ate and decisive attention; or that he is giving way to the eccentricities of waywardness or caprice, under the delusive idea that they are the workings of genius. He who disdains to submit to perfect system in his pursuits, may succeed very tolerably as an occasional writer of poetical trifles, for a monthly journal; but as a profound, diligent and faithful minister of the G spel, he can never succeed.

5. Be particularly punctual IN ATtending

ON ALL THE DVOTIONAL EXERCISES OF THE

SEMINARY. On this point, it would seem scarcely possible, that, among a band of candidates for the ministry, there should be room for counsel; and especially that the regular morning and evening prayers in the publick edifice, should ever fail to be attended by any individual of the theological brotherhood who had health and strength enough to allow him to be present. Such impressions, however, will not always be found to be correct. Some occasionally absent themselves from morning prayers, because, feelings of languor and debility, arising, from late study, or some other cause, prevent their rising sufficiently early. Others are sometimes absent from evening prayers, because, owing to the want of strict order in their affairs, they are, perhaps, reduced to the necessity of attending to some business, elsewhere, in haste, at that hour, which

might and ought to have been despatched be. fore. While a third class, (I hope and believe it has always been a very small ove,) it is to be feared, allow obstacles by no means insurmountable, to make them frequent delinquents, because their enjoyment of such exercises is less than it ought to be, and, perhaps, less than it once was.

Let me earnestly enjoin upon you to guard against every approach to negligence in regard to this duty. The more you pray with your fellow students, the more you will love them, and the more delightful will it be to work with them, in digging in the mines of knowledge. If you ever, when in tolerable health, feel it a burden to meet your brethren, when they assemble at the throne of grace, it is an awful symptom of coldness and backsliding Nay, if you are not willing to make some sacrifices for the sake of attending, and to take pains beforehand to adjust your affairs for that purpose, you have great reason to fear that your spiritual health is not prospering I am always distressed when I see a candidate for the ministry abundant in his attendance on publick prayer meetings; but frequently absent from those of a private, or domestick nature, which he is under, perhaps, stronger obligations to attend ; but which, at the same time, present little attraction, excepting to the mind which delights

in communion with God. What inference are we almost compelled to draw from such a fact? Charity herself cannot fail to recognise it.

6. Guard against FREQUENT OR LONG CONTI

NUED ABSENCES FROM ANY OF THE EXERCISES

OF THE INSTITUTION. There is a very remarkable difference between students as to this point. Those who love study, and have o desire to cheat themselves into indolence, are always found at their posts; and contrive, whenever it is practicable, to postpone until. some season of recess, every business at a distance from the Seminary which demands their attention. They steadfastly resist all proposals to take needless excursions, and appear to regret every occurrence which detach s tlen a moment, either from the study or the lecture_ room. The studies of these are solid and unbroken; and they generally disclose the happy result when the day of examination arrives. Their knowledge is connected, systematick, and accurate, and their minds daily making progress in maturity. But there is another class of students, a few of whom have been found in this, and I suppose, in every similar institution, who seem to be ever ready to yield to the slightest solicitation to quit their books, and go in pursuit of some object, either trivial in itself, or

which might just as well be accomplished at

1

another time. If their minds be active, it is only to teem with plans which draw them in a different direction from that in which their appropriate employment lies. It is not their design to neglect or slight their studies. On the contrary, they often conscientiously intend and promise to make up for every absence by extra, diligence in time to come But the season for The next week

such diligence never arrives. or month brings with it a similar temptation, and they fall before it in a similar manner. Thus they spend the larger part of their three years in the Seminary, in a series of impotent struggles with irr solution and interruption; and when the period comes to an end, whether they perceive it or not, others perceive, that all their gains are small, ill assorted, and of little prac. tical value. They are nearly as far from being prepared to enter on their publick work as when they commenced the course.

My dear young Friend, fly from this miserable habit as you would from a pestilence. It is not only destructive o all solid intellectual improvement; but it indicates a mental character of the most unpromising kind. Cultivate habits of steady, unremitting diligence. If your health be good, let nothing take you away an hour, much less a day, from your appropriate work, unless it be a very distinct call of Providence. And you are not to consider

as such a call, every simple opportunity of attempting to do good. For if you did,as such opportunities occur every hour, you would never study at all. Remember, that, while you have a place in the Seminary, its studies ought to form your constant and main business; and that every day that you, unnecessarily, withdraw from them, you do injustice to your-elf, to the institution, and to the church of God.

7. Take pains to CULTIVA E SPECIAL FRIENDSHIPS with such of your fellow students as may appear most likely to be peculiarly useful and pleasant to you. You will, of course, love and honour all your fellow students; but the idea of being equally attached to every individual, of a hundred companions, and equally intimate with every individual, would be at once unreasonable, and destructive of all valuable intimacy with any one. Special friendships are warranted by the example of the Saviour, and demanded by some of the best feelings of human nature. Nay, it seems to me not improbable that they will exist in heaven. While, therefore, you treat every brother with whom you are associated in study with uniform respect, and with every manifestation of brotherly kindness; you ought to be allowed the privilege, and to avail yours lf of the privilege, of having, among them, peculiarly beloved and intimate companions. This choice will, of course, be