and more ready to destroie their aduersaries Men thinke it easiest to goe ouer where the hedge is lowest and most safe to presse downe them that are least friended but they wil wish in the end that they had rather climbed ouer the toppes of trees and prouoked those which haue greatest potentates to take their parts They shall finde it their folly to contemne Salamons wise preceptes and it will turne to their paine that they cast themselues into such perilles Rob not Prou 12. 12 faith he the poor because he is poore neither oppresse the afflicted in iudgement For the Lord will defend their cause and spoile the soule of those that spoyle them And againe in an other place he repeateth the same matter in other words saying Remooue not the auncient Prou. 13. 10 11 bounds and enter not into the field of the fatherlesse For hee that redeemeth them is mightiâ— he will defend their cause against thee Yf it be then so dangerous to wrong men because they bee poor how perilous is it to persecute them because they be poore and godlie Yf for this cause oppressours be reputed despisers of God for that they lift vp their haÌ„ds against his pupils how much more shall they be counted his enemies when they deale cruelly with his children when they strike at the members of his body when they attempt to scratch out his eies As Zachary speakeh He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye Yf so seuere a Zachar 2 8. sentence shall be passed vpon them at the last day that neglect to comfort and relieue him in his members shall there not bee a far more heauy punishment inflicted vpon those which shall wouÌ„d Mat. 25. and spoile him therein Instruction to them that be poore and oppressed to contain theÌ„selue from all impatiency Is the Lord reproched by that which is done against thee and is his worde and worke and gouernement thereby despised Then is the cause more his than thine and it belongeth to him to redresse it with iustice and not to thee to staine it with distemper Oh how men marie their owne matters when they will steppe into Gods place and sit down in his throne and execute his office Jt is an impotency that is in their heartes when they can beare iniuries no better without reuenging hands or reuiling tongues and it is a great defect of faith when they waite not till the Lord take off their burdeÌ„s and it is a needles dread wherewith they dauÌ„t theÌ„selues to think their case remedilesse Doth the Scripture in vaine and to no Ecclc. 5. 7. purpose or with no truth animate vs against such grieuances when it saith Yf in a country thou seest the oppression of the poore the defranding of iudgement and iustice be not astonied at the matter for he that is higher than the highest regardeth and there bee higher than they Consolation to the poor afflicted especially if they be the meÌ„bers of Christ howsoeuer they are discountenanced of men reiected of the world as refuses whom it world willingly be rid of yet they are more esteemed of him whose estimatroÌ„ is more worth thaÌ„ al the mightiest worldlings Abâ—athar thought himself in good safegard though Saule sought his life when Dauid told him that the enemy which came against one of theÌ„ should be coÌ„mon to them both and yet Dauid himselfe who must defend Abiathar was pursued by the King and in peril of his own life how great cause then of boldnes incouragement haue they whome Dauids keeper doth keepe and protect which taketh their cause for his cause their wroÌ„gs for his reproch the hurts doÌ„ne to theÌ„ for defyaÌ„ce bid to himselfe And what a grace fauor is this on the otherside to his poor seruants that he chooseth to bee honoured and serued by the mercy and compassion that is shewed vnto them do hoe not thereby-assure and induce inioyne and binde all his people to do them good It serueth also for the great comfort of euery good man that is pittiful and helping to them that be needy and distressed It is accepted of the Lord Iesus Christe as if it were a beneuolence to his owne person I vvas an hungred saith he and ye gaue me meate J thirsted and ye gaue me drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged mee I vvas naked and ye clothed mee I was sicke and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came vnto mee And being asked by the righteous when and how this kindnes by them was shewed vnto him he telleth them that inasmuch as they did it to one of the least of his brethren they haue done it to him VVe thinke it a great preferment as there is cause why we should for Marâ—â— Magdalen and other women to minister vnto him of their substance and for Martha and Mary to haue him for their ghuest and for the woman in Bothania to powre the oyntment on his head and for Ioseph of Arimathea and Nicodeâ—â—s to bury him and why then should it be counted a matter of no value since it is a prerogatiue not much inferiour to those before specified to haue a mercifull heart and liberall hand in succouring and relieuing his members Diuers of the Pharisies and other vngodly men as it may seeme gaue him entertainment in their houses and had him to dinner and neither yeelded honour to him nor receiued praise from him nor euer shall bee rewarded by him but none that is mercifull to any of his though neuer so meane and despised shal be passed by without