God God will not be wanting in any good thing to us Nor can we look that God should make good his promises if we make them void by not observing the condition as that we may do by our distrusting him If we will not dare to trust God upon his promise so confidently as we would a friend or some great man that is able and honest Besides the Lord hath promised that there shall be no want to them that fear him and that no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Psal. 34. 9. 84. 11. Where observe two things there shall be no want to such and such shall want no good thing so that he must be such an one to whom the promise is made and he must also be sure that it is good for him which is promised But oftentimes it is not good for a man to abound with earthly blessings as strong drinke is not good for weake brains Yea if any thing be wanting to a good man he may be sure it is not good for him and then better that he doth want it then that he did enjoy it and what wise man will complain of the want of that which if he had would prove more hurtful then gainful to him as a sword to a mad man a knife to a childe drinke to them that have a Fever or the Dropsie No good thing will God with-hold c. and therefore not wants themselves which to many are also good yea very good things as I could reckon up many want sanctified is a notable means to bring to repentance to work in us amendment of life it stirs up to prayer it weans from the love of the world it keeps us always prepared for the spiritual combate discovers whether we be true believers or hypocrites prevents greater evils of sin and punishment to come It makes us humble conformable to Christ our head increaseth our faith our joy and thankfulnesse our spiritual wisdom and likewise our patience as I have largely shewen in The Benefit of Affliction To coonclude All good things were created for the good and therefore are they called goods because the good God created them for good men to do good withal Therefore as Jacob got the blessing so he gat the inheritance also to shew that as the faithful have the inward blessing so they have the outward blessing too when they will do them good and cause them to do good Yea in this case even as the sheaffs fell before Ruth so riches shall fall in our way as they did to Abraham and Lot and Jacob and Job and Joseph upon whom riches were cast they knew not how but as if God had onely said Be rich and they were rich straight But that this is the true and only way to wealth and happiness needs no more proof then that which is recorded of Solomon 1 Kings 3. 2 Chron. 1. where the Lord appearing to him in a dream said Ask what I shall give thee And he asking only an understanding heart to discern between good and evil that he might the better discharge that great place whereunto God had called him wherein Gods glory and the peoples good was his principal aime and end Heare what the Lords answer is Because this was in thine heart and thou hast not asked riches wealth or honour nor the life of thine enemies neither yet hast asked long life but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thy self that thou mightest judge my people over whom I have made thee King Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee and I will give thee riches wealth and honour such as none of the Kings have had that have been before thee neither shall there any after thee have the like c. Yea he was so surpassing rich that he gave silver in Jerusalem as stones and gave Cedars as the wilde fig-trees that grow abundantly in the plain 1. King 10. 27. 2 Chron. 1. 7 to 13 14 15. Lo the true way to Wealth honour and happiness is to desire grace that we may glorifie God and do good for cleering whereof I 'le give you a similitude A man spies a fair apple on a tree hath a longing desire to it whereupon he falls a shaking the tree with all his might at length it not only comes down but many other come down to him together with it And so much to prove that the way to become rich is first to become godly If any shall ask why the godly are not alwayes nor oft rich notwithstanding these promises I answer that God not seldom withholds these outward blessings from his own people in great love only affording them all things that they have need of Our heavenly Father who knows us better then we know our selves and what is good and fit for us even as the Nurse knows better then the childe and the Physician better then the Patient knows too well how apt we are to abuse these his mercies and that we cannot abound with earthly blessings but we grow proud and surfeit of them as we see Solomon himself did who was the wisest next to Adam in his innocency that ever lived and likewise how happy it is for them to be kept short And when the All-wise God does fore-see that men will serve him as the Prodigal son served his father who only prayed untill he had got his patrimony and then forsook him and spent the same in riot to the givers dishonour even as the cloud that is lifted up and advanced by the Sun obscures the Sun In this case he either denies them riches in mercy as he denied Saint Paul in his suit 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. And our Saviour himself Matth. 