morrow and for this life what we shall eate or what we shall drinke or what we shall put on for our heauenly Father saith the Sonne knoweth that we haue neede of all those things Philip. 4.6 Bee nothing carefull saith the Apostle but cast all your care on God for hee careth for you Heb 13.5 Let your conuersation bee without couetousnesse and bee content with those things that yee haue for hee hath said I will not faile thee Psal 55 22. 107.9 neither forsake thee Cast thy burthen vpon the Lord saith the holy Prophet and hee shall nourish thee for he satisfieth the thirsty soule and filleth the hungry soule with goodnesse 65.9.10.11.12.13 He visiteth the earth and watereth it hee maketh it very rich the Riuer of God is full of water and hee prepareth men corne Hee watereth aboundantly the furrowes of the earth and causeth the raine to descend into the valleyes thereof Hee maketh it soft with showers and blesseth the bud thereof Hee crowneth the yeare with his goodnesse and his steppes droppe fatnesse They drop vpon the pastures of the wildernesse and the hilles are compassed with gladnesse The pastures are clad with Sheepe the valleyes also are couered with corne therefore the shout for ioy and sing As it is hee that giueth deliuerance vnto Kings 144.10.11.12.13.14 and rescueth Dauid his seruant from the hurtfull sword and maketh our sonnes to bee as the plantes growing vp in their youth and our daughters as the corner-stones grauen after the similitude of a palace So is it he that maketh our corners to bee full and abounding with diuers sorts and that our Sheepe may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streetes 145 15.16 and that our Oxen may bee strong to labour Finally the eyes of all waite vpon him and hee giueth them their meate in due season he openeth his hands and filleth all things liuing of his good pleasure Wherefore let the Christian learne to depend vpon Gods prouidence and to cast all his care vpon him Phil. 3.11.12 let him study and endeuour with the holy Apostle in whatsoeuer state hee bee therewith to be content euen as well to haue want as to haue wealth to bee bare as to abound And with the holy Prophet Psal 119.36 let him alwayes pray Incline mine heart Lord vnto thy testimonies and not vnto couetousnesse VII Rule The man that would bee rich must before all other things and more then all other things with great feruency and constancy craue at God spirituall blessings and when he hath gotten riches as he must not set his affection thereupon in louing them too much so he must not put his affiance or confidence in them by trusting to them or glorying and boasting himselfe of them Neither must hee murmure against God if he afflict him by the losse of a part thereof or yet of the whole but ought to beare his crosse patiently and valiantly Finally he must loue his riches so little in comparison of Christ and the saluation of his owne soule that if the cause and occasion offer it selfe hee bee content to forsake all for Christs sake and for the sauing of his owne soule Probation and declaration Math. 6.33 Luke 12.29.30.31 SEekee yee first saith our Sauiour the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things to wit foode and raiment and such other externall commodities of this life shall bee ministred vnto you And the Apostle exhorteth vs to set our affections on things which are aboue Colos 3.2 1 Tim. 4.8 and not on things which are on the earth For godlinesse is profitable vnto all things as that which hath the promise of the life present and of that that is to come Psal 119.165 They that loue thy law saith the holy Prophet Dauid shall haue great prosperity And because that Salomon asked of God 2 King 3.5.9.10.11.12.13 not long life nor riches nor the life of his enemies but onely an vnderstanding heart to iudge his people Therefore said the Lord vnto him Behold I haue done according to thy words loe I haue giuen thee a wise and an vnderstanding heart so that there hath beene none like thee before thee neither after thee shall arise the like vnto thee And I haue also giuen thee that which thou hast not asked both riches and honour so that among the Kings there shall bee none like vnto thee all thy daies If riches increase saith the holy Prophet set not your heart thereon Psal 62.10 49.6.10.11.12.16.17 The wicked trust in their goods and boast themselues in the multitude of their riches they thinke their houses and habitations shall continue for euer and call their lands by their names but they shall die like the beasts and leaue their riches for others they shall take nothing away with them when they die neither shall their power descend after them 52.5.6.7 The man that trusteth vnto the multitude of his â—iches Pruerb 11.28 Ecclesiastic 5.1.8 31.8 Ecclesiast 5.9 shall bee rooted out of the land of the liâ—ing He that trusteth in his riches saith Salomon â—hall fall but the righteous shall flourish like a â—eafe He that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied with siluer and he that loueth riches shall be without the fruit thereof