blessed thing it is, to be ready to meet what we all MUST meet. A king is a beggar, compared to a Chris

tian.

Present my kindest regards to Mr.

Be care

ful to keep up your character with that excellent man and friend. Be also assured that I remain, Your very affectionate father,

LETTER III.

R. C.

MY DEAR BOY,

NOTHING can lie nearer my heart than your welfare; and nothing rejoices me so much as to observe your mind take a solid turn, and think of the things that belong to your peace.

I hope you have recovered from your childish habits, and are joining in my design of building yourself up for life. I shall rejoice to assist you, but I cannot do it if you do not work at school, and serve yourself.

MY DEAR ISRAEL,

LETTER IV.

WE received your letter; and should have sent you word, had you not written, about coming home.

You know I am very particular about keeping time; and have always seen proper to oppose that vagrant custom of leaving school before it is ended, or going after it begins. But there are some cases which make it as PROPER to break a general rule of expedience, as at other times to keep it; and, therefore, as I wish to see you before I set out on my journey to wish Mr.

13th.

I

to permit you to come home on the

I hope you will be careful to conduct yourself with great industry and propriety, while you are at school.

Never complain that your employment is arduous; since I have observed that constant employment not only stretches the powers, but that, next to the grace of God, it is the best prevention of vice.

Beg of God to give you his blessing, and depend upon my prayers meeting yours, who remain, &c.

MY DEAR ISRAEL,

LETTER V.

I WAS glad to hear from you, though no particular business occurred; especially as you could send me an account of your being trusted with the care of others. You may see, yourself, what I could not help remarking, that, as people rise in character, every body owns it. A little while ago you were so boyish, that I could not trust you to yourself atbut was forced to limit you to the view of my window. Now you can be trusted with the care of others; and from a bad rank-and-file, have become a captain.

May you go forward, my dear child, in the best progress, till you become an ISRAEL indeed, that is, a prince prevailing with God.

Both your mamma and myself were much gratified with your dutiful and just remarks on your past life. Indeed, most of us must reflect in the same way, when we reflect justly. But you are young, and I hope and pray that you may begin early to turn away from sin and vanity to the living God-then, of course, you will be closely united to us in this and a better world.

The moment this divine principle, which we call GRACE, begins to work like leaven in the mass, it will refine and exalt, till the subject rises, not only above his fellows, but above himself. He climbs an eminence, and sees a prospect, which sublimes his character; or, as the Scriptures express it, it grows night and day, though a man knoweth not how, nor to what he is advancing.

There are some surprising instances of it already in this dark and long neglected place. More, I trust, will be added; and, whenever one appears, it is evidently the Lord's doing, and marvellous in the discerning eye.

Your mamma and sisters unite in love-God bless you, my dear. Forget not to pray to Him for his grace, in which I will join you, who remain, &c.

MY DEAR CHILD,

LETTER VI.

WHETHER you hear from us soon or late, you may always depend upon it you are not forgotten or neglected by us. You have given us additional reasons for wishing to communicate with you; and I assure you that both your mamma and myself think and and speak of you with great satisfaction at all times. You see, my dear, the happiness that always attends right conduct; and, as you live, you will see this more and more. Now, my dear, let us find that you are making a progress in well doing-that you are daily cultivating Mr.'s good opinion. You have this encouragement to attempt it, not only that you will be sure to succeed, if you really try; but, also, that the good opinion of so worthy and pious a man will always be an honour to you.

Above all, my dear, let it never be off your mind, that the blessing of the Lord only maketh truly rich. His good will is happiness in this world, and in that which is to come. Seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened. If all the world were your friends and HE NOT, you must be a miserable wretch, now and eternally. Therefore, seek the Lord while he may be found: call upon him while he is near. Your mamma will write soon. In the mean time, she prays that God may bless and preserve you, in which I heartily join, who remain, &c. &c.

LETTER VII.

MY DEAR CHILD,

I RECEIVED your two epistles, which prove you are very important or very importunate. Know, also, that if I wrote the LATTER END of this week instead of the BEGINNING, it would be in full time to settle whether you should come home a day sooner or later than usual. I humbly conceive, therefore, there has been no delay; though much business has pressed on my part.

I should also remind you, that you should never depart from school, in that idle and slabbering manner, in which some scholars, (I mean blockheads) are permitted to do, who think of running from the post of honour and improvement to a Christmas fire and plumb-pudding; but that, instead of this, you should stand the last at your post-or, like an intelligent traveller on a mountain, catch the last glimpse of the prospect, and slightest beam of the parting day.

Then, on the sun of science setting, you retire to your friends at home: who, in SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, must hail your approach. May you thus finish this stage of your life with reputation, and continue to bring comfort to your parents and respect and happiness to yourself!

MY DEAR CHILD,

LETTER VIII.

I HAVE been thinking about the occasion of your letter; but I cannot advise you to be confirmed, before you have a more serious sense of religion than I have yet perceived in you.

The mere form of a spiritual benefit received or declaration made, cannot profit before a serious intention takes place in the mind. I hope and pray that

this may take place before the next confirmation; but I have not seen sufficient evidence of it in you yet. Still if Mr. has observed any thing of the kind, and therefore advises you to go with the rest, I shall be satisfied and I shall leave it to stand thus.

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But what concerns you more than the being confirmed at this time, is, that your heart should be impressed with the vow you have to take upon yourself therein. Do you, indeed, mean to renounce the pomps and vanities of this wicked world-the sinful lusts of the flesh”—and the tyranny of Satan? And yet, whether you are outwardly confirmed or not, if you do not in your heart renounce these, you may die young, and must lie under the punishment of the wicked for ever. Pray, therefore, my dear child, to God, that he would, for Christ's sake, keep you, and deliver you. Oh, that his grace may reach your heart-that you may be ready to meet death whenever it comes! This, my dear, is the great secret and discovery. Then it is that a man can properly say, "I HAVE FOUND IT! I HAVE FOUND IT!" when we can look forward and consider death as our gain. But, till we attain this by faith in Christ, all we can look at, whether in this world or the next, is LOSS, GUILT, and Fear.

God bless you, my dear; and breathe by his Spirit into your heart, till you come out another witness in my family that God is with us.

MY DEAR ISRAEL,

LETTER IX.

SINCE I saw you, I did as I promised-i. e. made what inquiries I could for your future establishment. And a gentleman in Gray's Inn, whom you know not, who has been one of my hearers many years, has promised me to take you in the term following your return from school.