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private security. This plan may answer very well for him whose disposition and character permit him frequently to contend, and to resort to legal measures; but is by no means suitable for one who can hardly take the proper steps, in the plainest case, to obtain his just due, without subjecting himself to invidious remark, and from no quarter more commonly or severely than from those worldly men, who are themselves, every day, plunged and steeped in such proceedings. Men in other stations, of the best character, may sue their debtors, may foreclose mortgages, and get rightly their own, without injury to putation. But a clergyman cannot pected to bear with endless delays; to forgive debts, where it is not entirely convenient to pay them; and to surrender claims where the richest man in the land would not be expected to do it On all these accounts, and others which might be mentioned, be not fond of investing property in any kind of private securities, unless they be of a peculiar y firm and eligible kind. Publick stocks, of the most secure character, are greatly pref rable; because the interest on them is paid the moment it is due, without dunning or trouble; because they may be turned into cash at any hour; and because neither holding nor selling them is likely to drag their owner before the publick

view in a commercial attitude. For the same reason, be not fond of investing property in small tenements, the renting of which will be apt to bring you in constant collision with tenants, who, more than half the time, will be unable or unwilling to pay you your rent. Such property, you will always find to give you much trouble, and yield you little profit. Whereas the true policy of every minister of the gospel is, to place all his property, as far as practicable, in such a situation, as will give him the least possible trouble, or even care, occupy as little as may be of his time, and render his moderate profits regular and certain.

16. Finally; GUARD WITH THE UTMOST VIGILANCE, AGAINST THE ENCROACHMENTS OF A GRASPI G, MERCENARY SPIRIT. That a minister should desire to be furnished with a decent and comfortable support for his beloved family; that he should even be desirous, if it be the will of God, to leave something behind him to preserve a widow and children from utter beggary, every man who has a family, and domestick feelings, will think both natural and reasonable. But the moment one who occupies the sacred office goes beyond this moderate and reasonable wish; the moment a strong and governing desire of accumulating property takes possession of his mind, he may bid adieu to all steady ministerial zeal, to all exemplary

devotedness to his Master's work. Preach with orthodoxy, and some degree of animation, he may; visit his parishioners, to a certain extent, he may; but a devoted labourer in the vineyard; a labourer who has one great object in view, the extension and glory of his Master's kingdom, and who makes all his pursuits subservient to that object, he will not be. Few things, rely upon it, are more hostile to the spirit of piety, and of ministerial fidelity, than a spirit of worldly acquisition. It is just as true of a minister as of any other professing christian, that "no man can serve two masters." If you should ever be so unhappy and criminal, as t give yourself up to the spirit of worldly gain, it will eat out the vitals of your comfort, your zeal and your usefulness. It will exhibit you, like Samson to the Philistines, a poor, enervated, despoiled object. is just as impossible for a man to be a great accumulator of property, and at the same time a faithful, devoted minister of Christ, as it is to establish a fellowship between light and darkness, Christ and Belial.

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LETTER XIV.

Let all things be done decently and in or1 COR. xiv. 40.

der.

MISCELLANEOUS COUNSELS.

MY DEAR YOUNG FRIEND,

I CANNOT consent to close this manual, although, perhaps, already too much protracted, without calling your attention to a few counsels not included in any of the foregoing Letters. In stating these, I shall not be studious of any regular order.

1. Be careful to FORM THE HABIT OF SCRUPULOUS PUNCTUALITY TO ALL YOUR ENGAGEMENTS.

The importance of this habit is very great, as already mentioned, even while you are a student in the Seminary. But if you should live to be clothed with the sacred office, and to form the numerous and diversified engagements which will be likely to mark evey week, if not every day, of your subsequent

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course, you will see, if I mistake not, a degree of importance attached to this matter, not easily calculated. When you have appointed a day and an hour for the performance of any duty, or to meet other persons on business, you have made a contract, which cannot be innocently broken, unless the Providence of God render the fulfilment of it impossible Every time you are guilty of such violation, you may greatly incommode, and even seriously injure, one or more individual, and sometimes many individuals, by compelling them to waste precious time in waiting for you. What right have you to do this? Is it not as real a robbery as taking a purse? How men professing to be conscientious, and to have any just estimate of the value of time, can allow themselves to aet thus, I have always been at a loss to understand. There is a degree of complicated mischief about it, which, whatever others may do, clergymen ought certainly to abhor. Let me entreat you whether you regard your duty or your reputation; your own time, or the time of others;-to be rigorously punctual to every appointment. Establish a character for punctuality, and you will find the great advantage of it, not only in obtaining the confidence of those with whom you may be called to transact business; but also in promoting a similar habit among those with whom you associate.

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