Looked on the Light; and then withdrew into the more inviting Regions of undisturb'd Repose?

O fortunate Voyager, that waft no fooner launched, than arrived at the Haven ! *--But more happy they, who have paffed the Waves, and weathered all the Storms, of a troublesome and dangerous World; who, "thro❞ many "Tribulations, have entered into the Kingdom "of Heaven;" and thereby brought Honour to their Divine Convoy, adminiftered Comfort to the Companions of their Toil, and left an inAtructive Example to fucceeding Pilgrims.

O! happy Probationer! accepted without being exercised! It was thy peculiar Privilege, not to feel the flighteft of thofe Evils, which oppress thy furviving Kindred; which frequently fetch Groans from the most manly Fortitude, or moft elevated Faith. The Arrows of Calamity, barbed with Anguish, are often fixed deep in our choiceft Comforts. The fiery Darts of Temptation, shot from the Hand of Hell, are always Alying in Showers around our Integrity. To thee, fweet Babe, both thefe Diftreffes and Dangers were alike unknown.

CONSIDER

Happy the Babe, who, privileg'd by Fate
To fhorter Labour, and a lighter Weight,
Receiv'd but Yesterday the Gift of Breath,
Order'd To-morrow to return to Death.

Prior's Sol

CONSIDER this, ye mourning Parents, and dry up your Tears. Why fhould you lament, that your Little-ones are crown'd with Victory's before the Sword was drawn, or the Conflict begun?-Perhaps, the fupreme Difpofer of Events forefaw fome inevitable Snare of Temptation forming, or fome dreadful Storm of Adverfity impending. And why fhould you be fo diffatisfied with that kind Precaution, which housed your pleasant Plant, and removed into Shelter a tender Flower, before the Thunders roared; before the Lightenings flew; before the Tempest poured its Rage?O remember! they are not loft, but taken away from the Evil

to come

AT the fame time, let Survivors, doomed to bear the Heat and Burden of the Day, reflect, for their Encouragement, That it is more honourable to have enter'd the Lifts, and to have fought the good Fight, before they come off Conquerors. They, who have bore the Cross, and fubmitted to afflictive Providences, with a chearful Resignation: have girded up the Loyns of their Mind, and performed their Master's Will, with an honeft and persevering Fidelity. -Thefe, having glorified their Redeemer on Earth, will, probably, be as Stars of the first Magnitude in Heaven. They will shine with brighter

* Ifa. lvii. 1.

brighter Beams, be replenished with ftronger Joys, in their LORD's everlasting Kingdom.

HERE lies the Grief of a fond Mother, and the blafted Expectation of an indulgent Father. -The Youth grew up, like a well-watered Plant; he fhot deep, rofe high, and bid fair for Manhood: But juft as the Cedar began to tower; and promifed, ere long, to be the Pride of the Wood, and Prince among the neighbouring Trees; -behold! The Ax is laid unto the Root; the fatal Blow ftruck; and all its branching Honours tumbled to the Duft.-And did he fall alone? O! no: The Hopes of his Father that begat him, and the pleafing Profpects of Her that bare him, fell, and were crufhed together with him.

DOUBTLESS, it would have pierced one's Heart, to have beheld the tender Parents following the breathless Boy to his long Home: Perhaps, drowned in Tears, and all overwhelmed with Sorrows, they ftood, like weeping Statues, on this very Spot.-Methinks, I fee the deeplydiftreffed Mourners attending the fad Solemnity: How they wring their Hands, and pour Floods from their Eyes!Is it Fancy! or do I really hear the paffionate Mother, in an Agony of Affliction, taking her final Leave of the Darling of her Soul? Dumb fhe remained, while the awful Obfequies were performing; dumb with Grief,

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-and

and leaning upon the Partner of her Woes. But now the inward Anguifh ftruggles for Vent; it grows too big to be repreffed. She advances to the Brink of the Grave. All her Soul is in her Eyes. She faftens one more Look upon the dear doleful Object, before the Pit shuts its Mouth upon him. And as the looks, fhe cries ;-in broken Accent, interrupted by many a rifing Sob, fhe cries, "Farewel, my Son! my Son! my only Beloved!-Would to GOD I had died for thee !--Farewel, my Child! and s farewel, all my earthly Happiness!--I fhall હર never more fee Good, in the Land of the Liv"ing. Attempt not to comfort me.--I will

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go mourning, all my Days; till my grey Hairs come down, with Sorrow, to the Grave." FROM this affecting Representation, let Parents be convinced, how highly it concerns them to cultivate the Morals, and fecure the immortal Interests of their Children.-If you really love the Offspring of your own Bodies; yearn over those amiable Pledges of conjugal Endearment; O! spare no Pains; give all Diligence, I intreat you, to "bring them up in the Nurture "and Admonition of the LORD." Then may you have Joy in their Life, or Confolation in their Death. If their Span is prolong'd, their unblameable and useful Conduct will be the Staff of your Age, and a Balm for declining Nature.

Or,

Or, if the Number of their Years be cut off in the midft, you may commit their Remains to the Duft, with much the fame comfortable Expectations, and with infinitely more exalted Views, than you send the Survivors to Places of genteel Education. You may commit them to the Duft, with chearing Hopes of receiving them again to your Arms, inexpressibly improved in every noble and endearing Accomplishment.

'Trs certainly a fevere Trial, and much more afflictive than I am able to imagine, to refign lovely blooming Creature, fprung from your own, Loins, to the gloomy Receffes of Corruption: after having been long dandled upon your Knees; united to your Affections by a thousand Ties of Tenderness; and now become, both "the Delight "of your Eyes," and Support of your Family:

To have fuch a one torn from your Bofom, and thrown into Darkness, doubtlefs, it must be like a Dagger in your Hearts.-But O! how much more cutting to you, and confounding to the Child, to have the Soul feparated from GOD; and for fhameful Ignorance, or early Impiety, con figned over to Places of eternal Torment! How would it aggravate your Diftrefs, and add a distracting Emphafis to all your Sighs, if you fhould follow the pale Corpfe with fuch bitter Reflections!" This dear Creature, though long ago capable of knowing Good from Evil, C 2

"is