e fallen in with
his own plan, which he has appointed for the salvation of guilty
sinners; and rested your soul upon his word of promise that you shall
be saved. You have, at the same time, dedicated and devoted your soul,
your body, your time, your talents, your substance, your influence,
all that you are and have, to be disposed of at his pleasure, and for
his glory, in the world. You are no longer your own. You are bought
with a price, adopted into the family of God, numbered with and
entitled to all the privileges of his children. Your motives of
action, your views, your interests, are all different from those of
the worldling. Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, your aim
must be, and will be, to do all to his glory. This must go with you,
and be your ruling principle in all the walks of life. By your
integrity, uprightness, diligence, and disinterested attention to the
interest of your employers, you will glorify God and have his presence
with you in business. By a due and marked observance of the Sabbath,
and attendance on the ordinances, you will glorify him. By regularity,
order, and temperance, crowned with an open acknowledgment of God
before all who may surround your board, you will glorify him in an
especial manner in these days of degeneracy, and, crowned with family
worship, you will glorify him, and his presence will be with you, and
great will be your comfort. God's interest in the world must also be
yours. The good of his church in general, and that of your own family
in particular; and O, my son, if you would be rich in comfort, follow
the Lord fully, and follow him openly; and if you would do it so as to
suffer the least from the sneer of the world, do it at once.

"Already you have received congratulations on your joining the
church, by those belonging to it; soon will it be known to those who
will scoff at it. But Christians and worldlings will look for
consistency; and if it be wanting, the last will be the first to mark
it. A decided character will soon deliver you from all solicitations
to what may be even unseemly, and dignified consistent conduct will
command respect. Not but the Lord may let loose upon you the
persecuting sneer and banter of the wise of this world, whose esteem
you wish to preserve; but, if he do, the trial will be particular, and
he will support you under it, and bring his glory and your good out
of it.

"And now, my son, suffer the word of exhortation.