Prophet Ieremie complaineth Ierem. 5.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8.25 26 27 28. that in Ierusalem iustice and iudgement were not executed no not for the fatherlesse the widow and the poore And that their fulnesse was accompanied with adulterie and whoredome for they assembled themselues by companies in the harlots houses so that their yong men spent the day-time in wine and the night-time they spent in venerie Also amongst them were found wicked persons entrappers setters of snares and makers of pits to catch men As a Cage is full of birdes so were their houses full of deceit 6.13 8.10 and thereby they became great waxed rich fat and shining From the least to the greatest they were generally giuen to couetousnesse 9 3.4 5 6 7 8 9. and from the Prophet euen to the Priest they all dealt falsely Yea they did bend their tongues like their bowes for lies euery one did deale deceitfully and they taught their tongues to speake lies Ezek. 22.7.12.13.27.29.31 Also the Prophet Ezekiel complaineth of the like enormities of the oppressing of strangers of vexing the fatherlesse and the widow of taking of gifts of spoyling the poore of taking of vsurie and the encrease of defrauding their neighbours by extortion and such other courses of their couetousnesse and loue of lucre Therefore saith the Lord I haue smitten mine hands vpon thy couetousnesse that thou hast vsed I haue powred out mine indignation vpon them and consumed them with the fire of my wrath their own waies haue I rendred vpon their heads Ierem. 9.15 15.1 2 3 4. Behold I will feed this people with wormewood saith the Lord and giue them waters of gall to drinke Such as are appointed to death vnto death such as are for the sword to the sword and such as are for the famine to the famine and such as are for the captiuitie to the captiuitie I will appoint ouer them foure kindes the sword to slaie the dogges to teare in peeces the fowles of the heauen to deuoure and the beasts of the field to destroy 24.10 29.16 17 18. I will scatter them also in all kingdomes of the earth And vpon them that goe not into captiuitie I will send the sword the famine and the pestilence and will make them like naughtie figges that cannot be eaten they are so naughtie I will make them a terrour to all kingdomes of the earth and a curse and astonishment and an hissing and a reproach among all the nations Isay 24. Thus the Lord for the sinnes of his people made their land emptie and waste scattered the inhabitants and made them desolate spoyled the rich debased the proud weakened the mightie and powred contempt vpon their princes He made the earth to defraud them of their bread and the vine to withdrawe from them their drinke and instead of sweet wine 51.17 18 19 20. Habbak 2.15 16. that maketh the heart glad hee reached them a cup of sowre wine that maketh their hearts sad euen the vineger of his wrath the cup of trembling the cup of his right hand that is a cup of strong drinke which hee made them to drinke out dregs and all in recompence of their early rising to follow drunkennesse This cuppe was so strong that it brought the strongest powrer in of strong drinke soone vpon his backe and turned the drunkards glorie in drinking into shamefull spewing Thus finally the Lord turned Ierusalems ioy into woe her solace into sorrow her mirth into mourning her laughing into lamenting her feasting into fasting her fulnesse into famine her aboundance into indigence her plentie into penurie her glorie into shame her praise into reproach her blessednesse into cursednesse her honour into hissing her triumphs into terrour her statelinesse into astonishment her security into ieopardy her libertie into captiuity Thus I say hee smote her gate with destruction and her Citizens with desolation Conclusion Thus you see most noble Cities what hath beene the fortune and fall of a most noble Citie and a citie if euer any in the wide world beloued of God yee see the greatnesse of her desolation and that her great sinnes for commonly in great Cities dwell great sinnes did occasion the same Considering the which my thrise hearty wish vnto God for you is that her desolation may serue for your edification and her lamentable destruction may be vnto you a profitable instruction That auoiding and shunning her sins and all kinde of enormous and heinous impietie all sacriledge idololatrie pride adulterie couetousnesse crueltie deceit briberie extortion oppression vsurie and vnmercifulnesse to the poore Finally all prophanation of Gods holy name by vnreuerent and vnrespectfull naming thereof by swearing and forswearing and all vnhallowing of his holy name in whole or in part by flying from the congregation and following our owne waies of profite and of pleasure and forsaking the Lords waies of piety and of charitie yee may likewise escape her plagues ye may be free from her wormwood bread her waters of gall her famine her sword her pestilence her captiuity her scattering her reproach her astonishment her shame her seruitude her desolation and destruction That so right noble and flourishing Cities yee may long continue noble and long flourish in piety and prosperity your Citizens and inhabitants may be long rich and euery day more and more rich both in goods and goodnesse that being rich in God heere on earth yee may be rich with God hereafter in heauen And that this Art may end whereas it did begin euen at God who as he is the Alpha and the Omega the beginning and the ending of all things so me thinketh is it good reason that he be the Alpha and the Omega of this Art Psal 119.36 Let euery man that desireth to see good things pray to God with good King Dauid Lord incline mine heart vnto thy testimonies and not vnto couetousnesse Prou. 30.8.9 And with wise King Salomon his sonne Giue me not pouertie nor riches too much Feede mee with food conuenient for me least I bee full and denie thee and say Who is the Lord or least I bee poore and steale and take the Name of my God in vaine Amen FINJS
the Lord leadeth to life 19.23 and he that is filled therewith shall continue and shall not be visited with euill 22.4 The reward of humilitie and the feare of God is riches 31.30 and glorie and life Also Salomons vertuous woman that increaseth the wealth of her husband and house is such a one as feareth the Lord. Ecclesiastic 1.11.12.13.18.20.21.23 The feare of the Lord saith Iesus the sonne of Syrach is glorie and gladnes and a ioyfull crowne who so feareth the Lord it shall goe well with him at the last he shall prosper and in the day of his end he shall be blessed She filleth men with her fruits she filleth their house with all things desireable and the garners with the things she bringeth forth she hath brought vnto honour them that possessed her 11.14.17 The feare of God saith he filleth mens hearts with wisdome and their houses with all desirable things 15.1.5.6 38.8 40.26.27 The feare of the Lord exalteth them aboue their neighbours and clotheth them with the garment of glorie for of the Lord commeth prosperitie wealth ouer all the earth Riches and strength lift vp the heart but the feare of the Lord is aboue them both There is no want in the feare of the Lord and it needeth no helpe The feare of the Lord is a pleasant garden of blessing and there is nothing so beautifull as it is Finally the blessed Apostle S. Paul teacheth vs 1. Tim. 4.8 that godlines is profitable vnto all things as that which hath the promise of the life present and of that that is to come Now what other thing else is godlines but the feare and worship of God and what other thing else is the feare of God but godlines Thus yee see O yee students in the art of Enriching what an excellent thing the feare of God is how that she is a pleasant and profitable garden of blessing and of blessednes In this garden which the hand of God hath planted himselfe grow the tree of knowledge and the tree of life euen both wisdome and wealth Psalm 111.10 Prou. 1.7 22 4. Ecclesiastic 11.14.17 for the feare of the Lord is the beginning of both She filleth the heart with wisdome and the house with varietie of goods with the right hand shee reacheth out spirituall wealth and with the left hand temporall store Prosperitie on earth is her temporall guerdon and felicitie in heauen is her eternall reward But I know some will obiect and say that euen the godlesse and such as will neither know God nor acknowledge him neither loue him as a Father nor feare him as a Lord may be likewise rich and oftentimes enioy great prosperitie and wealth To which I answere thus such as the feare of God maketh rich Luk. 12.21 they are rich in God as our Sauiour in the gospell giueth vs to vnderstand that is they are rich with goods giuen out of Gods own hand and their goods are gotten with a good conscience they doe good with their goods and reape more good and goods at Gods hand by vsing them to his glorie and their neighbours good For vnto them that haue saith our Sauiour it shall bee giuen Matth. 25.29 Luk. 19.26 that is vnto such as haue godlines and goodnes shall bee giuen goods and vnto such as haue vsed their goods aright shall bee giuen yet more goods whereas from the man that hath not godlines and goodnes euen those goods he hath shall bee taken away and giuen to him that hath more goodnes then he Psal 25.12.13 37.18.29 Moreouer the riches of the man that feareth God as they shall be increased so shall they bee continued to him and his posteritie walking after their fathers footesteps in the waies of Gods feare as for the wicked and such as are void of Gods feare they may well be wealthie and rich yea and very rich they may waxe olde and growe in wealth Iob 21.7 saith Iob the miror of patience they may be strong and spread themselues like a greene bay tree Psal 37.35 saith diuine Dauid they may take roote grow and bring forth fruit and their way may prosper Ierem. 12.1.2 saith holy Ieremie yet for all this they cannot be rich in God For though the most high who is kinde vnto the very vnkinde and good vnto the euill Matth. 5.45 Luk. 6.35 make his sunne to shine on the euill as well as the good and send raine on the vniust as well as the iust as our Sauiour speaketh in the gospell though I say he raine downe riches euen vpon irreligious men and giue gold vnto the godles and goods vnto such as haue no goodnes at all yet it is in the same maner as he gaue of old flesh vnto the murmuring Israelites to eate Psal 78.27.28.29.30 He rained flesh vpon them as dust feathered fowle as the sand of the sea hee made it fall in the middest of their campe euen round about their habitations So they did eate and were filled for he gaue them their desire hee made them to eate in his anger Numb 11.18.19.20.33.34 vntill it came out of their nostrils and was loathsome vnto them while their flesh was yet betweene their teeth before it was well chewed euen the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people and he smote them with an exceeding great plague so that euer after the place where they fell bare the name of the graues of lust Iob 22.18 21.7.13.16.17 In like manner God oftentimes raineth riches vpon the godlesse and hee filleth their houses with good things they growe in wealth they spend their daies in wealth but loe for all this their wealth is not in their hand It is not giuen to them and theirs for euer but onely lent them for a time and when the time is spent and past 15.29 God will put out the candle of the wicked and diuide their liues in his wrath he shall not be rich alwaies 20.10.15.23.28 neither shall his substance continue neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof in the earth his hands shall restore his substance he hath deuoured substance and he shall vomit it for God shall draw it out of his bellie Iob 26.14 16.17.21.22.23 he shall be about to fill his bellie but God shall send vpon him his fierce wrath and shall cause to raine vpon him euen vpon his meate The increase of his house shall goe away hee shall flow away in the day of his wrath and his posteritie shall not be satisfied with bread Though hee should heape vp siluer as the dust and prepare rayment as the clay he may prepare it but the iust shall put it on and the innocent shall diuide the siluer God shall hurle him out of his place and shall cast vpon him not spare though he would faine flie out of his hands
brimstone of Sodom let vs shunne and eschew their sinnes Besides that as the Wise man telleth vs the drunkard and the glutton shall bee poore Prou. 23.21 and the idle sleeper shall bee clothed with ragges And the labouring man that is giuen to drunkennesse Eccles 19.1 33 26. shall not bee rich Thus we see then that diligence and temperance are of great moment both to get and augment riches And trulie as the loue of intemperance and excesse doth hold the poore man from being rich so doth the practise of excesse in table or apparrell make the rich man poore as wee shall shew in the declaration of the ninth Rule of this Art And therefore to conclude this present discourse concerning diligence in a lawfull calling I wish the student in this Art to obserue this one thing that except hee begge dailie Gods blessing to his businesse his diligence and industrie will but little auaile Hee may well carrie out much seede into the field Deut. 28.23.24.38 Micah 6.14 Haggai 1.6 Amos 4.7.8.9 but except the Lord blesse it hee shall gather but little in for the grashoppers shall destroy it or the heauen shall bee as brasse aboue it and the earth as yron vnder it for the Lord shall withhold the first and the latter raine and shall shut the windowes of heauen so that it shall bee consumed with drought or hee will open the windowes of heauen in such a manner Ioel 1. Genes 7.11 Psalm 107.33.34 that either the floods shall ouerflow the fields or the cloudes shall powre downe riuers of waters to drowne the cornes so that the seed shal rot vnder the clods or else will he smite them with blasting and mildew so that howsoeuer he sow much yet shal he reape but little except the Lord blesse that which he hath sowen Hee may well plant a vineyard or a hopyard and dresse it but except the Lord blesse it hee shall not drinke of it for the wormes shall eate it Hee may well plant many fruit-trees fig-trees Deut. 28.39 Ioel 1.4.12 apple-trees plum-trees but except the blessing of the Lord be present with his planting swarmes and armies of palmer-wormes canker-wormes and caterpillers shall deuoute and eate vp his fruites and the buddes of his trees Deut. 28.18 Ioel 1.4.18.19.20 Hee may well enioy heardes of cattell and flockes of sheepe but except the Lords blessing bee with the owner hee shall bee cursed in them all yea the Lord shall make his beasts to mourne his cattell to consume and his flockes to fall away for want of pasture which shall either not spring out of the earth being hard as yron or shal be withered away through the excessiue heate or shall bee eaten vp by the multitudes of grashoppers Zephan 1.13 Hee may well get goods and build houses but except the Lord blesse him in the same his goods shall doe him no good they shall goe away from him or hee shall bee spoiled of them Prou. 28.8 Eccles 2.26 or hee shall leaue them to such as wil doe more good with them then he he shall heape vp to giue and leaue to him that is good before God and the houses that hee hath builded hee and his shall not inhabit In one word to speake with the Prophet Haggai Hag. 1.6 Hee may well eate but hee shal not bee satisfied nor haue inough hee may well drinke but hee shall not bee filled hee may well cloath himselfe but hee shall not bee warme and hee may well earne wages but hee shall put them into a broken bagge And the cause of all this is the want of the Lords blessing Psalm 127.1.2 For as the Kinglie Prophet saith except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it Except the Lord keepe the citie the keeper watcheth in vaine It is in vaine for you to rise earlie and to lie downe late and eate the bread of sorrow but hee will surelie giue rest to his beloued Not that hee will exempt them from labour but onelie from the vnprofitablenesse and vncomfortablenesse thereof For hee will giue to his beloued that is to such as are deare vnto him for the loue and feare of his name and doe continuallie begge his blessing to their adoes hee will giue them rest from all vnprofitable and vncomfortable paines taking Leuit. 