onate to mans nature,and prove the moft de- 

 lightfull to him, when they are duly relifhed. 

 You will prelently agree, that the matter I 

 handle, is the moft important and the moft 

 weighty, within the whole extent of humane 

 nature, fora worthy perfon to employ him- 

 felfe about. The advantage which Man hath 

 over unreafonable creatures, is, that what he 

 doth,is by election - and he is himfelfe mafter 

 of all his actions 5 whereas they are impelled 

 by outward caufes, unto all they doe: it is 

 properly (aid of them, that aguntur magis cjuam 

 agunt : He onely is free ; and in all varieties of 

 circumftances, hath the power to choofe one 

 and to reject another. Now, to have this ele- 

 ction wifely made, and becomming a man 

 requireth that it be fleered by knowledge. To 

 doe any thing well, a man muft firft know 

 throughly all that concerneth the a&ion he is 

 about j and chiefly the end of it. And certain- 

 ly, of all his actions, the government of him- 

 felfe, is the moft important,and neerlieft con- 

 cerning him. The end of that government, 

 and of all a mans aymes, is by all men agreed 

 to be Beatitude : that is, his being complete- 

 ly well, and in a condition of enjoying the 



moft 



