The Merchant Real, Sermon · Lesson 5
The fift leſſon.
But this kingdome is not reſembled to eueryevery man but vntounto a marchant man. The leſſon then is, That Marchants and Marchādizing are of god. Marchāts not only in their creatiō but alſo in their vocation. In their creation as they are men, & in their chriſtiā vocatiō, as they are Marchant mē. It is noe ſmalle cōfort for a man to be aſſured, and aſſertayned that his calling is of god. It remaines therefore that you marchants vſe this calling legally, that god may bleſſe you, & it, & that you may be traders for this heauenly kingdome vvhichwhich is reſembled vntounto you, as you are marchant men.
The light of this appeares that marchants dizing is pretions vvith god.
Firſt becauſe it is for the magnificence of a kingdome that god vvould advance.
Secondly it is for the good of a people that god vvould bleſſe.
Thirdly it appeareth from the heauenly diſtribution of commodities in ſeuerall countries, and places, And laſtly from the diſpenſation of deuine prouidence in all things.
For the firſt the kingdome of Solomon is recommended vponupon record in gods booke as for other things, ſo alſo for the magnificence of marchantdizing.2. Chron. 8.17.18. 1. Reg. 10.22. Eſ. 23.18. That he ſent ships to Eſion geber, to Elod, & ioyned him ſelfe vvith Hiram king of Tyre, & vvith his marchants vvho brought gold from Ophir once in three yeare. Againe it is a bleſsing pronoūced of Tyre, that her marchantdizing& vvages should be holy vntounto the lord, It shall not be laid vp, nor kepte in ſtore but her marchantdize shalbe for them that dvvel before the lord, to eate ſufficiently, and to hauehave durable clothing.
Thirdly god hath diſtributed his commodies ſeuerally, one country hath not all commodities. But the ſea, & the earth, thoſe tvvo great caskets of gods treaſuries are in ſeuerall places diuersly furinshed. So that one country ſeemeth as it vvere the granary of the vvorld. So Sicilie vvas called the granary of the Romane ſtate. Another the celler of the vvorld, as the Canarie Ilands. Another the orchard of the vvorld as Lombardy in Ittaly ſo acompted, Another the Arcenall of the vvorlde as Ruſſia, & Norvvay are eſteemed, eſpetially for cordage & materialls of shipping. In all vvhichwhich & the like is imployed a neceſſity of marchantdizing for the diſtraction of commodities from one nation to another, for furnishing the neceſſities of each country, & for the vpholding, & norishing of commerce, peace, & amity, amonge the people, and inhabitants of the earth. Laſtly it is plaine by deuine diſpenſation of gods all ruling prouidence, & vviſdome in opening the ſecrets of all things as belongs to Marchants. As firſt god himſelfe that made the ſea vvas author of shipping, & nauigation on the ſea. For the firſt modell of a shipp vvas the arke of Noah that after the flood, & cataclyſme of vvaters vvas found vponupon the mountaines of Armenia. Againe god hath opened the vſe of the needle, card, & compaſſe as the abſtruſe ſecrets of nauigation that are only for their vſe. And hath cauſed nature in generall as the ſtarres of heauen, the vvinds, the ſeas, & the art of man in the skill of nauigation to be as the attendants vponupon their Marchantdizing,Prov. 31.14 Therefore the Marchants shipp vvhichwhich bringeth her commodities from a farre to vvhichwhich a good vvife is reſembled in the prouerbs is indeed the good huſvvife of a common vvealth. Can vve then thinke the abyſſe of vvaters for ſoe the ſcripture cals the Ocean vvas made for nother vſe,Pſa. 104.26 but for ſight, and vvondermente? vvhen as Dauid tells you there goe the shipps & deſcribes gods marveilous perſeruation of his ſeruants in thoſe great vvaues. There alſo is fish in great abundance vvhichwhich by shipping is had thence for the vſe of man, yea the goſpel of Chriſt Ieſus had bene vnknovven vntounto remote nations, vnles by marchantdizing they had hard thereof yea and it pleaſed god to extēd, & enlarge the territories of his ſonnes dominion by Pauls trauelling,Act. 13. & voyages made by ſea in the shipps of Marchants. All this shevves that Marchants & their marchandizings are of god. It remayneth that the men to vvhom this glorious kingdome of heauen is reſembled doe vſe their vocation legally that god may bleſſe them & it, & that they may at the laſt become Marchants of that kingdome of heauen. To performe their vocatiō legally they muſt doe it firſt conſcionably, then conſtantly, and in ſo doing they shalbe ſure to end it comfortably.
