kind offers to be rejected with impunity : furely, at leaft, we run the risk of his withdrawing from us the affistance of his holy spirit, without which all our endeavors to please him cannot but fail, when we wilfully neglect the means he has pointed out to preserve so great a blessing.

Although true humility is one of the first and most diftinguishing marks of a Christian, yet I cannot help thinking that those who attempt, under that pretence, to debase human nature, are its worst enemies. Of this description are those who by their writings have endeavored to represent it in the blackest and most frightful colors, which, instead of holding out an encouragement to virtue, is apt to deprefs the mind of the pious and humble Christian; whereas, when we reflect upon the honor that the Son of God has done our nature, we ought to do every thing in our power to honor it. Are we not exprefsly told, in the facred writings, that, at the day of judgment, we shall fee God and man united in the fame perfon, and

F

that

that angels and archangels will fall down and worship him?

Surely this ought to be a motive with us, to endeavor to adorn with every grace and virtue a nature so honored.

The facred hiftory paffes over several years of our bleffed Saviour's life; and this chapter concludes with an account of a journey made by Joseph and Mary to Jerufalem, to celebrate the paffover, and of their taking our Lord with them when

he was only twelve years of age; of his tarrying behind them among the doctors in the Temple; and of his return with them to Nazareth, where he continued subject to them.

In the conduct of Joseph and Mary we have an example fet us which ought to be followed by all good parents: that of making their children partakers with them, as early as poffible, in their religious duties; for whatever care and attention they may pay to their offspring in other matters, if this most effential point be neglected, they are guilty of a great breach of duty, both

to

to themselves and their children. Youth is the season in which the strongest and most lafting impreffions are made: it is therefore of the utmost consequence, during that period, to make them fenfible of their duty to their Maker; nor can there, in my opinion, be a more delightful fight than that of a well-inftructed child joining with its innocent voice in the praises of its Creator: it is a fight that must be pleasing to men and angels.

It always appeared to me poffible, and experience has convinced me of it, that we may give children instruction in fuch a manner as to make it a pleasure to them instead of a task; and that fuch a mode, if practicable, is to be preferred, more efpecially in religious matters, will not, I think, be denied.

We should be very cautious not to give children a difguft to their duty, by making it too burthenfome or fevere, left, as I am afraid is too often the cafe, it should grow up with them and fettle into habit. We should first gain their hearts, and then

endeavor to convince their reason, encouraging a laudable curiofity; which, under proper reftraints, may be turned both to the amufement and improvement of youth.

In our Saviour's example, we may fee the reverence and dutiful fubmiffion we owe to our parents. There is no case in which we are exempted from this duty, except where it unfortunately happens that the will of the parent is fet in oppofition to fill higher duties; namely, thofe to our Maker: and, even in this cafe, although we are bound to obey God rather than our earthly parents, we should so soften our refusal to comply with their defires, by modefty and humility, as to convince them that nothing less than our eternal intereft fhould interfere with our duty to them. Such a conduct, which is conformable to what both the laws of God and man require of us, may probably produce the happieft effects, by fhewing our parents the impropriety of their expectations, and inducing them to give them

up,

up, without our appearing to affume a fuperiority, which is always improper.

The joy which must have filled the breast of the bleffed Virgin on finding Jefus, may be more easily conceived than described; for though she knew him to be the Son of God, yet, during the time that fhe miffed him, human nature prevailed, and distracted her with all the doubts and apprehenfions natural to a mother for the fafety of a beloved child.

It must have also been a great additional gratification to her to have found him fo worthily employed, fitting in the midst of the doctors, and aftonishing all that heard him at his understanding. To the remonftrance of his mother, our Saviour makes no other reply than, that when higher duties call, earthly ones must give place; and then, with the utmost respect and meekness, returns with her and his reputed father to Nazareth.

Those who fancy themselves above their parents from any fuperior acquifition of knowledge or fortune, would do well to look to this example fet them by their

God