life, perfectly aware that there is in the object of their existence something greater, and higher, and ampler, than any mere pleasures of the youthful season, and than the particular pursuits in life to which they may be looking forward. Immense interests are exhibited before them as immortal natures; it is for them to consider whether they will be consigned down just merely to this-to be gay and joyous creatures for a few years, and busy ones the rest; or, whether they shall, early in life, have a greater purpose and concern-rising above the world, and extending beyond time. Now here is to be the application of those principles we were endeavouring to illustrate; and without them we shall have ample and deplorable manifestation what the notion and purpose of life in young persons will be.

But again this sober-mindedness is quite necessary to all the subordinate schemes and pursuits of life. In the want of it a young person may form schemes ill adapted to his character, his qualifications, his abilities, his circumstances; for want of it, may have rushed into wild, ill-concerted projects, which have ended disastrously, or frustrated the most laudable designs! What important affair in life can THAT be -what pursuit-what business-that does not require, or will not be the better for, sound reason, solid principles, consideration of consequences, acknowledgment of the divine will?

Companionship and friendly connexions are among the favourite interests of young persons. Sober-mindedness is eminently important here. Wisdom and goodness are probably not so superabundant throughout the youthful tribe that a young person may think he can be in no danger. Let young persons consider that they put themselves, with respect to very important interests, at the command, in no small degree, of their associates; that is to say, they yield to the effect of sympathy and conformity; they will be rendered more favourably disposed to some things, and more averse to others. Now, if it should be, that what they are rendered more averse to is, seriousness, piety, the service of God, seeking the, good offered by the Redeemer! let young persons confess to conscience whether they never felt this effect-but that is purchasing the pleasure at a fearful cost! And what is to prevent so disastrous a commerce but soberness of mind? This would keep them clearly aware that the mere pleasure of friendly association is a mere trifle as compared with the influence and effect.

Sober-mindedness again would be of high value to young people as to the terms upon which they shall stand with what is called the world; that is the denomination for a sort of system of maxims, customs, modes, and fashions; and it takes upon itself a high tyrannic authority, if we may judge from the number of submissive slaves. Young people appear early to acquire a kind of conscience, and religious reverence towards this authority-MUST DO AS THE WORLD DOES-dare not presume to be out of the mode-anxiously study the dictates, and watch the movements, of this "dread sovereign!" If there were but half as much attention and submissive feeling toward the Lord of heaven and earth!

But to think of a person, young or old, reverencing this stupid idol and disregarding Him!

Now the quality enjoined by the apostle would set a young person above this arrogated authority; he would perceive an infinite quantity of folly, and vanity, and absurdity, something still worse, in this domineering system, and assume a dignified independence. Not that any young person should exhibit himself in a laboured and ostentatious singularity. You well know that there is a vast distance between this and a sedulous, obsequious, and punctilious conformity. The firmly-minded young person would, in numerous instances, and considerable degrees, set at nought the prescriptions of the despot, would act just as he thought proper, and would have his reason to assign" I really have something else to do with my time and thoughts than to study and follow your caprices, modes, and vanities."

So much for the situation of young persons IN the world. It is almost too obvious to be added that, for what concerns their preparation to go out of it, there is the utmost necessity for everything implied in sober-mindedness.

III. We conclude with a consideration or two for the enforcement of the exhortation; and let it not be forgotten, that youth will soon be passed away, nay, there is even the WISH in its possession for the larger portion of it to haste away! Most striking illustration of the vanity of our state on earth!

Well, it rapidly runs on to the longed-for age of twenty; but then it retains its impetus of motion, and runs beyond that point as fast as it ran thither! And with what magical

fleetness it passes away till it loses its quality, and life is youth no more! But in the case of not a few young persons,

their youth is appointed to be the whole of their life.

ness.

Now, supposing that in any particular instance this were certain and known; in that instance, all opinions would agree as to the propriety and necessity of "sober-mindedYes, the vainest, the giddiest-unless totally ignorant or unbelieving of hereafter-say, "Yes, certainly he or she should be so." But now judge soberly, whether the propriety is reversed by the circumstance of uncertainty, that a young person MAY only have his youth for the whole of his life. When this MAY be the case, would it not be infatuation to live as though it certainly would not?

