vpon their knees in good earnest and be made to feed with the beasts vntill they learne to liue like reasonable and moderate men and not like vnreasonable and intemperate beasts X. Rule A man to whom God hath giuen riches and store though but in a meane measure if hee would haue God to blesse him and it both with increase and continuance as hee ought to giue a part thereof cheerefully vnto the Prince and another part vnto the priests and take a third part for himselfe so ought he charitably to impart a proportionable part thereof to the poore by lending or giuing to them according to his power and their pouertie and need Probation and declaration Deut. 15 7 8 9 10 11. IF one of thy brethren with thee saith the Lord by Moses bee poore within any of thy gates in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee thou shalt not harden thine heart nor shut thine hand from thy poore brother but thou shalt open thine hand vnto him and shalt lend him sufficient for his neede which he hath thou shalt giue him and let it not grieue thine heart to giue vnto him for because of this the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all thy workes and in all that thou puttest thine hand to Because there shall bee euer some poore in the land therefore I command thee Exod. 22.25 26 27. Leuit. 25.35.36 37. saying Thou shalt open thine hand vnto thy brother to thy needie and to thy poore in the land Thou shalt relieue him and if thou lend money vnto him thou shalt not be as an vsurer to him thou shalt not giue him thy money to vsurie or vantage nor lend him thy victuals for encrease And if thou take thy neighbours rayment to pledge thou shalt restore it vnto him before the Sunne goe downe for that it is his couering onely and this is his garment for his skinne wherein shall he sleepe therefore when he crieth vnto me I wil heare him for I am mercifull Leuit. 19 9 10 23 22. Deut. 24 19 20 21. Also when yee reape the haruest of your land yee shall not reape euery corner of your field neither shalt thou gather the glainings of thy haruest thou shalt not gather the grapes of thy vineyard but thou shalt leaue them for the poore the stranger the fatherlesse and the widow When thou cuttest downe thy haruest in the field and hast forgotten a sheafe in the field thou shalt not goe againe to fet it but it shall bee for the stranger Psal 37 21 26. for the fatherlesse and for the widowe that the Lord thy God may blesse thee in all the workes of thine hands The righteous is mercifull saith the prophet Dauid and giueth 41.1 hee is euer mercifull and lendeth and his seed enioyeth the blessing Blessed is hee that iudgeth wisely of the poore the LORD shall deliuer him in the time of trouble 112.4 5 9. Vnto the righteous ariseth light in darkenesse hee is mercifull and full of compassion a good man is mercifull and lendeth and will measure his affaires by iudgement hee hath distributed and giuen to the poore his righteousnesse remaineth for euer his horne shall bee exalted with glorie Let not mercie and truth forsake thee saith King Salomon bind them on thy necke Prou. 3.3.4 and write them vpon the table of thine heart so shalt thou find fauour in the fight of God and Man â— 27 Hee that is mercifull rewardeth his owne soule 14.21.31 Hee that hath mercy on the poore is blessed yea the Lord honoureth him that hath mercy on the poore 19.17 Hee that hath mercy vpon the poore 21.13.21 26. lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence that which he hath giuen The righteous giueth and spareth not and he that followeth after righteousnes and mercy shall finde life righteousnes and glory but hee that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore hee shall also cry and not bee heard 11.24.25.26 There is that scattereth and is more increased but he that spareth more then is right surely commeth to pouerty the liberall person shall haue plenty and hee that watereth shall also haue raine Hee that withdraweth the corne the people will curse him but blessing shall be vpon the head of him that selleth corne to wit 22 9. Eccles 31.29 good cheape and when the people stand in need by reason of scarcity and famine Hee that hath a good eye hee shall bee blessed for he giueth of his bread vnto the poore Prou. 25.21.22 If he that hateth thee be hungry giue him bread to eate and if he be thirsty giue him water to drinke for thou shalt lay coales vpon his head 28.27 and the Lord shall recompence thee He that giueth vnto the poore shall not lacke but he that hideth his eyes shall haue many curses Giue ye strong drinke vnto him that is ready to perish 31.6.7 and wine vnto them that haue griefe of heart let him drinke that hee may forget his pouerty and remember his misery no more 31.20 Also Salomons vertuous woman that encreaseth exceedingly her store and her substance is described to be such a one as stretcheth out her hand to the poore and needy Eccles 11.1.2 And therefore in his Preacher he exhorteth men to be liberall to the poore in these words Cast thy bread vpon the waters for after many dayes thou shalt finde it Giue a portion to seuen and also to eight for thou knowest not what euill shall be vpon the earth Is not this the fasting that I haue chosen saith the Lord by his prophet I say to loose the bands of wickednesse to take off the heauie burthens and to let the oppressed go free and that yee breake euery yoake Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungrie and that thou bring the poore that wander to thine house when thou seest the naked that thou couer him and hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh Then shal thy light breake forth as the morning and thine health shall grow speedily thy righteousnes shall goe before thee and the glory of the Lord shall embrace thee then shalt thou call and the Lord will answer thou shalt cry and he will say here I am If thou powre out thy soule to the hungry and refresh the troubled soule then shall thy light spring out in the darknes and thy darknes shall bee as the noone day and the Lord shall guide thee continually and satisfie thy soule in drought and make fat thy bones and thou shalt be like a watered garden and like a spring of water where waters faile not And they shall bee of thee that shall build the old waste places thou shalt raise vp the foundations for many generations and thou shalt be called the Repairer of the Breach and the restorer of the pathes to dwell in Tobit 4.7
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
brimstone of Sodom let vs shunne and eschew their sinnes Besides that as the Wise man telleth vs the drunkard and the glutton shall bee poore Prou. 23.21 and the idle sleeper shall bee clothed with ragges And the labouring man that is giuen to drunkennesse Eccles 19.1 33 26. shall not bee rich Thus we see then that diligence and temperance are of great moment both to get and augment riches And trulie as the loue of intemperance and excesse doth hold the poore man from being rich so doth the practise of excesse in table or apparrell make the rich man poore as wee shall shew in the declaration of the ninth Rule of this Art And therefore to conclude this present discourse concerning diligence in a lawfull calling I wish the student in this Art to obserue this one thing that except hee begge dailie Gods blessing to his businesse his diligence and industrie will but little auaile Hee may well carrie out much seede into the field Deut. 28.23.24.38 Micah 6.14 Haggai 1.6 Amos 4.7.8.9 but except the Lord blesse it hee shall gather but little in for the grashoppers shall destroy it or the heauen shall bee as brasse aboue it and the earth as yron vnder it for the Lord shall withhold the first and the latter raine and shall shut the windowes of heauen so that it shall bee consumed with drought or hee will open the windowes of heauen in such a manner Ioel 1. Genes 7.11 Psalm 107.33.34 that either the floods shall ouerflow the fields or the cloudes shall powre downe riuers of waters to drowne the cornes so that the seed shal rot vnder the clods or else will he smite them with blasting and mildew so that howsoeuer he sow much yet shal he reape but little except the Lord blesse that which he hath sowen Hee may well plant a vineyard or a hopyard and dresse it but except the Lord blesse it hee shall not drinke of it for the wormes shall eate it Hee may well plant many fruit-trees fig-trees Deut. 28.39 Ioel 1.4.12 apple-trees plum-trees but except the blessing of the Lord be present with his planting swarmes and armies of palmer-wormes canker-wormes and caterpillers shall deuoute and eate vp his fruites and the buddes of his trees Deut. 28.18 Ioel 1.4.18.19.20 Hee may well enioy heardes of cattell and flockes of sheepe but except the Lords blessing bee with the owner hee shall bee cursed in them all yea the Lord shall make his beasts to mourne his cattell to consume and his flockes to fall away for want of pasture which shall either not spring out of the earth being hard as yron or