make emptie the hungrie soule and to cause the drinke of the thirstie to faile for the weapons of the churle are wicked Hee deuiseth wicked counsels to vndoe the poore with lying words and to speake against the poore in iudgement but the liberall man will deuise of liberall things and hee will continue his liberalitie 33.1 Woe to thee that spoilest and wast not spoiled and doest wickedly and they did not wickedly against thee when thou shalt cease to spoile thou shalt bee spoiled when thou shalt make an end of doing wickedlie they shall do wickedly against thee The Lord looked for iudgement 5.7.8.9 but behold oppression for righteousnesse but behold a crying Woe vnto them that ioyne house to house and lay field to field till there bee no place that yee may bee placed by your selues in the middest of the earth This is in mine eares saith the Lord of hosts surelie many houses shall bee desolate euen great and faire without inhabitant As a cage is full of birds saith the Prophet Ieremie so are their houses full of deceit Ier. 5.27.28.29 thereby they are become great and waxen rich They are waxen fat and shining they doe ouerpasse the deeds of the wicked They execute no iudgement no not the iudgement of the fatherlesse yet they prosper though they execute no iudgement for the poore Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord or shall not my soule bee auenged on such a Nation as this 22.13 Woe vnto him that buildeth his house by vnrighteousnesse and his chambers without equitie he vseth his neighbour without wages and giueth him not for his worke Let it suffice you O Princes of Israel saith the Lord by his Prophet Ezekiel leaue off crueltie and oppression Ezek. 45.9 and execute iudgement and iustice take away your exactions from my people saith the Lord. Also the Lord complaineth by his Prophet Amos very earnestly of such as turne iudgement to wormewood Amos 5.7 and leaue off righteousnesse in the earth They haue turned iudgement into gall saith hee the fruit of righteousnesse into wormewood That is in stead of iustice and mercie they exercise oppression and crueltie Ierem. 8.14 9.15 And therefore what maruell though the Lord gaue them water with gall to drinke and fed them with wormewood 23.15 Woe vnto them saith the Prophet Micah that imagine iniquitie Micah 2.1.2 3.2.3.9.10.11.12 and worke wickednesse vpon their beds when the morning is light they practise it because their hand hath power and they couet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away so they oppresse a man and his house euen man and his heritage They hate the good and loue the euill they plucke off their skinnes from them and they breake their bones and chop them in peeces as for the pot and as flesh within the caldron They abhorre iudgement and peruert all equitie They build vp Sion with blood and Ierusalem with iniquitie The heads thereof iudge for reward and the priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof prophesie for money Therefore shall Sion for your sake bee plowed as a field and Ierusalem shall bee an heape and the mountaine of the house as the high places of the forest The Prophet Habakuck complaininglie crieth vnto the Lord in this manner Habbak 1.1.2.3.4.13.14.15.16.17 Why doest thou shew me iniquitie and cause me to behold sorow for spoilings and violence are before mee and there are that raise vp strife and contention Therefore the Law is dissolued and iudgement doth neuer goe forth for the wicked doe compasse about the righteous therefore wrong iudgement proceedeth Thou O God art of pure eies and canst not endure to see euill thou canst not behold wickednesse wherefore doest thou looke vpon the transgressors and holdest thy tongue when the wicked deuoureth the man that is more righteous then hee and makest men as the fishes of the sea and as the creeping things that haue no ruler ouer them They take vp all with the angle they catch it in their net and gather it in their yarne whereof they reioyce and are glad Therefore they sacrifice vnto their net and burne incense vnto their yarne because by them their portion is fat and their meate plenteous Shall they therefore stretch out their net and not spare continuallie to slay the nations Ho 2.