give light unto thee; but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God, thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.

:

The language of the text is addressed to Christians. Ye that make mention of the Lord-or ye who are his "remembrancers"-who, to speak after the manner of men, are allowed to remind him of his promises;-Ye are to give him no rest, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. No intelligent and consistent Christian will say, that because this is the work of God, He does not need our co-operation; and because the event is here certainly predicted, and will assuredly take place, therefore, we need not urge the matter in prayer, or be very solicitous about it. No; this is the language of infidelity. But the text, as we have seen, is addressed to Christians ; to praying Christians and all such will regard the promises of God, as constituting the strongest encouragement to prayer and to exertion. And if time would admit, it might be shown that such a solicitude for the interests of truth and righteousness, as is here enjoined, is absolutely essential to Christian character. Without it, we are not conformed to the image of the Son of God; whose zeal was like a consuming fire to his physical frame. (John ii. 17.) Without it, the church will never exhibit that light and glory of the Lord, which shall give her power over the nations. If I have made this truth sufficiently clear, real Christians will feel its animating influence, and will henceforth act accordingly; while those who have not the spirit of Christ, who have no real concern for his cause on earth, will continue to slumber and disregard the voice of God, and the voice of his Church, and the agonies of a dying world. Such professors of religion have much cause to tremble while they hear others importunately praying that the Lord would establish Jerusalem and make her a praise in the earth; for how can this prayer be answered, while the church is full of hypocrites, or of lazy, inefficient, worldly-minded members? Persons of this description, so far from reflecting the glory of the Lord, are dishonoring his name and his religion; and counteracting what is done for the conversion of the world. So far from shining in the lustre of truth and holiness, they are 66 spots in your feasts of charity-clouds they are without water ;" and must I add, "to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever?" While they continue in the visible church in sufficient numbers to influence in any considerable degree the character of the church, there will be no light for the Gentiles to see; no brightness to attract the admiration of kings, or of meaner men. Such persons must therefore be converted or put out of the way, before the Lord can answer the prayers of Christians in establishing Jerusalem. Their conduct and influence tend not to establish, but to unsettle the foundations of the Christian Church, to weaken her energies, and to tie up her hands, when she would attempt any thing for the conversion of the world. If, therefore, the work of God is to go on; if his purposes are to be accomplished, according to the plan which He has revealed; all this class of persons, whether officers in the church, or private members, must be converted or put out of the way. But many, we have reason to fear, will not be converted. They are far more stubborn and obstinate in error and in sin, than the heathen themselves. The inevitable consequence,

therfore, must be, their destruction. This event is accordingly predicted. The nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. (Isaiah lx. 12.) Nations are composed of individuals. This language, therefore, means that all who will not be subservient to the interests of Zion, who will not be on the Lord's side, and co-operate with him in destroying the works of the devil, and in establishing Jerusalem, shall be utterly wasted and destroyed-whether they be found in or out of the church.

Before the Savior came, God declared that He would shake all nations. He did so; and then, the desire of all nations came. Similar, and perhaps still greater convulsions will prepare the way for the predicted triumphs of the Gospel. Not only the nations, but the churches of Christendom will be shaken. God will do with them as he did with the Jewish church. He will sift them, as wheat is sifted in a sieve. The process will be terrible --but not one grain shall be lost. The Lord knoweth them that are his; and when he has separated them from the wicked, and purified and fitted them for his use, He will honor them according to his word--He will make them an eternal excellency, the joy of the whole earth.

If these things be so, it behooves all ministers and all private Christians to set about this preparatory work. They, who neglect to do so, will not escape because they belong to Christian churches. No; the time is at hand, when all professing believers must arise and shine, and reflect the glory of the Lord, or. be involved in one common ruin with his enemies. The accomplishment of the Divine purposes, clearly revealed, absolutely requires one or the other of these alternatives. But, my brethren, why should any of you render it necessary that God should deal with you, as with the refractory nations and kings, who set themselves against the Lord and against his Anointed? O, why, instead of turning many to righteousness, and shining as the sun in his strength, should you be broken with a rod of iron, or be dashed in pieces like a potter's vessel? Such, however, must be the fate of multitudes in Christendom, without a speedy change in their character and conduct. For God must vindicate the honor of his great Name, which has been subjected to reproach and blas-. phemy by their errors and unholy practices. He must go on to establish Jerusalem, and to make her a praise in the earth, although as He advances, his chariot wheels may crush thousands and ten thousands, who will not get out of the way. But happy, thrice happy shall we be, if, instead of hindering, we now come to the help of the Lord, and do his work faithfully, in the true spirit of the text. When the Lord shall establish Jerusalem, and make her a praise in the earth, her triumphs will be our triumphs; her glory will be our glory ;--while those who act a different part, will sink, condemned of God and of all holy beings; and at the day of final retribution, will rise only to shame and everlasting contempt.

