WHatsoeuer is Life (according to mans weake vnderstand­ing) must either be vegetatiue or grow­ing, [Page 2] as in Plantes; Sensitiue, ye [...] without motion, as in the Oyster and such like; Sence and motion, as in all Beastes, Fishes, & Fowles; and lastly, Reason, as in Aungelles and Men. Now, almighty God hath giuen vnto Man all these: Growth, with the Plantes; Sence and motion with the Beastes; Gra­uity of substance with al corporeal things; Spirituality & reason with the Aungels: that whereas his di­uine Maiesty is theIoh. 11. 25 Life and the Fountaine from whence issueth all other life, it may most aptly agree with vs, not onely that we liue, but that we more then liue, andAct. 17. 28 that in him we liue, & moue, and haue our being. And verily, seeing we parti­cipate in the variety and dissimili­tude of so many creatures, it is no maruell, although the faces, and inclinations of so many men, bee [Page 3] also so various, diuers, and estran­ged one frō another: for our minds are as many as our persons, and our sences more then our heades, and yet in al these, man taking this, of the Fish and Beast, that, of the Tree and Mettall, may be compa­red vnto the Beast and Money that perrisheth, Psal. 49, 20. Acts 8, 20. ô vtinam periret tantum pecunia (saith S. Bernard of Symon Magus) sed pecunia tecum: Would God the Money or Beastes might perish alone, but that cannot bee; for we hauing destroyed them, and they hauing infected vs, we perish together with them (like the Phili­stims and their banquetting house,Iudg. 17, 30 or Sodom and their fruitful plaine.) But I knowe not whence it com­meth, that there liue scarce so ma­ny kinds of Wormes, Beasts, and Fowles, as there be kinds of men, that dye to God, and perish euer­lastingly, [Page 4] for more perish, then liue for euer. Many are the persons & faces of men, but not so different one from the other, as are the mindes and inclinations of men; which intruth onely make Men; insomuch, considering the defects heerein, it is a rare, difficult, and al­most impossible thing, to finde a man: For in KingPsal. 14. 3. Dauids time, Psal. 14. there was not one, no not one, and yet for strength thirty and one Worthies,2. Sam. 23. besides Pro­phets and Priests. But in Salomons time, there was some increase, or rather one increase, or to speake more properly, an increase of one, Among a thousand men I haue found one; Ecc. 7. 30 one God in Heauen, one Sun in the Firmament, one Phoenix a­mong Birdes, one perfect man a­mong all.

2 There be foure things whereby [Page 5] a man is declared a perfect man: First, Wisedome, whereby he tea­cheth himselfe and others. Second­ly, Gouernment, whereby hee ru­leth himselfe and others. Thirdly, Frugality and Labour, whereby he prouideth for himself & others. Fourthly, Liberality, and Mercie, whereby hee feedeth himselfe and others: All these make a perfect man, and without them, our per­fection is imperfection and lame­nesse: And all these were in Salo­mon, a Type of the mirrour of per­fection, Iesus Christ. First, he was wiser then all his predecessors, and taught himselfe and others, as ap­peareth by his writinges: Second­ly, he was of excellent gouernmēt, for he was the King of peace, or a peaceable King. Thirdly, his fru­gality, in laying vp graine, feeding and breeding of Cattle, and buil­ding [Page 6] of houses, for himselfe and o­ther, was great, yea he made gold and Siluer like stones in Ierusalem Fourthly,1 Reg. 10, 27. and lastly, he was libera [...] and mercifull, for hee was the first that obserued, as riches increase so are they increased that eat them for his seruants were many thou­sands, and at one Sacrifice. 2. Chro 8, 9. he offered a thousand Cattle Out of this practise of Salomon, h [...] deliuereth all these in my Text vnto other, first expressed in his own person. First, his Wisedome, whil [...] he aduiseth, Be diligent to know th [...] state of thy flocke, &c. Secondly, h [...] Gouernment, while he saith, Th [...] riches indure not alway, nor th [...] Crowne from generation to gener [...] ­tion; intimating hee had tasted [...] Crowne and riches. Thirdly, h [...] Frugality and Labour, The hay di [...] ­couereth it selfe, and the grasse ap­peareth, [Page 7] and the hearbes of the moun­taines are to be gathered: Namely, for the vse and fodder of men and Beasts: and because money & gar­ments are also the beauty and spirit of a family, especially if they bee well gotten; hee teacheth how to obtaine them, while he saith, The Lambes are for thy cloathing, and the Goats a price of the fielde, (Viz.) to get by sale and exchange of them, Money, for other commodities. Lastly, his liberality and mercy, in house-keeping, and let the milke of thy Goats be sufficient for the foode of thy family, and the sustenance of thy Maides.

The first thing is Wisedome, obserued in Salomon by Collecti­on, because out of the fulnesse of his Wisedome, he giueth Coun­sell for other: a note, which I heere note, not out of one word onely of [Page 8] my Text, but out of all of them to­gither, and I trust not out of order, or curiosity of nicety, but natural­ly, as the scope of my Text giueth me occasion, considering my Pre­face▪ and therefore I will speake of it at this time in my visitation of this place, after many yeares ab­sence, that although you neede it not in regarde of your continued instruction, yet I will endeauour (that I may be remembred when I am gone) to helpe forwarde your Faith and Wisedome both toge­ther, wherein the boundes that I will walk, shall be Truth; my mat­ter, Plainnesse; and my Method, Brevity.

3 Salomon is therefore wise, because he teacheth and giueth Counsel of all thinges, from the Court and Crowne, to the Cart; from the Maister to the Seruant, from the [Page 9] Cofer full of Golde, to the Barne full of Hay; from the Family full of Men and Maid-seruantes, to the Field and Commons, stored with Cattle and Flockes: him and his Wisedome, let vs not onely ad­mire, but imitate: for they do not onely win the Game, which strike the white marke, but also they that shoot neere the pin: and wee also shall win by endeauour (although we misse and faile to hit aright) if we striue to draw nere in assurance of Faith.Heb. 20. 22▪ Bee wise therefore that you may be men (Christ saith) As Serpents, Mat. 10, 16 I say as Salomon, to teach your selues and other, for Serpents are wise in daunger, vnto which our Sauiour alludeth, That we should be wise in & against perse­cutiō, but the stormes of tirany are past, & the bands of danger to our profession are broken, The snare is [Page 10] broken, and wee are deliuered. Bee therefore wise as Salomon, in the Port, in the Harbor, in your peace, in your prosperity. Euery man ta­keth himselfe to be wise, and there­fore euery man (as a Physitian) gi­ueth Counsell to other when he is well, and is not able to heale or ad­uise himselfe in euill. The highest piece and part of Wisedome is, to Counsell our selues, not others. Salomon neuer failed in teaching o­thers, for that is easie, but in teach­ing himselfe, and distinguishing Vice and Vertue assunder, when it came to practise, there hee failed. Salomon hath many disciples in his defection, not in his perfection, for they are prouided for all but themselues.

He therefore that will bee wise, and giue Counsell to other, whe­ther to King and Superiour, or to [Page 11] Seruant and Inferiour, let him first informe himselfe, for the wise man is a worthy and excellent Maister, also a dexterious, and industrious Scholler: How can he teach other that teacheth not himselfe? And there is no greater foole in the world, then he which is not proui­ded for his last day, for his farewell to the world, and last estate. His soule is his chiefest care, his greatest price, his honourable charge, and his endlesse hope; he which is wise for his soule, cannot bee a foole in other things, although hee knowe them not, for they belong not vn­to him as the essential Office of his life, but accidentally, and at plea­sure, to know or not to know them. For this cause, or for the souls sake, the wiseman inricheth his mind, by all that euer hee heareth, seeth, or that commeth vnder sence or fan­sie, [Page 12] by obseruing things present, by recording and calling to minde things past and absent, by foresee­ing the ends and euents of thinges to come; whereby diligence ma­keth him like a Prophet for ano­ther life, for another world. Wise­dome maketh him giue precepts of life, by comparing things passed, with things present, & iudgement so preuenteth future dangers, that hee is neuer at a losse, euen for the things he misseth, but he is still the wiser by defaults and defectes, and like a wise and artificiall Arithme­tician, by a false number findeth a true, and by a wrong way discoue­reth the right. His eyes are like man and wife, or like Dauids hoast, some went to fight against the ene­mie, and some stayed to keepe the stuffe and carriage: no more doe they wander, both from home to­gether, [Page 13] one still keepeth house, as one Pigeon still sitteth on the Egs. So the food wherewithall it is sped abroad, is not decrely bought by the death and daunger of the yong ones at home. If hee buy wit, hee maketh much of it; to keepe it, to value it, to occupy it, that hee may haue the Treasure of knowledge, his Counsels the infallible Oracles of certainty, though no medler, yet seeing into euery mans businesse, and yet best experienced in his owne. For he knoweth, He that is wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament, Dan. 12. 3. and he that turneth many vnto righteousnesse, as the Stars for euermore. Heere is wise­dome; namely, to shine, and heere is the fruite of Wisedome, to con­uert others, and I may say of such a man, as it is in the Psalme, Who is wise that hee may obserue these Psa. 107. 43 [Page 14] things, for he shall vnderstand the lo­uing kindnesse of the Lord. O happy man, which is such an obseruer! more happy, then by obseruing times of sowing, and season of rea­ping; yea, then Rules of policie, Precepts of Art, course of the skies, Lord or Lady, Maister or Mistris: yet most happy, because hee shall see, heare, and knowe, the louing kindnesse of the Lord. Heere is the end of Wisedome, to inioy his lo­uing kindnesse, to know his wil, to haue his Wages, to worke in his Vineyard, to receiue his penny, to keepe his Sheepe, to inioy his Ra­chell, to heare his word, to possesse his promises, to liue in his feare, & to die in his fauour.

4. Now, for the attaining of this Wisedome, to counsell and teach our selues and others, wee must (as the Husbandman) carrie our seede [Page 15] abroade, out of the Barne into the field, and as he for his increase, do­eth (as it were) craue helpe of the Earth, of the Oxe, of the Plough, of the Sunne, of the Raine; yea, of the Marle and compasse, thinges straunge to the seede: so must wee seeke this wisedome abroad out of our selues, in holy & diuine books, as in a fielde; crauing helpe of the laborious & diligent Pastor, of the assiduous and daily reading, and Prayer; of the powerfull illumina­tion of the Holy-ghost, and of the hopeful euent, successe, and perpe­tuity of our diligence. For our way to heauen is by compasse, as the Is­raelites came into Canaan out of E­gipt, and the Lord doth exercise vs by windings and turnings, and go­ing out of the nighest way, to hum­ble vs; for he could bring vs a nea­rer way to heauen, to teach vs to [Page 16] value & prize our calling at a high­er estimate and rate: for if the hea­then coulde obserue, that earthly knowledge was solde for sweat, much more woorth is Heauenly wisedome, euen water and bloud, which our Sauiour indured for our sakes, before we could bee conuer­ted. Turne therefore your eyes to all things, to gather this wisedom, not onely to Heauen, but to Earth, to Men, to Beasts, to hel, to seas, to all. For a Heauenly knowledge of earthly thinges, will helpe to Hea­uen, and an earthly knowledge of heauenly things, will send to hell. He that will first see the Sun when it ariseth, must not (like common fooles) set his face to the East, ex­pecting her body, but contrary, let him sasten or rowle his eies West­ward, vpon the toppes of hils and Trees, where hee shall see her shi­ning, [Page 17] before her selfe; and that is as much light, comfort, and assu­rance, as if he sawe her selfe; euen so, if wee turne our eyes from the inscrutable, and vnsearchable Ma­iesty of the eternall Trinity, & look vppon the radiant beames thereof, shining vppon the creatures, wee shal sooner see, both the beginning and ending of our wisedome, then by dazling our weake sight and iudgement, against the impenetra­ble body of his infinite goodnesse, which yet in due time we shall be­hold, if in the meane season we re­maine contented and studious, in his word, workes, and creatures. Saint Basil to stirre vp the Christi­ans of his time,De gentib. scriptor. vnto an earnest and laborious searching after this Di­uine Wisedome, by familiar com­parisons sheweth, that euen in na­ture it shineth, and in the works or [Page 18] writings of men, we must also look for the same. For (saith he) euen as Dyers in their tincture of Purple, first set a Glosse by some flowers, or other Artificiall inuention vpon their wooll, and then after it hath bin well dipped, and as it were stai­ned and altred by that first colour, (which yet is not the same where­withall, and whereinto it is to bee changed) then they cast into it the Purple or Scarlet, which doeth worke the more easily and effectu­ally vpon the substance to be chan­ged and died; euen so, they which will seeke and find this perfect pur­ple and Scarlet of diuine wisedom, must first seeke it in the tincture of Nature, of humane Inuentions, & Principles of reason, that thereby the Diuine Oracles, may more ea­sily bring them to a perfect confor­mity with Iesus Christ, their Hea­uenly [Page 19] Wisedome. And whereas it might bee obiected, that it is su­persluous to seeke for these things, which wee must forsake, because they cannot continue, when the better is come, euen as Iohn Bap­tist giueth place to Christ, and the shadowes of the Law, to the sub­stance of the Gospell: The said Fa­ther answereth it by another com­parison, that although the fruit be the end of the Tree, without which it were good for nothing but bur­ning, yet Est aliqua gloria frondium, there is some glory and comely vse of the very leaues, which shew the life of the Tree, before the fruite buddeth, and also couereth the fruit in the tendernesse thereof, against the violence of storme & tempest: euen so, humaine Learning, al­though it (faile like the leaues that fall) hath glory and comelinesse [Page 20] in it, and giueth much helpe, Ho­nour and Grace to this Deuine wisedome.

5 Where first of all, I cannot but taxe and reprooue them, who hauing wit, youth, time, health, & other helpes, for their better and more easie accomplishment of this excellent quality (if I may so terme it) of Wisedome, yet sit downe and spend out their miserable dayes in vaine pleasures, which cost them more deare, and most of all in the end. I reade of a certaine Abbot, who busying himselfe in building, and other worldly occupations, was reprooued by his foole in this manner: ô stulte quid facis, quid te in huiusmodi negotijs, &c. O foole (said he) what doost thou? Why art thou so troubled with these la­borious affaires? Sit still foole, sit still, with thy good cheere in thy [Page 21] Parlour, and thy Whoore in thy Bed-chamber, and Sie seruias Deo quiete, and so serue God in quiet­nesse. This foole, hath the most part of voluptuous persons to fol­low his Counsell; for besides their bellies and their lusts, they haue no study, care, or trauaile (and that which is worst of all) they liue in an outward seruice of God, with­out remorse of conscience for their vanity, and thinke they serue God very sufficiently & quietly; where­as God calleth to them euerie day, in that renewed reproofe of the wicked man in the Parable, who Bid his soule take his ease, Thou foole this night God will fetch away thy soule from thee. You fooles, which though neuor so Nobly borne and bred, nor neuer so richly prouided for, with Lands, liuely-hood, and reuenewes, what meane you to [Page 22] spend that most precious time, and wast the means of youth, in Hauks, Hounds, Edifices, Buildings, Hor­ses, Banquettinges, and such like; yea, euen in labours, and toyling at Cart and Plough, Shop or Sea, without respect of heauen, or hea­uenly wisedome, because you want nothing: I tel you, this yeare, this month, this weeke, this day, or pe­raduenture this night they wil fetch away your soule from you, oh then one drop or dramme of heauenly Grace and Wisedome, is worth a whole worlde of honour, wealth, ease, and pleasure, wherein you haue wallowed, and destroied your selues.

