THE GOLDEN ART, OR The right way of Enriching. Comprised in ten Rules, proved and confirmed by many places of holy Scripture, and illustrated by divers notable examples of the same. Very profitable for all such persons in City or Country, as do desire to get, increase, conserve, and use goods with a good conscience. By. I.M. Master in Arts. 1. Sam. 2.7. The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich, bringeth low, and exalteth. ECCLESIASTIC. 11.14. Prosperity and adversity, life and death, poverty and riches, come of the Lord 2. Cor. 9.8. Ye know the grace of our Lord jesus Christ, that he being rich, for your sakes became poor, that ye through his poverty might be made rich. LONDON, Printed for William Leake, and are to be sold at his shop in Paul's Churchyard, at the sign of the Holy Ghost. 1611. To the two most Famous, Ancient, and Opulent Sister-Cities of the Ocean-walled-world of Britain's Isle, the Augustious Chambers of our most gracious King JAMES the Concorder, and the first Christian Vniter thereof. LONDON, the Lady of Cities, and Load stone of Strangers. & EDINBURG, the bright Eye of the North. And to the Honourable GOVERNORS', ALDERMEN and SHERIFFS, BAILIES, and DEANE of the Guild. With the whole Worshipful CORPORATIONS & COMPANIES thereof: A Britain, for a perpetual testimony of his observancy, doth in right humble and hearty manner dedicate the Golden Art of Enriching, being the first Art that ever was written upon this subject, and likewise the first that ever was written originally in the Britannish Tongue. JAMES MAXWELL. To the Right Honourable, SIR WILLIAM CRAVEN Knight, Lord Mayor of the Augustious City of LONDON, and the flower of all Noble- minded Merchants. & SIR JOHN ARNOT Knight, Lord Provost of the Royal City of EDINBURGE, and Collector of the Crowne-rents of Scotland. All desirable Felicity. Right Honourable, I BEING of late in revolving and reviewing the confused Mass of mine unpolished papers, among mine other exercises and essays, I found the project and platform, of this present Art: and having taken some pains about the polishing and finishing thereof, I was loath it should perish, or yet lie any longer shut up in the obscure corner of a coffer. And therefore partly presuming, and partly hoping that it might do some good, unto such as labour, either to get goods with a good conscience, or to use their goods already gotten in a good and godly manner, I was somuch the more willing to set it out to public view. And because it was mine hap to prosecute my studies, and to run my Philosophical course in the Noble City of EDINBURGE, whereby my small capacity hath herein been furthered; and my fortune to write and finish this present Art in this famous City of LONDON, where now I live: therefore I thought it my duty to dedicate the same unto the foresaid two most Honourable Cities of this I'll, and that for a testimony of mine observancy, and grateful affection towards them both; Being somuch the more moved to implore and employ their honourable patronage therein, as for because that the subject thereof doth especially concern Cities and Citizens, and genenerally all such in City or country as labour to be rich in the right way. In it truly is contained whatsoever thing the Sacred Scripture dispersedly doth afford concerning poverty and riches, and the virtues and vices which are incident or conversant about the same. Out of the which holy Book, I have collected the whole rules reasons, probations, and exemplifications of this Art, and therefore I have not amplified nor enlarged my discourse, as I might have done with the foreign stuff of human testimonies, and that for these three reasons. First because that the holy Scripture being diligently searched is no lesse-sufficient to show a man the right way of Enriching, than it is of Believing; & that the reasons and testimonies thereof are of uncontroullable authority. Secondly because I did foresee how that this Art by such enlarging would arise to such a volume, that it should be both hardly read over of rich men, who have too little time to peruse large books, and hardly compassed or got of poor men, who have too little money to buy big books. And lastly, because it is my purpose, God willing, to discourse both Theologically, and Philosophically, in the Art of Flying, how that no less than these ten Schoolmasters, 1. Almighty God; 2. The glorious Angels; 3. The holy Penmen of sacred Scripture, Prophets and Apostles; 4. The reverend Doctors of the Church; 5. The wise Philosophers of the Heathen; 6. The World's frame in the Heavens, Stars, and Elements, 7. The Fowls of the Air; 8. The Fishes of the Sea; 9 The Beasts of the Field; 10. And the creeping things of the earth, do all of them conjunctly concur to teach Man, how to become a Bird of Paradise; that is to say, how to fly from all vices, to all opposite virtues: Accept therefore, Right Honourable, in good worth, in the name of your foresaid two flourishing Cities the Golden Art of Enriching, such as it is, being the first Art that ever was written upon this subject, yea, and the first Art, that ever was originally written in the common language of this most noble I'll, and as I suppose the first book, that ever did bear this Vnionall kind of Dedication. Grace it therefore with your favourable visage, and guard it with your worthy patronage, So shall it be secured under your shadow, and I encouraged to offer, God-willing, one day, unto the honour of these your two most Honourable Sister-citties, our JAMES ANNA, that is, the pattern of a perfit City. That which resteth is my thrice hearty wish unto God, who hath planted peace in your Borders, Psal. 147.13.14. strengthened your gates, and satisfied you with the flower of wheat, that it would be his gracious pleasure, to crown you more and more with all kind of Spiritual and Temporal blessings, that your Sons may be as the plants, Psal. 144.12.13.14. growing up in their youth, and your Daughters as the corner-stones graven after the similitude of a Palace, Psal. 65.9.10.11.12.13. that your corners may be full, and abounding with divers sorts, and the furrows of your fields may be made soft with showers, and filled with fatness. That your pastures may be replenished with dewy grass, and clad with sheep, bringing forth thousands in your Territories, together with kine sending forth the soft streams of sweet milk, and likewise with oxen strong to labour your land. That your valleys may be covered with corn, Psal. 132.15. Zach. 9.17. and your trees and orchards loaden with fruit; so that your Poor may be satisfied with bread, and your Youngmen and Maids for joy may shout and sing. Psal 144 14. That there be no invasion from without, nor sedition from within, nor no crying in your streets, Isay 23.58. and circumiacent towns. That your Merchants may be as Princes, and your Chapmen and Shopmen as the Nobles of the earth, that they may be rich in godliness and in good works, no less then in gold and in goods, ready to distribute and communicate, 1. Tim. 6.17.18.19. laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may obtain eternal life. Exod. 18.21.25. & 23.1.2 3.6.7.8.9. Deut 1.13.16.17. 2. Chron. 19.5.6.7. That your Lawyers, justices, and judges may be replenished with wisdom, & understanding in the Law, & with conscionableness and courage in pleading the good cause, and in doing of justice and judgement without respect of persons, or yet of reward. That your Priests may be clothed with salvation, Psal. 132.16. Malach. 2.7. Mat. 5.14.15.16. Deut. 32.5. Philip. 2.15. that their lips may preserve knowledge, and that they may shine as lights by their sound instruction and sanctified conversation in the mids of the blind and naughty multitude of sinful and earthly minded men. Finally, that it would please his Divine clemency always to rescue David his servant, and to show his salvation and word more and more unto jacob our Sovereign, Psal. 61.6.7, & 91, 14, 15, 16, & 144, 10, 11, & 147.19, Hosh, 14, 6, 7, 8. to satisfy him with long life, and to make his years as many ages, to be with him in trouble, to amplify his Majesty, and to increase his glory in the sight of all his enemies, that he may grow as the Lily, and fasten his roots in Albion, as the trees of Lebanon. That his branches may spread, and his beauty may be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon, that they that dwell under his shadow may flourish as the vine, and that the sent of Albion may be as the wine of Lebanon, That so a blessed Princes blessed People may go on from blessedness to blessedness, and thus blessed may always bless him, who is the blesser of you both, even he whose name is jehovah, who will bless you in this life, with temporal and spiritual prosperity and crown you after this life with eternal felicity. And thus I rest an earnest lover Of your Lordships, and your honourable cities honour, JAMES MAXWELL. A Summarie view of such more notable points as are declared and explained to the meanest capacity in the Glosses of this Art. I. OF the excellency of the fear of the Lord, and of the nature, property, and branches thereof. Pag. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 9 10. 11. II. Of the prosperity of the wicked, and of the evanishing condition of the same. pag. 7. 8. 90. 91. III. Of salomon's three capital evils, which are to be hated above all other; pride, the evil way, & the mouth that speaketh lewd things. pag. 10. 11. FOUR Of God's fatherly corrections, and how a man ought to carry himself therein, and make use of afflictions. pag. 12. 13. 14. 89. 90. 91. 92. V Of the excellency of wisdom, and the preciousness thereof. pag. 15. 16. 17. 18. VI How that Lettered men must endeavour to be well seen in Arts & Sciences. pag. 18. 19 20. VII. How that Merchants, Traffikers, Tradesmen, and the labourers of the ground ought to endeavour to be skilful each one of them in their own particular callings. pag. 21. 22. VIII. How that the unwise and wicked may oftentimes be rich, and the wise and well-qualified poor, and the reasons and occasions of both, pag. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 90. 91. 92. 93. IX. Of the dignity and excellency of the spiritual calling of Churchmen, above the temporal callings of other men. pag. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. X. Of the excellency of diligence, and carefulness about a man's calling, and of the great damage that ensueth upon idleness and sloth. pag. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39 40. XI. How that as good Gentlemen as any that live nowadays, have embraced a Trade. pag. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. XII. Of the unfruitfulness of man's labours without God's blessing. pag. 46. 47. 48. 49. XIII. Of the cursed conditions of all oppressors, extortioners, deceivers, Lawless Lawyers, and unjust judges. p. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57 58. 59 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. XIIII. Of lending friendly, and of the unlawfulness of usury. pag. 66. 67. 68 70. 71. XV. Of true and due measure in selling of wares. pag. 68 69. 70. XVI. Of the unlawfulness of Stew-houses in a Christian Commonwealth. pag. 72. 73. 74. XVII. Of the right use, & the pernicious abuse of stageplays. pag. 75. 76. XVIII. Of the use and abuse of play at cards, & dice. pag. 77. 78. 79. 80. XIX. Of the cursedness of covetousness, and of the blessedness of contentation. pag. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. XX. Of the setting of our hearts upon heavenly treasure, and not upon earthly trash. pag. 86. 87. 88 94. 95. 96. 97. XXI. Of the cheerfulness and readiness that ought to be in subjects toward the maintenance of their Princes. pag. 97. 98. 99 100 101. 102. 103. 104. 105. 188. XXII. A short discourse touching the manner how princes amongst the people of God have been maintained of old, together with a defence of Solomon against the false imputation of his subjects, slandering him to be a grievous yoake-maker, pag. 106. 107. 108. 109. 110. XXIII. A plain plea for the honourable and liberal maintenance of God's Ministers, against all God-spoiling Anti-Gods, and sacrilegious Church-robbers, pag. 111. 112. 113. 114. 115. 116. 117. 118. 119. 120. 121. 122. 123. 124. 125. 126. 127. 128. 129. 183. XXIIII. How that the ministers of the Gospel ought not to disclaim the honourable Title of Priests. pag. 122. 123. 177. 178. XXV. Of the honour due unto Churchmen in gesture of body, and in word of mouth: And how that in holy Scripture, the Governors of the Church are enstiled Fathers, Lords, Princes, & Angels. pag. 171. 172. 173. 174. 175. 177. 178. XXVI. Against the sins of covetousness, and carelessness in Churchmen, pag. 184. 185. 186. 192. 198. XXVII. Of the large extent and outward glory & unity of the Church towards the latter times. pag. 175. 176. 186. 187. 196. XXVIII. How men ought to take a part of their own goods in all hearty and cheerful manner. pag. 130. 131. 132. XXIX. Of the great hurt that redoundeth to a man in soul, body, and goods, by reason of excess, intemperancy, & superfluity, pa. 133. 134. 135. 136. 137. 138. 139. XXX. A plea for charitableness to the poor, against the dead devotion of these uncharitable days. pag. 140. 141. 142. 143, 144. 145. 146. 147. 148. 149. 150. 151. 152. 153. 154. 155. 156. 191. 192. 193. 194. 195. 196. 197. XXXI. A collection, and description of such famous men, and women mentioned in holy Scripture, as have gotten goods with a good conscience, and used their riches aright, and have been blessed of God. Pag. 157. 158. 159 160. 161. 162. 163. 164. 165. 166. 167. 168. 169. 170. 171. 172. 173. 174. 175. 176. 177. 178. 179. 180. 181. XXXII. A collection, & description of such persons mentioned in holy Scripture, as have swerved from the right way of Enriching, and have been punished of God. Pag. 182. 183. 184. 185. 186. 187. 188. 189. 190. 191. 192. 193. 194. 195. 196. 197. 198. 200. XXXIII. A description of the sins reigning of old in the Cities of Sodom, Babel, Tyrus, Samaria, and jerusalem, with the Author's hearty wish for the Felicity of the two most famous Cities of this Isle London & Edinburgh. Pag. 200. 101. 202. 203. 204. 205. 206. 207. 208. 209. 210. 211. 212. 213. A short form of prayer, very fit to be used of every regular student in this Arte. 1. Sam. 2.7. LORD, thou that art the giver of riches, and sender of poverty, incline mine heart unto thy testimonies, Psa. 119.36. Pro. 30.8, 9 and not to covetousness; Give me not poverty nor riches too much, feed me with food convenient for me, lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, who is the Lord, or lest I be poor, and steal and take the name of my God in vain. Amen. Errata. PAg. 70. line 17. for gain, read gain. p. 109. l. 12. for reckless read reckless. p. 110. l. 10. for that read hath. p. 111. l. 3. for free-parted read sive-parted. p. 173. l. 1. for Elisha, read Eliah. p 185. l. 22. for unit read union, p. 201. l. 7. for wearing read swearing. p. 203. l. 10. for clear read clearer. p. 211. l. 14. for maketh read made. p. 212. l. 21. for name read day. THE GOLDEN ART, OR THE RIGHT way of Enriching. The definition of this art. The Golden art, is the right way of getting, increasing, conserving, and using goods with a good conscience. I. Rule. The fear of the Lord, and his blessing make the poor man rich, and the rich man yet more rich. Probation, and declaration. YE shall serve the Lord your God (saith the Lord our God by his holy servant Moses) and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water. Exod. 23.25. The land shall give her fruit, Levit. 25 18.19. & 26.3.4.5.14.15.19.20. and ye shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety. I will send you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall give their fruit, and your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time, and ye shall eat your bread in plenteousness, and dwell in your land safely. But if you will not obey me, but break my covenant, I will make your Heaven as iron, and your earth as brass, and your strength shall be spent in vain, neither shall your land give her increase, neither shall the trees of the land give their fruit. Deut. 8.17.18. Beware lest thou say in thine heart, my power and the strength of mine own hand hath prepared me this abundance, but remember the Lord thy God, for it is he which giveth thee power to get substance. & 7.12 13.14. For if ye hearken unto these laws, and observe and do them, than the Lord thy God shall keep with thee the covenant and the mercy which he swore unto thy fathers, and he will love thee, bless thee, and multiply thee; he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, and the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, and thou shalt be blessed above all people. I will also give rain unto your land in due time, & 11.14.15. the first rain and the latter, that thou mayst gather in thy wheat, and thy wine, and thine oil; also I will send grass in thy field, for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and have enough. & 28.3.4.5.6.8.15.16.17.18.19 Blessed shalt thou be in the City, and blessed also in the field, blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, blessed shalt be thy basket, and thy dough, blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed also when thou goest out. The Lord shall command the blessing to be with thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand to. Deut. 30.9. The Lord will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of the land for thy wealth. But if thou wilt not obey the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep and to do his commandments, & 28.15.16.17.18.19.23.24.38.39.40.42. then cursed shalt thou be in all the things aforesaid. The Lord (saith the godly woman Anna, the mother of holy Samuel in her song) maketh poor, 1. Sam. 2.7.8. and maketh rich, bringeth low and exalteth, he raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among Princes, and to make them inherit the seat of glory, for the pillars of the earth are the Lords. 1. Chron. 29.12 Psalm. 113.7.8. & 107.36.37.38.41. & 25.12.13. The same thing saith the holy Prophet and godly King David. The soul of the man that feareth the Lord shall dwell at ease, and his seed shall inherit the land. Trust thou in the Lord, and do good: & 37.3.4.5.7.9.11.18.19.22.29.34. dwell in the land, and thou shalt be fed assuredly. Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee thine hearts desire: commit thy way unto the Lord, and trust in him, and he shall bring it to pass: wait patiently upon the Lord, and hope in him; for they that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the Land. Meek men shall possess the earth, and shall have their delight in the multitude of peace. The Lord knoweth the days of upright men, and their inheritance shall be perpetual. They shall not be confounded in the perilous time, and in the days of famine they shall have enough. Such as be blessed of God shall inherit the land, and they that be cursed of him, shall be cut off. The righteous men shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever: wait thou on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee that thou shalt inherit the land: Psalm. 61.5. for he will give an heritage unto those that fear his name. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, & 112.1.2.3. and delighteth greatly in his commandments, his seed shall be mighty upon earth, the generation of the righteous shall be blessed, and his righteousness endureth for ever. & 128.1.2. Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord and walketh in his ways, when thou eatest the labours of thine hands, thou shalt be blessed, and it shall be well with thee. The blessing of the Lord (saith king Solomon, Prou. 10.22. whom the Lord blessed both with wisdom and riches) maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrows to it. & 13.22. The good man shall give inheritance unto his children's children: but the riches of the sinner is laid up for the just. The fear of the Lord leadeth to life, & 19.23. and he that is filled therewith shall continue, and shall not be visited with evil. & 22.4. The reward of humility and the fear of God is riches, & 31.30. and glory, and life. Also salomon's virtuous 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 fear of the Lord (saith jesus the son of Syrach) is glory and gladness, and a joyful crown; who so feareth the Lord, it shall go 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 desirable, and the garners with the things she bringeth forth; she hath brought unto honour them that possessed her. & 11.14.17. The fear of God (saith he) filleth men's hearts with wisdom, and their houses with all desirable things. & 15.1.5.6. & 38.8. & 40.26.27. The fear of the Lord exalteth them above their neighbours, and clotheth them with the garment of glory, for of the Lord cometh prosperity & wealth over all the earth. Riches and strength lift up the heart, but the fear of the Lord is above them both. There is no want in the fear of the Lord, and it needeth no help. The fear of the Lord is a pleasant garden of blessing, and there is nothing so beautiful as it is. Finally, the blessed Apostle S. Paul teacheth us, 1. Tim. 4.8. that godliness is profitable unto 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 godliness, but the fear and worship of God, and what other thing else is the fear of God, but godliness? Thus ye see, O ye students in the art of Enriching, what an excellent thing the fear of God is; how that she is a pleasant and profitable garden of blessing and of blessedness. In this garden which the hand of God hath planted himself, grow the tree of knowledge, and the tree of life, even both wisdom and wealth: Psalm. 111.10, Prou. 1.7. & 22 4. Ecclesiastic. 11.14.17. for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of both. She filleth the heart with wisdom, and the house with variety of goods: with the right hand she reacheth out spiritual wealth, and with the left hand, temporal store. Prosperity on earth is her temporal guerdon, and felicity in heaven is her eternal reward. But I know some will object and say, that even the godless, and such as will neither know God, nor acknowledge him, neither love him as a Father, nor fear him as a Lord, may be likewise rich, and oftentimes enjoy great prosperity and wealth. To which I answer thus; such as the fear of God maketh rich, Luk. 12.21. they are rich in God, as our Saviour in the gospel giveth us to understand: that is, they are rich with goods given out of Gods own hand, and their goods are gotten with a good conscience, they do good with their goods, and reap more good and goods at God's hand by using them to his glory and their neighbours good. For unto them that have (saith our Saviour) it shall be given: Matth. 25.29. Luk. 19.26. that is, unto such as have godliness and goodness, shall be given goods, and unto such as have used their goods aright, shall be given yet more goods: whereas from the man that hath not godliness and goodness, even those goods he hath shall be taken away, and given to him that hath more goodness than he. Psal. 25.12.13. & 37.18.29. Moreover, the riches of the man that feareth God, as they shall be increased, so shall they be continued to him and his posterity, walking after their father's footsteps in the ways of God's fear: as for the wicked, and such as are void of God's fear, they may well be wealthy and rich, yea and very rich, they may wax old, and grow in wealth, job 21.7. saith job, the miror of patience, they may be strong and spread themselves like a green bay tree, Psal. 37.35. saith divine David; they may take root, grow and bring forth fruit, and their way may prosper, jerem. 12.1.2. saith holy jeremy: yet for all this, they cannot be rich in God. For though the most high, who is kind unto the very unkind, and good unto the evil, Matth. 5.45. Luk. 6.35. make his sun to shine on the evil as well as the good, and send rain on the unjust, as well as the just (as our Saviour speaketh in the gospel:) though, I say, he rain down riches even upon irreligious men, and give gold unto the godless, and goods unto such as have no goodness at all; yet it is in the same manner as he gave of old, flesh unto the murmuring Israelites to eat: Psal. 78.27.28.29.30. He reigned flesh upon them as dust, & feathered fowl as the sand of the sea, he made it fall in the midst of their camp, even round about their habitations. So they did eat, and were filled, for he gave them their desire: he made them to eat in his anger, Numb. 11.18.19.20.33.34. until it came out of their nostrils, and was loathsome unto them; while their flesh was yet between their teeth, before it was well chewed, even the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and he smote them with an exceeding great plague, so that ever after, the place where they fell bare the name of the graves of lust. job 22.18. & 21.7.13.16.17 In like manner God oftentimes raineth riches upon the godless, and he filleth their houses with good things: they grow in wealth, they spend their days in wealth: but lo for all this their wealth is not in their hand. It is not given to them and theirs for ever, but only lent them for a time: and when the time is spent and passed, & 15.29. God will put out the candle of the wicked, and divide their lives in his wrath: he shall not be rich always, & 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 devoured substance, and he shall vomit it, for God shall draw it out of his belly: job 26.14 16.17.21.22.23. he shall be about to fill his belly, but God shall send upon him his fierce wrath, and shall cause to rain upon him, even upon his meat. The increase of his house shall go away: he shall flow away in the day of his wrath, and his posterity shall not be satisfied with bread. Though he should heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay, he may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver. God shall hurl him out of his place, and shall cast upon him, & not spare, though he would feign fly out of his hands. Every man shall clap their hands at him and hiss at him out of their place. & 20.6.7.29. Lo this is the portion of the godless rich man from God, and the heritage that the man shall have of God that is rich, but not rich in God. Though his excellency mount up to the heaven, and his head reach unto the clouds, yet shall he not enter into heaven, yea he shall be hurled not only down from heaven, but also out of the earth, and shall perish for ever like his dung; and they which have seen him shall say, where is he? Though he be strong for a time, prosper and flourish like a green bay (as holy David speaketh) yet his arms and his branches shall be broken; Psal. 37.17.20.29.30. he and his prosperity shall perish and melt away like the fat of Lambs: whereas the righteous men (that is, such as fear God and eschew evil) shall inherit the land for ever. And thus I hope the objection made against the infallibility of the first rule may be satisfied. Now if a man that loveth to study this art, will ask what the fear of God is, which openeth so wide a door unto a man to be rich, and how such a man may be known; Solomon, 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 give him satisfaction. The fear of the Lord (saith he) is to hate evil. A wise man feareth and departeth from evil: job 1.1. & 28.28. and therefore it is said of job who was a wise man and a rich man both, that he feared God and eschewed evil; and with all he telleth us that the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to departed from evil is understanding. So then the fear of God is the hatred of evil, and the man that hateth evil feareth God. And a man may know him by this mark, even by his departing from evil and eschewing of sin: and good reason forsooth, that a man who should love God as the sovereign good, and would be loved of God; that he hate evil as the devil, that would make him hated of God. The devil is all made of evil, (for so hath he made himself by sin) and evil floweth from the devil; even as God is all good, and every good thing is from God. So that these vocables or words, God and good, devil and evil, are not so near or like one another in sound, as they are in substance. And as we must hate evil with our hearts, so must we departed from evil in our hands, yea in the actions of our whole lives. We must departed from evil, that would make us departed from God, and God from us for ever. We must eschew the evil of sin, as we would eschew the evil of eternal shame, and the horrors of hell. Prou. 8.13. Solomon when he defineth the fear of God to be the hating of evil, mentioneth immediately three capital evils, that a man must hate above all other; pride, the evil way, and the mouth that speaketh lewd things. Genes. 18.27. job 10.9.10.11.12. & 25.6. 1. Mac. 2.62. Ecclesiast. 10.12. As for the evil of pride; what greater pride or what greater evil can there be, then for man who is but a worm, and the ordinary repast of worms, even dust and ashes, and who holdeth his breath and all that he hath of God, not to humble himself daily before his footstool, and to pray unto him, earnestly for grace and all good things, and to praise him heartfully for such blessings as he hath bestowed upon him, whether in body or in soul, or in both? withal acknowledging all his felicity to flow from him, who (as the Apostle S. james teacheth) is the giver of every good and perfect gift from above. james 1.17. And as for the other evil, of the evil way; good Lord! what way can be more evil, then for a man to do his own worldly will, and his own wicked way on the Lord's day? for a man, I say, to pollute the holy day of the holy One, by following the worldly ways of profit and of pleasure, and to steal away from him both his service and the day of his service, which ought to be wholly spent and employed in holiness (without which the Apostle saith, Heb. 12.14. no man shall see God) even in the public exercise of piety towards God, and of charity and mercy towards man for God's sake? And as for the third evil, of the mouth and tongue that speaketh lewd things; what more lewd thing can the mouth of man utter, then to use or rather abuse so irreverently, as the most part now adays do, the adorable name of God, to swear almost at every word by the same, and by the blessed name of jesus, by his passion, by his wounds, and by his blood? The holy Scripture willeth every knee to bow at the blessed name of jesus, Isai. 45.23. Rom. 14.11. Phil. 2.10.11. in sign of reverence and subjection (for thereby we do acknowledge him even as he is man to be our Sovereign, the Lord of Lords, and the King of Kings) and enjoineth every tongue to confess that he is the Lord, 1. Cor. 15.24.25.26.27.28. Heb. 2.7.8. unto the glory of God the father, who hath put down all things under his feet. But these lewd mouthed men will neither reverence him with the bowing of the knee, nor honour him with the confession and sanctification of the tongue. Their knees will not honour the Son, and their tongues will needs dishonour both the Father and the Son. Well, let them be rich who will, surely such as be proud in God's sight, and will neither praise him nor pray unto him, and such as be profaners of his holy name, and of his holy day, and will not sanctify both, they shall never be rich in God. They may well gather goods, but they shall not prove goods to them, they shall not turn to their good, neither shall they reap any good at God's hand by them, neither shall they remain to them and theirs. For only the fear of God (which mother-vertue these men want) is the fountain of good goods, and of durable riches. Now the fear of God hath two branches, the one is, we must fear to offend him, because he is our Father, whom we must love in the highest degree: the other is, when we have offended him, we must fear his fury and punishments, because he is our Lord. Our fear must not be servile or slavish, such as is the bondman's fear of his master, which is only and merely because of punishment: but our fear must be filial and sonly, such as is the children's fear of their father, Psalm. 2.11. as being loath to offend one whom we love: we must serve the Lord in fear and trembling: we must fear to offend, before we offend; and when as through human frailty we fall into any offence, we must tremble for fear of his rods: like faulty and guilty children we must shake and quake before the face of our heavenly father, and prostrated at his feet, and under his feet, we must entreat him with our tears to be appeased towards us for his mercy's sake, and to be pleased with us for his sons sake, in whom he is well pleased. We must, I say, implore him by his fatherly pity to lay his rods aside, each one with godly David, 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 provident father find it not expedient for us to spare us, and to let us pass unpunished; then must we throw ourselves down at his feet, and offer willingly both our bodies and our goods unto his blows. Let us suffer his punishment with all patience, his correction with all submission of mind: let us beware to murmur against our good father, though his blows seem somewhat bitter, and his stripes touch us to the quick: let us always entertain this christian cogitation in our hearts, that our father is a most wise father, and therefore knoweth well, yea better than any other, and best of all other, what is most for our good: and that he is a most good father, and one that loveth his children most dearly and entirely, and therefore will do nothing unto us, but that which will do us much good. In the mean time let each one that is chastised, beseech God to do it in so merciful a manner, that his correction may serve for his erection and direction all the days of his life: That it may serve for his instruction ever 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 jeremy, Lord, correct me, jerem. 10.24. but with judgement (that is, with moderation and measure) not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing. Finally, he must be so far from making perverse inference upon 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 contrary conclusion thereof, and even say to himself thus; The man God loveth most, he correcteth most; for so saith Solomon the wise, My son, Prou. 3.11.12. Psalm. 9 4.12. refuse not the chastening of the Lord, neither be grieved with his correction: for the Lord correcteth him whom he loveth, even as the father doth the child in whom he delighteth. So saith the Apostle Saint Paul to the Hebrews; Heb. 12.5.6.7.8. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and he scourgeth every son that he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God offereth himself unto you as unto sons; for what son is it, whom the father chasteneth not? If therefore ye be without correction, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Lastly, so saith our Saviour himself by his servant S. john, Revel. 3.19. As many as I love, I do rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore and amend. Thus we have three true witnesses, and one of them more than a witness, telling and testifying, that correction & chastisement is a token of God's love. And we know, or at least ought to know, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses, being true, every word must stand; so then, if God correct us because he loveth us, as it is most certain that he doth, we must not doubt, but that it is done for our good. And therefore the holy Prophet David, who was as much beloved of God as any; and therefore as much chastised of God as any, and who profited as much by correction and affliction as any, saith of himself thus; Psal. 119.67.71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn thy statutes. For before I was afflicted and chastised, I went astray; but now I keep thy word. As if he should say, affliction is a good rod, for it bringeth to God. Thus have I showed the nature, quality and good effects of the fear 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 wisdom, and of durable wealth. And therefore to shut up this first discourse upon this first rule of the golden art with some golden sentence; let me say unto every one that would be wise or wealthy in this world, and happy in the world to come, that which jesus the son of Syrach saith: Trust in the Lord, hold fast his fear, Ecclesiast. 2.6. & 40.26. and grow old therein; there is no want in the fear of the Lord, and it needeth no help: for (as wise Solomon saith) in the fear of God is an assured strength, and his children shall have hope. Yea, Prou. 14.26. that which they hope for they shall have; even as much as is good for them to desire or have here, and as much as they can desire, or would have, or shall be able to receive hereafter. II. Rule. Wisdom and understanding, that is, the knowledge of God and good things concerning the public good of Church or Commonwealth, with human discretion, foresight and good government about a man's own private life, make the poor man rich, and the rich man yet more rich. Probation, and declaration. BLessed is the man that findeth wisdom (saith Solomon, Prou. 3.13.14.15.16.17.18. who sought wisdom and found it) and the man that getteth understanding; for the merchandise thereof is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof is better than gold. It is more precious than pearls: and all things that thou canst desire, are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory. Her ways are ways of pleasures, and all her paths prosperity. She 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 fools dishonour, though they be exalted. Get wisdom, and get understanding; forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee, love her and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the beginning, get wisdom therefore, and above all thy possession get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall exalt thee, she shall bring thee to honour, if thou embrace her. She shall give thee a comely ornament unto thine head, yea she shall give thee a crown of glory. I wisdom dwell with prudence. & 8.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.21. I have counsel, and I have strength. By me Princes rule, and the Nobles, and all the judges of the Earth. Riches and honour are with me, even durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, even then fine gold, and my revenues better than fine silver. That I may cause them that love me to inherit substance, and I will fill their treasures. The wise man job hath an excellent description of the worth of wisdom. job 28.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.20.22.23.24.25.26.27.28. But where is wisdom found? And where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof: for it is not found in the land of the living. The depth saith, it is not in me: the sea also saith, it is not with me. Gold shall not be given for it, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. It shall not be valued with the wedge of gold of Ophir, nor with the precious Onyx, nor the Saphir. The gold nor the Crystal shall be equal unto it, nor the exchange shall be for plate of fine gold. No mention shall be made of Coral, nor of the Gabish: for wisdom is more precious than pearls. The Topaz of Aethiopia shall not be equal unto it, neither shall it be valued with the wedge of pure gold. Behold the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to departed from evil is understanding. Prou. 12.14. A man shall be satiat (saith Solomon) with good things by the fruit of his mouth, and the recompense of a man's hands shall God give unto him. & 13.2.18. A man shall eat good things by the fruit of his mouth, but the soul of the trespasser shall suffer violence. & 16.20. poverty and shame is to him that refuseth instruction, but he that regardeth correction shall be honoured. & 21.20. He that is wise in his business shall find good: for in the house of the wise, is a pleasant treasure and oil. & 15.31.32. Through wisdom is an house builded, and with understanding it is established, and by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. Wisd. 7.11. Innumerable riches come through her hands, & 8.5.18. & 10.10.11.12. and in the works thereof are infinite riches. Wisdom made jacob rich in his labours, and made his pains profitable, and gave perpetual glory to joseph, yea, brought him the sceptre of a Kingdom. & 4.1.2. Virtue is always crowned and triumpheth, and winneth the battle, and the undefiled rewards. Ecclesiast. 