The Christian Warfare Part 2, Book 2 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIIII.
Of the worthlesse vanitie of worldly riches.
ANd thus hauehave I shewed the vanity of worldly§. Sect. 1. That worldly riches are to be contemned as vaine and worthlesse. honours and preferments. Let vsus in the next place consider of worldly riches; which if we throughly examine we shall find, that howsoeuer worldlings make such high account of them that they prefer them before the saluation of their soules; yet they are in truth if wee compare them with Gods spirituall graces and heauenly ioyes, vaine, worthlesse, and void of excellencie. For if honours which are esteemed more excellent, are, as we hauehave shewed, vaine & of no worth; and pleasures which are more sweet and comfortable, are (being thus compared) of no value or esteeme, as wee shall see hereafter▪ then how great is the vanity, and how small the excellencie of worldly riches, which are of a more base and contemptible nature, being but as it were seruants vntounto the other, which are only desired and prouided to serue for their vses and imployments? Neither doth any man (vnlesse it bee some sottish misers, who in getting riches hauehave lost their wits) esteeme of riches for their owne sake, but as they serue for their vse, either to aduance their honour and reputation by bestowing them bountifully, where they may hauehave most credit; or for the obtaining and enioying of their pleasures and delights: to which purpose serue stately houses and rich furniture, pleasant gardens, and fruitfull orchards; daintie faire, and soft clothing; which ends if riches aduanced not, they would like contemptible garbage rest vntouched in the earths bowels without any to admire or sue for them. Now if these ends themselues which are their chiefe good be void of excellency and full of vanity; then how vaine and worthlesse are these base riches, which in an abiect subiection serue but as it were to hold the stirrup to mount men vp into the seate of honour; or for porters to open vntounto them the doore of pleasures? And this was the cause why the Apostle Paul Phil. 3. 8.so lightly valued them, that comparing them with Christ and his righteousnesse, hee esteemed them no better then dung; which if it be not vaine and base enough to shew their vanity because it is of some vse and profit, consider that the wise Salomon valueth them by that which is yet of lesse worth, calling them nothing: Wilt thou (saith he) cast thine Pro. 23. 5.eyes vponupon it which is nothing? and lest yet this nothing should hauehave some esteeme, as doing no hurt, though it do no good: the Apostle further telleth vsus in the former place, that he esteemed the things of this world as losse, which is worse then nothing, that he might win Christ, and be partaker of his righteousnesse.
But let vsus consider of the worthlesse vanity of worldly§. Sect. 2. Of the vanitie of great lands and large Lordships. wealth in some particulars: and first, what great excellencie is there in large Lordships, and great lands; seeing the whole earth is not so big as a pease, in comparison of our heauenly countrey; and yet they who hold the greatest possessions, hauehave not so much as a little prick or point in this small globe of the world: and therefore (as sometime Socrates said to Alcibiades) hauehave not so much when they glory most in it, as may hauehave the least place, or smallest resemblance in the greatest map? What worth or excellencie is in them, because they hold them in fee-simple, and hauehave them as perpetuities annexed to their successours, seeing though they should thus continue to the end of the world, it were but a moment of time in respect of eternitie? and yet the longest liuer hath but a small part of this moment, euen to the short period of his owne life: so that to him notwithstanding the glorious titles of fee-simples and perpetuities, his inheritance and possessions are but momentany, and as it were tenements holden at will, out of which he is ready daily to be turned at the landlords pleasure. And yet these small lands oftentimes bring with them no small incumbrance; seeing as an heauie loade they oppresse mens minds, so as they cannot mount vp alost in heauenly meditations, nor hauehave their conuersation in their owne countrey, being clogged with this lumpe of earth: and these momentany possessions, are causes vntounto many of no momentany mischiefe; seeing they depriue them of their euerlasting inheritance, when they set their hearts vponupon them: especially if (as the Prophet speaketh) they hauehave vsed oppression to inlarge their lordships, ioyning house to house, and field to field, inclosing commons and dispeopling townes,Esay 5. 8. that the poore being rooted out, they may place themselues alone in the middest of the earth: by which cruelty inlarging their possessions which are but momentany, they make themselues subiect to an eternall woe, and most fearefull malediction.
