a man had the Philosophers stone if he used it not he would have no gold A known medicine helps not if not taken keep then good precepts actually as wel as cordially in deed as wel as in heart they that do not so forget them or at least keep them not delight thy selfe with keeping them in thine heart and honour thy God with observing them in thy life Doct. 6. Such precepts must be practised heartily Thou Solomon my son know thou the God of thy father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind 1 Chron. 28.9 Servants obey in all things your Masters according to the flesh not with eye service as men-pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God And whatsoever ye do do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men Col. 2.22 23. Ye have obeyed from the heart the form of Doctrine which was delivered you Rom. 6.17 〈◊〉 Reason 1. Because the heart is the fountain of life Dead services please neither God nor men It is like the speaking of Parrots Acceptable service to God must be reasonable service Rom. 12.1 It is like the Fountain of joy and comfort and therefore where it is not men can have no comfort in any thing they do Use See where your hears are when ye do what Parents and Teachers advise you If ye do it unwillingly it is not thank-worthy VERSE 2. For length of daies and long life and peace shall they adde unto thee THe Exhortation was in the former Verse The promise to encourage us to obedience is in this That men might with more courage endeavour to obey Solomons wise directions God joynes the reward to the work and promises those things which all men but especially young men most of all desire and long for and are most dear to men of tender years to wit a long quiet and happy life Some distinguish the three things promised thus That by length of daies should be meant a life on earth as long as may be drawn out by any strength of nature By long life or years of life eternall life in another world By peace peace of conscience But they may rather be understood thus By length of daies may be understood a life that lasts long By long life or years of life an healthfull life By peace a prosperous life For the words For. See on Chap. 19. A reason of the former Exhortation Length of daies They bring a long life to a man not beyond the time appointed by God but as God hath determined so by his blessing he gives long life to those that obey him This is understood of bodily life here which the Law also promises in the first commandment The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Day in Scripture is used 1. For a naturall day confisting of 24 hours Neither eat nor drink three daies Est 4.16 2. For an artificiall day opposed to the night The greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night Gen. 1.16 In the plurall for a long day and circular till that day come again a full year This man went up out of his Citty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From daies to daies which ver 7 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 year by year 4. For a certain time especially to come In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah Isa 26.1 5. For a time of trouble Remember O Lord the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem who said Rase it Rase it even to the foundation thereof Psal 137.7 Their day is come the time of their visitation Jer. 50.27 Here it is taken in the first sense for naturall daies And. See on Chap. 2.9.22 on the word But long life Heb. Years of life For life see on Chap. 2.19 Lest any man should think that long life may be miserable he saith not years of sicknesse or weaknesse which are but puttings off or rather years of death but years of life that is of health and strength Non est vivere sed valere vita It is not worthy the name of a life barely to live but to be in health and strength So a life in Heaven is called eternall life whereas a life in Hell which lasts as long is called the second death And peace Lest any thing should be wanting to a long and healthfull life peace is added And well too for the shortest life is best without peace By peace is meant prosperity riches liberty So the Hebrews use the word And he said unto them Is he well And they said He is well Heb. Is there peace to him There is peace Gen. 29.6 Go see if it be well with thy brethren Heb. See the peace of thy brethren Gen. 37.14 And indeed prosperity is the fruit of peace adversitie of war Shall they adde to thee They shall prolong the years of thy life health and wealth Not forgetting but observing Gods commands will do all this The sum is If thou slight not my commands but observe them thou shalt have a long healthfull and prosperous life Long life without health is troublesome and health without other comforts of life cannot give content Observe Figures none 1. The word of coherence For. 2. The benefits Length of daies and long life and peace A long healthfull and prosperous life 3. The means of procuring these is obedience Shall they adde unto thee 1. Doct. God might have required full obedience without rewards yet he promiseth large ones That he might require it without reward appears in the preface of the commandements Obey for I am Jehovah that gave thee thy being Thy God in covenant with thee That brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt A great benefit Out of the house of bondage A great deliverance That he will give full rewards appears in the end of the second and fifth Commandements Forsake Idolatry and worship me aright For I shew mercy to thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandements Honor thy Father and thy Mother that thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee So he promises Abraham to be his shield and exceeding great reward Gen. 15.1 For the first part That God may require obedience without any reward appears 1. Because hee is not any way indebted to us for our obedience He hath all of himself and nothing from us Nor gets no addition of happinesse by our obedience 2. We are indebted to him for all the good things we have as Life Health Food Goods World Heaven we have all from him and that of free grace And it is strange for a debtor to require mony of his creditor wee cannot then merit any thing from him that cannot adde any thing to him neither doth he need any thing Hee that merits of another must some way supply his wants Sacrifices could not do it And if they could do it he need not take them of us that owes all the cattell of the World Psal
and tremble 3. Doct. Wantonnesse shortens mens dayer Give not thy strength unto women nor thy wayes to that which destroyeth Kings Prov. 31.3 The adulteresse will hunt for the precious life ch 6.26 Reason 1. Because it wasts a mans strength and when strength fails life will fail If fuell decay the fire goes out And thou mourn at the last when thy flesh and thy body are consumed ch 5.11 2. It breeds noysome diseases which oft-times prove incurable 3. It hath gluttony and drunkennesse for companions which alone can shorten mens lives much more accompanyed with wantonnesse Plures gulà quà m gladio periisse certum est It is an undoubted truth that more perish by the throat then by the sword 4. Strumpets kill men in private either for their money which they have about them or for want of money when all is spent lest they should be a burden to them on whom they have spent it Vse Let us quench lust with this water If our life be gone all is gone Men are at great cost to preserve life by physick They forbear many pleasing meats and keep a diet But no physick nor diet will keep an adulterer long alive Strumpets will waste more then those helps can do good If they do not yet may the Magistrates sword or Gods judgement do it The King of Babylon caused Ahab and Zedekiah to be rosted in the fire because they have committed villany in Israel and have committed adultery with their neighbors wives Jer. 29.22 23. 