in years and bad health, to treat them with scorn and contempt, or be surly and churlish, and flout at and disobey their wholesome counsel and advice.

On such young people I have seen the heavy hand of God in my day, and made observations thereof, many and many a time. Q! the many disobedient youth that I have seen, that have been examples and warnings to others, of the just judgement of God Almighty, upon disobedient and profane young people; and indeed too many old ones too.

But the youth are too apt to think and say, our bones are full of marrow, and our veins of blood, and our blood is warm; we cannot be so dull and heavy as old men.

Well, who hath filled, and by whose providence are your bones and veins full of marrow and blood? Is it not God? Is it not in him ye live, move, and have your being? What hath the devil and sin to do with all this? Shall not God have the marrow of your days? And should not youth serve him with their purest or finest blood? And should they not be warm, and not lukewarm or cold, in and towards the things of God and heaven?

Thus to be vigorous and manly in the work of God, is truly and rightly to honour our parents, as God commands.

It is not to honour them with the mouth and lips only, but with the heart, and with serving God; for that is the honour spoken of in the holy scripture.

None can rightly honour their parents, who dishonour God. If a young man or woman is religious, and of a discreet conduct, and of a sober and just conversation: that indeed is a real honour to, and honouring of our parents. For, say people, when they behold just and religious youths, when their father is living, Oh, how happy is that man in his children! and indeed it is an honourable happiness: when, on the other hand, (pity! Oh, pity! pity!) how many fine youths, to look at (at a distance, to outward appearance) have, through their disobedience, and vile practice, brought down the grey hairs of their careful and tender parents, with sorrow to the grave.

And, as if their own ruin and their parents was not enough, bring, through their intemperance and folly, ruin and destruction on their posterity also; and what their parents have with great labour gained to bring them up, and educate them till they come to maturity, they in a little time spend extravagantly and intemperately, as well as foolishly and inconsiderately; and so bring ruin and destruction swiftly on themselves and posterity.

And another subject but seldom spoken of, or handled, is the extraordinary regard we should have to oblige our mothers, and the tender care we should take to nourish and comfort them in age; and not to vex or grieve them, if we could possibly help it, for many reasons, besides our religious duty, as above, in relation of honour to parents. And let us remind the youths of this age, of either sex, that in the time of the law (the law of God under the Mosaical dispensation) the disobedient youths were to be brought out of the camp or city, and all the people were to stone them to death.

It is true, our gospel dispensation, or the dispensation of our sweet Jesus, is not so rigorous; but much more mild and gentle, as to the body; yet, as to the soul, without repentance, the disobedient to natural parents in general (besides to our Father in heaven in particular) entail upon them an eternal curse in the world to come, and many crosses and difficulties in this world. And herein the gospel exceeds the law, it gives time for repentance, mixes mercy with judgement, and sanctifies our troubles, crosses, and afflictions, to us, through repentance and amendment of life; whereas the law in old time was executed without mercy or pity, and with fierce wrath, vigour, and anger.

But to return to the tender mother. Oh! the tender soul of the tender mother, how it yearns over the disobedient son or daughter! and who that hath not a heart of flint or adamant, but would comply or yield to the wholesome advice and counsel of so tender a parent, who brought us into the world? Affection to such a near parent, one would think should constrain us to it.

However, if religion or affection is not so predominant, reason do it. First, it is a rational consideration that mother suffered many pains, and much sickness, ch thou wert the occasion of, even before thou wert ught forth into the world, besides the dolorous, bitter gs and pains of child-birth, which have cost the life of y a tender mother.

And consider the first month after thou wert born, Oh, care and tender concern, the watching, labour and rge, cannot easily be expressed! What a running to physician upon every symptom or suspicion of being or out of order! And must all this be forgotten? Oh ht of ingratitude! which too many poor young peoare guilty of.

Though blessed be the Almighty Lord, there are some are truly and humbly thankful to God and their pas for their being, and well-being, believing they can er fully requite him or their parents.

