to a second use of the point to wit for exhortation Let all therefore be exhorted to take heed of doing evil in any kind to their neighbour And besides what hath been said already let these motives be considered 1. Nature it self doth teach thus much that one ought not to doe evil to another The very heathens who had nothing but the light and law of nature to direct them had lawes against murther theft and the like Yea it is said of Alexander Severus a heathen Emperour Bucholcer in Chronol that he was so delighted with this saying Quod tibi non vis fieri alteri ne feceris That which thou wouldest not have done to thee do not thou to another that he caused it to be written on the walls of houses and to be publikely proclaimed by a cryer that all might the better take notice of it and observe it Thus as the Apostle saith the Gentiles which have not the law not written as the Jews had and we have do by nature the things contained in the law these having not the law are a law unto themselves Rom. 2.14 And is it not then a most gross and shameful thing if we having not only the dim light of nature but the clear light of Scripture either know not or regard not this duty Shall not the very heathens rise up in judgment against us and condemne us Shall not uncircumsion saith the Apostle which is by nature if it fulfil the law judge thee who by the letter and circumcision dost transgresse the law Rom. 2.27 He that knew his Masters will saith our Saviour and did it not shall be beaten with many stripes Luke 12.48 And if any have the meanes of knowledge and regard them not but are willingly ignorant 2 Pet. 3.5 their ignorance doth no whit excuse them but condemne them rather Hos 4.6 2. Innocent and harmless conversation is a thing that doth much grace religion it makes religion beautious and lovely in the eyes of aliens it procures peace and quietness to the professours of it but the contrary doth much disgrace religion it makes religion stink in the nostrils of aliens and brings trouble and persecution upon those that professe it Lego in Romanorum Hostoriis Alexandrum Severum Imp solitum dicere ideò Christianos sibi placere quòd quae sibi fieri vellent allis id ipse facerent Non dixisset fortasse si nostrâ vixisset aetate neque mores nostros sed legem laudare potuisset Maldon ad Matth. 7.12 It is recorded of Alexander Severus that though he were no Christian himself yet he was favorable to them because he saw them careful to walk innocently and to do no otherwise to any then they would be done to themselves Let us take heed of verifying that which one supposeth viz. that if that Emperour had lived in our age he would have been of another minde and might rather have commended our doctrine then our conversation Plinie also Plin. lib. 10. Epist 97. a heathen man and Governour of a Province under Trajan a heathen Emperour writing unto the Emperour concerning Christians who then were much persecuted testified of them that all that could be proved against them was this that they used at set times to meet together before day to worship Christ and to bind themselves to abstaine from theft murther and adulteries to keep their promise and the like Whereupon the Emperour was moved to abate the fury of the persecution Trajan ad Plin. ibid. The Apostle therefore requires Christians to be blamelesse and harmelesse the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom they shine as lights in the world Phil. 2.15 And speaking of servants professing Christianity he saith They must not purloyne but shew all good fidelity and why that they may adorne the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things Tit. 2. vers 10. S. Peter also exhorts Christians to have their conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas saith he they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good works which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation 1 Pet. 2.12 This was doubtless a great cause why Abraham found so much respect among the Hittites as we read he did Gen. 23.6 11. They saw him walk so unblameably and carrie himself so justly among them On the other side when the sons of Jacob had dealt perfidiously with the Shechemites and acted great cruelty upon them Jacob said to Simeon and Levi who were chief authours and actours of that tragedie You have troubled me to make me to stinke among the inhabitants of the land among the Canaanites and the Perizzites and I being few in number they shall gather themselves together against me and slay me and I shall be destroyed and my house Gen. 34.30 This had surely been the fruit and effect of their injurious dealing but that God was gracious to Jacob and reâ—â—rained the people of those parts and suffered them not to fall upon him and his familie as otherwise they would have done Gen. 35.5 So Nehemiah hearing how after the returne out of captivity some among the Jews oppressed their brethren he reprooved them saying It is not good that ye do ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathens our enemies Nehem. 5.9 As if he should say If ye carry your selves in this manner and be thus injurious one to another the heathens about us that hate us will be ready to reproach not only you but your religion and your God also 3. To refraine from doing evil unto others is a thing so pleasing unto God and the contrary is so odious in his sight that if any shall think as some do to honour God with that which they have injustly gotten from others God is so far from accepting of it that he abhorres it For I the Lord saith he love judgment and hate robbery for burnt-offering Isai 61.8 How vain and foolish then are they who if they build an hospital or bestow a little for charitable uses think it will make amends for all oppression and unjust dealing Honour the Lord with thy substance saith the wise man Prov. 3.9 It must be thine own well and honestly goâ—ten else thou must not think to honour God with it So he bids thee Cast thy bread upon the waters Eccles 11.1 Give to the poore but of that which is thine own Thus the Prophet Esay also speaking of the fast Pluchréque addidit tuum ne de rapiná facias eleemosynam Hieron in Isai 58. which God hath chosen Is it not saith he to deale thy bread to the hungry Isai 58.7 Zacheus was mindful of this and careful to observe it For having said that he would give half of his goods to the poore lest any should suspect that he having been chief among the Publicanes did but give to the poore that which he
news if they have none that is true and or if they have yet they will adde unto it and make it more then it is Fame as the Poet saith crescit eundo 〈◊〉 growes as it goes it is like a snow-ball the further it goes the bigger it growes 3. The last kinde of lying is officious lying when a man tels a lye for some good end as to helpe himselfe or others in a time of need or to prevent some danger that is likely to ensue This kinde of lying hath a faire pretence yet is it not therefore lawful For though it be for never so good an end yet it is not lawful to lie Will ye speake wickedly for God and talke deceitfully for him said Iob to his friends Iob 13.7 We must not doe evil that good may come Rom. 3.8 Good ends must be attained unto by good means and good causes must be handled in a good manner Bonum oritur ex integrâ causâ malum ex quolibet defectu If the end be evil it is enough to make the action though otherwise good to be evil but if the end be good it is not enough to make the action good if otherwise it be evil Some may object that David for his own safety told a lie to Abimelech Object when bâ—ing fled for fear of Saul and Abimelech marvelling to see him come in that manner without attendants he told him that Saul had sent about some urgent occasion in such hast that he had not time to accommodate himselfe as otherwise he should have done 1 Sam. 21. And that the Midwives lied unto Pharaoh when he being wroth with them for saving the children of the Hebrewes whom he commanded them to destroy they said that the Hebrew woman were not like those of Egypt but were more lively and were delivered before that the midwives came unto them So likewise that Rahab lied when the king of Jericho sending unto her about the spies which she had entertained and hid she said that such men indeed came to her but were departed and gone she knew not whither Ios 2. I answer Answ Suppose that all these did lie as it is certain David did and so most probable that the midwives and Rahab did also though some indeavour to excuse them yet it doth not follow that lying in such cases is lawful We must walke by precepts and not by examples we must not so follow examples as to swerve from precepts Good men and good women are but imperfectly good and therefore they are not simply and absolutely to be followed but only so farre forth as they are good Haec quando in Scripturis Sanctis legimus non ideo quia facta credimus etiam facienda credamus ne violemus praecepta dum passim sectamur exempla Aug. contra Mend. cap. 9. and that is so farre forth as they walke according to the rule which God hath prescribed to walke by Be ye followers of me saith the Apostle not absolutely without exception but as I am of Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 Only Christ is to be propounded as exemplary in all things I meane things that concerne us to practize because he did no sin 1 Pet. 2.22 As for others though otherwise never so good they are not to be set before us as absolute patternes for our imitation because the best have had and will have their failings in many things saith S. Iames we offend all Jam. 3.2 It is true Davids eating of the shewbread which Abimelech gave him is excused and justified by our Saviour because it was in a case of necessity Mat. 12.3 4. But his lying whereby he obtained that shewbread is not justified Neither can this be excused by reason of necessity for this is a thing simply and absolutely evil which to eat the shewbread was not and therefore this might not be done in any case as in some case the other might So God blessed the midwives for that they feared him more then man and would not obey the king in destroying the infants Exod. 1.17 20. Rahab also is commended for her faith in that she received the spies and sent them away in peace Heb. 11.31 Iam. 2.25 But neither is she commended neither were the other blessed for lying This was their weakness which God was pleased to pardon but we may not presume to imitate We must follow not that which is evill but that which is good 3 Joh. 11. If because of those or other the like examples we should make bold to lye as they did that which was but a sin of infirmity in them would be a sin of presumption in us and so we should not be so capable of mercy as they were whom we think to imitate Keep backe thy servant from presumptuous sinns saith David unto God let them not have dominion over me Then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression Psal 19.13 Thus then all lying even the best kinde of lying is evil and unlawful Object Some perhaps will be ready to say This is a hard saying Why what would you have us to doe when we are in distresse or danger Should we suffer our selves to be over whelmed with it Should wee not free our selves from it if we may Answ I answer Yes if it may be by such meanes as God approoveth but it is a miserable shift with the fish to leape out of the frying pan into the fire so to escape a temporal danger of the body as to incurre the eternal danger both of soule and body They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy Jon. 2.8 Quest But may some say suppose we have to doe with such as are cunning and crafty merchants egregious and notable deceivers may we not use what cunning and craft we can to match them and to make our part good with them Answ I answer Those proverbs Cretizandum cum Cretensi we must play the Cretians with a Cretiâ—n that is lie with a liar and Fallere fallentem non est fraus To deceive a deceiver is no deceit these proverbs I say are none of those which the Spirit of God teacheth but they have proceeded from that lying spirit the divel Some may think it a high point of wisdome to circumvent those that would circumvent them yet S. Iames bids Lie not against the truth And immediately he adds This wisdome descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual and devilish Jam. 3.14 15. Our Saviour also bids Be wise as serpents but so withal he adds and innocent as doves Matth. 10.16 So the Apostle I would have you wise saith he unto that which is good and simple concerning evil R m 16.19 And he bids Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good Rom. 12.21 But some there are who are ashamed to plead for lying under the name of lying yet under some other name they will plead for it as under the name of an excuse or of equivocation and mental reservation Some
