to have. Every moment of time in which he was able to converse was devoted by him to fraternal fellowship. The two beloved relatives had been companions from the playful days of childhood, the one was most affectionately attached to the other, and they felt, with all the natural sorrows of the heart, the pangs of their approaching separation. On one occasion of this their final intercourse, his brother read to him the sweet and soothing hymn of Dr Stennett,-" On Jordan's stormy banks I stand," &c. It was singularly descriptive of bis state of mind and body; and it appeared to reanimate his soul with devout and heavenly affections. During the night which succeeded, profuse perspirations enfeebled his frame, and reduced the little strength which lingered in his limbs to the powerlessness of death. Throughout the whole of Tuesday he was able to speak but few words to the dearest of his connections. In the afternoon, his mother read to him several chapters from the blessed Volume of Inspiration, and also some hymns of which he was particularly fond. Among others she read to him the favourite hymn already mentioned; when she came to the last line of it, ("And fearless launch away,") his whole soul appeared to express itself in his countenance, and the spirit seemed as though it would at once break loose from its confinement in "our earthly house of this tabernacle," for "a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.' On being afterwards raised to take some refreshment, he said, with ineffable fervour and solemnity, "I rest the whole weight of my soul on Christ, I trust entirely in him,—I commit my soul to him." In the evening his father prayed with him; after which he exclaimed, "I long to depart, to be with Christ." His father asked him, if he had any fear of death? He replied emphatically, in words the last which he ever spoke to him, No; I trust my heavenly Father, who hath hitherto dealt with me in so gracious a manner, will carry me safely through the valley of death; and Jesus my Saviour will open to me the gates of heaven!" His brothers and sister then entered the room, to bid him farewell till the morning; he rejoined," Good night!" in a faint but affectionate tone; and to them the evening valediction proved a final adieu. ་་ During the first part of the night he appeared to be asleep. About three o'clock in the morning he called his mother to his bed-side. She found his voice begin to falter, and soon after felt the cold dew of death run down his face. At this crisis, his understanding for the first time wandered; and he became very incoherent and voluble in his conversation. Fearing lest her presence should induce him to talk more than was desirable in his condition, she retired from his couch; but the dying youth ere long ceased to ramble, and proceeded (best of employments!) to pray. For some time he continued to offer up the most devout and spiritual supplications to Him who, (blessed be his name!) "is our God for ever and ever, and our guide even unto death." And thus engaged, he uttered his last mortal accents, while his eyes became fixed in the changeless position of expiring nature. In this solemn and affecting state he lingered for an hour or two, as the family assembled in mournful silence around his bed. Unable to speak, he appeared to make a signal as though he wanted something. His mother imagined that he missed his youngest brother, of whom he was remarkably fond, and who, being an invalid, had not been awakened with the others; she immediately fetched the absent boy, and placed him by the side of his departing relative. His farewell wish seemed to be gratified; and, after a few gentle respirations, he sweetly fell asleep in Jesus,-without a groan, a struggle, or a sigh. In this peaceful, happy manner, did Thomas die, at THE YOUNG COMMUNICANT. HAIL, young disciple! thou whose early feet Ere the full freshness of thy morning prime; SIGOURNEY. THE OBLIGATIONS TO EARLY PIETY: A DISCOURSE. BY THE LATE REV. ANDREW HUNTER, D.D., Professor of Theology in the University, and one of the Ministers of the Tron Church, Edinburgh. "I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth."-1 KINGS xviii. 12. THESE are the words of Obadiah, governor of the house of Ahab, king of Israel, uttered in a conversation with the Prophet Elijah. Obadiah, having been sent by his master during the course of a severe famine in Samaria to seek provision for his cattle, met on the road with Elijah, whom he accosted with becoming respect. The conversation between them is recorded in the eighth and following verses. The prophet said, "Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee and when they said, He is not there, he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not. And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. It shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the Lord shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me." Then he adds the assertion in my text, "But I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth." To assure the prophet of the sincerity of his religious profession, he mentions a remarkable exertion of his courage and zeal in the cause of God: "Was it not told my lord what I did, when Jezebel slew the prophets of the Lord, how I hid an hundred men of the Lord's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water ?" It appears from the tenor of the story, that it was not from vanity and self-sufficiency Obadiah gave this favourable representation of his own character, but that he might prevail on the prophet to pay a visit to Ahab. He foresaw that his life would be in imminent danger if he should return to his royal master without Elijah. On this the prophet assured him that his request would be granted. "As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto Ahab to-day. So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah." The