and importance of it. Disobedie exert itself by opposition of heart just commands. It may then shew and gestures, a frown, or some in iour, and at length burst forth in of contradiction and abuse; not parent a most reasonable desire, t with unkindness to his face. M have some parents met with suc when through age, infirmity or pov become dependent on their childre ful of every favour they have receiv and the binding obligations they them, their conduct declares tha them dead; murmuring from tin account of the trouble they occasion pense of their support. Thus they to the afflicted.

Should there be any children pres acter so abandoned, give me leave to incompatible with the dictates of rea oracles of God. The aged parent, dence hath cast upon you, and you t ly, hath been the help and support of He provided well and carefully for in the most feeble state: he hath from infancy to childhood, from youth, and supplied, as far as he wa many wants. He hath nursed your for you which no one else would have done. When you knew nothing of it, he hath wept over you, and prayed for you; anxious for your body, but supremely anxious for your soul. And is this all the return he may expect from you? Is no regard to be paid to his relation to you, his care over you, his love for you, his multiplied kindnesses? Have you no heart to pity him in his trouble, who has always borne a part of yours? Is not his affliction great enough already? Is he not now in the view of death, and loaded with in. firmity and sickness? Why will you add to his distress? O base ingratitude! Think not that God will prosper your undertakings. Rather look for the reward of disobedience; or that a just God will blast your endeavours. Know thou that for this thing he will bring thee into judg.

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(3.) Profane swearing is another odious vice which young men are too prone to learn from their companions. It is not easy to converse continually with those who scarcely speak a sentence without an oath, and not to learn the shocking language. That this iniquity prevails among us, will not be denied by him who is in the least degree observant as he walks the streets of this metropolis. Your little ones, who have but just learned to speak plain, are heard to utter blasphemy against the God who made them. Whether they learn it at home or abroad is not for me to determine: but certain it is they have learned it. Verily we shall find children, young men and fathers uniting in this heaven-daring practice. But who will appear to vindicate it? Who will not condemn it? What is it but making sport with

Omnipotence; a profanation of that name which is exalted above all blessing and praise? What can you think of that person, who in an apparent fit of good humour can call on God to damn his own soul, or the soul of his companion? If we judge of him by this part of his conduct only, we must suppose him to be beside himself; consequently that he ought to be confined till he can speak and act agreeably to reason. If any of this detestable character have found their way here this evening, they would do well to attend to the solemn declaration of him who cannot lie; who hath said, that he "will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."

(4.) Gaming is to be placed among those vices, by which the youth are liable to be led away through the influence of evil company. Some follow the gaming table as a diversion, others for a livelihood. The former will be convinced sooner or later that it is attended with many evils; and the latter that it is an uncertain method of sup porting himself or family. It is a consumption of precious time, and tends to introduce neglect of business, dishonesty and want. If a man has a fondness for gaming, it is not a small matter that will keep him at home. The hurry of business, the importunity of customers, and the prospect of an honest support, will not be sufficient to suppress his favourite passion. It must be indulged, come what may. The consequence therefore must be, neglect of business; which will soon issue in the want of it. For who will employ a man on whom he can place no dependence? And if the man is without employ, he must soon come to poverty.

If he be a youth who has no interest to support his folly and extravagance, but yet determines to maintain his place in the club, what method think ye will he take? He must either run in debt without a prospect of ever making payment, which is a species of robbery, or he will be tempted to take that as his own, to which he has no right. Vice will be supported; and one vice is often made the means of maintaining another. In this respect gaming sometimes leads to dishonesty.

If the gamester be a man of fortune, he may maintain his extravagance for a course of years; till, alas! unhappy man, his indolence has grown into a habit, his constitution is destroyed, and his money spent. Then his companions in vice will cast him off. While his money lasted, they could fawn upon him; but as soon as that is gone, he is no more company for them. Thus the man becomes completely wretched in a temporal sense, being despoiled of character, interest and friends. Men of sobriety will have no connexion with him, looking upon him as the cause of his own wretchedness. His old associates now reject him; and his family, if he has one, attribute their poverty to his folly and madness. He lives unbeloved, and die when he will, few will mourn his exit; unless it be on account of his immortal spirit: for in his death the world sustains no loss.

(5.) Those persons who are connected with evil company, are frequently led to excessive drinking; a vice which depreciates the character of man, and makes him like a beast. Of this class there are different sorts. Some are private In company they are seldom overtaken; but at home they are often muddled. Others

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commit this iniquity in the face of the sun, and care but little who sees them. On the other hand, there are some who fall into this vice only on certain occasions, but do not make a practice of it. The first has no uneasiness about the criminality of his conduct, it being a secret sin; the second has a conscience seared as with a hot iron; and the latter may think themselves excuseable, because they are but seldom guilty of it. But know thou, that for this violation of the divine law, God will bring you into judgment.

3. Another of the foibles of youth is, they think that they shall live yet many years. They seem to take it for granted that they shall live to settle in the world, and to carry into execution some favourite scheme. The evil day of death they put far off; persuading themselves that God will not cut them off in all their bloom and vig. our. Hence to such, lectures on mortality seem unseasonable. But on what do they found their expectation of long life? On, it may be, the bare consideration of their age and constitution. But disease and death pay no regard to either. We of this congregation have had recent and repeated proofs of this. Four or five who were the flower of this assembly, have been cut down within a few months of one another. They are gone the way whence they shall not return. If youth, constitution, or friends could have secured them from sickness and death, they had still been of your number. But death came inexorable, and would neither be denied nor delayed. They were obliged to submit to the king of terrors; and are now confined in the land of darkness, waiting the summons of the last trump, the trump