THE CVRE OF CARES OR A SHORT DISCOVRSE declaring the condition of worldly Cares with some Remedies appropriated unto them Penned for the use of all but is most proper for such as be distressed BY HENRY MASON Parson of S. Andrews Vndershaft London LONDON Printed by M. F. for IOHN CLARKE and are to be solde at his shop under S. Peters Church in Cornhill 1627. THE CVRE OF CARES OR A short Discourse declaring the condition of worldly Cares with some remedies appropriated unto them THere is no man I suppose so happy but may have some crosses that may breed him cares and some cares that may require a cure For say that a man hath wealth and honour and autority and abundance of all things so that neighbours who looke upon his outward state do thinke him an happy man and will say of him that hee needeth not care yet the same man lightly either hath an unquiet wife or disobedient children or unfaithfull servants or contentious neighbours or unnaturall kinsmen that do both wrong him and disquiet him Or if he be free from all these as few men are yet the frowne of a Great man or a losse in his estate or a miscariage in some suite or one sudden accident or other may befall him to his griefe And as a Est 5.11 12 â—3 Haman in the midst of honours met with a disgrace that damped all his joy so he who is most happy for the world either hath or yer long will meet with one crosse or other that may fill his head with carefull and discontented thoughts And these cares as they do disquiet the man so they do offend God and are therefore condemned b Mat. 6.25 c. Luk. 12.22 c. Philip. 4.6 in Scriptures In respect whereof I think it will not be without use to take a view of the nature of these cares and to assay whether such remedies may be found out as may serue either to cure or to ease them And for that end these particulars seeme in mine opinion not to be unfit nor unworthy of consideration 1 What kinde of Care it is that is here to be treated of 2 What signes or markes there be by which sinfull Cares may be discerned from those that be lawfull and faultlesse 3 What euills or inconueniences sinfull Cares do breede or produce 4 What remedies may be used to redresse them CHAP. I. What kinde of Care it is whereof here we seeke the cure EVery cure presupposeth a malady and therfore when we seeke a cure of Cares it is supposed to be of such onely as are evill And yet it cannot bee denyed but as carelessenesse is vitious so some care may be lawfull and vertuous and therefore it will bee necessary in the entrance for avoiding of confusion to difference them each from other And for that purpose wee may first consider the uses of the word and then the diversities that are found in the thing and from either of them select that which may fit the purpose in hand I. And first for the word wee may note two things 1 That Care in propriety of speech is an applying of the minde to think on some object which application we may also call a regarding of it And in this generall acception it answereth to the Latine word cura and to the Greeke words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rather to the substantive noune included in these verbes As Mar. 12.14 the Pharises and Herodians say unto Christ Master we know that thou art true and carest for no man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they give a reason of their saying so for thou regardest not the person of men implying in this speech that not to regard men is as much as not to care for them And so is the word used (a) Mar. 4.38 Luke 10.40 Io. 10.13 Act. 18.17 1 Tim. 3.5 c. elsewhere often But yet many times the English word care as also the Latine cura from whence it is derived doth signifie and import an earnest and vehement intention of the mind and is the same with the Latine solicitudo and the Greek (b) 2 Cor. 7.12 2 Cor. 8.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and (c) Matt. 6.25 28 38. Luke 10 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which sense our English Bible doth sometimes translate these words earnest care as 2 Cor. 8.16 and sometimes carefulnesse as 1 Cor. 7.32 and 2 Cor. 7.11 And in this acception we take the word in this place that is for carefulnesse or an earnest care 2 We may note that properly the word care doth import an applying or bending of the minde about some future thing that we may obtaine our intent or desire in it For in orderly proceeding all care or study of minde is for effecting something that we do desire to bring about And therefore Aquinas saith that (d) Solicitudo importat studium quoddam adhibitum ad aliquid consequendum Aquin 2.2 q 5 s. art 6. C. Care is a study applyed to the obtaining of some thing But yet sometimes through the corruption of men who not seldome do pervert the right order of things care and study is imployed