suffer any void roome therin so it crosseth the law of grace which enioyneth men to be gratious and charitable and commandeth such as haue more to giue cheerefullie or to lend freelie a part of their goods to such as haue lesse Giue to euery man that asketh of thee saith our Sauiour doe good Luke 6.30.35.38 and lend looking for nothing again and your reward shall be great and yee shall be the children of the most high Giue and it shall be giuen vnto you Giue and giue chearefullie 2. Cor. 9.7 for God loueth a chearefull giuer lend and lend freelie looking for nothing again Psalm 37.21.26 for God loueth a free and a frank lender And the righteous man saith Dauid is mercifull and giueth and like mercifull and lendeth and his seed enioyeth the blessing Psalm 15.1.5 And in expresse termes he telleth vs that the vsurer shall not dwell in Gods tabernacle nor rest in his holy mountaine So that the Christian must beware of vsurie and of getting or increasing goods by any such meanes So must hee likewise not onely in his owne person flee whoredome but also all sorts of whoremongerie in regard of others that he vse no such abominable meanes to come by money Deut. 23.17.18 The Lord expresly forbiddeth there should be any whorekeeper among his people and telleth vs that both the whore and her price are an abomination vnto the Lord. Let the whoremonger gather neuer so much goods by his whoremongerie yet both he and his wealth shall perish Eccles 23.17 All bread saith Iesus the sonne of Syrach is sweet to a whoremonger he will not leaue off till he perish Ephes 5.3 And the holy Apostle forbiddeth couetousnesse and vncleannesse once to be named amongst Christians and therefore exhorteth vs to mortifie our earthlie members fornication Colos 3.5.6 vncleannes and euill concupiscence inordinate affection and couetousnesse 1. Thes 4 3.4.5.7 for the which things saith he the wrath of God commeth on the children of disobedience for this is the will of God euen your sanctification and that yee should abstaine from fornication that euerie one of you should know how to possesse his vessel in holinesse and honour and not in the lust of concupisence euen as the Gentiles which know not God 1. Cor. 6.9.10.15 Heb. 13.4 for God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse but vnto holinesse And as for whores and whoremongers and adulterers such God will iudge neither can they inherit the Kingdome of God saith the same Apostle That is as the blessed Apostle S. Iohn expoundeth it Reuel 21.8.27 they shall not enter into the great citie holy Ierusalem but shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Now if Christians bee commanded by God by his Sonne Iesus Christ and by his seruants to mortifie flie abhorre and shunne all vncleannesse and concupiscence doth it not thence most necessarily follow that Christian magistrates may not permit any place for the exercise thereof And if whoredome is not to bee once named amongst Christians how much more ought it not to bee practised by priuate men or permitted by the Prince in the common-wealth for anie respect whatsoeuer and if God will iudge whooremongers and not suffer them to enter into his holy Citty and kingdome then they that are called Gods ought likewise to punish them and not suffer any such persons to haue any place in their citties or kingdome But rather with godly Iehoshaphat 1. King 22.40 2. King 23.7 and Iosiah they ought to put cleane out of the land all whooremongers and whoorekeepers and breake down burne all their brothel-houses as an abhomination vnto the Lord. Far be it from all such as are called Gods and ought to represse and punish sinne to permit any place in their Citties or kingdomes for the increasing of sinne and the dishonouring of God by the professed practise of sinne Neither doth it suffice to say that Magistrates and Princes for the preuention of the greater euils of priuate Sodomites of vnnaturall copulations and priuate fornications may permit and tolerate the lesser euill of a publicke brothel-house in some place remote from the Citty for besides that the Magistrates care and vigilancy ought to be such that there be no enormious sinne or hainous offence priuately or publikely committed or at least left vnpunished it can not bee otherwise but that one whore-house publickly permitted is more able to pull downe Gods indignation and iudgement against the whole Citty or kingdome aswell Prince as people then an hundreth priuate houses being defiled can do being either not knowne vnto the Magistrate or being punished by him if they be knowne For a smaller sinne being permitted to bee publickely professed practised prouoketh God more then a greater sinne doth if it be by the Magistrate repressed and punished It is not in the Princes power to keep sinne out of his Citty or Kingdome neither is he liable to iudgement punishment for that which commeth not within the compasse of his possibility But it lyeth in his power to