26.20 whereas without his blessing a mans strength shall bee spent in vaine Hee may well passe and spend nights and daies in toiling and moiling but hee shall reape but little profit and lesse comfort let him labour neuer so much and neuer so long For diligence is no better then negligence and businesse is but idlenesse without the Lords blessing Psal 65.9.10.11.12.13 107.35.36.37.38.41 67.6.7 68.9 For it is the Lords blessing that watereth the earth and makes it very rich euen that watereth abundantly the furrowes of the earth and causeth the raine to descend into the valleies thereof and maketh it soft with showers and droppeth fatnesse vpon the fieldes so that the hilles are compassed with gladnesse the pastures are clad with sheepe and the valleies are couered with corne which maketh men to shout for ioy and sing IIII. Rule The poore man must not purchase nor the rich man increase his riches by violence oppression theft robberie extortion bribing vniust detention neither yet by peruerting of equitie as by false testimonie pleading in an euill cause or vnrighteous iudgement Probation and declaration Exod. 22.21.22.23.24 TThou shalt not doe iniurie to a stranger saith the Lord by Moses neither oppresse him yee shall not trouble any widow nor fatherlesse child If thou vexe and trouble such and so hee call and crie vnto me I will surely heare his crie then shall my wrath bee kindled and I will kill you with the sword and you wiues shall bee widowes and your children fatherlesse Thou shalt not ouerthrow the right of the poore in his suite 23.1.3.6.7.8.9 Thou shalt keepe thee farre from a false matter and shalt not slay the innocent and the righteous Thou shalt not receiue a false tale neither shalt thou put thine hand with the wicked to bee a false witnesse Thou shalt not esteeme a poore man in his cause Leuit. 19.13 Thou shalt not oppresse thy neighbour by violence neither robbe him or doe him wrong The workemans hire shal not abide with thee vntil the morning Thou shalt not oppresse an hired seruant that is needie and poore neither of thy brethren nor of the stranger that is in the land within thy gates Deut. 14.15 Thou shalt giue him his hire for his day neither shall the sunne goe downe vpon it for he is poore and therewith sustaines his life lest he crie against thee vnto the Lord and it be sinne vnto thee 16.19 Wrest not thou the law saith the Lord to Lawyers and Iudges nor respect any person neither take reward for the reward blindeth the
eies of the wise and peruerteth the words of the iust God standeth in the assemblie of Gods Psal 82.2.3.4 saith the godly King Dauid hee iudgeth among Gods How long will ye iudge vniustly and accept the persons of the wicked doe right to the poore and fatherlesse doe iustice to the poore and needie deliuer them Prou. 15 25.2â— and saue them from the hand of the wicked The Lord saith wise Salomon will destroy the house of the proud oppressor but he will establish the borders of the widow He that is greedie of gaine troubleth his owne house but hee that hateth gifts shall liue 22.16.28 23.10.11 Rob not the poore because hee is poore neither oppresse the afflicted in iudgement for the Lord will reuenge their cause Deut. 28.17 and spoile the soule of him that spoileth them He that oppresseth the poore to increase himselfe and giueth vnto the rich shall surelie come to pouertie Remooue not the ancient bounds and enter not into the field of the fatherlesse for hee that redeemeth them is mightie and hee will defend their cause against thee and cursed bee hee that remooueth his neighbours marke Prou. 3.27.28.29 Withhold not the goods from the owners thereof though there be power in thine hand to doe it Say not vnto thy neighbour goe and come againe and to morrow will I giue thee if thou now haue it Intend none hurt against thy neighbour seeing hee doth dwell without feare by thee A man cannot bee established by wickednesse 12.3.7 11.4 but the root of the righteous shall not be moued for riches auaile not in the day of wrath but righteousnesse deliuereth from death Hee that oppresseth the poore 14.31 17.5 reprooueth him that made him 15.6.27 13.22 but hee honoureth him that hath mercie on the poore The house of the righteous hath much treasure but in the reuenewes of the wicked is troube yea the riches of the sinner is laid vp for the iust Hee that is greedie of gaine troubleth his owne house but hee that hateth gifts shall liue 16.8 19.1.8 28.6 Better is a little with righteousnesse then great reuenewes without equitie Better is the poore that walketh in his vprightnesse then he that peruerteth his waies though hee bee rich 21.7 The robberie of the wicked shall destroy them for they haue refused to execute iudgement 28.15.16.18 As a roaring Lion and an hungrie Beare so is a wicked ruler ouer the poore people A Prince destitute of vnderstanding is also a great oppressor but he that hateth couetousnesse shall prolong his daies He that walketh vprightlie shall be saued but hee that is froward in his waies shall once fall There is a generation 30.14.15 whose teeth are as swords and their chawes are are as kniues to eate vp the afflicted out of the earth and the poore from among men The horseleach hath two daughters which crie Giue giue Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all the children of destruction 31.8.9 open thy mouth iudge righteouslie the afflicted and the poore If in a countrey thou seest the oppression of the poore Ecclesiast 5.7 7.9 and the defrauding of iudgement and iustice bee not astonied at the matter for hee that is higher then the highest regardeth and there bee higher then they Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad and the reward destroyeth the heart Some saith the holy man Iob remooue the land-markes that robbe the flockes Iob 24.1 to 20. and feede thereof they leade away the asse of the fatherlesse and take the widowes oxe to pledge They make the poore to turne out of the way so that the poore of the earth hide themselues together Behold others as wild asses in the wildernesse rise earelie for a pray they reape his prouision in the field but they gather the late vintage of the wicked They cause the naked to lodge without garment and without couering in the cold They are wet with the showres of the mountaine and they embrace the rocke for want of a couering They plucke the fatherlesse from the breast and take the pledge of the poore they cause him to go naked without clothing and take the gleining from the hungrie They that make their oyle betweene their walles and tread their wine-presses suffer thirst men crie out of the citie and the soules of the slaine crie out The murtherer riseth earlie and killeth the poore and needie and in the night hee is a theefe But their portion shall bee cursed in the earth As the drie ground and heate consume the snow waters so shall the graue the sinners The pitifull man shall forget him the worme shall feele his sweetnesse hee shall be no more remembred and the wicked shall bee broken like a tree 15.21.28.34 The destroyer shall come vpon the wicked man in his prosperitie hee shall not bee rich alwaies neither shall his substance continue neither shall hee prolong the perfection thereof vpon earth and fire shall deuoure the houses of bribes 20.6.7.14 to 28. Though his excellencie mount vp to the heauens and his head reach vnto the cloudes yet shall hee perish for euer like his dung and they which haue seene him shall say Where is he Hee hath deuoured substance and hee shall vomit it for God shall draw it out of his bellie hee shall sucke the gall of aspes hee shall not see the riuers nor the floods and streames of honie and butter he shall restore the labour he shall deuoure no more Euen according to the substance shall bee his exchange and hee shall inioy it no more For hee hath vndone many hee hath forsaken the poore and hath spoiled houses which hee builded not surelie hee shall feele no quietnesse in his bodie neither shall he reserue of that which hee desired There shall none of his meate bee left therefore none of his shall hope for his goods when hee shall bee filled with his abundance hee shall bee in paine and the hand of all the wicked shall assaile him Hee shall bee about to fill his bellie but God shall send vpon him his fierce wrath and shall cause to raine vpon him euen vpon his meate Hee shall flee from the yron weapons and the bow of steele shall strike him through The arrow is drawne out and commeth foorth of the bodie and shineth of his gall so feare commeth vpon him All darkenesse shall bee hid in his secret places the fire that is not blowne shall deuour him and that which remaineth in his Tabernacle shall bee destroied The heauen shall declare his wickednesse and the earth shall rise vp against him The increase of his house shall goe away it shall flow away in the day of his wrath Isai 32.6.7.8 The niggard saith Isaiah will speake of niggardnesse and his heart will worke iniquitie and doe wickedly and speake falsely against the Lord to
that shall come vpon you your riches are corrupt Iam. 5.1.2.3.4.5 and your garments are motheaten your gold and siluer is cankred and the rust of them shall bee a witnesse against you and shall eate your flesh as it were fire Ye haue heaped vp treasure to wit by violent oppression cruell extortion vsury and vnrighteous detention for the last daies yee haue withholden the hire of the labourers yee haue liued in pleasure on the earth and in wantonnesse yee haue nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter yee haue condemned and killed the iust and hee hath not resisted you Finallie the blessed Apostle Paul exhorteth 1. Thes 4.6 that no man oppresse or defraud his brother in any matter for the Lord is the auenger of all such things Hee will bee auenged on all oppressours Godspoilers Church-robbers extortioners bribers vniust detainers and all such violent men Prou. 4.17 that as Salomon speaketh eate the bread of wickednesse and drinke the wine of violence and chiefly vpon all peruerters of equitie iustice and iudgement Euen vpon such as imagine iniquitie vpon their beds and eate the bread of iniquitie at their bords and speake and practise iniquitie at the barre and in the seate of iudgement In a word the great Law-giuer and Iudge of the world will bee auenged on all lawlesse Lawyers on all peruerse pleaders and proctors and on all vniust Iudges And therefore let all such folkes as are excised and emploied about lawes iustice and iudgement perswade themselues of this that the time shall come when a day of law shall hold when all their tricks and entanglements their niceties and their nets their deceits and their delaies their bribing and their biting their negligence in following and furthering a good cause and their diligence in an euill And finallie their deceitfull collusions and vnlawfull conclusions shall bee laid open before men and Angels Then they shall bee all tongue-tied and shall not haue so much as one word to answere or pleade for themselues No though all the subtiltie policie craft and eloquence of all the Lawyers and Iudges of the world were to bee found in any one such man yet shall hee not haue so much as one word to vtter in his owne defence God shall intend processe against him the Angels both good and bad shall pleade against him so shall good and holie men and that which is more his owne conscience shall accuse him yea his owne tongue shall condemne him So that it may bee well said that as a iust Iudge is a visible god so is an vniust Iudge a visible diuell And as an vpright Lawyer is an earthlie Saint so is an vnrighteous Aduocate Pleader Proctour or Atturney worse then an hereticke For the hereticke sinneth most part of ignorance where as the vnrighteous and deceitfull Lawyer sinneth against his knowledge both wittinglie and willinglie For although hee know his parties cause to bee euill yet benefit and gaine will make him to say that it is good and his aduersaries cause which hee knoweth to bee good the same gaine will make him to say that it is euill In which doing they make themselues obnoxious vnto that fearefull woe pronounced by the Lord and his holie seruant Isaiah Isai 5.18.19.20.23 Woe vnto them that draw iniquitie with cordes of vanitie and sinne as with cartropes Woe vnto them that speake good of euill and euill of good which put darkenesse for light and light for darkenesse that put bitter for sweete and sweet for soure which iustifie the wicked for a reward and take away the right of the vpright or righteous man from him Amos 5.7 Woe vnto them that decree wicked decrees and write grieuous things As if he should say such Iudges as turne iudgement into gall and such Lawyers as turne the fruit of righteousnesse into wormewood shall one day know what it is to peruert iustice equitie and iudgement what it is to call euill good and good euill what it is to make right wrong and wrong right Their delight was in turning of things one into another and therefore their plague shall bee conformable to the nature of their trespasse They turned good into euill and sweete into sowre and therefore shall God turne their sweete wine into waters of gall Ierem. 8.14 9.15 23.15 Iob 20.16 and their daintie cheere and pleasant bread into wormewood they shall sucke the gall of Aspes and the old Serpents tongue shall slay them Isai 66.24 for their worme shall not die neither shall their fire bee quenched Iob 15.33.34.35 God shall destroy them as the vine her sowre grapes and shall cast them off as the oliue doth her floure For the congregation of the hypocrite shall be desolate and fire shall deuoure the houses of bribes For they conceiue mischiefe and bring foorth vanitie and their bellie hath prepared deceit That is their bellie hath made them deceiuers and double dealers and peruerters of equitie and right euen belli-gods who for the loue of their bellie care not a pin to displease God 20.12.13.14.15.23.26 And because wickednesse was sweet in their mouth and they hid it vnder their tongue and fauoured it and would not forsake it but keepe it close in their mouth therefore God saith the holie man shall turne their meate in their bellie into the gall of Aspes yea the substance they haue deuoured God shall draw it out of their bellie So that when they shall bee about to fill their bellie with meate gotten by peruerting of equitie by vnrighteous pleading and vniust iudgement God shall send vpon them his fierce wrath and shall cause to raine vpon them euen vpon their meate yea the fire that is not blowne shall deuoure them and their bellie both and that which remaineth in their Tabernacle shal bee destroyed And therefore let mee say vnto euery student in this Art that which Salomon saith Prou. 2.20.21.22 Walke thou in the way of good men and keepe the waies of the righteous For the iust shall dwell in the land and the vpright men shall remaine in it but the wicked shall bee cut off from the earth and the transgressour shall bee rooted out of it V. Rule The poore man must not purchase goods nor the rich man increase his goods alreadie gotten by vsing of vsurie or false weights by keeping of pledges or hording vp of corne to a more deare time and by ouerprising of wares by keeping or holding of whore-houses by sinfull playing and gaining nor yet by cosening cogging deceiuing and lying for all such wealth of vanitie will soone vanish Probation and declaration Exod. 22.25.26.27 Deut. 24.12.13 IF thou lend money to my people saith the Lord by Moses that is to the poore with thee thou shalt not be as an vsurer vnto him yee shall not grieue him with vsurie If thou take thy neighbours raiment to pledge thou shalt restore it vnto him before the Sunne goe downe for
