A SERIOUS ADDRESS TO

CHILDREN & YOUTH,

Relating to the great and necessary Duty of Prayer.
By I. WATTS, D. D.

Dear Children,-GIVE me leave to propose to you a few serious considerations, to awaken your desires to seek after God, and to pray to him in your early years, and if you are convinced that this is your necessary duty, you will then more readily hearken to advice.

I. "Consider who and what God is."

Have you not been told that he is an Almighty Being, who made the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them? that he is a Spirit, and that he is every where present, though you cannot see him? that he knows all things that you do, and that he can do all that you desire of him? that he is holy, and hates sin, and yet that he is very good and full of mercy, even to his sinful creatures? that he is the greatest, the wisest, and the best of beings? and does he not expect you should love and honour him, who is so great and so good? Is he not your heavenly Father? Did he not make you to love and serve, and worship him? And how can you pretend to serve and love him, if you never pray to him? Could you but see him, children, you would think him the most lovely and most excellent of all beings, and should you not then be exceeding desirous to be more acquainted with him, and seek to obtain his love?

II. "Consider who and what you are."

Are you not young creatures, that a few years ago had no being at all, and cannot preserve your own lives? And is it not of high concern to you to be acquainted with that God, and to pray to him upon whom your very being depends. He that made you, can destroy you. Besides, are you not sinful creatures? Do not your own hearts and consciences tell you that you have done many things amiss, and that you have provoked that God who made you, to be angry with you, and to take away all your comforts? And are you willing to continue under his anger forever? Do you know how terrible is the anger of God, who can make you miserable in this world and in that which is to come?

And is he not very gracious, to call upon such sinners as you are, to pray to him? Is it not necessary therefore that you should come humbly before him, and fall down on your knees and confess your sins, and intreat him to lay his anger aside, and to love you, notwithstanding all your offences? This leads me to the third consideration.

III. "Consider what are your wants."

Do you not stand in daily need of food and raiment, that you may not suffer sharp hunger and cold? Do you not want the continuance of your health, that you may not pine away with sickness and pain? Can you keep yourselves alive, or can any of your friends keep you from dying? Do you not know, that God is the author of all your comforts, and it is on him you depend for daily food and clothing, for health and strength, for recovery from sickness, and preservation from death? It is from God that you must seek all these things by prayer.

Are you not exposed to dangers every day, and every night? Do you not want the care of God to keep you? to preserve you from mischief, from fires, and from all evils of every kind? And since you deserve nothing at the band of God, can you suppose he will. watch over you, and cover you from all evil, if you never call upon him, nor ask his favour?

Do you not know, that you have a soul as well as a body, and that you want spiritual blessings, for your souls, as well as temporal blessings for your bodies?

Since you are guilty creatures, do you not greatly want the forgiveness of your sins? Have you not been taught, that your sins have deserved great punishments, both here and hereafter? And are you not desirous to be delivered from this punishment? But can you expect God will par don and deliver you, if you never pray?

And since you cannot do any thing, to make recompense to the great and holy God, for your offences, how speedily should you apply to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who now dwells in heaven, and who did once make recompense by his death for the sins of men? He is the great Mediator between God and man. How earnestly should you pray, that you may enjoy the benefit of his mediation, and that he may bring you into a state of peace with God? How should you cry to God, that he would forgive you, for the sake of his well-beloved Son? Since you are sensible that you are guilty

sinners, you should not be easy one day, without seeking to God for mercy.

Remember also, that though your sins were pardoned, yet you have a sinful nature in you, ready to offend God continually. Do you not find yourselves ready to commit new sins? Are you not soon ready to be angry, to strike, or call ill names? Are you never ready to grow uneasy and fret, if other children have better things than you? Are you not ready to disobey your parents, or to spend your time in play, when you should be at work, or learning your book? Are you not sometimes inclined to hide your faults by telling a lie? Do not you find yourselves ready to learn evil words, or to wish evil to others, or take something privately that is not allowed you, or to do something that is forbidden? Do you not see then, how much you want to pray for the grace of God, to keep you from sin daily?