keepe out of his kingdome a schoole-house for sinne and a worke-house for wickednesse and therefore if hee doe otherwise for any respect whatsoeuer hee in so doing maketh himselfe and his kingdome obnoxious vnto Gods indignation In one word it is an intolerable shame that Christians who are called to study and learne in Christs schoole mortification and sanctification of the flesh should haue a schoole of sinne opened vp to them wherein they can learne no other thing but to offend God to slay their owne soules to consume their bodies and to wast their substance and in one word to make shipwracke at once of godlinesse goodnesse and their goods Hereunto also it belongeth that no amorous or voluptuous books ballads or songs nor no lasciuious and prophane plaies or representations ought or are to suffered in a Christian Commonwealth For as the whore-house is the diuels schoole-house and whoremongers are the keepers and vshers of the schoole vnder the great maister thereof the spirit of vncleannes so amorous and lasciuious bookes ballads and songs are the bookes that this vncleane schoolemaister maketh his scholers buy to teach them how to defile their bodies and to slay their soules that in the end they may be made fit fewel for hell-fire And lasciuious stage-playes and representations are the same vncleane school-maisters sports pastimes and plaies which he appointeth vnto his schollers for to quicken and encourage them in the study and exercise of sinne Not that I meane to condemne all exercises of stage-playings minstrelzies or musicke for I doubt not but in themselues they are all lawfull and may bee so vsed that men may bee much furthered thereby in the way of vertue But onely that in a Christian Commonwealth great care ought to be had least that any of them be abused to the stirring vp inticing or alluring of men
to dwell in and sow the fields and plant vineyards which bring forth fruitfull increase for hee blesseth them and they multiply exceedingly and hee diminisheth not their cattell Hee powreth contempt vpon princes and turneth the springs of water into drinesse a fruitful land into barrennesse for the wickednes of them that dwel therin Yet he raiseth vp the poore out of misery and maketh him families like a flocke of sheep The righteous shall see it and reioyce and all iniquity shall stop her mouth And this is that which the holy Psalmist singeth of godly Ioseph more particularly Psal 105.17 18 19 20 21 22 Ioseph was sold for a slaue they held his feete in the stockes and hee was laid in yrons vntill his appointed time came and the counsell of the Lord tried him The King sent and loosed him he made him Lord of his house euen the ruler of the people deliuered him and made him ruler of his substance yea of his Princes and rulers that hee should bind them vnto his will and teach his ancient and wise men wisdome Gen. 45.16.17.18 19.20.21.22.23 And the Lord that thus gaue Ioseph fauour in the eyes of Pharaoh enclined likewise the heart of the King to fauour and loue Iacob the father of Ioseph and his brethren for his sake so that when the tidings came vnto Pharaohs house that Iosephs brethren were come it pleased Pharaoh well and his seruants Moreouer Pharaoh said vnto Ioseph say to thy brethren This doe yee lade your beasts and depart go to the land of Canaan and take your father and your housholds and come to me and I will giue you the best of the land of Aegypt and yee shall eate of the fat of the land And I command thee Thus doe ye Take you chariots out of the land of Aegypt for your children and for your wiues and bring your father and come also regard not your stuffe for the best of all the land of Aegypt is yours And the children of Israel did so and Ioseph gaue them Chariots according to the commandement of Pharaoh he gaue them victuals also for the iourney he gaue them all none excepted change of raiment and vnto Beniamin he gaue three hundreth peeces of siluer and fiue suites of raiment And vnto his father likewise he sent ten hee Asses laden with the best things of Egypt and ten shee Asses laden with wheat and bread and meate for his father by the way And when as Iosephs father and his brethren were come into Aegypt the good King knowing thereof Gen. 46.33 3â— 47.3 4.5 6.11 12. and vnderstanding that their trade for they liued not idle was to be occupied about cattell and sheepe as Sheepheards after that he had admitted them to his presence spake to Ioseph saying Thy father and thy brethren are come vnto thee the land of Egypt is before thee in the best place of the land make thy father and thy brethren dwell let them dwell in the land of Goshen and if thou knowest that there be men of actiuity among them make them rulers ouer my cattell And godly and happy Ioseph placed his father and his brethren and gaue them possession in the land of Egypt in the best of the land euen in the land of Rameses as good bountifull Pharaoh had commanded And the blessed son nourished his blessed father and his brethren and all his fathers houshold with bread euen to the yong children Dauid attained to great riches and honour by practising the rules of this Art 1 Sam. 16 17 2 Sam 2 5 7 8 22. 