Children run into How conscientious have some been to reprove their Fellows that have been involved in these and such like Vices and that to the Admiration of such as have observed them How careful have some been to avoid the Company of those that could not be reclaimed from their early Prophaness They have had no mind to Play or Converse or keep Company with such tho' under many Temptations thereunto What Construction can be made of this early Tenderness but that it is some line or stroke of the New Creature drawn in the Heart of such young ones which may justly encourage Parents to entertain a Comfortable Hope concerning them It 's observed as a Character of a Gracious Import in the young King Josiah 2 Kin. 22.19 That his Heart was tender When Conscience is so early impressed with the Sense of Sin and Duty it is a good Sign It 's taken notice of as an early Appearance of Goodness in this young Prince and it is the like in others where-ever it is found Jer. 32.40 Being a Branch of that Fear which God hath promised to put into the Hearts of his own People 7. An Obediential Regard unto Parents is another Argument for Good As it is a frequently-repeated Charge upon Children Eph. 6.1 Col. 3.20 To obey Parents in the Lord so it is a very Promising Intimation when they are early affected with the Conscience of their Duty in this particular Disobedient Children as they are the Grief and Heart-break of their Parents for the present so they generally give but a very poor Prospect of Hope for the future especially when their Disobedience is attended with Contempt and Obstinacy Accordingly it is very observable that among the Persons whom the Children of Israel were to pronounce Accursed upon Mount-Ebal Contemptuous Undutiful Children are set almost in the very Front of the Black Catalogue Next to the Idolater that Maketh and Worshippeth any Graven or Mosten Image Deut. 27 16. is He that setteth Light by his Father and Mother And what blacker Mark of Infamy and Hopelesness can be put upon any Persons than to be set in the Forefront of such as the Curse of Heaven is upon To bear any Place in that miserable Beadroll is sad enough But to be the very second Rank of the Accursed Crew bespeaks the Case to be particularly dreadful and discouraging But on the contrary dutiful obedient Children as they are the Joy and Crown of their Parents while they live so they give very good Ground of Hope when they come to die For they are the Children of Promise And if they have not the Promise made good to them in a long Life upon Earth it cannot but be comfortably hoped that a Gracious and Faithful God will fulfil it in that which is better even Life everlasting in Heaven I know the Exterternal Acts of Obedience may proceed from different Springs or Principles whichmay often vary the case A Child may yield outward Obedience from Fear as well as from Love The dread of the Rod may overawe them when Love and the Sense of Duty does not incline them and in that case we cannot make so hopeful a Conclusion But when a Child's Obedience evidently springs from an Obediential Disposition when it is influenced not so much by a slavish awful Fear as by Principles of Conscience Love and Reverence Love and Reverence to Parents and Conscience to the Command of God it cannot but be reckon'd a very encouraging Symptom It 's recorded to the Honour of our blessed Saviour That he was Subject to his Parents Tho' the Advancement of his Humane Nature into the Person of the Son of God advanced him above any Obligations of that kind yet to testifie how natural how amiable how becoming Obedience to Parents is himself yielded all the Subjection and Obedience that could be expected from the Relation He was Subject that was Lord over all to leave a blessed Example to Children to be and do likewise And it cannot but be esteemed an Hopeful sign to be conformable to so good a Pattern It 's a part of the Image of the blessed Son of God Rom. 8.29 to which all the Children of God are predestinated to be conformed And any Branch of Conformity to that Image cannot but afford a good Hope concerning those in whom it is found Do you see then Children giving all becoming Proofs of their inward Acknowledgment of and Veneration for their Parents Do you see them careful to please and fearful to offend and grieve them When other Children are Proud and Stomachful and Self-will'd impatient either of Advice or Reproof Do you see these listning to their Parent 's Exhortations and melting under their Reproofs When others make no matter of disobeying and offending and provoking their Parents Do you see these efflicted and grieved at themselves for grieving theirs When the Obedience of others lasts no longer than while their Parents Eye is over them Do you see these bear a tender respect to their Parents Pleasure and Favour as well from under as while they are under their Parents Eye In a word Do you see them Fearful of or Penitent for any thing that looks like Undutifulness Such Children but be lookt on as leaving a good Testimony behind them tho' snatcht away in their Morning-age 8. A particular Love to good People is another hopeful Appearance