GREAT and good Characters are often formed by Imitation: And if we would ſhine in any Sphere, we muſt propoſe to ourſelves ſome illuſtrious Examples. Great Generals have acquited their martial Skill, by peruſing the Memoirs of the ALEXANDERS and CAESARS of former Ages. And LONGINUS adviſes us, if we would riſe to the Sublime in Writing, always to keep in View, a Homer, a Plato, a Demoſthenes or a Cicero. And how ſhall the more amiable, tho' leſs glaring and renowned Character of the good, the uſeful, and publick-ſpirited Man, be formed? Nothing ſurely can contribute more towards it, than the imitation of ſome bright Example. And among all the Kings, Patriots and Prophets, whoſe Names are immortalized in ſacred Hiſtory, no Example ſhines with a brighter Luſtre, than that of DAVID, who ſerved his own Generation according to the Will of God, and then, as a weary Labourer, gently fell on Sleep, and ſweetly reſted from his generous and pious Toils.

As this is my laſt Addreſs to you, my dear and worthy young Friends, who have now happily finiſhed the Courſe of your Education, and are about to take Leave of this Society, in which you have been inſtituted for public Life, I have been very ſolicitous to ſelect ſome Subject of Importance, to employ your Thoughts in this precious Hour, that is peculiarly adapted to you preſent Circumſtances and future Proſpects. And after anxious Inquiry, I can fix upon none, that appears to me more perti •• ent or uſeful, than the Example of DAVID; a Man characterized from the higheſ • Excellency to which human Nature can arrive, Conformity to God the Standard of 〈◊〉 Perfection; A Man after God's own Heart: A Man, that without the Advantages of Birth or Education, and without the diſhoneſt Arts of a Courtier, roſe to the Height of human Grandeur, and became an ext •••• Bleſſing to the Church and his Country: A Man, in ••• om an Aſſemblage of exalted Characters were united, beyond all Precedent; and who ſhines conſpicuous, thro' all Ages, in the ſeparate Splendors of each, and the collected Splendors of all; an invincible Hero in the Field; a magnificent and good King on the Throne; a great Example of paſſive Loyalty under Perſecution, of Fortitude and Patience under Affliction, on a Mountain, in a Cave, or a Wilderneſs; an evangelical Prophet, a devout and ſublime Poet, e'er Home • 's Muſe was known, and, to finiſh all, the Servant of God and his Generation. 'Tis this laſt Part of his Character, my Text delineates. 'Tis this I would propoſe to your Imitation, as not beyond your Reach. And indeed, in •• is are ſummed up all the complicated Excellencies of his other Characters. He ſuffered, he f • ught, he reigned, he prophecied, he ſung, he performed every Thing, to ſerve his Generation, according to the Will of God.

The Excellency of the Example now before you, conſiſts in two Things, PUBLICK SPIRIT and RELIGION.—Public Spirit, in ſerving his Generation,—and Religion, in doing this according to the Will of God, or, (as it might be tranſlated,) ſerving the Will of God, in his own Generation. The Union of theſe two Qualities ever compoſes the truly good and uſeful Man; a proper Member of human Society; and even of the grand Community of Angels and Saints. The one includes a Temper and Conduct agreeable to our ſocial Connections; and the other a Temper and Conduct agreeable to our Obligation to the Author of our Nature. And ſo inſeparable are theſe united, that the one cannot exiſt, in the entire Abſence of the other. Public Spirit and Benevolence without Religion, is but a warm Affection for the Subjects, to the Neglect of their Sovereign; or a Partiality for the Children, in Contempt of their Father, who is infinitely more worthy of Love. And Religion without Publick Spirit and Benevolence, is but a ſullen, ſelfiſh, ſour and malignant Humour for Devotion, unworthy that ſ • cred Name. For if a Man love not his Broth • r, whom he hath ſeen, how can he love God whom he hath not ſeen? But when theſe are united, they form a beautiful Symmetry; they adorn, ••• riſh and perfect each other; they contain the Subſtance of all Obedience to the divine Law, which is ſummed up in the Love of God, and the Love of Man. And if you, my dear Youth, enter into the World with this Foundation of future Utility and Importance laid in your He • r • s, my higheſt Wiſhes will be accompliſhed in you; and all the little Pains we have taken in your Education, will be more than repaid. It will be a Bleſſing to the World, that ever you paſſed thro' it; an Honour to this Dome, that ever you reſided in it; and an everlaſting joy to yourſelves, that ever you were born.—To excite and cheriſh ſuch a Spirit, I can at 〈…〉 comprehenſive Epitome of the Hiſtory of DAVID.

