chief pleasure. On the contrary, by love of study and fine writers, by being active and useful, by cultivating their advantages of station, they will never feel time a burden on their hands. They will be independent on a thousand trifles, which agitate and vex their equals. They will always be doing good, and be honorable in their generation. These instructions, enforced by the very conduct they inculcate, will work mightily as an antidote to the intoxicating pride which wealth and grandeur naturally inspire. They will readily then believe they were not born only to please themselves. Exemplary conduct, I say, must enforce these precepts; for, if the persons who give them violate them too, they can have no effect, because children must necessarily believe their parents judge that to be the way of pleasure and happiness in which they see them walk, because they do so out of choice; and if they did not think it best, why should they choose it? As it will, therefore, appear cruel in parents to correct or reprove for tempers and practices their children learn from themselves, so it will be absurd to expect precept or reproof should profit them, when the persons from whom they come are not under their influence.

After the welfare of the soul, and the improvement of the mind have been duly consulted, one attention more is necessary in parents, viz. to make provision for their children, sufficient, if they can, to enable them, by honest industry, or some liberal profession, to support themselves, and be useful members of society, For what can be more contrary to the feelings of parental love, than, by idleness or extravagance, to expose their offspring to poverty, or to force them to settle in a station of life much beneath that in which they were born, a cause frequently of much vexation to them, and a bitter dis

appointment which few are able to bear. But with regard to what may properly be called a provision, reason, not fashion; the word of God, not blind affection, must determine. When persons who were born to no estate amass wealth with a design to raise their children above the want of any employment or profession, scanty must be their charities, and strong their love of money. Yet so far is opulence from being any real benefit to children, that (few instances excepted) it proves a corrupter of their hearts, a pander to their lusts, fixing them in habits of vanity, evtravagance, and luxury.

The last duty I shall mention, which parents owe to their children, is to pray to God for them; for though the methods of religious instruction mentioned have a natural tendency to do much good, they cannot of themselves convert the heart to God. You may take all pains for this purpose, but still those who receive the Lord Jesus Christ are born not of blood, nor of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Therefore you must humbly and earnestly pray to him for success in your attempts, that, as the inhabitants of the world are increased by your offspring, an addition may be made by their names to the church of the living God, and the inhabitants of heaven,

SUNDAY XXXIX.

CHAP. XXXIX.

The Duty of Children towards their Parents.

IT is the duty of children to honour their parents, by abstaining from every thing that may reasonably give them the least offence or disquiet. Young people, who have conscience towards God, will think his command, "Honour thy father and mother," worthy their strictest observance, and know that this respect paid to parents is well-pleasing unto the Lord, and his blessing is upon dutiful children. On the contrary, disobedience to parents is strongly marked as the just object of his displeasure. For, after forbidding idolatry, (a crime levelled directly against his own glory), and commanding every Israclite to pronounce every idolater accursed, the self-willed despiser of his parents is held forth as the next object of universal execration: "Cursed be he that setteth light by his father and mother: and all the people shall say amen," Deut. xxvii. And in case a son grown up did, after advice, and entreaty, and command, withstand the authority of his parents, they were ordered by the Almighty "to lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place, and they were to say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die. So shall thou put evil away from among you, and all Israel shall hear and fear," Deut. xxi. What

a deep impression of the guilt incurred by irreverent behaviour from children to their parents must this law, enacted by the Most High, make on all who fear him? For though it be not executed now on the stubborn refractory son, it still remains a decisive proof of God's detestation of such a temper, for he changeth not.

A part of this reverence due from children to their parents is to conceal their infirmities, and, as far as truth and justice will admit, extenuate their faults. This is but a small return for the great benefits children have received. And if they can join in ing either their indiscretions or faults, can publish or ridicule what is the shame of their parents, they act over again the base part of the wicked Ham, righteous Noah's son, which brought down upon him a

curse.

expos

It is the duty of children to requite their parents, if they are able, for the benefit of their education. Ingratitude is the only sin which never found a single advocate. Yet, of all ingratitude one creature can shew to another, neglect in children to support and comfort their parents is the blackest: for what care and expence, to promote the good of their offspring, do parents ever refuse? Now, when, in the course of providence, they come to need some return of the same tender disposition; when the infirmities of age, losses, or afflictions, oppress them; what child, not destitute of all humane feelings, no less than religion, but would rejoice to prove as helpful to his parents, now going out of the world, as they were to himself when he first came into it? This expression of gratitude is marked in scripture, and neglect of it branded, not only as a renunciation of the gospel (whatever professions of zeal for it may be pretended) but as a crime which many Pagans would abhor. "If any provide net for his own

house" (not his children, they are not the persons meant here, but his aged parents and near relations in want), he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel," 1 Tim. v.

What proportion of his income a son ought to set apart for the support of his parents must be fixed by his condition. Yet this rule is ever to be remembered: If the provision bear no proportion to the ability of the person who makes it, God and man will regard it as a despicable offering. And if a son or child can be lavish in pursuit of pleasure, and live in expensive splendour, whilst a scanty subsistence is allowed to their parents, sense of duty certainly is not felt. What is given, is given not from love of God, not from affection to his parents, but to silence remorse, or avoid the scandal of suffering them to depend on charity.

The last instance of duty from children to their parents, which I shall mention, is obedience; obedience, without exception, in all cases to which parental authority reaches: and all cases are comprehended under that authority, where the command given to children does not oppose the revealed will of God, nor do violence to their conscience in matters of religion.

And, generally, those who are neglected or despised by their offspring, may thank themselves for it; it is the effect and punishment of their own sin. They fostered. when they should have corrected, every wicked temper in their children's earliest years. They shamefully sacrificed parental authority to a froward mind, and abjectly submitted to be governed by those over whom they were appointed governors, in the order of nature, and by the command of God.

Where this most foolish and cruel fondness has not been the cause of undutifulness to parents, a