shal be withered away through the excessiue heate or shall bee eaten vp by the multitudes of grashoppers Zephan 1.13 Hee may well get goods and build houses but except the Lord blesse him in the same his goods shall doe him no good they shall goe away from him or hee shall bee spoiled of them Prou. 28.8 Eccles 2.26 or hee shall leaue them to such as wil doe more good with them then he he shall heape vp to giue and leaue to him that is good before God and the houses that hee hath builded hee and his shall not inhabit In one word to speake with the Prophet Haggai Hag. 1.6 Hee may well eate but hee shal not bee satisfied nor haue inough hee may well drinke but hee shall not bee filled hee may well cloath himselfe but hee shall not bee warme and hee may well earne wages but hee shall put them into a broken bagge And the cause of all this is the want of the Lords blessing Psalm 127.1.2 For as the Kinglie Prophet saith except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it Except the Lord keepe the citie the keeper watcheth in vaine It is in vaine for you to rise earlie and to lie downe late and eate the bread of sorrow but hee will surelie giue rest to his beloued Not that hee will exempt them from labour but onelie from the vnprofitablenesse and vncomfortablenesse thereof For hee will giue to his beloued that is to such as are deare vnto him for the loue and feare of his name and doe continuallie begge his blessing to their adoes hee will giue them rest from all vnprofitable and vncomfortable paines taking Leuit. 26.20 whereas without his blessing a mans strength shall bee spent in vaine Hee may well passe and spend nights and daies in toiling and moiling but hee shall reape but little profit and lesse comfort let him labour neuer so much and neuer so long For diligence is no better then negligence and businesse is but idlenesse without the Lords blessing Psal 65.9.10.11.12.13 107.35.36.37.38.41 67.6.7 68.9 For it is the Lords blessing that watereth the earth and makes it very rich euen that watereth abundantly the furrowes of the earth and causeth the raine to descend into the valleies thereof and maketh it soft with showers and droppeth fatnesse vpon the fieldes so that the hilles are compassed with gladnesse the pastures are clad with sheepe and the valleies are couered with corne which maketh men to shout for ioy and sing IIII. Rule The poore man must not purchase nor the rich man increase his riches by violence oppression theft robberie extortion bribing vniust detention neither yet by peruerting of equitie as by false testimonie pleading in an euill cause or vnrighteous iudgement Probation and declaration Exod. 22.21.22.23.24 TThou shalt not doe iniurie to a stranger saith the Lord by Moses neither oppresse him yee shall not trouble any widow nor fatherlesse child If thou vexe and trouble such and so hee call and crie vnto me I will surely heare his crie then shall my wrath bee kindled and I will kill you with the sword and you wiues shall bee widowes and your children fatherlesse Thou shalt not ouerthrow the right of the poore in his suite 23.1.3.6.7.8.9 Thou shalt keepe thee farre from a false matter and shalt not slay the innocent and the righteous Thou shalt not receiue a false tale neither shalt thou put thine hand with the wicked to bee a false witnesse Thou shalt not esteeme a poore man in his cause Leuit. 19.13 Thou shalt not oppresse thy neighbour by violence neither robbe him or doe him wrong The workemans hire shal not abide with thee vntil the morning Thou shalt not oppresse an hired seruant that is needie and poore neither of thy brethren nor of the stranger that is in the land within thy gates Deut. 14.15 Thou shalt giue him his hire for his day neither shall the sunne goe downe vpon it for he is poore and therewith sustaines his life lest he crie against thee vnto the Lord and it be sinne vnto thee 16.19 Wrest not thou the law saith the Lord to Lawyers and Iudges nor respect any person neither take reward for the reward blindeth the
make emptie the hungrie soule and to cause the drinke of the thirstie to faile for the weapons of the churle are wicked Hee deuiseth wicked counsels to vndoe the poore with lying words and to speake against the poore in iudgement but the liberall man will deuise of liberall things and hee will continue his liberalitie 33.1 Woe to thee that spoilest and wast not spoiled and doest wickedly and they did not wickedly against thee when thou shalt cease to spoile thou shalt bee spoiled when thou shalt make an end of doing wickedlie they shall do wickedly against thee The Lord looked for iudgement 5.7.8.9 but behold oppression for righteousnesse but behold a crying Woe vnto them that ioyne house to house and lay field to field till there bee no place that yee may bee placed by your selues in the middest of the earth This is in mine eares saith the Lord of hosts surelie many houses shall bee desolate euen great and faire without inhabitant As a cage is full of birds saith the Prophet Ieremie so are their houses full of deceit Ier. 5.27.28.29 thereby they are become great and waxen rich They are waxen fat and shining they doe ouerpasse the deeds of the wicked They execute no iudgement no not the iudgement of the fatherlesse yet they prosper though they execute no iudgement for the poore Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord or shall not my soule bee auenged on such a Nation as this 22.13 Woe vnto him that buildeth his house by vnrighteousnesse and his chambers without equitie he vseth his neighbour without wages and giueth him not for his worke Let it suffice you O Princes of Israel saith the Lord by his Prophet Ezekiel leaue off crueltie and oppression Ezek. 45.9 and execute iudgement and iustice take away your exactions from my people saith the Lord. Also the Lord complaineth by his Prophet Amos very earnestly of such as turne iudgement to wormewood Amos 5.7 and leaue off righteousnesse in the earth They haue turned iudgement into gall saith hee the fruit of righteousnesse into wormewood That is in stead of iustice and mercie they exercise oppression and crueltie Ierem. 8.14 9.15 And therefore what maruell though the Lord gaue them water with gall to drinke and fed them with wormewood 23.15 Woe vnto them saith the Prophet Micah that imagine iniquitie Micah 2.1.2 3.2.3.9.10.11.12 and worke wickednesse vpon their beds when the morning is light they practise it because their hand hath power and they couet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away so they oppresse a man and his house euen man and his heritage They hate the good and loue the euill they plucke off their skinnes from them and they breake their bones and chop them in peeces as for the pot and as flesh within the caldron They abhorre iudgement and peruert all equitie They build vp Sion with blood and Ierusalem with iniquitie The heads thereof iudge for reward and the priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof prophesie for money Therefore shall Sion for your sake bee plowed as a field and Ierusalem shall bee an heape and the mountaine of the house as the high places of the forest The Prophet Habakuck complaininglie crieth vnto the Lord in this manner Habbak 1.1.2.3.4.13.14.15.16.17 Why doest thou shew me iniquitie and cause me to behold sorow for spoilings and violence are before mee and there are that raise vp strife and contention Therefore the Law is dissolued and iudgement doth neuer goe forth for the wicked doe compasse about the righteous therefore wrong iudgement proceedeth Thou O God art of pure eies and canst not endure to see euill thou canst not behold wickednesse wherefore doest thou looke vpon the transgressors and holdest thy tongue when the wicked deuoureth the man that is more righteous then hee and makest men as the fishes of the sea and as the creeping things that haue no ruler ouer them They take vp all with the angle they catch it in their net and gather it in their yarne whereof they reioyce and are glad Therefore they sacrifice vnto their net and burne incense vnto their yarne because by them their portion is fat and their meate plenteous Shall they therefore stretch out their net and not spare continuallie to slay the nations Ho 2.