acknowledgement nor sent away without recompence VVhatsoeuer is lent vnto them in compassion is bestowed vpon him in regard of acceptance and whatsoeuer is bestowed on them in pitty is lent vnto him in regard of repaiment Vers. 32. The wicked man is pursued in his miserie but the rightious hath hope in his death THe wicked is pursued the worde which wee translate pursued signifieth to be thrust â—t or to throwe downe meaning that when his calamity once beginneth he shall bee driuen on forwards vntill he fall into destruction But the state of the righteous is contrary for he hath hope that is not onely confidence good expectation but refuge and deliuerance in greatest extremities yea in the very danger and torment of death it selfe yea than especially and more than euer at anie time before Doct. 1 VVhen godlesse men stand in greatest neede of helpe and comforte they shall be most of all pressed with plagues and terrours The imprecacion which Dauid made against his enemies may stand for a coÌ„mination against al Gods enemies that when they Psal 35. 5 6. are become chaffe or dust the wind shall rise and blow them away and when they walke in waies that bee darke and slipperie the Angell of the Lord shall persecute them Wee reade of diuers kings and Canaanites which came to destroy the Gybeonites because they entred into league with Israel that
others so stored with plenty this is a stroake of the Lords owne hand as a punishment of their sinne and addition to their misery Hereof he speaketh in another place saying The desire of the slothfull Pro. 21. 25. 26. slaieth him because his hands refuse to worke He coueteth euermore greedilie but the righteous giueth and spareth not Secondly this is manifest by the effects of it for who will vse so many shifts and deuises to come by goods as slothfull men vse to doe They will pawne and forset all their credit to get any mans money by borrowing They will aduenture all their state to winn away mens mony by gaming And in that case they spare not any friend either kinsman or brother either such as feast them or come to visite them or be inuited by them all is one so that they may come by the coyne they care not who they be that loose it They will hazard their liues to wrest and extort away mens money by robbery and filch away their cattell by stealing doth not this declare a violent affectiō of hauing when they straine themselues so far to get substance Confutation of them that charge none but rich men with couetousnes as if it were impossible for any to affect wealth that Vse 1 cannot effect their desires to inioy it All vnthrifty persons should be acquited of that sin and euery one that is faithfull in his caling and prosperous in his state should be condemned thereof if God would allow of their verdit But he hath not empannelled them vpon the iury they may iustly be challenged for partiality and being parties neither speake they according to law nor yet haue any sufficient euidence for the facts for the Lord himselfe testifieth that such as get little be desirous of much and they that haue nothing by their wills would haue all Instruction that we be not sluggards in spirituall things satisfying our selues with wishing for grace and saluation without further labour and trauaile for them Striue saith Christ to enter in at the straite gate for manie I say vnto you will seeke to enter in Luke 13. 24 and shall not be able If all should be saued that are not willing to be damned we should haue swarmes of reprobates in heauen The foolish Virgines would gladly haue gonne in with the Mat. 25. Bridegroome but they thought it too much paynes and charges to prouide themselues of oyle in due time And the riche Mat. 19. man had good liking of eternall life but no will to part with his wealth for it And so are there innumerable with vs now like as there haue beene allmost in all ages that woulde neuer fall into destruction if words and desires without Christian behauiour and mortification would preserue them from it For the other part of the verse concerning the plenty which they that be diligent are stored with see Chap. 10. 4. in the second doctrine Vers 5. A righteous man hateth a false matter but it causeth the wicked to stinke and be ashamed THe meaning is that all that are truely iust and godly 〈◊〉 decline from bad causes words and deeds with hatred therof so far as they appeare vnto them to be vnlawfull At least it is the duty of all good men so to do though somtimes peraduenture they faile in practise But contrarywise the wicked do not so but take pleasure in sinfulnes and thereby are brought to disgrace reproache especially in the sight of God and good men and oft also ordinary men such as are merely ciuill yea vngodly men and sinners do loath them and speake euill of them for their lewdnes Thus standeth the opposition The righteous hateth a false matter and therefore gaineth reuerence and honour but the wicked loueth a false matter and therefore is made odious and shamefull True righteousnes consisteth not only in forbearing that which Doct. is euill but in nating of it The affections are of as great force in the seruices of God as the words and actions and the heart hath no lesse place then the members of the body Jt must be one and the principall agent in loue where they haue calling to deale and it must deale alone with detestation of those abominatiōs which they are discharged to intermeddle with To this purpose it is that Amos saith Seeke good and not euil that ye may liue and the Lord God of hoasts shall Amos 5. 