mises will do more to bend the mind than any other means that can be thought of. These are sometimes employed by the devotees of the world to warp the mind, and draw aside the young pilgrim. With apparent kindness at the head, follows a variety of other expedients to ensnare. Vice is extenu

ated; virtue is represented as not always rigid in her claims; occasional departures are allowable; there is no harm when it does not spring from principle. God never designed all the pleasures of the world to be abandoned: every one have their infirmities, and you may have yours. You may think of religion at another opportunity: it will be time enough when you come to die. With such like expedients is the young convert assaulted: and it must be confessed that when parents and connections are amiable in every other respect, the struggle between conscience and carnal prudence becomes severe indeed. Here the Christian trembles. His relatives claim his attention; God claims his conscience. The former call to pleasure, but the latter to duty. Discouraged and dejected, he scarcely knows what to do; till the recollection of the decision of the apostles, "We ought to obey God rather than men," liberates his mind. Acts v. 29.

Another source of discouragement is the conduct of professors themselves. From both the formal and the careless is the Christian often grieved. The formal cold-hearted professor, who enjoys nothing of the power of real religion himself, is frequently the

most forward to reproach those who do. Instead of encouraging the young, bearing with their infirmities, and admiring their vigorous zeal, how often is it we hear him say, "Ah! young person, you run too fast religion is sober; it requires not such zeal: you should mind your worldly interest; God does not expect we should do every thing. The wisdom of this world is not altogether to be despised: religion is well in its place, but you need not burden yourself with it: God will accept the will for the deed." This has staggered the .new-born Christian for a while, till again, recurring to the sacred volume, he finds such characters described as dangerous: "Woe to them that are at ease in Zion; who are neither cold nor hot." Amos vi. 1, Rev. iii. 18.

The inconsistent characters of some also discourage him. It is no uncommon thing for the newlyawakened Christian to imagine that conversion is a transition from the world, where every thing is imperfect and sinful, to the Church, where every thing is pure and holy. On his first entrance into the religious world, therefore, he is not aware that counterfeits are to be found here as well as in every other part of human society. He is surprised to find the serpent in paradise; that a profession of religion is made use of by the hypocrite as a step to worldly advancement; that there can be splendid talents, a retentive memory, a fair and sanctimonious appearance, and a silver tongue, without grace.

Nothing, perhaps, distresses him more than to find his Lord and Master crucified in the house of his friends. He feels for them, he feels for himself, he feels for the cause. On turning, however, to his guide, he finds this is 'no new thing: the Bible points out to him such characters, and warns him to beware. Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls, and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh from the Lord. And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo! thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear thy words, but they do them not. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me ye that work iniquity." Ezek. xxxiii. 30, etc., Matt. vii. 21, 22.

There are also temptations peculiar to the young Christian which become exceedingly distressing. The lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, assault him with the greatest force.

Sometimes a spirit of volatility leads him astray. His passions are clamorous, his spirits flow briskly. He finds it difficult to maintain that solidity without gloom, and that cheerfulness without levity, which should ever distinguish the true Christian. The god of this world knows too, how to beguile those who have not any considerable degree of experience. He is continually watching for their halting, and is ever ready to inflate with pride, to excite a false zeal, to stimulate to acts of imprudence; or, on the other hand, to fill with shame, to promote an unbecoming diffidence, to depress the spirit, and insinuate hard things of God. Thus young Christians suffer from Satanic opposition, as well as from their own lively passions, and the allurements of a fascinating and deceitful world.

Lastly, what has a great influence on the mind in a way of discouragement are the errors and variety of opinions which abound. The Bible informs us of "the doctrines of men," "oppositions of science," "devices of Satan," "unlearned questions," "old wives' fables," all which are to be guarded against. The young Christian is staggered at the multiplicity of sentiments, the number of false teacher, and the contrariety of opinions he finds among the professors of religion. What also has had the appearance of truth, he has found to be error. And as error often lives next door to truth, he has mistaken one for the other, till the word of God, or the wisdom of a more experienced Christian has set him right. So

many are the bye roads, so-specious the arguments of the erroneous, and so numerous the votaries of false doctrine, that his mind has been for a while distracted. One, perhaps, has reproached him as a legalist, another has told him his doctrines lead to licentiousness. Some have endeavored to draw him aside with soft and insinuating measures; others have pronounced him in a state of imminent danger, because he could not walk in their confined circle, or breathe their bigoted and contracted spirit. Ah! young Christian, how should the more experienced in Christ feel for you! Tossed up and down, assaulted by every rude hand, ridiculed by the world, and tempted by a malignant foe, how ought such to feel for you? Venerable fathers in Christ, ye who were once thus exposed, press the tender lambs to your bosom, screen them from the stormy blast, hide them under the covert of your own influence, and let it never be said that those who are discouraged by the world are left unprotected by the Church, and unassisted by those whose business it is, like the Saviour of sinners, to strengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.

But, before I conclude this chapter, let me entreat the young Christian to cherish a principle of gratitude for the manifestation of divine goodness toward him. It is true you have not the light, the experience, the wide extended views, or the matured judgment of many around you; but you are in the way: God is your guide; he has enabled you to forsake