莱尔主教upper_room-第84章
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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； speaking of the wicked；
says； 〃His bones are full of the sins of his youth； which shall lie
down with him in the dust〃 （Job 20：11）。
David also seems to have felt it。 He says to the Lord； 〃Remember not
the sins of my youth； nor my transgressions〃 （Ps。 25：7）。
Beza； the great Swiss Reformer； felt it so strongly； that he named it
in his will as a special mercy that he had been called out from the
world； by the grace of God； at the age of sixteen。
Go and ask believers now； and I think many an one will tell you much
the same。 〃Oh that I could live my young days over again！〃 he will most
probably say。
〃Oh that I had spent the beginning of my life in a better fashion！ Oh
that I had not laid the foundation of evil habits so strongly in the
spring…time of my course！〃
Young men； I want to save you all this sorrow； if I can。 Hell itself is
truth known too late。 Be wise in time。 What youth sows； old age must
reap。 Give not the most precious season of your life to that which will
not fort you in your latter end。 Sow to yourselves rather in
righteousness： break up your fallow ground； sow not among thorns。
Sin may go lightly from your hand； or run smoothly off your tongue now；
but depend on it； sin and you will meet again by and by； however little
you may like it。 Old wounds will often ache and give pain long after
they are healed； and only a scar remains：so may you find it with your
sins。 The footprints of animals have been found on the surface of rocks
that were once wet sand； thousands of years after the animal that made
them has perished and passed away； ＇24＇ so also it may be with your
sins。
〃Experience；〃 says the proverb； 〃keeps a dear school； but fools will
learn in no other。〃 I want you all to escape the misery of learning in
that school。 I want you to avoid the wretchedness that youthful sins
are sure to entail。 This is the last reason why I exhort you。
II。 Dangers of Young Men。
2。 In the secon