14. 15 be with you as you haue spoken But hate the euill and loue the good and establish iudgement in the gate c. And to the same purpose tendeth the description which Isaiah maketh of a righteous man that liueth in safety when others are in perill and retayneth his Isa 33 15 boldnes when others liue in feare He that walketh in iustice and speaketh righteous things despising gaine of oppression shaking his hands from taking of gifts stopping his eares from hearing of blood and shutting his eies from seeing of euill First it is the effect of sound prety and the worke of a heart Reasons truly religious as it is sayd The feare of the Lord is to hate euill Prou. 8. 13. Secondly it maketh men carefull constant in shunning that which is vniust and sinfull as Dauid saith I hate the work of them that fall away it shall not cleaue vnto me No man taketh delight to conuerse with his enemie or to put his hand to that which his hart riseth against Why doe not men and weomen vse to play with Adders and Snakes and serpents aswell as with whelpes birds and such like creatures because they hate them Why will they put sweete flowers and those things that are odoriferous to their noses and stop their noses at vnsauory smelles because their nature is delighted with the one sort and abhorreth the other Though sometimes men make shew of reformation of things that are amisse yet if it arise not from an internall enimity against them they are very like to fall backe againe vnto them as Saul returned to listen to witchery notwithstanding his former sharpe proceeding against witches Thirdly though godly men are sometimes surprized by sinne being either deceiued by the subtilty thereof or ouerborne with the violence of it yet if it be bitter vnto their soules and their harts haue a quarrell against it the Lord will neuer impute it to them Hereof the Apostle speaketh to the Romanes I allow not Rom 7 15. 16 17 that which I doe for what I would that doe I not but what I hate that doe I. If I doe then that which I would not I consent to the lawe that it is good Now then it is no more I that doe it but the sinne that dwelleth in me Instruction to informe our hearts against all manner of wickednes Vse 1 that they may be the more incensed against it The worse we like of sin the more righteous we are and the better the Lord will loue vs. And the more agreement
Deuteronomy ruÌ„neth in this maner The Lord shall make thee the heade and not the tayle and thou shalt be aboue onelie and not beneath Deut 28 13. if thou obeiâ— the commandements of the Lord thy God which I command thee this day to keepe and to doe them And thus much doth Dauid acknowledge to be verfied to himself the Lord performed this good promise vnto him Thou hast saith he deliuered mee from the contentions of the people thou hast made me the head of the heathen a people whome I knew not doth serue me Assoone as they heare they obeye me strangers be in subiection to me First there are manifold occasions whereby vngodly men are often brought to be so submisse to the seruants of the Lord as in Reasons 1 respect of the authority and greatnesse which diuers are aduanced vnto as all the Egiptians bowed to Ioseph and all the Persians to Mordecay and because distresses make many to seek help and counsell at their hands whom formerly they haue maligned and hated as wicked Iehoram at Elisha Balshazzar at Daniel 2. King 3. Dan. 5. proude Pharaoh sundry times at Moses Secondly if godlines were a cause of contempt and vilenesse theÌ„ as the godly were more multiplied so they would bee more contemptible eÌ„vile and the whole body of them would be basest of all whereas the contrary is euidently to be seene fithence the Church is the most glorious company that euer was oâ— shall be in the world There is no state nor kingdome nor empire that hath bene or can be comparable to it And to this purpose heare what the holy spirit of God testifieth of her in the songs of Salomon There are threescore Queenes and fourescouâ—â— Concubines of the damsels without number But my done is alone my vndefiled are shee is the onlie daughter of her mother and she is deere to her that bare her the daughters haue seene and counted her blessed euen the Queenes and the concubines and they haue praised her Who is she that looketh forth as the morning faire as the moone pure as the sunne terrible as an armie with banners How many nobles how many princes how many kings how many natioÌ„s do yeeld obedieÌ„ce vnto the Church Yea the very wicked also euill men do bowe before her though they loue her not yet they pretend loue and hypocritically make femblance of reuerence to her their mouth giueth her testimony with their lips they would make meÌ„ beleeue that they haue her in estimatioÌ„ EueÌ„ the very Atheists theÌ„selues scarce dare grow so andacious as to professe that they are none of Gods people nor meÌ„bers of the Church And that did Dauid vse as an argument of his greatnes predominatioÌ„ ouer his enemies that straÌ„gers did fainedly Psal 18. 