enough for my life saith Iesus the sonne of Sirach Ecclesiast 5.1 31.8 2.4.5.6 blessed is the rich which is found without blemish and hath not gone after gold nor hoped in money and treasures Whatsoeuer commeth vnto thee receiue it patiently be patient in thy change into affliction for as gold and siluer are tryed in the fire euen so are men acceptable in the furnace of aduersity beleeue in God and he will helpe thee order thy way aright and trust in him hold fast his feare and grow old therein Heereby Christians are taught not to grudge against God if at any time hee crosse vs in our prosperity and take from vs our substance whether in part or whole yea wee ought to confide so farre in Gods goodnesse that hee will send vs againe that which hee hath taken from vs and restore it with aduantage if hee seeth that it shall bee expedient for vs and profitable for our soules health Otherwise we ought to thinke that it is farre better for vs to want goods then to be voyd of goodnesse and that our case is more blessed to lacke or loose goods then to enioy them and withall to abuse them to luxury superfluity licentiousnes and sin Psal 119.71 94.12 Heb. 2.10.18 Act. 14.22 Eccles 2.4.5.6 It is good for me saith holy Dauid that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy statutes And blessed is the man whom thou chastisest ô Lord teachest him in thy law And therefore the blessed Apostle telleth vs that by affliction we are made like to the Son of God yea that we must through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God Our most wise bountifull Father knoweth best what is best for his childrens behoofe Neither ought the vertuous minded man thinke any whit the worse of himselfe for his want of wealth or yet be deiected in courage therefore as though he were by reason of his indigence lesse in Gods fauour then others that do abound Neither must we measure Gods fauour with the yard or ell of earthly prosperity For the Prophet Dauid telleth vs Psal 10 4.5.6 37.7.35 73 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 that the wicked and his waies doe prosper oftentimes so that hee saith in his heart he shall neuer bee mooued nor be in danger yea he is strong and spreadeth himselfe like a greene baie tree there are no bands in their death but they are lustie and strong they are not in trouble as other men neither are they plagued with other men their eies stand out for fatnesse they haue more then heart can wish they are licentious and speake wickedly they talke presumptuously they set their mouth against heauen and their tongue walketh through the earth Lo these are the wicked saith Dauid yet prosper they alwaies and increase in riches And the holy Prophet Ieremie questioneth the Lord about the same matter in this manner Ierem. 12.1 2. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper why are all they in wealth that rebelliously transgresse thou hast planted them and they haue taken root they growe and bring forth fruit thou art neere in their mouth and farre from their reines Likewise the holy man Iob sheweth vs in very large and ample manner the wickeds prosperitie Iob 21.7 8 9 10 11 12 13. They liue and waxe old and growe in wealth their seed is established in their sight their houses are peaceable without feare and the rod of God is not vpon them their bullocke gendreth and faileth not their cowe calueth and casteth not the calfe they send forth their children like sheepe and their sonnes daunce they take the tabret and the harp and reioyce in the found of the organs they spend their daies in wealth and suddainely they goe downe to the graue Thus we see that euen the wicked and such as blaspheme God and oppresse the poore may enioy great prosperitie and wealth for a time And truely it shall be no more but for a time for as the same two holy men teach vs Psal 10.15 37 9 10 17 20 34 36. 52.5 7.3 18 19 20. Iob 21 17 18 19 20 30. 27.13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 The Lord will breake the arme of the wicked God shall cut off him and his seed he shal destroy him for euer hee shall plucke him out of his Tabernacle and roote him out of the land of the liuing he shall passe away and perish and shal not be found any more he shall be suddainly destroyed horribly confounded and his image shall be despised The candle of the wicked shall bee put out they shall be as stubble before the wind and as chaffe that the storme carrieth away they are kept vnto the day of destruction and they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath The sword shall destroy his children and his posteritie shall not be satisfied with bread Though hee should heap vp siluer as the dust and prepare raiment as the clay hee may prepare it but the iust shall put it on and the innocent shall diuide the siluer Terrours shal take him as waters and a tempest shall carrie him away by night And as the wicked oftentimes enioy great plentie and prosperitie so haue many of the godly many times beene afflicted with penurie pouertie and want And yet for all this God left not off to loue them most deerely For their aduersitie affliction and trouble they were not a whit the lesse beloued of God but rather the more according to that saying of the holy man Iob Iob 5.17 Blessed is the man whom the Lord correcteth And therefore not onely wise king Salomon Prou. 3.11 12. Heb. 12.5.6 7.8.9.10 11. and the holy Apostle Paul but also our Sauiour himselfe teacheth vs that the Lord correcteth him whom hee loueth euen as the father doth the child in whom he delighteth Also the same Apostle telleth vs Reuel 3.19 that many of the children of God of the olde times were brought to such a pinch that they were bitten with pouertie and want Heb. 11.36.37.38 for they wandred saith he vp and downe in sheepes skinnes and in goates skins beeing destitute afflicted and tormented they wandred in wildernesses and mountaines and dennes and caues of the earth obnoxious vnto racking mocking scourging chaining imprisoning stoning hewing and slaying with the sword And what was the pouertie of Christ Iesus the Sonne of God in his birth life and death it is more then manifest 2. Cor. 8.9 for hee beeing rich as Lord of heauen and earth became poore for our sakes saith the Apostle that we through his pouertie might bee made rich Matth. 1.16.20 13.55 Hee was so poore in the time and manner of his birth that he was laid in a cratch Luk 2.4.5.6.7 Mark 6.3 euen in a stable among oxen and asses folded and swathed in clothes of little price The house wherein he was borne was a
vpon their knees in good earnest and be made to feed with the beasts vntill they learne to liue like reasonable and moderate men and not like vnreasonable and intemperate beasts X. Rule A man to whom God hath giuen riches and store though but in a meane measure if hee would haue God to blesse him and it both with increase and continuance as hee ought to giue a part thereof cheerefully vnto the Prince and another part vnto the priests and take a third part for himselfe so ought he charitably to impart a proportionable part thereof to the poore by lending or giuing to them according to his power and their pouertie and need Probation and declaration Deut. 15 7 8 9 10 11. IF one of thy brethren with thee saith the Lord by Moses bee poore within any of thy gates in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee thou shalt not harden thine heart nor shut thine hand from thy poore brother but thou shalt open thine hand vnto him and shalt lend him sufficient for his neede which he hath thou shalt giue him and let it not grieue thine heart to giue vnto him for because of this the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all thy workes and in all that thou puttest thine hand to Because there shall bee euer some poore in the land therefore I command thee Exod. 22.25 26 27. Leuit. 25.35.36 37. saying Thou shalt open thine hand vnto thy brother to thy needie and to thy poore in the land Thou shalt relieue him and if thou lend money vnto him thou shalt not be as an vsurer to him thou shalt not giue him thy money to vsurie or vantage nor lend him thy victuals for encrease And if thou take thy neighbours rayment to pledge thou shalt restore it vnto him before the Sunne goe downe for that it is his couering onely and this is his garment for his skinne wherein shall he sleepe therefore when he crieth vnto me I wil heare him for I am mercifull Leuit. 19 9 10 23 22. Deut. 24 19 20 21. Also when yee reape the haruest of your land yee shall not reape euery corner of your field neither shalt thou gather the glainings of thy haruest thou shalt not gather the grapes of thy vineyard but thou shalt leaue them for the poore the stranger the fatherlesse and the widow When thou cuttest downe thy haruest in the field and hast forgotten a sheafe in the field thou shalt not goe againe to fet it but it shall bee for the stranger Psal 37 21 26. for the fatherlesse and for the widowe that the Lord thy God may blesse thee in all the workes of thine hands The righteous is mercifull saith the prophet Dauid and giueth 41.1 hee is euer mercifull and lendeth and his seed enioyeth the blessing Blessed is hee that iudgeth wisely of the poore the LORD shall deliuer him in the time of trouble 112.4 5 9. Vnto the righteous ariseth light in darkenesse hee is mercifull and full of compassion a good man is mercifull and lendeth and will measure his affaires by iudgement hee hath distributed and giuen to the poore his righteousnesse remaineth for euer his horne shall bee exalted with glorie Let not mercie and truth forsake thee saith King Salomon bind them on thy necke Prou. 3.3.4 and write them vpon the table of thine heart so shalt thou find fauour in the fight of God and Man â— 27 Hee that is mercifull rewardeth his owne soule 14.21.31 Hee that hath mercy on the poore is blessed yea the Lord honoureth him that hath mercy on the poore 19.17 Hee that hath mercy vpon the poore 21.13.21 26. lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence that which he hath giuen The righteous giueth and spareth not and he that followeth after righteousnes and mercy shall finde life righteousnes and glory but hee that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore hee shall also cry and not bee heard 11.24.25.26 There is that scattereth and is more increased but he that spareth more then is right surely commeth to pouerty the liberall person shall haue plenty and hee that watereth shall also haue raine Hee that withdraweth the corne the people will curse him but blessing shall be vpon the head of him that selleth corne to wit 22 9. Eccles 31.29 good cheape and when the people stand in need by reason of scarcity and famine Hee that hath a good eye hee shall bee blessed for he giueth of his bread vnto the poore Prou. 25.21.22 If he that hateth thee be hungry giue him bread to eate and if he be thirsty giue him water to drinke for thou shalt lay coales vpon his head 28.27 and the Lord shall recompence thee He that giueth vnto the poore shall not lacke but he that hideth his eyes shall haue many curses Giue ye strong drinke vnto him that is ready to perish 31.6.7 and wine vnto them that haue griefe of heart let him drinke that hee may forget his pouerty and remember his misery no more 31.20 Also Salomons vertuous woman that encreaseth exceedingly her store and her substance is described to be such a one as stretcheth out her hand to the poore and needy Eccles 11.1.2 And therefore in his Preacher he exhorteth men to be liberall to the poore in these words Cast thy bread vpon the waters for after many dayes thou shalt finde it Giue a portion to seuen and also to eight for thou knowest not what euill shall be vpon the earth Is not this the fasting that I haue chosen saith the Lord by his prophet I say to loose the bands of wickednesse to take off the heauie burthens and to let the oppressed go free and that yee breake euery yoake Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungrie and that thou bring the poore that wander to thine house when thou seest the naked that thou couer him and hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh Then shal thy light breake forth as the morning and thine health shall grow speedily thy righteousnes shall goe before thee and the glory of the Lord shall embrace thee then shalt thou call and the Lord will answer thou shalt cry and he will say here I am If thou powre out thy soule to the hungry and refresh the troubled soule then shall thy light spring out in the darknes and thy darknes shall bee as the noone day and the Lord shall guide thee continually and satisfie thy soule in drought and make fat thy bones and thou shalt be like a watered garden and like a spring of water where waters faile not And they shall bee of thee that shall build the old waste places thou shalt raise vp the foundations for many generations and thou shalt be called the Repairer of the Breach and the restorer of the pathes to dwell in Tobit 4.7
the right way of Enriching and haue bene punished of God Pag. 182. 183. 184. 185. 186. 187. 188. 189. 190. 191. 192. 193. 194. 195. 196. 197. 198. 200. XXXIII A description of the sinnes reigning of old in the Citties of Sodome Babel Tyrus Samaria and Ierusalem with the Authors hearty wish for the Felicity of the two most famous Citties of this Ile London Edinburgh Pag. 200. 101. 202. 203. 204. 205. 206. 207. 208. 209. 210. 211. 212. 213. A short forme of prayer very fit to be vsed of euery regular student in this Arte. 1. Sam. 2.7 LORD thou that art the giuer of riches and sender of pouerty incline mine heart vnto thy testimonies Psa 119.36 Pro. 30.8 9. and not to couetousnesse Giue me not pouerty nor riches too much feede mee with foode conuenient for mee lest I bee full and deny thee and say who is the Lord or least I be poore and steale and take the name of my God in vaine Amen Errata PAg. 70. line 17. for gaine read gaine p. 109. l. 12. for wretchlesse read retchlesse p. 110. l. 10. for that read hath p. 111. l. 3. for free-parted read siue-parted p. 173. l. 1. for Elisha read Eliah p 185. l. 22. for vnit read vnion p. 201. l. 7. for wearing read swearing p. 203. l. 10. for cleere read clearer p. 211. l. 14. for maketh read made p. 212. l. 21. for name read day THE GOLDEN ART OR THE RIGHT way of Enriching The definition of this art The Golden art is the right way of getting increasing conseruing and vsing goods with a good conscience I. Rule The feare of the Lord and his blessing make the poore man rich and the rich man yet more rich Probation and declaration YE shall serue the Lord your God saith the Lord our God by his holy seruant Moses and he shall blesse thy bread and thy water Exod. 23.25 The land shal giue her fruit Leuit. 25 18.19 26.3.4.5.14.15.19.20 and ye shall eate your fill and dwell therein in safetie I will send you raine in due season and the land shall yeeld her increase and the trees of the field shall giue their fruite and your threshing shall reach vnto the vintage and the vintage shall reach vnto the sowing time and ye shall eate your bread in plenteousnesse and dwell in your land safelie But if you will not obey me but breake my couenant I will make your Heauen as iron and your earth as brasse and your strength shall be spent in vaine neither shall your land giue her increase neither shall the trees of the land giue their fruite Deut. 8.17.18 Beware lest thou say in thine heart my power and the strength of mine owne hand hath prepared me this abundance but remember the Lord thy God for it is hee which giueth thee power to get substance 7.12 13.14 For if ye hearkē vnto these lawes and obserue and doe them then the Lord thy God shall keepe with thee the couenant and the mercie which he sware vnto thy fathers and he will loue thee blesse thee and multiplie thee hee will also blesse the fruit of thy wombe and the fruit of thy land thy corne and thy wine and thine oile and the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheepe and thou shalt be blessed aboue all people I will also giue raine vnto your land in due time 11.14.15 the first raine and the latter that thou maist gather in thy wheate and thy wine and thine oile also I will send grasse in thy fielde for thy cattell that thou maiest eate and haue enough 28.3.4.5.6.8.15.16.17.18.19 Blessed shalt thou be in the Citie and blessed also in the fielde blessed shall be the fruit of thy bodie and the fruit of thy ground the fruit of thy cattell the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheepe blessed shalt bee thy basket and thy dough blessed shalt thou bee when thou commest in and blessed also when thou goest out The Lord shall command the blessing to be with thee in thy storehouses and in all that thou settest thine hand to Deut. 30.9 The Lord will make thee plenteous in euery work of thine hand in the fruite of thy bodie and in the fruit of thy cattell and in the fruit of the land for thy wealth But if thou wilt not obey the voice of the Lord thy God to keepe and to doe his commandements 28.15.16.17.18.19.23.24.38.39.40.42 then cursed shalt thou be in all the things aforesaid The Lord saith the godly woman Anna the mother of holy Samuel in her song maketh poore 1. Sam. 2.7.8 and maketh rich bringeth lowe and exalteth hee raiseth vp the poore out of the dust and lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherit the seate of glorie for the pillars of the earth are the Lords 1. Chron. 