reat of the prophet:
_Woe unto them that rise early, that they may mingle strong drink._

_Stock._ Ay, Will; and these thoughtless people who live up to their
singing, seem to be the very people described in another place as
glorying in their intemperance, and acting what their songs
describe: _They look at the wine and say it is red, it moveth itself
aright in the cup._

_Will._ I do hope I shall for the future not only become more
careful what songs I sing myself, but also not to keep company with
those who sing nothing else but what in my sober judgment I now see
to be wrong.

_Stock._ As we shall have no _body_ in the world to come, it is a
pity not only to make our pleasures here consist entirely in the
delights of animal life, but to make our very songs consist in
extolling and exalting those delights which are unworthy of the man
as well as of the Christian. If, through temptation or weakness, we
fall into errors, let us not establish and confirm them by picking
up all the songs and scraps of verses which excuse, justify, and
commend sin. That time is short, is a reason given by these
song-mongers why we should give into greater indulgences. That time
is short, is a reason given by the apostle why we should enjoy our
dearest comforts as if we enjoyed them not.

Now, Will, I hope you will see the importance of so managing, that
our diversions (for diversions of some kind we all require), may be
as carefully chosen as our other employments. For to make them such
as effectually drive out of our minds all that the Bible and the
minister have been putting into them, seems to me as imprudent as it
is unchristian. But this is not all. Such sentiments as these songs
contain, set off by the prettiest music, heightened by liquor and
all the noise and spirit of what is called jovial company, all this,
I say, not only puts every thing that is right out of the mind, but
puts every thing that is wrong into it. Such songs, therefore, as
tend to promote levity, thoughtlessness, loose imaginations, false
views of life, forgetfulness of death, contempt of whatever is
serious, and neglect of whatever is sober, whether they be,
love-songs, or drinking-songs, will not, can not be sung by any man
or any woman who makes a serious profession of Christianity.[4]

[4] It is with regret I have lately observed that the fashionable
author and singer of songs more loose, profane, and corrupt, than
any of those here noticed, not only