N00802:1219
The truly blessed man
The truly blessed man: or, The way to be happy here, and for ever: being the substance of divers sermons preached on, Psalm XXXII. / By Samuel Willard, teacher of a church in Boston. N.E. ; [Five lines from Isaiah]
printed by B. Green for Michael Perry, 1700
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. Hence there must be an end aimed at, which gives motion to this desire and hope. Philosophers had in vain placed the end among the causes, if it did not influence to the producing of the effect. This causality must be referred to the end in intention, which is by the influence it hath on the Efficient to set him on work: and in all Rational agents this is evident, that these two affections are thus excited; the means are not desired or hoped in for themselves, but for that which is aimed at by them.
3. Hence there must be an end aimed at, which gives motion to this desire and hope. Philosophers had in vain placed the end among the causes, if it did not influence to the producing of the effect. This causality must be referred to the end in inten•ion, which is by the influence it hath on the Efficient to set him on work: and in all Rational agents this is evident, that these two affections are thus excited; the means are not desired or hoped in for themselves, but for that which is aimed at by them.
4. That faith teacheth a believer to make Gods glory his last end in all things. Fallen man is come short of this, Rom. 3.23. And hence hath other ends in which he cen•ers; but the Grace of God hath taught men to return to their great end again. They now renounce their sinful ends, and regulate their subordinate ends: this is an universal lesson that faith teacheth, to do all for the glory of God, 1 Cor. 10.31.