View of This and Other World, The Peculiar Advantage and Business of Life Opened Up and Applied, Part Two, by Thomas Boston. This audio was created with an artificial voice for the audiobook initiative on Sermon Audio. Secondly, by trusting God in Christ in all times and cases, Isaiah chapter 26, verse four, trust ye in the Lord forever. The established way of communication with heaven is by trust in God, and faith is productive of hope, which is the anchor of the soul, keeping the soul safe and spiritually at rest, in all storms public or private. Psalm 37 verse 7. Trusting in the creature is a putting it in God's place, and hence bearing such a weight, it bows under it and fails. But God is honored by trusting him. Thirdly, by believing his word in all the parts of it. Hence is that exhortation of Jehoshaphat's 2 Chronicles chapter 20 verse 20. Believe in the Lord your God, so shall you be established. Believe his prophets, sc shall ye prosper. God is to be honoured by faiths acting on every part of the Word. On the commands, believing the divine authority, equity and goodness of them as a transcript of the divine nature, Psalm 119 verse 128. On the promises, believing the certain accomplishment of them, however unlikely, Romans chapter 4 verses 20 and 21. on the threatenings, believing the justice and truth of them, Isaiah chapter 39. Last verse, and 66 verse 2 too, honor him by the practice of holiness, 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 9, ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, and holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. To lead a holy, tender life is the way to honour God, conforming to Him and labouring to be like Him in all conversation. 1 Peter 1.15-16 If ye be not uniform and universal in your obedience, that part ye are deficient in may bring a blot on all the rest, as Judas' covetousness and treachery wiped out all his good deeds. And if ye would live to the honour of God, I would recommend to you particularly, first, diligent and reverent worshipping of God. Matthew chapter 4 verse 10, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. Psalm 89 verse 7. God is greatly to be feared in thee, O S-S-E-T-B-L-Y of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. Worship Him in your families, morning and evening. Worship Him in secret by yourselves. Worship Him in the public assemblies. Set up for His honor in the world. Make conscience of joining therein for the honor of God. And be reverent in the frame of your heart and in your outward gesture as knowing that He is a great God with whom ye have to do. And there can be no reverence in their hearts who behave irreverently. Secondly, be nice and exact in point of justice in your dealings, shaking your hands of all gain of unrighteousness, as in the sight of a wholly just God. Isaiah chapter 33 verses 15 and 16 he that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly, he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil, he shall dwell on high, etc. That baseness of spirit, disposing to pick and steal, cheat, and catch any little advantage they can get of their neighbor without being discovered, that one can trust them no farther than they see, is most dishonoring to God, as if either he did not see or else did approve of their wicked practices. Psalm 50 verses 21 and 22. Thirdly, be readily disposed to the duties of humanity, doing good to your neighbor, being kind, merciful and compassionate to them that are in distress and need. Colossians chapter 3 verse 12. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering. This honours God in a very particular manner, Luke chapter 6 verses 35 and 36. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again. And your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the highest. For he is kind to the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. And it has much encouragement by promise. Proverbs chapter 3 verses 9 and 10. Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of all thine increase. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. Psalm 41 verses 1 through 3. Blessed is he that considereth the poor, the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon the earth, and thou wilt not deliver him into the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing, thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. A selfish, unkind, unsympathizing, narrow spirit is a great stain on an otherwise fair character. Fourthly, be the same in secret when no eye sees you, that you would be in public. This will much honour God, when the conscience of His eye being on you is as forcible to restrain you from evil as the eyes of the world would be, as was the case with Joseph, Genesis chapter 39 verse 9, when he said to his lewd mistress, How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? Oh, what do the practisers of secret mischief think of God? They can do a mischief unsent and then cover it with a lie. But alas! Is there not a God in heaven that sees himself dishonored by such practices? See Proverbs 26.26. Open shame or else a secret stroke will be the consequence. Job 20.26. Fifthly, show yourselves on God's side, in the midst of the dishonours done to him in the world. For ye must either join issue with the dishonourers of his name, or else testify against them. Hence says our Saviour, Matthew chapter 12, verse 30, He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. If you have no heart nor brow to appear for God, while you see Him dishonored, remember what God accounts of that and how He will treat it. Mark chapter 8, last verse. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. Beware of being partakers with other men's sins, but set yourselves to be a check upon sin in others and witnesses against it, else ye honour not God. Sixthly, commend the way of God and religion to others and encourage good motions where ye can perceive them. Grace is communicative for the honour of God, and every gracious person is disposed to propagate religion. Hence said the Lord of Abraham, Genesis chapter 18 verse 19, I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment, etc. The wearing out of that so much now from what it was in former years is one of the black symptoms of the decay of religion at this day. Seventhly, learn to bear troubles in the world with a Christian patience, meekness, resignation and holy cheerfulness. This doth exceedingly tend to the honour of God, as you see exemplified in the Worthy's mentioned Hebrews chapter 11. There is a despising of the chastening of the Lord, wherein the proud and foolish scorn to be lowered by the rebukes of providence, wherein the atheism of the heart and contempt of God appears. There is a fainting under the rebukes of providence wherein unbelief appears. Both are dishonorable to God and to be guarded against, Hebrews chapter 12 verse 5. The middle course is to God's honor. Lastly, walk with God in a conscientious performance of the duties of your station. Hence is that exhortation of the Apostles, 1 Corinthians chapter 7 verse 24, Brethren, let every man wherein he is called therein abide with God. That is the sphere wherein ye are set to honour God, and God is much honoured that way. It is exemplified in the case of the priests, Malachi chapter 2 verse 6. In that of wives, 1 Peter 3.5, and in that of servants, Titus 2.10, no man can live to the honor of God who does not carefully notice and diligently pursue the duties of his station to the honor of God. I shall give you a few motives to live to the honor of God. Motive 1. God is the author of thy life. The life and being thou hast, thou hast from God. Romans chapter 11, last verse. For of him and through him and to him are all things, to whom be glory for ever. Amen. Therefore remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth. Ecclesiastes chapter 12, verse 1. And since he is your first cause, is it not reasonable that he be your chief end? The life which you all had from him will ye not improve for him? Motive 2. God is the preserver of thy life. Hence says David, Psalm 36 verse 6, O LORD, thou preservest man and beast. For every moment's life thou hast had thou art his debtor. Thy life is continually in his hand to prolong it or take it away, as seems good in his sight. If he should but withdraw his upholding hand, thy life would presently go. Every moment there must be a new outletting of influence from him for preservation of thy life. How unaccountable must it be then not to live to his honor! This was a grievous charge against Belshazzar. Daniel 5.23. The God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified? 3. God is the giver of all thou hast whereby thou mayst honour him. Hast thou a tongue whereby thou art capable to speak for God and hands to act for him? He gave them to thee. Hast thou any health, strength, wealth, and reputation, whereby thou art in capacity to honour him, all is from him, and shall not his own be used for him, hence Seth David, 1 Chronicles 29 verse 14, All things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. Is it not sacrilegious to do otherwise? Motive 4. God puts opportunities in thine hand for honouring him, as he has given thee means whereby thou mayst honour him, so his providence lays to thy hand opportunities calling thee to use them. Luke chapter 19 verse 13. Every opportunity is a providential call, to lay out what the Lord has put in thy hand for his service. and it will be found dangerous to hide one's talents in the earth and not lay them out for God. Motive 5. There are some who are deprived of those abilities or occasions ye have to honor God. So the whole pagan world is deprived of gospel light which we all have, the sick of those which the healthy have. The not improving of them then will aggravate your condemnation. Matthew chapter 11 verse 21. It is sad to be cumberers of the ground in God's vineyard, taking up room in it uselessly, which others might improve to good advantage. Motive 6. Ye have forfeited by sin all your abilities, opportunities, and your very life. God might justly have taken them all from us and made us as incapable to speak or act for His honor as we have been unwilling to it. But His patience has suffered us long, and He has done us good though unthankful and evil if peradventure these might lead us to repentance. Shall not this engage us to live to His honor? Motive 7. This was the design of the redemption purchased by Christ, Titus chapter 2 verse 14, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Man was made at first for the honor of God, sin entering rendered him unfit for that his great work. Therefore Christ died that they might be again brought to live to God's honour. Ephesians chapter 5 verses 25 through 27 If then ye are not so living, it is an evidence Christ's redemption is not applied to you as yet, and if ye continue so, it will evidence that ye are none