generation And Moses a little before his death put the people in minde of this Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way when ye were come forth out of Egypt How he met thee by the way and smote the hindmost of thee even all that were feeble behinde thee when thou wast faint and weary and he feared not God Therefore shall it be when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possesse it that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven thou shalt not forget it Deut. 25.17 18 19. And though God did long even 400. years deferre to execute vengeance upon the Amalekites yet he did not forget the injury which they did unto his people but when Saul was king he sent Samuel unto him charging him to goe and utterly destroy them for it I remember said he that which Amalek did to Israel though Amalek it is likely had forgotten it yet the Lord did remember it how he laid wait for him in the way when he came up from Egypt Now go and smite Amalek and utterly destroy all that they have and spare them not but slay both man and woman infant and suckling oxe and sheep camel and asse 1 Sam. 15.2 3. And because Saul did not so fully execute this judgment as he should have done but spared Agag the king of the Amalekites and the best of the cattel therefore God would not spare him but cast him off and transferred the kingdom to another 6. If any do evil to those that have done no evil to them this also is an aggravation of the evil and makes the sin the greater Indeed though other have done evil to us yet we ought not therefore to doe evil unto them Say not I will do so to him he hath done to me I will render to the man according to his deeds Pro. 24.29 Recompense no man evil for evil Dearly beloved avenge not your selves but rather give place to wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink For in so doing thou shalt heap coales of fire on his head Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good Rom. 12.17 19 20 21. Our Saviour would not do evil for evil When he was reviled he reviled not again and when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously 1 Pet. 2.23 So that man after Gods own heart David though Saul did hunt his soul to take it yet he would not avenge himself on him when he had opportunity but said The Lord judge between me and thee and the Lord avenge me on thee but mine hand shall not be upon thee As saith the proverbe of the ancients Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked but mine hand shall not be upon thee 1 Sam. 24.12 13. But a far greater sin it is if we do them evil who have done us none They devise deceitfull matters saith David against them that are quiet in the land such as neither meddle nor make with them as we say Psal 35.20 Wo unto thee that spoilest and thou wast not spoiled and dealest treacherously and they dealt not treacherously with thee Isai 33.1 7. Much worse yet it is if any do evil to those who have done good to them Thus Jonathan pleaded with his father Saul in the behalfe of David when he perceived that Saul intended evil against him Let not the king said he sin against his servant against David Because he hath not sinned against thee and not only so but and because his works have been to theeward very good For he did put his life in his hand and slew the Philistine and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel thou sawest it and didst rejoyce wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood to slay David without a cause 1 Sam. 19. vers 4 5. This David complaines sore of They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul Psal 35. vers 12. This made Jeremie cry out Shall evil be recompensed for good for they have digged a pit for my soul remember that I stood before thee to speake good for them and to turne away thy wrath from them Jer. 18.20 Thus Christ did aggravate the sin of Judas saying He that eateth bread with me he whom I have so respected so honoured as to make him sit with me at mine own table hath lift up his heele against me Plato called Aristotle a colt which having sucked the damme lifts up the heele and kicks her Aelian histor l. 4. c. 9. John 13.18 8. It is an aggravation of evil when it is done to those that are least able to beare it Thou shalt neither vex a stranger nor oppresse him Exod. 22.21 And vers 22. Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child It is a sin to afflict vex and oppresse any but such especially So Deut. 24.14 Thou shalt not oppresse an hired servant that is poore and needy The Prophet Ezekiel complaining of the people of the Jews The people of the land saith he have used oppression and exercised robbery and have vexed the poore and needy yea they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully Ezek. 22.29 SERM. XII SERM. 12 Psal 15.3 Nor doth evil to his neighbour I Have shewed how the evil that any do to others is agravated 1. In respect of the persons by whom it is done 2. In respect of the persons to whom it is done Now to proceed the evil that is done is also aggravated 3. in respect of the time when it is done None ought to doe evil to others at any time yet it is worse if they do it at some time then if they do it an another When Gehazi had run after Naaman and by forging a lie had gotten gifts of him Elisha aggravated his sin in respect of the time when it was committed Is it a time said he to receive money and to receive garments and olive-yards and vineyards and sheep and oxen and men-servants and maid-servants 2 King 5.26 Surely there was no time for Gehazi or any other to receive gifts in that manner as he did but least of all was it to be done at that time when he did it For now Naaman of a heathenish idolater was newly become a proselyte he was newly converted to the Jewish religion professing that thenceforth he would offer neither burnt-offering nor sacrifice unto other gods but unto the Lord 2 King 5.17 For Gehazi therefore now at this time to defraud and cheat Namaan as he did might have been enough both to alienate Naaman from his newly embraced religion and also to make it odious unto others whom otherwise Naaman and the cure wrought upon him might have been a meanes to convert unto it Thus also the Prophet Esay taxeth some not only
judge not the fatherless neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them Therefore saith the Lord the Lord of hosts the mighty One of Israel Ah I will ease me of mine adversaries I will avenge me on mine enemies Isai 1.21 22 23 24. In this respect especially God by the same Prophet complained of his vineyard that when he looked it should bring forth grapes it brought forth wilde grapes For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel and the men of Judah his pleasant plant and he looked for judgment In the Hebrew there is a most elegant paranomasie or allusion of words He looked for Mishpat judgment and behold Mishpach oppression for Ttsedakah righteousness and behold Tsaakah a cry but behold oppression for righteousness but behold a cry Isai 5.7 It doth principally concerne Judges and Magistrates to beware of this sin perverting of judgment and to that end to beware of bribery they especially are called upon in Scripture to refraine from it and are reproved if they be guilty of it The heathens also used to effigiate and pourtray Judges without hands to shew how far they should be from taking bribes Herod in Terpsich and unjust gifts And it is recorded of Cambyses the son of Cyrus who is diverse times mentioned in the Scripture that hearing of a Judge that had been corrupted with bribes he put him to death and caused his skin to be flayed off and being cut out into thongs to be fastned to the judgement-seat where he made his son to sit as Judge requiring him to consider in what seat he did sit meaning that he should take warning by the example of his father lest he also proving corrupt were punished in the like manner But this dutie of refraining from bribes and unjust rewards doth also concerne others Lawyers must take heed of looking more at the fee then at the cause so as for the fee-sake to plead in defence of any cause though never so unjust Thou shalt not speake in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgement Exod. 23.2 So all are to beware of solliciting and indeavouring any way to further an evill cause though they may have never so much reward for it Shouldest thou helpe the ungodly As a Prophet said to Jehoshaphat when he had assisted Ahab in an unwarrantable enterprize 2 Chron. 19.2 Such as are called to beare witness in any matter must take heed of being bribed and corrupted with gifts to give in false evidence Put not thy hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness Exod. 23.1 All these Judges Lawyers Sollicitours Witnesses whoever they be that any way pervert judgment they are such as the Prophet Amos complaines of They turne judgment into wormwood and into gall and the fruit of righteousness into hemlocke Amos 5.7 and 6.12 That which otherwise in it selfe is most sweet and wholsome they so corrupt as to make it most bitter and deadly Now to keepe off from this sin of bribery consider 1. God whom we ought to imitate is set forth as most pure and holy in this respect Motives to take heed of and refraine from bribery The Lord your God is a God of gods and Lord of lords a great God a mighty and a terrible which regardeth not persons nor taketh rewards Deut. 10.17 Take heed what ye do said Jehoshaphat to the Judges for you judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the judgement Wherefore now let the feare of the Lord be upon you take heed and do it for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God nor respect of persons nor taking of gifts 2 Chron. 19. vers 6 7. 2. Bribery is a bait which such as are none of the worst are apt to be taken with and therefore it is the more carefully to be avoided The gift blindeth the wise and perverteth the words of the righteous Exod. 23.8 and Deut. 16.19 Bern. de Consid lib. 4. cap. 5. Bernard writes of Martin a man in great place and power but of rare and wonderfull integrity that when as he was travelling one gave him a horse which he then stood in need of a little after finding that the man had a business in agitation and so came to him for his favour in it he said unto him Thou hast deceived me Dâ—cepisti me Nesciebam tibi imminere negotium Tolle eeiuum titum ecce in stabulo est horà eâdem resignavit illi Bern. loc cir I did not know that thou wast to have any such business Take thy horse lo he is in the stable and presently he restored the horse unto him The same author also writes of another called Godfrey who being likewise in authority when one came and brought him a Sturgion he would not receive it but so as first to pay for it fearing lest there might be some fraud intended and he might be insnared ere he was aware 3. It encourageth the wicked to do wickedly when they see that with gifts and bribes they can come off well enough A gift saith Salomon is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it whithersoever it turneth it prospereth Proverb 17.8 Wicked men thinking to prevaile by gifts are the more bold to commit wickedness 4. Bribery is a thing that is destructive to families cities nations and not to particular persons only Fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery that is the houses and families of such as are given to bribery Job 15.34 In thee they have taken gifts to shed blood this was charged upon Jerusalem and alledged as one cause of her destruction Ezek. 22.12 See also Mich. cap. 3. vers 11 12. The king by judgment establisheth the land but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it Prov. 29.4 5. Though they that take bribes and rewards may thinke to escape well enough fiere which yet is more then they are sure of as examples both ancient and moderne do shew yet however they cannot escape hereafter When God shall bring them to judgment as he will all then shall that be fulfilled Their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath Ezek. 7.19 and Zeph. 1.18 God is a jealous God Exod. 20.5 and therefore as Salomon speakes of a jealous man he will not spare in the day of vengeance He will not regard any ransome neither will he rest content Veniet veniet dies judicii ubi plus valebunt pura corda quà m astuta verba conscientia bona quà m marsupia plena quando quidem Judex ille nec falletur verbis nec flectetur donis Bern. Epist 1. though thou givest many gifts Proverb 6.34 35. The day of judgment saith Bernard will come it will come and then pure hearts will prevaile more then subtle words and a good conscience more then full baggs for that Judge will neither be deceived with words nor perverted with gifts SERM.
