a true time therefore the misery of Man 〈…〉 upon him Now here lies the Great Mâ—â—stery because of Ignorance in the Souls Original and Nobility many a Man becomes a wretched Mâ—screant Nay may some say It is by Gods predestinate purpose that Man is to know and seel pain Yes this is the predestinate purpose of God and the Antient Law of Eternity That whoever would be greater than God and oppose his own Lumour and self-will to Gods will must feel Eternal Pain that proceeds from this chiefly He will gnash his Teeth and eat his own Flesh yea from his own Center shall stream Flashes of burning Brimstone because he will think how he hath fooled himself away by his own Folly when he might have been a Royal Prince So that Ignorance is the cause of Mans Wretchedness Man shuts his Eyes and seeth not how God the Root of Man cannot by any Skill or Device be plucked up And so Man comes to be subject to an evil time and ill chance by breaking himself off from his true Eternal Root § 6. The Soul's Circle THe words of the Preacher the Prophetical Sound the Son of God King of Heaven Prince of Order and Ruler of the seven Worlds One Humane or Angelical Spirit passeth away into its own Place and Lot and another brood cometh into this World in his stead But the Mansion of the Spirit abideth unmoved for ever The Humane Sun ariseth and seems to set out of sight and so Immortal Man seems to be Mortal but he hasteth to the place of Eternity where he arose and wheeleth from one Tropick to another by an uncessant Labor and Eternal Motion The Wind of the Soul goeth towards the South and turneth to the opposite side it whirleth about continually as upon seven Wheels whether moved backward with Lucifer and so remaining still Or returning again according to its Circuits as moved forward by the Divine Motion and Breath All Humane Rivers run into the Ocean of Eternity yet Eternity is never fill'd Vnto the place from whence the Rivers of Generation came thither they return again Some flowing hiddenly to the springing Fountain and some abiding in the restless and tossed State in the Abyss The Son of Man before his External Birth was as it were taking his Rest or a sweet Nap of Repose upon the Brests of the Virgin his dear Mother the holy Bride of God who cometh down from God out of Heaven And there the Eternal Soul was at Rest until his Natural Parents waked him and disturbed his Beatifical Visions His Natural Parents sent for him into this outward Region to see the Beauty of this fair World and to receive the Salutation of a Joyful Welcome thereinto Who as a Birth of Time out of the Matrice of Eternity came very mean simple and helpless into this lower Country even as a most vile sprâ—wling Worm not bearing the least malice to the Creator or any other Creature of the Creation And lived a year ten years or more or perhaps a hundred years and then leaves all in great longing after some New Friends or Beloveds which he had chosen to his Solace in this strange Land § 7. Fatal Necessity of the Soul 's Being BY reason hereof he goes back with an ill will towards his Antient home and parts in great anguish and pain and perhaps in that anguish and despair he Eternally abides and that for following some Lusts and pursuing some Pleasures which he would fain solace his Mind with for a few years in this World and never so much as considered that he must endure a thousand millions of painful years in lieu of that little short pleasure till the hour of Death or rather the time of taking his leave of his Friends being too late And tho' truly the Light of the World be sweet and tho' it be a pleasant thing for the Eyes to behold the Sun of Time yet if a Man live many years and rejoyce in them all let him remember the Days of Darkness for they shall be many All that cometh is Vanity Now then where lies the fault here Here ariseth a great Question Is it any promoting of Gods Honour Joy or Profit that Man must know Pain opposed to Pleasure or be sensible of and really feel in the Practick what Anguish and Torment is I say Doth this increase Gods Joy or Beatitude and as it were perfect the Perfection of the perfect God Some may answer No. But it was God's Will that it should be so Well! Then there must be some Cause wherefore God willed this Evil The Objector may reply He doth all for his Glory If so He confesseth God torments his own Child for his own Glory § 8. Gods Repentance BUt this is a Belying of the Deity and of his Love to the Children of his own Loyns and making of God an unnatural cruel fierce wrathful Judge or Executioner yea crueler than the Savages of the Desert