guide all thy wayes His secret Counsels search not but admire and praise And yet because God all doth here dispose Thou like a senslesse Idol must not stand God gaue thee not for nought eares eyes hands nose A will to do a wit to vnderstand Employ these alwayes by his iust command The whole successe leaue to his Prouidence Acknowledge all good blessings from his hand And labour with all care and diligence To thriue in Goodnesse Grace and all Intelligencâ— But aboue all from murmuring refraine Or magnifying flâ—shes arme or might So axe may boast that it along hath laine The Cedars and the Plane may claime as right That by it's worke thy roofe so faire was dight So may the rod of Moses bragge and boast It all the Wonders did in Pharaoâ—s sight The Asses Iaw-bone that it slue an host But most the house when Samson pulled downe the post On whom we ought to cast eu'n all our care To him we must ascribe the Praise of all In his hand both our Soules and Bodies are By Power of his Breath we stand and fall From him all was is now and euer shall Of all the things done vnderneath the Sunne The Wiseman sought a reason naturall But was as blind as when he first begunne Though first he thought he could discouer any one Gods counsels shall for euermore indure His thoughts stand firme in eu'ry generation Our hearts he fashions and conceiueth sure Our workes and secretest imagination Who to the Rau'ns giues food and sustentation So gouernes all they nothing here shall need That wait on him with patient expectation With temporall and heau'nly he doth feed All those that craue aright of him spirituall â—eed In number measure weight he doth dispose Of all things He preserues both man and beast When care and paines may saue thee from thy foes Vse diligence to God commit the rest And when thou art so mightily distrest Thou canst no helpe in arme of flesâ— behold Vpon his prouidence that made thee rest That in thy mothers wombe thy members told And in his Booke hath eu'ry one of them inrold Good counsell gaue that Heathen Haue a care Vnto thy selfe most of thyselfe take heed He meant Lusts and Corruptions which are Within vs which to vs most danger breed With others we deale warily indeed Lest they deceiue vs by their subtilty But our owne vile affections little heed Although we haue no greater enemy Thus we escape Gaths sword and on our owne do diâ— The Iewes may with their Oratour conspire Pauls ruine nothing shall to him befall But to aduance his Crowne and Gospell hier So as his bonds in Caesars Iudgement hall Are manifest and famous 'mongst them all To the Elect and those that truly loue Nothing but for the best shall euer fall This by examples thousand I could proue Happy who finds it written in his heart by loue The Lyons want and hunger may endure Who seâ—kes the Lord wants nothing that is good The Angel of the Lord him keepes secure From his owne lusts hels fury wickeds mood This of the weakest may be vnderstood If ought here passeth thine intelligence Sucke thou the milke and leaue the stronger food Here ends my song of heau'nly Prouidence Next followes her attendant humane Diligence MEDITATION 3. Of Diligence WHo with a prudent heart and godly minde Wil take a view how things are wrought below In all effects shall good and euill find As cause is good or ill from whence they flow Thus God first Cause of all thy actions know As they be good thy selfe as they be ill Which doth Gods pow'r and goodnesse greater show In vsing heere mans vile corrupted will As second cause his sound good purpose to fulfill All euill then comes from mans vicious will Not moou'd thereto by meere necessity As senselesse Agents are to good or ill But giues consent thereto most willingly By Natures Light we good from ill descry But this vs onely leaues without excuse When seeing better we the worst doe try And thus God of mans malice makes good vse And he is iustly punished for his abuse Oh mans peruersenesse grant him least freewill And he becomes vaine proud and insolent Dâ—ny him any power to doe or will And he growes lazy slothfull negligent First kinde are meritorious impudent And merit for themselues and others will The other Epicure-like take content In pleasure eating drinking of their fill Or in an idle melanâ—â—â—lique sitting still But Diligence the Grace I next propound For this last euill is best remedy This Viper which most dang'rously doth wound Our soules with senselesse spirituall Lethargy And brings too aspish-lazy Accidy Most perilous because we feele least harme Oh this is Satans subtillest Lullaby Our soules with stupid lazinesse to charme And then of spirituall armes and weapons to disarme Thou that hast promis'd endlesse happinesse To all which at thy comming thou dost-find Intent vnto their Masters businesse And diligent in body and in minde Make all my Soules and Bodies powr's inclind To Diligence whilst I her praises write Vnloose the chaines the fetters strong vnbind Of Sloth and Dulnesse which to blackest night Leade blindfold drowsie soules that take therein delight Vigilance Industry and