29.12 Psalm 113.7.8 107.36.37.38.41 25.12.13 The same thing saith the holy Prophet and godly King Dauid The soule of the man that feareth the Lord shall dwell at ease and his seede shall inherit the land Trust thou in the Lord and doe good 37.3.4.5.7.9.11.18.19.22.29.34 dwell in the land and thou shalt be fed assuredly Delight thy selfe in the Lord and he shall giue thee thine hearts desire commit thy way vnto the Lord and trust in him and he shall bring it to passe waite patiently vpon the Lord and hope in him for they that waite vpon the Lord shall inherit the Land Meeke men shall possesse the earth and shall haue their delight in the multitude of peace The Lord knoweth the daies of vpright men and their inheritance shall be perpetuall They shall not be confounded in the perillous time and in the daies of famine they shall haue enough Such as be blessed of God shall inherit the land and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off The righteous men shall inherit the land and dwell therein for euer waite thou on the Lord and keepe his way and hee shall exalt thee that thou shalt inherit the land Psalm 61.5 for hee wil giue an heritage vnto those that feare his name Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord 112.1.2.3 and delighteth greatly in his commandements his seede shall be mightie vpon earth the generation of the righteous shall bee blessed and his righteousnesse indureth for euer 128.1.2 Blessed is euery one that feareth the Lord and walketh in his waies when thou eatest the labours of thine hands thou shalt be blessed and it shall be well with thee The blessing of the Lord saith king Salomon Prou. 10.22 whom the Lord blessed both with wisdome and riches maketh rich and hee addeth no sorrowes to it 13.22 The good man shall giue inheritance vnto his childrens children but the riches of the sinner is laid vp for the iust The feare of
secrets Hee shall shew foorth his science and learning and reioyce in the law and couenant of the Lord. Many shall commend his vnderstanding and his memorie shall neuer bee put out nor depart away but his name shall continue from generation to generation The congregation shall declare his wisedome and shew it Though he be dead he shall leaue a greater fame then a thousand and if he liue still he shall get the same And as the literall man must labour to be wise and well seene in his liberall profession so must the merchant and trafficking man take pains to vnderstand what belongeth to the handling of merchandise wares in the ship in the shop at home abroad that it may be said of him Ezeck 28.4.5 that was once said of the Prince of Tyrus who was a merchant Loe here a man who with his wisdome and vnderstanding hath gotten him riches siluer and gold into his treasures and by his wisdome and trafficking hath increased the same But let the Christian merchant in the meane time beware of that other qualitie of this princely merchant which the prophet doth mention in the next words And thine heart is lifted vp because of thy riches as also of that other euill qualitie noted in this Citie in these words vers 16.17.18 By the multitude of thy merchandise they haue filled the midst of thee with crueltie and thou hast sinned Let him beware of these I say lest God cast him with the princely merchant of Tyrus out of the mountaine of God and bring him to ashes vpon the earth in the sight of all them that behold him And therefore let our Christian merchant rather imitate the godly and good qualities of the vertuous woman-merchant described by Salomon Prou. 31.10 to 31. Who as shee is wise for shee openeth her mouth with wisdom and the law of grace is in her tongue so she feareth the Lord and is not proud of her riches she stretcheth out her hand to the poore and in so doing is not cruell or vnmercifull as the merchants of Tyrus were Well my wish is that it may be said of the merchants of these our two famous Cities which was once said by the Prophet Isay of the merchants of Tyrus Her Merchants are Princes and her Chapmen the Nobles of the earth But yet more that that may be said of them which Salomon hath vttered in the commendatiō of his vertuous woman merchant The merchants of these Cities feare the Lord and stretch out their hands to the poore the law of grace is in their tongue and they feele that their merchandise is good And as the merchant and trafficking man must take paines to be skilfull in his calling so must the husbandman and the labourer of the ground labor to vnderstand all things belonging to his farme his plough his cattell his pasture the fruits of his land and the flockes of his sheepe Genes 26.12.13.14 To the end that with Isaac he may find an hundreth fold by estimation of his sowing and waxe mightie in flocks of sheep in heards of cattell and in a great houshold Likewise must the tradesman or craftesman bee carefull to grow expert and cunning in his craft and wise in his occupation Exod. 28.3 31.2.3.4.5.6 35.30.31.32.33.34.35 that hee may be praised for his great skill with Bezaleel and Aholiab two tradesmen wise in heart and in cunning of whom it is said that God filled them with an excellent Spirit of wisedome vnderstanding and knowledge in all workemanship to worke curiously in gold siluer and brasse in grauing and setting of stones in hewing and caruing of wood in working of broidred and needleworke in blue silke in purple in skarlet and in fine linnen in weauing and working all manner of curious deuices and subtile inuentions In one word euerie man that desireth to bee rich must endeauour to vnderstand the nature qualitie secrets and perfection of his own vocation Which if hee doe and ioyne thereunto the feare of the Lord whereby he shall draw downe Gods blessing vpon his adoes he cannot but prosper But I know it will bee obiected that it is oftentimes seene that many ignorant men many foolish and vnwise folkes are very rich and on the other part that many wise learned and well qualified men are oftentimes very poore so that it may seeme that this second rule doth not hold true c. Hereunto I answere thus It is very true which the Preacher of Ierusalem hath said Ecclesiast 9.11 that he saw vnder the Sunne that the bread is not to the wise nor riches to men of vnderstanding neither fauour to men of knowledge meaning that wealth riches honour and fauour of princes and great men doe not befall onely and alwaies vnto wise learned and well qualified persons but also and that very often vnto ignorants idiots and fooles and yet notwithstanding the wise Preacher doth not contradict himselfe For although aswell the euill as the good may bee rich yet it is in a very different manner For the ignorant and vnwise cannot be rich in God nor with a good conscience nor yet durablie rich as the wise and well qualified are Prou. 8.18 Riches and honour are with mee saith Salomons Wisedome euen durable riches and righteousnesse So that durable riches and righteousnesse that is goods with a good conscience Prou. 13.9.11 14.11.18 are only proper vnto such as are wise For the riches of vanitie saith he that is of folly shal diminish the candle of the wicked shall be put out his house shall bee destroyed and the foolish shall inherit follie In one word his riches though in themselues they bee goods yet are they not goods to him because they turne not to his good Ecclesiast 13.25 but rather to his euill For as Iesus the son of Syrach saith riches are good or goods vnto him that hath no sinne in his conscience that is vnto the man that hath not gotten increased kept and vsed or rather abused them with an euil conscience And as the Apostle saith Tit. 1.15 that vnto the pure are all things pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minds and consciences are impure So likewise may it be wel said that vnto the godly and good are al things good but vnto them that are godlesse and euill is nothing good but euen their verie goods to them are not goods but euils For as to the godly all things turne to the best Rom. 8.28 so to the godlesse al things yea euen such things as in themselues bee good turne to the worst And this is the saying of Iesus the sonne of Syrach The principall things for the whole vse of mans life is water fire and yron salt and meale wheate honey and milke the blood of the grape Ecclesiast 39.26.27 oyle and clothing All these things are for good to the godly but
hidden Manna that descendeth from heauen and giueth spirituall strength vnto the heart of man yea eternall life vnto the soule of man together with the wine that the true vine aboue doth yeeld which maketh the heart glad and the soule of man to sing They had rather I say keepe an Inne for God and winne little there to sell without siluer for God spirituall victuals to feede and make fat mens soules then to keepe an Inne for men and winne much by selling for siluer Reuel 3.18 food for the refreshing and fatting of mens bodies They had rather sit in Christs shop and sell for him vnto naked and needie soules gold tried by the fire euen the gold of godly instructions good directions that they may be made rich in godlinesse and in goodnesse together with the white raiment of Christs righteousnesse for as Iacob got his earthly fathers blessing in his elder brothers cloathes Genes 27.15 Mat. 22.11.12 Galath 3.27 Reuel 19.8 so must wee our heauenly Fathers blessing in our elder brothers coate that they may bee cloathed and that their filthie nakednesse doe not appeare they had rather I say sit and sell in Gods shop without siluer such celestial wares and in the mean time be poore then to sit in mans shop and sell silkes and satin or cloathes of siluer and gold to couer mens backes with and thereby to become very rich in siluer and gold Reuel 3.18 22.2 1. Iohn 2.20 They had rather labour in anointing the inward eies of blind or dim-sighted soules with such eie-salue as Gods spirit composeth and to annoint the hard hearts of some and the brused harts of other some with the suppling oyle of wholesom exhortations and gracious consolations and to applie the spirituall plaister made of the leaues of the tree of life for the purging cleansing of sore-running soules they had rather I say play the spirituall physitions and be bare then be ministers of medicine to sicke and sore bodies and abound They had rather stand in the pulpit Isai 1.2.16.17.18 34. 48. 51. 58. Ierem. 2. 7. 27. Ezech. 3.17.18.19.20.21 Hose 4. 8. and pleade for Gods right that is for pietie and deuotion against irreligious men and for the princes right that is for loialtie obedience and reliefe against disloiall disobedient and vnreasonable subiects and for the poores right that is for charitie and mercie in almes and hospitalitie against couetous and vnmercifull men and in the meane time bee but meane men themselues in their worldly estate then to stand and pleade at the barre for another mans right and redresse of wrong and thereby to become mighty on earth They had rather stand and minister at the Lords Table in the Church and get little then attend or stand at the Kings table in the Court and gather much And yet to say somewhat more they had rather sit in the chaire of the Church for euery pastors and prelates particular Church-chaire is a part of the Apostolicall chaire to iudge betweene doctrine and doctrine Deutero 13. 17.8.9.10.11 2. Chron. 19.8.9.10.11 Act. 15. 1. Cor. 14.32 1. Iohn 4.12.13 2. Iohn 9.10 Matth. 21.42 Ephes 2.20 1. Cor. 3.11 1. Pet. 2.6.7 veritie and heresie betweene the sound building of gold siluer and pretious stones and the slight building of wood stubble and straw vpon the foundation and corner stone Christ Iesus and that according to the rule and square of the sacred Scriptures they had rather I say sit and iudge in doctrinall causes and cases and possesse in the meane time but little in comparison of many others and yet haue lesse to leaue behind them vnto such as doe belong vnto them then to sit in the gate or seate of ciuil iudgement to iudge betweene parties and parties about cases and causes of inheritance of vsurpations violence and wrongs and therby acquire great possessions for them and theirs Finally as with Dauid Psalm 84.10 they had rather serue as doorekeepers in the house of God then dwell in the tabernacles of wickednesse as I said of them in the beginning so with Moses they had rather choose to suffer aduersitie with the people of God Heb. 11.24.25.26.27.36.37 38 who were tried by mockings and scourgings by bonds and imprisonment and did wander vp and downe through wildernesses and mountaines hauing no other lodging but the dennes and caues of the earth and no other clothing but sheepes and goats skinnes and at last were stoned hewen asunder or slaine with the sword as the Apostle Paul speaketh to the Hebrewes then to inioy the pleasures of sinnes for a season Esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt yea then the treasures of the whole world as hauing with godly Moses a respect vnto the recompense of the reward euen the eternall reward in the heauens So this being the disposition of poore Ecclesiasticall men for generally such men are poore what can we say of them else Luke 10.40.41.42 but that which the blessed Son of blessed Marie said once of a happie Marie that they haue chosen the better part which shall not be taken away from them whereas other men of other secular callings for being a lay man my selfe I would be loath to condemne any of the foresaid lay callings and yet as loath would I bee to flatter any of them as I would not wish any man should flatter himselfe in the vaine and friuolous preferring of his secular vocation howsoeuer gainefull honourable or excellent it be before the spirituall where as I say other men of other callings are with carefull Martha combred about many things And these things being duely considered I hope both the parts of the obiection aboue propounded will bee satisfied and the rule sufficientlie verified And so much the more willing I haue been in this place vpon this occasion to discourse of the dignitie and excellencie of the Ecclesiasticall calling as for that because lay-men and chiefly the richer sort are commonly so prone to despise and so apt to vilipend Churchmen and that for nothing so much as because of their pouertie base estate As also for that the richer sort of lay-men be generally so loath to consecrate any one of their children to the seruice of God so that they do preferre a gaineful calling be it neuer so base vnto that which is the Queen of callings If we wil reade the histories of Kingdomes and Countries yea euen but those of our owne we shal find how in former times the sons of Monarches Kings and Princes haue been Ministers Preachers and priests in Gods house and yet now adaies we see that a Lawyers a Merchants yea a tradesmans sonne will skorne to be a Minister if he haue any meanes Alas miserable men that wee are wee are so deafe wee cannot heare what the Euangelicall Prophet who was both a Preacher and of princely blood euen brothers sonne of Vzziah King
