OCR Text |
Show folliciting our Senfes, are, through our Weaknefs, fo powerful, that we are in the utmo!l: Danger, efpecially in the unthinking, and unexperienced Years of Youth, in fpite of the repeated Injunctions df Parents and Teachers, <Jf breaking loofe from the peaceful Ways we have been taught to walk in, and of wandering into the crooked Paths of Vice and Folly. And, •las, who can tell, but I may live to fee the Day, when you, or fome other of my Flock, fhall wander like lo!l: Sheep, and fall in among the devouring Wolves of this WorlcJ? When Temptation fhalllollicit, when Vittue fhall fleep, and frail Nature lhall fall. The time may come, when the Cares, the Deceits, or the Terrors of this World may prevail; when you may even give yourfelf up to be led captive by Satan at his Will. The Spirit of God may be fo provoked again!l: you, as to leave you to yourfelf; and then the Ad vices, the Commands, the I ntreatic, the Prayers, and Interceflions of Parents, Teachers, and Friends, and even the Redemption purchafed by our Saviour him!Clf, will feem as Jolt upon you. My Heart finks within me at the Thought, that a Soul, I have had the Care of, fhould ever be in the leafi Danger-of final Ruin ;. that one, whom I have laboured to fit and prepare for Ufefulnefs in this Life, and for Glory in a better, fhould have the leafi Chance of degenerating fo far, as to become a Nufance on Earth, and a VelTe! fit for Defirucrion hereafter. Shouid I ever lee any of thofe, whofe amiable Form, in the Years of Youth and Innocence, has fo often delighted my Eye, and foftened my Heart with Tendernefs next to that of a Parent; fuoulJ 1 ever fee any of them fpoiled, and de-l bauched ( 53 ) r.auched with Vice and Folly: Should I ever feethofe Eyes, which I have fo often viewed with Pleafure, and fancied I have feen in them the Dawning of every manly Virtue, inflamed with Lu!l: or Drunkennefs; fhould I hear that Tongue whofe innocent Prattle has fo often charmed me' uttering Impieties, or Obfcenities; or find tha~ Mind, whofe Faculties I endeavoured to cultivate with ufeful and ornamental Knowledge, and to enrich with every virtuous Principle, debafed and funk with Falfhood, Senfuality, or Covetoufnefs, and my noble!l: Work * defaced and ruined ; or ·fbould I hereafter- how fhall I exprefs it ? -Should I fee a Soul, in whofe everla!l:ing Happinefs I hoped to triumph, and which l thought to have among others for a Crown of rejoicing to me in the great Day of Retribution, driven out from God and I;llifs, and condemned to the Pun ifhment prepared for the irrecoverably Wicked-0 fearful Profpecr! 0 !l:anling Thought! The Horror of it overpowers me. I hope better things however, my dear Friend. and that this will never be the dreadful Cafe of any of you. But, as any Pcrfon, in a State of Trial, may be in danger of mifcarrying, if it fhould fo happen (which may God, of his infinite Goodnefs, prevent) that you fhould hereafter, through the Force of Temptation, or by the powerful, and almofi irrefi!l:ible Influence of bad Company, be for fome time hurried down the Stream with the Multitude; if you fhould be fo unwife, and fo unhappy, as, for a time, to * " Look to yourfelves, that we lofe· not what w~ " have wrought, &c." z JohJJ 8. forget |