Neither is there more excellencie or worth in gold and§. Sect. 3. Of the vanity of gold and siluer. Eccles. 2. 8. 11. siluer, which by the wise Salomon are reckoned and raunged among those vanities, which bring no good to the owners, but vexation of spirit, and by the Prophet directed by Gods Spirit, they are called thicke clay, which hauehave their value andHabac. 2. 6. preheminence aboue other earth, because they are a little more shining and refined; neither hauehave they their worth and value from nature, but from mens opinions. For (as one noteth)Chrysost. in 1. Tim. 6. Hom. 17. those things which are naturally excellent, do shew their owne excellencie without any mount-bancke to commend them, or to set them out to the shew, as the sugar his sweetnes, the Sunne his brightnes, and the earth his fruitfulnes: but these wares which are of imaginary worth, need a monitour to tell vsus of their excellencie, or otherwise we should not know, much lesse admire them. For if we do see copper gilt, we are delighted with the beauty of the mettall, and we call it gold; but when those which are more skilfull come and admonish vsus that we are deceiued, our errour and admiring wonder leane vsus both together. Moreouer, we seeSenec. epist. 94. that God in the very placing of these mettals, would take away from vsus all opinion of their worth and excellencie: for whereas the Lord hath placed his creatures according to their dignity (man only excepted, who is in the place of his exile and banishment) as the holy Angels in the highest heauen, the Sunne, Moone and Starres in the firmament, the elements as they are more pure, so in place one superiour vntounto another: he hath seated these so much admired mettals, in the intrals of the most grosse element, as though he would hauehave vsus so farre from setting them vponupon our heads, or our hearts vponupon them, that he would hauehave vsus with contempt toHierony…, ad Demetriadem. tread them vnderunder our feet. Which also seemeth to hauehave been practised by the Primitiue Church, who deliuered not the price of their possessions into the Apostles hands, but cast them at their feet, to shew how meanely they accounted of them. And as he hath placed them in this inferiour place, as fit to be contemned, so also in the hidden cauernes of the earth, far remote from humane sight, out of which they are not gotten without infinit toile and labour; that he might hereby withdraw our greedy eye from looking after them, and our couetous hearts from desiring them; or at least though we should couet them, yet we might be discouraged with this intollerable paines in the pursuite of these worthlesse vanities: besides, he hath not there seated them in their beauty and perfection, fined and purified, but in their oare, vnsightly and base to looke vponupon, as hauing in it much more drosse then pure mettall; from which it is not purged and refined without endlesse moile, and labour of the workemen: who besides all their paines hauehave their health thereby so impaired, and their faces blemished with swartnes and dead palenes, that they seeme to hauehave taken vponupon them the deformities of the mettall, and to hauehave bin content to make themselues vgly, that it may receiue beautie and brightnes. Notwithstanding all which, vaine man doting vponupon this worthlesse pelfe, is not discouraged with all these labours, but is content to spend his life and strength in searching and seeking, digging & mining, purging and refining of this earthy drosse, not caring to lose himselfe that he may find it; and that which is worst of all, when by the worke of his owne hands he hath brought it to his full beauty and perfection, he doth not only make it his chiefe ornament, who is much more comely and gracefull in himselfe, placing it aboue his head, which God had seated vnderunder his feet, but also erecteth it as his idoll in his heart, and as it were falleth downe before it to adore and worship it, whilest he loueth, trusteth and hopeth in it more then in God himselfe: wherby it commeth to passe that their soules are more deformed who possesse it, then their bodies who in the mines digged for it; and more indangered to death eternall, then they to any temporarie perils: for howsoeuer their gold it self shall be vntounto them but a momentany good, yet the rust thereof shall continue to the day of iudgement, to be a witnes against them for their confusion and condemnation, as the Apostle speaketh. SeeingIames 5. 3. therefore these base minerals are in themselues so contemptible, and bring vntounto vsus so little profit, and oftentimes no little hurt: we may well admire, and euen be astonished at the cause, why men should so dote vponupon them, louing them so dearely, and the ioyes of heauen so slightly, and taking soFascinatio quaedam est huiusmodi res, quòd aurum et argentum à nobis tanti pendatur, & animarum nostrarum nulla cura. Chrysost. in 1. Thess. 