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If it be right to teach youth, that their hearts are totally depraved, that they live in an evil and dangerous world, that they are already under a sentence of condemnation and the wrath of God abideth upon them, that they are exposed every day to sickness and death, that death will close their probationary state and that after death is the judgment; can it be right to provide superb theatres and elegant ball rooms, at a great expense, for their entertainments and vain amusements? All parents know, that if one of these things is right, the other must be wrong. And I presume no parents can be found, who do both. These, who teach, warn and reprove their children, to make them sober-minded; never provide for them, nor allow them in vain and dissipating amusements. And those parents, who provide for and allow their children to spend their time in vanity and fashionable amusements, do not desire, nor dare to inculcate upon them the vast importance of preparing for death, judgment and eternity. Let me now seriously ask all parents, which of the two modes of treating children is right? Will you not answer as one, it is right to instruct, to warn and admonish your children to remember their Creator in the days of their youth and to abstain from all lying vanities? If you say and believe this, can you conscientiously allow them to go into vain company and join in their vain and dissipating amusements? You must be called to an account for your conduct towards your children, as well as they, for their conduct towards their Creator. Dare you do that, which you know will tend to prevent, rather than promote the piety and salvation of your children? Think for a moment, how you would feel to see one of your children in the bloom. of youth, lying on a death bed, expecting every day to be called into judgment, without hope; would you not bitterly lament your negligence in preparing him for heaven? If you would, how should you treat your children in health? This is no imaginary case. It is some where or other realized almost every day.--I am not preaching terror. I am only preaching truth and such truth as I have often preached.

5. It appears in the view of this subject; that the death of young people is a very solemn and interesting event to the living, whether they leave the world prepared, or unprepared. Death is always a solemn and interesting event to the dying, let it come how, or when it will. For it closes their state of probation, seals up their account for the great day and transmits their souls to their long home. But when men gradually sink into the grave under the infirmities and weight of old age, their departure out of the world is generally little noticed and less regretted, by the living. They have been expecting their death and preparing their minds for the event. It gives them but a little shock. They feel very differently, however, when the young are prematurely called out of the world, in the midst of high hopes and promising prospects. They feel both for the dying and for themselves. When the aged are languishing under the decays of nature, instead of pitying, we congratulate them, in the prospect of the speedy termination of all their pains and sorrows. But the prospect of the blasted hopes and expectations of the languishing and dying youths extorts pity from every breast. To leave the world, just as they have come upon the stage of life, looks like an awful disappointment to themselves. And it is certainly so to others, who naturally place dependance upon the lives and usefulness of the young.

The late instance of mortality in this place is, therefore, in every respect, a very solemn and instructive event to the living. A youth's going to the dead is like a youth's coming from the dead, to warn the living to prepare for eternity. Whether the deceased was prepared, or unprepared, to leave the world, we have no right to decide. This instance of early death admonishes the aged of their obligations of gratitude for prolonging their lives in this dying world. They might have been cut down as early in life; and it has been owing to the distinguishing mercy of God, that they have been preserved alive, amidst ten thousand dangers and accidents and allowed so much time and so

many opportunities and advantages of doing and getting good and of preparing for a blessed immortality beyond the grave. God has done much more for them, than he did for the poor youth, that has gone the way of all the earth. And he expects that they should be more ripened for a later and more joyful departure out of the world. The death of this youth speaks directly and solemnly to those, who are greatly disappointed and sorely bereaved, by her premature decease. Their minds have been painfully agitated by alternate hopes and fears, while they saw her languishing from month to month, from week to week and from day to day, till she died. Their expectations are now completely blasted and what they feared, is come upon them.--She is taken and they are left; and they are left, to prepare to follow her, who will never return to them.Their fiery trial now speaks louder than words and imperiously calls upon them to be still and know, that the Judge of all the earth has done right. They ought not to forget, nor despise the chastening of the Lord: but they ought cheerfully to submit to his corrections, which though grevious, may eventually afford them just cause of gratitude and praise. The death of

youths has often been blest for the eternal benefit of the living. The mourners, on this occasion, are under peculiar obligation to hear the rod and him, who has appointed it. God has thrown them into the furnace of affliction, which must have its effect and a lasting effect, whether they are sensible of it, or not. But it is to be hoped, that the youth, most deeply interested and affected, will from this day forward, remember his Creator. And what I say to him, I say to all the youth in this place. The last year, God took the aged and spared the youth; and he is still sparing them. But what has been the consequence of God's long suffering and patience towards you? Has it melted your hearts into gratitude and godly sorrow for the abuse of bis mercy ? Has it not rather stupified the hearts of all and seared the consciences of many? Has childhood and youth ever produced more vanity then

here, for years past? Have any children and youth, any where, become more stupid, hardened, profane & obstinate in wickedness, than those, who are now before me and who have often heard my warning voice? How much soever I may have failed in the discharge of my ministerial office for forty six years. I have not designedly been negligent, in warning, admonishing & reproving children and youth, as occasions have occurred. I have been so uniform and constant in this part of my duty, that both the young and the old have often anticipated reproofs and taken pains, either not to hear them, or resist them. And though they have so often and so long resisted; yet I do not regret the exertions I have made to awaken and convince and convert and restrain the children and youth. But whether I have met with the concurrence of others in my exertions, so much as ought to have been afforded, I leave to the serious consideration and reflection of professing parents and professing Christians, and every one, who regards the temporal and eternal good of the rising generation. But is there no hope? Most certainly there is.. I can remember the time, when some of the best Christians, now before me, were vain and thoughtless youth. God arrested them in their career, changed their hearts, compelled them to come in and unite in building up his cause. The present children and youth are not beyond his reach. The voice from the dead and from the living, this day, may do what has not been done for years past. Though there is much ground to despair of veteran sinners, there is still ground to hope, God will raise up from the children & youth a generation to serve him, when we, who are aged, are laid in the dust..

SERMON VIII.

DEATH IN THE MIDST OF LIFE.

PSALM, CII. 24.—I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days.

It is uncertain when David presented this petition to his Creator and preserver; but it is natural to suppose, that it was at a time, when he viewed himself apparently exposed to the stroke of death. It seems by what he said just before he made this request, that he was in a low and languishing state of health and apprehended that he was gradually drawing near to the grave. He felt that his strength was weakened and therefore expected his life would be shortened; and under this impression, he prayed that God would not take him away in the midst of his days. Though he was a good man and habitually prepared to leave the world; yet he seems to have been reluctant to dying in the meridian of life. And who is there now in the midst of his days, that feels no reluctance to going the way of all the earth? Neither the young, nor the old, whether in a state of nature, or of grace, are generally so unwilling to go off from the stage of life, as those, who are in the midst of their days. If those, in the decline of life, were to look back and compare their past and present feelings upon this subject, they would undoubtedly find, that they never had so strong an attachment to life, as when they were in their own view in the midst of their days. Since that period, many things have occurred to wean them from the world.--. But though mankind are so reluctant to being taken away in the midst of their days; yet this reluctance is no security against the stroke of death, even in that stage

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