remember his obligations to them. He should attentively listen to their instructions, and dili gently obey all their commands; and thus, by willing and dutiful obedience he should spare them the painful task of forcing him to do what his duty requires. This they must do, if he will not obey them willingly, for God has commanded it; and they are answerable to Him, if their child contract habits of lying, stealing, obstinacy, or any other fault, which might have been prevented by their authority. Let every child consider this; and if he has any love or gratitude to his father and mother, any regard to his own interest, or any sense of duty to GOD, let him willingly submit to those who have the rule over him; and endeavour to act so, that they may never be obliged to govern him by any methods but those of gentleness and love. And if a child be so unfortunate as to have an unkind parent, or if he be under the power of a severe master, let him never forget his duty to GOD, which obliges him always to submit with meekness. Whatever may be the faults of the parent, or of those who act by his authority, they cannot alter the duty of the child. He must take his sufferings patiently, he must constantly endeavour to please, by obe

dience and dutiful submission; and if he still be treated with unkindness, he must consider his sufferings as appointed by GoD, who frequently, at some part or other of our lives, corrects our faults by affliction and pain; but will reward those who bear their sufferings like Christians with an eternal weight of glory. Let him pray to GOD to direct him in the duty he is to perform, and to grant him patience under every trial; and let him look forward to the time, when, either in this world or the next, he will be comforted. Never let him forget the reverence which every child owes even to the worst of parents; let him still honour and respect them, let him try to gain their love, and let him pray to God to bless them. I have been speaking of a case which seldom happens. The affection of parents to their children is so strong, that if they meet with a proper return of duty and obedience, they are not often unkind. But in this, as in every thing, let each one consider his own duty, and perform it; and the duty of a child is so plain that it cannot be mistaken. He is to love,

honour, and succour his father and mother, and cheerfully to obey all their commands, for the LORD's sake.

When the young man, having increased in wisdom and stature, becomes capable of providing for himself, let me advise him to guard carefully against any wish to be free from the authority of his parents. We have a most affecting instance of the ill consequence of that wish, in the beautiful parable of the prodigal son, which you may read in the fifteenth chapter of St. Luke. Tired of the restraints of a regular family, and the gentle controul of his affectionate father, the young man would be his own master. Trusting to his own judgment, he fell into bad company, vice, and poverty. He spent his substance in riotous living; and when the season of wicked pleasure was over, he was reduced to such a state of wretchedness, "that he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat, and no man gave unto him." Then, and not till then, he was sensible of his error, and did all that could be done to repair it. He went to his father, and humbly confessed his fault, saying,

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Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." Let every young person learn from this story the danger of the first step out of the narrow

path of duty. When the prodigal left his father, he little thought that he should so soon be plunged in sin and misery; but he was led on step by step, till he was on the brink of destruction, and could only be saved by the bitter tears of repentance. Happily for him, his father yet lived to receive and to forgive him. What must have been the state of the wretched son, had it been otherwise? O ye, who are as yet innocent of great crimes, who as yet are under the protection of tender parents, and can receive the benefit of their advice and example, cherish it as the greatest of blessings! Consider such parents as your best friends; assist, support, and comfort them, try to deserve their love and esteem, and then you may hope that their blessing will obtain the blessing of GOD. In almost every instance they are the best and truest friends that a man will ever find in this world; and if they are pious and virtuous, he should always wish to be guided by their advice, and should pay the most respectful attention to their wishes. He can seldom, at any age, be justified in disobeying their commands, unless those commands are contrary to the laws of GOD or his country. He should consider it

as a great blessing, if his parents are spared till he is in full strength, that he may have the means of proving his gratitude and love by devoting a portion of his labour to their support, if their wants require it; and in every situation of life, by constant and affectionate care and attention when they are old. Age, as well as infancy, must be assisted, for it is subject to many infirmities. Happy is the man who shows, by his tender care of his parents in their old age, that he has not forgotten what they did for him in his youth. Happy is the man, who thus deserves and obtains the blessing of his dying parents, and after he has lost these his best friends, may reflect on his conduct towards them with satisfaction. Such a man will indeed always feel that the loss of a parent is never to be supplied to a dutiful and affectionate child; and in a world where true friends are not often found, he will perhaps drop many a tender tear over the grave of his father, long after he has committed his body to the earth; but the consciousness of having always endeavoured to perform his duty to him will be his greatest comfort. He will recollect what he learnt from his parents in his youth; he will think of all their kindness