where his influence is greatest, and the effects of his example the most important, than in any other situation. Juvenal has said, "maxima debetur pueris reverentia;" though his view of education was only to prepare youth for an upright and able discharge of their common duties in this life, with little regard to God or eternity. How deep then ought his maxim to sink into the heart of a Christian, whose views are so much higher, and who is to educate beings called to perform all their duties as those who now sit in heavenly places, and are kings and priests unto God !

2. Never make mere playthings of your children. Many fathers treat their little ones as if nothing was to be sought in their society but mutual amusement. All is goodhumour when they are together; and therefore all is supposed to be right, though there be little besides folly and self-indulgence on one side, and improper liberties, caprice, self-will, or artifice, on the other. In short, there seems to be a sort of conspiracy between the parties to indulge the natural man. The child is often even taught to be indecorous, and mischievous, and saucy, for the amusement of its parent. What excuse can be made for such a scene? The poor child is greatly to be pitied; but really the parent, if we were to look no further, would appear to be a sort of monster, devoid of principle, of feeling, and of common sense. Follow him, how ever, to his serious occupations, and you may find him a useful and respectable man. What a shame, that he is insensible to the high destiny and unspeakable value of the little creature whom he is spoiling, for the sake of half an hour's foolish trifling! What would he say of any one who threw about his gold repeater as if it were a ball, or made marbles of his wife's jewels? And yet his own folly is infinitely greater. The creatures whom he is placing in such danger for his sport, are infinitely more precious than gold, which pe

risheth; and pearls and diamonds worthless compared with them. On would think that mere selfishnes might restrain such absurdity, eve in a man who did not extend view beyond this world. The time may come, when the evil fostered the child will be a scourge to the parent, and when he will be ma its victim, with the less regret fra a recollection that these scenes of egregious folly had undermine that natural respect which wou otherwise have been a check to conduct on the part of his childMay parents, then, never relax with their children? must they alway sustain the grave character of: tutor? Most certainly they may and ought, frequently to relax with them, and even to take pains to make them happy: but they m combine this extremely well with o constant recollection of the immor tal nature and high value of the children, for whom Christ died, and with a suitable behaviour towards them. A father will soon learn, in such playful moments, "miscere utile dulci;" or, according to our English proverb, to "be merry and wise; and he will rank such seasons among those which are most important for checking what is wrong in a child, fostering what is right, instilling good principles, infusing a just ap preciation of things, and a taste for what is lovely and of good report. All the good seed sown on such occasions will be so combined with the child's pleasures and affections, as, with God's blessing, to take deep root in the soul, and promise a vigo rous and permanent growth.

3. In managing a child, let a pa rent always have the child's good, rather than his own ease, in view.

In domestic education, "Don't be so troublesome," is perhaps the most common of all our complaints, when parents address their children. It is true, children ought not to be suffered to be troublesome, since both kindness and propriety forbid them to be so: but the tone of the complaint generally shews very

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clearly that the great grievance is, se not that the child has those dispositions which make it troublesome, but that others, and particularly the complainant, are troubled. Thus the child soon discovers, that it is corrected rather for the ease of its parents and attendants, than for its own good; and it has before it an example and a lesson of selfishness, which may do it as much harm as it receives benefit from the check given to a bad habit.—What ought to be done on such occasions? Undoubtedly the troublesome practice should be prevented; but this should be done in a way to shew the child that the parent would willingly submit to trouble, to promote its good; but that such dispositions as lead it to trouble others, are unchristian, and must be eradicated. The pleasure a Christian will have in giving pleasure, and his pain in occasioning pain, must be pointed out, and proved and illustrated. As nothing is to be combated in children with more care and perseverance than selfishness, so nothing is to be more strictly guarded against in parental example. The child is to be taught to make sacrifices cheerfully, and to deny himself, and take up his cross; and the parent must be especially careful that his own example forward the learning of this difficult lesson. On occasions in which the admonition is "don't be troublesome," would not "don't be thoughtless," don't be violent," or "don't be unkind," be often more appropriate? Is it expedient very generally to use a mode of expression which points to the effect rather than the cause of a child's conduct; to the consequences produced to others, rather than the state of his own mind?

