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^•^ISbfeKiJ 
 
hH 
 
 
AN 
 
 ADDRESS 
 
 TO 
 
 THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED IN INFANCY, 
 
 ARD WHO HAVE NOT YET JOINED TnEMSELVM 
 
 TO THE CHURCH, 
 
 BY PARTAKINQ OP 
 
 THE SACRAMENTAL SUPPER. 
 
 BY THE REV. JAMES GEORGE, 
 
 SCARBOROUGH. 
 
 PfiEPARED AT THE REUUEST OF THE PRESBYTERY OP TORONTO. 
 
 TORONTO: 
 
 PRINTED AND PUBtlSHED BT IIUOH SCOBIE, AT HIS 
 
 OFFICE, CORNER OF KINO AND CHURCH STREETS. 
 
 JAMEI WATEINS, PRINTER. 
 
 HDCCCXLI. 
 
 t — -x t-M^utrt. ^ t 
 
 ..^, 
 
"Ill THB CiTT or TonoifTo, and within St. Andrew's 
 Church there ; the sixth day of May, one thousand 
 eight hundred and forty years ; the which day, 
 the Presbytery of Toronto being met and consti- 
 tuted" — Inter alia— 
 
 " The Presbytery had some conference concerning the course to be 
 pursued in reference to baptized youth— previous to which, Mr. Georob, 
 on the call of The Moderator, engaged in prayer, for Divine light 
 and direction. 
 
 «The Presbytery enjoin Ministers to deal more pointedly and faith- 
 fiiUy with parents, to show them their responsibility — recommend 
 Bessions to meet specially for prayer on behalf of the youth of their 
 flocks— and also, appoint Mr. George to prepare a draft of an address 
 to baptized youth, by next meeting of Presbytery." 
 
 "In the Citt of Toronto, and within St. Andrew's 
 Church there ; the fourth day of October, one 
 thousand eight hundred and forty years ; the which 
 day, the Presbytery of Toronto being met and 
 constituted" — Inter alia — 
 
 '< Mr. George produced a draft of an address to baptized youth, as 
 formerly appointed by the Presbytery, and the same having been read 
 and duly considered, the Presbytery agreed to adopt the same, and 
 directed it to be printed, and circulated in the several congregations." 
 
 Extracted from the Records of the Presbytery of Toronto, by 
 
 ANDREW BELL, 
 
 PetVy. Clerk. 
 
 «:■ 
 

 ^Sw 
 
 *^ 
 
ADDRESS, 
 
 ' / 
 
 ';'> 
 
 After careful fhquiry, it has been ascertained, that there 
 are many within the bounds of this Presbytery, and in 
 nominal connexion witli us, who, although baptized into 
 the fellowship of the Church in infancy, have now reached 
 the years of diacrotion, yet manifest no indication of ful- 
 filling their baptismal relationship. This is to us, matter 
 of painful consideration ; and to those who are in this con- 
 dition, we wish at present specially to address ourselves.* 
 In early life you were, dear friends, by your parents 
 dedicated to the Lord. If you admit — which we hope you 
 do— the validity of infant baptism, then you must know, 
 that by this rite you were placed within the pale of the 
 visible church, and thus entitled to many benefits, not the 
 least valuable of wliicli arc, the prayers and watchful care 
 of the Ministers of Christ. Something more, however, 
 must be done, than merely to have a name in the church, 
 before you can be regarded as entitled to all the privileges 
 of the household of God, or before we can look upon you 
 as christians, in the full sense of that important term. For 
 although infant baptism, or infant dedication, is a doctrine 
 clearly taught in the word of God, and is full of comfort to 
 believing parents, as it secures for their offspring many 
 advantages — it is nevertheless plain, that its full and efficient 
 benefits to children, can only be expected, when it is followed 
 up in due time, by a firm faith in the doctrines which it 
 unfolds, and by a public and sincere attachment to Christ, 
 
 * AUIiongli this trnct in nminly intended ibr a |iarticular class of persons, yet, with th* 
 divine blcasiiig, it niuy be rrud with ndviinlagt- by nil into whose hands it may come; and tba 
 careful prrusnl of it \a carnr.stly recommended lu tlioso who have not made a profession of 
 religion, whether tliey huve been baptised in infancy or not. The truths it containi w« Mieri 
 •r« peculiarly suitable to the case of such. 
 
il 
 
 " 
 
 V * 
 
 which it 80 distinctly prc-supposcs. IIo thnt haa been 
 baptized in infniu'y, but wlio, on attniiiing tlio years of 
 maturity, neglects to fullil hin Itaptisnial relationship, and 
 becomes n mere man t>f tin* vorld, is not llie l)otter, but 
 the worse, for privileges ^vllicll hu treats with indiirerence, 
 or moans which lie has never improved. **A price has 
 been put into his hniul to get wisdom," but ho has "buriod 
 his talent in the earth." 
 
 That the privilege to which we have referred, as well 
 as other means of grace springing out of it, or closely 
 connceted with it, may prove truly benelicial, you must, 
 dear friends, make a. right usd of these. Jint tins cannot be 
 done by you, till yon closr with the ()[l'irs of mercy, embrace the 
 Lord Jesus, and put on the liadi^c of diH'ip!csliii>, by a public 
 and sincere profession of yow faiih in him as your Redeemer. 
 It is true, that in infancy you were dedicated to tlie Lord; 
 but the character you now bear, and the position you at 
 present occupy, cannot hut produce in us jiainful apprehen- 
 sions, that you have viituaily renounced your baptism, and 
 cast in your jot with the men of the world. We arc willing 
 to make great allowance, fur the unfavourable circum- 
 stances in which numbers of yon have been placed. We 
 are aware that many of you ha\e grown up to manhood 
 in parts of the country that were long destitute of the 
 ordinances of the gospel. Hence, not a few have had but 
 little opportunity to attend on the ])uMic means of grace, — 
 •while the greater part of those with whom you spent your 
 early days, were persons grossly ignorant of all religion. 
 And alas, it may be that these disadvantages were not all: 
 some of your parents may have been faithless to their 
 solemn obligations. If there was no sanctuary at which 
 you could attend, it may be there was also no family altar 
 at which you were required to bow your knees ; and if 
 you saw nothing of the Ssabbath abroad, it is possible you 
 
law 08 littlo of it at homo. Under tho parental roof there 
 might bo no pious uxiiini)lc, niul littlu christian instruction. 
 It is fearful to tliiiil. uf parents ilcdicating their children to 
 tho Lord in Ij.ipUHin, an! yet pcnnittiii<j[ thorn to grow up 
 ignorant of God, niid of thu way oi' sulvutioii through Jesus 
 Christ. What must be that parent's account, at tho tribu- 
 nal of the Judge, who is thus faithless to ids God, and cruel 
 to his oflspring ( When parents iiogloct tho spiritual inte- 
 rests of their children, —cspe(.'iaily where there is little out- 
 door instruction, and whore evil example is rife — that they 
 should grow up without llio fear of God, and become men 
 and women of the wui Id, is a result as little to bo wondered 
 at, as it is deeply to bo deplored. 
 
