friends to sollicite his cause and to deale effectually for him Thirdly the Lord himselfe beholdeth their teares and sorrowes and suffrings hee heareth their most secret sighes and groanes his compassion is towards them hee is able to helpe them hee promiseth to deliuer them and therefore from his owne commiseration and pitie by his might and power and in his trueth and fidelitie hee will surely drawe them out of miserie Lastlie their life it selfe is not perpetuall but short and of small continuance and therefore how can it be that their troubles should be endles or any way of long durance It is an euerlasting trueth which the holy spirit publisheth in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for they rest from Reuel 14. 13. their labours that is from all kinds of sorrowes and sufferings Vse Reproofe of their follie which seeke to preuent troubles or to shake them off by shunning the duties of righteousnes As though righteousnes were not a sure friend to deliuer men but a treacherous aduersarie to betray them As though it were a matter of great perill to please God and the onely way for safetie to prouoke him As though the best meanes of defence were to disarme ones selfe and to be weaponed and armed were to expose himselfe to the shot and strokes of his enemie And yet this cowardlie heart and erroneous mind is in very many that they dare not addict themselues strictly to euery seruice of pietie and iustice lest they should cast themselues into snares and troubles and molestations They are not perswaded by S. Peters testimonie 1. Pet. 3. 13 14 that no man can hurt them if they follow that which is good neither be they affected with his consolation that blessed are they if they suffer for righteousnesse sake Comfort to them that are tossed with the waues of troubles and aduersities by persecutions temptations and necessities if searching their hearts they can finde their vprightnes and trying their waies they proue to be righteous there is no cause why they should call in question the state of their soules or thinke their present case to be irrecouerable If multitude or greatnes of troubles were to make Gods fauour doubtfull then few iust men should haue it certaine for he hath allotted them to all his children and made as due prouision for them of correction as of foode and he that is alwaies and altogether without it is not a sonne but a Heb. 12. 8. bastard If it were not an vsuall thing for good men to bee in afflictions the scriptures would not so vsually speake of their comming out of afflictions Let no man therefore say in prosperitie I shall neuer be moued so let no godlie man say in aduersitie I Psalm 30. 6. shall neuer be restored The Lord taketh as little pleasure to bee euermore afflicting his people as a most tender-hearted parent doth to be alwaies beating his children And as an indulgent father cannot indure to see violence offred to the shedding of his sonnes bloud in his presence so neither will our God permit the wicked to spoile and oppresse the godly continually in his sight Doct. 2 When the mercie of God beginneth to raise the godly out of afflictions his iustice is readie to cast the wicked into miserie The sinners are put into one scale of the weights and the saints into the other When the one riseth vp the other sinketh downe when the one commeth from troubles to prosperitie the other goeth from prosperitie to troubles This the Lord telleth wicked men before hand and will not faile to fulfill it in due season Behold saith he my seruants shall eate and ye shall be hungrie behold Isa 65. 13. 14. my seruants shall drinke and yee shall be thirstie behold my seruants shall reioyce and yee shall be ashamed behold my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and yee shall crie for sorrow of heart and shall howle for vexation of minde It seemeth to them an incredible paradoxe and a newes by farre more admirable then acceptable that there should be such a transmutation of conditions on both sides to contraries but he doth know that it will be so and can effect that it shall be so and hath decreed that it must be so and therefore relateth the particulars with such certainty as if forthwith the execution thereof should be presented to their senses Reasons First it is Gods ordinance and the order which he vseth in his proceedings that iudgement shall begin at his owne house as S. Peter teacheth and from thence be deriued to the wicked to 1. Pet. 4. 