11.1. & 15.3.4.5.6. & 24.19. Wisdom (saith jesus the son of Syrach) lifteth up the head of him that is low, and maketh him to sit among great men. Finally, the flowers of wisdom are the fruit of honour and riches, even the garment of glory, the crown of gladness, and an everlasting name. Thus ye see, O ye students in the art of enriching, of how great moment, wisdom and understanding are for the attaining of riches. She maketh the poor man plenteous, and garnisheth the needy with wealth. The man that is low she raiseth aloft: she leadeth him by the hand from among the despised, and placeth him among princes. She lifteth up his head, and as she storeth and decoreth his heart with grace, so she crowneth his head with honour here, and with happiness hereafter. It behoveth therefore every man next after the knowledge of God, and of his duty towards him (for this is the chief) to study and learn the understanding and knowledge of that calling God hath made him to embrace. Let him labour then to be wise and well seen in his own art and occupation, be more than any other, and more in it then in any other. The man that followeth the liberal profession of letters, let him endeavour to know and comprehend the condition and constitution, the marrow and the mysteries of the art, science, and exercise he hath betaken himself to. Prou. 21.1. For what wots he, but that God, who hath the hearts of kings in his hand, may open a door in some king's heart for him to enter into? and not only open the door of his heart to make the king love him, but also the door of his head, I mean his mouth, to make him say of him, Gen. 41.38.39. as once Pharaoh, King of Egypt, said of joseph; Can we find such a man as this, in whom is the spirit of understanding and wisdom? Yea, more than this, open also his hand unto him, and make the Prince do unto him, as Pharaoh did to joseph, even prefer him unto some worthy place in the Church, his Court or Commonwealth. What wots the lettered man, I say, but that God, Dan. 1.17.18.19.20. who oftentimes giveth his children favour in the eyes of kings, will make it befall him, as we find it did to the four children, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, to whom God gave knowledge and understanding in all learning and wisdom, and favour in King NebuchadneZZars eyes? So that the King disdained not to commune with them, though they were but young boys, who finding them ten times more cunning than all his other Wise men; he began to honour them with the liberty of ordinary access unto his presence, and appointed them always to stand before him. And as God thus opened the King's heart to love them, and like of them more, then of the other wise men; who were not wise in God: so afterwards he opened also the King's hand unto them in a more liberal and bountiful manner, then unto the other wise men. For it is said, & 2.46.47.48.49. that the King greatly honoured Daniel, and for his great knowledge made him a great man, gave him many great gifts; yea, he made him governor over the whole Province of Babel, and chief of the Rulers, and above all his wise men. So that he sat in the gate of the King, Genes. 41.40.41.42.43. even as chief Ruler representing the King. Even as Pharaoh set joseph over his house, yea, over all the land of Egypt, to rule over his rulers, and to teach his wise men wisdom. Likewise daniel's three fellows were preferred by NebuchadneZZar, and set over the Province of Babel under Daniel. In one word, the lettered man must labour and endeavour to be such a one as jesus the son of Syrach hath painted out in these words; Ecclesiasticus 39.1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11. He only that apply his mind to the law of the most High, and is occupied in the meditation thereof, seeketh out the wisdom of all the ancient, and exerciseth himself in the prophecies. He keepeth the sayings of famous men, and entereth in also to the secrets of dark sentences. He seeketh out the mystery of grave sentences, and exerciseth himself in dark parables. He shall serve among great men; and appear before the Prince, he shall travel through strange countries: For he hath tried the good and the evil among men. He will give his heart to resort early unto the Lord that made him, and to pray before the most high, and will open his mouth in prayer, and pray for his sins. When the great Lord will, he shall be filled with the spirit of understanding; that he may power out wise sentences, and give thanks unto the Lord in his prayer. He shall direct his counsel and knowledge, so shall he meditate in his secrets. He shall show forth his science and learning, and rejoice in the law and covenant of the Lord. Many shall commend his understanding, and his memory shall never be put out, nor departed away: but his name shall continue from generation to generation. The congregation shall declare his wisdom, and show it. Though he be dead, he shall leave a greater fame than a thousand: and if he live still, he shall get the same. And as the literal man must labour to be wise, and well seen in his liberal profession; so must the merchant and trafficking man take pains to understand what belongeth to the handling of merchandise & wares in the ship, & in the shop, at home & abroad; that it may be said of him, Ezeck. 28.4.5. that was once said of the Prince of Tyrus, who was a merchant: Lo here a man, who with his wisdom and understanding hath gotten him riches, & silver and gold into his treasures, and by his wisdom and trafficking, hath increased the same. But let the Christian merchant in the mean time, beware of that other quality of this princely merchant, which the prophet doth mention in the next words; And thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches: as also of that other evil quality noted in this City in these words; vers. 16.17.18. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with cruelty, and thou hast sinned. Let him beware of these, I say, lest God cast him with the princely merchant of Tyrus out of the mountain of God, and bring him to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold him. And therefore let our Christian merchant rather imitate the godly and good qualities of the virtuous woman-merchant described by Solomon: Prou. 31.10. to 31. Who as she is wise; for she openeth her mouth with wisdom, and the law of grace is in her tongue: so she feareth the Lord, and is not proud of her riches: she stretcheth out her hand to the poor, and in so doing, is not cruel or unmerciful, as the merchants of Tyrus were. Well, my wish is, that it may be said of the merchants of these our two famous Cities, which was once said by the Prophet Isay of the merchants of Tyrus; Her Merchants are Princes, and her Chapmen the Nobles of the earth. But yet more that that may be said of them, which Solomon hath uttered in the commendation of his virtuous woman merchant: The merchants of these Cities fear the Lord, and stretch out their hands to the poor; the law of grace is in their tongue, and they feel that their merchandise is good. And as the merchant and trafficking man must take pains to be skilful in his calling, so must the husbandman and the labourer of the ground labour to understand all things belonging to his farm, his plough, his cattle, his pasture, the fruits of his land, and the flocks of his sheep. Genes. 26.12.13.14. To the end, that with Isaac, he may find an hundredth fold by estimation of his sowing, and wax mighty in flocks of sheep, in herds of cattle, and in a great household. Likewise must the tradesman or craftsman be careful to grow expert and cunning in his craft, and wise in his occupation, Exod. 28.3. & 31.2.3.4.5.6. & 35.30.31.32.33.34.35. that he may be praised for his great skill with Bezaleel and Aholiab, two tradesmen wise in heart, and in cunning; of whom it is said, that God filled them with an excellent Spirit of wisdom, understanding and knowledge in all workmanship, to work curiously in gold, silver and brass, in graving and setting of stones, in hewing and carving of wood, in working of broidered and needlework, in blue silk, in purple, in scarlet and in fine linen; in weaving and working all manner of curious devices, and subtle inventions. In one word, every man that desireth to be rich, must endeavour to understand the nature, quality, secrets, and perfection of his own vocation. Which if he do, and join thereunto the fear of the Lord, whereby he shall draw down God's blessing upon his adoes, he cannot but prosper. But I know it will be objected, that it is oftentimes seen, that many ignorant men, many foolish and unwise folks are very rich: and on the other part, that many wise, learned, and well qualified men are oftentimes very poor; so that it may seem that this second rule doth not hold true, etc. Hereunto I answer thus; It is very true which the Preacher of jerusalem hath said, Ecclesiast. 9.11. that he saw under the Sun, that the bread is not to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, neither favour to men of knowledge; meaning, that wealth, riches, honour, and favour of princes and great men do not befall only, and always unto wise, learned, and well qualified persons, but also, and that very often, unto ignorants, idiots and fools: and yet notwithstanding the wise Preacher doth not contradict himself. For although aswell the evil as the good may be rich, yet it is in a very different manner. For the ignorant and unwise cannot be rich in God, nor with a good conscience, nor yet durablie rich, as the wise and well qualified are. Prou. 8.18. Riches and honour are with me (saith Salomons Wisdom) even durable riches and righteousness. So that durable riches and righteousness, that is, goods with a good conscience, Prou. 13.9.11. & 14.11.18. are only proper unto such as are wise. For the riches of vanity (saith he) that is of folly, shall diminish; the candle of the wicked shall be put out, his house shall be destroyed, and the foolish shall inherit folly. In one word, his riches, though in themselves they be goods, yet are they not goods to him, because they turn not to his good, Ecclesiast. 13.25 but rather to his evil. For (as jesus the son of Syrach saith) riches are good, or goods unto him that hath no sin in his conscience: that is, unto the man that hath not gotten, increased, kept and used, or rather abused them with an evil conscience. And as the Apostle saith, Tit. 1.15. that unto the pure are all things pure, but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving, is nothing pure, but even their minds and consciences are impure: So likewise may it be well said, that unto the godly and good, are all things good, but unto them that are godless and evil, is nothing good, but even their very goods to them are not goods, but evils. For as to the godly all things turn to the best, Rom. 8.28. so to the godless, all things, yea, even such things as in themselves be good, turn to the worst. And this is the saying of jesus the son of Syrach; The principal things for the whole use of man's life, is water, fire and iron, salt and meal, wheat, honey and milk, the blood of the grape, Ecclesiast. 39.26.27. oil and clothing. All these things are for good to the godly, but to the sinners they are turned into evil. So then this standeth sure, that although foolish, unwise and ignorant men may be rich, yet can they not be rich in God. For I have now showed, Luke 12.15.16.17.18.19.20.21 his goods to him are not goods, and his riches are not durable riches. So saith jesus, the Son of God, in the Gospel, of that rich fool, whose ground brought forth fruits plenteously, so that he was constrained to build bigger barns, to gather in his grains and his goods; and rejoicingl said to his soul; Soul, soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, eat, drink, live at ease, and take thy pastime: O fool (saith our Saviour) this night will they fetch away thy soul from thee; than whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? And thus shall it far with the man that gathereth riches to himself, and is not rich in God: Even with the man who hath gotten or increased goods with an evil conscience, who hath goods and gold, but wanteth goodness and godliness; who is wise in the world, but not wise in God. Even he whose gold is his God, whose house is his heaven, whose bed is his Abraham's bosom, whose board is to him the banquet of the Lamb, whose praying is his playing, whose almsdeeds are all misdeeds, whose fasting is his feasting; and in one word, whose temporal fullness is his eternal felicity. As for the other part of the objection touching the poverty and need of many men that both fear God, and are wise and endued with great understanding, and for the more full satisfaction thereof; it is to be considered, that about poverty and riches, there do occur three divers endeavours of men diversly disposed. Some are voluntary yoke-embracers, others are voluntary yoke-bearers, and other some are voluntary yoke-breakers; and all the three orders are praisable, though in a different degree. The first two are properly students in the art of poverty; for there is a kind of poverty that doth require both great skill and great courage to embrace it, or to bear it, as it should, and aught to be embraced or borne. So that the rules and precepts of this art do not concern them who are either willing embracers, or patiented bearers of poverties yoke, but only the third kind, who are yoke-breakers, that is, such as labour and study to break in pieces poverties yoke, and to wind themselves out of want by winning of wealth by their virtuous endeavours. For this art teacheth a man, not how to make himself poor for Christ's sake (which is an attempt and study of an higher pitch) but how to make himself rich in God and with a good conscience, that he may have whereupon to impart unto the poor for Christ's sake. And to speak a little more of the two first kinds of men; the voluntary yoke-embracers, I call such as being rich, do willingly abandon their riches to embrace poverties yoke; either by forsaking all that they have for Christ's sake and the Gospel, as in the times and places of persecution; or by giving away all that they have, or the most part unto the poor for Christ's sake, and that in the time of peace and immunity from persecution: Matth. 5.20.22 & 19.27.28.29. Luke 12.33. Act. 2.44.45. & 4.34.35. Such rare men esteeming it their greatest glory to resemble our Saviour by making themselves poor, that others by their poverty may be made rich. Even as our blessed jesus, who was rich, as heir of heaven and earth, for our sakes became poor, & so poor, that he had not a house, yea hardly a hole to hide his head in, Matth. 8.20. Luke 9.58. 2. Cor. 8.9. even poorer than the birds of the heaven, them the swallow or the sparrow, & poorer than the foxes of the field; and all this, and more than this, for our sakes, that we who were poor, through his poverty might be made rich. And of such yoke-embracers and voluntary poor men the primitive Church had not a few; but our age (wherein devotion is nigh dead, and charity grown cold, and perfection almost every where turned into imperfection, yea, into defection) hath but too few. Now as for these men, who seethe not but they must needs be poor, though they fear God never so much, and be never so well accomplished for wisdom, knowledge and good parts, seeing they are such, as will needs be poor, and will not be rich? The other kind of voluntary poor men, I call yoke-bearers, who be they never so godly and wise, yet they may be and are ordinarily poor, because they take not care to be rich, their chief study being to bear the yoke of poverty patiently, with an invincible courage & fortitude of mind, & to learn to be content with a little for the love they bear unto tranquillity of mind (as many Philosophers and moral men have done, Heb. 11.26. and yet do,) or else for the respect they have to the eternal reward, as many Ecclesiastical and Churchmen have done, and yet do. And of this disposition are all those, that notwithstanding their ability, to follow a more gainful calling, as great as that of others, and perhaps greater, yet had rather decline and shun the same, in regard of the manifold toils, turmoils, and dangerous snares it is subject unto, and betake themselves unto a less gainful calling; so that it be not accompanied with so many headstrong temptations and entanglements, as the other is environed with. As for example, a man that had rather follow the profession of Philosophy in the Academy for small gains, then follow the practice of physic in the city or country with much gains. Or a man that had rather play the physician and saver of the sick in the bed for little, than the pleader of the ignorants cause at the bar for much. For this second order of men consisteth for the most part of these two sorts; of Philosophical and liberal professors, and of Ecclesiastical ministers, which for the most part are poor, though in the mean time they be both godly and wise, and be appointed of God to teach and preach unto men godliness and wisdom. Psalm. 84.10. These men are such, that they had rather serve as doorkeepers in God's house and want much, then dwell in the Tabernacles of wickedness, and have much. Isai. 55.1.2. Ezek. 47.1.7. Zachar. 13.1. Psalm. 36.8.9. 1. Cor. 3.1.2. Heb. 5.12.13.14. 1. Pet. 2.2. john 6 50.51. & 15.1. Matth. 26.26.27.28. 1. Cor. 11 23.24 Revel. 2.17. & 3.18. & 22.2. They had rather keep God's Inn to sell unto men without silver the living waters that flow from the fountain of life, for the washing away of our fleshly filth; and for the refreshing of our spiritual thirst, to sell the pure milk of the principles of the word for the feeding of such as are babes in Christ, and the strong meat of the harder and higher things of the same word, for such as are more aged in Christ, and the bread of the hidden Manna that descendeth from heaven, and giveth spiritual strength unto the heart of man, yea eternal life unto the soul of man, together with the wine, that the true vine above doth yield, which maketh the heart glad, and the soul of man to sing: They had rather, I say, keep an Inn for God, and win little, there to sell without silver for God spiritual victuals to feed and make fat men's souls, then to keep an Inn for men, and win much, by selling for silver, Revel. 3.18. food for the refreshing and fatting of men's bodies. They had rather sit in Christ's shop, and sell for him unto naked and needy soul's gold tried by the fire, even the gold of godly instructions, & good directions, that they may be made rich in godliness and in goodness, together with the white raiment of Christ's righteousness (for as jacob got his earthly father's blessing in his elder brother's clothes, Genes. 27.15. Mat. 22.11.12, Galath 3.27. Revel. 19.8. so must we our heavenly Father's blessing in our elder brother's coat) that they may be clothed, and that their filthy nakedness do not appear: they had rather, I say, sit and sell in God's shop without silver such celestial wares, and in the mean time be poor; then to sit in man's shop, and sell silks and satin, or clothes of silver and gold to cover men's backs with, and thereby to become very rich in silver and gold. Revel. 3.18. & 22.2. 1. john 2.20. They had rather labour in anointing the inward eyes of blind, or dim-sighted souls, with such eye-salve as God's spirit composeth; and to anoint the hard hearts of some, and the bruised hearts of other some with the suppling oil of wholesome exhortations, and gracious consolations, and to apply the spiritual plaster made of the leaves of the tree of life, for the purging & cleansing of sore-running souls; they had rather, I say, play the spiritual physicians and be bare, then be ministers of medicine to sick and sore bodies, and abound. They had rather stand in the pulpit, Isai. 1.2.16.17.18. & 34. & 48. & 51. & 58. jerem. 2. & 7. & 27. Ezech. 3.17.18.19.20.21. Hose. 4. & 8. and plead for God's right, that is, for piety and devotion against irreligious men, and for the princes right, that is, for loyalty, obedience and relief against disloyal, disobedient, and unreasonable subjects, and for the poors right, that is, for charity and mercy in alms and hospitality against covetous and unmerciful men, and in the mean time be but mean men themselves in their worldly estate; then to stand and plead at the bar for another man's right, and redress 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 King's table in the Court, and gather much. And yet to say somewhat more; they had rather sit in the chair of the Church (for every pastors and prelate's particular Church-chaire is a part of the Apostolical chair) to judge between doctrine and doctrine, Deutero. 13. & 17.8.9.10.11. 2. Chron. 19.8.9.10.11. Act. 15. 1. Cor. 14.32. 1. john 4.12.13 2. john 9.10. Matth. 21.42. Ephes. 2.20. 1. Cor. 3.11. 1. Pet. 2.6.7. verity and heresy, between the sound building of gold, silver and precious stones, and the slight building of wood, stubble and straw upon the foundation and corner stone, Christ jesus; and that according to the rule and square of the sacred Scriptures; they had rather, I say, sit and judge in doctrinal causes and cases, and possess in the mean time, but little in comparison of many others, and yet have less to leave behind them unto such as do belong unto them; then to sit in the gate or seat of civil judgement to judge between parties and parties, about cases and causes of inheritance, of usurpations, violence and wrongs, and thereby acquire great possessions for them and theirs. Finally, as with David, Psalm. 84.10. they had rather serve as doorekeepers in the house of God, then dwell in the tabernacles of wickedness, (as I said of them in the beginning): so with Moses they had rather choose to suffer adversity with the people of God, Heb. 11.24.25.26.27.36.37 38 (who were tried by mockings and scourge, by bonds and imprisonment, and did wander up and down through wildernesses and mountains, having no other lodging but the dens and caves of the earth, and no other clothing, but sheeps and goats skins, and at last were stoned, hewn asunder, or slain with the sword) as the Apostle Paul speaketh to the Hebrews, then to enjoy the pleasures of sins for a season: Esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches, than the treasures of Egypt, yea then the treasures of the whole world; as having with godly Moses a respect unto the recompense of the reward, even the eternal reward in the heavens. So this being the disposition of poor Ecclesiastical men (for generally such men are poor) 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 happy Marie, that they have chosen the better part, which shall not be taken away from them? whereas other men of other secular callings (for being a lay man myself, I would be loath to condemn any of the foresaid lay callings, and yet as loath would I be to flatter any of them, as I would not wish any man should flatter himself in the vain and frivolous preferring of his secular vocation howsoever gainful, honourable, or excellent it be, before the spiritual) where as, I say, other men of other callings are with careful Martha cumbered about many things. And these things being duly considered, I hope both the parts of the objection above propounded will be satisfied, and the rule sufficiently verified. And so much the more willing I have been in this place upon this occasion to discourse of the dignity, and excellency of the Ecclesiastical calling, as for that, because laymen, and chief 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 poverty & base estate. As also for that the richer sort of laymen be generally so loath to consecrate any one of their children to the service of God, so that they do prefer a gainful calling, be it never so base, unto that which is the Queen of callings. If we will read the histories of Kingdoms and Countries, yea even but those of our own, we shall find how in former times, the sons of monarchs, Kings and Princes have been Ministers, Preachers and priests in God's house: and yet now adays, we see that a Lawyers, a Merchants, yea, a tradesman's son will scorn to be a Minister, if he have any means. Alas miserable men that we are, we are so deaf we cannot hear what the evangelical Prophet (who was both a Preacher, and of princely blood, even brother's son of Vzziah King of judah) proclaimeth touching the dignity of the Ministers of the Gospel; Isai. 52.7. How beautiful (saith he, and after him the Apostle Saint Paul) Rom. 10.15. upon the mountains are the feet of him that declareth and publisheth peace! That telleth good tidings, and publisheth salvation, saying unto Zion, Thy God reigneth. We are so blind, we cannot see how that such as turn many to righteousness, (be they never so base for birth, fisher-men's sons, Tent makers sons, or Carpenters sons, or what ye will) that such, I say, shall one day shine as the stars for ever and ever. For this thing, godly Daniel (who was first a prisoner, Dan. 12.3. and afterward both a Prophet in the Church, and a Prince in the Commonwealth under the King) or rather the holy Angel by his mouth telleth us. Finally, we are so ignorant and lumpish, that we cannot consider, Matth. 19.28. how that poor fishermen for being Christ's Ministers, shall in that great day sit upon twelve thrones, and judge the twelve Tribes of Israel, as the great judge of the world hath said. And therefore to shut up this present discourse, I myself being a lay-man, wish all laymen to give care unto the exhortation of the holy Apostle; We beseech you brethren, 1. Thes. 5.12.13. that ye know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you; that ye have them in singular love for their works sake. Heb. 13.7.14. Remember them which have the oversight of you, which have declared unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering what hath been the end of their conversation. Obey them and submit yourselves unto them: For they watch for your souls as they that must give accounts, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. III. Rule. Diligence in a lawful calling, as in labouring the ground, in trading or trafficking, or in following some literal profession, together truth, temperancy in living, and flying of idleness, and excess make the poor man rich, and the rich man yet more rich. Probation, and declaration. Prou. 5.26. Drink the waters of thine own cistern, and of the springs out of the midst of thine own well, saith Solomon. & 6.6.7.8.9.10.11. Go to the Pismire O sluggard, Behold her ways, and be wise, for she having no guide, governor nor ruler, prepareth her meat in Summer, and gathereth her food in Harvest. How long wilt thou sleep O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of thy hands to sleep; therefore thy poverty cometh as one that traveleth by the way, and thy necessity like an armed man. & 10.4.5. A slothful hand maketh poor, but the hand of the diligent maketh rich, he that gathereth in summer, is the son of wisdom, but he that sleepeth in harvest, is the son of confusion. He that tilleth his land, & 12.11.14.24.27. Eccles. 10.28. & 22.1, 2. shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth the idle, is destitute of understanding. A man shall be satiate with good things by the fruit of his mouth, and the recompense of a man's hands shall God give unto him. The hand of the diligent shall bear rule, but the idle shall be under tribute; whereas the riches of the diligent man are precious. Where none oxen are, Prou. 14.4.23. there the crib is empty, but much increase cometh by the strength of the ox. Where by the ox is meant labour, and by the crib the barn, signifying, that without labour there is no profit. For in all labour, & 28.19. saith he, there is abundance, but he that followeth the idle, shall be filled with poverty. & 13.4. The sluggard lusteth and hath nought, but the soul of the diligent shall have plenty. Love not sleep, & 20.13. Eccles. 40.28. lest thou come unto poverty, open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread. & 20.4. & 19.24. & 21.5.17.25.26. The slothful will not blow because of winter; therefore shall he beg in summer, and have nothing. The thoughts of the diligent do surely bring abundance, but whosoever is hasty, doth come to poverty. He that loveth pastime, shall be a poor man, and he that loveth oil and wine, shall not be rich. The desire of the slothful slayeth him, for his hands refuse to work. He coveteth ever more greedily, but the righteous giveth and spareth not. & 22.29. Wisd. 3.15. Prou. 23.20.21.22.29.30.31.32. 1. Cor. 5.11. & 26 14.15. Prou. 24.30. A diligent man in his business standeth before Kings, and not before the base sort: for glorious is the fruit of good labours. Keep not company with drunkards, and with gluttons, for the drunkard, and the glutton shall be poor, and the sleeper shall be clothed with rags. I passed by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man destitute of understanding. And lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, 31.32.33.34. and the stonewall thereof was broken down. Then I beheld, and I considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction; yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep; so thy poverty cometh as one that traveleth by the way, & 26.14.15. and thy necessity like an armed man. As the door turneth upon his hinges: so doth the slothful man upon his bed: he hideth his hand in his bosom, and it grieveth him to put it again to his mouth. & 27.23.24.25.26.27. Be diligent therefore to know the state of thy flock, and take heed to the herds. For riches remain not always, nor the crown from generation to generation. The hay discovereth itself, and the grass appeareth, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered. The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field; and let the milk of the goats be sufficient for thy food, for the food of thy family, and for the sustenance of thy maids. & 31.10. to 31. Likewise salomon's virtuous woman acquireth riches for herself, and her husband by diligence and industry; for she overseeth the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. She seeketh wool and flax, and laboureth cheerfully with her hands. She riseth while it is yet night, and giveth the portion to her household, and the ordinary to her maids. She considereth a field, and getteth it, & with the fruits of her hands, she planteth a vineyard. Her candle is not put out by night, she putteth her hand to the wheel, and her hand handleth the spindle. She maketh herself carpets, fine linen: and purple is her garment. She maketh sheets and selleth them, she giveth girdles unto the merchants, and she feeleth that her merchandise is good. This woman's price the wise man accounteth far above the pearls, honour is her clothing, and her children call her blessed. Her husband trusteth to her virtue, and by her virtue he is known in the gates. So that he praiseth her, and crowneth her with this commendation, Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou surmountest them all. But Isai's idle and carelsse women are of another nature. They are haughty, Isai. 3.16.17.18.19.20.21.22.23.24. & 32.9.10.11.12.13.14. and not humble, they are walkers, and not workers, their feet and their eyes are always wandering. They spend whole days and nights in decking themselves, and in beautifying their bodies; their whole study is about their onaments of tires, hoods and calls, of sweet balls, bracelets, and bonnets, of tablets, earrings, muflers and rings; of veils, wimpels and crisping pins, of girdles, glasses, fine linen and lawns, and such other pieces of costly apparel. And therefore the Prophet speaketh to them in this wise: Rise up ye women that are at ease, hear my voice, ye careless daughters, hearken to my words. Ye women that are careless shall be in fear above a year in days: for the vintage shall fail, and the gathering shall come no more: Ye women that be at ease be astonished: fear O ye idle women: put off the clothes (meaning their costly and pompous apparel) make bare, and gird sackcloth upon the loins, (as if he should say, Turn your silks into sackcloth, and your odours into ashes): men shall lament for the teats, even for the pleasant fields, and the fruitful vine. Upon the land of my people shall grow thorns and briers: yea upon all the houses of joy in the city of rejoicing. It cannot be otherwise said then, but that as a virtuous woman is a most great good, so an idle vicious woman is a most great evil. Eccles. 10.18. By slothfulness, the roof of the house goeth to decay, and by the idleness of the hands, the house droppeth thorough. Hate not laborious work, (saith jesus the son of Syrach) neither the husbandry, Eccles. 7.15.22. which the most high hath created; and if thou have cattle, look well to them. & 9.19. Also in the hands of the craftsman shall the works be commended. & 25.3. If thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth, what canst thou find in thine age? & 40.28.29.30. My son lead not a beggars life, for better it were to dig, then to beg. Begging is sweet in the mouth of the unshamefast, and in his belly there burneth a fire. Act. 20.34 35. 1. Thes. 4.11. 2. Thes 3.7.10.11.12. 1. Tim. 5.8. 2. Tim. 2.6. Likewise the holy Apostle, as he laboured with his own hands, to relieve his own necessities, and those of other poor brethren, so he will not have idle men, and such as will not work, to eat. And therefore very earnestly he exhorteth, yea commandeth such folks to labour with quietness, and to eat their own bread; for the husbandman must labour before he receive the fruits, and he that provideth not for his household, is in that part worse than an Infidel. The world now a days is cumbered with two sorts of idle men; some have a calling, and will not follow it, and others are ashamed to learn a manual trade or occupation, because they are Gentlemen borne, though they have no lands. As for the first order of idle men, it were a pitiless pity, to pity such men's poverty; for it is good reason that he be poor, who having a calling to wind himself out of poverty, will not enure himself to exercise and follow the same. And good reason that he eat not, but starve for hunger, who may work, and can work, and hath occasion offered him to work, and yet will not work, 2. Thes. 3.8.9.10.11.12. whereby he may have what to eat, (for so saith the Apostle) ye that will not imitate the holy Apostles example, who wrought with labour, and travel night and day with his own hands, lest he should have been chargeable to others. And therefore all that have betaken themselves to a gainful calling ought to imitate the diligence of salomon's virtuous woman, be they women, or be they men. Prou. 31.13.15.18. She laboureth cheerfully with her hands, yea her candle is not put out by night, for she riseth while it is yet night, and giveth the portion to her household, and the ordinary to her maids. As for the other order of idle men, who are gentlemen, but without lands, and yet are ashamed to betake themselves to a trade, because of their Gentry, or Nobility of blood. Truly in my conceit, their poverty is to be pitied, but yet their idleness me thinketh cannot be excused. Neither can I see, how a man's Gentility can be disparaged any whit by the means of a virtuous art of an honest craft or occupation. Neither can I see any such antipathy, or opposition between Gentility, and mechanical industry that they cannot consist together. No, no, they can well enough agree together, though poor Gentlemen be loath and are ashamed, that in their persons they should join together. But this shame of theirs is not a good shame, but such a shame as they ought rather to be ashamed of. Gentility took the first original from virtue, and there is no Gentility or Nobility in blood, but in regard of the seeds of virtue, which are supposed to accompany the blood of such as are called Gentlemen borne. The which thing being true, as it is most true, it followeth that Gentility cannot be either extinguished, or impaired by a mechanical trade, which is likewise grounded and founded upon virtue, and is practised for the cherishing of virtue, and the quelling of vice. So that Gentility, and mechanical industry are sisters, even the daughters of one dame; for virtue is the mother and mistress of both. Men may well set them together by the ears; but (as I said before) they of themselves could well enough agree. Genes. 2.8. The Lord himself would not be idle: for besides the creation of the world, he planted a Garden Eastward in Eden, and so in a manner played the Gardener. It is also said, that he made skinne-coates for Adam and Eve, & 3.7.21. and so for the good of man, and for our good example, he disdained not in a manner to play the tailor. For whether the Lord himself as he planted the garden of Eden for our first parents, so also made the skinne-coates for them, as the letter of the text doth import, or whether he gave them knowledge to make themselves clothes, as some do suppose; it is not much material. It is sufficient that we learn this lesson hence, Exod. 28.3. & 31.3.4.5.6. & 35.30.31.32.33.34.35. that a man ought not to be ashamed to practise a mechanical art, seeing God is the author thereof. And therefore God himself by Moses calleth the making of Aaron's garments, a work of the Spirit of wisdom: As also the working in gold, silver and brass, the graving and setting of stones, and carving of wood, the working in broidered and needle work, in blue silk, in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, together with weaving, and the practising of such inventions, and works as flow from the spirit of wisdom, knowledge and understanding. And therefore they be such exercises and employments, as a Gentleman borne ought not to be ashamed to learn them, and to practise them rather than to live in idleness. If then even almighty God himself disdained not to work for the benefit, behoof, and good example of men (for as for himself, there was never yet any that needed less to work than he) what reason have we to be ashamed to work with our hands, chief such as have no other means besides working to live by? And not only hath God wrought, but also the best Gentlemen that ever were, have likewise followed some one laborious occupation or other, and that both to gain by it, and to keep themselves from idleness, which is the root of all evil, and maketh a man's, both soul and body poor. Genes. 2.15. & 3.23. & 4.2. & 9.20. & 13. & 26. & 29. &, 0. Adam, the first father of mankind, and the monarch of the earth, when as he was yet innocent, (and therefore out of doubt a better Gentleman, than any that are now) was put into the garden to dress it, and to keep it. Though God was his father by creation, and formation, (for besides him, he had no other father) yet he was not brought forth, or borne to be idle, but to be a gardener, before his fall, & a labourer of the ground after his fall. Also his two sons were men of occupation, Abel a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiler of the ground. And Noah the father and monarch of the renewed earth, was he not an husband man, and did he not plant a vineyard? and were not Abraham and Lot, Isaac and jacob, and their children husbandmen and shepherds? Yea more, all of these had lands, fields and pastures, besides houses and flocks, yea more than many Lords and Knights, now adays have, and yet we see they disdained not to labour; whereas many of our Gentlemen that have none of all these, or but very little, will be ashamed to do as they did. But what will our idle Gentleman say of David, who being a young man, was the keeper of his father's sheep, 1. Sam. 16.11.12.18.19.21.22.23. & 17.33.34.35.36.37.45.46.47.48.49.50.51. & 8.17.18.20.23.25.27 and who (if God had not taken him from the sheepcoat to make him a King, and a keeper of his people) would have played the husbandman still? was not young David a Gentleman, even then when he kept the sheep? If any one doubt of it, I will show them that he had even then more gentlemanlike qualities, than any of our Gentlemen now a days have. King saul's servants reported to their master, that Ishai the Bethlemite had a son, who was a cunning player upon the harp, a man of war, strong and valiant, and wise in matters, and a comely person, and such a one as feared the Lord, which is the crown of all Gentility and Nobility. Wherefore King Saul sent messengers unto Ishai, and said, send me David thy son, which is with the sheep. Thus David was fetched from the sheepcoat to the King's court, and brought from feeding of sheep, to be the King's Favourite, his Musician and Physician both at once. For when the evil spirit came upon the King, David took an harp, and played with his hand, and Saul was refreshed and was eased, for the evil spirit departed from him. Also he was the King's armour-bearer; for he was so strong, that when as he yet kept his father's sheep, he slew both a lion and a bear that came among the flock; and afterwards in the field he slew the mighty Giant Goliath. Finally, he behaved himself so valiantly against the Philistims, who were God's enemies, that by his virtue and valour, he deserved the marriage of the King's daughter, howsoever that he was (as he saith of himself to Saules servants, who in the King's name made offer to him to be his son in law) a poor man, Matth. 1.20. & 13.55. Mark 6.3. Luk 1.27. & 2.4.51. & 4.22. and of small reputation. Thus I have showed then, that David was as good a Gentleman, as any Gentleman of these days is, even then when he kept his father's sheep. Moreover, what can our idle Gentlemen say of joseph, the husband of the blessed virgin, who was a man of the house and lineage of David, and by the Angel, called the son of David; was he not of as good an house, and of as Gentle blood as any of our idle Gentlemen are, yea, and better by many degrees? and yet he for all that, disdained not to be a Carpenter, and to follow this trade. Finally, Christ the son of David, yea more, the Son of God, would not be idle, when as he was yet young, but was subject to his supposed father joseph, and unto Marie his mother, and exercised the Carpenter's trade; and therefore the jews called him in disdain, not only the Carpenter's son, but also the Carpenter. Wherefore I wish, that never a Gentleman borne should be ashamed of a mechanical craft after our Saviour Christ, and that no Christian Commonwealth should esteem a man to have lost his Gentility for exercising of a trade. Alas what will our idle Gentleman say, when he shall be asked at the last day, concerning the calling he should have followed here in this life? shall he have no other thing to answer, but that he was of no craft or occupation, because he was a Gentleman borne? what an unsavoury answer will it be before God, who not only hath taught men mechanical trades, but also disdained not to work himself by the word of his mouth, in creating the world, in planting the garden of Paradise, and in making of skinne-cloathes for Adam and Eve? What an unsavoury answer shall it be, I say, before our Saviour Christ, Mark. 3.6. Luke 2.51. Matth. 