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12 hee that increaseth that which is not his how long That is to say the man that enlargeth his desire as hell and is as death and cannot bee satisfied but gathereth and heapeth vnto himselfe al things as the Prophet speaketh in that same place how long shall hee continue his oppression And hee that ladeth himselfe with thicke clay shall they not rise vp suddenly that shall bite thee and awake that shall stirre thee and thou shalt bee their pray because thou hast spoiled many nations all the remnant of the people shall spoile thee because of mens blood and for the wrong done in the land in the Citie and vnto all that dwel therein Ho he that coueteth an euill couetousnesse to his house that hee may set his nest on high to escape from the power of euill Thou hast consulted shame to thine owne house by destroying many people and hast sinned against thine owne soule For the stone shall cry out of the wall and the beame out of the timber shall answere it Woe vnto him that buildeth a towne with blood and erecteth a citie by iniquitie I will visit saith the Lord by his Prophet Zephaniah all those which fill their masters houses by crueltie and deceit Zephan 1.9.12.13 and the men that are frozen in their dregges Their goods shall bee spoiled and their houses waste they shall also build houses but not inhabit them and they shall plant vineyards but not drinke the wine thereof Execute true iudgement saith the Lord by his Prophet Zecharie and shew mercie and compassion euery man to his brother Zechar. 7.9.10 and oppresse not the widow nor the fatherlesse the strangers nor the poore and let none of you imagine euill against his brother in his heart For I will come neere to you to iudgement saith the Lord by his Prophet Malachie and I will bee a swift witnesse against false swearers Malach. 3.5 against those that keepe backe wrongfully the hirelings wages and vexe the widow and the fatherlesse and oppresse the stranger and feare not me Behold saith Saint Iames the hire of the labourers Iames 5.4 which haue reaped your fields which is of you kept backe by fraud crieth and the cries of them which haue reaped are entred into the eares of the Lord of hosts Luke 6.24 And as vnto such vngodly and vniust rich men Christ Iesus doth pronounce a terrible woe so the holie Apostle threatneth fearefullie wicked rich men in this manner Go to now saith hee to them weepe and howle for your miseries
vpon their knees in good earnest and be made to feed with the beasts vntill they learne to liue like reasonable and moderate men and not like vnreasonable and intemperate beasts X. Rule A man to whom God hath giuen riches and store though but in a meane measure if hee would haue God to blesse him and it both with increase and continuance as hee ought to giue a part thereof cheerefully vnto the Prince and another part vnto the priests and take a third part for himselfe so ought he charitably to impart a proportionable part thereof to the poore by lending or giuing to them according to his power and their pouertie and need Probation and declaration Deut. 15 7 8 9 10 11. IF one of thy brethren with thee saith the Lord by Moses bee poore within any of thy gates in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee thou shalt not harden thine heart nor shut thine hand from thy poore brother but thou shalt open thine hand vnto him and shalt lend him sufficient for his neede which he hath thou shalt giue him and let it not grieue thine heart to giue vnto him for because of this the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all thy workes and in all that thou puttest thine hand to Because there shall bee euer some poore in the land therefore I command thee Exod. 22.25 26 27. Leuit. 25.35.36 37. saying Thou shalt open thine hand vnto thy brother to thy needie and to thy poore in the land Thou shalt relieue him and if thou lend money vnto him thou shalt not be as an vsurer to him thou shalt not giue him thy money to vsurie or vantage nor lend him thy victuals for encrease And if thou take thy neighbours rayment to pledge thou shalt restore it vnto him before the Sunne goe downe for that it is his couering onely and this is his garment for his skinne wherein shall he sleepe therefore when he crieth vnto me I wil heare him for I am mercifull Leuit. 19 9 10 23 22. Deut. 24 19 20 21. Also when yee reape the haruest of your land yee shall not reape euery corner of your field neither shalt thou gather the glainings of thy haruest thou shalt not gather the grapes of thy vineyard but thou shalt leaue them for the poore the stranger the fatherlesse and the widow When thou cuttest downe thy haruest in the field and hast forgotten a sheafe in the field thou shalt not goe againe to fet it but it shall bee for the stranger Psal 37 21 26. for the fatherlesse and for the widowe that the Lord thy God may blesse thee in all the workes of thine hands The righteous is mercifull saith the prophet Dauid and giueth 41.1 hee is euer mercifull and lendeth and his seed enioyeth the blessing Blessed is hee that iudgeth wisely of the poore the LORD shall deliuer him in the time of trouble 112.4 5 9. Vnto