lose it all be loft himself, and undone for ever. Thus much for the house of feasting; which, by the way, though generally open at other times of the year throughout the world, is supposed in christian countries, now every where to be universally fhut up. And, in truth, I have been more full in my cautions against it, not only as reason requires, - but in reverence to this season * wherein our church exacts a more particular forbearance and self-denial in this point, and thereby adds to the restraints upon pleasure and entertainments which this representation of things has suggested against them already. Here then, let us turn aside, from this gay scene; and suffer me to take you with D 4 Preached in Lent. 4 with me for a moment to one much fitter for your meditation. Let us go into the house of mourning, made so, by such afflictions as have been brought in, merely by the common cross accidents and disafters to which our condition is expofed, where perhaps, the aged parents fit broken hearted, pierced to their fouls with the folly and indifcretion of a thankless child - the child of their prayers, in whom all their hopes and expectations centred : - perhaps a more affecting scene virtuous family lying pinched with want, where the unfortunate support of it, having long struggled with a train of misfortunes, and bravely fought up against them is now piteously borne down at the last overwhelmed with a cruel -a blow which no forecast or frugality could have prevented. O GOD! look upon his afflictions. - Behold him distracted with 1 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, ashamed. When we enter into the house of mourning fuch as this, - it is impoffible to insult the unfortunate even with an improper look - under whatever levity and diffipation of heart. Such objects catch our eyes, - they catch likewise our attentions, collect and call home our fcattered thoughts, and exercise them with wisdom. A tranfient scene of distress, such as is here sketch'd, how foon does it furnish materials to fet the mind at work? how neceffarily does it engage it to the confideration of the miseries and misfortunes, the dangers and calamities to which the life of man is subject. By By holding up such a glass 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 serious cast, the thoughts insensibly carry us farther - and from confidering, what we are what kind of world we live in, and what evils befall us in it, they fet us to look forwards at what poffibly we shall be for what kind of world we are intended - what evils may befall us there and what provision we should make against them, here, whilst we have time and opportunity. If these lessons are so infeparable from the houfe of mourning here supposed we shall find it a still more inftructive school of wisdom when we take a view of the place in that more affecting light in i in which the wife man seems to confine it in the text, in which, by the house of mourning, I believe, he means that particular scene of forrow where there is lamentation and mourning for the dead. Turn in hither, I befeech you, for a moment. Behold a dead man ready to be carried out, the only fon of his mother, and she a widow. Perhaps a more affecting spectacle - a kind and an in dulgent father of a numerous family, lies breathless - fnatch'd away in the strength of his age - torn in an evil hour from his children and the bosom of a disconfolate 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 |