The Rich Fool Set Forth, Title page – Epigraph
The Rich Fool: Set forth in an EXPOSITION ON THAT PARABLE
Luke 12.16,— 22. And he spake a Parable unto them, ſaying, The Ground of a certain Rich man brought forth plentifully, &c.
By Nehemiah Rogers, Miniſter of the Goſpel.
And being dead, He yet ſpeaketh.
Optimi Conſiliarii, Mortui.
Nihil cuiquam niſi Mors certum; tamen de eo queruntur omnes, de quo uno nemo dec pitur. Senec.
Vive pius, moriere tamen; cole Sacra colentem
Mors tamen e Templis ad ſua buſta trahet.
LONDON, Printed for George Sawbridge, at the Bible on Ludgate-Hill. MDCLXII.
THE Epiſtle Dedicatory. TO The Right Worſhipful and truly Religious Gentleman, Anthony Luther, Eſq of Dodding-hurſt in Eſſex.
A Happy Life in this VVorld, and Glorious in the VVorld to come.
Worthy Sir,
I Imagine it altogether frivolous to make any Apology either for publiſhing this enſuing Treatiſe to the VVorld or Dedicating of it to your ſelf, ſince (to my knowledge) had my Father lived ſome few Months longer, he would have done (though more accurately) both the one and the other. And truly Sir, I ſhould have been very injurious both to the Manes of the Author (though Spirits are impoſſible) and to Your ſelf alſo, ſhould I have deteined from you that Legacy which was bequeathed to You by my deceaſed Father. The Storks gratitude is expreſſed at their coming into the VVorld: let His Victime be accepted at his going out.
In ſhort, Sir; I cannot, without a deep reſentment of my Infelicity accruing by my Fathers Death, ſufficiently acknowledge and delineate your ſuper-abundant favours conferred on him in his life, the leaſt, of which might juſtly challenge a Publick Dedication; for all which (beſides private Obligations to us all) I commend theſe Sermons to your ſerious conſideration, knowing that the memory of the Author (which is ſtill precious to you), and your own natural propenſity to goodneſs and clemency (in giving candid Interpretations of dubious actions), will be inducements ſufficiently prevalent to cauſe you to excuſe Errors not wilfully committed, and to caſt a favourable Aſpect upon this ſomewhat uncompleated plece.
Acccept therefore (I beſeech you) theſe foreign, which (though but dead Sacrifices, yet) I hope will be ſo far from putrefaction, that they will be pleaſing to the Noſtrils both of God, and all good men. I conclude with that of Ruth, 1. v. 8. The Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me, which is the hearty Vote and unfained Deſire of him, who is and ever ſhall be
Yours in my beſt Services. H. Rogers. Kelvdon-Hatch, July 18. 1662.
To the Reader: And more particularly to the Congregation of Doddinghurſt the conſtant Auditors of theſe following Sermons; Peace be multiplied.
Courteous Reader,
AFter ſome more than ordinary, buſineſs, and fluctuating thoughts (occaſioned by my Father's Death), I have found ſo much leiſure as to preſent to your View this following Treatiſe, which hath been ſo long expected and deſired: And the rather,
Firſt, Becauſe that thoſe who have the World coming in upon them, and are in danger of being Rich, may learn to be Rich in good Works, ready to diſtribute, willing to communicate.
Secondly, That thoſe who are of a mean Eſtate, being above the Foot of Scorn, and below the Eye of Envy, may contentedly ſubmit themſelves to be dyeted by the Almighty, who ſees what a Proneneſs there is in us to ſurfet upon Superfluities.
Thirdly, That the Poor may not emulate the Rich, nor murmur at God's Tranſactions, knowing that Wealth is no diſcriminating Sign, or infallible Token, of God's Favour or our Goodneſs. All which are amply demonſtrated and eagerly preſſed in this Parabolical Diſcourſe of The Rich Fool.
It is very certain, that all the Faculties of the Soul are much deteriorated, weakned, and decayed, ſince the Apoſtacy of the old Protoplaſt Adam; and that, amongſt them all, the Memorative doth firſt Seneſcere: Therefore I cannot imagine it altogether impertinent to ſtir you up by way of Remembrance, 2 Pet. 1.13. moſt of our Auditors being like unto Sievs, which in the Water are full, but out of it, empty; ſo in the Church our Ears are full of Doctrine, but it is ſuddenly ſcatttered in the Church-Yard: Ne apicem tenemus, we carry little or nothing home.