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12 hee that increaseth that which is not his how long That is to say the man that enlargeth his desire as hell and is as death and cannot bee satisfied but gathereth and heapeth vnto himselfe al things as the Prophet speaketh in that same place how long shall hee continue his oppression And hee that ladeth himselfe with thicke clay shall they not rise vp suddenly that shall bite thee and awake that shall stirre thee and thou shalt bee their pray because thou hast spoiled many nations all the remnant of the people shall spoile thee because of mens blood and for the wrong done in the land in the Citie and vnto all that dwel therein Ho he that coueteth an euill couetousnesse to his house that hee may set his nest on high to escape from the power of euill Thou hast consulted shame to thine owne house by destroying many people and hast sinned against thine owne soule For the stone shall cry out of the wall and the beame out of the timber shall answere it Woe vnto him that buildeth a towne with blood and erecteth a citie by iniquitie I will visit saith the Lord by his Prophet Zephaniah all those which fill their masters houses by crueltie and deceit Zephan 1.9.12.13 and the men that are frozen in their dregges Their goods shall bee spoiled and their houses waste they shall also build houses but not inhabit them and they shall plant vineyards but not drinke the wine thereof Execute true iudgement saith the Lord by his Prophet Zecharie and shew mercie and compassion euery man to his brother Zechar. 7.9.10 and oppresse not the widow nor the fatherlesse the strangers nor the poore and let none of you imagine euill against his brother in his heart For I will come neere to you to iudgement saith the Lord by his Prophet Malachie and I will bee a swift witnesse against false swearers Malach. 3.5 against those that keepe backe wrongfully the hirelings wages and vexe the widow and the fatherlesse and oppresse the stranger and feare not me Behold saith Saint Iames the hire of the labourers Iames 5.4 which haue reaped your fields which is of you kept backe by fraud crieth and the cries of them which haue reaped are entred into the eares of the Lord of hosts Luke 6.24 And as vnto such vngodly and vniust rich men Christ Iesus doth pronounce a terrible woe so the holie Apostle threatneth fearefullie wicked rich men in this manner Go to now saith hee to them weepe and howle for your miseries
other godly women as ministred vnto our blessed Sauiour and his disciples were such as practised the Rules of this art had they much or had they little they purchased it by lawfull meanes and vsed the same religiously and charitably for they imparted thereof vnto the poore Ministers and members of Christ according to their power and therefore no doubt but they prospered This Mary the wife of Cleophas and sister as is said of the Queene of Maries yea the Queene of women the blessed Virgin Mary is she whom the Apostle of the gentiles Rom. 1.1 to 7. 16.6 Saint Paul writing to the Church of Rome saluteth in the end of his Epistle as she that had bestowed much labour vpon the Ministers of Christ And it was Mary Magdalene the sister of Lazarus and Martha that tooke a box of oyntment of Spikenard very costly and annointed Iesus euen from the head to the feet and wiped his feet with the haire of her head Mark 14 3. 16.1 Ioh. 12.3 so that the house was filled with the sauor of the oyntment The same holy Marie together with another godly Marie the mother of Iames and deuout Salome had prepared costly oyntments to embaulme the balmie and sweet body of our sweet Sauiour Iesus Act. 9.36 to 41. Tabitha was a regular student in this Art shee feared God shee was full of good workes and almes which shee did a vertuous woman and diligent in her calling who by the Lords blessing and her vertuous industrie attained to a competent wealth and beeing dead the Lord raised her againe from death to life by the hand of blessed S. Peter Cornelius a captaine of the Italian band Act. 10.1 to 7.11 22 to 26. practised the Rules of this Art for hee was a deuout man and one that feared God with all his houshold He prayed vnto God continually he gaue much almes vnto the people so that his prayers and his almes came vp into remembrance before God wherefore God blessed his temporall store with increase but chiefly his soule with spirituall grace for the Lord whom he serued incessantly sent his angel vnto him to bid him send for his seruant Saint Peter into his house for hee shall shew thee quoth the holy angel what thou oughtest to doe Towards whome Matth 10 2. Ioh. 21.15 16 17 Luk. 22 31 32. Act. 2 14 41 9.42 10 44. to 48 11.1 2 15 to 18. the godly Captaine behaued himselfe so humbly and reuerently notwithstanding his abiect and contemptible estate in regard that hee was appointed of Christ to be the great feeder of his flocke the shepheard and pastor both of his sheepe and lambes that is the conuerter and spirituall ruler both of Iewes and Gentiles as also the confirmer and establisher of his brethren that is of the rest of the Apostles towards whom I say hee behaued himselfe so humbly and respectiuely that he called together his kinsmen and special friends to goe and meet him and to doe him honour So that as soone as hee sawe the blessed seruant of Christ he fell downe at his feete and worshipped him Who on the other part to shew his Christian modestie as the other had done his Christian humilitie and to signifie vnto Cornelius and the rest that he craued no such courtesie at his or their hands tooke him vp presently saying to him stand vp for euen I my selfe am a man The which example teacheth both Cleargie and Laytie true humilitie First it teacheth the people to reuerence and honour their pastors both with humble gesture of bodie and with compellation of honor â— Sam. 1.14 to 18 for the priests and prophets of God that did beare rule in his Church haue not onely bin called fathers and Lords by the people but also they are honoured in the holy Scripture with the titles of Lords Princes and Kings This holy woman Anna the mother of Samuel called the high priest Eli her Lord who when as he had thought shee had beene dumbe because that praying in the temple her lippes did but mooue onely so that her voyce was not heard shee answered and said Not so my Lord I am a woman of a sorrowfull heart I haue drunke neither wine nor strong drinke but haue powred out my soule before the Lord. Yea shee calleth her selfe by the name of his handmaid Count not thine handmaid quoth shee for a wicked woman and againe let thine handmaid find grace fauour in thy sight Thus the widow of Zarephath behaued her selfe humbly 1. King 17.28 24. in the behalfe of the prophet Eliah Thus godly Obadiah king Achabs steward 1 King 18.3 4 7 9 12 13. and gouernour of his house who feared God greatly hid an hundred prophets in a caue nourished them there in the time of Iezebels persecution behaued himselfe in the presence of the same prophet when as he met him by the way he fell on his face and said Art not thou my Lord Elisha Was it not told my Lord what I did when Iezebel slue the Prophets of the Lord not only called he the prophet his Lord but also he called himselfe the Prophets seruant What haue I sinned said hee that thou wouldest deliuer thy seruant into the hands of Ahab to be slaine but I thy seruant feare the Lord from my youth vpward Thus also did the Captaine ouer the fifty 2 King 1.13 14 sent by Ahaziah the King behaue himselfe humbly in the presence of the man of God hee fell on his knees before Eliah and said vnto him O man of God I pray thee let my life and the life of the fifty thy seruants be precious in thy sight Thus the Bethelite widow called herselfe the Prophet Elishas seruant and hand-maid 4 1.2.16.27.28 And the Shunamite Gentlewoman whom wee spake of before said vnto the same Prophet when as he had promised her from God a childe O nay my Lord thou man of God doe not lie vnto thine hand-maid And when as her childe afterwards died shee went to the man of God to mount Carmell and caught him by the feet and said Did I desire a sonne of my Lord and when as he had reuiued her sonne she fell at his feet and bowed herselfe to the ground Thus Naaman 2 King 5.1.9.10.15.17.18.19.20 21 Captaine of the Hoast of the King of Syria a great and mighty man expert in warre and honourable in the sight of the King his maister as Generall of his Armie came with his Horses and Chariots and stoode at the doore of the house of Elisha till the Prophet sent his messenger vnto him saying Go and wash thy selfe in Iordane seuen times and thy flesh shall come againe to thee and thou shalt be cleansed And when he was cleansed according to the saying of the man of God hee turned againe to him hee and all his company and stood before him and said Behold I know now that there is no God in
