Sermon Preached Several Times — Thomas Gataker

Sermon Preached Several Times · Thomas Gataker

TRUE CONTENTMENT.

1 TIMOTH. 6.6.

Godlineſſe is great Gaine with Selfe-ſufficiencie; or, with the Sufficiencie of it ſelfe.

THE FORMER PART. The Gaine of Godlineſſe.

THe Stoick Philoſophie, whichaAct. 17.18. Luke the Evangeliſt maketh mention of,bLege Cicer. parad. & Lipſit manuduct. was famous for Paradoxes, ſtrange Opinions, improbable, and beſides common conceit,cSeneca paſſim, & Arrian. in diſſert. & alii. admired much for them by ſome,dPlut. in Stoic. contradict. & quod Poctae Stoicis probabiliora loquantur. controlled and taxed for them by others. Howbeit not Stoiciſme onelyonly, but every art and profeſſion, every courſe of life and learning hath ſome Paradoxes or other; the world not a few, andeIn his creber eſt Chryſoſtomus: quod notavit Sixtus Sen. biblioth l. 4. Chriſtianitie many more, as ſtrange, yea ſtranger, than any that the Stoicks ever held, and yetfforeign. Agatho. foreign. Ariſtot. rhetor. l 2. c. 26. Veriſſimaque ſunt non pauca, quae tamen ſunt minime v…riſimilia. no leſſe true than ſtrange.

A worldly Paradox the Apoſtle had mentioned in the verſe next before going, to wit, that ſome men ſhould hold Gaine to be Godlineſſe: unto which hee oppoſeth a contrary Chriſtian Paradox in the words of my Text, to wit, that Godlineſſe is the onelyonly true Gaine.

For the former: It is a very abſurd conceit indeed, and though too too rife in the world, yet ſuch as few or none will be acknowne of, and either openly father, or ſeeme outwardly to favour. But as God at the laſt day, when the wicked ſhall goe about to excuſe and defend themſelves, he will not onelyonly take hold of their words,bEx ore tuo judicabo te, ſerve nequam. Matth. 25.26. Luk. 19.22. By thine owne mouth will I judge thee, thou thriftleſſe ſervant; and advantage of their actions,cMatth. 25.42.43. I was naked and yee clad mee not, hungry and yee fed me not, &c. and therefore had neither Faith nor Love; but hee will convince them by their owne Conſciences too,dRom. 2.15. Their ſecret thoughts ſhall either excuſe or accuſe them in that day: In like manner muſt we deale with thoſe that will ſeeme to abhorre and deteſt this Opinion, and yet doe thoſe things that maintaine and uphold it.ePſal. 14.1. & 53.1. The Foole ſaith in his heart, There is no God; and that is ſufficient to prove him an Atheiſt, though he never openly maintaine any Poſition of Atheiſme. And there be ſome thatfTit. 1.16. profeſſe they know God, but deny him in their deeds: andgQuicſcat lingua, loquatur vita. Auguſt. in 1 Ioan. hom. 3 foreign. Euſeb. praepar. Evang. lib. 1. cap. 1. Efficacius eſt vitae teſtimonium quam linguae. Cyprian. de dupl. martyr. Et validior vox operis quàm oris. Bern in Cant. that is enough to prove them irreligious, though they never utter that their impietie in ſpeech. So in this caſe, the Covetous mans heart ſaith it, and his practice proclaimeth it, thathDivites facultatibus ſuis alligatos magis aurum conſueviſſe ſuspicere quàm coelum. Minut. Octav. Quid feciſti quod juſſit Deus? quid non facis quod avaritia jubet? Aug. de diverſ. 12. — nam ſi ſacrificem ſummo Iovi, Atque in manibus exta teneam ut porriciam, intereà loci. Si lucri quid detur, potius rem divinam deſeram. Plaut. Pſeud. 1.3. his Gold is his God, and that his Gaine is his Godlineſſe; and that is ſufficient to prove him an Idolater, though he never outwardly bow his knee to an Idoll. In regard whereof, the Apoſtle expreſly pronouncethiColoſſ. 3.5. Covetouſneſſe to bee Idolatry, and thekEpheſ. 5.5. Lege Chryſ. ad Eph. hom. 18. Covetous man an Idolater. To reaſon then in this point, as our Saviour himſelfe doth:lVbi theſaurus, ibi & cor. Matth. 6.21. Nemo enim poteſt niſi cogitare de theſauro ſuo, & quodam cordis itinere divitias ſuas ſequi. Aug. de diverſ. 44. Where a mans Treaſure is, there is his heart; and where a mans heart is, there is his happineſſe, that is his God. Since the covetous man thereforemPſal 62 12. ſetteth his heart on his riches; nPſal. 49.6. Iob 31.24.putteth his trust in his treaſure: and whereasoProv. 18.10. foreign. Baſil. in Pſal. 45. the faithfull make the name of God their ſtrong tower, whereunto they reſort in time of trouble for ſafetie,pProv. 18.11. the worldly rich man maketh his wealth his bulwarke and fence, whereupon he repoſeth himſelfe and wholly relyeth: It muſt of neceſſitie follow hereupon, that as the Apoſtle ſaith of the fleſhly-minded man, thatqPhil. 3.19. Rom. 16.18. Clem. paedag. l. 2. c. 1. foreign. ventrem colunt, quem pro Deo habent. Cypr. de dupl. Martyr. Quibus Deus venter eſt, & pulmo templum, & aqualiculus altare, & ſaecerdos cocus, & Spiritus ſanctus nidor, & condimenta chariſ…ata, & ructus prophetia: agape in cacabis fervet, fides in culinis calet, ſpes in ferculis jacet. Tertull. de jejun. Whoſe gut their God, whoſe luſt their law. Sylveſt. week. 2. day. 1. Viſe Euſeb. praepar. l. 7. c. 2. his belly is his God; ſo of the worldly-minded man, thatrforeign. Theogn. foreign. Euripid. foreign. Antiphan. foreign. Sophocl. Creuſa. Quod autem quiſque prae caeteris colit, id ſibi Deum conſtituiſſe probatur. Bern. de bonis deſer. Ergo ut voracium Deus venter eſt; ita cupidorum pecunia Deus juſtiſſimè dicitur. Hieron. in Epheſ. his mony, or his penny is his God: And if his Money bee his God; his Gaine muſt needs bee his Godlineſſe.

But the Apoſtle here telleth us a quite contrarie tale, and learneth us here a flat oppoſite leſſon; that, howſoever worldly men may thinke that Gaine is Godlineſſe; yet indeed and truth it is not ſo; but Godlineſſe rather is Gaine, and great gaine. So that the Apoſtle doth foreign, propoſitionem invertere; hee turneth the propoſition cleane backward, and bringeth it about, as it were. Gaine is Godlineſſe, ſaith the worldly man. Nay, Godlineſſe is Gaine, and great Gaine, ſaith the Apoſtle, and the Spirit of God by him.

But this peradventure will ſeeme a Paradox as ſtrange as as the former. As very few that will outwardly avow the former; ſo as few are there that are inwardly perſwaded of the latter. It ſeemeth a Paradox with the moſt. For, Godlineſſe great Gaine? may ſome man ſay. The contrary rather ſeemeth undoubted and undeniable, to wit, that*Iſto tu pauper es, cùm nimis ſanctè pius. Plaut. Rudent. 4.7. Varro, reguſtatum digito terebrare ſalinum contentus perages, ſi vivere cum Iove tondis. Perſ. ſat. 5. Godlineſſe is a great enemie to Gaine. Balaam loſt great wealth and honour, becauſe hee would not diſobey the Word of God:ſNum. …4.11. I had thought, ſaith Balak, to have advanced thee, and made thee a great man; but thy God hath kept thee from honour. Michah might have beene a great man in Ahabs bookes, and very richly and royally rewarded by him, if hee would have ſpoken but two words onelyonly, as ſome other did; if he would but have ſaid,tforeign Aſcende in pace. 1 King. 22.12, 13. Goe up in peace. But his Godlineſſe hindred his Gaine; and not ſo onelyonly, but was a meane to bring him into much trouble. So that it may ſeeme, that Godlineſſe is altogether gainleſſe, and Vngodlineſſe the more gainfull of the two. For theuNehem. 13.16. Merchants of Tyre and Zidon for lucre and gaine ſtraine courteſie with Gods Commandement, to utter their fiſh and wares on the Sabbath. And no doubt of it,*Facilem eſſe cuique ad divitias viam, quo die bonae mentis poenituerit. Demetrius apud Senecam natur. quaeſt. l. 4. praefat. Gods children, if they would not be ſo ſtrict and ſtrait laced; if they would not ſtand upon nice points and termes; if they would not ſticke to lye and diſſemble withxAct. 5.1, 2. Ananias and Sapphira; to bely and beguile, asy1 Sam. 16 1, 2. Ziba, Mephiboſheths man did his Maſter; to ſweare and forſweare, withz1 Macc. 1.61, 62. prophane Antiochus; to ſteale and purloine with yongaIudg. 17.2. Micah of Mount Ephraim; to oppreſſe and murther, when they have jus in manibus, the law in their owne hands, withb1 King 21. wicked Ahab, and curſed Iezabel; they might as well come to wealth, as many worldly men doe, that ſcrape and gather much goods together by theſe meanes. But they may well ſay, as the Pſalmiſt ſaith,cPſal. 69.7. Eum qui ſit juſtus ac bonus, ſtultum eſſe. Carneades apud Cic. de repub. l. 3. Viſe Lactant. inſtitut. l. 5. c. 12, 14. For thy ſake, O Lord, are wee counted fooles; becauſe we ſtand ſo much upon matter of conſcience.d1 Cor. 9.15, 23. Holy Paul ſaith hee might have done this and that, but hee would not, becauſe hee would not make the Goſpell evill ſpoken of. And the keeping of a mans word turneth oft-times to his loſſe. TheePſal. 15.4. godly man ſweareth and faileth not, though it be to his owne hindrance: that which a worldly man will not willingly doe. So that it may ſeeme then that godlineſſe is rather a great enemy to Gaine, and Vngodlineſſe a great deale the more gainfull. But thoſe that define Loſſe and Gaine on this wiſe, do not trie them by the right touch-ſtone, do not weigh them out in the Ballance of the Sanctuarie, at the Beame of Gods Word: and therefore no marvell, if they take thefLuk. 16.11. Divitia nec vera nec veſtrae. Aug. de verb. Dom. 35. & de diverſis. & Bern. be bon. deſer. falſe Riches for the true Treaſure. ForgGeneſ. 2.19. man indeed had authority given him to name the Creatures, and he hath named worldly Wealth, Gaine: But God that is above man, and that gave man this authority, he hath named godlines, Gaine, and not Wealth. As the Apoſtle therefore ſaith,h2 Pet. 3.9. God is not ſlack, as men count ſlacknes: ſo godlines is not gaine as men count gain, but as God counteth gaine. Fori1 Sam. 16.7. Man ſeeth not as God ſeeth; kEſa. 55.8.nor thinketh as God thinketh. But aslLuk. 16.15. thoſe things that are pretious in mans eyes, are abominable in Gods ſight: ſom1 Cor. 1.28. Pſal. 51.17. thoſe things that are contemptible in the eyes of man, aren1 Pet. 3.4. of high account many times in the ſight of God. And every thing is, not as man valueth it, but as God eſteemeth it; not as man reckoneth it, who isoPſal. 62.9. & 39.5. vanitie it ſelfe, and therefore may eaſily be deceived, yeapGalat. 6.3. Iam. 1.26. oft-times deceiveth himſelfe; but as God rateth it,qTit. 1.2. Si volunt invenire, quod omnipotens non poteſt, habent prorſus, mentiri non potest. Aug. de civit. l. 22. c. 25. Potenter hoc non potest. Idem de Trinit. l. 15. c. 14. Magna potentia mentiri non poſſe. Ibid. 15. who neither doth deceive any,rGalat. 6.7. nor can by any be deceived, beingſIoh. 14.6. Veritie and truth it ſelfe. Either then we muſt ſay as God ſaith, or we muſt ſay as the world ſaith. Either we muſt ſay, that Godlines is no gain, or elſe we muſt ſay, that gain is no gain, when Godlines and gaine ſhall ſtand forth together, either in way of compariſon the one with the other, or in way of oppoſition the one unto the other.

Now, when Godlineſſe and Gaine ſhall in this manner contend, that Godlineſſe ought to have the day of it, will evidently appeare, if it may bee ſhewed unto us:

Firſt, that Godlineſſe is Gaine rather than Gaine: and Secondly, wherein this Gaine of Godlineſſe doth conſiſt.

For the former, to wit, that Godlineſſe is rather to be accounted Gaine, than Gaine, may be proved to us by theſe three Arguments.

Firſt, Godlineſſe may doe a man good without gaine, but worldly gaine can doe a man no good without Godlineſſe. As the Heathen Orator ſaith of bodily might, thattforeign. Iſocr ad Demonic. ſtrength of body joyned with diſcretion and wiſedome, may doe a man much good; but without it, it is but uforeign. Plut. de muliebri diſciplina apud Stob. tom. 2. c. 90.as a ſword in a childe, or in a mad mans hand, rather a meanes to miſchiefe a mans ſelfe than otherwiſe: as we ſee an example in Milo Crotoniates, the ſtrongeſt man of his time,x—viribus ille confiſus periit, admirandiſque lacertis. Iuvenal. ſat. 10. Legatur Gell…us l. 15. c. 16. & Val. Max. l. 9. cap. 12. Qui concludit, Nimio robore membrorum vigorem mentis hebeſcere, quaſi abnuente natura utriuſque boni largitionem, ne ſupra mortalem ſit foelicitatem, eundem & valentiſſimum eſſe & ſapientiſſimum. who unwarily aſſaying, on truſt of his ſtrength, to rive a peece of timber with his hands, which ſome others with wedge and beetle could not cleave, was caught faſt by the fiſts, and ſo devoured by Wolves. So Riches joyned with Godlineſſe and good Conſcience, are theyOmnia iſta bona ſunt, ſed unde facias benè, non quae to faciant bonum. Aug. de temp 238 good bleſſings of God, a meaneszDeus bona dat, ut bonos faciat. Salvian, de provid. of good to our ſelves, and of doing good unto others: but being ſevered from godlineſſe and the true feare of God, are ratheraforeign. …uripid. Pleiſihen. foreign. Menand.—opes irritamenta malorum. Ovid. Metam. l. 1. occaſion of evill than otherwiſe, ratherbforeign. Iſocr. ad Demon. foreign. Eurip. Phaethon. Magna cognatio ut rei, ſic nominis, divitiis & vitiis. Eucher. ad Valer. an inſtrument of vice, than any furtherance to vertue, a meane to make as our ſinnes the greater here, ſo our condemnation accordingly the more grievous hereafter. So that as the Heathen man ſaith, thatcDamnum non lucrum est cum mala fama lucrum. P. Syr. Gaine gotten by loſſe or hazard of a mans good name, is no gaine but loſſe; becauſe a man loſeth therein more than all his gettings can countervaile: ſince thatdProv. 22 1. foreign. …ſocr. ad Demon. foreign. Menand. A good name is (as Salomon ſaith) above riches and treaſure; of greater worth than any wealth. So Gaine gotten with the breach or hazard of a good Conſcience, when it iseLuk, 16.9. Mammona iniquitatis, the Mammon of iniquitie, orfIud. 11. merces iniquitatis, the wages of wickedneſſe; it is*foreign. titulus ſine re. Chryſoſt. in Pſal. 111. no gaine, but loſſe indeed. It is, as the Greekes ſay ofgforeign. Heracl…t. apud Euſtath. ad Iliad. foreign. a Bow, Life in name, but Death in deed; ſo gaine in name, but loſſe in deed: (hforeign. Heſiod. foreign. Chilo. foreign. Periand. foreign. Eurip. Cyclope. foreign. Idem Antigon. foreign. Menand. Periculoſum ſemper reputavi lucrum. Phaedrus fab. 85. Heathen themſelves ſo eſteemed it; notiNemo habet injuſtum lucrum ſine juſto damno. Aug. de temp. 215. Lucra injuſta putes juſtis aequalia damnis. Dum peritura paras per male partae peris. G. Goodwin. Lucrum improbe partum merum est infortunium. Ritterſhuſ. Chriſtian men onelyonly:) Since that a man doth in theſe caſes but, as that Romane Emperor had wont to ſay,kEos qui minima commoda non minimo ſectare…tur diſcrimine, ſimiles aiebat eſſe hamo aureo piſcantibus, cujus abrupti damnum nulla captura penſari poſſet. Sueton. Aug. c. 25. fiſh with a golden hooke, and that for a googeon:lforeign. Demetr. Phalar. apud Athen. l. 6 he hazardeth more than his whole prey, though he catch it, andmforeign. Democrit. Turpe lucrum virtutis est detrimentum. Ambr. in Pſal. 118. Plus in ipſa injuria detrimenti est, quàm in eis rebus emolumenti quae injuria pariuntur. Cicer. de finib. l. 1. Neque tantum est commodi quod adipiſci ſe putet, quantum incommodi quod ex eo ſibi accerſat. Ambroſ. offic. l. 3. c. 4. verè itaque Antiphanes, foreign. hee may miſſe of his purpoſe therein too, can make amends for it, if it miſcarry, be that he get and gaine never ſo much. And for a man to get and gaine never ſo much one way, if by the compaſſing of it he loſe far more another way, it is in truth no Gaine at all. For this cauſe as the Apoſtle asketh the queſtion;nRom. 6.21. Quid profuit? What profit had yee then of thoſe things, whereof you are now aſhamed? nayoSi ſecundum merita tibi daret, damnaret te. Aug. in Pſal. 102. for which now you ſhould be damned, if you had your deſert; for the end of ſuch things is death: And the damned ſpirits demand of themſelves;pWiſdom. 5.8. Quid prodeſt? What profit have we now of all our profits and pleaſures, that wee enjoyed in the world, when we are hurled headlong into hell? So our Saviour himſelfe asketh,qMatth. 16.26. Quid proderit? What will it profit a man to winne the whole world, rLuk. 9.35.and destroy himſelfe, ſMark. 8.36, 37.or loſe his owne tIſte omnis hujus queſtus ſeculi animarum dispendium est. Ambroſ epiſt. 44. Cave itaque ne dum acquiras pecumam, perdas animam. Auguſt. de temp. 215.ſoule? uNon potest ulla compendii cauſa conſiſtere, ſi conſtet animae diſpendium intervenire. ubi ſalutis damnum, illic utique jam nullum lucrum eſt. quo enim lucrum capiatur, niſi capiendi ſedes inconcuſſa ſervetur? Eucher. ad Valer. O ſi lucreris totum, quid proderit, orbem, Dum jacturam animae fecerit ipſe tuae. Tale tibi foenus fert lamentabile funus: Hicque illex quaeſtus quaeſtus & aeſtus erit. Ne perdas perdenda, animam, ſtultiſſime, perdes: Nunc ſanum in ſano ſynciput opto tibi. G. Goodwin.to get all the world beſide himſelfe; but by gaining it to loſe himſelfe: forxAnimus cujuſque ipſe est quiſque. Cic. de amicit. every mans ſoule is every mans ſelfe: to doe asyIona 1.12 Ionas, zAt contra Ariſtippus in nave piratica agens cùm aurum in mare projeciſſet, foreign. Laert. Et Crates miſſo in mare, auro, Abite, inquit, peſſum màlae cupiditates, mergam vos, ne mergar à vobis. Hier. in Iovin. l. 2. Pereat mundi lucrum ne fiat animae damnum. Aug. in Pſal. 103. Per de ne pereas. Idem de verb. Dom. ſerm. 35.that ſuffered himſelfe to be caſt overboord into the ſea, that the ſhip with her lading, when he is loſt, may come ſafe to the ſhore.

On the other ſide, as another ſaith,aPecuniam in loco negligere, maximum interdum est lucrum. Terent. adelph. 2.2. Non ego omninò lucrum omne eſſe utile homini exiſtimo: Est etiam ubi profectò damnum praeſtet facere, quàm lucrum. Plaut. Capt. 2.2. For a man handſomly to refuſe money, and forgoe gaine, it is no ſmall gaine ſometime. So for a man in ſome caſe to forgoe his gaine, to refuſe gold, to neglect his owne good, thoughbQuis niſi mentis inops oblatum respuat aurum? ſo to doe may ſeeme folly, when Gaine and Godlineſſe will not agree together, whencAug de temp. 215. Lucrum in arca facit damnum in conſcientia, anddAmbroſ. in Pſal. 218. ſer. 5. lucrum pecuniae diſpendium fit animae; when profit in a mans purſe would procure a breach in his Conſcience, and the gaine of gold prove the break-necke of his ſoule; *foreign. Georg. Piſid. de vanitat. vitae.ſuch refuſall of gaine is the greateſt Gaine that can be. For ſaith an ancient Father well,eQuantumlibet magna amittere, ut majora acquiras, non est damnum ſed negotiatio. Bern. de bon. deſ. To let goe, though never ſo great a matter, for the compaſsing of a greater, is no loſing bargaine, but a gainfull negotiation. To which purpoſe the Apoſtle Paul having related, what a great man hee might have beene among his owne people, had he held on in Iudaiſme as he began; he concludeth at length, that hee deemed all that, and all elſe, but as gforeign.loſſe, and as hforeign.droſſe and dung; as ſome Grammarians expound the word there uſed, as iforeign. Suidas.Dogs-meat, or as others rather, as Dogs-dung, in regard of the aſſurance of Gods favour toward him in Chriſt, the hold hee had of him, his conformity with him, and his intereſt in him.

Secondly, Worldly gaine may be an occaſion of evill to us from others, godlineſſe never but of good. Riches, I ſay, prove oft their owners owne bane, his utter ruine and overthrow.lEccleſ. 5.12. Sed plures nimia congeſta pecunia cura ſtrangulat, & cuncta exuperans patrimonia cenſus. Iuven. ſat. 10. Quanti everſi ſunt per divitias, praeda fortioribus facti? Auguſt. in Pſal. 53. foreign. Plut. Paedag. I have ſeene riches, ſaith Salomon, reſerved to the hurt of him that hath them. mforeign. Diogenes apud Laert. Aurum avaritia concupiſcit, aerumna perquirit, ſolicitudo cuſtodit. aurum materia laborum periculoſa res poſſidentium: malua Dominus, proditor ſervus. nemo tutum habet, niſi qui ſemper abſcondit; in pernicie domini fulget aurum, non fides per tenebras quaeritur, in tenebris cuſtoditur. Aug. de verb. Ap. 26.They make theirfPhilip. 3.7, 8, 9. kforeign. Heſych. foreign. Etymolog. foreign.owners life oft-time to be laid for. It was the Heathen mans obſervation, that Tyrants deale with their ſubjects and ſervants, as men are wont to doenforeign legendum) foreign. de Dionyſio Diogenes. with bottles, which they let ſtand under the tap till they be filled, and hang them up ſo ſoone as they be full: or asoProcuratorem rapaciſſimum quemque ad officia ampliora ex induſtria promovebat, quo locuplet…ores mox condemnaret, & pro ſpongiis uteretur, quos ſiccos madefacimus, humentes exprimimus. de Vespaſiano Sueton. c. 16. Idem de populo Athen. Ariſtophan. Equ…tib. with Spunges, which they ſuffer to lye ſoaking, till they have ſucked in ſome good ſtore of water, and then ſquize them out againe.p1 King. 21.1, 2. Exitialis erat apud principem huic laxior domus, illi amoenior villa. Plin. panegyr. Naboth might well have lived longer, had it not beene for his vineyard: but that was it that ſhortned his dayes, and brought him to an untimely death. AndqPr. v. 1.19. Acceſſit ut ſaevitiae cauſam avaritiae praeberet, & modus culpae. ex pecuniae modo constitueretur, & qui fuiſſet locuples fieret nocens, fieret …ue quiſque merces mortis ſuae. Velleius hill. l 2. Diviſa percuſſoribus occiſorum bona, ut etiam de ſuo perirent. Senec. ad Mart. c. 20. This, ſaith Salomon, is the courſe of every one that is greedy of gaine, to come by it, he would take the life away of thoſe that are poſſeſſed of it. rPiratae navigiis vacuis non inſidiantur, mercibus onusta vi omni invidunt. Chryſost. de Ozia▪ ſerm. 3.It is not empty barks, or poore fiſher-boats, but ſhips returning with treaſure, that Pyrats ſeeke to ſurprize.ſPaucula ſi portes argenti vaſcula puri, Nocte iter ingreſſus, gladi…m contumque timebis: Cantabit vacuus coram latrone viator. luven ſat. 10. Sic timet inſidias, qui ſe ſcit ferre viator Quod timeat, tutum carpit inanis iter. Ovid. Nuce. It is the fat Graſier, or the rich Clothier,*Nudum latro tranſmittit: etiam in obſeſſa via pauperi pax est. Sen. de paupert. ex epiſt 14. not the poore pedler, or the bare paſſenger, that is in danger of loſing limme and life in his owne defence againſt theeves.

