there is between sinne and our soules the lesse peace there is between our soules and God All the hurts and miseries that euer haue come vpon vs or on Christ for our sakes do giue vs iust occasion to fall out with sinfulnes that hath bin the cause thereof The loue that we beare to God who hath bin dishonoured by our sinfull life should induce vs to abhor all vngodlinesse The danger of persisting impenitent and the hope of pardon and happinesse when we cast off our iniquities are iust motiues to make vs take vp weapons against them by iudging our selues for that which is past and resisting strongly all the assaults of the same hereafter Conuiction of many to be vnrighteous men by countenancing those foule faults in others which they are ashamed for the grosnes of them to practise themselues Though they dare not lie impudently and periure least the trueth should come to light yet they desire that some other would doe it for them though they will not violate the Sabbaoth by open breache of it in their owne persons yet they giue liberty to their sonnes and seruants and all their people to do what they list on the Lords day though they breake not out into oathes or drunkennesse or wanton behauiour yet they will be sociable with blasphemers and drunkards and filthy persons and willingly heare and see them exercising such abhominations and allow them to defile their houses therewith yea and permit their owne children and people to be chiefe doers in it Where is righteousnesse where is the hatred of an euill matter How vnlike are they to iust Lot who was 2 Pet. 2. 7. dailie vexed with the vncleanlie conuersation of the wicked Jt is euident that whatsoeuer the heart hateth the eyes will abhorre and our sences will loath euery thing that is offensiue to vs. VVho without necessity would stand by and behould him that were plucking off the skinne of an vnsauory carrion VVoulde not euery man in such a case stoppe his nose and turne away his face make hast to be gone The comparison is homely but that which is compared is incomparably more homely therefore we take leaue to describe such filthy behauiour by that which doth most nearely resemble it though it be not foule ynough to expresse the loathsomnesse of it But it causeth the wicked to stinke c. The loue of sinne bringeth Doct. 2 losse of credit and estimation He that nourisheth rotten affections in his hart and expresseth the same by vnholy and corrupt conuersation is farre from hauing reuerence and true honour As grace like Spikenard or other redolent oyntments doth make the godly to be amiable and much set by so foule sinnes like filthy diseases or ill sauours doe cause the wicked to be vile and loathsome And so is the Prou. 10 7. meaning of the Holy ghost in the tenth Chapter as we haue there shewed that their names shall be turned into infamy as dead corpses are into putrefaction God and wise men will take as little delight in them as people vse to doe in sents that be noysome Reasons 1 First the threatning and curse of God is directed against such which will surely take hold of them and not faile The Lord saith the law shall send vpon thee cursing trouble and shame in all that Deu. 28. 20. 37 which thou settest thine hand to doe vntill thou be destroied And thou shalt be a wonder a Prouerbe a common talke among all people Yea this was denounced against and executed vpon the very Priests themselues that were impious and sinfull notwithstāding their place and function was so venerable Behold saith he I will Mal. 2. 3. 9. cast dung vpon your faces And I haue made you to bee despised and vile before all the people because ye keepe not my waies but lift vp your faces against the law Secondly it is a iudgement that carrieth waight with it and lyeth heauy on them that are vnder it Mans nature abhorreth shame desireth to be well thought of and specially to proude men of which sort are all or the greatest number of sinfull men contempt is as bitter as death And therefore at the last day the principall reward of the godly shall be Honour and glorie Rom. 2. 10. with euerlasting life and one of the grieuousest punishments of the wicked that they shall arise to shame and perpetuall contempt Dan. 12. 2. Thirdly it answereth proportionably to their behauiour and so their wages is correspondent to their worke They despise God by their iniquity and he will make them to be despised by his iustice they sought his dishonour by doing contrary to his commandement and he will bring them to dishonour by doing according to his threatning And so is that daily verified which he once spake by Samuel Them that honour me I will honour and 2. Sam. 2 30. they that despise me shall be despised Confutation of them that perfume all their words and works Vse 1 with prophanenes to be the better liked in all companies and vse sinne as a preseruation against shame and reproache Pride is a chaine vnto them and cruelty couereth them as a garment and notorious impiety and licentiousnesse are their principall ornaments and holy dayes attire wherewith they deck themselues for greatest brauery Such is the corruption of our times that it is esteemed the best way for men to grace themselues in the world by professing themselues gracelesse and voide of all godlines But either Salomons affirmation is false which were impious to imagine when he saith that sinne is a shame to a people or Prou. 14. 