about that which is past and things that are impossible and such as cannot be ordered or procured by us as when a man bendeth his thoughts and beateth his braines with musing and idle thoughts about some mischance or accident which he knoweth cannot be amended nor doth ever fall into the deliberation of a wise man In this place I extend the word to both our care being then the more vitious when it is the more disorderly And so much be noted for the word II. Secondly for the thing signified by this word we must note three distinctions and out of them select that which may serve our turne Distinct 1. There are three sorts of care answerable to three sorts of objects to which it may bee applyed For some things are holy or such as God hath commanded and some things are sinfull or such as God doth condemne and some things are of a middle or indifferent nature neither commanded nor forbidden but may as occasion doth require either be done or left undone without sinne And men may be carefull about all these things For good men are carefull to performe good duties So S. Paul saith of the Corinthians that (a) 2 Cor. 7.11 godly sorrow wrought carefulnesse in them and of the (b) 1 Cor. 7.32.34 unmaried man and woman that they care for the things of the Lord how they may please the Lord and may be holy both in body and in spirit And of himselfe he saith that upon him lay the care of all the Churches Secondly wicked men are carefull about their evill intentions and desires So Micah saith of them that (c) Micah 7.2 3. they lye in waite for blood and that they doe evill with both hands earnestly and Solomon saith that (d) Prov. 4.16
thing which wee care or labour for For (d) Matt. 6.27 Luk. 12.25 which of you saith our Saviour by taking thought can adde one cubite to his stature His meaning is that no thought nor care nor anxietie of minde can effect our desires or procure the successe which is only in Gods power to give And so in like sort we may reason of all other the like cases Which of vs by sitting in a corner though wee should weepe our bellies full can by this carking care either cure a disease in our bodies or make up a breach in our estates or pacifie the broiles in our house or bring to life againe a deceased friend No. These bee things which if God do not give them we cannot have them Thus this care and vexation of spirit is both needlesse without use and fruitlesse without effect and in both respects wee may say that this irregular care doth cumber us and not help us II. Immoderate cares do make our life to be without comfort For God (e) Psal 104.15 hath given us both bread to strengthen us and wine to make the heart glad and oile to make the face shine as David speaketh and hee it is that (f) Act. 14.17 filleth our hearts with foode and gladnes The meaning of which sayings is that God doth not only bestow on us necessarie things that may preserve life but comfortable things also that may make it joyfull and would not only have his servants to live but while they live to rejoyce also But cares take away this joy they are ever accompanied with sadnes and sorow and (a) Prov. 15.13 and 12.25 by sorow in the heart saith Salomon the spirit is broken a (b) Prov. 17.22 broken spirit drieth the bones so that all the dayes of the afflicted spirit are evill but a mery heart is a continuall feast In respect whereof we may say of such a man that he enjoyeth not life while he possesseth it and that his verie soule doth but serve to make his paines sensible Nay sorow doth not only deprive mans life of the comfort which God hath given him but doth even deprive the man of life it selfe For to say nothing of those who being oppressed with cares do with their owne hands hasten their death this sadnesse in the soule doth by degrees shorten our time and that when we think not on it (c) 1 Sam. 1.7 8 It made Hannah to weepe and to forgoe her foode (d) 1 Kings 21.4 5. It made Ahab sick betake himselfe to his bed And as the Apostle saith in the end (e) 2 Cor. 7.10 it worketh death And thus cares do make the life uncomfortable and without joy III. Immoderate cares do make men unfit for Gods service and that in two respects 1 Because he that is dejected with griefe cannot bee cheerefull about any worke much lesse can hee that is grieved with worldly cares be free hearted to so contrary a work as is Gods service But as (f) 2 Kin. 3.15 Elishah was then fit to prophecie when the minstrell played before him so men are then fit to heare and reade and pray with devotion and zeale when their hearts are enlarged with joy and gladnes And therefore God requireth (g) Deut. 28.47 that when men have abundance of all things they should serve the Lord with joyfulnes and gladnes of heart 2 Cares make us unfit to serve God because the heart being taken up with earthly thoughts