tagion? Upon this subject bear away one observation, that when you suffer yourselves to be engaged in any unchaste connexion, you not only corrupt an individual by your solicitations, but debauch a whole neighbourhood by the profligacy of your example.

The habit I will next recommend as the foun. dation of almost all other good ones, is retirement. Were I required to comprise my advice to young clergymen in one sentence, it should be in this, Learn to live alone. Half of your faults originate from the want of this faculty. It is impatience of solitude which carries you continually from your parishes, your home, and your duty; makes you foremost in every party of pleasure and place of diversion; dissipates your thoughts, distracts your studies, leads you into expense, keeps you in distress, puts you out of humour with your profession, causes you to place yourselves at the head of some low company, or to fasten yourselves as despicable retainers to the houses and society of the rich. Whatever may be the case with hose, whose fortunes and opportunities can com Í a constant succession of company; in situa e ours to be able to pass our time with sa alone, and at home, is not only a preof character, but the very secret of Do what we will, we must be much and urselves; if this be irksome, the main life will be unhappy. Besides which ot the less qualified for society, because ble to live without it. Our company will more welcome for being never obtruded. ith this, as with many pleasures: he meets it the oftenest, and enjoys it the best, who ost easily dispense with the want of it.

hat, you say, shall I do alone? reading is per occupation and my pleasure, but books t of my reach, and beyond my purchase. who make this complaint are such as seek

from books but amusement, and find ment from none but works of narrative or

imagination. This taste, I allow, cannot be supplied by any moderate expense or ordinary opportunities: but apply yourselves to study; take in hand any branch of useful science, especially of those parts of it which are subsidiary to the knowledge of religion, and a few books will suffice; for instance, a commentary upon the New Testament, read so as to be remembered, will employ a great deal of leisure very profitably. There is likewise another resource which you have forgot, I mean the composition of sermons. I am far from refusing you the benefit of other men's labours; I only require that they be called in, not to flatter laziness, but to assist industry You find yourself unable to furnish a sermon eve-. ry week; try to compose one every month: depend upon it you will consult your own satisfaction, as well as the edification of your hearers; and that however inferior your compositions may be to those of others in some respects, they will be better delivered, and better received; they will compensate for many defects by a closer application to the ways and manners, the actual thoughts, reasoning, and language, the errors, doubts, prejudices, and vices, the habits, characters, and propensities of your congregation, than can be expected from borrowed discourses-at any rate, you are passing your time virtuously and honourably.

With retirement, I connect reserve; by which I mean, in the first place, some degree of delicacy in the choice of your company, and of refinement in your pleasures. Above all things, keep out of public-houses-you have no business there -your being seen to go in and out of them is disgraceful-your presence in these places entitles every man who meets you there, to affront you by coarse jests, by indecent or opprobrious topics of conversation-neither be seen at drunken feas boisterous sports, late hours, or barbarous sions-let your amusements, like every about you, be still and quiet and unoffendin

the same reserve into your correspondence with your superiors. Pursue preferment, if any prospects of it present themselves, not only by honourable means, but with moderate anxiety. It is not essential to happiness, perhaps not very conducive-were it of greater importance than it is, no more successful rule could be given you, than to do your duty quietly and contentedly, and to let things take their course. You may have been brought up with different notions, but be assured, that for once that preferment is forfeited by modesty, it is ten times lost by intrusion and importunity. Every one sympathises with neglected merit, but who shall lament over repulsed impudence?

The last expedient I shall mention, and in conjunction with the others, a very efficacious one towards engaging respect, is seriousness in your de portment, especially in discharging the offices of your profession. Salvation is so awful a concern, that no human being, one would think, could be pleased with seeing, it or any thing belonging to treated with levity. For a moment, in a cer

state of the spirits, men may divert themselves, or affect to be diverted, by sporting with the most sacred interests; but no one in his hart derides religion long-What are we-any

all temper

religion soon will be our only care and 4.4 Seriousness, therefore, in a clergyman is recable, not only to the serious, but to men of criptions. And seriousness is omg appearance, a melodidelivery, are indeed enviabut much, we apprehend, m. The great point is, Seem not then to be our duty by constraint, to ince, to go through it in symptoms of delight. In he church, provided you ness of the meaning and re about, and betray no

contempt of your duty, or of your congregation, your manner cannot be too plain and simple. Your common method of speaking, if it be not too low, or too rapid, do not alter, or only so much as to be heard distinctly. I mention this, because your elocution is more apt to offend by straining and stiffness, than on the side of ease and familiarity. The same plainness and simpli city which I recommend in the delivery, prefer also in the style and composition of your sermons. Ornaments, or even accuracy of language, cost the writer much trouble, and produce small advantage to the hearer. Let the character of your sermons be truth and information, and a decent particularity. Propose one point in one discourse, and stick to it; a hearer never carries away more than one impression-disdain not the old fashion of dividing your sermons into heads in the hands of a master, this may be dispensed "ith; in yours, a sermon which rejects these Ips to perspicuity, will turn out a bewildered sody, without aim or effect, order or concluIn a word, strive to make your discourses il, and they who profit by your preaching, soon learn, and long continue, to be pleased it.

ave now finished the enumeration of those ties which are required in the clerical char, and which, wherever they meet, make even a venerable, and poverty respected; which secure esteem under every disadvantage of ne, person, and situation, and notwithstandgreat defects of abilities and attainments. I must not stop here, a good name, fragrant precious as it is, is by us only valued in subney to our duty, in subordination to a high

If we are more tender of our repuwe are more studious of esteem than s from a persuasion, that by first obrespect of our congregation, and next ourselves of that respect, to promote sem peace and virtue, usefal knowled

and benevolent dispositions, we are purchasing to ourselves a reversion and inheritance valuable above all price, important beyond every other in

terest or success.

Go, then, into the vineyard of the gospel, and may the grace of God go with you. The religion you preach is true. Dispense its ordinances with seriousness, its doctrines with sincerity-urge its precepts, display its hopes, produce its terrors

be sober, be vigilant"-"have a good report" -confirm the faith of others, testify and adorn your own, by the virtues of your life and the sanctity of your reputation-be peaceable, be courteous; condescending to men of the lowest condition-"apt to teach, willing to communicate;" so far as the immutable laws of truth and probity will permit, "be every thing unto all men, that ye may gain some."

The world will requite you with its esteem. The awakened sinner, the enlightened saint, the young whom you have trained to virtue, the old whom you have visited with the consolations of Christianity, shall pursue you with prevailing wings and effectual prayers. You will close 1-ves and ministry with consciences void of and full of hope.-To present at the last yone recovered soul, reflect how grateful it will be to him, whose commission

****er world-infinitely, no doubt, but still Ae, does our office differ from hisst-born; it was the business of his

his death, the counsel of his Facise and consummation of his

brethren unto glory."