34. else their expectation is foolish which will surely so appeare when they thinke to gaine glory by that whereby so many others are made contemptible Vaine needs must the hope be of washing faire in a foule puddle or of making ones selfe sweet by wallowing in a sinke or filthy priuy Vers 6. Righteousnesse preserueth him that is vpright in his way but wickednesse ouerthroweth the sinner RIghteousnes c that is Gods fauour grace and goodnes for righteousnes and by it doth protect both the bodies soules of such as are of a sincere heart and holy behauiour And wickednesse ouerthroweth the sinner or man of sinne as it is in the originall text it is alwaies a cause by desert and many times a meanes by occasion to draw downe misery and destruction vpon him The sence doth little differ from the third fift and sixt verses of the eleuenth chapter Verse 7. There is that maketh himselfe ritch and hath nothing and that maketh himselfe poore hauing great riches THere is c that is to say diuers men take diuers vnlawfull courses concerning their estate Some boast themselues to be rich when they haue nothing being poore and in debt they make shew of great wealth by keping a great port Others faine themselues poore when they haue great substance they complayne of want
both within and without for grace and glory is growing to be better neuer ceasing to increase vntill it come to fulnesse and neuer to decay after it shall be full and the vngodly are fading away as fast and hasten towards their destruction with incredible swiftnes neuer staying till they fall into ruine and neuer to be repaired after they are ruinated And to this purpose it is sayd in the fourth chapter of this booke The waye of the righteous shineth as the light Prou. 4. 18. 19 that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day The waie of the wicked is as the darknesse they know not wherein they shall fall Consolation for godly and religious persons whom no man Vse 1 can bereaue of their blessed estate The Sunne of righteousnes ariseth vnto them and shineth perpetually within their horizon though the windes of malice and temptation blowe vp neuer so many clowdes of feares and troubles against them Gods chastisements for their humiliation and triall their owne sorrowe for their sinnes and offences and their aduersaries violence for their ouerthrow and ruine will neuer take away their comfort and glory from them The foggy mistes of tribulations and afflictions doe seeme diuers times to ouerwhelme them wholy and yet sayth the Prophet in the name of the Church Though Mica 7. 8. I fall I shall arise when I shall sitte in darknesse the Lord shall be a light vnto mee The hideous blacke clowdes of disgrace and contempt of slaunders and iniurious accusations doe threaten to couer them for euermore and yet sayth Dauid Psal 37. 6. Committe thy waie vnto the Lord and hee shall bring foorth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy iudgement as the noone day So that whiles there is a God to send helpe to his people from heauen or to call them to glory in heauen they are not destitute of happines Reproofe and terrour of the vngodly who by louing a sinfull darke behauiour doe chuse to themselues a miserable darke estate For they that will be the children of darknesse by sinne and rebellion shall abide the blacknes of darknesse with shame and confusion Though the Lord cause the sunne in the firmament that visible planet to rise vpon the wicked aswell as the godly to minister warmth and light to their bodies for the present yet he will withhold the shine of his sauour from yelding ioy and glory to their soules for euer But in the meane time say they who is brightest who is richest who is greatest See whether there be more of them that giue themselues to religion in eminent places and honour or of them that take their liberty according to the course of the world Sol. True it is indeed that most commonly worldlings goe before Christians in earthly preferments though not alwaies for by Gods mercy many good men attaine also to riches and dignities But know that your case is lamentable when you haue nothing else to comfort your hearts with but this that you are wealthy and mighty What maketh your small candle seeme to giue you so great light Because you haue bin alwaies shut vp in a darke prison and were neuer acquainted with the bright beames of Gods gracious presence But what shall become of you when your candle shall bee wasted when your light shall be extinguished when your prosperity shall perish It is certaine that all carnall excellency will come to an end either being