hath no leisure to attend to heavenly things But as hee that is in a deepe studie or is musing on some matter with intention of minde seeth not the things that are before his eyes or if hee see them yet noteth them not so hee whose minde is filled with cares of the world heareth not what the Preacher saith unto him or if he heareth it he observeth it not nay when himselfe praieth his heart knoweth not what his mouth speaketh And no marvell for the heart is away all the while ranging here and there where his thoughts bee Or if such a man fasten upon any thing in the publike ministerie Yet his care of the world carieth him from the Church to other affaires and they do so wholly take up his thoughts that bee thinketh no more on that which hee had once heard so the seede that was sowen for want of watering it by meditation never groweth up into practise For which cause our Saviour telleth us that (h) Matt. 13.22 the care of this world doth choke the word and warneth us to (i) Luk. 21.34 take heede lest our hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkennes and cares of this life and so that day of the Lord come upon us at unawares In which admonition we may consider these particulars 1 What he warneth us of and it is surfetting and drunkennes and cares of this life hee joyneth these three together because though they differ in nature yet they agree in one worke or effect 2 What the effect is which they cause they overcharge the heart that is they presse it downe to the ground with the heavie burden that they lay upon it Surfetting burdeneth it with excesse of meate drunkennes with abundance of drinke and worldly cares with anxious and distracting thoughts and all of them keepe it downe and make it lie groveling upon the ground 3 What the danger hereof is and that is men are unprepared and unready for the comming of Christ unto judgement so that that day commeth upon them at unawares and hee that is not prepared to give his account will never bee able to abide the last sentence Thus cares make men unfit for Gods service and consequently for their last reckoning IIII. Immoderate and distrustfull cares as they deprive our selves of comfort so they rob God of his honour For if we will deale justly with God and devide aright betweene him and our selves in the managing and ordering of all our affaires and businesses ours is the labour his is the successe to us it belongeth to use lawfull meanes but to him to give a blessing and to prosper the meanes that wee have used This the Psalmist teacheth us (a) Psal 12â— 1 Except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it and except the Lord keepe the City the watchman waketh but in vaine And it is vaine for you to rise up early to sit up late and to eate the bread of sorowes And so the Apostle (b) 1 Cor. 3.6 I saith he planted and Apollos watered but God gave the increase And our Saviour saith of the husbandman that (c) Mar. 4.26 hee casteth seede into the ground and sleepeth and riseth night and day and the seede springeth and groweth up hee knoweth not how And (d) 1 Cor. 15.37 38. Thou saith the Apostle sowest not that body which shall be but bare graine it may chance of wheat or of some other seede but God giveth it a
they sleepe not except they have done mischiefe and their sleepe is taken away unlesse they cause some to fall Thirdly all sorts of men are carefull about the things of this life (e) Luke 10.41 Martha was carefull and troubled about many things all of them belonging to provision for the body and entertainment of friends And (g) 1 Cor. 7.33.34 he that is maried careth for the things of the world how he may please his wife and shee that is maried careth for the things of the world how she may please her husband The first sort is a godly care the second is a devilish care and the third is a worldly care and that is it whereof now we do enquire Dist 2. Secondly this worldly care or care for the things of this world is of two sorts it is either a regular and orderly care or an irregular and exorbitant care The regular care is when according to the rule of wisedome and Gods word we forecast and study how to procure our lawfull ends and desires Now the rules prescribed by Gods word for this purpose are three 1 That the desire of our ends be moderate 2 That our pursuit of the meanes conducing to these ends be lawfull And 3 that there be a patient submission of our desires and endevours to Gods will and pleasure 1 That our desires of worldly blessings be moderate Rule 1 so that we neither preferre them before more necessary things nor spend about them unnecessary and excessive paines For example a good man desireth health and wealth and preferments and honours but so as that he doth much more desire grace and Gods fauour and peace of conscience and eternall life And againe he bestoweth paines in seeking for the blessings of this life but it is at seasonable houres and without taking up that time which is due to better things This I call a moderate desire of our ends and it is ever necessary in seeking for worldly things This rule is prescribed by our Sauiour when hee saith (a) Matt. 6.33 First seeke the king dome of God and his righteousnesse and was practised by the Apostle when (b) Philip. 