as unspeakable joyes in Heaven Nor will this be their case alone that are desparately wicked cursing and blaspheming Drunkards and sheders of blood but of all impenitent persons As for instance They who have lived in the fire of lust here must not think much to be scorched in the flames of Hell hereafter Heb. 13.4 Rev. 21.8 22.15 The detractor is a devil above ground his tongue is already set on fire from hell James 3.6 Rev. 16.10 11. which does sadly presage what will be his portion for ever unless repentaâ—ce quench those flames and so of the like offenders Psal. 9.17 Revel 22.12 As what sayes the Apostle Neither fornicators nor thieves nor murtherers nor drunkards nor swearers nor raylors nor lyers nor covetous persons nor unbelievers nor no unrighteous persons shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven but shall have their part and portion in that lake which burneth with the fire and brimstone which is the second death 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Rev. 21.8 which did they well consider they durst not continue in the practise of these sins without fear or remorse or care of amendment Sect. 5. Now what heart would not bleed to see men run headlong into these tortures that are thus intollerable Dance hoodwinkt into this perdition O that it were allowed to the desperate russians of our dayes that swear and curse drink and drab rob shed blood c. as if Heaven were blind and deaf to what they do to have but a sight of this Hell how would it charm their mouths appale their spirits strikâ— fear and astonishment into their hearts Yea if a sinner could see but one glimpse of hell or be suffered to look one moment into that fiery Lake he would rath 〈…〉 sin Nor can I think they would do as they do if they did but either see or foresee what they shall one day without serious and unfeigned repentance feel And indeed therefore are we dissolute because we do not think what a judgment there is after our dissolution because we make it the least and last thing we think on yea it is death we think to think upon death and we cannot endure that dolefull bell which summons us to judgment Lam. 1.9 Deut. 32.29 Oh that men would believe and consider this truth and do accordingly Oh that thou wouldest remember that there is a day of account a day of death a day of judgment coming Heb. 9.27 Matth. 25. wherein the Lord Iesus Christ shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire to render vengeance unto them which obey not his Gospel and to punish them with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power as the Apostle speaks 2 Thes. 1.7 8 9. Iude 15. Isa. 33 14. Mat. 25.46 As consider seriously I beseech you whether it will not be worth the while so to foresee the torments of Hell that you may prevent them Or if otherwise will you not one day wish you had when death comes and arrests you to appear before the great and terrible Iudge of all the world Luke 16 23. to 32. Matth. 13.30 38. at which time an Assizes or Quarter-Sessions shall be held within thee where Reason shall sit as Iudge and Satan shall put in a Bill of Indictment as long as that Book in Zechary Chap. 5.2 Ezek. 2.9 10. wherein shall be alleged all the evil deeds that ever thou hast committed and all the good deeds that ever thou hast omitted with their several circumstances that may aggravate them Eccles. 11.9 12.14 2 Cor. 5.10 and all the curses and judgments that are due to every sin Thine own Conscience shall accuse thee and thy memory shall give bitter evidence against thee and thou shalt condemn thy self before the just condemnation of thy Iudg who knows all thy misdeeds better than thy self 1 Iohn 3 20. Which sins of thine will not then leave thee but cry unto thee We are thy works and we will follow thee Rev. 14.13 And then who can sufficiently express what thy grief and anguish will be when the summons both of the first and second death do overtake thee at once Prov. 1.27 And when at once thou shalt think of thy sins past thy present misery and the terrour of thy torments to come and how thou hast made Earth thy Paradise thy belly thy God and lust thy Law so sowing vanity and reaping misery And finding that as in thy prosperity thou neglectedst to serve God so now in thy adversity God refuseth to save thee Prov. 1.24 to 32. Ezek. 23.35 When thou shalt call to mind the many warnings thou hast had of this dolefull day from Christs faithfull Ambassadours and how thou then madest but a mock or jeer at it Prov. 1 25. and think how for the short sinfull pleasures thou hast enjoyed thou must endure eternal pains Luk. 16.24 25. Rev. 6.12.10.18 Which yet thou shalt think most just and equal saying As I have deserved so I am served for I was oft enough offered mercy yea 〈◊〉 to accept thereof but I preferrâ—◠〈◊〉 pleasing of my 〈…〉 and the allurements of Satan than the Word of God or the motions of his holy Spirit Prov. 1.24 c. Mark 16.16 And which I would have thee think upon Hell fire is made more hot by neglecting so great salvation Heb. 2.3 This is the condemnation saith our Saviour none like this that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil Joh. 3.29 Now salvation is freely offered but men reject it hereafter they would accept of salvation but God will reject them Yea then a whole world if thou hadst it for one hours delay or â—â—spite that thou mightest have space to repent and sue unto God for mercy but it cannot be because thy body which joyned with thy soul in thy sinfull actions is now altogether unfit to joyn with her in the exercise of repentance and repentance must be of the whole man Besides death will take no pitty the Devil knows no mercy and the God of mercy will have utterly forsaken thee Then wilt thou say Oh that I had been more wise or that I were now to begin my life again then would I contemn the world with all its vanities yea if Satan should then offer me all the treasures pleasures and promotions of this world he should never entice me to forget the terrours of this dreadfull hour and those worse which are to follow Luke 16.24 c. 13.28 But Oh wretched Caitiff that I am how hath the Devil and my own deceitfull and devilish heart deluded me and how am I served accordingly For now is my case more miserable than the most despised Toad or Serpent that perisheth when it dieth in that I must go to answer at the great Judgement-seat for all my sins that am not able to answer for one of the least of them Eccles. 12.14 Mat. 18.34 that I
himself into the Sea Yea in case he sustain any great loss he is ready to make himself away as Menippus of Phenicia did who having lost his goods strangled himself Or like Dinarcus Phidon who at a certain loss cut his own throat to save the charge of a cord At least he feels more sorrow in losing his mony then ever he found pleasure in getting it nor will any condition content him for the lightness of his purse gives him an heavy heart which yet filled doth fill him with more care His medicin is his malady These rich men are no less troubled with that they possess lest they should lose it then poor men are for that they want In the day time he dares not go abroad for fear of robbing nor stay at home for fear of killing His thoughts are so troubled with fear of thieves that he cannot that he dares not sleep yea he fears a thief worse then the devil therefore will he be beholding to the devil for a spell to save him from the thief which once obtained a little Opium may rock his cares asleep and help him to a golden dream for all his minde and heart is to get mony if waking he talks of nothing but earth if sleeping he dreams of it Lastly as if all his delight were to vex himself he pines himself away with distrustful fear of want and projecting how he shall live hereafter and when he is old resembling Ventidius the Poet who would not be perswaded but he should dye a begger And Apicius the Romane who when he cast up his accounts and found but an hundered thousand crowns left murthered himself for fear he should be famished to death CHAP. XII SEventhly To the former miseries which a cruel Miser is justly plagued withall this may be added the dolefulness of his conscience for the sin of oppression lyes upon the soul as heavy as lead yea as the shaddow does ever follow the body so fear and desperation in all places and at all times do wait upon an evil conscience Sin armes a man against himself our peace ever ends with our innocency A Pithagorean bought a pair of shoos upon trust the Shoomaker dyes he is glad thinks them gained but a while after his conscience twitches him and becomes a continual chider he hereupon repairs to the house of the dead casts in his money with these words There take thy due thou livest to me though dead to all beside Micha stole from his mother eleven hundred shekels of silver but his complaining conscience made him to accuse himself and restore it again Iudg. 17. Il gotten goods lye upon the conscience as raw meat upon a sick stomack which will never let a man be well or at ease untill he hath cast it up again by restitution Means ill gotten is to the getter as the Angels book was to Saint Iohn When he eat it it was in his mouth as sweet as hony but when he had eaten it it became in his stomack as bitter as gall Rev. 10.10 The which is notably illustrated Iob 20.12 to 20. which together with the whole Chapter is marvellous good for cruel and unmerciful men to read for I may not stand here to repeat it Sweetness is promised in the bread of deceit but men finde it as gravel crashing between their teeth Nor will his troubled conscience suffer him to steal a sound sleep yea he sleeps as unquietly as it his pillow were stuft with Lawyers per-knives I may give ye a hint of these things from the word but