Theed jar otherwile:-No doubt, numdes of all is elcape unhurt, and get off this dangerous iea without fhipwreck. Yet are ther not to be reckoned amongst the more fortunate adventurers ;—and though one would not abfolutely prohibit

be attempt, or be fo cynical as to condenn every one who tries it, fince there are to many, I fuppofe, who cannot well ci ocherwile, and whole condition and Aaverion in life unavoidably force them mon it-ra we may be allowed to deKeribe this fair and flattering coast—we mer point out the unfufpected dangers of and warn the unwary passenger Where ther lie. We may fhew him what Amands A's youth and inexperience will ron box little he can gain by the venremy and dow moch witer and better it would be (as is implied in the text) to tiva vocations rather to improve his little flock of virtue, than incautiously expose it to to enogral a chance, where the best he can hope is to return fafe with what preanne he carried out-but where, probably, he may be to unfortunate as to

lofe it all be loft himself, and undone

for ever.

Thus much for the houfe of feafting s which, by the way, though generally open at other times of the year throughout the world, is fuppofed, in christian countries, now every where to be univerfally fhut up. And, in truth, I have been more full in my cautions against it, not only as reafon requires,-but in reverence to this feafon*, wherein our church exacts a more particular forbearance and self-denial in this point, and thereby adds to the restraints upon pleafure and entertainments which this representation of things has fuggefted against them already.

Here, then, let us turn afide from this gay fcene; and fuffer me to take you with me for a moment to one much fitter for your meditation. Let us go into the house of mourning, made fo by fuch afflictions as have been brought in, merely by the common crofs accidents and

dffers to which our condition is exsolat,—whers, perhaps, the aged papeats for broken-hearted, pierced to their fouls with the folly and indifcretion of a thank ef's child-the child of their prayer, in whom all their hopes and expecrat ons centered:-perhaps a more affeiting icene-a virtuous family lying pinched with want, where the unfortu Aute fupport of it having long fru.zgled with a train of misfortunes, and bravely fought up against them-is now piteoufly borne down at the laft-overwhelmed with a cruel blow which no forecaft or frugality could have prevented.-O GOD! look upon his afflictions-Behold him diffrafted with many forrows, furrounded with the tender pledges of his love, and the partner of his cares-without bread to give them, unable, from the remembrance of better days, to dig;—to beg, afhamed.

When we enter into the house of mourning, fuch as this-it is impoflible to infult the unfortunate even with an improper look-Under whatever levity

and diffipation of heart, fuch objects catch our eyes, they catch likewife our attentions, collect and call home our fcattered thoughts, and exercise them. with wifdom. A tranfient scene of diftrefs, fuch as is here fketched, how foon does it furnish materials to fet the mind at work? how neceffarily does it engage it to the confideration of the miferies and misfortunes, the dangers and calamities to which the life of man is fubject? By holding up fuch a glafs before it, it forces the mind to fee and reflect upon the vanity, the perishing condition and uncertain tenure of every thing in this world. From reflections of this ferious caft, how infenfibly do the thoughts carry us farther?-and from confidering, what we are what kind of world we live in, and what evils befal us in it, how naturally do they fet us to look forwards at what poffibly we fhall be?-for what kind of world we are intended-what evils may befal us there-and what provifion we should make against them here, whilft we have time and opportunity.

If these leffons are so infeparable from the house of mourning here fuppoledwe fhall find it a ftill more inftructive fchool of wifdom when we take a view of the place in that more affecting Eight in which the wife man seems to confine it in the text, in which, by the houfe of mourning, I believe, he means that particular scene of forrow, where there is lamentation and mourning for the dead.

Turn in hither, I beseech you, for a moment. Behold a dead man ready to be carried out, the only fon of his mother, and fhe a widow. Perhaps a more affecting fpectacle-a kind and indulpent father of a numerous family, lies breathlefs fnatched away in the frength of his age-torn in an evil hour from his children and the bofom of a difconfolate wife.

Behold much people of the city gathered together to mix their tears, with fettled forrow in their looks, going heavily along to the house of mourning, to perform that laft melancholy office,