 But, whatever may havo contributed to bring you into 
 your present sad state of indillorcnco to divine things, this 
 cannot be witnessed by us, without deep sorrow and great 
 fear, lost you should bo haidonod in your sins, and perish 
 under the just wrath of the Ahnighty. It will not do to 
 say that our fear is groundless. Many of you are now 
 heads of families; and is it not true, that in your houses 
 tho pious christian will look in vain for the least trace of 
 religion I Not a few of you, liavo entirely, or almost, 
 turned y,7ur backs on the house of God — while with men of tho 
 world, you are seen to form the most intimate friendships ; 
 and with them, and not unfrequcntly in their houses, you 
 spend your sabbaths. W^ith such men, you associate in all 
 their pursuits and peculiar amusements, — engaging in these 
 with a visible delight, which shews but too plainly, how 
 deeply you sympathize in the views and feelings of those 
 "who have no fear of God before their eyes." Answer to 
 your own conscience, if those things be not so ; — and can 
 we look upon all this, and not bo alarmed and grieved f 
 We tell you that wo are hllod with sorrow and fear, on 
 your account ; and you must hear us, for we speak to you 
 
ii 
 
 8 
 
 ; I 
 
 l\ 
 
 under an awful sense of whnt we owe to our Divine Master, 
 and of what we owe to your immortal souls. • " 
 
 But, before proceeding farther, we must bo permitted 
 to say a few words for ourselves. We know well, that 
 nothing tends more to sink the character of Ministers, and 
 neutralize their efforts to do good, than the supposition, 
 that their zeal for the conversion of sinners, is a mere cloak 
 to conceal some selfish end. When this is founded in fact, 
 it is hardly possible to conceive of a more loathsome and 
 more criminal species of hypocrisy. He that knew the 
 hearts of all men, charged the Pharisees with this, as one of 
 the sins which rendered them peculiarly guilty. Nor is 
 there any doubt, but the same thing will be seen, wherever 
 hypocrisy attempts to build up a party by the arts of prose- 
 lytism. Without making any laboured defence for the 
 purity of our motives, we may nevertheless be permitted 
 to say, that the Ministers of our Church have little to dread 
 from the charge of proselytism. We know well, that the 
 mere fear of being suspected of a proselytizing spirit, has, 
 in not a few instances, produced a very questionable reserve 
 and delicacy, where wholesome appeals and pointed reproofs 
 might have done good. Now while we loathe the arts of 
 proselytism, we offer no apology for that sensitiveness 
 which shrinks from duty because the wicked or the thought- 
 less may misconstrue the motives from which we act. By 
 God "actions are weighed"; and the day of judgment will 
 make manifest what the motives were, from which men 
 acted, when they professed to serve the Lord. He that 
 believes these things, and sees sinners perishing around 
 him, ought faithfully to warn, reprove, and instruct, let the 
 judgment of men be what it may. Yet it is plain that if 
 you shall deem our anxiety about you to spring from the 
 mere wish that the number of our church members may be 
 increased, or from any other worldly consideration, we shall 
 
 I 
 
 •5* 
 
X: - 
 
 3 Master, 
 
 lermitted 
 i^ell, that 
 ters, and 
 )position, 
 are cloak 
 d in fact, 
 lome and 
 new the 
 as one of 
 
 Nor is 
 vherever 
 of prose- 
 
 for the 
 ermitted 
 to dread 
 that the 
 irit, has, 
 i reserve 
 reproofs 
 e arts of 
 itiveness 
 thought- 
 ict. By 
 lent will 
 ich men 
 He that 
 
 around 
 , let the 
 n that if 
 rom the 
 may be 
 we shall 
 
 address you in vain. For your own good, dismiss such a 
 notion from your minds. Believe us when we say that, aa 
 rulers of the Church of God, nothing could fill us with mora 
 alarm than to see our communicant roll swelled by the 
 names of those who have " the form of religion without its 
 power." Such men are not better, but worse, for the 
 profession they make; and we know, from bitter experience, 
 that hypocrites and formalists enfeeble congregations- 
 bring reproach on religion, and are the cause of much heavi- 
 ness of heart to faithful ministers of Christ. . ;. 
 
 Let it then be distinctly understood that our object is not 
 to induce you, while strangers to the power of godliness, to 
 make a profession of religion. But our object is, in the 
 name of our Divine master and in a reliance on the aids of 
 his Spirit, with all earnestness, to exhort and beseech you 
 to attend to the interests of your immortal souls ; to close 
 with Christ as your Saviour, and then publicly to profess 
 his name. This is what we have in view. Well, let us 
 implore you to listen with candour and individually to apply 
 what we anxiously wish to bring home to your understand- 
 ing and conscience. 
 
 But possibly, dear friends, you are surprised at our mode 
 of address, and ready to exclaim — why all this anxiety 
 about us 1 We have not renounced our baptismal relation- 
 ship ; we do not treat lightly what our parents did for us in 
 infancy ; we believe the Bible, and hope to be saved. 
 Admit that these are the sentiments of your hearts ; still 
 you cannot suppose such professions will satisfy those who 
 look at your character, and see the dangers to which you 
 stand exposed. At present you are identified with the 
 world that lieth in wickedness ; and what are fair profes- 
 sions and good resolutions while you live in sin, and mani- 
 fest not the least interest in spiritual things ? " By their 
 B 
 
iC" 
 
 i\ 
 
 10 
 
 fruits," said the Saviour, " ye shall know them." But what 
 fruits are you bringing forth, that can warrant us to draw 
 any favourable inference regarding your future prospects 1 
 Although we do not take upon us to say that none of those 
 who have been baptised in infancy, and, having reached 
 manhood, fail to make a profession of their faith, can be 
 Christians ; still we cannot but entertain great fears that 
 such as live out of the visible church, when they may be con- 
 nected with it, are really living "without God, and without 
 hope in the world." If you are Christians, why act like 
 men of the world and remain identified with them ? Those 
 who love Christ, and believe in him for salvation, will love 
 Itifi people, and will neither be ashamed nor afraid to con- 
 fess his name. But you neither seem to love the peoj^ of 
 God, nor do you make any public profession of attachment 
 to Christ. Is it uncharitable then to suppose that you are 
 ^ot Christians, but are really living in sin and are exposed 
 to all its dreadful consequences. 
 
 To be a Christian, in the Bible sense of the phrase, ia to 
 be " a child of God," an " heir of glory," and " a joint-heir 
 with Christ" of the inheritance which he has purchased for 
 bis people. Now many will readily admit that to this 
 character they have no claim, who do not seem to perceive 
 tbat the admission involves something very fearful. In the 
 flight of God there are but two classes of men : those who 
 • are his friends, and those who are still his enemies. Such 
 as have believed in Jesus are the friends of God, for Christ 
 is our peace-maker. If you are united to Him by a living 
 faith, then are you the children of God. But if not, God is 
 your enemy ; for " ye are yet in your sins," and were you 
 to die in this state you must perish eternally. God is mer- 
 ciful : yes, this glorious truth is announced in every page 
 of the Bible, and is dwelt upon by the inspired writers with 
 an elevation of feeling, which shews that the contemplation 
 
11 
 
 But what 
 s to draw 
 respects 1 
 3 of those 
 
 reached 
 ), can be 
 ears that 
 Y be con- 
 i without 
 
 act like 
 Those 
 will love 
 d to con- 
 >eople of 
 achment 
 you are 
 exposed 
 
 ise, is to 
 oint-heir 
 ased for 
 
 to this 
 serceive 
 
 In the 
 >se who 
 Such 
 r Christ 
 a living 
 , God is 
 sreyou 
 ismer- 
 ypage 
 rs with 
 plation 
 
 t 
 
 I 
 
 of the divine mercy filled their bosoms with joy unspeak- 
 able. But, mark it, the merci/ of God in which they rejoice* 
 and which they delight to celebrate, is the mercy of Ood in a 
 Mediator. If you are trusting to the mercy of God apart 
 from the atonement made by Christ, you are trusting to 
 you know not what. The Bible utters not a word of hope 
 to the guilty but through the Mediator. " Neither is there 
 salvation in any other ; for there is none other name, under 
 heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved." 
 
