it in these daies which ariseth partly from our selues partly from you that be of this trade from vs because we consider not the necessity of it which if it were considered it would worke a greater regard of it and the persons professing it especially such of them as bee godly That it is of necessity who can deny can the Husbandman till sowe and reape without the helpe of it can the Marriner trauaile the Seas without it can the Carpenter build without it can the Soldier fight without it can any manlye in his house sleepe safely in his bed and haue his goods in house shop and ware-house safe without this trade I know he cannot who then can say he hath no need of a Blacke-smiths helpe If this were considered surely we should esteeme it more then we doe The second cause in ourselues why we so little esteeme it is because we are like children and fooles carried away with shewes of things not considering the truth and substance of them we see the trade not so sweet and pleasant as other trades bee nor the persons so beautifull and fashionable as others for the most part and hence it is wee come so little to respecte the Trade Alas here is our sinne and folly that we iudge of things according to the outward appearance wee consider not this as the ordinance of God and how profitable it is to the common wealth wel let vs iudge more wisely of these things and not be carried awaye with shewes Hence it conmeth that diuers Trades neither warrantable nor profitable bee so much admitted as toye-makers and makers of newe fashiond follies and the like this is the bane and will prooue the great impouerishment of the kingdome at the length that needlesse yea gracelesse trades be sett vp and this and such as this be be so much neglected well the worth of these will appeare more carendo quam fruendo but the inutilitie of these worthlesse trades magis fruendo quam carendo These are too principall causes why wee so little obserue and regard this trade so obserued of God as wee see Let vs amend the things that are in our selues taking away the clouds that haue so dazeled our eyes that we haue not seene nor rightly iudged of the worth of this trade let vs esteeme it of more worth and regard for the time to come And from these causes in our selues let vs discend to the causes in your selues why it and yee come to be so basely reputed and esteemed as your are The causes in your selues be diuers First in perticuler and inferior parties some of you giuen to intollerable drunkennes other to hastines vncivill and Churlish behauiour at home and abroade I knowe ye be fierie fellowes many of you by nature and your fiery workes further it therefore you should striue and set grace in the highest roome it deserueth it Secondly the cause is in you that be Gouernours First in your owne persons falling many times into these sinnes how can the body be sound when the head is thus sicke I would I did not speak truly both concerning the Gouernors of this and other companies for the most part Secondly in that you doe not rule as you should seeing these vices especially drunkennes and the like publick notorious sinnes so disgracefull to your trade and profession punished and this is the fault both of you that bee gouernors ouer the whole company and of you that be gouernours in another sence ouer some fewe namely of those that be committed to you in seruice and be vnder your roofes you should not permit any of these sinnes to harbour in them Thirdly the cause is amongst you all and that in choosing oft tymes vnfit men to these places of gouernment men more fit to bee gouerned then to gouerne being men either of scandalous life as drunkards and the like Wennes I say and wartes to the body of a common wealth better spared then preserued Can there or did there euer come any good to a company by the gouerment of such men I trow not Therfore beloued if you would haue that esteme and doe desire your trade should be of that credit it is meet you should haue it be of then euerie one in perticuler that is guilty of the foresaid sinnes of drunkennes of hastye anger of vnciuill Churlish behauiour Let him labour for grace whereby he may become temporate slowe to anger and of a meeke and quiet spirite which are things both with God and men much set by And for you that are Gouernors ouer the whole company either present or are newely to be established walke as men blamelesse in your owne carriages and for your owne examples and vse your authoritie for the reforming of these sinnes amongst many of you be not led by fauour to some nor fewe The faces of others doe what your places require you and the Lord is with you For you that are Gouernors in families looke to those that are in your tharge which if euery one would make conscience to doe as he standeth charged before God to doe then such enormous vices would be redressed amongst you To conclude with application to you all in the electing and establishing of your Gouernors as the Mastier and Wardens let your eyes hearts and hands goe with such that be of lawfull Trades of blameles liues and that can rule gouerne their owne Howses well for how canne you looke for a good gouernment from those that knowe not how to gouerne themselues nor their owne familyes oh choose men