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
other godly women as ministred vnto our blessed Sauiour and his disciples were such as practised the Rules of this art had they much or had they little they purchased it by lawfull meanes and vsed the same religiously and charitably for they imparted thereof vnto the poore Ministers and members of Christ according to their power and therefore no doubt but they prospered This Mary the wife of Cleophas and sister as is said of the Queene of Maries yea the Queene of women the blessed Virgin Mary is she whom the Apostle of the gentiles Rom. 1.1 to 7. 16.6 Saint Paul writing to the Church of Rome saluteth in the end of his Epistle as she that had bestowed much labour vpon the Ministers of Christ And it was Mary Magdalene the sister of Lazarus and Martha that tooke a box of oyntment of Spikenard very costly and annointed Iesus euen from the head to the feet and wiped his feet with the haire of her head Mark 14 3. 16.1 Ioh. 12.3 so that the house was filled with the sauor of the oyntment The same holy Marie together with another godly Marie the mother of Iames and deuout Salome had prepared costly oyntments to embaulme the balmie and sweet body of our sweet Sauiour Iesus Act. 9.36 to 41. Tabitha was a regular student in this Art shee feared God shee was full of good workes and almes which shee did a vertuous woman and diligent in her calling who by the Lords blessing and her vertuous industrie attained to a competent wealth and beeing dead the Lord raised her againe from death to life by the hand of blessed S. Peter Cornelius a captaine of the Italian band Act. 10.1 to 7.11 22 to 26. practised the Rules of this Art for hee was a deuout man and one that feared God with all his houshold He prayed vnto God continually he gaue much almes vnto the people so that his prayers and his almes came vp into remembrance before God wherefore God blessed his temporall store with increase but chiefly his soule with spirituall grace for the Lord whom he serued incessantly sent his angel vnto him to bid him send for his seruant Saint Peter into his house for hee shall shew thee quoth the holy angel what thou oughtest to doe Towards whome Matth 10 2. Ioh. 21.15 16 17 Luk. 22 31 32. Act. 2 14 41 9.42 10 44. to 48 11.1 2 15 to 18. the godly Captaine behaued himselfe so humbly and reuerently notwithstanding his abiect and contemptible estate in regard that hee was appointed of Christ to be the great feeder of his flocke the shepheard and pastor both of his sheepe and lambes that is the conuerter and spirituall ruler both of Iewes and Gentiles as also the confirmer and establisher of his brethren that is of the rest of the Apostles towards whom I say hee behaued himselfe so humbly and respectiuely that he called together his kinsmen and special friends to goe and meet him and to doe him honour So that as soone as hee sawe the blessed seruant of Christ he fell downe at his feete and worshipped him Who on the other part to shew his Christian modestie as the other had done his Christian humilitie and to signifie vnto Cornelius and the rest that he craued no such courtesie at his or their hands tooke him vp presently saying to him stand vp for euen I my selfe am a man The which example teacheth both Cleargie and Laytie true humilitie First it teacheth the people to reuerence and honour their pastors both with humble gesture of bodie and with compellation of honor â— Sam. 1.14 to 18 for the priests and prophets of God that did beare rule in his Church haue not onely bin called fathers and Lords by the people but also they are honoured in the holy Scripture with the titles of Lords Princes and Kings This holy woman Anna the mother of Samuel called the high priest Eli her Lord who when as he had thought shee had beene dumbe because that praying in the temple her lippes did but mooue onely so that her voyce was not heard shee answered and said Not so my Lord I am a woman of a sorrowfull heart I haue drunke neither wine nor strong drinke but haue powred out my soule before the Lord. Yea shee calleth her selfe by the name of his handmaid Count not thine handmaid quoth shee for a wicked woman and againe let thine handmaid find grace fauour in thy sight Thus the widow of Zarephath behaued her selfe humbly 1. King 17.28 24. in the behalfe of the prophet Eliah Thus godly Obadiah king Achabs steward 1 King 18.3 4 7 9 12 13. and gouernour of his house who feared God greatly hid an hundred prophets in a caue nourished them there in the time of Iezebels persecution behaued himselfe in the presence of the same prophet when as he met him by the way he fell on his face and said Art not thou my Lord Elisha Was it not told my Lord what I did when Iezebel slue the Prophets of the Lord not only called he the prophet his Lord but also he called himselfe the Prophets seruant What haue I sinned said hee that thou wouldest deliuer thy seruant into the hands of Ahab to be slaine but I thy seruant feare the Lord from my youth vpward Thus also did the Captaine ouer the fifty 2 King 1.13 14 sent by Ahaziah the King behaue himselfe humbly in the presence of the man of God hee fell on his knees before Eliah and said vnto him O man of God I pray thee let my life and the life of the fifty thy seruants be precious in thy sight Thus the Bethelite widow called herselfe the Prophet Elishas seruant and hand-maid 4 1.2.16.27.28 And the Shunamite Gentlewoman whom wee spake of before said vnto the same Prophet when as he had promised her from God a childe O nay my Lord thou man of God doe not lie vnto thine hand-maid And when as her childe afterwards died shee went to the man of God to mount Carmell and caught him by the feet and said Did I desire a sonne of my Lord and when as he had reuiued her sonne she fell at his feet and bowed herselfe to the ground Thus Naaman 2 King 5.1.9.10.15.17.18.19.20 21 Captaine of the Hoast of the King of Syria a great and mighty man expert in warre and honourable in the sight of the King his maister as Generall of his Armie came with his Horses and Chariots and stoode at the doore of the house of Elisha till the Prophet sent his messenger vnto him saying Go and wash thy selfe in Iordane seuen times and thy flesh shall come againe to thee and thou shalt be cleansed And when he was cleansed according to the saying of the man of God hee turned againe to him hee and all his company and stood before him and said Behold I know now that there is no God in
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
manifold allegations of sacred Scripture both of the old and new Testament in the manner abouesaid It followeth that in the next place we mention certaine such examples as may serue to illustrate the foresaid rules and those we do distinguish into two ranckes The one is of such notable persons as are recorded in holy writt to haue attained to riches by right meanes and to haue vsed the same according to the rules of this art the which haue bene blessed of God and haue prospered for their regularities sake The other rancke is of such others as in labouring and studying to bee rich haue bene irregulars that is either haue not attained to riches by the right way or else neuer vsed them after the right manner and therefore haue beene accursed of God Of the first ranke the examples are these Abraham the father of the faithfull Gen. 12.1 2 3 7. 13.4.18 14 20 18.23 20.17 21.33 23.13 24.34.35 was a regular student in this Art for hee was a man that feared God deuoutly called vpon his name diligently obeyed his voice readily liued amongst men vprightly following the vocation the Lord had called him vnto carefully Hee was likewise carefull for all such as were vnder his charge that they should doe the like for he commanded his sonnes and his seruants to keepe the way of the Lord euen to liue religiously and soberly and iustly in this present world And the Lord blessed him exceedingly hee magnified and multiplied him so that he gaue him in great store men seruants and maid seruants siluer and gold Camels and Asses Sheepe and Beeues Gen. 12.5 14.12 19.1 2 3. 13.5.6.7 Lot Abrahams brothers sonne was likewise a regular Student in this Art Hee was a man that feared God vpright in his waies hospitable charitable and diligent in his calling And the Lord blessed him with store and aboundance of sheepe cattell and tents so that the land could not beare them that hee and his Vncle might dwell together Gen. 26.2 3 4.12.13.14.24.25.26.27.28.29.30 Isaac the sonne of Abraham was also a regular Sudent to wit a man fearing the Lord vpright charitable and diligent in his calling And the Lord whom hee serued deuoutly was with him effectually and blessed him exceedingly so that hee waxed mighty and still increased his hand brought forth an hundreth fold hee had flockes of Sheepe and heardes of cattell and a mighty housholde so that the Philistines amongst whom hee dwelt enuied his greatnesse but king Abimelech seeing manifestly that the Lord was with his seruant Isaac made an alliance and couenant of amity peace with him Iacob the sonne of Isaac Gen. 28.13 14.15 16 17 18 19 20.21.22 30.27.43 31 17.18.38.40 32.9.10 7. 33 4.11 35 1 2 3.4 36.6.7 was a man father-like religious iust charitable and diligent wherefore the Lord was with him whithersoeuer hee went so that hee became very rich and increased exceedingly for he had man seruants and maid seruants Camels and Asses and many flockes of sheepe and heards of cattell yea Laban his father in law who was an Idolater was blessed of God with temporall increase for Iacobs sake And it is very likely that God blessed also Esau with temporall blessings for receiuing his brother Iacob at his returne so kindly and so tenderly as hee did and for being appeased towards him For Esau hearing that his brother Iacob was comming home againe hee ranne to meete him and embraced him and fell on his necke and kissed him and they wept And therefore Iacob called the present hee sent to his brother Esau of his goods his blessing I pray thee quoth hee to him take my blessing that is brought thee The holy man insinuating thereby that as it was a blessing from God vnto Iacob so it should bee a blessing from God vnto Esau by Iacobs hand And consequently a meanes to make Esau more blessed in worldly wealth for Iacobs sake Ioseph the sonne of Iacob Gen. 37.26.27 36. was a man that feared God sober and chaste in his carriage vpright amongst men and diligent in his calling first in Potiphars house 39 2 3 4 5 6 20 21 22 23. 