10, Ortogrul heard his flatterers without delight, because he found himself unable to believe them.  His own heart told him its frailties.  His own understanding reproached him with his faults.  How long, said he, with a deep sigh, have I been labouring in vain to amass wealth, which at last is useless?  Let no man hereafter wish to be rich, who is already too wise to be flattered.

Of the Scriptures, as the Rule of Life.

1.  As you advance in years and under standing, I hope you, will be able to examine for yourself the evidence of the Christian religion, and that you will be convinced, on rational grounds, of its divine authority.  At present, such enquiries would demand more study, and greater powers of reasoning, than your age admits of.  It is your part, therefore, till you are capable of understanding the proofs, to believe your parents and teachers, that the holy scriptures are writings inspired by God, containing a true history of facts, in which we are deeply concerned—­a true recital of the laws given by God to Moses, and of the precepts of our blessed Lord and Saviour, delivered from his own mouth to his disciples, and repeated and enlarged upon in the edifying epistles of his Apostles; who were men chosen from amongst those who had the advantage of conversing with our Lord, to bear witness of his miracles and resurrection—­and who, after his ascension, were assisted and inspired by the Holy Ghost.

2.  This sacred volume must be the rule of your life.  In it you will find all truths necessary to be believed; and plain and easy directions for the practice of every duty.  Your bible, then, must be your chief study and delight; but, as it contains many various kinds of writing—­some parts obscure and difficult of interpretation, others plain and intelligible to the meanest capacity—­I would chiefly recommend to your frequent perusal, such parts of the sacred writings as are most adapted to your understanding, and most necessary for your instruction.

3.  Our Saviour’s precepts were spoken to the common people amongst the Jews; and were therefore given in a manner easy to be understood, and equally striking and instructive to the learned and unlearned; for the most ignorant may comprehend them, whilst the wisest must be charmed and awed by the beautiful and majestic simplicity with, which they are expressed.  Of the same kind are the Ten Commandments, delivered by God to Moses; which, as they were designed for universal laws, are worded in the most concise and simple manner, yet with a majesty which commands our utmost reverence.

4.  I think you will receive great pleasure, as well as improvement, from the historical books of the Old Testament; provided you read them as an history in a regular course, and keep the thread of it in your mind as you go on.  I know of none, true or fictitious, that is equally wonderful, interesting, or affecting; or that is told in so short and simple a manner as this, which is of all histories the most, authentic.