head, thou didst effectually bruise the head of the Serpent, and by thy death didst inflict a death blow upon thine enemy and our's, by "finishing transgression, and making an end of sins, and making reconciliation for iniquity, and bringing in everlasting righteousness." And, oh ! how sweet the thought, that, as we traverse the wilderness, in which for a few brief days we must toil and suffer, guided by the pure and steady light of divine promise, we may anticipate, through thy triumphs, a blissful period, when the curse shall be removed from the earth, and man rejoice with a joy so high, so pure, so rich, so exquisite so rapturous, yet so refined-so intense and yet so tranquil, that it must be experienced before it can be understood; every life the beauty of holiness, every bosom the palace of peace, every soul the sanctuary of God.

The Ancient People of God.

PASTOR.

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The words of our Saviour to the Jews, during His abode on earth were, "Can ye not discern the signs of the times?" and while every enquiry is checked where the vain curiosity of man would look into those things it benefits him not to know, and would dogmatically fix upon the exact time of those events which are declared to be known only to the Father," still there is repeatedly a direct blessing pronounced to those who seek to understand; and while it is said "the wicked shall do wickedly, and shall not understand, but the wise shall understand," we may fear, lest, dreading the errors of those who would determine the exact time of the events which finite man is not to know till the period of their fulfilment arrives, that we fall into the other extreme, and like the Jews in the time of our Saviour, neglect those undoubted signs of our own day, which no unprejudiced mind seeking deeply into their import can doubt to indicate events of great importance at hand.

If we look back into the ages which are gone, into the history of the nations of the world, and find one which has been more highly favoured than the rest, and to whom privileges were granted, withheld from all others, we are naturally led to enquire, both as to its position in the present day, and what from the Divine word is likely to be the place it will hold as future events arise. A warning the Jews have been to the world, and a warning they still remain; but, a blessing they have also been, and a blessing we are told they shall still prove to be; and so involved, and so subservient has the history of all other kingdoms of the world been to the fulfilment of the predictions relative to this nation, that some of the first enquiries, in considering future events, must arise as to how this people shall be affected by them? and, in what way are they to benefit the house of Israel?

That they have been the first nation in the world, and that they are again to be the first, is the plain

language of scripture; and if the "casting away of them was the calling of the Gentiles," anxiety must be felt for the time when the receiving of them shall prove as "life from the dead" to the Gentile world. If then setting aside the presumption which would dogmatically decide upon the times and seasons" of events, and the timidity which would make us dread to look into them at all, we find the predictions relative to the close of the last captivity of that people being fulfilled openly in our own day, so openly, indeed, that none who seeks shall find he cannot discern them, we must both feel that their position forms, in a great measure, a key to what shall be to the other nations of the earth, and we shall also fear our neglect of them, remembering that we too are one of those nations which has already, and still shall receive, both nationally and individually, spiritual and temporal, punishments in a measure as we have dealt out spiritual and temporal blessings to Israel.

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The extraordinary toleration, and the unparalleled efforts which have of late years been made for their conversion, prove, that the "time to favour them is come ;" the spell of Rabbinical lore, broken now many years ago, the unexpected and unlooked for benefits which have been felt from the preaching of the converted among the unconverted Jews, whoacquainted with the prejudices, and having overcome the obstacles which stand in the way of conversion, are able to combat both; all conspire to tell us, that the time cannot be far distant when Judah shall no longer dwell as a nation alone," sball no longer be outcast, forsaken, and friendless. In Judea, the seat of her former, and the abode of her future greatness, what events have not the last few years unfolded; Mahometanism, that scourge upon the Jews, though still retaining possession of their ancient city, and still defiling her ruins with its temples, is itself fast falling into decay. Since 1832, when Ibrahim Pasha, after conquering Acre, set at defiance the commands and the army of the Sultan, subduing Syria, and making the Sultan tremble for the fate of Constantinople itself, the politi cal aspect of Judea has become quite changed; no longer subject to the power of the former sovereign or his governors, free ingress is allowed to all travellers, whether Jews or Christians; at Jerusalem, the bigotry of an intolerant tyrant is no longer to be dreaded, and throughout the country Christians enjoy a toleration and protection unknown since the Turks entered Syria; the constant state of alarm in which all travellers have hitherto been, is much decreased, the hordes of banditti infesting the roads having been subdued, and the Christian pilgrim, and the Jew, returning to die in the land of his forefathers, may now pass up to Jerusalem, with little fear of being molested. The important firman, issued in the year when Syria became separated from the Turkish empire, and addressed to all persons holding any power at Jerusalem, contains privileges for the Jews not to be

