156 RESIGNATION and FORTITUDE, 
it. This is true, not in a religious or philofophical fenfe only, 
but in common sense. Thus you fee the neceflity of atten- 
tion, vigilance, humility, reiignation. 
If the fcriptures have brought immortality to light, and con- 
tain a revelation of the will of god, as I firmly believe, by 
them we learn that the great prince and favior of mankind, 
will one day come to judge the world : we muft now fummons 
all our fortitude and piety, to prepare for that great event, as 
if it might happen to-day. We are fure it will happen, and 
with refpedt to us, it may be to-day or to-morrow. Eternal 
pleafures, and eternal pains, will then be difpenfed with fuch 
an equal hand, that however we may ftartle at the word eter- 
nal, the wicked themfelves will approve the fentence that 
condemns them. I am yours, &c. 
LETTER LII. 
To the fame. 
Mad a m, 
N OTHING is more frequent in common life, than to 
obferve people aiming at things which it is not poflible 
to accomplifh for want of the means. Philofophers may ha- 
rangue, and divines may preach ; but if they do not bring 
their inftru&ion down to the capacity of the hearer ; or if he 
refufes to hear the voice of reafon, all will be to no purpofe. 
Can we reafonably expedt to be religious, without reading 
the fcriptures and religious books ? Religious converfation is not 
in fafhion : if we cannot converse on thefe fubjedts, we muff 
read : and reading will naturally qualify us to think : we 
muft 
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