the righteous ariseth light in darkenesse hee is mercifull and full of compassion a good man is mercifull and lendeth and will measure his affaires by iudgement hee hath distributed and giuen to the poore his righteousnesse remaineth for euer his horne shall bee exalted with glorie Let not mercie and truth forsake thee saith King Salomon bind them on thy necke Prou. 3.3.4 and write them vpon the table of thine heart so shalt thou find fauour in the fight of God and Man â— 27 Hee that is mercifull rewardeth his owne soule 14.21.31 Hee that hath mercy on the poore is blessed yea the Lord honoureth him that hath mercy on the poore 19.17 Hee that hath mercy vpon the poore 21.13.21 26. lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence that which he hath giuen The righteous giueth and spareth not and he that followeth after righteousnes and mercy shall finde life righteousnes and glory but hee that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore hee shall also cry and not bee heard 11.24.25.26 There is that scattereth and is more increased but he that spareth more then is right surely commeth to pouerty the liberall person shall haue plenty and hee that watereth shall also haue raine Hee that withdraweth the corne the people will curse him but blessing shall be vpon the head of him that selleth corne to wit 22 9. Eccles 31.29 good cheape and when the people stand in need by reason of scarcity and famine Hee that hath a good eye hee shall bee blessed for he giueth of his bread vnto the poore Prou. 25.21.22 If he that hateth thee be hungry giue him bread to eate and if he be thirsty giue him water to drinke for thou shalt lay coales vpon his head 28.27 and the Lord shall recompence thee He that giueth vnto the poore shall not lacke but he that hideth his eyes shall haue many curses Giue ye strong drinke vnto him that is ready to perish 31.6.7 and wine vnto them that haue griefe of heart let him drinke that hee may forget his pouerty and remember his misery no more 31.20 Also Salomons vertuous woman that encreaseth exceedingly her store and her substance is described to be such a one as stretcheth out her hand to the poore and needy Eccles 11.1.2 And therefore in his Preacher he exhorteth men to be liberall to the poore in these words Cast thy bread vpon the waters for after many dayes thou shalt finde it Giue a portion to seuen and also to eight for thou knowest not what euill shall be vpon the earth Is not this the fasting that I haue chosen saith the Lord by his prophet I say to loose the bands of wickednesse to take off the heauie burthens and to let the oppressed go free and that yee breake euery yoake Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungrie and that thou bring the poore that wander to thine house when thou seest the naked that thou couer him and hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh Then shal thy light breake forth as the morning and thine health shall grow speedily thy righteousnes shall goe before thee and the glory of the Lord shall embrace thee then shalt thou call and the Lord will answer thou shalt cry and he will say here I am If thou powre out thy soule to the hungry and refresh the troubled soule then shall thy light spring out in the darknes and thy darknes shall bee as the noone day and the Lord shall guide thee continually and satisfie thy soule in drought and make fat thy bones and thou shalt be like a watered garden and like a spring of water where waters faile not And they shall bee of thee that shall build the old waste places thou shalt raise vp the foundations for many generations and thou shalt be called the Repairer of the Breach and the restorer of the pathes to dwell in Tobit 4.7
frailtie we fall into any offence wee must tremble for feare of his rods like faultie and guiltie children we must shake and quake before the face of our heauenly father and prostrated at his feete and vnder his feete wee must intreate him with our teares to bee appeased towards vs for his mercies sake and to be pleased with vs for his Sonnes sake in whom he is well pleased We must I say implore him by his fatherly pitie to lay his rods aside each one with godly Dauid Psalm 6.1 saying and praying Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chastise me in thy wrath But if our most wise and prouident father finde it not expedient for vs to spare vs and to let vs passe vnpunished then must we throw our selues downe at his feete and offer willingly both our bodies and our goods vnto his blowes Let vs suffer his punishment with all patience his correction with all submission of minde let vs beware to murmur against our good father though his blowes seeme somewhat bitter and his