THE GOLDEN ART OR The right way of Enriching Comprised in ten Rules proued and confirmed by many places of holy Scripture and illustrated by diuers notable examples of the same Very profitable for all such persons in Citie or Countrie as doe desire to get increase conserue and vse goods with a good conscience By. I.M. Maister in Arts. 1. Sam. 2.7 The Lord maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth low and exalteth ECCLESIASTIC 11.14 Prosperitie and aduersitie life and death pouertie and riches come of the Lord 2. Cor. 9.8 Yee know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that hee beeing rich for your sakes became poore that yee through his pouertie might be made rich LONDON Printed for William Leake and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Holy Ghost 1611. To the two most Famous Ancient and Opulent Sister-Cities of the Ocean-walled-world of Britaines Ile the Augustious Chambers of our most gracious King IAMES the Concorder and the first Christian Vniter thereof LONDON the Lady of Cities and Load stone of Strangers EDINBVRG the bright Eye of the North. And to the Honourable GOVERNOVRS ALDERMEN and SHERIFFES BAILLIES and DEANE of the Guild With the whole Worshipfull CORPORATIONS COMPANIES therof A Britaine for a perpetual testimonie of his obseruancy doth in right humble and hearty maner dedicate the Golden Art of Enriching being the first Art that euer was written vpon this subiect and likewise the first that euer was written originally in the Britannish Tongue IAMES MAXVVELL To the Right Honourable SIR WILLIAM CRAVEN Knight Lord Mayor of the Augustious Citty of LONDON and the flower of all Noble minded Merchants SIR IOHN ARNOT Knight Lord Prouost of the Royall City of EDINBVRGE and Collector of the Crowne-rents of Scotland All desirable Felicity Right Honourable I BEING of late in reuoluing and reuiewing the confused Masse of mine vnpolished papers among mine other exercises and essayes I found the proiect and platforme of this present Art and hauing taken some paines about the polishing and finishing thereof I was loath it should perish or yet lye any longer shut vp in the obscure corner of a coffer And therefore partly presuming and partly hoping that it might do some good vnto such as labour either to get goods with a good conscience or to vse their goods already gotten in a good and godly manner I was somuch the more willing to set it out to publicke veiw And because it was mine hap to prosecute my studies and to run my Philosophicall course in the Noble Citty of EDINBVRGE whereby my small capacity hath herein been furthered and my fortune to write and finish this present Arte in this famous Citty of LONDON where now I liue therefore I thought it my duty to dedicate the same vnto the foresaid two most Honourable Citties of this I le and that for a testimony of mine obseruancy and gratefull affection towards them both Being somuch the more moued to implore and imploy their honourable patronage therein as for because that the subiect thereof doth especially concerne Citties and Citizens and genenerally all such in Citty or country as labour to be rich in the right way In it truely is contained whatsoeuer thing the Sacred Scripture dispersedly doth afford concerning pouerty and riches and the vertues and vices which are incident or conuersant about the same Out of the which holy Booke I haue collected the whole rules reasons probations and exemplifications of this Arte and therfore I haue not amplyfied nor enlarged my discourse as I might haue done with the forraine stuffe of humane testimonies and that for these three reasons First because that the holy Scripture beeing diligently searched is no lesse-sufficient to shew a man the right way of Enriching then it is of Beleeuing that the reasons and testimonies thereof are of vncontroullable authority Secondly because I did foresee how that this Arte by such enlarging would arise to such a volume that it should bee both hardly reade ouer of rich men who haue too little time to peruse large bookes and hardly compassed or got of poore men who haue too little money to buy big bookes And lastly because it is my purpose God willing to discourse both Theologically and Philosophically in the Arte of Flying how that no lesle then these ten Schoolemaisters 1. Almighty God 2. The glorious Angels 3. The holy Pen-men of sacred Scripture Prophets and Apostles 4. The