5. great care and paines for them, whereas they take little or none for the sauing of their owne soules. So as it may seeme that there is in them a kind of witchcraft which thus seduceth and abuseth their admirers, seeing there is no reason to be giuen, either in nature or religion, why men should contemne those eternall treasures and heauenly excellencies, and pursue with a besotted and madding affection, this earthly trash and base vanities. Let vsus therefore learne wisely to stop our eares against these charmes; and howsoeuer we are not vtterly and absolutely to reiect gold and siluer, as being the creatures of God: which (as hath bin shewed) may serue for good vse; yet let vsus take heed that we do not set our hearts vponupon them, but contemne and despise them, when they come in comparison with Gods spirituall graces, or our heauenly patrimonie: and making account of money, as trauellers of their prouision for their iourney, which being moderate serueth for their vse, and to helpe them forward; but being excessiue and superfluous, toileth them as an heauie burthen,Quid homini pecunia sua nisi quoddam viaticum est? multa oneri, moderata vsui. Ambros. lib. 7. epist. 44. and hindereth them in their way; let vsus content our selues with a competencie and sufficiencie; or being not able to attaine vntounto it, let vsus supply that with our minds, which is wanting vntounto our outward estate, laying vp our chiefe treasures in heauen, where (as our Sauiour saith) the rust cannot corrupt them, nor thieues spoile vsus of them.
Neither is there lesse vanity, or more worth in other kinds§. Sect. 4. Of the vanity of rich iewels and costly furniture. of riches: for what true excellencie is in rich iewels and pretious stones, which are by the Creator contemptibly, cast vponupon the earth and sands with worthlesse regard; but being sought and found by men, are sold at such high rates, as not their owne worth, but the buyers phantasie sets vponupon them: in regard whereof the same iewell or stone altereth the price according to the worth of the owner; and that which is esteemed in the hand of a poore man at a small value, becommeth precious and of great worth when a richer and more noble master is owner of it. So that these are commended by their rarity more then by their excellency; by opinion rather then sound reason; by the wealth of their owners, rather then by their owne worth, and are in truth meere trifles for wantons to play with, rather then any solide or substantiall good, which brings true profit to those who are possessed of them. The like also may bee said of rich furniture, and sumptuous houshold stuffe, which in comparison of those more excellent things, are meere vanities and worthlesse trifles: neither is there any cause why any man should much desire these things if hee want them, or glory in them if wee hauehave them; for the chiefe ornaments of a house are not gorgeous hangings, rich beds and such like furniture; but the vertues and graces of the inhabitants, the wisedome and discreet gouernment of superiors, the dutie and obedience of inferiours, with piety, honesty, and good order obserued of all. Euen as contrariwise the chiefe disgraces and deformitiesVilitas & deformitas domus non a vas…s inordinatè proiectis, non a neglecto lectulo, non a muris fumo decoloratis, sed ab improbitate habitantium cernitur. Chrysost. in Mat. 16. Homil. 84. therof, are not walles couered or coloured with nothing but smoke; emptie roomes, or poore furniture: but when (as our Sauiour speaketh) it is cleane swept of all vertue and goodnesse, and blemished and dishonested with disorder, vice and wickednesse. Againe, the great labour which these things of small worth require, may serue to weane the harts of any from them who are not too ful of pride & vaine glory: for as at first they are not easily gotten; so they are kept with no lesse difficultie, there neuer wanting occasion of looking to them, folding, vnfolding, brushing, cleansing, altering, remouing; to say nothing of the manifold discontents and occasions of anger which they bring to the owners, if any of them chance to miscarie, or to be misused. In al which the trouble and griefe oftentimes▪ exceed the comfort and contentment which they bring vntounto them. Or if there be such care, prouidence and paines vsed, that none of these things happen, but all is preserued in his full beautie and good order; then is it a manifest signe that most of their time is spent about these vanities, and the whole mind so wholly possessed and taken vp with them, that the soule is neglected, and little or no paines taken to decke it with the rich ornaments of Gods spirituall and sanctifying graces; so that when one commeth into a rich mans house where thereBasil. in diuites auaros, homil. 