houfe of Eli forever for the iniquity which he knoweth, because his fons made themselves vile, and he reftrained them not."

If the youth be removed from the government of his parents, they, under whose care he now lives, fhould fpeak to him. As he is become a member of their family, they are bound, as they fee occafion, to advise and reprove him. Every head of a family has authority within his own houfe; and he can, if he will, maintain order and government there. Let his example be pure and blameless, and his inftructions and reproofs will be powerful and efficacious. If there be thofe in his family, who, by reason of age, are beyond the reach of his authority; or, by reafon of perverseness, spurn the orders of his houfe, he can, at least, remove them. Let every householder adopt David's refolution, "I will behave myself wifely in a perfect way: I will walk within my houfe with a perfect heart : I will fet no wicked thing before my eyes. froward heart fhall depart from me: I will not know a wicked perfon. Mine eyes fhall be on the faithful, that they may dwell with me. He that worketh deceit fhall not dwell in my houfe; he that telleth lies fhall not tarry in my fight."

A

Minifters ought to speak to him. Chrift has given it in command to them to feed his lambs. It is a part of Paul's charge to Titus, "Exhort young men to be fober minded." John wrote to little children and to young men, "that the word of God might dwell in them, and that they might be ftrong to overcome the wicked one." Minifters are to regard the weak as well as the ftrong, and children as well as thofe who are of full age. They are to give every one his portion, and to diftribute in Chrift's family both milk and strong

meat.

Aged people fhould fpeak to him. Their years, gravity and experience, if accompanied with rightcoufnefs, give dignity to their perfons, weight to their counfels, and authority to their reproofs. On the contrary, their filence and connivance will embolden the youthful tranfgreffor, and ftrengthen his hands, that he will not depart from iniquity. Paul fays to Titus," Speak thou the things which become found doctrine, that the aged men be fober, grave, temperate, found in faith, charity and patience: The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, that they may teach the young to be fober, discreet and good."

Youths ought to speak often among themselves; to reprove, admonish, and encourage one another, as there is occafion; to exhort one another daily, left any be hardened through the deceitfulness of fin, and to be fellow helpers to the truth.

If youth, in general, were difpofed to testify against the wicked practices of their affociates, they would foon difcourage them. Many are emboldened in their wickedness, because they meet with fome who treat it with a kind of jocular and mirthful approbation. Now if you would frown upon it, express your abhorrence of it, and fhow that you cannot bear them who are evil, the guilty would be afhamed of themfelves. The advice which the apoftle gives to Christians concerning their treatment of a diforderly brother, is fit to be obferved by you in your conduct toward a diforderly companion. "Note fuch an one, and have no company with him, that he may be afhamed: yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother."

You will now afk, in what manner muft we speak to him that is young?

Speak to him fpeedily. Delays in important matters are attended with great danger. If you think of any thing neceffary to be fpoken to him, take the first good opportunity to fpeak it. You may not have another. You or he may foon be dead.

Speak to him early, before he has gone to an irreclaimable length in an evil course. "Whom fhall he teach knowledge?" fays the prophet, "Whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them who are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breast."

Speak to him feafonably, when you find him in a proper frame to hear you; when his paffions are calm, his thoughts compofed, and his mind open to inftruction.

Speak to him frequently; for" precept muft be upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little." The Jewish parent was commanded to "talk with his children, when he fat in the house, and when he walked by the way; when he lay down, and when he arofe."

Speak to him pertinently; for "a word fitly fpoken is like apples of gold in pictures of filver." "If you fee him ignorant, enlighten him; if you fee him rafh and prefumptuous, check and caution him; if you fee him carelefs, awake him if you fee him inattentive to danger, warn him; if you fee him engaged in wickedness, reprove and restrain him; if you fee him turning to the path of virtue, encourage and ftrengthen him.

Speak to him plainly, but tenderly. Choose out forceable, but acceptable words; fuch as may reach the heart without irritating the paffions. "As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold; so is a wife reprover on an obedient ear."

66 Ye pa

rents, provoke not your children to wrath, left they be discouraged."

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Speak to him feriously; that he may fee, you are not trifling, but in earnest; are not influenced by paffion or ill humour, but by a regard to his intereft, and a fenfe of the importance of what you fay. The seriousness of your addrefs will, we hope, command his attention.

In this manner you must speak to the young

man.

Well; and what fhall we fay to him?

Tell him that he has a GOD to ferve.

The voice of nature proclaims the existence of a Deity: We fee innumerable objects around us, which evidently could not bring themselves into being, but muft owe their existence to fome first caufe. He who is the first cause of all things, muft be eternal, infinite and independent. And fuch a Being muft poffefs every perfection; wisdom, power, juftice, goodness; and whatever is necef fary to conftitute a perfect character. Yea, the works which we behold demonftrate these perfec tions in their Author. "The invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly feen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and godhead." The belief of the existence and providence of a God is the first principle of religion. "He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently feek him." Lead the youth, then, to an early acquaintance with the Creator. Direct his thoughts to the most eafy and obvious proofs of the divine perfections and government. Teach him to view his maker as always with him, fupporting his nature, infpecting his actions, attending to his words and obferving his thoughts. Teach him to confider God as a hater

of fin and a lover of righteoufnefs. Teach him to regard every bleffing as the gift of God's bounty, and every affliction as the correction of his hand, and to direct his heart to God in grateful acknowledgements of the former, and humble fubmiffion to the latter. Teach him that he is accountable to God for all that he thinks, fpeaks and does, and that a view to the divine approbation fhould govern all his conduct.

Tell him that he has a foul to fave; that the power within him, which thinks and reasons, loves and hates, rejoices and grieves, is spiritual and immortal; dies not with the body, but furvives its diffolution, and will live in another world; that he was not made merely to eat and drink, fport and play for a while in this world, and then to die like the brutes; but to ferve God in his fpirit here, and prepare for an eternal enjoyment of him hereafter; that, therefore, it must not be his principal care to adorn and feed the body, but to improve and cultivate the mind; to furnish it with knowledge, ftore it with virtuous principles, and enrich it with noble sentiments; to fubdue the paffions, reftrain the fenfual propenfities, enlarge the understanding, and become like to God in purity, truth and goodnefs. Remind him of the evidences of his immortality. Teach him to confider his natural defire of life, as an intimation that there is a life beyond this; and the powers of reafon and reflection as marks of his fuperiority to the brutes, and proofs that he was defigned for a nobler purpose, than they. Teach him, that as God is a holy and righteous being, he will make a difference between the virtuous and the wicked; and fince good men often fuffer, and bad men often profper in this world, there must be another

VOL. V.

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