my people doth not consider." The want of timely consideration, hath sent millions down to hell; and doubtless will many millions more. God tells us by the prophet, "Madness is in the heart of man while he lives; and after that, he goeth to the dead." "Oh, that men were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!"

ALTHOUGH that all-wise Providence, that fixes the bounds of every one's habitation, has been pleased so to locate most of my children, that I can enjoy but few personal interviews with them; yet I esteem it a rich privilege, that we can have epistolary intercourse, and thereby sympathize with each other, in prosperity or adversity; and also strengthen that mutual affection and cordiality, which distance and absence may in some instances weaken. The absence of my children, however, has no effect to diminish my attachments, but rather proves a stimulus to me, to embrace every opportunity of letting something drop from my pen, that by the blessing of God, may be of some little service to them, in the midst of "a crooked and perverse generation." The nearer I approach

the completion of those glorious hopes, which Christianity gives, the more ardent are my desires of promoting the eternal welfare of those most dear to me. My growing infirmities teach me, that my dissolution is approaching; when I must be unclothed, and put off this tabernacle of clay: but, if I am only fitted to be "clothed upon, with the robe of Christ's righteousness," it will be of little consequence to me, when the time comes.

It is incumbent upon all, whether old or young, who have named the name of Christ, to endeavour to "let their light so shine before men, that they may see their good works, and glorify their Father who is in heaven." Thus doing, they will convince the unthinking world around them, that religion yields its own reward, in the practice of it; that it is not a vain thing to serve the Lord.

I know my dear children will not think. strange of their old father's expressing so much concern for them. If you, for a moment, bring to mind your own, and other parent's feelings, you will by no means think my concern officious. I feel deeply interested in your present, but especially, in your future happiness.

It is but a short time since, my family was in a similar state with yours; a brood of little tender ones around me, looking up for parental aid; so that it is easy for me to realize all your anxious cares and troubles. And

knowing, from experience, how prone we are to let these worldly avocations steal away our hearts from God and duty, and engross our minds to the neglect of both; I am constrained, renewedly, to lay my parental injunction upon you, to set a double guard upon your heart, to prevent an inordinate anxiety about worldly interest, and a guilty decline in the service of God. Be very careful, not to lose a sense of your entire dependence on the unseen hand of Providence, for a blessing on your wordly concerns; and no less to enable you to growth in grace, and in the knowledge of your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Not

having lived so long as I have, you have not been so experimentally taught the danger of backsliding; and I pray that you may never feel the bitter remorse, which it occasions. It is one of the most difficult attainments of the Christian, to be as much concerned with the world, as duty requires; and yet, enabled to overcome its temptations. An industrious attention to secular concerns, is a positive duty. But it is difficult indeed, and needs much of the assistance of God's Spirit, to enable us to live above the world, while we live in it; and so to use it, as not to abuse it; or have our hearts captivated with its flattering charms, or inordinately drawn out after its pleasurable enjoyments. The God we profess to serve, is a jealous God; he will not suffer any rival in the hearts of his children. If we ungratefully suffer any thing of an earthly nature, to

occupy that room in our affections, which our rightful Sovereign claims as his due, he will remove the object from us; or, in some other way, chastise us for our idolatry. This he does in mercy, as well as judgment; for when an idol is enthroned in our hearts, we are made captives by it, and need the merciful interpositions of our abused God, to redeem us from the dangerous bondage. If we would live near to God, have our hearts devoted to his service, and enjoy his sensible presence, we must constantly keep a lively remembrance of him in our minds. Whereever we are, or whatever we are about, an abiding sense of his presence, must rest upon ns. "We must fear before him all the day, nor dare to sin." He must be the last in our thoughts when we retire to rest, and the first when we arise in the morning. The direction of our blessed Lord is, to pray always; that is, to be always in a proper frame of mind, to address the throne of Almighty grace: then we shall be frequent in ejaculatory supplications, which. some divines have thought, are more effectual, than set forms of prayer. My time fails me, and must prevent my pursuing the pleasing theme.

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Yours in much affection,

S. COLEMAN.

TO HIS DAUGHTER MRS. S, AT CLAREMONT.

Amherst, September 29, 1800.

MY DEAR CHILD,

I AM so often scribbling to you and the Doctor, that I fear I shall weary your patience; but if you reflect for a moment how near children are to parents, you will not wonder at it, but readily excuse me. You, already, have some faint idea of the tenderness of this connexion; but if you, and your dear babe live, you will find that your affection will increase, in proportion to its increase in years. Nothing so much interests a parent's heart, as the well being and happiness of his children.

There will be a last time of my writing to you; when, or how soon, God only knows. The young may die; the old must die." Of this truth, I trust, you are not unmindful: however, as we are naturally attached to the things of time and sense, and prone to have our minds taken up with the allurements of a gaudy and enticing world; to forget, or to put far away, the evil day; thinking that to-morrow must needs be as this day, and much more abundant, and that we have yet many days to live in the world; we need to be constantly reminded of that, which we already know perfectly well.

I am as well now, (for aught I know,) as before my last severe sickness. But I view that as a monitor of my approaching day of death. Old people are like old tattered buildings, that

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