4.18.21 the Son of God, who disdained not to work in the Carpenter's trade in his supposed father's house joseph, who was of the same craft? john 21.3. and before his blessed Apostles, which were fishermen, as Saint Paul was a Tentmaker? Then I fear me, Act. 18 1.2.3. shall the idle Gentleman say; Would God I had been a Tailor, when I was a stealer; a Rope-maker, when as I was a Robber; a peddler, when as I was a Pirate; a Dier, when as I was a Dicer; a Carter, when as I was a Carder; and a Shoemaker, when as I was a swaggerer. Would God I had been of any lawful calling, when as I was an idle man living without all calling. And truly if a man must render an account of every idle word he speaketh in this life, Matth. 12.36. at the day of judgement (as our Saviour himself hath said) how much more must he render and give account of his idle living in this life at that day? Idleness and excess (as the Prophet teacheth us) were two of the sins of Sodom; Ezek. 16.49. and therefore if we would shun and eschew the fire and brimstone of Sodom, let us shun and eschew their sins. Besides that (as the Wise man telleth us) the drunkard and the glutton shall be poor, Prou. 23.21. and the idle sleeper shall be clothed with rags; And the labouring man that is given to drunkenness, Eccles. 19.1. & 33 26. shall not be rich. Thus we see then, that diligence and temperance are of great moment, both to get and augment riches. And truly as the love of intemperance and excess doth hold the poor man from being rich, so doth the practice of excess in table or apparel make the rich man poor, as we shall show in the declaration of the ninth Rule of this Art. And therefore to conclude this present discourse concerning diligence in a lawful calling, I wish the student in this Art to observe this one thing, that except he beg daily God's blessing to his business, his diligence and industry will but little avail. He may well carry out much seed into the field, Deut. 28.23.24.38. Micah. 6.14. Haggai. 1.6. Amos 4.7.8.9. but except the Lord bless it, he shall gather but little in, for the grasshoppers shall destroy it, or the heaven shall be as brass above it, and the earth as iron under it, for the Lord shall withhold the first, and the latter rain, and shall shut the windows of heaven, so that it shall be consumed with drought: or he will open the windows of heaven in such a manner, joel 1. Genes. 7.11. Psalm. 107.33.34. that either the floods shall overflow the fields, or the clouds shall power down rivers of waters to drown the corns, so that the seed shall rot under the clods; or else will he smite them with blasting and mildew; so that howsoever he sow much, yet shall he reap but little, except the Lord bless that which he hath sown. He may well plant a vineyard, or a hopyard, and dress it, but except the Lord bless it, he shall not drink of it, for the worms shall eat it. He may well plant many fruit-trees, figtrees, Deut. 28.39. joel 1.4.12. appletrees, & plum-trees; but except the blessing of the Lord be present with his planting, swarms and armies of palmer-wormes, cankerworms, and caterpillars shall devout and eat up his fruits, and the buds of his trees. Deut. 28.18. joel 1.4.18.19.20. He may well enjoy herds of cattle and flocks of sheep, but except the Lord's blessing be with the owner, he shall be cursed in them all; yea, the Lord shall make his beasts to mourn, his cattle to consume, and his flocks to fall away for want of pasture, which shall either not spring out of the earth, being hard as iron, or shall be withered away through the excessive heat, or shall be eaten up by the multitudes of grasshoppers. Zephan. 1.13. He may well get goods, and build houses, but except the Lord bless him in the same, his goods shall do him no good, they shall go away from him, or he shall be spoiled of them, Prou. 28.8. Eccles. 2.26. or he shall leave them to such as will do more good with them, than he: he shall heap up, to give and leave to him that is good before God; and the houses that he hath builded, he and his shall not inhabit. In one word, to speak with the Prophet Haggai, Hag. 1.6. He may well eat, but he shall not be satisfied, nor have enough; he may well drink, but he shall not be filled; he may well himself, but he shall not be warm; and he may well earn wages, but he shall put them into a broken bag. And the cause of all this, is the want of the Lords blessing. Psalm. 127.1.2. For as the Kingly Prophet saith, except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: Except the Lord keep the city, the keeper watcheth in vain. It is in vain for you to rise early, and to lie down late, and eat the bread of sorrow: but he will surely give rest to his beloved. Not that he will exempt them from labour, but only from the unprofitableness and uncomfortableness thereof. For he will give to his beloved, that is, to such as are dear unto him for the love and fear of his name, and do continually beg his blessing to their adoes, he will give them rest from all, unprofitable and uncomfortable pains taking; Levit. 26.20. whereas without his blessing, a man's strength shall be spent in vain. He may well pass and spend nights and days in toiling and moiling, but he shall reap but little profit and less comfort, let him labour never so much, and never so long. For diligence is no better than negligence, and business is but idleness 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, even that watereth abundantly the furrows of the earth, and causeth the rain to descend into the valleys thereof, and maketh it soft with showers, and droppeth fatness upon the fields, so that the hills are compassed with gladness, the pastures are clad with sheep, and the valleys are covered with corn, which maketh men to shout for joy and sing. FOUR Rule. The poor man must not purchase, nor the rich man increase his riches by violence, oppression, theft, robbery, extortion, bribing, unjust detention, neither yet by perverting of equity, as by false testimony, pleading in an evil cause, or unrighteous judgement. Probation, and declaration. Exod. 22.21.22.23.24. thou shalt not do injury to a stranger; (saith the Lord by Moses) neither oppress him; ye shall not trouble any widow, nor fatherless child. If thou vex and trouble such, and so he call and cry unto me, I will surely hear his cry; then shall my wrath be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword, and you wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. Thou shalt not overthrow the right of the poor in his suit. & 23.1.3.6.7.8.9. Thou shalt keep thee far from a false matter, and shalt not slay the innocent, and the righteous. Thou shalt not receive a false tale, neither shalt thou put thine hand with the wicked, to be a false witness. Thou shalt not esteem a poor man in his cause. Levit. 19.13. Thou shalt not oppress thy neighbour by violence, neither rob him, or do him wrong. The workman's hire shall not abide with thee until the morning. Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant, that is needy and poor, neither of thy brethren, nor of the stranger, that is in the land within thy gates. Deut. 14.15. Thou shalt give him his hire for his day, neither shall the sun go down upon it, for he is poor, and therewith sustains his life, lest he cry against thee, unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee: & 16.19. Wrist not thou the law (saith the Lord to Lawyers and judges) nor respect any person, neither take reward, for the reward blindeth the eyes of the wise, and perverteth the words of the just. God standeth in the assembly of Gods, Psal. 82.2.3.4. (saith the godly King David) he judgeth among Gods. How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? do right to the poor and fatherless, do justice to the poor and needy, deliver them, Prou. 15. 25.2● and save them from the hand of the wicked. The Lord (saith wise Solomon) will destroy the house of the proud oppressor, but he will establish the borders of the widow. He that is greedy of gain, troubleth his own house, but he that hateth gifts shall live. & 22.16.28. & 23.10.11. Rob not the poor, because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted in judgement, for the Lord will revenge their cause, Deut. 28.17. and spoil the soul of him that spoileth them. He that oppresseth the poor to increase himself, and giveth unto the rich, shall surely come to poverty. Remove not the ancient bounds, and enter not into the field of the fatherless, for he that redeemeth them is mighty, and he will defend their cause against thee; and cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's mark. Prou. 3.27.28.29. Withhold not the goods from the owners thereof, though there be power in thine hand to do it. Say not unto thy neighbour, go and come again, and to morrow will I give thee, if thou now have it. Intent none hurt against thy neighbour, seeing he doth dwell without fear by thee. A man cannot be established by wickedness, & 12.3.7. & 11.4. but the root of the righteous shall not be moved: for riches avail not in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivereth from death. He that oppresseth the poor, & 14.31. & 17.5. reproveth him that made him; & 15.6.27. & 13.22. but he honoureth him that hath mercy on the poor. The house of the righteous hath much treasure, but in the revenues of the wicked is troube: yea, the riches of the sinner is laid up for the just. He that is greedy of gain, troubleth his own house, but he that hateth gifts shall live. & 16.8. & 19.1.8. & 28.6. Better is a little with righteousness, then great revenues without equity. Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that perverteth his ways though he be rich. & 21.7. The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them, for they have refused to execute judgement. & 28.15.16.18. As a roaring Lion, and an hungry Bear, so is a wicked ruler over the poor people. A Prince destitute of understanding, is also a great oppressor, but he that hateth covetousness, shall prolong his days. He that walketh uprightly shall be saved, but he that is froward in his ways shall once fall. There is a generation, & 30.14.15. whose teeth are as swords, and their chaws are are as knives, to eat up the afflicted out of the earth, and the poor from among men. The horseleech hath two daughters, which cry, Give, give. Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all the children of destruction, & 31.8.9. open thy mouth, judge righteously the afflicted and the poor. If in a country thou seest the oppression of the poor, Ecclesiast. 5.7. & 7.9. and the defrauding of judgement and justice, be not astonished at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth, and there be higher than they. Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad, and the reward destroyeth the heart. Some (saith the holy man job) remove the landmarks, that rob the flocks, job 24.1. to 20. and feed thereof, they lead away the ass of the fatherless, and take the widows ox to pledge. They make the poor to turn out of the way, so that the poor of the earth hide themselves together. Behold, others as wild asses in the wilderness, rise early for a pray, they reap his provision in the field, but they gather the late vintage of the wicked. They cause the naked to lodge without garment, and without covering in the cold. They are wet with the showers of the mountain, and they embrace the rock, for want of a covering. They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take the pledge of the poor, they cause him to go naked without clothing, and take the gleining from the hungry. They that make their oil between their walls, and tread their winepresses suffer thirst: men cry out of the city, and the souls of the slain cry out. The murderer riseth early, and killeth the poor and needy, and in the night he is a thief. But their portion shall be cursed in the earth. As the dry ground and heat consume the snow waters, so shall the grave the sinners. The pitiful man shall forget him, the worm shall feel his sweetness, he shall be no more remembered, and the wicked shall be broken like a tree. & 15.21.28.34. The destroyer shall come upon the wicked man in his prosperity, he shall not be rich always, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon earth, and fire shall devour the houses of bribes. & 20.6.7.14. to 28. Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds, yet shall he perish for ever like his dung, and they which have seen him shall say, Where is he? He hath devoured substance, and he shall vomit it, for God shall draw it out of his belly: he shall suck the gall of asps; he shall not see the rivers, nor the floods and streams of honey and butter: he shall restore the labour, he shall devour no more. Even according to the substance shall be his exchange, and he shall enjoy it no more. For he hath undone many, he hath forsaken the poor, and hath spoiled houses, which he builded not; surely he shall feel no quietness in his body, neither shall he reserve of that which he desired. There shall none of his meat be left; therefore none of his shall hope for his goods: when he shall be filled with his abundance, he shall be in pain, and the hand of all the wicked shall assail him. He shall be about to fill his belly, but God shall send upon him his fierce wrath, and shall cause to rain upon him, even upon his meat. He shall flee from the iron weapons, and the bow of steel shall strike him through. The arrow is drawn out, and cometh forth of the body, and shineth of his gall, so fear cometh upon him. All darkness shall be hid in his secret places: the fire that is not blown, shall devour him, and that which remaineth in his Tabernacle shall be destroyed. The heaven shall declare his wickedness, and the earth shall rise up against him. The increase of his house shall go away: it shall flow away in the day of his wrath. Isai. 32.6.7.8. The niggard (saith Isaiah) will speak of niggardness, and his heart will work iniquity, and do wickedly, and speak falsely against the Lord to make empty the hungry soul, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail, for the weapons of the churl are wicked. He deviseth wicked counsels to undo the poor with lying words, and to speak against the poor in judgement: but the liberal man will devise of liberal things, and he will continue his liberality. & 33.1. Woe to thee that spoilest, and wast not spoiled: and dost wickedly, and they did not wickedly against thee: when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled: when thou shalt make an end of doing wickedly, they shall do wickedly against thee. The Lord looked for judgement, & 5.7.8.9. but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a crying. Woe unto them that join house to house, and lay field to field, till there be no place, that ye may be placed by yourselves in the midst of the earth. This is in mine ears, saith the Lord of hosts, surely many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair without inhabitant. As a cage is full of birds (saith the Prophet jeremy) so are their houses full of deceit, jer. 5.27.28.29. thereby they are become great, and waxed rich. They are waxen fat and shining, they do overpass the deeds of the wicked: They execute no judgement, no not the judgement of the fatherless; yet they prosper, though they execute no judgement for the poor. Shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord? or shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this? & 22.13. Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers without equity, he useth his neighbour without wages, and giveth him not for his work. Let it suffice you, O Princes of Israel (saith the Lord by his Prophet Ezekiel) leave off cruelty and oppression, Ezek. 45.9. and execute judgement and justice, take away your exactions from my people, saith the Lord. Also the Lord complaineth by his Prophet Amos very earnestly of such as turn judgement to wormwood, Amos 5.7. and leave off righteousness in the earth: They have turned judgement into gall, saith he, the fruit of righteousness into wormwood. That is, in stead of justice and mercy, they exercise oppression and cruelty. jerem. 8.14. & 9.15. And therefore what marvel though the Lord gave them water with gall to drink, and fed them with wormwood? & 23.15. Woe unto them (saith the Prophet Micah) that imagine iniquity, Micah. 2.1.2. & 3.2.3.9.10.11.12. and work wickedness upon their beds, when the morning is light, they practise it, because their hand hath power, and they covet fields, and take them by violence, and houses, and take them away, so they oppress a man and his house, even man and his heritage. They hate the good, and love the evil, they pluck off their skins from them, and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces as for the pot, and as flesh within the cauldron. They abhor judgement, and pervert all equity. They build up Zion with blood, and jerusalem with iniquity. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the Prophets thereof prophesy for money. Therefore shall Zion for your sake be ploughed as a field, and jerusalem shall be an heap, and the mountain of the house, as the high places of the forest. The Prophet Habakuck complaininglie crieth unto the Lord in this manner; Habbak. 1.1.2.3.4.13.14.15.16.17. Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold sorrow? for spoilings and violence are before me, and there are that raise up strife and contention. Therefore the Law is dissolved, and judgement doth never go forth: for the wicked do compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgement proceedeth. Thou O God art of pure eyes, and canst not endure to see evil, thou canst not behold wickedness; wherefore dost thou look upon the transgressors, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? and makest men as the fishes of the sea, and as the creeping things that have no ruler over them? They take up all with the angle: they catch it in their net, and gather it in their yarn, whereof they rejoice and are glad. Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their yarn, because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous. Shall they therefore stretch out their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations? Ho, & 2.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12. he 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 be satisfied, but gathereth and heapeth unto himself all things (as the Prophet speaketh in that same place) how long shall he continue his oppression? And he that ladeth himself with thick clay? shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee? and awake that shall stir thee, and thou shalt be their prey? because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee, because of men's blood, and for the wrong done in the land, in the City, and unto all that dwell therein. Ho, he that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, to escape from the power of evil. Thou hast consulted shame to thine own house, by destroying many people, and hast sinned against thine own soul. For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it. Woe unto him that buildeth a town with blood, and erecteth a city by iniquity. I will visit (saith the Lord by his Prophet Zephaniah) all those which fill their master's houses by cruelty and deceit, Zephan. 1.9.12.13. and the men that are frozen in their dregs. Their goods shall be spoiled, and their houses waste; they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof. Execute true judgement (saith the Lord by his Prophet Zecharie) and show mercy and compassion every man to his brother, Zechar. 7.9.10. and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the strangers, nor the poor, and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in his heart. For I will come near to you to judgement (saith the Lord by his Prophet Malachi) and I will be a swift witness against false swearers, Malach. 3.5. against those that keep back wrongfully the hirelings wages, and vex the widow, and the fatherless, and oppress the stranger, and fear not me. Behold (saith Saint james) the hire of the labourers, james 5.4. which have reaped your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth, and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts. Luke 6.24. And as unto such ungodly and unjust rich men, Christ jesus doth pronounce a terrible woe, so the holy Apostle threateneth fearfully wicked rich men in this manner; Go to now (saith he to them) weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you, your riches are corrupt, jam. 5.1.2.3.4.5. and your garments are moth-eaten, your gold and silver is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped up treasure (to wit, by violent oppression, cruel extortion, usury and unrighteous detention) for the last days: ye have withholden the hire of the labourers, ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and in wantonness, ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter, ye have condemned and killed the just, and he hath not resisted you. Finally, the blessed Apostle Paul exhorteth, 1. Thes. 4.6. that no man oppress or defraud his brother in any matter, for the Lord is the avenger of all such things. He will be avenged on all oppressors, Godspoilers, Church-robbers, extortioners, bribers, unjust detainers, and all such violent men, Prou. 4.17. that (as Solomon speaketh) eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence, and chief upon all perverters of equity, justice and judgement. Even upon such as imagine iniquity upon their beds, and eat the bread of iniquity at their boards, and speak and practise iniquity at the bar, and in the seat of judgement. In a word, the great Lawgiver and judge of the world will be avenged on all lawless Lawyers, on all perverse pleaders and proctor's, and on all unjust judges. And therefore let all such folks as are excised and employed about laws, justice and judgement persuade themselves of this, that the time shall come, when a day of law shall hold, when all their tricks and entanglements, their niceties and their nets, their deceits and their delays, their bribing and their biting, their negligence in following and furthering a good cause, and their diligence in an evil: And finally, their deceitful collusions, and unlawful conclusions shall be laid open before men and Angels. Then they shall be all tonguetied, and shall not have so much as one word to answer or plead for themselves. No, though all the subtlety, policy, craft and eloquence of all the Lawyers and judges of the world were to be found in any one such man, yet shall he not have so much as one word to utter in his own defence. God shall intend process against him, the Angels both good and bad shall plead against him, so shall good and holy men: and that which is more, his own conscience shall accuse him, yea, his own tongue shall condemn him. So that it may be well said, that as a just judge is a visible god, so is an unjust judge a visible devil. And as an upright Lawyer is an earthly Saint, so is an unrighteous Advocate, Pleader, Proctor or Attorney, worse than an heretic. For the heretic sinneth most part of ignorance; where as the unrighteous and deceitful Lawyer sinneth against his knowledge both wittingly and willingly. For although he know his party's cause to be evil, yet benefit and gain will make him to say, that it is good, and his adversaries cause which he knoweth to be good, the same gain will make him to say, that it is evil. In which doing, they make themselves obnoxious unto that fearful woe pronounced by the Lord and his holy servant Isaiah, Isai. 5.18.19.20.23. Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as with cart-ropes. Woe unto them that speak good of evil, and evil of good, which put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for sour; which justify the wicked for a reward, and take away the right of the upright or righteous man from him. Amos 5.7. Woe unto them that decree wicked decrees, and write grievous things. As if he should say, such judges as turn judgement into gall, and such Lawyers as turn the fruit of righteousness into wormwood, shall one day know, what it is to pervert justice, equity and judgement, what it is to call evil good, and good evil, what it is to make right wrong, and wrong right. Their delight was in turning of things one into another; and therefore their plague shall be conformable to the nature of their trespass: They turned good into evil, and sweet into sour; and therefore shall God turn their sweet wine into waters of gall, jerem. 8.14. & 9.15. & 23.15. job 20.16. and their dainty cheer and pleasant bread into wormwood; they shall suck the gall of Asps, and the old Serpent's tongue shall slay them, Isai. 66.24. for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched. job 15.33.34.35. God shall destroy them, as the vine her sour grapes, and shall cast them off, as the olive doth her flower. For the congregation of the hypocrite shall be desolate, and fire shall devour the houses of bribes. For they conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly hath prepared deceit. That is, their belly hath made them deceivers, and double dealers, and perverters of equity and right, even belli-gods, who for the love of their belly, care not a pin to displease God. & 20.12.13.14.15.23.26. And because wickedness was sweet in their mouth, and they hide it under their tongue, and favoured it, and would not forsake it, but keep it close in their mouth; therefore God (saith the holy man) shall turn their meat in their belly into the gall of Asps; yea, the substance they have devoured, God shall draw it out of their belly. So that when they shall be about to fill their belly (with meat gotten by perverting of equity, by unrighteous pleading, and unjust judgement) God shall send upon them his fierce wrath, and shall cause to rain upon them, even upon their meat, yea, the fire that is not blown, shall devour them and their belly both, and that which remaineth in their Tabernacle shall be destroyed. And therefore let me say unto every student in this Art, that which Solomon saith, Prou. 2.20.21.22. Walk thou in the way of good men, and keep the ways of the righteous. For the just shall dwell in the land, and the upright men shall remain in it, but the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressor shall be rooted out of it. V Rule. The poor man must not purchase goods, nor the rich man increase his goods already gotten by using of usury, or false weights, by keeping of pledges, or hording up of corn to a more dear time, and by overprizing of wares; by keeping or holding of whorehouses, by sinful playing and gaining, nor yet by cozening, cogging, deceiving and lying, for all such wealth of vanity will soon vanish. Probation, and declaration. Exod. 22.25.26.27. Deut. 24.12.13. IF thou lend money to my people (saith the Lord by Moses) that is, to the poor with thee, thou shalt not be as an usurer unto him, ye shall not grieve him with usury. If thou take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt restore it unto him before the Sun go down, for that is his covering only, and this is his garment for his skin, wherein shall he sleep? Therefore when he crieth unto me, I will hear him, for I am merciful. Thou shalt not sleep with the poor bodies pledge, but shall restore it when the Sun goeth down, that he may sleep in his raiment, and bless thee, and it shall be righteousness unto thee before the Lord thy God. When thou sellest aught to thy neighbour, or buyest at thy neighbour's hands, ye shall not oppress one another. That is, neither must the seller take occasion of the buyers need, to overprize his wares, above the just value; neither must the buyer take advantage of the sellers present necessity, and so give him much less than it is worth. Levit. 25.36.37. If thy brother be impoverished, and fallen in decay with thee, thou shall relieve him, thou shalt take no usury of him, nor vantage; thou shalt not give him thy money to usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase. There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, neither shall there be a whore-keeper of the sons of Israel. Deut. 23.17.18.19.20. Thou shalt neither bring the hire of a whore, nor the price of a dog into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not give to usury to thy brother; as usury of money, usury of meat, usury of any thing that is put to usury; thou shalt not lend upon usury unto thy brother, that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to. Levit. 9.3. Ye shall have just balances, true weights, a true Ephah, and a true hin. Thou shalt not have in thy bag two manner of weights, a great and a small. Deut. 25.13.14.15. Neither shalt thou have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small, but thou shalt have a right and a just weight, a perfect and a just measure shalt thou have, that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. He that giveth not his money to usury (saith the Prophet David) nor taketh reward against the innocent, Psalm. 15.5. Prou. 12.27. shall never be moved. The deceitful man (saith Solomon) roasteth not that he took in hunting. & 21.6. The gathering of treasures by a deceitful tongue is vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death. & 13.11. The riches of vanity shall diminish, but he that gathereth with the hand (that is, with his handy labour, and by his virtuous industry) shall increase them. & 10.2.3. The Lord will not famish the soul of the righteous, but he casteth away the substance of the wicked, & 19.15. and a deceitful person shall be famished. & 20.17. The bread of deceit is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel. & 19.22. & 28.6.8. A poor man is better than a liar. He that increaseth his riches by usury and interest, gathereth them for him that will be merciful unto the poor. & 11.1. divers weights and divers measures are both of them abomination unto the Lord; & 16.11. & 20.10.23. deceitful balances are not good, but a true weight and balance are of the Lord, and a perfect weight pleaseth him. & 21.17. & 11.27. He that loveth pastime and play, shall be a poor man. He that withdraweth the corn, the people will curse him, but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth corn. The Prophet jeremy complaineth of the people of the jews, and amongst other things of this: jerem. 9.3.4.5.6.7.8.9. that they did bend their tongues like bows for lies, that every brother did use deceit, and every friend did deal deceitfully, that they taught their tongues to speak lies, so that their habitation was in the midst of deceivers. Shall I not visit them for these things, saith the Lord? Or shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? & 17. 1●. As the Partridge gathereth the young which she hath not brought forth, so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool. Hear this, Amos 8.4.5.6.7.8. (saith the Prophet Amos) O ye that swallow up the poor, that ye may make the needy of the land to fail, saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell the corn, and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, and make the Ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsify the weights by deceit, that we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for shoes, yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat? The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of jacob, surely I will never forget any of their works. Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? Micah. 6.9.10.11.12.13.14.15 The Lord's voice (saith the Prophet Micah) crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear the rod, and who hath appointed it. Are yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable? Shall I justify the wicked balances, and the bag of deceitful weights? For the rich men thereof are full of cruelty, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, and in making thee desolate, because of thy sins. Thou shalt eat, and not be satisfied, and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee, and thou shalt take hold, but not deliver; and that which thou deliverest, will I give up to the sword. Thou shalt sow, but not reap. Thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil, & make sweet wine, but shalt not drink thereof. Matth. 7.2.12. Mark. 4.24. Luke 6.31.38. And our Saviour commandeth to give a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, for with what measure ye meet, with the same shall men meet to you again. And whatsoever we would that men should do to us, even so must we do to them. Now no man would willingly that another man should oppress, rob, extort, bribe, spoil, cozen, deceive, endamage, hurt or impoverish him by violence, deceit, bribery, usury, exorbitant gain, or yet by gain; and therefore according to our saviours rule, No man ought to hurt or endamage another man by any of the foresaid ways. For that which a man would not have done to himself, he ought not to do it to another: and as he would that men should do to him, so let him do to them likewise, for this is the Law and the Prophets, saith our Saviour. As for usury, as it crosseth the law of nature, which suffereth nothing to be empty, for we see and find, that the air which naturally ascendeth, will rather descend into the hollowest places of the earth to fill them, then suffer any void room therein; so it crosseth the law of grace, which enjoineth men to be gracious and charitable, and commandeth such as have more, to give cheerfully; or to lend freely a part of their goods to such as have less. Give to every man that asketh of thee (saith our Saviour) do good, Luke 6.30.35.38. and lend, looking for nothing again, and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the most high. Give, and it shall be given unto you. Give, and give cheerfully; 2. Cor. 9.7. for God loveth a cheerful giver: lend, and lend freely, looking for nothing again; Psalm 37.21.26. for God loveth a free and a frank lender. And the righteous man (saith David) is merciful and giveth, and like merciful and dareth, and his seed enjoyeth the blessing. Psalm. 15.1.5. And in express terms he telleth us, that the usurer shall not dwell in God's tabernacle, nor rest in his holy mountain. So that the Christian must beware of usury, and of getting, or increasing goods by any such means. So must he likewise not only in his own person flee whoredom, but also all sorts of whoremongerie in regard of others, that he use no such abominable means to come by money. Deut. 23.17.18. The Lord expressly forbiddeth there should be any whorekeeper among his people, and telleth us, that both the whore and her price are an abomination unto the Lord. Let the whoremonger gather never so much goods by his whoremongerie, yet both he and his wealth shall perish. Eccles. 23.17. All bread (saith jesus the son of Syrach) is sweet to a whoremonger, he will not leave off till he perish. Ephes. 5.3. And the holy Apostle forbiddeth covetousness and uncleanness once to be named amongst Christians, and therefore exhorteth us to mortify our earthly members fornication, Colos. 3.5.6. uncleanness, and evil concupiscence, inordinate affection and covetousness; 1. Thes. 4 3.4.5.7. for the which things (saith he) the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience; for this is the will of God, even your sanctification, and that ye should abstain from fornication, that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in holiness and honour, and not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: 1. Cor. 6.9.10.15 Heb. 13.4. for God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. And as for whores and whoremongers and adulterers, such God will judge; neither can they inherit the Kingdom of God, saith the same Apostle. That is, as the blessed Apostle S. john expoundeth it, Revel. 21.8.27. they shall not enter into the great city, holy jerusalem, but shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Now if Christians be commanded by God, by his Son jesus Christ, and by his servants, to mortify, fly, abhor and shun all uncleanness and concupiscence, doth it not thence most necessarily follow, that Christian magistrates may not permit any place for the exercise thereof? And if whoredom is not to be once named amongst Christians, how much more ought it not to be practised by private men, or permitted by the Prince in the commonwealth for any respect whatsoever? and if God will judge whoremongers, and not suffer them to enter into his holy City, and kingdom, than they that are called Gods ought likewise to punish them, and not suffer any such persons to have any place in their cities or kingdom: But rather with godly jehoshaphat, 1. King. 22.40. 