Make your expenses a matter of conscience.

ever has been, and ever will be, so much of disgrace connected with being in debt, that you cannot be as useful while you owe. If you must be in debt, strive to make the bondage as light as possible, and seek for freedom the first hour that you can.

Finally, one of the very best safeguards against the least waste of property, is to consider yourself accountable to God for all that you have, that you must answer to him for its use or abuse; and especially if you have not of your own, but live by borrowing of others, will he hold you most strictly accountable for all that you expend. While you have no items on your book at which you cannot look with pleasure, be careful, also, to have your conscience, on this subject, enlightened by a regard to the eye of your God.

CHAPTER IX.

DISCIPLINE OF THE HEART.

My reader will have noticed, that I have said little or nothing thus far on the high subject of the moral feelings. The omission was designed; not that I deem this subject of small importance to the student, but because I wished to present each topic by itself, hoping thereby that the light which fell upon each would be stronger, and that thus each would make a deep and a distinct impression. The two chapters which now remain of this little book are, in my view, by far the most important of any; and I cannot but hope that they will receive the attention of the reader in proportion as they are important.

One of the first steps to be taken, if you would have a character that will stand by you in prosperity and in adversity, in life and in death, is to fortify your mind with fixed principles.

There is no period in life in which the heart is so much inclined to skepticism and infidelity as in youth. Not that young men are infidels, but the mind is tossed from doubt to doubt like a light boat leaping from wave to wave. There is no positive settling down into deism or infidelity, but the heart is so full of doubt

Infidel notions.

What sort of men are infidels ?

ing, that the mind has no position, in morals or religion, fortified. If the restraints of education are so far thrown off as to allow you to indulge in sin which is in any way disgraceful if known, you will then easily become an infidel. "The nurse of infidelity is sensuality. Youth are sensual. The Bible stands in their way. It prohibits the indulgence of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life.' But the young mind loves these things, and therefore it hates the Bible, which prohibits them. It is prepared to say, 'If any man will bring me arguments against the Bible, I will thank him; if not, I will invent them.' I never gathered from infidel writers, when an avowed infidel myself, any solid difficulties, which were not brought to my mind by a very young child of my own. Why was sin permitted?—What an insignificant world is this to be redeemed by the incarnation and death of the Son of God!-Who can believe that so few will be saved?' Objections of this kind, in the mind of reasoning young persons, prove to me that they are the growth of fallen nature. del arguments, there is no weight in them.

As to infi

They are jejune and refuted. Infidels are not themselves convinced by them. What sort of men are infidels? They are loose, fierce, overbearing men. There is nothing in them like sober and serious inquiry. They are the wildest fanatics on earth. Nor have they agreed among themselves on any scheme of truth

Testimony of one who had been an infidel.

and felicity. Look at the need and necessities of man. Every pang of grief tells a man that he needs a helper; but infidelity provides none. And what can its schemes do for you in death?' Examine your conscience. Why is it that you listen to infidelity? Is not infidelity a low, carnal, wicked game? Is it not the very picture of the prodigal,-Father, give me the portion of goods which falleth to me?' will a man be an infidel? Draw out the

Why, wHY map of the road of infidelity. It will lead you to such stages, at length, as you could never suspect."

This is the testimony of one who had faithfully travelled the road of infidelity; a man whose testimony would have rung through the world, had he continued a low, grovelling, sensual infidel; but whose testimony has never been noticed by infidels, since he became a better man, and an eminent Christian. I will here put it to my reader to say, whether he can recollect, in all he has known of men from history or observation, a great, discriminating and efficient mind, -a mind that has blessed the world in any degree,which was thoroughly imbued with infidel principles? Take the writings of such a mind, and you will be astonished at the vulgarity, sophistry, puerility, and weakness, which are continually marking its progress. Suppose him a politician. In the unpublished language of a young friend of mine," it may be said that "it his religion has nothing to do with his political opin

No safety in opinions if religious views are loose.

ions. But this is not clear: it is justly remarked by some writer, I know not whom,' that the mind which has been warped and biased upon one great subject, is not safely trusted upon another.' And can we say of a man, 'It is true that the evidences of the Christian religion, which carry along with them the soundest judgments, and the most profound minds, did not meet a reception in his? It is true that his intellect did not lead him to such conclusions on this subject as we consider to be the necessary conclusions of a balanced mind,—but yet, in politics, he was great, deep, searching, divine!" Learning, poetry, and literature, walk hand in hand under the light of the gospel. They are destined to do so; and no where else on earth can they now be found. It is absolutely impossible for any mind, amid all this light, to veil itself in infidelity, and expect to be known, revered, or influential among men. Were there no warpings of the mind, and no outrages committed upon it, when it was led to embrace infidelity, still it asks too much of its fellows, when it demands admittance to thejr communion, and asks permission to reach other minds, when it pretends to pour nothing but the cold light of a December evening upon them. There is so little of sympathy between the mind of an infidel and the enlightened, Christian part of the community, that, if he hopes to have any influence upon men, it must be who have already made shipwreck of character and

upon

those