we may conclude that it is far more safe to relie on God who cannot deceive then to leane upon our own broken Reeds to stick to our selves who may both erre and be deceived Vbi sentitis vos non intelligere credite tamen divinis eloquiis Aug. ep 46. advinc p. 105. If secondly it be not want of apprehension but crosse arguments which move us to inferre conclusions contrary to Gods truth these two things may be interposed 1. That these argmuments are of our own coyning and so are but chaines fetters of our own Making from which if we cannot unwinde our selves the blame must lie at our own doores He who by a pernicious Custome contracts upon himselfe an habit of drunkennesse though in respect of that habit he sins necessarily and is not easily able to leave that vicious deboistnesse yet this shall rather condemne then excuse him in that he hath brought so unhappy a necessity upon himselfe He who binds his own hands and feet and then casts himselfe headlong into the Sea will not be excused by a plea that he was drowned because he could not swim So when men entertaine fleshly corrupt Principles and ensnare themselves therewith though thus taken they necessarily erre yet can they not be excused since they have framed the fetters wherewith they are chained for themselves 2. The second thing which may be offered is this certainty That all that God reveales being truth every conclusion contrary thereto must be false and if the conclusion be false the Premises one or both must be so too Thus as in matters of Practice Gods commands are good and therefore what motives or Arguments soever draw us to sin though taken from the most specious profit largest pleasure and highest preferment though they seem never so conformable to our desires and maske themselves under a demure look yet they are really and in themselves Bad and unrighteous so the Arguments proving any Heresy though they may appeare in reasonable colours and carry applause with them yet they are direct untruths and containe falsehood as is evident in the case in hand for suppose the Prophets Argument were thus framed If the wicked thrive and good men be afflicted in this life then Religion is vaine But so it is c. Here the Assumption is not altogether True for all wicked men do not thrive and for the Proposition the consequence is wholly denyable as being false for it will not follow that because the wicked are exalted and the good oppress 't Religion is vaine but of this more fully hereafter In a word the arguments brought against any one article of the Creed for instance may be easily found false and unreasonable And therefore as is formerly mentioned Gods truth is a rock from which neither tempests nor flatteries must remove us Ipse dixit is to beare us out and will do it against the suggestions of our own ignorance or the plausible perswasions of flesh and blood and though whilst we are clouded with a veile of flesh we cannot attaine to a full satisfaction yet when that which is imperfect shall be done away we shall find cause of Triumph that we have taken God upon his bare word and not expected demonstration in mysteries of faith Then shall we receive the reward of our selfe denyall and constancy the end of our Faith the Salvation of our soules Whilst men that glory in Sophistry and Sceptically dispute every thing either wish they had lesse reason or used it Better Vers 17. Vntill I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end The Prophet having shewed how his first attempt for satisfaction succeeded not proceeds now to a positive declaration of that which procured it to him when he found his own abilities too short to fathome and the greatest search of his understanding to shallow to comprehend this Mystery He presently makes recourse to Gods sanctuary where he understood their end In which words three particulars are observable 1. The Proper subject wherein this satisfaction was received His Vnderstanding I understood 2. The Author of this satisfaction God 3. The place wherin he found it the Sanctuary of God For the 1. Though his Vnderstanding as an agent was insufficient to worke out this satisfaction yet was it not de facto indeed or esteemed by him a needlesse or unprofitable faculty Satisfaction of doubts is made by clearing the understanding and judgement for therein as a Patient shines the light and from what was received there in did arise his full and contenting satisfaction This with Him is common to all men The beginning of all satisfaction must issue from the Illumination of the Vnderstanding and right clearing of the Judgement He that doubts must be made to understand before he be satisfied the eye must receive sight befor it can apprehend any other object and those arguments which convince must affect the Vnderstanding and cleare the Judgement otherwise they will have no great effect It may be granted That for the Reforming of men Good examples have their efficiency and afflictions are commended as excellent prescriptions but we may observe that these all doe that worke mediante Intellectu Afflictions do therefore induce an amendment because they open mans scaled understanding discover what he saw not before his own Guilt weakenesse and miserie Dat intellectum vexatio And reformation cannot find an admission There where there is a resolution of shutting the eyes against the Truth They that make their faces harder then a Rock will not grieve though they be smitten but will refuse to returne Jerem. 