of the redeemed ones. Motive 8 It is the design of the sanctification of the Spirit. Hence says the Apostle 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 9, Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. When God puts His Spirit into a man, it is that he may walk in his way, Ezekiel 36, verse 27, so that if ye live not to the honor of God, it is an evidence that ye have not the Spirit, but are dead while ye live. Motive 9. Lastly, it is a lost life that is not lived to the honor of God, lost in death, eternal death. Hence says our Lord, Matthew chapter 16 verses 25 and 26, Whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Consider this life is short, it is soon away, it is uncertain, none knows how soon, but such as it is, eternity depends on it. Ecclesiastes chapter 9 verse 10, For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest. If ye live not to the honour of God here, never expect to live with him hereafter in heaven. Remember the end of the slothful servant, Matthew chapter 25 verse 30. Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For your help to live to the honour of God, take these following directions. 1. Allow yourselves, the justice once seriously to consider, now that ye are living and must die, what will be the best way for you to spend that bit of life. It is pity that people should not propose to themselves a design of living and consider what is that design of life that will come to the best account at length. Surely if ye do, ye will find no design so reasonable and advantageous as this. 2. Then take him for your God in Christ, that ye may live to his honour, and do not think that it is by your living to his honour that he must become your God. Faith must go before obedience, if ever the obedience be kindly. Faith first embracing salvation in the free offer of the Gospel, natively engages the heart to honour God, as a son doth his father. Three labour to keep up the love of God in the heart, by believing His love, and that will be a strong band. Hence says the Apostle, 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verses 14 and 15. The love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead, and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again. Lastly, firmly believe that there is a reward of grace for the righteous, and that not a good word or good work, spoke or done for God, shall want a reward. Hence is that exhortation of the apostles, 1 Corinthians chapter 15, last verse. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Doctrine 2. It is the special business and privilege of life to propagate religion, God's name and praise, the standing generation to the rising generation, the fathers to the children, all along. In discoursing this doctrine I shall show 1. What it is to propagate religion, God's name and praise, to the rising generation. 2. Who are the standing and rising generation, the fathers and the children, among whom this propagation of religion is to pass? 3. In what respect it is the special business of life? 4. In what respect it is the special privilege of life? 5. Lastly, apply 1. I shall show what it is to propagate religion, God's name and praise to the rising generation. It implies these four things, one the having of religion ourselves. None can propagate what they have not. If men have not the knowledge and love of God themselves, how can they praise Him to others? Men are sensible, that if they gain not a competent portion of the world to themselves, they can leave none to their children. So if they be idle or wasters, they are unjust to their families. 1 Timothy chapter 5 verse 8 Even so, if ye are not religious, ye not only dishonour God and destroy your own souls, but ye are unjust to the rising generations and destructive to their souls too. To the profession of religion. Hence says the Apostle, Romans chapter 10 verse 10. With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Men have made a profession without the practice of religion, but the practice requires the profession of it, and no man will ever propagate religion that is not himself a professor of it. And the profession must be such, as is not visibly contradicted by the practice. For if example destroy what precept builds up, there is no propagating religion to others by that means. So a credible profession of religion is a debt owing to the rising generation. 3. A desire to continue and spread religion in the world. Without this none will propagate it, for what men have no desire of the continuance or spreading of, they will be loth to propagate. And it is the want of concern for the continuance and spreading of religion that makes men so careless about the propagating thereof. They have no due concern for their own souls, therefore they have none either for God's honour or the good of those that come after them. 4. Lastly, contributing our endeavours to bring others, and particularly the rising generation, to the knowledge and practice of religion. Hence, says the psalmist, Psalm 78 verses 2 through 4, I will open my mouth in a parable, I will utter dark sayings of old, which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength, and His wonderful works that He hath done. Man is born like a wild ass's colt, wanting both knowledge and experience. We see such as come into our world, come in naked among us, and we judge ourselves obliged to clothe them, feed them, and teach them how to do for themselves. But withal they