The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption…

1. There is a strong inclination in Man to Happiness. This desire is born and brought up with him, and is common to all that partake of the reasonable Nature. From the Prince to the poorest wretch; from the most knowing, to the meanest in understanding, every one desires to be happy: As the great flames and the little sparks of fire all naturally ascend to their sphere.

2. The constituting of any thing to be our Happiness, is the first and universal Maxim, from whence all moral consequences are derived. 'Tis the rule of our Desires, and the end of our actions. As in natural things, the principles of their production operate according to their quality, so in moral things the end is as powerful to form the Soul for its Operations in order to it. Therefore as all desire to be happy, so they apply themselves to those means, which appear to be convenient for the obtaining of it.

2. The constituting of any thing to be our Happiness, is the first and universal Maxime, from whence all moral consequences are deriv'd. 'Tis the rule of our Desires, and the end of our actions. As in natural things, the principles of their production operate according to their quality, so in moral things the end is as powerful to form the Soul for its Operations in order to it. Therefore as all desire to be happy, so they apply themselves to those means, which appear to be convenient for the obtaining of it.

¹3. Every one frames a Happiness according to his temper. The apprehensions of it are answerable to the dispositions of the person. For Felicity is the pleasure which arises […] the harmonious agreement between the Object and the Appetite. Now Man by his original and contracted corruption, is altogether carnal, he inherits the Serpents curse to creep on the earth, he cleaves to defiling and debasing objects, and is only qualified for sensual satisfactions. The Soul is incarnated, and it shapes a Happiness to it self, in the enjoyment of those things which are delicious to the Senses. The shadow of felicity is pursued with equal ardour, as that which is real and substantial. The supreme part of Man, the Understanding, is employed to serve the lower Faculties, Reason is used to make him more ingenious and luxurious in Sensuality: So much more brutish than the Brutes is he become, when besides that part which is so by its natural conditions, the most noble part is made so by unnatural choice and corruption. From hence the Apostle gives an universal Character of Men in their corrupt state, That they are foolish and disobedient,