passed over: "Jerusalem contains temples and

monuments which Christians and Jews come from the most distant countries to visit. But these numerous pilgrims have to complain of the enormous duties levied npon them on the road. Being desirous of putting an end to so crying an abuse, we order all the Mussulmans of the pashaliks of the Saide, and of the districts of Jerusalem, Damascus, Tripoli, &c. to suppress all duties or imposts of that nature, on all the roads, and at all the stations, without exception. We also order, that the priests, who live in the buildings belonging to the churches in which the gospel is read, and who officiate according to the ceremonies of their religion, be no longer compelled to pay the arbitrary contributions which have been hitherto imposed upon them." And if a Mohammedan can have granted this unexpected toleration, what may not ere long be hoped for?

The dreadful horrors to which the Turkish 'empire has been subject, its devastating wars, its civil commotions, when, at one time alone, 3000 perished at the revolt of the Janissaries; its calamities of plague and fire; the Missionary accounts for 1831, informing us, that in that year alone, in less than three months, it was calculated that not fewer than 55,000 persons perished of the plague; and the official accounts of the dreadful fires at Constantinople and Pera, which lasted little more than a week, mention 21,000 houses being consumed; since which their Mosque of St. Sophie, and many of their strongest and most beautiful edifices have also been devoured by the same destructive element; all these have contributed to weaken, and, in some parts, entirely to destroy its power, and although it is not for us to fix upon the "times and seasons" of events dogmatically, yet even the most careless observer can scarcely avoid believing, from the many and daily accounts of the present state of the Turkish empire, that "the drying up of the waters of the Euphrates" is plainly visible, and that the "way for the kings of the East" is already being prepared.

And while looking forward to the time when the "receiving of the Israelites" shall prove a blessing to every other nation of the earth, ought it not to be remembered as a warning as well as an encouragement, that the "darkness in part which bath happened unto Israel," shall continue only until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in."

Jacob," which means-" one that supplants or undermines." We see a reason, why Moses' name should denote, "one taken out of the water;" and Job's, "weeping" why the Hebrew people designated Egypt Mizraim, which conveys the idea of troubles and oppression; and why they termed Ethiopia, Cush, which signifies, "Blackness." But, from what coincidence or fortuitous event-what influence of hope or presentiment it could be, that the two opposite characters of the following narra tive, happened to bear names so prophetic of their future deeds and dispositions I cannot guess. I will not hazard a conjecture. You will see that the fact is so; and I shall not attempt to account for a matter so unaccountable, but proceed with the story.

The clock had just struck nine, one calm winter's night, and Mr. Constancy, (a good neighbour of mine, and a regular attendant at our parish church,) was seated with his wife, and children, and servants, for the purpose of commencing the Bible chapter and prayer, according to invariable rule, when a kind of confident, familiar rap at the door was heard, and, for a moment, disturbed "The Church that was in their House." The door was no sooner opened, than, without ceremony, and evidently brimful of some important subject, appeared their friend Mr. Unstable. But, and the godly determination of the man, reminds me of a recorded anecdote of the pious Archbishop Usher, which I feel strongly tempted to transcribe:-On the im peachment of the celebrated Lord Stafford, King Charles the first, in his serious perplexities and trouble, sent for the Archbishop and some other Prelates. It was on a Sunday morning that the King's messenger came to the primate, while he was preaching in the church in Covent Garden, London. Descending for a moment from the pulpit, to learn what urgent affairs so unseasonably demanded his attention, he told the messenger that "he was then employed about God's business, which as soon as he had done, he would attend upon his Majesty;" and then, returning to his place, proceeded with his sermon. And thus Mr. Constancy, (when his friend entered, and nothwithstanding his manifest inpatience to let off the contents of his mind; seated with the book of God before him, you might have read distinctly in the Patriarch and Priest of the family's gravely-beaming countenance, Usher's answer to his Sovereign; or, Nehemiah's to Sanbalat and Gesham," I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down to you." Even Unstable appeared to have read and understood this effectually; for he sat down, without uttering a syllable, to hear the xviii of Genesis read, with two or three practi cal remarks, and joined in their worship as if one of the household. Will you allow me, Mr. Editer, to digress one moment, and give a hint on this important subject to your readers? Doubtless-in circumstances similar to those just described-it is the indefeasible right and the duty of every christian master of a family to act precisely as Mr. Constancy

