Taught by thy Lines, fee hoary Age grows wife,
And all the Rebel in his Bofom dies:
E'en thoughtless Youth, in Luxury of Blood,
Fly the infectious World, and dare-be Good:
Thy facred Truths fball reach the impervious Heart,
Difcord fhall ceafe, Disease forget to smart :
E'en Malice love, and Calumny commend,
Pride beg an Alms, and Avrice turn a Friend.

Center'd in CHRIST, who fires the Soul within, The Flefh fhall know no Pain, the Soul, no Sin: E'en in the Terrors of expiring Breath, We bless the friendly Stroke, and live-in Death.

HESE Reflections, the
One on the deepest, the
Other on the gayeft Scenes
of Nature, when they pro-

ceeded privately from the Pen, were addreffed to a Lady of the most valuable Endowments: Who crowned all her other endearing Qualities, by a cordial Love of CHRIST, and an exemplary Conformity to his Divine Pattern. She, alas! lives no longer on

Earth;

Earth; unless it be in the Honours of a diftinguished Character, and the bleeding Remembrance of her Acquaintance.

4

IT is impoffible, Madam, to wish You a richer Bleffing, or a more substantial Happiness, than that the fame Spirit of unfeigned Faith, the fame Course of undefiled Religion, which have enabled Her to triumph over Death, may both animate and adorn your Life. And you will permit me to declare, that my chief Inducement in requesting your Acceptance of the following Meditations, now they make a public Appearance from the Prefs, is, that they are defigned to cultivate the fame facred Principle, and to promote the fame excellent Practice.

LONG, Madam, may you bloom in all the Vivacity and Amiableness of Youth, like the charming Subject of one of these Contemplations. But at the

6

the fame time remember, that, with regard to fuch inferior Accomplishments, You must one Day fade (may it prove fome very remote Period!), like the mournful Objects of the other. This Confideration will prompt You to go on, as You have begun, in adding the Meekness of Wisdom, and all the Beauties of Holiness, to the Graces of an engaging Perfon, and the Refinements of a polite Education.

AND mightO! might the enfuing Hints furnish You with the leaft Affiftance, in profecuting fo defirable an End; might they contribute, in any Degree, to establish your Faith, or elevate your Devotion; they would, then, adminifter to the Author fuch a Satisfaction, as Applaufe cannot give, nor Cenfure take away: A Satisfaction, which I fhould be able to enjoy, even in thofe awful Moments, when all that captivates the Eye is finking in Darknefs,