2. The consideration of the Souls immortality should reconcile our affection to all things that may befall us here, so far as they are preparatory for our wellbeing in the future state. The original Principle from whence are derived all Rules for practice, and of main influence upon our Comforts is, that Man is created for a supernatural happiness hereafter, and that present things are to be chosen or refused with respect ⟨p. 269⟩to our obtaining of it. For the means, what-ever they are in their absolute nature, yet considered as such in order to an end, are qualified and become either good or evil, as conducive to it, or unprofitable, and prejudicial. A Way that is thorny or dirty, or steep or stony, is good if it leads me to my Country where I can only live happily. On the contrary, a plain flowery carpet Way is bad, that leads me from it. Now since the present life conveys us to another, Poverty or Riches, Sickness or Health, splendour of Name or Obscurity, an high or a low Condition, become good or evil to us, and accordingly are eligible, as they prepare us for our last and blessed End, or divert us from it. If the clearness of this principle be obscured, we shall stumble every ⟨p. 270⟩step, and wander from the way of life. But duly considered, it makes us judg of things as they are, not as they appear. This unravels the doubts of the entangled Mind, corrects the mistakes of the erring Eye, levels the greatest Difficulties, clears all the Objections against Providence, and makes an afflicted state not only tolerable, but so far amiable as it promotes our supreme Happiness. Let us consider the two Worlds, the visible wherein we are, and the invisible to which we are going, and impartially compare what is proper to the one and the other. The present and the future, the sensible and divine, the apparent and real, the transitory and perpetual happiness. And what reference these two Worlds have to Man, the one serves him only as a Passage, ⟨p. 271⟩the other is his ever blessed Country. Therefore what-ever the present state has of sweet or bitter, whatever is desired or feared, as it passes with Time, should little move us. Who is there, unless disordered in his Mind, that when the Sun is present in its full lustre before his eyes, rejoices to have, or is sorry that he has not a Candle, that he may see more clearly?
2. The consideration of the Souls immortality should reconcile our affection to all things that may befal us here, so far as they are preparatory for our welbeing in the future state. The original Principle from whence are derived all Rules for practice, and of main influence upon our Comforts is, that Man is created for a supernatural happiness hereafter, and that present things are to be chosen or refused with respect ⟨p. 269⟩to our obtaining of it. For the means, what-ever they are in their absolute nature, yet consider'd as such in order to an end, are qualified and become either good or evil, as conducive to it, or unprofitable, and prejudicial. A Way that is thorny or dirty, or steep or stony, is good if it leads me to my Country where I can only live happily. On the contrary, a plain flowry carpet Way is bad, that leads me from it. Now since the present life conveys us to another, Poverty or Riches, Sickness or Health, splendor of Name or Obscurity, an high or a low Condition, become good or evil to us, and accordingly are eligible, as they prepare us for our last and blessed End, or divert us from it. If the clearness of this principle be obscur'd, we shall stumble every ⟨p. 270⟩step, and wander from the way of life. But duly considered, it makes us judg of things as they are, not as they appear. This unravels the doubts of the intangled Mind, corrects the mistakes of the erring Eye, levels the greatest Difficulties, clears all the Objections against Providence, and makes an afflicted state not only tolerable, but so far amiable as it promotes our supream Happiness. Let us consider the two Worlds, the visible wherein we are, and the invisible to which we are going, and impartially compare what is proper to the one and the other. The present and the future, the sensible and divine, the apparent and real, the transitory and perpetual happiness. And what reference these two Worlds have to Man, the one serves him only as a Passage, ⟨p. 271⟩the other is his ever blessed Country. Therefore what-ever the present state has of sweet or bitter, whatever is desir'd or fear'd, as it passes with Time, should little move us. Who is there, unless disorder'd in his Mind, that when the Sun is present in its full lustre before his eyes, rejoyces to have, or is sorry that he has not a Candle, that he may see more clearly?