2. King. 23.7. and josiah, they ought to put clean out of the land all whoremongers and whoorekeepers, and break down, & burn all their brothelhouses, as an abomination unto the Lord. Far be it from all such as are called Gods, and aught to repress and punish sin, to permit any place in their Cities or kingdoms for the increasing of sin, and the dishonouring of God, by the professed practice of sin. Neither doth it suffice to say, that Magistrates and Princes, for the prevention of the greater evils of private Sodomites, of unnatural copulations, and private fornications, may permit and tolerate the lesser evil of a public brothelhouse, in some place remote from the City; for besides that the Magistrates care and vigilancy ought to be such, that there be no enormous sin or heinous offence privately or publicly committed, or at least left unpunished; it can not be otherwise but that one whorehouse publicly permitted, is more able to pull down God's indignation and judgement against the whole City or kingdom, aswell Prince as people, than an hundredth private houses being defiled can do, being either not known unto the Magistrate, or being punished by him, if they be known: For a smaller sin being permitted to be publicly professed & practised, provoketh God more than a greater sin doth, if it be by the Magistrate repressed and punished, It is not in the Prince's power to keep sin out of his City or Kingdom, neither is he liable to judgement & punishment for that, which cometh not within the compass of his possibility; But it lieth in his power to keep out of his kingdom a schoole-house for sin, and a workhouse for wickedness; and therefore if he do otherwise for any respect whatsoever, he in so doing maketh himself and his kingdom obnoxious unto God's indignation. In one word it is an intolerable shame, that Christians, who are called to study and learn in Christ's school, mortification and sanctification of the flesh, should have a school of sin opened up to them, wherein they can learn no other thing but to offend God, to slay their own souls, to consume their bodies, and to waste their substance, and in one word, to make shipwreck at once of godliness, goodness and their goods. Hereunto also it belongeth that no amorous or voluptuous books, ballads, or songs, nor no lascivious and profane plays, or representations ought or are to suffered in a Christian Commonwealth: For as the whorehouse is the devils schoole-house, and whoremongers are the keepers and ushers of the school under the great master thereof, the spirit of uncleanness; so amorous and lascivious books, ballads, and songs, are the books that this unclean schoolmaster maketh his scholars buy, to teach them how to defile their bodies, and to slay their souls, that in the end they may be made fit fuel for hell-fire: And lascivious stage-plays and representations are the same unclean schoolmaisters sports, pastimes, and plays, which he appointeth unto his scholars, for to quicken and encourage them, in the study and exercise of sin; Not that I mean to condemn all exercises of stage-playings, minstrelzies, or music, for I doubt not, but in themselves they are all lawful, and may be so used, that men may be much furthered thereby in the way of virtue; But only that in a Christian Commonwealth great care ought to be had, lest that any of them be abused to the stirring up, enticing or alluring of men unto sin, profanity, vanity, and vice. Truly in my conceit, the stories and accidents of the time past may be represented in such manner upon the stage, that both men and women may be more and more stirred up to love and follow virtue, and to hate and fly vice, to fear to offend God, and to tremble at his judgements showed from time to time upon men and women for their sins; and stageplays being thus used, are in mine opinion both lawful, honest, pleasant, and profitable. But if either the subject in part, or in whole, be lascivious and licentious, or yet the words wherewith it is expressed, or the gestures whereby it is acted, be either impious, irreligious, filthy, and profane, or hurtful to honest ears, or offensive to modest eyes; then in that case, the Christian Magistrate ought to punish all such abuses of stageplays: for stage-playing being thus abused, is no better than a contemplative brothelhouse. For there men are taught by the lascivious and wanton words and gestures which they use in playing, how to play the unclean persons, and in the brothelhouse they put in practise the sin, and wickedness which they learned at the stage, by the ear and by the eye. And therefore I wish that all stage-players should so carry themselves, that they minister not any occasion of sin, and vice unto their auditors and spectators, but rather help them and further them what they can, to virtuous living, whereas otherwise by abusing their exercise to sin, both sinning themselves and inciting others to sin, they shall heap up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath and endless confusion, for making an exercise and trade of sin, to heap up unto themselves wealth and money here on earth. Lastly, I say the Christian ought to beware, lest he gather or increase his wealth, by the endamaging and impoverishing of his neighbour through playing and game. If no man wisheth or would willingly that another should win his money or goods, by play, than no man ought to desire to win another man's money by that way, for it is expressly against the law of God; which beareth that the thing a man would not to be done unto himself, he ought not do it to another. Not that I mean to condemn all playing at cards, or any such other games as unlawful, for there is nothing more reasonable, then that a man may well take a little of his time from his more serious affairs, for refreshing of himself with any honest pastime, to the end he may be the better enabled to follow the actions of his ordinary calling, and yet must it be but a little time that is this way spent: for time is precious, and therefore aught to be employed and spent in precious employments, neither must he make a vocation of a recreation, or of an hours pastime, an ordinary practice, for God hath not called men to play away time, but to spend time in good and godly employments, and to redeem time by doubling our diligence, when as we have idily misspent any part thereof. True it is that divers good men have thought playing at cards altogether unlawful, in regard that they do bear in their conceit, the nature and quality of a Lot, which being used to divine purposes, ought not to be abused to any human or profane action or affair. But by their leave, their reason is not so sound as they do suppose. For if cards be lots, than it were lawful for men to use cards in the consulting of God for the determination of some certain doubts, as we read both in the old and the new Testament, that lots have been used, and if this be absurd, than it followeth that they are not lots as they do imagine. But supposing that to be true which they say, even that cards are Lots, I say that it doth not follow, but that they may be used in human affairs: Prou. 18, 18. for it is well known, that Lots have been, and yet are lawfully used, in civil bargains and businesses belonging to partition and division of lands, merchandise and wares; and why may they not be likewise used in other human exercises of recreations and plays? Of their own nature, lots are indifferent, and are neither in themselves good or evil, divine or human but become such by the abuse or right use thereof; Even as Music which is used both at home, for human delight and recreation, and in God's house, in the divine and solemn celebration of service, and as it were absurd and ridiculous, to think or maintain, that Music, whether in voices or instruments, may not be used at home for human delight, because it is used in the house of God, to the setting forth of God's praises; so were it a thing no less absurd and ridiculous, to argue, that Lots may not be used in human delights and recreations, because that they have been sometlme used in the consulting of God, for the determination of certain doubts. Hence it followeth, that though cards were a kind of Lots, yet they may be lawfully used in exercises, of play and pastime. But in the mean time the Christian must take diligent heed, lest he abuse a lawful recreation to his own damnation hereafter, and to the endamagement of himself or of his neighbour here, and therefore he must not make of an hours recreation, a daily or a nightly vocation (as I said before,) nor yet turn a matter of delight into a matter of debate, by unchristian and uncharitable altercations, quarrelings, and contentions; That we turn not the time of ceasing from our ordinary actions, and of solacing ourselves, into a time of sinning, by swearing, banning, cursing, and blaspheming the blessed name of God, and of his Son jesus. A man also must beware, lest he change the nature of the thing itself, by making it of an excerise of pleasure and company, an exercise of profit and commodity. For a man ought to play, only to refresh himself, not to enrich himself by another's loss, not yet to impoverish himself by another's winning; The one is unthriftiness, and doth not beseem a prudent or provident man; the other is covetousness, and doth not become a Christian. So that if men will needs play for money, it were very well done, to play for no more, than they would willingly bestow upon the poor, and therefore Christians shall show themselves Christians, in the very playing at cards, if they shall agree upon converting the wager being won, into some charitable use, for the support of the indigent brethren; If they do otherwise, they play not as becometh Christians, but do bewray their covetous, and uncharitable disposition, flowing from a base mind, which is so far bewitched with the love of money, that it maketh them to forget that they are Christian men. And chief this aught to be the practice of all Carders, players, and gamesters, at Christmas, and such other Festiaull times, even to play for the poor, and to give the gain of our gaiming to God, To the end that the poor being supported by this means, may be the more encouraged to celebrate joyfully the solemn time of our saviours birth. For what thing is there more unbeseeming Christianity, then for men to spend the days of this festival time, in playing to gather money for themselves, and to practise either more covetousness, or else more unthriftiness, at this time more than at any other? What thing is there I say or can there be more unbecoming a Christian, than not to spend this time in the exercise of piety towards God, and of charity towards our neighbour for his sake? Shall one Christian be so unchristianly affected as to turn his playing with his brother into a preying upon his brother, so that his covetousness cannot be quenched till he have emptied his purse? Or shall the Christian play, and not show himself a Christian in his playing, by imparting the pence he hath won unto the poor? and therefore to shut up this present discourse, as the Apostle exhorteth us, that whether we eat or drink, we do all to the glory of God, so say I of this matter; whether we play for money, or lay money for a wager, let us always remember to play and lay like Christian and charitable men: and in all our actions let our piety towards God, and our charity towards our neighbours appear. VI Rule. A man must not make haste to be rich, as being possessed with an immoderate desire and love of riches, & miscarried with an excessive care to purchase or increase wealth: But ought rather to be content with little goods gotten with a good conscience, and enjoyed with quietness of mind, then to purchase or possess much with an evil conscience, with strife, toil, and trouble of spirit. Probation and declaration. travail not too much to be rich (saith Solomon) for riches taketh her to her wings as an Eagle, and flieth into the air; Proverb. 23.4.5. & 28.20.22. Eccles. 31.1.2.5.6. Proverb. 21.5. & 20.21. and he that maketh haste to be rich, shall not be innocent. A man with a wicked eye hasteth to riches, and knoweth not that poverty shall come upon him: for whosoever is hasty cometh surely to poverty. An heritage is hastily gotten at the beginning, but the end thereof shall not be blessed. & 29.20, Seest thou a man hasty in his matters, there is more hope of a fool then of him. & 15.27, He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house, and he that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind. & 11.29. An honest name is to be chosen above great riches, & 22.1. and a good conscience is a continual feast. & 15, 15, 16, 17, Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, then great treasures, and troubles therewith. Better is a dinner of green herbs where love is, than a stalled Ox, & 28, 6, and hatred therewith. Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that perverteth his ways, & 17.1. though he be rich. Better is a dry morsel, if peace be with it, than an house full of sacrifices with strife. Ecclesiast. 4.6. Ecclesiast, 29.24 25. Better is an handful with quietness, than two handfuls with labour, and vexation of spirit. Better is a little with righteousness, then great revenues without equity. Proverb. 16 8, Tobith. 1●. 8. Ecclesiast. 5.9. He that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver. And he that loveth riches (meaning immoderately) shall be without the fruit thereof. Psal 37.16.17. A small thing unto the just man is better than great riches to the wicked and mighty (saith the holy Prophet David) for the arms of the wicked shall be broken, & 39.6. & 49.16.17. but the Lord upholdeth the just man. Man walketh in a shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain, he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them, for he shall take nothing away with him when he dieth, neither shall his pomp descend after him. Prou. 4, 17, & 23 34. Ecclesiast. 5.11 The man who eateth the bread of wickedness, and drinketh the wine of violence, in his sleep is as one that sleepeth in the mids of the sea, and as he that sleepeth in the top of the mast: yea the satiety of such a rich man will not suffer him to sleep: whereas the man who is content of a little with a good conscience, Psal. 4.7.8. may well say with godly King David: Thou hast given me more joy of heart, than they have had when their wheat and their wine did abound. I will lay me down, Ecclesiast. 40, 18. & 29.25. and also sleep in peace, for thou (O Lord) wilt make me dwell in safety. To labour, and to be content with that a man hath, is a sweet life, saith Siracides. Be it little or much, let him hold himself contented. Godliness is great gain (saith the holy Apostle Paul) if a man be content with that he hath: 1 Tim 6.6.7.8.9.10. for we brought nothing into the world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out. Therefore when we have food and raiment, let us therewith be content. For they that will be rich, fall into temptations and snares, and into many foolish and noisome lusts, which drown men in perdition and destruction. For the desire of money is the root of all evil, which while some lusted after, they erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. And in another place he willeth that covetousness should not be once named amongst Christians, Ephes 5.3.5. 1. Cor. 6.10. and telleth us that a covetous man is an idolater, and that he shall not inherit the kingdom of God, meaning that the covetous man's God is his gold, as the glutton's God is his belly. The one is well called a belly-god, and the other may be rightly called a pelfe-god, or if ye will, a gold-god. The one's religion is belly-godism, and Epicurism, Soul, eat, drink, and take thy rest, for thou hast much meat laid up for many years. The others religion is little differing, but in name, from the first, and is gold-goddisme: Soul, take thy rest and be merry, for thou hast much money & gold laid up for many years. As this man's gold is his God, so his house is his heaven, his bed is his Abraham's bosom, his board is to him the banquet of the Lamb, his praying is his playing, his misdeeds are all his almsdeeds, his fasting is his feasting, and his temporal fullness is his eternal felicity. Mark 4, 18.19. Wherefore our Saviour teacheth us, that the immoderate cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things, choke the seed of the word, sown by the spiritual Sower, and make it unfruitful. Math. 26.27.28.29.30.31.32.33.34. Luke 21 34. & 13.22.29. And therefore he would have us to be so far and free from all excess of care for worldly things, that he forbiddeth us to be grievously careful for the morrow, and for this life, what we shall eat, or what we shall drink, or what we shall put on, for our heavenly Father (saith the Son) knoweth that we have need of all those things. Philip. 4.6. Be nothing careful (saith the Apostle) but cast all your care on God, for he careth for you. Heb 13.5. Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with those things that ye have; for he hath said: I will not fail thee, Psal. 55, 22. & 107.9. neither forsake thee. Cast thy burden upon the Lord (saith the holy Prophet) and he shall nourish thee: for he satisfieth the thirsty soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. & 65.9.10.11.12.13. He visiteth the earth, and watereth it, he maketh it very rich: the River of God is full of water, and he prepareth men corn. He watereth abundantly the furrows of the earth, and causeth the rain to descend into the valleys thereof. He maketh it soft with showers, and blesseth the bud thereof. He crowneth the year with his goodness, and his steps drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness, and the hills are compassed with gladness. The pastures are clad with Sheep, the valleys also are covered with corn, therefore the shout for joy, and sing. As it is he that giveth deliverance unto Kings, & 144.10.11.12.13.14. and rescueth David his servant from the hurtful sword, and maketh our sons to be as the plants growing up in their youth, and our daughters as the corner-stones graven after the similitude of a palace. So is it he that maketh our corners to be full and abounding with divers sorts, and that our Sheep may bring forth thousands, and ten thousands in our streets; & 145, 15.16. and that our Oxen may be strong to labour. Finally, the eyes of all wait upon him, and he giveth them their meat in due season, he openeth his hands, and filleth all things living of his good pleasure. Wherefore let the Christian learn to depend upon God's providence, and to cast all his care upon him; Phil. 3.11.12. let him study and endeavour with the holy Apostle, in whatsoever state he be, therewith to be content, even as well to have want, as to have wealth, to be bare, as to abound. And with the holy Prophet, Psal. 119.36. let him always pray: Incline mine heart Lord unto thy testimonies, and not unto covetousness. VII. Rule. The man that would be rich, must before all other things, and more than all other things, with great fervency and constancy crave at God spiritual blessings; and when he hath gotten riches as he must not set his affection thereupon in loving them too much, so he must not put his affiance or confidence in them by trusting to them, or glorying and boasting himself of them: Neither must he murmur against God if he afflict him by the loss of a part thereof, or yet of the whole; but aught to bear his cross patiently and valiantly. Finally, he must love his riches so little in comparison of Christ, and the salvation of his own soul that (if the cause and occasion offer itself) he be content to forsake all for Christ's sake, and for the saving of his own soul. Probation and declaration. Math. 6.33. Luke 12.29.30.31. seek ye first (saith our Saviour) the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things (to wit, food and raiment, and such other external commodities of this life) shall be ministered unto you. And the Apostle exhorteth us to set our affections on things which are above, Colos. 3.2. 1 Tim. 4.8. and not on things which are on the earth. For godliness is profitable unto all things, as that which hath the promise of the life present, and of that that is to come. Psal 119.165. They that love thy law (saith the holy Prophet David) shall have great prosperity. And because that Solomon asked of God, 2 King. 3.5.9.10.11.12.13. not long life, nor riches, nor the life of his enemies, but only an understanding heart to judge his people. Therefore said the Lord unto him: Behold I have done according to thy words, lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart: so that there hath been none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall arise the like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honour, so that among the Kings there shall be none like unto thee all thy days. 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 themselves in the multitude of their riches, they think their houses and habitations shall continue for ever, and call their lands by their names, but they shall die like the beasts, and leave 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 unto the multitude of his ●iches, Pruerb. 11.28. Ecclesiastic. 5.1.8. & 31.8. Ecclesiast. 5.9. shall be rooted out of the land of the li●ing. He that trusteth in his riches (saith Solomon) ●hall fall, but the righteous shall flourish like a ●eafe. He that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver, and he that loveth riches shall be without the fruit thereof. job. 31.24.25.26.27.28. The holy man job protesteth ●f himself that he made not gold his hope, nor ●et said ever at any time to the wedge of gold: Thou art my confidence. That he never boasted himself, because his substance was great, or because his hand had gotten much: for in so doing saith he) I should have denied the God above. And the same holy man, notwithstanding he was the richest of all the men of the East, & 1.3.4.20.21. job, 42.10.12. (for his substance besides money, houses, and lands, was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand Camels, and five hundredth yoke of Oxen, and five hundredth she Asses) yet when God suffered him to be spoiled and denuded of all, he fell not into murmuring, and grudging impatiently against God; but fell down upon the ground, and worshipped God, saying: Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither. The Lord hath given, & 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 gave him twice so much as he had before, and blessed his last days more than his first. jerem. 9.23.24. Let not the wise man (saith the Lord by the Prophet jeremy) glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man glory in his strength, neither the rich man glory in his riches, but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me: for I am the Lord which shows mercy, judgement, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, saith the Lord. Trust not unto thy riches, and say not, I have enough for my life (saith jesus the son 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. Whatsoever cometh unto thee, receive it patiently, be patiented in thy change into affliction, for as gold and silver are tried in the fire, even so are men acceptable in the furnace of adversity: believe in God, and he will help thee, order thy way aright, and trust in him, hold fast his fear, and grow old therein. Hereby Christians are taught, not to grudge against God, if at any time he cross us in our prosperity, and take from us our substance, whether in part, or whole: yea we ought to confide so far in God's goodness, that he will send us again, that which he hath taken from us, and restore it with advantage, if he seethe that it shall be expedient for us, and profitable for our soul's health. Otherwise we ought to think that it is far better for us to want goods, then to be void of goodness, and that our case is more blessed to lack or lose goods, then to enjoy them, and withal to abuse them to luxury, superfluity, licentiousness, 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 David) that I have been afflicted, that I may learn thy statutes. And blessed is the man whom thou chastisest, o Lord, & teachest him in thy law. And therefore the blessed Apostle telleth us, that by affliction we are made like to the Son of God: yea that we must through many afflictions enter into the kingdom of God. Our most wise & bountiful Father knoweth best what is best for his children's behoof. Neither ought the virtuous minded man think any whit the worse of himself for his want of wealth, or yet be dejected in courage therefore, as though he were by reason of his indigence, less in God's favour, than others that do abound. Neither must we measure God's favour with the yard or ell of earthly prosperity. For the Prophet David telleth us, Psal. 10 4.5.6. & 37.7.35. & 73 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 that the wicked and his ways do prosper oftentimes; so that he saith in his heart, he shall never be moved nor be in danger; yea he is strong, and spreadeth himself like a green bay tree: there are no bands in their death, but they are lusty and strong, they are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued with other men, their eyes stand out for fatness, they have more than heart can wish, they are licentious and speak wickedly, they talk presumptuously, they set their mouth against heaven, and their tongue walketh through the earth: Lo these are the wicked (saith David) yet prosper they always and increase in riches. And the holy Prophet jeremy questioneth the Lord about the same matter in this manner; jerem. 12.1, 2. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper, why are all they in wealth that rebelliously transgress? thou hast planted them, and they have taken root, they grow and bring forth fruit, thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins. Likewise the holy man job showeth us in very large and ample manner the wickeds prosperity; job 21.7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. They live and wax old, and grow in wealth, their seed is established in their sight, their houses are peaceable without fear, and the rod of God is not upon them, their bullock gendereth and faileth not, their cow calveth and casteth not the calf, they send forth their children like sheep, and their sons dance; they take the tabret and the harp, and rejoice in the found of the organs; they spend their days in wealth, and suddenly they go down to the grave. Thus we see, that even the wicked, and such as blaspheme God, and oppress the poor, may enjoy great prosperity and wealth for a time. And truly it shall be no more but for a time: for as the same two holy men teach us, Psal. 10.15. & 37 9, 10, 17, 20, 34, 36. & 52.5. & 7.3, 18, 19, 20. job 21, 17, 18, 19, 20, 30. & 27.13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 The Lord will break the arm of the wicked, God shall cut off him and his seed, he shall destroy him for ever, he shall pluck him out of his Tabernacle, and root him out of the land of the living: he shall pass away and perish, and shall not be found any more, he shall be suddenly destroyed, horribly confounded, and his image shall be despised. The candle of the wicked shall be put out, they shall be as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away, they are kept unto the day of destruction, and they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath. The sword shall destroy his children, and his posterity shall not be satisfied with bread. Though he should heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay, he may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver. Terrors shall take him as waters, and a tempest shall carry him away by night. And as the wicked oftentimes enjoy great plenty and prosperity, so have many of the godly many times been afflicted with penury, poverty, and want. And yet for all this, God left not off to love them most dearly. For their adversity, affliction, and trouble, they were not a whit the less beloved of God, but rather the more, according to that saying of the holy man job, job 5.17. Blessed is the man whom the Lord correcteth. And therefore not only wise king Solomon, Prou. 3.11, 12. Heb. 12.5.6, 7.8.9.10, 11. and the holy Apostle Paul, but also our Saviour himself teacheth us, that the Lord correcteth him whom he loveth, even as the father doth the child in whom he delighteth. Also the same Apostle telleth us, Revel. 3.19. that many of the children of God of the old times were brought to such a pinch, that they were bitten with poverty and want, Heb. 11.36.37.38. for they wandered (saith he) up and down in sheeps skins, and in goats skins, being destitute, afflicted, and tormented: they wandered in wildernesses, and mountains, and dens, and caves of the earth, obnoxious unto racking, mocking, scourging, chaining, imprisoning, stoning, hewing, and slaying with the sword. And what was the poverty of Christ jesus the Son of God, in his birth, life, and death, it is more than manifest; 2. Cor. 8.9. for he being rich (as Lord of heaven and earth) became poor for our sakes (saith the Apostle) that we through his poverty might be made rich. Matth. 1.16.20. & 13.55. He was so poor in the time and manner of his birth, that he was laid in a cratch, Luk 2.4.5.6.7. Mark. 6.3. even in a stable among oxen and asses, folded and swathed in clothes of little price. The house wherein he was borne was a base Inn, yea a stinking stable. The cradle wherein he was laid was a cratch, a place more fit for beasts to eat in, then for the Son of God to lie in. His mother that bore him, though descended of noble lineage, yea of royal blood, was also abject and poor, both in her own person, and in her fortune. For she was betrothed to a poor Carpenter, joseph, a tradesman, though descended of the noble house and lineage of King David. Hence it was that the jews called our Saviour Christ in contempt, the Carpenter, and the Carpenter's son. In his life he was so poor, Matth. 8.20. Luk. 9.58. that he had not a hole to hide his head in, or a bed to rest his body on, whereas the Foxes of the field had their holes, and the birds of the heaven had their nests. Matth. 27.55. So that it behoved certain godly women of Galilee to minister of their substance for the relieving of his necessity. Luk. 8.2.3. Finally, in his death he was so poor, that he had not so much money as to buy himself a winding sheet, or to defray the charges of his burial, till there came a rich man of Arimathea, Matth. 27.57.58, 59, 60. named joseph, who took the naked body of poor jesus, and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and put it in the self same new tomb which he had hewn out in a rock for himself. A happy rich man in so doing: and therefore such a rich man, as all rich men that desire to be happy aught to imitate, and do imitate, when as upon their own charges (as godly Tobias did) they do bury the bodies of the poor members of jesus, who shall one day, Tobit. 1. Matth. 25.34.35.36.37.38.39.40. even in that great day, acknowledge all the good, good rich men have done to good poor men, as if they had done it unto himself, and withal recompense their charity with an inestimable reward. And as for the Apostles, how poor & indigent they were, Mat. 4, 18, 29.20 21, 22. Mark 1, 16, 17.18, 19, 20. Luke 5, 8, 9, 10 11, 28, Math. 10.2, & 19, 24, 27, 28.29 Mark. 10, 28, 29, 30, Luke 18, 28. no man doth know; poor Fishermen they were for the most part, who yet forsook their nets, and all that they had to embrace Christ's poverty, who was yet poorer than they, and followed him. Likewise Matthew the Customer, as soon as Christ said unto him, follow me, left all, rose up and followed him. Whereupon the prime of the Apostles, in the name of the rest, said unto our Saviour on a time, when as he had discoursed of the difficulty of rich men's salvation: Behold we have forsaken all, and followed thee, what shall we have? And jesus answered: Verily I say unto you, that when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his Majesty, ye which followed me in the regeneration, shall sit also upon twelve Tribes of Israel. And whosoever shall forsake houses or lands for my name's sake, and the Gospels, he shall receive more in this world, yea an hundredth fold more, and shall inherit everlasting life. Whereby Christians are taught to be ready and willing to forsake all their goods, be they never so precious and copious, rather than to forsake God, and a good conscience, to leave their inheritance on earth, rather than their inheritance in heaven, and to lose the life temporal rather then the eternal. Math, 16, 25, 26, & 10, 39, Mark, 8, 35, 36, 37. Luke 9, 23, 24, 25, 26, For whosoever will save his life, (saith our Saviour) shall lose it, and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, shall find it. For what shall it profit a man though he should win a whole world, if he lose his own soul? or what shall a man give for recompense of his soul? And if the man that loveth father or mother, or yet his own life, more than Christ, Math. 10, 37, 38, 39 Luke 14, 26, is not worthy of Christ (as himself saith:) How shall that man be worthy of the eternal inheritance, that loveth the temporal inheritance better than it? And truly whosoever will be loath to leave and lose his worldly wealth, for to follow Christ, and to save his own soul by embracing the Gospel, will be much more loath to lay down his life for Christ's sake and the Gospels in the time of persecution. And with what face can such a man claim or crave at God's hands, the life eternal, that will not for his sake, leave, or lay down his life temporal? Thus we see that rich men must be so far from loving their riches too much, Math, 13, 20, 21 Mark, 4, 16.17, Luk. 8 13, 1 Tim, 1, 29, and trusting unto them, that they should resolve with themselves rather to leave and lose their gold, than God and godliness, rather to forsake their whole goods, then to fall from the faith, or to make shipwreck of a good conscience, to exempt themselves from persecution, and to the end they may possess in peace their worldly commodities. Ephes. 5, ●. Colos, 3, 5, Godless rich men they are, who will prefer earthly trash before heavenly treasure, goods before goodness, and gold before God; whose God is their belly, 1 Tim, 6, 5, Philip, 3.19, and all their godliness is gain, and their religion golden idolatry, goldisme, or belly-godisme, (for so may their irreligious religion be well called) whose glory is to their shame, and whose end is damnation, saith the Apostle. Exod. 32.31. Oh said Moses unto the Lord, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them Gods of gold. And may not the like be well said of godless rich men, that make gold their God; yea make a God of their belly, which is yet a more base stuff, and are guilty of a kind of idolatry, which is the basest of all other. And therefore the holy Apostle biddeth the godly Bishop of Ephesus, Timothy: 1 Tim. 6.17. Charge them that be rich in this world, that they be not high minded, and that they trust not in uncertain riches, but in the living God, which giveth us abundantly all things to enjoy. And it is to such godless rich men that the holy Apostle, and first Bishop of jerusalem, S. james, crieth out, saying: jam. 5.2.3. Go to now ye rich men, weep and howl for the miseries that shall come upon you; your riches are corrupt, and your garments are moth-eaten, your gold and silver is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire: ye have heaped up treasures for the last days. And in another place he speaketh of such godless rich men in this manner: & 1.10.11. For as when the Sun riseth with heat, than the grass withereth, and his flower falleth away, and the beauty of the fashion of it perisheth: Even so shall the rich man fade away in all his ways. Luke 16.13. No man (saith our Saviour, the great Bishop of our souls) can serve God and riches. And it is to such servers, and immoderate lovers of riches, & 6.24.25. that he saith: Woe be to you that are rich, for ye have received your consolation. Woe be to you that are full, for ye shall hunger. Finally it is chief of such as trust in their riches, and serve them, and love them more than God, or their poor brethren, Mat. 19.23, 24. that our Saviour giveth out this verdict: Verily I say unto you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven: yea I say unto you again, Mark 11.23. Luke 12.5. & 18.24. it is easier for a Camel, or a Cable-rope to go through the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. Wherefore take heed, and beware of covetousness, (saith our Saviour) for though a man have abundance, yet his life standeth not in his riches. VIII. Rule. The man that would procure God's blessing for the augmentation, and conservation of his store, both to himself & to his posterity, must show himself thankful to God in blessing & praising him for his benefits, and in giving unto God that which is Gods, to wit, first fruits & tithes unto his Friests, and likewise in giving unto Caesar that which is Caesar's. That is to say, he must give unto the prince (but chief if he be a Christian Prince) as being Gods great Minister and Deputy for the good government of his people, be they Ecclesiastical or secular persons, a proportionable proportion of his goods, tribute, & subsidy, whensoever he standeth in need. And this aught each one to do with all possible good will, readiness, and cheerfulness of mind, without grudging resisting, and rebelling, love we our wealth never so well. Probation and Declaration. WHen thou hast eaten and filled thyself (saith Moses) Deut. 8.10, 15, 12, 13, 14. thou shalt bless the Lord thy God, for the good land which he hath given thee, beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, lest when thou hast eaten, and filled thyself, and hast builded goodly houses, and dwelled therein, and thy beasts, and thy sheep are increased, and thy silver and gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is increased, than thine heart be lifted up. Prou. 3.9.10. Honour the Lord with thy riches (saith Solomon) and with the first fruits of all thine increase, so shall thy barns be filled with abundance, and thy press shall burst with new wine. Above all things (saith jesus the son of Sirach) give thanks unto him that hath made thee, Eccles 32.14. & 7.29.30. and replenished thee with his goods. Fear the Lord with all thy soul, and honour his Ministers; Love him that made thee, with all thy strength, and forsake not his servants. Exod. 22.28.29 Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people, (saith the Lord by his servant Moses) thine abundance and thy liquor shalt thou not keep back. Whereby we are given to understand, that we must not think, or speak unreverently of the Prince, for craving of subsidy, or requiring of tribute: neither must we deny him, or keep back from him a part and portion of our store, if he stand in need thereof, or require it at our hands, as also we must beware, least by our murmuring against the Ruler we do procure unto ourselves at God's hands, the diminution of our abundance and store. Math 22.17.21. & 17.24, 25, 26.27. And therefore our Saviour being asked concerning the paying of tribute to Caesar, answered thus: Give unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God, the things which are Gods. Luk. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. Likewise the holy Apostle exhorteth men to all dutifulness, and obedience in the behalf of Princes. Rom. 13, 1.5.6.7. Let every soul (saith he) be subject unto the higher powers, not because of wrath only, but also for conscience sake. For this cause (saith he) ye pay also tribute, for they are Gods ministers, applying themselves for the same thing. Give therefore to all men their duty, tribute to whom ye own tribute, custom, to whom custom, fear, to whom fear, honour to whom ye own honour. He also enjoineth Titus the first Bishop of Crete, Tit. 3.1, 2. to put the people in remembrance that they should be subject to the principalities and powers, and that they be obedient and ready to every good work. And truly if it be a good work for the brother to relieve the brother in his need with a portion of his goods, it cannot but be a far better work for the children to relieve the parent in his need. Now the Prince is the parent of the patrie, and the great and common father of this great family, the subjects are the Prince's children, and therefore they are bound to impart unto him a part and portion of their goods, when as his need presseth him to require the same at their hands. And the Apostle telling us that Princes are Gods Ministers, in the very levying and taking of tribute, doth teach us that when we pay tribute unto Princes, or afford them any such furtherance, subsidy, or relief, that we do it not so much unto them as unto God himself. For what good office soever we perform at any time unto God's Ministers, but chief to his chief Minister, that he doth repute as done unto himself. And therefore we ought to obey the Prince in this duty as in all other, not only for fear of his anger and indignation, but also for the conscience we must make of our Christian vocation, and subiectionall condition. 1 Pet. 2.17. Fear God, honour the King, saith the blessed Apostle S. Peter. An exhortation worthy of all Bishops, Prelates, and patriarchs, to whom it doth belong especially to exhort, persuade, and encourage the subjects of all Christistian Kings to loyalty, reverence, & obedience in their behalf. We must honour the Prince in the worthy and reverent opinion of our minds, in the respectful and dutiful speeches of our mouths, in the submiss and humble gesture of our bodies: and lastly, Prou. 3.9, 10. Exod. 22.8. Psal. 82.1.6. joh. 10.34.35. as we must honour God with our riches, and the oblations of our hands, so must we likewise them whom God hath called Gods: to wit, godly Princes, whom when as we honour with our riches, in giving them cheerfully a portion for their honourable provision, than we honour God himself with our riches, as Solomon exhorteth all men to do that would have God to bless them with abundance. And truly if we would be loath to let God want (if he were subject to want in his own person, as man is, than ought we likewise be loath to let the Prince want, who representeth God, and therefore is called God (to teach us) that what we bestow upon him we offer unto God) and in whose person God oftentimes carrieth himself as one that wanteth, and standeth in need of our help. And if we would willingly, cheerfully, and without murmuring bestow upon our most bountiful father, our goods, in whole or in half, then truly we ought not to murmur or grudge to bestow upon Princes, (whom God hath called by the name of the children of the most high) a convenient portion of the same, at least, for their father's sake. Psal. 82.6. So that a Christian subject, when he seethe a king, chief a Christian king, and such a one as beside his power is adorned with the divine qualities of wisdom, bounty, justice, and mercy, he ought to think with himself, that he seethe God in man's likeness. And when such a one asketh a Subsidy, or any such relief at his subjects hands, he ought to show himself as willing and ready thereunto, as he should if God himself in a man's likeness were come down amongst men to crave a sacrifice or oblation at their hands. And though it be true, that Almighty God doth not stand in need of any thing we have, (for he is all-sufficient in himself) yet we must think that it is his pleasure to carry himself as one that doth need oftentimes in the persons of the Prince, the Priests, and the Poor. And this he doth, to try whether we love Almighty God and our neighbour better than our goods, or no, and to know by the effect, if we have as yet attained to this perfection, as to give unto God all that we have, if he should require it at our hands. For the man that will grudge to give a part unto God's image and chief minister for his sake, will never be willing to forsake all for God's sake: no, he would never be willing to bestow his whole goods upon God himself, that will refuse or repine to give a part unto his chief minister. And contrariwise, the man that doth cheerfully bestow upon the prince, in regard that he is God's image and deputy, doth evidently show that he loveth God better than his goods, and goodness better than his goods, and that he would make no difficulty to bestow most willingly all that he hath upon God; yea to forsake his whole goods for God's sake. Wherefore if we resolve to give cheerfully unto God's Vicar for his sake, a proportionable portion of our goods, he will both account it as given unto himself, and will reward the giver for his gift, 2. Cor. 9.7. Philip. 2.14. and for his cheerful giving likewise; for God loveth a cheerful giver, and therefore willeth us to do all things without murmuring and reasoning, he will reward him with increase of goods and goodness in this life, and with fullness of glory in the life to come. King's be also called Gods, for that they must excel all other men, as in power, so likewise in beneficence: so that the Prince, as he shall have cause and occasion, may lawfully ask, crave, and receive a part of his richer subjects goods, and give of the same to such as are poorer. And this he may do, yea and aught to do, to the end his beneficence & bounty (wherein he must resemble God most of all other) may be showed and continued, Psal. 112.9. 