with approbation, taken notice of your conduct towards her: She hath taken notice of it with like approbation. A hopeful profpect hence arifes, that your good difpofition will continue in all the changes whch may take place in the family. If it now be cherished, we may furely expect that it will operate in you after my death. Be kind alfo to your fifter. Let fraternal goodness and love always adorn your character. Manifeft an obliging difpofition in your conduct, in your converfasion, and in your countenance. You must depend upon yourfelf for getting a living in the world. Many depending upon their patrimony neglect their time and ruin themfelves! The patrimony you will have will be too fmall for fuch an effect. I hope it will be enough for a reputable education, and fomething befides. But how foon would it vanish, if you should spend upon it. You will probably have the offer of a Public Education, I hope you will have wisdom to form the best choice. If you have not a Atability fufficient to regulate you in all the dangers and temptations to which you may be expofed at College, I fhould with you might never go to it. It is, in fome refpects, a dangerous place for those who are unstable in their ways, or viciously inclined. Being removed from the immediate infpection of their parents, they feel a new kind of liberty; and mingling in the company of the gay and licentious, they meet with new temptations and enticements; hear corrupt opinions and principles, and hence are more expofed to fall into a difregard of religion, and a neglect of their fouls. "My fon, if finners entice thee, confent thou not." But College is an excellent place for those who have a ftability to regulate their conduct, and wifdom to improve their time. They have good instructionsgood religious regulations-good books-and always fome good.examples which they may follow. Let these things be ferioufly confidered, before you form a determination to go to College. If you conclude to go thither, be always governed by the Scriptures of truth. "How fhall a young man cleanfe his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word." The times before you will probably be peculiarly dangerous. A double guard will be neceffary against bad principles, and bad practices. "Walk circumfpectly, not as fools, but as wife, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." They are days in which fcoffers are come. I should much rather you would fpend your days in the honest and reputable business of a farmer or mechanic, than procure a public education and afterwards be inattentive to the advantages it would put into your hands. If you fhould choose the farmer's life, I fhould by no means be diffatisfied with your choice. I fuppofe your principles and morals would be as well fecured in that kind of life, as in any other, and perhaps better. A religious, industrious farmer is an excellent character. But if you should choose the farmer's life, I should not recommend to you a college education for the money expended in fuch an edu, cation, together with what might be earned in the mean time, would go far in purchafing a farm. In that cafe I fhould recommend it to you to ftudy, at the Academy, in fome degree, all the branches of learning, which are ftudied at College. duly influenced by that confideration. Let a competency of the things of this life and a moderate ftation of usefulness be fufficient objects in your view.* Employ all your property and all your influence for the glory of God and for the higheft good of yourself and your fellow creatures. I fhall not give pofitive directions refpecting your choice of a profeffion; but be fure to choose one that is favorable, and the most favorable to a pious life. If you are really a godly perfon, born again by the Spirit of God, I fhould recommend it to you to be a minifter of the gofpel, provided you shall poffefs the other pre-requifite qualifications. In that cafe you ought to have a Public Education, and to pay a particular attention to the languages in which the Bible was originally written.* If you are at College, be always diligent in your ftudies, fteady in virtuons principles, and Neither would I give you posi manly in your deportment. Be tive directions to make choice of above little things, and defpife a profeffion before you enter upthem wherever they appear. Be on a public education, though I not too frequently in company in think it beft to have your mind others' rooms, nor have company pretty well fettled respecting it. too frequently in your own. Af-Many scholars are ruined by idlefociate yourfelf principally with nefs-many by company-many the serious scholars.