322 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book IV. 



than his orighial nature ; fo imperfedl: that he cannot in this life be 

 fo happy as he was in his former ftate. But even in this life, by 

 the exercife of his free will, which, as I have {hown, is efTential to 

 his nature, he contrives to make to himfelf different natures. Thus 

 he may make himfelf a foolifli, vitious, or wicked man : But even 

 when he does fo, he is not abfolutely miferable, but enjoys as much 

 pleafure, for the prefent, as his nature is capable of, though it be 

 much overbalanced by the pains he muft fooner or later fufter from 

 his folly, vices, or wickednefs. That the foolifh man enjoys fome 

 pleafure from his follies, the vitious man from his vices, and the 

 wicked man from accomplifliing his wicked purpofes, cannot be de- 

 nied ; and therefore he is fo far happy, as far as the nature he has 

 "iven to himfelf will admit : But if he make himfelf a wife, virtu- 

 ous, and religious man, he will be as happy as he can be in this 

 life, and will fecure to himfelf very much greater happinefs in the 

 life to come. 



And thus I think I have jiijltfied the ways of God to tnatt, and 

 ftiown that his goodnefs extends not only to man, but to all the ani- 

 mal creation here below, where I have proved that every animal is 

 as happy, even in this life, as he can be by the general laws of na- 

 ture, which being part of the Divine Nature, even God himfelf can- 

 not alter; and that the principal animal in this earth is deftined, 

 fooner or later, in fome future life, to enjoy the greateft happinefs 

 that his nature is capable of, when it is improved as much as by its 

 nature it can be. 



CHAP. 



