life Amen Your well willer in the Lord. W. W. A Meditation vpon the 26. verse of the 11. Chap. of the Prouerbes which may fitly be called The poore-mans Plea Pro. 11. verse 26. He that withdraweth Corne the people will curse him but blessing shall be vpon his head that selleth Corne. LIke as for the incitation and stirring vp of good men vnto vertue godlines there are many priuiledges and promises set downe in Gods worde for their further encouragement and going forward therein So againe on the other side for the terrour and reproofe of the wicked there are many sentences and sayings recorded to the end they might desist leaue off their wickednes and turne to the Lord their God Amongst which this is one that I haue read vnto you and yeeldeth most euident demonstration as in the seuerall parts thereof which are a curse and a blessing may ealsiy be gathered For in the first part it is saide He that withdraweth Corne the people will curse him from whence we may first learne that like as it is not vnlawfull to keepe or lay vp Corne in time of plenty against a time of scarsitie and dearth or want as Ioseph did in Aegipt so in time of scarfitie and dearth when we may conueniently spare it others doe want it then to with-holde the selling of or to keepe it hutched vp in our barnes Ricks or Garners in hope to raise the price of it and to enrich our selues by vndooing or famishing of others is a verie inhumane and vnchristian part And this is it that the Holy Ghost reporteth in this place a common fault at this day for as wee are taught by the Lawe and the Prophets To doe as wee would bee done vnto as we reade in Mat. 7. verse 12. Now say then that this were thy case or mine as it is of manye thousands that either of vs did want foode or rayment would we be content so to be dealt withall as to giue or paye double or treble the price for eyther as they were vsed to be sold at or as in any equitie or conscience they are worth for so are many compelled to do or else they cannot haue them And all because that many through couetousnesse and crueltie and hardnes of heart are giuen so many waies to with-drawe their Corne from their Bretheren as they doe For not only doe they hutch and hide it vp in their Barnes Rickes and Garners not vouchsafing to store the Markets with it as they ought But also when they bring out any it is in so scant and pinching a manner and measure and at so hie a price that the poore who moste do want it are neuer the neere beeing not able to compasse it Besides this when they cannot sell it at their own price that they would haue for it they set it vp or send it home againe and then transport it by water beyond Seas vnto some other place of Marte where they may sell it at their pleasure And by all these waies may it be said that they with draw their Corne from the people as first when they bring it not to the market secondly when they sell it or hold it at too deere a price and thirdly when they transport it to other places and therefore it were good that all such with-drawers of Corne from the people or from the Market did well consider of this that the holy Ghost hath heere left recorded for the opening of their hearts if they be not past cure as I feare me many of them be for he that doth either miserably hutch it vp in his Barne as the rich man mentioned in the 12. of S. Luke that built his barnes bigger or hold the price so hie that the poore cannot reach it as many did in the daies of the prophet Amos Chap. 8. 5. saying When will the new Moone be gone that we may sell Corne and the Saboath that we may set foorth wheate and make the Ephah small and the shekel greate and falsifie the weights by deceit or vnneighbourly transport it vn to other nations or people as many amongst vs do at this day the which how dreadfull and damnable a thing it is we may learne by these manifolde Doctrines and diuine dueties which Christ our Sauiour hath left recorded in his holyword teaching vs the contrary As namely first of all to be merciful and therfore saith Bee mercifull as your heauenly father is mercifull meaning thereby that wee should rather giue Corne and other foode franckly and freelye vnto those that want it then by any cruell and couetous meanes to with-draw it from them as our Saniour plainely in an other place saith Giue to euerie man that asketh frō him that wold borrow turn not thy face away This also was the meaning of Saint Iohn when he saide Whosoeuer hath this worlds goods and seeth his brother want and releeueth him not how dwelleth the loue of God in him Beside our Salomon heere v. 25. saith to the same purpose That the soule of the liberall waxeth fat and he that giueth plentifully shal poure foorth As if he would say as we commonly say he shall haue neuer the lesse at the yeres end yet so diffident and distrustfull are many in this case that they will rather say with the Prince mentioned in 2. Reg. 7. 