with all the love and goodness of a tender parent, assure them that I did not desire to deprive them of any liberty, which, (all things considered,) would be reasonable, and for their good. And I would furnish them with such books as were proper, not only to instil religious sentiments into their hearts, but also to improve their minds. The money that others waste upon their childrens' pride and extravagancies, I would lay out in valuable books for them. And besides, I would use my best skill to teach them a decent, an amiable, and agreeable behaviour. I would also allow them, at proper times, to visit such of their companions as were discrete in their deportment, and religiously disposed; and I would teach them to be endearing in their carriage toward all. Nor do I doubt but that in this method of education, they would soon find such sensible advantages, as would effectually convince them that dancing is not at all needful to learn them polite behaviour, or to fit them for a most agreeable conversation among the better sort of men. But then, at the same time, I

would tell them,

1. That as things are circumstanced, it is impossible to bring dancing under such regulations, as will prevent its tendency to be greatly detrimental to a life of serious piety. Because the generality of young people are so very vain, and extravagant, and ungovernable.

2. I would tell them, that if they should go to balls, then either they must, contrary to their own consciences, do us others do, or else, in being singular there, be more ridiculous : and that therefore, it is for their interest and reputation to keep away. And,

3. I would tell them, that if balls were brought under such regulations as aforesaid, it would be impossible to maintain them for those that only mean to gratify the flesh, would not like them, nor go to them, much sooner than to a praying meeting. And others that only mean to use recreation in the fear of God and for his glory, that they may be the better fitted for the great duties of life; these would presently say, they do not want to dance, they had rather read and pray, and sing psalms together; and all with one consent would be for turning their frolics into meetings for religious exercises.

4. I would tell them, that ministers, and deacons, and such as we are ready to hope are good men, are not oùr rule : nor, will it be inquired at the day of judgment, whether you were no worse than the children of such and such men. But the question will be, were you really saints in Christ Jesus? And was your conversation such as becometh saints? Did you live like children of the light, and of the day; having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness? Did you live soberly, not in chambering and wantonness, not in sport and vanity, not making provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof, but putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, having the same mind in you as was in him, and imitating him in your whole temper and conduct? Did you live by the faith of the Son of God, and show your faith by your works? Or did you live like the children of this world, walking after your own lusts, in the way of your own hearts, and in the sight of your own eyes, even as others?

Thus in a kind, and rational, and Scriptural way, I would deal with them, and endeavour to afford them full conviction. But I hasten,

2. To point out, very briefly, some things which have a natural tendency, to beget and cherish a sense of God in the heart: or to direct you to the means instituted by God for that purpose, and in the use of which, it pleases God, of his sovereign grace, and according to the good pleasure of his will, to grant the necessary influences of his holy Spirit for this blessed end.

Be much in reading the word of God, the holy bible, that best of books, that sacred treasure of divine knowledge. Spend many of your leisure hours in this profitable and delightful employment. And let your minds be always taken up with the great things therein revealed concerning God and Christ, and the holy Spirit: concerning the fall of man, and the way of recovery opened in the Gospel, the greatness of the salvation by Christ, your absolute need of it, and your obligations to Christ for it; concerning death and judgment, heaven and hell, and eternity: and while you read, labour for a realizing sense of those great truths. And in order to this be much in secret prayer, in close meditation, and im

partial self-examination. Daily retire into your closet, and spend many an hour alone in these religious exercises. And maintain an everlasting watchfulness over your hearts to keep out vain thoughts, and to suppress all bad inclinations. Moreover, seek out a serious religious companion, and make such an one your friend, your monitor, and helper and sometimes spend an hour with him, in serious discourse together. Get acquainted with your pastor, and freely open to him your spiritual concerns, entreating him to be your faithful guide. Be swift to hear, and take heed how you hear, that the word preached may profit you. And children, obey your parents in the Lord; for this is right. Diligently attend family-duties every day; and let the sabbath of the Lord be carefully observed by you. Be diligent in the use of all the means of grace. Be resolute, be engaged, let no time run to waste; exert yourselves to the utmost, in striving that you may enter in at the strait gate, and escape the wrath to come. And never rest in any thing short of a saving conversion to God, nor be content without an assurance of the divine favour, and a life of communion with the father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. In a word, never rest satisfied without obtaining the faith of God's elect, and such a holy heavenly temper of mind, as was described under the first general head, when I showed what is implied in remembering God.

