ftoops a Youth, with confcious Self-Abafement in his Countenance; and holds a Scroll, infcribed with a Diagram; expreffing the joint Action of the centrifugal and centripetal Forces; as by the One, the Planets are continually endeavouring to fly off; but by the other, are perpetually drawn towards the Center of their Motion, SIC GRATIA DEI, Such is the Operation of divine Grace: correcting the irregular Impulse of our natural Depravity; determining our Defires to the Center of Happiness, and directing our Goings in the Cirle of Duty.-A Youth in the Middle, tranfported with Aftonishment at the ftupendous Syftem, and over-whelmed with Veneration for the Almighty Maker, on his bended Knees, with Hands and Eyes lifted up to Heaven, feems to pour out his very Soul in thofe emphatical Words, When I confider thy Heavens, the Work of thy Fingers, the Moon and the Stars which thou haft ordained.-Lord what is Man, that thou art mindful of him: and the Son of Man, that thou vifiteft him. Pf. viii. 3, 4.

ΤΟ

ΤΟ

PAUL ORCHARD,

OF

Stoke-Abbey, in Devon, Efq;

Dear SIR,

A

S your honoured Father was pleased to make Choice of

me, to answer in your Name

at the Font, and to exercife a Sort of Guardianship over your fpiritual Interefts; permit me, by putting thefe little Treatifes into your Hand, to fulfil fome Part of that folemn Obligation.

GRATITUDE for many fignal Favours, and a confcientious Regard to my facred

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facred Engagement, have long ago infpired my Breaft with the warmest Wishes, both for your true Dignity, and real Happiness. Nor can I think of a more endearing, or a more effectual Way, of advancing either the one or the other, than to fet before you a Sketch of your excellent Father's Cham racer.-Illustrious Examples are the most winning Incitements to Virtue: And none can come attended with fuch particular Recommendations to you, as the Pattern of that worthy Perfon, from whom, under a gracious God, you derive your very Be ingerola

A MOST Cordial and reverential Esteem for the Divine Word was one of his remarkable Qualities. Thofe Oracles of Heaven were his principal Delight, and his infeparable Companions. Your Gardens, your folitary Walks, and the Hedges of your Fields, can witnefs, with what an unwearied

wearied Affiduity He exercised Himself in the Law of the LORD. From hence He fetched his Maxims of Wisdom, and formed his Judgment of Things. The facred Precepts were the Model of his Tempers, and the Guide of his Life; while the precious Promises were the Joy of his Heart, and his Portion for ever.

IMPROVING Company was another of His most relifhing Pleafures. Few Gentlemen were better furnifhed, either with Richness of Fancy, or Copioufnefs of Expreffion, to bear a fhining Part in Conver fation. With thefe Talents He always endeavoured to give fome ufeful, and generally fome religious, Turn to the Discourse. Nor did He ever reflect, with greater Complacency, on His focial Hours, than when they tended to glorify the eternal Majesty, and to awaken in Himfelf and others a

more lively Spirit of Devotion.

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.To

To project for the Good of Others, was His frequent Study; and to carry those benevolent Contrivances into Execution, His favourite Employ. When vifited by the young Perfons of the Neighbourhood, far from taking an ungraceful Pride to initiate them in Debauchery, or confirm them in a riotous Habit; it was His inceffant Aim, by finely-adapted Perfuafives, to encourage them in Industry, and establish them in a Course of Sobriety; to guard them against the Allurements of Vice, and animate them with the Principles of Piety. A noble Kind of Hofpitality this! which will prabably transmit its beneficial Influence to their earthly Poffeffions, to their future Families, and even to their everlasting State.

A CONVICTION of human Indigence, and a thorough Perfuafion of the Divine All-fufficiency, induced Him to be frequent

in