may bee most mooued to shew thee compassion If thou be falsly accused make cleere thine innocencie with humilitie if iustly charged acknowledge thy fault with submission if remission may conueniently be granted beseech thy Soueraigne to pardon thee if so much cannot be obtained yet intreat that at the least hee would pitie thee Terrour for that sinfull swarme of Iesuites Seminaries and other treacherous Papists of euery sort whose practise and profession is to subuert the state and maiestie of the Prince They do not only detract from him and transfer to a forrainer the mortall aduersarie of Christ and Kings that authority soueraigntie which he hath in matters of greatest moment but denie him allegeance in ciuill causes and refuse to secure him from their force and violence against his person and dignitie If this audacious obstinacie if this egregious contempt If this most barbarous disloialtie should neither stirre vp the Lord nor the Lords Vice-gerent to punish them what safety could there be in ruling or danger in rebelling But certaine it is that God wil not passe by it though man would and his sword is sharper than mans is and his hand will strike stronglier than mans can and therefore let them and let all other sorts of sinfull creatures know that if the Kings wrath be as a messenger of death that Gods wrath will be a worker of their eternall destruction Verse 15. In the light of the Kings countenance is life and his fauour is as a cloud of the latter raine THE meaning of this sentence is that where the King and great personages doe affect and make manifest their loue there is ioy and credit and protection and preferment and all such prosperitie as man may be a meanes of for so much the word life doth import and the same is amplified by the two similitudes of lightsome and comfortable sun-shine and of fruitfull and profitable showres especially those which they called the latter raine whereby the ground was refreshed after the drought and the corne was ripened before the haruest And yet are not all promiscuously without difference in so happy an estate when superiours doe set by them vnlesse the Lord doe also grace them for mans friendship can neuer doe good vnto Gods enemies as may appeare by the condition of Doeg and of the noble man vpon whom the King of Jsrael leaned and of the Priests of Baal whom 2. King 7. Jezabel maintained and of the false Prophets whom Ahab respected Doct. Great account is to be made of the fauour and good countenance of Princes and such as haue authoritie ouer vs. The cheerefull lookes of a good ruler vpon a worthy person is as a bright morning after a darke night and as dew vpon Prouer. 19. 12 the grasse after a great drought as the holy Ghost maketh resemblance It was not a small comfort to Mephibosheth to finde so much grace at Dauids hand nor a little honour to Daniel to be so much esteemed of Darius and other Kings vnder whom he liued And the like may be said of Joseph and Hester of Mordecai and Nehemiah whom the Scripture mentioneth to haue beene in great credit with those Monarchs whom they serued and were in subiection vnto Reason 1 First a good man may discerne the fauour of the Lord in the face of his gouernour who as S. Paul witnesseth is the Minister of God for the wealth of them that doe well Rom. 13. 4. Those whom mighty men doe set by the most of inferior places will be ready to make much of so that one great friend will occasion many others to be very friendly though not alwaies with sound affection yet often times with good profit and comfort Thirdly they which enioy the loue and good liking of Princes and principall Commanders haue opportunitie put into their hands whereby they may succour the distressed and pleasure their brethren and promote righteous causes as may bee exemplified in those faithfull fauorites formerlie specified Vse 1 Instruction to them whom the Lord hath aduanced to thrones and dignities or to any degree of authoritie though not the highest that they shew most courtesie to them that be most honest and giue best countenance to them that be of best behauiour Sithence God hath deputed them to keepe his roome it doth well become them to follow his example whose gracious fauours neuer faile the righteous nor the light of his countenance at any time shineth on the wicked That was one of the principal clauses of Dauids Vow which he made to God before hee entred into the possession of his Kingdome that he would know or rather acknowledge by any kinde and familiar vsage no euill man Mine eies saith hee Psal 101. 4. 