sight； I am saying nothing more than the truth。
Young men； you form a large and most important class in the population
of this country； but where； and in what condition； are your immortal
souls？ Alas； whatever way we turn for an answer； the report will be one
and the same！
Let us ask any faithful minister of the gospel； and mark what he will
tell us。 How many unmarried young people can he reckon up who e to
the Lord's Supper？ Who are the most backward about means of grace；the
most irregular about Sunday services；the most difficult to draw to
weekly lectures and prayer meetings；the most inattentive under
preaching at all times？ Which part of his congregation fills him with
most anxiety？ Who are the Reubens for whom he has the deepest
〃searchings of heart〃！ Who in his flock are the hardest to manage；who
require the most frequent warnings and rebukes；who occasion him the
greatest uneasiness and sorrow；who keep him most constantly in fear
for their souls； and seem most hopeless？ Depend on it； his answer will
always be； 〃The Young Men。〃
Let us ask the parents in any parish throughout England； and see what
they will generally say。 Who in their families give them most pain and
trouble？ Who need the most watchfulness； and most often vex and
disappoint them？ Who are the first to be led away from what is right；
and the last to remember cautions and good advice？ Who are the most
difficult to keep in order and bounds？ Who most frequently break out
into open sin； disgrace the name they bear； make their friends unhappy；
embitter the old age of their relations； and bring down grey hairs with
sorrow to the grave？ Depend on it； the answer will generally be； 〃The
Young Men。〃
Let us ask the magistrates and officers of justice； and mark what they
will reply。 Who go to public…houses and beer…shops most？ Who are the
greatest Sabbath…breakers？ Who make up riotous mobs and seditious
meetings？ Who are oftenest taken up for drunkenness； breaches of the
peace； fighting； poaching； stealing； assaults； and the like？ Who fill
the gaols； and penitentiaries； and convict ships？ Who are the class
which requires the most incessant watching and looking after？ Depend on
it； they will at once point to the same quarter；they will say； 〃 The
Young Men。〃
Let us turn to the upper classes； and mark the report we shall get from
them。 In one family the sons are always wasting time； health； and
money； in the selfish pursuit of pleasure。 In another； the sons will
follow no profession； and fritter away the most precious years of their
life in doing nothing。 In another； they take up a profession as a mere
form； but pay no attention to its duties。 In another； they are always
forming wrong connections； gambling； getting into debt； associating
with bad panions； keeping their friends in a constant fever of
anxiety。 Alas； rank； and title； and wealth； and education； do not
prevent these things！ Anxious fathers； and heart…broken mothers； and
sorrowing sisters； could tell sad tales about them； if the truth were
known。 Many a family； with everything this world can give； numbers
among its connections some name that is never named；or only named
with regret and shame；some son； some brother； some cousin； some
nephew；who will have his own way； and is a grief to all who know him。
There is seldom a rich family which has not got some thorn in its side；
some blot in its page of happiness； some constant source of pain and
anxiety；and often； far too often； is not this the true cause； 〃 The
Young Men〃？
What shall we say to these things？ These are facts；plain staring
facts；facts which meet us on every side；…facts which cannot be
denied。 How dreadful this is！ How dreadful the thought； that every time
I meet a young man； I meet one who is in all probability an enemy of
God；travelling in the broad way which leads to destruction；unfit
for heaven！ Surely； with such facts before me； you will not wonder that
I exhort you；you must allow there is a cause。
（2） For another thing； death and judgment are before young men； even as
others； and they nearly all seem to forget it。
Young men； it is appointed unto you once to die； and however strong and
healthy you may be now； the day of your death is perhaps very near。 I
see young people sick as well as old。 I bury youthful corpses as well
as aged。 I read the names of persons no older than yourselves in every
churchyard。 I learn from books that； excepting infancy and old age；
more die between thirteen and twenty…three than at any other season of
life。 And yet you live as if you were sure at present not to die at
all。
Are you thinking you will mind these things tomorrow？ Remember the
words of Solomon： 〃 Boast not thyself of to…morrow； for thou knowest
not what a day may bring forth〃 （Prov。 27：1）。 〃Serious things
tomorrow；〃 said a heathen； ＇21＇ to one who warned him of ing danger；