17. continue vpon them for euer The medicinable potion at the brimme of the cup he will haue his owne children to drinke for their health and preseruation but the dregges and poison at the bottome his enemies must swallow vp for their ruine and destruction Secondly troubles feares vexations and torments are the proper portion of sinners they receiue not their childs part nor enter vpon their inheritance till they fall into them Good men passe through them as a deepe mirie lane in a strange countrie but trauell home to their owne pleasant soile of comfort but the euill and rebellious gallop swiftly in the faire way of prosperitie and hasten to their owne vncomfortable home of hidious desolation and horror Thirdly their malitions behauiour against Christians doth with a strong hand draw themselues into miserie and lift the others out of it The Egyptians made it their exercise to drowne the children of the Israelites and God deliuering the Israelites made the Egyptians to be drowned Haman cast about with all his wits how he might bring Mordecai to the gallows and the Lord appointed in his wisedome that the gallows should catch vp Haman And so stood the case with Daniels enemies they were driuen with their owne flesh and familie to feede the hons which they had appointed to eate vp Daniel The Edomites were glad to see the Iewes drinke so bitter a draught of calamity as the Babylonians by Gods righteous iudgement had mingled for them and therefore the Lord would make the Edomites to pledge them in the same cup and was more fauourable to the Iewes for their reioycing at them For so hee speaketh to them both in the Lamentations Reioyce and be glad O daughter Edome that dwellest in the land of Vz the cup also shall passe through vnto thee thou shalt be drunken and vomit Thy punishment is accomplished O daughter Zion hee will no more carrie thee into captiuitie Lam. 4. 21. The doing of mischiefe to good men the attempting of it though they faile of their purposes their wishing of it though they dare not attempt it and their reioycing at it when it is effected by others all this doth assuredly bring mischiefe on sinfull mens owne heads Vse Admonition to the aduersaries of the Church and Christians that they deale more mildlie and moderatelie with them The
A PLAINE AND FAMILIAR EXPOSITION OF THE Eleuenth and Twelfth Chapters of the Prouerbes of Salomon PROVERBS 1. 5. A wise man shall heare and increase in learning and a man of vnderstanding shall atteine vnto wise counsels BY WISDOME PEACE BY PEACE PLENTY AT LONDON Imprinted by FELIX KYNGSTON for Henrie Sharpe 1607. TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL WILLIAM FENYS Esquire and Sir WILLIAM COPE Knight grace mercie and peace THE due regard which wee haue of you both for the speciall gifts wherewith it hath pleased God to grace you hath moued vs to present vnto you ioyntly this testimonie of our vnfained loue We doe the rather publish this Treatise vnder your names because we would encourage you to runne forward constantly in that Christian race which you haue alreadie so happilie begunne and to answere that good expectation which is generally and iustly conceiued of you We haue long waited and much desired to be imploied againe as formerly through Gods mercie wee haue been But being hitherto disappointed of that hope and esteeming an vnprofitable life to be a kinde of vncomfortable death we thought it our bounden dutie to offer our seruice to the Church and furtherance to your faith in the best manner wee can since wee may not vse such meanes as we would As you haue been attentiue hearers whiles we preached so we doubt not but you will be diligent readers of that which is here written We shall esteeme it a sufficient gaine for our trauaile if either your selues or any other may reape fruit by our labours The God of all mercie increase his graces in vs all and multiplie his blessings vpon vs that our life and death may bring glorie to him and euerlasting peace to our owne soules Your Worships in all Christian duties to be commanded Iohn Dod Robert Cleauer TO THE GODLIE READER CHristian Reader by meanes of our promise we are growne into thy debt which if God adde abilitie to our willingnes thou shalt finde vs as readie to discharge And for thy better assurance of our faithfull meaning herein we haue communicated vnto thee our labours on these two Chapters in part of paiment vntill we can proceede to the rest Onely this we must intreate of thee that thou wilt deale with vs as thou wouldest with iust and honest debters which duely pay thee money If our coyne be currant carrying trueth and veritie the stampe of Gods holy spirit reiect it not though it be duskish without glittering shew or curious workemanship But if ought by mistaking hath escaped vs that wanteth weight or prooueth not good mettall returne it louingly and in brotherly manner vnto vs and we will doe our best indeuour to yeelde thee better matter for it The eight first chapters a godly learned man hath trauailed in whose paines we expected before this time to haue inioyed with thee and that caused vs to goe forwards omitting the beginning vntill we come to the end The methode we confesse would be very preposterous and defectiue were it not that so good a supplie would reduce it into due order And so we commit the whole worke both of our writing and thy reading to the direction and blessing of Gods holy spirit whom we pray to giue thee vnderstanding to know his will with a faithfull heart to beleeue and obey the same through Iesus Christ Amen Drayton this seuenth of Nouember 1606. Thine in all Christian duties Iohn Dod Robert Cleauer AN EXPOSITION OF THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER OF THE PROVERBS CHAPTER XI Verse 1. False balances are an abomination to the Lord but a perfect weight pleaseth him VNder false balances are comprehended all vniust weights lines and measures And therewithall is condemned whatsoeuer kinde of guile and deceit may bee found either in the buyer or seller As when that which is sold is defectiue either in quantitie or qualitie not being fit for the vse that it is bought for or not correspondent to the price that is paid for it or not answerable to the testimonie that is giuen of it And with these doth Amos charge the wicked wealthy men of his age They make the Epha or measure small and the shekell or price great Amos 8. 5. and falsifie the weights of deceit That they may buie the poore for siluer and the needie for shooes and sell the refuse of their wheate So on the other side in the buyer when he shall faile of all meete proportion betweene the price that he payeth and the commoditie that he buieth giuing farre lesse than the worth and valew of it And where it is said They are abomination to the Lord it is not ment that his quarrell is against the insensible creatures but he is displeased with the iniquitie of the persons which make vse keepe or allow them Whereby the other clause may bee better vnderstoode that the Lord is pleased with such as doe vprightly vse them and with loue of equitie exercise it in their traffique and couenants Doct. 1 All instruments and meanes of falsehood are hatefull to God If God speake this but once and in one place and no where else but in this place yet he is of sufficient authoritie to require credit to his word because he that cannot lie hath spoken it who also knoweth best both what doth offend and please him but hee doth often confirme it in the scriptures that the multiplicitie of testimonies may the more forcibly perswade vs to beleeue The selfe same words in effect are not only repeated but redoubled in this booke and that sometimes in one chapter Diuers weights and diuers measures both these are euen an abomination to the Lord. Diuers weights are abomination to the Lord and false ballances are not good Cap. 20. 10. 23. Reasons First his commandement is hereby violated for he hath expressely forbidden such vnrighteous dealing Thou shalt not haue Deut. 25. 15. 16. in thy bagge two manner of weights a great and a small neither shalt thou haue in thine house diuers measures a great and a small but thou shalt haue a iust weight a perfect and a iust measure shalt thou haue c. For all that doe such things and all that doe vnrighteouslie are abomination to the Lord thy God Which is not so to be vnderstood as though it were absolutely vnlawfull to haue diuers sorts of weights or measures as ounces and pounds as yards and elles as peckes and bushels c. Neither yet to haue many of the same sort for many may be needefull according as men haue manifold occasions to vse them but to haue them vnequall each to other which ought to be of the same size as some of larger content to buy with and others of lesser quantitie to sell with this is that which is here prohibited Secondly his ordinance by this is inuerted for he hath instituted the vse of negotiation market and exchange for the mutuall benefit of both sides and this is for the good of neither for the one is endamaged in
of the man is the mouth of the mans treasure that which he speaketh he best loueth that which is most in the lippes hath greatest place in the heart If therefore the trueth be deere vnto him he will assuredly shew it forth when hee shall stand for that purpose before God and his substitute and doe so good a seruice of loue and pietie but if hee haue any fellowship with falsehood he will now take part with it beeing voide of the feare of God and affraide to displease man and hauing so fit opportunity to gratifie his fleshly friends and to procure thanks and recompence to himselfe Secondly no man exerciseth the truth at any time conscionably but by the spirit of trueth and that directing mens hearts at other times in matters of lesse weight will not faile them at their greatest neede when they are to performe a duetie of so great importance and so on the other side Sathan hath the disposing of their tongues that giue themselues to lying he is their father he teacheth them their trade and tasketh them in their worke and they be wholy at his commaundement and who doubteth but that he will commaund them to be on his side and to take against the truth so farre as the knowledge of the truth shall make against his practises Vse Instruction for them that would not fall to falsewitnesse bearing that would not incurre the displeasure of God and hazard the losse of their owne credit that they acquainte themselues with true speaking in all their words so as it may bee familiar with them when they are in any cause to bee disposed that they deale soundly in the company of few lest they shew their