reuerend Doctors of the Church 5. The wise Philosophers of the Heathen 6. The Worlds frame in the Heauens Starres and Elements 7. The Fowles of the Aire 8. The Fishes of the Sea 9. The Beasts of the Field 10. And the creeping things of the earth do all of them coniunctly concurre to teach Man how to become a Bird of Paradise that is to say how to flie from all vices to all opposite vertues Accept therefore Right Honourable in good worth in the name of your foresaid two flourishing Citties the Golden Arte of Enriching such as it is being the first Arte that euer was written vpon this subiect yea and the first Arte that euer was originally written in the common language of this most noble I le and as I suppose the first booke that euer did beare this Vnionall kind of Dedication Grace it therefore with your fauourable visage and guarde it with your worthy patronage So shall it bee secured vnder your shadow and I encouraged to offer God-willing one day vnto the honour of these your two most Honourable Sister-citties our IAMES ANNA that is the patterne of a perfite Citty That which resteth is my thrise hearty wish vnto God who hath planted peace in your Borders Psal 147.13.14 strengthned your gates and satisfied you with the floure of wheate that it would be his gratious pleasure to crowne you more and more with all kind of Spirituall and Temporall blessings that your Sonnes may be as the plants Psal 144.12.13.14 growing vp in their youth and your Daughters as the corner-stones grauen after the similitude of a Palace Psal 65.9.10.11.12.13 that your corners may be ful and abounding with diuers sortes and the furrowes of your fieldes may be made soft with showers and filled with fatnesse That your pastures may be replenished with dewy grasse and clad with sheepe bringing forth thousands in your Territories together with kine sending forth the soft streames of sweet milke and likewise with oxen strong to labour your land That your vallies may be couered with corne Psal 132.15 Zach. 9.17 and your trees and orchards loaden with fruite so that your Poore may be satisfied with bread and your Yong-men and Maids for ioy may shoute and sing Psal 144 14. That there be no inuasion from without nor sedition from within nor no crying in your streetes Isay 23.58 and circumiacent townes That your Merchants may be as Princes and your Chapmen and Shopmen as the Nobles of the earth that
they may be rich in godlinesse and in good workes no lesse then in gold and in goods ready to distribute and communicate 1. Tim. 6.17.18.19 laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life Exod. 18.21.25 23.1.2 3.6.7.8.9 Deut 1.13.16.17 2. Chron. 19.5.6.7 That your Lawyers Iustices and Iudges may be replenished with wisdome vnderstanding in the Law with conscionablenesse and courage in pleading the good cause and in doing of Iustice and Iudgement without respect of persons or yet of reward That your Preists may be clothed with saluation Psal 132.16 Malach. 2.7 Mat. 5.14.15.16 Deut. 32.5 Philip. 2.15 that their lips may preserue knowledge and that they may shine as lightes by their sound instruction and sanctified conuersation in the middes of the blind and naughty multitude of sinnefull and earthly minded men Finally that it would please his Diuine clemency alwaies to rescue Dauid his seruant and to shew his saluation and word more and more vnto Iacob our Soueraigne Psal 61.6.7 91 14 15 16 144 10 11 147.19 Hosh 14 6 7 8. to satisfie him with long life and to make his yeares as many ages to be with him in trouble to amplifie his Maiesty and to increase his glory in the sight of all his enemies that hee may grow as the Lillie and fasten his rootes in Albion as the trees of Lebanon That his branches may spread and his beauty may be as the oliue tree and his smell as Lebanon that they that dwell vnder his shadow may flourish as the vine and that the sent of Albion may be as the wine of Lebanon That so a blessed Princes blessed People may goe on from blessednesse to blessednesse and thus blessed may alwaies blesse him who is the blesser of you both euen he whose name is Iehouah who will blesse you in this life with temporall and spirituall prosperity and crowne you after this life with eternall felicity And thus I rest an earnest louer Of your Lordships and your honourable Citties honour IAMES MAXVVELL A Summarie view of such more notable points as are declared and explained to the meanest capacity in the Glosses of this Art I. OF the excellency of the feare of the Lord and of the nature propertie and branches thereof Pag. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 9. 10. 11. II. Of the prosperitie of the wicked and of the euanishing condition of the same pag. 7. 8. 90. 91. III. Of Salomons three capitall euils which are to bee hated aboue all other pride the euill way the mouth that speaketh lewd thinges pag. 10. 11. IIII. Of Gods fatherly corrections and how a man ought to carie himselfe therein and make vse of afflictions pag. 12. 13. 14. 89. 90. 91. 92. V. Of the excellency of wisdome and the preciousnesse thereof pag. 15. 16. 17. 18. VI. How that Lettered men must endeauour to be well seene in Arts Sciences pag. 18. 19. 20. VII How that Merchants Traffikers Trades-men and the labourers of the ground ought to endeauour to be skilfull each one of them in their owne particular callings pag. 21. 22. VIII How that the vnwise and wicked may oftentimes be rich and the wise and well-qualified poore and the reasons and occasions of both pag. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 90. 91. 92. 93. IX Of the dignity and excellency of the spirituall calling of Church-men aboue the temporal callings of other men pag. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. X. Of the excellencie of diligence and carefulnesse about a mans calling and of the great damage that insueth vpon idlenesse and sloth pag. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. XI How that as good Gentlemen as any that liue now-adaies haue embraced a Trade pag. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. XII Of the vnfruitfulnes of mans labours without Gods blessing pag. 46. 47. 48. 49. XIII Of the cursed conditions of all oppressors extortioners deceiuers Lawlesse Lawyers and vniust Iudges p. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. XIIII Of lending friendly and of the vnlawfulnesse of vsurie pag. 66. 67. 68. 70. 71. XV. Of true and due measure in selling of wares pag. 68. 69. 70. XVI Of the vnlawfulnes of Stew-houses in a Christian Common-wealth pag. 72. 73. 74. XVII Of the right vse the pernitious abuse of stage-plaies pag. 75. 76. XVIII Of the vse and abuse of play at cards dice. pag. 77. 78. 79. 80. XIX Of the cursednes of couetousnesse and of the blessednesse of contentation pag. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. XX. Of the setting of our hearts vppon heauenly treasure and not vppon earthly trash pag. 86. 87. 88. 94. 95. 96. 97. XXI Of the cheerefulnes and readines that ought to be in subiects toward the maintenance of their Princes pag. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101. 102. 103. 104. 105. 188. XXII A short discourse touching the manner how princes amongst the people of God haue been maintained of old together with a defence of Salomon against the false imputation of his subiects slandering him to be a grieuous yoake-maker pag. 106. 107. 108. 109. 110. XXIII A plaine plea for the honourable and liberall maintenance of Gods Ministers against all God-spoiling Anti-Gods and sacrilegious Church-robbers pag. 111. 112. 113. 114. 115. 116. 117. 118. 119. 120. 121. 122. 123. 124. 125. 126. 127. 128. 129. 183. XXIIII How that the ministers of the Gospell ought not to disclaime the honourable Title of Priests pag. 122. 123. 177. 178. XXV Of the honour due vnto Church-men in gesture of body and in word of mouth And how that in holy Scripture the Gouernours of the Church are enstiled Fathers Lords Princes Angels pag. 171. 172. 173. 174. 175. 177. 178. XXVI Against the sins of couetousnesse and carelesnesse in Church-men pag. 184. 185. 186. 192. 198. XXVII Of the large extent and outward glory vnity of the Church towards the latter times pag. 175. 176. 186. 187. 196. XXVIII How men ought to take a part of their owne goods in all heartie and cheerefull manner pag. 130. 131. 132. XXIX Of the great hurt that redoundeth to a man in soule body and goods by reason of excesse intemperancy superfluity pa. 133. 134. 135. 136. 137. 138. 139. XXX A plea for charitablenesse to the poore against the dead deuotion of these vncharitable daies pag. 140. 141. 142. 143 144. 145. 146. 147. 148. 149. 150. 151. 152. 153. 154. 155. 156. 191. 192. 193. 194. 195. 196. 197. XXXI A collection and description of such famous men and woemen mentioned in holy Scripture as haue gotten goods with a good conscience and vsed their riches aright and haue beene blessed of God Pag. 157. 158. 159 160. 161. 162. 163. 164. 165. 166. 167. 168. 169. 170. 171. 172. 173. 174. 175. 176. 177. 178. 179. 180. 181. XXXII A collection description of such persons mentioned in holy Scripture as haue swerued from