1 Chron 17 29. 1 King 3 6 Psal 78 70 71.72 hee feared God exceedingly called vpon him continally walking before him in truth in righteousnes and in purenes of his spirit yea he was a man after the Lords owne heart and he that was in his heart was with his heart and in his hand also and blessed him aboundantly Hee chose Dauid his seruant and tooke him from the sheepe-folds euen from behind the ewes with young brought hee him to feed his people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel So he fed them according to the simplicitie of his heart 1 Sam. 18 18 23. Psal 113.7 and guided them by the discretion of his hands He was as hee saith of himselfe a poore man and of small reputation but God who taketh pleasure in raising vp the poore out of the dust and in lifting vp the beggar from the dongue-hil changed his pouertie into riches his despisednesse into honour his shepheards crooke into a princely scepter his countrey cap into a kingly crowne his base sheep-cote into a stately court and his pasture of small compasse into an ample kingdome In one word God that doth great things tooke him from following the sheep that he might rule ouer his people Israel 1 King 3 11 12 13. 10.21.23.25.27 28. 2 Chron. 1. 8. 13. Eccles 2.4.5.6.7 8.9 Salomon Dauids sonne did attaine to his great riches by practising these rules and namely because he did ask of the Lord vnderstanding to do iudgment and not riches nor honor nor long life nor yet the life of his enemies therfore the Lord gaue him not onely that which he asked but also those things he asked not euen riches and honor more then any in Israel had before him or yet after him So that hee builded houses planted vineyards pleasant gardens and orchards replenished with fruitfull trees purchased great possessions of Beeues and sheep gathered aboundance of siluer and gold yea hee made siluer as plenteous as stones in Ierusalem and exceeded all the Kings of the earth both in riches and in wisdome Iehosophat did attaine to great prosperitie by practising these Rules 2. Chro. 17. He sought the god of his fathers deuoutly and walked in his commandements diligently euen in the waies of his forefather Dauid and therefore the Lord was with him stablished the kingdom in his hand and all Iudah brought presents vnto him so that hee had of riches and honor in aboundance Esther and Mordecai attained to riches and honor by these Rules Esth 2. 6. 8. 10. The vncle the neece both of them feared God and therfore he raised them from low degree vnto princely dignitie from pouertie aduanced them to great riches So that Esther of a poore despised maid became a famous and an honourable queene euen the wife of king Ashuerus the mightie Monarke of the Medes and Persians and Mordecai of a poore despised man was preferred to great riches and honour so that he was made second vnto the king Daniel and his three fellowes Dan. 1 3 6. commonly called the three children practised the Rules of this art They excelled in the feare of the Lord and in wisdom which floweth therefro so that of poore captiues and prisoners hee made them Princes companions they were promoted in the Prouince of Babel to high honours
and endowed with great riches and Daniel was set ouer the whole gouernours and rulers of the kingdome and he and his fellowes prospered exceedingly Obadiah the gouernour of Achabs house 1 Kings 18 3 4 12 13. was a man that feared God greatly euen from his youth and when Iezebel destroyed the Prophets of the Lord he tooke an hundreth Prophets and hid them by fifties in a caue and fed them there So that according to his name hee proued a seruant of the Lord yea a seruant of his seruants who at euery word called himselfe the seruant of Eliah and him his Lord. And no doubt but the Lord blessed him aboundantly and so will he do all such Noble men and Gentlemen as in Kings Courts further either with countenance or maintenance Gods Ministers chiefly in the time of any persecution raised for the Gospell 2 King 4 8.9.10 11.12.13.14.15 to 37. The Shunamite Gentlewoman that harboured the man of God Elisha obserued the rules of this Art Behold said shee to her husband I know that this is an holy man of God that passeth by vs continually let vs make him a little chamber I pray thee with walles and let vs set him there a bed and a table and a stoole and a Candlesticke that he may turne in hither when he commeth to vs. And in recompence of this her pietie and charity God blessed her house yea and her barren wombe at the prayer of the man of God hee gaue her a sonne when as her husband was now waxed old and not onely this but also when the child was dead God by the hand of the prophet restored him from death to life againe Whereby we may learne that it is a worke which bringeth with it great reward to entertaine and cherish Gods seruants and not onely to minister vnto their necessities of our subbstance but also to honour and reuerence them both by gesture and compellation as wee see this worthie gentlewoman did The Prophet was a poore despised man and stood in need of help in outward things and yet because he was the man and seruant of God this noble woman called him at euery word her Lord and her selfe his hand-maid When shee came before him it was her humble demeanour to fall at his feet and to bowe to the ground So did the Bethelite widow behaue her selfe towards the same Prophet 2. King 4.