8 9 101 11 16. Giue almes saith Tobias to his sonne of thy substance and when thou giuest it let not thine eye be enuious neither turne thy face from any poore least that God turne his face from thee Giue almes according to thy store if thou haue but a little be not afraid to giue a little almes for thou layest vp a good store for thy selfe against the day of necessity Because that almes doth deliuer from death and suffereth not to come into darknesse for almes is a good gift or present before the most high to all them which vse it Giue of thy bread to the hungry and of thy garments to them that are naked yea of all thine aboundance giue alms and let not thine eye bee enuious when thou giuest almes It is better to giue almes then to lay vp gold saith the glorious Angell Raphael to Tobias for almes doth deliuer from death 12 8.9 and doth purge all sinne and those which exercise almes and righteousnesse shall bee filled with life Water quencheth burning fire and almes taketh away sinnes saith Iesus the sonne of Sirach and hee that rewardeth good deedes will remember it afterwards Eccles 3.33 34. and in the time of the fall he shall finde a stay 4.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9.10 My sonne defraude not the poore of his liuing and make not the needy eyes to waite long make not an hungry soule sorrowfull neither vex a man in his necessity Trouble not the heart that is griued and desire not the gift of the needy Refuse not the praier of one that is in trouble turne not away thy face from the poore nor thine eies aside from him and giue him none occasion to speake euill of thee for if hee curse thee in the bitternesse of his soule his prayer shall be heard of him that made him Bee courteous vnto the company of the poore let it not grieue thee to bow downe thine eare vnto the poore but pay thy debt and giue him a friendly answere Bee as a father vnto the fatherlesse and as an husband vnto their mothers so shalt thou bee as the sonne of the most high and hee shall loue thee more then thy mother doth Stretch thine hand vnto the poore 7.33 34 35. that thy blessing and reconciliation may bee accomplished Liberalitie pleaseth all men liuing Tobit 2.4 7. and from the dead refraine it not Let not them that weepe bee without comfort 4.17 Bee not slow to visite the sicke for that shall make thee to be beloued Let vpright men eate and drinke with thee Eccles 9.18 and let thy reioicing bee in the feare of the Lord. Do good vnto the righteous 12.2.4.5 7. and thou shalt finde great reward though not of him yet of the most high Giue vnto such as feare God do well vnto him that is lowly 14.13 Do good vnto thy friend before thou die according to thine ability stretch out thine hand and giue him 17.20 25. The almes of a man is as a thing sealed vp before God and hee keepeth the good deedes of a man as the apple of the eye and giueth repentance to their sons daughters At the last shall hee arise and reward them and shall repay their reward vpon their heads Hee that will shew mercy 29.1.2.9.11 12.13.14 lendeth to his neighbour Lend to thy neibour in the time of his need and pay thou thy neighbour againe in due season Helpe the poore for the commandements sake and turne him not away because of his pouerty Bestow the treasure after the commandement of the most high and it shall bring thee more profite then gold Lay vp thine almes in thy secret chambers and it shall keepe thee from all affliction A mans almes is as a purse with him and shall keepe a mans fauour as the apple of the eye and afterwards shall it arise and pay euery man his reward vpon his head 40.24 It shall fight for thee against thine enemies better then the Shield of a strong man or the Speare of the mighty yea almes shall deliuer more then friends I haue shewed you all things saith Saint Paul to the Ephesians how that so labouring yee ought to support the weake Acts 20.35 and to remember the words of the Lord Iesus how that hee said It is a blessed thing to giue rather then to receiue And the same Apostle laboureth much in exhorting the faithfull to distribute vnto the necessities of the Saints Rom. 13.8.13 and to giue themselues to hospitalitie and to shew mercy with all cheerefulnesse of minde Heb. 13.2.16 Bee not forgetfull saith hee to lodge strangers for thereby haue some receiued Angels into their houses vnawares to doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is pleased This remember that hee which soweth sparingly shall reape also sparingly 2 Cor. 9 6.7.10.11 and hee that soweth liberally shall reape also liberally As euery man wisheth in his heart so let him giue not grudgingly or of constraint for God loueth a cheerefull giuer Also he that findeth seede to the sower will minister likewise bread for food and multiply your seed and increase the fruits of your beneuolence that on all parts ye may be made rich vnto all liberalitie which causeth through vs thankesgiuing vnto God Gal. 6.9.10 Let vs not be weary of well-doing for in due season wee shall reape if wee faint not While we haue therefore time let vs doe good vnto all men but specially vnto them which are of the houshold of faith 1 Tim. 6.17.18.19 And hee enieoyneth Timothie the first Bishop of Ephesus to charge them that are rich in this world that they doe good and be rich in good works and ready to distribute and communicate laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life Whosoeuer hath this worlds goods 1 Ioh. 3.17 saith the Disciple whom the Lord Loued and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him The Apostle S. Iames Iam. 127. 