44. subiect themselues vnto him Thirdly if piety and religion did make men abiect despised then as their grace did grow their credit would decrease the riper they waxed in goodnes the deeper they would sinke into basenes perfect holines would bring theÌ„ to a perfectioÌ„ of ignominy which who seeth not to be otherwise Especially at the end of the world wheÌ„ the saints shall be replenished with the fulnes of grace shall they not be beautified with the brightnes of glory and haue power committed vnto them to bee iudges of all the reprobates both of men and Angels Confutation of that error which is in the mouthes of monie Vse 1 and the mindes of more that hee which will bee religious must needes bee contempâ—â—ble and the waie to become greate is to growe sinfull and godlesse Flesh and blood Indeede woulde haue it so and therefore fleshly men imagine it to be so they cary an enuious heart against the righteous and therefore bee grieued that the righteous should either rise or stand but he that setteth vp establisheth and he that casteth down and depresseth declareth his purpose which his power also accomplisheth that his seruants shall be made honourable with preferment and his enemies made vnderlines with debasemenâ— Daniels faithfulnes did neuer bring him to reproch nor his aduersaries falshood did euer winne them credit Mordecay could not be kept downe because he was a godly Iewe nor Haman could not bee held vp because he was an impious Amalekite Read through the whole book of the Scriptures it will appear that of al the kings they which were most holy and zealous for the worship of God did alwaies best prosper in their owne estate That which is spoken in the Psalme concerning the happines of them that feare God wil infallibly be verified of euery one of them in due season His Psal 112. 9. 10. horne shall bee exhalted with glorie The wicked shall see it and bee angry hee shall gnash with his teeth and consume a vaie the desire of the wickedsh all perish Admonition to vngodly persoÌ„s that they be not too fierce violent against their poore brerhren when they haue a superiority ouer them their course will come in time to bee their inferiours and to stand vnder their sentence and to fall vnder theire hands and to lie vnder theire feete and therfore let them not bee extreamely rigorous to them least their measure be returned to themselues Yf Iosephs brethreÌ„ had asmuch beleeued his dreames that they should come and bow to him as they euuied him for them they would haue vsed him with more mildnesse Jf Shimei had thought that Dauid would haue recouered again the crowne and kingdome and soueraignety ouer him he woulde haue spared his cursed speeches against him Verse 20. The poore is hated euen of his owne neighbour but the friends of the rich are manie THe poore he that is fallen into pouerty or disgrace with great personages is hated of his neighbour they that dwell by him and his kinsfolkes and old acquaintance and such as were wont to be familiar with him being yet but carnall men wil altar their countenance and behauiour towards him and picke quarrels against him and take any occasion to alienate themselues from him But the friendes of the rich are manie diuers fawne on the wealthy and flatter them and make a faire shew of loue good will when as notwithstanding they beare no such affection to them in their hearts The friendship of fleshly men is grounded on the state of them Doct. whome they shewe kindnes vnto and not on their graces Be they neuer so religious and godlie yet wanting wealth and countenance they contemne them as abiects be they neuer so impious prophane and yet hauing titches and dignity they admire them as Angels While Job was in prosperity and held the weapon of authority in his hand euery one respected him a chaire was set for him in the streete to rest him by the waie well was he that could doe any good office to shewe how much hee honoured Job but when his goods were gone his bowstring was cutte as he saith no
first they were discomfited Ioshua 10 11. by Ioshua then they fled in feare and great confusion then fell great hailstones vpon them and so they perished Jn the sâ—me case or as bad was Sisera who beeing vanquished by Barak was driuen from him his chariot and army to take himself Iudges 4 to his heels fly away alone in dread danger being weary and thirsty and where he hoped for helpe there felt hee hurte and wheme hee tooke for his friende and preseruer of his life hee found to be his foe and worker of his death And nothing better went the world with Saul who for want of answer from God in his calamities was driuen to aske counsell of the Diuell and then was daunted with threatnings and afterwards wounded with weapons hauing the Philistims against 1. Sam. 31. him and the Lord against him and his conscience against him and his owne heart and his owne hand and his owne sword and all to hasten his owne destruction First they reiect all admonitions one after another and will Reasons 1 receiue no instructioÌ„ when God offreth himselfe to teach them and therefore it is iust equall that he should pursue them with iudgements one after another and deny them all fauour when he setteth himselfe to plague them Secondly many of them vncessantly and proudely followe theyr delights and pleasures and those wayes which most content their carnall affections without any feare of Gods displeasure and therefore at the last the Lorde sendeth miseries as many and as fast after them which shall neuer leaue them vntill they haue brought them to ruine So it is said of that Romish and whoorish Babilon that idolatrous kingdome of Antichrist Reuel 18. 