if they know the will of God and the meaning of his word they discerne not of his nature that he is offended with euery thing which is contrary to his word Or if they apprehend that and conceiue it to bee so yet they thinke him remisse that hee will not so seuerely punish them that offend him Or if they haue not such an erroneous opinion of his dealing towards all yet they hope for indulgence to themselues that he will cast off some part of his iustice to dispense with them howsoeuer the case standeth with others Deut. 29. 19. Reproofe of their folly that seeke to gather the praise of Vse knowledge out of the practise of ignoraunce that contradict and disgrace all sound points of sanctification Of which sort also are they that trouble the Church by setting abroach new fruitlesse fantasticall and pernicious opinions or reuiuing those that haue beene formerly suppressed or managing those that be presently in question These men beguile themselues and beguile the world with a shew of learning but God and good men doe deeme it want of learning For so the Apostle testifieth If any man teach otherwise and consenteth not to the wholesome words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse he is puft vp and knoweth nothing 1. Tim. 6. 3. Their skill and readinesse in this case to crosse the truth proueth not a spirituall growth but a fleshly grosenesse they are not filled with grace but swolne with carnall conceitednesse Shee sitteth at the doore of her house on a seate in the hie Verse 14 places of the Citie Hee continueth still the allegorie resembling wickednesse to an harlot whose propertie is to be abroad in the streetes to meete with companions to intise man to folly by her lookes and beehauiour which sinne doth also by her subtilties to seduce mens soules And yet shee goeth not as an ordinarie strumpet or vagabond but taketh state vpon her like a courtizan Shee sitteth on a seate in the streete which was wont to bee a signe of honour Iob. 29. 7. And the word signifieth a throne or chaire of estate which were for Princes or principall persons On a seate c. Great men without grace bee as much subiect Doct. to sinne and folly as poore men The scripture confirmeth Great men vngratious may be as sinfull as any this when it compareth such kinde of persons to viler creatures Psal 49. 20. Man in honour which vnderstandeth not is like to beastes that perish He dispraiseth not all men of honour for when wisedome and dignitie meete together the one is an ornament to the other but those that bee destitute of vnderstanding hee matcheth not with common men or vilest people but maketh equall to the basest kinde of brutish beastes First they haue the same roote and fountaine of corruption Reasons 1 which is in all other men Secondly they haue more allurements to induce them vnto euill than other men haue their great aboundance to draw them on to voluptuousnesse their might and power to imbolden them to oppression their high degree with the charmes and inchauntments of flatterers to make them high minded and to keepe them from all humiliation and repentance Thirdly Sathan doth in a speciall manner seeke to make a pray of them For they bring whole flockes and flights of other into the net with them Some they leade with counsell and companie and some they driue by force and violence and their example and countenance doth bring some into credite whereby it is made exceeding infectious In all which respects it was said of Rehoboam the sonne of Nebat that hee made Israell to sinne Instruction to such as bee in eminent places and are great Vse 1 personages that they be as watchfull ouer their soules as the vulgar sort and meanest persons The assault of the diuell vpon them is certaine and forcible Their owne strength as small their ouerthrow as dangerous and their punishment as grieuous And therefore it is not a contemptible worke vnmeet for their places to pray often to heare the word and exercise all other seruices of religion vnlesse it be an honourable thing to bee a slaue to Sathan and fit for their degree to perish Confutation of their opinions which so admire the state of men of wealth and worship as if euery one that had power and titles were necessarily wise and happy whereas heere it appeareth that follie doth so possesse many of them that they are wholy transformed into her and instead of being reputed reuerent and wise men they are called by the name of this foolish woman The like in effect is spoken of them Eccles 10. 7. That follie is set in great excellencie and seruants bee riding on horses when seruile men whose hearts bee in bondage to sinfull lusts attaine to greatnesse In the high places c. Assemblies and meetings of men be seldome without the company of sinfulnesse and Sathan For Doct. 2 Sinne and Sathan frequent great assemblies hee will be one in the congregation of God where they come together to pray against him where the Lord striketh at him and woundeth him with his words and therefore will more boldly come to other assemblies which bee onely for ciuill affaires and chiefely when they bee for sinfull exercises as may appeare by the effect of Baal-Peors wake Num. 29. First there bee many to worke vpon and therefore greater Reason 1 is the likelihood of successe Secondly there is vtterance and vent for many sinnes which men vse not to practise alone by themselues as swearing lying bragging scoffing rayling flatterie and all kinde of euill speaches besides many actions and gestures which bee proper to company Thirdly hee hath more helps with him there than when hee dealeth with one alone in secret For they that bee peruerted ioyne with him to peruert others and they which were bad before are so made much worse It would haue ben hard to raise a rebellion against Dauid if euery one had ben singly solicited before there was any assemblie Instruction not to walke streets or haunt much company Vse 1 without due cause and calling It is righteous from God that the diuell should play the marshall to take vp them which stragle abroad without any warrant And that was the cause of Dinahs woe which would needes goe forth to see fashions Gen. 34. 1. When our occasions doe iustly call vs to such places that we prepare to preuent all perils let the word of God be in our hearts to keepe vs from sinne as we would take preseruatiues for our bodies against the pestilence when the aire is infected If the Diuell cast his fiery darts at vs let saith be ready to quench them If folly intise vs with guilefull speaches let wisdome shape her an answere and send her packing To call them that passe by the way that goe right on Verse 15 their way This is the end and purpose of her being
sharpened their appetite as they desire continually to eate Instruction to approue our wisedome and righteousnes in Vse 1 proceeding to be more wise and righteous and so shall wee best please God himselfe 1. Thes 4. 1. So shall we be inriched with more full holinesse 2. Cor. 7. 1. So shall wee bee established more firmely and kept from all apostacie and backesliding 2 Pet. 3. 17. 18. Reproofe of Non-proficients which are taught much and learne little and practise nothing at all Secondly of full persons which thinke they haue attained to a sufficiencie they haue plyed it hitherto and now they may giue ouer their labours they haue gotten inough and now what neede they seeke any more But let them heare what the spirit of God testifieth of their case to the conceited Laodicians when they Apoc. 3. 17. said they were rich and increased with goods and wanted nothing then they were wretched and miserable and poore and had nothing Hee that hath as much grace as euer hee did desire did neuer truely desire to haue any And hee that doth purpose neuer to bee better will presently grow to bee worse and last of all proue to bee starke naught Consolation for such as bee of the mending hand though they haue defects and imperfections and bee drawne aside sometimes with lusts and corruptions yet if they still get ground of these enimies and some addition come daily to their vnderstanding and desires by euery Sermon and other good exercise let them beleeue the testimonie of the holy Ghost they bee in the number of the wise and righteous The beginning of Wisedome is the feare of the Lord and Verse 10 the knowledge of holie men is vnderstanding Hauing so much commended Wisedome and so earnestly perswaded men vnto it he sheweth now wherein it doth consist that men might not be deceiued by the counterfait colour of it discriding it First by the matter that is true pietie and religion called commonly in the word the feare of God because it is an essentiall part thereof and this is not a case contingent as though wisedome and pietie might sometimes concurre in one person and sometimes bee disseuered but necessary and perpetuall the one being alwayes the beginning of the other Secondly by the manner that it is not the knowledge of naturall things that is in Philosophers nor the knowledge of ciuill affaires that is in Politicians nor the historicall and artificiall knowledge of points of Religion that is in hypocrites but the misticall knowledge of the misteries of saluation which the spirit of God doth reueale to the hearts of Christians 1. Cor. 2. 