life also their strength is his and so is their breath and therefore they shall neither be able to doe ought that hee resisteth nor vnable to doe any thing that hee appointeth It is said that Herod and Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel came together Act. 4. 28. to doe whatsoeuer his hand and counsell had determined before to be done Thirdly as all men are made for his glory so all their waies doe tend thereunto though not in their purpose yet by his prouidence and therefore he doth accordingly direct them for the same end Vse 1 Instruction that sithence hee doth direct our actions by his prouidence wee pray him also to guide our hearts by his grace and cause vs to purpose that which he doth approoue of that wee may be assisted by his power for the good effect of our enterprises And if wee finde good successe in our affaires according as we wish let him haue the praise thereof for making vs to prosper If we see our selues crossed therein that we cannot accomplish our desires wee acknowledge his righteous hand in the same and submit our wils vnto his most holy wisdome And this may yet further be a forcible motiue to make vs more depend vpon him than on any one or all men beside If they shew loue and kindnesse vnto vs the principall praise and thankes belongeth to him If wee finde hard intreatie at their hands there is due cause of humilitie and patience because hee hath iustly stirred them vp to afflict vs. Consolation for the people of God which desire to walke in the waies of his word for they shal neuer want the guidance of his spirit A promise is made to them for their good prosperitie and it is in his hand to conduct them to it and as easie for him to effect it as to speake it And because the wicked are continually practising against the godly innumerable plots being cast for their ruine and destruction this is our comfort concerning our safety that whatsoeuer God hath purposed in mercy for our good shall take place and nothing that they haue concluded in mischiefe for our hurt shall preuaile The Lord breaketh the counsell of the Heathen Psal 33. 10. saith the Scripture and bringeth to nought the deuises of the people The counsell of the Lord shall stand for euer and the thoughts of his heart thorowout all ages Verse 10. A sage sentence should be in the lips of the King his mouth should not transgresse in iudgement A Sage sentence The word signifieth a diuination being vsed very often in the euill part for the predictions of the Soothsayers and Astrologers and so is forbidden in the Law Deut. 18. 10. And sometimes in good part as Isa 3. 2. The Lord will take from Hierusalem the strong man and the man of warre the Iudge and the Prophet the Diuiner or prudent man who by obseruation of causes can foresee what effects are like to follow and the aged And in Micah 3. 6. there is a threatning that night and darknesse meaning Gods iudgements vpon their mindes or bodies or both shall keepe them from vision and diuination And so heere it is prescribed as the Kings dutie and commended as his vertue and not reprooued as his fault And heereby is intimated that a wise equall manner of proceeding in all causes should bee in the lips of the King in the words and sayings of the Ruler and soueraigne Gouernour and of the subordinate Magistrates vnder him who are deputed to supply his place for him his mouth should not transgresse in iudgement neither he nor they ought to passe or award any vniust sentence or otherwise vtter vnrighteous speeches but deale vprightly towards euery man in euerie matter Doct. They that be in great authoritie haue need to be well furnished with wisdome and iustice The praier which Salomon made to God at the beginning of his raigne doth argue that he knew both these graces to be necessarie for him Giue saith he to thy seruant an vnderstanding 1. King 3. 9. heart to iudge thy people that I may discerne betweene good and euill Now that which hee asked God was well pleased to grant and that end which he proposed God also much respected that he would therefore hee did afterwards in the case of the two victualing women or harlots about the childe And it is said that al Israel heard the iudgement and saw the wisdome 1 King 3. 28. of God to be in him to doe iustice Reason 1 First the Magistrate is made the Lords Lieuetenant and Deputie he ruleth for him and occupieth his place and therefore must not onely approoue himselfe to his presence but endeuour so to proceed as he verily thinketh God himselfe would if he were personally in the same case there and then to sit vpon the same causes This was the ground of Iehoshaphats admonition to his Iudges whereby he perswaded them to be faithfull in the execution of their offices Take heed saith he what yee doe for 2 Chron. â—â— 6 7. yee execute not the iudgements of man but of the Lord and he will bee with you in the cause and iudgement Wherefore now let the feare of the Lord be vpon you take heed and doe it for there is no iniquitie with the Lord our God neither respect of persons nor receiuing