Religion & morality > Reflections among the monuments

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if your bowels yearn over thole amiable pled¬
ges of conjugal endearment; fpare no pains, ,
give all diligence3 I entreat you, to “brin^
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 fpan is prolonged, their unblameable
and ufeful conduct will be the itaff of your
age, and a balm for declining nature. Or,
if the number oi their years be cut off in the
midft, you may commit their remains to the
duft, with much the fame comfortable ex
peflations, and with infinitely more exalted
views, than you fend the lurvivors to places
of genteel education. You may commit
them to the duft with cheering hopes of re¬
ceiving them again to your arms, inexpref-
fibly improved in every noble and endear¬
ing accomplifhment.
It is certainly a fevere trial, and much
more afflictive than I am able to imagine,
to refign a lovely blooming creature, fprung
from your own loins, to the gloomy recefles
ef corruption. But, O ! how much more
cutting to you, and confounding to the
child, to have the foul feparated from God;
and for fhameful ignorance or early impiety
configned over to places of eternal torment!
On this hand is lodged one, whole fepul-
chral ftone tells a moft pitiable tale indeed!
Well may the little images, reclined over
the fleeping allies, hang down their heads