but his to…morrow never came。 Tomorrow is the devil's day； but to…day
is God's。 Satan cares not how spiritual your intentions may be； and how
holy your resolutions； if only they are fixed for to…morrow。 Oh； give
not place to the devil in this matter！ answer him； 〃No： Satan！ It shall
be to…day： to…day。〃 All men do not live to be patriarchs； like Isaac
and Jacob。 Many children die before their fathers。 David had to mourn
the death of his two finest sons； Job lost all his ten children in one
day。 Your lot may be like one of theirs； and when death summons； it
will be vain to talk of to…morrow；you must go at once。
Are you thinking you will have a convenient season to mind these things
by and by？ So thought Felix and the Athenians to whom Paul preached；
but it never came。 Hell is paved with such fancies。 Better make sure
work while you can。 Leave nothing unsettled that is eternal。 Run no
risk when your soul is at stake。 Believe me； the salvation of a soul is
no easy matter。 All need a 〃great〃 salvation； whether young or old； all
need to be born again； all need to be washed in Christ's blood；all
need to be sanctified by the Spirit。 Happy is that man who does not
leave these things uncertain； but never rests till he has the witness
of 。the Spirit within him； that he is a child of God。
Young men； your time is short。 Your days are but a span long；a
shadow； a vapour；a tale that is soon told。 Your bodies are not brass。
〃Even the young men；〃 says Isaiah； 〃shall utterly fall〃 （Isa。 40：30）。
Your health may be taken from you in a moment 。'it only needs a fall；
a fever； an inflammation； a broken blood…vessel；…and the worm would
soon feed upon you。 There is but a step between any one of you and
death。 This night your soul might be required of you。 You are fast
going the way of all the earth；you will soon be gone。 Your life is
all uncertainty；your death and judgment are perfectly sure。 You too
must hear the Archangel's trumpet； and go forth to stand before the
great white throne； you too must obey that summons； which Jerome says
was always fining in his ears： 〃Arise； ye dead； and e to judgment。〃
〃Surely I e quickly；〃 is the language of the Judge Himself。 I
cannot； dare not； will not let you alone。
Oh that you would all lay to heart the words of the Preacher： 〃Rejoice；
O young man； in thy youth； and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of
thy youth； and walk in the ways of thine heart； and in the sight of
thine eyes； but know thou； that for all these things God will bring
thee into judgment〃 （Eccles。 11：9）。 Wonderful； that with such a
prospect； any man can be careless and unconcerned！ Surely none are so
mad as those who are content to live unprepared to die。 Surely the
unbelief of men is the most amazing thing in the world。 Well may the
clearest prophecy in the Bible begin with these words； 〃Who hath
believed our report？ 〃 （Isa。 53：1）。 Well may the Lord Jesus say； 〃When
the Son of man eth； shall He find faith on the earth？〃 （Luke 18：8）。
Young men； I fear lest this be the report of many of you in the courts
above： 〃They will not believe〃 I fear lest you be hurried out of the
world； and awake to find out； too late； that death and judgment are
realities。 I fear all this； and therefore I exhort you。
（3） For another thing； what young men will be； in all probability
depends on what they are now； and they seem to forget this。
Youth is the seed…time of full age；the moulding season in the little
space of human life；the turning…point in the history of man's mind。
By the shoot we judge of the tree；…by the blossoms we judge of the
fruit；by the spring we judge of the harvest；by the morning we judge
of the day；and by the character of the young man； we may generally
judge what he will be when he grows up。
Young men； be not deceived。 Think not you can； at will； serve lusts and
pleasures in your beginning； and then go and serve God with ease at
your latter end。 Think not you can live with Esau； and then die with
Jacob。 It is a mockery to deal with God and your souls in such a
fashion。 It is an awful mockery to suppose you can give the flower of
your strength to the world and the devil； and then put off the King of
kings with the scraps and leavings of your hearts； the wreck and
remnant of your powers。 It is an awful mockery； and you may find to
your cost the thing cannot be done。
I daresay you are reckoning on a late repentance。。 You know not what
you are doing。 You are reckoning without God。 Repentance and faith are
the gifts of God； and gifts that He often withholds； when they have
been long offered in vain。 I grant you true repentance is never too
late； but I warn you at the same time； late repentance is seldom true。
I grant you； one penitent thief was converted in his last hours； that
no man might despair； but I warn you； only one was converted； that no
man might presume。 I grant you it is written； Jesus is 〃able to save