Only let it be minded here, that I do not give you these directions, under a notion of putting you upon making amends to the law and justice of God for your past sins, by your repentance and reformation, and of recommending yourselves to the divine favour by any works of righteousness that you can do nor under a notion of your having ability to renew your nature unto holiness, by the exertion of your own powers. No, but rather under a notion, that in the use of these means, you may come to be convinced, by the Spirit of God, of the insufficiency of your own righteousness, and to be made sensible of your spiritual impotency; and so be led to see your need of both righteousness and strength from Jesus Christ, the one Mediator and only Saviour; in whom all fulness dwells, to whom you must look, on whom you must trust, from whom you must derive all things, (John xv. 1—6.

Rom. x. 3, 4.) in the diligent and constant believing use of all the means of grace. But I must not enlarge.

In the second place, I am to offer some arguments or motives, to encourage and persuade young people to the pursuit of early piety. I have already shown the many and great obligations that lie upon you, to remember God, to have a sense of him on your hearts, even so as to be divorced from all other things, and entirely devoted to him. And have showed, that those obligations are absolutely binding, and of. everlasting force. And so I have considered early piety as a matter of duty. But now I come to view the matter in a different light, to consider it as a point of prudence, a matter of interest and expediency. For it is not only your duty, O young people! early to devote yourselves to God, and to a life of strict piety; nor only a duty to which you are under infinite obligations; but it is also your wisdom, as it is for your interest; unspeakably for your advantage: more for your interest, than to be made worth thousands a year: more for your interest, than to be adopted into the family of a king ; yea, more for your interest, than to be made lords of all this lower world. The service of God is certainly then your most reasonable duty. Let it be particularly considered here,

1. There is an unspeakable pleasure in religion itself, antecedent to all other considerations; yea, joy unspeakable and full of glory. (1 Pet. i. 8.) A sinful state in Scripture-account is a state of death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace, Rom. viii. 6. Yea, it is eternal life begun in the soul; it is the dawning of eternal glory. There is an unspeakable pleasure in seeing and knowing God to be just such an one as he is. An unspeakable pleasure in having a sense of God on the heart; of his all-seeing eye and all-governing hand, and of the infinite moral excellency of his nature, discovered in his moral government of the world, in the law and in the Gospel, in the nature of the first covenant and of the second. It is this that ravishes all the heavenly world, and makes them in ecstasy cry out, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighMy, the whole earth is full of thy glory, (Isa. vi. 3. Rev. iv. 8.) this that will be the grand foundation of the blessedness gels and saints to all eternity. They shall see God, they

shall behold him in his glory, their hearts shall be everlastingly full of a sense of his transcendent beauty. (Mat. v. 8. John xvii. 3. 1 John iii. 1, 2.) The moral excellency of the divine nature gives a lustre to all the perfections of God, and speaks him infinitely glorious in being what he is; and here is the foundation of that infinite happiness he has in the enjoyment of himself. It is this, that fills all heaven with glory; and it is this, that makes a little heaven begin to dawn in the hearts of the godly here on earth. Indeed, a true spiritual sense of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ, is the beginning of heaven, and a foretaste of eternal happiness. And therefore in Scripture it is called eternal life. (John xvii. 3.) There is an unspeakable pleasure in being divorced from all other things, and in cleaving to that best of beings. It was so sweet to the Psalmist, that he cries out, Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none on earth I desire besides thee, Ps. lxxiii. 25. To love him, to delight in him, to live upon him, in this present evil world, is near a-kin to heaven. To be transformed into his image, is angelic blessedness: to be entirely devoted to him, to live a life of communion with him, and obedience to him, affords the most refined pleasure, sweeter than the honey, yea, than the honey comb. In a word, to have a spirit of pride, and vanity subdued in us, to have a spirit of worldliness and sensuality mortified, and to be strictly pious, is the happiest thing, that can possibly be had in this present world. To be spiritually minded, is life and peace. Leave therefore the cruel slavery of sin, the vile servitude of gratifying your corruptions, and no longer love death. But come now and be blessed; begin now to enter into the joy of your Lord. He that commits sin, is the servant of sin; but if you will be Christ's disciples, you shall be free indeed. And the glorious liberty of the sons of God is infinitely preferable to the licentious liberty of the children. of this world. His yoke is easy, his burden is light: wisdom's ways are pleasant, and all her paths are peace. It is a thousand times sweeter, to mourn for sin, than to commit it; to be weaned from the world, than to possess it all; to have pride mortified, than to have it gratified; to enjoy communion with God, than to be in vain company; to forgive an