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A89162
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The way to thrive: or The heavenly thrift. Teaching a man so to thrive heere, that he may thrive for ever hereafter. By Alexander Mingzeis, minister of Gods word.
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Mingzeis, Alexander.
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1653
(1653)
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Wing M2193; Thomason E1475_2; ESTC R209517
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6,035
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The Way to Thrive OR THE HEAVENLY THRIFT Teaching a man so to THRIVE heere that he may Thrive for ever hereafter By Alexander MingÈeis Minister of Gods Word He that is greedy of gaine troubleth his owne house but hee that hateth gifts shall live Prov. 15.27 For the desire of money is the root of all evill which while some have coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrowes 1. Tim. 6.10 But godlinesse is great gaine if a man be content with that he hath 1. Tim. 6.6 LONDON Printed in the Yeare MDCLIII The Way to Thrive c. THere is no end saith the Preacher of making many Bookes Eccles 12.12 especially in these times wherin English men have gotten Athenian eares that is either to tell or heare some newes Acts 17.21 and what more welcome newes then both heavenly and earthly thrift Thrift I know cannot chuse but be a welcome guest unto all this is it that all men now adayes do look and long for that the blinde world most hunts after high and low rich and poore one with another But divers divers manner of wayes the Covetous hee thinkes that thrift doth consist in heaping up riches the licentious in his pleasure the proud in his ambition but this is not the right way of thriving The right way therefore of thriving is to learn so to thrive in Grace here that we may thrive in glory hereafter First I say we must learne to thrive in Grace And the reason is two-fold first because Grace doth not only bring to glory but also because it hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come 1. Tim. 4.8 The first step therefore to the Heavenly thrift is to learne to be holy and to walke close with God as Enoch did Gen. 5.24 Now the way to be holy is not only to live the life of Grace but also to improve it that is to put our talent to use to the end that when the Lord commeth hee may receive his owne with advantage Mat. 25.27 Tradesmen and Shop-keepers doe not hoord up their ware to have it lying by them but all their care is to put it off with the most gain and look with how many more they trade by so much greater is their profit It is a fine thing to have some ware in every mans shop an Oare in every mans boat and some trafficque in every Countrey for if one faile yet all seldome or never faile It is a rich thing to have a stock of prayers going in this Towne in that Countrey in that house Village or Family for if the prayers of one righteous man availeth much Jam. 5.16 what doth the prayer of a hundred or a thousand the godly man therefore must needs be a rich and a thriving man that hath not onely his owne stock but also the riches and treasure of Heaven and Earth for in Heaven he hath Christ and his Saints and all the holy Angels for his Advocate and friends upon earth hee hath the Godly all the world over As for the wicked he needs not heed them for they shall be as chaffe which the winde driveth away Psal 1.4 for as they minde onely earthly things so shall they come short of heaven and though God fil their bellies with his hid treasure yet they are no better then filthy swine alwayes wallowing in the mire of sin and rooking in the dunghill of the earth being kept for the day of slaughter But for the godly man though his portion for the most part is the least in this world yet his is the greatest in the Kingdome of Heaven and though he seeme to be most subject to the losses and crosses of this life yet he knowes that all things doe worke for his good Rom. 8.28 and greater comfort in the Heavens because there he hath stored up his treasure Mat. 6.20 And albeit it doth not appear here what he is because his life is hid with Christ in God Coll. 3.3 yet when he which is his life shall appeare then shall he also appear with him in glory 1. John 3.2 and shall shine as a star in the midst of the firmament of Heaven Dan. 12.3 all things working for his good all things furthering his salvation and sending him heaven-ward The godly man therefore must needs be a rich man who gaineth in death triumpheth in sorrows groweth rich in adversity and thriveth then most when hee loseth most for look by how much lesse he enjoyeth of this world by so much more he getteth of Heaven he in a gainer I say in death in life in prosperity in adversity for so long as he hath God on his side so long hee hath Heaven upon Earth comfort in dispaire joy in griefe pleasure in paine health in sicknesse freedome in bondage life in death and all maner of comfort in the extreamest pangs of misery Christ being unto him all in all things Col. 3.11 He is greater then any calamity can overcome being more then a Conquerour through him that loved him and washed him from his sins in his bloud Rom. 8.37 Rev. 1.5 Who now would not but bee a godly man and desire with Balaam to die the death of the righteous to the end that his last end might be like his Numb 