Counsel to the Rich, Title page – Dedication 2
CAƲSA DEI: OR COUNSEL TO THE Rich of this World. To the Higheſt Part of the Duſt of the Earth.
To which is prefixed An Humble Addreſs to the King's Majeſty.
I will get me to the Great Men, and ſpeak unto them, Jer. 5.5.
I will ſhow what I have to ſay on God's behalf, Job 6.2.
Magnae Virtutis eſt cum ſeculari Foelicitate luctari, ne Illiciat ne Corrumpat, at que ſubvertat ipſa Foelicitas. Magnae Foelicitatis eſt a Foelicitate non Vinci. Auguſt. de Verbo Domini.
LONDON, Printed for Joſeph Fox, Bookſeller in Weſtminſter-Hall. 1697.
TO THE High and Mighty Prince, WILLIAM, BY THE Special Grace of God, of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Rightful and Lawful KING!
May it pleaſe your Majeſty!
OLD Times have ſaid, the King of England, is King Devils.
But, with much more Reaſon, it will be ſaid ſo by Poſterity, if in your Reign we do behave our ſelves Obſtinately.
For Demoniacks we muſt be, and Fiends Prodigious, if we break the dear Bonds which God and your Majeſty lay on us. Our Anceſtors had never ſuch Cloven Feet as we ſhall ſhew, if we kick now.
Now that, God hath ſaved us out of Egypt, by you his Moſes. Out of Babylon, by you his Cyrus. And, from the worſt of Arrows-ſhot, by you the Shield. The Shield full often expoſing it ſelf to be broke to pieces, to keep us in whole Skins.
Now that, by the very ſound of your Name, the Almighty hath ſtruck down our Domeſtick Tartars. By your Magnanimity, hath made the Boyn more memorable than Marathron. And put a Hook into the Noſe of the moſt Chriſtian Leviathan. So keeping our Jeruſalem, from being turned into an Acheldama.
Now that, Divine Grace hath made you in very Truth, Defender of the Faith. And, you are in Act, as well as in Office, Utriuſ que Tabulae Cuſtos. With our other Enemies, delivering us from our moſt unmerciful Selves. Calling a Faſt, far more Holy than Lent; by forbidding your Proteſtants, to eat up one anothers Churches, as they had uſed to do.
Now that, after all, the Lord of Life and Strength, holdeth your Soul in Life, and your Bow in Strength. Tho, of your Heavenly MARY, the World was no longer worthy. And, tho your Martyrdom, and therein our Ruin, hath been ſought without ceaſing.
Sought by the right Roman Rule. By Mariana his Quâcun que Arte, and by Bellarmine his Omni Ratione. And that, both in your Summer-Camps, and in your Winter-Quarters. Inſomuch, that, altho you never ſaw Fear, but in your Enemies Faces; yet, for our Proteſtant Religion's ſake, you have ſtood in Jeopardy every Hour, if I may not ſay, you have been killed all the Year long!
Great Sir!
It were now to be hoped, that the evil Spirit might be driven out of the Land. That a Sober, Righteous, and Godly Age might commence. And, that Engliſh Men might, above all Men, Fear God and Honour their King. But only, that which ſtill Letteth will Let, till it be taken out of the Way.
Namely, the Irreligion and Vice of Men of high Degree. Men, ſo wild-grown, that they will neither do your Majeſty the favour, to let you ſwear the next Oath. Nor be ſo kind to their fellow Subjects, as to keep their Profaneſs unto themſelves.
Men, who, like poiſoned Fountains, diffuſe their Venoms. From London to the Mount, murder our Morals. And, ridiculing all Laws, Human and Divine; and teaching Men ſo to do; do Debauch the better inclined Nation. Wherefore,
The Application of your Royal Wiſdom to the reclaiming of them, is moſt humbly intreated. Inaſmuch as their Reduction would be your whole Realm's Reformation. And, would hugely leſſen the Diſtance betwixt Heaven and this Earth.
A more glorious Service, there is not for you to do under the Sun. There being no ſuch Python as Rich Mens Sin is, for any Apollo to conquer. For this Service therefore, you have as many Petitioners, as you have Subjects who are of ſerious Religion. And, which have gotten the Victory over the BEAST, and over his Image, and over his Mark.
Of theſe Chriſtian Catholicks is he, who doth not dedicate this undeſerving Book; but only commend its moſt meritorious Cauſe, unto the beſt King in this World. The King leaſt needing to be taught, (tho he may need to be put in Remembrance) that Kings and Subjects are invulnerable, but by their own, and by each others Sins!
In which confidence, not for Wrath, but for Conſcience-ſake, he is,
Your Majeſty's moſt Faithful, moſt Humble, and moſt Obedient Subject, DANIEL BURGESS.
To the Honourable EDWARD CHEEK Eſq; In ITALY.
SIR!
IT is only Heaven, that is ſtored with lovely Creatures, better than Old-England.
Nevertheleſs, your Abſence is more than a little Grievous. So, as the want of a Diamond uſeth to be; even when it drops from a Jewel, wherein it leaves very illuſtrious Conſtellations.
Howbeit, in their penſive Thoughts your Friends have very Cordial Drops. They have to conſider, that your Travel is not Extravagance. That your Tranſplantation is for Culture. And, what is more;
That, through the Grace of God, you do keep the rare Sobriety, which you carried with you. And, do gain the rich Literature which you went for. That you have made Geneva to value her ſelf, upon your Proficience there. And do not loſe your Time at Milan.
Inſomuch that your Native Land grows big with Expectation. Expectation to receive her Treaſure again, and with a noble Intereſt. To have you, e're it be long, in Parliament Robes. And, to have ſuch ſervice of your Endowments, as may add luſtre to the bright Names, both of CHEEK and of RUSSEL.
Such as may make the STATE and the CHURCH your Debtors. And, not admit it to be ſaid of your choice Parts, as a Commoner of this Nation ſaid of an unhappy Lord's; that God gave the Uſe, but the Devil gave the Application.
For this, the beſt of Mothers is inſtant in Prayers. Her Honour's Cloſet and Chappel, keep ſmoking with Sacred Incenſe for this. The excellent Bathſheba is thus active for her deareſt Lemuel. Hoping, that in convenient Seaſon, ſhe ſhall have the Royal Pſalmiſt's Cauſe to take up the moſt deſirable part of his words; Bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael, who hath given me ſuch a Son, mine Eyes even ſeeing it.
Neither is her Ladyſhip alone, in this Divine Service. Offerings, and whole Burnt-Offerings, do alſo aſcend from other Altars. Particularly, he is one of your Orators, who is the Author of theſe following Pages.
Pages, which, by Dedication he maketh your own; for want of better means to acknowledg his Obligations, and to expreſs his Affections to Mr. CHEEK. And the rather, becauſe he hopeth, that, by the Bleſſing of the Almighty, their Words of Truth and Uprightneſs, will be Nails to faſten, and Goads to quicken, your laudable Vertues. Which is the only Ambition, of
SIR, Your moſt Obliged, moſt Affectionate, and moſt Obedient Servant, Daniel Burgeſs.