2. who when Eliza prophesied of plenty the day folowing answered the man of God thus Though the Lord would make windowes in heauen could this come to passe so diffident I say are many now adoies especially of these withdrawers of Corne that if a man speake to them in the word of the Lord that is perswading or exhorting them to liberallitie towards the poore or vnto destributing of their Corne to the needy at a reasonable price by any the sentences or sayings of Christ or manner of his miracles wrought vnto that end as we may beholde by the encrease of the fiue barly-loaues two fishes seauen loaues and a few fishes at an other time they wil answer as the prince before named answered Eliza Though the Lord would make windowes in heauen c. For which cause let this be knowne againe vnto them that he which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly As by the example of Diues that rich withdrawer of Corne and bread for by Corne heere you may vnderstand bread drink cloth coin or any such like thing that would not vouchsafe poore Lazarus the crustes nor crummes of his trencher when he lay at his gate begging for them how righteously was he rewarded againe when he would haue had of Abraham but one drop of water to coole the heat of his tongue being tormented in hell fire and could not haue it a speciall document or warning to all with-drawers of Corne Coyne Cloth or comfort from their bretheren in time of necessitie and distresse Other examples are left recorded in Gods word to this end and purpose viz. to stir vp the hard hearts of
as the Lord hath three manner of waies broken our staffe of bread so there may be gathered three speciall causes more iustly procuring the same then the rest Like as we read that the sinnes of Sodome and Gomore were pride fulnes of bread that is gluttony and drunkennes aboundance of idlenes and not strengthning the hand of the poore yet when we rightly consider of their punishment we shall finde that as they burned in vnlawfull lust one towards an other so were they burned and consumed with fire and brimstone from heauen like as our late Arch-traytors that intended to blow vp others with Gunne-pouder were some of them stroke downe with the same and others so scorched that they carried it to their graues So righteous is God in all his waies and holy in all his workes Thus in like manner may we suppose that of this threefold breaking our staffe of bread there may be gathered three capitall crimes or principall causes aboue the rest As first our great contempt of the heauenly Manna and sweete foode of our soules our disobedience to the word of God I meane so plentifully and purely preached amongst vs. And this dooth DAVID most plainely prooue in the ps 81. verse 13. whereas he saith O that my people would haue hearkened vnto me That is vnto my word preached amongst them and Israell had walked in my waies Marke the answere verse 16. Then would I haue fed them with the fat of wheat and with hony out of the rocke would I haue sufficed thee As if he would haue saide because ye haue not hearkened to my word nor obeyed the same I haue scanted your bread and broken the staffe thereof But heere haply you will say of what manner of persons is the word of God so despised as you speake of First of the Recusant Papists that will not heare it read nor preached except it be ofa Masse priest and that in the latine tongue Secondly of the Precisian that cares not to heare it read in the church at all nor preached except it be of such a minister as doth refuse subscription Yea but those are esteemed and taken for the most zealous professours of al They would indeed be so accounted but I finde by experience that they haue done more harme in the Church thē euer the Recusant papists did that would not come to church at all For heereby the ministery is reproached the word despised and the people so destracted that wheras before they were very attentiue to the word read and preached and duely resorted to their seuerall parishes now they runne some one way and some another as it were so many sheep without a Shepheard not suffering wholesome doctrine but hauing their eares itching do after their owne lusts get them an heape of teachers euen as S. Paul long since prophesied 2. Tim. 4. verse 3. The third and last sort of them that contemne the word are those old and cold protestants that do vsually and daily come and sit before the minister heare but how none otherwise then those Isralites of whome the Prophet Ezechiel maketh mention saying For they come to thee as the people vse to come my people sit before thee and heare thy words but they will not doe them for with their mouthes they make iestes and their heart goeth after their couetousnes and loe thou art vnto them as a iesting song of one that hath a pleasant voyce and can sing well for they heard thy words but they do them not And thus is the word of God contemned in a manner of all or at the least of the greatest part of the people amongst vs. The second cause of this our staffe of breade broken is as I take it the corrupting or abusing of those good creatures of Wheate and Barlye which God so plentifully hath heretofore powred downe vpon vs as for many yeares past they haue bin But happily you wil say wherin or how haue we abused thē Behold I wil shew you First of wheat wherwith the Lord hath made as a sure promise to feede vs with the finest Flower therof haue not we turned it from the right vse thereof in filling our bellyes vnto the fineing of