blowne out by violence or worne out by time Remember that Haman had as it were a lynke carried before him and yet it was put out suddenly snuffe and all at one blast and he left in hellish darknes of shame and misery The king of Babel in greatnes was like to Lucifer the brightest morning Isa 14 12 star and yet fell from the heauen of his magnificence and lost all his glory in a moment Vers 10. Through mere pride doth man make contentions but with the well aduised is wisedome ONlie by pride c that is wheresoeuer strife groweth there is pride at least in one of the parties contending if not on both sides Sometimes it stirreth vp men and imboldeneth them to offer wrongs sometimes imbittereth men and maketh them way ward against the right sometimes it causeth the one to be carelesse of dealing according to equity and the other to be impatient of bearing any iniuries Yet notwithstanding this condemneth not all kinde of contending but the frowardnes of the faulty persons in it It is lawfull to giue a rebuke and correction if it be done vpon good grounds with an vpright heart and in due manner though it be the occasion of some iarre or debate and he onely is to be blamed which receiueth not the admonition Isâ—y 59 4 And so to stand in the cause of God is commendable for the Prophet reproueth them that contend not for the trueth and they are to be charged with the sinne of contention which oppose themselues against good causes Neither are such here to be taxed as defend their state or by the helpe of the magistrate lawes against those which goe about to defraude or defame them Neither yet are they to be reproued by this that follow suites against malefactors to bring them to iust punishment Prouided alwayes that in these cases the cause be waighty their proceedings equall and their harts free from all malice and reuenge But with the well aduised is wisedome they which haue discretion and iudgement in themselues or be willing to harken to aduise counsell of others will beware of vnnecessary controuersies The opposition is this Onely by pride and folly doth man make contentions but with the well aduised is wisedome and humility to follow peace So far as any man is contentious he is proude Doct. 1 Humility is euer ioyned with loue and both of them with mildnes and patience and all of them are enemies to bitternesse and debate No man was more ready to passe by wrongs and iniuries Numb 12. 3. done vnto him then Moses and that was because Moses exceeded all the men of his time in humility and meeknes And Iesus Christ was the most patient and peaceable of any that euer was in the world because neuer any was so humble and lowly as he And thus very reason among diuers others is brought in the twelfth chapter of Saint Mathew to proue it He shall not striue Mat. 12. 19. nor crie neither shall any man heare his voice in the streetes And contrarywise it hath appeared in all ages that where pride is deepest there patience is shallowest and they that ouerflow with the one are voide and empty of the other And therefore the wise man opposeth them together as contraries saying the patient in spirit Eccl. 7. 10. is better then the proude in spirit And in another place He that is of a proude heart stirreth vp strife And this will appeare the better Prou. 28. 25. if we obserue the principall branches
to their owne state by the paucity of their people That made Iob so pittifull to the poore oppressed and so seuere to the violent oppressours and therfore came so great a blessing on Iobs gouernment so great comfort to his heart and so great prosperity to his estate and so great honour to his estate and so grear reuerence to his person and so great honor to his name and so great blessednes to his soule and body for euer I was saith he a father vnto the Iob. 29. 16. poore when I knew not the cause I sought it out diligently I brake the iawes of the vnrighteous man and pluckâ—e the pray out of his teeth Neither doth the Scripture purpose the example of Iob onely for magistrates to imitate although it maye well beseeme them all to treade in his steps but Iobs better and master euen Iesus Christ the Lord of Lords and king of kings is set forth for a patterne for Salomon himselfe and euerie other good ruler to follow He shall iudge the poore of the people he shall saue the children Psal 72 4 â— of the needy and subdue the oppressour And therefore in his dayes shall the righteous flourish and aboundance of peace shall bee so long as the moone endureth Reproof of those hurtfull and inhumane creatures those spoilers of their brethren which so greedâ—ly affect the depopulation of townes and desolation of the country whereby they are become very pernicious and noysome both to Prince and people And yet is their headinesse no way tollerable which without all authority and against authority intrude themselues into the magistrates place to be reformer of those abuses which the author of authority appointeth him to represse God hath put the sword into