-Make them your greatest intimates, and if you can, choofe fuch for your room mates. Be as frugal in your expenfes as you can confiftently with decent reputation. Learn the art of being efteemed manly and generous by fpending but a little. To do this you must be virtuous and keep out of the way of those who spend too lavishly. Keep an exact account of all your expenditures. It will be well to keep fchool, fome part of your time, to keep you through your education. Secure the friendship of the College Authority-This will be easily done by ftudying well and behaving well. I fhould not with you to ftudy law. Many of the lawyers are reputable and worthy men, and very useful in the community. But many temptations attend their profeffion. If this is the courfe to wealth and honor, be not un Happy is every faithful minister of the gofpel, how low foever his external circumstances may be. by bad principles and corrupt practices-and many by money. Some take a pedantic courfe and fome a foppifh one. Both are obftructions to mental improvement and inconfiftent with good reputation.-Always fpeak and walk and act naturally. Affectation is extremely disagreeable. Be always kind, mild and condefcending: And yet always keep at a proper diftance from improper intimacies. If you fhould go to college at all, you will not go at prefent. I have a concern for you while at home, though I am pleased with the fteadinefs you have hitherto maintained.If you should begin to be abroad in the nights, and to affociate with company, you would be exceedingly endangered. There is bad company in this place, as well as in others. David made an excellent obfervation; "Depart from me ye evil doers, for I will keep the commandments * «Wilt thou feek great things for thyfelf; Seek them not.” are fet before you to become religious-to ferve God and devote yourfelf to him. You were made for this purpofe. Will you neglect that for which you were made? This is the way for true comfort in this world.'«Wifdom's ways are ways of pleafantnefs." All that this world can give is of fmall value compared with religion. What happiness can this world give? In this view what are riches? What are honors? What are friends? What is learning? Grace is infinitely prefera of my God." You will doubt- your attention to them. Remember, however, that true religion is the principal thing. All regular and amiable conduct, which falls fhort of this, will never fave your foul.--You must repent of fin, believe in Chrift, and have your heart conformed to God. You must receive falvation on the gofpel plan, and truly clofe with Jefus Chrift by faith as the only Saviour; in that way refigning your foul to the fovereign mercy of God for time and eternity. You must live a holy life, aiming principally at the glory of God in all that you do. Thefe things are of infinite importance. Attend to them, O my fon, with great engagednefs, and without delay. Confider the motives which We Look forward to a dying bed. What can these things do to comfort the foul at that time? I am probably come to my dying bed, and can fpeak from experience. They are all as nothing. muft have fomething more. We must have God for our portion or we are unutterably wretched with the greateft fulnefs of earthly things. Think of the eternity before you, a never-ending eternity, and of being happy or miferable in all that inconceivable duration. Your foul must be in one of these states. O, confider the vaft worth of the foul. "What would it profit you, if you fhould gain the whole world and lofe your own foul ?" Chrift is offering to redeem your foul and make you happy with him. With all your heart receive him. I befeech you make no delay. If you are a follower of Jefus Chrift, be not anxious about earthly things. In the way of duty you will be provided for, and all things are yours. you are poor in this world, yet, being rich in faith, you may be an heir to a kingdom--the kingdom of glory. If you are alone in ferving God, remember that you are in the right courfe, and that If your fituation is infinitely prefer- | this wicked world,-guide you able to theirs who are living with- by his counfel-give you grace out God in the world. If you to love and ferve him-give you are defpifed by many, you are comfort in death, and finally loved and honored by all the faints, bring you to the enjoyment of by all the angels and by God him- himself in heaven. Adieu. felf. Look forward. All futu rity preffeth upon you the importance, of an intereft in Chrift. Be earnest in prayer to God, that of his free and fovereign grace he would forgive your fins and prepare you for heaven. Be fure, every morning and every evening, to get by yourfelf and pray. Do this where ever you may live. If you have a heart to pray, you will find time and place. Let not the motive be to be feen of men, but to comply with God's command and to lay open your cafe before the Father of mercies, who is able to do for you all that While I live, I fhall you need. you, but foon my pray pray Many things I wish to add ; but mult ceafe. Your own judgment must be exercised with the advice of friends. All your friends will not be taken away when I am gone. Many will ftill live, and I hope you will always have a readinefs to hearken to their adreadinefs to hearken to their advice, when it is good. Your mother will feel interested for