SEAM. vIII.1 WITH THE BLESSINGS OF IT. 115 keep our temper, and are composed amidst our cares and labours and finish our designs with honour. But, if we suffer our work to lie neglected, till the latter end of the appointed time, we are. ever in a hurry, m ,perpetual confusion, our temper is ruffled with every incident that . comes in, our way, and gives us the least hinderance, and we never perform with such accuracy or such success. Have we not sometimes learned these inconveniences by sad experience, and shall we ever hé guilty of delays again ! Or if we consider ourselves as christians, have wenot found that by needless delays we have lost the season óf morning prayer, and could never recover it again, but have past the morning without solemn addresses to the God of our lives ? And hath not many a sinner felt the dreadful consequences of his delays:of repentance,, when, day after day, and week after week, his own conscience and the voice of God in his word have called upon him to repent and return to God, and invited him to accept of pardon and peace, to receive the grace of Christ and everlasting life ? What terrible agonies of soul, what re- proaches of conscience on a dying bed, what horror of spirit in the reviewof his cursed delays? And with what tormenting despair his soul bath been hurried out of this life, and been plunged into an eternal state, without hope,. or at least at a terrible uncertainty? Children, can you hear this, and not enquire betimes, " what must I do to be saved ?" Acts xvi. 30.. Can you hear this in the days of youth, and delay any longer to secure your immortal concerns, and provide for the approaching hour of death and judgment? It is a dangerous thing for children in their younger years to learn the language of idleness, and to cry out on every occasion, `° It is time enough yet.". They generally grow up to feel the bitter'fruits ofdelay., It is an excellent rule in the things of earth òr, of heaven,. " Never leave that to be done the next hour,; which niay properly be done now, nor dare to put off till to-morrow the business which you may -as Well begin to -day. Who, knows what a day may bring forth-?" -J v. xxvii. i. Hey that hath done his ,work to-day is secure of peace, but to-morrowmay be all disappointment. Let us Who pre- tend to be christians, or to have a regard to God and teligion, let us upon the first notice of any duty, makr
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