Both are evill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And make baste This shews the meaning of the former word running Their feet are swift to shed blood Rom. 3.15 The word signifies 1. To doe a thing quickly or speedily Their sorrows shall be multiplyed that hasten after another God Psalme 16.4 2. To give a dowry to one He shall surely endow her to be his wife Exod. 21.16 3. To do a thing rashly as things done in haste lightly are The counsel of the froward is carried headlong Job 5.13 Here it is taken in the first sense to set forth speed in accomplishing their evil designes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To shed Not to let out some part of the blood for good but to pour it out abundantly till one be dead for the life is in the blood Gen. 9.4 Blood See on vers 11. Some understand it of their owne blood They rob till they come to the gallows And sometimes falling out about dividing their prey they kill one another Stobaeus tit 10. de Avar. quotes Aristotle saying that eight theeves falling out about the division of the prey four of them first killed the other four Then two of them which were left killed the other two Lastly of the two yet left one killed the other There was no end of slaughter til one only was left But here it is meant of others blood as appears by v. 11. v. 18. This is the first reason and a strong and powerfull one to disswade the young man from joyning with them or so much as entring into their way because they minde nothing that is honest but breath out bloodshed and horrible sins against nature which may make them and their courses justly odious to all men Few beasts will kill others of the same kinde Much lesse should men that have reason This is a very great wickednesse Therefore thou must not look so much at the riches and spoyls they promise thee as at the grosse evill they provoke thee to which even nature it self abhors Thus ye see the strength of Solomon's first reason to disswade the young man from joyning with evill men in their sinfull wayes Figures To shed blood To commit murder A figure of the cause for the effect Note 1. The coherence For. 2. The sentence And in it 1. A generall accusation 2. A particular In the generall 1. The agent their feet 2. The act run 3. The object to evill In the particular 1. The act they make haste 2. The object to shed blood 1. Doct. Good counsels must be backt with reasons God must be praised by righteous men because it becomes them and God deserves it Psal 33.1 c. We must not fret at evill men because they shall be cut off Psal 37.1 So Prov. 1.8 9. 3.1 2. Reason 1. To draw mens affections for it is not enough to inform the judgement The will and affections are more corrupt then it The Heathen woman could say Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor I see and like the best but follow the worst It is not the least work of a Teacher to move the affections There may be light but no life without this What had the Sun been good for if God had made no living creature to behold it Vela damus quamvis remige puppis eat Ovid. Tide and oars and sails are needfull on the water So are Doctrines Reasons and Uses in a Sermon 2. To dead objections and oppositions as mud-wals dead bullets The devil will have something to object against all Theorical and Practical truths We must have some solid reasons to weigh down his seeming arguments Vse It shews the need and justifies the practise of Ministers in not onely laying down but also backing truths with reasons that they may work both on head and heart 2. Doct. There is no member of the body so vile or mean but may be an instrument of sin and mischief Ye have yeelded your members servants to uncleannesse and to iniquity unto iniquity Rom. 6.19 So many use their throat tongues lips mouth feet Rom. 3.13 14 15. As birds use their beaks and talons wilde beasts their teeth claws and tails tame beasts their horns and hoofs to do hurt And men have eyes for adultery As David 2 Sam. 11.2 and ungodly men Having eyes full of adultery 2 Pet. 2.14 Others have eyes for covetousnesse as I saw a goodly Babylonish garment c. Then I coveted them And Ahab had eyes to covet Naboth's vineyard 1 King 21.1 Men have ears ready to hear wanton songs slanders c. Tongues for swearing lying flattering back-biting called the third tongue in Chaldee because it hurts the speaker hearer and person spoken of Hands to strike kill steal Feet to carry the whole body to mischief Vse 1. It teacheth us to bewail the spreading of corruption in us It cannot be enclosed in the soul but runs over every member of the body No Physician can tell all the diseases of the eye much lesse the sins of it 2. It shews us our great account that besides secret sins have so many to answer for in every member 3. It calls upon us for suspicion of and watchfulnesse over every member Not of the Eye or Ear alone but of all 3. Doct. Wicked men have a great affection desire and pronenesse to wickednesse As men have to those things they run after who yet hate those things from which they fly Wickednesse is sweet in his mouth he hides it under his tongue He spares it and forsakes it not but keeps it still within his mouth Job 20.12 13. Why boastest thou thy self in mischief O mighty man Psal 51.1 And sure men greatly affect what they boast of Reason 1. Because it is pleasing to their corrupt nature The Iron follows the Loadstone by a naturall sympathy So