may do so here of this there is no doubt but it belongs to charity or duty toward men in its latitude of which alms giving is one most special part and except our righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees we shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven the text on which that heavenly Gospel-Sermon was preach'd upon the Mount If we have any design toward Evangelical perfection toward the Christian pitch the abundance of goodness and mercifulness as that is improved by Christianity then this third years tithing will prove but a beggarly thin proportion that that a Jew if he were a religious one would have been ashamed of But be our aims never so moderate if a door-keepers place will serve our turn to be one of the Nethinim of the meanest rank in the kingdom of heaven yet still we must exceed that proportion of the Jews righteousness their third years tithe that they were bound to or else we are strangely mistaken in Christianity I am unwilling to descend to the arraigning or indicting or so much as examining any man here for the omissions of his former life in this kind my humble lowliest request is that you will do it your selves and if either through ignorance you have not reckoned of it as a duty or through desire to thrive in the world you have omitted to practise it heretofore you will now at last at this instance take it into your consideration and remember that there is such a thing as charity a pale wan despised creature commended to Christians by Christ not to suffer it any longer to go for one of those Magicians Serpents which faith like Moses's rod is appointed to devour if it do know this that that rod is the verier serpent of the two and for the quickning that resolution in you I shall proceed unto the third particular the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to consider it as a duty and so to make an end of my first general In this slothful but confident age of the world 't were admirably worth ones pains to instruct men what duty is now under the Gospel what the very word signifies in a Christian Nomenclature There are so many descants of fantastical brains on that plain song of the Apostles We are not under the law but under grace that 't is scarce agreed on among Christians what 't is to be a Christian nothing more unresolved than what 't is that 's now required under the second Covenant as necessary to salvation One thinks that the believing all fundamentals is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only qualification for a Christian and what hath duty to do with that Another makes the Gospel consist all of promises of what shall be wrought in us and on us by Christ and so gives an absolute supersedeas for duty a◠a legal out-dated thing that is utterly antiquated by grace Another contents himself with purposes and resolutions thin airy inclinations to duty and is utterly indifferent for any performance doubts not but to pass for a Christian as regenerate as S. Paul when he wrote c. 7. to the Romans though he never do the good that he resolves live and die carnal and captived and sold under sin A fourth dissolves all to a new-found faith A full perswasion an absolute assurance that he is one of Gods elect is abundantly sufficient to estate himself in that number a piece of magick or conjuring that will help any man to heaven that will but phansie it enrol their names in the book of life in those sacred eternal diptycks by dreaming only that they are there already Others there are that seem kinder unto duty are content to allow Christ some return of performances for all his sufferings yet you see in the Gospel 't is in one but the patience of hearing him preach A Lord thou hast taught in our streets we have heard so many Sermons passes for a sufficient pretension to heaven in another the communicating at his table We have eat and drank in thy presence a sufficient viaticum for that long journey a charm or amulet against fear or danger in a third the diligence of a bended knee or solemn look of formal-outside-worship must be taken in commutation for all other duty and all this while religion is brought up in the Gentlemans trade good clothes and idleness or of the Lillies of the field vestiri non laborare to be clothed and not labour Duty is too mechanical a thing the shop or the plough the work of faith or labour of love are things too vile too sordid for them to stoop to heaven will be had without such sollicitors Shall I instance in one particular more That Satan may be sure that duty shall never rescue any prey out of his hands one thing you may observe that most men never come to treat with it to look after to consider any such thing till indeed the time comes that no man worketh till the tokens be out upon them till the cry comes that the bridegroom is ready to enter that judgment is at the door and then there is such running about for oil as it 't were for extreme Vnction and that a Sacrament to confer all grace ex opere operato on him that hath scarce life enough to discern that he received it the soul sleeps in it's tenement as long as its lease lasteth and when 't is expired then it rouseth and makes as if 't would get to work the Christian thinks not of action of duty of good works of any thing whilst life and health lasteth but then the summons of death wake him and the prayers which he can repeat while his cloaths are putting off shall charm him like opium for a quiet sleep Thus doth a death-bed repentance a death-bed charity a parting with sins and wealth when we can hold them no longer look as big in the Calenders of Saints stand as solemnly and demurely in our diptycks as judgment and mercy and faith that have born the heat and burthen of the day Our hearts are hardned while it is to day against all the invasion of Law or Gospel judgments or mercies threats or promises all Christs methods and stratagems of grace and just at the close of the evening the shutting in of night we give out that the thunderbolt hath converted us the feaver came with its fiery chariot and hurried us up to heaven Surdus mutus testamentum facit quite against Justinians rule he that hath sent out most of his senses before him and retains but the last glimmering of life is allowed to make his Will and reverse all former acts by that one final Satan hath all the man hath to give under hand and seal all his life time the spring especially and verdure of his age the children pass through the fire to Moloch and just as he is a dropping out of the world he makes signs of cancelling that will and by a
