Clear pleasant day. I passed my morning in continuing the revised Address into which I have infused more vehemence, and then attended divine service where I heard Mr. Young of Boston.1 His morning discourse rather an elaborate production of an hour upon the text of Ec-110clesiastes 7. 10. “Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.” I think I have heard part of this sermon before. It is a good subject but was not handled exactly in the way I should have thought of. Yet the general position that each age and each man influencing it have their peculiar adaptation appears to be a sound one.

Owing to the winter change of hours, the interval of the service was very short this day but Mr. Young dined with us. Afternoon, Matthew 12. 36. “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” A very general condemnation of the folly and vanity of man who pervert the great gift peculiar to man to very trivial uses. I afterwards read a Sermon of Dr. Barrow upon the truth of the Christian religion. Ephesians 1. 13. “In whom ye also trusted, having heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.” The main point of the discourse appeared to be to show that a revelation by God to man of his will in such a shape as Christianity is perfectly consistent with reason and our idea of his attributes. Afterwards, finished the Address and then in the evening at home with the ladies.