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ADVICE

TO A

YOUNG STUDENT.

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The INTRODUCTION.

HE Design of this, is to be instead of a perpetual Guide and Monitor to a young Student, till he takes a Degree. I fuppofe him pose him not without a Tutor to direct, inftruct, and admonish him, as Occafion may require; but be a Tutor ever fo diligent, with any confiderable Number of Pupils, he cannot be fo particular and frequent in his Inftructions and Advice to each of them as might be wifhed, or may be neceffary to their well-doing. To remedy this Inconvenience, I have drawn up this Syftem or Manual of Rules and Directions, to be ready at hand for a young Student's Ufe, from the Time of his first coming to College. He will find here more perhaps than any Tutor can have Time to fay to every one of his Pupils; and this fmall Treatife lying on the Table before him, may ferve better than a Tutor's repeating

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repeating and inculcating fuch Advices a thoufand times over: Or if a Tutor is abfent, or busy, or forgetful, or indifpos'd, or any other Ways hinder'd, the Student may go on in his Business and his Duty, if he will but carefully obferve the Rules that are here prefcrib'd. It is, I am afraid, too true, that many young Students miscarry, making little or no Progress in their Studies, or throwing them entirely afide, and giving themselves up to Idlenefs and Debauchery, for want of being put into a good Method at first, or of a right Understanding of what they ought to do: For, being at a Lofs where to begin, and how to proceed, they often throw away a great deal of Time, either in fruitlefs or improper Studies, or in doing nothing at all: And being tir'd of this, they afterwards feek out for Paftimes; and falling in with bad Company, take ill Courses, and fo run headlong to their own Ruin.

If the following Papers may any way ferve to prevent fuch fatal Mifcarriages, and help any young Student to be both a better Man, and a better Scholar, than otherwise he might be, (and it is to be hop'd that with God's Bleffing, and due Care, they may) then the Design of them is fufficiently anfwer'd, in obtaining fo good an End.

I fhall begin with fome few Advices and Directions to a good and fober Life; and afterwards proceed to lay down a Method of Study, with special Rules and Inftructions relating thereto.

I

CHA P. I.

Directions for a Religious and Sober Life.

T is not my Defign to give you your whole Duty towards God, your Neighbour, and yourself; which would be too large a Tafk, and is needlefs, because you may find it done already by many excel

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lent Authors in Print; fome of which you should conftantly have by you. You are to confider, that you are fent to the University, to be train'd up for God's Glory, and to do Good in the World: Remember therefore, in the firft Place, and above all Things, to ferve your Creator Night and Day. This is your greatest Wisdom, and will be your greatest Happiness Without this, you must be wretched and miferable, both now and for ever. Endeavour then

firft to be religious, next to be learned: It is fomething to be a good Scholar; but it is much more to be a good Chriftian. A fober Man, with but a moderate Share of Learning, will be always preferable in the Sight of God, and even of Men too, or however of all wife Men, to the most Learned who want Grace or Goodness. Now in order to live a religious and fober Life, obferve carefully the following Directions.

1. Be conftant, Morning and Evening, to the Prayers at Chapel. This is a plain neceffary Duty; and no young Student can reafonably hope for God's Bleffings on his Studies, or any Thing else, who flights and neglects it. Custom will make rifing in the Morning both eafy and pleasant, provided you go to fleep in due Time; which you fhould by all Means do. Never fit up late at Night, no, not to ftudy; for befides, that Learning fo got, is too dearly bought, at the Expence of your Health or Eyefight: Sitting up late, will certainly tempt you to mifs Prayers the next Morning, or perhaps make you fleep over them, and diforder you all the Day, and fo hinder your Progrefs in Study, much more than a few Hours over Night can further it.

2. Besides publick Prayers, be fure always to use in your Chamber fome fhort private Devotions: Have fome Book of Devotion for this Purpofe, fuch as, The Whole Duty of Man, the New Whole Duty of B 2

Man,

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