how well they prosper Thus the LXXII render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 envy or emulate not so the Syriack Latine Arabick and Aethiopick The Chaldee also to the same sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 provoke not instigate not thy self at the wicked who succeeds in his way the man that executes or performs the counsel of the wicked And that this of envying or emulating so as to be stirred up by way of emulation to do the like is here meant appears farther by v. 8. where the same word is used again with this addition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to do evil also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the LXXII so as to commit wickedness and the Chaldee be not incited or instigated that thou do evil and the Syriack emulate him not to commit iniquity and the Arabick most expresly by way of Paraphrase imitate not the evil man And thus it was before v. 1. V. 20. Fat From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pretiosum is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here as the pretious i. e. the fat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of rams or lambs the fat being most pretious and most useful in the sacrifices and that which is burnt and as here it follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is consumed in or into smoak Thus 't is ordinary in Scripture to resemble wicked men both in themselves and in their punishments to sacrifices or holocausts utterly burnt or destroyed before the Lord. The sacrifice is first fatted and then slaughtered and killed before the Lord and so are wicked men permitted to prosper in this world and grow rich and proud and then they are cut off and destroyed utterly and eternally The Chaldee that render it here the glory of the rams add by way of paraphrase which are first fatted and then their throats are cut adding so shall the wicked fail and be consumed in the smoak of hell And the Syriack in like manner not by literal rendring but by way of Paraphrase The enemies of the Lord being fatted are consumed and go away like smoak The LXXII render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as soon as they are glorified and exalted taking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the notion of being honoured and for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of rams reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exaltatus fuit and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servile And thus also the Paraphrase is good as soon as they are honoured and exalted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they fail or consume as smoak and so the Arabick when they are glorious and lifted up they utterly fail as smoak when it consumes Other interpretations are given by the Hebrews Abu Walid and Aben Ezra mention the grass of the pastures or wood or bushes of the fields which being burnt are turned into smoak The Jewish Arab reads like the heavy clouds of the meadows as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by Abu Walid and R. Tanchum interpreted thick heavy involved clouds Zach. 14.6 which seeming to lye heavy over the earth suddenly turn into smoak and vanish This seems to have pleased R. Sol. Jarchi V. 22. Blessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the blessed of him is by the LXXII rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the active they that bless him according to the liberty that they fre-frequently take of paraphrasing instead of literal rendering and taking in words of affinity in order to that And thus the sense well bears Gods blessings generally belonging to those that are liberal and such being said to bless God because their liberality is an act of acknowledgment or thanksgiving and what they do to his poor servants he accounts as done to himself But the Chaldee and Syriack read it in the passive the blessed of God or those that are blessed of him V. 24. Cast down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is variously interpreted The LXXII read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Latine rightly renders non collidetur he shall not be dasht to pieces as many things are by falling but the Arabick he shall not be troubled as if they read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which thus signifies but the Syriack more singly he is not hurt the Chaldee by way of Paraphrase if he fall into infirmity he shall not dy The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in Niphal either simply to be thrown or else to be cast away as when Jon. 1.5 the wares in the ship are cast into the Sea or Jonas himself v. 12. and 15. and so it may signifie here viz. so to fall as to be cast away or lost by the fall but more probably and with more propriety to the mencion of falling to be thrown as that notes a real passive together with the effect thereof thrown to the ground so as to be dasht in pieces by the fall and to that the LXXII incline V. 25. Righteous That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteous frequently in sacred style signifies a charitable or merciful man hath oft been observed see note on Mat. 1.9 And that here it must be taken in that sense appears by the context v. 21. the righteous sheweth mercy and giveth and v. 26. He is ever merciful and lendeth and then there as here after all his profusion his seed is blessed But this must be taken with one caution that this of almes-giving is but a part of the righteousness mere meant not the whole of it the word as it oft signifies the almes-giver so oft signifying other parts of our duty to God and Man and our selves and all of them comprehended under it And so the full importance of it here must be he that to the other parts of a pious and good life is observed to superadd see v. 27. a special degree of mercifulness and communicativeness to them that want though of all other virtues that be most probable to diminish the possessions yet it is the Psalmists observation that he never saw any man impoverished by the most liberal practice of it but on the contrary that his seed is blessed his posterity is the more prosperous and flourishing by it V. 28. For ever In this place there is a concurrence of two things which cast some suspicion on the Hebrew text which now we have as if it were some way altered from what the original copies read For 1. this being an Alphabetical Psalm as it is acknowledged it is yet manifest that the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is omitted 2. the LXXII in this place put in two words which are not found in our Hebrew some copies read them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the blameless shall be avenged and so the Arabick others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the wicked shall be persecuted and so the Latine injusti punientur the unjust shall be punisht And then 't is the conjecture of some that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the Hebrew word for unjust began that verse and then there is