and workes as flow from the spirit of wisedome knowledge and vnderstanding And therefore they bee such exercises and employments as a Gentleman borne ought not to bee ashamed to learn thē and to practise them rather thē to liue in idlenesse If then euen almighty God himselfe disdained not to worke for the benefit behoofe and good example of men for as for himselfe there was neuer yet any that needed lesse to worke then hee what reason haue wee to bee ashamed to worke with our hands chiefly such as haue no other meanes besides working to liue by And not onely hath God wrought but also the best Gentlemen that euer were haue likewise followed some one laborious occupation or other and that both to gaine by it and to keepe themselues from idlenesse which is the roote of all euill and maketh a mans both soule and bodie poore Genes 2.15 3.23 4.2 9.20 13. 26. 29. 0. Adam the first father of mankind and the monarch of the earth when as he was yet innocent and therefore out of doubt a better Gentleman then any that are now was put into the garden to dresse it and to keepe it Though God was his father by creation and formation for besides him he had no other father yet hee was not brought foorth or borne to be idle but to be a gardiner before his fal a labourer of the ground after his fall Also his two sonnes were men of occupation Abel a keeper of sheepe and Cain a tiller of the ground And Noah the father and monarch of the renewed earth was he not an husband man and did he not plant a vineyard and were not Abraham and Lot Isaac and Iacob and their children husbandmen and shepheards Yea more all of these had lands fields and pastures besides houses and flockes yea more then many Lords and Knights now adaies haue and yet wee see they disdained not to labour whereas many of our Gentlemen that haue none of all these or but very little will be ashamed to doe as they did But what will our idle Gentleman say of Dauid who being a young man was the keeper of his fathers sheepe 1. Sam. 16.11.12.18.19.21.22.23 17.33.34.35.36.37.45.46.47.48.49.50.51 8.17.18.20.23.25.27 and who if God had not taken him from the sheepe-coate to make him a King and a keeper of his people would haue plaied the husbandman still was not young Dauid a Gentleman euen then when hee kept the sheepe If any one doubt of it I will shew them that he had euen then moe gentlemanlike qualities then any of our Gentlemen now a daies haue King Sauls seruants reported to their master that Ishai the Bethlemite had a sonne who was a cunning player vpon the harpe a man of warre strong and valiant and wise in matters and a comelie person and such a one as feared the Lord which is the crowne of al Gentilitie and Nobilitie Wherefore King Saul sent messengers vnto Ishai and said send mee Dauid thy sonne which is with the sheepe Thus Dauid was fetched from the sheepe-coate to the Kings court and brought from feeding of sheepe to bee the Kings Fauorite his Musition and Physition both at once For when the euill spirit came vpon the King Dauid tooke an harpe and plaied with his hand and Saul was refreshed and was eased for the euil spirit departed from him Also he was the Kings armour-bearer for hee was so strong that when as hee yet kept his fathers sheepe he slue both a lion and a beare that came among the flocke and afterwards in the field hee slew the mightie Giant Goliah Finallie hee behaued himselfe so valiantlie against the Philistims who were Gods enemies that by his vertue and valour hee deserued the mariage of the Kings daughter howsoeuer that hee was as he saith of himselfe to Saules seruants who in the Kings name made offer to him to bee his sonne in law a poore man Matth. 1.20 13.55 Marke 6.3 Luk 1.27 2.4.51 4.22 and of small reputation Thus I haue shewed then that Dauid was as good a Gentleman as any Gentleman of these daies is euen then when hee kept his fathers sheepe Moreouer what can our idle Gentlemen say of Ioseph the husband of the blessed virgin who was a man of the house and linage of Dauid and by the Angell called the sonne of Dauid was he not of as good an house and of as Gentle blood as any of our idle Gentlemen are yea and better by many degrees and yet he for all that disdained not to bee a Carpenter and to follow this trade Finallie Christ the sonne of Dauid yea more the Son of God would not be idle when as he was yet young but was subiect to his supposed father Ioseph and vnto Marie his mother and exercised the Carpenters trade and therefore the Iewes called him in disdaine not onely the Carpenters sonne but also the Carpenter Wherefore I wish that neuer a Gentleman borne should be ashamed of a mechanicall craft after our Sauiour Christ and that no Christian Common-wealth should esteeme a man to haue lost his Gentilitie for exercising of a trade Alas what will our idle Gentleman say when he shall be asked at the last day concerning the calling he should haue followed here in this life shall he haue no other thing to answere but that hee was of no craft or occupation because he was a Gentleman borne what an vnsauorie answere will it bee before God who not onely hath taught men mechanicall trades but also disdained not to worke himselfe by the word of his mouth in creating the world in planting the garden of Paradise and in making of skinne-cloathes for Adam and Eue What an vnsauourie answere shall it be I say before our Sauiour Christ Mark 3.6 Luke 2.51 Matth. 4.18.21 the Sonne of God who disdained not to worke in the Carpenters trade in his supposed fathers house Ioseph who was of the same craft Iohn 21.3 and before his blessed Apostles which were fishermen as Saint Paul was a Tent-maker Then I feare me Act. 18 1.2.3 shall the idle Gentleman say Would God I had been a Tailer when I was a stealer a Rope-maker when as I was a Robber a Pedler when as I was a Pirat a Dier when as I was a Dicer a Carter when as I was a Carder and a Shoomaker when as I was a swaggerer Would God I had been of any lawfull calling when as I was an idle man liuing without all calling And trulie if a man must render an account of euerie idle word hee speaketh in this life Matth. 12.36 at the day of iudgement as our Sauiour himselfe hath said how much more must he render and giue account of his idle liuing in this life at that day Idlenesse and excesse as the Prophet teacheth vs were two of the sinnes of Sodom Ezek. 16.49 and therefore if wee would shun and eschew the fire and
make emptie the hungrie soule and to cause the drinke of the thirstie to faile for the weapons of the churle are wicked Hee deuiseth wicked counsels to vndoe the poore with lying words and to speake against the poore in iudgement but the liberall man will deuise of liberall things and hee will continue his liberalitie 33.1 Woe to thee that spoilest and wast not spoiled and doest wickedly and they did not wickedly against thee when thou shalt cease to spoile thou shalt bee spoiled when thou shalt make an end of doing wickedlie they shall do wickedly against thee The Lord looked for iudgement 5.7.8.9 but behold oppression for righteousnesse but behold a crying Woe vnto them that ioyne house to house and lay field to field till there bee no place that yee may bee placed by your selues in the middest of the earth This is in mine eares saith the Lord of hosts surelie many houses shall bee desolate euen great and faire without inhabitant As a cage is full of birds saith the Prophet Ieremie so are their houses full of deceit Ier. 5.27.28.29 thereby they are become great and waxen rich They are waxen fat and shining they doe ouerpasse the deeds of the wicked They execute no iudgement no not the iudgement of the fatherlesse yet they prosper though they execute no iudgement for the poore Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord or shall not my soule bee auenged on such a Nation as this 22.13 Woe vnto him that buildeth his house by vnrighteousnesse and his chambers without equitie he vseth his neighbour without wages and giueth him not for his worke Let it suffice you O Princes of Israel saith the Lord by his Prophet Ezekiel leaue off crueltie and oppression Ezek. 45.9 and execute iudgement and iustice take away your exactions from my people saith the Lord. Also the Lord complaineth by his Prophet Amos very earnestly of such as turne iudgement to wormewood Amos 5.7 and leaue off righteousnesse in the earth They haue turned iudgement into gall saith hee the fruit of righteousnesse into wormewood That is in stead of iustice and mercie they exercise oppression and crueltie Ierem. 8.14 9.15 And therefore what maruell though the Lord gaue them water with gall to drinke and fed them with wormewood 23.15 Woe vnto them saith the Prophet Micah that imagine iniquitie Micah 2.1.2 3.2.3.9.10.11.12 and worke wickednesse vpon their beds when the morning is light they practise it because their hand hath power and they couet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away so they oppresse a man and his house euen man and his heritage They hate the good and loue the euill they plucke off their skinnes from them and they breake their bones and chop them in peeces as for the pot and as flesh within the caldron They abhorre iudgement and peruert all equitie They build vp Sion with blood and Ierusalem with iniquitie The heads thereof iudge for reward and the priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof prophesie for money Therefore shall Sion for your sake bee plowed as a field and Ierusalem shall bee an heape and the mountaine of the house as the high places of the forest The Prophet Habakuck complaininglie crieth vnto the Lord in this manner Habbak 1.1.2.3.4.13.14.15.16.17 Why doest thou shew me iniquitie and cause me to behold sorow for spoilings and violence are before mee and there are that raise vp strife and contention Therefore the Law is dissolued and iudgement doth neuer goe forth for the wicked doe compasse about the righteous therefore wrong iudgement proceedeth Thou O God art of pure eies and canst not endure to see euill thou canst not behold wickednesse wherefore doest thou looke vpon the transgressors and holdest thy tongue when the wicked deuoureth the man that is more righteous then hee and makest men as the fishes of the sea and as the creeping things that haue no ruler ouer them They take vp all with the angle they catch it in their net and gather it in their yarne whereof they reioyce and are glad Therefore they sacrifice vnto their net and burne incense vnto their yarne because by them their portion is fat and their meate plenteous Shall they therefore stretch out their net and not spare continuallie to slay the nations Ho 2.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12 hee that increaseth that which is not his how long That is to say the man that enlargeth his desire as hell and is as death and cannot bee satisfied but gathereth and heapeth vnto himselfe al things as the Prophet speaketh in that same place how long shall hee continue his oppression And hee that ladeth himselfe with thicke clay shall they not rise vp suddenly that shall bite thee and awake that shall stirre thee and thou shalt bee their pray because thou hast spoiled many nations all the remnant of the people shall spoile thee because of mens blood and for the wrong done in the land in the Citie and vnto all that dwel therein Ho he that coueteth an euill couetousnesse to his house that hee may set his nest on high to escape from the power of euill Thou hast consulted shame to thine owne house by destroying many people and hast sinned against thine owne soule For the stone shall cry out of the wall and the beame out of the timber shall answere it Woe vnto him that buildeth a towne with blood and erecteth a citie by iniquitie I will visit saith the Lord by his Prophet Zephaniah all those which fill their masters houses by crueltie and deceit Zephan 1.9.12.13 and the men that are frozen in their dregges Their goods shall bee spoiled and their houses waste they shall also build houses but not inhabit them and they shall plant vineyards but not drinke the wine thereof Execute true iudgement saith the Lord by his Prophet Zecharie and shew mercie and compassion euery man to his brother Zechar. 7.9.10 and oppresse not the widow nor the fatherlesse the strangers nor the poore and let none of you imagine euill against his brother in his heart For I will come neere to you to iudgement saith the Lord by his Prophet Malachie and I will bee a swift witnesse against false swearers Malach. 3.5 against those that keepe backe wrongfully the hirelings wages and vexe the widow and the fatherlesse and oppresse the stranger and feare not me Behold saith Saint Iames the hire of the labourers Iames 5.4 which haue reaped your fields which is of you kept backe by fraud crieth and the cries of them which haue reaped are entred into the eares of the Lord of hosts Luke 6.24 And as vnto such vngodly and vniust rich men Christ Iesus doth pronounce a terrible woe so the holie Apostle threatneth fearefullie wicked rich men in this manner Go to now saith hee to them weepe and howle for your miseries
vnto sinne prophanity vanity and vice Truely in my conceite the stories and accidents of the time past may bee represented in such maner vpon the stage that both men and woemen may bee more and more stirred vp to loue and follow vertue and to hate and flie vice to feare to offend God and to tremble at his iudgements shewed from time to time vpon men and woemen for their sinnes and stage-plaies being thus vsed are in mine opinion both lawfull honest pleasant and profitable But if either the subiect in part or in whole be lasciuious and licentious or yet the wordes wherewith it is expressed or the gestures whereby it is acted bee either impious irreligious filthy and prophane or hurtfull to honest eares or offensiue to modest eyes then in that case the Christian Magistrate ought to punish all such abuses of stage-plaies for stage-playing being thus abused is no better then a contemplatiue brothel-house For there men are taught by the lasciuious and wanton words and gestures which they vse in playing how to play the vncleane persons and in the brothel-house they put in practise the sinne and wickednesse which they learned at the stage by the eare and by the eye And therefore I wish that all stage-players should so carry themselues that they minister not any occasion of sinne and vice vnto their auditors and spectators but rather help them and further them what they can to vertuous liuing whereas otherwise by abusing their exercise to sinne both sinning themselues and inciting others to sinne they shall heape vp vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath and endlesse confusion for making an exercise and trade of sinne to heape vp vnto themselues wealth and money here on earth Lastly I say the Christian ought to beware least he gather or increase his wealth by the endamaging and impouerishing of his neighbour through playing and game If no man wisheth or would willingly that another should winne his money or goods by play then no man ought to desire to winne another mans money by that way for it is expresly against the law of God which beareth that the thing a man would not to be done vnto himselfe he ought not do it to another Not that I meane to condemne all playing at cards or any such other games as vnlawfull for there is nothing more reasonable then that a man may well take a little of his time from his more serious affaires for refreshing of himselfe with any honest passetime to the end he may be the better enabled to follow the actions of his ordinary calling and yet must it be but a little time that is this way spent for time is pretious and therefore ought to bee employed and spent in pretious employments neither must hee make a vocation of a recreation or of an houres passe-time an ordinary practise for God hath not called men to play away time but to spend time in good and godly employments and to redeeme time by doubling our diligence when as we haue idily mispent any part thereof True it is that diuers good men haue thought playing at cards altogether vnlawfull in regard that they do beare in their conceite the nature and quality of a Lot which being vsed to diuine purposes ought not to be abused to any humane or prophane action or affaire But by their leaue their reason is not so sound as they do suppose For if cardes be lots then it were lawfull for men to vse cardes in the consulting of God for the determination of some certaine doubtes as wee read both in the old and the new Testament that lots haue beene vsed and if this be absurd then it followeth that they are not lottes as they do imagine But supposing that to be true which they say euen that cardes are Lottes I say that it doth not follow but