ger under the Ruins; or, even a Tile, dropping from the Roof, may be as fatal as the Fall of the whole Structure,-So frail, fo very attenuated is the Thread of Life, that it not only burfts. before the Storm, but breaks even at a Breeze. The most common Occurrences, thofe, from which we fufpect not the leaft Harm, may prove the Weapons of our Destruction. A Grapeftone, a despicable Fly, may be more mortal than Goliath, with all his formidable Armour.Nay, if God give Command, our very Com forts become killing. The Air we breathe, is our Bane; and the Food we eat, the Vehicle of Death. That laft Enemy has un-numbered Avenues for his Approach. Yea; lies entrenched in our very Bofom, and holds his Fortress even in the Seat of our Life. The crimson Fluid, which diftributes Health, is impregnated with the Seeds of Death *. Some unseen Impediment may obstruct its Paffage, or fome unknown Violence may divert its Course; in either of which Cafes, it acts the Part of a poysonous Draught, or a deadly Stab. The Body is a delicately fine Machine; confifting of ten thousand Parts, playing

*As Man, perhaps, the Moment of his Breath,
Receives the lurking Principle of Death.
The young Disease that must fubdue at length,
Grows with his Growth, and ftrengthens with his
Strength.
Pope's Ethicks.

ing ten thousand Motions; and a very small Pin taken out, may difconcert the whole Frame; a Jingle Wheel clogged, may put a Stop to all the

vital Movements.

SINCE then we are fo liable to be difpoffeffed of our earthly Tabernacle, let Us look upor Ourselves only as Tenants at Will; and hold Ourselves in perpetual Readiness, to depart at a Moment's Warning. Without fuch an habitual Holiness, we are like Wretches, that fleep on the Top of a Maft; while a horrid Gulph yawns, or furious Waves rage below. And where can be the Peace, what the Satisfaction of fuch a State? Whereas, a prepared Condition will infpire a Chearfulness of Temper, not to be ruffled by every low Vexation; and create a Firmness of Mind, not to be overthrown by the most threatening Dangers. When the City is fortified with Walls, furnished with Provifion, guarded by able and refolute Troops; what have the Inhabitants to fear? what may they not enjoy? So, juft fo, or rather by a much furer Band, are connected the real Tafte of Life, and conftant Thought of Death.

I SAID, Our very Comforts may become killing. And see the Truth infcribed by the Hand, fealed with the Signet of Fate. The Marble, which graces yonder Pillar, informs me, that near it,

are

are depofited the Remains of my valuable Friend Sophronia; who died in Child-bed.-How often does this Calamity happen! The Branch shoots, but the Stem withers. The Babe springs to Light;. but She that bare Him, breathes her laft. She gives Life, but (O pitiable Confideration!) gives it at the Expence of her own; and becomes, at ence, a Mother, and a Corpfe.-Or elfe, perhaps, She expires in fevere Pangs, and is Herself a Tomb for her Infant; while the melancholy Complaint of a Monarch's Woe, is the Epitaph for them both: The Children are come to the Birth, and there is not Strength to bring forth *. Lefs to be lamented, in my Opinion, this Miffortune, than the other. Better, for the tender Stranger, to be stopped in the Porch; than to enter, only to converse with Affliction. Better, to find a Grave in the Womb; than to be expofed on a hazardous World, without the Guardian of its infantile Years, without the faithful Guide of its Youth.

THIS Monument is diftinguished by its finer Materials, and more delicate Appendages. It feems to have taken its Model, from an affluent Hand; directed by a generous Heart; that thought, it could never do enough for the Deceafed. It feems alfo, to exhibit an emblematical

Picture

Ifa. xxxvii. 3.

Picture of Sophronia's Person and Accomplishments. Is her Beauty, or more than Beauty, her white-robed Innocence, reprefented by the snowy Colour? The Surface, fmoothly polished, like her amiable Temper, and engaging Manners: The Whole elegantly adorned, without either extravagant Pomp, or fordid Negligence; like her undiffembled Goodness, remote from the leaft Oftentation, yet in all Points exemplary.—But ah! how vain were all these endearing Charms! How vain the Luftre of thy sprightly Eye! How vain the Bloom of thy bridal Youth! How vain the Honours of thy fuperior Birth! How unable to fecure the lovely Poffeffor, from the Savage Violence of Death.-How ineffectual the univerfal Efteem of thy Acquaintance; the Fondness of thy transported Hufband; or even the spotlefs Integrity of thy Character; to prolong thy Span, or procure Thee a fhort Reprieve!-The Con-. currence of all these Circumstances, reminds me of those beautiful and tender Lines,

How lov'd, how valu'd once, avails Thee not;
To Whom related, or by Whom begot.

A Heap of Duft alone remains of Thee :

'Tis all THOU art!—and all the PROUD fball be! *

YET

*Thefe Verfes, are infcribed on a small but very elegant Monument, lately erected in the great Church VOL. I.

D

at

YET, though unable to divert the Stroke, Christianity is fovereign to pluck-out the Sting of Death. Is not this the filent Language of those Lamps, that burn; that Heart, which flames;

thofe

at Northampton: Which, in the Hieroglyphical Decorations, correfponds with the Defcription introduced on this Subject; and particularly, that it is dedicated to the Memory of an amiable Woman, Mrs ANNE STONHOUSE; the excellent Wife of my worthy Friend Dr STONHOUSE: who has had the Dif trefs, to fee all the Efforts of that healing Art, to which I, and fo many Others have been greatly indebted, failing in their Attempts to preferve a Life much dearer to Him than his own.

Nec profunt Domino; quæ profunt omnibus Artes." Ov. Metam

But He has fought fome Confolation, in the midst of this tender Anguifh; by teaching the fepulchral Marble to speak, at once, his Efteem for ber Memory and his Veneration for that Religion, which She fo eminently adorned; by fumming up her Character, in that concife, but comprehenfive Sentence, A SINCERE CHRISTIAN. Concife enough, to be the Motto for a mourning Ring; yet as comprehenfive, as the most enlarged Sphere of perfonal, focial, and religious Worth. For, whatfoever Things are pure, whatsoever Things are lovely, whatfoever Things are of good Report, are they not all included in that grand and noble Aggregate, A fincere Chriftian?

The firft Lines, confidered in fuch a Connection, are wonderfully plaintive and pathetic.

How