3.8 he suffered the losse of all things for Gods cause and counted them but dung that he might win Christ 2 The next rule is Rule 2 that we use lawfull meanes for attaining of our ends so that wee do not doe any thing for procuring of them which is contrary to Gods word or will This rule the Apostle prescribeth when for seeking of worldly wealth he giveth this direction (c) Ephes 4.28 Let him that stole steale no more but rather let him labour working with his hands the thing that is good that he may have to give to him that needeth In this passage we may note three things for our purpose 1 The end that is desired and that is that a man may have sufficiency not only to supply his owne wants but to relieve the wants of others also 2 The meanes that is forbidden to bee used for this end and that is stealing and whatsoever other unjust dealing And 3 the meanes that is commanded and that is labour and paines-taking by doing some worke that is lawfull and good This is the Apostles rule in seeking for wealth and the same should be ours in our desires and cares for all other worldly things 3 The last rule is Rule 3 that we submit our desires to Gods will and leave our endevours with patience to be ordered by his providence This rule was given by our Saviour when he taught us to pray Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven And himselfe did practise it when he said (d) Matt. 26.39 Luke 22.42 O my Father if it bee possible let this cup passe from me neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt For here he earnestly desired preservation from death and yet patiently submitted himselfe to Gods pleasure either for life or death And so David first giveth the rule (a) Psal 37.5 Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to passe and then followed it in his owne practice (b) 2 Sam. 15.25 26. If saith he I shall finde favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me againe and shew me both it the Arke and his habitation But if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him doe to me as seemeth good unto him And thus the Disciples at Cesarea (c) Act. 21 1â— 14. did beseech Paul not to goe up to Ierusalem where they knew that he was to bee persecuted but when he would not be perswaded because he knew it was Gods will to the contrary they ceased and said The will of the Lord be done And thus must we doe though our desires bee most reasonable and our meanes most warrantable yet after all we must submit our selues to God and with patience and contentednesse referre all to his providence either for the granting or for the denying of our desires Now if these three rules be observed in our seeking of worldly things if our desires be moderate and our meanes lawfull and all left with due submission to Gods will and pleasure then our care for these things is orderly and regular And this care is both allowable and commendable First it is allowable because S. Paul saith (d) 1 Cor. 7.33 34. He that is maried careth for the things that are of the world how he may please his wife and she that is maried careth for the things of the world how she may please her husband For by this speech he meant not to tell us what maried people might unjustly practice against Gods Law but what they were occasioned to doe by vertue of their calling For else in all estates of life men and women may deale corruptly and dishonour God and the single life might be subject to the like cumbrances that the maried estate is Secondly I say further that this kinde of care is commendable because it is that meanes by which God hath appointed us to serve his providence For to trust to Gods help without using our owne care is not so much to trust God as to tempt him And therefore Solomon sendeth the sluggard to the Pismire to learne care and providence of her in that (*) Prov. 6.8 shee provideth her meat in the summer and gathereth her food in the harvest And S. Paul telleth us that (a) 1 Tim. 5.8 if any man provide not for his owne and specially for those of his house he hath denied the faith and is worse then an infidell This care then is a thing both allowed and commended in Scriptures and therefore is not that care for which we need to prescribe any cure But now in the second place there is an irregular and exorbitant care and that is when contrary to the former rules of Gods Law wee seeke after our wished ends 1.