4. Doct. He that will scape an Harlot must keep out of her house Had not Joseph been in Potiphar's house he had not been in his Mistrisses danger Gen. 39. Joseph scapes by getting him out of the house The young man Prov. 7. is undone by going into the Harlots house Reason 1. Because her house is full of baits ch 7.16 17. Fine fare and ornaments 2. It hath locks and keyes and private opportunities of sinning Vse If ye know such houses keep out of them Strumpets like Cocks crow on their owne dunghills They count all their owne that comes within their dores Keep out then and be safe 5. Doct. The house of uncleannesse is the gatehouse of death Come not neer the dore of her house lest thou give thy yeers unto the cruel ch 5.8 9. Her house goes down to the chambers of death ch 7.27 Reason 1. In respect of spirituall death For what life of grace can be expected in a stews 2. In respect of corporal death and that many wayes as ye heard before The Strumpets house is the Devils armory wherein are weapons of all sorts to destroy men for the devill was a murderer from the beginning Joh. 8.44 3. In respect of eternal death both of soul and body Her house is like Sodom If Lot go not out of it he must be burned with fire and brimstone His condition that converses there grows still worse and worse His soul is dead his body will be soon dead and then no space for repentance and so he dies eternally Vse Pity those gallants that pity not themselves that go from their own houses into naughty houses and from thence to the grave and hell Out of a lesser and temporary fire into a greater and eternall 6. Doct. Adulterers go downward Her feet go down to death ch 5.5 And questionlesse her adulterer goes down with her Let not thine heart decline to her wayes for she hath cast down many wounded ch 7.25 26. Reason 1. Because they go downward in their strength as was shewed before 2. In their estates For much is spent upon strumpets to the impoverishing of themselves and theirs Vse Let such repent quickly lest they go so low that they never get up again Vers 19. None that go unto her return again neither take they hold on the paths of life The wounds gotten in the Harlots house which are deadly were set out in the former v. The ordinary neglect of them and irrecoverablenesse is set out in this v. For the words None Not onely her self but also all her customers are in danger of perishing Hebr. not all which in Scripture language is none As Psal 143.2 In thy sight shall no man living be justified Heb. not every one living See more on ch 1.24 on No man Some of the ancientest have hence concluded that adultery is an unpardonable sin But they forget that all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men save onely the sin against the holy Ghost Mat. 12.31 Not none of any condition or none of all simply though the word be used both these wayes in severall places but none in comparison or very few So few return from adulterous courses that in respect of them which do not return they are as none So None calleth for justice Isa 59.4 There is none that calleth upon thy name Isa 64.7 That is very few do so He compareth them which are given to adultery to Souldiers that go into the war and there place and thrust themselves so forward that they are slain We say All the City went to see such a sight that is the most of them It may be some could not and others would not We know that David did repent of adultery but we read of few more that did it Some understand it that none do or can return by their owne wit or strength have they never so good naturall parts but by Gods extraordinary grace some may and do return But the former interpretation is better That go unto her That go in unto her to commit adultery with her A modest expression of a secret or foul action frequent in Scripture Jacob went in unto Leah Gen. 29.23 David had gone in unto Bathshebab Psal 51. in the title Or that go into her house to converse familiarly with him Or that go into an untimely death by wantonnesse Or figuratively that fall into her sinful wayes and so are spiritually dead She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth 1 Tim. 5.6 That interpretation of few returners from adultery is best because he had spoken before of the sinful and deadly courses used in her house v. 18. And now he intimates that her snares are like lime-twigs they hold fast all that converse with her in her house and so fast that very few or none think of returning So that this vers is an explication men because they are so bewitched with the unlawful pleasure ◠of her house that they scarce ever think of leaving those finful wayes while they live For the word Goe see on ch 1.26 on the word Cometh Return again Some understand it of returning to prosperity Gods judgement follows them for the most part and wastes them and their estate to the consumption of both But it is rather meant of returning by repentance leaving those sinful paths of death to walk in the good wayes of life as follows in this v. For the word see on ch 1.23 on the word Turn Neither take
existimantis Plin. l. 10. c. 1. Great is the foolishnesse of the Ostrich who though his body be very high yet when he hides his neck under a shrub thinks he lies hid Vse Let Magistrates put them out of that conceit by doing justice on Malefactors Impunitas maxima est peccandi illecebra Impunity iâ— the greatest bait to sin Sparing some is cruelty to others Henry the Eighth his fool when the King denyed a pardon to a Gentleman that had killed two men before told him that the Gentleman had killed but one the King had killed the other for if he had hanged him for the first the second had been alive Bonis noâ—et quisquis malis pepercerit P. Syrus He that spares the bad hurts the good 8. Doct. Rich men though innocent are in danger As Naboth 1 King 21. The inheritance made the heir in danger of his life Mat. 21.38 Their riches breed them snares Cantabit vacuus coram latrone viator An empty traveller may sing before a theef Vse To condemne the immoderate desire of riches Our throats may be cut for them Vers 12. Let us swallow them up alive as the grave and whole as those that go down into the pit The former argument to perswade our Novice to joyne in thest and murther and unlawfull surprize of other mens goods and lives was taken from the safety of the action No danger No man should see to prevent it before or to accuse after This argument in this verse is from the easinesse of it The Novice might object The work is difficult the successe doubtfull They answer No. It may be done without any trouble with much ease and little resistance We shall as easily overcome them as dead men are put into the grave or a sop swallowed by a Dog For the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us swallow them up or we will or shall swallow them Joyn thou with us in the doing of it They desire not onely consent and approbation of the work but also assistance and help to effect it Let us swallow them up as wilde beasts devour their prey at a morsel or as the greater fishes devour the lesser whole and make no bones of them Hereby is intimated 1. The greedy desire of wicked men to destroy others for their goods as beasts or fishes are greedy for their food without which they cannot live 2. The easinesse they conceive of effecting it They can destroy them as easily as a Whale swallows a fish as they thinke that hath power to resist or escape 3 The suddennesse of the danger The party shall be destroyed before he know himself in danger as a fish is suddenly swallowed 4. The secresie of it None can tell what is become of that which is swallowed up No signe of blood shall be lest nor any member to avoyd all suspicion of murder 5. The irrecoverablenesse of the losse Things swallowed up are past recovery unlesse by miracle as Jonas came out of the Whales belly There will be then no fear of revenge at all from them By them he means the innocent parties and such as never did them any wrong mentioned vers 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alive This argues cruelty to eat and devour living creatures that are sensible of their pain and losse Dead carkasses feel not when they are devoured This cruelty is expressed lively Psal 124.3 Then they had swallowed us up quick when their wrath was kindled against us The word signifies 1. Life God breathed into mans nostrills the breath of life Cen. 2.7 2. Living or alive I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living Psal 116.9 3. Lively or strong The Hebrew women are lively Exod. 1.19 4. Men. Eve was the Mother of all living Gen. 3.20 Not of beasts but of men 5. Beasts for they live also At the hand of every beast will I require it Gen. 9.5 6. Moving things that have no sense A well of living watirs Cant. 4.15 Here it is taken in the second sense for living or alive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the grave The word is sometime translated Hell The wicked shall be turned into hell Psal 9.17 which is a receptacle for souls of wicked men after death Sometimes it is rendred the grave I will go down into the grave unto my Son Gen. 37.35 That is the receptacle of dead bodies And sure Jacob meant not to go to hell but into the grave or state of the dead for it is likely he thought his Son was not buried but devoured by wilde beasts as he was told It is taken directly for the Grave Prov. 30.16 So it is taken here for the Grave We will not stay till they be dead We will be their grave and hide them safe enough It is not an allusion to Dathan and Abiram swallowed alive by the earth as some would have it for theeves would not willingly mention such a judgement But the grave swallows dead men that they are no more heard of so will we swallow living men And it may be an allusion to any that are swallowed up quick as multitudes have been upon breaches made by earthquakes and hanging hills overwhelming Towns as lately in the Valtoline The name comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to crave or ask For the grave is never satisfied but alwayes craving for more carkasses It never saith It is enough Prov. 30.