But Godlineſſe is never an occaſion of any evill, but of all good to him that hath it. It istforeign. Tyrius Max. orat. 1. murus aheneus. Nil conſcire ſibi. Horat. epiſt. 1. l…b 1. Ier. 1.18. the ſureſt fort and fence, it isuEpheſ. 6.14. foreign. Chryſoſt. in Epheſ. hom. 24. the firmeſt armour of proofe againſt all evils that may bee. For Who will harme you, ſaith thex1 Pet. 3.13. Et in hoc ſeculo qu… nocebit nobis plenis charitate? Aug. in 1. Ioan. Tract. 9. Apoſtle, if you follow that that is good? Who will harme you? Nay,*Tu ipſe tibi ni aliquid facias, malus quid faciat? Auguſt. homil. 9. Who can harme you? For ſome would it may bee, if they could; ſo perverſely and malitiouſly-minded, that they hate the godly, even for this cauſe becauſe they be godly, andyPſal 38.20. becauſe they follow that that is good. ButzRom. 8.31. Pſal. 27.1, 2. Ierem. 1.18, 19. Act. 18.10. foreign. Stob. tom. 2 c. 9. if God bee with them, who can bee againſt them? who can hurt them? who can harme them?aScitè Simocatus e…iſt. 40. foreign. Men may attempt to wrong them, and wrong themſelves while they thinke to wrong them; but them they cannot wrong. Though others may ſeeme to wrong them, yetbforeign. Simocat. foreign. Tyr Max. orat. 2. Sic. Diogenes dicenti, foreign. Laert. are they not wronged,cforeign. Occidere…me poſſunt, laedere non poſſunt. Sociates apud Epictotum Euchirid. Plut. de tranquill & Tyr. Max. Orat. 2. no not when they are murthered, becauſe they are never a whit the worſe for their wrongs. No hurt therefore,dLuk. 2….18. Illi de animabus ſuis pertimeſcebant; Chriſtus etiam de capillis ſecuritatem ipſts dabat. quid ei pereat, cui capillus non perit? Auguſt. in Pſal. 96. & 1…9 not an haires harme can befall a man for being good, or by being godly;*Nihil accidere bono viro mal… potest. Senec. de provid cap. 2. no evill can accrew unto any by it.

No evill can; but much good may; yea all good ſhall. ForeRom. 8 28. All things worke together, and conſpire in one, for the good of the godly, of thoſe that love God, and fNemo ſe diffidat amari, qui jam amat. libenter Dei amor noſtrum, quem precedit, ſubſequitur. quomodo enim redamare pigebit, qui amavit necdum amanies? Bern. de Deo dilig.whom hee loveth. gAuguſt. de tempore.Omni…? What? all things? ſaith an ancient Father, as if he could hardly beleeve it, or made ſome doubt of it: Etiam mala? what? even evills and afflictions too? Mala etiam. Yea (ſaith he) even evills and afflictions;*Quod & de morte. Idem de civit. Dei lib. 13. cap. 8. bonis bona, malis mala: though evill to the wicked, yet good they are, yea exceeding good to the godly. For Audi Apostolum, audi vas electionis; Heare what the Apostle ſaith, heare what the elect veſſell of God ſaith: hforeign. 2 Cor. 4.18.This light and momentanie affliction, that is but for an instant, procureth unto us, iforeign.an exceeding exceſsive eternall weight of glory. Hee moveth the queſtion the ſecond time, as not fully reſolved: Omnia? what? all things? etiam peccatum? even ſpirituall evils? even ſinne it ſelfe too? And hee maketh anſwer againe: Etiam peccatum ipſum, tametſi non bonum, tamen in bonum. Yea, even ſinne it ſelfe, though it be not of it ſelfe good, yet it tendeth to their good, kVide eund. Aug. de corrept. & grat. c. 9.to the good of all Gods elect. For heare what the Apoſtle ſaith of himſelfe:l2 Cor. 12 7. There was a mforeign. Surculus in carne. Beza.ſplint left in my fleſh to humble me, that I might not bee puft up with pride. nNonne cooperatur nobis in bonum, unde & humiliores & cautiores efficimur? Bern. in Pſal 90.His infirmities were a meane to make him the more humble; andoQuanto quis humilior in ſe fuerit, tanto apud Deum major erit. Aug. de temp. 2 13. & Greg. de paſt. p. 2. cap. 6. & mor l 18 c. 22. as the more lowly in his owne eyes, ſo the more gracious with God. He asketh yet a third queſtion, as the upſhot of all▪ Omnia? etiam mors ipſa? What? all things? even death it ſelfe, p1 Cor. 15.26.the utmost enemy of all? And he anſwereth himſelfe as before, or rather further than before;*Mors bonis boni plurimum conſert. Aug. ad Boniſ. l. 4. c. 4. Etiam mors vel maximè: Yea, death as much as any thing, nay most of all. For ſo ſaith the ſame Apoſtle againe;qPhilip 1.21. foreign. Quod optimè expoſuiſſe videtur Airay in Philip. lect. 17. Christus mihi vita, & mors lucrum; as he readeth the words; Chriſt is my life, and Death is my gaine. ThatrProv. 11.7. which is the greateſt loſſe that can bee to the worldly man, isſPhilip. 12.3. the greateſt matter of gaine that can be to the godly.

Thirdly, Worldly wealth abideth with us but for a ſhort time: whereas Godlineſſe and tIllud ſolum est lucrum, ubi fructus perpetuus, ubi merces est aeterna. Ambroſ. epiſt. 44. Nemo est dives, qui quod habet ſecum hinc auferre non poteſt. quod enim hîc relinquitur, non noſtrum, ſed alienum est. Ambr. epiſt. 9.the gaine of it will ſticke by us, and ſtay with us for ever. This worlds wealth, I ſay, can laſt but a while with us, and muſt needs therefore leave us after a while.uNon ſunt verae divitiae quae aut poſſidentem deſerunt, aut à poſſidente deſeruntur. Alcuin. in Eccleſ praefat. Either it will leave us, or wee muſt leave it: xFinem habent iſta omnia aut tuum aut ſuum. Bern. de bon. deſer. Habebunt ſuum, non tuum, finem. Sen. natur. quaeſt. l. 3.either it will have an end of us, or we an end of it. y1. Tim. 6.17. foreign. Chryſoſt. tom. 5. ſer. 19.Riches are uncertaine: zforeign. Ibid. ſerm. 18. foreign. Ibid. 19.there is no hold of them: they are ſlippery ware;aProv. 11.24. foreign. Chryſoſt. ſerm. 18. the faſter we gripe them, the ſooner they ſlip oft out of our hands:bforeign. Ibid. they are fugitive ſervants, ready to runne away from their maſter, whom they leave many times, by their meanes, deprived, not of living onelyonly, but of life too:cProv. 23.6. they take them wings, ſaith Salomon, like an Eagle that flieth up into the ayre, and get them away from us farre out of our reach, and beyond all hope of recovery.

But though they have alas aquilinas, great Eagles wings to flie from us withall, while we are here; yet have they ne paſſerinas quidem, not ſo much as little ſparrowes wings to flie after us, and follow us when we goe hence.d1 Tim. 6.7. Nihil attuliſti, nihil hinc tolles. Auguſt. de verb Dom. 5. & ibid. 41. As when wee came into the world, wee brought them not with us; ſo when we goe out of the world againe, wee cannot beare them away, buteCedes coemptis ſaltibus, & domo, Villaque; —Cedes: & extructis in altum Divitiis potietur h…eres. Horat. carm. 2.3. Linquenda tellus, & domus, & placens uxor: neque harum, quas colis, arborum, …le praeter inviſas cupreſſes ulla brevem dominum ſequetur. Ibid. 14. Divites ad manes nil feret umbra ſuos. Ovid. triſt. 5. muſt leave them behinde us. fPſal. 49.16, 17.Admire not the man that is riſen ſuddenly to great riches and honour, ſaith the Pſalmiſt. No? why, who would not admire one that liveth in ſuch ſtate and pomp asgNihil est inſolentius noviti divite. Sen. lib. 2. controv. 1. ſuch are uſually wont to do?*Vides viventem: cogita morientem. quid hic habeat, attendis: quid ſecum tollat, attende. Aug. & Ruffin. in Pſal. 48. Yea but, when he dieth, he ſhall carrie none of that his wealth away with him; nor ſhall his pompe and ſtate deſcend with his corps. hEccleſ. 5.14, 15.As he came naked, ſo ſhall he goe naked againe, and leave all that by his care and industrie hee had raked together and heaped up, behind him; and in all reſpects goe even as he came. It is with us in this world, as it was in the Jewiſh fieldes and vineyards;iDeut. 23.24, 25. plucke and eat they might what they would, while they were there, but they might not pocket or put up ought to carry away with them: OrkMundus iſte gardinus est, nos pueri, mors janitor. &c. Guil. Pariſ. ſumma de vitiis, & Alex. Carpent. deſtruct. vit. p. 4. c. 2. as with boyes, that having gotten by ſtealth into an Orchard, ſtuffe their ſleeves and their pockets full with apples and peares, well hoping to get out with them, but when they come to the doore, they finde one there that ſearcheth them, and taketh all their fruit away from them, and ſo ſendeth them away with no more than they brought in: OrlGuil. Pariſ. & Alex. Carp. ibid. as poore men, that invited to a rich mans boord, have the uſe of his plate to drinke in, and ſilver ſpoons to eat with while they are there; but if any of them preſume to put up a peece of plate or a ſpoone, there is ſearch made by the Porter, ere they are let out, for what is miſſing among them, and ſo are they turned out againe as they came in: In like manner is it with us in regard of theſe temporall bleſſings; we have free liberty to uſe them as wee will while we are here; but when we are to goe hence,mMors mundi tonſor, qui oves ejus in exitu tendet, & attonſas extramundum mittit. Iacob. Gen. domin. 2. poſt Paſch. ſerm. 1. Mors latro est, qui mundanos omnes omnibus ſpoliatos nudos dimittit. Raulin. doctr. mort. tract. 1. cap. 6. etiam veſtibus ipſis exutos. Chryſoſt. in Pſal. 48. there is one waiting on us, that will be ſure to ſtrip us, and ſuffer nothing to paſſe with us, unleſſe it bee ſome ſory ſheet, or a ſeare rag to rot with us,nNon magis haec ad defunctum pertinent hominem, quàm ſecundae ad editum infantem. Sen epiſt. 92. Iſtud non ſentienti ſupervacuum est ſentienti onus. Non defunctorum cauſa, ſed vivorum, inventa est ſepultura, ut corpora viſu & odore foeda amoverentur. Idem de remed. fortuit. Exhibentur iſta non ſentienti: tanquam ornatus dormienti, quiin pannis eſſe ſe ſomniat. Aug. in Pſal. 48. Sed & unguentum accipis dives, poſtquam mortuus es, & foetidus es. Berdis alienam gratiam, nec acquiris tuam. Ambr. de Nabuth. c. 1. that which yet we ſhall have no ſenſe of, nor bee any whit at all the better for, than if we were wholly without it.

But Godlineſſe, and the gaine of it, will abide by us for ever.oSicut charitas 1 Cor. 13.8. ſic pietas non excidit. Ier. 32.40. Pſal. 85.8. Hae ſunt verae divitiae, quas cum habuerimus, perdere non poſſumus. Auguſt. de verb. Dom. 35. Sapientia non amittitur: in ſtultitiam non revolvitur. Senec. epiſt. 76. It is a grace that wee cannot loſe or fall from;pforeign. Plut. de ethic. virt. foreign. Plut. de paedag. foreign. Stilpo. Virtus noc cripi, nec ſurripi poteſt unquam, neque naufragio, neque incendio amittitur; nec tempeſtatum nec temporum permutatione mutatur. Cic. parad. 6. a benefit that wee cannot be abridged or bereaved of by any. AsqIoſh. 1.9. Heb. 13.5. God will never forſake thee; ſo godlineſſe will never leave thee, if thou beeſt once ſoundly and ſincerely religious.rVera virtus ad rotam aſcendit, ad equuleum deſcendit. Viſe Cicer. Tuſcul. lib. 5. It will goe up with thee to the wheele, it will goe downe with thee to the racke: it will keepe with thee while thou liveſt;ſApoc. 14.13. it will away with thee when thou dieſt. FortProv. 11.7. Iob 27.8. dum ſperat expirat. when the worldly man dieth, his hope dieth with him; uProv. 14.32. Iob 13.15, 16. dum expirat ſperat.but the godly hath hope even in death. AndxPſal. 19.9. the feare of God, that is Godlineſſe, and yPſal. 112.3.the righteouſneſſe of it, in zPſal. 19.11.the reward of it, that is the gaine that commeth by it, endureth for ever, and extendeth it ſelfe to all eternitie, laſting not onelyonly paſt this lives end, but paſt the whole worlds end, with which all worldly wealth and gaine muſt needs have an end. This world is compared to a Fiſhing; theaMatth. 13.47. end of it, to the drawing up of the nets: while the nets are downe, there is nothing ſaid to be caught; for the nets may breake, and the Fiſh eſcape. But at the end of the world, when the nets are drawne up, it will then evidently appeare what each man hath caught. And then thoſe that have fiſhed here for riches and gaine, may ſay with Peter, bLuke 5.7.Domine, tota hac nocte laboravimus, & nihil cepimus: Lord, all this night have we laboured, and caught nothing at all. ForcPraeſentia amantei praeſentibus indormiunt, theſauros ſomniant, tantiſper divites, quamdiu non vigilent: ubi tranſt…t delectabilis ſomnus iſte, nihil in manibus ſuis inveniunt. Aug. in Pſ. 76.5. the worldly rich, when they awake out of their preſent ſleepe, wherein they dreame of gold and gaine, ſhall finde nothing in their hands. But thoſe that have here fiſhed for Godlineſſe, may ſay, asdLuk. 5.7, 8. he might afterward have ſaid; Domine, in verbo tuo retia demiſimus, & cepimus: Lord, at thy word, wee have let downe our nets, and have caught, yea we have caught abundantly: wee have fiſhed for Godlineſſe, and have gotten life eternall. ForeRom. 2.7. VntoUnto thoſe that by patience and perſeverance in well doing have ſought for glory, and honour, and immortalitie, will the Lord give eternall life in that day.

But let us ſift out, and ſee ſomewhat more particularly, wherein this ſpirituall Gaine conſiſteth.

Firſt then, the ſpeciall wealth in this world, is that which commeth by Inheritance. fProv. 19.14.Riches and poſſeſsions, land and living, ſaith Salomon, come from a mans auncestors. And among thoſe things that may make a man happy, the Heathen man putteth this in the firſt place, as the chiefe,gRes non parta labore, ſed relicta. Martial. l. 10. epig. 47. Wealth and goods not earned with ones hands, but left a man by his friends.

But ashVirtus non eſt haereditaria: ſed nec pietas. Philoſophia non eſt res beneficiaria: Senec. ep. 90. Vertue, ſo Piety is not hereditarie. The one commeth not by kinde; neither is the other left by will: It is a greater legacie, than the mightieſt Monarch that is, can bequeath to his heire. ForiPſal. 16.5. God himſelfe is the inheritance of thoſe that have it.kPſal. 111.5. God (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) hath given a portion to them that feare him. If a rich man give one a childes part, it is like to bee a matter of ſome worth: Much more then if God give a man a childes part. But more than that,lPſal. 142.5. He himſelfe is the portion that he giveth unto his. mPſal. 119.57.Portio mea ipſe es, Domine; ſaith David; O Lord, thou art my portion. And,nQui dedit me mihi, dedit & ſe mihi. Bern. in Pſal. 90. He that bestowed my ſelfe upon me, hath beſtowed himſelfe alſo upon me, ſaith Bernard. And ifoDeut. 10.9. & 18.2. the Levites need have no inheritance among their brethren, becauſe God is their portion; (it is ſufficient they have him, that is,pforeign Geneſ. 17.1. El ſhaddai, God all-ſufficient;) and yet that was but in a temporall manner: Much more then is the godly man wealthy enough, though he have nothing in the world, though hee have no part among worldly men; ſeeing God is his portion in a ſpirituall manner, in a much better ſort. He whoſe portion God is, cannot be poore. We uſe to ſay, that, He cannot lightly want money, that is maſter of the Mint: and he can never be poore, qQui foreign, ut eſt in Proverbio; &, cum Plauti Milite, Auri montes, non maſſas, habet.that hath a well-ſpring of wealth. rPſal 34.9. & 84.11. Beatus homo, cujus eſt Dominus ſpes ejus, cui nihil deficit, quia Chriſtus ei ſufficit. Petrus Bleſ. epiſt. 102. Quantumlibet ſis avarus, ſufficit tibi Deus. Etenim vult avaritia terram poſſidere totam, adde & coelum; plus eſt qui fecit terram & coelum. Aug. in Pſ. 55. Deum habens, omnia habes. Aug. de temp. 146. Quid tibi ſufficit, ſi Deus non ſufficit. Idem ad fratr. in erem. 51. 2 Cor. 6.10.Much leſſe then can that man want ought that is good, who is poſſeſſed of God himſelfe,ſIam. 1.17. Omne enim bonum aut ipſe est, aut ab ipſo Aug. de doct. Chr. l. 1. c. 31. Rom. 11.36. the Fountaine of all good. In regard whereof, David having prayed for many temporall bleſſings in the behalfe of his people,tPſal. 144.12, 13, 14. that their Sonnes might be tall and hardie like goodly young Cedars; and their Daughters faire and comely, like the curious carvings about the Temple; their Oxen ſtrong to labour, and their Sheepe fertile and fruitfull; that there might be no civill commoton nor forraine invaſion: at length hee windeth up all indeed with this Epiphonema or Concluſion,nPſal. 144.15. Bleſſed bee the people that are in ſuch a caſe: but on the necke of it he commeth as with an Epanorthoma, or a Correction of his former ſpeech, Yea rather bleſſed are the people that have Iehova for their God; that have the Lord for their portion: This one bleſſing alone is better worth than all thoſe. So that as when the woman in the Goſpell cried out to Chriſt,xLuk. 11.27. Bleſſed is the wombe that bare thee, and the paps that gave thee ſucke: Our Saviour, as correcting her ſpeech, (and yetyLuk. 1.48. true alſo that was) ſaith,zLuk. 11.28. Beatior Maria percipiendo fidem Chriſti, quàm concipiendo carnem Chriſti. Luk. 1.45. Inde foelix quia verbum Dei cuſtodivit. Luc. 2.19. non quia in illa verbum caro factum eſt & habitavit in nobis; ſed quia cuſtodivit Dei verbum, per quod facta est, & quod in illo caro factum eſt. Aug. in Ioan tract. 10. Bleſſed are thoſe rather that heare Gods Word and keep it. So the Pſalmiſt having pronounced them bleſſed that be in ſuch a caſe, as eating in and revoking his words againe, as if he had ſpoken otherwiſe than well, Yea bleſſed (ſaith he) are they rather whoſe God is the Lord: As if hee had ſaid, That is indeed an happineſſe in ſome kinde, in ſome caſe: but yet that happineſſe is nothing to this bleſſedneſſe: for that is but externall, this is internall; that is but temporall, this is eternall.

Secondly, the greateſt wealth in this world is of a Kingdome: and therefore ſaid he ſometime in the prophane Tragedie, thataforeign. Eteocles apud Eurip. Phoeniff. Nam ſi violandum est jus, regnandi gratia violandum est: altis rebus pietatem colas. Cic. offic. l. 3. Nulla ſancta ſocietas, nec fides regni est. Ennius apud eund. l. 1. Nulla fides regni ſociis. Lucaen. l. 1. If a man might breake his word for ought, it ſhould be to atchieve a Crowne, to compaſſe a Kingdome. Yea not to be a King onelyonly, but to belong to a King in ſome place neere about him, is eſteemed a matter of great worth and dignitie, and ſuch as may prove a meane of much wealth and commoditie to one that can wiſely make uſe of it.c1 King. 10.8. They were held happy men that could get into Salomons ſervice. And it is the greateſt matter thatdProv 22.29. Salomon could promiſe the man that is diligent and induſtrious in the managing of his affaires, that he ſhall ſtand before, eSic 1 Reg. 17.1. & Dan 7.10.that is, attend upon Princes, and not ſerve or wait upon any meane man. If it be held ſuch a matter then to retaine and belong to ſome one of the Princes of this world;*Deo ſervire regnare eſt. Bern de temp. 110. Non maligno aut mundano principi, ſed Chriſto utique ſervire regnare est. Idem de bon. deſer. What is it to appertaine and belong to God,fApoc. 19.6. 1 Tim. 6.15. the King of Kings, and gApoc. 1.5.the Prince of Princes, hPſal. 83.18.the higheſt Soveraigne iLuk. 10.21.Lord of Heaven and Earth; kDeponit reges, diſponit regna. Dan. 2.37. & 4.22.that depoſeth Kings and diſpoſeth of their Kingdomes at his pleaſure; that aſſigneth every earthly King the liſts and limits both of his regiment and of his reigne? That which the Apoſtle Paul therefore prefixeth as no ſmall credit before ſundry of his Epiſtles; and King David as a great grace before ſome of his Pſalmes:lRom. 1.1. Philip 1.1. Tit. 1.1. Paul a ſervant of Ieſus Chriſt: and,mPſal. 36.1. A Pſalme of David the ſervant of God: as if it werenSanctitate major quàm poteſtate. Salvian. de provid. l. 2. Quomodo de M. Antonino Petrarc. fam. ep. 15. lib 7. Imperium adeptus philoſophi nomen retinuit, majus aeſtimans philoſophum eſſe quam principem. Et de Theodoſio Aug. de civit. l. 5. c. 28. Eccleſiae Dei ſe membrum eſſe magis quam regnare gaudebat. a greater dignitie to him, that he was Gods ſervant, than that hee was ruler and governour of Gods people.

But becauſeoIob. 8.35. the ſervant is oft-times turned out at doores, whereas the ſonne abideth in the houſe for ever: And therefore the Father telleth his Sonne in the Goſpell;pLuk. 15.31. Sonne, thou art ever with me: and all that I have is reſerved for thee. The godly man is not onelyonly ſervant to a King, but hee isq1 Pet. 2.9. Sonne to ſuch a King, andrLuk. 12.32. borne, or ratherſIoh. 3.3, 5. new borne, to a Kingdome. And whereas earthly kings, if they have many ſonnes, can leave the Crowne but to one.t2 Chron. 21.3. Iehoſaphat (ſaith the holy Hiſtory) gave great gifts to his other Sonnes, but the kingdome gave he to Ioram; becauſe he was the eldeſt. God makethuApoc. 1.6. & 20.6. all his Sonnes Kings andxApoc 21.7. Heires alike. ForyRom 8.17. if wee bee Sonnes, ſaith the Apoſtle, wee are heires too; even coheires with Chriſt, zHeb. 1.2.who is Heire of all.

But how can the Godly be ſo rich, may ſome ſay, when he hath, as it may fall out, not a penny in his purſe?