10. 11. No man can be truely wise before he be vnfainedly religious Doct. 1 Salomon had experience both of heauenly wisedome and Religious men onely are wise humane wisedome of the shew of the one and soundnesse of the other and thus doth hee declare his iudgement Let vs Eccle. 12. 13. feare God and keepe his commaundements for this is the whole man nothing but this can make a man to be a man without which he is in worse state then a beast his glory and excellencie consisteth in it and all his profit and comfort proceedeth from it First God himselfe doth vsually in his word call all vnregenerate Reasons 1 men fooles especially euery where in this booke Deut. 32. 28. 29. now he seeth all things as they be and not as they seeme to be and foreseeth all euents that shall fall out heereafter and therefore his testimonie is to be receiued Secondly Wisedome is a streame that floweth onely from the word and that to them that make conscience and not a bare profession of it So hee speaketh by the Prophet concerning hippocrites Loe they haue reiected the word of the Lord and what wisedome is there in them Ier. 8. 9. Many infallible fruites of the spirit be inclosed in it and issue from it and are euermore in company with it as puritie gentlenes readines to be intreated mercie and fulnesse of good fruites sinceritie c. Iam. 3. 17. The miserable condicion of all irreligious people whereas euery one is happy that is wise Instruction that if we would haue the estimation comfort Vse 1 direction successe or any benefite of wisedome let vs not labour for a polliticke head but a holy and sanctified hart not so much for learning and abilitie to dicourse and dispute of points of religion as for faith to beleeue and a good conscience to performe obedience Deut. 4. 6. Confutation of them that esteeme all to bee wise that goe beyond others in wittand them especially that compasse great liuings and wealth was not Achitophell more wittie then any and did he not â—â—t play the foole more then all hath not Sathan more subtilty and cunning then all the men in the world and yet the most foolish creature to worke his owne woe that euer God made in the world The Scripture calleth him a principallitie and a power and speaketh of his craft but no where giueth him the testimonie of wisedome And to them that know how to feather their nests and increase their state The rich man in the gospell may be a president he could get and saue and keepe and thriue as long as hee liued and yet God Luke 12. 20. 22 called him foole when he died and so saith he is euery one that gathereth riches to himselfe and is not rich in God Consolation against the reproches that are cast vpon men when they set themselues to feare the Lord now saith the world they begin to be fooles hitherto they haue liued in good account esteemed for sensible wise men and henceforth they will bee nothing set by now saith the Lord they beegin to be wise hitherto they could haue no approbation from God or good men but now they take the way for good vnderstanding And the knowledge Sound and sanctified knowledge is the Doct. 1 mother of all Christian deuotion where that faileth there can No true deuotion without true knowledge be no sincere pietie so saith God himselfe in the first Chapter ver 29. They hated knowledge and did not chuse the feare of the Lord. Which Iob reproues in the wicked worldlings of his time they say to God depart from vs we desire not the knowledge of thy Iob. 21. 14. 15. wayes who is the Almightie that we should serue him and what profit shall wee haue if we should pray to him wherein they declare that they hate his presence and reiect the knowledge of his will and cast off all care of his worship and so there is an irreligious heart an ignorant minde and an impious behauiour First faith doth neuer goe without it for faith is a perswasion Reasons 1 and that perswasion is an high degree of knowledge the heart beeing firmely assured of the truth of that which Gods promise did giue them to vnderstand Secondly the vnderstanding is the eye of the soule to giue direction and the
beeing foretold of the famine to come made prouision beefore hand for the Saints of Ierusalem First it is a thing pleasing to God to accept of his gifts when Reasons 1 his gracious hand doth reach them out vnto vs and very offensiue to him when we put by the fauour and kindenesse that he maketh offer of For he taketh it either as a contempt of the things which he would bestow or as controlement of his wisedome as though he did not see far inough into the fitnesse of euery season Secondly the euents that fall out on both sides doe make this manifest they that open their hands to receiue when God openeth his to giue they that are prepared to accept with thankefulnesse as hee is ready to bestow in mercie such shall haue the blessings of God confirmed vnto them with newblessings and to them will he communicate much and often and that which is excellent which vse speedy intertainment to his graces But on the other side when men hold him off with delaies and grow nice and coye and turne his benefits backe vpon him they shall be soone rid of them and stript of all his mercies they shall call and cry at another time and haue no answere they shall search and seeke and finde no successe they shall feele their wants and faile of supply to releeue them Reproofe of them that be euill husbands for themselues in Vse the things of this present life pretermitting the precious time of getting skill in any profitable trade or science and onely learne the art of vanitie and bee many yeares apprentises to dogs and dice and hawkes and boules and to euery ruffianly companion that shall teach them to swagger and sweare to swill and quaffe and play all the parts of professed Atheists And so at last their wits beeing worne out for want of wisedome which would haue preserued them their strength consumed in striuing to doe mischiefe and age perishing in them as neuer yeelding fruite to themselues or any others they come to that condicion as did the vagabonds that Iob speaketh of that euery man will be readie to prefer his dogs before them as in equirie it is fit for the master to take the better hand of the seruant and to let his very dunghill haue preheminence aboue them Their wretched and cursed courses in mispending their time do worke them the fulnesse of woe and misery and make them odious and hatefull to God and godly men and to ciuill men and burthenous and loathsome to vngodly and sinfull men Secondly of them that be vnthriftie for their soules which neuer apply themselues to prepare for another life before they be departing out of this They doe not once thinke of seeking heauen and euerlasting saluation vntill they bee sinking into hell and perpetuall perdicion They imagine that earthly things will require long labour to compasse them but pietie and grace repentance and faith may be gotten in a moment they be ready at their will and their will wil be flexible to their wish and neither abilitie nor will nor wish will bee wanting at the time of their deathes Oh miserable men how long will their eyes bee blinded How long will their hearts be hardned do they not perceiue that sinne and Sathan haue power ouer their affections and desires and purposes and will and all the faculties of their whole soules Euen this maketh it cleare that it is so because they doe not perceiue it to be so And if their soules bee in such bondage and subiection and held at the wil of the diuell that now in their fresh age health their sences being more capable of instruction and the ministerie of the word readie to yeeld instruction that they cannot attaine to sound and godly sorrow and conuersion let them not deceiue themselues as though in sicknesse and paine and dotage and sencelesenesse and affected blindnesse of minde they can by their owne disposition returne sincerely to the Lord. Blessings are vpon the head of the righteous but iniquitie Verse 6 shall couer the mouth of the wicked Blessings That is all kinde of happinesse euery good gift of God that is fitte for them as peace plentie grace and health c All shall be vpon the head of the righteous meaning vppon the whole soule and body of euery faithfull holy man And they are said to be on the head because they come downe from aboue and light as it were vpon the head and so discend to the other parts But iniquitie the vengeance of God executed for violence and sinne shall couer the mouth of the wicked shall take away all excuses and defences from him Now heere is somewhat vnderstoode in the former clause and expressed in the latter and somewhat expressed in the latter and to be supplyed in the former Blessings are vpon the head of the righteous and therefore doe open his mouth viz to praise God and maintaine his owne innocencie and iudgements called here violence or iniquitie by a metonymie of the cause they are vpon the head of the wicked and so close vp their mouth Blessings c. The greatest reward that God doth giue to Doct. 1 his seruants in this life is to blesse them That is very ordinarie Blessednes is the greatest