A Learned Treatise in Three Parts, Chapter 3
Of the Happineſſe of MAN. CHAP. III.
MY purpoſe was, according to the method that is commonly received and practiſed among the beſt Artiſts in the delivery of Arts, immediately after the definition of Divinity explaned, to have proceeded to the diſtribution: becauſe I deſire to make haſte out of theſe Scholaſticall and notionall truths, to ſuch things as may be more practicall and profitable: but the time approching, and the duties to be then performed by us, putting me in mind, I will alter my courſe a little, and direct my ſpeech ſo, that if it be not every way ſutable, which my generall project would not permit, yet I hope it ſhall not be altogether unſeaſonable: though it concerne not the receiving of the Sacrament in particular, yet it ſhall in generall concerne matters of practiſe and uſe: though it direct not receivers in a peculiar manner, yet it ſhall not ſtand Sholars only in hand (as perhaps the other doth) but every Chriſtian in their meaſure to know and doe: for I meane to ſpeake of the Happines of man, wherein it conſiſts: and though I intended to have interpoſed the diſtribution and Synopſis of Divinity between the definition and this, as I ſaid, yet as he in Plutarch ſaid more prittily then piouſly; when he threw at a dog, but hit his ſtepmother, foreign ſo I may ſay: for if I had continued in my firſt reſolution for my method, I ſhould have gone forth by the footſteps of the ſtocke, and fed my kids, by the tents of other ſhepheards, as our Saviour counſels his Spouſe, in the firſt of the Canticles, I ſhould not have ſtraid a whit out of the common road: but as I have now altered it, I think I ſhall gaine this advantage, to go the neereſt way, according to the exact preſcript of Art; for by the ſame reaſon that I thought it probable, before that the diſtribution of art in generall ariſes from the Object, it being in it ſelf ſpecially indiviſible, & the multiplication of precepts in the ſame Art ariſes from the multiplicity and variety of the ſeverall branches of ſome particular object: I think it will follow by good conſequence, that the Diſtribution of an Art will follow the diſtribution of his object: the Art it ſelfe being divided, but by accident in reference to the object, with which it goes along: even as Logick would be perhaps not more truely, becauſe the matter is the ſame, but more truly (as we ſay) in formality, be ordered thus, if it were defined Dialectica eſt Ars rationis: Ratio eſt ſimplex vel Compoſita, ſo that you ſhould underſtand the object primarily to beare the diviſion, which ſhould notwithſtanding ſecondarily redound to the Art it ſelfe, with which that is linked in ſo neer a conjunction: but thus much by the way, onelyonly upon occaſion of the alteration of that method, which I firſt propounded to my ſelf: I come now to the point, I meane to proſequte, namely concerning the Happineſſe of man: wherein, that I may proceed with leaſt offence and moſt expedition,
I will firſt premiſe ſome few obſervations unfolding the ambiguities of ſome terms, that occur in this argument, and may otherwiſe breed ſome obſcurity in the matter:
And then ſecondly, I will deliver the principall things to be known, in two concluſions or aſſertions: for the firſt I will name three onelyonly, and that very briefly.
Firſt, Summum bonum, may be taken two wayes.
Firſt, for Bonum praeſtantiſſimum and ſingulare, which excels and ſurpaſſes all other in compariſon, and that is ſome one particular good, which is exalted above his fellows, to the higheſt degree of eminency.
Secondly, for Bonum integrum or univerſale which is a collection of all the particulars, comprehended under the Spheare or latitude of bonum, and therefore called ſummum, becauſe all being ranked according to methods heraldry, that ſits in the higheſt place, that juſtly challenges the precedency: to accommodate this to our preſent purpoſe, in the firſt acception, God is ſaid, and moſt truly to be ſummum bonum, for to whom will yee liken mee, ſaith the Lord in the Prophet, or what may compare with God, as it is in the Pſalme: but in the ſecond meaning it is not ſo, neither is it any one particular that can claime that name, but it is a confluence and concurrence of all together that makes ſummum bonum: the uſe of this diſtinction ſhall appeare by and by.