do wicked men pursue sinfull courses 2. Custome makes it dear to them Men are pleased with customes without a reason Vse Hence may we discern the vilenesse of our nature It were a stain to it to be drawn to sin but to love that which is evill and delight in it and run to it without solicitation argues a desperately corrupted nature 4. Doct. Sin is truly evill and hurtfull I have done this evil in thy sight Psal 51.4 Evill shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him Psal 140.11 Sin is evill by name and evil by nature For it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a breach of Gods Law or an unlawfull act 1 Joh. 3.4 It may be said of sin as Abigail speaks of her Husband Nabal or fool Is his name and folly is with him 1 Sam. 25.25 So evill is the name of sin and evill is in it It is the brood of that evill one It is evill before God whom it dishonors and who cries out against it Before men who make laws against it Hurtfull to others as all fins against the second Table being hurtfull to mens lives wives children states liberty credit Sin will pull down Church and
carry the voyce and that which hath wings shall tell the matter Eccl. 10.20 So the Owner is in the Originall called the possessour of riches v. 19. And the Ram that had two horns is called The possessour of two horns Dan. 8.6 The Hebr. word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 1. An owner or possessor of a thing The Master of the house shall be brought unto the Judges Exod. 22.8 that is The owner or possessour of it He that dwels in it 2. A chief or honorable man The Priest shall not defile himself being a chief man among his people Lev. 21.4 3. An husband If he were married Exod. 21.3 Hebr. if he were the husband of a wife 4. An Idol called Baal He brought him up into the high places of Baal Numb 22.41 5. A Lord. Call me no more Baali that is My Lord as in the marg Hos 2.16 6. An inhabitant So it is rendred The men of Shechem Judg. 9.20 Here it is taken in the first sense for the possessour of a wing that is a bird The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 1. A wing Every winged sowle after his kinde Gen. 1.21 2. It is put for the swiftnesse of the wind which seems to fly it is so quick and carries ships away apace He did fly upon the wings of the wind Psal 18.10 3. For the utmost part of any thing As 1. Of a garment They shall make them fringes in the borders of their garments Numb 15.38 2. For the sails of a ship which are spread like wings and make ships as it were to fly Woe to the Land shadowing with wings Isa 18.1 That is sending forth ships with sails as appears v. 2. there 3. For the wings of an Army The stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy Land O Immanuel Isa 8.8 4. The farthest part of the earth From the four corners of the earth Isa 11.12 5. The springing of the morning light which begins far from us The Sun of righteousnesse shall arise with healing in his wings Mal. 4.2 Here it is used in the first sense for the wing of a bird Figures none except eyes for sight The cause for the effect Note 1. The manner of speaking Surely 2. The matter And in it 1. The subject the net 2. The adjuncts 1 Is spread 2 Without cause 3. The object In the sight of any bird 1. Doct. Variety of reasons are needfull todisswade from evill See how many curses are threatned against it Deuter. ch 27. 28. Reason 1. Because of our privative unbeleef We are hardly drawn to beleeve any spirituall truth and divine O fools and slow of heart to beleeve all that the Prophets have spoken Luk. 24.25 A weak house must have many props else it wil fall 2. Because of our positive unbeleef We are opposite to matters of faith and holinesse and can reason strongly against our owne salvation We had need of many bullets to beat down this sort 3. Because of mens different dispositions One affects wit another credit another profit another pleasure All these must be wrought upon accordingly A fisher must have severall baits for severall fishes worms for one flies for another paste for another One man is loving another harsh one stout another fearfull one fed with hopes another affected onely with things present Perswaders to good or from evil must proceed accordingly Decet veritatem totis viribus uti suis non ut laborantem It becomes truth to use all her forces not as if it had much adce to uphold her self Tertull. advers Marc. l. 3. 4. To confirm our selves in the truth else we shall never work well upon others Vse To perswade us to study the Scripture well if we would be able to give counsell to others to draw them to good or from evill for there is the storehouse of truth and abundance of reasons and stronger then either nature or art can afford to work upon mens judgement or affections 2. Doct. Reasons brought to confirm truth must be solid ones So Christ confutes the Sadduces by a sentence out of the Law I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead but of the living Matt. 22.32 It is conceived the Sadduces believed only the five Books of Moses and therefore our Saviour out of them brings his proof that could have brought plainer out of the Prophets if he had pleased as Dan. 12.2 Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt So he confuteth the Pharisees who maintained that a man might swear by the Temple but not by the gold of the Temple by an undeniable argument Ye fools and blinde for whether is greater the