6 But seeing this worlde is full of Fooles, which do not only come short of Salomon, but plainely re­proue him, and such as vrge his ex­ample, I meane our Theologicall [Page 23] fooles; Fooles in Diuinity, who like the Iewes to whome Caiaphas prophesied, vnderstand nothing, and like the rabble in the Actes, know not wherfore they are come together, no not in their very Sa­cred and holiest assemblies; I tell you the hoast of these Fooles are so great, that one wise man cannot direct them, and you had neede to pray, that as the generation of Fooles, (are in Diuine matters ma­ny) so the seed of the righteous (to conduct) might also be many. There want labourers in this har­uest, O Lord send them foorth, to turne the disobedient to the vvise­dome of the iust. They haue a sto­rie in Denmarke, that one Craca a Queene of that Countrey, hauing three sonnes, whome in her natu­rall affection she much loued, and desired to promote: and especially [Page 24] one amongst the rest, named Eri­cus. She being giuen to Magicke, made by the confection of three Serpents, a strange messe of Broth, whereof none of her sonnes would tast, saue onely this Ericus, who eating thereof, his Mother procu­red him the Kingdom, and he was afterward called Ericus disertus; that is, Ericus the Wise. We can­not, I cannot make any such con­fection for you, there are many sicke for this broth, but what need we go to the Deuill for a Medicine to procure Wisedome? There is Balme in Gilead, there is a Physiti­an in Israel, there is a Prophet in Iudah, there are meanes sufficient in the Lords holy word, or else Sa­lomon would neuer haue saide. Let him that is simple & destitute of vn­derstanding, come and eate of my meate, Prou. 9, 4. and drinke of my Wine that [Page 25] I haue drawne. Euery man is be­come so wise in the Lords matters that he can teach others, but when death and danger commeth vpon him, euen then his resolution (like Ice and Snow) melteth away, and hee is then to seeke of his soules e­state. Alas, must fooles become teachers of the wise? Or guides of as very Ingrams as themselues? Or shall the horse teach the rider? The Oxe the Husband-man to Plough? Or the Sowe the good wife to spinne? No verily, this is exorbitant; euen so is it for Masters and Parents, and aged Persons, who wil be guiding their Seruants, Children or youngers, & yet haue neuer learned Salomons conclusion and end of all thinges,Eccl. 12, 13 Feare God, and keepe his Commaundement, for that shall bring a man peace at the last.

[Page 26] 7 Thus haue I discourced of Wisedom, and the benefits there­of, whereunto I will adde but this one complaint, that all wants and defects bee sensible, and their pre­sence dolefull to them that feele them, onely the want of heauenly wisedome is not perceiued, is not lamented. If a mans Land, or pos­session, or leafe bee in any danger, presently he repaireth to a Lawier, to declare his case, either of offence or defence, to secure his owne: & worthily, for wherefore was Law made? Or how shall Iustice be ho­noured, except the estates of men in the differences and controuer­sies of the world, may bee thereby established? If the bodie bee any waies heauy or distempered, we in­stantly post for a Physitian, to the end, that Maladies preuented in time, may more easily be auoided, [Page 27] and health preserued; and we doe wel herein, for God hath not made vs for sicknes, but for health, and he which placed vs in a Paradice, did signifie thereby, that wee coulde not brook a Desart, & what Para­dice haue wee now left, except our health? Or what Desart is so intol­lerable as sicknesse? Wherein ma­ny are forsaken of their friends, and forget their dearest selfe. Nay, if our Horse or Oxe be but a little ill, and forsake their meate, wee send for a Leach, to the end that it may bee holpen: but if our soule, sicke of sinne and folly, forsake the whole­some food thereof, tarry at home, forbeare the church and Sermons, despise grace and Heauenly wise­dome, we are so wise in our owne conceites, that feeling no smart or paine, we care not to be cured, but like mad men, breake our bandes, [Page 28] and set light by our best Phisitians, ô therefore, I pray God open our eyes, that our souls be not in worse case then our Oxen and Asses! they fall and are sicke, and find some to helpe them vp, and ease them; we fall and are sicke, and finde none to helpe vs vp, but like wanton Chil­dren, wee lie still, and cry against them that would relieue vs. This is folly, this is an euill to be abando­ned, and whosoeuer is but a meane Christian, as he blesseth the hande that feedeth him with bread, so let him blesse the hand that feedeth him with knowledge.

8 But for the more detestation of spirituall folly, giue mee leaue to argue against it, and disproue it to your consciences, that this ru­sticke sottishnesse and soliditie, or foolish simplicity in Diuine affaires which concerne the soule, may bee [Page 29] abandoned; for surely such an one is Salomons foole: and if our Saui­our Christ say that he is daunger of Hell fire, which saith, thou foole, how much more is he worthy and like­ly to go to hell, that is a foole, then he that calleth a foole. For certain­ly, if the wrong to bee so tearmed, when one is not, be so inexpiable, as that it holdeth the slaunderer in daunger of eternall torment, what is not he worthy of, that ma­keth himselfe so? It is but the acti­on on of the case to be so named, but to be so, is reall; and therefore suf­fereth & yeeldeth greater damage. Hearken therefore vnto me, and I will set before you a rowe of fooles recorded in assured stories, whom euery man in the Letter derideth, and loueth in the figure; that is, misliketh and scorneth this folly in other, but loueth in himselfe.

[Page 30] 9 Who is more odious in scrip­ture then Esau, Gen. 25, 32, 33. who to satisfie his present hunger (after his hunting pleasure) sold his owne Birth-right for a messe of pottage; this shall be our first foole, whom all know, and none pitty; for if an action demon­strate a foole, surely hee deserueth one of the first places. This man God hated, euen for this action, and who dare loue him? there was neuer yet any that shewed him any pitty, no not his Father, nor Rebec­ca his Mother, and him therefore do all other hate. But tell me, why is hee alone thus hated for selling an earthly Patrimony for so small a price? When as there bee many moe among vs, which sell Heauen for lesse. So do al the prophane, im­patient of pouerty, willing to giue themselues to the Diuel for riches, and not onely out of any want, as [Page 31] Esau had, but out of pride, that be­ing Seruingmen & Yeomen, they might bee Gentlemen; of Gentle­men they might bee Knightes; of Knights they might be Lordes; of Lords they might be Kings; out of ambitious thoghts, they are trans­ported beyond those wayes which the Angelles watch, whereby they take the Diuell at his word, and for lesse then the worlde (which the Sonne of God refused) they fall down and worship him; no want, or hunger, or paine causing them, but onely licentious libertie, and wantō cares, forcing them forward to fulfill their temptations, which being acted, they receiue not one halfe so much good by this sinne, as Esau did by his pottage.

10 We will leaue Esau and the folly of the prophane, who contra­rie to the wisedome of Salomon, [Page 32] Deuoure holy things, and so we will come to a second foole, and that was a couetous foole, Nabal When Dauid and his men had done him fauours in the wilde and wide fields, at last, he sent vnto him for a recompence, and yet it was not a demand of any desert, but an intreaty for som necessary victuals for himselfe and his troope; which thing the foole did not onely deny, but to his perrill, and the perrill of all his family, reproached Dauid and his followers, for Runnagates. And if his wife had not been wiser then himselfe, it had not failed, but that their blood had all beene that day shed vpon the ground. Heere was his folly, that would stand for a little, to endaunger all; to saue one horse-load of Raisins, & Bread, and Wine, woulde bring himselfe in hazard to loose the whole store in [Page 33] his Barne, in his house, in his seller, besides the life of himselfe, and his Family. This foole wee also hate & deride, who was so penny-wise, and so pound-foolish. But are not many of Nabals haters, Nabals fol­lowers? Many of his Scorners, his Disciples? Yes verily, for the very same men, to saue their wealth to­gether, deny not onely to Dauid; that is, to men in want, that which should bee the fruite and worke of mercy, but vnto the Church, the Lords Ministers, their poore and iust deserued portions, pensions, & Tythes; whereby their priuate co­fers (being not sanctifyed vnto ho­lyvses) are for a while stuffed with the poore Church-mens liuinges, (like Bladders with wind) and then commeth the Lord with one little pricke, and letteth all the whole store fly away from their posterity.

[Page 34] A Reuerend Byshop in our na­tion,Doctor Ba­bington L. Byshop of Worce­ster vppon Exodus. hath left recorded in writing, this History; that a certaine Gen­tleman, offered to the Parson for his Tith-wooll, a fleece or two, whereas in truth his due was to pay more: the Parson (beeing a Lay­man) brought the Tyth-wooll to the Church, and shewed it to the Neighbours, desiring them to wit­nesse, by the view of that Fleece, whether hee had iustly Tythed his Wooll or no: which all that saw, witnessed that hee had very falsely dealt therein; then the Parson re­fused to take it: whereat the Gen­tleman grewe furious, seeing him­selfe so iustly shamed before all the Neighbours, and in his rage, swore or vowed, that hee woulde neuer giue him one lock more, although it cost him neuer so deare. Thus he rested, and the Parson also forbare [Page 35] his farther vexation; but almighty God did not forget this false & fu­rious Gentleman, for hee sent a consumption into his wealth, and brought him in short time to such pouerty, that hee was content to take Dole or Almes amongest the poore people, which were relieued at the Funerall of the saide Parson. Remember this I beseech you, and neuer forget this folly, neither grow rich by vnmercifulnesse or falshoode: for what you thinke to saue in the Acre, you shall loose in the Field, or what you gaine in the yard, shall be again taken from you in the whole piece; remembring alway the Countrey Prouerb, Co­uetousnesse bringeth nothing home. And so we take our leaue of Nabal.

11 In the next place commeth the proud foole Rehoboam, (sauing the honour due vnto Kings) so we [Page 36] will be bold to stile him, although he were King Salomons sonne. His folly was, that when people came vnto him, and desired a release of his Fathers impositions (which thing the Elders of Israel perswa­ded him vnto) by one proude and scornefull aunswere, following the Counsell of his young Minions & Play-fellowes, he lost ten Tribes; that is, ten partes of Dauids King­dome at once, and left himselfe on­ly but two. Heere is a foole indeed, for it is impossible for a proud man to bee wise, and Princes cannot hold their Subiectes so fast tyed in allegiance vnto them with bloude and terrour, as they may doe with compassion & blandishing words; Curtesie being a great Iewell in a Princes crowne; Compassion the handle, Iustice the edge, and Mer­cie the point of a Kings sword. But [Page 37] dyed Rehoboam childlesse? & hath he no suruiuors in his State? I will not meddle with kings, nor Lords, or great persons, but let vs come to our selues, and such as are our e­quals. Austen the Monke, (whom the Papistes call the English-mens Apostle) lost all the Brittish Monks by his pride:Beda. so wee, like Austen, loose our Friends, our Seruantes, our Neighbors harts, by our Lord­like and proud behauiour; we care not whom we deuoure, vpon whō we tread, so we may rise; some by slaunders, some by fury, some by folly and truth not to be reuealed, fill the worlde with contentions, rending the Wife from the Hus­band, the Husband from the wife; the Father from the Sonne, the Sonne from the Father; the Lorde and Maister from the Seruant, and the Seruant from the Lorde and [Page 38] Maister, the Land-lorde from the Tenant, and the Tenant from the Landlord: that there is not so much loue and good wil left in the Countrey, as was betwixt Balaam & his Asse, when he did beat him. I wil speake plainly; Some like Re­hoboam speak proudly; others (like the rebellious Israelites) take it as peeuishly, they will haue as little charity in their eares, as other haue in their tongues, a word & a blow, friendship is no heauier then a fea­ther, which euery blast of wind tos­seth too and fro. The losse of sixe­pence will cause a sute, the gaine of a shilling will make a Traitour, and they are more ready to follow a Crowne of Gold, then an Angel of Heauen All their varnishing is outward; they are like Gyants pic­tures, terrifying the beholders, and if they haue not power to be cruell [Page 39] inough in their owne persons, of their owne estate, then they flye to the mightier, and incense them, a­busing good Natures by false tales, and force them, instead of milke, to draw blood from their Inferiours, & so they make themselues fooles, for they liue without credite, and die without pitty; sauing, It is pit­ty they die no sooner.

12 Yet behold more fooles then these: And now, wee bring in the man in the Gospel, who in pre­sumption of long life, destroied his Barnes, and builded greater, and bad his soule take his ease, eat drink, and take pastime, Luk. 12, 20 for it had much goods laide vppe for many yeares: Ah foole (saide God) this night they wil fetch away thy soule from thee. And worthily and rightly is he a Foole, whom God calleth a foole, for his iudgement cannot be deceiued, his [Page 40] insight into mans heart is so per­fect, that it cannot erre: for he hath anatomized and dissected more; then all the Physitians that euer haue beene. But who doth so now adaies? Who blesseth himselfe in his riches? Seeketh them, but to spend them; spendeth them, but on himselfe; keepeth, but for his pleasure; and maketh account to liue many yeares? I will tell you who: he that wil not giue, because he cannot tell what hee shall want before hee die: For, although Al­mighty God haue dealt neuer so li­berally with him, giuing many houses, and much money, that was borne to none; the sixt part where­of, could haue satisfied him, before he had it; now he will not trust his bounty any more, but out of his owne prouident wretchednesse, be vnmercifull to other, for feare of [Page 41] want, while they wallow in all sur­fet and abundance. Againe, they are such fooles, who neuer cease trauailing and labouring, all for their liuing, as if they had at the least a lease of a thousand years for their life, dealing with their soules, as Hackney men with their horses, giuing them no rest till they bee dead; And then, such soules can­not rest, because if their bodies giue them so little rest while they bee in them, (who yet haue great occasion to honour them) the de­uils, into whose power the soules of such men doe passe, will shewe them much lesse fauour, hauing no other ioy, but to afflict & torment the soules that themselues haue be­guiled: For if the old Birde be vn­kinde to her young one, it must look for lesse fauour in the Tallant of the Haukes. Therefore, neuer [Page 42] gather or keepe, in hope of long life (but onely to obey Gods com­mandement, who biddeth thee la­bour) for as the shaddow runneth from him that followeth it, so doth long life from him that hopeth af­ter it. Life (saith Ioh) is giuen to him that desireth to dye. And so we leaue these fools, praying God for them, that they may learne to unmber their dayes, and apply their hearts to Wisedome.

13 We read of another gene­ration of Spirituall fooles in the Gospel (called Pharisees) and them our Sauiour called Fooles;Mat. 15, 23 Blinde, and leaders of the blind, because they were in nothing so wise, as to be­guile themselues, and by obseruati­on of their owne Traditions, they made the Law of God of no effect, auoyding (by corrupt and Haereti­call Glosses) the plainest Text of [Page 43] Gods holy word, such as our Saui­our in those two Chapters alled­geth: how wise also, are many rus set and Rusticke persous, to auoide euery one of Gods Lawes, hauing knowledge in nothing but to de­fend their sins. Tell them of swea­ring, they say, the Law respecteth iudgement; Of the Sabaoth, they say, play is not forbidden, but la­bour; Of coueting house & land, they say, to desire to buy, is not to couet; and so they condemn God, and iustifie Ahab. Sometime they alledge, that the Gospell is for the Church of Rome; sometime, the Brownists at Amsterdam: somtime, they snatch at Gods mercy, when their owne sinnes are taxed, & re­fuse his lustice; sometime againe, Gods iustice, when they woulde haue their enemies plagued, and disclaime mercie. Thus, they dare [Page 44] not deny the Scriptures, yet they will not confesse them, but in their owne sence. They make no recko­ning of Prayer, except in the Church, and there they are super­stitious, and a Holy day is more then a Saboth: If they be inclined to superstitious fasting, they haue Text for that: If to prophane ea­ting and drinking, they haue ano­ther for that. The pride of womens Garments, in Esay and S. Peter, was il in those times, but now (they say) it is good, (so the holy Ghost was blinde, and saw not what shoulde suite with our times.) The deceit­fulnesse of Merchants, and oppres­sion of rich men, spoken against by Esay, Ezechiel, and Michah, was for the Tyrians and the Iewes, but all our honest Merchants are exemp­ted, if once we haue deliuered our wares, and receiued our mony and [Page 45] security; and to conclude, twenty deceits in Wares, in writinges, in words, are a farre lesse sinne, then to misse paiment of a little money at the day, although it come on the Morrowe. But I will leaue these Fooles, Which straine at Gnats, and swallow Camels, praying God, that his word may be our Wisedome, and our minds be subiect to his di­rection.