2. Cor. 9.9. and that it may be said and sung of him, he hath distributed and given to the poor, his righteousness and benevolence remaineth for ever, his horn shall be exalted with glory. In one word, to the end that both his poorer subjects may be relieved, and his faithful servants may be rewarded. Princes are likewise called Gods, to show us that they have a right, I say not unto all, but unto a certain part of each of their subjects goods. For as I would be loath to flatter the prince and wrong the people, by affirming or maintaining the extent of his right and interest to the bodies and whole goods of his subjects (for the most absolute Prince that is, must not think himself so absolute: and as it were a ridiculous thing to subject the prince to his subjects laws, so were it an impious crime, to exempt him from God's laws) as I would be loath, I say, to flatter the prince, and wrong the people, by affirming his right to their whole goods, so would I be loath to flatter the people, and wrong the Prince, by denying his right to a proportionable part of their goods. And therefore as God doth require at his people's hands, for the maintenance of his ministers, first fruits, because he is the first, and tithes because he is the last (as an ancient writer yieldeth the reason) and that in name of an annual and perpetual rent, and in token of a double acknowledgement we own him: the one, that he is alpha and omega, the beginning and the ending, the first and the last: the other, that all that we have, we have it and hold it of him. So Princes, who are called Gods, of God himself, and are his immediate subjects, and his subjects only, and are liable, if they offend, to the punishment of his hand only, they may justly claim and require at their subjects hands a competent portion of their goods, for the maintenance of themselves, their families, and servants, as the holy Prophet Samuel describing the quality and privilege of an absolute Prince, doth abundantly testify. For the holy Prophet dissuading the Israelites from the seeking of a King as yet, 1. Sam. 8.14.15.16.17. and before the convenient time (for as yet the time was not come that God should set his servant David above them, who was to be the first elected King of Israel with God's absolute approbation, and the type & forefather of the king of kings, according to the flesh) telleth them before hand what power he should have over them and their goods. And namely, that he would not only take their fields and their vineyards, and give them to his servants, meaning, in case they did heinously offend against his laws, (for as God is the Lawgiver of Kings, so are Kings the lawgivers of their people) but also yearly ask and take the tenth of their corns, of their vineyards, of their fruits, and of their flocks, for the maintenance of himself, and of his servants. And yet in all this, the holy man painteth out no usurping or untitular tyrant, Vers. 18. but even an orderly elected king, that is, such a king as they themselves with a common consent should receive: neither yet any practical tyrant, Vers. 11. or tyrannising king: but even such a king as should reign over them, and not tyrannize over them; as should rule them, and not ruinated them. To which purpose the words of the Prophet are most perspicuous and clear, read them who will. But hereof we shall entreat more fully in our Alboni, or Pattern of a perfect Subject; wherein we shall God-willing discourse substantially and sound of the several duties of subjects, in the behalf of Princes. And out of doubt, their first king Saul reigned in this manner over them, and yet we find him not blamed for any tyrannical oppression, extortion, or exaction practised upon his people: whereof, if he had been guilty, it should have been recorded, no doubt, amongst his other grievous trespasses. Likewise king David, who was their first king, by God's absolute approbation (and therefore the spirit of God hath begun with David the first Book of the Kings) even a man after Gods own heart, 1. Sam. 13.14. no doubt he exercised the same power over his people: 1. Chro. 27.1, 25, 31. as may appear by the monthly courses of his officers appointed over the treasures in the fields, in the cities, and in the villages, for the collection, custody, and dispensation of his substance. And as for Solomon, king David's son and successor, it is more than 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 provision of his house, by his twelve officers, whom he appointed each man his month to provide victuals in the divers parts and quarters of his kingdom, for himself, and all that came to his table. And who will, or dare say, that Solomon in so doing played the tyrant? 1. King. 10.23. was he not a wise King, and so wise that he excelled all the kings of the earth, no less in wisdom then in wealth? and being so wise as he was, did he not know well enough what was both fit for a King to require at his subjects hands, and what was fit for subjects to impart to their Prince? yea, was he not a just king, and one that did govern his people, as with wisdom, so also with equity and justice? shall we think that king David's prayer for the prosperous estate of his son Solomon and of his kingdom, was frustrate and without effect? Give thy judgements to the king, Psal. 72.1, 2, 3.4.12.13, 14. O God, and thy righteousness to the king's son: Then shall he judge thy people in righteousness, and thy poor with equity: the mountains and the hills shall bring peace to the people by justice. He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall subdue the oppressor; he shall deliver the poor when he crieth, the needy also, and him that hath no helper, he shall be merciful to the poor and needy, and shall preserve their lives, he shall redeem them from deceit and violence, and dear shall their blood be in his sight. Shall we think I say, that the holy Prophet's prayer and prediction touching the excellency of his sons, godly, just, and peaceable government, was either false, or of none effect? God forbidden: far be it from us to think that God would have chosen an oppressor of his people to be a type of the king of righteousness, to be his son, 1 Chron, 22.9, 10.11. & 28.5.6, 10. and to build the house of his sanctuary. He asked of God wisdom and understanding to do judgement, and to rule and judge his people aright, 1. King. 3.7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.28. and the Lord granted him his petition, and gave him beside great wisdom, even honour and riches also: and it is said, that the people saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice, so that they feared the King. Wherefore we must not think that he was guilty of tyranny, oppression, or exaction in the behalf of his people: but rather that his levying of the Tenths of his subjects substance, was an effect of his divine wisdom, and the lawful means whereby he gathered together so much wealth, and so great riches as he did, 1 King 9.20.21. together with the tribute he did receive at the hands of many other nations. And it is to be noted, that the people of judah and Israel by their cheerful readiness and willingness in yielding unto Solomon their king the tenths of their fruits and of their flocks, for the monthly provision of his household, procured at God's hands the blessing of great prosperity, security, and peace, which he powered upon Israel and judah in salomon's days. 1 Chron. 22.9. 1 King. 4.20.25. They multiplied as the sand of the sea in number, eating, drinking, and making merry. They dwelled without fear, every man under his vine, and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon: 1. King. 10.21, 27. during the which, there was so great wealth, that he made silver as plenteous as stones in jerusalem. And though after the death of Solomon the people did insinuate unto his son Rehoboam, 1. King. 12.1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 14. the grievousness of the yoke his father had put upon them in his life, and therefore did present a petition unto him for the lightning thereof, at his entering to the crown: yet we find no mention made of any such murmuring of the people against Solomon, in the time of his own reign. And therefore we may well think, that the people made this complaint and petition, not so much as for that they had any just cause (for as I said before, Solomon was no tyrant, nor yet an unjust exacting king) as for that they were become more covetous after the death of Solomon, than they had been in the time of his life; and together more factious and seditious than they had been before. Where it is to be noted, that the Lord punished this their covetous and grudging disposition, with the diminution of their wealth; so that their condition became much unlike unto that it had been in the days of Solomon. 1. King. 12. 2. Chron. 10. & 11. & 12. Besides, that this their preposterous love of commodity, brought them into the guilt of two grievous sins, of Rebellion from their lawful king, and of idolatrous defection from the true worship of Almighty God. So that not without cause the holy Apostle calleth the love of money 1. Tim. 6.10. the root of all evil. And certainly, Ezek. 45, 7, 8.9. Prou 28.15.16. as God would not have his sons to oppress his servants: that is, Princes to grieve their people with unnecessary, exorbitant, and cruel exactions, and with ill-advised Rehoboam, to make their subjects yoke heavier than it ought to be: Exod. 22, 28, 29 So would he not have the people to be so unnatural, unreasonable, and unjust, as to abound themselves, and in the mean time to see their Princes destitute of provision answerable to their place. As the Prince, I say, must not with reckless Rehoboam, make the people's yoke more heavy than it ought to be by right: so must not the people, with the murmuring and complaining Israelites, call that a grievance, or a grievous yoke, which is not so indeed, but only in the apprehension of their covetous conceit. 1 Tim. 5, 17, 18, The Apostle speaking of the maintenance of the ministery, saith: That such Priests as rule well, and labour in the word and doctrine, are worthy of a double honour. And the same may be well said of a Prince, that is also a Christian, and consequently ruleth and laboureth not only in the Commonwealth, but also in the Church of his kingdom, by protection of her spiritual, and direction of her temporal estate, even that he is worthy of a double maintenance: especially of such a Prince as detesteth nothing so much as the oppression of the poor, and the destruction of the needy, Amos. 4, 1, Prou. 31, 4, 5. and delighteth in nothing so much, as in bounty and beneficence. Eccles. 10.16, 17 Amos 6.1.4.5.6, Deut. 17.17. A Prince that abhorreth all voluptuous, intemperate, and delicious living; and that hath not taken to himself many wives, or many Concubines, thereby to be chargeable unto his people, but such a one that as he loveth unity and union, both of britains, and of all other Christians: so that he made choice of one to love, and she a happy mother of most hopeful children, the honourable maintenance of whom ought to be dear and precious in our eyes. A Prince, I say, renowned for his singular temperance, continence and sobriety over the whole world. And such a one as (according to that which our Lord himself requireth of a Prince) doth not give himself to gather together in heaps much silver and gold, being borne to give, and not to gather; who like unto the Sun, hath no sooner drawn up vapours and waters into the air, that is, customs, taxations, and subsidies into his treasury, but as soon poureth the same down again upon the earth, by distributing that which he receiveth, amongst his servants, English as well as Scottish, as he seethe either their necessity, or yet their desert doth require. So that all the rivers of his revenues, rents, and riches, do return into the sea of the commonwealth, whence they came. Finally, a Prince all made of bounty and beneficence, to whom God hath given (as unto Solomon) a large heart, 1 King. 4.29. 1 Chron. 9 both for learning and liberality, even as the sand that is on the sea shore, and who deserveth no less at his subjects hands then as Solomon like a purveyance, as their ability can reach unto, for the honourable maintenance and sustenance of himself, and his free-parted family. And this much shall it suffice to have spoken of the maintenance of the Lords chief Minister, to wit, the Prince. In the next place it followeth, that we speak of the maintenance of his other Ministers, to wit, the Priests, which rule or serve in the Church, either in keeping of uniformity and good order amongst the Clergy themselves, or in reading publicly, and expounding the word, and ministering the sacraments unto the people. All the tithe of the land, Levit, 27.30, 31, 32. both of the seed of the ground, and of the fruit of the trees is the Lords, it is holy to the Lord (saith the Lord by Moses) and every tithe of bullock and of sheep, and of all that goeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the lord Deut. 14.22.23.27.29. Thou shalt give the tithe of all the increase of thy seed that cometh forth of the field, year by year, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first borne of thy kine, and of thy sheep, that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always, and that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the works of thine hands, which thou dost. Deut. 12.17.18.19. Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, nor of thy wine, nor the first borne of thy kine, nor of thy sheep, neither any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy free offerings, nor the offering of thine hands. Beware that thou forsake not the Levite, as long as thou livest upon the earth. For behold I have given the children of Levi all the tenth of Israel for an inheritance for their service which they serve in the congregation, Deut. 26. Numb. 18.12.13.17, 18, 19.20.21.22.23.24. even the tithes of the children of Israel have I given them. Also the fat of the oil, of the wine, of the wheat, which they shall offer unto the Lord for their first fruits, I have given them unto thee, saith the Lord to Aaron. And the first ripe of all that is in their land, which they shall bring unto the Lord, shall be thine, as also the first borne of kine, sheep, and goats. Nehem. 10.35.36.37.38, 39 And therefore Nehemiah and Ezra do mention, how that the people after their captivity being restored to liberty, and to the enjoying of their own land, amongst other duties, resolved, and protested before God, that they would bring the first fruits of their land, and of their fruit-bearing-trees, year by year into the house of the Lord, and the first borne of their flocks, of their cattle, bullocks, and sheep, of their trees, wine, wheat, and oil, unto the Priests, to the chambers of the house of our God (for there the Ministers of God dwelled) and the tithes of their land unto the Levites, that they might have the tithes in all the Cities of their travel. 2 Chron. 31.4.5.6.7.8. And of Hezekiah, that godly king, it is written that he commanded the people that dwelled in jerusalem, to give a part to the Priests and Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the Lord. And when the commandment was spread, the children of Israel brought abundance of first fruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field, and the tithes of all things brought they abundantly: so that when Ezekiah, and the Princes saw the heaps which they had brought for the space of 4. whole months, they blessed the Lord, and his people Israel. Every where the Lord doth claim first fruits and tithes as his proper possession and inheritance, the which he hath allotted unto his Priests for their perpetual wages and peculiar patrimony, saying unto them, or rather resigning unto them his whole title, right and claim thereunto. Numb. 18.20, 21. Deut. 10.9. & 18.2, Josh. 13.14.33. Ezek. 44.28.29.30. I am your inheritance, part & possession among the children of Israel: yea the Lord is so jealous of this their right, that he doth repute himself as spoiled and rob with a violent and strong hand, when his Ministers are defrauded of their due, cursing such as withhold from them, what is theirs, and blessing those that give them their own. And as the Lord expostulating with his people for their idolatry, saith unto them: jerem. 2.11. Hath any Nation changed their Gods, which yet are no Gods? but my people have changed their glory, even their God, for that which doth them no good: So likewise expostulating with them for their sacrilege, he saith unto them: Molach, 3, 8, 9.10, 11, 12. Will a man spoil his Gods? yet have ye spoiled me: but ye say▪ Wherein have we spoiled thee? in tithes & offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have spoiled me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, and prove me now therewith, saith the Lord of Hosts. If I will not open the windows of heaven unto you, and power you out a blessing without measure. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruit of your ground, neither shall your vine be barren in the field, and all Nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a pleasant land saith the Lord of hosts. But it will be said of some, and chief of such as love more to prey upon the Church, then to pray in the Church, that the paying of first fruits and tithes doth belong to the Ceremonial law of the jews, and therefore doth not oblige us Christians to the observing thereof. Ephes. 5, 3, 5, Colos. 3, 5, For the refutation of which error, and double idolatry flowing therefrom, (for if covetousness be idolatry, as the holy Apostle affirmeth that it is, than sacrilege which is not only a coveting, but also an occupying, yea a robbing and stealing of holy things must needs be a double idolatry) I will show such substantial reasons, as that the verity and truth of this matter shall be made manifest, and this error sufficiently refuted. Heb. 9, 10, & 10, 1, & 8, 4, 5. First, judaical ceremonies were evanishing shadows and external representations of spiritual things to be accomplished in Christ, and they had relation to God alone, as being a part of his worship. But so it is that first fruits and tithes were no shadows, or figures of spiritual things to be accomplished in Christ, neither had the paying thereof only a respect unto God, as all the external and ceremonial ordinances of Religion had, but it was a duty to be performed by man unto God and man conjunctly: that is, unto his Priests or Ministers, for a demonstration of the perpetual acknowledgement and obligation we own unto God, as being the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending of all our good, for bestowing upon us these earthly things, and for the honourable and perpetual maintenance of his Ministers; Wherefore paying of first fruits and tithes, is no ceremony of the jewish religion, and consequently is not abolished. Numb. 18, 12, 13.17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 1 Cor. 9, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, Secondly, the maintenance of such as are worthy of maintenance, is no ceremonial, but a moral thing. But so it is, that the paying of first fruits and tithes is the maintenance of such as are worthy of maintenance, even of God's Ministers, and such as serve him in his house, and therefore paying of tithes is no ceremonial, but a moral, and perpetual duty. Thirdly, 1 Cor. 9, 9, 10, 11, 12.13, Heb. 10. the Priests and Ministers of the Gospel have succeeded in the room of the legal Priests and Ministers of the Tabernacle. Wherefore it followeth, that they have succeeded to their maintenance and provision, except we think them unworthy of any certain maintenance. Fourthly, Gen. 33, 11, Deut. 10, 14. Acts 17, 28, Psal. 24, 1. 1 Cor. 10, 26, Christians do hold their earthly things of God, no less than did the jews, and therefore they are bound by the same law, that the jews were, to acknowledge this their tenure and holding of him as the Lord and owner of the earth, and all that is therein: and consequently must deliver into the hands of his Collectors and Stewards, which are his Ministers, the annual rent of first fruits and tithes. Gen. 1.1. Revel. 22, 23. V We do not find in the Scripture, that God hath given his proper inheritance to Lay-men, or that he hath made Lay men the collectors of his annual rents, or that he hath under the Gospel given and granted his possession unto other men than such as do serve him in his house. Deut. 10.9, & 12, 19 & 14, 23.29. 1 Tim. 5.17, 18, 1 Cor. 9.9.10. VI If God was so careful for the provision of his Priests and Ministers under the Law, how much more than may we think he would be careful for his Priests and Ministers under the Gospel, chief seeing they serve him in a more excellent manner, than the other did? If he would not have his Ministers to beg under the law, or yet to depend upon popular benevolences, shall we think that he would now have his Ministers under the Gospel to be subject to such a beggarly condition? Gen. 14.20, Heb. 7 4.8. VII. Before there was any ceremonial Law delivered by Moses, the servant of God, unto the people, Gen, 28.22. we find that Abraham, the Father of the faithful, paid tithes unto Melchisedeck, the high Priest of the most high. Likewise jacob, his Grandchild, vowed to give unto God tithe of all his increase. Whence it appeareth, that the paying of tithes is not a branch of the ceremonial, but even a duty of the moral law. And seeing that not only the Priests after the order of Aaron, but also those of Melchisedeckes order received tithes, it followeth that evangelical priests, Heb. 7.17, 21, 26, 28. & 8.1, 2, 3, 4. as being under Christ, who was an high priest after melchisedec's order (for every high priest must have his inferior priests, according to his order) may and aught to receive tithes also. VIII. Every provident and wise master provideth for his household and servants; wherefore it followeth, 2. Tim. 2.6. that God who is the most provident and wise master of all other, hath provided for the maintenance of his household servants, for his priests and ministers of his house; and we find no other maintenance allotted them in the Scripture, but only first fruits and tithes: wherefore these must either be their portion and allowance, or else they have nothing certain at all. IX. Luk. 10.2.7. 1. Tim. 5.18. Matth. 9.37, 38. All labourers have certain standing wages: the ministers of the Gospel are God's labourers, therefore they ought to have their standing wages likewise: and we read of none other, except first fruits and tithes. Luk. 10.7. And therefore our Saviour forbiddeth his Apostles to go from house to house, telling them that the workman is worthy of his hire. And truly, if he would not have his Apostles to go from house to house, even in that time when as tithes were withholden from them by the jewish clergy; shall we think that now, when as the jewish clergy is abolished, he would have his ministers of the Gospel to go from house to house, or yet to send from house to house, to beg the people's benevolences? those that hold from Christ's ministers & Apostles the duty of first fruits and tithes, were such as persecuted both them and Christ, and crucified him in the end. And such god-spoyling Gospelers as do now a days withhold the Church-rents from Churchmen, what do they else but persecute Gods ministers, and crucify Christ daily in his members? Deut. 10 9 & 12.19 & 14.23, 29. 2. Chro. 31.4. Prou. 3 9, 10. X. The ends of paying first fruits and tithes unto God's priests are perpetual, to wit, that the Ministers of God may be maintained, and not forsaken, but more and more encouraged in the service of God, that God may be honoured with our riches, and acknowledged to be our great Landlord, and good-lord, that we may learn to fear the Lord, and that he may bless us in all the works of our hands, that so our store may be increased, and our barns filled with abundance. Are not Christians Gods tenants, farmers, and vassals, as well as were the jews? and do we not hold all that we have of God, as well as they? and are we not bound to pay our annual rents unto God, as duly and truly as they? and what reason have Christians to forsake their ministers, more than the jews had? and do not the one deserve as well to be liberally maintained and encouraged in their work as the other? and have not Christians as great cause to learn to fear God as had the jews? Finally, do not Christians desire as earnestly as the jews did to be blessed in the works of their hands, and in the increase of their store? Wherefore it followeth necessarily, that we Christians must not pretend any exemption from paying of tithes and first fruits more than did the jews? XI. The holy Scriptures set down the paying of these yearly Church-rents, amongst moral duties, and accounteth of Sacrilege, not as if it were the mere transgression of a ceremonial ordinance, but even the violation of a moral law. Will a man spoil his gods? Malach. 3.8. (saith the Lord God by his Prophet Malachi) yet ye have spoiled me in tithes and in offerings. Prou. 3.9, 10. & 20.25. Honour the Lord (saith Solomon) with thy riches, and with the first fruits of all thine increase, so shall thy barns be filled with abundance, and thy press shall burst with new wine. But it is a destruction for a man to devour that which is sanctified: meaning, that the man who will not honour God with first fruits, and tithes, but doth devour the holy things, and committeth sacrilege, bringeth destruction upon himself, his soul, his body, his goods, and his house. Rom. 2. 2● Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, breakest thou wedlock? (saith the holy Apostle:) and thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? as if he should say, thou that detestest the honouring of a false god, wilt thou nevertheless spoil and dishonour the true God? Whereby we are given to understand, that sacrilege is not only a transgression of the moral law, but that it is even a double sin, compounded of robbery and idolatry, and consequently, a more detestable and abominable evil than idolatry itself. Levit. 18.21. & 20.2. 2. King. 23.10. & 16.3. & 17 17. jerem. 7.31. For the idolater with his heart, his body, and substance; yea sometimes with the blood of his dearest children honoureth a false god, yet thinking that it is the true God indeed he doth thus worship: whereas the sacrilegious god-spoyler robbeth the true God of his own. The idolater is careful to worship some god, but the god-spoyler careth for no god at all, a false god he doth not know, and the true God he will not acknowledge. The idolater being misled with an erroneous opinion, maketh & taketh that to be God, which is not God, that is, ignorantly of an idol he maketh God; whereas the sacrilegious god-spoyler, maliciously, even wittingly and willingly of the true God, maketh no god at all, but a mere idol; otherwise he durst not be so bold, as to rob him of his right. For it is an infallible maxim, That a man will never rob or spoil him whom he loveth, honoureth, or feareth. 1. Tim. 5.17.18. XII. The maintenance of the ministery is very diligently recommended unto Christians by the holy Apostle. The Priests (saith he) that rule well, are worthy of double honour, specially they which labour in the word and doctrine: for the Scripture saith, thou shalt not mousle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn, 1. Cor. 9.7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. and the labourer is worthy of his wages. Who goeth a warfare any time at his own cost? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? say I these things according to man? sayeth not the law the same also? for it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not mussel the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? either saith he it not altogether for our sakes? for our sakes, no doubt, it is written, that he which eareth should ear in hope, & that he that thresheth in hope, should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, it is a great thing if we reap your carnal things: do ye not know that they which minister about the holy things, eat of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? So also hath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel. Now who is he that can say from his heart, that to live of the Gospel is to live of begging, and of popular benevolences? and not rather of having, by way of justice, the tenths of the goods of them to whom they preach the Gospel. Except we mean to make the condition of living by the Gospel, inferior unto the condition of living by the legal sacrifices. And it is to be noted, that the holy Apostle proveth, even by the law of Moses, the right that the Ministers of the Gospel have unto our carnal things, and that unto such carnal things, as both Moses doth prescribe in his law, and the Apostle himself doth mention, entreating of this matter, comprehending them under these two kinds; the fruits of the field, and the flocks of the fold. Whereby it is more than apparent, that the Apostle meaned, that the perpetual maintenance, allotted unto the legal priests, in first fruits and tithes, by the Law of Moses was due unto the priests and ministers of the Gospel, after the ceasing and abolishing of the other. And that as the Gospel of Christ hath succeeded into the room of the law of Moses, Heb 7.1, 2, 3, 4, 5 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 26. and the evangelical priesthood into the place of the Legal priesthood; even the renewed order of Melchisedecke into the room of the abolished order of Aaron: so have the priests of the one order succeeded unto the maintenance of the other, even the inferior priests of Melchisedec's renewed order, under their high priest Christ jesus, unto the patrimony and provision of the inferior priests of Aaron's abolished order. For as I said before, the law of maintenance is perpetual and common to the priests of both orders, though the law of the priesthood be but temporal and changeable. And as for such ministers as disdain to be called by the name of priests, but delight in new names and new opinions, and would rather want tithes then be called priests, to the end they may be unlike unto other Churches of Christendom, and the Churchmen thereof: I will say no more, but that it is a great pity that the Church of God should be troubled with such newfangledness, and that any of God's ministers should be misled with such fond and frivolous, yea unministerly opinions. As learned, godly, & holy men as they are said to be, or thought to be, they are much deceived, if they do think otherwise, but that more learned, more wise, and holy Churchmen have been called by the name of priests, than they: If the whole people of God be called a royal priesthood by the holy Apostle S. Peter; 1. Pet. 2.9. Revel. 1.4, 5, 6, & 5.9, 10. and if the blessed Apostle S. john, writing unto the angels or bishops of the 7. Churches of Asia, calleth them priests, and if the 24. Elders in heaven call themselves priests: finally, Heb. 7.15, 17, 21, 24, 26, 28, & 8.1, 2.3. if Christ jesus himself be called a priest, yea an high priest (which presupposeth that he hath priests under him, for as much as every high priest must have his inferiors) shall any of the ministers of the Gospel then be ashamed to be called priests? or shall any of them be so fond as to disclaim tithes, which are due to priests, rather than to be called by this honourable name of priest? XIII. And lastly, the holy Apostle Paul, not only exhorteth Christians to remember them which have the oversight of them, Heb. 13.7. and have declared unto them the word of God, but also in express words he enjoineth him that is taught in the word, Galat. 6.6. to make him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods. The people must give a part of their goods unto their pastors, and this part must either be equal unto the Levitical part, or greater than it, or else smaller. To give them a smaller, were a most unreasonable indiscretion, & a more than beastly ingratitude: and if they will not bestow a greater, than they must either give an equal portion to that of the legal priests, or else no portion at all. Yea the injunction of the Apostle beareth, that the maintenance of the evangelical priests, ought rather to be more, then less than was that of the legal priests: for they had a right unto a tenth part of some certain goods; namely of fruits, and of flocks, but not of all their goods whatsoever, or of the value thereof in money: whereas the evangelical priests ought to be made partakers of all indifferently. And truly, 2. Cor. 3.6, 7, 8, 6, 10, 11. look how far the ministry of the Gospel is more excellent than that of the Law, so much the more ample & liberal aught to be the maintenance of the ministers of the Gospel, than was that of the ministers of the tabernacle. O how ugly then is the sin of sacrilege, that beareth nevertheless such a sway in this Isle! O how horrible an iniquity is it for men of might to pull out of God's mouth the diet of the church, to put it into their own, and to fill the bellies of their hounds and their horses, with the meat of God's ministers! It is a sin of that high nature, that because of it God hath said unto us, Malach. 3.9, 10, 11. as once he said unto the people of Israel upon the like occasion, ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have spoiled me, even this whole nation: and that he hath sometimes sent scarceness of bread, Amos 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. and cleanness of teeth in our cities, and towns, sometimes hath withholden the rain from us, when there were yet three months to the harvest, and shut the windows of heaven upon us, Isa. 16, 9, 10. & stayed the rain till the fruits of the earth were destroyed with drought, sometimes hath smitten our fruits with blasting & mildew, & sent the palmer-worm to devour the fruits of our trees, Hagg. 1.10, & 2.18. yea made our singing & shouting for joy in harvest to cease, & made us drunk with our tears, for that the heaven above us was stayed from dew, and the earth under us from yielding her increase. For this abominable sin God hath sometimes sent the pestilence amongst us, to rage's in most violent manner, to consume our bodies, and the fire to burn, and the water to overflow our towns, lands, houses, and habitations. In one word, it is this horrible sin of sacrilege that hath overthrown the strength and glory of divers mighty and wealthy houses; God in his most just judgement shutting such from their inheritance, as were so audacious and bold as to rob him of his. job. 15.25.26, 27. The sacrilegious God-spoyler is the man which (as job speaketh) hath stretched out his hand against God, and made himself strong against the Almighty. Therefore God shall run upon him, even upon his neck, and against the most thick part of his Shield, because he hath covered his face with his fatness, and hath collopes in his flanks. As if the holy man should say, because this God-spoyling anti-god hath presumed to shut God from his inheritance, and hath taken from him his tithes, and hath made himself fat with God's meat, which he hath pulled out of the hands and mouths of his Ministers, Ver. 29.30.31.32, 34. therefore God shall be avenged on him, he shall not be rich always, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof in the earth. He shall never departed out of darkness, the flame shall dry up his branches, and he shall go away with the breath of his mouth. His branch shall not be green, but shall be cut off before his day, and the congregation of the hypocrite shall be desolate. And who is so great an hypocrite as the sacrilegious Church-robber, who being an impure God-spoyler indeed, will needs in the mean time be esteemed a pure gospeler, and one of the most precise professors of the reformed Church? He may well make himself merry with the meat of God's Ministers, as profane Balthasar did with the golden and silver vessels of God's house; Dan. 5.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. job. 20.5, 6, 7, 8.9, 10. but he shall know in the end, that the rejoicing of the wicked shall take an end: and (as Zophar speaketh) that the joy of hypocrites is but a moment. Though his excellency mount up to the heaven, and his head reach unto the clouds, yet shall he perish for ever, like his dung, and they which have seen him, shall say: Where is he? He shall fly away as a dream, and they shall not find him, he shall pass away as a vision of the night; so that the eye which had seen shall do so no more, and his place shall see him him, no more. As if he should say, though he were never so great and mighty a man, that robbeth God's Church, yea though his height did reach unto heaven, yet for all his height shall he not enter into heaven; but shall fall to the earth like his own dung, and his sacrilegious soul shall stink more vilely than his dung amids hell flames. His children shall flatter the poor, Vers. 10. and his hands shall restore his substance. As if he should say: Because the father, through pride and tyranny oppressed the poor, and spoiled Gods Ministers, therefore God shall make the posterity of that man, for poverty and want, to beg at other poor folks doors: yea that thing which the sacrilegious father took away by violence, his barns shall be brought to restore again by force. Vers. 15.16.17. He hath devoured substance, and he shall vomit it: for God shall draw it out of his belly, for to him it belongeth, and in place thereof he shall suck the gall of asps, and the viper's tongue shall slay him: that is, his portion shall be with hypocrites, and the generation of vipers, for the old Serpent shall slay his soul, he shall not see the rivers, nor the floods and streams of honey and butter. That is, he shall not taste of the happiness of the heavenly Canaan. He on earth shut God from his inheritance on earth, but in the end God shall shut him out of the earth, and debar him from heaven, and hurl him headlong into hell. Vers. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. He shall restore the labour, and shall devour no more, even according to the substance shall be his exchange, and he shall enjoy it no more. For he hath undone many, he hath forsaken the poor, and hath spoiled houses which he builded not, even Church-mens houses, yea Gods house, and God himself hath he spoiled. Surely he shall feel no quietness in his body, neither shall he reserve of that which he desired: there shall none of his meat be left, therefore none of his shall hope for his goods. As if he should say, because he would needs devour God's meat, and the diet of his Ministers, therefore God shall send the devourer to devour his meat. For when he shall be filled with his abundance, that is, with God's portion, and Church-mens provision, he shall be in pain, and the hand of all the wicked shall assail him: that is, because he was so wicked as to stretch out his hand to spoil God, therefore God shall make many wicked men's hands to spoil him: He shall be about to fill his belly, to wit, with God's Ministers meat, but God shall send upon him his fierce wrath, and shall cause to rain upon him, even upon his meat. As if he should say, Ver. 14.15.16. God's Ministers meat shall do him no good: for God shall either draw it out of his belly, or else he shall turn it into the gall of Asps in the midst of him. And not only shall God draw his meat out of the Godspoilers miserable belly, Ver. 26.27.28.29. but he shall also draw his sacrilegious soul out of his devouring body, and it shall burn in the fire that is not blown: that is, in hell fire that needeth no blowing. The heaven shall declare his wickedness (for he was so impious as to spoil the God of heaven) and the earth shall rise up against him (for he was so ungracious as to rob God's Ministers and Vicegerents on earth) the increase of his house shall go away, it shall flow away in the day of his wrath. As if he should say, the man's house that is increased, builded, or reared up by the decrease and robbery of God's house, it shall not stand always, the grease and fatness of it shall flow away like water, the pelf and wealth thereof shall vanish and melt away like the fat of lambs, or as doth the snow before the Sun. Such is the portion of the wicked from God, and the heritage that of GOD he shall have. As if he should say, desolation and destruction in substance, in body, and soul shall be the portion and heritage of all impenitent God-spoyling Gospelers, men worse than idolaters, which turn the true God into an Idol, as the other do an Idol into God, and worship and fear 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 spoil God of his portion, and to bereave him of his inheritance. And therefore to shut up this pleading for God's Priests, let me say unto every Student in this Art of Enriching, that desireth to be rich, here, and happy hence, that which rich Zacheus promised to do, Luke 19.8 and practised at the time of his conversion: That every man that hath taken from the Church, or withholden from the Churchmen their tithes by sacrilegious impropriation, and wicked usurpation, that he restore with repenting Zacheus, fourfold, or at least, let him restore the principal stock, which he hath in his hands. Let him, I say, listen unto the moral exhortation of wise Solomon: Prou. 3.9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase, so shall thy barns be filled with abundance, and thy Press shall flow over with new wine, and to the precept of the most high, uttered by the mouth of his prophet Malachi: Bring every tithe into the storehouse, Mallach. 