forsake it cease from it pass not in it not as we reade pass not by it the Chaldee expresses the מ by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with them in their company the LXXII reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whatsoever place they shall encamp enter not there by way of plain paraphrase but withall probably looking on some other notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that of otiosum esse for that is resting setting up their station in any place so the Syriack reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and in the place where they inhabit or dwell pass you not V. 16. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they scandalize not or cause not some body to fall they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they sleep not or lie not down to sleep setting that as an usefull explication of what immediately preceded their sleep is taken away not that others take it away but that they take it from themselves they apply not themselves to sleep and thinking this of except they cause to fall sufficiently express'd before by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unless they doe some mischief V. 21. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let them not depart from thine eyes they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the fountains destitute thee not probably reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the preposition פ and so taking it in another notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for an eye but a fountain And thus the sense is very good and agrees well with the next verse for if the wise man's admonitions are life and health to them that receive them i. e. if they cause both these to them then are they fitly to be styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy fountains from whence all good springs out to thee but the Chaldee and all other Interpreters save the Arabick that constantly follow the LXXII reade as we doe with the preposition and so it must signifie eyes After the end of this Chapter the LXXII have a large addition wherein they are followed by the Latin which generally in this book of Proverbs doth not adhere to them in their variations from the Hebrew It is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for God knows the right paths on the right hand but those on the left hand are perverted but he shall make thy paths straight and advance thy steps in peace But neither Chaldee nor Syriack have a word of this And so it is to be looked on as a Scholion though very ancient which some reader had affixt to the Greek Copy pertinent to the business of the verses precedent and as a descant on them CHAP. V. 1. MY son attend unto my wisedom and bow thine ear to my understanding 2. That thou mayst regard discretion and that thy lips may keep knowledge Paraphrase 1 2. Among all the acts of paternal and tender charity to the souls of men there is none more precious and truly valuable than that of communicating saving wisedom and wholsome instruction to them To that end this book is designed and an humble docible heart is required to qualifie any man for the reaping the benefits and fruits of it and if that may be found infinite are the advantages of it for the regulating the affections and the actions and especially the words He that hath throughly imbibed the directions of it will have more savour and taste of good things than ever he had will think that to be the onely true wisedom and affect and regard it as such which is here recommended to him the practice of all duty toward God and man and himself and accordingly his discourse will be savoury and pious professing the joy he tasts in these exercises and desiring to recommend and propagate them to other men 3. For the lips of a strange woman drop as an hony comb and her mouth is smoother than oyl Paraphrase 3. Of this sort is that necessary advice to beware of the flattery and deceits of ill women whose beauty and discourse and conversation and the many allectives which that sex is furnished with are very winning and efficacious promising the greatest pleasures and satisfactions imaginable 4. But her end is bitter as wormwood sharp as a two-edged sword Paraphrase 4. Which if they be believed or hearkened to will in the event prove most contrary to what they promise bring all the sadness and bitterness the most painfull and noxious effects infinitely more sharp and dolorous than the so short enjoyments were apprehended pleasurable 5. Her feet go down to death her steps take hold on hell Paraphrase 5. And beyond the temporal miseries which attend this sin inseparably and indispensably the eternal destruction is most formidable which is the just reward of it and will be sure to overtake it 6. Lest thou shouldst ponder the path of life her ways are moveable that thou canst not know them Paraphrase 6. Nor can any better event be rationally hoped to the temptations which are tendred from such an hand A whore being the most vile and miserable creature in the world engaging her self in a course most diametrically contrary as to all vertue so to all felicity the joys and comforts of this or a better life and prostituting her self to all the dismal uncertainties and ill consequences of an endless insatiate lust which carry her headlong none knows whither into a gulph of endless woe 7. Hear ye me therefore O ye children and depart not from the words of my mouth 8. Remove thy way far from her and come not nigh the door of her house Paraphrase 7 8. This makes it a seasonable and necessary advice to all that fear God or expect good from him in this or another life to all the children of wisedom professours of piety that they be most exactly cautious in this matter that they yield not themselves the least liberty or indulge to the beginnings of this sin that they keep as circumspectly as is possible from entring into the confines of this temptation and on the contrary remove to the greatest distance from all occasions and opportunities thereof 9. Lest thou give thy honour unto others and thy years unto the cruel 10. Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth thy labours be in the house of a stranger Paraphrase 9 10. If this advice be not timely obeyed it will be hard if not impossible to keep out of the snare and in that not onely thy soul but all that is precious to any man is sure to be most ruinously engaged thy reputation utterly destroyed by so base and scandalous and sottish a sin thy body and life it self the one as sure to be decayed the other shortened by this course as it could by falling into the power of the most implacable enemy And for thy wealth and fruit of thy labours and industry and the divine blessing this sin is the certain blasting and consuming of all she that enticeth thee to her unlawfull bed will be sure to lay hold on