in Children That Love to the Saints is made an evidence of Grace in Adult Persons is so plain in Scripture that nothing can be plainer Particularly it 's the Mark mainly insisted upon by the Beloved Disciple John whose own Heart being much affected with Love to God and the Brethren he makes this a Principal Tryal with respect to others I need not point to all the places that occur in his Epistles to this purpose That one is enough 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that we are pasled from Death unto Life because we love the Brethren Observe he lays it down not meerly as a probable but as a Damonstrative Argument We know that is with an Holy Confidence and Assurance that we are passed from Death unto Life from a State of Sin unto a State of Grace because we love the Brethren that is the Children of God as such or under that Consideration and Character And as this is a Character so express in Scripture so in Experience it has been so singularly useful that it has supported the Spirits and quieted the Fears of many doubting Souls when all their other Graces not being so perceptible in their Operations have been able to afford them little or no Relief Now if it be an Argument of such Evidence in grown Persons why may we not allow it the like evidentialness with respect to Children It 's true Love may be caused by such Motives as may prove too weak a Foundation to build upon in this case as when it proceeds from nearness of Natural Affinity or from a sweetness of Temper and
Branches of ourSelves OurSelves are multiplied into so many lesser Sprigs yea our own very Bowels spun out into so many smaller Threads And consequently when these by an Irresistible Hand come to be rent and torn from us it cannot but be very Grievous to Innocent and much more to Corrupted Nature But when there is a well-grounded Hope in their latter End when there is a good Foundation to believe That they are made Brahches in Christ before they are pluckt away as Branches from our Selves That there are some Lineaments of the New Creature formed in them before they are call'd off the Stage of this Old Creation This cannot but open a Refreshing Spring of Consolation to Mournful Parents to asswage their swelling Sorrows and to stanch their bleeding Wounds In the management of this Point we shall endeavour to shew 1. What are those Symptoms which may administer good Ground of Hope with respect to our dying Children 2. In what Respects this is such a Soveraign Support to Surviving Parents and Relations 1. What are those Characters which may administer good Ground of Hope with respect to our dying Children I shall not here concern my Discourse with those Children that die in their Morning-Infancy and are snatch't from their Mothers or Nurses Breast by that time they are well come into the World and consequently are no more capable of exerting any Acts of Grace than they are of Reason The Occasion requires not and the Time will not allow me to engage in that Subject But I shall confine my self to such Children as have arrived to some Competent years of Understanding and so are in a Capacity of leaving some Intimations of the early Impressions of Divine Grace upon their Hearts altho' cut off in their Early Blooming days Yet in our Management hereof it becomes us to exercise all humble Sobriety it being attended with some difficulty to state aright the first Sproutings of Divine Grace in Adult Persons and much more in Young Children We shall therefore make an Adventure only so far as the Line of Scripture without offering any Violence to it will conduct us and leave the more Intricate Secrets of Divine Operation to him that best understands them even to God himself Who can discern Grace in those Minuter Workings which lie beyond the Reach of our Observation To come to Particulars There are these timely Intimations of Goodness in Children which may minister good Grounds of Hope with respect to their latter End 1. A Teachable Disposition in the Things of God As it is the unquestionable Duty of Parents to teach their Children betimes and prudently to instil Divine Truths into their Minds as soon as they are capable of learning so it is a very hopeful Indication in Children when they are Teachable in Divine things and chearfully receptive of Spiritual Instructions in their tender Years Whom shall I teach Knowledge says God Isa 28.9 whom shall I make to understand Doctrine Them that are weaned from the Milk and drawn from the Breasts I know the Words are designedly a very cutting Rebuke to the Unteachable Jews intimating that a weaned Child was as teachable as they But withal we may make this Observation from them That when Children are so early receptive of Gracious Instructions it is an Argument That God is at work with them as their Soveraign Teacher To hear Children studiously Inquisitive into Spiritual things and asking good Questions about Serious and Heavenly Matters To see them leaning their Heads and lending their Ears earnestly to listen to Discourses about Soul-affairs and things of everlasting Moment what a Comfortable Prospect must it afford And as it cannot but be very Affecting to