constantly, articles which belong to their mas ters or employers; they would be surprised if any one should charge them with dishonesty, but yet the charge would be well founded. He who wastes a little of his master's property every day, really robs him of very much in the course of a few years: nor can God or man regard such an individual as guiltless. In reference then, my dear young friend, to uprightness as well as to every other duty, ever bear in mind the admirable precept, which includes the substance of a volume in a single verse, "Whatever ye would that others should do unto you, do ye even so unto them, for this is the law and the prophets." Should you be found destitute of common honesty, your pretensions to any virtue will be utterly vain. It is very properly remarked by the excellent Dr. Watts,

"In vain we talk of Jesus' blood,
And boast his name in vain,
If we can slight the laws of God,
And prove unjust to men."

CHAPTER XVIII.

CULTIVATE HUMILITY.

HUMILITY is a grace which ought to be especially sought after by the young. In early life particularly, we are prone to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. In proportion as we are proud we are offensive to God. God

How

himself has declared, that he "resisteth the proud, while he giveth grace to the humble." often have I seen the text awfully illustrated"Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." O, my young friend, ask God to give you grace, that you may be humble and teachable. If you happily differ from many around you, it is owing to the rich and free goodness of God. You have no blessing, temporal or spiritual, but you have received it from his gracious hands. You have nothing of any value which is your own. Recollect, then, that you are nothing, and God is all.

If you are indeed humble before God, you will escape a multitude of sorrows which your fellow creatures commonly meet with. The path of life will be much more pleasant than it is to very many around you. It was well said, by an old writer, "That the trial which would break a proud man's heart, would not even break the peace of an individual who was truly humble." There is an instructive anecdote mentioned by Dr. Franklin, in his Letters, which will admirably illustrate this point. Writing to Dr. Mather, he says, "On taking my leave of your father, he showed me a shorter way out of the house, by a narrow passage, which was crossed by a beam over head. We were still talking as I withdrew, he accompanying me behind, and I turning toward him, when he said, Stoop, stoop!' I did not understand him till Í felt my head hit against the beam. He was a man who never missed an opportunity of giving

instruction; and, upon this, he said to me, You are young, and have the world before you; learn to stoop as you go through it, and you will miss many hard thumps!' This advice," says Dr. F., "thus beat into my head, has frequently been of use to me; and I often think of it, when I see pride mortified, and misfortunes brought upon people by their carrying their heads too high."

CHAPTER XIX.

FORGET NOT THE DICTATES OF PRUDENCE.

FOR want of attention to these, my dear young friend, many a sensible and well-disposed individual has disgraced his profession, and deprived himself of all opportunities of usefulness. No one can be truly excellent who is not prudent. You will perceive that I now refer particularly to temporal things. It is a maxim of prudence, that your dress should be becoming your character and station. Neatness and decency are commendable in every one; but finery is always despicable, and is sure to expose a young man to many temptations.

It is most likely you will sometimes see your acquaintance lavishly and foolishly expending their income, perhaps from motives of ostentation and pride. Take heed that you do not imitate them. Never part with your earnings but for some decidedly useful purpose. Before

you

expend your money for any article, ask yourself-Do I really want it? "It may be laid down," says Dr. Johnson, "as a rule never to be broken, that a man's voluntary expense should not exceed his revenue. A maxim so obvious, that the civil law ranks the prodigal with the mad man, and debars them equally from the conduct of their own affairs. Without frugality none can be rich, and with it very few would be poor."

Though I would, indeed, wish you, my dear young friend, to be frugal and careful, and resolutely to keep your current expenses below your stated income, yet is it a sacred duty to guard against the mere love of money. You should be economic, but it should be, that you may have more ability to do good. Perhaps you may have an aged father or mother, or an unfortunate or an afflicted brother or sister, or near relative; how delightful will it be to you to have it in your power to afford them aid in the hour of need. If you feel as you ought, this will, indeed, be a luxury to you. For surely no one, who has the smallest pretensions to piety, can doubt whether it is proper to help a parent or relative in such circumstances. The apostle John affirms, that he cannot possess the love of God in his heart, who shuts up against his brethren the bowels of compassion. And St. Paul declares, that he who provides not for his own household, "has denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel."

In addition to the wants of our friends, there

are the poor, whom God has appointed to be always incentives to that charity which counts it "more blessed to give than to receive." The extension of the Gospel is an object which calls loudly on the exertions and the contributions of its friends. By means of Bibles and missionaries, and pious publications, the truth as it is in Jesus is rapidly gaining ground, and the Sabbath schools are advancing that knowledge of the Lord which shall cover the earth. To these, it is the duty and the privi lege of the Christian to give of his means, as God has blesssed him. Remember he will require an account of the use you make of his talents.

CHAPTER XX.

MAINTAIN A SACRED REGARD FOR TRUTH.

THIS will be comparatively easy, if we live in the fear of God, and endeavour to do nothing which we should be ashamed or afraid to have known. One falsehood makes it necessary that many others should be told for its concealment. It is as imperative on you to speak the truth, as it is that you should be honest. It has been usually found, that those who do not scruple to violate the truth, will not hesitate, when opportunity offers, to take that which is not their own. Hence the prophet joins together in the same sentence, and under the same curse, the thief, and the person who swears falsely, Zech. v, 3, 4.