But then is not this the case of the greatest part of mankind? And ought not the cure of this malady to begin here? Especially with respect to those that are professedly taken in hand to be delivered from this state of blindness and misery.

Should not this be our first and great concern, to plant the fear of God in their hearts betimes, by giving them a just and distinct knowledge of God and His attributes; by making them sensible of the relation they bear to Him, and that they are accountable to His justice for every thing they do; by explaining to them the condition they are brought into by the fall of our first parents; by shewing them to themselves, and convincing them, from their own reason and experience, that things are wretchedly amiss with them, that they are by nature under the power and dominion of sin, and that if they were left to themselves, they would go on to obey it to their eternal ruin; that people need not be at pains to make themselves miserable, for they will be so of course if they make no resistance? In short, by making them see and feel the sad estate they are in without the blessing of a Redeemer, we shall lay a good foundation for saving knowledge. But without that, the general duties of the Christian Religion may be taught without effect. And they that hear them may live in a formal profession of Christianity all their days, and die in a condition not better than that of infidels.

Do but attend to what I am going to say, and you will be convinced, that this is the likeliest, if not the only way, both to convert, and to confirm them in the ways of religion and virtue; namely, to open their eyes, that they may see with whom they have to do; and that they may perceive how unworthy they are of the least of the mercies God designs for them; and how liable they are to be for ever undone, if they are not careful for themselves.

For, first, this is the likeliest way to convert them; by bringing them to a seriousness of temper, than which nothing is more necessary to a true conversion; by representing to their minds things of the greatest concern to them; the value of their souls, which they ought not to hazard, though they were to get the whole world; the happiness they are made for, and the misery they may bring upon themselves, if they shall oppose God's gracious design towards them.

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The consideration of these things often set before them will not suffer them to be indifferent; they will learn to be afraid for themselves; and they will consider with attention, what is their true interest, and WHAT THEY MUST DO TO BE SAVED. Fear being that passion which God makes use of to make all His other graces effectual. Even Noah himself, great as his faith was, stood in need of this passion, to make him do what God had commanded him, to save himself from Heb. 11. 7. perishing: "Moved with fear," saith the Apostle, "he prepared an ark for the saving of his house."

Besides, it is this disposition which must make them fit Isa. 66. 2. objects of God's grace and compassion: "To this man will I look," saith the Lord, "even to him that trembleth at My word."

If to this we add, that it is this grace, and this only, that can make repentance and a religious life less discouraging and burdensome than they are apt to appear to an unregenerate mind, we shall still see more reason to press it upon those whom we are about to instruct unto eternal life.

To deny themselves a great many things for which they are naturally very fond; to mortify their lusts and affections, which are as dear to them as their lives; to take up the cross, even before it is laid upon them: these are duties which corrupt nature would avoid, if God, by putting His fear into their hearts, did not shew them the danger and the necessity of doing any thing to escape it.

And here one cannot but wonder at those, who, for the most part forgetting this only sure argument of conversion, do hope to persuade people to forsake their sins, and lead a religious life, by arguments purely moral, or on account of worldly inconveniencies: you will ruin your reputation, your health, your estate; you will disoblige your friends. On the other hand, virtue is its own reward. How honourable is it to be just to one's word, and true in one's dealings! How unworthy a rational man to live like a beast!

One may very well question, whether any man, ever since the fall of Adam, was converted by arguments of this nature. Alas! our corrupt hearts will easily get over every thing that can be said which only regards this world. But who can be so hardy as to slight eternal ruin; or despise His power,

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and His displeasure, who can destroy both body and soul in Matt. 10. hell; when represented in terms suited to the capacities of those to whom we speak, and pressed upon them with becoming seriousness?

It is for this reason, and because of ourselves we have so little inclination to consider, as well as little power to choose what is good, that God in His holy Word, both in the Old and New Testament, has so frequently set before us the terrors of the Lord, and of the world to come; that He has made known to us the certain miserable portion of the wicked in a future state, in order to awaken us, to fill our hearts with fears of future evils, while we continue impenitent; to make us serious; to make the pleasures of the world less palatable; to break the power of temptations; or, in one word, to dispose us for eternal life.

