SERMON XVIII. On the Chriftian Characters of Youth. 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. vii. 1. Come out from among them, and be ye feparate, faith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing: and I will receive you, and will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my fons and daughters, faith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore thefe promises, dearly beloved; let us cleanfe ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. WHEN a perfon converfant with the vegetable productions of the earth, obferves in the foreft a plant, whofe properties he is defirous of improving; he removes it from its native wild into his garden. There, rooted in luxuriant foil, heltered from inclement blafts, fecured against B b 2 against immoderate humidity, duly watered in feafons of drought, defended from the encroachment of worthlefs herbs which even in that cultivated fpot are continually fpringing on every fide; it teftifies by a confpicuous transformation the fostering care of its protector. Its growth enlarges; its juices are meliorated; its tints are heightened; its fragrance is exalted; its fruits are multiplied. It is no longer a barren weed: but the delight of him who has appropriated it to himself. In correfpondence with the general outlines of this fimilitude, the God of mercy purifies unto Himfelf a peculiar people. By the miniftration of the Gofpel He feparates them from the wicked; by his grace transforms their nature; fuftains them with his arm; nourishes them by his facred word; cheers them with the light of his countenance; and enables them to bring forth fruit unto perfection. Between the objects of favour, however, in the two cafes, there exifts a very important difference. The plant is unconscious, fenfelefs, paffive. It knows not its bene factor nor his purpofes. Choice has no concern in its improvement. Not fo the human being addreffed by the Gospel. Him God has created a moral agent. From him God requires active concurrence; cooperation of the will manifefted by exer tions of obedience. He does not hurry the man by arbitrary force from amidst the thorns and thiftles of iniquity. Come out from among them, he cries, and be Separate. Bestowing on the helpless individual adequate powers by the influence of his Spirit; He commands him to exert them and come forth. To remove an aged plant from the foreft, and to cause it to flourish in the garden, might be a task level to the kill of the cultivator. But he gives the preference to a younger ftem, whofe fibres are lefs firmly riveted in the foil, and lefs closely interwoven with the roots of the contiguous thicket. To pluck up the veteran finner, however deeply he may have fhot his roots downwards towards hell; and to enable him to flourish like a green olivetree in the courts of the houfe of his God; is an undertaking devoid of difficulty to the Omnipotent. But with fingular complacency he looks on thofe, who have received Him as the guide of their youth. Out of the mouth even of babes and fucklings He perfecteth praife. Advancing childhood receives new marks of his love. Come, ye children, he cries by his Holy Spirit, hearken Bb3 unto unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Suffer little children, exclaimed his beloved Son, to come unto me, and forbid them not for of fuch is the kingdom of God. In the Old Teftament is heard the gracious admonition; Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth. And in the paffage from the New which I have propofed for our confideration, a paffage ftrictly connected by the context with the fubject of marriage, it is to young perfons that the promise, though pertaining to all Chriftians, is primarily addreffed: I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you: and ye shall be my fons and daughters, faith the Lord Almighty. How is an intereft in this promise to be obtained? By coming forth and being feparate, through a living faith in Chrift, from the pollutions of the world: by cleaning ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and perfecting holiness in the fear of God. In order to apply these universal inftructions to the efpecial benefit of the young; I defign in the present and in the fucceeding discourse to point out the distinct bearings of fome of the principal Christian virtues on the characters and duties of youth in general, and, as opportunities arife, of each fex in particular. I. The architect, whether purpofing to erect a cottage, or a palace, or a temple, provides for the fafety of the future fuperftructure by devoting his first care to the folidity of the foundation. In youth, as in every other period of life, the foundation of every Christian excellence is piety: a fervent love of God habitually fubmitting itself to the guidance of his law. Wherewith fhall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to thy word. Jofiah did that which was right in the fight of the Lord; and declined neither to the right hand nor to the left. Why? For while he was yet young he began to feek after the God of David, his father (a). Why had the young men whom St. John addreffed been enabled to overcome the Wicked One? Because, adds the Apostle, the word of God abideth in you. Youth is the feafon of ardent affections. Shall the heart be warm in its attachment to earthly relatives and associates; and cold towards your heavenly Father, your kindest friend; cold to Jefus Chrift who died for you, and is not ashamed to call you brethren? Youth is the feafon when the perception of delight is the most lively. Shall you be penetrated with a feeling of (a) Pf. cxix. 9. 2 Chron. xxxiv. 2, 3. B b 4 obligation, |