good conscience is the pilot to gouerne it which will leade him thorow the whole course of his life till hee come to the hauen of safetie and blessednes So is the vprightnesse of Iob commended that it directed him to the feare of God and caused him to eschew euill So is the foundnes of Zacharie and Elizabeth notified that by vertue thereof they walked in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord without reproofe And so is the sinceritie of all blessed persons extolled and praised by the same effects in the hundred and ninteenth Psalme that they keepe the commandements of God and worke no iniquitie Psal 119 2. 3. Reasons 1 First it will stirre vp men diligentlie to seeke for knowledge and vnderstanding attending daily as suters at wisedomes gate in all the ordinances of God When hee speaketh they will bring an eare to hearken When he teacheth they will bring an heart to learne When neede requireth they will vse their lippes to aske counsell in the word they will digge for wisedome by prayer they will call for assistance by meditation they will applie all good instructions And so seeking of God with an whole heart is set in the scriptures as an effect of vprightnesse and a cause of walking in the law of the Lord. Psalm 119. 2. Secondlie where a good conscience is present there the word of God is neuer absent for that doth alwaies dwell with fidelitie and trueth The same heart that entertaineth the one doth euermore enioy the other And that dealeth faithfullie with them that be faithfull it will not suffer them to wander aside thorow want of guidance or to fall into mischeefes for fault of direction It shal leade thee saith one scripture when thou walkest it shall watch for thee when thou sleepest and when thou wakest it shall talke with thee Prou. 6. 22. Thine eares shall heare a word behind thee saith an other scripture saying this is the way walke in that when thou turnest to the right hand or to the left Isai 30. 21. Thirdlie the spirit of God is alwaies in them that are vpright and true hearted it moueth them to aske to heare to pray to reade and to meditate it maketh the word effectuall to speake to their soules also flexible to yeeld to the word it worketh sound iudgement in the mind holie affections in the heart alacritie and readinesse in the will faith in the whole soule and sincere sanctitie in the conuersation Hereof the Apostle speaketh to the Romanes As manie as are lead by the spirit of God are the sonnes of God And it is as true on the other side as manie as are the sonnes of God are lead by the spirit of God for this is euer reciprocall and conuertible Vse Confutation of the erronious opinion whereby manie illude themselues and their false bostings whereby they would deceiue others They roue abroad in all the waies of sinfulnes in euerie by lane of licentiousnesse in ignorance pride wantonnes vnthriftines crueltie blasphemie c. Yee may finde them almost euery where sauing in religious and honest exercises and those they flie from as if they were gaoles and dungeons to hold them in and yet they thinke and say and face it out that their heart is honest though their life be lewd all is well within though all be naught without they haue as good soules to God as the best although they serue Satan asmuch as the worst If these men haue vprightnesse vprightnes hath lost her wonted vertue and ceaseth to be vpright For that which was vprightnesse in Salomons time and in all former ages was more faithfull and forcible to preserue them whom it tooke charge of as it doth all in whom it inhabiteth from such inordinate and vicious behauiour To which may be added also another brood of a wandring and vagrant mind altogether vnsetled in all points of religion They heare of multiplicitie of opinions and the differences of mens iudgements one from another some are Papists some are Protestants some are Brownists so that they know not what to beleeue nor whom to trust and therefore iudge it their readiest way to credit none of them all and not cleaue to any side But the righteous are not tossed vp and downe with such waues of vncertainetie and doubtfulnes sinceritie leaueth not men to shift for themselues that for want of due information in the waies of God they should walk in flat Atheisme The Lord promiseth better things to his people that faithfully serue him What man is hee that feareth the Lord him will he teach the way that he shall chuse Psalme 25. 12. Are ye left then without direction then ye are found without righteousnesse Doth not God teach you his way then yee are vtterlie void of his feare Reproofe of them that commit themselues to the leading of contrarie guides which withhold all their passengers from sincerities counsell and direction and that is to vaine pleasure to filthie lucre to carnall reason to brutish lust to the example and fashion of the wicked world and to the sinfull motions which the diuell himselfe most craftilie suggesteth These are they that almost in all places are taken vp for leaders they are neuer without worke they haue continuall imployment and therefore it plainly appeareth that there is little vprightnesse and that is as little regarded as few iust persons there are to be guided by it Consolation against the discouragements wherewith manie faithfull Christians are assaulted in respect