Christian Ethicks

Of the End, for the sake of which, Virtue is desired.

IT is the Prerogative of Humane Nature to understand it self, and guide its Operations to a Known End: which he doth wholly forfeit, that lives at random, without considering what is worthy of his Endeavors, or fit for his Desires.

THE End is that which crowns the Work; that which inspires the Soul with Desire, and Desire with a quick and vigorous Industry. It is last attained, but first p. 2intended in every Operation. All Means which can be used in the Acquisiton of it, derive their value from its Excellency, and we are encouraged to use them only on the Account of that End, which is attained by them.

IT is the Office of Morality to teach Men the Nature of Virtue, and to encourage them in the Practice of it, by explaining its use and Efficacy.

THE Excellence of Virtue, is the Necessity and Efficacy thereof in the Way to Felicity. It consisteth in this, Virtue is the only Means, by which Happiness can be obtained.

SINCE the Consideration of the End is that alone, which does animate a Man, to the use of the Means, they that treat of Virtue do worthily propose the End in the beginning, and first shew the Excellency of Bliss before they open the Nature of Virtue. For it is a vain thing to discover the Means, unless the End be desired by those to whom the Nature and use of them, in their tendency to that End, is taught and commended; for if the End be despised, all endeavors are but fruitless, which instruct us in the Means; and the Knowledge of them p. 3vain, if they never be used or improved.

THAT Reason, whereby Man is able to Contemplate his End, is a singular Advantage, wherein he is priviledged above a Beast. It enables him not only to examine the Nature and perfection of his End, but the Equity and fitness of the Means in Order thereunto and the singular Excellency of his first Cause, as its Glory and Goodness appeareth in the Design and Contrivance: Especially in making mans Happiness so compleat and perfect.

THE Heathens, who invented the name of Ethicks, were very short in the Knowledge of Mans End: But they are worse then Heathens, that never consider it.

p. 3THE more Excellent the End is, the more prone by nature we are to pursue it, and all the Means conducive thereunto are the more Desirable.

REASON, which is the formal Essence of the Soul of Man, guides Him to desire those Things, which are absolutely supreme. For it is an Eternal Property in Reason to prefer the Better, above the Worse: He that prefers the worse above ◊he Better acts against Nature, and ◊wervs from the Rule of Right Reason.

WHATEVER Varieties of Opinion p. 4there are concerning Happiness, all conclude and agree in this, that Mans last End is his perfect Happiness: And the more Excellent his Happiness is, the more ought his Soul to be enflamed with the Desire of it, and inspired with the greater Industry.

THE more perfect his Bliss is, the greater is the Crime of despising it. To pursue an infinite and Eternal Happiness is Divine and Angelical; to pursue a Terrene and Sensual Felicity, is Brutish; but to place Felicity in Anger and Envy is Diabolical: the pleasures of Malice being Bitter and Destructive.

TO live by Accident, and never to pursue any Felicity at all, is neither Angelical, nor Brutish, nor Diabolical: but Worse then any Thing in some respect in the World: It is to act against our own Principles, and to wage war with our very Selves. They that place their Ease in such a Carelessness, are of all others, the greatest Enemies and Disturbers of themselves.

IT is Madness and folly to pursue th◊ first object that presents it self, und◊◊◊ Notion of felicity: And it is 〈…〉 to content ones self in the Enjoyme◊◊ p. 5of a mean estate, upon a suspicion there is no true happiness, because the nature thereof is so much doubted in the World. The Disputations concerning its nature argue its existance. And we must cease to be Men, before we can extinguish the desire of being Happy. He only is truely Generous, that aspires to the most perfect Blessedness of which God and Nature have made him Capable.

BY how much Greater the Uncertainty is, by so much the more Heedful ought we to be, lest we should be seduced and deceived, in the Choice of Happiness: For the Danger is the Greater. And by how much the more Eager Men are in their Disputations, concerning it, by so much the more weighty is the Nature of the Theme to be presumed.

p. 5HASTINESS in catching at an unexamined Felicity, is the great Occasion of all the Error about it, among the Vulgar: who are led, like Beasts, by their Sense and Appetite, without discerning or improving any other faculty. The lip of the Cup is annointed with Hony, which, as soon as they taste, they drink p. 6it up, tho the liquor be nothing but Gall and Poyson. Being deluded with a shew, instead of Pleasure, they rush hand over head on their own Destruction.

IT is as natural to Man to desire happiness, as to live and breath: Sence and Instinct carry him to Happyness, as well as Reason: onely Reason should rectifie and direct his Instinct, inform his Sence, and compleat his Essence, by inducing those perfections of which it is capable.

THINGS Good in themselves, when they stand in Competition with those that are better, have the notion of Evil: Better Things are Evil, if compared with the Best; especially where the Choice of the one hinders the Acquisition of the other. For where Good, Better, and Best, are subservient to each other, the one is the better for the others sake; but where they interfere, and oppose each other, the Good are bad in comparison of the Better, and the Better worse than the Best of all. This is the Cause why Reason cannot acquiesce in any Felicity less than the Supreme: which must needs be infinite, because Almighty Power, which made Reason active, is illimited in its Operations; p. 7and never rests, but in the production of a Glorious Act, that is infinite in Perfection.