gift of God to his seruants with the Prophets in the Psalmes and other places of Scripture in wishing well to the Church to pray for this and in gratulations to commend it and in thankefulnesse to God to acknowledge it As in the sift Psalme ver 12. desiring the comfort and ioy of faithfull men and praying the Lord to worke it in them he sheweth what iust cause they had to bee so affected For thou Lord saith hee wilt blesse the righteous and with fauour wilt compasse him as with a shield First such blessings as are heere spoken of be sure testimonies Reason 1 of Gods loue and proceede meerely from his gracious goodnesse they are infallible pledges of his fauour as it appeareth in the wordes of the Psalme last quoted Secondly they be prerogatiues peculiarlie appropriated to godly men for saith hee in an other place Saluation belongeth to the Lord and thy blessing is vpon thy people It is alwaies accompanied with saluation none are blessed but such as are saued and none are either blessed or saued but such as are the people of God Thirdly they haue all good things infolded in them which readilie according to our neede are ministred vnto vs. Deut. 28. Fourthly Gods blessings doe season all prosperitie and the gifts that it bringeth and maketh them comfortable and all aduersitie and maketh it profitable whereas the curse doth poyson both to the wicked Instruction that whereas we desire to haue the Lord poure Vse 1 this heauenly gift vpon vs so let vs obserue the condicions that he doth prescribe to them which shall receiue it Let vs get holinesse into our hearts and blessings cannot chuse but bee vpon our heads let righteousnesse haue place
in our actions and behauiour and peace will haue force in our soules and bodies Consolation to all true hearted Christians that haue this blessed gift of Gods blessing Hee that may truely be said to possesse the blessing cannot possibly say how much he doth possesse The varietie of his treasure is vnspeakeable his substance exceedeth all estimation his inheritance is endlesse and without all bounds and limits Though wee should be as much molested with malitious men as Dauid and Paul were and as much assaulted by Sathan and tryed by Gods owne hand with losses or bodily infirmities as Iob was yet if we be blessed of God as they were what cause can there be of feare or griefe or discontentment The blessing bringeth strength for supportance in them the blessing bringeth issue and deliuerance out of them the blessing worketh the right vse of them the blessing yeeldeth a plentifull reward of comfort and good prosperitie in this life and of glorie and euerlasting happinesse in the life to come When God entreth into iudgement with wicked men hee Doct. 2 will cause the plague so to manifest their sinnes that they shall Wicked mens sin shall bring them to shame not bee able to denie them Though hipocrites can make the greatest shew and vsuallie bee most forward to speake for themselues yet when God found out the dissembler in the Gospell and called him to a reckoning for intruding himselfe to his feast without a wedding garment he was striken dumme Mat. 22. 12. and speechlesse hee could plead nothing for himselfe Haman standing onely before the minister of Gods vengeance hauing beene before that time his greatest friend yet when Hester accused Hest 7. 6. him of his false and cruel practices he stoode mute and could not reply He that attempted to stop the mouth of Mordocai had his owne mouth stopped with his violence And therefore when God himselfe commeth to indite men and to set their sinnes in order before them all mouthes shall be stopped Psal 50. 21. and all the world shall be culpable before him No sinful Rom. 3. 19. and vnregenerate person which hath no right to plead Christs merits can possibly speake any thing to iustifie himselfe First that the Lord may haue his words verfied to be all Reasons 1 true and righteous his dealings also iust and holy Psal 51. 4. And for this cause howsoeuer sinfull men haue their mouthes shut vp at his iudgements that they can say nothing for themselues yet he doth sometimes open their mouthes to draw out a confession against themselues as in the case of Iudas and Pharao and Adonibezek Mat. 27. 4. Exod. 9. 27. Iudges 1. 7. Secondly in regard of the elect sinners that seeing the sin and punishment mixed together and themselues guiltie of the one and worthie of the other they may be humbled and driuen to repentance So were Iosephs brethren frighted and brought to make this confession what shall we speake and how shall we iustifie our selues God hath found out the wickednesse of thy seruants Gen. 44. 16. Thirdly it maketh the torments of the reprobate to be exceeding fearefull and terrible Fourthly it is for admonition to others to take heede by their examples This hath Zachary Chap. 1. 4. 5. 6. c. Be not like your fathers that would not heare the former Prophets Where are your fathers Did not my words take hold of them and they returned and said as the Lord hath determined to doe vnto vs according to our owne wayes and workes so hath hee done Fiftly for the ioy and comfort of Gods people seeing the Lord vndertaking their cause and executing his wrath vpon their enemies Admonition not to aduenture to commit such sinnes as Vse 1 wee can cloake and coulour by denials defences excuses or extenuations or if wee haue that way faulted already let vs speede our confession least the Lord hasten his plagues to compell vs vnto it or if wee will not bee brought to acknowledge them our selues the iudgements and curses which he will send forth shall openly publish and declare them And therefore it is good to iudge our selues that hee may spare vs to open our mouthes for a free confession and to shut them from lessening of our offences So did Iob. Chap. 39. 37. Behold I am vile what shall I answere thee I will lay my hand vpon my mouth Once haue I spoken but I will answere no more yea twise but I will proceede no further And that grace doth God promise to his people by the Prophet Ezechiell I will establish my Ezechi 16. 62. 63. couenant with thee and thou shalt know that I am the Lord that thou mayest remember and be ashamed and neuer open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done saith the Lord God The memoriall of the iust shall bee blessed but the name Verse 7 of the wicked shall rotte This is one perticular of the blessings mentioned in the former verse that that which is dearest to a man as his mane shall bee in estimation and good account The remembrance and mention of him being absent aliue and when hee is dead shall bee acceptable and with his praise and commendation But the name of the wicked is cursed and therefore had in hatred and detestation euen as much loathed as the stinke of his carcasse that lyeth rotting in the graue The credite and honour of good men will grow to be better Doct. and the reputation of sinners will bee turned into shame Good men grow in credit but sinners glory ends in shame Onely godly men haue good names and it is one difference that God putteth betweene them and the wicked that they bee blessed heerein peculiarly and all others excluded from the benefit of it Such a threatning doth Isaias denounce against the wicked You shall leaue your name as a curse to my chosen for the Lord God shall slay you and call his seruants by a new name Though sinfull men bee magnified of sinners yet they shall bee made abhominable to Saints and that is the greatest reproach and though good men bee despised of the world yet God will giue them glory and increase it and vouchsafe the titles not onely of his seruants but euen of his owne children First they all and none but they are in credite with God Reasons 1 and good men and that onely is to be accounted true honour Secondly the graces of sound hearted Christians will more and more appeare and shine out and the secret sinnes of hipocrites and other euill men will bee discouered and brought to light and both sorts shall haue estimation in time according to their behauiour 1. Tim. 5. 24. 25. Thirdly glorie is an vnseperable companion of goodnesse and so is shame of sinne for God hath ioyned them together and therefore hee that hath one of them cannot bee without the other Confutation of their errour that hope
