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Now the poor parents in obedience to the will of God, kissed their pretty babes, and with many tears and prayers charging them to follow their steps, they hastened away, because the messenger of God was exceedingly urgent. So they turned their steps towards the shining light, and speedily reached the wicket gate, where the Lord of the way having graciously received them, and washed them from their sins, and clothed them in fair white garments, and set them in the narrow path which leadeth unto the city, they were shortly and safely brought through the black river of death unto everlasting glory.

Then I turned my eyes towards the little ones, who were left behind in their father's house-of which one was a boy named Humble Mind, who was not quite ten years old; together with two little girls, whose names were Playful and Peace, the younger of which was of a very tender age.

I saw then, that, after their father and mother had left them, very little care was taken of these poor babies: so that their clothes were nothing better than rags; while, like the prodigal son, 'they would fain have filled their bellies with the husks which the swine did eat.' Luke xv. 16. Moreover, I saw that they had for a companion, one who had been brought up under the same roof with them, as ill favoured and ill conditioned an urchin as one could see, whose name was Inbred or Original Sin: His great forefather, a child of hell, came into this world at the time when Adam ate the forbidden fruit; and from that very moment he became the constant companion of our first parent. Moreover, as Adam's family increased on the earth, in like manner the family of Original Sin multiplied, filling the whole earth

with violence, and leading men to the commission of every evil work; Gal. v. 19; insomuch that the history of all the kingdoms of the earth, aye, and of every man from the fall of Adam, till now, is filled up with the ill doings of this apostate family. And even now, so entirely are the sons of Adam under the power of Inbred-Sin, that they cannot even wish to do well, without the help of God: but the Lord Jesus Christ, having by his death upon the cross obtained for us the assistance of the Holy Spirit of God, we are enabled, through his help, to subdue our inbred corruption.

Having said thus much concerning the family of this Inbred-Sin, I shall now proceed to describe what I observed of his habits and tempers, wherein he differed so little from other individuals of his hated race, that in describing one of the family I cannot fail to give you some idea of all the rest.

In the first place I remarked, that he never slept; but that he was on the alert, and, as it were, on the look out for occasions of action both day and night, neither observing any Sabbath day himself, nor allowing any season of rest to those with whom he familiarly dwelt; for the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.' Isa. lvii. 20. His grand work was that of contriving mischief and setting others to execute it: and from this work he never ceased. Even while the children were in their beds, he would sit on their pillows and whisper all manner of mischief in their ears, filling their fancies with idle dreams, and suggesting such a variety of

unholy thoughts, that, on their awakening, they were ready for every evil work.

Another quality of Inbred-Sin appeared to be this, that he was a stranger to shame, and could neither be put out of countenance, nor thrown off his guard; so that when pursuing any object, if baffled in one way, he would instantly wheel about and come to the very same point by some other way, and that, perhaps, such a round-about one, as would make you believe that he had given up the very purpose which he was then actually carrying into effect. He had also this further quality in common with others of his family, that the more he was submitted to, the more unreasonable he became in his demands; frequently requiring such compliances as led not only to great inconvenience, but to imminent danger.

It is true that the children had no desire to contend with him, and had, in fact, great pleasure in obeying his commands. Nevertheless, there were occasions, as I said before, when he would require them to do such things as must expose them to the danger of immediate punishment; and, on these occasions, something like an argument or discussion would arise between them, when it was marvellous to observe how he would proceed till he had brought about his design.

It was also wonderful what devices he would put the little ones upon, to avoid detection: and if at any time they were found out in a fault, he was never at a loss for an excuse to gloss it over, by putting some plausible falsehood into their mouths. And when nothing else could serve, he would put them upon seeming humble and

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INTRODUCTION.

MY LITTLE CHILDREN,

THE intention of this book is to make you acquainted, in an agreeable manner, with many of those awful mysteries of our holy religion, the knowledge of which is necessary to your salvation.

You do not yet know, what it is that has separated you from your God: nor do you fully understand what it was that induced the Lord our Redeemer to descend from heaven for the purpose of assuming our nature, and dying upon the cross. You have, perhaps, never yet been informed that the sin of man's heart is very great, very prevalent, and very hateful; and that, except it be overcome, it will subject him to everlasting perdition.

Many long sermons have been preached, and many learned volumes have been written, in order both to describe the nature of this sin, and to guard us against its influence: but little children cannot understand these grave and elaborate discourses. I have therefore written for your instruction on this subject, a story about some little children, who, like yourselves, were born in a state of sin. And in this story I have personified the sin of our nature, and introduced it as the constant companion of these children.

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