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And whole We will not hurt nor maim them nor cut off some members but swallow them all up at once The word sometimes fignifies upright or undefiled Blessed are the undefiled or entire in the way Psal 119.1 So some read here But that cannot be For 1. That is all one with innocent vers 11. And 2. It suits not well with the words following for most men go down into the pit defiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As they that go down into That descend into the earth by buriall or otherwise by casualty as some falne into Marle-pits and perished there or into Cole-pits as Psal 140.10 It is true literally for pits and graves are in the bowels of the earth and men are put down into them or metaphorically because the estate of dead men is a lower condition then of those that live on the earth A living dog is better then a dead lion Eccl. 9.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The pit The word sometime signifies a pool digged to receive rain-waters in those dry Countreys where water is wanting A pit wherein there is plenty of water shall be clean Lev. 11.36 2. It signifies a pitfall digged to catch birds or beasts in He made a pit Psal 7.15 3. A hole or dungeon whereinto offenders are cast Vnto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon Exod. 12.29 Yet good men have been cast into such places as Jeremy into a dungeon and Joseph into a pit 4. A grave wherein dead men are cast Thou hast kept me alive that I should not go down into
us willing to give good counsell This they may give that have no silver nor gold and it is worth giving And then may we say as Peter in another case Silver and gold have I none but that which I have good counsel which is better give I unto thee Act. 3.6 2. It should make us willing to take good counsell We would take good money of any why not good counsell which is far better though given by mean men 3. It shews us the excellency of the Ministery whose main end is to give good counsell to miserable men yea the best counsel We love them that will shew us the way to live with comfort here much more should they highly be esteemed that teach us the way how to live for ever How beautifull are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace and bring glad tydings of good things Rom. 10.15 It is also one of Christs titles he is called Counsellour Isa 9.6 2. Doct. Though good counsell be very profitable yet are some so bad that they will not take it So Elie's Sons hearkened not to the voyce of their Father 1 Sam. 2.25 So Rehoboam forsook the counsell of the old men 1 King 12.8 Reason 1. Because of love of sin Men love not them that speak against their friends 2. Because of custome in fin This stops mens ears to good counsels 3. For pride of heart They think it a disparagement to be guided by others as if they were not wise enough to guide themselves 4. For prejudice Either they that counsel them are inferiour and so thought not wise enough nor good enough to advise or such against whom they have taken displeasure and so think they speak out of ill will or else they are aged and would have them grave before their time as in Terence Volunt nos illicò nasci senes They would have us old men as soon as we are born Or lastly they are Ministers and would bring all under their girdle Vse Let us like good counsell the better because many despise it The greater part are seldome good husbands for the world much lesse for heaven Wicked mens despising Gods law made David love it the more They have made voyd thy law therefore I love thy commandements above gold yea above fine gold Psal 119.126 127. 3. Doct. It is a dangerous condition not to hearken to good counsell Elie's Sons not hearkening to the good counsell of their Father was a signe the Lord would stay them 1 Sam. 2.25 So saith the Prophet to Amaziah I know that God hath determined to destroy thee because thou hâ—st not hearâ—ened to my counsel 2 Chr. 25.16 Reason 1. Because it layes a man open to spirituall evils aâ— to hardnesse of heart My people would not hearken to my â—â—yce so I gave them up unto their owne hearts lust and they walked in their owne counsels Psal 81 11 12. 2. It â—ayce a man open to temporall evils So saith Jeremy to Zedekiah If thou wilt not go forth to the King of Babylons Princes thâ—n shall this City be given into the hands of the Chaldeans and they shall burn it with fire and thou shall not escape out of their hâ—â—â— Jer. 38.18 3. It brings death here as it did to good Josiah He was warned to avoyd the danger but would not 2 Chron. 35.21 c. 4. It brings eternall death 2 Thess 1.8 They that obey 〈◊〉 the Gospel must perish for ever Vse It reproves those that not only are naught of themselves but also so bad that they are past all good counsell They lay themselves open to many rocks and quicksands Their condition is very bad and well-nigh desperate 4. Doct. Reproof although it seem rough is very profitable David desires it as an excellent oyl Psal 141.5 Paul requires it for a good end Rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith Tit. 1.13 Reason 1. Because it is a glasse to shew us our sins when we cannot see them our selves nor admonition will not make us look into our selves If a Fathers telling wil not serve he must chide 2. It is a bridle to keep us from sin for time to come when no warning will serve For it carries anger with it in the reprover and shame in the reproved Vse Let us not be offended at reprovers but love them Reproofs may work when promises exhortations admonitions will not 5. Doct. Though reproof be very profitable yet many regard it not Vzziah was wroth when reproved by the Priest 2 Chr. 26.19 The Jews regarded not Isaiah's reproof Isa 1.4 5. Asa was wroth with the reproving Seer and puts him into prison 2 Chr. 15.10 They hate him that rebuketh in the gate Amos 5.10 Ahab cryes out to Elijah Hast thou found me O mine enemy 1 King 21.20 Nulli grata reprehensio Reproof is a bitter pill it goes down with few men Reason 1. Because it is a kind of disgrace unto them and an accusation of folly Had they done well they needed not to have been reproved 2. It crosses their decrest sins and men cannot abide to be crossed in what they love Vse Let us shew our selves wise men by looking rather what is profitable for us then what is pleasing to us Intemperate persons feed on ill meats and die sober men forbear and live So must we in spirituall things Look on reproofs as profitable look off the bitternesse of them and be amended by them 6. Doct. It is a dangerous condition to reject all reproofs Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured ch 13.18 If the ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise Prov. 15.31 then he that rejecteth it must dwell among fools Reason 1. Because then Gods Word hath delivered them over to Gods sword which is very sharp If Gods Word be sharper then any two edged sword Heb. 4.12 which yet can kill a man how sharp is Gods sword then 2. Such a man may take David's oath safely As the Lord liveth there is but a step between me and death 1 Sam. 20.3 Nothing but some heavy judgement between him and hell Little else likely to recover him He is like a man at Sea some three inches from death Vse It blames them that think they are safe because no reproof will stir their conscience This is their misery not their liberty No Canon will make a dead man afraid yet a living man is far better No danger will fright a mad man yet a man in his wits is in a far better condition Hearken then to reproof that ye may live in safety Vers 26. I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your sear cometh The causes of their miseries were expressed before the grievousnesse thereof is expressed in these words and those that follow They should be comfortlesse helplesse and ruined God would shew himself righteously unmercifull to them They had despised calls becks counsels
