father, may not
be made as effectual to the gradual conversion of a child as the
preaching of a pastor from the pulpit. Nor can I see why a gradual
elevation of a child to the higher spiritual life should not be as
possible and as probable as the sudden elevation of a hardened and
inveterate sinner. 'You cannot give your children grace,' it is said:
but it is easy to answer, 'GOD can give children grace through
the medium of Christian parents, as well as through public preachers and
teachers.' I encourage people to bring up their children in Christian
knowledge and goodness, by telling them that God may be expected to
bless their labors to the sanctification and salvation of their children
from their early days. Baxter used to thank God that he was led by his
good parents to love God so early that he could not recollect a time
when he did not love Him.

--Churches exist in this world to remind us of the eternal laws which we
are bound to obey. So far as they do this, they answer their end, and
are honored in doing so. It would have been better for all of us--it
would be better for us now, could churches keep this their peculiar
function steadily and singly before them. Unfortunately, they have
preferred in later times the speculative side of things to the
practical.

--There is a tendency in men to corrupt religion; to change it from an
aid and incentive to a holy life, into a contrivance to enable men to
sin without fear of punishment. Obedience to God's law is dispensed
with, if men will diligently profess certain opinions, or practically
take part in certain rites. However scandalous the moral life, the
profession of a particular belief, or attention to certain forms, at the
moment of death, is held to clear the soul.

--It would be easy to give a hundred instances of doctrines to be heard
in sermons and found in religious books, which are nowhere taught in
Scripture. And some of them exert a mighty influence for evil on the
church and the world. They check the spread of Christianity. They
strengthen the cause of infidelity. They keep people away from Christ.
They make an all but impassable gulf between the church and the mass of
humanity.

--Some think they would not have enough to talk about if they were to
give up all the doctrines or notions for which I say there is no
scriptural authority. One preacher told me I had already spoiled some of
his best sermons. He said he had never been able to preach them wit