14 Now we wil leaue the scrip­tures, and descend to the humaine Chroniclers of Fooles; and first, we wil shew you the stories of such follies, as haue beene more gene­rall, and then them that were more speciall, and by Gods assistaunce, apply both to our purpose: and let my plainnesse be excused, because I desire to bee remembred, and to profit.

We read of a certaine people, [Page 46] (called Atlantes) who dwelling neare the burning line,Herod. lib. 4 Stobaeus ser. 42. vocat eas Apharants. are euerie day scorched by the Sunnes heat, vnto whom it is a Customary Re­ligion, that so long as they feele and see the Sunne, euen all the day long they do nothing els, but with hand and mouth, curse and blaspheme it for so afflicting them with heat, be­ing angry (iniustly) with that glo­rious light, that comforreth all li­uing creatures, because in their owne particular, it giueth them of­fence. These are worthy to bee ac­cursed themselues, who for to doe them a pleasure, either would haue the Sunne to remooue from her place, or to leaue shining. Can there be in worldly affaires a grea­ter folly? Haue they no wit, to re­mooue their habitations and seeke some other Cires and places of a­bode? But to continue in a fruite­lesse [Page 47] & bootlesse blasphemy from age to age, against the high Maie­stie of God, and his most glorious creature of this visible world? wel, they are Blackamoores, and their bo­dies are not so blacke without, as this folly maketh their soules black within. So are these in story, but how are they resembled in figure? Marry against those Wretches I must apply it, who for their owne particular, would remoue the gos­pell, the health of vs all; the Magi­strate, the peace of vs all; & Lear­niing, the light of vs all: because for the gospell, they say other Na­tions disgrace them, and persecure them; by the Magistrate, they are sometime punished, and forced to right against their will: by Lear­ning, they are ouertopped in Ver­tue and honour; Therefore they are weary of the Gospel, as the Gir­sites [Page 48] were of Christ; they raile on the Magistrate, because they may not be protected in their wrong; and they would pul downe Lear­ning, Colledges, Byshopprickes, Cathedralles, and all Ecclesiasti­cal dignities, that they may raigne alone, and be the onely Lordes of Vertue and Vice, leauing no better men in the state, then Merchants, Faulkners, Hunters, Riders, and poore Carters and Seruing-men, to do their base Offices.

These are verier Fooles then the Atlantes, for beside their vaine opi­nions, neither Church, nor Magi­strate, nor Learning, doeth them any harme, but much good: and whereas, the Moores curse that which burneth them, & scorcheth them to blacknesse, these wretches finde fault with those that warme them, and wash them to whitenes. [Page 49] Whensoeuer therefore, you heare any open their mouths against any of these, then remember this story, and knowe, that no pretext of rea­son can excuse them, either from madnesse or solly: For we may not buy our Grace with other nations, (if we be disgraced) with the losse of the Gospell; neither will we suf­fer our Rulers to be despised for the pleasure and partiality of Malefac­tious offendors; nor so much as draw the Curtain vpon Learning, for the tender eyes of any ignorant vaine men whatsoeuer; And so Lord, If these men curse, yet blesse thou our church, our King, our State, our Learning, our People, for euer­more.

15 Giue mee leaue yet to leade you along in the spirit,Sab. lib. 4. cap. 9. as God did Ezechiell, Gel. lib. 6. cap. 11. and as he said to him, Be­hold more abhominations; Herod. lib. 4 so I to [Page 50] you, Behold more fooles. We read of a strange kind of foolish people, called, Psylli, in Affrica, who were of a very low stature of bodie, but of a much lower and meaner wit and conceipt. For they, hauing a Citty much annoyed by the South-winde, vpon a season, espying their opportunity, in a calme and peace­able weather, armed themselues to go out into the sandy Sea, or wil­dernesse of sand, to seeke this their enemy, the South-winde, and to bid it battell, hoping vtterly to van­quish it, so as it might neuer more blow vpon them: while they ran­ged too and fro, to seeke this their aduersary, suddainely the Windes arose, and so tossed the sand vppon them, that in a short space they were all swallowed vp therewith. These are worthily punnished for their folly (will euery man say) for [Page 51] what can a sharp sword do against the cold winde? No more, then to cast stones; and what simplicitie were it to thinke, that the Winde were a liuing creature, and had ey­ther bloud or spirit to loose? Or if it had, that mortal men could meet or match it? Well, out of these sands which drowned these Psylli people, are arose a generation, al­most as foolish as they; Namely, those which think by carnal means to ouercome Spirituall daungers. For, if the soule haue no affinitie with Golde, the one being a Cor­poreall, the other a Spirituall sub­stance, what is there in Magical in­chauntment, as a Fishes Liuer, to driue away a Deuill? And Gold to satisfie for mens sinnes? the griefe of Conscience, cannot be cured by Musicke, nor carnal Precepts ouer­throw our Spirituall foe. Your spi­rituall [Page 52] daungers are greatest, there­fore trust in the Lord, who is a spi­rit, and therefore fittest to dispel & conquer them; but as for King, or Man, or Horse, or Speare, or Spel, or Medicine, they cannot help the soule against the Lordes wrath. It is best to yeild our bodies to Spiri­tuall blastes, and let the minde bee compassed about with him, whom Winde and Seas obey. Honesty externall, is a necessarie Armour against the malice of man, yet our Spirituall foe wil not feare it, vn­lesse it be accompanied with Pray­er and Spirituall Weapons also.

16 Thus haue I shewed you the more generall Fooles, now I will proceede against the more particu­lar and speciall. And in the first place I will ranke the Hypocrite, which taketh but the vaile or gar­ment of Religion; letting goe the [Page 53] pithe and Marrow thereof. I may wel compare him to that Asinus Cumanus, Herod. lib. 1 Erasmus. Asse of Cuma. An Asse finding a Lyons skin, to the end to make himselfe more terrible to the foolish Citizens, put himself there­into, and then ietted fearefully vp and downe in the same, to the ter­rour of as many of that Cittie as saw him, euery one thinking him (indeede to be a Lyon: and when he had helde them a good time in that dreadful opinion, at last, a stranger came that way, who hea­ring the general bruite of this strange Beast, was desirous to see him, and at the very first, beholding his eares, knew him to bee an Asse in a Lyons skin, and went boldly to him, & before al the multitude plucked off the Lyons skin, and so discouered the Asses practise. This (I know) doth very wel suite with [Page 54] an Hypocrite, first because no wise man will be a counterfaite, but on­ly som shalow-witted person, ther­fore fitly resembled to an asse, apt to bear both Gods wrath & Mans: Gods, because hee disliketh him that is not so good as he seemeth: Mans, because men of this worlde hate him, that seemes to bee good, although he be not. Now, the Ly­ons skinne signifieth Christ, for he is the Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda, in whose garments wee are blessed of God, as Iacob was of Isaac, in the garmentes of his elder Brother. How glad are some men, if for a season they can counterfait godli­nesse, (for that is both our Sauiors coate and skinne) and then they beguile simple people that suspect no fraude, for they will pray, read, heare, giue, praise Vertue, dispraise Vice, and what not? So as they [Page 55] may get an estimation of piety, to couer their more odious and secret practises. But GOD shall send a man, a stranger, of more skill and Wisedome, to plucke the skin ouer these Hypocrites eares, that all the worlde may know and deride this folly, & that they themselues may likewise vnderstande, that dissem­bled Religion and Piety shall haue her shame in this world, and in the world to come.

17 Worldly men are also very much troubled with Ignorance, & want of experience in diuine mat­ters, (I meane matters of Consci­ence) whereof one Callicon (a no­table foole) may giue them a taste,Eustathius super odyss. and in his action apt to be derided, they may take a view of their own faces. This silly fellow being slee­py, and wanting a Pillow or Bol­ster to beare vp his head, layed vn­neath [Page 56] it a Vessell of glasse, which being very hard, and not tollerable to his tender head-peece, hee re­membred that he had hearde that Feathers make Pillowes soft; wher­vppon he went and filled it full of Feathers, and so lay downe vpon it againe, but with no more ease then before. And surely (no mar­uaile) for except the out-side were apt to yeeld vpon any pressure, in vaine was it stuffed with any softe matter. You laugh that hear this, & who can forbeare to deride such a folly vpon so litle harme. But turne to your-selues (I beseech you) and tell me, Who hath the iudgement to procure quiet sleepe to his soule when it is weary? First, out of Na­ture, we know that it wanteth rest, and out of that knowledge wee la­bour to prouide it: but what doe wee rest our soules heade vppon? [Page 57] Namely, a harde brittle shining heape of some worldly pelfe, vpon which our soule can take no more rest, then the fooles head vpon the glasse, (for as the Lyon delighteth not in straw, nor the Horse in flesh, no more doth the soule in wealth of Gold and Siluer.) Then we hear of another rest more soft then glasse, which is learned or gathered from the Fowles of Heauen, I meane the Saints, which bring vn­to vs the holy worde of God, that we prouide, and misplace it in the the former brittle harde Vessell of worldly heapes, and so thinke to sleepe more easily vpon our former Pillowe, by reason of the new in­ward stuffing, but all in vaine, for if the bottle be all hard and fast stop­ped, we may suck the skin off from our lips, before we draw the Wine through. Put not new Wine into [Page 58] old Vessels, then saith our Sauiour, it will be lost, and put the soft Fea­thers of Diuine promises into the hard pots of carnall mindes, and there shall be no more rest then be­fore. But change the mind, accor­ding to that saying; Bee ye renewed in your minde, and then the softnes, sweetnesse, goodnesse, and quiet­nesse, of heauenly promises, more waighty then Feathers shall yeelde eternal rest to our soules.

18 I wil omit to speak of vaine feare, which taketh away the wit of man, the feares of the wicked, which are causelesse and easelesse: declared in the folly of Phanax the Graecian, who euer feared the fal of the Moone, and did often in a foo­lish Prophetically pitty,Plutarchus. lament the destruction of the Ethiopians, vpon whom he thought of necessity the Moone must fal; but let men feare [Page 59] their falling into sinne, and with sin into hell, more then the fall of the Moone vpon the earth, or a deere yeare, cold Winter, or wet Sum­mer. Againe, I might speak against that carelesse sottishnesse, and wil­full ignoraunce of those thinges, which they daily hear and see; like to one Amphistides, Suidas. which woulde neuer learne to tell aboue fiue, or to know whether his father or mo­ther bore him in her wombe: such surely are those, who wil not busie themselues with Diuine numbers, and know not certainly God to be their Father, or the Church to bee their Mother.

I will also omit, to discourse a­gainst the folly of prophanesse in the soules fits, wherein carnall per­sons hauing beene stung in their consciences, by some guilt of sinne presented to their memory, by [Page 60] some Text of Scripture, or other person guilty and priuy to their of­fence: they cast offal care of diuine sayings and iudgement; yea, per­aduenture make away the person guilty to their crimes, that he may neuer stand vp in iudgment against them. These men are resembled vnto vs in that foole, who beeing in his bed grieuously bitten with fleas, did put out the Candle, to the end they might not see him,Gilbert. li. 1 Narrac. but his foole-ship was deceiued, as after­ward he found, when hee wanted light to take them out of his bed. Euen so, they which thinke to pro­cure rest to their secret bytings, by killing the Witnesses of their crimes, or extinguishing in them the little care they had of godli­nesse, shal be deceiued; for not on­ly they shall haue more plague, but also want helpe and light to reco­uer [Page 61] a remedy when they woulde haue it.

19 I will conclude all, with another story,Idē lib. eod. against the preposte­rous folly of worldly men, who first labour for earthly, and then for heauenly things. I do read of a Noble mans foole, whose labour was to bring in woode to the Kit­chin: when hee came to the pyle, hee would alway draw out vnder­neath, vpon which the whole pyle lyeth, and let the vppermost alone, (which had beene more ready) say­ing, that hee would do the hardest labour first, and then the easiest af­terward. And by no means could he be disswaded from this course, but would spend more time in pul­ling out a sticke, then hee shoulde haue done in carrying in an arme­full. So are the Children of this world, they take the most and first [Page 62] paines for inferiour thinges which lye vndermost, and let the superi­our and heauenly thinges, (more easie to willing mindes, which yet presse and keep downe the world­ly things) to be last and least regar­ded. I referre my selfe to your con­sciences, whether I speak not true; if true, whether you or he are more foolish. Two parts there are in this Spirituall folly; the first, that men by giuing their first labours to the world, which is vndermost, like the foundation of a Wood-pile, loose much time, & the world, or wordly blessings, come more hardly vnto them. For I must euer rest in my sweet Sauiours saying,Mat. 6, 33. Seeke first the Kingdome of God, and the righte­ousnesse thereof, and all other things shall be cast vpon you. And heauie things come more easily downe­ward then vpward; therefore the [Page 63] Prophet telleth vs, [...] God remembreth the Heauens the Heauens the Clouds the Clouds the Earth, and the Earth the people. So al blessings must first be sought for in heauen, and then (as Agar) we shal haue an Angell to direct vs to the Fountain of wa­ter on the earth.

Secondly, another part of this folly is, that we cannot be perswa­ded with this foole, but that Hea­uenly thinges are more easily ac­complished of all sorts, then earth­ly: and therefore he which is seuen yeares apprentice to a Trade, and all little enough; yet an houre in a Church at a Sermon, is losse of time in Heauenly matters, they may do it much sooner. So one of you, which liueth fifty, sixtie, or seauenty yeares, and al that time laboureth in, and for the Worlde, thinketh it enough for heauen, to [Page 64] haue a Minister, and a few Prayers an houre or two before his death. These are our cares, and our Arti­cles, upon these we passe our time, and venture our soules. But (ô Fooles) How long will you delight in foolishnesse, and hate Wisedome! Bee wise as Serpentes, Esay. 30. 1 bee innocent as Doues. If you be onely wise for this world, God wil destroy you. None came to the birth of Christ on earth, but the wise men in the East. There were more men in the East, but none of them looked vppe to heauen but these. It is better, you see, to study on the Starres, then the earth, thereby wee are at least admonished, to lift vp our heads, and looke for Christ in heauen, as those wise men did heare on earth. We shal finde him, wee shall see him,Heb. 9, 28 for vnto them that Looke for him, hee will appeare the second time [Page 63] to saluation.

You are all the children of wise­dome, you must iustifie her, hear­ken to her complaint, Can your hearts forbeare rending and year­ning to heare her cry so earnestly, ô Fooles, how long will ye loue foo­lishnesse, and scorners delight in scor­ning! Prou. 1, 22. Be you turned at my Correcti­on, I will poure out my minde vnto you, and make you to vnderstand my wordes. Feare not the losse of any thing, the lacke of that you haue she hath prouided, all, both house, harbour, meate, Wine, onely she wanteth you, you she calleth. Wise­dome hath builded her house, Prou. 9, 12. she hath hewen out her seauen Pillars. Shee hath killed her fatlinges, drawne her Wine, and made ready her Table. She hath sent foorth her Maides (Viz:) the Preachers, crying in the high places (out of the Pulpits) and say­ing; [Page 64] He that is simple and destitute of vnderstanding, let him come, let him come and eate of my meate which I haue prepared, and drinke of my wine which I haue drawne. For sake your way ô ye foolish, and you shall liue, and walke in the way of vnderstanding.