Diligence So like indeed one to another are My plainer Muse scarse sees a difference And therefore all will but as one declare Our soules and bodies powers they prepare In eu'ry noble Vertue to transcend Nothing on earth that 's admirable rare Without these can be brought to perfect end On these do honest care and labour aye attend For godly iust and necessary cares Are parts substantiall of Diligence And as she for the future thus prepares Hauing to Truth and Iustice reference She is a Grace of wondrous excellence But if she spring from Enuy emulation Ambition Feare or other base pretence She is a curious base abomination The busie vice that author is of desolation Industry best agreeth to the mind In which she frames a quicke Dexterity In Arts and Sciences the right to find And they that know her wondrous energy In Phisicke Law and in Diuinity Know that she tends the neerest to perfection And is to humane imbecillity Most sound defence secure and safe protection 'Gainst Satans Malice their owne Lusts worlds iâ—fectioâ— We well Dame Nature may the Mother name Of noble Industry and Diligence Yet oft we see their wondrous force doth tame Things against Nature without violence All other Vertues glorious excellence Which we in Heroes iustly do admire Haue their Beginning and Perfection thence Where Industry and Diligence conspire Wants nothing that we can in mortall man desire For as she many euill things amends So is she of all good the consummation Most dissolute base manners she commends Soone vnto honest thrifty reformation An infirme body by exercitation And Diligence becommeth strong and sound She frees old-Age from grieuous molestation Of painefull sharpe Diseases that abound Fields of the diligent are fruitfull
THRIFTS EQVIPAGE Viz. Fiue Diuine and Morall Meditations OF 1. Frugalitie 2. Prouidence 3. Diligence 4. Labour and Care 5. Death Prou. 28. 19. He that tilleth his Land shall haue plenteousnes of bread but he that followes idle persons shall haue pouertie LONDON Printed for Iohn Teage and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Ball. 1622. I Meddle not with newes of Parlament Court-Fauourites or Kingdomes gouernement I on Kings secrets and affaires of State Nor know nor need nor care to meditate Let gods who haue the charge of all beare sway The Muses must not censure but obâ—y I sing what most I wish what 's that to thriue Without least wrong to any man aliue A gratefull Worke to all to young and old That seeke to get or to increase their gold But why goes Death then with this thriftie traine Because I hold it is the greatest gaine To die well For we no man truely call Or rich or happie till his Funerall To the Author VErtue thine Obiect thou her Subiect art Thou deck'st her in thy verse she decks thine heart Each th' other doth deseruedly set foorth From thee her praises flow from her thy woorth R. C. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE WILLIAM LORD MAYNARD MY very good Lord. TO whom should I these pleasing paines commend My Muse hath â—ane Frugality to trade But to the Muses deare and noble friend Who as in Honour seekes to thriue in Grace Who truly nobâ—e honoureth his Place Nor fâ—r his Place is onely honoured Whom should the Muses more desire to grace Then whom they haue vp in their Bosomes bred And who with bountâ—ous gifts them â—ath reguerdoned Such Bounty is true Thrift Thus thou dost lay Thy treasure vp in heau'n thus thou dost gaine By giuing of some fading goods away True honour which for euer shall remaine If thou wilt pleased be to entertaine Thrift and her traine into thy Patronage I boldly dare in her behalfe maintaine Shee is faire bounteous sober graue and sage And fit to counsell thee in Youth in Strength and Age. Next Prouidence shall guide thee and 〈◊〉 In all wherein 〈◊〉 hand is diligent And holy Care and Labour shall direct Thy Counsels to a iust and good 〈◊〉 To hau'n of Rest to harbour of Content And if thou please to reade Deaths Meditation Thou shalt perceiue her as an Herald sent To summon thee to heau'nly habitation To blessed Bride and Bridegroomes marriage-consummation Most happy end of all that rightly runne Their courses in the dayes of vanity With Wisedomes study Solomon begun But ends all with this Epithalamic Sweet Swan-like Farewell of Mortality Taste of true Ioy which euer shall remaine Then know it is thy highest Dignitie This Earnest sure of heau'n on earth to gaine Which I will pray for Thou must labour to attayne Your Lordships most deuoted in all affectionate duty and seruice Robert Aylet MEDITATION 1. Of Frugality or Thrift MY Muse now fares like some plaine country Mayd Walking in fairest Garden for delight With all variety and choyce arrayd Of herbs and flowers to please the Sent Sight Who with the choycest flowers doth first bedight White silken pillowes of her bosome faire But after their rich colours her inuite With them to decke her head and golden haire That as she them adornes so they may all begay her For when Brides garden first I entered Of Graces for delightfull meditation I onely some choyce