7. is such costly furniture, so curiously and carefully disposed and ordered, he may probablie suspect that hee seeth all the goodnesse of that house at the first view; and that there is nothing better then that which presenteth it selfe in the outward shew. Furthermore, wee are to know that these glorious things bring to the owners no lasting delight, or durable contentment: for howsoeuer whilest they hauehave them but in their desires, or are newly possessed of them, they take great pleasure to thinke vponupon and behold them; yet when as they hauehave them continually in their eye, and that they are become common and ordinarie, their delight presently ceaseth; especially if they chance to see more rich and costly things of the same kind in the possession of other men. And no maruell, for if the sunne it selfe because wee see it daily worketh no extraordinarie delight, although the darke night comming between his setting and rising, setteth some edge on our tired affections; how much lesse are wee to expect that we can find it in these earthly trifles, whose chiefe glory being compared to the sunnes brightnesse, is but obscurity and grosse darkenesse? Finally, the more wee abound with these rich furnitures, the more are wee exposed to the feare and danger of fire, theeues, yea sillie moaths, which howsoeuer they be base and contemptible, yet hauehave they power enough to pull downe this pride, and to consume the matter and occasion of this vaine glory: or if all these with prouidence be preuented, yet these glorious shewes doe seldome faile to expose vsus to enuie, which vsuallie feedeth vponupon these outward appearances of worldly happinesse, and feeding pineth those whom it possesseth, because they want the meanes to make ostentation of such pompe and glorie. Seeing therefore these things are not onelyonly full of vanitie, but also of many euils and inconueniences, how much better were this cost bestowed vponupon the poore members of Iesus Christ then vponupon these needlesse superfluities, manie whereof are so fine and costlie, that the owners can neuer almost find in their hearts to vse them, but keepe them locked vp in their chests not suffering them to see the sunne, vnlesse vponupon some speciall occasion, which hapneth not once in a yeere, when as pride meaneth to triumph in all it brauerie, and causeth them to make ostentation of al their glory? How much more were it for their credit to bee with their wealth beneficiall to manie, then to dwell in an house thus pompouslie furnished? How much more wisely should they imployQuanta est gloriosius multis benefacere quam magnificè habitare? Clemens Alexand. paedagog. lib. 2. cap. 12. their wealth for the good of men, then vponupon carpets and hangings? vponupon liuing and reasonable creatures, then vponupon dead and senselesse wals? How much more profitable were it to hauehave clothed friends, then adorned lodgings, the one seruing for defence, the other exposing them to the prey? Lastly, it may well weane our hearts from being in louelove with this riotous excesse, if we consider that it will make our account more hard and difficult at the day of iudgement. For how doe we thinke will this reckoning bee accepted of our Lord and Iudge, when as wee hauehave spent his talents vponupon needlesse superfluities, and suffered the poore members of Iesus Christ, for whose vse also wee receiued them, to want necessaries? when as we hauehave adorned our walles with arras and tapestry, and suffered men created after Gods image, yea our brethren and fellow members of the same body, to starue for want of freese to couer their nakednes? when our horsesAuro parietes, auro laquearia, auro fulgent capita columnarum, & nudus atque esuriens ante s…res nostras Christus in paupere moritur. Hieron. ad Ga…dent. are decked with gold, silke and veluet, and poore christians neglected, not affording them rags to couer them, and bread to feed them? How will this goe for currant at this great audit, that wee hauehave suffered in the time of dearth a great manie to starue for want of reliefe, whereas we might hauehave redeemed their liues from death, by parting with an vnprofitable iewell, or some needlesse furniture which is scarce euer vsed? or how can wee then hope to find merciemercy with God, when as we hauehave shewed so little compassion to one another? And thus it appeareth how vaine and worthlesse these§. S…ct. 5. Of the vanity of sumptuous buildings. rich iewels, and costlie furniture are iustlie to bee valued and esteemed. Let vsus in the next place consider of statelie houses and sumptuous buildings, wherein worldlie men so much glorie and delight; in which after due examination we shall find no more excellencie, or lesse vanitie. And first, if we will credit the wise Salomon (who hauing for a time his affection greatlie set vponupon them, wanted neither witcuriouslie to contriue his stately buildings for most conuenient vse, and greatest state and glory, nor yet wealth to second his inuentions) hee will tell vsus on his owne experience, that when in this kind wee hauehave done all wee can, yea all wee will, and in our hearts desire; we shall in the end of all our cost and labour, find nothing but vanitie and vexation of spirit. Againe, ifEccles. 2. 4. 