5.3 4. These are the foolish for they know not the way of the Lord. And as for examples they have no farther Influence then as they are apprehended either possible or fit for our Imitation From hence may be confidently concluded that they take not a right course to cleare men or the Church from erroneous opinions who use such meanes as deprive men of their Vnderstandings which they are guilty of who violently rob men of their lives because they are different in opinions from them mens thoughts expiring with their breath Did men rightly consider they would acknowledge that course of physick to be too desperate and to conduce to a confirmation Reformation by violence or death or such Means as take away the understanding rather then a taking away of Error A word may seperate body and soul but not faith or opinion from the soul He that uses violence gives us cause to distrust the opinions he would move us to since we see him more confident of the strength of his sword then the truth he pretends to and the power of his reasons Experience makes it good that persecution usually amongst men is more prevalent to render the sufferers objects of commiseration and pity then different opinions can make them odious And whatsoever the opinions of Servetus were yet we finde that he was more pittied for his being burned then
mistakes who glory in their treadings as so firme as if not capable of a blow whose tongue ownes nothing below perfection and are so far from being conscious to infirmities as that that unerring infallibility which the Roman chaire would ingrosse to it selfe These peremptorily claim a share in as more eminently theirs 2. If there be so great a facility of failing in the best then He that stands must take heed least he fall 2. D. to looke to our standing 1 Cor. 10. Which diligent care of a slip may be improv'd 1. In not taking in things upon trust 1. To not laking things upon trust without a particular impartial disquisition nor lightly admitting an implicit faith but in a serious sober exercise of reason and of the judgment of discretion to put things to a trial before they be entertained 2. In restreining our affections in not permitting them to get on horse back and rule us 2. In restreining our passions or to act without the precedency of right reason He that is most master of his passions is so of his feete too and so more sure from a fall whilest he whose head is disordered by so unuly guests do easily reele into inconuenience The general description of the Psalmists danger thus viewed the more particular relation of it and the high temptation follows which consists of two parts 1. The occasion given or taken which is the stumbling block or offence Secondly The sins and inconveniences which he either actually did or was like to fall into 1. The occasion is made up 1. Of somewhat without and 2. some what within In the former we have 1. A certaine Kinde of Men spoken of with their estate 2. Their manners 3. Their respect from others 1. The Men spoken of As for the Men they are pointed at and set forth by two attributes One is that which is twice repeated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Improbi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wanderers or sinners wickednesse being as Rabbi Levi sayes declinatio ab eo quod justum est quod decet And because this deviation is with the breach of what is just hence they are turbulent restlesse men who neither live orderly themselves nor suffer others to be in quiet Secondly They are termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Septuagint renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lawlesse Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 3.4 That Law of Religion and righteousnesse which God hath given these are so far from yeelding obedience to as that they neither feare God or care for Man And being under no command they acknowledge no duty Foolish But Holelim signifies fooles or madman not much better are they who will not submit to Gods Lawes but fly out into frantick disorders for whilst they disowne that Law which makes wise the simple Psal 19.7 It cannot be expected but like the untamed colt they are destitute of understanding or judgment Proud Lastly the word hath it's original from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies in a good sense to praise and magnify in a worse to vaunt and boasting to lift up ones self Thus the root of disobedience and not submission is innate pride which scorning to be directed restraind or curbed kicks against any Law as below them and lookes upon the most honourable command as a burden and a yoke 2. Their estate These then are the Men mad foolish ungodly impious turbulent unjust Men. 2. As for the estate of these men it is generally comprehended in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies peace prosperity of which one is the happy consequent of the other it seems therefore by the way that they are not acquainted with the Language of Israel who hope for prosperity by involving themselves and Kingdomes in a bloody warre These though they be strangers to that language which expresses Peace and Prosperity by the same word yet may they learn it from the sad experience of those miseries which we and our Country suffer by warre and as they hope for prosperity pray for Peace From hence we may observe how fallacious an argument it is to look upon