shalt thou be when thou goest out, the Lord shall send upon theẻ cursing, vexation, and rebuke in all that thou settest thine hand unto, until thou be destroyed?"

If solicitude for the souls of your offspring does not move you to employ this means of their instruction, do you feel no emotions of gratitude to a benignant Creator and Preserver? to that munificent Being on whose earth you are walking, in whose air you breathe, by whose merey you are spared amidst daily provocations, and from whose over-flowing bounty all your enjoyments are derived? Methinks I hear an insulted Benefactor addressing you in the following manner, "O my people, what have I done unto you? Wherein have I wearied you, testify against me: Are all the blessings which you enjoy, health of body, the exercise of reason, peace in your habitations, prosperity in your pursuits, the society of friends, are these and countless other blessings which you enjoy merely streams from me the fountain, and are they not worthy a small tribute of thanksgiving? Are not the pardon of sin, adoption into my family, the sanctifying and consoling influences of my Spirit, the joys and the glories of my kingdom, which are offered through the mediation of my Son and your Saviour, are not these worthy of being sought, sought daily by supplication and prayer? Surely if any thing can move the obdurate heart, and melt it into submission with the divine will it

must be such expressions as these. Here the great God throws off the majesty of the Sovereign, and stoops to reason and expostulate with man. If therefore you have any reverence for the authority of God, any gratitude for his goodness, any concern for your own peace, or for the true interests of your children after you, enter without delay upon the duty recommended. I say, call upon the Lord in your families without delay, because now is the accepted time. To DAY having heard his voice, and being warned of your duty harden not your hearts to neglect it. If you lie down this night without the sacrifice of prayer, the fury imprecated by the holy prophet may be poured out upon you and yours before morning. Is there nothing fearful in seeing the sword of divine wrath unsheathed over your dwelling? or do you suppose that the living God is slack in the execution of his threatnings? In order to spare you, will he trample upon his oath, and suffer the glories of his throne to be sullied? Is there a husband present who has hitherto neglected the ordinance of family religion? Let him this evening consult with the partner of his life; let them cordially concur in erecting their altar, and offer up their spiritual sacrifice to the God of their mercies. Let them reflect that perhaps the immortal destiny of their children is involved in their present decision, and then let each unite with the other in adopting the resolution, "as for me and my house we

will serve the Lord." Is there a widow present who, either from indifference or diffidence, has lived without family prayer? Let her this evening consulting her own comfort, and the prosperity of her habitation, awake from her security and "seek the Lord God while he may be found." Jehovah is indeed revealed "as a Judge to the widow,' as ready to support and sympathize in her adverse, disconsolate situation; but his protéction and consolations, are to be expected only in the means of his own appointment. We limit not his sovereignty, yet his blessing is promised only to those who seek it. We must ask, we must pray without ceasing, if we expect the smiles of his providence, or the treasures of his grace. Is there in this assembly a young man, or young woman who has grown up without the privileges of family devotion? Let such this evening become monitors to their parents; let them respectfully remind them that the divine fury will be poured upon the families. that do not seek after God, let them affectionately expostulate with them to arise from their sloth and avert these curses by calling upon his name. What knowest thou, O youth, but thou mayest prove the instrument of salvation to thy father's house?

Excuse the importunity with which I have now pressed you to the immediate and conscientious performance of family religion. In pleading with you for the discharge of this duty, I am pleading for the honor of my

Master, for the peace of your own souls, for the best interests of your beloved offspring, and for the prosperity of Zion when your destinies will be determined, and you bodies are mouldering in the dust. If all these arguments will not succeed in prevailing with you to serve the Lord with your houses, the consideration that I have presented them to your view will secure me from being pronounced accessary to your damnation.

Let those whose house's have been consecrated by prayer and praise, be exhorted to persevere in these exercises. Many things will probably occur to try your faith, and patience. The clouds of adversity may of ten hang over your head, when the sun of prosperity is shining upon the paths of the ungodly: Your children may remain ignorant amidst all your diligence in their instruction: They may appear thoughtless and unmoved notwithstanding all your earnestness admonishing and exhorting them: Your prayers which are frequently offered up in their behalf may be seemingly unanswered These appearances are indeed discouraging, but need by no means leave to despair of success in the end. "For the vision is yet for an appointed timethough it tarry long, wait for it; because it will surely come; it will not tarry." A sovereign God often refuses to give an immediate answer to the prayers of his children, not because he is inattentive to their interests, but for the greater trial of their faith, and perse

verance, and hope. Learn, therefore, to wait thy Father's time in the discharge of every commanded duty, and wait in the humble confidence of being graciously heard. "Shall not God avenge his own elect, which: cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them, I tell you that he will avenge them speedily." The natural seed does not spring up, and come to perfection on the day, or week, or even month in which it is deposited in the earth, neither does a tree ordinarily present its blossoms or fruits in the very year in which it is planted in the earth. A suitable period of time is necessary for the former to present its blade or ear, and the latter to yield its ripened fruits, and during that time the husbandman patiently waits. Why then should you be discouraged although the incorruptible seed remains month after month, or even year. after year, before it rises and ripens into a harvest? The prayers of the pious are of ten heard in behalf of their offspring, and their instructions rendered effectual for their conversion after parents themselves have been gathered to their fathers. I will take the liberty of relating two interesting facts for the confirmation of this remark. St. Augustine was the son of a singular holy mother named Monica, but notwithstanding all her attention to his religious education he remained profligate even to a proverb: While this licentious youth on a certain occasion was walking along the street, one