striueth earnestly herein may truely be said to worke for life For life is proposed and life he seeketh and life he shall finde If great wages were vncertaine or certaine wages were but small it would be but a small incouragemēt to take great paines but seeing now it is so sure and so large and so good what is too much to be performed and what is too grieuous to bee indured for the same True it is that righteousnesse will call for trauell and raise vp trouble but it is as true that all the trauels and afflictions of this present life are not worthie of the glorie which shall be shewed vnto vs. Rom. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre most excellent and an eternall weight of glory If nothing but bare life were bestowed vpon vs euen meere deliuerance from the danger of death it were a benefit not lightly to be esteemed It was said of Lot that he was preserued from destruction of Sodome the Lord being mercifull vnto him and yet his goods money and cattell which hee had in great abundance Gen. 19. 16. were all destroyed And the diuell spake the truth though in craft and malice concerning Iob skinne for skinne and all that euer a man hath will he giue for his life But when life is full of liuely comforts when it is adorned with endles glory when it is inriched with infinit treasures what crosses what pouertie what temptations what reproaches what persecutions and sufferings should diminish our desire of it or make vs remisse in seeking for it Reproofe of them that care not whose seruice they come into nor what worke they doe so that they may haue nothing to doe with God and his seruices They thinke no prison more streight then the Church no drudgery more grieuous then prayer and hearing of sermons singing of Psalmes and sanctifying of the Sabbath no bondage so burdenous as restraint from sinfull delightes and fleshly pleasures no miserie so bitter as sound Christianitie They distaste with great detestation all persons and actions and gestures and words that sauour of godlinesse or haue any stampe and print of pietie in them and as themselues abhorre all his worship so they labour to discourage all others from doing him any seruice These are they which are continually censuring of professours and deriding their precisenes and insulting ouer their pouertie and meane estate As though the Lord were not able to maintaine them that serue him or else did grudge to bestow good things vpon them as though he were a niggardly hard maister vnwilling to allow his people sufficiencie of food and wages That were a great dissoyaltie so to traduce a liberall Lord and free harted Prince who is readie to promote his seruants to liuing though it bee but for a time but it is an execrable impietie so to blaspheme the most bountifull God who giueth to euery one of his both liuing and life and all blessednes for euermore But many of them say that they speake by experience themselues haue been professors and as forward as the best and they neuer got any good by it And such Malachy bringeth in quarrelling against God Your words saith he haue been stout against mee yet yee say what haue wee spoken against thee Yee haue said it is in vaine to serue God and what profit is it that wee haue kept his commandement and walked humblie before the Lord of hosts Mal. 3. 13. 14. Who is so busie to complaine for want of wages as they which neuer performed any good worke let not the exceptions of murmuring apostataes preuaile in the eares or harts of any that haue vnderstanding They were neuer of the family of God though they crept into his house they neuer did one good chare in obedience and for what then should they haue their recompence They were alwaies proud hypocrites though they boast of humilitie and why should they be vsed as humble persons But be it that they pleade for others who haue faithfully kept the commandements of God and truely been humbled in his sight and yet labour in a low estate and meane condition Is there no profit in seruing of the Lord vnles there be present preferment and earthly promotion Our principall pay will bee in life whereof wee haue part in hand by grace in our soules in this world and the rest is behind vntill the pay day in the world to come So that a sinner cannot discerne of the happinesse of a Christian nor conceiue how God dealeth with him For the comfort of the heart is a thing vnknowne to him and the glorious life is hid with Christ in God and shall Col. 3. 3. 4. not fully be seene before we appeare with him in glory Doct. 2 But he that followeth The more violent wicked men are in their sinnes the more neere they draw to destruction When they course euill as the grayhound doth the Hare and hunt for it as the hungry lion or other wild beast doth after his pray for thence is the similitude taken then they will ouertake their death anon and come speedily to damnation As the miserie of the Aegyptians approached neere vnto them so their crueltie increased towards the Israelites And they were neuer more fiercely disposed to kill and to slay than when the waters were presently to doe execution vpon them Warre was concluded without any great consultation a mightie hoste was gathered without any busines of mustering they were all in a readines to fight without any further training So stood the case with the Sodomites they were all set on mischiefe and madnes immediatly before they were destroyed And so it fared with Ahab who tooke his farewell toward his voyage and death with contempt of the word of God and persecution of his Prophet And so we might note Belshazzer and Haman and many others for this purpose whom the Lord cut off in the very practise of some notable mischiefe Reasons 1 First this carnest pursuite of sinne with loue and liking of sin proceedeth from an heart hardened with custome of sinning being past remorse and feeling and this will bring men to worke all Ephes 4. 19. kinde of wickednesse euen with greedinesse And this is a forerunner of Gods iudgements Secondly this following of euill is also accompanied with impudencie and shamelesnesse as their hearts cannot feare before God so their faces cannot blush before men And what state these men stand in the Prophet Ieremy sheweth Were they Ierem. 8. 12. ashamed when they had committed abomination nay they were not ashamed neither could they haue any shame therefore shall they fall among the slaine when I shall visite them they shall be cast down saith the Lord. Thirdly this manner of sinning crieth in the eares of the Lord as it is said of the Sodomites and prouoketh him to anger and therefore will draw downe a speedie punishment vpon them Vse 1 Instruction
their owne impure and filthie nature hearts words and actions Secondly the righteous are his owne obedient sonnes that do faithfully serue him and the froward are his rebellious enemies that fight continually against him Thirdly he cannot looke on the righteous but he must behold the gracious worke of his owne hands in their new birth and second creation but in the froward he seeth the work of the diuell whereby they are depraued and made most vile and ouglesome Vse 1 Instruction that wee conforme our selues to the example of God in this behalfe if froward persons bee abomination to him let them not be in estimation with vs if he loath them as we doe snakes and toads and all kind of serpents let vs not loue them as delectable things wherin men reioyce and take pleasure but let vile men be vile in our eyes and let such as feare the Lord bee regarded of vs. Far bee it from vs that we should grace and countenance those whom God doth proclaime to be odious and abominable that we should associat our selues and bee found companions with those whose sight is offensiue vnto him that wee should receiue them into our seruice which refuse to enter into Gods and God reiecteth thē as altogether vnfit for his family But well is it with our soules whē we can truly say with the Prophet All my delight is in the Saints and in them which are excellent Psal 16. 3. Psal 101. 6. Mine eyes shall be to the faithfull in the land that they may dwell with mee he that walketh in a perfit way he shall serue me Terror for those obstinate wicked persons which trust that by stiffe standing to their tacklings they shall grow into credit and good account with the world as indeed their successe is very oftē answerable to their expectation But what gaine they by getting mans fauour and Gods displeasure when basenes and follie did smile vpon them for a moment and glorie and wisedome doe frowne on them for euer It was the case of the Scribes and Pharises they iustified themselues before men all did praise them but though they were so highly esteemed among men yet they were abomination in the sight of God our Sauiour told them so in their prime and full blossome but they little thought it to be Luk. 16. 15. true But what is become of al their salutations and titles and praises now hath not the Lord sent a blast vpon them and caused their glory to wither away is not all their excellencie turned into contempt and their names made a by-word of reproach in all Churches Consolation to vpright hearted men how poore soeuer they be how basely soeuer the world thinketh of them it is enough for them that the Lord taketh pleasure in them Whē Ahashuerosh had but once graced Mordecai al the citie quickly took notice of it he was presently great notwithstanding he was a captiue and a condemned man and of a nation that was euery where despised and was there more force in the fauour of a mortall man to make him honorable whom he bare no great affection vnto than there is in the loue of God being so tender and large to his owne children what then though they should bee dealt with as S. Iames speaketh that in respect of gold rings and goodly apparell which Iam. 2. 3. 5. rich men present haue on they should bee put vnder the footestoole or thrust out at dores yet let them know that God hath chosen them to bee rich in faith and heires of the kingdome which he hath promised to them that loue him What though they should not onely be dispised but maligned of them that be stronger than themselues yet let them not bee disouraged at their power that are against them but comforted in his good prouidence that is for them If this be true that they bee Gods delight then this will be also as true that God will be their defense Ahab was an heauie friend to Micaiah and professed his hatred towards him and threatned mischiefe to him and yet Gods fauour preuailed more for his safetie than Ahabs displeasure could doe for 2. Chron. 18. his hurt Verse 21. Though hand ioyne in hand the wicked shall not be vnpunished but the seede of the righteous shall escape THough vngodly men haue many friends and such as bee mightie though they ioyne all their forces together to aide and defend one another or all of them one yet they shall not bee able to minister any helpe or succour when the Lord taketh them in hand to plague them On the other side though righteous men seeme to be in great perill and haue fewer friends and those also poore and feeble yet they shall get out and be deliuered and not onely so but their children and posteritie also shall be preserued So that whereas many strong wicked men cannot deliuer one one weake godly man shall deliuer many Doct. 1 Vngodly men are nothing the better for all the friends they haue their plotting together and combination is of no force at all for their preseruation but rather for their ruine The Lord by the Prophet Isaiah doth deridingly challenge and after a sort dare the enemies of the Church to attempt any thing against his people vpon their perill Gather together on heapes O ye people and Isai 8. 9. ye shall be broken in peeces gird your selues and ye shall be broken in peeces take counsell together yet it shall be brought to nought pronounce a decree yet it shall not stand As if he should haue said Make your selues as strong as ye can with multitude leagues armour consultations authoritie and by what meanes ye can and as oft as ye will yet all shall doe your selues no good and nothing shall doe my seruants harme When the Canaanites and other inhabitants of that land were to be punished how many Kings with their people banded themselues together against Ioshua and the Israelites and yet it was to no purpose they did but offer themselues to the sword that stood Ioshua in good steede for it would haue been long before hee could haue found them out and slaine them singly man by man Reasons 1 First this association and confederacie doth not breake off Gods resolution either by pacifying his anger or daunting his courage it rather incenseth him to greater displeasure because they will stand at defiance with him and offer to make head against him And that more incourageth him as wee may speake to the capacitie of men to take the opportunitie of their insolencie and puissant assistance because their ouerthrow will be so much the more for his glorie Secondly it is impossible for them be they neuer so many to diminish his power and make him the weaker When al Sodome and the other cities by it were vngodly and wicked hee could as easily destroy them with fire and brimstone as though they had been but a few When the whole world
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
