A Preparative to Contention, Book · Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIIII.
Comforts to content the houſholder, the Scribe, and other perſons in their ſeuerall places.
AS the holy Scriptures hauehave manie meete meditations for euerie maladie, ſo alſo among others, there be many ſweet comforts therein, to appeaze and content the houſholder, who, as it is before declared, is tormented with no ſmall troubles and afflictions of mind: wherby there is to him commended the right vſe of his calling.The houſholder is to conſider his calling, and vſe it. He is counſelled to marry a wife in the feare of God: to til and manure his ground, ſo ſeeke for wealth & treaſures, by all honeſt and godly meanes, for the maintenance of himſelf, his wife and children, his family and eſtate: to educate and inſtruct his children in the nurture and feare of the Lord: to care for his houſehold, to be mindful of the poore, to do his duty, and not to be daunted with the negligent foole, nor to giuegive ouer all, & care for nothing. Thus is he ſchooled to labour, and do his endeuour within the rules of his calling, with quietnes, cōtentation, and chriſtian comfort, hauing in mind that wholſome counſell of King Salomon: Pro. 27.23.Be diligent to know the ſtate of thy flocke, and take heede to thy hands. Then hauing conſidered of his calling and place,He muſt commit the perfection of his labors to God, to whom he muſt pray to this effect. Luther in Pſal. it ſhalbe the beſt way for him to commit the perfection of his labors and affaires to the Lord, on whom it is euer good to depend, and to whome the good houſholder daylie prayeth to this effect. O Lord God, thou hast ordained me to be an houſholder: the things that appertaine to mine houſe, thou haſt of thy great goodneſſe giuen me: but lo, the burthen and charge thereof, is heauier then that I am able to beare. Therefore I beſeech thee, to ſupplie my place: be thou the good houſholder, and I will with all mine heart ſubmit and yeeld my ſelfe vntounto thee. This praier being made in ſimplicitie and truth, the Lord will heare, and thus will he anſwere to the ſame.The Lords anſwere. I will indeed performe this matter: Onelie I will, that thou ſo prepare thy ſelfe, as thou maiſt in patience ouercome and conquer all things. Though matters come not to paſſe after thine owne minde, and when thou wouldeſt that they ſhould be perfited: yet I will not that thou ſhouldeſt deſpaire, nor forſake this kinde of life to the which I hauehave prepared thee, and called thee to ſerue me in. For ſeeing that thou haſt called vpō me, & haſt acknowledged al theſe things which I hauehave beſtowed on thee, to bee my gracious gifts, I will gladly preſerue thee and thy familie. Howbeit, if any aduerſe or grieuous things betide thee, I will that thou beare the ſame with patience, in ſuch ſort as thou bee not diſmaied, or doubtfull whether all other things will not followe, but in the like ſort. Remember my ſeruaunt Iob, who in his afflictions could thus aunſwere:Iob. 2.10. Shall we receiue good things from the Lord, and not receiue euill or aduerſe things alſo? Remember alſo what my ſeruaunt Paul hath written to the Corinthians. There hath no temptation taken you, 1. Cor. 10.13.but ſuch as apperteineth to man, and God is faithfull, which will not ſuffer you to be tempted aboue that yee be able: but will euen giuegive the iſſue with the temptation, that ye may be able to beare it. To paſſe ouer the Families of Adam, of Noah, of Abraham, of Loth, of Iſaak, of Iacob, of Moſes, of Ioſuah, of Samſon, of Gedeon, of Samuel: What houſholde hath ſeemed more miſerable,The familie of Dauid. then that of Dauid in his dayes? His wiues, his ſonnes, his daughters, his Counſailers, his ſeruants, his kinsfolkes, his ſubiectes, his enemies, both abroade and at home, gaue him oftentimes ſharpe vineger mingled with gall, whereby he mixed his drinke with weeping teares. And ſo after him many hard lots betided his family: yet ſee, how this family continued without ruine or decay, through the only ſtay of my grace, vntill that my ſonne Chriſt was born therof. Wherfore do thou alſo thy dutie in thy place:Ecclus. 7.15. account no labourious work tedious to thee in thy vocation, nor the husbandry that I hauehave created and cōmit thy ſelfe, and the ſucceſſe of all things vntounto me, with faithfull expectation of the performance of all my promiſes; and ſo thou ſhalt not onelyonly hauehave a peaceable heart and right contented mind in this worlde, but alſo that comfortable and bleſſed life in the world to come, which I hauehave prepared and promiſed to giuegive vntounto them, that neuer turne their beliefe from me. With theſe moſt ſweet conſolations, doth the Lord God cheare and ſolace the good Houſholder, whom hee would not hauehave to be driuen from his place, though neuer ſo yrkſome,Rom. 12.21. nor to be ouercome of euill, but to ſtand faſt, and to ouercome euill with goodneſſe, being through the grace of God made a right valiant ſouldier, to fight vnderunder the bleſſed banner of his Sonne, againſt the Diuell, the world, and the fleſh.
