Mans last end the glorious vision and fruition of God. By Richard Sheldon Doctor in Divinity, one of his Maiesties chaplines.

THE SECOND SECTION.

Wherein is ioyntly shewed by sundry arguments and cleare demonstrations, that the obiect of humane felicity or last end of man, cannot be riches, pleasures nor honours; taken severally, or ioyntly.

THough common experience excludes from being the object of humane felicity or last

end of man, that three headed monster, concupis∣cence of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life, (joyntly or severally taken) wherein the Apostle confines, all that is excellent, delightfull, or pro∣fitable in the world; yet by way of prelude to our following discourse, I have thought good to adde a few morall reasons and demonstrations eight in a perfect number, that these three which are (formally or reductively) all that is excellent, pleasant or proffitable in the world, whether ta∣ken vnitedly together, or apart, are not the last end of man or the obiect of his felicity, for which purpose I argue thus first: The object of mans felicity, or last end of man, must, in respect of that which is cheefe in man (to weet, the soule of man) be so perfect that it must give full content and rest thereunto; that is, to man as man; But out alasse! who ever, (whose soule hath beene en∣dowed with least sparke of wisdome) hath found full content in riches, honour or pleasures; against which Salomon the wisest amongst all the wise, exclaimes; O the vanity of vanities and all vanity. Yea so contrary is the operation of these to the wisdome of the soule, that to surfet with these, is to pi••e in reason, to languish in piety, and with deepest ignorance to have the soule obscu∣red and darkned. And surely by these the God of this world doth blind the hearts of such as doe perish. And in this respect, is Sa••han called God of this world; b••cause by these three (as it were the life and marrow of the world) (pride, riches, pleasures, glory, &c.) He hath abusively rule

and reigneth over the children of misbeleefe and disohedience.

Secondly: the last end or felicity of man, must be so good, that no man may use the same ill; but these both joyntly and severally taken; are such as by the possessiones of them, may be used so ill, that for the abusing of them, they may with the reprobate glutton perish eternally; yea they are so fit and apt to be ill used, that they carry with them a crosse barre of difficulty, if (not of impossibility,) of being well used, or that salvation may be obteined by the posessioners of them; for so we are to understand that of the Sonne of God; It is easier for a Camell, to passe through the eye of a nee∣dle, than for a rich man, to enter into the King∣dome of Heaven. Some of the wiser Ancients, to expresse the difficulty, which pleasures, honour, and riches, do bring against the exercise of ver∣tue, have feigned a Virgin (by name Aclanta) of such admirable beauty, that the Worthies of that time, were all enamoured with the love of her: but as her beauty was surpassing great, so was her swiftnesse in running farre greater, so that in running shee could not be overtaken, by any of the Valiants of those times; though she had often proffered her selfe to be his, who in running could out go her: At last, one Hippomenes, pre∣sents himselfe unto her, who that the better he might obteine his purpose, in out running the faire Aclanta, had secretly provided three balls of gold, the which, one after one, as they were in their course of running, he casts before her; for the

taking up of which the beautifull maid makes such stayes and so many stops, that shee was out∣runne by Hippomenes, and so was obteined of him. Now who is this faire Atlanta, but the soule of man, adorned with sundry heavenly graces? whose power (by grace,) was to have not sinned, but to have stood and continued in grace; had shee not beene overtaken and over prised, in the course of her obedience, by the infernall H••p∣pomenes; who, casting before her, the three b••lls of riches, pleasures, and honoures, letted her from the attaining of that glory, and happinesse for which shee was made and designed. Thus are riches eagerly desired, and heaped up for the hurt of the possessioner; So are honours, the bel∣lowes of Satan, blowing up the fire of arrogancy; So are pleasures, the snares and gives of Satan, wherewith he leades sensuall minds, captives to that place of torments, where such a measure of torments shall be given according as the guilty shall be found, to have exceeded in the riot of their pleasures.