stripes touch vs to the quicke let vs alwaies intertaine this christian cogitation in our hearts that our father is a most wise father and therefore knoweth well yea better then any other and best of all other what is most for our good and that hee is a most good father and one that loueth his children most dearely and entirely and therefore will doe nothing vnto vs but that which will doe vs much good In the meane time let each one that is chastised beseech God to doe it in so mercifull a manner that his correction may serue for his erection and direction all the daies of his life That it may serue for his instruction euer thereafter and not for his destruction as it doth to the obdured and reprobate and therefore let him say and pray with the holy prophet Ieremie Lord correct me Ierem. 10.24 but with iudgement that is with moderation and measure not in thine anger lest thou bring me to nothing Finally he must be so farre from making peruerse inference vpon the correction of God as though it did argue that God did hate him because of handling him so that he must gather the quite contrarie conclusion therof and euen say to himself thus The man God loueth most hee correcteth most for so saith Salomon the wise My sonne Prou. 3.11.12 Psalm 9 4.12 refuse not the chastening of the Lord neither bee grieued with his correction for the Lord correcteth him whom he loueth euē as the father doth the childe in whom he delighteth So saith the Apostle Saint Paul to the Hebrews Heb. 12.5.6.7.8 Whom the Lord loueth hee chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that hee receiueth If ye endure chastening God offereth himselfe vnto you as vnto sonnes for what sonne is it whom the father chasteneth not If therefore ye be without correction whereof all are partakers then are yee bastards and not sons Lastly so saith our Sauiour himselfe by his seruant S. Iohn Reuel 3.19 As many as I loue I doe rebuke and chasten bee zealous therefore and amend Thus wee haue three true witnesses and one of them more then a witnes telling and testifying that correction chastisement is a token of Gods loue And we know or at least ought to know that in the mouth of two or three witnesses being true euery word must stand so then if God correct vs because he loueth vs as it is most certaine that hee doth we must not doubt but that it is done for our good And therefore the holy Prophet Dauid who was as much beloued of God as any and therfore as much chastised of God as any and who profited as much by correction and affliction as any saith of himselfe thus Psal 119.67.71 It is good for me that I haue been afflicted that I may learne thy statutes For before I was afflicted and chastised I went astray but now I keepe thy word As if he should say affliction is a good rod for it bringeth to God Thus haue I shewed the nature qualitie and good effects of the feare of God so much as me thought might suffice for the declaration of the first rule of this Art which taketh his beginning from that which is the beginning both of wisdome and of durable wealth And therefore to shut vp this first discourse vpon this first rule of the golden art with some golden sentence let mee say vnto euery one that would bee wise or wealthie in this world and happie in the world to come that which Iesus the sonne of Syrach saith Trust in the Lord hold fast his feare Ecclesiast 2.6 40.26 and grow old therein there is no want in the feare of the Lord and it needeth no helpe for as wise Salomon saith in the feare of God is an assured strength and his children shall haue hope Yea Prou. 14.26 that which they hope for they shall haue euen as much as is good for them to desire or haue here and as much as they can desire or would haue or shall be able to receiue hereafter II. Rule Wisdome and vnderstanding that is the knowledge of God and good things concerning the publicke good of Church or Common-wealth with humane discretion foresight and good gouernment about a mans owne priuate life make the poore man rich and the rich man yet more rich Probation and declaration BLessed is the man that findeth wisedom saith Salomon Prou. 3.13.14.15.16.17.18 who sought wisdome and found it and the man that getteth vnderstanding for the merchandise thereof is better then the merchandise of siluer and the gaine thereof is better then gold It is more pretious then pearles and all things that thou canst desire are not to bee compared vnto her Length of daies is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and glorie Her waies are waies of pleasures and all her paths prosperitie Shee is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her and blessed is he that retaineth her 4.5.6.7.8.9 The wise shall inherit glory but fooles dishonour though they bee exalted Get wisdome and get vnderstanding forget not neither decline from the words of my mouth Forsake her not and shee shall preserue thee loue her and she shal keep thee Wisdome is the beginning get wisdome therefore and aboue al thy possession get vnderstanding Exalt her and shee shall exalt thee she shall bring thee to honor if thou embrace her She shall giue thee a comely ornament vnto thine head yea she shal giue thee a crown of glory I wisdome dwell with prudence 8.