of rewards Secondly the subiects ruled are also the Lords subiects sheepe and people as Salomon confessed in his praier before mentioned God is the master and owner of the flocke the Prince his principall shepheard and next vnto him and the subordinate Ministers of iustice inferiour shepheards vnder the Prince Thirdly where the Magistrate faileth of vpright dealing much mischiefe ariseth both to the innocent in regard of his state and bodie and to the offender in regard of his soule and conscience and to the Common-weale in regard of the manifold euils that ensue vpon vniustice all which for the most part are preuented or healed by the wisdome and faithfulnesse of righteous Gouernours Vse 1 Instruction to all that haue authoritie committed vnto them or are like heereafter to beare rule ouer others so to store their mindes with knowledge that their lips may speake not only equally but admirablie and diuinely and to bee as farre before other men in wisdome and vnderstanding as they are aboue them in place and dignitie These two vertues comoined and seasoned with pietie and godlinesse will adde daily increase of honour to them that are most honourable and excellent And as they are much behoouefull for their reputation so are they very necessarie for their consciences because they must yeeld an account to God of the manner of their administration and gouernment In which respect euery sentence which they passe and euery worke of their office which they performe doth more neerely concerne themselues than the parties whose causes they deale in If they doe iustice and decree that which is right they shall haue praise for
may bee most mooued to shew thee compassion If thou be falsly accused make cleere thine innocencie with humilitie if iustly charged acknowledge thy fault with submission if remission may conueniently be granted beseech thy Soueraigne to pardon thee if so much cannot be obtained yet intreat that at the least hee would pitie thee Terrour for that sinfull swarme of Iesuites Seminaries and other treacherous Papists of euery sort whose practise and profession is to subuert the state and maiestie of the Prince They do not only detract from him and transfer to a forrainer the mortall aduersarie of Christ and Kings that authority soueraigntie which he hath in matters of greatest moment but denie him allegeance in ciuill causes and refuse to secure him from their force and violence against his person and dignitie If this audacious obstinacie if this egregious contempt If this most barbarous disloialtie should neither stirre vp the Lord nor the Lords Vice-gerent to punish them what safety could there be in ruling or danger in rebelling But certaine it is that God wil not passe by it though man would and his sword is sharper than mans is and his hand will strike stronglier than mans can and therefore let them and let all other sorts of sinfull creatures know that if the Kings wrath be as a messenger of death that Gods wrath will be a worker of their eternall destruction Verse 15. In the light of the Kings countenance is life and his fauour is as a cloud of the latter raine THE meaning of this sentence is that where the King and great personages doe affect and make manifest their loue there is ioy and credit and protection and preferment and all such prosperitie as man may be a meanes of for so much the word life doth import and the same is amplified by the two similitudes of lightsome and comfortable sun-shine and of fruitfull and profitable showres especially those which they called the latter raine whereby the ground was refreshed after the drought and the corne was ripened before the haruest And yet are not all promiscuously without difference in so happy an estate when superiours doe set by them vnlesse the Lord doe also grace them for mans friendship can neuer doe good vnto Gods enemies as may appeare by the condition of Doeg and of the noble man vpon whom the King of Jsrael leaned and of the Priests of Baal whom 2. King 7. Jezabel maintained and of the false Prophets whom Ahab respected Doct. Great account is to be made of the fauour and good countenance of Princes and such as haue authoritie ouer vs. The cheerefull lookes of a good ruler vpon a worthy person is as a bright morning after a darke night and as dew vpon Prouer. 19. 12 the grasse after a great drought as the holy Ghost maketh resemblance It was not a small comfort to Mephibosheth to finde so much grace at Dauids hand nor a little honour to Daniel to be so much esteemed of Darius and other Kings vnder whom he liued And the like may be said of Joseph and Hester of Mordecai and Nehemiah whom the Scripture mentioneth to haue beene in great credit with those Monarchs whom they serued and were in subiection vnto Reason 1 First a good man may discerne the fauour of the Lord in the face of his gouernour who as S. Paul witnesseth is the Minister of God for the wealth of them that doe well Rom. 13. 