dead, met with Peter, one of his apoftles and minifters; and almost the first thing he said to him was, "Peter, if you love me, feed my lambs ;" i. e. teach my little children. Chrift calls you his lambs to fignify that you should, like them, be innocent and harmless. He commands his minifters to teach you, that you should be holy and without blame before him in love. If minifters are to

teach you, then you must hearken to them. When you, on the Lord's day, go to his house, remember that he is there. He has faid, that where his difciples meet together, he is in the midst of them. John beheld Jefus, on this holy day, walking in the churches. And He has eyes like a flame of fire. He fees every thing that is done or even thought. Go then, take your place decentlyftay in it quietly-watch your thoughts carefully -hear God's word diligently-endeavour to understand what you hear, and to remember it, that you may repeat it when you go home, and practife it every day.

Confider now, what the good king of Ifrael promised to teach children. He fays "I will teach you the fear of the Lord."

"To fear God, and keep his commandments, is the whole duty of man."

1. You must know, that there is a God; a great, wife and good Being, who created you at firft, preferves you ftill, and fupplies your wants continually. You cannot fear and serve him, until you know him.

You have often been taught, and I fuppofe you believe, that there is a God. You cannot fee him, for he is a fpirit-No man hath feen him at any time. He is invifible. But his works you may fee, wherever you go, and wherever you look: hence you know that there is a God.

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If you should into the wilderness, and there fhould find a house neatly built and finished off; but fhould find no perfon near it; what would you think? Would you fuppofe the house grew there, juft as the trees grow? No; you would know fomebody had been there to build it, as certainly as if you had feen it done. "Every house is builded by fome man: And he that built all things is God." You know that this world, and the things which are in it, did not make themfelves; and therefore you certainly know, there is fome unfeen Being who made them; and this Being is great, and wife and good.

2. If there is a God, you ought to fear him. "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be feared, and to be had in reverence of all that are about him." If you would know what it is to fear God, confider what it is to fear your parents. You understand what the word means, when it is applied to them. Its meaning is much the fame, when it is applied, to God. To fear your parents is to esteem and honour them, to please and obey them, to speak well of them, and behave decently to them. The fame tempers and difpofitions are implied in fearing God. You must remember, however, that as God is infinitely greater, and wifer, and better, than the best earthly parents; fo you must regard

him more than them.

I will here teach you why you must fear God; and how you must fear him.

FIRST I will fhew you, why you must fear God.

1. You must fear him, because he is a holy Being.

"He is of purer eyes than to behold evil; he cannot look on iniquity." "He cannot be tempted of evil; neither tempteth he any man." The

angels are often in fcripture called holy; and good men are fometimes honoured with the title of faints, or holy perfons. But the holiness of God fo much exceeds the holiness of the most perfect creature, that it is faid, "He only is holy." "He charges his angels with folly. "The heavens are not clean in his fight." "He humbleth himfelf to behold the things which are in heaven." The glorious train of angels in God's temple above, cover their faces before him, and cry, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hofts; the whole earth is full of his glory."

When Mofes, in the wilderness, faw a bush on fire, and not confumed, he knew that this denoted the fpecial prefence of God; and therefore it is faid, "He hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God."

When the prophet Elijah heard the ftill voice of God," he wrapt his face in a mantle." He had before felt a strong wind, and a violent earthquake, which rent the mountains and brake in pieces the rocks; and he felt them without any terrour upon his mind. But when he heard a voice from the holy God, though it was ftill and fmall, yet it seemed folemn and awful; and he covered his face, because he was afraid of God's prefence.

Now if fuch holy men, and holier angels fear God, how much fhould you fear him? He knows and hates every finful thought, wicked word, and vile action. How dare you, then, do, or speak, or think, any thing which you know to be wrong? 2. You should fear God, because he is always present with you.

God is fometimes faid to be in heaven, because he there makes fome fpecial difplays of his glorious perfections; but really he is every where. He is on earth: He is in this place: he hears what

I am speaking; and he knows what you are thinking. "He fearches you, and knows you. He knows your down-fitting and your up-rifing, and understands your thoughts afar off. He compaffes your path and your lying down, and is acquainted with all your ways. There is not a word in your tongue, but lo, he knows it altogether. You cannot go from his fpirit, nor flee from his prefence. Darkness and light are both alike to him." Do you not fear this God?—You are afraid to do wickedly in the prefence of your parents. You fpeak and act many things, when you are out of their fight, which you do not choose they should know. But remember, you cannot hide yourselves from God. He always obferves you. He looks you through and through. How dare you ever tell a lie? He hears you, and he abhors the deceitful child. How dare you fpeak profanely? He knows every word you fay, and he will not hold you guiltless when you take his name in vain. How dare you entertain wicked thoughts? He perceives them all; and a heart that devifes evil imaginations, is abomination to him.

When you are in company, and at your diverfions, think of God's prefence; thus you will be made more watchful against fin. If you are afraid at any time to be alone, think that a gracious God is with you, and put your truft in him. When he guards you, nothing can hurt you. Pray to him in fecret; he can hear you in every place, and will reward you openly.

3. You fhould fear God, because he is powerful. You fear your parents, because they have pow er to punish you, when you offend them. God has more power than they, more than all men in the world, more than all creatures in the universe.

If he created this world and all creatures in it; if he created the fun and moon, and all those wonderful bodies of light which you fee in the evening; and if he moves, and preferves them all; then he is great, and of great power, and nothing is too hard for him.

You sometimes fee a little of God's power, in mighty winds, violent ftorms, and terrible lightning and thunder. But these are only "the hiding of his power." He can deftroy the world; yes, all worlds, as eafily as he made them: And the scripture tells us, he will deftroy them. "The fkies fhall pass away with a great noife, the ele ments fhall melt with fervent heat, and the earth, and the works that are therein, fhall be burnt up. Then all good men and good children will afcend on high, to dwell forever with God, with Chrift, and with holy angels: but the wicked fhall be turned into hell; they fhall go away into everlafting punishment. Dreadful thought!

Children, do you not believe, that God has spoken this, and will do as he has spoken? How dare you, then, fin against him? Who knows the power of his anger? What a fearful thing it is, for guilty creatures to fall into his hands?

4. You should fear God because he is righteous. He not only hates fin, but will punish impeni. tent finners. He often punishes wicked men and wicked children in this world, and will punish them more terribly in the world to come.

You have heard how he once poured a flood of water upon the earth, and deftroyed all its inhabitants young and old together, except eight perfons, becaufe all but thefe had corrupted his way. You have heard, how he rained down upon Sodom a storm of fire and brimstone from heaven, and confumed at once all the people who lived