26. 39. Or grants them their riches in wrath Hosea 13. 11. Psal. 106. 15. of which I have largely spoken in the foregoing pages where I have declared how miserable they are who swim in wealth wanting grace and Gods blessing upon what they do possesse This is the first and main step to riches and the next is like unto it viz. bounty and liberality to the poor members of Jesus Christ For CHAP. XXX SEcondly He that would be a rich man let him be a merciful man and do good with what God hath already given him be it never so little for there is not a more sure and infallible way to increase and multiply a mans outward estate then in being charitable to the poor if we will believe Gods Word As what saith our Saviour Give and it shall be given unto you good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over shall men give into your bosome Luke 6. 38. Matth. 7. 2. Mark 4. 24. In which regard it may be truly said Eleëmosyna non est divitiarum dispendium sed ditescendi potius compendium quaestusque omnium uberrimus And to this accords that place in the Proverbs There is that scattereth and is more increased but he that spareth more then is right shall surely come to
doe is brought in if it want ballast and lading there is great danger of overturning but a light Pinace indifferently freight comes along swiftly and is brought to the harbour with much ease Nor do the godly wise desire more then they can wield in which they resemble Aristippus who when a servant in journeying with him was tyred red with the weight of the money which he carried bid him cast out that which was too heavy and carry the rest whereas the covetous man is like Arthipertus King of the Lombards who flying from Asprandus his enemy and being to swim over the River Tesino to save his life took so much gold with him that he both drowned it and himself with it Secondly the poor and mean have a deeper sense of Gods fatherly care and providence in replenishing them at all times of need even beyond imagination or expression then others have that know not what it is sometimes to want whiles wicked mindes have their full scope they never look up above themselves but when once God crosseth them in their projects their want of success teaches them to give God his own We should forget at whose cost we live if we wanted nothing And doubtless one bit from the month of the Raven was more pleasing to Elijah then a whole Table full of Ahabs dainties Nothing is more comfortable to Gods children then to see the sensible demonstrations of the divine care and providence as is promised Prov. 3. 6. In all thy wayes acknowledge him and he shall direct thy wayes The godly man wearies not himself with cares fears have he but from hand to mouth never so little for he knows he lives not at his own cost He considers what Saint Peter saith 1 Pet. 5. Cast your care upon the Lord for he careth for you verse 7. He remembers what our Saviour saith Matth. 6. observes the same and never doubts of the performance so he takes no thought for to morrow what he shall eat or what he shall drink or wherewith he shall be clothed but applauds his own happiness knowing that he who feedeth the fowls of the Air and arrayeth the Lillies of the field will be sure to feed and clothe them that are his sons and houshold servants Matth. 6. 25 to the end Luke 12. 22 to 33. Levit. 26. 3 to 14. Phil. 4. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 7. Psal. 55. 22. Besides as there are intercourses of sleeping and waking of night and day of fair weather and foul of war and peace of labour and recreation that each may set off the other so God findes it meet by a sense of want to humble us and by supplying our wants to fill us with joy and thankfulness Ptolomie King of Egypt going a hunting lost his way and could get no better fare then a course brown loaf in a Shepherds house but this he said seemed sweeter and better to him then all the delights that ever he ate or met with before Content in want is plenty with an over-plus The giver of all things knows how to dispence his favours so as that every one may have cause both of thankfulness and humiliation whiles there is none that hath all nor any one but hath some Thirdly God in mercy not seldome keeps his children from riches and abundance lest they should choak and wound them for they are snares and thorns Matth. 13. 22. Indeed riches are a blessing if we can so possess them that they possess not us There can be no danger much benefit in abundance all the good or ill of wealth or poverty is in the minde in the use But this is the misery Plenty of goods commonly occasions plenty of evils How many had been good had they not been great Divers have changed their mindes with their means neither hath God worse servants in the world then are rich men of the world if adversity hath slain her thousands prosperity hath slain her ten thousand Commonly where is no want is much wantonness and as we grow rich in temporals we grow poor in spirituals Usually so much the more proud secure wanton scornful impenitent c. by how much the more we are enriched advanced and blessed They spend their days in wealth therefore they say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes and what is the Almighty that we should fear him Job 11. 