Works of Joseph Hall, Sermon 9 – Title page 39

Works of Joseph Hall · Sermon 9 – Title page 39

p. 693THE RIGHTEOVS MAMMON.

1. TIM. 6.17.

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor truſt in vncertaine riches, but in the liuing God, who giueth vsus richly all things to enioy, &c.

THoſe things which are excellent, & beneficiall in their vſe, are dangerous in their miſcariage: It were loſt labour for me to perſwade you how good riches are: your pains and your cares are ſufficient proofes of your eſtimation; and how deadly the abuſe of them is, many a ſoule feeles that cannot returne to complaine; There is nothing more neceſſarie therefore for a Chriſtian heart, then to be rectified in the menaging of a proſperous eſtate; and to learne ſo to be happy here, that it may bee more happie hereafter; a taske which this Text of ours vndertakes, and (if ye be not wanting to it and your ſelues) will be ſure to performe: What ſhould I need to entreat your attention (Right Honorable, right Worſhipfull, and beloued) to a buſineſſe ſo neerely concerning you? The errand is Gods; the vſe of it yours.

I neuer held it ſafe to pull Scripture in pieces: theſe vvords fall alone into their parts. Timothy is ſet vponupon the ſpirituall Bench, and muſt giuegive the charge. A charge, to whom? Of vvhat? To whom? To the rich: Of what? vvhat they muſt auoid, what they muſt endeuour: What muſt they auoid? High-mindedneſſe, and truſt in wealth: what are the duties they muſt labour vntounto? Confidence in God; Beneficence to men: And eueryevery one of theſe is backed vvith a reaſon to inforce it: Why ſhould they not be high minded? Their wealth is but in this world; Why ſhould they not truſt in riches? They are vncertaine. Why ſhould they truſt in God? He is a liuing God, and a liberall God: why ſhould they extend their beneficence to men? By this they lay vp to themſelues a ſure foundation: Here is worke enough, you ſee, for my diſcourſe, and your practice: The God of Heauen bleſſe it in both our hands.

Charge hath (Ianus-like) a double aſpect; one that lookes vp to S. Paul, Charge.the other that lookes downe to Timothy, and from him to the rich: In the firſt there is Apoſtolicall ſuperioritie; for (foreign) Charge thou, referres to foreign verſe 13. I charge thee; ſo Paul charges Timothy to charge the rich; He that giues the Charge, if hee be not the chiefe of the Bench, yet hee is greater then the Iurie. The firſt foundation of the Church is laid in an inequalitie; and hath euer ſince ſo continued; There can bee no harmony, where all the ſtrings or voices are of one tenour; In the latter, as it lookes on Timothy, it caries in it Epiſcopall power, Euangelicall ſufficiency. Epiſcopall power; for this Charge is by the vulgar turned, and the Tranſlation of the Syriac, Praecipe, command; and ſo doe we tranſlate it in the firſt of this Epiſtle, and the third verſe; Timothy vvas left at Epheſus (foreign) to command.

The rich are commonly great; Nobilitie in the account of God is ioyned vvith p. 694wealth; Curſe not the King in thy thought, nor the rich in thy Bed-chamber, ſaith Salomon; ſo Diues at whoſe gates Lazarus lay, is by ſome no meane ones gheſſed to be Herod, or ſome other King;Maldonat could incline to that: in locum. and ſo are Iobs friends termed by the ſeuentie: Yea, the rich is not onelyonly a little King among his neighbours, but Diues, quaſi Diuus; as a petty god to his vnderlings: and yet euen the rich man that (as Salomon notes) ſpeakes with command vntounto others, he muſt be ſpoken to with command. Command the rich. That fooliſh ſhaueling ſoared too high a pitch, when in his imperious Bull hee commands the Angels Francis of Aſsiſe and he were both of a Diet; But we may ſafely ſay, that all powers below the Angels, are lyable to our ſpirituall Charge; and this Command implyes obedience; Elſe, to what purpoſe doe we command and goe without? Chriſt gaue vsus the keyes; (for that which the Romaniſts would plead out of Origen, of Claues coeli, The keyes of heauen to the reſt, and Claues coelorum, The keyes of the heauens to Peter, is a diſtinction vvithout a difference;) What becomes of them? That I may not ſay, on ſome of our hands they are ſuffered to ruſt for want of vſe; on others, (as the Pontificians) the wards are altered, ſo as they can neither open nor ſhut: ſure I am, that (if they be not loſt on our behalfe, whether in diſ-vſe, or abuſe) the power of them is loſt in the hearts of many: They hauehave ſecret pick-locks of their owne making, Preſumption and Security, whereby they can open heauen-gates, though double-locked by our cenſures, and ſhut the gates of hell at pleaſure, which their owne ſinnes hauehave opened wide to receiue them. What vſe is there of vsus, but in our chaire? and there, but to be heard, and ſeene? Euen in this ſenſe ſpectaculo facti ſumus; we are to gaze on, not to imploy. Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye raigne as Kings without vsus; we are weake, ye are ſtrong; ye are Honorable, but we are deſpiſed. It was well noted by one, that the good father of the prodigall, though he might himſelfe hauehave brought forth the prime robe, or hauehave led his ſonne into his wardrobe to take it, yet hee commands his ſeruants to bring it forth (Proferte ſtolam) becauſe he would bring meanes into credit; becauſe hee vvould hauehave his ſonne beholden to his ſeruants for their glory. It is a bold word, but a true one, Yee ſhall neuer weare the long white robe, vnleſſe his ſeruants your Miniſters bring it, and put it on. He that can ſaue you without vsus, will not ſaue you, but by vsus: He hath not tyed himſelfe to meanes, man he hath; He could create you immediately to himſelfe: but he vvill hauehave you begotten by the immortall ſeed of your ſpirituall Fathers. Woe be to you therefore, if our word hauehave loſt the power of it in you: you hauehave loſt your right in heauen: Let vsus neuer come there, if you can come thither ordinarily without vsus. The words of the wiſe (ſaith Salomon) are like goades, like nayles; But if theſe goads light vponupon the skin of a Leuiathan, who eſteemes yron as ſtraw, and braſſe as rotten wood; If theſe nayles meet with yron, or marble in their driuing, that they turne againe; What ſhall we ſay, but our Goſpell is hid to them that periſh; and woe vntounto your ſoules, for ye hauehave rewarded euill to your ſelues.

Hitherto the power implyed in this charge; the ſufficiencie followeth: This Euangelicus muſt be parangelicus; like as the fore-runner of Chriſt had a charge for all ſorts, ſo muſt his followers; So hath Timothy in this Epiſtle. A charge for wiues, for Biſhops, for Deacons, for widowes, for ſeruants, and here for the rich. He muſt charge; and how ſhall he charge, if he hauehave neither ſhot nor powder. It is no bragge to ſay that no Nation vnderunder Heauen ſince the Goſpell lookt forth into the world, euer had ſo many, ſo learned Teachers as this Iland hath at this day. Hierome ſaid of old to his Paulinus, De Hieroſ olymis & de Britannia, aequaliter patet aula c…lestis; Heauen is open in Britaine as in Hieruſalem. It holds well, if you take it for a propheticall compariſon betwixt Ieruſalem as it had beene, and Britaine as it ſhould bee. Ieruſalem the type of Gods Church vponupon earth, in the glory of all her legall magnificence, was neuer more bleſſed then this Church of ours: For the Northerne part of it beyond the Twede, we ſaw not, wee heard not of a Congregation (whereof indeed there is not ſo great frequence) without a preaching Miniſter; and though their maintenance hath beene generally but ſmall,Somewhat aboue eight hundred. yet their paines hauehave been great, and their ſucceſſe ſutable: And now lately, his Sacred Maieſtie in his laſt yeares iourney (as if the Sunne did out of p. 695compaſsion goe beyond his Tropick Line, to giuegive heat vntounto the Northerne Climate) hath ſo ordered it, that their meanes ſhall be anſwerable to their labours; ſo as both Paſtors and People profeſſe themſelues mutually bleſſed in each other; and bleſſe God and their King for this bleſſedneſſe.