11. there were any excellencie in these sumptuous buildings, it is chieflie the glorie and praise of the builders and workemen, whose art and skill is hereby commended, and not of the workemaster and owner, who had no other part to act in these workes, but to disburse the money and beate the charge. The house therefore doth not grace the inhabitant, but he his habitation, when as he maketh it an holie temple for religious duties, a mansion for vertue and good order, the seate of good hospitalitie, and a place of refuge and reliefe for the needie and afflicted. Neither will these statelie buildings greatlie profit vsus, for they do not bring to the owners any sound ioy, quiet and contentation, which dwell more often in poore cottages then in statelie palaces. They doe not free vsus from care and griefe, wherewith statelie buildings are often pestred, when as thatched houses are priuiledged and exempted. They doe not preserue their lords from the encounters of sicknesses and diseases; yea rather there lieth an open passage to let in gouts, palsies, collickes, consumptions, when as they are kept out from entring such slender buildings, as will scarce beare off a storme, or hold out raine. The thicknesse of their stone or well timbred walles, nor the strength of their nailed gates will serue to keepe out death; neither will the height of their buildings make him neede a skaling ladder, when hee commeth to assult their liues; for when he knocketh the doores flie open, and he findeth an easie passage into their secret chambers. Furthermore, let vsus consider that the most sumptuous buildings hauehave within a while a time of ruine; and though they are assaulted with no outward violence, yet they hauehave their periods, when as they will fall with their owne waight. Besides, oftentimes they come through fire, forrenNon solum in aetatibus hominum, verum & in structuris aedificiorum immatura mors furit. Chrysost. in 1. Tim. 6. Homil. 16. Inspice aediticiae sumptuosa quae olim extruxerunt: quid nunc sunt? ruinae: vbi aedificatores? in orco. Basil. Orat. 15. de auaritia. forces, and such like casualties to vntimely ruine; for not only in the ages of men, but also in buildings, immature death, and vnexpected destruction, rageth with furie vnresistable; which if we know not by our owne reason, let at least the example of others teach vsus: for behold the stately buildings which hauehave bin of old, what are they now but ruines? And where are their builders, which in all this cost affected a name, but rotten and consumed in the graue, without name or memorie? Lastly, let vsus remember that these stately houses are seldome erected without oppression, for either Naboths vineyard lieth neere vntounto them, which if he louelove his life he must sell them, because it is conuenient to make them a garden; or the poores houses stand on the best seat and must giuegive place, or hinder their prospect, and must be pulled downe, or else they must gratifie them, though for feare more then louelove, with their labour, carts and carriages, without wages or reward. By which courses, when these sumptuous and beautifull buildings are erected, a grieuous woe and heauie curse lieth vponupon the owners: Woe vntounto him (saith theIerem. 22. 13. 15. 16. Prophet) that buildeth his house by vnrighteousnesse, and his chambers without equitie: he vseth his neighbour without wages, and giueth him not for his worke, &c. Shalt thou raigne because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar; did not thy father (though he dwelt in more homely buildings) eat and drinke and prosper, when he executed iudgement and iustice? when he iudged the cause of the afflicted and poore, he prospered, &c. The like woe the Prophet Esay thundreth out against those, who ioyne house Esay. 5. 8. 9.to house laying on them this curse from God, that their houses should be desolate, and though they were great and faire, yet they should be without any inhabitant; according to that malediction denounced in the law, thou shalt build an house and not dwell therein. Which curse lieth heauie vponupon many builders in these daies, though they neuer thinke vponupon their burthen, who make stately houses and neuer inhabit them, and spend all in building, but nothing in hospitalitie; as though the vse of building were only, like the pyramides of Egypt, to make a glorious shew; and as though they had no other inducement to be at all this charge and labour, then those had that built the tower of Babel, that is, to threaten heauen with their houses height, and get a name vntounto themselues vponupon the earth. Seeing therefore these sumptuous buildings are alwaies vaine and worthlesse, and often accompanied with sinne and wickednes; let vsus learne (though the world and worldlings so highly value them) to contemne and thinke basely of thē, lobouring to be inhabitants of that Diuine and Angelicall habitation, which is not made with hands, but eternall 2. Cor. 5. 