the Hearts of concerned Parents so it can be esteem'd no less than an hopeful Intimation in those tender Plants That God is dealing with their Hearts in their Morning-years tho' in a way and manner undiscernable to us Who is it that forms the Heart which by Nature is Crooked and Perverse into this Spiritual Docibleness Prov. 21.1 but he who has all Hearts in his Hand and can mould them when and how his Soveraign Goodness pleases Children's Hearts in their Natural State are lockt up against Divine things as well as other Men's And who is it that opens the Lock so early Rev. 3.7 but be that has the Key of David and opens where none can shut and shuts where none can open In a word A Teachable Mind in an Age of Life that 's oftentimes the most untoward and Indocible implies an Heart touch'd with the Finger of Heaven And where God has his Hand upon the Spring so soon it cannot but suggest a good Hope through Grace unto Thoughtful Parents 2. An Affectionate Respect to the Holy Scriptures is another early Intimation of an hopeful Import It 's recorded as one of the Morning-Bloomings of Divine Grace in a young Timothy 2 Tim. 3.15 That from a Child he was acquainted with the Scriptures His early Acquaintance with them implies his early Affection to them He was such an early Proficient in them because he had an early Desire unto them and delight in them which can be attributed to no other than a Divine Original When Children therefore express an early Respect to the Holy Bible and love frequently to converse with those Blessed Oracles when they take pleasure in Reading them themselves and in hearing others Read them when they make a particular Remark upon signal Passages and inquire into the Meaning of them and lay them up as a choice Treasure in their Hearts when they love to Read such Passages over and over again and to be telling of them as if their Hearts were greatly affected with them and suck't some Vertue and Sweetness from them what Construction can all this admit of but as an hopeful hint from Heaven of some Gracious Beginnings in those tender Years Is it not an Intimation That the same Spirit of Grace and Truth that indited the Scriptures has begun to draw some Lineaments of those Blessed Truths upon such Childrens Hearts When the Heart is much in the Bible it 's an Argument there 's something of the Bible in the Heart There 's something within answering to the Truths without which gives them such a pleasant Taste and Relish to the Soul There 's some Minims of the Law writ in the Heart though the Characters as yet be but very small and scarce discernable Heb. 8.10,11 This also may afford a very Supporting Foundation of Hope to Pious Parents 3. A Towardly Inclination to Religious Duties is another Token of an encouraging Nature What a doleful Sight is it and worthy of the most compassionate Resentments to observe the wretched Auk wardness of some Children to Religious Exercises Do but compare them then with what they are at other times and they are never more froward or more prone to Sleepiness than at such Seasons How apparently do their Spirits enther sink or fall or grow
cross and sour upon the Management of any Holy Duty Thereby manifesting their secret Disrelish of and prevailing Aversness unto things of a Spiritual Heavenly Character But on the contrary when Children evidence a pleasant Towardliness to the Holy ways of God when they manifest a dear Affection to Prayer and reading good Books and Religious Discourse as performed and managed by others and when they frame themselves to these things in what Manner and Measure their short Capacity will admit making up in the Will wherein they come short in the Work This is also a very Amiable Hopeful Symptom It 's left as a Mark of Honour upon young Josiah That when he was but Eight Years old he walked in the ways of his Father David to do that which was Right in the Sight of the Lord. 2 Kin. 22.1,2 What a lovely Discovery was it of an Immortal Seed dropt into the Heart when it thus began to sprout above Ground How delightful were such early and choice Beginnings The Power of Divine Grace must be at work betimes where the Effects were so Early and Signal Well It ministers no less matter both of Delight and Hope to see our Children beginning to savour the things of God and to disrelish their Childish Vanities in the timely Spring of their Day And it cannot but bespeak a new Divine Palat formed in the Soul to which the Vanities of Youth are so unsavoury and the Exercises of Heaven so Grateful and Pleasant 4. A Thoughtful Concernment about an Eternal State is another hopeful Indication of early Goodness Childhood is a Time of Life that ordinarily runs so much into Froth and Vanity that it seldom admits of any serious Consideration How difficult is it to fasten a serious Thought upon Children either of their Duty or Danger either of their Present State or Future Doom Their Vain Minds are possess'd with their Childish Trifles Eccles 11,10 that there 's no Entertainment for Thoughts or Fears or Cares of an higher Nature They are so charmed by the present Allurements of Time that they know not how to apply their Minds to the