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SERMON XVIII.

On the Chriftian Characters of Youth.

2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. vii. 1.

Come out from among them, and be ye feparate, faith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing: and I will receive you, and will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my fons and daughters, faith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore thefe promises, dearly beloved; let us cleanfe ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and fpirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

WHEN a person conversant with the

vegetable productions of the earth

obferves in the forest a plant, whose properties he is defirous of improving; he removes it from its native wild into his garden. There, rooted in luxuriant foil, fheltered from inclement blasts, fecured

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against immoderate humidity, duly watered in feasons of drought, defended from the encroachment of worthlefs herbs which even in that cultivated fpot are continually springing on every fide; it teftifies by a confpicuous transformation the fostering care of its protector. Its growth enlarges; its juices are meliorated; its tints are heightened; its fragrance is exalted; its fruits are multiplied. It is no longer a barren weed but the delight of Him who has appropriated it to himself.

In correfpondence with the general out lines of this fimilitude, the God of mercy purifies unto himfelf a peculiar people. By the miniftration of the Gospel He rescues them from the noxious vicinity of wickednefs; fuftains them with his arm; nourishes them by his grace; cheers them with the light of his countenance; and enables them to bring forth fruit, unto perfection.

Between the objects of favour, however, in the two cafes, there exifts a very important difference. The plant is unconscious, fenfelefs, paffive. It knows not its benefactor nor his purposes. Choice has no concern in its improvement. Not fo the human being addreffed by the Gofpel Him God has created a moral agent. From

him God requires active concurrence'; cooperation of the will manifefted by exertions of obedience. He does not hurry the man by arbitrary force from amidst the thorns and thiftles of iniquity. Come out from among them, he cries, and be feparate. Bestowing on the helpless individual adequate powers by the influence of his Spirit; He commands him to exert them and come forth.

To remove an aged plant from the foreft, and to caufe it to flourish in the garden, might be a task level to the fkill of the cultivator. But he gives the preference to a younger ftem, whofe fibres are lefs firmly riveted in the foil, and lefs closely interwoven with the roots of the contiguous thicket. To pluck up the veteran finner, however deep he may have fhot his roots downwards towards hell; and to enable him to flourish like a green olivetree in the courts of the houfe of his God; is an undertaking devoid of difficulty to the Omnipotent. But with fingular complacency he looks on thofe, who have received Him as the guide of their youth. Out of the mouth even of babes and fucklings He perfecteth praife. Advancing childhood receives new marks of his love. Bb 3

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children, he cries by his Holy Spirit, bearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Suffer little children, exclaimed his beloved Son, to come unto me, aud forbid them not for of fuch is the kingdom of God. In the Old Teftament is heard the gracious admonition; Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth. And in the paffage from the New which I have propofed for our confideration, a paffage ftrictly connected by the context with the subject of marriage, it is to young perfons that the promife, though pertaining to all Chriftians, is primarily addreffed: I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you: and ye shall be my fons and daughters, faith the Lord Almighty.

How is an interest in this promise to be vis obtained? By coming forth and being feparate from the pollutions of the world: by cleanfing ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and Spirit, and perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

In order to apply these univerfal inftructions to the especial benefit of the young; I defign in the prefent and in the fucceeding difcourfe to point out the diftinct bearings of fome of the principal, Christian virtues on the characters and duties of youth

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in general, and, as opportunities arise, of each fex in particular.

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I. The architect, whether purpofing to erect a cottage, or a palace, or a temple, provides for the fafety of the future fuperftructure by devoting his firft care to the folidity of the foundation. In youth, as in every other period of life, the foundation of every Chriftian excellence is piety a fervent love of God habitually fubmitting itself to the guidance of his law. Wherewith fhall a young man cleanfe his way? By taking beed according to thy word. Jofiah did that which was right in the fight of the Lord; and declined neither to the right band nor to the left. Why? For while he was yet young he began to feek after the God of David, his father (a). Why had the young men whom St. John addreffed been enabled to overcome the wicked One? Because, adds the Apoftle, the word of God abideth in you. Youth is the season of ardent affections. Shall the heart be warm in its attachment to earthly relatives and affociates: and cold towards your heavenly Father, your kindest friend; cold to Jefus Chrift

(a) Pf. cxix. 9. 2 Chron. xxxiv. 2, 3.

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