THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES 
 
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 Borne/tic Happiiiefi, promoted; 
 
 IN A SERIES CF 
 
 DISCOURSES 
 
 FROM A 
 
 FATHER TO HI DAUGHTER, 
 
 N OCCASION OF HER GOING I N TO -SER VICE J 
 
 Calculated to render SERVANTS in general 
 VIRTUOUS AND HAPPY; 
 
 WITH 
 
 VARIOUS CHARACTERS, ANECDOTES, FABLES, 
 AND REFLECTIONS. 
 
 Being for the moft Part adapted alfo to the 
 
 USE OF SUNDAY-SCHOOLS; 
 
 Abridged from VIRTVE in HUMBLE LIFE, 
 
 WRITTEN BY JONAS HANWAY, Es<^ 
 
 A NEW EDITION WITH" ALTERATION'S. 
 
 L O N D O Nt 
 
 TIUNTE* FOR J. SI WELL, COUNHILt} AND 
 V ANC C. KIVIKCTON, NO. 62, ST. PAVL's CHURCH-YAR*.
 
 Def ciipt ion of the Front if piece. 
 
 T) EHOLD a Krttar worthy of the name, 
 "^ His heart replete with ev'ry pious wifh ] 
 And tendernefs, which marks his character : 
 See him prefent his Child to Indujlry y 
 The fruitful fource whence food and raiment rife 
 Under the blejfing eye of Providence ! 
 
 Erc6l in poiture, and with folemn air, 
 ReKgfsttj with her facred volume fpread, 
 Invites her votary to read and mark : 
 
 With awful voice fhe fpeaks 
 
 " Let not a fingle day unheeded pafs 
 
 " Neglediful of the page, guiding thine heart 
 
 " To everlafting peace, and joy fublime ! 
 
 " Behold, with wonder and with pure delight 
 
 " How gracious Heav'n, in mercy to thy want?, 
 
 " Moll lib'rally beftows its various gifts : 
 
 u Contemplate then from whence thefe gifts 
 
 proceed !" 
 
 The Earth difplays her treafures and her charms, 
 While dove-like innocence attends ihefeene ! 
 Near to yon facred venerable pile, 
 Where many an honeft villager has pray'd, 
 
 A 2 In
 
 In fleadfaft hope of everlafting joy, 
 Stands a bleft manfion deep embower'd with 
 (Our country's fortrefs and fecurity) 
 Where peace and hofpitality refide. 
 It is the feat of her whofe virtues fhine, 
 With all the fplendor which' adorns her fex. 
 Wifhing to ferve the fair induftrious maid, 
 With all -the care which Charity infpires. 
 
 May gratitude and love combine, to give 
 Their fouls an earneft of the blifs to come : 
 Then fhall they live fecure, fecurely die, 
 In joyful hopes of everlafting peace ! 
 
 ADVER
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 AN abridgement of t( Virtue in 
 Life" was firft made with the approbation 
 of the pious and benevolent Author, for the 
 ufe of a Charity School under* the patronage 
 of fome ladies of fortune in the neighbour- 
 hood of Pomfret and Leeds \ and it was after- 
 wards enlarged by Mr. Hanway himfelf. 
 As this little book has always been defer v- 
 edly held in high eftimation for the excel- 
 lent inftruclion it contains, and the fpirit 
 of piety and benevolence -which marks every 
 page of it ; there cannot be any need of aa 
 apology for endeavouring to refcue from 
 oblivion a work which could not be loft 
 without injury to fociety. The Ediicr of 
 this .new edition, therefore, produces it to 
 the world, in full confidence of its meeting, 
 with a welcome reception from all who wilh 
 to promote piety and vjrtue among the clafs 
 of people tor whofe ufe it was principally 
 A 3 com-
 
 \1 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 compofcd. When compared with the laft 
 edition, this abridgement \vill appear to 
 Jiave undergone fome alterations ; but they 
 have been chiefly thofe of omiftion with a 
 deiign of limiting the inftruClion to the 
 lower orders in fociety. 
 
 INTRO-
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 FARMER TRUEMAN whofe characler is dif- 
 played in fo exemplary a manner in the 
 following pages, is fuppofed to have been 
 one of the domeftic fervants of a fingle gen- 
 tleman, who ipftead of indulging himfelf 
 in the idle diffipations of fafhionable life, 
 employed many hours in ftudying how to 
 benefit his fellow-fubjects. As Thomas 
 Trueman had not occafion to follow his 
 mafter (as many footmen, unfortunately for 
 them, are obliged to do) to play-houfes and 
 other places of amufement, he had a great 
 deal of leifure time, which he wifely devoted, 
 to the improvement of his mind ; and by 
 reading and obfervation, he at length ac- 
 quired fufficient knowledge to qualify him, 
 when he afterwards became a parent, for 
 the inftruclion of his own daughter in the 
 moil important concerns of human life. He 
 efteemed this child, as a charge committed 
 to his care, that he might train her in the 
 A 4 path*
 
 Vlil INTROI>UCTION r . 
 
 paths of ^virtue and piety, in order to make 
 her ufeful and comfortable in this world, 
 and happy to all eternity in the aext. He 
 .knew, that education and habit make faints 
 or finners> and prepare us for both worlds, 
 or neither of them. As a chriftian, and a 
 father therefore, he ftrove to infpire the 
 heart of his child with juft and exalted no- 
 tions, fuch as are moft graceful to human 
 nature, and mod acceptable to Gor>, 
 
 Mary Trueman \vas worthy of all her 
 father's care; in her infancy (he was docile 
 ajid obedient ; and as (he advanced in years 
 Ihe improved in every thing that is lovely 
 in youth, and was particularly diflinguifhed 
 for neatnefs, gentlenefs, and rnodefr. deport- 
 ment. As this amiable young creature had 
 had the misfortune to lofe her mother, her 
 father was very felicitous to place her in 
 fervice, under the care of fome good lad}', 
 who would pay attention to her principles 
 and morals, and give her occafionally, that 
 counfel and admonition, which young peo- 
 ple, however well-difpofed, or carefully edu- 
 cuedj frequently Hand in need of. His 
 
 enquiries-
 
 INTRODUCTION. IX, 
 
 enquiries proved fuccefsful, and after having 
 fully fatisficd himfelf, that the lady wa$ 
 fuclvan one as he could depend upon as the 
 protectrefs and adviier of an innocent and 
 artlefs young woman ; that her family was 
 governed with regularity; and that due re- 
 gard was paid in it to religion, he fent 
 Mary to wait upon her, and offer her fer- 
 vices ; the hdy was fo pleafed with Mary'* 
 appearance and manner, and had conceived 
 fo high an opinion of her from the account 
 flie had had of the pains her father had 
 taken in her education, that fhe imme- 
 diately hired her. 
 
 Before his daughter went to fervice, Far- 
 mer Trucman gave her the excellent advice 
 contained in the following difcotirfes, which 
 "we earncftly recommend to the ferious 
 confideration of every parent and young 
 perfon into whofe hands they may fall ; as 
 they point out in a ftriking manner, the 
 duty, both of thofe who have children to 
 fend forth into the world, and of thofe 
 who in their early years are obliged to leave 
 the paternal roof, and feek fu.btiften.ce for 
 
 them-
 
 X INTRODUCTION. 
 
 themfelves. How happy would it be for 
 focicty in general, if all parents in humble 
 life, were like this worthy farmer, attentive 
 to t\\t fubftantial good of their children, in- 
 itead of forming fchemes for their temporal 
 advantages only ; and how many young 
 women would be preferved from feduclion 
 and other evils, if the principles of virtue 
 and religion were imprelled upon their 
 minds in their early years ! Then we Ihould 
 not fee domeftic fervants emulous to outvie 
 each other in drefs and appearance, eager 
 to partake of pleafures and amufements un- 
 fuirable to their ftation, an$ fcorning the 
 authority of their employers -, but on the 
 contrary, we mould view them, driving to 
 excel in thofe qualities which alone can 
 render them truly amiable and happy. Of 
 all the tender relations in which we (land, 
 none exceed that of a father towards his 
 child, whether fon or daughter; but the 
 latter feems to be the moft interefting to the 
 heart, becaufe the female is the lealt capable 
 of defence : but if young perfons receive 
 no initru&ion either from books or conver- 
 
 fation,
 
 INTRODUCTION 1 . XI 
 
 fation, is it to be expected that any great 
 degree of virtue will exift in their hearts ? 
 Parents who are carelefs of their own fouls 
 cannot be fuppofed to be watchful over the 
 fouls of their children. Thofe who neglect 
 to give their children the belt advice in their 
 power have much to anfwer for. 
 
 In every ftation of life the virtue of one 
 fex depends greatly on the virtue of fuch of 
 the other fex as they may chance to be con- 
 nected with, particularly in their youthful 
 days. The young female who is to make 
 her way in a world full of fnares and temp- 
 tations, ftands in particular need of good 
 inftruction. This abftract of " Virtue in 
 humble Life" furnifhes fuch admonition as 
 appears to be neceffary for them ; and being 
 exprefTcd in perfuafive terms, without any 
 enthufiaftic flights, and given in the tender 
 character of a father, the ini\ ruction COHTJCS 
 home to the bofom, it may therefore prove 
 acceptable to fuch parents as are not quali- 
 fied of themfelves to teach their children 
 the rules of piety and virtue by which they 
 ought to regulate their conduct; and alfo, 
 
 to
 
 Xli INTRODUCTION. 
 
 to young perfons \vho have no benefit from 
 parental inftruclicn, but are able to read 
 for their improvement the latter may make 
 good Farmer Trueman fupply the place of a 
 father to them, by refolving to be guided 
 by his excellent advice; and may extend the 
 benefit to their youthful companions of 
 cither fex, by reading to them, what is fo- 
 admirably fuited to every fon and daughter 
 in Humble Life* 
 
 CON*
 
 CONTENTS OF DISCOURSES. 
 
 I. /"> ENERAL exhortation to the duty of prayer. The good- 
 
 V_T nefs of God exprefled in the works of creation Page i 
 
 JI. The duty of keeping holy the fabbath day. Appeals by public 
 
 worfhip on ail great occasions - _ 6 
 
 III. The great advantage of regulating the hours of prayer, as a 
 guard againft negligence - 10 
 
 IV. Miftakes in relation to p-ayer. How they may be reclined. 
 Advantages of a religious converfation. Family prayer. Refpecl 
 for the clergy - I J 
 
 V. On the perfon of Chrift. The extreme perverfenefs of the 
 Jews in refpeft to him. And their prefent deplorable fituation 21 
 
 VI. A manual confirming of exhortations, prayers and devotions 
 for the ufe of my daughter Mary, aged 17 years, on occafion of 
 her go.ng into fervice : w;th extr.icls from archbifhop Synge, on 
 the Sacrament of our Lord's Supper, and refledhons on the folly 
 and danger of negle&ing it, prefented by her mod affectionate 
 father, 'IhomasTrueman, aged threefcore and feven, 1777 25 
 
 \iz. Morning hymn on waking, or ibid 
 
 Morning ejaculation, on waking 26 
 
 Ejaculation for night, in bed - ibid 
 
 Evening hymn - - ibid 
 
 I. For the morning - - ibid 
 
 II. Ditto by Hi/hop Kenn - 27 
 
 III. For the evening - - ibid 
 
 IV. Ditto by Bilhop Kenn . - ibid 
 
 V. For benefactors 28 
 
 VI. For humility ibid 
 
 VII. For obedience to parents - .29 
 
 VIII. For fidelity in fervitude - ibid 
 
 IX. For patience, particularly in fervitude 30 
 
 X. For application to bufinefs, and refignation to providence ibid 
 
 XI. For chaftity - - - 31 
 
 XII. For conftancy of mind, and divine afli-ftance ibid 
 
 XIII. Againft ccnfonoufnrfs . - 32 
 
 XIV.
 
 XIV CONTENTS. 
 
 XIV. For grace to refift anger, pride, and unquietr.efs ?age 33 
 
 XV. Againll a foolilh, turbulent, impatient, or feditious 
 fpirit - ibid 
 
 XVI. For a hufband, or a wife ibid 
 
 XVII. For children - 34 
 
 XVIII. For pardon of fins, in ficknefs - 35 
 
 XIX. For refignation in ficknefi - ibid 
 
 XX. For following the example of pious perfons - 36 
 
 XXI. For a good life and a happy death - ibid 
 
 I. For gratitude - 37 
 
 H. For protection from wicked perfons - 38 
 
 III. Againft flattery 39 
 
 IV. On the fhortnefs and vanity of life ibid 
 
 V. For repentance and truft in God - 40 
 
 VI. The Chriftian's contemplation - ibid 
 
 VII. On the excellency of the Bible and Teftament 43 
 
 VIII. The Chriftian's hope - 43 
 
 CELEBRATION of OUT LORD^S SUPPER* 
 
 I. General preparation - .44 
 
 II. Confeffion of fin ... 47 
 
 III. For divine afiiftance - 48 
 
 IV. On behaviour at the communion - ibid 
 
 V. After leaving the communion table 49 
 
 VI. Prayer for refolution - 50 
 
 VII. For charity - - ibid 
 
 VIII. Behaviour after the fervice - - 51 
 
 IX. Prayer fo' gratitude - ibid 
 
 X. General rule in regard to the facrament - 52, 
 XL Refleftions and expostulation on the foregoing, and the danger 
 
 of neglecting this memorial - - ibid 
 
 VII. Reflections on the archbifhop's fentiments and advice. The 
 grofs folly of falfe reafoning in relation to our Lord's Supper, 
 and the grofs ignorance frequently difcovered by thofe who 
 negleft this efTential pan of their religion 53 
 
 VIII. The miftrefs's efteem for fervants, agreeable to her fteady 
 principle of religion and piety. Honefty in ftrvants with a 
 prudent conduct. The difcretion of mafters and miftrefles 
 effential to domeftic peace and happinefs. Character of an 
 excellent female fervam. Humility nectiiary in all ftations 64 
 
 IX.
 
 CONTENTS. XV 
 
 IX. Danger of fervants in dunging places. The conduct of 
 favourites towards fellow-fervants. Behaviour of miftrefles. 
 Civility. Clcanlinefs. Caution againft fire Page 73 
 
 X. The advantages of temperance. Propriety in the drefs of fer- 
 vams. Danger of crouded meetings. Effects of the undiftin- 
 guifhed ufe of tea 79 
 
 XI. Character of the miflrefs. Her charity, punctuality, diflike 
 of cards. Calmnefs of temper, religious chearfulnefs, &c. 8l 
 
 XII. Reflections on the viciffitudes of human life. The forrows 
 it is fubjeft to, and the liberality of nature in affording us 
 coxfort - 86 
 
 XIII. Thoughts on the importance of time. Calculation of the 
 probable duration of life. Thoughts on death - 91 
 
 XIV. The indifpenfible condition of happinefs in a life to come. 
 Deaths of many perfons of diftinguifhed characters under par- 
 ticular circumftances of repentance 96 
 
 XV. The comparative characters of men and women, as difplayed 
 in their laft hours. Deaths and behaviour of diftinguifhed 
 perfons, particularly Amelia and Eleanor. Duty of comforting 
 and exhorting our friends on their death-bed - 105 
 
 XVI. Reflections on the certainty of death, and the refurreftion. 
 The New Teftament our only guide. The character of our 
 Saviour as defcribed in it - 117 
 
 XVII. On fuperftition. Folly of believing in witches. Story of 
 Dame Tempeft. On enthufiafm. On melancholy 125 
 
 XVIII. Charity for differences in opinion. The great importance 
 of a good conscience 131 
 
 XIX. The advantages of humility. On a low ftation. A vir- 
 tuous and vicious conduct contrafted. The fatal confequences 
 of vice - - 137 
 
 XX. The great advantages of patience and caution in domeftic 
 fervice. Danger of cenforioufnefs 142 
 
 XXI. The great importance of truth, and the infamy and punim- 
 ment of lying 147 
 
 XXII. The detectable qualities of pride and vanity. Story of a 
 miferable pioftitute. On vanity, and the danger of flattery 151 
 
 XXIII. On envy, malice, revenge, cunning. Anecdote of a girl 
 who lolt her irver bv difcovenng her propensity to envy 158 
 
 XXIV. The danger < f an cage- pursuit of pleafure. On amufe- 
 ment, choice of company, and converfation, as the fafeguard 
 of life . ,61 
 
 XXV. Generofity. Charity. Character of Mrs. Ann Saraun. 
 Reflections on it. Ability to do good in the humbleft fortune 
 
 166 
 XXVI.
 
 XVI CONTENTS. 
 
 XXVI. Duty of learning to read. Reading the fcriptures efFen- 
 tial to religion. On writing. Frugality. Prudence. Fable x>f 
 the wolf and the lamb. On modefty. Bafhfulnefs Page iji 
 
 XXVII. The advantages of friendship. Caution in refpeft to it. 
 Neceffity of circumfpeftion in love 176 
 
 XXVIII. Warning againft feducers to proftitution. Danger of 
 going to London. Of being fond of fine clothes. Duty of 
 chaftity on chriftian principles. Danger of liftening to fuperiors 
 in fortune. Melancholy ftory of Caroline 184 
 
 XXIX. Advantages of the marriage ftate, when carefully engaged 
 in. Fable of the two hounds. Dangerous effe&s of jealoufy. 
 Story of Harry Winter. Story of Jane Sprightly. The great 
 duty of tendernefs for children 191 
 
 XXX. Conclufion of advice recommending filial piety, obedience 
 to parents, and fidelity in fervice 198 
 
 XXXI. Conclusion. Prayer for repentance and reconciliation 
 adapted to the ftate of human nature, and fuch as believe in 
 Chrift - - aoa
 
 DISCOURSE I. 
 
 General exhortation to the duly of prayer. The good* 
 nefs of God difplayed in the works of creation. 
 
 WELL, MARY, thou haft feen the good lady * 
 as (he approves of thee, I hope thou wilt 
 like to ferve her. Sit down ; I have much to fay to 
 thee, if my heart is not too full. 
 
 Thy dear mother is gone before me, and left me 
 to aft for her ; and happy it is for thee that I am 
 alive ; for young women, particularly of thy condi- 
 tion in life, when deprived of their parents, are fo 
 much at their own difpofal^ that they often difpofc 
 of themfelves very badly. 
 
 Methinks a feparation, after feventeen years 
 tender acquaintance with thee, even from thy birth, 
 will be like parting with the blood that ftreams 
 through my heart ; efpecially as thou art going into 
 a world with which thou art not acquainted. Be- 
 lieve me it is a bad world in many refpe&s, but yet 
 not quite bad, as fome good people imagine. 
 Whether it will prove to thee a good or a bad 
 world greatly depends upon thyfelf: if thou wouldft 
 have it a good one, turn afide from every evil way, 
 and cleave to goodnefs.
 
 . ."Remember thou haft a Heavenly Father, in whofe 
 ftght I am but a miserable finner. To his Provi- 
 dence I recommend thee. If thou art true to him, 
 he will never forfake thee ! O God, preserve my 
 child ! keep l>er from prtfumptuous fins ; <ieanfe her 
 from tbofe fecret faults which cleave to our imperfect 
 nature ; and make her acceptable to thee y whom 1 
 b&v* fought to ferv) by breeding up my child in thy 
 fear! 
 
 Thou canft not eaftly conceive, MARY, how dear 
 thou art to me : but while I employ my thoughts, 
 and indulge my anxious wifhcs to preferve thee, I 
 alfp confult my own happinefs with regard to both 
 -worlds : fo hath the wifdom of the Almighty or- 
 <lained, that good intentions, and good actions, arc 
 ever felf rewarded. 
 
 NEVER FORGET TO PRAY. 
 
 . The firft 'and greate ft -object of religion, next to 
 the belief in a God, is to worfhip him. Now whe- 
 ther thou doeft this in public or in private, take the 
 wife man's advice : " i Before thou praycft, prepare 
 thyfdf, and be not as one that tempteth the Lord." 
 Remember that there are two branches of devotion, 
 Juppllcation and praife : The firft is the confejjlon of 
 Jin and mifery, and petition for relief; the iaji is an 
 angelical and heavenly duty. The distinction is 
 obvious ; but I fear it is not made fo often as it 
 ihould be, and the reafon is but to plain ; people 
 
 n general are not fufficiently attentive to their 
 jf layers j many utter words without praying. 
 
 My
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 My dear MARY, whether thou looked up (: 
 heaven, or down upon the earth, if thy thoughts 
 are not diflipated, like the thoughts of a child, thou 
 wilt fee infinite reafon to adore thy maker. 
 
 There is no difcouragement in the duty of prayer : 
 There is no bodily labour in the difcharge of it, 
 unlefs it be fpun out beyond meafure. All rational 
 exercifes of religion are in themfelves highly plca- 
 fant. God never made any reafonable creature Jhy 
 of his company, and averfe to his will. \Vejpe 
 no inferior being difinclincd towards its chief good, 
 or negligent in purfuing its proper happinefs j but 
 this neglect of prayer demonftrates the corruption 
 of our nature, and our departure from what man 
 was originally made. 
 
 The gracious and awful prefence of God, and 
 the continuance of his blefling towards ustis not 
 only neccfiary to our fuccefs, but alfo to our being. 
 When I go into my fields, MARY, I look up with 
 delight towards the heavens; but where the ftu- 
 pendous height of them ends, is paft fearching out : 
 I can only adore and wonder ! When I arife to my 
 work, and behold the glorious appearance of the 
 f;t>2 y I conficier it as a " marvellous inftrument of 
 the work of the moft high and eternal God." 
 When I behold its effects fhewn by day, I rejoice : 
 when I c< nfidei- it as the means whereby my blood 
 circulates in my veins,, and gives motion to my 
 pulfc and heart, I fall down in. gratitude, not to the 
 Ji-N, but to Him that made it, and rules its power ! 
 The fun is alfo the inftrument which animates even 
 B'z the
 
 ( 4 ) 
 
 the clod of earth, making the grain flioot from its 
 bofom, and in due time bringing it to maturity, for 
 the ufe of man. Were the earth to be kept bound 
 in the winter's froft, I need not tell thee that my 
 labour in fowing would be loft. 
 
 How incomparable is the beauty of the heavens, 
 and the clear firmament in fine weather ! Is not thy 
 heart enraptured when thou confidereft whofe handy- 
 work it is ? Does not the fpring andfummer charm 
 thee with the melody of birds, the verdure of the 
 earth? and the refreming ftream ? Canft thou fee a 
 rainbow and not praife him that made it ? " Very 
 beautiful it is in the brightnefs thereof: It compafl- 
 eth the heavens about with a glorious circle, and 
 the hand of the Moft High hath bended it. )J Haft 
 thou confidered how often the fhowers refrefti the 
 earth, when it is weary with drought, and as they 
 fall bring with them marrow and fatnefs, to cheer 
 the hearts of men and beafts ? The fnow alfo bring- 
 eth plenty on the earth, by the manure contained in 
 it, or by the warmth of its covering. Haft thou 
 never flood in religious reverence, though I hope 
 with no childifh fears or foolim dread, while thunder 
 and ftorms made this globe of earth as it were to 
 tremble ? And when the lightning comes with 
 aftoniming fwiftnefs, art thou not ftruck with awe ? 
 Canft thou forbear to fay, Great, O Lord, and 
 wonderful are thy works ? 
 
 As the day declares the power and glory of God, 
 fo alfo does the night. Wtien thou,retireft to 
 refrefh thy wearied limbs, MARY, confider every 
 
 ftar
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 rtar hung out as a lamp to fhew thee God's marvel- 
 lous power and wifdom ! Confider that God alto 
 made the moon " to ferve in her feafon," as the 
 months roll round, " for a declaration of time," and 
 a fign that time itfelf will have art end. 
 
 All thefe wonders in the heavens remain in afto- 
 nilhing order, " and never faint in their watches." 
 They move at the commandment of the Moft 
 High, and without his all-wife direction, we mor- 
 tals could not exift : We fhould be devoured by 
 fire, or drowned in- water, or chilled to death by 
 cold* Thou, my. child, wouideft fall like a leaf in 
 autumn, even in the fpring and blofibm of thy life. 
 
 Accuftom thyfelf to think that God is all in all, 
 and let this thought influence thy practice. " When 
 thou glorifieft the Lord, exalt him as much as thou 
 canft, for he will ever far exceed thy utmoft praife ; 
 put forth all tbyjlrength therefore, and be not weary " 
 Our praife is grateful though it be weak. O my 
 daughter, God is all in all! " He hath made all 
 things, and to the godly he hath given wifdom." 
 
 Surely blind are thofe who will not fee the glory 
 cf God difplayed in his works ! and deaf are thofe 
 who will not hear the voice, either of reafon or 
 faith, though thefe proclaim their commifiion as 
 received from heaven ! 
 
 B 3 D I S-
 
 DISCOURSE II. 
 
 *Tf} duty of keeping holy the fabbath day. jfpptals ty 
 public worfoip on all great otcafant. 
 
 I CHARGE thee, my daughter, to pay a ftrift 
 regard and reverence to the fabbath of the Lord. 
 What would become of religion amo/ig men, if it 
 Were not for this holy day ? 
 
 The negleft of this day has been the great inlet 
 to all manner of wickednefs. There needs no argu- 
 ment to prove that wherever the fabbath is broken, 
 a whole tide of wickednefs will flow in at the breach. 
 And as God hath blejjed this day and hallowed it, fo 
 they unblefs themfelves who profane it; and the 
 keeping of it holy is one of the great duties of both 
 Jew and Chriftian. 
 
 To the neglect or abufe of the fabbath we may 
 impute many of the evils under which our country 
 labours, in refpedl to fobriety and good difcipline, 
 reverence for laws, and fuch a regular uniform con- 
 duit as becomes good fubjects and good chrtftians. 
 
 Rejoice then, my dear, at the return of the fab- 
 bath, not fo much that thou mar eft then reft from 
 thy labour, as I hope thou wilt be permitted to do, 
 but that thou haft fo fair an opportunity of ottering 
 thine heart to thy maker. The Almighty has 
 declared, that he is pleafed with the worfhip of his 
 rational creatures, when they aiiemble to make 
 
 joint
 
 ( 7 y 
 
 Joint ^applications for mercy for their offences. Go 
 then with gladnefs to the houfe of God, not only to 
 worfhip him, but to hear his word, from the mouth 
 of his minifters. Thole \vho have pleafure in pray- 
 ing to God, and who put their truft in him, inftcad 
 f fleeing from church, repair to it, as the place of 
 their higheft comfort and joy : praife and thanfef- 
 giving is their delight, they pour out their hearts ir* 
 humble acknowledgement of their fins paft, renew 
 their refolutions of ameudment, and receive com- 
 fort. 
 
 The duty of attending divine worfhip is required 
 of all chriftians, without difti action of perfons. Thofe 
 who feldom appear at church, are, generally fpcsk- 
 ing, either ignorant and abandoned wretches, who 
 loiter about, feeking a miferable diverfion of their 
 thoughts ; or poor children, who have nobody tq*-'* 
 inftrudt them. 
 
 As God has made a feparation of the fabbath-day,. 
 for the purpofes of religion by an abfolute law ; and 
 as it is fo happy a fence againft impiety, it is amaz- 
 ing that it (hould ever enter into the heart of maa 
 to imagine, that God will difpenfe with the breach, 
 of it. 
 
 God requires obedience from us ; and what is it 
 which constitutes our chief glory but that very obe- 
 dience ? Where men are fmcere towards God, they 
 cannot be falfe to themfelves or their fellow crea- 
 tures : but what flncerity can there be towards their 
 maker, if they decline the public wcrihip of him > 
 and as it were rcfufe to pay that public homage 
 B 4 which.
 
 ( 8 ) 
 
 Which is fo infinitely due to the fupreme Lord and 
 proprietor of all ? And behold, what is the confe- 
 quence ! How troubled and difordered, or how ftupid 
 and abandoned, does the mind of man become^ 
 when he ceafes to reft his hopes on God ! This is 
 difficult to defcribe, but eafily felt. If thou confi- 
 dereft the mercy thou received in the very breath 
 thou draweft, thcu wilt cry out with the Pfalmift, 
 *' Blefs the Lord) O my foul, and forget not all bis 
 "benefits. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, and heal- 
 eth all thy difeafes. Who redeemetK thy life from de~- 
 jlruftion, and crowneth thee with Riving kindnefs and 
 tender mercies. Who feedeth thy mouth with good 
 things, fo that thy youth is renewed as the eagle." 
 Thy devotion fhould indeed fly on the wings of love 
 to the God that made thee. 
 
 . It is the crime and misfortune of people in our 
 condition, and perhaps of our betters alfo, that when 
 V/e meet to wormip God, we do not generally ad- 
 drefs him with that awe and homage which become 
 rational creatures j and, as we juftly ftile ourfelves, 
 miferabh ftnners. My dear MARY, do always the 
 beft thou canft, and remember that however faulty 
 ibme of our fuperiors may be, in their Rations, the 
 greater part of us are worfe in ours, and therefore 
 \ve Ihould mend our own manners. There are 
 many who know their duty, yet do not pra&ife it ; 
 but when it happens that any fuperior does not (hew 
 us an example, it is in our power to put him to the 
 blufh. 
 
 What does the cuftom of our country, and our 
 own reafon, require upon all great events, in great 
 
 fick-
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 ficknefles, war or famine, heavy unfeafonable rains 
 or droughts ; in all public diftrefles, or for public 
 thankfgivings, but that we repair to the temple of 
 God, there to pour out our hearts before him ? If 
 in him, and him only, we live, can we for a mo- 
 ment forget the vaft obligation ! Good God ! Is it 
 poflible to relate how negligent fome are, as if 
 they had not days enough in the week for loitering 
 or for working ! An idle perfon, at any time, is a 
 bad fight ; but abfence from the great bufmefs of 
 the fabbath-day, and during divine fervice, is mon- 
 flrous indeed ! 
 
 The falie notions, joined to the rank hypocrify of 
 fome of the Jews, in our Saviour's days, ran fa 
 high, that they pretended to be much fcandalized 
 at his doing works of mercy on the fabbath-day. 
 This our Lord reprehended with feverity, leaving 
 us a leflbn, that fuch employment ought not to be 
 deemed as labour. Works of neceffity are alfo 
 warrantable, fuch as pulling the ox out of the pit. 
 But what (hall we fay of thofe, who, having much 
 time on their hands on this day, when the feafon 
 will not permit them to walk abrad, employ them- 
 felves about any thing rather than in reading the 
 fcriptures, and pious and inftru&ive books ? How 
 wretchedly do they murder their time ! 
 
 Every thing good may be expected from perfons 
 who reverence the fabbath ; but nothing worthy of 
 praife can be hoped for, from thofe who withhold 
 their homage to God on that day. 
 
 B 5 PIS-
 
 C 10 ) 
 DISCOURSE III. 
 
 Tlie great advantage of regulating the hours of pray er, 
 as a guard agalnjl negligence. 
 
 OUR difcourfe yefterday, MARY, was very feri- 
 ous. Indeed it was in effect nothing lefs than 
 a leflbn of inftru&ion to prepare for eternity : but I 
 did not finifh what I had to fay. 
 
 What a deplorable Condition are thofe in, who 
 Jive all their days as without God : Can thofe who 
 do not pray to him, MARY", be faid to live with him ? 
 The learned archbifhop SHARP tells us, "prayer 
 ought to be the continual exercjfe of life, for it is 
 to our fouls what meat and drink, are to our bodies, 
 their repaft, their fupport, their nourifhment. Prayer 
 is the great univerfal inftrument by which we fetch 
 down blefiings from above, and become poffefled of 
 whatever we want. Prayer is our defence and 
 prefervative againft fin and againft temptation. It 
 is the wings of our fouls, whereby we raife ourfelves 
 up above this lower world to trre God above ; with 
 whom, while we therein converfe, we become the 
 more transformed into his nature. Whatever anti- 
 cipations of heaven there be on earth, whatever 
 foretaftes we chriftians have in thefe bodies, of the 
 happinefs of eternity, they are all brought about by 
 the means of prayer." 
 
 So
 
 ( II ) 
 
 So fays the pious prelate : and what chrifHan, 
 with any {hadow of reafon, ever attempted to con- 
 tradict him ? Yet there are fuch numbers who 
 neglect their prayers, that thou wilt fee many bad 
 examples to one good one j and therefore thou muit 
 be guarded at all points. 
 
 Confider the neceffity of being as active in thjr 
 religious, as in any other duties : this is a matter 
 of the higheft moment. The lazinefs which occa- 
 iionally invades a great part of mankind, may hap- 
 pen fometimes to keep thee fo long in thy bed, as 
 to crea'te hurry and diffipation of thought, by fudden 
 calls to thy duty, which may prevent thy morning 
 prayers ; and thou wilt fet about thy bufmefs with- 
 out having offered up thy devotion. When this is 
 the cafe, as foon as thcu recollected, repair the fault 
 in the beit manner thou canft. We may pray in 
 thought, nay even in words, without acquainting 
 the world what we are about. If after recollecting,, 
 thou declined doing thy duty, and any. evil fhould 
 btfal thee during the day, thou wilt falter this double 
 felf reproach, that thou firft omittedft thy duty, and 
 then increafedft thy guilt by neglecting to afk. for 
 the protection of heaven : thou fufferedft bu finds, 
 or perchance fome trirling object of amufemenr, to. 
 pcifefs thy mind in preference to the God of thy. 
 i'alvation. .And if no diftinguiflied misfortune.fhouid. 
 happen to thee on that day, thou wilt be the. more, 
 fubject to the omiflion on another day, and accu-. 
 rr.ulate thy guilt, and thy fins fo be repented of.. 
 Nothing is more true in genral,. than that the. 
 B 6 omiflion
 
 ( 12 ) 
 
 omiilion of good is in effect the commiffion of evil, 
 and it is particularly true in this inftance. 
 
 Be therefore fure of thy morning prayer-, and rife 
 farly, that thou mayeft not be interrupted in this 
 duty. Habit will foon render it familiar, and thou 
 v/ilt receive fome part of thy reward in the benefits 
 cf early rifing, which I need not tell thee, who art 
 accuftomed to enjoy this advantage. 
 
 There is the moft refpecl:, decency and propriety 
 in praying on our knees. Prayers in bed are ufually 
 ejaculations or hymns; as when we are juft falling 
 into the death of fleep ; or rifing again, as it were 
 from the grave, when we awake. 
 
 Make r.s fure of thy evening prayer alfo as of thy 
 bodily re/1, without which thou wouldft die. 
 
 My matter once told me, that it i& a proverb 
 among the Hollanders^ who are a bufy nation, that 
 tt no one ever lofes any time by praying, or is the 
 poorer for giving alms." The nrft part is very 
 obvious, and the laft may be eafily reconciled, where 
 prudence is exercifed. 
 
 Among various excufes for negligence, thou wilt 
 hear fome filly mcrtals plead want of time. This is 
 as fal.'e in fact, as it is abfurd in opinion ; for if thou 
 fhouldft be interrupted in falling on thy knees in 
 fecret, pray as I have juft mentioned, fecretly as 
 thou fitteft, or walkeft, or ftandeft, or workeft. 
 But at all times when thou prayeft, collect thy 
 thoughts, that thy heart may keep pace with thy 
 tongue. This is as efiential a duty as it is to pray 
 at ail, and for the fame reafon fhort prayers are pre- 
 ferable
 
 ( 13 ) 
 
 ferable to long ones. So far from pleading want of 
 time, let not thy own heart admit of any excufe. 
 
 Our prayers are our", true and faithful friends, 
 which will never forfake us ! We may enjoy the 
 happinefs and advantage of their company in a palace 
 or a dungeon ; and without their aid we cannot 
 have the leaft fecurity that we fliall be conftant to 
 God, or live like believers in him, fubmitting to the 
 laws of Chrift. If thou doft not feek for the mercy 
 of God, thou canft not expect to find it. Thou art 
 commanded to feek, and promifed that thou Jb a It find 
 if thou doft feek, but not if thou feekeft not. 
 
 Confider, my dear MARY, the ftatc of human 
 life, and the dangers which furround thee, and all 
 the children of men. We are all fubjecl, every 
 day and every hour, to pain and forrow, ficknefs 
 and death ; and Ihould live prepared for whatever a 
 day may bring forth. We are fubjecl to a greater 
 evil than the certainty of death ; we are fubjedt to 
 f;n^ and therefore muft take heed, whilft we think 
 we ftand, that we do not fall. Thou art fure that 
 life muft end in a few uncertain years. It is im- . 
 pofiible, being in thy right mind, that thou fhould'ft 
 not be anxious for the event, what is to become of 
 thee, that is of thy foul, through the numberlefs 
 ages of eternity ! We are all perfuaded that we 
 have fouls, and believe they will be faved or damned. 
 We are continually in hope or fear of fomething; 
 and for the fame reafon that we believe in a ftate 
 of rewards and punifhments after death, our fears 
 and hopes extend to objects beyond the grave. 
 
 Every-
 
 ( 14 ) 
 
 Every one knows this who is not ftupid : what then 
 canft thou do to take cut the fting of thy fears, and 
 to render thy hopes, not only comfortable but joy- 
 ful r What canft thou do, but apply thine heart and 
 underfLnding, all thy mind and all thy ftrength, to 
 God ? Confider, my child, how thou mayeft moft 
 gracefully, and moft willingly reflgn thyfelf to what- 
 ever fhail pleafe divine providence ; always hoping 
 for the beff, fo long as thou doeit thy duty, and 
 prayeft to the great parent of mankind. 
 
 And what is religion, of which prayer is one of 
 the higheft acts, but the knowledge of the moft ex- 
 cellent truth?, the contemplation of the moft glo- 
 rious objecls, the hope of the moft ravifhing plea- 
 fures, and the practice of fuch duties as are moll 
 conducive to our happinefs ? 
 
 Be well allured, MARY, and 1 think thou hafi 
 tried the experiment, thy inclination to ferve God 
 faithfully in thy thought?, words and actions, will 
 encreafe with thy daily practice in the duty of prayer. 
 On the other hand, if thou fhould'ft forfake the 
 paths of virtue, thou wilt as certainly forfake thy 
 prayers, and thy inclination to goodnefs will daily 
 decreafe : of this I have known numberlefs fad and 
 deplorable inftances. Prayer prevents fin, as im 
 prevents prayer. To think of the mercy and good- 
 nefs of God, and of trufting in him, is of the nature 
 of prayer. But thou knowelt that our Saviour re- 
 quires of us to ufe words, but not vain fpeaking; 
 therefore let thy words be few, becaufe to be ren- 
 dered valuable, they muft be uttered in fpirit and in 
 Uiith. Heaven preiervs thee, my tear daughter ! 
 
 DIS-
 
 DISCOURSE IV. 
 
 Mijlakes in relation to prayer. How they may le 
 rectified. Advantages of a religious converjatlon. 
 Family prayer. Rtfpefl for the clergy. 
 
 MANY of us are apt to fall into a fault which 
 feerns to proceed from a right principle, 
 though not rightly underftood. Referve is in no 
 inftance more proper than with regard to prayer; 
 yet it is equally true, that a falfe referve oftentimes 
 betrays the caufe of devotion. When people are 
 afraid, or afhamed, of doing whr.r is right, they 
 are in the rrore danger of being led to do wrong. 
 There is a kind of refolution fo efientially necellary 
 to religion, that it can hardly exift without it ; not 
 only with refpect to the general habit of life, but as 
 we are firm in fupporting the caufe of virtue, con- 
 fidering it as an unchangeable obligation incumbent 
 on all the children of men. Women, in the firft 
 ages of chriftianity, oppofed thcmfelvcs to flames 
 and tortures in the caufe of truth, with as conftan 
 and intrepid a mind as the braveft man that ever 
 lived. There is nothing great without conftancy : 
 and it is our duty to poilefs our fouls with fuch. 
 refolution, that as no fear of pain fhould frighten, 
 no temptation to pleafure fhould entice us from our 
 duty. It is this habit of refolution which gives a 
 luitre to all our actions, and over-balances or con 
 
 quers 
 6
 
 ( 16 ) 
 
 quers all the gilded charms of pomp, or the allure- 
 ments of vice. 
 
 We are commanded, it is true, by our great 
 Lord and Matter, -to pray in fecret, that we may 
 not be feen of men ; that is, not tofeek the eyes of 
 men, as the Pharifees did. Thou remembered our 
 Saviour exprefsly mentions the grofs hypocrify of 
 thofe people in his time. However do not turn 
 away from the meaning of thy divine teacher, and 
 a<5l as if thou wert afiiamed of being found on thy 
 knees. The confequence of childifli fear in this 
 inftance is, that many get into an habitual negleft, 
 and do not pray at all. if two perfons meet toge- 
 ther, both well inclined, and both timorous, or pre- 
 judiced to this opinion, they will both decline doing 
 their duty; and what a ridiculous, and at the fame 
 time tragical figure, will they make I If we come 
 to the point of never praying but' at church, can it 
 be expected we fhall be really attentive to our 
 prayers when we are there ? And can we pray at 
 church without being feen ? Cuflom makes it farm'-- 
 liar to us to avoid all human eyes in private, and it 
 is right to feek a retreat ; but refolution, and atten- 
 tion to the great bufmefs of devotion, mould render 
 us fuperior to all interruption or furpriie when we 
 are praying. 
 
