against fuch times as we fhall ftand most in need thereof, viz. all times of our tribulation, and in particular, against the time of old age, the hour of death, and the day of judg

ment.

This is the argument the wife man makes ufe of in the words immediately. following the text: "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, wherein thou fhalt fay, I have no pleasure in them." Obferve, the time of old age, is an evil time, years wherein there is no pleasure : and ask those that are grown old, and they will inform you fo. Cordials furely, then, must be exceeding proper to fupport our drooping fpirits and O what cordial comparable to the recollection of early piety, depending wholly on the righteousness 'of CHRIST? When the eyes, like Ifaac's, are grown dim with age; when "the keepers of the house, the hands, fhall tremble," as the wife man goes on to defcribe the infirmities of old age; when " the ftrong men bow themfelves," or the legs grow feeble; and the "grinders," the teeth, fhall cease to do their proper office, because they are few; for a person then to hear the precepts of the gospel read over to him, and to be able to lay his hand on his heart, and to fay fincerely, notwithstanding a consciousness of numberlefs fhort-comings, "All these have I endeavoured, through grace, to keep from my youth:" this must give him, through CHRIST who worketh all, comfort that I want words to exprefs and thoughts to conceive. But, fuppofing it was poffible for us to escape the inconveniences of old age, yet fill death is a debt, fince the fall, we all must pay; and, what is worse, it generally comes attended with fuch dreadful circumftances, that it will make even a Felix to tremble. But as for the godly, that have been enabled to ferve the LORD from their youth, it is not usually fo with them; no, they have faith given them to look upon death, not as a king of terrors, but as a welcome meffenger, that is come to conduct them to their wifhed-for home. All the days of their appointed time have they waited, and it has been the bufinefs of their whole lives to study to prepare themselves for the coming of their great change; and, therefore, they rejoice to hear that they are called to meet the heavenly Bridegroom.

Thus dies the early pious, whofe path has been as the fhining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." But follow him beyond the grave, and fee with what an holy triumph he enters into his Mafter's joy; with what an humble boldness he stands at the dreadful tribunal of Jesus CHRIST; and can you then forbear to cry out, "Let me dié the death of the righteous, and let my latter end, and future flate, be like his ?"

Need I then, after having fhewn fo many advantages to arife from an early piety, ufe any more arguments to perfuade the younger part of this audience, to whom, in the Third and laft place, I address myself, to "remember their Creator in the days of their youth?"

What! will not all the arguments I have mentioned, prevail with them to leave their husks, and return home to eat of the fatted calf? What! will they thus requite our Saviour's love? That be far from them! Did he come down and shed his precious blood to deliver them from the power of fin; and will they fpend their youthful ftrength and vigour in the fervice of it, and then think to ferve CHRIST, when they can follow their lufts no longer? Is it fit, that many, who are endowed with excellent gifts, and are thereby qualified to be fupports and ornaments of our finking church, fhould, notwithstanding, forget the Gon who gave them, and employ them in things that will not profit? O why will they not arife, and, like fo many Phineas's, be zealous for the Lord of Hofts? Doubtless, when death overtakes them, they will with they had: and what hinders them, but that they begin now? Think you that any one yet ever repented that he began to be religious too foon? But how many, on the contrary, have repented that they began when almost too late? May we not well imagine, that young Samuel now rejoices that he waited fo foon at the tabernacle of the LORD? Or young Timothy, that from a child he knew the holy fcriptures? And if you wish to be partakers of their joy, let me perfuade you to be partakers of their piety.

I could ftill go on to fill my mouth with arguments; but the circumstances and piety of thofe amongst whom I am now preaching "the kingdom of Gon," remind me to change my ftyle; and, instead of urging any more diffuafives from

fin, to fill up what is behind of this difcourfe, with encou ragements to perfevere in holiness.

Bleffed, for ever bleffed be the GOD and the Father of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, I am not speaking to perfons inflamed with youthful lufts, but to a multitude of young profeffors, who by frequently affembling together, and forming themselves into religious focieties, are, I hope on good ground, in a ready way to be of the number of those " young men, who have overcome the wicked-one.".

Believe me, it gladdens my very foul, to fee fo many of your faces fet heaven-wards, and the vifible happy effects of your uniting together, cannot but rejoice the hearts of all fincere christians, and oblige them to wish you good luck in the name of the LORD. The many fouls who are nourished weekly with the fpiritual body and blood of JESUS CHRIST, by your means; the weekly and monthly lectures that are preached by your contributions; the daily incenfe of thankf giving and prayer which is publicly fent up to the throne of grace by your fubfcriptions; the many children which are trained up "in the nurture and admonition of the LORD," by your charities; and, lastly, the commendable and pious zeal you exert in promoting and encouraging divine pfalmody, are such plain and apparent proofs of the benefit of your religious focieties, that they call for a public acknowledgment of praise and thanksgiving to our bleffed Mafter, who has not only put into your hearts fuch good defigns, but enabled you alfo to bring the fame to good effect.

