Introdu&. , No trueFelicity in Pleafure, Vertue, &c. Chap.j. without moderation it is not good, then it follows that abftinence from felicity, is fe- licity,- and that he is continent who abftaineth from felicity. 5. Plutarch is confident, that ifan Epicure knew thathe hadbut one hour tolive and were put to his choice , whether he would fpend that hour in Sport and Pleafure, or do come notable Act to Eternize his Name, that he would make elccfion ofthe latter, and thereby condemn his own opinion of Felicity in pleafure I himCcif. No trueFelicity then in Pleafure., Nor yet in Vertue.' a. The Vertues in which the Stoicks place Felicity are meetly moral, and they are only to pacific the difordered portions of the mind, our affections : and the pacifying of them is to bring cafe to our anions : and every *lion is prepterfiner, for tonne end : there being therefore other ends befides thefe, there isno Felicity in them. 2. EveryVertue bath its feveral ufe, as Juftice, topreferve Peace ; Fortitude , tet procure Peace, aná the like : therefore thefe have farther ends than for themfelves, and foare not true Felicity. 3. Prudence (accounted by them the primeVertue) is nothing but to direçt us to the end, ana is not the endit felf: therefore not Felicity it Pelf. InVertue then no trueFelicity. 5. Neither in Contemplation. a. For it is an abfurd thing in Nature, that any thing fhould be long in getting, and fhort in fruition orenjoying: but Contemplation is ever ingetting, fo that it cannot be long in fruition : therefore no Felicity in it. a. Our Conçemplation is only in pniJe, in what may be, and to behappy is Iasi n, to bedrawn into action, but to fay that this pofe may be brought to a perfeft an, were abfurd; for there is no man can fay, there is nothing but I know it. 3. By their own confeß'ion, we know the effential form of ány, no, not of the molt vile Creature, and we are ignorant in molt familiar things to us: and how much more dim and imperfect is our knowledg in more divine natures, and in God himfelf, of whom we know nothingbut by privation : as that he is not finite, and comprehenfible and the like. ç. They teftifie of themfelvesthat they know nothing. Floc mail fcíe, me Whit feire, faid Serrate:, This one thing only I know, that I know nothing. Ariflotle confeft that he had (pent his time, and had only rrdn.+, ta+a nt Owls eyes incon- templating HeavenlyEffences. Simonides, That the more he contemplated onGods Elfence, the farther off he confeft himfelf to be. Heroic/has cryed out, In rofandd ell, it is fodeep I cannot found it. And Maximapars rerun; qua fames , eft minewa serum qua ignoramus, The greateft part of that we know, is the lealt part of that we know not. No Felicity then in Contemplation: Thus Much for particular exceptionsagainft thefe opiniotit of Felicity, now gei nerally againft them all demonflrarive. That there is no true happinefe in any thingbeides God. The PhiloCophers propound taro things in their Felicity. r. Terming appoints iv,dpw., contentednefs or fatisfanion of the Appetite. 2. Perpetuity or continuance ofthat fatisfaction. r. To come to any thing but to God, non facit fermingm appetitai, it fatisfieth not our appetite, for at ponatur terminus apperitni, to (et a bound to our appetite there muff be d.'t:m.a contentednefs. And this cannot be without fatisfanion. Nor canany thing fatisfie the appetite, but God alone, becaufe it was ordained to receive God: all the world is too little to fill it. Saint Augufiine faith, Domine, to fecif ime properte, nec gaiefeatanima meet, donee venial ad to ; Lord, thou haft made me for thee, and my foul will not be fatisfied till it come to thee. For without God there is ítauniverfal good, therefore force want, and confcquently a delire to have that which is wanting, and the appetite being unfatisficd, unquietnefs followeth, andf( tau Felicity. Thls
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