But assuming that life will be prolonged into the more advanced stages, consider that then a great change of feeling from that of youth will certainly take place; an altered estimate of very many things, and altered feeling; a somewhat changed colour over the scene of life; experience, disappointment, difficulty, will have begun their progress. Now consider, is it not a most ungracious thing, that the altered state of feeling in more advanced life should come just wholly as disappointment, as mortifying experience, AS sober sense forced upon reluctant folly? whereas in youth we might have ANTICIPATED a great deal; might, through wisdom, have made the change much more smooth; might have caused it to be much less, and less mortifying; made it less reproachful in reflection on the sanguine delusions of early life.

And be it observed here, that it is a bad sign in youth to be heedless of the dictates of the experience of persons more advanced in life.

It is, indeed, quite impossible for youth to enter fully into the spirit of such experience. But to despise it, to fancy it proceeds entirely from disappointment, mortified feeling, or the mere coldness of age, augurs ill. And so these young persons will think, when they in their turn come to inculcate the lessons of their more aged experience. We would enforce one more consideration; namely, that things WILL have their consequences.

If there be a vain, giddy, thoughtless, ill-improved youth, the effects of it will infallibly come in after life. A neglected understanding, a conscience feebly and rudely constituted, good principles but slightly fixed, or even apprehended; an

habitual levity of spirit, a chase of frivolities, a surrender to the passions; the natural consequences of these will follow. And WHAT will they be?

When a man is advanced into the field of arduous and difficult duties? When he shall himself be required to be a counsellor of youth? When he shall be put upon strong trials of both his judgment and conscience?

When he shall have to sustain affliction? When advancing age shall force him to see that he shall e'er long have to leave life itself behind? Sometimes, happily, even in the advanced life of such a person, the power of religion, the converting spirit of Christ, comes on him, and in a partial measure suspends and reverses the natural consequences of his unhappy youth. But then his bitterest regret is, that it was through SUCH a youth that he had advanced into life.

We add but one consideration more, which we wish to press on young minds with peculiar force. They love cheerfulness, spiritedness, vivacity; and they are right.

now

But then, on supposition of life being prolonged, would they be content to expend away the greatest portion of this animation in the beginning of life? Would they drink out the precious wine of life in the morning, and leave but the dregs for the evening of life's day? If there be any possible way of throwing a large portion of this vital element, this animation, into the latter, the latest part of life-were not that the highest wisdom? Will there be young persons ready to answer gaily and carelessly to this, "Never fear; doubtless there will be spirit and animation enough for the whole length of life, how much soever we riot "? We answer them: Look whether the FACT be so. You know many persons far advanced in age. And some of them you happen to know, that in their youth they were gay and vivacious in a high degree; their spirits blazed away in mirth and merriment; they expended their vivacity without limit or care; "never fear," they said. They have passed through many stages since, but very naturally they have never applied themselves in earnest to their highest concerns. They have done their best to keep up their spirits as a substitute for THAT. But how do you behold them now ? It is true, there are instances of great natural animal spirits, when a considerable measure remains even in a very late period of

an ill-improved life. When it is MERELY this, however, you feel little complacency in seeing it; when you are a little reflective, you revolt from sympathy. But how often you see, in the old persons who spent so gay a youth, an extinction of all the fire! Sometimes they try to brighten up for a moment, but they betray an exhaustion and desertion; they are sensible that life is nearly gone by, but its closethey cannot bear to think of it any more than when they were young. But they have no longer the youthful means of driving away the thought. They are sometimes pensively gloomy, often peevishly and morosely so. Oh! had they but in early life consecrated the animation of their spirits, by giving a larger share of it to God, to reserve it for them; had they often tempered and repressed the vivacity of their hearts by solemn thoughts of hereafter, by a vigorous application to wisdom, they might have been fired with spirit and animation now, which not the approach of death could chill or quench; nay, would have burnt the brighter in that formidable atmosphere. Look at this delightful animation in the latter end of life. Happily there are such examples. Some signal instances within these walls may occur to your thought; very advanced age as full of spirit, and animated sentiment, and ardour, and indefatigable activity, as ever that person's youth could have been-and religion the life of it all. But to attain this in age, we repeat, the spirit must be tempered and consecrated in youth. And that wise and happy youth may answer the thoughtless, volatile, gay ones, when they ask, "Why do you thus restrain and repress your lively spirit with grave thoughts and hard exercises?" he may answer, "Because I hope to have vivacity at a period of life (if I reach it) when, I fear, you will be oppressed with gloom."