through the ear by his old Master rather than thus dignified with the Title of Free-man and denied the Libertinism that belongs to it But the truth is there is a third notion of these words which will be a Supersedeas to that of a Promise and that is as this art of promising is only an excuse or shift or pretence to get off the present smart of the rod or the importunity of the Prophet to escape the smiting or the being smitten the cross or following of Christ Should the unmanaged Horse instead of the Bullock in the Text desire his Rider to put off his Spurs and Whip and at once to ease him both of Bit and Saddle and then promise to be the tractablest Beast in nature but till then profess that all those Instruments of Discipline should never tame him I beseech you what would be thought of this Oration would you certainly be perswaded that the Beast spake reason that it was a serious design of a generous obedience a gallantry of a voluntary unconstrained vertue If so you may believe the Beast within you that makes the same proposal to God and you In the mean time 't will not be amiss to resolve that he that hath exceptions to God's methods hath some other Master to whom he is more inclinable to retain he that will not serve God for nought that is all for the thriving Piety the gainful Godliness that must have his reward just as he is a doing the work a payment in hand even before he sets about the duty will sure bring in little profit to God be he fed never so high very thin returns of good life for all his donatives He that will not now mend under the rod edifie by so many doleful Lectures as have been read us out of a Zachary's and a Jeremy's roll that hath arrived to Theodoret's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mind that can reverberate judgments and make them rebound in more provoking sins against the hand that sent them is of the Pharaoh the anvil-temper and let him pretend or promise or flatter himself what he please by holding out his white Flag for Treaty he desired to be in case to maintain his Fort still against God and 't is not victualling and bribing but starving and storming must help to drive him out of it Which brings me to the third and last particular The stating of this difficulty betwixt God and man and in it the falseness of man's judgment and fallaciousness of such his promise both in respect of God who will never send them Prosperity that Adversity wrought no good on and of Prosperity it self which would never do the work if God should send it For the first in respect of God who will never send them Prosperity that Adversity wrought no good on this you may judge of not only by that great Rule of State in Heaven of God 's resisting the proud and Surely God heareth not sinners compounded into one Gospel-aphorism the incorrigible beggar can never have audience in heaven nor returns from thence save only of stones and thunder-bolts but especially on that wise ground of divine oeconomy on which all these stripes are sent God's first method of calling us off from the world is the soft and friendly the having therefore these promises let us cleanse our selves a Heaven a Paradise and a Canaan to confirm Angels and bring men to bliss to draw with the cords of a Man with the bands of love and if that prevail Afflictions are superseded and were it not that there is another special use of them to illustrate our Christian vertues and improve our Crown and withall to confute Satan when he accuses us of unsincerity the reformed Christian should never be thus exercised But when Prosperity will not work when the calmer physick is digested into nourishment of the disease then and not till then the vomit comes in on the reserve the tempest and deluge to drown those Serpents that had ingendred and thriven in the shallow and stlll waters as to them that are sick of perfumes the noisomest Smell is the only Cordial and then as Cusanus observes there is in God coincidentia contrariorum this severity is the only mercy these wounds the only balsame the hostile approach the most obliging charity and as by the Heathen artifice in Hero's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as soon as ever the fire was kindled upon the Altar the plummets fell and the doors flew open and the God appeared upon the Chair of State so by this rarifying power of flames and judgments the earthly obstacles are oft removed and the Deity set up and inthron'd in the heart and then sure 't was good for that man that he was in trouble And generally the rule is true in Gerson Omnes poenae non exterminantes sunt medicinales All mulcts that are not undoing and our Law admits not of any but such as are salvo contenemento are a piece of charity and physick in the Judge For this cause are many sick and weak nay many fallen asleep if we will believe the Apostle and all these judgings of the Lord the only Antidotes against that fatal poyson the being condemn'd and ruin'd with the world And then you will not blame the wit or piety of the old Heathens who deifi'd all their Benefactors that they had Temples for such Fevers as these the friends that had so oblig'd them I 'm sure St. Augustine makes it his wonder that upon that score they had not erected one Altar more impietati hostium to the impiety and rapine of their enemies which was constantly if they had but the grace to make use of it so royal a Benefactor The sovereign power of this Recipe being thus considered you will give it leave to be the last in God's prescribing and the most depended on and the Patient being not fit for the cost or trouble of any farther experiments when these have proved successless the greatest mercy of the Physician is to leave him with these Cupping-glasses at the neck that if there be ever a spark of vital spirit within it may by this assistance discharge it self of that poysonous vapour and yet possibly overcome and quit the danger but if not 't is sure too late to divert to any new course the fetching out the Cordials will but enhance the Bill and maintain the Lamp a little longer will never beget a new stock of spirits or spring of life when 't is once so quite exhausted and therefore the conclusion is clear and the Prophet Amos hath exprest it by an apt resemblance Amos 3.5 Shall one take up a snare from the earth and take nothing at all Shall God remove his judgments from a Nation while the sins are still at the high-water Infallibly he will not do it If he do 't is a sad presage his soft hand is but absolute desertion the leaving to our selves is the giving us up to our bloudiest enemies that unseasonable
