hee is knowne in the gates So that he praiseth her and crowneth her with this commendation Manie daughters haue done vertuouslie but thou surmountest them all But Isaies idle and carelsse women are of another nature They are haughtie Isai 3.16.17.18.19.20.21.22.23.24 32.9.10.11.12.13.14 and not humble they are walkers and not workers their feet and their eies are alwaies wandring They spend whole daies and nights in decking themselues and in beautifying their bodies their whole studie is about their onaments of tires hoods and calles of sweete balles bracelets and bonets of tablets earings muflers and rings of vailes wimpels and crisping pins of girdles glasses fine linnen and launes and such other pieces of costly apparrell And therfore the Prophet speaketh to them in this wise Rise vp ye women that are at ease heare my voice ye carelesse daughters hearken to my words Ye women that are carelesse shall be in feare aboue a yeere in daies for the vintage shall faile and the gathering shall come no more Yee women that be at ease be astonished feare O yee idle women put off the cloathes meaning their costlie and pompous apparrell make bare and gird sackcloth vpon the loines as if he should say Turne your silkes into sackcloth and your odours into ashes men shall lament for the teates euen for the pleasant fields and the fruitfull vine Vpon the land of my people shall grow thornes and briars yea vpon all the houses of ioy in the citie of reioycing It cannot be otherwise said then but that as a vertuous woman is a most great good so an idle vicious woman is a most great euill Eccles 10.18 By slothfulnes the roofe of the house goeth to decay and by the idlenesse of the hands the house droppeth thorow Hate not labourious worke saith Iesus the sonne of Syrach neither the husbandrie Eccles 7.15.22 which the most high hath created and if thou haue cattell looke well to them 9.19 Also in the hands of the craftesman shall the workes be commended 25.3 If thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth what canst thou find in thine age 40.28.29.30 My sonne leade not a beggers life for better it were to digge then to begge Begging is sweet in the mouth of the vnshamefast and in his bellie there burneth a fire Act. 20.34 35. 1. Thes 4.11 2. Thes 3.7.10.11.12 1. Tim. 5.8 2. Tim. 2.6 Likewise the holy Apostle as he laboured with his owne hands to relieue his owne necessities and those of other poore brethren so he will not haue idle men and such as will not worke to eate And therfore very earnestly he exhorteth yea commandeth such folkes to labour with quietnesse and to eate their owne bread for the husband-man must labour before he receiue the fruits and he that prouideth not for his household is in that part worse then an Infidell The world now a daies is combred with two sorts of idle men some haue a calling and will not follow it and others are ashamed to learne a manuall trade or occupation because they are Gentlemen borne though they haue no lands As for the first order of idle men it were a pitilesse pitie to pitie such mens pouertie for it is good reason that he be poore who hauing a calling to wind himselfe out of pouertie will not inure himselfe to exercise and follow the same And good reason that hee eate not but starue for hunger who may work and can worke and hath occasion offered him to work and yet will not worke 2. Thes 3.8.9.10.11.12 whereby hee may haue what to eate for so saith the Apostle yee that will not imitate the holy Apostles example who wrought with labour and trauell night and day with his owne hands lest hee should haue been chargeable to others And therefore all that haue betaken themselues to a gainefull calling ought to imitate the diligence of Salomons vertuous woman bee they women or bee they men Prou. 31.13.15.18 Shee laboureth cheerefully with her hands yea her candle is not put out by night for she riseth while it is yet night and giueth the portion to her houshold and the ordinarie to her maides As for the other order of idle men who are gentlemen but without lands and yet are ashamed to betake themselues to a trade because of their Gentrie or Nobilitie of blood Trulie in my conceit their pouertie is to be pitied but yet their idlenesse me thinketh cannot be excused Neither can I see how a mans Gentilitie can be disparaged any whit by the meanes of a vertuous art of an honest craft or occupation Neither can I see any such antipathie or opposition betweene Gentilitie and mechanicall industrie that they cannot consist together No no they can well enough agree together though poore Gentlemen be loath and are ashamed that in their persons they should ioyne together But this shame of theirs is not a good shame but such a shame as they ought rather to bee ashamed of Gentilitie tooke the first originall from vertue and there is no Gentilitie or Nobilitie in blood but in regard of