youth? that their temporal and eternal ruin may lie at the door of those who should have brought them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?

"I will bring upon Abraham," said God, "that "which I have fpoken of him: For I know Abraham, "that he will command his children, and his house"hold after him, and they fhall keep the way of the "Lord, to do juftice and judgment." But Eli, for his remiffness and neglect of the authority vefted in him, received the awful denunciation, "I will judge his "house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth: "Because his fons made themselves vile, and he 're"strained them not. Therefore the iniquity of Eli's "house shall not be purged with facrifice nor offering ❝ for ever."

"Hear, O Ifrael; the Lord our God is one Lord. "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy might. "And these words fhall be in thine heart. And thou "fhalt teach them diligently unto thy children." Religion is preferved, when parents apply their own hearts to it, and teach it to pofterity. The most effectual way of teaching it is by example. A fine picture of virtue will be drawn to no purpose, if it is never exhibited in real life. Let parents refolve, "As for me, and 66 my houfe, we will ferve the Lord." Let them be able to addrefs their children in the language of humble confidence: "Know the God of your father. "Let thy heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live. Wisdom is the principal thing: "Therefore get wisdom. I have led thee in right paths. "Incline thine heart unto my fayings: Let them not "depart from thine eyes: Keep them in the midft of

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thy heart." As an incentive cordially to embrace religion, and faithfully to inftruct your children in the principles, duties and hopes of it, be affured, "The

mercy of the Lord is from everlafting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unte

"children's children; to fuch as keep his covenant, "and to thofe that remember his commandments to "do them."

Parents, have compaffion on your children, as Jefus had on those who fainted for his inftruction in the paths of falvation. Teach them that every good gift comes from their Father in heaven, who expects a grateful return. They are but fojourners on earth. Their probationary ftate is fhort. They are bound to the eternal world, in which their ftate will be the confequence of their behaviour in this. Let your inftructions, example and prayers unite to lead them in the path of life. "Endeavour always to understand your"felves what you with them to understand; to be yourselves what you would have them be; to do "yourselves what you would have them practifc."

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I will now turn your attention to examples of parents, who made it their care to educate their children in religion. The examples fhall be taken from the facred fcriptures, where they are recorded for our learning.

The friend of God, the father of the faithful, inculcated on his household, with great care, the true religion. "I know him, that he will command his chil"dren, and his household after him, and they fhall

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keep the way of the Lord." He fpared no inftructions and cautions, that they might efcape the conta gion of a world overrun with idolatry, and plunged in every pollution; might know the only living and true God, and abide in the worship of him. Refcued from fuperftition himself, and honoured with fpecial divine communications, he felt the importance of educating his family in the principles and practice of pure religion, as their higheft duty and wifdom. His religious care of his household was the juft expreffion of the fame faith and piety as induced him to make the greatest worldly facrifices, when called of God.

The example of Jofhua may be next mentioned. He earnestly exhorted his people to put away their ido!

gods, to fear the Lord, and ferve him in fincerity and truth. Knowing, at the fame time, their propensity to revolt upon every occafion, he affured them, that, however they might waver and apoftatize, he was fixed in his own choice-fixed alfo in his resolution with refpect to his house, "As for me and my house, we "will ferve the Lord." The religious care of his household was next to that of his own foul. How large foever his family, every foul occupied his attention. So far as was in his power, he refolved that they fhould all know and ferve the Lord.

When the household of the chief magiftrate of a nation make religion their care, it has the happieft afpect on public order and virtue. When the head of the fmall household of fix or feven fouls maintains a due care of religion, it is as the precious ointment on the head of Aaron. The young branches fhould regard him with honour, be thankful for fuch a ruler and guide, and receive his inftructions with much defer

ence.

The house of SAMUEL was as the gate of heaven. This chief magiftrate and judge in Ifrael exhibited, in his public ftation, the higheft concern for the advancement of righteoufnefs, which exalteth a nation. “I "will fhew you," faid he to his people, " the good "and right way. Only fear the Lord, and ferve him "in truth with all your heart." From being occupied in public affairs, he regularly returned to guide and blefs his houfe: There he built an altar to the Lord. In his recefs from the cares and labours of office, in his private and domeftic character, he manifefted the fame integrity, the fame refpect to the honour of God and good of his household, as in his public station he expreffed for the welfare of his people. The departure of his fons from the ways of fo wife and godly a parent was an aggravation of their fhame. The best counfel and example of parents may be loft upon their children. Perhaps Samuel's degenerate fons fhewed

some respect to his religious charges at firft. For when we read of their defection, it is obfervable that he was old. When parents have done what in them lies to train up their children for God, the iffue must be left with him.

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DAVID, in his old age, could reflect in this manner : "O Lord God, thou haft taught me, and haft been my truft, from my youth; and hitherto have I de"clared thy wonderful works." Well might fuch a parent charge his fon, "Know thou the God of thy "father." The fon mentions the pious inftructions of his father David. "He taught me, and said unto me, "Let thine heart retain my words :-Get wisdom, get "derstanding; forget it not." What he meant by wifdom, he has explained. "The fear of the Lord " is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of "the Holy is understanding. Wisdom is the princi"pal thing: Therefore get wisdom. Exalt her, and "the fhall promote thee. She fhall give to thine head "an ornament of grace; a crown of glory fhall fhe "deliver to thee. Hear, O my fon, and receive my fayings-I have taught thee in the way of wif "dom; I have led thee in right paths." Such inftruction Solomon had from his father. The prophecy which his mother taught him is also mentioned, Proverbs xxxi. Whether the leffons which follow are confidered as given to Solomon, or given by him, is immaterial. They remind us what the inftruction is, which pious parents impart to the children of their hopes.

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My

fon, if thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and ap"ply thy heart to understanding; yea, if thou crieft "after knowledge, and lifteft up thy voice for understanding; if thou feekeft her as filver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then fhalt thou un"derstand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. Truft in the Lord with all thine "heart; and lean not to thine own understanding. "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he fhall di

"rect thy paths. Be not wife in thine own eyes: "Fear the Lord, and depart from evil. Wisdom is "better than rubies. Her fruit is better than gold. "She leads in the way of righteousness and life.' David walked in his house wifely, in a perfect way-with a perfect heart. Solomon wrote his proverbs with an exprefs view to inftruct the young in the wisdom from above. God employs parents and others to imbue young minds with the wisdom which confifts in the knowledge, fear and love of their Creator and Saviour.

It was the commendation of CORNELIUS, whose prayers and alms afcended to heaven with acceptance, that he feared God with all his house.

"The unfeigned faith" of young Timothy was first confpicuous in his mother and grandmother. Nurtured by them, he knew the holy fcriptures from a child. An happy improvement of the advantages, under which he was early placed, prepared him for the perfect instructions of Paul, who ftiles him his own fon in the faith, and commends him thus to the Philippian Chriftians: I have no man like-minded.

The diftinguished characters we have mentioned, were eminent for inftructing the rising members of their household in the great things of religion. Why is their example highly applauded, if not as a pattern to other parents and heads of families? Religious education, which they esteemed a duty fo important, to which they attended with steady and confcientious care, comes enforced by their example. No pious parent can treat this matter with indifference.

Befide examples on facred record, fimilar ones, living and dead, may be observed and recollected; which concur to prove, that men of piety confider, and have ever confidered, education in religion a matter of first moment. In this the wifeft and best men, in all ages, among pagans, Jews and Chriftians, have united. It is a duty owing to God. For children are the heritage