Considerations of the existence of God and of the immortality of the soul, with…

In short, Faith removes the thick Curtain of sensible things, that intercepted the Eye of the Mind, and its first Effect is to show the incomparable disproportion between what is present and what is future: and this is as great as between the living of a few years, ⟨p. 268⟩and an incorruptible state; between the wretched enjoyment of things that cannot satisfy the Senses, and the enjoyment of a universal Good that can fill all the desires of the Soul; as between a inch of Time and entire Eternity; between Nothing masked with a false appearance, and infinite Felicity.

In short, Faith removes the thick Curtain of sensible things, that intercepted the Eye of the Mind, and its first Effect is to shew the incomparable disproportion between what is present and what is future: and this is as great as between the living of a few years, ⟨p. 268⟩and an incorruptible state; between the wretched enjoyment of things that cannot satisfy the Senses, and the enjoyment of a universal Good that can fill all the desires of the Soul; as between a inch of Time and entire Eternity; between Nothing mask'd with a false appearance, and infinite Felicity.

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