to be-come honorable Vse 1 and famous and to leaue a name behinde them by fleshly courses some by getting much and raysing vp their houses and performing great exploytes But the vnhappie successe of their vaine expectation is noted in the Psalmes that though they thinck their houses and habitacions shall continue from Psal 49. 11. 12. generation to generation and call the lands by their names yet they shall not continue in honour but perish like beasts that dye of the murraine Who in all the world preuailed like to Nabucadnezzar in Nabucadnezzars time and yet howsoeuer he was applauded and admired at the first he was derided and exploded at the last and made a prouerbe and parable of reproach Some by fine wit and policie and dexteritie in speaking But let Achitophel and Herod be examples to these the one in counsell was wonderfull deepe and his speeches were as oracles and yet wee repute him not to be a man of famous memory but behold in him the very image and figure of infamie The other for his eloquent oration was deified of the people and with a concordant acclamation extolled for a god but yet as God layd a present stroke vpon his bodie and deliuered his life into the power of base vermin to gnaw out his bowells so he layd a continuall curse vpon his name which will cleaue vnto it for euer Some others by hipocrisie and pretence of mercie and pittie and yet with out all conscience or loue of either But praise so purchased is subiect to staines and losse of colour The Pharisies had obteined the opinion of goodnesse godlinesse righteousnesse and of all vertue They were almost of all men thought to be the most holy men and can there now bee a greater indignitie offered to a man then to call him a Pharisee for that name carrieth in it the perfect paterne of pride hipocrisie and palpable dissimulation Consolation to righteous men that God vndertaketh the protection of their names it is not in the power of any creature to spoyle them of their credit and reuerence it is as surely preserued as their saluation as their life is euerlasting so is the amiable remembrance of them Psal 112. 6. The Prophets and Apostles and Christ himselfe and good men in their times were euill spoken of and now haue a most blessed memoriall And so of latter yeares it was a great dignitie to be a Wolsey or a Gardiner or others that weere of great place and cruell disposition but now wee reuerence the names of Cranmer Ridley Latimer Hooper Bradford and the meanest of them that suffered for the Gospell of Christ though they were then condemned for heretikes The Apostle Peter incourageth vs to be bold and cheerefull though we should be railed vpon for Christ his sake for the spirit of God is a spirit of glory and that is giuen to vs and resteth vpon vs and who shall remoue it from vs Nabothei name was in great hazard to be blemished when hee was conuicted and executed for treason and blasphemie and no meanes leaft in appearance to cleare his innocencie yet God knowing it hath made vs to know it and the short shame that he bare for a time is turned to a durable honour through all generations The wise in heart will receiue commandements but the Verse 8 foolish in talke shall be beaten The wise in heart c. That is such as haue sauing knowledge and conscience will receiue commaundements will heare and obey the word of God without replies and cauils against it but the foolish in talke he that abuseth his lips to murmuring and friuolus obiections shall bee beaten that is shal be plagued for his contempt The sence will be plaine if the supply be made in both clauses of the opposition in this manner The wise in heart will readily receiue commandements and therefore shall be rewarded but the foolish in heart will bee foolish in talke to reiect commandements therefore shall be punished We ought to be tractable to the will of God without resisting Doct. or gainsaying To this duetie Saint Iames doth admonish Men most obay where God commands Iames. 1. 19. vs saying Let euery man be swift to heare and slow to speak his meaning is not to perswade men to come sodainely and rashly to the word without preparation but to hearken desirously with reuerence and attention when they are prepared and not to picke quarrels against that which is deliuered vnaduisedly and out of a distempered affection but vpon mature deliberation with a minde willing to be resolued to propose their doubts First the Lord hath absolute authoritie ouer vs and therefore Reasons 1 he iustly may lay his commandements vpon vs. Secondly his whole will and all his waies are perfectly righteous and therefore to take exception against them must needes be vnrighteous Thirdly they are altogether full of wisedome and therefore none but fooles will prefume to charge them with folly Instruction to cast off and remoue away the sinfull lusts of Vse 2 our hearts the fleshly discourse of carnall reason and the resolute and setled purpose of any wicked way For all these will imbitter the soule and whet the tongue to withstand and resist the holy commandements of God Iames. 1. 21. 1. Pet. 2. 1. Ier. 44. 16. 17. Reproofe of them that are willing to receiue the promises of God but not the commaundements or if they doe it is in such things as bee agreeable to their owne will or at least not contrary to it So they dealt with Ieremiah ntreating him to Ier. 42. 20. declare vnto them all that the Lord should say and they would doe it and they would haue beene as good as their word if he had incouraged them to take their voyage into Egypt whither they were bent to goe but when he diswaded them from it by expresse prohibition and threatnings they grew to another point that it was not God which spake that but Ieremie and Ieremie did not speake truely but falsely and it was not of himselfe but from Baruch and Baruch had no good meaning in it but to deliuer them into the hands of the Chaldeans to be slaine or carryed away captiues Ier. 43. 2. 3. Consolation for them that submit themselues to learne and obay the doctrine of gods will though it many times do crosse them in their affections and desires in their reason and conceits in their pleasures and delights in their profits and commodities this manifesteth true wisedome this declareth a faithfull heart this giueth a cleere testimony of sinceritie The rich young man attained not to this nor Herod went so far though he did many things by Iohns perswasion yet hee would not wholy conforme himselfe as to the will of God to doe euery thing or to leaue euery thing according as he required Mat. 19. 22. Mar. 6. 17. 18. 20 Terrour for the braue gallants of our age which exercise their ripe heads and fresh wits in wrestling with
carelesnesse of his name and credit as though negligently he had discouered it himself for he would haue hid it from the Lord consequently from all men if he could haue so carryed the matter Hee that winketh with the eye worketh sorrow and hee that is foolish in talke shall bee beaten Verse 10 This confirmeth the latter clause of the former verse that they that peruert their waies shall bee knowne though they doe it neuer so secretly which is meant by the winking of the eye Yet by this it shall appeare that it is knowne because it shall bee punished For as they practise mischiefe against others and many times worke them sorrow so they certainely bring mischiefe on their owne heads and procure sorrow to their owne soules And yet all winking is not condemned but that which tendeth to hurt when men winke wiles The Apostle bekned or winked at Iohn that hee should aske who Ioh. 13 24. it was that should betray Christ yet this was well done of him for he shewed a reuerend regard of Christ that he would not bee lowd and audacious in his presence If they peruert their waies openly by beeing foolish in speech open iudgement shall bee executed vpon them for their open sinnes and thereby their mouthes shall bee stopped It is not safe to vse any member of the body or any gesture Doct. though neuer so closely to commit sinne The sonnes of Sinne must â—â—ue no alowance Beliall vnthriftie persons are so described by their behauiour and threatned to bee punished Chap. 6. 12. 13. 14. 15. Hee walketh with a froward mouth hee maketh a signe with his eyes hee signifieth with his feete hee instructeth with his fingers c. Therefore shall his destruction come speedely hee shall bee destroyed sodenly without recouerie They are markes and messengers of a sinfull heart within Reasons 1 as in the same Chap. ver 14. Lewde things are in his heart hee imagineth euill at all times Secondly great hurt is done by such gestures and speeches and other like behauiour Thirdly the members of our bodies as eyes and tongue and such like were created for the seruice of God and are required to bee weapons of righteousnesse against sinne and not of sinne against God and his righteousnesse Rom. 6. 19. To looke well to euery one of them that none of them be Vse 1 in pay with Sathan or lust or mallice to fight the battailes of the flesh against the word and spirit of God The Lord forbiddeth to set a foote towards the breach of the Sabbath or to smite with the fist of wickednesse or to lift vp a finger to crueltie or hard dealing Isay 58. 4. 9. 13. Terrour for them that haue the members of their bodies as armed rebels against the Lord all following a sinfull heart which is their captaine and leader Consolation to the seruants of God that the Lord beholdeth euery looke of the wicked aduersaries euery beck euery nod and all their plots and practises and therefore euery one shall bee frustrate and defeated And so the Lord heareth the boasts and insultations the threatnings and slanders and all kinde of hurtfull calumniations that are breathed out against his people hee will take their cause in hand and those virulent tongues that haue beaten others with false accusations and lies shall be beaten themselues with the rod of his vengeance and the innocencie of the righteous shall bee cleared by the punishment inflicted vpon their enimies The mouth of a righteous man is a welspring of life but Verse 11 iniquitie couereth the mouth of the wicked In Israell and in the countries bordering vpon it it was a great benefit to haue wels of water both for the vse of men and of the cattle therefore things of great account be many times compared to them in the Scriptures and heere the mouth of a righteous man is so called in a double respect both for the constancie of good conference according to the similitude for such springs as were continuall and would hold out as well in Sommer as in Winter were said to bee wells of liuing water Gen. 26. 