2 Finally, in all ſorrowfull euents that occurre in this eſtate (among others) that good counſaile of Demipho in Terence is not to be reiected, though a heathen man, yet ſpeaking diuinely, whom therefore Luther writing on the Eccleſiaſtes of Salomon, cap. 10. citeth, ſpeaking much after this ſort: Quamobrem omnes, &c.
VVherefore, when men their greateſt wealth enioy,Demipho in Phormio.
They cheefely then ſhould ponder well in minde:
How best to beare the burdens of annoy,
The perils, plagues, exiles, to them aſſign'de.
Returning home from farre, how they may findeA good reſolution for the houſholder.
Their ſonnes defaults, their louing wiues enterr'd,
Their tender daughters ſicke, or ſore afer'd.
Theſe be the haps, and hurts, that common be:
Theſe be the things, that eke may come to thee.
VVhat euer falles beſides th'expected lot,
Account it gaine, as ſo much clearely got.
3 Moreouer,A good reſolution for the Scribe or learned writer. Ier. 45.5. Baruch the painefull Scribe ought not to be diſcouraged after his laborious watchings and long labours, nor to diſpayre of his good wages and ſufficient recompence: for verily, though his expectation of thoſe worldly promotions which he offereth be vaine, becauſe the captiuitie is threatned by the Lord ſhortly to enſue, and a miſerable plague is brought vponupon all fleſh, according as himſelfe hath written by the direction of Ieremie the Prophet: yet hath the Lorde prouided for him a farre better thing then worldly promotions: for thus hath the Lorde promiſed him, that Hee will giuegive him his life for a praie in all places whither ſoeuer hee goeth. And this is no ſmall matter: For as the bodie is more worth then meate, and the life then raiment: ſo a man will not ſticke to giuegive all that euer hee hath for his life. A treaſure which no worldly man is able to purchaſe with all the plentie of this life. And yet this benefite extendeth it ſelfe further, to the endleſſe comfort of them that take paine by their pens to pleaſure many others, when that of the goodneſſe of God in his ſonne Chriſt, hee ſhall not onelyonly liue among the famous, in this preſent worlde throughout all generations, in the mouthes and memories of men, which reape the fruits of his labours, to the praiſe of God, and their inſtruction: but alſo beyond all time, he ſhall liue, and ſhine with the Lord, among the bleſſed Saints for euermore. And what ſhould a man deſire more? Ii is certaine that the Lorde is euer the ſame: his warrant and worde is of ſo great credite and aſſuraunce, as euer it was ſithence the worlde was created.
