The Eye and Wheel of Providence, Chapter 39
CHAP. XXXIX. Inſtruction ſixth.
Inſtruct. 6 THis Doctrine of Providence ſhould teach us a high piece of ſpiritual wiſdom and providence, viz. to provide for our ſouls. It's the general faſhion (and withall the fault) of the world, to be altogether taken up about the care of their bodies and goods, never regarding the good of their ſouls. Thus the Pſalmiſt tells us, That many ſeek after goods, few after goodneſs, Pſal. 4.6. The unjuſt Steward is commended for making proviſion for himſelf, when he ſhould be put out of his Stewardſhip, Luke 16.8. Yet muſt we know; Chriſt is no patron of lewd practices, or any manner of unjuſt dealing; for he commendeth his wit, not his honeſty; his policy, not his piety; he did not commend him, becauſe he had done honeſtly, but becauſe he had done wiſely, and thereupon he inferreth, That the children of this world are wiſer in their *Nel grado loro, in their degree. Ital. Annotat.generation than the children of light: Even the children of light, partly by the frailty of the fleſh, but principally by the temptations and ſuggeſtions of the Devil, are ſo tainted and infected, as they are neither ſo wiſe and provident, eager and earneſt for the things of a better life, as very worldlings and earthworms are for profits, pleaſures, and the things of this life. Briefly, we ſhould learn a good leſſon of bad Tutors or School-maſters, viz. that as the children of this world do beſtir their ſtumps (as we ſay) and beat their brains like beans in a bladder, to provide for themſelves here on Earth: So ſhould every one of us (like God's faithfull children) endeavour by all holy means to provide for our ſelves hereafter in Heaven: But alas! Do not the generality of men woo Hagar the hand-maid, and forſake Sarah the miſtreſſe, viz. ſpend their time in Law, Phyſick, Philoſophy, the Mathematicks, Arithmetick, Muſick, Geometry, Aſtronomy, and paſſe by Theology; and with them that do ſtudy it, is it not more for ſpeculation and knowledg, than conſcience and practice? Yea, do we not with buſie Martha, cumber our ſelves with many needleſs things; but not with devout Mary, chuſe the unum neceſſarium, the one thing neceſſary. The great care that moſt men have of their bodies, condemneth their bruitiſhneſſe about their ſouls: Though the ſouls neceſſities are both greater and more preſſing than the bodies; yet moſt people are more ſenſible of the bodies neceſſities, and more carefull to ſupply them. What man is to fooliſh as to feed his body with imaginations, or ſhould he do it, it will not be ſo deluded? It is a ſubſtance, and muſt have more than air to maintain it: Yet how many are there that think to ſupply the neceſſities of their ſouls with meer fancies and imaginations; having no more warrant for their ſalvation? But alas! the eternal welfare of our ſouls,Providentia eſt praeſens notio futurum pertractans eventum. Seneca de 4. virtut. is of too great concernment to hazard upon a fancy.
The Husbandman is ſo provident, as that he knoweth his beſt ſeaſon to break up his ground, and when to ſow all manner of grain; the Gardiner to ſet and ſow all ſeeds, to graff and inoculate, to plant and tranſplant all manner of Trees. The Hunter knoweth where to find, and how to follow his games: The Merchant obſerveth where he ſhall have his beſt market to put off his commodities. The Uſurer enquireth how to let out his money to ſure men, and ſuch as may not break. The Tradeſman knoweth how to make the beſt advantage of all his wares: Yea, very Sailours and Seafaring men (only by practice and experience) are ſo cunning in the Compaſſe, and know ſo well the courſe of the Winds, and the poſition of divers Stars, as upon the ſudden they will be able to puzzle a profeſſed Mathematician and Aſtronomer: Yea we will all of us be well ſeen in the tenure of our earthly inheritances: But oh! How few are there that give all diligence to make their calling and election ſure? We will be all skilfull in the letters of our friends; but who regardeth the Scriptures the Epiſtle of God Almighty? We will all be cunning in the Wils and Teſtaments of our earthly parents, but who almoſt regardeth the Will and Teſtament of our heavenly Father, unleſſe it be to cavil about it, and who laboureth to fulfill it? We regard more the Statutes of an earthly Prince, than the Magna Charta of Heaven, the Statutes of the King of the whole world. Our Saviour bids us provide our ſelves bags which wax not old, a treaſure in the Heavens that faileth not, Luke 12.33. and that is, by diſtributing a man's goods to pious uſes; this is to lay up in ſtore for our ſelves a good foundation againſt the time to come, 1 Tim. 6.19. He that ſoweth liberally ſhall reap liberally, 2 Cor. 9.6. Liberality to the poor is the beſt piece of Husbandry; he ſhall reap a liberal bleſſing in this life, and grace for his ſoul, and his alms ſhall go before him to Heaven, ſhewing the garments he hath made and given to cloath the backs of the naked, and the bread he hath dealt to the hungry members of Chriſt; as the weeping widows ſhewed Peter the Coats and Garments which Dorcas made while ſhe was with them, Act. 9.39. He that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord; Faeneratur Deo. Hieron.He lends upon intereſt, as Hierome reads the words, Prov. 16.19. and what he hath lent him, ſhall be paid him again with advantage, for he lends to one that will never break or fail him, or dodge or make him any abatements; he ſhall not have eight or ten for an hundred, but an hundred for ten; yea a thouſand for one and more; for there's no proportion between what we give on Earth, and what we ſhall receive again in Heaven, Mat. 19.21.