Heb. 9.27 Now what comfort and courage can we have to die if we have no well-grounded hope of a better Life when this is ended One said of the Lacedemonâ—ans that it was no marvel if they were so little afraid of death because their life was so miserable but experience shews that even such as live miserably would yet live still and are unwilling to die because they have small hope to exchange this life for a better The wicked indeed sometimes have little dread of death they even rush upon it but furor est non fortitudo it is madness not valour they are blinde and cannot see afar off 2 Pet. 1.9 Their blindeness is the cause of their boldness for if they did but see the condition they are in they could not chuse but quake and tremble to think of death When a wicked man dieth his expectation shall perish O animula vagula blandula quae nunc abibis in loca and the hope of unjust men perisheth Prov. 11.7 What hope hath the hypocrite though he have gained when God shall take away his soul Job 27.8 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness but the righteous hath hope in his death Prov. 14.32 Indeed only the Righteous are they that can have true hope in their death and therefore only they can be truly undanted at the approach of death We know saith the Apostle that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God a house not made with hands eternall in the heavens And thereupon he addes Therefore are we alwayes confident knowing that whilest we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith and not by sight We are confident I say willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5.1 6 7 8. Desiring to be dissolved to be with Christ which is farre better Phil. 1.23 3. Judgment will come After death comes judgment Heb. 9.27 A particular judgment in respect of the soule immediately after death Eccles 12.7 Luke 16.22 23. And at length a generall judgment in respect both of soule and bodie Act. 17.31 Now how shall we be able to stand in judgment if we doe not now whiles we are here thinke of it and prepare for it by working out our salvation and by giving diligence to make our calling and our election sure Wherefore beloved seeing that you looke for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless 2 Pet. 3.14 But be admonished to thinke of this betimes and not to procrastinate and put it off as we are over-apt to doe untill sickness or old-age come as if it were soone enough to thinke of another life when we are redie to leave this 1. This is very preposterous to provide for earth before heaven for things temporal before things eternal Our Saviour bids First seeke ye the kingdome of God and his righteousness Matth. 6.33 The chiefest things should have the chiefest of our thoughts cares and indeavours 2. This is very dangerous for if sickness and old-age make us unmeet to looke after the things of his life so they will also make us unmeet to looke after the things of the life to come Experience shewes this even in the godly themselves many times that by reason of the sympathie which is betwixt the soule and the body the distempers of the body cause a distemper in the soule also so that they can scarce think of any thing but onely how they may be eased of that paine which they are in This is the reason why Salomon bids Remember now thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth while saith he the evill dayes come not nor the yeares draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them Eccles 12.1 The time of old age and of sickness is a time of spending rather then of getting and therefore as Joseph in the yeares of plentie provided for the yeares of famine so should we in time of youth and health provide for the time of old age and sickness But besides this life is fraile and uncertaine we may be cut off before either sickness or old age come For what is our life it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little while and vanisheth away Jam. 4.14 Therefore as the Wise man doth admonish Beast not thy selfe of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Prov. 27.1 To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts Psal 95.7 8. 4. How good and gracious the Lord is in vouchsafing yet to afford time and meanes of salvation Receive not the grace of God in vain 2 Cor. 6.1 Yet a little while is the light with you walke whiles you have the light lest darkness come upon you he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth Joh 12.35 If we regard not the means when God affords them we provoke him to deprive us of them The Kingdome of God said our Saviour to the Jewes shall be taken from you and given to a nation that will bring forth the fruits of it Mat. 21.43 And 2. we aggravate and increase our condemnation This is the condemnation of the world that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather then light John 3.19 If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloak for their sin Joh. 15.22 See Matth. 11.20 21 22 23 24. 3. And lastly here is comfort and encouragement for Use 3 all such as set themselves seriously to learne and practize those things whereby they may attaine unto salvation Though Mical mocke and Rabshakeh raile and Saul hate and persecute yet let not such be dismayed let them not be beaten off nor drawne away but let them persist and hold on their course it is for salvation that they labour it is for salvation that they suffer and surely salvation will make amends for all their labour and for all their suffering Hearken unto me saith the Lord ye that know righteousness the people in whose heart is my law feare ye not the reproach of men neither be ye afraid of their revilings For the moth shall eate them up like a garment and the worme shall eate them like wooll but my righteousness shall be for ever and my salvation from generation to generation Ia. 51.7 8. And vers 12 13. I even I am he that comforteth you who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die and of the son of man that shall be made as grasse And forgettest the Lord thy maker c. The Apostle did comfort and encourage both himselfe and others with this consideration having spoken before of his and their sufferings For which cause saith he we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day For our light
and plot how to destroy the other Dan. 11.27 Take ye heed every one of his neighbour and trust ye not in any brother for every brother will utterly supplant and every neighbour will walke with slanders Jer 4.9 The words of his mouth were smoother then butter but warr was in his heart his words were softer then oil yet were they drawne swords Psal 55.21 A notable examplâ— of treacherous lying we have Luk 20.20 c. Some came unto Christ saying Master we know that thou savest and teachest rightly neither â—cceptest thoâ— the person of any but teachest the way of God truly Is it lawfuâ— for us to give tribute unto Cesar or not Thus they seemed to have a very honourable estimation of Christ and a great desire to be resolved by him when as indeed they were spies and sought to take hold on his words that thâ—y might deliver him to the power and authority of the governour Christ knew the treachery and fals-heartedness of men for he knew what was in man John 2.25 And therefore when he sent his Apostles abroad to preach he said unto them Behold I send you forth as sheep among wolves be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves R. Sal. in Gen. 37.4 But beware of men c. Mar. 10.16 17. A Jewish Rabbin commenting upon that place of Scripture where it is said of Josephs brethren that they hated him and could not speak peaceably unto him saith that this is recorded to their praise that when they hated Joseph they did not flatter and dissemble making a shew of love with their mouths when hatred was in their hearts The glosse is more acute then solid but yet this is true it is not so bad to professe hatred where it is as to professe love where it is not A man may much more easily beware of a professed enemy then he can of a false friend even as if a dog bark and look grimme before he bite one hath faire warning to look to himselfe but if he creepe and fawne upon you and then flie in your face you cannot so well avoid the danger It was not an enemy that reproached me then I could have borne it neither was it he that openly hated â—e that did magnifie himselfe against me But it was â—hou a man mine equal my guide and mine acquanitance We took sweet counsel together and walked into the house of God in company Psal 55.12 13 14. This perfidiousness of men David also complaines of Psal 5.9 There is no faithfulness in their mouth their inward part is very wickedness their throat is an open sepulchre they flatter with their tongue And upon this occasion he cryes out Help Lord for the godly man ceaseth for the faithful faile from among the children of men They speake vanity every one with his neighbour with flattering lips and with a double heart doe they speak Psal 12.1 2. But as he adds v. 3. The Lord shall cut off all flatterings lips and the tongue c. And Psal 120. having said vers 2. Deliver my soule O Lord from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue he addes vers 3.4 What shall be given unto thee and what shall be done unto thee thou false tongue Sharpe arrowes of the mighty with coales of juniper that is piercing plagues heâ—e and hell-fire hereafter as the Chaldee Paraphrast and R. Salomon expound it Burning lips saith Salomon that is lips that seeme to be inflamed iwith love and good affection towards one and a wicked heart are like a potsheard covered with silver drosse He that hateth dissembleth with his lips â—â—d layeth up deceit within him When he speaketh faire beleeve him not for there are seven abominations in his heart And having thus shewed the vileness of the sin he goes on to shew the greatness of the punishment saying Whose hatred is covered by deceit his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein and he that rolleth a stone it will returne upon him Prov. 26.23 27. But as of all lyars pernitious liars are the worst and of all pernitious liars fawning and flattering liars are the most pernitious so of all fawning and flattering liars false and lying prophets are the most dangerous Such prophets as cry peace and there is no peace Ezek. 13.10 Such as lull people asleepe in their sinnes and sow pillowes to their arme-holes Ezek. 13.18 People love to have it so but what will they doe in the end thereof Jer. 5.31 When God shall bring his judgments upon them for their sinnes then they will see how pernitious and destructive such prophets have been unto them Jeremie notes this as the grand cause of all the miserie that came upon the Jewish people Thy prophets saith he have seen vaine and foolish things for thee and have not discovered thine iniquity to turne away thy â—â—ptivity but have seen for thee false burthens and causes of banishment Lam. 2.14 See Zach. 13.3 SERM. VII SERM. 7 Psal 15.2 That speaketh the truth in his heart I Have spoken of one kinde of lying tâ— wit pernitious lying and of many kindes of that lying 2. The next kinde of lying is sportful lying when a man by lying intends no michiefe or hurt to any but only seekes to make himself and others merry Some referre to his head Iosephs dealing with Benjamin Gen. 43. when he caused the cup to be put into his sacke pretending as if Benjamin had stolne it But Ioseph did not this for sport but with a serious intent to try his brethren how they stood affected towards Benjamin and what care they had of their father who he knew loved Benjamin most dearly to see if they did not therefore envy and hate Benjamin as for the same cause they had envied and hated Ioseph himselfe So that if that carriage of Ioseph towards Benjamin were lying which I see no necessity to affirme it was rather officious then sportful lying However this kinde of lying in sport is such as cannot be defended For if for every idle word that men shall speake they must give an account in the day of judgment Mat. 12.36 then surely much more for every false and lying word And if foolish talking and jesting be condemned Ephes 5.4 then surely much more lying talking and such jesting as hath lying mixed with it Now of such liars there are especially two sorts 1. The storie-telling liar one that for sport-sake doth tell false and fabulous stories Who are most commonly faulty in this kinde the very terme doth shew which is usually given to such stories for they are called old wives tales or old wives fables 1 Tim. 4.7 Travellers also are commonly noted for this kinde of lying they having been in remote countries will tell strange stories mixing truth and falshood together 2. The news-telling liar one that is of the Athenian humour delighting to tell or heare some new thing Act. 17.21 Such will usually coyne
