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THUS we have seen who are intended by the fearful, and their sad state. Influenced by fear which drives them from the Savior; or leads them to explain away God's law; or drive them to du. ty in order to atone for fin; or too timid to take up the cross and follow Christ, they have no part in him. They are afraid of misery; and their fear indulged, will bring mifery upon them far beyond their fear! For "who knows the power of God's anger."

BEFORE us the door of mercy is yet open. We are invited to Christ for life. God hath no pleafure in the death of sinners. He is ready to receive the returning prodigal. His arm is not shortened that it cannot save. He offers pardon and peace to the chief of sinners. The deeper sense we have of fin, the more we abhor ourselves for fin, the more welcome to his grace.

WEARY and heavy laden sinners are particular-ly invited to the Savior. He will not fend them empty away. As the returning prodigal was received by his father, so is every repenting sinner, by his Father in heaven. When the prodigal resolved to return with, a "Father I have sinnedthe father faw him a great way off," and all his bowels yearned over him-" he had compaffion, and ran and fell on his neck, and kissed him"bid him a hearty welcome-lavished the richest fa. vors on him, and called all to rejoice at his return. In like manner our heavenly Father receives the returning penitent. This is the spirit of the parable.

FEAR not then, ye who mourn in Zion. Come empty and naked as ye are, and fall down before an offended God, with, "Father I have finnedGod be merciful to me a sinner." Come thus to God, and caft yourselves on his grace in Christ, and his grace will be sufficient for you. We are warranted to promise you a kind reception.

LET none think to hide their fins by excuses or palliations. They are all open to the divine eye. "There is no darkness, nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves." Neither let any think to atone for their sins by doings of their own. The blood of Christ is the on. ly atonement. Our best services are polluted with fin. Let us endeavor to see our fins as they are, renounce them all, and repair to the mercy of God in Christ. There is a fulness of merit in Christ, and a fulness of mercy in God. There we may trust and not be ashamed.

LET none be discouraged by the difficulties which lie in their way, or faint under the hardships of the cross. If God calls us to trials he will fupport us under them-yea, if we make him our hope, and are not needlessly wanting to ourfelves, he will make us more than conquerors; he will make us triumphers in Chrift. But if we fear to enter the lifts against our spiritual enemies or to endure ought to which we are called in the way of duty, whether it be contempt, sufferings, or lofs, we shall bring greater forrows on ourselves by shrinking back in the day of trial, than by preffing forward, and bearing all which duty requires.

Our forrows, if we abide faithful, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel, will be only temporary; and under the pressure of them, we shall be supported by Omnipotence; but if we draw back, and refuse to deny ourselves, fainting in the day of trial, our forrows and sufferings will be eternal, and as such as Omnipotence can only inflict!

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SERMON ΧΧΙ.

The Ends of Family Institution, with observations on the Importance of Education.

MALACHI ii. 15.

And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the Spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godby seed.

TOWARD the close of the Babylonish captivity, religion revived among the Jews. Several zealous and able reformers were raised up and advanced to power, whose influence was blessed to call back that people from their declensions, and prepare them for mercy. But the effect of their labors was only temporary. When they were gone off the stage, the people again apostatized, neglected the worship and ordinances of God, and became vicious and corrupt. This prophet, who lived several ages after their return to Canaan, was sent to reprove their irreligion and the immoralities, which abounded among them, and had infected every order of men.

ONE of the fins then rife in Israel, was a family fin. Family contentions, which frequently terminated in divorces, were become common.

DIVORCES were permitted to the Hebrews, "for the hardness of their hearts, but it was not fo from the beginning."

LARGER communities are all made up of families. Evils therefore which affect the latter, cannot but affect the former. Were all the families which compose an empire divided and unhappy, the empire would be fo.

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It is also worthy of notice, that the first rudiments of character, which render good or bad, and cause people to be blessings or curses in society, are commonly begun in those nurseries of our race. The bias there given, seldom wholly wears off; it is generally carried, in degree, through life. Probably many of the evils which afflicted the Jews in the days of this prophet, had their origin in the cradles of the nation. He was therefore directed to strike at the root of evils, and by endeavoring to reform the smaller societies, of which the larger were composed, to reform the whole. With this view he led back the minds of those among whom he ministered, to the origin of families, and declared the merciful design of the Most High, in their institution-That he might feek a godly feed.

SEEKING a godly feed is not the only design. It is however a principal design, and will be chiefly regarded in the following discourse.

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