which love their own Issue nay than the very Devils of Hell For alas It is no Glory nor ' Pleasure at all to God to hear that his own dear Children are imprisoned in an Eternal Wilderness where they can never find the way to their Journey 's End their Creator But he counts it a great Loss and Dishonour and cause of Rpentance if we may use that Metaphor that God repenteth that when he views his Brides Room and finds that his Children each one with his Mate are not returned to the Great and Solemn Wedding of his Son He will say Where are all my Children but these It will be answered They have listed themselves Soldiers under another Power and would not come Here again we must be forced to frame another Metaphor to speak or utter these high Mysteries with a humane Tongue For no Grief can ever enter into God nor the loss whereof may vex him if we speak properly God perceiving that his Children took not his Sons Counsel will as it were mourn for them a few days and when the mourning Days shall be ended He will consider that there is no Redemption out of the Jaws of Eternal Death and and so he will for ever forget them And so I considered in mine Heart even to declare all this that tho' Mankind go forth from one Root or Fountain Ocean yet the greatest part comes not back to the same Door or Gate of Enterance into their Antient Resting Place but enter in at a false Door by a gross mistake And being once entred there there is no Recovery because they would not hearken to the Voice of Divine Wisdom and Skill Therefore in a humane sense it is an Addition to God's Glory to see his dear Children returning to Heaven Oh! what hearty and kind Embracing and Welcoming is here Their Ships laden with Divine Treasures and carved with the Story of the Afflictions which happened to them in a strange Land § 9. The same Event to all by allowance of God's Ballance THe Righteous and
therefore the Time shall come that thou shalt call to me but I shall be married to another Who was thy Rival in the time when I would have consummated the Wedding with thee Be not entangled with one that will bring thy Soul to ruine and who is far inferiour to the Souls Nobility For there are an indefinite number of these gone out into the World to trapan Mankind Whereof there are variety of kinds but especially seven As sprung forth from the Mystical Mother of Harlots They Lust after the best richest greenest fairest strongest tallest wittiest soundest noblest and most durable Essences And they find too many humane Souls fit for their turn They perceive that the Souls of Men are Eternal and Excellent Fair Lovely and Lively Essences As being made after the Image and Similitude of the Divine Being Now every Created Being lusteth after something that is of a higher Nature than it self that in the Fruition thereof it self may be perfected §. 4. The Blind falling Headlong FOR every Creature groaneth and travelleth for its own Perfection But cannot attain it without the Assistance of some one above him Hence it is that this sevenfold Whorish Spirit is become an earnest Attractor and Enticer of the immortal Souls of Adam's off-spring And for to solemnize the Wedding-seast she furnishes her Table and presents Man with the delicate Dishes of Pleasure and false Joy viz. Counters for Gold But when she hath once got the Poor Soul within her Net and cropt off the Flower of the noble Affections of the Heart which the right Virgin should have had and so spoiled the Spirit of the Mind with a false Vizzard or Mark of Infection when Mans Body fall as a Leaf to the Grave and the Souls Wedding-day draws on and he is to be settled in one of the two Eternal States Then this false Whore crâ—eth Aha! Thou humane Soul thou art Eternal I am but Temporal and Mortal and thou dost partake of my Mortality Eternally to seek Death and yet never Die I had my Pleasure with thâ—e Go now into Eternity I indeed was only the cause of alluring of thee to Sin But how thou must answer for it thy self I am but for a time In the end I return to the Original Abyss of Nihility Now here ariseth a great Question seeing Mans fate is so dismâ—â— Whether hath his unlacky Soul sinned or his Parents that he is thus born Blind Answ No Soul is born stark Blind But if some one should be so born yet there is Veâ—tuâ— bestowed through the Merit of the perfect Sacrifice upon every Soul to open his blind Eyes if he do not wilfully neglect the means of washing them in the Pool to which he is sent But if he will not go where his Virgins great Champion and Physician doth seâ—d him then let him groap in his Blindness For there is no Man that hath Power over his Spirit and passionate Mind that loves a Harlot without the Assistance of the foresaid great Counsellour Prince of Peace in Mental Calmness Now these foresaid Whorish Jezebels have painted their Faces and adorned themselves with an Image of seeming Beauty like the Fruits of Sodom which when touched will fall into Ashes but no real Beauty They lay waâ— at the Head of every Humane Street Some are like Hartors that receive hire And some scorn hire like Marrons that commit Adultery and take Strangers to defile their Husbands Beds And are contrary to common Harlots in that they give Gifts to all Lovers that they may come to defile them §. 