and more ready to destroie their aduersaries Men thinke it easiest to goe ouer where the hedge is lowest and most safe to presse downe them that are least friended but they wil wish in the end that they had rather climbed ouer the toppes of trees and prouoked those which haue greatest potentates to take their parts They shall finde it their folly to contemne Salamons wise preceptes and it will turne to their paine that they cast themselues into such perilles Rob not Prou 12. 12 faith he the poor because he is poore neither oppresse the afflicted in iudgement For the Lord will defend their cause and spoile the soule of those that spoyle them And againe in an other place he repeateth the same matter in other words saying Remooue not the auncient Prou. 13. 10 11 bounds and enter not into the field of the fatherlesse For hee that redeemeth them is mightiâ— he will defend their cause against thee Yf it be then so dangerous to wrong men because they bee poor how perilous is it to persecute them because they be poore and godlie Yf for this cause oppressours be reputed despisers of God for that they lift vp their haÌ„ds against his pupils how much more shall they be counted his enemies when they deale cruelly with his children when they strike at the members of his body when they attempt to scratch out his eies As Zachary speakeh He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye Yf so seuere a Zachar 2 8. sentence shall be passed vpon them at the last day that neglect to comfort and relieue him in his members shall there not bee a far more heauy punishment inflicted vpon those which shall wouÌ„d Mat. 25. and spoile him therein Instruction to them that be poore and oppressed to contain theÌ„selue from all impatiency Is the Lord reproched by that which is done against thee and is his worde and worke and gouernement thereby despised Then is the cause more his than thine and it belongeth to him to redresse it with iustice and not to thee to staine it with distemper Oh how men marie their owne matters when they will steppe into Gods place and sit down in his throne and execute his office Jt is an impotency that is in their heartes when they can beare iniuries no better without reuenging hands or reuiling tongues and it is a great defect of faith when they waite not till the Lord take off their burdeÌ„s and it is a needles dread wherewith they dauÌ„t theÌ„selues to think their case remedilesse Doth the Scripture in vaine and to no Ecclc. 5. 7. purpose or with no truth animate vs against such grieuances when it saith Yf in a country thou seest the oppression of the poore the defranding of iudgement and iustice be not astonied at the matter for he that is higher than the highest regardeth and there bee higher than they Consolation to the poor afflicted especially if they be the meÌ„bers of Christ howsoeuer they are discountenanced of men reiected of the world as refuses whom it world willingly be rid of yet they are more esteemed of him whose estimatroÌ„ is more worth thaÌ„ al the mightiest worldlings Abâ—athar thought himself in good safegard though Saule sought his life when Dauid told him that the enemy which came against one of theÌ„ should be coÌ„mon to them both and yet Dauid himselfe who must defend Abiathar was pursued by the King and in peril of his own life how great cause then of boldnes incouragement haue they whome Dauids keeper doth keepe and protect which taketh their cause for his cause their wroÌ„gs for his reproch the hurts doÌ„ne to theÌ„ for defyaÌ„ce bid to himselfe And what a grace fauor is this on the otherside to his poor seruants that he chooseth to bee honoured and serued by the mercy and compassion that is shewed vnto them do hoe not thereby-assure and induce inioyne and binde all his people to do them good It serueth also for the great comfort of euery good man that is pittiful and helping to them that be needy and distressed It is accepted of the Lord Iesus Christe as if it were a beneuolence to his owne person I vvas an hungred saith he and ye gaue me meate J thirsted and ye gaue me drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged mee I vvas naked and ye clothed mee I was sicke and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came vnto mee And being asked by the righteous when and how this kindnes by them was shewed vnto him he telleth them that inasmuch as they did it to one of the least of his brethren they haue done it to him VVe thinke it a great preferment as there is cause why we should for Marâ—â— Magdalen and other women to minister vnto him of their substance and for Martha and Mary to haue him for their ghuest and for the woman in Bothania to powre the oyntment on his head and for Ioseph of Arimathea and Nicodeâ—â—s to bury him and why then should it be counted a matter of no value since it is a prerogatiue not much inferiour to those before specified to haue a mercifull heart and liberall hand in succouring and relieuing his members Diuers of the Pharisies and other