Prosperity and Temporall injoyments as the most eminent signe of speciall election of divine favour He is too peremptory who with barking Shimei count men Reprobates if once they see them though the meekest David in adversity Here we find mad ungodly foolish men carrying an high full sayle they may be in power spread themselves like a green bay tree Psalm 37.35 and grow so high as to put good Jeremy to the Interrogation Jer. 12.1 Wherefore doth the way of the wicked Prosper Wherefore are all they happy which deale very treacherously And here they are at that height and fatnesse which few good men attain unto which a view of the prophets notable description in his severall particulars will make good The 4. verse presents us with the first There are no bands in their death but their strength is firme First part of their prosperity Health of the sence of the latter part there is no doubt They are of a fat sound healthy constitution being of a robustious lasting composure such as scornes any disease that is emaciating and consumptive But of the meaning of the former There are no bands in their deaths there is some varietie The seventy translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no Recognition Whence the vulgar non est respectus according to that of St Hierome non est cogitatio de morte They minded not nor thought of their latter end but since the Prophet here speakes of their Prosperity not of their Sinnes we may looke for another sence The Hebrew word signifieth a Band which is knotted or tyed and then the sence may be They have not that which might binde them over unto a speedy and troublesome death hence Castelio non sunt necessitates quae eos enecent There are no necessities that threaten their death such as varietie of distempers sicknesses and diseases those messengers of death Aquila therefore renders the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are no pangs or distempers no sorrows or sicknesses saith Aynsworth They are not bound over to death or Execution by the varietie of diseases or by the power or Injurie of others The prophet by telling us their strength is firme expounds this Phrase and let us know that these wicked men had lives spunne of even threads without danger of raveling or breaking They had lustie bodies strong limbs sound vitalls without agonies or ruptures Lived as those that had no cause to feare death and when they expired it was without much antecedent paine they fell as ripe Aples from the tree Had we leisure to take a full view of this grand blessing Health we should easily with the Prophet ranke it in the first place with the rest of those good things that make up humane prosperity it being one of
industry and contrivance and so do sacrifice to their own net Habacuk 15.16 But notwithstanding this abuse that we ought to infer this collection and upon all occasions turne up our eye to providence will be evident if we consider 1. It is accounted an high peece of wisdome from various dispensations to collect a peculiar providence to make a pious observation upon all occurrences that may happen thus when weather-beaten mariners escape a shipwrack those that are brought by sickness to deaths door and yet recover if from this they are brought to understand Gods loving kindnesse and praise him for his goodness Then the Psalmist assures us Psal 107.43 That it is wisdome to make this observation Who so is wise and will observe these things at length he will discerne an all disposing providence to shine out of the darkest cloud 2. They are deservedly reprooved whose looks goe no higher then themselves and acknowledge no other hand then their owne in what befals them If the proud Assyrian cry by the strength of my hand have I done it by my wisdome for I am prudēt Isa 10.12.13.14 The Lord will quickly send leannesse amongst his fat ones and kindle under his glory a burning v. 16. If Judah knowes not saith God that I gave her Corne Wine Oyl that is will not acknowledge them for his gifts I will returne take them away Hos 2.8.9 And in the 106. Psalm we find Israels ingratitude highly aggravated from their not remembrance and noting of Gods high transcendent mercies towards thē This good use and Improvement is strictly injoynd the servants of God witnesse that general confession to be made by Israel in Deuteronomy as is evident and accordingly they acted Good Joseph makes no other use of his Brothers course dealing cruelty towards him then That God sent me before you Faithfull Moses Joshua and David still attributed the blessings which they received from God And that beyond all humane thought and reason the refused stone was made the head of the Corner the Apostle tells us is the Lords doing Act. 4.11 2. If we take these words More then heart could wish with reference to the hearts of others these wicked men transcend the thoughts of other mens hearts take these thoughts for thoughts of probability or for thoughts of wishes or desires 1. 2. More then is probable If any one conceive it to be very improbable that wickedness should flourish they may have many grounds to think so as 1. The great dissonancy and disagreement between the meanes and the end wickednesse being in nature so far from being the meanes to prosperity as that it naturally plunges men into Calamities it being that crooked perverse Roade that Leads to destruction 2. Every page almost of Scripture assures us how dreadfull wickednesse is threatned and what dismall plagues are allotted unto it Deut. 28. Psal 11. 