An Infallible Way to Fare Well, Chapter 41 – Chapter 42
CHAP. XLI.
First, touching Labour or Industry in lawfull getting and eneteasing by all lawfull meanes in our Callings, that it enables a man to perform this duty, the Apostle sheweth in preseribing it to the Ephesians, as a means of bounty and beneficence; Let him that stole steale no more, but rather let him labour, working with his owne hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needs. And Solomon deseribing the vertuous woman, saith in the first place, that she seekes wool and flaxe, and workes willingly with her hands; that she layes her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distasse: and then that she stretches out her hands to the poore, yea she reaches forth her hands to the needy. And St. Luke having testified of Derom, that she was full of good works and alme deeds which she did: He soone after sheweth the meanes, and fountaine of her beneficence, to wit her labour and industry, in making costs and garments. So Peter Martyrs Wife is commended for having been a prudent and painfull housewife, and bountifull to the poor and needy, the former good quality enabling her to the latter. Be we therefore painfull and industrious in our severall callings, that GOD may prosper and replenish us with good things, that so we may the better communicate them to others.
Secondly, Frugality or thriftinesse in spending our goods lawfully gotten: For thrift, (which is a due saving from sinfull and needlesse expences) must be as the purveyor for liberality. Be spuring in unnecessary expences, that thou mayest be liberall in good uses, and this will mightily manifest thy heart to be right. The fuell of charity is frugality, and the flame piety, as we may see in B…az, whom we finde to be thristy, religious, charitable: For … by lopping off the … branches, a good tree is made more fruitfull: So by cutting off all needlesse expenses, a liberall man abounds more in good words. Whence observe that rule of our Saviours, so to dispose of that plenty which Gods goodnesse hath bestowed on us, as that nothing be lost, John 6. 12. Now a thing may be lost and spoyled two wayes by our owne fault; either when we suffer our meate and drinke to wa…e corrupt and dead; and our garments not beaten, or our gold and silver cankered and rusty, rather than bestow is upon the poor members of Jesus Christ. Which makes St. James utter these dreadfull words, Chap. 5. Go to now ye rich men, weep and howle for the miseries that shall come upon you; Tour riches are corrupted, and your garments moth-eaten: Tour gold and silver is canckered, and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you, and shall eate your flesh as it were fire: and more of the like, Vers. 1. to 7.
But lest I should step too far out of the way, return we to the matter in hand, which is thrist or frugality, and not covetousnesse or cruelty. As
Oh! how liberall might we be in charitable uses, and in shewing mercy, if we would use Thrift as a Razor, to cut or shave off all superstuous expences, about unlawfull and unnecessary things: if we would lay it as a rule, to moderate and diminish all expences about things even lawfull. A good layer up, is a good layer out, as is plainly verified in that vertuous Ruth, who was no lesse pious and charitable in spending, then soberly frugall in sparing and saving; for she brought forth, and gave to her poore Mother in Law, that she had reserved at dinner, after she was satisfied. Frugality, saith Justine, is the mother of vertues. I am sure it is the basis, and foundation, the pillar and supporter of liberality and benificence. For instance, though Peter Martyr had forsaken all for the Gospell sake, and left his great riches and preserments he did enjoy in Italy, having nothing to live on but a small stipend for his Professorship at Strosbourg: Yet being very frugall and sparing, he had enough to maintain himselfe, and to helpe his friends too: whereas on the contrary, an expensive man by his wasting and over-lavishing of his estate, disables him from doing good to himselfe or others.
CHAP. XLII.
But you will aske me, from what must we save?
I answer, from Riot, Luxury, Drunkenness, Garning, and such like sinfull expences, by which men waste and lavish that which might suffice many others besides themselves. Yea, that sordid sinne of drunkennesse, besides robbing the poor, hath brought a multitude of rich men to poverty, and poor men to beggery.
Secondly, from Banquetting and feasting, wherein at the least, one of these three spots of unthristinesse is commonly seen: Excesse of frequency, excesse of plenty, or excesse of delicacy. With some feasters it is alwayes Holiday, never considering that the Rich man in the Gospell is not so much branded for feasting sumptuously, as for feasting sumptuously every day. Others, though they feast their friends but seldome, yea when they do, they resemble Isaacius Angelus, whose usuall feasts did so exceed in abundance and quantity of provision, that they were said to be nothing else but a mountaine of loaves, is forrest of wild beasts, … sea of fishes, and an Ocean of wine.
Thirdly, others are so for delicacy, that like Philenenus that Belly-god, they think that sweetest, that is dearest. It is a horrible wide that is practised by many now adayes, even meane ones, they scorae forsooth that any Butchers meat, should be admitted their Table when they feast it. The cru… rule of Feasts and Banquets seeme to be dead with our Forefathers, whose dishes for sort, number, price, and serving out, was inferiour to our sawce, insomuch that lesse then tho reversion might suffice the whole company, though they suffer the poor to starve, who might be well sed with the superfluity thereof. Tantum luxuries potuit suadere malorum.
Fourthly, much might he saved, out of what men spend lavishly in Apparrell and Rayment: For many spend so much in the number, matter, and making of their Garments, that they have little left to be liberall withall. The French proverb, that Silke quenches the fir… the Kitchen, is not more tarte then true. How many ruffle it in silke, … that are scarce able to pay for wool? Yea, some can carry whole Mannors upon their backs, heads, feet, and fingers, what hospitality then can be expected from such?
Fifthly, much might be spared of what is lavishly spent in keeping of Coaches. As Oh! the fearfull Pride, Atheisme, contempt of Gods Word, and want of compassion to Christs poor members; that is manifested in, and the sad account that men have to give even for this abhominable excess. I dare say, many within these few years, have and do keepe Coaches, who can remember the time, that they or their Fathers would have been glad to be kept in an Almes-house. And who spend more in one yeare upon this Lordly vanity, then they do in twenty yeares upon these works of mercy.
I know it is lawfull enough for many to keep them: but if they can afford to spend forty pounds a yeare in keeping of a Coach, meerly for pompe and pleasure, and cannot afford halfe so much to keep thousands from starving in these hard times, wherein not one in two all the land over, can get sufficient meate for their bellies, or cloaths to their backs, or fire in their houses if they have any; certainly they can never look to be set at Christs right hand, and to heare that joyfull sentence, C…me ye blessed, Marth. 25.