(a) It guards from many temptations, and keeps a character innocent of
much transgression.
Think of the dangers that lie thick in the streets of every great city,
and of a lad coming up from a country home of godliness, where he was
surrounded by a mother's love and an atmosphere of purity, and launched
into some lonely lodging, or some factory or warehouse with many
tempters. Nothing will be such a help to resistance and victory as to
be able to say, 'So did not I because of the fear of the Lord.'
(_b_) It will save from remorse. Even if a man 'sobers down' after
'sowing his wild oats,' which is a very problematical 'if,' what bitter
memories of wasted days, what polluting memories of filthy ones, will
haunt him! And if he does not sober down, what then?
It is folly to begin life on a wrong tack, in regard to which the best
that you can say is that you do not mean to continue it. If you do not,
then the wise thing is to get at once on to the road on which you do
mean to continue, and to save the weary work of retracing steps and the
painful consciousness of having made a false start. Are you so sure
that you will wish, or that it will be possible, to face right about
and get on to a new line? Fishermen catch lobsters and the like by
means of baskets with one opening, the withes of which are so set that
the entrance is easy, but that a ring of sharp points oppose all
attempts at turning back and getting out. The world lays 'pots' of that
sort, and many a young man and woman glides smoothly in, and finds it
impossible to get out.
(_c_) It usually leads to a deeper and more peaceful and harmonious
religion than is attained by those who have given the world the better
part of their days, and have only the last fragment of them to give to
God. Obadiah had feared God from his youth, and that had a good deal to
do with his brave stand against Jezebel. It is a grand thing to enlist
habit on the side of godliness.