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4. In correcting a fault, look to the heart rather than to the outward act. How common is it for parents to pursue the opposite course! They are satisfied with condemning and preventing wrong conduct, without much attending to the temper of mind in which their animadversions

are received, and the child is often. left unhumbled and discontented, and in a state as displeasing to God as when it was committing the fault in question. This mode of preceeding appears to me essentially wrong, and productive of serious evil. It does not bring the child to repentance before God, and to peace with him. It directs its view to the maintenance of decency in externals, rather than to a jealous scrutiny of its motives and dispositions, and an earnest desire of reconciliation with its God, after having offended him. Though these marks of true repentance cannot be expected at so early an age in their full extent, yet a broad foundation for them is often laid during the two or three first years of infancy. On the other hand, when we see a child scowl, or snatch up his shoulders, or pout and redden, on being blamed, can the rebellious and unbending spirit within be doubted? Is he humbled for his fault, and in a spirit to forsake it and seek forgiveness? Is there any putting off of the old man, and putting on of the new man? And yet, can it be denied that this is the only temper to which the promise of pardon is made? It. is the temper in which adults must come to Christ for pardon and peace; and it is therefore the temper to which, from the very dawn of reason, we should endeavour to bring children.

In our endeavours to effect this great object, kind and mild and serene, but steady, perseverance is to be employed. There must be neither violence nor hurry. If the child is impatient, some constraint, if necessary, must be used to prevent ebullitions of passion or fretfulness, and time must be given for it to recover itself: then steady and unwearied, but calm and affectionate, addresses to its reason and feelings must be used, suited to its age and habits and natural disposition. The sagacity and ingenuity of the parent must be tasked to select the best topics, and handle them in the best

manner, for the production of the desired effect. But, above all, his eye must be upon God for guidance and a blessing, and for putting his own mind in the frame best adapted to win upon the affections of the child, and impress his heart. The dawnings of a right spirit must be hailed; openness and confidence must be courted and encouraged; the kindness of God and Christ to penitents must be as fully and touchingly insisted upon as their hatred of sin. Care must be taken not to overstrain or overpower the feelings; and when any danger of this appears, a pause must take place till they are relieved, and self-command is regained. This course admits of great variations, and must be carefully adapted to the age and character and attainments of the child: but I think I can say from experience, that it will seldom if ever fail of success if steadily and habitually pursued. It may be said to begin from nothing, and for several months a very small part of it will be brought forwards, though there will be a continual progress as the mind of the child opens, and something right in moral feeling and habit is established. It will begin to learn the difference between being good and naughty; then, that though it desists from doing a naughty thing, it continues naughty till it is sorry for it and good humoured; and then, and not till then, it may expect the kiss of forgiveness, and regain the favour of its parent. Next it will be taught to reflect on its happiness when good, and on the pain it suffers when naughty; and it will be told that this is from God, who loves goodness and hates naughtiness, as it sees its parents do. Then it will proceed to learn that, like its parents, God expects sorrow for sin; and a mild and humble prayer for forgive ness, before he will forgive a naughty child, and love it, and make it happy. While this is in progress, the parent will endeavour to make the child feel the evil and folly of naughtiness, and the beauty and true wisdom of being good. This will

not be very difficult to inculcate when the child is sensible that sin and misery, and holiness and happiness, generally go together. During the latter part of this course, gospel facts and principles will be gradually opened. The child will have heard of Christ ever since he first heard God; and now the distinct character and offices of Christ will begin to be unfolded. He will be painted as the friend of mankind; as the great refage of the naughty; as alway willing to help them, and beg Father to forgive them ;--as all kinė ness and goodness, and as setting an example of all that is lovely and excellent; and as now exalted in glory, and all-wise and all-powerful. Pains will be taken to make Him the object of affection attempered by reverence, and to make it pleasant to the child to please him, and painfal to offend him. The child will is like manner be made acquainted with the Holy Ghost, and heaven, and hell, and the day of judgment, and eternity, and the lost state of man, and redemption. All these things will be taught with an imme diate reference to practice and the heart. They must be unfolded gra dually, and with a strict attention to the abilities and temperament of the child, and especial care must be taken that by God's blessing the feelings shall be properly affected as the understanding is informed.