did. As a guileless Israelite, he is neither ashamed of his Divine Master, nor fears the face of any man. And yet, where there is no want of affection for Christ, nor defect in moral courage, there is sometimes a species of false delicacy about entering upon this morning or evening service, in the presence of a stranger just come in (if there be no latent spirit of indifference,) which betrays the man into the sin of deferring, or even omitting family prayer! Clearly, this is criminal in him, and an irretrievable loss of one spiritual advantage to his whole household. But, I cannot acquit of all share in the offence and guilt, the visitor of a day or an hour that is the occasion of this omission. For, in the first place, he ought to take it for granted that all christian families have family devotions, and (if the familiar friend of this one in particular,) he must pretty well know thetime of prayer. Hence, he should either not intrude at all at such a season; or else waiting for the happy moment, and anticipating the wishes of the head of the family-let it be understood that he shall feel it to be a privilege to join in their worship. I shall be glad, Mr. Editor, if this hint tell in certain quarters-especially with all lounging, gossiping visitors. But, besides, I advise christian masters and mistresses to let it be a standing order with their servants and children, that they assemble at a fixed hour for this hallowed object of reading the scriptures, and prayer, and thenwithout "respect of persons"- proceed instantly with their heavenly work, upon the high-toned, moral, sacred, principle already instanced, "I am now employed about God's business." "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down till it is accomplished.'

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The little group had scarcely descended from the holy mount and atmosphere of communion with God, when Mr. Unstable showed symptoms of uneasiness to get rid of his burden, and thus began. I just called to apprize you of your serious loss.— "What loss," exclaimed Mr. Constancy and his wife, simultaneously interrupting him, as if (natu. rally enough) they imagined that some sad temporal calamity had befallen them or their kindred, of which they were unconscious-" What loss?" Oh, continued Unstable, in not being present to hear this new and most powerful expounder of the scriptures, Mr. Stranger, who met us all this evening in the room I mentioned to you the other day. It was Heaven upon Earth, and good to be there and hear him! Sky-high in doctrine, and persecuted for it; lashed tremendously the Arminians and others, right and left-the little place was crowded to suffocation, and Stay my good friend," said Mr.Constancy, seeing it was high time to check his rigmarole and volubility-and almost involuntarily associ ating his name with that addition, in Genesis, xlix. 4, UNSTABLE as water, thou shalt not excel." "Stay," said he, "the night is advancing, and I have a few words to offer in reply to your observations, and (if you please), they shall conclude the subject for the present. Think over an opinion which I shaj

express shortly but freely; and I shall be happy to hear your rejoinder on some future occasion." This was an unexpected and a sad extinguisher upon his burning zeal, kindled at the new light, that engrossed all his thoughts for the moment! However, Mr. Unstable knew well enough the proverb, that " every Englishman's house is his castle," and felt that, having entered the dwelling of his friend, he ought to submit to its regulations for the time being, and to receive with as good a grace as possible from its master, the following very short but wholesome lecture.

