14. But it is amazing to see how [♦]eagerly men employ their parts, their study, application, and exercise; how all helps are called to their assistance, when any thing is intended in worldly matters; and how little they use their parts, sagacity, and abilities, to raise and increase their devotion.
[♦] ‘eargerly’ replaced with ‘eagerly’
*Mandanus is a man of excellent parts, and clear apprehension. He is well advanced in age, and has made a great figure in his business. Every part of trade that has fallen in his way, has had some improvement from him; and he is always contriving to carry every method of doing any thing well to its greatest height. Mandanus aims at the greatest perfection in every thing. The strength of his mind, and his just way of thinking, make him intent upon removing all imperfections.
He can tell you all the defects and errors in all the common methods, whether of trade, building, or improving land or manufactures. The clearness and strength of his understanding, which he is constantly improving, by continual exercise in these matters, by often digesting his thoughts in writing, and trying every thing every way, has rendered him a great master in most concerns in human life.
Thus has Mandanus gone on, increasing his knowledge and judgment, as fast as his years came upon him.
The one thing which has not fallen under his improvement, nor received any benefit from his judicious mind, is his devotion: this is just in the same poor state it was, when he was only six years of age; and the old man prays now in that little form of words which his mother used to hear him repeat night and morning.
This Mandanus, that hardly ever saw the poorest utensil, or ever took the meanest trifle into his hand, without considering how it might be made, or used to better advantage, has gone all his life-long praying in the same manner as when he was a child; without ever considering how much better or oftner he might pray.
If Mandanus sees a book of devotion, he passes it by, as he does a spelling-book; because he remembers that he learned to pray so many years ago under his mother, when he learnt to spell.
Now, how poor and pitiable is the conduct of this man of sense, who has so much judgment in every thing, but that which is the whole wisdom of man?
And how miserably do many people, more or less, imitate this conduct?