the seeds of vertue which are supposed to accompanie the blood of such as are called Gentlemen borne The which thing being true as it is most true it followeth that Gentilitie cannot be either extinguished or impaired by a mechanicall trade which is likewise grounded and founded vpon vertue and is practised for the cherishing of vertue and the quelling of vice So that Gentilitie and mechanicall industry are sisters euen the daughters of one dame for vertue is the mother and mistris of both Men may well set them together by the eares but as I said before they of themselues could well enough agree Genes 2.8 The Lord himself would not be idle for besides the creation of the world he planted a Garden Eastward in Eden and so in a manner played the Gardiner It is also said that he made skinne-coates for Adam and Eue 3.7.21 and so for the good of man and for our good example he disdained not in a manner to play the tayler For whether the Lord himselfe as hee planted the garden of Eden for our first parents so also made the skinne-coates for them as the letter of the text doth import or whether hee gaue them knowledge to make themselues cloathes as some doe suppose it is not much materiall It is sufficient that we learne this lesson hence Exod. 28.3 31.3.4.5.6 35.30.31.32.33.34.35 that a man ought not to be ashamed to practise a mechanicall art seeing God is the author thereof And therefore God himselfe by Moses calleth the making of Aarons garments a worke of the Spirit of wisedome As also the working in gold siluer and brasse the grauing and setting of stones and caruing of wood the working in broidred and needle worke in blue silke in purple in skarlet and in fine linnen together with weauing and the practising of such inuentions
and workes as flow from the spirit of wisedome knowledge and vnderstanding And therefore they bee such exercises and employments as a Gentleman borne ought not to bee ashamed to learn thē and to practise them rather thē to liue in idlenesse If then euen almighty God himselfe disdained not to worke for the benefit behoofe and good example of men for as for himselfe there was neuer yet any that needed lesse to worke then hee what reason haue wee to bee ashamed to worke with our hands chiefly such as haue no other meanes besides working to liue by And not onely hath God wrought but also the best Gentlemen that euer were haue likewise followed some one laborious occupation or other and that both to gaine by it and to keepe themselues from idlenesse which is the roote of all euill and maketh a mans both soule and bodie poore Genes 2.15 3.23 4.2 9.20 13. 26. 29. 0. Adam the first father of mankind and the monarch of the earth when as he was yet innocent and therefore out of doubt a better Gentleman then any that are now was put into the garden to dresse it and to keepe it Though God was his father by creation and formation for besides him he had no other father yet hee was not brought foorth or borne to be idle but to be a gardiner before his fal a labourer of the ground after his fall Also his two sonnes were men of occupation Abel a keeper of sheepe and Cain a tiller of the ground And Noah the father and monarch of the renewed earth was he not an husband man and did he not plant a vineyard and were not Abraham and Lot Isaac and Iacob and their children husbandmen and shepheards Yea more all of these had lands fields and pastures besides houses and flockes yea more then many Lords and Knights now adaies haue and yet wee see they disdained not to labour whereas many of our Gentlemen that haue none of all these or but very little will be ashamed to doe as they did But what will our idle Gentleman say of Dauid who being a young man was the keeper of his fathers sheepe 1. Sam. 16.11.12.18.19.21.22.23 17.33.34.35.36.37.45.46.47.48.49.50.51 8.17.18.20.23.25.27 and who if God had not taken him from the sheepe-coate to make him a King and a keeper of his people would haue plaied the husbandman still was not young Dauid a Gentleman euen then when hee kept the sheepe If any one doubt of it I will shew them that he had euen then moe gentlemanlike qualities then any of our Gentlemen now a daies haue King Sauls seruants reported to their master that Ishai the Bethlemite had a sonne who was a cunning player vpon the harpe a man of warre strong and valiant and wise in matters and a comelie person and such a one as feared the Lord which is the crowne of al Gentilitie and Nobilitie Wherefore King Saul sent messengers vnto Ishai and said send mee Dauid thy sonne which is with the sheepe Thus Dauid was fetched from the sheepe-coate to the Kings court and brought from feeding of sheepe to bee the Kings Fauorite his Musition and Physition both at once For when the euill spirit came vpon the King Dauid tooke an harpe and plaied with his hand and Saul was refreshed and was eased for the euil spirit departed from him Also he was the Kings armour-bearer for hee was so strong that when as hee yet kept his fathers sheepe he slue both a lion and a beare that came among the flocke and afterwards in the field hee slew the mightie Giant Goliah Finallie hee behaued himselfe so valiantlie against the Philistims who were Gods enemies that by his vertue and valour hee deserued the mariage of the Kings daughter howsoeuer that hee was as he saith of himselfe to Saules seruants who in the Kings name made offer to him to bee his sonne in law a poore man Matth. 