A little Time after, it is anointed again, and in Time learns to confess, receives the Sacrament, is accustom’d to rest upon Holy-Days, to hear Divine Service, to fast sometimes, to abstain from Flesh; and if he observes all these, he passes for an absolute Christian.  He marries a Wife, and then comes on another Sacrament; he enters into Holy Orders, is anointed again, and consecrated, his Habit is chang’d, and then to Prayers.  Now I approve of the doing of all this well enough; but the doing of them more out of Custom than Conscience, I don’t approve; but to think that nothing else is requisite for the making a Christian, I absolutely disapprove:  For the greatest Part of Men in the World trust to these Things, and think they have nothing else to do, but get Wealth by Right or Wrong, to gratify their Passions of Rage, Lust, Malice, Ambition:  And this they do till they come upon their Death Bed; and then there follows more Ceremonies; Confession upon Confession, more Unction still, the Eucharist is administred; Tapers, the Cross, holy Water are brought in; Indulgencies are procured, if they are to be had for Love or Money; Orders are given for a magnificent Funeral; and then comes on another solemn Contract:  When the Man is in the Agony of Death, there’s one stands by bawling in his Ear, and now and then dispatches him before his Time, if he chance to be a little in Drink, or have better Lungs than ordinary.  Now although these Things may be well enough, as they are done in Conformity to ecclesiastical Customs; yet there are some more internal Impressions, which have an Efficacy to fortify us against the Assaults of Death, by filling our Hearts with Joy, and helping us to go out of the World with a Christian Assurance.

Eu. You speak very piously and truly; but in the mean Time here is no Body eats; I told you before, that you must expect nothing after the second Course, and that a Country one too, lest any Body should look for Pheasants, Moorhens, and fine Kickshaws.  Here, Boy! take away these Things, and bring up the rest.  You see, not the Affluence, but the Straitness of my Fortune.  This is the Product of my Gardens you have seen; don’t spare, if you like any Thing.

Ti. There’s so great a Variety, it does a Man good to look upon it.

Eu. That you mayn’t altogether despise my Thriftiness, this Dish would have chear’d up the Heart of old Hilarion, the evangelical Monk, with a hundred more of his Fellows, the Monks of that Age.  But Paul and Anthony would have lived a Month upon it.

Ti. Yes, and Prince Peter too, I fancy would have leap’d at it, when he lodg’d at Simon the Tanner’s.

Eu. Yes; and Paul too, I believe, when by Reason of Poverty he sat up a-Nights to make Tents.

Ti. How much do we owe to the Goodness of God!  But yet, I had rather suffer Hunger with Peter and Paul, upon Condition, that what I wanted for my Body, might be made up by the Satisfaction of my Mind.