To doe their vocation conſcionably they muſt remember that it is not enough for a man to be in a lavvull calling, but he muſt follovve it lavvfully.Luc. 18.10. For god loueth aduerbs better then adiectiues. That is, god loueth that his children should doe all things lavvfully,Luc. 5.5. and that to doe it by directiō of his vvord, that vvhether they trade day, or night, by ſea, or land the vvord of god muſt be their loadſtone, compaſſe, and Pilote (as the pillar of fire, & pillar of a cloud vvere the guids of gods people in the vvildernes.) Auoyding in all their tradings all baſe couetouſnes,Geneſ. 6. Galat. 5.13 Pſal. 107. Act. 21.5. & vniuſt dealing When they build a shipp they muſt build her in faith as Noah did the arke, & vvhen shee it built they muſt ſerue one another vvith her in louelove, & in all things vſing prayer. For Paule before he vvent on ship board prayed vponupon the ſea shoare.
For in vaine elſe doe vve build shipps vnleſſe god doe giuegive the bleſſing.
Secondly they muſt vſe it conſtantly, & not be as the manner of ſome is to be conſtant only in vnconſtantcie. But rather by remouing all hinderances, in your trading, as namely Abſolons foolish ambition Matchiuills diuelish pollicy all deluing, trenching & vndermyning one another in their gaines, and commodities, but conſtantly vſing the holy meanes of honeſt recreation, & helpes of deuotion to further one another in their holy calling.Act. 20.24. So vndoubtedly you shall finish your courſe comfortably, and end it vvith ioy that vvhen the auncient of dayes shall ſitt dovvne, & death, & the ſea,Reuel. 20.13. Matth. 25.21. & the graue shall giuegive vp her dead you shalbe ſure of a comfortable Euge vvel done good, and faithfull ſeruants enter into your maſters ioy vvhichwhich hauehave continued trading as I bad you vntill I came, & novve I vvilbe your euerlaſting great revvard for euer, vvhichwhich revvard of mercy you did allvvaies trade for in all your negotiations, & buſines.
Practice. 1 The life of this learning is firſt of Caution that you should not be proud if riches encreaſe by your marchantdizing, for the Tyrians, and Sidonians vvere the greateſt Marchants of the vvorld but being proud by reaſon of their riches the prophets did prophicie againſt them.Eſ. 23.1. Ezech. 27.2. Hovvle o ye shipps of Tharſis for your diſtruction, & shipvvrackes (ſayth the prophet) And albeit they vvere come to perfect beauty in their Marchantdizing. That their plankes vvere of the fine trees of Shenir, their maſts of the ceders of Lebanon, their oares of the oakes of Bashan, their bankes vvhereon they rovved of yuorie brought from Greece, & Italie. Their ſayles vvere of fine linnen vvith broydered vvorke brought from Egipte. Blevv ſilke, & purple, vvas their clothing, & vvaſt clothes. Their marriners, men of Zidon, & Aruad, Their pilottes vvere prudent, Their kalkers the skilfull men of Geball, The Perſians, the men of Lud, of Phut, of Aruad, & the Gammadimes vvere their men of vvarre, theyr ſaylers, & their ſouldiers. From Tharſis they traded in ſiluer, tinn, iorn, & lead, The men of Iauan, Tubal, and Meſech, vvere their vndertakers. From Togarmah they had horſes, horſemen, & mules. They dealt from Dedan vvith Elephants teeth, & Peacokes. They occupied vvith the Aramites in Emrauds, corall, & pearle. They dealt vvith the men of Iudah, & Iſrael in vvheat, honny, oyle, & balme, With them of Damaſcus in vvine, & vvoole. With them of Dan in Caſſia Calemus, & in vvhat not? So large vvas their marchantdizing ſoe encreaſed vvas their trade, & the marchants in all this vnthankfull, & grovven intollerable proud. Therefore lamentation is taken vp for thē, heire city diſtroyed, their ships broken at ſea, they shipvvracked, other Marchants hiſſed at them, yea they became a terrour to themſelues, to others, & to this day vvere neuer any more in that glory, & reputatiō as they vvere before. Take heede therefore of pride, & if you be lifted vp vvith riches, let not your harts be lifted vp againſt god. For kings the principall among the ſonnes of men are borne naked, & eueryevery thing is an helper to our being. The heauēs giues vsus light, The ayre beath, the earth her fruites, the bees their hōny, the veins their wine, the shepe their woole, the wormes our ſilke why then should Marchants be proud. Haſt thou gold, & ſiluer?Hag. 2.8. Pſal. 50.10. Pſal. 24.1. Eccleſ. 