Euery man shall clappe their hands at him and hisse at him out of their place 20.6.7.29 Loe this is the portion of the godles rich man from God and the heritage that the man shall haue of God that is rich but not rich in God Though his excellencie mount vp to the heauen and his head reach vnto the cloudes yet shall hee not enter into heauen yea he shall be hurled not onely down from heauen but also out of the earth and shall perish for euer like his dung and they which haue seene him shall say where is hee Though he be strong for a time prosper and florish like a greene bay as holy Dauid speaketh yet his armes and his branches shall be broken Psal 37.17.20.29.30 he and his prosperitie shall perish and melt away like the fat of Lambes whereas the righteous men that is such as feare God and eschew euill shall inherit the land for euer And thus I hope the obiection made against the infallibilitie of the first rule may be satisfied Now if a man that loueth to studie this art will aske what the feare of God is which openeth so wide a doore vnto a man to be rich and how such a man may be knowne Salomon 1. King 3.5.6.7.8 9.10 Eccles 3.14 12.13 Prou. 8.13 14.16 who was a man both rich and wise and one that feared God not only before but also after his fall in mine opinion will giue him satisfaction The feare of the Lord saith he is to hate euill A wise man feareth and departeth from euill Iob 1.1 28.28 and therefore it is said of Iob who was a wise man and a rich man both that hee feared God and eschewed euill and with all hee telleth vs that the feare of the Lord is wisdome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding So then the feare of God is the hatred of euill and the man that hateth euill feareth God And a man may know him by this marke euen by his departing from euill and eschewing of sinne and good reason forsooth that a man who should loue God as the soueraigne good and would be loued of God that hee hate euill as the diuell that would make him hated of God The diuell is all made of euill for so hath he made himselfe by sinne and euill floweth from the diuell euen as God is all good and euery good thing is from God So that these vocables or words God and good diuell and euil are not so neere or like one another in sound as they are in substance And as wee must hate euill with our hearts so must wee depart from euill in our hands yea in the actions of our whole liues We must depart from euill that would make vs depart from God and God from vs for euer Wee must eschew the euill of sinne as we would eschew the euill of eternall shame and the horrors of hell Prou. 8.13 Salomon when he defineth the feare of God to bee the hating of euill mentioneth immediatly three capitall euils that a man must hate aboue all other pride the euil way and the mouth that speaketh lewde things Genes 18.27 Iob 10.9.10.11.12 25.6 1. Mac. 2.62 Ecclesiast 10.12 As for the euill of pride what greater pride or what greater euill can there bee then for man who is but a worme and the ordinarie repast of wormes euen dust and ashes and who holdeth his breath and all that he hath of God not to humble himselfe daily before his footestoole and to pray vnto him earnestly for grace and all good things and to praise him heartfully for such blessings as he hath bestowed vpon him whether in bodie or in soule or in both withall acknowledging all his felicitie to flow from him who as the Apostle S. Iames teacheth is the giuer of euery good and perfit gift from aboue Iames 1.17 And as for the other euill of the euill way good Lord what way can be more euill then for a man to doe his owne worldly will and his owne wicked way on the Lords day for a man I say to pollute the holy day of the holy One by following the worldly waies of profit and of pleasure and to steale away from him both his seruice and the day of his seruice which ought to be wholly spent and imployed in holines without which the Apostle saith Heb. 12.14 no man shall see God euen in the publike exercise of pietie towards God and of charitie and mercie towards man for Gods sake And as for the third