5. Be on your guard against the little wiles and artifices which chil dren will soon employ to obtain their ends.

It is surprising how ingenious and adroit they will be in this way. They will endeavour to do, as a bit of play, something which they know to be wrong and forbidden; and to put you off by a laugh and a joke, when you require them to acknowledge that they have done wrong. These little tricks lead to much evil. They undermine sincerity and simplicity of character; and instead of being amused by them, as is often the case, a parent should carefully repress them. It is a good general rule

with young folks, that nothing shall be said or done in joke, which would be naughty if in earnest. More latitude may be allowed to those who are grown up but children cannot discriminate between what is innocent in jokes, and what is not; and if they could, they have not sufficient steadiness of principle and self-command to confine themselves within the proper bounds, if suffered in their moments of gaiety to approach the brink of what is wrong. It is of the greatest possible importance to preserve the mind from the taint of cunning and deceit; and therefore we ought to be more anxious to avoid doing too little than too much to secure this point. Simplicity and integrity of character, the great foundation of every thing good, depend upon it.

6. Do all you can to secure a consistency of system in the management of your children.

It is quite apparent how indispensible it is that the father and mother should at least not counteract each other. If they do not and cannot think alike on the subject of education, by mutual concessions and accommodations they should pursue a similar plan with their children. Grievous are the consequences when they proceed differently. The children presume to erect themselves into judges between their parents: they play off one against the other. Not only one parent sinks in their esteem, but they often lose respect for both, and are disobedient to both. Thus the fifth commandment is habitually broken; and bad principles and bad habits are as likely to be established by education in a young family, so circumstanced, as good ones. Let me entreat parents to shun this fatal rock. If one of them is conscious that the other is best qualified for the work of education, let such parent be disposed to yield points as far as duty will allow, and to strengthen the hands of the other. And even that other, instead of presuming on superior ability in this line, and carrying matters with a high hand, and

peremptorily insisting on points respecting which there may be a difference of opinion between them, should be as accommodating as can be made consistent with duty; and where a point cannot be yielded, still the suaviter in modo should be practised with peculiar care, and the necessary duty performed in a way as little grating and offensive to the parent who disapproves, as may be. Let the more enlightened parent recollect, that an indifferent plan of education, in which parents harmoniously join, will generally answer much better than a superior one respecting which they differ. Besides, by kind accommodations, the misjudging parent is often won by de grees to see things in a more just light, and to acquiesce in a better system. Where both parents act on principle, and refer to the Bible as their standard, and do not interpret it in a very different way, a degree of accordance, which will answer pretty well for practical purposes, may reasonably be expected. The greatest difficulty arises when one of the parents does not act on principle, or refers, substantially, to a different standard from the other. Even in these distressing cases, the suaviter in modo on a true Christian foundation will do wonders. It often disarms hostility and counteraction, and leaves the young family very much in the hands of the parent best qualified to educate it. And I fully believe, from personal observation, that the Divine blessing rests in an uncommon degree on the labours of a Christian parent so unhappily circumstanced, and fruits follow excellent and abundant beyond all human expectation. With what pleasure have I seen a majority of the young members of a family, most lamentably exposed to temptation by one parent, snatched out of the fire, as it were, by the pious and constant, but meek and unassuming, labours of the other!

In families where the parents proceed harmoniously and well in the work of education, their plan is