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to win upon the feelings of their children, as to show them by their example, how dear a place the best interests of their souls occupy in their hearts ?

3. Family prayer is a duty clearly inferred from Scripture example. It is not a little surprising that it should ever be plead as an apology for the neglect of this duty, that it is not expressly commanded in the Bible! After an explicit command to pray always, and with all prayer, a for parents to think of being excused, or to desire to be excused, when their examples are so influential in their families; is a painful indication that they have no proper sense of duty or the worth of souls. "Pour out thy fury (said Jeremiah) upon the heathen, and upon the families that call not on thy name." e It is said in prophecy, that in the latter day, when the Lord shall pour out a spirit of grace and supplication upon his people, the land shall mourn, every family apart." b "Moses was faithful in all his house." c "Cornelius was a devout man, and one that feared God, with all his house,—and prayed to God alway." d But the example of the Saviour, is an argument which no Christian can wish to evade. Though he had no house, yet he had a family. "It came to pass, as he was alone praying, and his disciples were with him."

4. Family prayer is an important means of perseverance. It is often said, that prayer is the life of religion, and nothing can be more true; for whatever may be our pretensions, so long as we live without prayer, we are dead while we live. Though spiritual life may depend more on secret than any other kind of prayer, yet it will be seen at once, that there are many sins, which prayer in the family, will be far the most likely to prevent. What can be more likely to make a Christian parent feel the importance of walking soberly and

a 1 Tim. ii. 1-9. e Jer. x 25. b Zech xii, 12. c Heb. iii. 2. d Acts

X. 2.

circumspectly before his family, than the reflection that he has stood before them in the solemn attitude of prayer?

5. How is it possible without a steady and faithful discharge of this duty, to bring up our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? While, as it has been already remarked, the minds of children are more effectually influenced by parental example than by any thing else, what better are our examples if this duty be neglected, than those of worldly irreligious men? How can we expect that they will feel it to be their duty to pray, while they hear no acknowledgements to God of dependence, or of obligation from their parents?

6. Parents must give an account of all their opportunities to instruct their children, and the influence they have had it in their power to exert over them, at the bar of Jehovah. It is believed, that this consideration of itself, were it duly weighed, would be sufficient to remove all doubts, and lead parents to the faithful and persevering performance of this duty. While it is neglected, every parent must know, that he is cherishing the natural aversion of heart in the minds of his children, towards religion and its duties by the most effectual inducements, which it is in his power to place before them. He cannot take a more direct course to convince them that it is not hazardous, nor offensive to God, to neglect his service. What parent is willing to meet the account of a life spent in this way—a life devoted to the ruin of his children, at the great day of decision? How trifling must every apology for the neglect of this duty, appear in view of that day! Where is the parent who seriously reflects on that day, when he must meet his children, with all the opportunities he has enjoyed to instruct them, who can rest a moment in the neglect

of this duty, by saying that he has not the requisite abilities, or that he has so long neglected his duty, he cannot perform it ?

Dwight's Theology.-Park-Street Lectures.-Doddridge's Address to Parents.-Orton on Prayer.

SECTION XIV. ·

Consequences of Death.

Q. What are the immediate consequences of death? A. One of the immediate consequences of death, is a ter mination of our time of trial or probation. The word probation, is not used in the Bible, and on this account, many are inclined to consider all that is said about it, as a speculation which is wholly without foundation. The same objec tion might be made to the doctrine of a future staté. words future state, or futurity, are no where used in the Scriptures. We must be pitiably ignorant of the history of the world, not to know that language, in its common use, may change; and that new words and phrases may be adopted, whose meaning may be synonymous with others which have been used before them.

The

By a state of probation, we mean a time in which, we are allowed to act on trial for the retributions of the future world. It is a time in which we may choose life or death; with the assurance that according to our choice, will be our future condition. That the present is such a state, is evident from the parable of the unjust steward: "Give an account of thy 'stewardship, for thou mayest be no longer steward." The same sentiment is clearly exhibited in the parable of the

vineyard. In this parable, the time of trial is compared to the hours in a day. The invitations were given out, and such as accepted, went in during the twelve hours. When the twelfth hour arrived, they were called to receive their reward. Again; "Work while the day last, the night cometh wherein no man can work." The wise man observes, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might, for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest." a Says the Saviour, "Be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh." b It is presumed that no one would contend that the direction here given, is that we should be in readiness for another state of trial; because, for the same reason that another will be needed, we cannot fail of being ready. Further, "The rich man died, and in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments." c The whole account of the rich man and Lazarus, is plain and unequivocal in the support of this sentiment. For what reason was the rich man denied the smallest mercy of which we can form any conception, if his op portunity to obtain the favour of God, were not irrecovera bly past? Upon what principle could it be said, that he had received his good things, if his case were not hopeless? We know it is often said, that this is a parable. Should we grant it, must we suppose that it has no meaning? And if we set aside the plain and obvious meaning of this parable, why not that of every other? Again, we are explicitly and repeatedly told, that the account which we must render at the judgment day, will be for the deeds done in the body. d Can we suppose that men will be favoured with another time of probation after death, and that they will not be called to give an account for the manner in which they improve it? There can be no such period of trial after the general judgment. A

a Eccl. ix 10. b Mat. xxiv. 44 c Luke xvi. 23, d 2 Cor. v. 10.

time of trial, supposes a time of reckoning; and without it, would be a sentence without meaning. As there are but few passages of Scripture which are ever brought forward to prove that there will be a day of grace or trial in the future world, we shall now give them a brief, but candid examination The most important may be found in the first General Epistle of Peter. a "By which also, he went and preached to the spirits in prison." It is thought by many, that an account is here given of what the Saviour did after his death. But in order to understand the passage correctly, let the question be asked, how did he go and preach to the spirits in pris on? The answer is, "By his Spirit." If the question be, when did he go and preach to them? the answer is, "When once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah." The prison to which the Apostle referred, was doubtless, the prison of hell; and those disobedient persons to whom Noah, by the Spirit of Christ, was constantly preaching, while the ark was preparing; at the time the Apostle wrote, were in hell. By which also he went and preached," here the past tense is used; "to the spirits in prison;"-this is in the present tense. That there is nothing unnatural in saying that the preaching of Christ, was by the person of Noah, is plain from this fact: Noah was called a preacher of rightcousness, and in the first chapter of this Epistle, the prophets are said to have prophesied through the Spirit of Christ. "Of which salvation, the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ which was in them, did signify when it testified beforehand, the sufferings of Christ," &c. Now it is certainly as rational to suppose, that Christ should preach,' as prophesy by his Spirit, through his prophets. This pas sage then, according to our views, may be explained simply by the help of the Bible itself, and the explanation is perfect16* a 1 Pet iii 18, 19, 20.

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