vngodly men as it may seeme gaue him entertainment in their houses and had him to dinner and neither yeelded honour to him nor receiued praise from him nor euer shall bee rewarded by him but none that is mercifull to any of his though neuer so meane and despised shal be passed by without acknowledgement nor sent away without recompence VVhatsoeuer is lent vnto them in compassion is bestowed vpon him in regard of acceptance and whatsoeuer is bestowed on them in pitty is lent vnto him in regard of repaiment Vers. 32. The wicked man is pursued in his miserie but the rightious hath hope in his death THe wicked is pursued the worde which wee translate pursued signifieth to be thrust â—t or to throwe downe meaning that when his calamity once beginneth he shall bee driuen on forwards vntill he fall into destruction But the state of the righteous is contrary for he hath hope that is not onely confidence good expectation but refuge and deliuerance in greatest extremities yea in the very danger and torment of death it selfe yea than especially and more than euer at anie time before Doct. 1 VVhen godlesse men stand in greatest neede of helpe and comforte they shall be most of all pressed with plagues and terrours The imprecacion which Dauid made against his enemies may stand for a coÌ„mination against al Gods enemies that when they Psal 35. 5 6. are become chaffe or dust the wind shall rise and blow them away and when they walke in waies that bee darke and slipperie the Angell of the Lord shall persecute them Wee reade of diuers kings and Canaanites which came to destroy the Gybeonites because they entred into league with Israel that
abhorre goodnes what though they loath not sinfulnesse with so great a detestation as Paul did What though they long not for grace with so ardent a desire as Dauid did Yet if they hate euill truelie though not so vehemently or praie for the spirite faithfullie though not so feruentlie they haue wisedome in the same nature and kind that these holy men had though not in the same degree and measure Verse 20. He that walketh with the wise shall be the wiser but he that vseth the company of fooles shall be the worse BY walking heere with the wise is meant the society conuersation with wise men and that is a meanes of knowledge and vertuous behauiour to them that haue and vse the oportunity of it and so thereby they are made the better whereas on the other side they that associate themselues with sinfull fooles and ioyne in fellowship with the wicked are more corrupted with sinne and folly and so become the worse Much help or hurt doth come to men by the company which Doct. they frequent All sorts of companions are market men and the vsually traffique together when they meete together whether they bee good or bad the wares beeing commonly precious or vile according to the disposition of the persons which vtter them Whē the Prophet would approoue himselfe to God to be diligent to seeke him and faithfull to serue him he sheweth it by this that Psa 119. 63. hee was a companion to all them that feared him and keep his precepts When he would cleare himselfe of falshoode and guile of rebellion and wickednes he vrgeth it as a forcible argument that Psal 26 5. he had not haunted with vaine persons neither kept company with the dissemblers When hee would professe his integrity and vprightnes with desire that the godly should not doubt of his standing nor the wicked haue hope of his falling hee maketh his Psal 119. 116 minde manifest in this manner A waie from me ye wicked for J will keepe the commandements of my God First the vnfained loue and faithfulnes that is in good mē maketh Reasons them mercifull and helpfull to their companions No men are so liberall as they and they are not more liberall of any thing than of wholesome counsaile and incouragements to piety and wisedome They are most ready alwaies to bestow that which is of greatest value and will yeeld their friends the largest comfort Such as are truely religious do esteeme it a greater gaine to procure soules to God and increase to the Church and grace to their brethren than to get wealth and promotion to their owne selues And the wicked on the contrary part are no lesse busie then they though not so well occupied for they bestir themselues about their masters worke to corrupt all that haue fellowship with them and to draw as many as they can possibly into their felowship It is noted in diuers that are infected with the pestilence or other foule diseases that they are very desirous to infect their neighbours and so is euery one that hath the plague sore of sinne running vpon him he wisheth and would worke it also if it lay in his power that all the world were ouerwhelmed with iniquity Our Sauiour condemning the notable wickednes of the sinfull Pharisies doth charge this vpon them as one marke of vngratious miscreants that they would compasse sea and land to make one proselite Mat. 13. 