more reioyce them then their Father Fountayne by continuall supplyes of life and ioy Now that God is a most blessed Spirit the true beatificall obiect of Spirits blessed his supremitie in Excellence wisedome and power doe strongly perswade and first for excellence euen in our vulgar estimation grosse things are base things and puritie is accounted excellencie Glasse is preferred before Clay and Cristall before Glasse and the Diamond before Cristall Among Men the heauie and earthly mindes are most contemned and they that are of the quickest sharpest spirits are held most noble and generous If then we will frame any conception of a transcendent and vppermost excellencie we must also conceiue a most absolute puritie Therefore if God bee most excellent he is also most pure Now what is to be thought more pure then a glorious single vn-compounded Essence such as a Spirit is and that Spirit most which is the Cause and Fountayne and Father of Spirits And no lesse doth a spirituall Essence fit best with wisdom For wisedome being a most pure and piercing thing which by the sharpnesse subtiltie thereof can pierce into the most hidden and secret profundities what Essence fitteth wisedome better then a pure subtill and piercing Essence such as is that of a Spirit Wisedome is a light and we find the higher any thing is sublimated and refined and as it were vnbodied the more capable it is of light So Earth which is a lumpe of darknesse by fire lifted vp and clarified into the purenesse of Glasse becomes especially capable of light And surely if we search but a little depth into wisdome it wil appeare to our vnderstandings to bee the child conceiuement and issue of a Spirit euen of a cleere pure and single essence which in their models our owne soules doe represent vnto vs and teach by patterne Thirdly in regard of Power as the Creator of all things must excell al things in power so Power hath his residence most fitly and especially in a Spirit Accordingly wee see in daily experience that the heauie and massie things are moued and commanded by things vn-corporeall vnseene The huge Sea is moued to and fro in her Tides by an inuisible and vnbodily Power There is no hand that toucheth it no arme that holdeth it backe or thrusteth it forward In liuing things euen those that liue but a growing life the massie part is moued in growing by a power vnuisible and vnperceiuable In Beasts the purest and most incorporeall part of them is that which mooueth increaseth and directeth their grosnesse and greatnesse The Wind is a thing inuisible of a great thinnesse and subtiltie Yet in Earthquakes it teares Rocks asunder remoues Mountaynes in Tempests it brings the Sea vpon the Land and equals Towres with their owne foundations Surely Power is then most pure absolute when it is least clogged with weight and massines doth lode it rather then increase it And as it is of it selfe cleere and vncorporeall so it cannot but proceed from a cleere and pure Essence things euer proceeding frō their like and what purer then a Spirit And to shut vp all in an experimentall conclusion We find in our selues an excellent essence intelligent vn-corporeall inuisible vn-touchable which are the expressions of a Spirit whereby many great works are performed and thereby giue euident testimonies therof If therefore there be such an essence in vs wee may imagine the Creator to bee purer then his worke and therefore he must be more spiritual than we or more then spirituall but cannot be lesse But be that graunted which wee seeke that God is a Spirit most wise most powerfull that can both free vs from miserie and giue vs the true and naturall happinesse of Spirits What auaileth it vs that God is able to doe it except it be done There must bee a communication of this abilitie vnto Man else Man onely knowes where he might be happy but knowes not that hee shall be happy And without this knowledge the life of Man is but a continuall feare and bondage Wherefore it concernes vs to make a new suruay of all Nations and all Doctrines of happines inquiring among them whether any of them can tell vs the glad tydings of a communion and entercourse betweene God and Man Let vs diligently examine the vniuersall Teachers of knowledges aske whether there hath beene any act of the Creator performed for the reparation of miserable mankind and the deliuerāce of him from this prison of wretchednes vanitie into the glorious libertie of blessed Spirits For my part as euery man is bounded with his owne knowledge I haue heard or read of one alone and that is so fully medicinable to Mans miserie so fully sufficient to giue Man perfect felicity That this is the very doctrine of happines or else Man must still remaine a sensuall wretched and vnprofitable creature which to say were a blasphemie against the wisdom of creation In this doctrine is God discouered to be the repayrer of his owne falne creature And the remedie is euery way equall yea preualent to the disease so that it well becomes the highest God to bee the Authour thereof And though the manner of it be not fetched from mans vaine-glorious imaginations nor grounded vpon Nature GOD being able equally to be an immediate Father of Mans reparation as of his creation of grace as of nature yet contayneth this doctrine no vnreasonable contrarieties or repugnances but onely things high aboue cōmon reason such as well befit a Deitie higher by farre then his owne creature And notwithstanding this height yet they that duely conuerse in this doctrine and by meditation enter into the mysterie thereof they I say shall find an excellent harmonie correspondence between it and Mans present estate and betweene all the parts of it selfe For the sore of Man is so iustly couered with an answerable plaister That it must needs be confessed that he who framed the remedie must bee hee alone that knoweth the secrets of the heart euen the depth and roote of our maladie Philosophie hath indeuoured to cure the Gangrene of Mans corruption by cutting off the very parts corrupted which must bee vpon the matter by cutting off Man from himselfe as indeed some haue done by leauing him as a meere trunke without feeling and without affection But this doctrine leaueth the parts whole but mainly opposeth the corruptiō it leaues man to be as much a man as he was but onely it so purgeth him that hee is not so much euil nor so much miserable as he was yea that at length he shall be neither euill nor miserable And this is so strongly sealed into the heart of Man that it leaues an euident proofe of a diuine power accompanying and iustifying it For none but the Creator can pierce into the hart of man and bind his will and affections euen against his will and affections with such powerfull and mightie chaines that neither the
the greatest ioy must be a most wise reasonable and lightsome spirit likenesse agreeablenesse and harmonie being the foundations of pleasure and consequently the most excellent Like powring into his inferiour Like the most conformable naturall and kindly ioyes from which ariseth an inioying euen in perfection contentment rest Hauing thus found out some conditions of Mans soueraigne good let vs now seeke out that thing which beareth these conditions to this purpose let vs search the length and breadth the height and depth of Essences and Beings which if we draw into a summe we shal finde to bee no other then the Creature and the Creator God and the World Let vs therefore inquire which of these is qualified with the abilities of perfect felicitie CHAP. III. Whether the World or part of it be Mans happinesse And first of Honour IF wee would begin with the World first aske of it whether it bee able to giue vs happinesse surely it preuents our asking most commonly and teacheth vs by blowes and not by words that it is our miserie rather then our happinesse euen a great treasurie of imperfections infirmities griefes cares oppressions wickednesse transitorinesse and vanitie There is in it no fit obiect for the soule no full and stable happinesse for the body The best things in it that concerne Man are of a goodnesse mixt or vncontinuing It is full of confusion all things comming alike to all and not the best to the best Folly sits very often in iudgement vpon Wisedome or which is worse then Folly Wickednesse and Wisedome and