The crucifying of the world

4. As that which is a mans End (if satisfactory) will content him when he can attain it, so without it nothing will content him. No man will be content without that which is the Principal end of his life, though he may without some inferior end. If God be your end, nothing else will content you: If you had all the honours and prosperity of the world, and this secured to you, it would not content you. These are not the things that you live for, or that the predominant inclination of your souls are suited to, and therefore it is not these that will please you, and serve your turn. But if the world be your end, you could be content with it if you could get it. Let who will take the world to come, if the carnal wretch were but sure of this, he would think himself a happy man, and could spare the other. He would not change his worldly happiness for the hopes of that which he never saw, nor doth not firmly and heartily believe.

4. As that which is a mans End (if satisfactory) will content him when he can attain it, so without it nothing will content him. No man wil be content without that which is the Principal end of his life, though he may without some inferiour end. If God be your end, nothing else will content you: If you had all the honours and prosperity of the world, and this secured to you, it would not content you. These are not the things that you live for, or that the predominant inclination of your souls are suted to, and therefore it is not these that will please you, and serve your turn. But if the world be your end, you could be content with it if you could get it. Let who will take the world to come, if the carnal wretch were but sure of this, he would think himself a happy man, and could spare the other. He would not change his worldly happiness for the hopes of that which he never saw, nor doth not firmly and heartily believe.

5. It is a mans End that puts the estimate upon all things else. All other things are counted Good or Evil, so far as they help to it, or hinder it: If Heaven be your End, you will account of ⟨p. 85⟩all things as they respect that end—Those will be the best Companions to you, and that the best calling and condition of Life, the best speech, the best actions, the best way of disposing what you have, what you think will most promote your Heavenly end: suffering will be better in your eye then prosperity, if it do but help you best to heaven. To give your money will seem better to you then to keep it, to lose it then to gain it, when it apparently conduceth more to the pleasing of God and your salvation. That will be the best Ministry and means that tendeth most to this: And so you will estimate all things else; for its most evident that it is the end that prizeth the means, according as they are suited to the attainment of that end.