Imatges de pàgina
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among which are set forth the duties of women in general, and of wives in particular. Some part of his second Epistle is prophetical, warning the church of false teachers and false doctrines, which undermine morality and disgrace the cause of Christianity. 79. The first of St. John is written in a highly figurative style, which makes it in some parts hard to be understood, but the spirit of divine love which it so frequently expresses, renders it highly edifying and delightful.-That love of God and of Man, which this beloved apostle so pathetically recommends, is in truth the essence of religion, as our Saviour himself inform us.

Of the Revelations.

80. THE book of Revelations contains a prophetical account of most of the greater events relating to the Christian church, which were to happen from the time of the writer, St. John, to the end of the world. Many learned men have taken a great deal of pains to explain it; and they done this in many instances very successfully, but, I think, it is yet too soon for you to study this part of scripture: some years hence, perhaps, there may be no objections to your attempting it and taking into your hands the best expositions to assist you in reading such of the most difficult parts of the New Testament as you cannot now be supposed to understand.-May heaven direct you in studying the sacred volume, and render it the means of making you wise unto salvation:-May you love and reverence, as it deserves, this blessed and valuable book, which contains the best rule of life, the clearest declaration of the will and laws of the Deity, the reviving assurance of favour to true penitents, and the unspeakably joyful tidings of eternal life and happiness to all the truly virtuous through Jesus Christ the Saviour and deliverer of the world.

1.

True devotion productive of the truest Pleasure.

OU see that true devotion is not a melancholy sentiment, that depresses the spirits and excludes the idea of pleasure, which youth is so fond of; on the contrary, there is nothing so friendly to joy, so productive of true pleasure, so peculiarly suited to the warmth and innocence of a youthful heart. Do not therefore think it too soon to turn your mind to God; but offer him the first fruits of your understanding and affections: and be assured that the more you increase in love to him, and delight in his laws, the more you will increase in happiness, in excellence and honour :-that, in proportion as you improve in true piety, you will become dear and amiable to your fellow crea tures, contented and peaceful in yourself, and qualified to enjoy the best blessings of this life, as well as to inherit the glorious promise of immortality.

2. Thus far have I spoken of the first principles of all religion namely, belief in God, worthy notions of his attributes, and suitable affections towards him-which will naturally excite. a sincere desire of obedience. But, before you can obey his will, you must know what that will is; you must inquire in what manner he has declared it, and, where you may find those laws, which must be the rule of your actions.

3. The great laws of mortality are indeed written in our hearts, and may be discovered by reason; but our reason is of slow growth, very unequally dispensed to different persons: liable to error, and confined within very narrow limits in all. If, therefore, God has vouchsafed to grant a particular revelation of his will-if he has been so unspeakably gracious as to send his Son into the world, to reclaim mankind from error and wickedness-to die for our sins-and to teach us the way to eternal life --surely it becomes us to receive his precepts with the deepest reverence; to love and prize them above all things; and to study them constantly, with an earnest desire to conform our thoughts, our words and actions, to them.

A Morning Prayer for a young Student, at School, or for the common Use of Schools.

ATHER of ALL! we return thee most humble and hearty

F for thy protection of us in the night season,

the refreshment of our souls and bodies in the sweet repose of sleep. Accept also our unfeigned gratitude for all thy mercies. during the helpless age of infancy.

Continue, we beseech thee, to guard us under the shadow of thy wing. Our age is tender, and our nature frail, and without the influence of thy grace, we shall surely fall.

Let that influence descend unto our hearts, and teach us to love thee and truth above all things. O guard our hearts from the temptations of deceit, and grant that we may abhor a lie as a sin and as a disgrace.

Inspire us all with an abhorrence of the loathsomeness of vice, and the pollutions of sensual pleasure. Grant at the same time, that we may early feel the delight of conscious purity, and wash our hands in innocency, from the united motives of inclination and duty.

Give us, O thou Parent of all knowledge, a love of learning, and a taste for the pure and sublime pleasures of the understanding. Improve our memory, quicken our apprehension, and grantthat we may lay up such a store of learning as may fit us for the station to which it shall please thee to call us, and enable us to make great advances in virtue and religion, and shine as lights in the world, by the influence of a good example.