15. and when he was made they would make him two fold more the child of hell then themselues Secondly there is a certaine vertue in the words and behauior of men that are indued with heauenly wisedome which also by the blessing of Gods holy spirit doth worke effectually in many that liue with them That which they say is very forcible to illuminate the mind and quicken the heart and that which they do is of great importance as a president for their actions and a patterne for their waies The brightnesse of their shining vertues doth make them better sighted which see them with good liking and the looking vpon such examples is a meanes to make the beholders like vnto them And for this cause the Queene of Sheba did so much admire the preferment of Salomons attendāts 2. Chro. 9. 7. Happie saith she are thy men and happie are these thy seruants which stand before thee alwaie and heare thy wisedome And in like manner there is a venome in the workes and words of the vngodly which as the Apostle saith doe fret like a gangrena and mens soules are much more subiect to the contagion of sinne than their bodies are to any diseases Oh how many waies and by what degrees doth mischiefe and ruine growe to them which haunt their company The vse of hearing of lewd or blasphemous speeches doth quickly quench zeale and make them seeme to be nothing affensiue The custome of seeing of abhominable practises doth quell their hatred of them that they can be lookers on without dislike And so from the eare in time commeth contagion to the tongue and from the eye infection proceedeth to the hand that that which they heare they will speake and that which they see they will doe Moreouer though there were in them before some good opinion of godly men and Christian exercises yet when they shall dayly heare them spoken against and iested at and none to refute the slanders or reproue the scoffing it will at length estrange and vtterly alienate their affection from them When a brand is taken out of the fire and cast into the snow or raine it cannot but be extinguished at last though it blazed much at the first And adde yet this to all the rest that they shall not onely be peruerted by the grosse sinnes and vices of the wicked but also inchanted by their euill qualities and seeming virtues If there be any natural or counterfeit humility or patiēce or courage or liberality or such like these shall giue countenance to their filthiest corruptions and make them both tollerable and imitable Jnstruction to them that sincerely affect vnderstanding and Vse truly desire to be made wise to saluation that they do not onely read good books frequent diuine seruice heare good sermons but likewise keep good company for that is also one ordinance of God for the information of men in his waies He would haue Iosua prepared for gouernment by Moses and Elisha for prophetship by Elijah and the disciples for Apostleship by Christ The schooles of the prophets were fit seminaries for the ministery that was vnder the law and the vniuersities are meete nurceries for the ministery that is vnder the Gospell and godly society hath bin a forcible helpe to Christian conuersation at all times What is desirable that is not therein to be found They whose minds are ignorant may there haue a dayly market to buy knowledge and that good cheape with diligent attention without any money or charges They which are distracted with doubtes
both within and without for grace and glory is growing to be better neuer ceasing to increase vntill it come to fulnesse and neuer to decay after it shall be full and the vngodly are fading away as fast and hasten towards their destruction with incredible swiftnes neuer staying till they fall into ruine and neuer to be repaired after they are ruinated And to this purpose it is sayd in the fourth chapter of this booke The waye of the righteous shineth as the light Prou. 4. 18. 19 that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day The waie of the wicked is as the darknesse they know not wherein they shall fall Consolation for godly and religious persons whom no man Vse 1 can bereaue of their blessed estate The Sunne of righteousnes ariseth vnto them and shineth perpetually within their horizon though the windes of malice and temptation blowe vp neuer so many clowdes of feares and troubles against them Gods chastisements for their humiliation and triall their owne sorrowe for their sinnes and offences and their aduersaries violence for their ouerthrow and ruine will neuer take away their comfort and glory from them The foggy mistes of tribulations and afflictions doe seeme diuers times to ouerwhelme them wholy and yet sayth the Prophet in the name of the Church Though Mica 7. 8. I fall I shall arise when I shall sitte in darknesse the Lord shall be a light vnto mee The hideous blacke clowdes of disgrace and contempt of slaunders and iniurious accusations doe threaten to couer them for euermore and yet sayth Dauid Psal 37. 