his purse and the other in his conscience He would haue commerce and traffique to proceede from loue to be exercised in loue and more to increase loue and this course is altogether contrarie to loue and a meanes to ingender vnkindnes and hatred Hee requireth that iustice and equitie should moderate these affaites and that no man should oppresse or 1. Thes 4. 6. defraude his brother in any matter but here is filthie lucre most respected and followed and our brethren wronged and beguiled Thirdly this sinne is so much the more lothed of God by how much it is better liked of them that practise it Their closenes and cunning in acting of it doth for a time augment their wealth and not impaire their credit and therfore they count their course lawfull and themselues happie for such prosperous successe because man findeth no fault with them they thinke that God findeth no falsehood in them and seeing yet they haue no punishment inflicted vpon them they dreame also that no wickednesse is committed by them For so the Prophet complaineth Hee is a Hos 12. 7. 8. Merchant the ballances of deceit are in his hand hee loueth to oppresse And Ephraim said notwithstanding I am rich I haue found me out riches in all my labours they shall finde no iniquitie in me that were wickednesse Vse 1 Admonition not onely to forbeare all fraudulent and wrongfull dealing but with hatred to detest it and with horror to flie farre from it That which is hurtfull to our brother is hatefull to God and therefore can neuer bee helpefull to vs. If he iudge it vnrighteous we shall finde it vnprofitable if it be damnable in his sight and therefore his soule doth hate it it will at last bee in our sense and our soule shall rue it It may bring monie and wealth and raise vp mens state and familie but it will draw downe iudgements vpon familie state and wealth and monie and make all to be execrable For that which is spoken in another case is also verified in this Bring not abomination into thine house lest thou bee Deut. 7. 26. accursed like it but vtterly abhorre it and count it most abominable for it is accursed As the gold and siluer and other costly matter whereof the idols were made and wherewith they were adorned was execrable in respect of impietie so is this trade of getting and riches so gotten in regard of iniquitie And therefore both are very offensiue to the Lord both are pestilent to mens families both are perilous to their state both are pernicious to their soules For a cursed possession may make the person accursed and bring the whole house to desolation Which should perswade men not onely to make stay of getting goods vniustly but to make no stay of ridding their hands iustly thereof For as they sinne grieuouslie which indirectly receiue that which is none of their owne so doe they also that retaine it and restore it not to the right owner And therefore in Micah it is set as a note of sinners and such as are obstinately sinfull and which conceiue of God as a patron of their sinfulnesse that vpon admonition giuen vnto them from the Lord would not reforme their falsehood Are yet the treasures of wickednesse in the house of the wicked and Micah 6. 10. the scant measure that is abominable Shall I iustifie the wicked ballances and the deceitfull weights Reproofe and terror of gamesters and those that make Dice Cardes and Boules with such like instruments of iniury to be the measures of their trade and the meanes of their maintenance Thereby are they made as odious to God as infestuous to men and as great aduersaries to equitie as they which by false weights doe wrong their chapmen They being ashamed to appeare in their practise doe secretly defraud men like theeues that filch in a corner but these impudently glorying in their sinfulnesse doe openlie professe their purpose like robbers that commaund mens purses by the hie way side They take the way to bring some part of their neighbours goods to their hands by receiuing much for a little but these striue to draw euery part to themselues by getting all for nothing And for this cause whatsoeuer successe they haue howsoeuer the world goeth with them they speed vnhappily If they winne other mens mony they lose their blessednes and Gods gratious fauour If they lose their owne monie they get a curse and Gods grieuous displeasure Doct. 2 But a true weight c. The Lord doth not onely respect the pietie which is vsed in his owne worship but the truth and iustice that is performed to men When the Lord himselfe is asked what manner of men should dwell in his tabernacle and rest in his holy mountaine that is which should haue a good estate here and an habitation for euermore in heauen he describeth them by their innocent and harmelesse behauiour towards their brethren Hee that walketh vprightly and Psalm 15. 2. worketh righteouslie and speaketh the trueth in his heart Hee certenlie regardeth that worke which hee so largely rewardeth with such wages and hee is well pleased with that person in this life whom he will receiue to life euerlasting and equall it is with him that they which conuerse with earthly people in righteousnesse should also continue with heauenlie saints in glory Reasons First they doe seruice herein to God himselfe for in conscience of his will and obedience to his word they giue themselues to this vprightenesse Secondly it is his owne worke and proceedeth from himselfe for all righteousnesse is the grace and fruite of his holie spirit As flesh and bloud with nature and reason did neuer yet beget any sound pietie and religion so it neither will nor euer can direct any mans heart to true iustice and righteousnes Thirdlie trueth both in word and deed is a part of his glorious image whereby his people are confirmed and made like vnto him and therefore he cannot but take delight in that which is so agreeable with his owne nature and a liuely representation of himselfe Vse Consolation to them that doe constantly and conscionablie addict themselues to the exercise of equitie None hath truely learned this but such as haue been apprentices in heauen whom the Lord hath informed in the mysterie of this trade Ob. But manie others gaine more monie and thriue faster and grow greater then they doe Sol. But they gaine more comfort and thriue better and grow happier then all others doe For howsoeuer it fareth with their state for quantitie of earthly possessions it cannot but goe well with their soules for plentie of heauenlie graces and though paraduenture they haue presently but little substance in their houses yet there remaineth from them an ample treasure in the heauens and that which is best for thē is most firmely assured to them which is Gods euerlasting loue and fauour Albeit therfore thy vocation bee meane and of no great
skins when thornes will take vpon them to be vines when thistles will be figge trees and euill workers haue the place of Prophets then our Sauiour admonisheth vs to looke to our selues and take heede of them Secondly consolation if wee corrupt not others with our tongues but rather vse them to heale the corrupted this declareth that we are neither openly wicked in behauiour nor secretly hypocriticall in heart for a holesome tongue is euermore a certaine note of an vpright conscience Doct. 2 But the righteous c. Though the tongue of the wicked be a deadly weapon to doe hurt yet the knowledge of the godly is a defensiue armour to preserue him from it The medicine which Saint Peter doth prescribe with his caueat to auoide the delusions of subtill seducers doth after a sort make a promise of remedie against them to such as shall carefully receiue it Beware saith he least ye he plucked away with the error of the wicked and fall from your owne stedfastnes But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ 2. Pet. 3. 17. 18. Reasons 1 First Ignorance is that which giueth entertainement to errors and all sound knowledge excludeth them out of dores Whom doth the foolish woman or folly her selfe call to her feast but such as are simple Whom doth she vtter her minde vnto but to Prou. 9. 16. such as are destitute of vnderstanding And whom doe the lurking corner-creepers so much pray vpon as simple women laden with sinnes and lead with diuers lusts Secondly men of knowledge haue their wits exercised to discerne betweene good and euill betweene light and darkenes betweene the seruants of God and the workers of iniquitie They beare the image of God and therefore know the image of God where it is and see the defects of it where it is not They carrie a light within them whereby they are able to discouer the doctrines of falsehoode which are contrarie to the trueth and the workes of darkenes which are contrarie to holines and therefore can reiect them both Thirdly the sound knowledge of Christians is not onely a shield to warde off all detestable errors and damnable heresies that they seduce not the mind but also a preseruatiue to expell all flattering inticements and sinfull suggestions that they corrupt not the heart And that the holy Ghost doth expressely promise in this booke to euery one that doth loue and labour for knowledge When wisedome entreth into thine heart and knowledge delighteth thy soule then shall counsell preserue thee and vnderstanding shall keepe thee and deliuer thee from the euill way and from the man that speaketh froward things and from them that leaue the waies of righthousnesse to walke in the waies of darkenesse which reioyce in doing euill and delight in the frowardnesse of the wicked Prou. 2. 10 11 12 13 14. Vse 1 Encouragement to vse diligence by all good meanes in all Gods ordinances appoynted to that end to get vnderstanding and righteousnesse since our neede thereof is so great and the vse so good Neither wealth nor wit nor any other thing can stand vs in so good steede for the preseruation of our hearts as these doe For they all without those are treacherous and deceitfull ready alwaies to betray vs and open the dores to let in flatterie and corruption but these haue faithfulnesse and courage and power and constancie to stand for the defence of our soule to the end Though there should come neuer so many bands and armies of Satanicall and hellish hypocrites and euery mans mouth were a a musket or cannon to send out most mortal and deadly poyson yet if we be armed with these graces we neede not to feare them The Antichristian deceiuer cannot illude them that haue receiued 2. Thes 2. 10. the knowledge and loue of the truth The false Christs shall Matth. 24. 24. not deceiue the elect as being protected by Gods power and furnished with holy vnderstanding The diuell himselfe with all Ephes 6. his fierie darts and temptations shall be resisted and driuen backe by those that haue on the breast-plate of righteousnesse and the other pieces of Gods complete armour The Lord Iesus by the sound knowledge of the sacred Scriptures hath alreadie repulsed and turned him to flight and putteth the same weapon into our hands with strength and power to pursue him Conuiction of them that are drawne away by euery iugler and sinfull companion The Iesuites and Seminaries the heretickes and traytors may disgorge their stomackes and vomit vp their venome into their bosomes and they haue neither hand nor heart nor tongue to reiect them but suffer themselues to bee carried to errours to heresies to idolatrie to conspiracies to treasons to rebellions to shamefull executions to fearefull damnation Therefore they were not righteous therefore they wanted knowledge therefore they were naked and destitute of all defensiue armour And here come also to bee taxed as friends to corruption all they that are enuious to vnderstanding and the meanes thereof which thinke it so much the more dangerous to seeke for by how much there are more which goe about to deceiue But this hath been sufficiently spoken of in the sixteenth verse of the ninth chapter especially in the vse Verse 10. In the prosperitie of the righteous the citie reioyceth and when the wicked perish there is ioy IN the prosperitie of the righteous that is when things goe well with thē the citie reioyceth that is the honest and well disposed citizens and countrie men be inwardly glad and outwardly declare their ioy by cheerfull countenance and speeches and other meanes as opportunitie serueth to expresse the same And so doe they also at the death and ouerthrow of oppressours and tyrants and other wicked persons by whose fall the people rise and whose ruine is the repaire of the citie Doct. 1 Good men haue not onely Gods hand to giue them good things but godlie mens hearts to bee ioyfull for them When Mordecai was aduanced the citie of Shushan reioyced and was Hest 8. 15. glad And when the Lord shewed his great mercie on Zacharie and Elizabeth in giuing them a sonne their kinsfolke and neighbours Luk. 1. 58. came and reioyced with them Reasons First the prouidence of God hath the disposing of all mens affections he deriueth their loue and their hatred their liking and loathing to euery one as seemeth best to his owne wisedome And he hath appointed by decree in his counsell by precept in his word and by working of his spirit that godly men shall bee well affected towards the godly and Christians shall bee tender hearted one towards another Secondly they are all members of one bodie and therefore a sympathy and fellow feeling of one anothers state is mutually among them If one suffer all suffer with it if one member be had in honour all the members reioyce with it 1. Cor. 12. 26. Thirdlie it is well knowne