4. Those whom mighty men doe set by the most of inferior places will be ready to make much of so that one great friend will occasion many others to be very friendly though not alwaies with sound affection yet often times with good profit and comfort Thirdly they which enioy the loue and good liking of Princes and principall Commanders haue opportunitie put into their hands whereby they may succour the distressed and pleasure their brethren and promote righteous causes as may bee exemplified in those faithfull fauorites formerlie specified Vse 1 Instruction to them whom the Lord hath aduanced to thrones and dignities or to any degree of authoritie though not the highest that they shew most courtesie to them that be most honest and giue best countenance to them that be of best behauiour Sithence God hath deputed them to keepe his roome it doth well become them to follow his example whose gracious fauours neuer faile the righteous nor the light of his countenance at any time shineth on the wicked That was one of the principal clauses of Dauids Vow which he made to God before hee entred into the possession of his Kingdome that he would know or rather acknowledge by any kinde and familiar vsage no euill man Mine eies saith hee Psal 101. 4. 6. shall be vnto the faithfull of the Land that they may dwell with me He that walketh in a perfect way hee shall serue me Great mens kindnesses haue as much operation in the people as seasonable showres in the hearbes and plants And is it not then to be wished that they were restrained from sinfull weedes and nettles lest they grow ranker and smell the worse and reserued for vertuous hearbs and flowers which may be the more odoriferous and flourish the better Certaine it is that the hands of vngracious wretches are greatly strengthened and made able to doe much mischiefe by being fauoured of men in eminent places which may easily be preuented or staied by frownes or checks or disgracings from them And this serueth also for a motiue to inferiours to incite them to seeke by due desert in good seruices to be well esteemed of and in credit with those that beare rule ouer them Who knoweth whether the Lord may not direct their eies to take notice of them and incline their hearts to bee affected towards them But because it is scarse possible for a Prince to grace all or to know euery one of his dutifull subiects therefore they which according to S. Peters precept doe religiously feare God and loyally honour the King haue cause to comfort themselues in the fauour of the most mighty Monarke of heauen and earth which doth infinitely more exceed the greatest kindnesse that all the greatest states in the world can shew to their dearest friends than the Sunne-beames at noone in the clearest Summer daies doe excell the smallest sparke of fire in the earth in brightnesse It is euerlasting as he is eternall It is vnchangeable as hee is immutable It is effectuall as he is almightie It is most glorious and comfortable as he is the God of glorie and consolation Verse 16. How much better is it to get wisdome than gold And to get vnderstanding is more to be desired than siluer HOw much better It is so farre better to seeke and finde heauenly wisdome and the knowledge of God rather than gold yea euen that which is fine and pretious as the word importeth and siluer as that the ods and difference is inexplicable the greatnesse of it cannot be
as men wils are inclined vnto it Verse XXII Doct. He dealeth best for himselfe that ordereth his affaires with good aduice Verse XXIII Doct. Whosoeuer applieth his tongue to doe good therewith shall haue the greatest benefit by it himselfe Verse XXIV Doct. He that would haue glorie in heauen must liue after an heauenly manner on earth Verse XXVI Doct. The Lord is as well displeased with sinfull thoughts as actions Verse XXVII Doct. That way which the world takes to be best to prouide for themselues and theirs turneth to be most hurtfull vnto them Verse XXVIII Doct. He that would speake well and profitably must not be too sudden in his speeches Verse XXX Doct. The Lord hath ordained the senses of men for the benefit both of soule and body Verse XXXII Doct. The obedient only haue the disposing of their own hearts Verse XXXIII Doct. No man can haue any godlinesse in him that will not learne to be godly CHAPTER XVI Verse I. Doct. THE Lord hath the disposing of euery mans tongue Verse III. Doct. They are sure to speed well which doe deale for God and depend vpon him in their affaires Verse IV. Doct. The praise of God is set foorth by the worst things Verse VI. Doct. 1. Saluation is giuen by God not bought by men Doct. 2. The religious in heart will be innocent in life Verse VII Doct. The best way to haue mans fauour to doe vs good is to get Gods fauour Verse IX Doct. Men doe purpose many things but God disposeth all things Verse X. Doct. They that be in great authority had need be well furnished with wisdome and iustice Verse XII Doct. 1. The greater men be the more grieuous their faults are Doct. 2. The goodnesse and iustice of men in authoritie doth best vphold their state Verse XIV Doct. It is very dangerous to