corruptions of nature can never rise to any SER M. great height, but there will be at the fame XVII. time fuch increase of capacity, as may qualify, and therefore oblige us to engage with them. Where the rational faculty thines forth and gives its luftre, it is but just to expect fuch perfons fhould be bound to conquer and fubdue their paffions; that they should not obftinately fhut their eyes against conviction, but enjoy and use the light which shines about them. And whatever be the force of concupifcence promoted by a quick flow of blood and spirits, and eafily confented to by a juvenile temerity, yet all this might be corrected by ferious reflection and fedate counsel.

They then who have reached to years of discretion and maturity, will find it but a forry excuse for their continuance in fin, to plead either the rafhness or the vigour of their youth. For, do they mean by this that they have no fenfe of their duty, or no power to difcharge it? They would take-it ill to be told fo by others; and why should they expect us to believe it from themselves? They understand well enough how to manage fome affairs of temporal life; and it cannot be therefore from any defect of capacity, it must be from want of application and ufe, that they are fo aukward and dull at those of spiritual.

VOL. III.

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Well,

SERM.

Well, but there's fomething very difaXVII. greeable to frail flesh and blood in the fevere practice of virtue. The conqueft of human paffions, and struggling with bodily appetites, muft needs be fo very irkfome and tedious to them, whofe youth and vivacity of complexion have made them but more headstrong and imperious, that it were better (fome may perhaps object) to let this work alone, till through the decays of age the force of nature fhall be weakened and abated, and the relish of fenfual pleasures fhall be lefs perceived: Then, whilft our affections should give but rare and flight difturbance, the conqueft might be cheap and eafy; and we might rally our forces with good fuccefs against that enemy, who has purfued his victory fo long, till he has tired down himself,

This is one of thofe fubtle wiles which the grand apoftate manages with great dexterity, taking many captive at his will, to the unspeakable prejudice of religion and virtue, and the ruin of innumerable fouls. But, be not ignorant of the fallacy and deceitfulness of his devices. What if you should never reach thofe years of age and impotence? Would you run the hazard of being taken off in your fins, for fear of the trouble of refifting and fubduing them? or can you think it fufficient, when you have spent the vigorous and fprightly

part

part of your days in compliance with the SER M. devil and your corrupt defires, if you are XVII. brought at laft to afford God and religion the feeble service of your decrepid years? The more prudent way would be to begin early with the practice of your duty; and that no doubt will be deemed the most acceptable fervice which is then performed, when you are moft exposed to decoys and avocations from it. To remember our Creator in the days of our youth, has fomething in it truly great and noble. That neither the giddinefs of youth, nor the pleasures of fenfe, nor the vanities of life, should be able to withdraw us from our duty, muft argue us poffeffed of a juft concern for the honour of God and the welfare of our own fouls.

Nor let us be discouraged at the difficulties we may expect to encounter; for the fharper is the conflict, the more glorious the reward. But, when we are for deferring reformation to I know not what time hereafter, till thofe evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when we shall fay we have no pleasure in them*, i.e. when we refolve not to forfake our fins, till we shall no longer be able to purfue them, this furely must argue a greater love of fin than virtue; fince the latter is not to be regarded, fo long as we are capable of profecuting

SERM. or attending to the former. So that noXVII. thing but a speedy execution, can teftify

our purposes of reformation to be honest and fincere. Nay, and let me add, that an early, has in fome refpects the advantage of a later, reformation, even in point of cafe. For, if the corruptions of nature in young men are more ftrong and prevalent; if their judgment be not fo well formed and digefted by mature deliberation; yet their minds, however, are more fprightly and vigorous to act, their dispofitions more tender and pliant, and fitter to receive impreffions. The aged finner grows hardened by his long continuance, and if he be not fo rafh and inconfiderate, he will however be more ftiff and obftinate. Some outward acts of fin, perhaps, shall be more rarely practifed, because they may require a ftrength and vivacity worn-out before; but the difpofitions of the mind are more hardly rooted out, and the longer they continue, the more confirmed they grow and more inveterate.

Let this then be a weighty motive and inducement for young men to reform in youth, left they confirm in themselves fuch habits of fin, as it may not be in their power to extirpate afterwards. Whilst had they on the other hand been accustomed to the practice of virtue, that habit too would have grown ftronger by continuance;

the

the corruptions of nature would be easily SER M. kept under, if but once fubdued; the XVII., powers of grace would ftrengthen and grow mightily, if they were carefully improved by them; their very affections would incline to good, and being thus in youth trained up in the way that they should go, the benefit would reach to age, and when they were old, they would not depart from it.

And now being by this time convinced of the neceffity and advantage of an early reformation, let us go on in the next place to enquire, in what way, and by what means it may be brought about. And to that end, I laid it down as the

III. THIRD General Head of Difcourfe, that the proper, and indeed the only way to effect it is that in the Text fuggefted by the Pfalmift, to make the word or revealed will of God the rule of our behaviour; Wherewithal fhall a young man cleanfe his way? The answer is, by taking heed thereto, according to thy word.

"Twas the end for which the fcriptures were given, that we might be firft induced to believe, and that believing, we might have life. They They are able therefore to make us wife unto falvation, and accordingly are fitted feveral ends to anfwer the and purposes of chriftian life; they ferve

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firfe