404 TWIN ANIi RECOVERY, &C. in -this view, look like an imaacent tribe of creatures, or in the. original state of,favour with their Maker`. To talk of solid comfort and 'satisfaction, and real happiness tobe enjoyed in this life, is contrary to all the common sense and experience of almost every thoughtful manwho has taken a just survey of these numerous scenes of evil. Sorry satisfaction in- deed, and poor comfort in the midst of such superior miseries! If a man were placed in some upper region, and had the wisdom of an angel, with all that just knowledge and experience what true happiness is, and could look down from above, and take 'a complete survey of human life, even in its best circumstances, as things now stand, And as it is supposed to be enjoyed by some of the happiest men on earth, without the hopes of a better life afterwards, he would be very loath to accept of it; nor indeed would it be worth his acceptance. Is there an angel in heaven who would not rather chase to lose his existence at once, than to be sent into our world, and trace the round of twenty or thirty, or threescoreyears of human life, without any hereafter ? And indeed, were it not from a,prin- ciple of obedience to God, and from the hopes of a happy futu- rity, after ave have piously and honourably sustained the labours, miseries and trials of this life, I know not what wise man would willingly come into these tiresome scenes of mortality, or go through them with any patience. What! To be trained up from infancy, under so many ne- cessary follies, unavoidable prejudices, and wretched delusions, through the power of flesh and sense ?? To be sunk into such gross ignorance both of our souls, our better selves, and of the glorious being that made us? To lie under such heavy shades of darkness, such a world of mistakes and errors as are mingled with our little faint glimpses, and low notices of God our Cre- ator ? What ! To be so far tlistant fromGod and endure such a long estrangement and utter absence from the wisest and best of beings, in this foolish and fleshly state, with so few and slender communications with or from him ! What ! To "be in bondage to so many powerful and disquieting appetites, so many restless and unruly passions, which want the perpetual guard of a jealous eye, and strong restraint over them, and which will be ever breaking out into some new mischief, notwithstanding our ever- lasting watchfulness! What! To be ever surrounded with such sort of dangerous delights of sense, which though they were touch safer in the innocent state, yet are now constant and strong temptations to folly, guilt, And misery ! To have scarce any joys but what are closely attended with huge dangers ? To have no satisfactions but what we are liable to pay dear for by' excessive or irregular indulgence, and which are most likely to become the means of transgression and lasting anguish, either to the itiind,
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