7 8. Inasmuch as she glorified her selfe and liued in pleasure so much giue ye to her torment and sorrowe for she saith in her heart I fit being a Queene and am no widdowe and shall see no mourning Therefore shall her plagues come at one daie death and sorrow and famine and she shall be burnt with fire Thirdly the most part of wicked men by word or deede by one meanes or other doe set themselues to ouerthrow their harmlesse neighbours which feare the Lord and are innocent towards them and therefore it is a righteous thing with God as the Apostle saith to recompence tribulation to them that trouble 2. Thes 1. 6 his people and to cast downe those which thrust so sore at his seruants Admonition to euery man so to demeane himselfe in time of Vse hiâ— peace and prosperous estate as that hee may be supported and held vp and not pushed at and cast downe in his troubles How needfull a thing is it therefore to walke alwayes modestly without insolency and mildly without fiercenes and innocently without harmfulnesse that when afflictions come wee may haue the fauour of God and the friendship of Gods seruants and the comfort of our owne soules to establish vs that we fall not What was so pernitious and preiudiciall to that cursed Haman when he sunke into aduersity as his pride and presumption while he swimmed in prosperity Downe would hee haue the whole Church and all the people of God both men women and children and therefore downe must Haman himselfe come into reproche and disgrace And then how many tongues were against him how many feete were vpon him and how much anxiety and horror was in him His wife forespeaketh him the Queene accuseth him the Eunuch conuinceth him the king condemneth him the executiones hangeth him and the Lord destroyeth him But the righteous c. No danger nor death can take away the Doct. 2 comfort or happines of godly men It standeth not with the will and wisedome of the Almighty to exempt his seruants wholly from troubles and to free them altogether from feares for they are ofttimes very needfull and expedient but it is most agreeable with his prouidence and best for the praise of his power to preserue and deliuer them when they are in distresses Many are the promises which to this purpose are made by God and manifold are the professions which holy men make of their confidence therein both in the old and new testament As for example Iob saith though the Lord should Iob. 13. 15 slaie me yet would I trust in him still And the Psalmist saith God Psal 46 1 is our hope and strength and helpe in troubles readie to bee found Therefore will not we feare though the earth be moued and the mountaines fall into the midst of the sea Though the waters be troubled Rom. 8 35. and the mountaines shake at the surges of the same And saint Paul sayth Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or peril or sword As it is written for thy sake are wee killed all the day long we are counted as sheepe for the slaughter Neuerthelesse in all these things we are more than conquerours through him that loued vs. First because it is not in the power of troubles temptations Reasons 1 dangers or enemies either to stop faithfull men from praying to the Lord or to stay the Lord from hearing the prayers of faithfull men Dauids enemies could hinder him for a time from going to the Temple but not one moment from repairing to heauen they would not suffer him to bring his sacrifices to the Altar but they could not withholde him from presenting his petitions in Gods presence That he might doe and that he did and that he found a meane of his helpe and succour His distresses were exceeding great his supplications were very feruent and his deliuerance was maruellous comfortable And so much himselfe acknowledgeth or rather the Lord by him doth testifie saying The sorrowes of death compassed mee and the flouds of wickednesse Psal 18. 4. 5. 6. 16. made me afraid The sorrowes of the graue haue compassed mee about the snares of death ouertooke me But in my trouble I did call vpon the Lord and cried vnto my God hee heard my voice out of his Temple and my crie did come before him euen into his eares He hath sent downe from aboue and taken me hee hath drawne me out of manie vvaters c Secondly the Lord loueth his people aswell and is aswell able to protect them in the moste boysterous stormes of calamity as to preserue them in the quietest calmes of tranquility according as was formerly shewed out of the eight chapter to the Romanes Thirdly our Sauiour Christ hath so vanquished the power of troubles and death it selfe by his suffring and dying that they cannot hurt his members and so seasoned and sanctified them to his people that they are mâ—de verye commodious and profitable to them Fourthly death is so farre from depriuing the godly of the comforte of their hope as that it rather sendeth them to the possession of theyr happinesse which they haue so long hoped for Instruction to