19. as also and especially for the good effect that they be instruments sometimes to beeget and vsually to confirme and refresh the life of the soule The latter part of the verse hath beene expounded in the sixt verse The exposition standeth thus The mouth of a righteous man doth slow alwaies with wholesome words and therefore shall bee continued open with blessings But the mouth of a wicked man doth slow alwaies with hurtfull words and therfore shall be stopped with violence The mouth of the righteous c. A good man is neuer barren Doct. of good speeches It is giuen as a precept by the Apostle Good men haue euer good wordes to the Collossians 4. 6. that their speech should bee alwayes gracious and poudred with salt that is holy and wholesome for the matter and discreete and seasonable for the manner which is not onely a commaundement deliuered by God as a thing that ought to bee but a duetie in exercise and practise with all godly Christians First the law of the Lord is in their heart and therefore Reasons 1 they cannot choose but talke and confer of it Psal 37. 30. 31. Secondly their loue to God and the conscience of their dutie constraineth them to praise him for his word and nature and workes and to make his glory appeare vnto others Thirdly they vse it as a meanes to refresh their owne harts and to procure help by prayer and such other exercises for the supply of all their wants of soule and body Fourthly their loue to their brother and desire to haue men brought to euerlasting life doth stir them to teach and exhort to rebuke and admonish to comfort and encourage and euery way to help them to saluation Confutation of them who ascribe the abilitie of conference Vse 1 and prayer wholy to men of wit and learning that therefore they can say nothing because their education hath not beene in such exercises it belongeth to preachers and ministers But the holy Ghost doth impute it to righteousnesse heere and to the efficacie and power of the spirit Zack 12. 10. I will poure vpon the house of Dauid and on the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and prayer hee saith not they shall attaine vnto the art and methood of prayer which carnall men may get by carnall meanes in the earth but it is a blessing poured downe from aboue as a gift from heauen which onely his owne children haue descending vpon them and all his people be replenished with it It was not promised onely to the Priests and Leuites and Prophets but to the house of Dauid as in former times it had beene on Dauids owne person and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem as well as to the house of Dauid Hee that saith expresly that hee cannot pray saith also by consequence that he is not righteous
at all is done to them If their houses had beene broken vp by men and their money taken out of their chests their neighbours should heare their clamours and the whole countrie should heare their outcries but let the diuell himselfe bereaue them of that portion which should not haue beene onely for liuing but life not for this present state but their euerlasting state in this case they be quiet no wrong is offred to them they haue sustained no manner of losse It is set downe as a iudgement and curse by the Prophet that men shall put their money into a broken bagge and what a fearefull case stand they in then Hag. 16 that put the sacred instructions of the blessed word of God into a bottomlesse heart that can hold nothing but that which will peruert and hurt them The Apostle giueth an earnest caueat to the Hebrewes admonishing them strictly to giue Heb. 2. 1. heed to the things which they heard least they should let them slippe and as the word signifieth should leake or runne out For it were better to haue wounds in our bodies that all our bloud should gush out then to be rifted vessels hauing chinkes in our soules that the doctrine of life should soake away and oaze out from vs. Consolation to them that haue couetous desires after spirituall dishes that would suffer nothing that wayes to passe from them but inlarge their affections vnsatiably to gather all It is no point of folly as it was in the rich man Luke 12 to multiply worldly wealth but these haue the Lord to commend their wisedome and it may as truly be affirmed of them as of such as be mercifull because they bee the same persons though the respects differ that they lay vp store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life But the mouth of the wicked c. The tongues of vngodly Doct. 2 men are alwaies pernitious and hurtfull Of them Saint Iames An ill mans mouth worketh much woe speaketh largely comparing them to fire breaking out in an house or whole towne especially when it commeth by the hostilitie of the enemie making assault to it by meanes whereof men are stayed from extinguishing of it and haue not onely their goods but their life also in great perill And this flame of the tongue is so much more dangerous then materiall fire because it is kindled of hell that is the diuell himselfe hath set Zac. 3. 5. 7. it on worke And so in the same place he resembleth them to poyson and that not of the common sort but to strong poyson which is deadly and faileth not to worke the bane of them that drinke it First they are hurtfull and bring great annoyance and mischiefe Reasons 1 to other men and therfore in the Scriptures are called swords and arrowes and rasors and mortall weapons Ier. 9. 8. Psal 52. 2. And yet such similitudes are not able fully to expresse and set out the euill that commeth by venemous mouthes and virulent speeches First the tongue most commonly causeth weapons to bee drawen all warres all rebellions all massacres all quarrels all manner of strifes are first breathed out of mens mouthes on some part Secondly the hand may be held that handleth the weapon the strokes may be warded armour may preserue from the violence of them or there may be refuge and couert to hide them that are pursued but who can stay an vnruly tongue What defence is against it whither shall a man fly from a false accuser what distance of place will preuent malicious calumniations Thirdly they which fall into the hands of most fierce and cruell enemies which are pearced and wounded with keenest and sharpest edge tooles haue all the hurt vpon their bodies the extreamitie of it reacheth but to take away their naturall life but a slanderous tongue doth smite at the name which an ingenious man would forgoe his breath to preserue and a pestiferous seducing tongue doth peruert the soule and by the poyson thereof are many thousands brought to euerlasting perdition Secondly they bring destruction vpon themselues and draw mischiefe vpon their owne heads as the Scripture testifieth The words of a wise man haue grace but the lips of a foole deuoure â—ccl 10. 12. 13. himselfe The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishnesse and the latter end of his mouth is wicked madnesse The truth of this shall be spoken of more at large in the eightenth Chapter and seauenth verse vpon these words A fooles mouth is his owne destruction and his lippes are a snare for his soule Instruction to be very well aduised in all our speeches sithens Vse 1 they are so important and weightie Who would not heedefully foresee where his arrow shall hit before he shoote it out of his bow least it should destroy any person or other creature through negligence who would not be very circumspect and wary in discharging of a peece least hee should doe mischiefe by it And yet by these a man may affray and not hurt and hurt and not kill and kill and not dye himselfe but what arrow what shotte what artillery what murdering peece is to bee compared to the mouth of a man that is not guided by a wise and watchfull foresight Great woe it worketh to other men but it surely bringeth death it selfe vnto himselfe euery word that breaketh an other mans skinne doth certainely breake the kall of his owne heart and he that doth aime at an other to giue him a wound can not misse himselfe to violate his owne life For so wee learne in this booke Hee Prou. 13 3. that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life but he that openeth his lips destruction shall bee to him It concerneth therefore euery man to be as prouident yea more carefull to looke to that which goeth out of his lips then to that which commeth in to bee more affraid to vtter blasphemous reuiling slaunderous and infectious speeches in regard of the soule then to eate and deuour vnwholesome meates in regard of the body And by this we are admonished to commit our mouthes to a better keeper then our owne wit or reason or ciuill disposition least lust and Sathan doe ouer rule vs to let in what they will and to let out sinfull words when and whither and as oft as they will And this mooued the Prophet to pray to the Lord to set a watch before his mouth and to keepe the doore of his lips Confutation of them that thinke it nothing dangerous to speake whatsoeuer words they say are but winde when a man hath spoken he hath done and so there is an end of that matter Nay when a sinfull man hath spoken sinfully much hurt is done and so there is but the beginning of a bad matter for all the mischiefe followeth after So it may be said of a cup of poyson it is but a draught and when a man hath swallowed