41.14 38 39 40 41 42 43 44. then in the prison and afterwards in the Princes palace The Lord was with him euery where and he prospered yea all his maisters prospered for his sake Potiphar Pharaohs Steward was his first maister who bought him at the hands of the Israelites vnto whom his brethren had sold him Potiphar seeing that the Lord was with him and that hee made all that he did to prosper in his hand of a slaue he made him the ruler of his house and put all that hee had vnder his hand And the Lord blessed the Aegyptians house for Iosephs sake yea the blessing of the Lord was vpon all that he had in the house and in the field His second maister was the maister of the Kings prison house After that he was put in prison by the malitious craft of Potiphars wife But euen there the Lord was with Ioseph and got him fauour in the sight of the maister of the prison so that he committed to Iosephs hand all the prisoners that were in the prison and looked vnto nothing that was vnder his hand but trusted Ioseph with all seeing the Lord was with him for whatsoeuer he did the Lord made it to prosper His third maister was King Pharaoh himselfe who sent for him out of prison to interprete his dreames and afterwards for his diuine wisdome made him chiefe ruler ouer his house yea ouer all the Kingdomes of Egypt so that all the reuenues and riches thereof came vnder his hand Thus we see Ioseph of a slaue made a seruant and a ruler of seruants in his maister Potiphars house and thereafter of a prisoner made a ruler of prisoners in the prison and in the end of a poore prisoner made a potent Prince so that such as hee once serued were made to serue him and hee made the maister and Lord of such as had beene his maisters before His brethren had sold him for siluer into Egypt Gen. 45 4 5 6 7 8 9. and hee afterwards sold them without siluer corne in Egypt yea saued them in Egypt from the great famine euen his father and all his family Thus we find it most true which the holy woman Anna singeth in her song 1 Sam. 2 7 8. Psal 113.7.107 33 34 35 36 37 38 40 41 42. and the sweet singer of Israel in his Psalme The Lord maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth low exalteth hee raiseth vp the poore out of the dust and lifteth vp the begger from the dung-hill to set them among Princes and to make them inherit the seate of glory Hee turneth the wildernesse into pooles of water and the dry land into water springs And there hee placeth the hungry and they build a Citie
Euery man shall clappe their hands at him and hisse at him out of their place 20.6.7.29 Loe this is the portion of the godles rich man from God and the heritage that the man shall haue of God that is rich but not rich in God Though his excellencie mount vp to the heauen and his head reach vnto the cloudes yet shall hee not enter into heauen yea he shall be hurled not onely down from heauen but also out of the earth and shall perish for euer like his dung and they which haue seene him shall say where is hee Though he be strong for a time prosper and florish like a greene bay as holy Dauid speaketh yet his armes and his branches shall be broken Psal 37.17.20.29.30 he and his prosperitie shall perish and melt away like the fat of Lambes whereas the righteous men that is such as feare God and eschew euill shall inherit the land for euer And thus I hope the obiection made against the infallibilitie of the first rule may be satisfied Now if a man that loueth to studie this art will aske what the feare of God is which openeth so wide a doore vnto a man to be rich and how such a man may be knowne Salomon 1. King 3.5.6.7.8 9.10 Eccles 3.14 12.13 Prou. 8.13 14.16 who was a man both rich and wise and one that feared God not only before but also after his fall in mine opinion will giue him satisfaction The feare of the Lord saith he is to hate euill A wise man feareth and departeth from euill Iob 1.1 28.28 and therefore it is said of Iob who was a wise man and a rich man both that hee feared God and eschewed euill and with all hee telleth vs that the feare of the Lord is wisdome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding So then the feare of God is the hatred of euill and the man that hateth euill feareth God And a man may know him by this marke euen by his departing from euill and eschewing of sinne and good reason forsooth that a man who should loue God as the soueraigne good and would be loued of God that hee hate euill as the diuell that would make him hated of God The diuell is all made of euill for so hath he made himselfe by sinne and euill floweth from the diuell euen as God is all good and euery good thing is from God So that these vocables or words God and good diuell and euil are not so neere or like one another in sound as they are in substance And as wee must hate euill with our hearts so must wee depart from euill in our hands yea in the actions of our whole liues We must depart from euill that would make vs depart from God and God from vs for euer Wee must eschew the euill of sinne as we would eschew the euill of eternall shame and the horrors of hell Prou. 8.13 Salomon when he defineth the feare of God to bee the hating of euill mentioneth immediatly three capitall euils that a man must hate aboue all other pride the euil way and the mouth that speaketh lewde things Genes 18.27 Iob 10.9.10.11.12 25.6 1. Mac. 2.62 Ecclesiast 10.12 As for the euill of pride what greater pride or what greater euill can there bee then for man who is but a worme and the ordinarie repast of wormes euen dust and ashes and who holdeth his breath and all that he hath of God not to humble himselfe daily before his footestoole and to pray vnto him earnestly for grace and all good things and to praise him heartfully for such blessings as he hath bestowed vpon him whether in bodie or in soule or in both withall acknowledging all his felicitie to flow from him who as the Apostle S. Iames teacheth is the giuer of euery good and perfit gift from aboue Iames 1.17 And as for the other euill of the euill way good Lord what way can be more euill then for a man to doe his owne worldly will and his owne wicked way on the Lords day for a man I say to pollute the holy day of the holy One by following the worldly waies of profit and of pleasure and to steale away from him both his seruice and the day of his seruice which ought to be wholly spent and imployed in holines without which the Apostle saith Heb. 12.14 no man shall see God euen in the publike exercise of pietie towards God and of charitie and mercie towards man for Gods sake And as for the third euil of the mouth and tongue that speaketh lewde things what more lewde thing can the mouth of man vtter then to vse or rather abuse so irreuerently as the most part now adaies doe the adorable name of God to sweare almost at euery word by the same and by the blessed name of Iesus by his passion by his wounds and by his blood The holy Scripture willeth euery knee to bowe at the blessed name of Iesus Isai 45.23 Rom. 14.11 Phil. 2.10.11 in signe of reuerence and subiection for thereby we doe acknowledge him euen as hee is man to be our Soueraigne the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings and enioyneth euery tongue to confesse that he is the Lord 1. Cor. 15.24.25.26.27.28 Heb. 2.7.8 vnto the glorie of God the father who hath put downe all things vnder his feete But these lewde mouthed men will neither reuerence him with the bowing of the knee nor honour him with the confession and sanctification of the tongue Their knees will not honour the Sonne and their tongues wil needs dishonour both the Father and the Sonne Well let them be rich who will surely such as bee proud in Gods sight and will neither praise him nor pray vnto him and such as be prophaners of his holy name and of his holy day and will not sanctifie both they shall neuer be rich in God They may well gather goods but they shall not proue goods to them they shall not turne to their good neither shall they reape any good at Gods hand by them neither shall they remaine to them and theirs For only the feare of God which mother-vertue these men want is the fountaine of good goods and of durable riches Now the feare of God hath two branches the one is we must feare to offend him because he is our Father whom we must loue in the highest degree the other is when we haue offended him we must feare his furie and punishments because he is our Lord. Our feare must not be seruile or slauish such as is the bond-mans feare of his master which is onely and meerely because of punishment but our feare must bee filiall and sonly such as is the childrens feare of their father Psalm 2.11 as being loth to offend one whom we loue we must serue the Lord in feare and trembling we must feare to offend before we offend and when as through humane
me to inherit substance and I will fill their treasures The wise man Iob hath an excellent description of the worth of wisdome Iob 28.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.20.22.23.24.25.26.27.28 But where is wisdome found And where is the place of vnderstanding Man knoweth not the price thereof for it is not found in the land of the liuing The depth saith it is not in me the sea also saith it is not with me Gold shall not be giuen for it neither shall siluer be weighed for the price thereof It shall not bee valued with the wedge of gold of Ophir nor with the pretious Onyx nor the Saphir The gold nor the Crystall shall be equall vnto it nor the exchange shall be for plate of fine gold No mention shall bee made of Corall nor of the Gabish for wisedome is more pretious then pearles The Topaz of Aethiopia shal not be equall vnto it neither shall it be valued with the wedge of pure gold Behold the feare of the Lord is wisedome and to depart from euil is vnderstanding Prou. 12.14 A man shall bee satiat saith Salomon with good things by the fruit of his mouth and the recompense of a mans hands shall God giue vnto him 13.2.18 A man shall eate good things by the fruit of his mouth but the soule of the trespasser shall suffer violence 16.20 Pouertie and shame is to him that refuseth instruction but hee that regardeth correction shall be honoured 21.20 He that is wise in his businesse shall find good for in the house of the wise is a pleasant treasure and oile 15.31.32 Through wisedome is an house builded and with vnderstanding it is established and by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all pretious and pleasant riches Wisd 7.11 Innumerable riches come through her hands 8.5.18 10.10.11.12 and in the works thereof are infinite riches Wisdome made Iacob rich in his labours and made his paines profitable and gaue perpetuall glory to Ioseph