How to Live Well, Title page – To the reader
How to liue, and that well: Jn all estates and times, specially when helps and comforts faile.
Printed by Iohn Legat, printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge. 1601.
And are to be sold at the Crowne in Pauls Churchyard by Simon Waterson.
To the Reader.
GOod Reader, if thou wouldest be saued by thy faith in Christ, after death: thou must here liue by it before death. And faith for the time of this life, hath two great vses. The first is to cut off worldly sorrowes and cares. It is the common fashion of men, to multiplie their cares out of measure, and thereby to make their liues most miserable. For first of all, beside necessarie labours, they take vponupon them many needelesse and superfluous businesses. Secondly their manner is, to care not onelyonly for the labours to be done, but also for the euent and successe of their labours, that they may alwaies prosper and neuer be crossed: but this care belongs to God alone. Thirdly they content not themselve; with their lot and condition, but seeke by all meanes to increase their estate, and to make themselues rich. Lastly they exercise themselues not onelyonly in disposing of things present, but they forecast many matters in their heades, and plotte the successe of things to come. Now faith, when we hauehave done the works of our callings according to the prescript of the word of God, saith (I say) makes vsus commend to God the blessing, successe, & euent therof by prayer and affiance in his promises, not doubting but he will giuegive vsus all things necessary. And if we want the blessing and successe we looke for, yet faith makes vsus to renounce our owne desires, and in silence to quiet our hearts in the good pleasure of God. And thus many worldly cares are cut off.
Secondly, when a man at his wits ende, knowes not what in the world to doe, being (as it were) plunged into a sea of miseries, faith giues direction and staies the minde. For when all temporall things faile vsus euen to the very skinne and life, faith preserues within vsus an affiance of the grace and merciemercy of God, and the hope of life euerlasting. Faith shewes vsus hidden things not to be discerned by sense and reason. Life euerlasting is promised vsus, but we die for al that: we heare of the resurrection, but in the meane season we rot in our graues: we are pronounced blessed, but yet we are ouerwhelmed with infinite miseries: bundance of all things is promised, but for all this we often hū ger and thirst: God promiseth to heare vsus and to be present with vsus, but he seemes oft times to be deafe (as it were) at our cries. Now then comes faith, which is the substance of things hoped for, and makes vsus lift our minds aboue the whole world, to apprehend the inuisible and vnspeakable things of God which he hath reuealed and promised vntounto vsus. These things I shewe more at large in this small treatise following; read it at thy leisure, vse it for thy good, and see thou be a doer of them.
W. Perkins.