Spiritual thrift. Or, Meditations wherein humble Christians (as in a mirrour) may view the verity of their saving graces,: and may see how to make a spirituall improvement of all opportunities and advantages of a pious proficiencie (or a holy growth) in grace and goodnesse. And wherein is layd open many errours incident to these declining times, / by Elizabeth Warren, a lover of truth and peace. Imprimatur, James Cranford.

Gather up, &c,

This precept of our Saviour should be alway prevalent to perswade us industriously to gather food by labour, sith severall expressions of divine favour, have been shewed to men in the way of their callings, for when Jacob was busied in that painfull service of deceitfull Laban his unkind Uncle, the Lord tooke a view of his labour and affliction, and gave him comfort by a speciall providence, transferring upon him such outward blessings, as made others to envie his aug∣mented riches, and calling him away did also provide for his peace and safety in the midst of dangers.

When humble Moses whose Princely education, adorn'd him highly with all humane learning, became an exile in favour of Gods people, with whom he chose to partake of affliction, He feeds the sheepe of Jethro and leads them, to the back-side of the desart even unto mount Horeb, where the Lord was pleased to reveale himselfe, by miraculous means

to confirme his message, and to take him from that poore and obscure imployment, to become the Prince and judge of his people, which dearly proves his pious labours, were crowned with the comfort of divine approbation.

David was imployed in the trade of a sheepherd, when Samuel was sent to anoint him King of Israel, and Elisha was plowing with twelve yoke of Oxen, when the Prophets Mantle was cast upon him, So Amos was among the herds∣men of Tekoa when the voice of the Lord first came unto him, and the Apostles were busied in mending their nets, when called by Christ to be fishers of men.

Which examples prove not that men may aspire, above their present particular station, but that none are excluded by their painfull industry from the dignity assigned them by divine providence, for though Ester lived retired in the house of her kinsman, and went not to the Court to seeke for preferment, yet the state of royalty designed her by God, was conferred by his bounty in the appoynted time.

Labour we then to collect by industry what we formerly scattered by negligent omission, sith we have not onely the precept of our Saviour, but the practice of his Saints inciting us to duty, which should put us upon a strict inquisition, concerning our former deficiencie herein, that so being hum∣bled for our manifold failings, our renewed repentance may produce a reformation.

Indeed our endeavours should be carryed on, in a consci∣entious regard of Gods sacred precept, producing a princi∣ple of internall dejection, from the onely originall of all our labour, it being imposed on our father Adam, as a penalty inflicted for his pride and disobedience, that in the sweat of his face he should eat his bread, till his returne to the earth from whence he was taken, and therefore Solomon▪ in his sa∣cred retractations, having given his heart to search and finde out wisdome, draws this conclusion from his various obs••r∣vation, of our miserable progresse in this painfull pilgrimage, This sore travell (sayth he) hath God given to the sonnes of men to humble them thereby, or▪ as is rendred by reverend Janius, to be exercised in, as our later translation hath it,

Let us then I say from this internall principle, stoope down to gather up refreshing food by labour, and when outward successe shall not answer our industry, let us thereby exer∣cise our faith and patience, which will be a signe that our humble hearts, have h••gher aimes then wealth or worldly honours, expecting approbation and satisfaction from him, who can only fill the soule with rest and true refreshment.

Notes

• Habemus colligen∣di mandatum, ergo partes nostras non o∣mittamus.
• Non quod nos Deo placemus propter no∣stram solitudinem, sed propter Christum: sine fide Deum pla∣cere non possumus.
• Acts 7 22. Act 7 29. Exod 3.1.
• Vbi tuus amor es•• Domine, labor non est sed sapor.
• Acts 7.35.
• 1 Sam. 16.11. Psal. 78.71. 1 Kings 19.19. Amos 1.1.
• Matth. 4.21.
• Observato modum: nam rebus in omni∣bus illud optimum e∣rit, si quis tempus spectaverit aptum. Hesiod. Ester 2.17.
• Verbum Domini viget in aeternum, non honor, non per∣cunia, neque aliqua terrenasubstantia.

  Anguibus exuitur tenui cum p••lle vetu∣stas, cur nos angusta conditione sumus.
• Mille parit luctus, mortalibus una vo¦luptas. Gen. 3.19.
• Quia tui plenus non sum, ideo mihi oneri sum, Aug. 13. Eccles. 2.13.

  Magno animo for∣tis perferre pericula fuerit, adeo à teneris assuescere multū est.
• Hoc est verèsapere, dum exinanita omni confidentia & corre∣cta pertinacia, nos Dei authoritas ad se rapit mentesque no∣stras sic occupat, ut nobis nihil rectum sit, nisi quod illa praescribit, Cal. in Ioh.