vanities of the world, neglectful of God and her soul, a determined opposer to a holy life. Ah! slothful father, hypocritical mother, dare you pretend that you are the friends of Jesus, whilst you are thus careless of advancing his interests; whilst you are educating your offspring to become his enemies. Go, leave the camp of Israel: Fight openly, as you do in reality, under the banner of the adversaries of Jesus: Do not deceitfully pretend that you are submissive to the captain of our salvation, whilst you are secretly strengthening the cause of his enemies.

On the contrary, what an encouragement is it to diligence in this duty to reflect, that through the efficacious grace of God, your labours may be blest, so as to promote the good of the church, and the glory of the Redeemer. That son, over whom you now watch with such anxiety, whose passions you constantly strive to regulate, whose mind you endeavour to inform with the truths of God, whose wants and necessities you unceasingly spread before your heavenly Father, whom you by faith give up, and dedicate to the Lord; this son may, through the divine blessing upon your virtuous exertions, become "a burning and a shining light;" an eminent servant of the Lord, an intrepid soldier of the cross. If he remain a private christian, his example, his instructions, and his prayers, will prove a blessing to his neighbours and friends; will be in

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fluential in "rearing Zion from the dust," and in advancing the glory of the blessed Saviour. If he be called to assume the sacred office, his labours may be blest to the conversion and edification of numerous souls; the blessings of many that were ready to perish, but whom God by him plucked from the burning, and made to exalt his infinite glories and perfections, shall descend upon the head of you, the faithful father or the pious mother, who "brought up this child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Many a congregation," says pious Baxter, "that is happily fed with the bread of life, may thank God for the endeavours of some poor man or woman, that trained up a child in the ways of God, to become their holy and faithful

teacher."

That daughter also over whom you watch with parental fondness and with christian care; in whose breast you early strive to implant holy habits and virtuous desires; whose warm affections and lively passions, you endeavour to direct towards their true objects, the blessed God and compassionate Saviour; whose mind you store with the principles of virtue and religion; for whom your fervent prayers daily rise up before Almighty God; the name of this daughter may be joined with those of the numberless female worthies, who by their mild and gentle persuasions, and their excellent examples, have strengthened the cause of the Redeemer, en

couraged the saints, and brought sinners to reflec tion. Her conduct as a child, as a wife, and a mother, may afford a living proof of the excellency of the religion of Christ, and may eminently tend to strengthen his cause. I ask you then again, are you zealous for the prosperity of Zion? Have you any regard for the interests of Jesus? "Bring up your children in his nuture and admonition," that they may be the instruments of glorifying him, and promoting his kingdom in the world.

2. Perhaps there are some of you who feel little affected by this motive; let me then urge you by another consideration. Have you any regard to the public prosperity, to the honor and interest of your country? In order to promote this prosperity, to advance this honour and interest, "bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”. If you leave a pious generation to succeed you, the blessing of God will rest upon the land which they inhabit. Their "righteousness will exalt the nation," (Prov. xiv, 34.) and "no weapon formed against it shall prosper." (Is. liv, 17.) But if, on the contrary, you suffer those who are to take your place in the state when your head is laid in the dust,+ to grow up in carelessness and irreligion, their, "sin will be the reproach of this people :" (Prov. xiv, 34.) their sin will call down the judgments of God, upon it. If your offspring be pious, they will dis charge the duties that belong to the station which

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they shall occupy, in such a manner as to promote the public tranquility and happiness. Acting under the eye of the Judge of all the earth, and in the prospect of that account which they must render unto him, they will, whether as rulers or as subjects, endeavour to promote the public felicity, and to be blessings in their day and generation. But if your offspring have not these restrainsts; if you have never laboured to inspire them with sincere love to God, and warm charity to man; if you have never striven to implant in their hearts the sentiments of virtue, and to control the fury of their passions; is there not cause to fear that they may be the scourges of their country, that they may regardless of every thing but their own gratification; that they may be incendiaries, or disturbers of the public peace? Is there not cause to fear, that the curses of a bleeding country, made unhappy, immediately by their means, but ultimately by you, will pursue you even to the grave? Do you then love your country, and wish for its prosperity? Give to your children a pious education; lay upon them early the restraints of religion; and then when you lie down in the grave, and they become the rulers, the legislators, and citizens of the nation, they will be animated by proper motives; they will conscientiously aim at the public weal, and the blessing of God most High, will crown their efforts with success.

3. Do you shudder at the crime of perjury? Do you tremble at the dreadful guilt, the overwhelming punishment of that man, who dares to sport with the solemn sanctions of an oath? Parents, you have bound your souls by a sacred oath ; whether you have fulfilled it, the searcher of hearts well knoweth, and all mankind will know in the day of judgement. When you offered

your child to God in the holy ordinance of baptism, you then solemnly vowed and swore, that you would bring it up in the "nurture and admonition of the Lord;" and you invoked this great God to witness your vow, and to punish the violation of it. Dare you wilfully and habitually violate these obligations ? Can you be careless of the pious education of your children, and yet fail to tremble at that vengeance which shall weigh down the perjured soul to deep perdition? When you suffer weeks and months to pass without affording pious instructions and advices to your offspring, without offering your prayers to God, in their presence and in their behalf, without shewing them the example of a holy life; does not conscience sometimes cry to you, "Is it thus that you fulfil your baptismal vow? Is it thus that you perform that solemn oath, taken in the presence of God, of angels, and of men? Is it thus that you execute your engagement to that Lord, who hath recorded your promises in the book of remembrance, and will produce them to you in the day of retribution? Do you then trem