euil of the mouth and tongue that speaketh lewde things what more lewde thing can the mouth of man vtter then to vse or rather abuse so irreuerently as the most part now adaies doe the adorable name of God to sweare almost at euery word by the same and by the blessed name of Iesus by his passion by his wounds and by his blood The holy Scripture willeth euery knee to bowe at the blessed name of Iesus Isai 45.23 Rom. 14.11 Phil. 2.10.11 in signe of reuerence and subiection for thereby we doe acknowledge him euen as hee is man to be our Soueraigne the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings and enioyneth euery tongue to confesse that he is the Lord 1. Cor. 15.24.25.26.27.28 Heb. 2.7.8 vnto the glorie of God the father who hath put downe all things vnder his feete But these lewde mouthed men will neither reuerence him with the bowing of the knee nor honour him with the confession and sanctification of the tongue Their knees will not honour the Sonne and their tongues wil needs dishonour both the Father and the Sonne Well let them be rich who will surely such as bee proud in Gods sight and will neither praise him nor pray vnto him and such as be prophaners of his holy name and of his holy day and will not sanctifie both they shall neuer be rich in God They may well gather goods but they shall not proue goods to them they shall not turne to their good neither shall they reape any good at Gods hand by them neither shall they remaine to them and theirs For only the feare of God which mother-vertue these men want is the fountaine of good goods and of durable riches Now the feare of God hath two branches the one is we must feare to offend him because he is our Father whom we must loue in the highest degree the other is when we haue offended him we must feare his furie and punishments because he is our Lord. Our feare must not be seruile or slauish such as is the bond-mans feare of his master which is onely and meerely because of punishment but our feare must bee filiall and sonly such as is the childrens feare of their father Psalm 2.11 as being loth to offend one whom we loue we must serue the Lord in feare and trembling we must feare to offend before we offend and when as through humane
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
becommeth miserable both heere and hence and this is that which the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 6.10 That drunkards and gluttons shall not inherit the kingdome of God Heauen as great and wide as it is cannot hold a glutton nor harbour a drunken head Gods kingdome hath no roome to receiue a belly-god Reu. 21.21 Euery gate of the heauenly Ierusalem is of one pearle saith Saint Iohn how then should a belly-god whose head is a hogs-head of drinke and whose belly is a buriall place of so much meate how should such a big body and such a swolne soule enter at so narrow a gate Get in then who will into the kingdome of God a belly-god cannot get in The Christian that would bee rich must likewise beware of excesse and all pompousnes of apparell Eccles 11.4 Bee not proud of clothing and rayment saith Iesus the sonne of Sirach and exalt not thy selfe in the day of honour Luke 16.19 And the holy Euangelist telleth vs or rather our blessed Sauiour Iesus the Sonne of God that the damned rich glutton was cloathed in purple and fine linnen and fared well and delicately euery day 1. Tim. 2.9 10. 1. Pet. 3.3 And the blessed Apostle as knowing how that women are more subiect vnto this fault of excesse in apparel then ordinarily men are and how that thereby both pride in their hearts is nourished intemperancie and daintinesse cherished and the substance of the house much diminished hee enioyneth them that they aray themselues in comely apparel with shamefastnesse and modestie not with broyded haire or gold or pearle or costly apparell but as becommeth women that professe the feare of God with good workes and with a meek and quiet spirit which is before God a thing much set by Iam. 2.1 2 3 4. And the Apostle S. Iames willeth vs to make no reckoning of a man for his gold ring and his goodly apparel nor yet to despise the poore and modest man for his course and slender array Psal 147.10 11 as the Lord hath no pleasure in the strength of a horse neither delighteth in the legs of man but onely in them that feare him and attend vpon his mercie so hee hath no pleasure in the brauerie and beautie