Heautonaparnumenos

What Reason then can Man possibly phantsie to himself, why he should be exempted from the common Condition of all Creatures, and flatter himself to be made for no end, but himself, since that is indeed to be made to no end at all? ¹Certainly he has no Reason for it. Nay, he ha's so much the less Reason for it, by how much he is endued with Reason, above all other Creatures; for that shows us, even Logic it self cannot find a Reason, why any Creature should be made for it self.

What Reason then can Man possibly phantsie to himself, why he should be exempted from the common Condition of all Creatures, and flatter himselfe to be made for no end, but himselfe, since that is indeed to be made to no end at all? ¹Certainly he has no Reason for it. Nay, he ha's so much the lesse Reason for it, by how much he is endued with Reason, above all other Creatures; for that shews us, even Logick it selfe cannot finde a Reason, why any Creature should be made for it selfe.

1. 1Hos. 10.1.

Surely then, so it is; Man cannot claim any Title to Himself; not to his Hands, to do what he pleases; not to his Tongue, to speak what he pleases: No, not to his very Heart, to think what he pleases: But acknowledge he must God to be the Lord Paramount of them all, and esteem himself but as His Steward, to render an Account of them. Since then we are and have nothing of our selves, but what we received from Him; if He require them (all) of us again, let us by no means grutch them Him: We give Him but of His own, and may He not do what he pleases in suo, with that which is His own? We think it good Reason in our own case. But yet, if by His Grace we can but do this willingly, which is all we can pretend to, we shall in no wise fail of our Reward, seeing we bestow our Selves on Him, who is the Lord God of Recompenses,