more solemn Concerns of Eternity And therefore where any Thoughtfulness appears of this kind it is the more remarkable For Children to be possess'd with an Awful Sense of an Eternal State to hear them inquiring What they shall do to be saved to see them concerned about Death and Judgment and Heaven and Hell must be much more than the same things in grown Persons It 's the more observable in them by how much it 's the more rare and more contrary to the Temper of that Foolish Age. It 's rare to have a Child's Mind composed to any thing and much more to things that lie so remote from Sense and Fancy which are their chief Governing Principles Whence then must these Thoughts have their Original To what Spring must they be ascribed Certainly to no other than the secret Operation of Heaven Children do not use to look into their Graves or take a Prospect of Eternity but when the Finger of the Almighty powerfully directs them thither They do not use to entertain themselves with Anxieties about another World or what will be their suture State therein but when such Thoughts are dropt from above And how seldom do such Thoughts abide but when they are rivetted by the same Hand that made the first Impression When therefore Thoughts of this Nature take up such early Possession in the Minds and Hearts of Children it is a Token of very comfortable Signification 5. A real Desire after an Interest in Christ is another Intimation that affords a good Ground of refreshing Hope What an Encouraging Presage doen it suggest to hear Children timely inquisitive after the Blessed Jesus asking who and what is he and of what use to the Souls of Sinners And upon Intelligence received to be mighty sollicitous and concerned about an Interest in his Grace and Mercy Our blessed Saviour himself who was no Stranger to the early Appearances of Divine Grace lays it down as a fundamental Maxim Job 17.3 This is LIfe Eiernal to know the only God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent It 's Eternal Life in the Seed though not in the Flower in the Beginnings though not in the Perfection of it The first Buddings of Spiritual and consequently of Eternal Life are frequently couched in Pleasing Inclinations to hear of this Incomparable Person and in secret Desires to have a Part and Lot in him And this argues both some Conviction of a lost State by Nature and also some Spiritual Acquaintance with the Nature Uses and Ends of Jesus Christ as the great Contrivance of Heaven for saving Perishing Souls Why do such Souls esteem it their concern to look after a Saviour but that they are in some measure sensible of their guilty undone Condition by reason of Sin And why do they desire to be interested and wrapt up in the Mercies of a Gracious Jesus but that they have had some Beam of DivineLight breaking into their Minds whereby to understand him as the great Propitiation ordained of the Father for Guilty Sinners You must allow for the Incapacity of Children in not coming to that distinct Acquaintance with Christ which maturer Years may arrive unto But it is a singular Foundation of Hope when they know so far of themselves as to be afraid of dying in a Natural State and so far of Jesus Christ as to breathe out their Hearts in an Affectionate Concernment for a Portion in him as the only Saviour of dying Souls And more may be wrapt up in a Sigh a Groan a Word a Tear of theirs to this purpose than we are aware of 6. A tender Fearfulness of known Sin is another hopeful Testimony of early Goodness We must indeed make allowance for the unballasted Temper of Childish Years which cannot be expected to be altogether free from the Vanities and Follies of that Age But when Children are under powerful Impressions of Fear of doing any thing which they are convinced to be downright Sin and this not so much from a Servile Awe of the Rod as from an ingenuous Tenderness of Heart it cannot but suggest a good Hope notwithstanding some Childish Follies that they may be incident to Children cannot be supposed to have that explicite and extensive Knowledge of Sin that riper Years may attain unto But what they understand to be Sin they are sensible it 's offensive to God and displeasing to their Godly Parents as well as Damning to their own Souls and from all these Considerations are possessed with an Awful Fear of doing amiss Who can esteem this any other than a Divine Spark struck from Heaven into their Hearts while yet in their tender Minority How fearful have some Children been in Lying tho' an Iniquity too commonly incident to that Age of taking the Name of God in vain of profaning the Sabbath or bearing apart in the wicked Excesses that other
