sures of heavenly wisdom will continue to reward your diligence. Examine your hearts and lives by the Bible.

5. Read your Bibles with humility and earnest prayer. Young persons are apt to be very proud, especially of their knowledge and penetration: but when you read the Bible you must lay aside all high thoughts of yourselves. Pray as David did, when he said, "Ŏ Lord, open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." The wisest have much to learn from the Bible; but you who are young, much more. The word of God can make you

truly wise.

The Bible is like a sealed book to those who never pray over what they read. Prayer is the key that unlocks the cabinet of jewels, and displays before the mind all the hidden treasure of divine wisdom.

The great reason why many do not profit by what they read in the scriptures, is because they do not pray when they read them.

Let me now, in the last place,

IV. Point out to you the advantages of searching the scriptures.

And that I may not weary your attention, I will only briefly mention them.

If you constantly, attentively, and seriously read the holy scriptures, with a desire to profit by them, you will find that under the divine blessing, they are calculated to make you wise unto salvation.

1. Your minds will receive good impressions. Whatever book you read, the mind receives some impression from that book: this impression will be either good or bad; either painful or pleasing. The daily perusal of the word of God will make the best impression on your minds. It will impress your minds with the dreadful evil of sin, with the holiness of God, and the universal depravity of all mankind. It will convince you that there is no Saviour but Jesus, and no salvation but through him, that you cannot make yourselves good, that you cannot change your own heart; but that this is the work of the Holy Spirit alone. It will impress you with the importance of being prepared for death, that you are responsible creatures, that Christ will call you and all the world to account for what you have done-and that you will receive according to your good or evil deeds. In short you must live with God for ever in heaven, or dwell with devils and the wicked in eternal misery in hell.

2. Your judgments will be convinced of the truth and importance of the scriptures.

Your conscience will tell you that they are true, and that you ought to believe and receive these sacred words, as the words of Jehovah, the true and faithful God. You will soon be led, if you read them aright, to see their beauty, their excellence, and value. Read your Bible, and you will know yourselves this is of the first importance to your happiness in life-this is a difficult lesson, and one which the Bible alone can teach. The scriptures are both pleasant and important to a serious, humble, and spiritual mind.

3. By reading the scriptures, your hearts will be gradually changed and made better; for the scriptures, under the divine blessing, are calculated to renew the heart. "The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul, the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The word of God is said to be a hammer, breaking the heart of stone in pieces and like a fire, melting the cold and icy heart.

Whenever the incorruptible seed of the word falls into good ground, it will bring forth the fruits of holiness and peace.

A bad life is the only objection to the Bible.

The Bible reproves sin, and commands universal holiness of heart and life. On this account wicked men do not like the Bible, and would if they dare, burn the book that makes them so uneasy.

4. Your understanding will be informed.

The ideas contained in the Bible are excellent and abun ant. In no other book is there such a collection of interesting truths, on every subject which concerns man, as a citizen of this world, and as an immortal creature. In both these respects the New Testament contains the greatest measure of mental improvement, and will tend to make you not only more pious and moral, but more learned and wise. testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple, the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. Moreover by them is thy servant warned, and in keeping of them there is great reward."

"The

It

5. Your conduct will be regulated by its precepts. will direct your choice to proper objects, and turn the thoughts of your mind into their proper channel. You are young, and need the advice of a friend to direct you in all your ways. Hear the words of David: "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereunto, according to thy word." Make the Bible the friend of your bosom, and ask advice from it at all times. The principles contained in the scriptures are right, holy, and wise princi

ples. A conduct formed upon these principles cannot fail to gain the love and esteem of wise and good men, the applause of angels, and the approbation of God himself.

These principles will preserve you from the snares of bad company, from the temptations of Satan, and the allurements of the world.

6. Your happiness will be greatly increased by your regard for the sacred scriptures.

The Bible will make you happy under the loss of the riches and honours of the world, under the loss of dear and valuable friends. Read it and you will be happy : neglect it, and you will be miserable. Without the divine supports of this holy book, life would be a burden, death the greatest of all evils, and an unknown eternity would be dreadful beyond description. The scriptures will teach you to say under all your trials, losses, and pains, "thy will be done. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord."

7. The scriptures will support you in affliction, on a bed of sickness, and at the hour of death. Then you will know the value of the Bible, and its contents will be infinitely precious to your souls.

O blessed book! When you are called to pass through the valley of the shadow of death, the promises which it contains shall comfort and support your souls. The scriptures declare that Jesus is the resurrection and the life; "that he is precious to those who believe." He will never leave nor forsake those who put their trust in him. He can take away the sting of death. He is the light which can dispel the darkness of the shadow of death, and give you a well-grounded hope of eternal glory. The Bible teaches us to love and serve God, and this will be the constant employment of good men and angels for ever and ever. The scriptures reveal those glorious doctrines which will be the theme of your praises throughout eternal ages.

Do not neglect to read the scriptures. it is too late. Read them every day.

Read them before Commit to memory I have heard a

as many verses and chapters as you can.

little girl repeat the whole of the 119th Psalm at once; and several other children have repeated to me our Lord's sermon on the mount: go ye and do likewise: and may God bless his own word for Christ's sake.

Amen.

A HYMN.

On the Sacred Scriptures, and the advantage of being able to read them.

This is a precious book, indeed!
Happy the child that loves to read!

'Tis God's own word, which he has given,
To shew our souls the way to heav'n.

It tells us how the world was made;
And how good men the Lord obey'd:
Here his commands are written too,
To teach us what we ought to do.

It bids us from all sin to fly,
Because our souls can never die :
It points to heav'n where angels dwell;
It warns us to escape from hell.

But, what is more than all beside
The Bible tells us Jesus died!
This is its best, its chief intent,
To lead poor sinners to repent.

Be thankful, children, that you may
Read this good Bible every day:

'Tis God's own word which he has given,
To shew your souls the way to heav'n.

See Hymns for Infant Minds.

LECTURE VII.

ON THE DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL.

PROV. XX. 11.-Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

MY dear young friends, I do not exactly know the age of those who are called children by the wise man. It so happens, that Solomon has not told us the age of that child who is known by his doings.

Joseph was called a child, by his brother Reuben, when he was seventeen years of age. When Reuben came to the pit, and found that Joseph was not there, he said, with the great.. est surprise and grief, to his brethren, "The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?" We should be led to suppose, from the manner in which Reuben spoke of him, that he was only six or seven years old. Isaac was called a lad both

by his father and the angel, at a time when he was somewhat older than Joseph.

My dear young friends, you are all children in understanding and knowledge, if not in years. You are but of yesterday, and know nothing.

The blessed Redeemer said to persons much older than you are, Verily, verily, I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of heaven as a little child, shall in no wise enter therein.' You must not therefore be offended at the text, because it addresses each of you by the name child; nor must you be offended at me for using the term in my discourse. None but those who are either ignorant or proud of themselves will be uninterested in such a subject as this. All who are good scholars will attend to what is said.