steadiness to virtue, and enable them to go through all the vicissitudes of human life with propriety and dignity.

Let them be regular in their attendance on publie worship; let nothing be permitted to interrupt their public or private devotions, except the performance of some active duty in life, to which they should always give place: "To obey is better than sacrifice." In their behaviour at public worship, let them always observe an exemplary attention and gravity.

Let them cultivate an enlarged charity for all mankind, however they may differ from them in religious opinions. The best effect of religion will be a diffusive charity to all in distress: therefore let those who have it in their power set apart a certain portion of their income as sacred to charitable purposes.

Women are greatl; deceived, when they think they recommend themselves to the other sex by their indifference about religion. Even those men who are themselves unbelievers, dislike infidelity in a female. Every man who knows human nature, connects a religious taste in the sex with softness and sensibility of heart; at least men always consider the want of it as a proof of that hard and masculine spirit, which of all the faults of females they dislike the

most.

Religion is of all subjects the most important, as it involves in it our present and eternal happiness: it therefore ought in the first place to claim our attention; and as happiness is the object of general pursuit, and as we cannot be happy independent of God, or without his fear and love, which are the essence of true religion, we should seek these in early life; for he that "seeks the kingdom of God, and his righteousness," has "the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."

But it is necessary that we should thoroughly understand the important truths of our holy religion, as revealed in the Scriptures of truth. The Bible is intended to teach us what we are to believe, what we are to experience, and what we are to do, in order to inherit eternal life. The Bible teaches us that there is one God, most holy, just, wise, good, and true. The self-existent, independent, immutable, and eternal Being-omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. That God created man in his own moral image-in righteousness and true holiness-that man sinned by eating of the forbidden fruit; and involyed himself and all his posterity in guilt and anisery.."That by the offence of one man judgment

is passed upon all men to condemnation." This is an im portant point in our religious creed, and the foundation of the whole sum of Christianity. But the same Scriptures inform us, that " God so loved the world," that is, the whole human race," that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life." That in order to accomplish human redemp, tion, Jesus Christ, who is God over all, blessed for evermore, in the fulness of time became Man, verily took upon him human nature, and in that nature suffered and died, that sin might be atoned for, and man again partake of the favour and image of his Maker: That " Jesus rose from the dead the third day, according to the Scriptures;" and afterwards, in the presence of chosen witnesses," ascended into heaven," to prepare mansions of eternal bliss for his people, and to make intercession for transgressors.

The Bible represents Jesus Christ as the all-sufficient Saviour of the world-" able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God through him." The Prophet, the Priest, and the King, of his church, "made of God unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." It positively asserts, that he is the only Saviour, that "there is salvation in no other,"-yea, that "there is none other name given under heaven, among men, whereby we must be saved." That "there remaineth no other sacrifice for sin," and, consequently, he who rejects salvation as offered in the gospel by Jesus Christ, rejects the counsel of God against himself, sins against the only remedy which God has provided, and persisting in impenitency, and remaining incorrigible, must perish without hope.

The Bible further instructs us in the nature and necessity of repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, in order to our individual salvation; that we must be regenerated or "born again," that we must partake of the divine nature," become "new creatures in Christ Jesus," and that "without holiness no man shall see the Lord."

It further declares, that all who have believed must be "found careful to maintain good works," must "walk in holiness and righteousness of life," in all the commandment's and ordinances of God which he hath instituted and ordained; and that in "patient continuance in well doing,' we may "look for glory and honour, immortality and eternal life."

This is a summary of those interesting things connected

with our present peace and final felicity. It is only in the possession and enjoyment of this religion that happiness can be secured even in the present world. It is this of which the wise man speaks, and passes such a high eulogium, Prov. iii. 13-18. "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding: for the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold." The happy effects of this religion will be felt under the painful and trying dis pensations of Divine Providence which generally attend this state of probation, will illuminate the valley of the shadow of death, and will afford a pleasing prospect of life and immortality beyond the grave.

THE NECESSITY OF RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION.

IT has been the fashion of some who have written on education, to decry the practice of early instilling religious knowledge into the minds of children. In vindication of this opinion it has been alledged, that it is of the utmost importance to the cause of truth, that the mind of man should be kept free from prepossessions; and especially that every one should be left to form such judgment on religious subjects as may seem best to his own reason in maturer years.

