SECTION VI.

THE YOUNG CHRISTIAN.

JUDGMENT, experience, tenderness, and acquaintance with the natural character, circumstances, and habits of the individual, must direct the treatment of this most important case. The young Christian is awakened and excited, but very imperfectly enlightened. There is much self-deception and self-righteousness. His repentance is sincere, but partial; more exercised from the trouble, than from the sinfulness of sin; but slightly connected with faith; and with little consciousness of the habitual backsliding of the heart from God. His faith, though genuine, is confused; rather a feeling or a train of feelings, than an influential principle; associated with comfort rather than with holiness; its principle confounded with its exercise, or different exercises mistaken for each other. There is but little of "knowledge and judgment "1 in the actings of his love; so that, though pleasing in its impressions, it is not that uniform and powerful energy of self-denial and devotedness, which characterizes the adult Christian. He has many infirmities to exercise our forbearance; and many difficulties to excite our sympathy. Glad should we be, could he reach at one flight the summit of Christian perfection. But meanwhile, let us not, in violation of our Master's instructions, 2 expect from him the higher requirements of Christian maturity.

As the general rule, he must be "fed with milk,

1 See Phil. i. 9.

2 Matt. ix. 14-17. and Calv. in loco.

not with meat." 1 Yet this must include a full and explicit exhibition of the Saviour before him. Let Him be set forth in His personal dignity, in His Mediatorial character, and in His relation to His people, that his heart may be drawn to Him in the simplicity of the Gospel, that he may feel Him to be his life, and continually come to Him, "that he may have life more abundantly." "2 Our Lord instructed his disciples gradually in a clearer revelation of himself, as the means of their advancement; 3 for doubtless to "grow in the knowledge of" Him is the most efficient means of "growing in grace."

The conflict of faith is a subject of suitable instruction for this case. The perplexities of our Lord's disciples arose from their indistinct perception of the character and exercises of faith. They knew nothing of its power in realizing unseen help; and, connecting it only with the sensible comfort of their Master's presence, they were utterly unprepared for any emergency in his temporary absence from them. 5 And thus the young Christian needs to be correctly informed in the nature of faith, as an habitual dependance upon Christ, grounded upon the sense of need, and the Scriptural warrant of his power and love. This principle, though fruitful in consolation, is perhaps most vigorous in a state of conflict, 6 when striking its roots deeper in the heart, in humility, contrition, and self-abasement; so that spiritual depression (when not directly arising from the indulgence of sin) is the trial of its reality, and the peculiar season for its

6 Job xiii. 15.

5 Comp. Matt. xiv. 24-26. and Mark ix. 14. with Matt. xvii.

19, 20.

Let him also in his happy experience be directed to be thankful, but watchful; lest it become the occasion of his pride rather than the matter of his praise; his security rather than his encouragement; his rest rather than his enjoyment. In clouded experience, let him ask his heart" Is there not a cause?" Let him be humbled, not discouragedquickened to prayer, not hindered by unbelief. Let him suspect his heart, not the promises of God. Let him see his own weakness and unworthiness, without forgetting the power and love of his Saviour. The changes in the Divine dispensations are most needful for his Christian establishment; shewing what God can do for him, and how little he can do without God. Let him know, that the assurance of faith is best realized in humility, self-denial, love, separation from the world, and general consistency of conduct; the absence or deficiency of which would cast a shade over the genuineness of his faith in the hours of his most elevated enjoyment.

The nature, certainty, and requisites of the Christian cross must be insisted upon. Our Lord set the cross plainly before his disciples, at a very early period of his instructions, 1 that they might wisely calculate the cost of impending trials. This is an admirable pattern for the Christian teacher, now that the profession of the Gospel is so often taken up in the dream of a flowery path; as if the crown were easily won, or ever could be won, without the daily cross; or as if there could be a moment for the young Christian, when the denial of his own will, wisdom, or lust, will not be imperatively called for. No outward circumstances of the church can alter these requisitions.

1 Matt. x. 34-39.

He is not forced to be a Christian; but if he will be a follower of Christ, these are the terms. 1 He has indeed no need to complain of their strictness; for he will find increasing necessity for them to the end. The subjugation of his mind to the wisest regulations; the loosening of his heart from the world; the support of the grace of his Divine Master; and a closer conformity to his spirit and example; will be the happy and permanent fruits.

"The spirit of a sound mind” must also be strongly inculcated. A defect in judgment is a frequent attendant upon the early stage of the Christian profession. The mind loses its balance under the first influence of a strong excitement. The affections are tumultuous rather than rational. Like the crackling of thorns under a pot," they blaze furiously, but with little heat and speedy extinction. Enthusiasm, delusion, foolish and unjustifiable practices, often spring up with serious personal injury, and much to the hinderance and discredit of the Gospel. Hours are sometimes wasted even over the Bible in a superficial and irregular course, under the mistaken conception, that not only vain pleasures, but solid pursuits, are inconsistent with the exclusive claims of Christian devotedness. Duties also, instead of finding their proper place, are suffered to interfere with each other, and even sometimes neglected upon the same mistaken supposition, that all our time must be spent in reading and prayer. Thus also one set of graces is exhibited to the exclusion of others of a different character but equal importance; so that a mis-shapen figure presents itself in the place of the symmetry of Christian graces in "the beauty of holi

1 Matt. xvi. 24.

ness."

The watch needs a regulator as well as a main-spring, to maintain the wheels in that uniform, harmonious, and subservient motion, which accurately represents the succession of time. Every disposition must be regulated by the authority of the word, and exercised in its due proportion and combination, if the young Christian would aspire to the high privilege of "adorning the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things."

We would suggest also the importance of inculcating subjection and conformity to superiors (whether in age or relative connexion) in all things consistent with the paramount authority of God. Young Christians (those particularly who are young in age) often offend here. Their zeal is not tempered with humility and self-denial; and they not unfrequently bring needless offence upon religion, and bring themselves into difficulties, which (as they afterwards discover) might have been avoided by a more subdued temper. Where the natural character is yielding, firmness in withstanding worldly compliances should be urged. Where it is naturally firm, submission-especially to parents-should be pressed ; it having been too often found, that their warm zeal for God has proved to be the indulgence of their selfwill and impatience of restraint. Let it be ever enforced, that nothing but the positive obligation of a Divine command can set aside the deference so justly due to parental authority.

It might also be a wise part of the Ministerial superintendence of the young Christian, to provide for him some friend, whether older or of his own age, whose sympathy, experience, and consistency would prove of material service. But as it regards our own counsel, admonition, and encouragement -"Press