Heautonaparnumenos

For this is certain; Every man, in the enjoyment of those things, seeks for Good unto himself: this Good he is never satisfied with, till it become Summum, at the height and best: Now the Summum Bonum, the Best Good is Happiness; Every one therefore, enjoying those, or such like things uses them as the Means whereby to obtain their End, Happiness. But now, we have a General Rule, The Means are to be sought after, not for themselves but, only for the End: It must needs therefore be, he that helps us to the end, though he does not withal to the Means yet, gives us the Means too, because he gives us that for which only the Means are good and desirable. If then Christ promises and gives us the end we seek for in those things, (as He does, and that in this Life) to wit, Happiness, He must needs therewithal by consequence give us the Means, the Things themselves.

For this is certaine; Every man, in the enjoyment of those things, seeks for Good unto himselfe: this Good he is never satisfi'd with, till it become Summum, at the height and best: Now the Summum Bonum, the Best Good is Happinesse; Every one therefore, enjoying those, or such like things uses them as the Meanes whereby to obtaine their End, Happinesse. But now, we have a Generall Rule, The Meanes are to be sought after, not for themselves but, onely for the End: It must needs therefore be, he that helps us to the end, though he does not withall to the Meanes yet, gives us the Meanes too, because he gives us that for which onely the Meanes are good and desireable. If then Christ promises and gives us the end we seek for in those things, (as He does, and that in this Life) to wit, Happinesse, Hee must needs therewithall by consequence give us the Meanes, the Things themselves.

But does He, moreover and above, give us an Hundred fold in too? Yes, that he does, and more. For, we must know, that though we seek for Happiness by such Means yet, they are not the true Means to obtain it: for then some time or other, in them we should find it. But that no man ever yet could do: but still, having enjoyed any or all of them, they were fain to complain with St. Augustine, Cor irrequietum est, donec veniat ad Te, That Mans desire cannot be satisfied in any Creature; not, till it come at God. And so much we find wittily insinuated