niel, and Hananias, Azarias, and Mishael,-and yet no harm followed: for the good seed had been sown in their hearts, piously, carefully, and prayerfully, no doubt,-and divine grace had watered it. And the eye of him that answers prayer was over them, and the good hand of their God upon them. So that neither could the fowls of the air devour it, nor the burning sun scorch it, nor the cares of this world, nor the deceitfulness of riches, nor the lust of any other thing entering in choke it, that it should not bring forth fruit to perfection. Train ye up your children also in the way they should go. Work towards them the works of him who hath charged you with them, whilst it is called to-day. And then, though the time is short, and a parting may come speedily, and ye may see their face no more in this world, ye may cheerfully and in faith commit them to God, and to the good word of his grace, to build them up and bring them to their inheritance; and a day is coming, when ye shall see them again, clothed with white robes and palms in their hands, risen up to call you you blessed. iii. And now, ye children and all young persons here, hearken unto me, and I will teach also the fear of the Lord. I made no special address to you last time; but the passage of Scripture which I have opened now, has much to say to you. Look at the child Daniel. Do as he did. "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth."* This is something else than learning what things you have to remember about him; more than getting it into your heads and saying it by rote, that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, and suffered under Pontius Pilate, and shall come again to judgment. It is to remember to do, and to begin to do, at once, what these truths lead to. Your education is to guide You may your practice now. you have no further opportunity; therefore do as you are taught now, obey your parents, tell the truth, pray to God now; then if die in childhood, as you may, it will fare with you as it would have done with Daniel, had he died early. If, however, you grow up, you will have little to unlearn when you come into the world, and besides, you will be helped in learning further, for they that will do God's will, shall know of the doctrine.† Go instantly where the light directs you, and as far as it will lead you, and this is the way to have more. Daniel feared God in his youth, and you have as much reason, for you are taught as much about him. And observe these few things particularly and, first, he showed it by his scrupulousness in what some might have called a * Eccles. xii. 1. See John vii. 17. little matter. Many a one might have started at a gross crime. He would not touch the king's meat-no, not when most round him did it, and thought it no harm. Flee from the least sin, as far as you know it; you need not weigh it, whether it is light or heavy. If you do wrong in small things, saying they are of little consequence, you will soon come to great ones. Observe Daniel's faith, when he was resolved to do what God commanded, let who would be displeased with it-he was confident that the Lord would take care of him and bear him out. The Bible says, that he will do the like for you. Daniel, young as he was, had got the mastery over his appetite. Your catechism tells you to keep your body in temperance. Mere greediness in eating and drinking has led many a child to much mischief in childhood, and he has grown up to be a drunkard and a glutton. It will be no small thing if you get the better of your desire after such indulgences; and it may be done if you will pray to God now, that you may grow up to be sober men and women. Another thing in Daniel I would have remark very particularly, for now is the time to imitate it. Everybody loved him, it appears; he was in favour-God brought him into favour with all around him. What does this mean? No doubt, that God gave his blessing to that mildness, and you modesty, and courteousness, and sweetness of disposition, which was to be seen in him. He was inoffensive in his manners and language; humble, obliging, and respectful towards his betters in age and station; not obstinate, setting up his own will against theirs; nor quarrelsome with his companions, otherwise he would not have been so well reported of, nor so befriended as he was. Now you can mind all this by God's help; and these are fruits you may bring forth now to his glory. Further, observe the wise, industrious manner in which Daniel took care to improve himself. He refused the king's meat, because it was wrong to receive it; but not the king's books, because they could not be read without pains-taking. Your duty to God is to take pains with your lessons. You are never idle nor careless but he sees it, and sets it down; and one way or other you will be brought to suffer for it. Now remember, I tell you that from Him. That I may not overburden you, I will add but one thing more. Daniel took care to keep good company, and to behave well to his companions, when he had chosen them. Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, were the best and the most pious of all the young people there, so he picked them out for his friends; and then, when he had found out himself what was right about the king's meat, he let them know what he thought. Go and do ye likewise. Turn your backs on the idle and evil, be as much as you may with the best; and if you can, in ever so small a way, do anything to bring them to be better, do it. "For he that walketh with wise men shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed;"* and he that tries to keep others out of mischief, shall be strengthened and helped himself. So Daniel behaved in youth: if you will strive to follow him, and pray to God to help you, I say not that you will grow up to be as great, but ye may grow up to be as good, and will come to be as happy everlastingly ;-which, dear children, is the main matter that all those are aiming at, who are so kind as to provide for your education. I have left no time, my brethren, for a long exhortation to liberality; but I trust there is little need. If it has appeared that this good may be done, or at least, in many instances, may be reasonably expected, that a child trained up in the way he should go, when he is old will not depart from it, then your principles will not permit you to withhold your co-operation. "Cast your bread, then, upon the waters, and ye shall find it after many days."† Perhaps the means of some of you are not large, but I trust you all know this that Christians must save last in * Prov. xiii. 20. * See Eccles. xi. 1. |
