The prevention of poverty, together with the cure of melancholy, alias discontent. Or The best and surest way to wealth and happiness being subjects very seasonable for these times; wherein all are poor, or not pleased, or both; when they need be neither. / By Rich. Younge, of Roxwel in Essex, florilegus. Imprimatur Joseph Caryl.

SECT. 1.

WHen a Gentleman in Athens had his plate taken away by Ahashu∣crus as he was at dinner, he smiled upon his friends, saying, I thank God that his Higness hath left me any thing. So whatever befals us, this should be our meditation: It is of the Lords mer∣cies that we are not consumed, Lam. 3. 22. Or this, He that hath afflicted me for a time, could have held me longer; he that hath touched me in part, could have stricken me in whole; he that hath laid this upon my name, or estate, hath power to lay a greater rod both upon my body and soul, without doing me the least wrong. And indeed if we but think of our deliverance from the fire of Hell, or that our names are writ in Heaven, it is enough to make us both patient and thankful, though the trifles, we delight in, be taken from us.

But most men are so far from this, that if God does not answer their desires in every thing, they will take pleasure in nothing; they will slight all his pre∣sent mercies and former favours, because in one thing he crosses them. Like Ahab, they are more displeased for one thing they want (or rather fain ••nd pretend they want, or at least have no right unto) than they are thank∣full for a thousand things they enjoy; though the least mercy they injoy is beyond their best merit. They are ready to receive all, while they return nothing but sin and disobedience, wherein they more than abound; for they have done more against God in one week, than they have done for him ever since they were born: Yea, such sotts they are, that if another dis∣please them, they will be revenged on themselves, grow melancholy and dis∣content, like foolish Children, who will forbear their meat, and grow sick of the sullens, if never so little crost. Yea, though men have all their hearts can wish, and might (if they would, and had but the wit and

grace) be as happy as any men alive, yet some small trifle shall make them weary of themselves and every thing else, as it fared with foolish Haman, Esther 5. 13. More particularly, if their purses grow light, their hearts grow heavy; yea, as if men did delight to vex themselves; how many are there, that of happy make themselves miserable? or more mi∣serable than they need, by looking upon miseries in multiplying glasses: the opinion onely of being poor, or fear that they may be so when they are old, makes them never injoy a merry day, when they neither want, nor are like to doe; and every man is so miserable as he thinks himself. The tast of goods or evils does greatly depend on the opinion we have of them.