the kings hand to punish offendours he is ordayned to be a buckler for the defence of his subiects it belongeth to him to redresse the things that are amisse among his people none is so much damnified by such publick misdemeanors as he How dareth then the heele or sole of the foote to vsurpe to it selfe the office of the head or what imboldeneth the little toe to vndertake the work of the hand Or wheÌ„ce haue priuate persons their warrant to deale in those affaires which are peculiarly assigned to Gods owne deputy Verse 29. He that is slowe to wrath is of great wisedome but hee that is of a hasty minde exalteth follie HE that is slowe to wrath which is able to master the rage of his affections so as that he will not hee careâ—ed away to distemper contrary to the rules of lawfull anger is of great wisedom hath receiued from aboue in his heart that pure peaceable and gentle vvisedome which Saint Iames speaketh of and doth also Iam. 3. 17. declare the same by his long susterance and patient forbearance when by indignities and wrongs he is prouoked But hee that is of an hastie mind being rashly mooued to passion without due cause of displeasure or immoderately offended when the faulte deserueth not so much anger exalteth follie doth openly commit it as though he would lift it vp that all men might see it See chapter 12 16. where this point hath beene intreated of Vers. 30. A sound heart is the life of the flesh but ennie is the rotting of the bones A Sound heart that is a tender kind and compassionate hart toward them that be in afflictions with a desire to relieue and succour them for the word signifieth an healing heart such a one as wisheth well to them and studieth how it may best comfort them so free it is from euill will and despite and grudging at other mens good estate is the life of the flesh bringeth health and soundnesse to the whole man that hath it But ennie is the rotting of the bones it is painefull to the minde and hurtfull to the body and will quickly consume a man and bring him to his end as the diseases which lye in the bones and eate vp the marrowe No man liueth so chearfull a life as hee which is mercifully Doct. 1 affected His happines is not detayned from him vntill he come to heauen but he hath some fruition thereof whiles he liueth on earth neither doeth it consist alone in the ioye of his soule but is very effectuall for the health of his body And therefore Dauid declareth the felicity of such men when he pronounceth euery one blessed that wiselie considereth of the poore Psal 41 1 First it is a meanes to procure plenty or at least competent Reasons 1 store of good things for this present life together with the comfortable vse of the same Secondly in their aduersities it is commonly seene that their measure is repayed them which they haue meted to others for God doth vsually send them comforters which will declare a fellow feeling with them of their afflictions and pray for them and direct them by counsell and relieue them with helpe and speak to their harts comfortably or if men faile them yet God will not and the testimony of their owne compassion to others shall not as Iob well found and so they are assured of supportance in their tribulations and deliuerance out of them And so much is meant in the Psalme when it is sayd that vnto the righteous ariseth light in darknesse he is mercifull and full of compassion Psal 1â—2 4. and righteous Thirdly they neuer want matter of ioye and gladnesse so long as they see any of Gods seruants and people growe in grace and prosper in their outward estate and such as be in distresse relieued by others though themselues could not helpe them and whosoeuer is thus affected shall seldome be distitute of all cause of reioycing This way tendeth the promise that is made to euery of thoâ—e which vnfainedly feare the Lord in the hundreth and eight and twentith Psalme The Lord out of Zion shall blesse Psal 12â— 5. thee and thou shalt see the wealth of Ierusalem all the daies of thy life Instruction to vse this holye physicke of mercy towardes our Vse poore brethren as a preseruation to our selues to keepe vs from afflictions or if it be wholsome for our soules to comforte vs in them Jf we must needes drinke the portion thereof it is a tryed medicine that neuer missed to worke liuely in any that euer receiued it And this may incourage euery one to seeke for it because no mans condition doth disaâ—â—e him of obtaining of it who is so poore as that he should be hindred thereby from being pittifull The meanâ—st may be touched with asmuch compassion as the mightiest aswell rewarded for it and he that can doe least in deed to succour his distressed brother may somtimes preuayle most in word to comfort him But euerie c. VVhosoeuer hath an enuious heart doth liue in Doct. 2 continuall torments Euen the very body and outward man is plagued therewith as it is made the more healthfull and strong by loue