Flowers gathered For holy Life and heau'nly Contemplation But passing foorth with choyce of Delectation Such sweet and rich variety I find Fit to adorne my life and conuersation Out of those pleasant knots I cannot wind Which with new choyce of flowres herbs delight my mind But amongst all the fragrant herbes and flowers That in the Graces garden doe abound I find none of more sou'raigne grace and powers Than this of Thrift which next I do propound An herbe indeed that 's hardly to be found Because she most what in a corner growes And matteth low vpon the fattest ground And many her mistake for likely showes But scarce one of an hundred that her truly knowes Oh heau'nly Muse that taught the shepherds swaine As he his flockes was following great with yong To feed them on faire Iordans flowrie plaine Diuinest skill in Tunes and heau'nly Song With some such holy Fury touch my tong Whilst I now of Frugality do sing Who though she little doth to me belong Yet if thou helpâ— to touch my harsher string I may teach some her practice whilst her praise I ring She is that Vertue or that golden Meaâ—e 'Twixt Auarice and Frodigalitie The constant Moderation betweene Base Niggardize and wasting Luxury We Tempâ—rance Abstinence and Modesâ—y With Continence in this word THRIFT contain And yet exclude not Liberality Who doth to name of frugall man attaine One of the highest Titles due to man doth gaine And such indeed haue onely right fruition Of all such fruits as God to man doth send Who prudently here weighing their condition Preserue the Substance and the fruits do spend Who flockes and cattell diligently tend Grasse Vines and Corn that in the fields do grow To them their lambes for clothing Wooll will lend From Goats and Kine great store of milke shal flow To feed their houshold and large gifts abroad bestow There is a Thrift in Substance and in Grace One temporall the other spirituall They that the one without the other trace Do neither of them find perpetuall God is of both the Cause effectuall Apoâ—lo water Paul may plant and sow But God it is that work to all in all As all spirituall Thrift from him doth flow So by his blessing all in substance thriue and grow This did the Churle by good experience proue So long as he good Iacob could retaine He saw great blessings come from heau'n aboue And therefore sought him ay to entertaine Whilst Ioseph with th' Egyptian doth remaine All prospers in his house and in his field And in the prison hâ— doth fauour gaine Because all well succeeds that he doth wield By heau'ns sweet influence the earth her fruits doth yeeld Thrift eldest daughter is of Temperance By Prudence nursed in her tender yeeres But when to riper yeeres she doth aduance A Standard vnder Fortitude she beares Shee graced by these three most noble Peeres By their aduice directs her actions right By Temperance she feedes and cloathing weares By Prudence store prouides with wise foresight By Fortitude 'gainst Fortunes blasts she stands vpright She moderateth all delights and pleasure Not that she vs forbids all sports or play But makes vs recreate our selues with measure That from our selues they take vs not away As he that moderates vpon the way His â—iercer Steed is said to vse him right Not he that let 's him runne about and stray So onely he doth pleasures vse aright That serues not them but makes them serue to his delight For she
morning better is inclin'd To Prayer and diuinest Meditation Thus in a three-fold Cord he Thrift doth wind He driueth Slouth farre from his habitation His Soule in Grace his Body 〈◊〉 by recreation For these respects the Husbands country life Transcends the Citie trades mechanicall Or showes at Court where reignâ— Ambition strife Or Merchants which on hazzard stand or fall For though Thrift in estate these oft befall And Thrift in Grace in many there we finde Yet scarce a strong sound Body 'mongst them all They want pure aire whereby the bloud 's refinde And wholesome exercise to coâ—ntry life assign'd Well as I could I rich Frugality Did late as her beseemed well array I next describe foure of her company Which alwayes with this thrifty vertue stay The first two well I name the daughters may Of Prudence Prouidence and Diligence Next two themselues from Temperance conuay Thrifts Sisters Abstinence and Continence Of these foure I would sing and first of Prouidence Oh! thou by whose most pow'rfull onely Word All was of nothing made and finished And of this All mad'st man the little Lord That by him All might well be ordered Who hayers of our head hast numbred Nor lettest the least Sparrow fall to ground But as thou hast before determined Make heauenly Wisedome in mine heart abound That I may wade not drowne in Prouidence profound There is Diuine and humane Prouidence Diuine is infinite vnlimited Transcending Reason more than Reason Sense And may to glorious Sunne be likened The Stars who thence their light haue borrowed Doth humane Prouidence resemble right Which by diuine is aye enlightened And though like Starres it oft appeareth bright Yet when the heau'nly