The rule and exercises of holy living. In which are described the means and instruments of obtaining every vertue, and the remedies against every vice, and considerations serving to the resisting all temptations. Together with prayers containing the whole duty of a Christian, and the parts of devotion fitted to all occasions, and furnish'd for all necessities.

Violent necessities.

But some men are highly tempted, and are brought to a strait, that without a miracle they cannot be relieved, what shall they do? It may be their pride or vanity hath brought the necessity upon them, and it is not a need of Gods making; and if it be not they must cure it themselves by lessening their desires, and moderating their appetites; and yet if it be innocent though unnecessary, God does usually relieve such necessities; and he does not onely upon our prayers grant us more then he promised of temporal things: but also he gives many times more then we ask. This is no object for our faith, but ground enough for a temporal and prudent hope: and if we fail in the particular, God will turn it to a big∣ger mercy, if we submit to his dispensation, and adore him in the denyal. But if it be a matter of necessity, let not any man by way of impatience cry out, that God will not work a miracle; for God by miracle did give meat and drink to his people in the wilderness, of which he had made no particular promise in any Co∣venant: and if all natural means fail, it is cer∣tain

that God will rather work a miracle then break his word: He can do that, He can∣not do this. Onely we must remember that our portion of temporal things is but food and raiment: God hath not promised us coaches and horses, rich houses and jewels, Tyrian silks and Persian carpets; neither hath he pro∣mised to minister to our needs in such circum∣stances as we shall appoint, but such as him∣self shall choose. God will enable either thee to pay thy debt (if thou beggest it of him) or else he will pay it for thee, that is, take thy desire as a discharge of thy duty, and pay it to thy Creditor in blessings, or in some secret of his providence. It may be he hath laid up the corn that shall feed thee, in the granary of thy Brother; or will clothe thee with his wool; he enabled Saint Peter to pay his Gabel, by the ministery of a fish; and Elias to be waited on by a crow, who was both his mi∣nister, and his steward for provisions: and his Holy Son rode in triumph upon an asse that grazed in another mans pastures. And if God gives to him the dominion and reserves the use to thee, thou hast the better half of the two; but the charitable man serves God and serves thy need; and both joyn to provide for thee, and God blesses both. But if he takes away the flesh-pots from thee, he can also alter the appetite, and he hath given thee power and commandment to restrain it: and if he lessens the revenue, he will also shrink the necessity; or if he gives but a very little, he will make it go a great way: or if he sends thee but course diet, he will blesse it and make it healthful, and can cure all the anguish of thy povertie by giving

thee patience, and the grace of contented∣nesse. For the grace of God secures you of provisions, and yet the grace of God feeds and supports the spirit in the want of provisions: and if a thin table be apt to enfeeble the spirits of one used to feed better, yet the cheerful∣nesse of a spirit that is blessed will make a thin table become a delicacy, if the man was as well taught as he was fed, and learned his duty when he received the blessing. Poverty therefore is in some sences eligible and to be preferred before riches, but in all sences it is very tolerable.