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. and God in requitall of her pietie and reuerence of one little pitcher of oyle shee had filled many vessels euen all the emptie vessels she had borrowed of her neighbours Likewise the widow of Zarephath who ministred vnto Elias a part of her small portion for in the great famine that then was 1. King 17.9 10 11 12.13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 all the victuals shee had were gone except a little meale in a barrell and a little oyle in a cruze was requited of the Lord for her feare of God and her charitie towards his seruant For the meale in the barrell wasted not neither was the oyle spent out of the cruze according to the word of the Lord which he spake by the hand of his Prophet Yea more her dead sonne was restored againe to life at the prayer and supplication of the man of God So that whatsoeuer benefit we bestowe vpon Gods seruants God will aboundantly requite it with spirituall and temporall blessings both in this life and in the life to come Iob practised the Rules of this Art Iob. 1.1 2 3 4 29.4.12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. 42 10 11 12. hee was an vpright and iust man one that feared God and eschewed euill hee deliuered the poore that cried helped the fatherlesse and him that had none to help him he caused the widows heart to reioyce he was the eies to the blind the feet to the lame a father vnto the fatherlesse a protector of the poore mans right and therefore Gods prouidence was vpon his tabernacle his roote was spread out by the waters and the dewe did lie vpon his branch and his familie was so great that he exceeded all the men of the East For his substance was seauen thousand sheepe three thousand camels fiue hundred yokes of oxen and fiue hundred shee asses besides gold siluer houses and lands And though hee was for a time sorely and heauily afflcted with pouertie sicknesse and sores and so denuded of all his former prosperity yet because he perseuered in Gods feare no lesse in his aduersitie then in his prosperitie hee had done therefore the Lord blessed his last daies more then the first and gaue him euen twise so much as he had before Tobit 1. 2. 8. 10. 11. 14. Tobias practised the rules of this Art hee walked all his life long in the way of iustice truth he shewed much liberalitie and charitie to those of his nation he offered the first fruits tenths to the priests he gaue much almes to the poore he gaue his bread to the hungrie and his cloathes to the naked he bid to dinner and feasted such as feared God and buried the dead And therefore God blessed him both with spirituall and temporall goods And though his goods were spoyled by Senacherib yet within fiftie fiue daies hee was restored for God made his brothers sonne Achiacharus to find fauour with Sarchedonus the king of Assyria so that he placed him next vnto him to be cup-bearer keeper of his signet and steward of his house And though that afterwards he was also afflicted with blindnesse and brought to that exigent that his wife was constrained to labour for her liuing in taking womens worke to doe yet ere long he was restored vnto his sight and blessed with prosperitie and wealth by the meanes of his sonne Tobiths mariage with Sara the onely daughter and heire of rich Raguel Zacheus of an irregular became a regular student in this Art Luk. 19.1 2 3 7 8. as soone as hee had heard the great Schoolemaster Iesus teach him his lesson in his owne house Beeing a rich man and a receiuer of Tribute hee gaue the halfe of his goods vnto the poore and from whom hee had taken any thing by forged cauillation he restored him foure fold It were a happy thing if our Church-robbers and sacrilegious God-spoylers would follow this happie mans example and make restitution of the Church liuings which they haue impiously possessed and godlesly appropriated to their owne priuate vses Marie the wife of Cleophas Matth. 26.7 27.55 56 61. Luk 8.2 3. 10.38 Ioh. 11.2 29. 12.3 19.25 Act. 12.12 Rom. 16.6 and sister of the blessed virgin Marie the glorious mother of Iesus Marie the mother of Iames and Iohn Marie the mother of Iames and Ioses Marie Magdalen the sister of Lazarus Marie the mother of Iohn Marke Martha Ioanna the wife of Chuza Herods Steward vertuous Susanna together with such
