The vanity of this mortal life, or, Of man, considered only in his present…

That there should be a Creation, we may conceive to be the first Dictate of this Immense Goodness, which afterwards diffuses it self through the whole, in communications agreeable to the nature of every Creature. So that even this inferior, and less noble part,¹ the Earth, is full of the goodness of the Lord.

1. 1Psal. 33. 5

It creates first its own object, and then pours forth it self upon it with infinite delight, rewarding the expense with the pleasure of doing good.

It creates first its own object, and then pours forth it self upon it with infinite delight, rewarding the expence with the pleasure of doing good.

Now if we should suppose such a Creature as Man made only for that short time and low state, which we see to be allotted him in this world; It were neither difficult, nor enough, to reconcile the Hypothesis with strict Justice, ⟨p. 65⟩which upon the ground of absolute dominion, may do what it will with its own: But the ill accord it seems to have with so large and abounding Goodness, renders it very unlike the Dispensation of the blessed God. No enjoyment being in that case afforded to this sort of Creatures, agreeable to their common nature and capacity, either in degree or continuance.