 Thy poor mother, with all her piety was fome 
 time before (he furmounted that falfe modefty in 
 which flic had been bred, which made it feem criminal 
 in her eyes to be feen on her knees ; but thank God 
 J happily convinced her, that as a mutual fecurity
 
 not to neglect the duty of prayer, according as \ve 
 retired to reft and rofe at the fame hour, fo we 
 ihould jointly or feparately offer up the incenfe of 
 our prayers with one heart and one foul. 
 
 Thou art fenfible, that in order to fix any obje<5l 
 on the mind, we muft think, or read, or difcourfe 
 about it. The two laft include the hrft ; hut there 
 is a peculiar charm in the converfation of fenfible 
 pious friends ; we are fure of their heart. My 
 mafter ufed to fay, that according to a Perfian pro- 
 verb, " the conversation of a friend brightens the eyes." 
 The familiar difcourfe of a virtuous friend is pleaf- 
 ing and advantageous ; but of all converfation, that 
 is the moft interesting which has affinity with reli- 
 gion, and leads us into the path of righteoufnefs. 
 Such as this can hardly come from any but the good 
 and wife : thofe only defer ve the name of friends,, 
 who are true to their own hearts, and confefs the 
 power of religion ; perfons of a different turn can 
 only do us kindneffes, and be agreeable companions. 
 If thou would'ft be wife, thou muft fometimes fub- 
 mit to be thought foolifh. The firft thing a wife 
 man confiders, is the end of his being ; the next, how 
 he (hall attain that end ; and thou mayeft be well 
 allured, whatever tends to promote the caufe of 
 true religion, goes fo far in the attainment of the 
 true end of life, and exalts human nature. Some 
 of the truly zealous, and feme of the enthufiaftic 
 part of us, talk of religion occasionally ; but for 
 want of diftinguifhing true zeal from enthufiafm, 
 which is as different as light from darknefs, many 
 
 people
 
 ( iS 5 
 
 people are apt to draw a conclufion, that thofe who 
 fpeak of piety are not pious in the fenfe that piety is 
 allowed to be amiable, good, and praife- worthy. 
 
 In thy tender years, when thou didft pray, thou 
 lookedft up to heaven, feeming to feel the force of 
 thy words, and to mean what thou fuidft. Cherifh 
 this cuftom, and hold it neareft to thy bolbm. Thou 
 haft fometimes feen thy mother on her knees, with 
 ftreaming eyes, entreating the Almighty to pity 
 thy poverty and thy fex, and fhield thy perfon from 
 the mercilefs hands of the vile deftroyers of female 
 innocence, Thou art now arrived at years of dif- 
 cretion, and knowert thine own danger ; therefore 
 thou muft confider thine own prayers as thy fureft 
 guard : and if thou prayeft to thy heavenly Father 
 with real devotion, let the world go as it may, he 
 who hcareth in fecret will reward thee openly. 
 
 HELPS IN PRAYER. 
 
 Among the various helps of performing the duty 
 of prayer, I reckon it one of the greateft to utter 
 words ilowly and folemnly, weighing their fenfe and 
 meaning. Whether it be the comfort or advantage, 
 the pleafure or glory of praying, it muft arife from 
 a clofe attention to the object to whom thou doft 
 addrefs thy prayers. Thy attention muft be kept 
 awake, that thou neither tire nor wander in thought. 
 Thefe infirmities are indeed much aJike, and human 
 nature is much addicted to them. A book at church. 
 is of great ufe to fome ; it prevents the eye from 
 wandering ; the more thou perceiveft thyfelf addicted 
 to this wcaknefs, the more watchful thou muft be 
 
 of
 
 ( 19 ) 
 
 of thyielf, and accommodate thy prayers to thy real' 
 powers of mind j at the lame time do not deceive 
 ihyfelf, and under a fond notion of an unavoidable 
 difedt, become habitually negligent. Our hearts 
 are more treacherous than we are apt to imagine. 
 It is certain that a multitude of words will not avail ; 
 but if thou art indolent, cold^ and unwilling to pray, 
 thou mayelt perchance think a few words are too 
 many. In fuch circumftances thou canft not be 
 fa id to offer up thy heart to God, be thy words few 
 or many. 
 
 A confcioufnefs of the weaknefs of our nature, 
 rcfpc&ing our inability to expand the wings of our 
 devotion, beyond a certain meafure, may fo far turn 
 to our advantage, that it fhould naturally create a 
 humiliation of heart,^ which is one of the efiential 
 requifites of piety, and conftitutes a chief part of it. 
 
 FAMILY PRAYR. 
 
 Family prayer is another means to help us in the 
 duty of devotion. This is a mutual iecurity to all 
 ptrfons in the family, that they fliall fay their prayers 
 at certain times, whether it be once or twice in a 
 day. If fuch prayer be properly repeated, they will 
 rouze the powers of the mind, and conquer that 
 coldnefs and unwjllingnefs which is apt to feize the 
 heart in this inftance, if we. do not keep a ftri<5t 
 watch over it. But family prayer is fo much out of 
 fafliion, thou wilt rarely find it. 
 
 I fear that fervants receive but little benefit from, 
 their mafter or miitrefs in this inftance. 
 
 Thou
 
 ( 20 ) 
 
 Thou feeft then that this great bufinefs will de- 
 pend generally on thyfelf. 
 
 In the comparative view of private and public 
 prayer, thou oughteft to confider, that although it 
 is the cuftom of the world to follow example rather 
 than instruction, h is the fafeft way in moft cafes to 
 
 follow the inftruftion It is an indifpenfible duty 
 
 to worfhip God in public ; thofe who go to church 
 chiefly from cuftom and decency, are feldom much 
 inclined to devotion, public or private: and as to 
 diftinctions the fame authority which requires public 
 worfhip, requires private alfo. " The prayer of 
 the Innnble pierceth the clouds, and till he come 
 nigh he will not be comforted." This is not fa id . 
 particularly of public or private devotion, for it is 
 fuppofed of the hwrthk % that the fame warmth and 
 finccrity accompanies both. To pierce the clouds: 
 with our prayers, is a ftrong and beautiful expref- 
 fion ; and it muft be the importunity of our fuppli- 
 cations, when they come from the heart, which can 
 be fuppofed to reach the ears of the Almighty, or 
 afford comfort or joy to the mind of man* Amidft. 
 all the buftle of the world, / confider that perfon as 
 the happie/} of the children of men y ivhofe addrejjes to 
 God are the mojl acceptable, 
 
 RESPECT FOR TH>E CLERGY. 
 
 If thou fear eft God, thou wilt refpecl: his imme- 
 diate fervants, the preachers of the gofpel. The 
 wife man confiders it as a trial whether we love 
 God or not, our reverencing or forfeiting his minif- 
 ters. And indeed it was natural for a wife man to 
 
 draw.
 
 ( 21 ) 
 
 <iraw this conclufion, becaufe in common life, Jn 
 proportion as we love the mafter, we fhew a proper 
 regard to his fervants. My dear MARY, confider it 
 as thy indifpenfible duty to fhew refpel to this 
 order of men, as immediately employed in the fervice 
 of the great Lord of heaven and earth. 
 
 As a father, I command thce ; as a friend, I entreat 
 "thee, to pray constantly and uniformly every morn- 
 ing and evening. Be aflured, my daughter, that it 
 is the means which will bring thee a blefling and 
 fuccefs in life ; and without it thou mayeft eafily 
 ftab my peace, and bring my grey hairs with forrow 
 to the grave. If thou purfueft my maxims, and 
 obeyeft my precepts, though we fhould be vifited 
 -by the hand of adverfity, yet our lives may be com- 
 fortable j and our deaths, when heaven fhall call us 
 hence, will open to us a paflage to a joyful and 
 glorious eternity ! 
 
 DISCOURSE V. 
 
 On the perfon of Chrift, The extreme perverfenefs 
 of the Jews in refpeft to him. And their prefent 
 deplorable fituation* 
 
 /CONSIDER, my dear MARY, the dignity and 
 \^A character of the perfon whofe interceffion and 
 mediation with God, and for the fake of whofe 
 merits, thou hopeft for the mercy thou afkeft for in 
 prayer even the Prince of Peace ! When he made 
 
 his
 
 C 22 ) 
 
 Tiis triumphant entry into Jerufalem ; (not with the 
 fplendid fhew of an earthly monarch, to pleafe the 
 fancies of men, with a tinfel glitter, but to fill the 
 heart with joy, even to the hopes of heaven and 
 happinefs immortal,) the multitude that followed 
 fbouted " Hojannah to the Son of David. B I effect is 
 he that comtth in the name of the Lord /" Blefied 
 indeed was he who had power to open the eyes of 
 the blind, to enable the dumb to fing, and the lame 
 to dance for joy ! Yet fuch was the fatal blindnefs 
 and pervcrfe difpofition of the rulers of the Jews^ 
 that they condemned this glorious prince of Peace, 
 this Sovereign of the univerfe, to die upon the crofs. 
 And what heart can conceive, or what tongue can 
 utter the dreadful fcene, then reprefented on the 
 theatre of the world ! Thou remembereft, MARY, 
 what than haft read in the New Xeirament, con- 
 cerning the fufferings of our'blefled Redeemer 
 when he bowed his head and gave up the ghoft ; 
 the earth trembled ; the veil of the temple was rent ; 
 the rocks burft ; many of the dead arofe, and ap- 
 peared before men's eyes ; all nature ieemcd for a 
 time to be convulfcd, and, as it were, expiring with 
 the Son of God ! 
 
 Such was this great event, and thus did the 
 Almighty ordain from the beginning, that his Son 
 jhwld die to redeem a finful world, and to rife again 
 from the dead the third day in triumph over the 
 grave. But what was the confequcnce of this un- 
 paralleled obftinacy and wickednefs of the Jews^ 
 who were the voluntary instruments of this act of 
 
 cruelty
 
 t 23 ) 
 
 cruelty and injuftice? their famous city of Jtrufa- 
 hm^ with their holy temple, was, forty years after, 
 deftroyed by the Romans. Jcrufalem is now in the 
 hands of Turks^ and of very little account, though 
 once the pride of the whole earth. And as to the 
 yews themfelves, their date was deftroyed, and the 
 people difperled over the earth ; and now for near 
 fevcnteen hundred years the Almighty hath not per- 
 mitted them to collect themfelves into a body, or 
 form a government, but they have been featured ia 
 chriftiarii mahemetan and pagan countries ; manifeft- 
 ing to the whole earth the truths of the gofpel of 
 Chrift. Thou beholdeft fome of their defendants, 
 who live among us, : to this day they maintain their 
 particular cuftoms and manners ; they neither keep 
 the fame fal'btitb day that we do, nor eat the flcih of 
 animals killed after the fame manner. They do not 
 mix with the world as foldicrs, feamen, or huiband- 
 men ; they intermarry only among themfelves : in 
 a word, they itand as monuments to remind us of the 
 crucifixion of Chrift, though themfelves are unbe- 
 lievers^ and ftill look for that very Mejjfia'h whom 
 their forefathers crucified, as we declare in our 
 belief. 
 
 There are fome of our condition in life, MARY, 
 fo little inftructed in relation to prayer, that they 
 do not diftinguifh the Belief, or declaration of what 
 they believe, from an addrefs or prayer to the AJ- 
 mighty. There is indeed this likenefs, that both 
 are of a ferious and folemn nature, and require a 
 clofe attention to the fenfe of every word, that fuf- 
 
 ficient
 
 fccient tune be given for recoUe&ion, and aflent of 
 mind, to the full meaning of them. Serious atten- 
 tion is the firft ftep towards religion : The ftcond 
 is the knowledge of the commandments of God : The 
 next is a firm and fteady refolution of obedience to 
 fuch commandments j and lajily our prayers^ im- 
 ploring the divine afliftance : thefe mutually aid and 
 fupport each other, and employ their joint forces in 
 combat in fin, and triumphing over the world. 
 
 If thou believed the refurre&ion of the body, and 
 the life everlafting, and that Chrift will come to 
 judge the living and the dead ; remember that at the 
 laft day thou thyfelf wilt be among the number of 
 one or the other of them Chrift will certainly judge 
 tbee. If thou (halt have earneftly endeavoured to 
 live according to thy belief, and agreeably to the 
 commandments of God, and the precepts of the 
 gofpel, thou wilt be happy for ever ! really, truly, 
 and fubftantially happy in the endlefs ages of eter- 
 nity ! If thou haft not fo lived, but {halt be found 
 in a ftate of impenitence, thou wilt perifli ever- 
 laftingly ! 
 
 A MA-
 
 A MANUAL 
 
 CONSISTING OF 
 
 Exhortations, Prayers, and Devotions, 
 
 FOR THE USE OF 
 
 MY DAUGHTER MARY; 
 
 AGED SEVENTEEN YEARS; 
 
 on occafion of her going 
 
 INTO SERVICE: 
 
 With Extrafts from Archbifliop SYNGE on the Sacrament of 
 our Lord's Supper, and reflections on the folly and danger of 
 neglefting it, 
 
 PRESENTED 
 
 By her tnoft affe&ionate Father 
 
 THOMAS TRUE MAN, 
 
 AGED THREE SCORE AND SEVEN, 
 
 1777. 
 
 Morning hymn. 
 
 11 "I ' ORE), hear the voice of my complaintj 
 
 L ^ Affift my fecret prayer ; 
 To thee alone, my King, my God, 
 Will I for help repair. 
 
 Thou in the morn my voice wilt hear, 
 
 And, with the dawning day, 
 To thee devoutly I'l look up, 
 
 To thee devoutly pray. 5 ' 
 
 C Mart*
 
 Morning ejaculation^ on waking. 
 
 Unto thee I lift up mine eyes, Q thou that 
 dwelleft in the heavens. Early in the morning do 
 I cry unto thee ! Incline my heart, O Lord, that I 
 may call my ways to remembrance, and diligently 
 obey thy commandments, through Jefus Chriil my 
 Saviour. Amen. 
 
 Ejaculation for inght^ in bed. 
 
 Keep me, O Lord, by thy Almighty power, and 
 preferve me from the dangers of this night. Blot 
 out my tranfgrefiions, and when my laft hour fhall 
 come, let me pafs from life to death : and receive 
 me, O God, into thy eternal reft, for Jefus Chrift 
 his fake ! Amen. 
 
 Evening hymn. 
 O may my foul in thee repofe, 
 
 To thee, great Lord, her fears refign ; 
 And grant my eyes in peace may clofe, 
 
 Confiding in thy povv'r divine. 
 
 Then when the fleep of death fhall come, 
 
 With _/#///; and bops let me obey 
 Thy will, which calls me to \he tomb, 
 
 Expectant of eternal day ! 
 
 PRAYERS; 
 I. For the morning* 
 
 TV K o s T merciful God, the mighty guardian 
 
 and protector of mankind, who haft fafely 
 
 brought me to the beginning of this day, [ befeech 
 
 thee to continue thy mercies to me ! Ponder my 
 
 words,
 
 words) O Lord, and confider my meditation ! I am 
 going into a world furrounded by mares, and befct 
 with temptations : let the remembrance of thy 
 goodnefs, and the repeated mercies which thou halt 
 fliewn to me, keep my gratitude in all its vigour ; 
 and let the hopes of thy future favour add ftrength 
 to my vigilance and care. Guard my heart, and 
 keep the door of my lips, that I may never trefpafs 
 on thy righteous laws ! This I beg, O merciful 
 God, for the fake of my blefled Redeemer. Amen. 
 
 2. For the fame, for a young perfon^ by Eljhop Kenn. 
 S^\ MERCIFUL God, keep, and protect, and blefs 
 Vf me this day, profper me in my calling j and 
 preferve me from fin and danger, through Jefus 
 Chrift my Saviour. Amen. 
 
 3. For the evening* 
 
 S~\ GOD, the fure defender of all who put their 
 ^^^ truft in thee, I moft humbly befeech thee jo 
 keep me this night under thy protection : let thy 
 Almighty power fhield me againft all dangers j de- 
 fend me againft all aflaults of my fpiritual or bodily 
 enemies, and make me to dwell in a fafe and peace- 
 ful habitation. Grant this, O Father, through the 
 merits and interceflion of thy Son, Jefus Chrift, the 
 mighty Saviour of mankind. Amen. 
 
 4. For the fame^ for a young perfon^ by Bijhop Kenn. 
 T BESEECH thee, O merciful God, grant me true 
 repentance) and thy holy fpirit, that I may live a 
 godly, righteous, and fober life, for the fake of Jefus 
 Chrift thy beloved Son. Amen. 
 
 C 2 For
 
 5 For benefaclors. 
 
 ](/TOST merciful Lord, the fountain of all good, I 
 I beieech thee to extend thy favour and loving 
 kindnefs to my friends and benefactors ; reward 
 them for the good which through thy providence 
 they convey to me. Guard them from all fadnefe 
 and affliction but fuch as may be inilrumental to thy 
 glory, and their eternal welfare. Preferve their 
 perfons from all violence ; and let not the powers of 
 darknefs prevail againft them. Guide them in thy 
 paths, and make them the inftruments of thy mer- 
 cies to mankind ; that amidft all the taunts and 
 ingratitude of the world, they may ftand as monu- 
 ments of thy parental tendernefs and care, and finally 
 be received into thine everlafting kingdom, through 
 Jefus Chrift, the mighty Friend and Saviour of the 
 world ! Amen. 
 
 6. For humility. 
 
 TV/TOST gracious and merciful God, who in thy 
 great goodnefs didft fend thine only Sou 
 upon the earth, grant that the example of his meek- 
 nefs and humility, his incomparable fweetnefs and 
 condefcenfion, may make the deepeft impreflions 
 on my heart ! Mortify in me all proud thoughts, 
 and a vain opinion of myfelf, that I may neither 
 boaft of any thing which thou haft permitted me to 
 poflefs, nor be unmindful of the hand from whence 
 it came. Make me to know my own infirmities, 
 that I may never feek my own praife, nor delight in 
 that which may be offered to me by others. Let 
 rne glory in difcharging my duty to thee, and in 
 
 (hew-
 
 ( 29 ) 
 
 (hewing clue honour and refpecl to my fellow crea- 
 tures, that at length I may receive the crown which 
 thou haft prepared for thy faithful fervants, in thy 
 kingdom of" eternal glory, through Jefus Chrift, my 
 blefled Lord and Redeemer. Amen. 
 
 7. F'jr obedience to parents. 
 
 /~~\ ALMIGHTY Lord, and heavenly Father, whd 
 ^"^ delightdt in the obedience of children, I befeech 
 thcj give me a meek and humble fpirit. Infpire my 
 heart with an utter abhorrence of the dreadful guilt 
 of undutifulnefs and difoheuience. Let no falfdiood 
 or evafion betray rey ibul, but grant that I may dare 
 to confcfs the truth, to thofe v/ho have a right to 
 require it. Make me patient under reproof, and 
 diligent in performing my duty. Let my love, gratr- 
 tude and fubmrffion to my parents, be accepted as 
 obedience to thee, my Father and my God ! Grant 
 this, I befeech thee, O Lord, for Jefus Chrift hi* 
 fake. Amen. 
 
 8. For fidelity in fervltude, 
 
 /^>REAT God, thou righteous judge of men ! leC 
 thy fear be always before mine eyes, that I may 
 difcharge my d-ity v.'ith faithfulnefs and zeal. L^t 
 my conduct towards my fuperiors * exprefs my 
 gratitude for all the mercies which thou haft vouch- 
 fafed unto me. Thy all-piercing eye can fee my 
 inmoft thoughts, and minuteft actions ! Let my 
 fidelity and refpedt towards my fuperiors be appa- 
 rent in their f light, that I may delight in promot- 
 ing their profperity: and I befeeeh thee, to give 
 
 * Mailer or Miflrefs, or both. | His, her, or their. 
 
 C 3 thn*
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 them fuch a juft fenfe of their eternal obligations to 
 juftice and piety, temperance, and all other virtue?, 
 that their conduct may not difturb the repofe of my 
 mind, but uniting our endeavours in the advance- 
 ment of thy glory, and the good of mankind, pro- 
 mote the happinefs of every one. This I beg, Q 
 moft merciful Father, through the merits of Jcfus 
 Chrift my Redeemer. Amen. 
 
 9. For patience, particularly infervitude. 
 TV/TOST merciful God, and tender Father, I be- 
 feech thee in thine infinite goodnefs to remove 
 from me all pride and haughtinefs of fpirit, and teach 
 me how to fupport myfelf under every circumftance 
 of life ; that with patience, refolution, and fingle- 
 nefs of heart, I may fubdue evil with good, and 
 ever pofiefs my foul in tranquility. Grant me grace 
 to imitate the humility of my blefled Lord and 
 Saviour, that I may obtain fuch peace of mind, and 
 reft of foul, as the world cannot give. Let my con- 
 fcience be always void of offence towards thee, and 
 my fellow- creatures ; that amidft all the follies and 
 iniquities which furround me, I may acquit myfelf 
 with applaufe in thy fight, O God, and receive the 
 great reward which thou haft promifed to thy faith- 
 ful fervants, through Jefus Chrift my Redeemer. 
 Amen. 
 10. For application to bufaefs and rcfignation to 
 
 providence. 
 
 A LMIGHTY Lord, who haft ordained by thy un- 
 
 changeable decrees, that man fhall eat his bread 
 
 in f \veat and labour j give me, I befeech thee, an 
 
 aclive
 
 C 3i ) 
 
 Active and induftrious difpofition. Let my dili- 
 gence and innocency go hand in hand, and adminif- 
 ter to their mutual fupport ; that my life may pafs 
 in fafety, and my death be full of hope. Teach me, 
 O God, an entire fubmifficn to thy will ! Give me 
 - Ib true a reliih of my condition, that the glorious 
 example of humility which Chrift hath fet before tny 
 eyes, may appear as far beyond any earthly advan- 
 tages, as the glories of eternity outshine the tranfient 
 fplendors of this world. Thus refigned, O Lord, 
 let me labour with my hands, in ftedfaft hopes of 
 future happinefs, through, his merits who redeemed 
 this finful world. Amen, 
 
 l \ . For chaftity. 
 
 TV/TOST holy and eternal Father, I befeech thee let 
 thy fpirit defcend upon thy fervant, that my 
 body may be undefiled from all impurities. Let no 
 unchafte words pollute the tongue which thou hail 
 commanded to be an organ of thy praife. Seal up 
 my fenfes from all vain objects, that they may be 
 fortified againft the affaults of the prince of dark- 
 nefs j and by watchfulnefs and mortification, pof- 
 feffing my foul in true holinefs, I may at length 
 refign myfelf to death, in ftedfaft hope in thy mercy, 
 to receive the reward which thou haft promifed to 
 thy faithful fervants, in a joyful refurre&ion, through 
 Jefus Chrift my Redeemer. Amen. 
 
 12. For conftancy ofmlnd^ and divine ajjiftance. 
 
 TTEAR me, O merciful Father, I humbly befeech 
 
 thee, and let thy grace be ever prefent with thy 
 
 weak unworthy fervant. Regulate my affections 
 
 C 4 and
 
 ,M-,O c'-ififcs, and confine them to fuch obje&s as ar 
 .pleaimg in thy fight. J am not able of myfelf to do 
 or think any thing that is good ; O let thy fpirit 
 afiift my poor endeavours. Vanquifh the tempta- 
 tions which befet me! Fix my inconftant mind j 
 and follow me through all my paths. Thou, Lord;, 
 art my hope ! thou art my reft ! in thee alone is 
 pleafure and true faiisfaction ; and all without thee 
 is mifery and torment. O grant me the happy 
 iecurity of thy peace, that I may abandon ail ths 
 ialfe appearances of happinefs here below, and find 
 *. ' oafe and fwect repofe in thy love and favour. 
 Hear my prayer, O merciful Lord of heaven ! O 
 hear me and have mercy on me, for the lake of 
 Jefus Chrift my Redeemer. Amen. 
 
 I 3. Agalvjl cenjorioufnefs. 
 
 S~\ TENDER Father of mankind, correct in me, I 
 befeech thee, whatever is' malevolent or cen- 
 fonous ; refrain my tongue from evil, and my lips 
 that they fpeak no guile ; that imitating the conduct 
 of my bleiied Saviour, by unfeigned love and true 
 commiferation, I may mourn over the offences of 
 others ; and by my beft endeavours make them fen- 
 fible of the errors of their ways. If it be thy plea- 
 fure, let me fuffer injuries, but not do them. Teach 
 me, O God, to enter into the rece/Tes of my own 
 heart, and take an impartial view of my own fins j 
 that avoiding all fevere judgments of others, I may 
 finally c-fcape condemnation at the judgment feat of 
 Chrifr, in whofe moll holy name 1 implore thy 
 mercy ! Amen. 
 
 14- F-
 
 ( 33 ) 
 
 14- For grace to rejifl anger> pride, and unqttii'tnefi. 
 A/TOST righteous and juft God, to whofc all- 
 * piercing eye ungodlinefs and wrong are open' 
 as the day ; grant, I befcech thee, that whatever 
 injuries or provocations I may meet with in the 
 world, I may difcern the folly and wickedncis of 
 pride and anger, and meekly commit my caufe unto- 
 thee, trufting in thine infinite wifJom and goodnefs 
 for relief, through- Jefus Chri-ft my Redeemer.- 
 Amen, 
 j c. Again ft (ifoolifo) turbulent^ impatient^ orfeditioup 
 
 fpirlt. 
 
 \ LMIGHTY Lord and fovereign ruler of the worldy 
 give me I befeech thee, a due fenfe of obedience 
 to my governors and fuperiors : that confidering- 
 the weaknefs and infirmities of my nature, I may 
 judge truly of offences. Guard me, O God, againft 
 that defection and rebellious fpirit,- which are the 
 offspring of pride and ignorance ; that the repeated 
 dreadful punifhment of thine ancient and peculiar 
 people, and of the various nations cf the earth, re-- 
 eorded for our admonitions, may infpire my breafl 
 with fuch fentiments as becomes my character as a 
 chriftian. Grant, O Lord, that under this- glorious 
 calling 1 may contribute to the folid fecurity cf my 
 fellow- fubjeils, and by my faithfulnefs in thy fervicc 
 enjoy the onlyt perfect liberty. This I beg for his 
 fake who died for his country and mankind ! Amen*- 
 
 16. For a bujband or a wife. 
 
 TV /TOST gracious Father, and eternal God, who 
 
 haft confecrated the holy ftate of marriage, I 
 
 beiecch thee bt not the cares and inquietudes,. thc : 
 
 C , weak*-
 
 C 34 ) 
 
 weaknefies and infirmities, which cleave to our im- 
 perfecl: nature, difcompofe my fpirit. Give me, 
 under all the accidents and viciffitudes of life, a 
 chearful and obliging temper, a ftrict attention to 
 to my duty towards thee, with truth, fidelity and 
 affection to my hufband (or wife). Give me, O 
 Lord, thy grace, that I may be a guide and good 
 example to my family : that difcharging all their 
 refpective duties in quietnefs, contentment and hu- 
 mility,, thy bleffiiigs, O God, may reft upon them, 
 and particularly on the perfon of my hu(band (or 
 wife) : and grant, O Father, that we may both live 
 in mutual love, to the end of a holy and happy life,, 
 and finally be received into thy joys, for the merits 
 of Jefus Chrift our blefied Lord aud Redeemer^ 
 Arnen. 
 
 17. For children. 
 
 r\ GOD and Father of my llfe^ whofe goodnefs ex- 
 tends to all the children of men, I befeech thce 
 Jet thy heavenly benediction reft \jpon thofe whom 
 1 devote to thy fervice, that they may adl as the 
 inftruments of thy providence in doing good. Give 
 them fo juft a fenfe of their duty, that by kindnefs 
 and gentlenefs of manners, fcbriety and zeal, and 
 the fear of thee, O God, they may find the 
 v/ay to everlafting peace ! Thou, who art the ten- 
 der parent of mankind, O lead them by thy mer- 
 ciful guidance into the paths of righteoufnefs ; that 
 brotherly love and cbriftian meekncfs .may be the law 
 of their lives, and they the comfort and fupport.of 
 mine. Incline their hearts to piety,, and their hands 
 
 to
 
 ( 35 ) 
 
 to labour, that they may eat the bread of innocence. 
 This I beg, O Lord of mercy, for the fake of Jefus 
 Chrift thy Son, who died upon the crofs to redeem 
 the world horn fin zndfsl/y ! 
 
 18. For pardon cfjins^ in ficknefs. 
 TT'EAR me, O almighry and moil merciful Father, 
 and extend thy goodnefs to thy fervant. Sanc- 
 tify, I befeech thee, all thy corrections to me, that 
 the fenfe of my weaknefs, in my prefent condition, 
 may add ftrength to my faith, and ferioufnefs-to my 
 repentance. Give me grace fo to take this vifita- 
 tion, that if my ficknefs fhall end my prefent life, I 
 may be removed to thofe regions were ficknefs, pain 
 and forrow fhall be no more, even to dwell with 
 thee in blifs eternal, through the merits of my 
 blefied Redeemer Jefus Chriir.. Amen. 
 19. For refignation injickncfs. 
 
 TV/roST righteous God, in whtfe hands arc the ap- 
 pointments of life and death, grant that! may 
 perceive thy juitice and mercy, and look up to thee 
 for ftrength to bear, and grace to profit by my fick- 
 nefs. Let me confider it as a fcourge for my fins, 
 and a medicine to heal the difeafes of my foul. 
 Grant, O Lord, it may anfwer thefe ends j that 
 trufting in thy gracious promifes, I may behave 
 myfelf fubmiflively, patiently, and devoutly ; and if 
 it be thy pleafure to reftore me to health, let me 
 co&ftantly fend up my heart in praife and gratitude 
 to thee, and lead the refidue of my days in thy fer- 
 vice, and to thy glory. But if it be thy will that I 
 now fhould die, O God forgive ray manifold tranf- 
 C 6 grefllons ;
 
 { 36 ) 
 
 greftions ; and prepare my heart, that I may 
 accepted before thy throne. Receive me into thy 
 favour, O Father eternal, for the fake of Jefus 
 Chrift, who died for the fins of men, and rofe again 
 for their redemption. Amen. * 
 
 2O. For following the example of pious pcrfons. 
 f\ Almighty Father and God of Ijrael^ who had' 
 remembered thy moft faithful fervants with a 
 peculiar mercy, leaving their example to all fuc- 
 ceeding ages ; grant that I may meditate on the 
 conduct of fuch pious persons, as were moft diftin- 
 guiflied in their time, that devoting my heart to 
 thee, I may never depart from thy truth and righ- 
 teous ways. I praife thy holy name for all thy fer- 
 vants departed this life,, in thy faith and fear, be- 
 ieeching thee to give me grace to follow their good, 
 example, that with them I may be a partaker of thy 
 heavenly kingdom.. Grant this, O Father, for J-efiis- 
 Cbriji his fake, our only Advocate and Mediator ! 
 
 21, For a good life and a happy death. 
 f~\ LORD, and Father of my life, I behold my days 
 ^^^ paffing away like a {hadow : fhcd thy influence 
 on my heart,, that I may improve the remainder of. 
 them, and recover the precious time which I have 
 loft ! Inftrul me, O God of wifdom, how to pre- 
 pare rayfelf for that hour, when. I mall appear before 
 thy judgment- feat ! that being full of the hopes of a 
 bliisful iinr mortality, I may rather defire than dread, 
 my diiibluuon. Thy eternal decree is paft : it is 
 appointed to man once to die : O teach me to meet 
 the kinj of terrors without djfrnay : teach me to 
 
 receive
 
 ( 37 ) 
 
 receive him as a welcome meflenger, and whether 
 early or late, let me joyfully obey thy fummons \ 
 This I beg, for Jefus Chrift his fake. Amen. 
 
 HYMNS. 
 
 r. For gratitude. 
 u T TTHEN all thy mercies, O my God, 
 
 * My rifing foul furveys, 
 Tranfported with the view, I am loft 
 In wonder, love, and praife. 
 
 O how fliall words with equal warmth 
 
 The gratitude declare, 
 That glows within my ravifh'd heart, 
 
 But thou canft read it there. 
 
 Thy providence my life fuftahrd, 
 
 And all my wants redreft, 
 When in the filent womb I lay, 
 
 And hung upon the breaft. 
 
 To all my weak complaints and cries, 
 
 Thy mercy lent an ear, 
 Ere yet my feeble thoughts had learnt, 
 
 To form themfelves in pray'r. 
 
 Unnumber'd comforts on my foul, 
 
 Thy tender care beftow'd, 
 Before my infant heart conceiv'd 
 
 From whence thofe comforts flow'dr 
 
 When
 
 C 38 ) 
 
 When in the flipp'ry paths of youth 
 
 With heedlefs ftep I run, 
 Thine arm unfeen convey'd me fafe, 
 
 And led me up to man : 
 
 Thro' hidden danger?, toils, and deaths, 
 
 It gently clear'd my way, 
 And thro' the pleafmg paths of vice 
 
 More to be fear'd than they. 
 
 When worn by ficknefs, oft haft thou 
 With health renew'd my face ; 
 
 And when in fins and forrows funk, 
 Renew'd my foul with grace. 
 
 Through every period of my life, 
 
 Thy goodnefs I'll purfue ; 
 And after death in diftant worlds, 
 
 The glorious theme renew. 
 
 When nature fails, and day and night, 
 
 Divide thy works no more j 
 My ever grateful heart, O Lord, 
 
 Thy mercy (hall adore." 
 
 2 . For protection from wicked perfons. 
 
 " '"Po God I cried, with anguifli ftung, 
 
 * Nor form'd a fruitlefs pray'r j 
 O fave me from the lying tongue, 
 And lips that would infnare. 
 
 Safe
 
 f 39 ) 
 
 Safe fliall I gc, and fafe return 
 
 While He my life defends, 
 Whofe eyes my ev'ry ftep difcern 
 
 Whofe mercy never ends !" 
 
 3. jflgainft flattery. 
 HTo Thee I call ; O hafte thee near ; 
 
 My voice, great God, indulgent hear $ 
 With grateful odor to the Ikies 
 As incenfe let my pray'r arife, 
 And let my hands, uplifted high, 
 With full acceptance meet thine eye. 
 Let virtue's friends, feverely kind, 
 With welcome chaftifement my mind 
 Corredl ; but give not thefe to {bed 
 The balm of flattery o'er my head, 
 Left fudden from thy wrath, I feel 
 The ftroke, that none can ever heal. *' 
 
 4. On the fiortnefs and vanity 
 <( TTEAR, Lord, my pray'r, and let my cries 
 
 Accepted to thy throne arife : 
 O turn not thou thy face away, 
 Nor longer my relief delay ; 
 But mark my forrow from on high, 
 And pitying to my call reply. 
 Faft as the mountain fmoke decays, 
 On Time's light pinion flit my days : 
 As fades the fhadow of the fun 
 With quick decline my moments run, 
 Juft verging to their clofe : my face 
 Its vernal bloom and youthful grace, 
 
 Extin
 
 ( 4 ) 
 
 Extingulfh'd withers on the eye, 
 As plants beneath a hoftile fky. 
 But thou bleft guard of Ifrael's fold 
 Shalt ages fee, on ages roll'd, 
 And thron'd above, to endlefs days, 
 Extend thy honour, name, and praife." 
 
 5. For repentance and truji in God,- 
 *' T ORD ! to my wants thy ear incline ; 
 Behold me, as with grief I pine i 
 My hope confirm, and guard from ill 
 A foul fubje&ed to thy will. 
 From rifing to declining day, 
 To thee with fervent lips I pray r 
 Propitious to thy fervant's heart 
 Thy chearing influence impart i 
 To thee, to thee 1 vent my care ; 
 1 know thee Lord, nor flovv to (pare,, 
 Nor weak to vindicate from harm y 
 The foul wifh^pure devotion warm'. 
 My days with forrow clouded o'er,, 
 Thy wonted fuccou.rs I implore. 
 Long as I breathe the vital air, 
 Thy love, my loudeft praife fhall fhare, 
 Whofe aid my foul' with health has crown'd 
 And fnatch'd me from the pit profound." 
 
 6. TZv Chrifiiati 1 s contemplation^ 
 ** TN vain the dufkymght retires, 
 
 And fullen fhadows fly : 
 In vain the morn with purple iighr,- 
 Adorns the eaftern fky.
 
 In vain, the gaudy rifing fun,- 
 
 The wide horizon gilds ; 
 Comes glitt'ring o'er the iilver flreams/ 
 
 And chears the dewy fields. 
 
 In vain difpenfing vernal fweets, 
 
 The morning breezes play ; 
 In vain the birds with chearful Tongs, 
 Salute the new-born day. 
 
 In vain, unlefs my Saviour's face 
 Thefe gloomy clouds controul, 
 
 And diflipate the fullen {hades, 
 That prefs my drooping foul. 
 
 Oh ! vifit then thy fervant, Lord, 
 
 With favour from on high, 
 Arife my bright immortal fun, 
 
 And all thefe {hades will die, 
 
 O when fhall I behold thy face, 
 
 All radiant and ferene, 
 Without thofe envious dufky clouds, 
 That make a veil between ? 
 
 When {hall that long expected day 
 
 Of facred vifion be, 
 When my impatient foul {hall make 
 
 A near approach to thee :" 
 
 7. Oit
 
 ( 42 J 
 
 7. On the excellency of the bible 
 
 M (** RE AT God, with wonder and with praife 
 
 On all thy Works I look-} 
 But ft ill thy wifdom, pow'r, and grace 
 Shine brighteft in thy Book. 
 
 The flats, that in their courses roll, 
 
 Have much inftru<Ttion giv'nj 
 But thy good Word informs my (oul 
 
 How I may climb to heav'n* 
 
 The fields provide me food, and (how 
 
 The goodnefs of the LORP j 
 But fruits of life and glory grow 
 
 In thy moft holy Word, 
 
 Hear are my choiceft treafures hid, 
 
 Here my beft comfort lies, 
 Here my defires are fatisfy'd, 
 
 And hence my hopes arife. 
 
 Lord make me underftand thy law, 
 
 Shew what my faults have been, 
 And from thy gofpel let me draw, 
 
 Pardon for all my fin,. 
 
 Here do I learn how Chrift has dy'd, 
 
 To fave my foul from hell, 
 Not all the books on earth befide, 
 
 Such heavenly wonders tell. 
 
 Then
 
 ( 43 ) 
 Then let me fearch thy fcripturcs more, 
 
 And with renewM delight, 
 By day read all thy wonders o'er, 
 
 And meditate by night." 
 
 8. The ckriftiarfi hope. 
 
 " T T7HEN rifing from the bed of death, 
 
 O'erwhelm'd with guilt and fear, 
 I fee my maker, face to face, 
 O how fhail I appear. 
 
 If yet while pardon may be found, 
 
 And mercy may be fought, 
 My heart with inward horror fiinnkf, . 
 
 And trembles at the thought. 
 
 When thou, O Lord, fhall (land difclos'd, 
 
 In majefty fevere, 
 And fit in judgment on my foul, 
 
 O how (hall I appear I 
 
 But thou haft told the troubled mind. 
 
 Who does her fins lament, 
 The timely tribute of her tears 
 
 Shall endlefs woe prevent. 
 
 Then fee the forrow of my heart, 
 
 E're yet it be too late ; 
 And hear my Saviour's dying groans, 
 
 To give thefe forrows weight. 
 
 For
 
 ( 44 ) 
 For never fhall my foul defpair, 
 
 Her pardon to procure,' 
 Who knows thy only Son has dy'd, 
 
 To make h:r pardon fure." 
 
 " Injlruftiens for the proper celebration of our 
 Supper, by ARCHBISHOP SVNGE. 
 
 I . Of general preparation, 
 
 TF you would maintain and" keep yourfelf in a cott- 
 ftant general preparation for the holy communion, 
 fo as always to b? fit, upon the fhorteft notice, to 
 partake of it, (which every ehritHan ought to en- 
 deavour after) be careful in the obfervation of thefc 
 following rules, 
 
 1. Be diligent in your endeavours to know and 
 underfland the feveral parts of your duty to GW, to 
 man, and to yourfelf '; for which end, you muft be 
 careful to make the beft ufe you can of thofe means- 
 cf inftruclion and knowledge which God has put 
 into your power ; fuch as reading the holy ferip- 
 tures, and other good books, or hearing them read j 
 attending upon the public offices of preaching, cate- 
 chizing, and the like *. 
 
 2. You mtiit, upon all occafions, be induftrious 
 and zealous in avoiding every fin, and in perform- 
 ing every duty according to your ability and oppor- 
 tunity f. 
 
 * Prov. iv. 5. John v, 39. 2 Tina. iii. 15. John xiii. 17. 
 J- Tit, ii. 1114, Matt. vii. 21. Luke xii. 47. 
 
 You
 
 ( 45 ) 
 
 3. You muft very often think and meditate upon 
 your ways, and all your particular pra&ices, and 
 examine whether or no they are agreeable to the 
 rules of your duty ; that whatever you find you have 
 been deficient in, or done amifs, you may take the 
 better care to rectify and amend for the time to 
 come *. 
 
 For which end and purpofe, this following eafy, 
 but very profitable tafk, is recommended : namely, 
 two or three times in the courfe of each day, to 
 carry your thoughts back, and confider wha you 
 have been thinking, or doing, and how you luve 
 fpent your time. As for example ; afk yourfelf, 
 
 When firft I awaked, did I think upon God, and 
 recommend myfelf to his almighty care and protec- 
 tion ? Did not worldly, or finful thoughts, firft take 
 pofleffion of my heart ? 
 