yea brought him the scepter of a Kingdome 4.1.2 Vertue is alwaies crowned and triumpheth and winneth the battell and the vndefiled rewards Ecclesiast 11.1 15.3.4.5.6 24.19 Wisdome saith Iesus the sonne of Syrach lifteth vp the head of him that is low and maketh him to sit among great men Finally the flowers of wisdome are the fruit of honour and riches euen the garment of glorie the crowne of gladnes and an euerlasting name Thus ye see O yee students in the art of enriching of how great moment wisedome and vnderstanding are for the attaining of riches She maketh the poore man plenteous and garnisheth the needy with wealth The man that is low she raiseth aloft she leadeth him by the hand from among the despised and placeth him among princes She lifteth vp his head and as she storeth and decoreth his heart with grace so shee crowneth his head with honour here and with happinesse hereafter It behoueth therefore euery man next after the knowledge of God and of his dutie towards him for this is the chiefe to studie and learne the vnderstanding and knowledge of that calling God hath made him to embrace Let him labour then to be wise and well seene in his owne art and occupation be more then any other and more in it then in any other The man that followeth the liberall profession of letters let him endeuour to know and comprehend the condition and constitution the marrow and the mysteries of the art science and exercise hee hath betaken himselfe to Prou. 21.1 For what wots hee but that God who hath the hearts of kings in his hand may open a doore in some kings heart for him to enter into and not onely open the doore of his hart to make the king loue him but also the doore of his head I meane his mouth to make him say of him Gen. 41.38.39 as once Pharaoh King of Aegypt said of Ioseph Can we find such a man as this in whom is the spirit of vnderstanding and wisedome Yea more then this open also his hand vnto him and make the Prince doe vnto him as Pharaoh did to Ioseph euen prefer him vnto some worthie place in the Church his Court or Common-wealth What wots the lettered man I say but that God Dan. 1.17.18.19.20 who oftentimes giueth his children fauour in the eies of kings will make it befall him as we find it did to the foure children Daniel Hananiah Mishael and Azariah to whom God gaue knowledge and vnderstanding in all learning and wisdome and fauour in King NebuchadneZZars eies So that the King disdained not to commune with them though they were but young boies who finding them ten times more cunning then all his other Wise men he began to honour them with the libertie of ordinarie accesse vnto his presence and appointed them alwaies to stand before him And as God thus opened the Kings heart to loue them and like of them more then of the other wise men who were not wise in God so afterwards he opened also the Kings hand vnto them in a more liberall and bountifull manner then vnto the other wise men For it is said 2.46.47.48.49 that the King greatly honoured Daniel and for his great knowledge made him a great man gaue him many great gifts yea he made him gouernour ouer the whole Prouince of Babel and chiefe of the Rulers and aboue all his wise men So that he sat in the gate of the King Genes 41.40.41.42.43 euen as chiefe Ruler representing the King Euen as Pharaoh set Ioseph ouer his house yea ouer all the land of Aegypt to rule ouer his rulers and to teach his wise men wisdome Likewise Daniels three fellowes were preferred by NebuchadneZZar and set ouer the Prouince of Babel vnder Daniel In one word the lettered man must labour and endeauour to be such a one as Iesus the sonne of Syrach hath painted out in these words Ecclesiasticus 39.1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11 He only that applieth his mind to the law of the most High and is occupied in the meditation thereof seeketh out the wisdome of al the ancient and exerciseth himselfe in the prophecies He keepeth the sayings of famous men and entreth in also to the secrets of darke sentences Hee seeketh out the mysterie of graue sentences and exerciseth himselfe in darke parables He shall serue among great men and appeare before the Prince hee shall trauell thorough strange countries For he hath tried the good and the euill among men He will giue his heart to resort early vnto the Lord that made him and to pray before the most high and wil open his mouth in prayer and pray for his sinnes When the great Lord will he shall be filled with the spirit of vnderstanding that he may powre out wise sentences and giue thanks vnto the Lord in his prayer Hee shall direct his counsell and knowledge so shall hee meditate in his
of Iudah proclaimeth touching the dignitie of the Ministers of the Gospell Isai 52.7 How beautifull saith he and after him the Apostle Saint Paul Rom. 10.15 vpon the mountaines are the feete of him that declareth and publisheth peace That telleth good tidings and publisheth saluation saying vnto Zion Thy God raigneth Wee are so blind we cannot see how that such as turne many to righteousnesse bee they neuer so base for birth Fisher-mens sonnes Tent makers sonnes or Carpenters sonnes or what ye will that such I say shal one day shine as the stars for euer and euer For this thing godly Daniel who was first a prisoner Dan. 12.3 and afterward both a Prophet in the Church and a Prince in the Common-wealth vnder the King or rather the holy Angell by his mouth telleth vs. Finally we are so ignorant and lumpish that wee cannot consider Matth. 19.28 how that poore fishermen for being Christs Ministers shall in that great day sit vpon twelue thrones and iudge the twelue Tribes of Israel as the great Iudge of the world hath said And therefore to shut vp this present discourse I my self being a lay-man wish all lay-men to giue care vnto the exhortation of the holy Apostle We beseech you brethren 1. Thes 5.12.13 that ye know them which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you that ye haue them in singular loue for their works sake Heb. 13.7.14 Remember them which haue the ouersight of you which haue declared vnto you the word of God whose faith follow considering what hath been the end of their conuersation Obey them and submit your selues vnto them For they watch for your soules as they that must giue accounts that they may doe it with ioy and not with griefe for that is vnprofitable for you III. Rule Diligence in a lawfull calling as in labouring the ground in trading or trafficking or in following some literall profession together truth temperancie in liuing and flying of idlenesse and excesse make the poore man rich and the rich man yet more rich Probation and declaration Prou. 5.26 DRinke the waters of thine owne cisterne and of the springs out of the middest of thine owne well saith Salomon 6.6.7.8.9.10.11 Goe to the Pismire O sluggard Behold her waies and be wise for she hauing no guide gouernour nor ruler prepareth her meat in Summer and gathereth her food in Haruest How long wilt thou sleepe O sluggard When wilt thou arise out of thy sleepe A little sleepe a little slumber a little folding of thy hands to sleep therfore thy pouertie commeth as one that trauelleth by the way and thy necessitie like an armed man 10.4.5 A slothfull hand maketh poore but the hand of the diligent maketh rich he that gathereth in summer is the sonne of wisdome but hee that sleepeth in haruest is the sonne of confusion Hee that tilleth his land 12.11.14.24.27 Eccles 10.28 22.1 2. shall be satisfied with bread but he that followeth the idle is destitute of vnderstanding A man shall bee satiate with good things by the fruit of his mouth and the recompense of a mans hands shall God giue vnto him The hand of the diligent shall beare rule but the idle shall bee vnder tribute whereas the riches of the diligent man are pretious Where none oxen are Prou. 14.4.23 there the crib is emptie but much increase commeth by the strength of the oxe Where by the oxe is meant labour and by the crib the barne signifying that without labour there is no profit For in all labour 28.19 saith hee there is abundance but he that followeth the idle shall be filled with pouertie 13.4 The sluggard lusteth and hath nought but the soule of the diligent shall haue plentie Loue not sleepe 20.13 Eccles 40.28 lest thou come vnto pouertie open thine eies and thou shalt be satisfied with bread 20.4 19.24 21.5.17.25.26 The slothfull will not plow because of winter therefore shall he begge in summer and haue nothing The thoughts of the diligent doe surely bring abundance but whosoeuer is hastie doth come to pouertie He that loueth pastime shall be a poore man and he that loueth oyle and wine shall not be rich The desire of the slothfull slaieth him for his hands refuse to worke Hee coueteth euer more greedily but the righteous giueth and spareth not 22.29 Wisd 3.15 Prou. 23.20.21.22.29.30.31.32 1. Cor. 5.11 26 14.15 Prou. 24.30 A diligent man in his businesse standeth before Kings and not before the baser sort for glorious is the fruit of good labours Keepe not companie with drunkards and with gluttons for the drunkard and the glutton shall be poore and the sleeper shal be cloathed with ragges I passed by the field of the sloathfull and by the vineyard of the man destitute of vnderstanding And loe it was all growne ouer with thornes and nettles had couered the face thereof 31.32.33.34 and the stone-wall thereof was broken downe Then I beheld and I considered it well I looked vpon it and receiued instruction yet a little sleepe a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleepe so thy pouertie commeth as one that trauelleth by the way 26.14.15 and thy necessitie like an armed man As the doore turneth vpon his hinges so doth the slothfull man vpon his bed hee hideth his hand in his bosome and it grieueth him to put it againe to his mouth 27.23.24.25.26.27 Bee diligent therefore to know the state of thy flocke and take heed to the heards For riches remaine not alwaies nor the crowne from generation to generation The hay discouereth it selfe and the grasse appeareth and the hearbs of the mountaines are gathered The lambes are for thy clothing and the goates are the price of the field and let the milke of the goates be sufficient for thy food for the food of thy familie and for the sustenance of thy maids 31.10 to 31. Likewise Salomons vertuous woman acquireth riches for her selfe and her husband by diligence and industrie for shee ouerseeth the waies of her houshold and eateth not the bread of idlenesse She seeketh wooll and flaxe and laboureth cheerefullie with her hands She riseth while it is yet night and giueth the portion to her houshold and the ordinarie to her maides Shee considereth a field and getteth it with the fruits of her hands she planteth a vineyard Her candle is not put out by night shee putteth her hand to the wheele and her hand handleth the spindle She maketh her selfe carpets fine linnen and purple is her garment She maketh sheets and selleth them she giueth girdles vnto the merchants and she feeleth that her merchandise is good This womans price the wise man accounteth farre aboue the pearles honour is her clothing and her children call her blessed Her husband trusteth to her vertue and by her vertue
