Ghap. VI. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 135 



CHAP. VI. 



Inquiry into the Happinefs o/'Man. — He was the lajl of God'' s works^ 

 and is an Epitome of the Creation,— proper that he fhould be the 

 Governing Animal on Earth. — His prefcnt mi/try no objeilion to the 

 perfection of the Syfem of the Univerfe, he having changed his 

 Nature and fallen from a more perfeB fate. — The Goodnefs of 

 God not to be judged of by the prefent fate of Man. 



IN the preceding Chapter, I think, I have proved, from the necef- 

 fary connexion that there muft be betwixt the intelligence and 

 the goodnefs of God, that, in the animal fyftem, the intelledtual 

 animals mull neceflarily be the happieft, if they make a proper life 

 of their intellecl. In this Chapter 1 am to inquire, whether man, 

 being the only intelleftUxil animal on this earth, be not the happieft 

 animal. 



Man was the laft of God's w-orks in the formation of this world, 

 and with him was completed the great work of creation, of which he 

 may be faid to be an epitome; for, as I have fhown*, he contains in 

 his little world every thing that is to be found in the great world. 

 As he is the only intelligent animal on this earth, and the image of 

 God, it was no doubt lit that he Ihould be the governor of it: And 

 accordingly God gave him dominion not only over the animals up- 

 on the earth, but over the fowls of the air and even the filh of the 



fea; 



• Page 107. and the paiTages there referred to. 