THE

THE WISDOM AND BEAUTY OF YOUTHFUL PIETY.

PROV. VIII. 16, 17.—I love them that love me, and they that seek me early shall find me. Riches and honor are with me, yea, durable riches and righteousness.

THE old remark has much force, "If religion be any thing, it is every thing,-if it be at all important, it is all-important." If the truth of the religion of the Gospel be admitted, and its claims be acknowledged, that truth is confessedly invaluable, and these claims are supremely imperative. To delay at any time, and under any circumstances, in making a decided and unreserved surrender to these claims, must ever be an act of folly and madness. Yet there is nothing more common than procrastination in this matter; nothing more common than to silence the testimony of conscience, and still the urgent emotions of the heart, by the presumptuous expectation of future time and opportunity to discharge a work, acknowledged as a present duty. Delay is truly "the thief of time," and the murderer of the soul. The sinner delays, and while he delays, temptation is yielded to, corruption indulged, evil habits strengthened, sinful associations multiplied, the conscience stifled, the heart hardened, the Holy Spirit grieved, and divine wrath provoked. Surely "it is madness to defer." The season of youth is of incalculable importance. It is the morning which enables us to augur the character and condition of more advanced life, and of that eternity which follows. It is the seed-time which leads us to anticipate the harvest. The anxious regards of the wise are ever extended to the young, in reference to the welfare and prospects of the church and of society. The chapter from which the text is taken, commends the excellence and value of wisdom, or true religion, and presses its claims upon the children of men. The text declares the complacency which God reposes in true piety, the encouragement given to the young for seeking and cultivating it, and the inestimable blessings which it conveys to its possessors. It is designed to urge upon the young the pre-eminent importance of piety, by several considerations :

I. RELIGION ALONE IS FITTED TO FORM AND PRESERVE PURITY OF CHARACTER AND CONDUCT, AND TO FURNISH SOURCES OF TRUE HAPPINESS.

The decision must be made between the religion of the Bible and no religion. It cannot now be a matter of inquiry, whether the claims and evidences of the Christian religion may be compared with the claims and evidences of any other system of religion. Christianity in this age, shines forth in the fulness and clear.

ness of its evidences, and opposition to it will ever be found connected with, and resulting from, a disaffection to that relation and accountableness which we sustain under the government of a holy and just God, and which lies at the very foundation of religion. The weapons which infidelity employs, most commonly and artfully, are ridicule and misrepresentation. While it sports with what is sacred, awful, and lovely, it makes its appeal to the base and selfish passions of our nature. This, adapted to the dispositions and circumstances of its intended victims, may be so varied and concealed as to require watchfulness and discrimination, in order to discover and resist it. The humility, candor, seriousness, docility, and prayer, which are so requisite in the investigation of truth, have manifestly always been wanting in infidels. Pride and passion have controlled reason, and the grand exceptions secretly taken to Christianity, have ever been the humility it requires, and the holiness it enjoins. Who could now advert to any system of theology, or any code of morals existing in pagan nations, past or present, where the light of Christianity has not shined, and not confess the proofs they exhibit of the imbecility of the human intellect, and the depravity of our fallen nature. It was in the Augustan age of Rome, when the orb of science was most dazzling, that idolatry, in its varied forms of the grossest and most revolting absurdity, was the religion of the state and the people; and that the melancholy picture of public and private morals was drawn by Paul, in the 1st chapter of his Epistle to the Romans. Infidelity, though ever inconsistent with itself, will at times admit and vindicate some of the elementary principles of religion, and will beautifully descant upon the duties of an exalted and refined morality. For this, however, it is indebted to revelation. Having thus lighted its taper, it would vainly and ungratefully attempt to blot out the great Sun of Righteousness, which "brings life and immortality to light."

