Live righteously: Do to others, as you SERM. would others should do unto you. Attend VII. much to relative duties. Behave as you ought to fuperiors, equals, inferiors, agreeably to your rank and station. It is easie to perceive from the epistles of Christ's Apostles in the New Teftament, that much of religion lyes herein: And that they are very imperfect Christians, who are defective in relative duties. 4.) Be perfuaded to accustom yourselves to private prayer. This may be understood to be included in a preceding direction. Nevertheless I have chosen to mention it here particularly and expressly. Pray, as you are able. Use the compendious prayer, which our Lord taught his disciples: or some other prayer, suited to your age and condition. What you want, ask God for. Look up to him, and humbly entreat his gracious and watchful care and protection. Say: "Ο "Lord, I am thine. Thou hast made me, " and I have promised to serve thee. Thou "knowest my weaknesse, and all the snares " and dangers that surround me. Do thou " keep me from evil, and vouchsafe unto me "all those good things, which are needful " and convenient for me. I would acknow" ledge M VII. SERM. "ledge thee in all my ways: Do thou di "rect my steps. Grant, that I may feriouf"ly attend to, and carefully emprove all "the means and helps, which thou affordest " me for obtaining true holinesse, and for "perfevering therein, notwithstanding the " temptations I may meet with. May I "chearfully perform all the duties and fer"vices, owing from me to those, to whom " I stand related, and with whom I converse, " or have any dealings. And may I fo If. xxxii. 17. "ferve and honor thee on earth, as that I may be received in thy due time to the "joys of thy heavenly and eternal king"dom." 5.) Once more ever remember the importance of right conduct. This is not a matter of indifference, or of but little moment. But all depends upon it. Good and evil, life and death, are set before you. Therefore choose the one, and refuse the other. Sin is a root of bitternesse. It yields bitter fruit, torment and vexation of mind. But the fruit of righteousnesse, or virtue, is quietnesse and affsurance forever. Moreover, it should be confidred, that you have been brought to Christ, and instructed in the 1 VII. principles of religion. If after you have had SERM. some knowledge of the way of righteoufneffe, you should turn from it, your case would be extremely fad and deploreable. But I trust, you shall not fall away, but persevere to the end, and at last be placed at the right hand of the judge of the whole earth, and, together with others, hear that gracious sentence and invitation: Come, ye Mat. xiv. bleffed of my Father, inherit the kingdom, prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 34. SERMON VIII. The Happinesse of having religious Parents, and other pious Relatives. 2 TIM. i. 5. When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith, that is in thee : which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice : and I am perfuaded, that in thee also. HE ensuing discourse is chiefly intended for the benefit of my T younger hearers. And upon oc cafion of this text I would pro pound these several observations. SERM. I. It is an advantage to be descended of VIII. II. It is commendable in children to at- III. They are to be blamed, who degene rate from the virtues of their familie. V. It is a great and fingular happinesse, I. It is an advantage, to be descended of pious parents, and other religious ancestors. This is evident at first sight. If piety, or any virtue, be preferable to irreligion, and to vitious dispositions and practises, it must be an advantage to be related to such as are religious and virtuous. It cannot but |