that they may be vsed in humane affaires Prou. 18 18. for it is well knowne that Lottes haue bene and yet are lawfully vsed in ciuill bargaines and businesses belonging to partition and diuision of lands marchandise and wares and why may they not bee likewise vsed in other humane exercises of recreations and plaies Of their owne nature lottes are indifferent and are neither in themselues good or euill diuine or humane but become such by the abuse or right vse thereof Euen as Musicke which is vsed both at home for humane delight and recreation and in Gods house in the diuine and solemne celebration of seruice and as it were absurd and ridiculous to thinke or maintaine that Musicke whether in voyces or instruments may not be vsed at home for humane delight because it is vsed in the house of God to the setting forth of Gods praises so were it a thing no lesse absurd and ridiculous to argue that Lottes may not bee vsed in humane delights and recreations because that they haue bene sometlme vsed in the consulting of God for the determination of certaine doubts Hence it followeth that though cardes were a kind of Lottes yet they may bee lawfully vsed in exercises of play and passetime But in the meane time the Christian must take diligent heede least hee abuse a lawfull recreation to his owne damnation hereafter and to the indamagement of himselfe or of his neighbour here and therefore he must not make of an houres recreation a dayly or a nightly vocation as I sayd before nor yet turne a matter of delight into a matter of debate by vnchristian and vncharitable altercations quarrellings and contentions That we turne not the time of ceasing from our ordinary actions and of solacing our selues into a time of sinning by swearing banning cursing and blaspheming the blessed name of God and of his Sonne Iesus A man also must beware least hee change the nature of the thing it selfe by making it of an excerise of pleasure and company an exercise of profite and commodity For a man ought to play onely to refresh himselfe not to enrich himselfe by anothers losse not yet to impouerish himselfe by anothers winning The one is vnthriftinesse and doth not beseeme a prudent or prouident man the other is couetousnesse and doth not become a Christian So that if men will needs play for money it were very well done to play for no more then they would willingly bestow vpon the poore and therefore Christians shall shew themselues Christians in the very playing at cards if they shall agree vpon conuerting the wager being wonne into some charitable vse for the support of the indigent brethren If they do otherwise they play not as becommeth Christians but do bewray their couetous and vncharitable disposition flowing from a base minde which is so farre bewitched with the loue of money that it maketh them to forget that they are Christen men And chiefly this ought to be the practise of all Carders players and gamesters at Christmasse and such other Festiaull times euen to play for the poore and to giue the gaine of our gaiming to
morrow and for this life what we shall eate or what we shall drinke or what we shall put on for our heauenly Father saith the Sonne knoweth that we haue neede of all those things Philip. 4.6 Bee nothing carefull saith the Apostle but cast all your care on God for hee careth for you Heb 13.5 Let your conuersation bee without couetousnesse and bee content with those things that yee haue for hee hath said I will not faile thee Psal 55 22. 107.9 neither forsake thee Cast thy burthen vpon the Lord saith the holy Prophet and hee shall nourish thee for he satisfieth the thirsty soule and filleth the hungry soule with goodnesse 65.9.10.11.12.13 He visiteth the earth and watereth it hee maketh it very rich the Riuer of God is full of water and hee prepareth men corne Hee watereth aboundantly the furrowes of the earth and causeth the raine to descend into the valleyes thereof Hee maketh it soft with showers and blesseth the bud thereof Hee crowneth the yeare with his goodnesse and his steppes droppe fatnesse They drop vpon the pastures of the wildernesse and the hilles are compassed with gladnesse The pastures are clad with Sheepe the valleyes also are couered with corne therefore the shout for ioy and sing As it is hee that giueth deliuerance vnto Kings 144.10.11.12.13.14 and rescueth Dauid his seruant from the hurtfull sword and maketh our sonnes to bee as the plantes growing vp in their youth and our daughters as the corner-stones grauen after the similitude of a palace So is it he that maketh our corners to bee full and abounding with diuers sorts and that our Sheepe may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streetes 145 15.16 and that our Oxen may bee strong to labour Finally the eyes of all waite vpon him and hee giueth them their meate in due season he openeth his hands and filleth all things liuing of his good pleasure Wherefore let the Christian learne to depend vpon Gods prouidence and to cast all his care vpon him Phil. 3.11.12 let him study and endeuour with the holy Apostle in whatsoeuer state hee bee therewith to be content euen as well to haue want as to haue wealth to bee bare as to abound And with the holy Prophet Psal 119.36 let him alwayes pray Incline mine heart Lord vnto thy testimonies and not vnto couetousnesse VII Rule The man that would bee rich must before all other things and more then all other things with great feruency and constancy craue at God spirituall blessings and when he hath gotten riches as he must not set his affection thereupon in louing them too much so he must not put his affiance or confidence in them by trusting to them or glorying and boasting himselfe of them Neither must hee murmure against God if he afflict him by the losse of a part thereof or yet of the whole but ought to beare his crosse patiently and valiantly Finally he must loue his riches so little in comparison of Christ and the saluation of his owne soule that if the cause and occasion offer it selfe hee bee content to forsake all for Christs sake and for the sauing of his owne soule Probation and declaration Math. 6.33 Luke 12.29.30.31 SEekee yee first saith our Sauiour the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things to wit foode and raiment and such other externall commodities of this life shall bee ministred vnto you And the Apostle exhorteth vs to set our affections on things which are aboue Colos 3.2 1 Tim. 4.8 and not on things which are on the earth For godlinesse is profitable vnto all things as that which hath the promise of the life present and of that that is to come Psal 119.165 They that loue thy law saith the holy Prophet Dauid shall haue great prosperity And because that Salomon asked of God 2 King 3.5.9.10.11.12.13 not long life nor riches nor the life of his enemies but onely an vnderstanding heart to iudge his people Therefore said the Lord vnto him Behold I haue done according to thy words loe I haue giuen thee a wise and an vnderstanding heart so that there hath beene none like thee before thee neither after thee shall arise the like vnto thee And I haue also giuen thee that which thou hast not asked both riches and honour so that among the Kings there shall bee none like vnto thee all thy daies If riches increase saith the holy Prophet set not your heart thereon Psal 62.10 49.6.10.11.12.16.17 The wicked trust in their goods and boast themselues in the multitude of their riches they thinke their houses and habitations shall continue for euer and call their lands by their names but they shall die like the beasts and leaue their riches for others they shall take nothing away with them when they die neither shall their power descend after them 52.5.6.7 The man that trusteth vnto the multitude of his â—iches Pruerb 11.28 Ecclesiastic 5.1.8 31.8 Ecclesiast 5.9 shall bee rooted out of the land of the liâ—ing He that trusteth in his riches saith Salomon â—hall fall but the righteous shall flourish like a â—eafe He that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied with siluer and he that loueth riches shall be without the fruit thereof Iob. 31.24.25.26.27.28 The holy man Iob protesteth â—f himselfe that he made not gold his hope nor â—et said euer at any time to the wedge of gold Thou art my confidence That he neuer boasted â—imselfe because his substance was great or because his hand had gotten much for in so doing saith he I should haue denyed the God aboue And the same holy man notwithstanding hee was the richest of all the men of the East 1.3.4.20.21 Iob 42.10.12 for his substance besides money houses and lands was seuen thousand sheepe and three thousand Camels and fiue hundreth yoke of Oxen and fiue hundreth she Asses yet when God suffered him to be spoiled and denuded of all hee fell not into murmuring and grudging impatiently against God but fell downe vpon the ground and worshipped God saying Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither The Lord hath giuen the Lord hath taken it blessed be the name of the Lord. And we find also that God did reward him for his patience for he gaue him twise so much as he had before and blessed his last dayes more then his first Ierem. 9.23.24 Let not the wise man saith the Lord by the Prophet Ieremie glory in his wisedome nor the strong man glorie in his strength neither the rich man glory in his riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me for I am the Lord which shews mercy iudgment and righteousnes in the earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord. Trust not vnto thy riches and say not I haue
to dwell in and sow the fields and plant vineyards which bring forth fruitfull increase for hee blesseth them and they multiply exceedingly and hee diminisheth not their cattell Hee powreth contempt vpon princes and turneth the springs of water into drinesse a fruitful land into barrennesse for the wickednes of them that dwel therin Yet he raiseth vp the poore out of misery and maketh him families like a flocke of sheep The righteous shall see it and reioyce and all iniquity shall stop her mouth And this is that which the holy Psalmist singeth of godly Ioseph more particularly Psal 105.17 18 19 20 21 22 Ioseph was sold for a slaue they held his feete in the stockes and hee was laid in yrons vntill his appointed time came and the counsell of the Lord tried him The King sent and loosed him he made him Lord of his house euen the ruler of the people deliuered him and made him ruler of his substance yea of his Princes and rulers that hee should bind them vnto his will and teach his ancient and wise men wisdome Gen. 45.16.17.18 19.20.21.22.23 And the Lord that thus gaue Ioseph fauour in the eyes of Pharaoh enclined likewise the heart of the King to fauour and loue Iacob the father of Ioseph and his brethren for his sake so that when the tidings came vnto Pharaohs house that Iosephs brethren were come it pleased Pharaoh well and his seruants Moreouer Pharaoh said vnto Ioseph say to thy brethren This doe yee lade your beasts and depart go to the land of Canaan and take your father and your housholds and come to me and I will giue you the best of the land of Aegypt and yee shall eate of the fat of the land And I command thee Thus doe ye Take you chariots out of the land of Aegypt for your children and for your wiues and bring your father and come also regard not your stuffe for the best of all the land of Aegypt is yours And the children of Israel did so and Ioseph gaue them Chariots according to the commandement of Pharaoh he gaue them victuals also for the iourney he gaue them all none excepted change of raiment and vnto Beniamin he gaue three hundreth peeces of siluer and fiue suites of raiment And vnto his father likewise he sent ten hee Asses laden with the best things of Egypt and ten shee Asses laden with wheat and bread and meate for his father by the way And when as Iosephs father and his brethren were come into Aegypt the good King knowing thereof Gen. 46.33 3â— 47.3 4.5 6.11 12. and vnderstanding that their trade for they liued not idle was to be occupied about cattell and sheepe as Sheepheards after that he had admitted them to his presence spake to Ioseph saying Thy father and thy brethren are come vnto thee the land of Egypt is before thee in the best place of the land make thy father and thy brethren dwell let them dwell in the land of Goshen and if thou knowest that there be men of actiuity among them make them rulers ouer my cattell And godly and happy Ioseph placed his father and his brethren and gaue them possession in the land of Egypt in the best of the land euen in the land of Rameses as good bountifull Pharaoh had commanded And the blessed son nourished his blessed father and his brethren and all his fathers houshold with bread euen to the yong children Dauid attained to great riches and honour by practising the rules of this Art 1 Sam. 16 17 2 Sam 2 5 7 8 22. 1 Chron 17 29. 1 King 3 6 Psal 78 70 71.72 hee feared God exceedingly called vpon him continally walking before him in truth in righteousnes and in purenes of his spirit yea he was a man after the Lords owne heart and he that was in his heart was with his heart and in his hand also and blessed him aboundantly Hee chose Dauid his seruant and tooke him from the sheepe-folds euen from behind the ewes with young brought hee him to feed his people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel So he fed them according to the simplicitie of his heart 1 Sam. 18 18 23. Psal 113.7 and guided them by the discretion of his hands He was as hee saith of himselfe a poore man and of small reputation but God who taketh pleasure in raising vp the poore out of the dust and in lifting vp the beggar from the dongue-hil changed his pouertie into riches his despisednesse into honour his shepheards crooke into a princely scepter his countrey cap into a kingly crowne his base sheep-cote into a stately court and his pasture of small compasse into an ample kingdome In one word God that doth great things tooke him from following the sheep that he might rule ouer his people Israel 1 King 3 11 12 13. 10.21.23.25.27 28. 2 Chron. 1. 8. 13. Eccles 2.4.5.6.7 8.9 Salomon Dauids sonne did attaine to his great riches by practising these rules and namely because he did ask of the Lord vnderstanding to do iudgment and not riches nor honor nor long life nor yet the life of his enemies therfore the Lord gaue him not onely that which he asked but also those things he asked not euen riches and honor more then any in Israel had before him or yet after him So that hee builded houses planted vineyards pleasant gardens and orchards replenished with fruitfull trees purchased great possessions of Beeues and sheep gathered aboundance of siluer and gold yea hee made siluer as plenteous as stones in Ierusalem and exceeded all the Kings of the earth both in riches and in wisdome Iehosophat did attaine to great prosperitie by practising these Rules 2. Chro. 17. He sought the god of his fathers deuoutly and walked in his commandements diligently euen in the waies of his forefather Dauid and therefore the Lord was with him stablished the kingdom in his hand and all Iudah brought presents vnto him so that hee had of riches and honor in aboundance Esther and Mordecai attained to riches and honor by these Rules Esth 2. 6. 8. 10. The vncle the neece both of them feared God and therfore he raised them from low degree vnto princely dignitie from pouertie aduanced them to great riches So that Esther of a poore despised maid became a famous and an honourable queene euen the wife of king Ashuerus the mightie Monarke of the Medes and Persians and Mordecai of a poore despised man was preferred to great riches and honour so that he was made second vnto the king Daniel and his three fellowes Dan. 1 3 6. commonly called the three children practised the Rules of this art They excelled in the feare of the Lord and in wisdom which floweth therefro so that of poore captiues and prisoners hee made them Princes companions they were promoted in the Prouince of Babel to high honours
