YOUTH.

WE earnestly befeech our friends, and efpecially the youth among us, to avoid all fuch converfation as may tend to draw out their minds into the foolish and wicked pastimes with which this age aboundeth (particularly balls, gamingplaces, horfe-races, and play-houses) thofe nurseries of debauchery and wickedness, the burthen and grief of the fober part of other societies, as well as of our own; practices wholly unbecoming a people under the Chriftian profeffion, contrary to the tenor of the doctrine of the gospel, and the examples of the best men in the earliest ages of the church. For as "Evil communications corrupt good manners," fo it is the duty of men profeffing religion, who live in this world in order to obtain a better, not only to "Shake their hands from holding of bribes, and stop their ears from hearing of blood," but alfo "to fhut their eyes from feeing of evil.” Ifai. xxxiii. 15. 1739.

And dearly beloved youth, in an humble sense of the continued vifitations of the Father's love, and experience of their bleffed effects, we entreat you, by the mercies of God, receive its holy impreffions, fubmit to its difcipline; this will preferve you from the deplorable effect of Satan's

transformations, infpire you with holy refolutions, and enable you to maintain them in all godly converfation, and purity of life and faith, adorning the doctrine of the gofpel by a blamelefs demeanour. True peace will then flow as a river in your own minds; and the fruits of the tree of righteoufnefs be brought forth to your inexpreffible confolation in Chrift, the revival of Zion's beauty, the rebuilding of her defolations, fo that, by and through you, the may yet appear beautiful to the fincere-hearted, but to her enemies terrible as an army with banners. 1751.