As for the learning and ſufficiencie of thoſe Teachers (whether Prelates or Presbyters) our eares were for ſome of them ſufficient witneſſes; and wee are not vvorthy of our eares, if our tongues doe nor thankefully proclaime it to the world. As for this Southerne part, when I conſider the face of our Church in an vniuerſalltie, me thinks I ſee the firmament in a cleare night, beſpangled with goodly ſtarres of all magnitudes, that yeeld a pleaſing diuerſitie of light vntounto the earth; But withall, through the incomparable multitude of Cures, and the incompetent prouiſion of ſome, we cannot but ſee ſome of our people (eſpecially in the vtmoſt skirts) like to thoſe that liue vnderunder the Southerne Pole, where the ſtarres are thinner ſet; and ſome ſtarres there are in our Hemiſphere, like thoſe little ſparkles in the Galaxy, or Milkie circle, wherein yee can ſcarce diſcerne any light: The deſire of our hearts muſt bee, that eueryevery Congregation, eueryevery ſoule might hauehave a Timothy to deliuer the charge of God powerfully vntounto it, euen with Saint Pauls change of note; That eueryevery one which hath a charge, were (foreign) able to giuegive the charge; and eueryevery hearer (foreign) ready to take it: Wherein I cannot but thankefully congratulate the happineſſe of this famous Citie, which if in other riches it equalize the beſt, I am ſure in this it exceeds all. There is not a Citie vnderunder the cope of heauen ſo wealthy in the ſpirituall prouiſion; yea, there are whole countreys in Chriſtendome, that hauehave not ſo many learned Preachers, as are within theſe walls and liberties. Heare this, ye Citizens, and be not proud, but thankefull; Others may exceede you in the glory of outward ſtructure, in the largeneſſe of extent, in the vniforme proportion of ſtreets, or ornaments of Temples, but your pulpits doe ſurpaſſe theirs; and if preaching can lift vp Cities vntounto heauen, ye are not vponupon earth; Happie is it for you, if ye be well fed and taught; and woe bee vntounto you, if you doe not thinke your ſelues happy.

Charge them, but whom? The rich. The rich.Man that came naked out of the wombe of the earth, was euen then ſo rich, that all things were his; Heauen was his roofe or Canopie, earth his floore, the ſea his pond, the Sunne and Moone his Torches, all creatures his vaſſals: And if he loſt the fulneſſe of this Lordſhip, by being a ſlaue to ſinne, yet we hauehave ſtill Dominium gratificum, as Gerſon tearmes it;Rom. 4.13.Rom 4:13 EueryEvery ſonne of Abraham is heire of the world. But to make vp the true reputation of wealth (for thus we may be as hauing all things, and poſſeſsing nothing) another right is required beſides ſpirituall, which is a ciuill and humane right; vvherein I doubt not but our learned Wiclef, and the famous Archbiſhop of Armach, and the more famous Chancelor of Paris (three renowmed Diuines of England, France, and Ireland) hauehave had much wrong, vvhiles they are accuſed to teach, that men in theſe earthly things hauehave no tenure but grace, no title but Charitie: which queſtionleſſe they intended in foro interiori, Titulum Ch…ritatis Do…à Soto de Iuſtitia & Iure.in the Conſiſtorie of God; not in the Common-pleas of men; in the Courts, not of Law, but of Conſcience; in which onelyonly it may fall out, that the Ciuill owner may bee a ſpirituall vſurper, and the ſpirituall owner may be a ciuill begger. God frames his language to ours, and ſpeaking according to that I…s Gentium, whereon the diuiſion of theſe earthly poſſeſſions are grounded, he cals ſome rich, others poore. Thoſe heretikes vvhichwhich called themſelues Apoſtolique (as ſome-body doth now at Rome) before the time of Epiphanius and Auguſtine, which taught the vnlawfulneſſe of all earthly proprieties; ſeconded in Auſtens time, by our countreyman Pelagius, and in our times by ſome of the illuminate Elders of Munſter, are not worth confutation; or if they vvere, our Apoſtle hath done it to our hands, in this one word, Rich; for there can bee neither rich nor poore in a communitie; Neither doth he ſay, Charge men that they be not rich, but, Charge the rich that they be not high-minded.

With theſe, let vsus couple our ignorant Votaries, that place holineſſe in want; with vvhom, their very croſſes cannot deliuer their coyne from ſinne; which, to make good p. 696the old rule, that it is better to giuegive then to receiue, giuegive all they hauehave away at once, for but a licence to begge for euer. Did theſe men euer beare that the bleſſing of God maketh rich? That the wings of riches carie them vp to heauen? That the crowne of the vviſe is their wealth? Do they not know, that if Lazarus vvere poore, yet Abraham was rich, and Pium pauperem ſuſcepit ſinus diuitis; It was the happineſſe of poore Lazarus, that he was lodged in the boſome of rich Abraham. I am no whit afraid, (O ye rich Citizens) leſt this paradoxe of our holy Mendicants ſhall make you out of louelove with your wealth; I feare, ſome of you would be rich, though yee might not; Now wee tell you from him, whoſe title is Rich in mercy, that yee may be at once Rich and holy; In diuitiis cupiditatem reprehendit, non facultatem, ſaith Auſten: It is a true word of the ſonne of Sirach, which I vvould hauehave you carie home with you, and vvrite it as a fit Motto, in your Counting-houſe; Bona eſt ſubſtantia, ſi non fit peccatum in conſcientia; Subſtance doth well in the hand, if there be not euill in the heart, Eccleſiaſticus 13.25.

Charge the Rich. Who are they? There is nothing wherein is greater miſpriſion. One man in a Laodicean conceitednes thinks himſelf rich, when he hath nothing; Another, in a couetous humor thinks he hath nothing, when he is rich; and how eaſie is it for another man to miſtake vsus, if we may thus eaſily miſtake our ſelues? I feare, ſome of you are like the Pageants of your great ſolemnities, wherein there is the ſhew of a ſolid body, whether of a Lyon, or Elephant, or Vnicorn: but if they be curiouſly look't into, there is nothing but cloth, and ſticks, and ayre. Others of you contrarily, are like a diſſembling Couent, that profeſſes pouerty, and purchaſes Lordſhips. The very ſame did Salomon obſerue in his time, in the great Burgomaſters of Ieruſalem, Pro. 13.7. For the auoiding of both extremes, let vsus inquire who is rich. And though greatneſſe and riches be in the ranke of thoſe things, which are held to hauehave no abſolute determination, but confit rather in reſpect and comparion: (for a rich Farmer is yet poore to a rich Merchant, and a rich Merchant is but poore to a Prince, and he to ſome great Emperor; That great Mammoniſt would ſay, he is rich, that can maintaine an Armie: A poore man vvould ſay, according to that Italian inſcription, Hee is rich that wants not bread;) Yet certainly there are certaine generall ſtakes and bounds, which diuide betwixt pouerty and competence, betwixt competency and wealth; As there were variety of ſhekels among the Iewes, yet there was one ſhekel of the Sanctuary that varied not; Who then is rich? I muſt giuegive you a double anſwer, One will not ſerue. The one, according to true moralitie; the other, according to vulgar vſe: In the firſt, he is rich that hath enough, vvhether the world thinke ſo or not; Euen Eſau, tho he were poore in grace, yet in eſtate he was rich: I hauehave enough, my brother. And he that ſaid, Soule, thou haſt goods enow for many yeares, was almoſt ſo; It was not his fault that he thought he had enough, but that he meant to lye downe, and wallow in it. A mans wealth or pouertie is moſt-what in himſelfe; And though nature hauehave profeſſed to read vntounto heathen men this leſſon of wiſe moderation, yet it hath been ſeldome ſeene, that any thing but true piety, hath taught them to take it out; Godlineſſe is great gaine with contentment: Victus & veſtitus diuitiae Chriſtianorum, ſaith Hierom: Food and raiment are the Chriſtians vvealth; Thoſe men therefore, which are ſtill in the horſe-leeches note, ſucking and crauing; which, like Pharaohs leane kine, are euer feeding, and neuer the fatter, are as farre from true wealth, as they would be from pouerty; and further I am ſure they cannot be; and not further from vvealth then godlineſſe. Hauing, is the meaſure of outward wealth: but it is thinking that muſt meaſure the inward thoughts, I ſay of contentment, cheerefulneſſe, and thankfulneſſe, which if ye vvant, it is not either or both the Indies that can make you rich.

In the latter, he is rich, that hath more then enough, whether he thinke ſo or no…: Hee that hath the poſſeſſion (whether ciuill, or naturall) of more then neceſſarie. Now if neceſſarie and ſuperfluous ſeeme as hard to define as rich; know, there are iuſt limits for both theſe: Superfluous is defined by neceſſarie; for what is aboue neceſſary, is ſuperfluous; There is then a double neceſſarie; One, of nature, the other, of eſtate: That is neceſſary to nature, without which we cannot liue; that to eſtate, vvithout which p. 697wee cannot liue well: That is neceſſary to eſtate, which were ſuperfluous to nature; and that which were ſuperfluous to nature, is not ſo much as neceſſary to eſtate; Nature goes ſingle, and beares little breadth; Eſtate goes euer with a traine; The neceſſity of nature admits little difference, eſpecially for quantities; the neceſſitie of eſtate requires as many diuerſities, as there are ſeuerall degrees of humane conditions, and ſeuerall circumſtances in thoſe degrees. Iuſtly therefore doe the Schoolemen and Caſuiſts teach, that this neceſſary to the decencie of eſtate, doth not conſiſt in pancto indiuiduo, but hath much latitude; That is neceſſary to ſcarlet, which to ruſſet were ſuperfluous; that is but neceſſary to a Nobleman, which to an Eſquire were ſuperfluous; That were ſuperfluous to a Peere, which to a Prince is but neceſſary: That is neceſſary to the father of a family, which to a ſingle man were ſuperfluous: Neither doth this neceſſity looke onelyonly to the preſent, but to the future; not to what may be (which were an endleſſe proſpect) but to what muſt bee, the mariage of a daughter, the education of a ſonne, the honeſt prouiſion for poſteritie: He that in a iuſt eſtimate can goe beyond the bounds of this neceſſary, enters into the ſuperfluous eſtate, and may well paſſe with the world for rich.