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"I am not," said Mr. Constancy, gravely, but with that mild and affectionate tone of voice, which generally commands attention and respect, "I am not about to condemn any class of people or persuasions, or even the high-seasoned doctrines and severe lashings you speak of, now, it is not my province; and to their own master they must stand or fall. But I cannot help expressing to you my fears, (nor do I see, how I could be justified in suppressing the warning they may convey; that the prophecy of St. Paul is already fulfilled to an alarming extent, The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but of their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.' You vote yourself a churchman, and, to go no further for other examples, so does our neighbour, Mr. Fickle; insomuch that when our present zealous and active curate came into the parish, but a year and a half ago, you both acted towards him, almost literally as old Mr. Howels, late of Long Acre Chapel, London, once said the cockneys did with such young pol pular clergymen, i.e. you very nearly "hugged him to death!" I blame you not for that-for he was (but remember, he continues to be) a most devoted and faithful Ambassador of Christ, and steward of the mysteries of God.' I defy all christendom to gainsay this. And yet now, and for many months past, you two, and several other parishioners that I could name, have utterly forsaken his ministry! From your own showing to night, and on other occasions, I can make out that you have been heaping to yourselves' and running after (in the Establishment and out of it,) at least four new Teachers' in about as many months! Really your novelty outherods all the Athenians and strangers which were there, who spent their time in nothing else, but either totell or to hear some new thing' or 'newer thing, as I understand the expression might be rendered. Why, given to change' at this rateat this rail-road speed of innovation, in a fortnight hence Mr. Strangers sublime rhapsody, and Heaven upon Earth, and so forth, will be discarded and 'like an almanack out of date! My friend Unstable, forgive myearnestness and strong terms on such a subject, for it is positively sickening and mournful to witness such a restless spirit and thirst after 'Preachers of new things, no matter what, so it be new enough, and strange enough, and wrong enough.' Be assured the maxim is as true of the professor of religion, as it is of the man of busi

6

ness. 'A rolling stone never gathers moss.'

And

I wish earnestly that the Anglo-Athenian of our day, the modern fanciers of newer things, would remember and be warned by the sentiments of the celebrated John Newton on this point, with which I shall close my observations." He says. "UNSETTLED HEARERS Seldom thrive, they usually grow wise in their own conceits, have their heads filled with notions, acquire a dry, critical, and censorious spirit, and are more intent upon disputing who is the best preacher, than upon obtaining benefit themselves from what they hear." Mr. Unstable heard all this with marked attention, and attempted no defence or reply. Indeed it was too late, and having therefore taken leave of Mr. Constancy, and his family most cordially, he determined upon considering the matter over at his own home.-I am, Mr. Editor, your faithful servant, JAMES I.-22

THE COMING OF ELIAS. MATTHEW Xvii chapter, 10, 11, 12 verses.- And his Disciples asked him saying, why, then, say the Scribes, that Elias must first come? And Jesus answerd and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things."

It was a general tradition in the Jewish nation, that Elias, or Elijah, the Tishbite, was to come in person, as the forerunner of the Messiah. This accounts for the question thus put to Christ, and it is an interesting enquiry, whether the Scriptures do not in fact, hold out a prospect of the kind. with reference to the Second Advent, and whether the Prophecies in Isaiah and Malachi are not in some degree distinct Prophecies, the first applying primarily to the coming of Christ in humiliation, the second to his Advent in Glory.

Isaiah xl. 3, says, "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God." In St. John i. 23, this is applied expressly to John the Baptist, who, in answer to the question, "Art thou Elias," says, "I am not. I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, &c., as said the Prophet Esaias."

St. Luke i. 17, says, "And he (John the Baptist) shall go before him (Christ) in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the Fathers to the Children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." When, therefore, Christ in answer to the enquiry in the text, and after the coming of John the Baptist, says expressly, "Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things," and when he adds, "Elias is come already," he does not surely mean to contradict the previous testimony of John the Baptist, who says, "I am not Elias, but merely to infer that he had come in the first instance in the spirit and power of Elias; and that previous to the Second Advent of Christ, (to which from the context, the question put by the Disciples clearly referred) Elias truly should come "and restore all things."

Isaiah's Prophecy says of Christ," he shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those which are with young." This he did at his first Advent; but Malachi iv. 1, speaks of him in other terms, referring evidently to the events which will take place about the time of the second Advent-iv. "For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch;" and then, at the 5th verse, “Behold I will send you Elijah the Pro

phet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord; and he shall turn the heart of the Fathers to the Children, and the heart of the children to their Fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."

Does it not thus appear that the actual, personal coming of Elias, is an event for which we are to look, and would not the literal fulfilment of the Prophecy, be eminently calculated (humanly speaking) to convince both Jew and Gentile, -the Jew as being agreeable to his long cherished expectation, and the Gentile, as proving the real mean ing of what might otherwise appear hard to be understood, when cursorily comparing the words of John the Baptist and Christ?