fearing God hating couetousnes and such as will be men of courage for good and against sinne Thus haue I shewed you the antiquitie and the obseruablenes of your trade as it is in truth As also how both you and it come to be so disgracefull amongest men It behoueth you to remoue the causes and so the effect will be remoued so shall your trade be of more esteeme in the world and you of more respect with God and man Which God for his mercies sake in Christ Iesus who is blessed for euer graunt Amen Amen FINIS Errata PAg. 1. line last read genuine p. 2. l. 4. adde the l. 13 r. mentioned p. 4. l. 20. r. Prosecution p. 5. l. 9. read giue in p. 6. l. 1. read seeking p. 7. l. 1. read from p. 10. l. 10. read ergo course l. 17. course p. 12. l. 17. adde and p. 13. l. 3 read spoute into l. 19. adde vm twice p. 16. l. 29. leaue out Thirdly p. 17. l. 2. leaue out the l. 7. read by l. 10. read bona nascuntur l. 11. bona p. 21. l. 23. read in a p. 22. l. 20. premised p. 23 l. 18. r. an p. 24. l. 15. r. deuil l. 18. r. idlesbyes l. 19. vsurers p. 26. l. 21 r. expresse l. 22. r. yea p. 32. l. 25. 4. r. customers p. 34. l. 18. adde of p. 37. l. 4. r. this l. 9. r. his p. 39. l. 5. r. you p. 40. l. 21. r. nor feare the faces l. 25. r. charge To the Reader THinke not Christian Reader that I take any delight to be seene in Print and thereby to bring my selfe vpon the Stage of the World and vnder the censure thereof I haue little reason to take delight heerein if I consider the readines of many to carpe and rather to finde faults happily where there be none then to mend any or my owne insufficiency to this worke Yet what will not Ionathan doe for Dauid At the earnest seeking of my Christian friends whome this specially concerneth haue I bene drawne to consent to the publishing of this worke If you finde good in it or by it pray for Gods blessing vpon it and for me though the most worthles of the Lords worthies that I may by my Ministerie fetch water that is teares of vnfained repentance out of the hearts of the vncircumcised Philistines to their saluation and the praise of his glorious grace who is blessed for euer Farwell Thine in Christ Iesus WILLIAM HOLBROOKE Doct. Reas Reas Motiues to perticuler callings 2. Coll 3.12 Doct. Reas Reasons why Vsury no calling of God Rules to be obserued in working in particuler callings Doct. Reas Rules to the obserued in attaining skill in our calling Rom. 8.11 Doct. Causes why this Trade is so basely esteemed from others Causes in Black-smiths
the outward successe nothing lesse should you conclude and yet this is the rule of the world as in case of marriage partyes marrying not in the Lord and without parents consents yea contrarie thereto If they liue peaceably as there is a peace amongst the deuills and haue children prosper in this world together presently say the men of the world was it not pitty but that they should haue beene nought together do not you see how God blesseth them with children a peaceable life worldly goods alas so he doth most wicked and wretched catifes as Haman and his wise but let such know they haue committed a fearfull sinne and their marriage was displeasing vnto God not withstanding the outward successe thereto And thus to conclude from the outward successe of things doth keepe many in impenitencie as those that thus vnlawfully marrie and such as increase themselues and waxe rich by sinfull courses by fraude lying couzening false weights by riding buying and selling vpon the Saboth God prosper vs say many in outward riches goe my cause is lawfull Alas poore man thy proofe will not hold out when it commeth to be tryed by fire and the ballance of sanctuary which is the reuealed truth of God in the meane while know there is bitternes in the end and in fine it will hurt like a serpent and bite Vse 2 like a Cockatrice Secondly let this learne vs to looke the manner of our causes and our lawfull proceedings in them so may wee looke for Gods blessing vpon them whether in marriage or any other course whatsoeuer otherwaies wee may haue the outward blessing and an inward cursse yea for want of repentance for vndertaking Vse 3 of the course vnlawfully goe to hell Thirdly let vs take heede of following a multitude to doe euill in this case this is the worlds motiue to vnder take such and such things because they see others wax great vpon the earth by them let the courses be neuer so vnlawfull if we follow them wee shall be ouertaken with the deceitfulnes of sinne and like the poore fish for greedines of the baite catch the hooke and all I know it is a fearfull and dangerous temptation to see the prosperity of any course But let vs labour more to be strong in the might of the Lord against that alwayes keeping our selues in with that sayof our Sauiour What will it gaine a man to winne the whole world and to loose his owne soule truly so doe all such that be carried away with lyes deceiptfulnes of sinne they play as wee say in the prouerbe wilie beguilie they deceiue themselues most of all as Esops dogge did who as the fable reporteth for the greedines of more snacht at the shaddow of that peece of meate he had in his mouth so for a shaddow lost the substance So much for this second point Wee will proceed to the next gathered out of