Righteousnesse are as often condemned yea Wickednesse hath the reward of Righteousnesse To conclude all things are full of change the World still changeth her owners and one generation driueth out another Euen these with whom the World makes most dalliance the same World turnes out of fauor and being as many Princes doe their Fauourites But if generalities by reason of their hugenesse may not easily enter into the narrow capacities of men Let vs examine some chiefe particulars and Master-pieces of the world and so trie whether any part can bee better then the whole or whether any part can bee free from that Law vnder which the whole is concluded And surely if the best parts of the world being examined be found to be vanitie and their ashes nothing the inferiour parts must if it were possible bee an extremer kinde of nothing And though many Volumes handling these things haue almost preuented these latter ages of any new matter truth in the same thing being still the same yet because truth is infinite in latitude and largenesse and all mankind is not an equall match to the breadth thereof Let euery man search for more truthes and if he cannot finde them he may doe well yet to ratifie and confirme the old And first let vs looke vpon Honor a chiefe flowre of this worlds flight and false happinesse and wee shall finde it hath iustly beene discouered to borrow valuation from opinion opinion it selfe is of all other a most groundlesse mutable vaine and witlesse thing It is the thought of a darke blind multitude which catcheth at things like mad Dogs suddenly rashly and vnconsiderately not staying for reason or at most onely for a shew of reason But if thy honour haue a better ground thy own merit and the estimation of wise and good men I confesse it is then a sweete oyntment which pleaseth and delighteth the iudgement but doth not fill and satisfie it It is not food strong inough for the soule of a wiseman nor for the body of a hungrie man the mind of man still reacheth beyond it and cryes it is farre from being the true rest of the soule How many sicke men how many sad yea but wisely seuere men haue looked vpon it and examined it when they had it and became merrie or angrie that they found no more in it But I need not much trouble my selfe with examining this kinde of honour for the World little troubles it selfe with seeking or finding it But that which chiefly pleaseth them is a vizzard of honour which makes them honourable to the eyes and opinions of men no wiser nor better then themselues But if Fooles ride on horse-backe with this kinde of honour and Princes for wisedome goe on foote without it What mad good thing is this which sets vp folly aboue wisedome Of this I need to say the lesse for the very Huntsmen of this honor haue bitterly complayned on it they say it leades them into many pits and downe falls ouer many myres and dangerous precipices the mind hath manie strong counter buffes and affronts the conscience is forced to make wide steps for it and to leape ouer many blocks of stumbling and offence Againe they complain that it keeps the heart from rest and inioying being attayned it is digged at by Enuie and makes this often appeare that it hath clymed for ruine Finally one degree of honour attayned is but a degree not a bound of the desires and a farther honour desired and not attayned takes away the sauour of whatsoeuer honour is alreadie gotten Hence it plainly appeares that there is in it little substance or solide satisfaction since that pleaseth most which wee haue not that little and left which we haue CHAP. IIII. Of pleasures and riches that they are not Mans happinesse BVt if neglecting honour wee looke on pleasures to finde happinesse in them How doe pleasures die in inioying Their end deuoureth their beginning their backside is more lothsome then their face is pleasant They that are past haue not satisfide they that are to come will bee but the same and shall not satisfie There is nothing left of the former neither shall there be of the latter but all are bounded within one and the same vanitie Againe pleasures neuer stand still but while they bee they bee lessening going to nothing Therefore of laughter it may bee said Thou art mad and of pleasure What is it that thou doest And surely if we could obtayne a continued course of pleasures through the race of a whole life yet this only or chiefly concernes the body but the soule hath no obiect the whiles to giue her any full pleasure or delight As the body tasteth not spirituall ioyes so the soule tasteth not bodily pleasures Yea carnall pleasures haue this venom ordinarily in them that their heighth groweth or continueth by the diminishing or suppression of the reasonable soule and commonly the excellent soule is vsed but as a slaue to supply the lusts of the body with base satisfaction whiles her selfe goes away without any wages of pleasure or aduantage yea shee grones vnder the burden of so vile a bondage then especially sinking suffering and retyring when the body enioyes his chiefest pleasures But if sober toward pleasures wee yet stand in reuerence of profit after which the greatest part of the world runnes a whoring let vs turne our eyes from Multitude vnto
wherein this infinite Wisedome Power might dwell which puritie chiefly excelleth in a Spirit and to such a Spirit can agree no other but the highest Name of God Thus the things sealed bearing the Image of the seale teach vs the seale euen these visible Creatures bearing the impression of the Deitie represent to vs the same Deitie as their Cause and Beginning and in their dumb language they preach vnto vs their originall The world thus trimmed vp with the varietie of innumerable things both for vse and ornament as a royall Palace for some great Prince man though now a contemptible wretched thing was then thought a fit Owner and Commander of so glorious a Creation And this not without order for though by his body he was of kin to the Earth yet his soule was of kin to the Deitie being a Spirit breathed into man by the Father of Spirits So Glorie and Humilitie were married together in man at his first Creation the issues wherof should still be continued euen apprehensions of an excellent soule to keepe vs from sinking into the basenesse of sensualitie and earthinesse and considerations of a clay body to stay vs from mounting vp in pride and ascending into the place of the most High And now euen at the first beginning God did make man know both what was the basenesse of man and what was the happines of man hee shewed man that his seruice was the businesse of man yea hee shewed him how he would bee serued For God planted in man a reasonable soule in which was written an Image counter-pawne of the Deitie although not equall in degrees yet like in resemblance Now the reason of this soule could finde that a Creator creates things for himselfe by whom things are they are also for him Therefore man hauing his being from God he is to returne his being vnto God And if Man would know the manner how to please and serue God this very manner of his creation will teach him For the Creator was a Spirit himselfe and he gaue to man a Spirit resembling him both in substance and facultie The substance was spirituall the facultie an vnderstanding and wil. In the vnderstanding was a light which could shew vnto man the will of God and informe Man what was right in Gods vnderstanding So was it a created reuelation of the Law of God the sparkes and pieces whereof serue at this day both to informe and accuse the naturall man Now vpon the vnderstanding thus informed the will was readie to attend and vpon the will the affections yea all the members to execute and performe the will of God certified to them by the vnderstanding Now there being such an aptnesse and abilitie of conformitie betweene God and Man and all things being delighted with harmonie and conformitie especially that purest Essence which is vanitie it selfe surely it cannot bee imagined but the chiefest pleasure and seruice most acceptable to the Creator was when these lower and lesser spirits did cary themselues the bodies which they ruled in a perpetuall consent and conformitie to that great Spirit which made them And as Mans workmāship did thus shew him his worke so did it also his happinesse Towards the discouerie