And then, how often is the finner compelled to look back upon himself with compunction and reproach! How often tormented with painful and ineffectual wishes to be able to recall time, and to correct the errors of the paft! Ah! time cannot be recalled-but it may be usefully anticipated. What crimes, what miferies, what public fhame, what inward felf-reproach might not youth often avoid if, they would look forward to the unhappy fruits that must neceffarily spring from a course of vice! If they would take pains to ftrip the objects of the paffions of thofe delufive charms which an inflamed imagination throws around them! If they would not precipitately abandon themselves to the impulfes of rifing appctite, or the tranfports of inflamed defire, but would paufe to confider the reflections which reafon and confcience will urge upon them when appetite is fated, and all the confequences of their folly are before their view! It is the inconfiderate purfuit of pleafure, without looking forward to the clofe of the fcene that infenfibly engages youth in the habits of vice. A comprehenfive view of life, and a prudent regard to confequences, would reftrain their indifcretions,

or speedily reclaim them from their errors. With what energy of language does the wifeft of men urge this argument on the young against intemperance and luft? Speaking of the latter, he faith, " more bitter than death is the woman whofe heart is fnares and nets."* And of the former, he afks, "Who hath woe? Who hath forrow? Who hath contentions? Who hath babbling? Who hath wounds without caufe? Who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine-they that go to feek mixed wine. Look not upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright-at the laft, it biteth like a ferpent, and flingeth like an adder'+

Although these confiderations are important and serious, and on minds not loft to prudence and honor, and just sentiments of felfrespect, will be effectual to reftrain the vicious tendencies of the heart; yet, the word of God teaches us to extend our views of the confequences of actions beyond the present

* Eccles. vii. 26.

+ Prov. xxiii. 29-32.

life, and to confider their relations to the life to come. This is the most interesting light in which our conduct can be regarded; and, on all men, it may, and ought to have the most powerful influence in regulating their morals, and clea fing their way. When we unite in one view our whole being, and confider the eternal retributions of mercy and of juflice which, according to the fcriptures, thall be made to the righteous and the wicked, what flronger motives can be urged to men to confirm in them the principles of duty, or to perfuade them to repentance? Eternal, undefcribable happinefs and mifery are placed before you. What an infinite advantage lies on the fide of virtue and holiness, in oppofition to all the tranfient pleasures of fin! How dearly purchased are its falfe and momentary enjoyments, if, the next moment, the finner muft lie down in unquenchable fire! "Oh! that they were wife, that they underflood this, that they would confider their latter end!"* Rejoice, O young man! in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth-walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the fight of thine eyes;

*Deut. xxxii. 29.

D d

but, know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment!"* Oh! fatal termination of youthful follies! Let the awful denunciations of the word of God enter into thy heart-they cannot fail to produce in thee fincere amendment of life.

"Wherewith fhall a young man cleafe his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word." By this reply the facred writer intends to recommend not only reflection on ourselves, and on the courfe and iffue of our ways-but

II. In the next place, a careful fludy and application of the word of God for the direction and government of our conduct.

Some rule for this purpofe, either of philofophy, or of revelation, it behoves us to have. Some lights we require to inftru&t us in our duty-fome law to regulate our actions-fome effectual motives addreffed to the heart, and fitted to engage our attention, and command our obedience. That luminous and perfect rule which the an

* Eccles. xi. 9.

cient fages purfued with fuch laborious but hefitating fleps in the dark, has been offered to us by the incarnate wildom of Heaven. And, if we compare the facred writings with what uninfpired reafon is able to teach us on the subject of our duties and our hopes, or with what all the fchools of philofophy have ever taught, how fuperior are they in value both as a law of life, and a mean of fanctification.

I am not here to defcant on all the excellencies of the facred writings-the fublimity, and the divine perfection of their fpirit-the lights which they have fhed upon a benighted world-the confolations which they have in flore for the miserable -the mercies of Heaven which they reveal to the guilty. I mean fimply to illustrate their fuperior excellency above every other law that men have difcovered or invented, for cleansing the heart, and regulating the life. It confifts

In their purity-in their authority-and in the fublime and powerful motives which they addrefs to the human heart in order to lead it to piety and virtue.