will say They hope they may make an excuse for themselves or others if need be But if they know the excuse to be false it is a lie and they may not make it if they doe neither they nor their excuse can be excused If thy cause be good doe not make it bad by maintaining it ill if it be bad doe not make it worse by maintaining it at all and especially by lying But the Jesuites are most grosse this way who have set forth bookes in defence of that which is indeed lying though they will not have it called or accounted so but equivocation and mental reservation Suppose a Romish Priest be examined by a Magistrate whether he be a Priest or no they teach and maintaine that he may lawfully say yea and sweare too that he is no Priest meaning of Jupiter or Apollo or the like or no such Priest as the Magistrate desires or not so as to tell him But by this device Peter might well and truely have denied Christ saying and swearing that he knew him not to wit to be such an one as they tooke him to be or to tell them and the like Neither is there any truth so plaine and manifest but a man by this reason may denie it without lying But such fig-leaves are not sufficient to cover the shame of such lying The patrons and defenders of it little heed that of the Apostle Wee have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4 2. Use 2 2. Therefore let us have a care when we doe speake to speake the truth and to eschew lying To this end let us consider 1. That our profession doth require this of us For we professe that we beleeve in God and in Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost and that we embrace the Gospel Now God is the God of truth Isai 65.16 He is one that cannot lie Tit. 1.2 And Christ is the truth John 14.6 He is the Amen the faithful and true witness Revel 3.14 There was no guile in his mouth 1 Pet. 2 22 The Holy Ghost also is the spirit of truth John 15.26 and 16.13 And the Gospel is the word of truth Jam. 1.18 and the way of truth 2 Pet. 2.2 2. Lying perverts and overthrowes the nature of speech For speech is ordained for that end that we may make known our mindes one to another if therefore we use lying if we speake one thing and thinke another we abuse that faculty of speech which God hath given us and make it serve to a quite contrary end then that for which God hath ordained it Let not any say or thinke so proudly and presumptuously as David shewes some do saying With our tongues will we prevaile our lips are our owne who is Lord over us Psaâ— 12.4 No God is Lord over us our lips are not our owne he hath made them and not we our selves and therefore we must use them not as we our selves thinke meet but as he doth require of us 3. Lying destroyes all society among men Man as the Philosopher observeth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sociable creature now speech is a means whereby men have society one with another When the language of men was confounded so that one could not tell what another spake then presently their combination was dissolved Gen. 11. they were forced to desist from their enterprize and to give it over When one asked bricke R. Sal. on Gen. 11. saith a Rabin another brought clay and then they fell together by the eares and one dashed out the others braines This is more then the Scripture records but so much it shewes that their confederacie and aspiration was soon broken when once by reason of the confusion of tongues they could not make known their mindes one to another Augustine saith truely Diversity of tongues doth alienate and estrange one man from another so that a man had rather be with his dog then with one of a strange and unknown language Diversitas linguarum hominem aliâ—nat ab homine adeò ut libâ—ntiùs homo sit cum cane suo quà m cum homine alieno Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 16. cap. 7. But surely a lying tongue is a far worse enemy to society then an unknown tongue and much better it is for a man to have no society at all then with such as he cannot beleeve what they say or if he doe he shall be deceived by them Concerning such we may well take up the words of Jacob O my soule come not thou into their secret unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united Gen. 49.6 I have not sate with vaine persons saith David neither will I goe in with dissemblers Psal 26.4 Deliver my soule O Lord saith he from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue Psal 120.2 And presently after he cryes out Woe is me that I sojourne in Meshec that I dwell in the tents of Kedar vers 5. O that I had in the wilderness saith Jeremie a lodging place of wayfaring men that I might leave my people and go from them why so for they be all adulterers an assembly of treacherous men And they bend their tongues like their bowe for lies c. Take ye heed every one of his neighbour and trust ye not in any brother for every brother will utterly supplant and every neighbour will walk with slander And they will deceive every one his neighbour and will not speake the truth they have taught their tongues to speake lies and weary themselves to commit iniquity Jer. 9.2 5. Better it were to live in the wilderness then with such as these better to be alone then to have such society 4. The fruit of truth is permanent and lasthing but the fruit of lying is transient and fading The lip of truth shall be established for ever but a lying tongue is but for a moment Prov. 12.19 Though a man may gaine by lying for a while yet usually it comes to passe that ere long a liar is discovered his dissembling and false dealing is made manifest and then he is hissed and hated exploded and abhorred of all none will have any thing to doe with him more then needes must Decipies alios verbis vultuque benigno Nam mihi jam notus dissimulator eris Mart. every one will be ready to say I know him too well to trust him Indeed this is the benefit that liars get when they are once known to be liars none will believe them though they speake the truth Let us not therefore give heed to those profane proverbs He knowes not how to live that knowes not how to dissemble Qui nescit dissimulare nescit vivere And Plain dealing is a jewell but he may die a beggar that doth use it Let us heare and minde what the Spirit of God doth
backbiter as I have noted before will dissemble his hatred and pretend love towards him of whom he speaketh so that his words are the more apt to be beleeved they goe down into the innermost parts of the belly Proverb 18.8 and 26.22 Againe 2. a backbiter is worse then a thiefe For 1. A thiefe only takes away a mans goods but a backbiter takes away a mans good name which is of more value A good name is rather to be chosen then great riches Prov. 22.1 A good name is better then pretious ointment Eccles 7.1 A. backbiter also takes away a mans friend the losse of whom may be worse unto him then the losse of goods For as the saying is A friend in the court is better then a penny in the purse Sometimes a backbiter deprives a man of his goods also as Ziba by backbiting Mephibosheth caused David to alienate all his lands from him 2 Sam. 16. Yea a backbirer somtimes deprives a man of his life so Doeg by his backbiting tongue made Saul put Abimelech to death and not only him but many others also 1 Sam. 22. 2. A thiefe may restore what he hath taken but a mans good name being once taken from him cannot so easily be restored unto him Though the backbiter should never so much acknowledge Calumniare fortiter aliquid adhaerebit the wrong that he hath done yet all that have heard of his defamation will not perhaps hear of his recantation or if they doe it it may be they will not so easi beleeve this as the other SERM. IX SERM. 9 Psal 15.3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue I Havâ— sufficiently shewed the haynousness of the sin of backbiting which should make us take heede and keepe our selves free from the guilt of it Now to this end that we may beware of backbiting we must beware of those things which are the causes and occasions of it As 1. Malice Ill will we say never speakes well Because people hate one another therefore they are so ready to backbite one another The devil being Satan full of hatred and malice is also therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a slanderer a backbiter and false accuser So also it is with men prating against us with malitious words saith S. John of Diotrephes 3 John 10. his malice was the cause of his evil speaking Therefore as concerâ—â—ng malitiousness be ye children 1 Cor. 14.20 Lay aside all malice that so ye may lay aside all evill speakings 1 Pet. 2.1 2. Envie Envies and evill speakings are joyned together 1 Pet. 2.1 the one followes upon the other Envie usually is a cause of detraction and evill speaking Aaron and Miriam envied Moses and therefore they spake against him Num. 12.1 2. Therefore put away envie if ye would be free from backbiting If another thrive and prosper or excell in any gift doe not envie him for it Consider that in the parable Is it not lawful for me to doe what I will with mine own Is thine ye evill because mine is good Matth. 20.15 Imitate Moses who when some prophecied in the campe and Joshua his servant thinking that it would obscure his glory said My Lord Moses forbid them he answered Enviest thou for my sake would God that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them Num. 11.28 29. 3. Pride and vainegloriousness Because men thinke highly of themselves and would be eminent above others therefore they backbite others detract from them and speake evill of them The proud vaine-glorious Pharisee vaunting and boasting of himâ—elf spake disdainfully of others and namely of the Publican I am not said he as other men are Extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican I fast twice in the week I give tithes of all that I possesse Luke 18.11 12. So Diotrephes because he loved to have the preeminence thereâ—ore with malitious words he would prate against others though they were much better then himself 3 John 9.10 Let us not therefore be desirous of vaine glory Gal. 5.26 Let nothing be done through strife or vaine glory but in lowliness of minde let each one esteeme another better then himself Looke not every man on his owne things but every man also on the things of others Phil. 2.3 4. Let us consider that if we excel others one way yet they may excel us another way And if we be better then others yet let us consider we have been as bad as they In this reâ—pect the Apostle bids speake evil of no man be no brawlers so no backbiters but gentle shewing all meekness unto all men For we our selves were somtimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3.2 3. Whatsoever good we have in us we have it not from our selves but from God and therefore we ought not to be proud of it and to despise others For who maketh thee to differ and what hast thou that thou hast not received and if thou didst receive it why boastest thou as if thou hadst not received it 1 Cor. 4.7 4. Covetousness This made Ziba backbite and slander his master Mephibosheth accusing him to David as if he had conspired against him and sought to get the kingdome from him he greedily gaped after Mephibosheths lands and possessions this was the cause of his backbiting Behold saith David unto him thine are all that partained to Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 16.4 This was it that Ziba looked for and which made him play the backbiter so as he did The Hebrew word for a tale-bearer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rachil comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rochel a word that signifies a pedling merchant one that goes about with wares to sell He buyes of one and sels to another saith Aben Ezra and so a tale bearer heares of one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aben Ezra ad Levit. 19.16 and reveales to another But this is to be added that as the Pedler doth it for gaine so usually doth the tale-bearer he makes a gaine of going about with tales even as the Pedler doth of going about with wares The Chaldee phrase for to backbite is word for word to eate accusations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though I know some give another reason of the phrase For as R. Salomon conceives they to whom tales were brought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 R Sal. ad Levit. 19.16 used to feed those that brought them So experience shewes that this sets some on worke to carrie tales they looke to have a Fee for their labour But all such gain as is gotten by this meanes is dishonest gain and therefore refraine from it and have nothing to doe with it Take heede and beware of covetousness Luke 12 15. Pray with David Incline mine heart O Lord unto thy testimonies and not unto covetousness Psal 119.36 5. Curiosity and busie medling in other mens matters The word that is used in the text for to backbite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ragal