 We have said there are but two classes of men, those 
 who are the friends of God and such as are his enemies. 
 Now we beseech you to try to settle this question. To 
 which class do you belong ? If you belong to the world 
 you are yet in your sins, and, as sinners, are the enemies 
 (^ God and exposed to his wrath. Possibly you are hurt 
 at such a statement as this, and tell us that you are not 
 enemies to God, nor do you wish to be classed with the 
 world ; but you are not yet sufficiently good to come to the 
 Saviour. Hence you must for some time, at least, remain 
 as you now are. This notion, which we believe to be 
 common, is not the less dangerous that it looks plausible. 
 Do you mean that you are not to embrace Christ as your 
 Saviour till yoa can come to him with a holy heart f While 
 you hold this opinion you will never believe in him, or come 
 to him^ That holiness which is acceptable in the sight of 
 God, and what else can avail you, never can be possessed 
 till the soul has been united to the Saviour. To Him we 
 are indebted for sanctification as well as justification. We 
 can no more change our own hearts than we can atone for 
 our sins. If the righteousness of Christ be that which jus- 
 tifies us, it is his Spirit that sanctifies us ; and the Spirit, in 
 all his sanctifying operations, is the gift of Christ. It is 
 through him as Mediator that divine truth is communicated; 
 and it is through Him, in the same character, that the 
 
12 
 
 « 
 
 Spirit comes and applies the truth to our minds. The Holy 
 Spirit " takes of the things that are Christ's and shews them 
 unto us;" and when the hard and stony heart is taken away 
 these are the things which, under this divine agency, en- 
 lighten the understanding, purify the conscience, and fit 
 men for the service and enjoyment of God. Pew errors 
 can be more dangerous than the notion that we are not 
 warranted to come to the Saviour till we possess a holiness 
 that shall recommend us to the favour of God. This is 
 really to trust to our own righteousness, which is as filthy 
 rags. An interest in Jesus Christ is the sole ground on 
 which sinners can trust for acceptance with God. And let 
 it sink down into your minds, that till you believe in the 
 Saviour you can no more possess true holiness than you 
 can possess justifying righteousness. He is the true vine : 
 the branches can bear no fruit except they be united to 
 Him. Indeed, one great end for which Christ came into 
 the world was to furnish sinners with a new heait, or, ia 
 other words, with true holiness. The scheme of redemp- 
 tion is in the fullest sense a restorative scheme. Listen to 
 his own declarations. " I came not to call the righteous, 
 but sinners to repentance." " The whole have no need of 
 a physician, but they that are sick." O, how precious and 
 suitable is all this to such guilty, depraved, and helpless 
 creatures as we are. In the same terms, all the invitations 
 •and promises of the gospel are announced. Men are viewed 
 as guilty — but the gospel offers them pardon. They are 
 found to be helpless and depraved — but the gospel furnishes 
 them with strength, regeneration, and all the sanctifying 
 graces. Hence the invitation is— come, and come just as 
 you are. Do you feel that "you are poor, blind, and 
 naked," to you, as such, the Saviour presents himself, with 
 righteousness, and grace suitable to your wants. He coun^ 
 sels you to come to him, not if ye are rich, but to be made 
 
The Holy 
 Jws them 
 en away 
 Jncy, en- 
 and fit 
 w errors 
 are not 
 holiness 
 This is 
 as filthy 
 ound on 
 And let 
 ^e in the 
 han you 
 le vine : 
 nited to 
 me into 
 It, or, in 
 redeinp- 
 ^isten to 
 ghteous, 
 need of 
 ious and 
 hslpless 
 citations 
 viewed 
 hey are 
 irnishes 
 2lifying 
 just as 
 d, and 
 If, with 
 3 coun> 
 ) made 
 
 18 
 
 rich ; not if ye are clothed, but to be clothed. His language 
 is, "Come unto me all ye thnt labour, anrl are heavy laden, 
 and 1 will give you rest." No matter how great your guilt 
 may be, *• his blooH cleanses from ail sin ;" and no matter 
 how great your depravity is, liis Spirit can take it all away 
 and make you new creatures. 
 
 You profess to feel your unworthiness, hence you say we 
 cannot come to Christ as we now are. But we tell you, you 
 do not feel your unworthiness ns you ought, you do not see 
 your dreadful depravity and helplessness ; else you would 
 never attempt to work out n righteousness that shall reuom« 
 mend you to the divine favour. Oh, if you saw your utter 
 helplessness aright, you would just cry out as he of old, "God 
 be merciiul to me a sinner," and cast yourselves upon the 
 divine compassion, as displayed in the Mediator. Yet we 
 believe there are some who, from mistaken views, partly of 
 their own inability and partly of the freeness and fullness of 
 the gospel, endeavour to obtain a righteousness which may at 
 least in some measure recommend them to God. These per- 
 sons "labour in vain, and spend their strength for nought;'* 
 yet they labour sincerely. It is at the same time plain that 
 the greater part who profess a wish to have some righteousness 
 before they come to Christ are not sincere, or at least are not 
 at all influenced by the notion they profess to hold. Their 
 plausible profession is, we fear, a mere apology for their indif- 
 ference and aversion to the terms and call of the gospel. The 
 truth is, such persons neither sincerely desire genuine holiness 
 nor redemption through the blood of Christ. 
 
 Do not too hastily condemn this as a false and uncharitable 
 statement. You say that you desire to be better, or, in other 
 words, to have a righteousness that may recommend you to 
 God, before you can come to the Saviour. Well, let us ask 
 what efforts are you making to secure what you regard as an 
 important qualification. Do you spend much time in secret 
 
 1 
 f 
 # 
 
I 
 
 i't 
 
 / 
 
 14 
 
 prayert Do you rend the scriptures daily, meditate much on- 
 divine things, cnnverse us often as you can with pious personsy 
 and attend regularly on the preaching of the word 1 Yott 
 admit these to be very necessary duties. Nay, you will go 
 farther, and admit that if these duties are neglected you never 
 can have true holiness, nor can it ever be advanced in your 
 souls. Yet, by the greater part of you, these duties are entirely 
 neglected or but partially performed. You go to the house of 
 God but seldom, scarcely ever read the Bible, shun all reli> 
 gious conversation with pious men ; while your thoughts are 
 solely taken up about the world, and it may be that some of 
 you never bow your knees at a throne of grace. Let con- 
 science speak. Is it not so 1 What then do you mean by 
 saying that you desire to be more holy before coming to Christ. 
 What ! desire this, and yet never make use of the means by 
 which holiness is cuUivateU. Deceive not yourselves ; for we 
 tell you plainly, in your present state you have not and cannot 
 possess any true righteousness. Your own efForcs never will 
 produce this. Dear fViend:^, take the Bible as your guide, and 
 you will find there is but one way in the matter. Come, yes, 
 come, poor and wretched as you are, and cast yourselves on 
 the Saviour for " righteousness, sanctificalion, and complete 
 redemption." Tins is what the word of God warrants and 
 enjoins. Why then not instantly close with the offers of mercy 
 made to you through the Lord Jesus. 
 
