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النشر الإلكتروني

SERMON I.

The Fear of God.

MY CHILDREN,

DAVID, in the thirty-fourth Psalm, and the eleventh verse, speaks to you in these words:

"Come, ye children, hearken unto me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord."

DAVID was appointed, when he was young,

to be king over Ifrael, God chofe him, in preference to his brethren, not because he was ruddy, and of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look upon; but because he was of a pious difpofition-a young man after God's own heart. "For the Lord feeth not as man feeth; man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."

This godly king defired, that all his people fhould fear God; for, then, he knew that God would make them profperous and happy. He de. fired, that children, as well as others, fhould learn to fear God; for they were a part of his people; and if they feared God when they were young, he hoped they would ferve him when they were old; and would also teach their children to ferve him ; and thus the people would be virtuous and happy from generation to generation.

He calls upon children to hearken to him.

VOL. V.

B

You, who are children, need inftruction. Knowledge is not born with you. You have not had time to learn much by ftudy and experience. What you obtain in your childhood, must come chiefly by information from others.

You have need of knowledge, for you have fouls to be faved, as well as they who are older. And the religion by which you are faved muft begin with knowledge.

If you would understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God, you must incline your hearts to understanding-You must hear inftruction and not refuse it.

You must hearken to your parents. God has commanded them to train you up in the way in which you should go-to teach you knowledge and make you understand doctrine-to give you line upon line, and precept upon precept. It is their duty to point out to you the narrow way which leads to life, and to caution you against, and restrain you from, the broad path of fin and death. God will punish them, if they neglect to inftruct and warn you. They know what is use. ful, and what is hurtful to you-they are concerned for your happiness. This is the reafon why they fo often speak to you about God and heaven, about fin and hell; and why they sometimes deny you the things which you defire.

You must hearken to them-not only hear, but remember what they fay, and obey them in the Lord, for this is right. When you are abfent from them, you should think, what they have told you; not to lie, or fwear, or quarrel, or fpend your time foolishly; and you fhould behave as if you were within their reach, and under their eye.

You must hearken to minifters. Jefus Chrift, who died for our fins, as foon as he rose from the

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