incurre the displeasure of great Potentates Verse XV. Doct. Great account is to be made of the fauour and good countenance of such as are in authoritie Verse XVII Doct. 1. Though godly men doe sometimes slip into sinnes yet they walke not in them Doct. 2. So much assurance hath euery one of his saluation and safetie as hee is carefull to keepe himselfe innocent and righteous Verse XIX Doct. Euery proud man though neuer so mightie is in worse case than the humble person though neuer so poore Verse XX. Doct. A beleeuing heart maketh an happie man Verse XXI Doct. Sound pietie will make a man prosperous Verse XXII Doct. Nothing is more needfull for the body than grace is for the soule Verse XXIV Doct. Nothing is more pleasant and profitable than gracious speeches to godly persons Verse XXVI Doct. No turbulent man can keepe himselfe from trouble Verse XXVII Doct. A malicious man is alwaies practising of mischiefe whether he pretend friendship or professe enmitie Verse XXVIII Doct. No bands of friendishp will hold where make-bates may haue hearing Verse XXIX Doct. It is the propertie of vngodly men to seeke to make others as bad as themselues Verse XXX Doct. A wicked man is most studious and cunning about mischiefe Verse XXXI Doct. It is a great honour for a man to be both ancient godly Verse XXXII Doct. It is a point of greater valour to subdue corruptions in ones selfe than to preuaile against other men Verse XXXIII Doct. Those things which seeme to be most contingent are directed by the prouidence of God CHAPTER XVII Verse II. Doct. GRace bringeth men to promotion and so doth sinne to debasement Verse III. Doct. No skill nor power nor meanes of man are sufficient to deale with the heart Verse IV. Doct. It is the propertie of them that doe and speake euill to be much delighted in hearing of euill Verse V. Doct. It is neither lawfull nor safe to be glad at other mens sinnes especially if they be Gods seruants Verse VI. Doct. 1. It is a great promotion to haue a long and large posteritie Doct. 2. Good parents and progenitors are great ornaments to children Verse VII Doct. 1. Good words are vnfit for bad men to vtter Doct. 2. Euil speeches are most vndecent in bad mens mouthes Verse VIII Doct. Great gifts winne friendship sooner than a good cause Verse X. Doct. Easie corrections where grace is preuaile more than great seueritie doth with gracelesse persons Verse XI Doct. No wicked man is better nor shall bee otherwise dealt withall than a rebell Verse XII Doct. No wilde beast is so sauage and hurtfull as a violent and wicked man Verse XIII Doct. Vnthankefulnesse is a great sinne Verse XIV Doct. So soone as men fall into strife they make way for trobles Verse XV. Doct. 1. It is a dangerous sinne to giue allowance to euill men Doct. 2. It is not safe for a man to lay blame vpon blamelesse persons Verse XVI Doct. No meanes can make a man wise that wanteth a good will to heauenly wisdome Verse XVII Doct. The change of a mans estate causeth no alteration in the affection and behauiour of faithfull friends Verse XXIV Doct. A gracious heart will shew it selfe in a seemely countenance Verse XXVI Doct. It is very dangerous to deale hardly with good men for their godly behauiour Verse XXVIII Doct. It is a point of singular wisdome to be silent till it be fit to speake FINIS AN EXPOSITION OF THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER OF THE PROVERBS CHAPTER XV. Verse 1. A soft answer turneth away wrath but a grieuous word stirreth vp anger A Soft answer Gentle milde and peaceable speeches turneth away wrath pacifie the indignation of him that is displeased He speaketh of that which commeth to passe most commonly though not alwaies for sometimes men of a froward and seruile disposition are the more violent by how much they are mildlier dealt with and sharpe rebukes preuaile most with such to tame them with feare which would not bee intreated with faire perswasions But grieuous words Bitter biting and prouoking speeches stirre vp wrath not only increase it in them in whom before it was kindled but kindle it in them who before were kindly affected Doct. Milde behauiour is the best meanes to procure peace In another place there is another Prouerbe to the same purpose A Prince is pacified by staying of anger and a soft tongue Prouer. 25. 15. breaketh the bones This was Gideons armour against the rage of the Ephramites and this was Abigails armour for her selfe her husband and houshold when Dauid incensed by Nabals grieuous words was comming with purpose to slay them euery mothers childe Reason 1 First it is the weapon which God calleth vpon vs in such a case to take vp and vse and therefore hee worketh safety by it Secondly the strongest resistance is by opposition of contraries as fire is soonest quenched by water and a soft woole-packe is lesse penetrable at a Canon shot than a hard stone-wall Thirdly it is in the nature of man and of certaine other creatures to desist from fiercenesse when they see submission