Thirdly therefore: A man may truly be ſaid to be Rich in writing; the monied man, though hee have never a penny in the houſe, butaHinc illud Pallad…e? foreign. Et Poll…ani illud; foreign apud Stob. tom. 2. c. 10. all out at intereſt; and the landed-man, though hee hold not his lands in his owne hands, but have all let out and in the occupation of others, ſo long as hee hath good ſecurity for the one, and good evidence, if need be, to ſhew, for the other. And as in Writing, ſo in Reverſion. Great ſummes of money doe many give for the reverſions of offices, of lands and leaſes; and as much may they make them againe away for, if they will. And in like manner may the Godly man be ſaid to be rich both in writing, and in reverſion: yea in either kind he isbAffat…m dives eſt, qui cum Chriſto pauper est. Hieron. ad Heliodor. Dives pax, pietas, fides: fitleli enim totus mundus poſſeſſio eſt. Ambr. ep. 10. Quibus locis circumſcribitur, cui totus mundus divitiarum poſſeſſio eſt? Idem offic l 3. c. 1. the richeſt man in the world. For he hath all in the world, yeacforeign. Antiſthenes & Zeno apud Laert Vnus est ſapiens, cujus omnia ſunt. Senec. de benef. l. 7. c. 3. Fi…eli homini totus mundus divitiaru… est: totus planè; quia tam adverſa quam proſpera ejus aeq…è omnia ſerviunt ei, & cooperantur in bonum. Bern in Cant. ſer. 21. all this world, and the next world confirmed and aſſured unto him by the word and promiſe of God, yea by his deed and bond under his owne hand and ſeale, who cannot goe from his word, or diſclaime his handdTit. 1.1. to lye, ore2 Tim. 2.13. to deny himſelfe; though it bee much of it in other mens hands yet for a while. Forf1 Tim. 4 8. Pietie or Godlineſſe hath the promiſes both of this life, and of the life to come, ſaith our Apoſtle. And againe;g1 Corin. 3.22.23. Bee it Paul or Apollos, or things preſent or future, or this world; hforeign. Diogenes apud Laert. foreign. Clem. Al protrept. Omnia Chriſto tradita. Matth. 11.27. tene eum per quem facta ſuno omnia, & cum ipſo omnia poſſidebis. Rom. 8.23. avare, ecce …bes omnia. Omnia quae amas, ut non imp …diaris à Chriſto, contemne, & ipſum tene in quo poſſis omnia poſſidere. Auguſt. hom. 34 Viſe in Pſal. 48.all is yours, and you Chriſts, and Chriſt Gods. All the wealth both of this world, and of the world to come is theirs, (as iforeign. 2 Corin. 6.10. Avarus terrena eſurit, ut mondious; fidelis co temnit, ut dommus: ille poſsidendo mendicat, ille contemnendo poſsi det. Bern. in Cant. 21. Commune est omnibus Chriſti fratribus, quod de ſe Chriſtus dixit, Ioan. 12.32. quod ſi ita est, non putent divites hujus ſeculi fratres Chriſti ſola poſsidere coeleſtia poſsident & terrena; & quidem tanquam nihil habentes, ſed omnia poſsidentes, non mendicantes ut miſeri, ſed ut Domini poſsiden…es; eo pro certo magis Domini, quo minus cupidi. Bern. in Cant. 21. An non omnia poſsidet, cui omnia cooperantur in bonum? Idem be bon. deſer.having nothing, ſaith the Apoſtle, and yet poſſeſsing all things) though it beekRom. 8.28. Solerter attende, quod non ad libitum famulari, ſed cooperari dicit ad bonum neque enim ad voluntatem ſerviunt, ſed ad utilitatem, non ad voluptatem, ſed ad ſalutem, non ad votum, ſed ad commod… noſtrum. Idem de diverſ. 1. for their good alſo, with-held from them for a while.lFidelis hominis totus mundus divitiarum est: infidel autem noc obolus. Auguſt. Epiſt. 54. foreign. Pindarus apud Clement. paedag lib. 3. ca…. 12. The wicked in right have juſt nothing, having made forfeiture of all,mforeign. Dion Chryſ orat. 65. though it pleaſe GodnMatth. 5 45. Luk. 5.35. Act. 14.17. not to take ever the advantage of it inſtantly, andoLegatur Fr… à Victoria reloct, 5. § 1. n. 7, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. where hee doth not, man may not. They are butpHoc certe alienum non est quod jure poſſidetur, hoc autem jure, quod juſtè; & hoc juſte, quod bene. Omne igitur quod male poſſidetur, alienum eſt. male autem poſſidet, qui male utitur, Aug. epiſt. 54. Res quem que tetren recte … quoquam poſſideri non poteſt, niſi vel jure divino, quo cuncta juſtorum ſunt, vel jure humano, quod in poteſtate regum eſt. Idem epiſt. 48. intruders upon and uſurpers of Gods goods, and ſhall one day anſwer for their uſurpation and abuſe of them: orqGen. 39.5. Exod. 12.8. Act. 27.24. Multa malis tribuit Deus; ſed bonis caparaverat: contingunt autem etiam malis, quia ſeparari non poterant. ſatius eſt autem prodeſſe etiam malis propter bonos, quam bonis deeſſe propter malos. Senec. de benef. l. 4. c. 28. entercommoners by ſufferance with Gods children and ſervants, whom he principally intendeth them unto: orrGen. 30.27, 30, 43. & 31.9, 16. Iſa. 45.2, 3, 4, 26, 28. Iob 27.16, 17. Prov. 13.22. Dei dispenſatores; non ſibi, ſed aliis divites. quod de bonis Hieron. ad Pelag. l. 1. Stewards and Treaſurers, as ofttimes, for the good of the Godly.

And for Reverſion; to omit what hee hath in preſent poſſeſſion, beſides11 Cor. 1.5, 7. ſpirituall riches, of worldly wealth, as much2Mat. 6.32, 33. as hee hath need of, and as much3Pſal. 84 12. as it is good for him to have: Every Godly man, as he is4Iam. 2.5. Rich in faith, ſo he is farre richer by Faith. For5Heb. 14.1, 7. Iam. 2.5. by it he holdeth and hath right to the reverſion of ſuch61 Petr. 1.4, 5. an everlaſting inheritance, reſerved for him in the Heavens, as cannot bee purchaſed with all the wealth of this world; and as goeth in worth farther beyond all the wealth of this world, than the pureſt gold doth the droſſieſt durt.

And thus have wee ſeene, both that Godlineſſe is gainfull; and wherein the gaine thereof doth conſiſt.

Now the Uſe hereof is two-fold, for Exhortation, for Examination.

For Exhortation firſt; to ſtirre up all men to labour and take paines to get Godlineſſe.ſforeign. Sophoc. Creuſa. foreign. Antiphanes. foreign. De noſth. Olynth. Totus populus in aliam d…ſcors, in hoc convenit: hoc ſuſpiciunt, hoc ſuis optant. Senec. epiſt. 115. quem viſe ſis. All men gape after gaine. It is almoſt every ones ſong, that the Pſalmiſt hath;tPſal. 4.6. foreign. Theocr. idyll. 16. Prima fere vota, & cunctis notiſſima templis: Divitiae ut creſcant, ut opes. Iuvenal. ſat. 10. Lucri bonus eſt odor exre Qualibet illa tuo ſententia ſemper in ore Verſetur, Diis atque ipſo Iove digna, poetae. Hoc monſtrant pueris vetulae poſcentibus aſſem, Hoc diſcunt omnes ante alpha & beta puellae. Vnde habeas quaerit nemo, ſed oportet habere. Iuven. ſat. 14. Quis ostendet nobis boni aliquid? Who will tell us of any matter of gaine and commoditie? uAudite, filii Adam, avarum & ambitioſum genus. Bern. de tempor. 4.Hearken, ſaith one well, ye ſons of Adam, a covetous race, an ambitious brood: Here is Honour, and true Honour; here is Gaine, and true Gaine: ſuch as thexPecuniam ut tu haberes, alius ante perdiderat. Senec. de remed. fort. Bonum eſt, quod ut ad te tranſeat, alius dare debet, aliis amittere? Idem quaeſt. nat. l. 3. praefat. Lucrum ſine damno alterius haberi non poteſt. P. Syrus. world cannot ſhew the like;ySic ab omnibus capitur, ut nil ſingulis minuatur. Bern. in Cant. 79. Gaine without any loſſe to, or hindrance of any: here is good Gaine, and great Gaine; here is infinite gettings. Labour for Godlineſſe; labour to get and keepe a good Conſcience: It is the gainfull'ſt Trade in the world. Who ſo followeth this Trade, ſhall not venture upon uncertainties, he ſhall be ſure to thrive, and to get infinite Gaine. For,zProv. 21.21. He that followeth after righteouſneſſe, as a man followeth a trade, ſhall finde Honour and Life, true Honour, and eternall Life.

And here come there two ſorts of men to be admoniſhed.

Firſt, the rich, that they content not themſelves with their worldly wealth, but that they ſeeke withall to get the true ſpirituall riches, thataAnimus hominis dives, non area appellari ſolet. quamvis illa ſit plena, dum te inanem videbo divitem non putabo. Cic. parad. 6. Ex animo rem ſtare aequum puto, non animam exre. Auſon. themſelves may be rich, and not their purſe or their cheſt only; that they may not beebLuk. 12.21. Eſtote Deo divites, non eum facturi divitem, ſed de eo futuri divites. Auguſt. de verb. Dom. 6. rich to the world onelyonly, but rich alſo to God. Elſe their earthly Gaine will prove their loſſe; their worldly wealth will be but a meanes to hinder their happineſſe by keeping them out of Heaven where alone is true and entire happineſſe to bee had. It is that which our Saviour himſelfe ſaith of the worldly-rich man, that hath nothing to truſt unto but his riches: (for ſo to his ApoſtlescMark. 10.24. he expoundeth it himſelfe:) thatdMatth. 19.24. It is eaſier for eMark. 10.25. Luk. 18.25.a Camell; or, as ſome read the word,fforeign. Suid. Viſe Theophylactum, & Euthymium. a cable rope, to paſſe through the eye of a needle, than for ſuch a rich man to enter into the kingdome of Heaven. As if our Saviour ſhould have ſaid; It is as eoſie a matter, nay an eaſier, to thred a ſmall Spaniſh needle with a thicke cable, or a great cart-rope, than to get ſuch a rich man in at Heaven gate: gInepta enim ſunt, quae ex Lyrano Autor …nalogi inter Divitem & Pauperem, de po ta ga…rit Hieroſolymitana, cui Acus nomen, per quam Cameli, niſi ſarc…nis prius …epoſitis introire neuti …uam poſſent.That great bunched beaſt, a Camell, may as ſoone, yea ſooner bee driven through a needles narrow eye, than ſuch a rich man bee drawne unto God, and bee brought into the ſtate of grace. For ſo the moſt and the beſt reade it; and it is an ordinary by-word both with Syrians and Greekes, when they ſpeake of a thing that they thinke altogether impoſſible, to ſay,hforeign. Caſaubon. in notis ad N. Teſt. An Elephant, or a Camell may as ſoone creepe through a needles eye, as this or that come to paſſe. But not ſo ſoon, ſaith our Saviour, butiDifficil…m dixerat, impoſſibilem jam dixit. Hieronim Mat. 3. imò impoſſibili magis impoſſibilem. Euthym. in Matth. c. 41. ſooner may that be done, whichkMatth. 19.26. Mark. 10.27. with man is altogether impoſſible, than ſuch worldly rich men attaine to true happineſſe.l2 Cor 8 9. Divitiae illius au…d nobis facturae, cujus pa… …ertas nos divites fecit? Aug de verb. Apoſt. 15. Chriſt (ſaith the Apoſtle) became poore, to make us Rich. mQuomodo pauper factus est? quom de divites facit? Aug. de temp. 212.How became he poore? ſaith one of the Ancients; or how maketh hee us rich? The ſame Apostle (ſaith he) ſheweth us, and expoundeth himſelfe, where hee ſaith; n2 Cor. 5.21.Hee that knew no ſinne, for our ſake became ſinne, by taking upon him the guilt of our ſinne, that we might become the oPuto quod Chriſti paupertas non pecuniam nobis attulit, ſed juſtitiam & immortalitatem. Aug. ibid.Righteouſneſſe of God in him. And indeed, to ſpeake properly and preciſely, as the truth is,*foreign. Chryſoſt. tom. 6. ſerm. 78. de poenit. 2. not as the world, but as God reckoneth,pMajor & miſerabilior egeſtas nulla est, quàm egere ſapientia, & qui ſapientia non eget, nulla re omninò egere potest. ſtultitia ergò egeſtas est. Auguſt. de beata vita disput. 3. Paupertas in animo est, non in ſacculo. Idem in Pſal. 131. Paupertas in inopia mentis est, non in quantitate poſſeſsionis. Greg in Ezech. l. 2. hom. 18. the onelyonly poverty is ſinfulneſſe, andqIn animo div tiae ſunt, non in patrimonio. Sen. ep. 108. Parvaene divitiae ipſae innocentia? ſi arcam plenam auro habueris, dives eris: ſi cor habueris plenum innocentia, pauper eris? Aug. in Pſal. 83. righteouſneſſe the right riches. And the rich man therefore that hath not a religious heart, is but likerApoc. 3.17. proud Laodicea, ſQuid tibi proſunt exteriores d…vitiae, ſi te interior premit egeſtas? Aug. in Pſal 52. Tanto enim verius, quanto interius indigentes ſumus. Greg. M. mor l. 21. c. 14.a poore beggerly wretch in Gods ſight, and in the ſight of thoſe that ſee ſo as he ſeeth, howſoever hee may ſeeme rich and glorious in worldly mens eyes. Yea to him that hath it too, that is both rich and religious, may wee well ſay, as our Saviour did to his Diſciples, when they vaunted at their returne from preaching the Goſpell, that even the Devils were ſubdued unto them;tLuk. 10 20. Rejoyce ye not herein, that the Devils are ſubdued under you: ſo were they under Iudas too; but herein rejoyce, that you have your names entred in Heaven. So*V ſe ſupra quo de Theodoſio Aug. de civit. Dei l. 5. c 22. rejoyce not herein that thou art rich to the world, or that thou art great in the world, and haſt others under thee, and at thy command; that thou art clad gorgeouſly, and fareſt deliciouſly; (foruLuk. 16.19. ſo did that reprobate rich man in the Goſpell:) but herein rejoyce that thou art rich unto God, andx1 Pet. 3 4. Verè dives, au… in Dei conſpectu poteſt dives videri. Ambr. epiſt. 10. ſed ſolum illum divitem Deus novit, qui ſit dives aeternitati. Ibid. in his ſight, that thou feareſt and ſerveſt God, andy2 Corin 1.12. laboureſt to keepe a good conſcience, that thou art az1 Pet. 4.10. carefull diſpenſer and faithfull diſpoſer of that treaſure that God hath entruſted thee withall. Then thou art*Paulo ſapiens omnis liber, 1 Cor. 7.22. Petro etia… dives eſt. 1 Pet. 3.4. Ambroſ. epiſt. 10. foreign. Plato Phaedone. Solus ſapiens dives eſt. Cic. parad 6. & apud Apul de philoſ foreign. &c. Philo de Noc. Q…i pretioſiſſima quae ſunt poſſidet, is dives eſt. atqui pretioſiſsima res virtus eſt: hanc ergò cùm ſapiens ſolus poſsideat; ſapiens ſolus dives eſt. Empir. adv. Mathem. truly rich, when thou art ſincerely religious, when thou art truly righteous.

Secondly, the poore, they are likewiſe to bee admoniſhed, to labour for Godlineſſe: that though they bee notaLuk. 12.21. rich to the world, they may be rich yet to God; and their worldly povertie ſhall bee no hinderance to their ſpirituall preferment. ForbIam. 2.5. God (ſaith the Apoſtle) hath choſen the poore of this world to be rich in grace, and heires of his kingdome. And here is great comfort for the poore man, that liveth a godly life, and maketh Conſcience of his courſes, hath a care to pleaſe God and to doe his will in all things, and to approve himſelfe and his wayes to him, walking faithfully and painfully in the workes of his calling, be it never ſo meane; that though hee be never ſo poore and bare, though he live but from hand to mouth, as we ſay; yea though hee have not one good rag to hang on his backe, or one good morſell of meat in a twelve-month to put in his mouth, though he have not the leaſt patch of land in the world to ſuſtaine him, or the leaſt hole that may be to hide his head in;cDivites dicimus ſapientes, juſtos, bonos; quibus pecunia vel parva vel nulla: magis enim ſunt virtutibus divites: pauperes verò avaros dicimus, ſemper inhiantes, ſemper egentes. Auguſt. de civ. l. 7. c. 12. Pauper eſt pius? etiam ſic dives eſt: intus dives, foris pauper: pauper in cella, dives in conſcientia. arcam respicis auro inanem; conſcientia reſpice Deo plenam: non habet extrinſecus facultatem; ſed habet intrinſecus charitatem. Aug. in Pſal. 36. & de temp. 212. Inops auri, Deo dives eſt. quid hac virtute pauperius? quid hac paupertate ditius? Matth. 5.3. Idem de verb. Ap. 26. Nemo apud Deum pauper eſt, niſi qui juſtitia indiget: nemo dives, niſi qui virtutibus plenus eſt. Lactant. inſtit. l. 5. c. 14. yet is hee a rich man for all that, richer than Craſſus or Croeſus, or the wealthieſt worldly man againe in the world. For they have butdLuk. 16.11. the falſe riches, hee the true treaſure; they have but the counterfaiteVitreum margaritum, non verum. Hieron. poſt Tertull. glaſsie pearle; he hath that precious orient pearle, whichfMatth. 13.46. the wiſe Merchant, when he hath found, is content to ſell all that ever hee hath to purchaſe it, to forgoe all that ever hee is worth for the compaſſing of it; and yet is he no loſer by the bargaine neither. For as hee is a Merchant, ſo is hee alſo a wiſe Merchant; and therefore knoweth well what he doth in ſo doing: he knoweth that in buying it, hee buyeth himſelfe and his owne ſafetie, his owne eternall ſalvation, together with it.

Againe, this ſerveth to overthrow the opinion of ſuch perſons as thinke that there is little or no Gaine to be gotten under God, little or no good at all to bee gathered in Gods ſervice. So the worldly men in Iobs day;gIob 21.15. Who is the All-ſufficient, ſay they, that wee ſhould ſerve him? or what profit ſhould we have by praying unto him? And the wicked in Malachies time;hMalac. 3.14. It is but in vaine to ſerve God: there is nothing to be gotten by keeping his Commandements, and walking humbly before him.

Yea but, may ſome ſay, ſure there bee none ſuch now a-dayes, eſpecially among us that make profeſſion of Chriſtianity; and therefore this uſe of the point might well be ſpared.

If it be ſo with us,iQuieſcat lingua, loquatur vita. Auguſt. in 1. Ioan. Efficacius eſt teſtimonium vitae quàm linguae. Autor de dupl. martyr. let our actions anſwer for us; let our practice prove it: And ſo we will turne the uſe from reprehenſion to examination, from confutation to conviction.

Let every one by theſe Notes then examine himſelfe, whether he be of this opinion or no.

Firſt, did men deeme Godlineſſe to bee a matter of Gaine, they would never thinke they had enough of it. Forkforeign. Solon. foreign. Euſebius apud Stob. tom. 2. cap. 10. — quantumlibet improbae Creſcant divitie, tamen Curta neſcio quid ſemper abeſt rei. Hor. Carm. 3.23. foreign. Apictet. enchir. cap. 61. Eccleſ. 6.7. Nemo est cuifelicitas ſua, etiamſi curſu veniat, ſatisfaciat. Senec. Epiſt. 115. non potest expleri cupiditatibus, etiamſi expleatur divitiis. Ambr. de bono mort. cap. 1. Avarus animus nullo ſatiatur lucro. Senec. epiſt. 49. Riches are ſtintleſſe; there is no end of them. We never thinke that we have wealth enough, we are ſtill labouring for more.lFortuna multis nimis dat, nulli ſatis. Martial. l. 12. epigr. 10. Many men have too much, and yet no man enough. There is no ſtint of wealth; but asmNon aliud animal ex minore origine in majorem creſcit magnitudinem. Quidam hoc unum quamdiu vivat creſcere arbitrantur. de Crocodilo, Plin. hiſt. nat. l. 8. c. 25. ſome write, thoughnViſe Iul. Scalig. de ſubtil. exerc. 196. §. 7. fabulouſly, of the Crocodile, that he groweth ſo long as ever hee liveth: ſo it is too too true of this myſticall Crocodile, the deſire of gaine and wealth, and of advancing or enlarging mens worldly eſtates, hath no acme, no pitch, but groweth ſtill more and more with men as long as they live,oAvaritia morbus ſenum proprius, luxuria juvenum: libidinis ſiquidem ignis paulatim extinguitur, & cum ſenectute conſeneſcit: at avaritia augeſcit continuò, & cum ſenectute ipſa juveneſcit. Rolloc. in 1 Tim. 6.10. Quid avaritia, quae radix est omnium malorum, nonne in frigidis ſenibus tanto ad acquirendum ferventius inardeſcit, quanto citius relictura est quod acquirit? Aug. de temp. 246. rifer oft with them than ever, when they are even going out of the world, and have one foot, as wee uſe to ſay, already in the grave. But with Godlineſſe men are ſoone ſatisfied; they have ſoone enough of it. If they have attained to but a little ſuperficiall ſprinkling of common Grace, or civill honeſty, that commeth as far ſhort of ſound ſanctification and ſincerity, as the ſhadow doth of the ſubſtance; they begin preſently to ſuppoſe, with ſelfeconceitedpApoc. 3.17. Laodicea, that they are rich enough and need nothing; thatqQuomodò proficis, ſi tibi jam ſufficis? Bern. de conſider. l. 2. Omniae illi deſunt, qui ſibi nihil deeſſe putat. Ib. they have no need to labour for any further matter, they are even as well as well may bee, as need be, at leaſt. No man is afraid of being too wealthy: but*Noſti illud, Nemo pius est, qui pietatem cavet: Cave quidquam putes eſſe verius. Cic. de fin. lib. 2. Qui timet eſſe bonus, non timet eſſe malus. Miſocoſm. de contempt. mund. many are afraid of being too godly;rEccleſ. 7.18. Modum eſſe religionis: nimium eſſe ſuperſtitioſum non oportere. Cic. pro domo ſua. Religentem eſſe & portet, religioſum nefas. Gell. lib. 4. c. 9. Ne ſis nimium justus; Be not too juſt, ſticketh ſhrewdly on many a mans ſtomacke: though ſpokenſNotata eſt non juſtitia ſapientis, ſed ſuperbia praeſumentis. Aug. in Ioan. 95. not of true godlineſſe or righteouſneſſe indeed; but of nouriſhing in us an over-weaning conceit of our ſelves; or oftSi quem rigidum & trucem ad omnia fratrum peccata conſpexeris, &c. hunc ſcito plus juſtum eſſe quam juſtum eſt. Hieron. in Eccleſ. Iuſtitia enim, niſi miſericordia temperetur, in crudelitatem degenerat. Lavat. in Eccleſ. Huc illud Plinii hiſt. nat. l. 18. c. 6. Nihil minus expedire, quam agrum optimè colere. Et, Agrum benè colere neceſſarium, optimè damnoſum. being over-rigorous in cenſuring of others; likeuLuk. 18.11. the Phariſee in the Goſpell, who, ſaith an ancient Writer very pithily and wittily,xDum in ſe ſingulariter exultat, aliis arroganter inſultat; & ſe ſolum decipit, quem ſolum exipit, dum alios damnat. Bern. de grad. humil. exulting arrogantly in himſelfe, inſulteth inſolently over others, and deceiveth himſelfe alone, whom alone hee excepteth, while he contemneth and condemneth all beſides himſelfe.

