is the root of all evil; and it is a secret poison, which destroys the souls of such men who otherwise appear sober and virtuous. Besides, this is a vice particularly incident to those that get estates by their own industry, and therefore it is the more necessary to give you warning of it. Be not, therefore, over eager in the pursuit of riches; and when they increase, set not your heart upon them. To acquire them by unjust means is the perfection of covetousness. But this vice lurks in many other actions less notorious; as when a man pursues the world to the neglect of the duties of religion, even of prayer in his closet and family; when his mind is always anxious about the success of his projects; when the poor have no share of his gains; when he is sordid, and cannot find in his heart to enjoy moderately what he possesses, or, if he does, spends it upon his lusts; and when he makes riches his trust and confidence. Now the love of this world is enmity against God, and does as effectually debar us from heaven as all the extravagances of lewdness and debauchery.

VII. In the seventh place, I must put you in mind of keeping good company; by which I mean chiefly men of pious and virtuous dispositions; though, with these qualifications, it may be extended to those of the best rank and quality where you reside, from whom you will be able to learn more than from those of an inferior education. And it is often seen, that a young gentleman, newly come into the world, is more frequently ruined by mean and inferior company than by conversing with his superiors, for whom, having a deference, he becomes more modest and humble in his behaviour; whereas, when he finds himself the top of the company, it disposes him to pride and vanity. It is difficult for those whose circumstances throw them into a great deal of company always to avoid that which is bad; and charity may sometimes oblige men to converse with such, in order to their reformation, were there any probable hopes of making bad men better. But it is in every man's power to choose what persons he designs for friendship and frequent conversation; a matter of that import

ance, that it requires time and serious deliberation before you engage. Men of no principles of religion are not to be relied upon, having no foundation to support friendship-besides, they may be apt to infect you with scepticism; and men who believe religion, and act contrary to their principles, give but a scurvy proof of their sincerity, and by their bad example may insensibly corrupt your morals. Those we love have a mighty influence over us; therefore let not a wicked man become your intimate.

VIII. In the eighth place, I must advise you to obstinate temperance in drinking, the best method to preserve health, and a virtue strictly enjoined by the Christian religion. There is no young man that converses in the world but who is more or less exposed to this temptation; but your particular situation of Smyrna, by reason of the frequent arrival of ships, will make it difficult for you not to exceed the Christian measure, except you arm yourself with great resolution. Never think it a piece of manhood to be drunk yourself, or to make others so; for this is to distinguish yourself by what is the deprivation of manhood, extinguishing at once both your sense and reason; besides, it will make you liable to many unfortunate accidents. A debauch has brought many a fever which has ended in death; has occasioned the breaking of many a limb, which is not recovered without pain and charge; and how many have broke their necks on such occasions, and so gone out of the world without repenting of so great a crime! Sometimes it creates quarrels, which have cost the life of one or both the disputants. But if you escape these dangers, that affect the body, your best part, your soul, must suffer by so plain a breach of your duty, till you reconcile yourself to God by unfeigned repentance. Never reckon an excess in drinking a small fault, a peccadiglio, for this may prevail upon you to comply with the importunity of others: it is certainly a breach of God's laws; and you must count nothing inconsiderable that offends Him. Be free to own your weakness as to drinking-that it prejudices your health, and that you are not able to bear so much as others;

and then, if the company have any good manners, they will not press you. When you entertain friends yourself, introduce coffee and tea after dinner, and propose some diversion, that drinking may be hindered. Several little arts a man will call to his assistance, that designs to keep himself and the company sober. But then, if you are at any time surprised, immediately next day testify your repentance, profess your sorrow to God, and resolve on more firmness for the time to come: if your companions should make a jest of it, let them know it is no jesting matter. And I think you would do well if you punished yourself for so unfortunate an accident, by imposing upon yourself a day of fasting, or by abstaining from the use of wine for two or three days.