—"HE 〈◊〉 his Generation."—To be the Servant of the Public, was his Ambition; 〈…〉 Love to Church and State, was the 〈…〉 of his Life. His public Spirit puſhed him on to engage in the moſt fatiguing, ſelf-denying & d • ng •••• s Services; he thought nothing too hard, nothing bene ••• his Dignity, that was conducive to the publick Good. Was he King of the Thouſands of Iſrael? This only made him the Servant of Thouſands; at once increaſing his Labour, and enlarging the Sphere of his Beneficence. His Royal Prerogative was but an Obligation to ſerve; and his Authority but a Power of doing more extenſive Good. Was he an able General, and a mighty Conqueror? He fought, he conqured, not to gratify the ſordid Paſſions of Avarice, Ambition, or private Revenge; but to deliver his Country, to guard his Subjects, to chaſtiſe and reſtrain the Diſturbers of Mankind, and to execute publick Vengeance upon public Malefactors. Had he a fine, a ſublime Imagination? And did Nature and Inſpiration animate him with poetical Fire? His immortal Writings beſpeak a Breaſt glowing with the united Fervors of both. This Accompliſhment he did not proſtitute to mean ſelfiſh or impious Porpoſes; but conſecrated it to the Church. His Muſe was a heavenly Seraph, teaching Mortals to celebrate the Praiſes of JEHOVAH in a Language above Humanity; and furniſhing a divine Syſtem of Pſalmody, moſt perfectly adapted to that Religious Diſpenſation under which he lived; and capable of being accommodated, by a natural and eaſy Variation, to the more improved State of the Goſpel-Church. Could his Prophetic Eyes penetrate into Futurity, beyond the Ken of human Knowledge, and pry into "the deep Things of God?" This alſo was conſecrated to the Service of his Generation, and not converted into Oſtentation, Amuſement or idle Curioſity. In ſhort, all his Talents, natural ond ſupernatural, were ſacred to the Church, to his Country and Mankind; thus becoming univerſal and diſtinguiſhed Bleſſings.

THIS, my dear Pupils, this is the Spirit, with which I would inſpire you. A public Spirit always appeared to me of the utmoſt Importance, this you are ſenſible is not the firſt Occaſion on which I have endeavoured to fire your Breaſts with the generous Flame. Devoid of this, though ſtationed in the moſt publick Offices, your Lives will be of little Uſe to Community; and all the valuable Ends of a liberal Education, will be loſt upon you. But if you feel the generous Impulſes of a publick Spirit, you can never be altogether inſignificant, you will never be mere Cyphers in the World, even in the obſcureſt and moſt ſequeſtered Vale of Life. Even in the loweſt Station, you will be of ſome Uſe to Mankind, a ſufficient Recompence this for the ſevere Conflict of ſixty or ſeventy Years. It is unknown to me, and perhaps to yourſelves, in what Employment you will ſpend your future Lives. But whatever it be, whether you appear in the ſacred Deſk, as the Miniſters of God, and devote yourſelves to that Office, in which you can have no bright Proſpects of ſecular Advantages, but only the benevolent and God-like Pleaſure of endeavouring to make Men wiſe, good and happy; or whether you appear at the Bar, as Advocates for Juſtice, and the Patrons of the Oppreſt; or whether you practiſe the healing Art in the Chambers of Affliction, to alleviate the Pains and Sickneſſes of your Fellow-Creatures, to reſtore the Sweets of Health, and prolong the dubious Duration of Life; or whether you chooſe the ſerene and quiet Pleaſures of Retirement, and glide through the World in a private Station; whatever, I ſay, be your Place, permit me, my dear Youth, to inculcate upon you this important Inſtruction, IMBIBE AND CHERRISH A PUBLICK SPIRIT. Serve your Generation. Live not for your ſelves, but the Publick. Be the Servants of the Church; the Servants of your Country; the Servants of all. Extend the Arms of your Benevolence to embrace your Friends, your Neighbours, your Country, your Nation, the whole Race of Manl • nd, even your Enemies. Let it be the vigorous unremitted Effort of your whole Life, to leave the World wiſer and better, than you found it at your Entrance. Eſteem yourſelves by ſo much the more happy, honourable and important, by how much the more uſeful you are. Let Self-Love puſh'd to Social, to Divine, Give thee to make thy Neighbour's Bleſſing thine. Is this too little for the boundleſs Heart? Extend it, let they Enemies have Part: Graſp the whole Worlds of Reaſon, Life and Senſe, In one cloſe Syſtem of Benevolence: Happier as kinder, in what'er Degree, And Height of Bliſs, but Height of Charity. POPE'S ESSAY ON MAN. Let you own Pleaſure, your own private Interreſts, yield to the common Good. For this, ſpare no Pains; avoid no Labour; dread no Sufferings. For this, do every Thing; ſuffer every Thing. For this, live and die. From this, let no ſelfiſh Paſſion miſlead you; no ungrateful Returns, the uſeful Returns of active Benevolence, diſcourage you; let no Oppoſition deter you; no private Intereſt bribe you. To this, be your Bodies, your Souls, your Eſtates, your Life, your All ſacred. Bravely live and die, ſerving your Generation,—your own Generation. This David did.

