❝ dear child in the broad way that leads to de"struction! my child an heir of hell! about to "be separated from me for ever.-Father of "mercies, deliver me from this most dreadful of “curses! spare, O spare my son, my hope, my "life-save, save him from perishing eternally! “In mercy to him, in mercy to me, prolong his "life; give him space for repentance; be not "provoked to cut off his days in the midst, while ❝his sins are unrepented of, while he continues "to be thy enemy. But O! stop his fatal ca“reer, bring him back to the shepherd and bi“shop of souls, to whose service I early devoted

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him, make him thine own, and then take him "to thyself whenever thou wilt.

"Go my son, with mine, with God's blessing, "may thousands of angels minister unto thee, may God himself be thy safeguard by land and

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by sea, by night and by day-be wise, be vir"tuous, be a christian, and give heavenly joys to "this bleeding heart. Farewell, we shall meet

no more on this earth: but I will, I must en“tertain the dear, the delightful hope of meeting "thee in the kingdom of God; my soul springs "forward to the blessed day, when I shall find "thee again, to enjoy thee for ever in a happier " and more exalted state."

Suffer me, my dear young man, to join my wishes, and prayers, and blessings to those of such an anxious and such an excellent parent: I trust she has not put up so many petitions in thy behalf, in vain: even now they are going to be answered, even now they are about to take effect: I know thou art determined to grant, at least, one half of her desire; I do not advise thee to quit thy profession, for an all-wise God, it is to be hoped, has over-ruled thy choice for good; it may prove useful to thy country, and profitable to thyself: but thou canst not, surely, refuse compliance with her ardent wishes for thy immortal soul, especially as thy own interest is here so deeply engaged. Surely thou art not already hardened; thou art not as yet got beyond all feeling, beyond remorse-thy habits of vice cannot have so soon taken full root. But I tremble to think of thy going to sea again in thy present condition, to a way of life not altogether friendly to religion, among companions no better, or worse than thyself. I should tremble for thee, even were I assured of thy being founded, established in principles and habits of virtue, for I well know the danger which arises to young, inexperienced minds, from bad advice, bad example, and the unfavourable circumstance of standing alone in the midst of many wicked: but when I add to all these dangers and disadvantages, thy own fa

tal propensity to sin, which needs neither fresh temptation nor opportunity, thy case seems almost desperate, thou appearest as a victim set apart for the slaughter. If the divine goodness interpose not, if this solemn warning be neglected, at what a pitch of vice and wretchedness mayest thou arrive. I see daily insensibility growing upon thee; I see thee waxing in sin; I see these seeds of wickedness fixing themselves, taking root and spreading in thy heart, occupying by little and little every corner of it; I see them springing up, under the accursed influence of those numberless showers of temptation, which fill the pestilential air wherein thou breathest, growing with thy growth, and strengthening with thy strength, till at length they yield their full crop of sorrow, till thou becomest a vessel of wrath fitted for destruction.What is to be done then?what? up, escape for thy life, look not behind thee, fly, "fly from the wrath to What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, "call upon thy God, if so be that God will "think upon thee, that thou perish not"-yet,

"come.

yet there is hope concerning thee, for God still "waiteth that he may be gracious, seek the Lord " while he may be found," break off thy sins by righteousness" behold now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation.”

Perhaps, unhappy youth, thou art an orphan, and hast none to care for thy body or thy soulrobbed in thy helpless years of father and mother, thy providers and protectors, thou hast, perhaps, been driven to sea by hard necessity-reduced to earn a scanty and a coarse morsel of bread with the sweat of thy brow, and at the perpetual hazard of thy life. Were this, however, the whole of thy misery, I should not stop a moment to pity thee; hardships such as these may be endured, and must soon come to an end :-I am thankful that necessity has done so much, for I daily see some in the same destitute condition, whom despair, confirmed by some other unhappy circumstances, has bound over to idleness, and all the horrid train of vices which attend it -whilst thou hast been determined to seek after some lawful provision for thy poor perishing body, whilst thou art somehow useful to society and to thyself-O that a much greater neces sity might drive thee a step farther-even to make provision for thy poor perishing soul. This is my earnest advice to you, this shall be my heart's desire and prayer to God concerning

you.

Brought up in poverty, and ignorance, and vice, it may be thou hast never till this day been

mend thee to his love; thou hast not been taught to pray for thyself-let me do it for thee, or rather let me put words in thine own mouth : go seek a corner for thyself, and thus pour out thy soul to the Father of spirits.

"Most merciful God and father, I fly unto "thee, because there is none else to whom I can

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fly; O let me find that relief from thy mercy, "which is no where else to be found: permit "me with the deepest humility to cast myself "before thy foot-stool, and to recommend my

destitute, lamentable state to thy divine pity " and assistance. Thou beholdest me, O God, a "miserable outcast; driven from among men ; "forsaken in infancy by those whom nature "should have disposed to cherish and protect me; delivered up as a prey to rags, and want, "and shame, and ignorance, and sin. Thanks "be to thy gracious and watchful providence, I

was not suffered to perish in these mournful "circumstances, but was miraculously pre"served in life, when every thing threatened to

rob me of it-when father and mother for"sook me, the Lord was graciously pleased to "take me up; I was cast upon thee from the "womb, and thou hast cared for me. But alas,