Works of Joseph Hall, Section 26
SECT. XXVI.
NExt to this,The ſecond rule for eſtate. A perſwaſion of the goodnes and fitneſſe of it for vsus. the minde of the vnquiet man muſt bee ſo wrought by theſe former reſolutions, that it be throughly perſwaded, The eſtate wherein he is, is beſt of all; if not in it ſelfe, yet to him: Not out of pride, but out of contentment: Which whoſoeuer wanteth, cannot but bee continually vexed with enuie, and racked with ambition. Yea, if it were poſſible to be in Heauen without this, he could not be happy, for it is as impoſſible, for the minde at once to long after and enioy, as for a man to ſeed and ſleepe at once. And this is the more to be ſtriuen for, becauſe we are all naturally prone to afflict our ſelues with our owne frowardneſſe: ingratefully contemning all we hauehave, for what we would hauehave. Euen the beſt of the Patriarkes could ſay, O Lord, what wilt thou giuegive me, ſince I goe childleſſe? The bond-man deſires now, nothing but libertie: that alone would make him happy. Once free (forgetting his former thought) he wiſhes ſome wealth, to make vſe of his freedome; and ſaies, it were as good be ſtraited in place, as in abilitie. Once rich, he longeth after Nobilitie, thinking it no praiſe, to bee a wealthie peaſant. Once noble, he begins to deeme it a baſe matter to be ſubiect: nothing can now content him but a Crowne. Then it is a ſmall matter to rule, ſo long as he hath but little dominions, and greater neighbours. Hee would therefore be an Vniuerſall Monarch: whither then? ſurely, it vexeth him as much, that the earth is ſo ſmall a globe, ſo little a mole-hill; and that there are no more worlds to conquer. And now that he hath attained the higheſt dignitie amongſt men, he would needs be a God, conceits his immortalitie, erects Temples to his owne name, commands his dead Statues to be adored, and (not thus contented) is angry that hee cannot command heauen, and controll nature. O vaine fooles! whither doth our reſtleſſe ambition climbe? What ſhall be at length the period of our wiſhe? I could not blame theſe deſires, if contentment conſiſted in hauing much: but, now that he onelyonly hath much, that hath contentment, (& that it is as eaſily obtained in a low eſtate,) I can account of theſe thoughts no better than proudly fooliſh. Thou art poore: what difference is there betwixt a greater man and thee? ſaue that he doth his buſineſſes by others; thou doeſt them thy ſelfe. Hee, hath Caters, Cookes, Baylines, Stewards, Secretaries, and all other officers for his ſeuerall ſeruices: thou prouideſt, dreſſeſt, gathereſt, receiueſt, expendeſt, writeſt for thy ſelfe. His patrimonie is large: thine earnings ſmall. If Briareus feed fiftie bellies with his hundred hands; what is he the better, than he that with two hands feedeth one? He is ſerued in ſiluer: thou in veſſell of the ſame colour, of leſſer price; as good for vſe, though not for value. His diſhes are more daintie, thine as well relliſhed to thee, and no leſſe wholſome. Hee eats Oliues, thou Garlike: hee miſlikes not more the ſmell of thy ſawce, than thou doſt the taſte of his. Thou wanteſt ſomewhat that he hath: he wiſheth ſomething which thou haſt, and regardeſt not. Thou couldſt bee content to hauehave the rich mans purſe, but his gout thou woulds not hauehave: He would hauehave thy health, but not thy fare. If we might picke out of all mens eſtates, that which is laudable, omitting the inconueniences, wee would make our ſelues complete: but if we muſt take all together, we ſhould perhaps little aduantage our ſelues with the change. For the moſt wiſe God hath ſo proportion'd out eueryevery mans condition, that hee hath ſome iuſt cauſe of ſorrow inſeparably mixed with other contentments, and hath allotted to no man liuing, an abſolute happineſſe, without ſome grieuances; nor to any man ſuch an exquiſite miſerie, as that hee findeth not ſomewhat wherein to ſolace himſelfe: the weight whereof varies, according to our eſtimation of them. One hath much wealth, but no childe to inherit it: hee enuies at the