of such moment. Of them we may suppose the observation to be, What ! at his early age has he begun to think ? At a time of Hfe when we might expect aiothing but thovightless levity to occupy his mind, has he begun to set God before him, and to devote himself to his Sa\iour with his whole heart? Who could have conceived that he should so appreciate the value of his soul, and feel so deeply the importance of eter- nity ? It seems as if another Samuel or Timothy were born into the world, if not a very John, who was sanctified from the womb ]
2. From their occupations —
[At the very first establishment of Christianity, soldiers flocked to ask counsel of John the Baptist, and Roman cen- turions beheved in Christ '^. Amongst the very Apostles of our Lord, too, was Matthew, a pubhcan, called by Christ, when sitting at the receipt of custom. So now, from amidst camps, where, for the most part, a dissoluteness of manners, rather than any thing of serious piety, may be supposed to dwell, does the work of conversion go forward ; and amidst the busiest scenes of worldly merchandize is the still small voice of redeem- ing love attended to, and made effectual for the salvation of men. And what may we suppose their companions in arms or arts to say ? ' I am amazed at him f He, so bold and intrepid as to brave death in its most terrific forms, is he brought down to such a state of feminine weakness, as to be weeping for his sins, and reading his Bible, and praying to God, and perform- ing, I know not how many self-denying services, wliich he calls his duty ? And this other person, too, who was advancing so rapidly towards opulence, is he all on a sudden sitting loose to wealth, and attending to the concerns of his soul ? '
And whilst their former friends express their surprise thus, in a way of regret, we may well imagine that those to whom they have joined themselves are not a whit less ready to ex- press the same, in a way of grateful admiration ]
3. From their habits —
[One has lived a self-sufficient sceptic, in haughty imbelief, despising, as weak and credulous, all who yield to the autho- rity of God's blessed word Another has, with the same
proud spirit, valued himself on his attachment to that word, and his conformity to all its dictates ; and, from a conceit of his own superior piety, has despised others, and disdained to hum- ble himself, even in the presence of Almighty God In
another has been found nothing but thoughtless gaiety, and a romid of habitual dissipation. He has done nothing that violates
d Matt. viii. 5, 10. Acts x. 1, 47, 48.