13 14 15. CHAP. XXVI FOurthly men in a middle condition are mostly more merry and contented then others that surfeit with abundance Who so melancholy as the rich worldling and who more merry then they that are poorest I have read of a rich Land-lord that envied his poor tenant because he heard him sing every day at his labour yet had scarce bread for his family while himself wanting nothing was full of discontent One advised him to convey cunningly into his Cottage a bag of money he did so the tenant finding this mass so great in his imagination left off his singing and fell to carking and caring how to increase it Crescentem sequitur cura pecuniam The Land-lord fetcheth back his money the Tenant is as merry as ever he was Which shews that there is no riches comparable to a contented minde as Plutarch is of opinion That there are poor Kings and rich Coblers as wise Solon seemed to insinuate to the King when he was vaunting of his greatness For it was Iris a poor beggar that he told Croesus was the happiest man in his Dominions And when King Agis requested the Oracle of Apollo to tell him who was the happiest man in the world expecting to hear himself nominated the answer was Aglaion who was a poor Gardiner in Arcadia that at sixty years of age had never gone from home but kept himself and his family with their labour in a fruitful plot or garden as Livius relates Pyrrhus opened himself to his friend Cineas that he first intended a war upon Italy and what then said Cineas then we will attempt Cicile and what then then we may conquer Carthage and Affrica and what then said Cineas Why then quoth Pyrrhus we may rest and feast and sacrifice and make merry with our friends to which Cineas replied as every servant of God would do in the like case and may we not enjoy all this sweetness now and that without all this ado But natural men are mad men Yea were great men though good men but asked the question their consciences could not but acquaint us if they would speak out that true contentment seldom dwels high whiles meaner men of humble spirits enjoy both earth and heaven However not a few of them have freely acknowledged it as I have largely related in my second Part of Philarguromastix Wherefore be pleased ô God to give me a contented minde and then if I have but little in estate I shall have much in possession Fiftly mean ones with their poverty misery ignominy are often saved whiles others with their honour
comfort when even his bread wine the feathers of his bed his shirt garments and every thing else turned into that hard mettal as Fulgentius delivers it he had his desire but so as he would gladly now have unpray'd his prayers Alass how often does riches without Gods blessing upon them prove or become the owners ruine Many a young Heir hath a great and fair estate left him and is cryed up as happy but it proves to him within a while even like the Ark to the Philistines which did them more hurt than good and so fares it with all that forget God and are unthankful to him for what they have Neither is this all For CHAP. V. THirdly there are abundance of men that God doth not onely withdraw his blessing from them but sends his curse with the riches he bestowes As suppose a man growes never so rich by indirect meanes as some care nor how but what and how much they get for to get one scruple of gold they will make no scruple of conscience they care not to make many poor to make themselves rich for they have consciences like a barn door as loving money better than themselves yea they care not so they may get silver if they loose their souls Now God not seldom suffers such to grow very rich but together with their riches they have the curse of God whereby they become the worse and not the better for them There is an evill sickness sales Solomon that I have seen under the sun to wit riches reserved to the owners thereof for their hurt Eccles. 5. 13. To which accords that of the Prophet Malachy If ye will not hear it nor consider it in your heart to give glory to my name saith the Lord of hosts I will even send a curse upon you and will curse your blesings yea I have cursed them already because ye do not consider it in your hearts Mal. â— 2. Their riches are seeming benefits very curses even gifts given in wrath as a King unto Israel I gave them a King in my wrath saith the Lord Hosea â—3 11. And so of their Quaeiles He gave them their desire but he sent leannesse into their soules Psal. 106. 15. They did eat and were well filled yet turned they not from their lusts but the flesh was yet between their teeth before it was chewed even the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people and the Lord smote the people with an exceeding great plague Numb. 11. 33. Psal. 78 29 30 31. And in another place Let their table be a suare unto them and their prosperity their ruine Psal. 69. 