6. shall be vnto the faithfull of the Land that they may dwell with me He that walketh in a perfect way hee shall serue me Great mens kindnesses haue as much operation in the people as seasonable showres in the hearbes and plants And is it not then to be wished that they were restrained from sinfull weedes and nettles lest they grow ranker and smell the worse and reserued for vertuous hearbs and flowers which may be the more odoriferous and flourish the better Certaine it is that the hands of vngracious wretches are greatly strengthened and made able to doe much mischiefe by being fauoured of men in eminent places which may easily be preuented or staied by frownes or checks or disgracings from them And this serueth also for a motiue to inferiours to incite them to seeke by due desert in good seruices to be well esteemed of and in credit with those that beare rule ouer them Who knoweth whether the Lord may not direct their eies to take notice of them and incline their hearts to bee affected towards them But because it is scarse possible for a Prince to grace all or to know euery one of his dutifull subiects therefore they which according to S. Peters precept doe religiously feare God and loyally honour the King haue cause to comfort themselues in the fauour of the most mighty Monarke of heauen and earth which doth infinitely more exceed the greatest kindnesse that all the greatest states in the world can shew to their dearest friends than the Sunne-beames at noone in the clearest Summer daies doe excell the smallest sparke of fire in the earth in brightnesse It is euerlasting as he is eternall It is vnchangeable as hee is immutable It is effectuall as he is almightie It is most glorious and comfortable as he is the God of glorie and consolation Verse 16. How much better is it to get wisdome than gold And to get vnderstanding is more to be desired than siluer HOw much better It is so farre better to seeke and finde heauenly wisdome and the knowledge of God rather than gold yea euen that which is fine and pretious as the word importeth and siluer as that the ods and difference is inexplicable the greatnesse of it cannot be
and whose hope the Lord is for he shall be as a tree that is planted by the water which spreadeth out her roots by the riuer and shall not feele when the heat commeth but her leafe shall be greene and shall not care for the yeere of drought neither shall cease from yeelding fruit Reason 1 First the Lord doth take it for an high honour to be trusted in and depended vpon not allowing any creature to bee ioined with him therein Loue is so due to him as his children are also to be loued for his sake and our neighbours by his appointment And feare is so required by him as that Princes and parents and other gouernours must according to his commandement be feared But confidence is a worship properly reserued to himselfe and may not bee communicated to any other without disloialtie to him It were sacrilege for superiours to challenge it and Idolatrie for inferiours to yeeld it And as faith and affiance in God are themselues very acceptable to him so doe they make through Christ all our other seruices accepted of him Secondly he that is so well pleased with the faith of his seruants is no lesse ready to recompence their faithfull seruice and that in such bountifull manner as that they can wish for no more nor could possibly haue hoped for so much for his gifts are agreeable to his owne infinite munificence and not according to mans narrow comprehension All noisome things shall vndoubtedly be remooued from them and they deliuered from the danger thereof Gods wrath is mitigated his iudgements restrained his curses abolished and the nature of his threatnings altogether altered And what then car sinne doe And what can death doe or the diuell or the power of hell Much lesse shall malicious men effect their mischieuous purposes to hurt them and least of all shall any other creature bee able to worke their woe when the Lord of all creatures is at peace with them and their protector when he is as firme for their defense as the mightiest mountaines and maketh them stand as fast as the hils according to that saying of the Prophet They that trust in the Lord shall bee as Psal 125. 1. Mount Sion which cannot be remooued but remaineth for euer And for the fruition of good things let them aske and haue for he will giue them their hearts desire And though they aske not nor desire enough as who is that way so prouident for himselfe as his owne state doth require and Gods goodnesse doth offer opportunitie yet he will bestow vpon them all that in their behalfe Christ hath bought and paid for and that is incomparably more than they can begge or pray for It is said for their prouision that nothing shall be wanting vnto them It is said for the saluation of their soules that hee that heareth the word of Christ and beleeueth in him that sent him hath Iohn 5. 24. euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation And it is said for the resurrection of their bodies that euerie one that beleeueth in the sonne of God shall haue euerlasting life and hee will Iohn 6. 40. raise him vp at the last day And it is said for the fulnesse of their comfort felicitie and euerlasting blisse that the Lord God is a Sunne and shield vnto them The Lord will giue grace Psal 84. 