Such a one is rich; let him looke how he became ſo: That God which can allow you to be rich, will not allow you alwaies to your wealth: Hee hath ſet vp a golden Goale, to which he allowes you all to run, but yee muſt keepe the beaten rode of honeſty, iuſtice, charity, and truth; if ye will leaue this path, and will be croſſing ouer a ſhorter cut thorow by-wayes of your owne, yee may be rich with a vengeance. The heathen Poet (one of them whom S Paul cited) could obſerue (foreign,Menander. Prou. 28.20.Prov 28:20) which Salomon tranſlates to vsus, He that makes haſte to bee rich, ſhall not bee innocent. If you hauehave filled your bags with fraud, vſury, extortion, this gaine may be hony in your mouth, but it wil be grauell in your throat, and poyſon in your ſoule. There are ſome meanes of wealth in an ill name, as thoſe two truſty ſeruants of Mammon, Vſe and Brocage; there are others as bad as they, little ſaid to. Since I ſpeake to Citizens, let me be bold to ſay, There is not ſo arrant vſury in letting of money, as in ſale of wares. This oppreſſion is both more, and more vniuerſall. There are two maximes that doe vſually miſ-lead men of Traffique, all the world ouer: The one is, Res valet quanti vendi poteſt, A thing is worth what it may be ſold for; The other, Caueat empter, At the buyers perill: The one is in regard of the price; the other, in regard of the quality of the wares. In the firſt, whereas our Caſuiſts hauehave ſet three prices, low, meane, rigorous, they ſuper-adde a fourth, exceſſiue, and thinke they may lawfully get what they can: Whereas they ſhall once finde, that as the rigorous price is a ſtraine of charity, ſo the exceſſiue is a violation of iuſtice; neither doth this gaine differ ought from theft, but that it is honeſted by a fair coozenage. In the ſecond; It matters not how defectiue the meaſure be, how vicious the ſubſtance, how falſe the kinde, let this be the buyers care; No man is bound to buy, no man can doe wrong to himſelfe; Such wares muſt be put off, (perhaps not to cuſtomers) with concealment of faults, if not with proteſtations of faultleſſeneſſe. In Salomons time, It is naught, it is naught, ſaid the buyer, and when he was gone apart, hee boaſted; But now, It is good, it is good, ſaith the ſeller, and when the buyer is gone, he boaſteth of his deceit. Let me appeale to your boſomes, if theſe two, Exceſſe of price, and deficiency of worth hauehave not been the moſt ſeruiceable factors to bring in ſome of your wealth; And let me tell you, if theſe be guilty of your gaines, you may miſ-name your trades, Myſteries: but ſure theſe trickes are myſteries of iniquitie. It were enuious and infinite to arraigne the ſeueral ſciences of their adulteration and fraud; let me rather ſhut them all vp together in that fearefull ſentence of wiſe Salomon, The gathering of treaſures by a deceitfull tongue, Prou. 21.6.Prov 21:6is a vanity toſſed too and fro of them that ſeeke death: and (if you pleaſe) read on the next verſe, The robbery of the wicked ſhall deſtroy them. Search your cheſts, 7ſearch you hearts (O all ye that heare me this day) and if any of you finde any of this adulterine gold amongſt your heapes, away with it, as ye louelove your ſelues, away with it: Elſe know, (that as Chryſoſtome wittily) ye hauehave lockt vp a thiefe in your Counting houſe, which p. 698will cary away all, and if ye looke not to it the ſooner, your ſoules with it.

In this world.Rich in this world, not Of it. As S. Iohn diſtinguiſheth of being in the Church, and being of it, ſo doth S. Paul of the world; Thoſe are the rich of the world, which are worldlings in heart, as well as in eſtate; Thoſe are rich in the world, whoſe eſtate is below, whoſe hearts are aboue: The rich of the world are in it, but the rich in the world are not of it: Maruell not there ſhould be ſo much difference in little particles; The time was when this very difference of foreign, and foreign, ſet the world together by the eares in the controuerſie of Eutyches, and Dioſcorus; and here, you ſee there is no leſſe diſtance betweene them, then betwixt heauen and earth: If Timothy or S. Paul either ſhould hauehave charged the rich of the world, he had charmed a deafe Adder; yea perhaps euen with this charge (like a ruſty or ill wrought Peece) they had recoyled in his face with thoſe Athenians, What will this babbler ſay? The Prophet is a foole, the ſpirituall man is mad, as they ſay in the Prophet: There is no good to bee done on a worldly heart, it is both hard and cold; Let the Smith ſtrike a barre new-come out of the fire (though it be iron) it bowes; let him ſtrike on his anvile neuer ſo long, there is no impreſſion, but rather a rebound of the ſtroke. The Maker of all hearts tels vsus, that the vnregenerate man hath Cor lapideum, an heart of ſtone: and to what purpoſe doe wee with our venerable Countryman preach to an heape of ſtones? Will ye hauehave the reaſon why we preach our ſelues hoarſe and dead, and preuaile not? The world is in mens eares, the world is in their hearts; and they are not in the world, but of it; and there can be nothing in them that are of the world, but that which is enmity to God, and that which repayes with enmity; ſo as there is no way for them but periſhing with the world: It is for thoſe onelyonly whoſe hearts are not in their bags, to receiue the charge from God for their wealth, and to returne glory to him by it: To theſe (whereof I hope here are many before me) muſt Timothies charge, and my ſpeech be directed: Let theſe heare their condition firſt, and then their duty: Their condition, They are rich, but In this world; For diſtinction, for limitation; one implyes the eſtate of their riches, the other the time.

Their eſtate, as learned Beza, that they are but worldly riches. The very word imports that there are other riches, not of the world; as Auſten diſtinguiſhes of Pauper in animo, and in ſacculo; poore in minde, and in purſe; ſo may we of the rich: There is a ſpirituall wealth, as vvell as a ſecular; and ſo true and precious is the ſpirituall, that the ſecular wealth is but ſtarke beggery to it: This outward vvealth is in acres of earth, in the bowels of the earth, the fruits of the earth, beaſts of the earth; and all of it is valued by pieces of earth, and one mouthfull of earth makes an end of all. Who knowes not that earth is the baſeſt piece of the world, and yet earth is at the end of all theſe riches, and all of them end in the earth? See what it is that the world dotes and dreames of; (for theſe earthly hopes, as the diuine Philoſopher ſaid, are but dreames of the waking) euen Nebuchadnezzars image, a compoſition of metals, and the foot of al is clay. Earthly men tread vponupon their felicity, and yet hauehave not the wit to contemne it, and to ſeeke a better, which is the ſpirituall wealth; the cabinet whereof is the ſoule, and the treaſure in it,Auſten. God himſelfe. O happy reſolution of that bleſſed Father, Omnis mihi copia, quae Deus meus non eſt, egeſtas eſt: All wealth beſides my God, is penury. Ambiant terrena, ſaith another: Let the Gentiles ſeeke after earthly things, which hauehave no right to heauenly; let them deſire the preſent, which beleeue not the future; The Chriſtians wealth is his Sauiour: and how can he complaine of meaſure, that hath the author of all? What ſhould I need to ſay more of the Chriſtian heart? Hee is rich is God: and therefore well may he ſing that contented ditty of the Pſalmiſt, Funes ceciderunt mihi in praeclaris: My lot is falne in a good ground, and I hauehave goodly heritage. Oh that it could be our ambition, that Nazianzen reports of his Philagrius, lutum contemnere, to ſcorne this baſe and (pardon an homely word) dirty god of the world, and to aſpire vntounto the true riches! And when Satan ſhall offer to greaze vsus in the fiſt, to remit but a little of the rigor of a good conſcience, wee could caſt it in his face with S. Peters indignation, Thy gold and thy ſiluer periſh with thee!