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.21 I haue counsell and I haue strength By me Princes rule and the Nobles and all the Iudges of the Earth Riches and honour are with me euen durable riches and righteousnesse My fruit is better then gold euen then fine gold and my reuenues better then fine siluer That I may cause them that loue
morrow and for this life what we shall eate or what we shall drinke or what we shall put on for our heauenly Father saith the Sonne knoweth that we haue neede of all those things Philip. 4.6 Bee nothing carefull saith the Apostle but cast all your care on God for hee careth for you Heb 13.5 Let your conuersation bee without couetousnesse and bee content with those things that yee haue for hee hath said I will not faile thee Psal 55 22. 107.9 neither forsake thee Cast thy burthen vpon the Lord saith the holy Prophet and hee shall nourish thee for he satisfieth the thirsty soule and filleth the hungry soule with goodnesse 65.9.10.11.12.13 He visiteth the earth and watereth it hee maketh it very rich the Riuer of God is full of water and hee prepareth men corne Hee watereth aboundantly the furrowes of the earth and causeth the raine to descend into the valleyes thereof Hee maketh it soft with showers and blesseth the bud thereof Hee crowneth the yeare with his goodnesse and his steppes droppe fatnesse They drop vpon the pastures of the wildernesse and the hilles are compassed with gladnesse The pastures are clad with Sheepe the valleyes also are couered with corne therefore the shout for ioy and sing As it is hee that giueth deliuerance vnto Kings 144.10.11.12.13.14 and rescueth Dauid his seruant from the hurtfull sword and maketh our sonnes to bee as the plantes growing vp in their youth and our daughters as the corner-stones grauen after the similitude of a palace So is it he that maketh our corners to bee full and abounding with diuers sorts and that our Sheepe may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streetes 145 15.16 and that our Oxen may bee strong to labour Finally the eyes of all waite vpon him and hee giueth them their meate in due season he openeth his hands and filleth all things liuing of his good pleasure Wherefore let the Christian learne to depend vpon Gods prouidence and to cast all his care vpon him Phil. 3.11.12 let him study and endeuour with the holy Apostle in whatsoeuer state hee bee therewith to be content euen as well to haue want as to haue wealth to bee bare as to abound And with the holy Prophet Psal 119.36 let him alwayes pray Incline mine heart Lord vnto thy testimonies and not vnto couetousnesse VII Rule The man that would bee rich must before all other things and more then all other things with great feruency and constancy craue at God spirituall blessings and when he hath gotten riches as he must not set his affection thereupon in louing them too much so he must not put his affiance or confidence in them by trusting to them or glorying and boasting himselfe of them Neither must hee murmure against God if he afflict him by the losse of a part thereof or yet of the whole but ought to beare his crosse patiently and valiantly Finally he must loue his riches so little in comparison of Christ and the saluation of his owne soule that if the cause and occasion offer it selfe hee bee content to forsake all for Christs sake and for the sauing of his owne soule Probation and declaration Math. 6.33 Luke 12.29.30.31 SEekee yee first saith our Sauiour the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things to wit foode and raiment and such other externall commodities of this life shall bee ministred vnto you And the Apostle exhorteth vs to set our affections on things which are aboue Colos 3.2 1 Tim. 4.8 and not on things which are on the earth For godlinesse is profitable vnto all things as that which hath the promise of the life present and of that that is to come Psal 119.165 They that loue thy law saith the holy Prophet Dauid shall haue great prosperity And because that Salomon asked of God 2 King 3.5.9.10.11.12.13 not long life nor riches nor the life of his enemies but onely an vnderstanding heart to iudge his people Therefore