a life-time. He had injured many by his wicked ways, but he had injured himself more than all. His talents had been used against God, instead of for him. How happy he might have been, had he sought the Lord while he was yet young. How useful he might have been, if he had consecrated himself and his talents to the Saviour in his early days. Many of his old companions were in hell, who were hardened in their sins by his company and example, while others are on the road thither. Never, never can he look back over his past life, or review his conduct in youth and manhood, without deep regret. And now, with the love of Jesus in his heart, filled with admiration at the free and sovereign grace of God, and burning with a desire to be useful to others, his health is gone, his strength is decayed, and all his best opportunities are lost. Influenced by feelings of the deepest regret, he now prays for the young, "LORD, LET THEM NEVER KNOW WHAT AN OLD SINNER FEELS." He felt Distressing conflicts. The flesh, pampered so many years, is very powerful, and opposed to everything that is good. Evil habits formed and become rooted, are like a second nature, and every step taken toward heaven, is like the step of a poor traveller who is foot-sore and wearied, who has to climb the mountain, with both wind and rain in his face. But for a powerful princi ple within, a new nature, and fresh supplies of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, the mountain never could be scaled, nor home, the celestial home, be ever reached. Our aged friend has often to grapple with a foe that ruled him for years, who is acquainted with his whole life, and who is determined to harass if he cannot conquer, to worry if he cannot devour. Often has he stirred the temper until it has exploded in a terrific storm, and he tries to do so again; often has he inflamed the passions, and attempts to do so now. The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; Satan manifests a dogged and determined opposition to everything that is good, seeking to recapture his prey; so that the groan often ascends, "Oh, wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death ?" Well, therefore, may our aged friend pray, “LORD, LET NOT THE YOUNG PEOPLE EVER KNOW WHAT AN OLD SINNER FEELS. He feels his mind often Disturbed and distracted. Old scenes are made to pass in review before his mind; he is led back into old society; he seems to hear the lascivious song, the filthy jest, and the profane oath. Again he hears his old companions uttering their infidel opinions, punning upon religion, and making a mock of godliness. The very things which he wishes to forget, are things that are most present with him; and in his holiest exer cises, in his most solemn duties, he is disturbed by the recollections of the past. Be sides this, Satan will often endeavour to weaken his faith and disturb his repose by suggesting, that his sins are too great, too numerous, or too aggravated to be forgiven; that God cannot have mercy on such an old sinner; that he is too bad for the Saviour, too vile to go to heaven. With his mind distracted and disturbed by these and other things drawn from his long course of sin and folly, he groans, being burdened. Hav ing been suffering in this way, to an extent he dared not mention to his christian friends, the poor old pilgrim prays for the youth around him, "LORD, LET THEM NOT KNOW WHAT AN OLD SINNER FEELS. Reader, are you young? Take warning by an old man's prayer. "Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth." Seek an interest in Christ while you are yet young. Make the salvation of your soul your first, your principal. object. Escape for thy life, nor rest until you rest on the finished work of Jesus. Thus will you es cape the sorrows that wound the old man's heart, the regrets that embitter the old man's latter days, the distressing conflicts that break the old man's peace, and the disturbed and distracted state of the old man's mind. "These are the evil days," of which Solomon spoke, in which we say, “I have If an old sinner is no pleasure in them." saved, he cannot be very useful, he has little opportunity of showing gratitude to his Saviour, or love to his fellow-men. And if, as the Scripture everywhere testifies, that every man shall be rewarded according to his works, his reward can be but small. We cannot take a sober view of anything in heaven, earth, or hell, but it urges us to attend to the exhortation of God's word, and "seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near." And to "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. If we listen to the voice of the aged saint, or the dying sinner, they alike urge us to make our 66 calling and election sure.' As with one voice they cry, to come. 66 Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation." "Flee from the wrath Oh, that old sinners, who know the grace of God in truth, may pray; and saints, both young and old, may unite and plead with God, that our young people "MAY NEVER KNOW WHAT AN OLD SINNER FEELS!" And may every reader of these lines take heed to the things that he has read, lest at any time he should let them slip; for how shall we escape, if we neglect God's great salvation? A salvation which required the wisdom of God to devise it; the life and death of the Son of God to procure it; but which is now offered to sinners, all sinners who have the gospel, without money and without price. Ŏh, Spirit of God, convince the heart, alarm the conscience, quicken the soul, and save the person of every one that reads the old man's prayer; and save, oh, save, the young FROM EVER KNOWING WHAT A POOR OLD SINNER FEELS! With tears of anguish I lament, My passion, pride, and discontent, Sure there was ne'er a heart so base, So false as mine has been ⚫ My reason tells me thy commands Reason I hear, her counsels weigh, But still I find it hard t' obey, How long, dear Saviour, shall I feel Those strugglings in my breast? Break, sovereign grace, O break the char Reveal, Almighty God, thine arm, And haste to rescue me. |