AND ENJOY THE FAVOUR OF CHRIST. 133 praises, what gratitude I owe to thee! Why didst thou stoop beneath the grave, to save a sinking world! Why pass by sinful angels to visit sinful men! Why raise man to the heaven he never enjoyed, and not restore them to the heaven they lost! Why sink so low, to raise us so high! Why suffer for such a worm as I! Even so, Lord, for so it seemed good in thy sight. Blessed Jesus, thy divine goodness undertook, thy power performed this miracle of miracles, this more than wonder. No merits didst thou see in man. None wilt thou ever see. Never can we repay the debt of gratitude. Never love thee half enough. O gracious Saviour! O divine sacrifice! thou didst bleed, didst bleed for me; didst come to wash away my stains; to seek and save me who was lost. Let me live to thee; and in my life adorn thy gospel and glorify thy name. Let me die to thee; die with an assurance that I am thine; die, saying in my last hour, Beloved Saviour, through thy merits and thy death, a poor polluted worm, deserving hell, ascends to heaven. Amen.

CHAPTER IX.

EARLY PIETY PECULIARLY ACCEPTABLE TO GOD, AND PECULIARLY HONOURED BY HIM.

§ 1. THE affection of earthly relatives and friends, you doubtless esteem of much importance to your happiness; but there is one infinitely greater Friend, whose approbation is of more consequence, than that of all earthly friends united. The King of kings deigns to regard

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early piety as peculiarly acceptable to himself, and this is a weighty reason for its choice. If then you would be happy here, and happy for ever, useful on earth, and glorified in heaven, I beseech you to make this blessing yours. I be seech you to remember, that the esteem and love of mortal friends, if obtained in youth, and enjoyed through following years, and if ever so important for all the term of life, will sink into insignificancy itself, when death shall dislodge your soul from its feeble habitation, and eternity receive you to its endless abodes. But to possess that early acquaintance with Christ, that early piety, which is peculiarly pleasing to God, will most nearly concern you, long after you have done with the world; long after not one trace of you or yours remains on earth; long af ter the shroud, that dress of the grave, and the coffin, that dwelling of the dead, are mixed and lost in the dust that covers them; long after the graves have given up their dead, and the Judge fixed their eternal doom. Tell me, my young friend, of that worldly concern, which will be of any importance to you, when the year 2000 comes. Alas! you cannot. The world then as now, may be gay and thoughtless; but to you, long, long, long ere that period comes, there will not remain one bitter dreg of any worldly sorrow, nor one pleasing memorial of any worldly joy. The sun will shine as brightly then for others, the earth be as gaily dressed for them as now for you; but long ere that time arrives, those who are in vigorous youth or decrepid age, will be mixed in the same dust. The clods of the valley, almost for ages, will have covered both, alike forgetful of a busy or a pleasura

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ble world. The grass of the field, for years and years, will have flourished and faded about the spot where you and I shall lie. O vain, and passing world! how wretchedly are that youth, and health, and strength, misemployed, which are employed for thee! Seek, my young friend, a better portion than such a world can give. Pursue his favour, whose favour will be found better than life, when the world itself has passed away like a shadow, that vanishes when the sun goes down.

§ 2. Religion in any situation, or in persons of any age, is acceptable in the sight of the Most High, and is deemed true wisdom by him. His word declares, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all they that do his commandments." A person may be poor, ignorant, mean, and of small capacity; yet, if guided by the counsel of God, this poor unlettered man shall be esteemed by his Maker, as wise and of good understanding: another may be great and noble, skilful in all knowledge, able to discourse in many languages, and the world may be astonished at his talents; yet, because he knows not true piety, God would pronounce him a fool, a man of no understanding. So precious is true piety in the sight of the Lord.

But while piety in any situation or age, is pleasing to the Most High, yet learn from the divine word, that youthful piety has peculiar charms. No sight upon earth is more lovely, than to see young persons in the very bloom of life devoting themselves to the Saviour, who died for them, and ornamenting his religion by giving it their best years. Religion may be regarded by the aged convert from sin and folly; but it must

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be honoured by the young, or by those who were religious in the prime of their days. Early piety is peculiarly pleasing to the blessed Jesus. One of the last commands he gave to Peter, was, Feed my lambs." The apostle John was his young disciple, but he was "the disciple whom Jesus loved." The case of the young ruler also in this view deserves attention. Excepting the apostles, he is the only person expressly mentioned in the New Testament as young who went to our Lord to inquire the way to heaven. He was a stranger to the Lord, and yet more is said of him, than of whole multitudes besides; för of him it is said, that "Jesus loved him." And though the Lord, notwithstanding all he saw so pleasing in him, afterwards spoke of him as a perishing sinner; yet even his want of real piety may show you how that blessing is valued by the Lord Jesus when possessed by the young. If, though not truly a child of God, the Lord was so much taken with him, how much more would he have won on Christ's affection, if to every other recommendation had been added, true piety!

"That last and best,

Which more than doubles all the rest.”

A parent may be pleased with another's child, but is more pleased with his own; and the Lord, who beholding that young man loved him, would doubtless have loved him more, if he had been his own disciple. Ah! had he listened to the call of Jesus, how high a place might he have possessed in his Redeemer's heart! Perhaps, the very first; for not even of the apostles themselves, is so much said of the Lord's loving

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them, before they became his disciples, as is said of his love to this young man.

§ 3. The marked and honourable distinction which God has placed on early piety, strikingly shows how peculiarly acceptable it is to him. He has made few, except those converted in early life, instruments of advancing, to any considerable degree, his glory upon earth. Late converts have generally crept, as it were, singly into heaven; while many converted young have been employed by God, to lead their friends, their children, or many others to the abodes of bliss. As by early piety the young peculiarly honour God; so he condescends, in return, peculiarly to honour them. Run over the list of names, which God has so honourably distinguished in his word, and observe they were converted while young. Abel, the first of martyrs, sought God in his youth. Enoch, celebrated for so glorious a translation to heaven, was removed thither, when (considering the length of life at that period) a young man. Noah, the father of a second world, when young served the God of heaven. Abraham, pronounced the father of the faithful, and the friend of God, while young set out for the heavenly country. Moses, who was faithful in the Lord's house, in his youth refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, and counted the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. Joshua, who made the noble resolution, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord," had made the same, long, long before. Samuel, that much honoured prophet, when yet a child, said to the Lord," Speak, for thy servant heareth." Job, distinguished for his patience and his piety, was pious in his early

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