did almost perswade him to be a Christian I would to God â—said Paul unto him that not only thou but also all that heare me this day were both almost and altogether such as I am except these bonds Act. 26.29 As he was partaker of the benefit of Christ so he wished that all others were like unto him but not as he was a prisoner and in bonds he wished all others the good which he enjoyed but not the evil which he suffered so far was he from doing evil to his neighbour 2. This is a thing which God expressely requireth of his people Oppresse not the widdow nor the fatherless the stranger nor the poore and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in his heart Zach. 7.10 Be harmeless as doves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 10.16 That ye may be blameless and harmeless Phil. 2.15 The word used in the two last places which is translated harmeless imports as much as without hornes it is a metaphor borrowed from horned beasts which push and hurt with their hornes To such are they compared who are injurious and harmeful unto others Many buls have compassed me saith David strong buls of Bashan have beset me round Psal 22.12 I lift up mine eyes saith Zacharie and saw and behold foure hornes And I said unto the Angel that talked with me What be these And he answered me These be the hornes which have scattered Judah Israel and Ierusalem Zach 1.18 19. The people of God therefore must be without hornes they must be harmless 3. It is required of all that they love their neighbour Owe nothing to any man but to love one another Rom. 13.8 Now they that indeed love their neighbour will be careful to doe him no harme Love worketh no ill to his neighbour Rom. 13.10 4. All are enjoyned not only to love their neighbour but to love him as themselves Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Levit. 19.18 Matth. 19.19 That is every one must doe to his neighbour as he would that his neighbour should doe to him All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the law and the prophets Matth. 7.12 Now no man would that another should doe him harme and therefore neither should any doe harme to another 5. Such as desire salvation must imitate Christ and not the devil My sheep saith Christ follow me And I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish John 10.28 29. Now Christ was harmelesse Heb. 7. vers 26. He did no violence Isai 53.9 When some of his disciples were offended at the Samaritanes for refusing to entertaine them and thereupon asked him if they should call for fire from heaven to consume them alledging the example of Elias for it he rebuked them saying Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of For the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them Luke 9.54 55. On the other side the devil was a murtherer from the beginning John 8.44 Like a roaring lion he goes about seeking whom he may devoure 1 Pet. 5.8 He is called Abaddon that is destruction as being the author and worker of it and Apollyon that is a destroyer Rev. 9.11 Now if this be so then it speaks terrour unto many Use 1 who doe what evill they can to their neighbour they verifie the proverbe Homo homini lupus One man is a wolf to another men tearing and devouring one another But to speak more distinctly 1. Some doe evil to others in respect of their name credit and reputation slandering and defaming them of which I have partly spoken before upon the former part of the verse and also shall God willing speake more hereafter upon the last part of it 2. Some do evil to others in respect of their goods and estate and that many wayes 1. By stealing I take the word now in the more strict sense as it is commonly used for otherwise it comprehends all unjust getting that which is anothers But for stealing in the stricter sense as denoting either open robbery or secret filching what evil many do in this kind the prisons every where doe shew and much more would be done if the feare of humane laws did not prevent it Besides many are guilty in this kinde who yet do little think nor perhaps will easily be perswaded that they are so yea it may be will take it ill that any should so judge of them Such as put their cattel to feed in other mens grounds or wittingly trespasse upon them any such way such as break their neighbours fences carry away their hedges and the like What is all this else but plain stealing But whosoever doe evil to their neighbour this way viz. by stealing let them consider what the Prophet Zacharie denounceth namely this Every one that stealeth shall be cut off Zach. 5.3 And again I will bring it viz. the curse forth saith the Lord of hosts and it shall enter into the house of the thief vers 4. 2. By oppression Thus do they evil to others who unjustly and without cause or rigorously and without mercy cast them out of their houses and possessions who racke their tenants and make them pay excessiâ—ely for what they hold of them who impose upon others heavy burthens which they are not able to beare This sâ—n of oppression great ones are most guilty of who grinde the faces of the poore Isai 3.15 But the poore also may be guilty of oppression one poore man may oppresse another and that useth to be the sorest oppression A poore man saith Salomon that oppresseth the poore is like a sweeping rain that leaveth no food Prov. 28.3 But whosoever they be whether rich or poor that are guilty in this kinde let them know and consider that oppression is a sin whereby God is especially provoked This is mentioned as one of those great abominations for which the wrath of God came upon Jerusalem The people of the land have used oppression and exercised robbery and have vexed the poore and needy yea they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully Ezek. 22.29 Woe to them saith Micah that devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds when the morning is light they practise it because it is in the power of their hand And they covet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away so they oppresse a man and his house even a man and his heritage Therefore thus saith the Lord Behold against this familie do I devise an evill from which you shall not remove your necks neither shall ye go haughtily for this time is evil Mic. 2.1 2 3. So the Prophet Zephanie Wo to her that is filthy and polluted to the oppressing city Zeph. 3.1 The Prophet Esay also shewes this to be the great provoking sin for which God would lay his vineyard wast He looked saith he for judgment but behold oppression In the Hebrew
against his brother in your heart But they refused to hearken and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their ears that they should not heare Yea they made their hearts as an adamant-stone lest they should hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his Spirit by the former Prophets this was the aggravation of their sin therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts c. Zach. 7.10 11 12. 4. Such as have been convinced of the evil which they have unjustly done unto others and confessed it promising to do so no more and yet do it Thus Saul was convinced of his injurious dealing with David he did confesse it and promise that he would desist from it This we finde 1 Sam. 24.16 c. Yet when he saw his opportunity he fell to persecute David as much as ever 1 Sam. 26.1 2. And though again he confessed his fault and promised amendment saying I have sinned returne my son David for I will no more do thee harme c. 1 Sam. 26.21 yet the Scripture intimates that Saul would still have persecuted David but that David fled into another country and so got him out of Sauls reach And it was told Saul That David was fled to Gath and he sought no more for him 1 Sam. 27 4. Because he saw he had no hope to find him otherwise he would have sought him still his heart was still malitiously bent against him 2. Evil is aggravated in respect of the persons to whom it is done As 1. If it be done to parents He that smiteth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death Exod 21.15 And he that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death vers 17. 2. If evil be done to Magistrates When David had Saul at advantage and some perswaded him to lay hold on the opportunity and to free himself from ever being molested by him any more The Lord forbid said he that I should do this thing unto my Master the Lords anointed to stretch forth mine hand against him seeing he is the anointed of the Lord 1 Sam. 24.6 And again when upon the like advantage Abishai desired David to let him smite Saul David would not give way to it saying Destroy him not for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords anointed and be guiltless 1 Sam. 26.9 Curse not the king no not in thy thought saith Salomon Eccles 10.20 Curse not any but not him especially 3. It is an aggravation of the evil that is done if it be done to Ministers Doe my Prophets no harme saith God Psal 105.15 Do none harme but especially not them Moses before his death blessing the several tribes when he comes to the tribe of Levi he saith thus Blesse Lord his substance and accept the work of his hands smite thorough the loines of them that rise against him and of them that hate him that they rise not again Deut. 33.11 When king Jeroboam being offended with the Prophet that came and spake against the altar that he had set up put forth his hand to lay hold on him the Lord was so offended with him for it that immediately he made his hand to drie up so that he could not pull it in again unto him 1 King 13.4 R. Salomon upon the place observes that God shewed more zeale in revenging the injurie done to the Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 R. Sal. in 1 Reg. 13. 4. then in revenging the injury done immediately to himself For when Jeroboam burnt incense in an idolatrous manner his hand did not drie up but when he offered to doe violence to the Prophet then it dried up So when the people of the Jews mocked the messengers of God and misused his Prophets then the wrath of the Lord arose against them till there was no remedy Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees c. 2 Chron. 36.16 17. c O Jerusalem Jerusalem said our Saviour thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not Behold your house is left unto you desolate Matt. 23. verses 37 38. 4. So when evil is done to Masters Judas ought not to have betrayed any but especially not his Master What a faithful servant was Jacob unto Laban though he had a very hard Master of him Ye know said he to Labans daughters that with all my power I have served your father Gen. 31.6 And pleading with Laban himself These twenty years said he have I beene with thee thy ewes and thy shee-goates have not cast their young and the rams of thy flocke have I not eaten That which was torne of beasts I brought not unto thee I bare the losse of it of mine hand didst thou require it whether stolne by day or stolne by night Thus I was in the dâ—y the drought consumed me and the frost by night and my sleep departed from mine eyes Gen. 31.38 39 40. So the Apostle requires that servants be obedient into their Masters and please them well in all things not answering again Not purloyning but shewing all good fidelity Tit. 2.9 10. 5. The evil also that is done to others is aggravated if it be done to those that are professours of the true religion such as have special relation unto God and in a peculiar manner belong unto him Why do ye not rather take wrong why do ye not rather suffer your selves to be defrauded Nay ye do wrong and defraud and that your brethren 1 Cor. 6.7 8. Though they were Jews or Turks or whatsoever they were yet they were not to be wronged or defrauded much lesse are brethren Christians such as professe the true God and Jesus Christ to be so used How grievous then is their sin who the more any appeare to be religious and godly the more they seek to do them hurt such especially shew themselves to be of their father the devil who is the professed enemy of God Plus possidetur à diabolo qui non solum ipse malus est verum etiam gratis odit servientes Deo Aug. and of those that have any thing of God in them Cain was of the wicked one that is the devil and slew his brother and wherefore slew he him because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous 1 John 3.12 How God is provoked against such as do evil to his people may appeare by his dealing with Amalek for this very cause Because when the Israelites were travelling towards Canaan Amalek came and fought against them God commanded Moses saying Write this for a memorial in a booke and rehearse it in the eares of Joshua for I will utterly put out the name of Amalek from under heaven Exod. 17.8 14. And vers 16. The Lord hath sworne that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to
