points out every unfanctified foul, to be in a critical fituation as was Peter, when finking in the depth of the fea. Our Lord was exprefs in fhowing their condemned, loft ftate when he declared, " He that believeth not the Son fhall not fee life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." In ano ther place he obferves, they are condemned already. And to fhow them that their only hope of deliver

have difobeyed him. Sinners, as well as faints, may apprehend, that God will not inflict upon them the punishment of eternal death, unless they have directly broken his holy law. Hence, to have that religious concern which arifes from proper ground, a perfon must see that he is really a criminal, as well as fee that he is in a dangerous fituation. It is needful, therefore, that the finner's true character be difcrimina-ance is in his mere fovereign grace, ted, and held up to view.

It may, alfo, be further remarked, that even when a perfon is convinced that he is in danger of divine wrath, and alfo that he is truly deferving of it, his anxiety will not be great, fo long as he retains an idea that by his own exertions he can be reinftated into the divine favor. Suppofe a perfon have ever so important a piece of work to perform, and at the fame time have laborers employed fufficient to do it,-in this cafe, would he not view things going on well? How needful it is, therefore, that finners be told they are fo dead in trefpaffes and fins that for them to be faved, they must be plucked as brands out of the fire!

he declares," As the Father raif eth up the dead and quickeneth them; even fo, the Son quickeneth whom he will." Saint Paul adds, "He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth."

Thus, from the texts now quo ted, as only a fpecimen of the general run of infpired preaching, we fee how admirably adapted are the diftinguishing truths of the gofpel, to be a means of bring ing loft men into the kingdom of God.

2. Another idea, which arifes from the fubject as now illustrated, is, that the personal good of every one requires that he give an im partial, attentive hearing to the most pointed and plain preaching Though there be no certain connection between conviction and converfion, yet we look upon a

Add the remarks that have now been made, to the fact which was adduced concerning Peter; and must not the answer that was given to the queftion ftated, ap-man's state more hopeful who has pear very plain?

A few thoughts which naturally rife from this illuftration are worthy of notice.

a true conviction of his condition, than one who is entirely thoughtlefs.-For, it is by "the foolishnefs of preaching that God faves them who believe." Thofe, therefore, who are wife, will give an impartial hearing to the most humbling and unpalatable doctrines of the gospel. Be attentive then, O finner, to hear the worst of your cafe, if you have any regard for your

1. We fee, that the gospel, as it was preached by Chrift and his apoftles, is peculiarly calculated to be a mean of faving finners. God works with means. And he has ordinarily made conviction and awakening neceffary, in order for the renewing of the heart. Ae-own foul. cordingly, we fee that the gospel VOL. III. No. 12.

It becomes thofe, also, who Nnn

be furprifed and almoft grieved at fo ftrange an enquiry; but, my dear friends, let me ask you whether that love and affection which appears to extend no far

divine Redeemer-have induced | you love your children, you would me to addrefs a few lines to you on the fubject of family prayer and inftruction. My with and defign in this attempt is to convince you, my dear friends, that while you live in the neglect of a duty fother than to the bodies and the plain and fo important, you have temporal concerns of your chil but too much reafon to conclude dren, while that which concerns that you have no true religion; them and their tender, anxious that you are living without hope parents more than ten thousand and without God in the world; worlds is wholly neglected-can and having no religion to folace with any propriety be called genyou while paffing thro' life, what uine and true love? I think it will fupport or comfort you in cannot; but I must request you the gloomy vale of death? When to confider it feriously, and with your flesh and your heart fhall the attention which the nature fail you, to whom will you look and importance of the subject defor help-on whom will you demand. pend for fafety and deliverance? Such perfons as are parents and heads of families, and who of course have the care of children and their education committed to them, have a duty of vaft importance refting on them. They will do well to confider that the care not only of their bodies, but alfo of their dear, immortal, undying fpirits is committed to them; and that while they provide every thing neceffary for their temporal and bodily fupport and comfort, but neglect the care of their fouls, they perform the smalleft, incomparably the smallest part of the duty which they owe to their dear offspring. The inAruction of children in the duties and in the nature and reasonablenefs of religion is vastly important; and those who would faithfully and fuccefsfully discharge the duty, will be very careful and confcientious therein. They will not only teach them by pious precepts, but alfo by pious examples; for in vain will be your pious instructions if not enforced by religious examples.

Should you be asked whether

Thofe parents who live from day to day, and from year to year, in the neglect of family prayer and inftruction, are not only omitting an important duty which they ought to perform, but are teaching their dear children by their own fatal example, more emphatically and more perfuafively than by the most conclufive reafoning, that such prayer and such instruction are wholly unneceffary.-Permit me to request you to confider further, what is the tendency of this example which you fet; is it not to render your own hearts more obdurate and infenfible, and your own minds more blind to your own eternal concerns? But does the evil tendency ftop here? Will not your example ferve to encourage others, your neighbors and acquaintance, in the neglect of their duty, by which you bring a double guilt on yourselves.— But above all, how awfully does it tend to beget in the minds of your dear offspring a disbelief and total neglect of all religion, and of all the duties of it; and to caft away and deny all moral obliga. tion? And, my dear friends, wh