2.1.2 3 4.5 6.13 14 15 16. and first Bishop of Ierusalem teacheth vs that we must not despise the poore for their pouerty and course clothing seeing God hath chosen the poore of this world that they should bee rich in Faith and heires of the kingdome which hee promised to them that loue him He likewise warneth vs how there that shall bee iudgment mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercy to him that will not fill the hungry belly and clothe the naked backe for pure religion and vndefiled before God the father saith he is this to vesit the fatherlesse and widows in their aduersitie and for a man to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world 1. Pet 4.8 9.10 Aboue all things saith S. Peter the first of the
THE GOLDEN ART OR The right way of Enriching Comprised in ten Rules proued and confirmed by many places of holy Scripture and illustrated by diuers notable examples of the same Very profitable for all such persons in Citie or Countrie as doe desire to get increase conserue and vse goods with a good conscience By. I.M. Maister in Arts. 1. Sam. 2.7 The Lord maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth low and exalteth ECCLESIASTIC 11.14 Prosperitie and aduersitie life and death pouertie and riches come of the Lord 2. Cor. 9.8 Yee know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that hee beeing rich for your sakes became poore that yee through his pouertie might be made rich LONDON Printed for William Leake and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Holy Ghost 1611. To the two most Famous Ancient and Opulent Sister-Cities of the Ocean-walled-world of Britaines Ile the Augustious Chambers of our most gracious King IAMES the Concorder and the first Christian Vniter thereof LONDON the Lady of Cities and Load stone of Strangers EDINBVRG the bright Eye of the North. And to the Honourable GOVERNOVRS ALDERMEN and SHERIFFES BAILLIES and DEANE of the Guild With the whole Worshipfull CORPORATIONS COMPANIES therof A Britaine for a perpetual testimonie of his obseruancy doth in right humble and hearty maner dedicate the Golden Art of Enriching being the first Art that euer was written vpon this subiect and likewise the first that euer was written originally in the Britannish Tongue IAMES MAXVVELL To the Right Honourable SIR WILLIAM CRAVEN Knight Lord Mayor of the Augustious Citty of LONDON and the flower of all Noble minded Merchants SIR IOHN ARNOT Knight Lord Prouost of the Royall City of EDINBVRGE and Collector of the Crowne-rents of Scotland All desirable Felicity Right Honourable I BEING of late in reuoluing and reuiewing the confused Masse of mine vnpolished papers among mine other exercises and essayes I found the proiect and platforme of this present Art and hauing taken some paines about the polishing and finishing thereof I was loath it should perish or yet lye any longer shut vp in the obscure corner of a coffer And therefore partly presuming and partly hoping that it might do some good vnto such as labour either to get goods with a good conscience or to vse their goods already gotten in a good and godly manner I was somuch the more willing to set it out to publicke veiw And because it was mine hap to prosecute my studies and to run my Philosophicall course in the Noble Citty of EDINBVRGE whereby my small capacity hath herein been furthered and my fortune to write and finish this present Arte in this famous Citty of LONDON where now I liue therefore I thought it my duty to dedicate the same vnto the foresaid two most Honourable Citties of this I le and that for a testimony of mine obseruancy and gratefull affection towards them both Being somuch the more moued to implore and imploy their honourable patronage therein as for because that the subiect thereof doth especially concerne Citties and Citizens and genenerally all such in Citty or country as labour to be rich in the right way In it truely is contained whatsoeuer thing the Sacred Scripture dispersedly doth afford concerning pouerty and riches and the vertues and vices which are incident or conuersant about the same Out of the which holy Booke I haue collected the whole rules reasons probations and exemplifications of this Arte and therfore I haue not amplyfied nor enlarged