3.10.11.12. that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me withal, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven unto you, & power you out a blessing without measure; And I will reprove the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruit of the ground, neither shall your vine be barren in the field, saith the Lord of hosts, and all nations shall call you blessed, because ye shall be a pleasant land. IX. Rule. A man, to whom God hath given riches and store, aught to take his own part thereof cheerfully, so long as he enjoyeth the same: yet so that in the mean time he keep himself from all excess in diet, or apparel; all intemperancy, luxury, superfluity, drunkenness, gluttony, and prodigality, lest God punish the abuse of his benefits with penury and poverty. Probation and declaration. Eccles. 9.7.8. GO eat thy bread with joy (saith Solomon) and drink thy wine with a cheerful heart, and let thy garments be white or neat: for there is no profit to a man, & 2 24, 25. 26. but that he eat and drink, and delight his soul with the profit 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 giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth pain to gather, and to heap, to give to him that is good before God. When goods increase, & 5.10.16.17.18.19. they are increased that eat them. And this is also an evil sickness, that all his days he eateth in darkness with much grief, sorrow, and anger. Behold then, what I have seen good, that it is comely to eat, and to drink, and to take pleasure in all his labour wherein he traveleth under the Sun, the whole number of the days of his life which God giveth him, for this is his portion. Also to every man, to whom God hath given riches and treasures, and giveth him power to eat thereof, and to take his part, and to enjoy his labour, this is the gift of God. Surely he will not much remember the days of his life (that is, the painful days of the time passed) because God answereth to the joy of his heart. & 6.1. ●. There is an evil which I saw under the Sun, and it is much among men: A man, to whom God hath given riches, and treasures, and honour, and he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that it desireth: But God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a strange man shall eat it up; this is vanity, and an evil sickness. Riches are not comely for a niggard (saith jesus the son of Sirach) and what should he do with money? Eccles. 14.3.4.5.6.10.11.14. & 31.23.24. He that gathereth together from his own soul, heapeth together for others that will make good cheer with his goods. He that is evil unto himself, to whom will he be good? for such a one can have no pleasure of his goods. Such a man (saith he) envieth himself the bread, and withereth his own soul by the scarcenesss of his table. Wherefore he exhorteth a man to do good to himself of that he hath, and not to defraud himself of the good day. In one word, as man is appointed to serve God, and not Riches: so Riches are appointed to serve Man, and not Man to serve them. Luke 16.13. Ye cannot serve God and Riches, saith jesus the son of God. Wherefore the man that maketh himself a slave unto his substance, it is a pity he should have any place amongst freemen, but that he should be sequestered and put apart, as one stricken with an infectious disease; and that on the gate of his slavish abode should be engraven in great letters: Here dwelleth a monster, a man without an heart, a rich man, but a slave unto his riches. Thou that passest along, and viewest his abode, spit at his door, but enter not in, lest that going in a freeman, thou return from thence turned into a slave. But as a man that hath wealth should take his part thereof in all cheerful and hearty manner: (for what profiteth it for a man to have goods, and to want the good use thereof?) So must he beware on the other hand, of abusing Gods benefits to intemperancy, luxury, gluttony, drunkenness, superfluity, and excess, whether in table or attire. For by this means he shall both provoke God to anger against him, and bring himself into poverty, necessity, and need. Besides that it is the custom of men, for the most part, not to pity such a one, as through his own miscarriage hath made himself poor, whereas, by good government, he might have had sufficient for himself, yea also whereupon to gratify his friends, and to relieve the poor. Keep not company (saith Solomon) with drunkards, nor with gluttons, Prou. 23.20.21. for the drunkard and the glutton shall be poor; and the sleeper shall be clothed with rags. He that hath pleasure in banquets (saith he) shall be poor, & 21.17. and who so delighteth in wine, and delicates, shall not be rich. jesus the son of Sirach, as he commendeth the liberal man, so he condemneth the niggard; and yet he painteth out the manifold incommodities that follow upon excess. Who so is liberal in his meat (saith he) men shall bless him, Eccles. 21.23.24.27.28.29.30. and the testimony of his honesty shall be believed: but against him that is a niggard of his meat, the whole City shall murmur, the testimonies of his niggardness shall be sure. Yet show not thy valiantness in wine, for wine hath destroyed many. Wine soberly drunken, is profitable for the life of man: what is his life that is overcome with wine? wine was made from the beginning to make men glad, and not for drunkenness. Wine measurably drunken, and in time, bringeth gladness, and cheerfulness of mind: but wine drunken with excess, maketh bitterness of mind, with brawlings, and scold: drunkenness increaseth the courage of a fool, till he offend, & it diminisheth his strength, & maketh wounds. Vers. 19.20. How little is sufficient for a man well taught? and thereby he belcheth not in his chamber, nor feeleth any pain. A wholesome sleep cometh of a temperate belly, he riseth up betimes in the morning, and is well at ease in himself, but pain in watchings, and choleric diseases, and pangs of the belly are with an unsatiable man. Therefore (saith he) be not greedy in all delights, & 37.28.29.30. and be not too hasty in all meats, for excess of meats bringeth sickness, and gluttony cometh into choleric diseases, by surfeit have many perished, but he that governeth himself prolongeth his life. Prou. 23, 29.30 31.32. To whom is woe (saith the wise man?) to whom is sorrow? to whom is strife? to whom is murmuring? to whom are wounds without cause? and to whom is the redness of the eyes? Even to them that tarry long at the wine, to them that go and seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, and when it showeth his colour in the cup, or goeth down pleasantly. In the end thereof it will bite like a Serpent, and hurt like a Cockatrice. Whereby we are taught, that excess and superfluity doth occasion many incommodities to man, not only in his substance, but also in his body, and in his soul, and that it maketh many a soul sinful, many a body sickly, and many a man miserable and poor. Wine and strong drink, immoderately used, will steal away a man's strength, be he never so strong: yea it will steal away the strength of his soul: for true fortitude cannot harbour in that heart, that is always swimming and bathing in the barrel of strong drink. The head that cannot be holden from the Hogshead, but must always be tumbling and tippling in the Tun, is more like unto a hog's head indeed, than a man's head, & the heart of him likewise: yea not only shall strong drink immoderately used, wound the man that useth it in his soul, in his body, and in his substance, besides his offensive wounding and hurting of others, but also (saith Solomon) it will in the end bite him like a serpent, and hurt him, or rather kill him like a cockatrice. It will even slay him, both in his soul and in his substance; for as the drunkard and the glutton drinketh away and devoureth his inheritance on earth, whereby he becometh poor, so he drinketh & eateth away his inheritance in heaven, to please his belly he selleth away his part of paradise, whereby he becometh miserable both here and hence, and this is that which the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 6.10. That drunkards and gluttons shall not inherit the kingdom of God, Heaven, as great and wide as it is, cannot hold a glutton nor harbour a drunken head. God's kingdom hath no room to receive a belly-god. Reu. 21.21. Every gate of the heavenly jerusalem, is of one pearl (saith Saint john) how then should a belly-god, whose head is a hogshead of drink, and whose belly is a burial place of so much meat, how should such a big body, and such a swollen soul enter at so narrow a gate? Get in then who will into the kingdom of God, a belly-god cannot get in. The Christian that would be rich must likewise beware of excess and all pompousnes of apparel. Eccles. 11.4. Be not proud of clothing and raiment (saith jesus the son of Sirach) and exalt not thyself in the day of honour. Luke 16.19. And the holy Evangelist telleth us, or rather our blessed Saviour jesus the Son of God, that the damned rich glutton was clothed in purple, and fine linen, and fared well and delicately every day. 1. Tim. 2.9, 10. 1. Pet. 3.3. And the blessed Apostle, as knowing how that women are more subject unto this fault of excess in apparel, then ordinarily men are, and how that thereby both pride in their hearts is nourished, intemperancy and daintiness cherished, and the substance of the house much diminished; he enjoineth them, that they array themselves in comely apparel, with shamefastness and modesty, not with broided hair, or gold, or pearl, or costly apparel, but as becometh women that profess the fear of God, with good works, and with a meek and quiet spirit, which is before God a thing much set by. jam. 2.1, 2, 3, 4. And the Apostle S. james willeth us to make no reckoning of a man for his gold ring, and his goodly apparel, nor yet to despise the poor 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 only in them that fear him, and attend upon his mercy; so he hath no pleasure in the bravery and beauty of apparel, neither delighteth he in the costliness and curiosity of clothing. God seethe not as man seethe, 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 mind. Sackcloth liketh him better than satin or silk, 2. King. 1.8. Mark. 1.6. Luk. 7.25. & 16.19. he is more delighted with the haircloth of Eliah, & of john Baptist, then with the soft and silken raiment of courtiers, or with the purple, and fine linen of Dives. The king of Ninive lying upon the earth, jonah. 2.6. Act. 12.21, 22, 23. covered with sackcloth, and sitting in ashes, found mercy with God, whereas Herod sitting in his throne, arrayed in royal apparel, was smitten by an angel, and eaten up of worms. Thus we see how displeasing unto God, and how hurtful unto man, this vice of excess is, whether in diet or apparel, and how that it is an enemy both unto man's prosperity on earth, and his felicity in heaven. It shutteth him out of his inheritance on earth, and bereaveth him of his inheritance in heaven. And this is not all the evil that cometh by excess, for God oftentimes punisheth the whole city, the country, yea the whole kingdom with scarcity and famine for this abuse of his benefit. Woe unto them (saith the Prophet isaiah) that are mighty to drink wine, Isa. 5.11, 12, 13, 22. and to them that are strong to power in strong drink, therefore they are men famished, and the multitude thereof is dried up with thirst. They lie upon beds of ivory (saith the Prophet Amos) and stretch themselves thereupon, Amos 6.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. they eat of the lambs of the flock, and the calves out of the stall, they sing to the sound of the viol: they invent to themselves instruments of music, they drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments, and therefore their sorrow is at hand saith the prophet: and that so much the more in that they used this excess in a time when as they ought to have been rather sorry for the affliction of joseph, that is, of their brethren, joel. 1. whereof now many were slain and carried away captive. And the Prophet joel soundeth into their ears this exhortation and commination, Awake ye drunkards, and weep, howl all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine, for it shall be pulled from your mouth. As if he should say, ye drunkards that lie snorting and sleeping in your beds of down, awake; and ye that use to quaff and swill upon your knees, doing worship to Bacchus, like idolaters, or to your own bellies like belly-gods, arise: and all ye that be merry begin to mourn, and turn your loud laughing into lamenting, your harping into howling, for the new wine, the strong drink, and the dainty cheer, which ye do abuse in this manner, shall be pulled from your mouths, and not only from yours, but also from many other mouths for your sakes. For behold, the vine and the new wine is dried up, the oil is decayed, the corn is destroyed, the field is wasted, the fruits of the ground are eaten up by the palmerworm, the grasshopper, and the caterpillar, the trees of the field are withered, the seed is rotten under the clods, the garners are destroyed, and the barns broken down, the pastures of the wilderness are burned up, and the springs of water dried up; so that the herds of cattle, & the flocks of sheep do pine away for want of pasture, and the beasts of the field do cry and mourn for lack of water: jerem. 14.3, 4, 5, 6. yea, the whole land mourneth. And as the Prophet jeremy speaketh, the ground is destroyed for want of rain, the plowemen are ashamed, and cover their heads, the Hind also calveth in the field, and forsaketh it for lack of grass. Thus it appeareth manifestly, how horrible a sin excess is, and how Almighty God is wont to punish the abuse of his benefits, with famine, scarcenesss, penury, and indigence When men in their abundance will needs play the beasts, God will be avenged 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 be feign for extreme famine to eat the grass of the field, and gnaw the bark and roots of the trees, and to drink 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 excess. And good reason forsooth, that such as will needs live riotously, and quaff and swill upon their knees, should be brought upon their knees in good earnest, and be made to feed with the beasts, until they learn to live like reasonable and moderate men, and not like unreasonable and intemperate beasts. X. Rule. A man to whom God hath given riches and store, (though but in a mean measure) if he would have God to bless him and it, both with increase and continuance, as he ought to give a part thereof cheerfully unto the Prince, and another part unto the priests, and take a third part for himself, so ought he charitably to impart a proportionable part thereof to the poor, by lending or giving to them according to his power, and their poverty and need. Probation and declaration. Deut. 15, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. IF one of thy brethren with thee (saith the Lord by Moses) be poor within any of thy gates, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: but thou shalt open thine hand unto him, and shalt lend him sufficient for his need which he hath: thou shalt give him, and let it not grieve thine heart to give unto him, for because of this the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand to. Because there shall be ever some poor in the land, therefore I command thee, Exod. 22.25, 26, 27. Levit. 25.35.36, 37. saying, Thou shalt open thine hand unto thy brother, to thy needy, and to thy poor in the land. Thou shalt relieve him, and if thou lend money unto him, thou shalt not be as an usurer to him, thou shalt not give him thy money to usury, or vantage, nor lend him thy victuals for increase. And if thou take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt restore it unto him before the Sun go down, for that it is his covering only, and this is his garment for his skin, wherein shall he sleep: therefore when he crieth unto me, I will hear him, for I am merciful. Levit. 19, 9, 10, & 23, 22. Deut. 24, 19, 20 21. Also when ye reap the harvest of your land, ye shall not reap every corner of your field, neither shalt thou gather the glaining of thy harvest, thou shalt not gather the grapes of thy vineyard, but thou shalt leave them for the poor, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. When thou cuttest down thy harvest in the field, and hast forgotten a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fet it, but it shall be for the stranger, Psal. 37, 21, 26. for the fatherless, and for the widow, that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the works of thine hands. The righteous is merciful (saith the prophet David) and giveth, & 41.1. he is ever merciful and dareth, and his seed enjoyeth the blessing. Blessed is he that judgeth wisely of the poor, the LORD shall deliver him in the time of trouble. & 112.4, 5, 9 Unto the righteous ariseth light in darkness, he is merciful and full of compassion, a good man is merciful and dareth, and will measure his affairs by judgement, he hath distributed and given to the poor, his righteousness remaineth for ever, his horn shall be exalted with glory. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee (saith King Solomon) bind them on thy neck, Prou. 3.3.4. and write them upon the table of thine heart, so shalt thou find favour in the fight of God and man.. & ●, 27, He that is merciful rewardeth his own soul. & 14.21.31. He that hath mercy on the poor is blessed; yea the Lord honoureth him that hath mercy on the poor. & 19.17. He that hath mercy upon the poor, & 21.13.21, 26. dareth unto the Lord, and the Lord will recompense that which he hath given. The righteous giveth and spareth not, and he that followeth after righteousness and mercy, shall find life, righteousness and glory; but he that stoppeth his ear at the crying of the poor, he shall also cry and not be heard. & 11.24.25.26. There is that scattereth and is more increased, but he that spareth more than is right, surely cometh to poverty: the liberal person shall have plenty, and he that watereth, shall also have rain. He that withdraweth the corn, the people will curse him; but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth corn: to wit, & 22 9 Eccles. 31.29. good cheap, and when the people stand in need, by reason of scarcity and famine. He that hath a good eye, he shall be blessed: for he giveth of his bread unto the poor. Prou. 25.21.22. If he that hateth thee be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink, for thou shalt lay coals upon his head, & 28.27. and the Lord shall recompense thee. He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack, but he that hideth his eyes shall have many curses. Give ye strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, & 31.6.7. and wine unto them that have grief of heart, let him drink that he may forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. & 31.20. Also salomon's virtuous woman, that increaseth exceedingly her store and her substance, is described to be such a one as stretcheth out her hand to the poor and needy. Eccles. 11.1.2. And therefore in his Preacher he exhorteth men to be liberal to the poor in these words: Cast thy bread upon the waters, for after many days thou shalt find it. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight, for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. Is not this the fasting that I have chosen (saith the Lord by his prophet I say) to lose the bands of wickedness, to take off the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that wander to thine house, when thou seest the naked that thou cover him, and hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall grow speedily, thy righteousness shall go 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 power out thy soul to the hungry, and refresh the troubled soul, then shall thy light spring out in the darkness, and thy darkness shall be as the noon day, and the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones, and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water where waters fail not. And they shall be of thee that shall build the old waste places, thou shalt raise up the foundations for many generations, and thou shalt be called, the Repairer of the Breach, and the restorer of the paths to dwell in. Tobit. 4.7, 8, 9, 101 11, 16. Give alms, (saith Tobias to his son) of thy substance, and when thou givest it, let not thine eye be envious, neither turn thy face from any poor, lest that God turn his face from thee. Give alms according to thy store; if thou have but a little, be not afraid to give a little alms, for thou layest up a good store for thyself against the day of necessity. Because that alms doth deliver from death, and suffereth not to come into darkness: for alms is a good gift, or present before the most high, to all them which use it. Give of thy bread to the hungry, and of thy garments to them that are naked; yea of all thine abundance give alms, and let not thine eye be envious when thou givest alms. It is better to give alms then to lay up gold (saith the glorious Angel Raphael to Tobias) for alms doth deliver from death, & 12, 8.9. and doth purge all sin, and those which exercise alms, and righteousness shall be filled with life. Water quencheth burning fire, and alms taketh away sins (saith jesus the son of Sirach) and he that rewardeth good deeds will remember it afterwards, Eccles. 3.33, 34. and in the time of the fall he shall find a stay. & 4.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.10. My son, defraud not the poor of his living, and make not the needy eyes to wait long: make not an hungry soul sorrowful, neither vex a man in his necessity. Trouble not the heart that is grieved, and desire not the gift of the needy. Refuse not the prayer of one that is in trouble: turn not away thy face from the poor, nor thine eyes aside from him, and give him none occasion to speak evil of thee: for if he curse thee in the bitterness of his soul, his prayer shall be heard of him that made him. Be courteous unto the company of the poor; let it not grieve thee to bow down thine ear unto the poor, but pay thy debt, and give him a friendly answer. Be as a father unto the fatherless, and as an husband unto their mothers; so shalt thou be as the son of the most high, and he shall love thee more than thy mother doth. Stretch thine hand unto the poor, & 7.33, 34, 35. that thy blessing and reconciliation may be accomplished. Liberality pleaseth all men living, Tobit. 2.4 7. and from the dead refrain it not. Let not them that weep be without comfort. & 4.17. Be not slow to visit the sick: for that shall make thee to be beloved. Let upright men eat and drink with thee, Eccles 9.18. and let thy rejoicing be in the fear of the Lord. Do good unto the righteous, & 12.2.4.5, 7. and thou shalt find great reward, though not of him, yet of the most high. Give unto such as fear God, & do well unto him that is lowly. & 14.13. Do good unto thy friend before thou die; & according to thine ability stretch out thine hand, and give him. & 17.20, 25. The alms of a man is as a thing sealed up before God, and he keepeth the good deeds of a man as the apple of the eye, and giveth repentance to their sons & daughters. At the last shall he arise and reward them, and shall repay their reward upon their heads. He that will show mercy, & 29.1.2.9.11, 12.13.14. dareth to his neighbour. Lend to thy neighbour in the time of his need, and pay thou thy neighbour again in due season. Help the poor for the commandments sake, and turn him not away because of his poverty. Bestow the treasure after the commandment of the most high, and it shall bring thee more profit than gold. Lay up thine alms in thy secret chambers, and it shall keep thee from all affliction. A man's alms is as a purse with him, and shall keep a man's favour as the apple of the eye, and afterwards shall it arise, and pay every man his reward upon his head. & 40.24. It shall fight for thee against thine enemies, better than the Shield of a strong man, or the Spear of the mighty: yea alms shall deliver more than friends. I have showed you all things (saith Saint Paul to the Ephesians) how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, Acts 20.35. and to remember the words of the Lord jesus, how that he said: It is a blessed thing to give rather than to receive. And the same Apostle laboureth much in exhorting the faithful to distribute unto the necessities of the Saints, Rom. 13.8.13. and to give themselves to hospitality, and to show mercy with all cheerfulness of mind. Heb. 13.2.16. Be not forgetful (saith he) to lodge strangers: for thereby have some received Angels into their houses unawares: to do good, and to distribute forget not, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. This remember, that he which soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly, 2 Cor. 9, 6.7.10.11. and he that soweth liberally, shall reap also liberally. As every man wisheth in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, or of constraint, for God loveth a cheerful giver. Also he that findeth seed to the sour, will minister likewise bread for food, and multiply your seed, and increase the fruits of your benevolence, that on all parts ye may be made rich unto all liberality, which causeth through us thanksgiving unto God. Gal. 6.9.10. Let us not be weary of well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. While we have therefore time, let us do good unto all men, but specially unto them which are of the household of faith. 1 Tim. 6.17.18.19. And he enieoyneth Timothy, the first Bishop of Ephesus, to charge them that are rich in this world, that they do good, and be rich in good works, and ready to distribute and communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may obtain eternal life. Whosoever hath this world's goods, 1 joh. 3.17. (saith the Disciple whom the Lord Loved) and seethe his brother have need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? The Apostle S. james, jam. 127. & 2.1.2, 3, 4.5, 6.13, 14, 15, 16. and first Bishop of jerusalem, teacheth us, that we must not despise the poor for their poverty, and course clothing, seeing God hath chosen the poor of this world, that they should be rich in Faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him. He likewise warneth us, how there that shall be judgement merciless to him that showeth no mercy, to him that will not fill the hungry belly, and cloth the naked back; for pure religion, and undefiled before God the father (saith he) is this to vesit the fatherless, and widows in their adversity, and for a man to keep himself unspotted of the world. 1. Pet 4.8, 9.10. Above all things (saith S. Peter, the first of the Apostles) have fervent charity among you: for charity covereth the multitude of sins. Be ye harbourous one to another, without grudging. Let every man, as he hath received the gift, minister the same one to another, Math. 5 42. Luk 6.30.35.36.38. as good disposers of the manifold grace of God. Give unto him that asketh (saith our Saviour) and from him that would borrow of thee, turn not away. love your enemies, do good and lend, looking for nothing again, and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the most high: for he is kind unto the unkind, & good unto the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your father also is merciful. Give, and it shall be given unto you, a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, shall men give unto your bosom: for with what measure ye meet, with the same shall men men meet to you again. Math. 5.7. Math. 10.42: Mark 9.41. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Whosoever shall give unto one of these little ones to drink, a cup of cold water, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. Math. 6, 19, 20, 21, Lay not up treasures for yourselves upon the earth, where the Moth and Canker corrupt, and where thieves dig through & steal: but lay up treasures for yourselves in Heaven, where neither the Moth nor Canker corrupteth, and where thieves neither dig through, nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Sell that ye have, and give alms, Luk. 12.33. & 14.12.13, 14, & 16.9. make you bags which wax not old, a treasure that can never fail in heaven. Make you friends with the riches of iniquity, that when ye shall want, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. And when thou makest a dinner, or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours, lest they also bid thee again, & a recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind, and thou shalt be blessed, because they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. Matth. 25.34, 35, 36, 40 41, 42, 43, 46. Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the world: for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat, I thirsted, and ye gave me drink, I was a stranger, & ye lodged me, I was naked, and ye clothed me, I was sick, and ye visited me, I was in prison, and ye came unto me: verily I say unto you, in as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it to me. Then shall he say unto them on the left hand, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat, I thirsted, and ye gave me no drink, I was naked, and ye clothed me not, I was a stranger, and ye lodged me not, I was sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not: Verily I say unto you, in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. If this be true, which the Truth hath both said, and saith he shall say, then truly many Christians of this last age, in God's account, are accursed, and many of the men of these last days, must needs go at the last day into everlasting fire. Even as many as do now refuse to feed and refresh, to cloth and to lodge, to visit & to comfort Christ jesus, living, or rather dying daily amongst us, in the persons of poor, needy, sick, and comfortless men. Charity is grown so cold in these last days, that Christ may well wander through our streets, we will not bring him in, he may stand crying at our doors, and starve of hunger & cold, for fault of food and clothes, we will neither fill his belly, nor cover his back; he may lie sick and sore in the high way, and in the corners of our towns, we will not build him an hospital, or if we do, it is so little it can hardly lodge him, or hold him, neither will we take the pains to go see him there, to cause minister him medicine, to bind up his wounds, to cure his sores, and to comfort him in his anguish. He may for us lie in prison with fetters on his feet, and yet the merciless rich man that hath put him in prison, will not prove the deliverer, and set him free; nor yet will one or more rich men prove the redeemer, and pay his debts, that he may be set at liberty. Yea, he may lie dead at our doors, or in the high streets, and scarcely will we bury him; or if we bury him, we will be ashamed to accompany him to the burial place, he is in his members so abject and contemptible in our eyes. Every man findeth out some one excuse or other, to cloak and to cover this his coldness of charity. The man that hath much, and may give much alms, saith, he hath so much ado with it for other uses, that he cannot spare any part thereof to relieve the poor. Christ in heaven (I wots well saith he) hath enough, and needeth none of my goods, and if he were on earth, & stood in need, I would not stand to bestow upon him all that I have. And this may suffice. On the other hand, the man that hath little (and yet not so little, but that he might impart a little thereof, unto such as have less than he) saith, he hath little enough for himself: So that between these two sorts of men, have they much, or have they little, Christ can have nothing at all: For both of them pretend that they have too little for themselves, too little meat for their own bellies, and therefore Christ must be hungry; too little drink for their own mouths, and therefore Christ must be thirsty: too little clothing for their own backs, and therefore Christ must go uncovered, except he be covered with rags: too little money in their purses, and therefore Christ must be still in prison unredeemed. Thus than all plead they have too little, no than is found that thinketh he hath much, or too much: And yet Solomon thought, Prou. 30, 8, that a man might have too much, when he prayed unto the Lord, not to give him too much. And truly, if the man hath too much burden on his back, when he doth not only under it bow, but also break: and if the ship hath too much loading, when not only she drinketh the salt sea, but also sinketh therein: then truly that man hath too much riches, when his love of them, confidence in them, and care for them, make the back of his soul crack, or make the ship of his soul to drink, yea to sink in the infernal flood of God's fury. Then shall the poor soul say, Woe is me, that I had so much riches, yea too much, though once I thought a man could not have too much, Amos 4.2, Prou. 30.15. but said always, bring, bring, give, give: and woe is me, I gave so little alms upon 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 have tasted of so much torment. What a fool was I, Luk. 12, 48 that would not believe the true saying of the master of Truth? Unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required. Good Lord! how is it possible that men can look for so much good and glory at Christ's hands, who will yet give so little of their goods, or nothing at all unto 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 above, or refreshed with the water of life, out of the fountain of the Paradise of God, or clothed with the white rob of righteousness, and covered with the garmen●… of glory, or redeemed from their spiritual debts, and delivered from the bondage and fetters of sin and Satan, & brought into the fruition and liberty of God's kingdom? How is it possible I say that such men as do behave themselves in the behalf of Christ's poor members so uncharitably, should expect at Christ's hands, for such great and inestimable goods? With what face I say, can the man crave, or yet hope to receive at Christ's hands, the bread and drink of eternal life, that will refuse to minister unto him, or his members for his sake, the bread and drink of this transitory and temporal life? or how can he expect to have the filthy nakedness of his soul covered with the white-red robes of Christ's righteousness in this life, and after this life to be clothed both soul and body with the robe-royall of glory, who will refuse now to cover Christ's nakedness with a piece 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 every one had need; so that there was none among them that lacked. Was it so? then, merciful God, how unlike are our Christians of these last times, unto those of the first times! even as unlike unto them in devotion and charity, as were the feet of Nebuchadnezzars image unto the head thereof, in nature and quality. Dan. 2.32, 33. The head of the image was of fine gold, but the feet of it were part of iron, and part of clay. And the first Christians were even fine as the finest gold of Ophir, they were tried & fined every day in the furnace of affliction: godliness to them was gain, and their glory was not to gather and hoard up gold, but to give their gold and their goods unto the poor and needy members of Christ jesus: yea even to forsake their gold and their goods, and to lay down their lives for Christ's sake. And such was the godliness and goodness, the piety and charity of those golden times. But we Christians of these last times, are more like unto the feet of Nebuchadnezzars image, which were of iron and clay mingled together. Our hearts are hard as iron, we take no pity nor compassion upon the poor, they are hard as an Adamant, they are hardly moved with any contrition or sorrow for sin. As they are void of compassion in behalf of the poor, so are they of compunction for our manifold trespasses. Our hands are hard as iron, and in a manner made of iron, for they are more ready to bruise and break our poor brethren by oppression, extortion, usury, robbery, and all kind of hard and cruel usage, then to help them any whit. Our souls, as they are lodged in tabernacles of clay, so are they almost turned into a clay eye substance: for what other thing do we mind but clay, and corruptible things? Our affections are set upon the things that are below, and we are wholly consumed with worldly cares. So that, look how great odds there is between gold and iron mingled with clay, between the head and the feet of that image: as great odds is there between the Christians of the first and last times. The first Christians were sellers of their substance, to the end they might give unto the poor: but the last Christians are many of them buyers of the substance, and taskers of the goods of the poor. The first Christians had the use of all things necessary common: but the last Christians have the use of all things private. The first Christians parted their goods among such as had need: but the last Christians do rather pluck and pull from such as do need. Finally, the first Christians suffered none amongst them to lack: but the last Christians suffer many multitudes of their poor brethren, not only to lack, but even to lose their lives for want. Except your righteousness (saith our Saviour) exceed the rihhteousnesse of the Scribes & Pharisees, Matth. 5.20. ye shall not enter into the kingdom of God. And may it not be well said? That except the charity of Christians, equalize at least, if not exceed, the charity of the heathen Lacedæmonians (who sufferered none in their commonwealth to want) we shall not, nor cannot prove worthy of such a king, as is the son of God, nor of such a kingdom, as is the kingdom of heaven. Matth. 