part of this interesting narrative which I have selected for your attention at present, is that which respects the early piety of Obadiah: "I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth." I could think of no subject more suitable for the consideration of the numerous youth who surround me than the recommendation of early piety. I hope for your serious attention whilst I address you on a matter of the highest importance to your present and everlasting interest, and urge you to a happy conformity to the example of the worthy statesman who feared the Lord from his youth. May God accompany our instructions with his effectual blessing! ease and interest, and others by the operation of natural conscience and the dread of future punishment. Happy it is for society that men are restrained from sin by any considerations. But these, though useful, are by no means so excellent or effectual in their influence as religious principles. "The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom." It exhibits sin not only as detrimental to our present interest, but as base in itself, and as offensive to the greatest and best of Beings. It leads us to view vicious indulgences as acts of rebellion against the Sovereign of the universe, and violations of laws that are in themselves holy, just, and good, as proofs of ingratitude to our greatest Benefactor, and as destructive of the perfection and happiness of our nature. Worldly considerations have influence only in restraining us from gross or open sins, or in prompting us to duties that are conducive to our present interest and pleasure. But the fear of God is universal in its influence, though the degree of its energy is proportioned to the strength of this divine principle. It excites a hatred of all sin, and ha bitual study to purify ourselves from all filthiness I need hardly observe that, in my text, as well of the flesh and spirit. It leads us to keep our as in many other passages of Scripture, the fear hearts with all diligence, to mortify vicious pasof God imports the whole of religion. In what- sions, and to avoid incitements to sin. The man ever heart any real principle of the divine life who is animated by the fear of God, is as watchexists, there every heavenly virtue must reside; ful against secret sin as open wickedness. When they cannot be separated. The change which sinners entice him by their advice or example, he takes place at regeneration is universal. A par- refuses to follow a multitude to do evil, and ticular branch of the character of a good man is chooses rather to bear their ridicule and resent here put for the whole. The fear of God imports ment, than the upbraidings of his own heart. Is a lively and habitual reverence of his presence a religious youth tempted to lewdness or impu and authority, as our omniscient Witness, right-rity? The fear of God will lead him to reply, eous Governor, and impartial Judge. It is expressed in our avoiding with care whatever is offensive in the sight of God, in a diligent compliance with his will, and a uniform endeavour to obtain his approbation. This principle is perfectly consistent with love to God, and indeed comprehends love, hope, trust, resignation, and obedience to the divine will in the various relations and circumstances of life. I shall now proceed to inculcate on the younger part of my audience the obligations to early piety, or to fear God from their youth. I. Consider, first, my young friends, that the fear of God is the best preservative from temptation; it will afford you more powerful assistance than any other principle in resisting the solicitations to criminal indulgences to which you are exposed. I know that there are other principles by which men have sometimes been induced to abstain from vice. Some have been overawed by the authority of friends and the dread of human laws. Many have been restrained by the public punishments denounced against many crimes, or by the infamy, poverty, personal and family distress, which they see to be the natural consequences of giving reins to their passions. Some are kept from open and gross vices by gentleness and timidity of temper, some by the influence of a good education, or by a regard to their present as young Joseph did when solicited by the wife of Potiphar, "Shall I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" It is my duty, and, through divine grace, it shall be my endeavour to crucify the flesh with all its lusts and affections. I know that no fornicator or adulterer, nothing which is unclean, can enter into the kingdom of God. Is he solicited to be the companion of the drunkard or to partake of the false pleasures of the intemperate? Religious principles, when in due exercise, will represent these pleasures as ensnaring and dangerous, as gratifications debasing his r tional nature, prejudicial to his usefulness, and inconsistent with the exalted character and hopes of a Christian. He dreads to offend a holy God by the abuse of the bounties of his providence and by the misapplication of time, health, and other talents. He avoids the company of those who would solicit him to excess or riot, and bas no communication with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reproves them. Is he tempted to falsehood, or to acts of fraud and injustice? The fear of God effectually restrains him from violating the sacred obligations of truth and righteousness. He feels a lively abhorrence of deceit and injustice as displeasing to God, and subver sive of the welfare of society. He knows that lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, and that he hath prohibited, under the strongest sane tions, covetousness, as well as the violation of the rights of others. He, whose breast is filled with the love of God, glows also with kind affections to mankind; he is under the influence of principles which not only prevent him from