 I was lately in fuch and fuch company ; how and 
 after what manner did I behave myfelf; were all 
 my words and actions innocent, modeft, and decent? , 
 Did I give no offence to God, or fcandal to the 
 world, by any thing which I either faid or did 01^ 
 that occafion ? &c. 
 
 Such queftions as thefe, if you would conftantly 
 and ferioufly put home to your confcience, while* 
 things remain frefh in your memory, would have 
 great influence upon you, to reftrain you from evil, 
 *nd excite you to do that which is good with joy 
 and pleafure. 
 
 * Pfalm iv. 4 and cxix. 59, Lam, iii. 40. 
 
 2. Of
 
 ( 46 ) 
 . Of particular preparation. 
 
 I. Whenever notice is given of the celebration 
 of the holy communion, immediately refolve by no 
 means to mifs that opportunity of commemorating 
 the fufferings of your blefled Lord and Saviour. 
 
 II. In the midft of all your bufmefs, often call to 
 mind, that fuch a day you muft not be abfent from 
 God's holy table, and therefore be very careful not 
 to do any thing which may render you unfit for it. 
 
 III. At fome feafons it is very necefiary that 
 every man (hould fet a little time apart for the more 
 ftricl and particular examination of his confcience. 
 But where a man often receives the holy commu- 
 nion, and never mifl.?s any opportunity for it, I do 
 not conceive that fuch a particular examination is 
 every time abfolutely neceflary ; nor have all men, 
 at all times, leifure enough for it : but no man ought 
 to receive the holy communion without fome pre- 
 vious examination of himfelf. For the more eafy 
 and regular performance of this, I would have you 
 remember, that the whole duty of a chriftian is 
 reducible to three heads*, and every time you 
 receive the holy communion, you ought by all 
 means to put at leaft thefe three queftions ferioufly 
 home to your confcience. 
 
 1. Do I effectually fhew my love to God, by a 
 due honour and refpeft to him in all my thoughts, 
 words, and actions ? 
 
 2. Have I a true and fmcere love for myfelf: 
 that is, do I love my foul better than my body ? and 
 
 * Matt, xxii. 37, &e.
 
 ( 47 ) 
 
 am I more heartily concerned to fccure my ever- 
 lafting happinefs in the world to come, than -to 
 compafs my pleafure or profit in this life ? 
 
 3. Have 1 a real and fincere love for all mankind, 
 without exception ? And do I avoid hurting any 
 perfon by word or deed ? (where I can poflibly avoid 
 it?) And am I ready to do good to every one 
 whatfoever, wherever I have ability and oppor- 
 tunity ? 
 
 If you meditate on thefe three queftions ferioufly 
 for a little time, there is fcarce any fin that you have 
 been guilty of, but it will occur to you. 
 
 4. When by the examination of your confcience 
 you have fet your fins in your view, ufe in your 
 ordinary devotions this, or fome fuch like confef- 
 fion of them to God, 
 
 PRAYER. 
 2. jiconfejjionofjln. 
 
 " f~\ MOST gracious God ! 1 thy unworthy crea- 
 ture, humbly acknowledge my fins before 
 thee. Befides thofe which I have now recolle&ed, I 
 lie under the guilt of many more tranfgreifions, 
 which I am not able to recount or remember. I 
 have committed many fins, contrary to the motions 
 of thy grace, and the light and conviction of my 
 own confcience ; and therefore do moft juftly deferve 
 the feverity of thy wrath and indignation againft me. 
 But, Lord, I fly unto thee for mercy ! For the fake 
 of Chrift Jefus, my Redeemer, be merciful to me 
 in the pardon of all my fins ; and fo guide and aflift 
 me by thy good grace, that for the time to come I 
 
 may
 
 ( 48 ) 
 
 e careful to abftain from every evil thing, and 
 keep a conference void of offence towards thee and 
 towards mankind : This I beg, through the fame 
 Jefus Chrift, my blefTed Lord and Saviour, Amen." 
 
 3. For divine ajjijtance. 
 
 *' 1VT OST merc 'f u l God, who haft given thine 
 only Son Jefus Chrift to die for our fins, 
 grant me thy grace, I humbly befeech thee, that I 
 may never be unmindful, but always truly thankful 
 for that ineftima'ule benefit vouchfafed unto me by 
 his death and fufferings ; and fo fit and prepare me, 
 O Lord, by the afliftance of thy Holy Spirit, that 
 both at this, and all other times, t may be rightly 
 qualified to commemorate the paffion of my bJefled 
 Redeemer irTthat holy ordinance which he hath ap- 
 pointed ; and alfo thereby effectually to partake of 
 that redemption which he has wrought for all man- 
 kind. This I beg, through the fame Jefus Chrift 
 our Lord. Amen. 
 
 4. On behaviour at the holy communion. 
 
 1. At the holy communion, as at all other times 
 in the vvorfhip of God, ftrive as much as you can, 
 to keep your mind intent and fixed upon what you 
 are about ; and lay afide not only all wicked thoughts, 
 but likewife all fuch as are impertinent to the pre- ' 
 fent bufinefs. 
 
 2. Take care to behave yourfelf with fuch out- 
 ward decency and compofednefs, as may be a fuffi- 
 cient token of that inward devotion and reverence 
 which you bear in your heart, without gazing about, 
 or any way unneceffarily moving your body, or 
 
 whif-
 
 ( 49 ) 
 
 M r hifperirtg to any one that is near you, or doing 
 any thing of the like nature. 
 
 3. While the fervice is performing, join all along 
 with the minifter and congregation, with your heart 
 and thoughts lifted up to God ; and with your tongue 
 alfo, where the liturgy requires that any thing 
 (hould be fpoken aloud by the people ; as in the 
 refponfes, the confellion, the Lord's prayer, &c. 
 
 4. Take care, likewife, to avoid all affe&ation, 
 and not to behave yourfelf in fuch a manner, as if" 
 you had a mind to be taken notice of for a perfon of 
 extraordinary devotion. For which reafon, what- 
 ever private prayers or meditations you may have to 
 offer to God, put them up in your -thoughts alone, 
 let not your voice be heard, but when the public 
 office requires it. 
 
 5. When you have received the Bread, offer up 
 thi, or fouie fuch fhort ejaculation to God : 
 
 O God ! grant that by the Buffering of my dear 
 Sftviour^ u'ho was crucified for me^ 1 may efcape eter~> 
 nal fujfiringS) and be made partaker of everlafting 
 ghry ! 
 
 And when you have received the Cup, fay thus in 
 your heart ; 
 
 O ^raciout Cod ! grant that by the jhedding of the 
 Ih-'jd of toy dear Son y I may obtain the remijjion of all 
 fr.yjins; and ajjift me^ O GW, to remember him with 
 gratitude^ fraife^ and adoration. 
 
 5. After having the communion table; 
 
 While the bread and wine are distributing to the 
 reft of the congregation, entertain yourlclf with 
 fuch meditations and prayers as thefe. 
 
 D I, Bethink
 
 * 50 
 
 . "Bethink yourfelf what thofe fins are, to which 
 ^you have been moft inclined ; and in the prefence 
 -of God, ferioufly and ftedfaftly renew your refolu- 
 tions of being careful to abftain from them for the 
 *ime to come. 
 
 2. Confider what opportunities you ordinarily 
 .have for the doing of any good works, and ftedfaftly 
 purpofe to be diligent hereafter in making ufe of 
 .them. 
 
 6. To this add the following prayer. 
 For refolution. 
 
 *' TVT ERCIFUL ^^' affi ^ me w ' th tb y race an< ^ 
 
 holy fpirit that I may always keep thofe 
 vows and good refolutions, which thou haft enabled 
 me to make ; that I may -never return te any of 
 my former fins, but hereafter ferve thee faithfully 
 in the conftant practice of virtue and religion, 
 through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen." 
 
 4. And here exprefc your charity, by putting up 
 a prayer for alJ mankind in this or the like form : 
 
 For charity. 
 
 T ORD, if it be thy gracious will, extend thy 
 mercy and companion unto all mankind. En- 
 lighten the minds of thofe that are ignorant, and 
 nove the wills of thofe that are obftinate, that they 
 all may receive thy holy truth, and carefully live in 
 the practice of it. Pardon my enemies, O Lord, 
 .and bring them, and all of us through the whole 
 world, to true repentance, that we may all live 
 righteoufly here, and in. the end, be happy with thee 
 thereafter, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen." 
 
 5. Then
 
 5. Then entertain yourfelf with reading and me^ 
 ditating upon fome felect portions of the holy fcrip- 
 ture, until fuch time as the minifter is ready to pro- 
 ceed with the public office. I need not here tran- 
 fcribe any particular texts, but will leave you to 
 make choice of fuch as are moft agreeable to you. 
 If you fhould be at a lofs, read the hundred and nine- 
 teenth pfolm, where you will eafily find proper matter 
 enough to employ your devouteft thoughts upon this 
 occafion. 
 
 Duty after thefervue. 
 
 6. When the fervice is ended, and the congre- 
 gation difmiffed, depart to your home or place of 
 abode, and as fcon as you have a convenient oppor- 
 tunity of retiring into fome private place, firft look 
 back, and confider whether or no, in the perform- 
 ance of this holy office, y-Qu have behaved yourfelf 
 in all things as you ought to have done j and if you 
 find that you have been any way fliort, or defe&ive 
 therein, refolve to take better care for the time tQ 
 come. 
 
 7. And then conclude with this or the like prayer, 
 
 9. For gratitude. 
 
 " T ORD, I defire to return my moft humble and 
 
 ~* hearty thanks to thee, for all thy bleffings^ 
 
 both fpiritual and temporal, which thou haft vouch- 
 
 fafed to me. At this time particularly I praife and 
 
 blefs thy holy name, for the opportunity which thou 
 
 haft this day given me of commemorating the death 
 
 and paflion of my blefled Redeemer, and of teftifying 
 
 my faith in the all-fufficient facrifice which he made 
 
 D ^ for
 
 for the fins of mankind, by my participation of tkat 
 holy ordinance which he appointed. Lord, pardon 
 all my defecls in the performance of this great duty. 
 .And I befeech thee aflift me hereafter with thy grace, 
 that in the whole courfe of my life I may ever be 
 careful to fulfil and perform thofu vows and refolu- 
 tions which 1 have made to- thee, through Jcius 
 Chriii our Lord. Amen. 
 
 10. General rule in regard .to the Sacrament. 
 
 Endeavour, as the occafion arifes, to call to mind 
 what you 'have thought, and faid, and done, before 
 and after the holy communion. And beg God to 
 aflift you, that you may remember your Saviour 
 with conftant gratitude, praife and adoration, that 
 this remembrance may coiiftantly reftrain you from 
 all manner of wickednefs. 
 
 Upon the afiault of any temptation thus bethink 
 yourfelf: 
 
 At fuch a time I received the holy communion, 
 and then I ferioufly refolved, and folemnly promiied 
 to Almighty God, that I would heartily endeavour, 
 in all points, to live like a chrijlian. Shall I then, 
 on any account, lye, curfe, fwear, talk profanely or 
 obfcenely, commit any fin of uncleannefs, fteal, 
 cheat, or do or think any manner of wickednefs? 
 No- God forbid ! I have engaged myfelf to God to 
 mend my life, and to be another fort of perfon. 
 And what can I expect but wrath and indignation 
 from him, if knowingly and wilfully I fliould violate 
 thole promifes which I fo deliberately and fteadfaftly 
 made to him." 
 
 DIS-
 
 ( S3 ) 
 
 DISCOURSE VI : f. 
 
 Reflexions on the Archbifiop's fentiments and advice. 
 The grofs folly of falfe reafoning in relation to our 
 Lord's Supper^ and the ignorance frequently difeo~ 
 I'ered by tbofe who negkft this ejjential part of their 
 religion. 
 
 SO far thou feeft t'he fentirrients of a very good 
 and great man in the perfon of an Archbifhop, 
 Thou p&rceiveft that he lays his ftrefs on offences 
 which ought to create an alarm, being knowingly 
 and wilfully committed j not on infirmities and ac- 
 cidental trefpaflcs. And what is the nature of wil- 
 ful tranfgreflions ? Whether thou receiveft or re-~ 
 ceiveft not, thefe are high offences ? What is thy 
 baptifmal vow? What is any thing relating to thy 
 belief in the oracles of God, contained in the holy 
 fcriptures ? Are not fuch offences forbidden ? if 
 thou neglecteft the means of reftraint which our 
 Lord and Saviour has fo mercifully appointed as a 
 memorial of his death, and the reafon for which he 
 was pleafed' to fuffer fo much torture j with what 
 degree of common fenfe canft thou, or any chriftian 
 pretend, that it is better upon the whole to negleft 
 thofe means than to ufe them ? Will not the fame 
 reafoning hold for neglecting fober converfation, 
 prayer, truth andjuftice, and a habit of every thing 
 that is good and worthy of praife ? All muft arife 
 from a fcnfe of religion. 
 
 D 3 Believe
 
 ( 54 ) 
 
 Believe me, my dear child, there never was an 
 inftance in any country, profefling a belief of any 
 kind, where a greater abiurdity has been committed 
 by creatures bearing the noble diftinction of reafon, 
 than our neglect in this inftance. 
 
 The principle of felf-pr^fervation is the ftrongeft 
 in nature, even in the brute which perifhes. Shall 
 man, the image of his maker, endowed with fuch 
 noble faculties, the heir of the glories of immorta- 
 lity, vilify himfelf fo much as to depart from his 
 true intereft and eternal happinefs ? 
 
 Chrift is the great Captain of our Salvation. He 
 commands us to remember him^ and to do it in a 
 certain manner. He does not leave it to us ; but 
 he fays Do this in remembrance cf me. It partakes of 
 the greateft folly to pretend to be a fmcere follower 
 of Chrift, and not to remember him in the manner 
 he hath commanded. Thou feeft by the little 
 tracl left us by an Archbiftiop, what he thought of 
 this matter. 
 
 Let thy heart weep, my child, when thou heareft 
 what I am going to fay. I have great reafon to fear 
 there are many who live and die without receiving 
 the facrament of our Lord's Suppert Some begin 
 late in life, and fome negleft this duty, and leave 
 off very early, either ftupidly, or as they forget 
 'themfelves and take to evil courfes. 
 
 Negligence in this article arifes from wicked or 
 foolifh rcafons, or no reafons at all. People ftand 
 in awe of this folemnity, as of a very good and 
 facred inftituuon, but do not partake of it, becaufe 
 
 they
 
 ( 5J 1 
 
 they do not think themfelves good enough' ; and' they 
 al as if they were determined to be no better: while-' 
 they lay with their lips it is very good, they act as- 
 if it were no means of making them good ; which' 
 is a contradiction. They confider not that it is- 
 required by Chrijl bimfelf. 
 
 We differ much in practice from the papifts, -who 1 
 think themfelves in a dangerous ftate- without it ; 
 they afcribe to it marvellous powers, as if the priert 
 had a faculty of converting bread and wine into- the 7 
 body and blood of Chrift, which is' contrary to our 
 fenfes : but ftill they are fincere in their reverence 
 of it.. 
 
 I put it to this fimple iffue. If I were to invite 
 my neighbour to fup with me, and he excufed him- 
 felf becaufe his perfort was not in a cleanly condi- 
 tion, would'ft not thou be aftonifhed that he did not 
 fet about to wafh himfelf ? But fuppofing I were to 
 furnifh him with the requifites for making himfelf- 
 clean, and he ftill infifted that he could not come ; 
 fhouldefl thou not fufpect that he was difinclined to 
 my friendfhip, and fought for a reafon to excufe?" 
 himfelf? 
 
 It is a melancholy confideration, that we of this 
 nation pretending to be fo wife, fhould be {ofoolifi* 
 There is no miracle in the effects of this celebra- 
 tion : it neither faves nor eleftroys, but as it operates 1 - 
 on the hearts, the lives, and manners of men like 
 other religious duties j but this is of the greatelt 
 moment. 
 
 D 4 Our
 
 f 56 } 
 
 Our Lord and Matter, the great Redeemer, hi 
 whom we profels to truft, invites us to his Tupped j 
 as upon another occafion he fays, " come unto me 
 all ye who travel and are heavy laden, and I will 
 refrefh you." And can any one go to the fupper 
 of our Lord, properly prepared, and not feel him- 
 felf refreshed in fpirit ? He directs us, on this occa- 
 fion, the moft folemn the world ever knew, to come 
 to his fupper. He, the Son of God, the Lord of Life 
 was going to die for us, and commanded us to do this 
 in remembrance of him ; and doft thou think, while 
 memory holds a place in thy brain, thou oughteft 
 forget him ? He tells us why we fhould commemorate 
 his death, and bow it is to be done. He bids u$ 
 receive the bread and wine in remembrance of his 
 death and paffion, of his body pierced, and blood 
 fpilt, as a token of his wonderful love towards us j 
 and requires this memorial to be continued through 
 every generation, until his coming again in glory, 
 to judge both the living and the dead ! 
 
 Good God ! is it poflibie people can be fuch fools 
 as not to fee the force of this command? Would 
 any pcrfon in his right mind, refufe fuch an invita- 
 tion from the greateft and beft friend in the world, 
 upon fo vaft and important an occafion ? Can any 
 one decline corning to this heavenly entertainment, 
 without a neglect which is an affront to fo great a 
 Lord of fo great a feaft ? 
 
 If we confider the command, as coming from the 
 great Captain of our falvation, is not our refufal to 
 
 obey
 
 . ( 57 ) 
 
 obey it, of the fame nature as a foldier's offence, 
 when he difobeys his commander ? 
 
 To reafon calmly we may afk in what confifts 
 the difference between a law which commands a^ 
 thing to be done, and the fame authority which 
 orders a thing not to be done ? " Do this in remem- 
 brance of KM" is as abfolute a command, as one of- 
 the ten commandments " Thou Jkalt not jleal" If 
 thou doft flea] thou knoweft it is a breach of this 
 commandment. If thou doft not receive the facra- 
 ment, and in this ac~t remember Chrijl, is it not 
 likewife an abfolute breach of one of the laws of 
 Chrift ? 
 
 I beg thou wilt obferve that the intention of this 
 celebration, eught to be confidered in thefe feveral 
 views. - 
 
 I. It is td fix and imprint on our minds, in a 
 manner the moft lofting^ the remembrance of the 
 death of Chrift, as the ftrongeft motive to our obe- 
 dience. 
 
 : . It is a commemoration- of his death, in an 
 humble acknowledgment of its being the only. ground 
 of cur hope of pardon. 
 
 3. It is a public declaration to the world of our 
 faith in him, and that we on our part, will endea- 
 vour to continue down the memory of his love to all 
 generations, 
 
 4. It is the higheft expre/fion of our thanks and 
 gratitude to God for his unfpeakable mercy in fend- 
 ing his Son into the world for the redemption of 
 mankind. 
 
 D 5 5. It
 
 ( 58 ) 
 
 5- It is alfo a confirmation, on our part, of the 
 covenant which God hath made with us, and a 
 thankful acceptance of thofe conditions of pardon^ 
 which he has offered, and whereby we acknowledge 
 and renew our obligations to obey him. 
 This was perfectly well underftood by old Anthony 
 Albans, Thou remembered the fad accident which 
 happened to him near us, by his being overturned 
 in a road waggon, at the age of feventy-four. He 
 was bruifed and broken in a terrible manner, and 
 it was thought he had but few hours to live. He 
 had been accuftomed to receive our Lord's Supper 
 almoft every month, for half an hundred years ; and 
 in this great extremity he exprefied the moft long- 
 ing defires to perform this laft duty to his crucified 
 .Lord. By the interpofition of the good lady thy 
 miftrefs, a clergyman was found ; and Anthony, 
 with all the fincerity of a dying man, was prepared 
 for eternity. By the mercy of God, and by means 
 of that lady's charity and pious kindnefs, he reco- 
 vered. His temperance, and the calmnefs of his 
 affection, were apparently inftrumental to his cure, 
 but perhaps not fo much fo as the calmnefs of his 
 mind, produced by his cuftom of teftifyifig his faith 
 in Chrift, and the pracice of obedience to God's 
 laws. As foon as his furgeon permitted him to go 
 abroad, Anthony repaired to the houfe of prayer, 
 there Lo pour forth his foul in grateful thankfgivings 
 for the mercies which he had received. 
 
 Anthony ufed to reafon thus : " of all commands 
 " is it not natural to lay the greateft ftrefs upon 
 
 " thofe
 
 ( 59 ) 
 
 "'thofe which are given us by our friends a little 
 "before their death, efpecially if we really love 
 "them, and they particularly defire it to be don, 
 "in remembrance of them ?" And who is our bed 
 friend ? furely Chrift who died for us And do we 
 not wifh that Chrift fhould remember us when he 
 corneth to gather together his faithful fervants and 
 take them to heaven ? If, MARY, the lady whom 
 thou art now going to ferve, (hould by an aftonifhing 
 mark of her love and compaffion for thee, preferve 
 thy life ; fnatch thee alfp-from the grave, or but die 
 herfelf in the attempt to do fo. Suppofe likewife 
 that file were to leave thee a creditable maintenance, 
 upon the condition of thy doing fome particular act 
 cafily performed ; wouldft thou not do it ? If thou 
 didft it not, would not thy conduct be ungrateful, 
 dark as the regions below, whilft thy folly was the 
 derifion of children ? Thou wouldeft lofe thy ftipport 
 by a negligence which would plunge thee into po- 
 verty, and gain thee the character of a mad perfon 
 or an idiot. And yet, alas ! this is nearly the cafe 
 of the negligent, in refpect to the Sacrament of the 
 Lord's Supper. What can thy miftrefs, or any 
 mortal do for thee ? She may help to fave thy life 
 for a few days or years, and render it comfortable, 
 whilft it lafteth, and then all her kindnefs muft end : 
 but Cbrijl has promifed a crown of everlafting glory 
 to all his faithful followers ! 
 
 As to the matter which frightens fo many people, 
 
 the danger of eating and drinking unworthily, it 
 
 Hands thus. St. Paul reminds the Corinthians^ that 
 
 D 6 as
 
 ( 60 ) 
 
 as they had houfo to eat and drink in, they fhould 
 not come to the houfe of God and to the Lord's 
 Supper, without diftinguifhing a folemn act of reli- 
 gion, from a common meal, which was the crime 
 of forne of them. Well might he tell them, this 
 \vas eating and drinking their own condemnation ; 
 which he explains by faying, that God would be 
 provoked to inflict feveral kinds of judgments upon 
 them, if they continued to off fo wicked a part. But 
 what is this to the purpofe of thofe childifh and fan- 
 taftical fears, which a great part of us entertain in 
 relation to the celebration of this ac"l of devotion? 
 Solemn indeed it is, and aweful ; but when we fail 
 down on our knees before God, or fend up our 
 hearts to him in prayer, is not this alfo a folemn 
 and aweful duty ? 
 
 As well may we fay, that we will never pray, 
 becaufe it requires thought and fdrioufnefs, as to fay 
 that we will not receive the fccrament, becaufe it 
 requires thought and fcrioufnefs, and we may offend 
 God if we are carelefs. We offend him rr.olt furely 
 by our not reviving. And i we -are to go to the 
 table of our Lord in charity with all men, with an in- 
 tention to lead a new life ; can we do a greater 
 good to our own fouls than to go? In prayer we 
 implore the mercies of heaven, upon the terms and 
 conditions of forgiving others j which is far from 
 being a hard tnfk. And as we are always fuppofed 
 to mean to repent, if we repent we amend : why- 
 then give up this part of our duty ? 
 
 Let
 
 ( 6i ) 
 
 Let the foolifh world confider the Lord's-prayer : 
 they will be aftonifhed how they could live Co long- 
 in neglect of the facrament, and \et fay this prayer 
 once or twice every day of their lives ! They pray, 
 that the will of God may be done on earth as it is- 
 in heaven, yet in thi:- particular they regard not his- 
 exprefs command : but do thou, my child, wait on 
 the Lord, and keep his way. 
 
 In refpedi to the frequency of receiving, there is 
 no time exactly pointed out. The doing it fre- 
 quently feems to be implied, by the words of our 
 Saviour, " Do this as oft as ye drink it in remem- 
 brance of me," Cuftom and confidemion for the 
 labour of the clergy may reftrain fome well mean- 
 ing people from receiving often, but for my own 
 part, I fee not how any chriftian can decently turn 
 his back on the Lord's table. The primitive chrif- 
 tians received continually when thc j y met. 
 
 Thou haft received the facrament more than 
 once ; for heaven's fake, my chilJ, go on I I know 
 too well \fraAJitryaNts are generally extremely remifs 
 in this duty : A very honed domeftic once afked 
 me, on occalion of my expoftulation, lt Lord Sir, 
 would you have me go among gentlemen ;" as if 
 he had conceived that the duty extended only to the 
 higher claffes ; furely he was very little acquainted 
 with the new teftament and the hiftory of our 
 Saviour, and his difciples. The whole diipenfation 
 of the gofpel confounds all human grandeur, when 
 fet in competition with an humble and contrite heart. 
 
 This
 
 ( 62 ) 
 
 This poor man was convinced by my arguments, 
 and adled like a chrijllan. 
 
 If it fhould be the cafe with thy fellow-fervants, 
 I charge thee, as thou loveft the name of Chrift, 
 and hopeft for mercy through his blood and fuffer- 
 ings, that thou followefl not their example in neg- 
 ligence, but ftrivefl: to induce them to follow thine ; 
 and by difcharging their obligation, promote their 
 own fafety and happinefs. Bid them read the com- 
 munion fervice with attention, and examine what 
 the thing is before they condemn it, or in effect 
 condemn themfelvcs. If they are fcrupulous, let 
 them alfo read Dr. SYNGE'S excujes for not receiving 
 the facramentj anfwered. And in regard to thyfelf, 
 tell them what thy father faid.to thee at parting 
 Remind them of the grofs abfurdity of fuppofing 
 thcmfelves wifer than the wifeft, or more prudent 
 than the fobereft and beft of mankind : let- them . 
 confider whether the deftru&ion which waits on the 
 defpifers of religion, be better than peace, and con-, 
 fidence in the mercies of God, and hope in ever-: 
 lafting joy. Remind them that they are as anfwer- 
 able to God for their neglect, as any other chriflian , 
 of the firft rank and condition. The difference in 
 fituation is out of the queftion, where there is op- 
 portunity. We who move in a lower line of life 
 have adlually fewer temptations than people who arc 
 rich ; and though we know lefs, we know fo much 
 that ignorance cannot be admitted as a plea. 
 
 If thy companions fliould not be awed by thy 
 ferioufnefs in this matter, but deride thee as a young 
 
 faint,
 
 faint, thou art not to reproach them, as if they wers 
 the contrary to young faints, but be patient and go 
 en in the way thou art perfuaded is right ; and 
 mourn over their foolimnefs and obftinacy : fome of 
 them perhaps would fliut their eyes, if all the ter- 
 rors of deftruclion flood in array before them, and 
 opened wide their tremendous jaws. 
 
 Do thy duty, 1 fay, and ftill hope that others will 
 do theirs. Thus thou wilt approve thyfelf worthy, 
 and in good time receive thy reward. What canft 
 thou do more than exprefs thy forrow on this, as 
 on all other occafions, in which men tranfgrefs and 
 rebel againft common fenfe, as well as the decrees 
 of heaven ? 
 
 Faith is reafon improved by grace. In examin- 
 ing j4rcbb;fl)op Synge's inftrudlions thou feeft how 
 reafon and faith correfpond with a virtueus and reli- 
 gious life ; and let nothing in thofe inftrudlions 
 frighten thee, more than thou would'ft be afraid of 
 virtue, inftead of being afraid of vice. I hope thou 
 wilt be true to thyfelf, which is the way not to 
 be falfe to thy God, or to thy fellow-creatures. 
 " Humble thyfelf before God, and he will lift thee 
 up. Quit thyfelf manfully, be ftrong, A found 
 heart is the life of the flefh" and fpirit. 
 
 DIS-
 
 DISCOURSE VIII. 
 
 The mijlrcfis efteem- for her fervants agreeable to her 
 Jleady principle in religion. Honcjty in fervants- 
 with a prudent- condutt. The difcretion of wafers 
 and ?niftrejjes ejjential to domeflic peace. Char after 
 of an admirable female fervant. Humility neceffary 
 alljhiticns.- 
 
 in at 
 
 THOU feeft, my daughter, how much I inter-- 
 eft myfelf in thy happinefs upon the fleady. 
 principles of a rational and religious conduit. I 
 hope thou wilt value the prefent which I have made 
 thee. 7'he Lady thy miftrels will not be difpleafcd- 
 when fhe cafts her eye on thcfe exercifes, r.or will 
 fhe defpife them becaufe they come from me, but 
 judge freely of the author's performance as intended 
 For ufe_: perhaps her curiofity may be the more ex- 
 cited to read and meditate. It will not feem ftrange 
 to her, who has a generous and liberal mind, that a. 
 chriftian, and a tender father, fhould Ipend fome 
 leifure hours in collecting and compoflng a few 
 pious Invocations to heaven, fuch as 1 have reafon 
 to believe will be pleafing to a child whom he loves, 
 and on whofe virtues they will be well beftowed. 
 
 God knows what I fhall be able to do for thee, 
 in point of provifion after my death. We who de- 
 pend on the bleffing of God on our honeft labours, 
 leave our children with the fame kind of riches. 
 
 Thou
 
 Thou arC a child of providence in a diftmguifhrJ 
 manner. Trull to the goounefs of ir, ufing the 
 means which providence has fo vifibly pointed out 
 for thy fupport. Rejoice always under the care of 
 heaven ; and never expect to be happy from any 
 thing the world can give thee, independant of thy 
 hopes in a life to Come. 
 
 The connexion between thy miftrefs and thee, is 
 a folemn contract for mutual benefit, which ought 
 to be held facred ; and it is necefiary each ftiould 
 be informed, and truly underftand what the other 
 requires } that the discharge of this obligation with 
 candour and juftiee, may treaty mutual kindnefi &nd 
 regard. 
 
 Much mud be fubmjtted to in a (late of fcrvitude, 
 but upon the whole it falls fhort in toil and danger 
 of many other conditions. 
 
 In feme countries fervants are treated as flaves :: 
 but in Britain we are all free, and our treatment is 
 fuited to our liberty. Some mailers however have- 
 a properifity to tyranny, and fome fervants are a^ 
 much inclined to infolence and difobecliep.ee : but 
 this proves nothing more than that there are foolifh 
 and bad people in all conditions ; and that the good 
 ought to be the more cartful and vigilant in the 
 exertion of thofe focial virtues, on which their own 
 peace and the general benefit of mankind fo much 
 depends. 
 
 Thy firft thought fhould be, not to put thy mif- 
 trefs to any unneceflary expences ; yet nothing can 
 be a greater temptation to this, than the very reafon 
 
 that
 
 t 66 } 
 
 that makes moft againft it - f namely, the careleflhefV 
 or ignorance of a mafter or miftrefs, which renders 
 them fubjecl: to become a prey. 
 
 Let me charge thee to be ftriclly on thy guard, 
 to take no advantage,, or do any thing unjuftin"- 
 able, becaufe thou mayfft perhaps be able to do it 
 and not be difcovered.. Fraud in this cafe would, 
 be an aggravation of guilt ; a. cruelty added to in- 
 jufticej and treachery to infidelity: and thofe who 
 take unwarrantable liberties in foiall concerns, may 
 be the more eaftly betrayed into great offences. 
 
 There are fome families whofe matter or miftrefi 
 know not what their income, or expence is; they 
 are hurried on by cuftom, and habit,, and at length 
 live in perpetual diftrefs,, for want of the means of 
 i'uch a fupply,. as is neceffary to put them on a level 
 with thofe who are their moft conftant companions* 
 
 Little doft thou know of the anxiety which attends 
 the condition of many a mailer and miftrefs, to fup- 
 port their rank, in the maintenance of. their fer 
 vants : Thou would'il not envy them, if thou 
 could'ft fee their hearts. As a faithful fervant, 
 rejoice to fee thy miftrefs prudent, , though thou 
 mighteft benefit more by her being extravagant. 
 
 Thou wouldeft be, aftonifhed, my child, if I were 
 to relate to thee a quarter part of what 1 know, in 
 relation to the devaftation of people's fortune?, par- 
 ticularly by gaming, or in. keeping more fervants 
 than they can afford; or by leaving things entirely 
 to their management. As to gaming, it is a kind 
 of infinity : It is quarrelling with ourfelves : it is 
 
 an.
 
 an attempt to make ourfelves referable- As tor 
 fervants that play for money,, they ought to be con- 
 fidered as dangerous. 
 
 If thou fhouldeft become an upper fervant T or a<St 
 in any capacity of truft y be equally juft and exat. 
 Nor from a notion of charity fuffer even the poor to- 
 be fed from the table of thy miftrefs without her 
 leave. Look upon every penny of her money to 
 be facred , and touch not a farthing for thine, own 
 uie, though thou fliouldeft mean to replace it, Set 
 down what thou received immediately on the fpot i 
 and commit to writing what thou art paying, even 
 before the money is out of thine hand. Do not 
 truft thy memory, as fbme do^ left thou fliould'ft 
 iofe thy money, or be tempted to charge at random^ 
 
 In regard to honefty, thou canlj not be too fcru- 
 puloufly ftricT:.- William Stitch found in the pocket 
 of a Lord Noble's waiftcoat, which had been put into 
 his hands to new button, a bank note of an hundred 
 pounds.. Wiltiam brought it home, and defired to 
 fee my Lord \ and being admitted into his prefence, 
 told him what he had found, and that he did not 
 chufe to deliver it to any one but his LordfLip. My 
 Lord commended his honefty,. and defired William. 
 to accept of five guineas. "What, my Lord," fays 
 he, " take money for: being honeft ! no : the fatis- 
 fadion of my own mind in doing my duty is a 
 reward, that abundantly repays me.. God forbid 
 that 1 {hould be ever tempted to withhold another 
 man's right, or expe.6ta reward. for doing him iuf- 
 tice?" 
 
 Carry.
 
 ( 68 ] 
 
 Carry this in thy mind, that as gaud nwjlcft ctr,X 
 toijireffes generally make gnod fervants, fo good fer- 
 Vants not only preferve the tranquility of families) 
 but frequently are the means of fcving them from 
 ruin. My mafter once told me of a friend of his, 
 Who was obliged by misfortunes to contract his 
 expences : he had given credit to fome of his ac- 
 quaintance, who violated the moft focred ties of 
 confidence, and left him in diftrefs. In this fitua- 
 tion he was obliged, in his old age, to difcharge alt 
 his domeftics. Servants are generally acquainted" 
 with their tn&fier's cifeumfUficeSt- This gentleman 
 indeed made no feeret of hit : he told his fcrvants 
 why he paid them off. One of them, whofe name- 
 was Theodofia Hope, burft into tears, and faid to 
 him : " Sir, I haye been your cook five and twenty 
 years, I have always honoured and refpeted you f 
 you have treated me with the greateft kindnefs as a 
 mafter, a father, and a friend. I have been faving,. 
 that I might neither die for want, nor depend upon 
 my pariih for a fupport ; and I have laid by fomc 
 fcores of pounds ; but I can never live in peace 
 whillt I think that you arein any-kind of diftrefs. Ta 
 you, under the good care of providence, I owe my 
 life : to you I am indebted for much good inftruc- 
 tion, for the fafety of my foul ; I beg you will ac- 
 cept of my purle, and all it contains : it is the bounty 
 of heaven ; and in heaven I truft. He that feedeth 
 the ravens, and letteth not a rpairow fall unheeded 
 to the ground, will not forfake me. I am yet able 
 to work j fuffer me to attend your fortunes, and be 
 
 your
 
 j-oor fervant frill 1 Perhaps you may not find another 
 io faithful and affectionate !" Tbccdofia drew tears 
 from her good old mafter ; he was not too proud to 
 weep at the generofity of his fervant : her offer of 
 continuing with him was accepted. Not long after 
 a relation of his left him a confiderable fortune ; and 
 when he died., he "bequeathed a very comfortable 
 maintenance to his faithful cook-maid. 
 . Theodofia's mother alfo was an excellent woman ; 
 ihe lived to the uncommon age of 101. 
 
 This character of her is engraved upon a ftone in 
 Bromley church-yard, in Kent. 
 
 Let it be remembered 
 That there is no ftation in which induftry 
 Will not obtain power to be liberal ; 
 Nor any character on which liberality 
 
 Will- not confer honour. 
 'She had been long prepared 
 By a fimple and unaffected piety, 
 
 For that aweful moment, 
 Which however delayed, is univerfally fure. 
 How few are allowed an equal time of probation ! 
 How many by their lives prefume upon more ! 
 To perpetuate the memory of this perfon, 
 But yet more, to perpetuate the leffon of her life, 
 
 By voluntary contributions 
 
 This ftone was erected. 
 
 If a fervant is capable of the duty required, and 
 the mafter not tyrannical, neither of them will be 
 difturbed by little incidents. Each will make a 
 
 candid
 
 { 70 ) 
 
 candid allowance for the other's frailties. If mafter 
 and fervant diflike each other, or a fervant is really 
 unfit for a place, let them part with good wifhes for' 
 their mutual profperity. 
 
 Humility is a virtue required in all ftations, but 
 a proud fervant, is a moft inconfiftent character. 
 Pride and vanity lead to the depths of diftrefs. 
 Half the wretched beings of thy fex, who live on 
 the deplorable wages of iniquity, for the fhort time 
 they live at all, owe their being difcharged out of 
 fervice, \opride. 
 
 SubmiJJion is another branch of humility. St. 
 Peter recommends to us, with the force of the 
 divine commandment, " Servants be fubjecl: to your 
 " mafters, with all fear, not only to the good and 
 " gentle, but alfo to the froward : for this is thank- 
 " worthy, if a man, for confcience toward God, 
 " endure grief, fuffering wrongfully. For what 
 " glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, 
 " ye fhall take it patiently ? But if when ye do well 
 " and Tuffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is ac- 
 " ceptable with God." It is alfo faid, that " it is 
 " good for a man that he bear the yoke in his 
 " youth." He had indeed better be tried, and 
 learn patience in his early days, than in advanced 
 years. 
 
 There are cafes in which it is necefllry the knee 
 " fhould bow though the underftanding cannot." 
 This depends on the prudence of a fervant, as well 
 as his comprehenfion of the true nature of his 
 fttuation. Always confider calmly what the evil is, 
 
 and
 
 tind what the remedy may be. <l He that jfhoots at 
 *< the ftars may hurt himfelf, but cannot endanger 
 * c them." A mafter or a miftrefs may admonifh 
 once or twice, or thrice, but a continued repetition 
 of the fame faults or inadvertencies, will tire out 
 the moft patient. 
 
 My mafter was of a quick temper, and fometimcs 
 faid what he might as well have omitted : but he 
 was of a humane, friendly, and pious difpofition, 
 and generally corrected himfelf. He overlooked 
 many of my faults, and therefore I wag the more 
 patient under his. If thy miftrefs is of a lively^ 
 quick temper^ thou wilt often think her impatient^ 
 though (he {hould have the patience to tell thee ten 
 times, of the fame fault : but I charge thee to be- 
 ware of impatience, left thou fhould'ft make a pert 
 reply, and at once (hew thyfelf ill-mannered and un- 
 grateful, and ruin thyfelf in her favour. 
 
 My advice is, that inftead of refenting, thou 
 fhould'ft learn to compajfionate ." Do not imagine, 
 that mercy and companion were made to be exer- 
 cifed only by the great and wealthy towards infe- 
 riors ; the rich and powerful themfelves are fre- 
 quently as great objects of pity, as thofe who beg 
 their bread. By no means pretend to be as wife as 
 thy miftrefs : If there {hould be good reafon for be- 
 lieving thyfelf to be in the right, and fhe in the 
 wrong, yet remember how much the chance is 
 againft thee, not only from thy want of age and 
 experience, but from the lownefs of thy education, 
 
 and 
 6
 
 and die want of thofe means of obtaining know- 
 ledge which fhe has enjoyed. 
 
 Above all things avoid expoftulation with thy 
 roiftreis. It is too common a practice with pafiionate 
 perfons, when reproached, to tell mafters and mif- 
 trefles that they underfland their builnefs, forgetting 
 that the qucftion is on the article of obedience. 
 Confider what thou mayeft lofe, and how improba- 
 ble it is thou fhouldeft gain any thing by pert repliej, 
 and the gratification of talking. No mafter or mif- 
 tiefs of fpirit, will bear to be flatly contradicted by 
 -a fervant, or to argue with them about indifferent 
 matters. 
 
 In cafes wherein thy virtue is not hurt, their 
 plcafure fnould be thy law, never forgetting any 
 thing that materially affects their inter eft. If any 
 difficulty arifes in matters of fact, there is an hum- 
 ble way of afking leave to acquaint them how the 
 cafe really (rands. 
 
 If thou art accufed of any thing, as a fault, which 
 thou really thinkeft to be fuch, the honeft confel- 
 lion is the fure'ft way of obtaining pardon. 
 
 It is good policy to obferve attentively the temper 
 a party is in, at a time when accidents happen. Ufe 
 thy difcretion in all things j forget not to avoid 
 whatever has the appearances of fullennefs, and 
 make ready and direct anfwers, to the beft of thy 
 knowledge and belief, looking calmly at the perfon 
 thou art fpeaking to. 
 