in others The blinde bragging Pharisie was not ashamed to come into Gods owne presence to depraue the humble poore Publicane who was incomparably the Luk. 18. 9. 11. better man Secondly they are despisers of God himselfe reiecting his counsell and casting his word behind their backes and therefore it is no strange thing that they should offer despite to mortall men Thirdly contempt is in all equitie their owne due portion and God hath appointed in his iudgements that they shall recouer their right to themselues by making an offer Vse 1 Confutation of them which take it to be the fruit of their wisdome and ripenes of their wit to haue a dexterity in breaking of iests vpon men to make thē to be laughed at So farre they think they shew the rarenes of their vnderstanding as they can make men to feele the keenenes of their tongues But God which best knoweth who be wise and what is wisedome doth charge them to be vnwise and void of wisedome He to whom it belongeth to conuince fooles and to punish them doth marshall these among the great fooles that shall be punished Instruction as to keepe our selues from the societie of such companions vnlesse we be duely called into place so not to bee dismaied though in our callings and for weldoing they shoote their bolts at vs. Their strongest arrowes are but strawes and their strongest archers are but dwarfs and Pigmees The Lord himselfe doth animate vs against the greatest of them by the Prophet Feare yee not saith he the reproach of men neither be yee Isai 51. 7. 8. afraide of their rebukes For the moath shall eate them vp like a garment and the worme shall eate them like wooll If a worme and a maggot will proue stronger then they and get the victorie of them why should their words be more regarded then wormes and maggots Ideots and naturals we care not for though they should raile vpon vs and giue reuiling speeches poore creatures they are to be pitied they want wit they know not what they say and why then should these bee so much respected which are to bee lamented for want of wisedome and say they know not what Verse 13. He that goeth about as a talebearer discouereth a secret but he that is of a faithfull heart concealeth a matter IN this place and in the ninteenth of Leuiticus verse 16. and elsewhere the holy Ghost compareth busi-bodies and such as delight to deale in other mens matters to petie chapmen and pedlers which carry wares about selling in one place and buying in another and two markes of lewdnes he brandeth them with as first that they haue false and vnfaithfull hearts and then that they haue loose and blabbing tongues that can keepe no counsell but tell all that they heare They will draw on men by their newes and reports to open their minds and secrets vnto them which after they will publish to others From both which vices hee cleareth all good men their hearts are faithfull and their tongues are silent to couer such matters as loue requireth them to hide and dutie and conscience do not bind them to lay open Doct. A slaunderous tongue will be as readie to defame them whom it speaketh vnto as whom it speaketh against It trafficketh altogether by exchaunge it will deliuer nothing to you but vpon condicion to receiue somewhat from you It will neuer beare an emptie packe but desireth where ought is vttered and taken out there to take somewhat to be put in that it may haue choise for other places This is the cause why the Lord forbiddeth to chaffer or to haue any dealing at all with such manner of persons though they make shew of neuer so great loue and kindnes towards vs. Hee that goeth about as a slaunderer discouereth secrets therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips Prou. 20. 19. Reasons First the same cause that moued him to relate others mens affaires to thee will likewise induce him to discouer thine to other men and that is want of loue a desire to be plausible in satisfying itching eares and hypocrisie making resemblance to hate those faults which he censureth in others Secondly they haue been trained vp in that trade and therefore cannot leaue it neither will they at any time neglect their markets for any mans sake Thirdly they haue not the power and gouernment of their owne tongues but Sathan hath whose gunpowder they are and if he put fire vnto them they cannot chuse but take And that Saint Iames meaneth when he saith that the tongue is set on fire on hell that is by the deuill that hellish spirit Iam. 3. 6. Now hee is a continuall false accuser and makebate betweene God and man and man and man and friend and nearest friend and therefore looke for no fauour at his hands Vse Instruction First if wee would bee trusted and haue men impart their minds vnto vs without suspicion of vs let vs auoid the discourses of other mens infirmities and labour rather to pray for them and heale them If we desire that any man should powre his counsels into our eares let him not see one another mans dropping out of our mouthes for then he may easily know what will become of his owne 2. To be warie to whom wee commit our secrets not to busie talkers not to idle walkers not to them that are hollow harted If they be briars and thornes as Micah Micah 7. 5. calleth them if they carry prickes in their mouthes and guile in their soules and sinne in their liues trust them not put not confidence in them keepe shut the dores of thy lippes from them though they were friends though they were counsellours though they were yoke-fellows Especially let vs not communicate with them in giuing them hearing of their vncharitable obtrectations nor trust them in our secrets for it were iust and righteous that they should be disclosed and brought to light for a recompence of our rash and vnlouing credulitie Verse 14. Where no counsell is the people fall but where many counsellours are there is health VVHere there is no counsell Where godly and holie instruction for guiding the heart and behauiour and graue and prudent aduice for gouernment of state either domesticall or publike doe faile there the people doe fall that is the gouernours themselus and they that are in subiection to them doe runne into many mischiefes of grieuous disorders and miserable destruction For what in that case is to be expected from superiours but violence and oppression And what from inferiours but falsehoode and disobedience And what from all sorts but impietie and wickednesse And what then from God but heauie stroakes and punishments But where many counsellors are which be faithfull and giue wise and wholesome counsell and that is also imbraced and followed there is health that is religion and iustice peace plentie and safetie with God gracious fauour and blessing Doct. Nothing is more necessarie and
better discerned if the opposition be set downe in this manner The wicked worketh a deceitfull worke by sowing of iniquitie and therefore shall bee deceiued in his reward but the godly worketh a faithfull worke by sowing of righteousnesse and therefore shall receiue a sure reward Doct. 1 Vngodly men shall bee sure to finde their sinnes more dangerous and hurtfull then they looked for Their familiar friend whom they loue so deerely and make so much of which is most in their mouthes in their hearts and in all their waies it will surely shew them a slipperie tricke at the last Saint Paul can say as much to this point as any man by the experience he had of it Few had neerer acquaintance with it then hee at the beginning and none had a greater breach with it in the ende then hee And then he keepeth no counsell but telleth all that hee found and God auerreth all that he telleth that sinne had deceiued him and Rom. 7. 11. slaine him Reasons 1 First it putteth them in vaine hope to effect many exploites which they can neuer bring to passe but al their indeuours recoile vpon themselues How many stones did Saul cast vp to braine Dauid which all lighted on his owne pate How small a matter did Haman thinke it to kill Mordecay yea to destroy all the Iewes which fell on his owne person with his familie and other friends How sure were trayterous Papists and vndoubtedly affured to blow vp the Parliament and all estates of the kingdome and yet of themselues diuers were blowne vp to the gallows and all the rest vnlesse they repent are likely to be blowne downe to hell Secondly they dreame of a greater felicitie and happines in their sinfull courses then euer they can attaine vnto When Abimelech was aspiring to the kingdome when hee was perswading the Sichemites when hee was murdering his brethren and making them out of the way what did he once thinke of but of cap and knee of honor peace safetie He had concluded that there would bee no molestation and trouble no breach of couenant and disloyaltie at least no perill of life especially by the hand of a woman that all his authoritie should bee brought to such an ebbe as onely to haue power remaining to commaund his page to runne him through with his sword The fit and passion of distemper that Ahab fell into when Naboth denied him his vineyard declareth euidentlie how happie a man hee made reckoning to be when he should get it And yet the occurrents which fell out at his taking of possession ouerturned all his happinesse He intruded himselfe thereinto with iolity and mirth but Elijah sent him out againe with heauinesse and griefe They presume of secresie that their shameful facts shall be hidden and neuer brought to light whereas they cannot possiblie be concealed For God himselfe doth see and obserue them and who shall forbid him to reueile and discouer them Adam was away when Caine slew his brother and Eue was not there and Abel was made sure enough for complaining and Caine himselfe was silent enough from boasting of it and no bodie else was in the fields either to see Caine striking or to heare Abel crying and yet out it came and knowne it is and euery man can speake of it Gehesi made not all the town of his counsell whē he followed Naaman for the monie he asked not his maister leaue to goe after him nor made report of his dealing and successe afterward and yet Elisha could tell him and hath declared to vs and all others whither he went and how hee speed and what his intent was in the disposing of his monie namely to buy oliues and vineyards and sheepe and oxen and men-seruants and maid-seruants and to become a great man What should wee speake of the plotting of Ananiah and Sapphira and of Dauids adultery and murder which were so closely contriued as they imagined that neuer any man should haue had intelligence of them Fourthly they haue taken securitie for impunitie Either they hope to escape all punishment or else that it will be so light that they may easily beare it or so short that they shall quickelie passe thorough it Whereas the Law of God threatneth the contrarie That the Lord will make their plagues wonderfull euen great plagues Deut. 28. 59. and of long continuance and sore diseases of long durance And if they will appeale from threatnings to promises from the Law to the Gospell from Moses to Christ let them heare the sentence that Christ passeth vpon such manner of persons They shall goe into hell into the fire that neuer shall be quenched Where their worme Mark 9. 44. dieth not and the fire neuer goeth out Fiftly they haue conditioned and indented with sinne before they entered into the grosse practise of it that they would leaue it againe after a time and so by repentance preuent both the shame and punishment But they know not that all sinfulnesse is craftie and cruell when it hath them it will hold them and that fast by the heart and keepe them in perpetuall bondage and thraldome They may with as good safetie drink vp strong poison and prescribe it a measure how farre it shall worke or cast themselues into the raging sea with limitation how deepe they will sinke and how long they will make their stay there All the seruants of sin and Satan are chained vp in prison and not at libertie to depart at their owne wils for the will it selfe is kept in hold and neuer released before the Lord with a forcible hand of grace doe deliuer it Vse 1 Instruction not to suffer our selues to be abused by such a cousening companion If a shifter should carrie about a pack of counterfeite wares it were a poynt of wisedome to refuse to buie of him especially if they were infections and such as would indanger our houses with the pestilence Now there is not vnder heauen any Conicatcher that liueth so much by his wit as sinne and wickednes doth by wiles which doth not defraude men of their money but of their saluation which bringeth not plaguie stuffe to kill the bodie onely but most pernicious corruptions to destroy both soule and bodie for euer And sith the workes of iniquitie be all so deceitfull let vs hearken to the words of God and the counsell of godly men which we shall be sure to finde very faithfull The perswasion of Satan seemed more plausible to Eue than did the commandement of the Lord but she had escaped the venome and poison of Satans perswasion if she would haue giuen heed to the Lords commandement The note of wilfull vnchast persons in their miserie will be the song of all other sinners that refuse to receiue admonition How haue I hated instruction and mine heart despised correction and haue Pro. 5. 12. 13. not obeyed the voice of them that taught me nor inclined mine eare to them that instructed me
if we loue our selues our life and saluation that we flie from euill and follow it not for it will follow vs too fast We shall goe no whither whiles wee carrie this sinfull flesh about vs but it will be at our heeles yea in our hands and heads and harts and whole soule and bodie Euen the best may say as Paul did I finde that when I would doe good euill is present with me Rom. 7. 21. But much more is it present when we are not so well disposed though indeede it be not then so easily destroyed and therefore since it will intrude it selfe vpon vs against our willes let not vs play the parts of the wicked to take Satans place and become tempters of our selues Terror for the workers of iniquitie which bestow great paines to doe themselues great hurt which will not bee stopped from the seruice of sinne and therefore cannot be staied from the punishment thereof What doe they else but fall into phranticke passion of desperate persons which seeke all opportunities to murther themselues They make euery delight and pleasure a corde to strangle themselues with euery lust a knife to cut their owne throates euery commoditie a well to leape into their meate and drinke to be a poyson to their soules and hurtfull to their bodies by surfeiting and drunkennes and such like abuses Verse 20. They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the Lord but they that are vpright in their way are his delight BY froward in heart he meaneth not onely such as are inclined to anger and bitternesse which are of a crabbed sowre and churlish disposition but all that are wilfull in any sinfull course though with neuer so great mirth and laughter Yea many times excessiue pleasure and sporting and merriment with good fellowship as men account it is the very subiect of their frowardnes and that which they so obstinately stand in And though they pretend reason for their doing and seeme smoothly to defend it without peruersenes yet the heart being setled in resolution of it owne purpose the Lord taketh notice of it and therefore abhorreth them for the present and will make his iudgements to manifest his detestation of them hereafter But they that are vpright in their way and heart as the other are froward in heart and behauiour are greatly beloued of God now shall more fully see and feele and enioy the comfort and happinesse of his fauour in time to come Doct. 1 Whosoeuer is giuen to frowardnes is wholly voide of vprightnes A sincere hearted Christian may through infirmitie fall into a fit of frowardnes for a time as Asa did when he cast the Prophet into prison for reprouing his sinne but to haue the habite of it to be froward is opposed as contrarie to being vpright So were the qualities one set against another in the third verse of this chapter The vprightnes of the iust shall guide them but the frowardnes of the transgressors shall destroy them So are the persons contrarily dealt with as contraries by the testimonie of Dauid With the vpright man thou wilt shew thy selfe vpright with the pure thou wilt shew thy selfe pure and with the froward thou wilt set thy selfe to wrestle Psal 18. 25. 