aboue it is no gift of God it is sensuall carnall and diuellish Secondly not to hearken to the reports of such wicked persons that seeke to defame others and detract from their good name they are but foolish and base pedlers that vtter such infectious wares and therefore they cannot be wise chapmen that trafficke with them and receiue them at their hands It is the propertie of the wicked to giue heede to false lips and lyars hearken to naughtie tongues Prou. 17. 4. Consolation for them that are molested and vexed vniustly for the Gospels sake by clamorous and false accusers let them consider what account God maketh of their malicious aduersaries he calleth them fooles and derideth their practises and therefore in the end it shall be seene that when they haue spat all their venome they haue but shotte a fooles bolt and procured shame and sorrow to themselues The sinne ceaseth not by the multitude of words but hee that refraineth his lips is wise Verse 19 He seemeth still to proceede in the prosecution of the matter spoken of in the seauententh verse that men take an euill way for themselues which refuse to be reprooued The words immediately going before these declare how some reiect it by inward hatred and bitternes of heart and yet outwardly make semblance of great loue and friendship others breake out into open profession of their discontentiment and malice by reproching those that would help them out of their sinnes and heere commeth a third sort which would shift off all rebukes by denying defending cloaking or colouring their faults by excusing and extenuating matters that are charged vpon them But all is in vaine the sinne will not bee blowen away with breath and therefore hee sheweth that it is a poynt of wisedome to giue place by silence and to take the blame vpon them The sinne ceaseth not c. The multiplying of words doth make a bad cause rather worse then better So Ieremie telleth the impenitent people that were very forward to cleare themselues Doct. of their sinnes whereof they are accused Thou sayest A fault excused is oft times inrcesed Ier. 2. 35. because I am guiltlesse surely his wrath shall turne from mee behold I will enter with thee into iudgement because thou sayest I haue not sinned Their excuses were accusations their denials were conuictions their seeking impunitie without repentance did hasten and augment their punishment First when they defend or make things small trifles which are vnlawfull to be done they contradict the word of God and his truth which no wit nor art nor eloquence shal be able to preuaile against Secondly when they hide their facts by deniall or labour to supply their omissions by assuming that to themselues which they neuer performed the eye of the Lord doth beehold their falsehood his eares doe heare how vntruly they iustifie themselues he knoweth all their guiltinesse and he will make the world to know their guilfull haulting Though Saul failed of obedience to the will of God yet hee arrogated the praise of fulfilling it though Samuel by demonstration declared his sinne yet he sought to make an Apologie for himselfe and to lay all the offence vpon the people but that course tooke none effect it did him no good for body or soule it nothing preserued his honor or state he was conuicted and censured sentenced and vtterly cast off notwithstanding all his excuses Thirdly their owne consciences apprehend euery action and word and intent of the heart and the mouer of their whole life and they will not bee illuded by the fraud of the lips but take occasion thereby to passe a more heauie sentence vpon them Fourthly it is a sinne of it selfe to bee giuen to ouer much talke as hauing selfe liking and rashnesse for the rootes thereof and therefore it cannot possibly be a medecine to cure other sinnes Instruction to leaue off speaking to men for the mitigation Vse 1 of our transgressions and to speake to our owne hearts for iudging and aggrauation of them to the Lord by acknowledgement that we may be pardoned Prou. 28. 13. Consolation to them that humbly yeeld to a rebuke without replies that their state is good though their actions were bad they are wise now in restrayning their lippes from speaking of sinne though they were foolish before to commit it The tongue of the iust man is as fined siluer but the heart Verse 20 of the wicked is little worth Hee setteth foorth the excellencie of the speech of Godly men by comparison resembling it to siluer that is purged and fined from the drosse that was in it Because a good man will be carefull of his tongue not onely that there bee no mixture of filthines and lewdenesse in his words but also to auoyde all superstuous and idle babling and so to open his mouth with holy wisedome Which is contrary in the wicked because there is a contrary fountaine in him of sinfulnesse and corruption and no matter of vertue and grace which are the springs of all wholesome speeches Thus therefore standeth the Antithesis the tongue of the iust man is as fined siluer because his hurt is precious but the tongue of the wicked is as drosse because his heart is nothing worth The tongue of the iust man c. The best wealth of a Christian Doct. 1 is laid vp in his heart and disbursed with his lips And Good mens wealth is in their hart and is vttered with the lippes Math. 12. 25. that is the meaning of our Sauiour when he saith that a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth foorth good things An euill man may haue coyne and plate and iuels in his treasury and yet haue no treasure and may draw money out of his purse yet haue no good yet haue no good therewithall but to haue grace in the soule and to vtter gracious words with the tongue is proper to a good man and the exercise good and the fruite of it good to himselfe and others And albeit here seeme to be a comparison of equall as though the tongue were iust of the same value and worth that fined siluer is yet it is to be vnderstoode that at least it is so pure and precious but in deede far beyond it in excellencie First this is one of the good and perfect giftes which is from Reasons 1 aboue and commeth downe from the father of lights whereas Iames. 1. 17. siluer is a tertestiall matter euen earth it selfe digged out of the earth and neuer did but grow in the ground Secondly this is currant in heauen and acceptable to God himselfe with whom gold and siluer are of small estimation Thirdly such things are obtained by it which no money can purchase as wisedome and grace and the assurance of Gods eternall fauour and all good things that concerne both Prou. 2. 3. 5. soule and body Ezekias and Iehosophat with other good kings could not haue preserued
themselues by their purses and treasures as they did by their prayers and holy exercises of their tongues Ionah could not haue beene comforted nor holpen by the greatest quantitie of money in the whales belly where his prayer was very effectuall Peter could not haue giuen so good an almes to the poore creeple if hee had beene stored with siluer Act 3. 6. 7. and gold as hee did by the efficacie of his words through the name of Iesus Christ Instruction to shew our selues righteous by putting away Vse 1 all obscenitie of speeches that neither silthinesse or couetousnesse be once named amongst vs nor foolish talking nor seurrill bitter or vncomely iesting or any kind of rotten communication as the Apostle calleth it but onely that which is for the vse of edifying that it may minister grace to the hearers Ephe. 5. 4. 4. 29. And especially let vs beware of the drosse of dissimulation vntruth and falsehoode which bee-seeme not righteous persons Make no report for certainiie of any thing that is vncertaine neuer make a promise without a setled purpose and resolution of performance The faithfulnesse of Boas in this case was so prooued and made manifest that when hee had once giuen his word to Ruth Naomy biddeth her to binde vpon it and not further to trouble her selfe for saith she the man will not bee in rest vntill hee haue finished the matter this same day Ruth 3. 18. Consolation if good men notwithstanding their great infirmities and corruptions haue yet such sinceritie in speaking and such fidelitie in performing that which they speake how shall not the righteous God in comparison of whom all men are lyars and who is not so properly called true as truth all his words veritie it selfe how shall not hee I say fulfill all his promises and stand to his couenants that hee hath made with his people Hee hath vndertaken for their saluation their maintenance protection safety from sathan deliuerance from tirants and persecutors and shall not all this bee accomplished is not all pure mettall that he pronounceth is it not as siluer tried seauen fold in the sire Psal 12. 