Secondly, you muſt diſtinguiſh between Summum Bonum taken in either of the former ſenſes, and Beatitudo, as Polanus doth: the former conſideration is of good things, barely & abſolutely, as ſo in themſelves, the latter beſide that, is reſpective and includes an habitude in which they ſtand to man, who injoies them: or as the Schoolemen have it, in other words there is a double beatitude, objectiva, the ſame that ſummū, and that is God, as it is taken for praeſtantiſſimū, or a collection of all, in a word, humanum bonum, according to the other ſignification, and ſecondly formalis, the ſame that I cal'd beatitudo in propriety, as diſtinct from ſummum bonum, and that is, either that operation by which we have union with the ſummum bonum and injoy it, as they ſay commonly, or that habit or ſtate as I rather think from whence a man hath the denomination of Happineſſe, or both, for both of neceſſity muſt be conceived.
Thirdly, you muſt obſerve a triple latitude in the ſignification of this word Happines.
Firſt, in the largeſt ſenſe, the fruition of any good, being a portion of it, doth alſo get the name of happineſſe, and he is at large an happy man, who injoyes any ſuch particular good, and ſo we uſe to ſay occaſionally, hearing of any good befals any man, he is an happy man, ſo far namely as that will extend, for otherwiſe the ſame man may want many things, and be ſimply to ſay, very miſerable.
Secondly, in the ſtricteſt ſenſe that is happineſſe only that ariſes from a confluence of all humane good, and he onelyonly deſerves the name in whom they all meet and are married; and thus no man upon earth, is or ſhall bee happy.
Thirdly, in a middle ſenſe, that is happines where the fruition of good, though not free from all mixture of evill; yet is ſo prevalent & predominant, that it may juſtly denominate a man happy ſimply, though not ſimply happy in all reſpect, and that man is happy where this is to be found: this laſt you may call out of the Schoolmen eſſentiall happineſſe and true, the ſecond integrall and compleat happineſſe, the third for diſtinctions ſake if you will, partiall and incompleat Happineſſe: I might add ſomething alſo of true and falſe happineſſe, ſound and ſuppoſed, but the homonymie is ſo palpable that I ſhall not need, and therefore will content my ſelfe with that which hath been ſaid already of the firſt point, reſerving other things that may ſeeme to be of moment and conſequence to their proper oportunities: and paſſe now to the ſecond part I promiſed, which was to ſhew, what happines is, and wherein it conſiſts in two concluſions, and that according to the two ſtricter acceptions of the word even now mentioned.
The firſt ſhall declare what integrall and compleat happineſſe is, and wherein it conſiſts.
The ſecond what true and eſſentiall happineſſe is, and wherein it conſiſts: the firſt I will diſpatch briefly meaning to inſiſt moſt upon the latter.
Compleat happineſſe, I call that where nothing is defective, and you may conceive it, I think tolerably, by ſuch a diſcription or a like. Happineſſe is a perfect eſtate of a reaſonable nature wherein it injoys all good that is due unto it.
I deſcribe it by eſtate rather then Operation, becauſe no operation doth denominate the efficient, but happines doth the ſubject: again every operation is tranſient, and in a continuall flux, but happineſſe ſeemes to be ſomething permanent: and thirdly operation doth never perfectly exiſt: but happines doth: otherwiſe, that of Solon ſhould be true which the Philoſopher rejects, Ante obitum nemo ſupremaque funera foelix: and a man ſhould not be happy till he were not at all.
Secondly I adde a perfect ſtate, which needs no further explication.
Thirdly, I ſay of a reaſonable creature: becauſe as Scaliger well taxes Cardan, for attributing vitam beatam muſcae quae ſane ex optimo puriſſimoque loquendi genere ſoli debetur homini: and if the meaning be, becauſe nothing is wanting to it, non improbè ſentit ſed pluſquam improbè loquitur: for that reaſon is no ſufficient appellation or warrant for that, for if we would deglubere ſignificationem, as he ſpeakes in that manner, by the ſame ambitious ſuperſtition we might call an element happy, becauſe it is in his own place, which would be nugae ſed foreign, though we read in Xenophon foreign, by a trope improperly ſo ſtiled: but whereas, as Scaliger ſeemes to appropriat happineſſe to a man, I think that is not right, neither is it his purpoſe ſo to reſtraine it, for an Angel may be happy even in propriety of language: and therefore ſpeaking in generall I extend it as far as it goes to all reaſonable creatures, though I intend the particular application and uſe to man only now follows the other part of the deſcription which ſaith it is ſuch an eſtate of the reaſonable creature, wherein it injoyes all that good which is due unto it. And this perhaps might have ſufficed alone to have deſcribed Happineſſe to have been the fruition of all good due to man, though the other make it more plaine and full; where,
Firſt, by good that is due, I meane not by any neceſſary bond or obligation in which God is tyed to the creature to give it, but that which hath proportion unto and congruity with the nature of man, and to which therefore man hath a naturall aptitude and appetite or propenſion.