26. Reasons 1 First the vpright man hath a respect to all the Commandements of God with desire and endeuour to keepe them as Dauid professeth of himselfe All his lawes were before me and I did not cast away his commandements from me So was I vpright with him and haue kept me from my wickednesse Psal 18. 22. 23. Whereas the froward person doth either reiect the whole law of God or else retaineth yea maintaineth at least some one sinne wittingly because he may know and willingly because hee refuseth to obey against some one commandement Secondly they which are vpright doe ground their actions and waies vpon arguments and reasons and therefore they striue to haue them as plaine and sound as may be and they which are froward doe ground their reasons and arguments vpon their waies and actions and therfore they labour to haue them as craftie and subtill as may be Thirdly they which are vpright will desire to haue the truth reueiled to them and yeeld to it when it appeareth and loue them the better that shall informe them in it And they which are froward will desire to haue the truth suppressed and contend against it though it bee manifest and like them the worse that shall shew it vnto them Vse Instruction not to giue too much credit to froward men nor too large a testimonie of them If wee see that they will not bee brought to a Christian conuersation without we may know also that they haue an vnchristian conscience within for their heart is neuer better than they are willing their waies should bee And why then should we esteeme them to be men of plaine meaning when God himselfe telleth vs that there is no plaine meaning in them Why should we praise them whom he doth discommend why should we cleere them whom he conuinceth why should we iustifie them whom he condemneth And yet it is a fault though much against pietie that carrieth a great colour and glosse of loue and charitie He is a very honest man say they but yet giuen to gaming too much no man can disswade him from it It is his only fault saith another that he is a great swearer and cannot be brought to leaue it He is a right good man saith a third and euery way deserueth praise sauing that hee is no bodie at Church he cannot abide those sermons and Preachers say all what they can he is still at defiance with them all and so they as much as in them is stand for them that go about to trauerse their inditement against the Lord and all his faithfull Ministers Doct. 2 The loue of God is not according to that which men haue of outward things but to that which they are in hart and behauiour Many froward men are great in the world and yet are all gentlie abhorred of him and most vpright men are of the meaner sort and yet nothing the lesse in his fauour And this is Dauids meaning when he saith The Lord will trie the righteous but the Psal 11. 5. wicked and him that loueth iniquitie doth his soule hate The righteous are his gold and therefore he will refine them vntill they bee perfectly purged from al drosse yet he loueth them as well in the fornace as in the treasurie but as for the vngodly howsoeuer hee seeme to spare them yet he doth not like them and though the might of his hand bee not yet vpon them yet the hatred of his heart is strongly against them Reasons 1 The righteous stand before him in the merits and glorious righteousnesse of Iesus Christ he is his welbeloued sonne and in Matth. 3. 17. him he is well pleased with all his members and the froward and wicked stand in
made saith he and to your children Act. 2. 39. and to all that are a farre off euen as many as the Lord our God shall call And by the like reason the seruants of the Lord who giue themselues to pietie and mercie are comforted notwithstanding their great afflictions and the florishing state of the wicked The righteous is euer mercifull and lendeth and his seede enioyeth the Psal 37. 26. blessing Vse 1 A reproofe of their follie and foule impietie that are so farre deuoted vnto their children and carried with such a desire of their aduancement that they cast off all deuotion towards God and neglect the good care of their owne saluation They feare not to cast themselues deepe into hell so that they may raise vp their name and their houses high vpon carth And for this cause they giue ouer themselues to miserable niggardlines and pinching to burdenous vexations and trauels to shamefull iniustice and falsehood to violent oppression and crueltie They haue a good peniworth as they thinke and buy very cheap when they can gaine worldly wealth by losse of their heauenly happinesse when they can purchase liuings to their posteritie by passing away the life of their soules But hearken a little ye sillie wretched creatures O foolish men when will you begin to learne wisedome your thriuing is wastfulnes your rising is falling in purchasing you forfeite in semblance of loue you practise hatred in seeking to set vp your seede by such vnlawfull courses you take the way to pluck them down and vtterly to vndo them for euer No man but Ieroboā could euer haue wrought so much mischiefe to Ieroboams familie and Ahab and Iezabel were most mortall enemies of their race and linage and Nebuchadnezzar prouided woe and miserie to his issue that was yet vnborne when he died And by what meanes did all these persons bring all this hurt vpon their seede by relinquishing religion and the true seruice of God by exercising tyrannie against the seruants of God and greedie getting of goods to make themselues and their children great that which in taunting manner is charged vpon one of them is euery way verified vpon euery one of them Ho he that coueteth an Hab. 2. 9. 10. euill couetousnes to his house that he may set his nest on hie to escape frō the power of euill Thou hast consulted shame to thine owne house by destroying many people and hast sinned against thine owne soule Consolation to religious parents whether they bee rich or poore whether their children be dead or liuing whether the liuing be godly or sinfull If they haue wealth they may hope it shall be for the vse of their sonnes or daughters if not that the al-sufficient God will prouide for them sufficiently without their helpe or substance If they be dead they haue great incouragement to comfort themselues in the perswasion of their saluation If they liue though wee should die and depart hence yea and leaue them in afflictions and distresses yet this comfort we haue that as the mercie of God to our selues was not assured vnto vs for tearme of life but eternally for euermore no more is his goodnes to ours to cease with our life or bee determined at our death Poore lame Mephibosheth had a father liuing yea an euerliuing father that appointed him to be well prouided for and maintained when good Ionathan that begot him was slaine and gone The godly poore Prophet that left his wife so far in debt that neither she was able to satisfie it nor the creditor willing to bee satisfied without taking of her sonnes to bee his bondmen yet had taken order before his death for the payment of debt for libertie of sonnes for maintenance of familie namely by possessing the constant fauour of God which both conueyed him to 2. King 4. heauen and remained with his houshold here in earth If they should be wicked yet the Lord hath grace enough and power enough to make them good It is without trouble or charge to himselfe or hurt to his creatures and why should they not then both earnestly pray for it and constantly waite for it what if it be not wrought at first yet it may bee effected at the last and so long as they haue a naturall life so long may their friends hope for their euerlasting life Iacobs sonnes were not all godly the first yeere nor in many yeeres and yet not without goodnes in their latter yeeres And so stood the case with Manasse the sonne of Ezekiah and many other holie Christans To godly children of religious parents who besides the state they haue in the promises of God in regard of their owne faithfulnesse haue also a portion therein by right of their progenitours and so they haue a double portion and may warrantably take double comfort if withall they can yeeld to God his double praises It was a strong and mightie prayer that Iacob made and full of assurance of hearing and happie successe when hee remembred that the Lord was the God of his father Abraham and the God of his father Isaac and had promised to doe him good and formerly performed it and would yet be more mercifull to him and his Gen. 32. 9. 10. 12. seede after him it is not a trifle or matter of small consequence to bee able truely to pleade before God ones owne faith and integritie and the pietie or godlines of their father or mother or others of their ancestors Verse 22. As a iewell of gold in a swines snout so is a faire woman that lacketh discretion AS a ring of gold or any other ornament doth not adorne but misbecome a swine no more doth beautie stature strength wit apparell wealth or any other externall thing bring true praise or commendation either to man or woman which wanteth true wisedome or vnderstanding Doct. 1 Swines snout c. God maketh no more reckoning of sinfull people without vnderstanding then of brute beasts without reason Though they haue humane nature and carrie the forme and shape of men and women with best shew yet if there bee nothing in them but that which is humane euen flesh and bloud and sinfulnes no beautie nor brauerie no personall excellencie or artificiall additaments make the best of them is more acceptable to him than is the basest of all the other creatures It is a very homely comparison wherewith the holy Ghost disgraceth wicked men in this booke and yet so true that hee auoucheth it againe in the new testament The dog is returned to his owne vomit and the sow that was washed to the wallowing in the mire Prou. 26. 11. 2. Pet. 2. 22. And as in these places for impuritie they are likened to filthie beasts so in others for hurtfulnes they are resembled to fierce and venomous beasts as Leopards Lions Wolues Beates Dragons Aspes Adders Vipers and Cockatrices Isai 11. 6. Reasons 1 First all those creatures for their parts haue euer since the
heauenly wisedome because it will crosse their pride and sensuall lusts It will forbid the nice dames that make idols of their owne bodies to bestow so much time in tricking vp themselues with pranking and painting and therefore they haue no more desire to receiue godlinesse than to depart with beautie They are as willing that the small pockes should deforme their faire faces as the word of God should informe and cleanse their foule consciences Verse 23. The desire of the righteous is only good but the hope of the wicked is indignation WE must beware here that we iustifie not al the wishes and desires to be good which righteous men conceiue not condemne all to be vnrighteous which conceiue any wishes and desires that be not good for then should Dauid be excluded out of the number of the righteous or else his desire of hauing Bathsheba or wishing to know the number of the people should be allowed But he vnderstandeth the maine streame of their desires the course and current of their hearts is to godlinesse and goodnesse though sometimes they corrupt nature in themselues and the tempestuous temptations of Satan doe violently driue their thoughts another way which is wholly contrarie in the wicked For they desire nothing but mischiefe and euill and therefore in the end they shall receiue nothing but miserie and punishment which will be so great and so grieuous as will make them raue and rage with madnes and furie especially because they looked for a better state Thus then standeth the opposition the desire of the righteous is onely good and therefore their hope shall end in consolation but the desire of the wicked is onely euill and therefore their hope shall end in indignation Doct. Godly men are most desirous to please God and God doth as graciouslie accept of their desires in the best manner They are not willing to allow a thought in themselues that should not be lawfull and he is not willing to looke vpon or speake of their vnlawfull thoughts Though diuers things be many times amisse in their minds and in their mouthes and in their deedes yet there is faithfulnes and therefore he passeth by their faults So he testifieth of Dauid that he kept his commaundements and followed 1. King 14. 8. him with all his heart and did onely that which was right in his eyes And so he testifieth of all the godly Israelites in the booke of Numbers He seeth none iniquitie in Iaacob nor any transgression in Numb 23. 21. Israel And so he testifieth of all vpright hearted people whomsoeuer in the Psalmes Surely they worke none iniquitie but walke Psal 119. 3. in his waies Reasons 1 First he imputeth that to euery man and counteth it his which proceedeth from the predominant power in him In the regenerate nothing is theirs but their fruite and nothing is their fruite but the worke of the spirit And so though the vnregenerate doe many good things yet nothing is theirs but their fruite and nothing is their fruit but that which groweth from the flesh Secondly he seeth the force and violence of originall corruption how it assaulteth them how it woundeth them how it taketh them captiues against their willes and therefore rather pitieth them than accuseth them And hence it is that S. Paul by good warrant for example to all other good Christians doth once and againe disclaime all that euill from being his which he was vnwllingly drawne vnto If I do that which I would not I consent to the law which is good Now then it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me Rom. 7. 16. 