11. and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walke vprightly Vse 1 Instruction to labour for faith and trust in God as much as we wish to be happy and blessed Euery man naturally desireth prosperitie and no man is willing to beare the burden of miserie and torment Then let euery man abandon infidelitie and let no man be negligent to get a state in Gods promises Embrace his couenants and lay fast hold on them Applie thy selfe to them and them to thy selfe and bee assured that euery Article of the same shall bee performed vnto thee His strength shall be for thy safety his riches for thy maintenance his fauour for thy comfort his glorious heauenly greatnesse for thy great heauenly glorie his absolute all-sufficiencie for thy complete and intire welfare Reproofe of their follie which dote so much vpon sense and carnall reason that whatsoeuer they apprehend not by sight they little account of how faithfully soeuer God himselfe doth promise it by word confirmed with his oath and seale annexed to his writing Who almost doth relie vpon his might and power and wholly rest vpon his truth and fidelitie Are not most men of Achas his minde and shew it in deed though they say not in word that they will not tempt the Isa 7. 12. Lord that is put themselues vpon him for protection against perils and prouision against pouertie without shifting for themselues through feare lest hee should disappoint them There be many that giue him as much credit as they would yeeld to any bankerupt being willing to trafficke with him in his seruices and trust to his promises so long as they see ready pay and may attaine to present preferment or profit but further they dare not take his word Foolish people that forsake their owne mercies and trust to lying vanities that make gold their hope and men their arme that deifie base creatures by putting confidence in them and vilifie the glorious God by with-drawing their hearts from him which obstinately refuse a blessed estate by forsaking the fountaine of liuing waters and wilfully chuse a cursed condition by digging to themselues broken pits that can hold no water Verse 21. The wise in heart shall bee called prudent and the sweetnesse of the lips shall increase Doctrine THE wise in heart Hee which is godly wise and wise to saluation who hath knowledge and sinceritie mixed together in his soule shall be called prudent shall shew himselfe be knowen and iustly commended to bee a iudicious and discreet person both in the mouthes of godly men and in the consciences of wicked men and by good effects at last in the sight of all men and the sweetnesse of the lips shal increase knowledge The former part of the sentence declareth what good the wise doe get by wisdome that they attaine to the vertue and praise of prudence and in this latter what good they doe by the same to others which is specified onely in their words in their wel-seasoned and comfortable speeches called the sweetnesse of the lips that therby groweth increase of doctrine to euery attentiue and diligent hearer both for admonition instruction consolation and euery other vse as opportunitie serueth Doct. Sound Religion and pietie in the soule will make men circumspect and prosperous in their waies Their wise behauiour will so well become them and their good successe in the end will so much aduantage them that the eies of many will obserue their comely conuersation and their tongues commend their happy condition The Lawes saith Moses which I haue taught you keepe and Deut. 4. 6.
childe than an old and foolish King which will no more be admonished Eccl. 4. 13. 14. For out of the prison he commeth foorth to raigne when as he that is borne in his Kingdome is made poore Presidents on both sides as well for the aduancement of those that be vertuous as for the deiection of them that fall to vicious courses we haue in one kindred the inhabitants of one familie and sonnes also of one father namely Iacobs Reuben the eldest of all his children for the great fault which hee committed was made yoonger brother losing his birth-right his dignitie and double portion euen from his posteritie for many hundred yeeres together And Ioseph contrarily who exceeded all the rest in pietie and goodnesse did in like manner surmount them in authoritie and honour He was raised from a seruile condition to an eminent estate from the basenesse of a prisoner to the dignitie of a Prince he was made greater than his elder brethren than his Lord and master than the Kings principall Peeres and Nobles than any in the Land of Egypt as being set ouer the Land of Egypt next vnto Pharaoh Reason 1 First the one sort doth please and the other prouoke the Lord whose hand hath the disposing of might and meannesse He aduanceth and he depresseth he lifteth vp and he casteth downe hee maketh some glorious and others contemptible according to his owne pleasure Secondly discretion diligence and faithfulnesse and vertues of the like nature are very amiable in themselues and therefore yeeld delight to such as see them and cause preferment to such as shew them as may appeare Chap. 14. where it is said that the pleasure of a King is in a wise seruant And on Prouer. 