without doing or obtaining something good; you ought to think that day lost in which you have not learnt any thing. An emperor, remarkable for his benevolent actions, cried out one day at supper-time "I have lost a day," because in that day he had done not one good action.

6th. If you would number your days aright, you must pray for the Holy Spirit to assist you to put in practice those directions which have been given. Endeavour to form for yourselves a certain plan for the regulation of your conduct, and the improvement of your time, abide by that plan, and never depart from it, but from absolute necessity: One plan will suit you, and another will suit others; all cannot adopt the same, because of their circumstances: Never put off till to-morrow that which ought to be done today. A good man used to retire to his chamber for prayer at certain times in the day, and when he had company, he would say that a particular friend wanted to speak with him, and beg to be excused for a short time.

A second branch of this education is the application of the heart to wisdom. Wisdom con. sists in using the best means to obtain any particular purpose or end. In every study or business in life, application is necessary; if you read, you must be attentive; if you hear, you must pay attention; if you write, you must take pains with your copy; if you cypher, you must think and apply your minds; if you are drawing, you must take particular care to imitate the

painting before you; if you learn a trade, you must apply your mind; if you are in business, you must be diligent; therefore, if application is necessary in the things of this life, it is much more so when we are seeking the salvation of the soul; for that is the best wisdom: Be wise betimes, and remember that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord:

“The little ants for one poor grain,
Labour and tug and strive;

But we who have a heaven t'obtain

How negligent we live."

"This year

God may say to some of you, thou shalt die-with thee time shall be no longer." Now my young friends look back upon the year that is past, think how that has been spent, and how much of it has been wasted and lost; think how little time may now remain; improve it to the utmost of your power; think on the shortness of human life, and the length of eternity; compare one with the other. ""Tis greatly wise to talk with our past hours, And ask them what report they bore to Heaven, And how they might have borne more welcome news."

"Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near," for it is time to apply your heart to that which will engage your souls through an endless eternity. That you may know how many sins you commit in one year, allowing three to each day, it is here set down.

Offer up the words of the text every day in your prayers to God that he would teach you to number your days.

"HOW long, sometimes, a day appears!

And weeks, how long are they!
Months move as slow as if the year
Would never pass away.

"It seems a long, long time ago,
That I was taught to read;
And since I was a babe, I know!
'Tis very long indeed.

"But months and years are passing by,

And soon must all be gone;

For day by day, as minutes fly,
Eternity comes on.

"Days, months and years must have an end;
Eternity has none :

'Twill always have as long to spend
As when it first begun!

"Great God! an infant cannot tell

How such a thing can be ;

I only pray that I may dwell
That long, long time with thee."

LECT. II.-David's Dying Advice to his Son.

Ist CHRONICLES xxviii. 9.-And thou Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind; for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: If thou seek him, he will be found of thee, but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever.

My dear young friends,

LET me entreat your serious attention; if you would know the difference between early piety and early wickedness, let me beg of you to be very attentive. Come ye children, hearken unto me and I will will teach you the fear of the Lord; let it be your business on earth, to prepare for heaven. True religion, or the fear of the Lord is the greatest ornament you can wear in this world; it is the only jewel that you can carry with you to heaven; it is highly impor

tant, and will be highly beneficial for you all to be on the side of the Lord. The tender buds

of children should be devoted to God, as well as the opening blossoms of youth; for out of the mouths of babes and sucklings God will perfect his praise. David had assembled all the princes and captains of Israel; he was about to leave his people and his crown. In the presence of the people he gave this advice to his son: They are the words of a dying father, giv en in the most impressive and solemn manner; where is the child who will not listen to them with attention and seriousness; I have adopted them as the most suitable advice that could be given you at this time; I shall therefore make a few plain remarks, and tell you a few plain things; I will not keep you long, therefore I hope you will not go to sleep.

In the first place, I remark, what a good thing it is to have religious parents; it was of the greatest importance to Solomon, that he had such a father as David, for he was called the man after God's own heart. The picus exam. ple he had seen, and good instructions he had received from the lips of his father, led him to the knowledge of the true and living God. Solomon received a crown and a kingdom from the hands of his earthly parent but they are not worthy to be compared with the unfading crown and the everlasting kingdom, which good children will receive from the hands of their heavenly father at the last day. Some of you are

bless