 DIS.
 
 DISCOURSE IX. 
 
 Danger of fervants on changing places. 'The conduct 
 of favourites towards fcllow-fervants. Behaviour 
 ofmijlrgjjjes. Civility. Cleanli)iejs. Caution againjl 
 fire. 
 
 IT is common with fervants to entertain each 
 other, with accounts of profitable places ; and 
 HOAV much wages fome have more than others. 
 They do not confider fo much the comfort and 
 peace, the fafety, and good treatment they enjoy, 
 as how much they may get ; I fay may get, for it is 
 not the lot of one in a thoufand to gain fuch fervices 
 as are reprefented to them ; nor perhaps to have abi- 
 lities to keep fuch places, if they do gain them. 
 Servants are apt to judge of the beft places, as people 
 do f the higbeft prize in a lottery ; and in hunting 
 after an imaginary advantage, they often plunge 
 themfelves into real diftrefs. Let me advife thee, 
 MARY, ta be contented, and learn -when thou art 
 well, and not dellre to be letter than well. If thou 
 ruitiefl good treatment, let this be corjfidered as 
 Superior in value to any fuch additional wages, as 
 4hou mighteft have the fortune to obtain. In thy 
 fituation, as a young woman, a fondnefs for change 
 can hardly fail to produce mifchief. I do not fay 
 but that in due time thou mayeft reafonably expect 
 an increa/e of wages. 
 
 E If
 
 (- 74 ) 
 
 If thou fhould'ft become a favorite, employ thr 
 influence to keep peace in the family. Make open 
 profeflion of thy refoludpn, at once to be true to 
 thy miftrefs, but not the lefs friendly to thy fellow- 
 fervants, when they do their duty, 
 
 In all matters of difficulty apply to thy miftrefs, 
 and entreat of her to decide for thee. Favourites 
 are generally more feared than loved ; and more 
 intrigues are formed to enfnare them, than thoa , 
 canft fufpccT:. Our good qualities often expofe us 
 to more hatred and perfecution than all the evil we 
 do ; and yet it is not the ]efs true, that " honefty is 
 the beft policy." Truth will prevail in the end -4 
 and it is thy duty to do the bell thou canft, fairly 
 and honeftly, to promote thine own welfare. 
 
 .If unhappily any of thy fellov.'-fervants are remi'fs 
 an their duty, remind them of it .in civil and obliging 
 terms. - If they will not take thy advice, thou haft 
 jieverthelefs difchargcd thy part. When evil con- 
 fequences enfue from their not regarding thee, do 
 not aggravate their misfortunes by taunts and re- 
 proaches., as weak-minded people fometimes do. 
 All that fhould be faid is, " / wifo ym bad been of 
 my opinion" Soft words and ready anfwers, with an 
 open ingenuoufnefs, have power to calm the moft 
 jjperverfe minds. 
 
 If thou thinkeft any fellow-fervant as well in- 
 clined as thyfelf, be her friend ; but from the mo- 
 ment file is guilty of any fraud or injuftice, or en- 
 tertains thee with difcourfe againft the perfon whofe 
 bread thou art eating, thou mayeft fufpeft, that Ihe
 
 ( 75 ) 
 
 is not found at heart : fhe is ignorant or pervcrfe. 
 It fliould be thy part to foften fuch difcourfe, and 
 palliate the real faults, much more the foibles of thy 
 miftrefs : but if thou condemned her when fhe is 
 blamelefs, thou art guilty of injuftice as well as in- 
 gratitude. 
 
 Thou wilt generally find that thofe who corr.pkia 
 moft of others, are moft blameable themfelves,; 
 Reafon calmly with them. Advife them to confider 
 the condition of their fervice, to reprefent their 
 grievances, not to condemn their judge, before they 
 appeal to him for juftice. If fervants have a fenfe 
 of religion on their mind they will "hate vain 
 thoughts, and love the law of God." 
 
 As I have the happinefs to be known to the lady 
 who will tike thee, MARY, as a fervant, I promife 
 myfelf it will be fo much the better for thee, if thou 
 art not wanting to thyfelf. 
 
 She will probably tell thee, " fhe knows thy father 
 to be an honeft man j and that fhe hath a refpecl: 
 for him ; and if thou art a true daughter of his, that 
 thou wilt be a faithful and good fervant to her ; and 
 if thy conduit fheweth that thou art, thou mayeft 
 be afiured of her friendfhip." Now, my child, if 
 thou fhould'ft fet out with fuch prepofTeflions in thy 
 favour, it will be a happy omen of fuccefs : but at 
 ail events take thy lot. 
 
 There are fome people whofe thoughts are fo 
 
 cliffipatecl, that one mull repeat the fame words 
 
 before they are awake enough to know what is /aid 
 
 to them. This is a creat unhappinefs, and very 
 
 E 2 irk-
 
 ( 76 ) 
 
 irkfome to a mafter or miftrefs, but it is not alto- 
 gether incurable ; for if the fervant has any delight 
 in doing her duty, fhe will be attentive to the com- 
 mands, to which fhe is bound by every tie, to be 
 obedient. One thing neceflary to awaken at- 
 tention, is to look at tie perfon who is fpeaking to tbee. 
 The countenance demands re/peel, and helps the 
 undemanding ; and feeing the motion of another's 
 lips, aftifts tue hearing, whereas the want of this 
 Iviiid of attention, is ill-mannered, even among 
 equals, and much mwe from a fervant. 
 
 Always take the firft opportunity of mentioning 
 what is neceflary, particularly in cafes wherein thou 
 haft been commanded to do any thing, or haft re- 
 ceived any meflage. Take it for granted that thy 
 miftrefs will not be informed of what relates to her 
 intereft and thy own duty, unlefs thou telltft her; 
 and confider it as injuftice and a breach of dut\\ to 
 keep her in ignorance. 
 
 If thy memory be treacherous, keep a memoran- 
 dum-book, and by one acl: of recollection, which is 
 to look into thy book, thou mayeft be fure that 
 nothing will be omitted. 
 
 Memory depends on the exercife of it. Expe- 
 rience muft teach what confidence to place in thy 
 own, and what afliftances are neceflary to it. To 
 plead forgetfulnefs, when thou art paid for remem- 
 bering, is but a fad excufe ; and if it happens often 
 will render thee unworthy of thy fervice. 
 
 Never put off any bufmefs to a diftant hour ; but 
 perform what thou canft immediately. Take care 
 
 not
 
 ( 77 ) 
 
 not to fhuffle nor equivocate upon being accufed 1 of 
 negligence. The more confcious thou art of ne- 
 glect, the more thou fhould'ft beg pardon. But all 
 pretences, fuch as / thought this or tbat^ when in 
 truth thou didft not think at all, are abominable in 
 the fight of God. 
 
 Dirt and filthinefs fall within the obfervation of 
 every one ; and neatnefs and cleanlinefs, like come- 
 linefs in perfon, is a filent recommendation. Thefe 
 are to the body, what purity is to the fouL Every 
 young woman of fentiment naturally afpires at mak- 
 ing a cleanly appearance. 
 
 The decent and cleanly carry with them a pr- 
 fumptive proof of a virtuous difpofition. Indujlry 
 is generally the companion of cleanlinefs. A cleanly 
 beggar engages much higher attention than a 
 dirty one. Confider what is proper to thy condi- 
 tion, rather erring on the cleanly fide : a {lovenly 
 good fervant, of either fex, is a contradiction. 
 
 Let me warn thee of the manyfatal accidents which 
 happen by fire ; nine in ten of thefe are the effects of 
 careleflhefs in fervants ; either from their being in 
 liquor, from their grofs ignorance, or unpardonable 
 thoughtleflhefs. I charge thee to confider, MARY* 
 what misfortunes and miferies may be brought upon 
 others by fire, which is fo admirable a fervant, and 
 fo terrible a mafter. Peftilence, fword and famine, 
 do not make fuch fudden and outrageous havock as 
 this element. 
 
 I have been fometimes aftoniflied at the careleiT- 
 
 ncfs of my fellow-fervant c , in leaving candles lighted 
 
 E 3 where
 
 ( 78 ) 
 
 where they fhouid have been extinguifhed ; and 
 carrying them about with long wicks, even fo as to 
 drop fire, and fometimes holding them near linen, 
 or other combuftible matter : it was my mafter's 
 rule to order his candles for common ufe, to be 
 only of half the length of the ordinary iize ; and to 
 ufe flat candlefticks of at leaft 12 inches diameter, 
 and 3 inches high in the focket; with fnuffers and 
 extinguifher hung to the focket. He likewife 
 gave ftrit orders not to leave chimneys too long 
 unfwept. - Not to burn papers, or by any other 
 \vay to make a great blaze in the fire-place. Not 
 to leave a drawing-ftove covered. Not to leave a 
 poker in the fire. Not to leave a candle burning in 
 a room. Not to leave linen airing near a fire un- 
 vvatched. Not to carry a lighted candle into a 
 clcfet. Not to be any waybufy with a candle where 
 there was linen or paper. Not to carry a candle 
 into a ftable without a lanthorn. Not to venture 
 even the lanthorn and candle in a hay-loft. And 
 where the floor of any room was grown fpungy, and 
 combuitible by age, to keep the part fo affected 
 covered with fomething woollen, left a fpark fhouid 
 fall on it from a candle. In going to bed, we were 
 defired to ufe a fhort candle and a large flat candle- 
 itick, taking care in both cafes never to be without 
 an extinguifher : and not to bring a lighted candle 
 near a bed. Thefe are rules which I recommend 
 to thee, my dear child, to be obferved, as thou re- 
 .gardeft thy duty to God, and thy neighbour ; and as 
 thou meaneft to avoid the puniihment which, the 
 
 laws
 
 ( 79 ) 
 
 lav/s of the land inHi^ft on the carelefs as well as 
 wilful, which is, to fuffer iinprifonmenr, 'till one 
 hundred pounds penalty be paid for a carelefs deed ; 
 a wilful one is death by the laws of our country. 
 
 DISCOURSE X. 
 
 The advantages of temperance. Propriety in the drefs 
 offervants. Danger of crouded meetings* Effecls 
 cfthe undlflinguijhed ufe of tea. 
 
 TEMPERANCE, my dear child, is the friend; 
 to reafon, the companion of religion, the off- 
 fpring of virtue, and the parent of health. The 
 wife man fays, " Sound fleep Cometh of moderate 
 " eating, he rifeth early and his wits -are about hifn ; 
 u but the pains of watching and choler, and pangs 
 ** of the belly, are with an infatiable man." Nature 
 is relieved by a little good food taken in time, and 
 we grow ftrong and healthy : but eating above mea- 
 fure deftroys health, wounds peace, and banifhes 
 comfort from our hearts. 
 
 Many act as if eating were ..their higheft blifs. 
 Regard not thy tafte above meafure ; but acquire a 
 habit of indifference in refpe& to the quality of 
 food : hunger will relifh the plaineft. 
 
 Daintinefs in diet, in people of fortune, makes 
 
 them contemptible. Bjut when fervants are dainty, 
 
 and not contented with common food, they 'betray 
 
 their depraved inclinations, and become a nuifance 
 
 E 4 to
 
 to a family. High-cooked difhes are poifonouS ; 
 they inflame the blood : SOLOMON'S advice is, " eat 
 " as becometh thee, fuch things are fet before thee, 
 <l and devour not, left thou be hated." Confult the 
 pleafure of others as we'll as thine own, and be not 
 impatient to feize thy food, nor eat it fafter than is 
 decent and wholefome. In general we eat much 
 iooffifti and this acts doubly againft us, for by fuch 
 means we are the more eafily betrayed into eating 
 too much. 
 
 Beer is our common liquor, and when good in 
 its kind, is excellent for thofe who work hard ; but 
 the pure element which nature affords, being like- 
 wife good of its kind, is the grand medicine as well 
 as aliment of life. 
 
 I have learnt by experience that water is the beft 
 prefervative from difeafes : but people may drown 
 their bowels by drinking too much of it. Even 
 bad water may be rendered wholefome by boiling 
 and infufmg herbs of our own growth *. 
 
 Servants run mad almoft about tea j they fpend 
 a great portion of their wages in it, and fquander 
 too much of their time, in this kind of tipling, I can 
 give it no better name. 
 
 * Ground ivy, mint, fage, or rofemary, being dried and infufcd 
 in boiling water, and drank cold, commonly called herb teai is 
 incomparably better tlian bad fmall-beer \vh.ch the poor cffin 
 drink $ and they would eftcem it, but that the herbs ate not 
 properly gathered and dried, and the infufion is ufually made too 
 ftronty. I am now fuppofmg places where water is not good : but 
 in England we are for the mcitpirt happy in this particular. 
 
 The
 
 ( 8i J 
 
 The poor are ftupidly infenfible, how they ar 
 gall'd in their health either by the bad fort of tea 
 which they often drink ; by the habit of Tipping* 
 inftead of drinking ; by ufing fo much hot liquor,, 
 when cold would anfwer better to invigorate them ; 
 they confider not how they injure themfelves and 
 families by confuming a large portion of their time;, 
 and of the money which they gam by hard labour. 
 How much wifer would it be to fpend their money 
 in fubftantial and nouriihing food !' 
 
 The article of butter, which our forefathers ufed 
 to eat only as a dainty, is becoming a necelfary of 
 addition to tea drinking, and our dairies give fo. 
 much the lefs cheefe and good milk porridge* 
 
 Servants, like other people, have certainly a right 
 to their fhare of the improvements which time and 
 fiches, (kill and induftry have made.. But I ara 
 afraid, MARY,, we often travel too faft. Young; 
 women in fervice dreis too much like their mif- 
 trefles, which gives them a, wrong turn.. I thy, 
 miftrefs fhould give thee any of her left off clothes,, 
 conhder. what is proper for thee to wear, and in, 
 what fhape j and difpofe of the reft,. 
 
 Let me warn, thee allb againft the deadly effect o 
 air, when rendered corrupt by too many peopla 
 being aflembled, or by being too. much confined.. 
 
 My dear child,, avoid foows. in.clofe. places, and alt 
 fuch entertainments, as are not worth, the hazard o 
 health to any body in their fenfes. Health to the, 
 body is as virtue to the foul. It is often fquandered. 
 away in the moil foolifh manner imaginable, beauty- 
 E 5. cheriili-'
 
 < 82 ) 
 
 cherifhing its own bane. Let me alfo advife you 
 to let air freely into all the rooms under your care; 
 do not mind a little trouble in opening and (hutting 
 windows, for the health of people greatly depends 
 upon their having their apartments well aired. 
 
 DISCOURSE X[. 
 
 Cbarafter of the mflrcfs. Her charity, punfluaUty y 
 dijlike of cards, calmnefs of temper, religious cbear- 
 fulnefs, &c. 
 
 7J/HILE thou rakeft care of thy health, as far as 
 thy duty and calling admit, remember that a 
 truly rational and religious conduct always makes 
 ihofe who are moft dilHnguifhed appear fmgular: 
 people who are of a contrary character, or do not 
 underftand on what principle their neighbour acts, 
 are apt to reproach wantonly, as if there were fome 
 capital defect in not conforming in all points to the 
 tvorld. The lady thou art going to fcrve is called 
 a- very particular woman : The truth is, that (he 
 has fo much religion, as not to be fatisfied without 
 prayers in her family every morning and every 
 night, and all her fervants attend. On the Sunday 
 evening, fhe, or Ibme of her friends who vifit her, 
 reads a fermon. She ab as if fhe counted the days 
 and nights, and numbered them fo far as really to 
 apply her heart ufrto wifdom. It is upon the fame 
 principle this lady requires all her fervants to go to 
 8 church,
 
 church, either in the morning or evening, every 
 fabbath-day : and (he abfoiutely will not keep any 
 fervant who totally declines going to the Sacrament 
 of our Lord's Supper: {he does ijot declare this in 
 fo many words ; but if repeated admonitions, and 
 the moft pious, humane, and friendly advice make 
 no imprefiion, (he diicharges them. She will be 
 attended by thofe. (he calls cbrijlians on whom fhe 
 can depend. 
 
 In order to keep her fervants virtuous,, this lady 
 keeps them employe^ giving them this wholefome 
 admonition ; tl Get thy fpindle and thy dijl<iff ready, 
 *' and God will fend theey?*?*," adding this proverb, 
 " Tbmk of eafe, but work on ;" fuppofing that enfe 
 is the object winch all mankind are naturally inclined 
 lofted though .they find true pleafure only in afticn* 
 Thy miftrejs has all the tendernefs of a woman, 
 without the foibles ufually attending thy fex : her 
 charity Rows from her religion, and is-cherifhed by 
 the corr^ajjltn which dreams from her heart, and is 
 therefore iteady and lafting. She judges always on 
 the merciful f.de, difti nguifh ing faults from crimes ; 
 and confiders the condition fervants are in, as well 
 as the "kind of education they have had. All who 
 ever ferved her, and have not been guilty in fuch a 
 manner as to render them unworthy cf her. confi- 
 dence, are fure of her good word as far as fhe can 
 can give it with zfafe conference ; but fhe never will 
 give a good character of a fervant who has no title 
 to it, declaring that fhe confiders deceit in recom- 
 mending fervants out of mere companion, and. 
 E 6 againft
 
 agamft truth, as robbing n order to give alms to the 
 poor. 
 
 What thinkeft thou of the gentleman, who not- 
 withftanding he knew his fervant had robbed him, 
 recommended him to another mafter ? The confe- 
 quence was that he robbed him alfo ; upon which 
 he profecuted the former mafter, who was accord- 
 ingly condemned to pay the lofs, and {hould more- 
 over have been fined. 
 
 Thy miftrefs is exact in money matters, and 
 makes up her accounts every monday morning, 
 paying ready money for every thing (he buys : by this 
 means (he lives elegantly and fplendidly, with half, 
 or at the moft two-thirds of the fum, which thofe 
 fpend who would never pay their debts at all, if 
 they could cut off the long arms of the law. Her 
 maxim in this refpect is, " better go to bed fupper- 
 lefs, than rife in debt ;" intimating that many charges 
 are contracted by purchafing things which are not 
 neceffary : and that fome neceflary things fhould be 
 given up, rather than run in debt for them. 
 
 This lady drefles according to her fortune, but 
 fhe confines herfelf to a certain moderate fum yearly, 
 expending more in deeds of charity than in her 
 apparel. 
 
 - Thou art alfo to underftand that thy miftrefs dif- 
 likes cards, yet not fo but fhe will play for an hour, 
 to oblige her friends, in a private family. 
 
 Inftead of fpending her time in gaming as too 
 many perfons of fortune do, this lady's chief delight, 
 is in promoting the welfare of her fellow- creatures,
 
 ( 85 ) 
 
 as far as flie can extend her power. She is tempe- 
 rate in her diet, and remarkable in keeping good 
 hours, paying for none of her amufements more 
 than they are worth. 
 
 Though (he appears to have great fenfibility, and 
 is naturally of a quick temper, fhe fpeaks calmly, 
 and has acquired fuch a command of her paffions, 
 that (he feems to weep or rejoice, only as ajuft 
 fenfe of things drawn from thought and experience, 
 have taught her. She has feen and felt what it is 
 to be unfortunate, and fays that " no one knows 
 better what gaod\^ than he who hath endured evil." 
 
 The confcioufnefs that fhe is endeavouring to 
 pafs her time on earth, agreeably to the defign of 
 heaven, gives a peculiar chearfulnefs and fweetnefs 
 to her manners. 
 
 She ot'ten talks of death, as the end of her days, 
 and of her cares ; and wonders to fee fuch a buftle 
 among people who have already one foot in the 
 grave. She fpeaks of her diflblution in fo familiar 
 and unaffected a manner, that no one can doubt of 
 her being perfectly reconciled to the will of heaven. 
 Art thou not charmed, my dear, with the character 
 of thymiftrefs? Endeavour to imitate it then, for 
 whatever our fortune and condition may be, my 
 child, we may all cultivate the fame fentiments, and 
 by degrees acquire the fame happy turn of mind. By 
 ferving her truly and faithfully, thou wilt in the 
 end ferve thyfelf, though (he fhould not in all 
 refpc&s perfectly anfwer my report. 
 
 PIS-
 
 DISCOURSE XII. 
 
 on tbe'vicijjifudes of human life. The fir- 
 rcivs it is fubjeft to y and the liberality of nature in 
 affording us comfort. 
 
 MUCH have I to fay to thee on the various 
 events to which our condition is fubjecl:, the 
 evils againft which we are to guard in our chriftian 
 warfare, and how to conduct ourfelves under them. 
 Thou knoweft that I married the woman I loved 
 beyond all others in the world. For awhile nothing 
 feemed to be wanting to complete my happinefs, ... 
 and when then, my child, canieft into the world, my 
 fancy reprefented to me that thou would'ft prove fo 
 good I fiiould have no reafon to envy the greateft of 
 mankind. Thy mother became fickly. I fympa- 
 thized in her pains and forrows j and all the beau- 
 tiful ftructure of my happinefs was thrown down 
 and blown .away,- like the dull of which I am made.- 
 Soon after her death, I loft my two little boys, your, 
 brothers. In my fancy they ft'.H hang round my 
 neck, and. in their charming images, live in my 
 heart ! Heaven delivered them from ever fufrering 
 fuch forrows ! Then fell my good old matter ! His 
 laft kind words frill found in my ears : it is true he 
 made a provifion for me, but I loved and honoured 
 him fo much, that I fuffered more anguifh at his 
 death, than joy at his liberality. Indeed his kind- 
 
 ne&
 
 ( 87 ) 
 
 nefs added to my grief. Theie forrows, and forrte 
 or other fuch all muft expect, threw a cloud over 
 my brighteft days ! Such however has been the 
 goodnefs of God, through Jefus Chrift, that he has 
 enabled me to become in all things refigned to his 
 will. God never afflicls his creatures but for their 
 good ; and I have, by degrees, attained fuch a peace- 
 ful ferenity of mind, fuch a freedom from undue 
 anxiety, as the world and its purfuits can never 
 give ! 
 
 In this point of view, I rejoice : every part of 
 nature furnifhes me with matter for delight and 
 gratitude ! The grafs that grows in the fields; the 
 leaves which fhoot from the trees, and the fruit 
 which they furnifh ; the growth of every plant, and 
 every animal, is full of wonder ! Where wilt thou 
 find the hand of art, which can give the cowflip 
 fuch a yellow, or the violet fuch a blue ? Haft thou 
 considered how beautifully the rofe is adorned, and ' 
 how juftly it is the emblem of the moft captivating 
 charms of female beauty ! Nor is the apple or the 
 peach lefs grateful to the eye. Have not thy fenfes 
 been often refreftied with the fmell of new hay, and 
 the fweet fragrance of herbs and flowers, and the 
 bloflbms of trees ! 
 
 Nor is it only in the vegetable world ; the bleat- 
 ing flock furnifhes wool for the employment of 
 many thoufands, who again provide cloathing for 
 millions more. This makes me think myfelf of 
 fome importance ; and when I fee the ruddy tafs t 
 drawing dreams of milk from the fwelled udder of 
 
 the
 
 ( 88 ) 
 
 the tifeful coiUj methinks I am the inftrument gf 
 heaven, in rearing the tender helplefs infant, whilil 
 the drooping grandfather blefles the hand that brings 
 him milfc. 
 
 Survey the multitude of objects which providence 
 certainly intends for delight as well as ufe. When 
 1 behold thee feeding my poultry and my pigeons, I 
 think that if -a (parrow falleth not to the ground, but 
 by the knowledge and permiffion cf the Gcd of all, 
 he has honoured thee as the inftrument of his 
 bounty, in feeding thefe birds which are fo ufeful to 
 mankind ! And if SOLOMON, in all his glory, was 
 not arrayed lilce a lilly of the field, what doft thou 
 think of the natural beauty of the fplendid feathers 
 of the ftrutting peacock, or the fcarlet ornament of 
 the prouder turkey ? Thefe are alike the work of. 
 thy hands, O God fupreme ! O my child, when, 
 thou heareft the early crowing of the cock, doft 
 thou not think of him who calls thee to a vigilant 
 and active life ? If thou confidereft not what bufi- 
 nefs thou hail on thy hand to-day, perhaps to-mor- 
 row will never come to thee. This bird is thy 
 friendly monitor. 
 
 It is here in the country we muft enjoy the liberal 
 feaft which kind providence hath provided : here 
 every tree, and every bufh, furnilhes fomething to 
 the common {lock. We might live without great 
 cities, but they could not fubiift without husbandry. 
 Nor do we barely live. See there the fragrant 
 bean, and pea in bloffbm, furnilh pleajure as well as
 
 fsod ', whilft the chearful notes of birds on every 
 tree fill the foal with gladnefs ! 
 
 Is not this far beyond all the gay inventions of 
 city entertainments, where health fo often becomes 
 a prey ; where fraud and enmity are fd frequently 
 concealed under the garb of friendship and pretended 
 love ; and men, bewildering and bewildered, often 
 feek happinefs in paths which lead to mifery ? yet 
 God knows, our vices here in the country are alfo 
 too big to be overlooked. We are often vain and 
 fbolifh, but pride and folly feem more contagious in 
 great cities, where thou wilt find numbers who 
 know not what to do with themfelves, or have fo 
 little leifure from vain purfuits and empty joys, that 
 they hardly afford themfelves time to think what 
 courfe is beft to fleer, to prevent intemperance and 
 preferve their lives. As to things of real value, 
 they fee not how rapidly life ebbs out} the great 
 bufmefs of falvation grows heavy in proportion to 
 their neglecl: of it. 
 
 Some part of my days have been chiefly fpent in 
 the tumult and parade of great cities, where gene- 
 rally the worft, as well as the beft part of a nation 
 are afiembled; and where vice is much eafier pro- 
 pagated than virtue. In fpite of all the filkcn robe?, 
 or lighted tapers which I have feen, or the melo- 
 dious mufic 1 have heard, I never had fo true a 
 relifh of life, as in the country. Often have [ 
 lamented the fate of my good mafter's friends. By 
 meeting in fuch multitudes, they at once robbed 
 themfelves of two of the choiceft of bleffings, pure 
 
 air,
 
 ( 90 ) 
 
 et>'t and time for 'reflection,, and fhortened their 
 lives. . 
 
 I do not mean to depreciate mafters or fervants r 
 \vho perhaps are much wifer and better than myfelf : 
 but in order to give thce right notions of a city life 
 in great families,, I will tell thee that I form my* 
 judgment from the real conduct of people. 
 
 When I was in ferv'ue I had many opportunities 
 of making remarks : 1 often faw intcrejl y fancy) opi- 
 nion^ and above all, cujlotn, govern fo much, and 
 reafon fo little, that I hardly believed fome people 
 were rational creatures. But let nothing difmay 
 thee, my child \ for although folly, will never be put 
 out of countenance whilft there are fo many unwife 
 people in the world of all conditions ; yet ivifdom 
 will always be juftified of her true children. What 
 is right and fit for us, in our fieveral ftations in this 
 world, confidered as beings on our paflage to eter- 
 nity, will ftill be right and fit ; and the good will 
 find fuch countenance in the world, as is Sufficient 
 for their purpofe. 
 
 Thou muft take thy lot : Gladly would I retain 
 thee, as my partner in my toils and comforts as a 
 farmer, and lead thee through the dangerous paths 
 of life, had it not pleafed heaven to prefent fo excel- 
 lent a lady to thee for a miftrefs. I hope (he will 
 be a guide, a teacher, and a friend. Alas ! my 
 child, there are not many fuch, nor many fcrvants 
 who know when they are vjcli\ or confider that ftate 
 of fervitude, wherein their morals and piety are moll 
 . attended to, as the beft place they can be in, Which 
 
 foe vet
 
 foever way I turn my thoughts, I difcover danger. 
 Wcrt thou put out apprentice in fome great city, 
 to an ufeful trade, with a view to a fuperior fortune, 
 I know the world fo well, thou would'ft be more 
 expoled than in a well regulated private family. 
 Think of the inftrudion thou hail received, and 1 
 truft thou wilt be fafe. Ufe the means which God 
 hath given thee, he will be thy friend and thy de- 
 fender ! 
 
 DISCOURSE XIII. 
 
 Thoughts on tbf Importance of time. Calculation of 
 tin probable duration of lift. Thoughts on dutth. 
 
 AS Providence feems determined that we mu{| 
 part, let us improve every hour that remain- 
 eth, before the day comes ; and hear me, O my 
 child, with deep attention ! Whether in forrow, or 
 in joy ; in good fortune, or in bad ; death ere long 
 will feparate us. Thou psrchance wilt go to the 
 land where nil things are forgotten, before thou 
 thinkeft of it: / rnuji gofoon ! Let us both prepare 
 for that-journey, as the laft thing which we fhall 
 have to do. 1 need not tell thee, that even thefe 
 tranfient minutes of our difcourfe, which I pafs with 
 fo much pleafure in thy company, bring us fo much 
 the nearer to our end, 
 
 la
 
 In the great view of immortality, what advantage 
 can there be in living, but as we improve our time? 
 Thofe days are loft in which we do no good ; and 
 worfe than loft, when we do evil. Whether alone, 
 or in company, we muft be provident of our time ! 
 We had better not live, than have bad thoughts, or 
 fpend our tjjne in bad company. Thofe who fcek 
 for amufements, which are either foolifh or wicked, 
 with a view to what they call killing of time, con- 
 fider but little what a facl compliment they make to 
 a gueft, whom, though we fhould court with all the 
 fmiles of love, and all the tendernefs and re'fpecl: of 
 friendfhip, is ever on the wing. There is no oc- 
 cafion to murder him to get quit of him. Yejlerday 
 is already dead ; to-msrrow is not yet born ; what 
 have we then except to-day ? and (hall one poor day 
 create fuch diftrefs, to make us think of murdering 
 our beft friend ? How quickly fly the hours from 
 morn to noon, and from noon to night ; and then 
 we fall into the arms of deep, which is the image 
 of death ! How monftrous it is to treat with difre- 
 fpedl the beft friend we have in the world. This 
 is the cafe with thofe who abufe that reverend per- 
 fonage, Time, 
 
 Let me charge thee, as thou loveft thy tender 
 father, to remember how difficult it is to be inno- 
 cent and idle. If thou feekeft to be happy, be in- 
 duftrious ! Is any thing more certain, than that 
 thofe who are properly idle people, are more troubled 
 and perplexed what to do with their time, than the 
 induftrious can pofiibly be on account of the hardeft 
 
 labour
 
 ( 93 ) 
 
 labour they perform. The hardeft tafk is to fup- 
 port ourfelves having nothing to do. This is for 
 the honour of indujlry ! But it goes much further : 
 it proves the gracious defign of providence, by put- 
 ting the rich and poor more upon an equality than 
 either of them generally imagine. The poor fill up 
 their time with work, fuch as is ufeful to themfelves 
 and the reft of mankind ; and the rich, fuch as are 
 not induftrious, nor employed in ufeful occupations, 
 arc perpetually laying out what to do with to-mor- 
 row, and continually labouring in thought, by what 
 means they {hall fill up their time : they think they 
 have a vaft fuperfluity, becaufe they cannot tell 
 what to do with it. It is probable fuch will repent, 
 as many a rich prodigal hath done who has fquan- 
 dcred a large fortune, and been reduced to poverty. 
 Thofe who underftand the value of time y treat it as 
 prudent people do their money , inftead of fpending 
 a great deal upon nothing that is ufeful^ they make 
 a little go a great way. 
 
 It is the right ufe and application of time, which 
 not only makes life long, but renders it pleafant 
 alfo; efpecially when we are brought to delight in 
 
 doing the will of God. What a (hocking thingf 
 
 it is, to hear people complain, that their hours 
 move heavily, when they fliould be working with 
 their hands, or performing fome duty of charity, 
 * fome pious or ufeful book, or doing fome- 
 
 thing that will make them wifer and better than 
 they were before ! They are fure the hour will 
 come, when they may be glad to part with all the 
 
 wealth
 
 ( 94 ) 
 
 wealth in the world, were they pofleflcd of it, in 
 exchange for a Tingle day. 
 
 Thofe who are much captivated with this world, 
 of either fox, being averfe to the thoughts of part- 
 ing with it, generally reckon upon years^ and are 
 often furprized. They banrfh the thoughts of death, 
 by confidering'him as if he were an enemy who 
 will not come if he is not thought of: but this is 
 far from being true : it often happens when his 
 mefiengcrs, ficlcnefs or age are at our doors, we do 
 not ferioufly believe that he is coming. The rea- 
 fon of this I apprehend to be, that he takes fuch a 
 variety of forms, we cannot well diftinguifli him 
 till we feel his dart; and therefore fo many make 
 this a reafon for believing that he is .always at a 
 great diftance from them. 
 
 In the ordinary courfe of things, green fruit often 
 falls by a blaft, or violence, or the various accidents 
 to which it is fubject. This is the cafe of thofe 
 who die in youth ; but as fruit that is ripened by 
 time, and its proper feafon, muft fall j fo the aged 
 muft die. Death is the hufbandman that gathers 
 jjs all in. 
 
 Perhaps it may adminifter to the eflabiifhment of 
 A /thy virtue, to know what 1 gathered from my mat- 
 ter's books, when I was young, confirmed by my 
 obfervation. Doft thou apprehend, that thy father 
 is now trading on the laft fifth part of his flock of 
 life, as, all men are who are paft fifty ? * Thou 
 
 * Of icoo born, 785 are clcac by the age of 5O> being very 
 near 4 in 5. 
 
 feeft
 
 ( 95 ) 
 
 ice ft me chearful and in good fpirits, 'but nature, 
 the great agent of the Almighty, has fentcnced me 
 to death. I am one in four who is to die in five 
 years *. It is true, I do not know certainly, within 
 five years of my death ; but this I know, that if I 
 Should live through five years, then a greater pro- 
 portion than one, in fome other four, muft die, as 
 it were in my place. 
 
 And what think you, child, is your hazard ? 
 Hear, and be not difcomfited ! Your chance is near 
 one in five to die in fifteen years f. Look round 
 thee ! fee how fwift the fcythe of death mows down 
 the children of men. Figure to thyfelf the procef- 
 fion of human life : obferve the reality of what is 
 pafiing before thine eyes : behold the rich and the 
 poor ; the wife and the foolifh ; the virtuous and 
 the wicked ; thofe who make much noife, and thofe 
 who are never heard of, beyond the circle of their 
 acquaintance ; they all march on together to one 
 common grave, which is always open, and never 
 full ! 
 
 Thou, though yet fo young, muft not WT theft and ing 
 have obferved how quickly infants pafs into child- 
 hood ; childhood into youth ; youth into manhood ; 
 manhood into middle age ; this again into what we 
 call advanced years, and from thence how foon we 
 appear in old age ! This progreifton of life, to 
 
 * From 55 to 60, 38 in 173 die, which is near i in 4. From 
 63 to 74, 4 in 5 drop. 
 
 J- This is founded on 502 of 15 years old : of thtfe, by the 
 time they reached 30, 94 were dead, fo that it comes to near i in 5, 
 
 people
 
 people of obfervation, appears amazingly quick 
 Thou heareft it from every one's mouth ; u Good 
 " God, is it poflible ! it feems to be but yefterday 
 " that fiich an one was a child !" Jt is poflible, for 
 the fact is really fo. 
 
 The eldeft, as well as the youngeft of us, have 
 defigns and projects, hopes and expectations, which 
 require time for the execution, perhaps beyond the 
 chance of our continuance in life ; but in many cafes 
 thi? is neceflary, and promotes focial good. 
 
 The folly and madnefs is, to live in fin, and defer 
 repentance, at the very moment that we fee fome 
 one of our acquaintance drop almoft every day, at 
 every age ;'and knowing, as we do, that our knell 
 muft toll like other people's. 
 
 What a buftle do we make about life, and how 
 often forget the end and defign of it ? It is but a 
 fmall object, a mere fun-beam playing in the air, 
 difappearing as the light withdraws, to thofe who 
 have folid hopes beyond the grave ; it indeed prefents 
 a different view to them who have no fuch hopes, 
 for thcfe have fears that they fhall be miferable. 
 
 Every diftincl perfon flatters himfelf that he {ball 
 not be of the number of thofe who die early. Pro- 
 vidence is indulgent to us: for though everyday 
 brings us nearer to our end, death never feems near : 
 the hour being concealed from us, we enjoy this 
 turn of mind, and fuffer no fruitlefs pain. O God, 
 how manifeft are thy mercy and goodnefs, in all thy 
 conduct towards man! Think of thefe,my dear child, 
 and adore God with a grateful heart ! Whether thou 
 
 flialt
 
 ( 97 ) 
 
 fhult die young, or live to old age, remember, " that 
 " honourable age is not that which ftandeth in 
 " length of time, nor that which is meafured by 
 " number of years; but wifdom is grey hairs unto 
 " men, and unfpotted life is old age." The wife 
 man means, That wifdom. which will teach thee to 
 remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, and 
 to apply thy heart fo diligently to pleafe him, that he 
 may receive thee into everlafting joy. 
 
 Let us be careful fo to conduct ourfelves, that we 
 may not be difmherited for difobedience ! Leara 
 from fuch confidcrations, how highly valuable thou 
 art to thyielf. The opportunity of knowledge will 
 be increafed after this life ; but the only opportunity 
 of doing good, is~noiv. If thou takeft care to im- 
 prove this, thou art fufficiently. fecure of the oth^r ; 
 but if this be neglected, all is loft. I have lived long r 
 thou wifheft to live long : I mean that thou fhould'ft 
 take advantage of my thoughts and experience ; and 
 now is'thy age of learning. I feel and deplore my 
 own unworthinefs ; and difcover more of other 
 men's, than it is poffible for thee to do at thy age. 
 Still I learn more and more j and above all, how 
 unreafonable it would be to quarrel with others for 
 being fo much like myfelf. The longer I live, and 
 the more I fee of the world, the more I wean myfelf 
 from it : This will, I hope, be thy cafe, when thdu 
 knowefl as much of it as I'do. In the mean time 
 1 prefs forward, to be every day -more wife, and more 
 virtuous : and never tire in doi :g all the good thou 
 canft, in fpite of the folly and ingratitude thou wilt 
 F meet
 
 t & ) 
 
 rmeetwith. I have no flattering hopes that I fhaH 
 ever reach the perfection which my mind afpires 
 after ; but it is my ambition, as 1 know it to be my 
 glory, to prefs forward " toward the mark for the 
 ** prize of the high calling of God in CbriJlJeftisJ" 
 
 DISC O U R S E XIV. 
 
 *J1:e indifa-fible rendition cf bappinefs in the life ta 
 .come. Deaths of many perfons of d\ftingv.ijhed cba- 
 r afters under parti&dar circumjlances of repentance. 
 
 I DID not fmifn ycflerday, all that I meant to fay 
 on the intereftir.g fubjcl we were then upon. 
 - "Thou wi.lt probably fee me loon, a lump of inani- 
 mate clay, and confequenlly, .with refpeft to this 
 world, all my thoughts perifhed : But thou haft tiie 
 .happinefs, ol knowing with full aimrance, how God 
 ijath declared by the holy fcriptures, that death fhall 
 open a paflage to eternity ; a blefled eternity to the 
 .good i .though to the wicked an eternity of mifery, 
 Thofe are not properly cbri/lianiy who do not believe 
 in the prpmifes made by jffus ChrijL 
 
 Keep thine eye continually on the judgment to 
 come, as the only fecurc method of governing life 
 by the rules of re.ifcn and religion. Think of the 
 inifery of not being able to look backward without 
 lha:rie, nor forward without terror. Think of that 
 which will give thee comfort in the lafl extremity, 
 ibr that laft extremity will come, as furely as thou
 
 ( 99 ) 
 
 now Viveft, there can be no evaP.on. My prayer is, 
 <l Grant, O Father, and eternal God, that I 
 live the remainder of my days, whatever the 
 u number of them fhall be, in thy fear and to thy 
 glory; and let me die the death of the righteous. 
 u Farther I implore thy favour and rnercy to my 
 " chiid, the deareft gift thou had been pleafl-d to be- 
 u ftow upon me, and whofe life and manners I have 
 tc endeavoured to form on this great principle, that 
 " holinefs alone is acceptable in thy fight, and 
 " therefore the fupreme good of mortals here below, 
 ** in every ftation which thou haft affigned them. 
 <{ This petition I offer at thy throne, O God, in 
 " the name of thy fon Jefus Chrifl !" 
 
 It may, with the greateft jreafon, be afked of any 
 one, who trembles at the thought of death, or who 
 is enamoured with the love of life, what is it that 
 thou valueft life for ? Is it for riches? thefe often 
 make themfelves wings, and oftener prove the more 
 invr.tdiatc caufes of difenfe cf body, and anguifh of 
 mind. They frequently create more cares than 
 extreme poverty produces. Is it for honours ? thcfe 
 fade at the frown cf princes,, and as often, at the 
 capricious applaufe of the people. Happy for fuch 
 as you and I, evils of this kind cannot reach us. Is 
 it for beauty ? this falls not to the lot of many, and 
 often proves the parent of misfortune > and it is true, 
 even to a proverb, whatever good or evil beauty hath , 
 occafioned, it is but as a flower that withers awav. 
 Is it health that enchanteth thee ? This is a blef- 
 fing indeed, but it is fubjea to change, and the 
 F 2 ftrcngth
 
 ftrength which attends it always abates as life draws 
 to its clofe. 
 
