The Christian Armory, Book 1 · Chapter 7 – Chapter 8
CHAP. VII. Of Oppression, Worldly losses, Pouerty.
Question.
WHat cōfortable theoreme… doth Gods word afford vsus against wrong, iniury, and oppression?
A. First, it is the part of good men (rather) to suffer iniury, then to offer it.
Secondly, the wrong done, redoundeth to the hurt of him that doth it.
Thirdly, if men cannot, or will not right vsus,1. Thes. 4.6 yet our God can and will auenge such indignities: and therefore we must commit & commend our cause vntounto him, yea and wait his leisure.
Fourthly, wee hauehave the Saints of God for our companions herein: an… therefore we may not iudge our selues forsaken, as those that are singled out to these abuses.
Fifthly,Act. 7.3. if Gods people doe but sigh and groane vnderunder their burthen, he will come downe, yea and ease and deliuer them.
Sixthly,Eccl. 7.9. oppression maketh a wise man mad.
Seuenthly, oppression of the innocent and the indignities offered to iust men,Iam. 5.4. enter into the eares of the Lord of hosts, and cry to heauen for vengeance.
Seuenthly, they that defraud and oppresse others, must looke to receiue the like measure againe in Gods powerfull iustice.
Eighthly, God will hereby try and proue whether that we will blesse them that curse vsus, and he will hauehave our vertues of louelove and patience, to be more eminent and conspicuous. But if we carry a cankred affection, and (especially) if we will requite euill with euill, then doth God discouer vntounto vsus our corruption, which we must labour to pull out, if we will be the masters and conquerors of it.
Lastly, we must meditate vponupon Gods gracious promises, and his iust and wise prouidence, which will be a meanes to kéepe vsus from all impatience and desire of reuenge.
Q. What duties are the wronged and oppressed to performe?
A. First, if we would redresse a wrong, we must forget it.
Secondly; we must make the Iudges, Iustices,Luk. 18.3. Rom. 12.20. and Christian magistrate, the reuengers of our wrongs: but if they faile vsus, we must commit it to God, to whom vengeance belongeth, and he will right vsus.
Thirdly, we must labour to be innocent as Doues, we must hurt none, but striue to doe good to all, and the more innocent we are, the more ease and peace shall we finde in our owne soules.
Fourthly, if in a country we sée the oppression of the poore,Eccl. 5.7. and the defrauding of iudgement and iustice, we must not be astonied at the matter: for on… high that is aboue the high taketh notice of it, nay the highest is aboue them, (that is) God which is in heauen, and doth excell all mens greatnes, far more incomparably, then the greatest Monarch surpasseth the meanest vassall or subiect, and he doth with infinite eyes, behold and view all things. Ezech. 1.18. Zach. 3.9. & 4.9.
Lastly, we must, whatin vsus lieth, and what wee may with the testimony of a good conscience, defend others frō wrong and oppression, and then God will stirre vp them that shall defend vsus.
Q. How shall a Christian in pouerty, and in want of outward necessary things, resolue and comfort himselfe?
A. Albeit pouerty is in it selfe, a vile and miserable state of life, by reason of the want of necessary money and riches, yet there are manifold meditatiōs wherin the child of God is to comfort himself, as for example.
First, pouerty is to Gods child not a bane, but a blessing, not a curse, but a correction: for Christ himselfe our blessed Sauiour was borne poore,2. Cor. 8.9. liued poor, died poore, and that to make vsus rich; and shall wée take that lot grieuously, whereby wee may bée made conformable to Christ, and grow rich in grace?
Secondly,Apoc. 21.7 eueryevery Christian is rich, & with Christ a Lord and possessor of heauen and earth, and of all the riches therein contained, and how then can hée bée poore?
Thirdly, he that is rich in grace, hath the true treasure of eternall life in his heart, and therefore he cannot be poore.
Fourthly, wée lie, and liue in great … and security; for we are fréed and disburdened from many cares, feares, and dangers: wée néede not feare the hurts of fire and water; fained friends, and fawning parasites, shall not eate vsus vp, ill seruants shall not pilfer, and purloin… from vsus, nor run away with our goods, neither shal we stand in dāger of théeues and robbers; to all which inconueniences the rich are exposed and subiect.