had wrongfully gotten from others immediately he added And if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation I restore him fourefold Luke 19.8 4. Though such as do evil unto others by their wit wealth power friends and the like may escape the judgment of man yet can they not escape Gods judgment For God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness Act 17.31 He will render to every man according to his deeds Rom. 2.6 Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil vers 9. Therefore as the wise man doth admonish Rob not the poore because he is poore neither oppresse the afflicted in the gate For the Lord will plead their cause and spoile the soul of those that spoiled them Prov. 22.22 23. Let no man saith the Apostle go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter because that the Lord is the avenger of all such 1 Thess 4.6 Though man either cannot or will not avenge the wrong that is done yet God both can and will do it He that doth wrong saith the same Apostle shall receive for the wrong that he hath done and there is no respect of persons Col. 3.25 With God there is not and therefore immediately after the Apostle exhorts Masters saying Give unto your servants that which is just and equal knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven Col. 4.1 Job considered this and therefore would not any way wrong his meanest servant If I did despise saith he the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant when they contended with me what then shall I do when God riseth up and when he visiteth what shall I answer him Did not he that made me in the wombe make him and did not one fashion us in the wombe Job 31.13 14 15. Thus it is as Elihu also observes God accepteth not the persons of princes nor regardeth the rich more then the poore for they are all the works of his hands Job 34.19 Job therefore again professeth that considering the power and justice of God he durst not oppresse any though in respect of men he could have escaped well enough If I have lift up mine hand saith he against the fatherless when I saw my helpe in the gate Then let mine arme fall from my shoulder-blade and mine arme be broken from the bone For destruction from God was a terrour unto me and by reason of his highness I could not endure Job 31.21 22 23. So Paul saith that because he beleeveth that there shall be a resurrection both of the just the unjust that all shall rise again and be judged according to their wayes and doings therefore he did exercise himself to have alwayes a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Act. 24.15 16. 5. Such as offend in this kinde viz. by doing evil unto others God doth usually plague even here in this world either in their own persons or in their posterity or in both Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poore because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly he shall not save of that which he desired There shall none of his meat be left therefore shall no man look for his goods In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits every hand of the wicked shall be against him When he is about to fill his belly God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him and shall rain it upon him while he is eating He shall flee from the iron weapon and the bow of steele shall strike him thorough It is drawne and cometh out of his body yea the glistering sword cometh out of his gall terrours are upon him All darkness shall be hid in his secret places a fire not blown shall consume him it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle c. Job 20.19 c. Gehazi by his unjustly gotten goods got the leprosie both to himself and to his posterity after him The leprosie of Naaman said Elisha to him shall cleave to thee and to thy seed for ever 2 King 5.27 So the king of Babylon consulted shame to his house by cutting off many people and sinned against his soul Hab. 2.10 In him the proverb was verified De malè quaesitis vix gaudet tertius hares The third heire doth scarce enjoy that which is unjustly gotten For whereas Nebucadnezzar by oppression cruelty and unjust dealing purchased a great dominion his sons son Belshazzar was deprived of all and of his life also he was slain and the kingdome was translated to the Medes and Persians Dan. 5. See Dan. 5.18 and 22. with 2 King 25.27 and Jer. 27.7 And that the judgment may be the more remarkable God doth often punish such transgressours even in the same kinde rendring unto them measure for measure and dealing with them as they did deale with others according to that of our Saviour With what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again Matth. 7.2 Thus Pharaoh and the Egyptians drowning the male-children of the Israelites in the river God first turned their waters into blood and afterward over-whelmed them in the red sea Exod. 1. and 7. and 14. By way of allusion to the former judgment is that spoken where the powring out of the vials of Gods wrath upon Babylon the Romish Babylon is prophecied And the third Angel powred out his vial upon the rivers and fountaines of waters and they became blood And I heard the Angel of the waters say Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shalt be because thou hast judged thus For they have shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast given them blood to drink for they are worthy Revel 16.4 5 6. Thus also God punished Ahab and Jezabel for the evil which they did unto Naboth First he threatned saying to Ahab by Eliah Hast thou killed and also taken possession In the place were the dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs licke thy blood even thine 1 King 21.19 And of Jezabel also spake the Lord saying The dogs shall eat Jezabel by the wall of Jezreel vers 23. And both the one and the other was fulfilled as we read 1 King 22.38 and 2 King 9.35 Memorable to this purpose is that of Adonibezek who when the Israelites had taken him and cut off his thumbes and great toes confessed saying Threescore and ten kings having their thumbes and their great toes cut off gathered their meat under my table as I have done so God hath requited me Judg. 1.6 7. Thus God will punish even his own children if they be guilty in this kinde Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord said he to David by the Prophet Nathan to do evil in his sight thou hast killed Vriah the Hittite with the sword and hast taken his wife to be thy wife and hast slain him with
it self John 2.13 14 c. So Moses in his own cause was the meekest man upon earth when Aaron and Miriam murmured against him he held his peace as if he had heard nothing Num. 12.1 2 3. But when he saw the people dishonour God by their idolatrous worshipping of the golden calf then his anger waxed hot and he cast the tables out of his hands and brake them beneath the mount And he took the calf which they had made and burned it in the fire and ground it to powder and strawed it upon the water and made the children of Israel drinke of it He made proclamation also saying Who is on the Lord's side let him come unto me and he caused about 3000. of the transgressors to be slain Exod. 32. vers 19 20 26 27 28. But in contemning the wicked divers cautions are to be observed 1. We must take heed of being rash and hasty to judge others wicked Cautions to be observed in contemning the wicked Eli was over-forward to censure Hannah for being drunke when she was troubled in spirit and powred forth her heart before the Lord 1 Sam. 1. vers 13 14 15. Better it is in this case to erre on the right hand then on the left better to judge well of those that deserve ill then ill of those that deserve well Some mens sins go before unto judgment 1 Tim. 5.24 They declare their sins as Sodome they hide them not Isai 3.9 Such are to be judged wicked and vile as they are But charity thinketh no evil 1 Corinth 13. vers 5. Where it seeth none it suspecteth none 2. Though any be notoriously wicked yet they are not so to be contemned as to be accounted reprobates and cast-awayes such as of whom there is no hope Peter did not so contemne Simon Magus though he saw him to be in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity But he bade him repent of his wickedness and pray God if peradventure the thought of his heart might be forgiven him Act. 8. vers 22 23. See also 2 Tim. 2.25 26. and 2 Thess 3.10 11. 3. We must beware of contemning others out of a high conceit of our selves like those whom the Prophet Esay taxeth Which say Stand by thy self come not neare me I am holier then thou Isai 65.5 So when our Saviour saw some That trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others he propounded the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican for the purging out of that humour Luke 18.9 c. Who maketh thee to differ saith the Apostle and what hast thou that thou hast not received and if thou hast received it why boastest thou as if thou hadst not received it 1 Corinth 4. vers 7. 4. We must not so contemne the wicked as to contemne their power and authority but must shew them such respect as by their place and calling is due unto them Give unto Cesar the things that are Cesars said our Saviour though Tiberius a man eminently wicked was then Cesar or Emperour Matth. 22.21 Render to all their due saith S. Paul honour to whom honour Rom. 13.7 In Elisha's carriage towards Jehoram king of Israel 2 King 3.13 14. there was something extraordinary and not to be imitated by us we not having the same spirit which he had as Christ told his disciples in a like case Luke 9.55 So also it seemes there was in the carriage of Mordecai toward Haman Some of the Rabbins say that Haman had the image of some false god about him Abeâ— Ezra and that therefore Mordecai would not bow to him lest he might seeme to bow to the idol Others of them say that Haman did make himself a god R. Salomon and required such worship as is due unto God only So also some Christian expositours say Junius that it was more honour then did belong to a man which they gave to Haman But that is most probable that therefore Mordecai refused to bow unto Haman because he was an Amalekite of that nation with which God had especially charged his people to have war Exod. 17.14 16. Deut. 25.17 18 19. These examples therefore though they proove that the wicked are to be contemned to which purpose I alledged them before yet not so but that respect is to be shewed to Magistrates and men in authority though they be wicked So wives children and servants must not withstanding the wickedness of their husbands parents and masters shew all due respect unto them 5. We ought not so to contemne the wicked as to refuse to do them good See before Sermon 13. 6. Nor so as to refuse good from them Paul thought it not unmeet to appeale to Cesar when that did make for his safety though Nero who was then Cesar was monstrously wicked Act. 25.11 They are therefore injurious to themselves and indeed to God also who so contemne wicked Ministers as to contemne their ministery and to refuse to partake of Gods ordinances administred by them Thus the people because of the wickedness of the priests the sons of Eli abhorred the Lords offering 1 Sam. 2.17 but in this they did transgresse vers 24. Christ required the people to hear the Scribes and Pharisees notwithstanding their ungodliness and to observe all that they did say so long as they taught the law of Moses Matth. 23.2 3. 7. Neither are the wicked so to be contemned as that we should refuse to joyne with them in that which is good So far forth as the Pharisees held the truth Paul held with them and professed himself one of them Act. 23.6 And he bids Come out from among them viz. the wicked separate your selves but how and touch not the uncleane thing 2 Cor. 6.17 that is do not joyne with the wicked in that which is evil but must we therefore refraine from that which is good rather then joyne with the wicked in it Where doth the Scripture teach this lesson Now that we may be enabled to contemnne the wicked Motives to inable us to contemne the wicked 1. We must consider the odiousness of sin and get a thorough hatred of it I will set no wicked thing saith David before mine eyes I hate the work of them that turne aside it shall not cleave to me Then immediately after A froward heart shall depart from me I will not know a wicked person Whoso privily saith he slandereth his neighbour him will I cut off him that hath a high look and a proud heart will not I suffer He that worketh deceit shall not dwell in my house he that telleth lies shall not tarrie in my sight I will early destroy all the wicked of the land c. Psal 101.3 4 5 7 8. 2. We must especially beware of covetousness for that will make us to have mens persons in admiration because of advantage Jude vers 16. This made Pilate so to honour Cesar as for feare of him to condemne Christ whom he knew
