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The first Pointe.
THe first pointe shallbee to call to Memorye the ende wherefore man was created, that is, to praise, reuerence, and serue his God, and by this meanes to saue his Soule, according to the saying of S. Paule to the Romanes: You haue your fruits vnto Sanctification, and your ende Life euerlasting; as if hee should say: The aime, and ende of your workes in this Life, is to serue God with puritye, and Sanctitye: and the finall ende whereunto they are ordained, is, to obtaine Life euerlasting.
Vpon this Veritye the Vnderstanding is to forme its Discourses, to bring to light what is compre∣hended therein, pondering thus: VVho created mee, and ordained mee to this ende, and for what cause: How soueraigne an ende this is: How ill I haue pre∣tended it in my forepassed life, & in what perill I haue beene to loose it: VVhat heauye losses I su∣staine by loosing it; and How greate goods ensue if I obtaine it; and That there is greate reason, that from this daye forward, I should vigilantly pretend to obtaine it. VVith euery one of these Considerations, I will moue the VVill to the Affe∣ctions, and Actes that it requireth, in this manner. 1. First. I am to ponder, how the Infinite Maiestie of God, which hath no neede of his creatures, not for my merits, but of his meere Goodnesse, created mee to his Image, and Likenesse; Not that I should liue at randome to followe myne owne Lustes, nor that I should seeke Honours, or Dignities; Ri∣ches, or Delicacyes, or any other thing created; but onely That I should reuerence, and praise him; That I should loue, and obey him in this mortall Life, and afterwardes obtaine Life euerlasting. And although it had beene sufficient to giue mee for my Ende that, which my Nature required, yet