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

Now who can think the satisfying of these lusts the commensurate end of man? Who would not, upon the supposition of no higher, say with the Psalmist, Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? To what purpose was it for him to live in the world a few years, upon this account only, and ⟨p. 35⟩so go down to the place of silence? What is there in the momentary titillations of man's wanton flesh; in his pleasing-view of a Mass of Treasure (which he never brought with him into the world, but only heaped together, and so leaves not the world richer or poorer than he found it)? What is there in the applause and admiration of fools (as the greater part always are); that we should think it worth the while for man to have lived for these things? If the question were put, Wherefore did God make man? Who would not be ashamed so to answer it, He made him to eat and drink and take his pleasure; to gather up wealth for he knows not who; to use his inventions that each one may become a talk and wonder to the rest; and then when he hath fetched a few turns upon the Theatre, and entertained the eyes of beholders with a short scene of impertinences, descend, and never be heard of more? What? that he should come into the ⟨p. 36⟩world furnished with such powers and endowments for this? It were a like case as if one should be clad in scarlet to go to plough, or curiously instructed in arts and sciences to tend Hogs.

Now who can think the satisfying of these lusts the commensurate end of man? Who would not, upon the supposition of no higher, say with the Psalmist, Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? To what purpose was it for him to live in the world a few years, upon this account only, and ⟨p. 35⟩so go down to the place of silence? What is there in the momentary titillations of man's wanton flesh; in his pleasing-view of a Mass of Treasure (which he never brought with him into the world, but only heaped together, and so leaves not the world richer or poorer than he found it)? What is there in the applause and admiration of fools (as the greater part always are); that we should think it worth the while for man to have liv'd for these things? If the question were put, Wherefore did God make man? Who would not be asham'd so to answer it, He made him to eat and drink and take his pleasure; to gather up wealth for he knows not who; to use his inventions that each one may become a talk and wonder to the rest; and then when he hath fetcht a few turns upon the Theater, and entertained the eyes of beholders with a short scene of impertinencies, descend, and never be heard of more? What? that he should come into the