of the manifold perils which they passe thorow When they look abroad into the world they see all kinds of inducements to euill by perswasions by threatning by examples and sophisticall defences their carnall friendes would allure in kindnesse their craftie foes would illude them by cunning the violent tyrants would compel thē by force When they search into themselues they finde corruptions ignorance errors fearefulnesse and inconstancie which causeth them to fall into many feares and doubts of their perseuerance How say they shall we persist and hold out in the dangerous dayes How if the word of God should be taken from vs how if deceiuers should be turned in among vs how then shall we find the way to euerlasting saluation The holie Ghost telleth you in this place if your hearts be righteous and plaine and honest your vprightnesse shall leade you the spirit of God will teach you and his grace will establish you Which S. Iohn doth also testifie for the confirmation of such as were in the same case These things saith he haue I written vnto you concerning them that deceiue you But the anointing which you receiued of him dwelleth in you and yee neede not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and it is true and is no lying and as it taught you it shall abide in him Doct. 2 But the frowardnesse Wicked sinners are greatest workers of their owne woe They shall be taken in
that righteous men will make their brethren commoners with them in their prosperitie When they are aduanced others shall not bee disgraced thereby but honoured when they are inriched others shall not bee impouerished thereby but relieued when they are made mightie others shall not be weakned thereby but supported And so it is said concerning Mordecai that when the royall apparell was on his backe and the crowne of gold on his head that vnto the Iewes was come light and ioy and gladnes and honour Hest 8. 16. Now all this is contrary in the state of harmefull persons when God declareth his anger by casting them downe the people publish their ioy by clapping their hands at them At the least Gods seruants for Gods glorie their owne peace and the publike safetie take comfort in this mercie that is shewed to the Church in taking away such enemies God inclineth their hearts to do this and the crueltie of the enemie hath procured it as the effects of both did manifest at the drowning of Pharaoh and destruction of Sisera Vse 1 Instruction to them that bee desirous to possesse the hearts of honest men that they gaine them by iustice and vpright behauiour by mercie kindnes and goodnes This course will draw their desires to wish well vnto them this will put arguments into their mouthes to speake well for them this will giue them incouragement to further their aduancement this will make their promotion acceptable to them and then desirous of the continuance and increase of the same Now many men desire to be popular but few to be righteous it is easie to affect the greatnesse of Mordecai who was second to the King and great among his people and accepted among the multitude of his brethren but it is hard Hest 10. 3. to follow his goodnes in procuring their wealth and seeking their peace and prosperitie Good liking is not gotten by pompe and power and fauour is not gained with wealth and riches and loue is not commaunded by authoritie and dignitie these may be allured with goodnes but neuer compelled by violence Reproofe of enuious persons that maligne the good estate of godlie Christians they reioyce not at their prosperitie like worthy Citizens but grieue and vexe at it like barbarous aliants Either they labour to keepe them vnder that they shall not rise or to vndermine them that they shall not stand as appeareth in the example of Daniels aduersaries But all is in vaine they shall Dan. 6. be frustrate of their purpose they shall be foiled in their practise they shall be shamed and cursed and plagued for their malitious hearts and mischieuous enterprises They that hate Zion shall all be ashamed and turned backeward They shall be as the grasse on the house tops which withereth afore it commeth forth Psal 129. 5. 6. Doct. 2 The citie reioyceth c. Godly men are the chiefe inhabitants wheresoeuer they dwell They that reioyce at the prosperitie of the righteous are called the citie the place hath denomination from them and it is certaine that neither all nor the most nor in many places the greatest are so wel affected but contrary minded So it is said in the booke of Hester that when the decree was gone forth whereby all the Iewes were proscripted and destinated to death that the citie of Shushan was in perplexitie Who was this citie there but the poore condemned Israelites who from their first comming thither were but strangers and captiues Ahashuerus and Haman were not of the number for they were merily drinking of wine and a great number both in the Court and Citie as it may appeare were glad of their miserie So saith the Apostle to the Rom. 1. 