In this view, the coming of Elias would have the same effect with reference to the second Advent, which the coming of John the Baptist had to the first-viz. that of preparing the way.

Behold I come quickly-Even so come, Lord Jesus.

G.

A Country Pastor's address to Farm Servants. My Dear Friends,-I trust I have lived long enough among you, to convince you that I feel particularly interested both in your temporal and spiritual welfare, and that my heart's desire and prayer to God, is, that you may be saved. You must allow that I am well acquainted with the state of things in our Parish, indeed with all the customs and practices which prevail among us. I am desirous of calling your most earnest consideration to a practice which has for many years been common in our Parish, and which I think a very bad one, I mean the common custom among young farm servants of devoting up the morning of the Lord's day to fetching their Clothes from washing. I hope that I shall be able to convince you that the manner in which this practice is carried on amongst us, leads both parents and children to encou rage each other in profaning the Sabbath day. In the fourth commandment, we are enjoined by God to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. This is the duty required of us, with respect to the Sabbath-we are commanded to keep it holy. The command addresses itself to you, my poorer and more humble neighbours, and the keeping holy the Sabbath day, is as much your duty, as it is the duty of the Queen upon her throne.-It is necessary we should clearly understand what is meant by keeping holy the Sabbath day; for unless we know the nature of our duty, it is not likely that we shall ever be able to perform it-The word holy is often used in Scripture with reference to things or persons that were set apart for the service of God; thus the nation of Israel is called holy, because separated from the rest of the world, to be God's peculiar people-the vessels of the Temple are termed holy because they were not allowed to be used for any common purpose, but were consecrated solely and entirely to the service of God. In this sense precisely is the Sabbath day called holy, because it is separated from other days of the week, and appropriated to sacred purposesin this sense, you are also called to keep it holy.—But you should recollect, my friends, that the day in itself, cannot be separated from the other days of the week. The Sun, on the Sabbath day will run his course, the circling hours will perform their revolution, in the same uniform and regular manner as they do on any other day. The term holy, therefore, in the sense intended, must be applied, to yourselves; and when you are commanded to keep holy the Sabbath day, you must always understand it to mean, that you are on that day, to separate yourselves, with regard to your thoughts, words, and actions, from those things which formed the proper occupations of the other six days of the week, and apply yourselves entirely to spiritual and sacred exercises. This is the meaning of keeping holy the Sabbath day. As God, at the Creation,

rested on the Seventh day from those labours in which he condescended to be occupied during the six preceding days, so are you, in accordance with his example, called upon at the return of every Sabbath, to rest from those secular and worldly pursuits in which you were engaged during the preceding week-No portion of these should be allowed to follow you over the threshold of this sacred day. -The word of God expressly tells us not to speak our own words, (Isaiah 58. 18.) which evidently implies that we are not to talk about the world, and the affairs of this life, that all subjects of a secular nature should be excluded from our conversation during that hallowed interval. Permit me to ask you, my friends, how the case stands with you in this respect. When your children pay you a visit on a Sunday morning, for the purpose of procuring a change of Linen, or other things which they may require, during the time they spend with you, what is the subject of your conversation? Do you employ the time in conversing about spiritual things, or do you not rather avail yourselves of the opportunity to talk over your little family matters? Is not the time principally, if not entirely, spent in recounting the various occurrences that have taken place since you met before, and the different trials to which you may have been subjected? If this be the case, you are guilty of profaning the Lord's day, and of devoting it to purposes entirely contrary to those for which the sacred day was originally appointed.

But, my friends, you are not only required to abstain from those things which are forbidden to be done on the Lord's day, you are imperatively called upon to engage in the performance of positive duties. Do not flatter yourselves that you have done every thing that is required of you, when you have ceased from all manner of work, and rested from all bodily exertion. No, my friends! something more is expected from you, than the mere repose of your animal nature. This is commanded for your cattle to enjoy, and they are as capable of this as you are. But something beyond this, and of a higher nature is demanded from you-namely, that you should actively and devoutly engage in the service of your Maker. This was the end for which you were sent into the world, and the principal reason why you are continued in it. And surely, my friends, if this is a duty required from you at all times, how much more are you called upon to perform it on that very day, which is set apart by God himself for that very purpose?