20. Thirdly he knoweth that they will pursue their owne sinfull actions and thoughts with hue and crie and if any desire breake out from them that is not good they will send out many others after it for humiliation and pardon and purging of their hearts And therefore since themselues be so ready to complaine to him he will be sparing of complaints against them Vse 1 Consolation to the poore innocent seruants of God who yet are defamed with all kinde of false accusations They are called hypocrites heretickes rebels traytors and all that naught is Dauid was so charged by Saul his courtiers Paul was so charged by the malitious Iewes the godly Iewes so charged by Hamon Christ himselfe was so charged by the Priests Scribes and Pharises all good men must looke to bee so charged by all sorts of sinners Well it is for them that their hearts can witnesse that their desires are onely good and better that the Lord seeth it and best of all that they haue such a God as will openly publish it If he knew as much by vs as the wicked say against vs or would refuse to testifie that hee knoweth for vs as euery one of vs were more righteous so should hee be of all others most ignominious For no creature that euer God made the diuell not excepted is so much spoken against as good men are neither any so bad a name as they if the violent tongues of malitious persons may make a good mans name to be bad If sentence should passe vpon the godlie at the last day according to the verdict of them that are not friends or parties we should be all cast and condemned not one man would be acquited But here is an helpe against all these surmises of purposes within and accusations of behauiour without let appeale be made to him that beholdeth all and he will cleare the righteous from all these imputations This brought Iob to speake so confidently of his cause Oh that I had some to heare me behold my signe that the Almightie will witnes for Iob 31. 35. me though mine aduersarie should write a booke against mee This brought Dauid with such affiance to repose himselfe vpon God Iudge me Lord according to my righteousnesse and according to the Psal 7. 8. innocencie that is in me And this brought Isaiah to vse such liberty and boldnes in challenging his quarellous enemies Hee is neere that iustifieth me who will contend with me Let vs stand together Isai 50. 8. 9. who is mine aduersarie Let him come neere to me Behold the Lord will helpe me who is he that can condemne me And yet this is not all the comfort that a iust man hath though it be great but is increased by the testimionie which God giueth of their desires that seeing they are good they shall easily be graunted and seeing he taketh notice of no more then of those which are good their other infirmities shall be no impediment And therefore if they aske euerlasting life why should they make question whether they shall haue it If they seeke spirituall graces at his hands what should hinder the finding of them If they craue the good blessings for themselues and theirs for greater experience of his fauour in things of this life what should stay them from comming When his iustice
of their goodnes say wee and then why should you follow them therein at all Their practise leadeth you to the like facts but can it preserue you or themselues from the reward thereof The question is not therefore who they bee that do it but with what warrant and how well they are like to speede for their doing Consolation in afflictions that they disable vs not from being righteous though they be compensations of sinnes for which we are not yet sufficiently humbled We shall adde to our owne sorrowes and needleslie increase the weight of our burdens if wee condemne our state because the Lord correcteth vs for our faults if we relinquish our hope of happines in heauen because we are recompenced with iudgements on earth it is allotted by God to the best of his seruants so to be dealt with Doct. How much more c. Euery wicked mans state is worse then any godly mans can be Take the most prosperous of them all euen such as the Prophet speaketh of that haue not a knot to their death but the web of their life from the wombe to the graue hath runne with euen threed both in warpe and woofe without any breach and let him be compared with a Christian that neuer saw merrie day touching outward things and he shall be found to be a miserable forlorne caitiffe in respect of this poore seruant of God And indeede the tribulations and afflictions of good men do not bring them behind the wicked but shew that the plagues and punishments of the wicked are yet behind That reason our Sauiour vsed to the women that lamented him as an vnfortunate man and one forsaken of God Weepe not for me saith hee but weepe for your selues and your children For if these things be done to Luc. 23. 28. 31. a greene tree what shall be done to the drie This reason the Prophet Ieremie vsed to Gentiles bordering vpon Iudah which thought that plagues had only belonged to the Church Loe I begin to plague the citie where my name is called vpon and should you Ierem. 25. 29. goe free yee shall not goe quite for I will call for a sword vpon all the inhabitants of the earth saith the Lord of hostes And this reason S. Peter vseth against all impious and sinfull persons The time is that iudgement must begin at the house of God If it first begin at vs what shall the end bee of them that obey not the Gospell of God And if the righteous scarcely bee saued where shall Pet. 4. 17. the vngodly and the sinner appeare Reasons 1 First the fauour and goodnesse of the Lord doth correct the one part and that for their greatest good and happines and his wrath and vengeance doth pursue the other and that for their greatest hurt and miserie Secondly the death suffrings of Iesus Christ haue drunke vp the vengeance and curse of the afflictions of the one part so that now there is nothing in them but that which is medicinable and wholesome And Gods iudgements with their owne sinfulnes haue put a sting into the troubles of the other so that all that is in them is pestiferous and deadly Thirdly for the one part the Lord knoweth what their strength is and therefore will lay no more vpon them then they are well able to beare and for the other he knoweth what their waies be and will presse them with as much as they haue deserued Fourthly the one part vndergoe temporarie tribulations here in earth and all their sufferings will end with their life and the other shall suffer eternall paines in hell and all their torments shall begin at their death Vse Instruction not to be distempered or discouraged at their insultations ouer vs in our troubles They clap their hands and make a shout to see vs beaten at our fathers hands or in the schoole let them mocke on and take their course the officer is at their backe to apprehend them we shall see them sit in the stocks we shall see them geiued with bolts vpon their heeles we shall see them arraigned as malefactors we shall see them condemned and executed as traytors against the Maiestie of God And as there is no cause why we should be troubled at their insolencie so is there no reason why we should be moued at their prosperitie We should make our selues more miserable then we are if we should like our owne case the worse because they deride vs and we should iudge them more happie then they be if wee should thinke their state the better because they applaud themselues Let vs in compassion pitie the particulars and pray for them but neuer esteeme their condition so comfortable as to wish it for our selues or to grudge it to them And because our eyes are much dazeled with externall shewes of things present the holy Ghost doth giue vs a caueat to take heede of the same Fret not thy selfe because of the malitious neither bee enuious at the wicked For Pro. 23. 19. 20. there shall be none end of plagues to the euill man the light of the wicked shall be put out AN EXPOSITION OF THE TWELFTH CHAPTER OF THE PROVERBS CHAPTER XII Verse 1. He that loueth correction loueth knowledge but he that hateth correction is brutish HE that loueth instruction Which doth applie himselfe to seeke it by those meanes which are ordained of God for his people to be instructed by and accepteth and maketh vse of it when it is offered to him he loueth knowledge that is hath it in due estimation and truly desireth it and therefore shall also accordingly obtaine it But he that hateth correction which refuseth all instruction but especially will not indure to be reproued or corrected he is brutish a beast in a mans shape a foole in a high degree of follie both for an ignorant minde and rude behauiour and wretched condition Doct. 1 Euery mans desire of grace and saluation may be tried by his affection to the meanes thereof He that is diligent in seeking is willing to finde as he that setteth himselfe to make speede in his way hath a minde to his iournies end So the Lord speaketh of the godly in one place of Isaiah that they shall say Come let vs Isai 2. 3. goe vp to the mountaine of the house of the Lord that he may teach vs his waies and we may walke in his paths And so the godly speake to the Lord in another place of Isaiah The desire of our soule is to Isai 26. 8. 9. thy name and to the remembrance of thee With my soule haue I desired thee in the night and with my spirit within me will I seeke thee in the morning Reasons 1 First the same spirit that draweth men to liking of the one doth also worke a loue of the other for both are wrought by the Holy Ghost Secondly all the ordinances of God for mans saluation are contrarie to flesh and blood and therefore no man
can take any delight in them further than hee looketh to the end and is refreshed with comfortable effects in the way Thirdly no man can desire the holy knowledge of God with truth and feruencie vnlesse he haue had some taste of the fruit of it and he that hath tasted of the fruit hath profited by the means and he that hath profited by the meanes will loue them euer afterwards They that finde the comfort of life haue formerly felt the benefit of food and they that are desirous to continue their life are not vnwilling to receiue their foode and they that hunger after foode for the continuance of life haue also an appetite to it in regard of the relish Vse 1 Refutation of their boastings that goe before all in speaking of their desire and forwardnes to please God and be saued and come behinde euery one in shewing any good notes of it They make their mouthes and not their hearts the principall seate of their loue and likewise their words and not their deedes their onely arguments doe proue that they doe loue It is very burdenous for them to liue constantly vnder a faithfull Ministerie Euerie godly sermon is tedious vnto them for length if it bee not ended within the houre for the manner if it sauour not of humane wit and eloquence for the matter if it be wholesome and liuely and come home to the rebuking of any sinne which they are not minded to forsake And yet they would haue vs all to know that none are better friends than they to knowledge And yet they must giue vs leaue againe to tell them that euery friend of knowledge is better affected than they are to instruction Consolation to them that thinke it no paines to be painfull in labouring for the bread of life They feele not they say the loue of the word of God the desire of faith and care of repentance c. But from whence proceedeth that is it not hence that they are greedie and couetous of getting abundance of loue and desire and therefore they thinke that which they haue to bee nothing in comparison of that which they would haue But these men must be well confuted their troubles their attention their meditations their paines their reading their questions their conference their ioy in Christian companie their diligence in all good exercises with willingnes doth manifestly shew the error of their doubts and feares But may not an hypocrite do all these things and yet haue no touch in him But may an hypocrite doe all these things in good earnest with resistance of hypocrisie May an hypocrite continue an hypocrite and yet bewaile his want of sinceritie in the presence of God alone with promise and purpose to performe euery seruice more sincerely if possibly by any meanes he may be able It was an argument wherewith Dauid confirmed his owne heart in assurance that he truly loued the Lord and vnfainedly sought his owne saluation because he loued the law of the Lord meditated in his word and kept his precepts And Iob taketh it for a sure effect of his vprightnes that he had not departed from the commandements of Gods lips but esteemed the words of his mouth more than his appointed foode Doct. Is brutish c. They that will not be schooled of God to learne Christian knowledge are no better than if they had no manner of knowledge They are not all children that hate this kinde of correction they are not all naturals they are not all idiots but they are all starke fooles Then many haue been fooles and yet learned Philosophers and many haue been fooles and yet deep Politicians and many haue bin fooles and yet euery way worldly wise men This doth God charge vpon the multitude the greater number of a whole people They are a nation voide of Deut. 32. 28. 29. counsell neither is there any vnderstanding in them Oh that they were wise then they would vnderstand this they would consider their latter end Yea the wittiest of them are so reputed in the prophecie of Ieremy My people is foolish they haue not knowne me Ierem. 4. 22. they are foolish children and haue none vnderstanding they are wise to doe euill but to doe well they haue no knowledge Reasons 1 First their carnall wisedome is altogether vnsufficient to make them seruiceable to God or any thing which they doe to be acceptable vnto him and it standeth them in no steed for their credit For those which bee vile in his eyes shall in time be base in the sight of men and the punishment of their follie in the end shall make it appeare they were fooles all the time before Of this point speaketh the Prophet The wise men are ashamed they are afraide and taken loe they haue reiected the word of the Lord and what wisedome is in them Ierem. 8. 9. Secondly their carnall wisedome can neither preserue them from death nor prepare them to die blessedly It cannot stay their life from going neither can it stop the curse from comming Thirdly it cannot deliuer them from damnation in the world to come but rather increase the grieuousnes of their punishment It hath kept possession against this holy vnderstanding it hath made them vncapable of all good instructions it hath made them impatient of any rebuke it hath held them in ignorance and disobedience al their life and see what their ignorance will bring them vnto after their death The Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendring 2. Thess 1. 8. vengeance to them that know not God and which obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ Now lay all these things together and see wherein any man is bettered by any knowledge or wisedome which is ioyned with contempt of grace Doth hee thinke to please God the better the more is he offended Doth he hope to winne credit by it it will bring him to shame Would he haue it to keepe him from troubles it will draw him into them His death is made the more vncomfortable and bitter and his destruction following much more horrible and fearfull Vse Admonition to take heed that we conforme not our opinions to the iudgement of the world for that is directly contrarie to the testimonie of God Carnall reason and sturdie affections and vnbrideled tongues say that they are fooles which will digest reproofes and checks and suffer themselues to be censured but the heauenly wisedome and diuine trueth the sacred scriptures say that they are wise which hearken to the rebukes of Gods holy word and fooles as bad as beasts that despise them Ob. But men will laugh at our simplicitie if wee sit downe by such indignities Resp But God will laugh at our miseries if we quarrell with admonitions and counsels when hee vouchsafeth them vnto Prou. 1. 26. vs. Verse 2. A good man getteth fauour of the Lord but a man of wicked imaginations will he condemne A
