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

Though some persons of a light and desultory humour, might imagine to themselves a pleasure in it, if they had the power to make such a rotation of things, rising and falling, coming and passing away, at their beck and command; and such as were of a Sanguinary Temper, might sport themselves in raising up and lopping off lives at pleasure with an arbitrary hand. Yet sure they would never gain by it the esteem of being either wise or good; and would 'tis like, in time, grow weary of the sport. But to form to our selves such Idea's of the ⟨p. 71⟩blessed God, were an injury not inferior to the very denial of his being.

Though some persons of a light and desultory humour, might imagine to themselves a pleasure in it, if they had the power to make such a rotation of things, rising and falling, coming and passing away, at their beck and command; and such as were of a Sanguinary Temper, might sport themselves in raising up and lopping off lives at pleasure with an arbitrary hand. Yet sure they would never gain by it the esteem of being either wise or good; and would 'tis like, in time, grow weary of the sport. But to form to our selves such Idea's of the ⟨p. 71⟩blessed God, were an injury not inferior to the vety denial of his being.

His providence towards the inferior Creatures, hath no resemblance of any such thing; whom his bounty sustains agreeably to their natures, who have no foresight of their own cessation from being, to keep them in a continual death by the expectation of it. And who serve to valuable and reasonable purposes, while they are continued; for they are useful, partly to the sustentation of man, and partly to his instruction, in order to his higher Ends.