Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell in unity!

It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, that went down to the skirts of his garments;

As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. —Psalm cxxxiii.

There is great beauty in this comparison of holy affections to the ointment with which Aaron was anointed, from the circumstance that it might not be counterfeited. (See Exodus xxxv. 22—28.)

When intelligent, active, sympathizing love reigns in a family, or in a community, the scene is as near heaven as any thing on earth can be. What then will heaven be, where nothing enters but perfect love; and that, for ever!

Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart.-Proverbs iii. 3.

These six things doth the LORD hate; yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.-vi. 16-19.

"Yea, seven!" Mark the seventh abomination; for the Holy Spirit condescends to use the language of emphasis; and this abomination is to be found, not in the world only,

but also in the professing Church · among brethren." The word is not a little expressive, "He that soweth"! The mischievous troubler of religious society does not foresee all the evil that will in due season spring up from his meddling; but, he sows the seed. He drops a few hints here and there—suspicions and evil surmisings—significant doubts and questions-half-told tales-low whispers and ambiguous insinuations. These are the seed. Wormwood and gall are not more bitter, thistles not sharper, nightshade not more deadly, than the fruits of that seed which he scatters up and down.

But, how happens it that "Brethren" are thus liable to be thrown into discord? It is, because they were not constantly living as brethren, before the temptation arose. To "love the brotherhood" implies that we watch and pray for one another, and give and take Christian counsel and reproof, in the spirit of meekness. When brethren are thus united in Christ, they will warn off the discord-sower from their company. But if pride, self-conceit, love of pre-eminence, lukewarmness, or common-place profession prevail, the way is open for any error, any bad temper, to occupy the ill-guarded ground.

The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son maketh a

glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.-Proverbs x. i.

Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.xxii. 6. 15.

Withhold not correction from the child: for, if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.

Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.-xxiii. 13-15.

The rod and reproof give wisdom; but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.-xxix. 15. 17.

The Scripture-maxims on EDUCATION are all based on the doctrine of Original Sin. The bent of children's hearts is wrong from the very first; and nothing but early, continual, wise, firm and patient discipline, with the blessing of God upon that discipline, can bend the heart right again.

On so well-discussed a subject as this, my pen can offer nothing new; but I shall simply put together some memoranda, which have long been lying by me, on the management of the Temper of children and of the young. And I will begin by attempting a truly painful task-to delineate the features of one of the most afflicted and afflicting characters in existence, "A Spoiled Child.”

-He must not be contradicted; nor set to do any thing he does not like; must be helped first; and, to the best on the table; wants something different from what is offered him; may change when, and as, he pleases; may choose for himself, and order about; must be pleased; soon after waking in the morning, finds something to be out of humour for; if quieted down for a little, is soon ready for another pet; cannot settle, either to work, or play; discontented, he does not know why; if hurt, cries so that all the house shall hear; may throw the blame where he pleases—on his brothers, sisters, cousins, the servants, &c. ; never bears the blame himself; gives pert, smart answers; thinks himself clever, and able to solve all difficulties; swift to speak, slow to hear; loves to be admired and praised; vexed, if he is not, or if others are, noticed; has no notion that other people feel; masters his father, if he can; torments and coaxes his mother; if justly punished by father, mother, tutor, &c., he turns upon them with resentment, as though he were the injured party;

loves to say and think, "That's mine; my book, my hoop, my right, my will, my way."

The opposite to all this “A well-trained Child”, upon whose heart the doctrine of heaven has distilled as the dew-is one of the loveliest and most hopeful of all characters on earth. Parents! have you considered how such characters are trained?

When first the precious little infant was given to you, did you reflect on the immense responsibilities connected with the gift; that it was not a beautiful, innocent, animated toy of your own, for your fond hearts to doat upon; but, a being born into an existence immortal; born in sin, and likely to be lost for ever, unless you watched over it, prayed for it, and brought it as soon as possible to be laid at the feet of Jesus?

As now the little creature is somewhat advancing in years, and its powers are developing, do you reflect that its conscious mind sees whether you yourself are selfish and self-indulgent, or self-denying and noble-hearted; fickle, or steadfast; harsh, or kind; hasty, or gentle; impatient, or forbearing; vindictive, or forgiving; false, or true? And as your temper is, so, probably, will be his.

Notwithstanding the tenderness of his faculties by reason of childhood, and their corruptness by reason of birth-sin, yet he perceives more quickly, and judges more correctly, than you are aware of sometimes. And as his little character is constantly receiving its shape from the side-way pressure, so to speak, of yours; what need have you to take your own Temper to task, and go to school to the same Scriptural rules, by which you would desire all your children to be moulded!

Early to do this, is of the greatest importance; for peace never enters, till strict and loving discipline enters; and many a grown-up person finds himself a parent, before he has well begun to master his own Temper: he begins house-keeping, before he has finished his own best education or perhaps he may have been ill-trained, with but little controul, little of the benefit of good models, in his own family; so that he must lose no time in more per

fectly learning Self-discipline. Otherwise, his children will overtake him faster than he thinks of; and his own evil tempers and habits, with theirs to boot, will fill his house with confusion, before he has well looked around him.

Let me now venture on a few hints, to help Parents in this important work.

1. Rule by conscience.-Not tyrannizing over conscience; which, after all, even the authority and love of a parent cannot absolutely reach: but guiding it, that it may be instructed; and touching it, that it may be tender: appealing, in every thing, to that inward witness, and habituating children to feel the presence of God, the presence of the Redeemer, the presence of the Spirit. That one simple sentence, which we teach children, affects my mind more deeply than I am able to express: "I cannot see God; but God can see me." To rule thus, is, to teach FAITH.

2. Win the affections.-What a pity it would be, to let slip the age of affection; the tender, impressible period of childhood and youth! Almost always, the only thing requisite to gain the affection of our offspring, is, for us to love them. Enter into their little concerns, which to them are not small; and, so far as is proper, be open and confidential with them when speaking of your own affairs.

3. Influence them by a true sense of honour.—The true standard of honour is, the Bible: what I mean by a sense of honour, is, a Scriptural feeling of the credit which they ought very early to obtain with their companions, their family, the servants and household, and the friends who visit you. For "favour with man" is a Divine principle, when rightly understood, no less than "favour with God:" To this end, get them good companions, such as it will be a credit to have.

4. Adapt punishments to their age.-When they are very young, to mortify their palate, to abridge their liberty, or to inflict bodily chastisement, may be needful: as they grow older, your countenance abating somewhat of its wonted kindness, or an hour of banishment from your company, or a visit abroad denied them, will tell more effectually