8. Romanes Your faith is published throughout the whole world meaning thereby in all the Churches Reasons 1 First they haue a good estate in their goods and hold their liuings by a right tenure through Iesus being inheritors of the earth whereas none else are so much as tenants at will by any right or warrant from God but meere vsurpers intruding themselues without any allowance into his possessions Secondly all others are aliants in Gods account and only their vnderlings and seruants For so he speaketh of such as hold themselues to bee maisters and commaunders of many others The strangers shall stand and feede your sheepe and the sonnes of strangers shall be your plow-men and dressers of your vines Isai 61. 5. Vse Consolation to them that haue the testimonie of the faithfull and approbation of godly Christians in their behauiour It is as good as if all the towne and countrie did commend them And that was S. Iohns meaning when hee said that Demetrius had a 3. Ioh. vers 12. good report of all men All wicked men would neuer speake well of him or if they should it had been little for his credit but forasmuch as the Apostle testifieth of him and the trueth it selfe also it must needes be that those all men were all good men which knew his goodnes Terror for them that haue the complaint of Gods seruants against them Though they be magnified of the multitude and applauded of neuer so many wicked they shall neither haue true honour nor sound comfort thereby The voices of Christians will carrie the cause and their verdict is that which will cast the faultie if they conuict the Lord will condemne for they neuer agree all to finde any guiltie but where the word of God and his spirit haue first giuen in euidence against them It went hard with Zanecherib when God told him that Zion despised him and Isa 37. 22. laughed him to scorne and shooke her head at him But what cared he for that Did not he despise her as much True it is that he despised her as much but not with so much danger to her His was a vaine foolish absurd and contemptible contempt like paper shot against a strong bulwarke but hers was mightie and effectuall carrying force with it like a Cannon against a weake cottage which will shake it to peeces in a moment Verse 11. By the blessing of the righteous the citie is exalted but it is subuerted by the mouth of the wicked THe meaning is that iust men are very beneficial to the societies of men by their religious prudent and profitable speeches for so the word blessing signifieth in many places and so it is here meant as the antithesis sheweth and so a poore man in aduersitie may as well be an instrument of good to his countrie as a rich man in prosperitie as Salomon testifieth Eccle. 9. 15. On the other side the wicked with his mouth and hurtfull words doth worke mischiefe among whom he conuerseth Doct. By the blessing c. A godly man will alwaies do good to the place where he dwelleth that many shall fare the better for him The land of Iudah found the trueth of this by comfortable experience in the daies of their good Kings and Prophets
and fountaine of all hurts and dangers and that is sinne the guiltinesse of it is taken away by remission and the punishment by his suffring and the power by his grace what then is the peril that we shuld stand in feare of Secondly he maketh all his fruitfull and the fruite is a fence to Gods trees though mens bee more beaten and broken by cudgels and poles for that which groweth vpon them Thirdly euery one of them that haue Christ for their roote haue God the Father for their dresser and keeper Ioh. 15. And therefore if any thing bee hurtfull in them he taketh it away if any thing be wanting to them he maketh supplie if violence be attempted against them he resisteth it This happinesse of the Church and vse of particular Christians doth God himselfe speake of making profession of his prouident care of them in the prophecie of Isaiah Sing saith he of the vineyard of red wine I the Lord doe keepe it I will water it euery moment lest any assaile it I Isai 27. 2. 3. will keepe it night and day Fourthly one especiall part of the sappe that Christ the roote of Christians doth send vp to his branches is the spirit of prayer and that maketh their prayers fit to come vp to him and hee maketh them meete to be presented to his father now then in all their troubles they will surely crie to him and whensoeuer they doe crie he will more surely heare them and whensoeuer he heareth them he will most assuredlie helpe them Vse 1 Instruction to trie in what state we stand by the roote that we grow vpon Euery man and woman euery person that is discended from Adam is a braunch of a tree either growing naturallie as he was borne in the old stocke and so hee is subiect to Gods displeasure iudgements or els is ingrafted into Christ as being new borne and so hath his part in Gods fauour and mercies If we would therefore haue our harts at libertie without dread of calamities and miserie we must draw all our safetie from whence we deriue our saluation and that is from the Lord Iesus our Sauiour and our being in him and growing in him and communion with him Externall meanes will not suffice to secure vs from hurts without this inward medicine and deliuerance from plagues by God owne hand will not comfort vs without the respect of this cause Consolation to them that be in Christ as the Apostle saith to the Romans that there is no damnation to them so the spirit saith Rom. 8. 