6. If hee should faile of his word he should forget his truth and in forgetting his truth should forgoe his nature and consequently should forfeite his deitie which were an execrable thing so much as to conceiue But the heart of the wicked c. Though sinfull persons Doct. 2 make neuer so great a shew on the outside yet there is nothing A wicked man hath his worst side inward within them worth any thing To that purpose tend the words of the Apostle collected out of the Psalmes the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise to bee but vaine If the point had stood vpon mans opinion there might easily haue beene an errour in it but he bringeth the testimonie of god vpon sure infallible knowledge to cōfirme it And wheras the Prophet nameth man indefinitely that is euery man vnregenerate Psal 94. 11. Hee singleth out the chiefe and choysest of all the sort of them whose purposes seeme to bee of greatest price and most likely to preuaile and sayeth that the thoughts of the wise men best qualified with art and naturall parts are not onely vaine but very vanitie as the Psalmist hath it Reasons 1 First they are altogether destitute of the spirit of grace Secondly the heart of man without the spirit is foule and filthie and an vncleane sinke of all abhominations Thirdly the streames that issue from thence declare what the fountaine is when all their words and actions and recreations and imaginations are onely sinfull and wicked Hag. 2. 15. Tit. 1. 15. Gen. 6. 5. Fourthly Gods proceeding against them in his displeasure maketh manifest how base they are for hee knoweth how all things are to bee priced Since therefore hee reiecteth and casteth them away it euidently appeareth that there is no goodnesse in them So sayth Ieremie They shall call them reprobate siluer because the Lord hath reiected them Ier. 6. 30. Vse 1 Instruction not to much to magnifie and admire them nor too farre to depend vpon them For better things are not certainely to be expected from them than are in them And therefore many times they make golden promises and leaden performances because they haue but drossie affections Consolation to poore Christians in regard of their portion notwithstanding they come short of the vngodly in goods and liuings Many sinners bee set vp in state and much worth in outward wealth when as they bee worse than bankroupts in their soules and wholy destitute of all inward substance and contrary wise though the Saints haue but small store of externall riches yet they bee of great possessions in their hearts and flow with plentie in their inward parts The lippes of the righteous doe feede many but fooles die Verse 21 for want of wisedome Before was declared the excellencie of a good tongue and well seasoned speech and heere are the effects of it commended namely the good that is wrought by it the soules of many being edified therewith and receiuing grace and groweth for saluation and comfort as the body doth obtaine strength and nouriture and refreshing by their meanes that minister wholesome foode vnto it And this is illustrated by the contrarie effect of wicked and ignorant persons that they are so farre from feeding others with knowledge and wisedome that they suffer themselues to be starued to death distruction through the want of it The lippes of the righteous c. It is the note of a faithfull Doct. man to vse his knowledge and other good gifts for the benefit Hee is the best man that doth others most good of his brethren In this sence the Apostle sayth that though he were poore yet he made many rich 2. Cor. 6. 10. His meane estate would not permit him to bestow mony or such kinde of gifts as wealthie men vse to distribute because he had no great plentie himselfe but that which hee had most of and others had most neede of that he most liberally communicated to all that would receiue it wheresoeuer hee came First godly men doe prouide themselues of these celestiall Reasons 1 graces and thereby are made able to participate them to others They haue a learning eare therefore also a teaching tongue Isa 50. 4. they be couetous of spirituall gifts and therefore also liberall of them they are great eaters and as we may say haue an appetite to deuoure all and therefore would haue euery man to take part with them In earthly commodities men are of a contrary disposition for as they are the more greedie of getting to themselues so are they more niggardly in witholding from others and as any one doeth swallow vp more the lesse is left for the rest of the company but in heauenly things it commeth to passe that none be so frank and free as they whose desires be most greedie of hauing and none
be sharp and soure doe set the teeth an edge and smoake We must bee carefull whoâ— we imploy in our affaires doth bring both smart and hurt to the eyes so doth the slothfull person or he that is giuen to any other lewd behauiour doth worke vexation of heart to them that send him or commit matter of moment vnto him He that imployeth in any seruice vnworthie and carelesse persons shall bring sorrow and molestation vpon himselfe There is another prouerbe which tendeth to the same purpose though the similitude be different As though he should cut off his messengers feete so hee drinketh violence or hurt that sendeth a message by a foole Prou. 26. 6. He doth as much iniurie to himselfe as if he should maime his messenger of his feete or make him lame of his legs for as the one in that case should not be able to dispatch his iourney so neither can the other well performe the things that are committed to his care and wisedome It is a speech that is ordinarie in vse that hee must neuer looke to speede well that sendeth a foole on his errand First there is perill of falsehood and treachery or of much Reasons 1 remissenesse and negligence or want of discreation and skilfulnesse by all which there groweth hurt or losse or trouble to him that put him in trust with his affaires as Mephibosheth and Benhadad found by the seruices of Ziba and Hazaell The curse of God doth vsually accompany the actions and waies of cursed sinners and therefore they that aduenture to entertaine them haue many times a part of the punishment with them Thirdly all the faults and absurdities in word or worke of foolish and sinfull seruants are imputed to the reproch of their maisters that imploy them and so the sorrow is caused by shame and infamie Fourthly the contrary will cleare the truth of this point For if good seruants and faithfull messengers be for the comfort and credit the safetie profit of such as do vse them then they that are altogether of an other manner of affection and disposition cannot but worke an other manner of effects and consequents Admonition to bee very heedefull to auoide that noisome Vse 1 sinne of slothfulnesse which bringeth so many michiefes with it both to our selues for soule and body and state and name and to others also and those especially whom in speciall manner we owe dutie vnto Secondly to make a wise choise prouidently of such as wee haue occasion to vse in any businesse that their industry and diligence their prudencie and discreation their faithfulnesse and sound dealing may bee a refreshing and not a torment to vs. Prou. 25. 13. 3. If wee haue obtained such as bee not as smoake to offend our eyes but our eyes may behold them and their good behauiour with delight let vs not bee vineger to their teeth or smoake to their eyes let not our sourenesse and discontentment our niggardlinesse and ouermuch sparing be any meanes of their discouragement Deale kindely with them and bee liberall to them that thou maist not onely retaine them still to be thy seruants but giue all good furtherance to the continuance of their vprightnesse The feare of the Lord increaseth the daies but the yeares Verse 27 of the wicked are cut short The feare of the Lord c. That is true pietie and religion with the exercise also of iustice and righteousnesse increaseth the dayes That is as a meanes it preserueth those that are indued with it from an vntimely death but the yeares of the wicked shall bee cut off Their vngodly and sinfull course of life is sometimes an instrument to bring them speedily to their end as by surfets and euill diseases or falling into the hands of the magistrate or by quarreling and such like Sometimes it prouoketh the Lord to stay them in the middest of their race and not to suffer them to come to that age which by their strength and constitution of body they might haue attained vnto And in this sence the Prophet saith in the Psalmes that the wicked Psal 55. 