—"He ſerved his own Generation"—Every Man's Sphere of Uſefulneſs, is limited; the Beneficence of one Man, can extend to but a Small Part of Mankind: Even David could but ſerve his own Generation. For other Generations, God raiſed up other Servants, accompliſhed according to the Work he had to do in them: And thus, the great Scheme of his Providence is carried on, thro' the fleeting Succeſſion of human Nature, and never ſails of Execution, for want of Inſtruments. 'Tis true, David's Uſefulneſs ſurvived • im, and 〈◊〉 to the re •• teſt Acc ••• n • Countries; and nothing 〈…〉 to a benevolent and public ••• rited Mind ••• n to be the S •• vance. Poſterity, the Se • v • nt of Mankind for ever, as well as of his Contemporaries. Yet his B • neſicence was more peculiarly appropriated to the Generation in which he lived; that, eſpecially, was his Stage of Action, on which he was to perform his Part. Other Actors were reſerved for other Ages. All Hands muſt be buſy, in every Period, to accompliſh the Deſigns of Heaven; and • o Part of the deſtined Work, ſhall remain undone, for Want of proper Agents.

THUS, my dear Youth, your Sphere of Uſefulneſs, however large, will always be limited; and it is enough, if you fill it with Honour and Integrity. If it ſhould ever be in your Power to project or perſon▪ any Thing, that may be of Service to Poſterity, rejoice in the Opportunity, be ambitious to ſurvive yourſelves, to be immortal upon Earth, in this import • nt Reſpect. But your own Generation, i • the 〈◊〉 and ••• ropriated Sphere of your Uſefulneſs. Your 〈◊〉 •• mpora •• , particularly your Countrymen, who are w ••• n the Reach of your Influence, are the more direct and ••• ma •• to Objects of your Beneficence. When you 〈…〉 Exit from this mortal Stage, God will raiſe 〈◊〉 other Servants to ſupply your Place, and perform his Work in future Ages; and this is a moſt delightful Thought t • a 〈…〉 Heart; and affords no ſmall Support under th • ſe Dumps of Diſcouragement and blaſted Hopes, which ••• ze us, at the frequent Mortality of the moſt important Men, in the Height of their Popularity and publick Service. He that renews the Face of Nature, after the Ravages and Conſumption of Winter; He that makes each ſucceeding Summer productive of Plenty for the following Year, after the Harveſts of the paſt are expended; he will perpetuate the Race of his Servants, and repair the Waſtes of Time and D ••• . But this is your Day: now you have Room upon the Surge of Life. A long Succeſſion of Generations, has retired into the Chambers of the Grave, to give Place to you. And now, 'tis your Turn to act your Part. You are ſurrounded with "a great Clould of Witneſſes:" the Eyes of Heaven and Earth are fixt upon you, in eager Expectation and anxious Suſpence for the Reſult. Therefore ſtrain every Nerve to the utmoſt Pitch of Exertion, and act your Par • well; that you may gain the Plau ••• of God, Angels and Good Men; be ſ •• ulous in doing good, and pro ••• ting the Intereſt of Individuals and Communities, of Church and State. of Men's Souls and • odies, in Time and Eternity. Let the mere Power of doing Good, always appear to you an • ndiſpenſable Obligation, and irreſiſtible Indu ••• nt to do it. 'Tis but a little Time you have to work. The Day of L • fe is ſhort; and the Shadows of the Evening are advancing faſt, even towards the youngeſt of you. A neglected Opportunity, is loſt forever; and paſt Omiſſions can never be ſupplied by future Diligence; for our utmoſt Induſtry can never be more than is due for the Time preſent; Therefore, work while it is called Day. Whatever your Hand findeth to do, do it with your Might; for there is no Work, nor Device, nor Knowledge, nor Wiſdom in the Grave, whither you are going.