 Let it be the rule of thy life, to make up thy ac- 
 counts every night. Confider, my child, what thou 
 hafty^/W and done ; nor let thy thoughts go unchaf- 
 tifed. Thus wilt thou be able to ftate thy reckon- 
 ing fairly ; and " if thy fins die before thee, thou 
 <c wilt have nothing to do, when death comes, 
 " but to die !" 
 
 It is natural to hope for length of day?, but who 
 can fay, he will live till to-morrow ; or that he (hall 
 certainly be more virtuous twenty years hence, than 
 he is to-day ? Time often brings with it more guilt, 
 and more forrovv ; and he who trufts that he fhall 
 live to be old, for the purpofe of regulating his paf- 
 fions, confiders not that old age hath pafiions pecu- 
 liar to itfelf. Nor is it lefs evident, that we are grofsly 
 prefumptuous, if we defer our tafk, in expectation 
 of long life : He that trufts his whole fortune on a 
 bottom which hath vvreck'd fo many millions, and 
 Co which no man could ever iafely truft, muft be 
 devoid of underilanding : He runs his vefTel on a 
 rock in hopes of beiag faved on a plank. 
 
 I have given thee many hints concerning death : 
 J hope fon-,e of them at leaft will be of ufe to thee. 
 I have often enquired how my friends and acquaint- 
 ances went off the ftage : not how much they died 
 worth, which is the ufual queftion, but what fenti- 
 *nents they appeared to have in their dying hour. 
 
 JONATHAN, whom thou rtmembereft, was an 
 abandoned, profligate wretch, and cared not in whofe 
 
 debt
 
 debt he ran, nor what difTention he lighted up, pro 
 vided he could fatisfy his wants, and gratify his ap- 
 petites and his pride. He had not a filver tongue, 
 yet he had fo much wit and cunning, in the art of 
 making people believe he was in earneft j and fo 
 much refo'.ution in the execution of his projects; 
 and fuch fkill in evading law, that he laughed at all 
 the juftices of the peace in the county. The 
 wickednefs of his mind (hewed itfelf in a thoufand 
 evil deeds : when he died, he did not feem fenilble 
 that he muft give any account. O miferable con- 
 dition ! 
 
 Not fo was RICHARD, though he had been guilty 
 of many-irregularities, and could not fatisfy his con- 
 fcience on many accounts. lone day afked him, 
 why he was fo fad ? I (hall never forget his anfvver > 
 he faid, " The foul, my friend, is a mod ferious 
 " thing, and it muft either be fad here for a mo- 
 " ment, or be fad for ever !" i have reafon to be- 
 lieve he died a penitent. 
 
 PETER was another of my acquaintance : he was 
 a clever fellow, and fit for all manner of work ; he 
 had lively parts, and was active and laborious in 
 whatever he undertook : his great blemiflies were 
 inconftancy, difregard to truth, and the modern 
 carelefs way of living. 1 faw him on his death bed, 
 and heard him fay, " Good God, what have I been 
 t; iiboitt) and where am 7 going!" From whence I 
 hoped he was not devoid of fentiments of contrition. 
 
 It was much the fame with r-.&c^ WILLIAM : indeed 
 
 he clifcourfed with a reverend gentleman concerning 
 
 F 3 the
 
 the immortality of the foul, and man's eternal flate 5 
 and weeping faid, ** my poor feu!, whither iv'.'t 
 " then go /" When his father came to viiit him he 
 laid, " Q fir, your kindnefi hail) undine me ; I abttfed 
 11 the ample Jxpply you g^ve me. Were 1 to live irty 
 ' time again, 1 would feed on bread a::d water, rather 
 " than paniper my pejjlcns to Lurry me into fuch won- 
 " J? roils excejfis." 
 
 Another gentleman in this neighbourhood, who 
 had been employed in many great offices for a num- 
 ber of yeais, in his laft moments faiJ, " After fi 
 *' many years experience i.-i lujinsfs) i//i', and jphnie&t 
 u / think- the great eft wifdotn is firtotifntft j the bejt 
 u pbyfiC) tcrtfpcrana 5 &nd the lej'i tfttdc, a gwd con* 
 " fiicnct }" dccUtring that were he ty liv^ gftin, the 
 time he had (pent in the world, he : <H' exchange 
 the court for retirement ; and the palace, for an 
 hour's enjoyment of God in* tl.f: chapel ; adding 
 thefe words, " A T oiv all things forfake me, except my 
 t( God, my duty, and my prayer. ," 
 
 I believe thou doft not remember NICHOLAS ; he 
 was a man who had maintained fome character in 
 the world ; but was much addicted to pleafure, 
 and fenfual gratifications, forbidden by the lav/ of 
 Chrift. He did not underftand much of any fuch 
 law, for he feldom wert to church; and then it 
 fcemed to be rather to find fault, than in the fpirit 
 of humility, to receive ijtftiii&ibn. He hardly ever 
 looked into the New Teftament ; and I do not re- 
 member to have heard tfcat he ever went to the 
 facraoient of the Lord's Surper. Upon the whole, 
 
 it
 
 ( icy ) 
 
 k'can with no propriety be laid, that he was i'tc/^S 
 wan: nor did it appear when he died, that he had 
 any faith in Chr.it, and confequently he was not & 
 chriftian. Indeed he feemed much confuferd in, 
 thought, and faid, like rny other acquaintance, whom 
 I have mentioned, Good GY7, where t,m I going! 
 From whence you may judge that he believed in a 
 God, and the immortality of the foul, though he 
 feemed to have no (olid foundation whereon- to buiki 
 his hopes, or difpel his fearsr This mtift be ever 
 the cafe with thofe who live in the contempt, or 
 neglect of the holy fcriptures, the commandments 
 cf Ghriftj. and the memorial \vhich our Saviour has 
 appointed as a remembrance of himfdf. 
 
 I underilood from SIR RALPH'S butler, a few 
 months before his mafter dieJ, that he dciired the 
 reverend minifter, to make cxtracls -our of the 
 fccred writings, on the plained, and moft cxadt way, 
 of making his peace with God \ obferving, with a 
 figh, " bow few men confider to what end they are born 
 ** into the world^ till they are near the time of leaving 
 < it" SIR RALPH had many virtues, but thou 
 feeft how miferably poor he was, with all his wealth $ 
 and how ignorant, with all his learning. 
 
 His intimate friend, the generous SIR GEORGE, 
 with his laft breath, fpoke to his friends thefe me- 
 morable words, u Alas / my ft icnds^ the left beque/l 
 which I can make to you, is to entreat^ that you will 
 govern your wills and affetiicns by the will and word 
 ef God. I have lived^ in what is called the higbejl 
 fart of life ^ yet in me you behold the end of this *ivorldi 
 F 4 and
 
 .end all Its vanities. I repent of all my life, but flat 
 part of it which I fpent in communing -with Goa\ and 
 doing good !" 
 
 The other day, when I went to fee my acquaint- 
 ance PHILIP, thinking him on his death bed, I aflced 
 him, if he thought of God? I am fhocked when I 
 recollect his anlwer ; he faid, " O it is not come to 
 that yet." Still he flattered himfelf" with a conti- 
 nuance in life ; and being fo much eft ranged from 
 religion, he fondly imagined, one Lord have 'mercy on 
 me ! when his breath was departing from him would 
 be fufficient : and yet this man had been often ad- 
 vifed by our worthy curate, to amend his wicked 
 and carelefs life, and read the fcriptures, and receive 
 the facrament. 
 
 When JMr. ABRAHAM enquired of the minifter, 
 how he fhould proceed to make his peace with God, 
 he gave this advice; " Read 'the New Teftament ; 
 there you will find the words of eternal life ; this book 
 hath God for its author jfahwtionf of its end^ and truth 
 'without any mixture of error for its matter." Thrice 
 happy are thofe who read that book with care, and 
 learn that divine charity, which coveretb the mul- 
 titude of human infirmities. 
 
 My coufin THOMAS, long before his death, often 
 told me his opinion, that charity in its full meaning, 
 and rightly underftood, contains all chriftian graces ; 
 he faid, " thofe who have not this divine principle 
 have no good in them." His piety kept pace with 
 his charity : 1 believe he died the death of the righ- 
 teous !
 
 teous ! Thefe laft arc (hiking proofs of the advan- 
 tages of virtue. 
 
 People of our condition differ not much : they 
 have oftentimes lefs fcnfibility ; and as they live, fo 
 they cl ; e. Let us drive to live well, as there is no 
 poffibility of dying well without a good life. 
 
 DISCOURSE XV. 
 
 11: e comparative char offers of men and-women, as dtf- 
 plsyed in their Icjl hours. Deaths and behaviours 
 of feme diftinguifhad perfons^ particularly ' Amelia 
 and Eleanor. Duty of comforting and exhorting our 
 friends on their death-bed* 
 
 IN regard to women, I cannot tell thee fo much 
 of them as of my own lex, and perhaps there is 
 not fo much to tell, of their difference of characters, 
 and difference of behaviour in their laft hours. The 
 lives of women, are comparatively moft free from 
 atrocious guilt ; from a habit of obedience, they 
 live moft fubmiffivcly to the decrees of heaven : per- 
 haps, being lefs deeply engaged in views of avarice 
 and ambition, their chief guilt may confift in envy 
 raid vanity; vices, which in every ftation of life 
 they are apt to overlook, or not difcover. Envy, 
 becaufe beauty is fo much their object ; and vanity, 
 from levity and defire of diftiniStion in drefs. Every 
 onefhould-be contented with her perfon, and the 
 molt fit apparel for her condition. 
 
 F 5 My
 
 ( io6 ) 
 
 My coufin LUCY fell a facrifice to vanity. She 
 was one among the many thoufands who have fome 
 virtues blended with many faults ; (he could not 
 properly be called vicious, but {he was very far 
 from being virtuous. In fhort (he did not aft as if 
 fhe remembered her end, and therefore could hardly 
 avoid doing amifs. She feemed to delight only in 
 mirth and feftivity, mufic, dancing, public fhows, 
 &c. Thus inftead of improving her underftanding, 
 correcting her will, and becoming the more atten- 
 tive to admonition, and learning to be humble, de- 
 vout, and ufeful, fhe acquired the reputation of a 
 giddy girl. In' the fame degree that fhe neglected 
 thef.- duties, they became taftelefs and infipid, and 
 (he had no heart for them. Having forgotten 
 wherein her higheft excellency confifted, fhe could 
 not look backward with any true fatisfaclion, nor 
 forward with any joyful confidence : but fhe thought 
 very little of any thing, except the amufements of 
 the prefent moment ; and ever appeared to be dif- 
 turbed. Death at length furprized her ; and fur- 
 prized we all muft be, if we do not live as if the 
 prefent day might be our laft. She went through 
 the common ceremonies of phyficians, nurfes, and 
 friends, with as much decency as generally attends 
 a death-bed, where the chief concern is to admi- 
 ru'fter medicines to the body. God forbid that I 
 (hould fit in judgment on her foul ; but neither 
 could I ever find any folid foundation whereon to 
 reft my hopes. She feemed to die as fhe had Jived, 
 in a Hate of infenfibility. 
 
 My
 
 ( 107 ) 
 
 My matter, I remember, made a remark, that 
 the Mahometans generally die with the name of 
 God in their mouths ; that is, as long as they can 
 fpeak, they repeat the word Allah ! as if in this in- 
 vocation, the dependance of poor mortals on the 
 verge (5f eternity, the terrors of the foul were calmedj 
 or her hopes exalted. 
 
 He alfo fpoke of the folemnity in Portugal of put- 
 ting malefactors to death at the place of execution : 
 they conftantly repeated, O Jefus ! Jefus ! //// they, 
 were banging by the neck. 
 
 It is always recommended to us to think on the 
 mercies of God, to pray to him, to receive the 
 facrament of our Lord's Supper, as our laft fpiritual 
 nourifhment, to have a minilrer to pray by us, and 
 to hear our friends read pious books. Among the 
 number of books, I know of none more folid or 
 more comfortable, than Sherlock on death. 
 
 Concerning a calm refignation, accompanied by 
 generofity, my mafter was pleafed with the ftory of 
 a French lady* Happening to be bled by a furgeon, 
 who had entertained a fecret pailion for her, the 
 condition of the lady being much fuperior to his, 
 upon uncovering her arm, he wag vifibly confufed : 
 This was obferved ; however, wtf.h great affability 
 fhe defired him to go on in his work : and he cut 
 an artery, inftead of opening a vein. He imme- 
 diately difcovered his miftake, and the lady was as 
 foon fenfible, that file muft die in confequence of it : 
 but far from loading him with bitter reproaches, ihe 
 faw with corop.affion the anguifh of the unhappy 
 1'" 6- man,
 
 man, and fubmitted to providence. She went ftill 
 farther; for thinking this event would injure his 
 reputation as a furgeon, fhe made a handfome pro- 
 vifion for him in her will ; and died with that great- 
 nefs of mind, which a good undemanding, fupported 
 by the noble fentiments of chriftian piety and gene- 
 rofity, infpires ! Was not this great ? Doft think 
 thou fhou'id'ft have done the fame, under the like 
 circumftances ? 
 
 With all their imperfections, women are called 
 the devout fix ; and I have already remarked to thee, 
 that there is nothing great and noble, even in mar- 
 tyrdom, wherein women have not been, in all ages, 
 diftinguifhed. Mrs. ASKEW, among many others, 
 a {ingle gentle-woman, aged 25, was cruelly per- 
 fecuted, and at lad fuffered martyrdom; being burnt 
 in Smithfield, in the reign of Henry viu. She 
 died praying for her murderers.' 
 
 Why, my dear child, in thy humble ftate, fhould'ft 
 not thou be as ready to die, for the glory of God, 
 and the welfare of thine own foul, as the greateft of 
 the children of men ? But very few, in thefe days, 
 are put to any fevere trial. Never fhall I forget the 
 manner of thy dear mother's death. She feemed 
 perfectly reconciled, as if flie were happily arrived 
 at her journey's end, after travelling through the 
 rough ways of penury, and weathering the ftorms 
 of affliction. The truth is, (he had lived an honeft 
 and a religious life ; her mind was in peace ; flie 
 was full of the hopes of the reward of the righteous, 
 and flie looked up to the fintfber of -her faith, even 
 
 Cbrift
 
 ( io 9 ) 
 
 Chrift her Redeemer ! She had conftantly and ftead- 
 faftly fixed her eye on a judgment to come; and 
 this furnifhed her with fuch principles of action, as 
 can be learnt no other way. She had thought of 
 death familiarly, and therefore (he did not fear it. 
 Indeed, fhe was fo truly pious, and full of hope, that 
 to my imagination, in thofe early days, fhe appeared 
 to afcend the clouds in triumph ! O my child, may 
 thy death, whenever it comes, be like her's ; I think 
 thou wilt then moft afluredly die the death of the 
 "righteous ! Why do I wander back fo many years, 
 and let my wounds a bleeding! Thou art her 
 image ! May thy virtues be like her's, that thou 
 rnayeft at length fhine as the ftars of heaven ! 
 
 Xhou remembered AMELIA. She was a young 
 woman of the moft excellent difpofition ! Her mo- 
 defty could be equalled by nothing but the graceful- 
 nefs of her fmiles, and the benignity of her temper. 
 Her dutifulnefs to her parents, and their judicious 
 care and tendernefs, were become famous. She^, 
 was never feen to be at a lofs for. employment, nor 
 out of humour for any crofs accident. Her own 
 pfiffibns being always calm, fhe was a guide and 
 monitor to all her acquaintance. Unprac~iifed in 
 any art of falfhood or cunning, flattery or infinua- 
 fion, by the refiftlefs power of her difcourfe fhe 
 commanded the affe&ions of all her acquaintance. 
 She fung moft fweetly ; but ftie was never tempted 
 to wakes, or fairs, or to keep any company but fuch 
 as her parents recommended. Her winning foftnefs 
 was attended with a turn of mind, as ferious as un- 
 common.
 
 ( no J 
 
 common, and out of fafhion. The fentiments fhe 
 had committed to writing, which were found after 
 her death, abundantly proved, how juftly (he thought 
 of her own diflolution, and how much her heart 
 was devoted to her maker. And as if heaven had 
 marked her for its own, ere fhe had well feen 
 twenty years, having filled up the meafure of her 
 virtue, fhe was called to the fociety of her kindred 
 angels. O what a lofs was fuftained in her ! 
 Glad fhould I be, to fpeak fo well of any man of my 
 acquaintance, who, having died fo young, was pof* 
 felled of fo much intrinfk worth ! 
 
 Thou haft lately feen a frefh inftanoe how preca- 
 rious life is, and how it ought to be fpent j I hope 
 thou wilt remember it with thy expiring breath. 
 'Tis but the other day, thy much loved friend, and 
 the companion of thy earlieft days, AMELIA'S cou- 
 fin, the fweet ELEANOR, took her flight alfo. Hardly 
 to complete eighteen years, is young : though half, 
 who are born, are dead by fcventeen years ; fo many 
 drcp in infancy and childhood *. 
 
 We cannot fay this young woman lived not half 
 her days j for fhe filled up the time that heaven 
 had appointed for her. Her courfe of virtue was 
 early run, and the great arbiter of life and death, 
 was pleafed to call her to reft ! 
 
 Travellers feldom complain that they come too 
 foon to their journey's end ; and this young woman, 
 who died well, had furely lived long enough for 
 
 * Of 1000 born, 498 are dead by the age of 15; that is, in 
 
 great Cities, 
 
 herfelfj
 
 ( III ) 
 
 herfelf; and as for the world in general, we muft 
 leave it in the hands of God. 
 
 In the very bloffom of ELEANOR'S life, her virtues 
 were fragrant ! She was early at her duty, and as 
 a&ive as a bee ; and the produce of her labour, as 
 fweet as honey : (he was no lefs a miftrefs of her 
 needle, than of what belonged to the dairy ; and 
 mduftry was her pleafure and delight. In love for 
 her brothers and fitters, no body excelled her. She 
 was affable to every one, and always ready to plead 
 the caufe of pity, and of peace : no one could be a 
 truer advocate for mifery and diftrefs. When fhe 
 had nothing elfe to give, her tears flood in her eyes ; 
 but fhe comforted herfelf by thinking, that there is 
 no affliction for which religion has not provided a 
 remedy. She fpoke of thofe whom fhe could not 
 praife, with a tendernefs that expreffed her univerfal 
 benevolence. She went to church twice every 
 fabbath-day, and read the Bible and Teftament, 
 with fuch attention, as to underftand what was ne- 
 ceflary to her happinefs in both worlds. At her 
 leifure fhe read other good books ; and carefully 
 avoided thofe dangerous flories which corrupt the 
 heart, and pollute the fancy. Guarded againft the 
 extremes of melancholy and careleflhefs, fhe poflefTed 
 her foul in that happy chearfulnefs and compofure, 
 which are the ordinary companions of innocence; 
 and the befi inftrudlors how to die ! In the gifts 
 of nature, fhe was no lefs happy ; being in temper 
 fweet, in manners gentle, in converfation pleafing, 
 and in voice melodious. Humility, and the love of 
 
 truth 3
 
 truth, prevented her being given to affectation, for 
 flie had too much fenfe to be proud. With her 
 fweetnefs of difpofition, (lie had a large portion of 
 courage, which (he wifely thought neceflary to the 
 Conduct of life ; well knowing, that nothing can 
 embitter life fo much as fear ; nor any thing be 
 more fantailic, than falfe delicacy ; as if women 
 were not to be taught to die. She was fenfible that 
 nothing can conquer this unmanly paffion, which is 
 apt to fhew itfelf in fuch various forms, but religion 
 and the exercife of reafon. With what glorious 
 flrength of mind and refignatiors, fne fpoke of her 
 own death ; fhevving forth her confidence in the 
 mercy of God, through Chrift, the Redeemer of 
 the world ! The fame fentiments, and tranquility 
 of fpirit, which rendered her life fo amiable, attended 
 her expiring breath. Thou knoweft the manner 
 of her death was truly defirable, aud her life a glo- 
 rious objel for imitation. 
 
 Doft thou weep, my child, at this detail ? Soft 
 forrows rather heal than wound the fpirit; there 
 is no bitternefs in fuch grief. Thy tears befpeak 
 thy tendernefs j but there are many reafons why 
 thou (hould'il wipe them, and be comforted. She 
 hath happily efcaped the dangers with which this 
 life abounds. Calm and "ferene, (he pofTefTed the 
 moft peaceful purity, and unmixed hope ; and ex- 
 changed this world for one much better. The 
 truth is, that providence is fo wonderfully kind to 
 us, that in age we are grown ripe for death, and 
 in youth there feems to be more courage, or Icfs 
 
 reluct-
 
 ( '"3 ) 
 
 reluctance, from the mind being lefs corrupt, and 
 from having fewer attachments to the world. Jn 
 both cafes we may fay with the poet ; We are 
 
 " Taught half by reafon, half by mere decay, 
 " To welcome death, and calmly pafs away." 
 
 Is it not a ple'ntiful fource of confolation, to 
 think of being out of the reach of affliction, and 
 what is more, beyond the poifibility of offending 
 God ! Thou, my child, knoweft not the dangerous 
 fmiles of a treacherous world. Comfort thyfelf ! 
 " Tears will not water the lovely plant to make it 
 " grow again. Sighs will not give her new breath j 
 " aor canft thou furnifti her with life and fpirits, by 
 " the wafte of thine own." Complain not of the 
 fhortnefs of thy joy ; nor let thy lofs in her, turn to 
 thy disadvantage. Be thankful to thy maker, that 
 thou enjoyedit it fo long ; and in thy forrow, forget 
 not to pray, " Thy will, O God, be done f" " To her, 
 " virtue was grey hairs, and an unfpotted life, old 
 " age." Let the remembrance of her good quali- 
 ties live in thine heart; and in proportion to thy 
 love for her, let her ftill be thy friend and monitor. 
 Think of .her happinefs ; and in that reflection, be 
 happy thyfelf. Wipe thy tears : and whilft thou 
 offered up thy pious lamentation, let this inftance 
 of her well fpent life, teach thee what is the defign 
 of God, in giving breath to mortals ; and rather 
 mourn for thofe who are living in fin, than for thy 
 friend who died in the practice of virtue. Bring 
 
 the
 
 ( ".4 ) 
 
 the perfuafion, that death cannot be verydiftant, fo 
 far into practice as to v v; ; attentive to thy 
 
 thoughts, words and deeds. If thou viewed death- 
 in a true light, not merely as the finilher of life, but 
 as the iiiirod cer inio a ftate which is to lait for 
 ever, ii \vi!l rouze every facility of thy fou], and 
 call up all thy attention. And fince there is in na- 
 ture, fo great a repugnance to the thought of death, 
 let it operate as the ftrongeflt reafon " for cleanfing. 
 thyfelfyrwyj all filthinefs 6f the flefh and fpirir, per- 
 fediing holinefs in the fear of God." This is a 
 confideration for the wife ft and be ft of mankind, at 
 all s^es j that were it only to die in c( :r,fort, the- 
 labour cf living viriuoufly would ^ abundan^y 
 repaid. I cull it labour, only as iubour ,s pleasure \ 
 for no pleisfuri: txcctus that of thinking and nc-ting 
 right, find d-)int; good : Noi can any comfott exceed 
 thut of kv?f-pm^ a gloriou^^ prcfped of eternal happi- 
 neis in view. 
 
 In ikkric.v, or advanced years, people continually 
 deceive themfcives as to the approach of death j and 
 pro\iued tht\ ! iv>. well, this o.,ly proves the kind- 
 nefs of the great Lord of life. Two of my acquaint- 
 ance, lately dead, were both far gone in a confump- 
 tion, and deemed incurable: each faid he thought 
 the other would die very foon, but neither feemed 
 to imagine his own death near. Wife men correct 
 their own faults, by obferving wherein others are 
 defective. With us, things go very much by 
 f.diion j and it is not our cuitom to fpeak of the 
 approach of death, or the itate of the mind of our 
 
 friend
 
 ( H5 ) 
 
 friend or relation, not even in the moft gentle 
 terms. This is one rcafon why To few think about 
 it. Inftead of giving the moft aliiftance that is 
 practicable, to thofe who ftand moft in need, we 
 give the lealt that can be imagined. 
 
 Were people of ability to talk the language of 
 reafon and religion upon thefe awful" occ: lions, it 
 would probably operate on many a fide perfon, and 
 make the approach of death lefs dreadful. The 
 chriftian faith requires of us to rejoice always, and 
 confequently to look on life and death indifferently, 
 but as they adminifter to the honour of God, and 
 the welfare of mankind. Confidence in God, robs 
 death of his terrors : We only drop afleep, 
 
 If near refaionf were to endeavour, by reading^. 
 prayer, or tifantffti to infpirc the dying perfon with 
 courage to bear pain and death, the living might 
 luarn the better how to die. The approach cf death, 
 like other dangers, is apt to terrify the fearful. 
 This being the laft fcene, it feems ftrange that the 
 deareft friends fhould be fo pailive, and do nothing 
 towards brightening the hopes of a blifsful immor- 
 tality ! We fuppofe that it will anfwer no good pur- 
 pofe, to fpeak of death to one on a fick bed, unlefs 
 the patient is a moft abandoned wicked perfon ; and 
 yet to fuch it may be of the leaft ufe, of which I 
 told thee of fome inftances. Our indifference in 
 this article, is ftamped with fuch a mark of fafiiion- 
 able authority, that any conduct contrary to i^ 
 would be fufpected of enthufiafm or hypocrify. 
 
 A*
 
 As a proof of thi?, the minifters of God's word 
 are not always required to attend, though good men, 
 on fuch occafions, appear as angels of comfort. 
 This is wonderful, but I fear it is too true ; and 
 amongft other things, makes the folly more apf^i- 
 rent in thofe who truft they (iiali repe/nt, though 
 they know not when, nor ivbere, nor bozu. They 
 are Cure they ihall die, feme time or other, and they 
 obferve that people ufually die in beds ; and con- 
 clude they fliall have a chance of a death-bed repent- 
 ance. O my child, live prepared for death, and in 
 a concern of fuch vail moment, truft not to thou 
 knoweft not wh it. 
 
 Remember, if thou puttcft off 'till to-morrow, 
 that which- thoi*.ould'il do to day, wert thou about 
 to die, thou wilt not only be guijty of preemption, 
 but it is highly probaMe thou wilt never do it. I 
 .will tell thee, my child, why I think fo. 7'o-mor- 
 rczuj and to-morrow, creep on, irjha ftealing pace, to 
 the end of our days. To-morrow can never be to- 
 day. We never can be. fure of thinking t9-morrow 
 as we think to-day; but of this we ar"e fure, that 
 the lamp of life burns out, though behind the cur- 
 tain ; and that when the oil is fpcnt, darknefs muft 
 follow. 
 
 The general confideration of death, (hews the 
 folly of immoderate grief, as well as exceflive joy, 
 for any thing that befals us. It likewife fhews the 
 madnefs of the daring firmer, who mocks at the fear 
 of God ! His laft day draws near, when he will 
 ihuid trembling with terror before his tremendous 
 
 judge" L
 
 ( "7 ) 
 
 judge ! The approaching day of the good is alfo 
 coming on, in the fame pace ; but this will be to 
 them a day of triumph, beyond the power of lan- 
 guage to defcribe ! " The forrows of the- poor and 
 " the defpifed, will then fly away like the trades of 
 ic night at the approach of the fun." This is mat- 
 ter for conftant chcariulnefs ; it is more: it is joy 
 and delight. That fuch glory may be thiive", ihall 
 be my conftant prayer I 
 
 DISCOURSE XVI. 
 
 Reflexions on the certainty of death, and the refurrec- 
 tion. The New Tejlameat our only true guide. The 
 cbaraEler of our Saviour defer ibed in it. 
 
 HAST thou thought ferioufly of the fubjecl: of 
 our yefterday's converfation. I hope it will 
 live in thy memory, as long as it fhall pleafe heaven 
 to give thee breath. Thou fecit how fmcerely I 
 vvifli to promote thy well-being, not here only, but 
 alfo beyond the grave : I would gladly do the fame 
 to all the children of men ; and thus partake of all 
 the good they may receive here, and arrive at the 
 poffeffion of in that country where all diftin&ions 
 ceafe, but thofe of virtue and vice. 
 
 I told thce thy chance of life for fifteen years, 
 and my own for five : yet haft not thou often heard 
 people fay, when they approach to fixty, " three" 
 fcore years ! that is no age !" They know perhaps, 
 
 that
 
 that in a f-"/W/ born, a few remain alive at four- 
 fcore * ; ami ] 'he chance is, that half the people 
 of 60 will be dead before 70 f. 
 
 Alas ! poor ten years to ftrut in, about the world ! 
 And do they confider that thefe ten years are but 
 broken fragn.ents of time, divided out amongft the 
 number of candidates for life : fome have only one 
 or twoy and others eight or nine ; and, one with an- 
 other, they hardly obtain above five or fix years of 
 the ten. Many are fo unwilling to die," they fecrctly 
 envy ignorance, poverty, or pain, where they think 
 there is a profpeft of length of days. 
 
 * Of 72 perfons (the remainder of 1000 born) being 70 yer.rs 
 of age, by the courfe of mortality 55 of them die within ten years ; 
 and confequcntly only 27 of the 1000 remain alive at the age of So. 
 
 j- Of 135 (the remainder of 1000 born) being 60 years of acre, 
 btfcre ten years art expired, 63 of them die, which is not far fiiort 
 of the half part, to die before any one reaches to 70 years. 
 
 I think it is the celebrated phyfician, Dr. Cadcgan, who fays 
 that the life of man is not properly feventy years, but ninety ; 
 which he divides, 30 to go up, 30 to ftand, and 30 to go down ; 
 and 1 believe he may be near the mark, fuppufing men to live in 
 the beft climates of the earth, and that all their pjifTicns r.nd appe- 
 tites were regulated by reafon and chrirtian faith ; but taking 
 things as they are, with all the heats and colds, and dry and moiil, 
 paffions not half controlled, and appetites fo much indulged for 
 momentary gratifications, we muft agree with the pious pfalmift, 
 and fix it at 70 years, with this exception, that about 27 in loco 
 born, live to 80 : for no creature has fuch refouroes to repair his 
 animal frame, as man : reafon being fo evidently given him for 
 his own prefervation. At the fame time his frame is of fo won- 
 derful a texture, that not only the parts wear as they are ufed, 
 and according to their original ftrength, as derived from the parent ; 
 but it is fo fmall a part of mankind as 27 in 1000 born, who live to 
 fourfcore : and thefe (offer decrepidnefs, difeafe, and pain : many 
 who have been accuflomed to excefs, lofe alfo the powers of the 
 mind. 
 
 Were
 
 f "9 ) 
 
 Were it duly attended to, nothing could exalt us 
 fo much as the confideration of a life to come ; no- 
 thing is fo noble, extenfive, and delightful, in con- 
 templation ! It is what is aimed at in all the diftinc- 
 tions of man and brute, all learning in high life, and 
 all knowledge in an humble condition verge to the 
 .fame point : All the glory of this world is as no- 
 thing to it. And indeed mortality appears fo con- 
 tinually at our doors and windows, in our chambers, 
 and fields, that one would imagine we fhould avail 
 ourfelves of the promifes of the gofpel as our only 
 relief ; and as the only effectual prefervation of a 
 rational life j but when we do not learn fuch lefTons 
 in our youth, we hardly ever come to a right under- 
 landing of them : yet learn them we muft at fome 
 time or other, or retire unprepared to give up our 
 account. If thou, my child, wilt try the experi- 
 ment, and make the next life the firft object: of thy 
 thoughts, take my word for it, thou wi!r, as thou 
 advanceft, enjoy a glorious and delightful entertain- 
 ment, which common mortals are Grangers to. To 
 perform all our focial duties with joy here on earth, 
 and to receive a ftill higher joy in hope in a life to 
 come, muft give charms to every object, and take 
 out the fting of mifery ; proving the wonderful 
 goodnefs of heaven in making every thing happen 
 for good to -the good. 
 
 Thus to be good is to be happy in the trueft fenfe j 
 and fo far as we mortals can reach the true ftandard 
 of goodnefs, we approach the felicity of angels, 
 whatever our condition may be, as providence may 
 
 have
 
 have caft our lot. I am afraid this is a fecret to a 
 great part of mankind, though it be evidently the lead- 
 ifig principle of the gofpel, and moil intimately con- 
 nected with our progrefs in holinefs. It is impoffible 
 to live, and not to die; and God hath made it im- 
 poffible to die, without being happy, or miferable 
 after death. 
 
 We hear of each others bodily complaints,^ 'till 
 we grow Tick of the fubjec~l ; but when didft thou 
 hear any one talk properly of the joys he hoped for 
 after death ? Yet if our praSice kept pace with our 
 chriftian profe.Tion, we might animate each other 
 in this glorious purfuit. 
 
 ' The wife look forward into futurity, and con- 
 " fider what will be their condition, millions of 
 " ages hence, as well as what it is- at prefent!" 
 And how can the true fpirit of chriftianity be reviv- 
 ed, unlefs we meditate on the happy immortality 
 which it promifes ? 
 
 Such being the defects in the practice and inter- 
 courfe of nominal chriftians, I know not what better 
 advice I can give thee, than to eonverfe with thine 
 own heart; to read; to think; to regulate thy 
 thoughts, and obferve the tendency of thy actions ; 
 calling thyfelf to account in a reafonable manner 
 every day. 
 
 The lefs thou examined thy heart, the more de- 
 ceitful it will become ; and the more it will flatter. 
 Vet when thou doft examine it, be not di/heartend 
 at thine own imperfections. Every thing may be 
 reformed by grace, and improved by care. Com- 
 
 paflion
 
 paflion is due to ourfelves. A feverity of felf-cbaf- 
 tifcment) beyond the bounds 'Which reafon warrants, 
 and our truft in God demands, leads to melancholy, 
 or defpair. Aufterities, beyond certain bounds, 
 have not the marks of true religion : To be truly 
 wife, we muft be in good fpirits, chearful and good- 
 humoured : piety itfelf implies an agreeable and. 
 pleafing quality. In many cafes we ought to remember 
 our own faults, and forget tk of e of others ; yet, thougli 
 confcious of our imperfections, we fhould take pains 
 to confider ourfelves in that light, wherein it is moll 
 probable we fhall benefit ; drawing this conclufion, 
 that dlftrvjl of God, is of all evils the greateft, ex- 
 cepting atfpatr* 
 
 Endeavour, my child, to conquer the world, and 
 the vanities thereof, or thefe will conquer thee : !t 
 is neceflary to contend for viclory^ in humble confi- 
 dence that when thou haft done thy endeavour ; 
 though thine own merit cannot fave thee, yet wilt 
 thou be accepted. The language of fcripture is, 
 u 13e thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee 
 a crown of life." 
 
 Remember the counfol and admonition of our 
 great Lord and mafler, when he bid his difciples, 
 and contequently all his followers through all gene- 
 rations, to be of good c bcer^ for that be had overcome 
 the world. If thou wilt walk in his fleps, thou wilt 
 find he has overcome it for thee. Be aflured that 
 whenever the thoughts of immortality are habitually 
 rejected, thovi art either living in a finful habit, in 
 defiance of heaven, or thou doll not believe the pro- 
 G miles
 
 ( 122 ) 
 
 mifes of Chrift, fo as to look forward towards them 
 with a grateful, a joyful, and a courageous heart. 
 
 The great doctrine of the refurre&ion, is properly 
 an object of faith ; but now that it is fully re- 
 vealed to us, nothing is more agreeable to reafon } 
 and the works of God give evidence to it. I know, 
 that the corn which I fow, corrupts, and lies dead 
 in the earth, but it brings forth its feed in abundance 
 in due feafon. This is the work of God, and we 
 fee the effects with our eyes 3 but how they are 
 produced we know not. Thou feeft them, and be* 
 lieveft in them ; is it not highly reafonable to believe 
 in God's word alfo ? We have the moft undoubted 
 evidence, that Chrift afofe from the dead, and that 
 he raifed the dead. The miracles he did, gave proof 
 of the will of the Almighty, as well as of his power ; 
 and we have the exprefs pfomife of Chrift, if we are 
 really his difciples, that where he is, there we fhall 
 be alfo. St. John x. xiv. chap. 
 
 If thou therefore meaneft to deferve the glorious 
 name of a cbrijJian^ be zealous for thy great matter's 
 honour ! Examine into the circumftances of his 
 life, with care and attention ; and (hew thy love for 
 him by thy obedience to his precepts : all other in- 
 ftruclions compared to them are light in the balance. 
 Thou wilt find them in the New Teftament, moft 
 clearly marked out *. As : 
 
 * Inftances of the life of our Saviour propofed to imitation, 
 from BUR KIT'S expofuion cf the New Teftament, at the clofe of 
 his remarks on ST. JOHN'S Gcfpel, where thofe who are poffefled 
 of this uk-tiil bock, may find proper comments en tlitfc inftances 
 
 of our Saviour's life. 
 
 j. His
 
 ( "3 ) 
 
 I, tils early piety. Luke xi. 46, 47. 
 2. obedience to his earthly parents. Luke \\. <Jt 
 3. unwearied diligence in doing good, dfts x. 38. 
 4. humility and lowlinefs of mind. Mat. xi. 29* 
 
 5. The unblameablenefs and inoffenfivcnefs of his 
 . life and actions. Mat. xix. 27. 
 
 6. His eminent felf-denial. Phil. ii. 7, 8. 
 7. contentment in a low and mean condition ir> 
 
 this world k Luke ix. 58. Phil: iv. u. 
 8. frequent performance of the duty of private 
 
 prayer. Luke vi. li.-^-Mark i. 35. 
 9. affectionate performance of the duty of praife 
 
 and thankfgiving. Mat. Jd. 25. John xi. 41. 
 10. compaflion towards thofe who were mifer* 
 
 able, and in diftrefs. Mat. xx. 34. 
 II. fpiritualj entertaining, and ufeful difcourfe* 
 
 Luke xiv. j: xxiv. 13. 
 12. His free, familiar^ fociable behaviour. Mat. 
 
 xi. i<).+Luke v. 19. 
 13. patience under fufferings and reproaches. 
 
 I Peter ii. 2f, 22. 
 
 14. readinefs to forgive injuries; /fcxxiii. 34. 
 15. laying to heart the fins as well as fufferings 
 
 of others. Mark iii. 5. 
 16. zeal for the public worfhip of God. John iu 
 
 7- 
 
 17. glorifying his father in all he did, John 
 
 xvii, 4. 
 
 1 8. -impartiality in reproving fin. Mat. xxii. 23. 
 19. univerfal obedience to his father's will, and 
 
 chearful fubmiHion to his father's pleafure. 
 
 Met. xxvi. 20. 
 
 G 2 20.
 
 ( 124 ) 
 
 20. laws and practice of univerfal holinefs, both 
 in heart and life. Luke iv. 34. 
 
 Keep thine eye on this model in every action ef 
 thy life j it will give thee more comfort and joy in 
 the end, than volumes of other reading, or all the 
 pleafures the earth can furnifh. 
 
 What is the world? What hath been the fate 
 even of whole nations ? Where are the antient peo- 
 ple, the Jeivs^ who made fo great a figure in their 
 time, as the facred hiftory informs us ? What variety 
 of national punifhments did their fins occafion, 'till 
 they were at length cut oft* from the earth, as a 
 people! Where are the mighty empires of the 
 AfTyrians-, the Babylonia. is, the Egyptians ! Where 
 are the Romans, who were matters of the Jews, as 
 the fcriptures acquaint us, when under tlu'ir ruler 
 PONTIUS PILATE, the Lord of life was put to death 
 upon the crofs ! Thofe mighty ftates are wiped off 
 the face of the earth ! And what will be the fate of 
 the earth itfelf, and all the glorious luminaries that 
 furround it r The ftars will fade away, and the iun 
 be extinguifhed, at the command cf the Moft High. 
 But ftill, my child*, thou, who art as a worm, will 
 live for ever ! O glorious thought ! worthy of a 
 monarch's brea'ft, and given by the hand of heaven 
 to the meaneft fubjecl. If therefore at 'any time 
 great, mifery fhould be thy lot, though great m'tfcry 
 is feldom the let of the virtuous, ftill confider that 
 it will not laft long : It will foon ceafe ; or it will 
 make an -end of thee by death ; and death will crown 
 thy conftartcy with everlatting happinefs ! 
 
 DIS-
 
 DISCOURSE XVII. 
 
 On fuperjlition. Folly of believing in -witches. Story 
 of Dame Tempeft. On enthufuifm. On melancholy* 
 
 IN contemplating the life of our Saviour, and the 
 rules of behaviour which he hath taught, thou 
 wilt find fuch hope and joy fpring up in thy breaft, 
 as will banifh all falfe apprehenfions. Whatever 
 thy lot may be, this will prevent thy falling into 
 the blindnefs Qf'fuperftithn t the frenzy of entbufiafm^ 
 or the deplorable fighs of melancholy* There are 
 many who pretend to genuine chriftianity, and yet 
 have foifted into their religion, a vaft variety of 
 follies and iniquities. It is neceflary on this occa- 
 lion to warn thee againft them. 
 