and goe barely and fare hard and would make the world beleeue that they are nothing worth at all It is a sin for men to dissemble their estate by making it eyther Doct. better or worse then they know it to be The Lord is not pleased with such as faine prosperity that he gaue them not nor with those that counterfet crosses which he inflicteth not vpon them It is not safe for any man to arrogate to himselfe that which he hath not nor to deny that portion which he hath least need and penury make the falshood of his bragging manifest and the curse of God cause his murmuring to prooue true First the one sheweth his pride and lifteth vp himselfe when Reasons 1 God would haue him to be cast downe and humbled the other his discontentment when he ought to acknowledge the liberall hand of God towards him The former deale like those creatures that raise vp their backs and bristles and feathers and seeme to be double as great as they are in deed and the latter like those that wrap vp their bodies and suffer scarce the one halfe of themselues to be seene Secondly the one endangereth his brethren by his fayr show imboldening them both to lend to him and promise for him and trafick with him to their great hurt and dammage and the other defraudeth his brethren by casting his burden for publick expences vpon them and robbeth both Prince and country of those dues which in right he oweth vnto them Thirdly the one staieth the other mens hearts and hands from shewing them mercy for reliefe of his necessity and the other dealeth cruelly with himselfe by refusing the needfull vse of those things which he holdeth in his owne hands Reproofe of them that are ashamed of their pouerty but farre Vse 1 from being humbled by it They count it a base thing to be in need and yet themselues to be no base persons though they be most needy If they iudge not their state contemptible why doe they cloke it if they acknowledge it to be meane and vile why do they take so much vpon them The complaint of the Prophet against Jsraell may iustly be charged vppon this kind of people their pride doth testifie to their face and they doe not returne to the Hosea 7. 10 Lord their God nor seeke him for all this For it is a contempt of corrections when they striue against his strokes and stubbornly resist his hand that smiteth them The particular manner we haue briefly spoken of in the ninth verse of the former chapter Onely one sort of men we may not passe by in silence but somewhat must be spoken of them and that is such as being acquainted fully with the insufficiency of their owne state are yet most greedy of getting all bargaines into their hands to the defrauding of all those that haue any dealing with them They are like to quagmites ouergrowne with greene grasse wherein is no appearance of perill before a man be plunged in them These easily fall to both the extremities here specified So long as they are borowing though they haue nothing yet they will make themselues very rich that they may be trusted but when they should make payment though they haue wherewith to discharge many of their debts yet then nothing is to be found to satisfie any man In the next place it serueth to reprehend those niggardly persons which swimming in plenty and great abundance doe yet almost statue with penury and want God offereth them meanes and oportunity of doing and inioying good that like flowing fountaines they might send forth streames vnto others and be largely refreshed with comforts themselues and they become bottomles gulfes whirle pooles which draw away and swallow vp all from others and yet themselues haue vse of nothing Jnstruction that we deale plainly concerning the state of our soules and neither grow conceited of more goodnes then is in vs nor extenuate those gifts which the Lord hath bestowed vpon vs. It was too great a bragge of the Laodiceans to say that they were rich and increased with goods and had neede of nothing when they Apoc. 3. 17 were wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked and it proceeded from too great a discouragement in the godly Eunuches to say that they were dry trees when God hath giuen Isay 56. 3. them the fruitfull sappe of grace Verse 8. The riches of a man are the ransome of his life but the poore heareth not the rebuke THe meaning of these words seemeth to be that howsoeuer there is in diuers respects very good vse of wealth riches yet many times they bring dangers to the owners thereof who are driuen to depart with them for the preseruation of their liues And though pouerty be not without sundry inconueniences yet poore men are more free from the contrutions of enuious persons then those of higher place and degree Notwithstanding it commeth not to passe alwaies necessarily that euery riche man is brought into such troubles nor that euery poore man escapeth from all rebukes and molestations but he speaketh of that which oft befalleth the one and seldome the other especially in regard of his estate Life is more precious then wealth and riches Doct. 1 Euery godly man euery prudent man euery naturall man that is not stript of all humanity and the very nature of a man will be at charges to redeeme his life with his goods That which our Sauiour speakes concerning foode and apparrell the most needfull outward things is consequently true in all other things Mat. 6. 