make them the members of a harlot? God forbid. 1 Cor. vi. 15.

Fornication and all uncleanness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints. Eph. v. 3.

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, and evil concupiscence; for which things' sake, the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience. Coloss. iii. 5, 6.

Remove thy ways far from the evil woman, and come not nigh the door of her house. Prov. v. 8.

He that goeth after her, goeth as an ox to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. Let not thine heart decline to her ways; go not astray in her paths. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. Prov. v. 22,

23, 27.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your

mouth. Eph. iv. 29.

SERMON VII.

YOUNG MEN EXHORTED TO FRUGALITY AND

FORESIGHT.

PROV. vi. 6, 7, 8.

Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

IT is of great importance to us all, that we should acquire the habit of carrying our view forward to the state upon which we shall enter after death, and of considering, how our happiness in that state, will be affected by the conduct which we maintain here. Remember the end, and thou shalt never do amiss. And with respect to the things of this life also, we shall do well to look forward a little, and to take no step, not to say or do any thing of importance, without reflecting upon its consequences, upon the manner in which it may affect the future temporal welfare either of ourselves or of others.

Young men are too apt to neglect this looking forward. They are too apt to act from sudden im

pulse, from the feeling of the moment. Something strongly excites their passions or appetites, and they are hurried by them into some action, or into a line of conduct, which may have an unkindly influence upon all their life afterwards. Present gratification, present pleasure, is apt to be their great object, and they will not consider whether indulging in pleasure now, may not be the occasion of discomfort, of want, and suffering, as they advance in years.

As, when assailed by difficulties or distresses of any description, we do well to use our utmost exertions to overcome or to remove them, humbly relying, from the success of those exertions, upon the good providence of God, so we do well, to look forward to those wants which in the common course of things are likely to come upon us hereafter, and to provide against them by timely prudence.

I am not in the slightest degree recommending an excessive carefulness and over-anxiety about the future supply of our temporal necessities. I well know how strongly we are cautioned in the Scriptures against such over-anxiety, how we are admonished to cast all our care upon God, as upon one who careth for us. But I also know, that both the express words, and the whole spirit of Scripture, require us, both in temporal and in spiritual things, to do what we can for ourselves, in humble reliance upon the help of the Almighty. To take no care for ourselves, to use no exertions of our own, is rather tempting the providence of God instead of trusting to him. If we depend upon

the industry and exertions of others for the supply of those wants, which with common care and prudence we might have avoided or supplied ourselves, we are guilty of injustice towards them, are guilty of a kind of dishonesty which we ought to be ashamed of. It is in this spirit that St. Paul says, that if any would not work, neither should he eat: and again, We command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work and eat their own bread":—their own bread-bread earned by their own labour, their own exertions. So again to the Ephesians, Rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth".

That provident forecast which tends to prevent the evils arising from poverty, and to save a man from the pain of feeling himself dependent upon the assistance of others, is strongly recommended in the writings of Solomon. He enforces his recommendation by referring us to the industry and foresight of the ant. Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provides her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. And again, There be four things which are little upon earth, but they are exceeding wise. The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summerc. As the ant, taught by the instinct implanted in her by the God of nature, diligently labours in the summer, to pro

a 2 Thess. iii. 10, 12.

Eph. iv. 28.

• Prov. xxx. 24, 25.

vide a sufficiency of food, against that season when the inclemency of the weather will prevent her from leaving her cell; so ought those men, who, in the vigour of youth, are able to earn more than is absolutely necessary for their subsistence, constantly to lay by some small portion of their earnings, which, by degrees, will amount to such a sum, as will maintain them in the time of sickness and old age, without being a burden to others.

Labouring men, who have families of many young children to provide for, are, of course, unable to comply with this advice. Every penny that they can earn is required by their necessities continually pressing upon them. But single men, engaged in active employment, as labourers, or servants, or journeymen in various trades, should imitate the industry and foresight of the ant, and take every opportunity of laying up something against the time of old age. Those who are thus circumstanced, ought to form the manly resolution, to depend, under Providence, on their own exertions alone for subsistence, and should feel ashamed, if they can any how avoid it, of looking forward to support from parish relief.

A young man, who is destitute of proper feeling and right principles, may perhaps be disposed to say in his heart, that he will not trouble himself to lay by any part of his earnings, since the parish will always be bound to maintain him;-that he will enjoy himself while he can, and spend his money in rioting