his seruice in his house And wherupon can our siluer and gold be better imployed then vpon Gods seruice To which purpose the Euangelicall Prophet hath foretold that in the last times Isay 60.5.6.7.8.9.13 the riches of the Gentiles shall come vnto the Church and they shall bring not only their sonnes and daughters vnto Christ but also their treasure and their substance their siluer and their gold their balme trees and firre trees their boxes and their elmes to beautifie the place of the sanctuarie of God and to adorne the house of his glorie The kings daughter that is the Church is all glorious within Psal 45.13.14.15.16 saith the kingly Prophet but yet he meaneth not that all her glory is within for immediatly after he saith that her clothing is of broidred gold and her raiment of needle-worke and her Fathers that is her Rulers and Gouernours as Patriarkes and Prelates are Princes throughout all the earth But now-adaies men are like vnto the slacke and slow people of the Iewes in the time of the Prophet Haggai who said the time is not yet come that the Lords house should bee builded Haggai 1 2.3.4 5.6.7.8 9.10.11 And therefore the word of the Lord came vnto them by the ministerie of the Prophet saying Is it time for your selues to dwell in your seeled houses and this house lie waste Now therefore thus saith the Lord of Hostes consider your owne wayes in your owne hearts yee haue sowen much and bring in little ye eate but yee haue not enough yee drinke but ye are not filled yee doe cloath you but yee be not warme and hee that earneth wages putteth the wages into a broken bagge Thus saith the Lord of hoasts consider your owne waies in your owne hearts Go vp to the mountaine and bring wood and build this house and I will be fauourable in it and I will be glorified saith the Lord. Yee looked for much and loe it came to little and when yee brought it home I did blow vpon it And why saith the Lord of hoastes because of mine house that is waste and yee run euery man vnto his owne house Therefore the heauen ouer you stayed it selfe from dew and the earth stayed her fruit and I called for a drought vpon the land and vpon the mountaines and vpon the corne and vpon the wine and vpon the oyle vpon all that the ground bringeth forth both vpon men and vpon cattell and vpon all the labour of the hands Thus we see how sharply God hath punished mens niggardnesse and slownesse about the building and beautifying of his house And are not we as much bound to haue an house of praier to pray in to God as were the Israelites of old and is not God to bee honoured with our riches and treasure now as well as he was then And is not our niggardnesse and slownesse in doing of such duties as punishable as theirs But to returne from pleading against our yong Iudases 1 Tim. 1 19. 6.10 to old Iudas the miserable man was so much mis-caried with the loue of money which carrieth many a soule away from the faith and maketh them to make a sorrowfull ship-wracke that he could neuer be satisfied with siluer till he had sold his owne maister the sonne of God and Sauiour of the world vnto the Iewes for thirtie peeces of siluer Math. 27.5 We haue heard tell in our time of many treasons and traffickes but the world neuer hath heard nor shall heare tell of such a treason and trafficke as this The sonne of God betrayed by his seruant whom hee came to saue and sold for thirtie pence of him whom he came to ransome and redeeme from sinne Sathan and hell by the shedding of his bloud But behold the sequele of the attempt forthwith the wretch went and first restored the money and then hanged himselfe At the last though too late he began to consider with his minde how that he had played both the bad Marchant and ill seruant at once in selling the most precious iewell that euer the Sunne saw euen his owne maister for so small a summe and that hee had made the worst market that euer man made or euer shall or can make though the world should last as many millions of yeares as there is of sands vpon the shore or of drops of water in the maine sea Demetrius the siluer-smith Act 19.24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34. was an irregular student in the way of enriching for he together with diuers others his fellow-smithes had made themselues rich by making of siluer temples shrines of the idol Diana wherefore loue of gaine moued them to raise sedition in the city of Ephesus when as Saint Paul and some others of the godly did endeauour to drawe backe the citizens thereof from idolatrie 16.16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. Such irregulars were also the maisters of the Pythonist maid which gate her maisters much vantage with diuining who when as the Apostle had separated the familiar spirit from her in the name of Iesus seeing that the hope of their gaine was gone they caught Paul and Silas and drew them into the market place vnto the magistrates and accused them of preaching vnlawfull ordinances Whereupon the people rose vp together against them and the gouernours rent their cloathes and commaunded them to be beaten with rods and to be cast in prison and that their feete should be made fast in the stockes Demas and Alexander the Copper-smith 1. Tim. 1 20. 2. Tim 4.10.14 15. were likewise irregulars the one forsooke Paul to embrace this present world and the other to the end hee might follow the world forsooke the faith and as the siluer-smith aforesaid did raise sedition against the Apostle so this copper-smith did much euill vnto him and with great earnestnesse withstood his preaching whom the Lord no doubt rewarded according to his workes and the holy Apostles imprecation And the like out of all question wil befall vnto all such impenitent resisters of veritie and breakers of Christian vnitie bee they smiths in office or in name For our time is not the first time that smiths haue beene resisters of the truth and molesters of the ministerie And maister Iohn Smith the father of the few re-baptized Brownists hath not beene the first Smith that hath proued the perturber of the peace of Christs Church God graunt hee may make some better vse of his good parts hereafter then to play the forger of a new faith and of a new Church vpon the anuill of his owne wit and that hee play not the Smith in this manner any more Gen 19.24 25. Ezech. 16.49 50. 2. Pet. 2.6 Iude 7 The citizens of Sodome were irregulars and neglected the studie and practise of the rules of this Art they were proud of their prosperitie liued idly and gaue themselues to gluttonie excesse and lubricitie for heape of wickednesse
were void of charitie and mercie Pride saith the Prophet fulnesse of bread and aboundance of idlenesse was in her and in her daughters that is in her suburbs and circumiacent townes neither did they strengthen the hands of the poore and needie but were hautie and committed abhomination before the Lord and therefore he rained downe from aboue fire and brimstone vpon their heads ouerthrewe their cities consumed all the inhabitants of the same and destroyed all the plaine round about and all that grew thereupon As it ought therefore to bee the chiefe care of all magistrates of cities and townes to take heed there be no blaspheming and prophaning of the name of God vsed by wearing banning cursing or by vnreuerent taking of the adorable name of God and of his sonne Iesus his wounds body blood in our mouthes nor no prophaning of the Lords day by practising any open or noted sinne or by following the exercises of our ordinarie callings or by spending the day in whole or in part in matters of worldly pleasure and pastime and by absenting our selues from the congregation and house of the Lord for it is an expresse sacriledge for a man to steale or take any part of the Lords day from the Lords seruice So ought they no lesse carefully take heed that none of these Sodomiticall sinnes of pride insolencie idlenesse lecherie gluttonie drunkennesse and vnmercifulnesse to the poore haue place or at least growe strong and take deepe roote within their cities and townes lest in that great day it bee easier for the Citizens of Sodome and Gomorrhe then for them Matth. 11.20 21 22 23 24. and lest great Cities that haue beene great in sin and Capernaum-like through presumption and pride haue lifted themselues vp vnto heauen be then brought downe to hell For though Almightie GOD is not woont now a daies to raine downe fire and brimstone vpon sinfull Cities and Townes as hee did of old vpon the fiue Cities of Sodome yet hee threatneth them both with fire and water as often as he commaundeth the fire to consume and the water to ouerflow not a few of our houses and habitations And though sinfull Cities escape here in this life fire and brimstone from aboue yet must they remember that God hath in store flouds and riuers of fire and brimstone below much more durable terrible wherin they must euerlastingly swimme after this life except with the Citie of Niniueh Ionah 3. they earnestly repent and amend their liues in this life For either must men here quench hell fire with the salt water of penitent teares and with the fresh water of a sanctified life flowing from the liuing wel-spring of a Christian beliefe or else must they irrecouerably burne in hell fire hereafter Psal 11 6. Vpon the wicked hee shall raine snares saith the Psalmist fire and brimstone and stormie tempest shall bee the portion of their cup Heb. 12.14 For without holinesse shall no man see God saith the Apostle It is good for great Cities to beware least they bee giuen to great sinnes and that to this end they set before their eyes alwaies the terrible examples of Gods iudgements shewed vpon sinfull Cities that so they may learne to stand in awe of God and feare to offend him least they draw the like indignation and condemnation vpon their heads For as the great Apostle saith 2 Pet. 2.4.5.6 If God spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell and deliuered them into chaines of darknesse to bee kept vnto damnation neither yet spared the old world but brought the floud vpon the vngodly and turned the Cities of Sodome and Gomorrhe into ashes condemned them and ouerthrew them and made them an ensample vnto them that after should liue vngodly shall we thinke that he will spare alwayes such sinfull Cities and Citizens as do now walke after the flesh hauing so many cleere examples for their instruction as they haue and hauing a cleere light for their direction to liue godly righteously and soberly in this present world then the other had and if the Lord plagued the Citie where his name was called vpon euen Ierusalem as the Lord himselfe by his Prophet reasoneth should wee flatter our selues Ierem. 