Secondly, Men would ſtrive one to go beyond another in Godlineſſe, if they counted Godlineſſe a matter of Gaine. For as the Heathen writer well obſerveth,y—foreign. —Heſiod. V…cinus dives cupiditatem irritat. Sen. epiſt. 7. there is a kinde of emulation commonly among worldly neighbours, whereby they emulate ſuch as goe beyond them in wealth: one neighbour ſtriveth to out-build another, one to get and purchaſe more than another. The covetous man caſteth his eye on his rich neighbors,z—bunc atque hunc ſuperare laborat: Vt quum carceribus miſſos rapit ungula currus Inſtat equis auriga ſuos vincentibus illum praeteritum temnens extremos inter euntem. Horat. ſerm. lib. 1. ſat. 1. as a man in a race doth on thoſe that have won ground of him, he ſtriveth to get even with this man, whom he is yet behind, to out-ſtrip that man, whom he hath got even withall. And the envious man (as thoſe two vices are ſeldom aſunder) looking through the ſpectacles of envie on his neighbours goods,aFertilior ſeges est alienis ſemper in arvis: vicinumque pecus grandius uber habet. Ovid. artis l. 1. Aliena nobis, noſtra plus aliis placent. P. Syrus. —majorque videtur, Et melior vicina ſeges. Iuven. ſat. 14. thinketh every thing that his neighbour hath better than his owne, and it may be better than indeed it is, his grounds fertiler, his beaſts fairer, his revenues larger, his gains greater &c. and is ready enough oft to ſay with himſelfe, Why ſhould not my beasts looke as faire as his? why ſhould not my grounds yeeld as much as his? why ſhould not I thrive as well as he, having as good meanes to thrive by as he hath? And even*foreign. Plato de repub. l. 1. ſo would it be with us, held we godlineſſe to be gainfull. We would have a kinde of godly emulation and ambition among us, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, in matter of Godlineſſe; we would evenbforeign. 1 Cor. 12.31. foreign 1 Cor. 14 1. Et foreign. 2 Cor. 9.2. emulate andcforeign. Rom. 15.20. 2 Cor. 5.9. 1 Theſſ. 4.11. ambitiouſly, as it were, ſtrive and contend to out-goe one another in goodneſſe and grace. And this wered—foreign. Heſiod. a good and godly emulation, a goodly and a commendable ſtrife and contention Indeed. Wee would be eying of thoſe that are got beyond us in grace, and endevour to get even with them, yea, if it be poſſible, to out-ſtrip them, and to caſt them behinde us,eQui ſtadium currit, eniti & contendere debet, quàm maximè poſſit, ut vincat: ſupplantare eum quîcum certet, aut manu depellere nullo modo debet. Chryſippus apud Cicer. offic. l. 3. not by hindering their progreſſe, but by mending our owne pace, andfFaciamus quod in itinere fieri ſolet: qui tardius exierunt, velocitate penſant moram. Senec. nat quaeſt lib. 3. praefat. Quod facere ſolent, qui ſerius exeunt, & volunt tempus celeritate reparare, calcar addamus. Idem ep. 68. by ſtraining our ſelves to runne the faſter, the later it wat ere we entred into this race. We would be as ready as they are to ſay to our ſelves; And why ſhould not I be as forward in the feare of God, as zealous, as religious, as I ſee ſuch and ſuch are, ſince I have as good meanes of being godly as they have, as many inducements as either they or any other can have? But ſo ſtand the moſt affected, that they will not by their good will ſuffer any man to out-goe them in wealth, in the way of the world: but they will let any man willingly out-goe them in grace, and in the good wayes of God: there only we ſtrain courteſie, and give every one the way of us. And as our Saviour telleth the Scribes and Phariſees, thatgMattb 21.31. the very Publicans and Harlots might goe into the kingdome of Heaven before them: So not a few among us will ſuffer the very Pagans and Papists, little better than Pagans, if not worſe many of them than they, the very Heathen and Heretikes to goe into Heaven before them, ere they will ſtrive to out-goe them in goodneſſe and godlineſſe.

Thirdly, men would be more affected with it, if they ſuppoſed any matter of Gaine to be in it.hPopulus me ſibilat; at mihi plaudo Ipſe domi, ſimulac nummos contemplor in arca. Horat. ſerm. l. 1. ſat. 1. The covetous miſer, ſaith the Heathen man, while the people either curſe or hiſſe at him abroad, yet he pleaſeth and cheereth himſelfe the whileſt with the ſight or the conſideration of his ſubſtance at home. It doth a man good at the very heart, even to thinke upon his riches, and butiEccleſ. 5.10. to looke upon his treaſure. It will make our hearts to ſpring and leap within us for joy, to have ſudden newes brought us of ſome rich legacy, or large patrimony by ſome meanes befallen us. But of this ſpirituall wealth and gaine moſt men are meerely ſtupide and ſenſeleſſe: No more moved commonly or affected, when either (if any time at leaſt they ſo doe,) they thinke on it, or when they heare it ſpoken of in the Pulpit, than (as a Philoſopher ſaid ſometime of an ignorant Dolt ſitting in the Theater, where the ſeats were of marble, thatkforeign. Ariſtippus apud Laertium l. 2. One ſtone ſate upon another:) than, I ſay, either the benches that they ſit upon, or the pillars that they leane againſt: Not once ſtirred at all to heare of the heavenly inheritance, or of holineſſe, the means that muſt bring them to heaven, yea that worketh in mens hearts a kinde oflPhilip. 3.20. heaven upon earth, and giveth Chriſtian men ſeizin of heaven even while they live here. An evident argument that either they beleeve not the Gaine of it, or they beleeve not themſelves to have any ſhare in it.

Fourthly, men would be oft taking account of their Gaines in this kinde, of their thriving in Godlineſſe, if they held Godlineſſe to be ſo gainfull. mAvarus totus in rationibus.Worldly men are very frequent and diligent herein, very carefull to keepe their bookes of receipt and expenſe, poaring ever and anon on them, running oft over their reckonings, and caſting up their accounts, to ſee how they thrive or pare in the world, how they goe forward or backward in wealth. But where wee ſhall finde a man that hath the like care of keeping and caſting up his ſpirituall accounts, ofnPſal. 4.4. & 119.59. Zeph. 2.1. 1 Cor. 11.28. 2 Cor. 13.5. examining himſelfe for his ſpirituall eſtate, how he thriveth or pareth with the graces of Gods Spirit, how hee goeth forward or backward in goodneſſe or godlineſſe? And yet would our care bee alike for either, did wee equally apprehend the gaine of either. But let us looke unto it. For whether wee call our ſelves to account here or no, God will queſtionleſſe one day call us to an account. And then not onelyonlyoLuk. 15.13. the prodigall ſonne, and the pLuk. 16.1.unfaithfull ſteward, that hath the one unthriftily laviſhed out his patrimony, and the other riotouſly waſted his maſters wealth; butqMatth. 25.30. the idle and unprofitable ſervant too, that hath not gained with his Talent, that hath not thriven with the Grace of God beſtowed on him, ſhall be bound hand and foot, and caſt out into utter darkneſſe, where ſhall bee weeping and wailing, and gnaſhing of teeth.

Fifthly, men would make more account of godlineſſe, if they counted it as gaine. Did they indeed account godlineſſe more gainfull than gaine, they would not put godlineſſe away for gaine, they would not preferre gaine before godlineſſe. Yea did they deeme godlineſſe the gainfulleſt thing in the world, they would not forgoe godlineſſe for a world of wealth, or for ought elſe that were in the world. But it is with it, as it is with Time. It is a common ſaying in every mans mouth, thatrforeign. Theophraſtus apud Laertium & Anticho apud Plutarch. Antonio. There is nothing in the world more precious than Time, and yetſQuem mihi dabis qui pretium aliquod tempori ponat. Senec. epiſt. 1. Non exiguum temporis habemus, ſed multum perdimus: non inopes ejus, ſed prodigi ſumus: aſtricti ſunt homines in continendo patrimonio: ſimul ad temporis jacturam ventum est, profuſiſsimi in eo, cujus unius avaritia honeſta est. Idem de brev. vit. c. 1. & 3. there is nothing generally more trifled away than it. So of Godlineſſe the moſt will (in word at leaſt) acknowledge, that there is nothing in the world more gainfull than it, and yet the moſt of them that ſo ſay, ſticke not to make it away for meere trifles.tAd mercedem pii ſumus; ad mercedem impii. honeſta quamdiu aliqua illis ſpes inest, ſequimur: in contrarium tranſituri, ſi plus ſcelera promittant. Senec. ep. 113. Et genus & virtus, niſi cum re, vilior alga est. Horat. ſerm. lib. 2 ſat. 5. Godly they are content to be for advantage, ſo long as godlineſſe bringeth in any worldly gaine with it, or ſo long as there is no hope of any the like gaine by ungodlineſſe. But let godlineſſe ceaſe to bring in ſuch gaine, they grow ſoone weary of it: or let but the leaſt hope of ſuch gain by ungodlines ſhew it ſelfe, and they are ready preſently to exchange godlineſſe for it.uMatth. 16.26. What ſhould it availe a man, ſaith our Saviour, to winne the whole world, and loſe his owne ſoule? It were no gaine for a man to get the whole world by ungodlineſſe; ſince hee muſt withall loſe himſelfe, his life, his ſoule for his labour. But we are ready and willing, the moſt of us, to part with godlineſſe, and forgoe good conſcience, for farre leſſe matters than that commeth to, for a penny or an halfe-penny toy now and then; to exchange it for ſome ſmall peece or patch of the world, for ſome ſory ſnip or ſhred of the pelfe of it, or for ought elſe that wee have ſome fond fancie unto, the covetous Worldling for a little Temporary treaſure, and the laſcivious wanton for a little tranſitory pleaſure: likexHeb. 12 13. ex Gen. 25.33. prophane Eſau, that ſold his birth-right for a meſſe of broth, andyProv. 28.21. Fruſto panis conduci poteſt, vel uti taceat, vel uti loquatur. Cato in Caelium apud Gellium l. 1. c. 15. Salomons unjuſt Judge, that would doe injustice for a morſell of bread, andzEzech. 13.9. the falſe Prophets in Ezechiels time, that would pollute Gods name for a handfull of barley. That which evidently ſheweth at how low a rate moſt men value godlineſſe. For as aaAbſtem. in fabulis. ſcoffing companion ſometime told the Biſhop that would give him his bleſſing when he would not give him an halfe-penny, that If his bleſſing had beene worth an halfe-penny, he ſhould not have had it. So if worldly men thought godlineſſe, and the feare and favour of God worth but an halfe-penny, they would not venture to put either away for an halfe-penny matter: they would not ſo readily exchange either for trifles, did they not make but a trifling matter of either. Neither may the greater ſort of ſuch men avoid this imputation, and waſh their hands withbMatth. 27.24. Pilate from the ſoile of this ſinne, becauſe they are wont to make godlineſſe away for greater matters. To omitcforeign. Plato apud Plut. de util exinimic. Theſauris omnibus pretioſior eſt virtus. Apul. de philoſoph. foreign. Euripid. apud Stob. tom. 2. c. 1. Vilius argentum eſt auro, virtutibus aurum. Horat. epiſt. Virtus praemium est optimum: virtus omnibus rebus anteit. Plaut. Amphitr. 2.2. that even the greateſt of them will beare no weight at all, if they bee laid in the ballance againſt godlineſſe, when the whole world it ſelfe is too light to weigh againſt it. Thou thy ſelfe, who ever thou art, wilt cry out ſhame on ſome poore ſilly wretch, that ſhall forſweare himſelfe, and ſo damne his ſoule, as thou thy ſelfe ſaiſt, for a penny, when thou doſt thy ſelfe, it may be, in effect as much for ſomewhat more. But do thou conſider, asdforeign. Ariſtippus apud Laert. l. 2. Aristippus ſometime told Plato, that a penny may be as much to him as a pound is to thee, and a pound no more with thee than a penny with him: and therefore doeſt thou value Godlineſſe at as low a rate in ſtretching and ſtraining of thy conſcience for the one, as hee in tentering it for the other.

Laſtly, men would bee content to take more paines for the compaſſing and increaſing of it in themſelves, if they held godlineſſe to be gainfull. *foreign. Plut. de ſene folitic.Men can well endure to ſit telling and taking money, and it were all day long, from morning to darke night: but to heare the word, but an houre, whereby the ſpirituall gaine is gotten, the moſt can hardly endure: they ſit all that while on thornes, and thinke every minute an houre, and are never well till all be done. They ſay, or thinke at leaſt with themſelves, as the prophane Jewes ſometime ſaid,eforeign Malac. 1.12. What a toyle, or a tediouſneſſe is here? what needeth ſo much preaching? what needeth ſo long praying? they thinke they might be as well, if not much better, without either: Yea many cannot endure ſo long as till the houre be at an end. To whom God may well ſay, as our Saviour to his drowſie Diſciples,fMatth. 26.40. What, could ye not watch an houre with me? So, Can yee not endure to wait an houre on mee, that watch ſo many over you? OngSi ab illa bora, qua verbum Dei praedicare ceperim, geminas, vel …nnulos, vel manilia …rogarem, an non filii mei ſtare & accipere vellent? &c. Aug. homil. 26. worldly Mammon they could be well content to wait all day long, with forbearance not of diſport onelyonly, but of ordinary diet too, that would thinke much but halfe an houre in the day to wait upon him.

Againe,*foreign. Antipho apud Stob. c. 10. Cogitavarities miſeros & caeca cupido Noctes atque dies niti praeſtante labore. Lucret. de nat. rerum lib. 3. for worldly wealth men can toile and moile all the weeke long; and yet are they not weary; they thinke not the whole weeke long enough neither: But for the heavenly gaine, for the ſpirituall thrift, we have but one day of ſeven, and we thinke that too much too: we thinke the day all too long, the labour all loſt, and the whole time caſt away, that wee imploy and ſpend to this purpoſe. We ſay as the ſame Jewes at another time ſaid,hAmos 8, 5. When will the new Moone be paſt; and the Sabbath once over? that wee may returne againe unto our worldly affaires. Yea many among us have not the patience to tarry ſo long, but ſpend a great part of the Sabbath, that is Gods Market or Mart-day, for the getting of this ſpirituall gaine, either about their worldly affaires, or their bodily delights. The Sabbath day, I ſay, is Gods Market-day. And thoſe that ſeeke to take away the Sabbaths, attempt to put downe Gods Markets, and ſo doe the Devill good ſervice, whatſoever their intent bee. As frequenting of Markets maketh a rich man; ſo keeping of Sabbaths maketh a rich Chriſtian. And as we count him a bad husband, that followeth game on the Market day: ſo may we as well count him a ſpirituall unthrift, that ſpendeth the Sabbath in that ſort.

But may ſome ſay, when we have beene at Church, and heard the Sermon and Service, is not Gods Market-day then done?

I anſwer: If the Sabbath beiLevit. 23.32. Matth 28 1. a day, then is it not ſo ſoone done.*Debet totus dies feſtivus à Chriſtiano expendi in operibus ſanctis. Rob. Groſ…hed. Lincoln. Epiſc. in Decalog. praecept. 3. Gods Market laſteth all day long. Yea, grant the principall, becauſe the publike, of it be paſt: yet as Market-folks returning from Market will be talking of their Markets, as they goe by the way, and bee caſting up of their penny-worths, when they come home, reckon what they have taken, and what they have laid out, and how much they have gotten: So ſhould we, after we have heard the Word publikly, confer privately of it with others; at leaſt meditate on it by our ſelves, and be ſure to take an account of our ſelves, how we have profited that day by the Word that hath beene ſpoken unto us, and by other religious exerciſes that have beene uſed of us. And as the Market-man counteth that but an evill Market-day, that hee hath not gained ſomewhat on more or leſſe: So may wee well account it an evill Sabbath to us, whereon we have not profited ſomewhat, whereon we have not either increaſed our knowledge, or beene bettered in affection; whereon we have not beene further either informed in judgement, or reformed in practice, whereon we have added no whit at all to our talent.

To winde up all in a word. If wee hold Godlineſſe to bee, as the Apoſtle here ſaith it is, a matter of Gaine, and of great Gaine, that which maketh Gaine to be Gaine, and without which Gaine it ſelfe is no Gaine indeed; thatkOmnia adſunt bona, quem penes eſt virtus. (pietas.) Plaut. Amphitr. 2.2. it bringeth all good with it to him that hath it; and that it never leaveth him, but abideth with him, and ſticketh by him for ever: Oh let us labour then to get of it, and to grow more and more in it; let us endeavour to outgoe one another in godlineſſe; let us call our ſelves to a reckoning how we thrive or pare in it; let uslforeign. Solon apud Plut. de ſignis profect. & de utilit. ex inimic & de tranquill. not put it away for ſuch trifles and toyes as the world or themforeign. Chryſoſt. tom. 7. eclog. 30. & tom. 6. ſerm. 73. & in Matth. hom 3. Devil ſhall tender unto us to bereave us of ſo pretious a pearle; eſpecially let us have a care of frequentingnEſa. 55.1. Gods Markets, of obſerving Gods Sabbaths, the principall meanes of increaſing this ſpirituall wealth in us. So ſhall it come to paſſe that we ſhall have God to be our portion; we ſhall be heires of his Kingdome, and coheires with his Chriſt; we ſhall have all the good things both of this life, and the next aſſured unto us here, and the full fruition of them for ever hereafter.

The end of the firſt Part.

THE SECOND PART. The Sufficiencie of it in it ſelfe.

HItherto of the maine point, to wit, that Godlineſſe is great Gaine. Now becauſe this propoſition will not either eaſily enter into mens mindes, or ſinke ſuddenly into their hearts: The Holy Ghoſt by the Apoſtle is content to bring a double proofe of it.

The one drawne from the time preſent; becauſe it is able alone to give a man contentment here, that which all the world elſe is not able to doe, expreſſed in this verſe:

The other taken from the time to come; becauſe it will continue with and abide by a man for ever hereafter, that which no worldly wealth, or ought elſe in the world can doe, implied in theaVerſ. 7. next verſe.

Godlineſſe with contentment, orbforeign. with Self-ſufficiencie: For ſo it is word for word in the Originall; and the word ſo properly importeth. As if he had ſaid: Godlineſſe and contentment are two inſeparable companions, that continually harbour and keepe houſe together, that goe ever hand in hand the one with other: ſo that a man cannot have the one without the other, he cannot want the one if he have the other. There is no true Godlineſſe, where there is not contentment of minde; no true contentment of minde, where Godlineſſe is not.

So that the Apoſtle ſeemeth to reaſon on this wiſe:

That which of it ſelfe is ſufficient to content the minde of man, that is true gaine, and great gaine indeed: For it is no ſmall matter that will ſuffice to ſtay and ſettle mans minde.

But Godlineſſe is of it ſelfe ſufficient to content the minde of man, and doth ever bring true contentment with it to him that hath it.

Godlineſſe therefore it true gaine and great gaine indeed.

Hence then may we deduce theſe three concluſions to be conſidered of in order:

1 That contentment of minde is a moſt pretious treaſure.

2 That godlineſſe alone can produce and procure this contentment.

3 That true contentment is an undoubted argument of Godlineſſe.

For the firſt:cforeign. Epicur. apud Laert. contentment of minde is an unvaluable, an ineſtimable treaſure. For it is that indeed that maketh riches to bee riches.dQuis dives? qui nil cupiat. quis pauper? avarus. Bias apud Auſon. in 7. Sap. Divitiae grandes homini ſunt vivere parcè Aequo animo. — Lucret. lib. 5. Non eſſe cupidum pecunia eſt: non eſſe emacem vectigal est: contentum verò ſuis rebus eſſe maxime ſunt certiſſimaeque devitiae. Cic. parad. 6. Who is rich, ſaith one well, but he that liveth content with his eſtate? who is poore, but hee that never hath enough? eforeign. Democrit. apud. Stob. c. 95.That is true wealth indeed, that freeth a man from want. Butfforeign. Chryſoſt. in 1 Cor. hom. 13. Ex animo rem ſtare aequum puto, non animum ex re. Auſun. Non qui parum habet, ſed qui plus cupit, pauper est. Senec. ep. 2. Inſtructa inopia est in divitiis cupiditas. P. Syr. what wealth call we that, when a man is alwayes in want? OrgSemper avarus eget. Hor. epiſt. 2. l. 1. Semper inops, quicunque cupit. Claud in Ruff. l 1. Egentis hoc non abundantis ſignum est. Cic parad. 6. how is not that man alwaies in want, that is not content with what he hath?

And on the other ſide,hforeign. Chryſ. in Eph. hom. 21. foreign. Dives à divus, qui ut Deus, nihil indigere videtur. Varro de ling. Lat. l. 4. Ita tis pauperem …udicas, cui nihil detst? Sen ep. 119. Locuples est, qui paupertati ſuae aſtus est, & parvoſe divitem fecit. Ib…d. 108. Cui cum paupertate benè convenit, dives est. Ibid. 2. & Greg. in Ezech. l. 2. hom. 18. how is he poore, that ſuffereth no want? Oriforeign. Divitiae ſunt maximae divitiis non indigerc. Chryſ. in Pſal. 111. Quae ſunt maximae divitiae? divitias non deſiderare. Mart. Dum de morib. Ibi vera copia, ubi nulla est indigentia. Aug. de temp 212. Is maximè divitiis fruitur, qui minimè divitiis indiget. Senec. op. 14. Locupletem illum faciebat non melta poſſidere, ſed modica deſiderare. de Fabricio Val. Max. l. 4. c. 3. Omnia nimirum habet, qui nihil concupiſcit. Ibid. what wanteth hee, that reſteth content with what hee hath?kforeign. 2 Cor. 6.10. Sapientem nulla re indigere. Chryſippus apud Sen. ep. 9. Quid deeſſe potest extra deſiderium omnium poſito? quid extrinſecus opus eſt ei qui omnia ſua in ſe collegit? Sen. de vit. beat. c. 16. Is minimo eget mortalis, qui minimum cupit. Quod vult habet, qui velle quod ſatis est, potest. Idem ep. 108. Sanctus ergo quiſque terrents non indiget, etiamſi haec non habet. pauper est autem qui eget eo quod non habet. nam & qui non habens habere non appetit, dives est. Greg in Ezech. hom. 18. Hinc illud Socratis; Quam multis ego non indigeo? Laert & Cic. Tuſc. 5. Many things may he be without, and yetlCarere enim est egere eo quod habere vetis. Cic. Tuſcul. l. 1. Et Indigentia libido inexplebilis. Ibid. 4. wanteth he nothing; no more thanmNon tu dives, & Angelus pauper, quta non habet jumenta & rbedas & famulos. quare? quia non indiget. tunc verè dives eris, quando nullius in digens eris. Auguſt. de temp. 74. the bleſſed Spirits and Angels in Heaven want food or ſuch fare as we can in no wiſe live without here upon earth. Hee is no more poore or unhappy, becauſe he hath them not, thannSocrates dicere ſolitus cum Diis eſſe ſi millimum, qui quam pauciſſimis egeret, cum Dii nullius egeant rei Animus est qui divitem facit. pecunia nihil ad animum pertinet; non magis quam ad Deos immortales terrena pondera iſta omnia quae ſuspiciunt mortales. Senec. ad Helv. cap. 11. Quae parata nobis ſunt, non habet in uſu Deus. Idem epist. 74. Si quis de foelicitate Diogenis dubitat, quod non aurum, non opes habeat, potest idem dubitare de Deorum immortalium ſtatu, an parum beatè degant, quod illis non praedia, non horti, non rura pretioſa, non grande in ſoro foenus. Idem de vit. beat. cap. 8. God is, or the Angels are, becauſe they have not heaps of gold and ſilver, and other ſuch earthly traſh horded up by them in heaven.

