would rather he alarmed than comforted, and would exert their influence to divert his thout>ht.s from such ways. But beware how any of you jDut a stumbling-block in the way of your children, either by your influence or example. Beware how, after having instigated them to vow unto the Lord, you tempt them to fcn-get and violate their vows. Rather take occasion from the conflrmation of your children to look back upon your own conduct, and to see how you have kept your own vows. Do not imagine that a lapse of years can make any diflference in your obligations to serve the Lord, or that, because you have forgotten your vows, God has forgot them too : they are all written in the book of his remembrance ; and every word which we have addressed to the yoimg people in reference to this matter, is applicable to you ; yea, to you it applies with double force, because your more advanced age qualifies you so much better to see and follow the path of duty. I call upon you then to watch over your children, and to promote, by every possible means, their progress in the divine life. Encourage them to read the Scriptures diligently, to give themselves much to meditation and prayer, and to commence in earnest that race, which must be run by all who would obtain the prize.]
Eccl. vii. 4. The heart of the loise is in the house of mourning ; hut the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
IN order to learn what loss we have sustained in our intellectual powers through the introduction of sin into the world, it is not necessary for us to investigate the mysteries of our holy religion, which exceed the comprehension of any finite intelligence : we need only look to the ethics that are revealed to us in God's blessed word ; and we shall see, even in them, that darkness lias veiled the human mind, and there is an utter contrariety between the sentiments of fallen man and the plainest declarations of Almighty God. Take, for instance, the declarations which precede my text : ^' The day of death is better than the day of one's birth. It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting :" and " sorrow is better than laughter." Will any one say that these apophthegms are agreeable to the general appre-