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erations to come might know them, even the children which should' be born, who should arife and declare them to their children ; that they might fet their hope in God, and not forget the works: of God; but keep his commandments; and might not be as their fathers, a ftubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that fet not their heart aright, and whofe fpirit‹was not Aedfaft with God. [Pfalm lxxviii. 5, 6, 7, 8.] Train up a ebild in the way he fhould go; and when he is old he will not depart from it. [Prov. xxii. 6.] Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. [Eph. vi. 4.] Nothing can be more exprefsly and ftrongly enjoined, than the good inftruction and government of children are, in thefe fcripture paffages. Nothing can more fully fhew how much the divine mind is engaged in them, or how neceffary and important they are in the divine view. The paffages imply that a pious education of children is the most proba ble and certain way to make them pious, and to engage them to walk in the path of life, and never to turn from it. God has commanded parents moft dilligently and laborioufly to inftruct their children by precept, example, and all means in their power, and to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, that they may fet their hope in God, and not forget his works; but keep his commandments. The fcripture imports, that if this be not done, children will be a stubborn and rebellious generation, who will not fet their hearts aright, and whofe fpirit will not be ftedfast with God. Univerfal obfervation and experience teach the happy effects of a pious education. Nothing, perhaps, in the power of man, can Tay fuch a foundation for the welfare of individuals, of families, and all communities, civil or religious, as this. The principles which men imbibe in youth, the impreffions made, and the habits which are then formed, cornmonly grow up with them, continue through life, and as that advances grow more fixed and operative. The Jews therefore compared that which a child learned, to writing upon clean and elegant paper, which might always be feen and read. Hierome, that famous ecclefiaftical writer, compared the impreffions made on young minds, and hab its formed in early life, to locks of wool died in fcarlet, which never could be reduced to their original whiteness.

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Children trained up in the knowledge and fear of God, have been the feed, fupport, and ornament of the church from age to age. Hence this obfervation of Calvin," that if we would have the church flourish we must begin in the good inftruction of children." It is of the highest imaginable importance to themselves, with refpect to their ufefulness to themfelves and others; and to their prefent and future happiness. It is a powerful restraint from thofe errors and vices by which perfons often bring fhame, mifery and ruin upon themselves. It makes them orderly, peaceable, fubmiffive and dutiful. It puts on them a peculiar dignity and importance; and, through the bleffing of God, is a fpecial mean of their falvation. very effential to the peace, honor and beauty of a family. It makes children the crown and joy of their parents, the fupport and folace of their declining years. Pious parents have no greater joy than this, to fee their children walking in the truth: Than to have communion with them in the private and public duties and ordinances of relig ion: Than the pleafing hopes that they are born of God, that he has given them a fpirit of adoption, and that they are ftriving together with them in their prayers to God for themselves, for them, and the church univerfal: Nay, than the profpect that they fhall enjoy them forever in the great and bleffed family of heaven. What fweet fruits are thefe of the good education of children? There is still further advantage and matter of joy, it makes them good members of fociety, the ornaments and pillars of church and state.

Further, this is of infinite moment not only to the pref ent age, but to generations yet unborn. If ye train up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, they will probably train up their children in the fame manner, and fo piety may, through the bleffing of God, whofe mercy is upon them who fear him unto a thoufand generations, tranimit piety and righteoufnefs from age to age. The manner in which ye thall educate your chil dren, their piety or wickedness, will, in their confequen. ces, give a general tone and character to future genera tions, and be the means of tranfmitting holiness and hap piness, or pollution and mifery, to unborn ages. In this

view how incalculable and immenfe is the guilt incurred in neglecting family religion and good government? It is finning against the exprefs commands of God, against all his goodness and mercy in giving you families and preferving them. It is finning againft yourselves, against the children which God hath graciously given you; a gainst the church and commonwealth, and againft the ages which are yet to be born. This is a kind of unpardonable fin. 1. Sam. iii. 13, 14. For I have told bim that I will judge his houfe forever, for the iniquity which be knoweth; becaufe bis fons made themfelves vile, and be reftrained them not. And therefore I have faworn unto the houfe of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's houfe shall not be purged with facrifice nor offering forever. This, in a peculiar manner, is that iniquity of the fathers, which an offended God, vis its upon their children unto the third and fourth genera tion of them that hate him. [Exod. xx. 5.] When their fathers are impious, neglect their education, and fet them evil examples, they cause them to become, as their fathers, • Stubborn and rebellious generation. Their father's fins be come the very fins of their children, and fo it proceeds from one generation to another; and because of their fins, God withholds his fpirit and grace from, and his wrath comes on fuch children of impiety and difobedience, for many fucceffive ages. How ought ye all therefore to fear

and tremble at this fin?