Secondly, by all good I ſay, becauſe man being a compound creature muſt have a compound happines of many ingredients, becauſe the perfection of the whole muſt reſult from the perfection of every part; and you may digeſt them thus: the good is either Summum which is God, as I ſaid; or Subordinatum, and this again is either internum within the eſſence of a man; or externum without him: Internum is either Bonum Corporis or Bonum Animae: bonum Animae is either Intellectus or Voluntatis: or if you had rather take them without this curioſity of Art, they are five.
Firſt, God and his favor, as the ſupreame Lord.
Secondly, Reaſon, right and conformable to God.
Thirdly, a will in tune and conformable to right reaſon.
Fourthly, a body in good temper and diſpoſition ſerviceable to a will tuned.
Fiftly, outward bleſſings anſwerable to all the reſt: theſe make the ſpheare and circle of good; which, upon whoſe head ſoever they fall, doe crowne him with compleat and perfect happines: which, becauſe of my propounded brevity, it ſhall ſuffice to have made an enumeration of, without illuſtration.
Thirdly, for fruition I may conveniently and proportionably name five degrees of it: though perhaps every one of them ſhall not be judged exactly neceſſary.
Firſt, poſſeſſion and uſurpation or uſe of thoſe good (for I joyn thoſe two together) becauſe perhaps they cannot alway be well diſtinguiſhed in that reſpect (they have to happineſſe) which is for the moſt part by the action of virtue, ſecondly, knowledge of that poſſeſſion, and a conſideration reflected upon our riches and happines, Thirdly delight ſpringing from that knowledge, fourthly quiet of all parts filled with that delight and ſatisfied, fiftly, ſecurity of that quiet upon aſſurance reaſonable of the continuance and perpetuity of that eſtate and thoſe good: All theſe where they meet are enough to milk out all the good that can be in them; to ſuck out all the juice and ſweetneſſe, all the marrow and fatneſſe that they have: and the name of felicity ſometimes imports ſome one of theſe, ſometime two or more, and the opinions of Philoſophers and divines accordingly pitch upon them: but where there is a concourſe of all, I cannot ſee what ſhould bee wanting: for he that hath ſuch a fruition of all good eternall, internall, externall, in body Soule and whole man, as brings with it a perfect quietation of the naturall appetite joyned with unſpeakable delight, and unmoved ſecurity (that I may contract all into a narrow roome) Quis non illum beatum dixerit & non potius beatiſſimum: I might enlarge theſe things with illuſtrations and probations if the matter required, but I think it ſo perſpicuous and evident to any that will conſider it, that it would be but loſt labour to dwell any longer upon it: eſpecially this being agreeable with that definition which you know is common out of Boetius, that Beatitudo eſt ſtatus bonorum omnium aggregatione perfectus, and that of Anſelm Sufficientia commodorum omnium, and that of Auſtin, Beatus eſt qui habet quicquid vult & nihil mali vult as they are alleaged by Gregory de Valentia: and I thinke it is the common notion that preſents it ſelfe to all men, when they heare that word Happines, to think preſently upon ſome univerſall good: and he that would make an emblem or picture of happineſſe, muſt ſet it forth like that of Peace among the Ancients with a cornucopia an horn of plenty in the hand, or like the picture of Pan, with all ſhapes and infinite variety: and therefore according to my promiſe and deſire I will now proceed to the ſecond aſſertion which ſhall explaine what eſſentiall happineſſe is, and wherein it conſiſts: wherein I may be more punctuall, becauſe it will be more properly Theologicall as you ſhall perceive:
Eſſentiall Happines I underſtand, which though it want many particulars, which are de integritate felicitatis, yet it hath all things that are de eſſentia, and hath enough to ſalve the name and title of happineſſe in truth and propriety: as a man that wants his arms or legs is not integer homo; but ſo long as the Soule is united to the body is a man: or, as the name being given according to the predominant part; wine doth not loſe the name of wine for a little water mingled with it: ſo here, though there be ſome wants and conſequently ſome miſery mingled with this happines, yet taking more of happines then miſery, it hath the name and nature of happines; and this I call eſſentiall Happines: and this I ſay muſt be placed in God alone and our fruition of him or union with him. But to handle this point more fully, as I purpoſe in the reſt hereafter to take ſome place of Scripture for a ground and foundation to build upon (where it may be done conveniently) ſo I will doe here: and that you ſhall find in the laſt verſe of the 144 Pſalme, where ye have theſe words Bleſſed are the people that are in ſuch a caſe, yea bleſſed are the people whoſe God is the Lord: which as you ſee, ſpeaks of bleſſednes, and as I conceive, couch as much of that argument, and for our preſent ſcope, as any that I could meet withall: and I am only ſorry the time is ſo ſhort that I ſhall be forced but to name the things I have to deliver, becauſe I reſolve to goe through with this point and diſpatch it at this time.
The Pſalme as may ſeeme, was compoſed in time of war, and is partly ſpent in a laudatory thankſgiving for ſucceſſe and victory; Bleſſed be the Lord my ſtrength, which teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight: and partly is petitory, conteining a ſuite to God for further ſafety and deliverance from the proud enemy and war, that the Church might injoy the bleſſings of peace Bow thy heavens ô Lord and come downe, touch the mountaines and they ſhall ſmoke: that our ſons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner ſtones poliſhed after the ſimilitude of a pallace: and there having made a Catalogue of the benefits of peace, the Pſalmiſt concludes all with this Epilogue, this ſweet and patheticall Epiphonema; Bleſſed are the people that are in ſuch a caſe, yea bleſſed are the people whoſe God is the Lord: which hath two parts, as ye ſee, like the portion of Acſah that Caleb gave her, the Springs above and the Springs beneath; like the bleſſing of Iſaak divided among his two ſons: the bleſſing of Eſau, the fatnes of the earth and the dew of heaven ſhall be thy portion; and the bleſſing of Jacob, the dew of heaven and the fatnes of the earth: the bleſſings of the left hand, Bleſſed are the people that are in ſuch a caſe; and the bleſſings of the right hand, yea bleſſed are the people whoſe God is the Lord: I muſt ſpeake ſomething of either; and principally, as appliable to any man ſingle; yet ſo, that I will ſprinkle ſomething as they concerne a nation or people, for which the letter of the text is moſt direct.
Doctrine. The firſt point is this, that outward proſperity and peace is a bleſſing of God, and confers to our happines, whether you conſider one perſon or an whole people: you muſt underſtand this according to the ordinary diſtinction in this caſe, of per ſe & per accidens; it is ſo per ſe, in his owne nature, though we through our ſin may interpolare naturam, that I may uſe Tertullians phraſe of the Divell, in a ſenſe not much different, we may alternature and make that which is of it ſelfe helpfull unto us, hurtfull: and thus that truth is evident and cleare.
Reaſon Firſt, becauſe thoſe outward things have an aptitude in them to ſatisfie mans naturall appetite: for in every man (being a compound nature, the vinculum of heaven and earth in which both are, as it were, married by the conjunction of his ſoule and body) there is a double man, inward and outward: now this homo externus, agrees with that foreign, as well as his inward with the foreign, as the Platonicks ſpeake: and therefore ſtands in need of outward things both for neceſſity to ſuſtaine and preſerve him, as alſo for lawfull delight to cheere and refreſh him.