 Some will admit the truth of this, and yet attempt to evade 
 the force of the appeal by declaring that, dangerous as their 
 condition is and helpless as they may be, still they think it 
 better to remain as they are than make a profession of religion 
 and act as many professing Christians do. There is assuredly 
 much to be de[)lore(] in the conduct of godless professors. 
 But because sonte men who call themselves Christians act 
 wickedly, and if they repent not must perish, is that any reasoD 
 why you should also go down to hell along with them. These 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
'1 
 
 N. 
 
 much on 
 person^ 
 d] You 
 u will go 
 oil never 
 in your 
 B entirely 
 house of 
 all reU- 
 ghts are 
 some of 
 ^et coa- 
 nean by 
 Christ, 
 eans by 
 ; for we 
 J cannot 
 ever will 
 lide, and 
 me, yes, 
 elves on 
 oinplete 
 nts and 
 f merpy 
 
 > evade 
 IS their 
 hink it 
 religion 
 suredly 
 lessors, 
 ns act 
 reason 
 These 
 
 15 
 
 men to whom you refer are hypocrites and formalists, not be- 
 eau$e tliey are Christians, but just because they are not Chris- 
 ttofw. To say that the relii^ion ot Jtsus Clirist ever made any 
 one a hypocrite, is a stateiiient which no man should utter who 
 has any regard for the credit of his understanding. But do 
 you really think that none perish but such as perish with a 
 false profession of religion on their lips ? And will none stand 
 on the left hand of the judge, but such as have abused the 
 privileges of the church? Is sin committed under the cloak 
 of a religious profession the only thing to be dreaded 1 Your 
 nns may not be the same as the sins of such men. Admit that 
 damning guilt lieth on their souls, is there none that cleaveth 
 to you ? Shall they be driven out from the presence of the 
 Lord, and shall you be admitted into heaven with all your un- 
 pardoned sins upon you f Have you not read, that " hypo- 
 crites and unbelievers" perish together. The portion of the 
 former is that of the latter. We have already hinted our sorrow 
 at the conduct of godless piofessoi s of religion. You cannot 
 think ior a moment tliat we wish you to become like them. 
 We tell them that a name to live is nothing ; yea, that their 
 conduct is a reproach to the cross of Christ. But we must 
 tell you also, that if you turn away from him who died on the 
 cross, you must perish. To draw comfort for ourselves from 
 looking at the peculiar heinousness of the sins of our neigh- 
 bours, is a common and we fear in many cases a fatal delu- 
 *sion. God only can estimate the amount of guilt which 
 attaches to any accountable creature. The question with you 
 ought not to be, how much greater is the guilt of formal pro- 
 fessors than ours? But, are we sinners, are our sins yet 
 unpardoned 1 
 
 We wish earnestly to awaken you to a solemn consideration 
 of your case as sinners. We wish to lead you to see your 
 need of a Saviour. We wish you to see that Jesus Christ, as 
 ottered in the gospel, is just the Saviour that you need ; and 
 
 m 
 
./C 
 
 / 
 
 i .( 
 
 10 
 
 we wUh you to ponder deeply that ** those who believe in him 
 shall be 8:\ved, but those who believe not shall be damned" 
 To an earnest and instant cjnsideration of these truths we ask 
 you to give your attention. Ob, it would be of little conse- 
 quence what we might induce you to do, or what changes we 
 might produce in you, or what stops soever you might take, 
 unless we can, through the aid of the Holy Spirit, arouse you 
 to think as penitent believers ; yea, and with your whole heart, 
 to embrace a crucified Redeemer. Stop short of this, and all 
 your attainments will amount to nothing. Out of Christ there 
 is no hope for the guilty. You acknowledge that you are 
 guilty. Why then not embrace the blessed Saviour, and look 
 to him as the Redeemer o( your souls. s< m v, 
 
 Do not try to put <is off, and deceive yourselves, by saying 
 that you intend to do nil that we wish; but the present, somehow^ 
 is not a convenient time for setting about it. ^nd why not a 
 convenient time'? It is the day of salvation. To-morrow or 
 next week will not be more convenient ; and, alas, that future 
 period on which you have fixed ns the suitable time, may be to 
 you not a day of salvation but the night of despair. Let us 
 notice briefly some of the evils which may result from delay in 
 this matter. 
 
 Your attachment to men of the world will be powerfully 
 strengthened by contir uing in your present state. We are by 
 nature social creatures. The qualities in others which interest 
 us awaken our sympathies, and produce that attachment which' 
 is called friendship. This, when founded on virtuous princi- 
 ples, is one main source of human happiness and a main cause 
 of moral and intellectual improvement. But friendship with- 
 out the fear of God is a source of unspeakable mischief. It is 
 nevertheless plain, that while your feelings and sentiments are 
 in accordance with the world, the men of the world will be 
 your friends ; and who can tell the evils to which you may be 
 liable from making friends of tho se who are enemies to God. 
 
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 Wf 
 
 oof 
 
 mc 
 
 soil 
 
 th^ 
 
 yo| 
 
 dia 
 
 
It 
 
 
 It is not more fully illustrated by experience "that those who 
 walk with wise men simll be wise," than that those who nmke 
 companions of the thoughtless and wiclcod shall become in the 
 most emphatic sense- tools. If you are nttaclied to such per* 
 sons, you will soon lenni to respect their opinions and imitate 
 their vices. For a time, if you have been well brought up, 
 you may regard their open contempt lor sacred things with 
 dislike ; but it' you hold close intercourse with them, this dislike 
 will wear olT, and in the end you may be seen taking your 
 place beside them " in the chair of the seorner." If even the 
 Christian, with his principles conlirnied and his graces well 
 matured, cannot hold eluse intcicour?e with the men ot the 
 world without feeling a dciulening elFect from their society, 
 how perilous must such society be tu the youiijr, who are not 
 established in the truth and whose nrmds are pL-culiarly sus- 
 ceptible of the worst impressions from the example of others. 
 Many, of whom the fairest hopes were once entertained, have 
 been ruined by wicked coiii[);uiions. I'eware, lest the same 
 thing may hnppen to you. To shew the dangerous elfccts ot 
 the influence under which you now live, and which is every 
 day becoming stronger, let it be supposed that you feel some 
 anxiety about your future well-being, and perceive, that in 
 order to be safe, you nmst come out from llie world and take 
 your place with the people of (Jod. Would you not feel it a 
 difficult matter even now to break with your woildly associates, 
 and to bear the conti'mely '-vitli wliich they would treat you, 
 should you manifest sinc.oie piety 1 Of this there cannot be 
 a doubt. Long estrliished friendships are not dissolved with- 
 out pain, and he that can calmly bear the reproach of those 
 whom he has long esteemed, must be supported by the highest 
 and the purest motives. Yet be assured, if you ever become 
 truly pious, your wicked companions nmst be forsaken, and 
 their leproach must be endured. But is it not clear that, just 
 the longer you stand connected as you now are with such 
 C 
 
 
I 
 
 I 
 
 It 
 
 persons, the didiciiltiea to which we have adverted will not be 
 lessoned but greatly increased. IT you find it haixl now to step 
 boldly forth from thn world, and declare " that whatever others 
 may do, ns for us, we are determined to serve the Lord." 
 Think not that this can be more easily done nt some future 
 period. Every day that you continue in your present state, 
 the influence of wicked companions will be more felt and their 
 scorn more dreaded by you. Are you then resolved to live 
 with them, and to take your portion with them in eternity 1 
 No. You tremble at the thought. You know that they are 
 not the friends of God, and whatever you think of them you 
 cannot think that they possess the qualities which tit them for 
 the presence of God in heaven. 
 
 Carefully ovoiding all reckless denunciations, we must never- 
 theless say, that whatever mere men of the world may possess 
 of intelligence or the ogreeable einbelllshments of life, they ore 
 neither safe nor useful companions to those who desire the 
 friendship of God. But to sacriticc his friendship for the 
 friendship of our fellow mortals is noi only folly but madness. 
 Under the most favourable circumstances worldly friendships 
 have but comparatively little to bestow. But there are times, 
 when help is most needed, that no succours can be obtained 
 from this quarter. On the bed of sickness or of death, are the 
 wicked companions with whom you now associate, and who 
 may have led you into criminal indulgences, the persons you 
 would wish to have aroiind you^ No. Nor are they the per- 
 sons who, in the hour of deep distress, possess the will or the 
 means to minister to your comfort. They will pay you a cold 
 and formal visit and then forsake you ; and, ns they retire, you 
 will in the bitterness of your heart be compelled to exclaim, 
 *' miserable comforters are theee." The friendship of the world 
 is death. Without God it cnn be nothing else ; and yet pos- 
 sibly it is this which mainly keeps you back from embracing 
 the gospel of Christ. 
 
 i 
 
 
'ill not be 
 \ow to step 
 iver others 
 |he Lord." 
 >me future 
 [sent state, 
 It and their 
 fed to live 
 eternity ? 
 It they are 
 them you 
 t them for 
 
 ust ncver- 
 ay possess 
 
 . they ore 
 
 lesire the 
 P for the 
 
 •nadness. 
 Viendships 
 'ire tltnes^ 
 s obtained 
 h. are the 
 
 and who 
 •sons you 
 
 the per- 
 'ill or the 
 >u a cold 
 lire, you 
 exclaim, 
 le world 
 yet pos- 
 ■bracing 
 
 19 
 
 And is there no friendship to be found among the people of 
 Ood ? When a man abandons his worldly companions, must 
 all hia social atfections perish ? Those who have never studied 
 the grand principles of the Christian religion, and never miu' 
 gled with its pure-minded and wurni-heaited believers, may 
 readily say so. But he that knows what religion is, and has 
 seen its ed'cct on the human heart, knows well that among the 
 followers of the Saviour friendships spring from far higher 
 motives, and produces incomparably bett<u- fruits than the 
 mere friendship of the world. Hence, when we ask you to 
 abandon your wicked associates, rather than perish with them, 
 if we can invite you to connect yourselves with those whose 
 hearts are purified and warmed by the love of the Saviour, 
 then we can assure yon of such tender affection and benevo« 
 lent service as you have never experienced in }our intimacy 
 with the world. 
 
 We have dwelt the longer on this topic from a conviction, 
 that multitudes are kept from attending- seriously to religion 
 by the influence exercised over them by their godless neigh- 
 bours and friends. Nor is it difHcult to see, tluit in a country 
 in which so many are living without any profession of Chris- 
 tianity, the children of even pious parents are exposed to great 
 danger. "Evil communications corrupt good manners." In- 
 deed we tremble for the consequences, when we think that 
 many of our dear young friends are engaged daily in the vari- 
 ous duties of life, and mingle in social intercourse with the 
 ignorant, the profane, and such as avow infidel opinions. 
 
 But if there are dangers to be apprehended from without, 
 there is an enemy at work within the bosom not less to be 
 dreaded. You admit that you are depraved creatures; but 
 possibly you have not adverted to the fact, that while you con- 
 tinue in your present state this depravity is every hour acquir- 
 ing additional strength, and if it is not checked by divine grace 
 it will expand with the growth of all your powers. Henoe 
 
pride, vnnity, avarice, innliec, nnd liccntiousncMi, with other 
 evil passions nc(niir« iti course of time a renrful dominion over 
 the henrt. Till wu come to CJoil by faith nnd repentance, 
 evtry dcprnvi'd pH^NJon, or tho,«(j at least to which we are more 
 especially lialilo, will eontinuK to increase. The connection 
 betwixt cause and cllVct is in nothing more certain than in thii. 
 While wc continue strangers to (joiI, neglect the means of 
 grace, and live in the practice oi'8in, what elne indeed ran be 
 expected btit the; complete enslavcniont ol the soul by irregular 
 appetites nnd criminal passions. This is the reign— the tyranny 
 ol sin by wliich the inulerstaiidinaf is darkened, the conscience 
 seared, and the heart niadt; llUc to the nether mill-stone. 
 And, oh! wliat are the means of grace to such a heart. 
 There is a point, and God only knows but some of you may 
 have reached it, where divine truth seems to lose nil its force 
 on the soul. God's judfjuients no longer alarm, nnd his mer- 
 cies no more allure sucli n soul. "The strong man keeps the 
 house," nnd every lioly thing is excluded. 
 
 It is quite possible that you may feel nnd In some measure 
 deplore the dominion of sin ; but it may be you fancy that the 
 evil piissioiis and lusts ivhich now torment you, hold you in 
 bondage, and fdl you willi shame and remorse, will after a time 
 quit the soul nnd leave you at full liberty to think of heavenly 
 things and altend to reli;^ious duties. Vain supposition this. 
 Divine truth brought home to the conscience by the Holy 
 Spirit can alone free the soid fiom the dominion of sin. And 
 be not deceived with partial nnd temporary changes. You 
 niay give up particuKir sins, or the sins peculiar to certain 
 periods of life may he cxehangeil for others, yet in nil this there 
 is no true repentance. Vou may be weary, not of sin, but of 
 its bitter fruits. The Israelites were weary of their idols, and 
 ashamed of the fruits of their doings, yet they only turned from 
 one idol to another — not to the Lord. Such changes give no 
 ground to suppose that the heart is changed, for all the while 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
f, wifh other 
 ominion over 
 
 •"cpfntance, 
 we are more 
 ■ connection 
 tlinn in thii. 
 10 mtans of 
 it'cd can be 
 by irregular 
 the tyrnnny 
 conscience 
 
 n)ill-8tone. 
 '« a heart. 
 '' you may 
 >ll its force 
 d his nier- 
 ' keeps the 
 
 c measure 
 
 that the 
 you ill 
 ^'or n time 
 heavenly 
 lition this, 
 the Holy 
 And 
 3s. You 
 certain 
 his there 
 >, but of 
 ols, and 
 ed from 
 give no 
 le while 
 
 fl 
 
 depravity in one fornt or other mny be deepening and extend* 
 ing its iiitluencc over every power ot' the mind. Yes, and thus 
 it will be, until ns biok<-ii-li) )ite<l pciii^ i)ts you come to the 
 physician of houI'^, who (ilune lmii deliver you I'roin all your 
 spiritual m(ila(lic<i. ^Mly iint iiistnnily come to him. You 
 know thiit your sim an: ipaliiii:; you wiiuclied ; you believe 
 that the sull'uniig ot' sin in the pre^eiil lite is but a loretuste of 
 the everluHting Himmc and misery thnt nwait the wicked. The 
 means which you may employ to b<'.ttn your heart will all end 
 in disnppoiiitincnt while you reumn awny Jrom Itim, whose grace 
 can alone make mtiiiiis ellicacioiiH. hiving as yuu now are, 
 sabbaths arc not blessrd to you — tlio Bible is not blessed to 
 you. The benefits ol the table of the Lord are not realized by 
 you. The society ot" godly persons is not blessed to you. 
 While the depravity of your own heart is every day increasing, 
 and ever producing n.uuh ical sutVeiing, for which the pleasure 
 cfsin is but a poor coni|iensution. 
 