they will never come on them but they are deceived in both Because ye have said We have made a covenant with death and with hell are we at agreement when the overflowing scourge shall passe thorow it shall not come unto us Your covenant with death shall be disanulled and your agreement with hell shall not stand when the overflowing scourge shall passe thorow then ye shal be trodden down by it Isa 28.15 19. Vers 27. When your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlewind when distresse and anguish cometh upon you Wisdome comes now to a second judgement to be denounced against fools that despise instruction And that is helplesnesse They shall cry to her for help but all in vain She will not hear v. 28. The judgement is set down 1. By the cause of their crying to wit the greatnesse of their misery and grievousnesse of their punishment in this vers 2. By the fruitlesnesse of it They should cry in vain and to no purpose vers 28. The cause of their cry and grievousnesse of their punishment is set out by soure similitudes 1. From an enemy or flood that sweeps all away 2. From a whirlewind which none can resist 3. From bands that gird in a man and pain him so as he cannot get out or from a besieged City 4. From a disease that cleaves to a man so that he cannot be rid of it For the words When your fear cometh See on vers 22. it is called their fear because they should have feared it or did fear mischief in generall though they went not the right way to work to prevent it Hereby is meant especially death for many wicked men fear not hell though that be most to be feared See on vers 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As desolation The word signifies an utter laying waste of a Country in war by an Army of Souldiers who lay heaps upon heaps and leave not a stone upon a stone Matt. 24.2 or by a flood or storm coming with a great noyse and violence and suddenly carrying all before it Therefore shall evill come upon thee thou shalt not know from whence it riseth and mischief shall fall upon thee thou shalt not be able to put it off and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly which thou shalt not know Isa 47.11 They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me Job 30.14 And your destruction The same word that was transsated calamity v. 26. Cometh See on v. 26. This v. expoundeth the end of the last vers before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As a whirlewind Suddenly and irresistibly and with a terrible noyse and fragor It comes from a word that signifies to be consumed or ended It sets out a violent wind that blows all away before it like chaffe and consumes it Hereby is intended death taking away all those lovely things which men have been so long working for and gotten with so much sweat Sudden death like a grievous whirlewind will blow them out of the world Some take it for a tempest at Sea that riseth suddenly after a long calm when men are secure and lifts the waves up and drowns the ship Aquila takes it for an earthquake and that suddenly shakes the earth it self and throws downe Houses and Castles and swallows up men alive in the bowels of the earth However it sets out an unlooked for and unavoydable judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When distresse cometh It comes from a word that betokens to keep in straiten or besiege a man or a City so that men have not room enough to breathe or to get things necessary Isa 29.2 3. It imports any great grief or trouble of minde whereby the heart is as it were straitned and kept in and oppressed When ye are so distressed with troubles that ye are straitned like men in a narrow way in great danger yet finding no way to get out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And anguish It comes from a word that fignifies cleaving fast to one like a disease that cannot be parted from the body though it pain a man sore An evill disease say they cleaveth fast unto him and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more Psal 41.8 It may be meant of bodily pain Some think that both these words signifie the same thing and two words of the same signification are used to heighten the signification and to signifie extreme trouble great fear and grief shall accompany your Iestruction and death As if one word were not sufficient to set out the horror of it See the like Job 14.10 11 â—â— Where death is set out in divers phrases So many words and similies are used here to shew the grievousnesse of their destruction It is called fear because it will make them sore afraid Desolation suriously breaking in upon them Destruction making an end of them A whirlewind blowing away not onely light things as chaffe but also blowing down trees houses and strong buildings Anguish and distresse grievously afflicting both soul and body and all to shew how sharply God will proceed against impenitent sinners As if an enemy came with a noyse to destroy a City or a great house fell by a hideous earthquake with a terrible noyse or a ship sunk in a raging storm or the corn were smote down with hail or floods overran all the fields So terrible will the destruction of wicked men be Vpon you On you simple ones scorners and fools v. 22. Figures Cometh Befalleth you A Metaphor attributing a living action to a dead thing as Job 1.19 There came a great wind from the wildernesse The misery to come upon these wicked ones is set out 1. Literally 2. By similitudes In the first note 1. The object When your fear 2. The act attributed to it cometh The similitudes are taken 1. From a Countrey laid desolate as desolation 2. From things thrown down by a tempest And in it 1. The misery and your destruction 2. The act cometh 3. The manner as a whirlewind The third fimilitude may be taken from a body straitned or a City besieged when distresse The fourth from a painfull disease cleaving to a man And in it 1. The evill anguish 2. The act cometh 3. The object upon you As if it came down from heaven by the hand of God who will lay on load as an enemy invading you The points we shall handle shall be only of the conditions of wicked mens destruction as they naturally arise out of the former similitudes Enemies lay a place desolate quickly Tempests soon throw down trees and houses 1. Doct. The destruction of wicked men shall be sudden and unexpected Sodoms destruction was in a Sun-shiny morning when they expected comfort but were soon destroyed Gen. 19.23 c. The Israelites in the Wildernesse were destroyed while the meat was in their mouths Psal 78.30 31. So the old World was unexpectedly destroyed They did eat they
both labour in sin Gain he looks for from it His Motto is Dulcis â—dor lucri è re qualibet Gold smels well though raked out of a dunghill He can gain by wantonnesse oppression lying flattery c. Vse Here is an help to judge of our estate Is our way a way of sin or of goodnesse We must not try our selves by one act either to cleer our selves for one good act or to condemne our selves for one bad one Our course of life must cleer or condemne us 5. Doct. Abundance of troubles shall come upon wicked men The back-slider in heart shall be filled with his owne wayes Prov. 14.14 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked Psal 32.10 Reason 1. Their fins bring on them store of spirituall evils as shame grief despair wherewith the mind is overburdened as the flomach overprest with meat and made fick of a surfet 2. Bodily evils as diseases pains c. 3. Their ill life brings an ill death violent or despairing 4. Wicked men cannot be filled with sin here but they must be filled with misery in hell A way of sin here and a way of eternal sorrow there Vse It declares to us what is the portion of sinners They take great content in sinfull wayes as if they were the onely free and happy men but their end will be misery 6. Doct. Ungodly men have many devices to undoe themselves So Achitophel and Judas were wise enough to hang themselves Reason 1. Because God overpowers them in their owne way and beats them at their owne weapons and takes them in their subtilty He countermines and voyds their mines He taketh the wise in their owne craftinesse 1 Cor. 3.19 2. Because their Wisdome is imperfect They know not how to prevent all dangers Vse See the misery of wicked men Their wittends to self-destruction Vers 32. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them Wisdome having in the former vers set out the effect to wit the destruction of ungodly men here she concludes her threatnings with another cause of it This vers gives a reason why wicked men shall be so horribly and inevitably destroyed And therein both expounds the former verse and gives answer to a secret objection It might be demanded Who are they that shall eat of the fruit of their labours The answer is in the text simple ones and fools that turn away from Wisdomes instructions It might be further demanded But how shall they eat of the fruit of their labors The answer is in the Text again They will slay them and bring them to destruction But then it may be objected Wicked men thrive most and they that slight Wisdomes counsels grow richest The answer is ready It may be so but yet it will turn to their destruction in the end as the Oxe to be slain goes in the best pastures The Sun-shine of prosperity ripens the sin of the wicked Bernard calls it Misericordiam omni indignatione crudeliorem A mercy that he had no minde to as being worse then all cruelty What good is there in having a fine Suit with the plague in it As soon may a man miscarry upon the soft sands as upon the hard rocks For the words For. It gives a reason of what was said before See on v. 9. They cannot justly complain of my severity because they themselves are the cause of their owne ruine They will not be taught how to escape it though they have not