our necks by chāging it from making of bread into making of starch a most vile and abhominable abuse when you shall haue in some one little town in this Land as much wheat weekly spent in making of Starch as in making of bread and as for the other graine of Barlie who knowes not how many waies it is and hath bin mispent of many some feeding their Hogs some their Dogs and Horses therewith where as Christ himselfe was content to feede himselfe therewith feasted many thousands Others conuerting it into mault in such excessiue manner and measure as passeth to speake of then transporting it who knowes whether that both the price is enhaunsed therby as you see drūkennes dayly maintained for what is it to haue an hundred bushels of Mault brewed in one little Towne euerie weeke in the yeare where as twentie would suffice One of the sinnes of Sodome was as you haue heard fulnesse of bread so I may say that one of the chiefe sinnes of this land is fulnesse of drinke and surely not the least nor in the last place of those which haue caused this our Staffe of breade to be broaken For if a man do but note the abhominable quaffing and carowsing with kneeling on their knees to their God Bacchus I suppose as it is vsed in many places in taking of their liquor it would make any Christian heart to ake to beholde or heare thereof This I say I take to be not onely the cause or one of the causes why the staffe of our corporall foode is broken but also of our Spirituall in so many places scanted through the strength of many who are strong to set vp drunkennesse as the Prophet Esay writeth Capter 5. who should bee rather dealing and distributing of that liquor of the which if a man once taste or drinke of hee shall neuer more be a thirst as our sauiour showeth Io. 4. 14. This is it that the Prophet Amos meant saying Chapter 8. 11. Beholde the daies come saith the Lord that I will bring a Famine in the land not a Famine of Breade nor a thirst of water but of hearing the word of the Lord. Which famine euen in these our daies of dearth scarsitie hath not bene a little threatned and which thirst is tē thousand times worse then the former For this is the famine of the soule and the spirituall drought that the Prophet Ieremy speaketh of Chap. 30. ver 38 saying Siccitas super aquas A drought is vpon his waters and they shall be dryed vp c. For by how much the soule is more precious then the body by so much the more is the death or famine of it to be lamented then of the other But heere it may bee demaunded whether that the
prolonged his daies for 15 yeres afterward so examples might be giuen of many others Againe it may bee answered that Soule in this place is taken for the life of man as Ionas delareth the like Io. 4. 3. saying And now O Lord I beseech thee to take away my life for it is better for me to die then liue Where the Latine word which is put for life is Anima which signifieth the soule so that the righteousnesse of any man that is his perfection vprightnesse or holinesse of life is but to deliuer him from some temporall Plague or punishment and not that neither except hee require and seeke it at the handes of God in and by the righteousnesse merits and Mediation of Iesus Christ By whome as the Apostle saith Col. 4. 13 I am able to doe all thinges by the helpe of Christ who strengthneth me and without whome we are able to do nothing as himselfe teacheth Ion. 15. vers 5. saying Sine me potest is nihil Without mee yee can doe nothing But dooth not this gaine say the opinion of our aduersaries the Papists both for Inuocation Saints and for merrit of workes let it be well considered that followeth and ye shall see The words that followe are these Saith the Lord which words are added for a confirmation of the former Doctrine in mine opinion as if the holy Ghost had foreseene as no doubt but he did how much heereafter it would bee impugned as wee see how it is come to passe at this day amongst our aduersaries the Papists who relye much vpon the helps and audience of persons departed this life and also teach and holde both the merrit of the person and of the worke affirming that there is such a dignitie in the person that Infants dying immediatelye after Baptisme are worthy of eternall life because although they want good workes yet are not voide of this kinde of merrit And for the merrit of workes they say there is such a dignitie or excellencie in the work wherby it is made fit enabled to deserue euerlasting life for the dooer For works as they holde are meritorious two waies First by couenant because God hath made a promise of reward to them Secondly by their owne dignitie for Christ hath merited that they should merit as they say both which pointes are sufficiently repelled by this our Text wherein the prophet saith Though these three men Noe Daniel and Iob c. which were as holy worthy and excellent as euer were any yet they shal deliuer but their own soules by their owne righteousnesse By which falleth to ground all merrit of workes as well of congruo and condigno as of supererogation that because partlye as our text saith They shall deliuer but their own soules as also because no flesh is righteous in his sight whereby neither Infants how young soeuer they die who are defiled in the wombe and elders who liue they neuer so long yet cannot boast of one daies cleanenesse nor iustly say my heart is pure further because all our dignitie excellencie and righteousnes is non otherwise thē a defiled cloath finally if any man would builde vp inuocation of Saints heeron besides the verie expresse words of our Text the Apostle Saint Paul will tell vs that there is but one mediator betweene God and man euen Iesus Christ who gaue himselfe a ransome for al men to be a testimonie in due time 1. Tim. 2. 