25.15 16 17 18 19 20. and thinke to goe free no we shall not goe quit The inhabitants of Babel Ierem. 51.1.6 7 8 13 25 34 35 36 37 38 39 53 56.57 were not onely idolaters but also irregulars in attaining vnto riches by couetousnesse oppression spoyle and destruction of other nations namely of the people of God Wherefore the Lord speaketh vnto Babel in this manner O thou that dwellest vpon many waters aboundant in treasures thine end is come euen the end of thy couetousnesse Behold I come vnto thee O destroying mountaine saith the Lord which destroyest all the earth and I will stretch out mine hand vpon thee and roll thee downe from the rockes and will make thee a burnt mountaine Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babel hath deuoured me and destroyed mee hee hath made me an empty vessel he swallowed me vp like a dragon and filled his belly with my delicates and hast cast me out The spoyle of mee and that which was left of me is brought vnto Babel shall the inhabitants of Syon say and my bloud vnto the inhabitants of Chaldea shall Ierusalem say Therefore thus saith the Lord behold I will maintaine thy cause and take vengeance for thee and Babel shall be as heapes a dwelling place for dragons an astonishment and an hissing without an inhabitant They shall roare together like Lions and yell as the Lions whelpe Though Babel should mount vp to heauen and though shee should defend her strength on high yet from me shall her destroiers come saith the Lord For the Lord God that recompenseth shall surely recompence And I will make drunke her Princes and her wise men her Dukes and her Nobles and her strong and mightie men and they shall sleepe a perpetuall sleepe and not wake saith the king whose name is the Lord of Hostes Flie out of the middest of Babel and deliuer euery man his soule bee not destroyed in her iniquity for this is the time of the Lords vengeance hee will render vnto her a recompence Babel is suddenly fallen and destroyed howle for her bring balme for her soare if that shee may bee healed Forsake her and let vs goe euery one into his owne Country for her iudgement is come vp into heauen and is lifted vp to the cloudes Ezek. 26 27.28 The inhabitants of Tyrus both Prince and people were irregulars in the way of Enriching For they were so couetous and insolent therewithall that they were very glad and reioyced exceedingly at the fall of Ierusalem promising unto themselues that by the meanes of her desolation and impouerishment they should bee made rich And therefore the Lord gaue them and their Citie ouer into the handes of the
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
suffer any void roome therin so it crosseth the law of grace which enioyneth men to be gratious and charitable and commandeth such as haue more to giue cheerefullie or to lend freelie a part of their goods to such as haue lesse Giue to euery man that asketh of thee saith our Sauiour doe good Luke 6.30.35.38 and lend looking for nothing again and your reward shall be great and yee shall be the children of the most high Giue and it shall be giuen vnto you Giue and giue chearefullie 2. Cor. 9.7 for God loueth a chearefull giuer lend and lend freelie looking for nothing again Psalm 37.21.26 for God loueth a free and a frank lender And the righteous man saith Dauid is mercifull and giueth and like mercifull and lendeth and his seed enioyeth the blessing Psalm 15.1.5 And in expresse termes he telleth vs that the vsurer shall not dwell in Gods tabernacle nor rest in his holy mountaine So that the Christian must beware of vsurie and of getting or increasing goods by any such meanes So must hee likewise not onely in his owne person flee whoredome but also all sorts of whoremongerie in regard of others that he vse no such abominable meanes to come by money Deut. 23.17.18 The Lord expresly forbiddeth there should be any whorekeeper among his people and telleth vs that both the whore and her price are an abomination vnto the Lord. Let the whoremonger gather neuer so much goods by his whoremongerie yet both he and his wealth shall perish Eccles 23.17 All bread saith Iesus the sonne of Syrach is sweet to a whoremonger he will not leaue off till he perish Ephes 5.3 And the holy Apostle forbiddeth couetousnesse and vncleannesse once to be named amongst Christians and therefore exhorteth vs to mortifie our earthlie members fornication Colos 3.5.6 vncleannes and euill concupiscence inordinate affection and couetousnesse 1. Thes 4 3.4.5.7 for the which things saith he the wrath of God commeth on the children of disobedience for this is the will of God euen your sanctification and that yee should abstaine from fornication that euerie one of you should know how to possesse his vessel in holinesse and honour and not in the lust of concupisence euen as the Gentiles which know not God 1. Cor. 6.9.10.15 Heb. 13.4 for God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse but vnto holinesse And as for whores and whoremongers and adulterers such God will iudge neither can they inherit the Kingdome of God saith the same Apostle That is as the blessed Apostle S. Iohn expoundeth it Reuel 21.8.27 they shall not enter into the great citie holy Ierusalem but shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Now if Christians bee commanded by God by his Sonne Iesus Christ and by his seruants to mortifie flie abhorre and shunne all vncleannesse and concupiscence doth it not thence most necessarily follow that Christian magistrates may not permit any place for the exercise thereof And if whoredome is not to bee once named amongst Christians how much more ought it not to bee practised by priuate men or permitted by the Prince in the common-wealth for anie respect whatsoeuer and if God will iudge whooremongers and not suffer them to enter into his holy Citty and kingdome then they that are called Gods ought likewise to punish them and not suffer any such persons to haue any place in their citties or kingdome But rather with godly Iehoshaphat 1. King 22.40 2. King 23.7 and Iosiah they ought to put cleane out of the land all whooremongers and whoorekeepers and breake down burne all their brothel-houses as an abhomination vnto the Lord. Far be it from all such as are called Gods and ought to represse and punish sinne to permit any place in their Citties or kingdomes for the increasing of sinne and the dishonouring of God by the professed practise of sinne Neither doth it suffice to say that Magistrates and Princes for the preuention of the greater euils of priuate Sodomites of vnnaturall copulations and priuate fornications may permit and tolerate the lesser euill of a publicke brothel-house in some place remote from the Citty for besides that the Magistrates care and vigilancy ought to be such that there be no enormious sinne or hainous offence priuately or publikely committed or at least left vnpunished it can not bee otherwise but that one whore-house publickly permitted is more able to pull downe Gods indignation and iudgement against the whole Citty or kingdome aswell Prince as people then an hundreth priuate houses being defiled can do being either not knowne vnto the Magistrate or being punished by him if they be knowne For a smaller sinne being permitted to bee publickely professed practised prouoketh God more then a greater sinne doth if it be by the Magistrate repressed and punished It is not in the Princes power to keep sinne out of his Citty or Kingdome neither is he liable to iudgement punishment for that which commeth not within the compasse of his possibility But it lyeth in his power to keepe out of his kingdome a schoole-house for sinne and a worke-house for wickednesse and therefore if hee doe otherwise for any respect whatsoeuer hee in so doing maketh himselfe and his kingdome obnoxious vnto Gods indignation In one word it is an intolerable shame that Christians who are called to study and learne in Christs schoole mortification and sanctification of the flesh should haue a schoole of sinne opened vp to them wherein they can learne no other thing but to offend God to slay their owne soules to consume their bodies and to wast their substance and in one word to make shipwracke at once of godlinesse goodnesse and their goods Hereunto also it belongeth that no amorous or voluptuous books ballads or songs nor no lasciuious and prophane plaies or representations ought or are to suffered in a Christian Commonwealth For as the whore-house is the diuels schoole-house and whoremongers are the keepers and vshers of the schoole vnder the great maister thereof the spirit of vncleannes so amorous and lasciuious bookes ballads and songs are the bookes that this vncleane schoolemaister maketh his scholers buy to teach them how to defile their bodies and to slay their soules that in the end they may be made fit fewel for hell-fire And lasciuious stage-playes and representations are the same vncleane school-maisters sports pastimes and plaies which he appointeth vnto his schollers for to quicken and encourage them in the study and exercise of sinne Not that I meane to condemne all exercises of stage-playings minstrelzies or musicke for I doubt not but in themselues they are all lawfull and may bee so vsed that men may bee much furthered thereby in the way of vertue But onely that in a Christian Commonwealth great care ought to be had least that any of them be abused to the stirring vp inticing or alluring of men
