of robbery and fraud. Let them fo regu late their deportment as tacitly to prevent or to remove mifconceptions on the part of thofe, who may groundlessly deem themselves objects of especial regard. With equal care, with an equally firm conviction of duty, let them watch over their bosoms, that their own affections be not haftily feized. If in the commoneft tranfactions of life the glory of God is to be the ruling principle of a Christian; is that principle to be dismissed, is it to be poftponed, in the most important engagement, marriage? Shall the bleffing of the Lord of all accom-: pany a contract, in which his honour is flighted, his approbation held of fecondary importance? Do you feek the glory of God? Do you hope for his bleffing? Cherish not a thought of being united to another in marriage, until you have solid grounds for deliberate belief that the individual in question is a true fervant of Chrift: a fervant of Chrift not in the loofe acceptation of the terms prevalent in a careless world, but in that comprehensive and fcriptural import which at the last day they shall be found to have involved. If perfonal attractions, or amiable manners, or lucrative or fplendid connections, preponderate in your heart; you are the flave of engaging

6

engaging features, or of alluring demeanour, or of intereft, or of ambition; not the fervant of Jehovah. Hear the voice of God prohibiting his chosen people from marriages with idolaters. Hear St. Paul commanding Chriftians to marry only in the Lord (y). Hear him, in the very paffage which is the foundation of the present discourse, commanding them not to be yoked unequally with unbelievers. What fellowship, he exclaims, bath righteousness with unrighteoufness? What communion hath light with darkness? What concord hath Chrift with Belial? What part hath he that believeth with an infidel? Let it not be fuppofed that the energy of these words respects merely the cafe of a Christian about to marry a heathen or a fceptic. It refpects the cafe of a Chriftian meditating marriage with any perfon whom God regards as not a Chriftian; a perfon who, like the covetous man, or the glutton, being enflaved to fome habit of unrighteousness, is ftamped by the Scriptures an idolater; a person who lives not unto Chrift, and therefore has no efficient faith in Chrift; a perfon whofe heart, idolifing the world, is cold and formal as to genuine religion. Reflect on the danger which would necef(y) 1 Cor. vii, 39.

farily enfue to your own principles no lefs than to your happiness, from an union with a partner not truly religious: and you will confefs that on this as on every occafion interest moves hand in hand with duty. Guard then your affections against sudden and premature impreffions. Look primarily to the religious character of the individual, towards whom you feel a dawning of regard. Weigh circumftances with precision weigh them under a lively fenfe of your predifpofition to fee all things with a favourable eye. If attachment infinuating itself into the bofom has been permitted to make progrefs, ere you discover that its object is in the primary qualification de fective: how diftreffing is the alternative of relinquishing your profpects at the expence of a bitter facrifice, or of persisting at the risk of your present and eternal welfare! But if you fhrink from the facrifice, you do not love God above all. In making it, whatever you fuffer, you suffer as a Christian; you fuffer for righteousness' fake. In fuch fufferings blessed are you. Act thus in all things, and you fhall be bleffed through your Redeemer for ever.

SERMON XIX.

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 promifes, dearly beloved; let us cleanfe ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and fpirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

THE Chriftian

graces of piety, docility,

and reverence for age, together with the leading obligations into which felfgovernment is ramified, were investigated in the preceding difcourfe with efpecial regard to their influence on the conduct of youth. May the guidance of the Holy Spirit direct, and His bleffing profper, our

inquiries

inquiries into feveral branches of duty, which remain to be examined with a fimilar reference.

V. With felf-government difcretion is intimately connected. Each borrows aid from the other, and lends reciprocal affiftance. If, in proportion as difcretion influences the character, the path is smoothed for the exercife of felf-command; in proportion likewife as fober-mindedness and forbearance produce experimental effects on the conduct, the difcriminating powers of difcretion are ftrengthened, and the exertion of them is rendered prompt, eafy, and determinate. To give to the young man difcretion, was an object which occupied the heart of the wifeft of men. My fon, keep found wisdom and difcretion. Difcretion shall preferve thee, and shall be life unto thy foul. Let the aged teach young women to be dif I will that the younger women give none occafion to the adversary to speak reproachfully (a). Such are the precepts of the Moft High. What confummate, what truly fcriptural, difcretion, was manifefted by the incarnate Son of God, when he repelled the tempter in the wilderness; and

creet.

(a) Prov. i. 4. ii. 11. iii. 21, 22.

v. 14.

Tit. ii. 5.

1 Tim.

when