all the world but in Israel Now therefore I pray thee take a blessing of thy seruant And the Prophet hauing refused his reward Naaman said shall there not bee giuen to thy seruant as much of this earth as two Mules may beare for thy seruant will henceforth offer neither burnt sacrifice nor offering vnto any other God saue vnto the Lord. Herein the Lord be mercifull vnto thy seruant that when my maister goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there leaneth on mine hand and I bow my selfe in the house of Rimmon when I do bow downe I say in the house of Rimmon the Lord be merciful vnto thy seruant in this point Thus wee see how that this great and mightie man called himselfe at euery word the seruant of Gods seruant yea moreouer he bare him such honour that when as hee saw Gehezi the seruant of Elisha running after him he lighted downe from his Chariot to meete him and said Is all well Thus wee see how good and godly men and women as well the rich as the poore and as well the noble as the ignoble haue honored the seruants of God and the Gouernors of his Church and called them Lords And yet this is not all the honor the Spirit of God giueth them in the holy Scripture 2 Chron. 17.7 Psal 45.9.13 16. For the Prophet Dauid as he speaking of the future glory of the Catholicke Church vnder Christ the head thereof saith thus The Kings daughter is all glorious within her clothing is of broydred gold Shee shall bee brought vnto the King in raiment of needle-work so prophecying of the future splendour dignitie of the fathers and gouernours of the Church hee vseth these words In stead of thy fathers shall thy children be thou shalt make them Princes through all the earth meaning that of the children of the Church should be chosen such as should bee Fathers and Rulers of the Church as Patriarkes Archbishops and Bishops which should bee honored throughout the whole Christian world as Lords and Princes for the holy Prophet as hee describeth typically Christ as the King of the Catholike Church and none but he to bee King and the Church as the Queene and Spouse of this King so doth hee signifie vnto vs that the Princes of this King and kingdome are the Rulers and Gouernours of the Church aboue named which of children of the Church should be made Fathers of the Church and should be honored as Princes through all the earth for wee must not imagine that the kingdome of Christ is to bee included within the walles and circuite of one Citie whether Rome Ierusalem Geneua or Amsterdam nor yet within the compasse of some three or foure kingdomes but wee must beleeue that the Church of Christ is of farre more ample and spacious bounds then so Psal 45 27. All the ends of the world shall remember themselues saith the Prophet Dauid and turne to the Lord. And all the kindreds of the Nations shall worship before thee 2.8 Aske of mee saith the eternall father to the sonne and I shall giue thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession his dominion shall bee from sea to sea 72.8.11 and from the riuer vnto the ends of the land yea all kings shall worship him all nations serue him But to passe ouer this matter of the large extent of the Catholick Church and to returne to the honour the people owe vnto her gouernours we reade what was the demeanour of the Iayler toward Saint Paul and Silas being prisoners Acts 16.24.25 to 34. whose hands and feet the Lord loosed as also opened the doores of the prison by the meanes of a mighty earth-quake so that the Iayler came trembling and fell downe before Paul and Silas and brought them out and said Sirs or as the word in the originall also importeth my Lords what must I doe to be saued And they said beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt bee saued and thine houshold And they preached vnto him the word of the Lord and to all that were in his house and when he had brought them into his house and had washed the stripes and wounds of their bodies and likewise they the spirituall stripes and wounds of the soules of him and his houshold by baptisme hee set meate before them and reioyced that hee with all his houshold beleeued in God Lastly Reuel 1.11.19.20 11.8.12.18 3.1.7.14 Saint Iohn writing to the Bishops of the seuen Churches of Asia calleth them by the name of seuen Angels or rather our Sauiour and Soueraigne himselfe calleth them so who also expoundeth the seuen starres to bee the Angels of the seuen Churches and biddeth him write vnto the Angell of the Church of Ephesus thus and vnto the Angell of the Church of the Smyrnians thus and so vnto the other Angels of the other Churches Where note that although that in euery one of these Churches were more Ministers then one yea there was many in euery one of them and namely in Ephesus as is more then cleare by the tenour of Saint Pauls Epistle to Timothie 1 Tim. 13.4 3.1.2 the first Bishop of Ephesus yet the name of Angell is by the spirit of God the mouth of Christ and the penne of the Apostle appropriated vnto onely one of the Ministers of the foresaid Churches euen vnto him who was Bishop amongst them And as the foure and twentie Elders glorifie Christ for making them Kings and Priests vnto God so the holy Apostle and Prophet Saint Iohn Reuel 5.10 Reuel 1.4.5.6 writing vnto the said seuen Angels or Bishops of the said seuen Churches in his salutation ascribeth all glory and dominion to Iesus Christ the Prince of the Kings of the earth who saith he hath made vs Kings and Priestes vnto God the Father And thus haue I verified mine assertion that the holy Scripture honoreth the Gouernors Rulers of the Church with the honourable Titles and names of Fathers Lords Princes Kings and Angels And therefore let no man thinke that I haue said too much for yet I could say more and yet no more then the word of God doth warrant me to say And therefore I wish all vs Lay-men to think that it is not the peaceable spirit of Gods Church but the popular perturbing spirit of Amsterdam or some such other respectlesse priuate spirit that moueth men to dislike of the giuing of honourable titles to the Gouernors and Prelates of the Church But as the example of Cornelius his demeanour in the presence of the great Apostle doth teach vs Lay-men humility and reuerence in the behalfe of Gods Ministers so doth the example of the modest demeanour of the first of the Apostles in the behalfe of godly Cornelius teach all Pastours and Prelates all Patriarks Archbishops and Bishops to shew and Practise all Christian modestie in the peoples behalfe by letting them
vnderstand that all worship and honour is properly due vnto God that men whom God hath set in authority are to bee respected and reuerenced not for their person but for their place not for their owne sakes but for his sake whose seruants they are Reuel 1 6. And alwaies it becommeth them with the holy Prophet Saint Iohn to ascribe all the glory honour vnto him who hath made them Kings and Priests vnto God the father yea Kings themselues Psal 82 1 6. I meane the Kings and Monarkes of the earth whom God hath called Gods because they represent him most in power maiestie iustice mercy and bounty when as they are honoured of their subiects as God with prostration and adoration of the body supplication of the mouth and with illustrious and lofty compellations or yet with egregious and great commendations they must remember to giue all this honour they receiue at their subiects hands vnto God acknowledging themselues but as the conduit-pipes whereby all honour whatsoeuer all glory and praise is conueied vnto him to whom it most properly belongeth Otherwise God will be auenged on his little Gods for holding back of his honour from him Psal 107.40 Iob. 12.18 19 21. and hee that powreth contempt vpon Princes for contemning of him and looseth the coller of Kings yea and leadeth them as a prey for not praying and praising him will abate their honour and turne their glory into ignominie and their fame into shame as hee did in the behalfe of Herode Act. 12.21.22.23 of whom it is written that vpon a day appointed hee arraied himselfe in royall apparrell and sate on the iudgment seate and made an Oration vnto them and the people gaue a shout saying The voice of God and not of man But immediatly the Angell of the Lord smote him because hee gaue not glory vnto God so that hee was eaten of wormes and gaue vp the ghost This godlesse little God would not giue glory vnto the great God and therefore the highest creature in heauen and the lowest creature on earth conspired together to be auenged on him for his godlesse with-holding of Gods honour Thus hee that was a litle God and spake like a little God became a Theefe and robber of the glory of the great God and therefore died like a man yea like a beast so that the wormes eate vp his flesh One part of his flesh was turned into wormes and they preyed vpon the other part till hee gaue vp the ghost which fell into the hands of a worse worme then all the other wormes Isay 66 2◠euen a worme that neuer dieth but alwaies liueth and neuer leaueth eating Psal 2.10.11.12 And therefore let all Kings hearken vnto the exhortation and admonition of a King Be wise now therefore O Kings be learned ye Iudges of the earth serue the Lord in feare and reioyce in trembling kisse the Sonne least hee bee angry and yee perish in the way when his wrath shall suddenly burne blessed are all that trust in him Acts 14.15 Lydia a seller of purple was a regular Student in this Arte shee feared God and worshipped him deuoutly shee heard the blessed Apostle of the Gentiles attentiuely shee beleeued stedfastly and was baptised also shee ministred vnto the necessities of the Saints liberally and God blessed her both with spirituall and temporall blessings aboundantly I wish that this godly woman should serue for a mirrour to all Merchants Prou. 31.10 c. and Salomons vertuous woman for a patterne to all good Christian huswiues Acts 9.43 10.32 Simon the Tanner practised the Rules of this Art hee feared God and entertained his seruants chiefly the chiefe of the Apostles Saint Peter who tarried many daies in his house he was likewise diligent in his calling and doubtlesse God blessed him with prosperity in a competent measure Onesiphorus was a man that feared God 2 Tim. 1.16 17.18 and refreshed his seruants namely the blessed Apostle of the Gentiles Saint Paul neither was hee ashamed of his chaine but when hee was at Rome hee sought him out very diligently and found him and in many things hee ministred vnto him at Ephesus Wherefore no doubt but it fared with him according to the holy Apostles prayer The Lord giue mercy vnto the house of Onesiphorus for hee oft refreshed mee and was not ashamed of my chaine but when hee was at Rome he sought mee out very diligently and found mee The Lord grant vnto him that he may finde mercy with the Lord at that day And the same grace and mercy the same God graunt vnto all good men which resemble good Onesiphorus in giuing of their goods vnto the Ministers and poore members of Iesus Christ EXAMPLES OF SVCH As labouring to bee rich were Irregulars that is did not study nor practise the Rules of this Art and therefore haue beene both accursed and punished of GOD. Iosh 6.24 7. ACHAN was an irregular Student in the way of Enriching Hee feared not the Lord and walked not with an vpright heart before him but vpon a couetous desire hasted to bee rich by vnlawfull meanes euen by theft and sacriledge for he stole of the excommunicate thing at the ransacking of Iericho he stole euen of that part of the spoyles which the Lord had appointed to be set aside from a common vse and to bee put into the treasure of his house For hee stole a rich Babylonish garment and two hundreth shekles of siluer and a wedge of gold of fiftie shekles weight For this sinne of sacriledge the Lord punished the whole Israelites so that they were put to flight before their enemies and the hearts of their huge troupes melted away like water vntill the sacrilegious God spoyler was found out stoned to death and burned with fire both hee and his sonnes and his daughters his Oxen and Asses his sheepe and all that he had Now if God punished so exemplarily this sacrilegious stealth of Achan for coueting and conueying away a part of the spoiles which hee had appointed to bee put into the treasure of his house to serue for the garnishing and adorning thereof and for the necessary vses of his Priests shal we thinke that our sacrilegious Achans shall alwaies both here and hence escape vnpunished which with a strong hand haue robed the Lord of his own perpetual inheritance Acts 5. And if the Lord was so angry with Ananias and Sapphira for keeping backe but a part of the price of the possessions which they themselues of their owne accord had offered vnto God for the reliefe of his Saints that by the hand of his seruant Saint Peter in a sudden hee bereft them of their liues How shall he not be angry one day with our Church-robbers and God-spoyling Gospellers men an hundreth fold worse then Ananias for they are so far frō giuing any part at all of their lands or goods to Gods Ministers whereas Ananias gaue almost
his seruice in his house And wherupon can our siluer and gold be better imployed then vpon Gods seruice To which purpose the Euangelicall Prophet hath foretold that in the last times Isay 60.5.6.7.8.9.13 the riches of the Gentiles shall come vnto the Church and they shall bring not only their sonnes and daughters vnto Christ but also their treasure and their substance their siluer and their gold their balme trees and firre trees their boxes and their elmes to beautifie the place of the sanctuarie of God and to adorne the house of his glorie The kings daughter that is the Church is all glorious within Psal 45.13.14.15.16 saith the kingly Prophet but yet he meaneth not that all her glory is within for immediatly after he saith that her clothing is of broidred gold and her raiment of needle-worke and her Fathers that is her Rulers and Gouernours as Patriarkes and Prelates are Princes throughout all the earth But now-adaies men are like vnto the slacke and slow people of the Iewes in the time of the Prophet Haggai who said the time is not yet come that the Lords house should bee builded Haggai 1 2.3.4 5.6.7.8 9.10.11 And therefore the word of the Lord came vnto them by the ministerie of the Prophet saying Is it time for your selues to dwell in your seeled houses and this house lie waste Now therefore thus saith the Lord of Hostes consider your owne wayes in your owne hearts yee haue sowen much and bring in little ye eate but yee haue not enough yee drinke but ye are not filled yee doe cloath you but yee be not warme and hee that earneth wages putteth the wages into a broken bagge Thus saith the Lord of hoasts consider your owne waies in your owne hearts Go vp to the mountaine and bring wood and build this house and I will be fauourable in it and I will be glorified saith the Lord. Yee looked for much and loe it came to little and when yee brought it home I did blow vpon it And why saith the Lord of hoastes because of mine house that is waste and yee run euery man vnto his owne house Therefore the heauen ouer you stayed it selfe from dew and the earth stayed her fruit and I called for a drought vpon the land and vpon the mountaines and vpon the corne and vpon the wine and vpon the oyle vpon all that the ground bringeth forth both vpon men and vpon cattell and vpon all the labour of the hands Thus we see how sharply God hath punished mens niggardnesse and slownesse about the building and beautifying of his house And are not we as much bound to haue an house of praier to pray in to God as were the Israelites of old and is not God to bee honoured with our riches and treasure now as well as he was then And is not our niggardnesse and slownesse in doing of such duties as punishable as theirs But to returne from pleading against our yong Iudases 1 Tim. 1 19. 