Or fhall I add that general Design which all Chrif tians ought to have, to enlarge and propagate the Kingdom of Chrift, fuitable to our Lord's Prayer, when we pray, Your Kingdom come. By this then all Parents are obliged to practife that in regard to their Children, as having above others the best Opportunity for that; and fhould you not propagate the Kingdom of God in your own Children, how would you do that in others? Should you pray this Prayer only with your Mouths, unless you perform it in Fact, then you pray either without Knowledge, or if with Knowledge, then you fhew yourfelves Hypocrites, who pray for fome Thing that they do not means. And to convince you farther, remember that he that edifieth not the House of Chrift with his Children, he edifieth the Houfe of the Devil; whilft this holds, He that is not with me, is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, fcattered abroad, Mat. xx. 30. And what fhall comfort you at the parting Time, if they die through your Neglect, in a chriftless Condition? This will be the grieving Confideration, my Child is for ever ruined, and I did nothing to prevent it, but rather help him to it; I am the Caufe of his terrible Fall; I have neglected to lead him in the Way of Science and Holiness; I have flighted to teach him in Prayers and Chriftian Virtues; I am the Caufe that the Devil has had so much Power over him, that he has curfed, fworn, lied and practifed all Sorts of Evil. Duty discharged, is the only Comfort in that Day. And the Confideration of the great Day, fhould move your Bowels of Pity for them. What a fad Thing will it be to fee your Children at Chrift's left Hand? O Parents, do your utmoft to prevent this Mifery! Knowing the Terrors of the Lord, we perfuade Men. You have peculiar Advantages that no others have: You have Opportunities to inftil the Know B 3 ledge ledge of Chrift into them; if therefore you neglect, who fhall help them? Behold, my Friends, thefe Inftructions about your Children. I found myself obliged to tell you of, so that you may know your Duty. If you will endeavour now, with the deepest Supplication and Prayer to God, for his Affiftance in following my Advice, that I have prescribed unto you, about these and all other Duties, agreeable to the Word of God; then you, with your Children, can be affured of his Promifes; and howfoever it may go in this World, that you always may glory in a good Conscience, which is not wounded with a knawing of a fcandalous Negligence, and can be perfectly rejoiced when you, with your Children, and whole Houthold, have ferved the Lord, believing that all his Promises, (which he has made in his Word, unto them who fear him) will be fulfilled: Yea, if it was, that the Mountains fhould depart, and the Hills be moved, his Kindness fhall not depart from thee, nor from your Seed, neither fall the Covenant of my Peace be removed, faith the Lord Jefa. liv. O! How comforting will it then be, for you to have ferved God in fuch a Manner with your Children? ર What an Abundance of Riches will follow upon that, even whilst here on Earth? May you have a Fund of Confolation in God's Promifes, here Treasures of the Gospel, here Faith, here a Hope of Glory, here abundant Grace, and fure fealing by the Holy Spirit, which Things are better than Gold, yea than all the Riches of the World, because he that is a Partaker of them, has enough, even as Jacob fays, Gen. xxxii. 11. And if we look upon that which will follow, that is no less than an everlasting Glory, 1 Tim. iv. 8. Happy then fuch Parents, who can justly expect those with their Children, and be in fuch a Hope of their Salvation; then will be fulfilled the chearing Promife, Mal, iii, 16. 17. Then they that feared the Lord Lord fpake often one to another, and the Lord hearkned, and heard it; and a Book of Remembrance was written before him, for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his Name: And they shall be mine faith the Lord of Hofts in that Day, when I make up my Jewels, and I will fpare them as a Man fpareth his own Son that ferveth him! yea, then they will be able to cry out with Joy in the laft Day, at the coming of Chrift, Behold, I and the Children which thou haft given me, Hebr. ii. 13. May that great God vouchafe to thee that Happinefs through Jefus Chrift, the Lord and dear Saviour of all his true Servants. Amen. A System: A SYSTEM: CONTAINING, The PRINCIPLES of the Chriftian Religon, By plain QUESTIONS and ANSWERS. Of RELIGION. Queftion. WHAT is Religion? Anfwer. It is a Method to know and ferve God rightly, according to his Word; with Expectation of Grace and Salvation in Jefus Chrift. Q. Do you find fuch a Description in the Word of God? A. Yes. Amongst others, Paul called the Faith of God's Elect, the acknowledging of the Church, which is after Godliness, in Hope of eternal Life, which God (who cannot lie) promifed before the World began. Tit. i. 1. 2. Q. How many Religions are there? A. As there is only one true Ged, fo also there is but one true Religion, Eph. iv. 5. One Lord, One Faith, One Baptifm. Q. What is the true Religion? A. The Chriftian Religion, profeft by the reformed Proteftants. Q. Why do you call it the Chriftian Religion? A. Because I believe and confess therein, that Jefus Chirft is the Son of God, and true Saviour, who fhould come into the Word; upon which our Faith. and Salvation are grounded. John xx. 31. But thefe are written, that ye might believe that Jefus is the Chrift, the Son of God; and that believing, ye might have Life through his Name. Q: Why do you call it the Reformed Proteftant Religion? A. In general to diftinguish it from that of other |