p. 699The eſtate of wealth is not more deſcribed by this world, then the time; For (aaWorld. foreign) when it is abſolutely ſpoken, be, as the Philoſopher (bbEuerbeing. foreign,) when it is reſtrained with a (ccNow. foreign) it is ſcarce a time; and at the moſt, is turned iuſtly ſeculum à ſequendo, as Iſidore. Like as the ſame word in the Hebrew, that ſignifies eternity, at other times ſignifies but fifty yeares, the compaſſe of a Iubilee; So as (foreign) is but the ſpace of humane life, which how ſhort ſoeuer, is the vtmoſt extent of the vſe of worldly riches. Wealth is like vntounto words, by impoſition, not naturall; for commodities are as they are commonly valued; wee know, bracelets of glaſſe, and copper chaines, and little bels, and ſuch like trifles, are good merchandiſe ſome-where, though contemptible with vsus; and thoſe things which the Indians regard not, Europe holds precious. What are coynes where their vſe and valuation ceaſes? The Patars, and Souſes, and Deniers, and Quart-d'eſcus, that are currant beyond the water, ſerue but for counters to vsus: Thus it is with all our wealth: Conſider, I beſeech you, that all our Crownes, and Soueraynes, and Pieces, and halfe-pieces, and Duckets, and double Duckets, are currant but to the brim of the graue, there they ceaſe; and we iuſtly laugh at the folly of thoſe Eaſterne Pagans, which put coyne into the dead mans hand for his prouiſion in another world: What ſhould we doe therefore, if we will be prouident Trauellers, but make ouer our money here, to receiue it by exchange in the world to come? It is our Sauiours counſell, Make you friends of the vnrighteous Mammon, that they may receiue you into euerlaſting habitations. And as a father ſayes ſweetly, If yee will bee wiſe Merchants, thrifty and happy vſurers, part with that which you cannot keepe, that you may gaine that which yee cannot loſe; Which that ye may doe, both in preparation of mind, and (when need is) in a charitable abdication, hearken to the Duties which God layes vponupon you. The remoueall of euill muſt make roome for good; Firſt therefore our Apoſtle would hauehave our hearts cleared of euill diſpoſitions, then ſetled in good: The euill diſpoſitions that do commonly attend wealth, are Pride and Miſconfidence: Againſt theſe our Apoſtle bendeth his charge; That they be not hye-minded; That they truſt not in vncertaine riches.

For the firſt; It is ſtrange to ſee how this earthly droſſe, which is of it ſelfe heauy,That they be not hye minded. and therefore naturally ſinkes downward, ſhould raiſe vp the heart of man; and yet it commonly caries a man vp, euen to a double pitch of pride, one aboue others, the other aboue himſelfe: Aboue others in contempt, aboue himſelfe in ouer-weening; The poore and proud is the Wiſemans monſter, but the proud and rich are no newes: It is againſt all reaſon, that metals ſhould make difference of reaſonable men, of Chriſtians; for as that wiſe Law-giuer ſaid, A freeman can be valued at no price: Yet Salomon noted in his time, The rich rules the poore; not the wiſe: and Siracides in his, The rich ſpeakes proudly, and what fellow is this? and Saint Iames in his, The man with the gold ring lookes to fit higheſt. And not to caſt backe our eyes, doe ye not ſee it thus in our times? If a man be but worth a foot-cloth, how big hee lookes on the inferiour paſſengers? and if he hauehave purchaſed a little more land, or title then his neighbours, you ſhall ſee it in his garbe; If he command, it is imperiouſly, with ſirrah, and fellow; If he ſalute, it is ouerly, with a ſurly and ſilent nod; if hee ſpeake, it is oracles; if hee walke, it is with a grace; if hee controll, it is in the killing accent; if he entertaine, it is with inſolence; and whatſoeuer he doth, he is not as he was, not as the Phariſe ſayes, like other men. He lookes vponupon vulgar men, as if they were made to ſerue him, and ſhould thinke themſelues happy to be commanded: and if he bee croſſed a little, hee ſwels like the ſea in a ſtorme; Let it be by his equall, he cares more for an affront, then for death, or hell; Let it be by his inferiour, (although in a iuſt cauſe) that man ſhall be ſure to be cruſht to death for his preſumption: And ala…, when all is done, after theſe hye tearmes, all this is but a man, and (God knowes) a fooliſh one too, whom a little earthly traſh can affect ſo deeply.

Neither doth this pride raiſe a man more aboue others, then aboue himſelfe; And what wonder is it if hee will not know his poore neighbours, which hath forgotten himſelfe? As Saul was changed to another man preſently vponupon his anointing, ſo are p. 700men vponupon their aduancement; and according to our ordinary Prouerb, Their good and their blood riſes together; Now it may not be taken as it hath beene; Other cariage, other faſhions are fit for them; Their attire; fare, retinue, houſes, furniture diſpleaſe them, new muſt be had; together with coaches, and lacquies, and all the equipage of greatneſſe: Theſe things (that no man miſtake me) I miſlike not; they are fit for thoſe that are fit for them. Charity is not ſtrait-laced, but yeelds much latitude to the lawfull vſe of indifferent things; (although it is one of Salomons vanities, that ſeruants ſhould ride on horſe-backe; and hee tels vsus it becomes not a ſwine to bee ring'd with gold) but it is the heart that makes all theſe euill; when that is puft vp with theſe windy vanities, & hath learned to borrow that part of the deuils ſpeech, All theſe things are mine; and can ſay with him that was turned into a beaſt, Is not this great Babel that I hauehave built? or with that other patterne of pride, I ſit as a Queene, I am, and there is none beſide me. Now all theſe turne into ſinne.

The buſh that hangs out, ſhewes what wee may looke for within; Whither doth the conceit of a little inheritance tranſport the Gallants of our time? O God, what a world of vanity haſt thou reſeru'd vsus to? I am aſham'd to thinke that the Goſpell of Chriſt ſhould be diſgraced with ſuch diſguiſed clients. Are they Chriſtians, or Antickes in ſome Carnevale, or childrens puppets that are thus dreſſed? Pardon, I beſeech you, men, brethren, and fathers, this my iuſt and holy impatience, that could neuer expreſſe it ſelfe in a more ſolemne aſſembly (although I perceiue, thoſe whom it moſt concernes, are not ſo deuout as to be preſent.) Who can without indignation look vponupon the prodigies which this miſ-imagination produces in that other ſex, to the ſhame of their husbands, the ſcorne of Religion, the damnation of their owne ſoules? Imagine, one of our fore-fathers were aliue againe, and ſhould ſee one of theſe his g…y daughters walke in Cheape-ſide before him; what doe you thinke he would thinke it were? Here is nothing to be ſeene but a verdingale, a yellow ruffe, and a periwig, with perhaps ſome feather wauing in the top; three things for which he could not tell how to find a name: Sure, he could not but ſtand amazed, to thinke what new creature the times had yeelded ſince he was a mā: & if then he ſhould run before her, to ſee if by the fore-ſide he might gheſſe what it were, when his eyes ſhould meet with a poudred frizle, a painted hide ſhadowed with a fan not more painted, breſts diſplayd, and a looſe locke erring wantonly ouer her ſhoulders, betwixt a painted cloth and skinne; how would he yet more bleſſe himſelfe to thinke, what mixture in nature could bee guilty of ſuch a monſter? Is this (thinkes he) the fleſh and blood? is this the hayre? is this the ſhape of a woman? or hath nature repented of her worke ſince my dayes, and begunne a new frame? It is no maruell if their forefathers could not know them; God himſelfe that made them, will neuer acknowledge that face he neuer made, the hayre that hee neuer made theirs, the body that is aſham'd of the Maker, the ſoule that thus diſguiſes the body.

Let me therefore ſay to theſe dames, as Benet ſaid to Totilaes ſeruant, Depone, filia, quod portas, quia non eſt tuum; Lay downe that ye weare, it is none of your owne. Let me perſwade them (for that can worke moſt) that they doe all this in their owne wrong. All the world knowes that no man will rough-caſt a marble wall, but mud, or vnpoliſht ragge: That beauty is like truth, neuer ſo glorious, as when it goes plaineſt; that falſe art, in ſtead of mending nature, marres it. But if none of our perſwaſions can preuaile. Heare this, ye gariſh Popingayes of our time, if you will not be aſhamed to cloath your ſelues in this ſhameleſſe faſhion, God ſhall cloath you with ſhame and confuſion: heare this yee plaiſter-faced Iezabels, if you will not leaue your dawbing, and your high waſhes, GOD will one day waſh them off with fire and brimſtone.