God To the end that the poore being supported by this meanes may bee the more encouraged to celebrate ioyfully the solemne time of our Sauiours birth For what thing is there more vnbeseeming Christianity then for men to spend the dayes of this festiuall time in playing to gather money for themselues and to practise either more couetousnesse or else more vnthriftinesse at this time more then at any other What thing is there I say or can there be more vnbecomming a Christian then not to spend this time in the exercise of piety towards God and of charity towards our neighbour for his sake Shall one Christian be so vnchristianly affected as to turne his playing with his brother into a preying vpon his brother so that his couetousnesse cannot bee quenched till he haue emptied his purse Or shall the Christian play and not shew himselfe a Christian in his playing by imparting the pence hee hath wonne vnto the poore and therefore to shut vp this present discourse as the Apostle exhorteth vs that whether we eate or drinke we doe all to the glory of God so say I of this matter whether wee play for money or lay money for a wager let vs alwaies remember to play and lay like Christian and charitable men and in all our actions let our piety towards God and our charity towards our neighbours appeare VI. Rule A man must not make haste to be rich as being possessed with an immoderate desire and loue of riches miscaried with an excessiue care to purchase or increase wealth But ought rather to bee content with little goods gotten with a good conscience and enioyed with quietnesse of minde then to purchase or possesse much with an euill conscience with strife toile and trouble of spirit Probation and declaration TRauaile not too much to bee rich saith Salomon for riches taketh her to her wings as an Eagle and flyeth into the aire Prouerb 23.4.5 28.20.22 Eccles 31.1.2.5.6 Prouerb 21.5 20.21 and he that maketh haste to bee rich shall not bee innocent A man with a wicked eye hasteth to riches and knoweth not that pouertie shall come vpon him for whosoeuer is hastie commeth surely to pouertie An heritage is hastily gotten at the beginning but the end thereof shall not be blessed 29.20 Seest thou a man hastie in his matters there is more hope of a foole then of him 15.27 He that is greedy of gaine troubleth his owne house and hee that troubleth his owne house shall inherit the winde 11.29 An honest name is to bee chosen aboue great riches 22.1 and a good conscience is a continuall feast 15 15 16 17 Better is a little with the feare of the Lord then great treasures and troubles therwith Better is a dinner of greene hearbes where loue is then a stalled Oxe 28 6 and hatred therewith Better is the poore that walketh in his vprightnesse then hee that peruerteth his waies 17.1 though he be rich Better is a dry morsell if peace bee with it then an house full of sacrifices with strife Ecclesiast 4.6 Ecclesiast 29.24 25. Better is an handfull with quietnesse then two handfuls with labour and vexation of spirit Better is a little with righteousnesse then great reuenewes without equity Prouerb 16 8 Tobith 1â— 8 Ecclesiast 5.9 He that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied with siluer And hee that loueth riches meaning immoderately shall be without the fruit thereof Psal 37.16.17 A small thing vnto the iust man is better then great riches to the wicked and mighty saith the holy Prophet Dauid for the armes of the wicked shall bee broken 39.6 49.16.17 but the Lord vpholdeth the iust man Man walketh in a shadow and disquieteth himselfe in vaine he heapeth vp riches and cannot tell who shall gather them for hee shall take nothing away with him when he dieth neither shall his pompe descend after him Prou. 4 17 23 34. Ecclesiast 5.11 The man who eateth the bread of wickednes and drinketh the wine of violence in his sleepe is as one that sleepeth in the mids of the sea and as hee that sleepeth in the top of the mast yea the satietie of such a rich man will not suffer him to sleepe whereas the man who is content of a little with a good conscience Psal 4.7.8 may well say with godly King Dauid Thou hast giuen mee more ioy of heart then they haue had when their wheate and their wine did abound I will lay me downe Ecclesiast 40 18. 29.25 and also sleepe in peace for thou O Lord wilt make me dwell in safety To labour and to be content with that a man hath is a sweete life saith Siracides Be it little or much let him hold himselfe contented Godlinesse is great gaine saith the holy Apostle Paul if a man be content with that he hath 1 Tim 6.6.7.8.9.10 for we brought nothing into the world and it is certaine that wee can carry nothing out Therefore when wee haue foode and rayment let vs therewith be content For they that will bee rich fall into tentations and snares and into many foolish and noisome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction For the desire of money is the roote of all euill which while some lusted after they erred from the faith and pierced themselues through with many sorrowes And in another place he willeth that couetousnes should not be once named amongst Christians Ephes 5.3.5 1. Cor. 6.10 and telleth vs that a couetous man is an idolater and that he shall not inherite the kingdome of God meaning that the couetous mans God is his gold as the gluttons God is his belly The one is well called a belly-god and the other may bee rightly called a pelfe-god or if ye will a gold-god The ones religion is belly-goddisme and Epicurisme Soule eate drinke and take thy rest for thou hast much meate layed vp for many yeares The others religion is little differing but in name from the first and is gold-goddisme Soule take thy rest and be merry for thou hast much money gold layd vp for many yeares As this mans gold is his God so his house is his heauen his bed is his Abrahams bosome his boord is to him the banquet of the Lambe his praying is his playing his misdeeds are all his almesdeedes his fasting is his feasting and his temporall fulnesse is his eternall felicity Marke 4 18.19 Wherefore our Sauiour teacheth vs that the immoderate cares of the world and the deceitfulnesse of riches and the lusts of other things choake the seede of the word sowen by the spirituall Sower and make it vnfruitfull Math. 26.27.28.29.30.31.32.33.34 Luke 21 34. 13.22.29 And therefore hee would haue vs to bee so farre and free from all excesse of care for worldly things that he forbiddeth vs to be grieuously carefull for the
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
