mises, be the measure of our judgment. No wise man did ever describe happiness without virtue ; and no good man did ever think virtue could depend upon the variety of a good or bad fortune. It is no evil to be poor, but to be vicious and impatient.

Here, therefore, is the wisdom of the contented man, to let God choose for him: for when we have given up our wills to Him, and stand in that station of the battle where our great General hath placed us, our spirits must needs rest while our conditions have for their security the power, the wisdom, and the charity of God.

Contentedness in all accidents brings great peace of spirit, and is the great and only instrument of temporal felicity. It removes the sting from the accident, and makes a man not depend upon chance and the uncertain dispositions of men for his well-being, but only on God and his own spirit. We ourselves make our fortunes good or bad; and when God lets loose a tyrant upon us, or a sickness, or scorn, or a lessened fortune, if we fear to die, or know not to be patient, or are proud, or covetous, then the calamity sits heavy on us. But if we know how to manage a noble

principle, and fear not death so much as a dishonest action, and think impatience a worse evil than a fever, and pride to be the greatest disgrace, and poverty to be infinitely desirable before the torments of covetousness; then we shall reckon these accidents amongst the things we ought to choose.

Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof 1." The ancients feigned that in hell stood a man twisting a rope of hay, and still he twisted on, suffering an ass to eat up all that was finished: so miserable is he who thrusts his passions forwards towards future events, and suffers all that he may enjoy to be lost and devoured by folly and inconsideration, thinking nothing fit to be enjoyed but that which is not, or cannot, be had.

POVERTY.

We have a title to be provided for as we are God's creatures, another title as we are his children, another because God hath promised; and every of our children hath the same title; and therefore it is a huge folly and infidelity to be troubled and full of care because we have many

1 Matt. vi. 34.

children. Every child we have to feed is a new revenue, a new title to God's care and providence; so that many children are a great wealth: and if it be said they are chargeable, it is no more than all wealth and great revenues are. For what difference is it? Titius keeps ten ploughs, Cornelia hath ten children. He hath land enough to employ and feed all his hinds; she, blessings, and promises, and the provisions, and the truth of God, to maintain all her children. His hinds and horses eat up all his corn, and her children are sufficiently maintained with her little.

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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 God's 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 only upon our prayers grant us more than He promised of temporal things, but also He gives many times more than

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 bigger mercy, if we submit to his dispensation, and adore Him in the denial.

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Only 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 promised to minister to our needs in such circumstances as we shall appoint, but such as Himself shall choose.

OBEDIENCE.

(Holy Living, ch. iii. § 1.)

The understanding must yield obedience in the general, though not in the particular instance; that is, we must be firmly persuaded of the excellency of the obedience, though we be not bound in all cases to think the particular law to be most prudent. But in this, our rule is plain enough. Our understanding ought to be inquisitive whether the civil constitution agree with our duty to God, but we are bound to inquire no further. And therefore, beyond this, although he who, having no

obligation to it, (as counsellors have,) inquires not at all into the wisdom or reasonableness of the law, be not always the wisest man, yet he is ever the best subject. For when he hath given up his understanding to his prince or prelate, provided that his duty to God be secured by a precedent search, he hath also with the best, and, with all the instruments in the world, secured his obedience to

man.

OF OBEDIENCE TO OUR SUPERIORS.

Our superiors are set over us in affairs of this world, or the affairs of the soul and things pertaining to religion, and are called accordingly ecclesiastical, or civil. Towards whom our duty is thus generally described in the New Testament. For temporal and civil governors the commands are these: "Render to Cæsar things that are Cæsars 1," and Let every soul be subject to the higher powers; for there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God: whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation 2." 66 Put them in

1 Matt. xxii. 21. 2 Rom. xiii. 1.