the description of him by his mother whence wee obserue for our third Doct. 3 point that it is a common and vsuall course with the holy Ghost to obserue children and to discribe them by their mother a speciall course I say of the holy Ghost to set downe the mother of the childe whether the children be wicked or godly 1 Reg. 15.2 Abitam who walked in all the sins of his Father and whose heart was not perfect with the Lord as Dauids was Set out by his mother whose name was Maaccah the daughter of Abishalom Aza likewise who did that which was right in the sight of the Lord as did Dauid his father is set out to vs by his mother Ibidem v. 10.11.12 His mothers name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom Iehoash set out by his mother whose name was Zibiah of Beersheba 2 Regu 12. 1. Amaziah likewise Who did vprightly in the sight of the Lord 2. Chron 25.1 his mothers name was Iehoaddan of Ierusalem Iotham in like manner 2 Chron 27.1 Hezekiah also set out by his mother 3. Chron 29.1 his mothers name was Abiiah the daughter of Zechariah For that wee see hereby how frequent a thing it is for the holy Ghost to obserue the mother And the reason of it is for the most part the children imitate them much Vt canibus catuli similes sic matribus Haedi like mother like children which being thus it should learn vs these lessons First Vse 1 it should teach the mothers to take a speciall notice of themselues seeing God doth that they keepe themselues chaste and carry themselues vnreproouable vnto amongst their children yea this appertayneth to mothers in a speciall manner because their children sucke of them if able to giue suck except more vnnaturall then bruit beasts vnto their young they be often with them playing and waking when husband is not they be with them most at the first when they are fittest to haue grace wrought in them therefore they should carefully obserue themselues that they so carrie themselues that no euill example much lesse euill instructions may be giuen Oh let it be thy care especially who art a mother to haue a special eie to thy selfe how thou walkest talkest workest apparrelest thy selfe before thy children speake thou teach them to speake the language of Canaan and with thy naturall milke they suck from thy breasts labour to speake vnto them the heauenly milke of the word be thou apparrelled so frugally christianly that they may obserue thee follow thee therein Remember example preuaileth more then doctrine as the Apostle saith in another case giue no offence to the Iew or gentile soe say I to all mothers in this case obserue your selues in your whole carriage amongst your children that none may obserue ought but what is good to edification amōgst you Remember the Lord obserueth you he had need to look to his cariage behauiour when the Lord so eyeth obserueth Secondly this teacheth men vnmarried to be carefull in choosing of Vse 2 their wiues with whome they match and to obserue them wel before they make that match with them quod semel statuend diu deliberand Consider their equality for religion condicion disposition euery way if thou respect thy selfe thy posterity which thou mayst looke and pray for vpon the vsing of that ordinance Whosoeuer would haue good children let him looke that he take a good wife that may promise him much comfort that way The beginning of comfort in children is to beginne thy family with a gracious wife as Isaach did of whome it is said she comforted him after his mothers death In nature this is a right course he that will haue good fruite must store this ground with good plants a man cannot looke for apples where he planteth a Crabtree stock no more can a man looke for good children where he marrieth a wicked wife I knowe God may for the husbands sake sanctifie the children he being gracious but it is not vsuall for oftentimes God punisheth the rash and
vnwarrantable matches of many of his owne children with monstrous children Of such matches came Gyants and monstrous persons in former times of the like came monster yea sonnes and daughters of Anak If not in quantitie yet in quality and condition in our daies as daily experience telleth vs yea often times such matches are rewarded with children mishapen in bodies and Vse 3 soules Thirdly this should learne husbands to obserue their wiues not to endure prophane vnchast immodest behauiour in them as immodest behauiour in word in lookes in apparrell neither nicenes in meate drinke or the like least their children learne thereby and their examples doe more hurt then thy instructions can doe them good for often times it falleth out that an euill example doth more hurt in one day then godly exhortations can doe good in a whole weeke Let husbands then looke to their wiues dwelling with them as men of knowledge giuing honour to them as to the weaker vessels approuing and commending them in what is good disproouing and disliking what is euill and by al good meanes labouring the redresse thereof that it bee not at the length too truly said like mother like daughter which meeteth with the remissiuenes folly of many husbands who for feare of displeasing their wiues fearing them more then God yea making their wiues Idoles whereas husbands should please their wiues in that