hereof let vs set downe these rules First the most excellent happines of Man must be the happinesse of Mans most excellent part Secondly Mans chiefest part being a Spirit the obiect of his happines must be a Spirit Spirits enioying Spirits as Bodies do Bodies chiefly the chiefest Thirdly this chiefest Spirit is not to bee found among the Creatures but must only bee the Creator for the Creator must needs exceede all the Spirits that issue from him as the highest cause doth his inferiour effects And to this also conspireth this conception euen of humane reason that in him must bee the chiefest exaltation of Mans being from whom the being it selfe did first proceede Yet neither doth our mercifull Father leaue this Truth without a witnesse but by that great reuerend mysterie of the Sabbath he telleth vs outwardly what before he inwardly taught vs euen that God is our blessednesse and that holinesse is the way to him For God is said to haue created the world in sixe dayes and to haue rested blessed and hallowed the seuenth Now God needed not sixe dayes to create a world which he can equally doe in a moment Neither needed he to rest the seuenth day for any wearinesse gotten by Creation But these things are of an higher meaning and include Doctrines more excellent and so more agreeable to the nature and dignitie of God God chose to make his worke distinctly in sixe seuerall dayes and in euery day distinctly considered the worke which that day hee had made and vpon this distinct and seuerall consideration hee pronounced this sentence vpon each dayes worke that the worke of that day was good Yet hee saith onely that it was good hee saith not that it was goodnesse it was good enough in his kind for seruice but not for happinesse But the seuenth day hee ceaseth both from Creation and this consideration of the good Creatures and with-draweth himselfe into himselfe Hee returneth from without to the enioying of himselfe his owne rest and to the contemplation of this rest inioyed and there onely hee findeth pronounceth to be perfect holinesse and perfect blessednesse To make this knowne vnto Man God takes this Seuenth day wherein hee retyred to his rest and imprints on it the qualities of his rest holinesse and blessednesse that the holinesse and blessednesse of that day might bee a patterne to vs of the holinesse and blessednesse which is in God that we reading therein the blessednesse of God might set our whole hearts desires thereon and reading therin the holinesse of God might fit our selues by holinesse to his Holinesse which as it is inseparable from happinesse in God so must it be also in all that wil see Good for nothing contrary or vnlike to God may approch vnto him Thus the Seuenth day crowned by the employment of that day the other sixe daies left vnblessed by the works of those dayes by a manifest differēce point vnto vs that the end and happinesse of Man are not to be sought in the workes of the sixe dayes but in the blessed Holinesse and holy Blessednesse of the Seuenth And to the same truth the order of Creation doth likewise inuite vs. For all Creatures being first made Man was made after Creatures and so set before them as their end to whom they should looke whom they should serue But Man being thus placed as the end of the Creatures in this great mysterie of the Sabbath solemnized after Mans creation God and his blessed Rest is set before Man as the end and happinesse of Man So as Man is set before the face of the Creatures so is God in the Sabbath set before the face of Man The Creatures should looke to Man and Man
yet beleeue thou the Word of the Lord which hee hath spoken to thee by his Spirit for his record is true and he must be beleeued vnder hope against hope The Spirit which establisheth vs hath warranted our stabilitie and this Spirit is the Spirit of Truth and what is once Truth is still Truth must stifly be retained against all contrary probabilities apparances Therefore are wee and may wee bee alwayes bold amidst tribulations and afflictions amidst terrors without and terrors within for the seale of God remaineth vpon vs inuiolable and the Lord who knowes who are his hath told vs that we are his Now that wee may haue the comfort of this Testimony let vs often examine our selues and search our hearts to see whether they resemble God or not let vs lay vp in our memories yea in memorialls records the witnessings of the Spirit to our Spirits against the day of Exercise and Tryall Thus wee see that euen in this Life wee are not left comfortlesse but wee haue both Comforts and a Comforter Yet wee still say that our chiefe Comfort is in the next Life yea the next Life is the chiefe Comfort of this Life to those whose eyes see things inuisible and make future things present Wherefore amidst the comforts of this life let our eyes and hearts be especially fixed on that because comforts in this life are but baytings and incouragements in our way vnto Happinesse but are not themselues our wayes end THE ARTE OF HAPPINES The third Part. Wherein is shewed how Man hyeth hold on happinesse retayneth and increaseth it and finally is put into the full fruition of it CHAP. I. How Man fastneth himselfe vnto happinesse WE haue seene what is our Soueraigne Good and we haue seen how this soueraigne Good imparts it selfe vnto Man now it concernes vs to search by what meanes Man may apply this soueraigne Good to himselfe or rather himselfe to it In vaine to vs it is that there is an happinesse In vaine it is that there is an hand stretched out to deliuer this happinesse to vs if we haue not also a hand to receiue it For if there be an happinesse and an offered happinesse if we receiue it not if wee haue no propertie in it wee continue in miserie euen in the sight of happinesse Wee are not happy except happinesse bee ours and not the being but the communication of happinesse makes vs happy And euen for this communication application is there an instrument giuen vs by him who is our happinesse he that hath giuen a mouth to the body to receiue the food of the body hath giuen a mouth to the soule to receiue the food of the soule Yea he hath taught vs how to open this mouth wide that it may admit and receiue a great fulnesse of happinesse But if in stead of telling thee how this is done I should aske thee what thou wouldest do for that which is better then all things How canst thou returne any other answer but this That thou wouldest giue all things for that which is better then all things For euen at that rate thou shalt be a gayner And if thy minde bee like this answere thou art in a good preparation for the receit of blessednes thou drawest neere vnto it and that thou maist not faile receiue these directions following The soule of Man hath two especiall parts or powers the Vnderstanding and the Will The vnderstanding is appointed to be the guide of the will and vpon the will moued by the vnderstanding should the affections and all the members attend yea all things that are ours Now if thou wilt receiue and apply happinesse offered in that God and Man our most blessed Restorer first thy vnderstanding must bee opened by knowledge for it must know acknowledge God in Christ to bee that which he is euen the blisse of mankinde and the meanes to that blisse As he is God so hee is Blessednes as hee is Man vnited to God so is he a Mediator betweene Blessednes and Man This thou must know and thou must know that this thy knowledge of him is true right For CHRIST being thus known the eye of the soule is turned from all other shewes and meanes of happinesse and the same is fixed onely on the onely Lord and Sauiour Being thus settled in the full assurance of vnderstanding thou hast performed a good part of thy promise for thou hast giuen thy vnderstanding euen a chiefe part of thy soule wholly to CHRIST And if further thou desirest a signe to know whether thou hast done this truely and really this may serue for a signe vnto thee If the knowledge of any thing for happinesse or the meanes to happinesse besides God in Christ bee vnto thâ—â— as drosse and filth and â—â—â—lishnesse But 〈…〉 vnderstanding must proceede to worke vpon thy will it must moue the will to open it selfe wide vnto happinesse and being open to sucke cleaue and fasten it selfe by an ardent loue rest and settlement vnto happinesse