and humble behauiour towards them which sheweth that a regard is had of them without contempt Vse 1 Reproofe of their folly whose stout stomacke can neuer be induced to mitigate anger with meeknesse but boisterously resist displeasure with fiercenes so are they conuinced of inhumanity which being once offended are euer implacable notwithstanding all milde perswasions vsed to satisfie them Consolation to them that deiect themselues before God in humility and praier for if gentle words preuaile so mightily with most men to appease their anger of what force shall the submisse supplications of penitent persons be with the Lord to quench his indignation Verse 2. The tongue of the wise setteth foorth good knowledge but the mouth of fooles powreth out folly THE meaning is that godly prudent men will vtter good matter and their speeches shall carry a grace and force with them as being rightly placed and wisely ordered And sinfull vngodly persons on the other side either vomit out that which is hurtfull false or vaine or else peruert and abuse that which in it selfe is true and wholesome See chap. 10. verse 32. Verse 3. The eies of the Lord are in euery place beholding the euill and the good THE eies of the Lord His certaine sight and knowledge He speaketh of God according to man attributing eies vnto him which he being a spirit hath not because we see with our eies and best know the things which wee see in euery place wheresoeuer any man is behold not only discerne and perceiue but purposely obserue and marke and that continually as the forme of the word in that Participle importeth the euill and the good all sorts of men together with their hearts and waies Doct. All men are alwaies in Gods presence When they see not him he eieth and looketh on them wheresoeuer they bee and howsoeuer occupied as Dauid saith not concerning himselfe only but euery man else in the same manner Thou knowest my sitting and my rising Thou vnderstandest my thought Psal 139. 2. 3. afarre off Thou compassest my paths and my lying downe and art accustomed to all my waies Reason 1 First he hath made mans eies and giueth sight to all and thereupon the Prophet concludeth that hee himselfe must needs see euery one and view their thoughts and behauiour alwaies Psal 94. 9. Secondly if any thing were concealed from him how should he lighten things that are hid in darknesse and make the very counsels of the heart manifest How shall hee bring euery Eccl. 12. 14. worke vnto iudgement with euery secret thing whether it be good or euill How should he passe an equall sentence vpon euery cause and person as becommeth the righteous Iudge of the world if the knowledge of any thing might be with-holden from him In him wee liue and mooue and all creatures haue their existence and being and hee filleth both heauen and earth and all places with his presence And whither then can any man possibly with-draw himselfe out of his sight Vse 1 Instruction to beware of secret sinnes that the closenesse of the place imbolden vs not to doe ought that wee would be ashamed to haue publikely looked vpon in an open assemblie because hee which is more to be feared than all the world beholdeth what we doe And who shall enioine him to be silent at our sinfull behauiour that he publish it not to all the world Reproofe of their madnesse that hope for euer to auoid the reproach and punishment of their sinnes by denying excusing colouring or cloaking of them as though if men giue credit to them that they are innocent God can bring no euidence to finde them guilty notwithstanding that hee take them with the manner and is in place at the deed doing of notable wickednesse Consolation to the godly that the Lord hath respect to the vprightnesse of their hearts and the integritie of their lines in euery worke of holinesse righteousnesse or mercy to render a recompence vnto them Verse 4. A wholesome tongue is as a tree of life but the frowardnesse thereof is as a breach made by the winde THE purpose and drift of this sentence is to declare that the course and custome of godly mens speeches is both comfortable and profitable to them which know how to make vse thereof as was that goodly tree of life in Paradise continually bearing fruit so pleasant and pretious On the contrarie side as a blustering winde which throweth downe trees and houses doth much harme so a violent and venomous tongue causing troubles and calamities is very pernicious and hurtfull For the former part see Chap. 11. 30. For the latter looke Chap. 12. 18. Verse 5. A foole despiseth his fathers instruction but he that regardeth correction is prudent A Foole A wicked and vngodly childe despiseth either refuseth to heare or else to obey his fathers instruction that admonition or counsell which his parents or other gouernours giue vnto him but he that regardeth submitteth himselfe vnto and is bettered by correction either in words or deeds giuen by whomsoeuer hauing authoritie ouer him is prudent sheweth wisdome and receiueth the fruit of the same See Chap. 13. 