IX, In the ninth place, I must caution you against uncleanness, so frequent a failure in youth, and which when once indulged will corrupt the best principles, and has carried many a man to scepticism and infidelity; because, when a man cannot reconcile his constant practice to the laws of religion, he casts about how to get rid of the obligation of such laws, which bear so hard upon him, and give him so much uneasiness. Now, the best rule in this case is, never to indulge the least appearance of this vice; to discourage all loose and wanton thoughts which may arise in your mind; to forbear all obscene and filthy discourse; to avoid all familiarity with the fair sex; not to seem pleased when others attempt to divert the company by lewd jests; to be modest towards yourself, and to treat yourself with reverence and respect. For chastity consists in a due government of those appetites which God has placed in us for the propagating of mankind, which are never to be gratified but in a state of matrimony; so that any thing that tends to provoke these appetites out of that state, by our own voluntary consent, has a share of the guilt of the last act, and is what we must be accountable for, and therefore ought carefully to be watched against. If you ever give yourself up to this vice, you will expose your constitution to great shocks, make your body the sink of many noisome diseases, consume

your estate, neglect your business, and bring contempt upon you from all sober people; it will harden you against all good advice, provoke the wrath of God, and infallibly draw upon you in the next world the miseries of a sad eternity.

X. In the tenth place, guard yourself from the bane of conversation, which is evil-speaking: this lessening the reputation of others, by exposing their faults, is grown so common, that, more or less, even good people split upon this rock; so that, if you have not a particular watch over yourself, you will be carried down the stream and become involved in this common calamity. Some people never examine the truth of what they report, provided it was told them; but this is calumny and slander: and if they know what they say to be true, yet if neither justice nor charity require the discovery, it is the vice of evil-speaking, forbid by the Christian religion. For when there is no justifiable reason to the contrary, we ought to throw a veil over the faults of our neighbour; for this is the treatment we desire from them. We are not willing what is true of ourselves should be exposed to public view; besides, it is contrary to that love which is due to our neighbour, which, when sincere, will dispose us to cover those defects that may tend to the impairing of his reputation. Now the more you | mortify the evil passions of pride, envy, and revenge, the less you will be subject to detraction, which very often proceeds from them. An over-busy, meddling temper will expose you to the same temptation; but, if you would entirely secure yourself, resolve never to speak evil of any one. Do not suffer yourself to repeat stories to the disadvantage of others, though never so public; for though this on some occasions might be innocently done, yet by degrees it may insensibly betray you to real defamation.

XI. In the eleventh place, I must give you a great charge, not to suffer yourself to be infected with the common vice of swearing. You will find yourself tempted to this unreasonable sin by the practice of all nations, who agree in no evil more universally than this. But remember, that an honest man's

word should be esteemed so sacred, that he should have no occasion to confirm what he says by an oath; besides, the reverence of a solemn appeal to God being diminished by common swearing, leads a man to perjury—a most confirmed piece of iniquity. It is plainly and directly forbid by the Christian religion; and the corruption of our nature suggests the fewest temptations to it of any vice whatever, which makes the practice of customary swearing more inexcusable. Avoid the company of common swearers; for conversing frequently with them will abate that horror we have at first for the rash and common

use of oaths. If I mistake not, you have been preserved hitherto from this corruption; and let not the greatness or genteelness of those that practise it ever betray you to any good opinion of it. You must not imitate the best-bred men by their vices, which are no part of their good breeding.

XII. In the twelfth place, remember to be courteous and affable towards all men. They who exclude civility out of the catalogue of virtues, seem to me not thoroughly to understand the nature of Christianity. By this method you will preserve the good-will of those you converse with, which will make them the readier to serve you upon all occasions, and by degrees give you power to do them good in matters of the greatest importance. In time it will bring you to a habit of self-denial; for this affability will often make you forego what you like best in indifferent things, in order to please and oblige others; and it is no inconsiderable talent to be ready upon all occasions to contradict our own wills; besides, it is a part of that charity we owe to our neighbours, to whom we are obliged to do good by all the means that lie in our power, and certainly every man is delighted and pleased in being well used.

XIII. In the thirteenth place, I must particularly recommend to you the practice of charity; by which I mean doing good to the souls and bodies of men. It is true, God has set apart a particular order of men to be useful and serviceable to others in the great affair of their salvation; and there are several holy actions which are peculiar to the priests of the Lord, which

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