558 TILE EIGHT IMPROVEMENT OP LTPE# First Reflection.-What a rich 'advantage is put intoRid hands ofa young convert ! When a sinner, in his younger years of life is changed into a saint, what a blessed privilege is granted him by divine grace ? And what a glorious opportunity is afforded him, the improvement whereof may reach to ever- lasting ages ! Happy soul, who art reconciled to God betimes, and a thousand sins in the following course of thy life are herebypre- vented ! Happy soul, to whom Christ has manifested his love in the beginningof life; and saved thee betimes from eternal death! According to the course of nature, thou hast aprospect of doing longservice for thy Lord and thy God. Awaken all thy thoughts;. consult, Contrive, and seek divine advice what thou shalt do for his honour, who bath given thee so early a salvation. Pray for the direction of the blessed Spirit, to mark out the paths of thy feet, and to employ thy head, thy hands, and thy tongue, in the most honourable manner for thy God, and the most useful for the good of men. ca Remember, every hour of thy' time is a part of thy trea- sure : Let it not be said at last, it was a prize put into the hands ofa fool that irad:no skill nor heart to use it. God, even thy God, expects a daily revenueof glory, as thejust improveínent.of this treasure. Let a holy zeal be kindled within thee, tòdo glorious servicesfor thy Creator and thy Saviour, and to shew thy large returns of love to him who bath first loved thee. Let a pious ambition set all thy powers at work to do some uncommon good for men, and to be made an extensive blessing to all that are near thee,'arise, and shine long, as a fair example of holiness in a dark and wickedworld, and let every year of life brighten thy character on earth and enlarge thy reward in heaven. Be not content merely toget safe within the walls of paradise ; the thief on the cross, who was called at the last hour of life, obtained this privilege ; but let thy ambition rise higher, and reach at some of the more exalted stations in that kingdom. 'Then shall it appear that lifeis thine in the sweetest sense, whenevery stage and period of it shall add new honours to the name of thy God, give newblessings to the world, and advance the joys of thy own eternity. Second Reflection. If life be such a privilege to achristian, and be apart of his treasure in thissense, then what a dismal ac- count bath an old sinner to give, whobath wasted lifeand time in follyand guilt, andnopart ofit bathbeen improved for his eternal happiness. 'O miserable creature ! Neither life nor 'death isthine. Be- think `thyself a little, and review the dismal scene : Say to thy soul, " What have I been doing these fifty or sixty years? L
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=