Holy living in which are described the means and instruments of obtaining every virute, 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 occasians [sic], and furnished for all necessities / by Jer. Taylor.

Poverty or a low Fortune.

1 Poverty is better then riches, and a mean fortune to be chosen before a great and splendid one. It is indeed despised and makes men contemtible: it exposes a man to the insolence of evil persons, and leaves a man defencelesse: it is alwaies suspected: its stories are accounted lies, and all its coun∣sels follies: it puts a man from all imploy∣ment: it makes a mans discourses tedious, and his society troublesome. This is the worst of it: and yet all this, and for worse then this, the Apostles suffered for being Christians; and Christianity it self may be esteemed an affliction as well as poverty, if this be all that can be said against it; for the Apostles and the most eminent Christians were really poor, and were used contemptu∣ously:* 1.1 and yet, that poverty is despised may be an argument to commend it, if it be de∣spised by none but persons vitious and igno∣rant. However, certain it is that a great for∣tune is a great vanity, and riches is nothing but danger, trouble, and temptation; like a garment that is too long, and bears a train; not so useful to one, but it is troublesome to two; to him that bears the one part upon his shoulders, and to him that bears the other part in his hands: But poverty is the sister

of a good minde, the parent of sober coun∣sels, and the nurse of all virtue.

For, what is it that you admire in the fortune of a great King: Is it that he alwaies goes in a great company? You may thrust your self into the same croud, or go often to Church, and then you have as great a company as he hath, and that may upon as good ground please you as him, that is, justly neither: for so impertinent and uselesse pomp, and the other circumstances of his distance, are not made for him, but for his subjects, that they may learn to separate him from common usages, and be taught to be governed. But if you look upon them as sine things in them∣selves,* 1.2 you may quickly alter your opinion when you shall consider that they cannot cure the toothach, nor make one wise, or fill the b••lly, or give one nights sleep, (though they help to break many) nor satisfying any appetite of Nature, or Reason, or Religion: but they are states of greatness which only makes it possible for a Man to be made ex∣tremely miserable. And it was long agoe ob∣served by the Greek Tragedians, and from them by Arianus,* 1.3 saying,

That all our Tragedies are of Kings and Princes, and rich or ambi∣tious personages, but you never see a poor man have a part, unlesse it be as a Chorus, or to fill up the Scenes, to dance or to be derided: but the Kings and the great Generals; First (sayes he) they begin with

joy 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 crown the houses: but about the third or fourth Act, they cry out, O Citheron! why didst thou spare my life to reserve me for this more sad calamity?

And this is really true in the great accidents of the world: for a great estate hath great crosses, and a mean fortune hath but small ones. It may be the poor man loses a Cow (for if his Childe dies he is quit of his big∣gest care) but such an accident in a rich and splendid Family doubles upon the spirits of the parents: Or it may be the poor man is troubled to pay his rent, and that's his big∣gest trouble: but it is a bigger care to se∣cure a great fortune in a troubled estate, or with equal greatness, or with the circumstan∣ces of honour, and the m••••ness of reputation to defend a Law-suit: and that which will secure a common mans whole estate, is not enough to defend a great mans honour.

And therefore it was not without mysterie observed among the Ancients,* 1.4 that they who made Gods of gold and silver, of hope and fear, peace and fortune, Garlick and Onions, Beasts and Serpents, and a quartan ague, yet never deified money: meaning, that how∣ever wealth was admired by common or abused understandings: yet from riches, that is from that proportion of good things which is beyond the necessities of Nature,* 1.5 no mo∣ment could be added to a mans real content or happiness. Co••n from Sardinia, herds of Calabrian cattel, meadows through which pleasant Liris glides, silks from Tyrus, and

golden Chalices to drown my health in, are nothing but instruments of vanity or sin, and suppose a disease in the soul of him that longs for them or admires them:* 1.6 And this I have otherwhere represented more largely; to which I here add, that riches have very great dangers to their souls, not only who covet them, but to all that have them. For if a great personage undertakes an action passionately, and upon great interest, let him manage it indiscreetly, let the whole designe be unjust, let it be acted with all the malice and impotency in the World, he shall have enough to flatter him, but not enough to reprove him. He had need be a bold man that shall tell his Patron, he is going to Hell; and that Prince had need be a good man that shall suffer such a Mo∣nitor: And though it be a strange kinde of civility and an evil dutifulness in Friends and Relatives to suffer him to perish with∣out reproof or medicine, rather then to seem unmannerly to a great sinner; yet it is no••e of their least infelicities, that their wealth and greatness shall put them into sinne, and yet put them past reproof. I need not instance in the habitual intempe∣rance of rich Tables, nor the evil accidents and effects of fulness; pride and lust, wan∣tonness and softness of disposition, huge talking, and an imperious spirit, despite of Religion, and contempt of poor persons: At the best,* 1.7 it is a great temptation for a man to have in his power whatsoever he can have him in his sensual desires; and therefore riches is a blessing like to a present made of a whole

Vintage to a Man in a Hectick Feaver; he will be much tempted to drink of it, and if he does he is inflamed, and may chance to die with the kindness.