6. Committe thy waie vnto the Lord and hee shall bring foorth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy iudgement as the noone day So that whiles there is a God to send helpe to his people from heauen or to call them to glory in heauen they are not destitute of happines Reproofe and terrour of the vngodly who by louing a sinfull darke behauiour doe chuse to themselues a miserable darke estate For they that will be the children of darknesse by sinne and rebellion shall abide the blacknes of darknesse with shame and confusion Though the Lord cause the sunne in the firmament that visible planet to rise vpon the wicked aswell as the godly to minister warmth and light to their bodies for the present yet he will withhold the shine of his sauour from yelding ioy and glory to their soules for euer But in the meane time say they who is brightest who is richest who is greatest See whether there be more of them that giue themselues to religion in eminent places and honour or of them that take their liberty according to the course of the world Sol. True it is indeed that most commonly worldlings goe before Christians in earthly preferments though not alwaies for by Gods mercy many good men attaine also to riches and dignities But know that your case is lamentable when you haue nothing else to comfort your hearts with but this that you are wealthy and mighty What maketh your small candle seeme to giue you so great light Because you haue bin alwaies shut vp in a darke prison and were neuer acquainted with the bright beames of Gods gracious presence But what shall become of you when your candle shall bee wasted when your light shall be extinguished when your prosperity shall perish It is certaine that all carnall excellency will come to an end either being blowne out by violence or worne out by time Remember that Haman had as it were a lynke carried before him and yet it was put out suddenly snuffe and all at one blast and he left in hellish darknes of shame and misery The king of Babel in greatnes was like to Lucifer the brightest morning Isa 14 12 star and yet fell from the heauen of his magnificence and lost all his glory in a moment Vers 10. Through mere pride doth man make contentions but with the well aduised is wisedome ONlie by pride c that is wheresoeuer strife groweth there is pride at least in one of the parties contending if not on both sides Sometimes it stirreth vp men and imboldeneth them to offer wrongs sometimes imbittereth men and maketh them way ward against the right sometimes it causeth the one to be carelesse of dealing according to equity and the other to be impatient of bearing any iniuries Yet notwithstanding this condemneth not all kinde of contending but the frowardnes of the faulty persons in it It is lawfull to giue a rebuke and correction if it be done vpon good grounds with an vpright heart and in due manner though it be the occasion of some iarre or debate and he onely is to be blamed which receiueth not the admonition Isâ—y 59 4 And so to stand in the cause of God is commendable for the Prophet reproueth them that contend not for the trueth and they are to be charged with the sinne of contention which oppose themselues against good causes Neither are such here to be taxed as defend their state or by the helpe of the magistrate lawes against those which goe about to defraude or defame them Neither yet are they to be reproued by this that follow suites against malefactors to bring them to iust punishment Prouided alwayes that in these cases the cause be waighty their proceedings equall and their harts free from all malice and reuenge But with the well aduised is wisedome they which haue discretion and iudgement in themselues or be willing to harken to aduise counsell of others will beware of vnnecessary controuersies The opposition is this Onely by pride and folly doth man make contentions but with the well aduised is wisedome and humility to follow peace So far as any man is contentious he is proude Doct. 1 Humility is euer ioyned with loue and both of them with mildnes and patience and all of them are enemies to bitternesse and debate No man was more ready to passe by wrongs and iniuries Numb 12. 3. done vnto him then Moses and that was because Moses exceeded all the men of his time in humility and meeknes And Iesus Christ was the most patient and peaceable of any that euer was in the world because neuer any was so humble and lowly as he And thus very reason among diuers others is brought in the twelfth chapter of Saint Mathew to proue it He shall not striue Mat. 12. 19. nor crie neither shall any man heare his voice in the streetes And contrarywise it hath appeared in all ages that where pride is deepest there patience is shallowest and they that ouerflow with the one are voide and empty of the other And therefore the wise man opposeth them together as contraries saying the patient in spirit Eccl. 7. 10. is better then the proude in spirit And in another place He that is of a proude heart stirreth vp strife And this will appeare the better Prou. 28. 25. if we obserue the principall branches