Fiftly, wee want many occasions of infection, and prouocations vntounto euill: for many men are no longer good then they are poore, and therefore God denieth vsus riches which wee would abuse to pride, vanity, couetousnes, oppression, and vsurie.
Sixtly, if wee be content, few things are wanting, for nature is content with a little, it desireth onelyonly bread and water; and he is not poore that liueth according to nature; but a couetous worldling alwayes is bare and néedy, and wanteth that he hath.
Seuenthly, to a rich man all mediocrity is sufficient, for hee is rich being content with his owne: and he is a good scholler and proficient in Christ his schoole,Phil. 4. v. 12. & 13. hauing learned with S. Paul as well to want, as to abound, and that which he wanteth, labour, virtue, and learning will supply.
Eightly, pouerty is a touchstone, and discouereth who are faithful friends, and who are false: who are hollow, and who are holy: for a poore man is commonly contemned, and he will soon shrink from vsus, that séeketh not vsus but ours.
Ninthly,Pro. 30.8. God that giueth vsus life which is the principall, will (for the necessarie sustenance of it) giuegive vsus dayly bread,Psal. 23.1. which is the lesse principall; hee is our father, and will féed vsus, and hee is our shepheard, and will suffer vsus to want nothing that is conuenient for vsus.
Tenthly, Christ is our Lord, and we are his seruants, and therefore hee will not forsake vsus, but furnish vsus with things néedfull: for if he prouided for the 12. Apostles, his family, when he was in poore estate on the earth; how much more will he prouide for vsus being in glory, and in the actuall possession of heauen and earth?
Eleuenthly, Wealth is no part of that happy and glorious inheritance that Christ hath purchased for the Saints: it is none of our own, but another ma… but if it were simply bonum, it we… bonum commune, wherof wicked … ordinarily more partake then Go… children.
Twelfthly, it is better to be counted religious then rich, and poore then pr… phane and impious; for pouerty, religion, and blessednes, may possibly & happily concurre, but riches cannot make the possessor blessed; and riches and godlines doe but rarely consort and meet to gether in one and the same subiect & person.
Thirteenthly, riches commonly doe corrupt and effeminate the mind, they like thornes choake the séede of Gods word; they are the matter and fuell of riot, excesse, couetousnes, and vanity: for they doe not banish them away, but beget them; nor extenuate them, but increase them; neither doe they take away necessities, but cause them; and therfore we hauehave no such reason to lamēt the lo… of them, or to be so eagerly set vponupon thē, but rather to lament our sinnes, the cause of all our misery.
Fourtéenthly, what though thou now be poore, yet God may hereafter enrich and aduance thee,Psal. 113.7.8. (as he did Job, Dauid, and diuers others) for he raiseth the needy out of the dust, and lifteth vp the poore out of the dung, that hee may set him with the princes of his people, &c.
Lastly, the poorer that we are in life, the more ioyfull shall we be in death: for no man liueth so poorely, that would not desire to hauehave liued more poorely when he dieth, for he must needs part with al, and render an account to God how hee hath gotten, kept, and disposed all his goods.
Q What vse are wee to make of pouerty? or how are wee to demeane our selues in it?
A. First, we must remēber that heauen is our country and kingdome, and that this life is but a pilgrimage, and the earth a place of banishment; and therfore we must not carke and care,Col. 3.1. toile, and moile for the things of this world, but séeke the things aboue, and rather labour to be rich in grace, then in goods.
Secondly, the poorer that we are, let vsus be so much the more humble, and by praier and faith purchase and hold … Christ that rich pearle and hidden treasure, whereof we reade in the Gospell,Math. 13.44. … then we can neuer be poore.
Thirdly, let vsus not contemne, mu… lesse condemne any person for his pe… ry and pouerty; for then we shall many times magnifie the wicked & condemne the generation of Gods children,Psal. 73.15 wh… (for the most part) are poore in these outward things; yea and we may hereby … prouoke God to displeasure, that he in his iustice will presse vsus with their burdens, and leaue vsus heartlesse & helples in our distresse.
Lastly, if we want outward helps, we must desire God to supply our wants, … withall apply our wits to those arts o…e… which chance hath no power, and which can neuer be lost; we must get godlines and vertue; which wil procure riches, but riches cannot procure them.
