strongly than any other the decay of the foundations of society, because it had to war with, and overcome, the strongest instinct,—namely, that of a parent's love; and to the honour of the sex be it acknowledged, that it found a resistance in the strong citadel of a mother's breast, long after it had dislodged every other opposer. But this subject would lead us too far from the purport of this essay; suffice it to say, that the more it is sifted the more it is opposed to every maxim of religion, morality, and affection; and it would not be more incongruous for a man to call himself a Christian, and be an habitual drunkard, or swearer, than it is for him to do so whilst thrusting his children out of his own home, and consigning their education to irreligious teachers.

Before quitting the subject of the constitution of parent and child, it may be well to point out another spiritual truth which is portrayed by it. The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, and its attendant blessedness to the whole creation, is represented by the figure of a woman bringing forth a child, John xvi. 16-22; Jer. xxx. 6-9; Is. lxvi.

5-10. The present dispensation, therefore, is analogous to the life of a child in the womb alive, indeed, with all the properties and faculties of a man, but undeveloped; a life hidden, and not seen; and its future manifestation apparent only to faith; receiving all its circulation and nourishment from her within whose life its own is involved, and only to be produced by the most violent throes which nature can endure. In this state lies the whole mystical man-child, Christ, or the invisible Church; and its type, or outward sign and representative to the world, the Jewish nation. But this is by the way.

The next relationship is that of MASTER and SERVANT, which, though primarily referrable to the inmates of the same house, is equally applicable to every situation where degrees of superior and inferior are found; the responsibility of it is commensurate with the extent of the superior's jurisdiction, be it over one household servant; or over a number of agricultural labourers; or over a body of manufacturers; or over a regiment of soldiers; or over a ship full of sailors; or over a province;

or over a kingdom. "Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters, according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, AS UNTO CHRIST. Not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as the SERVANTS OF CHRIST, doing the will of God from the heart: with good-will doing service as to the Lord, and not to men; knowing that whatsoever good thing a man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. And ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening; knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him."-Eph. vi. 5-9. In the Epistle to the Colossians the same directions are repeated. "Servants, obey in all things your masters, according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God: and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing, that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath

done; and there is no respect of persons." It is worthy of observation, that the directions to servants are extended to a much greater length than those to any of the other relationships; and servants are certainly more liable, and more easily tempted, to breach of duty than any other persons. They are reminded that their real service is not to their earthly, but to their heavenly employer; that in the lowest offices, they are cleaning dishes, floors, &c., because the Lord requires them to clean dishes, &c. Thus if they work for him their zeal will never flag, for he is not a master of whom they can ever have reason to complain; and in working for him, as if he were standing by, and in his sight, will they alone work well and faithfully for their earthly employer. The great temptation of servants arises from their being habitually engaged with the property of others instead of with their own: they, therefore, feeling no ill consequences from waste and extravagance, cease to regard it as an evil against which it is their duty to guard. Upon the same principle bailiffs, and overseers of farming and other

country business, invariably conduct it upon a more wasteful and extravagant plan than they would if it were their own; and in this warning of the apostle, servants are reminded that they are tempted to act in a different manner, behind the backs of their masters, from that in which they act before their faces. The expression, threatening, which masters are desired not to use, is more properly, in common language, scolding; that is, not telling the servant of his fault calmly, but by loudness of voice, and volubility of words, showing more ill-temper in themselves, than honest and conscientious wish to suppress what is wrong, as unto God; feeling offended in their own personal convenience, more than in their character of office-bearers for Christ.

It is not many years since the far larger proportion of domestic servants were born and bred on the estates, and among the dependents of the noblemen in whose houses. they afterward entered as servants. In those days also, it was much more the habit, than it is now, for a chaplain to be resident in the mansions of the aristocracy, and to