Plain Dealing, Title page – Dedication
Plain Dealing, OR THE CAƲSE and CƲRE OF THE Preſent Evils of the Times.
Wherein you have ſet forth,
1 The dreadfull deſcenſion of the Devill.
2 His direfull Wrath.
3 The woful Woe to the wicked world.
4 The Myſtery of all.
5 The Hiſtory and Computation of Times devolving all upon this Age, and downward.
6 The Art of reſiſting Temptations, in this houre of Temptation.
In a Sermon before John Kendrick Lord Mayor of London, upon the Lords Day after the Great Eclipſe (as the Aſtrologers would have had it.) Upon occaſion whereof, ſomething was ſpoken touching Aſtrology.
By Dr. NATH. HOMES.
London, Printed for R. I. and are to be ſold by Anthony Williamſon at the Queens Arms in Pauls-Church-yard, near the Weſt-end 1652.
To the Right Honourable JOHN KENDRICK, Lord Mayor of London, and the Right Worſhipful the Aldermen, Recorder, and Sheriffes thereof.
Right Honourable, and highly reſpected.
THis Peece is yours by a double right, I As Agents occaſioning the diſcourſe; 2 As Patients, Co-ſuffering in the cauſe. If I have not pleaſed all men, I have eſcaped a*Luke 6.26. Woe unto you when all men ſpeak wel of you for ſo did their fathers to the falſe Prophets. Woe. If truth hath offended any, it is their woe, they are not ſons of truth. It is my Idiom and Genius to be down-right, and in the publick place to feare no man on earth. If I have thereby the fewer Patrons, yet have I the more peace. The world may ſay, I am therein leſſe a Politician, but the Word *Jer. 9.3. Valiant for the truth.ſaith I am leſſe a Coward, and the more a Chriſtian. The preſent tempers of men (I confeſſe) can hardly beare freedome of*Eò ven… eſt ut nec vitia pati poſſumus nec remedit Liv. ſpeech. And I am juſtly quits with them, for I cannot beare with their ſinnes. For it is my RIGHT, if England be a Free-Commonwealth, for me a publike member thereof, freely to ſpeak againſt the Common-evils, in behalfe of the Common-good: There is need enough. For, being an age of Warre, we would learne one poſture, AS YEE WERE. I know of no ſinnes in the old Edition of the Kingdome, but are in the New, of the Commonwealth, and*Before men ſinned by frailty in practiſe, Now by impiety of principles. The fooliſh Virgins had no oyle in their veſſels, that is, they had loſt their principles. bolder; with this Addition (to make us grow old in vice) a confuſed decrying of Legalities, that ſhould binde us, Magiſtracies that ſhould force us, and Miniſtryes that ſhould perſwade us to be better. I confeſſe there may be emendations in all, but their indiſtinctneſſe of ſpeech, and their reproaching the whole, make mee feare they aime not ſo well. And when all the fence is downe, then the Commonweale may ſoone become a Common of all confuſion. They are ſicke of any thing that hinders them from turning any thing, onelyonly of their owne faults they are not ſicke. They pretend humility to make others low but it is that they might ſeem great; And plead, it is againſt their conſciences to pay duties to whom due, but it is, that they might be rich for nothing, whiles their Preſervers become poor for their labours.
But you, Noble Senatours, of this goodly famous City, notwithſtanding theſe diſcouragements, whiles ye are in being, up and be doing what is your duty to doe. Act within your ſpheres to the utmoſt *Sinatura, multò magis gratia agit ad extremum virium.of your power, for God and the common good, ſo you ſhall have your ſhare. And at the worſt, it ſhall be more honor & comfort to you to periſh by doing your duties, then to periſh for the neglect of them. Hold your own right, whiles yours, and look to the maintenance of the Miniſters, your friends, in this City, who may plead with God and men for you (for that ſhould ſeem is left to you, while others take care of the Country.) Part with what you will of your owne, and let your Miniſters be impoveriſhed from their places, and from you: yee ſhall have never the more thankes, from them that love to keepe it in their owne pockets. They will ſtill, ſuppoſe gaine to be godlineſſe *Tim 6.5 Perverſe diſputings of men of corrupt mindes, and deſtitute of the truth, ſuppoſing that gaine, is godlineſſe.and to be their piety in that way, to ſave their profit, till they be really taught that modeſty, not to runne before the Supream Authority; and that prudence, not to ſhift off an old garment, till a new one be provided.