 But possibly yon think tlint, small as the portion of earthly 
 happiness is which you now possess, should you make a sin- 
 cere profession of rrligion, yon must part even with that. 
 Some good men, we confess, have spoken on this matter in 
 terms which arc apt to lead to the notion that a true Christian 
 can derive no enjoyment from the things of the present life, 
 nor ought he to seek it even in the lowest degree. It cannot 
 be too distinctly uruh'rstood, that all earthly pleasures which 
 are sinful mast be given up by the followers of Christ. But is 
 this a sacrifice ] What is sacriticed ? Things which are unsa- 
 tisfying — things degrading to a rational creature, and destruc- 
 tive, when possessed, of his true peace of mind and future pros- 
 pects. It is a gross perversion of language to call such things 
 by the name of pleasure. The pleasures of sin are but for a 
 season. The so\d requires enjoyments that shall be lasting. 
 The pleasures of sin only gratify our senses, or minister to our 
 malignant passions. He that has most of this soon finds that 
 
 I 
 
i 
 
 11 
 
 22 
 
 be has obtained not n large portion of happiness, but much real 
 misery. We fearlessly affirm that reli^^inn strips no man of 
 any true enjoyment. Or if our divine master at times requires 
 us to make real sacrifices, to forsake all ibr him, he will not 
 under these trials leave us comfortless. Hence men " have 
 taken joyfully the spoiling of their goods." Thej knew their 
 Lord was near them, and he gave them peace and "joy which 
 the world could not give nor take away ;" and they knew they 
 had an inheritance above, on which ihey were soon to enter. 
 But putting times of persecution out of view, we ask — Did reli- 
 gion ever render men less hapjjy as parents, as children, or 
 neighbours? Does it unlit any man for tasting intellectual 
 enjoyments, or for partaking of the innocent gratifications of 
 life. When godline«s comes into a house, and when the family 
 altar is set up, and parents and children are seen going on 
 hand in hand in the divine life, does all happiness liee away 
 from that house 1 Believe if, dear friends, that " godliness has 
 the promise of the life that now is as well as of that which is 
 to come." The fear of the Lord is not more tiuly the begin- 
 ning of wisdom than of genuine happiness. The reason of this 
 is plain enough : all things are to us just what God's blessing 
 makes them. Alas ! witliDnt his blessing, we will find that the 
 choicest of earthly good things will prove but like "grapes of 
 Sodom and apples of Gomoirah !"' If professors of religion are 
 unhappy, it is sin, not religion that makes them so. He that 
 leaves the world and turns to God must part with much — with 
 his shame, weakness, and sin; but not with what contiibutes 
 essentially to his happiii(;ss. II you are continniiif; in sin in 
 order that you may taste happiness, you are labouiing under 
 the greatest possible delusion. Vi)u are "sowing the wind, 
 and will rea|) the whirlwind." llap|)y without the friendship 
 of God ! happy with Almighty God as your enemy ! Piepos- 
 terous folly. Let all know this, that "the wages of sin is 
 death," and that true happiness can only be found in the favour 
 
 of 
 ov 
 w 
 
 si 
 al 
 
 ;l 
 
23 
 
 of God. While you continue in sin " you are destroying your 
 own mercies," and "treasuring up wrath against the day of 
 wrath." 
 
 There is another matter on which it is needful that we 
 should warn you. Some of you am heads of families. You 
 nil admit the force of pxainplo. Now think of the example 
 which you are setting before your children, while you continue 
 to live as mere men of the woild. We shall suppose you to 
 give your dear little ones some religious instruction, and wish 
 them, feebly wish them, to become Chiistians. But can you 
 really expect this wish to be realized, or the instructions which 
 they receive, either from yourselves or sabbath-school teachers, 
 to take effect on their minds. If even appiuent inconsistency 
 weakens the force of our wisest counsels, glaring inconsistency 
 must render abortive the best things we can utter in words. 
 When parents n)anifest this, their cbildien cannot but notice it; 
 and it must tend either to lower the character of parents in 
 their estimation ^a thing very much to be dreaded), or render 
 divine truth of no value in their eyes. Your example is con- 
 stantly before them, and this they will naturally imitate. But 
 whatever your words arc, you cannot but perceive that your 
 example is advcr?(! to religion. Your children will assuredly 
 think, that if religion were all-i-nportant their parents would 
 make a professio'.i of it, and take their place among the people 
 of God in the visible church. But sei'ing you have not done 
 this, the in!(i;rence lliey will naturally draw is, that although you 
 may occasionally in a few formal woids recommend religion 
 to their attention, yet, after all, it is really but of very little 
 consequence. Hence, what is treated by you with inditlerence 
 may by them be treated with fixed aversion and open con- 
 tempt. It were not well at present to dwell on this; yet it 
 cannot but produce piiinful emotions to think how large a por- 
 tion of the avowed infidelity of the times may fairly be traced 
 to those houses in which there was just as much of the form of 
 
24 
 
 religion as rendered it contemptible in the eyes of the young 
 and the thoughtless. Would you then, dear friends, have your 
 children to grow up in the fear of God, oh, set His fear before 
 them in the living testimony of a pious example. You are 
 very anxious that your children should be happy. This is 
 natural and laudable ; but we have already shown that true 
 happiness cannot be possessed without holiness. You may 
 send theui to those places where religious instruction may be 
 obtained. This is also right. But when they return to their 
 homes and find that father never bows his knees at a throne 
 of grace, and mother has no pious instructions to communi- 
 cate — see no sabbath under the parental roof—for nothing is 
 heard it may be on that day, by your fireside, but frivolous and 
 worldly conversation — what can you expect, but that they shall 
 grow up utterly regardless of their God and their eternal inte. 
 rests. You may speak to your children with the wisdom and 
 zeal of apostles; but while you act as mere men of the world 
 you are really standing betwixt them and heaven, and your 
 example is pointing them to the broad way that leads to de- 
 struction. No one who is not anxious about his own salvation 
 will ever take a deep interest in the salvation of others. Yet, 
 if the views we have stated are correct, ought you not as 
 parents, looking at the deplorable influence of a godless ex- 
 ample on your children, and looking at the relation in which 
 you stand to them, to find in this motives to a life of piety? 
 Alas ! your indifference to divine things may be the means of 
 ruining the souls of some that are very dear to you. 
 
 We have more than slight g.'ounds for suspecting that some 
 of those whom we wish to address scarcely employ a serious 
 thought on religion. "The god of this world hath blinded 
 their minds." '• What shall we eat, and what shall we drink, 
 and wherewithal shall we be clothed," are the questions that 
 chiefly if not wholly engage their attention. Those who have 
 reached this state of moral degradation are not likely to derive 
 
 \ 
 
25 
 
 |>ung 
 (four 
 fjfore 
 are 
 IIS is 
 'true 
 ■may 
 |y be 
 their 
 rone 
 
 much benefit from the arguments and appeals which may be 
 brought before them. But the greater part of you we hope 
 are not in this lamentable condition. Your understanding is 
 not wholly darkened, and the voice of conscirnce is yet heard 
 if not obeyed. You readily admit that your soul is of more value 
 than the whole world. You also acknowledge yuur guilt and 
 depravity, and profess to believe thnt without pardon and re- 
 generation you cannot obtain either a title or a fitness for 
 heaven. You also know that Christ is the only Saviour, and 
 that without faith in him and repentance unto life you cannot 
 be saved. O that these admissions, these glorious truths, were 
 embraced by you as grounds and elements of a living faith. 
 For in the gospel economy all things are ready, and you are 
 invited, poor and guilty as you are, to come and partake of the 
 rich provision. Why then delay in a matter of such vast im- 
 portance. 
 
 Is the old apology again to be advanced : the present is not 
 a suitable time for attending to the business of your salvation. 
 Other things now engage your attention, and you cannot find 
 leisure to enter upon the subject of religion. But then you re- 
 solve that you shall do so at some future lime. This resolution is 
 excellent ; yes, an excellent piece of deception to most of 
 those who cling to it. It is indeed a mere excuse, by which 
 you attempt to stifle conscience, and shut the mouths of those 
 who urge on you the necessity of giving instant heed " to the 
 things that belong to your peace, ere they be for ever hid from 
 your eyes." Verily, there is reason to (ear that there are many 
 this day in hell who went down to that place of torment with 
 this resolution, with " this lie in their right hand." 
 
