who, on the fabbath, are too vain in their talk, and in the time of worship are too light in their appearance. I have obferved these evils with grief of heart, I befeech you to avoid them; for they will cause you to mourn at the laft, when your flesh and your body are confumed. Never ufe profane language. This is a fin, which young people too often practife, but for which they muft give an account. God will not hold them guiltÏefs, who take his name in vain. Treat your parents and all elderly people with refpect. Ask counsel and inftruction from them, that you may grow in wifdom. Read the fcriptures daily, that you may learn your duty and the way of falvation. Get an acquaintance with yourselves, that you may fee your need of a Saviour; get an acquaintance with your Saviour, that you may fee how fafe it is to truft him, Go to Chrift that you may have life. You are dependent on the grace of God; but you muft feek, in order to obtain it. Seek unto God betimes. Seek him in the time when he may be found. This is the time. You can be fure of no other. You think religion is important to me, because I am foon to die. It is as important to you, as it is to me; for you are as mortal as I am, though perhaps you are not to die quite fo foon as I fhall. Whenever you die, you will need its comforts, as much as I do now. Therefore fecure them immediately. I am weak and faint; I cannot fay much......I beg you to remember the little I can fay.....I fear you will foon forget it. I fee you in tears; but you will not always feel as you do now, while you look on my dying body and hear my feeble voice.....That you may call my advice to mind and awaken the refolutions, which you now feel, go fometimes to the place where my body will foon be laid, and

look on the clods which will cover it.....There recollect what I have faid, how you felt, and what you refolved. Your bodies may foon be laid by mine.....May our fouls meet in that world, where is no more pain nor death."

Such, in fubftance, were the counfels and exhortations which the youth, lately deceased, gave to fome of you, on the laft Lord's day. My information was not full, for the recollection of those who gave gave it me, was imperfect. But he spake in this manner; and probably fome of you remember more than I have repeated. What he fpake was deeply felt. It was heard with flowing tears. You who heard it, I believe, realized its importance, and refolved to regard it. Abide by that refolution.

His advice was impreffed by his tion ; it is recommended by his example; it is fealed by his death. faid to enforce it?

dying condiformer good What can be

There was fomething in the close of his address, which ftruck my mind very powerfully. He advised you, now and then, to vifit his grave, that you might remember his dying exhortation. This is fo fimilar to the counfel of the dying Saviour, that I think it must affect you deeply.

The Saviour, when he was on earth, spent much of his time in giving religious inftructions to as many as would hear him. He often gave inftructions to the young. When the time of his death drew near, his inftructions were more frequent and affectionate; and he urged them by the folemn and impreffive circumftance of his approaching death. He well knew, that good inftructions were eafily forgotten; he therefore recommended the frequent remembrance of his death, as a mean to imprefs his words more deeply and indelibly on

the heart. The place of his burial could not be vifited by his difciples in all ages and parts of the world. And if it could, his body would not be there, for it was foon to rife. He therefore inftituted a particular ordinance as a reprefentation and memorial of his death, and commanded, that this should be obferved in remembrance of him, and thus his death fhewn forth, until he shall come again. The reason why he appointed the ordinance, and injoined the obfervance of it was, that we might remember him and the words which he spake; and might remember his death and the benefits which it procured.

Now, my young friends, you doubtless think, that the youth who advised you to vifit his grave, that you might better remember his inftructions, gave you judicious advice. I believe you intend to regard it. And will you not regard the command of your Saviour, who has required you to come to the place, where he is fet forth as crucified for you, and there to awaken the recollection of his inftructions, and a refolution to observe them? Your attention to this young man's counfel is expedient; your obedience to the Saviour's command is indifpenfable.

My children; You have had a folemn call from God to make religion your early choice, and your fouls your early care. Obey it, and be happy. You know not but that the next call may be one, which will confign you to the grave.

You fometimes, perhaps, hear vain people talk lightly of religion-of the bible-of the Saviour -of divine worship. Liften to no fuch vain talkers and deceivers. Their inftructions will cause you to err from the words of knowledge. Nothing will comfort you on a death bed, but the religion taught in the bible. That you may feel

its comforts then, embrace it now.

"Think on

your ways, and turn your feet into God's teftimonies. Make hafte and delay not to keep his commandments." Examine your hearts and try your ways. Under a sense of guilt, repair to the Saviour, who came to redeem them who are loft. In his name commit your fouls to the mercy of God and devote your lives to his fervice, relying on the grace of the holy Spirit, which he gives to them who ask him. Watch against fin; shun the places of temptation; depart from evil doers ; choose for your companions those who fear God; fanctify God's fabbath; attend at his fanctuary; reverence his word; fubfcribe with your hands to the Lord; dedicate yourselves to him in fecret ; make known your vows in the prefence of his people; come to the Redeemer's table; there remember what he has taught you and suffered for you, and what obligations you are under to him ; and thus enliven your affections to him, and your refolutions for him. Let the event, which you have seen, and the counsel which you have heard, be followed with fuch happy effects, as fhall make it manifeft, that God has not spoken to you in vain.

You, who are parents and have children under your care, are reminded of the duty which you owe them. You fee how uncertain are their lives. You hope for their continuance with you while you live, and their kind offices to you when you fhall be old. But your hope may be blafted by their untimely death. In fuch a painful, and not improbable trial there can be no greater comfort, than a belief that they have walked in the truth, and died in fafety. That you may have this comfort, inftruct, direct and affift them in the religious life. You are folicitous to provide for

them an earthly inheritance, and to prepare them for the enjoyment of it. This is not a fault. But perhaps they will never need the inheritance, nor have opportunity to poffefs it. Point their views, and direct your own to a heavenly inheritance. This is of infinite value, and may be made perfectly fure. Death will not deprive them of it, but bring them to it. It is only impenitence in fin, which can exclude them. Teach them the nature and danger of fin, and the way of deliverance through fanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Call their attention to the care of their fouls; encourage their application to the great Redeemer; guard them against feduction into the way of the ungodly; lead them in the path of righteousness; direct their attendance on the folemnities of the fanctuary; affift their preparation for communion at the Lord's table; go before them in the way, in which you advise them to walk. There is reafon to believe, that God will bless your faithful labours for their benefit. You fee that he fucceeds your worldly diligence and prudence; you have more reafon to expect, that equal diligence and prudence in promoting their fpiritual intereft will be successful.

You

may apply what God fays of Abraham; "I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him; and they fhall keep the way of the Lord."

The wisdom of your children will give joy to your fouls. If God, in his fovereign providence, fhould remove them from you by an early death, your forrow will be affuaged, and your fouls refreshed by the peace and hope, which they will enjoy, in confequence of your parental fidelity. Holy God, turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the VOL. V. U u

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