Heaven If there be not a spirit within thee to give light to the Eyes to adde sighs and groans to the Voice all this that thou hast done is nothing but as a blind mans pretensions to sight and a dumb mans claim to Speech and so in like manner in all our duties which the World and carnal men se◠a price on And the reason is because every spiritual seeming work done by a natural man is not truly so 't is nothing less than that which it is said to be his Prayers are not Prayers Lip-labour perhaps but not devotion his serving of God is formality not obedience his hope of Heaven not a hope but a phancy If God or Satan a Judge or a Tempter should come to reason with him about it he would soon be worsted never be able to maintain his title to it In brief the fairest part of a natural man that which is lest counterfeit his desire and good affections to spiritual things which we call favourably natural desires of spiritual obedience these I say are but false desires false affections 1. They have no solidity or permanency in the will only fluid and transitory some slight sudden wishes tempests and storms of a troubled mind soon blown over the least temptation will be sure to do it They are like those wavering Prayers without any stay of Faith Jam. i. 6 like a wave of the Sea driven by the wind and tost 2. That being which they have is counterfeit they are not that which they are taken for We are wont to say that acts are distinguished by their objects he sees truly which judges the thing to be that that it is 't is true indeed that another man sees he that takes blew for green but he does not see truly so also he only willeth a good thing that wills that in it which is truly good Now the natural man when he is said to chuse spiritual things as Heaven happiness and the like he desires not a spiritual but a carnal thing in desiring Heaven he desires somewhat that would free him from misery in happiness a natural or moral good that would be acceptable to any Creature under Heaven and so a Turk will desire Paradise and that very impatiently in hope that he shall have his fill of lust there Generally you may mark that in such desires of spiritual things 't is some carnality that moves unregenerate men somewhat it is that may please the flesh and then 't is not the spiritual but the carnal part of it that is their object which they woo and make love to which you may judge of by this that they are frequent and importunate in their wishes for glory seldom or never for grace though that also may be wished for carnally to make us more renowned and better esteemed in the World For the most part I say they desire glory for that will make them happy and out of danger of Worldly misfortunes remission of sins for these lie heavy on their Consciencies and give them many a twinge that they would fain be eased of but seldom petition for grace as if holiness without other conveniencies or gains were not worth the having And this arises from hence that our love of Christ grows by sending out and fastning our affections on him as an object fittest for our turns that will advantage us most but not by receiving in his Image and shape into our Souls this indeed would make us not only love but imitate him and having once tasted long after him this would sanctify our Souls whereas the other doth but only satisfy our greedy affections By what hath been said 't is plain enough though it might be much more amplified that grace is of absolute necessity to performance of any holy work acceptable to God that without it whatsoever is done in spiritual matters is carnal not indeed spiritual but equivocally and absurdly so called The natural mans desires of Heaven are not desires of Heaven his Faith no Faith his believing of the Scripture infidelity because he doth not apply them particularly to himself to obey them In summ when he prays hopes or gives alms he does somewhat indeed and 't is well done of him but he doth not truly either pray or hope or give alms there is some carnality in them that hath poisoned them and quite altered the complexion the constitution and inward qualities of the work And then indeed how impatient should every Christian be of this Coloquintida within him There 's mors in ollâ as the Prophet once spake that 's Death in the pot that so infects and kills every thing that comes out of it How should we abhor and loath and detest this old leaven that so besowres all our actions this Heathenism of unregenerate carnal nature which makes our best works so Unchristian To insist longer upon this were but to encrease your thirst not to satisfy it to make you sensible of that marasmus and desperate drought that hath gone over your Souls but not to help you to any waters for the cure that shall come next as the last work of this exercise to be performed in a word Having learnt what this new creature is and how absolutely necessary to a Christian O let us not defer one minute longer to examine our estates whether we are yet renewed or no and by the acts which we daily perform observe whether the sanctifying habit be as yet infused into our Souls If the grounds of our best duties that which moves us in our holiest actions be found upon search to be but carnal if a careful religious Education custom of the place which we live in fear of humane Laws nay perhaps a good soft tender disposition and the like be the things that make thee love God and perform holy duties and not any inward principle of sanctity within thee I counsel thee to think better of thine estate and consider whether the like motives had it so hapned that thou hadst been born and brought up in Turky might not have made thee worship Mahumet I would be sorry to be rigid I fear thou wilt find they might well then a new course must be taken all thy former heathen carnal or at best good moral life all thy formal performances the best of thy natural desires must be content to be rank't here with circumcision and uncircumcision availing nothing there is no trust or confidence to be placed on these Aegyptian staves of reed Es xxxvi 6 And then if thou wilt not live heartless for ever if ever thou meanst to move or walk or do any thing you must to that Creator of Spirits and Lover of Souls and never leave solliciting till he hath breathed another breath into your nostrils another Soul into your Soul you must lay your self at his feet and with all the violence and Rhetorick and humility that these wants will prompt thee too and woo and importune the Holy spirit to overshadow thee