 Some Papijts have carried fuperftition to the 
 height of idolatry, infomuch that they even pray to 
 deceafed mortals, and kneel before images made of 
 wood and ftone. They pray to faints of their own 
 making, as mediators for them with God ; though 
 it is fo often, and fo ftrongly declared in the fcrip- 
 tures, that Chrift is our only Mediator and InterceJJor 
 at the throne of the Almighty. 1 have heard my 
 matter fay, that he has feen, in popifti countries, 
 images carried about the ftrects, to which the peo- 
 ple fell down upon their knees and prayed, afcribing 
 to them the power of working miracles! Strange 
 G 3 folly.
 
 ( 126 ) 
 
 folly and credulity, which once ftained the annals 
 of our illuftrious forefathers in this happy ifle. To 
 fuch heights of dotage and childifhnefs may mankind 
 be brought, when they have once deviated from the 
 true worship of the one fupreme and invifible God ! 
 Canft thou think there are any, in this land, fo 
 blind as to entertain this abfurd faith ? There are 
 ibme, even at this time, when Papifts themfelves, 
 in feveral popifli countries, arc every day difcover- 
 ing their errors and delufions. To fuch a height 
 may falfe fear, and fantaftic hope be carried, as to 
 make people believe, that fuch a male, or female 
 iaint, can do fuch and fuch things for them : or if 
 they make application with liberal prefents, at the 
 church or chapel dedicated to fuch a faint, he will 
 avert evils, and give them fuccefs. Thefe people 
 alfo make vows and promifes, as if God were to be 
 bribed by their gifts and deeds of oftentatious. 
 charity. Their follies feem to be drawing to an 
 end. What time the wifdom of God has fixed, he 
 only knows. 
 
 Learn from hence what evils mankind are expofed 
 to ; and how happy we are, in being born in a land 
 where the fcriptures are in every one's hand, re- 
 inembering that the greater our opportunities of 
 obedience, the greater will be our condemnation if 
 we do not avail ourfelves of them, and that it may 
 be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidsn at the laft 
 judgment, than for us. See St. Luke x. 14. 
 
 Perhaps thou art not aware, that even good dif- 
 pofuionsj if carried beyond their due bounds, and 
 
 not
 
 ( 1*7 ) 
 
 not regulated by reafon, may degenerate into vices. 
 It is the fear of God, when unworthy notions are 
 entertained of him, which produces fuperftition. 
 Tn fome countries this weaknefs has been confidered 
 as a crime, but I think it is rather an objel of our 
 companion than of our anger. Some, to this day, 
 make every thing to be ominous^ and in their foolifh 
 opinion the moft fimple accidents threaten great 
 evils : witn'efs the croaking of a raven, or the tick- 
 ing of a fpider, or other infect vulgarly called a death- 
 watch. Thou haft feen fome of 'our good neigh- 
 bours, much difturbed at the overfettiug a fait on 
 the table j and by laying knives acrofs i and if there 
 happen to be juft thirteen in number, in a company, 
 they make it a reafon for believing one of them will 
 die within the courfc of the year ; and not knowing 
 who it will be, they all imagine what they pleafe, 
 and take pains to torment themfelves. There are 
 a thoufand foolifh whims, which are the true growth* 
 of fuperftition. It is hard to fay, whether there be 
 moft folly, or madnefs in it ; but it certainly argues 
 a diftruft of the wifdom and goodnefs of Goo 1 : for 
 how can we fuppofe that the all -wife ruler of the 
 world, will difcover any of his defigns to man, by 
 means fo trifling and iniignificant ; or torment them 
 by doubts and anxieties, founded on fuch circura- 
 ilances ? 
 
 Superftition prepares the mind to receive any im- 
 preflions from artful perfons, fuch as pretend to tell 
 fortunes j and others yet more wicked, who delud- 
 ing by falfe dodlrines, and representing falfehood as 
 G 4 truth,
 
 truth, and vice as virtue, lead the unwary into great 
 mifchtef, and fometimes into deftru<?tion. Thus 
 fuperftition roots up the foundations of religion ; and 
 in no inftancc has it been productive of more tragi- 
 cal effects than in the belief of uitchcraft. Be 
 allured, that witches are nothing but the children of 
 a fick brain. To imagine that the Lord of nature 
 ihould impower the Prince of darknefs to make a 
 poor old woman an inftrument, " to untie the winds, 
 to fwallow up fhips in the waves, to blight the 
 bladed corn, and to afflict a favourite child with fits 
 or infanity," merely becaufe fhe has been refufed a 
 trifle, when begging at <he door, is altogether weak 
 and abfurd. 
 
 Our poor old neighbour Dame Temp^fi, has been 
 called a witch, merely becaufe the variety of her 
 wretchednefs has made her a miferable object. Her 
 eyes are covered with a dreadful fait, and burning 
 rheum fhe trembles in fpeech her hearing is 
 much impaired her garb is the emblem of poverty, 
 compofed of various colours, being patches with 
 which induftry and mifery have loaden them. This 
 poor creature has feen better days, but out-living 
 all her children and her friends, and condemned to 
 a folitary cottage, (he hath appeared as an out-caft 
 from the human race. She worked as long as fhe 
 was able, but is now reduced to the miferable pit- 
 tance of one fhilling a week from the parifh. Yet 
 in the midft of all this accumulated diftrefs, fhe pof- 
 feffes herfelf with patience and fortitude, looking 
 forward to her diflblution with "tranquility and hope. 
 
 When
 
 When I vifit her, foe fpeaks to me with freedom 
 and good fenfe. " You are as an angel fent from. 
 " heaven, to help me to die in peace. They think 
 <* me very miferable, but I am not fo much fo as I 
 " appear, were it only that I am contented to die ! 
 " Death is tome moftdefirable: It is the inevitable 
 u lot of all, and confequently my privilege: If I 
 " fuffer fomething to obtain it, the evil can be but 
 4t of fhort duration." 
 
 Yet with all this chriftianity about her, fo weak" 
 does credulity make mankind, that (he is fufpe&ed 
 of being what they call a witch that is, a perfon 
 iu league with the devil ! 
 
 When fear of evil is founded in a fenfe of guilt, 
 repentance and amendment of life only can fubdue 
 it, and convert it into the genuine fear of God; 
 There is but one way of fortifying thy foul agatnft 
 fuperftitious fear, and that is, bv endeavouring with 
 fmglcnefs of heart, to fecure to thyfclf the friendfhip 
 and protection of that Being, .who difpofcs of all 
 events, paft, prefenr, and to come; infomuch, that 
 n$t a hair can fall from thy head but he knoweth it. 
 
 I muft give tbee another charge with. regard to 
 fajfe notions of religion. I have heard people talk 
 of enthufiafts who have totally neglected their fami- 
 lies, their own health, and the concerns of this 
 world, fuppofing this to be necefiary to maintain an 
 intercourfe with the next. What a ft range ab- 
 furdity ! In popifh countries numbers of both fexes 
 live on the fpoils of the poor, and do nothing : but 
 religion is fo far from fuppofing, that we have not 
 G 5 bodies
 
 bodies to provide for, that there is hardly a lefTon 
 in it, which does not teach fomething that regards 
 the good of the body, and whoever neglects his 
 family, or his own health, from a miftaken notion 
 that he fhall become more acceptable to God, will 
 find that he is grievoufly miftaken ; for this is 
 voluntarily to abandon himfelf, and be rendered 
 incapable of many of thofe duties, which the gofpel 
 requires. " I was hungry and ye gave me food ; 
 " I was naked and ye clothed me ; I was fick and 
 *' ye vifited me." Thefe, our great friend, the 
 Redeemer of the world, informs us, are works 
 which he will regard as done to himfelf, if we do 
 them to others who are in need. And though they 
 muft flow from a good fpirit, they furely relate to 
 the body. That there are cnthufiafts of this un- 
 toward and ridiculous turn of mind, I do indeed 
 believe > but I am perfuaded their number is very 
 inconfiderable ; and that thefe ought rather to be 
 ranked as madmen than merely as enthufiafts. 
 
 Though I give thee this caution againft a falfe 
 notion which pious people fometimes fall into, I 
 believe there are very few inftances in this proteftant 
 land, wherein induftry is checked by piety, fo as to 
 neglect a provifion for the body. The fobriety 
 recommended by religion, naturally tends to pro- 
 mote induftry. 
 
 Another evil is melancholy : this fees misfortunes 
 which never come. It anticipates thofe that will 
 come : and it aggravates them when they are arriv- 
 ed. In effect, it runs to meet thofe calamities 
 
 which
 
 ^'flich we mould rather fly from, or by oppofing them 
 with courage, conquer them. Superilition and 
 melancholy are nearly related, and generally meet 
 in the fame perfon. Upon the whole, we have all 
 need of a faithful friend, or a fevere enemy to ad- 
 monifh and correct j or pcrfuade us to our duty, or 
 fhew us our faults, fo as to make us afhamed of 
 them. Happy are thofe who have fuch a friend ! 
 Thou findeft one in me whofe fidelity thou mayeft 
 depend on. Thefe evils are to be guarded againft 
 with the more care, as they often take the name of 
 virtues, and few who are infected by them are fen- 
 fible of their difeafe : being the effeft of grofs folly 
 or weaknefs of mind, the fame weakneis renders 
 the remedy hard to come at. 
 
 DISCOURSE XVIII. 
 
 Charity for differences in opinion. The great impor- 
 tance of a good conscience. 
 
 WORSE than even fuperftition, enthufiafm, or 
 melancholy > is uncharitablenefs. Every peo- 
 ple and language have notions of things peculiar to 
 themfelves, but want of charity is the rock on which 
 fo many millions have run, when they have fondly 
 imagined themfelves to be in a fair courfe. The 
 opinions of men are as different as their perfons, 
 and the rafh manner in .which we fometimes hear 
 G 6 fentence
 
 ( '3* ) 
 
 jfentence pronounced on each other, is no proof of 
 wifdom ; but on the contrary, leads many into a 
 labyrinth of uncharitable blindnefs. 
 
 I believe, my child, that all mankind who aft 
 agreeably to the di&ates of their confcience, accord- 
 ing to the lights afforded them, will be accepted by 
 God : I believe this, becaufe I hope the fmcerity 
 of my own heart will be accepted by him, though I 
 Ihould err : and for the fame reafon that I would 
 fhew mercy to others, I hope mercy will be {hewn 
 to me. 
 
 God forbid that thou fhouldeft look upon any 
 one as a foe to heaven, merely becaufe he differs 
 from thee in opinion ; or be an enemy to any perfon, 
 who as far as thou knoweft is a friend to God. Do 
 not thou, who art duft and afhes, pretend to decide 
 the fate of others ; nor let it affect the benevolence 
 of thy mind, though others fhould prefumptuoufly 
 ilt in judgment upon thee. Adore thy Maker for 
 his boundlefs goodnefs to all the children of men, 
 whatever their fituation may be. If thou haft a 
 deep fenfe of fuch goodnefs, it will naturally infpire 
 thy mind with the tenderejl charity^ and the trueft 
 benevolence, towards all thy fellow creatures, by 
 whatever faith, mode of worfhip, or worldly interefts 
 they are diftinguifhed. This is the way, my dear 
 child, to follow the great Lord and teacher of the 
 chriftian world ! 
 
 If thou thinkeft thy neighbour in an error, which 
 it is not in thy power to correct, it -is enough if 
 thou avoideft falling into the fame miflake, Still I
 
 ( 133 ) 
 
 fay, be charitable, and leave him to that being- who 
 is infinite in wifdom and mercy ; and who will moil 
 afluredly adjuft all thofe differences, which men io 
 often, and fo vainly attempt to regulate. 
 
 I have many times obferved, that whether in reli- 
 gious, or worldly concerns, " what men lay for 
 * themfelves, and what their adverfaries infer, or 
 " reprefent them as faying, are generally two very 
 " different things : and thofe who will not be at the 
 " pains to confider diftincHy, what each fide alledges 
 " for itfelf, but will judge of either, by the cha- 
 " racier or reprefentation made of it, will be for 
 " ever led into erroneous judgments concerning 
 " men and things, and continue unavoidably igno- 
 " rant of the true ftate of the matter in queftion." 
 Experience has taught me that this is fo much the 
 cafe, I am always flow of believing the vulgar 
 report. 
 
 As creatures of one common nature, endowed 
 with fuch noble principles of ation, and yet limited 
 to fo fhort a time, one might fuppofe that nothing 
 but love and harmony would be found here on earth : 
 unhappily, how often do we obferve the contrary ! 
 Yet it is moft apparent, that a benevolent mind is a 
 feaft of joy adminiftered by the hands of angels j as 
 a malignant difpofition, is an engine of torture 
 brought from the regions of the damned. 
 
 The gay world, whofe purfuits do not allow them 
 much time for enquiry, are too apt to reproach the 
 moft ferious, be their faith and practice ever fo 
 and frequently reprefent them as of.fome fet
 
 ( '34 ) 
 
 or other. The moft ignorant are always the moft 
 concc-ited ; and unable to difcern their own folly, or 
 the wifjom of others. 
 
 If therefore rt fliould fall to thy lot to be re- 
 proached for thy piety, as if, beii g pious, therefore 
 thou muft have adopted fome falfe tenet or opinion, 
 bear it patiently : rather think, it the misfortune of 
 others in judging ill, than thine own in being ill- 
 judged of: moft of us have a greater propenfity to 
 detect fmall faults, than to applaud great virtues. 
 
 In general, mankind live more according to 
 fafliion and opinion, which are very changeable, 
 than according to the rules of wifdom, which are 
 fleady and larting ; and as they live themfelvcs, fo 
 they judge of others. This, alas! is too general 
 a propenfity. 
 
 Upon the whole, I hope thou wilt treat all foolifh 
 or unjuft reproach with indifference j yet as occa- 
 fions offer, it may be not only warrantable, but ne- 
 ceiTary, to defend thyfelf by explaining thy opinion, 
 and recommending peace and good will. Contra* 
 diction, expreffed in grofs terms, inflames the paf- 
 Jions of others ; and paflionate difputes hardly ever 
 enlighten the underftanding, though they often ex- 
 tinguifh the light of reafon. " In heat of argument 
 " men are commonly like thofe that are tied back 
 " to back j clofe joined, and yet they cannot fee one 
 " another." My mafter ufed to mention an excel- 
 lent rule to be obferved in difputes, " That we 
 " (hould give foft words, zmd hard arguments, and 
 " not ftrive to vex? but to cwvinft our opponents." 
 r. " There
 
 ( 135 ) 
 
 ** There is as much wifdom in bearing with 
 *< other people's defefls, as in being fenfible of their 
 " good qualities j and we fhould make the follies of 
 *' others, a warning and injiriiflion to ourfelves." 
 This is the way to preferve the mind in charity and 
 peace, to corrett our/elves^ and to reform the world. 
 
 Thou, my dear child, art yet comparatively in a 
 ftate of innocence. Mayeft thou continue in it I- 
 and let me die in peace ! Remember, that " it is 
 " always term time in the court of confcience ; and 
 " every one committing a trefpafs is a prifoner of 
 " jujlice^ as foon as it is done," whether it be 
 known or not. What even thy confcicnce but whif-- 
 pers thee to be wrong, there is fo ftrong a prefump- 
 tion will be difpleafing to God, that thou fliould'ft 
 forbear and fly from it, left it fting thee to death ; 
 for a wounded fpirit who can bear ? 
 
 There is no remaining fixt to one point ; thpu 
 wilt be always going on improving, or giving way 
 and growing; worfe. Time never ftands frill : our 
 nature fubje&s us to change ; and our change (hould 
 always be for the better. Thus, though thou 
 fhouldft remain low in condition, thou mayeft rank 
 high in virtue ; but all the wealth in the world will 
 not compenfate for a bad confcience. Let a little 
 time pafs, and all the diftin&ions about which man- 
 kind make fuch a buftle, and often hazard their 
 confcience and their fouls, drop into the grave. 
 The earth will cover us all, ere long ; and flie her- 
 felf will be changed ; and therefore it is abfurd to 
 
 be
 
 be exalted or dejected, beyond meafure, about" any 
 thing here below. 
 
 I will venture to allure thee, from the variety I 
 hav'e feen in my own life r that reality fcarce ever 
 equals imagination* Our earthly delights are feldom, 
 fo fweet in enjoyment, as they are in expectation > 
 but the pleafures of the understanding are always 
 fweet in proportion as they arife from a quiet con- 
 icience, and a mind full of hope. 
 
 ^To be fenfible when the confeience is wounded, 
 is one part of its cure, provided we keep the fore 
 open till it heals effectually ; and not as thofe who 
 /kin it over, or do any thing to divert the pain. 
 w It fareth with men of an evil confeience, when 
 they muft die^ as it does with riotous fpendthrifts, 
 when they muft pay their debts : they have declined 
 coming to account, from a diftruft of their inability. 
 to pay, till the. hand of juftice overtakes them." 
 Think, O my child, that divine juftice comes with.- 
 leaden feet, yet if we perfift in our offence?, it will 
 ftrike with iron hands. Be thy fortune good or be. 
 it ill, heaven preferve thy foul unfpotted from the 
 world ! 
 
 DIS-
 
 ( 137 ) 
 
 DISCOURSE XIX. 
 
 The advantages of humility. On a low fation. A 
 "virtuous and vicious condutt contrajhd. The fatal 
 confequences of vice. 
 
 IN common life, we efteem humility, one of the 
 moft excellent of virtues : With refpet to 
 morals, as dependant on religion, it feems to be the 
 confummation of all virtues : without it a chri/fian 
 actually lofes his name. It makes us love our 
 fellow-creatures, and often attra&s their afFeclion'j 
 but can excite no malice or envy. To be proud 
 and humane implies a kind of contradiction. Hu- 
 mility has one peculiar advantage, adapted to all 
 circumftances, for it fets us above the world in the 
 trueft and beft fenfe ; for " he that is little in his 
 own eyes, will not be troubled to be thought fo by 
 others." The confequence of which is, freedom 
 from temptations to pride and envy; whilft it bids 
 fair to fubdue anger, ambition, and all other turbu- 
 lent paflions, which are fo apt torinftame and difturb 
 the human breaft. Thus, what is moft pleafmg to 
 God, is at the fame time moft productive of worldly 
 happinefs. " BlcfTed are the mcek t for they fhall 
 inherit the earth." 
 
 Thou haft promifed me in the moft folemn man- 
 ner, to be humble j that is, to ufe thy endeavours 
 
 to
 
 ( 138 ) 
 
 to be fo. Our Saviour commands us to learn o* 
 him, for that he is meek and lowly j and if we fol- 
 low his example, we (hall find reft unto our fouls. 
 From whence we may eafily conclude, that we fkall 
 not find any fuch reft, if we are turbulent, ambi- 
 tious, covetous, or difcontented. One falfy of anger, 
 one dmotion of envy, or unchafte defire, naturally 
 begets another; and till we conquer ourfelves, we 
 certainly (hall not be at peace. The mind is the 
 feat of empire in the little world within us, and if its 
 Subjects mean to be at peace, they muft be quiet. 
 
 If any temptation creates an extraordinary tumult 
 in thy breaft, concerning what is right to be done, 
 confult thy confcience, and humble thyfelf before 
 thy God. In doing this thou mayeft pofiibly feel 
 fome fmart, but this is of the kind we .are fenfible 
 of, on the drefling a wound by a falve which heals 
 it. Humility hath amazing properties, and operates 
 marvelloufly on the pafiions. If againft thy better 
 judgment, thy inclination pulls thee with the cords 
 of iniquity, fly to thy prayers for fuccour. Think 
 of the effects of ingratitude : coniider the terrors of 
 an offended confcience : bring that to thine eyes imme- 
 diately, which muft furely happen : and ftartle at 
 the bitter pangs of remorfc ! 
 
 We often hear the fober part of mankind talk of 
 the neceffity of warring againft nature, but they 
 meaji this of the corruptions of our nature. To 
 oppofe the evil propenfities to which we find our- 
 felves inclined, is the beft proof of being friends to 
 religion. If our paflions rebel, we muft war againft 
 
 them.
 
 ( 139 ) 
 
 them, and reduce them to obedience and reafon : 
 By whatever name thou calleft thy inclinations, it 
 is thy duty to oppofe them. The taflc will become 
 eafy, as Toon as thou art accuftomed to it; the 
 ftruggle will be crowned with viclory : and the 
 more early thou beginneft the eafier the tafk will be. 
 We are afTured that the power of conquering will 
 be given us, if we feek it with a fincere heart. 
 
 Take my advice ; read the New Teftament every 
 day of thy life, though it fhould be but a verfe or 
 two, in order to fupply thyfelf with fome good 
 thought. Devote thy mind to thefe oracles of God. 
 Tranfcribe what thou readeft into thine heart, and 
 cherifh it in thy bofom. 
 
 If the circumftances of the life and death of Chrift, 
 what he did and fuffered^ and what he hath com- 
 manded and forbidden^ were made the rules of life, 
 we fhould feel our exiftence in a very different 
 manner j and our days would pafs in peace. Such 
 lejjons are necefTary at all times i but if we do not 
 learn and relifh them, whilft we are in youth, how 
 are we to form our tafte, and model our lives, as we 
 advance in years ? If we dwell on the fenfe contained 
 in the fcriptures, and confider them as the words of 
 eternal life, we fla'all not be at a lofs to find the road 
 to a happy eternity. What years have I fquandered ! 
 How often have I offended my reafon ! From ex- 
 perience I now am qualified to be thy inftruclor : O 
 my child, attend to my words, and be wife ! 
 
 Indeed, I am under no great anxiety as to what 
 thy lot may be in this world, provided thy Jife be 
 
 virtuous.
 
 ( HO ) 
 
 virtuous. I hope all other good will follow : For 
 whilft thou art virtuous, thou never wilt be forfaken 
 of God, or totally rejected by thy fellow- creatures : 
 Thy want of riches is in many refpects freedom 
 from temptation ; fuch is, the kindnefs of heaven, in 
 that which is withheld, as well as in that which 
 may be given. When we fee good men afflicted, 
 which frequently happen to fome, during the whole 
 courfe of a long life j for what can this be, but to 
 exercife their faith, and advance them in their pro- 
 grefs to perfection ? There needs no extraordinary 
 powers of underftanding to reconcile fuch events. 
 Perhaps if they had not been afflicted, they would 
 not have retained their virtue. 
 
 I learnt in my early days, that even Heathens con- 
 cluded, from the diftrefs in which virtue is fome- 
 times involved, and from thefplendor in which vice 
 frequently triumphs, there muft be a ftate of re- 
 wards and puniftiments after death j and accordingly, 
 my mailer told me, that their ancient poets repre- 
 fented this ftate in very ftrong and fignificant terms. 
 They had no clear lights to guide them ; we have 
 fuch lights. No man on earth has been in heaven, 
 or in hell, to tell us what is paffing there ; but the 
 word of God gives us as much information in this 
 matter as can poflibly be neceflary ; for if men be- 
 lieve it not, " neither would they be perfuaded though 
 one mould rife from the dead." Could I, my dear 
 child, " reprefent to thee the different ftates of good 
 and bad men : could I give thee the profpedt 
 which the blefled martyr ST. STEPHEN had, and 
 
 fhew
 
 tc {hew thee the bleffed JESUS, at the. right hand of 
 
 " God, furrounded with angels, and the fpirits of 
 
 " jujl men made perfeft : could I open thine ears to 
 
 " hear the never ceafmg hymns ofpraife, which the 
 
 41 blefled above fing to him that was, and is, and is 
 
 " to come ; to the lamb that ivas Jlain, but liveH\ for 
 
 <c ever : could I lead thee through the unbounded 
 
 " regions of eternal day, and (hew the mutual and 
 
 " unbounded joys of faints, who are at 'reft from 
 
 " their labour, and live for ever in the prefence of 
 
 11 God ! Or could I change the leer)-:, and unbar 
 
 " the iron gates of hell, and carry thee through 
 
 " folid darknefs, to the fire that never goes out, and to 
 
 " the worm that never dies : could I {hew thee the 
 
 " apoftate angels tail bound in chains, or the fouls 
 
 " of wicked men, overwhelmed with torment and 
 
 " defpair : .could I open thine ears to hear the deep 
 
 " itfelf groan with the continual cries of mifery ; 
 
 " cries which can never reach the throne of mercy, 
 
 " but return in fad echoes, and add even to the 
 
 " very horrors of hell !" Could I do this, my child, 
 
 I fhould roufe every faculty of thy foi:l, and arm, 
 
 thee with a triple fliield to guard it againft the 
 
 dangers it is expofed to. 
 
 What I have been faying to thec, is not viuonary 
 nor fanatical ; they are the words of a great divine *, 
 drawn from the fcriptures ; and thou mayeft plainly 
 perceive in them, the moft nervous fenfe and manly 
 piety, devoid of all poetical fiction, and free from 
 
 KRi SHERLOCK) VO!. I. (UfcCUrfe I. 
 
 the
 
 the bitter fighs of melancholy) the falfe fears of 
 fuperftition, or the irregular warmth of enthufiafm. 
 Make it thine own> by recollection} and live t 
 as if thou hadft the glories of heaven in thy view ! 
 Thus, by the mercies of Godj thou wilt ere long 
 arrive in thofe blifsful regions^ which the learned 
 and judicious prelate has fo beautifully defcribed, 
 there to fing hallelujahs before the throne of the 
 Almighty) in the tranfcendent glory of one fupreme, 
 and partake of that happinefs which furpafles all 
 dtfcriptitrt) and will endure far ever and ever / 
 
 DISCOURSE XX. 
 
 SflW great advantages of patience and caution In domtjii>c 
 fervice. Danger of cenfo'riottfnefs* 
 
 I AM under Tome apprehenfions thou haft expe- 
 rienced fo much tendernefs under my humble 
 foofj thou wilt think thy treatment the harmer any 
 where elfe : but fear, not ; rather fufpeft that an 
 excefs Of kindnefs may make thee proud, or lead thee 
 into fome other fnare, than be difcomfited, if fome 
 things fhould be difpleafing to thee. Blefled are 
 thofe who do not raife their expectations above 
 rneafure, for they (hall not be difappointed. No- 
 thing is more natural to youth than impatience. 
 Their inexperience flatter* them into a belief} that 
 tvery thing ought to be according to their will. 
 
 They
 
 They fofget the proverb, that " the fartheft way 
 about is the neareft way home j" and are often in 
 fo great a hurry as to defeat their own purpofe. 
 They do not accommodate their minds to others, as 
 fubordination requires, and yet they flatter them- 
 felves that others will fubmit to therm 
 
 Thou knoweft this proverb, " hafty men never 
 want woe j" and it is moft true, that impatience 
 often involves them in quarrels and difficulties. I 
 charge thee to eherifh love for patience, in imitation 
 of thy Saviour. Carry thefe truths ftored in thy 
 mind. *' A patient man will bear for a time, and 
 " afterward joy fhall fpring up unto him. He will 
 u hide his words for a time ; and the lips of many 
 " (hall declare his wifdom. The finncr fhall not 
 " efcape with his fpoils j and the patience of the 
 <c godly fhall not be in vain*" Thefe, my daugh- 
 ter, are the fentiments given In this cafe, by the 
 wifeft man, except one, that ever lived upon earth } 
 and the experience of above two thoufand years, has 
 confirmed the matter* 
 
 The government of the tongue is a branch of 
 patience, for unfeemly words are a great proof of 
 the want of it. We have a common faying of thofe 
 who fpeak foolifhly^ " that a fool's bolt is foon (hot." 
 We have two ears, and but one tongue j as if pro- 
 vic'ence meant that we fhould hear much, and fpeak 
 little. To ufe good words is an eafy obligation ; 
 but not to fpeak ill, requires only our filence, which 
 cofts nothing. When thou heareft evil reports, 
 repeat them not; thou wilt be Cure of doing no 
 2 harm
 
 harm to thyfelf, nor injufiice to thy neighbour : and 
 this will afford thee more true fatisfa&ion, than any 
 pleafure thou could'ft enjoy in telling a tale, the 
 very repetition of which carries with it fome degree 
 of evil. If there is no ufe in telling it, but merely 
 for convodation, there is fome danger ; and there- 
 fore let every one talk of it, before thou opened thy 
 mouth ; and do it then with tendernefs and forrow, 
 rather than feverity and fatisfaclion. There is joy 
 in heaven over a finner that repenteth, and mall 
 fmful man make a play-game of human mifery ? 
 O my child, let not thy charity and compafiion for- 
 i'ake thee, nor my leflbns be given in vain. The 
 day will come when thou wilt think them of great 
 value ; and how vaftly {hall I gain by thus cultivat- 
 ing thy heart, as well as my own, when I muft leave 
 my fields to another hufbandman. 
 
 Believe me, there is nothing fo dangerous or fo 
 contemptible, as a fatirical vein, and an overbearing 
 manner of treating friends or foes. " He that mak- 
 eth others afraid of his wit, had need be afraid of 
 their memory.'' To defpife thofe with whom we 
 commonly converfe, or turn them into ridicule, is fo 
 ungenerous, I may fay fo treacherous, that it is 
 Shocking to humanity. The beft difpofitions have 
 manv blemifh.es j and why fliould we fpeak of them 
 to no good end ? The artful way of mentioning 
 fome flight merits, to gain credit for candor, and 
 then come out with a lut^ and heavy accufations, is 
 abominable ! Always think before thou fpeakeft. 
 
 In
 
 In order to live peaceably " never conftrue that 
 in earneft which may be confidered as fpoken in 
 jeft ; and be careful not to fay that in a jeft which 
 may be conftrued in earneft." It is proverbial, that 
 " many a true word has'been fpoken in jeft :" But 
 whether it be jeft or earneft, people conceited of their 
 wit, ufually fay what they think is bright and Qiin- 
 ing, let it coft them or their neighbour ever fo dear. 
 There is a time when nothing^ a time when fame" 
 thing, but no time when all things are to be fpoken. 
 Life and death are in the power of the tongue : 
 Therefore take heed, my child, of whom, and to 
 whom, thou fpeakeft. 
 
 The fondnefs which moft people have, of hearing 
 themfelves fpeak, and of entertaining each other, 
 often prompts them to fupply the defect of memory 
 by invention ; not by premeditated falfehood, but 
 in a flow of fpirits they make their ftory good 
 at all events. Moft people who attempt to tell 
 ftories, are apt to tell them too often, efpecialiy 
 as they grow old ! but " a tale out of feafon, is as 
 " merry mufic in mourning ;" and many a good 
 ftory, ill told, appears as a bad one. 
 
 Above all, let me caution thee never to clofe thine 
 eyes in fleep, without recollecting whether thou halt 
 not faid fomething wicked or foolijh^ too ?nucb^ or per- 
 chance too little in the day paft. Repent, with (hame 
 and forrow. There are fome who are fo un- 
 guarded and liberal of fpeech, and who indulge their 
 refentments fo much, that their whole life becomes a 
 H fcene
 
 fcene of folly, or guilt ; and fome who are fo cal- 
 lou?, they know not when they offend. 
 
 Nothing creates variance fo much as an evil tongue: 
 young perfons, efpecially females., fhould take parti- 
 cular care, not to indulge themfelves in much talk- 
 ing : it cannot be reconciled to modefly ; and it 
 opens fuch a field for familiarity) particularly among 
 fervants, as is apt ta breed hatred and contempt, or 
 love out of feafon. Thou mayert obferve, that peo- 
 ple of no education, are fo much the lefs referved in 
 the decency and modefty of their difcourfe. 
 
 Confider alfo thy particular fituation as a fervant. 
 The fuperior flation of thy miftrefs will naturally 
 lead her to expect a degree of homage from thee j 
 and that thou fhould'ft not fpeak but when thou art 
 ipoken to, and then be as ready as thou canft with 
 thy anfwer. If her regard for thee fhould incline 
 her fometimes to Jpeak familiarly, never forget (he 
 is thy miftrefs. If fhe fhould occafiona'ly confider 
 thee as her humble friend, and companion, thy tafk 
 will become the more difficult, If thou fpeakeft 
 boldly, it may be confidered as impertinence ; and 
 if thou flattered her, as is the cuftom of female 
 fervants in fuch circumftances, fhe being a woman 
 of under (landing, will look upon thee with contempt. 
 In common Hie, we, who from birth and education, 
 have no view beyond fervitude, are apt to grow ufe- 
 lefs, if not iirpcrtinent, when we meet with much 
 indulgence. 
 
 If thy miftrefs fhould demand thy opinion of a 
 matter thou doft not underftand, to excufe thyfelf 
 
 as
 
 C itf ) 
 
 AS being ignorant, is fufEcient j but if them art ac- 
 quainted with it, relate the facts, rather than give 
 thy opinion of them, and leave her to form a judg- 
 ment, declaring in the moft fubmifiive terms, hour 
 much more able (he is to judge, than thyfelf. This 
 thou mayeft do without the leaft violation of truth i 
 for in all human probability, it will be the cafe ; but 
 remember to exprefs thyfelf in as few, not in as 
 many words as poflible. , 1 have faid the more on 
 this fubject, not only with a view to teach thee how 
 to behave in general, but becaufe happinefs in fervice 
 depends fo much on the government of the tongue. 
 
 DISCOURSE XXI. 
 
 The great Importance of truth ; and the infamy and 
 punijhmenl of lying, 
 
 T^ROM the government of the tongue, confider 
 -* next, the importance of truth. I have heard 
 my mafter fay, that the Egyptians of old were ufed 
 to wear a golden chain^ belct with precious ftones, 
 which they ftiled truth, intimating that to be the 
 moft illuftrious ornament. 
 
 The facred writings tell us } that God is t r uth ; and 
 therefore to pervert the ufe of our fpeech, which fo 
 remarkably diftinguifh.es us from the beafts that 
 periib, muft be a high offence to him. " Truth is 
 always confident with itfelf, and needs nothing to 
 H 2 help
 
 ( '48 ) 
 
 help it out : it is always at hand, and fits upon our 
 lips, and is ready to drop out before we are aware ; 
 whereas a lye is troublefome, and fets a man's inven- 
 tion on the rack ; and one trick needs a great many 
 more to make it good." Servants are but too juftly 
 accufed of being guilty of the vice of lying, yet un- 
 happily it is not confined to them. 
 
 Among the firft chrifllans^ they counted it a moft 
 impious thing, even to diflemble the truth ; and when 
 under perfecution, fcorned even life itfelf, rather 
 than preferve it on fuch bafe terms. This was not 
 enthufiafm, but fober fenfe and reafon : they were 
 followers of him " in whofe lips was no guile !" 
 
 It may be thy fortune to live among people who 
 make no fcruple, occafionally, to tell each other in 
 plain words, that they lye. This has a harm, found, 
 and a fevere meaning. There are many untruths 
 advanced wantonly or by miftake ; in fuch cafes do 
 thou reply in decent terms, as / think you ary mifin- 
 formed, or, / believe you are mijlake.n : thole who have 
 any breeding, often add, you will pardon me, or, you 
 will excufe me. 
 
 There are alfo many lyes of vanity^ which are 
 deceitful, though not intended to injure. People 
 who are too wife to believe what is fometimes faid, 
 look ferious on fuch occafions, and make no reply. 
 It feems to be a duty of friendship, as well as hu- 
 manity and religion, among intimates, to admonifh 
 in private for fuch lyes ; though I am forry to tell 
 thee, ,my child, that mankind feldom have fo much 
 courage on the one fide to give, or humility on the 
 
 other,
 
 ( 149 ) 
 
 other, to take fuch notice in a friendly way, of any 
 fort of lyes. 
 
 Whatever the cafe may be, to give the lye, is a 
 great fault, though thou fhould'ft be much provoked : 
 but it is a greater to tell one. Women (hould be at 
 leaft as careful of their honour, in this inirance, as 
 men ufually are. Amongft the gentry, there are 
 fome men who will tell a lye without any hefitatton ; 
 but if they are reproached by another, in order to 
 fupport a good name, they demand his blood. Thus 
 many have fought under a notion of preferving their 
 honour, who had no good name ; and confequently 
 hazarded their lives like fools, for nothing f I tell 
 thee this, that thou mayeft know what is patting in 
 the world, and civilize thy manners, as all people 
 ought to do. 
 
 My matter ufed to fay, there are fome nations, 
 whom we affect to defpife for their ignorance and 
 poverty, more civilized than ourfelves ; and among 
 whom there is lefs danger of fuffering violence. 
 Civility, even in a carman, which we occafionally 
 fee, naturally delights, and makes one wifli to be 
 his friend ; as when he is brutifh, we long to fee 
 him chaftifed. Remember, that people who are 
 really honeft at heart, are clear in their difcourfe, 
 and keep clofe to truth : " Lying is the vice of a 
 villain, a coward, and a flave. All that thou canft 
 get by lying or diffembling, is, that thou wilt not be 
 believed when thou fpeakeft truth." If thou telleft 
 a lye thou wilt be tempted to fupport one falftiood by 
 H 3 another i
 
 ( '50 ) 
 
 another i and a continued aggravation of guilt, or a 
 bitter repentance muft follow. 
 
 I am forry to tell thee, that there are many fer- 
 vants, now a days, who fern pie not to tell //?;, and 
 others who equivocate^ and evade the truth. They 
 mean to fupport a certain character, by appearing 
 to have more virtue than they can make a juft claim 
 to j and yet degrade themfelves by the infamous 
 practice of lying. 
 
 Thofe who have been brought up in the fear of 
 God, and underftand the vilenefs of a lye, muft be 
 extremely diftreffed when they are taken by fur- 
 prize ; but to intend by fuch means to deceive, is 
 Ihocking ! Lying is a vice which walks abroad 
 with gigantic ftrides. It prevails much among thofe 
 who are in a ftate of fervitude, as if .they were ig- 
 norant that a lye is a crime of the blackeft die. 
 SOLOMON fays, " a thief is better than a man accuf- 
 tomed to /ye y but they both (hall inherit deftruc- 
 tionj" and fpeaking in his own perfon, fays, "I 
 have hated many things, but nothing ;ike a faife 
 man, for the Lo-d will hate him." Deftroy truth 
 among men, and they will become to each other, 
 worfc than beafts ; tor thefe, I believe, pra&ife no 
 deceit upon their own kind, whatever fume which 
 live by }>rc , may do on <-ther animals. 
 
 The wife man fjys, " the lip of truth fhall be 
 ft..blilhcd for ever ; but a lying tongue is but for a 
 moment." A'.l wife people hold their tongues when 
 ic is not proper to fpeak j but to lye t deceive, or equi-
 
 iwtfte, is pra&ifing in the works of the devil, who 
 is (rylcd the father of lyes. 
 
 My dear child, I hope thou wilt convince thy 
 miftrcfs, and thy matter, if thou fhould.'ft have one, 
 itnd every body elfe, that thou haft a foul fuperior* 
 to falfhood, and dareft to tell the truth, to thofe who 
 have a right to require it, though thou fhould'ft 
 condemn thvfelf to the fevereft fuffering. 
 
 It is thus thou mayeft be fure of refpect, and per- 
 haps of promotion j " Keep thy word, and deal 
 faithfully, and thou {halt always find the. thing that 
 is neccflary for thee." The wife man does not en- 
 gage, that dealing faithfully fhall make every one 
 rich; this would be i:i:poiiib!e j but that it will 
 provide every one with what is neceflary for them ; 
 which is all we can with any decency beg of the 
 Almighty, or perhaps, with fafcty wi(h for or dcfire. 
 
 If I ihould live to hear thou halt told a lye, it will 
 be as a dagger to my heart : All the labours of my 
 mind in thy fervice, in giving thee inft: 
 though they will return into my own holom, yet 
 with regard to thee, they will be mixed with the 
 bitternefs of foirow. Cherifh in thine heart the 
 love of truth : I have told thee that God is truth ; 
 and therefore thofe who love truth, love God, and 
 will be beloved of him ; and however mean their 
 condition on earth may be, they are the obje<Sis of 
 his mercy, and will be made happy for ever and 
 
 H4 DIS-
 
 DISCOURSE XXII. 
 
 The detejiable qualities of pride and -vain glory. Story 
 of a miserable prcjtiiute. On vanity^ and the danger 
 of flattery. 
 
 MY laft inftruftion being upon the fubje& of 
 truth, I will now endeavour to point out to 
 thee the hateful nature of pride : Pride is apt tolurlc 
 in every human heart j confider therefore what is 
 pafling in thine own bofom. What is it fuch wretch- 
 ed mortals as wO are, can be proud of? If we do well, 
 it is but our duty. Obferve how the wretched little 
 pifmire, man, ftruts about when he is proud ! Behold 
 what an extravagant opinion he has of his own merits ; 
 what an immoderate conceit of his own genius, and 
 how low he holds others in efteem, who probably 
 may be more eftimable than Tu'mfelf. How un- 
 tractable are the proud ; how feldom they yield to 
 reafon ; and how often they involve themfelves and 
 others in difficulties, which might have been ealily 
 avoided. 
 
 It is amazing to confider, how fuch things of duft^ 
 as men, can indulge pride : If thou feeleft this paf- 
 iion work in thy breatt, defpife thyfelf in duft and 
 albcs j and pity others when they are guilty. 
 
 When
 
 ( 153 ) 
 
 When I receive a favour, done with an air of 
 pride and difdain, it lofes more than half its value ; 
 and my heart almoft revolts againft the expreffiort 
 of my gratitude, to thofe who deferve fo little of my 
 efteem. To be proud of knowledge is abfurd, (be- 
 ing that the wifeft know fo little : and as to riches, 
 do not the greateft among men ftand in need of the 
 meaneft ? Are not our labours at leaft as ufeful to 
 them, as their wealth to us ? 
 
