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y immortal spirit came. Thou didst create man to bear more of the image of thyself, than any besides of these thy lower works. Thou didst breathe into him the breath of life, by which he became a living soul; while all thy other creatures here, are the creatures of a day. From thee have I received a soul, that must live through an eternity, as lasting as thy own. I know, O Lord, that it is appointed unto all men once to die; and I, ere long, must sink beneath the stroke of death. These hands will forget to labour. These eyes will need the cheering light of day no more. This tongue will be silent. This heart will be filled with fear or love no longer. These limbs will become cold in death; none on earth will be concerned with me; nor I with them; but the worn will crawl and feed upon this flesh of nine; or corruption consume it; 'till not one wretched trace remains, resembling me!' But, O my God, that soul which thou hast made, the tenant of this dying frame must defy the power of death; must spring forward into new and unknown scenes; must behold the glories or terrors of the invisible world; while eternity, vast, boundless, joyful or dreadful eternity, becomes the only limit of my suffering or happiness. With this prospect before me, let me prize my soul, as a treasure, compared with which, all the treasures of a thousand worlds were emptier than a bauble, and lighter than vanity. O let me feel its worth as I shall do on the bed of death. O let me know its value as they have done, who gladly bore prisons, and flames, and martyr dom, in every dreadful form, that they might but keep their immortal spirits safe beneath their Redeemer's care; and, who thought all their sorrows well repaid, by landing on the peaceful shore of heaven. O let me feel the value of my immortal soul, as they have done, who trifled with theirs, till their day of grace was gone; and who then, in confusion, agony, and horror, bewailed their dreadful sin. Lord, may I learn from the joyful or sad experience of others, not to slight thy love. Thou hast cared for my eternal welfare; and thought no sacrifice too costly, when the happiness of my immortal spirit was at stake. Let endless praises be paid

'Gen. ii. 7.

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 seck its destruction, but, Almighty 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 daparting 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.

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CHAPTER VII.

The importance of Religion further shewn by reference to the counsel of the Most High, contained in his word.

SECT. 1. The word of God the surest guide to heaven.-s. 2. Various Scripture passages enforcing a devout attention to Religion. s. 3. The subject continued in a short illustration of a few of those Scriptural declarations which assert the importance of real piety.-s. 4. In a brief view of some others, which display the vanity of worldly good.-s. 5. By a reference to other passages, which command an attention to Religion, whatever may be suffered on its account.-s. 6. Prayer.

SECT. 1. ON all subjects in which eternity is 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 gulph; 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.t 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? Already have I shewn you, from it, what Religion is; now let me shew you, that it calls upon you, at all events, to embrace Relig ion. It teaches you that this 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 expence 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 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."

Sect. 2. The judgment of the blessed God, as to the importance of real piety, and of piety in youth, is sol

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emnly given in his ward. 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,1 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 24 One thing is needful. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.6 Labour not for the meat that perisheth, but for the meat which endureth unto everlasting life. 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.19 Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead, und Christ shall give thee light." God now commandeth ALL MEN EVERY WHERE to repent. Except ye re pent, ye shall all likewise perish.13 Ye must be born again. Behold the Lamb of God." Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.16 This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he bath sent." 17 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.19 Grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.20 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them, who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises." See that ye refuse not him that speaketh; for if they escaped not, who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven.22 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation.23 Let

Job xxviii. 21. Luke x. 42. Luke xiii. 24. 13 Luke xiii. 3. 17 John vi. 29.

Heb. vi. 12.

Ps. cxi. 10.
6 Matt. vi. 33.
10Matt. vii. 14.

14 John ini. 7.
181 Tim. vi. 12.

22 Heb. xii. 25.

Isa. iv. 6, 7.
John vi. 27.

Eph. v. 14.
15 John i. 26.
19 2 Pet. iii. 14.

23 Heb. ii. 3.

Mark viii. 36. 8Matt. vii. 18. Acts xvii. 24. 16 Acts xvi. 31. 20 2 Pet iii. 18.

28

us labour therefore to enter into rest."4 Remember Now
thy Creator in the days of thy youth. I love them
that love me; and they that seek me early shall find
<ine. 26
The time is short; it remaineth that both they
who have wives be as though they had none; and they
who weep, as though they wept not; and they that re-
joice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy,
as though they possessed not; and they that use this
world, as not abusing it; for the fashion of this world
passeth away.27 Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. O
that they were wise, that they understood this, that
they would consider their latter end 29 O that there
were such a heart in them that they would fear me;
and keep all my commandments always, that it might
'be well with them.30 Blessed are they, which do hunger
and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed arc they which are persecuted for righteousness'
sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.31 Fear not
them which kill the body, and after that have no more
that they can do; but I will forewarn you whom you
shall fear, fear him, who, after he hath killed, hath
power to cast into hell, yea 1 say unto you, fear
him.32 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon
earth, where moth and rust corrupt, and where thieves
break through and steal; but lay up for yourselve
treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth
corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor
steal.33

Sect. 3. Are not these important admonitions the ad-
monitions of your God? Any one of them should be suf-
ficient to claim your attention, and engage your heart;
how much more should their united counsel. 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 of these, or other
scriptural admonitions, more fully. The Lord Jesus, in
whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowl-

24Heb. iv. 11.

271 Cor. vii. 29, 31. 20 Deut. xxxii. 29.

26 Eccles. xii. 1.
28 Eccles. i. 2.
31 Matt. v. 6, 8, 10.

26 Prov. viii. I.
29 Deut. v. 29
32Luke xii. B

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