the great Bishop of our soules can serue God and riches And it is to such seruers and immoderate louers of riches 6.24.25 that he saith Woe bee to you that are rich for ye haue receiued your consolation Woe be to you that are full for yee shall hunger Finally it is chiefly of such as trust in their riches and serue them and loue them more then God or their poore brethren Mat. 19.23 24. that our Sauiour giueth out this verdict Verily I say vnto you that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen yea I say vnto you againe Marke 11.23 Luke 12.5 18.24 it is easier for a Camell or a Cable-rope to go through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God Wherefore take heede and beware of couetousnesse saith our Sauiour for though a man haue aboundance yet his life standeth not in his riches VIII Rule The man that would procure Gods blessing for the augmentation and conseruation of his store both to himselfe to his posterity must shew himselfe thankful to God in blessing praising him for his benefites and in giuing vnto God that which is Gods to wit first fruites tithes vnto his Friests and likewise in giuing vnto Caesar that which is Caesars That is to say he must giue vnto the prince but chiefly if he be a Christian Prince as being Gods great Minister and Deputy for the good gouernment of his people be they Ecclesiasticall or secular persons a proportionable proportion of his goods tribute subsidie whensoeuer he standeth in need And this ought each one to do with all possible good will readinesse and cheerfulnes of mind without grudging resisting and rebelling loue we our wealth neuer so well Probation and Declaration VVHen thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe saith Moses Deut. 8.10 15 12 13 14. thou shalt blesse the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath giuen thee beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God least when thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe and hast builded goodly houses and dwelt therein and thy beasts and thy sheepe are increased and thy siluer and gold is multiplyed and all that thou hast is encreased then thine heart be lifted vp Prou. 3.9.10 Honour the Lord with thy riches saith Salomon and with the first fruits of all thine increase so shall thy barnes bee filled with aboundance and thy presse shall burst with new wine Aboue all things saith Iesus the sonne of Sirach giue thankes vnto him that hath made thee Eccles 32.14 7.29.30 and replenished thee with his goods Feare the Lord with all thy soule and honor his Ministers Loue him that made thee with all thy strength and forsake not his seruants Exod. 22.28.29 Thou shalt not speake euill of the ruler of thy people saith the Lord by his seruant Moses thine aboundance and thy liquor shalt thou not keepe backe Whereby we are giuen to vnderstand that we must not thinke or speake vnreuerently of the Prince for crauing of subsidie or requiring of tribute neither must wee deny him or keepe backe from him a part and portion of our store if he stand in need therof or require it at our hands as also we must beware least by our murmuring against the Ruler wee doe procure vnto our selues at Gods hands the diminution of our aboundance and store Math 22.17.21 17.24 25 26.27 And therefore our Sauiour being asked concerning the paying of tribute to Caesar answered thus Giue vnto Caesar the things which are Caesars and vnto God the things which are Gods Luk. 20 21 22 23 24 25. Likewise the holy Apostle exhorteth men to all dutifulnesse and obedience in the behalfe of Princes Rom. 13 1.5.6.7 Let euery soule saith hee be subiect vnto the higher powers not because of wrath onely but also for conscience sake For this cause saith he yee pay also tribute for they are Gods ministers applying themselues for the same thing Giue therefore to all men their dutie tribute to whom yee owe tribute custome to whom custome feare to whom feare honor to whom ye owe honor He also enioyneth Titus the first Bishop of Crete Tit. 3.1 2. to put the people in remembrance that they should bee subiect to the principalities and powers and that they bee obedient and ready to euery good worke And truly if it be a good worke for the brother to relieue the brother in his neede with a portion of his goods it cannot but be a farre better worke for the children to releiue the parent in his neede Now the Prince is the parent of the patrie and the great and common father of this great family the subiects are the Princes children and therefore they are bound to impart vnto him a part and portion of their goods when as his neede presseth him to require the same at their hands And the Apostle telling vs that Princes are Gods Ministers in the very leuying and taking of tribute doth teach vs that when we pay tribute vnto Princes or affoord them any such furtherance subsidie or reliefe that we doe it not so much vnto them as vnto God himselfe For what good office soeuer we performe at any time vnto