their duty must hurry themselves, and their sanction and example hurry their companions, into certain destruction. Let me advise the young ecclesiastic, to encourage if he has, and endeavour to attain if he has not, a propensity to reading; by habit he will acquire a fondness for his books, and this habit will preserve him from the danger I have just pointed out, and it will be a source of profit and pleasure to him during his whole life.

The last hint I shall give to my younger brethren upon the subject of habit, but by no means the least important, is, to adopt the practice of self-examination. It

was

was the advice of Pythagoras to his pupils:

Μηδ' ύπνου μαλακοισιν επ' ομμασι προσ δεξασθαι

Πριν των ἡμερινων εργων τρις έκαστον επελθειν.

Never to suffer their eyes to sleep nor their eyelids to slumber, before they had thrice reflected upon the actions of the past day.

.

Self-examination is a wholesome and useful exercise to every one. But to those who have dedicated themselves to the service of the Church, it is a highly important, if not a necessary duty, frequently to take a review of their conduct; "to call their ways to remembrance."

Con

Consideration is the grand desideratum in the conduct of human life, and it ever has been. "O that they were wise," says the Almighty of the children of Israel, through his servant Moses, "O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end." Few are ignorant of what they ought to do; but many are inattentive. Day after day closes upon great numbers, without one gleam of thought 'breaking in upon their minds, whether its occupation has been useful, or unprofitable, or hurtful; whether their time has been employed to the glory of God, and the good of their fellow creatures, or has been wasted

in idle or sinful dissipation; or what account they shall be able to give of its transactions at the great and general audit.

Whoever rigidly adheres to the practice of self-examination, will not, I think, deviate far from the way wherein he should walk. Conscience by this means kept always awake, and at her post, whenever indolence or the indulgence of personal gratification is tempting him to waste, or misapply, a day which should be devoted to useful employment, conscience will whisper an admonition in his ear; but should this prove ineffectual, when the internal monitor is placed in the seat of authority, and is called, at the close of the day to give judg

ment upon its transactions, then her voice will be heard; and the sensations attendant upon her disapprobation, will be too uneasy to induce a repetition of that conđuct, which occasioned them.

I do therefore earnestly recommend the custom of the heathen moralist, to the Christian pastor. Let him, ere he composes himself fo rest at night, or before he goes forth from his chamber in the morning, recall the actions of the past day; try them by the rule of his duty, and pass an impartial judgment upon them." Passion will cease," says Seneca, "or become cool, when it knows it is every day to be called to account."