1.20 13.55 Marke 6.3 Luk 1.27 2.4.51 4.22 and of small reputation Thus I haue shewed then that Dauid was as good a Gentleman as any Gentleman of these daies is euen then when hee kept his fathers sheepe Moreouer what can our idle Gentlemen say of Ioseph the husband of the blessed virgin who was a man of the house and linage of Dauid and by the Angell called the sonne of Dauid was he not of as good an house and of as Gentle blood as any of our idle Gentlemen are yea and better by many degrees and yet he for all that disdained not to bee a Carpenter and to follow this trade Finallie Christ the sonne of Dauid yea more the Son of God would not be idle when as he was yet young but was subiect to his supposed father Ioseph and vnto Marie his mother and exercised the Carpenters trade and therefore the Iewes called him in disdaine not onely the Carpenters sonne but also the Carpenter Wherefore I wish that neuer a Gentleman borne should be ashamed of a mechanicall craft after our Sauiour Christ and that no Christian Common-wealth should esteeme a man to haue lost his Gentilitie for exercising of a trade Alas what will our idle Gentleman say when he shall be asked at the last day concerning the calling he should haue followed here in this life shall he haue no other thing to answere but that hee was of no craft or occupation because he was a Gentleman borne what an vnsauorie answere will it bee before God who not onely hath taught men mechanicall trades but also disdained not to worke himselfe by the word of his mouth in creating the world in planting the garden of Paradise and in making of skinne-cloathes for Adam and Eue What an vnsauourie answere shall it be I say before our Sauiour Christ Mark 3.6 Luke 2.51 Matth. 4.18.21 the Sonne of God who disdained not to worke in the Carpenters trade in his supposed fathers house Ioseph who was of the same craft Iohn 21.3 and before his blessed Apostles which were fishermen as Saint Paul was a Tent-maker Then I feare me Act. 18 1.2.3 shall the idle Gentleman say Would God I had been a Tailer when I was a stealer a Rope-maker when as I was a Robber a Pedler when as I was a Pirat a Dier when as I was a Dicer a Carter when as I was a Carder and a Shoomaker when as I was a swaggerer Would God I had been of any lawfull calling when as I was an idle man liuing without all calling And trulie if a man must render an account of euerie idle word hee speaketh in this life Matth. 12.36 at the day of iudgement as our Sauiour himselfe hath said how much more must he render and giue account of his idle liuing in this life at that day Idlenesse and excesse as the Prophet teacheth vs were two of the sinnes of Sodom Ezek. 16.49 and therefore if wee would shun and eschew the fire and
secrets Hee shall shew foorth his science and learning and reioyce in the law and couenant of the Lord. Many shall commend his vnderstanding and his memorie shall neuer bee put out nor depart away but his name shall continue from generation to generation The congregation shall declare his wisedome and shew it Though he be dead he shall leaue a greater fame then a thousand and if he liue still he shall get the same And as the literall man must labour to be wise and well seene in his liberall profession so must the merchant and trafficking man take pains to vnderstand what belongeth to the handling of merchandise wares in the ship in the shop at home abroad that it may be said of him Ezeck 28.4.5 that was once said of the Prince of Tyrus who was a merchant Loe here a man who with his wisdome and vnderstanding hath gotten him riches siluer and gold into his treasures and by his wisdome and trafficking hath increased the same But let the Christian merchant in the meane time beware of that other qualitie of this princely merchant which the prophet doth mention in the next words And thine heart is lifted vp because of thy riches as also of that other euill qualitie noted in this Citie in these words vers 16.17.18 By the multitude of thy merchandise they haue filled the midst of thee with crueltie and thou hast sinned Let him beware of these I say lest God cast him with the princely merchant of Tyrus out of the mountaine of God and bring him to ashes vpon the earth in the sight of all them that behold him And therefore let our Christian merchant rather imitate the godly and