14. 35 the other side pride idlenesse contemptuousnesse and such other euill vices doe of themselues bring many mens estates into a consumption and often draw vpon them the displeasure of their superiors to their vtter vndoing Vse 1 Reproofe of their folly that trust to rise and not to fall by wicked waies which are so farre from fearing lest their leaud liues should plucke them vnder seruants and inferiours that they hope thereby to mount aboue Magistrates and superiors And it were to be wished that parents and great personages were lesse fond of vngracious sonnes and seruauts and more wise to giue best countenance to them that are most worthy for diuers chuse them to be dearlings which loue nothing so dearly as that which God abhorreth Ismael is more graced at their hands than Isaac though Abraham preferred a godly seruant before Ismael yea they set vp sinfull seruants to ouer-crow complaine of deride and vilifie their discreet and godly children But let them vnderstand that the Lord will honour those whom they disgrace and make them base whom they so much magnifie Incouragement for them that are in low places if they haue godly and lowly hearts and wise and prudent mindes But this hath beene handled in the last verse of the fourteenth Chapter Verse 3. The fining pot is for siluer and the fornace for gold but the Lord trieth the hearts THE fining pot for siluer Gold-smiths haue their vessels wherein they prooue and trie the gold and siluer from drosse and corruption but the Lord trieth the hearts he alone searcheth them and knoweth them and none but he by grace can purifie them though man by art can refine metals and make them more precious Doct. No skill nor power nor meanes of man are sufficient to deale with the heart He can sound the depth of the sea and he can finde out the altitude of the planets and he can digge downe into the mines of the earth but hee cannot reach to the counsels of the minde That worke the Scripture in many places ascribeth to God only and to none other besides him The heart saith he by Ieremie is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things who can know Ier. 17. 9. 10. it I the Lord search the heart and trie the reines euen to giue to euery man according to his waies and according to the fruit of his workes Dauid was much deceiued in Achitophel whom hee esteemed to be very godly and so was he also in Abshalom whose purpose of going to performe his vow he thought to be very holy And did not the Apostles conceiue too well of Iudas when they began to ioine with him in murmuring at the ointment which was bestowed vpon Christ For notwithstanding the sweet words of Achitophel and the fained deuotion of Abshalom and the counterfeit charitie of Iudas Achitophel prooued a Traitor and Abshalom a Rebell and Iudas a Diuell But it is lesse maruell though men bee beguiled by the fraud of others when they are ignorant of that corruption that is in themselues We speake not of Saul who when hee put the witches to death did little thinke euer to seeke to a witch nor of Hazael who condemning himselfe 2. King 8. 13. to be a dogge if he should deale so cruelly as Elisha said beleeued not that he could become so cruell but of better men euen of the Disciples of Iesus Christ who purposing and promising to stand manfully vnto him did shew themselues very timorous and euery one of them ran away from him And Peter especially which boasted of his courage and resolution Matth. 26. aboue all the rest became more cowardly and faint-hearted than any of the rest Reason 1 First the Lord hath reserued it as a royaltie to himselfe not communicable to any creature to be the searcher of the hart according as Salomon in his praier acknowledgeth saying Thou only knowest the hearts of all the children of men That is an 1. King 8. 39. office depending vpon his omniscious nature None is able to execute it but he that knoweth all things Secondly the soule is a spirit and cannot be sounded and sanctified by any but by him that hath a spirituall power and is the Lord and maker of spirits Vse 1 Instruction to take his testimonie for the state of our soules and not to leane meerely vpon the opinion of men They that be good may flatter vs and they that bee euill may mistake vs but in him is neither dissimulation nor errour The Scribes and Phariseis were commended of the multitude and Paul and Ieremie were condemned of the multitude and yet God condemned the Scribes and Phariseis and he commended Paul and Ieremie But why did the Lord disallow or approoue contrarie to the likings or censures of the people Our Sauiour yeeldeth a reason of it saying to the Phariseis Yee are they which iustifie your selues before men but God knoweth your hearts For that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God So then though all the world should praise thee thou art yet a contemptible person vnlesse thy owne conscience bee vpright and though euerie man should cry out vpon thee thy credit is nothing impaired if thy soule bee sincere
