expired-and to confirm your refolutions of duty over the precious memorials of his death.

Finally, my brethren, cftimate your fincerity, in this holy duty, by the growing fruits of righteoufnefs in your future life. Confecrate to the fervice of your Creator and Redeemer, all the powers of your hearts. And remember, that the memorials of your Saviour's love are likewife fymbols of that fraternal love that fhould exift among all christians. As you partake of one bread and drink of one cup, fo are you connected together by the most intimate unions. See, therefore, that ye love one another with pure hearts fervently. Let no injuftice, selfishness, pride, or envy, pollute your intercourse, one with another-Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-fpeaking, be put away from you, with all malice— Cultivate that heavenly wifdom that is pure, peaceable, gentle, eafy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocricy--Let your mutual charity be remarked to your praise as it was to the praise of those firft illuftrious difciples who fpread the glory of the crofs along with its

pure and benevolent fpirit, over the whole earth. Bleffed Jefus! while we do this in remembrance of thee, fhed abroad thy love in our hearts by the Holy-Ghoft !--breathe on us as thou didst on thy beloved difciples, that we may receive thy fpirit!

AMEN!

DISCOURSE VIII.

THE UNITED INFLUENCE OF REFLECTION

AND SACRED READING IN CULTIVAT

ING AND PURIFYING THE MANNERS.

PSALM CXIX. 9.

Wherewith fhall a young man cleanfe his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.

T

O know wherein virtue confifts, and to understand the most effectual means of promoting it, were the principal objects of inquiry among the ancient fages. In conformity with queftions which, in that age, were commonly agitated among the wife and learned, the facred writer asks, "Wherewith fhall a young man cleanse his way?"--What are the beft means of cultivating a pious and virtuous habit of life? When he replies, "by taking heed thereto according to thy word," he ftrongly inti

mates that the holy fcriptures contain the only certain rule, and the most powerful motives of duty. Reafon is too vague and uncertain in its conclufions, and too feeble in its authority, either clearly to unfold the law of virtue, or to enforce obedience to its precepts. Philofophy had, in vain, exerted its utmost powers in the ancient world to inftruct, and reform mankind. But we find, in the facred writings, a dotrine most effe tual for this end, and fuperior to all the wisdom of the schools, both for its evidence, and its authority.

This doctrine, applied by serious meditation to the regulation of our conduct, is the best mean of attaining that purity of manners, and that fanctity of heart, which are the ornament of every age, and especially of youth, and to attain which has ever been the great object of the wife and good.

The facred poet afks this question in the name of the young; probably, because, at the time of compofing this pfalm, he was himself young*; and because, in this glow

Commentators fuppofe that this pfalm was written. during his perfecution by Saul.

ing and inexperienced age, he felt, with peculiar force, the neceffity of a divine wifdom to direct its erring footsteps, and a divine power to controul and fanctify its impetuous paffions. It is of the utmoft importance to train youth in the habits of piety and virtue, and to enable them early and wifely to regulate their own conduct. For this end two principles are pointed out in the text as fingularly useful-attentive

confideration of our ways-and careful study and application of the precepts and inftructions of the holy fcriptures-In other words, felf-reflection—and reflection on the word of God.

The illuftration of thefe principles will form the substance of the following difcourse.

I. In the first place, felf-reflection is effential to the foundation of a virtuous life. Hence we learn both what to cultivate, and what to correct in our own hearts and conduct. Those who are void of reflection neceffarily become ftrangers at home; and, as happens to men who never look into their affairs, their highest, and most momentous

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