good qualities of the vertuous woman-merchant described by Salomon Prou. 31.10 to 31. Who as shee is wise for shee openeth her mouth with wisdom and the law of grace is in her tongue so she feareth the Lord and is not proud of her riches she stretcheth out her hand to the poore and in so doing is not cruell or vnmercifull as the merchants of Tyrus were Well my wish is that it may be said of the merchants of these our two famous Cities which was once said by the Prophet Isay of the merchants of Tyrus Her Merchants are Princes and her Chapmen the Nobles of the earth But yet more that that may be said of them which Salomon hath vttered in the commendatiō of his vertuous woman merchant The merchants of these Cities feare the Lord and stretch out their hands to the poore the law of grace is in their tongue and they feele that their merchandise is good And as the merchant and trafficking man must take paines to be skilfull in his calling so must the husbandman and the labourer of the ground labor to vnderstand all things belonging to his farme his plough his cattell his pasture the fruits of his land and the flockes of his sheepe Genes 26.12.13.14 To the end that with Isaac he may find an hundreth fold by estimation of his sowing and waxe mightie in flocks of sheep in heards of cattell and in a great houshold Likewise must the tradesman or craftesman bee carefull to grow expert and cunning in his craft and wise in his occupation Exod. 28.3 31.2.3.4.5.6 35.30.31.32.33.34.35 that hee may be praised for his great skill with Bezaleel and Aholiab two tradesmen wise in heart and in cunning of whom it is said that God filled them with an excellent Spirit of wisedome vnderstanding and knowledge in all workemanship to worke curiously in gold siluer and brasse in grauing and setting of stones in hewing and caruing of wood in working of broidred and needleworke in blue silke in purple in skarlet and in fine linnen in weauing and working all manner of curious deuices and subtile inuentions In one word euerie man that desireth to bee rich must endeauour to vnderstand the nature qualitie secrets and perfection of his own vocation Which if hee doe and ioyne thereunto the feare of the Lord whereby he shall draw downe Gods blessing vpon his adoes he cannot but prosper But I know it will bee obiected that it is oftentimes seene that many ignorant men many foolish and vnwise folkes are very rich and on the other part that many wise learned and well qualified men are oftentimes very poore so that it may seeme that this second rule doth not hold true c. Hereunto I answere thus It is very true which the Preacher of Ierusalem hath said Ecclesiast 9.11 that he saw vnder the Sunne that the bread is not to the wise nor riches to men of vnderstanding neither fauour to men of knowledge meaning that wealth riches honour and fauour of princes and great men doe not befall onely and alwaies vnto wise learned and well qualified persons but also and that very often vnto ignorants idiots and fooles and yet notwithstanding the wise Preacher doth not contradict himselfe For although aswell the euill as the good may bee rich yet it is in a very different manner For the ignorant and vnwise cannot be rich in God nor with a good conscience nor yet durablie rich as the wise and well qualified are Prou. 8.18 Riches and honour are with mee saith Salomons Wisedome euen durable riches and righteousnesse So that durable riches and righteousnesse that is goods with a good conscience Prou. 13.9.11 14.11.18 are only proper vnto such as are wise For the riches of vanitie saith he that is of folly shal diminish the candle of the wicked shall be put out his house shall bee destroyed and the foolish shall inherit follie In one word his riches though in themselues they bee goods yet are they not goods to him because they turne not to his good Ecclesiast 13.25 but rather to his euill For as Iesus the son of Syrach saith riches are good or goods vnto him that hath no sinne in his conscience that is vnto the man that hath not gotten increased kept and vsed or rather abused them with an euil conscience And as the Apostle saith Tit. 1.15 that vnto the pure are all things pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minds and consciences are impure So likewise may it be wel said that vnto the godly and good are al things good but vnto them that are godlesse and euill is nothing good but euen their verie goods to them are not goods but euils For as to the godly all things turne to the best Rom. 8.28 so to the godlesse al things yea euen such things as in themselues bee good turne to the worst And this is the saying of Iesus the sonne of Syrach The principall things for the whole vse of mans life is water fire and yron salt and meale wheate honey and milke the blood of the grape Ecclesiast 39.26.27 oyle and clothing All these things are for good to the godly but