5. 6. And so as God which is the God of al trueth hath spoken and said Though Noe Daniel and Iob were amongst them yet they shall deliuer but their owne soules by their righteousnesse which may teach vs not to build our saluation vpon any mans holines guifts or perfection but rather euerie man to looke vnto God and to the doctrine of his holy word which teacheth first that the iust shall liue by faith and secondly that he will reward euerie man according to his workes that is to them which by continuance in well dooing seeke glorie and honor and immortallitie eternall life but vnto them that are contentious and disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnesse shall be indignation and wrath Therefore let no man so deuote himselfe vnto other men though they seeme as holy iust and righteous as Noe Dantel and Ioh that in respect of thē him or them they contemne all others A common fault in these daies God for his mercies sake giue vs eies to see and hearts to vnderstand the holy misteries of his sacred word that we be not onely hearers of the same but doers also And for so much as by our sins we haue caused thy iudgements of dearth and famine with the rest to be powred vpon vs giue vs O Lord a true touch and feeling thereof inwardly in our hearts that wee dally no longer with our selues in our sinnes and abuse of thy good creatures but rather consider with our selues how farre and how much we haue thereby prouoked thy wrath remembring also that for eating one peece of an Apple thou expelledst Adam out of Paradice for one lye thou destroyedst Ananias and Zaphira And for gathering of a few stickes on the Saboath day thou causedst that Israelite to bee stoned But our sinnes against thee committed haue not bene by one and by one but by Millions and Thousands so that if we should take vpon vs to number them wee know not where to begin nor how to make an end And yet thou continuest holy sendest foorth the light of thy word and the found of thy Trumpet to awake and raise vs vp and to guide our feet into the way of peace O Lord make vs wise vnto the kingdome of heauen that we may no longer relye vpon our owne wits workes or wisdome which is carnal sensual and diuelish but teach vs how to deliuer our owne soules by our righteousnesse that thou maist deliuer both our soules and bodies from all euill both heere in the kingdome of grace and there heereafter in the kingdome of glorie that we thy Church militant may be like thy Church Tryumphant and that by the merits and mediation of Iesus Christ onely in whome are all thy promises both yea and Amen Vnto which Iesus Christ with thee O father and the holy Ghost our comforter three persons in one eternall and blessed deitie be giuen all praise power glorie and benediction both now and for euer Amen A prouerbe pronounced to all the cruell couetous and hard hearted Corne-maisters Cloath-maisters and al other olde Pinching penny-fathers at this day amongst vs who esteem more of their vnrighteous Mammon then of the counsell of Christ our blessed Sauiour who aduertiseth them to make them friends therof in due time that they might be receiued into euerlasting tabernacles and yet will not FOr as much as it is saide by Christ our Sauiour in his holy Gospell that it is easier for a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to
enter into the kingdome of GOD And againe in the selfe same place That it is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen I maruaile that the rich men of these our daies do no better looke vnto it then many of them doe especiallye such as hauing the substance of this world in such superfluitie and aboundance as they haue for was it not vppon great reason that our Sauiour did so say seeing that the desire of money is the root of all euill and they that will be rich fall into tēptation and snares and into manye foolish and noysome lusts which drown mē in perdition destructiō as we may easily see perceiue both by the manifolde vanities they doe embrace and maintaine as also by the sundrie wickednesses and corruptions they doe commit through the power and strength I would say the vaine hope confidence they haue in their wealth some building Babel or Towers of confusion some heaping vp Mydaes mountaines and cannot tell who shall inherit or dispend them Some as Diues in vanities of apparell some in superfluitie of meats wines drinks c some in hawking hunting Cock-fighting Beare-bayting Dycing dauncing and others in Tobacco taking dispending their reuenewes or the greatest part thereof for what is it to see a yong man of twentie foure yeres healthy in body sound in constitution to dispend an