have and can do as little for their souls as for their bodies, and shall we leave them destitute in that point? How will we answer that to God? Now to contribute endeavours to bring them to religion lies in endeavouring first to bring them to faith in Jesus Christ, which is the foundation of all religion. Psalm 78 verse 7, that they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments. They come into the world lost sons and daughters of Adam under God's wrath and curse. There is a Saviour provided, but they know it not till the standing generation tell them of it. They are averse naturally to come to that Saviour and are not aware of the danger of slighting Him. It is justice and charity then to deal with them in order to convince and bring them in. Secondly, to bring them to holiness of life, as did Abraham, Genesis chapter 18 verse 19, I know him, says the Lord, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment. When they come into our world, they bring a corrupt nature with them, which begins early to sprout. Satan will bedew his temptations with them as soon as they are capable, losing no time. The longer sin continues in them uncurbed, the stronger does it grow. It nearly concerns the standing generation then to contribute their endeavours to quench the hellish flame, and to turn the stream and course of their life from sin to holiness. And this, one. By precept and counsel, Genesis chapter 18 verse 19, foresighted. Thus we are to praise God to them by word of mouth. We should show them what we have to say in God's behalf, commend religion to them, disparage the way of sin and of the world to them, bind duty on their conscience by showing them the tie of the Word, and oblige them thereto by any authority we have over them. To by example. Let us write out religion in our own walk before them that they may be brought to copy after us. Those precepts that are illuminated with example are most ready to take. Beware of casting an ill example before their eyes, for the corruption of nature lies that way, and he that sins before a child sins twice, for his sin lies fair to be repeated by the young spectator. 3. By dependence on the Lord for a blessing on the means used for their good. Hence says the Apostle, 2 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 4. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. Whoever he be that plants, if God give not the increase there will be none, 1 Corinthians 3.6. That is a great truth in all cases, in spiritual as well as worldly things, 1 Samuel 2.9. By strength shall no man prevail. If a man should use the best arguments, the strongest motives, the most feasible measures, for bringing others into the way of religion, and upon the suitableness of the means promise himself success, he takes the way most likely to render them ineffectual. The word spoken needs to be mixed with faith in the speaker, and he is most likely to succeed that uses the means of God's appointment for doing good with entire dependence on the Lord for success. For, lastly, by prayer for them, thus it is promised concerning Christ, Psalm 72 verse 15. That prayer shall be made for him continually, namely, that his kingdom may come by the daily coming in of new subjects to him. Since the success of all that we can do for the good of the rising generation depends on the Lord's blessing, it is necessary that we plead for them at the throne of grace, quickening ourselves thereto by consideration of the honor of God and their eternal welfare that depend on it. The second general head was to show who are the standing and rising generation, the fathers and the children, among whom this propagation of religion is to pass. And this must be stated according to the language of the Holy Ghost and the analogy of other parts of Scripture, if we would rightly see whose is this duty. In general, I shall premise, one, all superiors and inferiors are, in scripture style, comprehended under fathers and children. This is plain from the fifth coin manment, which, under the name of father and mother, whose relatives children are, prescribes the mutual duties of superiors and inferiors. Therefore, everyone is to propagate religion to his inferiors. Two, Forasmuch as there is no perfect and absolute equality among men, but some who are inferior in one respect to others may be superior to them in another respect, it is the duty of equals and inferiors to propagate religion among themselves, and to their superiors, mutually communicating their light and warmth. 3. Some may belong to the standing generation in one respect who belong to the rising one in another, as a person who is inferior to some and superior to others, so they are to have it propagated to them and they are to propagate it to others again. 