A Counterbane Against Earthly Carefulness, Title page – Dedication
A COVNTERBANE againſt EARTHLY CAREFVLNES.
In a Sermon preached at Cranebrooke in Kent. 1617.
By Mr. Paul Baine ſomtimes Preacher of Gods Word at Saint Andrewes in Cambridge.
1. Pet. 5.7.
Cast all your care on him for hee careth for you.
LONDON
Printed by H. L. for Nathanaell Newbery, and are to be ſolde at his Shop vnderunder St. Peters church in Cornehill and in Popes-head Alley. 1618.
To the Right worſhipfull Sr William Crauon, Knight, and one of the Aldermen of the Honourable City of London, Eternall Happineſſe.
RIght worſhipfull and worthy Sir, hauing receiued an aſſured teſtimony of your fauour and louelove, and not beeing able to render, nor your Worſh. ad-mitting the moſt vſual gratifications; I am inforced, becauſe I would auoid Ingratitude (a vice moſt odious vntounto God and man) to manifeſt vntounto you my thankefull mind in this maner, altogether out of my element; but that it hath pleaſed God to diſpoſe of it ſo fitly, that in the very Interim of your fauor this Sermon was broght vntounto my hands, without a Patron, to bee publiſhed in the world. And ſeeing I conceiued it not conuenient ſo to ſend it forth incident to ſo much enmity in regard of its oppoſition to the worlds affections, I preſumed to make bold with your worſhip, who had bin my patron to entreat your fauor alſo towards this orphane, that vnderunder your protection it may paſſe more ſafely & freely into the hands and hearts of worldly men. And indeed it will be very neceſſary for them to carry this Antidote alwaies about them neare their harts: for ſo ſhall they eſcape that death which by earthly carefulnes is ready to ſeize vponupon them. For the more the world is drowned in worldly luſts and cares, (as hardly was it euer ſo deeply as now) the more requiſite is it that there ſhould be all meanes vſed to pull men vp out of this whirle-pit wherein they are diuing vntounto their euerlaſting perdition: now what means can be more effectuall heereunto, than the explication and fit application of that which our bleſſed Sauiour himſelfe hath preſcribed to this purpoſe? euen to turne our mindes from ſeeking earthly things which periſh with the vſing (& for the getting and vſing whereof God will require a ſtrait account at our hands) vntounto thoſe things which are ſpiritual and will endure with vsus to our comfort for euer. And heerein did the reuerend and learned authour of this Sermon expreſſe himſelfe to be a wiſe ſteward, viz. by giuing a fit portion to worldly men in fit ſeaſon. For if it could once be fixed in mens mindes to louelove Gods kingdome and his righteouſnes, ſo as to ſeeke it firſt of all, and to beleeue that all neceſſary earthly things ſhould be added vntounto them; then the deadly cares of the world would vaniſh away & trouble them no more, at leaſt nothing ſo dangerouſly. But this is rather to bee wiſht than hop't for, in regard the world hath ſo deceiu'd men, that now nothing on earth is eſteemed good but that which is gaineful: nay goodneſſe it ſelfe findes little regard but for the gaining of earthly com-modity; ſo that moſt men ſet themſelues to catch at the ſhadow of good, in the meane time loſing the ſubſtance of it. Yet this eſſaie to recouer men into their right mindes againe, and to reduce them into the true way of happineſs as it was moſt commendable in the holy preacher hereof: So I hope the publiſhing of it ſhall not bee vnacceptable vntounto any. Howſoeuer, I humbly deſire your worſhips fauourable aſpect vntounto it: & if it ſhall pleaſe you (when you are free from greater affairs) to caſt an eie vponupon it, I doubt not but you ſhall find ſomthing worthy your view and conſideration. But my ſlender commendations will but dim the ſplendour of this burning light: and therefore firmly hoping and humbly deſiring your worſhips pardon for my ouermuch preſumption, I com-mend you to the almighty pro…ection of God the wiſe gouernor of eueryevery thing in heauen & earth; who makes all things worke-together for the beſt vntounto thoſe that louelove him.
Your Worſhips most humbly at command, N.N.