Neither is it of less use to confirm them in the ways of virtue and piety. For it will represent to their minds the dangers they have escaped, the sad condition they had been in, had not God vouchsafed them the grace of repentance; which will be a means of curing them of that carelessness and presumption that are the ruin of an infinite number of souls. And seeing the circumstances of this life, as well as the commands of Jesus Christ, require that Christians should be always upon their guard, nothing but a great fear of miscarrying could reconcile them to a duty so uneasy to flesh and blood.

But above all things, this fear will create in young people a tenderness of conscience, than which nothing will be of greater use in the whole course of their lives, to preserve them from falling. Temptations may be sudden; they may not always have time to consider the evil tendency of actions, may not always know what their duty requires of them; but if their conscience is tender and awake, they will be sure to keep at the greatest distance from every thing they have reason to fear may offend God; which will often serve instead of time to consider, instead of knowledge to direct, instead of friends to advise with, in time of danger.

Besides these, there is one other good effect this fear will have upon those who are early possessed of it; and this is, it will oblige them to live in a constant dependance upon God; to

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SERM. be ever looking up to Him for pardon and grace, for light and assistance, for protection against their adversaries, and against that security, the fruits of which are, negligence, a bold venturing upon temptations, a wicked life, and a reprobate mind.

I will only add, that this method of education appears to me to be the very shortest way of giving children a thorough knowledge of their duty both to God and man. For besides this, that it gives God the first possession of their hearts, (which is sure no small advantage,) it determines their choice betimes; makes them afraid of the dangers that surround them, and gives them an abhorrence of those vices which are so dangerous even to be acquainted with; and which one needs but once taste of, to become for ever slaves to them.

But then if we consider the age, and the slow capacities of those we have to deal with; the many precepts of the Gospel, and the different circumstances of life, wherein they are to be applied; we should utterly despair of giving them a full sight and knowledge of their duty, had not God directed us to this short method: to teach them first of all to fear Him ; which will supply the want of a great deal of learning, a good memory, and a great deal of time, which every body cannot be master of.

So that natural conscience, the general rules of religion, as they are summed up in our catechism, and which every body may learn; these, assisted by the fear of God, will be sufficient to direct any Christian in any state of life, in which the providence of God shall place him.

And indeed, as it is but too sure that very many make a shift, with good parts, and a great deal of learning, to be eternally ruined; so, to the praise of God be it said, we often see many poor people, with very small attainments,-but who have been bred up in the fear of God,-as true lovers of God, as careful not to offend Him, as constant and devout in worshipping Him, as just and conscientious in their dealings with men, and as sober and temperate in their lives; and consequently have as good a title to the blessings of Paradise, and the kingdom of Heaven, as they that have had the greatest advantages of learning and education.

In short; this foundation being once well laid, all other

Christian graces and virtues will follow of course. We shall love God proportionably to the mercies we are sensible we have received from Him, and the dangers from which He has delivered us; we shall hope for all favourable allowances from Him, whom we know, we fear, and love; we shall honour Him, and every thing that relates to Him; and we shall serve Him truly all our days. And being convinced, that God has made the love of our neighbour a proof of our fear and love of Him, we shall always be afraid of doing any of those things to others, which He hates and has forbidden.

Lastly; knowing that our bodies are the temples of the living God, we shall endeavour to keep them holy and undefiled, as the temples of God should be; and shall always be afraid of profaning and polluting them, and of doing any of those vile things which may drive the Spirit of God from His temple, and leave it to be possessed by devils.

But I must not tire your patience; and therefore I proceed, in the last place, to consider,

III. What manner of education is most proper to imprint the fear of God in the hearts of those whom we undertake to instruct; in order to prevent them, if possible, from making shipwreck of the faith which they have once received; and to oblige them to live according to the precepts of the Gospel which they have embraced.

There is indeed one truth, which, if it would be believed, would make people more desirous to learn their duty, than any body could be to teach them; and that is, that a virtuous education is really preferable to all the wealth and other advantages of the world without it.

But forasmuch as this will very hardly be received, we must take another method, and endeavour to possess people's hearts with the fear of God, and a fear of themselves, in order to prevail with them to lead a godly and a Christian life. We must, for instance, set before them the power and majesty of that God with whom they have to do; that all His laws are holy, just, and good; that therefore He expects obedience to them; that He sees all their actions, hears all their words, and knows the very thoughts of their hearts; that though He is infinitely good and merciful, yet that He can be angry