I grant, it is not wealth alone that is acceſſary to this pride; there are ſome that (with the Cynicke, or that worſe dogge, the patcht Ciſtertian) are proud of rags; there are others, that are rich of nothing but cloathes, ſomewhat like to Naziav…cus country of Ozizala, that abounded in flowers, but was barren of come; their cloaths p. 701are more worth then all the reſt; as wee vſe to ſay of the Elder, that the flower of it is more worth then all the tree beſides; but if there be any other cauſes of our hye-mindedneſſe, wealth is one, which doth ordinarily lift vp our heads aboue ourſelues, aboue others; and if there be here any of theſe empty bladders, that are puft vp with the wind of conceit, giuegive me leaue to prick them a little; and firſt, let mee tell them they may hauehave much, and be neuer the better: The chimny ouer lookes all the reſt of the houſe, is it not (for all that) the very baſeſt piece of the building? The very heathen man could obſerue (foreign; &c.foreign, &c Ariſt.) That God giues many a man wealth for their greater miſchiefe: As the Iſraelites were rich in Quailes, but their fawce was ſuch; that famine had beene better; little cauſe had they to be proud that they were fed with meate of Princes, with the bread of Angels, whiles that which they put into their mouthes, God fetcht out of their noſtrels. Haman was proud that he alone was called to the honour of Eſters feaſt: this aduancement raiſed him fifty cubits higher, to a ſtately gibbet. If your wealth be to any of you an occaſion of falling… ▪ if your gold be turned into fetters, it had beene better for you to hauehave liued beggers. Let me tell them next, of the folly of this pride; They are proud of that which is none of theirs. That which law and caſe-diuinity ſpeakes of life, that man is not dominus vitae ſuae, ſed cuſtos, is as true of wealth:Senec. Nature can tell him in the Philoſopher, that hee is not Dominus, but Colonus, not the Lord, but the Farmer. It is a iuſt obſeruation of Philo, that God onelyonly by a propriety is ſtiled the poſſeſſor of heauen and earth, by Melchiſedech, in his ſpeech to Abraham, Gen. 24.Gen 24we are onelyonly the tenants, and that at the will of the Lord; At the moſt (if we will as Diuines) we hauehave jus adrem, not dominium in rem, right to theſe earthly things, not Lordſhip ouer them; but right of fauour from their proprietary, and Lord in heauen, and that liable to an account. Doe we not laugh at the groome that is proud of his maſters horſe, or ſome vaine whiffler, that is proud of a borrowed chaine? So ridiculous are we to be puft vp with that, whereof we muſt needs ſay, with the poore man, of the hatchet Alas maſter, it is but borrowed; and whereof our account ſhall be ſo much more great, and difficult, as our receit is more. Hath God therefore laded you with theſe earthly riches? be ye like vntounto the full eare of corne, hang downe your heads in true humility towards that earth from which you came: And it your ſtalke be ſo ſtiffe, that it beares vp aboue the reſt of your ridge, looke vp to heaueh, not in the thoughts of pride, but in the humble vowes of thankfulneſſe, and be not hie-minded, but feare.

Hitherto of the hye-mindedneſſe that followes wealth; Now where our pride is,And that they truſt not. there will be our confidence: As the wealthy therefore may not be proud of their riches, ſo they may not truſt in them: What is this truſt, but the ſetting of our hearts vponupon them, the placing of our ioy and contentment in them; in a word, the making of them our beſt friend, our patron, our idoll, our god? This the true and ielous God cannot abide; and yet nothing is more ordinary; The rich mans wealth is his ſtrong City, ſaith Salomon… & where ſhould a man thinke himſelfe ſafe, but in his ſort? He ſees Mammon can doe ſo much, and heares him talke of doing ſo much more, it is no maruell if hee yeeld to truſt him: Mammon is ſo proud a boaſter, that his clients which beleeue in him cannot chuſe but be …onfident of him; For what doth he not brag to doe? Siluer anſwers to all, ſaith Salomon. That we grant; although we would be loath it could anſwer to truth, to iuſtice, to iudgement: But yet more, he vaunts to procure all, to pacifie all, to conquer all; He ſaies, he can procure all, ſecular offices, titles, dignities; yea (I would I might not …ay in ſome ſacrilegious and periured wretches) the ſacred promotions of the Church: and ye know that old ſong of the Pope, and his Romane trafficke, Claues, Altari…, Chriſtum: Yea fooliſh Magus makes full account,Keyes, Altars, Chriſt. the Holy Ghoſt himſelfe may be had for money. He ſayes he can pacifie all; A gift in the boſome appeaſes wrath; yea, he ſayes (looke to it ye that ſit in the ſeats of iudicature) hee can ſometimes bribe off ſinnes, and peruert iudgement: He ſayes hee can ouercome all; according to the old Greeke verſe, Fight with ſiluer launces, and you cannot faile of victory; yea,foreign &c. he would make vsus beleeue he thought this a bait to catch the Sonne of God himſelfe withall (All theſe will I giuegive thee.) briefly hee ſayes according to the French Prouerbe, p. 702Siluer does all. And let me tell you indeed, what Mammon can doe; Hee can barre the gates of hell to the vnconſcionable ſoule, and helpe his followers to damnation: This he can do; but for other things, howſoeuer with vsus men, the fooliſh Siluer-ſmiths may ſhout out, Great is Mammon of the worldlings: yet if we weigh his power aright, we ſhall conclude of Mammon (as Paracelſus doth of the Diuell) that he is a baſe and beggerly ſpirit: For what, I beſeech you can he doe? Can he make a man honeſt? can he make him wiſe? can he make him healthfull? Can he giuegive a man to liue more merily, to feed more heartily, to ſleepe more quietly? Can we buy off the gout, cares, death, much leſſe the paines of another vvorld? nay, doth he not bring all theſe? Goe to then, thou rich man; God is offended with thee, and meanes to plague thee with diſeaſe & death; Now try what thy bags can doe; Begin firſt vvith God, and ſee whether thou canſt bribe him with thy gifts,Micah. 6.Mic 6 and buy off his diſpleaſure; Wherewith ſhalt thou come before the Lord, and bow thy ſelfe before the high God? Will the Lord be pleaſed with thouſands of Rams, or with ten thouſand riuers of oyle? The ſiluer is mine, and the gold is mine, ſaith the Lord of hoſts, Haggai 2. If that ſpeed not, goe to the fergeant of God, death; ſee if thou canſt fee him, not to arreſt thee; He lookes thee ſternely in the face, and tels thee vvith Ehud, he hath a meſſage to thee from God; and bids thee with the Prophet, Set thine houſe in order, for thou muſt dye; Yet, if he heare thee not, goe to the vnderunder-bayliffe of Death, diſeaſe, ſee if he can be wrought to forbeare thee; hee anſwers thee with Laban, This thing is proceeded of the Lord, I cannot therefore ſay to thee euill or good. In ſumme, Diſeaſe vvill ſummon thee vntounto death; death will arreſt thee to the Iudgement ſeat of God, God vvill paſſe his doome vponupon thee; and in all theſe, Riches auaile not in the day of wrath: And vvho vvould be ſo mad as to truſt a friend that hee knowes will be ſure neuer to faile him, but vvhen he hath moſt need? Take heed therefore, as ye louelove your ſoules, how ye beſtow your Truſt vponupon riches; Ye may vſe them, and ſerue your ſelues of them; yea, yee may enioy them in a Chriſtian moderation; God vvill allow it you: That praiſe vvhichwhich the Ieſuites Colledge at Granado giues of their SancheZ, Collegium Granatenſe Praef ad lectorem contin. vitam R.P. Tho. Sanchez. praefix. Operi Morali in praecepta Decal.that (though he liued where they had a very ſweet garden) yet he was neuer ſeen to touch a flower, and that he would rather dye then eate Salt, or Pepper, or ought that might giuegive relliſh to his meat; like as that of ſome other Monks, that they would not ſee the Sunne, not ſhift their cloathes, nor cleanſe their teeth, caries in it more ſuperſtition and auſteritie and ſlouenry, then vvit or grace: Wherefore hath God made his creatures but for vſe? This niggardlineſſe is iniurious to the bounty of their Maker; we may vſe them, we may not truſt to them; we may ſerue our ſelues of them, wee may not ſerue them; we may enioy them, we may not ouer-ioy in them; ſo muſt wee be affected to our goods,C. Sol. Apollin. Sidon. Epiſt. de Theoder. as Theoderic the good King of Aquitaine vvas with his play, In bonis iactibus tacet, in malis ridet, in neutris iraſcitur, in vtriſque Philoſophatur; In good caſts hee was ſilent; in ill, merry; in neither angry, a Philoſopher in both. But if we will be making our wealth a riuall vntounto God, now the iealouſie of God ſhall burne like fire: this is the way to bring a curſe vponupon our riches, and vsus; if we leane vponupon this reede, it ſhall breake, and runne into our hand; and he that truſteth in riches, ſhall fall, Prou. 11.28.