20 So cryeth Wisedome, and let all her children and friends fol­lowe her; yea, not onely them to whom Dauid saith; Bee you wise, ô kings, Psal. 2, 10. he you learned you that be Iud­ges of the earth. But euery Maister, euery Gentleman, euery Cittizen, euery husbandman, euery Trades­man, euery Labourer, euery Man and Maid-seruant, euery Olde and young man. Receiue instruction & not Siluer, & knowledge rather then Gold. Prou. 8, 10. Wisedome is more worth then precious Stones, and all pleasures are not to be compared to her. Striue to gaine the time you haue lost, Striue [Page 65] (I say) that you may bee rescribed in the number of the wise Virgins, and taken out of the number of the foolish. We read of one Mycerni­us, that one tolde him, (take what course he could) he should liue but sixe yeares. The Prince (for so he was) amazed heereat, plucked vp his spirits and saide, hee would liue twelue yeares, for he knew how to make twelue of sixe, and this was his course: hee bad all sleepe fare­wel, and prouided such abundance of lights, that whithersoere he wēt, or wheresoeuer hee was, it was al­way as light as day, & so he thoght he liued twelue yeeres, because he waked in light, when others sleepe in darkenesse, which is a kinde of death, one halfe of our life beeing alway cut off or spent in sleepe. Oh that we had so much wit and pow­er to double our dayes we haue to [Page 66] liue, and that the lightes of wise­dome might neuer be quenched in our presence, but shine about vs, and in vs whether soeuer wee goe, so shall our day excell Iosuahs day, and we walke in the day wherein no man stumbleth. Beloued, While you haue the light, walke in the light, and the God of lights and peace fil you ful, & bring euery one of you out of dark­nesse, and the shadow of death, into the light of Grace and Glory, guiding your feet into the way of peace, A­men.

THus did I discourse of Wisedome and the wise man in my first Sermon, which was a necessary cir­cumstance in my Text, giuing pre­cepts to all. Now it followeth, that we handle his wordes, and looke into the Marrow of his prouerbi­all Doctrine, wherein hee first in­structeth, Be diligent, and take heed. Secondly, he directeth, to thy flock, to thy heards, that is; to al thy state, [Page 68] calling, dealing; priuate, common, euery where. Or by the Flock you may vnderstand our goods enclo­sed within house or hedge, by the Heard, those things that are more common and wilde abroad, for the wealth of those times consisted in Flockes and Heards. This his in­struction hee inlargeth by reason. Secondly by parts. Thirdly, by vse. First, the reason, why wee must looke to our goodes and charge is one, and that a mighty and waigh­ty one. For riches endure not alway, nor the Crowne of Kinges to all their generations. Secondly, the partes of the charge, are the seuerall pos­sessions. First, the Hay, that must bee mowed. Secondly, the Grasse, that must bee eaten by Cattle, and not troden vnder foote. Thirdly, the hearbes of the Mountaine, they must bee gathered; that is, Graine [Page 69] and Corne of the Mountaines for Meate, Medicine, and Ornament. Fourthly, the Lambes, they must be shorne or clipped, that out of their fleeces we may fetch garments and cloathing. Fiftly, the Goates, that they may be sold, and bring in mo­ney for other vses externall, for the saying is wise and true in Columel­la. Oportet patrem familias esse ven­dacem non emacem, The houshol­der must sell, and not buy, if he wil bee rich. Lastly, the vses of his in­struction, and all these partes of wealth, Verse 27. which is for the keeping of a good house, when he saith, And let the Milke of thy Goats be sufficient for the food of thy family and the sustenance of thy maids That is, feede thy seruants, but not deli­cately, for so hee will proue thy e­quall, if not thy Maister, yet suffi­ciently, and that out of thine owne [Page 70] store, buy nothing for him, neither for thy Maidens, but that they may better looke to thy Goats and Cat­tle, let them liue vpon their Milke, that so they may learne by thy ex­ample to be alike thrifty in time to come: but if once they finde thee loose, & giue them boord-wages, they wil be negligent in their char­ges, and bring ruine to thy estate.

2. [Be diligent.] That is, as if Solomon had saide, in all the wayes of thy life, be laborious and paine­full; whatsoeuer passeth through thy hands, do it not by halues, and slightly, but let it still beare the stampe of thy diligence, And if there bee any thing to bee done, which is not fit for thy place, or passing thy skil, yet let thy eyes be­hold the doing thereof; It is a ver­tue (and no shame) to be present at all thy affaires. Diligence is the [Page 71] Mother, and negligence the Step­mother of humaine life. By dili­gence they are hatched and increa­sed, by negligence they are destroi­ed and diminished. If we look vp to Diuine and Heauenly thinges, diligence is exemplified,Mat. 18, 10 For the Angels stand alway before God; if to the Precepts of the Law and word of God:Deut 6, 7. Thou shalt keepe diligently the Precepts, Commandements, and Testimonies of the Lorde thy God. If a case come into Iudgement (be­cause the Iudge hath but one pow­er to do a thing once onely, whe­ther good or ill) and because euery sentence of a Iudge, is the sentence of God, therefore it must also bee done with diligent inquisition. When a leprous man was broght before the Priests,Deut 17, 4. the Lord com­maunded diligent inquiry first to be made, and then euery man was [Page 72] bound to rest in the opinion of the Priest. [...] ▪ 58▪ When the poore woman in the Gospell had lost her Groate, She lighteth her Candle sweepeth hir house, and searcheth diligently e­uery Corner. Without dilligence we can do nothing. The difficulty and hardnesse of euery worke is made easie & foftned by diligence: Prudence without Iustice is naught worth, Iustice without Prudence is worth as little▪ Knowledge, with­out Diligence, is of small vse, Di­ligence with Knowledge is worth very much. The life of man is like an Iron, which vse maketh bright, and rest maketh rusty: like a Wa­ter, which standing, is quickly cor­rupted, but running, remaineth sweete and cleare, like the Pulse, which beating, sheweth life, but ceasing, bringeth death. Therefore out of Salomons precept I will am­plifie [Page 73] this point three waies. First, I wil shew the necessity of Diligence. Secondly, the commendation of it. Thirdly, the Commodity thereof.

3 Touching the necessity of di­ligence, it was the ordinaunce of God to subiect vs all to labour, to diligent labour; yea, euen to sweat, immediately after our first parents fall, and I verily thinke, had they neuer fallen, yet without diligence they could not haue liued, the ne­cessity of all earthly and humaine affaires requiring the same. For by dulnesse, sluggishnesse, and ydle­nesse, our businesse, our liues la­bour is intermitted, omitted, and destroyed; neither the worke of God or man, without vse, exercita­tion and diligence can long stand. Al is a Talent, & euery talent must bee vsed (not digged into the [Page 74] ground) which cannot be without diligence. Thrugh want of exercise, the Armes of Hercules, of the stron­gest, are dulled in the bodye, and the purest and sharpest wittes are blunted in the minde. We see that the Land missing his Tillage, yeel­deth smaller and worser increase, & that which is often turned, compas­sed, and Ploughed, is the surer ground to the Husbandmans con­tent. The Merchant, which by con­tinued diligence, often cutteth the Seas, is much richer then hee that sitteth at home, and doth little or nothing, after one venture or two. The Iron, of round is not made flat with one stroke of the Smith, but by often doubling, & redoubling the same. The Colt cannot bee ta­med & fitted for the sadle, by once backing and bitting, but by being euery day in the hand of the rider. [Page 75] When Lot went out of Sodome, he must doe it with diligence, for hee must be in Zoar, before the Sunne rising, and he nor they in his com­pany must be so ydle or carelesse, as once to looke backward, and so by diligence he and his Daughters es­caped the fire and Brimstone. By diligence also, we escape Hel. Iacob by his diligent seruice obtained Ra­hell, the Starre in his eyes, the Iew­ell of his heart. By diligent and va­liaunt aduenture, did Dauid bring the 200. foreskins of the Philistims, and wan the Kings Daughter. By diligence, and not without dilli­gence were the fiue Talents made ten; and he which had so diligent­ly made and multiplied them, was also made the Ruler of ten Citties. I can neuer say enough of the ne­cessity heereof, but this I will say, without diligence the sinnes and [Page 76] filth of our liues are increased, & by diligēce are they euacuated; for the sea by ebbing & flowing, by fluxe, & reflux, by restlesse laboring and working, is not corrupted, by al the riuers, carkasses, and carrions in the world, but stil it worketh them out; so as it is without infection. Wars nor peace, omit or intermit dili­gence, for in war it cōserueth from enimy, it helpeth to victory; in peace it conserueth from corrupti­on of manners, and bringeth in plenty of honour and all things.

4 We read that the Milesians ha­uing bin in long ciuill wars among thēselues, so as their forts & houses were ruined, their catle diminished by daily rapines, their grain consu­med & burned, and the Land wa­sted, & al for the principality there­of. To helpe & redresse this misery, the contending claimers pittying [Page 77] the state of their Country, grew to a parley, & laid down their swords of Hostility, and condiscended to referre their cause to the Pareyans their next Neighbours, and so vn­der their common Seale, sent by Ambassage their cau [...]e, quarrell, request, and submission, to their censure and arbitrement. The Pa­reyans accepted the determination of this businesse, & hauing receiued a more ample reference from the heades of the seuerall factions, to bestow the kingdome or principa­litie vpon whomsoeuer them plea­sed within the Territory, they came to Miletum, and hearde all parties, Pro & con, what coulde be saide for euerie mans Title. At last, walking abroad, they saw the de­solations of the whole Island, and no man minding so much as the Tillage, to procure common food, [Page 78] except one Husbandman, which then had sowed his land, notwith­standing the fury of the sedition. This man they called, and before al the claimers, they proclaimed him K. as the worthiest member of his Countrey, prouiding for himselfe, and the common benefit of other, when all in a desperate ydlenesse gaue themselues to sowing & spil­ling of blood, he in a diligent hand of prouidence, attended the sowing of Corne and graine, for the filling of his Countrey with store againe. And so all vpon a little debate, yeil­ded to him, and praised the Parei­ans election. Euen so is it with the diligent, their hand must bear rule, as Iustinus of a diligent heard-Boy became a diligent Souldier; of a diligent Souldier, a great Cōman­der; of a Commander, the Empe­rour of the worlde, and one of the best.

[Page 79] 5 Hearken therefore vnto me my beloued, young men and Bre­thren, be diligent, for they that are not in the labours of men, are in the labours of Deuils. When I looke vp to heauen, I see, and find, that without diligent Prayer, fast­ing, reading, meditating, & godly continued conuersation to the end, wee shall neuer come thither; Oh, therefore bee diligent, it is for a Crowne, it will quite the paines, it will pay the labour richly. If I look vpon the earth, the Husbandman hath foure seasons, which obser­uing, he is rewarded with plentie, and with neglecting, hee is cloa­thed with Beggery. Bee diligent, for God doth speed the Plough. If I looke on learning, and learned men, I finde that diligence maketh their nights short, their daies long, their dyet thin, their bread course, [Page 80] cording to that of the Poet:

Many and many are the mi­series of the Student; sometimes hee sweateth; sometimes, hee freezeth; and the songes of his Di­uine Oracles make him forbeare both drunkennesse and wanton­nesse. Be diligent therefore, for so, meane men haue attained King­domes; Husband-men, riches; Schollers, Dignities; and Mer­chantes, Honours; and without this diligence, God wil not bestow his blessing. And thus much for the necessity of diligence.

6 The second thing I noted of Diligence, is the praise and Com­mendation thereof, for this alone was neuer dispraised. The Turkes dispraise Learning; some Tempe­raunce, some Fortitude, some Iu­stice, [Page 81] some Religion, but all com­mend Diligence. Salomon is as much cōmended for his diligence, as for his wisedome, and when he ceased to be diligent, hee also cea­sed to be wise; and when he renew­ed his diligence, and forsooke his pleasures, then hee recouered his wisedome. Saint Paule inferiour to no man, in praise, in desert, hath his Diuine partes commended by his diligence; first, in that hee neuer ceased warning al men night and day, and serued the Lorde in watching and Prayer: that he tra­uailed two thousand Miles, and in all that iourney preached the Gos­pell: for these his many accidentes in his labour, is (as hee deserued) commended of all:2. Pet. 3, 15. yea, S. Peter tearmeth him his beloued Brother Paule. Saint Chrysostom in Eccle­siasticall story, is memorable for [Page 82] many excellent partes in him, and especially for that in his banishmēt hee preached diligently, and con­uerted many to Christ Iesus. Hee that tilleth the ground shall haue a­boundance (saith Salomon.) We read of Furius Cresinus (a Roman) who hauing euery yeare better Corne then his Neighbours, they called him into iudgement for the same, alledging that by inchaunt­ment and witchcraft hee spedde so well, and that by such secret euill meanes, hee drew away the fat of other mens Lande into his owne. The poore man appeared at the day, and brought with him all his Tooles of husbandry; waightye Plow-shares, heauy Mattockes & Spades, ful fed Oxen, all his yrons much bigger and stronger then other mens, and lastly his Daugh­ter, a strong and mightie young [Page 83] woman, who was his helper in all his Husbandry, & setting all these before his accusers and Iudges, cri­ed out in these wordes: Haec sunt Quirites veneficia mea. (ô Romans) this Daughter, these Oxen, these Tooles are the Instruments of my Witchcraft, and besides these, I vse none, and these I apply with all diligence: whereat his Iudges being mooued, absolued him with commendation. Thus we see, dili­gence procureth aboundaunce in time of want, and fauour in time of iudgement: who can sufficient­ly expresse or admire her praises, which maketh men so praise-wor­thy, both in Court and Countrey. When all Iewry were asleepe at our Sauiours birth, who had the warning and notice thereof from heauen, euen the very same night, but the Shepheardes that kept their Luke 2. 8. [Page 84] flocke by night; commended for nothing but for their diligence, to them did the Angelles of Heauen bring tydings of the Byrth of Christ our Sauiour the sonne of Dauid. Loe, another Commendation of dili­gence, and a greater cannot bee to heare the Angels speake, the hea­uenly Souldiers sing, and to see before all earthly men (next to Io­seph and Mary) the most blessed Babe that euer was. Diligence is obserued by the heauenly powers, and rewarded with the happy visi­on of Iesus Christ.

