h you.

"Transact in such manner, with secular persons, with whom you have
familiarity or friendship, as if you thought they might one day become
your enemies: by this management of yourself, you will neither do nor say
any thing of which you may have reason to repent you, and with which they
may upbraid you in their passion. We are obliged to these precautions, by
the sons of a corrupt generation, who are continually looking on the
children of light with mistrustful and malignant eyes.

"You ought not to have less circumspection in what relates to your
spiritual advancement; and assure yourself you shall make a great
progress in contemning of yourself, and in union with God, if you
regulate all your words and actions by prudence. The Examen, which we
call particular, will assist you much in it. Fail not of doing it twice a
day, or once at least, according to our common method, whatsoever
business you have upon your hands.

"Preach to the people the most frequently that you can, for preaching is
an universal good; and amongst all evangelical employments, there is none
more profitable: but beware of advancing any doubtful propositions, on
which the doctors are divided: take for the subject of your sermons clear
and unquestionable truths, which tend of themselves to the regulation of
manners: set forth the enormity of sin, by setting up that infinite
Majesty which is offended by the sinner: imprint in souls a lively horror
of that sentence, which shall be thundered out against reprobates at the
last judgment: represent, with all the colours of your eloquence, those
pains which the damned are eternally to suffer. In fine, threaten with
death, and that with sudden death, those who neglect their salvation; and
who, having their conscience loaded with many sins, yet sleep in
security, as if they had no cause of fear.

"You are to mingle with all these considerations that of the cross, and
the death of the Saviour of mankind; but you are to do it in a moving
pathetical manner; by those figures which are proper to excite such
emotions, as cause in our hearts a deep sorrow for our sins, in the
presence of an offended God, even to draw tears from the eyes of your
audience. This is the idea which I wish you would propose to yourself,
for preaching profitably.

"When you reprove vices in the pulpit, never characterise any person,
especially the chief officers or magistrates. If they do any thing which
you disapprove, and of wh