1. Verse 6. The house of the righteous hath much treasure but in the reuenues of the wicked is trouble THE house of the righteous that is Either euery righteous man hath his house replenished with great store of wealth and substance or else a lesse quantitie doth as well suffice him God seeing it to be better and safer for him And whereas sometimes it falleth out that godly men haue neither so much as others possesse nor as themselues desire and seeme to stand in need of it groweth from the defect of their godlinesse for which the Lord correcteth them with some penurie and want and whereby their hearts faile of that fulnesse of contentment which more pietie and grace would worke in them The latter clause of this verse preuenteth an obiection that might be made against the former in this maner Why should righteousnesse be commended for making the righteous rich sithence sinne seemeth to make the state of sinners more prosperous than theirs To this it is answered that troubles are intermingled with their wealth and possessions as paines and toile in getting and cares and feares in keeping and griefe and anger in forgoing of all or any part of them See Chap. 10. 22. Verse 7. The lips of the wise doe spread abroad knowledge but the heart of the foolish that which is not right HE compareth the lips of wise men to the hands of good seedesmen who skilfully and in due manner and measure at euery steppe doe scatter the corne into the tilth shewing it to be a note of sound vnderstanding to take opportunitie wheresoeuer it is offered at home or abroad to direct their talke to the benefit and edification of the companie On the contrarie side the wicked out of the euill treasure of their hearts bring foorth euill things vttering vanitie and
the hearts of the people to their gouernours and the loue of the subiects is a strong foot and a mighty munition for the safety of the Ruler Thirdly when the Magistrate doth right to all and wrong to none euery good and indifferent man will reuerence him and stand in the greater awe of his lawes his authoritie will command the very heart so that none but such as are desperately rebellious will dare to attempt any thing against him It is noted that when all Israel had heard the wise and righteous sentence that Salomon passed for the deliuerie of the childe to the right mother they feared the King and the reason is added because they saw the wisdome of God was in him to doe iustice 1. King 3. 28. Vse Reproofe of their folly that make fraud and oppression the pillars and buttresses of their estates to vphold them from decay and meanes and instruments to erect them higher And this is to bee found almost in all sorts of superiours as in many masters which are as fierce as Lions in offering iniuries and preying vpon their apprentises and seruants So in sundry Land-lords who are as hungrie as Beares to swallow vp and deuoure the labors and substance of their poore tenants So in diuers Magistrates and Officers who smite with the fist of wickednesse and lay heauy burdens vpon the backes of their inferiours But let them bee intreated to remember that God doth heare all and see all and will iudge all and that whiles they go about to make themselues great they make themselues guiltie of great iniquitie and liable to great punishments which no title nor price nor power can preuent They vndermine the very foundation of their honour and posteritie when they take that course for the aduancing of their names and the raising vp of their houses Verse 13. Righteous lips are the delight of Kings and the King loueth him that speaketh right things THE latter clause sheweth what is the sense of the former that when it is said Righteous lips are the delight of Kings is meant that Kings and great personages will affect such as speake with truth wisdome and faithfulnesse This often commeth to passe but oftener faileth more mightie men fauouring flatterers and Sycophants than such as are vpright in their speeches And yet is there no vntruth in the sentence because the purpose thereof is to shew what is done by some and ought to bee done by all It is therefore giuen as a precept to Princes and superiours to make much of them that speake plainly with iudgement and discretion and an incouragement to subiects and inferiours to vse their lips so with expectation of fauour thereby if not from mighty men in the earth yet from the Almighty God in Heauen Doct. Faithfulnesse and honestie is the directest way to preferment and honour Wee see it verified in Joseph in Daniel in Mordecai and others And there is to the same purpose a like saying in another Chapter Hee that loueth purenesse of Prouer. 22. 