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
them to the uttermost that e to God by Him〃 （Heb。 7：25）。 But I warn
you； it is also written by the same Spirit； 〃Because I have called； and
ye refused； I also will laugh at your calamity； I will mock when your
fear eth〃 （Prov。 1：24…26）。
Believe me； you will find it no easy matter to turn to God just when
you please。 It is a true saying of good Archbishop Leighton： 〃The way
of sin is down hill； a man cannot stop when he would。〃 Holy desires and
serious convictions are not like the servants of the Centurion； ready
to e and go at your desire； rather are they like the unicorn in Job；
they will not obey your voice； nor attend at your bidding。 It was said
of a famous general ＇22＇ of old； when he could have taken the city ＇23＇
he warred against； he would not； and by and by when he would； he could
not。 Beware； lest the same kind of event befall you in the matter of
eternal life。
Why do I say all this？ I say it because of the force of habit。 I say it
because experience tells me that people's hearts are seldom changed if
they are not changed when young。 Seldom indeed are men converted when
they are old。 Habits have long roots。 Sin once allowed to nestle in
your bosom； will not be turned out at your bidding。 Custom bees
second nature； and its chains are threefold cords not easily broken。
Well says the prophet； 〃 Can the Ethiopian change his skin； or the
leopard his spots？ then may ye also do good； that are accustomed to do
evil〃 （Jer。 13：23）。 Habits are like stones rolling down hill； the
further they roll； the faster and more ungovernable is their course。
Habits； like trees； are strengthened by age。 A boy may bend an oak；
when it is a sapling； a hundred men cannot root it up； when it is a
full…grown tree。 A child can wade over the Thames at its fountain…head；
the largest ship in the world can float in it when it gets near the
sea。 So it is with habits： the older the stronger； the longer they have
held possession； the harder they will be to cast out。 They grow with
our growth； and strengthen with our strength。 Custom is the nurse of
sin。 Every fresh act of sin lessens fear and remorse； hardens our
hearts； blunts the edge of our conscience； and increases our evil
inclination。
Young men； you may fancy I am laying too much stress on this point。 If
you had seen old men； as I have done； on the brink of the grave；
feelingless； seared； callous； dead； cold； hard as the nether
mill…stone； you would not think so。 Believe me； you cannot stand still
in the affairs of your souls。 Habits of good or evil are daily
strengthening in your hearts。 Every day you are either getting nearer
to God； or further off。 Every year that you continue impenitent； the
wall of division between you and heaven bees higher and thicker； and
the gulf to be crossed deeper and broader。 Oh； dread the hardening
effect of constant lingering in sin！ Now is the accepted time。 See that
your flight be not in the winter of your days。 If you seek not the Lord
when young； the strength of habit is such that you will probably never
seek Him at all。
I fear this； and therefore I exhort you。
（4） For another thing； the devil uses special diligence to destroy the
souls of young men； and they seem not to know it。
Satan knows well that you will make up the next generation； and
therefore he employs every art betimes to make you his own。 I would not
have you ignorant of his devices。
You are those on whom he plays off all his choicest temptations。 He
spreads his net with the most watchful carefulness； to entangle your
hearts。 He baits his traps with the sweetest morsels； to get you into
his power。 He displays his wares before your eyes with his utmost
ingenuity； in order to make you buy his sugared poisons； and eat his
accursed dainties。 You are the grand object of his attack。 May the Lord
rebuke him； and deliver you out of his hands。
Young men； beware of being taken by his snares。 He will try to throw
dust in your eyes； and prevent you seeing anything in its true colours。
He would fain make you think evil good； and good evil He will paint；
and gild； and dress up sin； in order to make you fall in love with it。
He will deform； and misrepresent； and caricature true religion； in
order to make you take a dislike to it。 He will exalt the pleasures of
wickedness； but he will hide from you the sting。 He will lift up
before your eyes the cross and its painfulness；but He will keep out
of sight the eternal crown。 He will promise you everything； as he did
to Christ； if you will only serve him。 He will even help you to wear a
form of religion； if you will only neglect the power。 He will tell you
at the beginning of your lives； it is too soon to serve God；he will
tell you at the end； it is too late。 Oh； be not deceived！
