Within a little space I am in all euill in the midst of the congregation and assemblie Reproofe of them that vndertake the defence of subtill sinne that offer themselues to be compurgatours for her if she say that she is honest and vpright they will sweare they thinke it true What euill is there of Idolatrie superstition swearing Sabbath-breaking crueltie wantonnes yea abominable whoredome pride and riot but it shall haue proctors to pleade for it and giue countenance to it And most commonly they are the men that of all others euery way for soule and bodie for substance and credit haue been most plagued by her Her craftines hath so inchanted them that by her vsage she hath gotten their harts for euer Their wits their tongues their pennes their practise of life and all shall be altogether for her against God and his word against all godly men against all ciuill men against their owne estimation and state comfort and saluation Doct. 2 God is a sure paimaster to all that labour faithfully in his seruice Though their strength bee not great nor their worke very much yet if their desires be sound and their endeuours vpright their recompence will also bee certaine The Prophet Azariah knew that he spake aswell to posteritie as to those of his owne age and as truly to Gods people as to King Asa and his people Be strong and let not your hands be faint for your worke shall haue a 2. Chro. 15. 17. reward Reasons 1 First the couenant is plaine and without all doubtfulnes there is no equiuocation in it there is no mentall reseruation to peruert the meaning of it Secondly the couenant maker is absolutely perfect and euery way all sufficient His wisedome foreseeth what things are fit to promise his truth doth binde him to doe all that is promised his mercie doth moue him to doe more than he promiseth and his power doth serue him to performe whatsoeuer his wisedome seeth meete his truth hath vndertaken or his mercie willeth vnto his seruants Vse 1 Instigation to shew all diligence in doing good and let no time slip away without some fruitfull exercise Of men some hire their workfolks by the yeere some by the half yeere some by the moneth some by the week and some by the day but God giueth vs wages for euery minutes worke for euery moments worke for euery gracious speech for euery holy thought for imployment in our beds for patience in our sicknes for good vsage of recreations there is no season no state nor place wherein a good man may not be well occupied for the increase of his wages The same reason doth S. Paul vse to incite the Corinthians and all other godly Christians to bee very laborious and painfull in all good seruices continually seeing there will be a resurrection and a retribution to euery man according to their waies Therefore my beloued brethren saith he be ye stedfast vnmoueable abundant alway 1. Cor. 15. 58. in the worke of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Incouragement to patience though we seeme not to haue present pay for our obedience Our wages is in a sure hand and will not faile to be yeelded vnto vs when our neede requireth it or any vse may bee made of it for our best aduantage Our wages is better than ordinarie the whole crop that we sow is giuen vs for our labour and therefore let vs not be too hastie to reape it before it bee readie Good Farmers indeede pay the ploughmen sooner than the corne is ripe but cheaper thā the corne is worth whereas God bestoweth freely vpon his labourers all that they haue sowen it is their owne and therefore let them tarrie till haruest and they shall finde their hire will farre surmount their trauels This is the ground of the Apostles perswasion to the Galathians Let vs not be wearie of well doing for in due season we shall reape if we faint not Gal. 6. 9. Verse 19. So righteousnesse leadeth to life and he that followeth euill seeketh his owne death THis verse is inferred vpon the former by way of explication to shew what he meant by the deceiueable worke of the wicked and the sure wages of the righteous And first he beginneth with the latter according to the manner of the Hebrewes declaring that life vnderstanding thereby immortalitie and all the blessednes annexed vnto it is that sure reward which all godly men may vndoubtedly expect and destruction both of soule and bodie eternally is the ende whereunto the deceitfull worke will bring wicked men which do so much deceiue themselues by a greedie desire of satisfying their sinfull lusts Doct. 1 The Lord hath not onely appointed a certaine reward but a precious for his seruants Nothing can be better then such a happie life and such a happie life as he deemeth nothing to good for them to enioy Hereof the Apostle speaketh to the Romans The wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is euerlasting life through Iesus Christ. Rom. 6. 23. Reasons 1 This is to set forth the bountie and superabundant munificence of God the father that the riches of his loue and goodnes may be magnified aboue all creatures Hee putteth into the hearts and power of sinfull men to giue gold and siluer to giue iewels and treasure to giue lands and liuings to giue titles and dignities to giue crownes and kingdoms but neither men nor Angels could euer giue life to any or keepe their owne by their owne power the liuing Lord and eternall God is he that maketh all his Saints as well in heauen as in earth to liue eternally Secondly the Lord Iesus our Sauiour hath by his dying killed death and bought life and by his resurrection triumphed ouer death and won life for euery one of his members yea he himselfe is the life of his people which beleeue in him who maketh them partakers by an euerlasting communion with him of his owne life He layd it downe for them and tooke it vp againe for them and imparts it vnto them it is as possible for him to perish as them and the whole Deitie as him Thirdly the seed of grace whereby the sonnes of God are regenerate is an immortall seede as S. Peter calleth it and of the nature of the father that begetteth them and therefore they must 1. Pet. 23. needes receiue life and retaine life and neuer after bee depriued of it Fourthly without this life the children of God were in no better case then other creatures For either they should bee subiect to eternall death which is the condition of the wicked reprobats or else be extinct and abolished with a finall dissolution which is the state of vnreasonable beasts Vse 1 Instruction to labour for righteousnesse and preciously to account of it since it procureth so precious a reward to vs and that from the fauour and kindnesse of our gracious God Hee that
euerlasting mercie there hee will Psalm 2. 5. speake vnto them in anger and for want of repentance will punish them eternally with iustice Secondly the fearefull iudgement of God vpon their hearts that they should not see how they were illuded in their expectation vntill their death when the case is remedilesse If the vanitie of their hope were discouered to them before they might cast it off sooner and lay a new foundation of a better whereas resting still vpon the stabilitie of that it breaketh when it cannot be repaired and they fall when they can neuer rise againe If the fiue Matth. 25. foolish Virgins had found their want of oile before the bridegrome was comming they might in time haue prouided themselues and be readie to enter with him to the wedding before the dore was shut If they which presumed so much of Christ his acquaintance because they had eaten drunk in his company and Luk. 13. 26 27. heard him preach amongst them had knowne before hand what small account hee would haue made of them they might haue vsed better meanes whiles time serued to grow into his fauour Thirdly the prerogatiue and priuiledge of Gods people would be much infringed if wicked men should haue hope with them in the life to come for therein standeth the contrarietie between them The wicked saith the Scripture shall bee cast away for his lewdnes but the righteous hath hope at his death Prou. 14. 32. For the present it commeth to passe commonly that bad men are full and good men are hungrie the one sort doe laugh and the other waile and weepe as our Sauiour testifieth Luk. 6. 25. and therefore hereafter their conditions shall bee changed on both sides the pleasure of the one shall bee turned into paine and the sorrowes of the other into endlesse comforts As it is said by the Apostle concerning the godlie that if in this life onely they had hope they were of all most miserable so it may be spoken touching the godlesse that if in the life to come also they had hope they were of all men most happie Vse 1 Reproofe of their folly which liue in hope that the time of their death will beget them hope and not destroy it They know that now they are sinfull persons without all grace and goodnes but they trust that then they shall be conuerted and brought in a moment to repentance They know that now they stand in state of damnation and if they should presently come to iudgement they must needes perish but they trust at the last gaspe to call vpon God for mercie and thereby get pardon for all their sinnes and so their soules shall bee saued As though death and the pangs thereof were appointed for the preferment of Gods vngodly enemies They haue bestowed themselues in the seruice of sinne and spent their daies in rebellion against the Lord and doe they looke for reward thereof to bee crowned with glory Are theeues and robbers are cutpurses and other malefactours therefore bound ouer to the Assises that they may bee put in commission and called vp to the bench Instruction to confirme our hope by putting our soules out of all perill of perishing afore our death or sicknes or any other danger least our euidence be to seek when our cause is to be tried Let euery one of vs vpon apparance of election by faith and the fruits of sanctification be able to say as trulie though not with as much feeling of assurance as the Apostle did I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things Rom. 8. 38. present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus This will make our life truely prosperous and profitable and our death blessed and comfortable and our state in the world to come immortall and glorious Consolation to such as feare God that death will deliuer them from the hopes and the liues of their sinfull enemies Away must their soules goe and downe must their carkasses and where then are their purposes and what becomes of their power Though they were as mightie as Leuiathan and as mischieuous as dragons yet when they bee dead as die they must what cause hath any man to be afraid of them Achab minded great matters against Micaiah at his returne in peace from Ramoth Gilead 1. King 22. but God minded to preserue Micaiah by defeating Achab of a peaceable returne from thence Let Hezechiah and all his people saith Zanecherib trust to it that I will speede them at my next comming to Ierusalem but God had appointed that hee should come no more that way but be drawne by the snowte like a fish Isai 36. 12. and 37. 