were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

2. Know that this land is married to the Lord in solemn covenants to reform what is amiss, and to preserve the reformation in doctrine, worship, discipline, and government, and to oppose whatsoever is contrary to sound godliness. And since that time there have been speats of defection and apostacy from God. But among our fathers were found witnesses for God, who, at the expense of all that was dear to them in the world, and even of their own lives, transmitted the testimony for truth and holiness unto us. It lies upon your consciences to take it up, and maintain it; for ye must be answerable to God for it in your stations; and woe, woe will be to that generation in whose hand it falls. This was expressly enjoined to, and strongly inculcated upon the Jewish church, as ye may see from Psalm 1xxviii. 5-7; "For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, when he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children. That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born: who should arise, and declare them to their children. That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God; but keep his commandments."

3. The speat of irreligion, neglect and contempt of seriousness, runs so high among the young generation of this day, that ye are in great hazard of being carried away with it; and can hardly miss to be so, if ye do not look well to yourselves. Therefore take these advices.

(1.) Begin the world as ye would desire to end it; Eccl. xii. 1, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them." Though ye be young now, ye must be old, and go the way of all flesh then, if not before. It is pity to stand at a distance from religion and seriousness while ye are young, since ye know the day will come when ye will need it, and ye know not how soon.

(2.) Give an obedient ear to good advice for your souls. Nature is corrupt, youth is headstrong, raw, and inexperienced; there is much need for to be pliable to the counsels of those concerned for your spiritual welfare, Prov. v. 11, 12, "lest thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed; and say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof?" A few years may come to let you see the folly of the way of wilfulness.

(3.) Take heed to your company; 1 Cor. xv. 33, "Be not de

ceived: Evil communications corrupt good manners." Ill company has been the ruin of many, and is so at this day. And many have fallen into such company in their youth, as has given them an ill set, that has stuck to them all their days; or led them into such courses, as have soon ruined them.

(4.) Observe carefully and improve what ye see befalling young people as well as others. You see there are of that sort carried off to eternity in the middle of their days; and is it not reasonable you should timely see to your own state, in case it be your lot too? You see what wretched snares the folly of youth betrays many into; and be ye therefore on your guard. Take heed of sad examples set before you, lest ye become examples to others.

(5.) Study to learn the lesson of the vanity of the world; Eccl. i. 2. What is youth, strength, beauty, wealth, &c. but fair fading flowers, that last not, but are quickly gone? Cease your towering imaginations, your flourishing hopes of worldly contents, your big promises to yourselves of what fine things you may reach; these will but make your disappointments the more cutting.

(6.) Consecrate yourselves to the Lord; and let Christ Jesus, the plant of renown, the chief among ten thousands, have your hearts and affections while ye are young; Prov. xxiii. 26, "My son," says the Lord, "give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways." Lay hold on him in the covenant of grace, and knit unto him by faith, and so lay your measures for your welfare in time and eternity.

(7.) Carry yourselves tenderly and religiously, being holy in the whole of your conversation; Heb. xii. 14, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." Whatever be your station in the world, be conscientious in the duties of it, looking on the all-seeing God as the party with whom ye have chiefly to do. And particularly be modest in your garb, speech, and behaviour; that Satan may not carry on his triumph at the rate he has often done in this place, to the dishonour of God, reproach of religion, and the ruin of souls.

(8.) Lastly, Eye God seriously, and walk by his counsel, in your settlement in the world; Prov. iii. 6, "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Lay your matters before the Lord in prayer, and, in dependence on him for light, weigh them in the balance of sanctified reason, according to the general directions of the word; and walk as the Lord is pleased to discover his mind. Especially in your marriages acknowledge God, and walk by his direction. The neglect of this in the old world was one of the springs of that wickedness that brought on the flood; and that

spring is fast running at this day, carrying on the apostacy of the generation.

I shall give you the following MOTIVES to press you to be perfect in this generation, as you have been exhorted. Consider,

1. It will be a great discovery of your sincerity, and unfeigned love to the Lord and the way of holiness. "Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generations." A declining time is a trying time, and the naughtiness of many is thereby discovered; it is a sifting time, and there is much refuse appears. In times wherein religion and seriousness are in vogue, as sometimes they have been, many put on the mask of religion that have nothing of it in reality; and then the time turns, and wickedness goes with open mouth; so men cast off their mask, and appear in their own colours, and then appears who have it in reality; 1 Cor. xi. 19, "For there must be heresies among you, that they which are approved, may be made manifest among you."

2. It is a noble, heaven-like disposition, to be perfect in such a generation; to cleave to Christ, when the generation is so generally turning their back on him, John vi. 66-68. It speaks a man to have a rooted principle in him for God and his way, and not to be carried by the mean motives of the world's applause, ease, &c. towards religion, but out of conscience towards God.

