Centuries of Meditations

42

By humanity we search into the powers and faculties of the Soul, enquire into the excellencies of human nature, consider its wants, survey its inclinations, propensities and desires, ponder its principles, proposals, and ends, examine the causes and fitness of all, the worth of all, the excellency of all. Whereby we come to know what man is in this world, what his sovereign end and happiness, and what is the best means by which he may attain it. And by this we come to see what wisdom is: which namely is a knowledge exercised in finding out the way to perfect happiness, by discerning man’s real wants and sovereign desires. We come moreover to know God’s goodness, in seeing into the causes wherefore He implanted such faculties and inclinations in us, and the objects and ends prepared for them. This leadeth us to Divinity. For God gave man an endless intellect to see all things, and a proneness to covet them, because they are His treasures; and an infinite variety of apprehensions and affections, that he might have an all sufficiency in himself to enjoy them; a curiosity profound and unsatiable to stir him up to look into them: an ambition great and everlasting to carry him to the highest honours, thrones, and dignities: an emulation whereby he might be animated and quickened by all examples, a tenderness and compassion whereby he may be united to all persons, a sympathy and love to virtue; a tenderness of his credit in every soul, that he might delight to be honoured in all persons; an eye to behold Eternity and the omnipresence of God, that he might see Eternity, and dwell within it; a power of admiring, loving, and prizing, that seeing the goodness and beauty of God, he might be united to it for evermore.