doing harm, but excite to noble exertions of beneficence and usefulness. barrier against the violence of passion and the assaults of external temptation. Besides, men are often prompted to the neglect and violation of personal and social duties, by the false prospects of some present gain or pleasure. The love of power and of riches influences many to violate the obligations of justice and humanity. Young persons, with warm blood and strong passions, cannot bear these restraints which the divine laws impose. Many of them break through the most sacred ties, and seem to set all laws at defiance. They are restrained, perhaps, from those crimes which are attended with present infamy and punishment, but indulge freely in those vices which are not usually punished by the sword of the civil magistrate. You are surrounded, my young friends, with many snares and incitements to sin. Multitudes of youth are daily caught in these snares, and are involved in guilt and misery. Not content with ruining their own souls, you will find them eager to draw you into their criminal pursuits. They will laugh at your scruples of conscience, and represent an attachment to religion as gloomy enthusiasm, or weak credulity. They will strive to inflame your passions, and will set vice before you But, supposing their conduct should be blamein the most delusive form. They will endeavour less and decent, yet no obedience can be acceptable to persuade you that certain indulgences are light in the sight of God, but what is universal, and or trivial sins, and that you may enjoy them with-flows from regard to his authority. Very different out hazard. Having prevailed thus far, they will urge you forward in a vicious course, and seduce you to overleap, on many occasions, the boundaries of duty. Resist, my friends, the first solicitations; consider what an evil and bitter thing it is to sin against God. Habitually remember that God sees you; that he is perfectly acquainted with all your thoughts, words, and deeds; and that he is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. Never forget that, as he is now your witness, so he is soon to be your judge, and will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or bad. Preserve on your minds a lively sense of the authority of God, and of the sanctions by which his laws are enforced. Remember that the violation of them exposes to future and everlasting punishments. If these and other sacred truths are habitually present to your thoughts, they will have the most powerful influence in restraining your passions, and in enabling you to come off more than conquerors over all your spiritual enemies. from this is the character of those who fear God from their youth. They are inviolable in their adherence to truth, and upright in all their transactions, from delight in integrity and a desire to receive the approbation of Him who beholdeth the upright with a pleased countenance. They are habitually chaste and temperate, from the influence of religious principles in moderating their affections and regulating their conduct. The grace of God, which bringeth salvation, teaches them to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the world. They are diligent in business, and careful in discharging any trust reposed in them, not from an eager desire of fame or wealth, but from obedience to the will of God, and a worthy solicitude to be useful in their stations in society. They deny themselves every indulgence inconsistent with duty; they begin and prosecute every undertaking with an honest zeal for the glory of God and the benefit of mankind. They are candid in their judgment of others, compassionate to the distressed, and eager to do all the good they can, both II. Consider, in the second place, my young to the souls and bodies of their fellow-creatures. friends, the efficacy of early piety in fitting you The love of our neighbour is inseparably connected for the due discharge of the different duties of life. with the love of God; for how can we love God I deny not that many have been honest in their whom we have not seen, if we love not our brother dealings, faithful in their engagements, humane whom we have seen? Piety is the only solid and beneficent to their neighbours, from the in-basis of morality. Truth cannot be genuine, unfluence of natural temper, of education, or of convictions of moral duty, though they have not been animated by the fear of God. I acknowledge that some have been affectionate husbands and wives, dutiful children, and useful members of society, who have not been under the direction of religious principles. But this is far from being usually the less it evidence itself by a universal conformity to the will of God. He who fears God will view him as a legislator, whose laws are binding in every instance; he will consider all of them as entitled to a ready and unreserved obedience, and that the breach of one implies a contempt of the authority which enjoins the whole. It is an absurdity of the grossest kind, to suppose that a man should habitually fear God, or reverence him as an omniscient witness, and as his righteous lawgiver and judge, and yet live in the habitual neglect and violation of his commands. As reverence of a parent or sovereign implies submission to parental and regal authority, so the fear of God is intimately and indissolubly connected with the keeping of his commands, and constitutes the whole duty and interest of man. Contemplate the characters around you, and you will find none so respectable and amiable for every virtue as the truly religious. They are the persons who are most exemplary in performing the duties of private life, and who are most distinguished for their patriotism and benevolence. As husband and wife, parent and child, master and servant, magistrate and subject, in short, the duties of every relation of life are most fully and uniformly