flide in to corrupt your Actions. Do not think, that by this I lay too great a Burden upon you; for a fhort Ejaculation is quickly made, and a little Reflection upon the Virtue I fhall afterwards recominend to your daily Meditation. What Pity is it to see how some Men confume themselves by the Labour of their Bodies and Minds, who endure a great deal, and yet, when all is done, it no Way contributes to the Advancement of their great Intereft, their eternal Salvation? Now whence does all this proceed, but either from the Defect of their Intention, having no Thought of pleafing God; or elfe from a bad Intention, aiming at Vanity and Self-love in all their Actions; both which may be remedied, by offering up all our Actions to God before we begin them, and in each of them to aim at his Honour and Glory.

In all your Actions equally avoid two dangerous Extremes, Negligence and Over-earneftness. Every Thing we do, fhould be done to the utmost of our Ability and Capacity; God and Men expect this from us.

Never fuffer yourself to be oppreft by the Multitude of Affairs; and though Diligence is neceffary and commendable, yet too great Concern and Eagernefs muft be avoided. When you grafp at too much at a Time, the Mind is diftracted, and entirely diffipated, or is fixed fo ftrongly upon what you are about, that you have no Leisure, even for a Moment,

to

to raise up your Mind to God: Besides, if -one undertakes too much, one cannot perform it as one ought, and with the Succefs that is required; which creates Trouble and Uneafinefs.

In all bodily Labour, avoid all provoking, angry, or impatient Words, which Wearinefs and Painfulness, that proceed from Working are apt to incline Men to. As to this Refpect, be upon your Guard, for what can be greater Folly, than to vent ourselves upon animate or inanimate Things, when our Work does not fucceed as we defire.

If your Employment confines you to the more agreeable Labour of the Mind, fhun Negligence and Curiofity; propose not Vanity as the End of your Studies, and never read Books that may endanger the Purity of your Mind, or fshake the Firmness of your pious Refolutions. It is much better to know lefs, than to deface the Beauty of your Morals by fuch Studies as may be apt to corrupt them.

If the Management of a Family is made your Province, be fure not to neglect it. How many Men and Women pass their Tine in Gaming, Vifits, and Diverfions, without concerning themselves in the leaft with their Children or Servants. If these perish everlaftingly through your Neglect, and for want of that Chriftian Education and Care which you

owe them; how great will be your nation at the Day of Judgment?

Condem

V. MEALS. Let the Times of your neceffary eating be conftantly regulated; and never fo far facrifice to your Appetite, as to be guilty of an Excefs. By this Means God's good Creatures will not be abufed, and your own Health will be preferved firm and vigorous, which fuffers very much when Nature is frequently overloaded.

Never fit down to the Table, till you have begged God's Bleffing upon thofe good Creatures provided for your Ufe; fince it is by the Word of God and Prayer that they are fanctified to us. And as foon as you rife from the Table, thankfully acknowledge the Refrethment you have received. The Principles of natural Religion teach us Gratitude; and this particular Inftance of it, has fufficient Ground from the Example of Chrift and his holy Apoftles; all the Evangelifts declaring, that our Saviour Bleffed and gave Thanks before Meat. And St. Paul speaks of it as the known Practice of the Chriftians in his Day, Rom. xiv. And if you happen to be at a Table where this Chriftian Practice is neglected, reprove by your Example, and filently perform what the Mafter of the Family ought to have difcharged after a public Manner.

Good Cheer naturally inclines us to Mirth

and

and Freedom, which we must take Care to make Innocent. Any Difcourfe that borders upon Immodefty, any Raillery that wounds our Neighbour, is exceeding the Bounds of our Chriftian Liberty.

Let no Complaifance prevail upon you to tranfgrefs the Rules of Temperance: they muft never be efteemed your Friends, that prefs you to go beyond the Bounds of Chrif tian Measures; and the Example of no Man, be his Quality never fo great, fhould prevail upon you to make yourself a Beaft, Never propose thofe for your Pattern, whofe Minds are fet upon delicate Dishes, and generous Liquors; whofe chief Study is to provide for their Appetites; who are always complaining, and finding Fault with every Thing they eat and drink; and who place their chief Happi nefs in fenfual Enjoyments.

VI:

CONVERSATION and DIVERSION. Care fhould be taken in the Choice of the Company we frequent; because if their Example be bad, it may by Degrees corrupt our Virtue, at least it may be apt to abate the Horror for Vice we ought to have, when we fee it frequently committed by those we love. It is much better being alone, than venturing ourselves in the Society of Sinners: Our Seeurity from the Infection of their Follies, confifts in keeping at a Diftance from their Converfation. No general Rule to judge of Men by, holds with greater Certainty than the Com

pany they keep, which, for the moft Part, is like themselves, or in Time will make them fuch.

If by Accident you fall into the Converfation of Libertines and Evil-fpeakers, never be fo complaifant and faint-hearted as to comply with the Liberties they take, or to fupport a Difcourfe which contradicts the Maxims of the Gofpel, if you can poffibly interrupt them, or with Addrefs turn the Converfation to fome other Subject: But if these Attempts prove to no Purpose, let the Concern of your Countenance, your Silence, or the Coldness of your Answers, teftify your Diflike of fuch Entertainment. Never conform yourself to fuch fupple Gentlemen, who, like Apes, dò every Thing they fee others do; who do not make their Duty the Rule of their Actions, but the Example of others. No Pretence of Friendfhip, good Company, or Diversion, should make us forget the Rule we ought to walk by.

Never pretend to divert the Company at the Expence of Modefty or Charity: Such Sallies of Wit must be reftrained, which reflect upon the Infirmities and Faults of our Neighbours, and betray the Corruption of our own Minds. Keep a particular Watch upon yourself in refpect to Detraction, Slander, and Evil-speaking, the Bane of Conversation, and a Vice fo common at prefent, that even many ftrict Profeffors of Religion, in other Things, are not altogether free from Guilt in this Matter.

Care