wit enough of themselves to do it Others read it But as it is translated ch 9.18 But he knoweth not that the dead are there And then they understand the former vers thus God will suffer wicked men to eat of their labours and prosper for a time but will destroy them in the end by their owne prosperity The former reading agrees best with the scope which is neer threatning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The turning away Some take it to be meant of turning away from God and goodnesse to error and wickednesse of life Others take it for their turning away from seeking after heaven to look after the world So Demas forsook Paul having loved this present world 2 Tim. 4.10 Others take it for turning away from Wisdomes counsels given before which they are charged withall v. 25.30 An unwillingnesse to be taught by Gods Ministers And that agrees well with what went before When men will not be taught by Gods Ministers destruction follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the simple See on v. 4.22 Shall slay them Shall destroy themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the prosperity The word fignifies quietnesse and abundance which useth to follow peace Of fools See on v. 22. Shall destroy them Shall lay them open to death temporal and eternall This is Scripture language In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Gen. 2.17 Figures Turning away A Metaphor from a Traveller that misseth his way Shall slay them Shall be the cause of their death A Metaphor from an Executioner So also in Destroy them Wisdome sets down two causes of their destruction The first is an aversenesse to instruction The second is love of prosperity These two concur in most sinfull men and had before punishment answerable set down to wit Gods not hearing them and their destruction In the former note 1. The word of coherence For. 1. The act the turning away 3. The agent of the simple 4. The effect shall slay 5. The object them In the later observe 1. The cause And the prosperity of fools 2. The effect shall destroy them 1. Doct. God is content to give a reason of his judgements though he need not Here are two things to be proved 1. That God need not give a reason of his judgements 2. That God will give a reason of them neverthelesse For the first God need not give a reason of his judgements Who shall say unto him What dost thou Job 9.12 O man who art thou that replyest against God Rom. 9.20 The Potter need give no reason why one piece of clay is made a vessell of honour and another of dishonour Reason 1. Because God is of supreme authority Superiors need not give account to Inferiors of their proceedings Inferiors must to Superiors 2. He is in infite in justice No doubt but his judgements are all just though men do not alwayes understand the reason of them A man may be mis-informed or judge amisse out of passion but God cannot For the second God will give a reason of his judgements though he need not Reason 1. Because of his love to man being willing to inform him of his proceedings God will not hide his proceedings about Sodome from Abraham because he shall have a great posterity and will acquaint them therewith and so bring much glory to God Gen. 18.17 18. 2. For mans good that he may bring him to repentance How shall the Childe mend if the Father tell him not why he strikes
They will disswade them from fearing God or trusting on him and then all fear and hope being gone young men may be easily drawn to any evill Vse 1. Let young men labour to get heavenly wisdome that they may be able to distinguish good counsel from evil Else they cannot be safe 2. Let them take heed of being familiar with bad men What can be looked for from them but bad counsel What from a bad tree but bad fruit A corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit Mat. 7.17 4. Doct. It is a great blessing to be kept out of evil wayes I withheld thee from sinning against me saith God to Abimelech therefore suffered I thee not to touch her Gen. 20.6 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsell of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners Psal 1.1 Reason 1. Because it keeps us from all the danger of the way as he that scapes a theevish way scapes robbing 2. It prevents the danger in the end of the way In the world a man may have a foul way to a profitable Market In the sea he may have a stormy passage to a gainful Mart. Here the end is alwayes like the way good or bad Vse Praise God that ye scape errors and sins that others fall into So ye scape way-dangers and end-dangers that are eternall 5. Doct. God sets characters on men whose wayes should be avoyded by us Two notes are set out in the text evill Livers and evill Teachers Such as walk in evill wayes and such as speak froward things So bad men are described They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one Psal 14.3 And so bad women are set out She is loud and stubborn her feet abide not in her house Now she is without now in the streets and lieth in wait in every corner ch 7.11 12. Reason God doth this 1. For the good of his people that they may not be deceived by them whereof they are in great danger If it were possible they would deceive the very elect Mat. 24.24 2. To make wicked men inexcusable They might have known those that mislead them and have avoyded them For God gave them plaine characters of such in his Word Vse Let us study the characters of ungodly men set out in Gods Word not to imitate them but to take heed of them as Sea-men seek to know rocks and quick-sands 6. Doct. Some are so shamelesse that they will give most lewd counsell So do theeves Come with us let us lay wait for innocent blood ch 1.11 So do oppressors Come and let us cut them off from being a Nation Psal 83.4 Reason 1. Out of naturall inclination to undoâ— others as Pirates are said to hang out false lights on rocks and sands to draw ships thither that they may have the spoyl of them 2. Out of pride of their owne wit that they may brag they have misled others Vse Take heed of such counsellours count them wicked men and hearken not to their words Take Solomon's counsell Crase my Son to hear the instruction that causeth to erre from the words of knowledge Prov. 19.27 Old men have been drawn away by bad counsell as Solomon by his Wives 1 King 11.4 Joash was drawn to Idolatry after Jehojadah's death 2 Chron. 24.17 18. Julian is said to be drawn to Apostaâ—â—e by Libanius Young men then and unsetled had most need to take heed of bad counsell Thoughts are not mentioned in this description because we know them not We must judge of men by their words and deeds and embrace or shun them accordingly Vers 13. Who leave the paths of uprightnesse to walk in the wayes of darknesse The Wiseman now comes to the second note of wicked men whose wayes are to be avoyded and that is wickednesse of life Neither doth he set them out by any one kinde of sin but by such generall symptomes as are common to all wicked men that all wicked wayes may be discovered He shews his great care of our salvation in continuing still to shew from what persons and from what dangers God doth deliver the children of wisdome For the words Who leave He changes the number and puts it into the plurall to shew that there are many such wanderers in the world The word imports an utter forsaking of good wayes and having nothing to do with them as a Whore that forsakes her Husbands house and sets up a Stewes v. 17. The paths See on ch 1.19 Of uprightnesse The known and beaten wayes of equity agreeable to divine Laws and the Law of Nature For the word see on v. 7. To walk See on ch 1.11 on the word Come In the wayes See on ch 1.15 Of darknesse Wayes of uprightnesse are well opposed to wayes of darknesse because they are in the light and wayes of darknesse are crooked By wayes of darknesse here are meant wayes disagreeable to Gods Laws and Nature whether errors of judgement or wickednesse of life as appears by what was said before of the contrary wayes of uprighenesse The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 1. Darknesse of the night opposed to the light of the day When it was dark Josh 2.5 2. The grave the dark habitation of dead bodies A land of darknesse Job 10.21 3. A secret place where men cannot see what is done no more then in the night In a dark place of the earth Isa 45.19 4. Afflictions which make men sad and fearfull and ignorant how to get out as in a dark night He beleeveth not that he shall come out of darknesse and he is waited for of the sword Job 15.22 5. Ignorance and sin which is the night and darknesse of the soul The people that walked in darknesse Isa 9.2 So it it is taken here as appears by the opposition to the paths of righteousnesse Figures A Metaphor from Travellers in the whole vers who leave the high-wayes that are light some and right to go through dark and crooked wayes Now because many men are so cunning to hide their fins with fair colours therefore Solomon gives further marks by which these Imposters may be known that men may avoyd them Note 1. The high-way forsaken 2. The by-way entertained In the former note 1. The act Who leave 2. The object the paths 3. The adjunct of uprightnesse In the latter observe 1. The act To walk 2. The object in the wayes 3. The adjunct of darknesse 1. Doct. Many are out of the right way Some have not the knowledge of God 1 Cor. 15.34 The Apostle saith more elsewhere They are all gone out of the way Rom. 3.12 Reason 1. Because naturall ignorance and corruption misleads many Fire will burn if it meet with fuel 2. Worldly pleasures mislead them Baits take the fish though there be hooks to catch them 3. Profits will carry men away Piracy thrives at a cheaper rate then Merchandise Pleasures last but our lives Profits last to childrens children