The third reason I frame thus. The happinesse of man, must be such that as no man can use it ill, so must it not have any evill unavoydable accom∣panying and adjoyned with it. But what sweet, proffitable or glorious thing is there in the world, which hath not ever, some evill either, of bitter∣nesse, or disproffit, or dishonour, or infirmity of the body, or anxiety of the minde, intermixt therewith? that whosoever shall sett his soule, upon any thing, or all the things that are in this

world, he cannot but be thought to have received his soule in vaine, & resting upon vanity, what hap∣pinesse for such a soule, to have gained the world, if it perish with the world? and what a felicity to have gained the world, when as all that is in the world is but a puffe of vanity? Seneca very excellently, O how ridiculous is the boundes of mortall men? it is but a point, which with sword and fier, is devided into so many nations; above there are infinite spaces, into the possession whereof the soule may be admitted.

Fourthly, I argue thus; The last end of man, (because the last, and because of man, who in his soule is immortall, and never dieth) must be also immortall, never dye nor fade away; but who seeth not, by dayly experience, that of the belo∣ved Apostle to be most true: The world and the lust thereof passeth away? If then that be true (as it is most true) that, that cannot be true happines, the eter∣nity whereof is not certeine; then assuredly, that cannot be the matter and object of true happinesse, whose instability, and dayly mutability is most certeine. Salomon having had a full taste (even to sa∣tiety) of all the glorious delicacyes of the world, cries out with a most humble note and loud crie, O the vanity of vanityes; and all things vanity; O the vanity of vanityes! Vanity then, and most vaine, should the last end of man then be, if placed in such vanities of honours, riches, or pleasures.

Fifthly, the last end naturall of man, is that whereunto by God (as Author of nature) he is ordeined; the last end supernaturall, is that where∣unto God (as the Author of Grace) hath designed

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and ordeined him: But cleare it is, and it needs no proofe, that all the good terrene things of the world, cannot be the end supernaturall, for which man was made; and as easily it is shewed, that they cannot be the end naturall of man; for as it hath beene already prooved, they let and hinder man, from the atcheiving of his supernaturall ends: But as Grace, hurts not, but perfects nature; so nature, as nature (though as vitiated it hinders) hinders not Grace, but being elevated and renewed by Grace, is by Grace made able to be concurrent with Grace. O with how few things is nature ordinate content! Socrates the wise and temperate, obser∣ving the superfluity of humane cares, cries out, O how many things are there which I do not want! A∣gaine, do we not see, that honours, riches, espe∣cially pleasures, are very frequently attendant up∣on those, in whom nature is rather destroyed and corrupted, than in part impaired or diminished? Of such manner of men the Apostle Iude very fi••ly: That in those things which they naturally know, (not as man but as brute beasts) in them they are corrupted. It is true, that as God often favours the famous in giving them wealth, so sinn for most part infatuates where God giveth wealth, so that the wealthy as they often glory inordinately in honour; so they surfet immoderately in Pleasures. And where are the persons that do not so? Let the Iovinianists of latter times be an example for all. And who observes not; that this tendes not to the perfection but to the corruption of nature?

Sixtly, the last end of man must bee immediat∣ly

attained, possessed, injoyed by the best and cheefest actions, which are in man, to weet, the actions of the cheefest powers, and faculties of the soule; the will, and understanding. But riches, pleasures, honour, fame glory, are immediately apprehended, felt, and injoyed, by the outward senses of man; and do only appertaine to the soule, by the way of approvance or rejectiō; for the good and usefull service of her body, and sensuall parts; for the soule, being spirituall and immateriall, can∣not have, or receive any immediate impressions, from things corporall, and materiall. Which be∣ing so, and most clearely so; how idle were it, in these corporall and materiall things, to place the last end of man, and to make them, the object of his happinesse and felicity?

Seventhly, as the cheefest actions of the soule, must be the immediate apprehension, possession, and fruition, of those things, which must be the last end of man; so the cheefest good and best thing which the soule, can attaine unto by know∣ledge; can embrace by love; can injoy by delight; must be his last end and the object of his happi∣nesse & felicity. Now to thinke of any other thing for this purpose besides God, were the greatest do∣tage, that might be imagined: For, not speaking onely of things sublunary, but even the celestiall themselves; what are they all, but either images (as men and Angells) or footings, or shadowes of the creator himselfe, as all other creatures are? And what a vanity were it, to thinke, that the I∣mage of the Creator, should have for the object