THIS important Inſtruction will be ſtill more ſtrongly enforced by the Text, if we give the Tranſlation ſomething of a different Turn, equally eaſy and natural. David, having in his own Age ſerved the will of God—in his 〈◊〉 Age. The moſt important Life, is confined to an Age; a ſhort tranſient Age; and after that the moſt generous Schemes muſt die in Embrio; or be carried into Execution by other Hands. The eternal World indeed is all Life and Action; and that State of Reſt, which remains for the People of God, is not a State of more idle Fruition, or quiet Inaction. It is indeed a Reſt from the painful Labours of this State of Diſcipline and Trial; tho' it not only admits, but neceſſarily includes, Action of a more exalted and pleaſing Nature; a vigorous and indefatigable Diſcharge of high Offices in the grand Community of the Univerſe; Offices of more Importance, and more extenſive Utility, than the feeble Sons of Mortality can ſuſtain. Nothing but ſuch a State of benevolent Activity, can be a proper Heaven for vigorous Immortals, whoſe Powers demand perpetual Exertion; and without it, they would be painful and cumberſome, or lie dormant and inſenſible; both which would be inconſiſtent with their perfect Felicity. Yet this is no Reaſon why we ſhould reſerve our Uſefulneſs to another State; for Time and Eternity have each its proper Work; and the Buſineſs of the one, can be no more done in the other, than if it were a State of entire Inaction; ſeize therefore the preſent flying Moments. Do the Work of Time in Time. Eternity has its Work too; but it is Work of a more exalted Kind, not adapted to the preſent infant State of our Exiſtence. If you remain inactive and uſeleſs in this Life, the Buſineſs of it can never be done. If you ſerve the World at all, it muſt be in your own Age. You will never be able to make up the Neglect, in another Age of Time, or in the endleſs Ages, of Eternity. Nay, if you continue uſeleſs in your own Age, you will continue ſo through all the Periods of your immortal Exiſtence, For you ſhould never forget, that Advancement to a State of more extenſive Uſefulneſs in the eternal World, is the Reward only of faithful Labourers in this. Oh! remember the Doom of the ſlothful Servant, whom his Maſter diſcharged for ever from his Service, and delivered up to the Tormentors.