11 heart for the grace of his lips the King shall be his friend See more for this point in the 14. Chapter at the last verse Verse 14. The wrath of a King is as messengers of death but a wise man will pacifie it THE wrath of a King His indignation iustly and vpon due cause kindled against his seruants or subiects is as messengers of death doth portend and threaten some great punishment if not present death to the parties with whom he is offended if they fall into his hands but a wise man will pacifie it hee will endeuour either by his owne meanes fit opportunitie being taken or by mediation of others who shall bee better regarded to asswage his anger Doct. It is very dangerous for any man to incurre the displeasure of Princes and great Potentates True it is that Pharaoh was very much mooued against Moses and yet Moses nothing feared Pharaohs fiercenesse and Nebuchadnezzar was full of rage against the three children and yet could doe the three children no harme And Ahab stormed at Elijah and sought to slay him and yet had neuer power to preuaile against him because the displeasure was without the desert of those Prophets But the case standeth otherwise with those that exasperate their Soueraignes with their rebellious behauiour or any other misdemeanures To such the feare of the King is like the roaring of a Lion Prouer. 20. 2. Hee that prouoketh him to anger sinneth against his owne soule Witnesse for this purpose Haman who notwithstanding all his former familiaritie with the King felt yet what it was to Hester 7. offend a King Reasons 1 First his might enableth him to doe as much as his anger perswadeth him if hee purpose ought hee can easily haue it effected if hee passe sentence who will denie execution Where the word of the King is saith Ecclesiastes there is power Eccles 8. 4. and who shall say vnto him What doest thou Secondly he is as S. Paul testifieth Gods Lieuetenant and Minister to take vengeance on him that doth euill and therefore the Lords anger is to be trembled at in his indignation and Rom. 13 4. he is many times made seuere in his iustice and will not pardon malefactors because God is righteous in his iudgements and will surely haue those malefactors punished Vse 1 Instruction to please our gouernours as much as we may and that in most awfull and loyall manner and with all due care beware how wee kindle their anger for their iust wrath is a sparke of Gods wrath their menaces are his threatnings their sentences are his iudgements their stripes are his strokes and those doth hee plague whom they doe punish Let vs bee farre then from those practises which may giue them cause of prouocation against vs and keepe our selues from those companions which may embolden vs against them My sonne saith the wisdome of God feare the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are seditious Prouer. 24. 21. And this serueth also to admonish them who are alreadie fallen into the displeasure of mighty and potent personages that rule ouer them that they sit not downe securely while their danger is so great The more eminent the person is against whom the offenses are committed the more imminent the perill is to the party that committeth the offenses What is then to be done in such a case that the euill like to follow may be preuented Our text telleth vs that a wise man will vse his wisdome in asswaging the anger and reconciling the fauour of Kings and superiours incensed In the first place seeke grace from God as Hester did and Mordecai and all the godly Jewes to turne away his indignation and then is it easie for him to mitigate and appease the Princes displeasure And next either sollicit friends to intercede for thee as Dauid did Jonathan and Mordecai Hester or else deale so in thine owne cause as whereby hee
profit by few wee shall not be pursued by many if we despise not small ones we shall not be burdened with great ones if words will serue the turne for redresse of things amisse we shall not be much visited with strokes But though our former carelesnesse or stubbornnesse hath caused many of vs to be afflicted as well as reprehended and brought vs to as many troubles as rebukes yet we shall free our selues from the reproch of follie if wee can behold the hand that smiteth vs and be truly humbled for the sins that cause vs to be smitten When our eares be opened to hearken better vnto the voice of God when our lips be prepared to make a more free and ful confession of our faults when our soules be resolued with greater integritie to order our waies we shall be reckoned among the number of the wise for none can be bettered by crosses and sorrowes but hee that hath wisdome and vnderstanding And for this purpose as often as we either giue correction or take it it is expedient to seeke the fruit of the same at Gods hand neither the frequencie of punishments multitude of stripes nor the sharpnesse of strokes without his blessing will euer worke any good effect in the soule It is a true saying and spoken by the spirit of truth Though thou shouldest bray a foole in a morter among wheat braied with a Prouer. 27. 