imitated in sinfull courses The summe is That all the courses that are used in the house of the adulterers tend to death both of body and soul that so the young man if he love the safety of his own soul and body should take heed of coming there Figures Her house The sins comitted in her house The subject for the adjunct Her paths A Metaphor from Travellers often used in this Book Note 1. The hurt gotten in her house Death 2. The bad company it brings men to Dead and damned men worse then to bring men among Lazars in the Hospitall In the former observe 1. The word of coherence For. 2. The cause her house 3. The effect inclineth 4. The object unto death In the latter note 1. The way And her paths 2. The end unto the dead 1. Doct. Much hurt is gotten by conversing with lewd women If Samson were alive he would tell you how by Dalilah's acquaintance he loft his strength liberty sight lise besides the danger of his soul Solomon would inform you how he fell from God to Idolatry by such company and how thereby his posterity lost the greatest part of their Kingdome Reason 1. Because nothing can be expected from creatures but what their nature yeelds Fire will burn Seas drown Ravenous birds feed on carkasses Wilde beasts devour them Evil women are naught Evil trees bring forth bad fruit not good Mat. 12.33 35. All the houshold of the adulterers and all her wayes tend to death temporall and eternall as in the text 2. All men and women speak according to their disposition and employment Navita de ventis de tauris narrat arator Enumerat miles vulnera pastor eves Of Winds the Sea-man of his Bulls The Plow-man speaks his Wounds The Souldier reckons of his Sheep The Shepherd talk propounds A covetous man speaks of bargains a voluptuous man of games a proud man of titles an angry man of injuries a strumpet of wantonnesse Evil communication corrupts good manners 1 Cor. 15.33 Vse Letus observe the carriage of women and if we evidently see wantonnesse in their words and deeds set a crosse upon their houses with Lord have mercy upon them as over houses infected Cum foeminâ semper esse non cognoscere foeminam plus est quam mortuum suscitare Bern. in Cant. Serm. 65. To be alwayes with a woman and not to know a woman is more then to raise up a dead man Touch not pitch lest ye be defiled Ye have fire enough in your owne natures seek not fuell abroad The young man when he grows acquainted with strumpets hopes to spend his dayes merrily in fine houses and is suddenly carried to death and hell He looked for a storehouse of pleasure fine gardens c. and behold desolation The Heathen man could say Nolo tanti poenitentiam emere I will not buy repentance so deer And the Proverb is Caveat emptor Let the buyer beware It serves then to admonish us to take heed of haunting the company of Harlots lest we defile our selves and consent to their filthinesse We would not willingly come neer a rotten and ruinous house lest it should fall and bruise or kill our bodies There is more reason to avoyd the company of Harlots whose society may not onely break our bones but eternally damn our souls 2. Doct. Many miseries attend upon adultery It cost the Israelites and the Benjamites deer the losse of many thousand lives and almost the destruction of an whole Tribe Judg. 19. 20. 21. It cost David deer 2 Sam. 12. The losse of his childe the abuse of his wives a lasting sword on his house besides the rape of Tamar and rebellion of Absolon and Adonijah with the murder of Amnon Reason 1. Because it was death by Gods Law and so it is now by ours Lose life and lose all comfort 2. It is infamous all the world over No modest persons care for joyning with adul torous families 3. It breeds many quarrels between the Husband and the Adulterers Wives and Strumpets Adulterers one among another and Strumpets also 4. It brings many murders The adulterers will hunt for the pretious life chap. 6.26 The Husband enraged will kill the Adulterer ch 6.34 35. 5. It brings bastards which is a disgrace to posterity 6. It procures disinheriting of Children when men suspect their Wives want of chastity 7. It breeds diseases in the body and shamefull ones too as characters of that wickednesse 8. It brings poverty on the state by Gods curse or the Whores covetousnesse For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread ch 6.26 Vse Think of the many mischiefs that attend upon adultery when thou art tempted to it A needfull theam for we naturally look not at sin as it is in it self but as it is to us not in its odious and filthy nature as we should doe though no danger followed it but in its hurtfull effects which is to fear the smoak more then the fire Yet so to look at it may be profitable to keep us from the fin if not for hatred of it yet for fear of the ensuing mischiefs Think with thy self there is great danger and much wickednesse in adultery else God which is so mercifull would never punish it with a double death temporall and eternall Remember that all conversing with strumpets tend to destruction And though she speak flattering words yet shamefull death follows adultery as well as theft or murder In Adrian's Gymnasium or place of exercise Venus is set forth as the ancientest of the Destinies not spinning the thread of life but cutting it asunder Quid Venus est quaeris est antiquissima Parca Filáque mox resecans at neque nens eadem Thou askest what Venus is She is The ancient'st Destiny That quickly cuts the threads of lise But knits them not truly Plutarch writes of a Temple inscribed Saerum Veneri homicidae Sacred to Venus the Man-stayer Chrysostome on Psal 50. saith What is an whorrsh woman but a sepulchre and the common burying place of mankinde is her house And in Rome because old Harlots were not permitted openly they harboured in caves of earth called Fornices from whence the word Fornication cometh and in this regard it is fitly sald in the text Her house enclineth unto death and her paths unto the dead To the grave an hole in the earth where the dead are laid A dark place fit for sin and fit for punishment Terence calls Harlots Cruces because they crucifie men Venery is deaths quickest Harbinger Pope John 12. being taken with an Adulteresse was stabbed to death by her Husband Aâ—xander the Great and Otho the third lost their lives by their lusts But how many alas by this means have lost their souls fleshly lusts do in an especiall manner fight against the soul 1 Pet. 2.11 And nothing hath enriched hell so much saith one as beautifull faces Let the young man think on these great examples
they hold of or touch They come not neer them or at least will not cleave inseparably to them The paths See on ch 1.19 on the word Wayes of life That lead to life To a prosperous life here or an happy one in heaven This v. answers an objection that might have been made against the precedent vers Some may say Adultery is not so deadly a sin as you would make it You threaten death but we will repent before we go out of the world and so help all This is a common objection But who doeth so saith the Wiseman Ye shall finde very few or none that repent if ye observe their courses for commonly Adulterers go on impenitently till death Figures None That is very few Hyperbole Take hold A metaphor from such as lay fast hold on a thing to keep it for men lay not hold on wayes with their hands but walke in them with their feet It argues seriousnesse and constancy Paths A metaphor from travellers Of life A metony my of the effect or adjunct that bring life or are signes of it with a Synecdoche of the generall for the speciall Life for eternall life Note 1. Their not returning 2. Their inconstancy if they begin to look back they fall into a relapse In the former note 1. Their easie entrance None that go in unto her 2. Their hard returning return again In the second part observe 1. The act Neither take they hold 2. The object of the paths of life 1. Doct It is an hard thing for an Adulterer to repent The prodigall son leaves not his harlots till all be spent nor returnes to his Father till swines meat be denied him Luke 15. Sampson and Solomon very hardly