_That not only a life of |vanity|, or |sensuality|, but even the |most regular| kind of life, that is not governed by great devotion, sufficiently shews its miseries, its wants and emptiness to the eyes of all the world. This represented in various characters._
1. *_OCTAVIUS_ is a learned, ingenious man, well versed in most parts of literature, and no stranger to any kingdom in _Europe_. The other day, being just recovered from a lingering _fever_ he took upon him to talk thus to his friends.
“My _glass_, says he, is almost run out; and your eyes see how many marks of _age_ and _death_ I bear about me: but I plainly feel myself sinking away faster than any standers-by imagine. I fully believe, that one year more will conclude my reckoning.”
The attention of his friends was much raised by such a declaration, expecting to hear something truly excellent from so learned a man, who had but a year longer to live; when _Octavius_ proceeded in this manner, “For these reasons, says he, my friends, I have left off all _taverns_; the wine of those places is not good enough for me in this decay of nature. I must now be _nice_ in what I drink. I can’t pretend to do as I have done; and therefore I am resolved to furnish my own _cellar_ with a little of the very best, tho’ it cost me ever so much.”
2. A few days after _Octavius_ had made this declaration to his friends, he relapsed into his former illness, was committed to _a nurse_, who closed his eyes before his fresh parcel of wine came in.
Young _Eugenius_ who was present at this discourse went home a new man.
I never, says _Eugenius_, was so deeply affected with the wisdom and importance of religion, as when I saw how _poorly_ and _meanly_ the learned _Octavius_ was to leave the world, thro’ the want of it.
3. *Was _all_ to die with our _bodies_, there might be some pretence for those _different sorts_ of happiness, that are now so much talked of: but since _our all_ begins at the death of our bodies; since all men are to be immortal, either in misery or happiness, in a world entirely different from this; since they are all hastening thence at all uncertainties, as fast as death can cut them down; some in _sickness_, some in _health_, some _sleeping_, some _waking_, some at _midnight_, others at _cock-crowing_, and at all hours they know not of; is it not certain, that no man can exceed another in joy and happiness, but so far as he exceeds him in those virtues which fit him for a happy death?
*_Cognatus_ is a sober, regular _clergyman_, of good repute in the world, and well esteemed in his parish. All his parishioners say he is an _honest_ man, and very notable at making a _bargain_. The farmers listen to him with great attention, when he talks of the properest time of selling corn.
He has been for twenty years a diligent observer of _markets_, and has raised a considerable fortune by good management.
_Cognatus_ is very _orthodox_, and full of _esteem_ for our _English_ liturgy; and if he has not prayers on _Wednesdays_ and _Fridays_, ’tis because his _predecessor_ had not used the parish to any such custom. As he cannot serve both his livings himself; so he makes it matter of _conscience_ to keep a _sober curate_ upon one of them, whom he _hires_ to take care of all the souls in the parish, at as _cheap_ a rate as a sober man can be procured.
_Cognatus_ has been very prosperous all his time; but still he has had the uneasiness and vexations that they have, who are deep in worldly business. _Taxes_, _losses_, _crosses_, _bad mortgages_, _bad tenants_, and the hardness of the times, are frequent subjects of his conversation, and a good or a bad _season_ has a great effect upon his spirits.
_Cognatus_ has no other end in growing rich, but that he may leave a considerable fortune to a _niece_, whom he has _politely_ educated in expensive finery, by what he has saved out of the tythes of _two livings_.
The neighbours look upon _Cognatus_ as an happy clergyman, because they see him (as they call it) in _good circumstances_; and some of them intend to dedicate their own sons to the church, because they see how well it has succeeded with _Cognatus_, whose father was but an _ordinary man_.
♦5. *But now if _Cognatus_, when he first entered into holy orders, had perceived how absurd a thing it is to grow _rich_ by the gospel; if he had proposed to himself the example of some _primitive father_; if, instead of twenty years care to lay up treasures upon earth, he had distributed the income of every year in the most Christian acts of charity.
♦ Number 4 omitted in text.
If instead of tempting his _niece_ to be proud, and providing her with such ornaments as the _apostle_ forbids, he had cloathed, comforted, and relieved numbers of _widows_ and _orphans_, who were all to appear for him at the last day: