Christian geography and arithmetick, or, A true survey of the world together with the right art of numbering our dayes therein being the substance of some sermons preached in Bristol / by Thomas Hardcastle.

Ʋse. 1.

In the first place I note this; that every man thinks he has trouble enough, and would not willingly bear more than he has; take any man in the World, and come to him, what day you will chuse, and what time of the day you will, and say to him: Sir, do you want any trouble? no, saies he, I have trouble enough; if it be a duty, I

must take it though troublesome, but cares and crosses I want none; come to the King, and say, Sir, do you want any trouble? he will tell you, he has e∣nough of his own; the Crown of gold has thorns in it, every man you meet with, if you would sit down and hear him, he will give you a large catalogue of his griefs; and tell you either of some inward trouble from the fear and sense of the wrath of God, from the temptations and bufferings and assaults, suggestions and injections of the wicked one, or else arising from the corruption; and deceitfulness of his own Heart; or he will acquaint you with some outward trouble, full of discontent, it may be, from Superiors, by putting up many a wrong and injury at their hands, from inferiours by back-biting, slander, and detraction; from equals by much unso∣ciable fallings out, or being in every thing our rivals or emulous copemates to give us the check at every turn, from Friends by unkind falling away, or trea∣cherous disclosing of secrets, or failing in the time of need, like Jobs friends: For now ye are nothing, saies he, ye see my cast∣ing down are afraid. * 1.1 My Brethren have dealt deceitfully with me as a brook,

and as the stream of brooks they pass away: From enemies also by doing us (as we look for no other) all the despite they can: from Wife or Husband by many frowns or unkind fits between them; from servauts by common negligence and unfaithfulness &c. And as from all sorts of People, so in all sorts of condi∣tions; in the married estate, discontents sometimes for want of Children, but much more for having unthriving Chil∣dren, and little less from having good and hopeful ones sometimes untimely taken away, or that they must leave such to the wide World, without leaving any thing to such pretty Babes. The married body hath discontents in being put to care for others, and the single person is not without it, that he hath none to care for him; Masters com∣plain of bad Servants, and Servants think that Masters are very cross and froward; see the Apostle Paul's Cata∣logue of his Troubles, 2 Cor. 11.23. &c. There is trouble in getting the World, trouble in keeping it, and trouble in parting with it. I shall conclude this with that of the Wise-Man who spoke by experience, and there's nothing like it; * 1.2 What hath Man of all his labour, and

of the vexation of his Heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? For all his dayes are Sorrow, and his travel grief; yea, his Heart taketh not rest in the Night; This is also vanity.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Job 6.15.21.
• * 1.2

  Eccles. 2.22.23.