that forsaketh the way and he that hateth correction shall die INstruction Either wholesome doctrine publikely taught or faithfull admonition priuately giuen is euill not in it selfe for the Scripture calleth it A pearle and Holy thing in Matth. 7. 6. one place and preferreth it before siluer and gold and the richest gemmes in another but it so seemeth to him that is Prou. 3. 15. not willing to obey it in whom also it is an occasion of distempered passions and hardnesse of heart to him that forsaketh the way not to euery one that mistaketh the way or through infirmitie sometimes swarueth from it but to such a one as either obstinately refuseth to chuse and walke in the right path of saluation when the knowledge of it is offered vnto him or wilfully departeth from it after that hee hath made some entrance thereunto And he that hateth correction which is imbittered by rebukes and not bettered by chastisements shall die is in danger to perish eternally at the last and to be surprised with some speedie sudden shamefull or cursed death in the meane season and before that to haue some heauy iudgement to fall vpon him Doct. Instruction is euill The worst men are most vnwilling to be taught how to amend their liues The sicker their soules are the more they distaste the Lords medicines the more beggarly their hearts bee the lesse they desire the riches of grace and the greater speed they make towards their destruction the more offensiuely they take it to bee recalled to the way of saluation It hath beene shewed in the ninth chapter and shall be againe in the next verse saue one of this that scorners vse to hate them that reprooue them Nathan Prouerb 9. 8. and Gad and all that dealt with Dauid found alwaies good successe in speaking vnto him for it was his praier to God that the righteous might smite him with rebukes But Eliiah and Psal 141. 5. Micaiah and such as had to doe with Ahab had an angrie countenance and hard speeches from him for he professed that he tooke them for his enemies Reason 1 First they are void of sound iudgement and senslesse of their owne miserable estate and therefore thinke all instructions needlesse as a phrenticke patient or one past feeling of paine doth see no cause of taking physicke Secondly they are void of Christian loue and giuen to vncharitable iudging and therefore interpret all that is spoken to them in the worst sense and impute it to the malice of him that reprooueth them as though euery admonition were giuen as a sentence of condemnation Thirdly they are void of humilitie and haue themselues in high admiration and therefore take it for a great disgrace to be told their dutie as though they were ignorant and especially to bee rebuked for their faults as if they were offenders Vse 1 Instruction that wee proceed on with due care and constancie in the way of faith and holy obedience not suffering sinfulnesse to make a breach in our hearts and behauiours for they that returne backe to that which is euill and fal away from that which is good of all men will like worst continually of them that are the best and of all speeches will least relish those which are the most sauourie and wholesome Consolation to them that desire instruction and learne wisdome from it and disdaine not correction but bee reformed by it This part of the sentence cleereth them from the guiltinesse of contempt They refuse not to walke in the way of God and the next secureth them from the punishment of death They haue not correction in detestation Doct. 2 He that hateth correction Contempt of rebukes and instruction is a fore-runner of some grieuous plagues to follow Heereof the Holy Ghost speaketh at large in the first chapter and there the point will more fully appeare Verse 11. The graue and destruction are before the Lord how much more the hearts of the sonnes of men THE graue The darkest places in the ground or deepest places in the waters where any dead corpse is or hath beene couered and consequently all others as obscure as they or lower than they euen to the very center of the earth and destruction the place and state of the damned spirits are before the Lord hee seeth both how the bodies consume and how the soules suffer and what be the thoughts of them that sustaine such infernall torments how much more the hearts the counsels and purposes and discourses and motions of all the faculties of the soules of the sonnes of men of euery one in euery age that is descended from the race of mankinde so long as he liueth on earth Yet is not this an argument from impuritie in respect of God as though it were easie for him to behold some thoughts and hard to find out others for all are equally comprehended of him but in regard of men which with greater difficultie attaine to the knowledge of that whereunto their sense is not able to reach and with more facilitie discerne that which is subiect to their senses and so according to themselues they conceiue of the Lord. Now