Againe,oforeign. Ariſtot. rhetor. lib. 1. cap. 5. Quo mihi divitiae, quarum ſi dempſeris uſum, Quamvis dives opum, ſemper egenus ero. Maxim. eleg. 1. Legatur hac de re …eletis differtatio apud Stob cap. 95. Riches, as the Heathen man truly obſerveth, conſist not ſo much in the poſſeſſion of them, as in the fruition of them. But it is contentment alone that giveth a man a comfortable uſe and fruition of what he hath, that procureth him profit and pleaſure of what hee poſſeſſeth. ForpVltra ſe cupiditas porrigit, & foelicitatem ſuam non attendit. Sence. de benef. lib 2. cap. 27. Novis ſemper cupiditatibus occupati, non quid habeamus, ſed quid petamus inspicimus: non ad id quod est, ſed ad id quod appetitur, intenti. Ib. lib. 3. cap. 3. Quideſt quod faciat obl…vionem acceptorum? cupiditas accipiendorum. Idem epiſt. 81. Quid aveamus, quam quid habeamus, mens frequentius cogitat. where a man reſteth not content with what hee hath, there is the mide ſo carried after that hee further deſireth and hath not, that hee no more regardeth or joyeth in what hee hath,qAvaro tam deeſt quod habet, quam quod non habet. P. Syr. Deſ…nt inopiae multa, avaritiae omnia. Idem Sence. epiſt. 108. than if it were not at all. And where a man is diſcontent with his preſent eſtate, there is all that he hath, be it never ſo much, rather a burthen than any way a benefit …o him; like meat that agreeing not with the ſtomacke, lieth in it undigeſted, and not onelyonly proveth unpleaſant and unprofitable, affording neither good relliſh nor ſound nouriſhment, but noiſome alſo and burthenſome to the whole body. So that where contentment is not, a man regardeth nothing: and where diſcontent is, it infecteth and tainteth all things, and ſo maketh them, as if ſome malignant blaſt had blowne on them, unſavoury and diſtaſtefull to him that ſo hath them, rather ſicke of them, than endowed with them. And certainly as arNon domus & fundus, non aeri… acervus & auri Aegreto domini deduxit corpore febres, Non animo curas. Hor. ep. 2. l. 1. man diſeaſed in body can have little joy of his wealth, be it never ſo much; ſince as the Heathen man ſaith,ſforeign. Plut. de tranquill. A golden crowne can not cure the head-ach, nor a Velvet ſlipper give eaſe of the gout, nor a Purple robe fray away a burning fever. Andtforeign. Socr. apud Stob. c. 92. Non magnis opibus jucundè corpora curant: Nec calidae citius decedunt corpore febres, Textilibus ſi in picturis oſtroque rubenti Iactaris, quam ſi plebeia in veſte cubandum eſt. Lucret. l. 2. Quemadmodum, nihil differt, utrum aegrum in ligneo lecto, an in aureo colloces; quocunque illum tranſtuleris, morbum ſuum ſecum transfert: ſic nihil refert, utrum animus aeger in divitiis an in paupertate ponatur; malum ſuum illum ſequitur. Sen. ep. 17. A ſicke man is alike ſicke, whereſoever yee lay him, on a bed of gold, or on a pad of ſtraw, with a ſilken quilt or with a ſory rug on him. So no more can riches, gold and ſilver, land or living, had a man much more than ever any man had, miniſter unto him much joy, yea or any true and ſound joy at all, where the minde is diſtract and diſcontent: without contentment there is no joy of ought; there is no profit, there is no pleaſure in ought.uEccleſ. 2.10. All without it is but vanitie and vexation of Spirit.

Will wee ſee this by an example or two further confirmed to us? Haman, was he not a moſt happy man, as the world accounteth happineſſe,xNemo foelix eſt, qui judicio ſuo miſer eſt. Salvian. de provid l 1. Non eſt beatus, eſſe ſe qui non putat. …. Syr. Miſer eſt qui ſe non beatiſſimum judicat. Sen ep. 10. if he could have thought ſo himſelfe?yEſter 3.1, 2. the next man in the kingdome to the King himſelfe, the greateſt one of them that then was; he tooke place by the Kings appointment of all the Princes his Peeres, and all the Kings Court, by the Kings expreſſe command, bowed and did obeyſance to him:zEſter 5.13. he vaunteth himſelfe of his glory, the multitude of his children, the abundance of his treaſure, his eſpeciall favour and inwardneſſe both with the King and the Queene: enough a man would thinke to content any manaEgens aequè eſt is qui non ſatis habet, & is cui nihil ſatis poteſt eſſe. Cornif. ad Herenn. l. 4. that had not an unmeaſurable minde. And yet ſaith hee, that is the concluſion of his diſcourſe,bEſter. 5.13. O dives, neſcis quam pauper ſis. quam inops tibi ipſi videris, qui te divitem d…cis? Ambr. de Nabuth. cap. 2. all this doth me no good: It was all as good as nothing to him; he was never the better for all this, ſo long as he wanted a cap and a courteſie of Mordecai; becauſe Mordecai bowed not the knee unto him, nor adored him, as other the Kings Courtiers did. It was with him,cforeign. Plut. de tranquill. as with little children, (ſaith an Heathen man well of ſuch) playing in the ſtreets, who, if ſome man as hee paſſeth by take one of their toyes from them, are ready to caſt all the reſt away from them, though they have many more left, and ſit crying and whining for that one that is gone.

Paſſe wee from a Kings favourite to a King himſelfe. King Ahab had land and living enough and enough, (much more thand1 King. 16.16. his Father Omri was ever borne to,) had hee not wanted this contentment of minde. Bute1 King. 21.1, 2, 3, 4. the little Vineyard of his poore neighbour was ſuch an eye-ſore to his greedy affection, that the diſcontent that hee conceived, becauſe he could not preſently compaſſe it,fDuos finitimos hiſtoria vetus deſcribit, Regem A. & pauperem N. quem horum pauperiorem, quem ditiorem credimus? alter regali fulcro divitiarum praeditus, exiguam pauperis vineam deſideravit: alter animo despiciens regias gazas, ſuo erat contentus palmite. an non hîc magis dives, magis Rex, qui ſibi abundabat, cupiditates ſuas regebat, ut alieni nihil concupiſceret: ille autem egentiſſimus, cui auram ſuum vile, alienus palmes pretioſiſſimus erat? Ambr. epiſt. 10. Rex ſibi egere viſus eſt, quia vineam habebat pauper vicinus. ille regni opibus affluebat, & tamen ceſpitem pauperis flagitabat: pauper nihil de poſſeſſionibus concupivit divitis, alter certè cenſu pauper videtur, alter pauper eſt affectu. Idem de Nabuth. c. 2. made him poorer than poore Naboth, that deſired nothing that he had; and deprived him of his whole kingdome that he had no profit of it, tooke no pleaſure in it; but, like a man that were in extreme want and neceſſitie, he getteth him home to his houſe, and ſhutteth himſelfe up in his Chamber, like one that durſt not bee ſeene abroad for feare of arreſts; he caſteth himſelfe on the bed and refuſeth his meat, like a man that tooke thought for the payment of his debts: He fareth, in a word, as the former Author ſaith of ſuch,gforeign. Plut. de curioſit. like a ſullen Hen, that having ſtore of barley lying by her, getteth her aſide into ſome corner, and forſaking her meat, ſcrapeth alone by her ſelfe, there to finde ſomewhat that ſhe may be picking up out of the dunghill.

Yea come wee to them that were indeed Lords of the whole world, not in title onelyonly, but in truth, having and injoying that by Gods free gift, that none ſince them were ever able to come any thing neere, much leſſe to attaine unto.hGeneſ. 3.1, 2, 3. Adam and Eve our firſt Parents, albeit they were in the garden of Eden, (a place abounding, asiforeign Paradiſum voluptatis. Vulg. hortos delicatiſſimos. Leo Iud. the word importeth, with matter of pleaſure and delight) amids all earthly happineſſe; and had the whole world in their hands, and all the creatures at command: yet no ſooner had the Devill ſowen this unhappy ſeed of diſcontent (the very firſt ſinne of theirs, as I take it with ſome other Reverend) in their hearts, but they began preſently to deeme themſelves poore and in want, becauſe they had not what they would; they account themſelves as deprived and debarred of all things, if they may not have the fruit of that one tree that was onelyonly denied them, andkGen. 2.17. of which God had foretold them, that whenſoever*Gen. 3.3. they touched it or taſted of it, it would be their bane. As if ſome great rich man, or mighty Monarke, having wealth in abundance, and the world at will, even whatſoever heart could wiſh, yet ſhould thinke himſelfe ſtreitned and cut ſhort, but a miſerable creature, or not ſo happy as he might be, becauſe hee cannot, withlHarpalum Alexandro mandante omni modo admiſum, ut hederam in paradiſis Babyloni adjacentibus ſereret, fruſtra fuiſſe, narrant Theophr. hiſt. plaut. l. 4. c. 4. Plin. hiſt. nat. l. 16. c. 34. & Plut. in Alex. Alexander, get greene Ivie to grow in his Gardens at Babylon; or becauſe he may not, withmCum medico monente, porcina non apponeretur, ut pote podagrae, qua Papa laborabat, inimica, Affer, inquit, mihi ferculum, al diſpetto di Dio. Balaeus in Iul. 3. Pope Iulius, feed upon Swines fleſh, or ſome other diſh by his Phyſitians forbidden him in regard of ſome diſeaſe hanging upon him, likely to be his bane if he doe; and ſo lie languiſhing andnforeign. Quod oenopolae ſervus de her… ſuo, qui cum vinum venderet, Vappam ipſe potabat. Plut. de tranq. longing after his owne evill, when he hath good enough at hand, as if it were miſerie for a man to want that, though hee have no need of it, that would but hurt him if he had it. Ye ſee, that a man may bee in Paradiſe, (I might well ſay, in heaven too, as the Devill once was,) and yet not be happy, if hee have not a contented minde.

As on the other ſide, where this contentment of minde is, there is wealth even in want, much more cheerefulneſſe in wealth: There is as a ſtay of the deſire, ſo a reſting and a rejoycing in that a man enjoyeth: and therefore a comfortable uſage of it, bee it more or leſſe, becauſe content in it. It is that alone that ſeaſoneth all: it is that alone that ſweetneth all: It is that that is able, not onelyonly to ſeaſon thoſe things that are ſweet and pleaſant in their owne nature, but evenoAnimus aequus optimum eſt atumnae condimentum. Plaut. Rudent. 2. 3. Nihil tam acerbum eſt, in quo non aequus animus ſolatium inveniat. Senec. ad Helv. cap. 10. to ſweeten alſo thoſe things unto a man, that are harſh and unpleaſant in themſelves. It is contentment therefore only that maketh a man truly wealthy, becauſe it freeth him from want, and giveth him comfort of that hee hath. And as apforeign. Plut. de tranquill. peece of dry bread is more ſavoury to a man when hee is in health, than all the dainties in the world are when hee is heart-ſicke: So a little, ſaith Salomon, evenqProv. 17.1. foreign. Menand. Stob. tom. 2. c. 95. a morſell of drie bread is better and more with quiet and content, than a whole houſe full of fat beaſts with an unquiet heart, than a whole world of wealth with a diſcontented minde.

Now two wayes may this point be uſefull unto us.

Firſt, to informe us, what cauſe they have to bee thankfull unto God, be they rich or poore, whom hee hath vouchſafed this grace unto, whomkPhilip. 3.11, 12. hee hath taught, in whatſoever estate they are, therewith to be content. For even the pooreſt man that liveth content with his preſent eſtate, is richer than the richeſt man in the world that hath not a contented minde: hee is happier than Adam and Eve were ſometime in Paradiſe, when they longed to eat of the fruit forbidden them:lSenſit Alexander teſta cum vidit in illa Magnum habitalorem, quanto foelicioris, qui Nil cuperet, quàm qui totum ſibi poſceret (poſſidet) orbem. Iuven. ſat. 14. Si cui ſua non videntur ampliſſima, licet totius mundi dominus ſit, miſer eſt. Epicurus apud Sen. ep. 9. he is a greater man than great Alexander himſelfe, and in farre better plight than hee, even for the preſent. FormVnus Pelleo Iuveni non ſufficit orbis. Aeſtuat infoelix anguſto limite mundi, Vt Gyari clauſus ſcopulis, parvaque Scripho. Iuven. ſat. 10. Numquam parum eſt, quod ſatis eſt: numquam multum eſt, quod ſatis non eſt. …oſt Darium & Indos pauper eſt Alexander Macedo quaerit quod ſuum faciat; maria ignota ſcrutatur, mundi clauſtra perrumpit. Quod naturae ſatis eſt, homini non eſt. Inventus eſt qui concupiſceret aliquid poſt. omnia: detecto ſine terrarum per ſuum rediturus orbem triſti, eſt. Sen. epiſt. 119 foreign. Arrian. diſſert. lib. 3. cap. 9. hee, for want hereof, when hee had won the whole world, yet as if hee had beene pinched and ſtraitned for roome, or penned up in a corner or in a priſon, as if the whole world were not able to hold him, (whereasnMors ſola fatetur Quantulae ſint hominum corpuſcula, mortuus idem Sarcophago contentus erit. Iuven. ſat. 10. he could not take up ſo much as ten foot of ground, asoIn paleſtra prolapſus, cum in pulvere corporis veſtigium vidiſſet, Papae, inquit, ut minimam terrae partem natura ſortiti, orbem appetimus univerſum? Eraſm. apophth. l. 4 his father Philip ſaw, when he fell in the wreſtling place, and viewed the print and proportion of his body there in the duſt)pCum Anaxagoram audiſſet mundos innumerabiles aſſerentem, foreign; Alexand. apud Plut. he ſate weeping and wailing, like a forlorne perſon, that he could not finde out a new world to be winning. Whereas, by benefit hereof many a poore childe of God, that hath not halfe that that he had, yea that hath not a patch of land in the world, but liveth from hand to mouth by his daily labour, yet paſſeth his time as merrily, (as that Cynicke ſometime told his hoaſt at Athens) as ifqforeign. Diogen. apud Plut. de tranquill. every day were holy day, or a feſtivall day with him: According to that alſo which Salomon ſaith, thatrProv. 15.15. foreign ſicut Eſter 1.10. & 2 Sam. 25.36. Sic foreign. Sophocl. Ajace. i. foreign. Schol. Idem ferè. Prov. 17.22. A merry heart, or a contented minde, (for it is not ſpoken directly of a good conſcience, as it is commonly taken; (though it bee true alſo of that, and that be a meane to procure this;) as may appeare both by the oppoſition of the other member, and by the ſequele of the context) is a perpetuall banquet, a continuall feaſt. The poore man then hath as great cauſe to bee thankfull to God for his contentment of minde, as the rich man for his riches. Conceive it by this compariſon. Suppoſe two men lie ſicke of the ſame diſeaſe, a burning fever, or ſome ſuch like hot diſeaſe, as cauſeth drought and deſireth drinke, and call both inſtantly for cold water to quench their thirſt with. The Phyſitian comming to them, biddeth give the one that is more impatient, a good quantitie of cold drinke, and yet he crieth and calleth ſtill for more. To the other hee miniſtrethſforeign omnes dies afflicti mali. Sicut Gen. 47.9. & Matth. 6.34. himſelfe a little conſerve on the point of a knife, that ſlaketh his thirſt and aſſwageth his drought. Whether of the twaine in this caſe is more beholden unto him? So here; every one almoſt cryeth to God for wealth: few pray with wiſetProv. 30.8. paſce me cibo demenſi mei foreign Agur for a competent eſtate. Nowuforeign. Arrian. diſſert. lib. 4 cap. 9. Congerantur licet iſta, nunquam explebunt inexplebilem animum; non magis quàm ullus humor ſufficiet ad ſatiandum eum, cujus deſiderium non ex inopia, ſed ex aeſtu ardentium viſcerum oritur. non e…im ſitis illa, ſed morbus eſt. quicquid illic congeſſeris, non finis erit cupiditatis, ſed gradus. Sen. ad Helv. cap. 11. to one that thus prayeth, God giveth abundance of wealth, as a deale of cold water to quench his thirſt, and yet he lieth gaping ſtill*Ex magnis, ut mo… eſt, majorum cupidi. Senec. de benef. lib. 3. cap. 3. for more, as inſatiable, ſaith Salomon, xProv. 30.16.as the grave, or the barren wombe, or the dry land, or ySaevior ignibus Aetnae Fervens amor ardet habendi. Boet. conſol. l. 2. metr. 5.the fire, that never have enough. To anotherz—multa petentibus Deſunt multa. benè eſt cui Deus obtulit parca quod ſatis eſt manu. Hor. carm. 3. 16. hee giveth a competencie, ſome ſmall pitance, but contentment withall, as a little Phyſicall confection, that ſtinteth and ſtayeth his deſire. Whether of the twaine, thinke we, have more cauſe to be thankfull unto him, and to acknowledge his goodneſſe towards them? The latter doubtleſſe, as he enjoyeth the greater benefit, ſo hee hath greater cauſe of thankfulneſſe to him from whom hee hath it.

Againe this may ſerve to incite us to labour earneſtly for this contentment, and to pray inſtantly unto God for it. And it is hard here to ſay, whether a man had more need to perſwade the poore man to be content with his poverty, or the rich man with his riches. For asaMatth. 2.9. the Starre that went before the wiſemen, went when they went, and ſtayed where they ſtayed: Sobforeign. Chryſoſt. in 1. Cor. hom. 14. Neminem pecunia divitem fecit; imò nulli non majorem ſui cupiditatem incuſſit: plus incipit habere poſſe, qui plus habet. Senec. ep. 119. Nunquam dives eris, nunquam ſatiabere quaeſtu: Semper inops, quicunque cupit. Claud. in Rufin. l. 1. Magnas inter opes inops. Hor. car. 3. 16. Qui vult eſſe dives, pauper est. Aug. de temp. Nunquam parum est, quod ſatis est, nunquam multum est, quod ſatis non est. Senec. ep. 119. Qui continebit ſe intra naturalem modum, paupertatem non ſentiet: …ui naturalem modum excedet, eum in ſummus opibus quoque paupertas ſequetur. Idem ad Helv. c. 11. riches fly the faſter from a man, the more eagerly hee followeth them, but then ſtay, when a mans minde is ſtayed. Till that be,cHagg. 1.6. all is put (as the Prophet ſpeaketh in another caſe) into a broken bag, that will hold nothing, ordforeign. Dion. Chryſoſt. orat. 47. into a bottomleſſe barrell, as the proverbe is, that is never a whit the fuller for all that is put in: And we are but like thoſe that have a flux, that take in much, but retaine nothing, and ſo thrive not with their meat, are nothing fuller or fatter for it, till thiseforeign animi profluvium, quo laborant, iſti, quomodo foreign illi Athen. l. 4. ſpirituall looſeneſſe of ours be by contentment ſtayed with us. AsfNum. 9.17, 18. the children of Iſrael therefore paſſing along the wilderneſſe, marched forward on their way when the Cloud went that conducted them, but there ſtood ſtill where it ſtayed: So may our affections walke on, while Gods hand goeth before them: but looke where God ſtayeth his hand and ceaſeth to give, there ſhould our heart ſtay likewiſe, and wee ceaſe to deſire.

To perſwade our hearts the rather hereunto, uſe we a double conſideration, concerning others, and concerning our ſelves.

Concerning others, either thoſe that goe beyond us in riches, or thoſe that come ſhort of us in wealth.

For the former;*Nihil habet dives de divitiis, niſi quod ab illo poſtulat pauper; victum & veſtitum: Caetera omnia ejus ſuper flua ſunt. Aug. de verb. Dom. 5. —nil Divitiae poterunt regales addere majus. Hor. epiſt. 12. lib. 1. he that hath more than thou haſt, can but live and eat and drinke as thou doſt. And thereforeg1 Tim. 6.8. foreign. Pythagor. apud Stob. cap. 99. In quantum ſitis atque fames. & frigora poſcunt. Iuven. ſat. 14. Corporis exigua deſideria ſunt: frigus ſubmovere vult, alimentis famem ac ſitim extinguere: quicquid extra concupiſcitur, vitiis, non uſibus laboratur. Sen. ad Helv. c. 10. if thou haſt, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, but food and apparell; (he ſaith nothforeign. cates oriforeign. delicates, butkforeign. Iſidor. Pet. l. 2. ep. 57. food, that that may feed: he ſaith notlforeign, ornamenta. ornaments or abillements, butmforeign, operimenta. coverings ornGarments quaſi Gardments. Minſhew. garments, o—toga quae defendere frigus, Quamvis craſſa, queat. Horat. ſerm. lib. 1. ſatyr. 3.ſo much as may cover thee and keepe thee from cold) thou haſt as much as the mightieſt Monarke, as the wealthieſt man in the world can have. AspExod. 16.17, 18. the children of Iſrael gathered Manna, ſome more, ſome leſſe, but every man of them, hee that gathered moſt, had no more than his Homer: So here, though men gather wealth ſome more, ſome leſſe, yet hath every man but his qDemenſam portionem, à menſura, non à menſe dictam, ut Donatus ad Terent.demeane, rforeign. Xenoph. paediae l. 8. Quid opes opibus aggeritis? non vultis cogitare, quam parva vobis ſint corpora? nonne furor & ultimus montium error est, cum tam exiguum capias, cupere multum? licet cenſus augeatis, fines promoveatis, nunquam tamen corpora veſtra laxabitis. Sen. ad Helv. c. 10.heape he never ſo much up, hee can for himſelfe, for his owne perſon have no more than one mans ordinary allowance:ſforeign. Epictet. enchir. c. 61. & Clem. Al. paedag. lib. 3. cap. 7. Millia frumenti tua triverit area centum; Non tuus hoc capiet venter plus quàm meus. Horat. ſerm. lib. 1. ſat. 1. Quid proſunt multa cubicula? in uno jacetis. Non eſt veſtrum, ubicunque non eſtis. Senec. epiſt. 89. Legatur idem epiſt. 61. Though hee threſh a thouſand quarters of corne, though he have thouſands of fat Oxen and fed beaſts in his ſtalls and paſtures, and ten thouſands of ſheepe in his folds and his fields, yet can his belly hold no more than another mans may: the reſt of it goeth to others, and is nothing to him.tEccleſ. 5.11. foreign. de Alexandre Xenocrates apud Laert. Et Pheraulas apud Xenophontem paediae lib. 8. foreign, &c. foreign. Where there is much meat, there are many mouthes; there are many eaters: ſaith Salomon; and where there is much wealth, there are there many partakers: And what good hath the owner by it, but the name and uCn. Lentulus Augur, divitiarum maximum exemplum, quater millies HS ſuum vidit: propriè dixi; nihil enim amplius quam vidit. Senec. de benef. lib. 2. cap. 27.the ſight of it? Yea to ſpeake as the truth is,xforeign. Hieroni Pindarus Pyth. ode 1. Dispenſatorem publicum eſſe ſe. Alex. Severus apud Lamprid. the rich man is but a Steward to provide andyforeign; Philippus Macedo renunciantibus jumentis pabulum defore ſi pro libitu ſuo caſtra metarentur. Plut. apoph. take care for thoſe that appertaine to him and have dependance upon him:z—ut ſi Reticulum panis venales inter onuſto Forte vehas humero, nihilo plus accipias, quam Qui nil portarit. Horat. ſat. 1. as a beaſt or a ſlave that beareth provender and food for himſelfe and his fellowes, having but a ſingle ſhare of it onelyonly himſelfe. If he have more than thee and uſe it moderately, he hath no more himſelfe than thou haſt, unleſſe it bee that hee taketh moreaCreſcentem ſequitur cura pecuniam: Majorumque fames. Hor. carm. lib. 3. ode 16. Dives à paupere non diſtinguitur niſi ſolicitudine ſola. Pauperes ditioribus eo plerumque laetiores, quo animus eorum in pauciora diſtringitur. Sen. ad Helv. c. 12. Intelligo me, non opes, ſed occupationes perdidiſſe. Ibid. 9. —miſera eſt, magnicuſtodia cenſus. Iuven. ſat. 14. care than thou takeſt. If hee uſe it immoderately, with the rich glutton in the Goſpell,bLuk. 16.19. faring every day deliciouſly, (to omit thatcCibi condimentum fames, potionis ſitis. Socrates apud Cic. de finib. l. 2. Deſideriis iſta condiuntur. Idem Tuſcul. 5. Et Ibid. Confer cum iſtis (Anacharſi, cui pulpamentum fames, Laconibus Perſiſque quibus curſu, ſudore, fame, ſiti condiebantur epulae) ſudantes, ructantes, refertos epulis tamque opimos boves, qui nunquam ſitientes bibunt, nunquam eſurientes comedunt; tum intelliges, qui voluptatem maximè ſequantur, eos minimè conſequi; jucunditatemque victus eſſe in deſiderio, non in ſatietate. Epulis immenſis gloriantur, non delectantur. Senec. ad Helv. cap. 11. hee findeth the leſſe delight in it,)dforeign. Teles de divit. & virt. foreign. Socrates apud Stob. cap. 91. Levior jejunio mors est, cruditate diſſiliunt. Senec. de provid. cap. 4. hee doth himſelfe the more harme,eIſta ſi quis despicit, quid illi paupertas nocet? ſi quis concupiſcit, illi etiam paupertas prodeſt. Senec. ad Helv. cap. 10. and it were better for him that hee had leſſe: For that is verified of him that Salomon ſaith,fEccleſ. 5.10. foreign. Teles de divit. The poore labouring mans ſleep is ſweet unto him, whether he eat more or leſſe; but the rich mans ſaturity will not ſuffer him to reſt: g—vides ut pallidus om…is coena Deſurgat dubia? Quin corpus onuſtum Heſternis vitiis, anim…m quoque praegravat unâ, Atque affligit humi divinae partic…lam aurae. Alter ubi dicto citius curata ſopori Membra dedit, vegetus praeſcripta ad munia ſurgit. Horat. ſerm. l. 2. Hinc pallor, & genae pendulae, oculorum ulcera, tremulae manus, furiales ſomni, & inquies nocturna. Solem orientem non vident, & minus diu vivunt. Plin. hiſt. nat. lib. 15. cap. 22.it breaketh him of his ſleepe, it bereaveth him of his reſt, it impaireth his health, it is a meanes not to lengthen, but to ſhorten his life.