Cloud that God has drawn over you be Dark yet it s not all Darkness it has its Bright as well as its Dark Side And while the One ministers matter of Sorrow to you the reviving Beams of the Other may give you Light and Comfort in the midst of your Sorrows 2. Bless God that hath given you such Hope instead of Grieving and Repining for what you have lost Adore Divine Goodness for what you have left you You have lost a Child but you have a Legacy of Hope left you to help you to bear your Loss Be more in Blessing God for the one than in mourning for the other It might have been otherwise with you that you neither might have had Child nor Hope But since God has been more gracious to you take heed of carrying it as if either you had no sense of Divine Goodness or your Relation Dyed without Hope As there is a Debt of Tears owing to your Hopeful departed Children so there is a Debt of Thankfulness owing to the God that made them such Be not over-liberal in paying the One while in the mean time you forget the Other Tho' God have taken away the tender Olive-Plants that should have adorned your Tables yet as good old Jacob said in another case it 's enough that you have a Comfortable Hope that they are transplanted to a richer Table in their Father's Kingdom They have taken their flight never to make their Return to Earth any more But it 's enough that you have Hope in their Latter End Bless God for and comfort one another with that Hope 2. Give me leave now to improve this Point more generally to all to whom it may be useful and that 1. To Parents 2. To Children 1. Here 's Matter of Exhortation to you Parents That you would use the utmost care in the Holy Education of your Children that whether they live or die you may have Comfort if they live you may have Comfort in their Lives if they die you may have Hope in their Death Or however you may have this Support in your own Spirits that you have discharged your Duty As soon therefore as they arrive to a Competent measure of Capacity take all Opportunities prudently to instil Divine Truths into their Minds such as their tender Years are most capable of receiving that their Minds being so early tinctured with things of Eternal Moment may derive a suitable Impression to their Hearts Take all convenient Seasons to acquaint them that there is a Great and Glorious though invisible God who made all things and curiously formed them in Secret and formed an Immortal Spirit within them to know and love to live unto and live with Him in an Everlasting State Be telling them as they are able to bear how their Natures are depraved and fallen off from their God and Happiness and that thereby they are become Children of Wrath by Nature and obnoxious to the Judgment and Curse of an offended Majesty Acquaint them with what Condescension to their Capacities you can what guilty perishing Creatures they came into the World by reason of Sin and if it were not for Infinite Goodness that they might have been tumbled into Hell as soon as ever they drew their First Breath Tell them that in this miserable State they might have lived and died without Remedy had not Infinite Compassion provided a Saviour to deliver poor Guilty Souls from going down to the horrible Pit Inform them with what plainness and distinctness you can possibly use who this Saviour is and what he has done and suffered and what he is still a doing in order to the Recovery of lost undone Souls Tell them that they even they must have an Interest in this Saviour or they are undone for ever and that the way of coming to an Interest in Him is by an Humble casting themselves upon his Blood and Grace for the Pardon of their Sins and the Healing of their Corrupted Natures Such Truths as these labour to possess and season their early Thoughts withal Only in the doing thereof use all the Prudence and Gentleness and Condescension you can that you neither overcharge them with too much at once nor confound them with Things that their Capacities cannot reach unto And who knows how this Divine Leaven may under the Influence of the Heavenly Blessing diffuse its powerful Vertue thro' their Tender Souls As soon as they begin to talk learn them to talk in the Language of Canaan and not of Ashdod in the Dialect of Heaven and not of a Prophane World that their early Breath be not corrupted with the rotten Communication of the Children of Belial 2 Kin. 2.23 Let it be your Pious and Early Care to teach them their Catechism as being the most familiar and methodical way of Instruction and content not your selves that they learn it by rote but labour to conveigh the Truths therein to their Understandings and Affections As soon as possible also learn them to Pray and in order thereunto Pray with them your Selves and acquaint them both what need they have to Pray and how they must address themselves to God in this Solemn Duty Carry them as soon as you can judge it convenient to the Publick Worship and Ordinances of the Gospel and esteem it a Mercy that you may carry your Young and your Old with you Observe them with what Reverence and Attention they carry themselves while they are there and call them to an Account what they have brought with them when they come home and take Advantage of what they remember though it be the less to improve it to further Instruction Above all inure them to their Bibles betimes and direct them to such Places as may be most fitted to their weak Capacities and if in their Reading any thing offer it self which may afford special Instruction to them improve it to that end And thro' Divine Goodness some Grains of the Immortal Seed may take Root e're you are aware In a word