5. For Destruction of the Individuum FIrst the Thief or surveying Harlot that surveys the whole World comes and saith All this will I give thee if thou Marry me and be joyned to my Nature in the Bed of my Friendship under Ground There I will nourish thee and thou shalt have the Entrails of the Earth for thy Chest and Coffer But I do not promise thee to see Day-light for many a Year if ever But there like a Slave in the American Mines thou shalt see Gold and Silver enough and thou shalt sleep among the heaped Treasures But the Spirit of the Soul cryeth O this is not Happiness O who will release me out of this under-ground Prison If this were Felicity then my Purse would be better than my self A Horse is not esteemed by his Trappings nor a Man by his Rich Concubine The Womb of this Whore is a snare of Temptation Which catcheth in the Pit of Perdition She gapes like a Gulf for the Mind of Man And spreads like a Sea for his Soul She is beautified by the Hand of her Whorish Mother Who writes on her Face sweet Solace But O Son of Man Child of God legal Heir of the Kingdom of Heaven If thou hast Oxen do thou offer Oblations And if thou hast Sheep thou shalt Sacrifice to God And if thou hast Children thou shalt candidly Consecrate them With the Wife of thy Wedlock to the Lord That his Heavenly Blessings may be upon thee Which the World doth hold for a Curse And yet knows not the Curse on the earthly Blessings Nor how they are a Curse unto them Who strive for Content in much But when they have much are hungry Yea they thirst as the gaping Grave whose Womb consumes them that gape after her But if thou hast the Virgin be thou content For she will make thee to flourish as a fruitful Field Thy Gardens shall be garnished with Greens With the fashions and fragrancies of Flowers Having Hope thy Seed shall spring up And in Faith shalt thou fill thy Vessels If this Harlot cannot prevail then comes the Riotous Luxurious or Swinish Jezebel I see saith she thou art a quiet harmless Man Wilt thou therefore live in Joy Get thee Wine and strong Drink Drink until the Poyson thereof be enraged Quaff this noble Liquor in Bowls Strive to conquer thy Companions in the Valour of Bacchus's Souldiers Eat the Lambs out of the Flock and Calves out of the Stall And make thy Body as mine is a Sepulchre of Dead Carkasses Put far away the Evil Day Let not thy Conscience trouble thee nor Reproofs awaken thee So thou shalt be an easie-hearted Sot or Voluptuous Flog-like Epicure of whom much shall be made in the Swine-house until thou be fully fattened for the House of Slaughter Come therefore along with me to the Banquetting house And we will cast away Care and remove that Melancholick Fit with a cherupping Glass We will treat thee with variety of Dishes dressâ—d after a new Fashion with poinant Sawces We will rant it and make merry over the Witness of God in the Conscience For this Solace is better than Gold or Silver Spend it away prodigally upon thy Lusts and gratifie thy Luxurious Palate And we will anticipate Prayer in the Morning with the Incense of our burning Lusts as preferring Sacrifice before Devotion Oh but in the midst of my Mirth my Heart is sad saith the Souls
Lions they have broken and crushed my Boâ—es O somebody cloath me with the Robes of Panity and white â—innen of Sanctity to cover the Nakedness of my Lustful Affections and Longing Mind O Pity a poor Slave a Servant of Servants a condemned Person Redeem me from under the Captivity of Luciser and raise my drooping Life into the Heaven of Everlasting Safety and Undisturbed Quietness O give some Fewel to feed the Coals of my aspiring Love that it may blaze in a holy Flame of Divine Light §. 