29. or led with a bridle like a beast to the shambles and slaughter at Nineue The Egyptians were resolued to pursue Israel vntill they ouertooke them and to put them to the sword when they caught them and to take the spoile of their goods when they had slaine them but the waters were first to pursue themselues and death to ouertake them and the sea to haue the spoile of their bodies and hell to make a pray of their soules Verse 8. The iust escapeth out of trouble and the wicked shall come in his steed GOds fauour and goodnes doth not free his seruants from afflictions but deliuereth them out of afflictions Whereinto hee casteth the wicked though they be not alwaies of the same kind with those which the godly suffer but worse and more durable and such as are mixed with Gods wrath and poisoned with the sting of their owne euill conscience Doct. Though the afflictions of good men seeme sharpe and grieuous yet they are not perpetuall Before euer God bring his into troubles hee appointeth how they shal be preserued in them and passe thorough them and get out of them He doth as well foresee their arriuall as their launching forth and the end of the boysterous stormes which they must indure aswell as the beginning and entrance thereof Many Psalm 34. 19. or great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of all Neither number nor grieuousnesse nor continuance of crosses nor power of persecutors nor any other impediment can hinder his hand from helping his distressed seruants Reasons First they will keepe no silence when they bee in tribulation they will cry vnto God and bemone their case vnto him that hee may take their cause into his hands Neither is it any waywardnesse in them but wisedome and their bounden duty so to doe for he calleth them vnto him and commaundeth them to make their complaint Call vpon me saith hee in the day of trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Psal 50. 15. Secondly all Gods people are petitioners for euery one and euery one for all so that no member of Iesus Christ wanteth
els we should be counted nobodie They lay too much vpon vs for praying often and hearing of sermons and reading the scriptures and keeping the sabbath and so do they also too much restraine vs of pleasures and profits of libertie in speeches and freedome in apparrell We must follow our sports for take away delights and take away life Wee must vse what meanes wee can for our state and make the most of our owne wee must in companie behaue our selues like the companie according to their talke we must talke and bee merrie according to their mirth for an oath we cannot alwayes auoide it it is but a small matter now and then to sweare a little They would haue vs to become saints on earth but it will not bee our nature cannot like of such precisenes c. And thus they make the easie yoke of Christ an importable burthen and condemne his ministery of rigour in requiring obedience and iustifie themselues in disobedience But leaue this shifting and deale in good earnest and speake the trueth plainely Our sinnes and rebellions say haue stopped vp our way and we haue no iustice nor vprightnesse to open it vnto vs wee are slaues and bondmen to corruption and held in thraldome and subiection of it Otherwise the strength of the world and the streame of the times could not carrie you away so strongly For Noah being a righteous man could liue righteouslie in an age giuen ouer wholy to vnrighteousnesse The seruices of God would not be so tedious vnto you as that by no meanes you should bee brought to exercise them For to vpright men they are not onely possible but pleasant their soule longeth for them they hunger and thirst after them no thing is so much desired of them Voluptuousnes impietie pride and other lusts would not be so sweete vnto you or so mightie in you that you should neither be willing to leaue them nor able to forsake them For where the spirit of God is there is libertie All good men abhorte these sinnes they pray against them they striue against them they preuaile against them Grace ouercommeth the flesh and maketh them doe that which the word requireth and shun that which the word forbiddeth and be that which the word prescribeth Though they performe not good things perfectly yet they practise them faithfully though they cast not off all euill fully yet with hatred they resist it truely though they haue so many infirmities as make them oft to sinne yet they haue so much holinesse as maketh them alwaies saints Verse 6. The righteousnesse of the vpright deliuereth them but the transgressours shall be taken in their owne wickednes THis verse as it may appeare is annexed to the former for confirmation of the point therein contained that righteousnesse doth direct the way of vpright men both to holy conuersation and happy state Against the which a doubt may rise frō the shew of the contrarie because that good men are sometimes plunged in great calamities and sometimes in great transgressions and therefore their way seemeth as indirect as if they were wicked and their righteousnesse to doe them as little good as if they had none at all Now this scruple he remoueth by shewing what benefite it bringeth that then especially they haue the vse of it when they fall into such distresses For then the fruite thereof is most for their comfort when it shall deliuer them out of dangers out of troubles out of feares out of temptations out of sinnes and from destruction Yet not by strength of it owne but by the power of God not according to their worthines in way of desert but according to his goodnes in way of reward not extended to all men that doe good workes but restrained to vpright men whose workes are good And for the clearer illustration of their blessed estate he bringeth in for contrarie the miserable condition of the wicked opposing transgressours to vpright persons their mischiefe to the others iustice their perill to the others protection the one part inclosed in the net of troubles is yet assured of safe escape by meanes of their graces the other abroad at the baite of prosperitie shall certainely fall into snares by meanes of their wickednesse The doctrine which the former clause might minister shal be as conueniently spoken of in the eight verse and that which is to be raised out of the latter hath beene alreadie handled in the third Verse 7. When a wicked man dieth his expectation perisheth and the hope of his power shall perish THe meaning is that euery sinfull mans affection of hoping and happinesse hoped for and strongest meanes to attaine to his hope shall end with his life and die at his death and vanish away at the time of his destruction The substance of the point hath been handled in the eight and twentith verse of the former chapter and therefore in this place we wil onely note the circumstance of the time Doct. The confidence of vngodly men is disappointed at their greatest neede He neuer had good by any hope which hath not the fruition of his hope at his death Then either it setteth a man in possession of his blessednes or else casteth him off into misery woe and perdition for euer Though a man should neuer obtaine his desire in any earthly thing during his life yet if he inioy saluation after this life he hath failed of nothing Though a man should misse of nothing that his heart could wish for whiles breath is in his bodie yet if hee bee damned when the soule goeth out of his bodie hee hath neuer gained any thing And this is the scope of Iob his speech when he saith What hope hath the hypocrite though he hath Iob 27. 8. heaped vp riches when God taketh away his soule Euen now in his deepest aduersitie hee would not change state with the most plausible wicked in their highest prosperitie For hee is sure that the end of his life will finish his sorrow and begin his felicitie and therefore is willing to resigne vp his spirit into the hands of God but their hope doth depart with their breath and their damnation doth come with their death and therefore God must wrest away their soules from them Reasons First they shall then stand before the iudgement seate of God himselfe and that which hee speaketh they must heare and that which they heare they must see and that which they heare and see they must also suffer for execution will accompanie the sentence Heere they would not beleeue his testimonie that their case was so bad as his word declared there they shall feele it to bee worse then they could conceiue of Heere when hee denounced plagues against their sinnes they proclaimed peace to their soules there they shall finde the plagues according to their sinnes and faile of the peace which they promised to themselues Here he spake vnto them in goodnes that vpon their repentance they might obtaine
persecutors God is our defence and therefore they cannot ouerthrow vs God is our glorie and accounteth vs for glorious and therefore they cannot shame vs. In Isaiah this is often pressed Feare thou not I am with thee be not afraid for I am thy God I will strengthen thee and helpe thee and will sustaine thee with the right hand of my iustice Behold all they that prouoke thee shall bee ashamed and confounded and they that striue with thee shall perish Feare not thou worme Iacob and yee men of Israel I will helpe thee saith the Lord and thy redeemer the holy one of Israel Thou wast precious in my sight and thou wast honourable and I loued thee c. Isa 41. 10. 11. 14. and 43. 4. 1. For men that are trulie gracious and yet timerous and full of dread lest Sathan should take aduantage by their imbecillity and want of courage and learning to draw them to apostasie and back-sliding Consider that hee can keepe backe none from obtaining honour whosoeuer either man or woman doth soundly endeuour to be godly doth take a sure and infallible way to bee well thought of none euer failed or was disappointed of that successe Remember also that when God hath once giuen it the diuell can neuer take it away from any but it remaineth to their liues end and to the worlds end and world without end then be well assured that is vnable to depriue vs of grace and constant faithfulnes for that is the spring from whence the other floweth that is the bodie of the light and the other but the beames which proceede from the brightnesse of it Verse 17. He that is a mercifull man rewardeth his owne soule but he that is cruell troubleth his owne flesh BY a mercifull man is ment such a one as with a tender and pitifull heart doth good both to the bodies and soules of men according to their neede and his owne abilitie And freely also remitteth wrongs and passeth by offences without reuengement Where it is said that he rewardeth his owne soule the sense is that he procureth to himselfe both soule and bodie a reward from God and that as certaine as large and continuall as if the fulnesse of power were in his owne hand to bestow vppon himselfe as much happinesse for as long time as his heart could possiblie desire But he that is cruell Which either in violence or rigour vseth to offer men hard measure or shutteth vp his compassion from them that are in affliction that he will no way releeue or seeke to comfort troubleth his owne flesh that is hurteth his owne bodie and in like manner his soule also Doct. 1 Euery mans dealing with others shall rebound to himselfe whether it be in cruelty or kindnes Mercifull men shall receiue mercy from Gods owne hand and from their brethren whom he will stirre vp to shew loue and fauour vnto them and those which are fierce and boisterous to others shall not faile to be recompenced in time the Lord will be as seuere as they are cruell and as strict in iustice to them as they are rigorous in extremitie to others And this shall not alwaies be reserued to the last day or to their death or to the torments in the world to come but spoilers be many times spoiled in this life oppressors bee oppressed and tyrants be ouerthrowne by tyrannie And therefore our Sauiour giueth an admonition that they which would not bee iudged should not iudge they which would not bee condemned should not condemne they which would be forgiuen should be readie to forgiue they which would haue giuen vnto them should giue vnto others For with what measure yee mete saith hee shall men measure to you againe Luk. 6. 