It is undoubtedly our duty, while we are instilling principles into the tender mind, to take peculiar care that those principles be sound and just; that the religion we teach be the religion of the Bible, and not the inventions of human error or superstition. It may indeed be granted, that it is the duty of every parent to inform the youth, that when his faculties shall have unfolded themselves, so as to enable him to examine for himself those principles which the parent is now instilling, it will be his duty so to examine them.

But after making these concessions, I would most seriously insist that there are certain leading and fundamental truths; that there are certain sentiments on the side of Christianity, as well as of virtue and benevolence, in favour of which every child ought to be prepossessed: and may it not be added, that to expect to keep the mind void of all prepossession, even upon any subject, appears to be alto

gether a vain and impracticable attempt; an attempt, the very suggestion of which argues much ignorance of human nature. Assuming therefore that there are religious principles which are true, and which ought to be communicated in the most effectual manner, the next question will be, at what age and in what manner these ought to be inculcated? That it ought to be at an early period we have the command of Christ; who encouragingly said, in answer to those who would have repelled their approach, "Suffer little children to come unto me."

It surely is of great importance to give young persons prepossessions in favour of religion, to secure their prejudices on its side, before you turn them adrift into the world; a world in which, before they can be completely armed with arguments and reasons, they will be assailed by numbers, whose prepossessions and prejudices, far more than their arguments and reasons, attach them on the other side. Why should not the Christian youth furnish himself in the best cause with the same natural armour which the enemies of religion wear in the worst? It is certain, that to set out in life with sentiments in favour of the religion of our country, is no more an error or a weakness, than to grow up with a fondness for our country itself. If the love of our country be judged a fair principle, surely a Christain, who is" a citizen of no mean city," may lawfully have his attachments too. Is it fair that what relates to the present world should occupy almost the whole thoughts; while the intellectual part should have almost no proportion at all?

Do young persons become musicians, and painters, and linguists, and mathematicians, by early study and regular labour; and shall they become religious by accident? Shall all these accomplishments, which "perish in the using, be so assiduously, so systematically taught? Shall all those habits which are limited to the things of this world, be so carefully formed, so persisted in, as to be interwoven with our very make, so as to become a part of ourselves; and shall that knowledge, which is to make us "wise unto salvation," be picked up at random, cursorily, or perhaps not picked up at all?

Shall the lively period of youth, the soft and impressive season when lasting habits are formed, when the seal cuts deep into the yielding wax, and the impression is more likely to be clear, and sharp, and strong, and lasting; shall this warm and favourable season be suffered to slide by without being turned to the great purpose for which not

only youth, but life, and breath, and being, were bestowed? Shall not that "faith, without which it is impossible to please God;" shall not that "holiness, without which no man can see the Lord;" shall not that knowledge, which is the foundation of faith and practice; shall not that charity, without which all knowledge is as "sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal," be impressed, be inculcated, be enforced, as early, as constantly, as fundamentally, with the same earnest pressing on to continual progress, with the same constant reference to first principles, as are used in the case of those arts which merely adorn human life? Shall we not seize the happy period when the memory is strong, the mind and all its powers vigorous and active, the imagination busy and all alive; the heart flexible, the temper ductile, the conscience tender, curiosity awake, fear powerful, hope eager, love ardent; shall we not seize this period for inculcating that knowledge, and impressing those principles, which are to form the character and fix the destination for eternity?

Respecting the manner in which religious instruction is to be communicated to youth, I would observe, Do not communicate its principles in a random desultory way, nor stint this business to only such scraps and remnants of time as may be casually picked up from the gleanings of other acquirements. Will you bring to God for a sacrifice that which costs you nothing? Let the best part of the day, that is, the morning, be steadily and invariably dedicated to this work, before the minds of your children are tired with their other studies, while the intellect is clear, the spirits light, and the attention sharp and unfatigued.

Confine not your instructions to mere verbal rituals and dry systems; but communicate them in a way which will interest their feelings by lively images, and by a warm practical application of what they read to their own hearts and circumstances. Teach them, as their blessed Saviour taught, by seizing on surrounding objects, passing events, local circumstances, peculiar characters, apt allusions, just analogy, appropriate illustration. Call in all creation, animate and inanimate, to your aid, and accustom your children to find tongues in trees, books in running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in every thing.

Endeavour unremittingly to connect the reader with the subject, by making her feel that what you teach is neither an abstract truth, nor a thing of mere general information, but that it is a business in which she herself is immediately