7 Againe, the continual brand of infamy and disgrace, that is set vpon the negligent and sluggish, is no meane praise of diligence and industry, and therefore wheresoe­uer wee read of a sluggard or ydle person, euen in his greatnesse he is taxed for this. Esau, who hauing [Page 85] beene a hunting, came home hun­gry, to satisfie his present hunger, solde his Birth-right, in his negli­gence saith S. Austen, Malebat eme­re quam quaerere cibum, hee had ra­ther set his Birth-right packing, then tarry, or go seeke meate at an easier rate, wh [...]rfore he is branded with the Title of very fewe: Esau Ihate. Claudius, after he was Em­perour, grew so carelesse and slug­gish, that he minded nothing, nei­ther what he saide, nor to whome, nor among whom hee spake. Pto­lomy another carelesse King of E­gipt, would play at Chesse sitting in Iudgement vppon mens liues, whereby many times wrong iudg­ment proceeded out of the Kinges negligence, and the bloude of an Innocent was shed, which all the kings of the world, could not make to liue againe, or giue a satisfacti­on. [Page 86] Theodosius the younger was wont to subscribe to all Letters or grauntes that were brought vnto him: to draw him from this care­lesnesse, his Sister Palcheria deuised an edict to be made, whereby hee banished his wife whom hee loued most dearely. And then she getting the writing againe after the Empe­rour had signed it, brought it vnto him, blamed him, he denied it, she produced it, and the shame thereof made him more diligent euer af­terward. Thus by negligence are al other Vertues stained, because di­ligence giueth grace to all. Learne (I beseech you) to be diligent, and not to breake off your diligence in any point; and in all your actions, ioyne labor and Prayer together: Labour, without Prayer is a pre­sumption against God; Prayer, without Labour is a temptation of [Page 87] God. Let Iudas Macchabeus wit­nesse this for me; before al his ba­tels, he euer prayed, except two, one against Eupator, and then hee was ouercome, and lost the field; the other, against Alcimus and Bac­chides, and then he lost his life. Al­though his praises were many, for valour & fighting, yet his diligence had not bin so fortunate, if he had not ioyned his Prayers to his sword. Be faithfull and diligent in small thinges, so shall God make you rulers ouer many, & he which is negligent in the smallest, shal not be trusted with greater. I cannot forget, I will not conceale the wor­thy saying of Bernard. Seruans doc­trinam rarò accusabit fortunam, dili­gentiam cum infortunia rarò socia­bis, pigritiam rarò separabis. That is, He which keepeth good Doc­trine, shall sildome accuse fortune. [Page 88] You shall not seldome ioyne dili­gence & misfortune togither, you shall as sildom seperate misfortune and sluggishnesse: and [...]o I ende this second part of the praises of diligence.

8 The third part I propounded to my selfe, are the commodities of diligence, which are many, and therefore neither this place, nor this time will not permit me to set downe either all, or those fewe, so largely, which I wil heere describe. First, Almighty God, allureth and draweth on men in all kind of life, by, and for the hope of reward and profit. Noahs Arke, Moses message to Pharaoh, Dauids fighting against Goliah, our Sauiour Christs passi­on, & our profession, haue all their seuerall rewards and promises an­nexed to them, so hath diligence: for it cannot be, that the same ver­tue [Page 89] which blesseth mankind with so many benefites, but that also it should receiue many commodities for them. First (Salomon saith) The diligent hand shall beare rule; Veri­ly, there is none of vs all, but still retaine both an Image of honour, and an aspiring to Gouernement, for God made not vs for seruile & base slauery, but to beare rule ouer the creatures of the world. By dili­gence we haue already shewed how many Emperours and Kings haue beene aduanced from mean estate, and now I will adde a fewe moe. The Kings of Hungary were deri­ued from Lechus the second, who was a Husbandman, and by a de­uine demonstration, taken from the Plough to bee the Virgin-Queenes Husband; in remembe­rance whereof, he caused his wod­den soles or shooes to be reserued [Page 90] in his Castle for all posteritie to remember, how, and in what sort he came first into the Court. All the worlde knoweth that the By­shoppricke of Metz is one of the greatest of Christendome, the By­shop being a Soueraigne, and a Prince Elector, the seate which Princes and great Lordes haue sought after for their sonnes. We read of one of their woorthiest Bi­shops calledCentur x. In his Chappell, where none came but the Empe­ror, & him­self, he cau­sed to bee written, Villegese prioris for­tunae esto memor, & qui nunc ses considera. Villegesus, who was but a Basket-makers sonne, yet would hee haue the Badges of his Fathers occupation to remaine in his Pallace, aswell to make other studious, whereby they might come to honor, as also to put him in minde of his meane descent.

9 The Graecians saide, Ponos eucleias Pater, Labour was the Father of Honour, for the blessing of God doth so follow it, that ma­ny [Page 91] moe are made honourable by diligence, then by Birth, witnesse all the Romaines, who raised their Commonwealth, and stoode not vpon termes of blood (although it be honourable) some of them were fetched from the Plow, some from other meane places; then Ver­tues gaue Titles, nowe Titles sell Vertues. Cicero, Fabius, Quintius, and other, Witnesse these thinges. When Demosthenes was asked how hee came to that excellent fa­cility of speaking, so as hee led his Auditory to what part he pleased, being the glory of the Greekes, and an honour to himselfe, hee gaue this aunswere; that by spending more Oyle then Wine, hee came to that habit of perfect speaking; Meaning, that he was in his study, writing and reading by his Lamp, when other were at the Tauerne, [Page 92] or in their banquettes eating and drinking; soft beddes, and much learning are hardly gotten toge­ther, good cheere and painefull diligence are sildome matched to­gether, therefore as Lazarus his sorrowes went before his ioyes, & Diues his ioyes before his sorrowes, so Humility and Labour go before honour, and Honour abused and taken before the time, is seconded with shame, misery, and (perad­uenture) hell.

10 Againe, another commodi­ty wee receiue by labour and dili­gence, is the comfort of a good heart, when we must sit downe in age, and can worke no longer: for the night of age commeth, when we cannot worke, and therefore if a good Conscience bee any thing vnto vs, and we know any thing of our selues, then may we with Au­thority [Page 93] reprooue the ydlenesse of other, and repeate (without boa­sting) with glory and praise our owne practise: whereby posterity and the younger will admire vs, and praise vs, and Noble Spirites, (whereof there bee some in euerie age) will by our example be pro­uoked to do the like. But if wee re­maine in ydlenesse and sluggish­nesse, what ariseth in our mindes, but filthy Lusts, impure thoughts, abhominable actions, such as wee read were in the Sodomites. Be not deceiued, a little cranny letteth the winde into the house, and a little leake ouer-turneth and drowneth a great Ship; euen so, a little ydle­nesse suffereth Sathans Wind and Water, to enter into the soule to the eternall perdition thereof.

11 By all this we may see the commodities of diligence, both as [Page 94] it is in it owne Nature, and as it is also in the contrary. And indeed, wee may vrge this second a little further, to the shame of Drones, sluggards, and ydle persons; God doth worthily punnish them, so as they are not like to other mē, their hands and faces spotted or stained like the greene sicknesse, and their bellies either blowne vp like Eglons with fat, or (deserued hunger fol­lowing them) lanke and flat downe like the bladder that is pricked. Nothing runneth in their minde but the Torment of labour, from that they post as fast as Moses from his rod, when it was turned into a Serpent, crying out against those that prouoke them, as the Deuils against our Sauiour, Why art thou come to torment vs before our time. Yea, labour grieueth them so much, as they watch late, because [Page 95] they will not put off their clothes, and lye long in bed, because they are loath to take the paines to put them on againe. The sluggard (saith Salomon) when he turneth himselfe, maketh a noyse like a Cart-wheele: Why? Because he is not liquored with the Oyle of labour and dili­gence, he is euer murmuring and complaining: In Summer, hee complaines of long dayes, and tri­fleth them away at the Market, or at the Ale-house, or at other mens shoppes, or sleepeth after euery Meale, or doth nothing but aske for newes. He is at defiance with his owne house and Lands, so long as there is a meeting or assembly a­broad, either at Bowling, Shoo­ting, Drinking, or other vaine oc­casions; beeing happy in nothing so much (to his owne conscience) as that such company and occasi­on [Page 96] driueth his businesse out of his head. After meat, if pleasure call him not away, he goeth to sleepe, and if the Sabboth come, that hee must bee forced to his Monthly day, yet shall Prayers be first halfe done, and the residue he passeth o­uer with desires that they were en­ded, and like a merry Souldier whome I knew taken by the ene­my, and led from Tree to Tree to be executed, was wont to say, that when he had escaped one Tree, he thought long till he had also esca­ped another.

12 Well, as riches and honour are the end of labour & diligence, so is pouerty the end of ydlenesse, and such a pouerty as is lesse asha­med to steale, then to begge, for his inward guilt of vngodly liberty taketh away from him the boldnes to aske for Gods sake, and biddeth [Page 97] him be his owne Caruer, to want nothing till he come to the Goale among his fellowes. But woe bee to them that bring not vppe their Children to some honest and dili­gent labour, they spoile them in their youth, dooing them more harme for want of seauen yeares Apprentiship, then they doe them good by an hundred pound a year Land. For ease slayeth the foolish, and the prosperity of fooles destroieth them. Wo worth them also, that get, and gaine, and take, and re­ceiue from other mens labors, not giuing them good words for their benefitts, nor euer opening their mouth for their large allowances, either in the Church, or at the Bar, yea, both in the Church, and at the Barre: sometimes Demosthenes coynancy (not squinancy) stop­ping their mouthes, as if their [Page 98] throats were sore: sore indeede of a Pestilence neuer to bee cured. Sometimes, possessed of a dumbe and deafe deuill, whome they will not suffer to be cast out, least their Consciences should rend them at his departure. These are they which giue vnto Phisitians a groat, vnto their Counsellers smoke, vn­to their Flatterers a pound, vnto their Minions & Harlots a talent, vnto Diuines and Preachers, a halfepeny of custome.

To conclude, let vs all beware of negligence, and not onely crie out against it, as the souldiers did of Warre in the time of Vitellius, when one had in the warres slaine his own Father, yet did euery man continue the warres: and so while we dislike ydlenesse, we nourish & maintaine it; but let the Sonne of God bee your example, not in his [Page 99] Miracles, but in his labours, that when death or he calleth for you, it may find you working, or pray­ing, or Meditating, or hearing, or Counselling, or perswading, or re­sisting euill, or but saying this will I do, if the Lord Iesus giue me life and leaue, that the fruites of your labours, like the coat of Tabitha, may remaine when you are dead and gone.

YOu haue hearde in the first Sermon, I taught you to bee wise; in the second, to be diligent; now in the third, I must exhort you to the Christian care of your owne e­states and goodes; both in their parts, and in their Vses, as they are comprised in my Text. First, for your Cattle (for good men are mercifull to their Beastes) prouide for them Hay and Grasse. Second­ly, [Page 101] for your selues, Corne, signified by the hearbes of the Mountaine, (for in Israel they sow vpō moun­taines) and Mony out of the price of the Goats. Thirdly, for your ser­uants, meat, and Milke. And last­ly, for you and them together, clo­thing, out of the fleeces of your flocke. And of all these Salomon biddeth vs, Know their states, and take heed to them. Whether they liue with vs more familiarly in the house, or enclosure, or whether they are more forraign and wilde, signified vnder the name of heards. In this knowledge there are many sweet flowers, may profitable trees or Plantes, and many faire grow­ing seedes. For to speake a little of knowledge in generall; without knowledge, wee neuer haue our selues, nor Almighty God. All are bound to know (except Children) [Page 102] who cannot by their infancie of yeares; and naturall fooles, who cannot by priuation of naturall fa­culties. The knowledge of God, is both the cause of louing and inioy­ing him: for, How can wee loue him whom wee know not? And how can we haue him whome wee loue not? The knowledge of God is the beginning of Wisdom, the know­ledge of our selues is the fulnesse of Charity. If we be ignorant of our selues, that ignoraunce begetteth Pride, if we be ignorant of God, that ignorance draweth to Despe­ration: for if we know not God, we cannot hope in him; if wee know not our selues, we cannot be hum­ble, and then we cannot bee bles­sed. By the knowledge of our selues (saith Saint Bernard) wee Sowe in teares, because we feele and see to our sorrow, the defects of our Na­ture. [Page 103] By the knowledge of God, we reape in ioy; because, we feele and see, and heare, the plenty and copiousnesse of his Redemption: therefore let vs go forth and carrie our seed weeping, that we may re­turn with our sheaues ioying; and both, for our knowledge, and for our Humility, neither with the Pharisies, let vs boast our selues a­boue others, nor with the base multitude, be contented to bee like others. For, in giuing Honor (saith Saint Paule) go one before another; that is, the rule of our Humility, to wish with Martinus Turonensis, Centur. 11. that all our Vertues could bee concea­led.1 cor. 14 31 And again, Couet the best gifts, there is the rule of knowledge; the best giftes are the greatest know­ledge, and the greatest knowledge, (if it be sanctified) maketh the best men. Difference of knowledge, [Page 104] maketh difference of men; and as Dauids grace and knowledge pre­ferred him in the sight of God and Samuel before his Brethren (thogh he were lower in stature, and they taller and more personable men:) euen so, God delighteth not in mens legs, or strength, but in their heart and soules; The Angels are pictured, not great, but full of wings, and wee that are in the last part and end of the world, & there­fore lesse in our marriage bed, then our Fathers in their Cradle, let vs flye about the worlde, about our calling, vppe to Heauen, with the wings of heauenly knowledge.

2 Salomon therefore comman­deth, to bee diligent to knowe our Heards, & take heed to our flocks, for they signifie but one thing. Whereby hee meaneth, that wee should informe our selues, of al our [Page 105] possessions, and not onely referre their care to our Balyffes and Ste­wards, who many times take more paines to get our Liueries & Bad­ges, then to doe vs seruice and de­serts. It is well obserued, that Al­mighty God hath giuen euery mā a minde and a state equall, one fit, or at least fitted for another, and no man is so poore, but his estate, is big enough to occupie his mind, and set that on worke; for a little, with righteousnesse, will keepe an honest man in action. But if righ­teousnesse be absent, what is then the condition of such a person? Namely, to busie himselfe in other mens affaires, to talke of their li­uings, of their stocke, of their pe­digrees, of their sonnes and daugh­ters, and seruants, and of the pri­zes of Corne and Merchandize, as if he had ten Characks at sea, when [Page 106] he hath neither Money to buy, nor ware to sell away. This man is ne­uer a stranger, but at home; kno­weth euery man, but himselfe; summes vp all mens reckoninges, but his owne; is eeuen with all ac­counts, till he leaue himselfe, euen nothing. From the roote of this vanity, ariseth the ydle humour of seeking after newes, in Italy, Spaine, Fraunce, Turkey, Morocco, or the Low-countries, and wanting good matter, hee coyneth some of his own; then he posteth to one Lord or Ladye, or other great person, (but of meane intelligence) and there hee venteth the winde in his braine. Such is the nature of mans minde (my beloued) as is the Na­ture of good ground, if you Till & Sowe it, will it not bring foorth good fruits? But if you Till it not, and let it alone vnoccupied, will it [Page 107] not bring forth weedes or Grasse? Euen so, our mindes sowed with knowledge of good discipline, yeel­deth a happy haruest of honest fa­culties; but let alone, and not filled with some better matter, becom­meth stuffed with the wind of vain humours, lying Tales, credulous lies, and vnprofitable discourse. From hence also it commeth, that men haue leisure to sowe debate, by immagining faults, where none are, and discouering imperfections and follies of other men, which ly­ing hid in secret, were better buri­and forgotten, then remembred. For what cōmeth of it, but shame to our Countreymen, contentions in the Law, troubling of the seates of Iudgement, hatred and diuision among honest families, exhausting of Treasure, and setting the soule either wide open (by malice) to [Page 108] the deuill, or closed vp, by shaking off grace and shame. This is the fruite of them that are ignorant of their owne estates, and yet be tur­bulent discerners of other men; & the best is, the world payeth them well againe. For, if they haue as many Maisters, as they haue hea­rers, euery one payeth him with hatred, reuilings, and reproaches; so as hee laboureth without fruite, Sowing the winde, and reaping the Whirle-wind, discouereth, without thankes; speaketh, without credit; eateth, without welcome; liueth, without reputation or loue; dieth, without teares or pitty; sauing, it is pitty such wretches treade vpon Gods deare earth.