Give us grace to be diligent in our studies, and that whatever we read, we may strongly mark, and inwardly digest it.

Bless our parents, guardians, and instructors; and grant that we may make them the best return in our power, for giving us opportunities of improvement, and for all their care and attention to our welfare. They ask no return, but that we should make use of those opportunities and co-operate with their endeavours-O grant that we may never disappoint their anxious expectations.

Assist us mercifully, O Lord that we may immediately engage in the studies and duties of the day, and go through them cheerfully, diligently and successfully.

Accept our endeavours and pardon our defects through the merits of our blessed Saviour Jesus Christs our Lord.

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An Evening Prayer.

Amen.

ALMIGHTY GOD! again we approach thy mercy-seat to offer unto thee our thanks and praises for the blessings and protection afforded us this day; and humbly to implore thy pardon for our manifold transgressions.

Grant that the words of various instruction which we have heard or read of this day, may be so inwardly grafted in our hearts and memories, as to bring forth the fruits of learning and virtue.

Grant that as we recline on our pillows, we may call to mind the transactions of the day, condemn those things of which our conscience accuses us, and make and keep resolutions of amend

ment.

Grant that thy holy angels may watch over us this night and guard us from temptations, excluding all improper thoughts, and filling our breasts with the purest sentiments of piety.-Like as the heart panteth for the water brook, so let our souls thirst for thee, O Lord, and for whatever is excellent and beautiful in learning and behaviour.

Correct, by the sweet influence of Christian charity, the irregularities of our temper and restrain every tendency to ingratitude and to ill usage of our parents, teachers, pastors and masters. Teach us to know the value of a good education, and to be thankful to those who labour in the improvement of our minds and morals. Give us grace to be reverent to our superiors, genle to our equals or inferiors, and benvolent to all mankind. Elevate and enlarge our sentiments, and let all our conduct be regulated by right reason, by Christian charity, and attended with that peculiar generosity of mind which becomes a liberal sholar and a sincere Christian.

O Lord, bestow upon us whatever may be good for us even

though we should omit to pray for it; and avert whatever is hurtful, though in the blindness of our hearts we should wish for it.

Into thy hands then we resign ourselves, as we retire to rest, hoping by thy mercy to rise again with renewed spirits, to go through the business of the morrow, and to prepare ourselves for this life, and for a blessed immortality; which we ardently hope to attain, through the merits and intercession of thy Son our Saviour, Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

W

APPENDIX

TO THE

YOUNG GENTLEMAN AND LADY'S

MONITOR.

Of Columbus and the Discovery of America. 1. T is to the discoveries of the Portuguese in the old world

quest of America an obligation, which proved so fatal to its inhabitants, and at times to conquerors themselves.

2. This was doubtless the most important event that ever happened on our globe, one half of which had been hitherto strangers to the other. Whatever had been esteemed most great or noble before, seemed absorbed in this kind of new creation. We still mention, with respectful admiration, the names of the Argonauts, who did not perform the hundredth part of what was done by the sailors under Gama and Albuquerque. How many altars would have been raised by the ancients to a Greek who had discovered America! and yet Bartholomew and Christopher Columbus were not thus rewarded.

3. Columbus, struck with the wonderful expeditions of the Portuguese, imagined that something greater might be done; and from a bare inspection of the map of our world, concluded that there must be another which might be found by sailing always west. He had courage equal to his genius, or indeed superior, seeing he had to struggle with the prejudices of his cotemporaries, and the repulses of several princes to whom he tendered his services.

4. Genoa, which was his native country, treated his schemes as visionary, and by that means lost the only opportunity that could have offered of aggrandizing her power. Henry VII. king of England, who was too greedy of money, to hazard any on this noble attempt, would not listen to the proposals made by Columbus's brother; and Columbus himself was rejected by John II. of Portugal, whose attention was wholly employed upon the coast of Africa. He had no prospect of success in applying to the French, whose marine lay totally neglected, and their affairs more confused than ever, during the minority of Charles VIII. The emperor Maximilian, had neither ports for shipping, money to fit out a fleet, nor sufficient courage to engage in a

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