 Many who resolve to attend to religion at some future time, 
 have obviously no well-defined notion when the more conve- 
 nient season shall be. There aie others, however, who fix on 
 the evening of life as the suilabh period. They found the gay 
 pursuits of youth incompatible with the solemn inquiry, " what 
 D 
 
«^ 
 
 must we do to be snved ;" and now they find the engrossing 
 cares of middle life as little favourable for taking up and seri- 
 ously considering this momentous question. But then they are 
 looking forward to old age as a season that will afford all the 
 mental repose and freedom from engrossing cares which they 
 think, and not without reason, to be needful on entering 
 seriously on the work of salvation. So it comes to this ; that 
 when you shall have nothing else to do, or rather when you 
 can no longer serve the world, the devil, and the flesh, you 
 shall then give some little attention to the service of God. Ac- 
 cording to this notion, the chief end of man is to live to himself 
 as long as he possibly can, and as little as may be to his 
 Creator. Can this really be the chief end of a rational and 
 an immortal creature? Mnn was mnde "to gloiily God and 
 to enjoy him." But he who wishes to live without God as long 
 as he can obtain gratification for his sensual appetites, is only 
 less criminal than the man who denies the divine existence. 
 Nor can we allow that such a man has any sincere wish 
 either to serve God, or to enjoy him in a future life. It is not 
 denied, that, when the worldling finds that lie must soon leave 
 .this earth, he would rather go to heaven than to hell. But 
 heaven is not desired by him for that which makes it truly a 
 glorious heaven— the love and service of God. If you reply, 
 that you at least desire to enter heaven Irom pure motives, — 
 then, we ask, why are you not earnestly seeking after those 
 graces which will fit you for its service and its joys? Re- 
 member that as the title to eternal felicity is acquiied in time, 
 so the grace which fits us for that felicity must be acquired and 
 cultivated in the church on earth. 
 
 What ! shall youth and manhood be spent in cultivating all 
 the depraved passions, which fit the soul for hell and make 
 men like devils; while the dregs of life, a small portion of old 
 age, shall only be set apart to prepare for heaven, and to glo- 
 rify God in the world. Do you realize God as your Creator, 
 
27 
 
 Preserver, and Redeemer 1 and yet feel no obligation to con- 
 secrate to Him the best of your days 1 The Jews were re- 
 quired to present the first fruits to God ; and does he not still 
 require from all the lirst fruits of those powers and talents 
 which he has conferred upon them 1 Depend upon it there is 
 no proper sense of duty to God, no love nor gratitude to our 
 blessed Saviour, if we do not willingly consecrate to him the 
 best of our days. But what shall be said of those who are 
 resolved to spend youth and manhood in the service of hell ; 
 and yet draw consolation from the resolution, that they shall 
 give to heaven a few months or years of decrepid old age. 
 Than such resolution, nothing can more clearly evidence a 
 total want of love to God. It proves distinctly a decided aver- 
 sion to his service, and the most criminal attachment to the 
 world. These men do in their hearts, let them profess what 
 they may in words, wish to pluck forbidden fruit till the head 
 is palsied ; and then they hope, strange hope, that some minis- 
 ter of mercy will lay before them fruit from the tree of life, that 
 they may eat and live for ever. 
 
 Far be it from us to limit the divine compassion, or the sove- 
 reign power of God. He may shew the richness of his grace 
 by saving at the eleventh hour. But how many who have had 
 the offers of mercy pressed upon them through life, yet hove 
 treated these offers with neglect, and have lived in rebellion 
 against God, cherishing all the while the resolution, that at last 
 they would snatch a fragment of time and in that make their 
 peace with the Most High, have been enabled to carry this 
 resolution into cfToct, can only be known to Him that 
 knoweth all things. But to us the future prospects of such 
 men seem fearfully dark. In reference to the most favour- 
 able cases, wc can just say that wc do not despair. While 
 in regard to the greater part who have cherished this 
 heaven-insulting delusion, we dare not entertain the least 
 hope. God cannot be deceived and he will not be mocked, 
 
28 
 
 and those who mock him in this way may be given up to 
 judicial bUnducss — to bcUeve a lie, and at last to wonder 
 and perish. 
 
 But why look to old age as the best time for the act of 
 faith, the work of repentance, and as the period most suitable 
 for bringing forth fruits unto holiness. Many of you whom 
 we address will never sec old age. Does death only smite 
 down the old { Arc there not some of those with whom 
 you started in life who arc now mouldering in the dusf? 
 They have died young ; and are you less liable to death 
 than they were. Ah, dear friends, while you may be look- 
 ing forward to threescore and ten, the decree may have 
 gone forth, " Cut them down, why cumber they the 
 ground ;" and ore you have reac^hed the meridian of life, 
 you may be suddenly called to meet God as your judge ! 
 Work while it is day, " for the night cometh, in which no 
 man can work." But suppose you should reach old age, 
 have you never seriously thought how unfit a season that 
 generally is for beginning the great work to which all your 
 time and powers ought to have been devoted. Some old 
 men retain all their faculties to the last. Yet the greater 
 part who reach an advanced period of life, have to deplore 
 the decay of all the natural powers, and are frequently 
 overwhclincil by a load of infirmities. " The keepers of 
 the houso tremble ; those that look out at the windows are 
 darkened ; the daiiirhters oi music are brought low ; desire 
 fails ; and the grasshopper is a burden." Have you never 
 seen tliis striking picture realized 1 And yet you propose, 
 amidst these decays of nature and the peculiar infirmities 
 of old age, for the jirsi Ihne seriously to attend to the inte- 
 rests of your soul. What folly is this ! the great work is 
 not to be commenced till possibly you are incapable of 
 attending on public ordinances, unable to search the scrip- 
 tures, and, it may be, utterly unfit to converse advantage- 
 ously with pious Christians. With all the senses half shut 
 up — the ininil so weak as to be exhausted by the least 
 effort — you nevertheless propose to investigate the grounds 
 of faith and hope, to enter on a thorough self-examination, 
 and in your life to furnish evidence of your regeneration, 
 and to "loi-it'v tJod bv vour ffood works. Is this rational ? 
 Does the word of Cod in the slightest degree warrant this 
 presumption ? In a word, are you not, till that which ha?. 
 
 II 
 
•29 
 
 to 
 ier 
 
 been emphatically called second childhood shall come upon 
 you, to put the great questions, what arc youl Whither 
 are you going when you leave this world ? and how are 
 you to enter the next ? Suppose a godless aged man to 
 turn his mind sincerely to divine things ; tliink, we beseech 
 you, of the disadvantage- under which he labours. The 
 Bible is to him a strange book. He has not it& treasures 
 laid up in the memory; he knows not whore to find its 
 consoling promises; anil lie sees not the connection ol these 
 with that atoning sacrilico that gives them ail their ethcacy. 
 The very language of the Bible is strange to him, for he 
 has not learned the language of Canaan in his youth. 
 Besides nature is soon exhausted. He wearies in a few 
 minutes, and closes the book with indilFerenco. In prayer 
 the same lamentable symptoms of spiritual stupidity and 
 langour are apparent It some pious Christian engages in 
 this duty, the object for whom he [)leads is seen gazing 
 vacantly around or dozing half asleep. Sad spectacle this; 
 who can behold it without horror, and the most fearful 
 apprehensions lest the spirit of God may have been utterly 
 and for ever grieved away. Oh ! there is a calmness some- 
 times manifested by godless persons at the close of life, as 
 much to be dreatled as if the language of despair were 
 heard from their lips. 
 
 Not unlike the delusion which we have been attempting 
 to expose, is that of trusting to a death-bed repentance. 
 The hour of death is regarded by many as the most suitable 
 time for embracing the offers of mercy, and obtaining a 
 meetness for the heavenly inheritance. Few misconcep- 
 tions are greater, and none ought to be more dreaded than 
 this. Death may come suddenly, you may not have an 
 hour to prepare to meet your God. While yon are saying 
 soul, eat, drink, and be merry, Ho that reigns over all may 
 be saying " Thou fool, this night tl. ■ soul shall be required 
 of thee." To-day you may be in health, vainly anticipat- 
 ing a long life ; and to-morrow you may be in eternity. 
 Think, dear friends, what a fearful thing it must be to have 
 all your hopes blasted in a moment ; and to be ushered, 
 with all your sins upon you, into the presence of that God 
 who cannot look upon sin but with abhorrence. Against 
 sudden death you have no security. 
 