hidden Manna that descendeth from heauen and giueth spirituall strength vnto the heart of man yea eternall life vnto the soule of man together with the wine that the true vine aboue doth yeeld which maketh the heart glad and the soule of man to sing They had rather I say keepe an Inne for God and winne little there to sell without siluer for God spirituall victuals to feede and make fat mens soules then to keepe an Inne for men and winne much by selling for siluer Reuel 3.18 food for the refreshing and fatting of mens bodies They had rather sit in Christs shop and sell for him vnto naked and needie soules gold tried by the fire euen the gold of godly instructions good directions that they may be made rich in godlinesse and in goodnesse together with the white raiment of Christs righteousnesse for as Iacob got his earthly fathers blessing in his elder brothers cloathes Genes 27.15 Mat. 22.11.12 Galath 3.27 Reuel 19.8 so must wee our heauenly Fathers blessing in our elder brothers coate that they may bee cloathed and that their filthie nakednesse doe not appeare they had rather I say sit and sell in Gods shop without siluer such celestial wares and in the mean time be poore then to sit in mans shop and sell silkes and satin or cloathes of siluer and gold to couer mens backes with and thereby to become very rich in siluer and gold Reuel 3.18 22.2 1. Iohn 2.20 They had rather labour in anointing the inward eies of blind or dim-sighted soules with such eie-salue as Gods spirit composeth and to annoint the hard hearts of some and the brused harts of other some with the suppling oyle of wholesom exhortations and gracious consolations and to applie the spirituall plaister made of the leaues of the tree of life for the purging cleansing of sore-running soules they had rather I say play the spirituall physitions and be bare then be ministers of medicine to sicke and sore bodies and abound They had rather stand in the pulpit Isai 1.2.16.17.18 34. 48. 51. 58. Ierem. 2. 7. 27. Ezech. 3.17.18.19.20.21 Hose 4. 8. and pleade for Gods right that is for pietie and deuotion against irreligious men and for the princes right that is for loialtie obedience and reliefe against disloiall disobedient and vnreasonable subiects and for the poores right that is for charitie and mercie in almes and hospitalitie against couetous and vnmercifull men and in the meane time bee but meane men themselues in their worldly estate then to stand and pleade at the barre for another mans right and redresse of wrong and thereby to become mighty on earth They had rather stand and minister at the Lords Table in the Church and get little then attend or stand at the Kings table in the Court and gather much And yet to say somewhat more they had rather sit in the chaire of the Church for euery pastors and prelates particular Church-chaire is a part of the Apostolicall chaire to iudge betweene doctrine and doctrine Deutero 13. 17.8.9.10.11 2. Chron. 19.8.9.10.11 Act. 15. 1. Cor. 14.32 1. Iohn 4.12.13 2. Iohn 9.10 Matth. 21.42 Ephes 2.20 1. Cor. 3.11 1. Pet. 2.6.7 veritie and heresie betweene the sound building of gold siluer and pretious stones and the slight building of wood stubble and straw vpon the foundation and corner stone Christ Iesus and that according to the rule and square of the sacred Scriptures they had rather I say sit and iudge in doctrinall causes and cases and possesse in the meane time but little in comparison of many others and yet haue lesse to leaue behind them vnto such as doe belong vnto them then to sit in the gate or seate of ciuil iudgement to iudge betweene parties and parties about cases and causes of inheritance of vsurpations violence and wrongs and therby acquire great possessions for them and theirs Finally as with Dauid Psalm 84.10 they had rather serue as doorekeepers in the house of God then dwell in the tabernacles of wickednesse as I said of them in the beginning so with Moses they had rather choose to suffer aduersitie with the people of God Heb. 11.24.25.26.27.36.37 38 who were tried by mockings and scourgings by bonds and imprisonment and did wander vp and downe through wildernesses and mountaines hauing no other lodging but the dennes and caues of the earth and no other clothing but sheepes and goats skinnes and at last were stoned hewen asunder or slaine with the sword as the Apostle Paul speaketh to the Hebrewes then to inioy the pleasures of sinnes for a season Esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt yea then the treasures of the whole world as hauing with godly Moses a respect vnto the recompense of the reward euen the eternall reward in the heauens So this being the disposition of poore Ecclesiasticall men for generally such men are poore what can we say of them else Luke 10.40.41.42 but that which the blessed Son of blessed Marie said once of a happie Marie that they haue chosen the better part which shall not be taken away from them whereas other men of other