onely God and he can tell how the remembrance of his forepast cozenages and oppression occasions his guilty conscience many secret wrings and pinches and gives his heart many a sore lash to increase the fear and horror of his soul every time he calls the same to remembrance which is not seldom As O poor wretches what do they indure how are they immerged in the horrors of a vulned conscience there is more ease in a nest of Hornets then under the sting of such a tormenting conscience He that hath this plague is like a man in debt who suspecteth that every bush he sees is a Sergant to arest and carry him away to prison It was Gods curse upon Cain when he had slain his brother Abel to suspect and fear that every one he met would kill him yea it makes him so afraid of every thing that a very Maulking frights him and it is much that he dares trust his Barber to shave him Dionysius was so troubled with fear and horror of conscience that not daring to trust his best friends with a razor he used to findge his beard with burning coals as Cicero records He is much like a Malefactor in prison who though he fare well yet is tormented with the thought of ensuing judgement It is the hand-writing on the wall that prints bloody characters in Belshazzars heart So that if any should deem a man the better or happier for being the richer he is very shallow as many looking on the outer face of things or see but the one side as they used to paint Antigonus that they might conceal his deformity on the other side see not how they smart in secret how their consciences gripe them Nor does any one know how the shoowrings the foot but he that wears the same Or admit the best that can come as suppose they can stop consciences mouth for a time or with the musick of their mony play it asleep for the present yet when they lye upon their death-beds it will sting them to the quick For when death besiegeth the body Satan will not fail to beleagure the soul yea then he will be sure to lay on load for as all corrupt humors run to the diseased and bruised part of the body so when conscience is once awakened all former sins and present crosses joyn together to make the bruise or sore more painful As every Creditor falls upon the poor man when he is once arested Or let it be granted that his conâ—cience never troubles him on his sick bed and that he have no bonds in his death as the Psalmist speaks Psal. 73. but departs likes a Lamb which is not onely possible but probable for more by many thousands go to hell like Naball then like Iudas more dye like sots in security then in despair of conscience yet all this is nothing for the sting of conscience here though it be intollerable is but a flea-biting to that he shall endure hereafter where the worm of conscience dyeth not and where the fire never goeth out This is part of sins wages and Satans reward We have sinned therefore our hearts are heavy Isa. 59.11 12. The sorrows of them that offer to another God as do the covetous shall be multiplyed says holy David Psal. 16.4 Yea Seneca an heathen could say that an evil life causeth an unquiet minde so that Satans government is rather a bondage then a government
like a fire of green wood which burneth no longer than whiles it is blown Affliction to the soul is as plummets to a Clock or winde to a Ship holy and faithful prayer as oars to a Boat And ill goeth the Boat without Oars or the Ship without winde or the Clock without plummets Now are some afflicted in reputation as Susanna was others in children as Eli some by enemies as David others by friends as Ioseph some in body as Lazarus others in goods as Iob others in liberty as Iohn In all extremities let us send this messenger to Christ for case faithful and fervent prayer if this can but carry the burthen to him he will carry it for us and from us for ever Neither can we want encouragement to ask when as the sick of the Palsie but asked health and obteined also forgiveness of sins When Solomon but desired wisedome and the Lord gave him wisedome and honour and abundance of wealth When Iacob asked but meat and cloathing and God made him a great rich man When Zacheus desired only to have a sight of Christ and was so happy as to entertain him into his house into his heart yea to be entertained into Christs Kingdom We do not yea in many cases we dare not ask so much as God is pleased to give Neither doest thou ô Saviour measure thy gifts by our petitions but by our wants and thine own mercies True if the all-wise God shall fore-see that thou would'st serve him as the prodigall son served his father who prayed but till he had got his patrimony and then forsook him and spent the same in riot to the givers dishonour as too many use the Ocean of Gods bounty as we do the Thames it brings us in all manner of provision cloaths to cover us fuel to warm us food to nourish us wine to chear us gold to enrich us and we in recompence soil it with our rubbish filth common shoares and such like excretions even as the Cloud that 's lifted up and advanced by the Sun obscures the Sun In this case he will either deny thee in mercy as he did Saint Paul 2 Cor. 12.8 9. and our Saviour himself Matth. 26.39 or grant thee thy request in wrath as he did a King to the Israelites and Quails wherewith he fed their bodies but withall sending leanness into their souls Psal. 106.15 And well doth that childe dâ—serve to be so served who will lay out the money given him by his father to buy poison or weapons to murther him with Wherefore let thy prayers not onely be fervent but frequent for thy wants are so And be sure to ask good things to a good end and then if we ask thus according to Gods will in Christs Name we know that he will hear us and grant whatsoever petitions we have desired 1 Iohn 5.14 15. CHAP. 7. That it weanes them from the love of the world 4 FOurthly our sufferings wean us from the love of the world yea make us loath and contemn it and contrariwise fix upon heaven with a desire to be dissolved Saint Peter at Christs transfiguration enjoying but a glimpse of happiness here was so ravished and transported with the love of his present estate that he breaks out into these words Master it is good for us to be here he would fain have made it his dwelling place and being loath to depart Christ must make three tabernacles Mat. 17.4 The love of this world so makes us forget the world to come that like the Israelites we desire rather to live in the troubles of Egypt then in the Land of Promise Whereas S. Paul having spoken of his bonds in Christ and of the spirituall combate concludeth I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all Phil. 1.22 23. Yea it transported him to Heaven before he came thither as Mary was not where she was but where her desire was and that was with Christ. Prosperity makes us drunk with the love of the world like the Gadarens who preferred their swine before their souls or him in the Parable that would go to see his farmâ— and lose Heaven or the Rich Gluâ—ton who never thought of Heaven till he was in Hell and thousands more who if they have but something to leave behinde them 't is no matter whether they have any thing to carry with them But as sleep composeth drunkenness so the cross will bring a man to himself again for when the Staff we so nourish to bear us becomes a cudgel to beat us when we finde the world to serve us as the Iews did Christ carry us up to the top of the hill and then strive to throw us down headlong Luk. 4.29 When the minde is so invested with cares molested with grief vexed with pain that which way soever we cast our eyes we finde cause of complaint we more loath the World than ever we loved it as Amnon did his sister Tamar yea when life which is held a friend becomes an enemy then death which is an enemy becomes a friend and is so accountted as who having cast Anâ—hor in a safe Road would again wish himself in the storms of a troublesome Sea Yea in case we have made some progress in Religion and found a good conscience sprinkled with the blood of Christ the marrow of all comforts and resolved with Ioseph to forsake our coat rather than our faith yet if the World make new offers of preferment or some large improvement of profits and pleasures we begin to draw back or at least we know not whether to chuse like a horse that would and yet would not leap a ditch And after a little conflict having half yielded to forsake that with joy which cannot be kept but with danger we resolve thus The same God which hath made my crosses chearful can as well make my prosperity conscionable Why then should I refuse so fair an offer but alas having made choice it is not long ere these pleasures and honouâ—s these riches and abundance prove as thorns to choak the good seed of Gods Word formerly sown in our hearts as it is Matth. 13.22 For prosperity to Religion â—s as the Ivy to the Oake it quickly eats out the heart of it yea as the Misselâ—o and Ivy sucking by their straight embraces the very sâ—p that only giveth vâ—getation from the roots of the Oake and Hawthorn will flourish when the Trees wither so in this case the corruption of the good is alwayes the generation of the evil and so on the contrary crosses in the estate diseases of the body maladies of the minde are the medicines of the soul the impairing of the one is the repairing of the other When no man would harbour that unthrift son in the Gospel he turned back again to his Father but never before Lais of Corinth while she was young doted upon her Glass but when she grew old and withered she loathed it as much which made
