The art of patience and balm of Gilead under all afflictions an appendix to The art of contentment / by the author of The whole duty of man.

SECT. IX. Of Poverty.

1. THOU art driv'n to Indigency, and which is worse, out of abundance: Those Evils we have been inur'd to from our Cradle, are grown so familiar, that we are little moved with their Presence: But those into which we fall sud∣denly, out of an external Felicity of Estate, over∣whelm us. Let thy Care be, not to want those Riches, which shall make thy Soul happy; and thou shalt not be troubled with the loss of these mean and perishing Trifles. Had these been true Riches, they could not have been lost: For that Good that is least capable of Loss, and unsatisfying in an imperfect Fruition, so in the losing it turns E∣vil.

2. DID'ST thou not know, That Riches have Wings to fly away? Prov. 23.5. And of what use is Wings, if not to flie? If any Man's Violence shall clip those Wings, they take their flight. Set thy heart upon that Supream Wealth, which cannot be taken from thee, which shall never leave thee, nor forsake thee; then thou mayst easily slight these poor Losses. As these were not Goods, so they were not thine: Here thou foundest them, and here

leav'st them: For the Apostle Timothy informs us, 1 Tim. 6, 7. We brought nothing into this World; and it is certain, we can carry nothing out. What had'st thou but their use? Neither can they be otherwise thine Heirs, whom thou leavest behind thee I am a∣sham'd, to hear the Philosopher say, All I possess I carry about me; when many Christians hug those things which are so Transitory.

3. IT was an unanswerable Question, God mov∣ed to the Rich Man in the Parable, upon parting with his Soul: Then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? Luke 12.20. Perhaps a Strangers, or (as ••n the Case of undisposed Lands) the Occu∣pants, false Executors, or an Enemies. Call that thine own thou art sure to carry with thee; that may accompany thy Soul, or follow it: Such as thy Holy Graces, Charitable Works, Vertuous Actions, and Heavenly Dispositions: These are Treasures, which thou shalt Lay up for thy self in Heaven, where neither Moth nor Rust doth Corrupt; and where Thieves do not break through, nor steal, Mat. 6.20.

4. THOU hast lost thy Goods: May I not ra∣ther say, Thou hast restor'd 'em? He parted with more, that said; The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken, Job 1.21. Whether by Patrimony, or P••ovidence, or Industry, the Lord gave it; and whether by the Chaldeans or Sabeans, the Lord hath taken it; and he did but give, and takes his own. What Reason hast thou then to complain? It was not giv'n, but lent thee for a while, till it were call'd for? And do'st thou grudge to restore what thou borrowest? Nay, (that thou mayst have less Claim to this Talent) was it not left in thy hand, by the Owner, to employ it for his Use, till he should re∣demand it, with the Increase? Thou wert only entrusted to improve, and account for it. If others have taken off thy Charge, by thy impoverishment, they have eased thee.

5. THY Wealth is gone: But if thou hast Ne∣cessaries left? Be thankful for what thou hast, and forget what thou didst possess. Hadst thou had plenty, thou couldst have used no more than Na∣ture calls for; the rest could have but lain by thee, for readiness of Imployment: Do but forbear the Thought of Superfluities, and what art thou the worse? Perhaps thy Fare is courser, Dishes fewer, Utensils meaner, Apparel homelier, and thy Train shorter; But how is thy Mind affected? Content∣ment consists not in Quantities, nor Qualities, but in the inward Disposition of the Heart; that mul∣tiplies Numbers, and raises Prizes; turns course Freezes into rich Velvets, Pulse into Delicates, and makes one Attendant many Officers.

6. WISE Seneca tells thee, the true Mould of Wealth is our Body, as the Last is of the Shoe; if the Shoe be too big for the Foot, it is troublesome and useless: It is Fitness, that is regarded here, not Magnitude: And this is the Charge of the Blessed A∣postle; Having Food and Rayment, let us there with be content, 1 Tim. 6.8. And if we have no more, we shall be but as we were, and as we shall be: For we brought nothing into the World, neither shall we carry any thing out, 1 Tim. 6.7.

7. THOU hast parted with thy Wealth; per∣haps for thine Advantage: How many have been swell'd with Plenty, resembling the Ostrich or Bu∣stard with the Bulk of Body, unweldly to raise their Thoughts to Spiritual Things; who when their Weight have been taken off, have mounted nimbly towards Heaven? How many had lost their Lives, if (with the Philosopher) they had not parted with their God? and, how many through Covetous∣ness, may loss their Souls? The Vessel had sunk in this boist'rous Sea, if the Earthly Freight had not been cast over-board? and why art thou troubled

to lose that, which might have undone thee in keep∣ing?

8. THOU had'st Wealth: Hast thou not parted with that, for which many hath been worse both in Body and Soul; and for which never any Soul was better? Have not Corn-fields been spoil'd with Rankness, and a Branch spilt with too much Fruit? Whereas had they been thinner sown, or seasonably eaten down, had yielded a fair Crop; and those Boughs moderately laden, had out-liv'd many Au∣tumns. Do'st thou not hear thy Saviour say, How hardly shall they that have Riches enter into the Kingdom of God? Mat. 10.23. Art thou troubled that a Stum∣bling block is remov'd out of thy way to Happi∣ness? That the Bunch of the Camel is taken off, if yet thou wilt pass through the Eye of the Needle?