Good man which setteth his heart to deuise of goodnes and performeth the same in practise getteth fauour of the Lord that is inioyeth the assurance and comfort of his louing kindnesse in his soule and the good effects thereof both in soule and bodie and euerie other way But a man of wicked imaginations c. It is the description of a wicked man by a periphrasis that he is as it were made of sinfull thoughts and purposes and is in the midst of them A good man may sometimes haue euill imaginations as Dauid had to destroy the whole house of Nabal but it was the imagination of the man and he was not a man of such imaginations Hee will condemne c The displeasure of God against him is declared by the effect hee will conuince him and find him guiltie that is passe sentence vpon him and cause execution to bee done accordingly Thus then standeth the opposition A good man of godly meditations getteth fauour of the Lord who therefore will saue him but an euill man of wicked imaginations incurreth the displeasure of the Lord who therefore will condemne him Doct. 1 A man can no way be made so happie as by beeing in Gods fauour If any other thing were better then this it would here be named for his purpose is to promise and performe the best Good men doe set their wits on worke to finde the way whereby they may most please him and hee doth set his wisedome on work to frame a recompence that may best pleasure them What account Dauid and others made of the fauour of God is shewed in diuers places of the Psalmes as when they breake out so earnestly into prayer and redouble their petition Turne vs againe O Lord God of hosts cause thy face to shine vpon vs and wee shall be saued That is helpe vs out of our captiuitie restore vs to Psal 80. 19. the place and meanes of thy worship let vs feele the testimonies of thy loue and our state will be blessed and happie So where the same is acknowledged with thankfulnesse Thy louing kindnes is better then life therefore my lippes shall praise thee Neither is this Psal 63. 3. onely Dauids testimonie or feeling or estimation of Gods loue towards him but many others haue made such precious account thereof as that they indured the losse of all their substance and libertie and life it selfe and that with bitter paines and torment rather then they would doe any thing that might moue the Lord Heb. 11. 36. 37 to be angrie with them Reasons 1 First in regard of the rarenes of it it is a flower which groweth only in Gods owne garden It is a priuiledge and freedome peculiar and proper to the children of God the Lord neuer giueth good countenance to a wicked person his anger is euermore towards sinners whereas in all earthly things they are commoners with vs and commonly haue the greater share It is therefore the more precious because it is but for few and those thereby both made and declared to bee excellent hauing no vnworthie person of their companie to disgrace them Secondly in regard of the continuance of it it is not worne out by time it vanisheth not away it is neuer taken from them vpon whom it is bestowed Their faults may cause it to bee hid from them for a season as Dauid felt by wofull experience when he had committed that grieuous sinne of murder and adulterie but lost it cannot be nor long concealed for it will worke in them the grace of humiliation that they may behold it to their ioy and comfort Thirdly in regard of those singular good effects where with it is alwaies accompanied what is desireable here in this world that it will not yeeld vnto vs And what happinesse is there in the world to come that it will not aduance vs vnto Defence from enemies and safety from dangers euery creature seeketh after and this doth Gods goodnesse bring to euery one that is godly Thou Lord saith Dauid wilt blesse the righteous Psal 5. 12. and with fauour wilt compasse him as with a shield Gladnesse of heart and comfort is that which euery man much affecteth and this the loue and fauour of God doth minister to all those that be partakers of it And this doth Dauid also professe himselfe to haue experience of and therefore preferreth the louing countenance of the Lord before all the commodities and pleasures which worldly men so much long after Many say who will shew vs any good but Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance Psal 4. 6. 7. vpon vs. Thou hast giuen me more ioy of heart then they haue had when their wheate and their wine did abound It is needelesse to reckon vp other things sithence the sufficiencie of al good things is inferred by these otherwise there were not so much safetie neither would there be so great ioy and gladnesse Vse 1 Instruction that our cheefe care and indeuour be to please the Lord seeing that so great a benefit proceedeth from it Euery one of his seruants hath great wages in hand if hee had nothing else but his Masters good will It is said of all others that men cannot liue by their faire speeches and good countenance but let God looke cheerefully vpon vs and speake comfortablie to vs and sure we are that we are in no want Our present pay is better prefermēt then any mortall creature can raise vs vp to though he were the most mightie monarch on the earth besides all that remaineth for the time to come especially when wee shall haue so neere accesse to the presence of our heauenly father wherein is the fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for Psal 16. 11. euer more Consolation to them that haue receiued vndoubted testimonies of the fauour of God Blessed are they presently though men discerne not how happie they are made by it but more blessed shall all the world behold them to be at that great day and glorious appearance of our Lord Iesus Christ The consideration of the terror that will be at that time made S. Paul himselfe to labour that both in life and death hee might bee acceptable to 2. Cor. 5. 9. him as knowing that most fearefull is their state whom hee shall then be displeased with and thrise happie beyond all that mortall mans thought can comprehend to whom hee then shall declare his kindnes But in the meane time say some they bee maligned and molested more then any and none haue so many enemies as they But who knoweth whether Gods fauour may not make men fauourable to thē It is said that whē the waies of a man please the Lord he will make also his enemies at peace with him Prou. 16. 7. Or if they be implacable and mightie also yet this is the comfort of the faithfull that God himselfe will ouerliue them and his might will ouermatch them and his louing
but in desire of their owne gaine and lucre for they respect their horses sheepe and oxen more then their neighbours state or their owne saluation but these are not the righteous men which are here commended A president and example of faithfull regard of his beast is to be found in the seruant of Abraham in his iourney to Nahors citie in Aram Naharaim who when he was come to the place whither hee was sent tooke order first that the Camels should bee vnsadled and meated and haue litter put vnto them and then dealt in the busines wherein Gen. 24. 32. hee was imployed and after these things tooke his owne refection Reproofe of those that requite euill for good to the poore beasts that trauell for them and vnder them whom they deale as hardly with as if they were rather noisome hurtfull vnto them Many waies they oppresse them as with burdens too heauie with stripes too many with spurring too often with pace too swift with iourneyes too long with meate too little with dressing too slender c. The Lord hath inioyned them perpetuall silence neuer to complaine of these things though they groane vnder them otherwise if they had libertie of speech and reason to lay open their grieuances the wronges which they sustaine would appeare to bee great and many And yet in an other sort more extremitie then this is vsed against other sorts of creatures and that is when men make a sport of making them miserable when it is a pleasure to put them to paine when it is a pastime to behold their torment and tearing This proceedeth not of a tender heart this is not the worke of righteousnesse this delight will leaue no comfort behind it Haue our sins in Adam brought such calamities vpon them and shall we adde vnto them by crueltie in our owne persons Haue our corruptions been a cause of that fiercenesse that is in many of them one against another and shall we solace our selues in seeing them execute it God forbid If wee doe it may iustly returne vpon our selues their teeth or hornes or pawes assaulting vs or else Gods owne hand by some other meanes reuenging their wronges Doct. 2 But the mercies c. All the fauours that sinfull men shew doe commonly tend to some hurt The Lord doth often vse the wicked as instruments of good vnto his children but though they do the worke yet he sheweth the mercie their hands and tongues are not so much directed by their owne loue and kindnes as by his purpose and prouidence Iacob was not ignorant of this point when he refused the curteous offer of Esau who would either himselfe haue been a companion to him in his way or left some of his seruants behind Gen. 33. 12. 13. 15. to gard him When Saul pretended most readines to bring Dauid to preferment by matching him with his daughter his meaning was to bring him to destruction by putting him into the 1. Sam. 18. 17. hands of the Philistins Reasons 1 First generally true mercie is peculiarly appropriated to the godly as all the fruites and graces of the spirit are and therefore the semblance of it in the wicked proceedeth from the flesh and is euermore counterfeit corrupt and fleshly Secondly in special they vsually transuert their fauor iustice shewing mercie where they should exercise seueritie and practising crueltie where they should shew mercie Saul was so pitifull that he would spare Agag though God commanded to slay him but Dauid should haue died if hee could haue caught him And hee made no scruple in killing fourescore and fiue Priests of 1. Sam. 22. 18. 19. the Lord in one houre it was a small matter in his eyes to smite a whole citie of innocent people with the edge of the sword both man and woman both child and suckling besides all their cattell And so Ahab gaue Benhadad King of Aram to know that he would vse him like a brother and graunt him his life whom God appointed to be handled like an enemie and put to death but he dealt with the Prophets of Israel in an other manner and slew as many of them as he could come by Euen the very sparing of notable wicked persons is a decree of crueltie against the righteous as they be iniurious to the liues of the sheep and lambs that permit the wolues and foxes to liue and breede among them They vse to peruert and ouerturne all their good turnes at one time or other with mischiefe or hurt either outwardly or to the soules of them whom they make beholden to them Vse 1 Instruction not to be like to them or to conforme our selues to their waies Let loue be in our rebukes let compassion bee in our stripes let our seueritie be mercifull but neuer let our mercies be cruell 2. Not to cast our selues into their hands in hope that they will be fauourable to vs if their meekenesse if their mildnes if their mercie bee cruellie how immeasurably cruell will their malice and wrath and rage and furie be Reproofe of those that neuer exercise any other mercie then that which is here condemned They are very carefull for their familie and people that they shall haue refreshing and libertie for their sports and delights but it is onely on the Lords day when it doth more harme to their soules then good to their bodies for they will spare them no time from their owne workes when they may recreat themselues with a good conscience Others are as forward in giuing they will be like to Iob not to eate their morsels alone but the poore shall euer haue part with them but the choise of their almsmen is altogether vnlike to Iobs for hee relieued the fatherlesse and widowes and poore impotent persons and they bestow vpon a filthie generation of idle vagabonds whom Iob chased from the very presence companie of people Iob 30. 5. Others will declare how pitifull they are by helping men that are in destresses and therefore if they might haue their wills there should not be so many punished But whose impunitie doe they seeke for whom would they haue to escape either whip or goale or gallows not such as be vniustly accused not such as be ouertaken with small infirmities not such as shew themselues most penitent for their faults but those that are ordinarie obstinate and impudent malefactors and most pernitious and grieuous offenders These are as full of compassion as the Iewes were of mercie when they cried to Pilate Barrabas Barrabas let Barrabas liue and be deliuered Verse 11. He that tilleth his land shall bee satisfied with bread but he that followeth the idle is destitute of vnderstanding HE that tilleth his land which is industrious and faithfull to doe good in any honest vocation shall be satisfied with bread shall haue competencie of all things that are needfull for him but he that followeth the idle vaine fellowes which giue themselues to no good trade or