secular callings for being a lay man my selfe I would be loath to condemne any of the foresaid lay callings and yet as loath would I bee to flatter any of them as I would not wish any man should flatter himselfe in the vaine and friuolous preferring of his secular vocation howsoeuer gainefull honourable or excellent it be before the spirituall where as I say other men of other callings are with carefull Martha combred about many things And these things being duely considered I hope both the parts of the obiection aboue propounded will bee satisfied and the rule sufficientlie verified And so much the more willing I haue been in this place vpon this occasion to discourse of the dignitie and excellencie of the Ecclesiasticall calling as for that because lay-men and chiefly the richer sort are commonly so prone to despise and so apt to vilipend Churchmen and that for nothing so much as because of their pouertie base estate As also for that the richer sort of lay-men be generally so loath to consecrate any one of their children to the seruice of God so that they do preferre a gaineful calling be it neuer so base vnto that which is the Queen of callings If we wil reade the histories of Kingdomes and Countries yea euen but those of our owne we shal find how in former times the sons of Monarches Kings and Princes haue been Ministers Preachers and priests in Gods house and yet now adaies we see that a Lawyers a Merchants yea a tradesmans sonne will skorne to be a Minister if he haue any meanes Alas miserable men that wee are wee are so deafe wee cannot heare what the Euangelicall Prophet who was both a Preacher and of princely blood euen brothers sonne of Vzziah King
exaction practised vpon his people whereof if hee had beene guiltie it should haue beene recorded no doubt amongst his other grieuous trespasses Likewise king Dauid who was their first king by Gods absolute approbation and therefore the spirit of God hath begun with Dauid the first Booke of the Kings euen a man after Gods own heart 1. Sam. 13.14 no doubt he exercised the same power ouer his people 1. Chro. 27.1 25 31. as may appeare by the monthly courses of his officers appointed ouer the treasures in the fieldes in the cities and in the villages for the collection custodie and dispensation of his substance And as for Salomon king Dauids sonne and successor it is more then manifest that he did put in practise this foresaid kingly power 1. King 4.7 22 23 27 28. described by the Prophet in taking order for the monthly prouision of his house by his twelue officers whom he appointed each man his month to prouide victuals in the diuers parts and quarters of his kingdome for himselfe and all that came to his table And who will or dare say that Salomon in so doing played the tyrant 1. King 10.23 was hee not a wise King and so wise that hee excelled all the kings of the earth no lesse in wisedom then in wealth and beeing so wise as he was did he not know well enough what was both fit for a King to require at his subiects hands and what was fit for subiects to impart to their Prince yea was he not a iust king and one that did gouerne his people as with wisedome so also with equitie and iustice shall wee thinke that king Dauids prayer for the prosperous estate of his sonne Salomon and of his kingdome was frustrate and without effect Giue thy iudgements to the king Psal 72.1 2 3.4.12.13 14. O God and thy righteousnesse to the kings sonne Then shall he iudge thy people in righteousnesse and thy poore with equity the mountaines and the hilles shall bring peace to the people by iustice Hee shall iudge the poore of the people hee shall saue the children of the needy and shall subdue the oppressor he shall deliuer the poore when hee crieth the needy also and him that hath no helper he shall be mercifull to the poore and needie and shall preserue their liues hee shall redeeme them from deceit and violence and deere shall their blood be in his sight Shall we thinke I say that the holy Prophets prayer and prediction touching the excellencie of his sonnes godly iust and peaceable gouernment was either false or of none effect God forbid farre bee it from vs to thinke that God would haue chosen an oppressor of his people to bee a type of the king of righteousnesse to bee his sonne 1 Chron 22.9 10.11 28.5.6 10. and to build the house of his sanctuarie Hee asked of God wisdome and vnderstanding to doe iudgement and to rule and iudge his people aright 1. King 3.7 8 9 10 11 12 13.28 and the Lord granted him his petition and gaue him besides great wisedome euen honour and riches also and it is said that the people saw that the wisedom of God was in him to doe iustice so that they feared the King Wherefore wee must not thinke that hee was guiltie of tyrannie oppression or exaction in the behalfe of his people but rather that his leuying of the Tenths of his subiects substance was an effect of his diuine wisedome and the lawfull meanes whereby hee gathered together so much wealth and so great riches as he did 1 King 9.20.21 together with the tribute hee did receiue at the hands of many other nations And it is to be noted that the people of Iudah and Israel by their cheerefull readinesse and willingnesse in yeelding vnto Salomon their king the Tenthes of their fruites and of their flockes for the monthly prouision of his houshold procured at Gods hands the blessing of great prosperitie securitie and peace which hee powred vpon Israel and Iudah in Salomons daies 1 Chron. 