A poore mans rest founded vpon motiues, meditations, and prayers. Expressing to the inward man, true consolation. In all kindes and times of afflication. By Io. Norden.

A necessary Meditation, con∣cerning the vncertainty of mans happinesse in this life, and the cer∣tainty of the endlesse happinesse of the children of God in the life to come, notvvithstanding their pre∣sent miseries here.

MJne eyes haue séene, and mine heart hath duely considered the fickle, and fraile, and féeble, and vncoustant happinesse of man in this life; yea, I my selfe haue found by expe∣rience, that this world administreth vnto man no periect comfort, while hée liueth vpon the earth.

Yet flesh & bloud, the foolish outward man, besotted with the vaine delights of sinnes deceits, and snared with the baits of vaine hope, the pleasures, and comforts, and glory, and ease, and ful∣nes of earthly vanities, thinketh him∣selfe safe, and in state of such sure and neuer-failing happinesse, that he wal∣loweth

in the mire of deceiuing securi∣ty, vntill at vnawares the hand of the liuing God be stretched out against him, and either turneth his hope to de∣spaire, his glory into shame, his ease into trouble, his fulnesse into want, or all the vaine things wherein he deligh∣teth, into griefe and sorrow.

O my soule, trust not therefore in the transitory trash, and pelfe, & wealth of this world, for it deceiueth and de∣uoureth men; and as the rust and can∣••er eateth and wasteth iron, so doth the loue thereof deuoure thy trust in God, and thy practice of better things.

Trust not in worldly friends, for their words are vaine, their promises not performed, nor their helpe worth thy hope. It is better to put confidence in the Lord, then to trust in Princes; for they who haue their breath in their nostrels, are but men, whose power is of the earth, and whose hands are féeble, and their deuices vaine. Some trust in chariots, and some in horsemen: but (O my soule) trust thou in the liuing God: be doing good, and thou shalt remaine, when the foolish man that beleeueth in flesh, and

dependeth on earthly meanes, shall fall and perish.

Be not carried away, O my soule: therefore, with the hope of any mans helpe, nor feare what man can doe a∣gainst thée: for suddenly is thy friend taken from thée, and he that séeketh thy destruction▪ brought to a fearefull end. Thy happinesse is not to haue heapes of gold and siluer, many friends, and all earthly abundance: for the abuse of these are dangerous, because they draw thée from séeking God, and they are short, and bring thée to destruction, leauing thy carkase naked in the graue, and thy selfe, O my soule, in the merci∣lesse pit.

What auailed the rich mans world∣ly pleasures, when hée went suddenly to hell? What hindred the beggers po∣uerty, when hee went immediately to heauen?

How was Iob impouerished, hauing mighty wealth? What miseries doe follow the mightest men, is daily séene, and how terrible the end is of such as haue not the Lord their strength, but put their trust in the multitude of their riches?

Who can say, The wealthy man is

happy? When he sléepeth, he sléepeth in feare: when he walketh, he walketh in danger; and when hee is in his best age, strongest body, and best state, hée suddenly dieth, and leaueth his wealth he knoweth not to whom.

And who can say, the poore, fearing God, is vnhappy in his basenesse, and want, and i••nominy, sith hée setteth his hope vpon the neuer-failing God? he séeketh his helpe from heauen, and is fed as with the dew thereof? onely hope sustaineth him, and his want is timely supplied with wished necessa∣ries, and his heart comforted in his dée∣pest miseries: he lieth downe in faith, and patience, and thankefulnesse, and the Lord sustaineth him, and when he dieth, he liueth, and raigneth, and re∣ioyceth in God his Sauiour.

O that I might haue no delight in the vaine things of this world. O my soule, be at peace within mée, when I haue warres without me, be contented, and grudge not, when I want the out∣ward fulnesse of worldly things: for I sée and consider, that carnall meanes cannot saue me, but the mercies of the Lord, wherein he affordeth vnto his faithfull ones all things to enioy.

Though he make me a reproach a∣mong my friends, and though hée suf∣fer me to stand a gazing stocke before the eies of the wicked, who triumph in their owne glory, gotten by their owne hands and deuices, and the Lord none of their counsell, I will not yet be dis∣mayed, neither will I be moued at their prosperity: for I know, the day of their sorrowes commeth on, when they shall howle, and cry out in horror, for the paines that ••nsue their pleasures, and for the want that shall follow their wealth, and for the miseries that shall follow their mirth, and for their death that shall follow their glorious and wanton life.

Oh, how foolish are they that trust in their goods? how mad are they that make wealth their warrant, and riches their arme, and friends their staffe, when none of these can saue them from sicknesse, from sorrow, from dangers, nor from death?

No man can redéeme his brother from Gods displeasure, and from his appointed torments in hell, by his much wealth: he cannot saue himselfe by the multitude of his riches: but God shall deliuer thée, my soule, from

the power of hell, and shall saue me.

Be not therefore afraid, O my soule, though many be made rich, and thou in pouerty: many aduanced, and thou reiected; many graced, and thou dis∣dained; many comforted, and thou in∣iured among the sons of mortall men: thy riches, and thy glory, and thy fa∣uour, and thy comfort, and thy ioyes are hid in Christ with God.

And what thinkest thou, O my soule, of these short miseries, that shall be ex∣changed for infinite comforts? whether is it not profitable for thée to haue these moment any corrections, to enioy an eternall crowne? thou hast tried the inconstant course of worldly things, and the day is comming wherein thou shalt possesse the permanent consolati∣on of heauenly things.

How long hast thou looked about thée for helpe in the earth? Vpon my right hand I looked, and behold, none that would know me, or comfort me (as Dauid saith) and vpon my left hand, and no man I found that cared for my soule.

Then I cryed vnto the Lord, & said, Thou onely art my hope & my portion, in whom I liue, & haue an vnmoueable being.

O Lord increase my Faith.

Wee brought nothing into this world, and it is certaine, that we can carry nothing out,

1 Tim. 6. 7.

Therefore when we haue food and raiment, let vs therewith be content,

Vers. 8.

The children of men are vaine, the chiefe men are lyers, to lay them vpon a ballance, they are lighter then vani∣ty it selfe,

Psal. 62. 9.