7$ THE WORLD TO COME. uae so low a metaphor, are always under us, and a thousand un- Seen avenues to the regions of the dead. A malignant fever strikes the strongest nature, with a mortal blast. at the command . of the great author and disposer of life. Mÿ youngest hearers may be called away from the earth by the next pain that seizes them. Nothing but religion, early religion and sincere godli- ness, can give you hope in youthful death, or leave a fragrant savour on your name, or memory, among those that survive. II. If such blessedness as 1 have described, belong to every watchful christian at the hour of death, then it may not be im- proper here to take notice of " some peculiar advantages, which attend those who shake off the deadly sleep of sin in their younger years, and are awake early to God and religion." 1. They have much fewer sins to mourn over on a death- bed, and they prevent much bitter repentence for youthful iniqui- ties. Holy Job was a man of distinguished piety, and God himself pronounces of him, that there was none like him in all the earth; Job. i. 18. but it is a question, whether his most early days were devoted to God, and whether be was so watchful over his behaviour in that dangerous season of life, for he makes a heavy complaint in his addresses to God ; Job xiii. 26. Thou writes( better things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth. The sooner we begin to be awake to holiness, the more of these follies and sorrows are prevented : Happy those who have the fewest of them to embitter their fol- lowing lives, or make a death -bed painful ! 2. Young persons have fewer attachments to the world, and the persons and things of it, which are round about them, and are more ready to part with it when their souls are united to God by an early faith and love. , They have not yet entered into so numerous- engagements of life, nor dwelt long enough here to have their hearts grown so fast on to creatures, which usually teake the parting-stroke so full of anguish and smarting sorrow. A child can much more easily ascend to heaven and leave a pa- rent behind, without that tender and painful solicitude, which a dying parent has for the welfare of a surviving child. The sur- render of all mortal interests at the call of God, is much more easy when our souls are not tied to them by so many strings, nor united by so many of the softer endearments of nature, and where grace has taught us to practise an early weaning from all tempo- ral comforts, and a little loosened our hearts from them by the faith of things eternal. 3. Those that have been awake betimes to godliness, give peculiar honours to the gospel at death, and leave this testimony to the divine religion of Jesus, that it was able to subdue passion and appetite in that season of life, when they are usually strongest and most unruly. They give peculiar credit mind glory to the
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