which is good and to edification let euill humors so dwell in the head that the whole body at the length is tainted therewith And so much shall suffice to haue spoken of this point Wee will now come to the next discription of him that is from his calling wherin we obserue these foure things First that he was not idle but had a calling which offereth this poynt of doctrine vnto vs considering him as a meere naturall man without conscience of God It is against Doct. 4 the light of nature that any man should liue idlely vnlawfully and without a perticuler calling The scripture euery where vrgeth thus that euery man should haue a personall calling 1. Cor. 7.20 giueth witnes thereto commanding euery man to abide in his calling wherein he is called whether bond or free as the verses after declare It is a statute law of God irreuokable Gen. 3.19 that euery man should in the sweate of his face that is in some calling wherein he may labour eat bread till he returne to the earth Yea God would haue Adam not to be idle nor alwayes to be praying and praising God therefore he put him in the Garden to dresse it 2. Thessa 3.12 Paul there reprouing such that vnder a shew of being Christians and amongst them did neglect to labour but liued vpon other mens labour and at other mens trenchers ioyning himselfe in commission with the rest of the Apostles and the rest with him confirmeth this saying wee commaund and exhort by our Lord Iesus Christ that they worke with quietnes and eate their owne bread God making of the world in sixe dayes was to teach vs this and our Sauiour Christ his working of the Carpenters trade vntill the time of his publique office in the Church Which being so it first teacheth parents not onely that they be carefull to bring vp their children in instruction and information of the Lord but also that they trayne them vp in a perticuler and personall calling The holy men of antient times both concerning their sonnes and daughters haue done so yea though great and worthy without question able to haue kept them though they had done nothing Adam brought vp his sonnes in callings so did Iacob his and Laban too Let parents then looke to this and that not onely Patres Corporis but also Patres Patriae if the former faile let not the second to see men brought vp and trayned vp in perticuler callings which if it were carefully obserued there would be a healing of many euills in the whole land and in perticuler in this Cittie Thirdly for what is the cause of so much idlenes beggery cunny catching and shifting yea and whoring in this Cittie but this that men do not of conscience set themselues to labour in perticuler callings and the Maiestrates do not see the good lawes to this end made executed If they wil not of conscience fall to this course let them bee constrained be lawe the Maiestrate should not beare the sword for naught or be like a player vpon the Stage to play his part away ex malis moribus bon inascunter leges yea let me somwhat alter that and say also malis pro moribus boni leges Secondly this should teach children willingly to submit themselues to be trained vnto Vse 2 and cheerefully with all good conscience to goe on in performance of their perticuler callings and not onely children but also all such as haue liued idly without a calling a long while let them fall to this knowing they haue sinned against the light of nature yea Tubalkain of Cains broode and Lamechs sonne shall rise vp in iudgement against them except they fall to some personall calling Oh let such fall now to a calling it is no shame to beginne to doe well but it is a shame to liue out of a calling And that I may perswade them to it and others who stand in any calling cherefully to go on in it I will lay downe some motiues to perswade euery man to a personal calling First Idlenes is the mother of all euill and an occasion for the deuill to drawe men to euill by yea what occasion of sinne doth not the deuill take to drawe men to that be without imployment Let the Sodomites iudge Did not he drawe them as he doth many with vs from idlenes to fulnes of bread and belly cheare to make their belly their God and from that to pride and from all to be voyde of compassion to the poore Nay let the deare seruants of God when they haue but for a while without warrant and more then needed ceased their businesses witnesse this did not the deuill tempt Dauid and drawe him to adultery from thence to murder when when hee was idle sleeping vpon his bedd when hee was needlesly walking when hee should haue beene otherwayes imployed vpon the Roofe of his house and doth hee not drawe most in our daies to the like yea to fearfuller sinnes being idle for as one saith if thou haue nothing to doe the deuill will arrest thee for his seruice Oh how should the consideration of this moue euery man to betake himselfe to a perticular calling it being such an excellent meanes to keepe a man from sinne and from aduantaging of the deuill Secondly consider that thou liuing and not labouring in a perticuler calling according to thy place thou neither eatest thy owne bread drinkest thy owne drinke nor wearest thy owne apparrell for so the Apostle insinuateth when hee saith Wee commaund that they labour and eat their owne bread oh