And are not your minds too ignorant of God, and heaven. ly things? Is it not a pleasure to think, that God has promised his own Holy Spirit, to instruct you in the understanding of holy things, as well as to help you in doing your duty? This is a blessed promise, indeed, to poor ignorant and sinful creatures, such as we are: But can you think, God will give his grace or his Holy Spirit to them, who never pray to him? Do you not read in your Bible: "If fathers give good gifts to their children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them. that ask him?" Do not you know, that you cannot live here always? Have you not been taught that your body must die, and turn to dust, and that your soul, which cannot die, must then go into another world? Have you not been told that Jesus Christ is now gone to heaven, to take care of his people, when they leave this world? And do you think Jesus Christ will take care of your soul, when it comes like a stranger into that other world, if you have not committed and entrusted it into his hands by prayer.

You must stand before God, the judge of all, when you die; and are you prepared to stand before God, if you have not obtained a good hope that God loves you? There are but two places in the other world, heaven and hell: Heaven for the righteous, who love God and pray to him, and hell for the wicked, who neither pray to him nor love him. And can you ever hope, that God will save you from hell, and

receive you to dwell with himself, and with his Son Jesus Christ, if you never pray to him for these blessings? IV. "Consider what your mercies are."

How kindly has God dealt with you? Has he not given you parents and friends, who by his order provide food and raiment, and every thing convenient for you? How many poor children want these comforts, and are exposed to hunger and cold? Have not your parents and friends taken care, that you should be taught to read, and to learn many things for your good? Do you not know, that it was God who put it into their hearts, and also made them able to do it? How many thousand poor creatures are there in this land, who know nothing of God, and cannot read a word? Is it not God, who has made this happy difference between you and them? And should you not praise him for his goodness? Have you not seen other children blind, or lame, or foolish? Is it not God, who has given you your limbs and your senses? Is it not the same good God, that gives you health and peace, night and day; and are you not bound to thank him for these mercies? What! would you live like the brute beasts, who eat and drink and sleep, and take no notice of the great God, from whose hand all blessings come ?

V. Consider what relation you stand in to others."

Have you not a father and mother that you are bound to honour and love? and would you never pray, that Ged would bestow his best blessings on them, and make them. live long to bring you up in his fear? Have you not brothers or sisters, or other friends and relations ? and have you no mercies to ask of God for them? Do not your teachers desire that you should pray to God to bless them, that they may the better instruct you? They pray for you, and you should pray for them.

Since, then, dear children, there are such a multitude of reasons, that oblige you to pray to God; since you see it is your constant duty, and your highest interest, if you would be safe and happy in this world, or the world to come, delay no longer, but begin this religious work immediately; and I humbly pray, that God would abundantly assist and bless you therein, that you may learn from your own experience, how sweet and profitable a thing it is, to call upon the name of the Lord.

RELATING TO PRAYER.

By 1. Watts, D. D.

I. Advice. If you make use of written prayers, let your parents or teachers assist you, in choosing such as are proper for your age and capacity; and be sure that you learn to understand every word and sentence, in the prayer which you use.

II. Learn the prayers which you use, by heart, as soon as you can: For hereby you will be able to pray in the dark, where you cannot see to read: Hereby also, you will learn what is the sense and language of a christian prayer, and so you will the sooner be able to form prayers for yourselves. But, I would not have you entirely neglect praying to God all the while you are learning them. by heart: For if you read them in a humble, serious and pious manner, God will accept your morning and evening worship.

III. Seek out a proper time, to retire alone by yourself, morning and evening, at those seasons, wherein you have no other necessary business or duty.

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And here I would persuade myself, that parents or masters, who take due care of the souls of children, would not only admonish and encourage them to seek God in secret, morning and evening, but would point out a proper place for their retirements. This is easily done in private families and they should make some observations, whether children observe these seasons or not. In some schools, I have heard there are certain seasons, in the day, which are called "the half hour," which are ordained on purpose for children to retire; and, if they cannot be entirely alone, yet, at distant parts of their bed-chambers, they may lift their hearts, and their low voices, to God in worship.

In the morning, I would generally say, the earlier the better. For if you lose the first opportunity, you will often find that you will be utterly hindered from praying, by other things that may happen. Besides, it is best to call upon God early, and begin the day with religion, that you