23.10 Who would not but with the Apostle count all things loss and dung to gain Christ Phil. 3.8 And think godlinesse to be great gaine 1 Tim. 6.6 Seeing it is it that not onely giveth a man right to the things of this life and of that which is to come but also it procureth a blessing in and upon all he enjoyeth and therefore if a man would thrive let him learne to be godly for that is only the true thriving way the blinde world therefore is mistaken that counteth gaine to be godlinesse and the worldly thrift to be the only thrift which placeth its chiefe felicity in the things of this life and so that people be but rich to the world they care not how poore they are to God and how barren in grace Heaven is but dung to them and Mammon is their God and yet it is a wonder to see how these empty vessels do jet it upon earth how they take upon themselves to be the onely people of the world and that we can easily grant them while we looke Heaven-ward and lay hold upon eternall life 1 Tim. 6.12 I cannot but wonder I say to see how they dispise the poore of whom God hath made many rich in faith Jam. 2.3 when as they doe not see themselves how they are not only poore but also blinde wretched miserable and naked Rev. 3.17 But it is no wonder that they which despise God should dispise man that those whose hearts are glewed to the world should contemne Heaven for it is just with God that those for whom sorrow is ordained hereafter that they should have their portion in this life and they that thrive not
heaven-ward should thrive hell-ward yea but give them riches and let them injoy the Earth they care not what becomes of Heaven they are content to set all at sinque and sice and let them go at hazzards Oh fooles and unwise what have they gained when they have gotten the whole world and lost their owne soules Mat. 16.26 do they not well deserve to be shut out of Heaven that will goe wilfully to Hell or do they not know that one soule is more precious then a thousand worlds But what doe I talke of soules of heaven and hell or of the world to come seeing all is denied in this age and people live as if they never should see death I answer it were well for them if they never should so doe but though the wicked do flourish like a green Bay-tree Ps 37.35 yet I know that there is a reward for the righteous and a God that judgeth the earth Psal 58.11 They are counted the wisest men now a dayes that are thrivingest men if then we desire to be wise and thrive let us learn to be godly for thereby we see we shal graspe Heaven and Earth at one span we shall thrive in Heaven and wee shall thrive upon earth we shall thrive here and hereafter This is to play the part of wise men indeed to be rich in grace and rich in glory rich in life and rich in death rich in heaven and rich upon earth I do not say here that men may be lazy and thrive neither that this heavenly thrift consists without labour and paines but as the worldling cannot thrive without industry no more can the godly without some indeavour yet as the Race is not to the swift nor the Battell to the strong nor yet bread to the wise nor riches to men of understanding Eccles 9.11 so the most laborious man is not alwaies the most thriving man because it is not to him that riseth up early and lieth downe late and eateth the bread of carefulnesse but to whom God giveth the blessing Psal 127.2 Not that therefore we should not take paines but by reason hereof strive the more earnestly Luke 13.24 especially for the Kingdome of heaven Mat. 6.33 which suffereth violence Mat. 11.12 and for all other things they shall be cast upon us Seeing therefore that godlinesse is the most gainfull life and a holy life the most thriving life Wee are heere in the second place to learne how to lead a true and godly life I answer God hath divers wayes and meanes to bring us to this sometimes for the hope of worldly gaine he brings us to heavenly treasure sometimes by taking that from us which wee have hee gives us that which wee have not and brings us to everlasting comfort sometimes he imbitters the world unto us to make us relish Heaven sometimes hee brings us in love with Heaven that wee might learne to dispise and contemne the world But in sum and all the onely way to thrive Heaven-ward is with Christ to learn to deny our selves and to take up our Crosse and follow him dayly Luk. 7.23 we must learne to abandon the world and to bid all worldly comforts adiew And while our faces are Zion-ward Jer. 50.5 we must forget the flesh pots the Onions and Garleek of Egypt Exod. 16.3 Levit. 11.5 We must learne to forget our owne people and our Fathers house if we would have the King to delight in our beauty Psal 45.10.11 or be true Israelites of the Heavenly Canaan or Citizens of the Coelestiall Jerusalem But may we not keepe correspondency with the world and Heaven too be rich upon earth and rich in Heaven take our pleasure here and have it hereafter I answer no for first the Apostle adviseth us not to bee conformable to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our mindes Rom. 12.2 Secondly concerning riches first Solomon adviseth us not to labour to bee rich Prov. 23.4 Againe Christ tells us that it is as hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of God as for a Camell to go through the eye of a needle Mat. 19.24 and therefore in Luke 6.24 hee pronounces a woe unto them that are rich adding the reason because they