implore Gods aids that he be not gained by any example or invitation of the wicked men of the world to joyn with them in any forbidden enterprize Or if he have been thus insnared and seduced into the beginning of any such course then his second care must be that he abide not one minute in that state of Rebellion and danger wherein the longer he continues the more he grieves and repels the holy Spirit of God and makes his return the more difficult but by true contrition and confession and vow'd amendment make his speedy return unto God and sue out his timely pardon Or if he have omitted this duty also and continued some time in this unhappy course yet at least let him beware that he advance not to so high a degree of impiety as either to despise the terrors of the Lord and the chastisements which he sends to awake and amend men or the Rebukes and Censures of Superiours or the fraternal admonitions of Equals especially that he speak not peace to his own soul presume not of any mercy from God whilst he continues in this state or of more efficacious grace from him to fetch him out of it Above all that he do not associate himself with those which do profestly all these For all and every of them are so many ways of Atheistical mocking of God and contempt of all goodness and the highest degrees of provocation which must expect their doom from God forsaking and obduration here and eternal irremediable torments hereafter Thus much for the Negative 2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night Paraphrase 2. And not only so but then also positively he must apply himself to a most serious study and consideration of the whole law of God and every single precept thereof and that in order to a sincere uniform impartial obedience to it nay he must advance to a delight in it discerning a most solid pleasure and satisfaction in the practice of all holy duties of piety and charity and sobriety and an emptiness and loathsomeness at least comparatively with those in all the false joys that wicked men are so transported with and upon these accounts both that he may exactly know his duty in every part of it and have this pleasurable taste of it he must both study and practise it continually make these two the great designs of his whole life 3. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season his leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he doth shall prosper Paraphrase 3. He that doth thus shall flourish in the Church of God after the manner that a tree flourisheth that hath the advantage of water brought near it in trenches to refresh it in time of drought For thus shall the Spirit of God promised to all such assist and enable him to bring forth abundant fruit and accordingly being thus enabled by this divine strength he will upon all opportunities multiply acts of all divine virtues And even for outward things which are not of the essence of true felicity for such only are exercises of virtue our prescribed way to a durable felicity but yet are here in this world advantageous accessions and accomplishments thereof bearing the same proportion to the other that leaves do to fruit as leaves accompany and adorn and cover the fruits and withal defend them from heat and cold and help to the ripening of them so these outward accessions are many ways useful to the exercises of virtues These also shall in an eminent manner be preserved to the pious man Godliness hath the promâ—se of this life 1 Tim. iv 8 he shall have them richly to enjoy 1 Tim. vi 17 i. e. first they shall yield him a plentiful contentment and satisfaction 1 Tim. vi 6 and secondly he shall never fail to have such a portion of them secured to him as is perfectly fittest for his turn And in a word all his productions of all sorts his thoughts his resolutions his actions as well as his external accessions proportionable to the buds and blossoms and fruit and not only leaves of the most flourishing tree all wherein he is concern'd shall by God's special blessing providence continually watching over him be exceedingly successful to him 4. The ungodly are not so but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away Paraphrase 4. As for the wicked they must expect a far distant fate who being compared to the godly are so far from being like a well rooted and flourishing tree that as husks and straw and chaff the most refuse adherents unto fruit they are unsetled and obnoxious to every blast or in themselves very empty and unprofitable and accordingly shall be dealt with by God When a day of winnowing comes such are all Gods seasons of judgment Mat. iii. 12 then shall the separation be made and their condition be very unlike one to the other The solid fruit we know abides but the chaff and husks and dust is carried away with the wind Psal lxxxili 13 Job xxi 18 Isai xli 16 And that is not all for then as to combustible matter good for little else the fire attends that winnowing and burns up all the trash Isai v. 44 Psal lxxxiii 14 devours and consumes it utterly which the Greek and Arabick and Aethiopick and vulgar Latine express by adding from the face of the earth And so it is with the wicked when God's judgments come they violently seize on them helpless and comfortless and hurry them hence into a place of endless misery where the worm never dies and the fire is not quenched 5. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous Paraphrase 5. When therefore that final doom comes which shall repeal all the unequal judgments of this life and repair them abundantly who have here suffered causelesly when all both good and evil shall appear before that dreadful Tribunal to receive the rewards of all their doings these unhappy Miscreants shall not be able to abide the trial shall have nothing to plead for themselves their Conscience shall accuse and as being self-condemned drag them with shame and horrour to the place of their execution or if they shall pretend to make any plea they shall certainly miscarry and be cast The judgments of God as of him that sees the most secret recesses of the very heart bringing with him also an assembly of myriads of holy Angels and glorified Saints who are able to testifie and convince any gainsayer are managed with that severity of uprightness that there is no hope of escaping that vengeance which is justly due to them for their impious course They must have false and partial Judges from whom to expect absolution or favour but this being a most pure and just Tribunal they are sure to meet with neither or they
Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prayer the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prayer the Latine deprecationem and so the Arabick and the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the cry and so the not despising or abhorring or casting ouâ— will best agree with it and the subsequents also when I cryed unto him he heard And so the word will well enough bear from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak as that is here applyed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poor of whom the wise man saith the poor man speaketh supplications V. 2â— Keep alive Where the Hebrew reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he hath not quickened his soul the LXXII and Syriack Latine Arabick Aethiopick render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and my soul lives to him for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his soul reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my soul for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him and then joyning the masculine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the foeminine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the Chaldee rendring it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the soul of the wicked he shall not enliven do evidence our vulgar reading of the Hebrew to be that which they then used and so the LXXII to have mis-read it The literal meaning of it is somewhat difficult Castelliâ—'s conjecture is not unfit to be taken notice of who joyns it with that which follows thus and he that hath not quickened his soul i. e. who is dead his seed shall serve him Eorum progonies quorum vita non perdurat cum colont the pâ—â—gony of them whose life continues not shall serve or worship And thus may the ellipsis be well enough supplied and with as little violence as any other way Yet because both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are in the singular not plural number and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seed without any affix of any number must agree with those it will be more reasonable to change his plural eorum and quorum into ejus and cujus and then reteining that his way of interpretation the rendring will be literally this and for him who doth not enliven his soul i. e. who dies his seed or posterity shall serve him i. e. God This may have a commodious meaning in respect of David himself that when he is dead and so can praise God no longer himself for these his mercies yet his posterity shall praise God for them and by that ingagement be moved to undertake and adhere to his service But in respect of Christ the completion is more signal that though he dye yet he should have a numerous posterity and those begotten as it were by his blood-shedding as Isa 53.10 when he hath made his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed and this seed of his shall serve him viz. the multitude of Christians that adore the crucified Saviour of whom it very agreeably follows that they shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation being the men that make up the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the future age as Christianity is called of which Christ is stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the father in the LXXII their rendring of Isa 9.6 If this be not the meaning of the place then taking the words by themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and enlivens not his own soul must probably be thus supplied as our English hath it and none can keep or more literally to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath kept alive his own soul i. e. in relation to David 't is God that hath delivered and preserved him and none else could have done it being destitute of all worldly aides and the same by way of pious aphorisme is appliable to all others all deliverance from the least to the greatest streight or danger is totally to be imputed to God But most eminently and signally to Christ who being dead in the flesh was quickened by the spirit being put to that shameful death of Crucifixion in his humane nature was raised again by the power of his divine nature and in that was founded the propagation of the Christian Religion as the interpretation of that which follows His seed shall serve him and be numbred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or accounted to God for a generation V. 31. That he hath done this Where the Hebrew hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that or because he hath done it the Chaldee renders paraphrastically and in sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the miracles which he hath wrought The LXXII applying it to the people that should be born reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Lord hath made and so the Latine and Aethiopick and the Syriack also save that they read it in the future That which is most exact and according to the letter will be to render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he hath wrought it by it meaning the righteousness praecedent so Castâ—llio renders it ut exponant quâ— sit usus justitiâ— that they may shew what righteousness he hath wrâ—ghâ— by righteousness meaning either fidelity and perâ—ce of promise or more fitly in the sacred notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 benâ—gnâ—y or beneficence The Twenty Third PSALM A Psalm of David Paraphrase The Twenty Third Psalm was composed by David and is a most passionate expression of Gods abundant care and providence toward all those that faithfully depend on him And hath its most eminent completion in Christ the great shepheard and Bishop of our souls of whom that this Psalm is a Prophecy see Maximus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 3. c. β. and l. 2.55 c. 1. The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want Paraphrase 1. The Lord my God is to me and all that diligently wait on him as a Pastor is to his flock of sheep though it be in a wilderness he is able to provide for me I shall not be left destitute 2. He maketh me to ly down in green pastures he leadeth me beside the still waters Paraphrase 2. He provideth abundantly both for my food and refreshment 3. He restoreth my soul he leadeth â—he in the paths of righteousness for his names sake Paraphrase 3. He revives and refreshes and comforts me by his spirit affords me a full and plenteous baite and thereby enables me for the hardship of a journey as he did Elias 1 King 19.8 and then leads me forth in the even paths of pious duties gently and carefully as I am able to goe by this means directing me to that true felicity even of this life the exercising my self and guiding my steps by his excellent laws and rules of living and this out of his free mercy to me the greatest and most valuable that any mortal is capable of 4. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shaddow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me thy rod and thy staffe they comfort me Paraphrase 4. And though this course should engage me
