not to be expected, unless piety pretended to exert an influence over the physical nature of

man.

The supposition that piety leads to melancholy is also founded, in part, on the self-deny-· ing duties which the word of God enjoins. Penitence, self-denial, renunciation of the world, willingness to take up the cross, and follow after Christ, are unquestionably required, and must be truly found in the genuine christian. Hence, the worldling thinks it impossible, but that with such duties, should be associated the most sullen and miserable state of mind. Little does he imagine, that the pleasures which religion has to offer for those she requires us to abandon, are like the orb of day to the glow-worm of the hedge, or the meteor of the swamp; and that for every moment's self-denial she requires us to endure, she has a million ages of ineffable delight to bestow.

"And now upon the result of all, I suppose that to exhort men to be religious, is only in other words to exhort them to take their pleasure a pleasure, high, rational, and angelical -a pleasure embased with no appendant sting, no consequent loathing, no remorses or bitter farewells but such an one, as being honey in the mouth, never turns to gall in the belly: a pleasure made for the soul and the soul for that; suitable to its spirituality and equal to its capacities such an one as grows fresher upon enjoyment, and though continually fed upon, is never devoured: a pleasure that a man may call as properly his own, as his soul and his conscience; neither liable to accident, nor exposed to injury; it is the foretaste of heaven,

and the earnest of eternity: in a word, it is such an one as being begun in grace, passes into glory, blessedness, and immortality; and those joys that neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man to conceive !"*

CHAPTER XI.

On the advantages of early piety.

A QUAINT but eminently spiritual poet of the last century has a poem, entitled, "Strife in Heaven" a singular idea to attach to that region of untroubled repose. The design of the piece, however, is ingenious and interesting. A company of the redeemed above are represented as discussing, in a spirit of perfect love, the question, "which of them was most indebted to divine grace for his salvation?" Amongst these grateful and holy litigants, two appeared to have claims for the greatest weight of obligation to sovereign mercy, so nearly balanced, as to render it difficult to say which owed most. One was a glorified spirit, converted in old age, after a long life of sin; the other was a saint

This and the other quotations are from Dr. South's sermon on Prov. iii. 7, which is so striking that I could not avoid giving these extracts from it.

See also an excellent volume of sermons, by the Rev. H. F. Burder, on the Pleasures of Religion.

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redeemed in youth, and who spent as long a life in holiness. The one contended, that his forgiveness, after such a lengthened course of vice and destructive conduct, made him the greatest monument of saving love in heaven; except," exclaimed the other, "myself; who, by divine grace, was prevented from that course of sin, and was enabled by religion to spend my years in holiness and usefulness." I think the happy throng must have confessed the justice of the younger scraph's claim; Omniscient wisdom from the throne must have confirmed their judgement; and in heaven it must have been decided, that they owe most to sovereign grace, who have been called by its power to the service of God in their youth.

Youth is a season which presents peculiar advantages for the pursuit of piety.

It is attended, in general, with more leisure, and less care, than any subsequent period of life. As yet, my children, you are not entangled in the concerns of business, nor the cares of a family. The ten thousand tumultuous anxieties of a father or a mother, a master or a mistress, do not yet fill your minds, and exclude all other topics. Tell us, ye fathers, struggling with the difficulties of a precarious trade; and ye mothers, absorbed in the duties of a rising family; which, think ye, is the best time to begin the pursuit of eternal life? With tears they respond," Seize! O seize, young people, the halcyon days of youth!"

Youth is a season of greater susceptibility of mind than any which follows it.

In the spring-time of nature, the soil is better prepared for the reception of the seed, and the energies of vegetation are more vigorous; so it is with the mind. In youth the heart is more easily impressed, the affections more readily moved, the imagination is more lively. You have an ardour and fervency most remote from the timid, hesitating caution of age, and eminently favourable to conversion. Disdaining all resistance, ambitious of great achievements, full of high resolves, and leaping over opposing obstacles, youth surveys, with sparkling eyes, the crown of its wishes, braces itself for action, and flies to the goal; whilst age, creeping fearfully along, afraid of every difficulty, discouraged by the least resistance, can scarcely be impelled to move. I know that these things of themselves are not sufficient to make you holy; but when grace sanctifies them, and directs them to proper objects, they must render your entrance on religion more easy, your progress more rapid, and your enjoyment more strong.

Youth are less hardened in sin, than persons of riper years.

The depravity of our nature grows with our growth, and strengthens with our strength. Like a tree, it strikes its roots deeper, and takes a faster hold on the soil every year. You have principles of corruption already in your hearts, my children, but they have not, by long indulgence, become so stiffened into habit, as they will be at some future time. Your prejudices and prepossessions are yet few and feeble. As yet the sentiments of modesty and propriety, and a regard to the opinion of others, would make you blush for acts of vice, and endeavour to

conceal them from the world. In riper years you will assume a boldness in iniquity, disregard the censures of others, and cease to be restrained by them. Conscience has not yet been deeply corrupted; it still preserves something of its tremulous delicacy, and nice sensibility; it still elevates its warning voice, and strongly remonstrates at your least deviation from the path of virtue; but in the aged sinner, weary of useless reproof, it is almost silent, or totally disregarded. We know that without divine grace, conversion, even in your case, cannot take place; but we know, at the same time, by observation, that divine grace very often follows in the order of nature.

Youth are pre-eminently encouraged to seek the possession and influence of piety.

How

There are many invitations, promises, and injunctions, specially addressed to them. "Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth. I love them that love me, and they that seek me early shall find me." Under the Jewish dispensation, God called for the first-fruits of all things, intending, no doubt, to teach, amongst other lessons, his delight in the dedication of the first-fruits of our life to his service. pleased was the Redeemer with the hosannas of the children, and how deeply was he interested in the case of that hopeful youth, who came to inquire of him the way to life. And does not the parable of the Prodigal Son teach us how welcome is the return of the young to the Father of Mercies? God chose David, the youngest son of the family; and set his love upon Jacob, while Esau the elder is passed by. He accepted the sacrifice of Abel, the younger