1.7. it is the lords ſaith Haggai. Haſt thou cattle? they are the lords vponupon a thouſand hills. Haſt thou plate, & houshold ſtuffe? vvhy? the earth is the lords, & all that therein is. Haſt thou had much, and novve haſt not?Gen. 33.11. Pſal. 78.70 he is the Ocean to vvhichwhich all riuers runne, & returne. Haſt thou health? he hath the keyes of life & death. Let eueryevery one learne therefore to confeſſe vvith Iacob, that the lord hath dealt graciously vvith them,1. Chro. 29.14. & vvith Dauid that recordeth his follovving the sheepe, & the evves great vvith young, as for the regall ſtate, crovvne, & ſepter he attributeth all to god. For ſayth he of thee is all o lord. Why, then should Marchants be proud? Let them record their prentiships, their meane eſtate, and giuegive god the glorie for the better.
Practice. 2 The ſecond paſſage is of confutation that you might not be deceaued in your holy calling vvith marchants of an vnholy calling, the Ieſuits I meane, vvho are indeed (as the deuine in the Reuelation ſaith) the marchants of the earth, earthly minded making Marchantdize of the vvord of god (as Paule ſpeaketh) by their holy exerciſe (as they tearme it) and other Antichriſtian sleights like the Mōtibanks, and Quackſaluers of the Latyan, & Lateran ſinagogue. For Chriſtian marchants buy before they ſell but theſe ſell, & neuer buy, as diſpenſations. Indulgences, deliuerāces out of Purgatory, vvhichwhich noe Geographer did euer portray in table, card, or map. Chriſtian marchants vvhen they hauehave ſold lett the buyer enioy that vvhichwhich is ſold, but theſe ſell the vearie ſight of things, & the buyer enioys them not, as reliques of Saints heads, ſculls, shoes, handkerchers, breeches, and ſuch like trash. Chriſtian marchants ſell one thing to one man, but theſe Antichriſtiā Montebankes ſell the ſight of one thing to a thouſand. Chriſtian marchants hauehave certaine ſpecificall kinds of Marchantdizing, but theſe Antichriſtian Montebankes ſell heauē, and earth, & hell, ſell tovvling of bells, places of ſepulture, diſpenſation for eating of meates, marying of vviues, falſe promiſe of heauen, Friers coules, & vvhat not. Chriſtian Marchants compell none to buy their Marchandize, but theſe Antichriſtian Montibankes doe curſe vvith bell booke, & candle, & accompt all ſuch as Athiſts, & Achriſts that doe not buy vp their trash, and popish trumpery. Chriſtian Marchants doe make holiday ſomtimes, but theſe Antichriſtian Montebankes doe trade moſt on ſuch dayes as are conſecrated to gods ſeruice. Chriſtian Marchants hauehave ſett places for their marts, but theſe Antichriſtian Montebankes hauehave vvalls, & vvoods, & hollovve trees, & ſtockes, & ſtones, & miracles, & maruels at Sichem, at Halas, Bruxells, compoſtella, Loretto, & vvhere not, & vvhat not to encreaſe theire popish trading, & Ieſuitticall Marchantdizings.
Practice. 3 The third paſſage is of Detection in vvhichwhich if you vvill take a revevve, & looke backe, but into tvvo shopes of the Ieſuits you shall ſee their trinkets, both of profitt, & alſo of pleaſure. And although their vvare be, but trash, & verball, yet by the iniquitie of the times it is be come more rich, & more opulent then all the honeſt marchantdizing of the Chriſtian, & reall Marchant.