said the Lord vnto him Behold I haue done according to thy words loe I haue giuen thee a wise and an vnderstanding heart so that there hath beene none like thee before thee neither after thee shall arise the like vnto thee And I haue also giuen thee that which thou hast not asked both riches and honour so that among the Kings there shall bee none like vnto thee all thy daies If riches increase saith the holy Prophet set not your heart thereon Psal 62.10 49.6.10.11.12.16.17 The wicked trust in their goods and boast themselues in the multitude of their riches they thinke their houses and habitations shall continue for euer and call their lands by their names but they shall die like the beasts and leaue their riches for others they shall take nothing away with them when they die neither shall their power descend after them 52.5.6.7 The man that trusteth vnto the multitude of his â—iches Pruerb 11.28 Ecclesiastic 5.1.8 31.8 Ecclesiast 5.9 shall bee rooted out of the land of the liâ—ing He that trusteth in his riches saith Salomon â—hall fall but the righteous shall flourish like a â—eafe He that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied with siluer and he that loueth riches shall be without the fruit thereof Iob. 31.24.25.26.27.28 The holy man Iob protesteth â—f himselfe that he made not gold his hope nor â—et said euer at any time to the wedge of gold Thou art my confidence That he neuer boasted â—imselfe because his substance was great or because his hand had gotten much for in so doing saith he I should haue denyed the God aboue And the same holy man notwithstanding hee was the richest of all the men of the East 1.3.4.20.21 Iob 42.10.12 for his substance besides money houses and lands was seuen thousand sheepe and three thousand Camels and fiue hundreth yoke of Oxen and fiue hundreth she Asses yet when God suffered him to be spoiled and denuded of all hee fell not into murmuring and grudging impatiently against God but fell downe vpon the ground and worshipped God saying Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither The Lord hath giuen the Lord hath taken it blessed be the name of the Lord. And we find also that God did reward him for his patience for he gaue him twise so much as he had before and blessed his last dayes more then his first Ierem. 9.23.24 Let not the wise man saith the Lord by the Prophet Ieremie glory in his wisedome nor the strong man glorie in his strength neither the rich man glory in his riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me for I am the Lord which shews mercy iudgment and righteousnes in the earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord. Trust not vnto thy riches and say not I haue
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
vnderstand that all worship and honour is properly due vnto God that men whom God hath set in authority are to bee respected and reuerenced not for their person but for their place not for their owne sakes but for his sake whose seruants they are Reuel 1 6. And alwaies it becommeth them with the holy Prophet Saint Iohn to ascribe all the glory honour vnto him who hath made them Kings and Priests vnto God the father yea Kings themselues Psal 82 1 6. I meane the Kings and Monarkes of the earth whom God hath called Gods because they represent him most in power maiestie iustice mercy and bounty when as they are honoured of their subiects as God with prostration and adoration of the body supplication of the mouth and with illustrious and lofty compellations or yet with egregious and great commendations they must remember to giue all this honour they receiue at their subiects hands vnto God acknowledging themselues but as the conduit-pipes whereby all honour whatsoeuer all glory and praise is conueied vnto him to whom it most properly belongeth Otherwise God will be auenged on his little Gods for holding back of his honour from him Psal 107.40 Iob. 12.18 19 21. and hee that powreth contempt vpon Princes for contemning of him and looseth the coller of Kings yea and leadeth them as a prey for not praying and praising him will abate their honour and turne their glory into ignominie and their fame into shame as hee did in the behalfe of Herode Act. 12.21.22.23 of whom it is written that vpon a day appointed hee arraied himselfe in royall apparrell and sate on the iudgment seate and made an Oration vnto them and the people gaue a shout saying The voice of God and not of man But immediatly the Angell of the Lord smote him because hee gaue not glory vnto God so that hee was eaten of wormes and gaue vp the ghost This godlesse little God would not giue glory vnto the great God and therefore the highest creature in heauen and the