God did also mean, that thy self should take comfort in these things. It is a part of that Blessedness, 1which the Psalmist promiseth to him that feareth the Lord. Thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. For God gave wine (for this purpose) to make glad the heart of man, 2and oil to make his face shine, and bread to strengthen his heart. How doth man divert Gods goodness, when he turns his blessing into a curse, and puts his good creatures from their intended uses! The Lambs are for thy clothing, 3and the Goats are the price of thy field, saith the Wise-man. Thou must wear the wool, and drink the milk of thy own flock. ⟨p. 39⟩Neither be so sparing, as to starve thy self in the middest of thine own plenty. As the covetous wretch, that dares not eat an egg, lest he should loose a chicken. Nor so profuse to thy own lusts, that thou shouldst give all, vel veneri, vel ventri: not that surfeits or wine should sluice out thy estate into thy belly. Not that with unnecessary quarrels of law, thou shouldst afflict and weary thy neighbours. O madness! that to put out both thy brothers eyes, thou shouldst put out one of thine own: nay, both thine own for one of his. Ingrateful men for Gods great mercy; that what they get by peace with forraines, vainly spend it in civill wars: where the Lawyers set them together, as men clap on unwilling Mastiffs! Most commonly they fight at the long weapon, a tedious, wearying, weather-beaten suit. Sometimes they fight close; Poniard and Pistol, killing quarrels: laying trains for one another, till both be blown up. Can the back of charity bear no load? Are the sinews of love grown so feeble? Alas fools! you get both nothing but the blows; the Lawyer goes away with the victory. He fills his purse, and you come home both well beaten.
God did also meane, that thy selfe should take comfort in these things. It is a part of that Blessednesse, 1which the Psalmist promiseth to him that feareth the Lord. Thou shalt eate the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall bee well with thee. For God gaue wine (for this purpose) to make glad the heart of man, 2and oyle to make his face shine, and bread to strengthen his heart. How doth man diuert Gods goodnesse, when he turnes his blessing into a curse, and puts his good creatures from their intended vses! The Lambes are for thy cloathing, 3and the Goates are the price of thy field, sayth the Wise-man. Thou must weare the wooll, and drinke the milke of thy owne flocke. ⟨p. 39⟩Neither be so sparing, as to starue thy selfe in the middest of thine owne plenty. As the couetous wretch, that dares not eate an egge, lest he should loose a chicken. Nor so profuse to thy own lusts, that thou shouldst giue all, vel veneri, vel ventri: not that surfets or wine should sluce out thy estate into thy belly. Not that with vnnecessary quarrels of lawe, thou shouldst afflict and weary thy neighbours. O madnesse! that to put out both thy brothers eies, thou shouldst put out one of thine owne: nay, both thine owne for one of his. Ingratefull men for Gods great mercy; that what they get by peace with forraines, vainly spend it in ciuill warres: where the Lawyers set them together, as men clappe on vnwilling Mastiues! Most commonly they fight at the long weapon, a tedious, wearying, weather-beaten sute. Sometimes they fight close; Poniard and Pistoll, killing quarrells: laying traynes for one another, till both be blowne vp. Can the backe of charitie beare no loade? Are the sinewes of loue growne so feeble? Alas fooles! you get both nothing but the blowes; the Lawyer goes away with the victory. He fills his purse, and you come home both well beaten.
- 1Psal. 128. 2.
- 2Psal. 104. 15
- 3Prou. 27. 25.