returned if ever Reason 1. Because of the flattering tongues of strumpets who have fine words at command to keep young men with them The harlot hath such arts and armes to hold them in that her prisoners seldome break prison They are so bewitched with the flatteries and Sirens songs of Adulteresses that they cannot see their own filthinesse or if in part they do see it yet the harlots flattering charmes are so strong that they cannot leave them as many have confessed The harlots heart is snares and nets and her hands as hands Eccl. 7.26 An where is a deep ditch and a strange woman is a narrow pit Ch. 23.27 It is as hard then for the Adulterer to get out as for a man falne into a narrow deep pit out of which it is as difficult a thing to come up as for a dead man to come out of the grave So saith Chrysostome It is as hard a thing to convert an whoremaster as it is to raise one out of the grave that is dead and buried 2. Because of those carnall delights wanton houses afford as dainty fare pleasing musick lascivious pictures decked chambers c. Such baits as they that have tasted of them by reason of their corrupted nature stick so fast to her that they know not how to leave her They so glut themselves with the thoughts of their unlawfull pleasures that no reproofes can sinke into their heads They are like unto the deaf Adder that stoppeth her ear which will not hearken to the voice of charmers charming never so wisely Psal 58.4 5. 3. Because of mans naturall unsatiablenesse in finne which drives him from one degree of wickednesse to another 4. Because they are become slaves of sin boared as it were through the ear to serve sin for ever The Devill still stirs them up to to the remembrance of their former sinfull pleasures to lead them to further flavery Vt ferrum magnes sic carnalem trahit Agnes As loadstone is by iron drawne So carnall men by strumpets tane 5. Such are dead in sins and trespasses The harlots house is a grave It is an hard thing to come out from thence The resurrection of the dead is a miracle So is it for a man entangled to get out of an harlots house 6. Because Gods curse followes such men women and courses Vse Take heed then of Adultery and lewd houses The strumpets house is like the Lions den Onmia te adversum spectantia nulla retrorsum We see all footsteps forward go To thee ward none returning fro Amor celerem habet ingressum tardum regressum Love or rather lust hath a quick entrance but a slow return Theophrastus Thou wilt be so bewitched that when thou art old and past acting such sins thou wilt delight thy self with thinking and speaking of such things as thou haft done and so die in thy fins without Repentance in a contemplative Adultery which is a kind of acting over their former fins Thou wilt have thy sins still sticking in thy bones and they will be like a wood burnt down the smoke and stinke whereof still remains This sin makes men sottish like brute beasts Whoredome and wine and new wine take away the heart Hos 4.11 Who so committeth Adultery with a woman lacketh understanding Ch. 6.32 Seeing then there is so great perill in Adultery and so much difficulty in returning it is safest to keep out at first Who would go that way out of which scarce ever any man returned 2. Doct. Few return from adulterous courses Most go on till a dart strike through their liver Ch. 7.23 It may be one man of a thousand may return Eccles 7.28 Reason Because of the hardnesse of returning proved in the former doctrine Few men adventure on hard things as to travell to remote parts to be excellent in Arts and Sciences Vse 1. If any have entred into this course let them think of a speedy return The further men travell in dirty wayes the worse to go back Burning and mad lusts will in time so blind thy heart that without great and rare grace thou canst not repent Better then to be of the number of the few that repent then of the many that perish 2. Let such as have returned from Adulterous courses heartily blesse God for his especiall grace and favour in reducing them Thou couldst not return of thy self but by Gods helping and restoring grace so great was the weight of thine in quity to keep thee under in impenitency Attribute not therefore the praise of thy return to thy self but to Gods grace Onely see that thy repentance be true For many will profess repentance when they think they shall die that prove as bad as ever when they recover Such repentance is far from a true repentance 3. Doct. The destruction of Adulterers without repentance is certain Whoremongers must have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Rev. 21.8 Reason 1. Because all sin is mortall and without the cure of repentance will bring men to hell 2. Because God will be avenged for the abuse of his image and Temple by wantonnesse unlesse men submit and reforme Vse Here is a cooling card for wantons They look at their presant pleasure not at their future
hath overcome death and with his immortall hand holds forth immortality to us If thou wilt have riches and honour be wise and he will hold out his left hand and bestow them on thee if they be fit for thee Figures The whole verse is metaphorical in the principall scope of it though verified literally to some wise and good men It intimates that as a Queen hath greater or lesser rewards for her servants so hath wisdome for hers For she hath no right hand nor left but diversity of gifts some greater some lesser some in this world some in the world to come Note 1. The greater gift 2. The lesser In the former observe 1. The gift Length of daies Long life 2. The worth of it Is in her right hand It is a right handed gift In the latter note 1. The gift it selfe which is double And riches and honour 2. The valew of it In her left hand It is a left-handed gift usefull but of lesser valew then the former Doct. 1. Many good things attend upon true wisdome This is proved in this Chapter from Verse 14. to verse 18. 1. Comparatively it is better then silver yea then fine gold yea then Rubies yea then any thing imaginable or desirable 2. Particularly she brings long life and riches to sweeten that and honour to make it more acceptable and pleasantness to comfort against crosses and peace for quiet enjoyment of what we have and life after death when all worldly comforts fail 3. Summarily It brings happinesse which contains all good things in it So he concludes ver 28. as hee began ver 13. with happinesse attending on true wisdom if it be not onely laid hold on but retained Reason Many good things attend on wisdom 1. By way of concomitancy As beads and pearles hang many on one string and many lesser attend upon one greater so other good things are joyned with and attend upon wisdom 2. By what way of efficiency Wisdome hath a plotting head If any good thing be to be had it will find it out and reach it 3. By way of remuneration from God So God rewarded Solomons desire of wisdom with riches and honour 2 Chron. 1.7 c. Use Who would not enjoy many good things Go then the nearest way to the wood get true wisdom Hee that knew what would be dear need be a Merchant but a year If one told you of a commodity would make you rich ye would get store of it quickly Do so of wisdom 2. Doct. Wisdom brings long life See on ver 2. and on ver 8. Reason 1. Because wisdome foresees what is profitable to prolong or hurtfull to shorten mens daies and carefully provides the one and avoids the other 2. Because it rules our unruly passions of fear grief anger which overrule many men that want wisdom and bring them early to their grave by murtherers robberies wantonnesse gluttony drunkennesse surfets palsies gouts plurises Apoplexies and afterwards send them to Hell for ever But wisdom makes men stout cheerfull patient which vertues help to prolong mens daies 3. Because it teacheth a man temperance and moderation in the use of meat and drink which keeps men from surfet and is the mother of health and long life Experience shews that temperate men live longest 4. Because of Gods promise of long life to such as are wise as in the text Use Let this particular mercy also stirre us up to seeke after true wisdom Long life is a sweet mercy and generally desired Seek it in the waies of wisdom Folly brings many to untimely ends 3. Doct. Wisdom brings riches also Abraham Isaack Jacob Joseph David were both wise and rich Reason 1. Because wisdom teacheth a man to make conscience to labour in his calling which is the high way to riches He knows that God requires it and his family the Church and the Commonwealth 2. Gods blessing follows it For when he gives one blessing he gives another If hee give wisdom hee can afford riches Use To blame those that would be rich but care not for being wise Wisdom can make men rich but riches cannot make men wise It is often observed that the elder brotheri carry away the land and the younger the wit So God divides his gifts when he please They that seek mony before wisdom count learning the