Iob. 31.24.25.26.27.28 The holy man Iob protesteth â—f himselfe that he made not gold his hope nor â—et said euer at any time to the wedge of gold Thou art my confidence That he neuer boasted â—imselfe because his substance was great or because his hand had gotten much for in so doing saith he I should haue denyed the God aboue And the same holy man notwithstanding hee was the richest of all the men of the East 1.3.4.20.21 Iob 42.10.12 for his substance besides money houses and lands was seuen thousand sheepe and three thousand Camels and fiue hundreth yoke of Oxen and fiue hundreth she Asses yet when God suffered him to be spoiled and denuded of all hee fell not into murmuring and grudging impatiently against God but fell downe vpon the ground and worshipped God saying Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither The Lord hath giuen the Lord hath taken it blessed be the name of the Lord. And we find also that God did reward him for his patience for he gaue him twise so much as he had before and blessed his last dayes more then his first Ierem. 9.23.24 Let not the wise man saith the Lord by the Prophet Ieremie glory in his wisedome nor the strong man glorie in his strength neither the rich man glory in his riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me for I am the Lord which shews mercy iudgment and righteousnes in the earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord. Trust not vnto thy riches and say not I haue
the Lord leadeth to life 19.23 and he that is filled therewith shall continue and shall not be visited with euill 22.4 The reward of humilitie and the feare of God is riches 31.30 and glorie and life Also Salomons vertuous 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 feare of the Lord saith Iesus the sonne of Syrach is glorie and gladnes and a ioyfull crowne who so feareth the Lord it shall goe 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 desireable and the garners with the things she bringeth forth she hath brought vnto honour them that possessed her 11.14.17 The feare of God saith he filleth mens hearts with wisdome and their houses with all desirable things 15.1.5.6 38.8 40.26.27 The feare of the Lord exalteth them aboue their neighbours and clotheth them with the garment of glorie for of the Lord commeth prosperitie wealth ouer all the earth Riches and strength lift vp the heart but the feare of the Lord is aboue them both There is no want in the feare of the Lord and it needeth no helpe The feare of the Lord is a pleasant garden of blessing and there is nothing so beautifull as it is Finally the blessed Apostle S. Paul teacheth vs 1. Tim. 4.8 that godlines is profitable vnto 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 godlines but the feare and worship of God and what other thing else is the feare of God but godlines Thus yee see O yee students in the art of Enriching what an excellent thing the feare of God is how that she is a pleasant and profitable garden of blessing and of blessednes In this garden which the hand of God hath planted himselfe grow the tree of knowledge and the tree of life euen both wisdome and wealth Psalm 111.10 Prou. 1.7 22 4. Ecclesiastic 11.14.17 for the feare of the Lord is the beginning of both She filleth the heart with wisdome and the house with varietie of goods with the right hand shee reacheth out spirituall wealth and with the left hand temporall store Prosperitie on earth is her temporall guerdon and felicitie in heauen is her eternall reward But I know some will obiect and say that euen the godlesse and such as will neither know God nor acknowledge him neither loue him as a Father nor feare him as a Lord may be likewise rich and oftentimes enioy great prosperitie and wealth To which I answere thus such as the feare of God maketh rich Luk. 12.21 they are rich in God as our Sauiour in the gospell giueth vs to vnderstand that is they are rich with goods giuen out of Gods own hand and their goods are gotten with a good conscience they doe good with their goods and reape more good and goods at Gods hand by vsing them to his glorie and their neighbours good For vnto them that haue saith our Sauiour it shall bee giuen Matth. 25.29 Luk. 19.26 that is vnto such as haue godlines and goodnes shall bee giuen goods and vnto such as haue vsed their goods aright shall bee giuen yet more goods whereas from the man that hath not godlines and goodnes euen those goods he hath shall bee taken away and giuen to him that hath more goodnes then he Psal 25.12.13 37.18.29 Moreouer the riches of the man that feareth God as they shall be increased so shall they bee continued to him and his posteritie walking after their fathers footesteps in the waies of Gods feare as for the wicked and such as are void of Gods feare they may well be wealthie and rich yea and very rich they may waxe olde and growe in wealth Iob 21.7 saith Iob the miror of patience they may be strong and spread themselues like a greene bay tree Psal 37.35 saith diuine Dauid they may take roote grow and bring forth fruit and their way may prosper Ierem. 