25. being lesse necessary Is not the life more worth then meate and the bodie then raiment And it is ascribed to the Lords mercy that Lot Gen. 19. 16. and his daughters were deliuered from the destruction of Sodom though as it appeareth by due consequence all his goods did perish Iobs cause doth also make it manifest whose life the Lord so dearely tendered when he gaue Satan liberty to spoile him of all his substance First all manner of goods and possessions are for the seruice of Reasons 1 life eyther to be for the necessary vse and reliefe thereof or as ornaments and delights vnto it to make it the more comfortable Secondly the fruition of riches dependeth vpon life whereas life may well be without opulency and wealth when any man dyeth his estate vanisheth his right in all earthly things ceaseth and his substance and liuings are transferred to newe owners Thirdly Gods iustice in putting a difference betweene him that stealeth a mans goods and of him that taketh away a mans life doth euidently show that life is more excellent than wealth The one is inioyned by the Lawe to make restitution with double recompence and sometimes with threefold and sometimes with foure folde or to be made a bond man but the other is adiudged to dye for shedding of bloud vnlesse it were done at vnawares and altogether against his
their soules No path doth lead to true prosperity in earth but that which doth tend to happinesse in heauen If we walke in this way we haue the promises for vs as he saith The reward of humilitie and the feare of God is riches and glorie and life If we wander out of Prou. 22. 4. this way we haue the threatnings against vs as he telleth the wicked by the Prophet I spake and ye heard not but did euill in my sight and did chuse that thing which I would not Therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold my seruants shall eate and ye shall be Isay 65. 12. 13. hungrie behold my seruants shall drinke and ye shall be thirstie behold my seruants shall reioice and ye shall be ashamed First as the Scripture saith riches and honour come of God and Reasons 1 in his hand it is to make great and to giue strength Whence it may easily be collected both how sinners shall be dealt with and 1. Cro. 29. 10. how the Saints shall speede What tender hearted father would disinherit and begger his owne towardly children and giue away his lands and goods for the aduancement of his mortall enemies or who will thrust out a tenant that is euery way duetifull and seruiceable and let his Farme to him whome he knoweth that he will neither pay him rent nor acknowledge him for his Landlord Secondly contempt of instruction is commonly coupled eyther with some vnthrifty course of life whereby they impouerish their estate or with some lewd and vicious behauiour whereby they blemish and staine their names Whereas on the other side wisedome doth furnish them that are teacheable with all good rules of husbandry and vertue that whosoeuer will follow her direction shall surely be led to that which is best for his profit and most for his praise and commendation Confutation of them that take impiety and frowardnes to be Vse 1 a helpe to greatnes and glory they vse it as stirrop whereby they hope to mount vp to wealth and preferment they doubt not but to purchase prosperity with the sale of saluation Foolish men they are and yet how many then doe we censure for folly Is glory bequeathed by thy diuell and is hell become the place of happines that they will haue nothing to doe with God least they should liue in reproche fly from wards heauen as though the very way to it would be their vndoing Instruction to them that are in want and ignominy to examine well from whence their pouerty and disgrace ariseth and how their harts and wayes are disposed Are they godly are they religious haue they an hering eare haue they a tractable mind to be ruled by the word There is no cause why they shold be troubled with their afflictions the same is meant to them which was spoken to the Smirnians I know thy workes and tribulation and Reuel 2. 9. pouertie but thou art rich And that also wherewith Isaiah did animate the despised saints of his time Feare ye not the reproche of Isai 51. 7. 