If, therefore, it be your earnest defire to begin life with honour, to fecure the favour of God, and to obtain a good reputation among men, do not flight the admonitions which have now been given you on this fubject. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;" wherefore, let his fear rule in your hearts, and govern your actions. Be careful to speak the truth always, and to be just and honourable in all your dealings. Behave with that modefty and circumfpection which are so proper at all times, particularly at your period of life. Early engage in fome honeft profeffion, and do with your might what your hands find to do. Finally, afpire to the character of a chriftian, a character the most honourable that a mortal can sustain. If you do these things, you will never fall; God will be your friend and preferver; his everwatchful eye will be continually upon you, and his bounty will fupply your wants. You will, moreover, have an honeft fame among men, upon which, reason will tell you to fet a proper value. You will be the ornament of fociety; to your parents and friends, your growing virtues will afford unfpeakable fatisfac tion; you will have peace in your own

minds; you will be prepared for life, whatever it may bring; and ready for death, whenever it fhall come. When you fail here, you will be received into everlasting habitations; and a life confecrated to religion and virtue, will be attended with an exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Amen.

Sermon XI.

YOUTHFUL SOBRIETY.

TITUS 11. 6.

YOUNG MEN LIKEWISE EXHORT TO BE SOBER-MINDED.

THE advantages of early piety

are fo numerous, and fo great, that we cannot wonder the gospel takes particular notice of young perfons; that it addreffes fome of its moft emphatic warnings and admonitions to them, and discovers an invariable folicitude for their welfare. To a parent, to a friend of fociety, to a profeffor of religion, to any man of fober reflection, no fight can be more attractive than a youth fincerely devoted to his Creator. In the contemplation of fuch an object, there is fuperiour joy among the angels of heaven. I will even venture

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to

;

to fay, that Jefus Chrift and God his Father are peculiarly delighted with it and that the time will come, when they will manifeft their approbation in a manner, which we can neither conceive nor defcribe.

This being an undoubted truth, I need not apologize for the fubject of this dif courfe. To the aged I need not excuse it; nor will the young fuppofe it unneceffary, fince the importance of early piety has been fo often preffed upon them, and they have been fo lately from this very place exhorted to give their first fruits to the Lord, and by one who was once young, and is now old, from whose aged lips this exhortation must come with peculiar force. At every period of life, we need line upon line, and precept upon precept. Though we are not to be informed of our duty, ftill it is neceffary that our minds be stirred up by way of remembrance. Even in the apoftolic age, the chriftians needed frequent admonitions relative to their duty. At this day, then, no exhortation to piety and virtue can be thought unfeasonable; and leaft of all can the youth imagine, that he ftands not in any need of thofe folemn admonitions, which fo often occur in the word of God.

The

The words, which furnish the subject of this difcourfe, were addreffed by the apostle Paul to one whom he ftyles his own fon after the common faith. Devoted to the work of the ministry, he directs him how to discharge the duties of his office, and particularly, how to addrefs the feveral characters which might compofe the church, over which he prefided. The aged (fays he) exhort to be fober, grave, temperate the aged women to behave in a manner becoming holiness: the young women to love their hufbands and their children; to be difcreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, and fubmiffive to an authority which is feldom exercised but in the gentleft manner. He adds: "Young men likewife exhort to be fober-minded; in all things fhewing thyself a pattern of good works."

The duty here recommended fhallFirst-employ our attention.

And-Secondly-the various motives by which it may be urged.

This will prepare the way for fuch directions relative to the moral conduct of youth, fuch reprefentations of early piety, fuch difplays of its pleafures and advantages, as may tend to confirm thofe who are already prepoffeffed in favour of re

ligion,