37. 38. To spare to speake of such arguments as may be gathered from the estate and name of mercifull men and the contrarie because they follow hereafter in this chapter and wee would not forestall our selues we wil hold our selues to the words as they are literally fet downe in the text and make it appeare that euery mans owne soule receiueth most good by the goodnes which hee exerciseth towards others Reasons 1 First it is a forcible meanes for grace to be increased in him and Gods ordinances to be blessed to him Hee heareth the word of God delightfully and it worketh effectually in him No people were more ready to distribute to the reliefe of their brethren then the poore Churches of Macedonia and Paul had neuer greater 1. Cor. 8. 1. 2. effect and comfort of his ministerie then in the Macedonian Churches So doe they pray with feruency and boldnes and good hearts then with mercie and fauour Dauid had incouragement Psalm 86. 2. to call vpon God for the preseruation of his soule when he could truely pleade that he was mercifull Cornelius lost not his labour in praying but found a comfortable and blessed successe when the Angell could tell him that his almes came vp together with Acts 10. 4. his praiers in remembrance before God Secondly it maketh way for comfort in feares temptations and afflictions it inuiteth godly men to repaire vnto vs it maketh them desirous to refresh our hearts it strengtheneth their hope in their supplications to God it ministreth arguments for perswasion to our selues Or if they should not come at vs or hope so well of vs or deale so well with vs yet out owne consciences with the testimony of Gods spirit would support our soules in greatest extremitie as Iob did find by happie experience Iob 31. It is a treasure that is safely layed vp in heauen for our glorie whereof much will be giuen vs when we shall be dissolued and goe to Christ but most of all when we shall be restored and Christ come to vs. At his glorious appearance shall they appeare in glorie which haue been pitifull to his members and fruitfull in mercie They shall stand at his right hand and to them shall he say Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world But all goeth Matth. 25. 34. crosse with carnall persons The Lord giueth them no grace by his word and other ordinances but challengeth them for comming into his house with bloodie hands As he hath stopped his Isa 1 eares at the crie of the poore so he shall crie himselfe and not bee heard Miserie will miserably torment him his house is not a safe Prou. 21. 13. place for Christians to resort vnto Lions dennes seldome fit for Lambes to be in when good men be present what can they say to mitigate his feares or to lessen his sorrowes If others be silent will his owne conscience speake for him Nay of all that and the lawe of God will bee most forward and forcible to accuse and condemne him And then at his death he commeth into the case of the rich man spoken of in the Gospell that was tormented with flames
marked out to be hewen down for fire wood But worse are they Matth. 3. 10. by farre and in more dangerous case that bring foorth too much fruite but it is of the flesh and to the flesh works of pride works of crueltie cursed blasphemie and swearing notorious riot and vnthriftines drunkennes filthines contempt of Magistrates contempt of Ministers contempt of preaching and malice against all godly Christians Their vine is the vine of Sodom and of the Deut. 32. 32. 33. vincs of Gomorah their grapes are grapes of gall their clusters be bitter Their wine is the poison of dragons and the cruell gall of aspes Reproofe of them that make lesse account of these trees of life than of a thornic hedge than of nettles than of most vnsauourie weedes than of plants that bring foorth deadly poison They distaste no men so much as good men and the better they are the worse they like them Ieremy came and offered his fruit to a people that stood in great neede to eate of the tree of life for they were readie to perish with death But they practised to abolish that fruit which was offered for their preseruation and to take away his life which sought to saue theirs For so hath the Lord declared their conspiracie Let vs destroy the tree with the fruit thereof Ierem. 11. 19. and cut him out of the land of the liuing that his name may be no more in memorie Which almost of all the Prophets sped better How much more fauourably was Paul dealt with And especially Christ Iesus the very tree of life and Lord of life and life it selfe whom all the rest did but resemble His perfect fruit they trampled on laboured to dig him vp by the roote And so they dealt still with his messengers and seruants not making vse of their companie but abhorring it not desiring to be partakers of their knowledge and wisedome and other graces but to suppresse them Doct. 2 He that winneth soules is wise c. It is the note of a wise man to shew mercie to mens soules Fooles cannot easily finde out the maladie of sinne fooles faile of all experience of good medicines that may cure a sinfull heart fooles feele not the burthen of their owne iniquities and therefore cannot be compassionate towards others for theirs Only wisedome doth shew the disease and the remedie and moueth mens hearts in pitie to helpe them that are infected with it That which Salomon professeth to bee true of himselfe is also verified of euery good man in his measure The more wise Ecclesiastes was the more he taught the people Eccle. 12. 9. knowledge And to conuert it the other way the more any man teacheth the people knowledge the more wise he is Reasons 1 First he performeth an acceptable seruice to God which no foole can euer doe He is a diligent and profitable husbandman for seeding weeding and haruest worke He is a valiant and skilfull souldier to discomfit Satan his strongest enemie to winne his holds from him and to rescue his spoyle and captiues out of his hand Yea not onely to set his prisoners at libertie but to winne away the hearts of his owne souldiers that they shal both forsake him and set themselues in battell against him Secondly he is very prouident for his owne good and prepareth a blessed reward for himselfe against the appearance of Iesus Christ And of such men and of that state speaketh the Prophet Daniel They that make men wise shall shine as the brightnes of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnes shall shine Dan. 12. 3. as the starres for euer and euer Vse 1 Incouragement to gaine mens soules to God and saluation to mens soules though we should lose that liking and fauour which was wont to be shewed to our selues What though wee be tearmed busie fooles for our labour doth not God cleere vs and say that we are wise men and well exercised What though wee bee censured for sillie creatures that make our friends to be our foes doth not God commend vs for our good prouidence in making him to be our friend What though wee draw vpon our selues contempt displeasure and persecution from wicked persons for the present doth not God tell vs that wee shall obtaine glorie and fauour and peace at his hands for euermore hereafter The godly esteeme vs to be wise the holy Scriptures pronounce vs to be wise our reward in time will shew vs to be wise and shall the reproch of foolish men discourage vs from our wisedome Terror for them that corrupt mens soules and labour with all their might to keepe men from comming to God It is a blessed calling to be a fisher for God as Peter was and to catch men with the net of the word but of all trades it is the worst to fish for Satans turne and to kill men with the baites of sinne Therefore is the case of the diuell the most miserable of all creatures because he hath done more mischiefe this way than all the rest And that causeth the Lord so grieuously to threaten the false Prophets that kept men from repentance and the false Apostles that hindred the worke of the Gospell and Elymas and any that haue sought to peruert mens hearts or behauiour It is not safe to depraue the Ministerie to weaken the power of it It is not safe to intice men to Poperie and superstition It is not safe to perswade men to prophanenesse and neglect of Gods worship If the naturall Serpent being but a beast was so plagued for being an instrument of Satan vnknowingly and without desire to bring the woman into sinne what shall become of them that applie their wit and tongue and heart and whatsoeuer they can to doe him seruice herein Verse 31. Behold the righteous shall be recompensed on earth how much more the wicked and the sinner THe matter which he is about to speake of is both certaine and weightie and such as concerneth euery man to looke to in regard of his owne case and therefore he prefixeth this word Behold to moue all to a serious consideration of that which is to be said And that is first touching the godly that they must bee corrected for their faults when they offend euen in such manner and measure as holdeth some proportion with their offences though not in equalitie for then who should be able to abide it The word recompense therefore in this place is not taken for reuengement or punishment proceeding from Gods indignation but a louing chastisement though it be sharper according to the threatning of parents to their children whom they be farre from hating or hurting I will surely pay you for this And that it should appeare that nothing is intended against them for the perill of their euerlasting state there is a limitation annexed that it is to be only in the earth Next he sheweth the condition of the wicked that if the righteous scape