hee is knowne in the gates So that he praiseth her and crowneth her with this commendation Manie daughters haue done vertuouslie but thou surmountest them all But Isaies idle and carelsse women are of another nature They are haughtie Isai 3.16.17.18.19.20.21.22.23.24 32.9.10.11.12.13.14 and not humble they are walkers and not workers their feet and their eies are alwaies wandring They spend whole daies and nights in decking themselues and in beautifying their bodies their whole studie is about their onaments of tires hoods and calles of sweete balles bracelets and bonets of tablets earings muflers and rings of vailes wimpels and crisping pins of girdles glasses fine linnen and launes and such other pieces of costly apparrell And therfore the Prophet speaketh to them in this wise Rise vp ye women that are at ease heare my voice ye carelesse daughters hearken to my words Ye women that are carelesse shall be in feare aboue a yeere in daies for the vintage shall faile and the gathering shall come no more Yee women that be at ease be astonished feare O yee idle women put off the cloathes meaning their costlie and pompous apparrell make bare and gird sackcloth vpon the loines as if he should say Turne your silkes into sackcloth and your odours into ashes men shall lament for the teates euen for the pleasant fields and the fruitfull vine Vpon the land of my people shall grow thornes and briars yea vpon all the houses of ioy in the citie of reioycing It cannot be otherwise said then but that as a vertuous woman is a most great good so an idle vicious woman is a most great euill Eccles 10.18 By slothfulnes the roofe of the house goeth to decay and by the idlenesse of the hands the house droppeth thorow Hate not labourious worke saith Iesus the sonne of Syrach neither the husbandrie Eccles 7.15.22 which the most high hath created and if thou haue cattell looke well to them 9.19 Also in the hands of the craftesman shall the workes be commended 25.3 If thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth what canst thou find in thine age 40.28.29.30 My sonne leade not a beggers life for better it were to digge then to begge Begging is sweet in the mouth of the vnshamefast and in his bellie there burneth a fire Act. 20.34 35. 1. Thes 4.11 2. Thes 3.7.10.11.12 1. Tim. 5.8 2. Tim. 2.6 Likewise the holy Apostle as he laboured with his owne hands to relieue his owne necessities and those of other poore brethren so he will not haue idle men and such as will not worke to eate And therfore very earnestly he exhorteth yea commandeth such folkes to labour with quietnesse and to eate their owne bread for the husband-man must labour before he receiue the fruits and he that prouideth not for his household is in that part worse then an Infidell The world now a daies is combred with two sorts of idle men some haue a calling and will not follow it and others are ashamed to learne a manuall trade or occupation because they are Gentlemen borne though they haue no lands As for the first order of idle men it were a pitilesse pitie to pitie such mens pouertie for it is good reason that he be poore who hauing a calling to wind himselfe out of pouertie will not inure himselfe to exercise and follow the same And good reason that hee eate not but starue for hunger who may work and can worke and hath occasion offered him to work and yet will not worke 2. Thes 3.8.9.10.11.12 whereby hee may haue what to eate for so saith the Apostle yee that will not imitate the holy Apostles example who wrought with labour and trauell night and day with his owne hands lest hee should haue been chargeable to others And therefore all that haue betaken themselues to a gainefull calling ought to imitate the diligence of Salomons vertuous woman bee they women or bee they men Prou. 31.13.15.18 Shee laboureth cheerefully with her hands yea her candle is not put out by night for she riseth while it is yet night and giueth the portion to her houshold and the ordinarie to her maides As for the other order of idle men who are gentlemen but without lands and yet are ashamed to betake themselues to a trade because of their Gentrie or Nobilitie of blood Trulie in my conceit their pouertie is to be pitied but yet their idlenesse me thinketh cannot be excused Neither can I see how a mans Gentilitie can be disparaged any whit by the meanes of a vertuous art of an honest craft or occupation Neither can I see any such antipathie or opposition betweene Gentilitie and mechanicall industrie that they cannot consist together No no they can well enough agree together though poore Gentlemen be loath and are ashamed that in their persons they should ioyne together But this shame of theirs is not a good shame but such a shame as they ought rather to bee ashamed of Gentilitie tooke the first originall from vertue and there is no Gentilitie or Nobilitie in blood but in regard of the seeds of vertue which are supposed to accompanie the blood of such as are called Gentlemen borne The which thing being true as it is most true it followeth that Gentilitie cannot be either extinguished or impaired by a mechanicall trade which is likewise grounded and founded vpon vertue and is practised for the cherishing of vertue and the quelling of vice So that Gentilitie and mechanicall industry are sisters euen the daughters of one dame for vertue is the mother and mistris of both Men may well set them together by the eares but as I said before they of themselues could well enough agree Genes 2.8 The Lord himself would not be idle for besides the creation of the world he planted a Garden Eastward in Eden and so in a manner played the Gardiner It is also said that he made skinne-coates for Adam and Eue 3.7.21 and so for the good of man and for our good example he disdained not in a manner to play the tayler For whether the Lord himselfe as hee planted the garden of Eden for our first parents so also made the skinne-coates for them as the letter of the text doth import or whether hee gaue them knowledge to make themselues cloathes as some doe suppose it is not much materiall It is sufficient that we learne this lesson hence Exod. 28.3 31.3.4.5.6 35.30.31.32.33.34.35 that a man ought not to be ashamed to practise a mechanicall art seeing God is the author thereof And therefore God himselfe by Moses calleth the making of Aarons garments a worke of the Spirit of wisedome As also the working in gold siluer and brasse the grauing and setting of stones and caruing of wood the working in broidred and needle worke in blue silke in purple in skarlet and in fine linnen together with weauing and the practising of such inuentions
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
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 is his couering onely and this is his garment for his skinne wherein shall he sleepe Therefore when he crieth vnto mee I will heare him for I am mercifull Thou shalt not sleepe with the poore bodies pledge but shall restore it when the Sunne goeth downe that he may sleepe in his raiment and blesse thee and it shall be righteousnesse vnto thee before the Lord thy God Whē thou sellest ought to thy neighbor or buiest at thy neighbours hands ye shal not oppresse one another That is neither must the seller take occasion of the buyers need to ouerprise his wares aboue the iust value neither must the buyer take aduantage of the sellers present necessitie and so giue him much lesse then it is worth Leuit. 25.36.37 If thy brother bee impouerished and fallen in decay with thee thou shall relieue him thou shalt take no vsurie of him nor vantage thou shalt not giue him thy money to vsurie nor lend him thy victuals for increase There shal be no whore of the daughters of Israel neither shal there be a whore-keeper of the sonnes of Israel Deut. 23.17.18.19.20 Thou shalt neither bring the hire of a whore nor the price of a dog into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow for euen both these are abomination vnto the Lord thy God Thou shalt not giue to vsury to thy brother as vsurie of money vsurie of meat vsurie of any thing that is put to vsurie thou shalt not lend vpon vsurie vnto thy brother that the Lord thy God may blesse thee in all that thou settest thine hand to Leuit. 9.3 Yee shall haue iust balances true weights a true Ephah and a true hin Thou shalt not haue in thy bag two manner of waights a great and a small Deut. 25.13.14.15 Neither shalt thou haue in thine house diuers measures a great and a small but thou shalt haue a right and a iust weight a perfit and a iust measure shalt thou haue that thy daies may bee lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Hee that giueth not his money to vsurie saith the Prophet Dauid nor taketh reward against the innocent Psalm 15.5 Prou. 12.27 shal neuer be moued The deceitful man saith Salomon rosteth not that hee tooke in hunting 21.6 The gathering of treasures by a deceitfull tongue is vanitie tossed to and fro of them that seeke death 13.11 The riches of vanitie shall diminish but he that gathereth with the hand that is with his handie labour and by his vertuous industrie shall increase them 10.2.3 The Lord will not famish the soule of the righteous but hee casteth away the substance of the wicked 19.15 and a deceitfull person shall bee famished 20.17 The bread of deceit is sweet to a man but afterwards his mouth is filled with grauell 19.22 28.6.8 A poore man is better then a liar Hee that increaseth his riches by vsurie and interest gathereth them for him that wil be mercifull vnto the poore 11.1 Diuers weights and diuers measures are both of them abomination vnto the Lord 16.11 20.10.23 deceitfull balances are not good but a true weight and balance are of the Lord and a perfit waight pleaseth him 21.17 11.27 Hee that loueth pastime and play shall bee a poore man Hee that withdraweth the corne the people will curse him but blessing shall be vpon the head of him that selleth corne The Prophet Ieremie complaineth of the people of the Iewes and amongst other things of this Ierem. 