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grace, to slight their God, and choose perdition? If not by words, yet, perhaps, by a careless and irreligious example, you have taught them these dreadful lessons.

Sect. 10. I have now named a few youthful iniquities, but think not that these things are all. No; every sin to which our fallen nature is prone, has been found, not merely in those who, by years, were ripened in guilt, but in those also who were beginning the journey of life. Sin is a disease that taints every age and every condition; and, not to enumerate the darker crimes of the multitude, who drink iniquity like water, where, my young friend, is the youthful heart that never felt the rising emotions of those infernal passions, pride, envy, malice, or revenge? Where is the youthful tongue that never uttered a profane or wanton, or, at least, an unkind or slanderous word? Where is the youth possessed of the forms of piety, that never mocked God

with solemn sounds upon a thoughtless tongue !" Where is the youthful ear that was never open to drink in, with pleasure, the conversation of the trifling and the foolish; and where the youthful eye that never cast a haughty, an angry, a wanton or insulting glance? Are you the person? Can you appeal to the Searcher of hearts, and rest your eternal hopes on the success of the appeal, that love, unmingled love to God and man, has always dwelt in your bosom-that no resentful, envious, or unkind emotion, was ever, for a moment, harboured there-that a law of constant kindness has ever dwelt upon your lips-that only meekness, and tenderness, and goodness have glanced from your eye -and that your ear was never opened to hear with pleasure of a brother's shame? Can you make the appeal? Surely you cannot. Your own heart condemns you, and God is greater than your heart, and knoweth all things.22

A prayer for a young person, sensible of being, in a greater or less degree, guilty of the sins enumerated in this Chapter.

O Lord, the great and dreadful God, whose mercies are numberless, whose compassion is infinite, I have sinned, and have committed iniquity before thee! Permit me,

221 John ii. 20.

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once more, to approach thee; and enable me to come with all the humility of repentance, and all the ardour of gratitude. If I never prayed before, now may I learn to pray. Thou art the Father and the God of those who rest in heaven; and Oh! show me thy forgiving mercy, and give me that interest in thy beloved Son, which shall prepare me to join their triumphant family. But a moment of time separates me from the dead; yet, alas! how unprepared am I for the solemn change of death. I see, I feel this dreadful truth; but how much more visible is it, Lord, to thee. Once, careless and unconcerned, I felt no alarm at the thought of meeting thy pure and holy majesty. Ah! sad insensibility! had I then been called to meet thee, I must now have been lifting up my eyes, in hopeless misery. If, taught by thy word, I review my life, I see it a constant blot. I look back to my childhood, and behold, alas! how soon the corrupt dispositions of my nature appeared. As my years increased my sins gained strength; my heart became more estranged from thee; and my life more sinful in thy sight. Thou lovest humility, but I have been proud. Thou hast commanded me to revere the authors of my being, to listen to their counsels, and, by tenderness, to requite their affection; but how often have I slighted their instructions, forgotten their kindness, been undutiful to them, and in them to thee. Thou hast directed me to view life as a dream, and, as my great concern, to seek first thy kingdom and righteousness; but I have presumed on future days; and wasted those thy mercy gave me. I have minded the things of time; and forgotten those of eternity. Instead of seeking my happiness in Jesus and in thee, I have sought delight amidst the follies of time; and have grovelled upon earth, when I should have been soarmg to heaven. I have loved-0 most patient God! may I dare to confess it, yet confess it or not, thou knowest the horrible sin-I have loved the shadowy pleasures of this world more than I loved thee. O that this stony heart might break while I acknowledge my guilt! I have sunk lower than the brutes that perish. They, formed for this world, fill up aright their places in it; but I created to know thee, to serve thee, to love thee, and to enjoy thee for ever, have yet grovelled in the dust.

Thy word directs me to redeem the time; but, Oh!

how many precious hours, hours which the dying would give worlds to purchase, have I sinned and idled away. Alas! the hours that I have wasted on frivolous books, while thy, blessed word has been neglected! The hours I have squandered in trifling conversation and foolish mirth, while not one word of my Redeemer, or thee, or thy goodness, has dropped from my lips!

Thou, O Lord, hast commanded me to hallow the sabbath; but I have wasted many of those sacred days. When thy children have been reaping immortal good, I have been heaping up wrath against the day of wrath. Those blessed seasons which might have been a foretaste and a preparative for an eternal sabbath, in thy heavenly courts, even those, to me, have been days of thoughtlessness, sin, and folly. Or, if I have gone to thy house, yet how often have pride, vanity, and worldly pleasures filled my thoughts, even there and. I have departed from thy sacred courts, unmoved by thy terrors, uncharmed by thy love. When I look back upon my sabbaths, what a dismal blank do they appear.