of their goodnes say wee and then why should you follow them therein at all Their practise leadeth you to the like facts but can it preserue you or themselues from the reward thereof The question is not therefore who they bee that do it but with what warrant and how well they are like to speede for their doing Consolation in afflictions that they disable vs not from being righteous though they be compensations of sinnes for which we are not yet sufficiently humbled We shall adde to our owne sorrowes and needleslie increase the weight of our burdens if wee condemne our state because the Lord correcteth vs for our faults if we relinquish our hope of happines in heauen because we are recompenced with iudgements on earth it is allotted by God to the best of his seruants so to be dealt with Doct. How much more c. Euery wicked mans state is worse then any godly mans can be Take the most prosperous of them all euen such as the Prophet speaketh of that haue not a knot to their death but the web of their life from the wombe to the graue hath runne with euen threed both in warpe and woofe without any breach and let him be compared with a Christian that neuer saw merrie day touching outward things and he shall be found to be a miserable forlorne caitiffe in respect of this poore seruant of God And indeede the tribulations and afflictions of good men do not bring them behind the wicked but shew that the plagues and punishments of the wicked are yet behind That reason our Sauiour vsed to the women that lamented him as an vnfortunate man and one forsaken of God Weepe not for me saith hee but weepe for your selues and your children For if these things be done to Luc. 23. 28. 31. a greene tree what shall be done to the drie This reason the Prophet Ieremie vsed to Gentiles bordering vpon Iudah which thought that plagues had only belonged to the Church Loe I begin to plague the citie where my name is called vpon and should you Ierem. 25. 29. goe free yee shall not goe quite for I will call for a sword vpon all the inhabitants of the earth saith the Lord of hostes And this reason S. Peter vseth against all impious and sinfull persons The time is that iudgement must begin at the house of God If it first begin at vs what shall the end bee of them that obey not the Gospell of God And if the righteous scarcely bee saued where shall Pet. 4. 17. the vngodly and the sinner appeare Reasons 1 First the fauour and goodnesse of the Lord doth correct the one part and that for their greatest good and happines and his wrath and vengeance doth pursue the other and that for their greatest hurt and miserie Secondly the death suffrings of Iesus Christ haue drunke vp the vengeance and curse of the afflictions of the one part so that now there is nothing in them but that which is medicinable and wholesome And Gods iudgements with their owne sinfulnes haue put a sting into the troubles of the other so that all that is in them is pestiferous and deadly Thirdly for the one part the Lord knoweth what their strength is and therefore will lay no more vpon them then they are well able to beare and for the other he knoweth what their waies be and will presse them with as much as they haue deserued Fourthly the one part vndergoe temporarie tribulations here in earth and all their sufferings will end with their life and the other shall suffer eternall paines in hell and all their torments shall begin at their death Vse Instruction not to be distempered or discouraged at their insultations ouer vs in our troubles They clap their hands and make a shout to see vs beaten at our fathers hands or in the schoole let them mocke on and take their course the officer is at their backe to apprehend them we shall see them sit in the stocks we shall see them geiued with bolts vpon their heeles we shall see them arraigned as malefactors we shall see them condemned and executed as traytors against the Maiestie of God And as there is no cause why we should be troubled at their insolencie so is there no reason why we should be moued at their prosperitie We should make our selues more miserable then we are if we should like our owne case the worse because they deride vs and we should iudge them more happie then they be if wee should thinke their state the better because they applaud themselues Let vs in compassion pitie the particulars and pray for them but neuer esteeme their condition so comfortable as to wish it for our selues or to grudge it to them And because our eyes are much dazeled with externall shewes of things present the holy Ghost doth giue vs a caueat to take heede of the same Fret not thy selfe because of the malitious neither bee enuious at the wicked For Pro. 23. 19. 20. there shall be none end of plagues to the euill man the light of the wicked shall be put out AN EXPOSITION OF THE TWELFTH CHAPTER OF THE PROVERBS CHAPTER XII Verse 1. He that loueth correction loueth knowledge but he that hateth correction is brutish HE that loueth instruction Which doth applie himselfe to seeke it by those meanes which are ordained of God for his people to be instructed by and accepteth and maketh vse of it when it is offered to him he loueth knowledge that is hath it in due estimation and truly desireth it and therefore shall also accordingly obtaine it But he that hateth correction which refuseth all instruction but especially will not indure to be reproued or corrected he is brutish a beast in a mans shape a foole in a high degree of follie both for an ignorant minde and rude behauiour and wretched condition Doct. 1 Euery mans desire of grace and saluation may be tried by his affection to the meanes thereof He that is diligent in seeking is willing to finde as he that setteth himselfe to make speede in his way hath a minde to his iournies end So the Lord speaketh of the godly in one place of Isaiah that they shall say Come let vs Isai 2. 3. goe vp to the mountaine of the house of the Lord that he may teach vs his waies and we may walke in his paths And so the godly speake to the Lord in another place of Isaiah The desire of our soule is to Isai 26. 8. 9. thy name and to the remembrance of thee With my soule haue I desired thee in the night and with my spirit within me will I seeke thee in the morning Reasons 1 First the same spirit that draweth men to liking of the one doth also worke a loue of the other for both are wrought by the Holy Ghost Secondly all the ordinances of God for mans saluation are contrarie to flesh and blood and therefore no man
can take any delight in them further than hee looketh to the end and is refreshed with comfortable effects in the way Thirdly no man can desire the holy knowledge of God with truth and feruencie vnlesse he haue had some taste of the fruit of it and he that hath tasted of the fruit hath profited by the means and he that hath profited by the meanes will loue them euer afterwards They that finde the comfort of life haue formerly felt the benefit of food and they that are desirous to continue their life are not vnwilling to receiue their foode and they that hunger after foode for the continuance of life haue also an appetite to it in regard of the relish Vse 1 Refutation of their boastings that goe before all in speaking of their desire and forwardnes to please God and be saued and come behinde euery one in shewing any good notes of it They make their mouthes and not their hearts the principall seate of their loue and likewise their words and not their deedes their onely arguments doe proue that they doe loue It is very burdenous for them to liue constantly vnder a faithfull Ministerie Euerie godly sermon is tedious vnto them for length if it bee not ended within the houre for the manner if it sauour not of humane wit and eloquence for the matter if it be wholesome and liuely and come home to the rebuking of any sinne which they are not minded to forsake And yet they would haue vs all to know that none are better friends than they to knowledge And yet they must giue vs leaue againe to tell them that euery friend of knowledge is better affected than they are to instruction Consolation to them that thinke it no paines to be painfull in labouring for the bread of life They feele not they say the loue of the word of God the desire of faith and care of repentance c. But from whence proceedeth that is it not hence that they are greedie and couetous of getting abundance of loue and desire and therefore they thinke that which they haue to bee nothing in comparison of that which they would haue But these men must be well confuted their troubles their attention their meditations their paines their reading their questions their conference their ioy in Christian companie their diligence in all good exercises with willingnes doth manifestly shew the error of their doubts and feares But may not an hypocrite do all these things and yet haue no touch in him But may an hypocrite doe all these things in good earnest with resistance of hypocrisie May an hypocrite continue an hypocrite and yet bewaile his want of sinceritie in the presence of God alone with promise and purpose to performe euery seruice more sincerely if possibly by any meanes he may be able It was an argument wherewith Dauid confirmed his owne heart in assurance that he truly loued the Lord and vnfainedly sought his owne saluation because he loued the law of the Lord meditated in his word and kept his precepts And Iob taketh it for a sure effect of his vprightnes that he had not departed from the commandements of Gods lips but esteemed the words of his mouth more than his appointed foode Doct. Is brutish c. They that will not be schooled of God to learne Christian knowledge are no better than if they had no manner of knowledge They are not all children that hate this kinde of correction they are not all naturals they are not all idiots but they are all starke fooles Then many haue been fooles and yet learned Philosophers and many haue been fooles and yet deep Politicians and many haue bin fooles and yet euery way worldly wise men This doth God charge vpon the multitude the greater number of a whole people They are a nation voide of Deut. 32. 28. 29. counsell neither is there any vnderstanding in them Oh that they were wise then they would vnderstand this they would consider their latter end Yea the wittiest of them are so reputed in the prophecie of Ieremy My people is foolish they haue not knowne me Ierem. 4. 22. they are foolish children and haue none vnderstanding they are wise to doe euill but to doe well they haue no knowledge Reasons 1 First their carnall wisedome is altogether vnsufficient to make them seruiceable to God or any thing which they doe to be acceptable vnto him and it standeth them in no steed for their credit For those which bee vile in his eyes shall in time be base in the sight of men and the punishment of their follie in the end shall make it appeare they were fooles all the time before Of this point speaketh the Prophet The wise men are ashamed they are afraide and taken loe they haue reiected the word of the Lord and what wisedome is in them Ierem. 8. 