THE other Part of David's Character, which I would propoſe to your Imitation, is his RELIGION. He ſerved his Generation by, or according to THE WILL OF GOD. The original Word here, ſignifies rather the Counſel, than the Will of God. And if we thus tranſlate it, the Meaning is, Either that David ſerved his Generation, according to the Purpoſe of God in raiſing him up: Or, that he accompliſhed the Purpoſe of God concerning him, and performed his deſtined Work. The Will of God, was the Rule of his Beneficence to Men; and he ſerved his Generation, becauſe in ſo doing he ſerved his God. Whatever he did, he did heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto Men. 'Tis this Regard to the Will of God, in Acts of Humanity and Public-Spirit, that ſanctifies them, and renders them true Virtue and Religion. Without ſuch a Regard to the divine Will, they form but a monſtrous, atheſtical Patriotiſm, and an un-creature-like irreligious Benevolence. Without this, all our good Offices to Men, as they are not intended, ſo neither will they be accepted, as Acts of Obedience to God. Certainly, it muſt be the Height of Impiety, to be capable of doing even what God commands, not becauſe he commands it, but for ſome other ſordid, ſelfiſh Reaſon. The greateſt Streſs is laid upon this, in the refined Morality of the Goſpel. To receive a righteous Man, as a righteous Man; to receive a Prophet in the Name of a Prophet; to give fo much as a Cup of cold Water, to the leaſt of Chriſt's Diſciples becauſe he belongs to Chriſt;...this is at once an Act of Charity and Piety. But without ſuch a Regard to God, it is but a poor, grovelling, ſelfiſh Humanity; and has no more real Goodneſs in it, than the Inſtinctive Fondneſs of a Brute for its Young.

THEREFORE, my young Friends, let Religion be the Source of your Benevolence and Publick-Spirit; and have a Regard to the Will of God, in all your good Offices to Men. Let it not be your principal End, to gratify a natural Benevolence of Temper; to procure Honour to yourſelves, or to accompliſh ſome intereſted Deſign; but to PLEASE GOD. Let this be the Center, in which all the Actions of your Life ſhall terminate, and the Scope to which they • end. Then you may claim a Character more noble than even that of a Patriot, I mean a CHRISTIAN.

THIS Thought will appear in a ſtill ſtronger Light, if we follow the other Verſion of the Text.... David, in his own Generation, having ſerved the Will of God ....not his own Will; not the Will of Man; but the Will of God. All his Services were done in Obedience to the Will of his heavenly Maſter. He did not aſſume the Direction of his Conduct, nor the Management of himſelf; but he was Servant to the Will of God; that was his abſolute Rule in all Things; to which he yielded an unreſerved univerſal Obedience.

THIS alſo I propoſe for your Imitation in future Life, Be not ambitious of Self-Government, but reſign yourſelves to the Will of God. Serve his Will, and be the Miniſters of his Pleaſure. Whatever is agreeable to it, purſue with all your Might; and let even its gentleſt Prohibitions, give you an effectual Check, in your moſt eager Career. In ſhort, do the Will of God, and then you will do all that is noble, all that is good, all that is benevolent and uſeful. To be dependent upon the capricious Will of a Mortal, is a wretched State of Indigence, Servility and Anxiety But the Divine Will is the ſupreme unerring Rule of Right; and in obſerving it, you will certainly promote your own Happineſs, and the Good of the Syſtem to which you belong, in the moſt effectual Manner.

To finiſh what I have to ſay to you at preſent on the Head of Religion, I muſt add, That tho' I addreſs you in the exhortatory Form, and would perſuade you to exert yourſelves, yet I would by no Means intimate, that the Forces of mere Nature, in their utmoſt Exertion, can produce in you that public Spirit and Piety I am recommending, without the Agency of the Holy Spirit. 'Tis He that is the ſole Author of all that little Religion and true Virtue, that is to be found here and there in our World. And therefore to Him you muſt look; on Him you muſt depend; yet ſtill in the Exertion of all your natural Powers, and in the earneſt Uſe of all inſtituted Means; for the Idle have no Reaſon to expect his Aſſiſtance.