6.10 to old Iudas the miserable man was so much mis-caried with the loue of money which carrieth many a soule away from the faith and maketh them to make a sorrowfull ship-wracke that he could neuer be satisfied with siluer till he had sold his owne maister the sonne of God and Sauiour of the world vnto the Iewes for thirtie peeces of siluer Math. 27.5 We haue heard tell in our time of many treasons and traffickes but the world neuer hath heard nor shall heare tell of such a treason and trafficke as this The sonne of God betrayed by his seruant whom hee came to saue and sold for thirtie pence of him whom he came to ransome and redeeme from sinne Sathan and hell by the shedding of his bloud But behold the sequele of the attempt forthwith the wretch went and first restored the money and then hanged himselfe At the last though too late he began to consider with his minde how that he had played both the bad Marchant and ill seruant at once in selling the most precious iewell that euer the Sunne saw euen his owne maister for so small a summe and that hee had made the worst market that euer man made or euer shall or can make though the world should last as many millions of yeares as there is of sands vpon the shore or of drops of water in the maine sea Demetrius the siluer-smith Act 19.24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34. was an irregular student in the way of enriching for he together with diuers others his fellow-smithes had made themselues rich by making of siluer temples shrines of the idol Diana wherefore loue of gaine moued them to raise sedition in the city of Ephesus when as Saint Paul and some others of the godly did endeauour to drawe backe the citizens thereof from idolatrie 16.16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. Such irregulars were also the maisters of the Pythonist maid which gate her maisters much vantage with diuining who when as the Apostle had separated the familiar spirit from her in the name of Iesus seeing that the hope of their gaine was gone they caught Paul and Silas and drew them into the market place vnto the magistrates and accused them of preaching vnlawfull ordinances Whereupon the people rose vp together against them and the gouernours rent their cloathes and commaunded them to be beaten with rods and to be cast in prison and that their feete should be made fast in the stockes Demas and Alexander the Copper-smith 1. Tim. 1 20. 2. Tim 4.10.14 15. were likewise irregulars the one forsooke Paul to embrace this present world and the other to the end hee might follow the world forsooke the faith and as the siluer-smith aforesaid did raise sedition against the Apostle so this copper-smith did much euill vnto him and with great earnestnesse withstood his preaching whom the Lord no doubt rewarded according to his workes and the holy Apostles imprecation And the like out of all question wil befall vnto all such impenitent resisters of veritie and breakers of Christian vnitie bee they smiths in office or in name For our time is not the first time that smiths haue beene resisters of the truth and molesters of the ministerie And maister Iohn Smith the father of the few re-baptized Brownists hath not beene the first Smith that hath proued the perturber of the peace of Christs Church God graunt hee may make some better vse of his good parts hereafter then to play the forger of a new faith and of a new Church vpon the anuill of his owne wit and that hee play not the Smith in this manner any more Gen 19.24 25. Ezech. 16.49 50. 2. Pet. 2.6 Iude 7 The citizens of Sodome were irregulars and neglected the studie and practise of the rules of this Art they were proud of their prosperitie liued idly and gaue themselues to gluttonie excesse and lubricitie for heape of wickednesse
all that hee had that they bereaue them of that which is theirs euen of that which both God and good men bestowed vpon them in former times And whereas Ananias did keepe backe but a part euen a smaller part of that which otherwise was his owne these God-spoyling anti-gods keepe backe either the whole or at least the better part of that which is no wise their owne but belongeth vnto God and vnto his Priests as their peculiar patrimony Numb 22. 31.6 Iosh 13.21 2 Pet. 2.15 16 Iude 11. Balaam was as an irregular man in the way of Enriching for hee loued the wages of vnrighteousnesse and was quite miscarried with couetousnesse Wherefore the Lord opened the mouth of his dumbe asse wheron he rode to rebuke him to forbid his foolishnes as if the poore asse should haue said Master wilt thou needs play the asse to curse the people of God for gold doe not so I pray thee lest thine end be worse then mine doe not that which king Balaac biddeth thee but rather that which thine owne poore asse aduiseth thee that so it may be well with my master mee too For if thou curse Gods people God yea thine owne asse wil likewise curse thee and so thy case will bee more miserable then mine The man may oftentimes be wiser then his master but yet it is a rare thing to find a beast wiser then the owner and yet we see here is one and none but one euen Balaams asse wiser then Balaam himselfe who rode therupon And what was his end was it not almost as ill as his asses when as the gold-thirsty wretch lost his life amongst the Midianites and fell by the sword of the people of Israel By this example all men but chiefly Church-men are taught to abhorre couetousnesse and to flie from it Eccl. 5.5 Coloss 3.5 as beeing a base kind of idolatrie for couetousnesse is idolatry and the couetous person is an idolater 1. Tim. 3.3 Tit. 1.7 Ierem. 5 30 31. saith the Apostle And if the priest or the prophet the preacher or the Prelate bee giuen to filthie lucre if they prophecie any thing a man willeth for an hire or if the priests blesse or curse for a reward how shall they rebuke and reprooue such of the people as are guilty of the like sinne for as the people ought not to with-hold from their pastors that which is theirs namely first fruits and tythes so must not the pastors and priests by couetous courses prey vpon the people and plucke from them what is theirs The holy men of God Isaie Ieremie Isay 56.10 11 12. Hos 4.6 and Ezekiel as they exclaime proclaime Gods iudgments against all ignorant blind watchmen Ierem. 5.31 6.13.14 8.10 11. 10.21 23 1.11 14 15 16 25 26 27 28 29 30.31 32. Ezek 22.25 26 34. that haue no knowledge being as dumb dogs that can not barke and against all sleeping and slumbring shepheards being as drowsie dogs that will not barke and against all deceiuing and seducing prophets that speake the counsell and vision of their owne priuate spirit and against all brutish and beastly pastours that scatter their owne flockes and commit filthinesse and strengthen the hands of the wicked and teach vanitie and lies euen their owne priuate opinions whereby the sheepe of the fold are scattered that is Christian people are diuided amongst themselues and from themselues of one flocke made many flockes of one church many churches Men of itching eares 2. Tim. 4 3.4 getting themselues an heap of teachers to their own liking as the Apostle speaketh so turning vnit and vnitie into diuision pluralitie veritie into vanity antiquity into noueltie Christian communion into vnchristian disunion separation as the prophets I say exclaime mightily against all these kinds of ill church-men and namely against dumb dogs that cannot barke sleepy dogs that will not barke so doe they likewise against greedie dogs that can neuer haue enough which looke to their own way euery one for his aduantage for his own purpose as Isaie speaketh and which like a roaring lyon rauening the prey conspire to deuoure soules and take away the riches and pretious things from the owners thereof by their violent and fraudulent waies as Ezekiel speaketh who in the name of the Lord pronounceth a heauie woe against all such shepheards as feed themselues and eate the fat and cloath themselues with the wooll but feed not the flocke neither strengthen the weake nor heale the sicke nor bind vp the broken nor bring againe that which was driuen away nor yet seeke out that which was lost but haue beene carelesse and cruell in their behalfe haue euen eaten the flesh of the fat and torne their clawes in peeces O idle shepheard saith the Lord by his prophet Zachary that leaueth the flocke the sword shall bee vpon his arme and vpon his right eye his arme shall bee cleane dried vp and his right eye shall bee vtterly darkened And as the Lord shall be auenged on all idle loytring Church-men be they priests or be they prelates so will he one day make all deceiuing and seducing Church-men to bee ashamed of their visions and reuelations and priuate inspirations 2. Tim. 4.6 7. They shall not alwaies deceiue men with their shew of godlinesse creeping into houses and leading captiue simple women laden with sinnes 2. Cor. 11.13 14 15. and led with diuers lusts The ministers of that old serpent shall not alwaies bee suffered to transforme themselues master-like into angels of light as though they were the ministers of righteousnesse Zach. 13.3 4 5 for in that day saith the Prophet when any shall prophecie lies in the name of the Lord his father and his mother shal thrust him through and they shall be all ashamed euery one of his vision I am no prophet shal he say I am an husbandman for man taught me to be an heardsman from my youth I am no Cleargy-man I am a lay-man a tradesman a husbandman or an heardsman Men shall not then goe gadding from place to place to heare some new vpstart teacher nor run from one countrie or city to another as from England to Amsterdam 1. Cor. 1.11 12. after some new inspired preacher One shal not say I am Pauls another I am Apollos an other I am Cephas The new nick-names of Papist and Puritane of Caluinist and Lutherane of Brownist Anabaptist shall be no more in vse For men shall be ashamed of their new compellations and denominations of their new reuelations and inspirations of their new separations and schismaticall congregations of their new doctrines of their late deuised disciplines And God graunt it may be soone Reuel 22.20 Euen so come Lord Iesus come and come quickly Habbak 2.14 Isay 11.6 to 9. Zephan 3 9. send the spirit of knowledge and vnitie amongst all maner of men that the earth
may be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters that couer the sea that the wolfe may dwell with the lamb the leopard may lie with the kid and that there may bee no more destruction or contention amongst Christians in the mountaine of thine holinesse Come God of peace we pray according to thy promise and turne to thy people a pure language that they may all call vpon the name of the Lord with one consent Nabal was an irregular rich man destitute of the feare of the Lord couetous churlish il-conditioned The wretch would not releeue the necessities of worthy Dauid and his distressed seruants In reuenge whereof the Lord smote the couetous churles heart with amasement and feare so that about 10 daies after that he died I wish all rich subiects should beware of Nabals niggardlines that they no wise refuse or repine grudgingly to impart a part of their wealth to Dauid that is to the prince when he standeth in need thereof and requireth their supply And therefore let them alwaies remember how that the Lord punished the churlish and couetous refusall of niggardly Nabal both by bereauing him of his goods of his life at once Besides that a good part of his wealth fell presently thereafter into the hands of godly and bountifull Dauid by the means of Nabals widow the vertuous and wise Abigail whom he tooke to wife 1. King 21. 22 2. King 9 Achab and Iesabel were both of them irregulars in the way of enriching both of them were void of Gods feare and vniust for they would needes haue Naboths vineyard by cruell violence and tyranicall oppression But God to whom it is proper to chastise kings and to punish princes was auenged of them for their idolatrie and tyrany Hee gaue the blood of Achab to the dogges to licke and the flesh of Iesabel to the dogges to deuoure and her carkasse though shee was a Kings daughter a kings wife was made as dongue vpon the ground in the field of Isreel so that none could say this is the faire painted Iezabel And this example teacheth Kings and Queenes to subiect themselues vnto Gods lawes howsoeuer they bee aboue their owne And therefore they as well as other men are bound to practise the Rules of this Art which is gathered out of Gods word if they would get gather or increase goods with a good conscience If they doe otherwise God who is the great Schoole-maister and scourger of Kings will vndoubtedly punish them for their tyrany cruelty or oppression when and in what manner hee thinketh good Gehezi the seruant of Elisha the man of God 2 King 2 20.21.22.23 24.25.26 27. was an irregular in the way of Enriching for hee seeing that his maister had not receiued the reward that Naaman the Syrian had brought him after that hee was cleansed of his leprosie hee followed speedily after him and asked of him in the name of his maister a Talent of siluer and two change of garments who gaue him more then he asked euen the two change of garments together with the two Talents which hee bound in two bagges and gaue them to two of his seruants that they might beare them before him But when he came home and stood before his maister Elisha said vnto him Whence commest thou Gehezi And he said Thy seruant went no whither To whom hee replied Went not mine heart with thee when the man turned againe from his chariot to meet thee Is this a time to take money to receiue garments oliues vineyards and sheep and oxen men seruants and maide seruants The Leprosie therfore of Naaman shall cleaue vnto thee and to thy seed for euer And he went out from his presence a Leaper as white as snow How detestable a thing is it then in the seruants of God to haue couetous mindes Luk. 12.16.17.18.19.20 16.19 20.21.22.23 Diues the rich glutton was an irregular rich man his soule was hunger-bit and bare in the meane while that his backe was clothed with purple and fine linnen and his belly fed euery day with dainty and delicate dishes like that other rich man whose ground brought forth fruites aboundantly so that hee had scarcely roome enough to lay vp his fruits till hee pulled downe his barnes and builded greater and in the meane time the belly-god saith to his barren soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeares liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime The wretch had much goods for his body but little goodnesse and no godlinesse at all in his soule For hee was so vncharitable that hee would not vouchsafe so much as the very crummes of his Table to refresh poore Lazarus who was layed at his gate full of soares No the little dogs were more pittifull kind in the poore mans behalfe then this vnnatural mastie the miserable maister of these dogs was for they came licked the poore mans soares and so gaue him some ease Prou. 6.6 Had Salomon seene this sight who sendeth the sluggard to the Pismire to learne of her wisdome and diligence in gathering of meate no doubt but hee would haue sent this mercilesse rich glutton to learne of his dogges pitty and compassion in giuing to the poore a part of his meate Go to the Pismire O sluggard saith he to the sluggard behold her waies and bee wise learne of her to gather thy meate in due season Go to thy dogges thou rich glutton behold their wayes and learne of them to pitty the poore for they licke his soares with their tongues and yet thou canst not finde in thine heart to refresh him with the crums that fall from thy table But looke to the end it was as easie for these little dogges to enter into the kingdome of heauen as for this vnnaturall monster-masties soule Ere it was long his barren soule was fetched out of the beastly abode of his body and his body that had so much dainty meate to feede on and so many suites of costly apparrell to put on had no longer leisure to enioy so much goods Behold the body that did feede vpon so much good meate was by and by in a grauie earthen dish set before the wormes of the earth to feed on and the soule that had so much goods and so little goodnesse was carried into hell fire where there is no good thing at all to be had no not so much as a droppe of cold water to coole the burning heate of the tippe of his tongue which in this life had not so much goodnesse in it as was in the tongue of his dogges wheras Lazarus soule was carried into blessed Abrahams bosome I wish then that this voice should sound at all meales in rich mens eares least they bee made partakers of this rich mans anguish and end When Diues hath dined let Lazarus haue the crummes Math. 26.6.7 8.9 10.14.15 Mark 14.3 4 5 6 7 8