with no other Gospel, than that which is received and accepted by adult believers. The following sermons are sent forth as a specimen of what will, if the public patronage warrant, occupy two or three similar volumes, which it is hoped, will furnish a much needed application of vital and practical Christianity to the season of childhood.

By this work, the author hopes, under the divine blessing, to assist parents in training up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. He aims only to assist; by no means to do the work for those, to whom God has already given it in charge. He hopes rather, that he has made work for parents. For while he believes that he has not altogether missed his aim, in endeavouring to be both intelligible and interesting to children, he hopes he is not so uninstructive, as not to excite inquiry and require explanation; as to occupy their time, without securing their reflection, and increasing their knowledge. These sermons will not fulfil their author's intention, if they are left to work their own way into the understanding and affections of a child, but only when the fathe

and the mother invite their attention, solve their difficulties, and encourage them in their progress.

We have no wish at all to relieve parents of their awful charge; we rather wish that they may feel loaded with a burden which, as long as they live, they cannot lay upon another; the weight of which they will feel when they are sitting in the house, and when they are walking by the way; when they are lying down, and when they are rising up; a burden, nevertheless, like all others, borne in obedience to the Saviour, and in reliance upon his gracious aid, easy and light.

The medium age which the author has had in view, is nine or ten years. With due parental explanation, he believes these sermons may be made useful and interesting to those much younger; and that they also meet the case of those who are some years older. They have grown out of his habit of familiarly lecturing to his own children when reading the Scriptures with them; and out of lectures familiar and unpremeditated, at the quarterly meetings of VOL. I.

"The New-York Maternal Society;" at which meetings the mothers have gathered their children with them for instruction and prayer. The one first delivered on this occasion, was shortly after written, and published under the title of "A Lecture on the first Psalm," and now, with some alterations, forms the 7th of the following series.

The Author considers these sermons, therefore, as having already undergone the test of experiment, and feels some confidence, that what has been found intelligible and interesting in parts, will not cease to be so, now they are combined together.

The sober name of sermons will not, it is hoped, doom the volume to neglect. It need not be thought impossible or even difficult to interest children in sermons, if they are suited to their case, and their capacity; if they..are brought home to their business and bosoms. There is no need of supposing that children require the interest of continued and eventful narrative, more than adults. Their minds are equally susceptible of pleasure and benefit from

suitable direct communications; they have all the faculties of the human soul, and it is but fair to suppose, that they, like others of their kind, will be most interested in the just and proportionate use of them all. They are not monsters, to whose deformity we must minister by purveying to a predominant and overgrown faculty; but each of them, men in miniature, whose complete and perfect growth we are to promote, by a judicious ministry to every part.

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Children may indeed be more readily interested in narrative than in such direct instructions as are here offered them; and hence we see them often rapidly hurrying over story after story, and refusing as dry and insipid whatever invites their minds to regular and continued reflection. But such children have already had their curiosity fed, until it has overgrown every other faculty; and the natural result will be that they will either eventually become cloyed with a provision so unfitted to their whole nature, and thus be no readers at all; or which is little better, continue unthinking story readers to the end of their lives. It is the office

of the parent to prevent or recover his child from a disease so fatal to his improvement as a rational being, and betimes, to train him up in his mental habits, in the way he should go. This is peculiarly important in regard to the subject of religion, which demands daily and sober reflection and self-examination.

We do not object to a proportion of useful and interesting narratives for either old or young; both need and enjoy them as an amusement and relief; and both may intermingle them with other pursuits with pleasure and profit. But it certainly cannot be necessary to believe, that when it is our object to teach children, we must always go round about to their minds. They will apprehend, arrange, retain, and enjoy our instructions better, if with adapted and interesting il lustration, we come directly and openly to our business, and treat them as considerate and thinking beings; and thus also will they acquire those regular, considerate, and consistent habits, which the business of life and the daily living for eternity require.

That the instructions of this little volume may be found agreeable and useful to children; that