way to beggery But God reckons otherwise 4. Doct. Wisdom brings honour also Wee see it in Joseph who for his wisdom was made ruler over the land of Aegypt Gen. 41.38 39. And Daniel for the same reason was made ruler over the whole Province of Babylon Dan. 2.48 Reason 1. Because God hath cut out such and stamped them for honour which he will not give to fooles that know not how to use it or to carry themselves suitably Honour is not seemly for a fool Prov. 26.1 He will do hurt with it as a stone in a sling Prov. 26.8 2. God causeth great men and states to advance such for they know they will be fit instruments for their service and the publick good 3. Good men will honour wise men who know best what belongs to honour Use To blame those who look not after that honour that wisdom brings but seek to get honour by basenesse flattery and humouring others in sinfull waies This honour hangs on a rotten bough It will surely fall Seek rather by wisdom to get honour which will last for ever 5. Doct. Long life is better then riches or honour Therefore it is mentioned as the greatest promise With long life will I satisfie him and shew him my salvation Psal 91.16 This crownes all the former mercies mentioned in that Psalme This is commended in good men at their death when no mention is made of riches or honour Abraham died in a good old age an old man and full of years Gen. 25.8 It is there doubled yea trebled in different expressions as a singular mercy never to be fogotten Reason 1. Because long life is the basis and foundation of the comfort of both the other Riches and honour doe little good or bring little comfort where life is short Life is an internall principle without which there is no comfort in externall things no more then to a jewell set in gold 2. Because long life may bee comfortable without either riches or honour Many live very cheerfully too and in old age that never had any great means or preferment Use To comfort us against the crosses and infirmities of old age Many are dejected because they are not so much respected nor so rich as others Think with thy self long life is better These could do thee no good if life were gone and thou maist have comfort without them 6. Doct. Riches and honour are blessings in themselves though by many abused They are wisdoms gift Riches and honour are with me Chap. 8.18 They are Gods gift I will give thee riches and wealth and honour 2 Chron. 1.12 Reason 1. Because they are reckoned up amongst
done by they trouble others that trouble not them 3. It is against the law of humanity and society which is preserved by concord and destroyed by discord 4. It is against the law of piety which bids do good for evill and then much more forbids doing evill without a cause A Christian should abhor nothing more then unprofitable contentions Non contentio sed collatio debet esse inter christianos There should be no contention but communication among Christians Recuperus Insont is tutor aut vindex est judex an t certè Deus The tutor or revenger of the innocent man is the Judge or certainly God Lapide If the Judge will not right them surely God will Use Take heed therefore for time to come of causelesse contentions Continuance in known sins certainly damns men The heathen man could say Cum pari contendere anceps est cum superiore furiosum cum inferiore sordidum Seneca To contend with an equall is a doubtfull businesse to contend with a superiour a mad prank to contend with an inferiour is sordid It is madnesse for a man to delight in needlesse contentions It may become Papists to do so as Cardinal Wolsey when he was Lord Chancellor paid home Sir James Paulet without any provocation then onely because hee had laid him by the heeles when he was a schoolmaster Cranmer would not strive with them that gave him cause when hee was Archbishop It was a proverb then Do the Bishop of Canterbury a shrewd turn and you shall have him your friend ever after And Robert Holgat Archbishop of York though he was a Papist being when he was a Priest sued by Sir Francis Askew when he was Lord President of the North shewed him all lawfull favour in a suit saying He was much beholdden to him for had not he been hee must have lived a poor hedge-Priest all the daies of his life yet may a godly man by lawfull means keep off injury maintain his right and punish sin This is not causelesse contention VER 31. Envy thou not the oppressour and chuse none of his waies THE Dehortation is not needlesse It comes to passe sometimes in the world that many men thrive and grow very rich by wicked plots Then proud men envy them Why should not I thrive as well as they They were of as meane Parentage as I and it may be of meaner Covetous men imitate them If these waies will make them rich they will make me rich also I am not a fool I can paly my game as well as they to go beyond others There was need therefore to warn the young man that he erre not on the right hand out of pride nor on the left hand out of covetousness This precept is fitly joyned to the former For as we must not abuse other mens simplicity nor innocency to do them hurt so wee must not abuse their prosperity to envy them nor imitate their wicked waies of gain For the words Envy thou not The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken sometimes in a good sense and then it is construed with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for He was zealous for his God Numb 25.13 And then it signifies to grieve that a person or thing dear unto one should be abused by another and to seek to defend or vindicate him or it Then it is translated zealous Sometimes it is taken in a bad sense I the Lord thy God am a jealous God Exod. 20.5 And then the verb is ordinarily construed with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rachel envied her fister Gen. 30.1 And it imports a grieving and envying that another should enjoy what we desire or think to belong to-us Then it is translated to be jealous or to envy And so it is taken here for envying that others are richer then we The oppressour or Be not envious against the oppressour So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated Surely there is no inchantment against Jacob Numb 23.23 Heb. The man of violence That is an ungodly man that grows rich by oppressing others Men may dislike him for his cruelty but they would not envy him unlesse hee were rich Invidus alterius rebus macrescit opimis The envious man grows lean to see other mens estates grow fat Be not troubled that wicked men thrive by wicked waies Look not on such as happy men to be envied nor applaud the courses they take nor follow them to get wealth by those unlawfull waies The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used 1. For a man by nature whither male or female as opposed to a beast I am God and not Man Hos 11.9 2. For any man None shall deliver out of my hand Heb. Not aman That is not any man Hos 2.10 3. For a male opposed to a female The male and his female Gen. 7.2 4. For an husband She gave also unto her Husband Gen. 3.6 5. For an excellent man for strength or nobility Art not thou a valiant man 1 Sam. 26.15 Heb. Art not thou a man Here it is taken in the first sense for a man opposed to a beast And chuse none of his waies Do not do wickedly as hee doth that thou maist be as rich as he Although some of his evill waies may be fairly covered over with vizards that the evill of them may not be seen or be more gainfull then other yet shew that thou hast more wisdom then to prefer any way above good waies or to chuse one wicked way though thou refuse other for they are all to be refused Regard not worldly wickednesse joyned with greatnesse neither bee wicked as they are that thou maist be great as they are Be not allured by the ungodly mans example however he speed in the world to follow him in the same steps For as wicked mens prosperity makes other men to envy them at the first so it makes them to imitate them at last that they may be rich also For chuse see on Chap. 1.29 For None or Not any see on Chap. 1.13 on the word All. For Waies see on Chap. 1.15 Figures A Metaphor in the word waies Men that oppresse do not now and then do an unjust action but walk on constantly in such courses to their death as travellers do in their way till they come to their journies end Two sins are here forbidden 1. Envying of evill rich men 2. Imitating of them In the first note 1. The Sin forbidden Envy not 2. The Object The oppressour In the second observe 1. The Sin forbidden And chuse not 2. The Object Any of his waies 1. Doct. Many live by oppressing others So vild beasts and great birds and fishes live on the weaker and smaller By reason of the multitude of the oppressions they make the oppressed to cry Job 35.9 I considered all the oppressions that are done under the Sun Eccl. 4.1 Reason 1. Because it is an easie way of living when men need not work themselves but make others to work for them as men go easily in