3. The Soul's Importunity TO these Demands the Soul Answers Trouble me not Get thee gone and come another time when I shall have convenient opportunity I will take thy condition into Consideration I will not be gone saith the Spirit Now is my time I will not be put off so Be gone saith the Serpentine Soul I have nothing for thee Go work and earn it where thou canst get it Whence comest thou O saith the Divine Spirit of the Soul I have been wandering and travailing upon the Mountains on thy Errand I have not been idle Think not that I am come to put a Trick upon thee as to beg of thee an Alms for the maintaining of my self in Idleness Go saith the Soul to thy vagabond Companions Thou art a Spy coming to see the Nakedness of the Land I am no Spy saith the Soul's Spirit I am in great necessity and that not for my own sake but for the sake of others Who is there in the House saith the Soul One of the Handmaids answers and saith What wilt thou have me to do to this Disturber of our Peace and Enjoyments Go saith the Soul and give him some of these Orts the Refuse of vain Pleasures When these are proffered to the Spirit he saith utterly refusing them Take them your selves I will not meddle with it I must have some true Food or none at all Nay saith the Soul if thou art so sawcy a Beggar and so wanton want thou shalt for me Sayest thou so saith the Divine Spirit Is it come to that Must I now be a Gleaner And yet would fain tasle and eat the best ripe Grapes O give me some of your Superfluities A little pittance of what you throw away to the Infernal Dogs would be greatly pâ—ized by me and rellish as a sweet Morsel O give me some No no saith the Soul go and get where thou canst Is it thus you requite me saith the Spirit It is by my Labour and Procurement that you enjoy all your Pleasures And I defire a part Either procure some for me or suffer me to go to fetch some my self or I will never leave complaining in thy Streets Lay therefore thy hand on thy heart and give some to this Beggar and I will be gone And I will never trouble vex nor worry thee any more I will be quiet and gone to my Place and Lot Thou shalt have quiet for me Give me my desire and I have done Thou shalt hear no more of my murmurs my tormenting and pricking of thy Conscience Get thee gone quickly saith the Serpent thou art a sturdy bold brazen-fac'd Beggar let me alone Nay saith the Soul's Spirit I will never stir I will not be gone I will never let thee alone until I have the Alms I seek I am so sturdy I will not be deny'd I am fully resolved I never will cease vexing of thee till I have my Desire Therefore I pray consider of it Take this Fellow faith the Soul to one of his Servants Bind him hand and foot strike the Conscience dumb we will not be controuled by it The Oppressed Spirit still Cries and Moans in the Gates of Mans City Cease saith the Soul What is all this Clamour for Let us have no more Noise Be packing thou impudent Bawler and disturb not our sweet sleep and quiet Rest our present Joys and Recreations I will not give over saith he if I bring my Blood upon thee I will never cease though you slay me I am so importunate and impudent that I will never stir a foot from this place till I have my Errand My words shall break thy Rest My Words shall be as Goads and Nails in thy side Clenched by the chief Architects and Masters of the Assemblies I will prick and vex thee in thy Conscience everlastingly until I have my deDesire But if thou grant me my Divine Object I will deal so fair that in token of gratuity I will give thee a Vantage of Temporal Joys added unto thee If first thou allowest me my desire do what thou wilt Enjoy Temporal Pleasures freely It shall not be imputed a Violation of Gods Law and the Righteousness thereof § 4. He Desireth some Real Thing BUt to what shall I compare this Cry in the Soul The Soul is like a Child that cannot speak even as a Lamb dumb before the Butcher his Voice is not heard in the Street of Mans City He is afflicted and grieved and yet opens not his Mouth I say The Soul's Spirit is like a poor afflicted sickly Child that can nothing but jabber a little The poor Child repines murmurs whines and grumbles and is still discontented Give him what you will yet still he hath the same tone Then the Mother or Nurse asks What dost thou lack my dear Child O that I knew thy want Come my sweet Child my poor sick Child we will make thee a well-relish'd Dish No no saith the Child in effect making Signs by the Aversion of his head Wilt thou have this sine Rattle to play with No. I will sing thee a sweet Lullaby No. Will nothing in this World we can procure or do for thee please thee My sweet Babe art very hard to please and humoursome All we can do for this Child is to no purpose O that some skilful Body would come and direct us For we are at our Wits end because of this Child it is