The divine life in three treatises

1. He is guilty of the destruction of all souls: For as much as in him lies they are destroyed, while they are all made useless to the End for which they were created. If there be no other life and happiness Everlasting, what are souls good for? what is the Reasonable creature good for? Is it to be Happy here? In what? Here is no happiness. Is it in eating and drinking and sleeping? why these are to strengthen us for our service which tendeth to our end▪ and therefore cannot be themselves our end. Is it not better be without either meat or drink or sleep in point of Happiness, so be it we also were without the need of them, then to need them and have them for our need, especially with the care and trouble which they cost us? I had an hundred times rather for my part, if it were lawful to desire it, never have meat, or drink, or sleep, and be without the need of them, as I had rather be without a sore, then to have a plaster that will ease it, and be every day at the pains to dress it. Brutes have some advantage in these above men, in that they have not the care, and fear, and sorrow of mind as we have, in the getting or keeping what they have or need. If you go downward, and say that men are made to govern brutes, then what are brutes made for, unless to dung the earth? and so the basest shall be the end of the noblest, and God may be as wisely said to be for man, because he is to govern him. Truly if there were no Everlasting life, but man were a mere terrestrial animal, I had rather never have been born, or should wish I had never been a man: I ⟨p. 31⟩knew not what to do with my self, nor how to employ the faculties of my soul or body, but they would all seem to me as useless things. What should I do with my Reason▪ if I had no higher an end then beasts? what should I do with a mind that knoweth that there is a God▪ and another world, and that is capable of desiring him, seeking and enjoying him, if it must be frustrated of all? what should I do with a heart that's capable of the Love of God and delighting in his Love, if I have no God to Love and delight in when this life is ended? why have I a heart that so desireth him, in fuller vision and fruition, if I be capable of no such thing? what then should I do with my time and life?

1. He is guilty of the destruction of all souls: For as much as in him lies they are destroyed, while they are all made useless to the End for which they were created. If there be no other life and happiness Everlasting, what are souls good for? what is the Reasonable creature good for? Is it to be Happy here? In what? Here is no happiness. Is it in eating and drinking and sleeping? why these are to strengthen us for our service which tendeth to our end and therefore cannot be themselves our end. Is it not better be without either meat or drink or sleep in point of Happiness, so be it we also were without the need of them, then to need them and have them for our need, especially with the care and trouble which they cost us? I had an hundred times rather for my part, if it were lawful to desire it, never have meat, or drink, or sleep, and be without the need of them, as I had rather be without a sore, then to have a plaister that will ease it, and be every day at the pains to dress it. Brutes have some advantage in these above men, in that they have not the care, and fear, and sorrow of mind as we have, in the getting or keeping what they have or need. If you go downward, and say that men are made to govern brutes, then what are brutes made for, unless to dung the earth? and so the basest shall be the end of the noblest, and God may be as wisely said to be for man, because he is to govern him. Truely if there were no Everlasting life, but man were a meer terrestrial animal, I had rather never have been born, or should wish I had never been a man: I