you have now in your minds, fhews that you are fenfible, the world in general esteems virtuous and religious men, and contemns and abhors thofe that are profligately wicked. You know that even the bad in general, much prefer, in their judgment and esteem, the former to the latter : Tho' even the good are often under a kind of neceffity of keeping in, having clofe connexions with, and courting the vicious;-fometimes, perhaps, for valuable public ends; but probably oftener, for private advantage, or for fear of mischief from fuch perfons; as our American Indians are faid formerly to have worshipped the devil. An unhappy fituation! How are they to be pitied, who have fome real love to virtue; and yet are obliged, as it were, to carefs the profligate, on account of their riches, power, and that influence which they often have in the affairs of this foolish, corrupt and wicked world?—

I CANNOT but make this one short reflexion on the foregoing obfervations, viz. That from them it plainly appears, that vicious men, more especially under the light of the gospel, are all in general felf-condemned; inafmuch as they cannot but acknowledge and approve the right, in their own judgment and confciences, as honourable and praife-worthy; and yet habitually do the wrong, from an evil propenfity in their natures. To allude to the words of the apoftle, they consent to the law of God, that is holy, juft, good and fpiritual; but ftill themselves are "carnal, fold under fin," as bond-fervants and faves to it; whose tyrannical dictates they obey,

contrary

contrary to the light and law of the mind. For that which they do, they allow not; neither do they do that good, to which they have fome faint defire; but what they do in a fort hate, that they practife O wretched, that they are! Who, or what shall deliver them from the body of this death, but "the law of the Spirit of life in Chrift Jefus ?"

LET me exhort you, my young brethren, duly to confider thofe motives to true religion, which have been mentioned in this difcourfe. Whatever your corrupt paffions may have to object, I know that I have a powerful party on my fide in your breafts and bofoms; I mean your own confcience, your own reafon. To that, and to God, the fource of all reafon, light, truth and juftice, I have furely a right to make an appeal from the partial, bribed, blind judgment of paffion, and carnal affections. I accordingly lodge (my appeal there, with them: And you muft, whether you will or no, answer, and give an account of yourselves, at both those tribunals;-unless you should give up the cause by confenting, as you are exhorted, to be fo

ber-minded."

LET me juft add, with reference to the lastmentioned argument, as to your reputation in the world; that this will very much depend upon your behaviour in youth. The character is most commonly formed and eftablished in that season of life, either as good or bad: And whichever of them it is, it will be of no fmall confequence to you in this world, while you are in

habitants

habitants of it. A bad name is often of fatal confequence to a young man juft fetting out in the world, as to his intereft therein. On the other hand," a good name is rather to be chosen "than great riches, and loving-favor, than filver "and gold." A good character preferves old, and creates new friends; it is at once agreeable and advantageous in many refpects. Allow me then, as One fincerely concerned for your temporal, as well as eternal good, to exhort you feasonably to take care of your reputation and honor, by a difcrete, fober and virtuous behaviour. And if any of you have unhappily, by former mifcarriages, brought difgrace upon yourselves; lofe no time, but immediately endeavour to retrieve your characters, by making it manifeft that you have feen your errors, and are reformed.

THE world is candid enough to make fome confiderable allowances for the errors of young men, if they are not obftinate in, but speedily reform them. In this cafe, their unexperienced, tender age is a powerful advocate for them: It pleads fo eloquently in their behalf, that it never fails to excite compaffion, and to obtain a pardon for them from the world. And, what is of infinitely more importance to you, if you fincerely repent of, and forfake your evil ways, God will not remember them against you: He will not be always wroth, neither will he keep his anger forever. "If the wicked will turn from all his fins that he hath committed-and do that which is lawful and right, he fhall furely live; he fhall not die. All his tranfgreffions that

he

he hath committd, they "hall not be mentioned unto him"-With God you have a far more powerful advocate than your youth;-One whom the Father heareth always, even " Jefus Chrift the righteous." But ftill you ought to plead, ftill to implore mercy for yourselves. And I fhall conclude this difcourfe with reminding you of part of a prayer of the royal pfalmift, which you might do well to confider and imitate" Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies, "and thy loving-kindness; for they have been ever of old. Remember not the fins of my "youth, nor my tranfgreffions: According to thy mercy remember thou me, for thy good"nefs fake, O Lord. For thy name fake, O "Lord, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great !"† ↑ Pfalm XXV.

SERMON VII.

SERMON

VII.

Young Men exhorted to Sobriety, from other Confiderations, viz. (8.) Of their temporal Advantage. (9.) Of their Ufefulness in the World. (10.) Of those Persons whom they will please hereby. (11.) Of those whom they will gratify by the contrary. (12.) Of one End of Chrift's coming into the World, namely, to "purify unto himself a peculiar people," &c.

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TITUS II. 6.

YOUNG MEN likewife exhort to be fober

M

minded.

Y young brethren, in the preceeding difcourfe you were exhorted to be fober-minded, by divers confiderations and motives, which need not now be mentioned. I fhall therefore, without any repetition, proceed in this exhortation, by laying before you some other arguments; all, of real, tho' not of equal

weight: