"one rofe from the dead."

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"It is eafier for a camel

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"to go through the eye of a needle, than for" an old finner "to enter into the kingdom of heaven :" "with "men it is impoffible; but with God all things are poffible." On this hinge turns his hope, all is reduced to this, the repentance of fuch a man MUST depend upon grace. Let us fee then what reafon you have to conclude that God will grant you this repentance. God waits to be gracious; and of this grace we cannot speak too highly; but fuch views of it as encourage prefumption, and countenance fin, are unqueftionably erroneous ones. He is gracious; but his grace lives in communion with his holinefs and his wifdom. He is gracious; but the very notion fuppofes the exercise of it to be free, and that he may dif penfe it as he pleafes. Though nothing can deferve his grace, many things may provoke it; and what reafon have you to expect, that after you can fin no longer, he will in an extraordinary way extend the grace you have fo long defpifed, and fave you from a ruin the confequence of your own choice? And what view have you of God, if you fuppofe that he cannot righteously deny it? When you have rendered yourfelves most unworthy of it as a gift, do you exact it as a right? Has he not told you that his "Spirit fhall "not always ftrive with men ?" Is his mercy to have no limits, or his patience no end? If "fentence against ૮. an evil work be not executed fpeedily," is it never to be executed? Were it common for God to call finners by his grace at fuch a period, would it not have the most unfavourable effect, and encourage a hope which all the bible is levelled to deftroy? God

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defigns to be honoured by his people in TIs world;, he faves them, that they may ferve him; he converts them, not to die, but to live. And therefore we find few, very few, becoming religious in advanced years; and obfervation abundantly proves that irreligious youth is followed with wickednefs in manhood, and indifference in old age; and that as men live, fo they die.

Ah! how often do I think, as I afcend thefe ftairs and look round on this affembly, how eafy would it be to determine my hearers to a religious course, if the old did not fatally promife themfelves weeks, the middle-aged months, the young, years to come! It is not abfolute denial that deftroys fo many fouls, but tam-. pering delay. Of all the numbers who continually drop into perdition, is there one, who did not intend at fome future period to "work out his falvation?" But before this other paffion was fully indulged, and this other scheme was accomplished, while he was flumbering in negligence, or awaked by a midnight cry, he fprang up to find his lamp; the "Bridegroom came, and they that were READY went in with him "to the marriage, and the door was SHUT." Eternal God!"fo teach us to number our days, that we may "apply our hearts unto wifdom." Interpofe in favour of the youth who are before thee; and fuffer not procraftination, that "thief of time," that "child of the “devil,” that “enemy of all righteoufnefs," to deceive, and to destroy the rifing hopes of our families, our churches, and our country. "Pour down thy Spirit upon "our feed, and thy bleffing upon our offspring;" "may one say, I am the Lord's, and another call himself

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"by the name of Jacob; and another subscribe with "his own hand, and furname himself by the name of " Ifrael."

To realize this pleafing profpect, let minifters, let tutors, let all unite their endeavours; but, Q ye PARENTS, a peculiar obligation devolves upon you. Awaken all your tenderness and anxiety, and give them a spiritual direction. You wish your children to be sober, submissive, dutiful; but piety is the only sure foundation of morality. You would not have your love for your children to be fufpected; but wretched are those children who share only in a folicitude, which afks "what fhall they eat, or what fhall they drink, "or wherewithal fhall they be clothed ?" What is the body to the foul? What is time to eternity? What is it to dispose of them advantageously in life, and leave them unprepared for death, unprovided for a new, a never-ending, a changeless period of existence? Are the barbarous inftruments of bringing these haplefs beings into life, only to facrifice them? Such parents are more cruel than Herod. He flew the children of others; these flay their own. He only destroyed the body; thefe deftroy the foul. His victims died innocent, and were doubtlefs faved; these parents will not fuffer their offspring to die innocent; by their unkind care, they guard them till the feason of safety is elapfed; till they are become accountable and criminal; and expose them when they know their death will be attended with their damnation. Men and brethren, escape this dreadful cenfure; distinguish yours not only from an openly wicked world, but from thofe modern profeffors of religion, who are al

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ways found in public hearing fermons, but can leave their families in diforder, and take no pains in the pious education of their children. Fear God yourselves, and teach your offspring to fear him. Recommend inftruction by example, and crown all with prayer, prayer for them, and with them. Thus you will train them up in the nurture and admonition of the "Lord;" thus you will rejoice here "to fee them "walking in the truth," and hereafter, will lead them to the throne of glory-" Behold, here am I, and the "child thou haft given me."

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But it is with you, my hearers, in early life, I wish to close this addrefs. I fee fome in this affembly, who are diftinguished by the fear of God in their youth; fome Ifaacs, who prefer an evening-walk in the field to meditate, to the crowded avenues of diffipation; fome Jofephs, whose image is "a fruitful bough by a "well;" fome Davids, who love the harps of Zion, and have no ear for the "fong of the drunkard," or "the mirth of fools;" fome Timothys, who, " from a "child have known the Scripture, which is able to "make them wife unto falvation ;" and I hail your early escape from " the paths of the destroyer;" on your early feparation from a world, which attracts only to fhew its emptiness, and elevates only to deprefs; on your early union with the wife and good, Go forth, and in all the beauties of holiness" honour God, and serve your generation according to his will. Religioufly occupy the ftations which you are to ennoble, and form the connections which you are to blefs. "Adorn the doctrine of God your Saviour, " in all things." Earneftly pursue the glorious course

you on

which you have begun; be not weary in well-doing; grow in grace, as you advance in years; " abound "more and more in knowledge, and in all judgment;" approve things that are excellent;" and "be fin"cere and without offence till the day of Chrift."

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And what hinders any of you, my young friends, from joining yourselves to the Lord? Weigh the reafonings which you have heard. Sufpend for a while the influence of your paffions, and endeavour to feel the force of the motives which have been adduced. Deliberate, or rather decide; for there is no time for Hefitation-"now is the accepted time, now is the day "of falvation." The language of the Redeemer is to-day;" and will you fay with Pharaoh, “to-mor"row ?" Every delay will leave you more remote from the God you have to feek; every delay will place more barriers between you and heaven; every delay will increase your crimes, your paffions, your averfions; every delay will diminish the efficacy of means, the period of divine patience, the time of your probation; while you hesitate, you die; while you promife yourselves years, perhaps you have not days; perhaps the fhuttle has paffed the loom that wove thy winding-fheet; perhaps in yonder fhop lies rolled up, and ready to be fevered off, the piece of cloth deftined to be thy fhroud; perhaps "the feet of them that "have buried thy" neighbour, are at the door to "carry thee out!"

When Felix trembled, instead of cherishing his concern, he propofed a "more convenient feafon," which never came. It was the unhappy ftate of Agrippa to "be almoft" but not altogether perfuaded "to

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