22. pestell yet will not his foolishnesse depart from him Verse 11. An euill man seeketh onely rebellion and a cruell messenger shall be sent against him AN euill man He that is destitute of Gods holy spirit and walketh after the flesh seeketh only rebellion setteth himselfe wholly to transgresse the Commandements of God and delighteth in nothing so much as in that which is contrarie to his will and a cruell messenger shall be sent against him euen as Kings and other Princes send out some forces if need so require to suppresse rebellions and to apprehend and seuerely punish the Rebels so the Lord armeth sometimes men with wrath and power against his enemies and sometimes the Angels and sometimes the vnreasonable creatures and sometimes the insensible creatures to be as it were his officers appointed to plague them without mercy and sometimes his owne hand immediately doth destroy them Doct. No wicked man is better nor shall be otherwise dealt with than a Rebell Not only profest Atheists and Infidels which openlie renounce their Creator and the King of the world are so to be reputed but sinfull dissemblers also which impiously prouoke Christ Iesus their Redeemer the King of the Church are of the same number Of such speaketh Ieremy when hee saith They are all rebellious traitors walking craftily And such Ier. 6. 28. doth Hosea complaine of when he saith My people are bent Hos 11. 7. to rebellion against mee Neither of these sorts thinke themselues well so long as they are not doing of euill In their vocations they are worldly and couetous in their recreations they are sensuall and voluptuous in the worship of God they are negligent and hypocriticall in all their workes in all their words in all their cogitations continually in euery place iniquitie and sinfulnesse floweth from them Reason 1 First they are all of them haters of God such as repine at his honour and glorie Secondly they contemne and violate his Lawes Thirdly they are iniurious and aduersaries vnto his Subiects Fourthly they are souldiers and seruants of Satan his most mortall enemie Vse 1 Instruction to the godly to be warre of them and vnlike vnto them as much as they desire to be liked of God that they commit euill lesse and doe good things better and seeke how to shew obedience not only to the positiue lawes of Magistrates though that be necessarie for euery Christian but also to the diuine Lawes of God which is proper to Christians The best and most ciuill wicked man in all the world is but halfe loyall at the most Albeit none could appeach him of treacherie or contempt against his Prince though few that feare not God be faithfull vnto man yet who can acquite him of rebellion and high treason against his highest soueraigne the Lord Consolation to Gods people whom the wicked doe hate and molest Their enemies are not so violent against them as the Lord for in malice against him they doe so much maligne them and therefore let them be well assured that he will protect his subiects from Rebels his seruants his fauourites his children from the weapons and fury and force of his enemies With this selfe same reason doth he animate and incourage the Prophet Ezechiel saying Thou sonne of man Ezek. 2. 6. feare them not neither be afraid of their words although Rebels and thornes be with thee and thou remainest with scorpions feare not their words nor be afraid at their lookes for they are a rebellious house And the greatest comfort of all is when the Lord giueth them an heart to feare iniquitie and not to delight in it to flie from that which is euill and not to follow it to subiect themselues vnto him and to striue against sinne and not seeke rebellion And what though they haue their frailties their faults their corruptions that they faile of many duties that they fall into many offenses Yet hee putteth a difference betweene faithfull subiects which would and cannot obserue his Lawes better and wilfull Rebels which contemptuously despise his Lawes Hee knoweth that his souldiers are sometimes taken Captiues in fighting for him and his enemies alwaies take vp weapons to fight against him Terror for the vngodly how great soeuer they bee and how safe soeuer they seeme to be for they are vile as being Rebels and in continuall perill of some grieuous plagues for a punishment of their rebellion Good men haue due cause to abhorre their waies for they rise vp in armes against their heauenly King and the righteous God hath cause to execute iudgements vpon them for they oppose themselues against his holy gouernment And therefore when he beginneth to take them in hand neither themselues nor any other shall be able to deliuer them out of his hands Whatsoeuer creature shall haue the commission to torture and torment them will be made both implacable and vnresistable as Iehu to the house of Ahab who spared not his owne mistresse Ahashuerosh to Haman who spared not his owne minion Adramelech and Sharezer to Zanecherib who spared not their owne father And what could the Sodomites say or doe against the violence of the fire And what could Pharao say or doe against the rage of the waters And what could Herod say or doe against the multitude and greedinesse of the vermine Al these tooke their time which was all the time of their life to rebell And God tooke his time at the length which was a seasonable and fit time to send out these cruell messengers against them How strangelie then are they besotted which