discharged by those who fear God, or live under the habitual sense of his presence and authority. How powerful, my dear young friends, are these inducements to fear God from your youth. You are soon to fill various stations in society. Upon you the prosperity both of the Church and of the State essentially depends. If you enter upon life under the influence of religious principles, from you every thing that is excellent and praiseworthy may be expected. The fear of God will give vigour and uniformity to all your exertions; your constant study and endeavour will be to be useful in your stations, and to adorn the religion which you profoss by a holy life. Your example will be of beneficial influence; your prayers and endeavours for promoting the interests of religion in your families, and those with whom you are connected, will be attended with the most happy effects. The pious Joseph of old, when a servant to Potiphar, obtained the just confidence of his master; God blessed the house of Potiphar for Joseph's sake, and made every thing which he did to prosper. Obadiah, the minister of state to Ahab, a wicked prince, maintained his integrity, and exerted his influence, with success, for restraining the violence of his royal master. If a single individual could effect so much as Obadiah did, how extensively beneficial must be the united efforts of many counsellers around the throne, who fear God and hate covetousness! Both in public and private stations, you will always find that religious principles have the greatest efficacy in promoting a faithful and successful discharge of every religious and moral duty. III. Early piety suggests the best consolation under affliction and at the hour of death. Many and well-known are the sources of consolation which are peculiar to the truly religions. God, whom they fear, is their reconciled Father through Jesus Christ. He pardons their offences, receives them into his family, and bestows on them the nature and privileges of his children. All his paths are in truth and mercy to them who fear him and keep his covenant. Various and most consolatory are the promises addressed to them in the Word of God, and they are adapted to every situation in which they can be placed. The sooner they are devoted to the service of God, they will not only experience more early, but feel more powerfully these divine consolations. Having set out sooner, they are likely to make greater progress in the Christian life; and in proportion to their progress will they enjoy that peace of mind which passes understanding. The youngest cannot presume on the continuance of health or life for a single day or hour. Our life is but a vapour which appeareth for a little, and then vanisheth away. Those who are in the vigour of body and mind may very soon be arrested by the unrelenting hand of disease or death. Consider, my young friends, who are the persons that will have the best support, the highest comfort, in such a situa tion. Is it those who have wasted their youth in vicious pursuits? Is it the drunkard, the debauchee, the profane swearer, or the Sabbath breaker? Is it those who have lived in the neglect of prayer, and who have contemned the institutions of religion? Is it the gamester, who hath either amassed or squandered away his fortune in play? Is it the dishonest, who have cheated their neighbours to enrich themselves? Is it the man whose affections are glued to the enjoyments of a present world? Is it he who neglects or violates the duties of the different relations of life, whenever they interfere with the gratification of his passions? No, my young friends; in a cool hour, conscience loudly condemns such characters, and testifies that God is angry with the wicked every day;-something within whispers that, though hand should join in hand, the wicked shall not go unpunished. When the storms of adversity thicken, when death stares the sinner in the face, then he perceives, perhaps too late, the dreadful delusion in which he hath been involved, and the unsatisfactory nature of all earthly enjoyments. Then conscience is roused; his past crimes crowd in upon his mind with all their aggravations. If not insensible through the nature of his disease, or by being hardened in wickedness, he feels the direful anticipation of future punishment; he views himself as imme diately to be launched into a state of irretrievable and endless misery. The agony of such a mind is more easy to be conceived than expressed. In death-bed scenes, melancholy examples of this kind have often occurred, especially amongst profligate youth. But how different from this is the condition of those, at that important crisis, who have feared God from their youth. In the hour of distress, they view the hand of an infinitely wise and good God as directing all events; they see all his dispensations to be perfectly just in themselves, and conducive to their advantage. They are animated by the rejoicing persuasion that God is their reconciled Father through Jesus Christ, and that the compassionate High Priest of their profession has a feeling of their infirmities, and is ready to succour them under all their trials. They have the high consolation of repairing to an almighty Friend, and pouring out all their cares and sorrows to Him who does not despise nor abhor the cry of the afflicted, but sendeth help from his holy habitation. God giveth them songs in the night of adversity, and in the multitude of their thoughts within them makes the comforts of his Spirit to rejoice their souls. He who hath been the guide of their Finally, I beseech all of you, my young friends, to chuse God for the guide of your youth, and he will be the staff of your age. They who seek him early shall find him to be the satisfying portion of their souls. It is your duty, it is your highest interest to fear God from your youth. youth doth never leave nor forsake