9. Secondly their carnall wisedome can neither preserue them from death nor prepare them to die blessedly It cannot stay their life from going neither can it stop the curse from comming Thirdly it cannot deliuer them from damnation in the world to come but rather increase the grieuousnes of their punishment It hath kept possession against this holy vnderstanding it hath made them vncapable of all good instructions it hath made them impatient of any rebuke it hath held them in ignorance and disobedience al their life and see what their ignorance will bring them vnto after their death The Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendring 2. Thess 1. 8. vengeance to them that know not God and which obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ Now lay all these things together and see wherein any man is bettered by any knowledge or wisedome which is ioyned with contempt of grace Doth hee thinke to please God the better the more is he offended Doth he hope to winne credit by it it will bring him to shame Would he haue it to keepe him from troubles it will draw him into them His death is made the more vncomfortable and bitter and his destruction following much more horrible and fearfull Vse Admonition to take heed that we conforme not our opinions to the iudgement of the world for that is directly contrarie to the testimonie of God Carnall reason and sturdie affections and vnbrideled tongues say that they are fooles which will digest reproofes and checks and suffer themselues to be censured but the heauenly wisedome and diuine trueth the sacred scriptures say that they are wise which hearken to the rebukes of Gods holy word and fooles as bad as beasts that despise them Ob. But men will laugh at our simplicitie if wee sit downe by such indignities Resp But God will laugh at our miseries if we quarrell with admonitions and counsels when hee vouchsafeth them vnto Prou. 1. 26. vs. Verse 2. A good man getteth fauour of the Lord but a man of wicked imaginations will he condemne A
kindnes will bee exercised dailie as Dauid told that bragging Doeg Psalm 52. 1. Doct. 2 The man of wicked imaginations c. The Lord doth not onely proceede against the wicked for their vngodly actions but for sinnefull thoughts and purposes But the prosecution of this point we reserue for the sixe and twentith verse of the fifteenth chapter where it is said that the thoughts of the wicked are abomination to the Lord. Verse 3. A man cannot bee established by wickednes but the roote of the righteous cannot be moued SInfulnesse may seeme to serue a mans turne but in the ende it shall appeare it neuer did him good For howsoeuer it is an occasion of lifting many men vp on hie in prosperity yet it giueth them no sure footing in their state but downe they fall and then it had been better for them to haue stoode still on the ground Wicked men ofter grow greater and faster then others but their setling is not so fast and firme as the other part sheweth The righteous though they be not so tall and spreading vpwards yet they take roote the stronger downewards and though their boughes be shaken aboue yet that will not loosen his hold beneath This is the opposition The vngodly shall not be established by wickednes but his roote shal be plucked vp but the righteous shall be established by godlines and his roote shall not bee moued Doct. 1 They shall misse of their expectation that hope to succour themselues by sinning They applie a venomous plaister to their sore they drinke strong poison for a medicine and they prop vp their roofe with burning firebrands But the holy Ghost directeth euery one of vs to a course directly contrarie to this in the booke of Iob If iniquitie be in thine hand put it farre away and let Iob 11. 14. no wickednesse dwell in thy tabernacle Then truly shalt thou lift vp thy face without spot and shalt be stable and shalt not feare And he doth indent with them whom hee will deliuer from death and miserie that they shall confesse that their wickednes could stand them in no steed If one say I haue sinned and peruerted righteousnes and it did not profit me he will deliuer his soule from going into the pit and his life shall see the light Iob 33. 27. 28. Saul dealt very foolishly in vndermining the foundation of his house by disobedience and the seeking to hold it vp by persecuting of Dauid And Ieroboam dealt not wisely who when 1. Reg. 11. 38. the Lord promised to build him a sure house as he built to Dauid if he would keepe his statutes and commandements as Dauid did deuised another tricke to confirme the kingdome to himselfe and his posteritie and that was by setting vp the idolatrous Calues at Dan and Bethel Reasons 1 First it is the very proper effect of sinne to procure ruine and to bring men to a downfall And thereupon the Prophet Hosea doth ground his exhortation O Israel returne vnto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie Hos 14. 2. As if he should haue said Let experience make you wise neuer trust to sin any more but seeke vnto God for looke what successe you finde by your euill waies now the same be sure of euer no man can speed by such a bad meanes Secondly the rising standing and falling of euery man is in Gods owne hand who alone setteth vp and confirmeth and casteth downe at his will And how then can sinne yeeld any stabilitie to sinners which haue his wrath and threatnings and oth and hand against them It cannot draw kindnes from him to assist them in fauour Force will be of no force to compell to it by feare And wisedome makes it impossible to intice him to it by craft Thirdly if men might haue establishment by wickednes many absurd and dangerous consequents would follow vpon it The curses of the Law would be of small effect the most sinfull shifters would make their state the surest and Satan should become their beneficiall friend whose soules are most peruerted by him Vse Instruction that forasmuch as we may know that we shall lose our labour in seeking any sinfull helpes that Gods displeasure will be increased our miserie increased our guiltinesse increased and euery thing increased that may increase our sorow and torment that therefore henceforth we deceiue our selues no more in expecting helpe at that which altogether turneth to our hurt We would all stand as firme and as impregnable castles but wee make a quicke sand our foundation and mudde walles our stone worke and stubble and reedes our strongest timber It would grow to a large volume if we should relate the seuerall kindes of sinnes whereby we haue sought to serue our owne turnes as falsehood in word by lying falsehood in deed by stealing and deceitfulnes of diuers sorts flatterie couetousnes crueltie hypocrisie running to witches and what not But many volumes are not able to containe the particular facts whereof wee stand guiltie only Gods book and that of our own conscience are capacious enough for them And therefore it is time for vs to pull downe our owne ruinous building lest it fall downe vpon our heads and make vs fall downe to destruction For though it bee too slight and as weake as a cobweb to bee a couert ouer vs yet it is very heauie and as weightie as a mountaine to presse vs vnder it Let vs seriously consider that whatsoeuer is offensiue to God cannot be defensiue for vs and that which doth bring any perill to the soule can neuer possibly bring safetie to state or bodie Away then from our own deuices from all fleshly and vnlawful meanes of helpe and let vs runne with speede to him that neuer failed to succour any that vnfainedly sought helpe at his hands And this may be our incouragement hereunto that wee goe not vnsent nor come vnbidden His owne will his owne word calleth vpon vs with many promises for that purpose If thou returne to the Almightie thou shalt be built vp and thou shalt put iniquitie farre from thy tabernacle The Almightie shall be thy defence and thou shalt haue plentie of siluer When others are cast downe thou shalt say I am lifted vp and God shall saue the humble person Iob. 22. 23. 25. 29. Verse 4. A vertuous woman is the crowne of her husband but she that maketh him ashamed is a rottennes in his bones A Vertuous woman which feareth God and loueth her husband and is faithful in her calling is a crowne to her husband she is for his honour and credit and consequently for his profit and comfort But she that maketh him ashamed which either by her lewdnes and rudenes doth bring him into contempt or at least maketh him to hold downe his head or by negligence pride and wastfulnes doth weaken his estate and bringeth him to want she is a rottennes in his bones that is a torment and corrasiue to his
for redresse of wrongs at his hands Herod thought that it would be too late for all the friends which Peter had to minister helpe vnto him when hee had clapt him vp in so sure a prison But hee remembred not how swift the godly be to prayer and how soone a prayer can come to God and in what readines God hath his Angels and what speede an Angell can make to succour them that are in danger Yet this is not the greatest comfort of Gods afflicted seruants but this that the Lord Iesus Christ is infinitely more righteous and mercifull than any man or all men possiblie can be and he will vndertake their cause and either minister help to their state or grace to their soules to beare their troubles till the fittest time of freedome from them He will preserue them from sinne and Satan which lie in waite for their eternall destruction The spirit of God is large in one of the Psalmes in setting foorth the tender care which he hath of his people He shall deliuer the poore when he crieth the needie also and him that hath no helpe He shall be mercifull to the poore and needie and shall preserue the soules of the poore He shall redeeme their soules from deceit and violence and deare shall their blood be in his sight Psal 72. 12. 13. 14. Verse 7. God ouerthroweth the wicked and they are not but the house of the righteous shall stand VVHen the state of the vngodly which are not Gods chosen changeth from prosperitie to aduersitie it seldome staieth till they be vtterly destroyed both themselues their houses This word are not signifieth a slaughter and killing as it is spoken of the murdering of the infants by Herod Mat. 2. 18. Ier. 31. 15. But here is more vnderstood than the losse of naturall life and that is the perdition of soule and bodie And yet not the extinction of either for the soule shall neuer vanish away nor the bodie for euer they shall not finde so much mercie at Gods hands Their being shall not cease but their comfortable and well being They shall be euerlasting euerlastinglie to beare the burden of Gods wrath and to suffer the vnsufferable torment of death and damnation But the house of the righteous that is he and those things which appertaine vnto him shall bee preserued from being ouerthrowne to ruine Doct. They that will not keepe themselues from wickednesie cannot keepe themselues from desolation They may rise but not stand for vnlesse they fall to repentance they shall be made to fall to destruction They may grow great but for a small time for they will soone bee brought to nothing The prophet thought too well of their state at the first as though they had bin in better case then any other men but he conceiued as hardly of it at the last when he had seene their end in the sanctuarie and deemed them of all to bee most miserable Surelie saith he to the Lord thou hast set them in slipperie places and castest Psal 73. 