37. So also that of James But above all things my brethren sweare not neither by heaven neither by the earth neither by any other oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest ye fall into condemnation James 5.12 Some expound the words of our Saviour Answ as if he did not forbid to sweare by God but only to sweare by the creatures Considera quod hic Salvator non per deum jurare prohibuerit sed per coelum terram c. Hieron ad loc as by heaven or by earth c. This exposition Hierome hath upon the place and some of our late writers of good note also do embrace it Juramenta per S. Dei nomen concepta non prohiberi sed concepta tantùm per creaturas ex eo liquet quod haudquaquam dicit Dominus Ne juretis omnino neque per Deum neque per creaturas sed meminit tantùm creaturarum c. Spanhem Part. 2. Dub. 123. sect 2. because our Saviour did not say Sweare not at all neither by God nor by the creatures but he only made mention of the creatures as not to be sworne by But I cannot conceive that this was our Saviours meaning He mentioned indeed only the creatures there being special reason for it as I may shew more hereafter but he did not therefore allow swearing by God no the reasons annexed make against this For Christ forbiddeth to sweare by the creatures because of that reference which they have unto God therefore swearing by God directly and immediately is here much more forbidden Neither will that exposition consist with those words vers 37. But let your communication be yea yea nay nay c. which words do as well forbid swearing by God as by the creatures and so also do those Jam. 5.12 Nor by any other oath Some therefore thinke all swearing whatsoever simply and absolutely forbidden So Hierome in his Commentarie upon Mat. 5. saith Et hoc quasi parvulis fuerat concessum ut quomodo victimas immolabant Deo ne cas idòlu immolarent sic jurare permitteretur in Deum non quòd rectè hoc facerent sed quod melius esset Deo id exhibere quà m daemonibus Evangelica autem veritas non recipit juramentum c. Hieron ad Mat. 5.34 that as it was permitted unto the Jews to offer sacrifices unto God that so they might not offer them unto idols so they were permitted to sweare by God not that they did well in so doing but because it was better to give that honour to God then to devils But now the Gospel he saith doth not permit any oath at all In like manner doth Theophylact expound it as hath been noted before but this interpretation also hath been before confuted it having been proved both by example and by reason that both before the coming of Christ an oath was and also since his coming is lawful The meaning therefore of our Saviour and so of his Apostle is to forbid swearing not absolutely as if in no caâ—â— it might be used but so as that it is not lawful to sweare either falsly or rashly to wit when there is no just occasion for it Christ did bend his speech against the Scribes and Pharisees who held that if they did not use some certaine formes of swearing it was no matter how they did sweare See Matth. 23.16 18. Therefore Christ shewes all formes of swearing to be unlawful to wit when there is no just cause of swearing Again the Scribes and Pharisees thought that if they did not sweare falsly all was well enough Mat. 5.33 Therefore Christ forbids as well rash as false swearing Summa huc redit aliis modis frustrà accipi Dei nomen quam perjurio Calvin ad Mat. 5. giving us to know that Gods name is taken in vain as well by the one as by the other But may some say Object Christ seemes utterly to forbid swearing when he bids Let your communication be yea yea and nay nay and saith that whatsoever is more then these cometh of evil Augustine and after him Aquinas understand the words of our Saviour thus that a man is not to sweare Answ except the infirmity of another who will not beleeve him without an oath Si jurare cogeris scias de necessitate venire eorum quibus aliquid suades quae utique infirmitas malum est Itaque non dixit Quod amplius est malum est Tu enim non malum facis qui benè uteris juratione ut alteri persuadeas quod utiliter suades sed à malo est illius cujus infirmitate jurare cogeris Aug. de Serm. Dom. in monte Aquin. 22. quaest 89. art 2. constrain him to it This infirmity of another they take to be that evil spoken of when it is said Whatsoever is more then these viz. yea yea and nay nay cometh of evil And therefore they observe that it is not said Whatsoever is more is evil but cometh of evil to wit the infirmity of him who compells a man to sweare because otherwise he will not beleeve him But this exposition I cannot embrace for surely Christ speakes of the evil of him that sweareth and not of him who is the occasion why he sweareth For this evil is alledged as the reason why swearing should be avoided but the infirmity of men in not beleeving without an oath is no reason why to avoide an oath but why to use it Calvin takes this to be the meaning that swearing doth arise from the corruption that is in men Calvin ad loc who are so false and deceitful that except they sweare it is hard to trust them But the purport of Christs words I think is not to shew whence swearing doth proceed but so as withal to shew what the nature of it is to wit evil not simply and in all cases whatsoever but when there is no sufficient cause for it Thus therefore are the words of our Saviour to be understood Whatsoever is more then yea and nay that is whatsoever is affirmed or denied not barely but with an oath when there is no good And just occasion for it cometh of evil that is of mens corruption who take Gods name in vain by their rash and unadvised swearing SERM. XXI SERM. 21 Psal 15.4 He that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not AFter the explication of the words and the doctrine observed from them I have shewed 1. What an oath is 2. How oathes are distinguished 3. That an oath may lawfully be used What things are to be observed in swearing 4. Now I come to shew what things are requisite to be observed in swearing For what the Apostle saith of the law the same is true of an oath It is good if a man use it lawfully 1 Tim. 1.8 Now that an oath may be lawfully used Jeremie shewes what is to be observed Thou shalt sweare saith he The Lord liveth in truth in judgment
as God doth sit in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God 2 Thess 2.4 3. The Jesuites who are prime men among the Romanists assert the lawfulness of equivocation and mental reservation which doth quite destroy the force of an oath and make it of none effect But the law of God saith If a man vow a vow unto the Lord or sweare an oath to binde his soule with a bond he shall not break his word he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth Num. 30.2 Not according to what he reserveth in his minde but according to what he uttereth with his mouth so is a man bound to do According to the usual signification of words and as they are understood by him to whom one sweareth Quâ cunque arte verborum quis jurat Deus tamen qui conscientiae tâ—stis est ita hâ—c accipit sicut ille cui juratur intelligit Isidor apud Lomb. lib. 3. dist 39. without equivocation or mental reservation so ought one to sweare or else he doth sweare deceitfully which a citizen of heaven will not do Quod ita juratum est ut mens deserentis conciperet fieri oportere id servandum est Cic. de Offic. lib. 3. Psalm 24.4 Neither otherwise will an oath be as it ought to be Heb. 6.16 an end of all strife but rather a beginning or increase of it SERM. XXIII Psal 15.4 He that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not Use 2 I Come to a second Use of the point and that is to reprove many among our selves who shew themselves most false and faithless little regarding promises covenants oathes as if they were but spiders webs things of no weight of no moment Great cause there is to cry out with David Helpe Lord for the godly man ceaseth for the faithful saile from among the children of men They speak vanity every one with his neighbour with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak Psal 12.1 2. See also Jer. 9.2 3 4 5 8. It was the saying of a heathen man but disliked even by the heathen historian that doth relate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aelian hist lib. 7. cap. 12. refert a nonnullis Lysandro ab aliis Philippo Macedoni dictum istud attribui addit autem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That children are to be deceived with hucklebones and men with oathes I wish that many who professe themselves Christians did not too much approve and follow this perverse sentence I wish that some did not verifie that of Salvian They think perjurie but an ordinarie speech and no crime Perjurium sermonis genus putant esse non criminis Salvian lib. 4. Some when they promise and sweare a thing never inted to performe it but onely to delude those with whom they have to do This is direct and downright swearing deceitfully and with a double heart one in shew and another in deed Some perhaps intend at the present the performance of what they sweare or promise but afterwards either through inconstancy and lightness or because of some inconvenience that they are like to meet with they fall off and will not performe This is directly contrary to the Text for instead of swearing and not changing though it be to their hurts they will change when it may be there is no hurt to be feared but however rather then any hurt shall be felt by them Some are like Alcibiades of whom it is said Omnium horarum homo that he was a man for all times so they will accommodate themselves to the times and comply with them whatever they be Quo teneam nodo mutante in Protea vultus with Proteus they will transforme themselves into all shapes as the times change so will they whatever they have promised and sworne they are ready to change with the times If one oath come they take it if that which is inconsistent with the former be urged upon them SERM. 23 they swallow downe that also come what will come they are for it rather then they will suffer any prejudice by the refusal of it Thus oathes and covenants promises and ingagements are of no force with them longer then may consist with their profit They will take any oath any ingagement but will keepe none if once they come to stand in competition with their outward and earthly advantages Though they like not the thing which is imposed but plainly declare themselves against it yet they will do it rather then suffer any thing for not doing it They account them fooles that scruple at such things and make conscience of such matters They will trust God they say with their soules rather then men with their estates Thus they shew themselves to be of most profane spirits to be such fooles as Salomon speakes of saying Fooles make a mocke of sin Prov. 14.9 Plainly they declare that they feare man more then God and that they value their estates more then their soules They little heed that of our Saviour What is a man profited if he gaine the whole world and lose his own soule Mat. 16.26 Or that of Peter Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their soules to him in well doing as unto a faithful creatour 1 Pet. 4.19 Marke it is in well-doing not in ill-doing that we must commit the keeping of our soules to God if we do evil wittingly and wilfully we put our selves out of Gods protection we have no ground whereon to hope and trust in him Come ye children saith David hearken unto me I will teach you the feare of the Lord. What man is he that desireth life and loveth many dayes that he may see good Keepe thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile Depart from evil and do good seek peace and pursue it The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his eares are open to their cry The face of the Lord is against them that do evil to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth Psal 34.11 16. Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that also shall he reape Gal. 6.7 Some may suppose or pretend that it is for Gods glorie that they violate their oathes and breake their promises but this is a false supposal and aâ— vaine pretence if their oathes and promises were lawful it is for Gods glory that they be performed neither may we speak falsly and deal deceitfully though it may seeme to make for Gods glory Will ye speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for him said Job to his friends Job 13.7 We must not do evil that good may come Rom. 3.8 In the third and last place if it be the propertie of Use 3 a Saint and Citizen of heaven to performe his oathes and his promises though it prove to his hurt then let this teach and perswade us to take heed what we promise especially what we
