SECTION X. THE GOOD MASTER AND THE HARD SERVANT. ALL young persons who are inclined to anger, enmity, and revenge, should, for their instruction and improvement, often and attentively read what Jesus has told us of the noble-minded conduct of the good lord or master, in forgiving one of his servants a great debt at his own particular request; and what Jesus has told us too, of the hardness or cruelty with which this servant, after he had received this favour, treated a fellow-servant, who owed him but a small sum. It throws light upon what I told you on page 63; how you must be ready to forgive, if you would have God hear your prayers and forgive you. God is ready to forgive young persons, as well as others, their sins, and do them great good here, and also hereafter, if they repent, reforming their disposition to anger, enmity, and revenge. If, however, they fail of this condition, and, notwithstanding God is ready to forgive them, show themselves unkind, unforgiving, and revengeful, let them remember that they will be seized and thrown into prison, -a dark, gloomy prison, at last. Let such thoughts as these pass through your youthful minds, and excite you to serious reflections and efforts upon this subject: "God and my parents and teachers have much to bear with, and treat very indulgently in me, a weak and erring child. Instead of punishing me often and with severity, as they might do, they forgive me the punishment I deserve, treat me with tenderness and friendship, and show me a thousand favours. Surely then it is reasonable and just that I should suppress all anger and hatred and grudging in my own breast, and like them learn to THE GOOD MASTER AND THE HARD SERVANT. 149 bear with forgiving patience the faults of others, and with a willing mind to do good to those who have injured me. Moreover, it would make me very unhappy if I should not forgive my brothers, sisters, and playmates, the wrongs they do me; for then my heavenly Father would not forgive me my sins against him; I shall never obtain happiness after death, unless I have his forgiveness. I hope I shall ever remember this, and cultivate kindness, forbearance, and forgiveness in my very heart towards all offenders, feeling that God only prevents ine from being as bad as the worst, and that I am now a guilty sinner in his presence, and have no hope of pardon but what comes through Jesus. 66 6 "Yes, my soul was once forfeited, and so were all souls. But he who had the power of us, and might best have taken the advantage of our sins and crimes, dealt kindly with us, took pity on us, and himself found out a remedy. O what should we do, if he who is the judge and sovereign of all, should but judge us as we are! Let me think of this, and I am sure that kindness and mercy will breathe within my lips.' Let me, when I feel hard and unforgiving, go to the cross of Jesus, look there upon my suffering Saviour, and think how he came there: "Sinful soul, what hast thou done? Murder'd God's eternal Son; and I am sure I shall not feel inclined to treat any of my fellow-creatures on earth with severity, but be rather disposed to weep over their sins." Go to Calvary,-raise thine eyes Flows the crimson down the tree! "Tis Immanuel bleeds and dies, Can a sinner e'er forget How his crimes were cancell'd here, Use a fellow-worm severe ? No, though bitter be the task, Like my Saviour now in heaven, I'll forgive and only ask, In my turn to be forgiven. II.-REFLECTIONS, ETC. ON PARTICULAR DISCOURSES AND PARABLES OF JESUS. SECTION XI. ON DEATH. I AM young, active, and healthy; but I will not therefore venture to give myself up to youthful lusts and pleasures, thinking myself secure from death. If I should do so, my end might come before I was prepared for it,— in a manner altogether sudden and unexpected. I would ever remember the case of the rich man, of whom the Saviour tells me in the Testament. He thought thus within himself: "I have goods enough collected together for many years. I will now quit labour, and, having built larger and carefully stowed them all away, betake myself to the real enjoyment of life,—I will eat, drink, and make merry." But God thought differently, and said to him, “Thou fool, this night shalt thou die.” Besides, I remember a number of my playmates have died. There was Mary and John, who went to the sab SOLILOQUY ON DEATH. 151 bath school with me, and one of whom belonged to my class; they were sick but a little while, and died very suddenly; and they were both younger than I am. And when the instructor told me the other day for a composition, to describe the grave-yard, and to copy some of the most interesting epitaphs I found there, I recollect I was astonished at the number of short graves, with the children in five of which I had been acquainted; and the graves of three of them were quite new. Not long Nor shall I soon forget one of the epitaphs: "A flower. It bloomed in the morning and withered at night." It recalled to my mind a piece of poetry in my sister Olive's Album about the morning-glory. She saw a morningglory just opening, early in the day, and was delighted with it; and having cut off a large piece of the vine on which it grew, carried it into her room; but she had plucked it too early; before noon it withered and died. after, a friend to whom she had told the circumstance wrote the following piece for her, in her Album. I have thought of it often since, and I hope as I repeat it I shall never forget, that though I am young and active and well, I am not too young and active and well, to sicken and die; or to lose my life by some accident, as many others have done. THE MORNING-GLORY. Olive, call to mind the story Of the flower you pluck'd so soon; I have pluck'd me many a flower, Seen them wither and decay. On a rose-bush, slightly shaded, Two sweet buds I lately found; In one hour they bloom'd and faded, Such is life,-in fairest story, Prove, my child, fair Virtue's flower; SECTION XII. ON HUMILITY. WHAT an excellent rule of prudence and modesty is that, which Jesus laid down, while he was sitting at meat with a company of people full of pride, and extremely jealous of their rank! 66 When thou art invited to a feast or a wedding," said he, "do not go at once and sit down in the highest place. A more distinguished guest than thou art may come in, and then thou shalt be obliged with shame to take a lower seat. Rather take at once the lowest seat, and then thou wilt receive honour, if thou art directed to a higher one." And very excellent, too, is the moral sentiment which |