18. 19 them downe into desolation How suddenlie are they destroyed perished and horriblie consumed The Scriptures flow with testimonies and similies to declare both the certaintie and suddennesse and grieuousnesse of their decay as the withering of plants the putting out of lights the vanity of dreames the vanishing of smoake and many others to the like purpose Reasons 1 First they haue all the threatnings of God against them and euery threatning sendeth forth many curses and euery curse bringeth many plagues Secondly their owne deserts which in respect of any creature are infinite doe draw vpon them iudgements and miseries that are in explicable Thirdly the loue and trueth of God to his owne seruants will not permit a perpetuall prosperitie to his enemies By this hee perswadeth them not to faint in their owne afflictions because a reward remaineth for them and their end will be peace By this he perswadeth them not to fret at wicked mens successes because Psal 37. 38. there remaine punishments for them their end is to be cut off Vse 1 Admonition to sinfull men to tender their loue more that pitie them and desire that their case may be better If others tremble at their fall that is comming which yet neither feele the paine nor be in the perill thereof is it wisedome for them to cast off all care of themselues and onely picke quarrels against them that seeke their safetie When their wound is incurable they will wish that they had better regarded the plaister and the hand that applied it When the disease is remedilesse they will rue the reiection of the medicine and physition When hell shall haue them in hold they will bewaile the refusall of their friendship that would haue directed them to heauen It was good counsell of Philip and well followed of Nathaniel when hee perswaded him to come Ioh. 1. 46. and see whether Iesus were not the Christ And it was an indulgence of Christ to Thomas to helpe his faith in his resurrection Ioh. 20. 27. by the senses of sight and feeling but for matters of punishment and damnation it is good to goe from them and not to come at them to heare Gods testimonie and not to see it fulfilled vpon themselues to beleeue the trueth of that which is spoken and not to feele it by their owne experience Consolation that sinfull men shall not alwaies be molesters of the godly because they shall not alwaies be They shall not continually ouershadow the faithfull because they shall not stand continually Though their shew bee great now and terrible to Gods people yet their change will bee greater and fearefull to themselues He will speedilie ouerturne them and all their power of hurting shall be taken from them Now their rootes are low their toppes aloft and braunches broad and thereby ouer-droppe all that is vnder them then must their toppes come downe and rootes rise vp and all their braunches wither Now they are vessels that are full of power and wealth and malice but then must bee there a transposition the bottome must bee vpward and the brimmes must bee downeward and all their fulnesse be shed on the ground like water The ground of this comfort is neither vaine nor weake for God himselfe doth vrge it as a forcible reason to confirme the hearts of his people Feare thou not saith hee for I am with thee bee not affraide for I am thy God Behold all they that prouoke thee shall bee ashamed and confounded they shall be as nothing and they that striue with thee shall perish Thou shalt seeke them and shalt not finde them to wit the men of thy strife for they shall be as nothing and the men that warre against thee as a thing of nought Isai 41. 11. 12. For the firmenes of the righteous man and of his house see chapter the tenth vers 2. 25. Verse 8. A man shall bee commended according to his wisedome but
but in desire of their owne gaine and lucre for they respect their horses sheepe and oxen more then their neighbours state or their owne saluation but these are not the righteous men which are here commended A president and example of faithfull regard of his beast is to be found in the seruant of Abraham in his iourney to Nahors citie in Aram Naharaim who when he was come to the place whither hee was sent tooke order first that the Camels should bee vnsadled and meated and haue litter put vnto them and then dealt in the busines wherein Gen. 24. 32. hee was imployed and after these things tooke his owne refection Reproofe of those that requite euill for good to the poore beasts that trauell for them and vnder them whom they deale as hardly with as if they were rather noisome hurtfull vnto them Many waies they oppresse them as with burdens too heauie with stripes too many with spurring too often with pace too swift with iourneyes too long with meate too little with dressing too slender c. The Lord hath inioyned them perpetuall silence neuer to complaine of these things though they groane vnder them otherwise if they had libertie of speech and reason to lay open their grieuances the wronges which they sustaine would appeare to bee great and many And yet in an other sort more extremitie then this is vsed against other sorts of creatures and that is when men make a sport of making them miserable when it is a pleasure to put them to paine when it is a pastime to behold their torment and tearing This proceedeth not of a tender heart this is not the worke of righteousnesse this delight will leaue no comfort behind it Haue our sins in Adam brought such calamities vpon them and shall we adde vnto them by crueltie in our owne persons Haue our corruptions been a cause of that fiercenesse that is in many of them one against another and shall we solace our selues in seeing them execute it God forbid If wee doe it may iustly returne vpon our selues their teeth or hornes or pawes assaulting vs or else Gods owne hand by some other meanes reuenging their wronges Doct. 2 But the mercies c. All the fauours that sinfull men shew doe commonly tend to some hurt The Lord doth often vse the wicked as instruments of good vnto his children but though they do the worke yet he sheweth the mercie their hands and tongues are not so much directed by their owne loue and kindnes as by his purpose and prouidence Iacob was not ignorant of this point when he refused the curteous offer of Esau who would either himselfe haue been a companion to him in his way or left some of his seruants behind Gen. 33. 12. 13. 15. to gard him When Saul pretended most readines to bring Dauid to preferment by matching him with his daughter his meaning was to bring him to destruction by putting him into the 1. Sam. 18. 17. hands of the Philistins Reasons 1 First generally true mercie is peculiarly appropriated to the godly as all the fruites and graces of the spirit are and therefore the semblance of it in the wicked proceedeth from the flesh and is euermore counterfeit corrupt and fleshly Secondly in special they vsually transuert their fauor iustice shewing mercie where they should exercise seueritie and practising crueltie where they should shew mercie Saul was so pitifull that he would spare Agag though God commanded to slay him but Dauid should haue died if hee could haue caught him And hee made no scruple in killing fourescore and fiue Priests of 1. Sam. 22. 18. 19. the Lord in one houre it was a small matter in his eyes to smite a whole citie of innocent people with the edge of the sword both man and woman both child and suckling besides all their cattell And so Ahab gaue Benhadad King of Aram to know that he would vse him like a brother and graunt him his life whom God appointed to be handled like an enemie and put to death but he dealt with the Prophets of Israel in an other manner and slew as many of them as he could come by Euen the very sparing of notable wicked persons is a decree of crueltie against the righteous as they be iniurious to the liues of the sheep and lambs that permit the wolues and foxes to liue and breede among them They vse to peruert and ouerturne all their good turnes at one time or other with mischiefe or hurt either outwardly or to the soules of them whom they make beholden to them Vse 1 Instruction not to be like to them or to conforme our selues to their waies Let loue be in our rebukes let compassion bee in our stripes let our seueritie be mercifull but neuer let our mercies be cruell 2. Not to cast our selues into their hands in hope that they will be fauourable to vs if their meekenesse if their mildnes if their mercie bee cruellie how immeasurably cruell will their malice and wrath and rage and furie be Reproofe of those that neuer exercise any other mercie then that which is here condemned They are very carefull for their familie and people that they shall haue refreshing and libertie for their sports and delights but it is onely on the Lords day when it doth more harme to their soules then good to their bodies for they will spare them no time from their owne workes when they may recreat themselues with a good conscience Others are as forward in giuing they will be like to Iob not to eate their morsels alone but the poore shall euer haue part with them but the choise of their almsmen is altogether vnlike to Iobs for hee relieued the fatherlesse and widowes and poore impotent persons and they bestow vpon a filthie generation of idle vagabonds whom Iob chased from the very presence companie of people Iob 30. 5. Others will declare how pitifull they are by helping men that are in destresses and therefore if they might haue their wills there should not be so many punished But whose impunitie doe they seeke for whom would they haue to escape either whip or goale or gallows not such as be vniustly accused not such as be ouertaken with small infirmities not such as shew themselues most penitent for their faults but those that are ordinarie obstinate and impudent malefactors and most pernitious and grieuous offenders These are as full of compassion as the Iewes were of mercie when they cried to Pilate Barrabas Barrabas let Barrabas liue and be deliuered Verse 11. He that tilleth his land shall bee satisfied with bread but he that followeth the idle is destitute of vnderstanding HE that tilleth his land which is industrious and faithfull to doe good in any honest vocation shall be satisfied with bread shall haue competencie of all things that are needfull for him but he that followeth the idle vaine fellowes which giue themselues to no good trade or