2 But you (beloued) which either heare this, or heare of this, binde and buckle your selues to knowledge, if it were possible, of [Page 109] euery thing, Art, Trade, and Oc­cupation; but especially, of your estates, without which, a Christian is vnlike to God, and shameth his profession, which crediteth other men, where onely he shoulde be­leeue himselfe. You haue but two things in your estate to looke into, your soules, and your Temporal­ties: do in the one as you do in the other. I read of one Pomponianus a Mantuan, that he was in secret ac­cused for denying the soule, and at last (as all secret faults shall bee re­nealed) it came into the light, and hee was called into Iudgement for it. His Iudges demanded of him, whether hee did belieue hee had a soule or no; hee answered Nega­tiuely, hee did not: whereat his e­nemies and accusers reioyced, his graue Iudges reproued him sharp­ly, and gaue sentence vppon him. [Page 110] The Prisoner meruailed, and told them they were too hasty, for (said he) do you belieue you haue souls? Yea, said they al, and accurse them that do not. But said he, do you no more then beleeue it: saide they, that is sufficient: then saith he, Non credosed scio. I do not only belieue it as a thing absent; but, I knowe I haue a soule, and faith, giues place to knowledge. So my beloued, do not onely beleeue you haue Lea­ses, and Lands, and Friendes, and Cattle, and goods, and Soules, but know it: it is better to know, then to beleeue it. Heauenly thinges I must belieue, till I may know, but earthly things I must know, or else I cannot belieue. I will loue my Seruaunt for his obedience, but I will not belieue or trust him for all my state. Know your selues to be rich, and doe not onely beleeue it: [Page 111] know your selues to be Christians, and do not onely beleeue it: know your selues to be in the way to hea­uen, for if you doe but belieue it, you are deceiued: Knowe your selues to haue Hope, Faith, and Charity; report and opinion are many times false. Faith is the be­ginning of life eternal, knowledge is the perfection and complement. Faith goeth before, (as Grammar before other Arts) or as the schol­ler belieueth his Master, but know­ledge commeth after, and eyther confuteth or confirmeth the Mai­sters precepts.

4 There be causes, there be ef­fects, there be contraries to Faith, all which knowne and discerned, doe no onely confirme Faith, but transport, and transforme it into knowledge: and true faith will ne­uer cease, til it come to knowledge, [Page 112] as true loue is not at quiet, till it haue the seale of Mariage, because it traineth to experience, and ex­perience resteth in knowing. The triall of many thinges begetteth Wisedome, and Wisedome the better part of experience, maketh triall of euill thinges (yet without sinne) and keepeth that which is good. It was the fault of Hieron his wife, that hauing neuer kissed man (except her Husband) thoght that euery mans breath did smel as ill as her husbandes: whereby her husband blamed her, and shee was not thought careful inough of him. Vntill, and vnlesse we know what difference is betwixt a Iewes faith, a Turkes faith, an Anabaptists faith, and a true Christian faith: none at all, in respect of the forme, but the matter, the efficient, and the ende of beleeuing, which is not discer­ned [Page 113] without knowledge. I call the forme of beleeuing, not the essence of a true Faith, which is a worde impropriated to Diuinity, but the beeing of faith, in the mindes Morrall and Naturall Vertues. Wherefore out of a good doctrine ariseth a good faith; not on the cō ­trary, and out of good Doctrine and Faith, a sound knowledge, de­fending, maintaining, and perswa­ding both.

This is that knowledge, that Sa­lomon saith, is better then Golde and Siluer, and is not therefore to bee misliked, because it is not alway honoured and had in reputation. I haue seene (saith the Preacher) an euil vnder the Sunne, Eccl. 9, 11. The race is not alway to the swift, the victory to the strong, nor breade to men of know­ledge. What then? God himselfe is not alway so respected as hee [Page 114] ought, shall not wee therefore re­gard him as much, as if al the world did agnize him? Bread (then which nothing is more needfull to man­kinde) yet is not alway respected of wanton and full-fed Children; shall the hungry therefore cast it a­way? God forbid, no more let ho­nourable Science and Knowledge loose her reputation, because some indiscreete Fooles, haue set her in the last, least, and lowest place.

5 God himselfe is a God of know­ledge, & next to God, men are the Professors and Students of know­ledge, for euen the Angels by the church, are informed in the secrets of our Redemption. A man with­out knowledge, hath no God but himself, no heauen but this world, and in this (through ignoraunce, of the world to come) they craue a large improuement of their euill [Page 115] daies, feeling no other loue, or ha­tred, or feare, or care, or sorrowe, or wounds, or conscience; For, as men first sinne, and do not care, by a long & inueterate custome, they sinne, and doe not knowe. From hence men fall into a Reprobate minde, hauing no good thing in them, like Beastes they are guided by appetite, like him that had a thousand Cookes, and a thousand Faulconers. Reason, which should rule, is made of the Ladye the Hand-maide, and so the yssue of their minds is like Ismael, a bastard, and a Bondage-generation; from which sildom commeth any good. Religion, the Daughter of God & the Church, and the first borne in Paradice; yea, in Heauen, is clap­ped vp into some stinking Dunge­on, thorough which, passeth the sincke of all our beastly pleasures, [Page 116] and that which shoulde haue the highest, and the most honourable room in our house of clay (too base for such a Ghest) is thrust behinde the Stables of great Horses, the Mewes of Hawkes, the Porters lodge, yea the Scullery of the most seruile Offices, and where she most loueth to be (like the Haebrew ser­uant) shee is boared thorough the eare, and hath many wronges and brands of disgrace; still a Seruant, that should bee a Commaunder. Their rule to belieue is their sence, except they see (with Thomas) they will neuer beleeue, and yet all the sences being filled, they are not o­uercome, so easie is it to shew the reasons of Diuinity, and so harde to perswade. In error, many (like our late Apostataes) are first per­swaded, and then instructed, but in Religion and Faith, after so much [Page 117] as sence it selfe cryeth hoe, yet in­struction can worke no perswasi­on, as though some Ephialtes ouer­lay their breasts.

6 From hence also it commeth, that Adams sinne is layed vppon God, because he suffered and per­mitted it, therefore he decreed and acted it: and whatsoeuer other e­uill is committed in the worlde, he must be made the Authour there­of: so strangely rangeth ignorance and want of Knowledge, being not able to discerne betwixt permissi­on and action, betwixt the action, and the euill, that like a Birde in a net, the more it striueth, the faster it is hampered, and the higher go­eth the sin. Then Fortune or good lucke is made their Goddesse, attri­buting whatsoeuer they haue, ey­ther to chaunce, or to themselues; with the wicked in the Prophet, [Page 118] they Sacrifice to their net, or else to their Armes, to their Horses, to their experience, to their wit: but if successe faile, and the yssue aun­swere not the expectation, then they curse themselues, or open their mouth against Heauen, or ac­cuse Fortune, or peraduenture lay load vpon the Deuil, and wel they may, for they ride him to Hell, as a Thiefe in a Cart to the gallowes. The Prophet saith,Esay 8, 21. He which is af­flicted, shall run hether and thether, and when he is angry, hee shall curse his Gods, and the Kings. They giue ouer praying in such cases, Propter hoc malum (saith Tully) or arem deos, at hij renuntiarunt or ationibus meis. For this euill I would pray to the Gods, but they haue renounced al my Prayers. That admired Tacitus hath this blasphemy. Numquam maiores caedes Pop. Rom. &c. The [Page 119] people of Rome neuer indured more slaughter, whereby it was prooued, that the Gods are not so watchfull for our health and safe­gard, as they bee for our punnish­ment and reuenge. That wise Li­uy also speaking of a doleful ye are; saith, that for Plagues, Famines, and sedition, neuer the like befell them, and if (saide hee) forraigne enemies had not beene wanting, Vix ope deorum omnium sustentata foret Resp. scarce all the Gods could haue supported our estate or com­mon wealth. It is hard, yea almost impossible, for men without the knowledge of God, to stand in af­fliction if it be not sudden, but lin­gering. Wicked men are worst in long sorrowes,Iudg. 15. Dan. 10, 8 Reuel. 1, 17 and best in sud­den: good men bee worst in sud­den, (as Manaoh, Daniel, and Saint Iohn) and best in long miseries, and [Page 120] continued calamities. Titus ano­ther Demy-God among the Hea­then, when hee saw that hee must dye in his youth, (after he had bin Emperor but two yeares) he cried out against the heauens for their small regard of his life. Wicked & ignorant men (if they haue any spi­rits) are like Tygers, who hearing a Drumme, bite and teare off their own flesh; so these in great terrors and euils, are at their wittes ende. When their Conscience byteth them, then they seeke out false re­medies, more hurtfull then assured perils; Namely, the companie of good fellowes, and Musicall merri­mentes, as though sin were sent to afflict them, to helpe the Tauerne, Alchouse or Minstrell: but so also they bewray their folly and want of skill, for their last recourse is vn­to GOD, when they haue tryed [Page 121] all other meanes, and then they neither speed well, nor do well, be­cause they doe it late, too late, be­ginning at the wrong end, all is out of course, and lost; yea, with their own wiues they commit for­nication, and poyson themselues with their owne meate. There is not one Vertue or grace of God, which they cannot Nicke-name, nor a fault so foule, which they wil not blaunch ouer with some de­fence; and if at any time it droppe into them to heare a Sermon, it is for the phrase, or some sinister re­spect, goodnesse being a stranger, and scornefulnesse an ordinarie companion with them. They haue learned nothing of God, but to sweare by him, and that rashly, falsely, and presumptuously; for to reprooue them (neuer so gently) for the same, is to take a Kid from [Page 122] a Beare, and a Lambe from a Ly­on, and a Wolfe by the eares. They haue no care for their soules, no more then for Beggers by the High-way, whom they neither de­sire to heare, to remember, to re­leeue. They loue none but them­selues, and care not vppon whom they treade, nor whome they dis­grace, to bee a foundation to their rising. I would they loued them­selues in the Nature of true loue, for such loue is like the Mothers loue to her Childe, a loue to pre­serue, but their loue is like the hun­gry mans loue to his meate, a loue to consume. To conclude, from hence it commeth, that they neuer thinke of death with patience and feare it more then hell, because they are not so throughly perswa­ded of hell, as they be of death, and in one word, I may describe them [Page 123] by the Psalme, The wayes of GOD they haue not knowne, and there is no feare of God before their eyes.

7 Thus, and this haue I spo­ken of knowledge, as it is a vertue Morrall, and Theological; now it is varied in my Text, by these words, And take heed to thy Heards, which afterwarde are also deuided into Hay, Corne, Cattell, and seruants, that euery one of these may be pre­serued in Vse, Office, Life. So our Flockes and Heards are our Fami­lies, our Cattell, our charges Pa­storall, and Magisteriall, kingdoms to Kinges, Monarchies to Empe­rors, Counties to Sheriffes, offices to Officers, euery Seruant & maid haue their Flockes, their Heards. Hee that worketh by the day, or that is hyred for a yeare, or is ap­prentice till a Iubilee, whether hee follow the Flockes and Ewes with [Page 124] young, as Dauid did, or the Plowe and Oxen as Elisha did, or the wars as Ioab and Abner did, or attend on their Maister as the Centurions ser­uant did, or on their Lady & Mi­stris, as the Maids of Esther did, or Fish in the Sea, as the sonnes of Zebedee, or walke on Messages on the Land, as the Seruant of Abra­ham; and to conclude, whether they be set ouer all as Baliffes and Stewards, or ouer the Hay, or ouer the Corne, or ouer the Cattle, or ouer the Men and Maid-seruants, they haue their Flocks, & Heards, and charges, which they must know, and take heed vnto, for ser­uice is no inheritance, and badges of Lords and great men, are ney­ther to maintaine vs, or defend vs in ill. These are the thinges that make a man, that make him per­fect, in as perfect manner as may [Page 125] bee, if they be found in the way of righteousnesse, such seruants shall diuide the inheritance among bre­thren, and men of this quality, shal stand before Princes.

8 There is nothing more com­mendable in a man, then often­times to visit, view & review their possessions, take special considera­tion of their meanest vtensiles, so shall they see how they are kept & preserued, which of them must be altered, which nourished, which continued, which remoued, which standeth in the stable, and which is fallen into the ditch. Our Cattell are not free from our care on the Sabbaoth day.Luke 14. Which of you (saith our Sauiour) shall haue an Oxe, or an Asse, fall into the ditch on the Sa­baoth day, and shall not help him out. And which of you doth not loose his Oxe or his Asse to water on the Sab­baoth [Page 126] day. By which we see our bles­sed Sauiour giue allowance to this labour, arising both out of necessi­ty and mercy, which two onely ca­ses, giue dispensation to ciuill and base seruices on the Sabbaoth day, which workes else were vnlawfull and insufferable in true Diuinitie. Yea, in the Law wee are bounde, not onely to regard our owne cat­tle, but our Neighbours, yea, our enemies, and to bring home his Oxe or Asse that goeth astray, Exod. 23, 4 to restore the pledge, to restore that wee find to the true owner, (if we can come to the knowledge of him.) Such care hath almighty God of euery mans particuler, as that they which fol­low not this order, corrupt his or­dinaunce, alter his prouidence, chaunge the Diuine property of those things they lose negligently, or retaine vniustly, and shall pay [Page 127] most deerly for vsurpation of that, which God in triall (not in right) hath giuen into their handes. A­gaine, if we often looke not to our estates (I meane such as are house­holders) how can we knowe what to giue according to our proporti­on, or what store to keepe, after our allowance? we may giue that we cannot spare, and must go buy else where, which is folly, we may keep that we cannot spend, & that is misery and wretchednesse; our Granaries shall be empty or fustie, without our knowledge, our war­drobes void of store of Houshold, our Armouries without weapons, our Sellers without drink or wine, which il beseemeth a Housholder, a Man, much lesse a Christian, to whome God hath giuen state and liuing, and a family,1. Tim. 5, 8 for He (sayth S. Paule) that prouideth not thinges [Page 128] honest before hande for his owne Fa­mily, is worse then an Infidell.

9 The charge of this life, is food, raiment, and friends; care first to prouide these, then to vse them. Weee read that Ioseph was ordai­ned and honoured of Almightie GOD,Gen. 41. with the second dignity in the kingdome of Egipt, (after hee was drawne out of prison) for the prouision of Corne and Victuall; yea, for this his Father & Brethren gaue reuerence vnto him. Loe, an excellent dignity of hous-keeping, and prouidence for to feede them whom the Lord hath sent into the Worlde, among whom are his Church, that must not want when the Lyons lacke and suffer hunger. Euery Family hath its children, in whose name, bloud, and estate, it consisteth; their enlargement and continuance standeth vppon the [Page 129] wise administration of Housholde affaires, as well to keep that which is already gained, as to gaine that which is desired. Saint Paul would not haue a Byshop or Deacon to be chosen, but by this Touch-stone of experience, how they had orde­red and guided their Housholdes; for no man can euer serue or rule well the Church of God, that hath not well behaued himselfe in the Domesticall and oeconomical life. The wise Cato woulde haue the Housholder, Prouidere familiae in­stituta, cibos & medicinam, to pro­uide first for the maners, second­ly, for the maintenance; and last­ly, for the Medicine of their Fami­lies in the time of sicknesse. What is meat and large allowance of fare and dyet to our seruants, without good and Diuine maners? What are Diuine & good maners,1. Tim. 3. 4. with­out [Page 130] maintenance? What are both of them without health? And what is it to liue in such a family, where neither God is feared, nor the la­bours of good seruantes regarded in time of sicknesse? Surely, let no man trust that Maister that forget­teth seauen, or but one yeares ser­uice, for one monethes sickenesse. A vile Nature or Prodigality, or worse, is the cause heereof. Be stu­dious therefore of your families good, and with Salomons Mother, Seeke Wooll and Flaxe, and labour cheerefully with the hands. Pro. 31, 13 Be like a Merchants ship, to bring foode from farre. Rise early while it is Night, giue your portion to the Housholde, and the ordinary to the Maides. Put the hande to the Wheele, and your Armes to the poore and needy. Consi­der Fields, and Carpets, & fine Lin­nen, and Garments, and buy them, so [Page 131] shall honour bee your cloathing, and [...]ou shall reioyce in your latter dayes. But yet remember in all your la­bours, that Almighty God be not forgotten, for it is in vaine saith Dauid, Psal 127. 2. to rise early, & eat the bread of carefulnesse, going late to bed, ex­cept the Lord giue rest to his beloued. You may with Elisha Plow in the field, and follow the Oxen, but if Eliahs Mantle bee cast vppon you, you must forsake the Plough, and follow the Prophets. Our sermons are like his Mantle, and they call you to heauen, as that did Elisha, to be a Prophet. Matthew may sit in his Publicans Office, but if our Sauiour call him away, Hee must arise and follow him. Al Trades of life are but Hand-maids to Religi­on, therefore vaine are they which forsake the Mistresses, (which is Godlinesse) her Table and Parlour, [Page 132] which is the Temple, for the Mai­dens webs, and Worke-houses of lesse value and estimation.