falsehoode in presence of many that they hate all lying among the meanest and thereby auoide it among the greatest 2. To iudges and magistrates and all ministers of iustice that they be very circumspect so farre as in them is what manner of persons they admit for Iurours and Quest-men to deliuer vp verdicts or to be accusers or witnesses for giuing in of euidence and well to sift the testimonie of thē that are wont to faile of fidedelitie lest as they vse to fill mens eares with vntruths so they also defile the place of iudgement with periurie and vniustice How many righteous men may a few such deceiuers turne out of the right way what wrong may they offer what hurt may they doe what mischiefe may they worke both in oppressing them that are innocent and clearing of the wicked Doct. 2 Will shew righteousnesse vseth deceite c. The speaking of true words is no note of a faithfull man vnlesse it bee in due manner and plaine meaning False witnesses doe not alwaies vtter flat lies and palpable vntrueths for then they would be soone espied and quicklie conuinced and easily confuted they would bee censured of euery man and credited of no man but their fraude is couered with a faire shew of veritie as slips of copper appeare to be good coine when they are gilded ouer The promise of euerlasting life is not giuen to all that speake the trueth but onely to them that speake Psal 15. 2. the trueth in their hearts that is in sinceritie and vprightnesse The diuell himselfe did speake that which was true and euen the words of holy trueth to Iesus Christ when he said that God had giuen a charge to his Angels to hold his people in their hands Matth. 4. 6. that they should not dash their foote against a stone but it was guilefully deliuered a materiall part being suppressed and the rest peruerted to draw him to sinfull presumption It was a true information that was giuen to Saul by Doeg that Ahimelech the 1. Sam. 22. 10. 23. 19. Priest had ministred both foode and weapon to Dauid and by the Ziphims that Dauid hid himselfe in the wood by them It was a true informatiō that was giuen to Nebuchadnezzar by the Chaldeans that Shadrach Meshach and Abednego would not serue his Gods Dan. 3. 12. nor worship the image that he had set vp and it was a true information that was giuen to Darius by his princes that Daniel regarded not the decree that he had sealed but made his petition three times a day but all these true informations were made by false men of Dan. 6. 13. deceitfull lipes and malitious hearts for wicked purposes Reasons 1 First God heareth our words beholdeth all our proceedings he looketh to the heart especially and obserueth likewise the manner of our testimonies not onely what is vttered but how much whether all that ought to be or more then should bee or the iust measure that is required and onely they that can approue themselues to him for sinceritie and vprightnesse are to be reputed faithfull and the rest are but craftie dissemblers Secondly if true words alone would passe for currant without further respect of drift and manner those things would be many times separated which God would haue alwaies ioyned together and those things would be made opposite which hee appointeth to be subordinate one to another trueth is oftentimes spoken without loue that will peruert iustice and true dealing and stirre vp oppression and violence as is to be seene in the former examples But so it must not be a breach must not be made among those that are euer to be knit together with an vnseparable bond of vnion Thou shalt sweare saith the Prophet the Lord liueth Ierem. 4. 2. in truth in iudgement and in righteousnesse that is thou shalt truly rightly and righteouslie professe him and take an oath by him when thou hast a cause and calling to sweare and accordingly dispose of all the rest of thy speeches Vse 1 Instruction so to order and guide our lippes in all that we say that men may finde nothing but veritie in the matter which wee declare and God may see nothing but sinceritie in the end which we propose And so though we be sifted yet we shall not bee shamed and though there bee accusations as the trueth must looke to be quarrelled withall yet there will bee no conuictions so long as an vpright heart doth cleere vs. Reproofe of guilefull persons whose trade is to be painters of bad causes If any man haue ragged torne and rotten matters in hand which euery honest man reiecteth let him come to them and they will set such colours and pictures thereupon as shall make them appeare very beautifull But let them know that they shall make themselues to be base and God will bring such cunning deceiuers as hee hath alreadie dealt with diuers aequiuocant sophisters to shame and contempt Verse 18. There is that speaketh words like the pricking of a sword but the tongue of wise men is health THere is a brood and companie of sinfull fooles which speake words like the prickings of a sword that is dangerous and pernicious which pierce deeper to the hurt of mens names and states then the