Gods Ministers but chiefly to his chiefe Minister that hee doth repute as done vnto himselfe And therefore wee ought to obey the Prince in this duty as in all other not onely for feare of his anger and indignation but also for the conscience we must make of our Christian vocation and subiectionall condition 1 Pet. 2.17 Feare God honor the King saith the blessed Apostle S. Peter An exhortation worthy of all Bishops Prelates and Patriarkes to whom it doth belong especially to exhort perswade and encourage the subiects of all Christistian Kings to loialty reuerence obedience in their behalfe Wee must honor the Prince in the worthy and reuerent opinion of our minds in the respectfull and dutifull speeches of our mouthes in the submisse and humble gesture of our bodies and lastly Prou. 3.9 10. Exod. 22.8 Psal 82.1.6 Ioh. 10.34.35 as we must honor God with our riches and the oblations of our handes so must wee likewise them whom God hath called Gods to wit godly Princes whom when as wee honour with our riches in giuing them cheerefully a portion for their honourable prouision then wee honour God himselfe with our riches as Salomon exhorteth all men to doe that would haue God to blesse them with aboundance And truly if wee would bee loath to let God want if hee were subiect to want in his owne person as man is then ought wee likewise bee loath to let the Prince want who representeth God and therefore is called God to teach vs that what wee bestow vpon him we offer vnto God and in whose person God oftentimes carrieth himselfe as one that wanteth and standeth in neede of our helpe And if wee
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
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
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
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
brimstone of Sodom let vs shunne and eschew their sinnes Besides that as the Wise man telleth vs the drunkard and the glutton shall bee poore Prou. 23.21 and the idle sleeper shall bee clothed with ragges And the labouring man that is giuen to drunkennesse Eccles 19.1 33 26. shall not bee rich Thus we see then that diligence and temperance are of great moment both to get and augment riches And trulie as the loue of intemperance and excesse doth hold the poore man from being rich so doth the practise of excesse in table or apparrell make the rich man poore as wee shall shew in the declaration of the ninth Rule of this Art And therefore to conclude this present discourse concerning diligence in a lawfull calling I wish the student in this Art to obserue this one thing that except hee begge dailie Gods blessing to his businesse his diligence and industrie will but little auaile Hee may well carrie out much seede into the field Deut. 28.23.24.38 Micah 6.14 Haggai 1.6 Amos 4.7.8.9 but except the Lord blesse it hee shall gather but little in for the grashoppers shall destroy it or the heauen shall bee as brasse aboue it and the earth as yron vnder it for the Lord shall withhold the first and the latter raine and shall shut the windowes of heauen so that it shall bee consumed with drought or hee will open the windowes of heauen in such a manner Ioel 1. Genes 7.11 Psalm 107.33.34 that either the floods shall ouerflow the fields or the cloudes shall powre downe riuers of waters to drowne the cornes so that the seed shal rot vnder the clods or else will he smite them with blasting and mildew so that howsoeuer he sow much yet shal he reape but little except the Lord blesse that which he hath sowen Hee may well plant a vineyard or a hopyard and dresse it but except the Lord blesse it hee shall not drinke of it for the wormes shall eate it Hee may well plant many fruit-trees fig-trees Deut. 28.39 Ioel 1.4.12 apple-trees plum-trees but except the blessing of the Lord be present with his planting swarmes and armies of palmer-wormes canker-wormes and caterpillers shall deuoute and eate vp his fruites and the buddes of his trees Deut. 28.18 Ioel 1.4.18.19.20 Hee may well enioy heardes of cattell and flockes of sheepe but except the Lords blessing bee with the owner hee shall bee cursed in them all yea the Lord shall make his beasts to mourne his cattell to consume and his flockes to fall away for want of pasture which shall either not spring out of the earth being hard as yron or shal be withered away through the excessiue heate or shall bee eaten vp by the multitudes of grashoppers Zephan 1.13 Hee may well get goods and build houses but except the Lord blesse him in the same his goods shall doe him no good they shall goe away from him or hee shall bee spoiled of them Prou. 28.8 Eccles 2.26 or hee shall leaue them to such as wil doe more good with them then he he shall heape vp to giue and leaue to him that is good before God and the houses that hee hath builded hee and his shall not inhabit In one word to speake with the Prophet Haggai Hag. 1.6 Hee may well eate but hee shal not bee satisfied nor haue inough hee may well