certainly discouered in Christ by the vnderstanding And indeed in Spirits either vncorrupted or rectified this is a natural course For in such the vnderstanding hauing assuredly descryed the soueraigne Good the will presently moueth it selfe to it being deseryed and drawes with it all the parts and powers subiect vnto it And as for all other offers of fained happinesse it giues them this answere Whither shall I goe for this is he that hath the words of eternall Life Blessednes Wherefore that the whole promise be performed and that all may bee giuen for happinesse let the will follow the vnderstanding and wholly and vnmoueably will and loue this Treasure of felicitie discouered in Christ Iesus for saking selling and abandoning all things for it I say let the will sticke to Christ alone by a feruent loue desire as vnto the alone happines and let the same will sticke to Christ alone by a strong trust and confidence as the alone Mediator of happi nesse And finally with an earnest hunger and thirst let it surrender vp it selfe and all things subiect to it vnto his sauing or imparting of blessednes which he doth by the Spirit For thus farre must the wil proceede in working and then only comes the crowne of the worke For it is not inough barely to know that God is happines nor to put thy trust in no other but the Sonne for the imparting of this happinesse but thou must also surrender vp thy selfe wholly to the Holy Ghost by whom the Father powreth and sealeth blessednesse into vs through Christ his Sonne When therefore wee haue proposed and settled the Deitie for our happinesse haue yeelded our selues vp to the three Persons of the same Deitie vnited to the Humanitie for the conferring of happinesse I meane to God the Father redeeming vs by the Sonne and regenerating vs by the holy Ghost then hath the vnderstanding and will wrought home euen to the
confessed-incurable and desperate miserie And to this end may we reasonably beleeue that the fulnesse of time appointed for the cōming of our Sauiour in the flesh was so long in fulfilling and that during the space between the Promise and exhibiting of a Sauior there was so spare and rare and secret notices giuen of him euen that there might be a manifest and confessed neede of him before hee should be generally manifestly offered and shewed The whole World left to the state of nature must bee odiously and vnsufferably corrupted the Nation of the lewes taken out as the top of mankind and a chief part to conuince the whole lifted vp propped and supported by a cleere reueiled Law by Statutes Ordinances and Ceremonies and these againe inforced by Prophets Miracles and Signes I say this Nation must bee laden with iniquitie and wholly defiled from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot and so both among Iewes and Gentiles there must be none that worketh righteousnesse no not one and then is the fulnesse and fitnesse of time for the comming and publishing of a Sauiour Being thus humbled in our selues and made both needy and thirstie of saluation then will God open our eyes as he did the eyes of despairing AGAR that wee shall see a spring of waters of eternall Life Christ Iesus with the beames of his sauing health will shine in vpon our vnderstādings and shew them his beautie and vpon our wils through our vnderstandings to comfort rauish and draw them and this will bee doe iust at that time when we feelingly complaine and find that we are in the state of darkenesse and in the shaddow of death And now Christ Iesus entring into our souls with free mercy and grace to heale and refresh them our soules in faith and feruency claspe the will and affections about him and lay fast hold on the Lord of glorie and blessednes And then the soule kisseth him with the kisses of her mouth and as she needeth him most before she found him so she loueth him best after shee hath found him This is the path of Faith walke therein and liue for euer CHAP. III. That wee should striue to increase our happinesse and by what meanes BEing knit vnto hap pinesse by the knot of a most high and blessed Vnion wrought by that Faith in Christ which surrenders vs vp to the sanctification of the Spirit what remaynes but that we striue to preserue and increase our selues therein It is no lesse wisdome to keep then to get yea it is more folly negligently to lose a thing gotten the labour by which it was gotten then hauing taken no paines for it nor hauing tasted the sweetnesse of it to haue beene altogether without it And though the renewing Spirit bee strong in apprehension and where it once takes roote it will not wholly quit the ground yea we must know that the retchlesnesse hard heartednesse of Man by shutting vp the heart against the dew of heauen and by cherishing the weedes of naturall corruption may so much grieue afflict him that the seede of grace and glorie sowne in vs may be much withered and pined For the Spirit which is within vs as it holdeth vs so it lookes to bee held by vs as it quickens vs so it lookes to be quickned and inflamed by vs And on the other side it grieues it pines it drieth it dyeth to our feeling though not in it selfe when it wanteth comforting incouraging cherishing And the Spirit being thus quenched within vs the spirituall trading for happinesse decayeth so our losse of heauenly ioyes doth daily increase yea the comforts of God in our way to happinesse doe still abate and we are often left in a temporal hell euen in horror of mind vexation of conscience which is the night of the soule Wisd. 17.14 Farre be it therefore from vs to kill that which giueth vs life to quench that which is the Light of our darknesse to pull backe our hand from this hand of God which offers to leade vs to eternall Life But let it be the most earnest indeuor of our hearts and soules to comfort and cherish this heauenly Seede wherein lyes wrapt our euerlasting glorie and happinesse Let vs be merciful to our selues by being kinde to it for thou canst not sow to this Spirit but thou must sow also to thy owne glorie for the Spirit is a most sure Rewarder of all the seruice done vnto it And to whom it hath beene an Author of sowing in labour to them it will also bee a Giuer of a most blessed haruest in glorie yea according to the measure of sowing shall be the measure of reaping Wherefore let vs not bee content onely to get this glorifying Spirit nor hauing gotten it only to keep it but let vs in an vnsatiable couetousnesse euer bee increasing it euer be getting vpon it How can a Man be full inough of happines How canst thou stint thy seeking since there is no stine of an infinite felicitie and such is that which thou seekest Surely if thou euer didst taste thy Soueraigne Good thou canst not but ouer hunger and thirst after him thou canst not but cry out Euermore giue me this water of life Let thy worldly couetousnesse reach thee the manner of a spirituall couetousnesse That tells thee that goods are good and thou canst not haue too much of that which is good Now the Spirit tells thee that God is goodnesse it selfe and the summe of all things that are good Wherefore thou shouldest be still hungrie still thirstie after the liuing God neuer hauing inough of that happinesse whereof there is still some degree beyond that which thou hast Wherefore fastning one foote that thou slide not backe in the path of happinesse aduance the other so march on stedfastly to the Congregation of the first-borne to the spirits of iust and perfect Men to the Mediator of the new Alliance and Couenant and to the happy presence of the liuing God Thy path is in the Spirit walke in the Spirit and thou walkest toward God walke feruently in the Spirit let it in flame thee and bee inflamed by thee thou walkest swistly towards God and the more this fire of Grace is kindled in thee the more shall thy shining be when thou art a Starre in glorie For the same Spirit which is the seede of Sanctification is also the seede of Glorification the first it brings forth in this life the other in the next As certainly as it shewes the first so certainly will it bestow the latter and the latter in the degree of the former For according to the power of the quickning Spirit within vs shall be the power excellence of the Spirit raising vs and according to the power of the Spirits sanctifying is the power of the Spirits quickning Sanctifying and quickning being knit together and so prospering together in the prosperitie of one and the same Spirit Therefore to
