tion a part only of those things which are to be taught to children. Those which have been mentioned are, if I mistake not, possessed of distinguished importance; and will, I suppose, be acknowledged to claim a primary place in parental instruction. I shall now proceed to consider the manner in which they should be taught. ·

1. The instruction of children should be begun in very early life.

children many things, at least, which they would advantageThe infant mind opens faster This is the true reason why

Very young children are capable of learning many things of incalculable importance to themselves. All parents appear to me to labour under serious mistakes with regard to this subject; and begin to teach their at a later period than that in ously begin to receive them. than we are apt to be aware. very young children are almost always thought peculiarly bright and promising. We customarily attribute this opinion to parental fondness; in some degree, perhaps, justly; but it arises extensively from the fact, that the intellect of little children outruns in its progress our utmost expectations: the goodness of God intending, I suppose, to provide by this constitution of things the means of receiving the instruction, so indispensable to children at that period. Of this advantage every parent should carefully avail himself. At the same time he should remember, that this is the season for making lasting impressions. The infant mind lays strong hold of every thing which it is taught. Both its understanding and affections are then unoccupied. The affections are then also remarkably susceptible, tender, and vigorous. Every person knows the peculiarly impressive power of novelty. On the infant mind every thing is powerfully impressed, because every thing is new. From these causes is derived that remarkable fact, so commonly observed, that early impressions influence the character and the life beyond all others; and remain strong and vivid after most others are worn away.

From these remarks must be seen, with irresistible evidence, the immense importance of seizing this happy period to make religious impressions on the minds of our offspring. He, who loses this season, is a husbandman, who wastes the spring in idleness, and sows in midsummer. How can such a man rationally expect a crop? To the efforts of the parent at

this period the professed instructor is bound to add his own. The Instructor, who in a school, a college, or an university, does not employ the opportunities which he enjoys of making religious impressions on the minds of his pupils, neglects a prime part of his duty; and so far wraps his talent in a napkin, and buries it in the earth.

2. Children should be gradually instructed.

Knowledge plainly should be communicated in that progressive course in which the mind is most capable of receiving it. The first things which children attain are words, and facts. To these succeed, after no great interval, plain doctrines, and precepts. As they advance in years and understanding, they gradually comprehend, and therefore relish, doctrines of a more complicated and difficult nature. This order of things, being inwrought in the constitution of the human mind, should be exactly followed. When it is counteracted, or forgotten, the task of instruction will ever be difficult; and the progress of the pupil, slow and discouraging. A loose and general attention to this great rule of instruction seems to have prevailed in most enlightened countries, but a far less accurate one than its importance deserves.

Among the facts and doctrines suited to the early mind, none are imbibed with more readiness, or fastened upon with more strength, than the existence, presence, perfections, and providence of God: the creation of all things by his power; its own accountableness to him; and the immense importance of his favour, and therefore of acting in such a manner as to obtain his approbation. These things then, together with such as are inseparably connected with them, should, without fail, be always taught at the dawn of the understanding.

3. The impressions which are useful to children should be made continually.

Children, more than any other persons, need line upon line, and precept upon precept; here a little, and there a little.' It is in no sense sufficient to have taught them either truths, or duties. The parent's duty is then only begun. He is not only to teach, but to inculcate; to recal what has been forgotten, to explain what has been imperfectly apprehended, to rectify what has been misunderstood, to illustrate what has been obscure, and to enforce what has been unfelt. A few minds are indeed so happily susceptible, as readily to under

stand, deeply to feel, and permanently to retain, most of that which they are taught. But such minds are rare and solitary. Almost all children demand, and ought to receive, instruction in the manner here recommended.

4. Instruction should be communicated to children with unwearied patience.

Christ, in this and many other respects, has left instructors a perfect example. Although his disciples were dull of hearing,' and 'slow of heart to believe;' although they had many, and those often very unreasonable prejudices; his patience was never lessened. He taught them in the gradual manner which I have recommended; as,' in his own lan

guage, they were able to bear.' He taught them also without weariness, without fretfulness, without discouragement, without reproaches, and without intermission. At times indeed he reproved them, and with some degree of severity, but always with tenderness and good-will.

In this manner should parents teach their children; should be patient with their ignorance, their backwardness to receive instruction, their mistakes, their forgetfulness, the necessity of teaching them again and again, and the doubts and difficulties. which from time to time they suggest. In all this, the parents should manifest not only quietness of mind, but cheerfulness, and willingness to repeat their instructions.

5. Instructions should be given persuasively

Children are often discouraged from learning by being compelled to this employment, and punished for not learning; by the gloomy countenance, morose temper, and forbidding manners of the instructor; by being unreasonably confined, and unreasonably debarred from those harmless gratifications which are necessary to preserve their health and spirits; and not unfrequently by the imposition of harder tasks than they are able to perform. If I supposed such persons to act understandingly, I should believe that they intended to prevent children from learning, and that their measures were skilfully contrived for this purpose. But to the end for which they are professedly adopted, they could scarcely be fitted in a more unhappy manner.

To most children learning may be made an alluring object. Pleasantness of disposition, affability, condescension, serenity of countenance, and sweetness of manners, in the instructor;

engaging books, moderate tasks, reasonable confinement to study, a proper allowance of recreation, commendation kindly given when merited, and well directed rewards for improvement, are usually sufficient persuasives to engage children in a spontaneous and pleasurable course of learning. The instructor who will not follow this course must be very imperfectly fitted for his employment.

6. Children should be taught by example.

All men will admit that the moral branches of education can never be taught successfully without the aid of example. Example has, in a great measure, the same influence on every other part of education. Children do little, beside imitating others. Parents who read will have reading children. Industrious parents will have industrious children. Lying parents will have lying children. Example therefore is of the highest possible consequence in this important concern.

7. Children should be taught in such a manner, as to be prompted unceasingly to the most vigorous exertion of their own talents.

The human mind is not a mere vessel, into which knowledge is to be poured. It is better compared to a bee, fed during the first periods of its existence by the labours of others; but intended, ere long, to lift its wings in the active employment of collecting sweets from every field within its reach. To such excursions, and to the accomplishment of such purposes, the mind should be early and sedulously allured. This is the only way to give it energy and strength. Without the active exercise of its powers, neither body nor mind can acquire vigour. Without bodily exertions, Goliath, six cubits high, would have been only a gigantic boy; without mental efforts, Newton would have been merely an infant of days.'

SERMON CXII.

THE LAW OF GOD.

THE DECALOGUE.

THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT.

DUTY OF PARENTS.

TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE WAY HE SHOULD GO, AND WHEN HE IS OLD HE WILL NOT DEPART FROM IT.

PROVERBS XXII. 6.

In the preceding Discourse I distributed the duties of parents under three heads;

The maintenance :

The education:

The settlement of children.

The education of children I proposed also to consider under the two heads of instruction, and government.

The first of these general heads, together with the former division of the second, were examined in that Discourse. I shall now proceed to make some observations on the remaining subjects proposed for discussion at that time.

The parental duty which, according to the plan mentioned, next demands our attention, is the government of children. The observations which I shall make concerning this subject, will respect,