Plouto-mastix: the scourge of covetousnesse: or, An apologie for the publike good, against privacie A sermon preached at the assises in Deuon, at the command of the Lord Byshop of Exon, anno, 1630. By Thomas Foster, Master of Arts and rector of Farway.

TO THE RIGHT HON^ble. S^r. THOMAS RICHARDSON, Lord Chiefe Iustice of his Majesties Common Pleas: And Sir IOHN DENHAM, one of his Majesties Barons of the Exchequer; All Health and Happinesse, here and hereafter.

Right Honourable:

I Will not say, Importunity of friends hath prest this Sermon to the Presse: that's a Common Plea; and implies a Tacit Com∣mendation of the owne worke; which is not so commendable; it beeing as great Wisdome in our sufficiency, not to know our selves, as, in our Wants to know our selues. But I may boldly avouch, Ambition has no hand in the Impression. For had I beene that way affected I have had time enough, to be a foole in print (as well as some others) long ere now-Scribimus indocti, doctique. But I have ever beene as desirous to Suppresse my Labours, in this kinde, as others to Presse theirs. The truth is, the reason, why I have ventur'd to come on the Publike

stage, and to make my Meditations Legible, is, To see whether I can finde more Charitable Readers of my Well-meant Endeavours, then I had some Hearers; whose unhappy Misprision (making themselves, occasionally, guilty) would have made me guilty of that, I neyther spake, nor meant; (of that which I hate) A personall Invective. Whereas it may appeare (upon ingenuous perusall) neither the Person, nor the Place, but the too-well knowne Offence (Negligence) of some persons in those Places, is inveighed against. I can truely say with Saint Ierome-Nullum loesi, nullius nomen mea Scrip∣tura designatum est: Neminem specialiter meus sermo pul∣savit (ad Nepot.) And the Poet tels me (I take it) discreet∣ly,-Licuit, semper{que} licebit.-Parcere personis, dicere de vitijs. Whosoever takes offence at this, it is-Scanda∣lum acceptum, indeed; and I suppose, he is no Competent Auditor. For if guilty Consciences, who are Parties should be admitted Iudges of Divine Reprehension, the Pulpit should bee counted a Pasquil; every admonition thence (how discreetly-zealous soever) an invective Defamation. Guilty Consciences are like the Elephant: which being conscious of his owne Deformity, cannot abide to see his Face in the cleare Springs, but seekes for troubled and muddy Chanels, to drinke in; So they, knowing their soules to be so filthy, that they dare not view them in the cleare waters of Truth, and Sincere Admonition, flee to the troubled Chanels of Ca∣villation, and Contradiction▪ Arbitror te veritate supera∣tum, ad detractionem, vitae meae, et maledicta converti, saith Ierome, (Contra Helvid.) But-Qui volens, detrahit famae meae, nolens addit mercedi, saith August. (Cont. Petil. lib. 3. cap. 7.) And thus,-Quandiu aegri, indignantur, whiles

men are sicke of Impenitencie, they are Impatient of re∣proofe;-Sed sanati, gratulantur, but being cur'd by Repentance, they shake hands with the Monitor, and thanke him, saith August. (Ad Fest. Epist. 166.) Then they will acknowledge, 'Tis better once smart, then ever ake: And so a Galling truth shall have more thankes, at the last, than a smoothing Supparasitation,-Hee that re∣buketh a man, shall finde more favour, at the length, than hee that flattereth with his tongue, (Prov. 28. 23.) But hee that can, now, play with his Euphemismes and Eulogi∣um's, and cry,-Pax pax, when there is no peace, makes the best musicke in the eares of this secure Age. He that bids the wicked AHABS,-Goe vp to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper, (1. King. 22. 12.) is now the best Politician. Hee that that can-Dawbe with vntempered morter, is counted the best Architect of Soules. This they call, Good tem∣per, Mildnesse, Discretion. This is the way, they say, to sleepe in whole skinne, to rise to Preferment.-(Ob∣sequium amicos, veritas odium,) Such preferment God send them, who love the praise of Men, more than the praise of GOD. And-whether it be right in the sight of God, to obey men, rather than God, iudge yee. But what shall I say?

Pro captu Lectoris habent sua fata Libelli.

As Bookes, so Sermons have their Credit or discredit from the fancy of their Readers or Hearers. And it is e∣ver an easier matter to Dislike, than to Doe the like.—Facilia sic putant omnes, quae iam facta; nec de salebris co∣gitant vbi via strata, (Lips.) If you come to an Inne in Germany, and dislike your fare, dyet, lodging, the Dutch Host tels you, in a surly tone,-Aliud tibi quaeras diverso∣rium, (Erasm. Dial.) Such is my resolution: who likes not this, may reade some other thing.

My Lords, I have not without Cause, Inscrib'd this Sermon unto your Names. First, it was Preach'd in the great Assembly, whereof your selves were a Principall part. Secondly, Preach'd on that Subiect, wherein your Places have a Principall interest; The Common Good of Church and Common-weale. A Subiect as necessary for those Times, as the Times are Subiect to Necessity: Private ends having brought the Publike Good, almost, to it's End; and Hungry Coveteousnesse, like PHARAOH's leane kine, devour'd this fat and flourishing Common∣weale. To you therefore (as being-Patres Patriae, and-Ecclesiae Patroni) this Weake, but Well-meant Labour of mine, flees for Patrociny and protection. I shall make it my humble Suite, that you will be pleas'd to entertaine it, as DAVID, lame MEPHI••OSHETH, for his Father IONATHAN's sake. Lame it is in both feet. (Lame in the Birth, by vnskilfull handling, lame in the Nursing, by uncharitable scanning) yet entertaine it for it's fathers sake, Your Country's sake, whose Love begat it. I re∣member that Apologue in the Talmud; the grapes in Ba∣bel, sent, upon a time, to the Vine-leaves, in Iudaea desiring them, to come and over-shadow them; otherwise the heat would consume them, and so they should never come to Maturity. Your Lordships may easily guesse at the Mythology. If Learning be not sheltred by those, who are in Eminent place, and if they cast not their Shadow over it, it will soone perish; But where they fa∣vour it, it prospers. If the Spring bee cold, the Plants, Herbes, and Blossomes are nipt and wither; But where the Influence is seasonable, there all things reviue, thrive, flourish. So where Great Persons are averse from Lear∣ning, the Spirits, which would otherwise, blossome, doe

wither and decay. But when it is upholden by men of Higher place, it is like a Fountaine of Living Water. For my part I cannot praise my Present otherwise, then by the Truth of that heart, from which it proceeds: which shall bee Ambitious of all occasions, that may testifie a Gratefull acknowledgement of your Lordships undeserved favours; and wherewith, I will daily Petition the Lord of Lords for the continuance of your Happi∣nesse and Welfare.

Your Lordships most obsequious Servant, in the Lord, THO: FOSTER.