past our Skill to humour it Am I so hard to please saith the Child if he could speak Yes saith the Nnrse thou knowest not thy own Mind Do I not saith the Child in his Mind I want none of those fine things you would put me off with I want no Lullaby I want Ease and Quietness I would fast some small time from those false Delights which was the cause of my Malady I want Ease O ease me of this pain and then I will be quiet and not before Therefore hereby All know very well what it is the Soul would have and what it seeks after that is Food Fewel and Satisfaction for its fiery longing Hunger Which if it hath it will be satisfied and not till then The fire longs for the Light If it burns in secret it is in pain and in anguish All things are full of Labour Man especially cannot utter his own Labour and travail of his Soul The Eye of the Mind is not satisfied with seeing Vanity Nor the Ear of the Spirit filled with hearing Childish
now I repent from the bottom of my heart O be favourable to me and shew me some kindness remit that rigour which thou threatnest me with now at my last gasp where with I will pray Heaven to requite thee Keep thy thanks to feed thy hellish Brood saith the pure Mind This is but to gain the time because thou seest the thing I longed for is gone from me Thouhast prepared lying and corrupt Words to speak beforeme till the time be changed therefore there is but one Decree Either procure to me my dear Virgin and wash thy Blackmore's Skin white or thou shalt be utterly destroyed and thy House shall be made a Dunghil §. 10. The Soul 's Hellish Blasphemy BUt saith the Soul O be not so cruel and rigid She is unattainable she is taken into thy Rivals Favour It is impossible to substract a greater number from a lesser that I cannot do Only remit the penalty of this severe Law Nay saith the Noble Mind I must proclaim an Eternal War against thee For as thou hadst not Power over the false Spirit to retain the Spirit of thy Affections so neither hast thou power in the day of Eternal Death neither hath any one the Power to retain the Virgin when she is gone into her place and quite rejected And therefore I say There is no discharge in this War no redeeming of thee from the Fury of the bloody Souldiers and avenging Officers who will now cast thee into Prison Neither shall wickedness deliver them that have been all their time given to it Therefore O humane Soul think not that thou shalt escape and that the Spirit of the humane Soul shall die for the rest of the humane Commonwealth and come under the Lash for the loss of his dear Virgin for tho' thou shouldst give all the Substance of thine House and all that thou art worth to be reconciled to her it cannot be when the day of Grace is sinned out and that this Divine Essence shall suffer for thee No no this Divine Essence shall remain as an Image in a Looking-glass and thou shalt endure the Pain as being condemned by this said Essence who will arise again out of the Grave which thou hast digged for him and condemn thee as being thy Eternal Judge And here is seen what part suffers for where the sore is there will be the Hand And here begins the great and Hellish Blasphemy of a Soul in the real Tophet the Soul will gnaw his Tongue for pain and vexation and Revenge against the Spirit of the Soul as if he were in sault whereas himself was the cause of Bringing this tormenting Wo upon himself And now the dumb guilty Soul may be long at the Gate of the deaf Spirit who will not hear his Cries because he himself was lately as the deaf Adder who would nor hearken to the Charms of the Spirit charming never so wisely And struck his Conscience oft-times as dumb as a Sheep before the Shearer Yea the Soul will rave and rage as if he would tear the Deity it self in pieces And when a poysoned Arrow does light upon his Flesh he knowing not whence it comes he will receive the Blood into his hands flushing out and throw it up to the Abyss crying out O Almighty Power thou hast conquered me and so blaspheming dies the Eternal Death CHAP. IX The Souls Rest §. 