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pleasure but you must put that to the account, not of religion, but of your own perverseness.

You owe all dutiful submission to your parents during your minority. It is one of your first duties. "Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well-pleasing unto the Lord." Their command, in all things which do not involve a violation of a moral rule, is your law. If they enjoin what you dislike, you may express that dislike, provided you do so with meekness: but if they insist upon your submission, obedience is your duty. The action if wrong is theirs, not yours; and so is the guilt of it.

You may think that I unduly extend parental authority: I am deliberately of a different opinion. The duty of parents and children is reciprocal. The duty of the child is submission and obedience. What is that of parents? "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath; but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." 66 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged." I consider parental authority to be such as is liable to great abuse: but what an unhappy being is that parent, who would use his authority in distressing the conscience, and perhaps materially injuring the spiritual interests, of a child! Tremble, ye worldly parents, to distress, and to trifle with, the thoughts and feelings of a piously disposed child.

Your parents cannot hinder you from the use of

the means of grace. No opposition on their part ought either to exasperate or dishearten you. Let it only lead you more simply to God, and to dependance upon Him: and then the opposition, whatever it may be, instead of proving a hindrance to your piety, will purify it, deepen it, strengthen it, promote it. Your souls will flourish in genuine goodness, far more than the souls of many of those who are surrounded with the sunshine of human favour. If you search the Scriptures, if you pray, if you watch over your own hearts, if you cleave to Christ with simplicity of mind and heart, the grace from above will be given to you, and as your day is, so shall your strength be. Young Christians who find all things go smoothly, are not those, in general, who make the purest and greatest characters. Trees that are beaten by the storm strike the deepest roots.

Any opposition at home can only endure for a season; for there is a period when parental authority, properly so called, expires. Supposing, then, your case to be in a measure painful, why should you account it hard to be disciplined during early life in the passive virtues? Your circumstances, be it duly recollected, are appointed of God: your duty, therefore, is not to reason about them, but to serve God in them. He has all hearts and events under his control: and when He sees fit that your path should be smooth, He will make it so.

The best way to disarm hostility, is to show the excellence of piety. If it be your resolve, through divine grace, to be the faithful followers of Christ, it will be your duty to be more obedient, affectionate, and attentive to your parents. Many young Christians, I fear, provoke hostility by self-will, petulance, and other improper conduct. This is both sinful and disgraceful. Cause those around you to see and feel, without a word spoken by you about religion, that there is something peculiarly excellent in it, and that you are far better with it than you were without it. If you be true to the gospel and to your own conscience, acting with becoming love, humility, patience, and prudence, God will bring all in due time to a happy issue. You may see the day when religion shall prevail in your families; and those spots which were as deserts, shall be adorned with many of the trees of righteousness.

2. Another hindrance which you may mention... is, the dislike which your relatives, connexions, and companions have to religion, and the odium or ridicule which you will incur by being pious. Becoming such, and not going to their pleasures, parties, frivolities, and amusements, you will be accounted a sort of speckled birds. One will with- { draw his favour: another will treat you with ridicule or contempt: and this is intolerable.

Some persons, it is true, are unreasonable and violent: but in general, if young Christians act

with discretion, the period of hostility and of ridicule soon ends. Let them moderate their wild ardour; let them be wise, thoughtful, and deliberate; let them be calm, decided, and consistent; and they will soon win the day. The fixed star that shines in uniform radiance will soon be an objeet, not only of notice, but also of admiration. Ridicule may vex and torment those who are much under the influence of feeling; but it is not a very formidable thing to a person of reflecting mind who is engaged in a good cause. But if hostility should deprive you of temporal advantages, (and in some instances this may be the case,) you may leave the matter with God, whose promises will be fulfilled. St. Matt. xix. 29.

3. Another hindrance which you may mention is, your want of courage and decision to make so great a change. To renounce the world and its flowery and primrose-paths, to enter upon the strictness and purity of a religious life, and to be henceforth devoted to God and guided by His word this is noble and excellent; but you have not magnanimity, fortitude, and energy for such a measure. You cannot climb over the Alps. You cannot pass the Rubicon. You wish you could do it but you feel a want of strength and resolution. Let this be the case: but it does not justify your neglect of religion. If God has given you light, he will also give you grace to act according to that light, if you seek it in earnest prayer.

Any notion of hindrance on this ground is only a token that the heart is unsound, insincere, unwilling to part with its vanities and idols. If at your entrance on a religious life you have difficulties to encounter, yet the greatest difficulty which you have to overcome is, the disinclination of your own hearts to an entire and pure piety. But the divine grace, given to all who ask, who seek, who knock at Mercy's door, will make you more than

conquerors.

You

4. Another hindrance is, you are alone. want others to encourage you by their language and example, and to sanction your proceedings. I admit the desirableness of having some religious associates: but they are by no means essential. Religious companions, unless they be wisely selected, frequently do far more harm than good. Piety is from God, the Father of lights, the Fountain of good; and He can instruct and train up the soul for Himself in comparative or even absolute solitude, as well as in society. If He withhold from you external advantages, He will compensate for this by the larger communication of His own gifts. Be God's own pupil. If your piety be less intellectual, talkative, and specious, it will be more heartfelt, pure, solid, and efficient.

I cannot proceed any farther in the enumeration of particulars: and I only observe, in a word, that there are no real hindrances to your entrance upon a religious life, but what exist in yourselves.