Train them up to all Religious and Divine Exercises that their tender Years are capable of And cease not to water all with your Prayers and Tears for an happy Success Would you have your Children Comfortable in Life and Hopeful in Death let these be the Particulars of your Serious and Early Care And the more effectually to excite you thereunto let me offer to you the following Cosiderations 1. Without this Religious Care of Education you cannot expect the Comfort you desire neither in their Life nor Death I know there is nothing more Natural than for Parents to place a great deal of Hope and to prosmise to Themselves large share of Comfort from their Rising Off-spring When you are pressed down with the Pains and almost wearied with the Care that 's laid out upon them this sweetens and alleviates all But seriously consider with your selves what just Ground have you for such Expectations without a Conscientious Endeavour to render them such as you
would have them by an Holy Education Can you expect to attain the End without a careful use of the means in order thereunto Has not the Holy God the Father of all our Comfort connected the Means with the End in this as well as other Cases And who dare separate what God has conjoyn'd What God may do in a way of Prerogative is one thing and what you may expect in a way of Ordinary Dispensation is another God may be Better and Kinder to your Children than your Selves are and may do that for them which you take no Care about But what Warrant have you to expect this while you are negligent in your Duty Though God promised to do great Things for Abraham his Friend and for his Posterity yet he tells you That in order thereunto he knew Gen. 18.19 that Abraham would command his Children and his Houshold to keep the way of the Lord. Intimating thereby that he was not to expect the Comfort without the Discharge of the Duty no more can you It 's in a way of diligent Performance of your Part and in an humble Dependance upon God for doing his Part that you have any Foundation for Hope that they shall be Comforts not Crosses to you It 's true it 's the Royal Prerogative of a Gracious God to give them that Grace whereby they must be rendred comfortable whether in Life or Death But tho' the Grace is his the Duty is yours and it 's by the Instrumentality of a Gracious Education that he oftentimes conveys that Immortal Seed to the Soul which though it may lie hid under the Clods for a time yet in due Season appears above Ground Though God sows the Seed you may Act in a Holy Subserviency in Cultivating the Ground in order to a Blessed Crop 2. Without this holy Care of Education you do not answer the Charge of Heaven that 's incumbent on you If you are Relious Parents your Consciences cannot but be affected with the Command of God as well as your Hearts influenced with the Consideration of Comfort Add this therefore to the former and labour to impress your Spirits with the Ponderous Thoughts thereof your Children are not so much yours as God's they are not so much born unto You as to the Blessed God Ezek. 16.20 And as they are born unto him so they are given in charge to you to train and bring up for him Prov. 22.2 Train up a Child in the way that he should go c. Eph. 6.4 Ye Fathers bring up your Children in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. What can be more express Your Children are not meer Gifts but a signal Trust You may not do with them nor carry towards them as you please but the Charge of Heaven is upon You to Educate and breed them up for the God that gave them And how will you answer your Neglect to the Great and Sovereign Law-giver if you live either in the Wilful or Careless Violation of so Solemn a Charge Or with what Reason can You expect Comfort either in their Enjoyment or in their Removal if You be guilty of a provoking Disobedience to so plain a Command Can God be pleased with such Parents or can You expect that He should make Your Children pleasing unto you 3. Without this Pious Care of Education you do not answer your Care for them in other Particulars You are careful to Feed and Cloath them without needing any Arguments to press you thereunto You can take Advantage of their First capacity to learn them some External Civilities and to form their flexible Years into some Decenoy of Carriage which you call good Manners You are careful to provide not only for their present but for their future Livelihood and to breed them up to some way of Comfortable Subsistence in the World as your Abilities and their Capacity will admit And while all this Care is bestowed upon the Outward Man should there not be a proportionable Concern for the better part Should the One ingross all and the Other be neglected as a Matter of no great Moment Our Saviours Rule is Matth. 