for

yet how have we neglected it? How fhall we answer for our charge another day? Have we indeed done all that we could, and all that we might have done, to fave our childrens fouls? One often hears people complaining of wicked children; I pity them with all my heart. But let me ask you a ferious queftion too, Did you ever pray this prayer your children in good earneft? Lord give them a perfect heart. Have you indeed been importunate with God for his grace to be bestowed on your dear offspring; have you been daily interceffors at the throne of grace for the fouls of your children? what pains have you taken to inftruct and teach them the good ways of holiness? Have you ever dealt ferioufly with them about their fouls? Alas! is there not but too much reafon, that you fhould weep for yourselves, and mourn your own neglects; as well as weep over your rebellious and wicked children. May you not read your fin in your punishment? They prove bad is not one reafon of it, that you took little or no pains to make them good? I muft leave your own confciences to answer these questions, but let me tell you they are very ferious ones.

2.) Let me leave with you a word or two of advice and direction. I would hope that by this time, at leaft, you are concerned for your childrens fouls; and you are sensible, how great a duty lies upon you, to do all

you

can,

can, to fave them. Well, is this indeed your great concern and prayer, that your children may have perfect hearts? I will just hint to you fome of those means which you must use in order hereunto, tho' all with a dependence on the grace of God for the good fuccefs of them. As that

You should be diligent in inftructing them in the things of God and their falvation; and begin your inftructions betimes, while their minds are yet tender. Endeavour to fortify them early with good principles against the temptations which they will foon meet with. Tell them of their native corruption, in which they were born, and tell them of Jefus the only Saviour of young or old finners. Explain to them, in the easiest manner you can, the nature and neceffity of repentance, and regeneration, and faith in our Lord Jefus Chrift, the meaning of their baptifmal covenant, and the obligations they are under perfonally to lay hold on it, and yield thenifelves to God.

Faithfully reprove them for their faults, and by no means wink at, or make light of their little fins; for these will harden their confciences, and make room for greater.

Always let the manner of your inftructions. and reproofs be with ferioufnefs and gravity, and with kindness and tenderness, fuch as may best convince them of your love and concern for their fouls.

Be fure that to all you add a holy example; go before them in the ways of piety.

Teach them to pray, by praying with them. Keep up the worship of God contantly in your families; and direct and exhort them to pray by themselves in fecret.

Whenever you perceive that they are under convictions, O! watch and improve the happy opportunity, to deal seriously with them, and encourage their return to God. If you have reason to hope that there is a good work begun in them, advise them to join in communion with fome church of Chrift; this will be an excellent means of their confirmation, and a probable fecurity against future backfliding and apoftacy.

Above all forget not that means which you find in our text, and that is prayer. O! be earneft and importunate with God, be daily interceffors with him for the fouls of your dear children. Beg it of him, who is the God of grace, that he would give your children a perfect heart. I close now,

Secondly, With a serious addrefs to children and young perfons themselves. My dear young friends, you have heard of what great importance your converfion and piety is, from what I have been saying to your parents, fo that I need not add much to you in particular: I will however leave with you these four things.

1.) Have

1.) Have you godly parents who pray for you, and who manifeft a great concern for your fouls? Take it kindly, be thankful to them, as well as blefs God for fuch parents. Let this reconcile you to thofe reproofs which they may fometimes fee it needful to give you. How unreasonable, how barbarous would it be, to treat their instructions or reproofs with contempt! Sure you should, at leaft, love them and honour them the more, for this great concern which they fhew for your good, for your fouls. They know, that without this perfect heart formed in you, you will be wretched and miferable creatures their bowels yearn over you, they long to fee you good, and fecur'd of happiness. Take this kindly from them, and account not only of their inftructions and advice, but of their reproofs too as the tokens of their love.

2.) Join with your godly parents in putting up this prayer for yourfelves; Lord give me a perfect heart! 'tis that on which all your happiness depends. O! that you were but convinced how needful a bleffing this is for you; and I am fure you would never think it too foon to be converted, and become new creatures. I would fain hope that some of you do really defire this; then,

3.) Be encouraged to fet about converfion, from the advantages which you have, as being the children of holy parents. Remember, those of you whofe happiness this is to have godly

C 3

godly parents, that you stand fairer for fpiritual bleffings, than the children of wicked men; there are many promises to encourage you, and there are many prayers on the file, as it were, which have been put up for you: now if you are but willing and defirous to be converted, no doubt but the work will easily be done; there will be no fuch difficulty in it as perhaps you think for. God and Christ will moft readily receive you, who are the children of his fervants, the feed of his praying people. But then remember this one thing

more

4.) That if after all these prayers which have been put up for you, by your good parents, and all the peculiar advantages which you have for religion, you should prove wicked and vile, you must expect the heaviest judgment, the most dreadful condemnation of all finners. Those prayers of your parents will then be on the file against you, their ferious admonitions and reproofs, and it may be too, the ftrivings of the Spirit of God, at fome times with your own fouls, will rife up in judgment against you. O! then it would have been better for you to have been born of heathen parents than of Chriftians. But God forbid that it should prove thus with any of you.

SER