calling because it is euer ioyned with the feare of God and the feare of God worketh in men obedience to the word of God and the word of God teacheth euery man to labour with his hands or otherwise the thing that is good Ephes 4. 28. Secondly the want and miserie hee plungeth himselfe into doth shew that wisedome is away For wisedome dwelleth with prudence and maketh men prouident for themselues their state and familie Thirdly his conceitednes doth euict his follie for The sluggard is wiser in his owne conceit than seuen men that can render a reason Prou. 26. 16. And then ye know how the case standeth with him Seest thou a man that is wise in his owne eyes there is more hope of a foole than of him Prou. 26. 12. Vse Instruction to be affraid of so dangerous a sinne that bringeth so much mischiefe with it What can be more hurtfull and pernicious than it is What can bring a man into greater miseries It draweth men into euill companie euill companie will corrupt them with euill behauiour and it and euill companie and euill behauiour will bring them into an euill state and robbe them both of their wealth good wit No the eues can do so much no tyrants can make such a spoyle no fire can burne vp and consume those things that it can They doe no more but bereaue men of their money and substance as it doth and it taketh away their wisedome and credit as they doe not When goods be gone labour may get more and friends may giue more to them that haue vnderstanding or at least they shall haue peace in their hearts with God and fauour with good men but when vnderstanding is lost as well as their wealth what shall become of them They know not how to recouer their state they know not how to beare their wants they haue no consolation in God they haue no countenance from godly men they haue continuing in that sin without repentance no sure hope of saluation in heauen Verse 12. The wicked desireth the defence of them that be euill but the roote of the righteous giueth it VVHen the vngodly doe come into perils and afflictions and troubles doe come vpon them all their hope of helpe resteth wholly in men and those not the godly which might direct them or pray for them but sinfull persons as bad as themselues whose fauour and power they trust vnto but in vaine for they are deceiued by them but the righteous are not or need not to be driuen to such shifts the Lord Iesus Christ their roote vndertaketh their preseruation and doth not onely make a shew thereof but effectually performeth it Doct. It is the propertie of sinners one to relie vpon another It was an ordinarie thing with the godly Kings and good people of Israel to preuent plagues and dangers by faithfulnes and obedience to God and to remoue them when any came by humiliation and prayer to him and it was ordinary with the wicked Kings and sinfull people to procure plagues by rebellion against God and to seeke remedie by flying from him to his enemies Sometimes they reposed vpon Aegypt as Isaiah complaineth and threatneth them for it saying Woe vnto them that goe downe into Isaiah 31. 1. Aegypt for helpe and stay vpon horses and trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong but they looke not vnto the holy one of Israel nor seeke vnto the Lord. Sometimes their confidence was Asshur as Hosea laieth to their charge When Ephraim saw his sicknes and Iudah his wound then went Ephraim Hosea 5. 13. vnto Asshur and sent vnto King Iareb yet could hee not heale you nor cure you of your wound Reasons 1 First they are sensuall and looke with a fleshly eie and then there is great liklihood of helpe and succour to bee found at the hand of many wicked men because their power seemeth so great and their fauour so much towards such as are like to themselues Secondly God is an enemie to them and they bee enemies to good men and therefore they haue no expectation to be relieued of him or to bee comforted by them And this is alleaged as a cause why Saul consulted with the witch because the Lord answered 1. Sam. 28. 6. him not neither by dreames nor by Vrim nor yet by Prophets Thirdly they haue prouoked God so far that he is purposed to excute his iudgments vpon them therfore they are left to themselues to take such a way as will worke them woe but doe them no good For it hath been alreadie declared in the former chapter vers 21. that though hand ioyne in hand the wicked shall not be vnpunished And this maketh them liable to the curse that Ieremy denounceth Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lord. Ieremie 17. 5. Vse 1 Instruction to continue our faithfulnesse that God may continue his fauour and goodnesse to vs. If we seeke him in our prosperitie we shal find him in our aduersitie if we serue him in our best safetie wee shall be preserued in our greatest perils if our hearts be open to receiue his word his eies will bee open to see our distresses and we shall not need to sue to the wicked men for aide and protection Reproofe of their folly which cast themselues into such misery as that they cannot be safe without such miserable helpers Euill men must fall themselues how can they make other sinners to stand They must be condemned and executed and can they set their cōpanions at libertie A wretched case is that malefactor in that hath no better friends than him that standeth at the barre in gieues bolts arraigned by him It is as bad to haue the enemies sword to pearce ones sides without as a ruinous house to fall on his head within The seauen and twentie thousand men whom the wall fell vpon in Aphek were in as bad state as the hundred 1. Reg. 20 30. thousand that were slaine in the field And it will appeare in the end that all wicked men when confidence is reposed in them are nothing else but swelling walles and old rotten castles that are tumbling downe Doct. 2 But the roote c. There is no danger to them that grow by faith in Iesus Christ The tallest cedars and strongest okes are not so fast setled and firmely rooted as is the lowest Saint and weakest Christian In those kind of trees the roote cannot defend the braunches nor bodie the wind may breake off the boughes and armes and the axe may cut downe the whole stocke without resistance but our root doth minister as much safetie as sappe to the whole Church and euery sprigge of the same No stormes and tempests no force nor weapons shall separate the least of his from him nor any way make spoile of them Reasons 1 First he drieth vp the spring
and fountaine of all hurts and dangers and that is sinne the guiltinesse of it is taken away by remission and the punishment by his suffring and the power by his grace what then is the peril that we shuld stand in feare of Secondly he maketh all his fruitfull and the fruite is a fence to Gods trees though mens bee more beaten and broken by cudgels and poles for that which groweth vpon them Thirdly euery one of them that haue Christ for their roote haue God the Father for their dresser and keeper Ioh. 15. And therefore if any thing bee hurtfull in them he taketh it away if any thing be wanting to them he maketh supplie if violence be attempted against them he resisteth it This happinesse of the Church and vse of particular Christians doth God himselfe speake of making profession of his prouident care of them in the prophecie of Isaiah Sing saith he of the vineyard of red wine I the Lord doe keepe it I will water it euery moment lest any assaile it I Isai 27. 2. 3. will keepe it night and day Fourthly one especiall part of the sappe that Christ the roote of Christians doth send vp to his branches is the spirit of prayer and that maketh their prayers fit to come vp to him and hee maketh them meete to be presented to his father now then in all their troubles they will surely crie to him and whensoeuer they doe crie he will more surely heare them and whensoeuer he heareth them he will most assuredlie helpe them Vse 1 Instruction to trie in what state we stand by the roote that we grow vpon Euery man and woman euery person that is discended from Adam is a braunch of a tree either growing naturallie as he was borne in the old stocke and so hee is subiect to Gods displeasure iudgements or els is ingrafted into Christ as being new borne and so hath his part in Gods fauour and mercies If we would therefore haue our harts at libertie without dread of calamities and miserie we must draw all our safetie from whence we deriue our saluation and that is from the Lord Iesus our Sauiour and our being in him and growing in him and communion with him Externall meanes will not suffice to secure vs from hurts without this inward medicine and deliuerance from plagues by God owne hand will not comfort vs without the respect of this cause Consolation to them that be in Christ as the Apostle saith to the Romans that there is no damnation to them so the spirit saith Rom. 8. 1. here that there is no danger to them there is assurance that nothing shall keepe them from heauen and euerlasting life and here is a warrant that nothing shall hurt them in earth and in this life That godly gloriation which is vsed there against the enemies of our soules may fitly also bee vsed here against the enemies of our bodies If God be on our side who can bee against vs Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish Rom. 8. 31. 35. or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sword Though Sathan and sinners would yet they can doe nothing against vs that shall bee for our hurt and though God himselfe can yet he will doe nothing to vs that shall not turne to our good Verse 13. The euill man is snared by the wickednes of his lippes but the wise shall come out of aduersitie AS wicked men doe maliciouslie abuse their tongues to the hurt of others so also many times they ouershoote themselues so farre as that aduantage is taken of their words to their owne perill and hurt as on the other side the godly doe often times helpe themselues out of troubles by the wisedome of their speeches Doct. 1 They that haue euill tongues doe most hurt themselues with them This point we reserue to be handled in the sixt and seuenth verses of the eightenth chapter where will bee fitter occasion to handle it more fullie Doct. 2 But the righteous shall come out c. He is neuer destitute of a good helper in his troubles that hath a good tongue to deale for him Hee doth not here onely set downe the assurance that such as feare God haue to escape from their afflictions but the meanes whereby they obtaine their deliuerance God hath ordained troubles for his people to be tried with and he hath appointed the issue out aswell as the entrance in and their enemies malicious words doe commonly worke their molestation and their owne Christian speeches doe vsually procure their peace and libertie Reasons 1 First the wrath of those that are incensed against them is thereby much abated if not altogether pacified If they bee not wholy implacable and such as haue cast off all humanitie milde and gentle speeches will mitigate their displeasure A Prince is pacified by staying of anger and a soft answere breaketh the bones Prou. 25. 15. Secondly words of trueth being wisely deliuered will very much grace a good cause to the satisfying of them that knew it not before and the refuting of them that are false accusers and the winning of their fauours that for mercie were not so well affected to them Hereof we haue an example in the prophecie of Ieremie The Priests and the Prophets accused him to the Princes and people as a man deseruing to be put to death for his doctrine Hee hath libertie to speake for himselfe hee proueth his innocencie by shewing the author of all that he preached and that was God giuing him a commaundement to publish it and the end that they should repent and amend their waies and so escape the iudgements threatned The Princes and all the people presently were on his side they spake for him they cleared him of that crime which was charged vpon him they iustified his faithfulnesse in his ministerie This man is not worthie to die say they for he hath Ierem. 26. 16. spoken to vs in the name of the Lord. Thirdly with godly and gracious words of prayer godly men preuaile with God himselfe as it was said of Iacob and therefore Gen. 32. 28. no aduersitie can preuaile against them For this and the vses thereof see the eight verse of the former chapter where are almost the very words of this present text Verse 14. A man shall be satiat with good things by the fruite of his mouth and the recompence of a mans hands shall God giue vnto him A Man shall be satiate with good things c. That is shall bee recompenced by the Lord with great blessings for the good vsage of his tongue when hee speaketh to Gods glorie and the edification of his brethren or for iustice and equitie in the behalfe of them that are wronged and iniuriouslie dealt with Hee will stirre vp men to loue him and shew kindnes vnto him yea those sometimes which be of great place and able to doe him much good as it is