Firſt in this shopp of profitt you shall ſee that huge commodity of the yeare of Iubile,The shopp of profitt. vvherein you hauehave remiſſion of ſinnes in all the degrees of compariſon. Which yeare of Iubile vvas vvont to be eueryevery fiftith yeare, but novve in the popes Ephod (Vtilitatis gratia) it is thought meete to be eueryevery fiue, & tvventith yeare, & eueryevery centenary yeare, though the fiue & tvventith yeare in their accompt vvas the yeare imediatly before the centenary. And that noe man might be ignorant of this yeare there are Siquiſſs. ſet vp on eueryevery poſt to be remembrancers thereof vntounto you. And if any man hinder any manner of perſon that is vvilling, & deſirous to trauell to Rome in this Iubile it is a reſerued caſe, & can be remitted by none, but by the popes novvne ſelf. But there is ſome cauſe of enuy in all this, that the Italians should be ſo neere their remiſſion, & the Pollender, the English, Scot, & Irish should be ſo farr of from ſoe great a fauour. Their ſecond great commoditie is their Archiepiſcopall, & Epiſcopall, pall vvhichwhich they make vvith great coſt for ſooth. For the Nunnes of the order of S. Agnes doe offer tvvo vvhite lambes vponupon the alter of S. Peter, & S. Paule at Rome iuſt at the tyme that Agnus Dei is ſinging. Of the vvoll of the vvhichwhich lambes theſe palls are made, & noe bishope can hauehave a pall, but he muſt be a petitioner in all the degrees of compariſon, & if he be Archbishope, or bishope he payes pro rato tvventy, or thirty thouſand Duccatts, & yet for all this his ſucceſſor shall not be the better for it, for he muſt buy a nevve one albeit his predeceſſor should die the vearie next day after he hath bought it. I should be to much iniurious vntounto you if I should deſire you to vevve a corner of their shop, vvherin are anniuerſary maſſes, priuat maſſes, priuiledged alters, & papall bulls vvhichwhich they ſend ouer euen vntounto Amerrica, vvhere they compell the poore Indians to receaue them Inſomuch that ſome shipes of Holland hauehave taken vvhole Cariques full laden vvith ſuch trash for the misled Americans. And that vvhichwhich is vvorth the obſeruations none may vent theſe commodities or buy, or ſell, but he that hath the marke, or the name of the beaſt, or the number of his name. But I feare me I should be ouer much teadious vntounto you if I should deſire your patience to caſt your eies into an other corner of their shop of profitt vvherein you may ſee their taxations Apoſtolicall (as they call them) in vvhichwhich there are ſett dovvne the prices of ordinations, diſpenſations, abſolutions, reuocations, legittimations & the like ſtuffe. Inſomuch that if a great king of Chriſtendome were nowe aliue he might call a great duke that yet liueth his brother, coſen, nephevv, & ſonne. And you knovve it is noe leſſe a vertue to keepe, then to gett. Therefore theſe Antichriſtian Marchants hauehave trickes to keepe, & to bring all the vvater to their ovvne mill.
Firſt the vovve of ſingle life vvherby none are occaſioned to challenge a remaynder of goods in caſe of vvife, & childrē, yea though a Clerique be conuicted, & condemned of neuer ſo criminall, & capitall a crime, yet confiſcation of goods to the ſtate is not knovven vvhat it meaneth among them.
Secondly the election of the pope it kepte in the conclaue of the Cardinalls, vvhichwhich vvas vvont to hauehave its ſtrenght among the ſuffrages of the people. And it is thought that in France there is to the number of ten hoſt of mē that are of ſome order or other of the papacie.
Thirdly to gett the fauor of great perſonages they hauehave their ſeuerall trikes, & deuiſes as to make their younger Sonnes Cardinalls, Abbots, & Priors, & their collapſed daughters Abbeſſes, Prioreſſes, & Recluſes.
Fourthly they can curriefauor vvith kings in preſenting them vvith pretty preſents as vvith a roſe in the tyme of yeare conſecrated by the popes novvne ſelf at the firſt comming. A holy ſvvord, a millitary belt, a vvaxē Agnus Dei, & such like trash vvherevvith thoſe pretty vvhite ſonnes, & misled novices conceaue that they may driue a vvay diſaſters, diſeaſes, tempeſts, & mortall ſinnes. Moreouer vvhats a gentelman but his pleaſure? For this shopp of profitt vvere nothing vvorth vnleſſe they had a shopp of pleaſure vvithall. For profitt vvithout pleaſure is ſordid, & baſe. Therefore theſe cunning marchants hauehave deuiſes to make their greatnes merry.
