Page:Rules of Life, Johan Amos Comenius.djvu/12

8 (b.) Whatever you see contributes to the attainment of your object, seize it, hold it, press (urge) it.

(c.) Whatever you urge, beware you do so with the greatest circumspection, that you may not urge in vain.

Thus will you never be disappointed in your wish; unless, perhaps God, designing otherwise, opposes insuperable barriers to you. But in this case there is ready the consolation, that you are not deprived of the beneﬁt through your own fault; but, it seems good to God to exercise your patience for reasons known to Himself, although unknown to you.

3. And, inasmuch as your life constitutes the entire circumference of all your actions, so dispose this (your life) in respect of every particular purpose, that you, at all times, may have the end of life before your eyes, and unceasingly direct your attention to that end in every thing.

Now, what is the end of our life to which it is wisdom to direct our attention? This God Himself teaches (Deut. xxxii. 29), "Oh that they were wise, that they understood and looked forward to their last things." Behold, then, ultimate wisdom, the sum of which is to look forward to the ultimate end. What is the ultimate end, unless it be eternity? For that is ultimate beyond which nothing is given. But beyond all things here in this world, something further is always given. From nativity man comes to life; from life he goes to death—hence to the resurrection—then begins interminable life, from which there will be no exit, and, consequently, beyond which nothing is given. Therefore eternity itself is our last end, beyond which nothing remains. Hence, to begin forthwith to look forward, provide for this end, and to arrange every intermediate thing with regard to this, is true wisdom. Consequently they, who only care for intermediate things, and forget ultimate objects, are foolish; nay, ruinously foolish, inasmuch as they seize on means without an end, so that,