12.1.2 saith holy Ieremie yet for all this they cannot be rich in God For though the most high who is kinde vnto the very vnkinde and good vnto the euill Matth. 5.45 Luk. 6.35 make his sunne to shine on the euill as well as the good and send raine on the vniust as well as the iust as our Sauiour speaketh in the gospell though I say he raine downe riches euen vpon irreligious men and giue gold vnto the godles and goods vnto such as haue no goodnes at all yet it is in the same maner as he gaue of old flesh vnto the murmuring Israelites to eate Psal 78.27.28.29.30 He rained flesh vpon them as dust feathered fowle as the sand of the sea hee made it fall in the middest of their campe euen round about their habitations So they did eate and were filled for he gaue them their desire hee made them to eate in his anger Numb 11.18.19.20.33.34 vntill it came out of their nostrils and was loathsome vnto them while their flesh was yet betweene their teeth before it was well chewed euen the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people and he smote them with an exceeding great plague so that euer after the place where they fell bare the name of the graues of lust Iob 22.18 21.7.13.16.17 In like manner God oftentimes raineth riches vpon the godlesse and hee filleth their houses with good things they growe in wealth they spend their daies in wealth but loe for all this their wealth is not in their hand It is not giuen to them and theirs for euer but onely lent them for a time and when the time is spent and past 15.29 God will put out the candle of the wicked and diuide their liues in his wrath he shall not be rich alwaies 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 deuoured substance and he shall vomit it for God shall draw it out of his bellie Iob 26.14 16.17.21.22.23 he shall be about to fill his bellie but God shall send vpon him his fierce wrath and shall cause to raine vpon him euen vpon his meate The increase of his house shall goe away hee shall flow away in the day of his wrath and his posteritie shall not be satisfied with bread Though hee should heape vp siluer as the dust and prepare rayment as the clay he may prepare it but the iust shall put it on and the innocent shall diuide the siluer God shall hurle him out of his place and shall cast vpon him not spare though he would faine flie out of his hands
frailtie we fall into any offence wee must tremble for feare of his rods like faultie and guiltie children we must shake and quake before the face of our heauenly father and prostrated at his feete and vnder his feete wee must intreate him with our teares to bee appeased towards vs for his mercies sake and to be pleased with vs for his Sonnes sake in whom he is well pleased We must I say implore him by his fatherly pitie to lay his rods aside each one with godly Dauid Psalm 6.1 saying and praying Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chastise me in thy wrath But if our most wise and prouident father finde it not expedient for vs to spare vs and to let vs passe vnpunished then must we throw our selues downe at his feete and offer willingly both our bodies and our goods vnto his blowes Let vs suffer his punishment with all patience his correction with all submission of minde let vs beware to murmur against our good father though his blowes seeme somewhat bitter and his stripes touch vs to the quicke let vs alwaies intertaine this christian cogitation in our hearts that our father is a most wise father and therefore knoweth well yea better then any other and best of all other what is most for our good and that hee is a most good father and one that loueth his children most dearely and entirely and therefore will doe nothing vnto vs but that which will doe vs much good In the meane time let each one that is chastised beseech God to doe it in so mercifull a manner that his correction may serue for his erection and direction all the daies of his life That it may serue for his instruction euer thereafter and not for his destruction as it doth to the obdured and reprobate and therefore let him say and pray with the holy prophet Ieremie Lord correct me Ierem. 10.24 but with iudgement that is with moderation and measure not in thine anger lest thou bring me to nothing Finally he must be so farre from making peruerse inference vpon the correction of God as though it did argue that God did hate him because of handling him so that he must gather the quite contrarie conclusion therof and euen say to himself thus The man God loueth most hee correcteth most for so saith Salomon the wise My sonne Prou. 3.11.12 Psalm 9 4.12 refuse not the chastening of the Lord neither bee grieued with his correction for the Lord correcteth him whom he loueth euē as the father doth the childe in whom he delighteth So saith the Apostle Saint Paul to the Hebrews Heb. 12.5.6.7.8 Whom the Lord loueth hee chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that hee receiueth If ye endure chastening God offereth himselfe vnto you as vnto sonnes for what sonne is it whom