Againe conſider with thy ſelfe, how many an one wanteth that that thou haſt, and yet deſerveth as well at Gods hands as thou doſt.*foreign Favorinus apud Stob. c. 93. Thou lookeſt on thy rich neighbours to miſlike thine owne eſtate, and to murmur for that thou wanteſt: Looke rather on thy poore brethren,hforeign. Plut. de tranquill. — majoriſe pauperiorum Turbae comparet. — Hor ſat. 1. Aſpice quanto major pars fit pauperum. Sen. ad Helv. cap. 12. Pauper fiam? inter plures ero. Idem epiſt. 24. the far greater number, and compare thine eſtate with a many of theirs, to be thankfull for what thou haſt. Yea I may well ſay; Looke ſometime even on thy rich neighbour, that lieth grieved with the gout, not able to ſtand on his legs, or to ſtirre him without much paine on his pallet; thou haſt health, and hee hath wealth;iforeign. Euripid. Telepho. whether of the two, thinkeſt thou, is the greater bleſſing of God? Thou wouldſt thinke thy ſelfe happy, if thou hadſt his worldly wealth and abilitie; and*foreign. Arrian. diſſert. lib. 4. c. 9. hee would thinke himſelfe happy, and that with much better reaſon too, if hee had that health and abilitie of body that thou haſt. But to returne to the poorer ſort, liker thy ſelfe. When thou ſeeſt a rich man, ſaith one, caried in his chaire or on mens ſhoulders, have an eye withall to them that carry him, and that run through thicke and thin by him:lforeign. When thou eyeſt Xerxes that mighty Monarke with his endleſſe armymVelificatus Athos, epotaque flumina Medo Prandente. Iuven. ſat. 14. Sic Eſa. 37.25. digging downe hils, and drying up deeps, building bridges over the ſea it ſelfe, and lincking ſhore to ſhore, Aſia to Europe, making the drie land navigable, and the Ocean paſſable on foot: caſt thine eye withall downe on thoſe miſerable ſlaves, that dig downe mount A hos under the whip, and that are maimed and disfigured, their noſes and eares cut off, becauſe the bridge they made brake as the armie paſſed over it: thou counteſt him happy; and*foreign. Plut. ibid. they count thee happy. As if hee had ſaid, applying it to us and our times: Thou heareſt of the king of Spaine, what millions of treaſure he hath every third yeere from his Indies: and thou thinkeſt him an happy man. I ſay not to thee, though I might ſo ſay, conſider withall, how many mouthes he hath to feed, how many followers, how many favorites, how many ſhips and gallies to ſet out, how many garriſons to keepe, how many ſouldie…s to pay, how many intelligencers to maintaine, &c. But, thinke withall upon thoſe poore wretches that row in his gallies, that tug at the oare end under the whip, or under worſe than it, having ſcarce a bit of good bread to put in their mouthes, or a whole rag almoſt to hang on their backes, enduring all the miſery there that can be imagined. Thou thinkeſt him happy that hath that that thou haſt not: and they thinke thee happy that haſt not that that they have, and yet haſt that that they have not. Or, (becauſenforeign. ſuch exceſſive great ones are not ſo much regarded,oStellae terra… propius in occidente vel oriente locatae majores apparent, quàm cùm ad coeli medium elevatae fuerint. Ex Alhaceni perspect. l. 7. Author Oculi mor. c. 6. mirab. 13. the Sun ſheweth not ſo great when hee is at his higheſt as he doth when he is neerer the edge of the Horizon, kforeign. Plut. de tranq.and the Faulcon ſeemeth leſſe ſtill, the higher he ſoreth, when he is once gone above that that our weak eie-ſight can well reach.pforeign. Ariſtot. rhet. l. 2. c. 12. Thoſe that come neerer us, and are neerer at hand with us, are more in our eye, oftnerqInvidendi verbum ductum est à nimis intuendo fortunam alterius. Cic. Tuſcul. quaeſt. l. 3. eyed, and conſequently more envied of us:)rVicinus dives cupiditatem irritat. Senec. epiſt. 7. —foreign. Heſiod. oper. lib. 1. A rich neighbour or two not much above thine owne rancke, that dwell by thee, ſet thy teeth on edge, and are a ſhrewd eye-ſore unto thee, and make thee thinke thy ſelfe but in evill caſe, that thou art not as they are, that thou haſt not ſo much comming in yeerly as they have, that thou canſt not fare as they fare, and doe as they doe. But thou conſidereſt not withall for thoſe two or three rich, how many poore and needy ones are on every ſide of thee, that come as farre ſhort of thee as thou doeſt of them. Which if thou didſt, thou mightſt juſtly ſay, as the Pſalmiſt,ſPſal. 147.20. The Lord hath not dealt ſo with every Nation; ſo, The Lord hath not dealt ſo with every one, no nor with many an one, as he hath done and doth with me. As thetforeign. Laert. l. 6. Cynick, when he found a Mouſe in his ſachell, ſaid, he ſaw well that he was not yet ſo poore, but that ſome were glad of his leavings: So many a poore hungry ſoule, yea many a deare childe and ſincere ſervant of God, would be glad of thy leavings, and yet deſerveſt thou no more than any of them doe.

Laſtly, conſider thine owne unworthineſſe. Thou deſerveſt nothing at Gods hands but hunger and ſtripes. All that thou haſt from him, thou haſt it of free gift. And therefore are wee taught to pray;uMatth. 6.12. Da, non, redde. Quia niſi Deo donante noſter non eſt. Aug. hom. 14. Give us our bread. If wee deſerve not then ſo much as a bit of bread at Gods hands, can wee not be content, when God giveth us abundantly both bread and meat to feed us, and good clothing to cover us, and convenient houſing to harbour us, and friends, and favour, and credit, and countenance in the world, ſo much of that that ſo many want, and ſo much more than we are worthy of; unleſſe we may have*Iam. 4.3. to waſte on our *Coloſſ. 3.5.inordinate and extravagant luſts, and to revell and riot, as we ſee ſome others doe? We would thinke that begger intolerably impudent and inſolent, that comming to our doores to aske an almes, when we have beſtowed on him ſome broken bread and meat, or ſome ſory caſt coat, yet like thoſe importunate perſons the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh of, thatxPſal. 59.15. De talibus ex Callimacho Zenodotus, foreign. grudge and grumble if they be not ſatisfied, if they have not their owne fill, and their owne will, hee ſhould not bee quiet and hold himſelfe contented therewith, unleſſe he might have one of the beſt diſhes of meat from our boord, or one of our own ordinary wearing ſuits given him. And yet is this the caſe of the greateſt number of us.yQuantumvis dives es, Dei mendicus es. Auguſt. de verb. Dom. 41. & in orat. dom. An non mendicas, qui panem petis? Idem homil. 14. Wee come all as Beggars to Gods mercy gate; and God giveth us outz1 Tim. 6.17. abundance of many good things, life, libertie, health of body, ſtrength and abilitie of limmes, food and raiment, &c. a courteſie and competencie of each, as he ſeeth to be fitteſt for us: and*Imprudentia est (Impudentia etiam) ut à Deo divitias petas: ut panem petas quotidianum imprudentia non est. aliud est enim unde ſuperbias, aliud unde vivas. Aug. in orat. dom. yet, forſooth, can wee not be quiet, nor thinke our ſelves well, unleſſe we may fare as deliciouſly as Dives did, or goe in ſilks and ſattins as ſuch and ſuch doe. Iacob as good a man as any of us, was farre otherwiſe minded: hee praieth to God but foraGeneſ. 28.20. foreign. Chryſ. in Gen. hom. 14. bread to eat, and rayment to cloath him: that if he might have onelyonly, he thought himſelfe well apaid. And what made him ſo ſparing in his petition, but the ſight and conſideration of his owne unworthineſſe:bGen. 32.10. Inferior ſum quibuſvis beneficiis tuis. I am leſſe, ſaith he, than the leaſt of all thy mercies. He knew hee deſerved nothing, and was therefore content with any thing: he would aske no great matter, but would hold himſelfe ſatisfied, with whatſoever it ſhould pleaſe God in mercy and goodneſſe to allot and allow him. In a word; Beggers, as I ſaid before, we are; no better than beggers the very beſt of us: And Beggers, we uſe to ſay, muſt be no chooſers, they muſt not bee their owne carvers. Reſt we muſt therefore contented with what God ſhall ſee good to aſſigne us, be it more or leſſe, being more by much than ever we either doe or can deſerve any of us.

But is Contentment ſo neceſſarie, and ſo pretious a Jewell? let us in the next place then conſider by what meanes we may compaſſe it; And ſo paſſe we to the ſecond point before propounded, to wit, that Godlineſſe only can procure and produce true Contentment.

cforeign. Plut. de avar.A man would thinke that as meat aſſwageth hunger, and drinke allaieth thirſt; ſo riches ſhould ſatisfie, and by ſatisfying ſlake and quench the immoderate and inordinate deſire of wealth. But itdforeign. Ibid. is herein far otherwiſe, as Salomon himſelfe, and it may well bee, upon his owne experience informeth us:eEccleſ. 5.10. foreign. Plut. ibid. He that loveth money, ſaith Salomon, ſhall never have enough of it. fCreſcit amor nummi, quantum ipſa pecunia creſcit. Et minus hanc optat, qui non habet, Iuven. ſat. 14. Auri namque fames parto fit major ab auro. Prudent. pſychem. Et creſcit cupido cenſu creſcente cupido. Autor Oculimor. c. 12.The deſire of more groweth, as a mans riches ariſe. gforeign. Teles de collat. div. & virt. foreign. Chryſoſt. in 1. Cor. hom. 14. Sic quibus intumuit ſuffuſa venter ab unda, Quo plus ſint potae, plus ſitiuntur aquae. Ovid. faſt. l. 1. Habes aurum, habes argentum; & concupiſcis aurum, concupiſcis argentum: Et plenus es, & ſitis. morbus est, non opulentia. Sunt homines in morbo: humore pleni ſunt, & ſemper ſitiunt. Quomodò jactas opulentiam, qui habes hydropem conſcientiam? Auguſt. de verb. Dom. 5.As the dropſie-man, the more hee drinketh, the drier he is, andh—foreign Ariſtoph. Pluto. thoſe that are ſicke of the greedie diſeaſe, canina appetentia, the doggiſh deſire, as they terme it, the more they devoure, the more hungry they are; ſo the richer men grow, the more commonly they deſire, more greedy doe they wax ordinarily of the world, than they were when they had leſſe of it. AsiLuk. 12.18. when the fruits of their ground come in abundantly on them, they make their Barnes bigger, and their Store-houſes larger to hold more: ſo withall they beat out the walls of their hearts to covet more, andkHabb. 2.5. inlarge their deſire as the Grave, or as Hell; that never crieth, Ho, becauſe it never hath enough; m—Vtque fretum de tota flumina terra; Sic omnes animas locus accipit ille; nec ulli Exiguus populo est, turbamve accedere ſentit. Ovid. met. l 4.is never the fuller for all the ſoules that deſcend downe into it, no more than the ſea is for all the rivers that emptie themſelves into it.nforeign. Plut. de avar. Creſcit indulgens ſibi dirus hydrops, Nec ſitim pellit, niſi cauſa morbi Fugerit venis, & aquoſus albo Corpore languor. Horat. carm. 2. 2. As thoſe diſeaſed perſons therefore before mentioned, have need rather to bee emptied, to have ſomewhat purged out, than to have more powred in: the one muſt be rid of the watrie humour that poſſeſſeth his bodie, ere his drought can bee ſlaked, the other of the ſalt and ſlimie ſubſtance that peſtereth his ſtomacke, ere his ravenous appetite can be ſtaied: So the covetous perſon, that islProv. 30.15, 16. ſo greedy of the world, and ſo immoderate and inſatiable in his deſires, hathoforeign. Plato apud Stob. c. 10. Et Socrates ut Laertius l. 2. Cleanthes, ut Stob. cap. 92. interrogatus foreign. Sed & Epicurus, foreign. Ibid. cap. 17. Si vis Pythoclea divitem facere, non pecuniae adjiciendum, ſed cupiditatibus detrahendum. Ex Epicuro Sen. ep. 21. Scitè Arrian. Epict. diſſert. lib. 3. cap. 9. foreign. Et verè Clemens paedag. lib. 2. 3. foreign. Et Democr. apud Stob. c. 95. foreign. not need of more to be heaped upon him, but hath need rather of ſome thing to be taken away from him: he muſt have that diſcontent humour of his purged out of his head, that covetous affection of his wrought out of his heart, that is the cauſe of this his greedy and inſatiable deſire, ere he can attaine to any true Contentment of minde, ere hee can come to have his fill. Till then all this worlds wealth will be but aspforeign. Chryſoſt. in Rom. hom. 13. Scitum est Scytharum legati, Quanto plus biberint, tanto magis ſitire Parthos. Plin. hiſt. nat. lib 15. cap. 22, Viſe Simocatum epiſt. 52. wine and ſtrong drinke to the drunkard, that further inflameth him, and increaſeth his droughtqforeign. Euſeb. apud Stob. c. 10. Cupiditas avari ut ignis est, cui divitiae ſunt ut ligna. quibus injectis is vehementius exardeſcit. Vorag. de temp. 134. Eo majora cupimus quo majora venerunt: multoque concitatior eſt avaritia in magnarum opum congeſtu collocata; ut flammae infinito acrior vis eſt, quo ex majore incendio emicuit. Senec. de benef. lib. 2. cap. 27. as oile or fewell to the fire, that doth not quench or ſmother it, but feed it, and make it burne fiercer than at the firſt.

If no wealth then can ſtay, or ſatisfie the minde of man, what muſt? or what may? The Apoſtle pointeth us to it, as here, ſo elſewhere.rHeb. 13.9. It is good, ſaith hee, to have the heart ſtayed, or ballaced as it were, with grace, and not with meats, nor with mony neither. That that muſt keepe the ſhip ſtiffe and ſteedie on the Sea, muſt not bee leavers and ſhores without it, butſNumque labant curvae juſto ſinc pondere naves, Perque mare inſtabiles nimia levitate feruntur. Ovid. met. lib. 2. weight and ballaſt within it. So that that muſt ſtay a mans raging and ranging deſires, muſt not bee the outward ſupporting of his worldly eſtate, but the inward ballacing and ſetling of the heart and minde; that which Gods grace alone can doe, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh there, which is the ſame in effect with Godlineſſe, of which he intreateth here. And in regard hereof it is that the Pſalmiſt ſaith, thattPſal. 37.16. A ſmall matter to the godly, the man that feareth God, is much better than the greateſt wealth and riches, that the ungodly and the mighty hath or can have. And Salomon, that“Prov. 15.16. a little with the feare of God is much better than great treaſures and trouble or vexation therewith. In which words alſo Salomon cloſely and covertly rendreth a reaſon of that which his Father David had before him ſaid, why A little to the godly man ſhould bee of more worth, even the ſame in effect that the Apoſtle here hath, becauſe there is no trouble or vexation of minde, but quietneſſe and ſweet contentment withall. According to that which the ſame Salomon elſe-where ſaith,uProv. 10.22. foreign. Aeſchyl. Theb. It is Gods bleſsing that maketh a man truly rich, and he addeth no ſorrow with it. x1 Chron. 29.11, 1….Without Gods permiſſion and providence no man can have riches: ForyDeut. 8.18. it is God that giveth every man power to get wealth. ButzEt iratus dat, & propitius negat. Auguſt. de diverſ. 20. God giveth a man money many times in his wrath: as in the wilderneſſe he gave the Iſraelites meat in his anger: And ſo the curſe of God many times maketh a man rich: but thoſe riches are but accurſed riches;*Multis paraſſe divitias non finis miſeriarum fuit, ſed mutatio. Senec. epiſt. 17. Dum majore tormento pecunia poſſidetur, quàm queritur. Idem epiſt. 115. Nemo ſolicito bono fruitur. Idem ep. 14. Tantis parta malis cura majore metuque ſervantur. Miſera est magni cuſtodia cenſus. Iuven. ſat. 14. there is a curſe and carking care ever accompanying ſuch wealth. But where Gods bleſſing maketh a man rich, there hee giveth ever withall contentment, that cauſethaPſal. 106.15. comfort and quiet of minde, and maketh a man reſt ſatisfied and well apaid with that portion of wealth, be it more or leſſe, that God hath aſſigned him. Neither is this a common courteſie that God caſteth on all ſorts indifferently; but a peculiar bleſſing that he beſtoweth on thoſe onelyonly that love and feare him, and that are his beloved ones.bPſal. 128.1, 2. Bleſſed is every one, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, that feareth God, and that walketh in his wayes: For thou, that ſo doeſt, ſhalt eat of the *foreign. Sept. quod vetus interpr. Labores fructuum tuorum, malè reddidit: Cùm foreign illic non fructum ſignificet, ſed partem corporis eam, de quae Ariſtot. de part. animal. lib. 1.labours of thine hands: happy ſhalt thou be, and it ſhall goe well with thee. But,cforeign. Id quod Auguſtinum, Proſperumque Latinos latuiſſe parum fuerit; Origenem Graecum in Rom. c. 1. fefelliſſe mirum. Vnleſſe the Lord build the houſe, they labour but in vaine that build it: It is vaine for you, as worldly men are wont to doe, to riſe up early in the morning, and ſit up late at evening, and toile, and moile like an horſe, all the day long, and to eat the bread of ſorrow and care; for, it is God that giveth his beloved reſt: It is he alone that can give ſweet comfort, and quietneſſe, and contentment of minde, and this grace he vouchſafeth to none but his beloved, to the Godly that love him, and are beloved of him.

It is Godlineſſe then alone, that can cauſe true Contentment; and that can cauſe true Contentment alone.

Godlineſſe alone is able to cauſe true Contentment: becauſe Godlineſſe alone bringeth man home unto God, out of whom true Contentment cannot be had. For the ſoule of man, asaGeneſ. 1.26, 27. & 9.5. 1 Cor. 11.7. Epheſ. 4.24. it beareth the Image of God; ſobPſal. 17.15. Omnia copia quae non est Deus meus, mihi est egeſtas. Aug. ſoliloq. c. 13. Dei imaginem animam niſi Deus nil implet. Viſe Aug. de civit. lib. 12. cap. 1. nothing can ſatisfie it, but he whoſe image it beareth.cFeciſti nos ad te; & inquietum est cor noſtrum, donec requieſcat in te. Aug. confeſſ. l. 1. c. 1. Humana quipp… anima ad illum est ſuſpenſa, à quo formata. Et quia ad Deum ſolum appetendum facta est, omne autem quod infra appetit minus eſt, jure ei non ſufficit, quod Deus non est. Greg. mor. l. 26. cap. 36. Our ſoule, ſaith Auguſtine wel, was created as by God, ſo for God, and is therefore never quiet till it reſt in God. AsdHinc est quod huc illuc dispergitur, & ab unaquaque re fastidio impellente removetur. Delectationis ſcil. avida quaerit quo pauſet; unum verò quem ſufficienter habere poterat amiſit. Vnde nunc per multa ducitur, ut quia qualitate rerum non potest, ſaltem varietate ſatietur. Greg. ibid. man fell at firſt into this reſtleſneſſe by falling away from God; ſo*Hoc adepto beata est, quo amiſſo miſera est. Auguſt. civit. l. 12. c. 1. he cannot be recovered of it, but by returning to him againe. It is with mans ſoule in this regard, as it was with Noahs Dove in the deluge. AseGeneſ. 8.9. the Dove, after ſhe left the Arke, found no reſt for the ſoale of her foot in the wide world, being then all a float, till ſhee betoke her againe thither, from whence before ſhe came forth: So neither can man, fallen from God, finde any ſure reſt for the foot of his ſoule in the whole world beſide, till he come back to him againfEccleſ. 12.7. Geneſ. 2.7. from whom it came at the firſt. But it is Godlineſſe alone, that bringeth man home unto God; that tieth and knitteth the ſoule faſt unto God; whereofgHoc vinculo pietatis obſtricti, Deo religati ſumus, unde & ipſa Religio nomen accepit, non ut Cic. de nat. Deor. l. 2. à religendo. Lactant. l. 4. c. 28. Ad unum Deum tendentes, & ei uni religantes animas noſtras, unde Religio dicta creditur, omni ſuperſtitione careamus. Aug. de vera relig. cap. 55. Qui tamen à religendo, ſive religendo Deum, quem peccando amiſeramus, dictam tradit. Idem de civit. l. 10. c. 4. Sed illud praefert retract l. 1. c. 13. Religion, ſay ſome, hath its name; that findeth reſt and repoſe for the whole man in God, which can no where elſe bee found. That which Salomon, out of his owne experience, confirmeth unto us, whohEccleſ. 2.10, 11. having ranged abroad through all thoſe creatures and courſes, under the cope of Heaven, wherein any hope of contentment ſeemed to ſhew forth it ſelfe, is in concluſion inforced to retire backe againe to God,iEccleſ. 12.1. directing them all to him, that deſire to finde true contentment, and pointing them the way to himkEccleſ. 12.13. by the feare of him; that is, by Godlineſſe leading them unto God, that they may with him and in him finde true Contentment, as being no where elſe to be had.

Godlineſſe then, you ſee, is alone able to cauſe true Contentment. But is Godlineſſe, may ſome ſay, able to cauſe true Contentment alone, without help and aid of theſe outward things? Can it make a man content as well in want as in wealth? whether he have worldly wealth or no?

Yea undoubtedly. That that is ſufficient of it ſelfe alone to make a man truly happy, is of it ſelfe alone ſufficient to give true Contentment, though a man have nothing elſe but it. ForlAriſtot. ethic. lib. 1. c. 7. Sed & Aug. confeſſ. l. 10. c. …0 & Epiſt 121. c. 4, 5. & de lib a…b. l. 1. c 18. & de Trinit. lib. 13. c. 3, 4, 5, 7. & in Pſal. 118. conc. 1. Happineſſe is every mans utmoſt aime: and he that hath attained to it, cannot but reſt content with it:mNemo beatus qui eo quod amat (quod avet, quod habet) non fruitur. Aug. de civit. l. 8. c. 9. Fruimur autem eis in quibus voluntas delectata conquieſcit. Auguſt. de trinit. l. 10. c. 10. & Aquin. ſum. p. prima ſecundae. q. 11. a. 3. Vnde Sen. Nemo fruitur bono ſolicito. he were not happy, if hee found no content in his happineſſe. Whatſoever thing therefore is able to bring us unto happineſſe, cannot but bring to us contentment together with it. But Godlineſſe is of it ſelfe alone able to make a man happy. That whichnforeign. Plut…rch. Ad vivendum beatè virtus ſola ſufficit. Senec. de vit. beat. cap. 16. Beatae vitae virtus ſatisfacit. Idem epiſt. 87. Virtus ad explendam beatam vitam ſola ſatis efficax. Ibid 45. the Heathen men ſaid of their morall vertue, a meere ſhadow of it, is indeed true of true Godlineſſe, it is ſufficient of it ſelfe to make him that hath it truly happy, though he have nothing elſe but it. ForoApoc. 20.6 Inde beatus, unde bonus. Aug. epiſt. 121. Impius & foelix ſic ſimul eſſe cupit, ut nolit pius eſſe, velit tamen eſſe beatus; Quod natura negat, nec recepit ratio de Macrino apud Capitolinum. holineſſe and happineſſe, Godlineſſe and bleſſedneſſe are inſeparably lincked together, and cannot be ſevered the one from the other.pPſal. 1.1. & 112.1. & 119.1. & 128.1. Et ſi videantur ignaris miſeri, tamen non poſſunt aliud eſſe quàm beati. Salvian. de provid. l. 1. c. 2. Every holy man is an happy man, every Godly man is in a bleſſed eſtate, be he rich or poore, be he in wealth or in want, whatſoever his worldly eſtate outwardly be. So that of true Godlineſſe we may well ſay, as he ſometime of divine knowledge, the ground of it, it is not earthly gaine, nor worldly wealth, nor gold, nor ſilver, nor corruptible treaſures, butqDic te iſta neſcire, ſed noſſe quomodo etiam ſine iſtis homo poſſit eſſe beatus. Aug. epiſt. 56. it is that that can make a man happy without all theſe. And the Godly man though hee have not theſe or the like, yet hath he that that can make him truly happy without them, and ſo conſequently that can give him contentment in the want of them. And certainly if God beerforeign Geneſ. 17.1. El-ſhaddai, All-ſufficient; thenſforeign. 2 Corin. 12.9. Gods grace and Godlineſſe that bringeth a man home unto God, and giveth him intereſt in God, cannot but bee likewiſe of it ſelfe ſufficient to make a man truly happy, and to procure unto him true Contentment.