if they apprehend that he doth continually obserue and looke vpon things that bee so abstruse and hidden they may be easily perswaded that hee is not vnacquainted with that which is more conspicuous and apparant Doct. There can nothing be kept so close and secret any where but the Lord doth at all times euidently see it The third verse of this chapter was to the same purpose and there the point hath beene spoken too Verse 12. A scorner loueth not him that rebuketh him neither will be goe vnto the wise A Scorner A leaud vngratious person which obstinately hath giuen ouer himselfe to worke wickednesse and derideth all that dislike of his waies loueth not him that rebuketh him but hateth both the reproouer and the reproofe the man and his admonition according as was said before that instruction is euill to him that forsaketh the way neither will he goe to the wise nor be willing that the wise should come to him He affecteth not the company and societie of them that be godly because he knoweth that they will looke into his licentious life and tell him plainely of his inordinate behauiour Doct. He will not goe He that would not be reputed a wicked person must not shunne good companie where he may heare of his faults Both Nathan and Gad when need required dealt plainly with Dauid and told him of things that were amisse in him yet Dauid did banish neither Gad nor Nathan either from his Court or companie The Apostle sheweth that he that hath grace when hee is rebuked and iudged will not rush out of the assemblie and be gone nor exclaime against the Ministers or meeting but humble himselfe and honour the Lord and giue good testimonie of his seruants He will saith he fall downe on his face and worship God and say 1. Cor. 14.
is great and posteritie godly haue beene seruiceable to God and profitable to Gods people in this behalfe that they haue begotten and brought vp such as are like to grow so helpfull and fruitfull both to the Church and Countrey Vse Reproofe of those that rather groane at it as a burden than take comfort in it as a benefit to bee parents of many children They wish their ground to be fertile and their cattle to be fruitfull but their wiues to bee barren or to beare but a few They are glad of their calues of their colts of their lambes of their pigs but grieued and vexed at their sonnes and daughters And why Because they thinke they are put to their finding and depend not on God and his prouision whereas themselues of themselues are not able to prouide one meale or morsell or crumme for themselues much lesse for a familie And if the Lord doe maintaine them will he not doe as much for theirs if they and theirs would become his And is he able to feed a few and insufficient to minister to many Doth he keepe open house for all the fowles of the aire for all the beasts of the earth for all the wormes and vermin vpon and in the ground for all the fishes in the sea and riuers And is he so poore that he cannot or so sparing that he will not allow food for mankinde especially his owne subiects seruants and children But faithlesse men consider not of these things and therefore as they are vnwilling to be called father or grandfather of many so is it righteous that though they should beget great plenty of children yet they should gaine but small store of honour and estimation by the same Instruction so to traine vp our children that Gods fauour may preserue them when sinne and iniquity doth shorten the daies of many leaud and impious Impes that neuer liue to be parents It seemeth that good things were found in Pharez the sonne of Iudah and it is sure that Er and Onan were sinful and wicked and therefore he left a posteritie and such a one as was blessed and happy and they both were destroied childlesse Their names were abolished and his exalted as it appeareth by that praier which was made for Boaz Thine Ruth 4. 12. house be made like the house of Pharez whom Thamar bare vnto Iudah of the seed which the Lord shall giue thee of this yoong woman Consolation to poore people that they are as capable of honour and credit in this respect which is not the worst as those of greater wealth and substance Hee that is of meane state may haue as many children as the richest man in the Country and instruct them as well for necessarie points of saluation and they may liue as long and grow as gracious and be as fruitfull as any others Doct. 2 And the glorie Good parents and progenitors be great ornaments to their children It was of long time accounted an honourable title to bee called Abrahams sonne and so it was indeed to them that also walked in his steps and were like him in grace And such a prerogatiue it was in like manner to descend from Dauid and be of his familie Reason 1 First they obtaine the blessing of God not only for themselues but for the state safetie and glory of their linage or so many of their stocke as shall bee religious and faithfull This is the meaning of the Psalmist when hee saith Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatly in his Commandements Psal 112. 