increase our glorie we must striue to increase our holinesse and by holinesse and other helps aduancing and supporting holinesse to in crease comfort and cherish the Spirit by which both holinesse and glory may be increased Now to know what these helps are we must seeke in the Oracles of God whose office and mayne purpose is to shine as a Light to mankind that standeth in the darke place of a clouded and corrupted soule and to guide their feete into the way of Peace and Rest. This sure Word of GOD was giuen by GOD vnto Man to direct Man vnto God And to effect this it hath a power to make the children of men the sonnes of God Yea it hath a power to nourish this spirituall and heauenly sonship so bestoweth a gift of growth as well as a gift of life for it causeth the sonnes and heires of God to grow vnto their perfect stature of Grace Glory The great Spirit of God which powreth that portion of the Spirit into vs wherein lyes our sanctification and sealing powred also in the Prophets Seers and Apostles the Word and Counsell of God So the Spirit within vs and the Word without vs are neere of kin they haue one Father euen the Spirit which is God and being brethren they must needes cherish loue and strengthen each other Yea the Spirit of GOD which best knowes how the Spirit issuing from him may bee cherished hath by that Word of purpose shewed vs sundry meanes by which that which hee hath giuen vs may be increased And God expects that wee which were dead and are now raised to life by him though in our deadnesse wee could not moue towards him yet being quickned wee should by imployments and exercise stirre vp the life bestowed on vs kindling it by those helps which his Word ministreth vnto vs. So behold O Man a double mercy one that the indeuours of the Saints may increase their glorie another that meanes helps and directions are giuen for the aduancement and execution of such indeuours Wee must not be still like Embrious and children in their first conception to haue the nourishment of life sent in o vs without our knowledge and will but being now at least babes in Christ wee must desire and sucke the sincere Milke of the Word that wee may grow thereby or being strong men we must desire and digest the solid meate by which wee may grow from strength to strength wee must by manly exercises seeke to fortifie the power of Christ in vs and we must worke towards the increase of our spirituall estate by heauenly traffike and marchandize that the talents of grace being increased may increase the talents of glorie But now perchance it wil bee demanded what these helps are by which the Man of GOD may enlarge his stature and grow vp to his head Christ Iesus For satisfaction to which demand I would point him to the Word of God which is the Treasure of the perfect knowledge of this Arte of felicitie but yet to giue some stay to hungrie soules that presently desire the prosperitie of the Spirit will not bee delayed I may name some of the chiefest though likewise I may leaue others vnnamed to stirre them vp somewhat to seeke for their owne prouision And here as the first means of increasing the Spirit I will name the increasing of those meanes by which the Spirit was first receiued we must striue to increase that faith and affiance by which wee cleauing vnto Christ Christ claue vnto vs. For the more wee cleaue vnto Christ the more Christ cleaueth vnto vs the more we comprehend him the more he doth comprehend vs by a larger and fuller possession of vs. Faith increased increaseth our capacitie of Christ Iesus and as wee are inlarged in our owne bowels by faith so doth Christ inlarge himselfe within vs by his Spirit To this end let vs remember what hath beene formerly set forth as the meanes of breeding faith and in those meanes let vs bee the more conuersant as wee would bee the more plentifull in faith and more ingraffed in the obiect of faith Christ Iesus Briefly let vs feruently and continually pray with the Disciples vnto the Author and Finisher of our faith Lord increase our faith Let vs be frequently conuersant with Christ Iesus and often behold him liuely described in the Word in the Sacraments by hearing by seeing by receiuing by meditation The more Christ is looked on the more trust and the more loue and so the more Vnion Wee cannot looke on the fairest of Men but we shall bee rauished with his loue for hee kindleth our affections as coles of fire and as a vehement flame And surely if wee looke into his Word and into the seales of his Word wee cannot choose if wee bee spirituall but wee must plainly looke on Christ himselfe For the Word of Christ is the Image of Christ hee hath stamped on it his owne likenesse and therein wee may see him borne liuing teaching dying rising againe Therein may wee behold his graces and gifts his excellencie and dignitie his loue vnto Men and his labours for Men. The Sacraments also Christ hath imprinted with his owne resemblance and they are the characters and representations of Christ. So in them may wee see Christ redeeming by passion and washing by regeneration feeding and quickning by viuification yea performing his part of the whole Couenant of Life And CHRIST being thus discerned what dull heart will not rise vp toward him in a stronger affiance in a more firie loue Wherefore walking along with the staffe of Prayer in our hands let vs still bee tasting of these restoratiues of Faith that so faith being cherished may cherish the Spirit and the Spirit being cherished may cherish our life eternall CHAP. IIII. Other helps of retayning and increasing happinesse The first is quicke obedience AN especiall furtherance and nourisher of the Spirit is a readie and prompt obedience to the motions of the same Spirit The businesse of our life is indeede no other but an attendance on the Spirit in whom lyes our dutie and happinesse and al other businesses that are not subordinate to this businesse are inordinate Wherfore to the holy lusts of this liuing and mouing Spirit must our continuall care bee attentiue that when it moueth vs we may be moued by it and that the commands thereof bee answered by a speedie obedience For the Spirit is the issue of the God of power and is it selfe a power proceeding from that great power now power reioyceth in action yea these second powers grow more powerfull by action In naturall things wee see that motion makes a thing more apt to moue and by how much more the strength of Man is exercised the more able and mightie it groweth No otherwise doth the Spirit in vs. It grows mightie by a free and prosperous exercise of his might It growes more vigorous and actiue by doing and by mouing it is more
things must be considered First the presentnesse of the euill for our flesh is like Gun-powder it presently takes fire it breakes out suddenly vpon vs there is no way to bee before it but by watchfulnesse For when a man meetes an occasion of Anger of Lust or of some other passion if he bee out of his watching his house is by temptation set on fire about his eares before hee sees that hee was tempted But the watchfull man is still in his spirit and so is still before the temptation yea the temptation comes still before him and not behinde him euen in his sight and vnder his view Therefore he forewarnes his owne soule and so forewarnes her to preuēt the harme which approcheth towards her Watchfulnesse tells the Soule here comes a temptation of Wrath there a temptation of Couetousnesse and another way a temptation of Lust and then the soule knowes her busines which is to walke in the Spirit and not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh but the heedlesse man he hath raged he hath lusted he hath coueted before hee thought hee did so and as a bird only by being taken takes too late a knowledge of the snare so the vnwatchfull man doth first fall into some odious extremitie and then by the feeling of his fall knows to no purpose that he is falne and that such a temptation was the cause of his fall whereas watchfulnes by fore-seeing the temptation would haue kept him from falling And when a Man is falne into sinne then as much goodnesse as there is in such an one so much sorrow