But, not to lose sight of the important analogy on which we have already dwelt so much, how preposterous would it seem to you to hear any one propose to an illiterate dying man to set about learning even the plainest and easiest rudiments of any new art; to study the musical notes; to conjugate a verb; to learn, not the first problem in Euclid, but even the numeration table? and yet you do not think it absurd to postpone religious instruction, on principles, which, if admitted at all, must terminate either in ignorance or in your proposing too late to a dying man to begin to learn the totally-unknown scheme of Christianity. You do not think it impossible that he should be brought to listen to the "voice of this charmer," when he can no longer listen to "the voice of singing men and singing women." You do not think it unreasonable that immortal beings should delay to devote their days to heaven, till they have "no pleasure in them" themselves. You will not bring them to offer up the first fruits of their lips, and hearts, and lives to their Maker, because you persuade yourselves that he who has called himself a "jealous God" may, however, be contented hereafter with the wretched sacrifice of decayed appetites, and the worthless leavings of almost extinguished affections.

We can scarcely believe, even with all the melancholy procrastination we see around us, that there is any one, except he be a decided infidel, who does not consider religion as, at least, a good reversionary thing; as an object which ought

always to occupy a little remote corner of his map of life; the study of which, though it is always to be postponed, is, however, not to be finally rejected; which, though it cannot conveniently come into his present scheme of life, it is intended somehow or other to take up before death. This awful deception, this defect in the intellectual vision, arises, partly from the bulk which the objects of time and sense acquire in our eyes by their nearness; while the invisible realities of eternity are but faintly discerned by a feeble faith, through a dim and distant medium. It arises, also, partly from a totally false idea of the nature of Christianity, from a fatal fancy that we can repent at any future period, and that, as amendment is a thing which will always be in our own power, it will be time enough to think of reforming our life when we should think only of closing it.

But depend upon it, that a heart long hardened, I do not mean by gross vices merely, but by fondness for the world, by an habitual and excessive indulgence in the pleasures of sense, will by no means be in a favourable state to admit the light of Divine truth, or to receive the impressions of Divine grace. God, indeed, sometimes shows us by an act of his sovereignty that this wonderful change, the conversion of a sinner's heart, may be produced without the intervention of human means, to show that the work is His. But as this is not the way in which the Almighty usually deals with his creatures, it would be nearly as preposterous for men to act on this presumption, and sin on

in hopes of a miraculous conversion, as it would be to take no means for the preservation of their lives, because Jesus Christ raised Lazarus from the dead.

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CHAP. XII.

ON THE MANNER OF INSTRUCTING

YOUNG PERSONS

IN RELIGION.-GENERAL REMARKS ON THE GENIUS OF CHRISTIANITY.

I WOULD now with great deference address those respectable characters who are really concerned about the best interests of their children; those to whom Christianity is indeed an important consideration, but whose habits of life have hitherto hindered them from giving it its due degree in the scale of education.

Begin, then, with considering that religion is a part, and the most prominent part, in your system of instruction. Do not communicate its principles in a random desultory way; nor scantily stint this business to only such scraps and remnants of time as may be casually picked up from the gleanings of other acquirements. "Will you bring to God for a sacrifice that which costs you nothing?" Let the best part of the day, which with most people is the earliest part, be steadily and invariably dedicated to this work by your children, before they are tired with their other studies, while the intellect is clear, the spirits light, and the attention sharp and unfatigued.

Confine not your instructions to mere verbal rituals and dry systems; but communicate them

in a way which shall interest their feelings, by lively images, and by a warm practical application of what they read to their own hearts and circumstances. If you do not study the great but too much slighted art of fixing, of commanding, of chaining the attention, you may throw away much time and labour, with little other effect than that of disgusting your pupil and wearying yourself. There seems to be no good reason that while every other thing is to be made amusing, religion alone must be dry and uninviting. Do not fancy that a thing is good merely because it is dull. Why should not the most entertaining powers of the human mind be supremely consecrated to that subject which is most worthy of their full exercise? The misfortune is, that religious learning is too often rather considered as an act of the memory than of the heart and affections; as a dry duty, rather than a lively pleasure. manner in which it is taught differs as much from their other learning as punishment from recreation. Children are turned over to the dull work of getting by rote as a task that which they should get from example, from animated conversation, from lively discussion, in which the pupil should learn to bear a part, instead of being merely a passive hearer. Teach them rather, as their blessed Saviour taught, by interesting parables, which, while they corrected the heart, left some exercise for the ingenuity in the solution, and for the feelings in their application. Teach, as He taught, by seizing on surrounding objects, passing events, local

The