edge and point of a sword doth to ones bodie But the tongue of the wise is health their speeches are holesome and helpefull both to themselues and others Doct. 1 No weapon is more hurtfull then a wicked tongue Among all the complaints which the godly and Gods owne spirit make against the wicked in the scriptures they seldome complaine of any thing more then of their virulent and pestiferous mouthes It is said of flatterers that their words are more gentle then oyle and yet they are swords Psal 55. 21. It is said of false accusers such as Doeg was that their tongues are sharpe rasors that cut deceitfully Psalm 52. 2. It is said of false witnesse bearers that they are like hammers and swords and sharpe arrowes Prou. 25. 18. It is said of all sorts and of euery one of them that their throate is an open sepulchre they haue vsed their tongues to deceit the poison of aspes is vnder their lippes Rom. 3. 13. Reasons 1 First they cause swords to be drawne and bloud to bee shed and men to be slaine and much mischiefe to be wrought Ahimelech and his brethren the Priests were killed by the tongue Naboth and his sonnes were killed with the tongue Our Sauiour Christ himselfe was killed by the tongue as Peter chargeth vpon thē that procured his death Him haue ye taken by the hands of the wicked and haue crucified and slaine you desired a murderer to be giuen you and killed the Lord of life Act. 2. 23. 3. 15. Secondly the sword or any other weapon can onely hurt them that are present and in place neere to it but the stroke of the tongue will light vpon them most daungerouslie that are absent and farre off no place or distance can helpe against it and one man may doe mischiefe thereby to a great multitude Doeg with one breath destroyed the whole citie of Nob both man and woman both child and suckling and yet was not present at it 1. Sam. 22. 19. What a slaughter would Haman haue made throughout the whole Persian Monarchie if the Lord had not wonderfully preuented it Thirdly when men be assaulted with weapons others will bee rcadie according to their power and opportunitie to succour and defend them or to pitie them for the wrong and violence which they sustaine but a malignant tongue causeth others to smite those whom it smiteth either by reporting that which it affiirmeth or by beleeuing that which it reporteth Fourthly the sword can onely wound the bodie and take away the naturall life and when the breath is gone the paine is ended but a pestilent tongue may poyson the soule and depriue men of euerlasting life and bring vpon them perpetuall torments for euer Vse 1 Admonition to be warie how we carrie our tongues that they be safely put vp from doing of hurt and neuer vnsheathed but when we are to stricke at sinne and to skirmish with Sathan It is not good to make frayes with our brethren and to draw vpon their names If we cannot vse our weapons better the Lord will binde vs to the peace and take order that his people may goe more safely by vs. Instruction to auoide the companie of such sinfull hackesters that are neuer without such deadly weapons What can a Christiā doe or say or omit that will not set their tongues on worke And how can they open their mouthes to speake with their tongues but that they must needs spit venome If they be angrie their bitter raylings and reuilings shall haue sharp points keene edges if they be merrie they will persecute with taunts and girds biting iests howsoeuer they be disposed they will vomit our impious othes and blasphemies or such other corrupt speeches as will either bring griefe or infection 2. To be alwaies armed and wel fenced against thē because we shall haue necessary occasions diuers times to bee in presence with them That therefore wee seeke protection from God by prayer as the Prophet did saying Deliuer me O Lord from the euill man preserue me from the Psal 140. 1. 3. cruell man which sharpen their tongues like a serpent adders poison is vnder their lippes And withall let vs put on innocencie for that will repell their strokes and ward them off that they shall neuer hurt vs deadly True it is that none are so much laid at as they which are most blamelesse the greatest accusations and threatnings and scoffes are against them but yet they escape best of all others because they are least liable to all those kind of cursed speakings Doct. 2 But the tongue of wise men c. It is the propertie of good men to vse their lippes to doe good with them This point hath been in some part alreadie handled in the second clause of the sixt verse and we purpose if it please God to stand more largely vpon it in the fifteenth chapter verse 4. where is saide that a wholsome tongue is a tree of life Verse 19. The lippe of trueth shall be stable for euer and a lying tongue but for a moment THe meaning is that such as speake the trueth in vprightnesse will not varie in their talke but tell the same tale againe and be like to themselues in that which they shall say whereas lyers be in and out affirming and denying and speaking contradictions in the same matter Doct. Onely true men are constant in their words They goe not from that which they haue well spoken as they will not stand to that which they haue failed in as Iob professed of himselfe saying I will lay mine hand vpon my mouth Once haue Iob. 39. 37. 38 I spoken but I will answere no more yea twice but I will proceede no further This caused the Apostle S. Paul so seriouslie to cleare himselfe of all lightnesse and vnconstancie that the Corinthians should haue no suspition that with him should be yea yea and 2. Cor. 1. 18. nay nay but that his promises and preaching and purposes were stable and firme and vnchangeable Reasons 1 First their matter will helpe their memorie for that which is trueth once will be trueth euer so that the same ground and subiect remaineth still to repeate and reiterate as was to bee spoken of at the beginning Secondly the same spirit that worketh a loue conscience of the truth wherby men are made to be true doth neuer cease to be the same therfore as it seasoneth the heart guided the heart at the first so it will stablish the heart and direct the lips to the end For sinceritie and vprightnes is of all things most durable least subiect to alteration and change And that S. Paul assigneth for a cause of his vnuariable constancy that he minded not those things which he did mind according to the flesh whereby there should be with him yea yea and nay nay 2. Cor. 1. 17. Now liers doe want all these helpes they had neede to haue good memories to remember
The punishment of iniquite shall not befall the iust but the wicked are full of euill AFflictions and corrections may come vpon the righteous but no reuenging curse tending to destruction as if they were abiects But the wicked are full of euill both of guiltines and continuall practise according to the corruption of their hearts which the righteous are purged from and therefore also of those punishments which the righteous escape Doct. Though the Lord afflict the godly as well as the godlesse yet it is done in farre different manner He commeth as a father in mercie and mildnes to the one and dealeth as a Iudge or rather an enemie in wrath and seueritie with the other He commeth with his pruning knife to cut off the superfluous sprigges and braunches of the one and with a keene axe in his hand to hew downe by the rootes the stockes and bodies of the other And this difference is spoken of in the foureteenth chapter of this booke vers 32. The wicked shall be cast away for his naughtines but the righteous hath hope in his death And this difference is spoken of in the seuen and twentith of Isaiah verse 7. Hath he smitten him as hee smote those that smote him or is hee slaine according to the slaughter of them that were slaine by him That is hath the Lord plagued Israel his Church and people in such a grieuous manner as he hath destroyed their enemies it is manifest he hath not And this difference is spoken of in the eight chapter to the Romans verse 1. that there is no damnation to them that are in Christ Iesus that walke after the spirit as there is to them that walke after the flesh The foure reasons wherewith the last doctrine of the former Chap. 11. 31. chapter was proued doe euidently confirme this point and therfore to auoide prolixitie and vnnecessarie repetitions wee referre the reader to that place Vse 1 Instruction to labour to be vnlike to sinfull men in behauiour as we are desirous to haue a better condition Let vs set our selues as enemies against the dominion and kingdome of iniquitie as they doe yeeld themselues to be subiects and slaues vnto it let vs seeke to cleanse our selues from all filthinesse both of the flesh and spirit and be filled with the graces of the holy Ghost and the fruites of the same as they are full of sinnes and vnrighteousnesse For the wicked not to conceiue the better of their owne case nor the godly to like the worse of theirs because externally all things seeme to happen alike to both sides for there cannot bee so great a disparitie betweene any earthly things though neuer so contrarie one to another as there is betweene their estates notwithstanding that in shew and appearance they are alike Verse 22. The lying lippes are abomination to the Lord but they that deale truely are his delight THe sense is plaine enough of it selfe if the supplie bee made of that which is vnderstood in both the clauses The Lord abhorreth lying lips that is those persons that abuse their lippes to lying which will also bee false in their deedes and hee is well pleased with them that deale faithfully which will likewise bee true in their words Doct. Euery lyer is a loathsome person God doth neuer hate any thing that is not hatefull and that must needes bee odible which hee abhorreth and especially when it is abomination which is in hie degree abominable vnto him And that hee is so affected towards lyers his owne word in other places doth testifie As when he saith in this booke These sixe things doth the Lord hate Prou. 6. 17 yea his soule abhorreth seuen the hautie eyes and a lying tongue and the hands that shed innocent bloud c. Yee may know by their companions among whom they are marshalled what account he maketh of them And so in the reuelation of S. Iohn he declareth his detestation of them by reckoning vp their fellowes and describing their grieuous punishment The fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abominable and murtherers and whoremongers Reuel 21. 8. and sorcerers and idolaters and all lyers shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Reasons 1 First nothing is more contrarie to the nature of God who is infinitely true and trueth it selfe then guile and falsehood is And nothing maketh men more like to sathan and workers of his will then lying So our Sauiour told the wicked vnbeleeuing Iewes Yee are of your father the diuell and the lustes of your father ye will doe He abode not in the trueth because there is no trueth in Iohn 8. 44. him When he speaketh a lie then he speaketh of his owne for hee is a lier and the father thereof It is his mother tongue and natiue language to lie when he vttereth any true sentence it is but borrowed and that also he cannot truely deliuer without grosse deceit and dissimulation Secondly lying is a worke of the old man and that which misbecommeth the children of God and lyers such as giue themselues Col. 3. 9. vnto it are vnregenerate and as yet the children of wrath and subiect to damnation Thirdly they are iniurious to them whom they mis-informe making them to beleeue errors and many times many euill consequents in sue vpon it And therefore the Apostle exhorteth all that are effectuallie regenerate to cast off lying and to speake euery man trueth vnto his neighbour because we are members one of another Eph 4. 25. Vse 1 Instruction to worke vpon our owne hearts so as that we comming also to hate lying God may loue vs for trueth and not haue vs in detestation for falsehood If we cause him to abhorre our lippes for our vntrueths to men he will abhorre our prayers and thankesgiuing and whatsoeuer shall proceede out of our lippes to him And it is not enough to leaue lying in respect of hereafter but to lothe the sinne of it that hath been committed by vs heretofore When Iob knew that his words were displeasing to the Lord though they were few and onely rash and vnaduised Iob 42. 6. and he himselfe by error was deceiued in them he abhorred himselfe and repented in dust and ashes how much more then ought wee to doe it which haue more prouoked God with innumerable false speeches and that knowingly and with purpose of deceiuing and hee doth professe that they haue been and are abominable to him And what though wee haue sometimes kept our selues from blame by telling of lies What though wee haue delighted others and obtained fauour to our selues thereby What though we haue made our gaine and commoditie of it Will all this if this were the winning of all the world be able to counteruaile the high displeasure of God and the losse of his fauour together with the forfaiting of our owne saluation And hereby shall we know that we bee soundlie purged from lying