4. Lastly, the same command of God that binds the standing generation and fathers to propagate religion binds the rising generation and children to receive it. God, by binding parents to instruct, binds the children to receive instruction, and they that are the rising generation now will be the standing in a little, but more particularly one. Fathers of the state, magistrates, supreme or subordinate, are to propagate religion to their political children, their subjects. They are God's vicegerents on earth, clothed with dominion and authority over others, to be employed for God in whose name they act. Hence is that promise. Isaiah chapter 49 verse 23. kings shall be thy nursing-fathers, and their queens thy nursing-mothers. And it is one of the blackest symptoms of the corruption of the world that oft-times they are found set to extirpate religion, too. Fathers in the church, ministers, and other ruling church officers, to their ecclesiastical children, the people whom they are set over, two kings. Chapter 2 verse 12. It is for this very end they are put in office. Hence, says the apostle, Hebrews chapter 13 verse 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you. Jesus Christ brought this religion from heaven, employed his apostles to propagate it. To them they succeed in the office of propagating religion, and must see to make it their business, as they will be answerable. Three fathers of families to their children. For every family ought to be a church, wherein holy worship, doctrine, discipline, and government ought to be maintained by the heads thereof, and particularly, first, fathers and mothers to the children procreated of their bodies. This is the chief thing in the text, the father to the children shall make known thy truth. Compared with Genesis chapter 18 verse 19, I know Him, that He will command His children and His household after Him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment. It is but an inferior part of your charge to provide meat and clothes for your children, and to put them in a way of living. The chief part is to see to their souls, that they may be recovered out of the lost state they are in by nature. It will be but a sorry kindness to be concerned for their provision in time, if ye neglect them as to their eternal concerns. It is by them your name is to be propagated, and you are to propagate God's name to them, in point of gratitude to God, justice, and natural affection to them. Secondly, they are to do it also to all others in their family, whether they be servants, or whatever they be, if they be members of the family for shorter or longer time. Being in your family, ye are instead of fathers and mothers to them, and owe them that benefit. Hence masters are called fathers, 2 Kings 5.13, and the duty of propagating religion is expressly extended to one's household, Genesis 18.19, foresighted. And whosoever have the chief authority in a family, though they be servants themselves, are the fathers of it in this sense. 4. Fathers in gifts or grace, to those who are children in these respects in comparison of them, 1 John chapter 2 verses 12 and 13. So Joseph was a father to Pharaoh, Genesis chapter 45 verse 8. If God has bestowed on you more gifts or grace than on others, mind ye are thereby made fathers to those that are weaker than you, and are obliged to communicate your light to them. 1 Corinthians 12.7. So teachers are called fathers. Genesis 4.20. And the Spirit of God, the common Father. 1 Samuel 10.12. It will then make a dreadful reckoning for men to have gifts and not lay them out for the benefit of others, to use their gifts just for ostentation and instead of helping, to brangle and confound and perplex the weaker with them. Five fathers in years, to those who are children in respect of age to them, 1 Timothy chapter 5 verses 1 and 2. It is Elihu's observe, Job, chapter 32, verse 7, that days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. The more days the more experience, the more access to improve in knowledge, and so to be the more useful to the younger. Mind, then, that your superiority in years constitutes you fathers to those younger than you. You will not forget it in point of the regard ye expect from them, and God allows you it. 1 Peter chapter 5 verse 5. But then ye should make conscience of the duty to, propagating religion to them. Thus ye see the standing and rising generation. And if these fathers would set themselves to the propagating of religion to their respective children, the work would go on. Three the third general head was to show, in what respects it is the special business of life. The business of life appointed by the great master is manifold, but the sum of it is to honour God, Romans chapter 11. Alt and the chief branch thereof, the special business of life, is to propagate religion, the standing to the rising generation. This will appear in the following particulars. 1. It is the business of life that would have been the business of it though sin had never entered into the world. 2. The business of the lawyer and physician and many handicrafts now in the world owe their original and necessity to sin's entrance. Nay, the very business of our own salvation does so too, for if Adam had stood the time of trial, all his posterity's eternal happiness would have been thereby secured to their hand. But God having settled the manner of the propagation of mankind, as Genesis chapter 1 verse 28, it was an evidence that the succeeding generations were not to be created in their prime as Adam was, but to be born infants and grow up by degrees in knowledge of religion and other things as appears from Luke chapter 2, last verse. and this would have afforded this business, too it is the business of life that most singly looks to the honour of God. God is honoured by our working out our own salvation, but then our own advantage bears great stroke in it allowably as well as his honour, but this is a business carried on not for ourselves but for God Alenali, and in that respect is the more noble. Hence we find the apostle willing, for the great end of the propagation of religion, either to live or die, to put off his own eternal happiness for a time, Philippians chapter 1 verse 26 downwards. And he prefers one's edifying the church to his own comfort, 1 Corinthians chapter 14 verses 4 and 5. He edifies the church that edifies His house. Nehemiah chapter 3 verses 28 and 33, it is the business of life, that is the end of life and salvation given to the elect, and all their comforts and enjoyments. Hence said our Lord to Peter, Luke chapter 22 verse 32, I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not, and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. We get life and salvation by believing in Christ, and are as really possessed of eternal life that we can never lose upon our first believing, as the saints in heaven are, though not in that measure. 