Cullen in Almain who was frequently seen picking Spiders off the wall and eating them digested the same into nourishment as Albert an eye-witness affirms And as Mithridates by his accustomed eating of poison made his body unpoisonable So the Godly notwithstanding they are by nature as a wilde Ass-colt as Zophar speaks Iob 11.12 Yet by their frequent and accustomary suffering of injuries these wilde Asses are made tame and the ablest to carry burthens of any creature yea though they were once as fierce and cruell as Wolves Leopards Lions and Bears and as mischievous as Aspes and Cockatrices yet Christ will so change their natures partly by his Word and partly by his rod of affliction that they shall now be as apt to suffer evill as they have been to offer it What else means the Prophet when he tels us that the Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard with the Kid and the Lyon with the Calfe so that a little childe shall lead them that the Cow and the Beare and the Lion and the Bullock shall eat straw together that the sucking childe shall play upon the hole of the Aspe and the weaned childe shall put his hand upon the Cockatrice hole Isa. 11.6 and so forward And so you see that according to the ancient Proverbial speech Use makes perfectness and that custom is not unfitly called a second or new nature Wouldest thou then attein to an unconquerable patience be able to undergo great trials hereafter accustom thy self to a silent suffering of thy present and smaller griefs tongue-provocations and the like If with Milo thou shalt take up a Calf some small crosse and enjoyn thy self to carry the like every day a little in process of time thou shalt be able to carry an Oxe the strongest and biggest affliction can come For nothing is miserable saith Seneca which once custom hath made natural Familiaâ—rity even with Lions takeh away the fear of them and the being used tâ— Tempests giveth heart and courage to endure them whereas any new disaster is tedious and irksom to the unexperienced but hard occurrences fall heavy upon them for that the yoak is most cumbersome to a tender neck An end of the first Part fitted and parted for the penurious who usually offer for a considerable Book the price of a Ballad The Second and Third follows for their sakes that are more generous and ingenious Pag. 15. line 40. for them read then Page 49. line 35 for repentance read recompence THE VICTORY OF PATIENCE Extracted out of the choysest Authors Ancient and Modern both Holy and Humane Wherein are a multitude of rare Examples necessary to be read of all that any way suffer Tribulation The Fourth Impression By R. YOUNGE Florilegus Imprimatur THO. GATAKER HAving shewn in the former Part the severall Reasons why God suffers the best of his Children to be afflicted with the manyfold benefits and advantages they make thereof I shall in this second Part shew the Reasons why the godly are so patient in their sufferings Reasons of Patience CHAP. XVII That the godly are Patient in suffering of wrongs because innocent NOw that some may be perswaded to make this use of their sufferings and that we may also put to silence the ignorance of others foolish men who are mistaken in judging of this matter supposing it a base thing to suffer injuries unrevenged see the Reasons which deservedly make Gods children so patiently to suffer wrongs that the men of the world never dream of And how through the study of vertue and Christian prudence they make the servile passions of their mindes fear and anger subject to the more worthy faculties of their souls reason and understanding We bear their reproaches and persecutions patiently Either in regard of Our Selves Our Enemies Our Selves and our Enemies Our Enemies and Others GOD. CHRIST and the Saints In regard of our selves 1 Because We are innocent 2 Because It is more laudable to forgive than to revenge 3 Because Suffering is the only way to prevent suffering 4 Because Our sins have deserv'd it and a far greater affliction 5 Because Our sufferings are counterpoysed and made sweet with more than answerable blessings 6 Because Our patience brings a reward with it First They bear the slanders and reproaches of wicked men patiently for that they are false and so appertain not unto them Socrates being rayled upon and called by one all to naught took no notice of it and being demanded a reason of his Patience said It concerns me not for I am no such man Diogenes was wont to say when the people mockt him They deride me yet I am not derided I am not the man they take me for This reason is of more force from the mouth of an innocent Christian. If a rich man be called poor or a sound Christian an hypocrite he slights it he laughs at it because he knoweth the same to be false and that his Accuser is mistaken whereas if a Begger be called bankrupt or a dissembler hypocrite he will wince and kick and be most grievously offended at it Yea as soares and ulcers are grieved not only at a light touch but even with fear and suspition of being touched so will an exulcerate minde saith Seneca And as small letters offend bad eyes so least appearances of contradiction will grieve the ill affected ears of guilty persons saith Plutarch For let mens tongues like Bells give but an indefinite and not a significant sound they imagin them â—o speak and mean whatsoever their guilty consciences frame in the fancie and whisper in the ear which are those evil surmises of corrupt mindes the Apostle taxeth 1 Tim. 6.4 When like Caius the humanist one thinks every word spoken tends to his disgrace and is as unwilling to bear as forbear reproaehes But where the conscience is clear the case is altered Marius was never offended with any report that went of him because if it were true it would sound to his praise if false his life and manners should prove it contrary And indeed the best confutation of their slanders is not by our great words but by our good works Sophocles being accused by his own children that he grew Dotard and spent their Patrimonies idly when he was summoned did not personally appear before the Magistrates but sent one of his new Tragedies to their perusall which being read made them confesse This is not the work of a man that dotes So against all clamours and swelling opprobries set but thine innocency and good life thou needest do no more ' That body which is in good health is strong and able to bear the great storms and bitter cold of Winter and likewise the excessive and intemperate heat of the Summer but with a crazie and distempered body it is far otherwise Even so a sound heart and cleer conscience will abide all tryals in prosperity it will not be lifted up in adversity it will not be utterly cast down whereas
anguish of death he started up in his bed and sware by the former oath that bell toled for him whereupon immediately the bloud most fearfully issued as it were in streams from all parts of his body not one place left free and so dyed Popiel King of Poland had over this wish in his mouth If it be not true I would the Rats might eat me and so it came to passe for he was so assailed by them at a banquet that neither his guards nor fire nor water could defend him from them as Munster mentions The Iews said Let his bloud be upon us and upon our children and what followed sixteen hundred years are now past since they wished themselves thus wretched and have they not ever since been the hate and scorne of the world Did they not many of them live to see their City buried in ashes and drowned in bloud to see themselves no Nation Was there ever any people under heaven that was made so fa 〈…〉 〈…〉 Nor is it seldome that God payes them in their own coin men prophane Gods name and he makes their names to stinke When the pestilence rageth in our streets blasphemy and execration must confesse that they have their dâ—e wages Blasphemers live swearing and dye raving it is but their wages 2. § He punisheth some in the Suburbs of hell that they might never come into the City it self The evill he now suffers uncorrected he refers to be condemned Sin knows the doom it must smart here or hereafter Outward plagues are but favour in comparison of spirituall judgments and spirituall judgments but light to eternall torments God does not punish all flagitious sinners here that he may allow some space to repent and that none may doubt his promise of a Generall Iudgement nor does he forbear all here lest the world should deny his providence and question his justice MEMB. 6. 