edged, that the number of fuch bears no proportion to the multitude, who live in the habitual neglect of the word and fountain of truth. By thofe, who are fufficiently matured for bufinefs or pleasure, it is notorious, that the fcripture is feldom confulted, even as a matter of curiosity, much lefs for the purpose of religious information.

Is it not, then, reasonable to conclude, that unless the divine oracles are put into our hands in early life, they will make no part of our future ftudies. Shall we ever read them, unless we do it when young? When we have lefs curiofity, and lefs time, is it probable that we fhall begin fo large a work as to make ourselves mafters of the holy fcriptures? Whoever will allow himself time to reflect, must be convinced, that if we ever become acquainted with the word of God, the foundation of that acquaintance must be laid very early in life. From the conduct of too many, who profefs to believe the infpired writings, we may juftly draw this conclufion.

No doubt, many errours have been committed in the mode of communicating divine inftruction to the young mind. That a portion of the fcripture fhould ever be impofed by way of punishment

is

is an impious abfurdity. Nor is it lefs prepofterous, to infift on an equal attention to all parts indifcriminately, without confidering what is, and what may not be level to a young capacity. It is the duty of parents and inftructers to direct their young charge to fuch portions of the facred hiftory, to fuch moral leifons, to fuch ingenious parables, as they can both comprehend and retain. Many fuch occur both in the Jewish and chriftian fcriptures. And if these felect parts employ their early studies, we may hope that they will improve in knowledge as they advance in years, and eventually become wife to falvation.

How thankful ought we to be, that we have fuch a guide to virtue and happinefs? Compared with that of others, how diftinguished is our fituation? If to be wife to falvation, ought to be the great concern of our lives, what advantages do we enjoy for the accomplishment of that end? In common with others, we have the light of reafon; the volume of na ture is open before us, and we have the fame opportunity with the reft of mankind for acquainting ourselves with its facred truths. But in addition to this fource of religious inftruction, we have

the

the gofpel. That divine revelation, which God imparted to mankind by Jefus Christ, is committed to us; and we may make it fubfervient to our fpiritual im-provement here, and our immortal felic-ity hereafter.

Let us then search the fcriptures. Let a reasonable portion of our time be fet apart for ftoring the mind with religious knowledge; and, for divine information, let us betake ourselves to the proper fource. The facred writings contain the religion of proteftants; they want not the decrees of councils, or the decisions of popes. To make out a rational fyftem, they require not the aid of human tradi tion. The canonical fcriptures are, in their view, fufficient for all the purposes of life and godliness.

Wherefore, as proteftants, let us read and think for ourfelves. In confulting the oracles of God, let us make use of our understanding; let us read with care, and examine with a ferious concern, that our minds may be enlightened, our errours corrected, our prejudices fubdued, our hearts changed, our fouls enriched with every chriftian grace, and our lives adorned with every chriftian virtue. For thefe religious purposes, let us have re courfe to the word of truth. To our

ftudies

ftudies let us join our prayers. So may we hope that the word will profit us, as it doth the upright and that our improvements here will prepare us for new acquifitions of divine knowledge in that ftate of glory and perfection, to which we are haftening.

I cannot difmifs the fubject, without again adverting to the example in the text. His early acquaintance with the fcriptures, was through life a fingular advantage to Timothy. Let all care be taken to improve our young charge by the fame means of facred information. In the morning of life let them be introduced to the plain, practical, and devotional parts of the facred volume. As the understanding ripens, let its doctrines be propofed; let its duties be urged as points of the laft importance; and let the study of fcripture be encouraged by our own example. So may we hope that the word of God will dwell in them richly that in life they will do honour to themselves; and that they will requite their labours, who have fuperintended their education. For it is well obferved by one, who had studied human nature,"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Amen.

Semon VII.

REVERENCE OF THE SCRIPTURES A CORRECTIVE OF YOUTHFUL FOLLIES.

THAT youth is a season of danger may be inferred from the many warnings, admonitions, and reproofs, which are addreffed to young perfons in the facred writings. The book of Proverbs abounds with the moft perfuafive recommendations of early virtue. Many other parts. of the Jewish fcriptures inculcate the fame leffons; and, in the chriftian revelation, the dangers to which young perfons are expofed, and the duties incumbent on them, are pointed out with fuch clearness, that if any do not grow in virtue as they

grow