them an especial interest in the matter of the blessing, but, by his own divinely-ordered Domestic Constitution, hath given them, as guardian instruments, peculiar facilities for the communication of it. Yes, feeling an especial interest in the favour of God themselves, they not only may, but they do present, in supplication before God, the promises which he has given: in their musings and their supplications afterwards, they dwell upon the terms in which these promises are expressed, and upon the absolute character of these terms-these, at one season, they plead in the hearing of their Children—and at another, explain, with all the exuberant tenderness of parental affection. On these gratuitous expressions of divine love and mercy, it thus appears evident to such Children, that the hopes of their Parents alone do rest; while, to them, it is equally apparent, both from the style of their petitions, and their occasional conversation, that the meritorious ground, on which these promises themselves depend, or the meritorious security for their accomplishment, is, in their Parents' apprehension, the dignity and the death of our divine Redeemer-the only and all-sufficient surety of that covenant, which is ordered well in all things, and sure.

In these few last words, however, I have touched a point on which the hearts of these Parents cannot remain silent.

"Can we ever forget," say they, "some of the terms of condescending invitation by which we came here ? Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your souls shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David!' Do we still but imperfectly know the advantages of that peculiar and ancient ground on which we stand? What though Gentiles once were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, nay, strangers from

the covenants of promise? Surely now, even we may look up, and say, 'Doubtless thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O Lord, art our Father-our Redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.' Yes, it was by an 'old path' indeed, and not untrodden, that we arrived here : the ground on which we stand, was marked out and occupied, even long before it was 'confirmed' to the Father of the faithful. Great, too, confessedly, as was the blessing conferred on him, never can we forget the Saviour's having redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit, through faith.'

But in being thus strangely permitted to call our Creator and Governor Our Father who art in heaven,' surely we forget not, for one moment, the glorious peculiarity of his unalienable characterthat he is the Father who judgeth according to every man's work of what sort it is.' In this we see the brightness of his glory, and forget not that our Saviour is the Judge both of quick and dead. As our Maker, He is our Governor; and the Fountain of all being, we regard as the Fountain of all rights. From the first moment of our existence, our all was his-absolutely and unalienably his. It was in Him, therefore, no defect of title which induced his condescension. Publishing his very constitution, in the form of such a covenant, how can we but be filled with profound veneration and delight, ordaining it, as he has done, in the hands of such a Mediator! Ordered well in all things,' indeed it must be, since He is the surety and sure, with a witness, as ratified by his blood. Thus it was, that, inviting our poor consent, he hath, blessed be his name! only more deeply obliged us to our duty.”

Let your eye, then, my reader, be fixed on this blessing of the Almighty; for this it is, in all cases, which alone commands success; nor need you hesitate to implore it, if your undivided hope rests on Emmanuel. For "thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come, concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands, command ye me." The arrow of such a supplicant comes, it is evident, from a bow fully

bent; but still, if you only pray in that disposition of mind which simply corresponds to the many affirmations and condescending promises of your heavenly Father, all will be well with you and yours. What though all flesh is grass, and the glory of man but as the flower of the field? "The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto Children's Children— to such as keep his covenant-to those who remember his commandments to do them.”

TO THE MINISTERS OF CHRIST.

In closing this volume with a more immediate reference to you, I have done so under an impression, that, if there are any Parents in existence, who may be considered as more interested than others in the present subject, you are the parties.

You may have observed, that, throughout, I have not confounded Parental Obligations, or the training of Children, with your obligation to fulfil the commission of our common Lord; that I have not confounded the Domestic Constitution with the Church of the living God,-or, in other words, that, in tracing the weighty and incumbent duties of the Parental Character, I have not confounded Christian Education with the work of the Ministry, nor have I, so far as I am conscious, ever trenched on what I believe to be the special, because the ordained, means for the conviction and the conversion of a lost world. This be far from me. On the contrary, there seems

to me to exist between the successful exercise of your ministry, and the exertions of Christian Parents, that fine harmony which is at once apparent, and engaging, and useful, between all things of divine appointment.

Thus, if they are next under God, with regard to their Children, as Children, you also are next under Him, with regard to the entire Family, as souls. Upon your skill, or discrimination and affectionate fidelity in addressing these Families, much depends indeed. Under the weight and pressure of your responsibility, here and hereafter, you occasionally look around you, and say-" Brethren, pray for us." Now, do you intend by this, that they should pray for your success in the conversion of souls? To whom, then, I ask, can you cast an imploring eye, with more confidence, than to Christian Parents, especially when you see them sit before you, with their Children around them? Do they not frequently implore, that the divine blessing may rest on them? In their Family devotions, on some occasions, have they never been heard by God to express their desires, in some such language as this?—

"To thee each solicitous hour,

We'll sigh for our infantine race,
And say, O protect with thy power,
And bless with thy Spirit of grace!
May we their soft Guardians ordain'd,
In this their progressive abode,
With ecstacy see we have train'd

The Sons and the Daughters of God!"

None, indeed, but a Pastor, knows a Pastor's cares ; but where will you-where can you find any Mem

bers of your flock more able or more likely to sympathize with your incumbent desire, and loudly-calledfor anxiety, to be useful to the souls of men? and with regard to their Children especially, you well know, that there are not to be found in your audience any other individuals who feel an anxiety such as theirs. Lay hold then of this feeling as an auxiliary, and you will not do so in vain.

To the primitive Church, however, all the Ministers of Christ profess to look for encouragement and a Guide. When, therefore, you cast your eye over one or other of those epistles, addressed by men inspired, to the Church, as it actually appeared in their day, can you help being struck with the distinct recognition of the Domestic Constitution, in all its connexions? Husband and Wife, Parent and Child, Master and Servant, lie embosomed in these letters. Not that every one who sustained such a relation was there: from the spiritual nature of the Messiah's kingdom this was impossible; though, in these days, in many instances, into the Garden of the Lord, the Family tree had actually been transplanted, with all its branches, entire; and from the style of address to each of these parties, it may be presumed, that, in these churches, there were to be found, not only Masters, however rich, and Servants, however poor, but Parents, however old, and Children of the tenderest years. To have seized upon, not only the extremes of station, but the extremes of age, was one momentous feature of the Church planted by the Apostles. Looking over the broad field of their exertions, in the service of their common Lord, we seem to hear, not only