1 John chapter 5 verses 11 and 12. When the Lord had a mind to honour Paul to propagate religion, he reached his own heart first by his grace, and then, having so furnished him, he set him to work. Is not that the special business of life for which God brings people into a state of salvation? For It is the business of life that the new creature as natively falls to as the newborn infant falls a-breathing. Hence it is said, Psalm 22 verses 30 and 31, A seed shall serve him, it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. They shall come and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born that he hath done this. So the woman of Samaria, John chapter 4 verse 29, Come, see a man which told me all things that ever I did, is not this the Christ? Paul, as soon he was converted, fell a-propagating the religion that before he persecuted. Grace makes people communicative, and there is never a soul in which the leaven of grace is received, but would, if it could, leaven the whole world with the same. Five, it is the business of life that is most useful to mankind. And we should remember that both conscience and interest require us to live so as to be useful to our fellow creatures. Romans chapter 14 verse 7 For none of us lieth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. Some have been great blessings to mankind by their usefulness, in propagating arts and sciences, in relieving the oppressed, and helping the needy, but none so useful as those who have propagated religion among them, as extending not only to their good in this, but the other world. Isaiah chapter 19 verses 24 and 25. and a disposition to be useful to mankind would prompt men to this duty. 6. It is the business of life of the most diffusive usefulness. It brings honour to God, comfort to oneself and advantage to others. It brings advantage to their souls, tends to make them holy here and happy hereafter. It reaches not only to the present generation, but to the generations yet unborn. In so far as you propagating religion to your children, they will propagate it again to theirs, and theirs to theirs, and so on. It is to be lamented that some children follow not the steps of their religious parents. But everybody may observe that there are some families wherein one generation after another appears for God, others wherein, generation after generation, religion can never get place among them. Trace these back, and ye may come to one that was careful to propagate religion to his children, and his children propagated it again to theirs, and so on, and to another that had no care that way about his children, and his children had as little again about theirs, and so on. 7. Lastly, it is the business of life that is the most valuable, most worthy of the dignity of an immortal soul, and likest the life that Christ led in the world. The business of most men is nothing but laborious trifling. Their thoughts, cares, and time are wholly spent on things pertaining to this life, as if they had souls of no other constitution than their bodies. It is nothing like the life of Christ, who went about doing good propagating religion. 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 21. Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow His steps. Compared with 1 John 2, verse 6, he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. For the fourth thing proposed was, to show in what respect it is the special privilege of life. 1. It is that whereby we may honour God most, and so answer the end of our creation most. In our own embracing religion we receive the light, in propagating it we diffuse the light received to the greater glory of God. 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 9. Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Hence among those who turn from sin unto righteousness those who turn most of others to it will have the greatest glory. Daniel chapter 12 verse 3. They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. 2. It is, that whereby we may be most useful in the world to others, no benefit done to our fellow-creatures is comparable to it. We have indeed access to do for their temporal advantage, but this is for their eternal, and when the opportunity of life is over, there is no more doing that way, Luke chapter 16 verse 27 downwards, use one, of reproof to several sorts of persons, and one. to those who make no conscience of propagating religion to their families, among their children and servants. Every man is, by divine appointment, the prophet of his own family to teach them, the priest to worship God with them, and the king to rule them. Each will maintain his own authority to his power, but family worship with many is not so closely stuck to, but family teaching least of all which is yet commanded of God. Deuteronomy chapter 6 verses 6 and 7. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart. and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou leest down, and when thou risest up. The want of this makes ministerial teaching in preaching and examination so unsuccessful. How will men answer this neglect of the special business of life? To to those who are backward and averse to receive family instruction or submit to family discipline, checks and reproofs for their miscarriages. They will get away from family catechizing on Sabbath nights, shift family exercise, and cannot endure to be checked for their miscarriages, and therefore they like best to be in those families where least of these is to be found. But if it is the duty of others to propagate religion to you, it is on the peril of your souls ye refuse to receive it. it will aggravate your condemnation. John chapter 3 verse 10. 3. To those who set an ill example before those that are younger than they. Much of the corruption of children is owing to the ill examples set them by parents, servants, and others whom they are near. This lets them see much ill which they would otherwise be ignorant of, and the bias of their nature lying that way, they are, by that means, carried down the stream. So a woe is his brought on themselves, and them that set them the copy. Matthew chapter 18 verse 7. Woe unto the world because of offences, for it must needs be that offences come, but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh. Oh, that men would consider that they do in effect teach that which they do or say before the younger sort, for childhood is the imitating age. 4. To those who do not check the outbreaking of corrupt nature in those of the younger sort, especially parents in their children. Oh the cruelty of some parents, who, by their ceasing to nip sin in the bud in their children, betray them into such habits of sin, as afterwards it is too late to correct. They will neglect prayer, profane the Sabbath, swear, lie and meet with no check. They will steal little things, and the parents will make them welcome. And thus, by their parents' means, some are so accustomed to sin, that as they grow it grows, till it brings some to an ill end. Remember the children of Bethel, 2 Kings chapter 2 verses 23 and 24. 5. To those who propagate irreligion to the rising generation, who teach a young generation to despise serious godliness, to contemn the ordinances of God, and to lead loose and licentious lives, impatient of restraint. Do they not propagate irreligion who keep up their minced oaths, haith, faith, etc., which would die out of our language, were it not that they were propagated from father to son, from the old to the young, who keep up the observation of superstitious times and customs, yule, farcens, even, etc.? ? The relics of Popery and Paganism, which might be raised out of memory, were it not that they are carefully propagated from one generation to another. 6. to those that go about to debauch a young generation, by instilling into them loose and licentious principles, which youth is ready to fall in with, by taking a liberty with them in obscene, filthy speaking, making youthful lusts the subject of their mirth and sport, leading them into drunkenness, an inlet to all other vices. tempting them to the commission of the sin of uncleanness with them, which will be bitterness in the end to the seducer and the seduced, encouraging them to acts of dishonesty, cheating and stealing from their parents or masters. These are factors for hell, who do what in them lies to destroy souls Christ died for. 7. To those that are ready to hide and cloak the scandalous sins of others, working that they may not be brought to light. how many poor souls of the younger sort, whom Satan has got led aside into the ways of sin, might have been recovered out of the snare of the devil, if it had not been the cruel kindness of some who bestirred themselves to cover their sins. But thereby they have been hardened in their sin and have gone from evil to worse, till at length they have been ruined for altogether. See what an awful threatening! There is pronounced against such, Leviticus chapter 5 verse 1, if a soul sin and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it, if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity. 8. Lastly, to those who cannot see themselves under any obligation to propagate religion and concern themselves as little about it. They think that may be the business of ministers and possibly of fathers to their own children, but not theirs. As soon as the Spirit of God touches your hearts in earnest about your own salvation, you will change your mind. You will find a natural concern for the advancing of the kingdom of Christ. John chapter 4 verse 29 Come, see a man which told me all things that ever I did, is not this the Christ? The love of God and of your neighbor planted in the heart will create a concern this way, and not daring to be against him and scatter you will be for Christ and gather with him. The leaven will seek, use too, of exhortation. Make it the special business of your lives to propagate religion to the rising generation. Motive 1. there is the strongest obligations on you for it. Ye are in that point under the title of first. Divine authority, God commands you to do it, requires it of you. It is