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of amusement, and to grow familiar with thefe ferious truths in the houfe of mourning. There we may learn to meet our own change in peace, and be prepared to pass with hope to the great tribunal. There we may cultivate that lively faith in the merciful Redeemer of the world, that will fhed light and joy on the valley of the fhadow of death, and wholly remove thofe ignoble and impious fears of dying that difcompofe the latter end of finners. There we may contemplate the vain, the tranfitory, and uncertain nature of earthly things that are unworthy to attach our hearts. It is only when we recollect that we are united to this world by a momentary tie, and to the world to come by eternal relations, that we fhall defpife, as reasonable beings ought to do, the fantastic occupations of the diffipated and the idle, and cultivate the folid and immortal hopes of piety. These are lessons not taught in the houfe of feafling. There man seems to poffefs a power of happiness independent and fecure-the vicifitudes, and the period of life, are hidden behind the mifts in which fenfual pleafures involve the reafon. He is lured on ftep by step, in a fatal oblivion of eternity till the dreadful

moment when he is called all unprepared to plunge into it.

The whole object of the prefent discourse is to teach us caution and moderation in indulging the pleasures of fenfe. Univerfally criminal they are not-On this subject the Creator has indicated his will by the powers of enjoyment with which we are endued, and the objects, evidently defigned to gratify them, with which we are furrounded. But, liable to great abufe through the infirmity and corruption of human nature, they require to be reftrained by a firm and conítant rein. There is a moderate bound within which they are lawful. Chearfulness is a virtue-though levity is a vice-Amusement, enjoyed as a relaxation from the grave and important duties of life, is to be allowed-dillipation, as an enemy to all good principle, is to be condemned. Temperate pleasures may be rendered favourable not only to the enjoy ments, but the duties of life-inordinate indulgence leads to the proftration of every generous and noble affection of the heart. The bleffings of providence, tafted with moderation and received with thankfulncfs,

serve to ftrengthen the principle of pietyabused to intemperance, they corrupt, and at length, destroy both body and foul.

Life is a ferious thing. It is the commencement of an endleis being. It is the only period of our probation for immortality. Every action here is impreffing fome character upon our destiny. And the whole feries of our conduct in time is to form the subject of one vaft reckoning at the bar of God. Although the chearfulness of conscious innocence, and the ferenity of pious hope become a good man, levity is unsuitable to his ftate. And frequent entrance into the light and thoughtlefs fcenes of the house of feafting, even in youth, is unworthy a rational and immortal being who is encompaffed with fuch ferious prospects, and has duties of fuch high importance to fulfil. With referve, therefore, indulge pleasure. Never facrifice to it one duty either to God, or to man. Preferve, in your lawful amusements, a a collected mind, habitually attentive to the great deftinations of life. Chaften your joy, knowing that, for every idle word, and for every idle thought, you must render an account.

Remember the prefence of God, and join trembling with your mirth.-Look forward to that period, not far remote, when the fun, the moon, or the stars fhall no longer Shine on your tabernacle-when the filver cord of life fhall be loofed, and the golden bowl fhall be broken, when the frail pitcher Shall be broken at the fountain, and the wheel broken at the cifern-then fhall the duft return to the earth as it was, and the fpirit fhall return to God who gave it.* Meditations

* Eccles. xii. This is a fine collection of images in the caftern file to exprefs the period of life. The thread of life is a familiar image in the poetry of all nations, which is here represented as a filver cord for its preciousness and delicacy. The only part of the imagery which will be cbfcure to an American or European reader is the following-when the pitcher fhall be broken at the fountain, and the wheel fhall be broken at the ciftern. In the fouth of Afia and in Egypt, where there were few ftreams, water, fo neceffary for the ufes and fuftenance of life, was fought for in wells, or collected in cifterns. From hence it was drawn with pitchers or other fimilar veffels, by young maidens, or the daughters of the family, for domeftic ufes; or, it was raised by a wheel, and diftributed into the troughs and refervoirs at which the herds came to drink. When the pitcher, that had so often gone and returned fafe, was at laft broken at the fountainwhen the wheel, that raifed the flood from the cistern, and threw it along the Channels prepared for the cattle, was deftroyed, the waters were no longer collected. Thefe refreshing ftreams, fo neceffary to the comfort and fuftenance of nature, ceased to flow. Thefe circumftances are employed as figures, fimple but beautiful, to exprefs the rupture of that frail veffel that contains the fountain of life; or the ceffation

on death do not difturb the innocent, they alarm only the guilty confcience-They do not cover life with gloom, and destroy its pleasures, as the licentious imagine-They only render pleasure temperate and wife. Frequently enter into the house of mourning-and, always, when it comes in competition with the houfe of feafting, give the preference to this fchool of humanity and ferioufnefs-for it is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart.- -Thefe feafons of tender and virtuous grief may nourish pious reflections, and bring to maturity the hopes and difpofitions of heaven, that would have decayed and perifhed a midft the ardent and barren pleafures of fenfe. Happy they who, ly the fadness of the countenance have the heart made betterwho are taught, by the afflictions that are in the world to look far above its tranfitory

of the action of the heart that throws its precious ftreams along the channels of the veins. Thofe who comult the commentators on this paffage, will find, in the greater part of them, many infipid and ridiculous criticiinis, as if the facred writer, instead of employing a beautiful poetical image, intended to give us a pedantic and enigmatical fyf tem of anatomy.

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