1. 2. His seed shall be mighty vpon earth the generation of the righteous shall be blessed And againe He is euer merciful and lendeth and his seed enioieth the blessing Psal 37. 26. Secondly the praise of that wisdome valour liberalitie and euery other good vertue and grace which is in themselues remaineth as an inheritance to all them of their posteritie which forfeit not their right therein by follie and leaudnesse Whiles Iacob was liuing Ioseph knew it would bee no blemish but a gracing to him to present him to Pharaoh who should behold his grauitie and heare his wisdome And after Iacobs death all the Egyptians which accompanied him to his buriall did actually yeeld to Ioseph the commendation of so worthy a father by that solemne funerall and dolefull lamentation which they made for him Vse Reproofe of foolish fathers which cloath themselues with shame and infamie in hope to decke their sonnes with credit and glory they liue miserably and deale vniustly and cause all men to crie out vpon their worldlinesse fraud and falshood and all to raise vp their houses on high and aduance their names with wealth and honour Neither are fathers onlie heerein faultie but many sonnes succeeding are as much infatuated as they reposing their gentrie more in the possessions and titles of their forefathers than in any goodnesse that euer was in them Those doe they esteeme the worthiest of all their Ancestors which haue beene the wealthiest and highest though worst and vilest Verse 7. Excellent speech becommeth not a foole much lesse lying talke an ingenuous person EXcellent speech Praier thanksgiuing discourse of God of the Scriptures of Religion of any holy things the commendation of that which is good the reproofe and dispraising of that which is euill becommeth not a foole is not seemely in the mouth of a sinfull sot which neither practiseth nor loueth nor vnderstandeth the points whereof hee speaketh much lesse lying talke any manner of corrupt communication whether it be false or filthy worldly or bitter or scoffing or idle for one kinde is put heere for all the rest be seemeth an ingenuous person is comely for a godly wise and honest man such a one as is contrarie to the foole formerly mentioned in profession heart and behauiour to vtter Doct. 1 Good words are vnfit for bad men to speake They lose their lustre and grace in the vncleane lips of vile persons and therefore the Lord doth expostulate the matter with those hypocriticall dissemblers which are alwaies pratling and babling of his Lawes and yet continually transgressing them What hast thou to doe to declare mine ordinances Psal 50. 16. that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my words behinde thee Reason 1 First holy things are thereby prophaned they take the glorious name of the Lord in vaine and so violate his Commandement Secondly they doe much harme by that manner of iangling according to the Prouerbe As a thorne standing vp in Prouerb 26. 9. the hand of a drunkard so a parable in the mouth of fooles They grieue the godly they put back the weake they make good conference lesse regarded they harden their owne hearts they puffe vp themselues with pride they passe sentence against their owne soules they cause Religion and the name of God to be blasphemed Vse 1 Instruction to purge our selues at all times
conclude of a future safety by their present securitie which feare no danger because as yet they feele not destruction as though a Rebell were free from all punishment because he is not arraigned and executed so soone as he beginneth the commotion Verse 12. Let a Beare robbed of her whelpes meet a man and not a foole in his follie THE she beare whose yoong ones haue beene lately taken from her exceedeth all other beasts in rage and fiercenesse From thence doth Hushai take his similitude concerning Dauid Thou knowest saith he to Abshalom thy father and his men that they be strong men and are chafed in minde as a Beare robbed of her whelps in the field And from thence doth 2. Sam. 17. 8. the Lord draw a comparison to expresse the grieuousnesse of the plagues wherewith he purposed to punish the sinfull Israelites I will meet them as a Beare that is robbed of her whelpes Hos 13. 8. and will breake the kall of their hearts And the immanitie of this beast may be discerned by that which befel the wretched boyes which scoffed at Elisha and were cursed by him It is said that two Beares came out of the Forest and tare in peeces two 2. King 2. 24. and fortie of them And yet it is not so dangerous to meet with such a Beare as with a foole in his follie as to fall into the hands of a wicked man in the extremitie of his wickednesse and furie Doct. No wilde beast is so sauage and hurtfull as a violent and sinfull man is Simeon and Leui were fooles in their follie and worse than Gen. 34. Beares when they murdered all the Shechemites and spoiled the Citie of Shechem Saul was a foole in his follie and worse than a Beare when he caused fourescore and fiue Priests of the Lord to be slaine at one time and smote Nob the Citie of 1. Sam. 22. 