Q. Comforts and directions for them that either feele or feare pouerty by reason of the multitude of children.
A. First, many poore men hauehave had many children, and hauehave maintained a great family, and that competently, and ioyfully.
Secondly, he that féedeth the birds, fowles, and beasts, will féed parents and children, so they can beléeue and depend vponupon him; and he that giueth life, will not deny daily bread.
Thirdly, if the bringing vp of many children be troublesome vntounto thée, remember that no man liueth without some trouble: and admit thou hadst no children, yet other cares would succéed in and possesse their places.
Fourthly, if thou want portions to bestow on thy sonnes and daughters, God that is al-sufficient, will in time prouide for them: for as he hath giuen them wit, and meanes to liue, so he will giuegive them conuenient portions.
Fifthly, children are thy riches, and how canst thou be poore amongst thy riches and part of thy happinesse? And hereupon Iacob calleth them the children that God of his grace had giuen him: Gen. 33.5.for if thou account thy oxen, shéepe, beasts, bées, menseruants, and maidseruants for part of thy riches, shall not thy sonnes and daughters much more be thus estéemed and iustly accounted?
Sixthly, this is a kind of power and dominion, to hauehave many children; and these are like so many arrowes to shoot at their parents enemies, and so many pensioners to defend and guard thy person.
Seuenthly, good children are the solace and ornament of their parents, the ease of their labours, the renewing of their age: and what if for the present they be poore, they may in time arise to such dignity and promotion, that they (after the example of Ioseph) may reléeue and nourish their parents, brethren, kinsfolks.
Lastly, the children of Kings, Princes, and great potentates, liue not better, longer, more contentedly, nor more safely, holily, & happily then poore mens children: for gentry and greatnes doth not make them better, but many times puffeth them vp, and maketh them more loose and licentious.
Q. What vse is to be made hereof?
A. First, thou being a poore man, must liue within compasse, and cut thy coat according to thy cloth, and then the lesse will suffice thée.
Secondly, if thy daughters hauehave no ioyntures, thou must endeuour to bring them vp in vertue, learning, and commendable qualities in Arts, that not so much their mony, as their modesty, their riches, as their religion, nor their wealth, as their wisdome may be desired: for vertue maketh their marriage happy, and then they shal be matched with good men, where they shall liue more honestly and contentedly, then if they were married to Kings and Princes.
Lastly, thou must ioy in the number of children, for they are the renuing of immortality, and the preseruation of thy name.
Q. What comforts are there against basenesse and meannesse of parentage?
A. First, God doth call to the state of grace, yea and (many times) to dignity and honour in this world, as well the meane as the mighty, and the …asely descended as the honourable and noble: for he is no respecter of persons.
Secondly, a man meanly descended, if he be learned, religious, vertuous, is the cause of nobility to his posterity, which his parents neuer gaue him; he is the founder of their glory, and his vertues are more conspicuous and eminent.
Thirdly, vertue only is true nobility, and therefore wee must not séeke from what roote a man springeth, as of what disposition he is of.
Fourthly, our baptisme and new birth by faith and repentance, maketh vsus truly noble and honourable before God, as it did the Prophets and Apostles and others, and it taketh away all note and imputation of meane birth.
Q. Propound some comforts for a regenerate man that is basely and vnhonestly borne.
A. First, some basely descended hauehave béene blessed and great instruments of good, as Iudas, Iepta, and Constantine the great.
Secondly, he must liue well, and then he shall die well.
Thirdly, his first deformity is washed away in the beginning of life, by the sacred water of Baptisme; for he hath God for his father, and the Church for his Mother.
Fourthly, his parents sinne doth not corrupt him, except he bee guilty of the same; for they shall answer for their own sinnes:Ezech. 18.20. for God doth not impute the iniquity of the father to the child, nor the iniquity of the child to the father.
Fiftly, he must seeke for good things in himselfe, and not out of it.
Sixthly, let him liue more holily and chastely, and he shall couer his parents shame.
Seuenthly, hee being borne against the lawes, let him doe nothing against them, but doe all things according to them.
Eighthly, let other men iudge of his descent, he onelyonly shall render a reason of his behauiour and life; therefore let him beware that hee adde no worse thing to it.
