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

And since we have so high and great an expectation, and 'tis understood and known, That the very perfection and end of our Beings is no otherwise attainable, than by putting off our sordid sl•sh, and laying aside this earthly Appurtenance; that yet there should be so fixed and prevailing ⟨p. 148⟩an aversion to it, is a most unaccountable thing, and one of the greatest Problems in Nature.

And since we have so high and great an expectation, and 'tis understood and known, That the very perfection and end of our Beings is no otherwise attainable, than by putting off our sordid sl•sh, and laying aside this earthly Appurtenanc•; that yet there should be so fixed and prevailing ⟨p. 148⟩an aversion to it, is a most unaccountable thing, and one of the greatest Problems in Nature.

I say, prevailing: For admit what is like to be alleged, that an addictedness to the body is by natural inclination; ought not the Laws of a Sup•rior to prevail over those of the inferior nature? And is not the love of God a higher natural Law than that of the body? to whom here our service is little, yea our disservice much; and from whose most desirable commerce we s•ffer so uncomfortable a disclusion by the sad circumstances of our bodily s•ate? Are we more nearly […] to a piece of C••y▪ […] to the Father of our spirits? And […], Is not every thing […]? and obliged to […] there, rather than […] in••rior thing (at least) ow nrly soever united? since there can be no pretence of any such […] union, than o a thing with it self? And re not our souls and our bodies (though