8. men neither be yee afraid of their rebukes For the moth shall eate them vp like a garment and the worme shall eate them likewooll But are their hearts empty of grace as wel as their houses of substance haue they no goodnes in their liues as they haue no goods to liue by Then it goeth hard with them and it may be truly said that they are shamefully behind hand and in miserable want What though Paul did reioice in his pouerty and the more commended some of the Churches for theirs Yea what though Iesus Christ himselfe became poore and had not such store of possessions as many other men haue yet it doth not lessen the shame of these irreligious vnthrifs whome God plagueth with beggery for their sinfulnes they by sinfulnes make thēselues to be beggers Consolation to such as for their faithfulnesse in the seruices of God or lownes in their outward estate are contemned in the world Though they seeme most abiect and forlorn creatures and be euery where discountenaunced of men of great countenance yet they shall not want honor from the Lord though they be without promotion among men They may haue free accesse at all times to the presence of the Lord the doore is neuer shut against them nor they bid to stand back or be gone And the Angels neuer thinke themselues too good to beare them company nor them too base to be garded by them Good mens tongues do praise them and bad mens harts do feare them and all mens consciences which know their waies doe iustifie them This is their state now at the worst euē while they grouel on the ground in the dust or rather be reputed as dust on the ground What then shal be their condition in time to come at the best when they shall ascend aboue the starres to the heauens when they shal be more glorious then Angels when they shal be like vnto Iesus Christ himselfe Though the Lord then doe somtime rebuke vs by his word when we are worthy to be blamed though he smite vs with his hand when our faultes deserue correction though the wicked deride vs in scorne both in respect of the word and corrections yet the honour wherewith we are graced presently and the glory wherewith we shall be crowned hereafter will superabundantly counteruaile all Vers 19. A desire when it commeth is pleasant to the soule but it is abomination to fooles to depart from euill THis sentence dependeth vpon the verse aforegoing where the promise in the later clause of that is amplified by the effect in the former of this for there it is said that he which regardeth correction shall be honoured and here it is added that when such a desirable gift is bestowed hee shall haue ioy with his honour which obtaineth it And the threatning in the former clause of that is aggrauated by the cause in the latter of this for there it is said that pouerty shame shal be to him that refuseth instruction and here it is prooued to be iust and equal that it should be so because he is whollie deuoted and giuen ouer to wickednes The coherence and agreement of one part with the other will be the more euident if that be supplied which is vnderstood in both It is abhomination to wise men to continue in euill therfore the desire accomplished will delight their soule and it is abhomination to fooles to depart from euill and therefore the punishment inflicted will torment their soules Though godly men haue manie discomforts in the performāce Doct. 1 of their dueties yet they shal be all recompenced with gladnesse when they receiue their reward The delay of their hope and desires is not so bitter and tedious as the inioying thereof will be sweet and comfortable This point hath bin already handled in the tenth chapter v. 28. vpon these words The patient abiding of the righteous shall be
hath and falleth into great want and necessity A little with good husbandry is better than a great portion Doct. with vnthriftines It is not greatly materiall how much men haue to begin with but how well and wisely they guide their affaires He that is painfull and prudent in his businesse notwithstanding his wealth be small is rising from the bottome towards the toppe and he that is remisse and carelesse in his state though his substance be great is falling from the toppe towards the bottome Tending to this purpose there are many sentences both in this booke and in other places of Scripture as where it is sayd that by wisedome an house is builded and with vnderstanding it is established And by Prou. 24. 3. 4. knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all pretious and pleasant riches By house here like as els where he meaneth men whole estate the founding and finishing and furnishing whereof being all ascribed to wisedome of which one especiall point is to be industrious as is also the establishment and supportance of it And contrary by slothfulnesse which is a great branche of folly the Eccl. 10. 18. roofe of the house goeth to decaie and by idlonesse of the hands the house droppeth through And for this cause is that exhortation giueÌ„ in the 27. Chapter Be diligent to know the state of thy flocke and Prou. 27. 23. take heede of the beards For ritches remaine not alwaies nor the crowne from generation to generation As if he should haue sayde let not thy great substaunce bring thee to neglect thine affayres least the neglect of thine affaires bring thy great substâ—nce to nothing What though thou haue large and ample possessions and dignity left to thee by thy ancestors Yet if thou be carelesse and heedlesse in thy gouernment thou art like to leaue neither welth nor honour to thy posterity First the earth and the fruits thereof were created aswell for Reasons 1 the poore as the rich and appointed for their vse to yeelde them foode who shall painfully trauaile therein Gen. 3. 