Now as the diſdainfull riuall will bee ſure to caſt reproaches vponupon his baſe competitor;In vncertaine riches. foreign. ſo doth God, that we may ſee how vnworthy riches are of our truſt, hee tels vsus, they are vncertaine, yea vncertaintie it ſelfe. Were our vvealth tyed to our life, it were vncertaine enough; what is that but a flower, a vapour, a tale, a dreame, a ſhadow, a dreame of a ſhadow, a thought, as nothing? What are great men but like Haileſtones, that leape vp on the Tiles, and ſtraight fall down againe, and lye ſtill, and melt away? But now, as wee are certaine that our riches determine vvith our vncertaine life (for goods and life are both in a bottome, both are caſt away at once;) ſo wee cannot bee certaine they vvill hold ſo long;foreign, &c. Baſil in Pſal. 61.Ps 61 Our life flyes haſtily away, but many times our riches hauehave longer wings, and out-fly it. It vvas a vvitty obſeruation of Baſil, that vvealth roles along by a man, like as an heady ſtreame glides by the bankes; Time will molder away the very banke it waſheth, but the current ſtayes not for that, but ſpeeds forward from one elbow of earth vntounto another; ſo doth our wealth, euen while wee p. 703ſtay, it is gone. In our penall lawes, there are more wayes to forfeit our goods, then our liues; On our high wayes, how many fauourable theeues take the purſe, and ſaue life? And generally, our life is the tree, our vvealth is the leaues, or fruit; the tree ſtands ſtill, when the leaues are falne, the fruit beaten downe; Yea many a one is like the Pine-tree, which (they ſay) if his barke be pull'd off, laſts long, elſe it rots: ſo doth many a man liue the longer for his loſſes: if therefore life and wealth ſtriue whether is more vncertaine, wealth vvill ſure carie it away. Iob was yeſterday the richeſt man in the Eaſt; to day he is ſo needie, that hee is gone into a prouerbe, As poore as Iob: Beliſarius the great and famous Commander, to whom Rome owed her life twice at leaſt, came to Date obolum Beliſario; one halfe-peny to Beliſarius. What doe I inſtance? This is a point, wherein many of you Citizens that are my Auditors this day, might rather reade a lecture vntounto me; You could tell me how many you hauehave knowne, reputed in your phraſe, good men, which all on the ſudden hauehave ſhut vp the ſhop windows, and broken for thouſands; You could reckon vp to me a Catalogue of them, vvhom either caſualtie of fire, or inundation of waters, or robberie of theeues, or negligence of ſeruants, or ſuretiſhip for friends, or ouerſight of reckonings, or truſting of cuſtomers, or vnfaithfulneſſe of Factors, or inexpected falls of markets, or Pyracie by Sea, or vnskilfulneſſe of a Pylot, or violence of tempeſts hauehave brought to an haſty pouertie; and could tell me that it is in the power of one gale of winde, to make many of you either rich Merchants or beggers. Oh miſerable vncertaintie of this earthly pelſe, that ſtands vponupon ſo many hazards, yea that fals vnderunder them! who would truſt it? who can dote vponupon it? what madneſſe is it in thoſe men, which (as Menot ſayes) like vntounto hunters, that kill an horſe of price, in the purſuit of an Hare worth nothing: end…nger, yea caſt away their ſoules vponupon this worthleſſe and ſickle traſh? Glaſſes are pleaſing veſſels, yet becauſe of their brittleneſſe, who eſteemes them precious? All Salomons ſtate was not comparable to one Tulip: his royall Crowne was not like the Crowne Imperiall of our Gardens; and yet becauſe theſe are but flowers, whoſe deſtinie is fading and burning, we regard them thereafter; No wiſe man beſtowes much coſt in painting mud-wals. What meane we (my beloued) to ſpend our liues and hearts vponupon theſe periſhing treaſures? It was a wiſe meditation of Nazianzen to his Aſterius; that good is to no purpoſe, if it continue not; yea there is no pleaſant thing in the world, ſaith he, that hath ſo much ioy in the welcome, as it hath ſorrow in the farewell: Looke therefore vponupon theſe heapes, O ye wiſe-hearted Citizens, with careleſſe eyes, as thoſe things whoſe parting is certaine, whoſe ſtay is vncertaine, and ſay with that worthy Father, By all my wealth, and glory, and greatneſſe, this alone hauehave I gained, that I had ſomething to which I might preferre my Sauiour. And know, that as Abraham, whiles he was in his owne countrey (it is Cyrils note) had neuer God appearing to him, ſaue onelyonly to bid him goe forth: but after, when hee vvas gone forth, had frequent viſions of his Maker; So whiles in our affections we remaine here below in our Cofers, wee cannot hauehave the comfortable aſſurances of the preſence of God, but if wee can abandon the louelove and truſt of theſe earthly things, in the conſcience of our obedience, now God ſhall appeare to vsus, and ſpeake peace to our ſoules, and neuer ſhall we finde cauſe to repent vsus of the change. Let mee therefore conclude this point with that diuine charge of our Sauiour, Lay not vp for your ſelues treaſures on earth, where moth and ruſt doc corrupt, and theeues breake thorow and ſteale, but lay vp for your ſelues treaſure in heauen.

Thus much of the Negatiue part of our charge; Wherein wee hauehave dwelt ſo long, that we may ſcarce ſoiourne in the other.But (truſt) in God. Truſt not, but Truſt; The heart of man is ſo conſcious of his owne weakneſſe, that it will not goe vvithout a prop; and better a weake ſtay then none at all; Like as in matter of policy, the very ſtate of Tyrannie is preferred to the want of a King; The ſame breath therfore that withdraws one refuge from vsus, ſubſtitutes a better; and in ſtead of Riches, which is the falſe god of the world, commends to vsus the true and liuing God of heauen and earth; Euen as ſome good Carpenter raiſes vp the ſtuds, and in ſtead of a rotten groundſell, layes a ſound; The p. 704ſame truſt then muſt we giuegive to God, which wee may not giuegive to riches: The obiect onelyonly is changed, the act is not changed. Him muſt wee eſteeme aboue all things, to him muſt we looke vp in all, on him muſt we depend for all both protection; and prouiſion; from his goodneſſe and mercy muſt we acknowledge all, and in him muſt we delight with contempt of all; and this is to Truſt in God. It was a ſweet dirty of the Pſalmiſt, which we muſt all learne to ſing, Bonum eſt confidere in Domino, It is good to truſt in the Lord: Good, in reſpect of him, and good for vsus. For him, It is one of the beſt pieces of glory to be truſted to as, with vsus, Ioſeph holds, Potiphar cannot doe him a greater honour, then in truſting him with all; And his glory is ſo precious, that he cannot part with that to any creature; all other things hee imparts willingly, and reſerues nothing to himſelfe but this: Being, life, knowledge, happineſſe, are ſuch bleſſings, as are eminently, originally eſſentially in God, and yet, Being he giues to al things, Life to many Knowledge to ſome kindes of creatures, Happineſſe to ſome of theſe kinds: as for Riches, he ſo giues them to his creature, that hee keepes them not at all to himſelfe; but as for his Glory (whereof our truſt is a part) hee will not endure it communicated to Angell, or man; not to the beſt ghoſt in heauen, much leſſe to the droſſe of the earth; Whence is that curſe not without an indignation, Curſed bee the man that truſts in man; that maketh fleſh his arme, yea or ſpirit either, beſides the God of Spirits; Whom hauehave I in heauen but thee? Herein therefore doe wee iuſtice to God, when we giuegive him his owne, that is, his glory, our confidence.

But the greateſt good is our own; & God ſhewes much more mercy to vsus in allowing and inabling vsus to truſt him, then we can doe iuſtice in truſting him; For alas, hee could in his iuſt iudgement glorifie himſelfe in our not truſting him, in taking vengeance of vsus for not glorifying him: Our goodneſſe reaches not to him; but his goodneſſe reaches downe to vsus, in that our hearts are raiſed vp to confidence in him. For, what ſafety, what vnſpeakable comfort is there in truſting to God? When our Sauiour, in the laſt words of his Diuine Farewell Sermon to his Diſciples, would perſwade them to confidence,Iob 16. vlt.Job 16 he ſayes foreign: and ſo doth the Angell to Paul in priſon; a a word that ſignifies boldneſſe; implying that our confidence in God, cauſeth boldnes and courage; and what is there in all he world that can worke the heart to ſo comfortable and vnconquerable reſolution as our repoſall vponupon God? The Lord is my truſt, whom then can I feare? In the Lord put I m… truſt how ſay ye then to my ſoule, Flee hence as a bird to the hils? Yea how oft doth Dauid inferre vponupon this truſt a non confundar, I ſhal not be aſhamed? And this caſe is generall, That they that but their truſt in the Lord, are as mount Sion that cannot be moued. Faith can remoue mountaines, but the mountaines that are raiſed on faith are vnremoueable. Here is a ſtay for you O ye wealthy & great) worthy of your truſt; If ye were Monarchs on earth or Angels in heauen, ye could be no way ſafe but in this truſt. How eaſie is it for him to inrich, or impoueriſh you, to hoyſe you vntounto the ſeats of honor, or to ſpurne you down? What mynes, what Princes can raiſe you … to wealth, againſt him, without him? Hee can bid the winds and Seas fauour your veſſels, he can bid them ſinke in a calm. The rich and the poore meet together, God is the maker of both. Pro. 22.Prov 22Ye may trade, and toyle, and carke, and ſpare, and put vp, and caſt about and at laſt ſit you downe with a ſigh of late repentance, and ſay, Except the Lord build the houſe they labour in vaine that build it; It is in vaine to riſe early, and lye down late and eat the bread of ſorrow. VntoUnto how many of you may I ſay with the Prophet Haggai, Ye hauehave ſowne much, and bring in little; ye eat, and hauehave not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled ye clo…th you, but ye …e not warme and hee that earneth much, puts his gaines into a broken …? And whence is all this? Ye looked for much, and loe, it came to little when yee brought it home. I did blow vponupon it, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts. Behold how eaſie a thing it is for the God of hea… onto blaſt all your ſubſtance; yea not onelyonly to diminiſh but to curſe it … and to make you weary of it, and of your ſelues. Oh caſt your ſel…e… … thoſe Almighty hands; Seeke him in whom onelyonly you ſhall fi…d … happineſſe; Honour him with your ſubſtance, that hath honored you with it▪ Tru… in riches, but truſt in God.

p. 705It is motiue enough to your truſt, that he is a God; all arguments are in folded in that one; yet this Text giues you certaine explicit inforcements of this confidence; EueryEvery one of theſe reaſons (implying a ſecret kind of diſdainfull compariſon betwixt the true God and the falſe) perſwade you to truſt in God; Riches are but for this world, the true God is Lord of the other; and beginnes his glory, where the glory of the world ends: therefore truſt in him. Riches are vncertaine, the true God is Amen, the firſt and the laſt, euer like himſelfe; therefore truſt in him. Riches are but a liueleſſe and ſenſeleſſe metall, the true God is a liuing God, therefore truſt in him. Riches are but paſſiues in gift, they cannot beſtow ſo much as themſelues, much leſſe ought beſides themſelues: the true God giues you all things to enioy, therefore Truſt in him: the two latter, becauſe they are more directly ſtood vponupon, and now fall into our way, require a further diſcourſe.

