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

THIRD SECTION.

Shewing that God onely is the last end of man, and his finall happinesse.

VVHen I thinke of that precept of God, knowne by the lawe of nature, directed by the law of Moyses, renewed in the law of grace; Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soule, with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, I cannot but make a speedy resolution, who, and what is the last end of mans heart, his soule, his strength, and his mind; for if God be to be beloved with the whole heart, soule, minde, and strength of man, it were a vanity and a do∣tage, to ••••••ke any other last end for man then God.

Nay love, as saith Austen (very excellently) Is my weight and poyse, with it, and by it I am carried whi∣ther to soever I am carried. A totall and compleat love then of the whole heart, Soule, and minde, of man, and all that is in man, cannot other whither carry him, or leade him, then to that which is the very center of his rest, and happinesse. Thou fast made us O Lord for thee, and unquiet is our heart till it come to thee: and Boetius very fitly: We must of ne∣cessity confesse, that God is the very blessednesse of man. But when we affirme, that God is the last end of man and his finall happinesse, we must for the clearer understanding of the same, distinguish thus: the last end of man and his happinesse, may be considered in two sorts; either the last end (which) or the last end (wherewith;) or thus in other termes; the objective beatitude of man, or the formall beatitude of man. I explaine my selfe: The end, (which) is that, which is the very thing, where in the soule of man, doth finally rest, and eternally joy it selfe: the end (wherewith) are the cheifest action or actions; operation or operati∣ons of the soule, wherewith the end attained is in∣joyed, and possessed: In like sort, the objective beatitude, is the very object, whereon these cheife actions are exercised, which the Soule seeing and enjoying, is thereby made happy; Beatitude for∣mall, is the very seeing, enjoying and possessing of this object. We may take some familiar exam∣ples hereof; To the avaritious Person (who should indeed have only God for his lott and por∣tion) his end, which is his Mony, and whatsoever

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

else, is for Money estimable; his end (wherewith) is his base whoording up, increasing, and posses∣sion of the same: The Intemperate mans end (which is every voluptuous thing,) he takes plea∣sure in his end (wherewith) is his solace, pleasure, and delight which he takes therein even so the last end of man (wherewith) is the adeption and frui∣tion of God; the end (which) is God himselfe, so injoyed and possessed.

It is true, that God who is his owne end essen∣tially, both objective and formall; is not happy by any any thing that is without himselfe, or that is dependently of himselfe, but as he is essentially his owne existence and being, so is hee essentially his owne happy being: Austen excellently; what so∣ever is in God, is God, there is no accidentall com∣paction or composition; So then God being hap∣py in himselfe, and by himselfe; himselfe is both the object of his happinesse, and his owne formall happinesse. But creatures intelligent, to weet, men and Angells, having not an infinite and essen∣tiall happinesse, but a happinesse only by parti∣cipation, can have the same by no other meanes, nor wayes, then by some limited operations, and actions of their intellectuall parts, understanding and will; which actions and operations must needs have some happy and singular object, wherein and whereon they are conversant and exercised; which object also must or can, fully satiate, con∣tent, and glad the soule; which that it is God, the one onely, cheefe, and infinite good of the soule, is so cleare and evident, that it were dotage to

stand long in the proofe of the same. And though it be most cleare, that God, onely God, is this last object, which onely must and can give happinesse unto the Soule, yet so obscured are the hearts of some foolish men, that though they cannot say in their hearts there is no God, yet they say that God is not the last end of their soules, nor the object of their happinesse. But O that they would consider, and seriously ponder in their soules, oh, how easily should they finde in God all reasons, that might moove them to take him, and to embrace him on∣ly for their last end; and the totall object of their happinesse? Where there is an infinite pyle of wood kindled, it cannot bee but the fier kindled may burne for an infinite time, and without end; how then shall not the soule infinitely, and for ever burne with love; and joy it selfe with delight; which hath God (in whom there is an infinite abysse of goodnesse, power, Majesty, beawty) for her present and happy object? O thou soule. Whosoevers thou art, and wheresoever thou art; O that thou wouldest seriously consider, this thy last and best good, the very place and center of thy sefe; consider seriously, whether there can be any perfect happy place of rest for thy selfe be∣sides God? Art not thou made to the Image and likenesse of God? Then thy essentiall and totall dependency is from God, then thy totall inclina∣tion and propension ought onely to be to God; Inquire into thy soule and aske whose Image it is, whose inscription is ingraved therein? And thou shalt finde that it is only God, it is onely he that