12.41. The men of Ninive (saith our Sovereign) shall rise in judgement with this generation, and condemn it, for they repent at the preaching of jonas, and behold, a greater than jonas is here: So may it be well said, The men of Lacedaemon shall rise in judgement with us Christians of the last times, & condemn us; for they did communicate their goods amongst themselves, at the appointment of their Lawgiver Lycurgus, and behold a greater than Lycurgus hath enjoined us to do the like, to communicate, not indeed the right and possession itself (as the Anabaptists do dream) but the use of our goods only, for the mutual relief of one another. O than the unspeakable shame! that heathen men should do more for the commandment of a temporal lawgiver, or king, than we Christians for the law and counsel of the eternal lawgiver, and the king of the whole world; Or that men living under the obscure light of nature, should be so charitable; and we who live under the clear light of grace, should prove so merciless and miserable. EXAMPLES OF divers regular Students in the Art of Enrichiching, which did all practice the Rules of this Art, and were blessed of God. Having set down the precepts and rules of this art, being ten in number, and having verified and justified the same by manifold allegations of sacred Scripture, both of the old and new Testament, in the manner abovesaid: It followeth that in the next place, we mention certain such examples as may serve to illustrate the foresaid rules, and those we do distinguish into two ranks; The one is of such notable persons as are recorded in holy writ to have attained to riches by right means, and to have used the same according to the rules of this art, the which have been blessed of God, and have prospered for their regularities sake. The other rank is of such others, as in labouring and studying to be rich, have been irregulars: that is, either have not attained to riches by the right way, or else never used them after the right manner, and therefore have been accursed of God. Of the first rank the examples are these: Abraham, the father of the faithful, Gen. 12.1, 2, 3, 7. & 13.4.18, & 14, 20, & 18.23, & 20.17, & 21.33. & 23.13, & 24.34.35. was a regular student in this Art: for he was a man that feared God devoutly, called upon his name diligently, obeyed his voice readily, & lived amongst men uprightly, following the vocation the Lord had called him unto carefully. He was likewise careful for all such as were under his charge, that they should do the like: for he commanded his sons and his servants to keep the way of the Lord, even to live religiously, and soberly, and justly in this present world. And the Lord blessed him exceedingly, he magnified and multiplied him; so that he gave him in great store, men servants, and maid servants, silver and gold, Camels and Asses, Sheep and beeves. Gen. 12.5. & 14.12. & 19.1, 2, 3. & 13.5.6.7. Lot, Abraham's brother's son, was likewise a regular Student in this Art. He was a man that feared God, upright in his ways, hospitable, charitable, and diligent in his calling. And the Lord blessed him with store and abundance of sheep, cattle, and tents; so that the land could not bear them, that he and his Uncle might dwell together. Gen. 26.2, 3, 4.12.13.14.24.25.26.27.28.29.30 Isaac, the son of Abraham, was also a regular Sudent, to wit, a man fearing the Lord, upright, charitable, and diligent in his calling. And the Lord, whom he served devoutly, was with him effectually, and blessed him exceedingly: so that he waxed mighty, and still increased, his hand brought forth an hundredth fold; he had flocks of Sheep, and herds of cattle, and a mighty household: so that the Philistines (amongst whom he dwelled) envied his greatness; but king Abimelech seeing manifestly that the Lord was with his servant Isaac, made an alliance and covenant of amity & peace with him. jacob, the son of Isaac, Gen. 28.13, 14.15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.21.22. & 30.27.43, & 31, 17.18.38.40. & 32.9.10 7. & 33, 4.11 & 35 1, 2, 3.4. & 36.6.7. was a man fatherlike religious, just, charitable, and diligent: wherefore the Lord was with him whithersoever he went, so that he became very rich, and increased exceedingly: for he had man servants, and maid servants, Camels and Asses, and many flocks of sheep, and herds of cattle: yea Laban his father in law, who was an Idolater, was blessed of God with temporal increase for jacobs' sake. And it is very likely that God blessed also Esau with temporal blessings for receiving his brother jacob at his return, so kindly, and so tenderly as he did, and for being appeased towards him. For Esau hearing that his brother jacob was coming home again, he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him, and they wept: And therefore jacob called the present he sent to his brother Esau of his goods, his blessing: I pray thee, quoth he to him, take my blessing that is brought thee; The holy man insinuating thereby, that as it was a blessing from God unto jacob, so it should be a blessing from God unto Esau, by jacobs' hand: And consequently, a means to make Esau more blessed in worldly wealth for jacobs' sake. joseph, the son of jacob, Gen. 37.26.27, 36. was a man that feared God, sober and chaste in his carriage, upright amongst men, and diligent in his calling: first in Potiphars' house; & 39, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 20, 21, 22, 23. & 41.14, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44. then in the prison; and afterwards in the Prince's palace. The Lord was with him every where, and he prospered: yea all his masters prospered for his sake. Potiphar, Pharaohs Steward, was his first master, who bought him at the hands of the Israelites, unto whom his brethren had sold him. Potiphar seeing that the Lord was with him, and that he made all that he did to prosper in his hand, of a slave he made him the ruler of his house, and put all that he had under his hand. And the Lord blessed the Egyptians house for joseph's sake: yea the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. His second master was the master of the King's prison house. After that he was put in prison by the malicious craft of Potiphars' wife. But even there the Lord was with joseph, and got him favour in the sight of the master of the prison; so that he committed to joseph's hand, all the prisoners that were in the prison, and looked unto nothing that was under his hand, but trusted joseph with all, seeing the Lord was with him: for whatsoever he did, the Lord made it to prosper. His third master was King Pharaoh himself, who sent for him out of prison, to interpret his dreams; and afterwards, for his divine wisdom, made him chief ruler over his house, yea over all the Kingdoms of Egypt▪ so that all the revenues and riches thereof came under his hand. Thus we see joseph, of a slave, made a servant, and a ruler of servants in his master Potiphars' house: and thereafter, of a prisoner, made a ruler of prisoners in the prison; and in the end, of a poor prisoner made a potent Prince: so that such as he once served, were made to serve him, and he made the master and Lord of such as had been his masters before. His brethren had sold him for silver into Egypt, Gen. 45, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and he afterwards sold them without silver, corn in Egypt, yea saved them in Egypt from the great famine, even his father and all his family. Thus we find it most true, which the holy woman Anna singeth in her song, 1 Sam. 2, 7, 8. Psal 113.7.107, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41 42. and the sweet singer of Israel in his Psalm: The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich, bringeth low, & exalteth; he raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among Princes, and to make them inherit the seat of glory. He turneth the wilderness into pools of water, and the dry land into water springs. And there he placeth the hungry, and they build a City to dwell in, and sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which bring forth fruitful increase: for he blesseth them, and they multiply exceedingly, and he diminisheth not their cattle. He poureth contempt upon princes, and turneth the springs of water into dryness, & a fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. Yet he raiseth up the poor out of misery, and maketh him families like a flock of sheep. The righteous shall see it, and rejoice, and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. And this is that which the holy Psalmist singeth of godly joseph more particularly. Psal. 105.17, 18 19, 20, 21, 22, joseph was sold for a slave, they held his feet in the stocks, and he was laid in irons until his appointed time came, and the counsel of the Lord tried him. The King sent and loosed him, he made him Lord of his house, even the ruler of the people delivered him, and made him ruler of his substance, yea of his Princes and rulers, that he should bind them unto his will, and teach his ancient and wise men wisdom. Gen. 45.16.17.18 19.20.21.22.23. And the Lord that thus gave joseph favour in the eyes of Pharaoh, inclined likewise the heart of the King to favour and love jacob the father of joseph, and his brethren for his sake: so that when the tidings came unto Pharaohs house, that joseph's brethren were come, it pleased Pharaoh well and his servants. Moreover, Pharaoh said unto joseph, say to thy brethren: This do ye, lad your beasts, and departed, go to the land of Canaan, and take your father, and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat of the fat of the land. And I command thee: Thus do ye; Take you chariots out of the land of Egypt, for your children, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come also; regard not your stuff: for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours. And the children of Israel did so; and joseph gave them Chariots according to the commandment of Pharaoh; he gave them victuals also for the journey; he gave them all (none excepted) change of raiment; and unto Benjamin he gave three hundredth pieces of silver, and five suits of raiment. And unto his father likewise he sent ten he Asses laden with the best things of Egypt, and ten she Asses laden with wheat, and bread, and meat, for his father by the way. And when as joseph's father and his brethren were come into Egypt, the good King knowing thereof, Gen. 46.33 3●. & 47.3, 4.5, 6.11, 12. and understanding that their trade (for they lived not idle) was to be occupied about cattle and sheep, as Shepherds, after that he had admitted them to his presence, spoke to joseph saying; Thy father and thy brethren are come unto 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 activity among them, make them rulers over my cattle. And godly and happy joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, even in the land of Rameses, as good & bountiful Pharaoh had commanded. And the blessed son nourished his blessed father, and his brethren, and all his father's household with bread, even to the young children. David 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. he feared God exceedingly, called upon him continally, walking before him in truth, in righteousness, and in pureness of his spirit: yea he was a man after the Lords own heart: and he that was in his heart, was with his heart, and in his hand also, and blessed him abundantly. He chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepe-folds: even from behind the ewes with young brought he him to feed his people in jacob, and his inheritance in Israel. So he fed them according to the simplicity of his heart, 1 Sam. 18, 18, 23. Psal. 113.7, and guided them by the discretion of his hands. He was, (as he saith of himself) a poor man, and of small reputation; but God, who taketh pleasure in raising up the poor out of the dust, and in lifting up the beggar from the dongue-hil) changed his poverty into riches, his despisedness into honour, his shepherds crook into a princely sceptre, his country cap into a kingly crown, his base sheepcote into a stately court, and his pasture of small compass, into an ample kingdom. In one word, God that doth great things took him from following the sheep, that he might rule over 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, Solomon, David's son, did attain to his great riches by practising these rules: and namely because he did ask of the Lord understanding to do judgement, and not riches, nor honour, nor long life, nor yet the life of his enemies; therefore the Lord gave him not only that which he asked, but also those things he asked not, even riches and honour, more than any in Israel had before him, or yet after him. So that he builded houses, planted vineyards, pleasant gardens, and orchards, replenished with fruitful trees; purchased great possessions of beeves and sheep, gathered abundance of silver and gold: yea he made silver as plenteous as stones in jerusalem, and exceeded all the Kings of the earth, both in riches, and in wisdom. jehosophat did attain to great prosperity by practising these Rules: 2. Chro. 17. He sought the god of his fathers devoutly, and walked in his commandments diligently, even in the ways of his forefather David, and therefore the Lord was with him, established the kingdom in his hand, and all judah brought presents unto him, so that he had of riches and honour in abundance. Esther and Mordecai attained to riches and honour by these Rules: Esth, 2. & 6. & 8. & 10. The uncle & the niece both of them feared God, and therefore he raised them from low degree, unto princely dignity, from poverty advanced them to great riches: So that Esther of a poor despised maid, became a famous and an honourable queen, even the wife of king Ashuerus the mighty Monarch of the Medes and Persians; and Mordecai, of a poor despised man, was preferred to great riches and honour, so that he was made second unto the king. Daniel and his three fellows, Dan. 1, & 3, & 6. commonly called the three children, practised the Rules of this art. They excelled in the fear of the Lord, and in wisdom, which floweth therefrom; so that of poor captives and prisoners, he made them Princes companions, they were promoted in the Province of Babel to high honours, and endowed with great riches, and Daniel was set over the whole governors and rulers of the kingdom, and he and his fellows prospered exceedingly. Obadiah, the governor of Achabs' house, 1, Kings 18, 3, 4, 12, 13. was a man that feared God greatly, even from his youth; and when jezebel destroyed the Prophets of the Lord; he took an hundredth Prophets, and hide them by fifties in a cave, and fed them there: So that according to his name he proved a servant of the Lord: yea a servant of his servants, who, at every word called himself the servant of Eliah, and him his Lord. And no doubt but the Lord blessed him abundantly, and so will he do all such Noble men and Gentlemen, as in King's Courts further either with countenance or maintenance, God's Ministers, chief in the time of any persecution raised for the Gospel. 2 King. 4, 8.9.10, 11.12.13.14.15. to 37. The Shunamite Gentlewoman that harboured the man of God Elisha, observed the rules of this Art. Behold (said she to her husband) I know that this is an holy man of God that passeth by us continually; let us make him a little chamber, I pray thee, with walls, and let us set him there a bed and a table, and a stool and a Candlestick, that he may turn in hither when he cometh to us. And in recompense of this her piety and charity, God blessed her house, yea and her barren womb: at the prayer of the man of God he gave her a son, when as her husband was now waxed old: and not only this, but also when the child was dead, God, by the hand of the prophet, restored him from death to life again. Whereby we may learn that it is a work which bringeth with it great reward, to entertain and cherish God's servants, and not only to minister unto their necessities of our subbstance, but also to honour and reverence them both by gesture and compellation, as we see this worthy gentlewoman did. The Prophet was a poor despised man, and stood in need of help in outward things, and yet because he was the man and servant of God, this noble woman called him at every word her Lord, and herself his handmaid. When she came before him, it was her humble demeanour, to fall at his feet, and to bow to the ground. So did the Bethelite widow behave herself towards the same Prophet, 2. King. 4.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. and God in requital of her piety and reverence, of one little pitcher of oil she had, filled many vessels; even all the empty vessels she had borrowed of her neighbours. Likewise the widow of Zarephath, who ministered unto 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 she had were gone, except a little meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse) was requited of the Lord, for her fear of God, and her charity towards his servant. For the meal in the barrel wasted not, neither was the oil spent out of the cruse, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by the hand of his Prophet. Yea more, her dead son was restored again to life, at the prayer and supplication of the man of God: So that whatsoever benefit we bestow upon God's servants, God will abundantly requite it, with spiritual and temporal blessings, both in this life, and in the life to come. job practised the Rules of this Art, job. 1.1, 2, 3, 4, & 29.4.12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 & 42, 10, 11, 12. he was an upright and just man, one that feared God, and eschewed evil, he delivered the poor that cried, helped the fatherless, and him that had none to help him: he caused the widow's heart to rejoice, he was the eyes to the blind, the feet to the lame, a father unto the fatherless, a protector of the poor man's right: and therefore God's providence was upon his tabernacle, his root was spread out by the waters, and the dew did lie upon his branch, and his family was so great, that he exceeded all the men of the East. For his substance was seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yokes of oxen, and five hundred she asses, besides gold, silver, houses, and lands And though he was for a time sorely and heavily afflcted with poverty, sickness, and sores, and so denuded of all his former prosperity; yet because he persevered in God's fear, no less in his adversity, then in his prosperity he had done: therefore the Lord blessed his last days more than the first, and gave him even twice so much as he had before. Tobit. 1. & 2. & 8. & 10. & 11. & 14. Tobias practised the rules of this Art, he walked all his life long in the way of justice & truth, he showed much liberality and charity to those of his nation, he offered the first fruits & tenths to the priests, he gave much alms to the poor, he gave his bread to the hungry, and his clothes to the naked, he bid to dinner, and feasted such as feared God, and buried the dead: And therefore God blessed him both with spiritual and temporal goods. And though his goods were spoiled by Senacherib, yet within fifty five days he was restored: for God made his brother's son Achiacharus to find favour with Sarchedonus the king of Assyria, so that he placed him next unto him, to be cupbearer, keeper of his signet, and steward of his house. And though that afterwards he was also afflicted with blindness, and brought to that exigent, that his wife was constrained to labour for her living, in taking women's work to do: yet ere long, he was restored unto his sight, and blessed with prosperity and wealth, by the means of his son Tobiths' marriage with Sara, the only daughter and heir of rich Raguel. Zacheus of an irregular became a regular student in this Art, Luk. 19.1, 2, 3, 7, 8. as soon as he had heard the great Schoolmaster jesus teach him his lesson in his own house. Being a rich man, and a receiver of Tribute, he gave the half of his goods unto the poor, and from whom he had taken any thing by forged cavillation, he restored him four fold. It were a happy thing, if our Church-robbers, and sacrilegious God-spoylers would follow this happy man's example, and make restitution of the Church livings, which they have impiously possessed, and godlesly appropriated to their own private uses. Marry the wife of Cleophas, Matth. 26.7. & 27.55, 56, 61. Luk 8.2, 3. & 10.38. joh. 11.2 29. & 12.3. & 19.25. Act. 12.12. Rom. 16.6. and sister of the blessed virgin Marie, the glorious mother of jesus, Marie the mother of james and john, Marie the mother of james and joses, Marie Magdalen the sister of Lazarus, Marie the mother of john, Mark, Martha, joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's Steward, & virtuous Susanna, together with such other godly women as ministered unto our blessed Saviour and his disciples were such as practised the Rules of this art; had they much, or had they little, they purchased it by lawful means, and used the same religiously and charitably: for they imparted thereof unto the poor Ministers and members of Christ, according to their power; and therefore no doubt but they prospered. This Mary the wife of Cleophas, and sister, as is said, of the Queen of Maries, yea the Queen of women, the blessed Virgin Mary is she whom the Apostle of the gentiles, Rom. 1.1, to 7. & 16.6. Saint Paul, writing to the Church of Rome, saluteth in the end of his Epistle, as she that had bestowed much labour upon the Ministers of Christ. And it was Mary Magdalene, the sister of Lazarus, and Martha, that took a box of ointment of Spikenard, very costly, and anointed jesus, even from the head to the feet, and wiped his feet with the hair of her head, Mark. 14, 3. & 16.1. joh. 12.3. so that the house was filled with the savour of the ointment. The same holy Marie, together with another godly Marie, the mother of james, and devout Salome had prepared costly ointments, to embalm the balmy and sweet body of our sweet Saviour jesus. Act. 9.36, to 41. Tabytha was a regular student in this Art, she feared God, she was full of good works, and alms which she did, a virtuous woman, and diligent in her calling; who by the Lord's blessing, and her virtuous industry, attained to a competent wealth, and being dead, the Lord raised her again from death to life, by the hand of blessed S. Peter. Cornelius, a captain of the Italian band, Act. 10.1, to 7.11, 22, to 26. practised the Rules of this Art: for he was a devout man, and one that feared God, with all his household. He prayed unto God continually, he gave much alms unto the people, so that his prayers and his alms came up into remembrance before God: wherefore God blessed his temporal store with increase, but chief his soul with spiritual grace: for the Lord whom he served incessantly, sent his angel unto him, to bid him send for his servant Saint Peter into his house: for he shall show thee (quoth the holy angel) what thou oughtest to do. Towards whom, Matth 10, 2. joh. 21.15, 16, 17 Luk. 22 31, 32. Act. 2, 14, 41 & 9.42. & 10, 44. to 48 & 11.1, 2, 15, to 18. the godly Captain behaved himself so humbly and reverently, notwithstanding his abject and contemptible estate, in regard that he was appointed of Christ, to be the great feeder of his flock, the shepherd and pastor both of his sheep and lambs: that is, the converter and spiritual ruler, both of jews and Gentiles, as also the confirmer and establisher of his brethren, that is, of the rest of the Apostles: towards whom, I say, he behaved himself so humbly and respectively, that he called together his kinsmen and special friends to go and meet him, and to do him honour; So that as soon as he saw the blessed servant of Christ, he fell down at his feet and worshipped him. Who on the other part, to show his Christian modesty, as the other had done his Christian humility, and to signify unto Cornelius and the rest, that he craved no such courtesy at his, or their hands, took him up presently, saying to him, stand up; for even I myself am a man. The which example, teacheth both Clergy and laity, true humility. First, it teacheth the people to reverence and honour their pastors, both with humble gesture of body, and with compellation of honour: ● Sam. 1.14. to 18, for the priests and prophets of God, that did bear rule in his Church, have not only been called fathers and Lords, by the people; but also they are honoured in the holy Scripture, with the titles of Lords, Princes, and Kings. This holy woman Anna, the mother of Samuel, called the high priest Eli, her Lord: who, when as he had thought she had been dumb, because that praying in the temple, her lips did but move only, so that her voice was not heard, she answered and said: Not so my Lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful heart, I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have powered out my soul before the Lord. Yea, she calleth herself by the name of his handmaid; Count not thine handmaid (quoth she) for a wicked woman: and again, let thine handmaid find grace & favour in thy sight. Thus the widow of Zarephath behaved herself humbly, 1. King. 17.28, 24. in the behalf of the prophet Eliah. Thus godly Obadiah king Achabs' steward, 1 King. 18.3, 4, 7 9, 12, 13. and governor of his house, who feared God greatly, & hide an hundred prophets in a cave, & nourished them there in the time of jezebel's persecution, behaved himself in the presence of the same prophet: when as he met him by the way, he fell on his face, and said: Art not thou my Lord Elisha? Was it not told my Lord what I did when jezebel slew the Prophets of the Lord: not only called he the prophet his Lord, but also he called himself the Prophet's servant. What have I sinned (said he) that thou wouldst deliver thy servant into the hands of Ahab to be slain? but I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth upward. Thus also did the Captain over the fifty, 2 King 1.13. 14, sent by Ahaziah the King, behave himself humbly in the presence of the man of God: he fell on his knees before Eliah, and said unto him: O man of God, I pray thee let my life, and the life of the fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight. Thus the Bethelite widow called herself the Prophet Elishas' servant and handmaid. & 4, 1.2.16.27.28. And the Shunamite Gentlewoman, whom we spoke of before, said unto the same Prophet, when as he had promised her from God a child: O nay my Lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid. And when as her child afterwards died, she went to the man of God to mount Carmell, and caught him by the feet, and said; Did I desire a son of my Lord? and when as he had revived her son, she fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground. Thus Naaman, 2 King. 5.1.9.10.15.17.18.19.20 21, Captain of the Host of the King of Syria, a great and mighty man, expert in war, and honourable in the sight of the King his master, as General of his Army, came with his Horses and Chariots, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha, till the Prophet sent his messenger unto him, saying: Go and wash thyself in jordane seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be cleansed. And when he was cleansed, according to the saying of the man of God, he turned again to him, he and all his company, and stood before him, and said: Behold, I know now, that there is no God in all the world, but in Israel: Now therefore I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant. And the Prophet having refused his reward, Naaman said: shall there not be given to thy servant, as much of this earth as two Mules may bear? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither sacrifice nor offering unto any other God, save unto the Lord. Herein the Lord be merciful unto thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, & leaneth on mine hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I do bow down, I say in the house of Rimmon, the Lord be merciful unto thy servant in this point. Thus we see how that this great and mighty man called himself at every word, the servant of God's servant; yea moreover he bore him such honour, that when as he saw Gehezi the servant of Elisha running after him, he lighted down from his Chariot to meet him, and said: Is all well? Thus we see how good and godly men and women, as well the rich as the poor, and as well the noble as the ignoble have honoured the servants of God, and the Governors of his Church, and called them Lords. And yet this is not all the honour the Spirit of God giveth them in the holy Scripture. 2 Chron. 17.7. Psal. 45.9.13, 16. For the Prophet David as he speaking of the future glory of the Catholic Church under Christ the head thereof, saith thus: The King's daughter is all glorious within, her clothing is of broidered gold. She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needlework; so prophesying of the future splendour & dignity of the fathers and governors of the Church, he useth these words: In stead of thy fathers shall thy children be: thou shalt make them Princes through all the earth; meaning that of the children of the Church, should be chosen such as should be Fathers and Rulers of the Church; as patriarchs, Archbishops, and Bishops, which should be honoured throughout the whole Christian world as Lords and Princes: for the holy Prophet, as he describeth typically Christ, as the King of the Catholic Church, and none but he to be King, and the Church as the Queen and Spouse of this King: so doth he signify unto us, that the Princes of this King and kingdom, are the Rulers and Governors of the Church above named, which of children of the Church, should be made Fathers of the Church, and should be honoured as Princes through all the earth: for we must not imagine that the kingdom of Christ is to be included within the walls and circuit of one City, whether Rome, jerusalem, Geneva, or Amsterdam, nor yet within the compass of some three or four kingdoms; but we must believe that the Church of Christ is of far more ample and spacious bounds then so. Psal. 45, 27. All the ends of the world shall remember themselves (saith the Prophet David) and turn to the Lord. And all the kindreds of the Nations shall worship before thee. & 2.8. Ask of me (saith the eternal father to the son) and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for thy possession: his dominion shall be from sea to sea, & 72.8.11. and from the river unto the ends of the land; yea all kings shall worship him, all nations serve him. But to pass over this matter of the large extent of the Catholic Church, and to return to the honour the people own unto her governors, we read what was the demeanour of the jailer toward Saint Paul and Silas being prisoners, Acts 16.24.25. to 34. whose hands and feet the Lord loosed, as also opened the doors of the prison, by the means of a mighty earthquake; so that the jailer came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said: Sirs (or as the word in the original also importeth) my Lords, what must I do to be saved? And they said, believe in the Lord jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thine household. And they preached unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house; and when he had brought them into his house, and had washed the stripes and wounds of their bodies, and likewise they the spiritual stripes and wounds of the souls of him and his household by baptism, he set meat before them, and rejoiced that he with all his household believed in God. Lastly, Revel. 1.11.19.20 & 11.8.12.18. & 3.1.7.14, Saint john writing to the Bishops of the seven Churches of Asia, calleth them by the name of seven Angels: or rather our Saviour and Sovereign himself calleth them so, who also expoundeth the seven stars to be the Angels of the seven Churches, and biddeth him write unto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus thus; and unto the Angel of the Church of the Smyrnians thus; and so unto the other Angels of the other Churches. Where note, that although that in every one of these Churches were more Ministers than one; yea there was many in every one of them, and namely in Ephesus, as is more than clear by the tenor of Saint Paul's Epistle to Timothy, 1 Tim. 13.4. & 3.1.2. the first Bishop of Ephesus; yet the name of Angel is by the spirit of God, the mouth of Christ, and the pen of the Apostle appropriated unto only one of the Ministers of the foresaid Churches, even unto him who was Bishop amongst them. And as the four and twenty Elders glorify Christ for making them Kings and Priests unto God; so the holy Apostle and Prophet Saint john, Revel 5.10. Revel, 1.4.5.6. writing unto the said seven Angels or Bishops of the said seven Churches, in his salutation ascribeth all glory and dominion to jesus Christ the Prince of the Kings of the earth, who (saith he) hath made us Kings and Priests unto God the Father. And thus have I verified mine assertion, that the holy Scripture honoureth the Governors & Rulers of the Church, with the honourable Titles, and names of Fathers, Lords, Princes, Kings, and Angels. And therefore let no man think that I have said too much, for yet I could say more, and yet no more than the word of God doth warrant me to say. And therefore I wish all us Lay-men to think, that it is not the peaceable spirit of God's Church, but the popular perturbing spirit of Amsterdam, or some such other respectless private spirit, that moveth men to dislike of the giving of honourable titles to the Governors and Prelates of the Church. But as the example of Cornelius his demeanour in the presence of the great Apostle, doth teach us Lay-men humility and reverence in the behalf of God's Ministers: so doth the example of the modest demeanour of the first of the Apostles, in the behalf of godly Cornelius, teach all Pastors, and Prelates, all patriarchs, Archbishops and Bishops to show and Practise all Christian modesty in the people's behalf; by letting them understand, that all worship and honour is properly due unto God; & that men, whom God hath set in authority, are to be respected and reverenced, not for their person, but for their place; not for their own sakes, but for his sake whose servants they are. Revel. 1, 6. And always it becometh them with the holy Prophet Saint john, to ascribe all the glory & honour unto him who hath made them Kings and Priests unto God the father: yea Kings themselves, Psal. 82, 1, 6. I mean the Kings and monarch of the earth, whom God hath called Gods, because they represent him most in power, majesty, justice, mercy, and bounty, when as they are honoured of their subjects, 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 give all this honour they receive at their subjects hands, unto God, acknowledging themselves but as the conduit-pipes whereby all honour whatsoever, all glory and praise is conveyed unto him, to whom it most properly belongeth. Otherwise God will be avenged on his little Gods, for holding back of his honour from him; Psal. 107.40. job. 12.18, 19, 21. and he that poureth contempt upon Princes for contemning of him, and looseth the collar of Kings; yea and leadeth them as a prey, for not praying and praising him, will abate their honour, and turn their glory into ignominy, and their fame into shame, as he did in the behalf of Herode: Act. 12.21.22.23 of whom it is written, that upon a day appointed he arrayed himself in royal apparel, and sat on the judgement seat, and made an Oration unto them; and the people gave a shout saying: The voice of God, and not of man. But immediately the Angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not glory unto God; so that he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. This godless little God would not give glory unto the great God, and therefore the highest creature in heaven, and the lowest creature on earth, conspired together to be avenged on him for his godless withholding of God's honour. Thus he that was a little God, and spoke like a little God, became a Thief, and robber of the glory of the great God, and therefore died like a man; yea like a beast; so that the worms eat up his flesh. One part of his flesh was turned into worms, and they preyed upon the other part, till he gave up the ghost, which fell into the hands of a worse worm than all the other worms, Isay. 66. 2●. even a worm that never dieth, but always liveth, and never leaveth eating. Psal. 2.10.11.12 And therefore let all Kings hearken unto the exhortation and admonition of a King: Be wise now therefore (O Kings) be learned ye judges of the earth; serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice in trembling, kiss the Son lest he be angry, and ye perish in the way, when his wrath shall suddenly burn: blessed are all that trust in him. Acts 14.15. Lydia, a seller of purple, was a regular Student in this Art, she feared God, and worshipped him devoutly, she heard the blessed Apostle of the Gentiles attentively, she believed steadfastly, and was baptized, also she ministered unto the necessities of the Saints liberally, and God blessed her both with spiritual and temporal blessings abundantly. I wish that this godly woman should serve for a mirror to all Merchants, Prou. 31.10. etc. and salomon's virtuous woman for a pattern to all good Christian housewives. Acts 9.43. & 10.32. Simon the Tanner practised the Rules of this Art, he feared God, and entertained his servants, chief the chief of the Apostles Saint Peter, who tarried many days in his house: he was likewise diligent in his calling, and doubtless 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 servants, namely the blessed Apostle of the Gentiles Saint Paul, neither was he ashamed of his chain, but when he was at Rome he sought him out very diligently, and found him, and in many things he ministered unto him at Ephesus. Wherefore no doubt but it fared with him according to the holy Apostles prayer; The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus, for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain, but when he was at Rome he sought me out very diligently, and found me. The Lord grant unto him, that he may find mercy with the Lord at that day. And the same grace and mercy the same God grant unto all good men, which resemble good Onesiphorus in giving of their goods unto the Ministers, and poor members of jesus Christ. EXAMPLES OF SUCH As labouring to be rich, were Irregulars; that is, did not study nor practise the Rules of this Art, and therefore have been both accursed, and punished of God. Josh. 6.24. & 7. ACHAN was an irregular Student in the way of Enriching: He feared not the Lord, and walked not with an upright heart before him; but upon a covetous desire hasted to be rich by unlawful means, even by theft and sacrilege: for he stole of the excommunicate thing at the ransacking of jericho: he stole even of that part of the spoils which the Lord had appointed to be set aside from a common use, and to be put into the treasure of his house. For he stole a rich Babylonish garment, and two hundredth shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight. For this sin of sacrilege the Lord punished the whole Israelites, so that they were put to flight before their enemies, and the hearts of their huge troops melted away like water, until the sacrilegious God spoiler was found out stoned to death, and burned with fire, both he and his sons, and his daughters, his Oxen and Asses, his sheep, and all that he had. Now if God punished so exemplarily this sacrilegious stealth of Achan, for coveting and conveying away a part of the spoils, which he had appointed to be put into the treasure of his house, to serve for the garnishing and adorning thereof, and for the necessary uses of his Priests, shall we think that our sacrilegious achan's shall always both here and hence escape unpunished, which with a strong hand have robed the Lord of his own perpetual inheritance? Acts 5. And if the Lord was so angry with Ananias and Sapphira for keeping back but a part of the price of the possessions which they themselves of their own accord had offered unto God for the relief of his Saints, that by the hand of his servant Saint Peter in a sudden he bereft them of their lives: How shall he not be angry one day with our Church-robbers, and God-spoyling Gospelers, men an hundredth fold worse than Ananias? for they are so far from giving any part at all of their lands or goods to God's Ministers (whereas Ananias gave almost all that he had) that they bereave them of that which is theirs, even of that which both God and good men bestowed upon them in former times. And whereas Ananias did keep back but a part, even a smaller part of that which otherwise was his own; these God-spoyling anti-gods keep back, either the whole, or at least the better part of that which is no wise their own, but belongeth unto God, and unto his Priests, as their peculiar patrimony. Numb. 22. & 31.6. Josh. 13.21. 2 Pet. 2.15, 16, Jude 11. Balaam was as an irregular man in the way of Enriching, for he loved the wages of unrighteousness, and was quite miscarried with covetousness. Wherefore the Lord opened the mouth of his dumb ass whereon he road, to rebuke him, & to forbid his foolishness as if the poor ass should have said, Master, wilt thou needs play the ass, to curse the people of God for gold? do not so I pray thee, lest thine end be worse than mine: do not that which king Balaac biddeth thee, but rather that which thine own poor ass adviseth thee, that so it may be well with my master & me too. For if thou curse God's people, God, yea thine own ass, will likewise curse thee; and so thy case will be more miserable than mine. The man may oftentimes be wiser than his master, but yet it is a rare thing, to find a beast wiser than the owner: and yet we see here is one, and none but one, even Balaams' ass wiser than Balaam himself, who road thereupon. And what was his end? was it not almost as ill as his asses, when as the gold-thirsty wretch lost his life amongst the Midianites, and fell by the sword of the people of Israel? By this example, all men, but chief Churchmen, are taught to abhor covetousness, and to fly from it, Eccl. 5.5. Coloss. 3.5. as being a base kind of idolatry: for covetousness is idolatry, and the covetous person is an idolater, 1. Tim. 3.3. Tit. 1.7. jerem. 5, 30, 31. saith the Apostle. And if the priest or the prophet, the preacher or the Prelate, be given to filthy lucre, if they prophecy any thing a man willeth for an hire: or if the priests bless or curse for a reward, how shall they rebuke and reprove such of the people as are guilty of the like sin? for as the people ought not to withhold from their pastors, that which is theirs, namely, first fruits, and tithes: so must not the pastors and priests, by covetous courses, prey upon the people, and pluck from them what is theirs. The holy men of God, isaiah, jeremy, Isay 56.10, 11, 12. Hos. 4.6. and Ezekiel, as they exclaim & proclaim God's judgements against all ignorant & blind watchmen, jerem. 5.31. & 6.13.14. & 8.10, 11. & 10.21. & 23, 1.11, 14, 15, 16, 25, 26, 27 28, 29, 30.31, 32. Ezek, 22.25, 26 & 34. that have no knowledge, being as dumb dogs that can not bark: and against all sleeping and slumbering shepherds, being as drowsy dogs that will not bark: and against all deceiving and seducing prophets, that speak the counsel and vision of their own private spirit: and against all brutish and beastly pastors, that scatter their own flocks, and commit filthiness, and strengthen the hands of the wicked, and teach vanity and lies, even their own private opinions, whereby the sheep of the fold are scattered, that is, Christian people are divided amongst themselves, and from themselves: of one flock made many flocks, of one church many churches: Men of itching ears, 2. Tim. 4 3.4. getting themselves an heap of teachers to their own liking (as the Apostle speaketh;) & so turning unit and unity, into division & plurality, verity into vanity, antiquity into novelty, & Christian communion into unchristian disunion & separation: as the prophets, I say, exclaim mightily against all these kinds of ill churchmen, and namely against dumb dogs that cannot bark, & sleepy dogs that will not bark; so do they likewise against greedy dogs, that can never have enough, which look to their own way, every one for his advantage, & for his own purpose, as isaiah speaketh, and which like a roaring lion ravening the prey, conspire to devour souls, and take away the riches, and precious things, from the owners thereof, by their violent and fraudulent ways, as Ezekiel speaketh: who in the name of the Lord pronounceth a heavy woe against all such shepherds as feed themselves, and eat the fat, and themselves with the wool, but feed not the flock, neither strengthen the weak, nor heal the sick, nor bind up the broken, nor bring again that which was driven away, nor yet seek out that which was lost: but have been careless and cruel in their behalf, have even eaten the flesh of the fat, and torn their claws in pieces. O idle shepherd (saith the Lord by his prophet Zachary) that leaveth the flock, the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened. And as the Lord shall be avenged on all idle loitering Churchmen, be they priests, or be they prelate's: so will he one day, make all deceiving and seducing Churchmen to be ashamed of their visions, and revelations, and private inspirations. 