3. The infinite variety of examples in all ages of wicked Men whose sins have pull'd downe eminent remarkeable judgement their consumed Bodies their consciences and estates having been punisht for their impieties And therefore though God hath not notwithstanding all these tyed and limited himself alwayes to these Rules in the actings of his Providence and though for causes in his wisdome thought fit he may not onely permit but even operatively contribute to the prosperity of the wicked Though considering all this they may think it possible for wicked men to flourish yet by reason of those formentioned grounds they dare not think it probable nor dare they deliver it for a Doctrine That wickednesse is the high way to prosperity nor dare they promise unto themselves That they shall grow great by prosecuting evil courses And so in this respect wicked mens prospepity is more then they could conceive probable or hope for in themselves More then good men can wish unto them Whether it may be Lawfull for the Godly to wish wicked mens prosperity may be abated Secondly Take the hearts of men for wishes or desires They have more then the Godly wish unto them For although by Christs pure Lawes we may wish no man any positive or absolute harme yet may Gods people wish and desire that the power of wicked men may be cut short and their curst hornes blunted their means may be lesse and their prosperity not so full 1. Because by those desires we prove not Eenemies but friends unto them prosperity to a wicked heart being highly dangerous and may throw him into many great miscarrages and abuses of those good things he injoyes As then in a storme we wish not that vessel to carry a full high sail which we know may easily be overturn'd by it so prosperity being too great a saile for ungodly Men we may in love wish and in charity desire that their estate may be such as may suggest unto them thoughts of humility that may keep them in a more even steady course and which may let them know that they are but Men. 2dly The promotion of fools is but sword in a mad mans hand and doth arme with power to do harme Who grindes with an oppressive hand but the Rich Jam. 2.9 Who devoutly devours Widdows houses Who takes the bread from the fatherlesse and robs God of what is his Who devours the Church and persecutes the Saints Who doth tread under foot the blood of the Covenant Who prostitutes their Country to blood and rapine Who glories in the death of Innocents Who do's all this and more but the hard-hearted Pharaohs the proud insolent Nebuchadnezars the zealous Hypocrite and such who being slaves to their ambition and lusts do thrive and meet with great successe in their actings And therefore in regard of that high mischeife they are Inabled to execute by prosperity it were to be wished If God so please that there curst hornes were cut short and their power lesse A brief addition of one particular more may shut up this point There are some moderate Spirits in the World who consulting with reason do not hunt after great things have no ambition for riches and prosperity 1. They see the loftiest Cedars most subject to thunder and a fat estate liable to envy and danger 2. They view that Opes are Irritamenta malorum And that prosperity brings with it many vices corrupting commonly mens manners into a vile degeneracy From hence it is that many expositions do with the Septuagint interpret these words They have passed into their owne Imaginations followed their owne lusts made their owne phansies their Pictures and their owne vicious corrupt hearts the sway of their actions and because height of prosperity is of this deadly malignant influence Therefore men of ingenuity and wisdome are afraid of it seek not after it and being furnisht with that which may sustaine nature which may keep them from being ridiculous for poverty They value not much more foode and rayment they are contented with moderatly acquiescing in their low injoyments not
a blinde uncertaine variable disposer of the affaires of the world those of more learning are not of the same minde and opinion For 1. Naturalists measured the matter by the Principle of Generation and corruption and placed the same necessity of the decay of flourishing estates to be with that of flowers or of mans body flowing from the naturall and inward distempers and Impotency of Principles which makes them be but of a short Continuance 2. Others as the Stoicks attribute This to a necessary connexion of causes without which they Termed Fate Whereby the beginning growth and end of Prosperity is determined so as that neither Good or bad men can exceed their appointed bounds 3. The Astrologers referred these changes to the Position and influences of the Starrs and therefore undertake to shew us the Houses of Prosperity and adversity and tell us of the frowning and Smiling aspects of the Planets 4. If any amongst them looked a little higher yet were they vaine in their Imaginations their foolish heart was darkned with the multiplicity of their Gods giving riches to one and Prosperiy to another and Honour to a third If Crosses laid-hold upon them they had an Aeolus for the winds a Neptune for the stormes and a Juno or some such Deity for their troubles and diseases Thus was naturall reason put to a stand and perplext in by-Paths That there is one God all sufficient all in all