1. § But what do I urge reason to men of a reprobate judgment to admonish them is to no more purpose then if one should speak to life-lesse stones or sense-lesse plants or wit-lesse beasts for they will never fear any thing till they be in Hell fire wherefore God leaves them to be confuted with fire and brimstone since nothing else wil doe it If there be any here that beleeve a Resurrection as I hope better things of some of you all such I would beseech by the mercies of God before mentioned that they would not be so desparately wicked as to mock their admonisher scoff at the means to be saved and make themselves merry with their owne damnations but that they would entertain this messuage as if it were an Epistle sent from God himself to invite and call them to repentance Yea consider seriously what I have said and do not Oh do not mock at Gods Word nor sport away your souls into those pains which are easelesse endlesse and remedilesse Shal we give an account at the day of judgement for every idle word we speak Mat. 12.36 and never give a reckoning for our wicked swearing and cursing we shall be judged by our words v. 37. Are you willing to be saved if you are Break off your sins by repentance Dan. 4.27 Cease to do evill learn to doe well Isai. 1.16.17 Seriously grieve and bewail for the millions of times that you have blasphemed God and pierced your Saviour and never more commit the like impiety Yea doe not only leave your swearing but fear an Oath and make conscience of it resolve not to take the glorious name of God in vain nor place any otheâ— creature in his roome though the Devill should say unto you as once hâ— did to Christ All this will I give thee For it is not enough that we abstained from evill unlesse we hate it also and doe the contrary good Sanctifie the Lord God in your heart 1 Pet. 3.15 Make a covenant with your mouth as Joâ— did with his eyes and set a watch before the door of your lips that you thuâ— offend not with your tongue Psal. 141.3 2. § Which if you doe rightly the like care to avoid all other sins wilâ— necessarily follow because he that fears to commit one sin out of conscience and because God forbids it will upon the same ground fear all the 〈…〉 commit it as that God should never impure it 2 Tim. 2.19 Neither can a regenerate mind consist with a determination to continue in any one sin as when Christ cast out one Devill we read that he cast out all even the whole Legion Mark 5.2 c. And he that makes not some consience of all sin makes no true conscience of any sin And the same is to be understood also of duties commanded for the same law which injoins us to hate and for sake all sin commands us also to strive after universal obedience to every precept And it is a true rule he that hath not in him all Christian graces in their measure hath none and he that hath any one truly hath all He that is not sanctified in every part is truly sanctified in no part 1 Pet. 1.15 2 Pet. 3.11 Mat. 5.48 2 Tim. 3.17 2 Cor. 7.1 And the least sin allowed of be it but a vaine thought or one duty omitted is enough to cast thee into hell for the wages of sin any sin be it never so little is death Rom. 6.23 Jam. 1.15 Yea admit thou hadst never acted any the least evill in all thy life it were not enough to save thee from hell much lesse to bring thee to heaven for we need no more to condemn us then what we brought into the World with us Gen. 2.17 Psal. 51.5 Rom. 5.12 Whence the new born child in the law was commanded to offer a sin offering Lev. 12.6 3. § Wherefore as you tender the good of your own soul set upon the work presently before the Drawbridge be taken up provide with Ioseph for the dearth to come With Noah in the days of thine hâ—alth build the Ark of a good conscience against the floods of sicknesse Imitate the Ant who provides her meat in Summer for the Winter following Yea do it whilst the yearning bowels the bleeding wounds and compassionate arms of Jesus Christ lie open to receive you Whiles you have health and life and means and time to repent and make your peace with God in Christ as you tender I say the everlasting happinesse wel-fare of your almost lost and drowned soul as you expect or hope for grace or mercy for joy and comfort for heaven and salvation for endlesse blisse and glory at the last As you would escape the direful wrath of God the bitter sentence and doom of Christ the never dying sting and worm of conscience the tormenting and soul scorching flames of hel and everlasting separation from Gods blissfull presence abjure utterly renounce all wilfull and affected evill and in the first place this abominable sin of swearing and cursing 4. § The which Grace if you
quarrel but a bad one and sooner in thy Mistresses defence then in thy Makers § 4. Thou art of a reprobate judgement touching actions and persons esteeming good evil and evil good Prov. 17.15 and 29.27 Isai. 5.20 Thou doest stifle thy conscience and would'st force thy self to believe if it were possible that in case men will not swear drink drunk conform to thy lewd customes and the like they are over-precise and to forbear evil is quarrel sufficient for thee Thou speakest evil of all that will not run with thee to the same excess of riot 1 Pet. 4.4 making them a by-word to the people Job 17.6 and a song amongst thy fellow Drunkards Psal. 69.12 Thou art so desperately wicked that thou wilt mock thy admonisher scoff at the means to be saved and make thy self merry with thy own damnation § 5. Instead of hating the evil thou doest and thy self for doing it thon art glad of it rejoycest in it boastest of it yea pleadest for it and applaudest thy self for thy wickedness God is not in all thy thoughts except to blaspheme him and to spend his dayes in the Devils service And rather then abridge thy pleasure thou wilt hazard the displeasure of God Thou doest not honour but art stubborn and disobedient to thy parents a Rioter c. If they stand in need of thee thou wilt not nourish or maintain them as they did thee in thy need Thou takest no care to provide for â—hine own family but drinkest the very blood of thy Wife Children and Servants and art therein worse then an Infidel Thy greatest delight 〈◊〉 in devillish cruelty as to see the poor innocent Creatures fight pick â—ut one anothers eyes and tear each others flesh Yea to see two men fight â—nd kill one another thou accountest but a sport or playing 2 Sam. 2.14 â—0 17. § 6. Thou wilt borrow or run in debt with every one but nevâ—â—â—arest 〈…〉 or satisfie any one except it be thy Hostess for 〈…〉 lest she should never more trust thee Thou wickedly spendest thy patriâ—mony in riot and upon Dice Drabs Drunkenness Thou hast never thâ— wit to think upon sparing until thou comest to the bottom of the Purse like an hour-glass turned up thou never leavest running till all be out Shouldest thou live never so long thou wilt never attein to the years oâ— discretion thou wilt never become thine own man until thou hast no oâ—ther nor ever see want until thou feelest it Thou art onely witty tâ— wrong and undo thy self and which is worse then all if death finde thee as banquerout of spiritual as of worldly goods it will send thee to an eternal Prison Thy pride so swels thee and makes thee look so big as if the river of thy blood would not endure to be banked within the channel of thy veins Thou must have shift of attire though thou cansâ— not shift thy self out of the Mercers books until thou hast sold the otheâ— Farm or Lordship thou wilt pay the whole reckoning that thou mayâ—â—â— be counted the best man a bare head in the streets does thee more good then a meals meat Thou wilt soon bring a noble to nine pence an inheritance of five hundred pounds per annum to five hundred shillings Thou art a vain glorious fool and scornest any employment or to be of any calling which is a pride without either wit or grace § 7. As good men by their godly admonition and vertuous example draw all they can to Heaven so thou by thy subtile allurements and viclous example drawest all thou canst to hell For as if it were too little to damn thy own soul or as if thine own sins would not press thee deep enough into hell thou doest all that possibly thou canst to entice and enforce others to sin with thee for thou doest envy hate scoff at nick-name rail on and slander the godly that thou mayest flowt them out of their faith damp or quench the spirit where thou perceivest it is kindled discourage them in the way to heaven to make them ashamed of their holy conversation and religious course pull them back to the World thaâ— so thou mayest have their company here in sin and hereafter in torment § 8. Thou fearest a Iayl more then thou fearest hell and standest more upon thy sides smarting then upon thy soul. Thou regardest more theâ— blasts of mens breath then the fire of Gods wrath and tremblest more aâ— the thought of a Serâ—eant or Bailiff then of Satan and everlasting perdition Thou takest incouragement from the Saints falls and sins of Godâ— people to do the like when they should serve thee as Sea-marks to makâ— thee beware Yea thou doest most sordidly take liberty and incouragement to go on more securely in thy evil courses because God is mercifulâ— and forbears to execute judgment speedily and to defer thy repentance beâ—cause the Thief upon the Cross was heard at the last hour Thou wilt boldlâ— do what God forbids and yet confidently hope to escape what he threatens Thus I could go on to tell thee a thousand more of these thy wickeâ— thoughts words and actions had I not already done it But because I would not present my other Readers with Cole-worts twice sod be perswaded to take view of them in my other small Tract entituled The odious despicable and dreadful condition of a Drunkard drawn to the Life though indeed even a tithe of these are sufficient evidences to prove thee one of those ignorant unbelieving ingrateful and notorious wicked wretches before spoken of and to make thee confess that thou art in a most damnable condition But stand thou by and let the Civil Iusticiary and formal Hypocrite hold up their hands and hear their Charge And so much for the first Division allotted for such as are notoriously wicked For though I determined to have made of all but one Volume yet now new thoughts have taken place and caused me to melt the whole again and cast it into several Divisions whereby being sold single every man may have his proper portion apart My reasons are these the like 1 It is because many be they never so short-breath'd in well doing will read a few leaves that will not once look upon a large Volume 2 Divers will be at the cost of a few pence that would rather perish then lay out a pound 3 Some as they have but little money so they have less time to spare as they use the matter for the good of their souls 4 Admonitions and instructions if they exceed are wont as nails to drive out one another 5 Should the Civil Iusticiary read the prophane mans Character or the open-handed Prodigal the close-fisted and griping Oppressors this would rather encourage and strengthen them in their wickedness then fright them from it 6 Some have such queasie stomacks that if they see their potion big as well as bitter they will choose to die rather then take it And because I have