2. Tim. 4.6, 7. They shall not always deceive men with their show of godliness, creeping into houses, and leading captive simple women, laden with sins, 2. Cor. 11.13, 14, 15. and led with divers lusts. The ministers of that old serpent, shall not always be suffered to transform themselves master-like into angels of light, as though they were the ministers of righteousness: Zach. 13.3, 4, 5, for in that day (saith the Prophet) when any shall prophecy lies in the name of the Lord, his father and his mother shall thrust him through, and they shall be all ashamed every one of his vision. I am no prophet, shall he say, I am an husbandman: for man taught me to be an herdsman from my youth. I am no Cleargy-man, I am a lay-man, a tradesman, a husbandman, or an herdsman. Men shall not then go gadding from place to place to hear some new upstart teacher, nor run from one country or city to another, as from England to Amsterdam, 1. Cor. 1.11, 12. after some new inspired preacher. One shall not say, I am Paul's, & another I am Apollo's, & an other I am Cephas. The new nicknames of Papist and Puritan, of Caluinist and Lutheran, of Brownist & Anabaptist, shall be no more in use. For men shall be ashamed of their new compellations and denominations, of their new revelations and inspirations, of their new separations and schismatical congregations, of their new doctrines, & of their late devised disciplines. And God grant it may be soon. Revel. 22.20, Even so come Lord jesus, come, and come quickly: Habbak. 2.14. Isay 11.6. to 9 Zephan. 3 9 send the spirit of knowledge and unity amongst all manner of men, that the earth may be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters that cover the sea: that the wolf may dwell with the lamb, the leopard may lie with the kid; and that there may be no more destruction or contention amongst Christians in the mountain of thine holiness. Come God of peace (we pray) according to thy promise, and turn to thy people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord with one consent. Nabal was an irregular rich man, destitute of the fear of the Lord, covetous, churlish, & il-conditioned. The wretch would not relieve the necessities of worthy David, and his distressed servants: In revenge whereof, the Lord smote the covetous churls heart with amazement and fear, so that about 10 days after that he died. I wish all rich subjects should beware of Nabals' niggardliness, & that they no wise refuse or repine grudgingly to impart a part of their wealth to David, that is, to the prince, when he standeth in need thereof, and requireth their supply. And therefore, let them always remember how that the Lord punished the churlish and covetous refusal of niggardly Nabal, both by bereaving 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 bountiful David, by the means of Nabals' widow, the virtuous and wise Abigail, whom he took to wife. 1. King. 21. & 22 2. King, 9, Achab and jesabel were both of them irregulars in the way of enriching, both of them were void of God's fear, and unjust; for they would needs have Naboths' vineyard, by cruel violence, and tyrannical oppression. But God, to whom it is proper to chastise kings, and to punish princes, was avenged of them for their idolatry and tyranny. He gave the blood of Achab to the dogs to lick, and the flesh of jesabel to the dogs to devour, and her carcase, though she was a King's daughter, & a king's wife, was made as dung upon the ground, in the field of Isreel; so that none could say, this is the fair painted jezabel. And this example teacheth Kings and Queens to subject themselves unto God's laws, howsoever they be above their own. And therefore they, as well as other men, are bound to practise the Rules of this Art, which is gathered out of God's word, if they would get, gather, or increase goods with a good conscience. If they do otherwise, God, who is the great Schoolmaster and scourger of Kings, will undoubtedly punish them for their tyranny, cruelty, or oppression, when, and in what manner he thinketh good. Gehezi, the servant 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 he seeing that his master had not received the reward that Naaman the Syrian had brought him after that he was cleansed of his leprosy, he followed speedily after him, and asked of him, in the name of his master, a Talon of silver, and two change of garments, who gave him more than he asked, even the two change of garments, together with the two Talents, which he bond in two bags, and gave them to two of his servants, that they might bear them before him. But when he came home, and stood before his master, Elisha said unto him: Whence comest thou Gehezi? And he said: Thy servant went no whither. To whom he replied: Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is this a time to take money, & to receive garments, & olives, & vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, & men servants and maid servants? The Leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and to thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a Leper as white as snow. How detestable a thing is it then in the servants of God, to have covetous minds? Luk. 12.16.17.18.19.20. & 16.19, 20.21.22.23. Dives, the rich glutton, was an irregular rich man, his soul was hunger-bit and bare, in the mean while that his back was clothed with purple and fine linen, and his belly fed every day with dainty and delicate dishes, like that other rich man whose ground brought forth fruits abundantly; so that he had scarcely room enough to lay up his fruits till he pulled down his barns, and builded greater: and in the mean time the belly-god saith to his barren soul: Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years, live at ease, eat, drink, and take thy pastime. The wretch had much goods for his body, but little goodness, and no godliness at all in his soul: For he was so uncharitable that he would not vouchsafe so much as the very crumbs of his Table to refresh poor Lazarus, who was laid at his gate full of sores: No, the little dogs were more pitiful & kind in the poor man's behalf, than this unnatural masty, the miserable master of these dogs was: for they came & licked the poor man's sores, and so gave him some ease. Prou. 6.6. Had Solomon seen this sight (who sendeth the sluggard to the Pismire, to learn of her wisdom and diligence in gathering of meat,) no doubt but he would have sent this merciless rich glutton to learn of his dogs pity and compassion, in giving to the poor a part of his meat. Go to the Pismire, O sluggard, (saith he to the sluggard) behold her ways and be wise, learn of her to gather thy meat in due season. Go to thy dogs, thou rich glutton, behold their ways, and learn of them to pity the poor, for they lick his sores with their tongues, and yet thou canst not find in thine heart to refresh him with the crumbs that fall from thy table. But look to the end it was as easy for these little dogs to enter into the kingdom of heaven, as for this unnatural monster-masties soul. Ere it was long, his barren soul was fetched out of the beastly abode of his body, and his body that had so much dainty meat to feed on, and so many suits of costly apparel to put on, had no longer leisure to enjoy so much goods. Behold, the body that did feed upon so much good meat, was by and by in a gravy earthen dish set before the worms of the earth to feed on, and the soul that had so much goods, and so little goodness was carried into hell fire, where there is no good thing at all to be had, no not so much as a drop of cold water to cool the burning heat of the tip of his tongue, which in this life had not so much goodness in it, as was in the tongue of his dogs, whereas Lazarus soul was carried into blessed Abraham's bosom. I wish then that this voice should sound at all meals in rich men's ears, lest they be made partakers of this rich man's anguish and end. When Dives hath dined, let Lazarus have the crumbs. Math. 26.6.7, 8.9, 10.14.15. Mark. 14.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.11. john 11.2. & 12.3.4, 5, 6, judas Iscariot the peerless traitor was an irregular student in the way of enriching, he was so miserably miscarried with the spirit of covetousness, that he was sorry that the box of costly ointment which religious Mary Magdalen powered upon our saviours head, should have been so spent as it was: for in his opinion it was but misspent, and foolishly, and superstitiously employed. What needed this waste (quoth he, with some others of the company as he had moved to find fault with the godly woman's praisable fact) why was not this ointment sold for three hundredth pence, and given to the poor? For so he knew it should have come into his bag, and being bag-bearer he thought all that lost that passed by his bag, yea though it had been bestowed upon Christ's own blessed body. The covetous wretch pleaded for his bag and his belly, but pretended to plead for the poor and their belly; yea though he had pleaded sincerely for the poor, yet in this case he did greatly offend: for Christ's body was to be preferred befote the bellies: of the poor. There was some other means to relieve them, then by converting this ointment to their use. And therefore jesus knowing of this their preposterous pleading for the poor, said unto them: Why trouble ye the woman? For she hath wrought a good work upon me: for ye have the poor with you always, and when ye will, ye may do them good, but me ye shall not have always. She hath done that she could: she came aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached, throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of in remembrance of her. Of such bagge-bearing Indases, now a days there is not a few, who will bestow nothing upon Christ and his servants themselves, and yet grudge at the charity and liberality of others, and blame the good and godly men of the former times, for bestowing of their goods, lands, and livings, upon the Church. Let a man talk with these bagge-bearing Church-banes, touching the great care the good men of old have had to supply the wants, and relieve the necessities of God's ministers, by their charitable donations, and liberal endowments; they will tell you again, that they were silly simple idiots, that lived in the time of darkness and ignorance, 1. john 2, 10. and knew not what they did. And yet S. john saith, that he that loveth his brother, abideth in the light; And who loved their brethren more than these, that were so charitable unto the poor, and so beneficial unto the servants of God? But let it be so as they say, that they lived in a dark age, for so me thinketh it was in some respect, if it be compared with ours, (wherein, to speak with a modern Divine, there is more science, and less conscience, than was in theirs:) shall it follow therefore, that their liberality towards the ministers of God, was a work of darkness also? If any man thinketh so, me thinketh he hath good cause to fear and tremble, lest at the last day darkness be his doom. No rather, as Christ jesus said once to the Scribes and Pharisees, requiring a sign. The men of Niniveh shall rise in judgement with this generation, and condemn it: for they repent at the preaching of jonas, and behold, a greater than jonas is here. So may it be well said in this matter. The owle-eied Christians of the old time shall rise in judgement with this eagle-eied generation, and condemn it: for those blind believers were more bountiful and beneficial unto God's Ministers, than our sharpsighted professors and protesters are now: and behold, a greater light than was then, is now, and greater knowledge, by many degrees. And yet for all that, our conscience and charity is as many degrees inferior to theirs, as their science and knowledge cometh short of ours. Their night was more fruitful in good works then our light; their darkness more devout than our day. And who seethe not, but that all the shame redoundeth unto ourselves. Eccles. 44.1. And therefore as jesus the son of Sirach exhorteth men to praise the godly men of old: Let us now commend (saith he) the famous men of our Fathers, of whom we are begotten; And as jesus the son of Mary saith of an other Marry, that the good work which she had wrought upon him, should be spoken of throughout the whole world in remembrance of her: So may we well say of such good men and women, as in former times were so beneficial unto God's Ministers, and so charitable to the poor. Let us commend the devout and bountiful men and women of old, of whom we are begotten, and let us praise them for their devotion and good deeds, which all devout and godly persons shall remember so long as the world standeth. But in our days, alas, that old serpent the devil, whose only study is to undermine piety and true religion, hath invented a new devise to disgrace and discredit both devotion, and devout men: For the devout person is called a Papist in half or in whole; and divers exercises of piety are called by the hateful name of Popery: as namely, the observing of holy days, the kneeling, or capping at the adorable name of jesus, the fasting on certain set times of the week, or of the year, the founding of hospitals, the beautifying of Churches, and the endowing of Churchmen with ample livings, and titles of honour. When any motion chanceth to be made for the building and repairing of Churches, the decking or adorning of the same, or for the furnishing of God's house with such implements and instruments, as are requisite for the reverent performing of his service, and the decent celebration of his Sacraments; forthwith will these Church-banes, object with judas: What needs all this waste? were it not better to bestow all this gear upon the poor, then to spend or employ the same about such needless uses? They plead for the poor in show, but for their own purses in substance: for they will not fear to pull from the poor, both with tooth and nail, all that they can, and from God's Priests likewise: yea they will bestow more upon their horses, their hawks, and their hounds, than they will do upon both; More upon the building of a Kitchen, then of a Kyrke; more upon a stable than the Lords Table. No, judas was not so loath that the three hundredth pence worth of ointment should pass by his bag, and be spent upon the Lord's body, as these men are that once one piece of money should go out of their bags to any such religious use. And yet to say the very truth, our saviours sweet body stood not so much in need of any such anointing with balm, spikenard, or any such sweet smelling ointment, as we do of buildings, and Churches to worship God in, and of external furniture for the comely execution of his service in his house. And whereupon can our silver and gold be better employed then upon God's service? To which purpose the evangelical Prophet hath foretold, that in the last times, Isay 60.5.6.7.8.9.13. the riches of the Gentiles shall come unto the Church; and they shall bring, not only their sons and daughters unto Christ, but also their treasure and their substance, their silver and their gold, their balm trees and fir trees, their boxes and their elms, to beautify the place of the sanctuary of God, and to adorn the house of his glory. The king's daughter (that is the Church) is all glorious within, Psal. 45.13.14.15.16. saith the kingly Prophet; but yet he meaneth not that all her glory is within: for immediately after he saith: that her clothing is of broidered gold, and her raiment of needlework, and her Fathers (that is her Rulers, and Governors, as patriarchs, and Prelates) are Princes throughout all the earth. But nowadays men are like unto the slack and slow people of the jews in the time of the Prophet Haggai, who said; the time is not yet come, that the Lords house should be builded. Haggai 1, 2.3.4, 5.6.7.8, 9.10.11. And therefore the word of the Lord came unto them by the ministery of the Prophet, saying: Is it time for yourselves to dwell in your seeled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts, consider your own ways in your own hearts, ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled; ye do you, but ye be not warm: and he that earneth wages, putteth the wages into a broken bag. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, consider your own ways in your own hearts. Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build this house, and I will be favourable in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord. Ye looked for much, and lo it came to little, and when ye brought it home I did blow upon it; And why, saith the Lord of hosts? because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house: Therefore the heaven over you stayed itself from dew, and the earth stayed her fruit: and I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the wine, and upon the oil, upon all that the ground bringeth forth, both upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands. Thus we see how sharply God hath punished men's niggardness and slowness about the building and beautifying of his house; And are not we as much bound to have an house of prayer to pray in to God, as were the Israelites of old? and is not God to be honoured with our riches and treasure now, as well as he was then? And is not our niggardness and slowness in doing of such duties, as punishable as theirs? But to return from pleading against our young judases, 1 Tim. 1, 19 & 6.10. to old judas; the miserable man was so much miscarried with the love of money (which carrieth many a soul away from the faith, and maketh them to make a sorrowful shipwreck) that he could never be satisfied with silver, till he had sold his own master, the son of God, and Saviour of the world, unto the jews for thirty pieces of silver. Math. 27.5, We have heard tell in our time of many treasons and traffics; but the world never hath heard, nor shall hear tell of such a treason and traffic as this; The son of God betrayed by his servant, whom he came to save, and sold for thirty pence of him, whom he came to ransom and redeem from sin, Satan, and hell, by the shedding of his blood. But behold the sequel of the attempt; forthwith the wretch went, and first restored the money, and then hanged himself. At the last (though too late) he began to consider with his mind, how that he had played both the bad Merchant, and ill servant at once, in selling the most precious jewel that ever the Sun saw, even his own master for so small a sum; and that he had made the worst market that ever man made, or ever shall or can make, though the world should last as many millions of years, as there is of sands upon the shore, or of drops of water in the main sea. Demetrius the silversmith, Act 19.24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34. was an irregular student in the way of enriching; for he together with divers others his fellow-smithes, had made themselves rich by making of silver temples, & shrines of the idol Diana; wherefore love of gain moved them to raise sedition in the city of Ephesus, when as Saint Paul, and some others of the godly, did endeavour to draw back the citizens thereof from idolatry. & 16.16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. Such irregulars were also the masters of the Pythonist maid, which gate her masters much vantage with divining: who, when as the Apostle had separated the familiar spirit from her, in the name of jesus, seeing that the hope of their gain was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the market place unto the magistrates, and accused them of preaching unlawful ordinances. Whereupon the people rose up together against them, and the governors rend their clothes, and commanded them to be beaten with rods, and to be cast in prison, and that their feet should be made fast in the stocks. Demas and Alexander the Coppersmith, 1. Tim. 1, 20. 2. Tim 4.10.14, 15. were likewise irregulars: the one forsook Paul, to embrace this present world; and the other, to the end he might follow the world, forsook the faith: and as the silversmith aforesaid, did raise sedition against the Apostle: so this coppersmith did much evil unto him, and with great earnestness withstood his preaching; whom the Lord, no doubt, rewarded according to his works, and the holy Apostles imprecation. And the like, out of all question, will befall unto all such impenitent resisters of verity, and breakers of Christian unity, be they smiths in office, or in name; For our time is not the first time, that smiths have been resisters of the truth, and molesters of the ministery. And master john Smith, the father of the few rebaptized Brownists, hath not been the first Smith, that hath proved the perturber of the peace of Christ's Church. God grant he may make some better use of his good parts hereafter, then to play the forger of a new faith, and of a new Church, upon the anvil of his own wit, and that he play not the Smith in this manner any more. Gen 19.24, 25. Ezech. 16.49, 50. 2. Pet. 2.6, Jude, 7 The citizens of Sodom were irregulars, and neglected the study and practise of the rules of this Art, they were proud of their prosperity, lived idly, and gave themselves to gluttony, excess, and lubricity, & for heap of wickedness, were void of charity and mercy Pride (saith the Prophet) fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness, was in her, and in her daughters, that is in her suburbs, and circumiacent towns; neither did they strengthen the hands of the poor and needy, but were haughty, and committed abomination before the Lord: and therefore he reigned down from above fire and brimstone upon their heads, overthrew their cities, consumed all the inhabitants of the same, and destroyed all the plain round about, and all that grew thereupon. As it ought therefore to be the chief care of all magistrates of cities and towns, to take heed there be no blaspheming and profaning of the name of God, used by wearing, banning, cursing, or by unreverent taking of the adorable name of God, and of his son jesus, his wounds, body, & blood in our mouths; nor no profaning of the Lords day, by practising any open or noted sin, or by following the exercises of our ordinary callings, or by spending the day in whole or in part, in matters of worldly pleasure, and pastime, and by absenting ourselves from the congregation and house of the Lord: (for it is an express sacrilege for a man to steal, or take any part of the Lords day from the Lords service:) So ought they no less carefully take heed, that none of these Sodomitical sins of pride, insolency, idleness, lechery, gluttony, drunkenness, and unmercifulness to the poor, have place, or at least grow strong, and take deep root within their cities and towns; lest in that great day, it be easier for the Citizens of Sodom and Gomorrhe, then for them: Matth. 11.20, 21, 22, 23, 24. and lest great Cities that have been great in sin, and Capernaum-like, through presumption and pride, have lifted themselves up unto heaven, be then brought down to hell. For though Almighty GOD is not wont now a days, to rain down fire and brimstone upon sinful Cities and Towns, as he did of old upon the five Cities of Sodom; yet he threateneth them both with fire and water, as often as he commandeth the fire to consume, and the water to overflow, not a few of our houses and habitations. And though sinful Cities escape here in this life fire and brimstone from above, yet must they remember, that God hath in store, floods and rivers of fire and brimstone below, much more durable & terrible, wherein they must everlastingly swim after this life, except, with the City of Niniveh, jonah. 3. they earnestly repent and amend their lives in this life: For either must men here quench hell fire with the salt water of penitent tears, and with the fresh water of a sanctified life, flowing from the living wellspring of a Christian belief, or else must they irrecoverably burn in hell fire hereafter. Psal. 11, 6. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares (saith the Psalmist) fire and brimstone, and stormy tempest shall be the portion of their cup: Heb. 12.14. For without holiness shall no man see God, saith the Apostle. It is good for great Cities to beware lest they be given to great sins, and that to this end, they set before their eyes always the terrible examples of God's judgements showed upon sinful Cities, that so they may learn to stand in awe of God, and fear to offend him, lest they draw the like indignation and condemnation upon 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 down into hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be kept unto damnation, neither yet spared the old world, but brought the flood upon the ungodly, and turned the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrhe into ashes; condemned them and overthrew them, and made them an ensample unto them that after should live ungodly: shall we think that he will spare always such sinful Cities and Citizens as do now walk after the flesh, having so many clear examples for their instruction as they have, and having a clear light for their direction to live godly, righteously, and soberly, in this present world then the other had? and if the Lord plagued the City where his name was called upon, even jerusalem (as the Lord himself by his Prophet reasoneth) should we flatter ourselves, jerem. 25.15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. and think to go free? no, we shall not go quit. The inhabitants of Babel, jerem. 51.1.6, 7, 8, 13, 25 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 53, 56.57. were not only idolaters, but also irregulars, in attaining unto riches by covetousness, oppression, spoil, and destruction of other nations, namely of the people of God. Wherefore the Lord speaketh unto Babel in this manner; O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, even the end of thy covetousness. Behold, I come unto thee, O destroying mountain, saith the Lord, which destroyest all the earth, and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a mountain. Nabuchadnezzar the king of Babel hath devoured me, and destroyed me, he hath made me an empty vessel: he swallowed me up like a dragon, and filled his belly with my delicates, and hast cast me out. The spoil of me, and that which was left of me, is brought unto Babel, shall the inhabitants of Zion say, and my blood unto the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall jerusalem say: Therefore thus saith the Lord, behold I will maintain thy cause, and take vengeance for thee, and Babel shall be as heaps, a dwelling place for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing without an inhabitant: They shall roar together like Lions, and yell as the Lion's whelp. Though Babel should mount up to heaven, and though she should defend her strength on high, yet from me shall her destroyers come, saith the Lord: For the Lord God that recompenseth, shall surely recompense. And I will make drunk her Princes, and her wise men, her Dukes, and her Nobles, and her strong and mighty men, and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the king, whose name is the Lord of Hosts. Fly out of the midst of Babel, and deliver every man his soul: be not destroyed in her iniquity: for this is the time of the Lords vengeance, he will render unto her a recompense. Babel is suddenly fallen and destroyed, howl for her, bring balm for her soar, if that she may be healed: Forsake her, and let us go every one into his own Country; for her judgement is come up into heaven, and is lifted up to the clouds. Ezek. 26, & 27.28, The inhabitants of Tyrus, both Prince and people, were irregulars in the way of Enriching: For they were so covetous, and insolent therewithal, that they were very glad, and rejoiced exceedingly at the fall of jerusalem, promising unto themselves, that by the means of her desolation and impoverishment, they should be made rich. And therefore the Lord gave them and their City over into the hands of the Babylonians, to spoil their merchandise, to rob them of their riches, to overthrow their pleasant houses, and costly buildings, to seize upon their Ships, and to destroy their City. The which was most famous for her situation, being even at the entry of the sea; for the resort of people from so many places, countries and Isles; for the beautifulness of her buildings; for the strength of her Navy; for the greatness of her Army; for the multitude of her Ships and Seamen, and for her store of most exquisite wares; as white Wool, fine Linen, broidered work, blue Silk, Purple, costly clothes, Iron, Tin, Led, Brass, Gold, Silver, Chains, Coral, Pearls, Emeralds, Horses, Mules, Vnicorne-hornes, Elophants teeth, Peacocks, Wheat, Honey, Oil, Balm, Wine, Lambs, Rams, Goats, Cassia, Calumus, and all kind of spices: For as the Tyrians attained unto so great wealth, most part by unlawful, and ungodly means: so both the Prince and the peopple, were lifted up in heart, because of their prosperity and riches. Thine heart (saith the Lord by his holy Prophet EZEKIEL, unto the Prince,) is lifted up because of thy riches, and by the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with cruelty, by the iniquity of thy merchandise hast thou defiled thyself; therefore will I cast thee as profane, out of the mountain of God. I will bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, which shall devour thee; and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee; all they that know thee amongst the people, shall be astonished at thee, thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more. Amos. 1.6.7.8.9.10. The inhabitants of Samaria, and head-smen of Israel in the time of the Prophet Amos, were irregulars in the way of Enriching: for they oppressed the poor, and destroyed the needy: And therefore, saith the Lord, have I given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and scarcenesss of bread in all your places; yet have ye not returned to me. I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest, and I caused it to rain upon one City, and have not caused it to rain upon an other City: one piece was reigned upon, and the piece whereupon it reigned not withered; yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. I have smitten you with blasting, and mell-dew, your great gardens, and your vineyards, and your fig-trees, and your olive trees, did the palmerworm devour; yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. Pestilence have I sent amongst you, after the manner of Egypt; your young men have I slain with the sword; yea I have made the stink of your tents to come up even into your nostrils; Amos. 5.5.11.12. yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. Forasmuch as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat, ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them, ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them: for I know your manifold transgressions, and your mighty sins, they afflict the just, they take rewards, and they oppress the poor in the gate. They lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves thereupon, they eat the Lambs of the flock, and the Calves of the stall, they sing to the sound of the viol, they invent to themselves instruments of music, they drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but no man is sorry for the affliction of joseph. Hear this, Amos 8.4.5.6.7.8. O ye that swallow up the poor, that ye may make the needy of the land to fail, saying: When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn, and the Sabaoth that we may set forth wheat, and make the Ephah small, and the sheckle great, and falsify the weights by deceit? that we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for shoes, yea and sell the refuse of the wheat. The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of jacob; surely, I will never forget any of their works. Shall not the land tremble for this, & every one mourn that dwelleth therein? The City of jerusalem had many irregulars in the way of enriching, before the time of her great desolation. Isay 1.17, 21, 22, 23. Their Princes and judges loved gifts, and followed after reward, (saith the Prophet isaiah) they judged not the fatherless, & 3.14, 15. neither came the widows cause before them: they eat up the vineyard the spoil of the poor was in their houses, they beat the poor people to pieces, and did grind their faces. jerem, 48.29. And as in Moab there was stoutness, and arrogancy, and haughtiness of heart, amongst their other sins, for which they were destroyed by the king of Babel; so the people of jerusalem were lofty, Isay 2.7. because of their wealth, they were proud, because their land was full of silver and gold, of treasure, of horses & chariots: & 3.16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, & 32 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. their women lived in ease, were idle, negligent, and careless; they were proud, haughty, and walked with stretched-out necks, and abounded in brave apparel, and costly attire: the men's chief care was to join house to house, and field to field, & 5, 8, 9, 10. to have whereupon to maintain this bravery and superfluity of their wives, to find them the ornament of the slippers, the calls, and the round tires, the sweet balls, the bracelets, and the bonnets, the tires of the head, the slops, and the head bands, the tablets, the rings, the ear-rings, and the mufflers, the costly apparel, the veils, the wimples, and the crisping pings, the glasses, the fine linen, the hoods, and the lawns, Another of their men's chief and ordinary exercises, & 5.11, 22. was to rise up early to drink wine, and to show themselves strong, in pouring in of strong drink, and to continue their tippling till the wine did consume them. And as the Lord threatened the haughty daughters of Zion with the spoil of their ornaments, & 3.16.24. telling them that their silk and their satin should be changed into sackcloth, their balls and sweet smells into dust and ashes; & 5, 8.11.22.23 so doth he by his holy prophet pronounce a woe unto these joiners of house to house, and layers of field to field, till there be no place but for them, that they may be placed by themselves in the midst of the earth: and likewise a woe unto these early uprisers to follow drunkenness; and yet a third woe unto all unjust judges, and lawless lawyers, which justify the wicked for a reward, and take away the right of the upright man from him, even unto such as decree wicked decrees, and write grievous things, to keep back the poor from judgement, and to take away their right, that they may pray upon the poor widows, and spoil the fatherless. Likewise the Prophet jeremy complaineth, jerem. 5.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.25, 26, 27, 28. that in jerusalem justice and judgement were not executed, no not for the fatherless, the widow, and the poor. And that their fullness was accompanied with adultery, and whoredom: for they assembled themselves by companies in the harlot's houses; so that their young men spent the daytime in wine, and the nighttime they spent in venery. Also amongst them were found wicked persons, entrappers, setters of snares, and makers of pits to catch men. As a Cage is full of birds, so were their houses full of deceit; & 6.13. & 8.10. and thereby they became great, waxed rich, fat, and shining. From the least to the greatest, they were generally given to covetousness, & 9, 3.4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and from the Prophet even to the Priest, they all dealt falsely. Yea, they did bend their tongues like their bows for lies, every one did deal deceitfully, and they taught their tongues to speak lies. Ezek. 22.7.12.13.27.29.31. Also the Prophet Ezekiel complaineth of the like enormities, of the oppressing of strangers, of vexing the fatherless, and the widow, of taking of gifts, of spoiling the poor, of taking of usury, and the increase, of defrauding their neighbours by extortion, and such other courses of their covetousness, and love of lucre. Therefore, saith the Lord I have smitten mine hands upon thy covetousness, that thou hast used, I have powered out mine indignation upon them, and consumed them with the fire of my wrath, their own ways have I rendered upon their heads. jerem. 9.15. & 15.1, 2, 3, 4. Behold, I will feed this people with wormwood (saith the Lord) and give them waters of gall to drink. Such as are appointed to death, unto death; such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity. I will appoint over them four kinds, the sword to slay, the dogs to tear in pieces, the fowls of the heaven to devour, and the beasts of the field to destroy. & 24.10. & 29.16, 17, 18. I will scatter them also in all kingdoms of the earth. And upon them that go not into captivity, I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like naughty figs, that cannot be eaten they are so naughty. I will make them a terror to all kingdoms of the earth, and a curse and astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach among all the nations. Isay 24. Thus the Lord for the sins of his people, made their land empty and waste, scattered the inhabitants, and made them desolate, spoiled the rich, debased the proud, weakened the mighty, and powered contempt upon their princes. He made the earth to defraud them of their bread, and the vine to withdraw from them their drink, and instead of sweet wine, & 51.17, 18, 19, 20. Habbak, 2.15, 16. that maketh the heart glad, he reached them a cup of sour wine, that maketh their hearts sad; even the vinegar of his wrath, the cup of trembling, the cup of his right hand, that is, a cup of strong drink, which he made them to drink out, dregs and all, in recompense of their early rising to follow drunkenness. This cup was so strong, that it brought the strongest powrer in of strong drink soon upon his back, and turned the drunkard's glory in drinking, into shameful spewing. Thus finally, the Lord turned jerusalems' joy into woe, her solace into sorrow, her mirth into mourning, her laughing into lamenting, her feasting into fasting, her fullness into famine, her abundance into indigence, her plenty into penury, her glory into shame, her praise into reproach, her blessedness into cursedness, her honour into hissing, her triumphs into terror, her stateliness into astonishment, her security into jeopardy, her liberty into captivity. Thus, I say, he smote her gate with destruction, and her Citizens with desolation. Conclusion. Thus you see, most noble Cities, what hath been the fortune and fall of a most noble City, and a city (if ever any in the wide world) beloved of God: ye see the greatness of her desolation, and that her great sins (for commonly in great Cities dwell great sins) did occasion the same; Considering the which, my thrice hearty wish unto God for you is that her desolation may serve for your edification, and her lamentable destruction may be unto you a profitable instruction: That avoiding and shunning her sins, and all kind of enormous and heinous impiety, all sacrilege, idolatry, pride, adultery, covetousness, cruelty, deceit, bribery, extortion, oppression, usury, and unmercifulness to the poor; Finally, all profanation of God's holy name, by unreverent, and unrespectfull naming thereof; by swearing, and forswearing; and all unhallowing of his holy name, in whole, or in part, by flying from the congregation, and following our own ways of profit and of pleasure, and forsaking the Lords ways of piety and of charity, ye may likewise escape her plagues, ye may be free from her wormwood bread, her waters of gall, her famine, her sword, her pestilence, her captivity, her scattering, her reproach, her astonishment, her shame, her servitude, her desolation and destruction. That so, right noble and flourishing Cities, ye may long continue noble, and long flourish in piety and prosperity, your Citizens and inhabitants may be long rich, and every day more and more rich, both in goods and goodness, that being rich in God here on earth, ye may be rich with God hereafter in heaven. And that this Art may end whereas it did begin, even at God; who as he is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning, and the ending of all things: so me thinketh is it good reason, that he be the Alpha and the Omega of this Art. Psal. 119.36. Let every man that desireth to see good things, pray to God with good King David: Lord incline mine heart unto thy testimonies, and not unto covetousness. Prou. 30.8.9. And with wise King Solomon his son: Give me not poverty nor riches too much: Feed me with food convenient for me, lest I be full and deny thee, and say: Who is the Lord? or least I be poor and steal, and take the Name of my God in vain. Amen. FINJS.