the resurrection of those seeds which were sown in infancy, but had long been stifled by the violence of youthful passions, or the pursuits of ambition, and the hurry of an active life."

Parents, it is not left to your choice whether or not you will afford this instruction to your children. God in innumerable places enjoins it upon you. "These my words ye shall teach unto your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way; when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."+ "God hath established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born, who should arise and declare them to their children, that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments."‡

If then, you would "bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord," you must afford them religious instructions before their minds are pre-occupied by errors and prejudices. Early teach them their miserable and corrupted state by nature. When their little limbs are afflicted with pain, when sorrow forces tears from their eyes, when any distress assails them; tell them that this Deuteronomy xi. 18, 19. Psalms lxxviii. 5, 4, 7.

pain, this sorrow, this distress, are the fruits and the chastisements of sin. Tell them how odious this sin is to God, point them to the flames of the abyss which it has kindled. Reveal to them also the abounding grace of God; shew them how he has given us his Son to save us from hell, and raise us to glory; and declare to them the splendours of that crown which he will give to all that love and serve him. Let these and similar truths be proposed to them in their tenderest years; not as subjects of discussion but as historic facts; not as points that they are immediately to examine and understand; but as the testimony of God which is to be received by them with full belief.

Be careful that in this first period of their life, you do not give them a disgust to religion, by inculcating it in a gloomy and injudicious manner. Proportion your instructions to their capacities. In their earliest years they will be unable to understand your abstract reasonings or your subtle explications of doctrinal points. By forcing them frequently to attend to these reasonings and explanations, at that period when your words are to them unintelligible sounds which excite no clear ideas, you render piety dry and wearisome; you make it a task and a burden, from which they rejoice to be released. Leave then this mode of instruction till they are able to comprehend you; and begin by recounting to them those interesting histories on

which our religion is founded, and which are level to the weakest capacities. If you would give them striking ideas of the greatness, the mercy, and justice of God, do not enter into a laboured philosoph. ical discussion, but relate to them some of the impressive events which illustrate these perfections. If you would give them a just representation of virtue, and an inclination to practice it, enter into no toilsome analysis, but present to them some touching incidents in the lives of the saints. Dwell frequently on the actions of our divine Saviour, on his birth, his sufferings, his death, his resurrection and ascension. This picture will display, infinitely better than all your profound reasoning, the holiness and tender mercies of God; this will be the most perfect and admirable model of obedience to God, of charity to a guilty world, of humility, of self-denial, of resignation, of magnanimity under sufferings and persecutions. These histories properly related will awaken the attention and feeling of your offspring, and will make the profoundest You impression upon their mind and heart.

will behold them moved even to tears; their little hearts will glow with gratitude and love; their tongues will lisp forth the praises of their gracious Creator and blessed Saviour; and their feeble hands be lifted up to the throne of their heavenly friend..

As the understandings of your children are developed, and as their minds expand, teach them or B

cause them to be taught, the proofs of those sentitiments which they had received as facts, revealed by God, and the doctrines which grow out of those histories in which they have been instructed..... Teach them or cause them to be taught, the reasons why we receive our religion as divine; and shew them how superficial and ungrounded, are the objections of its adversaries. Teach them or cause them to be taught, the high and sublime doctrines of this religion; shew them that though the utmost penetration of the human mind cannot fully comprehend or explain many of these doctrines, yet nevertheless, the utmost subtlety of the human mind cannot find any thing in them contradictory to rea

Teach them or cause them to be taught, what are the particular tenets embraced by that communion in which they were born, and the reasons which lead you to suppose that they are the tenets inculcated by the word of God. In one word, instruct them in every thing that is connected with christianity, so that they may be ready to "give a reason of the hope that is in them."

Thús educated, they will be able to enter the world with little danger of being seduced into error; they will be able to repel the assaults of the infidel and the fallacies of the enthusiast; they will, by the blessing of God, become firm and rational believers, and pillars of the church.

Ah! my brethren, is this the manner in which you educate your children? Do you not strive more to teach them how to attain to opulence and dignity in the world, than how to obtain the heavenly inheritance? Do you not instruct them in almost every other science with greater care, than in the science of salvation? You spare no pains or expence, that your sons may be made acquainted with languages, arts, or professions; and can you be indifferent, in the mean time, whether they speak the language of heaven or hell; whether or not they are initiated in the art of holy living; whether they have the profession of a christian soldier, or a slave of satan? You instruct your daughters in the regulation of domestic economy, or in the gayer and more light accomplishments of the age. Ah! while they are so "careful about many things," why will you not teach them that "one thing is needful:" Why will you not shew them how to obtain that greatest and most solid of accomplishments, the image of God, the impress of heaven? This is the second thing that is included in a christian education: Salutary Instruction.

3. In a christian education, it is necessary for parents to illustrate their precepts by personal example. Example has at all times an astonishing influence upon us; but in our early years, when we have no fixed habits, when we are incapable of discern. ing the intrinsic propriety of actions, we are formed