22.9 1 King 4.20.25 They multiplied as the sand of the sea in number eating drinking and making merrie They dwelt without feare euery man vnder his vine and vnder his figge tree from Dan euen to Beersheba all the daies of Salomon 1. King 10.21 27. during the which there was so great wealth that he made siluer as plentious as stones in Ierusalem And though after the death of Salomon the people did insinuate vnto his sonne Rehoboam 1. King 12.1 2 3 4 11 14. the grieuousnesse of the yoke his father had put vpon them in his life and therefore did present a petition vnto him for the lightening thereof at his entring to the crowne yet wee find no mention made of any such murmuring of the people against Salomon in the time of his owne raigne And therefore wee may well thinke that the people made this complaint and petition not so much as for that they had any iust cause for as I said before Salomon was no tyrant nor yet an vniust exacting king as for that they were become more couetous after the death of Salomon then they had beene in the time of his life and together more factious and seditious then they had beene before Where it is to bee noted that the Lord punished this their couetous and grudging disposition with the diminution of their wealth so that their condition became much vnlike vnto that it had beene in the daies of Salomon 1. King 12. 2. Chron. 10. 11. 12. Besides that this their preposterous loue of commoditie brought them into the guilt of two grieuous sinnes of Rebellion from their lawfull king and of idolatrous defection from the true worship of Almightie God So that not without cause the holy Apostle calleth the loue of money 1. Tim. 6.10 the roote of all euill And certainly Ezek. 45 7 8.9 Prou 28.15.16 as God would not haue his sons to oppresse his seruants that is Princes to grieue their people with vnnecessary exorbitant and cruell exactions and with ill-aduised Rehoboam to make their subiects yoake heauier then it ought to bee Exod. 22 28 29 So would hee not haue the people to bee so vnnaturall vnreasonable and vniust as to abound themselues and in the meane time to see their Princes destitute of prouision answerable to their place As the Prince I say must not with wretchlesse Rehoboam make the peoples yoake more heauie then it ought to bee by right so must not the people with the murmuring and complaining Israelites call that a grieuance or a grieuous yoake which is not so indeede but onely in the apprehension of their couetous conceit 1 Tim. 5 17 18 The Apostle speaking of the maintenance of the ministerie saith That such Priestes as rule well and labour in the word and doctrine are worthy of a double honour And the same may bee well said of a Prince
becommeth miserable both heere and hence and this is that which the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 6.10 That drunkards and gluttons shall not inherit the kingdome of God Heauen as great and wide as it is cannot hold a glutton nor harbour a drunken head Gods kingdome hath no roome to receiue a belly-god Reu. 21.21 Euery gate of the heauenly Ierusalem is of one pearle saith Saint Iohn how then should a belly-god whose head is a hogs-head of drinke and whose belly is a buriall place of so much meate how should such a big body and such a swolne soule enter at so narrow a gate Get in then who will into the kingdome of God a belly-god cannot get in The Christian that would bee rich must likewise beware of excesse and all pompousnes of apparell Eccles 11.4 Bee not proud of clothing and rayment saith Iesus the sonne of Sirach and exalt not thy selfe in the day of honour Luke 16.19 And the holy Euangelist telleth vs or rather our blessed Sauiour Iesus the Sonne of God that the damned rich glutton was cloathed in purple and fine linnen and fared well and delicately euery day 1. Tim. 2.9 10. 