The wicked spies that were sent to search the land of Canaan were moe in number then the good for there were ten for two which carried the matter by multitude of voices and colour of reason and the peoples forwardnes to giue credit vnto them but the few good were more happy in successe then the many wicked Experience and the holy Scriptures haue made all succeeding ages nations to know that their words were true and so confirmed and the others false and so confuted they were presently incouraged by Gods fauour and promise and the other terrified by his anger and threatning it was to them according to their faith for they entred and dwelt in the promised land and it Numb 14. 37. 38. came to the other according to their vnbeliefe for they were all destroied by a plague and perished in the wildernes First whosoeuer is perfidious to man is rebellious against Reasons 1 God as he that is trusty is loyall vnto him Secondly a wicked messenger infringeth the rules both of loue and equity disappointing them that reposed confidence in him and bringing vexation to those which made choise of his seruice for their comfort Of such a one we haue already intreated in the tenth chapter As vinegar is to the teeth and smoake to the eies so Prou. 10. 26. is the slothfull to them that send him Thirdly good messengers are not onely profitable to them for whom they deale in the orderly disposing effecting of th' affairs wherin they are vsed but comfortable also such as make their harts to reioyce Me thinkes I see Ahinaas come running saith the 2. Kin. 18. 27. wachmaÌ„ then shal we heare good newes saith Dauid for he is a good man bringeth good tidings And to this point speaks Salomon in another place of this booke As is the coolnes of snow water in the time of haruest so is a faithfull messenger to them that send him for he refresheth the soule of his masters Now was it euer heard that he which vprightly doth good to others should haue nothing done for himselfe Or that any by honest dealing may make men ioyfull and yet haue his owne hart voide of gladnes Jnstruction to them that are appointed to be messengers or to Vse 1 performe any other seruice of like nature that they consider that they deale not only for others but principally for themselues If they be false or carelesse the greatest hurt will be their owne if they doe their duty as it becommeth them their trauell will turne most to their owne commodity And therefore it shall be expedient for them to be well appointed and furnished with those graces whereof his faithfulnesse is compounded Among the which trueth doth duly challenge an especiall place Truth must be in the heart trueth must be in the hands trueth must be in the lips trueth must be in their labour all their desires and speeches and actions must be seasoned with trueth To this must be adioyned wisedome and discretion whereby their affaires may be the better graced furthered and a way made for the accomplishment of their desires What is so daungerous that wisedome cannot escape what is so difficult that wisedome cannot effect And what is so intricate that wisedome cannot find out And it is meet that these should be accompanied with boldnes that they which haue a good cause committed vnto them should manage it with an vndanted courage against frownings and threatnings and all manner of impediments and perill And now speedinesse may and ought to come into the number when wisedome is present to put rashnesse back for lingring and delay is vsually verie dangerous and hurtfull and some be in as great fault for doing their duety too late as others be for practising euill too soone Jf mischiefe be to be preuented or remoued a good messenger should imitate the Angells of God which are sayd to be winged and as it were fly to minister helpe and in such hast Elisha sent his man before and followed after himselfe to restore the Shunamites sonne to life If any good chare be to be done let Abrahams trusty seruant be a president for expedition who would neither Gen. 24. eate nor drinke before he had set his masters businesse on foote and make a speedy returne home so soone as he had well dispatched his worke If comforts are to be brought why should any stay be made to refresh the harts of them that are in feare or sorow or in any kind of affliction Ahimaas ran as fast and as long as he was able to take breath to bring report to Dauid of his safety and deliuerance from Abshalom And among all these secrecy is required least by vntimely disclosing of their masters counsels or their own purposes men should betray their masters causes and defeate themselues of their desired successe Admonition to the ministers of the word who are as the prophet calleth them the messengers of the Lord of hoasts that they shew themselues industrious and diligent in the worke of their master Their ambassage is honourable their seruice is necessary their reward will be ample if they discharge their duty well and their punishment will be exceeding grieuous if