hath marked thee, and signed thee for himselfe yea immediately for himselfe. O the honours of intelligent creatures, by their institution to have God only God, for their last, and immediate end, wherewith they must be eternally conversant; and to have him for the full and compleate object of their happinesse, in the contemplation of whose beauty they must be eternally exercised. O the best of all best parts; for by participation, it is the very joy of the Lord himselfe; O choose this thou my soule, it shall never be taken from thee; the God of my heart and portion forever. O that my very flesh and soule would exult and rejoyce after this living God for ever; O the sweetest water springs; my soule, thirst thou after them for ever. It is said of those, that love God sincerely and make him the object of their hearts in this life, that they abide in God, and God in them; holily and graciously; O how joyous, holy, and gra∣cious then in that glorious estate, shall our abi∣ding in God, and his abiding in us bee, to our soules for the dayes of his owne aeternity in himselfe and our Coaeternity with himselfe! But in this last end of man, and object of his happinesse, we are to consider, that which is observable in every object, to weet, in what formality or formall respect, God is found to be the object of mans happinesse, and felicity; whether in the formality of goodnesse, as he is infinitely good; or in the formality of power, as he is omnipotent; or of knowledge, as he is omniscious; or of wisdome, as he infinitely wise; or of truth, as he is infinitely cognoscible and in∣telligible;

or justice, as he is infinitely just, faith∣full in his promises, and upright in his judgements mercifull in his rewards; or in the formality of any other of his attributes; vnity, simplicity, veri∣ty, &c. Wherein (the observation and question being novell and new) I had farre rather heare a master, then be a teacher my selfe. Sure I am, that the beautified and happy, see God in his owne very presence face to face, for so the beloved Disciple (who sucked this truth, from the brest of truth) hath himselfe pronounced: wee shall see him (saith hee) as hee is; not obscurely as Timeus and Simoni∣des Philosophers: who both, being required to speake what God was, the first answers onely by negation: shewing what God was not, but not what he was: the other the more he considers God, the longer time he requires to answer the King what God was: but wee shall see him with eyes intuitive as he is in himselfe. A most pure and perfect Act: all existence and being: all essence and nature, and essentiall existence, and Act most pure, without all manner of potentiallity, and im∣perfection. And because whatsoever is in God, is God: it cannot bee, but that hee who seeth God must needs see all that is in God: his power, ju∣stice, wisdome, bonity, purity, verity, which seeing, hee seeth them all to be the very deity and God∣head it selfe, wherewith he is unspeakeably de∣lighted. But in what respect, is God formally the object of beautified Soules? That of God to Moyses, I will shew thee all good: may seeme to per∣swade, that God in the formality of the cheefest

good, is the object of mans happinesse: That of Christ, This is aternall life, that they may know thee the onely true God, in the formality of unity and verity: that of St. Iohn, we shall see him as he is, un∣der the formality of his infinite essence, and na∣ture; that of the Apostle, face to face, under the for∣mality of Majesty and glory; so diversly, seemes this truth to be delivered and distinguished unto us; yet with reverence my imperfect meditation and apprehension telles me, If I misconceave not, according to that of God to Moyses, I will shew thee all good, that God under the formality of infinite∣ly good: good, as in power he is able to protect, wisdom to direct, justice to guide and govern, boun∣ty to enrich and satiate, but especially as he is in every respect infinitely good in himselfe, is the formall object of mans Felicity, and last Happi∣nesse. And this is all that I can devoutly meditate or dare religiously affirme, of this unspeakeable mystery: whereinto to dive overcuriously, and to be a rash searcher of majesty, should deserve rather confusion then illustration. Cherubins and Seraphins beholding the divine majesty, out of a trembling re∣verence, doe cover their faces: what ought wee then do who do dwell in houses of clay? I shut up this poynt with this reverend note; An Alleluja, a song of admiration beseemes Gods majesty in Hierusalem above, but silence of admiration and devotion beseemes Gods Sanctuary here on earth below, and yet not such silence and admiration, as must be altogether ocious, and idle, as though man were in this life onely to consider God con∣fusedly

in his creatures; for I understand that of Austen of a more cleare and perfect know∣ledge, to be had even in this life; though not so fully as in the next; Man was created, that he might know his cheefest good God; knowing, might love him; loving him, might possesse him; posses∣sing him, might enjoy him. For the further clea∣ring whereof, we observe in our fourth Section.

Notes

• Deut. 6. 5.
• Mat. 22. 37.
• A necessary di∣stinction.
• God happy by himselfe.
• Rom. 1. 11.
• In God is all that is to bee beloved.
• Gen. 1. 27.
• Mat. 25. 27. Luk. 10. 42. Psa. 73 26
• 1 Ioh. 4. 7.
• To what for∣mall respect God is the ob∣iect of mans happinesse.
• 1 Ioh. 3 2.
• Plato in dialog.
• God seene by the beatified as he is in him selfe.
• Exod. 33. 19.
• Ioh. 17 3.
• 1 Ioh. 3. 2.
• 1 Cor. 13. 12.
• Exod. 33. 19.
• God under the formality of good the ob∣iect of mans happinesse.
• Isa. 6. 2.
• Iob. 4. 19.
• Rev. 19. 1. 3.
• August. de dili∣gendo Deo cap. 13.