" inftances of retaliation, and if men live in the practice of injuftice, it is a great chance but they will alfo die in it. Thus you fee how careful you ought to be, to preserve the integrity of your mind. We are told, by a very wife man, that as the nail which is driven between the joinings of two ftones, fo doth fin stick "close between buying and felling :" but still the great rule, of doing as we would be done by, fets this matter right. It is alfo faid, that "he that maketh hafte to be "rich, fhall not be innocent." Indeed there is a certain moderation, beyond which we expose ourselves to great danger. Be guarded against the example of two kinds of men, who act upon very different principles: Him who is honest at heart, but being of a fanguine, enterprizing fpirit, and defpifing danger, often becomes a beggar, if he does not fucceed: and him who though cautious with regard to confequences, in refpect to his own perfon, fearless of the vengeance of heaven, leaps over all the bounds of juftice, whenever he can do it without being brought to punishment. The one is of great ufe upon great occafions, and is sometimes entitled to praife; the other, always deferves to be branded as a villain. Upon the whole, he who is fupported by daily labor, and is just in discharging his task, and does his work in a masterly a manner; if to be virtuous, is to be happy, is a happier man, than many who fare fumptuously every day. When men fay, that they wish to be rich, in order to be charitable, they fometimes fpeak from their hearts; but not half the poor men, who become rich, are remarkable for their charity. Relieve those who are really miferable, whenever it is in your power, whether by your pocket, or your counsel, or in any other manner : when nothing is in your power, be affured that God will accept the tears of your heart; and mifery, in all its forms, can poffibly claim nothing more at your hands. 16. In this commercial country, we are apt to fhew great honor and countenance to the rich, merely because they are rich, and to neglect the virtuous, because they are not rich. We know this when we set out in life, and wife men prepare themselves accordingly. Be contented with that share of esteem and respect which may happen to fall to your lot; and not think it a less happiness to be virtuous, because it meets with no other reward than a good confcience, and 17. As nothing lefs can give you a good confcience, neither can any thing make you a good fubject, a true and faithful friend to your country and mankind, but a faithful discharge of the feveral duties of your life, and a patient submission to divine: Providence. Remember that bonefly and industry, promife fair for fuccefs, and ge nerally infure it, but "time and chance happen to all men." Be your lot good or bad, let no prospect of gain, enfrare your foul, nor any pursuit of pleasure, delude it. If misfortunes fhould happen to you, double your diligence; it is a grievous thing to become idle, and yet more shocking to grow vicious, when virtue is most wanted. Inattention to this wholfome rule fills our streets, and high-ways, with robbers and prostitutes. 18. FORGET not, that what we call MISFORTUNE, comes from God; it is bis will who governs all things with infinite wisdom; therefore, think it your happinefs nefs and glory, to fubmit gracefully to his pleasure, be it what it may. We may turn the evil accidents of life to our advantage, if we please; for fuch accidents always happen for good, to good men. It was never known in any age, or under circumstance, that he was ever forfaken, who honored God in his heart and actions, as well as in his words; for if fuch a man could not live with comfort, yet he died with glory. any 19. AFTER all that can be faid, life is a mixed state of good and evil: man is certainly born to labor and forrow, but, if he does his duty, he will as certainly. have reft and joy alfo. If you think only of living with cafe and comfort in the world, it will be difficult, if not impoffible, to ferve him faithfully, who made the world; and for whofe fervice and glory you was created; who is above all, and towards whom you must ftill caft your eyes, and direct your thoughts, however his infinite wisdom may dispose of you; still remembering, that life is truly a warfare, and the longest period of it, with refpect to eternity, is but as a drop of water in the ocean. center. 