fully and virtuously employed-to trace our progress through this vale of sorrow and temptation without disgrace or oppression,-to see honour attend our grey hairs, and to be able to collect from the remembrance of our past hours, not only comfort to support the infirmities of age, but also to secure us future hope.

"The spirit walks of every day deceas'd;
And smiles an angel, or a fury frowns.
Nor death, nor life delights us. If time past,

And time possess'd, both pain us, what can please?
That which the Deity to please ordain'd,

Time us'd.-The man who consecrates his hours

By vig'rous effort and an honest aim,

At once he draws the sting of life and death;

He walks with nature; and her paths are peace.”

YOUNG.

ON

ON VARIOUS DUTIES.

THE duty of parents to

their children, is to provide in the best manner they are able for their infancy; to educate them, to correct their faults, and to teach them to love and fear God.-The duty of children to their parents is obedience to all virtuous commands, and observance to the precepts of maturer knowledge; to venture no material step without consulting them, and should age or infirmity overtake them, to return those cares which they themselves received in infancy. To our superiors in age or wisdom we owe respect, to our equals politeness and attention,

B 3

tion, and to our inferiors kindness and humanity.

The king owes to his subjects the duty of ruling with equity, and of considering himself their general father.-The subject owes to his king obedience, assistance, and affection.-The mechanic owes to his. employer justice and attention.-The master owes to his domestic the benefit of virtuous example and good counsel; while the servant, on his part, owes to his master a. careful attention to his welfare, and frugality in the property intrusted to his care..

Among other duties, there is none more weighty than that which a Christian minister owes his flock; for his is a sacred trust, the care of their everlasting happiness. To guard and advise them against errors and dangers, to warn and reprove their vices, to lead the repentant sinner

back

back to the paths of rectitude and peace, and to stand forth the undaunted champion of his Creator, against the daring and profligate sinner.

-The pulpit (in the sober use

Of its legitimate peculiar pow'rs)

Must stand acknowledg'd while the world shall stand,
The most important and effectual guard,
Support, and ornament, of virtue's cause.

There stands the messenger of truth; there stands

The legate of the skies: his theme divine,
His office sacred, his credentials clear.

By him the violated law speaks out

Its thunders, and by him, in strains as sweet
As Angels use, the gospel whispers peace.
He 'stablishes the strong, restores the weak,
Reclaims the wand'rer, binds the broken heart;
And arm'd himself in panoply complete
Of Heav'nly temper, furnishes with arms,
Bright as his own, and trains by ev'ry rule.
Of holy discipline, to glorious war,

The sacramental host of God's elect."

Neither is the duty of a minister alone confined to the pulpit. In large towns indeed, he cannot inspect the conduct of the whole of his parishioners; but the vices of distinguished persons are usually known, and demand the interference of the pastor, as they communicate bad example to those beneath them, who perhaps, from want of education, poverty, or other causes, gratify their errors at the expence of ruin here and hereafter. The minister who fears to offend the great more than his God is unworthy his high office, which is a trust superior to all human grandeur.

Of noble firmness, we have in this case a distinguished example in the conduct of Dr. Burnet, who scandalized at the licentious manners of King Charles the second, did not scruple to write to him; and to render the impression yet stronger, dated and sent his letter on the anniversary of

the