II. Of the blessedness or happiness of those children who HEARKEN to what Jesus

Christ says.

Jesus Christ declares in my text, Blessed are they that keep my ways. This means that such children shall be happy both in this world and in the next. Now I will show how this is.

First, A good child will be happy in himself. No children are really comfortable but those who are good. A wicked boy may seem to be happy for a time in having his own way and doing as he likes; but he soon makes himself wretched. For wicked passions are their own punishment. Pride, envy, self-will, discontent, anger, malice, are sure to cause unhappiness— they are like wells of muddy water, and all the streams that run from them are muddy too. A child may as well talk of being easy when he is bound in iron chains, as of being happy, when he is tied and bound with the chain of his sins. Wicked children are never quiet or satisfied. First they want one thing, and then another. They are like the waves of the sea tossed about by the wind.

Secondly, Good children are happy, because

they make their parents and friends happy.

Nothing rejoices a parent's heart like the gccd conduct of a child. The kind mother

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watches over her little boy; and when the child behaves well, and listens to what she tells him, and makes a conscience of fearing God, and loves to hear of Jesus Christ, and is serious when he says his prayers, then her heart is glad, and she blesses God for giving her such a good child. But when children go on amiss and are wicked and undutiful, then the father and mother's heart is full of grief. Only think how Abraham rejoiced in his good son Isaac, and Jacob in his pious and kind son Joseph, and Hannah in her boy Samuel. Think also what a joy young Timothy must have been to his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois. And who can tell how the mother of Moses must have been glad when she found her little boy taken out of the ark of bulrushes by Pharaoh's daughter, and when she saw him afterwards grow up to be the deliverer of Israel. Now, my dear children, if you love your parents and wish to make them happy, be good and serve God, and this will make you happy also.

Thirdly, If you do so, you will have the

blessing of God upon you.

Jesus Christ tells you in the text, Blessed are they that keep my ways. And truly such children will have God's blessing. He has said, I love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me; and He will fulfil his promise. He will love them.. He will love them. He will bear

their prayers. He will give them all things that are good for them. He will teach them his will, and lead them in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. He will bless them with peace of conscience. He will make even sickness and trouble a benefit to them. And we are sure that he whom God blesses, will be blessed.

Fourthly, Such children also will be happy in all their future life.

Life is a long and dangerous journey; but a good child has Jesus Christ for his guide all the way. Those who begin life by fearing God and serving him, will go on with life under his care. Early piety is likely to be eminent piety. A little boy that grows up in true religion, will be submissive and teachable, diligent and faithful and upright; and therefore, whilst wicked children can never be trusted, he will have every one's good-will. If he is a servant, he will gain the esteem of his masters. If he is in trade, he will be honest in all his dealings. And in whatever station he may be, he will fear God, honour the King, obey the laws of his country, behave himself humbly and reverently to all his betters, and bring up his family after him in the same blessed ways. Thus, my dear children, as the farmer sows his corn in the seed-time, and then in due season reaps his harvest according to what he has sown, so you

are now sowing in youth, and you will reap the fruits of this in after life. Sow, therefore, my dear children, to the Spirit; that is, be good and holy, and live under the guidance of God's blessed Spirit, and you shall have a happy harvest at last you shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Fifthly, For those who keep Christ's ways

shall be blessed, because they shall recelescape everlasting death, and be happy for ever in heaven..

All the other things I have said are nothing compared with this. For who can tell what an awful thing it is to be cast away from God? Who can even think of the black pit of destruction without shuddering?.... It is said in the Bible to be a lake of fire and brimstone. On the other hand, how happy will it be for you to be good, and go to heaven when you die! What child can think of being with Jesus Christ for ever, and not wish to be there? How blessed must be the state of perfect happiness in the presence of God, and with all the holy angels, in heaven! Now, the only way to escape from hell, and to be fitted for heaven, is by serving God. . The little child that prays to Jesus Christ, and fears sin, and puts his trust in the merits of Christ, and begs of God to make him good by his Spirit, will be a heir of heaven. Such a child's sins will be forgiven,

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and his heart will be changed and made holy; and whenever he dies he will be carried by angels into Abraham's bosom. Whereas, bad children grow up in sin and mischief; they make God angry with them; they serve Satan, that wicked and fallen spirit; they never pray to God; they never think of their Saviour; they never beg of God to make them holy and good. Thus, even in this world, they are under God's wrath; and they often shorten their days by their sins, and die before their time. It was only a few months ago that two little boys in these schools were playing on a Sunday, instead of coming straight to church; and they got up upon a scaffold, and one of them fell down and fractured his skull, and died. And we read in Scripture, that when some wicked children mocked at the good prophet Elisha, there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them. And this is not the worst; for wicked boys and girls, if they die such, perish everlastingly. God is not to be trifled with. He has said, The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. Hearken, then, O ye children, to what Jesus Christ says; Blessed are they, and only they, that keep my ways: for whoso findeth me, findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord: but he that sin