him his fituation and various relations in life, and furnish him with the fullest instructions for his conduct in it, confidered as a dependent, focial, and accountable being. They tell him what he owes to God, what he owes to his neighbour, what he owes to himself. They explain to him the great myftery of his redemption from fin and death; and in those three fhort, but comprehenfive words, repentance, faith, and obedience, teach. him what is expected from him as a Chriftian. They enforce all these duties by the most cogent motives and powerful fanctions. And, to add still greater weight, the whole of what is there delivered is illustrated by the most striking portraits of living virtue; that example may add energy to precept, and that fpeculative wisdom and practical piety may be seen, as they always should be, united.

To this word of God, therefore, let every young man go, for the guidance of his conduct in life. Let him weigh well its various precepts; let him study carefully its examples; let him meditate on its awful fanctions; let him lay hold of its promises; let him pray its holy comforts and energetic affistances.

for

Let

Let this, which is the first bufinefs in impor tance, be alfo the firft bufinefs of life in his thoughts and attention.

But let him not, in the fecond place, despise or neglect the fubfidiary aids of human prudence and precaution. We are not to give ourselves up, as fome vainly pretend, to fudden illapses and secret illuminations. For reason, as well as revelation, is called in fcripture the candle of the Lord, and the fuperior blaze of the one was never meant to extinguish the light of the other. And fure I am, that feebly will that virtue be guarded amidst a deceitful world, which joins not fomething of the wifdom of the serpent to the harmleffnefs of the dove.

Let the young man, therefore, who would fecure his virtue, defpife no aid, neglect no advantage. Is he inclined to any particular failing? Let him watch the part in which he is most vulnerable, with double diligence. Is he difpofed to mirth and pleasure? Let reafon ever stand as a watchful guard over imagination, to check the first fallies of intemperate gaiety. Is he allured by the diftinc

tlons or honours of ambition? Let him retire fometimes from the world, and fet its views at a distance: let him liften to the dictates of age, and the declarations of experience, that all is vanity. Does his heart wander from God, and incline him to wickedness? Let him frequently contemplate the various motives to early piety, and the wisdom of remembering our Creator in the days of our youth. Is he tempted to commit a small fin? Let him remember, that every fin is a tranfgreffion against a God, and that the defcent of vice is flippery and dangerous. And above all, in every temptation, let him atk himself these two plain, but weighty questions: "What is it I am going to do? Will the "pleasure of a moment compensate for the "lofs of my innocence, the favour of my "God, the peace of my confcience, and the "hope of eternal falvation?" Should he, after this, fall, inftant repentance muft fucceed to his crime: for the tears of contrition can alone wash away the stains of guilt. And to the tears of a contrite, he must also add the firm refolution of a manly and chriftian heart; for vain and fruitlefs is that repentance, which mourns over paft failures in conduct,

conduct, but produces not a deteftation and 'abandoning of fin.

Nor let the young Christian think it a hard or unnecessary task which is here enjoined him. For if he does not thus refolve to take heed to his ways, fin will foon gain the dominion over him, and he will foon have caufe to lament the happiness from which he has fallen. He will look back with horror upon his paft life, and with envy regret those days. of innocence and tranquillity he once enjoyed. "There was a time," he will fay, "when I awaked with comfort, and lay "down in peace: yonder fun of the morning never rose, but to light me to new happiness; my thoughts were as chearful ટ્રેડ as his beams: the ftar of the evening in"vited me to undisturbed repose: for then 66 my heart was a stranger to care, and a foe "to fraud: my foul felt no pain; for it

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knew no guilt. But now, the present "hour is clouded with anxiety, the paft is ❝armed with the ftinging reproaches of con"fcious guilt; and the future comes on, ar"rayed in all the terrors of vengeance and "eternal despair.”

Neither

of

Neither let the young foldier of Chrift complain that the trial is too hard for him, and beyond his ftrength. Are his enemies ftrong? Heaven is on his fide, and is stronger. Are his temptations powerful? The grace God is more powerful, and will not fail him, if he does not first fail himself. "Ye are of "God, little children," fays St. John, “and "have overcome them: becaufe greater 'is "he that is in you, than he that is in the "world." Do his fpirits faint? Let him look up to heaven, and compare an eternity of joy with momentary fufferings. Does his faith fail? Let him view the firft defenders of Christianity, who fang praises to God amidst excruciating torments and furrounding flames. Let him remember too, that his time of trial is short; that nothing is required of him but what is practicable, because it has been practised; that every conquest makes his difficulties lefs; and that virtue, by becoming habitual, becomes, at the fame time, eafy and delightful. "Her ways are ways "of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. Suffer me to add farther to his confideration, how beautiful religion appears in youthful minds and early age. Can there be a nobler

fight,