HYMN.

Ye children, hear the voice
Of Goodness from above;
Obey your parents in the Lord,
And keep that law of love.

Their care for you has blest

Your young hearts with delight;

And never till their filial rest,
Will you their love requite.

Yet yours may be the gain,
To follow their commands,
And favor of your God obtain,
Who holds you in his hands.

His eye, with kind regard,
Submissive souls surveys;

Nor will they fail of their reward,
While he prolongs their days.

His pleasure is to bless

The duteous and mild:

Sure are his gracious promises

To each obedient child.

H.

LECTURE IV.

SOLICITUDE OF PIOUS PARENTS,

GENESIS 17: 18. And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!

THIS was the prayer of a pious parent for his youthful son. What an expression of feeling, and of earnest entreaty! It means, of course, something more than that his natural life should be preserved; for there is no intimation that it was specially endangered. Yet inasmuch as God was promising the patriarch a distinguished posterity, through the medium of one hereafter to be born, the faithful father took occasion to request

that the child now living might not be an outcast. His petition was, that Ishmael might live in favor with Heaven, a humble, holy, and useful life; that he might be a blessing to his family, and to the world. This, at least, may be regarded as implied, however expressed in the language of the prayer, so remarkably comprehensive. It has reference undoubtedly to religious character, and to that indeed mainly. O that Ishmael might live before thee!

The truth thus introduced to our attention, is that pious parents specially desire the salvation of their children.

The fact, as such, is clearly indis

putable.

Abraham, though a remarkable man in point of fidelity to God and his household, was not the only one ever exercised with this

feeling. The supposition is, that every devout spirit, in similar circumstances, will have something of the same emotion. If the salvation of a child was an object so desirable in his estimation, it is an object interesting to other parents spiritually related to the father of the faithful. We know, indeed, that such solicitude was common to those ancient worthies whose example is recorded for our imitation. Isaac, and Jacob, and Joseph, and David, with numerous others whose names live in sacred history, were all intent upon the salvation of their offspring. Mothers, in fact, as well as fathers, are found in the number. Hence, it is mentioned as the favored privilege of Timothy, that he had a faithful mother, and a devoted grandmother,

and therefore that from his childhood he had known the holy Scriptures. This, probably, was the reason why he was prepared to be a Christian minister so early in life. What

prayers were poured over his very infancy! What care and skill watched and guided the development of his childhood! What patience withal, and pious assiduity, conducted him along through all "the slippery paths of youth!" Thrice happy parentswell were ye rewarded for your fidelity!

Nor is the present age destitute of similar examples. Who has not known parents in like manner affected for their children; whose main solicitude seemed to be, that they might serve the Lord in the present world, and thus attain to everlasting life?