have received their consolation And S. James bids them weep and howle for the miseries that shall come upon them James 5.1 As for those that live in pleasure they are but dead whilest they seem to live 1. Tim. 5.6 They spend their years in pleasure and in a moment goe downe into Hell And therefore wee must learne to improve ourthoughts our words and actions our state our health our wealth our treasures to Gods glory our owne comfort and the good of others Wee must learne to order our wayes aright so that no occasion or opportunity of time bee let goe without doing of some good without drawing nearer unto God Jam. 4.8 and having a sweet union and communion with him in being at peace with him having joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 and walking in the strength and power of God yea and that though no eye did see us God did not seem to regard us nor the world to take notice of us because we know where our reward is We looke at eternitie and an eternall well-being with our God in whose presence is fulnesse of joy and at his right hand pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 His love doth constraine us to doe what wee doe to suffer undergo all things for his sake because we do know that the sufferings of this life are not comparable with the joyes that shall bee revealed Rom. 8.18 and the rather because we do know that this life is short enough if not too short to fit and prepare us for eternity and therefore wee make so much the more speed to hasten our journey homeward which is Heaven The world we passe by with scorn not heeding it for though wee buy yet wee seem not to possesse and though we use the world yet we seeme not to enjoy it 1 Cor. 7.31 by honour and dishonour by evill report and good report as deceivers and yet true as unknown and yet known as dying behold we live as chastened and yet not killed as sorrowing and yet alwayes rejoycing as poor and yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things 1 Cor. 6.8.9.10 And as the worldling lets no occasion passe by him without bringing some of his enterprizes to passe so the godly slips no opportunitie of time without accomplishing his designe the time past he redeems with fervent prayes the time present he bestows in all holinesse and honesty the time to come hee is carefull to spend it to Gods glory his owne and anothers good hee is diligent in reading in hearing and holy meditations the godly is all his delight and the Saints are his chiefest treasure he is at all times upon all occasions and in all places exercised in holy duties and in devotion both publicke and private the distressed by him is relieved the sicke is visited the captive is redeemed the poor is comforted he is eyes to the blinde feet to the lame and counsell and strength to the weake and ignorant he hath the prayers of others his own prayers do good to others his exāple reacheth all the world over hee is painfull in travell patient in affliction the world he contemns and all the glory of it Heaven onely is his aime God is his comfort Christ his treasure and the blessed Saints and Angels his only Companions and when the world leaves him Heaven receives him there is not a Grace but he puts it to use and gets interest upon it yea Grace for Grace Joh. 1.16 as hee walketh from faith to faith till hee appeare before the living God in Zion Psal 84.7 Now as there is a thriving in godlinesse which I call the Heavenly Thrift so there is in the third and last place a worldly thrift which is our thriving in earthly affaires but because there are but few but seeme to bee instructed in this way I will onely briefly set downe a two-fold Rule The first is that we have a care to avoid idlenesse 2. That we get nothing by false wayes or meanes First therefore I say that if we desire to thrive upon earth we must avoid idlenesse because it is not only an enemy to thrift but also the very mother or nurse of all evill therefore an idle man cannot be said to be a thriving man because it is onely the diligent hand that maketh rich Prov. 10.4 Secondly wee must have a care that wee get nothing by false wayes or meanes Wee must have a care of false weights and measures of adulterate ware of bribes coveteousnesse cruelty and oppression of fraud deceit and extortion and that wee preach not the word for filthy lucre sake whereby wee make merchandise of it and set God our owne Consciences and peoples Soules to sale We must have a care of swearing and forswearing of our selves lest the flying curse take place amongst us and consume the very stones and timber of out houses Zach. 5.4 Wee must have a care that the cry of the poore fatherlesse and widdows come not into the ears on the Lord and root us and our posterity for ever out of the Land of the living Wee must have a care that wee intangle not our selves with the cares of this life that wee meddle not with the times nor with Power and Authority nor with them that are given to change Psal 24.21 But because the worldling will be carefull enough in this behalfe viz. to study his owne welfare and happinesse upon Earth I leave his worldly care to bring him to a true and spirituall care of his everlasting happinesse and welfare in the world to come seeing that for this hee was borne and brought into the world and that this is the onely thrift if there bee any true thriving way under Heaven Which way and meanes God grant us for Christ his sake Amen FINIS