my discourse as I might haue done with the forraine stuffe of humane testimonies and that for these three reasons First because that the holy Scripture beeing diligently searched is no lesse-sufficient to shew a man the right way of Enriching then it is of Beleeuing that the reasons and testimonies thereof are of vncontroullable authority Secondly because I did foresee how that this Arte by such enlarging would arise to such a volume that it should bee both hardly reade ouer of rich men who haue too little time to peruse large bookes and hardly compassed or got of poore men who haue too little money to buy big bookes And lastly because it is my purpose God willing to discourse both Theologically and Philosophically in the Arte of Flying how that no lesle then these ten Schoolemaisters 1. Almighty God 2. The glorious Angels 3. The holy Pen-men of sacred Scripture Prophets and Apostles 4. The reuerend Doctors of the Church 5. The wise Philosophers of the Heathen 6. The Worlds frame in the Heauens Starres and Elements 7. The Fowles of the Aire 8. The Fishes of the Sea 9. The Beasts of the Field 10. And the creeping things of the earth do all of them coniunctly concurre to teach Man how to become a Bird of Paradise that is to say how to flie from all vices to all opposite vertues Accept therefore Right Honourable in good worth in the name of your foresaid two flourishing Citties the Golden Arte of Enriching such as it is being the first Arte that euer was written vpon this subiect yea and the first Arte that euer was originally written in the common language of this most noble I le and as I suppose the first booke that euer did beare this Vnionall kind of Dedication Grace it therefore with your fauourable visage and guarde it with your worthy patronage So shall it bee secured vnder your shadow and I encouraged to offer God-willing one day vnto the honour of these your two most Honourable Sister-citties our IAMES ANNA that is the patterne of a perfite Citty That which resteth is my thrise hearty wish vnto God who hath planted peace in your Borders Psal 147.13.14 strengthned your gates and satisfied you with the floure of wheate that it would be his gratious pleasure to crowne you more and more with all kind of Spirituall and Temporall blessings that your Sonnes may be as the plants Psal 144.12.13.14 growing vp in their youth and your Daughters as the corner-stones grauen after the similitude of a Palace Psal 65.9.10.11.12.13 that your corners may be ful and abounding with diuers sortes and the furrowes of your fieldes may be made soft with showers and filled with fatnesse That your pastures may be replenished with dewy grasse and clad with sheepe bringing forth thousands in your Territories together with kine sending forth the soft streames of sweet milke and likewise with oxen strong to labour your land That your vallies may be couered with corne Psal 132.15 Zach. 9.17 and your trees and orchards loaden with fruite so that your Poore may be satisfied with bread and your Yong-men and Maids for ioy may shoute and sing Psal 144 14. That there be no inuasion from without nor sedition from within nor no crying in your streetes Isay 23.58 and circumiacent townes That your Merchants may be as Princes and your Chapmen and Shopmen as the Nobles of the earth that
enough for my life saith Iesus the sonne of Sirach Ecclesiast 5.1 31.8 2.4.5.6 blessed is the rich which is found without blemish and hath not gone after gold nor hoped in money and treasures Whatsoeuer commeth vnto thee receiue it patiently be patient in thy change into affliction for as gold and siluer are tryed in the fire euen so are men acceptable in the furnace of aduersity beleeue in God and he will helpe thee order thy way aright and trust in him hold fast his feare and grow old therein Heereby Christians are taught not to grudge against God if at any time hee crosse vs in our prosperity and take from vs our substance whether in part or whole yea wee ought to confide so farre in Gods goodnesse that hee will send vs againe that which hee hath taken from vs and restore it with aduantage if hee seeth that it shall bee expedient for vs and profitable for our soules health Otherwise we ought to thinke that it is farre better for vs to want goods then to be voyd of goodnesse and that our case is more blessed to lacke or loose goods then to enioy them and withall to abuse them to luxury superfluity licentiousnes and sin Psal 119.71 94.12 Heb. 2.10.18 Act. 14.22 Eccles 2.4.5.6 It is good for me saith holy Dauid that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy statutes And blessed is the man whom thou chastisest ô Lord teachest him in thy law And therefore the blessed Apostle telleth vs that by affliction we are made like to the Son of God yea that we must through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God Our most wise bountifull Father knoweth best what is best for his