bad one and sooner in thy Mistresses defence then in thy Makers Thou art of a reprobate judgment touching actions and persons esteeming good evil and evil good Prov. 17.15 and 29.27 Isa. 5.20 Thou doest stifle thy conscience and wouldst force thy self to believe if it were possible that in case men will not swear drink drunk conform to thy lewd customes and the like they are over precise and to forbear evil is quarrel sufficient for thee Thou speakest evil of all that will not run with thee to the same excesse of riot 1 Pet. 4.4 making them a by-word to the people Job 17.6 and a song amongst thy fellow Drunkards Psal. 69. 〈◊〉 Thou art so desperately wicked that thou wilt mock thy admonisher scoffe at the means to be saved and make thy self merry with thy own damnation In stead of hating the evil thou dost and thy self for doing it thou 〈…〉 of it rejoycest in it boastest of it yea pleadest for it and applaâ—â—ed 〈…〉 self for thy wickednesse God is not in all thy thoughts except 〈…〉 him and to spend his days in the Devils service And rather 〈…〉 thy pleasure thou wilt hazard the displeasure of God Thou doest not 〈◊〉 but art stubborn and disobedient to thy parents a Rioter c. If they stand in need of thee thou wilt not nourish or maintain 〈…〉 they did thee in thy need Thou takest no care to provide for thy 〈…〉 Thou wilt borrow or run in debt with every one but never carest to pay or to satisfie any one except it be thy Hostesse for drink lest she should never more trust thee As good men by their godly admonition and vertuous example draw 〈◊〉 they can to Heaven so by thy subtile allurements and vicious example thou drawest all thou â—anst to hell For as if it were too little to damnthy own soul or as if thine own sins would not presse thee deep enough into hell thou doest all that possibly thou canst to entice and enforce others to sin with thee for thou doest envy hate scosf at nick-name rail on and slander the godly that thou mayest flout them out of their faith damp or quench the spirit where thou perceivest it is kindled discourage them in there way to heaven to make them ashamed of their holy conversation and religious course pull them back to the World that so thou mayest have their company here in sin and hereafter in torment Thou fearest a Gaol more then thou fearest hell and standest more upon thy sides smarting then upon thy soul. Thou regardest more the blasts of mens breath then the fire of Gods wrath and tremblest more at the thought of a Serjeant or Bailiff then of Satan and everlasting perdition Thou takest incouragement from the Saints falls and sins of Gods people to do the like when they should serve thee as Sea-marks to make thee beware Yea thou doest most sordidly take liberty and incouragement to go on more securely in thy evil courses because God is merciful and forbears to execute judgement speedily and to defer thy repentance because the Theif upon the Crosse was heard at the last hour Thou wilt boldly do what God forbids and yet confidently hope to escape what he threatens Thus I could go on to tell thee a thousand more of these thy wicked thoughts words and actions had I not already done it But because I would not present my other Readers with Cole-worts twice sod be perswaded to take view of them in my other small Tract entituled The odious despicable and dreadful condition of a Drunkard drawn to the Life though indeed even a Tyth of these are sufficient evidences to prove and to make thee confesse that thou art in a most damnable condition But stand thou by and let the civil Iusticiary and formall Hypocrue hold up their hands and hear their charge Here ends the Prodigals Character with which I will conclude FINIS The Prevention of Poverty Together with the Cure of Melancholy Alias Discontent Or the best and surest way to Wealth and Happiness being Subjects very seasonable for these Times wherein all are Poor or not pleased or both when they need be neither By Rich. Younge of Roxwel in Essex Florilegus Imprimatur Ioseph Caryl LONDON Printed by R. W. Leybourn and are to be sold by Iames Crumpe a Book-binder in Well-yard 1655. Of the Prevention of Poverty By R. Y. VErtue is distributive and loves not to bury benefits but to pleasure all she can And happy is he that leaves such a president for which both the present and future Ages shall praise him and praise God for him It was no small comfort I suppose to Cuthemberg Anaximenes Triptolemus Columbus and other the like whose happiness it was to finde out Printing the Dial the Plough to enrich the World with the best of Metals with the Loadstone and a thousand the like But had they smothered their conceptions as so many lights under a bushel and not communicated the same for the publick it had argued in them a great dearth of charity whereas now to the glory of God all men are the better for them Nor is any employment so honorable as for a man to serve his generation and be profitable to many When like the Moon we bestow the benefits received from God to the profit and commodity of others It is the Suns excellency that his bright rayes and beamns are dispersed into every corner of the Universe The Tragick Buskin as they say would fit all that should put it on Here is that will much benefit thee being made use of be thy condition good or bad rich or poor learned or unlearned mental or manual The which to conceal would argue in the Authour either too much lucre or too little love Even the Physician that hath a sovereigne Receipt and dieth unrevealing it robs the world of many blessings which might multiply after his death leaving to all survivors this collection that he once did good to others but to do himself a greater C. E. The Prevention of POVERTY Together with the Cure of MELANCHOLY Alias DISCONTENT Or the best and surest way to Wealth and Happinesse Being Subjects very seasonable for these Times wherein all are Poor or not pleased or both when they need be neither THE PREFACE SECT 1. WHen a Gentleman in Athens had his plate taken away by Ahashucrus as he was at dinner he smiled upon his friends saying I thank God that his Higness hath left me any thing So whatever befals us this should be our meditation It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed Lam. 3.22 Or this He that hath afflicted me for a time could have held me longer he that hath touched me in part could have stricken me in whole he that hath laid this upon my name or estate hath power to lay a greater rod both upon my body and soul without doing me the least wrong And indeed if we but think of our deliverance from the
dog in a wheel that toyles all day to rost meat for others eating as the wise man shews Eccles. 6.1.2 The covetous Miser covets without end but all to no end he onely feeds his eyes with that which should feed his belly and cloth his back Like him that Horace tells of in Room called Oxide who was so rich that he might measure his gold by the bushell and yet went almost stark naked and never would fill himself half full of meat They are like Tantalus who stands up to the chin in water and hath all kinds of fruits hanging over his head but is not suffered to tast of the one nor drink of the other Or like an Asse that is laden with gold or dainty cates but feeds upon thistles Or like the Indians who though they have all the gold amongst them yet are the most beggerly and naked people alive For as if they were such fooles as not to know that their money will buy them all necessaries of meat drink apparel and the like they scarce wear a good garment or eat a liberal meal or take a quiet sleep but are ever tormenting themselves to get that for getting whereof they shall be tormenteâ— Like a true Chymist he turnes every thing into gold both what he should eat and what he should wear He is like a man rob'd hurt and bound who though he hath meanes to relieve himself yet hath not liberty to go where he may be releived As a proud man is ignorant in the midst of his knowledge so is the covetous man poor and needy in the midst of his wealth Yea a poor beggar is in better estate than a rich miser for whereas the poor begger wants many things the rich miser wants every thing Crates threw his money into the Sea resolving to drown it least it should 〈◊〉 him The drunkard casts his mony into a deluge of drink both drowning it and himself with it wherein the Miser and the Rioter are opposites the one so loves money that he will not afford himself good drink the other so loves good drink that he scornes money But in severall respects the Misers case is worse than the Prodigals for the prodigall shall have nothing hereafter but the covetous man hath nothing here nor shall hereafter Riches saith Seneca are the wise mans servant but the fooles master and the miser makes himself a slave to his servant Riches are good when the party that possesseth them can tell how to use them but as instruments are of no use unto them that are ignorant of musick so are riches of no use to the covetous So that in my judgement that rich fool in the Gospel was far wiser than these blocks for he having attained his purpose got a great estate could after all afford himself the comfort of it for these are his words to himself Thou hast much goods laid up for many yeares live at ease eat drink and take thy pastime Luke 12.19 Nay to abound with all things and to be never the better for them not to partake of them what fool or mad man hath been known so senseless yea not to flatter his pretended prudence no beast will starve in a fat pasture if then a man shall pinch his guts when God hath afforded him affluence the Asse is not so very an Asse as he Nor do I know any beast like him save