You little know the danger you are in from this enemy； and it is this
very ignorance which makes me afraid。 You are like blind men； walking
amidst holes and pitfalls； you do not see the perils which are around
you on every side。
Your enemy is mighty。 He is called 〃The Prince of this world〃 （John
14：30）。 He opposed our Lord Jesus Christ all through His ministry。 He
tempted Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit； and so brought sin and
death into the world。 He tempted even David； the man after God's own
heart； and caused his latter days to be full of sorrow。 He tempted even
Peter； the chosen Apostle； and made him deny his Lord。 Surely his
enmity is not to be despised？
Your enemy is restless。 He never sleeps。 He is always going about as a
roaring lion； seeking whom he may devour。 He is ever going to and fro
in the earth； and walking up and down in it。 You may be careless about
your souls： he is not。 He wants them to make them miserable； like
himself； and will have them if he can。 Surely his enmity is not to be
despised？
And your enemy is cunning。 For near six thousand years he has been
reading one book； and that book is the heart of man。 He ought to know
it well； and he does know it； all its weakness； all its deceitfulness；
all its folly。 And he has a store of temptations； such as are most
likely to do it harm。 Never will you go to the place where he will not
find you。 Go into towns；…he will be them。 Go into a wilderness； he will
be there also。 Sit among drunkards and revilers；and he will be there
to help you。 Listen to preaching；and he will be there to distract
you。 Surely such enmity is not to be despised？
Young men； this enemy is working hard for your destruction； however
little you may think it。 You are the prize for which he is specially
contending。 He foresees you must either be the blessings or the curses
of your day； and he is trying hard to effect a lodgment in your hearts
thus early； in order that you may help forward his kingdom by and by。
Well does he understand that to spoil the bud is the surest way to mar
the flower。
Oh that your eyes were opened； like those of Elisha's servant in
Dothan！ Oh that you did but see what Satan is scheming against your
peace！ I must warn you；I must exhort you。 Whether you will hear or
not； I cannot； dare not； leave you alone。
（5） For another thing； young men need exhorting； because of the sorrow
it will save them； to begin serving God now。
Sin is the mother of all sorrow； and no sort of sin appears to give a
man so much misery and pain as the sins of his youth。 The foolish acts
he did； the time he wasted；the mistakes he made； the bad pany he
kept；the harm he did himself； both body and soul； the chances of
happiness he threw away； the openings of usefulness he neglected； all
these are things that often embitter the conscience of an old man；
throw a gloom on the evening of his days； and fill the later hours of
his life with self…reproach and shame。
Some men could tell you of the untimely loss of health； brought on by
youthful sins。 Disease racks their limbs with pain； and life is almost
a weariness。 Their muscular strength is so wasted； that a grasshopper
seems a burden。 Their eye has bee prematurely dim； and their natural
force abated。 The sun of their health has gone down while it is yet
day； and they mourn to see their flesh and body consumed。 Believe me；
this is a bitter cup to drink。
Others could give you sad accounts of the consequences of idleness。
They threw away the golden opportunity for learning。 They would not get
wisdom at the time when their minds were most able to receive it； and
their memories most ready to retain it。 And now it is too late。 They
have not leisure to sit down and learn。 They have no longer the same
power； even if they had the leisure。 Lost time can never be redeemed。
This too is a bitter cup to drink。
Others could tell you of grievous mistakes in judgment； from which they
suffer all their fives long。 They would have their own way。 They would
not take advice。 They formed some connection which has been altogether
ruinous to their happiness。 They chose a profession for which they were
entirely unsuited。 And they see it all now。 But their eyes are only
open when the mistake cannot be retrieved。 Oh； this is also a bitter
cup to drink！
Young men； young men； I wish you did but know the fort of a
conscience not burdened with a long list of youthful sins。 These are
the wounds that pierce the deepest。 These are the arrows that drink up
a man's spirit。 This is the iron that enters into the soul。 Be merciful
to yourselves。 Seek the Lord early； and so you will be spared many a
bitter tear。
This is the truth that Job seems to have felt。 He says； 〃Thou writest
bitter things against me； and makest me to possess the iniquities of my
youth〃 （Job 13：26）。 So also his friend Zophar； speakin