childrens behoofe Neither ought the vertuous minded man thinke any whit the worse of himselfe for his want of wealth or yet be deiected in courage therefore as though he were by reason of his indigence lesse in Gods fauour then others that do abound Neither must we measure Gods fauour with the yard or ell of earthly prosperity For the Prophet Dauid telleth vs Psal 10 4.5.6 37.7.35 73 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 that the wicked and his waies doe prosper oftentimes so that hee saith in his heart he shall neuer bee mooued nor be in danger yea he is strong and spreadeth himselfe like a greene baie tree there are no bands in their death but they are lustie and strong they are not in trouble as other men neither are they plagued with other men their eies stand out for fatnesse they haue more then heart can wish they are licentious and speake wickedly they talke presumptuously they set their mouth against heauen and their tongue walketh through the earth Lo these are the wicked saith Dauid yet prosper they alwaies and increase in riches And the holy Prophet Ieremie questioneth the Lord about the same matter in this manner Ierem. 12.1 2. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper why are all they in wealth that rebelliously transgresse thou hast planted them and they haue taken root they growe and bring forth fruit thou art neere in their mouth and farre from their reines Likewise the holy man Iob sheweth vs in very large and ample manner the wickeds prosperitie Iob 21.7 8 9 10 11 12 13. They liue and waxe old and growe in wealth their seed is established in their sight their houses are peaceable without feare and the rod of God is not vpon them their bullocke gendreth and faileth not their cowe calueth and casteth not the calfe they send forth their children like sheepe and their sonnes daunce they take the tabret and the harp and reioyce in the found of the organs they spend their daies in wealth and suddainely they goe downe to the graue Thus we see that euen the wicked and such as blaspheme God and oppresse the poore may enioy great prosperitie and wealth for a time And truely it shall be no more but for a time for as the same two holy men teach vs Psal 10.15 37 9 10 17 20 34 36. 52.5 7.3 18 19 20. Iob 21 17 18 19 20 30. 27.13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 The Lord will breake the arme of the wicked God shall cut off him and his seed he shal destroy him for euer hee shall plucke him out of his Tabernacle and roote him out of the land of the liuing he shall passe away and perish and shal not be found any more he shall be suddainly destroyed horribly confounded and his image shall be despised The candle of the wicked shall bee put out they shall be as stubble before the wind and as chaffe that the storme carrieth away they are kept vnto the day of destruction and they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath The sword shall destroy his children and his posteritie shall not be satisfied with bread Though hee should heap vp siluer as the dust and prepare raiment as the clay hee may prepare it but the iust shall put it on and the innocent shall diuide the siluer Terrours shal take him as waters and a tempest shall carrie him away by night And as the wicked oftentimes enioy great plentie and prosperitie so haue many of the godly many times beene afflicted with penurie pouertie and want And yet for all this God left not off to loue them most deerely For their aduersitie affliction and trouble they were not a whit the lesse beloued of God but rather the more according to that saying of the holy man Iob Iob 5.17 Blessed is the man whom the Lord correcteth And therefore not onely wise king Salomon Prou. 3.11 12. Heb. 12.5.6 7.8.9.10 11. and the holy Apostle Paul but also our Sauiour himselfe teacheth vs that the Lord correcteth him whom hee loueth euen as the father doth the child in whom he delighteth Also the same Apostle telleth vs Reuel 3.19 that many of the children of God of the olde times were brought to such a pinch that they were bitten with pouertie and want Heb. 11.36.37.38 for they wandred saith he vp and downe in sheepes skinnes and in goates skins beeing destitute afflicted and tormented they wandred in wildernesses and mountaines and dennes and caues of the earth obnoxious vnto racking mocking scourging chaining imprisoning stoning hewing and slaying with the sword And what was the pouertie of Christ Iesus the Sonne of God in his birth life and death it is more then manifest 2. Cor. 8.9 for hee beeing rich as Lord of heauen and earth became poore for our sakes saith the Apostle that we through his pouertie might bee made rich Matth. 1.16.20 13.55 Hee was so poore in the time and manner of his birth that he was laid in a cratch Luk 2.4.5.6.7 Mark 6.3 euen in a stable among oxen and asses folded and swathed in clothes of little price The house wherein he was borne was a