Tow, after our first month, what a deal of fatigue and ible we give our mothers, who still, if they give us k (as many mothers do; even queens and princesses, many noble women, not disdaining to give their dren suck from their own breast's, which certainly he most natural way of bringing up and nourishing n; though, on some considerations, a nurse may be bensed with) how do we partake of their own blood, to wasteing of their spirits, and oftentimes their flesh also. rely nothing but love and duty, could engage a motho the care and fatigue which she is obliged to undergo ursing and suckling her children, especially if before d in the world; who can express the toil and care to p the poor unthinking little ones quiet, and the many ry steps and contrivances to keep them from crying? hough, by the way, when they grow up, their mothmay cry night and day too, and they take but too e notice of it: (i. e.) the rebellious, ungrateful, and obedient youth.

Oh, youth! must all this be forgotten? Must all this e no consideration with you, and bear no due weight n your minds? Oh! certainly no: God forbid !

The first year being gone (which is oftentimes but the beginning of sorrow to the parents) then they cannot easily be trusted alone, or out of sight; except in some good hand; and if it is never so little missing, then cries the mother, Oh! where is the child? What have you done with my child? Who has got it? And never rests till she is satisfied about it; And when it is brought to her, O, how she embraces and kisses it, as if she would wrap its soul up in her own! and then the heart, the bosom, and the breast are all open to it. What endearing expresions are poured out to it from its tender mother! as, "My dear, my love, my jewel," &c. and sometimes from some sort of persons such fond expressions as are not justifiable.

But, Oh, melancholy consideration! all this love and tenderness is too often rewarded with hard heartedness and cruelty. The mother may cry and may die too, if she will, for her dear love, and precious jewel, when grown up to man or woman's estate! From such ingratitude

may the Lord deliver us.

This consideration is remarkable, as we are also the workmanship of God, and human creatures, that of all the creatures God hath made, there is scarcely any so helpless so long as man; so that man is so much the more obliged to his parents, and particularly his mother, who feeds us when we cannot feed ourselves, and carries us long before we can go alone, and defends us from harm, or we must perish. After all this, to be unkind and disobedient to our parents, is great ingratitude; and I scarce ever saw it go unpunished, even in this world. And pray, let the youth consider how it is like to fare with them in the next; for I address myself to those who believe the sacred writings of the holy scriptures for to others, some things herein may appear fabulous, as judgement to come doth to the atheist, though divers of them feel it begin to come before they go out of the world, as hath been the case of many which might be mentioned.

From the breast and the arms, to the seventh year of our age, who can relate the world of trouble our pa

ts have with us to keep us out of harm's way, to keep from bad company, to keep us in health as much as in their power, to clothe us, and keep us whole and n, and take care that we learn no ill words or man;; for about this time, little youths are very apt to n good or evil; and the careful, virtuous parents, ld do well to endeavour to cultivate their tender ds, and to plant things good and profitable in them imes. It often turns to good account (though not. ays) and when it doth not, the parents having done r duty are clear of their blood, and of what misef may befal them through their ungodliness, folly, intemperance afterwards.

From the seventh to the fourteenth year, then the → of wise and thoughtful parents is, to give them able learning, and to seek for the best master that be got for them, which indeed is a great point of dence; for corrupt and intemperate teachers are often tful to youth, and men of bad principles may be inments of instilling the like principles into their chiln. A good understanding, good manners, and good nciples, a religious, wise, and discerning parent would eem before letters and figures; although to be well tructed in these also, is considerable, but the other preable. And here let teachers and the youths be careful of eness, for that is the mother of many mischiefs; and bad rds, bad actions, and bad company, ought to be avoided, ich taint and corrupt the minds of the little tender ths.

It is melancholy to think of it, that some youths, who ver heard bad words in their father's house, such as ing the sacred name in vain, cursing, swearing, talkrudely, &c. should come from school full with it, that the good intention of the parents in giving their uth schooling, is then circumvented in a great degree; regulate which, the parents and tutors should join toher in a wholesome discipline. Some indulgent pats mightily hurt their youth by tying up the hands of eir teachers from discreet correction. No discreet cher will use broom or mop-sticks, or door or window

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