9.3.4.5.6.7.8.9 that they did bend their tongues like bowes for lies that euery brother did vse deceit and euerie friend did deale deceitfully that they taught their tongues to speake lies so that their habitation was in the middest of deceiuers Shal I not visit them for these things saith the Lord Or shall not my soule be auenged on such a nation as this 17 1◠As the Partrich gathereth the yong which she hath not brought foorth so hee that getteth riches and not by right shall leaue them in the middest of his daies and at his end shall be a foole Heare this Amos 8.4.5.6.7.8 saith the Prophet Amos O yee that swallow vp the poore that ye may make the needie of the land to faile saying When will the new moone bee gone that wee may sell the corne and the Sabbath that we may set foorth wheate and make the Ephah small and the shekel great and falsifie the weights by deceit that we may buy the poore for siluer and the needie for shooes yea and sell the refuse of the wheate The Lord hath sworne by the excellencie of Iacob surely I will neuer forget any of their workes Shall not the land tremble for this and euerie one mourne that dwelleth therein Micah 6.9.10.11.12.13.14.15 The Lords voice saith the Prophet Micah crieth vnto the citie and the man of wisdome shall see thy name heare the rod and who hath appointed it Are yet the treasures of wickednesse in the house of the wicked and the skant measure that is abominable Shall I iustifie the wicked balances and the bag of deceitfull weights For the rich men thereof are full of crueltie and the inhabitants thereof haue spoken lies and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee and in making thee desolate because of thy sinnes Thou shalt eate and not be satisfied and thy casting downe shall be in the middest of thee and thou shalt take hold but not deliuer and that which thou deliuerest will I giue vp to the sword Thou shalt sow but not reape Thou shalt tread the oliues but thou shalt not annoint thee with oile make sweet wine but shalt not drinke thereof Matth. 7.2.12 Mark 4.24 Luke 6.31.38 And our Sauiour commandeth to giue a good measure pressed downe shaken together and running ouer for with what measure ye mete with the same shall men mete to you againe And whatsoeuer we would that men should doe to vs euen so must we doe to them Now no man would willinglie that another man should oppresse rob extort bribe spoile cosen deceiue indamage hurt or impouerish him by violence deceit briberie vsurie exorbitant gaine or yet by gaine and therefore according to our Sauiours rule No man ought to hurt or indamage another man by any of the foresaid waies For that which a man would not haue done to himselfe he ought not to doe it to another and as hee would that men should doe to him so let him doe to them likewise for this is the Law and the Prophets saith our Sauiour As for vsurie as it crosseth the law of nature which suffereth nothing to be emptie for we see and find that the aire which naturallie ascendeth will rather descend into the hollowest places of the earth to fill them then
that is also a Christian and consequently ruleth and laboureth not onely in the Common-wealth but also in the Church of his kingdome by protection of her spirituall and direction of her temporall estate euen that he is worthy of a double maintenance especially of such a Prince as detesteth nothing so much as the oppression of the poore and the destruction of the needy Amos. 4 1 Prou. 31 4 5. and delighteth in nothing so much as in bountie and beneficence Eccles 10.16 17 Amos 6.1.4.5.6 Deut. 17.17 A Prince that abhorreth all voluptuous intemperate and delicious liuing and that hath not taken to himselfe many wiues or many Concubines thereby to be chargeable vnto his people but such a one that as he loueth vnitie and vnion both of Britannes and of all other Christians so that hee made choyce of one to loue and shee a happie mother of most hopefull children the honorable maintenance of whom ought to bee deere and precious in our eyes A Prince I say renowned for his singular temperance continence and sobriety ouer the whole world And such a one as according to that which our Lord himselfe requireth of a Prince doth not giue himselfe to gather together in heaps much siluer and gold being borne to giue and not to gather who like vnto the Sunne hath no sooner drawne vp vapours and waters into the aire that is customes taxations and subsidies into his treasurie but as soone powreth the same downe againe vpon the earth by distributing that which he receiueth amongst his seruants English as well as Scottish as he seeth either their necessity or yet their desert doth require So that all the riuers of his reuenues rents and riches do returne into the sea of the common-wealth whence they came Finally a Prince all made of bountie and beneficence to whom God hath giuen as vnto Salomon a large heart 1 King 4.29 1 Chron. 9. both for learning and liberality euen as the sand that is on the sea shore and who deserueth no lesse at his subiects hands then as Salomon like a purueiance as their ability can reach vnto for the honorable maintenance and sustenance of himselfe and his free-parted family And this much shall it suffice to haue spoken of the maintenance of the Lords chiefe Minister to wit the Prince In the next place it followeth that we speake of the maintenance of his other Ministers to wit the Priests which rule or serue in the Church either in keeping of vniformity and good order amongst the Cleargie themselues or in reading publickly and expounding the word and ministring the sacraments vnto the people All the tithe of the land Leuit 27.30 31 32. both of the seed of the ground and of the fruit of the trees is the Lords it is holy to the Lord saith the Lord by Moses and euery tithe of bullocke and of sheep and of all that goeth vnder the rod the tenth shall be holy vnto the Lord. Deut. 14.22.23.27.29 Thou shalt giue the tithe of all the increase of thy seede that commeth forth of the field yeare by yeare the tithe of thy corne of thy wine and of thine oyle and the first borne of thy kine and of thy sheepe that thou maiest learne to feare the Lord thy God alwaies and that the Lord thy God may blesse thee in all the works of thine hands which thou doest Deut. 12.17.18.19 Thou maiest not eate within thy gates the tithe of thy corne nor of thy wine nor the first borne of thy kine nor of thy sheepe neither any of thy vowes which thou vowest nor thy free offerings nor the offering of thine hands Beware that thou forsake not the Leuite as long as thou liuest vpon the earth For behold I haue giuen the children of Leui all the tenth of Israel for an inheritance for their seruice which they serue in the congregation Deut. 26. Numb 18.12.13.17 18 19.20.21.22.23.24 euen the tithes of the children of Israel haue I giuen them Also the fat of the oyle of the wine of the wheate which they shall offer vnto the Lord for their first fruits I haue giuen them vnto thee saith the Lord to Aaron And the first ripe of all that is in their land which they shall bring vnto the Lord shall be thine as also the first borne of kine sheep and goats Nehem. 10.35.36.37.38 39. And therefore Nehemiah and Ezra doe mention how that the people after their captiuity being restored to liberty and to the enioying of their owne land amongst other duties resolued and protested before God that they would bring the first fruites of their land and of their fruit-bearing-trees yeare by yeare into the house of the Lord and the first borne of their flockes of their cattell bullockes and sheepe of their trees wine wheate and oyle vnto the Priests to the chambers of the house of our God for there the Ministers of God dwelt and the tithes of their land vnto the Leuites that they might haue the tithes in all the Cities of their trauell 2 Chron. 31.4.5.6.7.8 And of Hezekiah that godly king it is written that hee commanded the people that dwelt in Ierusalem to giue a part to the Priests and Leuites that they might be encouraged in the law of the Lord. And when the commandement was spred the children of Israel brought aboundance of first fruits of corne wine and oyle and hony and of all the increase of the field and the tithes of all things brought they aboundantly so that when Ezekiah and the Princes saw the heapes which they had brought for the space of 4. whole monethes they blessed the Lord and his people Israel Euery where the Lord doth claime first fruits and tythes as his proper possession and inheritance the which he hath allotted vnto his Priests for their perpetuall wages and peculiar patrimonie saying vnto them or rather resigning vnto them his whole title right and claime thereunto Numb 18.20 21. Deut. 10.9 18.2 Iosh 13.14.33 Ezek. 44.28.29.30 I am your inheritance part possession among the children of Israell yea the Lord is so iealous of this their right that he doth repute himselfe as spoyled and robbed with a violent and strong hand when his Ministers are defrauded of their due cursing such as with-hold from them what is theirs and blessing those that giue them their owne And as the Lord expostulating with his people for their idolatry saith vnto them Ierem. 2.11 Hath any Nation changed their Gods which yet are no Gods but my people haue changed their glory euen their God for that which doth them no good So likewise expostulating with them for their sacrilege hee saith vnto them Molach 3 8 9.10 11 12. Will a man spoyle his Gods yet haue yee spoyled mee but yee say Wherein haue wee spoyled thee in tythes offerings Ye are cursed with a curse for yee haue spoyled me euen this whole nation Bring ye all the
