your Youth, the Folly of your Childhood, and the Waste of Time in your. Infancy: Look forward, and you are not much better off; for you will fee the Cares of the World, the Troubles of the Mind, and the Diseases of the Body; for remember, that by the fame Degrees that we arrive at our meridian Glory, we are by them now descending to our last Stage.

Fifth STAGE.

Ecclef. xi. 8.

Now the Folly of our Youth, and the Abufe of our Time, prefs hard upon us; and happy is he that can now look back upon the Pleafures of a well-fpent Life: For the Houfe now becomes full of Cares, the Field full of Tol, the Country full of Rudeness and Melancholy, and the City full of Factions; Wealth we fee is envied, Poverty contemned, Vice is advanced, Simplicity derided, and Religion ridiculed.

Sixth and Seventh STAGES. Pfalm xc. 19. 12.

Grey Hairs are worthy of Honour, when the Behaviour fuits; but it is fhocking to fee an old Man take Pleasure in Sin, and repeat his former Follies with delight, while

1

he carries on his Head the infallible Tokens of his approaching Mortality. For when we come to thofe Years, that our Eyes grow dim, Ears deaf, Vifage pale, Hands haking, Knees trembling, and Feet faultering, then it is evident that the Diffolution of our Mortal Tabernacle is near at Hand.

Leffon on FILIAL DUTIES.

SON

FROM the creatures of God let man

learn wifdom, and apply to himfelf the inftruction they give.

Go to the defert, my fon; obferve the young ftork of the wilderness; let him fpeakto thy heart. He beareth on his wing his aged fire; he lodgeth him in fafety and fup'plieth him with food.

The piety of a child is fweeter than the incenfe of Perfia offered to the fun; yea, more delicious than odours wafted from a field of Arabian spices, by the western gales. Be grateful then to thy father, for he gave thee life; and to thy mother, for the fuftained thee.

F

-Hear the words of his mouth, for they are froken for thy good; give car to his admonition, for it proceedeth from love.

He hath watched for thy welfare, he hath toiled for thy eafe; do honour therefore to his age, and let not his grey hairs be treated with irreverence.

CONCLUSION.

TO THE

REA DE R.

SHOULD you learn any Thing by what is

penn'd,

(Tho'e'er fo little,) I have gain'd my End. Aud fhould you know already what is writ, Pray not be over-fond of cens'ring it;

But fairly join the Critic and the Friend, 3

Small Faults excufe, and what you can, commend,

4

For be an Author e'er fo wife and wary,

He in fome Particulars, mifcarry."

may

1000

FINIS

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