Use 3 That man may not do any thing for his own end,1 but he is bound to do all for an higher end, as he that made us hath appointed, for the efficient can make a thing to what end he please. You see it is so with men, as a knife is made to cut, a key to open, &c. and yet they are all of one material: so the Lord looking down from heaven, he made of one heap of clay several creatures, and appointed to every one his several end, which end they must observe and aim at; and if they do not, they wrong him that made them; and therefore it is he destroys them. And so it is with every thing that is made for an end; as fire, ⟨p. 147⟩that is made to warm a man, if it do burn the house, we put it out; a vessel that is made to keep wine or bear, if it do corrupt it, we lay it aside, and put it into one more wholesome: so doth God, he puts to every man his several end, and therefore he gives them several gifts, and several callings: himself, indeed, is the general end, but besides the general, he appoints to every calling a particular end; to a Minister he saith, Go, and feed my sheep; if he goes, and feeds himself, and not the people; if he feed them with stubble, and not with hay, he doth not attain his end; and so may I say of every thing else; of a scholar, a Magistrate, a husband; they have several places, and divers gifts given them, and all for their several end, and if they aim not at their end, but work for themselves, they are worthy to be destroyed: as a man, if he hath an instrument that is crooked, and unfit for use, then he casts it away, and taketh another; but if it be fit, he will lay it up for use, and he will say, let it not be lost: so doth the Lord with men, if they be pliable to him, if they will work for the end that he hath appointed them, then he saves and preserves them; but if they will do things for their own end, it is the next way to destruction.
Vse 3 That man may not doe any thing for his owne end,1 but he is bound to doe all for an higher end, as hee that made us hath appointed, for the efficient can make a thing to what end he please. You see it is so with men, as a knife is made to cut, a key to open, &c. and yet they are all of one materiall: so the Lord looking downe from heaven, he made of one heape of clay severall creatures, and appointed to every one his several end, which end they must observe and aime at; and if they doe not, they wrong him that made them; and therefore it is hee destroyes them. And so it is with every thing that is made for an end; as fire, ⟨p. 147⟩that is made to warme a man, if it doe burne the house, we put it out; a vessell that is made to keep wine or beare, if it doe corrupt it, we lay it aside, and put it into one more wholesome: so doth God, he puts to every man his severall end, and therefore he gives them severall gifts, and severall callings: himselfe, indeed, is the generall end, but besides the generall, he appoints to every calling a particular end; to a Minister he saith, Goe, and feed my sheepe; if he goes, and feeds himselfe, and not the people; if he feed them with stubble, and not with hay, hee doth not attaine his end; and so may I say of every thing else; of a scholler, a Magistrate, a husband; they have severall places, and divers gifts given them, and all for their severall end, and if they aime not at their end, but worke for themselves, they are worthy to be destroyed: as a man, if hee hath an instrument that is crooked, and unfit for use, then hee casts it away, and taketh another; but if it be fit, he will lay it up for use, and he will say, let it not be lost: so doth the Lord with men, if they be pliable to him, if they will worke for the end that he hath appointed them, then he saves and preserves them; but if they will doe things for their owne end, it is the next way to destruction.
- 1We should do nothing for our own ends but for God.We should do nothing for our owne ends but for God.
