III.

DISC. country found, in which the children are as above described, of one thing we may be abundantly certain, that fuch a country cannot long continue Chriftian. They who are now children, will in a few years become men and women; they will foon compofe the great body of the Public: of what kind will that Public be? And how much more depraved ftill will be the defcendants of that Public! In fuch a nation, matters muft go on from bad to worse, till the wrath of God break forth, and there be no remedy. The inhabitants will either fall by the sword of the enemy, or be led away into captivity, or confumed by civil diffenfions, biting and devouring one another. For wise and most important reasons therefore it was, that when "God established a testimony in Jacob, "and appointed a law in Ifrael, he com"manded the fathers that they should "make them known to their children; "that the generation to come should know "them, even the children which should be "born; who should arife and declare them "to their children; that they might fet

"their hope in God, and not forget the DISC. "works of God, but keep his command

"ments.

Had this divine injunction been obeyed, religious knowlege would have been regularly tranfmitted by parents to their children, from generation to generation. But that knowlege once loft (as from various causes it has been loft) by parents, ignorance muft thenceforward be tranfmitted in the place of it. In the present state of things among us, many are the parents, who can neither teach their children, nor afford to pay for their being taught. How melancholy, and in the end how fatal to fociety must be the consequences, unless the cause be taken up by the charitable and well difpofed !-Bleffed be God, it has been taken up by Britons, in a manner unknown to any other age or nation. At the yearly meeting in the Cathedral of the metropolis, 6000 poor children, neatly clothed in the uniform of their respective schools, are seen a Pf. lxxviii. 5.

arranged

III.

DISC. arranged in rifing circles, and heard found

III.

ing forth together the praises of God. Struck with what they faw and heard (and I suppose the like never was feen or heard), two noblemen of the kingdom of Portugal, and confequently of the Romish persuafion, were overheard to exclaim, at one of these folemnities" This is life indeed — "We never lived before !"-" Out of the "mouth of babes and fucklings was praise "thus perfected!"

Children clothed and inftructed in other parts of the kingdom, cannot meet in this world; but all, if they make a proper use of what they learn, will meet in the next, to give thanks to God, and acknowlege the kindness of their benefactors. A more powerful confideration cannot be urged (and therefore no other needeth to be urged) to encourage all parties concerned in these charities, to perform their respective duties those who have ability, to give liberally; those who teach, to do it with fidelity; those who learn, with diligence.

DISCOURSE. IV.

CONSIDERATIONS ON THE SEA.

W!

PSALM XCV. 5.

The Sea is his, and be made it.

HEN man was firft formed, crea- DISC.

tion was his book, and God his preceptor. The elements were fo many letters, by means of which, when rightly understood, and put together, the wisdom, power, and goodness of the great Creator became legible to him.

The proficiency made by Adam under his heavenly teacher, appears from the circumftance of his impofing upon the creatures,

VOL. III.

F

when

IV.

DISC. when they were brought to him for that

IV.

purpose, names expreffive of their natures; a task which he could never have performed, unless, by the affiftance of his divine guide, he had first been introduced to an intimate acquaintance with those natures.

Happy the times, when all knowlege thus lay in one volume; when the pursuit of wisdom was attended by pleasure, and followed by devotion! For who doth not find delight in contemplating the works of the Lord? Who, when he hath duly contemplated the works, can forbear to praise the Workmafter ?

The

great and learned champion of the Roman church, who spent the beft part of his life in fifting the difputes between the catholics and proteftants, compofed, towards the close of his days, a fmall treatise upon the afcent of the foul to God by meditation on the creatures, which, from thenceforth, he made his conftant companion, and was wont to fay, it was more fatisfac