did that which was right in his fight, and declined not to the right hand, nor to the left. And God made him to profper. You muft, as he did, feek unto God betimes; for God is nigh to them who call on him; efpecially to those who seek him early. David fays to Solomon his fon, "Know thou the God of thy father, and ferve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and knoweth all the imaginations of the thoughts. If thou feek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forfake him, he will caft thee off forever."

3. If you fear God, you will remember the fabbath-day, and keep it holy. This is God's day; a day on which you are to honour him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasures, nor speaking your own words. You must keep this day holy, that so you may ferve God better every day. You must employ the whole of the day religiously; and efpecially keep your hearts, when you go to the houfe of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the facrifice of fools. We read of fome who are in almost all evil, in the midft of the congregation and affembly. Let there be none of thefe among you. Think how pious Jacob felt, when he confidered himself in the presence of God. "Surely God is in this place, and I knew it not. How dreadful is this place! This is no other than the house of God: This is the gate of heaven."

4. If you fear God, you will govern your tongues, knowing that for every finful, every idle word that you speak, you must give an account in the day of judgment.

David fays to children, "I will teach you the fear of the Lord-What man is he that defireth life, that he may fee good? Keep thy tongue from evil,' and thy lips from fpeaking guile.'

You must not take the name of God in vain ; must not mock at holy things; muft not talk of God, of heaven, of hell, in a careless, unmeaning, profane manner. If you thus talk, God will not hold you guiltlefs. You remember, that when little children fcoffed at a good old prophet, God, in anger, fent bears among them, which tare them in pieces. What then will become of you, if you mock God himself? Never fpeak falfely. If you fear God, you must keep your lips from guile-from lying. "A lying tongue

is abomination to the Lord." All liars fhall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimftone, in the place prepared for the devil and his angels: And it is juft they fhould have their part there, for they imitate the devil; they act as his children. He was a liar from the beginning, and is the father of liars.

Abhor all filthy and unclean talk. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but only that which is pure and wholesome, and fit to be heard. Let not uncleannefs be once named among you, nor foolish talking and jefting; but let your speech be always with grace; with decency and propriety, as becomes virtuous and holy children.

5. If you fear God, you will not contend and quarrel with one another, but will be friendly and peaceable. When David teaches you the fear of God, he fays, "Depart from evil, and do good; feek peace and purfue it."

How odious it is for children to fall into violent paffions with one another; to threaten and strike in anger; and to use vile and provoking names! Christ fays, "They whoare angry with others without a cause, and call them fools, fhall be in danger of hell fire." He calls children "his lambs." You

When

know that lambs are innocent creatures. you quarrel with one another, you act, not as Chrift's lambs, but rather as young bears and wolves.

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6. If you fear God, you will endeavour to do good according to your ability: and befure, you will be careful to do no mifchief, to have no concern in any wicked plans that are proposed. If finners entice you, you will not confent; but will turn from them and pass away you will have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness; but will rather reprove them: you will fay to e vil doers, "Depart from us, for we will keep the commandments of God." We read of fome, who fleep not, except they have done mifchief; and their fleep is taken away, unless they caufe fome to fall. Never join fuch parties as thefe; for "a heart that devifeth wicked imaginations, and feet that are swift in running to mischief, are abomination to the Lord." And "a companion of fools will be destroyed."

7. If you fear God, you will honour your parents: For this is his command, "Honour thy father and mother, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayeft live long on the earth." Speak of them with refpect, behave toward them with reverence, obey them with cheerfulness, and regard their will, when you are abfent from them, as well as when you are prefent with them. Solomon fays, "The eye that mocketh his father,and defpifeth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley fhall pick it out, and the young eagles fhall eat it." His meaning is, Such ungracious and wicked creatures, as mock and defpife a parent,: while children, will probably prove rogues and villains, when they grow up; fo that God, in his wrath, will give them up to an untimely death,

and leave them to be devoured by ravenous beafts and birds.

8. If you fear God, you will betake yourselves to Jefus Chrift, the Saviour of loft finners.

He came to feek and to fave them that are loft. When you compare your hearts and lives with God's holy law, you fee that you have tranfgreffed it. This law condemns every one who continues not in all things written therein to do them. Chrift by his death hath redeemed us from the curfe of the law-you can have redemption only by faith in him as a dying Saviour. The fear of God, as a holy and righteous Being, will lead you to Chrift, who came to fave you from the wrath to come. The law of God is a fchoolmafter to bring you to Chrift, that you may be justified by faith. Chrift invites all weary and heavyladen finners, all who feel their guilt and fee their danger, to come unto him, that they may find reft to their fouls. Them who come to him, he will in no wife caft out.

FINALLY: If you fear God, keep his commandments. Do what he requires, and fhun what he forbids. Keep out of the company of wicked children, as much as you can, left you learn their ways, and get a fnare to your fouls. When you fee evil in other children, reprove them; if they are so proud and scornful, that they will not regard you, defire those who are older to reprove them. "He that converteth a finner from the error of his way, fhall fave a foul from death, and fhall hide the multitude of fins."

Thus, my children, I have taught you, what it is to fear God, and why you should fear him. I hope you have hearkened, while I have been fpeaking. Forget not what has been faid. Think of it after you go home, and pray God to impress

it on your hearts. If you knew you should die, in two or three days, would you not regard what has been spoken? You know not how foon you fhall die. Many die young. How happy it is to be always ready. If you live to be old, death is not far off. "Man that is born of a woman is of few days." God has called you to obtain falvation through Chrift. Give diligence to make your calling fure. Now is the accepted time; now is the day of falvation. If you defpife God's calls and refift his grace, when you are young, perhaps you will be hardened through the deceitfulness of fin, and rejected of God forever.

Hear then and regard the words of David in our text and the verfes which follow :-" Come, ye children, hearken unto me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he 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. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry. But the face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut of their remembrance from the earth. Evil fhall flay the wicked. But the Lord redeemeth the foul of his fervants; and none of them that trust in him shall be defolate.

A PRAYER FOR CHILDREN.

ALMIGHTY God! Thou haft created me by thy power, preferved me by thy care, and fupported me by thy goodness. From thee I derived my being, my reafon, and all my powers. I am indebted to thee for all