6.36 Seek first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and all other things shall be added unto you Seek first for the Kingdom of God and if for your selves then for you Children Which should challenge the highest Care but the best Part whether of our selves or Children And whether is the better the External Mortal part or the Internal Immortal Spirit Whether is the more Valuable their Present Temporary Being If Eternity be of more Importance than Time then surely their Eternal State should be the largest Sharer in your Thoughts and Cares or how will you answer the Inequality You would have them do well in this World that is the Motive of all the Thought and Pains and Expence which you bestow upon their Outward Being And would you not have them to do well in the Eternal World Why then does not your Care for that bear some Proportion to your Concern for the other You esteem it a Natural and a most Becoming Office of Parental Affection to study and endeavour their Temporal Welfare And so it is But should not Your Love travel in more earnest Endeavours and Agonies for that which is infinitely better the Everlasting happiness of their Immortal Souls Whether should be Dearer to you the Cabinet or the Jowel The Perishing Earthly Tabernacle or the Inestimably precious Soul How then will you answer it either to your own Consciences or to the Supreme Judge if you are more Liberal in your Care about the Worse than the Better part 4. Without a Conscientious Care of Education your Affliction will be doubled in their Miscarriage As they are so Near and Dear unto you you cannot but be deeply afflicted if either they should prove Crosses in Life or should be snatch'd away in their Sins by a Premature Death But what a cutting Addition will it be to your Affliction if you have Reason to accuse your selves as being Accessory to their Ruin by your Sinful negligence It will be Grief enough to think that you have nourished and brought up Children for the Destroyer But it will be a far more sensible Grief when you are forced to take the Guilt of their undoing very much upon your selves for want or a due Performance of your Doby to them It cannot but go very near your Hear as that those who are as it were Limbs and Pieces of your selves should become a Prey to the oruel Murtherer but it must break your hearts to the very Dust when by your own Neglect you have as it were murdered them with your own Hands or at least have not done what in you lay to save them from the Murtherer's Hands That you have neither Comfort in their Life nor Hope in their Death will be Sorrow and Bitterness enough But when your own Consciences fall upon you with the outting Reflection that
unnecessary as Young as you are And your Thoughts by thus looking Inwards will by a necessary Connexion be led to look Upwards By thinking of your selves you will be led to think and consider of God as the Author of your Beings as the great Object of your Duty as the Awful Judge before whom you must stand within a few Days and as the Blessed Center where alone you can expect Rest and Happiness How profitably how sweetly may your Thoughts run upon these Subjects And how refreshing will it be to your Expecting Parents to observe that you are Thoughtful about such Matters 2. Labour to possess your Hearts with the Early Conviction of your Miserable State by Nature As innocent as you may suppose your selves to be yet be willing to know Eph. 2.3 That by nature you are Children of Wrath as well as the worst of Sinners and that you came into the World with that Corruption and Defilement of Nature which renders you Guilty before God Rom. 3.19 Be willing to be convinced that you are so many undone perishing Souls whom God is angry with every day and who are obnoxious to his Righteous Judgment every moment Joh. 3.36 till a Change of State have past upon you Look within you and see what wretched depraved Creatures Sin hath made you Full of little but Rebellion and Enmity against God and Serious Goodness Look above you and see the Flaming Sword of Offended Justice waiting only for a Divine Commission to dislodge your Trembling Souls out of your Bodies and to send you down to the Chambers of Death Look before you and behold the Burning Lake of Infinite Wrath opening her Mouth to receive you into Vnquenchable Flames And having got a sight of your Danger and Misery argue the Case with your own Souls Is this a Condition to be rested or lingred in Is this a State to be careless or unconcerned about Who can dwell with Consuming Fire Who can in hub it with Everlasting Burnings Why art thou at ease O my Soul Why art thou secure within me Thy case is thus Dreadful and Dangerous Sequester some of the Time which is too often spent in Vanity to entertain your Minds with such Considerations and Expostulations as these and put not off the matter with a few slight Thoughts that almost perish in the Thinking but labour to press and follow the Conviction till your Awakned Souls begin to cry out Act. 16.30 Oh! what shall we do to be saved What blessed News will it be to your Concerned Parents to hear from you such an Enquiry 3. Endeavour to impress your Hearts with your absolute need of a Saviour You must know You cannot be saved now but in an humble Compliance with the Terms of the Gospel no more than others and that must be by looking after Pardoning and Healing Grace in a Redeemer pardoning Grace to deliver you from the Condemnation Healing Grace to deliver you from the Dominion of Sin Be assured that