But, let me tell thee, I fear thou art too much accessary to thine own affliction. Didst thou look for this loss? Did thy heart say, "What if we should part?" Didst thou not overenjoy this blessing, whilst thou hadst it? Surely, these are no small disadvantages: as every other evil, so this especially, is aggravated by our unexpectation. Neither hadst thou been so oppressed with this sorrow, if thou hadst foreseen it, and met it on the way. It is our weak inconsideration, if we do so welcome these earthly comforts, not as guests, but as inmates; and, as some that are importunately hospitable, so entertain our friends, that we cannot abide to give them leave to depart whereas, we ought, according to the wise advice of our Seneca, not much abluding from the counsel of that blessed Apostle with whom he is said to have interchanged Letters, so to possess them, as those, that make account to forego them; and so forego them, as if we possessed them still; 1 Cor. vii. 30, 31.

SECT. 2.

The true ground of an undefeasible enjoying of our friends. THOU art grieved for the loss of a dear friend :-Take heed, lest thy love had too much of the man, and too little of God. All blessings, as they come down from the Father of Mercies, so should be enjoyed in him: and, if we enjoy them as in themselves, our love begins to degenerate into carnal.

It is a sure rule, That all love, that depends upon a thing affected, when that thing ceaseth, then the love ceaseth: as he that loves a face only for beauty, when that beauty is defaced by deformity, presently cools in his affection: he, that respects a man for his bounty only, disregards him, when he sees him impoverished. Didst thou value thy friend only for his wit, for his ready compliances, for his kind offices? all these are now lost, and thy love with them; but if thou didst affect him for eminence of grace, for the sake of that God that dwelt in in him; now thy love is not, cannot be lost, because thou still enjoyest that God, in whom thou lovedst him. Comfort thyself, therefore, in that God, in whom he was thine; and yield him cheerfully into those hands, that lent him thee.

SECT. 3.

The rarity and trial of true friends.

THOU hast lost a true friend :-That jewel was worthy to be so much more precious, by how much more rare it is.

VOL. VII.

e Sen. Ep. 63.

M

The world affords friends enow, such as they are; friends of the purple, as Tertullian calls them; friends of the basket, as the Poet: such as love thy loaves and fishes, and thee for them. Wealth makes many friends, saith the Wise Man; Prov. xiv. 20. xix. 4.

But, where is the man, that loves thee for thyself? that loves thy virtue, and thee for it; divested of all by-respects? While there is honey in thy gallipot, the wasps and flies will be buzzing about it; but which of them cares to light upon an empty vessel? Was he so much thine, that he would not be set of by thine adversity? Did he honour thee, when thou wert despised of the world? Did he follow thee with applause, while thou wert hooted at by the multitude? Would he have owned thee, if he had found thee stripped and wounded in the wilderness? Such a friend is worthy of thy tears.

But take heed thy love prove not envious. If thy God hath thought him fitter for the society of Saints and Angels, dost thou repine at his happiness? Thou hast lost his presence: he is advanced to the beatifical presence of the King of Glory. Whether is thy loss, or his gain, the greater?

SECT. 4.

It is but a parting, not a loss.

THOU hast lost thy friend :-Say, rather, thou hast parted with him. That is properly lost, which is past all recovery, which we are out of hope to see any more. It is not so with this friend thou mournest for: he is but gone home, a little before thee; thou art following him: you two shall meet, in your Father's house and enjoy each other more happily, than you could have done here below.

:

How just is that charge of the blessed Apostle, that we should not mourn, as men without hope, for those, that do but sleep in Jesus! 1 Thess. iv. 13, 14. Did we think their souls vanished into air, as that Heathen Poet profanely expresses it; and their bodies resolved into dust, without all possibility of reparation; we might well cry out our eyes, for the utter extinction of those we loved: but, if they do but sleep, they shall do well; John xi. 12. Why are we impatient, for their silent reposal in the bed of their grave, when we are assured of their awaking to glory?

SECT. 5.

The loss of a virtuous wife mitigated.

THOU hast lost a dear wife, the wife of thy youth, the desire of thine eyes; Prov. v. 18. Is. liv. 6. Ezek. xxiv. 16.-Did ye

not take one another upon the terms of re-delivery, when you should be called for? Were you not, in your very knitting, put in mind of your dissolution? "Till death us do part."

Was she virtuous? Knowest thou not that there was a precontract, betwixt thy Saviour and her soul, ere thou couldst lay any claim to her body? and canst thou now grudge his just challenge of his own? wilt thou not allow him to call for a consummation of that happy match? Didst thou so over-love her outside, that thou wouldst not have her soul glorious? If thou lovedst her not as a man, but as a Christian, envy her not to that better Husband above, who gives her no less dowry than immortality.

SECT. 6.

The mitigation of the loss of a dear and hopeful son. THY son is dead:-What marvel is it, that a mortal father hath begot a mortal son? Marvel rather, that thyself hath lived to have or to lose a son. We lie open to so many deaths,

that our very subsistance is almost miraculous.