though he were neuer so great and mighty a man that robbeth Gods Church yea though his height did reach vnto heauen yet for all his height shall he not enter into heauen but shall fall to the earth like his owne dung and his sacrilegious soule shall stinke more vilely then his dung amids hell flames His children shall flatter the poore Vers 10. and his hands shall restore his substance As if hee should say Because the father through pride and tyranny oppressed the poore and spoyled Gods Ministers therefore God shall make the posterity of that man for pouerty and want to beg at other poore folkes doores yea that thing which the sacrilegious father tooke away by violence his barnes shall be brought to restore againe by force Vers 15.16.17 Hee hath deuoured substance and hee shall vomit it for God shall draw it out of his belly for to him it belongeth and in place thereof hee shall sucke the gall of aspes and the vipers tongue shall slay him that is his portion shall be with hypocrites and the generation of vipers for the old Serpent shall slay his soule he shall not see the riuers nor the floods and streames of hony and butter That is he shall not taste of the happinesse of the heauenly Canaan Hee on earth shut God from his inheritance on earth but in the end God shall shut him out of the earth and debarre him from heauen and hurle him headlong into hell Vers 18 19 20 21 22 23. He shal restore the labour and shall deuoure no more euen according to the substance shall bee his exchange and hee shall enioy it no more For hee hath vndone many hee hath forsaken the poore and hath spoyled houses which he builded not euen Church-mens houses yea Gods house and God himselfe hath hee spoyled Surely hee shall feele no quietnesse in his body neither shall he reserue of that which hee desired there shall none of his meate be left therefore none of his shall hope for his goods As if he should say because he would needs deuoure Gods meate and the dyet of his Ministers therfore God shall send the deuourer to deuoure his meate For when he shall bee filled with his aboundance that is with Gods portion and Church-mens prouision he shall bee in paine and the hand of all the wicked shall assaile him that is because hee was so wicked as to stretch out his hand to spoyle God therefore God shall make many wicked mens hands to spoyle him He shall be about to fill his belly to wit with Gods Ministers meate but God shall send vpon him his fierce wrath and shall cause to raine vpon him euen vpon his meat As if hee should say Ver. 14.15.16 Gods Ministers meate shall do him no good for God shall either draw it out of his belly or else he shall turne it into the gall of Aspes in the midst of him And not only shall God draw his meate out of the God-spoilers miserable belly Ver. 26.27.28.29 but he shall also draw his sacrilegious soule out of his deuouring body and it shall burne in the fire that is not blowne that is in hell fire that needeth no blowing The heauen shall declare his wickednesse for he was so impious as to spoyle the God of heauen and the earth shall rise vp against him for he was so vngracious as to robbe Gods Ministers and Vicegerents on earth the increase of his house shall goe away it shall flow away in the day of his wrath As if he should say the mans house that is increased builded or reared vp by the decrease and robbery of Gods house it shal not stand alwaies the grease and fatnesse of it shall flow away like water the pelfe and wealth thereof shall euanish and melt away like the fat of lambes or as doth the snow before the Sun Such is the portion of the wicked from God and the heritage that of GOD hee shall haue As if hee should say desolation and destruction in substance in body and soule shall bee the portion and heritage of all impenitent God-spoyling Gospellers men worse then idolaters which turne the true God into an Idoll as the other doe an Idoll into God and worship and feare neither true nor false deity A false God they know not and the true God they will not acknowledge for otherwise they would stand in awe to spoyle God of his portion and to bereaue him of his inheritance And therfore to shut vp this pleading for Gods Priestes let mee say vnto euery Student in this Art of Enriching that desireth to be rich heere and happie hence that which rich Zacheus promised to doe Luke 19.8 and practised at the time of his conuersion That euery man that hath taken from the Church or with-holden from the Church-men their tythes by sacrilegious impropriation and wicked vsurpation that hee restore with repenting Zacheus foure-fold or at least let him restore the principall stocke which he hath in his hands Let him I say listen vnto the morall exhortation of wise Salomon Prou. 3.9 Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruites of all thine increase so shall thy barnes be filled with aboundance and thy Presse shall flow ouer with new wine and to the precept of the most high vttered by the mouth of his prophet Malachie Bring euery tythe into the store-house Mallach 3.10.11.12 that there may be meate in mine house and proue me withall saith the Lord of hoasts if I will not open the windowes of heauen vnto you powre you out a blessing without measure And I will reproue the deuourer for your sakes and hee shall not destroy the fruit of the ground neither shall your vine be barren in the field saith the Lord of hoasts and all nations shall call you blessed because yee shall be a pleasant land IX Rule A man to whom God hath giuen riches and store ought to take his owne part thereof cheerefully so long as hee enioyeth the same yet so that in the meane time hee keepe himselfe from all excesse in dyet or apparrell all intemperancy luxurie superfluity drunkennesse gluttony and prodigality least God punish the abuse of his benefits with penury and pouerty Probation and declaration Eccles 9.7.8 GO eate thy bread with ioy saith Salomon and drinke thy wine with a cheerefull heart and let thy garments be white or neat for there is no profite to a man 2 24 25. 26. but that hee eate and drinke and delight his soule with the profite of his labour I saw also that this was of the hand of God Surely to a man that is good in his sight God giueth wisdome and knowledge and ioy but to the sinner he giueth paine to gather and to heape to giue to him that is good before God When goods increase 5.10.16.17.18.19 they are increased that eate them And this is also an euill sicknesse that all his
daies hee eateth in darknesse with much griefe sorrow and anger Behold then what I haue seene good that it is comly to eate and to drinke and to take pleasure in all his labour wherin he trauelleth vnder the Sun the whole number of the dayes of his life which God giueth him for this is his portion Also to euery man to whom God hath giuen riches and treasures and giueth him power to eate thereof and to take his part and to enioy his labour this is the gift of God Surely he will not much remember the daies of his life that is the painfull dayes of the time past because God answereth to the ioy of his heart 6.1 â— There is an euill which I saw vnder the Sun and it is much among men A man to whom God hath giuen riches and treasures and honour and hee wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it desireth But God giueth him not power to eate thereof but a strange man shall eate it vp this is vanity and an euill sicknesse Riches are not comely for a niggard saith Iesus the sonne of Sirach and what should he doe with money Eccles 14.3.4.5.6.10.11.14 31.23.24 Hee that gathereth together from his owne soule heapeth together for others that will make good cheere with his goods Hee that is euill vnto himselfe to whom will he be good for such a one can haue no plesure of his goods Such a man saith he enuieth himselfe the bread and withereth his own soule by the scarcenesse of his table Wherefore he exhorteth a man to do good to himselfe of that he hath and not to defraude himselfe of the good day In one word as man is apppointed to serue God and not Riches so Riches are appointed to serue Man and not Man to serue them Luke 16.13 Ye cannot serue God and Riches saith Iesus the sonne of God Wherefore the man that maketh himselfe a slaue vnto his substance it is a pitty hee should haue any place amongst free-men but that hee should bee sequestred and put apart as one stricken with an infectious disease and that on the gate of his slauish aboad should be engrauen in great letters Here dwelleth a monster a man without an heart a rich man but a slaue vnto his riches Thou that passest along and viewest his aboad spit at his doore but enter not in least that going in a free-man thou returne from thence turned into a slaue But as a man that hath wealth should take his part thereof in all cheerefull and hearty manner for what profiteth it for a man to haue goods and to want the good vse therof So must he beware on the other hand of abusing Gods benefits to intemperancy luxurie gluttony drunkennesse superfluity and excesse whether in table or attire For by this meanes hee shall both prouoke God to anger against him and bring himselfe into pouerty necessity and neede Besides that it is the custome of men for the most part not to pitty such a one as through his owne miscariage hath made himselfe poore whereas by good gouernment hee might haue had sufficient for himselfe yea also whereupon to gratifie his friends and to relieue the poore Keepe not company saith Salomon with drunkards nor with gluttons Prou. 23.20.21 for the drunkard and the glutton shall be poore and the sleeper shall be clothed with ragges He that hath pleasure in bankets saith he shall bee poore 21.17 and who so delighteth in wine and delicates shall not be rich Iesus the sonne of Sirach as he commendeth the liberall man so he condemneth the niggard and yet hee painteth out the manifold incommodities that follow vpon excesse Who so is liberall in his meate saith hee men shall blesse him Eccles 21.23.24.27.28.29.30 and the testimony of his honesty shall be beleeued but against him that is a niggard of his meate the whole Cittie shall murmure the testimonies of his niggardnesse shall be sure Yet shew not thy valiantnesse in wine for wine hath destroyed many Wine soberly drunken is profitable for the life of man what is his life that is ouercome with wine wine was made from the beginning to make men glad and not for drunkennesse Wine measurably drunken and in time bringeth gladnesse and cheerfulnes of minde but wine drunken with excesse maketh bitternes of mind with brawlings and scoldings drunkennes increaseth the courage of a foole til he offend it diminisheth his strength maketh wounds Vers 19.20 How little is sufficient for a man well taught and thereby he belcheth not in his chamber nor feeleth any paine A wholsome sleepe commeth of a temperate belly he riseth vp betimes in the morning and is well at ease in himselfe but paine in watchings and cholericke diseases and pangs of the belly are with an vnsatiable man Therefore saith hee bee not greedy in all delights 37.28.29.30 and be not too hastie in all meates for excesse of meates bringeth sicknesse and gluttony commeth into cholericke diseases by surfeit haue many perished but he that gouerneth himselfe prolongeth his life Prou. 23 29.30 31.32 To whom is woe saith the wise man to whom is sorrow to whom is strife to whom is murmuring to whom are wounds without cause and to whom is the rednesse of the eyes Euen to them that tarry long at the wine to them that go and seeke mixt wine Looke not thou vpon the wine when it is red and when it sheweth his colour in the cup or goeth downe pleasantly In the end thereof it will bite like a Serpent and hurt like a Cockatrice Whereby we are taught that excesse and superfluity doth occasion many incommodities to man not onely in his substance but also in his body and in his soule and that it maketh many a soule sinfull many a body sickly and many a man miserable and poore Wine and strong drinke immoderately vsed will steale away a mans strength be he neuer so strong yea it will steale away the strength of his soule for true fortitude cannot harbour in that heart that is alwaies swimming and bathing in the barrell of strong drinke The head that cannot bee holden from the Hogs-head but must alwaies be tumbling and tipling in the Tunne is more like vnto a hogs head indeed then a mans head the heart of him likewise yea not only shall strong drinke immoderately vsed wound the man that vseth it in his soule in his body and in his substance besides his offensiue wounding and hurting of others but also saith Salomon it will in the end bite him like a serpent and hurt him or rather kill him like a cockatrice It will euen slay him both in his soule and in his substance for as the drunkard and the glutton drinketh away and deuoureth his inheritance on earth whereby hee becommeth poore so he drinketh eateth away his inheritance in heauen to please his belly hee selleth away his part of paradice whereby he