19. Secondly discretion and industry make gaine of seasons and places and opportunities and many commodities which indiscretion and idlenesse either see not or marke not or get not through want of labour and paines taking Thirdly the promise of blessing is made to them that are faithfull and diligent without respect of persons and the slothfull and vnthrifty haue the curse threatned against them whatsoeuer their conditions be He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread Prou 28. 19. but he that followeth the idle shall be satisfied with pouertie Vse 1 Consolation for poore beginners that haue little or nothing to take to if they haue wills to take paines and wisedome to deale discreetly and faithfulnes to walk vprightly in their callings It is neither vnpossible nor vnlikely that beginning with one Cow at first they may attaine to many at last that one lamb may grow to a flocke of sheepe that a small tenement or cottage may be turned into a freehold or Farme When Iacob came into Padan Aram he brought onely his staffe in his hand but when hee departed thence he droue away sundry flockes and diuers sorts of cattell For God had ordained the fields aswell to maintain Iacob though he was but a stranger there and in place of a seruant as it did Laban who was an inhabitant in the country and had hired him onely for his owne turne And albeit that many diligent men find not the earth and their labors to yeeld them such plenty as therby to become opulent haue much aforehaÌ„d yet how many of them faile of sufficiency as not annually from time to time to be prouided for And then if they be not destitute of apparell if they be not depriued of competent meate and drinke if they want not those things that are needfull for them this Scripture is truly verified to the comfort of all that apply themselues to any good trauells that much foode is by tillage for the poore Confutation of them that when their state is shrunke their wealth coÌ„sumed are as vnrighteous in misplating their coÌ„plaints as the very vnthrifty in mispending their portions Some parâ—e of the blame must lie vpon the greatnes of their charge some vpon the negligence of their seruants some vpon the smalnesse of their liuings some vpon the vnfaithfulnes of them whom they trusted and gaue word for some vpon the hardnesse of the season vnseasonablenes of the weather but nothing vpon their owne euill husbandry and sinfulnes But why did they entertaine such false seruants and trust such vnfaithfull friends why would they for ostentation burden themselues with more in family then were needful As for the other causes haue not some of their neighbors as many children and as little liuing as they and that in the same times and places wherein they liue And they prosper and decay not their substance is augmented and not diminished they haue ynough for their own present inioyment and surplusage to leaue to theirs after them But tillage say they which inforceth a necessity of housekeeping hath brought vs downe and therefore we lay downe tillage and giue vp housekeeping and so we hope to recouer our selues againe But sithence God doth commend tillage as profitable to euery degree and yeelding food plentifully to all why do they traduce it as a thing that were hurtfull and cause of vndoing to any Doth it not come often to passe that many by ouerthrowing of that do ouerturne their whole estate and they that pick such a quarrell at housekeeping are driuen to make sale of all and leaue themselues no house to keepe Reproofe of their folly that thinke the very hauing of lands and goods sufficient for perpetuall maintenance howeuer they order them They neuer dreame that wealth is subiect to waste when it is not well managed and that their state may fall into a consumption if it be not heedfully looked vnto Hence it is that they are so greedy to prouide liuings and riches for their childreÌ„ but no wisedome discretion how to vse them Nay they traine them vp in pride and idlenes and other foule sins as though their desire were to haue them expert and skilfull spendalls they set them betime to learne the art and trade of vnthriftines whiles themselues liue that they may swiftly run through their patrimony and inheritance when they are dead Verse 24. He that spareth his rod hateth his sonne but he that loueth him chastneth him betime HE that spareth his rod which withhouldeth due correction from his child when it is needfull hateth his sonne becommeth his enemy though not in affection yet in effect by omitting a duety so necessary for his welfare But he that loueth him vnfainedly with a â—â—â—nd affection and the loue of a godly father correcteth him betime The words in the Originall tongue are of great force for this betime which seemeth