not, nor the years draw nigh in the which you shall say, you have no pleasure in

them."

1. To you who have not thought seriously of the duty of repentance, the subject is one, which involves great interests. "Godliness has the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." If you refuse to repent because you are young, it may be, that you shall die before you advance beyond this period, and then where will your portion be? Are you one of the tender sex, who seek for short-lived pleasure? St. Paul tells you, "She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth." There are no lasting pleasures comparable to those of religion.

Are you a young man full of expectations of satisfaction from sensual enjoyment, and ready to break those bonds by which God has tied you to self-denial and patient labour? Hear the call of the wise man, Solomon, to you; "Rejoice, O young

man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore," &c.

2. We would address you who fear to run into extremes on this subject.

You wish to be moderate in religion; this plausible desire, however, may become a snare to you. Religion is compared to the possession of riches, and health, and friends, and long life, and honours; but in these you have no fear that you should have any excess. Why then should you fear to have too much of repentance, or faith, or holiness? "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and soul, and strength," is God's commandment, and you cannot exceed

this.

3. To those young persons who have begun to confess their sins unto the Lord, we would address a few words of encou

ragement. You have done well to begin thus early in the great business for which you were created. You may regret that you did not begin earlier to seek the God of your fathers; but you have reason to be thankful that you have begun. Now you are in the way to attain true happiness, God has become your God, Christ has become your Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit your guide and Comforter. The fashion of this world will quickly pass away. The judgment of Solomon will be found true as to the satisfaction which can be derived from creatures, except as they are used for the glory of God and the benefit of our fellow creatures." All is vanity and vexation of spirit." "Childhood and youth are vanity. "Yea, more; the estimate of every sublunary thing is vanity. Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher, all is vanity." But you have a goodly portion in the possession of repentance toward God, and faith toward

D

our Lord Jesus Christ. Follow the steps of those pious youths whose story you have read, and, like them, through the mercy of God, your last end shall be peace.

51

LECTURE III.

ADDRESSED TO THOSE IN EARLY MANHOOD.

(Third Sunday in Lent.)

ACTS IX. 4, 5.

"Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks."

THE man to whom Jesus Christ calls in the text, had come to the age of those persons whom we intend to address in our present discourse. He had arrived at man's estate: he had left the Jewish schools, in which he had been educated, for he "was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel ;" and he was now entering upon the calling for which he had been trained by previous discipline. He was zealous