gifts rewards and presents are sometimes lawful yet the word Shochad is seldome used in a good sence but usually for such a present gift reward as is unlawful to wit such as is given by way of bribery for the perverting of judgment and justice and therefore the word is sometimes rendred bribes and bribery and so the circumstances of the places where the word is used shew that either always or for the most part such a present gift and reward is understood That of Salomon A gift in secret pacifieth anger and a reward in the bosome strong wrath Prov. 21.14 where the word rendred reward is Shochad that I say may seeme to be meant of a lawful reward or gift For no doubt a gift or reward may lawfully be given to pacifie wrath So Jacob gave to Esau Gen. 32.13 20. and 33.8 And Abigail to David 1 Sam. 25 18 27 28 35. yet even that also seems rather to be understood of such a gift and reward as is unlawful Quod dicit munus in abscondito aut in sinu datum indicare videtur Proverb hoc de illis donis intelligi quibus tanquam corruptelis jus pervertitur Nam honoraria munera strenae gratulatoâ—ia amicorum luce potius omnium oculis gaudent c. Quod etiam confirmatur voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae rarissimè in bonam partem sumitur Thom. Cartw. in Prov. 21.14 See Prov. 17.23 because it is said to be given secret and in the bosome that intimates that it is given unjustly and for some corrupt end For otherwise why should it not be given openly and not in such a close and clandestine manner Truth as they say seeks no corners Indeed what is given to the poor is rather to be given in secret both for the avoyding of the appearance of vain-glory and also in respect of the modesty and shamefac'dness of those to whom we give who being not comon beggars may be ashamed either to ask or to receive openly But that place cannot be meant of such a gift for the rich doe not use to fear the wrath of the poor so as for the pacifying of it to bestow gifts upon them It may seem therefore to be meant of the just anger and indignation of Magistrates or others who according to their place and calling should endeavour to have sin and wickedness punished but being bribed and corrupted with gifts they connive at it and let it goe unpunished However the word Shochad is commonly taken for an unjust gift or reward and is certainly so taken in the sense because it is a reward against the innocent Against the innocent That is such as are guiltless and have done no wrong Not that any are absolutely innocent All the world being guilty before God Rom. 3.19 But some may be innocent in respect of that which they are charged with or punished for by men so as not to deserve such dealing at their hands Thus it is said That the wicked in secret places doth murther the innocent Psal 10.8 And that the Jewes had filled the valley of the son of Hinnon with the blood of innocents Jer. 19.4 Now whereas it is said Nor taketh reward against the innocent that is to the prejudice hurt of the innocent it is not so to be understood as if it were always lawful to take a reward for the innocent It is not lawful for a Judge or Magistrate to take a reward to that end that he may defend the innocent and doe him justice For he ought to doe it without a reward for justice sake This was the corruption of Faelix He hoped that money should have been given him of Paul that he he might loose him Act. 24.26 He ought to have done that without money Paul having done nothing worthy of bonds or imprisonment Kimchi a Jewish Rabbin understands the words of the text so as if they were to be rendred Nor taketh a reward for the innocent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kimchi ad loc the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may either signifie for as Psal 69.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for thy sake or against as Psal 83.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against thee He supposeth it cannot be meant against the innocent to pervert his righteous cause for that this was comprehended in that which went before ver 3. Nor doth evil to his neighbour But this reason is of no force for that comprehends other things here specified as back biting and reproaching v. 3. and usury v. 5. The mentioning of that which is more general hinders not but that what is more special may be mentioned also it being of special importance and concernment R. Salomon also saith that the more ancient Rabbines expound it of not taking a reward to clear the innocent in his cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rab. Sal. ad loc but he himself interprets it of taking a reward to condemn the innocent and to pervert his judgment And saith he if he will not take a reward in the behalf of the innocent for the clearing of his innocency how much less will he take a reward against the innocent for the perverting of judgment And as Calvin notes upon the place although this chiefly concern Judges and Magistrates yet it reacheth further even to private persons who may be corrupted with rewards to patronize and help forward evil causes as to betray the innocent and to deliver him up into the hands of his adversaries as Delilah dealt with Sampson Judg. 16.4 c. and Judas with Christ Matth. 26.14 15 16 47 c. or to plead against the innocent to make his cause seem naught when it is good as Tertullus the Orator did against Paul Act. 24.1 c. Or to bear false witness against the innocent as some did against Naboth 1 King 21.13 and so against our Saviour Matth. 26.60 61. It is not said indeed that either these or the other received any gifts and rewards for their false witness but it is most probable that they did and usually witnesses are corrupted by that means Neither indeed is it expressed that Tertullus was hired to plead against Paul yet there is little doubt of it he being an Orator as he is called and Orators not using to plead for nought But however such as for any of these ends or if there be any other of like nature take a reward against the innocent they are such as David in the Text shewes the person of whom he speaketh to be most unlike unto for he taketh not a reward against the innocent Hence observe That Bribery and unjust taking of rewards is to be eschewed of all that desire to inherit Gods kingdome Doct. 1. Bribery is a thing expresly forbidden Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause Keep thee far from a false matter and the innocent and the righteous slay thou not for I will not justifie the wicked And thou shalt take no
affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Whiles we looke not at the things which are seene but at the things which are not seene for the things that are seene are temporal but the things which are not seene are eternal 1 Cor. 4.16 17 18. By faith Moses when he was come to yeares refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter Chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures in Egypt for he had respect to the recompence of reward Heb. 11.24 25 26. So our Saviour himselfe for the joy that was set before him endured the Crosse despising the shame and is set downe at the right hand of God And we are required to looke unto him who is the author and finisher of our faith and so after his example to run with patience the race that is set before us Heb. 12.1 2. For if we be dead with him we shall also live with him If wee suffer we shall also reigne with him 2 Tim. 2.11 12. To him that overcometh saith he will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set downe with my Father in his throne Revel 3.21 Therefore my beloved brethren be stedfast and unmoveable alwaies abounding in the worke of the Lord knowing that your labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 SERM. 4 SERM. IIII. Psal 15.2 Vers 2. He that walketh uprightly c. HEre now followes the answer to the question before propounded and it is continued unto the end of the Psalme It containeth in it 1. the qualification of the person inquired about vers 2 3 4. and part of 5. And 12. the happiness of the person so qualified in the end of v. 5. He that doth these things shall never be moved The qualification of the person is set downe 1. more generally He that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousness 2. More particularly in the words following The more general description of the person spoken of is 1. in respect of inward affection He that walketh uprightly 2. in respect of outward action and worketh righteousness He that walketh * The word in the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which usually is rendred perfect but that is as much as upright or sincere uprightly To walke is a much as to order the life and conversation Walke in love Ephes 5.2 that is Live in love Let all your things be done in love 1 Cor. 16.14 To walke after the flesh Rom. 8.1 is expressed vers 12. and 13. To live after the flesh To walke uprightly is to walke so as in all things to have respect unto God to doe all in obedience unto his will and for his glorie I know also my God saith David that thou triest the heart and hast pleasure in uprightness as for me in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things 1 Chro. 29.17 So that uprightness doth respect the heart that is the affection and intention wherewith a thing is done The Doctrine hence to be observed is this That it is the propertie of all those that shall be saved Doct. to be of a sincere and upright heart Thus here in the very first place is he described who shall abide in Gods tabernacle and dwell in his holy hill So Psal 24.3 4. the question being asked Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holie hill The answer is given He that hath cleane hands and a pure heart The puritie sinceritie and uprightness of heart as well as cleanness of hands that is holiness of life and conversation is requisite and necessarie unto salvation So elsewhere David having said The Lord will give grace and glorie he addes immediately no good thing will he withhold from them that walke uprightly Psal 84.11 And againe Blessed are the undefiled in the way saith he Psal 119.1 Where the word rendred undefiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with that in the Text which is rendred upright only this in the Text is in the singular and the other in the plural number Thus also our Saviour shewes who they are to whom belongeth true happiness saying Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Matth. 5.8 And the Prophet Jeremie cries O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou maiest be saved Jer. 4.14 Not thy face or hands only but thine heart also Reason Reas Thus they must needs be qualified who shall be saved Why only the upright shall be saved because God is the author of salvation It is the salvation of God Psal 50.23 Therefore they that obtaine salvation must be such as please God and approve themselves in his sight Enoch walked with God Gen. 5.22 He pleased God Heb. 11.5 Zacharias and Elizabeth were righteous before God Luke 1.6 that is they were truely and sincerely righteous Walk before me said God to Abraham and be thou perfect that is as the Margent readeth it upright or sincere it is the same word in the original with that which in the Text is rendred upright A counterfeit shew of holiness may serve in respect of men but not so in respect of God The Lord seeth not as man seeth for man beholdeth the outward appearance but the Lord beholdeth the heart Vt aures nostrae ad voces nostras sic aures Dei ad cogitationes nostras Prosp in Sent. ex Aug. Sent. 81. Thales interrogatus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verè respondit Lips de Const l. 2. c. 16. Sic cogitandum tanquam aliquis in pectus intimum inspicere Possit potest Quid enim prodest ab homine aliquid esse secretum Deo nihil clusum est interest animis nostris cogitationibus mâ—diis intâ—uerit Sen. Epist 83. 1 Sam. 16.7 My Son saith God give me thine heart Prov. 23.26 He loveth truth in the inward parts Psal 51.6 He hath pleasure in uprightness 1 Chron. 29.17 The Psalmist having said God is good to Israel that we may know who this Israel is to whom God is good he addes even to them that are of a pure heart Psal 73.1 So the Apostle James having said Draw nigh unto God and he will draw nigh unto you to let us know how we must draw nigh unto God that so he may draw nigh unto us he adds Cleanse your hands your sinners and purifie your hearts you double minded Jam. 4.8 The use of this point is first for Examination to try our Use 1 selves whether we be thus qualified as they must be that shall inherit salvation that is whether we be upright Now we must know that hypocrisie which is opposite to uprightness is twofold 1. There is a grosse hypocrisie There is a twofold hypocrisie when one purposely doth play the