It is a Philoſophical Queſtion, Whether of the Senſes, the Ear or the Eye, be the better in it ſelf, becauſe that Grace is conveyed into …he Soul by Hearing; yet certainly, according to Nature, the Eye is moſt excellent, both for celerity and perſpicacity.
Firſt, It is Senſus efficaciſſimus, the quickeſt of Apprehenſion, exerciſing it ſelf intromittendo, by bringing the Object home (according to Ariſtotle), and ſo carryes it to the heart with a more forcible Impreſſion. No Senſe doth ſo firmly imprint forms in the Imagination; and what it ſees one day intentively, it ſees many dayes after.
Secondly, It is Senſus certiſſimus, the moſt certain of all the Senſes. Vidi, I ſaw it, is an evident Teſtimony; and, Seeing uſually is Believing: Homines ſemper amplius oculis quàm auribus credunt, Men alwayes will give more Credence to what they ſee than to what they hear.
In a word, No Senſe hath ſuch variety of Objects, and continuall Buſineſs, as the Eye: none ſo often put in Action; none ſo quick of Motion; none ſo ſerviceable to Reaſon, and commodious, if it be well guided.
All which conſidered, I could do no leſs than ſet this Glaſs before you (which hath formerly been promiſed to you) which is free from all manner of Flattery and Adulation; and which (being diligently and ſeriouſly peruſed) will make you Vobis notos, known unto your ſelvs.
I confeſs, it is not for me (being ſo nearly related) to extoll the Author's worth; and indeed were I aſcertained of a foreign or Pythagorical Tranſmigration, that his Divine Soul did ſtrenuouſly operate in me, and actuate my duller Body; were I bleſſed with the ſame Invention, Memory, and Elocution I would never undertake it.
Nor ſhall I boaſt of this enſuing Treatiſe, Nemo gloriari niſi ſua deb…t: The whole World, and your ſelvs, are competent Judges of his indefatigable pains in Preaching, Expounding, Catechizing, and alſo Printing of ſeveral other Books; among which, this (if it doth not excell, yet it) may run in an equall and parallel'd Line. The Style is plain …nd familiar without affectation, the matter profitable without exception; and I am ſure, Non quaerit ager Medicum cloquentem, ſed ſanantem.
Did you hunger after the Bread, or thirſt after the Water of Life, you would not ſay the Bread was too coorſe, or the Well too deep, but be thankful to the Sender and Bringer, the Donor and Diſpenſer of them both.
My deſire is, what was intended for your good may be ſo accepted and acknowleged, that I may not repent of the pains I took in tranſcribing the Major part of it, and preparing it for the Preſs. Faults there are many, I wiſh thou hadſt none: Beſides, if we may judg Ex pede Herculem, it wants about a Sheet of it's Completion; yet let us in no wiſe call it altogether imperfect, becauſe God himſelf made a full Point or Period by the ſudden Death of the Author, and with his own hand inſcribed
FINIS.
Thine, For thy Soul's advantage. H: Rogers. Kelvdon-Hatch, July 18. 1662.
The Text. Luke 12.16, —22.
Ver. 16 AND he ſpake a Parable unto them, ſaying, The Ground of a certain Rich man brought forth plentifully.
Ver. 17. And he thought within himſelf, ſaying What ſhall I do, becauſe I have no room where to beſtow my fruits?
Ver. 18. And he ſaid, This will I do, I will pull down my Barns and build greater, and there will I beſtow all my Fruits and my Goods.
Ver. 19. And I will ſay to my Soul▪ Soul, Thou haſt much Goods laid up for many years, take thine eaſe, Eat, drink, and be merry.
Ver. 20. But God ſaid unto him, Thou Fool, this Night ſhall thy Soul be required of thee: then, Whoſe ſhall thoſe things be that thou haſt provided?
Ver. 21. So is he that layeth up Treaſure for himſelf, and is not Rich towards God.