A lewd young Fellow seeing an aged Hermit go by him barefoot, Father, says he, you are in a very miserable Condition if there is not another World.  True, Son, said the Hermit; but what is thy Condition if there is?  Man is a Creature designed for two different States of Being, or rather, for two different Lives.  His first Life is short and transient; his second permanent and lasting.  The Question we are all concerned in is this, In which of these two Lives it is our chief Interest to make our selves happy?  Or, in other Words, Whether we should endeavour to secure to our selves the Pleasures and Gratifications of a Life which is uncertain and precarious, and at its utmost Length of a very inconsiderable Duration; or to secure to our selves the Pleasures of a Life which is fixed and settled, and will never end?  Every Man, upon the first hearing of this Question, knows very well which Side of it he ought to close with.  But however right we are in Theory, it is plain that in Practice we adhere to the wrong Side of the Question.  We make Provisions for this Life as tho’ it were never to have an End, and for the other Life as tho’ it were never to have a Beginning.

Should a Spirit of superior Rank who is a Stranger to human Nature, accidentally alight upon the Earth, and take a Survey of its Inhabitants; what would his Notions of us be?  Would not he think that we are a Species of Beings made for quite different Ends and Purposes than what we really are?  Must not he imagine that we were placed in this World to get Riches and Honours?  Would not he think that it was our Duty to toil after Wealth, and Station, and Title?  Nay, would not he believe we were forbidden Poverty by Threats of eternal Punishment, and enjoined to pursue our Pleasures under Pain of Damnation?  He would certainly imagine that we were influenced by a Scheme of Duties quite opposite to those which are indeed prescribed to us.  And truly, according to such an Imagination, he must conclude that we are a Species of the most obedient Creatures in the Universe; that we are constant to our Duty; and that we keep a steddy Eye on the End for which we were sent hither.

But how great would be his Astonishment, when he learnt that we were Beings not designed to exist in this World above threescore and ten Years? and that the greatest Part of this busy Species fall short even of that Age?  How would he be lost in Horrour and Admiration, when he should know that this Sett of Creatures, who lay out all their Endeavours for this Life, which scarce deserves the Name of Existence, when, I say, he should know that this Sett of Creatures are to exist to all Eternity in another Life, for which they make no Preparations?  Nothing can be a greater Disgrace to Reason, than that Men, who are perswaded of these two different States of Being, should be perpetually employed in providing for a Life of three-score and ten Years, and neglecting to make Provision for that, which after many Myriads of Years will be still new, and still beginning; especially when we consider that our endeavours for making ourselves great, or rich, or honourable, or whatever else we place our Happiness in, may after all prove unsuccessful; whereas if we constantly and sincerely endeavour to make our selves happy in the other Life, we are sure that our Endeavours will succeed, and that we shall not be disappointed of our Hope.