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
8 9 101 11 16. Giue almes saith Tobias to his sonne of thy substance and when thou giuest it let not thine eye be enuious neither turne thy face from any poore least that God turne his face from thee Giue almes according to thy store if thou haue but a little be not afraid to giue a little almes for thou layest vp a good store for thy selfe against the day of necessity Because that almes doth deliuer from death and suffereth not to come into darknesse for almes is a good gift or present before the most high to all them which vse it Giue of thy bread to the hungry and of thy garments to them that are naked yea of all thine aboundance giue alms and let not thine eye bee enuious when thou giuest almes It is better to giue almes then to lay vp gold saith the glorious Angell Raphael to Tobias for almes doth deliuer from death 12 8.9 and doth purge all sinne and those which exercise almes and righteousnesse shall bee filled with life Water quencheth burning fire and almes taketh away sinnes saith Iesus the sonne of Sirach and hee that rewardeth good deedes will remember it afterwards Eccles 3.33 34. and in the time of the fall he shall finde a stay 4.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9.10 My sonne defraude not the poore of his liuing and make not the needy eyes to waite long make not an hungry soule sorrowfull neither vex a man in his necessity Trouble not the heart that is griued and desire not the gift of the needy Refuse not the praier of one that is in trouble turne not away thy face from the poore nor thine eies aside from him and giue him none occasion to speake euill of thee for if hee curse thee in the bitternesse of his soule his prayer shall be heard of him that made him Bee courteous vnto the company of the poore let it not grieue thee to bow downe thine eare vnto the poore but pay thy debt and giue him a friendly answere Bee as a father vnto the fatherlesse and as an husband vnto their mothers so shalt thou bee as the sonne of the most high and hee shall loue thee more then thy mother doth Stretch thine hand vnto the poore 7.33 34 35. that thy blessing and reconciliation may bee accomplished Liberalitie pleaseth all men liuing Tobit 2.4 7. and from the dead refraine it not Let not them that weepe bee without comfort 4.17 Bee not slow to visite the sicke for that shall make thee to be beloued Let vpright men eate and drinke with thee Eccles 9.18 and let thy reioicing bee in the feare of the Lord. Do good vnto the righteous 12.2.4.5 7. and thou shalt finde great reward though not of him yet of the most high Giue vnto such as feare God do well vnto him that is lowly 14.13 Do good vnto thy friend before thou die according to thine ability stretch out thine hand and giue him 17.20 25. The almes of a man is as a thing sealed vp before God and hee keepeth the good deedes of a man as the apple of the eye and giueth repentance to their sons daughters At the last shall hee arise and reward them and shall repay their reward vpon their heads Hee that will shew mercy 29.1.2.9.11 12.13.14 lendeth to his neighbour Lend to thy neibour in the time of his need and pay thou thy neighbour againe in due season Helpe the poore for the commandements sake and turne him not away because of his pouerty Bestow the treasure after the commandement of the most high and it shall bring thee more profite then gold Lay vp thine almes in thy secret chambers and it shall keepe thee from all affliction A mans almes is as a purse with him and shall keepe a mans fauour as the apple of the eye and afterwards shall it arise and pay euery man his reward vpon his head 40.24 It shall fight for thee against thine enemies better then the Shield of a strong man or the Speare of the mighty yea almes shall deliuer more then friends I haue shewed you all things saith Saint Paul to the Ephesians how that so labouring yee ought to support the weake Acts 20.35 and to remember the words of the Lord Iesus how that hee said It is a blessed thing to giue rather then to receiue And the same Apostle laboureth much in exhorting the faithfull to distribute vnto the necessities of the Saints Rom. 13.8.13 and to giue themselues to hospitalitie and to shew mercy with all cheerefulnesse of minde Heb. 13.2.16 Bee not forgetfull saith hee to lodge strangers for thereby haue some receiued Angels into their houses vnawares to doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is pleased This remember that hee which soweth sparingly shall reape also sparingly 2 Cor. 9 6.7.10.11 and hee that soweth liberally shall reape also liberally As euery man wisheth in his heart so let him giue not grudgingly or of constraint for God loueth a cheerefull giuer Also he that findeth seede to the sower will minister likewise bread for food and multiply your seed and increase the fruits of your beneuolence that on all parts ye may be made rich vnto all liberalitie which causeth through vs thankesgiuing vnto God Gal. 6.9.10 Let vs not be weary of well-doing for in due season wee shall reape if wee faint not While we haue therefore time let vs doe good vnto all men but specially vnto them which are of the houshold of faith 1 Tim. 6.17.18.19 And hee enieoyneth Timothie the first Bishop of Ephesus to charge them that are rich in this world that they doe good and be rich in good works and ready to distribute and communicate laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life Whosoeuer hath this worlds goods 1 Ioh. 3.17 saith the Disciple whom the Lord Loued and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him The Apostle S. Iames Iam. 127. 2.1.2 3 4.5 6.13 14 15 16. and first Bishop of Ierusalem teacheth vs that we must not despise the poore for their pouerty and course clothing seeing God hath chosen the poore of this world that they should bee rich in Faith and heires of the kingdome which hee promised to them that loue him He likewise warneth vs how there that shall bee iudgment mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercy to him that will not fill the hungry belly and clothe the naked backe for pure religion and vndefiled before God the father saith he is this to vesit the fatherlesse and widows in their aduersitie and for a man to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world 1. Pet 4.8 9.10 Aboue all things saith S. Peter the first of the
soule to drinke yea to sinke in the infernall flood of Gods furie Then shall the poore soule say Woe is mee that I had so much riches yea too much though once I thought a man could not haue too much Amos 4.2 Prou. 30.15 but said alwaies bring bring giue giue and woe is me I gaue so little almes vpon so much as I had for if I had not had so much and done so little good with my so much goods I should not now haue tasted of so much torment What a foole was I Luk. 12 48 that would not beleeue the true saying of the master of Truth Vnto whomsoeuer much is giuen of him much shall bee required Good Lord how is it possible that men can looke for so much good and glorie at Christs hands who will yet giue so little of their goods or nothing at all vnto him and his for his sake How can they hope at his hands to be fed with the bread of life the hidden Manna from aboue or refreshed with the water of life out of the fountaine of the Paradice of God or cloathed with the white robe of righteousnesse and couered with the garmenâ—… of glorie or redeemed from their spirituall debts and deliuered from the bondage and fetters of sinne and Satan brought into the fruition and libertie of Gods kingdome How is it possible I say that such men as doe behaue themselues in the behalfe of Christs poore members so vncharitably should expect at Christs hands for such great and inestimable goods With what face I say can the man craue or yet hope to receiue at Christs hands the bread and drinke of eternall life that will refuse to minister vnto him or his members for his sake the bread and drinke of this transitorie and temporall life or how can hee expect to haue the filthie nakednesse of his soule couered with the white-red robes of Christs righteousnesse in this life and after this life to bee clothed both soule and body with the robe-royall of glorie who wil refuse now to couer Christs nakednesse with a peece of his course cloth or with his old clothes It is recorded of the first Christians Act. 2.44 45 4.34 35. that they had all things common for they sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as euery one had need so that there was none among them that lacked Was it so then mercifull God how vnlike are our Christians of these last times vnto those of the first times euen as vnlike vnto them in deuotion and charitie as were the feet of Nebuchadnezzars image vnto the head thereof in nature and qualitie Dan. 2.32 33. The head of the image was of fine gold but the feet of it were part of yron and part of clay And the first Christians were euen fine as the finest gold of Ophir they were tried fined euery day in the furnace of affliction godlinesse to them was gaine and their glorie was not to