But will wee ſee yet more particularly by what meanes Godlineſſe worketh this Contentment in thoſe that are truly poſſeſſed of it?

Firſt,dAct. 15.9. & 26.18. it purgeth the heart of him that hath it: and ſo bringeth with it a ſanctified uſe of the creature. For unleſſe the veſſell be ſeaſoned, it tainteth all that commeth into it; and how can ought taſte well then, that commeth out of it? SofHagg. 2.14, 15. Vaſe foetido, vel oleum, vel vinum facilè c…rrumpitur. Ambr. ep. 3. unleſſe a mans heart bee ſeaſoned with grace, it polluteth and defileth all that a man dealeth with.gTit. 1.15. VntoUnto the pure, ſaith the Apoſtle, all things are pure, but unto the impure and the unbeleeving all things are impure, becauſe their mindes and conſciences are defiled. Since the worldly man then doth but moile and ſoile and defile himſelfe with his wealth, doth but taint and pollute it, and himſelfe in the uſe of it, no marvell, if hee finde no comfort or contentment at all in it. Nothing is pure to them, ſaith theeforeign. Socrates, ex Ariſtonymi tomariis Stob. cap. 92. Sincerum est niſi vas, quodcunque infundis, aceſcit. Horat. epiſt. 2. lib. 1. Apoſtle, becauſe their heart is impure. hQuid relliqui est …uin habeat, quae quidem in hom ne dicuntur bona? …arentes, patriam in olu…em, amicos, gaenus, cognatos, divitias? Atqui haec perinde ſunt, uti illius animus, qui ea poſſidet. Qui uta ſcit, ei bona, illi qui non utitur rectè mala. Terent beautont 1. 2. Malo nihil prodeſt, quia pravo uſu corrumpit, quicquid ad illum pervenit. quemadmodum ſtomachus morbo vitiatus & colligens bilem, quoſcunque accepit, cibos mutat, & omne alimentum in cauſam doloris trahit: ita animus caecus quicquid illi commiſeris, id onus ſuum & perniciem, & occaſionem miſeriae facit. Senec. de benef. l. 5. cap. 12. Ideò nihil potest ad malos pervenire, quod proſit; imò nihil quod non noceat. quaecunque enim illis contigerant, in naturam ſuam vertunt; & extra ſpecioſa profuturaque, ſi meliori darentur, illis peſtifera ſunt Ibid.As a foule ſtomacke, ſtuffed with Choler, turneth all into Choler, even the fineſt and daintieſt meats ſooneſt of any, by meanes whereof no good nouriſhment can accrew to the body by them, nor it grow to any good plight and health: So a foule heart turneth all into ſpirituall Choler, a bitter humour and unſavoury, that impaireth and hindreth the health and welfare of the ſoule as much, yea much more than that materiall choler doth the health and welfare of the body. Whereas Godlineſſe ſanctifying and cleanſing the heart, and purging out that corruption that before tainted and polluted it, and ſo made all uncomfortable, becauſe noyſome and hurtfull, unto us, reſtoreth unto usi1 Cor. 7.14. 1 Tim 4 4. a pure and ſanctified uſe of the creature, and enableth us to ſuche ſpirituall nouriſhment and wholſome juyce even out of temporall bleſſings; which the ſoule beginneth now to finde ſweet comfort and true contentment in, becauſe it uſeth them as it ought.

Secondly, it quieteth the Conſcience; which in the wicked, in the worldly man is ever unquiet; and no true contentment can bee till it be quieted.

kIob. 15.20.The wicked man is continually like a woman in travell, ſaith Eliphaz. lEtiamſi poenarum ad tempus immunes videantur & exortes reatus, graviores tamen intra ſe poenas luunt, & ſibi rei ſunt, qui aliis non videntur, atque in ſe gravtorem conſcientiae ſententiam, cum de aliorum peccatis judicant. Ambr. de bono mort…. 7. foreign. Pl. de tran.His guiltie conſcience is ever and anon inwardly griping him, and with privie pangs and throwes pinching and twitching him there,mProv. 18.14. foreign. Plut. ibid. where paines are moſt unſupportable, and wherenProv. 14.10. none feeleth oro1 Corin. 2.11. ſeeth ſave himſelfe. AndpEſa. 57 20 the wicked mans ſoule, as the Prophet compareth it, is as a raging Sea, full of ſoile and filth, that is never at reſt, whoſe waters caſt up mire and dirt. qEſa 48.22. & 57 …1.VntoUnto the wicked therefore, ſaith the Spirit of God, there is no peace. rD. Hall of Tranquill. §. 4.A ſeeming truce they may have, true tranquillitie they cannot have: *Contra quam Senec. epist. 105. Tulum aliqua res in mala conſcientia praeſtat, nulla ſecurum. nocens habuit aliquando latendi fortunam, nunquam fiduciam. Verum iſtud quoad homines; ex adverſo quoad Deum Scelus quis tutum, nullus ſecurum tulit, P. Syr.Secure they may ſeeme; but they can never be ſafe. If at ſome time they ſeeme to have reſt, and to bee at eaſe; it is but as with the Sea, that ſeemeth ſtill ſometime, but indeed never ſtandeth ſtill, but is ever riſing or falling, ebbing or flowing, inceſſantly rolling to and fro from ſhore to ſhore: It is as with the Sea,ſNoli huic tranqu llitati confidere. momento temporis mare evert tur; & eodem die ubi luſerunt navigia, ſorbentur. Senec. epiſt. 4. that ſeemeth calme and ſmooth ſometime, but upon every breath of ayre or blaſt of winde, is ready to riſe and to rage, yea upon ſome ſudden guſt ſometime ſwelleth ſo, that ſhips are there ſwallowed up ſuddenly, where they lay becalmed but a little before. Their ſeeming tranquillitie is but as the health of a feverous perſon when he is out of his fit, or the lightſomneſſe of a lunaticke that hath his lucida intervalla, and talketh by times as a man well in his wits.

Now what Contentment can there be in ought, while the minde is thus affected, while the Conſcience is unquieted?tforeign. Plut. de tranquill. So long as a man is heart-ſicke, hee can have no joy of ought, finde no relliſh in ought, be it never ſo pleaſant and delightfull otherwiſe, bee it never ſo acceptable to him at other times; his wonted company is then but tedious and troubleſome to him, his bed hard and uneaſie, his chamber too cloſe, his uſuall fare, yea or fare more daintie than uſuall, is diſtaſtefull, hee findeth no good taſte in ought that hee taketh: butuforeign. Plut. ibid. — valeat poſſeſſor oportet, Qui comportatis rebus benè cogitat uti. Horat. epiſt. 2. lib. 1. Sanis ſuavior eſt panis, quàm pulpamentum aegrotis. Auguſt. de verb. Dom. 4. come health once, and that ſweetneth all againe; and then liketh he his company well againe, and can endure his bed well, and can feed ſavourly on a dry peece of courſe bread, that loathed his panada, made of fine manchet before.xQui dolet, aut metuit, juvat illum ſic domus, aut res, Vt lippum pictae tabulae, fomenta podagram, Auriculas citharae collecta ſorde dolentes. Horat. ep. 2. lib. 1. Nihil est miſerius quàm animus hominis conſcius. Plaut. Moſtell. 3. 1. Nec Siculi gravius gemuerunt aera juvenci; Nec magis auratis pendens laqucaribus enſis Purpureas ſubter cervices terruit. —Perſ. ſat. 3. Alludit ad Damoclis hiſtoriam, cui ea ratione Dionyſius confirmavit, Nihil eſſe ei beatum, cui ſemper aliquis terror impendat. Cic. Tuſcul. l. 5. Perpetua anxietas, nec menſae tempore ceſſat, Faucibus, ut morbo, ſiccis, interque molares Difficili creſcente cibo: ſed vina Miſenus Expuit: Albani veteris pretioſa ſenectus Displicet. —Iuvenal. ſat. 13. In like manner here: So long as a man is ſoule-ſicke, hee can have no joy of ought; be his outward eſtate what it will, it can no more miniſter ſound comfort unto him,yforeign. Plut. de virt. & vit. than hot clothes or blanckets can give inward warmth to a dead corps, where naturall heat is utterly extinct: He may force himſelfe ſometime to ſome ſeeming mirth, but,zProv. 14.13. Even in laughter, ſaith Salomon, the heart is heavie. *Spem vultu ſimulat, premit altum corde dolorem. Virg. Aen. Non benè mendaci riſus componitur ore: Nec benè ſolicitis ebria verba ſonant. Tibul. 3.6.He may ſet a good face on it in outward ſhew to others, when his heart is full of heavineſſe and bitterneſſe within him, and“Calceus iſte nonne vobis concinnus ſatis videtur? ſed ubi pedem mihi torqueat ipſe ſolus perſentiſco. Aemylius apud Plut. de uxore. wringeth and pincheth him privily thereaProv. 14.10. Imus praecipites, qui quis ſibi dicat, & intus Palleat infoelix, quod proxima neſciat uxor. Perſ. ſat. 3. where none is aware of it but himſelfe onelyonly that ſuſtaineth and endureth it. And undoubtedly, let a man ſtrive to ſmother it and ſmooth it over all that ever he can, let him ſtraine himſelfe to lightſomneſſe by all meanes that may be, let him want no outward matter of worldly either ſupport or delight, yet ſo long as he hath his guiltie conſcience racking and griping him within; thoughbSardonius hic riſus est: intus interim eos mordet conſcientiae vermis cauteriis omnibus acrior. Calvin. inſtit. lib. 1. c. 3. §. 3. —quos diri conſcia facti Mens habet attonitos, & ſurdo verbere caedit Occultum quatiente intus tortore flagellum. Iuven. ſat. 3. hee may geere and grin outwardly, while he is nipped and galled inwardly, hee can take no more true joy and delight, can finde no more ſound comfort and contentment in all his wealth and his treaſures, or in his delights and his pleaſures, thancforeign. Plut. de ſera vindict. a priſoner or condemned perſon, that ſitteth drinking and ſwilling, or playing at cards and tables in the Jaile, while the halter that hee is to be hanged withall, hangeth over his head.

But on the other ſide, to a quiet minde, to a good conſcience, any any thing is acceptable, yea and comfortable, as to him that is now in health. Let the minde be truly ſetled, let the conſcience bee once quieted; and the ſame man that before tooke no joy at all in a large eſtate, found no relliſh at all in great varietie of dainties, walked melancholike to and fro in his gardens of pleaſure, had no comfort of friends and acquaintance, or of wife and children, can now finde much ſweetneſſe in a farre poorer pitance, give God hearty thankes for an homely repaſt, walke cheerefully abroad, live comfortably at home, rejoyce with his wife, be merry with his friends, be comforted in his children. And this quietneſſe of minde and conſcience can nothing procure but ſincere godlineſſe. Which therefore, as it giveth true eaſe, and worketh ſound cure of thoſe inward gripes and galls, not by benumming of a guiltie conſcience, nord1 Tim. 4.2. ſcaring it, and making it ſtupid and ſenſeleſſe, as for a time it is ſometime in the wicked; but by removing the ground of them,eRom. 5.1, 2, 3. by giving a man aſſurance of the remiſſion of his ſinne, and of reconcilement unto God, and ſo freeth a man from that inward diſquiet of minde, that baniſhed and kept out all true comfort and contentment before; ſo it bringeth with it a ſweet and comfortable uſe of all Gods good Creatures; which a man now enjoyethfPſal. 41.11. as fruits of Gods love, as effects of Gods favour, andgNon tam dono quàm abs te datum: non tam munere, quam abs te miſſum. Id verè triumphat ſcriò. Terent. Eunuch. in that regard more delightfull than the things themſelves in themſelves are, as a preſent ſent a man from his Prince.

Thirdly, it bringeth with it aſſurance of a greater benefit than all the world is able to countervaile; to wit, of Gods favour, and of his Fatherly love toward a man in Chriſt.

It is the moſt heavy and the moſt uncomfortable thing that can be for a man to be forth of Gods favour.hProv. 19.12. & 20.2. The wrath of a King, ſaith Salomon, is as the roaring of a Lion; iProv. 16.14.as the meſſengers of the Death. And what is the wrath of him then,kPſal. 18.7. & 104.32. whoſe angry looke alone is able to ſhake Heaven and Earth? And iflEſter. 7.6, 7. Haman had little joy of all his wealth and his treaſures, when Aſſuerus frowned on him, when he was fallen forth of his favour; no marvell if a man have no joy of ought, finde no comfort or contentment in ought, ſo long as God frowneth on him, ſo long as hee is diſpleaſed with him, while the blacke clouds of Gods heaviemIoh. 3.18, 36. wrath hang over his head?

And on the other ſide, by*Contrariorum eadem est ratio. the law of contraries, as Gods wrath is moſt hideous, ſo his love and favour is moſt gracious. As there is nothing more diſcomfortable than the one; ſo there is nothing more comfortable than the other.nPſal. 30.5. In thy favour, ſaith David, there is life. Yea,oPſal. 63.3. Thy loving kindneſſe, it is better than life. pMatth. 6.25.The body is better than rayment, and life of more worth than meat that maintaineth life, ſaith our Saviour. And,qIob 2.4. All that a man hath, as the Devill ſometime ſaid, will a man give for his life. But Gods favour and the aſſurance of it is a greater bleſſing than life it ſelfe, and much more then greater than any worldly wealth, that is not at all truly deſirable, but as an helpe and prop to this preſent life: Able therefore alone of it ſelfe to ſtay and ſupport a man, to comfort and cheere up a man, to give him true contentment,*Quid hac Iobi miſeria miſerjus? quid tamen hac infoelicitate felicius? perdiderat omnia quae de derat Deus: ſed habuit ipſum qui omnia dederat, Deum. Aug. Data perdiderat, ſed non datorem. Idem Pſal. 66. Omnia perdiderat, & plenus erat. Idem de diverſ. 12. to make him an happy man, in the want of all worldly wealth, though he have nothing elſe but it.

The old Graecians that hadrforeign. Euſtath. in Iliad. foreign. Inde Arcades foreign dicti. Plut. Caio Gr. foreign. Tyr. Max. orat. 11. Fagus & eſculus arbores glandiſerae ideò vocatae creduntur, quod barum fructibus olim homines vixerunt. Iſidor. orig. lib. 17. cap. 9. fed altogether on acornes before,ſCeres frumenta invenit, cùm antea glande veſcerentur. Plin. hiſt. nat. lib. 7. cap. 56. after that bread-corne came in among them,tSic odium cepit glandis. —Lucret. lib. 5. —gratae post munus ariſte Contingunt homines veteris faſtidia quercus. Iuven. ſat. 14. Inde nata Diverbia, foreign. Satis quercus. Et, Post fruges inventas glandibus veſci. Legatur Plin. hiſt. lib. 16. praefat. &c. 5. made no reckning of their maſt any more, but kept it onelyonly for their Swine: anduCorium publica forma percuſſum apud Lacedaemonios uſum numeratae pecuniae praeſtat. Senec. de benef. lib. 5. cap. 15. foreign. Nicol. Damaſc. Formatos è corio orbes auro modi…o ſignaverunt. Anonymus dereb bell. Hinc Hieron. ad Ruffin. Aureos montes pollicitus ne ſcorteum quidem nummum profers. leathren andxDe nummo ferreo videndus Plutarchus in Lycurgo. Legatur & Plin. hiſt. nat. l. 33. c. 3. & Alex. ab Alex. gen. dier. l. 4. c. 15. iron coyne began to grow out of requeſt, after that gold and ſilver once came in uſe. So when a man hath once found the favour and love of God in Chriſt, hath lighted once on it, and got aſſurance of it, hee ceaſeth then to be greedy of this worldly traſh, that is in regard of it but as droſſe or peble ſtones to Gold and Diamonds, as maſte to the beſt bread-corne, yea rather of farre leſſe worth and value to that, than either of theſe are to it. To which purpoſe David ſaith, that whereas the worldly mans ſong is,yPſal. 4.6. who will ſhew us any good, who will tell us of any matter of profit? his wiſh or requeſt rather was, (with other the Godly) Lord lift thou the Light of thy face, or thy favour, on us. For thatzPſal. 4.7. hee had found more true joy and contentment in the aſſurance of Gods love, in the view of his loving countenance towards him, than they had or could reape comfort by their worldly commodities, their corne and their wine, wherein their wealth chiefly conſiſted, though they came in never ſo plentifully upon them.*Pſal. 4.8. & 27.1. & 3.5. There was ſound reſt and aſſurance of ſafetie by the one, no ſecuritie in, or ſuretie at all of the other.

Laſtly; In that*Socrates ab Archelao ad facultates ampli…res accerſitus, foreign, inquit, foreign. Arrian. in protrept. apud Stob. c. 95. it fitteth a mans minde to his meanes, while it aſſureth him both for the time preſent, that that eſtate, whatſoever it be, that hee is then in, is the beſt and fitteſt for him; and for the time to come, that God will continually provide for him, and never ſee or ſuffer him to want ought that he ſhall ſtand in need of.

aHeb. 13.5, 6.Let your converſation, ſaith the Apoſtle, be without covetouſneſſe; and be content with what you have. For God hath promiſed that bGen. 28.15. Ioſh. 1.5.he will never leave nor forſake you. So that you may boldly ſay, as the Pſalmiſt,cPſal. 27.1. The Lord is my protector, I need feare nothing; ſo,dPſal. 23.1. The Lord is my Shepherd, I am ſure to lacke nothing. ForeMatth. 6.33. who ſo ſeeketh Gods Kingdome and the righteouſneſſe thereof, ſhall bee ſure to have all other things caſt upon him, that may be for his good, hee ſhall have the one as an overplus in to the other. It is a great ſtay of minde to a man for himſelfe or his ſonne, if the King ſhall ſay to him, as David f2 Sam. 9.7.to Mephiboſheth, org2 Sam. 19.38. to Barzillai the Gileadite, I will ſee that thou, or he ſhall never want, or, you ſhall neither of you ever want, if I may helpe it: What a ſtay of minde muſt it needs bee to the Godly man then, when the King of heaven and earth ſhall ſay as much unto him,hPſal. 146.3, 4, 5, 6. hee that is able to make his word good at will, andiHeb. 7.25. liveth for ever to performe whatſoever he hath promiſed?

Againe, the Godly may ſay it, and aſſure himſelfe of it, that whatſoever eſtate he is in, that eſtate for the preſent God ſeeth to be beſt and fitteſt for him.kQuare multa bonis viris adverſa eveniunt? nihil accidere bono viro mali poteſt, non miſcentur contraria. Sen. de provid. c. 2. If he be poore, povertie is beſt for him, or elſe hee ſhould not ſo bee: if he bee ſicke, ſickneſſe is beſt for him then, otherwiſe God would not ſuffer him to keepe his ſick-bed: if in priſon, reſtraint of liberty is then fitteſt for him, otherwiſe the priſon ſhould no more be able to hold him, thanlAct. 5.23, 19. & 12.6, 7. it was to hold Peter, when the doors were faſt locked on him, and a guard of ſouldiers ſet to keepe him ſure. If riches were good for him, he ſhould be ſure to have them: if health were good for him, hee ſhould bee ſure not to want it: if liberty,mPſal. 118.5. God without delay would enlarge him and reſtore it.nPſal. 34.9, 10. For there ſhall nothing bee wanting to thoſe that feare God: The Lions ſhall lacke and ſuffer hunger; but thoſe that ſeeke the Lord, ſhall want nothing that is good. oPſal. 84.11.God their Sunne and Shield will give them grace and glory: and no good thing will he, pforeign Gen. 17.1. & 15.1.who is God all-ſufficient, denie unto them, that walke uprightly before him.

Marke the Apoſtles argument, that he uſeth for the proofe of this point:qRom. 8.32. Qui miſit unigenitum, immiſit ſpiritum, promiſit vultum: quid tandem tibi negaturus est? Bern de temp. Nihil unquam ei negaſſe credendum est, quem ad vituli hortatur eſum. Hieron. ad Damaſ. de Luc. 15.31. foreign; Chryſoſt. in Rom. hom. 15. He that ſpared not his Sonne; but bestowed him upon us, how can hee but give us all things together with him? And conceive wee the force of it by this compariſon: Suppoſe a man have a friend, who having but one pretious Jewell of great price, that he maketh ſpeciall reckoning of, is content to part with it, and beſtow it on him for the ranſoming and redeeming of him out of captivity: hee is content againe, when he is ſicke, to be at any charge with him for Phyſitian and Phyſicke; and yet when he is in the fit of a burning Fever, hee will not by any meanes ſuffer him to have a cup of cold water. May not ſuch a one in this caſe reaſon thus with himſelfe? Surely if it were good and ſafe for me, yea were it not certainly dangerous and prejudiciall unto me to drinke ſuch cold and raw drinke, this my friend that thinketh nothing too good or too deare for me that may doe me good, that is content to be at all this coſt and charge with me for Phyſicke, would never denie me a cup of cold water that ſtandeth him in nothing. And conſequently, if he be wiſe, he will ſtrive againſt his owne deſire of it, and bend himſelfe patiently to endure the want and denial of it, as done in wiſdome by his friend, & out of a tender regard of his good. And in like manner doth the Apoſtle teach the Godly man to reaſon: God, that having butr1 Petr. 1.18, 19. one precious Jewell, to ſpeake of,ſIoh. 3.16. 1 Iohn 4.9. his owne Son and his onelyonly Sonne, was content to beſtow him upon mee, to ſhed his heart-blood for the ſaving of my ſoule, if he ſaw health or wealth to be good for me, he would never deny it me,tHagg. 2.9. 1 Chron. 29.11, 12. being no more than as a crum of bread or a drop of water with him. So that ſo long as he with-holdeth it, I know well that it is better for mee to want it than to have it; and therefore*foreign; Rufus apud Arrianum diſſert. l. 1. c. 1. foreign. Ibid. l 2. c. 16. I will endevour to keepe my ſelfe quiet, and reſt content with the want of that, which I want for my good.

This Godlineſſe perſwadeth every Chriſtian unto; and this Godlineſſe enabled the ſame Apoſtle to doe:uPhilip. 4.11, 12, 13. I have learned, ſaith hee,xMagnus ille est qui fictilibus ſic utitur quemadmodum argento. nec ille minor est qui ſic argento utitur, quemadmodum fictilibus. infirmi animi est pati non poſſe divitias. Sen. epiſt. 5. to abound: and I have learned to be in want. (Taught it a man muſt be, ere he can attaine to it; and it is a leſſon, that is not eaſily learned.)yforeign. Georg. Piſid. de vanit. vitae. I have learned to be hungry; and I have learned to be full. (The one had need to be learned as well as the other: and till a man have learned it, he ſhall never be filled) I have learned in whatſoever eſtate I am, therewith to bee content. I am able to doe all things, yetzIlle fortis est, qui non inſe, ſed in Deo fertis est. Aug. in Pſal. 31. Bonus vir ſine Deo nemo est, an poteſt aliquis ſupra fortunam niſi ab ill… adjutus exurgere? ille dat conſilia magnifica & erecta. In unoquoque bonorum virorum, qui Deus, incertum eſt, babitat Deus. Animum excellentem, moderatum, omnia tanquam minora tranſeuntem, quicquid timemu… optamus que ridentem coeleſtis potentia agitat. Non poteſt res tanta ſine adminiculo numinis ſtare. Sen. ep. 41. not of mine owne ſtrength, but through the power of Chriſt enabling mee. And ſo paſſe wee to the third Point, that at firſt wee propounded, to wit, that true contentment is an undoubted argument of Godlineſſe.