3. It will glorify God very much; and that is the great business we have to do in the world, agreeable to what is said; 1 Cor. x. 31, "Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." Compare Matth. v. 16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." This will be a testimony for God against a sinful generation, the keeping up of a standard for him, while so many standards are displayed against him; Prov. xxviii. 4, "They that forsake the law, praise the wicked; but such as keep the law, contend with them." Alas! what should come of his declarative glory, if there be none to show a respect to his commands.

4. It is the best service ye can do for the generation, like David, who "served his own generation by the will of God," Acts xiii. 36. No man is born for himself, every man is obliged to seek the good of mankind, and particularly to lay himself out for the good of the generation wherein he lives. Now there is a twofold good to be done the generation this way. (1.) It is a proper mean to keep them back from the way of sin, and to gain them to the way of the Lord. Example has a powerful influence. Hence is that exhortation; 1 Pet. iii. 1," Ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, that if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by

the conversation of the wives." And if one soul can be gained that way, from the way of sin, how desirable is it? (2.) It is a proper mean to keep off wrath; it is the bearing up of the pillars of a land, Psalm lxxv. 3. If there had been but ten righteous men in Sodom, the Lord would have spared it for their sakes.

5. Suppose it should not be effectual to stop the career of any in their sin, yet it would leave a conviction of sin in their consciences. Hence the apostle exhorts the Philippians, chap. ii. 15, 16, to "be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, iu the midst of a crooked and perverse nation; among whom" says he "ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain." A holy tender conversation, though wicked men's corruptions rise against it, yet their consciences approve of it; and while they are running down the godly man for it, yet in their consciences they have a secret honour for him.

6. It is a debt we owe to posterity. Hence says the Psalmist; Psalm xlv. 17, "I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations; therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever." The keeping of the way of God in a declining generation, is a transmitting of the testimony for God to those yet unborn; and the going the way of the multitude is a betraying of them, as it were a conspiring to take the light out of the room they were coming into, that they may have nothing but darkness.

7. It is an honourable thing. It is to be a witness for God; and this is one of the characters of his people; Isa. xliii. 10, "Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord." Behold, the honourer of God shall be honoured, when those that despise him shall be lightly esteemed, 1 Sam. ii. 30; Prov. x. 7, "The memory of the just is blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot." How savoury is the name of Noah, Lot, Caleb, and Joshua at this day, while the name of the old world, Sodom, &c. is in disgrace?

8. It is the best course ye can take to be safe in the evil day, when the Lord calls the generation to an account. A sinning time will be followed with a suffering time; and it is good to prepare for it in time. They quite mistake their measures, who go off the Lord's way for safety; Prov. x. 9, "He that walketh uprightly, walketh surely; but he that perverteth his ways, shall be known."

9. Lastly, It will be most comfortable in a dying hour; as it was to the good king Hezekiah, when he said, "Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight," Isa.

Xxxviii. 3. Sinful going with a multitude, coming in remembrance on a death-bed, makes bitter reflections; whereas that is sweet, which is mentioned; 2 Cor. i. 12, "Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world."

I shall conclude all with the following directions.

DIRECTION 1. See, in the first place, to be just by faith in Jesus Christ. Where the soul has not the imputed righteousness of Christ there can be no righteousness of a holy life. For the unjustified man is under the curse; he wants the root of good works, viz. faith But the soul furnished with faith, is furnished for holy walking. 2. Make the word of God your rule, and not men. "All men are liars," Rom. iii. 4. It is dangerous for one to be satisfied with a thing, just because men are so. Most men, good men, will not be a safe standard in a declining time.

3. Labour for holy courage in the Lord's way; men are in hazard of being ashamed of Christ in a sinful time. There is need of a brow to face the daring wickedness of such a generation.

4. Labour to be resolute for God, and a good conscience, Eph. vi. 15. They that would row against the stream, must be resolute, like Joshua, chap. xxiv. 15; who, whatever others should do, was resolved with his house, to serve the Lord.

5. Let not the world's account of singularity have weight with you. They will be apt to think it strange that you "should run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you," 1 Pet. iv. 4.

But do not regard their opinions or censures. Many comply with sinful courses, because they cannot away with being singular. But better be alone in God's way, than out of it with the whole world. God's people can hardly miss to be a world's wonder sometimes, as was the case with Joshua, and his fellows; Zech. iii. 8, "Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee; for they are men wondered at."

6. Lastly, Keep eternity much in view; 2 Cor. iv. 18, "Look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." This is an excellent help to get right through an evil world. He that considers, he knows not how soon he may step out of the world into eternity, will take heed to his steps, that he step not wrong in a declining day.

Therefore let the example of Noah, who "was a just man, and perfect in his generations, and walked with God," have a due influence upon you to move you to follow his steps.