I MUST add farther, that great Change of Temper, that Extirpation of the corrupt Principles of Nature, and that Implantation of holy and ſupernatural Principles of Action, which the Scriptures expreſs by ſuch ſtrong and ſignificant Metaphors as Regeneration, a Reſurrection, a new Creation, and the like; I ſay, that divine Change of the Principles of Action, is the great Foundation of true Religion and ſocial Virtue; without which, you can never arrive at the finiſhed Character of good and great Men. Though you ſhould make a ſhining Figure in Life, and dazzle the World with the Luſtre of your Name; your true Character in the • ight of God, will be nothing higher, than that of a worthleſs, • dious and contemptible Sinner, fit for no Place but Hell, for no Society, but that of infernal Spirits. —If my Temper were a • reeable to my Subject, and the Views I have of it, I ſhould here aſſume an Ai • of peculiar Solemnity; and by the Manner of my Addreſs, convince you how much I am in earneſt, when I inculcate upon you the vaſt importance and abſolute Neceſſity of entering upon public Life with A NEW HEART AND A NEW SPIRIT. So deep and univerſal is the preſent innate Depravity of human Nature, that the ſacred Structure o • a truly great and good Man, can never be built upon that Foundation. It may admit of the external Decorations of a whited Wall; but it is incapable of any true ſubſtantial Goodneſs, till there be a new Creation; till old Things paſs away, and all Things be made new. You muſt be "created in Chriſt Jeſus to good Works," before you can "walk in them." "A new Heart muſt be given you, and a new Spirit put within you," before you can "walk in God's Statutes, and keep his Judgments, and do them. Therefore let this ſaying ſink deep into your Hearts, THE NEW BIRTH IS THE BEGINNING OF ALL GENUINE RELIGION AND VIRTUE; it is your firſt Entrance into a new World of Uſefulneſs; and an Incorporation with the Society of Saints and Angels, and all the beneficent Beings in the Univerſe. May your Minds, my dear Pupils, always retain a full Conviction of this great Truth, in this Age, wh • n i • has loſt its Popularity even among nominal Chriſtians; and ſo, many will marvel and ſtare, with Ni •• d ••• , when they hear, "a Man muſt be born again.

Thus have we traced the Example of David in Life, let us now follow him to his End.—"Having ſerved his Generation by the Will of God, he fell on S ••• p, and was laid to his Fathers, and ſaw Corruption."

—"He fell on Sleep"—This is a favourite Scripture-Phraſe, to ſignify the Death of a good Man; 'tis not the King of Terrors; not the Execution of a penal Sentence; but a Sleep; a gentle, quiet, refreſhing Sleep, after the laborious and ••• iſome Day of 〈◊〉 : an undiſturbed Sleep th ••• the ſtill and ſilent Night o • Death, till the bright and welcome M ••• ing of the Reſurr • ction; then the ſleeping D ••• ſhall 〈…〉 , vigoro •• and immortal, capable of everlaſting Vigilan • e, and 〈◊〉 erupted A • tivity; without Fatigue, or Neceſſity of Rep • ſe.—You need hardly be informed, that it is 〈◊〉 the Soul, but the Body, that thus falls aſleep in Death. The Soul, as ſoon as diſ ••• ſſed from its Confinement in this Priſon of Clay, ſoars to the Region of Spirits, mingles with kindred Minds, expatiates at large in its own Element, and exerts all its Powers unreſtrained; forever incapable of the Indolence and Inaction of Sleep, and ſtanding in no Need of its Repoſe and Refreſhment.

—He fell on Sleep, and was laid to his Fathers.— His mortal Part was added to the numerous ſubterranean Inhabitants of the Grave, "the Houſe appointed for all Living"; where Fathers and Children, Kings and Subjects, the Learned and the Vulgar the wiſe Man and the Fool, and all the various Claſſes of Adam's Race, meet at laſt, and mingle their kindred Duſt, however much diſtinguiſhed in Life. His immortal Part was alſo added to his Fathers, his pious Anceſtors, who had gained Admiſſion before him into the heavenly Community; which is a Colony planted from our World; and every Saint that dies, is a new Inhabitant added to it. The Happineſs of Heaven is a ſocial Happineſs; and no doubt one Part of it conſiſts in enjoving the Converſe of our Fathers, and the great and good Men that have been before us. Secr • tes, in his laſt Moments, was elated with the Expectation of an Interview with Homer, H • ſ •• d, Palamede, and the other Genii of Antiquity. But how much more illuſtrious a Proſpect did REVELATION open to David, when the glorious Aſſembly of the Patriarchs appeared ready to embrace him, and welcome him into their Society!