of her happinesse and last end, those things, which are onely as footings or darke foote impressions of the Creator? Or how vaine to thinke, that those things which are made for the use and ser∣vice of man (as all terrene things were) should be the end of man? Sweetly was this understood by most Intelligent David, who ballancing all things that were in the heavens above, or on the earth belowe; cries out, What is there for me in hea∣ven? And besides thee what would I upon earth, the God of my heart, and portion for ever? As if he should have said, O thou my God, thou, thou that art my ever and last end; the very joy and hap∣pinesse of my hart; how glorious thou in the heavens above? and what happinesse is there pro∣vided for me in thee? above? how then may I, or can I, take full content or delight in any thing that is here below? Basill elegantly, compares them, that fixe their hearts upon any earthly good thing whatsoever, (appretiating them before God) to him, who hearing some exquisite and most di∣vine Doctor, preaching, or teaching out of a chaire▪ standing in the Sunne, should (neglecting both the Teacher, his words, and gestures) attend and observe only the shadow of the teacher, and such severall motions, or gestures, as are represented thereby; So he very excellently, accounting all the best, and good creatures of God (being com∣pared to God,) to be no more, nor better (indeed they are not somuch) than the shadow of the tea∣cher, and his gestures, (represented therein) are, be∣ing compared to the Teacher himselfe, and unto

his actions of life.

Eightly, and lastly, as the understanding of man, is by nature apt, and hath an apprehensive power to apprehend all that is cognoscible, or may be knowne or vnderstood, vnder the condition of truth; so the will of man, (whose proper object is good) as by nature it embraceth nothing but what is good, or under the apparance of good; so it hath a propension and inclination, to pursue all good, either to be attained dispersedly in severall creatures; or in some one fountaine and roote of all goodnesse: which inclinations, both of the will and understanding, unlesse they be fully sa∣tisfied and quieted, by that cheefest good, and purest truth (which is, and are the last end, and object of their happinesse) they shall never be found, truly to have attained their last end and finall happinesse. But if we consider, the most glorious, of Gods creatures; in no one; no, in no one million of them, can be found, all that may be understood by the understanding; or be desired and embraced by the will; and consequently, no one of them; nor no infinite multitude of them toge∣ther, can be the full object of mans last end, and happinesse: no; God, God alone is this purest truth, and cheefest good, the full and compleate object, both of the wills and understandings, of all his Intelligent creatures; who being presented to the beautified Soules, enabled with the light of glo∣ry, to see him as he is in himselfe, even face to face; how unenarrable, unspeakeable and incompre∣hensible, is the joy of such Soules, so intuitively

beholding? so joyously possessing of their God, and most sweetly delighting in their God? Of this Ambrose sweetly; What good better then this good, What felicity greater then this, to live to God, in God, and to live of God? Bernard like himselfe divinely: To whom God appeareth, they will see nothing more desiredly; nor can see nothing more delightfully: when then, will either desire of seeing lothe, or sweetnesse withdraw herselfe, or truth deceive, or aeternity fa••le, to whom, opportunity of seeing, and a will to see is graunted for ever and ever? how then shall their felicity not be full? for nothing is either wanting to them, that alwayes see, or is tedious to them, who have a desire al∣wayes to see: but this vision is not of this present life, but is reserved for the last end of man.

Notes

• 1 Ioh. 2. 16.
• 1 Reason.
• The last end of man must give full content to man.
• Ecl. 1.
• Eph. 4. 18.
• Occasionaly
• 2 Cor. 4. 4.
• Second reason
• Luk. 16. 15.
• Mat. 19. 14.
• First apple of Pleasures; the forbidden fruit: the 2 of pride you shal be like God: the 3 of Covetousnesse, knowing good and evill. Gen: 3▪ 4. 5.
• Third reason.
• Mat. 16. 26.
• Fourth reason.
• 1 Ioh. 2. 17.
• Fifth reason.
• Iud. epist v. 10
• Sixth reason.
• Seventh reason
• The last end of man must bee the cheefest good that man can attaine vn∣to.
• Gen. 1. 17.
• Psa. 19.
• Psal 73.
• Gen. 2. 9. Psa. 23. 25. 26
• A most divine elevation of Davids spirit.
• Eight reason.
• God onely can be the full ob∣iect of mans knowledge and love.
• Barnard se••m, 31 in Canti••a.