that he acts all things according to the councell of his will that the wicked oft doe may and shall flourish as long as he pleases that when they meet with a change they have it from his hand That this he acts out of Justice and Judgement these were lessons which the Prophet learned in Gods Sanctuary and for which he was not much beholding to humane writers 2. The certainty of their destruction 2. As the Prophet from Gods Sanctuary learnt Gods Providence so did he from thence find that wicked men should in an Infallible certainty be made contemptible and punish't with everlasting desolation This sense and experience may often thwart as giving instances of some wicked men who spent their lives in mirth and Plenty and according to their desires left their substance honours and estates to their Posterity Job 21.9 10 13. without any visible smart for their villanies It being a matter oft out of reasons teaching that they shall be punished Nay some expound the 20th verse here when thou awakest Them Cum expergefacias Eos exsepulchris in die Judici The Prophet was taught that after death they should in their bodies be raised to receive therein according to their works Which doctrine of the Resurrection is none of reasons teaching soles occidere redire possunt nobis cum semel occidit lux brevis una perpetuo nox est dormienda Saith Catull Hence when Saint Paul once named the Resurrection Act. 17. how did the Athenians laugh and deride him and they that esteemed themselves the Philosophers contemne both it and him and therefore Gods Sanctuary is the Proper place for the Prophet to have recourse unto in this grand doubt and Temptation and he may very Justly owe his satisfaction to Gods extraordinary word and to his Sactuary First Because It teaches that which is the Truth of Reason Secondly because the Temptation had so shattered him as that unlesse he had taken Sanstuary there he had been undone 3. Because the Points here learned did exceed Humane reason to attaine to Now for application to the matter in hand The sum is this The Prophet went into the Sanctuary for satisfaction and he neither lost his labour nor was deceived in his expectation as meeting with that there which was sufficiently satisfactory He found that which allaid his envy at their prosperous estate Though a lillie may represent that beauty to the eye which may force from us an admiration of the Creators workmanship yet none will envie its glorious Being which knows the shortnesse of it how quickly it withers and droops its head to the earth and the sudden decay of great mens estates Jam. 1.10 11. challenges rather our pitty then our envie For Since the place is so slippery and the state mutable since unsupportable terrours oft attend upon it since it is but a dreame whose last Act is destruction this condition their abuse of it deservs that we should bewaile it rather then envy it and that prosperity it selfe be suspected as extreamly dangerous And therefore the Premises considered much less is there Just cause to asperse Religion or to lay any black impution upou Innocence and Equity For besides That whatever the consequence of worldly Prosperity be Religion may have its reward by it selfe there being nothing imaginable either in other mens Prosperity or in any thing else that may impede the performance of so faithfull a promise and we may well conclude that that Tree which produceth such Bitter fruit Terrors Change Death and Consumption is vaine fatall and Ominous and that Religion justly challenges our highest affections in that if it brings with it Temporall blessings as it is the most effectuall meanes thereunto though it doth not change the essence and nature of them though it makes not that which is in it selfe slippery and deceiving to be firme constant yet it renders it free from terrours safe from contempt secure from consequent thunder claps of ruine and destruction As for the Prophet here the Sanctuary afforded him so full ample satisfaction in this case as in a submissive acknowledgement He abhorrs that ill opinion he had almost entertained of religion for which he gives himselfe no better a censure then that of an Ignorant fool and Beast v. 22. As for the thing it selfe how bruitish and unreasonable it is to impute vanity to Religion how great folly and Ignorance this wild opinion argues in its entertainers unworthily transforming them into Beasts hath been already cleared up in our discourse upon the 13. vers This at present remaines observable When Gods truth shines upon the soule it makes errour and sin very odious Doct. and detestable to him that entertaines either This discernably The light of Gods Truth makes erorr Condemnable in a manselfe befalls men not only in these objects as being without viewed by visible beames sent abroad but as they are reflected upon in the Person of the seer himselfe He who is happily converted by Grace from darknesse to light will not only hate sin and heresie in others but will detest it in himselfe He will censure reprove accuse and Condemne himselfe for either Thus Judah sensible of his Injustice acknowledgeth Tamar to be more righteous then Himselfe Gen. 38.26 Josephs Brethren convinc'd of their crime do heartily aske forgivenesse of it Gen. 15.17 and Good David sensible of his misdoings often bursts out into I have greatly sinned 2 Sam. 24.16 Rebellious Israel once made sensible of their pollutions shall loath themselves for the