it is no
less the duty of parents to provide for the spiritual necessities of
their own families. And first--we shall consider the duty of parents, to
provide suitable training for their children. This is a duty which God
has enjoined and approves. He said of Abraham, "For I know him, that he
will command his children and his household after him, and they shall
keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may
bring upon Abraham, that which He hath spoken of him." The duty of
parents to train their children religiously, is clearly taught under the
gospel dispensation.

"And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up
in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Here, we have divine
authority, for teaching our children, the things, which make for their
good, both in this life and that which is to come. But it may be asked,
to what extent are parents bound to comply with these high and solemn
obligations? We answer, to the utmost of their ability. To whom much is
given, of him much is required, and to whom little is given, of him
little is required.--But all are bound to train up their children "in
the way they should go, that when they are old, they may not depart from
it." This duty is seen in the judgments which God has visited upon those
parents and children who have neglected to obey the Lord in this
particular.--(1 Samuel 2: 34.)

3. We are, in the third place, to enquire what it is to "deny the
faith." Much is said in the Scriptures about faith. Much depends upon
it. We are said to be "justified by faith," and "saved by faith;" we
"live by faith." And inasmuch, as such as are spoken of in the text are
said to be worse than an infidel, because they provide not for
themselves and families, thereby showing that they have denied the
faith, therefore let us try to consider what genuine faith is, and what
it is to deny it. This is the most important point in the subject now
before us. "Without faith it is impossible to please God."

We will consider some of the effects of this distinguishing grace. There
are several kinds of faith spoken of in the Bible. In one case, men are
said to "believe for a while." This faith is shown us in the parable
taught by our blessed Saviour, in the characters represented by the seed
sown upon the rock, "which for a while believe, and in time of
temptation fall away."--(Luke 8: 33.)

There is a faith which is called dead.--"Even so faith, if i