1.in the heauens. And when beholding these stately houses on earth, we begin to be besotted with their momentanie beautie and false glory; let vsus presently cast vp our eyes towards heauen; and if hauing seated our minds and meditations vponupon that heauenly and diuine beautie, we do from thence reflect our eyes vponupon the chiefe glory of earthly buildings, they will seeme but as childrens houses, which in play they build vponupon the sands, which eueryevery blast of wind defaceth, and eueryevery waue of water washeth away; and as the houses of spiders, which being made with great labour, are with themselues easily brushed away with a wing or broome. For then we will easily conclude, that if there be such goodly habitatiōs in our pilgrimage & place of punishmēt, then much more glorious mansions are prepared for vsus in our owne countrey, where the Lord is purposed to glorifie and reward vsus: if Gods enemies hauehave such stately palaces on earth, then how much more excellent hath the Lord prouided for his children in heauen? If the great Monarches of the world hauehave mansion houses befitting their might and maiesty; then how glorious is the Court of heauen, and chiefe mansion house of the King of Kings, which he hath purposely fitted and prepared, as is most beseeming his glory and greatnesse? Surely being sutable and agreeable vntounto his Maiestie, which is infinite, it must needs also be of vnspeakeable and incomprehēsible excellencie. If the world hauehave such a goodly vaulted roofe, beautified with such glorious lights, and imbellished with such shining starres; then what shall we thinke of our heauenly habitation, whose floore is much more glorious then this stately roofe? Finally, if the Kings of the earth hauehave their marble, iuory and ieat, to adorne their buildings, then may we well conceiue that which the Apostle saw,Apocal. 2…. namely, that our heauenly citie is of much more pretious stuffe, the walles of jasper, garnished with all manner of pretious stones, the gates of pearle, and the streets of gold. And therefore if we affect stately buildings, let vsus contemne these base cottages on earth, and labour to be owners of those glorious and heauenly habitations; which as they are by infinit degrees more goodly, and excellent, so are they also euerlasting habitations, which neuer need repaire, nor any whit abate of their first glorie.
And thus hauehave I shewed the vanitie of sumptuous buildings.§. Sect. 6. The vanitie of a numerous familie. Let vsus in the next place consider if there be any more worth & excellency in many seruāts, & a great retinue; where also we shall find, that howsoeuer it is accounted a glorious thing in the world, to hauehave a multitude of attendants, and a great traine attending at their masters heeles, yet it is but a meere vanitie, yea if it be possible, more vaine then any of the former. And this also appeareth by the testimony of the wise Salomon, speaking vponupon his owne experience, who seeking herein for some worldly happines, missed of it; and hauing retained such a multitude of seruants, as serued not only for his necessarie vse, but also for pompe and state, for pleasureEccles. 2. 7. 11. and delight; concludeth of this as of the rest, that he found nothing in it, but meere vanitie and vexation of spirit. VntoUnto which testimonie we may adde diuers reasons, which shew the worthlesnes of this great attendance: for howsoeuer a man hath hereby from the mouthes of many, the goodlyQui multorum est dominus, idem multorum seruus esse cogitur. Chrysost. in Rom. 16. 3. titles of lord and master, and the outward reuerence of cap and knee, yet what is he in truth, but a common seruant vntounto them all, and euen as it were the steward of the family, who taketh the care and paines to prouide them of all necessaries? yea which is worse, hereby he becommeth a seruant to his own auarice and concupiscence, it being a chiefe cause and motiue which induceth him to toile and labour, scrape and rake together, to oppresse and incroch vponupon other mens rights, that he may hauehave wherewith to maintaine this numerous multitude to attend vponupon him. The which error were so much the lesse, if al these men thus intertained, were faithfull wel-lwillers, and (as one calleth them) humble friends,Seneca. readie at all assayes to seeke his good, and to stand in his defence with their owne hazard: but contrariwise experience teacheth, that among many seruants are many enemies, who because they are restrained of their willes, or punished for their faults, or not rewarded according to their expectation, though it may be aboue their deserts, maligne their master, and wait for occasion to shew their hatred. Now these domesticall foes are of al others most dangerous, because they are no lesse priuie to al their masters infirmities, then ready to diuulge them vnderhand, where they may most disgrace him; neither can any thing he doth in the familie be hid from those who wish him worst, because as he hath many eies to obserue his hidden counsels and greatest secrets, so hath he also many tongues to reueale and vtter them: yea and that