there is in him also whereas a little care before would haue saued both the sin and the sorrow The soule may bee kept cleane with lesse paine then she may be clensed being defiled for now shee must bee washed with teares and hardly rubbed with the rough hand of sorrow before our Sauiour will come neere to wash away the guilt by his passion Now that thy Watching may bee sure to preuent temptation as soon as thou watchest bodily watch also spiritually and let thy watching bee more early then Temptation Know that thou awakest among Philistiens therefore shake thy selfe vp and stirre vp the gift of God which is in thee and so put on the Armour of God that thou maiest stand in the euill day Put thy very first thought in order for the further our thoughts runne astray with DINAH the more danger of rauishment the harder is their recouerie But the heart being set in tune like a clocke in the morning it will goe the truer all the day after Wherefore set thy heart betimes in the way of GODS Commandements commit it to the Spirit to be guided in this way for the Spirit is the firie Chariot that carrieth our soules through the way of Pietie to the Countrie of Felicitie But hauing thus set forth in thy way still keepe close to thy Guide that thou continue in thy way for hee that keepeth his way keepeth his life and hee that keepeth his Guide keepeth his way but he that for saketh his Guide hazzardeth the losse both of way and life Surely if the heart running astray from the Spirit be suffered to take a full taste of naturall things it will hardly in a long time rellish spirituall things and therefore it is best both to season the heart first with spirituall things and after to watch that it doe not carnally that is ouer-greedily deuoure carnal things Yea beyond this thou must euen watch thy watching that it bee not stolne from thee for the craftie Serpent will often cast before thee some pleasant or cumbersome temptation to rob thee of thy watching if it bee not watched For securitie which is so easie to Man is also a chiefe ease to Satan For by it the gates of the soule stand alwayes open to him and hee may goe and come whensoeuer hee listeth On the other side watching is somthing painfull to a man and contrarie to Satan and therefore man will the sooner be perswaded to forgoe it and Satan will be readie still to perswade him But let such know who complaine of the hardnesse of this and other diuine exercises that custome makes hard things easie and assured happines makes hard things plesant Let them beleeue that the wages shall infinitely ouermatch the worke and it is inough If they belieue this they will throng violently into heauen and no paines shall stop them if they beleeue not this they are no Scholers for the Schoole of happinesse for beliefe is the ground of this learning their portion must be a sensuall brutish vanishing and dying life A second reason of watchfulnesse is the affinitie and kindred betweene our flesh and the world There was an old contract made betweene them in Mans fall and the world still continues the sute though we be new married to the Spirit there are certain cart-ropes of sinne which were once fast tyed betweene the flesh and the world which as the good Spirit hath out off by the knife of Circumcision so the wicked spirit seekes to knit againe by conuersation for well knowes Satan that if the flesh draw the world into the heart himselfe also rides in vpon the world For this is one of PHARAOHS Chariots which still pursueth the Israelites the Flesh is in stead of the lustie and proud horses the World is the chariot and the Deuill is the Rider and this Triplicitie sighteth against the Trinitie in vs. Let vs therefore be euer warie lest some tricks of the old loue passe vnespied let vs be carefull that the corrupt flesh nibble not too long yea not at all on the world for it will grow hungrie by eating and the taste will bee so pleasant that it will not bee contented vntill it eate with greedinesse and then wo be vnto vs for wee haue receiued deepely the loue of the world which as much as it is so much it excludeth the loue of God and so much it bittereth the sweetnesse of the Spirit yea euen in the lawfull loue of lawfull things let our watchfulnes continue for such haue betrayed many soules and while that which is lawfull hath been too carelesly admitted or too carefully sought a thing lawfull in matter hath beene vsed in a fleshly manner so things lawfull haue beene carnally and vn-lawfully enioyed The flesh hangeth so fast on vs that it will hang fast on our actions if we shake it not speedily from our hands as PAVL did the Viper To doe this let vs still mistrust the old alliance and let this mistrust breede watchfulnesse and let our watchfulnesse still keepe vs in a right fashion and standing toward the things of the world Let the soule behold the world as a thing from which she is diuorced as a thing made to bee her seruant and slaue finally as a thing folded vp in the state of perishing and vanitie Accordingly let her looke soberly chastly and coldly vpon it let her vse it as a
imposeth a necessitie on him to loue the one and hate the other to lose the one and to gaine the other Therefore as much as wee retayne of this corrupt felicitie so much doe we abate of true Happinesse and the roome that is giuen to the one is denyed to the other And surely too true it is that euen after our Regeneration there abides a great remnant of our proud corruption It is of kin to the Serpent which perswaded it when the head of it is broken in pieces the tayle will still bee moouing And in what degree this corruption remaineth in that degree is grace abated but in what degree this swelling euill is abated in the same degree is Grace increased Therefore if we be much proud wee are much gracelesse if we be much humble we be much gracious Wherefore let vs take vp Humilitie which as a Corrosiue will fret away the proud flesh make way for the prosperitie of the liuely and quickning Spirit Towards this let vs consider that the Naturall Man being stuft vp with himselfe and not regarding any thing beyond the Lust and Law of his owne heart sits downe in himselfe and takes vp his rest Sabbath and felicitie in his owne imagination But while God is vnregarded and vnsought he also as little regardeth these vnregarders yea hee beholdeth the proud a-far-off He knowes the weight and end of their swelling that it is Nothing that ere long it shall come to Nothing and that at last these swellers must come before him as a Iudge who refused him here for a Sauiour and happinesse On the other side the spirituall Man plainly seeth that this imaginarie happinesse of pride is true miserie since Man the more hee stands vpon himselfe without God the more weakly wretchedly he stands and the fuller Man is of himselfe the fuller is he of Corruption Vanitie and Miserie Therefore desireth hee to goe out of himselfe into God to vnlade himselfe of himselfe that hee may be filled with God hee purgeth his heart of the tree of false knowledge that he may satiate it with the Tree of Life And Humilitie hauing thus fulfilled her Worke then enters Grace into the Soule so swept and trimmed for the same God who resisteth the Proud giueth Grace to the humble God will be a welcome and not a fulsome Guest he loues not to come when there is no neede of him he desires not to thrust vnnecessarie Happines vpon Men sufficiently happie But the hungrie soules hee filleth with good things he guideth the meeke humble in his wayes and the poore in Spirit are allowed only to receiue the Gospell These haue set open their doores to the King of Glorie they haue forgotten their Fathers house euen their naturall condition and therefore the LORD hath pleasure in their beautie His Light takes pleasure yea gets Glory in comming into confessed Darknesse his Grace is delighted and magnified by pardoning and sanctifying an acknowledged corruption and his blessednesse reioyceth in blessing apparant and desperate miserie Wherefore let vs striue for a practicall skill of this profitable humilitie that by not louing our selues wee may loue our soules best by the greatest emptinesse we may purchase the most true happy fulnesse To this end let vs euer be pricking the tumours of our nature that we die not of a spirituall Timpany Let vs striue to