—He fell aſleep, and was laid to his Fathers, and ſaw Corruption. This added to form a Contraſt between David and his Antitype, JESUS CHRIST. "David is not yet aſcended into Heaven," i. e. his mortal Part is ſtill confined in the Grave; it is putrified, and diſſolved into its elemental Clay. But JESUS, the Lord of Life, burſt the Bands of Death on the third Day, before Corruption could ſeize his Fleſh. This is one inſtance of his Pre-eminence above all his Servants; who, however honourable or uſeful, muſt claim Kindred with Corruption and the Worm.

THUS, my dear Youth, tho' now in the Prime of Life, and the Vigour of your Strength, thus muſt you fall aſleep in Death, and ſee Corruption. This is the End of all Fleſh; and the higheſt Endowments, n • teral, acqui • ed or ſupe • natural, which even David was • do ••• d with, can be no Security a • ainſt it. Thoſe Eyes. that have poted with ſo much Pleaſure upon the P • ge • of Knowledge, muſt be cloſed in Death; and d •• ſe Ears, that have E • tened with ſo much Eag • rneſs to Inſtruction, muſt be •• opt in the Duſt. Stupor and Inſenſibility muſt ſeize your Limbs; • nd a dead Sleep arreſt all your active Powers.—Therefore enter the World with a deep Senſe of your Mortality; a •• that after a few Turns upon the Stage ••• muſt retire into the Chambers of Death. Let your Proſpects and ••• pect •• i • ns as be confined within narrow Limits; and indal ••• 〈…〉 lopes, ſorm no everlaſting Schemes, on this Si • e 〈◊〉 . —Quid aeteruis mine • em Conſiliis animam fatigas?— Her. —Put on a noble Indifferency towards the li • d P • a ••• its and Cares, Enjoyments and Bereavements of the preſent State; for This I ſay, Brethren, the Time is 〈◊〉 ; it remaineth therefore, that they who weep, be as tho' they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; for the Faſhion," the phantaſtie Parade, "of this World paſſeth away; and the vain Farce of Life is ſoon over. —Let me alſo renew my Exhortation to you, to exert all your Powers in • oing Good, before they are ſeized with the eternal Torpor of the Sleep of Death; for then, all your Capacities and Opportunities of being ſerviceable to your Fellow-Mortals, will be irreparably loſt forever.—Make it the great Buſineſs of Life, to prepare for Death; and for that End, learn to familiarize the Proſpect. Look forward to approaching Death; look downward into the gaping Grave, even in the gay and giddy Hours of Health and Youth. And oh! above all, take frequent Surveys of the eternal World, that li •• beyond Death and the Grave. There you muſt ere long be, ye young Immortals! ye Candidates for Eternity! ye Heirs of Heaven or Hell; There you muſt ſoon be added to your Fathers, who now people the bliſsful or the doleful Apartments of that immenſe Region, according to their Character and Conduct in the Days of their Fleſh. You muſt dwell forever, with Abraham, Iſaac and J • c •• , in the Kingdom of God; or with Judas, and other Sons of Pe •• ition, in the infernal Priſon. There you muſt ſpend a never-en • ing Duration, in the Maturity of your Nature, capabl • of Plea ••• or Pain infinitely ſuperior to what Mortality can bear. And oh! is there any Thing within the Compaſs of human Knowledge, of greater, of equal, of comp •• able Importance? Unleſs you ſecure a happy Immortality, in the few uncertain Years of Life, your Exiſtence, your Reaſon, your liberal Education, your religious Advanta • e • , 〈◊〉 All. will be your everlaſting Curſe: And it w •• ld be b • tter for you, to be Hottentots, or even the moſt abject and ••• able Creatures among the meaneſt and m • ſt 〈…〉 of the b • at • l Tribe • , than to be the Sons of 〈…〉 . There ••• "ſtrive to enter in at the ſ •• ait G ••• ," And do not d •• app •• nt my eager Hopes of ſeeing you at the • ight 〈◊〉 of the ſupreme Judge. We an ſoon to pa • t, and be di • p • r • ed 〈◊〉 the World. But oh! let us ſi • upon that, as the ••• e Place of Interview, and the Commencement of an Union never to be diſſolved.