they be faithles in it They are sent about a message of life and saluation and men are made happy foreuer by their sincerity in the ministery and their falshood and corrupt dealing tendeth to death and destruction and how many doe perish through their vnfaithfulnes When they that are treacherous to men shall not faile â—â— fall into mischiefe much lesse shall they that are traytors to the Lord. When negligence in things of smaller importance shall be so seuerely punished much more shall spirituall murther and bloud guiltines And when they that are healers in outward respects shall be so fully recompenced it cannot be that the faithfull physitions of mens soules should loose their labour Vers 18. Pouertie and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction but he that regardeth correction shall be honoured POuertie c Euery one that reiecteth knowledge or the meanes whereby it is to be obtained shall either faile to get wealth or not long keepe it or haue it and hold it in iudgement without the vse and comfort And as he shall be needy so shall he also be base shame shall come vpon him and couer him Some are made contemptible and vile by pouerty and want and some by the filthines of their sins though they abound with wealth They may haue riches but not honour they may haue cap and curtesie but not reuerence and estimation But he that regardeth correction which hearkeneth and yeeldeth obedience to wholsome councell and profiteth by chastisements shall be honoured shall either attaine to riches and preferment or be of good account and well thought of especially among the wise and godly in a meaner condition They only are prouident for their estate and credit which are Doct. carefull to get grace for
to a people that therefore sinners and sinne be disgraced among the people How vnworthy a thing were it that good benefactours as all good men are to their country should be euill rewarded with reproache and contempt And how vnequall were it that permitious persons as all wicked men bee to the state should without cause be exalted with prayse and preferment The wise Magistrate well knoweth that therefore GOD hath giuen him so honourable a place and preheminence for 1. Pet. 2. 14 the punishment of euill dooers as Saint Peter testifieth and the prayse and incouragement of them that doe vvell It shall bee then a worthy seruice to God and a benefite and kindnesse to the whole kingdome for them that haue authority so to vse their authority as that righteousnesse and piety may prosper and flourish more and more and all iniustice and wickednesse may be suppressed and wither away Confutation of their opinion which dreame that nothing can be disgracefull that is common and generall whatsoeuer many doe allow they thinke to be graced and made commendable by the allowance of many And that causeth riot and quasting and garishnesse and couetousnesse and execrable oathes and impious sabbaoth breaking and diuers other vices of like nature to bee so little feared and so much committed But how shoulde a whole people then haue sinne turned to theire shame if the practice and consent of the multitude could take away the shame of sin The greate number of biles blanes and botches together doth not lesson the loathsomne thereof but augment it Neither is the face of any man or woman disfigured by three or foure pockhoales and made beautifull by three or foure score Neither is a garmente made the more handsome by hauing the more staines or patches or rags or rents vpon it Verse 35. The fauour of a king is toward a wise seruant but his wrath shall be toward him that causeth shame THe fauour of a King c. Euerie wise king and all other Godlie greate personages will take delight in and shewe countenance vnto their seruants or officers or any other that depend vpon them so farre as they shall finde them diligent obedient discreete and trusty and therefore will also bee readie to reward them according as theire faithfull seruice shall deserue But his wrath shall be towards him that causeth shame He that by folly offendeth his gouernour especially if he discredit him and his house by lewde prankes and misdemeanors must looke to feel his masters displeasure and that with frowning checkes chiding punishment or displacing The honest and vertuous behauiour of inferiours is the best way to get the fauour of superiours Doct. By this meanes there are none solowe which bee not in waye of preferment euen verie seruauntes are like to growe to greatenesse neyther is anye so high which will not respect them euen Kings themselues will take pleasure in them This is verified by that which Salomon speaketh in another Prou. 16. 