chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness, unto them that are exercised thereby."

Revelation iii. 19. "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent."

ON PARENTAL DISCIPLINE.

THE love of earthly parents is to be shewn in strict conformity to this unerring standard. Love is to be the source and spring of all their actions, and their children's real good their aim; and therefore when they transgress, they are not to permit their sins to pass unpunished.

"And ye

The declarations, Ephesians vi. 4, fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord;" and Colossians iii. 21, "Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged;" are no less binding than the following.

Proverbs x. 13. "A rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding."

Proverbs xiii. 24. "He that spareth his rod, hateth his son; but he that loveth him, chasteneth him betimes."

Proverbs xix. 18. "Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying."

Proverbs xxi. 11.

"When the scorner is

punished, the simple is made wise."

Proverbs xxii. 15.

"Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."

Proverbs xxiii. 13, 14. "Withhold not correction from the child; for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell."

Proverbs xxix. 15, 17. "The rod and reproof give wisdom; but a child left to himself, bringeth his mother to shame. Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul."

WARNINGS TO INCONSISTENT
PARENTS.

THE promises given to believing parents, are mixed with threatenings to those who presumptuously suppose, that they shall obtain the blessing, whilst they neglect the appointed means of obtaining it. We have an awful example to this effect in the history of Eli.

Eli was a man of God, the Lord's anointed priest, on whom it peculiarly devolved to walk

in all the ordinances and commandments of the Lord blameless, and to set an example to all the people of bringing up his children in the fear of God. Instead of this, we find that "the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord." Their conduct was so vile and abominable, that "the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord: for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.""

Had Eli faithfully admonished and corrected his profane sons, his situation would have excited compassion rather than blame ;-but, on the contrary, he overlooked their transgressions, though he was so well acquainted with them; merely said, Why do ye such things? For I hear of your evil dealings by all this people. Nay, my sons, for it is no good report that I hear; ye make the Lord's people to transgress.""

66

The Lord was so incensed with his weakness, and the dishonour that Eli thus brought upon his name, that he charges him with their sins. "And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house? And did I choose him, out of all the tribes of Israel, to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto

the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel? Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice, and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation, and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people? Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever; but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. Behold the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house. And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel; and there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever. And the man of thine whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart; and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age. And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die, both of them. And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart, and in my mind, and I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever. And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house