ciples of religion around you? Every child who leaves your house, devoid of the fear God and the love of man, is an Ishmaelite, whose hand is raised against every evangelical principle, because every such principle disputes his legitimate claim to happiness; and though he may maintain his independence amongst his brethren, yet this will be acquired and perpetuated by the sacrifice of those sacred maxims which form the only bond of union and strength between the different members of the community. You know who hath said, "Righteousness exalteth a nation." Let me therefore adjure you, before the Lord, to lay the foundation thereof in your first-born, and then in your youngest son you may set up the gates thereof. The last obligation which I shall mention, arises from the authority of God. To his ancient people he gave the following charge.—" And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine honse, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." A similar charge is delivered in the New Testament-"And ye, fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." This is represented as the ordinary method which he employs to perpetuate a knowledge of his revealed will through the successive generations of his chosen people. "I will utter dark sayings of old which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done, for he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; that the generations to come might know them, even the children which should be born, who should arise and declare them to their children; that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments." Such is the law of the Lord, and he will call you to give an account of the attention which it has received. you now treat it with indifference, that day, which will be ushered in with the voice of the Archangel and the trump of God, will be a day of lamentation and bitter weeping. "Give me leave to direct you to it in this distant prospect, If while you have an opportunity of avoiding its terrors. If you go on in this cruel negligence of the souls of your children, how will you dare to meet them at that judgment seat? How will you be able to answer the great Father of spirits, when expostulating with you on account of his offspring, as well as yours, who have been betrayed and ruined by your neglect? Inhuman creatures, may he justly say, to whom should I have committed the care of them rather than you? Did they not, by my appointment, derive their being from you? Did I not implant in your hearts the natural affections of parents towards them? And to increase the obligation, did they not pass through the tender scenes of infancy and childhood in your arms and under your eye? If you had no compassion for their perishing souls, if you would exert no efforts for their deliverance and salvation, from whom could those compassions, those efforts, have been expected? But wherein did they appear? Behold the book of my remembrance, the records of thy life, thrown open before thee? Where is the memorial of one hour spent in holy instruction or in fervent prayer, with them or for them? Can I approve, can I acquit you on such a review? Or shall not rather visit for these things, and shall not my soul be avenged for such a conduct as this?" |