which for feare they but secretly whispered whilest they remained in the familie vnderunder the gouernment of their master, they are readie with professed malice to proclaime publikely when they hauehave left his seruice▪ and be vnderunder the rule of another, vnlesse they be restrained more with feare of their new master, then with louelove of the old, lest he might iustly suspect that he also shall receiue at their hands the like measure, when they leaue his seruice. Now this miserie is so much the more miserable, not only because it is impossible to preuent these dangers, which come by these secret traytors, who are hidden and vnknowne, but also because they are faine vnwittingly to nourish these vipers in their bosome, feeding, cloathing and rewarding them, when as they do them most hurt, and are readie vponupon all occasions to plot against them any mischiefe. VntoUnto this we may adde, that where there is a multitude of seruants, there are also many contentions and domesticall quarrels, much brawling and wrangling, clamor, and noise; which must needs bee exceeding troublesome to the gouernour, when as hee must bee faine to be a stickler in these fraies, and eueryevery hand-while bee disquieted himselfe that he may set them at quiet, and accord their differences and contentions: yea but at least where there are many hands there is an easie and quick dispatch of houshold businesse, and all things are done seasonablie and in good order, to the contentment of the master; surely nothing lesse. Yea contrariwise, vnlesse there bee an exceeding wise and strict gouernment, there as are most seruitours, there is worst seruice, disorder, negligence and confusion: either because the slothfull are incouraged to continue in their idlenesse, seeing they may easilie hide it in a crowde, and fasten their negligences and defaults vponupon some of their fellowes; or because the diligent are discouraged in their painefull labours, seeing others marre that which they make; and also for that particular notice cannot well be taken of their gouernours, by reason of the multitude, of their wel-deseruing, that so they may receiue due praise and reward. Or finallie, because they strain courtesie, and put off the businesse to one another, thinking his fellow may do it as well as he; whereof it commeth to passe, that that is neglected of all, which might bee done of many. Moreouer, hee who entertaineth a multitude of seruants, doth hereby wast and consume his estate, which might be much better spent, not onlie by continuall feeding so manie idle bellies, and clothing so manie backes; but also because where multitudes are, there is much lauishing, spending and rioting, none taking care to spare or saue any thing, because his faithfulnesse and frugalitie would not bee obserued among so manie; and therefore seeing all will bee spent, he thinketh best to do like his fellowes, and to take his share before all bee gone. To say nothing of their pilfering and purloyning for their owne vse; and their wastfull prodigalitie in bestowing vponupon others their masters goods; if at least they can hauehave them as their instruments and deputies to doe their businesse, whilest they spend their time in pleasures or idlenesse. Finally, it is a thing of great difficultie to gouerne well such a multitude in the familie; to keepe them in good order, and to make them diligently to performe their duties to God, their master, and to one another: for if euerie one findeth it a hard matter to rule a few in such sort as God requireth; then surelie it must needs bee almost impossible to rule so many. And this commeth to passe, partly because the master among such a multitude cannot hauehave his eye at all times vponupon all, to obserue their disposition, cariage and behauiour; and partlie because there is almost alwaies amongst a great number some corrupt and vicious, who, like scabbed sheepe in a flocke, infect and taint their fellowes with their wicked behauiour and conuersation. Lastly, what doe they else who entertaine a great multitude, but take vponupon them a great charge, of which they must giuegive an account how they hauehave discharged it at the day of iudgement? For it is not sufficient for such to hauehave liued like good men, if they hauehave not also caried themselues as good masters; nor enough that they hauehave themselues serued God, vnles also they hauehave been carefull to make those vnderunder their gouernment to ioyne with them in the like seruice. And if so be through their default, either because they hauehave not encouraged them in good, or discouraged and restrained them from euill, they hauehave neglected their duty and liued wickedly; they shall be found accessarie vntounto, and guiltie of their sinnes before God. Which if masters would but seriously thinke vponupon, they would not be so much exalted and delighted to see the gloriousnesse of their numerous traine, as amated and affrighted to consider of the greatnesse and difficultie of their reckoning and account.