or because the teachers are dull, or the doctrine weak: it is not so-but it is because men" have no heart" to get wisdom-and only seek to gratify their own itching ears. It is the want of heart which makes prayer cold and unprofitable, and public worship only a solemn mockery of God:-it is the want of heart which makes men listen to preaching of God's laws as though they were listening to one who hath a pleasant voice, and playeth well upon an instrument;" for," saith the Lord to his prophet, "they hear thy words, but they do them not.”*

"These words, which I command thee this day," saith Moses, "shall be in thine heart." My brethren, let them be in yours; let them sink into your hearts, and suffer not the evil one to "catch them

away." Be convinced of their truth yourselves; honour and keep God's laws by your own lives; and then listen to the duty which lies upon you with respect to your fellow-creatures; and first of all to those who are most dependent upon you,

* Ezekiel xxxiii. 32.

and who, humanly speaking, are likely to be influenced here and hereafter by the example and the teaching which they receive from you-viz. your children, your families. For, continues Moses,

II. "Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children." There is very constant mention of this duty in Holy Scripture. Scarcely any particular ordinance, or feast, or singular observance, was laid upon the Jews, without a particular reference to the explanation which they were to give, "when" their "children should ask in times to come, what meaneth this?" The children were not to be rebuked for their curiosity, or be suffered to remain without a direct answer to their question: the command always follows, "Then shalt thou say unto them" so and so, explaining clearly and distinctly the reason of the particular customs about which the children inquired.

To this command of God the Psalmist refers in the seventy-eighth Psalm. "God established a testimony in Jacob, and

appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born : who shall arise and declare them unto their children: that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments."

We have here a direct and particular description, both of the duty which lies upon parents to instruct their children, and the reason and object of their instructing them—to the intent, viz. "that they might set their hope in God, and not forget his works"—which agrees with the command of the text, "Thou shalt teach them," i. e. the words of God's commandments, " diligently unto thy children." Now, brethren, these words of Holy Scripture, so constantly repeated, must mean something: and we cannot suppose that the Jews were to teach their children 'diligently," and that we are at liberty to neglect ours, or let them go on in

ignorance and in idleness. Depend upon it, the command is equally given to us all, "Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children." that instruction-and of that instruction only-which is referred to in the text, viz. religious instruction, I might indeed speak of the duty of giving children a good education according to their station; but, at all events, there can be no doubt or question about the duty of teaching them their duty to God.

I speak now strictly of

Now, as I said

before, example is the first thing. "These words must be in your hearts;" and next, you must teach them diligently to your children. It is all very well for you to send your children to schools; it would be wiser and better for them, and in the end better for you, if you would be persuaded to keep them there longer, and to send them more regularly; but a parent very ill performs his duty, who contents himself with sending his child to school for what saith the Scripture? "THOU shalt teach them"-it is from your own lips and your own instruction

that they are to learn the goodness and mercy of God, and the duty of obeying Him. A child learns at school in general terms, without any reference to himself and his own individual case, the dealings of God. But it is the duty of the parent to show the child how, in his own family, in any particular circumstances and events which happen to himself or other members of his family, the hand of God has been over him for good ;-he should show his child why he does not do such and such things which he sees done by others; and why he does other things which are neglected by others; "because of the fear of God." Thus only is it likely that the child will believe that what is taught at school is really true. It is a serious difficulty which pastors and teachers have to contend with, my brethren, in your own neglect of the religious instruction of those children, whose souls are committed more solemnly to you than to any one else; they may learn something at school, but if they see no point made of their attendance there-if they find