hundred markes per annum in Tobacco when as his Father Grandfather whole generation before him happilye neuer in all their time spent one farthing that way What a vanitie is it then for a man to spend so much that way without the which hee may liue wel enough Besides if a man should rip vp the treacheries and treasons that haue beene from time to time complotted amongst the richer sort we shall finde it moste true that Salomon saith Pro. 10 16. The labour of the righteous tendeth to life but the reuenues of the wicked to sin As if hee would say more plainly the wicked spend al their lands rents reuenues liuings for the most part in euil vngodly waies 1. In one kinde of vanity or other such as I haue shewed which how true it falleth out in these daies who seeth not Amongst all which wickednesses vanities or sinnes there is not a greater in mine opinion then this that is heere mentioned in this sentence following Him that with draweth the Corne the people wil cursse c. For how be it that other vanities and corruptions doe bring destruction to the dooers thereof and to some few of their posteritie This reacheth further euen to the whole multitude or number of the poore which is so infinite that it cannot easily be numbred And by how much the more any euil sparseth it selfe abroad or groweth more generall by so much the more it is reprooueable and to be condemned Then high time it is for the greate ones of this world the greate rich Diueses I meane that spend so manye poundes and pence in meere vanities in effecting or bringing to passe so many great greenous corruptions as many of them do to looke consider with themselues in time what will bee the end of all this verilye none other then what is expressed in this prouerb sentence of Salomon heere following First that they shall but gaine the curse of the people Secondly of God for the preuenting and auoiding of both which I haue thought good to giue this admonition to all that haue their eyes open I meane any sparke of grace that they might yet in time bethinke themselues and turne to the Lord from their euill waies Be counselled therefore Oye rich receiue the word of exhortation make friendes of your vnrighteous Mammon sell that you haue and giue almes For what auantageth it a man to winne the whole world and to loose his owne soule Attend vnto the voice of him that once saide Woe be vnto you rich for you haue your consolation Wherefore learne to suffer some affliction heere in this life that yee bee not afflicted in the world to come We are taught in the word of God to beare one anothers burden beare ye therefore some part of this crosse with your poore bretheren that are so hardlye pressed with pennurie dearth and famine Bethink with your selues how many good dueties yee haue beene called vnto how many good occasions haue bene ministred and how many by you omitted of euery of which ye shal be sure one day to giue an account But yet me thinks I heare the voice of Christ saying in mine eare T is easier for a Camell to goe through the eye of an needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen Yea but what do the rich men pleade for themselues in this case namelye thus that although it be vnpossible with men yet not vnpossible with God well I graunt it yet I say were it not better for a man to make his election sure and certaine vnto him then to stand vpon possibilities wee commonlye say better is one bird in hand then two in the bush so I say it were far better for men to make their election sure by dooing of good works while space grace is offered then with the fiue foolish virgins to runne vp and down from one to another to buy oyle for their lampes when none can be had for any money Who knoweth not that there is nothing impossible with God Christ saued the theese vpon the gallowes repenting that was one of his possibilities to approoue himselfe to bee God but shall men therefore play the theeues all the daies of their liues and rob God of his honour as many doe the poore of their goods and say nothing is vnpossible with God is not this rather to tempt God then to serue him to resist the Lord then to obey him he so dayly calling vpon them by the Doctrine of his word to be liberall to be mercifull to bee louing kinde and naturally affected one towards another and yet it cannot be obtained at our hands nor wrung out of the hearts of many who are so wonne by the world that they will not leaue off to treasure vp vengeance for themselues against the day of the wrath of the Lord who will reward euerye man according vnto his workes which one found of the Lords Trumpet were sufficient to make a breach in our obstinate soules if it were well attended vnto and to cause vs to abhorre sinne as a Serpent or at the least to conceiue some feare in committing thereof and continuing therein so resolute as many do God for his mercies sake in Iesus Christ vouchsafe to lighten the eyes and open the hearts of those that are either so wilfullye blinde or hardned in heart that they will not see nor vnderstād those things which are so apparāt before their faces that they may in good time bee conuerted from their euill waies to serue the Lord in all holy obedience and newnesse of