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SERMON IX.

A SERMON addreffed particularly to
YOUNG PERSONS.

SERM.

IX,

PSALM XXXIV. 11, 12, 13, 14. Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is be that defireth life, and loveth many days that he may fee good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile; depart from evil and do good, feek peace and purfue

it.

TH

HE royal Pfalmift here affumeth the character which properly belonged to him, addreffing his inftructions to the Ifraelites as his children. It was his highest glory as a good prince, to be the common father of his people; and the venerable office of a prophet with which he was alfo dignified, gave him great authority in teaching, and became another foundation for filial refpect. The exhortations contained in the text, being not temporary and peculiar to the state or circumstance

cumstances of any one nation, but of a mo- SERM. ral nature and perpetual obligation, of the IX. greatest importance and usefulness to all perfons and at all times, I fhall, pursuant to the defign of our prefent affembly, apply them particularly to the young in years, who strictly may be diftinguished by the name of children, as far as any can be fo called, who are capable of being instructed.

Every one will allow, that none are better intitled to the care of fuch as would teach religion; that their pains cannot be better bestowed with a greater probability of fuccefs, or the profpect of a more extensive good. The weakness of the young recommendeth them to our tendereft compaffion. Let any man confider ferioufly with himself what hazards he ran in his heedlefs youth, what a narrow efcape he made from the corruptions of the world, in which multitudes are caught to their ruin; nay, what follies and errors he actually fell into, which have been the subject of his bitter felf-reflection at a more mature age; and muft he not acknowledge that his moft affectionate fympathy is due to those, who are just entering into the fame dangers? Can there be a more moving object of pity to a well difpofed person, than a multitude of his fellow-creatures,

endeared

SERM.endeared to him not only by a community IX. of nature, but by more special and facred ties the beloved offspring of his much efteemed friends, tenderly educated from their earliest infancy, and the feeds of virtue fown in their hearts, yet unpractifed in vigilance, and the fublime art of felf-government; rushing into a world where fnares lie thick on every fide, and poisoned arrows, aimed at the deftruction of their integrity, flying from every quarter, by which thousands like them daily fall? Who would not lend an helping hand, would not ufe all his skill, and exert his utmost power to prevent fuch ruin, to fave fuch fouls from death? Again, if we have it at heart to promote true piety and virtue, we ought to ufe our utmost zeal and diligence, where there is the greatest probability of fuccefs. But, furely, the fairest profpect is with those whofe minds are not inlaid with ftrong prejudices, which arise from a customary indulgence in vicious courfes. The wisdom of prevention is better than that of remedy. If he be wife that winneth fouls, that converteth them from the errors of their way, and turneth ftraying finners to righteoufnefs, he is at least as wife who preventeth others from falling into the deftructive paths of vice, whereby extreme dangers are avoided and a

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multitude of fins; inftead of which may be SERM. expected many fruits of righteoufness to the IX. glory of God, preparing the objects of our affectionate care for a full harveft of happinefs hereafter.

Befides, if we are folicitous for the most extenfive good of mankind, and the profperity of the world, than which there cannot be a better and more generous difpofition in the human mind, the best service we can render to that important intereft is by inftructing youth. Upon them dependeth the state of the present and the fucceeding generation, whether it fhall be vicious and miferable, or virtuous and happy. Experience confirmeth what Solomon teacheth us in his Proverbs, that righteoufnefs exalteth a nation, but fin is the reproach of any people. Scarcely is there any one fo unacquainted with the history of world, as not to know that civil focieties have always flourished by virtue, and that they have funk into weakness, difhonour, and ruin at laft, by luxury, injustice, and other immoralities. Efpecially to chriftians, who confider the providence of God, as wifely and righteously governing the world, and who attend to the measures of the divine administration hitherto obferved, agreeable to the declarations of the fcriptures; the pro

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fpects

SERM. fpects of flourishing religion and public proIX. fperity are strictly connected, and there is no hope of fuccefs in national affairs, if iniquity be univerfally abounding; nor indeed is it always to be defired upon that unhappy suppofition, because then it tendeth to greater corruption and mifery. It is the general complaint of good men, that godliness declineth among us, and that impiety and vice are daily growing; whence arife dismal apprehenfions of times to come worfe than the prefent, both more wicked and calamitous. But to what purpose are complaints, if we are not active to remedy the evils complained of? And what do fears fignify unless they put us upon using our utmost endeavours to prevent danger? Now, for obtaining thefe ends, we cannot perform a better office than by contributing as far as in us lies, towards forming the tempers and manners of young people to virtue; to fee them walking in the truth, as the apostle John fpeaketh, would be the joy of all good men in this generation, and yield them the most delightful profpect concerning future times.

These confiderations justify the application I have proposed to make of the text; but indeed the words themfelves juftify it; for when the Pfalmift explaineth who they are

whom

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