10 How shall they bee able to looke almighty God in the face, which either feeling wealth com­ming vpon them, or els in an ouer­carefull desire, to bee rich, and ac­counted laborious, forsake the Churches and Altars of the Lord, sildome visiting the holy Commu­nion, as a day-feast; sildome com­ming to the Church, as a Market, wherein there is nothing gotten; and as sildome mumble vppe their priuate Prayers, without De­uotion, Vnderstanding, or Dili­gence; Oh, I say, what account shal they giue vnto the Lorde, for this drousie & Lethargical negligence in their soules cases. Al their care is for the shoo, none for the foote; all for the Hat and Feather, none [Page 133] for the head; all for the Badge on the sleeue, none for the Wages in the purse; all for the body, that bo­dy and soule are both lost. It is a comely thing to see a ship rigged, and with spread sailes floating on the Waters, obseruing also, how one is at the Sterne, another at the top, and euery man in his place, (the winds moouing withall) so it will continue in order and sayle surely; but if either Pilot or Steers­man bee wanting, or other Marri­ner, the Winds wil soone rend the sayles, and the Shippe split against the rockes: euen so, it is a goodly thing, and a royall, to see a Man sayling to heauen, hauing vnder, him the earthly Waters, (though inconstant) aboue him the windes of heauen: if hee want not in him, Reason, vnderstanding, Religion, and Grace, which are the Mariners [Page 134] that row and waft our soules to the eternall kingdom. It is good there­fore to lay hold on this, and not to forget that, For what shall it aduan­tage a man, to win the whole world, and loose his owne soule.

11. Now, I returne againe to the carefull Housholder, who must looke to euery part of his possessi­on, as it is in my text, Hay, graine, Catle and Seruants; yea, although he weare the Crowne. It was an excellent saying of Alphonsus, a King of Spaine: Principis inane no­men nisi habet in aerario, the name of a king or Prince is an idle thing, if he haue not a Treasury to main­tain it. The Crowne is maintained by diligence, by the Plow, and the Common-wealth flourisheth vn­der the same. I will not, nor may I meddle with Princes; but I say, that the name of a Housholder is [Page 135] an ydle thing without a storehouse more or lesse, according to the proportion of the family more or lesse. The kingdome of heauen is likened to such a store-house, out of which the Lordes Family is re­plenished with things new & old.Luke 12. The Lorde hath his Apple Trees,Cant. 2, 5. and Orchards, and Sellers, as hee telleth his Church; to teach vs, that store is no sore, but sorrow com­meth by the default therof. When God himselfe made the world, he made man last of all, hauing first prouided all other things for him: as the world roofed with the Hea­uens, and floored with the greene Grassie earth, stored with all fruits, incessantly and successiuely grow­ing one after other. The Starres being his lightes, the Creatures of all sorts being Seruantes and Tri­butaries to him, the Angels of hea­uen [Page 136] his assured friends, waiting on his safety, & euery bird singing me­lody to his prosperity; so did the great housholder prouide for man euen before he was made; so hath he continued his store working hi­therto, And seede time, & haruest, cold and heat, Gen. 8, 22 Winter & summer, day and night, hath not ceased, but shal re­main as long as the earth shal endure. So must wise Housholders prouide aforehand, things honest; euen be­fore mariage, Meat and houses, & clothing, & before children, as the mother doth the swadling cloaths. That out of the heards he may with Abraham fetch a Lambe or a Kid, or an Oxe: out of the Pastry with Sara, fetch the Meale for the bread of strangers. It is not good to want store and prouision at hande, the Venison is best in the Parke, and the Cattle in our owne, and not [Page 137] in others mens heards. Whē Isaac would haue Venison, because it ran wilde, Esau was long in taking it, & so Iacob came in the meane time with the tame Kid (a thing in store, and at hande) and got away the blessing. Euen so, when necessaries are then to bee sought, when they should be vsed, it preuenteth both the thankes, and the benefit, and store bringeth both: for Iacobs Ve­nison (though not true) had both the blessing, and the thankes. Store at hand, is like friendes at hande, whereof Salomon saith, A friend at hand, is better then a Brother a great way off. Alex. ab Alex. The ancient Egiptians were wōt to hang or paint at their doors a Vulturs Wing, in token of their Gentry. The Romans, the Spears, Shields, Swords, and warlike wea­pons, which their Antecessors had gotten by their prowesse: & these [Page 138] things (though at the doores) yet no man durst remooue or make away. Thus did they for their Ho­nour, let vs doe as much for our houses and Families, and let not there bee among vs any that kee­peth not his parents Lands, goods, Armes, Cattle, and Vertue, that as we are known by their names, so wee may bee by their Landes, Honours, Prowesse, Frugality, & all other workes of Faith, Hope, and Charity.

12. Thus haue I briefly spoken of the Housholde care to get and keepe. Now of the last part of the Housholder, or housekeeping, which is his mercy in spending, & liberality in giuing foorth. That which was first called his charge, Flocke and Heards, he now calleth his Family and Maidens, which must be fedde and cloathed. Where­by, [Page 139] is first to be noted, that all the care we haue spoken of, is to giue, to bestow, to spend, to distribute, and feed others. Hee which is the Seruant of riches, doth keepe, and get them like a Seruaunt, but hee which is the Lorde and Maister of them, doth giue and dispose them like a Maister; nothing proueth a man so much the owner of his wealth, as the vse and bestowing of it; nothing sheweth him so much a base seruant of wealth and riches, as the hoording vppe, and keeping it close from the sight of the world. Now, the seruant doth keepe them, as Seruantes do their Maisters goods; and he which is a Seruant of riches, is not a Seruant of Iesus Christ. Beware of this wretched getting of goods to keep them, & not to spend them: God, Nature, Men, Beasts, and all good [Page 140] creatures, confute and denie this. GOD, for he which is infinite in wealth, giueth all in this worlde; He eateth not of our Flockes or folds, Psal. 50, 13 or of Beasts that run wild on the hils, he therfore commandeth the earth to feede man,Psa. 145, 15 For hee openeth his hand, & filleth al liuing things with his blessing, Act. 20 35. hee saith, It is a more blessed thing to giue, then to receiue. He chargeth the rich in this world to be ready to distribute. 2 Tim. 6, 17 He threatneth that the rust of the Golde and Siluer layed vp, Iames 5, 3. shall consume and torment the soules of them that hoarde. Luke 12, 15 Hee telleth that no mans life standeth in the things it possesseth: Micah 6, 8. Hee sheweth thee ô man what is good; Namely, to do Iustice, and loue Mercie. And to conclude, Him hee stiled a Foole, which hauing plenty of Corne, Luke 12, 20 more then his Barnes could hold, would ra­ther builde greater Barnes (to keepe [Page 141] it) then giue away the superfluous surplusage to the poore and nee­dy, ô Foole, this night they will fetch away thy soule from thee, then whose shall all these goods, and Bagges, and Obligations bee? Surely, If you say your Childrens; what comfort is it to a Father in hell to remember the intollerable Torments he there indureth, for getting and keeping that wealth vniustly, without she­wing pitty to other, which now his Sonnes and Daughters reuell in with all earthly pleasures. I tel you such earthly pleasures, haue a bitter end; but such Torments haue no end: For although they aske but a droppe of water,Ideo rogans diues non exauditur in tormentis quia rogan­tem paupa­rem non ex­audiuit in terris. Aug. yet they are not heard, because they haue not heard them that begged, or woulde haue borrowed of them in need.

13 Nature also is an enemie to this wretchednesse, to this Coue­tousnesse, [Page 142] she loueth to multiply, and to increase, if she haue Milke in her breastes, shee knoweth that (like Riches it will rot) therefore with it she feedeth other. The trees that are laden with fruit, bear them but till they are ripe, and then if they be not taken off, they let them fall. How glad are the fields when they are couered Laetis segetibus, with smiling Graine, and yet they hasten to the haruest (as the Pigion to her breeding) that being rid of one crop, may be Plowed for ano­ther. The sheepe wearied with his fleece, inuiteth by a panting neces­sity, the Shepheard and Shearer to take it off. The seede would bee sowne, the Gardens would be ga­thered, the Sea would bee Fished, the Heauens keepe not their influ­ence, but send it downe among vs. Why then should men get goods [Page 143] to keepe them, and yet Riches en­dure not alway, nor the Crown from generation to generation. Are they not the sonnes of Nature? Why degenerate they? What Tygers Milke haue they sucked? What Cockatrice hath hatched them, who corrupteth all that shee tou­cheth? Let Nature teach them (if they will not learne of such a Mo­ther) who as Boetius saith,De consul. lib. 2. Dat cui­que quod conuenit, & ne inter eunt, laborat, giueth to euery thing, con­uenient, & laboureth that nothing perish: but these let their money perish, their woods rot, the moths eate their garments, which might be giuen away, and the Dogs and Swine, that good meate which would maintaine the children. The wals haue their Gold layed vppon dumbe pictures, and Heathen mens shape are well cloathed by them, [Page 144] and set forth in counterfaites, but nothing commeth from them, for the generall good, but (as it were) by force of Armes.

14 Men also, I meane the ge­nerall and Vniuersall inclination of mankind, is against the keeping of goods in priuate without some vse.Pet. Rauisi. They keepe (saith one) for feare of want, and yet they want the vse of that they keepe. Behold a iust iudgement of God, vt semper indi­geat, qui semper timet indigentiam, They alway want, which are alway in feare of want. The two Persian Princes had two Titles giuen them by their people, to signifie their good and ill.Lonicerus. Cyrus they called Pa­trem, a Father, because hee gaue them riches, and layed vp, but for their necessaries; and Darius, they called Negotiator, a Merchant, whose study is to gaine, or not to [Page 145] lay out.Valer. lib. 3 Valerius. Auaritia indaga­trix lucrorum aiudissima vorago, ne que habendo fructu foelix, sed cu­piditate quaerendi, miserrima. Coue­tousnesse, the searcher out of gain, is a most greedy gulfe or swallow­er, in keeping it is not happie, but in seeking, it is most miserable.

Tully saith,Tuscul. Illi morbo qui perma­net in venis, & inhaeret in visceri­bus, nec inueteratus euelli potest, nomen est auaritia, That disease is called Auarice, which runneth in the secret vaines, and cleaueth to the inward bowels, which if it bee inueterate, can neuer bee pulled forth. Pythagoras. Couetous men which haue riches, and do not vse them, are like vnto Orphanes and Wardes in their Nonage, which also haue houses and Landes, but cannot dispose them. Seneca saith, Inopiae pauca desunt, In. Prou. auaritiae omnia. [Page 146] Pouerty wanteth some things, but Couetousnesse wanteth all things, and therefore the rich man that hath goods & doeth not vse them, doth neuer any thing well, except in dying. So hee. Vnto all these, I may adde the note of Innocentius. De cond. huma. For Couetousnesse, Balaams Asse hurt his Maisters foote, and repro­ued his rider. For Couetousnesse, the people of Israell stoned Achan in the valley of Achor, after he was founde guilty of the Golden gar­ment. By Couetous Ahab, was Nabaoth put to death for the Vine­yard. Gehazi got the leprosie tho­rough Couetousnesse, when hee abused Naaman in the Prophets name. Iudas for Couetousnesse, sold his Maister and hanged him­selfe. Ananias and Saphira belyed their Charity, and keeping backe their portion (for they had solde [Page 147] their Land and kept their sin) were stroken dead by the Lord. Belieue it, the mercifull man neuer dyed ill death, the Couetous and parsimo­nious neuer happy death. There­fore away with this monster, which all men cry out against, and they which loue it most, are ashamed to confesse it. Men are wont to desire wealth, pleasures, and Honours: of Wealth commeth euil things; of Pleasure, filthy thinges; of Ho­nour vain things. For riches breed Couetousnesse and Auarice; Plea­sures bring foorth Gluttonie and wantonnesse; Honour, norisheth Pride, and Vaine-glory, and I tell you if you receiue not the witnesse of men, the witnesse of God is greater.

15 Beasts & all creatures hate this parsimony, it is the royalty of the Lyon to eate but once of his [Page 148] prey, the residue hee leaueth to o­ther, and commeth not againe to it. The Elephantes are for that cause dispraised, because they hide their teeth fallen off, that no man, or other creature should find them. The Lizzarde, that knowing her vrine to congeale into a precious stone, couereth it in the sand, that it might not be discerned. Of what brood are these wicked men, whō no example of God, or Nature, or Men, or Beast can mooue? They are surely some Satyres, or strange Ethiopian brood, or peraduenture sent by some of the earthly spirits, of whom the Coniurers say, They keepe the Treasures in the earth, that no man may vse them. Such spirites are these, that is; Deuilles, but in other shapes, that onely keep goods from them, that would vse them better: let the world sink [Page 149] or swim, they get none from them, and if God were mony they would locke him vp, that none else might enioy him. But they that haue this worlds good, and see their Brother perish, how dwelleth the loue of God in them? that is, there dwelleth no loue of God in them, and so out of God his loue I leaue them.

16 But let mee not bee vnder­stood, that I speake against all kee­ping and storing vp of money, and other things, as though it were vn­lawfull to possesse any more proui­sion of meat, then for a meale; of Money, then for a day; of Gar­ments then one, for one body, and so of the residue. God forbid, for so in time of necessity man should be vnprouided of helpe when hee shold vse it. God hath euer in store. There is no question of Corne and Cattle, but of Iewels, and money, [Page 150] and such like. Salomon in my text, biddeth to look to the hee Goats, that they may be a price of the fielde. Mo­ney must be prouided against sick­nesse, sute, enemies of our country, and for all other necessities. Iacob had money, which hee sent by his sonnes into Egipt for Corne, the first and second time. Abraham had Money, wherewith all hee bought the field of Emor. The Church had her store, Acts 2. and 5. and there­fore let no man thinke it against conscience, to be alway prouided against wants: wherein the rule of Socrates was good (if it could bee followed) that a mans Treasure should neither be bigger nor lesser then his necessity. But because that cannot be knowne, it is good our store be more plentiful, so our cha­rity be neuer the lesse. When Iphi­crates pitched his Tents in a little [Page 151] open fielde, and then beganne to trench and wall them, his General asked why he did so, and what hee feared? To whom hee answered, such a question became not a com­mander,Plutarch. Ah undans cautela non no­cet, we can neuer bee enough secu­red against future perilles. King A­lexander seeing one of his Souldi­ers going to sharpen his Dart whē all other were going to fight, ca­shiered him, and cast him out of the Army; saying, Inutilis acie, qui pararet arma tunc cum ijs vtendum. Plutarch. Hee was vnwoorthy of his army, who went then to prouide Armes, when hee was to vse them. Euen like the foolish Virgins, which nei­ther tooke Oyle sufficient, & when they had spent their store, gaue themselues to sleepe, till it was too late to prouide.