a gloomy profpect does this afford, us as it refpects pofterity! How foon and with what rapid ftrides will your children defcend to a ftate of heathenifm, and become nothing better than Pagan idolaters!-Much remains to be faid on this interesting fubject, by way of argument, to convince all who need conviction, of the reafonablenefs, obligation and utility of the duty; and in anfwering objections or enquiries which it is poffible fome may be difpofed to make, plain and reasonable as the duty appears to be; but as I intended no more than to fuggeft a few of the leading ideas, in hopes that fome abler hand might be in duced to take up the fubject, and enlarge upon it as its importance demands, I fhall clofe my remarks by wishing the divine efficiency may accompany every effort, however feeble, towards enlightening the ignorant, bringing to ferious confideration fuch as are thoughtlefs, and living feeurely in the neglect of religious duties, whofe doom, if they continue thus to live, and fo leave the world, will be awful indeed! Which may God of his infinite mercy prevent, for the fake of a merciful Redeemer.

more particular attention, to what the fpirit faith to the churches; what he faith to them as a body, not merely as individuals. The addrefs is made to them, in their collective capacity, in the paffage alluded to, in the Revelation of St. John. He was directed, by the great head of the church, to write a kind and friendly admonition, to the angels of the feven churches of Afia, fometime be fore the fall of the Roman em pire; that by repentance they might avert the evils which impended them. The main object of his epiftles to thofe churches was to excite them to revive and maintain a ftrict`and regular difcipline of their members, relating to doctrine or practice; and to forewarn them that if they continued to neglect fo important a duty, and remain impenitent, their candlestick should be removed, or the churches broken up. The event has fhewn how far they obeyed the friendly admonition. Like cafes require like remedies. What the divine fpirit faid to the seven churches of Afia, he fays to all the churches of Chrift, in all ages. The churches of Chrift in America ought, therefore, to have an ear to hear what the fpirit faith to them; and, if it appears they are chargeable with

Thoughts on the Importance of thofe things, for which the Afi

Church Difcipline.

N a day, like the prefent, when immorality and error greatly abound, the question is often put, what can be done? What is the Chriftian's immediate duty for the purpofe of avoiding the evils impending Various have been the anfwers to the enquiry, both wife and good. In addition to thofe, I would fuggeft one that has not been much spoken of; it is this, that profefling Chriftians pay a

atic churches were reprehended, to be alarmed and repent. Let the matter of church difcipline be carefully and candidly examin ed, and a view taken of the state of the churches in this land, that we may fee, whether there is not as juft ground for the admonition to these, as there was to thofe in Afia. To one of them it was faid by the holy spirit, that notwithstanding they had many good things, and hated the deeds

of the Nicolaitans, yet they had left their firft love. Are none of our churches guilty in this refpect? If they are, the threatning denounced, in cafe of impenitence, will apply to us as well as to them. To avoid the im pending evil, repentance is the only means. It is of as much importance that churches keep and maintain their warmest affections, for their Lord and Mafter, now as it was then; and his difpleafure against them for the want of it, is as great now as ever, Another of those churches the spirit reproves, for holding corrupt doctrines, fuch as were fubverfive of the Chriftian faith. They were alfo warned to repent, or their candlestick should be removed out of its place. It may be asked, are there not fome herefies in our churches, as repugnant to gofpel principles, as theirs were? If there are, no doubt but the fame fate will follow now as did then, unlefs timely repentance prevent. To another of those churches, notice is given, that their graces were weak and ready to die, and they were commanded to ftrengthen them, to be watchful and to repent.

ply, that Chriftians do meet for focial prayer and converfation, in many places, but is it univerfal? And where they do, what proportion of church members attend? Do they in general attend, or is it only a fmall number, not more perhaps than one quarter of the whole church?

It was faid of the church in Sardis, that they had a few names which had not defiled their garments, and that they should walk with Chrift, in white, for they were worthy, but notwithftanding this the church was corrupt, and was reprehended as a body, and threatened with diffo lution, unless they repented.

The church of Laodicea was rebuked for a fin, which they thought nothing of; and that was lukewarmnefs. The opinion they had of themfelves was, that they were rich and increased in goods, and had need of nothing, and knew not, that they were poor, and miferable, and wretched, and blind and naked. Are none of the churches now liable to this charge of being lukewarm? Are there not great reafons to fear that all of them are more or lefs guilty in this refpect? If fo the afpect is alarming in proportion to their guilt. Chrift fays he will puc fuch churches out of his mouth.

Are there not ftrong fymptoms. of this malady among us? Do not profeffors act and talk, as though they had, in their opinion, religion enough, and were as ac

May not this be faid of fome of the churches now? Are there not strong symptoms of this manifeft at the prefent day? Do the churches, as a body, exhibit that lively and fervent zeal for the caufe of Chrift and his kingdom which the times call for? Is there no defect in watching over and admonishing one another as Chriftive and zealous in the cause of tians? Are they not cold and indifferent in fome important duties; fuch as focial prayer and Chriftian conferences? Duties peculiarly calculated to inflruct and animate them in their Chriftian cause. It may be faid in re

religion as they ought to be? As to fome important duties, called for at the prefent day, are they not indifferent about them, whether they are performed or not? If thefe matters were duly examined, no doubt but it would pro