wills, though made stubborn by indulgence, are, like growing twigs, easily bent when young and tender.

The scriptures have established principles of subordination. Children are to be trained up to treat with respect and suitable manners, superiors in age and office. It is a detestable sight for children to be indulged in treating aged, or leading public characters with disrespect. It is altogether subversive of proper order in society.

Before leaving this part of the subject, I will, add, that we are not barely to teach children truth in a general view, but are to make solemn application of it to their consciences, and endeavour to awaken their attention to the concerns of their own .souls. For this end, we should bring into view their characters, and lost state, and warn them of their misery and danger while continuing in sin. We should improve the judgements of God for their instruction; we have need in our conversation with them, to dwell much on the subject of their souls' concern.

7. As it is a great work, we have need to be much in prayer to God, not only for strength to do our duty, but that he would sanctify the means; and conscious that all which we can do, will be ineffectual without the blessing of God, we are on our bended knees daily to dedicate and resign them up to God.

I proceeed,

II. To consider the importance of good government and education in a family. The character of a child through life, as has been already remarked, greatly depends on his early education. Those habits which are formed when persons are young, are generally the most abiding. So that all the important consequences of a regular life are motives to induce parents to train up their

children in the way they should go. Children whose characters are formed by a good education are generally prospered: They are respectable and share in the esteem and confidence of mankind. They are rendered blessings to their parents, and treat them generally with respect and tenderness. Besides, the highest satisfaction which parents can have in their children, is to see them do well. Indeed, it is one of the greatest temporal comforts which parents can enjoy. Since education has such powerful influence on character, it is impor-. tant, as it respects society. Those who have been rightly educated, as children, make peaceable members of society: They lead regular, obe dient lives, and are always ready to aid and support beneficial institutions.- Such persons constitute the very strength of society: They are not apt to disturb the peace, trample on the laws, and keep society in a tumult.

The advantages are great, not only in a tempo-. ral, but in a religious view. To parents who have faithfully discharged their duty in this respect, it will be matter of comfortable reflection, here and hereafter. They have great reason to hope that the pains they have taken, may prove the means of their children's salvation. There are, at least, great encouragements, if not promises, which faith may lay hold of. If we are faithful, we do much here to promote the honor and cause of God.

The consequences of neglect are often very unhappy. They are unhappy, as they respect the honour of God and religion. If children are not restrained, and vicious habits guarded against, they will be exposed to every kind of vice, to profaneness, irreligion, fraud, intemperance, &c.To be satisfied of this, let us only look around and view the state of families. If parents are pro

fane, it is common to find their children so: If. parents do not attend Christian worship, nor pray in their families; if they are dishonest in deal, and are prone to over-reach and defraud, their children resemble them in these respects. For parents to educate their children in this way,is to train them up to dishonor God, to disregard the dictates of relig ion, and to go swiftly on in the way to destruction. The consequences of neglect are evil, as they respect parents. Parents, if they have any feelings, must be grieved at seeing the wicked conduct of their children, who often run into sins that expose them to shame, such as theft, robbery and murder. These crimes are commonly a consequence of neglect on the part of parents; which neglect is repaid in the pain, ignominy and reproach which attend children.

Neglect is a great evil to parents, as children, if not properly trained up, will, in their turn, treat parents with disobedience and disrespect. They will be unfeeling and negligent with respect to the wants of parents; and prove heavy curses, instead of blessings to them. But the most dreadful evil will be exhibited in the future world; when unfaithful parents will hear the cries and reproaches of children, and see and realize that their children have perished through their neg

lect.

Improvement.

1. We see what a solemn charge parents have. If it were not for surprizing stupidity, they would be ready to sink under the weight of it. God has put those who are parents in a situation to do much good for their children. He has given them at least encouragement, that they may be instrumental of their immortal salvation. It is a great work to form the young mind to virtue and relig ion, and the consequences of neglect are dreadful.

2. The judgment-day will be a solemn day to unfaithful parents. There are, perhaps, many parents here in this town, who, by their negligence and wicked examples, have been leading their chil dren to hell. What have many of you done towards training up your children for a world of blessedness? Your own consciences must answer, that you have rather been training them up for a world of misery. At the day of judgment, it will be found that the blood of souls is in your skirts. Do you realize it, that you must meet your children at the bar of Christ, and answer for your neglect of their education! How will you endure the cries and reproaches of your children? Let all such, as indulge their children in walking in the way of their hearts, lay these things seriously to heart.

3. If so much depends on the faithful discharge of parental duty, then children have need to seehow they improve by the instructions of parents. You, who are children, will have a solemn account to give, if, after having had faithful parents, you have yet disregarded their warnings. Such abuse of privileges will be weights to sink you lower in hell.

4. It is a matter of great importance in every view, that men should live moral and religious lives. Their own security depends on a religious life: It is that without which they cannot be saved. But those who indulge themselves in sinful courses, are not only going to destruction themselves, but are leading their families with them.

5. Be exhorted then, you who are heads of families, to exert yourselves and be faithful. This is a day in which there is a great decay of family religion and government; the evils of which are visible and alarming. Remember, that if you are of the number who are guilty of neglect, it will

end in your sorrow. children, and you may finally be convinced of it, when, alas! it may be too late to remedy the evil.. Let me now therefore, persuade and exhort you to reform your conduct. The call is loud to you, now to set about this important duty, and to train up your children in the way they should go, that when they are old, they may not depart from it,

You are destroying your

DISCOURSE XX.

GEN, XVIII. 19..

For I know him that he will command his children and house. hold after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord.

IN these words are contained a number of im portant and interesting particulars respecting the covenant of grace and mercy, which God made with Abraham. We are taught the duration and extent of the covenant, and the nature of the good promised in it; and especially are we told, what are the privileges to the infant seed of the faithful.

Some consider the covenant a mere empty af fair, as it respects the infant seed of God's people: That the covenant in this respect, is set aside ; that the infant seed of God's people stand in no more relation to God and the covenant than the seed of heathens. Others suppose, that the covenant is of the same extent, as to duration, in respect to the seed of the faithful, as to the faithful themselves; that there are not merely great en

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