The Government of the Thoughts, Chapter 20
CHAP. XX. Of Cares.
CARE is the Child of Providence: Some say, the Soul's Apparator to Summon all its Faculties to its Senate or Counsel. It is rather Counsel's President, determining what to pursue and what to decline: It is the Weight which moveth all the Wheels; which taken off, or quite run down, all the Nerves of Providence are loosed, and the Souls Faculties become inactive and resty, so as we neither affect the Good, nor fear the Bad.
2. CARE is the Centinel which gives the Allarm to awaken Wisdom to its Offices, and the Steward of the internal Habitation: It is the Pilot which sitteth at the Helm, to steer and direct the Course; lest Industry be wanting to prudent Decrees and Resolutions, or sucess to Industry. So necessary is this Vigilancy of the Soul, that without it we can neither be profitable to our selves or others, in things Divine or Humane: Tho Salvation shall neither be in his Care, as the Apostle mentions, Who Willeth, nor of him that Runneth, but of God, that sheweth Mercy, Rom. 9.16. Yet if thou use not thy diligence to lay hold on his Promises, thou shalt find, that he which Created thee without thy Care, will not Save thee without it; for he hath made thee a voluntary Agent, and hath endowed thee with Reason, that thou mightest use his Ordinance, for the benefit of thy own Salvation.
3. THO, as the Apostle says, 1 Cor. 3.7. It is neither in him that Planteth, nor in him that Watereth, but in God who giveth the Encrease: Yet if the Dispensation be committed to thee, Woe be to thee if thou Preach not the Gospel: And Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently: Tho, as the Psalmist mentions, Psalm 127.1. Except the Lord build the House, they labour but in vain that build it: And, Except the Lord keep the City, the Watchman Waketh but in vain; and the Builder shall work to Confusion: Yet if thou art a careless Inhabitant of Laish; if thou art not vigilant, or in necessity Build not, thou temptest the Lord thy God, Judges 18.7. It is in the power of Omnipotency, who said at first, Gen. 1.11. Let the Earth bring forth Grass, the Herb yielding seed, and the Fruit-Tree yielding Fruit after his Kind. Which to this day are duly performed: But except thou Plant and Sow, thou must not expect to Reap: Neither hath the Almighty Wisdom fixed this care in our Hearts for our selves only, but likewise for them to whom he hath given dependance on us. So that if any Man will not Work, according to the Apostle's Order, Let him not eat, 2 Thes. 3.10. And, If any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own House, he hath denied the Faith, and is worse than an Infidel, Tim. 5.8.
4. IT is an exquisite care which the great Being hath Implanted in the Hearts of Mothers, for the Preservation of their Children, in which, They shall be saved if they continue in the Faith and Charity, 1 Tim. 2.15. Neither is any Employment, Calling, or Person among the Sons of Men exempt from Care. Kings, as the honoured Parents of Kingdoms, embrace Care of the largest size, like those Aegyptian Plagues, Exod. 8.3, &c. Not forbearing their Sacred Beds: They must take care for the Weal of their Subjects. It was a mark of Shame and Dishonour which the Holy Ghost fixed on Gallio, Acts 18.17. But Gallio cared for none of these things.
5. CHRIST in his suffering for us, omitted not this Emblem in his Crown of Thorns. Nor can the Brutes and Animals subsist without their Care: God hath given them a marvellous Instinct and natural Sagacity, to build and lay up for themselves and their Young: So that the Sluggard may well be sent to School to Solomon's Industrious Ant, labouring in Summer against the Winter, Prov. 6.6. And the Careless Daughters, who think they were Born to live at Ease, may learn of the provident Bee, and other Creatures, Prudent in their Kind, Isa. 32.9, &c.
6. CARE there must of necessity be used, and the best are not secluded from it; but the malicious Enemy striveth to pervert it to Man's Destruction, endeavouring to make some so Ebrious with desire of Ease, that they sleep Negligently: And where he encounters with an active and industrious nature, he laboureth to introduce some vain or impious Object of Cares, to extract a distraction from that which should conduce to their Happiness. The misery that attends Infatuated Mankind, is, when their Cares, like the River Jordan, empty their sweet Streams into a dead Sea of unprofitable desires and vanities.
7. THERE is no sin which hath not some unhappy Cares to surround and foment it: And commonly more Acts of Supererogation, than Salvation requireth. Impious Cares are Revenge's, Brokers, Lust's Panders, Avarices Vassals, Errours Nurses, Mothers sin, and Vice's Hand-Maids, in all which they but fight for a destructive Helena, or a mischievous Gain. How happy might Adulterers, Murderers and Robbers be, were so much Adventure, Vigilancy, Charge and Care bestowed on God's Service, as they employ in their Sins! Taking more care and pains to go to Hell, than by the tender Mercy of God, would guide them to Heaven.