20. THOUGH You are born to an humble state in this world, let your AMBI. TION rife as high as heaven itself: there direct your hopes; there let your wishes Be an boneft man; the greatest of mankind have not a nobler object in view, to gratify their ambition. But you can hardly be honest, unless you are induftrious: and would you be a good man, you must add to industry and religion, goodnature, or a happy temper. Thus you will ensure happiness; you will certainly triumph over the world, and no evil spirit will be able to triumph over you: you will a have well-grounded expectation, and a steady hope in the mercy of God, thro' the merits of Chrift: your glafs will run out in peace, if not in joy; for the gates of hell cannot prevail against you. 21. FROM the nature of our happy government, occafions offer, at certain times, for mechanics, and even laborers, to give proof if they have any public virPublic love is in the breast of every man who loves his country, and public tue. - virtue and public love, are but two names, for the fame thing. It is more than poffible, you may one day have connexions with the public, by fome kind of contract remember that there are more temptations to iniquity, than in most private concerns. Men who have fome confcience, and fear the fword of justice in private affairs, are not always awed by either, in public undertakings. But he who defrauds the public, defrauds every individual of whom the public is compofed, and the offence must be the fame in the fight of God. You must be sensible, that, if it could be reconciled, by any means, with our duty to God, yet, if one man may cheat the public, another may do it; and if all do it, the public will be undone : rapine and confusion will enfue; the state will be diffolved; our own persons and properties will be expofed to the infults of our enemies; and all our glory, as a nation, levelled to the dust of the earth. This has been the fate of many great empires, which once dazzled the eyes of mankind with riches and fplendor! Be affured, that without true religion, it is impoffible that any nation can be long fupported. 22. GIVE proof of your love for your country, whenever a fair occafion offers; and be steady in your regard and attention to the welfare of it. Above all be watchful of the integrity of your own life; and this requires care and labor. If you fucceed in reforming yourself, you are fure of the most effential part, and indeed, the only thing you ever can be sure of. Besides, as men naturally imitate virtue, as well as vice, you may be satisfied, that your example will be followed, at leaft by fome perfons of your own rank. And as God is no refpecter of perfons, good men, whether poor, or rich, in humble, or in exalted life, avert the judgments, and draw down the bleflings of heaven, on a whole nation. Thus far you fee every man is of confequence to the community, as well as to himself, and may do a great deal of good, or a great deal of mischief. 23. IF in any concerns, which perchance you may have with the public, you think you have hard measure, or are ill-treated, confider how liable we are to be partial in our own caufe, and to over-rate our own merit. Your complaint may relate only to a public-board, or a fingle perfon in office: confider that others may have have as good, if not a better title than yourself, to a preference; but in no cafe fhew any resentment, which may be injurious to your country. If "the difcretion of a "man deferreth his anger, and it is his glory to pass over a tranfgreffion," in common life, and with regard to individuals, how much more is it his duty, to be mafter of his paffions, in refpect to his country? Great men have fometimes fallen into fnares in this respect, and whilft they fondly imagined they were doing justice in revenging their own caufe, they were facrificing to pride and ambition, at the expence of millions of their innocent fellow-fubjects. Such was not the conduct of the greatest and the best man, who ever appeared upon the earth, even Christ, the Son of the living God. He offered up his life, for his country and mankind, at the very time that he was perfecuted, even to the fuffering an ingnominious death. 24. THUS you see, my dear lad, how foolish and wicked a thing it is, to gratify our private resentments at the expence of our country; or to do any act of injustice towards it. One of the greatest crimes, in your rank of life, is when artificers or mechanics, first do mischief at home, and then go over to other countries, and teach the people who are, or may become our enemies, thofe arts by which we live and profper. This is like stabbing your father, or plunging a dagger into your mother's breaft. 25. THERE are many occafions, in which you may, hereafter, either fhew your love to your country, or your indifference for the welfare of it. Whenever you have a right to vote, in any cafe; or when it may be expedient to take one fide of a question, do what you think is right, tho' it be to your own hinderance; yet do it so, as neither to be, nor appear to be any man's enemy; and leave the event to providence. If you believe there is a God who rewards virtue, be affured you will be a gainer in the iffue; and remember that a partial obedience to him, fuch as fuits your conveniency, is really no obedience at all. Give yourself Give yourself as little concern as may be, if it should be imputed to you, that you act upon motives of felf-intereft: you may be fure, that men of a different opinion and different turn of mind from yourself, or fuch as act upon principles, the direct contrary to yours, will sometimes afscribe to you faults, |