commanded to all edify one another, 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 11. Yea, all things must be done for that end, 1 Corinthians chapter 14 verse 26. And the reason is plain, that God has placed men in society, and in Christian society, for that end, Romans chapter 14 verse 7. And the elder sort are made tutors and teachers to the younger for that end, Deuteronomy chapter 4 verse 10 and chapter 11 verse 19. Secondly, gratitude to God. Is not God your creator, proserver and sustainer? And what can ye do for him, for all the goodness bestowed on you, if ye do not propagate his name and praise, and strive to stir up the love and fear of him in the rising generation? If ye have any share in the redemption of Christ, ye cannot but find yourselves under the strongest ties of gratitude for redeeming love, to labor that his name may be transmitted from generation to generation. Hence says the Psalmist, Psalm 72 verse 17. His name shall endure forever, his name shall be continued as long as the sun, and men shall be blessed in him, all nations shall call him blessed. Thirdly, justice to former generations who have propagated religion to us. What case had we been in this day if it had not been for the sufferings of confessors, and the blood of martyrs, which they underwent, that religion might be transmitted to us, and by us, to succeeding generations? Had they given up with it, it had been lost as to us. Now they have an interest in succeeding generations, and if we propagate it not to them, we betray our trust and are unjust to them and denude the succeeding generation of the inheritance of their fathers. We should, like those of Psalm 78 verses 3 and 4, Utter the things which we have heard and known and our fathers have told us, not hiding them from our children, showing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord and His strength and His wonderful works that He hath done. Fourthly, our own interest. That Maxim. Proverbs 11.24. There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth, and there is that withholdeth more than is meat, but it tendeth to poverty, holds in this, as much as in anything. Religion is a fire which, being smothered, goes out, but getting a vent, increaseth. It is like the widow's oil, that increased in the pouring out, and like the bread that increased in the breaking. Were men more set on propagating religion to others, they would have more to themselves. Fifthly, charity to the rising generation. Their eternal state, as to well or woe, depends on their embracing or continuing strangers to religion. They need your help, for the bias of their nature lies the wrong way. The devil and an evil world cease not to ply them to walk according to that bias, and if their spiritual enemies gain their point, they are ruined. Motive 2. This is the chief part of your generation work. The work of our own salvation must be seen to Philippians chapter 2 verse 12, but that is not all we have to do. We are to do that for ourselves. But then, for the honor of God and the good of our fellow creatures, we are to ply our generation work, Acts chapter 13 verse 36, and that mainly lies here, Psalm 145 verse 4. one generation shall praise thy works to another and shall declare thy mighty acts. Ye are all doing, but what are ye doing for the honour of God, for the service of your generation? Ye have a room in this generation, and God who set you in it will call you to account how ye fill it up. Motive 3. As ye carry yourselves in this matter, your sin or your good works will be going on after ye are dead and gone in this world. The last judgment we must undergo is not without reason delayed to the end of the world, for the sins of wicked men and the good works of the godly will then be hugely increased beyond what they are at their death. Good Abel is useful to this day. Hebrews 11.4 He being dead yet speaketh. Haman in his life set a mischief forgoing, which continued after he was gone. Esther 8.3 And the sin of Jeroboam, the first king of Israel, continued till that kingdom was at an end. 2 Kings 17.22-23 If ye propagate religion to the rising generation, that good work will survive you, and if ye neglect it, your criminal omission may live and destroy souls long after ye are gone, which will be laid to your charge at the great day. Motive 4. It is a noble and beneficial work. Hence says the Apostle James, chap, 5 verses 19 and 20. Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. To save a soul from perishing is such noble work, that it is an honorable working to be aiming at it, and using means to compass it. Motive 5. Lastly, the doom of unprofitable servants is dreadful. Matthew chapter 25 verse 30. Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. No man can profit God, but every man may and ought to profit others, Job chapter 35 verses 7 and 8, laying out their talents for the good of others. And if they do it not, they will be cast into outer darkness, as those who would not work when they had the light. The end of the peculiar advantage and business of life opened up and applied Part 2. This audio was created with an artificial voice for the audiobook initiative on Sermon Audio. There may be mispronunciations or occasional repetitions. To report a mistake, please email us at info at sermonaudio.com and include the sermon ID or title of the message and the time at which the error occurs. We will do our best to get it corrected for future listeners.