often become like boisterous winds, that overwhelm it in def. truction. Wherefore a rational and moderate course in this bufinefs lies between a haughty rigour, a fupercilious frown, and a domineering aspect on the one hand, and angry heats, fond indulgences, and easy weakness on the other. I readily grant it is difficult for our corrupt natures to maintain at all times that dignified equanimity of foul, which reason, common fenfe and the holy feriptures direct, but this is what we always ought to be aiming at, praying for, and making our polar star.

Secondly, would we wish for orderly and well governed families, wifdem is of leading importance. Wisdom is of the etmoft moment in all things to direct. Hence we should la bour for prudence and fkillfulness in this matter. The perfon who undertakes to be the head of a family, uudertakes to govern the fame. In order wifely to perform our duty herein. we ought to acquaint ourselves with the different tempers and difpofitions of those who are under our care, not to treat every one juft in the fame way, but as prudence and difcretion may direct. Some are more intelligent, and fome more dull, fome more forward and impertinent, fome backward and bafhful; fome of tender, and others of stubborn difpofitions. Each one in various refpects requires a different treatment. Some are best managed by love, and gentlenefs, while others have need of sharpness and feverity.-We must also observe a due dif tinction between diferent faults, and proportion our rebukes and reprehenfions to the fame; and not act according to the custom of too many, be rigidly fevere for a small offence, and fcarcely take notice of one which is much greater. It is an affecting maxim, “That our minds, fpirits and tempers, are "not always at our right hand." There is a family juftice which ought to be maintained, as well as public juftice in the common wealth. And when an equity of difpenfation in cenfures is not kept up, family government fuffers injury and is

endangered. Let us be careful that we fhew ourselves wife parents, and that love holds the dominion in all our exercises of government. Where our families fee that their good is our habitual end, they will be the more readily induced to yield a ready obedience. If we would have others reverence propriety and good order, let us be careful to refpect them ourselves. Is he fit to restrain others from paffion, drunkeness, and unfeem. ly conduct, who cannot restrain himfelf? Will not inferiors defpife reproof for crimes, of which, they fee the fuperiors notoriously guilty?

Thirdly, would you maintain a right and chriftian Govern. ment in your houses, religion is an effential requifite. Mens actions generally follow the prevailing bent of their difpofi tions. If we are governed by true piety ourselves, it will have a mighty influence upon the good order of thofe under our inspection. Let our own fouls be in fubjection to God and Jesus Christ, and show a more steady obedience to the divine precepts, than we can expect any fhould yield to ours. If we venture to difobey Jehovah why fhould others fear to disobey us? Are we more capable of punishing mif conduct, or bountifully rewarding obedience than the most High? Take heed then that the honor and authority of God be supported in your families, and be more tender in your rebukes for faults against yourselves, than those which are against the Majefty of Heaven and Earth. This was the iniquity of Eli, that his children greatly difhonored God, and he reftrained them not. Let us be earneft for the falvation of the im. mortal fouls of our families, and be more careful to provide for them, an intereft in heaven, than an inheritance upon earth. Let us not only pray with and exhort them, but also teach them to pray. Let us frequently be dropping things in their prefence, which may have a tendency to awaken their atten tion to God, their fouls and eternity.

I know, my dear brethren, by long experience, that it is easier to preach than practise. A man can with facility form an excellent effay in his ftudy, from which in practical life his deviations are numerous. However this may be, it is ufeful to have a good copy before us. Tho' we may never be able perfectly to imitate the masters line, yet it may be of the highest improvement and advantage to the learner, often to be cafting his eye upon it.

I fhall now conclude this difcourfe with fome motives to imprefs the obfervation of this fubject upon every head of a household that we may be all induced to practise it as far as in our power.

If there were a proper government of families maintained what bleflings might we not expect would redound from it to fociety, to church, and ftate, to families themfelves and the world? Nature itfelf fhould deeply engage us in the careful and diligent education and government of our households. Your children are as it were parts of yourselves, your underftanding and feelings, difpofe you to love and provide for them as yourselves. Can you then be negligent of their greatest concerns, their usefulness and comfort in this world, and their felicity in the next. Can you bear the thought of manifefting to your children mere animal affection? This the brutes of the field and the birds of the air exhibit to an higher degree in refpect to their offspring, but as foon as they are able to shift for their own fuftenance, the appearance is, they are remembered no more! Confider my brethren, it is not mere animals we have, to tame and govern, but to educate and train rational and immortal beings for the fervice of God, and the happiness of fociety. Nature teaches children fome things without our affitance, but the God of Nature hath intrusted the most ef

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Cential things to our care. It is government, difcipline, and education, that forms the man. If we only inftru&t them how to get a living for a few days or years in the world, and they are not taught the knowledge of themselves, of God and Jefus Christ, and the way to heaven, can they feel any fentiments of gratitude to you in eternity for their existence, yea, perhaps, they will rather curfe the day of their birth forever. It is in the power of parents to do their families the greatest kindness or injury. Aid them to an holy acquaintance with God, and to an intereft in the precious Saviour, and you do more for them than if you made them prefidents of nations or kings of the earth. If you only inftruct them for worldly and ungodly purposes, they are as likely to perifh as if you had fold them to Satan. Many in ancient times facrificed their children in the burning brafs of Moloch's image, what do they better in modern times, who neglect the religious government, and rational and chriftian education of their children? The way to manage and bring up our offspring for God and happinefs, and the way to bring them up for deftruction are clearly reprefented unto us in the oracles of truth. When we indulge them in licencious courses, wink at their vices, teach them the first principles of gambling, and indulge them in infernal orgies, and bachanalian routs, what could we do more for their everlasting ruin, if we had studied their deftruction? Can it be probable that fuch children will be found in heaven, more than that Hophni and Phineas, thofe two vile fons of Eli are there? Let us be exhorted to take warning and learn every one to govern his own houfe. If he be worse than an infidel who provides not food and raiment for his houfehold, what must the monster be, who allows his children in all manner of wickedness? Nay, it would take the pencil of a Seraph, to draw the picture of fuch awful, inhuman, and barbarous parents. I entreat you, my dear fellow immortals, by the mercies of God, by the precious fouls of your dear children, that you be not found fuch fathers as Eli, or fuch unnatural monsters as deftroy their offspring.

Exert the authority in your families which God hath invested you with, restrain your children from vice, fet before then examples of piety and virtue, bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, fo that if they perifh, ther blood may not be found in your skirts. Let the counfel of Solomon be engraven upon every parental heart, "Train up a child in "the way he should go, and when he becomes old, he will not "depart therefrom."