I shall now therefore leave it to your own meditation, to carry this way of thinking farther, hoping that enough is said, to convince yourself, that an exalted piety is so far from rendering any life dull and tiresome, that it is the only joy and happiness of any condition in the world. 13. *Imagine to yourself some person in a _consumption_, or any other _lingering distemper_ that was _incurable_. If you was to see such a man wholly intent upon doing every thing in the spirit of religion, making the wisest use of all his time, fortune, and abilities. If he was for carrying every duty of piety to its greatest height, and striving to have all the advantage that could be had in the remainder of his life: if he avoided all business, but such as was necessary; if he was averse to all the follies and vanities of the world, had no taste for _finery_ and _shew_, but sought for all his comfort in the hopes and expeditions of religion, you would certainly commend his prudence; you would say, that he had taken the right method to make himself as joyful and happy, as any one can be in a state of such infirmity. *On the other hand, if you should see the same person, with _trembling_ hands, short breath, _thin_ jaws, and _hollow_ eyes, wholly intent upon business and bargains, as long as he could speak: if you should see him pleased with _fine cloaths_, when he could scarce stand to be dressed, and laying out his money in _horses_ and _dogs_, rather than purchase the prayers of the poor for his soul, which was so soon to be separated from his body, you would certainly condemn him, as a weak, silly man. 14. Now, as it is easy to see the reasonableness, the wisdom and happiness of a religious spirit in a _consumptive man_; so, if you pursue the same way of thinking, you will as easily perceive the same wisdom and happiness of a pious temper in every other state of life. For how soon will any man that is in _health_, be in the state of him that is in a _consumption_? How soon will he want all the same comforts of religion, which every dying man wants? *And if it be wise and happy to live piously, because we have not above a year to live, is it not being more wise, and making ourselves more happy, to live piously, because we may have more years to come? If one year of piety before we die, is so desirable, are not more years of piety much more desirable? 15. If a man had _five fixed_ years to live, he could not possibly think at all, without intending to make the best use of them _all_. When he saw his stay so short in this world, he must needs think that this was not a world for him; and when he saw how near he was to another world, that was eternal, he must surely think it necessary to be very diligent in preparing for it. Now as reasonable as piety appears in such a circumstance of life, it is yet more reasonable in every circumstance of life, to every thinking man. For who but a madman can recount that he has _five_ years _certain_ to come?