for a better and eternal life should increase. I must admit that there
salvation. Before openly revealing the inheritance of eternal glory, God graciously reveals Himself to us as a Father through lesser proofs, namely, the daily blessings He bestows upon us. Therefore, while this life acquaints us with the goodness of God, shall we disdain it as if it contained no goodness at all? We ought to feel and regard it in such a way that we place it among those gifts of divine goodness that are not to be despised. Even without the abundance of clear evidence in Scripture—which indeed exists—nature itself urges us to offer thanks to God for bringing us into existence, granting us the use of life, and providing us with all the means necessary for its preservation. Moreover, there is an even higher reason when we consider that here on earth we are being prepared for the glory of the heavenly kingdom. For the Lord has ordained that those who will ultimately be crowned in heaven must first engage in a battle on earth, overcoming its challenges and obtaining victory before they can triumph. Another reason is that here, in various ways, we begin to taste the divine goodness, arousing our hope and desire for its complete manifestation. Once we recognize that our earthly life is a gift of divine mercy, for which we are duty-bound to be grateful, we can then properly reflect on its most wretched condition and escape the excessive attachment to it that we naturally tend towards.
4. As our improper love for this earthly life diminishes, our longing for a better and eternal life should increase. I must admit that there is wisdom in the opinion of those who believed that it was better not to be born, and the next best thing was to die early. For those who lacked the light of God and true faith, what could they see in this world but dire omens and evil? It was not unreasonable for them to mourn and shed tears at birth and rejoice at death. However, they did so without profit because, lacking the true doctrine of faith, they failed to see how this life, in itself neither happy nor desirable, can turn to the advantage of the righteous. Their opinion led them into despair. But as believers, when we assess this mortal life and recognize its inherent misery, let us strive with greater zeal and less hindrance to reach for the future and eternal life. When we compare the two, the former not only becomes insignificant, but in