make our selues nothing that hee which made all things of nothing may make some-thing of vs. Let vs willingly walke downe into the Vale of humilitie from whence God calls for all whom hee exalteth vp to his holy Mountaine And for the furtherance of this holy vertue let watchfulnes vndertake as a speciall part of this taske to marke the first swellings of the heart that they may bee abated as soone as lifted vp Let no degree bee allowed to that which so much as it is so much euill so much losse it is so much haue wee offended God and so much haue wee abated his Grace But still let vs be paring and fretting off the proud flesh with meditations of our owne naturall miserie and miserable condition with the asperitie of the exercises of Humiliation with feruent and violent Prayer sent vp to the Giuer of perfect gifts Let vs intreate him that hee will discouer vnto vs our selues himselfe our owne vilenesse his Glory that so wee may rightly glory in Gods true Glorie not like Fooles in our owne shame In our Meditations let vs fasten our eies on the wickednesse of Man the wretchednes deseruedly annexed to it In our wicked corruption let vs first see our owne blindnes and bring our darknesse into the light There shall we see that we see little or nothing yea in the mayne matters of our life such as are our beginning and end whence we come and whither wee goe wee are naturally blind Therefore our life is but a thing at randome without knowing what it doth and wherefore it is And if we haue gotten a little knowledge then let vs behold our filthinesse How doe wee defile our selues in the things which wee know how weake are our resolutions of Pietie Vertue they are like a Mist or the Morning dew blown away and dryed vp with euery blast of Temptation So that they seeme to be set vp only for shewes and to stand no longer then nothing toucheth them But the motions of our concupiscence are strong and continuall The flesh of Man is powerfull vpon the Soule and in Man that opinion is verified that the Earth runs round and the Heauen stands still For there breatheth vp from the defiled bodie euen the Earth of Man a continuall and mightie Venom which by perpetuall motion changeth the aspect and influence of the heauenly Soule as it selfe lifteth But the whiles it fastneth and nayleth the Soule that shee cannot stir about her owne businesse of Immortalitie but shee must wholly fixe and employ her selfe in a carefull studie how to execute fitly the lusts of this beastly dust And if at any time the Soule lothing the filth and mire wherewith shee hath sullied her selfe euen to vglinesse lay downe a plot for repentance euen for the clean washing of her face how soone doth the old dirt of sinne spowt into her visage again so that her businesse in this life if it be a life of penitence seemes to be nothing but a washing of that which is fouled and a fouling of that which was washed and if wee turne our eyes from this filthines vnto the bordering wretchednesse we shall find our selues subiect to a thousand infirmities Miserie Vanitie haue both liuerie and seisin in vs and we are their Tenants for terme of life One trouble calleth to another as the waues of the Sea and miseries like Beacons giue notice one to the other vntill the whole life of man bee set on fire The sound of the old is but newly gon out of our eares but there is a new which presently
soundeth as ill as the old It is the very kind of man to bee miserable while hee breatheth as it is the kinde of sparks to flie vpward And if a man striue to cure his present miserie with present mirth commonly the miserie of such is not taken away but changed and of temporall made eternall The rich Man that was euery day gorgeously arrayed and euery day fared deliciously ended his luxurie in miserie and his iudgement is Thou hast taken thy pleasure therefore art thou now tormented The cure of our miserie must be by vulneraric potions not by outward playsters by the bloud and Spirit of Christ inwardly receiued not by the naturall Balme of Gilead euen the pleasures of this world The things of this world are to serue and cherish vs in our way to happines not to be taken as our happines or the absolute cure of our miserie For if so vsed they cure our miserie but with a greater miserie and by making vs happy they make vs lose a greater happinesse Thus must man bee content to see himselfe of himselfe wretched and miserable He must needes crie out What is Man that he is so regarded And Man is of a short continuance and his life is full of trouble surely Man is altogether vanitie Hee must also complaine of his filthinesse our righteousnesse is as a filthy cloth and if wee should wash our selues our clothes would defile vs. In iniquitic haue we beene begotten conceiued in sinne And vvho can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse Thus lothing and condemning our selues and being weary of our selues Christ IESVS stands with open armes ready to receiue such weary laden soules and to refresh them Hee will refresh vs with the Riuer of the Citie of God euen with fresh streames of grace and the holy Oile shall drop downe from the head of our high Priest vnto vs who are the skirts euen the humblest parts of his garment And then shall wee be filled with the sweet sauour of Holinesse and life Eternall CHAP. X. Of Patience LAstly for the preseruation aduancement of the estate of Happinesse wee haue great need and vse of Patience Our need of patience is absolute because the Saints of God are here with the rest in a world of miserie and beyond the rest in a vvorld of enmitie Euery houre there is a likelihood of some trouble and temptation and euery trouble without patience which is the Ward of the soule breaketh in vpon the soule and carries her away into tumultuous enormous and vnreasonable perturbations But on the other side Patience raileth in the soule amidst the prease of temporall euils and keepeth her in a continuall quietnesse and repose consequently in an abilitie of iudgement discretion and direction and this is a first and chiefe vse and benefit of Patience For doth not that greatly aduantage vs and the graces bestowed on vs which makes vs Owners and Masters of our selues them By Patience wee can with the Centurion call for this seruant and hee commeth and send that Souldier and he goeth We can make vse of our vnderstandings and by our vnderstandings of those very euils which are the subiects of our patience We can make vse of our wills and affections to will and loue God to will and loue that which GOD wills and loues yea to will and loue the very troubles and incumbrances which vrge and presse vs. Hence come those excellent voyces Though God kill me yet will I trust in him and Before I was chastized I went astray but now doe I keepe thy Lawes Blessed is the man that beareth the yoke in his youth Hee sitteth solitary and is quiet because God hath laid it on him By Patience wee can make vse of our memories to call to mind the mercies of God in old time how our Fathers trusted in him were deliuered yea how often God hath beene our helper and therefore wee need not to feare what man can doe against vs. Hereby wee may also call to mind those wise and holy Precepts and counsailes which euery wise and holy man doth prepare and lay vp for times of trouble and temptation For it is fit that in calmes wee should prouide for stormes we should in the quiet times of life sit downe and according to our Sauiours most prudent aduice cast vp our reckonings what the forces of our enemies be what kind of fighting they vse how their wounds may bee preuented and how cured if suffered for want of preuention Hee that hath performed this act of consideration he fitteth himselfe with spirituall armour proper to each kind of conflict As soone as he sees the trouble he chooseth out a fit shaft to pierce and encounter it when he sees the blow comming he knowes the Ward that must defend it And all this is put in execution by the benefit of patience For the impatient lyes open to al blowes his wits are confounded when he should hold vp his shield hee striketh with his sword and when he should take an arrow from the quiuer of the Spirit he catcheth at a club proffered to him by the flesh To such a one all things are confused hee is besides himselfe and therefore knowes not the