(Elchai) The liuing God, is an ancient and vſuall title to the Almighty;The liuing. eſpecially when he would diſgrace an vnworthy riuall: As S. Paul in his ſpeech to the Lyſtrians, oppoſes to their vaine Idols, the liuing God. Viuo ego, As I liue, is the oath of God for this purpoſe, as Hierom noteth, neither doe I remember any thing beſides his h…lineſſe, and his life that he ſweares by. When Moſes askt Gods name, he deſcribed himſelfe by I AM. He is, hee liues: and nothing is, nothing liues abſolutely, but hee; all other things by participation from him. In all other things, their life and they are two; but God is his owne life, and the life of God is no other then the liuing God: and becauſe he is his owne life, he is eternall; for (as Thomas argues truly againſt the Gentiles) Nothing ceaſes to be, but by a ſeparation of life; and nothing can bee ſeparated from it ſelfe; for eueryevery ſeparation is a diuiſion of one thing from another; Moſt iuſtly therefore is he which is abſolute, ſimple, eternall in his being, called the liuing God: Although, not onelyonly the life that he hath in himſelfe, but the life that he giues to his creatures, challengeth a part in this title; A glimpſe whereof perhaps the Heathen ſaw, when they called him Iupiter, (foreign) from (foreign) which ſignifies to liue: In him we liue, (ſaith S. Paul to his Athenians.) As light is from the Sunne, ſo is life from God, (which is the true ſoule of the world, & more; for without him it could not be ſo much as a carcaſſe;) and ſpreads it ſelfe into all the animate creatures. Life (we ſay) is ſweet; and ſo it is indeed; the moſt excellent and precious thing that is deriued from the common influence of God. There is nothing before life, but Being; and Being makes no diſtinction of things; for that can be nothing that hath no Being: Life makes the firſt and greateſt diuiſion: Thoſe creatures therefore which hauehave life, we eſteeme far beyond thoſe, that hauehave it not, how noble ſoeuer otherwiſe: Thoſe things therefore which hauehave the perfiteſt life, muſt needs be the beſt; Needs then muſt it follow, that he which is life it ſelfe, who is abſolute, ſimple, eternall, the fountaine of all that life which is in the world, is moſt worthy of all the adoration, ioy, louelove, and confidence of our hearts, and of the beſt improuement of that life which he hath giuen vsus. Truſt therefore in the liuing God. Couetouſneſſe (the Spirit of God tels vsus) is Idolatry, or (as our old Tranſlation turnes it) worſhipping of images. EueryEvery ſtampe or impreſſion in his coyne is to the couetous man a very idoll: And what madneſſe is there in this idolatry, to dote vponupon a baſe creature, and to beſtow that life which wee hauehave from God, vponupon a creature that hath no life in it ſelfe, and no price but from men? Let me then perſwade eueryevery ſoule that heares me this day, as Iacob did his houſhold,Gen. 35.2.Gen 35:2 Put away the ſtrange gods that are among you, and be cleane; and as S. Paul did his Lyſtrians; Oh turne away from theſe vanities vntounto the liuing God.

The laſt attractiue of our truſt to God, is his mercy, and liberality;Who giues vsus … all things to enioy. Who giues vsus richly all things to enioy. A theme, wherein yee will grant it eaſie to leeſe our ſelues. Firſt, God not onelyonly hath all in himſelfe, but he giues to vsus. He giues, not ſomewhat, (though a cruſt is more then we are worthy of) but all things. And not a little of all, but richly; and all this, not to looke on, but to enioy. EueryEvery word would require not a ſeuerall houre, but a life to meditate of it; and the tongue not of men, but of Angels to expreſſe it. It is here with vsus, as in a throng; we can get neither in nor out; p. 706But as we vſe to ſay of Cares, ſo it ſhall be with our diſcourſe, that the greatneſſe of it ſhall procure ſilence; and the more we may ſay of this head, the leſſe wee will ſay: It ſhall content vsus onelyonly to top theſe ſheaues, ſince we cannot ſtand to threſh them out.

Whither can ye turne your eyes to looke beſide the bounty of God? If yee looke vpward; His mercy reacheth to the heauens. If downeward; The earth is full of his goodneſſe, and ſo is the broad ſea. If yee looke about you; What is it that hee hath not giuen vsus? Ayre to breathe in, fire to warme vsus, water to coole vsus, clothes to couer vsus, food to nouriſh vsus, fruits to refreſh vsus, yea delicates to pleaſe vsus; beaſts to ſerue vsus, Angels to attend vsus, heauen to receiue vsus, and which is aboue all, his owne Sonne to redeeme vsus. Laſtly, if ye looke into your ſelues; Hath hee not giuen vsus a ſoule to informe vsus, ſenſes to informe our ſoule, faculties to furniſh that ſoule? Vnderſtanding, the great ſurueyor of the ſecrets of Nature, and Grace; Fantaſie and Inuention, the maſter of the workes; Memory the great keeper or Maſter of the rolles of the ſoule; a power that can make amends for the ſpeed of Time, in cauſing him to leave behinde him thoſe things, which elſe he would ſo cary away, as if they had not beene: Will, which is the Lord Paramount in the ſtate of the ſoule, the commander of our actions, the elector of our reſolutions: Iudgement, which is the great Councellor of the will: Affections, which are the ſeruants of them both: a bodie fit to execute the charge of the ſoule, ſo wondrouſly diſpoſed, as that eueryevery part hath beſt opportunitie to his owne functions; ſo qualified with health ariſing from proportion of humours, that like a watch kept in good tune, it goes right, and is fit to ſerue the ſoule, and maintaine it ſelfe: an eſtate that yeelds all due conueniences for both ſoule, and body; ſeaſonable times, raine, and ſunſhine; peace in our borders; competency, if not plenty of all commodities, good lawes, religious, wiſe, iuſt Gouernours, happy and flouriſhing dayes; and aboue all, the liberty of the Goſpell. Caſt vp your bookes, O yee Citizens, and ſumme vp your receits, I am deceiued, if he that hath leaſt, ſhall not confeſſe his obligations infinit. There are three things eſpecially wherein yee are beyond others, and muſt acknowledge your ſelues deeper in the Books of God, then the reſt of the world; Let the firſt be the cleare deliuerance from that wofull iudgement of the peſtilence. Oh remember thoſe ſorrowfull times,Aboue 30000. in one yeare. when euer monethmonth ſwept away thouſands from among you; When a man could not ſet forth his foot, but into the iawes of death; when piles of carcaſſes were caried to their pits, as dung to the fields; when it was cruelty in the ſicke to admit viſitation, and louelove was little better then murderous; And by how much more ſad and horrible the face of thoſe euill times looked, ſo much greater proclaime you the mercy of God, in this happy freedome which you now enioy; that you now throng together into Gods Houſe without feare, and breathe in one anothers face without danger. The ſecond is, the wonderfull plenty of all prouiſions both ſpirituall and bodily; You are the Sea, all the Riuers of the land runne into you: Of the land? Yea of the whole world; Sea and land conſpire to inrich you. The third is, the priuiledge of carefull gouernment; Your Charters as they are large and ſtrong, wherein the fauour of Princes hath made exceptions from the generall rules of their municipall lawes: ſo your forme of adminiſtration is excellent, and the execution of Iuſtice exemplary, and ſuch as might become the mother Citie of the whole earth. For all theſe you hauehave reaſon to aske, Quid retribuam, with Dauid; What ſhall I render to the Lord for all his benefits? and to excite one another vntounto thankfulneſſe, with that ſweet Singer of Iſrael, O that men would therefore praiſe the Lord for his goodneſſe! And (as beneficence is a binder) theſe fauours of God call for your confidence: What ſhould you doe but euer truſt that God, whom you hauehave found ſo gracious? Let him bee your God, be ye his people for euer; and let him make this free and open challenge to you all; If there be any power in heauen, or in earth, that can doe more for you then hee hath done, let him hauehave your hearts and your ſelues.

