T Youth, I. Kings, xviii. 12. And 'tis men tioned in a way of Encomium concerning King JOSIAH, that while he was yet Young he began to enquire after the God of DAVID his Father, II. Chron. xxxiv. 3. This is the firft Reason to prevail on Perfons in Youth to remember God their Creator, because he requires this of them, has an undoubted Right to be ferved with our beft Powers, and takes a peculiar Delight and Complacence in those who choose his Service in their early Days. 2dly, Another Reason and Argument for thus remembering God in Youth is this: You know not but this may be the only Time and Seafon you may have for this great and neceffary Duty. Young Perfons are apt to flatter themselves with the pleasing Hope of many Years to come; .but fuch Expectations of long Life do often prove vain and delufive. What fmall Number, in Proportion, do ever arrive to any confiderable Number of Years? 'Tis ftrange, therefore, that any should defer doing that immediately, which, if they dye before it is done, they are loft and undone for ever. There is nothing more uncertain than Life. Nothing that has a Fitness to fix in our Minds a Senfe of the Brevity and Shortness of Human Life is omitted in Holy Scrip tures. tures. Since then you may dye in Youth, as Thousands of others do, many of whom had, to outward Appearance, as great Probability of living to an Advanced Age as you can have, this is an Argument which every one must immediately fee to be forcible and weighty. If it be neceffary ever to remember God, to fear and reverence him, to give your Hearts and Services to him, 'tis neceffary to do it immediately, and without any Delay, because you have not a Certainty of a Moment beyond the prefent. Should any go on in a criminal Forgetfulness of God, they may dye in this wretched State of Alienation from God: And what the miferable Condition of fuch fhall be, you may read in Pfalm ix. 17. The Wicked shall be turned into Hell, and all the Nations that forget God. 3dly, Should you live to an Advanced Age, this Remembrance of God, and chufing him in early Life for your Guide and Portion, will afford great Support and Confolation. What is the Comfort of Old Age but the Reflection on a Life well spent? No one ever repented of doing this too foon. They who neglected this do ufually repent, and are filled with Sorrow. The Confideration of and Reflection upon an early Devotedness to God, and of having in the ge neral neral Course of Life acted fuitably, and agreeably hereunto, will be followed with great Serenity, and Satisfaction of Mind. Such may affure themselves that God will not forfake them in Old-Age. See how DAVID pleads with the Almighty in Prayer by this Argument, Pfalm 1xxi. 9. Caft me not off in the Time of Old-Age; forfake me not when my Strength faileth! Being grown Old, and feeble by the Infirmities that attend it, he stood most in need of God's Help, and gracious Prefence. He could with great Confidence and Hope offer such a Petition to God, as in the 17th and 18th Verfes, O God, thou haft taught me from my Youth; and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous Works. Now alfo when I am Old, and grey headed, O God, forfake me not! How honourable, and amiable in the Efteem of God, and of all wife and good Men, is the boary Head, when 'tis found in the Way of Righteousness! It is called a Crown of Glory, Prov. xvi. 31. 4thly, They who wafte away the best Part of Life, that is, the Days of their Youth, in a wretched Forgetfulness of God, and in a criminal Neglect of his Service, are very feldom brought to any ferious Remembrance of him in Old-Age. Examples of fuch who mifpent the Morning of Life in the Service of Sin, and in the Indulgence of their fenfual Paffions, who at last are brought to true Repentance, are very rare. The Choice that is made in Youth usually is adhered to throughout the remaining Part of Life. Vice gams Ground, and is rooted by repeated evil Actions. The Love of Sin is ftrengthened, and Forgetfulness of God becomes habitual. On the other hand, when Persons in Youth are so far from alienating & estranging their Hearts and Ways from God, that they make a happy Choice, and yield themselves to him, their Virtue ufually grows with their Years. Their Goodness is not like a Morning Cloud, or an early Dew, which foon difappears, and is evaporated, but like the Light of the Sun, which fhineth more and more to the perfect Day. Such have an increafing Pleasure in walking in the Ways of God and Religion. They find Wisdom's Ways are Ways of Pleasantness, and that all ber Paths are Peace. That Chrift's Yoke, or Government, is eafy, mild, and gracious, and his Burthen light. The Meditation of God is fweet to their Minds; Almighty God is in their Efteem infinitely amiable and glorious. They remember him, and are comforted. Having devoted themselves to God in the Morning of Life, they hence derive moft folid Satisfaction, whenever they review the happy Choice they made. When God, God, whom they chose for the Guide of their Youth, is prefent to their Minds by Faith and Meditation, they have substantial Peace and Joy. Since then the first Impreffion that is made on the Mind, whether it be a virtuous or a vicious one, is very feldom * worn off; this fhews the great Advantage of a Religious Education, and what great Cause they have to blefs God, who have been thus, by his kind Providence, favoured with good Inftructions, and good Examples, and the Divine Bleffing attending all. Such distinguishing Privileges call for Thanksgiving and Praise to God, and for a fuitable Improvement. They who have been deftitute of fuch Helps and Advantages fhould, when they are come to Years of Difcretion and Understanding, feriously remember God, and choose him for their Portion and Happiness. Let not your Forgetfulness of God become fixed and habitual. They who fear the Lord from their Youth love him fincerely, and choose his Service: As Years increase, their Knowledge of, Love to, and Delight in God will grow ftronger; their Title to and Interest in the Almighty, as their God, will be more clear and unclouded. D 2 5thly, Young * Quo femel eft imbuta recens fervabit odorem Tefta diù. |