An incouragement to yong ſchollers, to write in a booke the words of wiſe men.4 When my ſelfe being a yong ſcholler in the Vniuerſitie, did ordinarily gather and write into a booke, the chief notes of the Sermons and Lectures which I heard preached and read in the Churches and other publike places there, one of my fellowes (which thought ſomwhat of himſelf) ſaid vntounto me, that mine exerciſe was nothing but a drudgery, and he maruailed why I tooke ſuch labour therein? I anſwered him, that thereby I was willing (by the grace of God) to profite not onelyonly my ſelfe, but many others. Neither at this time doo I repent of my paines taken therein, as if I had nought but toyle for my labour (as Baruch did:Iere. 4.5.) but I am right glad thereof, and do praiſe God for ſuch an opportunitie offered me: not doubting, but, as I doo and ſhall thereby the better diſcharge my dutie in my place and calling, and benefite many others: ſo alſo the Lords promiſe of life in his Sonne Chriſt (on whom by faith I depende) will bee performed and eſtabliſhed indue and conuenient time, to mine endleſſe comfort. Therefore I do gladlie exhort all young men that bee deſirous of knowledge, and ſtudious in the the worde of God, to doo the like, and to make ſome profite and vſe of their long ſtudies and exerciſes, as thoſe gratefull Bees, which flying hither and thither, do collect and gather from manie ſweete flowers, and wholſome hearbs, that little pith or iuice, whereof (their hiues or ſtore-houſes beeing repleniſhed) themſelues are relieued, and manie others comforted. And howſoeuer the wiſedome of the world derideth and diſdaineth the wiſdom of God, which oftentimes appeareth as in fooliſhneſſe before men: yet, let not that maine ſtroke daunt you,Obſonia quiſ que palato, digna ſuo quaerit: non omnibus vnà voluptas. into whom God hath poured the wiſedome of his ſpirit. And although that one pleaſure contenteth not all, but euerie one hunteth after that which hee beſt fancieth: it is moſt certaine by the firme warrant of Chriſt, that VViſedome is iuſtified of her owne Children. The wiſe and well affected will eſteeme of your vertues, then what fooles and prophane diriders ſhall do, why ſhould ye regarde? anſwere them after their follie, but not according to their expectation: neither ſing with them in their diſcorded tunes. Let not the ingratefull requitalles of the world trouble you: poſſeſſe your ſoules in patience, and expect the fruits of your trauailes, and comfortable reward from him only, that forgetteth not your louelove, your faith, your diligence, your trauaile and paines that ye hauehave ſuſtained and endured for his cauſe, and the good of your brethren.
A comfort for the poore beleeuers.5 Neither let the poore eſtate of Chriſt and his immitators, cauſe any of vsus to diſlike our profeſſion: conſider that God hath choſen the poore of this world, & hath made euen them heires of his kingdome,Art. Solen. whoſe children they are, as Aratus ſaide. The poore receiue the Goſpel without offence, & thoſe poore in ſpirit are bleſſed: for theirs is the kingdom of heauen, as Chriſt himſelfe hath taught vsus, who (though he were king of all kings, and rich beyond al the Lords of the earth, without al compariſō) diſdained not at any time to viſit the poore, to accompanie the poore,A comfort for the rich. & to preach the Goſpel vntounto them to their great comfort. On the other part, if God giuegive vsus riches, honours, eſtimation in this world, as he gaue vntounto Abraham, Dauid, Ioſeph, Daniel, let vsus be thankfull to God, and rightly vſe theſe things in the feare of God, as thoſe holy men hauehave done, and hauehave taught vsus therein, and let vsus not abuſe the gifts of God to the ſatiſfying of our fleſhly appetites,Luke. 16. as that Diues did, of whom Chriſt ſpeaketh in the Goſpel: and as diuers others vſe moſt commonly to do, whē with the ſame, they exalt themſelues in pride, they face their betters, threaten & brow-beat their Chriſtian brethren, wring and vndoo many of their neighbours, and prouide moſt delicious for theyr owne bellies, and gloriouſly for their owne backs, with that, wherewith they ſhould (in all dutie) releeue thoſe poore afflicted, which are conſtrained with penurie to ſtatue, of whom onelyonly this regard they take, Am I the keeper of my brother?Gen. 4. that was Cains anſwere to God, touching his brother Abel. Let vsus know, that it hath pleaſed God to make vsus his truſtie Stewards,Rich men be Gods ſtewards. and the things that we hauehave are not our owne, but his things, and therfore it is not