gather and hoord vp gold but to giue their gold and their goods vnto the poore and needie members of Christ Iesus yea euen to forsake their gold and their goods and to lay downe their liues for Christs sake And such was the godlinesse and goodnesse the pietie and charitie of those golden times But wee Christians of these last times are more like vnto the feet of Nebuchadnezzars image which were of yron and clay mingled together Our hearts are hard as yron we take no pitie nor compassion vpon the poore they are hard as an Adamant they are hardly mooued with any contrition or sorrow for sinne As they are void of compassion in behalfe of the poore so are they of compunction for our manifold trespasses Our hands are hard as yron and in a manner made of yron for they are more readie to bruize and breake our poore brethren by oppression extortion vsurie robberie and all kind of hard and cruell vsage then to helpe them any whit Our soules as they are lodged in tabernacles of clay so are they almost turned into a clay eie substance for what other thing doe wee mind but claie and corruptible things Our affections are set vpon the things that are belowe and wee are wholly consumed with worldly cares So that looke how great oddes there is betweene gold and yron mingled with clay betweene the head and the feet of that image as great oddes is there betweene the Christians of the first and last times The first Christians were sellers of their substance to the end they might giue vnto the poore but the last Christians are many of them buyers of the substance and taskers of the goods of the poore The first Christians had the vse of all things necessarie common but the last Christians haue the vse of all things priuate The first Christians parted their goods among such as had neede but the last Christians doe rather plucke and pull from such as doe neede Finally the first Christians suffered none amongst them to lacke but the last Christians suffer many multitudes of their poore brethren not onely to lacke but euen to lose their liues for want Except your righteousnesse saith our Sauiour exceed the rihhteousnesse of the Scribes Pharises Matth. 5.20 yee shall not enter into the kingdome of God And may it not be well said That except the charitie of Christians equalize at least if not exceed the charitie of the heathen Lacedemonians who sufferered none in their commonwealth to want we shall not nor cannot prooue worthy of such a king as is the sonne of God nor of such a kingdome as is the kingdom of heauen Matth. 12.41 The men of Niniue saith our Soueraigne shall rise in iudgement with this generation and condemne it for they repented at the preaching of Ionas and behold a greater then Ionas is here So may it be well said The men of Lacedemon shall rise in iudgement with vs Christians of the last times condemne vs for they did communicate their goods amongst themselues at the appointment of their Law-giuer Lycurgus and behold a greater then Lycurgus hath enioyned vs to doe the like to communicate not indeede the right and possession it selfe as the Anabaptists doe dreame but the vse of our goods onely for the mutual reliefe of one another O then the vnspeakable shame that heathen men should doe more for the commandement of a temporall law-giuer or king then we Christians for the law and counsell of the eternall law-giuer and the king of the whole world Or that men liuing vnder the obscure light of nature should be so charitable and we who liue vnder the cleere light of grace should proue so mercilesse and miserable EXAMPLES OF DIuers regular Students in the Art of Enrichiching which did all practise the Rules of this Art and were blessed of God HAuing set downe the precepts and rules of this art being ten in number and hauing verified and iustified the same by
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
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
were void of charitie and mercie Pride saith the Prophet fulnesse of bread and aboundance of idlenesse was in her and in her daughters that is in her suburbs and circumiacent townes neither did they strengthen the hands of the poore and needie but were hautie and committed abhomination before the Lord and therefore he rained downe from aboue fire and brimstone vpon their heads ouerthrewe their cities consumed all the inhabitants of the same and destroyed all the plaine round about and all that grew thereupon As it ought therefore to bee the chiefe care of all magistrates of cities and townes to take heed there be no blaspheming and prophaning of the name of God vsed by wearing banning cursing or by vnreuerent taking of the adorable name of God and of his sonne Iesus his wounds body blood in our mouthes nor no prophaning of the Lords day by practising any open or noted sinne or by following the exercises of our ordinarie callings or by spending the day in whole or in part in matters of worldly pleasure and pastime and by absenting our selues from the congregation and house of the Lord for it is an expresse sacriledge for a man to steale or take any part of the Lords day from the Lords seruice So ought they no lesse carefully take heed that none of these Sodomiticall sinnes of pride insolencie idlenesse lecherie gluttonie drunkennesse and vnmercifulnesse to the poore haue place or at least growe strong and take deepe roote within their cities and townes lest in that great day it bee easier for the Citizens of Sodome and Gomorrhe then for them Matth. 11.20 21 22 23 24. and lest great Cities that haue beene great in sin and Capernaum-like through presumption and pride haue lifted themselues vp vnto heauen be then brought downe to hell For though Almightie GOD is not woont now a daies to raine downe fire and brimstone vpon sinfull Cities and Townes as hee did of old vpon the fiue Cities of Sodome yet hee threatneth them both with fire and water as often as he commaundeth the fire to consume and the water to ouerflow not a few of our houses and habitations And though sinfull Cities escape here in this life fire and brimstone from aboue yet must they remember that God hath in store flouds and riuers of fire and brimstone below much more durable terrible wherin they must euerlastingly swimme after this life except with the Citie of Niniueh Ionah 3. they earnestly repent and amend their liues in this life For either must men here quench hell fire with the salt water of penitent teares and with the fresh water of a sanctified life flowing from the liuing wel-spring of a Christian beliefe or else must they irrecouerably burne in hell fire hereafter Psal 11 6. Vpon the wicked hee shall raine snares saith the Psalmist fire and brimstone and stormie tempest shall bee the portion of their cup Heb. 12.14 For without holinesse shall no man see God saith the Apostle It is good for great Cities to beware least they bee giuen to great sinnes and that to this end they set before their eyes alwaies the terrible examples of Gods iudgements shewed vpon sinfull Cities that so they may learne to stand in awe of God and feare to offend him least they draw the like indignation and condemnation vpon their heads For as the great Apostle saith 2 Pet. 2.4.5.6 If God spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell and deliuered them into chaines of darknesse to bee kept vnto damnation neither yet spared the old world but brought the floud vpon the vngodly and turned the Cities of Sodome and Gomorrhe into ashes condemned them and ouerthrew them and made them an ensample vnto them that after should liue vngodly shall we thinke that he will spare alwayes such sinfull Cities and Citizens as do now walke after the flesh hauing so many cleere examples for their instruction as they haue and hauing a cleere light for their direction to liue godly righteously and soberly in this present world then the other had and if the Lord plagued the Citie where his name was called vpon euen Ierusalem as the Lord himselfe by his Prophet reasoneth should wee flatter our selues Ierem. 25.15 16 17 18 19 20. and thinke to goe free no we shall not goe quit The inhabitants of Babel Ierem. 51.1.6 7 8 13 25 34 35 36 37 38 39 53 56.57 were not onely idolaters but also irregulars in attaining vnto riches by couetousnesse oppression spoyle and destruction of other nations namely of the people of God Wherefore the Lord speaketh vnto Babel in this manner O thou that dwellest vpon many waters aboundant in treasures thine end is come euen the end of thy couetousnesse Behold I come vnto thee O destroying mountaine saith the Lord which destroyest all the earth and I will stretch out mine hand vpon thee and roll thee downe from the rockes and will make thee a burnt mountaine Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babel hath deuoured me and destroyed mee hee hath made me an empty vessel he swallowed me vp like a dragon and filled his belly with my delicates and hast cast me out The spoyle of mee and that which was left of me is brought vnto Babel shall the inhabitants of Syon say and my bloud vnto the inhabitants of Chaldea shall Ierusalem say Therefore thus saith the Lord behold I will maintaine thy cause and take vengeance for thee and Babel shall be as heapes a dwelling place for dragons an astonishment and an hissing without an inhabitant They shall roare together like Lions and yell as the Lions whelpe Though Babel should mount vp to heauen and though shee should defend her strength on high yet from me shall her destroiers come saith the Lord For the Lord God that recompenseth shall surely recompence And I will make drunke her Princes and her wise men her Dukes and her Nobles and her strong and mightie men and they shall sleepe a perpetuall sleepe and not wake saith the king whose name is the Lord of Hostes Flie out of the middest of Babel and deliuer euery man his soule bee not destroyed in her iniquity for this is the time of the Lords vengeance hee will render vnto her a recompence Babel is suddenly fallen and destroyed howle for her bring balme for her soare if that shee may bee healed Forsake her and let vs goe euery one into his owne Country for her iudgement is come vp into heauen and is lifted vp to the cloudes Ezek. 26 27.28 The inhabitants of Tyrus both Prince and people were irregulars in the way of Enriching For they were so couetous and insolent therewithall that they were very glad and reioyced exceedingly at the fall of Ierusalem promising unto themselues that by the meanes of her desolation and impouerishment they should bee made rich And therefore the Lord gaue them and their Citie ouer into the handes of the