them. He | death, and that it secures the enjoyment of a conducts them by his counsel, and will receive blessed immortality. them afterwards into glory. Those who have persevered in a course of piety from their youth, have commonly the largest measure of peace and joy in the near view of eternity. They have the testimony of conscience that, in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, they have had their conversation in the world. Animated by the hope of a blessed immortality, they meet death with serenity and joy; for they know that, when the earthly house of their tabernacle is dissolved, they shall have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. IV. This leads me to the fourth and last argument, by which I meant to urge early piety, namely, the happiness in a future life, which is in reserve for those who fear God from their youth. But having spent already much of your time, I shall not enlarge on this argument. Be assured, my young friends, that a firm adherence to the principles of religion, a cordial reception of Christ as your Saviour, and an unreserved subjection to His authority, are indispensable qualifications for your everlasting welfare. Death shall soon terminate your state of probation, and fix you in a world of unchangeable happiness or misery. Jesus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, to take vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel, but to be glorified of his saints and admired of them who believe. How different in that all-decisive day shall be the condition of a Moses, a Samuel, an Ábijah, an Obadiah, and others who have feared God from their youth, from the state of those who have squandered away their time in rioting and drunkenness, in chambering and wantonness, or in making provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts Whilst the latter shall be consigned by the righteous Judge to inexpressible misery for their contempt of God and Christ, and violations of righteous and moral obligations, the former shall be admitted to the possession of the most exalted happiness. Having, through Divine grace, bravely resisted the solicitations of the devil, the world and the flesh, having persevered in a life of faith and obedience, they shall receive the crown of life and inherit a glorious recompense of reward. "To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne." Though all the saints shall be happy; those shall be peculiarly blessed who have adhered stedfastly to the cause of Christ from their early years, and whose path hath been like the shining light, that shineth more and more to the perfect day. thereof. Thus have I stated the principal advantages of early piety. I have shown that it is the best preservation from temptation, that it has the most powerful influence on the proper discharge of the different duties of life, that it suggests the best consolations under affliction and at the hour of As for those who have already mispent their youth in the pursuits of vanity and of vice, I entreat you to make haste and turn your feet unto God's testimonies. "Now is the accepted time, and now is the day of salvation." "Seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near." Remember that death is advancing with hasty steps, and that if you continue in impenitence and unbelief, God shall prove a consuming fire to the workers of iniquity. Delay no longer attending to your most important concerns. One thing is needful. "What shall it profit you, if you gain the whole world and lose your own souls; what shall a man give in exchange for his soul." Comply with the call of the Gospel; God is now waiting to be gracious, none who come to him through Christ shall be cast out. CHRISTIAN TREASURY. Christ's suffering and death.-What encouragement in duty may we derive from the sufferings and death of our Lord! Pious and conscientious minds are apt to despond under a sense of their inability to conform, so fully and invariably as they ought, to the will of their heavenly Sovereign. Flesh and blood revolt against that strict purity and self-denial which the laws of the Gospel require; and the temptations that beset us from without, aided by our traitorous inclinations within, too often lead us captive to the law of sin and death. But let not the Christian be discouraged. The perfect obedience by which Jesus, as our representative, has magnified the law, atones for every involuntary failure, and gives acceptance to every sincere endeavour to comply with the will of our Father in heaven. Nor shall we be left unsupported in the hour of trial. It is our unspeakable privilege, that we have a High Priest who can be touched with a fellow-feeling of our infirmities; who struggled with every difficulty which we have to encounter; and was, in all respects, tempted like as we are. From his throne in the heavens, our Lord regards with tender interest the conflict in which his disciples are now engaged. He is ready to administer relief whenever they are in danger of being baffled; "to lift up the hands that hang down, and confirm the feeble knees;' to support us in the good fight of faith, till we become more than conquerors; and to carry us forward in our Christian race, strengthening us by the aids of his Spirit, till we reach the mark, and obtain the prize. Let us not, therefore, be weary in welldoing. Let us not faint under any discouragement to which, in the course of our probation, we may be exposed; but, in every situation of perplexity, let us look up to Him, whose grace, if we implore it, will be sufficient for us, and whose strength, if we trust in it, will be made perfect in our weakness.-STEWART. (Discourses.) On the snare of self-indulgence connected with study. -I have supposed you are studying with a view to the benefit of others, rather than to your own gratification. Yet, even in this case, self-indulgence may insinuate it |