1. here that there is no danger to them there is assurance that nothing shall keepe them from heauen and euerlasting life and here is a warrant that nothing shall hurt them in earth and in this life That godly gloriation which is vsed there against the enemies of our soules may fitly also bee vsed here against the enemies of our bodies If God be on our side who can bee against vs Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish Rom. 8. 31. 35. or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sword Though Sathan and sinners would yet they can doe nothing against vs that shall bee for our hurt and though God himselfe can yet he will doe nothing to vs that shall not turne to our good Verse 13. The euill man is snared by the wickednes of his lippes but the wise shall come out of aduersitie AS wicked men doe maliciouslie abuse their tongues to the hurt of others so also many times they ouershoote themselues so farre as that aduantage is taken of their words to their owne perill and hurt as on the other side the godly doe often times helpe themselues out of troubles by the wisedome of their speeches Doct. 1 They that haue euill tongues doe most hurt themselues with them This point we reserue to be handled in the sixt and seuenth verses of the eightenth chapter where will bee fitter occasion to handle it more fullie Doct. 2 But the righteous shall come out c. He is neuer destitute of a good helper in his troubles that hath a good tongue to deale for him Hee doth not here onely set downe the assurance that such as feare God haue to escape from their afflictions but the meanes whereby they obtaine their deliuerance God hath ordained troubles for his people to be tried with and he hath appointed the issue out aswell as the entrance in and their enemies malicious words doe commonly worke their molestation and their owne Christian speeches doe vsually procure their peace and libertie Reasons 1 First the wrath of those that are incensed against them is thereby much abated if not altogether pacified If they bee not wholy implacable and such as haue cast off all humanitie milde and gentle speeches will mitigate their displeasure A Prince is pacified by staying of anger and a soft answere breaketh the bones Prou. 25. 15. Secondly words of trueth being wisely deliuered will very much grace a good cause to the satisfying of them that knew it not before and the refuting of them that are false accusers and the winning of their fauours that for mercie were not so well affected to them Hereof we haue an example in the prophecie of Ieremie The Priests and the Prophets accused him to the Princes and people as a man deseruing to be put to death for his doctrine Hee hath libertie to speake for himselfe hee proueth his innocencie by shewing the author of all that he preached and that was God giuing him a commaundement to publish it and the end that they should repent and amend their waies and so escape the iudgements threatned The Princes and all the people presently were on his side they spake for him they cleared him of that crime which was charged vpon him they iustified his faithfulnesse in his ministerie This man is not worthie to die say they for he hath Ierem. 26. 16. spoken to vs in the name of the Lord. Thirdly with godly and gracious words of prayer godly men preuaile with God himselfe as it was said of Iacob and therefore Gen. 32. 28. no aduersitie can preuaile against them For this and the vses thereof see the eight verse of the former chapter where are almost the very words of this present text Verse 14. A man shall be satiat with good things by the fruite of his mouth and the recompence of a mans hands shall God giue vnto him A Man shall be satiate with good things c. That is shall bee recompenced by the Lord with great blessings for the good vsage of his tongue when hee speaketh to Gods glorie and the edification of his brethren or for iustice and equitie in the behalfe of them that are wronged and iniuriouslie dealt with Hee will stirre vp men to loue him and shew kindnes vnto him yea those sometimes which be of great place and able to doe him much good as it is
the beginnig of the world to this day hath gained any thing by it but desperate madnes and vexation besides euerlasting damnation to come neither any one of his seruants of all the millions of millions that haue learned of him hath in any one thing bin the better by it but euery way vnutterablie the worse Consolation to the poore simple and harmelesse seruants of God against whom the euill is intended that it shall rebound vpon the authors and returne vpon the practisers and neuer light vpon them Many hearts are wishing their hurt many minds are musing how to worke it many tongues are consulting who shall doe it many hands are readie to execute it many mouthes insulting ouer them that shall suffer it and all this while the only watchman of Israel and the keeper of the Church doth laugh them to scorne He maketh their minds to mistake that which they looked at he maketh their hearts to bee filled with teares he maketh their tongues to bespeake their owne miserie he maketh their hands to be hurtfull to themselues and he maketh his people to sit safely in the midst of them And this is truely affirmed by Eliphaz and warranted by the spirit of God in the booke of Iob. He scattereth the deuises of the craftie so that their hands cannot accomplish that which they doe enterprise He taketh the wise Iob 5. 12. 