gold or the Temple that sanctifieth the gold Matt. 23.17 So Paul reproves fornicators in that they make the members of Christ the members of an harlot 1 Cor. 6.15 So he confutes communion with Idolaters because therein they have fellowship with devils 1 Cor. 10.20 Reason 1. Because nothing but truth should come from an informer else he may be a blinde guide and fall and lead others into the ditch 2. Reasons ought not onely to be true but also to bear up other truths All stones in a building should be firm but especially the foundation stones What is a lying witnesse worth or a beggerly surety The Rabbins say of a weak argument 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Your surety wants a surety And the Logicians cry out Incertum per incertius Ye prove an uncertainty by a greater uncertainty 3. Else we cannot satisfie our selves And how should a man think to perswade others by that which perswades not himselfe 4. Our reasons should not onely satisfie others but be so strong that they may convince them and stop their mouths A minister must be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince the gainsayers Tit. 1.9 Therefore their reasons had need be strong Vse Let us weigh our arguments well in our owne souls before we present them to others So men measure their corn at home before they bring it to Market that it may not fall short Else we cannot hope to perswade others to good or disswade them from evill if our arguments prevail not first with our selves 3. Doct. There is a world of injustice in the world As in Heathen Niniveh The Lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps and strangled for his lionesses and filled his holes with prey and his dens with ravine Nah. 2.12 Woe to the bloudy City It is all full of lies and robbery the prey departeth not Nahum 3.1 So in idolatrous Israel Ahab must have Naboth's vineyard 1 King 21. It is full of lying killing stealing Hos 4.1 In Judab also professing Religion in David's old dayes It is like Absalom had some colour of complaint by reason of officers oppression No man is deputed of the King to
They want knowledge Had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2.8 Sure they want the fear of God and then no good usage is to be expected from them I thought surely the fear of God is not in this place and they will slay me for my wives sake Gen. 20.11 5. Doct. Knowledge should be the guide of our choyce Now we beleeve for we know that this is indeed the Christ Joh. 4.42 We beleeve and are sure that thou art that Christ Joh. 6.69 Reason 1. It appears in credendis in things to be beleeved How can men without knowledge tell what to beleeve of the World or of the Church or of the world to come 2. In agendis In things to be done How can men tell what is to be done toward God men themselves if they have no knowledge Vse We see here the sad condition of an ignorant man He must needs be an Infidel and injurious to God and man for he knows not what to beleeve or do Knowledge is the eye of the soul A blind man knows not which way to take 6. Doct. They that choose not piety must be damned as well as they that hate knowledge and they that refuse Wisdomes counsels and reproofs as well as either My people would not hearken to my voyce and Israel would none of me So I gave them up unto their owne hearts lust c. Psal 81.11 12. And what could follow then but damnation Christ will come in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ 2 Thess 1.8 Reason 1. Because these things stop up the way to heaven Want of piety and the fear of God keep them out So doth refusall of good counsels and rebukes And he that goes not to heaven must go to hell 2. They shut them up in the way to hell and leave them no breach whereat they may get out Some men begin to be frighted with the fear of God when they think of his power or judgements Others that have no such thoughts are drawn out by the counsel of others that are escaped Others that slight counsel are moved with reproof These slight all and perish Vse Think not your selves in a good condition because ye are not the worst of men and hate not knowledge Such as fear not God nor regard counsell nor reproof must perish also Though ye put not out the light nor cast away physick yet ye get no good if ye use it not well Vers 30. They would none of my counsell they despised all my reproof The third and fourth cause of the following judgements are set down in this vers which was all but one word interpreted before in v. 25. And in the translation there also is another word the same in sense Setting at nought and despising intend the same thing though they be different words in the Originall A little alteration there is There counsell is despised and reproof refused here counsell refused and reproof despised To shew that wicked men do both refuse and despise both counsell and reproof and so are in a desperate condition For the words see on v. 25. Their sin is aggravated and riseth by degrees to shew the justice of their punishment They not onely rejected knowledge but also the fear of God and not that onely but also his counsels and not that onely but also his reproofs What remains but that they eat of the cursed fruits of their owne labours There is but one word new to be expounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they despised which imports a contempt of a thing upon a light account of it They had a small estimation of Wisdomes reproof and therefore would not be mended by it and so are inexcusable Let Wisdome chide if she would they cared not for it but would do as they list Figures none Note 1. The third cause of the judgement 2. The fourth In the third note 1. The act They would none of 2. The object my counsell In the fourth note 1. The act They despised 2. The object all my reproof The particular doctrines have been handled on v. 25. For the words are the same in effect and well-nigh in syllables The generall ones are to be seen on v. 26. Vers 31. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their owne way and be filled with their owne devices The complaint was renewed in the two former verses The commination follows The cause there the effect here In their misery note 1. The effect in this vers 2. Another cause v. 32. Seeing ye have such an obstinate minde and hard heart that ye would admit of no cure what remains but that you be filled with those evils which your sins have deservedly brought upon you God cleers his justice by a common proverb then in use It is just that men should eat out of their owne work and reap what they sow This proverb by way of similitude shews that as it is just and equall that Planters or Plowmen should eat of the fruit or grain which they have laboured for or sown and if they have great encrease of fruit or sowne much corn or taken much pains about either that they should be partakers of the labours of their hands plentisully so it is just with God that these should feel much sorrow and confusion which their dissolute lives and froward hearts deserve They shall have plagues answerable to their fins and bear the punishment of their evill counsels For the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore So it is tranflated Job 35.16 Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain And Prov. 6.34 Therefore he will not spare Because they were sufficiently admonished yet would not hearken unto me but followed their own lusts and walked in vanity they shall see what they shall get by it when their sins have brought irreparable losses upon them when they shall be forsaken of me as I was of them As they have gone their owne wayes so they shall suffer the wofull issue of them because they refused my counsels and corrections 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall eat The word literally fignifies devouring of meat as Exod. 34.28 He did neither eat bread nor dâ—ink water Metaphorically it fignifies devouring any thing else even by senselesse things as by the fire The fire of God hath consumed the sheep Job 1.16 By the sword Shall the sword devoure for ever 2 Sam. 2.26 By the earth The land eateth up the inhabitants thereof Numb 13.32 Also it is used for receiving things brought upon men by their own wayes or procured by their works be they good or bad A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth Prov. 13.2 Thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands Psal 128.2 So here They shal receive a just reward of their wickednesse They shall eat as they baked drink as they brewed They that sow the wind of iniquity shall reap the whirlwind of misery
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
body businesse and societie of friends yea and in Soul also for the Soul hath a fellow-feeling of the bodies joy or sorrow in regard of the neer conjunction of them 2. From the contrary because sicknesses and diseases are threatned as crosses and sometimes as curses See Deut. 28.29 c. The leprosie of Naeman shall sleave unto thee and unto thy seed for evers 2 Kings 5.27 3. Because health fits us for duty to God and men sicknesse makes us unserviceable to both Use To inform us that we may lawfully pray for health because in it self it is a blessing Spirituall blessings are best worth asking yet temporall not to be despised 5. Doct. Prosperity also is a blessing in it self the Devill confesses it to be so to Iob. Thou hast blessed the work of his hands his substance is encreased in the land Job 1.10 Abraham's servant confesses it in his Master The Lord hath blessed my Master greatly and he is become great and he hath given him flocks and heards and silver and gold and men-servants and maid-servants and Camells and Asses Gen 24.35 Reason 1. Because it is a gift of God I will give thee riches and wealth and honor 2 Chron. 1.12 2. He hath given it to some of his choisest servants as to Abraham Joseph David Solomon Use Abuse it not to luxury or oppression To be naught thy self more freely or to hurt others more powerfully Remember outward prosperity is Gods gift use it then to Gods honor and bless him for it Take heed it proves not as Tertullian calls it Campus quo ambitio decurrat A field in which ambition may run his course 6. Doct. Long life health prosperity are sometimes the rewards of well doing and obedience If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the Land Isa 1.19 O that thou hadst hearkened to my Commandments then had thy peace been as a river Isa 48.18 That is thy prosperity as was shewed in the exposition of the Text. Reason 1. Because of Gods bounty who besides Heaven often gives comforts to his here 2. Because of mans frailty who is by prosperity much encouraged to obedience and discouraged by the contrary 1. Object Godly men oftentimes live but a while and in much pain and and poverty Answ Besides what was said before on the third Doctrine I answer 