dance; and as the good chriftian gladdens in the service of GOD, when he thinks on the glory of that fervice, and the eternal joys that await him; fo I, in like manner, by seriously reflecting on the innumerable pleasures and bleffings of health, and befeeching GOD to ftrengthen me in my good refolutions, immediately entered on a courfe of temperance and regularity. And though it was at first highly difagreeable, yet I can truly fay, that in a very little time, the disagreeablenefs vanifhed, and I came to find great delight in it.

Now on hearing my arguments, they all agreed that I had faid nothing but what was reasonable; nay, the youngest among them told me, that he was willing to allow that these advantages might be common to all men, but was afraid, they were feldom attained; and that I must be fingularly favoured of Heaven to get above the delights of an easy life,

and

and embrace one quite contrary to it; that he did not look on it to be impoffible, fince my practice convinced him of the contrary, but however, it seemed to him to be very difficult.

I REPLIED, that it was a fhame to relinquish a good undertaking on account of the difficulties that might attend it, and that the greater the difficulty, the more glory fhould we acquire: that it is the will of the Creator, that every one fhould attain to a long life, because in his old age, he might be freed from the bitter fruits that were produced by sense, and might enjoy the good effects of his reafon; that when he shakes hands with his vices, he is no longer a flave to the devil, and finds himself in a better condition of providing for the falvation of his foul that GOD, whofe goodness is infinite, has ordained that the man who comes to the end of his race, fhould end his life without any diftemper, and fo

pafs

pafs, by a sweet and eafy death, to a life of immortality and glory, which I expect. I hope (faid I to him) to die finging the praises of my Creator. The fad reflection, that we must one day ceafe to live, is no difturbance to me, though I easily preceive, that at my age, that day cannot be far off; nor am I afraid of the terrors of hell, because, bleffed be GOD, I have long ago fhaken hands with my fins, and put my trust in the mercy and merits of the blood of Jefus Chrift.

To this my young antagonist had nothing to fay, only that he was refolved to lead a fober life, that he might live and die as happily as I hoped to do; and that though hitherto he had wished to be young a long time, yet now he defired to be quickly old, that he might enjoy the pleasures of fuch an admirable age.

SOME

SOME fenfual perfons give out, that I have troubled myself to no purpose, in compofing a treatise concerning temperance, and that I have loft my time in endeavouring to perfuade men to the practice of that which is impoffible. Now this furprifes me the more, as these gentlemen must fee that I had led a temperate life many years before I compofed this treatise, and that I never fhould have put myself to the trouble of compofing it, had not long experience convinced me, that it is a life which any man may eafily lead, who really wishes to be healthy and happy. And, besides the evidence of my own experience, I have the fatisfaction to hear, that numbers on seeing my treatise have embraced fuch a life, and enjoyed from it the very fame bleffings which I enjoy. Hence, I conclude, that no man of good fense will pay any regard to fo frivolous an objection. The truth is, thofe gen

tlemen who make this objection, are fo unhappily wedded to the poor pleasure of eating and drinking, that they cannot think of moderating it, and as an excufe for themselves, they choose to talk at this extravagant rate. However, I pity these gentlemen with all my heart, though they deferve for their intemperance, to be tormented with a complication of diftempers, and to be the victims of their paffions a whole eternity.

CHA P. IV.

OF THE BIRTH AND DEATH OF MAN.

THA

HAT I may not be deficient in that duty of charity, which all men owe to one another, or lose one moment of that pleasure which confcious useful

nefs