pay so little outward respect to religion as young men。 None attend so
badly on means of grace； none take so little part in our services； when
they are present at them；use Bibles and Prayer Books so little；
sing so little；listen to preaching so little。 None are so generally
absent at prayer…meetings； and lectures； and all such week…day helps to
the soul。 Young men seem to think they do not need these things；they
may be good for women and old men； but not for them。 They appear
ashamed of seeming to care about their souls： one would almost fancy
they reckoned it a disgrace to go to heaven at all。 And this is
contempt of religion；it is the same spirit which made the young
people of Bethel mock Elisha；and of this spirit I say to all young
men； Beware！ If it be worth while to have a religion； it is worth while
to be in earnest about it。
Contempt of holy things is the high road to infidelity。 Once let a man
begin to make a jest and joke of any part of Christianity； and I am
never surprised to hear that he has turned out a downright unbeliever。
Young men； have you really made up your minds to this？ Have you fairly
looked into the gulf which is before you； if you persist in despising
religion？ Call to mind the words of David： 〃The fool hath said in his
heart； There is no God〃 （Ps。 14：1）。 The fool； and none but the
fool！He has said it： but he has never proved it！ Remember； if ever
there was a book which has been proved true from beginning to end； by
every kind of evidence； that book is the Bible。 It has defied the
attacks of all enemies and fault…finders。 〃The Word of the Lord is
indeed tried〃 （Ps。 18：30）。 It has been tried in every way； and the more
it has been tried； the more evidently has it been shown to be the very
handiwork of God Himself。 What will you believe； if you do not believe
the Bible？ There is no choice but to believe something ridiculous and
absurd。 ＇27＇ Depend on it； no man is so grossly credulous as the man
who denies the Bible to be the Word of God；and if it be the Word of
God； take heed that you despise it not。
Men may tell you there are difficulties in the Bible；things hard to
be understood。 It would not be God's book if there were not。 And what
if there are？ You do not despise medicines because you cannot explain
all that your doctor does by them。 But whatever men may say； the things
needful to salvation are as clear as daylight。 Be very sure of
this；people never reject the Bible because they cannot understand it。
They understand it only too well； they understand that it condemns
their own behaviour； they understand that it witnesses against their
own sins； and summons them to judgment。 They try to believe it is false
and useless； because they do not like to allow it is true。 〃A bad
life；〃 said the celebrated Lord Rochester； laying his hand on the
Bible； 〃a bad life is the only grand objection to this book。〃 〃Men
question the truth of Christianity；〃 says South； 〃because they hate the
practice of it。〃
Young men； when did God ever fail to keep His word？ Never。 What He has
said； He has always done； and what He has spoken； He has always made
good。 Did He fail to keep His word at the flood？No。 Did He fail with
Sodom and Gomorrah？No。 Did He fail with unbelieving Jerusalem？No。
Has He failed with the Jews up to this very hour？No。 He has never
failed to fulfil His word。 Take care； lest you be found amongst those
by whom God's Word is despised。
：Never laugh at religion。 Never make a jest of sacred things。 Never
mock those who are serious and in earnest about their souls。 The time
may e when you will count those happy whom you laughed at；a time
when your laughter will be turned into sorrow； and your mockery into
heaviness。
（5） Another danger to young men is the fear of man's opinion。
〃The fear of man〃 does indeed 〃bring a snare〃 （Prov。 29：25）。 It is
terrible to observe the power which it has over most minds； and
especially over the minds of the young。 Few seem to have any opinions
of their own； or to think for themselves。 Like dead fish； they go with
the stream and tide： what others think right； they think right； and
what others call wrong； they call wrong too。 There are not many
original thinkers in the world。 Most men are like sheep； they follow a
leader。 If it was the fashion of the day to be Romanists； they would be
Romanists；if to be Mahometans； they would be Mahometans。 They dread
the idea of going against the current of the times。 In a word； the
opinion of the day bees their religion； their creed； their Bible；
and their God。
The thought； 〃What will my friends say or think of me？〃 nips many a
good inclination in the bud。 The fear of being observed upon； laughed
at； ridiculed； prevents many a good habit being taken up。 There are
Bibles that would be read this very day； if the owners dared。 They know
they ought to read them； but they are afraid： 〃 What will people