the father chasteneth not If therefore ye be without correction whereof all are partakers then are yee bastards and not sons Lastly so saith our Sauiour himselfe by his seruant S. Iohn Reuel 3.19 As many as I loue I doe rebuke and chasten bee zealous therefore and amend Thus wee haue three true witnesses and one of them more then a witnes telling and testifying that correction chastisement is a token of Gods loue And we know or at least ought to know that in the mouth of two or three witnesses being true euery word must stand so then if God correct vs because he loueth vs as it is most certaine that hee doth we must not doubt but that it is done for our good And therefore the holy Prophet Dauid who was as much beloued of God as any and therfore as much chastised of God as any and who profited as much by correction and affliction as any saith of himselfe thus Psal 119.67.71 It is good for me that I haue been afflicted that I may learne thy statutes For before I was afflicted and chastised I went astray but now I keepe thy word As if he should say affliction is a good rod for it bringeth to God Thus haue I shewed the nature qualitie and good effects of the feare of God so much as me thought might suffice for the declaration of the first rule of this Art which taketh his beginning from that which is the beginning both of wisdome and of durable wealth And therefore to shut vp this first discourse vpon this first rule of the golden art with some golden sentence let mee say vnto euery one that would bee wise or wealthie in this world and happie in the world to come that which Iesus the sonne of Syrach saith Trust in the Lord hold fast his feare Ecclesiast 2.6 40.26 and grow old therein there is no want in the feare of the Lord and it needeth no helpe for as wise Salomon saith in the feare of God is an assured strength and his children shall haue hope Yea Prou. 14.26 that which they hope for they shall haue euen as much as is good for them to desire or haue here and as much as they can desire or would haue or shall be able to receiue hereafter II. Rule Wisdome and vnderstanding that is the knowledge of God and good things concerning the publicke good of Church or Common-wealth with humane discretion foresight and good gouernment about a mans owne priuate life make the poore man rich and the rich man yet more rich Probation and declaration BLessed is the man that findeth wisedom saith Salomon Prou. 3.13.14.15.16.17.18 who sought wisdome and found it and the man that getteth vnderstanding for the merchandise thereof is better then the merchandise of siluer and the gaine thereof is better then gold It is more pretious then pearles and all things that thou canst desire are not to bee compared vnto her Length of daies is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and glorie Her waies are waies of pleasures and all her paths prosperitie Shee is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her and blessed is he that retaineth her 4.5.6.7.8.9 The wise shall inherit glory but fooles dishonour though they bee exalted Get wisdome and get vnderstanding forget not neither decline from the words of my mouth Forsake her not and shee shall preserue thee loue her and she shal keep thee Wisdome is the beginning get wisdome therefore and aboue al thy possession get vnderstanding Exalt her and shee shall exalt thee she shall bring thee to honor if thou embrace her She shall giue thee a comely ornament vnto thine head yea she shal giue thee a crown of glory I wisdome dwell with prudence 8.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.21 I haue counsell and I haue strength By me Princes rule and the Nobles and all the Iudges of the Earth Riches and honour are with me euen durable riches and righteousnesse My fruit is better then gold euen then fine gold and my reuenues better then fine siluer That I may cause them that loue
me to inherit substance and I will fill their treasures The wise man Iob hath an excellent description of the worth of wisdome Iob 28.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.20.22.23.24.25.26.27.28 But where is wisdome found And where is the place of vnderstanding Man knoweth not the price thereof for it is not found in the land of the liuing The depth saith it is not in me the sea also saith it is not with me Gold shall not be giuen for it neither shall siluer be weighed for the price thereof It shall not bee valued with the wedge of gold of Ophir nor with the pretious Onyx nor the Saphir The gold nor the Crystall shall be equall vnto it nor the exchange shall be for plate of fine gold No mention shall bee made of Corall nor of the Gabish for wisedome is more pretious then pearles The Topaz of Aethiopia shal not be equall vnto it neither shall it be valued with the wedge of pure gold Behold the feare of the Lord is wisedome and to depart from euil is vnderstanding Prou. 12.14 A man shall bee satiat saith Salomon with good things by the fruit of his mouth and the recompense of a mans hands shall God giue vnto him 13.2.18 A man shall eate good things by the