nothing short of this Grace can savingly recover you Col. 1.19 And that this Grace is not to be had but in a Mediator Make it therefore the matter of your Early Inquiry who this Redeemer is what he hath done and suffered and purchased for you and how you must come to an Interest in Him and His Glorious Purchases Act. 4.12 When you hear the Tydings of this Beloved Saviour attend thereunto as those that are sensible that you have as Needful a Concern in Him as any When he is proposed and tender'd to you upon Gospel-terms know that your Consent is expected as well as from others and that now you are past your Infant-state you must be saved in the very same way and by the very Rules as Older Persons Is a Cordial Acceptation of Christ as their onely Lord and Saviour required of others The same is expected from you Is a Sincere Resignation of themselves to be entirely the Lord's required of others The very same is call'd for from you without any Exception or Dispensation Prov. 8. from the 22 th ver to the end Labour to settle these things upon your Hearts betimes for they are your Life 4. Apply your selves to a serious Reading the Scriptures and Attendance upon Publick Ordinances As soon as you have learnt to read put your selves to Christ's School and let the Bible be the chief Book you desire to learn in The Scriptures are for your Instruction as well as for Others Read them not meerly as a Task but as the matter of your Delight not to gratisie your Curiosity 2 Tim. 3.13 but as the Blessed Means to make you wife unto Salvation Here as in a Glass you must behold your own Wretchedness and Misery Jam. 1.23 2 Cor. 3.18 And here also you must behold the Matchless Glory and Excellency of a Redeemer Rom. 7.13 1 Pet. 2.7 2 Tim. 3.16,17 In this Chrystal Mirrour you must see Sin to be exceeding sinful and here also you must see Christ to be exceeding Precious Whatever is necessary either to your present Duty or future Felicity must be all learnt from hence Make this blessed Book then your Early Companion it 's a Book to make you Wise as well as more grown Persons and you cannot be too soon acquainted with it And the better to promote your Acquaintance therewith and Improvement thereby put your selves betimes under the Dispensation of publick Ordinance Publick Ordinances must help on Private Duties The Divine Truths that you read in private may be more opened and applied with that Heavenly Light and Warmth as may not only enlighten your Understandings but inflame your Affections with an Holy Life and Love I Let it be your Delight then as soon as you are capable Prov. 8.34 to wait daily at Wisdom's Oates and to wait at the Posts of hat Doors And wait with all Seriousness and Reverence with an earnest Desire and Expectation of the Coming down of the Angel to heal your Souls and to make you Sound and Sincere Converts 5. Send up your early Cries to Heaven that you may not fail of the Grace of God During your uncapable Infancy your Parents have prayed for you now you must pray for your selves And you have both as much need and as many Encouragements to Pray as others You have as much Need to Pray as Others For being Guilty before God you stand in need of Pardoning Mercy and your Natures being depraved you stand in need of Regeneration by the Spirit of Grace as well as others And who are more obliged to Pray for these Divine blessings for you than you are for your selves Or who have a nearer Concern in you than you have in your dearest selves You have also as many Encouragements to Pray as Others For besides the blessed Encouragements common to the Generation of Seekers in general you have Special and Appropriate Promises to encourage you Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me and they that seek me early shall find me Early Seekers are the surest Finders And who would not see about so Blessed a Duty that have such Encouragements of Success Learn then to make your humble Addresses to the throne of Grace betimes and though you cannot Pray as you would yet strive to Pray as well as you can Press your Hearts with the Sense of your Wants and that will direct you to such Expressions as will be acceptable to God though they may but be Poor and Confused in themselves If you can say little yet send up your Sighs and Groans Rom. 8.26 and that Broken Inarticulate language may have Power with God and prevail When you can do no more tell him in all Humility Gen. 23.26 that you are resolved to hang at his Door and lie at his Foot until he bless you Oh! howgrateful must it be both to Heaven and Earth to see you so Early in your Bibles and upon your Knees breathing after Christ and enquiring the Way to the Heavenly Zion This is now Early Religion This is the Holy Course I would recommend to your Blooming Years both for your own and your Parent 's sake The Observance whereof will be your Crown and Joy whether you live or die If you live to arrive to more Maturity it will be your Glory and Honour that you have began so Early with God as well as you parents Delight and Joy And if you die in your tender Minority it will both be your own Peace and your Parent 's Comfort in your Latter End Finis