say？〃 There are knees that would be bent in prayer this very night； but
the fear of man forbids it：〃What would my wife； my brother； my
friend； my panion say； if they saw me praying？〃 Alas； what wretched
slavery this is； and yet how mon！ 〃I feared the people；〃 said Saul
to Samuel： and so he transgressed the mandment of the Lord （1 Sam。
15：24）。 〃I am afraid of the Jews；〃 said Zedekiah； the graceless king of
Judah： and so he disobeyed the advice which Jeremiah gave him （Jer。
38：19）。 Herod was afraid of what his guests would think of him： so he
did that which made him 〃exceeding sorry；〃he beheaded John the
Baptist。 Pilate feared offending the Jews： so he did that which he knew
in his conscience was unjust； he delivered up Jesus to be crucified。 If
this be not slavery； what is？
Young men； I want you all to be free from this bondage。 I want you each
to care nothing for man's opinion； when the path of duty is clear。
Believe me； it is a great thing to be able to say 〃No！〃 Here was good
King Jehoshaphat's weak point；he was too easy and yielding in his
dealings with Ahab； and hence many of his troubles （1 Kings 22：4）。
Learn to say 〃No！〃 Let not the fear of not seeming good…natured make
you unable to do it。 When sinners entice you； be able to say decidedly；
〃I will not consent〃 （Prov。 1：10）。
Consider only how unreasonable this fear of man is。 How short…lived is
man's enmity； and how little harm he can do you！〃 Who art thou； that
thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die； and of the son of
man； which shall be as grass： and forgettest the Lord thy Maker； that
hath stretched forth the heavens； and laid the foundations of the
earth？〃 （Isa。 51：12…13）。 And how thankless is this fear！ None will
really think better of you for it。 The world always respects those most
who act boldly for God。 Oh； break these bonds； and cast these chains
from you！ Never be ashamed of letting men see you want to go to heaven。
Think it no disgrace to show yourself a servant of God。 Never be afraid
of doing what is right。
Remember the words of the Lord Jesus： 〃Fear not them which kill the
body； but are not able to kill the soul： but rather fear Him which is
able to destroy both soul and body in hell〃 （Matt。 10：28）。 Only try to
please God； and He can soon make others pleased with you。 〃When a man's
ways please the Lord； he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with
him〃 （Prov。 16：7）。
Young men； be of good courage。Care not for what the world says or
thinks： you will not be with the world always。 Can man save your soul？
No。 Will man be your judge in the great and dreadful day of
account？…No。 Can man give you a good conscience in life； a good hope in
death； a good answer in the morning of resurrection？ No！ no！ no！ Man
can do nothing of the sort。 Then 〃fear not the reproach of men； neither
be afraid of their revilings： for the moth shall eat them up like a
garment； and the worm shall eat them like wool〃 （Isa。 51：7…8）。 Call to
mind the saying of good Colonel Gardiner： 〃I fear God； and therefore I
have none else to fear。〃 Go and be like him。
Such are the warning I give you。 Lay them to heart。 They are worth
thinking over。 I am much mistaken if they are not greatly needed。 The
Lord grant they may not have been given you in vain。
III。 General Counsels to Young Men。
3。 In the third place； I wish to give some general counsels
to young men。
（1） For one thing； try to get a clear view of the evil of sin。
Young men； if you did but know what sin is； and what sin has done； you
would not think it strange that I exhort you as I do。 You do not see it
in its true colours。 Your eyes are naturally blind to its guilt and
danger； and hence you cannot understand what makes me so anxious about
you。 Oh； let not the devil succeed in persuading you that sin is a
small matter！
Think for a moment what the Bible says about sin；…how it dwells
naturally in the heart of every man and woman alive （Eccles。 7：20； Rom。
3：23）；how it defiles our thoughts； words； and actions； and that
continually （Gen。 6：5； Matt。 15：19）；how it renders us all guilty and
abominable in the sight of a holy God （Isa。 64：6； Hab。 1：13）；how it
leaves us utterly without hope of salvation； if we look to ourselves
（Ps。 143：2； Rom。 3：20）；how its fruit in this world is shame； and its
wages in the world to e； death （Rom。 6：21…23）。 Think calmly of all
this。 I tell you this day； it is not more sad to be dying of
consumption； and not to know it； than it is to be a living man； and not
know it。
Think what an awful change sin has worked on all our natures。 Man is no
longer what he was when God formed him out of the dust of the ground。
He came out of God's hand upright and sinless （Eccles。 7：29）。 In the
day of his creation he was； like everything else； 〃very good〃 （Gen。
1：31）。 And what is man now？A fallen creature； a ruin； a being that
shows the marks of