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Of Remembering God our Creator in Youth.

ECCLESIASTES xii. I.

Remember now thy Creator in the Days of thy Youth.

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T will add great Weight to the Counsel here given, if we confider what an e

minent Degree of Wisdom God gave the Author of it, and that he writ this Book in an Advanced Age. He had full Experience of the World in his high exalted Station: He unhappily immersed himself deeply in fenfual Pleasures. Being at length brought to Repentance, and a proper Sight of his past Errors, he, in this Book, declares that the World can prefent or offer nothing but a Scene of Vanity, and that Happiness is not to be obtained by any the most agreeable Profpects it can propofe; and, as the Fruit of his Experience, he affures us that the

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highest Enjoyments of Life cannot furnish a Happiness for the Soul of Man, and that nothing can conftitute a firm Bafis of Happiness, but Wisdom, Virtue, Holiness, and the Fear of God. Remember now thy Creator in the Days of thy Youth.

In explaining and recommending this excellent Advice given in these Words, I fhall do these three Things:

I. Inquire what is that Remembrance of God which is enforced.

II. In what Relation we are to remember Him; and that is, as our Creator.

III. Prove, by fundry Reafons and Arguments, that Youth is the fittest and beft Seafon for remembering God; or that 'tis highly expedient, useful, and necessary, that young Perfons should thus remember God their Creator.

I. I fhall inquire into the Nature of the Duty directed to; and that is, To remember God.

Remembrance of God fuppofes a Belief of his Being, and fome Knowledge of him. "Tis not a fuperficial tranfient Thought of

God,

God, which foon vanishes, and leaves no good Impreffion; but of fuch a Nature as is attended and followed with a good Effect on Heart and Life, which is here meant by remembering God. "Tis a practical Remembrance that SOLOMON recommends. These three Things will explain it: 1st, 'Tis a reverential Remembrance of God; 2dly, An affectionate Devotional Remembrance; and confequently, in the 3d Place, 'Tis a practical Remembrance of God, or fuch as influences the Life, and leads us to obey God's Commandments.

Ift, In these Words SOLOMON recommends to Young Perfons a reverential Remembrance of God. God is poffeffed of all thofe Perfections, and Excellencies, which justly claim, and call for, the Tribute of our higheft Reverence, and the fupreme Veneration of all Rational Intelligent Beings. His Power is irrefiftible; Who fhall not fear Him, before whom the whole Creation is as nothing, and Vanity? He is the Lord God Almighty; who then fhall not fear, and glorify Him? Who can conceive how happy and blessed the God of all Power is able to make his Creatures, or how miferable they must be who fall under the Effects of his Difpleasure? Who knoweth the Power of his Anger? Our Saviour therefore advises

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vifes his Difciples to fear him who hath Power to destroy both Soul and Body in Hell; yea, I fay to you, fear him, MATTH. X. 28. compared with LUKE xii. 5. This Omnipotent Being is also Omnifcient; which ought to increase a reverential Remembrance of him in all our Minds: Nothing can be hid from his All-penetrating Eye; his Understanding is infinite. Remember too that he is Omniprefent, and fills all Places with his Immenfity. Whatever close Retirement any may have from the View of FellowMortals, remember God is alway present with you; for in him you live, move, and have your Being. The Darkness and the Light are both alike to him. Though the Eye of Senfe cannot fee him, being invisible, and abfolutely immaterial, yet by Faith we ought to fet the Lord alway before us. Thus of MOSES 'tis faid, that he faw Him who is invifible, Heb. xi. 27. Though finite Minds cannot comprehend how an Infinite Spirit, as God is, fhould be in all Places at one and the fame Time, yet that is no Reason it fhould be denied. Remember an Omnifcient and Omnipresent Deity fo as to reverence him above all; for he is acquainted not only with the most retired and fecret Actions of his Creatures, but with their very Thoughts and Intentions. The Remembrance of God, cloathed with these Per

fections,

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