The religion of the Gospel unfolds to the sinner his own character and that of God, applies the divine law in its spirituality and strictness, leads to repentance, exhibits the glorious scheme of redemption, inspires faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, renovates the heart, directs and supports in the way of holiness and beneficence, supplies consolations suited to all the exigencies of outward and inward tribulation, ministers that " peace which the world giveth not," and which "passeth understanding," animates with the hope of glory, and conducts to the "inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away." Can any substitute he found for such religion? It has been said, conscience will avail to preserve men from vice, and lead them to virtue. But what is conscience? It is that principle which approves when we do right, and condemns when we do wrong. It consequently refers to a standard of right and wrong, applies this standard, and gives its verdict. If the standard be false or partial, the decisions of conscience will of course be erroneous. An unenlightened and defiled conscience may approve the darkest and foulest deeds. Truth must enlighten, and the power of truth must purify and pacify the conscience of men. This is the province of religion. "Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth."

It is also said, the principle of honor will avail to preserve men in respectability and usefulness. But what is this principle of honor? It is a reigning regard to those maxims which regulate men especially in the more elevated ranks of life, in their relations and intercourse with each other. It adapts itself to all the changes of maxims and habits which occur in fashionable life. Nothing more clearly manifests the opposition of the spirit of the world to the spirit of truth and holiness, than the operation of this principle of honor. Says Dr. Paley, "The law of honor only prescribes and regulates the duties between equals, omitting such as relate to the Supreme Being, as well as those which we owe to our inferiors--for which reason profaneness.

neglect of public worship, or private devotion, cruelty to servants, rigorous treatment of tenants or other dependants, want of charity to the poor, injuries done to tradesmen by insolvency or delay of payment, with numberless examples of the same kind, are accounted no breaches of honor; because a man is not less an agreeable companion for these vices, nor the worse to deal with in those concerns which are usually transacted between one gentleman and another. Again, the law of honor being constituted by men occupied in the pursuit of pleasure, and for the mutual convenience of such men, will be found, as might be expected from the character and design of the lawmakers, to be in most instances favorable to the licentious indulgence of natural passions. Thus it allows of fornication, adultery, drunkenness, prodigality, duelling, and of revenge in the extreme, and lays no stress on the opposite virtues." Contrast with this the pure morality of Scripture. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.

Is it said, that a refined education will discipline the mind and manners, and give consistency and respectability to character? It is admitted, that education is of high importance, and exerts a mighty influence on character. But that influence will correspond to the instruction and discipline employed. The harvest will exhibit a product of a nature like the seed that was sown. An education not conducted upon religious principles, nor exerting a religious influence, may indeed restrain and polish, may promote the courtesies and refinements of life, may produce benefits of a certain kind, and to a certain extent, but it cannot reach and control the inner man, and form it to virtue and happiness. It can never be said of any human system of instruction, as of sacred truth, in the eloquent language of the Psalmist-" The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever; the judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether; more to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is thy ser vant warned, and in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors.-Cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins."-True religion can make the soul happy in the absence of a thousand supposed requisites to felicity. In poverty, there is no want which it cannot alleviate; in sickness, no pang which it cannot relieve; in reproach, no stain which it cannot wipe away; in bondage, no chain which it cannot lighten; and in death, no sting which it cannot take away. It brings a contentment which blesses poverty,—a patience which alleviates sickness,— a brightness which pours confusion on slander; a freedom from the bondage of corruption, which makes the rod of oppression light; a faith by which death is vanquished; and, in the latter end, it has "fulness of joy, in God's presence, and at his right hand pleasures for evermore. With what eagerness, then, should the young seize this "pearl of great price," this "one thing needful," this "good part which shall never be taken away?"

II. RELIGION ALONE CAN GUIDE, AND SECURE, AMID THE DANGERS WHICH

ARE INCIDENT AND PECULIAR TO YOUTH.

Youth is full of ardor of feeling, and brightness of expectation; while destitute of that knowledge, experience, and discipline, which are necessary to instruct and fortify amid the perils by the way. A young man thus entering into life without the support and guidance of religion, is like a vessel with its sails spread open to every breeze, committing itself to the ocean without chart, rudder, or pilot, tossed to and fro in the darkness of midnight, conflicting with violent storms, and ready every moment to be dashed on the rocks, or