That they doe good, and be rich in good workes.And thus from that dutie we owe to God in our confidence, and his beneficence to vsus, we deſcend to that beneficence which we owe to men, expreſſed in the variety of foure Epithets, Doing good, being rich in good workes, ready to diſtribute, willing to communicate; p. 707all to one ſenſe; all is but beneficence. The Scriptures of God (leſt any Atheiſt ſhould quarrell at this waſte, hauehave not one word ſuperfluous; Here is a redoubling of the ſame words without fault of Tautologie; a redoubling of the ſame ſenſe in diuers words, without idleneſſe. There is feruor in theſe repetitions, not looſeneſſe; as it was wont for this cauſe to be obſerued both in Councels, and acclamations to Princes, how oft the ſame word was reiterated, that by the frequence they might iudge of the vehemence of affection. It were eaſie to inſtance in many of this kind, as eſpecially Exodus 25.35. Pſalme 89.30. Iohn 1.20. and ſo many more, as that their mention could not be voide of that ſuperfluity which we diſclaime. This heape of words therefore ſhewes the vehement intention of his deſire of good workes, and the important neceſſity of their performance; and the manner of this expreſſion inforces no leſſe, Charge the rich, that the doe good, and be rich in doing good. Harken then, yee rich men of the world; it is not left arbitrary to you, that you may doe good if you will, but it is laid vponupon you as your charge and duty; You muſt doe good works, and woe be to you if you doe not. This is not a counſell, but a precept; Although I might ſay of God, as we vſe to ſay of Princes, his will is his command; The ſame neceſſity that there is of Truſting in God, the ſame is in Doing good to men. Let me ſling this ſtone into the brazen foreheads of our aduerſaries, which in their ſhameleſſe challenges of our Religion dare tell the world, we are all for faith, nothing for works, and that we hold workes to ſaluation, as a Parentheſis to a clauſe, that it may be perfit without them: Heauen and earth ſhall witneſſe the iniuſtice of this calumniation; and your conſciences ſhall bee our compurgators this day, which ſhall teſtifie to you, both now, and on your death-beds, that we hauehave taught you there is no leſſe neceſſitie of good works, then if you ſhould be ſaued by them; and that though you cannot be ſaued by them, as the meritorious cauſes of your glory, yet that you cannot be ſaued without them, as the neceſſarie effects of that grace which brings glory.

It is an hard ſentence of ſome Caſuiſts (concerning their fellowes) that but a few rich mens Confeſſors ſhall bee ſaued; I imagine, for that they dawbe vp their conſciences with vntempered morter, and ſooth them vp in their ſins. Let this be the care of them whom it concerneth; For vsus, wee deſire to bee faithfull to God and you; and tell you roundly what you muſt truſt to; Doe good therefore, yee rich, if euer yee looke to receiue good; if euer yee looke to bee rich in heauen, bee rich in good works vponupon earth: It is a ſhame to heare of a rich man that dyes, and makes his will of thouſands, and bequeaths nothing to pious and charitable vſes: God and the poore are no part of his heyre; We doe not houer ouer your expiring ſoules on your death-beds, as Rauens ouer a carkaſſe; wee doe not begge for a Couent, nor fright you with Purgatory, nor chaffer with you, for that inuiſible treaſure of the Church, whereof there is but one Key-keeper at Rome; but wee tell you, that the making of friends with this Mammon of vnrighteouſneſſe, is the way to eternall habitations. They ſay of Cyrus, that he was wont to ſay he laid vp treaſures for himſelf, whiles he made his friends rich: but we ſay to you, that you lay vp treaſures for your ſelues in heauen, whiles you make the poore your friends vponupon earth: We tell you there muſt be a Date, ere there can be a Dabitur; that he which giues to the poore, lends vponupon vſe to the Lord; which payes large increaſe for all he borrows; and how ſhal he giuegive you the Intereſt of glory, where he hath not receiued the Principall of beneficence? How can that man euer looke to be Gods heyre, in the Kingdome of heauen, that giues all away to his earthly heyres, and lends nothing to the God of heauen? As that witty Grecian ſaid of extreame tall men, that they were Cypreſſe-trees foreign &c. faire and tall, but fruitleſſe: ſo may I ſay of a ſtrait-handed rich man; And theſe Cypreſſes are not for the Garden of Paradiſe; none ſhall euer be planted there but the fruitfull: And if the firſt Paradiſe had any trees in it onelyonly for pleaſure, I am ſure the ſecond, which is in the midſt of the new Ieruſalem, ſhall hauehave no tree that beares not twelue fruits,Reu. 22.2.Rev 22:2 yea whoſe very leaues are not beneficiall. Doe good therefore, O ye rich, and ſhew your wealth to bee, not in hauing, but in doing good. And if God hauehave put this holy reſolution p. 708into any of your hearts, take this with you alſo, from him; Doe not talke, and purpoſe, and proiect, but execute; Doe not ſo doe good, that wee may thanke your death-bed for it, and not you: Late beneficence is better then none, but ſo much as early beneficence is better then late; Hee that giues not till hee dyes, ſhewes that hee would not giuegive, if hee could keepe it; And God loues a cheerfull giuer; That which you giuegive thus, you giuegive it by your Teſtament, I can ſcarce ſay you giuegive it by your will: The good mans praiſe is Diſperſit, dedit: he diſperſes his goods, not, he left them behind him; and his diſtribution is ſeconded with the retribution of God, His righteouſneſſe endureth for euer, Pſalme, 112.9. Our Sauiour tells vsus that our good works are our light, Let your light ſo ſhine, that men may ſee your good workes; which of you lets his light go behinde him, and hath it not rather caried before him, that he may ſee which way it goes, and which way himſelfe goes by it? Doe good therefore in your life, that you may hauehave comfort in your death, and a Crowne of life after death.

Now all this hauehave I ſpoken, not for that I hauehave ought (as S. Paul ſayes) whereof to accuſe my Nation; Bleſſed be God, as good workes hauehave abounded in this age, ſo this place hath ſuperabounded in good workes. Bee it ſpoken to the glory of that God, whoſe all our good works are, to the honour of the Goſpell, to the conuiction of that lewd ſlander of Solifidianiſme; London ſhall vye good workes with any City vponupon earth; This day and your eares are abundant witneſſes; As thoſe therefore that by an handfull gheſſe at the whole ſacke, it may pleaſe you by this yeeres Briefe to iudge of the reſt; Wherein I doe not feare leſt Enuie it ſelfe ſhall accuſe vsus of a vaine-glorious oſtentation; Thoſe obſtreperous benefactors, that (like to Hens which cannot lay an egge, but they muſt cackle ſtraight) giuegive no almes but with trumpets, loſe their thankes with God; Almes ſhould be like oyle, which though it ſwimme aloft when it is falne, yet makes no noiſe in the falling; not like water, that ſtill ſounds where it lights: But howſoeuer priuate beneficence ſhould not be acquainted with both the hands of the giuer, but ſilently expect the reward of him that ſeeth in ſecret, yet God ſhould bee a great loſer, if the publike fruits of charity ſhould bee ſmothered in a modeſt ſecrecy: To the praiſe therefore of that good God, which giues vsus to giuegive, and rewards vsus for giuing, to the example of poſterity, to the honor of our Profeſſion, to the incouragement of the wel-deſeruing, and to the ſhame of our malicious aduerſaries, heare what this yeare hath brought forth.

Here followeth a briefe memoriall of the charitable acts of the City this yeere laſt paſt, &c. And if the ſeaſon had not hindered, your eyes ſhould hauehave ſeconded your eares in the comfortable teſtimonie of this beneficence, Euge, &c. Well done, good and faithfull ſeruants; Thus ſhould your Profeſſion bee graced; thus ſhould the incenſe of your almes aſcend in pillers of holy ſmoke into the noſtrils of God; thus ſhould your talents bee turned into Cities: This colour is no other then celeſtiall, and ſo ſhall your reward be; Thus ſhould the foundation be laid of that building, whoſe wals reach vp vntounto heauen, whoſe roofe is finiſhed and laid on, in the heauen of heauens, in that immortalitie of glory, which the God of all glory, peace, and comfort hath prouided for all that louelove him; VntoUnto the participation whereof, the ſame God of ours mercifully bring vsus through the Sonne of his louelove, Ieſus Chriſt the righteous: to whom, with the Father, and the Holy Ghoſt, one infinite and incomprehenſible God, be giuen all praiſe, honour and glory, now and for euer. Amen.

FINIS.

THE HONOVR OF THE MARIED CLERGIE, MAINTAINED AGAINST THE MALICIOVS CHALLENGES of C.E. Maſſe-Prieſt.

OR, THE APOLOGIE WRITTEN SOME yeares ſince for the Mariage of perſons Eccleſiaſticall, made good againſt the Cauils of C. E. Pſeudo-Catholike Prieſt.

Jn three Bookes.

BY IOS. HALL.

LONDON, Printed for THOMAS PAVIER, MILES FLESHER, and John Haviland. 1624.