Introdu&. Mat Man's happinefs is, bycoming to God Chap. 3. 15 Scripture? 3. Howwe know that there is a God. 4. What regard Godhath ofMan. But they which without further examination prefuppofe thefe for granted, build nodeeper than the earth, leave advantage to the Adverfary. And we know that many have undermined the very Foundations, affirming boldly, that there is no God. In fomuch as the Devil bringing his floods and (terms hath fhaken the deareft of Gods Children. And therefore that we may begin at the hard Rock, we will ask thefe four Qucftions. Jtrutr? I3ett it X I. Anfit Deus? Whether there be a God. And this is againft theAthcift. Cadbe 7h z. An curamgerat mortalicros e Whether hehave a care of Man, and fuch a care, as G e ofdeg ova that he would give hirn his word, to reward the good, and punifh the evil , againft n di, S'r(xena Vst.lhe Ines Afillaas. it is the femi- Atheiffs, the Epicures. 3. An Scripturanaffra/ntverumverFurn? Whether the Scripures we ufe, be his tie&eat icon -ta true Word, againft Turksand Pagans. {es ill; ¢G tat; fN rtCN, hK oroy 4. An ex bar verbo werefit fiandata relioio noftra? Whether theScripturebeing Gods nr+tv+ edoe. Word, our Religion be truly grounded upon it, againft Jews and Heriticks. For the firft and fecond, our warrant and direftion is from theApoftle. He that Heb. sr. 6. cometh to God muff believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of themthat Peek him. Wherein three things are obfervable. I. That the end and fruit of our Religion is tocome to God. z. That the means to attain to that end or fruit is by believing. 3., that we molt believe concerning God thefe two things, viz. Firft, Eße Drum, That there is a God. Secondly, Bonis bonum tribnere, Malls million. That he giveth good things to the good, andcvel to the wicked. t. That the end and fruit ofour Religion is to come toGod, is the firft Rep. There Pfal. hath beenmuch bearing of the brain to find ont true felicity ; the reafon is, becaufe naturally every man delires that which is good, The Pfaimift tells us as much, that it De civ. Dei,: was that which men thirfted after in his time. There be many that fay, Whowill,. 19 C. t. Phew us any good ? St. Augufline faith, thatT4rro hadobferved in his book of Philo fophy fuch variety of Opinions concerning this Summum bonum, chiefgood, that they amounted to 288Sells, ashe calls them. And the reafon that man is naturallydefirous of good is, becaufe no manof himfelf is happy. The Epithets given to manmakes this plainenough, as 1ludus,Mfer,Naked, Wretched Idvwwdró ator, sSrrdfsa xeeyldxaar, a feeble Creature, a true Emblemof Infirmity, and the like. So that happinefs not being in Man himfelf, it muff needs accrew to himby coming to fome other thing, that is, to God. It is trueand undeniable, that while Man kept Gods Commandments, and fub- mitted his Wifdome to Gods will, he was partaker of Cods goodnefs, and in the date of Happinefs. But difobeyinghis will, and departing from him, he became mt- ferable many wayes. Eor firft he fell into Sin. Secondly, into Shame. Thirdly, into Fear. Fourthly, into Travel, Care, and Vexation of Body andMind. Fifthly and laftly, into Death, loft all his former Happinefs, and fell into a Sea ofMifery and Infelicity, which cannot be repaired but by coming again to God. There are fomeof feveral Opinions, that think a man may enjoy true Felicity, in this world, andof himfelf, without having an eye to God. They may be reduced tp five forts, a. Worldlings conceive true Felicity to confiftjoWealth. 2. Polititiansin Honour. 3. Epicuresin Pleafures. 4. Stoicks in Moral Verrues. 5. Platonicks in Contemplation. Againft thefe feverally in order we (hall make fume Exceptions. a. Riches are not the Summum bonum. t. Wealth is not to be defired in regard of it felf, but only to fupplly the defe&s of Nature, as Food, Raiment, &c. to preferve Nature from failing or decaying, or to re- pair or amend it, but not to bring it to a higher eftate, aboveNature, for thatRiches cannot effefl, but that which is true Felicity can do both. 2. The endofMan is better than Man it felt, but thefe are worfe than Man ; for a Man for his life will give the whole world. If he werepolíeffour of all the Wealth in the
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