of apparell neither delighteth he in the costlinesse and curiositie of cloathing God seeth not as man seeth 1. Sam. 16.7 for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord beholdeth the heart God looketh not to the decking and arraying of the body but to the decking and adorning of the minde Sack-cloth liketh him better then sattin or silke 2. King 1.8 Mark 1.6 Luk. 7.25 16.19 hee is more delighted with the hairecloth of Eliah of Iohn Baptist then with the soft and silken raiment of courtiers or with the purple and fine linnen of Diues The king of Niniue lying vpon the earth Ionah 2.6 Act. 12.21 22 23. couered with sack-cloth and sitting in ashes found mercy with God whereas Herod sitting in his throne arraied in royall apparell was smitten by an angel and eaten vp of wormes Thus wee see how displeasing vnto God and how hurtfull vnto man this vice of excesse is whether in diet or apparell and how that it is an enemie both vnto mans prosperitie on earth and his felicitie in heauen It shutteth him out of his inheritance on earth and bereaueth him of his inheritance in heauen And this is not all the euill that commeth by excesse for God oftentimes punisheth the whole citie the countrey yea the whole kingdome with scarcitie and famine for this abuse of his benefit Woe vnto them saith the Prophet Isaie that are mighty to drinke wine Isa 5.11 12 13 22. and to them that are strong to powre in strong drinke therefore they are men famished and the multitude thereof is dried vp with thirst They lie vpon beddes of Iuorie saith the Prophet Amos and stretch themselues thereupon Amos 6.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. they eate of the lambes of the flocke and the calues out 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 and therefore their sorrow is at hand saith the prophet and that so much the more in that they vsed this excesse in a time when as they ought to haue beene rather sorie for the affliction of Ioseph that is of their brethren Ioel. 1. whereof now many were slaine and carried away captiue And the Prophet Ioel soundeth into their eares this exhortation and commination Awake ye drunkards and weepe howle all ye drinkers of wine because of the new wine for it shall be pulled from your mouth As if he should say yee drunkards that lie snorting and sleeping in your beds of downe awake and ye that vse to quaffe and swill vpon your knees doing worship to Bacchus like idolaters or to your owne bellies like belly-gods arise and all ye that bee merrie begin to mourne and turne your lowd laughing into lamenting your harping into howling for the new wine the strong drinke and the daintie cheere which ye doe abuse in this maner shall be pulled from your mouthes and not onely from yours but also from many other mouthes for your sakes For behold the vine and the new wine is dried vp the oyle is decayed the corne is destroyed the field is wasted the fruits of the ground are eaten vp by the palmer-worme the grashopper and the caterpiller the trees of the field are withered the seed is rotten vnder the clods the garners are destroyed and the barnes broken downe the pastures of the wildernesse are burned vp and the springs of water dried vp so that the heards of cattle the flocks of sheepe doe pine away for want of pasture and the beasts of the field doe crie and mourne for lacke of water Ierem. 14.3 4 5 6. yea the whole land mourneth And as the Prophet Ieremie speaketh the ground is destroyed for want of raine the plowe-men are ashamed and couer their heads the Hind also calueth in the field and forsaketh it for lacke of grasse Thus it appeareth manifestly how horrible a sinne excesse is and how Almightie God is wont to punish the abuse of his benefits with famine scarcenesse penurie and indigence When men in their aboundance wil needs play the beasts God will be auenged both on them and on the beasts for their cause yea he will change their diet and send them to feed with the beasts So that they shall bee faine for extreame famine to eat the grasse of the field and gnawe the barke and roots of the trees and to drinke the water of the flood that the table of beasts may teach them not to play the beasts any more in abusing Gods good creatures to excesse And good reason forsooth that such as will needes liue riotously and quaffe and swill vpon their knees should be brought
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