Pharaohs seven lean and evill favoured kine and to them he is very like For when his large and greedy conscience hath devoured or eaten up many Customers or Clients estates as they did the seven fat and well favoured kine yet it cannot be known by any reall amenâ—ment that he hath eaten them but in his food raiment satisfaction of his mind c. he is as ill favoured as at the beginning He doth not more lock up his goods from the â—heif than from himself So that I cannot more fitly compare him to any thing than to an Idoll for as an Idoll hath eyes but sees not so he hath a reasonable soul but understands not And most just it is that he who is unjust to all others should be most unjust to himself And as a covetous man is good to no body so he is worst of all to himself It is the depth of misery to fall under the curse of Cham a servant of servants divitis servi maxime servi no thraldom to the inward and outward bondage too So that if there be any creature miserable it is the miserable miserly muck-worm and yet he is least to be pitied because he makes himself thus miserable Now this may move wonder to astonishment that they should take such care and paines and cast away their soules to heap up riches and when they have done to be never a penny the better for them Yea what can any wise man think of them are they not stark mad are they not fooles in folio What take so much care and paines indure so much greif sting of conscience losse of credit deprive themselves of heaven damn their own soules to get wealth and when they have got it not to be the better for it yea they are lesse satisfied and contented than before meanlier accommodated than mean men and could this possible be so if God did not give them their riches in wrath nor would be otherwise deny them the use of their own for the wise man hath given it as a rule That to whom God hath given riches as a blessing he also giveth him to eat and drink and to take pleasure and delight his soul with the profit of his labours wherein he travelleth under the sun for which see Ecces 2.24 and 3.12 13. and 5.17 18 19. and 8.15 And so you have one particular to prove what I promised But CHAP. VII SEcondly To this is added as another judgement let the Ingrateful merciless miser have never so much he is never the more but the lesse contented As how many have mighty estates their houses full their shops and warehouses full their coffers full their purses full and their pastures full and yet as if their hearts were bottomlesse that is still as lank and empty through an excessive desire of more as if they did indeed want all things The Cormorants desires are rather sharpened by injoying and augmented by possession For wishing still his wishes never cease But as his wealth his wishes still increase To shew that covetous men belong to hell after they dye they are like hell while they live Hell is never filled and they are never satisfied covetous men drink brine which increaseth thirst rather than quenches it And though the devil should say to them as he said to our Saviour touching the whole world and glory thereof all these will I give thee though he needs not offer them all for they will serve him for less yet all would not content them no more than heaven it self contented Lucifer For as the rich glutton in hell desired a drop
blessing upon them and instead thereof blast his blessings with a curse and give them their riches in wrath so that they had better be without them If we put our trust and confidence in God he hath promised 〈◊〉 to fail nor forsake us Heb. 13 5. But this is the man that took not God for his strength but trusted unto the multitude of his riches and put his strength in his malice Psal. 52.7 Yea he saith in his heart God hath forgotten he hideth away his face and will never see Psal. 10.11 He puts his certain trust in uncertain riches 1 Tim. 6.17 And not for want of ignorance for to trust to God and not to any creature or carnal policy is the greatest safty A lesson yet to be learned of many that do in a good measure trust in God which this muckworme not so much as minds But shall we trust God with our jewels our souls and not with the box Mat. 6.30 Take we heed lest whiles he doth grant us that wherein we do not trust him worldly riches he take away that wherein we do trust him everlasting joy and happiness Fiftly and lastly let a graceless and ingrateful cormorant an unmerciful miser have never so much he neither intends to glorifie God nor do good to others with his riches he will not change a peece without profit scarse let another light a torch at his candle He will not lose a groa◠to gain a mans life nor speak a sillable for God were it to save a soul And God cares for none that care for none but themselves making themselves the center of all their actions and aimes Whereas he is abundantly bountiful to publike spirits that aime at his glory and others good And so ye have the Reasons the Uses for the present and in this place shall be onely CHAP. XV. Three 1. Of Information 2. Of Exhortation 3. Of Consolation ANd of these but a word First for Information let the premisses teach us this lesson That whatsoever is given to any one if Christ and a sanctified use thereof be not given withall it can be no good thing to him Did the stalled Ox know that his Master fatted him for the slaughter he would not think his great plenty an argument of his masters greater love to him The Physician letteth that sick person have what he will of whose recovery he despaireth but he restraineth him of many things of whom he hath hope We use to clip and cut shorter the feathers of Birds or other fowle when they begin to flye too high or too far So does God diminish the riches and honors of his children and makes our condition so various that we may not pass our bounds or glory too much in these transitory things As if we well observe it First some have the world and not God as Nabal who possessed a world of wealth not a dram of grace or comfort Secondly some have God and not the world as Lazarus his heart was full of grace and divine comfort whiles his body lacked crumbes Thirdly some have neither God nor the world nothing but misery here nothing but torment hereafter for the poorest are not seldom the wickedest Fourthly some have both God and the world as Abraham who was rich while he lived on earth and dying was glorious in Heaven Yea oftentimes they that are deerest to God do with great difficulty work out those blessings which even fall into the mouthes of the careless That wise disposer of all things knows it fit many times to hold us short of those favors which we sue for and would not benefit but hurt us Unlovely features have more libertty to be good because freer from Solicitors and though it be not a curse yet t is many times an unhappiness to be fair aswell as to be strong and witty Helena daughter to Iupiter and Leda for her excellent beauty was ravished at the age of nine yeers by Theseus and once again by Paris which caused the wars and utter ruine of Troy Plutarch observes that Lisander did more hurt the Lacedemonians in sending them store of riches and precious movables then Sylla did the Romans in consuming the reveneues of their treasure And as Sylvius relates the liberallity of Princes and especially of Metilda a Dutches of Italy who at her death made the Pope her heir begat ambition in the Bishops of Rome and ambition destroyed Religion These things are such as the possessors minde Good if well us'd if ill them ill we finde For even evil things work together for the good of the good and even good things work together to the evil of the evil Lucian seigneth that riches being sent by Iupiter from heaven come softly and slowly but from the infernal god comes flying apace And the other Poets feign Pluto to be the god of riches and of hell as if hell and riches had both one master And indeed he that resolves to be evil making no conscience how he comes by it may soon be rich but the blessings of God in our ill getting or unworthy carriage in their use prove but the aggravations of sin and additions to judgement And let this serve for the first use Secondly Let what hath been delivered touching the miseries of an unmerciful miserly muckworme serve to make us take heed and beware of all sin but especially of the sin of covetousness yea◠let us look to it lest while we hunt after the worlds venison with Esau we lose our Fathers blessing Can we not warm us at the Sun but we must make an Idoll of it to worship must we needs either hide our faces or bow our knees either renounce all profits and pleasures or be their slaves This is a second use Thirdly this if we seriously consider it may serve for a use of great comfort to the godly and conscientious For if worldlings are so many wayes perplexed and distracted with cares and fears about getting and keeping and lofing their riches and grace estates how happy are the servants of God that are not acquainted with any of them No man sayes the Apostle that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life because he would please him that hath chosen him to be a souldier 2 Tim. 2.4 They cast their care upon God and he careth for them who will see that they shall never want what is good and fit for them Mat. 6.25 30. But in the transgression of an evil man is his snare sayes wise Solomon Prov. 29 6. But of this by the way onely for there are other plagues yet behinde which God usually inflicts upon the merciless miser nor would one of them be left unconsidered CHAP. XVI THe eighth is the loss of his credit and good name which he seldom or never scapes which is not a light punishment however he esteems it The memorial of the just shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot sayes Solomon Prov. 10.7 Yea the cruel and
