"of him" who has called us to fuch a facred Union with his bleffed Self. THE next Thing that engaged my Attention was the Lettered Floor: The Pavement, like Ezekiel's Roll, was written over from one End to the other. I foon perceived the Comparison to hold good in another refpect, and the Infcriptions to be Matter of "Mourning, Lamentation, and " Woe." They seemed to court my Obfervation, and filently invite me to read them.And what would thefe dumb Monitors inform me of? Why, That beneath their little Circumferences were depofited fuch and fuch Pieces of Clay, that once lived, and moved, and talked: That they had received a Charge to preserve their Names, and were the remaining Trustees of their Memory. AH! faid I, is fuch my Situation? The adorable Creator around me, and the Bones of my Fellow-creatures under me! Surely, then, I have great Reason to cry out with the revering Patriarch, How dreadful is this Place! Seriousness and Devotion becometh this House for ever. May I never enter it lightly C lightly or irreverently; but with a profound Awe, and godly Fear! Oh! that they were wife* ! said the in. spired Penman. It was his laft Wish for his dear People: He breathed it out, and gave up the Ghost. But what is Wisdom? It confifts not in refined Speculations, accurate Researches into Nature, or an univerfal Acquaintance with Hiftory. The divine Lawgiver fettles this important Point in his next Afpiration: Oh! that they understood this! That they had right Apprehenfions of their spiritual Interefts, and eternal Concerns! That they had Eyes to difcern, and Inclinations to pursue, the Things which belong to their Peace! But how fhall they attain this valuable Knowlege? I send them not, adds the illuftrious Teacher, to turn over all the Volumes of Literature: They may much more expeditiously acquire this Science of Life, by confidering their latter End. This Spark of Heaven is often lost under the Glitter of pompous Erudition; but fhines clearly in the gloomy Mansions of the Tomb. Drowned is this gentle Whif per, amidst the Noife of mortal Affairs; but speaks Deut. xxxii. 29. fpeaks diftinctly in the Retirements of ferious Contemplation. Behold! How providentially I am brought to the School of Wisdom! The Grave is the moft faithful *Mafter, and these Inftances of Mortality the most inftructive Leffons. -- Come then, calm Attention, and compofe my Thoughts! Come, thou celeftial Spirit, and enlighten my Mind; that I may fo perufe these awful Pages, as to become "wife unto Salvation." Examining the Records of Mortality, I found the Memorials of a † promiscuous Multitude. They were huddled together, without any Distinction of Rank or Seniority. None were ambitious of the uppermoft Rooms, or chief Seats, in this Houfe of Mourning. None lay in fond and eager Expectation of honourable Greetings, in their darkfome Cells. The Servant was lodged in the fame Story with his Mafter. The Man of Years and Experience was paired with an Infant of Days. He who was reputed as an Oracle in his Generation, flept at the Feet of a Babc. * Wait the great Teacher, Death. Pope. + Mifta Senum ac Juvenum denjantur Funera. Hor. WHY then, faid my working Thoughts, oh! why, fhould we raife fuch a mighty Stir about Superiority and Precedence, when the next Remove will reduce us all to a State of equal Meannefs? Why fhould we exalt ourselves, or debafe others, fince we must all one Day be upon a common Level, and blended together in the fame undistinguished Duft? Oh! that this Confideration might humble my own, and others Pride; and fink our Imaginations as low, as our Habitation will fhortly be ! AMONG thefe confufed Relicks of Humanity, there are, without doubt, Perfons of contrary Interests, and contradicting Sentiments: But Death, like fome able Daysman, has laid his Hand on the contending Parties, and brought all their Differences to an * amicable Conclufion. Here Enemies, fworn Enemies, dwell together in Unity. They drop every imbittered Thought, and forget that they once were Foes. Perhaps their crumbling Bones mix as they moulder; Hi Motus Animorum, atque hæc Certamina tanta Virg. and and those who, while they lived, stood aloof in irreconcileable Variance, here fall into mutual Embraces, and even incorporate with Oh! that we each other in the Grave. might learn from these friendly Ashes, not to perpetuate the Memory of Injuries, not to foment the Fever of Refentment, nor cherish the Turbulence of Paffion; that there may be as little Animofity and Disagreement in the Land of the Living, as there is in the But I fuf Congregation of the Dead! pend for a while fuch general Obfervations, and address myself to a more particular Inquiry. YONDER white Stone, Emblem of the Innocence it covers, informs the Beholder of one, who breathed out its tender Soul, almost in the Inftant of receiving it. There the peaceful Infant, without so much as knowing what Labour and Vexation "lies fill and is quiet; it fleeps "and is at Reft." Staying only to wash away its native Impurity in the Laver of Regeneration, it bid a speedy Adieu to Time mean, Job iii. 13. and |