the original word used in my text, and the various significations of it. It is the same word that is used to set forth the third part of our christian duty, and is put first of the three lessons which the "grace of God teacheth us," to live soberly, owofovas, ver. 12. And in another place it is put last of three excellent christian graces, God hath given us the "spirit of power, and of love,” and σωφρονισμό, of a sound mind, 2 Tim. i. 7. And σωφρονισμός is put by Plutarch in general, for the education of youth, the sobering of them.

Give this exhortation its full latitude, and it speaks to you, that are young, these nine things.

First, you must be considerate and thoughtful, and not rash and heedless. To be sober-minded, is to make use of our reason, in reasoning with ourselves, and in "communing with our own hearts;" to employ those noble powers and capacities, by which we are distinguished from, and dignified above the beasts for those great ends, for which we were endued with them, that we may not "receive the grace of God," in them, in vain, but being rational creatures, may act rationally, as behoves us, as becomes us.

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You learned to talk when you were children, when will you learn to think? to think seriously, to think to the purpose: Floating thoughts your heads are full of, foreign and impertinent ones; when will you be brought to close and fixed thoughts? To think with concern and application of the great things that belong to your everlasting peace and welfare?

Some have recommended the study of the Mathematics, as proper to fix the minds of young people, and bring them to think; I wish any thing would do it, but would much rather it were done by a deep concern about the soul and another world, which, if it once prevail, will effectually fix the thoughts, and to the best purpose; for when once you come to see the greatness of that God, with whom you have to do, and the weight of that eternity you are standing upon the brink of, you will see it is time to think, high time to look about you.

Learn to think, not only of what is just before you, which strikes the senses, and affects the imagination, but of the causes and consequences, and reasons of things; to discover truths, compare them with one another, argue upon them, and apply them to yourselves, and to bring them to a head; not to fasten upon that which comes first into your minds, but upon that which should come first, and which deserves to be first considered.

Multitudes are undone, because they are unthinking. Inconsideration is the ruin of thousands, and many a precious soul pe risheth through mere carelessness; "Now, therefore, thus saith the Lord of Hosts, Consider your ways;" retire into your own souls, begin an acquaintance with them: it will be the most pro

fitable acquaintance you can fall into, and will turn to the best account. While you are coveting to see the world, and to be acquainted with it, be not strangers at home.

Take time to think; desire to be alone now and then, and let not solitude and retirement-be an uneasiness to you, for you have a heart of your own that you may find talk with, and a God nigh unto you, with whom you may have pleasing communion.

Learn to think freely; God invites you to do so; "Come now, and let us reason together." We desire not you should take things upon trust, but inquire impartially into them, as the noble Breans, who searched the "Scriptures daily, whether those things were so," which the Apostles told them. Pure Christianity and serious godliness fear not the scrutiny of a free thought, but despise the impotent malice of a prejudiced one.

There are those, I find, who, under the pretence of being Free-thinkers, by sly insinuations endeavour to shock young people's belief of the divine authority of the Scriptures, and undermine all revealed religion, by turning sacred things into jest and ridicule; but they usurp the honourable character of Free-thinkers; it doth not belong to them; they are as far from the freedom they pretend to, as they are from the sincerity they protest against; for it is certain, pride and affectation of singu larity, and a spirit of opposition and contradiction, do as much enslave the thoughts on the one hand, as an implicit faith and obedience on the other hand. While they promise men liberty, they do but deceive them, and under colour of being sole masters of reason, and ridiculing all that agree not with them, they as arbitrarily impose upon men's credulity, as ever popes and councils did, under colour of being sole masters of faith, and anathematizing all that differ from them.

Learn to think for yourselves, to think of yourselves, to think with application. Think what you are, and what you are capable of; think who made you, and what you were made for; for what end you were endued with the powers of reason, and attended by the inferior creatures; think what you have been doing since you came into the world, of the great work you were sent into the world about: of the vanity of childhood and youth; and how unavoidably the years of them are "past away as a tale that is told;" and whether, therefore, it be not time, high time, for the youngest of you to be religous, and to "enter in at the strait gate."

And as to your particular actions, do not "walk at all adventures," as those do that "despise their own ways;" but consider what you do before you do it, that you may not have occasion to repent of it afterwards; do nothing rashly, but always speak and VOL. XXXVI. JANUARY, 1813.

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act under the government of the great law of consideration. "Ponder the path of your feet," that it may be a straight path.

Some people take a pride in being careless; tell them of such and such a thing that they were warned about, they turn it off with this excuse, that for their part they never heed; they mind not what is said to them; nor ever thought of it since; and so "glory in their shame.”

But be not you thus negligent; for then, and not till then, there begin to be hopes of young people, when they begin to "set their hearts to all these things that are testified" unto them, and to think of them with the reason of men, and the concern they deserve.

Secondly. You must be cautious and prudent, and not wilful and heady. The word in the text is the same that is rendered, ver. 5, to be discreet, prudenter agere. You must not only think rationally, but when you have done so, you must act wisely, and so as will be most for your true interest; walk circumspectly; look before you, look about you, look under your feet, and pick "not as fools, but as wise." purpose,

"I will

your way, when he set out in the world, was, David's behave myself wisely in a perfect way;" and his prayer was, And ac"Lord, when wilt thou come unto me?" Psal ci. 2. cordingly we find, 1 Sam. xviii. 14, his purpose perforined, and his prayer answered; "He behaved himself wisely in all his. govern themways, and the Lord was with him." Those that selves, God will guide, but will justly leave those that love to wander, to wander endlessly.

