he will reward you openly before men and angels,

SERMON VIII. ·

LUKE X. 42. One thing is needful.

UPON hearing these words, I doubt not my little friends, you are all eager to know what this one thing needful is? They are the words of Jesus Christ and I will tell you upon what occasion they were spoken.

As Jesus went about doing good, he entered into a certain village, and a woman named Martha, kindly received him into her house; and she had a sister called Mary, who sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his words; but Martha was cumbered with much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered, and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things; but one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

And now, Children, from this story you may learn what the one thing needful is. It is to hear the words of eternal life, and inquire what you must do to be saved. And though you cannot now sit at his feet as Mary did, while he was here upon earth, yet you may go to him as an humble learnLike Mary, hear his words and attend to the concerns of your souls; and like her choose that good part which shall never be taken away from you.

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Religion is the one thing needful; because, without it, you cannot be happy in this world, and must be forever miserable in the world to come.

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It is needful for all; for the rich and for the poor, for the old, and for the young. It is needful for you, Children that you may know God, and serve him here on earth, and dwell with him, and be happy forever in heaven. It is more needful for you than riches, or honours, or all that this world can give you; for what would it profit you, if you should gain the whole world, and loose your own soul?

Jesus Christ not only calls religion the one thing needful, but he calls it the good part.

Yes, Children, it is a good thing to love God and Christ: the ways of religion are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. Great peace have they who love thy law.