drinke but hee shall not bee filled hee may well cloath himselfe but hee shall not bee warme and hee may well earne wages but hee shall put them into a broken bagge And the cause of all this is the want of the Lords blessing Psalm 127.1.2 For as the Kinglie Prophet saith except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it Except the Lord keepe the citie the keeper watcheth in vaine It is in vaine for you to rise earlie and to lie downe late and eate the bread of sorrow but hee will surelie giue rest to his beloued Not that hee will exempt them from labour but onelie from the vnprofitablenesse and vncomfortablenesse thereof For hee will giue to his beloued that is to such as are deare vnto him for the loue and feare of his name and doe continuallie begge his blessing to their adoes hee will giue them rest from all vnprofitable and vncomfortable paines taking Leuit. 26.20 whereas without his blessing a mans strength shall bee spent in vaine Hee may well passe and spend nights and daies in toiling and moiling but hee shall reape but little profit and lesse comfort let him labour neuer so much and neuer so long For diligence is no better then negligence and businesse is but idlenesse without the Lords blessing Psal 65.9.10.11.12.13 107.35.36.37.38.41 67.6.7 68.9 For it is the Lords blessing that watereth the earth and makes it very rich euen that watereth abundantly the furrowes of the earth and causeth the raine to descend into the valleies thereof and maketh it soft with showers and droppeth fatnesse vpon the fieldes so that the hilles are compassed with gladnesse the pastures are clad with sheepe and the valleies are couered with corne which maketh men to shout for ioy and sing IIII. Rule The poore man must not purchase nor the rich man increase his riches by violence oppression theft robberie extortion bribing vniust detention neither yet by peruerting of equitie as by false testimonie pleading in an euill cause or vnrighteous iudgement Probation and declaration Exod. 22.21.22.23.24 TThou shalt not doe iniurie to a stranger saith the Lord by Moses neither oppresse him yee shall not trouble any widow nor fatherlesse child If thou vexe and trouble such and so hee call and crie vnto me I will surely heare his crie then shall my wrath bee kindled and I will kill you with the sword and you wiues shall bee widowes and your children fatherlesse Thou shalt not ouerthrow the right of the poore in his suite 23.1.3.6.7.8.9 Thou shalt keepe thee farre from a false matter and shalt not slay the innocent and the righteous Thou shalt not receiue a false tale neither shalt thou put thine hand with the wicked to bee a false witnesse Thou shalt not esteeme a poore man in his cause Leuit. 19.13 Thou shalt not oppresse thy neighbour by violence neither robbe him or doe him wrong The workemans hire shal not abide with thee vntil the morning Thou shalt not oppresse an hired seruant that is needie and poore neither of thy brethren nor of the stranger that is in the land within thy gates Deut. 14.15 Thou shalt giue him his hire for his day neither shall the sunne goe downe vpon it for he is poore and therewith sustaines his life lest he crie against thee vnto the Lord and it be sinne vnto thee 16.19 Wrest not thou the law saith the Lord to Lawyers and Iudges nor respect any person neither take reward for the reward blindeth the
enough for my life saith Iesus the sonne of Sirach Ecclesiast 5.1 31.8 2.4.5.6 blessed is the rich which is found without blemish and hath not gone after gold nor hoped in money and treasures Whatsoeuer commeth vnto thee receiue it patiently be patient in thy change into affliction for as gold and siluer are tryed in the fire euen so are men acceptable in the furnace of aduersity beleeue in God and he will helpe thee order thy way aright and trust in him hold fast his feare and grow old therein Heereby Christians are taught not to grudge against God if at any time hee crosse vs in our prosperity and take from vs our substance whether in part or whole yea wee ought to confide so farre in Gods goodnesse that hee will send vs againe that which hee hath taken from vs and restore it with aduantage if hee seeth that it shall bee expedient for vs and profitable for our soules health Otherwise we ought to thinke that it is farre better for vs to want goods then to be voyd of goodnesse and that our case is more blessed to lacke or loose goods then to enioy them and withall to abuse them to luxury superfluity licentiousnes and sin Psal 119.71 94.12 Heb. 2.10.18 Act. 14.22 Eccles 2.4.5.6 It is good for me saith holy Dauid that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy statutes And blessed is the man whom thou chastisest ô Lord teachest him in thy law And therefore the blessed Apostle telleth vs that by affliction we are made like to the Son of God yea that we must through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God Our most wise bountifull Father knoweth best what is best for his childrens behoofe Neither ought the vertuous minded man thinke any whit the worse of himselfe for his want of wealth or yet be deiected in courage therefore as though he were by reason of his indigence lesse in Gods fauour then others that do abound Neither must we measure Gods fauour with the yard or ell of earthly prosperity For the Prophet Dauid telleth vs Psal 10 4.5.6 37.7.35 73 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 that the wicked and his waies doe prosper oftentimes so that hee saith in his heart he shall neuer bee mooued nor be in danger yea he is strong and spreadeth himselfe like a greene baie tree there are no bands in their death but they are lustie and strong they are not in trouble as other men neither are they plagued with other men their eies stand out for fatnesse they haue more then heart can wish they are licentious and speake wickedly they talke presumptuously they set their mouth against heauen and their tongue walketh through the earth Lo these are the wicked saith Dauid yet prosper they alwaies and increase in riches And the holy Prophet Ieremie questioneth the Lord about the same matter in this manner Ierem. 12.1 2. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper why are all they in wealth that rebelliously transgresse thou hast planted them and they haue taken root they growe and bring forth fruit thou art neere in their mouth and farre from their reines Likewise the holy man Iob sheweth vs in very large and ample manner the wickeds prosperitie Iob 21.7 8 9 10 11 12 13. They liue and waxe old and growe in wealth their seed is established in their sight their houses are peaceable without feare and the rod of God is not vpon them their bullocke gendreth and faileth not their cowe calueth and casteth not the calfe they send forth their children like sheepe and their sonnes daunce they take the tabret and the harp and reioyce in the found of the organs they spend their daies in wealth and suddainely they goe downe to the graue Thus we see that euen the wicked and such as blaspheme God and oppresse the poore may enioy great prosperitie and wealth for a time And truely it shall be no more but for a time for as the same two holy men teach vs Psal 10.15 37 9 10 17 20 34 36. 52.5 7.3 18 19 20. Iob 21 17 18 19 20 30. 27.13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 The Lord will breake the arme of the wicked God shall cut off him and his seed he shal destroy him for euer hee shall plucke him out of his Tabernacle and roote him out of the land of the liuing he shall passe away and perish and shal not be found any more he shall be suddainly destroyed horribly confounded and his image shall be despised The candle of the wicked shall bee put out they shall be as stubble before the wind and as chaffe that the storme carrieth away they are kept vnto the day of destruction and they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath The sword shall destroy his children and his posteritie shall not be satisfied with bread Though hee should heap vp siluer as the dust and prepare raiment as the clay hee may prepare it but the iust shall put it on and the innocent shall diuide the siluer Terrours shal take him as waters and a tempest shall carrie him away by night And as the wicked oftentimes enioy great plentie and prosperitie so haue many of the godly many times beene afflicted with penurie pouertie and want And yet for all this God left not off to loue them most deerely For their aduersitie affliction and trouble they were not a whit the lesse beloued of God but rather the more according to that saying of the holy man Iob Iob 5.17 Blessed is the man whom the Lord correcteth And therefore not onely wise king Salomon Prou. 3.11 12. Heb. 12.5.6 7.8.9.10 11. and the holy Apostle Paul but also our Sauiour himselfe teacheth vs that the Lord correcteth him whom hee loueth euen as the father doth the child in whom he delighteth Also the same Apostle telleth vs Reuel 3.19 that many of the children of God of the olde times were brought to such a pinch that they were bitten with pouertie and want Heb. 11.36.37.38 for they wandred saith he vp and downe in sheepes skinnes and in goates skins beeing destitute afflicted and tormented they wandred in wildernesses and mountaines and dennes and caues of the earth obnoxious vnto racking mocking scourging chaining imprisoning stoning hewing and slaying with the sword And what was the pouertie of Christ Iesus the Sonne of God in his birth life and death it is more then manifest 2. Cor. 8.9 for hee beeing rich as Lord of heauen and earth became poore for our sakes saith the Apostle that we through his pouertie might bee made rich Matth. 1.16.20 13.55 Hee was so poore in the time and manner of his birth that he was laid in a cratch Luk 2.4.5.6.7 Mark 6.3 euen in a stable among oxen and asses folded and swathed in clothes of little price The house wherein he was borne was a
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