A contented minde argueth a religious heart; and a diſcontented minde argueth an irreligious ſpirit. It is a ſigne that a man ſeeth not Gods goodneſſe, conſidereth not his owne unworthineſſe, when hee is ever murmuring and repining, miſliking and finding fault with his owne eſtate, and envying thoſe that bee above him. So that where diſcontentment is lodged in the heart, there is Godlineſſe excluded and ſhut out of doores. And hereby may a man know himſelfe to bee truly religious, if hee have a minde contented ever with his preſent eſtate: notaFeras, non culpes, quod vitari non poteſt. P. Syrus. Optimum est pati quod emendare non poſſis. Sen. ep. 107. —leve fit patientia, Quicquid corrigere eſt nefas. Hor. carm. 1.24. barely becauſe hee cannot mend the matter, or eaſe himſelfe by being diſcontent at it; (that is a kindebAffectio humana caninae aequanimitatis ſtupore ſirmata. Tertull. de patient. of doggiſh ſtupiditie, rather than Chriſtian aequanimitie, as one well ſaith:) but becauſecPſal. 39.9. & 119.75. Deum quo authore cuncta proveniunt, ſine murmuratione ſequi. Senec. epiſt. 107. Quicquid inciderit, non tanquam malum aſpernabitur, & in ſe caſu delatum, ſed quaſi (à Deo) delegatum ſibi (lubens amplexabitur.) Idem ep. 120. God hath placed him in it, and ſeeth it fitteſt and beſt for him, whoſedMatth. 26.39. foreign. Arrian. Epictet. diſſert. lib. 2. cap. 17. Placeat homini, quicquid Deo placuit. Senec. epiſt. 74. ob hoc ipſum quod Deo placeat. Hieron alicubi. Deus quod vult, qui vult is ſemper est foelix. holy will hee deſireth to conforme his owne to, andeThymarides Pythagoricus, cum diſcedenti quidam quaſi benè precatus, foreign Dii tibi dent, inquit, quaecunque volueris; at ille, foreign. Bona verba; inquit; Velim ego potuis quaecunque Dii dederint. Iamblych. de vita Pythag. l. 1. c. 28. Magnus est animus, qu… ſe Deo tradidit: puſillus & degener, qui obluctatur, & de ordine mundi malè exiſtimat, & Deos mavult emendare quàm ſe. Senec. epiſt. 107. not to writhe and wreſt Gods to his; and thereforefIob 2.10. foreign Marc. leg. ſpir. 159. is willing to receive as well evill as good from God, andg1 Sam. 3.18. Si Deus bonus, Diabolus malus, nec à malo boni quicquam, nec à bono mali quicquam potest provenire. Auguſt. to reſt content with whatſoever he doth; whom he knowethhEſa. 39.8. to doe nothing but good, andiPſal. 119.71, 67. to doe all things for his good: that which is true piety, and a good note of ſinceritie whereſoever it is found.

But here every man will be ready to ſay, that he may ſeeme religious, that he is well content with his eſtate, and thanketh God for it withkIob 1.21. Iob, whatſoever it be. Well; if it be ſo, as Saint Iames ſaith,lIam. 2.18. Shew me thy faith by thy workes: ſo let usmAeſuanimitas veſtra nota ſit. Philip. 4 5. ſhew our contentment by the effects, by the fruits of it.

Of a note or two of contentment then a word or two, and ſo an end.

One ſigne of contentment then is, the uſe of lawfull means onelyonly; When a man deſireth not, nor endevoureth to better his eſtate by indirect and unwarrantable courſes: when a man dothnPſal. 37.1, 8. & 73.12, 13. not fret to ſee wicked men riſe by bad meanes, nor is ſory that he may not doe as they doe: much leſſe is moved to doe wickedly, and to take ſuch courſes as hee ſeeth wicked ones thrive withall, while himſelfe and other godly, as himſelfe ſeemeth to obſerve, either decay, or elſe ſtand at a ſtay.oGeneſ. 14.23. Abraham, when the King of Sodome offered him ſome part of his ſpoyles, refuſed to take ſo much as a ſhoe-latchet of him, that the king of Sodome might not ſay that hee had made Abraham rich; that men might not ſay, that Abraham had beene made rich, not by Gods bleſſing, but by the Kings meanes; hee might thanke the King of Sodome for his wealth. So a godly man will not gaine, nor deſire to gaine ſo much as a ſhoe-ſtring or ſhoe-thred by prophaning Gods Sabbaths withpNehem. 13.16. the Zidonian Merchants, by fraud of deceit, by oppreſſion and extortion, by biting uſury, the Devils brokery, or by any other unlawfull and indirect courſe; that the devill may not ſay, that he hath made him rich; as hee ſaid ſometime to our Saviour,qMatth. 4.9. All this will I give thee, if thou wilt fall downe and worſhip me. For*Illas tibi divitias Diabolus dat, quas per furtum, quas per fraudem acquiris. Operis imperf. apud Chryſoſt. hom. 5. it is of the devils gift, all that is gotten by ſuch means, that is compaſſed by ſuch courſes: and he hath neither a contented minde, nor a religious heart, that will ſeeke or take ought at the devils hand. As therNum. 9.22, 23. Iſraelites therefore travelling through the wilderneſſe towards the land of promiſe (which to have gone the next way, had not been a journy of many daies, yet were they many yeers about) they were to goe as God led them, as they ſaw the cloud goe before them, and not to take that way that ſeemed beſt or moſt compendious in their owne eyes. So muſt weſObſervare vias Domini. Pſal. 18.22. Heb. 11.8. foreign. Philo de migr. Abr. Idem & Arrian. diſſert. l. 1. c. 20. foreign. Pythagor. apud Boeth. de conſol. lib. 1. proſ. 4. Laudat & Plut. in conviv. & Cic. de fin. l. 4. & Sen. de vita beata cap. 15. foreign. Cleanthes, & Epictet. enchir. Duc me, parens celſique dominator poli, Quocunque placuit: nulla parendi mora est: Aſſum impiger. fac nolle: comitabor gemens; Maluſque patiar, quod bono licuit pati. Ducunt volentem fata, nolentem trabunt. Sen. ep. 107. obſerve Gods wayes in our trading and trafficking, in our walking towards wealth: wee muſt keepe the way that God leadeth us; goe no other way than we can ſee him going in before us, follow the line of his Law, though it ſeeme to lead us in and out, backward and forward, as if wee were treading of a maze; and not take thoſe wayes, leaving the guidance of it, that ſeeme gainer and neerer in our owne eyes, and much more compendious than the other. Though wee might compaſſe wealth with a word or two, with the bow of a knee only the one way, where as we muſt travell, and toile and moile much ere wee come by it the other way: tho wee might attaine to it within a day, or a weeke the one way, whereas we are like to ſtay long, many yeers, it may be, ere we come at it, the other way: yet this way muſt we keepe, andtMatth. 4.10. refuſe all the world with our Saviour, if it be offered us to intice us out of it. Otherwiſe as theuNum. 14.44, 45. Iſraelites, when they went out of Gods precincts, they went withall out of Gods protection, and ſo fell before their foes, into whoſe hands they fell, forſaking Gods ſhelter and ſavegard: SoxQui properat diteſcere. Prov. 28.20, 22. foreign. Menand. Nam dives qui fieri vult, Et citò vult fieri: ſed quae reverentia legum, Quis metus aut pudor est unquam properantis avari. Iuven. ſat. 11. thoſe that make more haſte than good ſpeed to be rich, that balke Gods paths, and ſtep aſide out of Gods way, to compaſſe wealth, ſhall undoubtedly come to evill. ForyQui volunt ditari. 1 Tim. 6.9. Non ait, qui ſunt, ſed qui fieri volunt. Bern. de diverſ. 36. Qui volunt, non qui ſunt. cupiditates accuſat, non facultates. Auguſt. hom. 13. & de temp. 205. Qui augere opes ambit, vitare peccatum negligit, & more avium dum eſcam terrenarum rerum avidè conspicit, quo ſtranguletur peccati laqueo non agnoſcit. Greg. paſtor. l. 3. c. 1. §. 21. thoſe that will be rich, ſaith the Apoſtle, that ſet this downe,zVnde habeas, quaerit nemo; ſed oportet habere. Iuvenal. ſat. 14. rich they will be, howſoever they come by it, per fas & nefas, by hooke or crooke, as we ſay, by right or by wrong, they pierce their hearts through with many ſorrowes, pester their minds with many fond and noiſome lusts and deſires, and plunge themſelves into many dangerous ſnares, that at length drowne their ſoules in deſtruction. Yea the very deſire of bettering a mans eſtate by ſuch means, is an evident argument of diſcontent: when it grieveth a man at the heart, that his conſcience will not give him leave, or that Gods law will not ſuffer him to uſe thoſe means that he ſeeth worldly men grow wealthy withall.aMalus miles eſt, qui Imperatorem gemens ſequitur. Sen. epiſt. 107. & de vita beata cap. 15. foreign. Arrian. diſſert. l. 2. c. 16. He is out of Gods way, though he ſeeme to be yet in it, though he ſtride not outwardly out of it, that miſliketh it, that liketh any other way better than it, that walketh in it with an evill will. AndbMalum opus non est factum niſi ab iis qui jam mali erant. Aug. de civit. Dei l. 14. c. 13. as Adam and Eve ſinned and were evill even in deſiring to eat, before ever they taſted of the forbidden fruit: So the very deſire of liberty for ſuch courſes argueth evidently ſo far forth a minde irreligious, though the heart never conſent to put them in practice.

A ſecond Signe of a contented minde is the uſe of ſuch lawfull means without care and covetiſe, without diſtruſtfull care, without greedy deſire.

It is the ſaying of ſome of the Ancients, and it is a true ſaying, thatcforeign. Clem. Alex. paed l. 2. c. 10. Adulter est in ſuam uxorem amator ardentior. Xyſtus Pythag. in ſentent. In aliena uxore omnis amor turpis est; in ſua nimius. Hieron. ad Iovin. l. 1. c. 1. Intemperans in conjugio adulter est uxoris ſuae. Ambr. de Philoſoph. contra Platon. Adulterum dicit uxoris eum eſſe, qui in ipſo quoque uſu conjugii nullam verecundiae vel honeſtatis curam habet. Aug. contra Iulian. l. 2. Libido appetitus est ſine judicio, ſine modo, ut ſi uxorem amem amore meretricio. Iul. Scal. de ſubtil. exerc. 317. §. 2. A man may commit adulterie with his owne wife: So a man may commit ſpirituall fornication with the lawfull means, that hee uſeth and lawfully may uſe, if he uſe them in unlawfull manner. For the preventing and avoiding whereof our Saviour Chriſt biddeth us,dMatth. 6.25. Take no care, (or, no thought rather, if you will) what we ſhall eat or drinke, or wherewith we ſhall he clad. In which precept, or prohibition rather, he forbiddeth not the uſe of lawfull means, but the diſtruſtfull affection in the uſe of thoſe means. Which appeareth both by ſome of the inſtances that there he maketh uſe of, as thateMatth. 6.26. of the fowles, that yetfMatth. 24.28. ex Iob 39.31, 32. Legatur Aug. de oper. Monach. c. 22. 23, 24. labour and flie about for their food and their living, but without covetouſneſſe and care; as alſo bygforeign. the word that hee there uſeth, ſignifying properly ſuchhforeign, Etymolog. & Euſtath. Il ad foreign. a carking care, as even divideth the minde in twaine, and cutteth the very ſoule as it were aſunder.

For the better and fuller conceiving hereof, we muſt know, that there is a twofold care: there isiforeign. a ſtudious care, and there iskforeign. a carking care, which we call commonly a taking of thought: there is cura de opere, and cura de operis ſucceſſu; a care for our worke it ſelfe, and a care for the ſucceſſe of it, for the iſſue and event of it. And it is not the former, but the latter of the two, that is there inhibited.

There is a care for the worke it ſelfe, when a man is carefull to doe his dutie, and to doe well that he doth, and accordingly doth painfully and faithfully endevour to effect it the beſt hee can. And thus there is no man more carefull than the Child of God, than the Chriſtian man; becauſelEpheſ. 6.6. hee doth of conſcience all he doth. There is another care about the iſſue and ſucceſſe of the worke, which our Saviour Chriſt calleth elſe-where,mforeign. Luk. 12.29. an hanging in ſuſpence, and doubt for the event of it, as the meteors doe in the aire, uncertaine whether to ſtay there, or to fall downe to the ground. This is then when a man is not content to doe his beſt endevour, but he caſteth doubts, and taketh thought for what the iſſue of it will be; he fore-thinketh with himſelfe, that if he gaine not by ſuch a bargaine, he ſhall be undone; if ſuch a debtor breake or keep not touch with him, he ſhall be utterly overthrowne; if his grounds take not, or his cattle ſtand not, he ſhall not have bread to put in his belly; if he cannot get the favour of ſuch a Judge, or ſuch a great man, hee ſhall never have any good ſucceſſe in his law-ſuits, or if he be toward the law, his counſell will grow out of requeſt, &c. Conceive it yet further by theſe two examples.nMark. 13.11. Our Saviour forbiddeth his Apoſtles bothoforeign. to take care, andpforeign. to take thought before hand, when they are to appeare before great perſons; both to fore-cast with themſelves what to ſpeake when they come before them, and to fore-thinke how that they ſhall ſpeake will bee taken when they have ſpoken it. Yet the Miniſters of the Word now adaies areqforeign. unde meditari. Lat. to ſtudie before hand what to ſpeake either in Church or Court, if they be there to appeare, becauſe they have it not now ordinarily by immediate inſtinct at an inſtant, asrMatth. 10.9. they then had: But they are notſforeign. to take thought how their ſpeeches will ſpeed, but leave the iſſue of it to Gods good will. Againe,tMatth. 28.13, 14. the Prieſts bid the ſouldiers ſay, that Chriſts corps was ſtolne away by night while they ſlept, and promiſe withalluforeign. to ſecure them, or ſo to ſave them harmleſſe, that they ſhall not need to take further care in that kinde. The Souldiers were yet to plot and deviſe how to tell their tale ſo, as it might carry moſt ſhew of truth with it, and having ſo done, they were to rely on the Prieſts credit for the reſt, who had given them their word before for the iſſue of it, that it ſhould no way prove prejudiciall or jeopardous to them. In like manner it is our part to take care how to performe thoſe offices and duties that God hath called us unto in the beſt manner that wee may: but for the ſucceſſe of it, when we have performed our part, and done our duty and our endevor, we muſt, as the Apoſtle willeth us,xforeign. Philip. 4.6. be wholly ſecure or careleſſe; take no thought for ought, but leave all to God, and rely wholly upon him, who hath commanded usy1 Pet. 5.7. to caſt zforeign.all our care in this kinde upon him, and promiſed withall that he will take this care for us.

This diſtruſtfull care breedeth thata1 Tim. 6.10. foreign. Bron apud Stob. c. 10. foreign. Clem. Alex. paedag. l. 2. c. 3. Aviditas materia malorum omnium. Ammian. hiſt. lib. 31. parens. Laetus Mauritio. Sicut radix bonorum omnium est charitas, ita malorum omnium cupiditas. Auguſt. hom. 8. Covetouſneſſe that is the root of all evill. Not amiſſe termed the root, as ſome well have obſerved: becauſe as there is life oft in the root, when there is no ſap in the branches: ſo this vice oft liveth, when other die and decay. ForbLibidinis ignis paulatim extinguitur, & cum ſenectute conſeneſcit: at avaritia augeſcit continuò, & cum ſenectute juveneſcit, quando vitia reliqua conſeneſcunt. Rolloc. ad 1 Tim. 6. even old mencAvaritia ſenilis quid ſibi velit non intelligo. potest enim quicquam eſſe abſurdius, quàm quo minus reſtat viae, eo plus quaerere viatici? Cic. de ſeuect. Mirabilis ſanè dementia, gravioribus enim ſumptibus ſe onerare ſeſtinat, cum jam pervenerit quo tendebat. Aug. de temp. 246. againſt reaſon that have leaſt time to live, are ofttimes moſt carefull for, moſt covetous of the things of this life: they thinke, though they have never ſo much, that unleſſe they gather ſtill more, they ſhall want or ſtarve yet ere they die; they ſhall not have meat, ſaith one, to put in their mouthes while they live, nor mony to bury them with when they be dead. But neither will ſuchePhilip. 4.5, 6. carefulneſſe, or ſuchfHeb. 13.5. covetouſneſſe ſtand with contentment: and therefore muſt be both far from us, if we would bee accounted truly religious. We muſt baniſh all ſuch diſtruſtfull thoughts, we muſt abandon all ſuch greedy deſires. We muſt learne, asgMatth. 6.12. we pray but for daily bread; ſo to reſt content with it when we have it; yea to reſt content too, when we have it not, with the want of it. Wee muſt learne, when we have done our beſt endevour, to leave the iſſue and event of our labours to God. As Ioab ſaith to his ſouldiers;h2 Sam. 10.12. Let us be of good courage, and fight valiantly for our King and our Countrey; and let the Lord then doe what ſeemeth good in his ſight. So muſt wee doe what God hath enjoyned us to doe; and when wee have ſo done,iPſal. 37.5. commit our way for the iſſue of it to him, and rely upon him, and he will bring it about; he will be ſure then to give ſuch iſſue to it as ſhall be for our good.

The third and laſt note of Contentment may bekEſa. 53.7. Silence before the Sheerer. When God commeth to ſheere a man of his ſubſtance, of his wealth and his riches, if he have a contented minde, he will not murmur and repine at it,dforeign. Plut. de avar. aslPſal. 106.25. the Iſraelites ever and anon when they wantedmExod. 17.3. water, ornExod 16.2, 3. bread, oroNum. 11.4, 5, 6, 7. fleſh in the wilderneſſe: but rather praiſe God with Iob; pIob 1.21. Abſtulit, ſed & dedit. Sen. epiſt. 64. foreign; Arrian. diſſert. l. 1. c. 11. Tuliſti liberos quos ipſe dederas. non contriſtor, quod recepiſti, ago gratias quod dediſti. Hieron ad Iulian.God gave it, and God taketh it: bleſſed be Gods Name. qVitam repoſcenti naturae, tanquam debitor bonae fidei, redditurus exulto. Iulian. apud Ammian. l. 25.I returne my life to nature requiring it backe, ſaid that Apoſtata, as ſome report of him, when he lay a dying, as a faithfull debtor with a good will. Sorforeign. Epictet. Enchir. Vita data est utenda, data est ſine foenore nobis Mutua, nec certo perſoluenda die. Pedo ad Liv. Non est quod nos ſuſpiciamus, tanquam inter noſtra poſiti. mutuò accepimus: (non tam data, quam commodata. Primaſ. ad 1. Cor.) uſus fructus noſter eſt: cujus tempora ille arbiter maneris ſui temperat. nos oportet in promptu habere, quae in incertum diem data ſunt, & appellatos ſine querela reddere. Sen. ad Marc. cap. 10. ſhould we returne God his owne againe, that he hath pleaſed to lend us, as faithfull and thankfull debtors with hearty good will;ſNon moeremus quod talem amiſimus; ſed gratias agimus, quod habuimus. Hieron. epitaph. Paulae. rendring thanks unto him, that we have had them ſo long, not repining becauſe we can have them no longer. But we contrariwiſe, when we have had a long time the uſe of Gods bleſſings, are wont to lay claime to them, and to account them as our owne by preſcription; and ſo,tPeſſimi est debitoris creditori facere convicium. Sen. ibid. as it falleth out oft-times by bad borrowers and worſe pay-maſters, God loſeth a friend with us for asking his owne of us.uPſal. 39.9. I was dumb, ſaith David, and opened not my mouth, becauſe it was thy doing. It is a ſigne that a man ſeeth Gods hand on him for his good, if he can be ſilent when God ſtraitneth and impaireth his eſtate. AndxHeb. 10.34. the faithfull Hebrewes, ſaith the Apoſtle, with joy, not quietly onelyonly but cheerefully, ſuſtained the loſſe of their worldly goods, knowing that they had better treaſure and more durable laid up for them in heaven. It is a ſigne thatyHeb. 11.25, 26. a man looketh at a better matter, when he can ſo readily and ſo cheerfully part with his wealth: aszGen. 45.20. Iacob regarded not his houſhold-ſtuffe and ſubſtance in Canaan, when he had all the fat of Aegypt before him.

Shut we up this laſt point with this familiar ſimilitude. A garment that hangeth looſe about a man is put off with eaſe; but ſo is not the skin that ſticketh faſt to the fleſh, nor the ſhirt that cleaveth faſt to the ulcerous leper; a tooth if it be looſe, it commeth out with eaſe, but if it ſticke faſt in the head, it is not pulled out but with paine, yea many times it bringeth away ſome peece of the gum or the jaw with it. So here,aTunc verè oſtendimus, quia accepta rectè tenuimus, quum aequanimiter ad mementum ſublata toleramus Greg. mor. lib. 2. c. 42. Mihi …ivitiae ſi effluxerint, nihil aufetent niſi ſemetipſas: tu ſtupebis & videberis tibi fine te relictus, ſi illae à te receſſerint. apud me divitiae aliquem locum habent; apud te ſummum: ad poſtremum divitiae meae ſunt, tu divitiarum es. Sen. de vita beat c. 12. a man is content willingly to part with his riches, whenbPſal. 62.10. Sapiens divitias non amat, ſed mavult: non in animum illas, ſed in domum recipit. Sen. ibid. 21. Omnia iſta nobis accedant, non haereant: ut ſi abducantur, ſine ulla noſtri laceratione diſcedant. Idem epiſt. 74. his heart is not ſet upon his wealth: butcforeign. Baſil. ad divit. hom. 7. foreign. Heſiod. foreign. Antiphanes. foreign. Antipho apud Stob. cap. 10. Vtpotè quibus pecunia ſua obhaſit, nec ſine ſenſu avelli potest. Sen de tranquill. c. 8. if his heart be glewed to it, it even renteth his heart in two to part with it, it pulleth as it were a peece of his ſoule away with it. And that is the reaſon whydIob 1.21. Iob bleſſed God, when he tooke away all that ever he had from him, whereas moſt men, if God take from them but a ſmall pitance of that they have, are ready, aseIob 1.11. the devill untruly ſaid that Iob would doe, even to curſe him to his face.

To conclude then: Would wee bee eſteemed truly Religious?fPhilip. 4.5. Let our contentment of minde gNota ſit omnibus.appeare to the world; in not ſeeking of theſe outward things, either by indirect courſes, or with diſtruſtfull deſire; in patient enduring the want of them, when God ſeeth good to deny them, and in quiet parting againe with them, when God ſhall call againe for them: aſſuring our ſelves that God doth all for our good, as well in with-holding or with-drawing of them from us, as in conferring them upon us, or in continuing them unto us: So ſhall wee be ſure of a comfortable uſe of Gods good bleſſings in this life, and of certaine enjoyment of eternall bleſſedneſſe together with God himſelfe in the next life.

FINIS.

THE IOY OF THE IVST; VVITH The Signes of Such.

A DISCOVRSE TENDING TO THE COMFORT OF THE Dejected and Afflicted; AND To the Triall of Sinceritie. BEING THE ENLARGEMENT of a Sermon preached at Black-Friers London; on PSALME 97.11.

By THOMAS GATAKER B. of D. and Paſtor of Rotherhith.

LONDON, Printed by IOHN HAVILAND for FVLKE CLIFTON, 1637.

Sermon Preached Several Times, Sermon 4 – Title page 5

p. 127TRUE CONTENTMENT.

THE FORMER PART. The Gaine of Godlineſſe.

p. 146THE SECOND PART. The Sufficiencie of it in it ſelfe.

TRUE CONTENTMENT.

THE SECOND PART. The Sufficiencie of it in it ſelfe.