choise of actions Againe by patience wee haue the vse of Charitie a principall and Mother-grace For hereby euen in the midst of persecutions we can pray for our Persecutors and say Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe and Lord lay not this sin to their charge This qualitie of ouer-comming euill with good and likewise the helpe of patience toward the performance of it must wee beleeue to bee a chiefe preferment to a Christian in this race vnto glorie For certainly it is so neere a resemblance of the perfection of God that God exceedingly delighteth in the doers thereof and takes speciall notice of such as those who are lifted vp aboue the dregs of humane corruption into a high participation of a diuine and godly Nature They are good out of an inward goodnes and not because they looke on good and pleasant obiects For whatsoeuer their obiect is they are still good account the excellency of goodnesse and the fauour it hath with God to be sufficient causes of goodnesse though in the world they see nothing but euill which of it selfe deserueth onely euill And that this must needes procure a great loue blessing from God doth appeare by the effects it worketh in creatures infinitely inferiour to God yea impure and depraued For euen SAVL himselfe whom the Deuil draue to the hunting of DAVID as a Partrich in the Mountaynes this SAVLS euill and wicked rage melteth away with the beames of DAVIDS shining and glorious goodnesse and being preserued by him whom hee sought to slay he is so ouercome and changed by that goodnesse of DAVID that he is inforced to blesse him as a sonne whom hee had taken such paines to slay as an enemie And if a
for them while they bee here nor whether there be any other place for them when they depart hence These for the most part doe what they see done or what their owne lusts will haue done and so hauing spent their time according to Custome and Concupiscence they liue to no purpose and die to no end for ought they know A second sort is of them That thinke there is a happinesse and a way to it and which is more they thinke they haue it yet all the while they goe without it euen for this reason because they thinke they haue it For not hauing it by their beliefe that they haue it they cease from seeking and so from finding of that which may only be found by seeking A third sort is of such as thinke it enough to come within the reach of happinesse but care not much to fasten it or to increase it but please themselues in looking on it or onely in a little taste of it It is good to be happy they thinke but it is not good to be too happy and therefore they will gladly trafficke some superstuous happi nesse for a little folly and vanitie To all these which are almost all are the chiefe parts of this Treatise directed as Nayles to driue out Nayles euen rules of Light and Blisse to driue out the vsuall and receiued rules of darknesse and miserie and to stand fast in their roome Of these and the like directions let wretched and ignorant mankinde lay hold as vpon Boords Masts in this great shipwracke of Nature Let them by such helps lift vp their heads aboue the element of Basenesse and Vanitie wherein the sonnes of corrupted and degenerate Nature like Fishes doe swim and liue and die And let them mount vp into that higher Region wherein onely true and very Men are to bee found the rest being but the resemblances of Men and in substance the true Companions of brute and vnreasonable Creatures A Seeker of Happinesse for himselfe and thee F. Rovs THE ARTE OF HAPPINES The first Part. Which is a search of Mans Happinesse CHAP. I. That the Seeker of Happinesse must propose an End and it must be the best End WHosoeuer will better and aduance himself which is naturally euery mans desire he must finde out and propose to himselfe an End which is good and toward this End must so striue that hee may continually draw neerer to it vntill hee haue attayned it and hee must grow in the degrees of enioying when hee hath attayned He that proposeth no Marke nor mayne End to himselfe can neuer increase himselfe but is a man lost and comes to nothing such a one is like a ship that aymeth at no harbour and therefore cannot make any voyage of aduantage He that proposeth an End yet such a one as is but transitorily or narrowly good he can receiue but a transitorie and narrow aduancement He that proposeth for an End a seeming good but a reall euill may by attayning puffe vp his imagination but shall substantially lessen and ruine himselfe But hee that sets before him a Marke End truely and perfectly good by attayning it shall make himselfe truly and perfectly happy and the more happy in degrees as in more degrees hee doth enioy it But amidst the infinite changes of things seemingly good how shall man finde out that one thing which is truely and perfectly good It is indeed an impression of Mans nature to seeke for good but the corruption of the same nature is such that it makes euery thing seeme good to it self which it selfe though falsly apprehendeth to be good And so hence it comes that many men run an vnsatisfied course through diuers changes of things seemingly good and most men choose the lesse good for the better good yea the most euill for the most good But he that will seriously inquire for true happinesse must in his inquirie lay aside his bodie and the doctrines thereof and hee must retire into his innermost and most secret closet of Light and Reason and there aske of his Soule assured truths and resolutions concerning his chiefe and soueraigne Good Yea because the darknesse of a heauie and sensuall bodie since the fall subiect to corruption hath much dimmed the light of the Soule she hath need to returne to that vppermost Light by which at first she was kindled thence to receiue a second inlightning that by an addition of the highest Light shee may finde out her highest chiefest happinesse The soules thus rectified labour and in some measure attayne to behold things in their truth as also to see the difference of things confounded or misordered by the ignorance of corruption and to place each thing in his due ranke and consequently the chief and soueraigne good farre aboue all as indeed to the eye of wisedome it shines in a notable and manifest supereminence And as she giues due acknowledgment to this good being discouered so she calls aloud to the will and affections to striue towards it being knowne and acknowledged she aduiseth them to set vp their rest vpon it to aduenture al for it and neuer to leaue labouring vntill the soule and happinesse bee ioyned together CHAP. II. How that must be conditioned which is the end and happinesse of Man NOw if with such wise Searchers of felicitie wee shall make the like enquiry examining all things in their weight and worth we must needs meete in one Truth Truth being but one euen a common Center in which all rectified vnderstandings meet The more wise a man is the more possession hath he of this truth and therefore whosoeuer can challenge to himselfe to be the wisest of Men he must also be the largest discouerer of happinesse and with him especially shall other wisedomes meete euen of necessitie Now that wee firmely ground our discouerie let vs first inquire what conditions that thing must haue which shall be the happines of Man That which shall make Man happy must first bee able to bestow on Man an absence of miserie for Happinesse Miserie cannot dwell together in one subiect Againe it must giue a man a reall possession and enioying of the chiefest good and that in perpetuitie euerlastingnesse Man must possesse the soueraign Good for he can neuer bee happy by inioying imperfection but that only which is perfectly good can make a man perfectly happy He must also inioy this soueraigne Good in a perpetuitie else the feare of losing happinesse must needs lose part of it before it be lost and if not so yet he cannot be termed happy who shall haue a time when hee shall be without happinesse And surely if wee finde a soueraigne Good which is euerlasting it will bestow it selfe on vs in it owne nature euen euerlastingly Lastly the beatificall obiect of Man must bee the most agreeable obiect of his most excellent part Now Mans chiefest part is a lightsome reasonable and vnderstanding spirit Therefore that from which can issue vnto Man