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To thee, O Lord God, belong mercies and forgiveness, though I have rebelled against thee. Thou hast not been in all my thoughts. By my ungodly life, I have said to thee, depart from me, for I desire not the knowledge of thy ways, and though thy beloved Son, once crucified for my sins, has claimed my heart, I have refused to listen to his call. And yet I have deceived myself, have deemed myself almost innocent, have thought my life righteous, and treated humble piety with contempt and scorn. wisdom I have counted folly; and folly prized for wisdom. Merciful Lord, my lips, my tongue, my eyes, my ears, my hands, my head, have all sinned against thee; but, Oh my heart! the heart I deemed good, what madness has dwelt there! There hidden lay the seeds of every sin. There have those corruptions abode, which hell takes pleasure in viewing, but which heaven must mourn to see. There anger has burned. There pride has swelled. There envy and revenge have rankled. There vanity, indolence, discontent, ingratitude, and all the detestable brood of human vices, have shown their hateful forms. There too has reigned love for the present dying world, that love which leads a legion of iniquities in its train. And shall I now plead that I am innocent! Shall I now declare

that my heart is good, and my transgressions few! Merciful God, forgive the blindness which deluded me with thoughts like these. No, O my injured Father, the smallest sin against thee is huge as the frowning precipice, dark as the shadow of death, and horrid as the depths of bell; and the smallest of my crimes has been as much committed against thee as the more profligate actions of some, who never enjoyed the mercies with which I have been favoured. O my God! as a sinner I would cast me at the feet of Jesus. I cannot hide my guilt from thy eyes, let me not hide it from my own. Thou hast seen all my sins; hast called on me again and again, and hast beheld the world and Satan preferred to thyself. Surely love like thine might have melted a rock of adamant, yet it melted not my heart. Canst thou yet show mercy? Thou dost. O wonderful love! shall I abuse it still? O rather may my pulse cease to beat and the warm blood to flow through my veins! Lord lead me to the rock that is higher than I! Lead me to the atoning blood which washes all sin away. Lead me to Christ crucified. Forgive, for his dear sake, the past; and O, give strength and grace for the future. I have lived long enough, alas too long! to the world, to Satan, and myself; now let me live to thee. Now, for Jesus' sake, guide me from sin to holiness; from folly to wisdom; from death to life; from vain delight to real joy; and finally, through the Lamb that was slain, advance me from earth to heaven; there to praise, bless, magnify, and adore redeeming love, through ages without end.

O, gracious Lord, hear my requests, for Jesus' sake.. Amen.

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CHAPTER IV.

Religion briefly described.

SECT. 1. The importance of Religion asserted by God, and often acknowledged by man, yet neglected, and....s. 2. Oppo sed....s. 3. Briefly described....s. 4. Its foundation laid in self-knowledge....s. 5. The knowledge of Christ an essential part of Religion-the substance of the gospel report respecting him....s. 6. The doctrine of atonement illustrated, and more fully noticed....s. 7. Faith in Christ the way of salvation....s. 8. The downcast penitent encouraged....s. 9. Caution against every degree of self-dependence....s. 10. Holiness required of those who follow Jesus. His example proposed for imitation....s. 11. The knowledge of Christ designed to lead the soul to God as his portion and happiness....s. 12. The Holy Spirit-the enjoyment of his divine influences essential to Religion....s. 13. Religion, when chosen sincerely, chosen for life....s. 14. Further remarks on its nature, as illustrated in the parable of the prodigal son....s. 15. Subject pursued in some remarks on the effects produced by an early choice of Religion....s. 16. Farm of solemn self-dedication to God....s. 17. Prayer.

SECT. 1. ALL those flattering earthly objects which allure the eye and charm the heart, will shortly appear but vanity of vanities; as worthless as sordid dust, and as insignificant as the fleeting shadow. This has ever

been the opinion of the pious and truly wise; and the profane and irreligious have borne the same testimony, when the approach of death, and eternity, has taught them to view the things of time aright. That religion is the chief concern of all, is the declaration of the Most High; and early religion is what he solemnly requires.

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Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them." It is as much as if it were said, "Mind religion while you are young." Let that engage your earliest care. Let that possess the first place in your heart; for it is worthy of it. In the days of your youth, those best days, prepare to meet your God. While young, make him your friend; seek an enduring mansion in the skies; and thus, to every other source of cheerfulness, add those last and best, your heavenly

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