Secondly, The great influence and authority of thofe whofe duty it is to impart it.

Parents have the fulleft opportunity to obferve the genius and capacity of their children, the gradual opening of their faculties, what counfels and cautions are most adapted to their fituation and difpofition, or the employment and rank in life for which they may be fitted and defigned. Parental authority has great weight at this early period. There is, therefore, the highest reason for a discreet, faithful use of the influence which the relation of parents gives them. This influence will fenfibly leffen, fhould the opportunity of early inftruction in the best things be neglected.While their children should be advancing in wisdom and virtue, propenfities to folly and vice will grow up with them.

Thirdly, Parents fhould conftantly attend to the duty of imparting religious inftruction.

Their children being conftantly with them, useful hints may be dropped on every occafion and occurrence. No opportunity should be omitted, in a cafe of fuch moment, and where there are fuch advantages to form and improve the tender mind. Thou shalt talk of them when thou lieft down, and when thou rifeft up; when thou fittest in thine houfe, and when thou walkeft by the way. In whatever ways or business you or your children may be employed, inftructions in piety and found morals may be pertinently and ufefully given. The fame inftructions may be repeated, and others added, as circumftances may fuggeft. Thus will appear the weight which the inftructions have with the parents. When they teach these things diligently, as commanded, they are inftant in feafon and out of feason, imparting fome fpiritual gift to their children. These are apt to forget the good things they have been taught; and are, moreover, expofed to various fnares and allurements. They need precept upon precept.When the counfels given are fuppofed by the parents

to be the counsel of God, with what care and seriousnefs fhould they be inculcated at all feafons?" Set "your hearts unto them, and command your children "to obferve and do them."

Fourthly, the parental is the happieft way of imparting and impreffing these things, and the beft mean of tranfmitting a favour of religion.

By an affectionate manner of inculcating it, by carefully obferving how the faculties of children expand, what directions they can receive, and what are called for, he who has the heart of a parent takes a fure course, if there is any, to have his inftruction drop on the tender mind as the rain and dew on the thirsty earth. The bleffed Jefus never broke a bruifed reed, nor quenched the fmoking flax. Grace was poured into his lips. His inftructions, weighty in themselves, were imparted in the most persuasive manner. Of him let parents learn to teach the truths of God, to inculcate divine, focial and personal virtues, as their children are able to bear.

Befide personal inftruction, let parents, according to their ability, furnish their children with school education, and with books for their improvement. Let them accompany you to the houfe of God, to receive public inftruction; and enquire of them how they remember and are affected with the truths they hear. The facred fcriptures fhould be read in your families. Advantage should be taken of providential events, of all means to awaken their attention to their duty and engage their hearts in it-whether the bible or other good books-of all inftruments, whether parents, minifters or others. The meaning and intent of the two facraments fhould be explained; that, having been devoted to God in their infancy, they may fee their obligations to put off the old man, and put on the new; and, as they may become capable of that fervice, may recognize the vows made at their baptifm, and come to the communion,

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Upon the whole; parents "fhould labour gradually "and pleasingly to infuse into their minds the cleareft " and most affecting views of God; his univerfal "fence and Almighty power; his goodness, truth and "overruling providence; his regard to pious men, "and attention to their prayers"-and to "imprint "these things by ftriking examples." They fhould "take care that their children frequently hear conver"fation upon ferious and heavenly fubjects. Few "people are fenfible of the advantage derived to "children from fuitable and ferious converfation." They should have the amiableness of virtue and turpitude of vice held up to view; "the vanity of "the world, the frailty of the body; the corruption "of our fallen nature; the dignity and infinite worth "of the foul, and what God hath done for it. The "riches and mercy of redemption fhould be fet before "them." They should be "habituated from their in

fancy to fanctify the Lord's day, to reverence the "word and ordinances of God." Parents fhould spare no endeavours to give them "a deep fenfe of "truth and integrity, and an abhorrence of all man"ner of falfehood, fraud, craft, fubterfuges and dif"fimulation, as base, dishonourable, and highly offen"five to God."

Parents may call to mind the affection, diligence and folicitude with which they were taught the principles and duties of religion in their childhood-how they were exhorted, charged and comforted-the prayers which were offered up with and for them. Have you fhewn the fame pious care to educate your chil dren in the true fear of the Lord? the fame pru, dence? the fame regard to family devotion and order, and inftruction in general? the fame difcreet and grave deportment? If you have dedicated your children to God in baptifm, have you fulfilled the engagements made at their dedication, and exemplified the Chriftian profeffion before them? You may then truft with God the iffue of your pray

ers and endeavours. He will not forfake them, though you may shortly. If you have not thus dedicated and taught them, the most important part of your duty has been neglected. The account you muft give how you educate them; their temporal and eternal welfare; the debt you owe to your people, are confiderations which should ever be prefent to your minds, and influence you to a faithful care in this matter.

Confidering himself as answerable, in a degree, for the principles and conduct of his children and household, the wife parent and head of a family will embrace that scheme of religion and education in it, which he is convinced, upon due deliberation, best accords with the facred oracles. These permit him not to adopt a mode of worship, which interferes with the order and peace of fociety, or with the religious liberty of other denominations. Do any members of his houfe, who discover a thoughtful, ferious mind, differ from him? he will endeavour to fhew them their errour. For they err at least in his opinion. But he will be cautious how he interpofeth a command in what may be a matter of confcience. He will not degrade, but honour, himself by condescension to ferious fcruples. If calm reafoning out of the fcriptures doth not convince, he will indulge them in acting according to the perfuafion of their own mind-always fuppofing that this will be no breach upon good family order. It is happy when the members of an houfe have one heart and one way-Happy alfo when different opinions and practice do not interrupt or impair domestic order and love.

We proceed to evince the great IMPORTANCE of the faithful discharge of the duty enjoined in the text.

The high motives to religion are taken from the life to come; but it is alfo profitable to the prefent life. Parents fhould inculcate it on their children from a regard to their fouls and bodies, to this world and a future. He who neglects to "provide for his own houfe, is "worfe than an infidel. If a fon fhall afk bread of any

"of you that is a father, will you give him a ftone? Children afk of their parents what is more than food and raiment-direction in religion, that their fouls may not famifh for want of fpiritual food-direction which inexperienced and uninformed years need. Left without fuch direction, what must be the confequence, confidering their native depravity and the allurements of the world? They may be plunged in lufts which will injure their health and reputation, prevent their usefulness, lay waste their conscience, fink them in infamy and distress in this world, and destroy them foul and body in the next.

Public and private fchools of education, and the maintenance of public teachers of religion and morals, have evinced the fentiment of mankind on the neceffity of good morals to the welfare of fociety. Families are the nurseries of piety and found morals, or of impiety and vice. Children, tranfplanted from these private nurseries into schools, higher or lower; or formed into diftinct families, and entered on any employment in life, produce the fruits of their native foil.

Inattentive or indifferent to the moral and religious inftruction of their children, what answer can parents make to them in time to come? what anfwer to the community? or to the great Judge at the laft day? They cannot, indeed, give grace to their children. But unremitting parental care of their religious education, together with fervent prayer, encourage them to hope that God will impart his grace. Should all their pains and prayers be unavailing, through the folly and obftinacy of their children, the reflection that parental duty has been faithfully attended will be comfortable. After the wifeft and beft care of their education, children may thruft daggers into the hearts of parents. It is enough to fee or hear that they make themselves vile. But how infupportable the reflection, that all may be owing to the neglect of parental duty? the neglect of counfel, reftraint and warning in childhood and early