poore mans fruitfulneſſe, which hath man heires, and no lands; and could be content, with all his abundance to purchaſe a ſucceſſor of his owne loynes. Another hath many children, little maintenance: he commendeth the careleſſe quietneſſe of the barren; and thinkes, fewer mouthes and more meat would doe better. The labouring man hath the bleſſing of a ſtrong body, fit to digeſt any fare, to endure any labour: yet hee wiſheth himſelfe weaker, on condition hee might bee wealthier. The man of nice education hath a feeble ſtomacke; and (raſping ſince his laſt meale) doubts, whether hee ſhould eat of his beſt diſh, or nothing: this man repines at nothing more, than to ſee his hungry Plough-man feed on a cruſt; and wiſheth to change eſtates, on condition hee might change bodies with him. Say that God ſhould giuegive thee thy wiſh: what wouldeſt thou deſire? Let mee (thou faieſt) be wiſe, healthfull, rich, honourable, ſtrong, learned, beautifull, immortall. I know thou loueſt thy ſelfe ſo well, that thou canſt wiſh all theſe and more. But ſay that God hath ſo ſhared out theſe gifts (by a moſt wiſe and iuſt diſtribution) that thou canſt hauehave but ſome of theſe, perhaps but one; which wouldeſt thou ſingle out for thy ſelfe? Any thing, beſide what thou haſt: If learned, thou wouldeſt bee ſtrong; if ſtrong, honourable; if honourable, long-liued: Some of theſe thou art already. Thou foole! cannot God chooſe better for thee, than thou for thy ſelfe? In other matches thou truſteſt the choice of a skilfuller chapman: when thou ſeeſt a goodly horſe in the Faire (though his ſhape pleaſe thine eie well) yet thou dareſt not buy him, if a cunning Horſe-maſter ſhall tell thee he is faultie; and art willing to take a plainer and ſounder, on his commendation, againſt thy fancie. How much more ſhould we in this caſe, allow his choice that cannot deceiue vsus; that cannot bee deceiued? But, thou knoweſt that other thou deſireſt, to be better than what thou haſt: Better perhaps for him that hath it; not better for thee. Libertie is ſweet and profitable to thoſe that can vſe it; but fetters are better for the franticke man. Wine is good nouriſhment for the healthfull; poyſon to the aguiſh. It is good for a ſound body to ſleepe in a whole skinne; but hee that complaines of ſwelling ſores, cannot ſleepe till it be broken. Hemlocke to the Goat, and Spiders to the Monkey, turne to good ſuſtenance; which to other creatures are accounted deadly. As in diets, ſo in eſtimation of good and euill, of greater and leſſer good, there is much varietie. All palats commend not one diſh; and what one commends for moſt delicate, another reiects for vnſauourie. And if thou know what diſh is moſt pleaſant to thee, thy Phyſician knowes beſt which is wholſome. Thou wouldſt follow thine appetite too much; and (as the French hauehave in their Prouerbe) wouldſt dig thy owne graue with thy teeth: thy wiſe Phyſician ouer-ſees and ouer-rules thee. Hee ſees, if thou wert more eſteemed, thou wouldſt be proud; if more ſtrong, licentious; if richer, couetous; if healthfuller, more ſecure: but thou thinkeſt not thus hardly of thy ſelfe. Fond man! what knoweſt thou future things? beleeue thou him, that onelyonly knowes what would bee, what will be. Thou wouldeſt willingly goe to heauen; what better guide canſt thou hauehave, than him that dwels there? If hee leade thee thorow deepe ſloughs, and brakie thickets; know, that he knowes this the neerer way, though more comberſome. Can there be in him any want of wiſdome, not to foreſee the beſt? Can there be any want of power, not to effect the beſt? any want of louelove, not to giuegive thee what hee knowes is beſt? How canſt thou then faile of the beſt? Since what his power can doe, and what his Wiſdome ſees ſhould be done, his LoueLove hath done, becauſe al are infinite. Hee willeth not things, becauſe they are good: but they are good, becauſe hee wills them. Yea, if ought had beene better, this had not beene. God willeth what hee doth: and if thy will accord not with his, whether wilt thou condemne of imperfection?