Ninthly, the sweetnesse of his manners, and the renowne of his life, shall wipe out, not onelyonly the spots: but also all remembrance of his vnhonest birth: for if vertue extoll him, his meane birth cannot depresse him.
Lastly, seeing that his parents hauehave blemished and stained his birth, let him liue well and he shall die well: he hath reason to be more humble and not more heauie; for his owne vertues and religious behauiour▪ will make him more glorious then the imputation of base birth can make him reproachfull.
Q. Why doth God suffer his deare children to vndergoe so many losses, to be vndone by fires, flouds, inundations, of waters: yea and by theeues, robbers, pyrats, cousoners and ill seruants, to be spoiled and depriued of their goods?
Ans. First, to frée them from the louelove of money, and of these outward thing…, which otherwise would worke their ruine, for many more hauehave perished by reason of riches, then by the temptation of pouerty.
Secondly, God heereby preuenteth many sinnes, into which otherwise they would sinke: for as a father taketh … sword or a naked knife from his childe, lest he should hurt himselfe, so God by these aboue named meanes bereaueth his children of riches, which they otherwise would peruert to pride, ostentatition, couetousnesse, oppression and vsurie.
Thirdly, he would not hauehave them to trust in these transitory trifling and vncertaine things,1. Tim. 6.17. but to trust in him only, who giueth his all things aboundantly to enioy.
Fourthly, they (many times) suffer, their money to be idle and vnfruitfull▪ and do no good with their present riches, but make them instruments of euill, and therefore God doth iustly depriue them thereof.
Fifthly,Luk. 12, 15 to weane and withdraw them from worldlinesse and couetousnesse, for it choaketh the seede of the word; and as for worldly riches, though a man hauehave aboundance of them (yet) his life standeth not in them.
Lastly, to chastice, and correct them, and to cause them to see and be sorry for their error, for that they in their prosperity, were puffed vp and withall slacke and negligent in reléeuing the necessities of their brethren; and also (as all earthly things are changeable and vaine) to make them more seriously to séeke the things aboue,Heb. 10.34 and that enduring substance that is laid vp for them in the heauens.
Q. How and wherein shal they comfort themselues that are despoiled of their worldly goods?
A. By considering, first, that all these outward things (to speak properly) are none of our own,Luk. 16.11.12. and none of the true & spirituall riches which can neuer be taken from vsus: for they are subiect to the danger of théeues, robbers, fire, shipwracke, and therefore these temporals are to be had in the lesse regard.
Secondly, they shal nourish no parasites, flatteres, and smel-feasts, and all such vermine and vulturs shall neuer hurt them.
Thirdly, by the losse of them, they are fréed from all thoughtfull care in getting and in keeping them.
Fourthly, he that enioyeth them the longest, must of necessity part with them in death, and then he knoweth not what will be come of them, nor into whose hands they will fall.
Fifthly, God can make vsus gainers by our losses, and restore our goods double vntounto vsus,Iob 42.10. as he did vntounto patient Iob.
Sixthly, al necessities and wants shal be abundantly supplied at the day of the general Resurrection, and therefore they must in the meane time possesse their soules by their patience.
Seuenthly, God hath but taken away his owne, and therefore wee must not be discontent with Gods doings, but be patient and thankeful.
Eightly, ill gotten goods shall not prosper nor long continue in the theeues or robbers hands.
Ninthly, if they be learned, they must comfort themselues in that, for they carie it about them, and it cannot be lost. Héereupon Bias wisely said,Bia… ▪ omnia mea mecum porto. So also their vertues cannot be taken from them: whereupon Stilpon the Philosopher, when his Countrey was taken, and his wife and children perished in the common fire, when Demetrius the Tyrant asked him whether he had lost ought, he answered, that he had lost nothing: for (saith he) all my goods, (1. learning & vertu) are in me.
Lastly,Seneca. (as saith an ancient Philosopher) qui se, (imo qui Christum) habet nihil perdidit.
Q. What vses are we to make hereof?
A. First, wee must perswade our selues, that all these losses and dammages fall out for our good, for God disposeth them to the best aduantage of them that louelove him.
