to penitence and
to heaven. But you desire more particular information respecting the
duties which God requires of you. I shall in this chapter explain the
requirements of God; and show you why you should immediately
commence a life of piety.

Probably no child reads this book who is not conscious of sin. You
feel not only that you do not love God as you ought, but that
sometimes you are ungrateful or disobedient to your parents; you are
irritated with your brother or your sister, or you indulge in other
feelings, which you know to be wrong. New, the first thing which God
requires of you is, that you should be penitent for all your sins. At
the close of the day, you go to your chamber for sleep. Perhaps your
mother goes with you, and hears you repeat a prayer of gratitude to
God for his kindness. But after she has left the chamber, and you are
alone in the darkness, you recall to mind the events of the day,
asking yourself what you have done that is wrong. Perhaps you were
idle at school, or unkind to a playmate, or disobedient to your
parents. Now, if you go to sleep without sincere repentance, and a
firm resolution to try for the future to avoid such sin, the frown of
your Maker will be upon you during all the hours of the night. You
ought, every evening, before you go to sleep, to think of your
conduct during the day, and to express to God your sincere sorrow for
every thing you have done which is displeasing to him, and humbly
implore the pardon of your sins through Jesus Christ. Such a child
God loves. Such a one he will readily forgive. And if it is his will
that you should die before the morning, he will take you to heaven,
to be happy there. But remember that it is not enough simply to say
that you are penitent. You must really feel penitent. And you must
resolve to be more watchful in future, and to guard against the sin
over which you mourn. You have, for instance, spoken unkindly, during
the day, to your brother. At night, you feel that you have done
wrong, and that God is displeased. Now, if you are sincerely
penitent, and ask God's forgiveness, you will pray that you may not
again be guilty of the same fault. And when you awake in the morning,
you will be watchful over yourself, that you may be pleasant and
obliging. You will perhaps go to your brother, and say, "I did wrong
in speaking unkindly to you yesterday, and I am sorry for it. I will
endeavor never again to do so." At any rate, if you are really