It is true it has been objected, " That young mens form"ing themselves into religious focieties, has a tendency to "make them fpiritually proud, and to think more highly of "themselves than they ought to think." And, perhaps, the imprudent, imperious behaviour of fome novices in religion, who, though they went out from you, were not of you," may have given too much occafion for such an afperfion.

But you, brethren, have not fo learned CHRIST. Far, far be it from you to look upon yourselves, as righteous, and defpife. others, because you often affemble yourselves together. No; this, instead of creating pride, ought to beget an holy fear in your hearts, left your practice should not correspond with your profeffion, and that, after you have benefited and edified others, you yourfelves fhould become caft-aways.

Worldly-mindedness, my brethren, is another rock against which we are in danger of splitting. For, if other sins have flain their thousands of profeffing chriftians, this has flain its ten thousands. I need not appeal to past ages; your own experience, no doubt, has furnished you with many unhappy inftances of young men, who, after (as one would have imagined) they had escaped the pollutions which are in the world through luft," and "had tafted the good word of life," nd endured for a season, whilft under the tuition and infpection of others yet, when they have come to be their own mafters, through a want of faith, and through too great an earneftness in " labouring for the meat which perisheth,” have caft off their first love, been again entangled with the world, and "returned like the dog to his yomit, and like the fow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire." You would, therefore, do well, my brethren, frequently to remind each other of this dangerous fnare, and to exhort one another to begin, purfue, and end your chriftian warfare, in a thorough renunciation of the world, and worldly tempers; fo that, when you are obliged by Providence to provide for yourselves, and those of your respective houfholds, you may continue to walk by faith, and still "feek first the kingdom of God, and his righteoufnefs;" not doubting, bur all other things, upon your honeft induftry and endeavours, fhall be added unto you.

And now, what fhall I fay more? To fpeak unto you, fathers, who have been in CHRIST fo many years before me, and know the malignity of worldly-mindedness, and pride in the fpiritual life, would be altogether needlefs. To you, therefore, O young men, (for whom I am diftreffed, for whom I fear as well as for myfelf) do I once more address myfelf, in the words of the beloved disciple, "Look to yourfelves, that we lofe not thofe things which we have wrought, but receive a full reward." Be ever mindful, then, of the words that have been fpoken to us by the apostles of the LORD and Saviour. "Give diligence to make your calling and election fure. Beware, left ye alfo being led away by the error of the wicked, fall from your own fted faftnefs. Let him that thinketh he ftandeth, take heed left he fall. Be not high-minded, but fear. But we are perfuaded better things of you, and things that accompany falvation, though we thus Speak.

fpeak. For GOD is not unrighteous, to forget your works and labours of love. And we defire that every one of you do fhew the fame diligence, to the full affurance of hope unto the end that ye be not flothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promifes." It is true, we have many difficulties to encounter, many powerful enemies to overcome, ere we can get poffeffion of the promised land. We have an artful devil, an enfnaring world, and above all, the treachery of our own hearts, to withstand and ftrive against. "For ftrait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto eternal life." But wherefore fhould we fear, fince he that is with us is far more powerful, than all who are against us? Have we not already experienced his almighty power, in enabling us to conquer fome difficulties which feemed as infurmountable then, as thofe we struggle with now? And cannot he, who delivered us out of the paws of those bears and lions, preserve us alfo from being hurt by the ftrongest Goliah?

"Be ftedfaft therefore, my brethren, be immoveable." Be not "afhamed of the gofpel of CHRIST; for it is the power of GOD unto falvation." Fear not man; fear not the contempt and revilings which you must meet with in the way of duty; for one' of you fhall chafe a thoufand; and two of you put ten thousand of your enemies to flight. And if you will be contented, through grace, to fuffer for a fhort time here; I speak the truth in CHRIST, I lye not; then may ye hope, according to the bleffed word of promife, that ye fhall be exalted to fit down with the Son of Man, when he fhall come in the glory of his Father, with his holy angels, to judgment hereafter. May Almighty God give every one of us such a measure of his grace, that we may not be of the number of those that draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe and endure unto the end, to the faving of our fouls, through our LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Which GOD, &c.

SERMON