Now it is the nature of the utmost and furthest end to stir up to every action leading to that end ; for every deliberate rational action that is done with advertisement and observation, and is not an action of fancy or common nature, must fall under the consideration of an end, or else we cannot give account for it, as we must for every word, desire, and thought. » Cf. note A,' Vol. I. p. 234.-6.
THE christian's END. 801
Now the end stirreth us up to all means leading to that end, either immediately as they are the services of God propex-ly, or else remotely. As things that help reason and furtherances thereunto, as the apostlo willeth ' that whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do,' 1 Cor. x. 31, all should he done to the glory of God, because these maintain us in health and strength, and that health and strength enable us to God's service. And in this sense every action a Christian doth is a service of God ; for the end doth advance it and raise it above itself, and make it spiritual : as recreation to cheer him to diligence in his calling, the serving of his brother, and the like. Some actions are holy in the stuff and matter of them, others are such for the end to which they are directed. For the meanest action becomes holy, if an holy end be put upon it.
And therefore the actions of the second table are the service of God as well as the first, as they do all agree in the end. No man violate th a magistrate in the second table, but he wrongeth God in the first. No man stealeth, or committeth adultery, or disgraceth his neighbour by false wit- ness, which is prohibited in the second, but it is for want of fear of God commanded in the first.
Duties of the second rightly performed are in virtue of the command- ments of the first, when they are done not only from human and lower gi-ounds, as things good in themselves, but also because God and Christ have commanded them ; and that is included in the general words of ' living to the Lord ;' for to live is comprehensive, and inclndeth all our actions, from the beginning to the end and closing up of our days. Whatsoever actions fall within the term of life ought to be referred to God as the last end.
1. The reason is, Christ hath redeemed our persons, and our times, and all that ice are, or have, or can do ; all our ability, our whole posse, is Christ's, and not our own. I must be filled up with actions suitable to Christ, therefore if I could do a thousand times more than I do, it were all due to him. Myself, my time, my advantages, my calling, and all, are his.
2. Again, As the end stirs up to actions of all kinds, so it prescribeth a measure to those actions, to do them, so far as shall be advantageous to that end. As he that hath a race to run will measure his diet suitable to that end, so he that hath an aim ' to live to Christ ' will use all things here as may serve that turn. He will use the world as if he used it not, will buy as if he possessed not, will marry as if he married not. Not that he will be slight or superficial in these things ; but he will do them no further than may be advantageous to the enjoying of Christ here, as comfortably as he can, and for ever hereafter.
Indeed, no man can set measures to his desire of happiness, that being a vast ocean ; his main end cannot be desired too much. For as it is his good and happiness, it is larger than himself, yea, his thoughts and desires are too short to reach it. But though a man desires not health too much, yet he may desire too much physic. The measure must be in our pursuit of inferior things, because therein we are apt to exceed. And that advan- tage a Chi'istian hath in setting a right end. He will not be drowned in the world, nor live to recreations, but to a farther aim, and which prescribes a measure and duration to all things else.
3. The end hkewise maketh everything that tcndeth to the end lovely. It maketh the cross lovely, for by it we grow better, and get more in large communion with Christ. Welcome is poverty, or disgrace, or whatsoever
802 THE christian's end.
that maketli a man live more to Christ, and die to himself. Men call for physic, though in itself distasteful, as it is in order to health ; an end which we desire without end. So it is the disposition of a gracious soul, if Christ bestow himself on him, communicate his gracious Spirit, peace of con- science, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of the imago of God. Let God lay upon us what he will, yet it will appear lovely,
4. It prescribeth likewise a rifjlU order to even/ dittj/. For as the end sets one thing above another, so a wise man that lookcth to his best end will do the main work first, and other things in the second place, accord- ing to our Saviour's counsel, ' Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all other things shall be cast upon you,' Mat. vi. 33. Some indeed love to be all in by-works, and in the mean time neglect and slight the main. But our care should be so to use the world that we may not lose Christ, or communion with him in better things ; so to look to things temporal, as that we lose not things eternal. For as things are in themselves, so they should be to us. Now as some thing is better than another, so we should conceive of them, and affect them as better than another, and labour to do them before another, as deserving the first place. And that is the reason the saints have so prized and entertained communion with God and Christ. ' One thing I desire,' saith the prophet ; that is, * to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever,' Ps. xxvii. 4. And * one thing is necessary,' saith Christ, Luke x. 41. Other things be necessary in their order, but to have communion with God is the main thing necessary.