Secondly, Christ our blessed Sauiour was stript of all that he had,2. Cor. 8.9 and became poore to make vsus rich, and therefore let vsus not take it scornfully to bee made conformable to our blessed Sauiour. Let vsus learne and practise patience,Heb. 10.36 that after that we hauehave done the will of God, we may receiue the promise.
Thirdly, we must looke to receiue euill things from God, as well as good, and to obey God as well when he correcteth vsus, as when he comforteth, and bestoweth good things vponupon vsus.
Psal. 62. v. 8.9.10.Fourthly, let vsus not trust in goods, lands, liuings, money, for these wil faile vsus, and may soone be lost: but let vsus trust in the Lord who wil neuer faile, nor forsake vsus; and let vsus whiles wee enioy these earthly things (like good stewards and disposers of Gods gifts, with which we are betrusted,Ecc…e. 11. ver. 1.) bestow a good part of them on the poore and needy, and then we shall not loose them.
Fiftly, the losse of our pretious time, (which wée ought to redéeme) and of our good name, should more trouble vsus then the losse of our worldly wealth; and wee must much more bewaile our sinnes, the causes of our miseries, thē our hinderances and losses.
Sixtly, it is certaine, that the wicked that be the instruments of our decay, or vndoing, shall not long enioy that which they hauehave vniustly gotten from vsus, but pay swéetely for them in the end.
Lastly, wee must not so much looke vponupon the outward instruments of our woe, as vntounto God, who doth order & turn all to our solace and saluation in the end.
CHAP. VIII. Of cosenage, falshood, and deceit.
Question.
HOw shall they that in bargaines, coine, couenants, promises, are gulled, coosened, and ouerwraught, comfort themselues?
A. First, it is better to be deceiued, then to deceiue, and to bee a patient in this point then an agent: for it is simplicity, rather then sinne, to be deceiued in outward matters.
Secondly,Psal 32.1.2. as it is a signe of a man truely regenerate to hauehave his spirit without guile, viz. in duties towards God & men: so it is the brand of a wicked man, and of a corrupt disposition to be a deceiuer, and hereupon they are compared in the Scriptures to Foxes:Ioh. 8.44. They are lyars, and therfore children of the Diuell, who is the father of lies.
Thirdly, there is no man, (especially if he be an honest and a good man) that is not in this false and cunning world deceiued, beguiled, deluded, for now craft raigneth, deceit dominereth, & faith is fled out of the country.
Fourthly, the wicked by their cunning fetches, and crafty collusions shew, that they hauehave no faith in God, nor truth of grace in their hearts; for in scripture, crafty and deceitfull men are branded and noted alwaies for euill men.
Fiftly, God neuer blesseth the crafty man, but crosseth and curseth in the end all his vndermining and subtle practises;Pet. Rauen. in quadam Epist. whereas contrarily some liue simply, and vse no deceit, and these prosper in all things.
Lastly, they that deale falsly with vsus, were neuer our friends; for then they would not collogue with vsus, nor cosen vsus, but deale plainly and iustly with vsus, and why then should the displaying of falshood so trouble vsus?
Q. What vse are wee to make hereof?
A. First, we must striue against the streame of the worlds corruption, our hearts and words must accord, we must not make shew of one thing, and doe another, like him that roweth in a boate, that turneth his face one way, and goeth and is carried another way.
Secondly, God our heauenly Father, is true, plaine, simple in his nature, attributes, words, promises, &c. and deceiueth no man; therefore as children borne of God, wee must imitate our heauenlie Father. Farre be it then from vsus to conuert that wit and vnderstanding that God hath giuen vsus for the good of mankind, to the hurt and vndoing of others: for this is to bée like the Diuell, and to become his flaues and schollers.
Thirdly, the more glosing and deceitfull that men are, the more let vsus beware of them, and hauehave no familiar conuersement with them; they hauehave hony in their mouthes, but poison in their hearts, and wiles in their works.
Fourthly, let vsus not beleeue any whose faith is suspected, and by the losse of smaller matters, let vsus learne to preuent greater euils.
Lastly, let vsus neuer deale perfidiously nor falsly with others, much lesse lay snares to entrap and entangle them in,Psal. 9 v. 15. lest wee be deceiued our selues, sinke downe into our owne pits, and our feete be taken in the net that wee hauehave hid.