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SOME

BRIEF REMARKS

UPON

Sundry Important Subjects.

CHAPTER I.

Containing tender ADVICE, CAUTION and COUNSEL to PARENTS and CHILDREN.

F

IRST to parents. Very much depends
upon a right education of children. I there-

fore find it in my mind to make a few obfervations thereon, as it fhall please the Lord to open my understanding; without whofe affiftance, and bleffing upon our labours, they prove altogether fruitlefs.

The children of Ifrael were ftrictly enjoined to make the training up their children in the law of God their conftant care; viz. "Hear, O Ifrael, Deut. vi. 4, 5, 6, 7< "the Lord our God is one Lord, and thou fhalt "love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and "with all thy foul, and with all thy might. And "these words which I command thee this day, "fhall be in thine heart, and thou shalt teach "them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk

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"of

"of them when thou fitteft in thine house, and "when thou walkeft by the way, and when thou "lieft down, and when thou risest up."

Exceeding great is the truft reposed in parents and heads of families. It certainly lies upon them an indispensable duty, as much as they can, both by precept and example, to form the tender minds of their offspring to virtue, as faith the apostle, Eph. vi. 4 And ye fathers, provoke not your children to "wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and "admonition of the Lord." And, And, "Train up "a child in the way he fhould go and when he "is old, he will not depart from it."

Prov. xxii. 6.

Parents must first be well acquainted with the way of truth, and the nurture and admonition of the Lord themselves, before they can train up their children therein. That which is likely to have the greatest influence upon their tender minds, is a fteady circumfpect example, in a felf-dénying conduct before them; which will beget reverence, and honourable thoughts in children, and fervants too, concerning those whom Providence hath placed over them.

Great care fhould dwell upon the minds of parents, to make it fully evident to their children that they are much more defirous they should poffefs an heavenly than an earthly inheritance; that they are more concerned their fouls may be adorned with the graces of the Holy Spirit, than that their bodies fhould appear finely decked with outward ornaments.

Children

Children will be very likely to value that which they fee is preferred by their parents, whether it be the things of the world, or religion. If this be really the cafe, which I think will be allowed by confiderate perfons, O then! how much depends upon them for the promotion of truth and righteousness on the earth, both in regard to the present time, and generations to come. This yet

more fully appears by the Lord's teftimony concerning Abrabam. "And the Lord faid, Shall Gen. xviii. "I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?

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seeing that Abraham fhall furely become a great "and mighty nation, and all the nations of the "earth fhall be bleffed in him.

For I know him, children, and his

that he will command his "houfhold after him, and they fhall keep the way

of the Lord, to do juftice and judgment; that "the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which " he hath spoken of him." In chap. xvii. ver. 18. his godly concern appears earnest, even for the child of the bond-woman; viz. " And Abraham "faid unto God, Oh! that Ishmael might live be"fore thee." Which petition was answered.

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Constant and warm endeavours, with fecret cries to God that his bleffing may attend them, may prove effectual to the prefervation of children. This fhould begin very early, even as foon as they are capable to diftinguish what pleases, or what displeases their parents. A felf-willed perverfe difposition may foon be discovered in children (more especially in fome) which is very earnest to have its own way, before they can judge what is beft B 2

for

17, 18, 19.

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