The third and last, an Orthodox Preacher of the Gospel,a Doctor of Divinity. (As the word doctor signifies teacher, I apply it in a general sense, that is to say,to all ministers of the gospel without discrimination.) Among all men, a preacher of the gospel is most entitled to your reverence and respect. The lawyer secures your property to you, the physician your health, but the minister, (with your own assistance,) your soul. The lawyer and physician claim your respect upon their own account; but the minister claims it from the relation he stands to those on high. A preacher of the gospel is also a minister of the gospel. But while he administers unto the flock under his pastoral care, the glad tidings of salvation, he must not himself be a cast-away, but endeavour, like young Timothy, to imitate the life of his blessed Master in all those actions which can be accomplished by human nature, that he may become a burning and a shining light to all those who are travelling Zion-wards; and also, that his example before men may be such as becometh one in alliance with the Most High: for example is more followed than precept, and leaves a more lasting impression upon the mind.

A minister of the gospel is one of peace to a troubled mind -He makes your case his own, and weeps and prays with you in the evil day of your calamity and trouble-He visits the widows and fatherless in their affliction, and keeps himself unspotted from the world. He is the pilot of your immortal soul-He wrestles with God in prayer for your salvationHe comforts the broken-hearted, and cures the bleeding soul. To him who sits in the valley of the shadow of death, under the bond of iniquity, and in the gall of bitterness, he is as a light to his feet, and as a lamp to his path.-He dispels the dark clouds of ignorance from the burdened mind, and cheerishes the downcast and desponding sinner. He encourages the feeble hand, and builds up and strengthens those that are already begun in the works of faith and love.

These are a few of the offices and duties of a minister of the everlasting gospel; and as such, whatever may be your station or situation in life, he claims your regard. His appearance may be mean, the family from whom he has descended obscure, and his relations poor and despised; nevertheless he is entitled to respect. A cock, insignificant as he is, proved a preacher

to the saving of the soul of one of the most zealous of the Apostles. It is also said that, the roaring lion, the king of the forest, trembles at the crowing of a cock; so shall the devil, the roaring lion of hell, tremble at the preaching of the gospel, even by one of not very prepossessing appearance. There are many others in the world I would have you reverence and esteem, besides those just mentioned. Every good and just inan ought to be the object of your affection and regard. Not every one who makes a vain show with riches or dress, although you are commanded to give unto Cesar the things that are Cesar's, and unto God the things that are God's; and to give honour to whom honour is due. This injunction, by no means, binds you to a mean subjection to those ignorant pretenders who make an ostantatious display of religious fanaticism, or costly dress; but respect your superiors, inferiors, and equals, as becometh your station, not upon account of their riches or outward appearance but upon account of their wisdom, usefulness, piety, and modesty.-Modesty is a becoming virtue, never to be met with umong the ignortant nor prophane, and seldom valued according to its deserts by unthinking people.

Ir all your actions, behave with christian fortitude, spirited and manly, but not insolently, haughty, nor proud; and speak evil of no man. Despise the whinging and flattering caresses of the hateful sycophant; for he who stoops to such meanness has a design upon your person or fortune-Honesty is the best policy. Be not swayed in your judgment by the glittering display of gaudy attire, the pomp of riches, nor by the profusion and multitude of words, for often a smooth tongue betrays, and a fair outside covering hides a base and a black heart.—The vanity of riches is often but for a moment. You will recollect the showy Butterfly, the queen of summer, you so much admired, which, only a few months ago was dressed in all the luxury of nature, the wanton array and beauty of June, proudly skipping from flower to flower, on July's light fantastic toe; is now a worm, crawling upon its belly, feeding on the dust of the earth, and humbly seeking the meanest corner of your dwelling to defend it from the fury of a pitiless winter. Humility in dress is becoming all ranks; but that person who lavishly dresses out in all the foppish fooleries of fashion, cer

tainly betrays a very great want of understanding, and may be justly compared to the cinnamon tree,-the bark is worth more than the body. Many have been rocked in the cradle of fortune-nursed at the breast of prosperity, and lien in the lap of plenty, who, before their deaths would have been glad to have filled their bellies with the husks that the swine did eat.—The smiles of fortune are fickle, and the pleasures of life transitory. Many have been enrobed the one day in purple and fine linen, and the next day in rags. Jane Shore, concubine to Edward IV. of England, once had as much power and wealth as any in the kingdom, the king excepted, but at last died picking a bone on a dung-hill.-Xerxes crowned his steersman in the morning, and beheaded him in the evening of the same day.-Andronicas. the Greek emperor, crowned his admiral in the morning, and then took off his head in the afternoon.-Hamon feasted with the king one day, and was himself made a feast for the crows the next.-The great Nebuchadnezzar, while he walked on the ramparts of his palace, viewing his hanging gardens, and splendid city, proudly vaunted in his might; and, in the pride of his heart, exultingly exclaimed,

"Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for my metropolis, and by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?"was immediately struck with lycanthrophy,banished from the society of men, made a companion to the beasts of the field, did eat grass as the ox, and shared with them the rigours of the burning sun, and the frigid frost, in their greatest severity. And the rich man in the gospel fared sumptuously every day while in life; had all the luxuries of the East at his table; his servants ran at his command; his bed was strewed with the fragrant spices of Arabia; and he spurned the poor from his gates, yet was necessitated to beg a drop of water to cool his burning tongue while in the regions of the condemned, from the very person he despised while in his prosperity.

Be not then wedded to the world; place not your confidence in the favours of men, nor your happiness in that which is liable to take wings and fly away as a morning cloud. But fix your mind upon imperishable things above, so as you may have treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust can corrupt, nor thieves break through and steal. Worldly riches are but

for the moment, and seldom confer happiness on their possessor for, as an emperor once said to a person who gazed on his purple robe and golden crown, "did you but know what cares are under it, you would not take it up from the ground to have it." It is not what men enjoy, but the principle from whence it comes, that makes men happy.

If e'er I've mourn'd my humble, lowly state,

If e'er I've bow'd my knec at fortune's shrine,
If e'er a wish escap'd me to be great,

The fervent prayer, humanity, was thine.
Perish the man who hears the piteous tale

Unmov'd, to whom the heart-felt glows unknown;
On whom the widow's plaints could ne'er prevail,
Nor make the injur'd wretch's cause his own.
How little knows he that extatic joy,

The thrilling bliss of cheering wan despair!
How little knows the pleasing warm employ,
That calls the grateful tribute of a tear.
The splended dome, the vaulted rock to rear,
The glare of pride and pomp, be, granduer, thine!
To wipe frome misery's eye the wailing tear,

And sooth the oppressed orphan's woe, be MINE.

I have now, my dear Charles, pointed out to you a few of those vices and follies that ensnare the inexperienced youth; also what characters I wish you to shun. I shall now add a few thoughts on religion.-Religion is LOVE: it is the true worship of God, and that which gives us a just knowlege of ourselves, what we are by nature, and how to flee from the wrath to come, and through the merits of a crucified Saviour, its ways are pleasant, and its paths peace. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father (says James 1. 28,) is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. And Lord Bacon says, that the first principle of right reason is religion; in respect to which it was the wisest way to live strictly and severely. For if the opinion of another world be not true, yet the pleasantest life in this world is piety, virtue, and honesty: If it be, then none is so miserable as the vicious, carnal, and prophane persons, who live a dishonourable and unworthy life in this world,

and like to fall into a most sad and deplorable state in the next. You are then to begin in the morning of your days to be religious, to be pious, and to worship God in spirit and in truth. Abijah, when a child, even in the midst of the wicked house of Jeroboam, did that which was right in the sight of the Lord; and Timothy was early acquainted with the scriptures. Many put the time of their religion far off, as they do that of an evil day but, my dear son, do not trust to this; for, as Seneca says, though death be before the old man's face, yet he may be as near the young man's back.-Many graves in the churchyard can bear testimony of this. Felix began to tremble at the preaching of Paul, but we never after hear of his becoming a convert. Martha was cumbered about many things: so will you once you get entangled in the concerns of the world, and bent with the infirmities of age. In the spring or morning of your days you have few sins to repent of; in the evening, you have many, and less capable.-In the morning, your parts are lively, senses fresh, memory strong, nature vigourous, and free from that oppressive care which attends age or the evening of life. The fig-tree was cursed for not bearing fruit; and so will every one that is barren and cumbereth the ground. If you let slip the time of your youth, the flower of your days, death may seize you, and so be deprived of the opportunity of repenting when old. It is also said that, when men grow virtuous in their old age, they only make a sacrifice to God of the devil's leavings. As life is but a hand-breadth or a span, and as you cannot even boast of to-morrow, and having such a long journey as eternity before you, it becomes you to be up and early on the road. Your views of death and eternity while we are in health, are far from those we have when stretched upon a bed of death. But the Christian can welcome death in any shape, he is like an armed man, he has put on the whole armour of God to the saving of his soul. How different were dying moments of the pious Addison, who called for his stepson, lord Warwick, and pressing him by the hand, softly said "See in what peace a Christian can die!" While a late noble man, in the agony of despair, shrieked out, "A week's life! Thirty Thousand Pounds for a week's life!" But that night God required his sou! of him.-It is a dreadful thing, (if unpreared,) to fall into the hands of the living God.

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