Secondly, outward good things are to him both the ſubject and inſtruments of many virtues, and ſo great advantages in his courſe of godlineſſe, both to furniſh himſelfe, and to helpe and further his brethren, and in both to promote the honor of God in his true worſhip, and therefore David, who was a man of war, could not build the houſe of God, and that Solomon his ſon might, God gave him reſt round about from all his enemies, and riches in ſuch aboundance that gold in his time was like ſtones in the ſtreet, and ſilver like the duſt of the earth, and hence it is,
Thirdly that God is ſaid to give theſe bleſſings to his children as teſtimonies of his love and favor, and as rewards of their faithfull obedience: he brought the children of Iſrael out of Aegypt the land of bondage into Canaan the land of promiſe, out of the land where they were fed with onions and garlick, into the land that flowed with milk and hony: and wiſhes pathetically in the 81. Pſalme, O that my people had harkened unto me, and Iſrael had walked in my wayes, I ſhould ſoone have ſubdued their enemyes, and turned my hand againſt their adverſaries; He ſhould have fed them alſo with the fineſt of the wheat, and with hony out of the rocke, I ſhould have ſatisfied them: But why do I go about to prove this ſince all the world almoſt is more prone to dote upon theſe externall bleſſings, as the only happineſſe, rather then to doubt, whether they confer to it at all or no! it was well ſaid that he that cal'd Riches bona goods firſt, was a better husband then divine, but it may be thought that the moſt are ſuch husbands that enquire who will ſhew us any goods, as though they were the onelyonly good: and therefore I had more need to improve it by making uſe, then prove it by reaſon, and a threefold uſe, offers it ſelfe to our conſideration.
Application. Firſt, not to faſten our eyes upon the things themſelves, but to looke up to heaven and acknowledge God the author of all the good we injoy, with humble thankefulneſſe, and thankfull humility: Thou crowneſt the yeere with thy goodnes ô Lord and thy ſteps drop fatnes, 65. Thou prepareſt a table before me in the preſence of my enemyes. Thou anointeſt my head with oyle my cup runneth over: the Lord hath given us that health and proſperity, and peace and plenty of all things that we injoy, Bleſſed bee the name of the Lord: But this not enough but therefore.
2. Let us labor to imploy and improve all theſe bleſſings, that he hath ſo liberally beſtowed on us, to the beſt advantage of his glory: leaſt God complain of us, as of the Jewes once in the Prophet, That we abuſe his corn, and his wine, and his oyle, I may ſay, his time and his wit, and his learning, to our unlawfull luſts and lovers: O that now when God hath given us peace from our enemies round about us, while we have meanes, we had alſo minds to build the Temple of the Lord, to advance the kingdome of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: let us make theſe externall favors, but looking glaſſes through which we may behold the beauty of God that gave them; but as ladders Scala creaturarum, and ſtairs to climbe up to heaven: though they have a naturall goodnes in themſelves, yet they have no morall to us, but in ordine to this end without which they are vanity.
Thirdly, if theſe be good bleſſings and confer to happineſſe, then let us ſympathize with the Saints that want them; Let us pray for the peace of Jeruſalem: Peace be within thy wals, and proſperity with in thy pallaces:
And now I come to the ſecond and more principall point, which I thought to have ſtood moſt upon, but the time hath prevented me: and therefore I will delineate onelyonly the particulars, and perfect them at ſome other oportunity; for the former is not enough: he is not an happy man, whoſe bones are full of marrow, and his eyes ſtand out with fatneſſe: that ſwims in pleaſure and riches, and ſhines in purple and ſcarlet and fares deliciouſly every day: that lives in a land that flowes with milke and hony, and waſhes his paths in butter: but who then? Bleſſed is the man, the people whoſe God is the Lord: the point then is this:
Doctrine. Our chief happines conſiſts in our union, with God and fruition of him: the phraſe I think whoſe; God is the Lord imports thus much, they who are in covenant with God, when God accepts ſome for his people and ſervants and teſtifies ſo much eſpecially by acquainting them with his ordinances, and when reciprocally they acknowledge and imbrace him for their God walking in humble obedience to his commandements, ſo that happines ſtands.
Firſt, in that relation between us and God.
Secondly, is maintained by thoſe actions mutuall on either part: and thus the truth may be cleare for theſe reaſons.