lowest creature on earth conspired together to be auenged on him for his godlesse with-holding of Gods honour Thus hee that was a litle God and spake like a little God became a Theefe and robber of the glory of the great God and therefore died like a man yea like a beast so that the wormes eate vp his flesh One part of his flesh was turned into wormes and they preyed vpon the other part till hee gaue vp the ghost which fell into the hands of a worse worme then all the other wormes Isay 66 2◠euen a worme that neuer dieth but alwaies liueth and neuer leaueth eating Psal 2.10.11.12 And therefore let all Kings hearken vnto the exhortation and admonition of a King Be wise now therefore O Kings be learned ye Iudges of the earth serue the Lord in feare and reioyce in trembling kisse the Sonne least hee bee angry and yee perish in the way when his wrath shall suddenly burne blessed are all that trust in him Acts 14.15 Lydia a seller of purple was a regular Student in this Arte shee feared God and worshipped him deuoutly shee heard the blessed Apostle of the Gentiles attentiuely shee beleeued stedfastly and was baptised also shee ministred vnto the necessities of the Saints liberally and God blessed her both with spirituall and temporall blessings aboundantly I wish that this godly woman should serue for a mirrour to all Merchants Prou. 31.10 c. and Salomons vertuous woman for a patterne to all good Christian huswiues Acts 9.43 10.32 Simon the Tanner practised the Rules of this Art hee feared God and entertained his seruants chiefly the chiefe of the Apostles Saint Peter who tarried many daies in his house he was likewise diligent in his calling and doubtlesse God blessed him with prosperity in a competent measure Onesiphorus was a man that feared God 2 Tim. 1.16 17.18 and refreshed his seruants namely the blessed Apostle of the Gentiles Saint Paul neither was hee ashamed of his chaine but when hee was at Rome hee sought him out very diligently and found him and in many things hee ministred vnto him at Ephesus Wherefore no doubt but it fared with him according to the holy Apostles prayer The Lord giue mercy vnto the house of Onesiphorus for hee oft refreshed mee and was not ashamed of my chaine but when hee was at Rome he sought mee out very diligently and found mee The Lord grant vnto him that he may finde mercy with the Lord at that day And the same grace and mercy the same God graunt vnto all good men which resemble good Onesiphorus in giuing of their goods vnto the Ministers and poore members of Iesus Christ EXAMPLES OF SVCH As labouring to bee rich were Irregulars that is did not study nor practise the Rules of this Art and therefore haue beene both accursed and punished of GOD. Iosh 6.24 7. ACHAN was an irregular Student in the way of Enriching Hee feared not the Lord and walked not with an vpright heart before him but vpon a couetous desire hasted to bee rich by vnlawfull meanes euen by theft and sacriledge for he stole of the excommunicate thing at the ransacking of Iericho he stole euen of that part of the spoyles which the Lord had appointed to be set aside from a common vse and to bee put into the treasure of his house For hee stole a rich Babylonish garment and two hundreth shekles of siluer and a wedge of gold of fiftie shekles weight For this sinne of sacriledge the Lord punished the whole Israelites so that they were put to flight before their enemies and the hearts of their huge troupes melted away like water vntill the sacrilegious God spoyler was found out stoned to death and burned with fire both hee and his sonnes and his daughters his Oxen and Asses his sheepe and all that he had Now if God punished so exemplarily this sacrilegious stealth of Achan for coueting and conueying away a part of the spoiles which hee had appointed to bee put into the treasure of his house to serue for the garnishing and adorning thereof and for the necessary vses of his Priests shal we thinke that our sacrilegious Achans shall alwaies both here and hence escape vnpunished which with a strong hand haue robed the Lord of his own perpetual inheritance Acts 5. And if the Lord was so angry with Ananias and Sapphira for keeping backe but a part of the price of the possessions which they themselues of their owne accord had offered vnto God for the reliefe of his Saints that by the hand of his seruant Saint Peter in a sudden hee bereft them of their liues How shall he not be angry one day with our Church-robbers and God-spoyling Gospellers men an hundreth fold worse then Ananias for they are so far frō giuing any part at all of their lands or goods to Gods Ministers whereas Ananias gaue almost
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