all the world but in Israel Now therefore I pray thee take a blessing of thy seruant And the Prophet hauing refused his reward Naaman said shall there not bee giuen to thy seruant as much of this earth as two Mules may beare for thy seruant will henceforth offer neither burnt sacrifice nor offering vnto any other God saue vnto the Lord. Herein the Lord be mercifull vnto thy seruant that when my maister goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there leaneth on mine hand and I bow my selfe in the house of Rimmon when I do bow downe I say in the house of Rimmon the Lord be merciful vnto thy seruant in this point Thus wee see how that this great and mightie man called himselfe at euery word the seruant of Gods seruant yea moreouer he bare him such honour that when as hee saw Gehezi the seruant of Elisha running after him he lighted downe from his Chariot to meete him and said Is all well Thus wee see how good and godly men and women as well the rich as the poore and as well the noble as the ignoble haue honored the seruants of God and the Gouernors of his Church and called them Lords And yet this is not all the honor the Spirit of God giueth them in the holy Scripture 2 Chron. 17.7 Psal 45.9.13 16. For the Prophet Dauid as he speaking of the future glory of the Catholicke Church vnder Christ the head thereof saith thus The Kings daughter is all glorious within her clothing is of broydred gold Shee shall bee brought vnto the King in raiment of needle-work so prophecying of the future splendour dignitie of the fathers and gouernours of the Church hee vseth these words In stead of thy fathers shall thy children be thou shalt make them Princes through all the earth meaning that of the children of the Church should be chosen such as should bee Fathers and Rulers of the Church as Patriarkes Archbishops and Bishops which should bee honored throughout the whole Christian world as Lords and Princes for the holy Prophet as hee describeth typically Christ as the King of the Catholike Church and none but he to bee King and the Church as the Queene and Spouse of this King so doth hee signifie vnto vs that the Princes of this King and kingdome are the Rulers and Gouernours of the Church aboue named which of children of the Church should be made Fathers of the Church and should be honored as Princes through all the earth for wee must not imagine that the kingdome of Christ is to bee included within the walles and circuite of one Citie whether Rome Ierusalem Geneua or Amsterdam nor yet within the compasse of some three or foure kingdomes but wee must beleeue that the Church of Christ is of farre more ample and spacious bounds then so Psal 45 27. All the ends of the world shall remember themselues saith the Prophet Dauid and turne to the Lord. And all the kindreds of the Nations shall worship before thee 2.8 Aske of mee saith the eternall father to the sonne and I shall giue thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession his dominion shall bee from sea to sea 72.8.11 and from the riuer vnto the ends of the land yea all kings shall worship him all nations serue him But to passe ouer this matter of the large extent of the Catholick Church and to returne to the honour the people owe vnto her gouernours we reade what was the demeanour of the Iayler toward Saint Paul and Silas being prisoners Acts 16.24.25 to 34. whose hands and feet the Lord loosed as also opened the doores of the prison by the meanes of a mighty earth-quake so that the Iayler came trembling and fell downe before Paul and Silas and brought them out and said Sirs or as the word in the originall also importeth my Lords what must I doe to be saued And they said beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt bee saued and thine houshold And they preached vnto him the word of the Lord and to all that were in his house and when he had brought them into his house and had washed the stripes and wounds of their bodies and likewise they the spirituall stripes and wounds of the soules of him and his houshold by baptisme hee set meate before them and reioyced that hee with all his houshold beleeued in God Lastly Reuel 1.11.19.20 11.8.12.18 3.1.7.14 Saint Iohn writing to the Bishops of the seuen Churches of Asia calleth them by the name of seuen Angels or rather our Sauiour and Soueraigne himselfe calleth them so who also expoundeth the seuen starres to bee the Angels of the seuen Churches and biddeth him write vnto the Angell of the Church of Ephesus thus and vnto the Angell of the Church of the Smyrnians thus and so vnto the other Angels of the other Churches Where note that although that in euery one of these Churches were more Ministers then one yea there was many in euery one of them and namely in Ephesus as is more then cleare by the tenour of Saint Pauls Epistle to Timothie 1 Tim. 13.4 3.1.2 the first Bishop of Ephesus yet the name of Angell is by the spirit of God the mouth of Christ and the penne of the Apostle appropriated vnto onely one of the Ministers of the foresaid Churches euen vnto him who was Bishop amongst them And as the foure and twentie Elders glorifie Christ for making them Kings and Priests vnto God so the holy Apostle and Prophet Saint Iohn Reuel 5.10 Reuel 1.4.5.6 writing vnto the said seuen Angels or Bishops of the said seuen Churches in his salutation ascribeth all glory and dominion to Iesus Christ the Prince of the Kings of the earth who saith he hath made vs Kings and Priestes vnto God the Father And thus haue I verified mine assertion that the holy Scripture honoreth the Gouernors Rulers of the Church with the honourable Titles and names of Fathers Lords Princes Kings and Angels And therefore let no man thinke that I haue said too much for yet I could say more and yet no more then the word of God doth warrant me to say And therefore I wish all vs Lay-men to think that it is not the peaceable spirit of Gods Church but the popular perturbing spirit of Amsterdam or some such other respectlesse priuate spirit that moueth men to dislike of the giuing of honourable titles to the Gouernors and Prelates of the Church But as the example of Cornelius his demeanour in the presence of the great Apostle doth teach vs Lay-men humility and reuerence in the behalfe of Gods Ministers so doth the example of the modest demeanour of the first of the Apostles in the behalfe of godly Cornelius teach all Pastours and Prelates all Patriarks Archbishops and Bishops to shew and Practise all Christian modestie in the peoples behalfe by letting them
Babylonians to spoyle their merchandise to robbe them of their riches to ouerthrow their pleasant houses and costly buildings to seise vpon their Shippes and to destroy their Citie The which was most famous for her scituation being euen at the entrie of the sea for the resort of people from so many places Countreies and Isles for the beautifulnesse of her buildings for the strength of her Nauie for the greatnesse of her Armie for the multitude of her Shippes and Sea-men and for her store of most exquisite wares as white Wooll fine Linnen broydred worke blew Silke Purple costly cloathes Iron Tinne Lead Brasse Gold Siluer Chaines Corall Pearles Emeraudes Horses Mules Vnicorne-hornes Elophants teeth Peacockes Wheate Honey Oyle Balme Wine Lambes Rammes Goates Cassia Calumus and all kinde of spices For as the Tyrians attained vnto so great wealth most part by vnlawfull and vngodly meanes so both the Prince and the peopple were lifted vp in heart because of their prosperity and riches Thine heart saith the Lord by his holy Prophet EZEKIEL vnto the Prince is lifted vp because of thy riches and by the multitude of thy marchandise they haue filled the middest of thee with cruelty by the iniquity of thy marchandise hast thou defiled thy selfe therefore will I cast thee as prophane out of the mountaine of God I will bring forth a fire from the middest of thee which shall deuoure thee and I will bring thee to ashes vpon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee all they that know thee amongst the people shall bee astonished at thee thou shalt bee a terrour and neuer shalt thou be any more Amos. 1.6.7.8.9.10 The inhabitants of Samaria and head-smen of Israel in the time of the Prophet Amos were irregulars in the way of Enriching for they oppressed the poore and destroyed the needy And therefore saith the Lord haue I giuen you cleannesse of teeth in all your cities and scarcenesse of bread in all your places yet haue ye not returned to me I haue with-holden the raine from you when there were yet three monethes to the haruest and I caused it to raine vpon one Citie and haue not caused it to raine vpon an other Citie one peece was rained vpon and the peece whereupon it rained not withered yet haue yee not returned vnto me saith the Lord. I haue smitten you with blasting and mell-dew your great gardens and your vineyards and your figge-trees and your oliue trees did the palmer-worme deuoure yet haue yee not returned vnto me saith the Lord. Pestilence haue I sent amongst you after the manner of Aegypt your yong men haue I slaine with the sword yea I haue made the stincke of your tents to come vp euen into your nosthrils Amos. 5.5.11.12 yet haue yee not returned vnto me saith the Lord. Forasmuch as your treading is vpon the poore and yee take from him burthens of wheat yee haue built houses of hewen stone but yee shall not dwell in them yee haue planted pleasant vineyards but ye shall not drinke wine of them for I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sinnes they afflict the iust they take rewardes and they oppresse the poore in the gate They lie vpon beddes of iuory and stretch themselues thereupon they eate the Lambes of the flocke and the Calues of the stall they sing to the sound of the violl they inuent to themselues instruments of musicke they drinke wine in bowles and annoint themselues with the chiefe oyntments but no man is sorry for the affliction of Ioseph Heare this Amos 8.4.5.6.7.8 O yee that swallow vp the poore that yee may make the needy of the land to faile saying When will the new moone be gone that wee may sell corne and the Sabaoth that wee may