22. They had better have had no meat then such sauce withall The covetous Cormorant and unthankful wretch deales with God as a dog does with his master who devoureth by and by whatever he can catch and gapeth continually after more and it were a marvel that God should answer him with such abundance and as it were be still pouring water into that vessel which already runs over considering his monstrous unthankfulness were it not to rot the hoops and chines that so the whole cask may break in pieces were there not poyson mixt with it I mean Gods secret curse as I shall suddenly shew We well know that a Ship may be so laden as that her very freight may be the cause of her sinking Demonioa having betrayed Ephesus where all her friends and kindred were to Brennus of Seuona for the love of gain was brought to a great heap of gold and loaded so heavy therewith that she dyed under the burthen Tarpeia for the desire she had of all the gold bracelets which the Sabines wore about their left armes when they went to besiege Room sold the Fort or Castle of the City wherein there was a great Garrison of which her Father Tarpeius was Captain to the Sabines and asking for reward of her treason Fatius the Sabines General according to his promise when she had opened them a gaete in the night and let them in commanded his whole Army to do as he did who taking the bracelet which himself wore on his left arm and his target did hang them about her neck and so all the rest untill she being bowed down to the ground with the weight of them was pressed to death under the burthen And much after this manner does God deal with unmerciful misers and all wicked and ungrateful men As see the sad condition of a man to whom God gives riches in wrath it is so well worth your knowledge and observation that David was very inquisitive with the Lord about it Psal. 73. 3. to 13 and likewise the Prophet Jeremy chap. 12. Righteous art thou O Lord when I speak with thee yet let me talk with thee of thy judgements wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously Thou hast planted them yea they have taken root they grow yea they bring sorth fruit thou art neer in their mouth and far from their reines ver. 1 2 3. Yea it is admirable to consider how the tabernacles of robbers do prosper how secure they are that provoke God and how abundantly God giveth into their hands Job 12. 6. They increase in riches wax fat and shine Jerem. 5. 28. They are not in trouble as other men neither are they plagued like other men their eyes stand out with fatness they have more than heart can wish yea there are no bands in their death Psalm 73. and many the like places But hear all and ye will never envy their prosperity neither will your teeth water after their dainties as what is ever the conclusion their felicity and happiness is no sooner mentioned but it followes And thou diddest set them in slippery places thou castedst them down into destruction they are brought into desolation in a moment they are utterly consumed with terrours Psalm 73. 18. to the 21. verse Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter and prepare them for the day of slaughter Ierem. 12. 3. They spend their dayes in wealth and in a moment they go down into hell Job 21. 13. Because they have no changes therefore they fear not God Psal. 55. 19. But no greater judgement then thus to be free from judgements Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone saith God Hosea 4. 17. And the like I will not visit your daughters when they are harlots nor your Spouses when they are whores ver. 14. and hereupon all they do is well But think it not an argument of Gods favour or dispensation that thou and thousands more do prosper in their wickedness that some eminent judgement is not executed speedily upon them while they are contriving their deep and divelish plots For though prosperous wickednesse is one of the devils strongest chaines yet there cannot be a greater unhappiness an heavier curse than to prosper in ill designs and ungracious courses Such a mans preservation is but a
They have not cryed unto me saith God with their hearts when they howled upon their beds and when they assembled themselves it was but for corn and wine for they continue to rebell against me Hosea 7. 14. O that God had but the same place in mens affections that riches honours pleasures their friends have but that is seldom seen the more shame folly and madness and the greater and juster their condemnation whence that terrible Text in Jeremiah Chapter 17. Thus saith the Lord Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and withdraweth his heart from the Lord vers. 5. And that exhortation 1 Tim. 6. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded and that they trust not in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us abundantly all things to injoy vers. 17. And well does that man deserve to perish that so loves the creature as that he leaves the Creator CHAP. XXII FOurthly another reason were there no other why it is so impossible to prevail with the covetous is they will never hear any thing that speaks against covetousness and their refusing to hear it shews them to be such for flight argues guiltiness always Covetous men will never hear Sermons or read Books that press to good Works or wherein the necessity of restitution is urged neither had Satan any brains if he should suffer them so to do A Faulkner ye know will carry divers Hawks hooded quietly which he could not do had they the use of their sight Such I say will not vouchsafe to hear reason lest it should awake their consciences and convince their judgements resembling him that would not have his Physician remove the thirst which he felt in his ague because he would not lose the pleasure he took in quenching the same with often drinking they had rather have their lusts satisfied then enstinguished Now we know that hearing is the only ordinary means of life and salvation if then the soul refuse the means of life it cannot live If Caesar had not delayed the reading of his Letter given him by Artemidorus as he went to the Senate wherein notice was given him of all the conspiracy of his murtherers he might with ease have prevented his death but his not regarding it made the same inevitable which together with the rest of this Chapter gives me a just and fair occasion now I have obtain my purpose to acquaint the ingenuous Reader why I rather call my Book The prevention of Poverty and best way to become Rich and Happy then The arraignment and conviction of Covetousness for by this means many a covetous wretch may out of lucre be touled one to read it to the saving of their souls who otherwise would never have been acquainted with a thousand part of their wretchedness and so not capable of amendment But Fiftly suppose he should be prevailed withall to hear me all 's one even an ounce of gold with him will weigh down whatsoever can be aledged from the Word for though with that rich man Luk. 10. he may have a good mind to heaven in reversion yet for all that he will not hear of parting with his heaven whereof he hath present possession He can like Canaan well enough so he may injoy his flesh-pots also and could love the blessing but he will not lose his pottage and in case he cannot gain by being religious his care shall be not to loose by it and that Religion shall like him best that is best cheap and will cost him least any Doctrine is welcome to him but that which beats upon good works Nor will he stick with the Sages to fall down and worship Christ but he cannot abide to present him with his gold No if another will be at the charges to serve God he will cry out why is this waste as Judas did when Mary bestowed that precious oyntment upon her Saviour which otherwise might have been sold and so put into his bag The love of money and commings in of gain is dearer and sweeter to the Muck-worm then the saving of his soul what possibility then of his being prevailed withall To other sins Satan tempts a man often but Covetousness is a fine and recovery upon the purchase then he is sure of him as when a Goaler hath locke up his prisoners safe in a Dungeon he may go play Covetous men are blinde to all dangers deaft to all good instructions they are besotted with the love of money as Birds are with their bain yea they resolve against their own conversion The Scribes and Pharisees who were covetous shut their eyes stopt their ears and barriocadoed their hearts against all our Saviour did or said yea they scoft at his preaching Luk. 16. 14. and of all sorts of finners that Christ preached unto he was never scorned and mockt but by them when he preached against covetousness Christianum dogma vertitur in scomma and what 's the reason but this rich worldlings think themselves so much the wiser as they are the richer These things considered no wonder that our Saviour expresly affirmeth that it is easier for a camell to go through the eye of a needle then for a rich man that is a covetous rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven as well knowing that no Physick can be found strong enough to purg out this humor Well may they gnaw their tongues for sorrow when they shall be tormented with fire and boyl with great heat and blaspheme the God of Heaven for their pains and for their soars but repent of their works they will not as it is Revel. 16. 8. to 12. only others may make some good use of that evil they see in them at least learn to beware of covetousness I grant that to God who hath commanded us to use the means all things are possible for he is able even of stones to raise up children unto Abraham Mat. 3. 9. but in respect of ordinary means it is no more possible for a covetous miserly muck-worm to be converted then it is for a dead man to be raised And therefore though I had rather be a Toade then a Drunkard yet had I rather be a Drunkard then a covetous Miser and should somewhat the more hope to go to Heaven Mat. 21. 31 32. CHAP. XXIII AND so much of the tenth plague which God inflicts upon the miserly muck-worm I might give you many more for almost every thing becomes a deadly snare to such men even every thing they see or hear of each thought that comes into their minds yea the very Word of God the mercy of God and the merits of Christ become their bain and shall inhanse their damnation for as all things shall turn together for the best to those that love God so all things shall turn together for the worst unto them that hate God as they do John 15. 24. Rom. 1. 30. But enough hath been faid