X 
 
 ) 
 
 30 
 
 But admit that you may have some time granted you on 
 your death-bed for rcfloctioii, and what you call prepara- 
 tion, have you seriously (.'onsidorcd how uutit the dosing 
 scene commonly is for sohcr imjuiry. You have no doubt 
 seen others die. You have not forgot their paroxysms of 
 
 f)ain, the anxious eye looking in vain for help, and the 
 leart-rendnig groans of distress. " At evening you heard 
 them say, \N oiild to God it were morning; and at morning, 
 Would to God it were evening " For they were " filled 
 with tossings to and fro," and coidd (ind no rest. While 
 the sight of all they were about to leave, and the awful 
 realities of the eternal world breaking in on the eye of the 
 troubled spirit, filled them with strange alarms, at once 
 perploxiii!; reason and arou-^inij conseitMice. O, did you then 
 think that the hour of death was the most suitable time to 
 begin the great lusine^^s of loligion? Did yon liunU it the best 
 time for the (l3iiig man to con.nn-nee to Uain literally the first 
 principles of godliness, and to higin sell-examination ajiil other 
 highly important duties'? No, dear I'l lends, you did not. But 
 if you reflect aright on the ni.utei, you saw lliat what the dying 
 man needed was strong faith, joy in the Moly Ghost, and a 
 clear sense of his Kedeemei's picsence. J^ut vvhat grounds 
 has he to expect all this at last who has lived a life of sin, with 
 the resolution that at death — yes, tlien, but not till //ten, he 
 would begin to incjuire alier the Lord and do IJis will 1 
 
 No one can tell wlint it is to die. Hat some who have been 
 nt the gates of death, and have l)»;!n brought back as it were 
 to the land of the living, have di-elnicd, "that to look at death 
 at a distance and to behold it just at hand, Is as diffeient as it 
 is to look at the picture of a lion and to meet that animal in his 
 native desert." Death is truly the king of terrors to all who 
 are not supported by a well grounded hope in the atoning 
 blood of (Jhrist You may in the days of youtii and health be 
 so engros-!cd with the business and anuisements of life th.it 
 thoughts of death shall but seldom he permitted t(j occupy your 
 attention, while l'als(' hopes and delusive conceptions of the 
 mercy of God may yield a paitial conlidence to some in con- 
 templating tlieii litltcr end. Hut if men see things aright — see 
 God asinlinitely holy and just, and behold sin as that which is 
 utterly irreconeilahlo with the ilivlne perfections and moral 
 government of God — they will see that nothing but a firm faith 
 in the righteousness of Christ can take the sting out of death. 
 
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 ting 
 
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 Without this death must be truly drendful ; for ns the tree fails 
 so must it fie, and he that dies o;it of covenant with Goil, is 
 lost for ever. 
 
 There is not one of you who wnidd not readily own that an 
 interest in the fiieiidshii) of (iod would ho unspeakably [)reciou8 
 
 an mterest m 
 
 nt death. Why not scdc that now? Is not 
 God's Criendshii) iiivMiiiii'jlo in life > It is i-iiilt, obviously, that 
 makes death f(,nil)Ie ; and can (bat uhicb renders you not 
 only unhappy in life, but may make vou miseiable 
 
 wlien 
 heart and flesh laint and fail," be too soon removed.'' O ! is 
 it not madiu'ss for you (bus to live in sin, every hour exposed 
 to eternal ruin, with nothing' to snppoit you but the dreadful 
 possibili 
 doned. 
 
 ity — that at the last hour you may repent and be par- 
 
 But we must draw our li((le tract to a close; yet we cannot 
 do this without lelliiiij you, iu the most explicit' terms, that if 
 you perish, you pvvUh wi(h (he rich provision of the gospel 
 presented before yon, and urged on your acceptance. All 
 things are ready. The yarmcnt of rij^bd'ousness is ready, and 
 the i-'ospc'l feast is pippaicd, and God bath sfuit forth his ser- 
 vants to invite you to come in ; and, O, do not delay. Do not 
 trust to a death-beil repentance. You may die suddenly, or 
 your niin(i may be coiividsetl by fien/.y or clouded with stupor; 
 or you may be s'^en up to soie judicial blindness, and leit to 
 die *' as a fool dietb." Disregard (be admonitions and warn- 
 ings we have u((ered, neglect the oilers of mercy, and spend 
 your days in the service of sin, all the while entertaining the 
 hope that at the bonr of death you may repent and be saved ; 
 and when the hour of death comes, may not tlie Lord say— 
 •' Because i have called and ye refused, I have stretched out 
 my hand but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would 
 none of my reproof, I idso will laugh at your calamity, I will 
 mock when your fear cometh. Wlun your fear cometh as 
 desolation, and your destruction cometh ns a whirlwind, when 
 distress and anguish cometh upon you." If God magnifies his 
 mercy iu the pardon oi ponitcnt believers, let it not be Ibrgotten 
 that he will manifest his justice in (he condeumation ot the 
 impenitent. Prepare for death ; prepare to meet your God in 
 the days of health, when you have all tlie means of grace, and 
 maj' em|)loy these to most advantage. At the hour of death 
 you may have much to regret ; but at that hour it will not be 
 matter of regret, but of inexpressible joy, that for many years 
 
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 32 
 
 you could rend clearly your title to the heavenly inheritance -<- 
 that for ninny years you have served God fnithlully. done good 
 to the souls of others, mid with your Inst brenth can testily to 
 the preciousness of relii,'ion. Hut if fiorn a douth-bcd you 
 have to look back on nn ill-spent lile, wliiit remorse must that 
 produce; and as you look I'oiwaid I't-ais may arise in your 
 mind, which no words can utter, and wbieb the kindness of all 
 your earthly friends cannot allay. What then meaneth your 
 mdifference to divine things noiP, and wliy delny one day the 
 great work of your salvation 'i " NMiy halt ye betwixt two 
 opinions ?" •* (Jhoose ye this day wh( m ye will serve :" *' for 
 you cannot serve God and mammon." Choose God then as 
 your God in Christ, and it shall be well with you in lile, at 
 death, and through eternity. 
 
 As ministers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we implore you to 
 ponder seriously the sentiments wc have uttered. Lay not 
 this little tract aside, deai friends, before you ask the question, 
 Wh\j am / nol a Christian; and on your knees at a throne of 
 grace implore the great God our Saviour to have mercy on 
 you, and through the graces of his Spirit to give you a name 
 and n place among his people. So that wlien he comes to 
 judge the world, you may be one of those to whom he shall 
 say " Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom 
 prepared for you. 
 
 In fine wc entreat you, as you value your inmiortal souls, 
 to come to the Saviour. Wo bosccch you, v, tlio recol- 
 lection of what your parents did for you, and which you 
 would tremble to disavow; yes, and by the tears and the 
 prayers which some of these parents may have poured 
 forth while they sought y-our salvation, we boseeeh you to 
 come to the Saviour. By the joys of angels and of the 
 spirits of the just made perfect, wc entreat you to come, 
 tnat there may be joy in heaven on your account. By the 
 throne of judgment and all the vast realities of ;\ future 
 world, we beseech you to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 that you may be saved. The Spirit and the bride say 
 come. And let him that hcareth say come. And let him 
 that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take of 
 the water of life freely. 
 

 
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