1. Where is this Rest IF the Soul do but attain the End of his Journey which was appointed as the true final Cause of his Travail and Labour by the Creator then he becomes happy and not before The Sleep and Rest of the Labouring Soul is sweet whether he sleep little or much but the bundame of the covetous Rich and conceited Soul who conceits he needeth nothing as being not beholden to God will not suffer him to sleep and to take a quiet Nap of sweet Repose But where is this Rest to be found There 's the Question The Elements say It is not in us The Depth saith It is not in me Hell and Death say We have heard the Faâ—e thereof with our Ears There is a Path which the sâ—â—tillest Fowl knows not and which the quick sighted Vultures Eye hath not seen Nay let Man search and grope into every Corner and Cranny of the whole Creation yet he shall never find Rest for his Soul until he come and return to Virgin Vertue Gods fair Daughter his appointed and predestinated Spouse As the Stars and Astral Powers bear sway over Mortals so also the Minds of Men have a reflexive Influence upon the Starry Natures For Evil Minds by Sympathy or Simile attract the Evil Influences which infect the Air and so alight upon the first Authors Even as a Not oft-time generateâ—h within it self that which destroyeth it namely the Worm of an evil Influence In like manner also vertuous and holy Souls attract the good Influences of the Astral Properties by Sympathy Now who knoweth the Spirit of a Man that goeth upwards to his own natural Heaven and attracts the good and sweet Influences thereof For God with a lofty Mind did Man indue And bid him Heavens transcendent Glory view As being his Natural Scope and right Home But if any humane Soul approve not of this Form choosing a prone or downward Look and to be leaded with the guilt of an evil or guilty Conscience he shall sink down into the Abyss §. 2. Not God's Fault if missed THo' God commands the Soul to choose Life and Eternal Joy and let every Bird delight in his own Note which th Creator hath inspired into him to praise the Inspirer yet most Men choose Death and let them thank themselves But now Heaven is the appointed Home of Mans Soul And if the Soul miss to find his home there 's his Hell and there 's the Inverting of the Mind of God or frustrating of the Intent of the Almighty which makes the Wo and the Hell But some may say Hell was also appointed to some Men as Heaven was predestinated to others Answ Yes Hell was conditionally appointed to Adam and all his Posterity upon their slighting of Heaven But Heaven was Mans native Place or Home And thither he must return if the Causes of Man co-work and suit together in their genuine coherence And to say that Hell was the sinal Cause of some Mens Creation is absolute Blasphemy But as the younger Brother said in the Epigram Sum pauper non culpa mea c. It was not my Fault that I am poor but the Fault of my Parents who have not begotten me before my Elder Brother who had the Inheritance This is the case of the Fool that lays the Fault upon the Almighty Father of Mankind As it was affirmed by the old Heathen Polytheists that one Idol-God or Power could not undo what another did So it is true in this sense That whatsoever is made Crooked by the hellish Power can never be made Straight again no not by the Power
enquire wisely concerning this And the Day of Death if the Soul be perfected in its formation is better than the Day of the false Birth Dicique beatus ante Obitum nâ—mâ— supremaque funera debet No Man before Death should be accounted happy This World is a wide Prison and every Day is Execution Day §. 6. The Heavenly Feast stays for us THe Apostate Soul is like the Viper dying at the parturition of her young ones But the Right Soul is perfected at the Death of the Body Being formed a perfect Divine Man whose Form is the Image of the Deity Even then is the Marriage and full fruition of the Virgin of God who is to be cloathed in fine Linnen clean and white the Purity and Righteousness of a holy Soul as being her Delight and Ornament And therefore O Man be sure thou be related by Affinity to the Great Messias whose Bride will shortly make her self ready in the presence of God and the holy Angels Blessed art thou that shalt be called to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb-like Prince of Innocency These Sayings are Faithful and Real Not a Scene of an Imaginary Phantasie God would have all to be saved The Devil none And so neither of them is a Respecter of Persons The Reprobate wrongs himself yet seems to do the wrathful Powers a kindness Yet his kindness is no kindness He is like one that throws Brine into the Sea For Hell is never satisfied Come therefore O Man to Heaven and there thou shalt be welcome If thou art fairer than another he shall not envy but rejoyce at thy Beauty God himself desires thy company for there is a Superfluity of Dainties at his Feast The Profit of the Holy Earth is for all The King himself is served by the Fruits of Eden's Field But if we speak properly we must acknowledge God hath no loss by a Reprobate Soul seeing he is Perfection it self But the loss