Now besides what hath been already no∣ted in the state of poverty there is nothing to be accounted for, but the fear of wanting necessaries, of which if a man could be se∣cured, that he might live free from care, all the other parts of it might be reckoned a∣mongst the advantages of wise and sober persons, rather then objections against that state of fortune.

But concerning this I consider, that there must needs be great security to all Christi∣ans, since Christ not only made expresse pro∣mises that we should have sufficient for this life; but also took great pains and used many arguments to create confidence in us: and such they were which by their own strength were sufficient, though you abate the autho∣rity of the Speaker. The Son of God told us, his Father takes care of us: He that knew all his Fathers counsels and his whole kind∣ness towards mankinde, told us so. How great is the truth, how certain, how neces∣sary, which Christ himself proved by argu∣ments. The excellent words and most com∣fortable sentences which are our Bills of Ex∣change, upon the credit of which we lay our cares down, and receive provisions for our need,* 1.8 are these.

Take no thought for your life what ye shall eat or what ye ••••all drink nor yet for your body what ye shall put on. Is not the life more then meat, and the body then raiment? Behold the fowls of the ayre,

for they sow not, neither doe they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better then they? Which of you by taking thought can adde one cubit to his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the Lillies of the field, how they grow: They toil not, neither doe they spin, and yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory, was not arayed like one of these. Therefore if God so clothe the grasse of the field which to day is, and to morrow is ca•••• into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought saying, what shall we eat, or what shall we drink •••• wherewith all shall we be clothed? (for after all these things doe the gentiles seek For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the m••rrow shall take though: for the things ••f it self: sufficient to the day is the evil thereof.

The same discourse is repeated by Saint Luke:* 1.9 and accordingly our duty is urged and our confidence abetted by the Disciples of our Lord, in divers places of ho∣ly Scripture. So Saint Paul,* 1.10 Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and sup∣plication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God: And again,* 1.11 Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain ri∣ches, but in the living GOD, who giveth us ••ichly all things to enjoy. And yet again,

Let your conversation be without covetous∣ness, and be content with such things as ye have; for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee: So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper. And all this is by S. Peter summed up in our duty, thus: Cast all your care upon him for he careth for you: Which words he seems to have borrowed out of the 55 Psalm, verse 23. where David saith the same thing almost in the same words; To which I only adde the obser∣vation made by him, and the argument of experience; I have been young and now am old, and yet saw I never the righteous for∣saken, nor his seed begging their bread. And now after all this, a fearless confidence in God, and concerning a provision of necessa∣ries, is so reasonable that it is become a du∣ty; and he is scarce a Christian whose faith is so little as to be jealous in God and suspi∣cious concerning meat and clothes: that man hath nothing in him of the nobleness or confidence of Charity.

Does not God provide for all the birds and beasts and fishes? Doe not the sparrows flie from their bush, and every morning finde meat where they laid it not? Doe not the young ravens call to God and he feeds them? and were it reasonable that the sons of the family should fear the Father would give meat to the chickens and the servants, his sheep and his dogs, but give none to them? He were a very ill Father that should doe so: or he were a very foolish son that should think so of a good Father. * But besides the reasonableness of this faith and

this hope; we have infinite experience of it. How innocent, how careless, how secure is Infancy? and yet how certainly provided for? we have lived at Gods charges all the daies of our life, and have (as the Italian Proverb saies) set down to meat at the sound of a bell; and hitherto he hath not failed us: we have no reason to suspect him for the future; we doe not use to serve men so; and lesse time of tryal creates great con∣fidences in us towards them who for twenty years together never broke their word with us: and God hath so ordered i••, that a man shall have had the experience of many years provision, before he shall understand how to doubt: that he may be provided for an answer against the temptation shall come, and the mercies felt in his childehood, may make him fear lesse when he is a man. * Adde to this that God hath given us his holy Spi∣rit; he hath promised Heaven to us; he hath given us his Son; and we are taught from Scripture to make this inference from hence. How should not he with him give us all things else?

Notes

• * 1.1

  Alta fortu∣na alta tra∣vaglio appor¦ta.
• * 1.2

  Da au••orita la ceremonia al atto.
• * 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, el 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.Bis ser d••erum mensura consero ego ag••os Be••ecynthia a••va.Ani••••••••; me••os sensim us{que} evectus ad polumDe••••elit ••umi, & me sic videtur alioqui,D••sce haud nemia magn••facere mortalia.Tantal••m Traged.
• * 1.4

  —sun••sta pecunia Templo No•• dū habitas, nulla•• ••••mmo••ū creximas aras, Vt ••••litur pax atque fides —
• * 1.5

  H••rat. od. 31. lib. 1.
• * 1.6

  Chap. 4. S••. 1. 8 ••itle of Coveto••••¦ness.
• * 1.7

  Iam. •• 5, 6, 7.
• * 1.8

  Mat. 6 ••5.
• * 1.9

  ••uke 12.22. to ver. 31.
• * 1.10

  ••••il. 4.6
• * 1.11

  •• Tim 6.17