quire what God expects from you, I am afraid you will take still less to do what he commands.

Samuel, though but a child, was favoured by the Lord with a revelation of what was to befall the family of Eli; for it is the goodness of the heart that will be regarded by God, and not the age of those who pray to him. He hath enjoined you to seek him early, in the days of your youth; and therefore you need never be discouraged with the idea that, as a child, you are but of little consequence; for God watcheth over the thoughts of every infant mind, and is well pleased when he beholds the earnest endeavours of the least of his creatures to be good, and to deserve his favour.

You are not to expect that your piety will make you distinguished in the same manner as Samuel, because he was designed to be a prophet; and no one, since the death of Christ and his apostles, have that gift bestowed upon them; but this instance may convince you, that the favour of God, and his observance of human actions, is not confined to any particular ages, but that all are

equally the care of his providence, and share alike in his notice.

If, then, you endeavour to learn your duty, and are resolved to practise it, young as you are, you may be capable of doing much good in the world. Your acquaintance will be incited, from your example, to imitate what they will find every one ready to commend. Your parents will be made happy by the pleasure of seeing you such as they wish you to become, and will be thankful to God for the blessing of such a good child: they will be always ready to trust your promises, because they know, that when they are absent, you will consider yourself as in God's presence; and therefore will not do any thing that is wrong, while you remember that he is the awful witness of your actions. And shall you not rejoice, my dear, to gain the confidence of those friends whom you love, and who are so kind and so attentive to you?

I am sure this consideration will have weight with every worthy mind and a good child must rejoice to see the affectionate father, when he

delight of an

surveys with

pleasure the improvements of his beloved offspring; or the raptures of a tender mother, when she perceives any new instance of virtue in the object of her fondest regard.

The happiness of parents, my young friend, is so connected with the goodness of their children, that if they are undutiful, negligent, and wicked, it must give such afflic tion and trouble, as no other comforts can counterbalance. Can you bear the thought of making them unhappy, whose whole aim in life is to promote your felicity? Can you receive with sullenness and ill-humour that advice which is designed entirely for your good? Recollect how anxiously they endeavour to provide for all your wants; to their kindness you are indebted for your food, your clothing, and every convenience. which you enjoy. And though this care and attention is their duty; to respect, to love, to reverence, and obey them, is no less yours, and what God will as undoubtedly expect from you.

To be obedient to your parents, is one of the first obligations which you can perform in life, and is the only return in your power to make for those continual favours which you

daily receive: "Honour, then, thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee."

SUNDAY IV.

ON SOCIAL DUTY.

WHEN God made the world, his wisdom gave to mankind a power of speech, reason, and reflection, which he bestowed on no other creature; and, as human nature is subject to many wants, and is too weak singly to provide for itself, the Almighty has ordained that we should live together; and that numbers, by helping each other, should procure those conveniences which no man alone could obtain.

This union, my dear, is called a state of society; and every child who is born is termed a member, or one of that society; that is, another addition to the number of people in the world; and every one has some duties to perform, which are known by the name of social duties; because, if it were

possible for you to live quite alone, those duties would not be exacted. For, had you not parents, you could not obey them had you not brothers or sisters, you could not love them; had you not friends or instructors, you could not be thankful and attentive to them ; and if you knew no persons who were poor and wretched, you could not be kind and charitable.

While you are young, it becomes you to be dutiful to your superiors; and whatever is the station in which Providence has thought fit to place you, to endeavour by every kind attention in your power, to promote the happiness of those connected with you. Each instance, therefore, of sullenness when you are reproved, of anger when disappointed, and petulance and ill-humour when you meet with contradiction, is a certain failure in your duty as a social being. Whenever you are tempted to offend in this respect, recollect that your conduct is noticed by a higher power than those who gave you offence; that most probably the advice which you disapprove, is entirely designed to promote your welfare; that though such admonitions may be wounding to your pride,