you and give you excellent directions, -I repeat my hopes, that you will ever attend to them with du tiful refpects. Thefe obfervations and direc tions I leave with you. Keep them with care and frequently read them and together with them remember all the directions, warnings and advice, which Í have given to you in the whole courfe of your life hitherto. And now, my Dear Son, I commend you to God. May he preferve you from the dangers of Pfalm cxix. 165. "Great peace have they that love thy law." great object at which manEACE or happiness is the kind are aiming in all their various purfuits. They will labor and toil month after month, and year after year, and endure great evils and fatigue to obtain fome expected good. But the most are feeking their happinefs, where it can never be found. They are feeking it from earthly, fading, unfatisfying, difappointing objects, which cannot yield the foul any real peace, while poffeffed,--are totally uncertain, and will foon vanifh like the empty vifions great degree laboring in vain, and of the night. Thus they are in a fpending their ftrength for nought. For they will never find any real, permanent happiness from worldly poffeffions and enjoyments.-expect real peace or happiness Yea, it is utterly vain for any to fince God has folemnly declared, while in a state of impenitence; "There is no peace unto the wicked." If then we would ex pect any real happiness, we must feek it in God and divine things. leave with you, my peace I give For to fuch it is faid, "Peace I unto you not as the world giv. eth, give I unto you." "Great peace have they, that love thy law." Loving God's holy law implies love to his character and divine things, is evidential of the holy Chriftian temper, and fo is characteristic of the godly. It is propofed then to mention in fome particulars, how fuch have great peace. 1. They are at peace with God, the infinite fource of all good. They cordially approve of his holy character, view it as unfpeakably glorious and lovely, and delight themfelves in him. They have great peace and fatisfaction in contemplating his perfections, in trufting in him; and in cheerfully refigning up themfelves, and all their concerns to his difpofal. God alfo is at peace with them, receives them into his favor, lifts upon them the light of his countenance, and fheds abroad his love in their hearts. Thefe things afford them great joy and peace in God, their fupreme good. Their feelings in fome degree correfpond with thofe of the pfalmift, "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I defire befides thee. As the hart panteth after the water brook, fo panteth my foul after thee, O God." 2. They have great peace and confolation in God's univerfal government-that he will direct all events, as he in infinite wisdom fees beft, and will render them all conducive to his glory and the higheft good of his kingdom and friends. This is to them a peculiar fource of peace and comfort under the many evils and troubles of life, and amidst all the dark, gloomy, and threatening profpects of the prefent world. Their feelings are, "The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice: let the multitude of the ifles be glad thereof." conciled to the divine law, feel it to be "holy, juft, and good," "delight in it after the inward man,' defire to be conformed to it, and take pleasure in yielding it a cordial obedience. The divine law alfo is at peace with them, as they are delivered from its curfes and penalties. "For Chrift is the end of the law for righteoufnefs to every one that believeth; and there is no condemnation to them which are in Chrift Jefus." They are alfo pleased with the truths and doctrines of the gofpel, to which they were naturally oppofed. They view them as reafonable, important and glorious, and contemplate them with great peace and fatisfaction. 4. They have great joy and peace in believing and trufting in the Lord Jefus for pardon and life eternal. They feel their infinite need of fuch a Saviour, and are pleafed with his holy character and with the terms of falvation. He appears to them glorious and precious, the chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely. And they experience great peace and joy in believing, a peace, which the world can neither give nor take away, and which far exceeds all earthly enjoyments.--Thus Peter, fpeaking to Chriftians concerning the Saviour, fays, "In whom though now ye fee him not, yet believing ye rejoice with joy unfpeakable, and full of glory." --- 5. They may enjoy peculiar peace and fatisfaction of foul in prayer, and other religious duties. Although thefe duties are dull and tedious to the impenitent, 3. They are at peace with the and they have no delight in them; law of God and the truth of his yet real Chriftians often find great word, with which the wicked are peace, and experience a delightful at variance. By the renewing in- communion with God in prayer, fluences of the Spirit they are re-religious meditation, reading and |