Addresses to old men, and young men, and little children. In three discourses ...…

A Fourth necessary thing, is your Example. Resolve like him, in Psal. 101. 2. I will walk within my House with a perfect heart. It is no rare thing to find it of the Son, He did according to all, that his Father did. Let your Children see by your Piety and Charity and Zeal, how they may please God; and never expose, like disguised Noah, your Nakedness, unto them. And unto all these things add your Prayer; your fervent and constant prayer, to God. Pray with your Children; and let not your Houses be liable to that hideous Thunder-clap, in Jer. 10. 25. Pour out thy Eury on the Families that call not on thy Name. A doleful Meeting must you have with your Children in another world, If you there have them article ⟨p. 120⟩at this rate against you, Lord, if this Bloody Father of mine had learnt me to acknowledge thee, I had never come to this place of Torment. But pray for your Children too; and be like those who, in Mat. 19. 13. brought little children unto Jesus O carry them to God in Christ, with your importunate Cries, That He would heal their spiritual Diseases; That He would cast every evil Spirit out of them; and that according to His promise, He would circumcise their Hearts to fear His Name for ever.

H. But then, My little children, of whom I travel in Birth again, until Christ be formed in you; I pray, let it be your endeavour to be those gracious Ones, which God may be an Heavenly Father unto. 'Tis impossible to express, how willing, how ready, the Lord is to be the Father of you all. He has already been a Father to many thousands of such as you; and there are doubtless more little Children in Heaven, even in the Fathers House, than there are persons of any other Age. How much may this encourage you; but in the mean time, consider, my dear Children, consider what your condition is. A Little Child once became a very holy Child, and being asked the reason of it, he said, Why, I was t'other day in the burying-place, and there I saw a Grave shorter than any self. Truly, if you'll repair to the Graves among us, you'll see many an one of your own Dimensions […] […]