16. 28.1 to 14. 2 King 6.25 to Chap. 7. vers 17. Psal. 34.9 10. 37.26 28 112.3 37.3 4 5. Luke 18.29 30. Mark 4.24 Hag. 1.2 Chapters Mal. 3.10 11 12. But if this weary not the Muckmonger it 's well Now this being the case namely that what God gives is chiefly hereafter little at present yea that we may look to be loosers by him at present whereas Satan and the world out-bid Christ in respect of outward condition and present pay thus it fals out or this is the issue The worldling cryes a bird in the hand is best hugges his money that he hath God he thinks is not so good a customer or he dares not trust him Yet will this man rather accept a reversion of some great Office or Estate though expectant on the tedious transition of seven years or on the expiration of anothers life which may prove to be sixty years or more than at present a summe of farre lesse value But what a strange folly is this rather to take the idle vanities of this world in hand than faithfully to wait upon Gods promise for an eternal Kingdom of glory in Heaven CHAP. IV. Thirdly The rarest of all remedies is Regeneration As what saith holy David Turn my heart unto thy Law and not to covetousnesse Psalm 119.36 As if a man could not be covetous that sets his heart upon heavenly things nor have any leasure to think upon good so long as he is covetous Let them seek after the earth sayes one that have no right to Heaven let them desire the present who believe not the future As Regeneration is the best physick to purge away melancholy so likewise of covetousnesse As may be seen in Zacheus who before he met with Christ knew nothing but to scrape but so soon as Christ had changed his heart all his mind was set upon giving and restoring Luk. 19.8 He was as liberal in almes and restitution when he was become a Convert as possibly he was unjust and unmercifull when he was an usurer And the like of all other sinnes Paul was not a more hot and fiery enemy to Christ when he was a Pharisee than he was a shining burning and zealous Preacher when he was an Apostle When any man is born anew and better never be born than not to be born again there will be new vertues arise in the room of old vices Heretofore thy soul hath been an Idolatrous Temple if the Ark of God that is his Holy Spirit once enter into it Dagon that is the works of darknesse will down and soon moulder away For both cannot stand together 1 Sam. 5.3 especially covetousnesse will be chasheired Yea God hath set Religion and covetousnesse at such variance that they cannot possibly reign in one person No man can serve God and Mam 〈…〉 not in him 1 Joh. 2.15 Wherefore as we desire to have peace in the end let piety be our race 'T was Marcus Aurelius his dying counsel to his Sonne Commodus that if he would live quietly he should live justly if he would dye peaceably he should live uprightly Now if covetousnesse be once cashiered by Regeneration have a man much or little he will not be overmuch troubled at it The godly man hath sufficient though he have no wealth even as man in innocency was warm and comely though without cloathing A small thing unto the just man is better than great riches to the wicked and mighty Psal. 37.16 The reason is the one hath his sight to see clearly his happinesse in having what is best for him and is content to be poor in outward things because his wealth and purchase is all inward The other by a just judgment of God is so blind that he cannot see when he is well but thirsts so after other mens goods that he takes no pleasure in his own His heart is glewed to the world or rather to his wealth and an object too near the eye cannot be seen yea be it but the breadth of a penny it will hide from the sight the whole half heaven at once Covetousnesse is like the Albugo or white spot in the eye that dimmes their understandings and makes fools even of Achitophels leaving them never an eye to see withall according to that of Moses A gift blindeth the eyes Exod. 23.8 And this for certain could the covetous chuâ—l but see what peace and rest and joy through contentation the godly man hath at the same time when he can say with Peter Silver and gold have I none he would be also a suter to godlinesse that he might have the dowry of contentation He would soon see that it is much better to be poor than evil that it is quieter sleeping with a good conscience than in a whole skin and that there is no comparison between want with piety and wealth with dishonesty As what canst thou say against it thou hast abundance of all things yet thou findest small peace joy or content in the world Get but godlinesse and thou shalt have true content of mind great peace of conscience together with joy in the Holy Ghost and Gods blessing upon all thou hast or takest in hand be thy condition in the world never so mean Thou hast hetherto like Satan compassed the whole earth never thought of compassing Heaven thou art as poor in grace and parts as rich in revenues Thy desires about this world have been insatiable but for heavenly things a small scantling hath been thought enough I believe that Christ dyed for me I am sorry for my sinnes I hope to be saved this is sufficient though thou dost all thy devotions more out of custom than of conscience as Simonides reports of Theodoricus But wilt thou prove thy self wise wilt thou do thy self good indeed the only way is to become godly For godlinesse is great gain if a man be content with that he hath 1 Tim. 6.6 And this I may be bold to affirm that if thou canst not say as Paul saith I have learned to be content godlinesse is not as yet come unto thine house For the compaâ—ion of godlinesse is contentation which when she comes will bring you all things Therefore as Christ saith If the Sonne make you free you shall be free indeed John 8.36 So I say if godlinesse make you rich you shall be rich indeed Otherwise have you never so much it will no more satisfie your desire or quench your lust than fewel does the flame Yea as oyl kindleth the fire which it seems to quench so riches come as though they would make a man contented but they make him more covetous CHAP. V. As see how insatiable mens desires are of these transitory things by some examples Give Alexander Kingdom after Kingdom he will not rest till he have all Yea giving credit to that opinion of Democritus to wit that there were worlds infinite and innumerable he even wept to think that he was Emperour but of one only
advanced to a vast estate and as one vexed with an evil spirit or troubled with a tormenting conscience to such a blessed peace as the world can neither give nor take away John 14.27 As thus Would you quiet your clamorous conscience that will not be friends with you unlesse you be friends with God The ayer is not so cleer when the clowde is dissolved by rain as the mind is when the clowdes of our iniquities are dissolved by the rain or tears of true repentance These waters are the red sea wherein the whole Arm of our sinnes is drowned As O the calm spirit of a godly man his very dreams are divine When Ptolomy King of Aegypt had posed the Seaventy Interpreters in order and asked the nineteenth man what would make one sleep quietly in the night he told him the best way was to have divine and celestial Meditations and to use honest actions and recreations in the day time The godly man enjoyes Heaven upon earth peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost 1 Thes. 1.6 Nor is joy lesse when it is least expressed as it fares with grief but as the windowes of the Temple were narrow without but broad within so is the joy of our hearts greater than it does outwardly appear to the world Again It is as false a slander as common that when once a man imbraceth Religion farewell all joy and delight For virtue hath neither so crabbed a face nor so stern a look as men make her Pleasure is not gone when sinne is gone It is not Isaac that is sacrificed that is our laughter and mirth but the Ramme that is the bruitishnesse of it The soul of joy lies in the souls joy What saies holy David Be glad ye righteous and rejoyce in the Lord and be joyfull all ye that are upright in heart Psal. 32.11 It was not the Eunuchs riches nor honours but his faith which set him on his way rejoycing Act. 8.39 In this rejoyce not saith our Saviour that the spirits are subdued unto you but rather rejoyce that your names are written in Heaven Luke 10.20 Yea there is even joy in grief where the sorrow is for sinne Besides how can men partake of that fountain of joy and rejoyce not He is no good Christian that is not taken with the glory he shall have and rejoyce that his name is written in the Book of life The worldly man hath joy in prosperity the Child of God in adversity The believing Hebrews suffered with joy the spoyling of their goods knowing that they had in Heaven a better and more enduring substance Heb. 10.34 Yea let the worst that can come they are still merry and joyfull as hath been observed in sundry of the Martyrs who clapt their hands for joy even in the midst of the flames And reason good when all things shall work to their good that are good and when the very draught and abridgment of Heaven is in every sanctified heart upon earth Then live religiously and thou shalt both live and die comfortably For live in grace and die in peace is a rule that never fails Only this hinders our joy our love to spiritual things is too defective of worldly things too excessive Earthly goods are earnestly and eagerly sought after Heavenly not once thought upon Much travell taken for the body little or no care used for the soul. It would be otherwise if with Paul at his conversion they had those scales taken away from their eyes by some godly Ananias some faithfull