Reaſon. Firſt, becauſe God is the moſt eminent good of all, imcomparably beyond all other, both ſeverally and joyntly; and therefore the fruition of him is eſſentiall happines though others be wanting, becauſe there will be more good then evill in ſuch an eſtate, as that man is rich that hath a pearle ſuppoſe of infinite value, worth many thouſands though he want many things.
Secondly, becauſe God conteines all other things virtually in himſelfe, ſo that he that hath God hath all, for he alone can and will give all.
Thirdly, becauſe God alone can ſupply the want of all the reſt, in the proper effect of Happineſſe by himſelfe, and all that we would deſire to find in them, we may have in him; for a full content and quiet of the mind and ſatisfying of the whole appetite, is that which we hunt for, and would faine diſtill, and milk out all the particulars we deſire, but this is richly and royally afforded us by God alone: How excellent is thy loving kindnes ô God when the children of men put their truſt under the ſhadow of thy wing, they ſhall be aboundantly ſatisfied with the fatnes of thy houſe; and thou ſhalt make them drink of the river of thy pleaſure; for with thee is the fountaine of life, in thy light ſhal we ſee light.
The uſes of this point may be theſe,
Application. Firſt, for confutation of all thoſe fond, and vaine opinions of the vulgar, or of the learned Philoſophers about happineſſe, ſome placing it in pleaſure, ſome in honor, ſome in riches, the moſt reaſonable in virtue, which well interpreted hath ſome truth, we have better learned to place it in the fruition of God.
Secondly, for reprehenſion of the practiſe of carnall and worldly men, that even in the boſom of the Church and Schoole of Chriſt, are ſuch non proficients, that they ſeek no further, neglecting the communion with God, and following thoſe things with great greedineſſe, tanquam haec ſint noſtri medicina doloris.
Thirdly, for inſtruction of all, Many ſay who will ſhew us any good: but come hither, and as God ſaid to Moſes, Oſtendam tibi omne bonum, when he gave him but a glimps of himſelf, & his glory, god is al good god is perfect happines.
4. For Exhortation, there is no man but deſires happines: when the jugler undertook to tell every man what he wiſhed for, and deſired, and much company was met to ſee the iſſue of his promiſe with great expectation, out comes the mountebank and bids them be attentive, and then ſaid, Hoc omnes vultis, vili emere & caro vendere: and another ſaid Omnes laudari ſe exoptant, this Auſtin finds fault withall. At ſi dixiſſent inquit omnes beati eſſe vultis, miſeri eſſe non vultis, dixiſſent aeliquid, autē nullus in ſua nō agnoſceret voluntate: Behold then this happineſſe to enjoy the favor of God to have communion with him, labor therfore for this, uſe al means that God hath appointed, particularly this Sacrament to wch God invites us now at this time; wherein God offers himſelfe to every beleever in a moſt neer communion: the Sybarites, when they invited to a feaſt were wont to give their women a yeeres warning to deck and trim and prepare themſelves: this is an anniverſary ſolemnity with ſome, and it were to be wiſhed it were not ſo ſeldome with us: let us prepare our ſelves accordingly to be fit gueſts, for this table, not without the wedding garment: that we may preſent our ſelves before our God adorned with lively faith in Chriſt, and a reſolute purpoſe of denying our ſelves and our luſts and yeelding ſincere obedience to all his Commandements, and ſo he may dwell with us, and we may walk with him: we may be incorporated into him, he may live in us, & we in him: we may be aſſimilated to him in all holineſſe and righteouſnes and conformed to his image, which neere union is livly ſet forth in this Sacrament, in a word we may be ſo nouriſhed with this heavenly mannah that we may go on from ſtrength to ſtrength till we ſee God in Syon:
Fifthly and laſtly, for Conſolation for thoſe that injoy God a mid all other wants: Excellently the Prophet Habakuck, Although the figtree ſhall not bloſſom, neither ſhall fruit be in the vines: the labor of the Olive ſhall faile, and the fields ſhall yeeld no meat, the fleſh ſhall be cut off from the fold, and there ſhall be no heard in the ſtalls: though all earthly comforts forſake us, yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my ſalvation.
FINIS.
Novemb. 26 1639.
Imprimat.
Tho. Wykes.
End of the text · John Stoughton, A Learned Treatise in Three Parts (1640)