This is the season, above all others, when you ought to meet together in his holy Temple to hear his word, to seek his mercy, and join the general congregation in offering up to him your humble tribute of adoration and praise. But is this what you are in the habit of doing during this sacred interval? Does not the unhallowed practice of which I am speaking, interfere most effectually to prevent you from attending the house of God, and especially during the morning part of Sunday? You know, my friends, that some of the members of your family, who are parties to this objectionable system, live at a distance from you. In the early part of the day, they are engaged in perform ing those duties which are connected with their situation; this being accomplished, they have a few hours at their disposal;-and how do they employ them? In making themselves clean and decent in order to attend a place of worship? For otherwise they avail themselves of this most important interval of leisure, to transact the little business which they have to settle with their parents, or other relatives or friends. We, therefore, see a number of young men every Sabbath morning, traversing our roads, and by-lanes, in their working apparel, with bundles under their arms, (a most unbecoming and indecent sight on the Lord's day), and on their way to those places where the office of washing and mending their linen is performed. It frequently happens, also, on these occasions, that a number of such characters are thrown together; and

own

whenever this occurs, they certainly present to the eye of every serious and reflecting person, a most unseemly and illboding group. And let it not be forgotten, that all this is going on, just at the time when the Portals of the Sanctuary are opening, and the Church-going bell is inviting them to enter it. But the doors of the sacred Edifice are unfolded for them in vain, and the solemn tone of the bell invites them to no purpose. They pass on totally unmoved by any of those serious reflections, which such an occasion is calculated to suggest. And what is the result? Not only do they, themselves, refuse to obey the call; but they also prove a hindrance in the way of others. And it is an awful consideration, that parents and children thus unite in perverting the Lord's day to secular purposes.

Now, my friends, permit me to ask, if this is not a correct description of the state of things in our parish, with respect to the particular custom of which I am treating? But, ought these things so to be? Ought we not rather to do every thing in our power to put an end to such an unchristian practice? And what hinders that it should not be abolished?

Perhaps you will be ready to plead in answer to all I have said in condemnation of this prevailing evil, that you do it out of kindness to your children, and with a view to assist them at their first setting out in life. My dear friends, I hope you will believe me, when I declare, that I admire such a feeling, and duly appreciate it. I think it very natural that you should be anxious for the welfare of your children, when they first quit the domestic circle, to commence that mode of life, which is to render them dependent upon their own resources. I grant, my friends, that at such an important crisis in their history, it is perfectly reasonable that you should feel desirous of affording them every assistance. But is it not much to be regretted that all this kind and parental feeling should betray you into a violation of the Law of God? Is it not grievous to think. that a thing so commendable, and praiseworthy in itself, should be made the occasion of such a serious evil? Nay, according to the manner in which it is exercised, I call it not kindness, but the height of cruelty-for you attend to your children's temporal welfare, at the expence of their eternal felicity. You shew more concern for their bodies, than for their souls-for their happiness in time, than in eternity-for how can it be otherwise, when you encourage them in a course of conduct, which, being in direct opposition to the law of God, must, if not repented of, and pardoned through the merits of a crucified Redeemer, terminate in everlasting misery. Oh Parents! how can you do any thing that may prove accessary to such a catastrophe ? how can you even expect a blessing upon your temporal concerns, whilst you are guilty of robbing God of a portion of his sacred day.

You will find, by referring to the following places in the Word of God, that a special blessing is attached to the due observance of the Lord's day, Isaiah lvi. 4-7, and lviii. 13, 14, and the most fearful judgments denounced against the profanation of it, Nehemiah xiii. 17. 18, Jeremiah xvii. 27, Ezekiel xx. 15, 16, Having read all these passages, does it not appear to you, that even in a worldly point of view, you would best consult your interest by refraining from doing any thing which may be considered inconsistent with the nature and design of this sacred institution. And when you plead your desire to be kind to your children, and your wish to assist them, &c., as the reason of your conduct, have you seriously consi-. dered whether it is such a plea as will stand the test of that awful trial, which you have one day to undergo, at the Bar of God? Are you sure that it is such a plea as you will be able to urge with confidence, before the throne at the day of Judgment? When, at the sound of the last Trumpet, you are roused from your slumbers in the grave, to meet your children, who had reposed, like yourselves,