of an invaluable estate, because it was doubtful whether, when he should be grown up he would care to have it.

Beside, this objection if specious in theory, would, it is feared, be found pernicious in practice. Such is the nature of man, that if good principles and habits are not planted in him, the soil of itself, or the enemy that would destroy him, will produce bad ones. If he be not bent to goodness and pruned to fruitfulness, his growth will be rank and worthless. Go into the woods, and select there the knotted and gnarled, and fruitlessly luxuriant vine, and you will have in it an emblem of those children for whom no father watches, no mother prays; whom no kind hand guides and cultivates as God hath instructed; but a mistaken philosophy attempts to dignify with the imposing name of children of nature.

Moreover, unto Christians the will of God is known upon the subject. It is intimated, as has already been observed in the body of this discourse, it is intimated by the order of nature which he has established, to have been his purpose, that parents should have the care of the minds as well as the bodies. of their infants, and form the morals as well as the manners of their children. If he have not excluded these little ones from his holy baptism, the admission of them to this rite manifests how far it is his will that they should early be devoted to him, and brought under the influences of the Gospel. And with what believer can there remain a doubt not only of the expediency of the thing, but of the great obligation to it, who ponders this inspired decision: "These words which I command thee this day, shall be in thy heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in the house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.'

The other objection is of more disheartening character. It is drawn from the ill success which seems sometimes to attend the efforts of pious parents. Often, it is said, the reward of carefulness in this matter is not received. Now, it is very doubtful, whether in fact the cases are many in which faithful

and complete endeavours of parents to train up their children in the way they should go, do entirely fail. In most cases, they unquestionably succeed. So far as we are acquainted with the history of the eminent servants of God, who are im mortalized in the record of his holy word, they appear to have been religiously educated in their youth. David and Samuel, and the good Josiah; Solomon, and Obadiah, the virtuous Joseph, and the beloved Timothy, were all brought early in life to the knowledge and fear of God. It is said to be worthy of remark, that most of the kings of Israel who had any merit, had received in their youth the instructions of religion, and this, in many instances, through the care of their mothers. And of those in the Christian world who attain to virtue and eternal life, it is not to be doubted that a large part have received in their earliest years, through the instrumentality of parental or other instruction, that incorruptible seed of the word of God, by which they were born again to their high inheritance and attainments.

Some cases, however, there are, in which the expected ef fects of a religious education seem not to be produced. But, in these cases our judgment should be suspended till the life is finished. For oftentimes the seeds of goodness are seasonably sown, but the weeds of corrupt nature spring up first and strongest, and choke the better plants. These weeds, however, have their growth, and wither. And from the beds on which they have fallen and decayed, the seeds which were early sown, and on which have descended secretly and often the powerful influence of a parent's prayer, do, after the lapse of forty or fifty years, at length spring up and produce abundantly in the evening of life, the fruits of faith, and righteousness, and peace. Many, probably, are the instances of this kind, in which parents live not to behold, unless, indeed, they behold from heaven the happy effects to their children of their pious care to educate them religiously.

Let us, however, suppose the worst. Let us imagine, that on some very depraved being, these parental labours are bestowed

in vain. Of whom will the situation be least intolerable, of that parent who in rendering to the Almighty his account of the management of his children, shall be able to say, all that I could, I did? Or that parent, with whom will remain the bitter, the distracting reflection, but for my negligence to this my child, eternity might have been blissful, who now must go into everlasting woe?

I have detained you long, my brethren, upon this subject; too long, I am afraid, for your pleasure, but not too long for the importance of the theme. May God Almighty send his blessing upon what you have heard. Take now your children, whom the Son of God delivered from "the waves of this troublesome world," and having adopted them as his own, has committed to you to be nurtured for his kingdom; take these, your offspring, and nurse them for him; and in his name, I say unto you, he will in some shape or other give you your reward.

SERMON XXXIX.

SOLICITUDE FOR THE PROSPERITY OF RELIGION.

OU

1 SAMUEL, iv. 13.

"For his heart trembled for the Ark of God."

You have here a picture of good old Eli, in one of the most

interesting situations in which man was ever seen. After that terrible defeat which the people of Israel received from the Philistines, in the battle of Aphek, they sent to Shiloh, and had the Ark of God taken from its place and brought among them, hoping that this token of the divine presence would revive their courage, and preserve them from the hands of their enemies. The rumour of it at first disheartened the foe; but their recent victory, and the exhortations of their leaders, animated them to the onset; and the battle was exceedingly fierce. It was a most momentous combat. The glory of Israel was at stake. The Ark of the Covenant was in the field. Eli had now numbered "ninety and eight years" upon the earth; and was blind. Neither on his limbs, nor yet with his eyes, could he follow that Ark before which he had so long ministered; and from which he had so often received blessings for himself and the people. His soul was filled with anguish that it had been torn from its place between the Cherubim. He knew it was in danger; exposed to the imprudence and heedlessness of its friends, as well as to the rude blasphemies of the enemy. Nothing could quiet his pious concern. Blind as he was, he crawled to the high road, and with profound anxiety sat there listening to the ap

proach of every traveller, if, haply, he might hear from Aphek that all was well. It is in this situation that the Scripture presents him to our view, a most instructive and affecting model of genuine piety. "He sat upon a seat by the way side watching; for his heart trembled for the Ark of God.”

It may, perhaps, appear improbable, that our anxiety will ever be excited as Eli's was. It may be feared, that our piety would hardly rise to the noble measure of his. But we may be led by his example to observe, in the first place, that a good man will always feel concerned for the safety, honour, and advancement of religion; and, secondly, to consider some of the ways in which he may promote its reputation and success.

In the success of the gospel are involved the pleasure and glory of God. The good man considers it as an august display of the divine perfections, as gaining the Deity everlasting praises from angels and men, as dear to the eternal mind in its design and accomplishment, and as vouchsafed to men in great mercy and trust. As a creature, therefore, of the Most High God, he will feel concerned for the prosperity of a work, upon which, from before the foundation of the world, his Creator hath bestowed his care, and the success of which he earnestly desires, and hath sent his Son to promote. He considers Christianity as opening to the sinner the only means of reconciliation with his Maker; as affording to man the best instructions and assistances for the right management of life; and as offering to the inhabitants of this region of infirmity and sorrow, the most animating motives to virtue and contentment, and the most enlivening prospects of immortality. As a philanthropist, therefore, he will feel interested in the safety of this Ark of mercy, before which the penitent may find forgiveness, and the sorrowful and the dying be cheered with soothing consolations and animating hopes. He considers religion as essential to the stability, happiness, and prosperity of the state. As a patriot, therefore, he will devoutly wish that the altars of his country may never be destitute of ministers, nor its temples of worshippers and friends. He contrasts with the rude schemes of polytheism and idolatry, which