9. THOU hadst Riches? But hadst thou not Cares attended 'em? Else thou hast fared better than thy Neighbours. None but thy self could handle these Roses without pricking their Fingers. He was famous amongst the Jewish Doctors, whose Maxim was; He that multiplies Riches, multiplies Cares: And our Sa∣viour hath annexed, The Cares of the World, and the Deceitfulness of Riches, Mark 4.19. He was envied at Rome, which could experimently say, The poor Man laughs oftner and freer than the Rich; and that external Felicity is a perplexity, never ceasing to vex it self. Thy sides are now freed from Thorns, why do'st thou repine at thine Ease?

10. THOU lately possessed'st great Riches: But rather say, Thou wert possess'd by them? A wise Roman truly observed, That many a one hath Wealth, which clogs him, as many aptly say, Such a one has an Ague, when indeed the Ague hath him, and holds him with severity. Indeed, many a Man's Wealth is his Master, and keeps under rigid Arti∣cles, not allowing sufficient Diet, Competent Rest,

nor any Recreation: If thou wert thus a Slave to thine Estate, thou art not thine own Man; enjoy thy Liberty, and with thy Patience, be thankful.

THOU art very poor: Who made thee so? If thy Negligence, Laziness, Improvidence, Prodiga∣lity and rash Engagements; thou hast reason to bear that Burthen, which thou hast pull'd upon thy Shoulders: And if forc'd to groan under thy Load, which thy own Will hath procured in this Necess••∣ty; let the same Necessity move thy Will to run as lightly as thou canst with that pressing Weight: If the Occasion comes by others, God will enable thee cheerfully to flie with this Cross, because thy Hand was not Guilty of imposing it.

12. HOW easie is it for thee to see God's Hand chastising thee by another Man's Sin? And to be griev'd as the Sin of others Injuriousness, than at thine own Correction. How dismal it is for Chri∣stians to see Brethren a Prey to each other? That Neighbours should be like the Reed and Brake, set near together, the one to Starve the other? That we should have daily occasion to renew that woful Comparison of Bromiard, betwixt the Friends and Enemies of Christ; That Jews don't suffer Beggars, but Christians make them?

13. NOW, if God thinks fit to send Poverty to thy Door, by the Message of Men, bid it Welcom for his sake that sent it, and entertain it, not re∣piningly, for its own sake; for if well us'd, 'twill repay thee with many Blessings; as quiet Rest, safe Security, humble Patience, contented Humility, and a contemptuous Valuation of Earthly Things! All which absented thy House in a Prosperous Condition.

14. THOU art depriv'd of thy former Con∣veniencies, as Diet, Lodging, and Attendance. How many have affected that which is be∣fallen

thee upon Necessity? Some out of the Grounds of Philosophy, others of Religion. Attalus the Philosopher, might have lain Soft; yet he Praises the Bed and Pillow that will not yield to his Body: And Nero's great and rich Master, brags of his usual dining without a Table. What should I tell then of the Pharisees uneasie Couches and pe∣nal Garments; the Mats of the Elect Manichees, and the austere Usages of the antient Eremitical Christi∣ans, their rigorous Abstinences, affamishing Meals, nightly Watchings, cold Ground-lyings, and sharp Disciplines? Thou art in Ease and Splendor, in comparison of these, who voluntarily impos'd upon 'em these Severeties, which thou wouldst be loath to undergo from others Cruelty. It was a strange word of Epicurus, not savouring of Contentment, but Presumption; Give me but Water with Barley-Meal, and I shall vie with Jupiter for Happiness. And if this Ethnick, who had an ill Name for Affectati∣on of Pleasure, could rest so well contented with a poor Mess of this Composition, what a shame it is for Christians not to think themselves satisfied with a larger (tho homely Provision?

A Prayer in time of Poverty.

O MOST Great and Glorious Lord God, the Earth is thine, and thy Providence divideth it among the Sons of Men; thou makest Poor, and thou makest Rich; thou bringest low, and liftest up the Needy out of the Dust, that he may Glorifie thee: Thou art the Saviour and Deliverer of the Fatherless, and him that hath no helper: Lord, behold my Necessities, who despisest not the Needy; tho thou hast Afflicted me, yet Strengthen me so, that my Wants may never cast me down to de∣spair of thy Favour, nor endeavour their supply by any

thing which offendeth thee; and whatever I want, let me never want the comfortable assurance of thy Love and Mercy, neither take thy holy Spirit from me.

2. BE my Strength in Distress, a Refuge from the Storm, and a Shadow from the Heat. O thou who art the God of all Consolation, supply I beseech thee, my Ne∣cessities, hear me, and make speed to relieve me; for∣sake me not, O my God; open the high Places, and the Fountains in the midst of the Valleys for the Thirsty Soul: Let thy hand relieve me, until thou shalt be plea∣sed to bring me into thy blessed Presence, where is ful∣ness of Joy, without want, measure, or end: Lord, sanctifie those Wants unto me, make me rich in Faith, and those Spiritual Treasures, which once had, shall ne∣ver be lost again. Grant me these things O merciful God, and whatever else thou knowest necessary for me, for the sake of thy dear Son, my ever Blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen.