means you may on the contrary multiply your pleasures, and enjoy with the highest Telifh, to the largest extent, and for the longeft term, every gratification becoming your nature, and fuited to your ftate.

१

Our fyftem, nevertheless, may appear to be fomewhat unfashionable. But if you will honour us with your attention, we doubt not of being able to convince you, that in reality it implies nothing vulgar or illiberal; that it requires not a fingle action, word, look, or thought, of which you can have reason, in any company, or on any occafion, to be ashamed: Neither, as I hope, will you find us, in the profecution of our plan, ftrict without neceffity, or fevere without caufe. We are willing, Gentlemen, to make every candid allowance for the imbecillity of human nature, like those who feel themfelves men; and for the gaiety of juvenile minds, like those who remember that they too were once young. When the clearest rules

*

of duty oblige us to remonftrate, and our warnings are feconded by the most awful Tanctions of religion, even then we would temper admonition with tenderness, and engage you to embrace inftruction chiefly from ingenuous motives; always regretting when we are compelled to enforce it by confiderations lefs attractive, but never affuming the air of a tutor, or adopting the ftyle of thofe that affect to have dominion over your faith,

being helpers of your joy.'

9gar 200 fv ༔

instead of

*5.1 A 15 J

Young Men exhort to be foberminded-Intreat the Younger Men as "Brethren❞—were the directions given by an Apoftle to two Evangelifts, who were both his pupils and his friends, refpecting the manner in which they should treat the Youth of their days. You will not fay, that this was the language of a bigot. A bigot, you are fenfible, is the avowed enemy of all moderate counfels. A condefcending difpofition, an obliging de

2

meanour, he neither practifes nor com"mends. His fancy is too much heated to regard the measures of common fenfe, or the laws of social life, in matters of spiri *tual concern ; and his judgement is too narrow to comprehend the extenfive objects of religion and humanity. Such a man does not exhort, but dictate, does not intreat, but command; and as for the plain unpretending virtues of prudence and fobriety, a temperate mind and a difcreet behaviour, what are they to him who is intoxicated with a conceit of his superior sanctity and wifdom? How different was the character of Saint Paul!

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Formerly, indeed, he likewife had been sa blind and furious zealot: but, from the time that he imbibed the meek and lowly spirit, with the enlarged and generous principles, of his new Mafter, no one could be more mild or unaffuming, more Arictly attentive to the rights of mankind, or more fweetly folicitous for their salva

tion.

66 Young Men exhort"-to what? To difplay their courage, or their zeal, by perfecuting those who differ from them, by deftroying God's creatures in God's name, as he had done when himself a young man; or yet to evidence their virtue and their piety, by renouncing all terreftrial enjoyments, relinquishing all fecular connexions, and being unprofitable to others under the pretence of faving themfelves? No; but to be: Sober-minded," that is to fay, regular and confiderate, careful to govern their paffions, improve their faculties, and prépare for performing with diligence and discretion their duty to fociety. But however important or neceffaty fuch advice may appear, it must never be obtruded with officiousness, or preffed with afperity; it muft ftill be prompted by a benevolent difpofition, and ftill accompanied with an amiable addrefs. This enlightened man well knew that the human mind revolts against all violentiattempts to controul her; that fhe requires

to have her reafon convinced by argument, -and her affection engaged by kindness; that her innate pride is fhocked at those who would prefume to tutor her with rigour; that both the spirit and the impatience of Youth in particular are apt to rebel, where authority, however founded, is not softened by gentleness, or rather where the master is not happily concealed in the friend; but that much may be done by him who has the fkill to graft inftruction upon ingenuity, and to gain the confidence of his disciples by -ufing them well. Intreat the Young "Men as Brethren.". Regarding them as the rational offspring of your common Parent, as members of the fame great family with you, initiated in the fame divine faith, and deftined to the fame immortal fellowship, avoid in your reproofs, admonitions, and counfels, whatever might tend to difguft or discourage them: let candour and benignity reign in all: befeech, obteft, conjure them to be wife, to be good, to be happy: let your arguments