Put away childish follies, with other childish things; and do not all your days think and speak as children. Espouse principles of wisdom; fix to yourselves rules of wisdom, and be ruled by those rules, and acted by those principles. It is the "wisdom of the prudent to understand his (own) way," his own business, not to censure other people's; and this wisdom will, in all cases, be "profitable to direct," what measures, what steps to take.

Youth is apt to be bold and venturous, and therefore resolute and peremptory, to its great prejudice. But be not you so; let reason and conscience, according to the duty of their place, give check to the violence of appetite and passion: let them rectify the mistakes, and over-rule the hasty dictates of humour and fancy, and reduce the arbitrary and exorbitant power of those tyrants.

How often doth Solomon press it upon the young man he takes under his tuition; "My son, be wise: wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom, get understanding." You that are launching out into the world must take wisdom to be your pilot, or you are in danger of splitting upon some rock or other; this must be your "pillar of cloud and fire," which you must follow the conduct of through this wilderness.

Be diffident of your own judgments, and jealous of yourselves, that you do not take things right, or not take them entire, and for that reason afraid lest the resolutions, which are the result of your considerations, should prove wrong, and therefore leave room for second thoughts. Say not, I will do so and so, I am resolved I will, whatever may be said to the contrary. I will walk in "the way of my heart, and in the sight of my eyes," whatever it costs me. Never have any will, but what is guided by wisdom.

And therefore in every case of moment and difficulty, be willing to be advised by your friends, and depend more upon their judgment, who have had longer experience of the world, than upon your own. Consult with those that are wise and good, ask them what they would do, if they were in your case; and you will find that "in a multitude of counsellors there is safety," and that that oftentimes proves best, which was least your own doing; or if it should not prove well, it will be a satisfaction to you that you did not do it without advice, and mature deliberation; and as the thing appeared then, you did for the best.

What brighter character can be given of a young man, than to say he is wise? Or what blacker, than to say he is wilful? See the former in Solomon, who calls himself a "child (that) knows not how to go out, or to come in," 1 Kings iii. 7; and yet his father calls him a wise man, that knew what he had to do. See the latter in the character of the rebellious son that was to be "stoned to death," against whom the indictment runs thus, "He is stubborn, he will not obey the voice of his father and mother," Deut. xxi. 18, 20. Those are the fools whom there is little hope of, that "despise wisdom and instruction," Prov. i. 7. He that "will not be counselled, cannot be helped."

But would you be wise? not only be thought so, but really be so; study the Scriptures; by them you will get more understanding" than the ancients," than "all your teachers," Psal cxix. 99, 100. Make your observations on the carriage and miscarriage of others, that you may take pattern by those that do well, and take warning by those that do. ill; may look upon both, and receive instruction. But especially be earnest with God in prayer for wisdom, as Solomon was, whose prayer was both pleasing and prevailing in heaven. "If any man," if any young man "lack wisdom," and is sensible that he lacks it, he is directed what to do; his way is plain; let him "ask it of God;" and he is encouraged to do it; for "the Lord giveth wisdom," he has it to give, Prov. ii. 6. He delights to give it, he gives liberally he has a particular eye to young people, in the dispensing of this gift, for his word was written to " give to the young man knowledge and discretion," Prov. i. 4. And because there are some that are willing to be counselled, yet do not care to be chidden,

we are told that he gives, and "upbraids not;" yet as if this were not encouragement enough to the beggars at wisdom's gates, there is an express promise to every one that seeks aright, that he shall not seek in vain; it is not a promise with a peradventure, but with the greatest assurance, "it shall be given him,” Jam. i. 5. To all true believers, Christ himself is, and shall be, "made of God, wisdom," 1 Cor. i. 30.

Thirdly, You must be humble and modest, and not proud and conceited. The word signifies, modeste se gerere. Σapposuvny exaLEGE THE TATTEL @posuvny. So Chrysostom, Hom. ad Rom. Sobermindedness is the same with lowly-mindedness. And Theodoret makes it the same with that poverty of spirit, on which Christ pronounced his first blessing, Matt. v. 3. It is recommended to the younger, to be "clothed with humility," 1 Pet. v. 5; that is being sober-minded.

It is an observation I have made upon that little acquaintance I have had with the world, that I have seen more young people ruined by pride, than perhaps by any one lust whatsoever; and therefore let me press this upon you with all earnestness; and it is a caution introduced with more than ordinary solemnity, Rom. xii. 3, "I say, through the grace given unto me, unto every 'man that is among you;" and what is the word that is thus declared to be of divine original, and universal concern? It is this; that "no man think of himself above what he ought to think, but think soberly;" and there is an elegant paronomasia in the original, which, for the sake of the young scholars, I beg leave to take notice of, μη υπερφρονειν, παρ ο δει φρονειν, αλλά φρονειν BIS TO OWOpova; let him think unto sobriety; the word used in the text; let him think himself into a sober mind, and always keep in that good mind.

Keep up low thoughts of yourselves, of your endowments, both outward and inward; of your attainments and improvements, and all your performances, and all the things you call merits and excellencies. Boast not of a false gift, of what you have not, nor be puffed up with what, you have. What there is in you that is commendable, wink at it yourselves, as most people do at their own faults, and diminish it, and look much at that in others, which is more commendable. Let not the handsome glory in their beauty, nor the ingenious in their wit; for there cannot be a greater allay to the glory, than to have it said, such and such are comely, and witty, but they know it. Doth your face in any respect shine? Be as Moses was, "He wist not that the skin of his face shone;" and do what Moses did, as soon as he perceived it, put a veil upon it. Delight more to say and do what is praise-worthy, than to be praised for it; for "what hast thou which thou hast not received," and what hast thou received which thou hast not abused? And "why then dost thou boast ?"