Minister of the Gospel which during their natural condition covers their eyes from seeing things spiritual It is a sad thing to see what fools men are that walk according to the flesh and how they are gulled by the God of this world and their own deceitfull hearts The covetous man is like a mad man that loves and is unmeasurably delighted with the sight and gingling of those chains wherewith he is fettered and tormented He hugs them I mean his money and adores them and even makes them his god that occasion him all his grief But had he once tasted how good and bountifull the Lord is to those that set their delight on him 1 Pet. 2.3 If he did grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ 2 Pet. 3.18 If the Lord would once incline his heart unto his testimonies and not to covetousnesse Psal. 119.36 he should soon know and find that things themselves are in the invisible world in the world visible but their shaddows only That wicked men injoy whatsoever they have viz. wealth honour wisdome pleasure c. but as it were in a dream They dream they are rich wise happy and the like as a begger may dream he is a King Or one that is ready to starve that he is richly furnished with all manner of meats and drinkes but when once he is awake he findes himself grossely mistaken All worldly happinesse hath its being only by opinion whence St Luke calls all Agrippa's pomp but a fancy Act. 25.23 a meer conceit or supposition The sweetnesse of sinne is but as the sweetnesse of poyson sweet only in the mouth in the belly bitter and deadly Stolen bread is sweet sweet in the obtaining bitter in the account and reckoning Yea this last dish will spoyl all the feast and make it but like a drop of pleasure before a river of sorrow and displeasure Whereas whatsoever the godly feel is but as a drop of misery before a river of mercy and glory CHAP. XI The way of Wisdome and Holinnsse is the way of Pleasure Prov. 3.17 As O that all covetous miserly muckworms did but know what pleasure is in the peace of conscience which passeth all understanding and the joy of the Holy Ghost what a sollace it is to be the Sonne of God an Inhabitant of Heaven to live by faith amp c. Then would they think it more worth than all the worlds wealth honour and pleasure multiplyed as many times as there be stars in the firmament that any thing that every thing were too small a price for it Then would they change these broken wormeaten and poysonfull pleasures of sinne for the pleasures of Gods House of Gods Spirit and those other pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore Psal. 16.11 God made the world of â—aught because men should set it at naught as did the Apostle the better to prevail with others who after he had been wrapt up into the third Heaven reckoned of all earthly things riches honours pleasures but as drosse and dung in comparison of the knowledge of Iesus Christ and him crucified And what saith holy David a man of a most brave and divine Spirit I have had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches They are more to be desired than gold yea than fine gold sweeter also than the honey and the honey-comb Psal. 19.10 And again How sweet are thy words unto my mouth
as she held it in her armes Heliogabalus was slaine upon a Privy Antiochus the Tyrant rotted alive Herennus the Sicilian being taken prisoner fall downe dead with very feare of what he should suffer being a co-partâ—er â—n the conspiracy of Cajus Gracchus And Plautinus the Numidian at the very sight of his dead Wife took it so to heart that he fell upon her and rose no more I have read of a Captaine that having murthered many on hors-back was killed with his owne sword falling out of his scabbard as he did alight Bibulus riding through Rome in triumph a tyle stone fell from the roofe of a house and killed him And the like of King Pyrrhus Tullius Hostilius was slain with a Thunder bolt How easily may some sudden sickenesse an Impostum or the like cut in two the threâ—â— of life when we thinke the least of death There be as many little Sculs as great ones in Golgotha sayes the Hebrew Proverb for one Apple that falleth from the tree ten are pulled before they he ripe And the parents mourn for the death of their children as oft as the children for the death of their parents Which were it well considered would make men more wise then so to value the things of this life and under-value those of the next For that which the sterne is to the ship the eye to the body the Compasse to the Pilot the same is the consideration of his end to a wise Christian. Or 3. If he still enjoyes his wealth together with his life for many yeares yet what will it profit him when sicknesse comes All the wealth in the world will not remove paine neither will honour or greatnesse if they be added to wealth It is not the imbroydered slipper that will drive away the painfull gowt Nor the golden Diadem the cruell head ache nor the Diamond ring the angry Whitflow nor the long Velvet Roab the burning Feaver Yea the aking of a tooth the pricke of a thorne or some passion of the minde is able to deprive us of the pleasures of the whole worlds Monarchy Whence all earthly enjoyments are so often called vanities because they are vain things to trust to or dote upon they cannot profit or deliver in time of sickness or death 1 Sam. 12.21 4. And lastly he cannot carry the leaft part of his riches away with him For as with Iob he came naked into the world so he shalt returne naked out of it onely his evill deeds and his accusing conscience if he repents not shall beare him company Bona sequuntur mala persequuntur Be not thou afraid saith the Psalmist when one is made rich and when the glory of his house is encreased For he shall take nothing away when he dyeth neither shall his pompe descend after him Psal. 49.16 17. And also Solomon As he came forth of his mothers belly he shall return naked to go as he came and shall beare away nothing of his labour which he hath caused to passe by his hand Eccles 5.15 And likewise the Apostle We brought nothing into the world and it is certaine we can carry nothing out of it 1 Tim. 6 7. Oh my brethren think of it it is but a poor comfort to have wealth and want grace It is far better while our health lasteth to sow the seed of godly actions in the field of this world that at the Autumne or end of our age we may reap the fruit of euerlasting comfort For to every man that doth good shall be glory and hunour immortality and eternall life to the Iew first and also to the Gentile Rom. 2.10 And so on the contrary For unto them that do not obey the Truth but obey unrighteousness shall be indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every soule that doth evill of the Iew first and also of the Gentile vers 5. to 10. God hath said it and they shall finde it And that is it to flourish for a time and perish for ever Whence let us learne this lesson That Iustice hath lincked as with 〈◊〉 iron chaine goodnesse and blessednesse sinne and punishment together 〈…〉 the cause and the effect as the body and the shadow as the worke and the wages as the Parent and the Childe one begettiâ—â— another He that sowes the seed of godly actions in the field of a repentant heart shall at the Autumn or end of his life reap the fruits of everlasting comfort and so on the contrary And so much of the time when we are to give I should now come to tho meanes enabling thereunto which are principally two Labour Industry in lawfull getting and frugality or thriftinesse in spending our goods lawfully gotten that so having greater plenty we may be the richer in good works according to the French proverb A seasonable gathering and a reasonable spending make a good house-keeping But of these I have spoken in the means to attain riches Chap. 32 33. beginning at page 50. Onely I will add a few lines CHAP. XLI First touching Labour or Industry in lawfull getting and encreasing by all lawfull meanes in our Callings that it enables a man to perform this duty the Apostle sheweth in prescribing it to the Ephesians as a means of bounty and beneficence Let him that stole steale no more but rather let him labour working with his owne hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that needs And Solomon describing the vertuous woman saith in the first place that she seekes wool and flaxe and workes willingly with her hands that she layes her hands to the spindle and her hands hold the distaffe and then that she stretches out her hands to the poore yea she reaches forth her hands to the needy And St. Luke having testified of Dorcas that she was full of good works and almesdeeds which she did He soone after sheweth the meanes and fountaine of her beneficence to wit her labour and industry in making coats and garments So Peter Martyrs Wife is commended for having been a prudent and painfull housewife and bountifull to the poor and needy the former good quality enabling her to the latter Be we therefore painfull and industrious in our severall callings that GOD may prosper and replenish us with good things that so we may the better communicate them tâ— others Secondly Frugality or thriftinesse in spending our goods lawfully gotten For thrift which is a due saving from sinfull and needlesse expences must be as the purveyor for liberality Be sparing in unnecessary expences that thou mayest be liberall in good uses and this will mightily manifest thy heart to be right The fuell of charity is frugality and the flame piety as we may see in Boaz whom we finde to be thrifty religious charitable For as by lopping off the superfluous branches a good tree is made more fruitfull So by cutting off all needlesse expences a liberall man abounds more in good works Whence observe that rule of our