1. That their obedience is but in part and the reward is answerable 2. Promises of outward things are but conditionall And God by short life or sorrows keeps them from corruption or persecution and trouble 3. God gives them a longer and better life in Heaven So God verifies his promise with advantage As if a man should promise twenty shilling a week for a year and at the first months end void the bargain and give the party a thousand pound What cause had the receiver to complain either of falshood in the promiser or of losse to himself 4. Their short life have more sun-shiny daies and true and spirituall comforts there then any wicked mans long life Summer fruit may be as ripe as winter fruit though gathered some months before Use 1. It blames those who think that the study of wisdom and piety shortens their childrens daies They say they are too wise or too good to live long Such bring up their children foolishly and impiously and so shorten their daies which they would prolong 2. It encourages us to get wisdom and obedience Ungodly men think there is no better way in the world to make them live long then to be merry and to put away sorrow by letting slip the bridle to all manner of concupiscence but let us remember that a long healthfull prosperous life is the reward of obedience and live accordingly VERSE 3. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee bind them about thy neck write them upon the Table of thine heart NOw follow particular duties to bee performed to God and Man enterlarded with many excellent promises and rewards for encouragement to obedience And first the wise man begins with two duties to men setting the Exhortation to mercy and truth in this Verse and the encouraging promise in the next For the words Let not mercy and truth These two are oft enjoyned together in Scripture and it is pitty that they being so nearly joyned in themselves should ever be separated Sometimes they are jointly attributed to God His mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth to all generations Psal 100.5 His merciful kindness is great towards us and the truth of the Lord eudureth for ever 117.2 Sometimes to man Mercy and truth preserve the King Chap. 20.28 When they are attributed to God then Gods mercy is shewed in promising or giving man any good that deserves nothing but ill of him His truh is shewed in performance of his promises When they are spoken of man then is mercy seen in giving freely to the poor who deserve nothing of us yea to enemies who deserve ill of us Truth is manifested in doing what we owe by promise or debt to men Misericordia est gratia qua ex nostro libero animo benefacimus alteri non ex debito non ex passione Veritas quâ exclusa omni fictione adaequamus facta dictis verba cordi cordebitis Gratia qua gratuita veritas qua debita exhibemus Cajeetan Mercy is favour whereby out of our own free mind we doe good to another man not out of debt not out of passion Truth is that vertue whereby shutting out all feigning we do equall our deeds to our words our words to our haart our heart to our debts Grace or mercy is whereby we give free things Truth whereby we pay or restore things due to others Some interpret the Text here of Gods mercy and truth and that two waies 1. So carry thy self that God may deal mercifully and truly with thee But this cannot be the sense For though a man may so carry himself that God will not deal mercifully with him yet he cannot carry himself so badly that God will not deal truly with him for that were a blemish to God If he be upright God will perform his promises to him if not God will execute his threatnings upon him whichsoever God doth he shewes forth his truth 2. By way of promise not of exhortation And they read it Mercy and truth shall not forsake thee And they tie it to the former words if thou forget not my Law c. then God wil deal mercifully with thee and perform all his promises to thee But 1. This crosses the ordinary sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a prohibition and that without need 2. The words following are imperative 3. In the first and second Verses ye have a prohibition and promise This method is also observed in the verses following and most likly so here in this Verse and the next The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 1. Mercy or favour All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth Psal
for spoiles and trophies and Merchants passing through many stormes get riches to live on in their old daies For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 3. That God may take more delight in them when the drosse of their corruption is purged away by the fire of affliction and they made wiser purer and better So a tender father sends his son beyond Sea that he may come home better bred and be deerer to him 4. It appears by Gods loving expression of himselfe to them and smiles afterwards like a kind father shewing that his heart was with them before though he frowned and smote them he makes them to know that he is the health of their countenance and their God Psal 43.5 That he hath dea't bountifully with them what ever they thought of him in their afflictions Psal 116.7 Use 1. To reprove many good people who as they take too much liberty in prosperity so are too much dejected in adversitie as if God had quite forsaken them Duos habet filies pater alter peccat et non caeditur alter simulac movet ad peccandum