Thou hast lost a piece of thy flesh: for, what are our children, but as colonies deduced from our own flesh? yea, rather ourselves made up in other models. This loss cannot but go near

thee.

But, tell me, what was the disposition of the son thou mournest for?

If he were graceless and debauched, as thy shame so thy sorrow should die with him: set the hopes thou mightest have had of his reclaiming against the fears of his continuing and increasing wickedness, and thou couldst have made no other present account but of dishonour and discomfort. If it be sad, that he is taken away in his wildness; it had been more heavy, that he would have added to the heap of his sin, and therein to his torments.

If he were gracious, he had a better Father than thyself, whose interest was more in him than thine: and if that Heavenly Father have thought good to prefer him to a crown of immortal glory, why shouldst thou be afflicted with his advancement? Why shouldst thou not rather rejoice, that thy loins have helped to furnish heaven with a Saint? Were it put to thy choice, that thy son might be called off from his blessed rest, and return to his former earthly relations; couldst thou be so injurious in thy self-love, as to wish the misery of so disadvantageous a change to that soul, which, as it was never of thy production, so it were pity it should be at thy disposing? Rather labour to have thine own soul so disposed, that it may be ready to follow him into those blessed mansions; and that

it may love and long for heaven so much more, for that one piece of thee is there beforehand.

CHAP. VIII.

COMFORTS AGAINST POVERTY, AND LOSS OF OUR ESTATE.

SECT. 1.

The fickle nature of these earthly goods.

THOU art driven into want; and, that which is worse, out of abundance :-Those evils, that we have been inured to as being bred up with us from our cradle, are grown so familiar, that we are little moved with their presence: but those, into which we fall suddenly out of an outward felicity of estate, are ready to overwhelm us. Let thy care be, not to want those better riches, which shall make thy soul happy; and thou shalt not be too much troubled, with the loss of this trivial and perishing stuff.

Had these been true goods, they could not have been lost: for that good, that is at last capable of loss, as it is unsatisfying in the time of an unperfect and unsure fruition; so, in losing, it turns evil. Didst thou not know that riches have wings? Prov. xxiii. 5: and what use is there of wings, if not to fly? If another man's violence shall clip those wings, even this very clipping is their flight. Set thy heart upon that excellent and precious wealth, which can never be taken from thee; which shall never leave thee, nor thou it; thou shalt easily slight these poor losses.

As these were not goods; so they were not thine. Here, thou foundest them; and here, thou leavest them; 1 Tim. vi. 7. What hadst thou, but their use? Neither can they be otherwise thine heir's, whom thou leavest behind thee. I am ashamed to hear the Heathen Philosopher say, "All that is mine, I carry about me;" when many of us Christians are ready to hug those things, as most ours, which are without ourselves. It was an unanswerable question, which God moves to the rich man in the Parable, upon the parting with his soul: Then, whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? Luke xii. 20. perhaps, a stranger's; perhaps, as in case of undisposed lands, the occupant's; perhaps, a false executor's; perhaps, an enemy's. Call that thine, that thou shalt be sure to carry away with thee; that shall either accompany thy soul in its last passage, or follow it: such shall be thy holy

graces, thy charitable works, thy virtuous actions, thy heavenly dispositions. Lo, these are the treasures, which thou shalt lay up for thyself in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt; where thieves do not break through nor steal. Matt. vi. 20.

SECT. 2.

They are not ours; but lent us.

THOU hast lost thy goods:-May I not rather say, thou hast restored them? He parted with more than thou, that said, The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken; Job. i. 21.

Lo, whether it were by way of patrimony, or by way of providence and industry, the Lord gave it; and, whether it were by the hands of Chaldeans or Sabeans, the Lord hath taken it. The Lord is in both: he did but give and take his own. Is it not just so with thee? What reason hast thou then to complain?

Or may I not yet rather say, it was not given, but lent thee for a while, till it were called for? and dost thou grudge to restore, what thou borrowedst?

Nay, that thou mayest have yet less claim to this pelf, was it not only left in thy hand by the owner to employ for his use, till he should re-demand it with the increase? What is it to thee, but to improve and account for? If others have taken off thy charge, while they have spoiled they have eased thee.

SECT. 3.

The right valuation of riches is in the mind.

THY wealth is gone :-Hast thou necessaries left? Be thankful for what thou hast : forget what thou hadst.

Hadst thou had more, thou couldst have made use of no more than nature calls for: the rest could but have lain by thee, for sight, for readiness of employment.

Do but forbear the thought of superfluities, and what art thou the worse? Perhaps, thy fare is coarser, thy dishes fewer, thy utensils meaner, thy clothes homelier, thy train shorter: what of this? how is thy mind affected? Contentment stands not in quantities, nor in qualities; but in the inward disposition of the heart. That alone can multiply numbers, and raise prices: that alone can turn honest friezes into rich velvets, pulse into delicacies; and can make one attendant many officers.

Wise Seneca tells thee truly, that the true mould of wealth Sen. Ep. 107.