23. shall not liue out halfe their dayes This doctrine of this verse hath beene handled already in the eleauenth verse of the former Chapter The patient abiding of the righteous shall be gladnesse Verse 28 but the hope of the wicked shall perish After that the children of God haue once imbraced his promises afflictions and temptations doe vsually ensue thereupon that it would seeme to sence and fleshly reason that misery and troubles were the onely rewards of pietie and obedience and nothing else performed to them that trust in his word Now therefore he sheweth that a better state and condicion remaineth for them that their sorrow shal be turned into ioy their mourning into gladnes when the Lord shall deliuer them from troubles and fulfill all his promises Which is illustrated and further amplified by the contrary case of the wicked which howsoeuer now they seeme to haue the preheminence and are most likely to preuaile heereafter shall yet be depriued of their present prosperitie frustrated of all future expectation This then is the opposition The hope of the righteous shall preuaile and bring them gladnesse but the hope of the wicked shall perish and so worke them sorrow The patient abiding c. They which depend on God in their Doct. afflictions shall in due season be deliuered from them Vpon They that in affliction wait on God shall timely finde ease this ground an exhortation is raysed in an other place of this booke Let thy heart be in the feare of the Lord continually For surely there is an end and thy hope shall not be cut off Prou. 23. 17. 18. Though troubles and sorrowes are in appearance perpetâ—ll endlesse yet they are but temporarie and come quickly to an end though hope possibilitie of help seeme readie continually to vanish away yet it neuer ceaseth nor is taken away First there is nothing in all the world that is more infalliblie Reasons 1 assured of certaine successe then the hope of christians It neuer misseth of that which it aymeth at nor any time disapointeth them that possesse it Rom. 5. 5. For faith doth support it the truth and fidelitie of God himselfe is the foundation of it Secondly that which is long delayed and much waited for is the more welcome and acceptable when it is performed so sayth the holy Ghost The hope that is deferred is the Prou. 13. 12. fainting of the hart but when the desire commeth it is a tree of life The vertue of it cureth al the former faintings the delightfull tast doth swallow vp all the sorrowes If Isaacke had beene borne to Abraham or Iacob to Isaacke the first yeere after they were married their ioy would haue beene but ordinarie wheras the long barrennesse made their birthes exceeding comfortable to them as the benefits were memorable to posteritie Thirdly the delay doth draw
out manie prayers to God and maketh way to attention at the ministerie of the word it helpeth meditation it leadeth to faithfull comforters it furthereth good conferences it procureth al good exercises all these good exercises procure a proportionable measure of comfort Fourthly it giueth men experience of their faith and patience and constancie which all declare and testifie the soundnesse and sinceritie of the heart which is the roote of sound and holy comfort Fiftly the longer it is before the Lord doth performe his promises the larger his mercies are when hee doth bestow his blessings wheÌ„ he prolongeth his seeding he prouideth a plentifull haruest when he doth not presentlie giue the reward he taketh time to tell out much that his gifts may be the greater Incouragement to patience in all distresses let vs taâ—rie the Vse 1 Lords leasure and waite vpon him and he hath by word writing by seale oath vndertaken to deliuer vs out of them Our sauiour promiseth that in the greatest troubles when they shuld be most violently treacherously vnnaturallie persecuted not onely of forraine aduersaries but of their domestical familiars of their friends of their kinsmen of their brethren of their owne parents yet not one haire of their heads should perish Their haires and heads might be cut off and life might be taken away but not lost they should not bee vainely bestowed without good effect in a holy cause Onely he admonisheth vs Luke 21. 18. 19. to possesse our selues with patience If we keepe all sound within euery thing shall be safe both within and without And then we begin to lose our aduantage when we leaue the possession of our selues and the power of our soules through distempers Reproofe of them that make more hast than good speede to shake off their crosses by corrupt courses They depriue the Lord of that honor which they should yeeld to him in waiting for his help and themselues of that comfort which hee would haue yeelded to them together with his help Their ioy will wither as corne that is cut downe before it be ripe and become abortiue as a stil-borne childe whereof the mother miscarieth But the hope c. Vngodly men beguile themselues with a Doct. 2 deceitfull expectation of happines For the same point is shortly Ill men seckeing to be happy deceiue themselues after repeted againe in the next Chapter ver 7. When a wicked man dyeth his hope perisheth When good men enter vpon possession of their happie estate the terme of sinners is out and their lease determined and growne out of date First the Lord knoweth their purposes desires and expectations Reasons 1 and will duely defeat them of the same Psal 1. 6. Secondly their hope ariseth not froÌ„ faith nor is grounded on the promises of the word but on sence sight of preseÌ„t prosperity Thirdly they hope for things which are altogether impossible to come to passe As first to see the euersion and ouerthrow of Gods people Psal 112. 10. Mica 4. 11. 12. Secondly that God should faile of his iustice truth in executing his threatnings denounced against them Deut. 29. 20. Thirdly to take their fill of sinfull pleasures heere and to enioy also felicitie and happinesse in the life to come Luke 16. 21. Confutation terrours for them that liue ignorantly impiouslie Vse yet trust to die blessedly obtaine euerlasting life They haue no other euidence for safetie from damnation but their opinion that they haue a strong faith whatsoeuer the preachers say they regard it not they trust that god wil be more mercifull then so they hope to be saued as well as the best of them all For so their comparisons run ordinarie Christians are too base for them to compare with they must equalize themselues with the chiefe and principall The way of the Lord is strength to the vpright man but feare shall bee to the workers of iniquitie Verse 29 By the way of the Lord is meant his whole administration both of his word whereby he maketh his will knowne and of his spirit whereby he giueth grace of his prouidence wherby he protecteth his seruants and performeth all good things vnto them By euerie one of these meanes doeth he establish confirme both the hearts states of such as be faithfull But as for the wicked howsoeuer he suffer them for a time to proceed in their vngodly waies without anie great crosses yet at last he executeth such iudgements vpon them as the verie sight therof causeth them to quake and tremble Thus standeth the opposition The way of the Lord is strength to the vpright for preseruation and therefore it worketh boldnesse but it weakneth the wicked for destruction and therfore it bringeth feare The way of the Lord c. They that are most godly are in best safetie The point hath bene handled in the first verse of Doct. 1 the former chapter concerning wisdomes seauen pillers But feare c. They that be most bold ventrous to sinne Doct. 2 shall be most frighted with the punishments of it In the 14. Ps They that are most forward to sin are most terrified at the sight of the punishment the Prophet describing the conceits conuersation condition of irreligious miscreants doth bring them in at the first saying that there is no God and therefore they corrupt and doe abhominable workes but afterwards declaring the euent hee sheweth that there they are taken with feare and as the words are they feared with feare intimating the greatnesse of their dread and terrour Psal 14. 5. An example whereof we haue set downe before namely the foole-hardinesse and cowardlinesse that was found in Belshazzer Dan. 5. First the great guiltinesse that is in their consciences doth Reasons 1 dismay their harts and daunt their courages Secondly the Lord doth shew himselfe terrible in his iudgements and they finde and feele that they are not able to stand before him Isa 33. 14. Apoc. 6. 16. 17. Thirdly their foolish flattery whereby they haue illuded themselues hath brought this misery vpon them For they presumed of peace safety and so their destruction commeth sodainely without resistance 1. Thes 5. 3. And so it is said in anoother place They shall bee taken with feare where no feare was that is where was no suspition of feare or likelihood of danger Psal 53. 5. Instruction to preuent sin by fearing the iudgements that Vse will ensue vpon it Iob. 31. 3. Secondly to preuent the punishments after that wee haue sinned by a holy voluntary feare and humiliation 2. Cor. 7. 11. Thirdly to confirme our selues in both these by fearing and trembling at the word of the Lord. Isai 66. 2. Habac. 3. 16. The righteous shall neuer be remoued but the wicked shall Verse 30 not dwell in the earth The righteous shall neuer be remoued They shall neuer be remoued from Gods fauour they shall neuer be remoued from the constant graces of