shines it is obscured quite Then pardon Reader if my Muses eye Dazeled with glory great and splendour bright Of Prouidence diuine heere to descry Vnable is the darke obscured light Of humane as indeed I ought by right When I come to her Sister Dâ—lâ—gence I may recouer well againe my sight My Muse now rapt with heau'nly Prouidence Can not descend to highest humane excellence But that I may describe her as a Grace And linke her in the vertues golden Chaine â— her th' Almighties Scepâ—er call or Mace Which doth all Peace and Order heere maintaine The bounteous hand which al things doth sustaine Whose eyes for nourishment vp to her looke Who iust's rewards and eke the wickeds Paine Doth register for euer in a booke Thus as Gods Truth and Loue she fer a grace is tooke Thus one eternall powrefull Prouidence Heere gouernes all things being by Creation The necessary Age is wanting sense Receiue their motion by her ordination The voluntary by her moderation Are aye dispos'd and rul'd by their owne will Which will she vseth as a Mediation No man against his will doth good or ill Though without Grace we of our selues no good can wilâ— Sure Adâ—m in pure innocence was free To eate the fruit forbidden or abstaine Else iustly how could he condemned be Except he had a power to refraine But since that guâ—lt originall did staine With him all imps which from that stock proceed We still retaine freewill none dares gainesaine But it is onely vnto euill deed Grace onely by New birth a will to good doth breâ—d Schooles may dispute the Truth is plainely this As we are men we power haue to will As men corrupt we alwayes will amisse As borne againe to good we haue a will Thus Nature Freewill giues Sinne bends to ill Grace vnto Good But now I seeme to stray From Prouidence diuine to mans freewill But this as needfull shew I by the way How Prouidence doth voluntary agents sway Her Nature yet more plaine to vnderstand We must conceiue the worlds great Marischall As he made all things by his mighty hand So he for euer them disposeth all By Prouidence not onely generall By which the Spheres in their due motions ride And Summer and the winter seasons fall But as he by his speciall doth guide And orders euery thing that doth on earth betide And this we call diuine Necessitie Free from Coaction which doth all dispose To proper ends yet with free liberty Of Will the things we doe to leaue or choose Thus in respect of God that future knowes As present all effects are necessary And in respect of second causes those To vs contingent are Last voluntary As they respect mans will and motion arbitrary God wonders sees in Moses weeping face When Pharao's Daughter him in Arke doth finde As she by chance did wash her in that place And 's mother for his nurse by chance assign'd And when to leaue the Court hee was inclin'd His Brethrens â—â—uell bondages to see He went forth with a free and willing mind Lo thus in this example all the three Diuine foresight man's will and Chance in one agree And therefore when of Fortune you do reade With reference to man it vnderstand Who most to the euent of things take heed Not to the Cause Gods most Almighty hand Else Chance and Prouidence can neuer stand Together in th' Almighties gouernment Who being Cause of all he doth command Them orders all vnto a sure euent Though farre aboue mans limited intendemenâ— Of things indeed which seeme by chance to be The Order Cause Necessity and end Are hid in Gods close Counsell and Decree We onely able are to apprehend By the euent how God doth them intend Thus Clerk's a threefold working doe obserue Of Prouidence which far their reach transcend And yet they all to one same end doe serue To shew Gods glory and his creatures to preserue Thus meanes and second causes she doth vse Oft workes without by power immediate And oft to worke against meanes she doth chuse Two last men call Necessity or Fate Because the Cause they can not calculate Oh richest Wisedome Knowledge without bound Of the Almighty without time or Date Thy Iudgements no man able is to â—ound Beyond all mens conceit thy counsels are profound Like this is that Philosophers assigne To Counsell Nature Chance and Prouidence By Counsell they meant Will and Reasons line By Nature force of heau'nly influence By Chance when they below beheld euents But not their Cause Last when some Grace did fall Past Natures Chance and Counsels euidence That Speciall Prouidence diuine they call Not but they vnderstood she had her â—and in all Sweet fruit of Prouidence to be perswaded That all below is ordered by Gods hand Nothing by Chance Thus when we are inuaded By Foes Death Hell we most vndanted stand We God prime cause of all things vnderstand Respecting yet inferiour in their place Which alwayes wait vpon the first 's command And all are to the glory of his grace Whereby God his elect doth aye in loue embrace Oh what inestimable quietnesse From hence ariseth to a godly minde Though euils without number him oppresse Which like so many Deaths he then doth finde Knowing not how his wretched selfe to winde From