MEDIT. XIII.
Not to sorrow for a mans death, but to hope of his better life.
NOw, forasmuch as I knowe I shall chaunge this vile body for a better, such as are my friends, in reason, will not bee against it, though for a time they shall lose mine, and I shall lose their corporall and comfortable societie, but wee shall meete againe in more complete and com∣fortable Page 204 ioy in the hea∣uens, then the earth can afford vs; and therefore I wish them not to sorrow for my departure, when it shall please GOD to ap∣point the time.
But mee thinkes I heare * some (whom the Law of Nature (especially of Reli∣gion) bindeth me much to respect) lamenting their miserable estates, which cannot but befall them, af∣ter my finall departure from them; it is hard with them now; and they may iustly feare that they shall want, what my poore in∣deuours, while I liue and haue my health among them, doe in some measure supply.
Page 205 And (which may aggra∣uate * their sorrow, and my griefe the more) I am in∣debted, and thereby shall leaue a more heauie bur∣den of miserie and con∣tempt vpon them, then the poore meanes which I shal leaue for them, wil be able to sustayne: for, they say, and true it is, that credi∣tors are cruell, and there is little mercy among men: & therefore may they iust∣ly feare, that they shall be oppressed beyond their power, which may iust∣ly giue them the greater cause of feare before, and of mourning after my * death.
As riches left vnto po∣sterities, are the cause of Page 206 carnall content and reioy∣cing: so is pouertie, cast vp∣on them by Parents, the occasion of sorrow & ca∣lamitie. The confideration whereof breeds more grief in my heart, then the re∣membrāce of death brings feare, not in respect of my selfe, who am taught, that in what estate soeuer I be, to bee therewith content: but my contentment worketh not in thē the true know∣ledge, how to vse things indifferent: for, being poore, I am patient; and where patience is, there is hope; and where hope is, there is the mind at peace: or, being rich, I may haue discontent & distraction; so that neither wealth nor Page 207 want, of themselues are good or euill, but as they are made by the vse, or abuse, of either of them.
Pouertie in Parēts, makes * often-times children ver∣tuous, knowing it is their portion: whereas the hope of riches, often imbol∣dens the indifferently well inclined, to bee the worse conditioned, knowing, the greatnesse of their porti∣on will maintayne their vanities. Vertue, is a farre * greater patrimonie then possessions; and with an in∣heritance, wisedome is ne∣cessary; but precious, where no earthly inheritance is, for that by it, the life is go∣uerned by true discretion; whereas without it, the Page 208 best patrimonie is sudden∣ly consumed with shame.
If therfore I could leaue * vnto them, that riches of the minde, to direct their wayes, they might then spend their short and euill dayes as sweetly & as con∣tentedly in a poore cot∣tage; and therein offer vn∣to God, as pleasing sacri∣fices of prayer and praises, as in a Princes Palace; but God is the giuer of these heauenly vertues.
Pouertie is not to be im∣puted * as a fault, to the ho∣nestly minded and truely∣industrious. The fault is in the minde that deemes it a fault: but few, howsoeuer Philosophicall they seem, can without diuine wise∣dome Page 209 beare with gladnes, to be left poore by Parēts: and what wife is shee, that with willing acceptation will imbrace a poore life, after her (though) most vertuous, and most louing and beloued husband?
Widdowhood of it selfe * seemeth, and to the vertu∣ous woman is, a sorrow∣full portion, especially so left by a beloued husband; but Widdowhood with po∣uertie, is meere miserie: yet a vertuous womā mar∣ried will take her lot with patience, being a widdow; for, no estate, time or triall, can alter her constancie.
