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

To expect this, and converse only with shadows and vanishing things, is to expect to be happy without a happiness; or that our happiness should betide us as a casual thing, or be forced upon us at last whether we will or no. But since our happiness in God is on his part not necessary, but vouchsafed and gratuitous, depending on mere good pleasure; Is it our best way of ingratiating our selves with him, to neglect him, and live as without him in the world? To keep our selves strangers to him all our days, with a purpose only of flying to him at last, when all things else that were wont to please us, are vanished and gone? And if we could suppose his Wisdom and Justice to admit his forgiving so provoking contempt of him, and receiving an exiled Soul forced out from its earthly abode, that to the last moment ⟨p. 135⟩of it would never look after him, or have to do with him; yet can it be supposed, that its own habitual aversation to him, could allow it to be happy in him? Especially being increased and confirmed by its consciousness and sense of guilt? How can these but make it banish it self, and in a sullen enmity and despair perpetually fl•e the Divine Presence? What can in this case be more natural to it, than to give up it self to eternal solitary wanderings, as a Fugitive from God? to affect to be ever enwrapped in its own darkness, and hidden from his sight, and be an everlasting tormentor to it self? Can we be happy in him whom we do not love? or love whom we will not know or be acquainted with?

To expect this, and converse only with shadows and vanishing things, is to expect to be happy without a happiness; or that our happiness should betide us as a casual thing, or be forc'd upon us at last whether we will or no. But since our happiness in God is on his part not necessary, but vouchsafed and gratuitous, depending on meer good pleasure; Is it our best way of ingratiating our selves with him, to neglect him, and live as without him in the world? To keep our selves strangers to him all our days, with a purpose only of flying to him at last, when all things else that were wont to please us, are vanished and gone? And if we could suppose his Wisdom and Justice to admit his forgiving so provoking contempt of him, and receiving an exiled Soul forced out from its earthly abode, that to the last moment ⟨p. 135⟩