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bappiness of my immortal spirit was at stake. Let endless praises be paid thee for thy condescending kindness, praises as lasting and as fervent as thy love. Bless the Lord, O my soul, who redeemed thy life from destruction. And now, O Lord, may thy Holy Spirit, whose grace I have so often resisted, whose teachings I have so often slighted, may he possess this soul of mine, and make it a temple worthy of himself. Shed abroad thy sanctifying influences upon me, implant every grace within me, and train up my deathless soul for that holy and happy world, where I shall never be tainted with sin, or feel pain or sorrow more.

Blessed Jesus, thou hast died to set my spirit free from condemnation to eternal death: and take this precious jewel, and keep it safe beneath thy tender care. I cannot guard it from its ravenous foes. They seek its destruction; but, al. mighty Saviour, they cannot tear the soul away that is lodged within thy protecting arms. To thee would I commit mine. It is the purchase of thy blood! and thou wilt keep what I commit unto thee. Guard my soul from every foe, while I am a pilgrim here; and, in my departing hour, may I see heaven opened, and expire with the dying prayer of thy first Martyr on my lips, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Amen.

CHAPTER VII.

THE IMPORTANCE OF RELIGION FURTHER SHOWN, BY REFERENCE TO THE COUNSEL OF THE MOST HIGH, CONTAINED IN HIS WORD

1 Os all subjects in which eternity is

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THE BIBLE A GUIDE TO HEAVEN.

concerned, the word of God is our surest guide. Do not you profess to believe that word? By it your views should be regulated, as by it your conduct will be judged. A distinguished Christian, who is gone to his eternal rest, referring to the scriptures, justly says, "I have thought I am a creature of a day, passing through life as an arrow through the air. I am a spirit come from God, and returning to God; just hovering over the great gulf, till, a few moments hence, I am no more seen: I drop into an unchangeable eternity. I want to know one thing, the way to heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore. God himself has condescended to teach the way. For this very end he came from heaven. He hath written it down in a book. O, give me that book! At any price give me the book of God! I have it; here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be homo unius libri, (the man of one book.) Here then I am, far from the busy ways of men; I sit down alone, only God is here. In his presence I open, I read his book; for this end, to find the way to heaven." What this pious writer felt himself to be you, my young friend, are now; a creature hastening to eternity, as fast as an arrow darts through the air, or as a shuttle through the loom and will you not make that sacred book your guide? It teaches you that religion is true wisdom, and all else folly. That this is the one thing needful, the good part. It teaches you to seek this, whatever you lose by pursuing it; to embrace it, though at the expense of all you possess; to hold it fast, though that or life must be resigned. It teaches you, that in possessing the blessings of religion, you would

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possess every good; and that the want of them is worse than hunger, poverty, or pain, prisons, or martyrdom. That if you enjoy the Saviour's love, it is a matter of very little importance what you suffer; for here will be found enough to make amends for all: and that if you have not this, it signifies little what you possess; for the want of this is the want of every thing that is worth the thoughts or wishes of an immortal soul.

§ 2. The judgment of the blessed God, as to the importance of real piety, and of piety in youth, is solemnly given in his word. There his beloved Son and his inspired messengers speak in his name to you; and, God of mercy! give my youthful readers grace to listen to those admonitions of thine, that I would now repeat to them. Behold then, my young friend, "Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all they that do his commandments. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. Call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. What shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul. One thing is needful. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Enter ye in at the strait gate. Strive to enter in; because strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Ye must be born again. Behold the Lamb of God. Believe on the Lord Jesus Job, xxviii. 21. Ps. cxi. 10. Is. lv. 6, 7. Mark, viii. 36. Luke, x. 42. Matt. vi. 33. Matt. vii. 13. Luke, xiii. 24. Matt. vii. 14 John, iti. 7. John, i. 36. Acts, xvi. 31.

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Christ. Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life. Be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless. Let us labour, therefore, to enter into rest. Remember Now thy Creator in the days of thy youth. I love them that love me; and they that seek me early shall find me. 0, that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! Fear not them which kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do: but I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear; fear him, who, after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, fear him. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal."

§ 3. Are not these important admonitions the admonitions of your God? Religion is the blessing which they teach you to choose; a blessing which makes the poorest rich, and without which the wealthiest are poor. Notice a few scriptural admonitions more fully. The Lord Jesus gave it as his solemn and deliberate judgment, that one thing is needful. He made this impressive declaration to one who loved him, and whom he loved, "One thing is needful." Compared with it, all that man deems most important is an insignificant trifle: his wisdom, folly; his business and cares, laborious idling; his pomp and pleasures as vain as the plays of children, and his possessions as worthless as their toys. But one thing is needful. All that

1 Tim. vi. 12. Prov. viii. 17.

2 Pet. iii. 14. Deut. v. 29.

Heb. iv. 11.
Luke, xii. 5.

Eccles. xii. 1. Matt. vi. 19, 20.

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has agitated the generations of men for six thousand years; all that has engaged their hearts and employed their fleeting days, compared with this, is needless, is lighter than the driven chaff, emptier than the bursting bubble, and vainer than the flying shadow.

The same divine speaker said, "Labour not for the meat that perisheth, but for that which endureth unto everlasting life." He did not mean to forbid a proper regard to the duties of this life, but to command a far superior attention to the concerns of the soul; and he assigns an important reason for conduct which the world deems madness. Clothing and food, the body which they cherish, and even the world on which they are enjoyed, must shortly perish, and the time in which they are possessed is like the twinkling of an eye; but the blessings of salvation endure to everlasting life; and the soul that has these shall enjoy them through an eternity so boundless, that, compared with it, ages, as numerous as the drops of the sea, and one fleeting moment are alike: both so short, that placed by the side of eternity, their difference would be imperceptible, both would be nothing there. Similar to this is the commandment, Seek ye FIRST the kingdom of God and his righteousness." Jesus had been speaking of food and raiment, those blessings so important to this life, and then he added, "seek ye FIRST the kingdom of God and his righteousness;" as if he had said, "Let thy earliest and thy chief care be to gain a title to the kingdom of God, and an interest in the Redeemer's righteousness. Prefer this not merely to worldly vanities and follies, but to the most important earthly bless