is thy own Thou hast not cheated the Virgin for she hath another appointed her upon thy Refusal But thou hast fooled deceived and put a Cheat upon thy â—elf and art fallen into the Snare which thou hast prepared for another And it is an ill Bird that defiles her own Nest They use to say of a Dâ—unkard or some such luxurious Fellow He doth no Hurt to any but what he doth to himself I pray who can trust such a 〈…〉 a harmless Man He is the greatest Cheat of 〈◊〉 who cheats himself Seeking to undermine God and his Virgin To be fore such a one if he finds but opportunity will prove false to his Neighbour also and to the whole Creation I love thee as my own Soul said a fat luxurious Man to his Sweetheart Then you love me not as your Body said she or you love me not at all For I see you love not your self because you repent not of your sins §. 7. Mans Self-Enjoyment Gods primary Glory THus many a Soul thinks to advance himself by a vain expectation of the Death of God Christ and the Soul's Spirit whose Officer is like to torment him in a Fiery Lâ—ke There was a rich thriving Man that had a Servant who thrived not at all but was very Unfortunate in outward things The Master indeed pitied him because he proved honest in his place and perhaps there was a vigilant Eye over him that he could not cheat his Master But his Master payed him the Arrears of his Wages and turned him away from his Service saying While you thrive not your self you cannot be profitable to another and therefore you are no servant for me and so God â—less you This is the Case between God the Master of the great humane Family and us his Servants Therefore every Man for his own Soul chiefly and God for us all And so where nothing is to be had God loses his Right as it were Yet he is accidentally glorisied by the Reprobate Heaven is the true End of Man or final Cause of the Soul And if the End be frustrated the whole Work is in vain It is the Glory of a King and the Ornament of a Kingdom that his Subjects are Populous and Valiant And Children are the Riches of a Parent So Man attaining the 〈…〉 his Generation becomes the Glory of God aâ—â— his Coelestial Kingdom But all is Vanity and a Frustration of the Right End whatever excludes and vexeth the pure Spirit of Soul and hinders him from reaching the scope of his Desire and Labour It might be judged that he that adventureth his best Jewel his precious Life in behalf of his Prince is a Magnanimous Man But as the Poet said Vivere pro patriâ dulcius esse puto So it is the case of the Soul And it is very clear For if the final Cause be marred or cut off the whole Action is vain As for instance A Man whose House is on fire and leaps into the Fire to save his Goods spoils the End And so doth a Thief that adventures his Life for the enjoyment of a sum of Money for he disesteems the End and undervalues it in comparison of the Meâ—ns to preserve and promote the said End The End of the Treasure stolen is to preserve Life If therefore he haâ—ards his Life in the attaining of it wheâ— it might he preserved without such hazard he is a Fool and a vain Fellow Just so is the Case of one that hazards his Soul in the attaining of some strange Lust or supposed Means of promoting the well-being of the Soul What is a House good for if the End which is Dwelling in it be frustrated 〈…〉 one that angleth with a Golden Hook and 〈…〉 own Flesh and rather than sleep in a whole 〈◊〉 â—â—igâ—atizeth his Soul §. 8. Spoil not the End for the Means ONe feared to go on a Message to the Grand Vizier saying He is so unconstant he may take my Head off upon no occasion given The Governour that sent him said I would he durst I will have a thousand of his Mens Heads off in lieu of it Yes but I question said the Embassador whether any of them will sit my Shoulders Thus may the Souls Spirit upbraid the Soul when sent by him upon desperate and unlawful hazarding of his Life Take another Example or Comparison A Dissolute Fellow under pretence of honouring his Prince and wishing well to his Patriots and Praying for the Health of his Friends Drinks large Healths as he calls them as in remembrance of his said Friends and to the Commemoration of their Prosperity And what is all this for but chiefly to gratifie his greedy Belly tub which like a sink receive these Health-resisting Bowls under pretence of Praying for the Health of another But let any impartial Man judge whether these impious pretended Salutations do add any thing to the Health or Happiness of him who is pretended to be the Subject of these flatteries Nay it is plain robbing of the King and his Honour and a