13. place that righteous lippes are the delight of Kinges and the King loueth him that speaketh right things If words well spoken bee of such force to procure so much good liking and fauour it cannot be that workes faithfully wrought should faile of as comfortable successe to those that performe them First the prouidence of God hath a strong hand in disposing Reasons 1 of mens affections he inclineth their hearts to like or loath to loue or hate as seemeth good to himselfe and therfore when the waies of seruants please him he doeth often make them to please their masters alâ—o as Nehemiah and Daniell and many others haue found to their honour and comfort Secondlie the grace and feare of God preuaileth with Christian gouernors to loue and chuse and make much of and preferre them that be religious and seruiceable as Dauid did after a sort vow the conscionable care of this duety when he saied My eies shall be vnto the faithful of the land that they maie dwell with Psa 101. 6. 7. me he that walketh in a perfect waie he shall serue me There shal no deceiptfull person dwell within mine house he that telleth lyes shall not remaine in my sight The gaine that wise and godly mens seruices do yeeld to their masters doth make many masters much to esteeme of the seruices of wise and godlie men for they may vndoubtedly looke for all good faithfulnes at their hands and a prosperous successe of the workes which they deale in from Gods hand And that Laban sawe and acknowledged in the labours of Iacob and therefore was so vnwilling for many yeeres to part with him and that Potiphar and the keeper of the prison and Pharao and all that imployed Joseph well perceiued forasmuch as their houses were blessed for Iosephs sake and their estates did prosper by Iosephs meanes First for inferiours it seâ—ueth to confute theire erronious conceite Vse 1 that thinke to creepe into mightie mens fauours by swaggering boasting and brauery or by flatery â—aâ—shood and sycophancie or by other such like corrupt and sinfull courses which thrust out religion piety modestye and plaine dealing as the greatest makebates betweene Masters and seruants and the onely hinderers of all preferment But commonly they that so seeke to rise be either kept froÌ„ promotions and so defeated of their hopes or fall from their dignities and so are ouerthrowne by their sinnes when they which seeme to lye open to all contempt for their profession are vsually most regarded for their vprightnesse and honesty VVicked Haman being the worst of all that were about Ahashuerus was for a time the nearest vnto him and good Mordecai which was most faithfull was most hardlie proceeded against as being proscribed and destinated to death with all the nation that he came of for his sake and yet Haman could not still stand in that high estimation nor Mordecaie lye long vnder that heauy disgrace but down must Haman with the kings indignation into a shamefull destruction and vp must Mordecay with the kings especiall fauor to a supereminent place of authority And albeit it come often to passe that bad seruants be too much made of yet it is to their greater hurt at last and though good seruants haue bad requitall at their masters hands yet their best maister the Lord Iesus Christ to whome they performe their seruice in dooing their inferiour masters worke will in due time recompence them with a better reward Secondlie for superiours it serueth to instruct them to do that which in this text the Lord prescribeth as a duety fitt to be done namely to sette their delight vpon those which are vertuous and adorned with delightfull graces and to let their displeasure appeare against such as are vicious and feare not to displease God with their vngodly behauiour So doing they shall in their gouernment follow the example of the Lord himselfe who is the most righteous perfect and absolute gouernour His fauour and goodnesse is towards euery one of them that faithfully serue him and his wraâ—h and angry countenance is not onely against those that rebelliously contemne his lawes but which liue licentiously in the profession of his seruice And this may all gouernors infallibly conclude of that by yeelding due recompence to them that deserue well themselues do duelie deserue and shall surely obtaine prayse for the vertues of their people and by suffering misbehauiour in their houses or charges without punishment all the faults of their inferiours doe turne to their reproche For if sinne be a shame to a whole people as the former verse testifieth how can it but be ignominious also to a familye and the Master thereof as experience declareth FINIS Errata Page 4. line 21. for commandeth reade commendeth page 20 line 34. for contrutions reade contentions page 32. line 4. for protection reade protraction page 34. line 10 for mistery reade miserie page 39. line 32 for premisted reade premised page 40. line 19. for gills reade willes page 44. line 29. for displeasures reade pleasures page 48. line 22. for fittes reade fifties ibid line 35. for doth reade woulde pag 49 line 4 for saith read seeth page 50 line 13 for his read this page 68. line 3. for thine reade their ibid. line 4. for all that they reade all that they haue page 83. last line for mischance reade mischiefe page 115. line 6. for obiection reade abiection page 121. line 23. for seate read state