17 Let vs therefore keepe our [Page 154] honest store: for thereby did Abi­gail mollifie the angry and displea­sed heart of Dauid, when hee came against her husband Nabal: and if the present she brought him, had not beene present and at hande, it had not failed, but they all had per­rished before so much coulde haue beene prouided. Our Cofers must not be like the sealed bags, which Alexius left at Ancona, when hee had compounded the warres with the King of Almanes. For the Em­perour Comnenus his Maister, who being to leaue Hostages of mony with the Citizens,Nicetas. hee by his Mai­sters direction, secretly conueyed away the Money, and lefte with them the empty, yet sealed trunkes and Boxes, bidding them keepe them safe, vntill they were by the Emperor required. But this deceit being discouered, fared ill with the [Page 153] Emperor; euen so, pouertie will not bee long hid, and then shame or sorrow will follow, vntil ruine, or else some strange and wofull la­borious recouery of our estate. And so I will conclude, that seeing the Lorde maketh both rich and poore, Prou. 22, 2 let vs with care and Consci­ence, conserue a Store-house of well-gotten wealth, as we doe re­leeue the well-deseruing poore, for both shal meet before the Lorde to­gether.

Now followeth a conclusion of all, which standeth in the amplify­ed distribution of the charge, who they be that must be looked vnto, who entertained and maintained, who to be prouided for, and so an end. Our Flockes and Heardes, Fa­mily and Maydens, are many in the figure, for I will allegorize them, as well as handle them literally.

[Page 154] 18 And in the first place, the subiect of our Wisedome, Go­uernment, Wealth, and Mercie, seemeth to bee our Countrey, the common parent of vs all, which though it beare vs as the horse do­eth the Rider, and as the oxen dra­weth the Waine-man in his Cart, yet must it be directed and defen­ded by vs. In it wee haue all our shares and inheritances; of it, wee receiue our liues and breath, and therefore for it we ought to apply our care and power. If wee forget Ierusalem (say the Iewes in Babilon) then let my right hand forget her cunning.Psal. 137. Ierusalem was their coun­trey, Babilon their place of exile & banishment. Therefore sweete is the name of our Country, and bet­ter is the smoake thereof, then the fire of another, and the dust there­of, then the stones of a strange na­tion. [Page 155] Nehemiah also,Neh. 1, 4. when hee heard that his Countries repayre was hindered, how did hee leaue his place before the King, and lay­ed aside his Courtly garments, put on sack-cloath, and liued in Prayer and Fasting. Saint Austen in his old age, writing of his Countrey, which then began to be spoiled by the Arrian and Circumcellian soul­diers, and Vandals; Aug. ad Nectar. saith, Serio iam, ac frigescentibus mēbris, feruet ani­mus desiderio patriae, now in my old age and coldnesse of all my limbs; yet my heart burneth for the desire of my Countrey. But wee are all prest, and ready to fight for our Countrey, and to grace it with the effusion of our blood; true it is, & no true English hart can do other­wise. But what auaileth it to fight for our Country against strangers, while wee betray it to the Lorde? [Page 156] What if we be ready to go against Turke and Pope, with the Armes of flesh and blood? while we haue disarmed our selues of Praier, Faith, Hope, Honesty, Tempe­raunce, Humility, and will not so much as put on the head-peece of Saluation? But in steede thereof, Blasphemy and Swearing, Drun­kennesse and Voluptuousnesse, Stealing and Deceiuing, till the Lande mourne, and bee no more able to beare vs. My heart blee­deth to fore-thinke and see the ru­ine and desolation of so many faire Houses, goodly Townes, greene Meddowes, and Corne-fields, for the sinne and wickednesse of them that possesse them. God hath mo wayes to destroy vs then by one, then by the straungers sworde, a­gainst which onely wee are proui­ded (by the care and prouidence [Page 157] of our Gouernors.) He can bring a fire from Heauen, as hee did on Sodom, Isaiah 37. or he can sweep away head and taile by the Pestilence, like vn­to the Army of Senacharih, where­of (it consisting of almost two hun­dred thousand men) they died all in one night,Iero. lib, 4. com. except ten men. And Constantinople, Anno 760. was so dispeopled by a Pestilence, that the Emperor Copronymus, was faine to fetch men from other Countreyes to inhabite the houses, least they should fall down. Before the Danes cōming into England, there were aboue forty thousand Churches,Ranulphus Polychr. and in seauen battailes there were perrished (well-nie) fiue hundred thousand persons, & aboue twen­tie thousand Parishes & Churches decayed. I omit to speake of Fa­mines and other means of our de­struction, and I beseech you all, to [Page 158] loue their Countrey, and let not their posterity bee dispossessed by their crying sinnes, for the Prophet saith, A fruitfnl Land is made bar­ren for the sinnes of them that dwell therein.

19 Your Wiues and Hus­bandes are also your flocke, these must be taken heede vnto, for the married are like the Palmes, they are Males and Females, so they must bee planted one beside ano­ther; yea, the Boughes of the male must bee sometimes wreathed and put vpon the Female, or else it will not prosper, but mourne and pine away. So it is betwixt Man and wife, there must be more then sight of each other, for they are bone of each others bones, & Flesh of each others flesh. Flesh cut asunder, loo­seth the vital powers and so dyeth, but vnited, growes together again, [Page 159] and so liueth. No Man, but hee which is wise knoweth, what heede to take or respect to bear to his Wife; For Christ doth thereby decipher his loue to his Church. So ought a Man to loue his Wife as Christ lo­ued his Church, Ephe. 5, 25 who gaue himselfe for it. Euery one that is marryed hath giuen away himselfe. Sweet are the bandes of Wedlocke, yet they are bandes and must restraine vs: Bonum est coniugium tamen à iugo tractum: Ambr. Marriage is good, yet is named from the yoake, according to that, Be not vnequally yoked with Infidels. They which are yoaked haue no power but to draw, those which are marryed, haue no liber­ty but to loue and looke to one an­other. When Darius had lost his Kingdomes, and Credit, and Ho­nour, and Liberty, hee wept not for all that: but when he heard tell [Page 160] that his Wife was dead, then hee wept bitterly. So neare and deare are the minds of them that be ver­tuously married, that they cannot part without a thousand sorrowes. They are to each other a true Glasse, as is the face, so is it in the Glasse; as is the Mans and Hus­bandes, so should bee the honest Wiues; as is the louing Wiues, so should bee the tender Husbandes. To conclude, As the vine on the house toppe, Psal. 128, 3 so is the Wife; The vine as it is of excellent vse, so it is won­derfull weake, and except the Gar­diner support it, it will lye on the Earth and bear nothing. The wife must also be tendred & supported, or else she cannot yeeld the Wine of comforte to make thee haue a glad heart. In euery Mans charge there are faultes to bee espied, no Man casteth away his flocke for [Page 161] one sicknesse? No, if hee haue a thousand Sheepe, and nine hun­dred fall foule, yet letteth the sicke go, & keepeth the residue. Wiues haue their faults and frailty, and men are not cleare: Vnicuique de­dit vitium natura creato. Wee are all blameable one way or other, therefore spare one another, for­bear one another, and let nothing breake of loue: but that which dis­solueth Matrimony, that is whore­dome, and the God of all loue shal marry you both to Iesus Christ.

20 I proceed: Our Parents are the flock and charge of vs that are Children, and Children are the charge of Parentes. For wee are borne weaker & more feeble then all Creatures, and had wee not some body to receiue vs when we come into the world, woe were it with vs, wee might make a short [Page 162] and woefull stay or Tragedy, To be borne, to weepe, to dye. Neither our Parents or their Antecessours, haue any thing which they trans­fuse not into their Children, their honour, fame, goods, or staines, for their children they haue them, and in despite of reluctance, they will descend vppon them. But let them nourish and cherish their Children, and not their sinnes, and let them wisely take away the rot­ten from the sound; I meane their childrens vices from their persons, or else vice will ouercome Parents and Children. Some make theyr Children Ludentes Simias, Mowing Apes. Digging Pigges. other Fodientes sues, That is, Eyther they bring them vp to nothing but to play, as many of the rich, or else they traine them to nothing but to delue and digge the earth, as ma­ny of the poore. Alas poore Chil­dren, [Page 163] better vnborne, because the richer haue their pleasures defor­ming them, and the poorer theyr labours depressing them, one of them hauing no sence of Heauen, the other, no vnderstanding but of Earth, and both of them with­out God to bee their Father, and the Church to be their Mother.

21 Our Parents are our charge that are their Children, we ought therefore to take heede vnto them: Gen. 27, 43 & for their sakes to flye no labour. At Rebeccaes command, Iacob (that was neuer from his mothers wing) fled to Padan-Aran, and what mi­series did hee there endure for twenty whole yeares, the Lorde God hath related. If we haue any glory and praise, let vs giue it to our Parentes. When Antigonus had wonne a victory, yet he would attribute it to his Father. Amphio­nius [Page 164] and Anapius, two Bretheren, when they had saued themselues from the Citty Catanea, which was all on fire, and remembered that their olde Father was yet within, they tooke hands, and forced tho­rough the flames, and with diffi­culty (yet with safty) brought away their poore old Father. Oh, Hap­py Father of such Sonnes! Oh, Happy Sonnes, to bee such Men! though you bee dead, yet will all good Childeren remember you while the world lasteth. Bee good to your Parents, you young Men & Maidens, for as you serue them, shall you bee serued againe; if cur­teously, your Children will do the like; if disobediently, yours wil al­so pay the score double and treble vpon you.

22 The Seruants are also the charge and flocke of the Maister, [Page 165] and the Maister of the Seruantes, each must be carefull, the Seruant of diligence, toward his Maister, and the Mayster, To take heede to the heards of his Seruants. Seruants are wilde, because they haue been wantonly bredde, therefore they loue no discipline. But let your loue to do them good appeare vn­to them, and then they will bee more honest, and more tractable. Great thinges haue beene done by Seruants.Gen. 24. By a Seruant, Abraham prouided a Wife for his Sonne Isaac. By a Seruant, and that a little Maide-Seruant,2. Reg. 5, 3 Naaman was brought from his Countrey to Iu­dea, to the Prophet, and there cu­red of his Leprosie, both of body and mind. By a Seruant was Dari­us brought to bee a King,Iustine. and the kindnesse of a Maister to his Ser­uant, did saue his life, when all the [Page 166] Tirian Seruants did cut their mai­sters throats. Therefore doe good to your seruants, giue them instru­ction, and all good seruice will fol­low. Deale not with them as Vint­ners doe with their Vessels, which draw them till they be empty, and then turne them out of doores. So many worke out their Seruauntes strength, & then turn them out to begge. Seruants, are so set on drun­kennesse and liberty, that no wa­ges can win them from that noto­rious Vice, what will bee the ende hereof. If Lords, and Gentlemen, and Maisters, alter not the Copy of this licentious graunt, I see not how our poore enuied Nation can stand long, without more Ene­mies then euer the old Saxons had, or the late Netherlanders. In sum of all, breake of Prodigality, and neyther you that be Maysters, put [Page 167] more on your shooes and Garters, then many good Men on their whole bodies, and let not your delicate mouthes, buy your appe­tites pleasure to deare: neither suf­fer the poore to drink more in one houre, then they get in a day. You all sit with Rulers, follow the wise mans counsell,Pro, 23, 2. Put thy knife to thy throat, if thou be a Man giuen to thy appetite.

Lastly, although Salomon na­meth none in this Text, But the fa­mily & the Maidens: yet he exclu­deth not the stranger, for in the fa­mily on the Sabbaoth day hee is commanded to rest, and he which receiues him, is not to let him de­part on that day, as it is Exo. 20, 5. And althogh it be not in the estate of euery man to entertaine, yet is it a duty to guide and direct such as are distressed to Houses of hos­pitality. [Page 166] [...] [Page 167] [...] [Page 168] And indeede in auncient time, men were onely receiued to house, & brought with them their owne victuals, as you may see in the story of Iacobs Children in E­gipt, Gen. 42. 43 and the Leuite and his wife in the Citty of Iemini. Iud. 19, 16, and 20. Surely to bee Hospitable is a part of Charity, & one of the greatest; wherefore the Scripture saith;Heb. 13, 12 Let brotherly loue continue, and bee not forgetfull to lodge straungers, for thereby some haue entertained Angels in the like­nesse of men, Gen. 18, 19 alluding to Abraham & Lot, to whom the Angels came before the destruction of Sodome. What is more horrible & discom­fortable to men, then to bee with­out harbour and House;Gen. 21, 19 and ther­fore did Agar take it so grieuously as she mourned in desperation, vn­till the Angell shewed her a Foun­taine where againe she filled her bot­tle. [Page 169] They which inhabit the de­serts follow the footsteps of wilde Asses vnto the Water-Springes, which without them they should neuer find; and therefore loue and make much of them. How much more should we loue to bring one another to the places of our refre­shing, and not shut vp our doores against the Straunger, as Paradice was against Adam: so as it shoulde bee as equall or ready for Straun­gers to dye there, as to dine there. The Priestes and Scribes which put our Sauiour to death, could Buy with the Money of Iudas a place or field to bury Strangers, but let vs not prouide theyr Graues, rather their Tables, whether they be sicke or sound.

When Dauid hadde lost his Wiues, and all his goods, by ma­king much of a Stranger, he came [Page 170] to finde and recouer all againe. E­uen so, we cannot loose by curtesie and humanity to strangers, For we are all Strangers in this world. And if the first Christians had not re­ceiued the Preachers of their faith (that were straungers vnto them) into their houses,Luke 10. their peace which was the peace of Christ had not light or rested vpon them. Rahab for lodging straungers had her life saued, and as many as shee would receiue into her Family. We read of the ancient inhabitants of Breti­num in Romandiola, that they did contend for the entertainement of strangers, and for that cause they erected a Piller in their Market place, into which euery one of the Cittizens draue and fastened a di­stinct ring, and that euery stranger that came to that Towne fastened his Horse to one of those rings, in­to [Page 171] whose House he was to bee re­ceiued;Leaud. de­scr. Italiae. which thing was so obser­ued, that incontinently with al ala­crity hee was entertained and lod­ged, and the Cittizens tooke it for a great fauor.Cran. lib. 4. The barbarous Van­dals had so much humanity in thē towards strangers, that they con­fiscated all his goodes, and gaue li­berty to set his House on fire, that had expelled or inciuilly handled a stranger. I could be infinite, but I must conclude. Iob saith; The Stranger did not lodge in the streete, Iob. 31, 32. I opened my doores, vnto him that went by the way. Genesis 2, 6 Abimelech hath his commendation for lodging A­braham a straunger. So hath Iethro for Moses. Exod. 2. Obadia that hid so many Prophetes, and nourished them, euen foure hundred.In Abdiam Saint Hierom saith of him, that for his mercy hee receiued the gist of Prophesie, and [Page 172] was buried in Sebaste, that is Sama­ria, in the Graue wherin Elisha was after buried, and S. Iohn Baptist. The widdow of Sarepta, a heathen woman, the Sunamite, Martha, and Lazarus, Zacheus, Simō the tanner. Gatus, Onesiphorus, and other had neuer been spoken of but for their Hospitality, and receiuing of stran­gers. Theresore let not the good Householder forsake strangers, for the Lord loueth them, and goeth with them: and if they be receiued in the name of Christe, whether they be good or ill, he wil pay their reckoning. Learne therefore (saith Saint Austen) learne (ô Christian) without difference and respect of persons, to offer entertainement, least he whom thou shuttest out of doores be thy Lord and Sauiour. For he saith; I haue been a stranger and ye haue not lodged me. I tel you, [Page 173] that he that laboureth for Christ, and he that refresheth him that la­boureth, shall bee both rewarded before Iesus Christ. To whom bee all present and eternall glory.