 J^ride, when it exalts us in our own efteem, anet 
 tempts us to defpife others, never fails to wound the 
 peace of mortals, and frequently turns their brain. 
 1 believe there are more lunatics from pride than 
 from any other paffion. Thou haft read, that it 
 was the crime of fallen angels. The wife man fays, 
 " the beginning of it is, when one departeth from? 
 God, and his heart is turned from his Maker:" 
 Remember, that thou art a cbriflian ! a follower of 
 the meekeft and greateft perfonage that ever lived. 
 Confider how the brightnefs of Chrift's humility 
 darts forth rays, which dazzle and confound the 
 pride of man ! 
 
 SOLOMON fays, u that vengeance, as a lion, (hall 
 lie in wait for the proud ; but humility and the fear 
 of the Lord, are riches, and honour, and life." 
 Thou feeft that he confiders humility as infeparable 
 from the fear of God, and produ&ive of worldly 
 bleflings. But he tells us, " the proud are hated of 
 God, and as they plough iniquity, and fow wicked- 
 nefs, they fhall reap the fame." 
 5
 
 Proud people are generally the moft ignorant of 
 their own hearts ; nor can we fee ourfclves, whilil 
 pride {lands in our light. How many in all flations 
 has it brought to ruin ! 
 
 I will relate a tale which will melt thine heart ! I 
 remember a farmer's daughter>in this neighbour- 
 hood, who was fent to London, as thou art now 
 going. A place which was thought a very good 
 one was provided for her ; but {he, like a filly girl, 
 and impatient of controul, thought (he needed nei- 
 ther admonition nor inftru&ion ; and in a petulant 
 humour gave warning to her miftrds. Unable to 
 get another place fo good, {he declined a worfe, 
 which {he might have had, and was foon feized by 
 the cold hand of poverty : and what was the confe- 
 quence ? to relieve her wants, {he became a profti- 
 tute ! She might even then have returned to her 
 father; but neither would her pride allow of this. 
 He heard of her evil conduct, and wrote to her in 
 terms that might have moved a heart of flint ; at the 
 fame time requeuing of me to feek her out, and ex- 
 poftulate with her. I thought myfelf fortunate in 
 finding her, though In a brothel. After fome other 
 queftions, for I fpoke in the fpirit of humanity, I 
 aiked her if fhe believed in a future life, and in a 
 ftate of rewards and punifhments after death, and if 
 fhe thought the fin {he lived in was not forbidden 
 by the chriftian religion, under the penalty of ever- 
 lafting damnation, if {he died impenitent ? She 
 looked ftedfaftly at me for foma time, as if fhe was 
 at a lofs what anfwer to make, and then faid > " You 
 
 may
 
 ( 155 ) 
 
 may tell my father, I do not mean to go on in an 
 evil courfe." But luft had perverted her heait, and 
 turned her eyes from heaven. Folly, even to mad- 
 nefs, was become her companion : {he perfifted in 
 vice j and before {he reached the age of twenty- 
 two, flic feli a miferable vi&im, and died, as fuch 
 wretched beings frequently do, of a decay. 
 
 In general, is it not enough to humble the proud- 
 eft heart, to confider, what ficknefs, pain, age, or 
 misfortune, may reduce us to ; and that a few years 
 muft bring us all down to the duft ? Of all human 
 blindnefs and folly, nothing can be more deplorable 
 than pride : In the rich, it is one of the mod mif- 
 chievous ; among the poor, 'the moft contemptible 
 of vices. Pride will choak all thy other virtues. 
 Among the proud themfelves, thou mayeft obferve, 
 that they hate one ancfoer, and are the fail thr.t 
 complain: for though a likenefs of manners in all 
 other inftances generally begets love, in this it- 
 produces hatred. 
 
 Confult thine own welfare : think what the effects 
 of pride ufually are ; mockery, derifion, and re- 
 proach. From the fame fountain flow unforgive- 
 nefs, cruelty, and the contempt of others. O my 
 child, defpife not the meaneft perfon on earth : thou 
 art duft, and unto duft {halt thou return ! Suffer 
 not pride to hurry thee into refentments of the un- 
 toward behaviour of others. At firft view, it fcems 
 to be difficult tp return good for evi/ t but thou hail: 
 been> taught from thy youth up, that this is wiftlom 
 H 6 and
 
 ( is* ) 
 
 and virtue, and immortal glory ! How many through 
 pride, fhew the fierceft refentments for mere trifles. 
 
 Thou wilt be told, perhaps, that a portion of 
 pride is neceflary for a woman, and the beft pre- 
 fervative of her chaftity : But fuch advifers miftake 
 a referve of behaviour, which often proceeds from 
 a principle of prudence, for that deteftable vice. 
 This referve thou wilt generally do well to pra&ife, 
 but do not confound fo obvious a diftin&ion as many 
 are apt to do. 
 
 Vanity and affeflation are vices to which thy fex is 
 in a particular manner addicted ; it is necefiary 
 therefore to give thee a caution againft them. 
 Vanity is the folly of foolifhnefs ; and affectation, 
 the cryer that proclaims it. If thou meaneft to prc- 
 ferve thyfelf pure, and untainted, dread vanity ! 
 When a woman grows vain of the charms of lier 
 perfcn, her fine deaths, or accomplifhments, flie 
 expofes herfelf to ridicule, and as it were, invites 
 temptation: for who expects reliftance from thofe 
 who have fo little underftanding ? 
 
 One would not imagine, child, that in our rank 
 of life, thefe vices fhould ever be leen ; but there 
 are fools of all forts ; and I have feen young women 
 ia village?, as well as heard cf them in courts, 
 whom the looking -gials, or the flattery of men, 
 have perverted, even fo as to turn their brains ; and 
 .1 believe the confequences of purity are generally 
 the moft fatal, m the lower ftate of life. 
 
 They are more dangeroufly ill, who are drunk, 
 with vanity, than thofe who are intoxicated with
 
 ( 157 ) 
 
 wine. In the laft cafe, a fliort time fobers them 
 again ; but in the former they fometimes become 
 incorrigible ; and thou may eft be allured, that every 
 woman is defective in underftanding, in the fame 
 degree that (he abounds in vanity. 
 
 Take care, my child, how thou trufteft to flat- 
 terers. The greater the commendation is, the more 
 be thou on thy guard, and do not fall a facrifice to a 
 few empty words, though there fhould be fome 
 truth in them. Believe not all the good that is 
 fpolcen of thee, whether it be faid to thy face or not. 
 
 " The only advantage of flattery, regarding virtue 
 or underftanding, is, that by hearing what we are 
 not, we may be inftru&ed in what we ought to be :" 
 I have heard my mafter obferve, that it is a very 
 old faying " that flatterers never lift any one up, but 
 as the eagle does the tortoife, to get fomething by 
 his fall ; and that crows devour only the dead, but 
 flatterers the living." 
 
 On the other hand, it is moft true, <{ that in the 
 fulnefs of the heart the mouth fpeaketh," and fome 
 kind and tender words will fall from honeft tongues, 
 which if not all ftri&ly true, do not the lefs proceed 
 
 from the heart. However, (hut thine ears to 
 
 flattery, whatever quarter it may come from. 
 
 As to us men, we are lavilh in the praties of 
 women, whofe perfonal charms make impreflions on 
 us j but be cautious how thou lifteneft, left thou 
 fhould'ft fall, where thou apprehended no danger. 
 
 DIS-
 
 ( 'S3 
 
 DISCOURSE XXIII. 
 
 Of! envy. Malice. Revenge. Cunning, jfnecdcte of 
 a girl who lojl her lover by difcavering her propenftty 
 to envy. 
 
 IN all thy fteps confider the honour of God, and 
 the care of thine own foul. Pride and vanity 
 lead to envy : Weak and wicked minds have often 
 committed horrible crimes from mere envy : The 
 envious poifon themfelves with the virtues of others. 
 SOLOMON fays, " the envious man hath a wicked 
 eye, he turneth away his face, and defpifeth men." 
 
 The fureft lign of a generous and gooJ <Jifpofi- 
 tton, is to be without envy : but the bafe and igno- 
 ble are generally envious. In all the catalogue of 
 vices, none feem to be more foolifhly wicked and 
 abominable, than envy, except malice and revenge. 
 To pretend to lefien what we will not imitate, or to 
 wifh to humble thofe above us, becaufe they are 
 above us, has fomething in it fo black, that I know 
 not how to exprefs the hatred which thou oughteft 
 to have of it. Other paflions may claim a pretence, 
 at lead to fome pleafure or fatisfudtion ; but what 
 can (vw furnifh, but pain and vexation, at that 
 which is properly the fubjel of joy ? 
 
 Malice is nearly related to envy, and in its effecls 
 yet more abominable : what is laid of the one, may 
 
 with-
 
 ( 159 ) 
 
 without -nuch injuftice be imputed to the other. 
 And thou mayeft conftantly obferve, that thofc who 
 are moft inclined to do any injury, are for the fame 
 reafon moft difpofed to malice ; or in other word?, 
 leaft willing to forgive. If thou fhould'ft at any 
 time fo far turn thine eyes from heaven, as to feel 
 the impreflions of malice in thine heart, look mto 
 thine own bofom and tremble ! O my dear child, I 
 can fay nothing ftronger, than that malice is fit only 
 for the minifters of the prince of darknefs. 
 
 Envy and malice are the genuine offspring of 
 Lucifer, but revenge is his favourite child. This 
 paflion is moft apt to arife in perfons of little minds, 
 and to indulge it is equally foolijh and dcvllijl). Learn 
 to bear an injury ; and confider an affront, rather 
 as injurious to the party who is guilty, than to 
 thyfelf, being not guilty. If thy forbearance triumphs 
 over the offence, thou art really the better, not the 
 worfe for the affront j for remember that it cofts 
 more to revenge injuries, than to bear them. I 
 know a recent inftance in which this paflion was 
 gratified : but it coft the party very dear. A girl 
 of this neighbourhood taking offence, robbed a 
 man of his bride, by telling a ftory which was not 
 true, or very much difguifed. When the truth 
 came out, it occafioned her lofmg her own lover, who 
 was too generous in his nature, to bear the thoughts 
 of an alliance with a woman fo dangerous with her 
 tongue. 
 
 Thou knoweft, that our divine religicn commands 
 us to be charitable and tender, even to our enemies, 
 
 and
 
 ( 160 ) 
 
 and to do them good when they do us evil. SOLO- 
 MON was a Jew, yet he fays, " He that revengeth 
 <e fhall find vengeance from the Lord, and he will 
 " furely keep bis Jins in remembrance." What then 
 will become of fuch a miferable being, if becaufe 
 of his revenge, his fins fhall be bad in remembrance 
 againft him ? Can we recollect too often that he 
 that hateth his neighbour cannot love his God B 
 We are likewife admonifhed to be kind to others, 
 tender-hearted, forgiving, as we hope for Chrift's 
 fake to be forgiven. 
 
 Cunning is alfo a crime, and one that is imputed 
 mod to thy fex, and to the very worft part of it, 
 who are often dupes to their own deceit. Thou 
 mayeft have heard of an artful woman, or in other 
 words, a cunning woman, who has the talent of de- 
 ceiving, or taking the advantage of the ignorance 
 or fimplicity of other people. Cunning is fome- 
 times miftaken for wifdom, but is really as different 
 from it as light is from darknefs. Wifdom is truth 
 itfelf but cunning is a lye artfully infmuated, with 
 a view to deceive, from an idea that if truth be dif- 
 guifed, the purpofe will be anfwered. 
 
 I muft alfo warn thee of the danger of credulity^ 
 or being too forward in believing, whether the mat- 
 ter relates to thyfelf or others. Confider what is 
 fatd, and by whom it is faid ; compare it with thy 
 experience ; examine how far thy belief may con- 
 cern thy intereft j how it may hurt thy charity, oc 
 aftecl thy perfon. Nothing will fooner induce thee 
 to believe a man, than when he commends thee ; 
 
 5 nothing
 
 nothing ought to alarm thee fo much. Many a 
 poor girl has fallen a facrifice to the ready credit 
 which file gave to the high commendations of her 
 perfonal charms. If we examine the nature of praife 
 in general, the partiality of fome, and the inability 
 of ochers to judge, there is great danger of its being 
 often beftowed in the wrong place. What a buftle 
 have we heard made by the multitude, in praife per- 
 haps of the vaineft, or moft vicious perfon ; whilft 
 for want of virtue in themfelves, or common dif- 
 cernment, they have totally over-looked the moft 
 virtuous chara&ers ! 
 
 DISCOURSE XXIV. 
 
 The danger of an eager purfuit ofpleafure. On amufe- 
 menti) choice of company, and converfation^ as the 
 fafeguard of life. 
 
 13 E on thy guard, let me warn thee, my child, 
 -*~* againft the danger of an eager purfuit after 
 pleafure : Think, what fools thofe are, who give 
 themfelves up to idle gratifications, which are fo 
 ihort in themfelves, and fo often attended with bitter 
 repentance, or endlefs torments ! Let me tell thee 
 a fable : A boy, greatly fmitten with the colours of 
 a butterfly, purfued it from flower to flower, with 
 indefatigable pains ; firft he aimed to furprize it 
 among the leaves of a rofe j then to cover it with 
 
 his
 
 his hat, as it was feeding on a daify ; now hoped to 
 fecure it, as it refted on a fprig of myrtle ; and then 
 grew fure of his prize, perceiving it loiter on a bed 
 of violets. But the fickle fly continually changing 
 one blofibm for another, {till eluded his attempts. 
 At length obferving it half buried in the cup of a 
 tulip, he rufhed forward, and fnatching it with vio- 
 lence, crufhed it to pieces. The dying infect feeing 
 the poor boy chagrined at his diiappointmcnr, ad- 
 dreffed him in the following minm-r : " Behold 
 now, the end of thy unprofitable folicifude ! and 
 learn, for the benefit of thy future life, that all 
 pleafure is but a painted butterfly ; which akhough 
 it may ferve to amufe thee in the purfuit, if em- 
 braced with too much ardour, will periih in the 
 grafp." 
 
 No man is a mailer of himfclf fo long as he is a 
 /lave to any thing elfe. Reafon grows ftronger by 
 the'exercife of it; and does not the love of vicious 
 pleafures acquire ftrength by the indulgence of 
 them ? Thou perhaps mayeft think it more in cha- 
 racter for me to preach^ than for thee to praflife. It 
 is true, that I am in the decline of life, but for the 
 fame reafon that I have travelled through it, I am 
 the better able to inform thee, not only of the beft 
 roads, but alfo how to guard againft falling from the 
 precipices, or finking into the quick-lands with. 
 which it abounds. 
 
 I have obferved how the defire of pleafure 'creates 
 fecret willies and expenfive purfuits ; how it involves 
 its votaries in difficulties j how often thefe depart 
 
 from
 
 from their true intereft, and at once facrifice their 
 virtue, and their happinefs, to an idol^ which at 
 length falls clown upon them, and deftroys them. 
 Scenes of expcnce and jollity, are frequently fcenes 
 of diftrefs and mifery i and company keeping^ as we 
 term it, has hurried many a young woman and man 
 alfo into deftruction. 
 
 I have heard fome of my neighbours comfort 
 themfelves on their death beds, that they never were 
 company-keepers ; the very thing itfelf, in their opi- 
 nion, and as they faw others abufe the liberty of 
 modcil converfation, implying a degree of guilt. 
 On cccafions of jollity, people feldom know what 
 they are about : They warm their blood with liquor, 
 and by the means of mufic and noife, they banifh 
 reflection ; and the consequences which- often fol- 
 low are dreadful. 
 
 Our great philofopher and friend, fays, " The 
 heart of the wile is in the houfe of mourning ; but 
 the heart of the fool is in the houfe of mirth ;" 
 teaching us that wife men rather go where they can 
 do fome real good, and fhudde.r not at beholding the 
 moft ferious parts of life ; but thai fools confider only 
 how they fliall be diverted : and you may obferve 
 the avernon of a great part cf mankind to ferious 
 fcene?, and things that require thought. 
 
 Beware of the danger of amufement at improper 
 times, and in doubtful company. All the world 
 knows, that the fine lady and the country lafs, 
 equally delight in dancing andfaging > the difference 
 is only in the manner. Now let me advife thee to 
 
 avoid
 
 ( 164 ) 
 
 avoid both, in company ; Jinging is an amufemnt> 
 and may be indulged in private : but idle fangs are 
 apt to enfnare ; efpecially if thou fliould'ft happen 
 to excel thy companions. I have known this happen 
 in many cafes, both of the young and middle aged, 
 men and women. The beft application of a good 
 voice is in pfalmody. 
 
 As to dancing, it is never pra&ifed but in com- 
 pany ; and in our ftc.tion, dancing company is, I think, 
 generally bad company. Dancing, among us, is 
 hardly ever conduced with perfect decency, and 
 freedom from danger to young perfons \ particularly 
 young women. I know not if dancing be worfe in 
 town or country, but there is no neceffity to declare 
 againft it, in fuch terms as to quarrel with thy 
 neighbour?, who refolve to dance at all hazards. 
 Thefe are the occafions when fuch young perfons 
 are leaft on their guard, and when nven of evil inten- 
 tions are nn/l on the watch, to carry their wicked 
 defigns on girls into execution. I wifh that thou, 
 my child, fliould'ft be amufed by walking^ or any 
 thing innocent, when tbou art permitted to amufe thy- 
 Jelf, rather than by dancing. Theu wilt always find 
 amufement and inftru&ion, in reading^ provided thou 
 makeft choice of good and proper books, otherwife 
 there is mifchief aJfo. 
 
 Great care is neceflary in the choice of com- 
 panions. Be aflured that wherever the fpeech is 
 impure, the mind is corrupted. If thou meaneft to 
 preferve thyfelf untainted, it is time to withdraw 
 when the difcourfe is wicked^ indecent^ or jlanderous. 
 Confider thy companions in a great meafure, as 
 
 good
 
 good or bad, according as they are tender or cruel 
 toward their neighbour. Always endeavour to change 
 the fubjeft, when others are ill fpoken of. Soften the 
 rigour of the fentence given by them, and avoid in- 
 juiHce towards a good name, as thou would'ft de- 
 cline theft or robbery. If thou art fatisfied from cir- 
 cumftances that the party abfent is injured, plead 
 their caufe with a becoming warmth. In acting 
 thus thou wilt do as thou would'ft be done by. 
 
 Endeavour to accommodate thyfelf to the condition 
 of thole with whom thou convened. If they are in 
 a higher condition than thyfelf, the more filence and 
 attention will be neceflary : with thofe who are 
 lower^ the more affability will be proper. Never 
 affect being fo much above the meaneft as to treat 
 them with infolence. But whether fuperiors^ equals, 
 or inferiors^ if they are vicioufly inclined, avdid 
 them : do it with as much decency as thy circum- 
 flances will admit of: but ftill I fay, avoid them. 
 The very " hatred of the vicious will do thee lefs 
 harm than their converfation." Remember, that it's 
 the fecond word that makes the quarrel, and that 
 the injurer is generally the laft that forgives. 
 
 In thy intercourfe with the world, " be not cap- 
 tious, nor given to contradiction, for this occafions 
 contention ; nor be rudely familiar, for this breeds 
 contempt. If any thing be notjitting^ do it not : If 
 it be not true^ fpeak it not." Our tempers are 
 frequently more eafily difcovered in little circum- 
 flances, than in great ones : True Chrijlians drive to 
 keep their temper on all occafions without any un- 
 becoming
 
 ( 166 ) 
 
 becoming warmth. Thou remembereft when the 
 difciples of our Saviour were in a flame of refent- 
 nient againft the Samaritans^ he rebuked them by 
 faying, " Ye know not what fpitit ye are of." 
 
 An obliging difpofhion, will always engage the 
 attention offuperion ; and take heed, my child, that 
 as thou wouldft think it cruel to be condemned as. 
 ill-natured, for being fometimes off thy guard, or 
 out of humour, fo as to exprefs a hafty peevifhnefs, 
 do not expect perfection in others. 
 
 This inftruction is more particularly neceffary in 
 thy ftation ; for as fervants are more ready to make 
 remarks on this fubjecl, than mafters imagine thy 
 do ; themfelves fhould likewife be the more atten- 
 tive to their own conduct, not to offend. . 
 
 DISCOURSE XXV. 
 
 Generoftty. Charity. Character of Mrs. Ann Saracen. 
 Rfftetlhnt on it. Ability to do good in the humble/i 
 Jortune. 
 
 AS I am giving thee rules for thy general con- 
 dud in life, remember that generofity ceafes to 
 be a virtue, when it entices us to do offices of kind- 
 nefs beyond our power. Our virtues, as exprefled 
 in a&ion, muft be fuited to our circumftances. The 
 mind may retain a readinefs of difpofition to ferve 
 others, and fo far be as fruitful as the rain which 
 
 cometb
 
 cometh down from the heavens : but where there 
 is no water in the clouds, none can fall upon the 
 earth. Whatever is in thy power, let it flow from 
 a free hand, and an open heart. The humbled 
 actions fometimes carry wish them a greatnefs of 
 mind, fuperior even to the bounties of kings ; and 
 we muft be contented when it pleafes providence to 
 reilrain us with regard to the means of relieving 
 others ; and think with gratitude of the relief we 
 receive ourfelves, ftill maintaining the generofity of 
 our minds. 
 
 The more prudent thou art, the more able thou 
 wilt always be to affift thofe who are in p<trticular 
 diftrefs. Every one has fome power; and as the 
 widow's mite was conftdered by the Son of God, as 
 a great charity, thy little contribution may be ufeful 
 to the affli&ed, and acceptable in his fight, who fees 
 the heart. If it happens, that thou haft nothing 
 which thou canft fpare, God will accept the thoughts 
 of thine heart. A tear offered up to mifery, where 
 only a tear can flowj will be pleafing to the tender 
 Father of mankind, who in fuch cafes accepts the 
 will for the deed. It is better to be of a generous 
 mind, and of the number of thofe who fiand in need 
 of relief, than of a hard-hearted difpofition, though 
 in plenty. 
 
 When you can do it with a probability of fuccefr, 
 and with good mannerSj forget not that it is as 
 efTenual a part of charity, to warn people of danger 
 to their fouls, as it is to preferve their bodies. 
 
 Theft
 
 ( 1 68 ) 
 
 Thefe are duties clearly deducible from the uniform 
 conduit of our Saviour. 
 
 The fame charity, which among chriftians makes 
 men humble, juft, and watchful to do all the good, 
 and avoid alHhe evil poflible, makes them alfo cour- 
 teous and obliging. And nothing can be more 
 certain, than that one may be very charitable with- 
 out having any thing to give : and very uncharitable, 
 and yet, as St. P^w/fays, give ones body to be burned. 
 Charity, as comprehending cbrijfian love, is fo 
 abfolutely commanded, and is truly fo much the 
 bond of fociety, that the neglect of it can never be 
 difpenfed with. And what can exceed the pleafure 
 of feeing others made happy, except the making 
 them fo by our own means ? By taking a fhare in 
 the miferies of others, we render wretchednefs the 
 more fupportable ; whereas plenty, amidft the frowns 
 and contempt of the world, 'is but a fplendid kind 
 of mifery. The mifer is, of all characters in the 
 world, the moft hated. There are various ways of 
 being charitable, befides giving money; but in that 
 refpeft much may be done by a moderate fortune, 
 where felf-denial is praclifed, and the heart fincere. 
 Thou haft often heard me tnlk of Ann Saracen ; 
 (he lives in a cottage of three pounds annual rent, 
 but it is as neat and as clean as any palace. When 
 (he dines at home, (he feeds on the value of about 
 three-pence : (he eats and drinks of any wholfome 
 aliment that comes in her way ; but with fuch mode- 
 ration, (he never hurts her health by excefs. From 
 long experience, ihe underftands the quality of many 
 
 drugs,
 
 ( 169 ) 
 
 lrugs, and the ufe of kitchen phyfic ; difpenfing the 
 former with great judgment and fuccefs By the 
 fuperiority of her underftanding, fhe is able to in- 
 ftrudl her poor neighbours, influencing their con- 
 duel: by rcafon, and the books which fhe gives them 
 to read. She vifits prifons, and converfe* with con- 
 demned nvakfu tors. She puts children to fchool, 
 and employs the:n in needle-work, partly by making 
 up old linen which fhe begs of her rich acquaint- 
 ance : This fhe again devotes to the ufe of the 
 indigent, by afiifting them with child-bed linen ; 
 which is returned clean to her after it hath been 
 ufed, and the fame things ferve for the birth of many 
 children. All this is performed within the bounds 
 of forty pounds a year.- 
 
 Thus amidft the checks of a fcanty fortune, fhe 
 aiSts like a gentlewoman and a chriftian ; fhining 
 like a ftar, to guide the poor, the afflicted, and the 
 weary, to reft and comfort. When you praife her 
 for her good deeds, fhe contracts herfelf like the 
 fenfitive plant, conflantly referring whatever is ex- 
 cellent to God, who is the only true fountain of all 
 excellence. 
 
 She fays, " What do I that every chriftian woman 
 tc who is miftrefs of her time and fortune would not 
 " do ? If I am fo happy as to have the favour of 
 u my fuperiors, I lay them under an obligation, 
 tc when I offer them an opportunity of doing good. 
 u He that neglecls fuch an occafion defraudetfy his 
 ({ own foul. If I plead the caufe of poor creatures 
 who dare not appear to fpeak for themfelves, I 
 i sun
 
 " am To far an advocate, in the caufe of heaven, and 
 " a& as a fteward to the family of God. I muft 
 " ufe the talents my mafter hath entrulted me with ; 
 " and when I have done give the glory to that 
 " being who is gracioufly pleafed to make me the 
 " inftrument of his mercy. In this view I think 
 <c myfelf preferred to a higher employment, than if 
 " I were firft lady of the bed-chamber to the queen. 
 " If the fine world is infatuated with fuch trifles as 
 " drefs and diverfion, and make thefe the bufmefs 
 " of their lives ; if the gay are carried on, as it 
 " were by a rcTiftlefs flrcam, fwimming on the fur- 
 " face in a delightful phrenzy, carelefs of the gulph 
 " which may iwallow them up ; what can I do 
 " more than fend up my petitions to the throne of 
 " grace, that their eyes may be opened to fee their 
 " danger, and that recovering tfreir ftrength, they 
 " may get on fhore in fafety, if it fhall pleale the 
 " Almighty to avert his judgments ? The world 
 u will be governed by appearances happy are 
 * thofe who difcern realities." 
 
 What doft thou think of this character ? is it not 
 charming ? Such (hould we all be, if we were prac- 
 tically chi'i/iians / I often think, when I take my 
 rounds amongft my fick and poor neighbours, whofe 
 wants are greater than I can relieve, if they to 
 'whom providence has given affluence, would accuf- 
 tom themfelves to be fpe&ators of the miferies of 
 vaft numbers below them, they would furely facri- 
 fice a little more to humanity and charity, and 
 would not offer quite fo much incenfe to the luft of 
 2 the
 
 the eye, and the pride of life. The tirnc is drawing 
 nigh, when attainments in holinefs will alone be of 
 any avail, and when thofe who have tc turned many 
 to righteoufncfs will fhine as the ftars for ever and 
 ever !" Be aflured that all which has not obedience 
 to God for its object, is full of vanity and delufion. 
 
 Thy miftrefs is admirably inclined to offices of 
 piety and humanity : Entreat her leave to inform 
 her, of whatever thou knowefr, in regard to mifery 
 and diftrefs : She will judge of what fhe ought to 
 do. She will not withhold her bread from the 
 fatherlefs, who are dying with hunger ; nor behold 
 thofe who are perifhing for want of cloathing, expire 
 at her gates : She will not make gold her confi- 
 dence : The land will not cry againft her, nor the 
 furrows thereof complain ; but fhe will have mercy 
 on the poor ! Forget not, that charity will endure 
 when time itfelf fhall ceafe ! O my child, the earth, 
 and all that we fee of the objects around us, even 
 the heavens which are the canopy of it, will pafs 
 away ! Faith will be fwallowed up in light, and 
 hope ceafe with enjoyment: but charity is io divine 
 and pure in its nature, it will conftitute part of the 
 joys of heaven. 
 
 I 2
 
 DISCOURSE XXVI, 
 
 )uty cf learning to read. Reading the fcriptures 
 efjential to rel';gion.-*-On ivriting. Frugality.* 
 Prudence* Fable of the wolf and the lamb. On 
 ,mode/Jy. Bajhfulnefs* 
 
 IT is fometimes a queftlon among our fuperiors, 
 whether people of the lower dalles are the better 
 /or being taught to read. If reading wei^e univerfal 
 it could not create any diftinclion. In this free 
 country, where women have the fame privileges as 
 men, they may with the fame propriety be taught 
 -,to read. 
 
 The men who do the hard labour and drudgery 
 of life, are not the moft inftrudted ; and therefore it 
 becomes the more beneficial jto a family that a wife 
 fljould be able to aflift the hufband. If flie is in 
 any degree qualified to inftrul her children, whiift 
 the father is in the fieM, fhe will fave fo much, and 
 probably teach them better than any old woman in 
 the neighbourhood could do. 
 
 W^e are commanded to read the fcriptures 9 and for 
 fhe fame reafon } obliged to teach our children to 
 aread : if all of us were fo taught, no one could pre- 
 tend tp be above laborious employments ; for we 
 Should know from the word of God, that labour is 
 he condition of human life, The knowledge which 
 
 is
 
 ( '73 ) 
 
 is the glory of the human race, is within the com 
 pafs of us all. It is contained in the New Tefta- 
 ment : but how fhall we know what is there unlefs 
 we read ? We may hear it read by parts at church, 
 but it cannot be fuppofed to make the fame impref- 
 lion as when the book is before us, and we may 
 read it through in our own way, confider it verfe 
 by verfe, compare our lives by it, and refer all our 
 hopes and views to it, by the conformity of our 
 practice. All that the fmeft writers or moft learned 
 men have ever faid, or can fay concerning focial 
 duties, and the beauty of virtue, muft come to this : 
 Is our conduct agreeable to the word of God ? Shall 
 we do as we are commanded ? Can any motive to 
 any action be higher than the love and obedience'we 
 owe to God ? Can we find any rewards fo great as 
 thofe he hath promifed ? 
 
 The great f nu of learning, my dear child, " is to 
 know God, and out of that knowledge to love 
 and obey him." Thou wilt perceive, that in moft 
 inftances which concern God, we cannot carry our 
 thoughts fo high,, or find language proper to exprefs 
 them, but as we borrow words from fenfe. The 
 fcriptures, which were written, for our learning, 
 fpeak of the anger and the love, the hands and tne 
 eyes of God ; but we are to guard againft grofs 
 conceptions, as we know that God is a fpirit, not 
 vilible to mortal eyes, infinite in purity, and devoid 
 of paffion. The wifdom which the fcripiures teach 
 will avail us, when all the learning that our fupe- 
 riors can boaft of, if noc applied to the fame pur-
 
 ( '74 ) 
 
 pofes, or made a bad ufe of, will leave them in a 
 much worfe condition than if they had remained in 
 the grofieft ignorance. 
 
 However necefiary reading may be for learning 
 our duty to our maker, the fame cannot be faid or" 
 writing. It feems reafonable, in our rank and con- 
 dition, that women fhould be taught to write rather 
 than men ; and the more, as the duties of a fhop 
 may in general be as well performed by a woman as 
 a man. In any cafe a woman may be of equal fer- 
 Tice to receive or pay; take in or deliver out by 
 weight or meafure ; but in general women cannot 
 lift the' part of failors or folcliers, nor do the bufinefs 
 of ploughmen, carpenters, fmiths, or bricklayers. 
 
 " Prudence is an univerfal virtue, which enters 
 into the compoiition of all the reft : Judgment is 
 its throne, and filence its fandluary." Young 
 people are generally more prodigal than old ones. 
 Whether thou haft little or much, take care of it, 
 and do not expend it in vanity: money may {land 
 thy friend, when others fail dice. The caution holds 
 ftronger for them who have but little, than for thofe 
 who have a great deal. In money affairs, remember 
 that u often counting makes good friends." 
 
 Charity feems to forbid our miftrufting, prudence 
 requires diffidence and caution ; there can be no 
 doubt, but that it would be madnefs to truft thofe 
 with thy goods, or thy perfon, who fhew no fear of 
 God, nor refpeft for the laws of thsir country. Let 
 them talk as they pleafe, u deeds are fruit ; words
 
 ( 175 ) 
 
 are "but leaves." The rrjpre lavifh fuch perfons are 
 in their promifes, the lefs they are to be depended on. 
 
 The innocent filly lamb in the fable, was fo cre- 
 dulous, that the wolf perfuaded him he did not feed 
 on flefh, as was vulgarly imagined, but on green, 
 paftures j " why then, fays the lamb, we may as 
 well feed together," and creeping from within his 
 inclolure, joined the wolf to be devoured, as thou 
 mayeft eafily imagine. I am forry to tell thee, that 
 it is no ftrange thing for fome people to put on the 
 difguife of piety and rtligion, the better to enfnare 
 thole, who being hcneft and upright themfelves, 
 think well of the reft of mankind. 
 
 Women, who are really modeft, never make a 
 boaft of madefy^ for that is in effect being immodeft. 
 A true fenfe of ihame is founded on virtue, for we 
 ought to blufh in fecret, even at a thought which 
 religion condemns. Cultivate fuch purity of mind 
 as may render thee acceptable to him to vvhofe eyes 
 thy heart is open. Whatever thy company may be, 
 take care not to offend againft modefty, by any 
 word or action : and avoid giving any fmile of ap- 
 probation, when words of a double meaning are 
 fpoken j and ftill more if they are in oireft terms 
 indecent. Jeft not againft the rules of good man- 
 ners ; rather ftudy how to be ufeful to thy friends 
 and companions, than how to divert them : Solid 
 fenfe is preferable to wit ; the firft is always benefi- 
 cial, the laft feldom fails to be dangerous. 
 
 The wife man fays, " If thou be invited of a 
 
 mighty man, withdraw thyfe.'f, and fo much the 
 
 I 4. more
 
 ( 176 ) 
 
 will he invite thec >" intimating that modeily 
 towards fuperiors is the ready way to be treated 
 with refpe&. In the fame manner when thou art 
 confcious of ignorance, or when prudence forbids 
 thee to fpeak, talking will at once difcover thy want 
 f f fenfe, as well as want of modefty. 
 
 " A great diftruft of onefelfj produces fear, which 
 depriving the mind of its liberty, makes our reafon- 
 ings weak, our words trembling, and our actions 
 faint." And it is obferved, that there is the fame 
 difference between offuraMe^ confidered us a teuton* 
 able confidence in what we fay or do, and impu- 
 dence } as between true modefty and bafhfulneft. 
 
 Thole who defire to do what is commendable, 
 and yet from bdhf :laefs cannot fhew thcmfelves to 
 the world j ought not to be angry with rt, if others, 
 Icfs deferving, promote thir fortune in a 
 effeclual mannr. 
 
 DISCOURSE XXV1L 
 
 TJ^e advantages of friend/hip, Caution in refpetf to it, 
 Necejftty of circumfpeftion in love. 
 
 T7NTER into no connection without confidering 
 -*-^ the end, how far it may plcafe or offend God, 
 on whom an eternity of blifs or mifery depends. 
 Friendfhip being the ftrongeft obligation to the 
 practice of virtue, as it regards particular perfons, 
 
 and
 
 ( 177 > 
 
 ah'd the greateft comfort amidft the various calami- 
 ties of life, whatever thy fortune may otherwife be, 
 I hope thou wilt find a friend : but as there are not 
 many who have fenfe and virtut enough to be capa- 
 ble of friendfhip, therefore be careful with whom, 
 thou contracleft an intimacy. 
 
 Sincerity of heart, and freedom of behaviour often 
 pats for friendfhip : but to be a friend, it is neceflary 
 to have a good temper,- and a fteadinefs of mind, 
 with fuch a degree of knowledge, as may enable 
 one to give and take advice. Friends mutually 
 compaffionate each other, and they muft render 
 themlelves a mutual fupport. They ihould never 
 lay or do any thing harfhly, when the fame 'thing 
 can be done with tendernefs. If thou fhould'ft ever 
 have a friend, avoid all fuch kind of difcourfe in 
 company, as may undervalue the perfon, ^though it 
 ihould exalt thyfelf. Do not prefume on any fj iend- 
 Ihip fo far, as to ufe words of contempt or deriiion, 
 left thou (halt give wounds, which may not be fo 
 eahly healed. 
 
 Thou wilt'eafily judge how rarely fuch are to be 
 found, to whom we may open our hearts without 
 refcrve, and without danger. " A faithful friend 
 is a ftrong defence, and he that hath found fuch a 
 ne, hath found a treafure." Friendfhip, fuch as 
 we frequently .find among virtuous perfons, lightens 
 our forrows, and increaies our joys j warns us in 
 danger, and delivers us in diftrefs. The wealth of 
 the world, cannot fill up the meafure of our wiflies 
 1 5 for
 
 for a partner in our hearts ; fuch wifties being 
 implanted in our nature. SOLOMON fays, " all flefh 
 conforteth according to kind, and a. man will cleave 
 to his iikf."" Death itfelf hath been fought in friend- 
 fhip, and one hath contended with another, defiring 
 to die himfelf to preferve his friend. Women are 
 moft famed for love, men fa friemifoip. 
 
 A flight acquaintance is apt to lead the unwary 
 into intimacie, which often prove deadly in their 
 confequences. Nothing is fo dangerous as the pre- 
 tended friend/hip of bad people : I fay pretended 
 friendfoip, for that which is real cannot ex i ft upon 
 bad principles. The council and advice of perfons 
 of fuperior knowledge and virtue, and whom thou 
 haft reafon to believe are finccrely interefted for thy 
 welfare, fhould make thee ambitious of rendering 
 thyfelf worthy of their efteem, and perhaps in the 
 iffue thefe will prove thy beft friends. 
 
 SOLOMON tells thee, " Love thy friend and be 
 faithful unto him, but if he betray thy fecrets, fol- 
 jow no more after him, for he is as a roe efcaped 
 out of the fnare :" Shame, or fear of thy refentment, 
 will make him fly thee. Difclofmg a fecret, under 
 circumftances of the greateft temptation, will make 
 a breach ; but it may be clofed by great repentance 
 on one fide, or great companion on the other. 
 
 As to friendship with a perfon of a blemished 
 character, (hun it, or thou ivilt be fufpecled of en- 
 tertaining the fame fentiments. Young perfons are 
 warm in their intimacies, anjd apt to fhew more dif- 
 
 tinftion
 
 ( '79 ) 
 
 tintion to each other, as friend?, than is confident 
 with civility to the reft of the world ; fuch appear- 
 ances fhould likewife be avoided. 
 
 If thou fhouldeft happen to break with thy friend, 
 fhew thy forrow by thy filence ; and not like a filly 
 faithlefs creature, blab out all thou knoweft. This 
 is as wicked as it is weak, lince thou wert trufted 
 on thine honour, without any condition. Let fuch 
 do as they pleafe ; be thou fixed as a rock, that 
 {lands the utmoft force of darning wave?, or ftorms 
 and tempefts. 
 
 My dear child, obferve thefe rules ! Be flow in 
 chufing a friend, and flower (till to change : Be 
 courteous to all ; intimate with few : Slight none 
 for their low condition, nor efteem any for their 
 wealth and grcatnefs. Be not furprifed nor dif- 
 maycd to hear plaufible excufes, from thofe who are 
 unwilling to do thee a fervice, if on the prefumption 
 of friendfhip thou fhould'ft venture to afk a kind- 
 nefs : In no cafe owe an obligation to one who in 
 thou believeft to be wicked : Never fupprefs that 
 tendernefs, with which a good heart naturally over- 
 flows, when thofe whom thou haft ever efteemed, 
 are in real diftrefs. 
 
 Love, when fupported by the judgment^ feems to 
 include friend/hip : but in regard- to friendfhip be- 
 tween the fexes, in youth it is rarely to be found, 
 without a mixture of love on one fide or the other : 
 I mean that tendernefs, which -is fo natural to the 
 heart, 
 
 I Among
 
 Among perfons of advanced years, the flame may 
 be fo gentle and lambent as to change its name : as 
 in extreme old age friendship itfelf, feems to expire. 
 With the lofs of memory, and recollection, the ftn- 
 fibility of diftinclions ceafes. Thus we are taught,, 
 ia a kind of regular gradation, calmly to refign all 
 our friendships and our loves, with every ether 
 intereft in this world. But I believe that the plca- 
 fure of friendfhip in good minds, is the lafl that 
 leaves us, except the morefolidfatisfafiion^ the hopes- 
 of happinefs after death. 
 
 As I would not omit any fubject in which thou 
 mayeft be interefted, I will put thee yet more on thy 
 guard with refper. to love ; for as this is well or ill. 
 directed, it may render thee happy or miferable. 
 Thofe who become wretched by this arFeftion, plead 
 that other paflions are for the moil part of a malig- 
 nant kind: but let me tell thee, when the mind is 
 infe&ed with love, there is nothing fo ferious or 
 comic, fo generous or bafe, which may not directly, 
 or remotely proceed from it. The proverb fays, 
 " Follow love and it will flee thee : Flee love and 
 it will fellow thee." If this teaches modefty, it 
 alfo informs us that there is much folly and caprice 
 in love. When we afcribe to the perfons beloved, 
 qualities they do not poflefs, we in effect fall in love 
 with the creature of our own brain ; and this 1 take 
 to be no uncommon cafe. 
 