13. in their craftinesse and the counsell of the wicked is made foolish They meete with darkenesse in the day time and grope at noone day as in the night But he saueth the poore from the sword from their mouth and from the hand of the violent man Doct. 2 But to the counsellers Holesome counsell is comfortable to them that giue it aswell as profitable to them that take it If the tongue perswade to that which is right and the heart agree with the perswasion of the tongue whatsoeuer successe his words doe find in others he is sure to finde ioy and gladnesse in his owne soule The same blessing which Dauid pronounced vpon Abigail for procuring of peace by her counsell the Lord doth promise and pronounce and will perfome to euery one whose affection and behauiour is like to Abigails Blessed saith hee bee 1. Sam. 25 33. thy counsell and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from comming to shed bloud And our Sauiour extendeth it generallie to all that labour vprightly and in due manner to make peace saying Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the children of God Mat. 5. 9. Reasons 1 First no man can soundly seeke to reconcile man to God or one man to another or giue direction for his neighbours welfare vnlesse he himselfe be reconciled to God and peaceable towards men and haue Christian loue in his heart and those graces are neuer separated from holy comfort and gladnes For the same sappe that sendeth forth the one doth in like manner also yeeld the other as the Apostle testifieth The fruite of the spirit is loue ioy peace c. And in another place The kingdome of God is not Gal. 5. 22. Rom. 14. 17. meate and drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holie Ghost If their counsell be imbraced and followed the good effect thereof with Gods blessing will minister cause of reioycing besides thankes and kindnesse which the parties holpen by their counsell will yeeld vnto them as Dauid to Abigail and Naaman to Elisha and the Iaylor and Lydia to Paul Act. 16. 17. 33. 34. Thirdly though their aduise bee reiected yet as Isaiah saith their reward is with the Lord and they shall bee glorious in his Isa 49. 4. 5. eyes And their faithfull dealing will bring them both comfort and praise as Ionathan found in seeking to pacifie his fathers displeasure vniustly kindled against Dauid Vse Instruction to moue vs to be frequent and diligent in so good a seruice whereof there is so much neede and opportunitie of imployment for worke may be had euery where and so good a recompence for our trauell as ioy is and therefore Gods fauour and therefore Gods blessing with eternall glorie And what though there be oppositions against vs as all faithfull peace-makers shall meete froward persons that will bee vnpeaceable yet if the God of peace be at peace with vs and protector of vs what cause haue we to stand in any feare he would not promise vs ioy vnlesse he were resolued to performe it and he would not incourage vs to be ioyfull vnlesse our state were safe and happie And why then are we so timerous to speake when wee see dissension among equals contempt of superiours oppression of inferiours sinning against mens owne soules and warre against the Lord himselfe Is it because we would not giue offence It is an offence to be silent at the offences committed against God and the hurt that men doe to themselues and their neighbours Is it because we would auoide trouble and displeasure and keepe our selues from griefe and sorrow The way to doe that is to please God who can make them whose anger wee feare to fauour vs and be meanes of our peace and consolation But in counselling of peace we must looke to these things first that we be iustly called to deale in that particular case lest medling with the strife that Preu 26. 17. belongeth not vnto vs we be as one that taketh a dog by the eares Secondly that we make no attonement betweene wicked men in their wickednesse as Hester would not make Haman and Ashuerus friends when they were fallen out for how much concord had beene betweene Haman and the King so much discord would haue bin betweene the King and the Church So that in setting agreement betweene man and man it is good to set variance betweene a man and his sinne and to leaue sinfull men at variance whose reconciliation doth tend to the dishonour of God and the hurt of his people Vse Reproofe and terror of makebates which are counsellours of contention of sinfulnesse and wrong doing which shall be handled in a fitter place when we come to these words Without wood the fire is quenched and without a talebearer strife ceaseth Chap. 26. 20. In the meane time let them bee admonished that incense great men as Landlords and Magistrates and Maisters against their poore weake inferiours that liue vnder them The Lord will heare their cries and groanes not onely against the mightie ones that lay too heauie burdens vpon them but also against all those that haue been meanes and causers of it And be this remembred withall on both sides aswell on their part that bee so easily perswaded to rigour and crueltie as of theirs that moue them to it or incourage them in it that this aduise doth not onely imbitter them against their vnderlings who seeme to bee altogether in their power but also imboldeneth them against their maker who onely hath all power and soueraignetie ouer them Verse 21.