tion which flows on endless from any given period of time. This laft eternity is not peculiar to GOD, but is attributed alfo to all immortal creatures, fuch as angels, men and devils; who, though they have begun to exist, yet never fhall ceafe to be.

4. This laft eternity, I mean the eternity of creatures, is not necessary like the duration of God's existence; but wholly depending on the power and will of GoD, who has been pleased to form fome of his creatures, for an exiftence co-eval with himself, i. e. to will and cause their du. ration to be eternal.

5. How wonderful a being is that GOD, who is eternal in his duration, and immenfely unlimited in his exiftence! His duration and his being admit of no limits, and therefore admit of no kind of comparifon with the existence or duration of any created being.

6. How entirely are we dependent on GOD, from whofe necessary existence, we have borrowed our limited existence; and by the very power of whofe will, we continue to exist every monent?

7. Though absolute eternity belongs only to GOD, yet as we fhare in all that eternity which is before us, and must be happy or miferable through this endless duration, according as we spend our prefent time; it follows that we fhall live here be

low, with a conftant habitual view and regard to our eternal existence and duration.

8. This will enable us upon all occafions to form a proper estimate of things. For, if any temporary or momentary pleasures, honors or gains, which would rob us of eternal happiness, fhould folicit our attention or purfuit, they ought, at all events, to be forborne and rejected.---And if any temporary fufferings or felf-denials, which are neceffary to our eternal happiness, fhould fall in our way, they fhould at all adventures, be endured rather than we should run the risk of suffering eternal torments For, whatever of joy or pain is temporary, bears proportion to that which is eternal. And it is a maxim of eternal reason, that leffer inconveniences ought always to be preferred to greater; and that to sell eternal happiness for the pleafures of a moment, yea, of ten millions of years, argues desperate folly.

ESSAY L.

The DUTY of MASTERS of FAMILIES.

MA ASTERS of families are pretty uni

verfally allowed to fuftain the offices of prophets, priests, and kings in their own families, and if we borrow our ideas of the number and importance of the duties

they owe to their families, from the fuftaining these three offices, their duty, in this relation, will appear very weighty and im portant indeed.

1. It is the bufinefs of a prophet to instruct; it is therefore the bufinefs of maf ters of families, to inftruct their families, not only in the maxims of prudential wif dom, but more especially in the doctrines and duties of religion.

2. It will not excufe parents in the in the neglect of this duty, that they are ignorant themselves. They ought to learn and get knowledge for this very purpose. And there are few, but if they take due pains, may acquire knowledge enough, to give good, wholesome and necessary inftructions

to their households.

3. Ignorant and unlearned parents fhould be the more confcientious in providing proper inftructors for their families.

4. Parents may inftruct their families very usefully and effectually by fetting before them blameless, virtuous and religious examples; and the best inftructions without this, will be very ineffectual, if not pernicious.

5. If it is the duty of kings to give good laws, and to preferve good order among their fubjects; mafters of families are obliged to do this in their families.

6. The orders and regulations of masters of families, in their families, fhould not be more numerous than is necessary, left they be neglected or forgotten through the multiplicity of them; and their neceffity fhould be made apparent, that they may be enforc ed with firmnefs and refolution.

7. In the government of a family (a fo ciety often made up of perfons of very dif ferent tempers and difpofitions) great prudence, fkill and attention are needful, and above all, the divine counfel and affiftance.

8. It appears to be of ill confequence for the ruler of a family, to give way to the petulency or unreasonable humors of a capricious domeftic; as this would be implicitly giving up his prerogative, and fostering ill humors, and rebellious, lawless difpofitions in the fubject. It belongs to chriftian prudence to determine when this rule ought to be difpenfed with, in order to prevent greater evils.

9. Lenity, tompassion and mercy, fhould be tempered with firmness, steadiness and resolution, in him, who would govern a family well, Tyranny in little domeftic focieties, is adious; and too much lenity may produce great evils.

10. Bodily punishment should be the last expedient used to reform or correct a domeftic offender; and prudence alone can point out the proper time and place for this

11. The good example of a king is equally binding with his laws, and far more encouraging and alluring; fo it is in the mafter of a family.

12. The chief duties of a priest, are sacrifice and intercession. This points out the obligation of prayer, as a duty incumbent on all mafters of families, in their own families.

13. Chriftian masters of families who neglect this duty habitually, act worse than the heathens did, who daily offered prayers and facrifices to their gods.

14. If family prayer and instruction are duties incumbent on all chriftian mafters of families, which they indifpenfibly owe to GOD, and to the fouls of their children and other domeftics; and if the morning and evening are the proper feafons pointed out for the profitable performance of this duty; then the mafters of families who, for ordinary, or very often, fpend their mornings and evenings abroad from their families, are not in the way of their chriftian. duty, and their families do probably lose more by this abfence and neglect, than they can gain by the cares and worldly labors of the day..