he prescribeth the remedie whereby this disease of hurtfull sorrow and pensiuenes may be cured and that is with good words For the comfortable speech of a friend but especially the holesome word of God declaring the remission of sinnes and the fauour of God expelleth the heauines of the heart and refresheth it with ioy and comfort Doct. Immoderate griefe doth turne men to great hurt and annoyance As fleshly mirth doth much corrupt mens minds and stirre them vp to vanitie so worldly sorrow doth greatly weaken their hearts and dull their spirits whereby they are hindred from the performance of many good duties And so much is meant in that place where it is said that by the sorrow of the heart the mind is Prou. 15. 13. heauie When Ioshua was inclining to too much feare and discomfort for the losse of his men at their going vp against Ai and the euill consequents that were likelie to follow the Lord would not suffer him to giue place thereunto saying Get thee vp wherefore Iosh 7. 10. liest thou thus vpon thy face He tooke notice and gaue a censure of this inward affection of his heart somewhat exceeding measure by the gesture of his bodie Reason 1 First the health and strength of the bodie is thereby impaired and the life it selfe is many times shortned by that meanes A ioyfull heart causeth good health but a sorrowfull mind drieth the bones Prou. 17. 22. It pearceth to that which is within and bringeth weakenesse vpon the strongest parts Secondly such as are oppressed with cares and griefe are made vnmeete for the seruices of God who indeede doth require feare but commaundeth likewise to reioyce with trembling Psal 2. 11. How can they call vpon God in any feruency when deadnes hath wholy possessed them How can they be thankefull and offer acceptable praises to God when they are voide of al ioy and cheerefulnesse And how can they attend vnto his word when their thoughts are altogether busied in the contemplation of their owne miserie The message was very comfortable which Moses brought to the Israelites in Aegypt when the Lord told them that he would deliuer them from the burdens and bondage of the Aegyptians and would take them for his people and be their God c. but it is said they harkened not to him for anguish of spirit and cruell bondage Exo. 6. 9. Thirdly it maketh men lesse diligent and profitable in their callings whether it be in their seuerall trades or in places of superioritie to gouerne or of inferioritie to obey Fourthly it bereaueth them of the benefite and comfort of any Christian societie wherein they are neither apt to doe good nor receiue good It taketh away their cheerefulnes it disableth their tongues of speaking fruitfully it stoppeth their eares from hearkning attentiuely their presence is not very delightfull to others and the companie of others is not much regarded of them Vse 1 Instruction 1. to preuent this worldy sorrow by preseruing of godly ioy and that is by keeping the peace of a good conscience with an vpright heart and holy behauiour either shunning of sinne that we runne not into it or soundly sorrowing for it when we haue committed it Looke how much innocencie and sinceritie any man hath so much comfort his heart shall inioy and according to the measure of guiltinesse there will bee an inward secret biting griefe and fearefulnesse When anguish and sorrow when feare and troubles assault vs so strongly that we cannot repell them let vs then obserue that holy counsell which God that can make it effectuall doth offer here in this place vnto vs and that is to haue a recourse to faithfull comforters He sendeth vs to them he incourageth vs to go he assureth vs of successe hee hath alwaies performed that neuer any was left vnholpen that sought helpe at his hand according to this his direction Elihu speaketh of this to Iob that when a man is striken with sorrow vpon his bed and griefe of his bones is sore so that his life causeth him to abhorre bread and his soule daintie meate that his flesh is consumed and his bones chatter and his soule draweth to the graue and his life to the buriers yet a faithfull Iob. 33. 19. c. messenger of God one of a thousand deliuering his message faithfullie from God will heale all this in them that giue credit to him and set them in as good case as euer they were before For God which can doe all things and formed all things hath vndertaken to giue such a blessing to the words of his seruants and chiefly them by whose ministerie he speaketh to his own people I create saith hee the fruite of the lips to bee peace peace that is true perpetual and most constant comfort vnto them that are far Isai 57. 19. off and to them that are neere for I will heale him Hereof the keeper of the prison whom Paul and Silas conuerted had happie experience Act. 16. 28. and thereby was preserued from destroying himselfe Hereof three thousand at once whom Peter conuerted had happie Act. 2. 37. experience being deliuered both from their feares and sinfulnesse To collect all good arguments whereby wee preuaile against our dread and sorrowes that grow from our afflictions and troubles As who imposeth them vpon vs but the Lord And to what end doth the Lord so impose them but in mercie and wisedome as a most skilfull and faithfull physition for our profit Haue not our betters endured more and yet were beloued and blessed of God both for the present and afterwards Haue not we deserued farre greater iudgements euen destruction it selfe and is it much if wee bee onely scourged so fauourablie with such small stripes of easie rodes by a louing father who doth prepare vs thereby to so great comfort and glorie Verse 26. The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour but the way of the wicked will deceiue them THe righteous that is euery godly man who hath attained to vprightnes though not to perfection of righteousnes is better then his neighbour is better beloued and graced of God and more esteemed of godly wise men and hath that in him which maketh him more commendable then any other that is vnrighteous and sinfull and so his way is answerable to his hope But the wicked desiring and seeking and expecting a more excellencie aboue others are notwithstanding contemptible and grow in time to be contemned and so their way deceiueth them Doct. Grace maketh good men to be the worthiest personages As they goe before all the vnregenerate in vertue so they go beyond them in honour and as they exceede them in pietie so they surmount them in excellencie The testimonie which the Prophet giueth of them to God himselfe by the inspiration of Gods spirit doth make this manifest My goods saith he extend not to thee but to the Saints that are in earth euen to the excellent all my Psalm 16.
substance were prosperous hunters in shew at the first yet they rosted not their pray but prouided it for Dauids vse and Dauid dealt with them as with beasts that are hunted into the net Reasons 1 First the vse and comfort of all things proceedeth onely from Gods gift and blessing and standeth not in the meere getting and possession of thē and all deceitfull persons both in a generall respect because of their wickednesse and in a speciall regard for their fraudulent and guilefull behauiour are subiect to malediction and to be cursed in euery thing that they deale in or which belongeth vnto them Secondly though the vngodly haue many times power and abilitie to increase their goods yet the vse and fruition of al good things is appropriated peculiarly and intayled to the righteous for whom the wicked are set on worke and not for themselues And so much doth the holie Ghost expresselie testifie Surely to a man that is good in his sight God giueth wisedome and knowledge and ioy but to the sinner he giueth paine to gather and to heape vp to giue to him that is good before God Eccles 2. 26. Iob speaketh to the same purpose saying Though hee should heape vp siluer as the dust and prepare rayment as the clay hee may prepare it but the iust shall put it on and the innocent shall diuide the siluer Iob 27. 16. 17. Vse Admonition to withhold our hands from direption that wee take not from others that which will turne to no good for our selues Wee bring griefe and peraduenture also want vpon them but we bring sinne with greater sorrow and misery vpon our selues it may bee their hindrance but it will bee our owne vndoing vnlesse we leaue off and repent and as much as wee are able make restitution So that our pray will not onely not come to our dish but deuoure the rest of our meate which otherwise might be for our nourishment and by this meanes our neighbour is hurt our labour is lost our conscience is wounded our state is cursed our soules indaungered and that which is worst of all our God is offended and prouoked to displeasure And therefore let not other mens successe in this vnthriftie manner of gayning allure vs to follow the same trade with them sithence we foreknow the vnhappy euent that will fall out in the end Though spoile and crueltie though rapine and robberie though filching and stealing though gaiming lying falsehood or any indirect courses doe set vp men for a time yet downe they must and be driuen to confesse that all their sinfull gettings were vanitie and losse and all their vnlawfull commodities pernitious and hurtfull to them Doct. 2 But the riches c. Wealth well gotten by good men is great in value whatsoeuer it be in quantitie As the bread of deceit is sweetest so the riches of iniquitie seeme best to vnrighteous persons and sluggards like nothing so well as that which commeth with least trauell and without much paines taking Better say they is an handfull with ease then Eccles 4. 6. two handfuls with labour and vexation of spirit And euery thing is a vexation of their spirit which putteth them to any paines of bodie But the Lord testifieth the contrary and teacheth his people both by word and effect that that onely is of worth and estimation which his seruants obtaine by lawfull means and his blessing vpon them And because this point is most true and the world beleeueth not that any trueth is in it hee confirmeth the same in diuers places as Chap. 15. 16. Better is a little with the feare of the Lord then great treasure and trouble therewith That is with feare care sorrow or the checke of an euill conscience So in the Psalme 37. 16. A small thing vnto the righteous is better then great riches to the wicked and mightie Reasons 1 First in respect of the giuer thereof it is the Lords hand that bestoweth it vpon them as a testimonie of his loue and an earnest of more excellent treasures Now an Angell from the Kings owne hand in fauour is more regarded then a pound from an other vpon other occasions And how great a substance may a man haue conueyed to him by receiuing a shilling or tester for possession of all that is passed ouer to him by deede of gifture And how large demeanes may a man bee estated in by taking a turfe in way of lyuerie and seison Now though euerlasting life be principally confirmed to vs by the spirit of adoption yet the Lord would haue his eternall fauour to his Saints to bee seene and acknowledged euen in his earthly benefits Secondly it is sanctified vnto them by the word of God with prayer and thankesgiuing 1. Tim. 4. 5. Thirdlie his blessing maketh it to serue and suffice them for all needefull vses it satisfieth their hearts it is competent for their bodies it is sufficient for their families And as their state is increased so their hands are opened to distribute to the poore and to contribute to the seruices of God and euery way to shew their readines to doe good so as God may haue glorie his seruants refreshing and their owne soules an euerlasting recompence of immortalitie Vse Consolation to all godly faithfull and industrious persons that they are euery way wealthie and rich rich in glory which is reserued for them in heauen rich in weldoing rich in spirituall graces rich in earthly substance if enough of that which is deare and precious may make a man to be rich That saying which is in the fifteenth Chapter of this booke is not to be restrained to any Prou. 15. 6. one but holdeth true for euery one that feareth God that the house of the righteous hath much treasure Things that are costly and of great price are not to bee rated by comparison with the measure of baser matters nor according to the roome which they fill vp A little gold ouerualueth much leade or iron many great pebbles are not matchable in worth with one pearle which is farre lesse then they are a boxe full of rich diamonds is better then a house full of woode and straw or other stuffe that is course or common And so standeth the case with good mens possessions the blessing of God with his mercie and fauour doth conuert them into iewels for their vse and benefit and worketh such comfortable effects by them as all the treasures of the wicked can neuer yeeld vnto them Verse 28. Life is in the way of righteousnes and in that path way there is no death LIfe c. The meaning is that they which are righteous men iustified by the merites of Christ and sanctified by his spirit and obedient to his will in working that which is agreeable to his word are in state of life euerlasting The life of grace they haue possession of alreadie the life of glory is assured to them by the life of grace whosoeuer hath the one can neuer faile of the other And therefore it is said that there is no death in that path They are deliuered from the first death which hath power ouer all sinfull men in this world and they shall neuer come into the second which is the portion of reprobates in the world to come And this is confirmed by the testimonie of Christ himselfe saying Verily verily I say vnto you he that heareth my word and beleeueth Iohn 5. 24. in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life The doctrine which the words would minister hath been declared and prosecuted in the nineteenth verse of the former chapter where it is saide that righteousnes leadeth to life and therefore it is needelesse to handle it againe in this place Onely let thus much be spoken that the holy Ghost doth not in vaine so often promise life to them that seeke and serue him He doth repeate it more then twentie times in this one booke besides the mention that the other parts of scripture doe make of it almost euery where It is therefore a point of certentie to them that lay hold on it It is a point of difficultie and not easilie beleeued sithence God to helpe our hearts doth againe and againe redouble it and it is a point of great importance requiring a serious and constant meditation without which men grow barren and carelesse in doing all good dueties and by which they are made rich and plentifull in all holy seruices The consideration of life and of such a life will incourage the heart and open the mouth and strengthen the hands and make the feete nimble to runne in the waies of righteousnes all that they can doe in obedience they will account too little and nothing that they suffer for wel-doing they will thinke to much FINIS The Author to the Reader THou art to be aduertised good Reader that sundrie faults haue escaped in this Treatise most by ouersight of him that copied it out and made it readie for the Presse and some few were committed in the printing the greatest part and I think all are here collected for thee in briefe I pray thee take notice of them and reforme them in their places according to this direction Pag 13. lin 2. reade and their soules also flexible pag. 30. l. 10. r. their perswasions p. 36. l 29. for commoditie reade brethrens pag. 38 l. 3. r. into accusations p. 39. l. 30. r. offer of it to others p. 41. l. 31. put out owne pag 42. l. 23 r. aggrauate pag. 43. l. 20 r bond p 46. l. 35. r often p. 50. l. 14. r. fast ibid. 34. r. what causeth p. 51. l. 5. r. preserueth ibid. 12. r. meannes p. 53. l. 27. r. God heareth them with mercie and fauour p. 57. l. 9. r. fence p. 66. l. 36. r. descried p. 69 l. 14. r. greatly pag. 78. l. 26. r. deprauation p 86. l. 6. r. good springs p. 91. l. 34. r. as pag. 94. l. 5. r. spoken p. 95. l. 11. r. was an p. 108. l. 1. r. sharpe p. 139. l. 16. r. deeme p. 143 l. 29. r. degree p. 144. l. 2. r. crueltie pag. 156. l 28. r. couetous p. 160. lin 37. r. deposed p. 166. l. 14. r. but to the. p. 196. l. 26. r. feares p. 280. l. 22. r. moueth