be sanctified. And that the camp might yet be favoured with the presence and blessing of God. Return, O Lord, how long? He would stay the departing glory.

At all events, he would pray for the children. An interdict was placed upon himself, and upon all the heads of families, (Joshua and Caleb excepted,) none of whom were to enter the Land of Promise; but he was yet anxious for the youthful population in the camp, and is anxious to pray down a blessing upon them.

The whole Psalm presents a singular instance of the concern of a good man to derive spiritual blessings from a temporal calamity. He had done his very best, with the spirit of a patriot and the piety of a saint, to avert the calamity that he dreaded from the nation that he loved; but when all was fruitless, there was one thing more he could do, and did, to seek his own spiritual improvement, and to draw down the blessing of heaven upon the ungrateful men by whom he was surrounded. Notice,

I. Some truths suggested in the prayer of the text.

1. That real religion, wherever it exists, is a divine production in the human mind. " Thy work," &c. It is a work, and a work of God. It is God who begins the good work.

God claims to himself the high prerogative of originating religious principle in the human heart, and of preserving the principle which his own Spirit originates. "This people have I formed," &c. "The gospel is the power of God," &c. By grace ye are saved,"

&c.

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Christians may doubt whether they have religion ; never to whom they owe it.

2. That they who have experienced its power and preciousness themselves, are anxious for its prevalence among those most dear to them. Thy work to 'thy servants-thy glory to their children."

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They are anxious that they should be fellow-heirs of the grace of life-that religion should find its strong

hold in the bosom of their children-that they should stoop to drink of the river of the water of life—be equal sharers with themselves in that covenant ordered in all things and sure. There never was a truly christian parent yet, who was not anxious for the spiritual welfare of his child. In proportion as they feel the value and preciousness of a Saviour's grace, they are solicitous for the immortal welfare of their children— and travail in birth till Christ be formed within them the hope of glory.

Abraham, "O that Ishmael," &c. Jacob,-waiting for God's salvation, prays for all the tribes, and blesses the two sons of Joseph." The angel that redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads." Job,-rising up, offers sacrifices for the salvation of his sons. David,—“ O Absalom, my son," &c. Eli died of a broken heart when he heard his sons were slain and the ark taken. Lois and Eunice train Timothy, &c; and John has no greater joy than to see his children walk in the truth.

3. That the preservation of religion in families is a leading object of God's dispensations.

The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: his blessing on the just. The curse of God, like the air of pestilence, enters invisibly: his blessing breaks, like light, silently and without noise.

He blesses Ishmael for Abram's sake; and takes that wandering bird under the wing of providence.

God himself looks with peculiar delight upon the growth of religion in families, and sympathizes with the deep anxiety of a parent's heart. He appointed for two thousand years the rite of circumcision, as a grand means of keeping up the succession of piety in the dwelling-place of the righteous.

4. That it becomes the young, as they rise to years of consciousness and maturity, to unite their prayers with the prayers that are offered on their behalf. O satisfy us with thy mercy.

Everything proclaims the infinite worth and preciousness of your salvation. Why this responsibility of parents? Why these promises? Why this variety

of means? Why this solicitude of pastors, teachers, ministers, christian friends, but because your salvation is of great account? Should it not be so to you? Parents cannot repent for you, believe for you, accept Christ for you: cannot be saved for you, lost for you. "If you be wise, be wise for yourself."

O that God may arouse you! The best evidence that he has made an everlasting covenant with you, is your making one with him.

II. Some encouragements to present this prayer.

1. It is a point in which God's glory, and man's good, are found to meet and centre. You do not run counter to the tide of divine designs, but in unison. It is God's work, and God's glory.

2. It is a subject to which the richest promises are made.

3. It has been amply answered in every age.

III. Some practical hints for our own conduct.

1. Aim to be the instrument of fulfilling your own prayer. Show them God's glory.

2. Take heed there is nothing in your conduct to counteract your instruction.

3. Ascribe to God all the glory of success.

XXIV.

THE MEDIATORIAL SYSTEM.

BY THE REV. CALEB MORRIS.

ROM. V. 18.

"Therefore, as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

ONE of the chief glories of Christianity is this-it is the religion of facts. Its truth, its importance, its

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power and pleasures, rest on facts. These facts are few in number, extraordinary in their character, eternal and universal in their aspects. They refer to the peace and progress of the universe, they occupy the thoughts and feelings of the God of the universe. They most decidedly refer, however, to men—to men in sin, to men in misery, to men on earth. Heaven will have an eternal succession of revelations adapted to itself. It is by the great facts of Christianity that God rules, expands, and saves the minds of men ;— these facts interpret the principles of Christianity, and the principles of Christianity reveal God.

In the context we have two classes of facts. The first class embraces dark melancholy facts; the second bright and animating ones. This is one dark factsin is in the world. Yes, sin has entered the world. It has quenched its lights, destroyed its liberties, embittered all its enjoyments. History, observation, and our own consciousness, convince us that sin is in the world. I am as sure that I am a sinner as that I think, feel, exist. Here is another fact-death is in the world. It reigned from Adam to Moses, from Moses to Christ, and from Christ to this day. Individuals are dying; families are dying; nations are dying; the world is dying. The present vast, busy population of the globe is rapidly descending to death: soon it will be entirely under the dark government of the grave. Every sepulchre that we see, every funeral that darkens the street, every illness, every pulse, reminds us that the dust is to be our home. But there is another dark fact stated in the text-both sin and death have entered into the world by the same man, and that man was Adam. The origin of evil is, after all, a deep mystery to us, but the introduction of evil to our world is an historical fact clearly stated in the Bible. And the study of this fact, as recorded, would throw much light upon the nature of moral agency and moral government. Yes, it was Adam that brought sin and death to the world. Unhappy man! Once he was very good. He saw God in all the ob

jects around him: he heard his voice in all the voices of creation, and was blessed in his love all the day. But he put forth his guilty hand, and by one deed quenched the light, liberty, hope, and heaven, of both himself and his posterity. God made Adam the father, the priest of the world; but Adam ruined it and himself. It is mournfully interesting to study the first breaking out of those evils which have blackened the physical and moral world. Adam was the original sinner; and we his children sin and die. These are facts which require no proof.

But there are other three truths (or they may be called facts) stated here. This is one-grace is in the world. "Grace hath abounded"--where ? In this world where sin had reigned. All the temporal and spiritual blessings which we have in possession or in prospect, are the effects of divine favour. God was under no obligation to show grace to this world; and having shown it, he is under no obligation to continue it. He might withdraw it. But the withdrawment, or, rather, the withholding of it, would leave man a demon in character, who would soon kindle around himself the fires of an universal hell. There is grace in the world: and that alone keeps it from becoming. the victim of its own wilful transgression. There is another truth-there is a higher, nobler life than this. "Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life." Eternal life is a phrase which often occurs in the New Testament. It means three things:-freedom from sin, which is the destroyer of the innocence, the happiness, and the utility of man; freedom from the penalties of violated law; and freedom from annihilation. In a word, it means an existence without sin-an existence without misery-an existence without end. But there is another truth in the textboth this grace and eternal life flow to man through the same channel, and that is "Christ Jesus the Lord." Glorious truths these!

The apostle states these great truths in this connexion for two purposes: one of which is special, local, tem