But how can you avoid this guilt, and efcape the eternal execrations of your own dear offspring, and of ages to come? How will you inftruct and educate them for God, while you neglect to pray with them and for them? Is not prayer a very effential part of family religion? Can there be any true religion, or christianity without it? Are not prayerlefs families rather heathen, than christian fam, ilies? Families of heathen under the light of the gofpel Archbishop Tillotfon, in his fermons on family religion, fpeaking of daily prayers to God, morning and evening, and of reading the fcriptures at the fame time, faith, "Where it is neglected, I do not fee how any family can, in reafon, be esteemed a family of christians, or indeed to have any religion at all.” Prayer is an important part of that worship and religion, which God requires of you and of your children. It is an important part of that re

ligion, which ye are bound to teach them. It is one of the most folemn and impreffive of all means of inftruction. In this we acknowledge the being, greatnefs, infinite perfections, dominion, and confummate bleffedness of God. We confess our fin and misery, ask pardon in the name of Jefus Chrift, as the Lord our righteousness. We acknowledge the mercies of God, our dependence on him, and recognize the principal doctrines and duties of our holy religion. How is it poffible to teach fo many, and fuch momentous things, in any other way, fo folemnly, and to fuch advantage? Is there any thing which is calculated fo deeply to imprefs the minds of your children and domeftics with a fenfe of the reality of the divine existence, of an univerfal Providence, of their fallen miferable condition, of their need of a Savior, that Jefus is the Christ, and that there is falvation in no other, as this? What else is fo calculated to fix in their minds a sense of the reality and importance of religion? What can fo convince them of your concern for their fouls and bodies, as your reading the fcriptures to them, and praying affectionately for them, and with them? What other method can fo effect. ually teach them to pray, and engage them in the habit of prayer?

Further, family prayer gives great dignity and importance to heads of families, in their own houfes; and gives an additional weight and influence to all their inftructions, counfels and reproofs. It gives weight to their authority, and is an important mean of order and decency in families. Every head of a family is a king and prieft in his own house. Precious fouls are committed to his care, and he is, by God's appointment, to inftruct and govern them for him, and to offer their prayers and praises to him, and to be a continual interceffor for them. A moft folema charge is committed to him; the charge of fouls, and hemuft account for them. He needs continual grace and influence to discharge his high truft, and that he may render his account with joy, faying, Here am I and the chil dren thou haft graciously given me. Prayer is an appointed mean of obtaining all needed grace and wif dom, and does much to qualify heads of families for the arduous duties to which God in his providence, has

appointed them. Their reading and praying with their families, as their religious head, at once fills their families with veneration and esteem, and gives them a commanding fuperiority over them. It greatly affifts and ftrengthens them in the government of their families, in restraining them from fin, and in engaging them in the practice of piety and righteoufness. Continual family prayer, at the fame time, will have a direct and powerful tendency to fecure the bleffing of God on all your inftructions and labors, in bringing them up for him. This will alfo give a confiftency to your conduct. But how can ye expect his bleffing on yourselves, your inftructions, or your chil dren, while ye neglect to ask it? What confiftency, or fincerity, will there appear to be in your religious inftruc tions and counfels to them, while ye caft off fear, restrain prayer, and neglect religion yourselves? Will not your neglect teach them not to pray, weaken your authority and influence, and render all your religious inftructions, counfels and warnings, of little or no weight with them? Will you not more than unteach, by your example, all you attempt to teach by precept? Of what immenfe importance, in these views, is family prayer and religion? Befides, do not all the commands of God, which enjoin love to him, and mankind, a regard to his honor, to the profperity of Zion, or the good of men, bind you indispensably to this duty? Moft certainly they do, fince your own comfort and falvation, the peace, order, and happiness of your families, the usefulness, honor and falvation of your children, the glory of God and the advancement of his kingdom are deeply concerned in it.

It may further be obferved, that family prayer may be urged upon the fame principles that any focial or public worship can be. If the perfections of God, his creating goodness, and countless mercies; if our dependence on him, our guilty helpless condition and need of his help ; if the honor of God, our own edification and comfort, or the instruction and edification of others render public wor fhip a duty, they all equally bind men to the worship of God in their families. If the examples of the faints, and of our bleffed Lord, teach the one, they alfo teach the other.

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