set forth wheat and make the Ephah small and the sheckle great and falsifie the weights by deceit that wee may buy the poore for siluer and the needy for shooes yea and sell the refuse of the wheate The Lord hath sworne by the excellency of Iacob surely I will neuer forget any of their workes Shall not the land tremble for this euery one mourne that dwelleth therein The Citie of Ierusalem had many irregulars in the way of enriching before the time of her great desolation Isay 1.17 21 22 23. Their Princes and Iudges loued gifts and followed after reward saith the Prophet Isaie they iudged not the fatherlesse 3.14 15. neither came the widowes cause before them they eate vp the vineyard the spoyle of the poore was in their houses they beate the poore people to peeces and did grind their faces Ierem 48.29 And as in Moab there was stoutnesse and arrogancie and hautinesse of heart amongst their other sinnes for which they were destroyed by the king of Babel so the people of Ierusalem were loftie Isay 2.7 because of their wealth they were proud because their land was full of siluer and gold of treasure of horses chariots 3.16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 32 9 10 11 12 13 14. their women liued in ease were idle negligent and carelesse they were proud hautie and walked with stretched-out neckes and abounded in braue apparell and costly attire the mens chiefe care was to ioyne house to house and field to field 5 8 9 10. to haue whereupon to maintaine this brauerie and superfluitie of their wiues to find them the ornament of the slippers the calles and the round tires the sweet balles the bracelets and the bonnets the tires of the head the sloppes and the head bands the tablets the rings the eare-rings and the mufflers the costly apparell the vailes the wimples and the crisping pinnes the glasses the fine linnen the hoods and the lawnes Another of their mens chiefe and ordinary exercises 5.11 22. was to rise vp early to drinke wine and to shew themselues strong in powring in of strong drinke and to continue their tippling til the wine did consume them And as the Lord threatned the hauty daughters of Syon with the spoyle of their ornaments 3.16.24 telling them that their silke and their sattin should bee changed into sack-cloth their balles and sweet smelles into dust and ashes 5 8.11.22.23 so doth hee by his holy prophet pronounce a woe vnto these ioyners of house to house and layers of field to field till there be no place but for them that they may be placed by themselues in the middest of the earth and likewise a woe vnto these earely vprisers to follow drunkennesse and yet a third woe vnto all vniust iudges and lawlesse lawyers which iustifie the wicked for a reward and take away the right of the vpright man from him euen vnto such as decree wicked decrees and write grieuous things to keepe backe the poore from iudgement and to take away their right that they may prey vpon the poore widowes and spoyle the fatherlesse Likewise the
Prophet Ieremie complaineth Ierem. 5.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8.25 26 27 28. that in Ierusalem iustice and iudgement were not executed no not for the fatherlesse the widow and the poore And that their fulnesse was accompanied with adulterie and whoredome for they assembled themselues by companies in the harlots houses so that their yong men spent the day-time in wine and the night-time they spent in venerie Also amongst them were found wicked persons entrappers setters of snares and makers of pits to catch men As a Cage is full of birdes so were their houses full of deceit 6.13 8.10 and thereby they became great waxed rich fat and shining From the least to the greatest they were generally giuen to couetousnesse 9 3.4 5 6 7 8 9. and from the Prophet euen to the Priest they all dealt falsely Yea they did bend their tongues like their bowes for lies euery one did deale deceitfully and they taught their tongues to speake lies Ezek. 22.7.12.13.27.29.31 Also the Prophet Ezekiel complaineth of the like enormities of the oppressing of strangers of vexing the fatherlesse and the widow of taking of gifts of spoyling the poore of taking of vsurie and the encrease of defrauding their neighbours by extortion and such other courses of their couetousnesse and loue of lucre Therefore saith the Lord I haue smitten mine hands vpon thy couetousnesse that thou hast vsed I haue powred out mine indignation vpon them and consumed them with the fire of my wrath their own waies haue I rendred vpon their heads Ierem. 9.15 15.1 2 3 4. Behold I will feed this people with wormewood saith the Lord and giue them waters of gall to drinke Such as are appointed to death vnto death such as are for the sword to the sword and such as are for the famine to the famine and such as are for the captiuitie to the captiuitie I will appoint ouer them foure kindes the sword to slaie the dogges to teare in peeces the fowles of the heauen to deuoure and the beasts of the field to destroy 24.10 29.16 17 18. I will scatter them also in all kingdomes of the earth And vpon them that goe not into captiuitie I will send the sword the famine and the pestilence and will make them like naughtie figges that cannot be eaten they are so naughtie I will make them a terrour to all kingdomes of the earth and a curse and astonishment and an hissing and a reproach among all the nations Isay 24. Thus the Lord for the sinnes of his people made their land emptie and waste scattered the inhabitants and made them desolate spoyled the rich debased the proud weakened the mightie and powred contempt vpon their princes He made the earth to defraud them of their bread and the vine to withdrawe from them their drinke and instead of sweet wine 51.17 18 19 20. Habbak 2.15 16. that maketh the heart glad hee reached them a cup of sowre wine that maketh their hearts sad euen the vineger of his wrath the cup of trembling the cup of his right hand that is a cup of strong drinke which hee made them to drinke out dregs and all in recompence of their early rising to follow drunkennesse This cuppe was so strong that it brought the strongest powrer in of strong drinke soone vpon his backe and turned the drunkards glorie in drinking into shamefull spewing Thus finally the Lord turned Ierusalems ioy into woe her solace into sorrow her mirth into mourning her laughing into lamenting her feasting into fasting her fulnesse into famine her aboundance into indigence her plentie into penurie her glorie into shame her praise into reproach her blessednesse into cursednesse her honour into hissing her triumphs into terrour her statelinesse into astonishment her security into ieopardy her libertie into captiuity Thus I say hee smote her gate with destruction and her Citizens with desolation Conclusion Thus you see most noble Cities what hath beene the fortune and fall of a most noble Citie and a citie if euer any in the wide world beloued of God yee see the greatnesse of her desolation and that her great sinnes for commonly in great Cities dwell great sinnes did occasion the same Considering the which my thrise hearty wish vnto God for you is that her desolation may serue for your edification and her lamentable destruction may be vnto you a profitable instruction That auoiding and shunning her sins and all kinde of enormous and heinous impietie all sacriledge idololatrie pride adulterie couetousnesse crueltie deceit briberie extortion oppression vsurie and vnmercifulnesse to the poore Finally all prophanation of Gods holy name by vnreuerent and vnrespectfull naming thereof by swearing and forswearing and all vnhallowing of his holy name in whole or in part by flying from the congregation and following our owne waies of profite and of pleasure and forsaking the Lords waies of piety and of charitie yee may likewise escape her plagues ye may be free from her wormwood bread her waters of gall her famine her sword her pestilence her captiuity her scattering her reproach her astonishment her shame her seruitude her desolation and destruction That so right noble and flourishing Cities yee may long continue noble and long flourish in piety and prosperity your Citizens and inhabitants may be long rich and euery day more and more rich both in goods and goodnesse that being rich in God heere on earth yee may be rich with God hereafter in heauen And that this Art may end whereas it did begin euen at God who as he is the Alpha and the Omega the beginning and the ending of all things so me thinketh is it good reason that he be the Alpha and the Omega of this Art Psal 119.36 Let euery man that desireth to see good things pray to God with good King Dauid Lord incline mine heart vnto thy testimonies and not vnto couetousnesse Prou. 30.8.9 And with wise King Salomon his sonne Giue me not pouertie nor riches too much Feede mee with food conuenient for me least I bee full and denie thee and say Who is the Lord or least I bee poore and steale and take the Name of my God in vaine Amen FINJS