lomon calls sinners, have no fear of God before their eyes, and no love to Jesus in their hearts; they will destroy much good. "From one rude boy that's used to mock, They learn the wicked jest; Wicked children laugh at every thing that is serious and awful, and have no delight in any thing that is good. Sinful children are disobedient to their parents; for those children who do not obey God's commands, will not pay any regard to the authority of man. Sinful children never pray; they know not how to pray, and they cannot bear the Bible, because it is a good book; it describes their characters, and condemns their conduct. Wicked children, who are called sinners, do not think it any harm to lie, to swear, to steal, to cheat, or break the sabbath; they laugh at the most sinful and daring actions, and think that they deserve to be commended for them, and glory in their shame. Wicked children are called fools by Solomon ; he says they make a mock at sin, and that a companion of fools shall be destroyed. Sinners remember, when I say sinners, I mean wicked children, are idolaters: they adore Satan, the god of this world; though he appears in the shape of a roaring lion. They blaspheme and take the name of the Lord in vain. They are thieves, and rob God of the honor which is due to him as their Creator, and they will rob you of your peace and happiness in this world, and of eternal joy in the world to come. Sinners are liars; they tell you that there is more pleasure and happiness in the ways of sin, than there is in the ways of religion they are sabbath breakers; and I may venture to say, that sinners commit more sin, and do more mischief on that day, than on any other. Sinners, or wicked children, are murderers: they commit the worst of murders, by their enticements and allurements; by their promises and pretended enjoyments; by their conduct and example: by sin, they crucify the Saviour, they murder their time, waste their money, grieve their friends, break the hearts of their parents, and thus hasten their deaths; but the most awful murder of all is, the ruin of their own souls, and the souls of their companions. I do not mean that they kill the soul, but they are the means of its eternal misery. They are double murderers; but, to finish the character of bad companions, whom Solomon cails sinners in the text. I will remark once more, they are the devil's favorites; wicked children. are among the number of Satan's best friends ; and if there is any place in hell more miserable than another, it will be reserved for these favorites, who will receive the wages of sin from Satan their master, and he will pay them to the uttermost: Then, those who have tempted or enticed others into sin, will have their misery aggravated and increased, from the curses and bitter reproaches of those whom they have deceived by their conduct and example. We will now attend, III. To Solomon's striking account of the dangers to which young persons are exposed, from their snares. O, how artful wicked children are Solomon tells you how they act, and the manner in which they endeavour to draw others into sin: they do not compel or force you to go with them, but they entice, they allure and draw you into their company by fair pro mises sinners love company in sin they will have more companions than they wish for in hell. A merry evening may bring a sorrowful morning. I will endeavour to tell you how you are enticed, and by whom. 1. They use enticing words: they tell you of the pleasures they enjoy; of the happy seasons which they have spent in such and such places, with such and such children, or young persons, and they promise you the same enjoyments but their promises are vain: while they tell you of the pretended joys and imaginary pleasures, they do not tell you of the stings which conscience gives, after their evening's entertainment or their midnight frolic. They tell you it is pleasant to enjoy a sail on the water, or a ride into the country, or a walk in the fields on a fine sabbath day; but they forget the anger of that God who has commanded you to "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." They tell you there is no harm in robbing an orchard, or staying out a little later than you ought, on a fine summer evening; they laugh at your objections, and persuade you to excuse yourselves, by telling a lie. They seem to be always merry and always happy: But Solomon says, that even in laughter the heart is sorrowful, and that the end of mirth is heaviness. 2. They make use of enticing actions; a wink with the eye; a beck with the hand; a sign with the finger, have often enticed a child to mischief and sin, and been the cause of shame and sorrow. A forcible pull by the hand or the arm has often led, or I might say, forced from the way that was right, into the way of that which is evil. You have been drawn in by bad company, before you were aware of the consequences: a joke may be carried too far, and a frolic may lead to shame, to fines, to imprisonment and death. 3. By enticing looks. By a look many persons understand much, and looks have done much mischief, where words could not be employed. 4. By whom, or what, you may be enticed. By your school-fellows, your playmates, your brothers and sisters; sometimes by your parents; they may be so ungodly as to promise you a reward for doing that which is not right in the sight of the Lord. A gentleman, I ought M to say a sinner, or wicked man, used to teach a child to swear, and reward him with a penny: after some time he went away; the child cried and said, now Mr. **** is gone, nobody gives me a penny for saying God d-n. The sound of a violin or fiddle, and a quick tune, have enticed many into bad company, and ruined them both body and soul. A dancing young woman was the cause of the death of John the Baptist; that was dear bought pleasure which Herod enjoyed, when he was obliged to give the head of a holy man, for his enjoyment. IV. Let us attend to Solomon's warning, which is given to all "Consent thou not." And here I shall show you your danger, and then give you the caution. 1. There is great danger in being a compan ion of sinners. Bad companions will make you less afraid of sin: When you hear them swear, as if there was no God to punish them, and lie, as if there was no hell to torment: When you see them live, as if there was no other world but this, as if there was no happiness to obtain and no misery to avoid; it will make you think very lightly of sin, and in time, you will love to sin as much as your companions; you will think, as they think; say, as they say; and do, as they do. Bad companions will teach you to laugh at religion, to despise good advice, and treat those children who love their Maker, with scorn and contempt. Bad companions will teach you to forget the one thing needful, |