An eye to heauen in earth A necessarie watch for the time of death, consisting in meditations and prayers fit for that purpose. With the husbands christian counsell to his wife and children, left poore after his death.

MEDIT. XV.

A third taxation.

AGAINE, a second mayne negligence is obiected, and laid to my charge, by way of taxing mee for my po∣uertie: That, if I prouide

not for my family, I am worse then an Infidell. These re∣membrancers are like Iobs comfortars, that in stead of consolatorie counsell, doe afflict mee with wordes of sorrow and bitternesse.

I know & acknowledge * 1.1 that I am bound to prouide for my family things honest; the scope of which charge I conceiue not, necessarily to be stretched so farre, as some seeme to tenter it, making it the colour of detested couetousnesse.

I vnderstand the true * 1.2 meaning of this piece of Scripture, to tend to the moouing of Christian pa∣rents of children, and Ma∣sters of families, to a neces∣sarie care of the sustenta∣tion

& education of those of their families, & to this I acknowledge my selfe bound, lest that they through my negligence, idlenesse, and vnthristie course of life, should want those things, that necessa∣rily appertayne either to their reliefe, maintenance, or education, whereby in∣deed I should be guiltie of their miseries.

If therefore my heart can (as it doth) sincerely testifie vnto me truely the cōtrary, though the world condemne me therein; he, I know, to whom I stand or fall, will excuse me.

The brute beasts and * 1.3 birds haue, by the instinct of nature, in a sort, the

same care that is inioyned vnto man: they prouide for their young as long as they are tender and weak, but when they become stronger and able to prey for themselues, the old for∣sake them.

The true meaning of this former Scripture, as I cōceiue, requires no more of me necessarily, though Reason and Religion binde me, neuer to forget to doe them what good I can, and to adde vnto their cōfort, according to their necessi∣tie, and my lawfully got∣ten meanes. * 1.4

Some yet thinke them-selues Infidels, if they vse not all possible meanes, by right or wrong, to enrich

their posterities, to ad∣uance their greatnesse, to equalize them in lands, li∣uings, & possessions, with their Superiors, pretending thereby, that it behooues them euen by the Law of Loue and Religion, thus to prouide for the superflu∣ous future maintenance of their children, and their heires, intayling their pos∣sessions * 1.5 from generation to generation; and what do they but thereby argue their distrust, that the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, of Iacob, Ioseph, Iob, and other godly men, who onely cast their care vpon God, is not now as proui∣dent, powerfull, and care∣full of the necessitie of his

children, as hee was of them?

Doth not this prooue * 1.6 worldly minded men, more to resemble Infidels then doe they, that cast the care of prouiding for their children vpon God, them-selues not able by all their lawfull endeuours to leaue them competencie after their death? but do worke as much as in them lyeth, to bring their children to the feare of God, that they againe by their godly liues and holy conuersati∣ons, might teach their Po∣sterities. * 1.7

This in deed is the grea∣test portion, and most per∣petuall, without which it is daily obserued, that the

greatest earthly portions and possessions, are com∣monly spent and consu∣med, before their too care∣full fathers carcasses bee halfe rotten in the Graue.

There be some by their Vertues haue worthily * 1.8 merited Honour, which cannot bee maintayned, but by possessions, and re∣uenewes: whose Vertues imprinted in their chil∣dren, doe more magnifie the dignity of fathers, then the possessions they leaue them after their deaths.

Honour, in deed should be the reward of Uertue, * 1.9 but contrary, commonly Uertue followes Honour: and Honour, Possessions: for as a mans greatnesse is,

so are his reputed Vertues. So that Possessions are as the Load-stone, to draw on Titles of Honour, and Ho∣norable Offices: and farre the more gloriously doth Vertue shine, by how much it is found in men honoured. In men base in shew, let their Vertues bee * 1.10 neuer so great, they will not shine to the eyes of the world; nor be discer∣ned, but by their contra∣ries, nor made perfect, but by aduersitie: & in whom∣soeuer true vertue is found, be he neuer so base in out∣ward shew, hee deserueth more respect, then he that hath much wealth, and is vicious, though he be dig∣nified with the title of ho∣nour.

Notes

• * 1.1

  2. Cor. 8. 21. Rom. 12. 17
• * 1.2

  The mea∣ning of prouiding for fami∣lies.
• * 1.3

  The care of brute creatures ouer their young.
• * 1.4

  The con∣trarie of the true meaning of proui∣ding for families.
• * 1.5

  Intayling possessi∣ons.
• * 1.6

  A kind of infidelitie in proui∣ding.
• * 1.7

  Riches without the feare of God quickly spent.
• * 1.8

  Honour maintay∣ned by possessions but better by vertue.
• * 1.9

  A kind of preposte∣rous dig∣nifying.
• * 1.10

  Vertue not obser∣ued in poore men.