Their shopp of pleaſure.For firſt they take great pleaſure in the peoples ignorance And to this purpoſe they ſett it dovvne poſitiuely for an haynous offence to hauehave a bible, or leturgie, & praiers in a knovven tongue. And noemareuell vvhen they hauehave a profeſſed ſort of friers, vvho tearme themſelues Foliain, or friers ignorant. And vvhen Bellarmine their Attlas shall euidently affirme, that the faith of a Chriſtian may better be defined by ignorance, then by knovveldge.
Secondly they take great pleaſure in traducing the ſcriptures. For they render the vvord Repent that is ſay they vvhip your ſelues, or goe a pilgrimage to Loretto in Italy, or to Sickem, & Hallas in Flandres. To beare the croſſe of Chriſt, is as they tell the people to carry a ſiluer, or golden croſſe in their capes. You are the lighte of the vvorld ſaith the ſcripture, that is ſay they, vve muſt light tapers in churches in the day time. And PATER NOSTER in popery is latine for a paire of beades. And becauſe Chriſt ſayd Be like vntounto children. Therefore ſay they our friers doe vveare covvles like vntounto childrens firſt biggins.
Thirdly they ſport themſelues to ſee hovve they can ſerue all commers, all cuſtomers, and pleaſe eueryevery humour. If they be ſtately minded, vvhat is more pompous then the papacie. If they be of a baſe humor, vvhat is more ſordid then the Capucini, & Foliani. If they be melancholly vvho more retyred then the Hermits, & Anachorits. If they be Epicures, Abbots shall entertayne them. If they be vvanton, ſome fevve dayes before the Carniuall it is lavvfull in Rome for a man to vſe his pleaſure any vvay vvithout controule. And that vvhichwhich I admire aboue all, the mixe compoſition of their doings. And for the Pope to take vponupon him to vvash the feete of the poore in humility, & yet to cauſe the kings of the earth to kiſſe his feete in extreame arrogancie, & vvith one, & the ſame bull to giuegive, & take avvay kingdomes. And to call himſelfe the ſeruant of ſeruants, & yet to ſuffer bookes to come out vvith this title to gods viceroy Paule the fiſt that novve is pope. And adde to theſe the povver that they challenge to remitt ſinnes, the opinion of Tranſubſtantiation vvhereof Beſſaeus the French kings Almoner ſayd vntounto the Prince of Condie thus Ioshua comanded the creature to ſtand ſtill in the firmament, but the popish preeſts command the creator in the ſacrament. As alſo adde herevnto auricular confeſſion vvith the punishment, and abſolutiō thereof, eſpetially that of Robert the Normād duke ſurpaſſeth all ciuillty, & humanity.
Laſtly the vvorkes of ſupererogatiō, or rather the vvorkes of ſuperarrogation, vvhere in they ſay the Ethnickes meritt of congruity, The faithfull Layiques of condignity but the Cleriques are of an extrordinary ſtraine, for they meritt for themſelus, & their neighbours. A thing not hard of of the patriarchies, Prophets, & Apoſtels. O the vvit of man among popelings, Papiſts, & Ieſuits. Tell me novve deare … contrymen, maſters, … & mortalls. Is it not a lamentable thing for vsus in this glorious ſuneshine of the vvord, to ſee the ſpirit of god ſo greeued, the pure light of the goſpell ſo obſcured, & may not vve cry out vvith Dauid? It is tyme for thee lord to ſett to thy hand for they hauehave deſtroyed thy lavve. But leaving theſe antichriſtiā Marchants I returne to you vvith a charge euen to eueryevery one of you, that if any of you hauehave a robe, a diamōd, a horſe, acknowledge it to be the kings as Mordicai did,Eſt. 6.8. that is the king of kings, & not yours. And let nōe of you enquire curiouslie, as did the Iſraelits of the Manna ſaying Man hu vvhat is this? Neither let any of you ſacrifice to your owne nett,Habac. 1.16 1. Reg. 3.26 or burne in cenſe to your ovvne yearne, or be of a vvhorish diſpoſition, as the harlot ſpake to Solomon let it be deuided meaning the liue child, ſo you muſt take care not to share vvith god in your vvealth as partly attributing the encreaſe thereof to gods bleſſing, & your paines taking. But learne to ſpeake as the man after gods ovvne hart doth, & abſolutly diſclayming your ovvne ſelues, & ſay Not vntounto vsus lord, not vntounto vsus but to thee, & thy name be rendred the praiſe, the honor, the glory for euer.