 In our ordinary acquaintance, and yet more in 
 our friendfhips, it is hardly poflible but that the 
 flerfons and coaverfation $f fome people, fliould be 
 
 more
 
 more pleating and delightful to us, than thofe f 
 others i but to be unhappy, becaufe we are not in 
 the company of a particular perfon, is at once a 
 proof of love, and not lefs of the weaknefs of that 
 heart, the pleafures of which are fo narrowly cir- 
 eumfcribed.i 
 
 It is not uncommon for a woman to imagine her- 
 felf the object of a man's love, whether fhe defires 
 to be fo or not ; as vain men often miftake the civi- 
 lities of women for love. Thou, my child, mayeit 
 be fubjecl to a double afiault, either by the reality 
 of thy affection, or the vanity of a man : and as 
 a great part of my fex, in our rank particularly, is 
 not remarkable for honejly in love^ thou fhould'ft be 
 ib much the more fufpicious, and doubly on thy 
 guard. 
 
 Nothing is fo commen in love, as believing ab- 
 furdities which favour the pafiion, except the lavifh 
 profeflions which are made* on fuch occafions j and 
 from hence arifes the danger. The language of 
 paflion may fometimes exprefs the integrity of the 
 heart, yet it is not to be trufted without great cau- 
 tion : and they who make no preparation for a 
 retreat, in cafe of danger, may be obliged to fur- 
 render at difcretion j and find themfelves at length 
 in the hands of an enemy, inftead of a friend. Re- 
 member that nothing is more dangerous, in thy 
 condition, than the unjuft accufations of a wicked 
 man, except the profeflions of his love, by which he 
 may {hew forth his higheft. infolence* 
 
 How-
 
 However blameable many an honeft heart has 
 been, in giving way to affections, yet being really 
 honeft, they have fmiled at forrow and difappoint- 
 ment, even in the agonies of death, rather than do 
 any thing which virtue forbids. 
 
 People of the beft underftanding, retain impref- 
 fions longeft, and often carry them to the grave. 
 The moft benevolent feem to be the moft fufceptible 
 of love, and therefore fhould be moft upon their 
 guard. Love, as an affection of the foul, which 
 enlarges and improves the mind, holds affinity with 
 augels ; as an appetite of the body, it is common to 
 brutes. True love hath its root in virtue. Con- 
 ftancy is united with it ; and where it fubfifts in the 
 married ftate, adverfity cannot divide it from the 
 heart : it becomes a part of our nature. 
 
 True modeftyjs equal in both fexes ; but by the 
 cuftom of the world, women are obliged to be the 
 moft referved in the difcovery of their affections j 
 v/hether this be an advantage or not I cannot tell. 
 
 Advice is feldom welcome when it crofles a 
 favourite inclination ; but is it not far better to feel 
 a (hort pain in breaking off a dangerous treaty, than 
 to be punifhed feverely all our lives, for believing 
 too well without proof, or againft it? 
 
 The foolim and wicked of both fexes generally 
 confort together, and are mutually influenced by 
 each other. Many a young fellow goes to the gal- 
 lov.-s frcm being connected with bad women ! 
 
 A man or woman of a profligate character, can 
 never be a true friend to love whatever a diftem- 
 
 pered
 
 pered imagination may fuggeft. The folly of fuch 
 love will be as great, and probably more bitter in 
 its confequences, than if thou wert to fix thine heart 
 upon a man fo much fuperior in condition, as to 
 afford thee no profpet of being united to him. He 
 who is out of thy reach, or him by whom thou 
 would'ft probably lofe by gaining, are to be avoided 
 with the fame care. 
 
 Thou haft heard of fome young women, and per- 
 haps a few young men alfo, who defpairing of an 
 union with their beloved object, or in a fit of 
 phrenzy, have done fome defperate violence on 
 themfclves. Is not this converting love into a child 
 of the devil ? Whether madnefs be created by a 
 raging fever, or a fit of love, it is ft ill madnefs : 
 And whether it be in love or hatred, if we trefpafs 
 againft heaven, we muft be punimed. 
 
 Love having nothing to do with pomp, our hum- 
 ble condition is lefs fubjeft to deceit than that of the 
 rich, for people naturally follow affection when they 
 are poor j and thofe who have no wealth, nor ever 
 had any profpeft of living in affluence, have reafon 
 to hope they may fupport love without any other 
 aids than health, induftry, and virtue : and it feems 
 to be more in favour of love, to have no want but of 
 money, than to want every thing but money. 
 
 DIS.
 
 C 184 ) 
 
 DISCOURSE XXVIII, 
 
 Warning again/} feducen to pro/litution. Danger of 
 going to London. -Of being fond of fine deaths.* 
 Duty cf cbafiity on Cbrijllan principles. Danger of 
 lljlening tofuperiors in fortune. -^-Melancholy Jiory of 
 Caroline 
 
 IN all thy fteps think of the homage due to thy 
 Maker ; and the guardianmip of thy ibul under 
 his Providence ! Sorry I am to be conftrained to 
 tell thee, but it is neceflary thou fnould'il know the 
 truth: There are luch vile wretches of .both .exes, 
 on this fair earth, as blufhes the heavenly face of 
 modefty to think of. Like the devil, they go about 
 feeking whom they may devour; and when they 
 fcave accomplifhed their foul ends, they laugh at the 
 mifery they have created, and fpurn at the objedt 
 they have deluded into deftruclu n. Some even 
 traffic in fin, ard blot the moil beautiful workman- 
 fhip of heaven, with fuch hideous ftains as might 
 draw tears from the ftony rock. Thefe evil fpirits 
 in human form, flatter and promife, and fwear as 
 prodigally, as if they were to gain heaven ; and are 
 as falte -as hell, from whence their deceitful fpeeches 
 come : They prefent the flattering (hew of plea fur e 
 before the heedlefs eyes of young peribns, and draw 
 them on till they fall into the pit of deftru&ion. 
 
 Thefe
 
 ( i*S J 
 
 Thefe enemies to virtue attempt boldly to pef- 
 fuade, that things which are really the worft in the 
 world are the beft. Little regarding the curie de- 
 nounced againft thofe who call evil good, and good 
 evil, they praclife the arts of the devil, when under 
 a fpecious difguife he deceived our firft parents. A 
 fmall portion of fenfe and reafon might' {hew the 
 fallacy of all arguments, hopes, or expectations, in 
 favour of actions which arc contrary to virtue and 
 found religion, Liften not to them, but remember, 
 that " virtue which parley*, is near a furrender, be 
 it in man or woman." 
 
 Well do I remember fome of my good neigh* 
 bour's daughters, whom nothing would pleafe but 
 going up to London, as if they were fure cf making 
 their fortunes. Some of them have lived virtuoufly, 
 both in the fingle and married ftate, and have fuc- 
 ceeded in the world ; but it hath fared ill with feve- 
 ral of the moft diftinguifhed for beauty. For as 
 foon as they arrived in town, they fell into the fnares 
 of thofe abandoned procurcjfes y who under a pretence 
 of getting them good places, brought them like 
 birds to the net, or lambs to the {laughter ; witnefs 
 
 , and . , and others, who did not 
 
 mfe the precaution before they left their parents, to 
 forrefpond with fuch friends in town as they might 
 truft themfelves with, till proper places could be 
 provided for them. It is impoffible that thou fhould'it 
 iufpedl half the wicked arts which are played off to 
 feduce young females. I muft alfo caution thee, 
 that in all cafes, but particularly if thou fhould'ft 
 
 apply
 
 apply to a public regijler office, to inform thyfelf ex- 
 actly of the character of the perfon who propofes to 
 take thee as a fet vant, and not lefs of thofe who 
 give them characters. 
 
 I charge thee likewife, as thou loveft thy foul, 
 not to indulge any defire of being gaudily attired. 
 If thou ftiouldeft feel thine heart incline to this 
 vanity, get thyfelf cured of it, as a difeafc, which if 
 neglected would prove mortal. Childifh as this 
 paflion is, I know that it hath been the ruin of theu- 
 lands, and it may tempt thee to forget thofe lefibns, 
 which 1 have fought fo anxioufly to imprint on thy 
 heart. From the moment thou fixeft thy fancy on 
 dreffing like a lady, I fhall tremble, left thy deftruc- 
 tion fhould be at hand. What has been the fate of 
 thofe who feek the trappings of folly as the wages 
 of iniquity ? What numbers of young women, with- 
 out any other inclinations to wickednefs, have been 
 undone by the immoderate love of drefs and diver- 
 fions. Multitudes of young women accomplifh their 
 own deftruction by the force of this reftlefs vanity. 
 
 Among abandoned women, I can tell thee, that 
 intemperance and difeafe bring on confumptions and 
 decay, and few of them live beyond the age of 
 twenty-five. Ala?, my child, how deplorably do 
 thofe fall, of both fexes, who offer themfelves as it 
 were facrificcs at the altars of vice and impurity ! 
 
 In all conditions, remember that chriftianity re- 
 quires nothing at our hands more clearly, or in a 
 ftronger manner, than chaftity : and this confifls in 
 a fixed abhorrence of all forbidden fenfual indul- 
 gence ;
 
 gencc : in a reiblutc guard over our thoughts and 
 paffions : in'a firm abftinence from the moft diftant 
 occaiions of luft and wantonnefs : in a confciouf- 
 nefs, or deep fenie of the perfect holinefs of God-, 
 and of his being prcfent every where. It likewife 
 confifts in a conviction of the certain truths of our 
 religion ; and that there can be no hope of falvation 
 where this virtue is not cherifhed. Therefore be 
 not entangled in the fnares of deceitful lufts, for 
 thefe do confefledly " war againjl the foul;" and if 
 this is conquered all is loft ! 
 
 It is common for mankind to (belter themfelves 
 under the flimfy covering of numbers committing 
 fin ; as if corporeal punifhments, or ignominious 
 death, were the lefs evils, becaufe crouds of male- 
 factors are annually condemned to a loathfome pri- 
 fon, or the gallows ! 
 
 I charge thee, my child, to be watchful of thy 
 words : Unguarded converfation generally opens the 
 door to mifchief: It looJcs like a defign to throw 
 down the barrier of chaility. From the moment 
 thou permitted any man to be thy confident, or 
 alloweft thyft-lf to converfe with him alone, except 
 where there is an honourable and fuitable treaty 
 approved of by thy friends, it is moil natural to con- 
 clude, there is danger. On the other hand, thou 
 muil exercifc fome (kill in thy referve, not to ap- 
 pear prudifh, and fubjedt th ; ielf to ridicule. 
 
 People of fortune generally obferve a more ftricl 
 decorum, than the condition of fervitude for the 
 moil part admits of ; domcftics therefore ftand in 
 
 need
 
 ( iS8 ) 
 
 need of the greater caution. But without any com* 
 parifon of conditions, build thy prudence on this 
 great principle j that human nature is frail ; that 
 religion doth not keep the generality of men in awe, 
 in any degree equal to what might be reafonably 
 expected ; that rich men are apt to prefume on the 
 humble condition of poor girls, to mark them as 
 their prey > not confidering that the foul of a cham- 
 bermaid is as valuable as the foul of a queen. 
 
 If thou art wife, k? not thy fancy loofe to think 
 of tying the knot for life, with any man above a 
 farmer, or atradcfman, who is honeft and not weak. 
 If any gentleman fhould honeiily or difhoneftly 
 commend thy perfon, let it pafs as words which he 
 may be accuftomed to fpeak. in the firft cafe it 
 may be his real opinion ; but he had better have 
 concealed it in the duft. At all events guard thy* 
 felf by (hutting thine ears, and fly from the fnare. 
 
 The generofity of men in this cafe is not to be 
 trufted. I can tell thee a tragical ftory of this kind, 
 in which I ated a considerable part. The daughter 
 of a yeoman of reputation in this county was feduced 
 by a young gentleman ; he had promiied to marry 
 her, and fhe depended upon his honour. Her father 
 was my old acquaintance, and intreated me to talk 
 to him. I made him a vifit, and amongft a variety 
 of arguments told him, that he did not know the 
 milchief he had done ! adding, * I have heard her 
 mournful tale ; I have feen the rifmg fobs that (hake 
 her foul : her father's pillow is wet with briny tears > 
 iid her fond mother's cheeks redden with .fhame, 
 
 whilft
 
 ( i9 5 
 
 whilft indignation prevents the utterance of her 
 griefs !- O illume ! (hamc ! that a man mould 
 fawn and flatter, and mean what ihall I iay ? 
 mean to be a villain ! You will pardon me, Sir - 
 That men in fuch cafes aft like vilLiins you miift 
 grant. What is the pleafuie which is dyed fo deep 
 in guilt,, and creates fo much pain and forrow !" 
 
 He told me he would make her a proper allow- 
 ance, bu f could not poffibly think of marrying her, 
 #5 he (hould dilublige his friends, and mar hi;> for- 
 tune. She on the other hand, was not in want of 
 .a decent fupport, and her principles forbad her ac- 
 jceptance of his offer. Grief for fuch ill treatment 
 threw he; into a c;nfumpiion, and {he died in a few 
 months after. 
 
 When it was too late, the young gentleman re- 
 .pented, and was almoft raving with the confciouf- 
 .nefs of having a&ed fo bafely. He defired to fee 
 me, and faid " O my friend, how fhall I banifli 
 .from my 'heart, the remembrance of my dear Caro- 
 line ! How ihall 1 forget the hill parting fcene. 
 Jt is but to die, ihe faid though it be a death of 
 torture ! - With n y lali; breath will 1 pray for your 
 proiptrityj It is the decree of heaven that I (hould 
 be thus chailifed thy will, O God, be done-* May 
 the remembrance of my fad fate never diftuib your 
 breaft, unlcf it {hould bleed wuh fympathetic for- 
 row for my guilt, and prepare your own foul for 
 heaven !" 
 
 Reflexions on what had parted, harrowed up his 
 foul. His reafon was foon afief wards impaired. 
 
 He
 
 ( IQO ) 
 
 He was often feen walking by himfelf, and burfting 
 into an agony, crying out, l O Caroline ! Caroline ! 
 I was thy murderer.' He was indeed the wicked 
 occafion of her death. He feldom flept above two 
 hours at a time ; and as certain as he awoke, the 
 fame thought occurred to his mind. His eyes 
 looked hollow, his lips wore a livid palenefs, as if 
 he withered at the heart. His friends carried him 
 into fcenes of amufement, thefe made him figh the 
 more. He died foon after with melancholy. 
 
 Attend, my child, and take warning I I am afTured 
 of thy prefent innocency : 1 know thy mind agonizes 
 whilft I am talking thus : but anxious as I am for 
 thy fafety, thou wilt forgive me, if I fay too much. 
 We are about to part, and it is fit I fhould com- 
 municate to thee, my knowledge of the ways of the 
 world, and the means of fhunning the evils of it. 
 
 O my child, I now declare to thee, in the awful 
 prefence of the God whom I adore, 1 had rather fee 
 thy blood ftream from thy bofom, than behold thee 
 in the arms, even of a king, on any terms but an 
 honourable marriage, fuch as divine and human 
 Jaws appoint for the virtuous. If thou wert to {tray 
 from virtue's facred paths, though floods of briny 
 tears would fall from thy fond father's eyes, thefe 
 could not wafh thee clean j but the day would come 
 when they might rife in judgment againft thee ! 
 Be on thy guard, and provoke not the wrath of 
 Heaven ! 
 
 DIS.
 
 DISCOURSE XXIX. 
 
 Advantages of the married ft ate, when carefully in- 
 gaged in. Fable of the two hounds. Dangerous 
 ejfefts of jealonfy. Story of Harry Wlnton. Story 
 of Jane Sprightly. The great duty of tender ncfi f of 
 children. 
 
 THIS is the laft day in which I may enjoy a fair 
 opportunity of communicating my thoughts 
 to thee with fuch freedom, as divine providence has 
 hitherto indulged us with. Since the time thou 
 wert capable of liftening to the voice of reafon, and 
 of forming thy mind to a relifh ef truth, I have not 
 felt a greater fatisfa&ion. 
 
 The fubject of our converfation yefterday, natu- 
 rally leads us to the confideration of marriage. The 
 many mifchiefs with which the lawlefs commerce of 
 the fexes abounds, turn in favour of this honourable 
 alliance. 
 
 Marriage ought to be in high eftimation among 
 men, not only as the ftate moft fafe to virtue, and in 
 which fo great a part of private happinefs confifts ; 
 but as beft calculated to promote the welfare of our 
 country. The Almighty, in the great order of his 
 providence, having made the fexes for the mutual 
 aid and fupport of each other j it is highly reafon- 
 able to prefume, that when people come to an age 
 
 of
 
 ( '9* ) 
 
 of judgment, and are wealthy, or fit to get their 
 bread by their (kill or labour, marriage is the proper 
 ftate of life ; and nothing can be a ftronger incen- 
 tive to it, than the affections implanted in the 
 human bread, which feelc their object. 
 
 Happy it is when this union is cemented by a 
 fuitablenefs of difpofition. Piety is the only bond 
 that never fails ; but I have feen the fad effects arif- 
 ing from fuch perverfenefs of humour, that even 
 common prudence could not influence or rcftrain per- 
 fons fo connected, to be obliging and condefcending 
 to each other. 
 
 The extreme folly of a contrary conduct, is illuf- 
 trated by the fable of the two bound;. They are 
 reprefented as very fond of each other, but being 
 young dogs, the huntfman coupred them, to pre- 
 vent their following every fcent, and hunting dif- 
 orderly : they exprefled great uneafinefs at their 
 fituation ; if one chofe to go this way, the other 
 was eager to go the contrary, till at length they 
 came to a downright quarrel. An old hound, who 
 had obferved what was paffing, reproved them in 
 thefe terms : " What a couple of filly puppies you 
 . are, to be perpetually worrying yourfelves at this 
 rate ! What hinders your going on peaceably and 
 quietly together ? Cannot you compromife the mat- 
 ter, by confulting each others inclination ? Try to 
 make a virtue of neceffity, and fubmit to what you 
 cannot remedy. You cannot get rid of the chain, 
 hut you may make it fit eafy j and you will find by 
 
 expe- 
 4
 
 ( 193 ) 
 
 experience that mutual compliances, not only com- 
 peniate for reftraint, but are attended with delight.'* 
 
 I have heard it feiioufly maintained, that the 
 miiery of fsrvants may be dated from their marriage 
 day. Such an uncomfortable doctrine fuppofes that 
 their wages are no ways equal to the expence when 
 they have any children to provide for. This opi- 
 nion proves too much ; experience may be appealed 
 to againfl it, as well as for it. Thofe who are ex- 
 travagant or indolent, are hardly fit to be trufted in ' 
 the marriage ftate j and the child born to fuch pa- 
 rent?, comes into the world under a great difad van- 
 tage : But marriage fometimes awakens the atten- 
 tion of the moft thoughtlefs, and every one may 
 obferve, that the induftrious and provident, and fucli 
 as are virtuoufly inclined, generally fucceed in wed- 
 lock. 
 
 As to the proper time cf marriage ; if thou 
 fhould'ft have a prudent ofter, and there is no 
 weighty reafon to the contrary, accept it : marry 
 in the early part of life : but if thy youth, and thjr 
 middle age pafs without marriage^ continue fingle.- 
 Whcther thou marrieft a young man, or one of 
 middle age, confik his temper, and carefully avoid 
 giving him offeneVj'l&o^'all, I warn thee againit 
 jtwlcvfy. Teach not thy Kufband, if a young man, 
 an evil lefibn sgainft thyfelf ; nor make the elder 
 thy dittrefTed friend, or fccret enemy. As there 
 can be no government where there is no ruler, (he 
 who hath more fenfe than her hufband, will ftvew it 
 by her prudence and fear of God j ilill yieWing the 
 K ,-
 
 fuperiority to him, whom God hath fct over herr 
 fhe may perchance fecretly influence his conduct ; 
 but openly to aflume the command, except in very 
 extraordinary cafes, is a proof that her ui.derftand- 
 ing falls very fhort of the true mark. 
 
 Rather think how to forgive real offences in thy 
 hufband, than create imaginary ones. If once the 
 mind is poffefTcd with a jealous frenzy, it lofes the 
 cxercife of reafon } and every objet that relates to 
 love, is armed with the flings of iccrpions, to 
 poifon peace. 
 
 Give jealoujy to the wrnd, and banifh difquiet* 
 Wert thoi> perfuaded of real infidelity in thy huf- 
 band, yet if thcu haft a wifh to fh-ue his heart, 
 regain his affection, and turn it into its proper 
 channel; be allured that if he hath any fenfibility, 
 thy tendernefs and love, with his recollection of 
 what religion require?, will fubdue his falfe deflres, 
 ^nd by the ftings of confcience convert him. If he 
 hath no fentiment of virtue, rage and refentment 
 on thy part, will only aggravate thy misfortune, and 
 make two great evils inftead of one. 
 
 As to the revenge which fome women take, it 
 is net fo much a proof of refentment, as of an evil. 
 incKr.ation : it is a fymptom of a fick and crazed 
 mind : it is like a man's murdering himfelf becaufe 
 another has attempted to kill him: for fhe who 
 proceeds to the extremity of repaying fuch an injury 
 by proftitution, does but plunge a dagger into her 
 cwn boforn ; as. if fhe were the aggreflorj and meant 
 9 to
 
 ( '95 ) 
 
 to feck her punifhment, even in the deftruftion of 
 her ownfiuL 
 
 Command thyfelf, my child : patience and good 
 humour ahnoft work miracles; and I hope thefe 
 will always fecure thy hufband's love, that thy days 
 may pafs in an uninterrupted tranquillity ; in all for- 
 tunes remembering, that religion is then of moft 
 ufe, when the greateft calamity invades us ; and 
 that a calm refignation to the will of heaven, is the 
 grand medicine which cures all the evils incident t<^ 
 human life. 
 
 If a woman difcoven?, that meeknefs, modefty, 
 and prudence in living according to the circum- 
 flances of her hufbano 1 , are her trucft ornaments, 
 fhe will likewife find wherein her intereft confifts. 
 The proverb fays, u The foot on the cradle, and 
 the hand on the diftaff, is the fign of a good houfe- 
 wife." This teaches that a woman inclined to 
 virtue and induftry, is at once able to manage her 
 family, retain the affection of her hufband, and 
 educate her children according to her condition. 
 Nothing can be fo ciefirable to a man as fuch a wife ! 
 
 Happy had it been for Harry Winter, if he had 
 preferred Sally Swat, to Rebecca Wander! He 
 acknowledged Sally 1 ?, perfections ; but in his eyes, 
 the air, the grace, the form of Rebecca, were irre r 
 fiftibie, and at length he married her. She had ; 
 been uied to the triumphs of beauty, and never 
 rightly informed of any thingy/?dK//W/y gocd. She 
 is of fo impetuous a temper, as not to brook con- 
 tradiclion. Her refentments are as keen, AS her 
 K 2 vanity
 
 ( 196 ) 
 
 vanity is uncontrolable. All her hufband's wages 
 are hardly fufficient to find her in ribbands. Where 
 is their mighty love ! They are parting with mu- 
 tual elifguft. Poor Harry is much to be pitied. 
 " Though a virtuous woman is a crown to her 
 hufband, fhe that maketh afhamed > is rottennefs in 
 his bones !" 
 
 In common cafes of marriage, neither party being 
 very wicked, it is with hufband and wife, as with 
 mafter and fervant ; if on one fide the parties faith- 
 fully perform their duty, they can fcarcely be ex- 
 tremely miferable. ^Jane Sprightly is young and 
 Jively, and much beloved by her hufband j fhe de- 
 fired him the other day to carry her to the fair, 
 xvhich he declined, giving her many reafons for fo 
 doing ; adding " my dear 'Jane, you look as if yon 
 " were dilpleafed ! What are all the fairs in the 
 u world to me, or all the women _that attend them, 
 " compared to your fmiles ? I can bear any thing 
 " rather than your frowns, except the confcioufnefs 
 " of doing that, which in its effects would hurt you : 
 14 I would not do you harm for the world ; not even 
 at your own requeft; and no one can judge fo 
 " well as myfelf, what will hurt you." Jaw has 
 good fenfe and candour, and heard him attentively. 
 He fpoke with fuch perfuafive eloquence in regard 
 to the fincerity of his love, fhe could no longer 
 refift j but frr.oothing her brow, with a fweet fmil- 
 5ng air, fhe faid, " In good faith, my dear Jsfoua, 
 <c though I had a fancy for the fair y it was but a 
 ** fancy, and I believe thou art in the right: give 
 
 " me
 
 ( 197 ) 
 
 c me thy hand, as a token of calm obedience and 
 " fincere affeclion ; and fhe kifled it eagerly." 
 Thus a proper exertion of prudence on one fide, 
 may in the iffue be of efiential importance to both. 
 
 To this end I will give thee another leflbn, 
 founded on the plaineft fenfe and reafon. The ready 
 way to fecure thy hufband's affection and duty, is 
 to be truly affectionate and dutiful as a wife ; and 
 always as agreeable as thou canft. 
 
 Whether thou fhould'ft marry or remain fingle, 
 eherifh in thy bofom atendernefs for children : The 
 woman devoid of this affection, hardly deferves the 
 name of a woman. This affection relates to the 
 community. Children are a large part of mankind ; 
 and childhood being without guile, it is at once an 
 objet of our love and refpecl. Remember the 
 regard which was fliewn to children by the Saviour 
 of the world, when in allufion to their innocency, 
 he declared, " of fuch are the kingdom of heaven :" 
 My mafter ufed-to fay, that no compliment ever 
 pleafed him more, than that imputed to one of our 
 great poets ; that he was a man in fenfe , but in the 
 iimpiicity of his manners, a child. 
 
 DIS-
 
 198 
 
 DISCOURSE XXX. 
 
 Conclufan cf advice recommending filial piety^ obedience- 
 to parents^ and fidelity infirvice. 
 
 "D E of good cheer, my child ! If it fhould pleafe 
 -*-* the Almighty to blefs thee with a hufband, a 
 good man, who may underftand the value of thy 
 virtues, thou mayeft mend thy condition, by parting 
 v/ith me : but learn how to value the good which 
 providence prefents thee, be it what it may, and 
 fubmit to the difpenfations of heaven. If thou 
 fhould'ft marry and have children, thou wilt be the 
 better fubjecl, and maycft be more diftingurfhed 
 among thy equals or fuperiors. But teach thy chil- 
 dren the fear of God, left they prove a curfe. 
 
 There is but a fmaSl portion of happind's which 
 falls to the lot of individuals ; none without fome 
 mixture, in the cup of life. But whilft thou enter- 
 tained thyfelf with hopes of bettering thy condition 
 by marriage, forget not me^ forget not " that whofo 
 " honoureth his father fhal! h*ve joy of his own 
 " children, and when he makech his prayer he mail 
 14 be heard ;" as if the Almighty would not hear 
 the prayers of thofe who neglect or defpife their 
 parents. Thefe are high prornhes of exalted hap- 
 pineis. The wife man goes on : " Honour thy 
 " father with thy whole heart, and forget not the 
 
 ' far-
 
 " farrows of thy mother." This conveys a charm- 
 ing idea of maternal tendernefs : and the love of thy 
 dear mother, deferves indeed to be revered, even to* 
 her afhes ! He then reminds us of the curil- which 
 attends the undutiful : " The eye that rr.ocketh his 
 father, and defpifeth to obey his mother, the ravens 
 of the valley (h-all pick rt out, and the young eagles 
 {hall eat it." Is not this a beautiful allufion lo that 
 blindnefs and perverfenefs which leads feme to 
 neglect, and fome even to infult their parents : it 
 denounces the judgement they may expect, either 
 by fome temporal calamity, or by the vengeance of 
 heaven which will overtake them. Such offence!* 
 are of the blackeir. dye. 
 
 " Our parents, can never be requited :" Such 
 is the nature of our obligations to them ! Do not 
 forfake. me, my child, if 1 fhould need thy help : 
 God only can tell what may happen ! It is not the 
 cuftom of our days, for children to be fo attentive to 
 their aged parents, as is required by the laws of 
 God, and the obligations of fociety. In our con- 
 dition, I fear fome old people are thrown on the 
 parochial charity, whofe children might provide for 
 them. 
 
 There are many countries where the inhabitants 
 are fhort of us, in fome refpe&s, yet excel in the 
 duty of children to parents. I remember to have 
 heard my matter fay, that the Galliciaris t who are 
 labourers in the great cities of Portugal ; and the 
 Ruffians^ who do the fame offices in their own 
 
 country,
 
 ( 200 ) 
 
 country, are never fo happy as when they crry 
 home their gains, to aflift their aa;ed parents. 
 
 Children ought to honour their parents at all 
 times, that their children may help them ; and that 
 the great Father of mankind may be their friend, and 
 their days long in the land, wherein God hath given 
 them life and health, to enjoy thefe blefling?, in the 
 ftations which his providence hath appointed them. 
 
 Next to thefe are matters and miftrefies. If thou 
 fhould'ft live many years in one place, married or 
 fingle, I charge thee to remember that old iervants 
 are apt to prefume upon their long fei vice ; it is but 
 juft that they fhould be efteemed for their probity, 
 but not for impertinency. I have heard it faid > 
 " My mafter will not part with me, becaufe I have 
 " lived fo long with him." This is not good rea- 
 foning: It fhould be rather faid, " My maft-jr has 
 " a good opinion of my fidelity, therefore I will 
 " continue faithful, and retain n.y humility and 
 " attention to his commands, or he will grow fick 
 " of me. If I attempt to didate to him, or make a. 
 " defence, when I fliould hold my tcngue, or pro- 
 * mife more care for the future, he will be a fool 
 " if he keeps me ; but if I fhould think him a fool I 
 " fhould not therefore treat him infolently." 
 
 If a mutual regard, founded on a mutual fervice r 
 be not fupported en found principles,, whether in 
 long or fh< rt fervice, married or fingle life, domeltic 
 fervice becomes unpleafant, and often borders upon 
 that difcontent, which is irreligious. 
 
 Bfeware
 
 Beware of depending on my purfe. Heaven 
 knows I have little to give thee but my good advice, 
 Do not however think this a misfortune ; for the 
 riches of the wealthy often prove temptations to 
 great wickednefs. I have known young perfons 
 fo impatient to poflefs the goods of their parents, as 
 to think they lived too long ! Was not this horri- 
 ble ? It is to be hoped that we, who are poor, are 
 in lefs danger of fuch rank iniquity. 
 
 Whatever fufferings thou mayeft undergo, be 
 courageous : remember that thy great Lord and 
 Mafter lived in poverty^ and died in pain. Never 
 forget his life and death ! To give thy mind true 
 and juft impreflions of chriftianity, has been the 
 main fcope of my defign : this hath been the bent 
 of all the care and inftruclion which I have beftowed 
 on thee ; and whatever the great may apprehend to 
 the contrary, I think this of fuch confequence, that 
 no education can be called good, where it is want- 
 ing. 
 
 To-morrow we muft part, but I truft that in 
 love of God and goodnefs, we {hall never be difunit- 
 ed ! My folemn requeft is, that as often as the day 
 begins and ends, thou wilt not barely fay thy prayer^ 
 but pray. Strive tq offer up thy heart in the pure 
 flame of thy devotion, that wljen all thy days ars' 
 brought to an end, thou mayeft be prepared fo 
 eternity ! Be not caft down but comforted : " The 
 forrpw of the world," fays the great Apoltle, 
 w worketh death, but, a godly furrow worketbt 
 L " repent-
 
 C 202 ) 
 
 " repentance to falvation." Let a fenfe of virtue 
 be thy conftant_/o}- / 
 
 There needs no further mefTenger from heaven, 
 to tell us that we are alijinfttl, and except we repent 
 we muft all perijh ; but we fee how merciful our 
 heavenly Father is, if we do repent. SLearn of St. 
 Paul, to reafon like a rational and accountable being, 
 u if God fpared not his. ctvn Son, but delivered him 
 " up for us all, how will he not, with him alfo, 
 " freely give us all things ?" Is not this an argu- 
 ment that the weakeft may underftand, and which 
 the wifeft muft admire ! May the righteous God 
 uphold thee in thy paths ! Let them be fuch as arc 
 pleafmg to him, as far as thou canft difcover, and 
 whether in life or death, all will be well ! My dear 
 child, farewell 
 
 CONCLUSION XXXI. 
 
 Pray er for repentance and reconciliation adapted to tlfe 
 Jlate of human nature^ and fuch as believe in Cbri/l. 
 
 TTEAR me, O Lord of life ! ponder my medita- 
 * -* tions, and confider the longings of my foul 
 to ferve and worfhip thee ! When. I "look back on 
 thy wonders of old, and the mercies which thou 
 haft (hewn to all the children of men : when I con- 
 template the prefervation I have experienced in my 
 own perfou, in fkknefs and danger, my heart is 
 
 exalted
 
 C *3 ) 
 
 exalted with joy, and my fpirit refteth in the hope 
 of the continuance of thy goodnefs to me, even for 
 ever and ever ! 
 
 Yet am I unworthy to ftand in thy fight, O God, 
 for my tranfgreffions and "Infirmities are numbef- 
 lefs ! Give me thy aid to fue for thy pardon ! 
 Vouchfafc to grant me fuch a meafure of patience 
 and humility, meeknefs and temperance, fortitude 
 and benevolence, that my thoughts being fubdued 
 by righteoufnefs, my words and actions may be ac- 
 ceptable in thy fight. Purify my. imagination, and 
 banifh the foolifhnefs of my thoughts, which fo 
 often interrupts the repofe of my mind ! I am finful 
 in habit, imperfect in nature, and not worthy to 
 look up to heaven ! yet, O God, thou knoweft 
 whereof I am made : make me fo watchful and 
 refolute, that I may never fall again from thee. 
 
 Thy judgments, O Lord, are right j and in faith- 
 fulnefs haft thou caufed me to be troubled. The 
 foul that is troubled, and the fpirit that is vexed, 
 crieth unto thee ! Hear me, O God, my Father, 
 and turn thee unto me according to the multitude 
 of thy mercies ! Let the remembrance of my paft 
 mifdeeds be blotted out, and cleanfe me from my 
 fecrct faults : let not the fins, to which I am by 
 temper and conftitution prone, prevail againft me. 
 
 O Father Almighty, grant me fuch a meafure of 
 thy grace, that i may daily learn how to repent ; 
 and fo apply myfelf to the difcharge of my duty, that 
 when my feet (hall flip, thou in thy goodnefs mayeft 
 uphold me ! 
 
 L 2 Giv
 
 Give me a contrite heart, O God, that I may 
 worthily lament my fins : and make fuch confefiion 
 of them, as thou (halt pleafe to accept ! Comfort 
 me, O Lord, that I may not be cait down : and 
 let thy reconciliation, through the intercefiion of 
 jny blefTed Lord, reftore my heart to joy ! 
 
 O remember not my fins parr, and the errors of 
 my ways, but look on me a miferable finner, with 
 eyes of compaffion, for I am come to great mifery. 
 Feed me with the bread of tears, and give me plen- 
 teoufnefs of tears to drink, but (hew me the light 
 of thy countenance, and my foul will be reftored to 
 health. According to the greatnefs of thy power, 
 preferve me in the hour of death and in the day of 
 judgment ! 
 
 Infpire my heart with chriftian charity for all my 
 fellow-creatures j and let the forrowful fighing of 
 the prifoner coxne before thee. Relieve the con- 
 trite heart according to thy wonfed favour, and 
 them who are fuffering in poverty, or pain, or 
 mourning under any affliction. 
 
 Condudl me, O Lord, as a flieep of thy pafture, 
 that my foul m?.y rejoice in giving thee thanks, and 
 in every pdTage of my life /hew forth thy praife ! 
 
 Let thy fpirit lead me forth, and direct my paths 
 in righteoufnefs : that with zeal and truth, purity 
 and finglenefs of heart, I may difcharge thy will on 
 earth, as far as my imperfecl: nature will admit, as 
 it is done in heaven ! 
 
 Grant that I may keep in conftant view, the life 
 
 and death of the blefled Saviour of the world, that 
 
 8 through
 
 through faith in his promifes, I may obtain remif- 
 fion of my fins. Let me confecrate every hour of 
 my life to his example ; that all the glories of this 
 tranfient fcene may appear as darknefs and horror, 
 in comparifon of the wifdom which fpringeth from 
 hope in that immortal life which he hath promifed ! 
 
 Give me thy grace, O Lord, fo to arreft my 
 fleeting hours, that I may compafs all the pious and 
 rational defigns at which my foul afpires. Let me 
 aft as a chofen inftrument of thy mercies to man- 
 kind : that in every condition, the happinefs of 
 others may be the conftant fubject of my joy ! 
 
 Banifh from me all anxious defires, that I may 
 poflefs my fpirit in freedom and refignation ; and 
 fuffer neither the noife and buftle of the world, nor 
 the deluding blandishments of fenfe, to captivate my 
 heart ; but whilft my body tends to its original duft, 
 whether in health, or labouring in pain, the ftrength 
 of my mind may grow to maturity j-and my foul 
 rejoice in the contemplation of the happinefs of the 
 juft, in the blifsful regions of immortality ! 
 
 Cherifh and ftrengthen my hopes,, that whatever 
 thy wifdom (hall ordain, concerning the time which 
 thou (halt yet permit me to live on earth, I may 
 refolutely purfue that ,which is right in thy fight ; 
 and whilft I enter into-the recefles of my own mind, 
 and compaflionate the faults of others, let me un- 
 bofom my thoughts to thee, in whofe friendfhip 
 there can be no difappointment ! 
 
 Give me a true underftanding of the honour and 
 love, which I owe to my king, my country, and all 
 
 the
 
 ( 206 ) 
 
 the human race : but let no flattery, diftin&ion, or 
 falfe bias, fully the purity of my love and gratitude 
 towards thee, O God ! or divert the current of my 
 thoughts from the fountain of reafon, and the fource 
 of felicity ! 
 
 Let the ends of the earth remember tbet> and all 
 
 nations fall down before thee! Cherubims and 
 
 Seraphims, and all the numerous hoft of heaven, 
 pay homage unutterable by mortal tongue, before 
 the majefty of thy throne ! O Father omnipotent, 
 reject not my humble praife ! 
 
 Thou, thou art*/// To thee, O God, I offer 
 up my prayer, in the hour I rife from the death of 
 fleep, 'till my fenfes are locked again in darknefs. 
 Let all my hopes, and all my wiflies center in thee, 
 and be directed to thy glory'] 
 
 Fill my heart with fuch knowledge of thy wifdom, 
 thy gflodnefs, and thy juftice, that delighting in thy 
 laws, I may dwell under the fhadow of thy mercy ! 
 Let my remembrance of thee be fweeter than the 
 praifes of an applauding world ; as the riches of thy 
 Avifdom exceed all earthly treafure ! Whether my 
 life fhall find honour or difgrace, evil or good report, 
 fuffer not my mind to be enflaved by diffipation > 
 nor any cuftm or deluiion of the world, divert my 
 heart from thy truth ! 
 
 Strengthen my faith in thee, O God, from day to 
 day ! And let my knowledge of thy facred word, 
 tranfmitted down from age to age, guide and direct 
 my fteps ; that reafon being enlightened by thy grace^ 
 my faith may grow tp maturity, and feeing and ap- 
 proving
 
 proving what is juft and holy, I may adore thy un- 
 changeable perfe&ions ! 
 
 Thou, O mighty Lord of heaven, who covered 
 the earth as with a cloud j and extendeft the rays 
 of thy dmnifcience over all Beings : Thou whofc 
 wifdom is profounder than the deep, and brighter 
 than the meridian fun, infinite in all perfection ! 
 make thy will appear to me, clear as the light, and 
 bright as the glories of the day ; that difcerning thy 
 laws, I may inflexibly abide in thy ftatutes. * 
 
 Shed thy influence on my foul, O Lord Almighty! 
 that fhunning all practices which weaken faith and 
 difturb reafen, I may poflefs fuch fortitude as will 
 always keep me fteady in thy paths. Thou art 
 Truth j and all my refearches in which I remember 
 thee not, are full of error and delufion ! 
 
 Strengthen the powers of my mind, O God, 
 that I may colled!: my fcattered thoughts and exer- 
 cife them in that which is agreeable to thee, till the 
 approaching time arrives, when by thy mercy, I 
 may behold with my eyes, the brightnefs of thy 
 incomprehehfible wifdom and glory ! 
 
 Teach me to meet my diffolution with an hum- 
 ble, contrite, and undaunted heart ; and O my 
 father, my friend, my God ! let me die the death 
 of the righteous ; that when I fhall appear at the 
 tribunal of Chri/l, I may hear his fentence in extafy 
 of joy, and become a fubject of the kingdom of 
 Heaven ! 
 
 O Merciful, Omnifcient, Omnipotent Father of 
 angels, and men, accept my humble prayer ! From
 
 my inmoft foul, I befeech thee to hear me I Stretch 
 forth thy mighty arm to deliver me from my num- 
 berlefs offences, and all the anxious and turbulent 
 difcords of men, that I may refign my breath in 
 peace ! And bring me, O merciful Father, to 
 thine everlafting joy, for the fake >of Jefus Chrift 
 my Redeemer, who died on the crofs for the fujs of 
 the world ! AMEN. 
 
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