18. 19. the Priests with the the edge of the sword both man and woman both childe and suckling both Oxe and Asse and Sheepe with the edge of the sword And such was the follie of foolish Pharao Ahab Iezabel Herod and of Paul himselfe before his conuersion Reasons 1 First a Beare or other beast hath nothing in it beyond the nature of an vnreasonable creature but a desperate sinfull man is possessed with the craft crueltie and madnesse of Satan who is more outragious and so maketh them than any other liuing thing can be Secondly hee that keepeth himselfe out of the walke of a beast is free from danger by him and though a man should meet with him yet it is not impossible by art or agilitie to get away from him or if there were no escaping yet at the most he hurteth only the body but an impious wrathfull man will doe mischiefe farre off as well as neere Haman remaining at Shusan had laid a plot for the murdering of all the Iewes in an hundred and seuen and twenty Prouinces Where shall a man hide himselfe from the pawes and teeth of such a Tyrant And these outragious beasts in humane shape beside personall violence offered to the bodies of men will diffame their names and spoile their states and subuert their families and bring many soules to destruction Vse Instruction to walke warily euery where and looke well to our selues that we be not made a prey vnto them for no Wildernesse is more full of Lions and Leopards of Beares and Tigers than townes and Cities are of barbarous and furious fooles It is an absurd shift and excuse of the sluggard to say concerning the vnreasonable creature A Lion is without Prouer. 22. 13. I shall be slaine in the street but it is a part of wisdome to thinke concerning these mankinde beasts a Beare may bee in the way in the street in the house and at the table and therefore it is not safe for mee to meet with him that is by indiscretion and carelesnesse to giue him aduantage against me Neither can there bee safety sufficient for any by any circumspection vnlesse the Lord bee our protector If hee should absent himselfe from vs in his displeasure how soone would the wicked swallow vs vp and deuoure vs their malice being so immeasurable But he standing by vs in his fauour though we walke thorow a roaring wildernesse of wood and wilde people yet are we preserued from all hurt and perill Verse 13. He that rewardeth euill for good euill shall not depart from his house HE that rewardeth euill for good that dealeth iniuriouslie and vnkindly with him that hath declared his loue in outward courtesies any way for his benefit and profit whether by word or deed or hath sought the saluation of his soule by helping him against his sinnes euill plagues and punishments from God and many times displeasure from men also shall not depart from his house from himselfe especially and from his wicked posteritie Doct. Vngratefulnesse for fauours receiued or offered is a hainous and dangerous sinne Iotham chargeth the Shechemites not onely with bloodie Iud. 9. crueltie in massacring and murdering the seuenty innocent sonnes of Gedeon but with barbarous inhumanitie in dealing so vnkindly with his house whose hand had alwaies beene prest and ready for their libertie liues and safetie Dauid was much mooued when hee was so doggedly dealt with by Nabal at whose hands hee had deserued so much good in preseruing of his flocks and God was more offended 1. Sam. 25. with Nabal than Dauid was and reuenged his quarrell vpon him and that with no lesse punishment than the stroke of death And the same Dauid complaineth of the same sinne in his Psal 35. 12. 13. malicious aduersaries which were as greedie of his ruine as he was desirous of their preseruation which put on armour to persecute and take away his life though he put on sackecloth to fast and pray for the protection of their liues Reason 1 First they which are vngratefull to men that haue beene beneficiall vnto them are also vnthankfull to God who hath inclined their hearts and made them able to doe them good By this it doth appeare that Ioas did neuer render due praises to the Lord for his preseruation and crowne because hee yeelded such hard measure to the sonne of Iehoiada who had before beene his protector and brought him to the Kingdome Secondly nature teacheth to requite good with goodnes and Religion requireth to returne good for euill and therefore a great offense it is to requite euil with euill but most intolerable to recompence good with euill Vse Terror for them that are both foolish for themselues and churlish towards their benefactors which are most bitter and violent against their best friends and those which deale most faithfully with their soules they will die vpon their enemies enemie and mortally maligne him that wisheth and would worke their immortall happinesse No foe is so offensiue to them as hee that praieth for them and giueth them good