Let me now take Leave of you with a few pa •• icular Advices and Warnings; tho' the Hurry of the preſent Hour, will but admit of ſome conciſe Hints, for your own Tho'ts to improve.

Do not imagine, you may now put an End to your Studies, as having arrived to the utmoſt Limits of uſeful Knowledge. A College-Education does only lay the Foundation; on which to build, muſt be the Buſineſs of your future Life. If you neglect this, even the Foundation however ſkilfully laid, will gradually moulder away. You will live your Age backward; and be leſs wiſe at Sixty, than at Twenty. Therefore, as you can redeem Leiſure from the Buſineſs of your future Station, diligently proſecute your Studies; eſpecially in thoſe Branches of Knowledge, which are moſt practical, and ſubſervient to your particular Profeſſion.

Let me alſo adviſe you, in the Choice of your Stations for Life, to follow Nature, and conſult the public Good; and fix upon that which is moſt agreeable to your natural Turn, which in ſome Meaſure is equal to your Abilities, and may be moſt conducive to the Service of your Generation. If you miſtake in your Choice upon your firſt ſetting out, you will make an awkward Appearance during Life, and be of very little Uſe in the World.

Allow me alſo to ſolicite the Continuance of that Friendſhip to this Inſtitution, to which you are obliged for your Education, and the Proſpect of your future Importance; and to hope that your Inclination will at leaſt equal your Opportunities to promote the Intereſt of your ALMA MATER. Be not however prompted by the jealous and malignant Spirit of Rivalſhip, in Oppoſition to other literary Inſtitutions; but ſhew yourſelves catholic diſintereſted Friends of Learning in general.

Finally, I adviſe you to enter into the wide World, which is now before you, forewarned of the Dangers and Temptations, in which you will ſoon be involved. You are about to enter into a State of dubious Conflict, where all your Virtue will be put to the Proof; and where Strength more than human, Strength from God, is abſolutely neceſſary to render you victorious. Farewell now to this peaceful Retirement; this happy Receſs from the Temptations of the World. Now you are to act your Part in a new Scene, to enter upon other Buſineſs, and to mingle in Company. And alas! you will find yourſelves ſurrounded with new unſuſpected Snares; which with all your Vigilance, you will hardly eſcap • . Allow me therefore, with the Love and Solicitude of a Father's Heart, to caution you particularly againſt ſome of the Dangers, to which you will be moſt incident.

I ſolemnly warn you againſt indulging a Taſte for youthful Pleaſures, and giving yourſelves up to ſenſual Gratifications. This has been the Ruin of many a promiſing young Creature; and it is your Intereſt to learn Wiſdom and Circumſpection from their melancholy Fate.

I alſo ſolemnly warn you againſt forming pernicious Connections with bad Company. This is the greateſt Miſchief into which you can fall; and which will puſh you headlong into the fouleſt Vices. Therefore, above all Things, be upon your Guard in this Reſpect.

I warn you againſt a Life of Idleneſs and Trifling, which will be injurious to your own Intereſt, as well as that of others; and render you troubleſome Superfluities in the World. "Be not ſlothful in Buſineſs;" but diligent and induſtrious, in whatever Station Providence may fix you—"I ſpeak not theſe Things to ſhame you: but as my beloved Sons, I warn you."

And now, my ever-dear Pupils, I muſt diſmiſs you from my Care, into the wide World, to ſhift for yourſelves. You enter into it with the great Advantage of a fair Character; for I muſt do you the Juſtice to declare, that you have always been dutiful teachable Pupils to me; and this whole Houſe can atteſt the regularity of your general Conduct, ſince you have been Members of it. Go on in this Path; and may it ſhine more and more till the perfect Day!

FAREWELL! my dear young Friends,—I collect all the affectionate Powers of my Soul into one vigorous Effort, and repeat the cordial FAREWELL!—"The Lord bleſs you, and keep you: The Lord make his Face ſhine upon you, and be gracious to you," that you may faithfully and honourably ſerve your Generation by the Will of GOD, and then gently fall aſleep in JESUS, and enter into the Joys of your LORD.—Grant this, Moſt merciful GOD, for the Sake of JESUS CHRIST. AMEN.