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SALVATION NEGLECTED.Many neglect the great salvation becauseof the vain hope of easily attainingit at last, or of finally escaping deservedpunishment. The practical languageof persons under this delusion is,A long Ufe lies before us, and after weshall have served the world and ourown appetites, there will be time enoughfor spiritual and eternal thuigs. Nowlet us rejoice in the days of our youth,-and freely indulge in whatever maycontribute to our pleasure, in the fieldof nature, or in the haunts of vice, andwhen we shall have rejoiced in the desireof our hearts, or in the labor ofour hands, we wiU retire from the worldand attend to the interests of our souls.Now temporal objects are of the utmostimportance, and demand all our attention,energies, care and anxiety, andmust engross our minds, hopes, fears,joys and sorrows. To be rich and honorableis the sum of human bliss; andlest we might fail to obtain that bUss,let every energy of body and mind benow exerted, until it shall crown ouruntiring efforts with its glory. Salvationcan be obtained at any convenientseason.But can it be indeed thus obtaiupxl ?Did FeUx ever find his convenient seasonto call for the apostie Paul ? Whatassurance have you of another day,hour, or moment, or of tme repentanceon a death-bed, and salvation at theeleventh honr? Since your life is avapor, may it not depart in a moment ?-\nd does not the guilt of the impenitentsinner hourly accumulate, his evilhabits strengthen, his hopes of returnto God diminish, and the difHculties ofhis salvation increase? In ithe end,"what is his hope, though he has gained,when God takes away his soul!" Seeyou not that the bands of sin becomestrong in old age,-when men are'lessable to lay it aside, and engage in theunequal conflict, and that those whoneglect salvation generally become morehardened in sin, and die as they .lived?Now, impenitent sinner, when biddingadieu to the world, its cares, hopes andSALVATION NEGLECTED. 141pleasures, how do temporal things, forwhich yon have labored and spent youreldest energies, appear ? What are theynow worth, compared with your ownsalvation ? Where now are they, andthe hopes and pleasures which engrossedyour thoughts^ and desires and labors;and with a voice more enchanting anddeceitful than the fabled sirens oncesung to you, " Let us pluck the rose-budsece they wither," and "withhold notour heart from any J03'" ? Are theygone, after aUnring yon by their enchantments,from the path of duty andsafety? Have you listened to theirmagic song, instead of to the voice ofGod, declaring, in the sweetest tones ofmercy, " I love them that love me, andthose that seek me early shall find me."" Eeceive my instruction, and not silver;and knowledge rather than finegold; for wisdom is better than rubies,and all the things that may be desired,are not to be compared to it. I wfllcause those that love me to inherit substance,and I -will fiU their treasures."Oh, have you refused these infiniteblessings, and turned a deaf ear to theentreating voice of God? Then, -whenthe veil will be drawn, how vriU yournegligence appear,—how will your avarice,ambition, and care for the worldappear? Of what value wiU be thetreasures for which you have struggled;the offices for which you have toiled;the honors for which you have sacrificedtruth and duty, and the power for whichyou have sighed ? Instead of laboringfor God and salvation, yon have laboredfor those things which are not worthyofa name, in comparison with your ownsalvation.Now, yon have neglected the greatsalvation, until every indication of naturedeclares that your race on earth isnearly run. Now. also, pale Deathknocks at the door of some bloomingyouth, who has scarcely ever thought ofhuman bliss or human woe, and bringsto both these delinquents the solemnwarning, Prepare to meet your God; forany moment your souls may be re(|uired.Hark I Don't you hear his approachingstep ? Don't you see his terrible form ?