substance were prosperous hunters in shew at the first yet they rosted not their pray but prouided it for Dauids vse and Dauid dealt with them as with beasts that are hunted into the net Reasons 1 First the vse and comfort of all things proceedeth onely from Gods gift and blessing and standeth not in the meere getting and possession of thē and all deceitfull persons both in a generall respect because of their wickednesse and in a speciall regard for their fraudulent and guilefull behauiour are subiect to malediction and to be cursed in euery thing that they deale in or which belongeth vnto them Secondly though the vngodly haue many times power and abilitie to increase their goods yet the vse and fruition of al good things is appropriated peculiarly and intayled to the righteous for whom the wicked are set on worke and not for themselues And so much doth the holie Ghost expresselie testifie Surely to a man that is good in his sight God giueth wisedome and knowledge and ioy but to the sinner he giueth paine to gather and to heape vp to giue to him that is good before God Eccles 2. 26. Iob speaketh to the same purpose saying Though hee should heape vp siluer as the dust and prepare rayment as the clay hee may prepare it but the iust shall put it on and the innocent shall diuide the siluer Iob 27. 16. 17. Vse Admonition to withhold our hands from direption that wee take not from others that which will turne to no good for our selues Wee bring griefe and peraduenture also want vpon them but we bring sinne with greater sorrow and misery vpon our selues it may bee their hindrance but it will bee our owne vndoing vnlesse we leaue off and repent and as much as wee are able make restitution So that our pray will not onely not come to our dish but deuoure the rest of our meate which otherwise might be for our nourishment and by this meanes our neighbour is hurt our labour is lost our conscience is wounded our state is cursed our soules indaungered and that which is worst of all our God is offended and prouoked to displeasure And therefore let not other mens successe in this vnthriftie manner of gayning allure vs to follow the same trade with them sithence we foreknow the vnhappy euent that will fall out in the end Though spoile and crueltie though rapine and robberie though filching and stealing though gaiming lying falsehood or any indirect courses doe set vp men for a time yet downe they must and be driuen to confesse that all their sinfull gettings were vanitie and losse and all their vnlawfull commodities pernitious and hurtfull to them Doct. 2 But the riches c. Wealth well gotten by good men is great in value whatsoeuer it be in quantitie As the bread of deceit is sweetest so the riches of iniquitie seeme best to vnrighteous persons and sluggards like nothing so well as that which commeth with least trauell and without much paines taking Better say they is an handfull with ease then Eccles 4. 6. two handfuls with labour and vexation of spirit And euery thing is a vexation of their spirit which putteth them to any paines of bodie But the Lord testifieth the contrary and teacheth his people both by word and effect that that onely is of worth and estimation which his seruants obtaine by lawfull means and his blessing vpon them And because this point is most true and the world beleeueth not that any trueth is in it hee confirmeth the same in diuers places as Chap. 15. 16. Better is a little with the feare of the Lord then great treasure and trouble therewith That is with feare care sorrow or the checke of an euill conscience So in the Psalme 37. 16. A small thing vnto the righteous is better then great riches to the wicked and mightie Reasons 1 First in respect of the giuer thereof it is the Lords hand that bestoweth it vpon them as a testimonie of his loue and an earnest of more excellent treasures Now an Angell from the Kings owne hand in fauour is more regarded then a pound from an other vpon other occasions And how great a substance may a man haue conueyed to him by receiuing a shilling or tester for possession of all that is passed ouer to him by deede of gifture And how large demeanes may a man bee estated in by taking a turfe in way of lyuerie and seison Now though euerlasting life be principally confirmed to vs by the spirit of adoption yet the Lord would haue his eternall fauour to his Saints to bee seene and acknowledged euen in his earthly benefits Secondly it is sanctified vnto them by the word of God with prayer and thankesgiuing 1. Tim. 4. 5. Thirdlie his blessing maketh it to serue and suffice them for all needefull vses it satisfieth their hearts it is competent for their bodies it is sufficient for their families And as their state is increased so their hands are opened to distribute to the poore and to contribute to the seruices of God and euery way to shew their readines to doe good so as God may haue glorie his seruants refreshing and their owne soules an euerlasting recompence of immortalitie Vse Consolation to all godly faithfull and industrious persons that they are euery way wealthie and rich rich in glory which is reserued for them in heauen rich in weldoing rich in spirituall graces rich in earthly substance if enough of that which is deare and precious may make a man to be rich That saying which is in the fifteenth Chapter of this booke is not to be restrained to any Prou. 15. 6. one but holdeth true for euery one that feareth God that the house of the righteous hath much treasure Things that are costly and of great price are not to bee rated by comparison with the measure of baser matters nor according to the roome which they fill vp A little gold ouerualueth much leade or iron many great pebbles are not matchable in worth with one pearle which is farre lesse then they are a boxe full of rich diamonds is better then a house full of woode and straw or other stuffe that is course or common And so standeth the case with good mens possessions the blessing of God with his mercie and fauour doth conuert them into iewels for their vse and benefit and worketh such comfortable effects by them as all the treasures of the wicked can neuer yeeld vnto them Verse 28. Life is in the way of righteousnes and in that path way there is no death LIfe c. The meaning is that they which are righteous men iustified by the merites of Christ and sanctified by his spirit and obedient to his will in working that which is agreeable to his word are in state of life euerlasting The life of grace they haue possession of alreadie the life of glory is assured to them by the life of grace whosoeuer hath the one can neuer faile of the other And therefore it is said that there is no death in that path They are deliuered from the first death which hath power ouer all sinfull men in this world and they shall neuer come into the second which is the portion of reprobates in the world to come And this is confirmed by the testimonie of Christ himselfe saying Verily verily I say vnto you he that heareth my word and beleeueth Iohn 5. 24. in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life The doctrine which the words would minister hath been declared and prosecuted in the nineteenth verse of the former chapter where it is saide that righteousnes leadeth to life and therefore it is needelesse to handle it againe in this place Onely let thus much be spoken that the holy Ghost doth not in vaine so often promise life to them that seeke and serue him He doth repeate it more then twentie times in this one booke besides the mention that the other parts of scripture doe make of it almost euery where It is therefore a point of certentie to them that lay hold on it It is a point of difficultie and not easilie beleeued sithence God to helpe our hearts doth againe and againe redouble it and it is a point of great importance requiring a serious and constant meditation without which men grow barren and carelesse in doing all good dueties and by which they are made rich and plentifull in all holy seruices The consideration of life and of such a life will incourage the heart and open the mouth and strengthen the hands and make the feete nimble to runne in the waies of righteousnes all that they can doe in obedience they will account too little and nothing that they suffer for wel-doing they will thinke to much FINIS The Author to the Reader THou art to be aduertised good Reader that sundrie faults haue escaped in this Treatise most by ouersight of him that copied it out and made it readie for the Presse and some few were committed in the printing the greatest part and I think all are here collected for thee in briefe I pray thee take notice of them and reforme them in their places according to this direction Pag 13. lin 2. reade and their soules also flexible pag. 30. l. 10. r. their perswasions p. 36. l 29. for commoditie reade brethrens pag. 38 l. 3. r. into accusations p. 39. l. 30. r. offer of it to others p. 41. l. 31. put out owne pag 42. l. 23 r. aggrauate pag. 43. l. 20 r bond p 46. l. 35. r often p. 50. l. 14. r. fast ibid. 34. r. what causeth p. 51. l. 5. r. preserueth ibid. 12. r. meannes p. 53. l. 27. r. God heareth them with mercie and fauour p. 57. l. 9. r. fence p. 66. l. 36. r. descried p. 69 l. 14. r. greatly pag. 78. l. 26. r. deprauation p 86. l. 6. r. good springs p. 91. l. 34. r. as pag. 94. l. 5. r. spoken p. 95. l. 11. r. was an p. 108. l. 1. r. sharpe p. 139. l. 16. r. deeme p. 143 l. 29. r. degree p. 144. l. 2. r. crueltie pag. 156. l 28. r. couetous p. 160. lin 37. r. deposed p. 166. l. 14. r. but to the. p. 196. l. 26. r. feares p. 280. l. 22. r. moueth