and imprecations, to one to whom he owes his being, and to whom he ought to look up with respect and reverence, is indeed most dreadful. Let such young people remember, and reflect upon the awful threatenings denounced in the word of God against disobedient children. The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pluck it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. Again, Every one that curseth his father or his mother, shall surely be put to death". And again, Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his motheri.

These two latter passages, it is true, are taken from that law which, in the letter, is not binding upon us; and the passage from the book of Proverbs is expressed in a manner that is highly figurative. They all however proceeded from God himself, and shew the heavy displeasure and indignation of God against those who treat their parents with disrespect. Let young people remember also, that in the New Testament those who are disobedient to parents, and without natural affection, are ranked with haters of God and covenant-breakers, and the perpetrators of the greatest enormities.

One branch of your duty to your parents consists in succouring them, in helping them in every way, and, so far as you can, in ministering to their wants, in increasing their little stock of comforts. There are, I trust, many instances of young men in the labouring classes, who take pleasure in thus requiting their parents; who are glad, out of what they earn when they are at their full strength, to make some return to their parents for their trouble and expense in rearing, in bringing them up. But, on the other hand, there are, I fear, too many young men, who think they are at liberty to spend upon themselves all

Prov. xxx. 17.

h Lev. xx. 9.

i Deut. xxvii. 16.

that they can get, who perhaps waste in drinking and other indulgences that money, a small part of which would materially add to the comfort of their parents. Some of them, too, long before they have attained the age of twenty-one years, if they chance to earn a little more than is sufficient for their bare maintenance, seem to think that they have a right to separate themselves from their parents' family, in order that they may spend all they earn upon themselves. This is a great mistake. So long as a young man is under the age of full maturity, and residing in the same family, or indeed in the same village, his father has a legal control over his earnings. And even after that age, the voice both of Scripture and of nature would suggest to a son, that he ought to do all in his power to add to the comforts of his parents, that he ought to deny himself any indulgence, rather than suffer them to want. It is indeed most unnatural and disgraceful, for a young man to spend upon his own lusts, perhaps in drinking with riotous companions, that money, which ought to relieve those from whom he derives his being.

You, I trust, will never be guilty of such disgraceful conduct. You are bound by the voice both of nature and of Scripture to love, honour, and succour your father and mother. By complying with their suggestions you will promote your own well-being, your own credit, and comfort, and happiness, in this world, and will do that which is right, and wellpleasing to the Lord.

The Prayer.

Almighty Father, I humbly pray thee to dispose my heart at all times to love, honour, and succour my father and mother. Incline me dutifully to attend to their instruction and advice, and to receive their reproofs with meekness and submission. Enable me

to bear with all their infirmities, whether of body or mind, and make me willing to minister to their necessities, and by all the means in my power to contribute to their comfort and happiness. Grant this, O Lord, for the sake of thy well-beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

A Prayer from Jenks's Devotions.

O Lord, my heavenly Father, I humbly beg thy blessing, grace, and mercy upon my parents. Cast them not away in the time of old age, forsake them not when their strength faileth them; but have compassion on their infirmities, and help them in all their weaknesses. O remember not against them any of their former iniquities; but according to thy mercy remember them for thy goodness sake in Christ Jesus. Grant that true wisdom may ever be with them; that their hoary heads may be found in the way of righteousness, and their souls be ever precious in thy sight. The longer they live in this world, make them still the readier to die, and the fitter for life eternal. Be thou the strength of their hearts and their portion for ever, through Jesus Christ.

BAD COMPANY.

AMONG the many dangers against which we all have to guard, those especially who are just setting out on the journey of life, and beginning to think themselves their own masters, one of the most destructive is that which arises from keeping bad company. Evil communications, says the apostle, corrupt good Even those whose characters appear to be in some degree formed, who have made some progress in the ways of holiness, and whose manners as yet are comparatively good, cannot keep bad company without

manners.

danger of being corrupted. Where, however, the character is still unsettled, and the manners instead of being good are rather disposed to follow the guidance of appetite, or passion, or fancy, without regard to religion, such danger becomes still greater.

The hurtful effects of keeping bad company proceed from several causes. One of the principal of these is the power and force of example.

Of the power of example no one is ignorant. We know how almost all men, especially those whose character have the pliancy and easiness of youth, are apt to imitate, almost involuntarily, the example of those with whom they associate. If the companions, withwhom young men principally live, are in their conduct governed by the laws of sound reason and genuine religion-by a regard to the will of God-such conduct will have a satisfactory influence upon all who associate with them. They will become more and more confirmed in good principles, and right habits and dispositions; and while they promote their own happiness and well being, will grow in favour with God and man. He, says the Scripture, he that walketh with wise men shall be wise; and he that, like David, resolves to be the companion of those that fear God and keep his commandments, will catch from them something of the spirit by which they are actuated, and will probably become good from the force of good example. If, on the other hand, any one, especially one who as yet is young and inexperienced, is unhappily thrown much into the society of men who make light of all the precepts and sanctions of religion, great indeed is the danger of his being corrupted by them. It is probable that from his parents and his teachers-indeed from the suggestions of his own conscience he has received some notions of right and wrong, some good impressions, which, at first, will be

a Prov. xxii. 20.

greatly shocked by what he sees and hears, upon coming among such evil associates. But soon his right principles and right feelings will be weakened, perhaps entirely effaced, by communication with such men, and his own passions and appetites and lusts will prompt him to throw off, like his companions, the restraints laid on them by religion and conscience.

The dread and the hatred of sin is, of course, greatly lessened by seeing it commonly practised, especially when practised by those with whom the young man intimately associates. When he sees them without fear indulging all their corrupt desires, and giving free scope to debauchery and sensuality, he will too soon be encouraged to run with them to the same excess of riot. His natural appetites are as strong as theirs, and their example emboldens him to give way to his appetites, without trying to control them.

But he will be corrupted, not only by the actual example of his bad companions, but by the language which they are in the habit of using;-not only by what they do, but by what they say. They are in the habit probably of constantly indulging in that foolish talking and jesting, which St. Paul speaks of as inconsistent with the Christian character. In their corrupt communications they freely and without shame speak of sensual indulgences, and of sins which ought not to be named among Christians, with careless levity, and as a matter of jest and merriment. Nothing tends more than such conversation to break down all the safeguards of virtue, and to grieve and drive from us the good Spirit of God. A thoughtless young man is apt to be taken by the appearance, which his loose associates put on, of caring for nothing, and of making a jest of things which are held in respect by soberminded and sensible men. In the latter days, says the apostle, shall be scoffers, walking after their own