TO A CHILD. My dear Child, IT is with the most tender affection that these lines are addressed to you for your good; and you are particularly requested not only to read them with care and attention when you are alone, but earnestly to pray to God, your heavenly Father, to give you his blessing with them. 1. You are now in the house of your parents, or friends, who endeavour to make you happy. "Honour thy father and mother, which is the first commandment, with promise, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." Eph. vi. 2, 3. Pray to the merciful Saviour to keep you from telling lies; from self-will and obstinacy; from pride and envy; from murmuring and muttering; and all such ugly things, which, if you indulge, you will find as injurious to yourself, as they are painful to your parents, and what is still worse, hateful to God. 2. You are acquainted with other children of your own age; and it is a lovely thing to see children of the same place, and still more of the same family, live in harmony and love. But "evil communications corrupt good manners," and thousands of children have been ruined by the wicked example of their companions. "One sickly sheep infects the flock.” 3. We are desirous you should have all proper time för play and amusement; but remember you did not come into the world merely to play and be amused. If you go to school, be attentive to your teachers, and diligent to learn; because the design is, that you may be prepared to fill some useful station, wherever the providence of God may call you. 4. When you go to the house of God, whether it be church, chapel, or meeting-house, consider the solemnity of the service, and the propriety of good behaviour in the place. God calls the hours his own. It is pleasant to see children conduet themselves with silence and attention through all the time of publie worship. Often think of the blessed example of Jesus Christ. What a lovely child he was at your age! 5. Treasure up in your memory not only the text of Scripture from which the minister addresses the congregation, but be careful to carry home as much as you can of the sermon. Ask yourself when you return, "What particular doctrine or promise did the minister labour to impress on my mind or what particular-duty did he explain and enforce¿" 6. There are some important things which are constantly preached by the ministers of the Gospel: Ruin by sin— -Redemption by Christ-Regeneration by the Holy Spirit. These are things above all others which it concerns you to attend to. Ruin by sin-" All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Rom. iii. 23. "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men." Rom. i. 18. Redemption by Christ. "We have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." Eph. i. 7. Regeneration by the Holy Spirit- According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Titus iii. 5. It is but a little while since you were born; the good Lord grant that you may soon be born again! For "except a man be born of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.— That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." John iii. 5, 6. 7. Forget not that God speaks to you, both when you read the Bible, and when you hear his ministers. Jesus said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them and blessed them." Sweet are his words, apd full of encouragement-" I love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me." Mark x. 14-16. Prov. viii. 17. Many little children have loved Christ, and sung hosannas to his praise; shall he not be the object of your love too? 8. If your parents are wicked, you are nevertheless under obligation to love and honour them. Yet you ought to be very sorry for them, and to take care not to do as they do. Perhaps, when they hear you read what is written in God's word, against swearing, drunkenness, sabbathbreaking and such wicked things, they may be led to think of their way, and to lead a better life. Whatever they do, let it be your determination to pray to God to make you holy, that you may be happy. 9. But if your parents are kind and good, reflect how great your advantages are, and how much you are obliged to serve God with greater zeal on that account. Do they pray with you morning and evening? Do they encourage you to read the Scriptures and other good books? Do they warn you against evil company, and lead you into that which is useful? Do they gently chide you for your faults, and with a sweet smile applaud you when you do well? Do they set before you an example holy, just, and good ?—O praise and adore the divine goodness for all these excellent things. Dr. Doddridge, before he could read, learned from his mother the history of the Old and New Testament, by the assistance of some Dutch tiles in the chimney of the room where they usually sat. 10. The world, in which you now live, is a world of snares, and sin, and sorrow. You will continue in it, however, but a little while, and then you must die, and go up to heaven and be happy, or down to hell and be miserable forever. See 2 Cor. v. 10. 11. Pray without ceasing. You have many wants, many dangers, many sins, many mercies. God is love. Intreat him above all things to pardon your sins, to purify your heart, and to make you happy in his love, through the mediation of his Son Jesus Christ. Read John xiv. 6. The following hymn we recommend to you to be learnt by heart, and to recollect when you are by yourself. Lord, teach a little child to pray, A sinful creature I was born, But Christ can all my sins forgive, HYMNS FOR INFANT MINDS. 1 A child's hymn of praise. I THANK the goodness and the grace, I was not born, as thousands are, Where God was never known; And taught to pray a useless prayer, To blocks of wood and stone. I was not born a little slave, To labour in the sun, And all my labour done! i was not born without a home, [plann'd And plac'd me in this happy land, And where I hear of thee. 2 Coming to Jesus. Jesus, that condescending king, Then keep us, Lord, from every sin, |