lawfull for vsus to burie them in the ground with that ſlothfull ſeruant, nor waſte them away with the prodigall ſonne: but to employ them to his glorie, to the bnefit of our brethren, and to the neceſſitie of our ſtates and liues heere. And though it be hard for him that truſteth in riches and worldly promotions, to enter into the kingdom of heauen, yet to them that hauehave them of the bleſſing of God; as Abraham had, and vſe them rightly, as Abraham did, it ſhall be ſaid, as vntounto that good ſeruant in the Goſpel, VVell doone thou good and truſtie ſeruant, thou haſt been faithfull in few things, thou ſhalt therefore be made ruler ouer many things, enter thou into the ioy of the Lord. But whether yee be poore,An inſtructiō. or rich, whether in meane place, or place of extremitie, whether ye doo want or hauehave inough, let that good counſaile of our Lord Ieſus bee euer remembred and daily obſerued. Take no thought ſaying, Mat. 6 31.what ſhall wee eate, or what ſhall we drinke? or wherewith ſhall we be clothed? for after al theſe things do the Gentiles ſeeke: for your heauenly father knoweth, that yee hauehave neede of all theſe things: but ſeeke ye firſt the kingdome of God, and his righteouſneſſe, and all theſe things ſhall bee miniſtred vntounto you. Care not thē for the morrow: for the morrow ſhal care for it ſelfe: the day hath enough with his owne trauell. For our Lord would not, that we ſhould vexe our ſelues out of meaſure in the care of theſe worldlie things: but that labouring truly in our vocations, we ſhould hauehave an eſpeciall regard of the kingdom of God, & how to walke in a new life in this world: not doubting any thing, but that the Lord which hath created vsus, wil ſo prouide eueryevery day for vsus, that we ſhall not want things neceſſarie in this worlde, though we augment not the preſent griefe by our exceſsiue carefulneſſe, how to liue in time to come. So that in all worldly things wee ſhould ſtay our ſelues cōtented, only for the things of the kingdom of heauen, & the righteouſneſſe thereof, we ſhould hunger and thirſt, without all ſacietie, as long as we liue: for of this wee can neuer hauehave inough in this life.The ſacietie of the Saints in heauen. But the ſufficiencie thereof, ſhal be happily enioyed to our endleſſe comfort and contentation, in that heauenly manſion, wherin we ſhal find rowme inough: we ſhall poſſeſſe riches and wealth inough: we ſhall hauehave honour and glorie inough: and of all good things wee ſhall enioy aboundance without meaſure.
6 In the meane time, let not vsus which feare God and belong vntounto his kingdome, be diſcouraged, nor diſtracted, when we do not only conſider the generall miſeries of all troubles of all mankind:1. Cor. 15. but alſo when we ponder of thoſe heauie croſſes which we our ſelues are conſtrained to beare, by the which we were of al men the moſt miſerable, if the dead did not riſe again. With this, let vsus heare, & wel obſerue to our cōſolation, that which Ben-Gorian, or the Author of the 2. booke of the Macchabees hath written for the cōfort of all them that read his book:2. Macc. 6.1. I beſeech thoſe that reade this booke (ſaith he) that they bee not diſcouraged for theſe calamities: but that they iudge theſe afflictions not to be for deſtruction, but for a chaſtening of our nation: for it is a token of his great goodneſſe, not to ſuffer ſinners long to continue: but ſtraight wayes to puniſh them. For the Lord doth not long waite for vsus, as for other nations, who he puniſheth when they are come to the fulneſſe of their ſinnes: But thus hee dealeth with vsus, that our ſinnes ſhould not bee heaped vp to the full, ſo that afterward hee ſhould puniſh vsus. And therefore he neuer withdraweth his merciemercy from vsus: and though hee puniſh with aduerſitie, yet doth he neuer forſake his people. But let this be ſpoken now for a warning vntounto vsus. And that ſaying of the Lord to Paul, in his greateſt diſtreſſe, cannot but rauiſh the ſpirits of them that truſt in God:2. Cor. 12.2.9. Note. My grace (ſayth he) is ſufficient for thee. This word of comfort made him in true patience to poſſeſſe his ſoule, and to hauehave a contented minde. VntoUnto theſe, when the vſe of the word of God ioyneth, oh God, what comfort, pleaſure and profit ſhall the beleeuer reape thereof! he ſhall feele how The power of God is made perfite through weakneſſe: and therefore he will reioyce euen in infirmities, that the power of Chriſt may dwel in him: he will patiently beare infirmities, reproches, neceſſities, perſecutions and anguiſhes for Chriſts ſake.