caeditur caeso haeredit as servatur alter exhaeredatus dimittitur videt pater eum non habere spem et dimittit eum facere quod vult Augustin in Psal 93. A father hath two sons the one sins and is not smitten the other assoon as he moves to any sin is smitten the inheritance is kept for him that is smitten the other is sent away disinherited the father sees him hopelesse and lets him loose to do what he list Servus offendens dominum non flagellatur sed dome ejicitur Filius autem patrem offendens flagellatur sed è domo non pellitur Augustin contempl l. 2. c. 21. The servant offending his Master is not scourged but cast out of dooâ—s but the son offending his father is scourged but not turned out of doores Use 2. Let us look upon afflictions as tokens of Gods fatherly love and then we shall bear them comfortably and get much good by them This meditation will be oile to mollifie the pain of our afflictions think with thy selfe God corrects me for my sins but le ts others perish in their sins What a mercy is this Gods love is sweet to his children even when they suffer the bitternesse of his chastning the most tender father smites sometimes David confesses that God had afflicted him in faithfulnesse Psal 119.75 The lesse reason we have to murmur at Gods correcting us the more certainly we know that corrections are a pledge of his fatherly love toward us for he corrects the son quem unicè diligit whom he loves above the rest Qui excipitur à numero flagellatorum excipitur à numero filiorum He that escapes affliction may well suspect his adoption Theophylact. So saith the Apostle If ye be without chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sons Heb. 12.8 Doct. 4. Gods proceedings may be seen in ours he deals with us as we do with our children Hence comes it that the names of men in office are given to God he is called a Judge Judges right such as are wronged and punish such as do wrong He is called an husband I husbands love their wives yet be angry with them for their miscarriage He is called a father fathers correct their children for their faults yet are tender over them when they are sick He is called a Master Masters employ their servants and provide for them Use Let the world be our looking glass to see Gods way in the commendable courses of our superiors for our direction in prosperity and consolation in adversity Doct. 5. Pacâ—â—â—â— cerrect their deerest children else they love them not He that spareth his rod hateth his son but he that loveth him chastneth him betimes Chap. 13.24 They can do it though they love them yea they do it because they love them So they force them to take bitter pills for their health and regard not their tears Use Children must not think their parents love them not because they strike them but commend their wise love that strike them for their good Doct. 6. Correction and dilection may go together See the place quoted for the proof of the last Doctrine Reas Because both are for the childs good Vse To reprove fond Parents who think it want of love to strike offending children VER 13. Happy is the man that findeth wisdome and the man that getteth understanding THough this book of the Proverbs afford not every where a fit coherence of several verses yet where it may conveniently be had it is not to be neglected Solomon had before perswaded to patience under Gods afflicting hand now to perswade the more to it he tells us it is one way to get both wisdome and happinesse as if he had said faint not under affliction for it is not an happinesse to be free from affliction but to get wisdome What though thou suffer chastisment and that be bitter unto thee if thou get wisdome by it thou art happy yet it must not be restrained to that way alone for there are other waies by which wisdome may be gotten besides afflictions as prayer reading hearing meditation conference consideration of Gods works which way soever a man get true wisdome he is happy and not unhappy though it be by afflictions he hath not only made a saving but a gaining bargain Solomon had before given some particular precepts of wisdome and now to stir up our soules to seek earnestly after it he sets out the praises of it as being able to bring men to true happinesse which they most desire and no worldly wealth or greatnesse can bestow upon them How blessed wisdome makes a man may appear by many promises going before and many following after The worth of wisdomes gain is largely set out comparatively in the verses following it is better then silver Object Thereare more pretious things then silver in the world Ans It is better then fine gold Object Yet Jewels and pearls may be better then that Ans She is more pretious then Rubies Object There may be better things then Rubies though we know them not Ans Desire what thou canst thou canst desire nothing so good as wisdome Then he sets out the praise of wisdome simply without comparison it brings long life Object what is a long poor life worth Ans She brings riches withall Obj. Many a rich man is sordid and despised Ans She brings honour also Object Many have all these yet live sadly by reason of sicknesse and pain Ans Her waies are pleasant Object war spoiles all comfort Ans All her paths are peace Object yet death will take away all these Ans She is a tree of life Therefore I conclude as I began with the happinesse of the man that finds wisdome only I add this qualification if he retain her when