But ſeeing they would ſeem to be ſo conſcientions, let them give me leave to put one caſe of Conſcience to them, Whether the Maintenance of Magiſtracy and Miniſtry be any private mans owne, by the Lawes of God, or man? If not, whether they can be in any ſhew, juſt and righteous dealing men, that withhold it as their own? Surely it is no more their own, then the common ayre and water is their own. For nor they, nor their fore-fathers ever bough it, or their Predeceſſors ſold it. God from the beginning ſetled Tribute to the Magiſtrate; and in the New Teſtament, paid and commanded to be paid by Chriſt himſelfe. And the Apoſtle Rom. 13.6. gives a reaſon. And the Tenth was called Gods owne, to maintain the Table of the Lord, *That is publicke charges for publick worſhip, and neceſſaries about it.the Table of the Miniſter, and the Table of the poore. Therefore were the Deacons choſen to looke to thoſe Tables (in the plurall) Act. 6.2, 3. Theſe of Tribute and Tenth have beene ſeconded with poſitive humane Lawes in all ages. And the Civil Law ſaith, (that the Advowſion of a Miniſters Maintenance, is in Nubibus, to expreſſe it is not any private mans right to with-hold it. And ſemel dicatum Deo non eſt ad humanos uſus transferendum. So that in all bargaines of ſale, or purchaſe of Lands, there was but about eight parts, or eight and halfe really bought and ſold, the reſt being exempted, as not ſaleable, but muſt be paid to the uſes aforeſaid, whoſoever poſſeſſeth the eſtate.
I plead not for Tithes to the Miniſter, much leſſe for Tithes in kinde, that great inconvenience in a State. But I ſay, and all godly men that are learned men indeed, doe know, that I aſſert the grand, divine equitable Truth, that the Tenth is due to God, for the Tables aforeſaid. It were better if men were ſo good, to maintaine Miniſters by voluntary conſcientious contributions. But whiles the Corinthians neglect Paul in that way, he preſſeth upon them the Divine Law, as ſtill a Goſpel equity, 1 Cor. 9. And for us (that I may not ſeem impertinent) the Generality is divided into two parts. The one, make it a peece of conſcience to pay nothing to the Miniſter. The other, will rather give money they may have no Miniſter. Inſtances there are at hand, and at hand, plaine enough, and neare enough.
Therefore if it be uſeful for a State (to ſpeak in the loweſt key) that the Goſpel be preached, whereby men may be preached into their duties in that ſtate, that it be not ſwallowed of Barbariſme, then its Equity a State-maintenance ſhould bee ſetled for that end, which may not depend upon the humours of uncertaine men: Till that be, the people either make the Miniſter nothing, annihilating him out of his duty; or makes him all things they would have him to be; muzzeled, that he declare not the whole truth; or a flatterer in doctrine; or a prophaner of the Seales, proſtituting them to men of a lewd life
And there is the ſame reaſon in the other predicament of power. In making Magiſtracy not onelyonly a heavy labour, a continual watching, a weighty truſt, an object of many affronts, and the hazard of many damages and dangers; but beſides all, a vaſt charge (impar homini, impari oneri) too much for that man; Yee cauſe the goodly fruitful Vines and Olive trees, (men of parts and piety) neceſsitatedly to refuſe the office, or purchaſe that the office refuſe them, and the Bramble to take it, a ſpreading thriving buſh, but a Bramble. He is Briareus, hee hath hands, power enough, but he is not Argus, he hath not eyes enough, or not good enough. And therefore in this alſo, is as equall an Equity, that there ſhould be a State-pay for a State ſervice. If ſo, in the higher Region, of Lord-Keeper, Lord chiefe Juſtices, &c. and in the lower, of Captaines, Lieutenants, and Serjeants then in the median of Cities, and Corporations. So you ſhall make good men great, and may expect great good to be done by them.
But I feare, by this time I weary you. Pardon me; it is my uſe to make my Epiſtles of things uſefull, not of complements, which former I beleeve are more acceptable to you that are men of buſineſſe, and reaalities. However, I may ſooner weary my ſelfe, and the obſequious Reader, then wean this age from their own wayes. Therefore I ſhall cloſe with a requeſt to our God, The Lord, that is the All-wiſe, All-powerful, and All-merciful Governour of all things, in-courage, direct, and protect you, and your friends, his faithful Miniſters, is the prayer
of your faithful Servant in the Lord Chriſt, Nath. Homes. From my Study at Mary Staynings London Ap 29. 1652