1. Pet. 3.3 And the blessed Apostle as knowing how that women are more subiect vnto this fault of excesse in apparel then ordinarily men are and how that thereby both pride in their hearts is nourished intemperancie and daintinesse cherished and the substance of the house much diminished hee enioyneth them that they aray themselues in comely apparel with shamefastnesse and modestie not with broyded haire or gold or pearle or costly apparell but as becommeth women that professe the feare of God with good workes and with a meek and quiet spirit which is before God a thing much set by Iam. 2.1 2 3 4. And the Apostle S. Iames willeth vs to make no reckoning of a man for his gold ring and his goodly apparel nor yet to despise the poore and modest man for his course and slender array Psal 147.10 11 as the Lord hath no pleasure in the strength of a horse neither delighteth in the legs of man but onely in them that feare him and attend vpon his mercie so hee hath no pleasure in the brauerie and beautie of apparell neither delighteth he in the costlinesse and curiositie of cloathing God seeth not as man seeth 1. Sam. 16.7 for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord beholdeth the heart God looketh not to the decking and arraying of the body but to the decking and adorning of the minde Sack-cloth liketh him better then sattin or silke 2. King 1.8 Mark 1.6 Luk. 7.25 16.19 hee is more delighted with the hairecloth of Eliah of Iohn Baptist then with the soft and silken raiment of courtiers or with the purple and fine linnen of Diues The king of Niniue lying vpon the earth Ionah 2.6 Act. 12.21 22 23. couered with sack-cloth and sitting in ashes found mercy with God whereas Herod sitting in his throne arraied in royall apparell was smitten by an angel and eaten vp of wormes Thus wee see how displeasing vnto God and how hurtfull vnto man this vice of excesse is whether in diet or apparell and how that it is an enemie both vnto mans prosperitie on earth and his felicitie in heauen It shutteth him out of his inheritance on earth and bereaueth him of his inheritance in heauen And this is not all the euill that commeth by excesse for God oftentimes punisheth the whole citie the countrey yea the whole kingdome with scarcitie and famine for this abuse of his benefit Woe vnto them saith the Prophet Isaie that are mighty to drinke wine Isa 5.11 12 13 22. and to them that are strong to powre in strong drinke therefore they are men famished and the multitude thereof is dried vp with thirst They lie vpon beddes of Iuorie saith the Prophet Amos and stretch themselues thereupon Amos 6.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. they eate of the lambes of the flocke and the calues out of the stall they sing to the sound of the violl they inuent to themselues instruments of musicke they drinke wine in bowles and annoint themselues with the chiefe oyntments and therefore their sorrow is at hand saith the prophet and that so much the more in that they vsed this excesse in a time when as they ought to haue beene rather sorie for the affliction of Ioseph that is of their brethren Ioel. 1. whereof now many were slaine and carried away captiue And the Prophet Ioel soundeth into their eares this exhortation and commination Awake ye drunkards and weepe howle all ye drinkers of wine because of the new wine for it shall be pulled from your mouth As if he should say yee drunkards that lie snorting and sleeping in your beds of downe awake and ye that vse to quaffe and swill vpon your knees doing worship to Bacchus like idolaters or to your owne bellies like belly-gods arise and all ye that bee merrie begin to mourne and turne your lowd laughing into lamenting your harping into howling for the new wine the strong drinke and the daintie cheere which ye doe abuse in this maner shall be pulled from your mouthes and not onely from yours but also from many other mouthes for your sakes For behold the vine and the new wine is dried vp the oyle is decayed the corne is destroyed the field is wasted the fruits of the ground are eaten vp by the palmer-worme the grashopper and the caterpiller the trees of the field are withered the seed is rotten vnder the clods the garners are destroyed and the barnes broken downe the pastures of the wildernesse are burned vp and the springs of water dried vp so that the heards of cattle the flocks of sheepe doe pine away for want of pasture and the beasts of the field doe crie and mourne for lacke of water Ierem. 14.3 4 5 6. yea the whole land mourneth And as the Prophet Ieremie speaketh the ground is destroyed for want of raine the plowe-men are ashamed and couer their heads the Hind also calueth in the field and forsaketh it for lacke of grasse Thus it appeareth manifestly how horrible a sinne excesse is and how Almightie God is wont to punish the abuse of his benefits with famine scarcenesse penurie and indigence When men in their aboundance wil needs play the beasts God will be auenged both on them and on the beasts for their cause yea he will change their diet and send them to feed with the beasts So that they shall bee faine for extreame famine to eat the grasse of the field and gnawe the barke and roots of the trees and to drinke the water of the flood that the table of beasts may teach them not to play the beasts any more in abusing Gods good creatures to excesse And good reason forsooth that such as will needes liue riotously and quaffe and swill vpon their knees should be brought
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