Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

rilous condition. You are embarking on a stormy ocean, without a pilot or a chart to guide you. If your parents seek to instruct you, listen to them; if not, ask them to do SO. Wisdom, even this knowledge of which we speak, is the principal thing. It will qualify you for being useful to others, and glorifying God. You will soon be called hence to the eternal world. At the eventful moment of death, what but the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ will support or comfort you?

Oh, beware of

Ye careless, thoughtless young people, look forward to the future. ignorance of divine truth! It has ruined thousands before you; it will ruin you if you be not enlightened in the knowledge of the truth, before you leave this world. Your time of life is the proper one for every species of improvement. Religious improvement, a sanctified use of your privileges, will afford you the highest pleasure in time, besides preparing you for eternity. Seek, then, after it with diligence and perseverance. Count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus your Lord. Be not diverted in this pursuit

by your pleasures; be not delayed by your employments. Though young now, you soon will be old. Ere long you will be ripe for the grave. What you ought to do, therefore, now do, for in the grave there is no repentance nor knowledge. Study the word of God with care and constancy. Examine the grounds and evidences of your religion. Be confirmed and established in the faith, whilst young; for, if you neglect it now, you have reason to fear that you will persevere in the neglect through life. In this accepted time seek the Lord. Seek him while he may be found, and follow on to know him more fully and perfectly.

On you all, my hearers, the duty of knowing the truth, and following on to know more of it, is binding. We exhort you to attend to it with promptness and fidelity, since it is the Lord's will.

Let us, my Reverend Brethren, each in our place strive to promote the interests of our people, in promoting the religious knowledge of old and young. Let us endeavour to feed them with understanding and wisdom, that they may live in the fear of God. The young, especially, demand our care.

[blocks in formation]

Ministers and officers of Churches have a solemn account to give in to God, for their treatment of children, especially those who are baptized. It is time for us to awake and bestir ourselves for God. The enemy is coming in like a flood, and carrying away in his course these children of the Lord. Their parents also need our special attention and vigilance. Let us not be found wanting in our exertions, lest the blood of any of our people be required at our hands. The Lord give us grace to be faithful in the discharge of our duties, that whether we are successful or not, we may meet with a gracious reward from the Judge of quick and of dead. AMEN.

END OF VOLUME I.

ERRATA.

Page 5, instead of Zech. xiv. 11. read verse 7.

22,

Gen. 6. xiv. read 14, and dele 6.

23, in the Note a, instead of Frag. 136, read 134. 24, Note b, 1 Pet. iii. 2. read v. 21.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
« EdellinenJatka »