"But to outweigh all harm, the sacred Book
In dusty sequestration wrapp'd too long,
Assumes the accent of our native tongue;
And he who guides the plough, or wields the crook,
With understanding spirit now may look
Upon her records, listen to her song,

And sift her laws-much wondering that the wrong
Which faith has suffer'd, Heaven can calmly brook."

WORDSWORTH.

LONDON:

PUBLISHED BY J. MASON, 14, CITY-ROAD;

SOLD AT 66, PATERNOSTER-ROW.

JOSIAH.

"Grace is a plant, where'er it grows,
Of pure and heavenly root;
But fairest in the youngest shows,

And yields the sweetest fruit."

CowPER.

I. EARLY PIETY.

Ar eight years of age Josiah the son of Amon ascended the throne of Judah; and it is said respecting him, that "he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left." (2 Chron. xxxiv. 2; 2 Kings xxii. 1, 2.)

This testimony is highly honourable to the youthful King, and the more so as his father Amon was a wicked man, and therefore took no pains to instil into his mind those religious principles which it was his duty, according to

the Mosaic law, to cultivate. But how, then, did Josiah imbibe those principles? or by whom was he taught, in his infant days, to fear the LORD God of his fathers? It is possible that he was placed before he came to the throne in the charge of some of those holy Prophets who at that time lived in the land of Judah; but it is more than probable that his early piety was partly the result of the instructions given him by his mother, Jedidah, who was, perhaps, a pious woman, and deeply lamented over the deplorable condition of the land.

If we are right in this conjecture, we can imagine the care with which Josiah was watched over during the period of his childhood, and the efforts which would be made to preserve his mind from the baneful influence of the idolatry practised by his father. And, O, how great would be his mother's joy as she saw the buds of promise springing up in the heart of her beloved boy! To a pious mother many a child has been indebted for his religious training, and the biographies of the great and good—of illustrious Kings, of wise philan

thropists, of generous patriots, and of successful Ministers-prove that in innumerable instances the first bias to good was given to their minds by maternal influence. Happy, then, is it for the child whose mother teaches him to pray, and leads him in the paths of truth.

Some theorists there are who tell us that religion is not the thing for childhood; and that children of very tender years should not be troubled with it, but allowed to spend their time in merriment and play. But whilst we admit that to childhood merriment and play are natural, we deny that religion is not suitable for children. Even an infant who is just beginning to talk can comprehend some of its first lessons; and very beautiful is it to see such an infant clasping its little hands in prayer, and lisping the names of God and Jesus. Let no child suppose that he is too young to serve the Lord, or that if he become a pious child he will lose the hilarity characteristic of his years, and be able to enjoy no longer the innocent pleasures in which he has been accustomed to engage. Piety is essential to man's happiness from his earliest days. It