fruit of his mouth but the soule of the trespasser shall suffer violence 16.20 Pouertie and shame is to him that refuseth instruction but hee that regardeth correction shall be honoured 21.20 He that is wise in his businesse shall find good for in the house of the wise is a pleasant treasure and oile 15.31.32 Through wisedome is an house builded and with vnderstanding it is established and by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all pretious 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 Wisdome made Iacob rich in his labours and made his paines profitable and gaue perpetuall glory to Ioseph yea brought him the scepter of a Kingdome 4.1.2 Vertue is alwaies crowned and triumpheth and winneth the battell and the vndefiled rewards Ecclesiast 11.1 15.3.4.5.6 24.19 Wisdome saith Iesus the sonne of Syrach lifteth vp the head of him that is low and maketh him to sit among great men Finally the flowers of wisdome are the fruit of honour and riches euen the garment of glorie the crowne of gladnes and an euerlasting name Thus ye see O yee students in the art of enriching of how great moment wisedome and vnderstanding are for the attaining of riches She maketh the poore 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 vp his head and as she storeth and decoreth his heart with grace so shee crowneth his head with honour here and with happinesse hereafter It behoueth therefore euery man next after the knowledge of God and of his dutie towards him for this is the chiefe to studie and learne the vnderstanding and knowledge of that calling God hath made him to embrace Let him labour then to be wise and well seene in his owne art and occupation be more then any other and more in it then in any other The man that followeth the liberall profession of letters let him endeuour to know and comprehend the condition and constitution the marrow and the mysteries of the art science and exercise hee hath betaken himselfe to Prou. 21.1 For what wots hee but that God who hath the hearts of kings in his hand may open a doore in some kings heart for him to enter into and not onely open the doore of his hart to make the king loue him but also the doore of his head I meane his mouth to make him say of him Gen. 41.38.39 as once Pharaoh King of Aegypt said of Ioseph Can we find such a man as this in whom is the spirit of vnderstanding and wisedome Yea more then this open also his hand vnto him and make the Prince doe vnto him as Pharaoh did to Ioseph euen prefer him vnto some worthie place in the Church his Court or Common-wealth What wots the lettered man I say but that God Dan. 1.17.18.19.20 who oftentimes giueth his children fauour in the eies of kings will make it befall him as we find it did to the foure children Daniel Hananiah Mishael and Azariah to whom God gaue knowledge and vnderstanding in all learning and wisdome and fauour in King NebuchadneZZars eies So that the King disdained not to commune with them though they were but young boies who finding them ten times more cunning then all his other Wise men he began to honour them with the libertie of ordinarie accesse vnto his presence and appointed them alwaies to stand before him And as God thus opened the Kings heart to loue them and like of them more then of the other wise men who were not wise in God so afterwards he opened also the Kings hand vnto them in a more liberall and bountifull manner then vnto 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 gaue him many great gifts yea he made him gouernour ouer the whole Prouince of Babel and chiefe of the Rulers and aboue all his wise men So that he sat in the gate of the King Genes 41.40.41.42.43 euen as chiefe Ruler representing the King Euen as Pharaoh set Ioseph ouer his house yea ouer all the land of Aegypt to rule ouer his rulers and to teach his wise men wisdome Likewise Daniels three fellowes were preferred by NebuchadneZZar and set ouer the Prouince of Babel vnder Daniel In one word the lettered man must labour and endeauour to be such a one as Iesus the sonne of Syrach hath painted out in these words Ecclesiasticus 39.1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11 He only that applieth his mind to the law of the most High and is occupied in the meditation thereof seeketh out the wisdome of al the ancient and exerciseth himselfe in the prophecies He keepeth the sayings of famous men and entreth in also to the secrets of darke sentences Hee seeketh out the mysterie of graue sentences and exerciseth himselfe in darke parables He shall serue among great men and appeare before the Prince hee shall trauell thorough strange countries For he hath tried the good and the euill among men He will giue his heart to resort early vnto the Lord that made him and to pray before the most high and wil open his mouth in prayer and pray for his sinnes When the great Lord will he shall be filled with the spirit of vnderstanding that he may powre out wise sentences and giue thanks vnto the Lord in his prayer Hee shall direct his counsell and knowledge so shall hee meditate in his