strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment." The very next year after this, Judah being now equally corrupt with Israel, we hear king Ahaz saying, "Because the gods of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me,"—so he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem, and in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods." And now, that we come down to Jeremiah, the course of degeneracy is complete. "Where are thy gods that thou hast made ?" he inquired; "let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of trouble for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah! Seest thou now," said Jehovah, “what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem ? The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger."

The counsels of Jonadab must now appear in their proper light. No such Parent would have imposed such restrictions on his posterity without some powerful reason: but if the whole are thus proved to bear on idolatrous customs, or upon indulgences, which in such time generally and inevitably led to idolatry, and if, by following these counsels, Jonadab's posterity had been so far preserved, there is a peculiar propriety in their being now brought forward, not only as examples of filial obedience, but to condemn Judah before being banished to Babylon for these very sins-idolatry, and licentiousness its invariable associate.

The commands of Jonadab have, it is true, been accounted for on other principles. I am perfectly aware of

the abhorrence of wine professed by the Arabian tribes, a feeling of which Mohammed availed himself sixteen hundred years after the time of Jonadab: and I do not forget the words of an ancient historian, so similar to those of Jonadab, when describing the Arabians.* But the Kenites, of which the Rechabites formed a family, were not, properly speaking, Arabians, and for ages had lived in cities in the south of Judah, and “ among the people." No, the counsels of Jonadab originated with himself, and his posterity referred to him and no higher, not even to Rechab his Father. By Jonadab they were first delivered as imperative, regarding them, without doubt, as so many preservatives against that idolatry, to which he was himself, from principle, so much opposed.

And however unnecessary the letter of this good man's family-precepts may at first reading seem to us, their spirit and design may convey solid instruction to the Parents of any age. The only safeguard in licentious times is self-denial, and if lawful enjoyments are not then restricted, the bent of our nature will hurry us into sinful compliances. The precise point between lawful pleasures and reigning vice is like a boundary between two kingdoms always at war with each other. Weak, then, and sinful as we all are, is it not most prudent to leave some space between, and not venture too far? This was the policy of Jonadab, and see the effects! His family continues through successive generations, and free from many things which bloated and defiled the professed and privileged Sons of Zion. In evil times and evil days, yet

*"Their laws prohibit the sowing of corn, or any thing else that bears fruit, the planting of trees or vines, the drinking of wine, and the building of houses; and the transgression of them is punished capitally. The reason is, their thinking that those who are possessed of such property can be easily forced to submit to the authority of their more powerful brethren."-Diodorus Siculus, book xix. 94.

faithful among the faithless, the temper and disposition in which this family stood towards the things of the world, has secured to them everlasting remembrance; and their history will ever remain on the Divine record, as singularly illustrative of the power which resides in the family constitution. Balaam had said indeed that they should be "wasted away;" but what was it which retarded the progress of decay, and secured their wasting away so slowly? Was it not the influence of moral and religious. principle grafted on natural connection and attachment?

This, then, is the family constitution in all its power, and this is one of the ends in view by Him who framed it a constitution of things which, though to the eye of man insignificant and often neglected, yet still survives, even when surrounded by storms which tear up the foundations of nations, or sweep them into oblivion; nay, which, in the very height of the tempest, or before it begins, is laid hold of by Infinite Wisdom as the germ and the security of a better day.

Thus, when the flood was coming in upon the world at large, Noah found grace in the eyes of its Author. When the world was overrun with idolatry, he found Abraham, and made him the Father of many nations. "When another king arose that knew not Joseph, the same evil entreated our kindred-in which time Moses was born :" and thus, in corrupt, and licentious, and idolatrous times, by adhering to the precepts of their Father, we see the posterity of Jonadab remain in Canaan, like a pillar of brass, to indicate the unmouldering character and extent of domestic moral power, as well as the ancient elevation of patriarchal piety.

Such then, by the express institution, and under the promised blessing of God, being the amount of influence

given to parents, such their power to form either to future usefulness or greatness of character,-such the power inherent in a well-regulated family to form and improve the character of Servants,—and such the power of resistance to evil, of which that constitution over which every Parent presides is capable, we are now able to account for so much being said in Scripture on the subject, as well as for the very strong terms which are there so often employed.

Mistaken benevolence inventing systems of relief, from obligations which can never be fulfilled beyond the Domestic Circle.-Danger and vanity of interference illustrated by reference to the apparent intentions of the Almighty, in founding and continuing to uphold this singular Constitution.

THIS household economy, once understood and established, we are prepared to step beyond the threshold, and survey the general body of a Nation. It consists simply of a number of such families; and it is of domestic virtues we must think, when we think of the morals of a nation. "A nation is but a shorter name for the individuals who compose it; and when these are consistent Husbands and Wives, Fathers and Children, Brothers and Sisters, Masters and Servants, they will be good citizens." Every thing which is moral in a nation, and much that is holy, and worthy, and useful in the church, if not actually formed, is fostered and cherished before the household fire. This is especially worthy of regard, since whatever form of political government the nation may assume, the constitution of her families may, and generally does, remain the same; and any interference with that constitution, any worldly policy, or even any officious inter