which all the sacrifices and burnt-offerings under the Law were but types and shadows and at the presence of which they were to cease as we know they did and as is exprest here in the following words Burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required Then said I Loe I come That this whole passage is an eminent prophecy of Christ appears by the Apostle Heb. 10.5 who makes Christ not David to be the speaker here wherefore when he i. e. Christ cometh into the world he saith Sacrifice which makes it less necessary for us in this place to seek for any first sense wherein David might be interpreted to speak this of himself but rather to account of it as the great signal wonder of mercy done by God to men which in the recounting of Gods wonderful works and thoughts to us-ward v. 5. he seasonably brings in by the spirit of prophecy viz. the birth of the Messias and the Sacrifice of himself wherein so many even innumerable and unexpressible mercies were comprised and folded up If it may be thus understood as an instance brought in by David prophetically of Gods wonderful mercies then will these three verses be no more but a description of Christs coming into the world after which David again proceeds to the recounting of Gods mercies more generally vers 9. But because there is no assurance of this and the Apostles words Heb. 10.5 may refer only to the higher and Prophetick completion of the words and yet not prejudice a first immediate sense of them as belonging to David it is not amiss therefore here though not in the paraphrase to annex that viz. that God prefers obedience noted as was said by opening the ear before the richest oblations and holocausts and that therefore David designes that as his way of rendring his humblest thanks for Gods mercies by performing faithful obedience to his commands This is the literal meaning of Sacrifices and burnt-offerings thou wouldest not desire mine ears hast thou opened the latter that of ready willing obedience thou hast much preferred before the former And again to the same purpose Burnt-offerings and sacrifice thou hast not required Then said I Loe I come to do thy will O my God i. e. They are not sacrifices in their greatest multitude that God requires and expects of Kings or such as David as their returns for the greatest mercies but a ready and cheerful obedience to his commands such a discharge of the regal office as may tend most to the honour and glory of God such as was prescribed Deut. 17.16 c. where the duties of a King are set down and in the close of them this of his writing him a copy of the law in a book and reading therein all the days of his life v. 18 19. In reference to which as it may truly be said In the volume of the book it is written of me of David as of all other Kings in this place of Deuteronomy so may that be fitly interpreted that follows O my God I have delighted therein made thy service the study and practice thereof the great imployment and pleasure of my life yea thy law is in the midst of my bowels which was much more then the command of having it written in a Book I am perfect in the knowledge and continually exercised in the practice and performance of thy commandments V. 7. In the Volume From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to roll or fold comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Symmachus literally renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 folding and Theophylact on Heb. 10.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a roll The LXXII read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which must be understood in that sense denoting the round form that a writing is in when it is folded up as in Architecture some round parts are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the LXXII and so saith Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word being applyed to a book or writing as here which some call the folding As for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a book that signifies any writing among the Jews whose custom it was to write in a long roll see note on Luk. 4. a. and that folded up to preserve it and so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no more than a folded paper or parchment of writing a roll Now as by this phrase any kind of writing is signified and so as it belongs to Davids person it may fitly refer to the book of the Law wherein the duty of Kings was set down Deut. 17. So it must be remembred that in such rolls were contained their contracts as among us in indentures and so here the roll of the book as it belongs to Christ is no more but a bill or roll of contract betwixt God the Father and him wherein is supposed to be written the agreement preparatory to that great work of Christs incarnation wherein he undertaking perfectly to fulfill the will of God to perform all active and also passive obedience even to death had the promise from God that he should become the author of eternal salvation to all those that obey him V. 15. For a reward For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For a reward the LXXII seem to have read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the heel and so render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 presently As for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies their turpitude or filthy actions and so their shame in that sense as it is taken for any shameful thing for that is it which is to be rewarded with desolation The Forty First PSALM TO the chief Musitian a Psalm of David Paraphrase The Forty First Psalm sets forth the present reward of merciful-minded men in this life and from thence ascendeth to the assured mercies of God to his faithful servants that stand in need of them It was composed by David and committed to the Praefect of his Musick 1. Blessed is he that considereth the poor the Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble Paraphrase 1. The blessings of God shall not fail to be poured out on the merciful-minded man who is careful to consider and succour those that are in sickness or any kind of misery God shall be sure to succour him when afflictions come upon him 2. The Lord will restore him and keep him alive and he shall be blessed upon the earth and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies Paraphrase 2. Whatsoever his diseases or dangers are God will interpose for his relief and if he see it best for him signally secure his life and restore him to a prosperous flourishing condition in this world and whatever the malice of his enemies be deliver him out of their hands 3. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness Paraphrase 3. When he falls into sickness or distress for from those the pious man is not secured in this life the God of might
righteous judgment in God and a testimony that all that should pass should be from Gods particular disposing And so it was in the story before the fatal siege of Hierusalem all the Christians in obedience to Christs admonition Mat. 24.16 fled out of Judea unto Pella and so none of them were found in Judea at the taking of it See note on Mat. 24. g. 7. Hear O my people and I will speak O Israel and I will testifie against thee I am God even thy God Paraphrase 7. Then shall he establish a new law with these his faithful servants the disciples of Christ the members of the Christian Church entring into a stedfast covenant of mercy with them ratified and sealed in the death of his Son 8. I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt-offerings to have been continually before me Paraphrase 8. And abolish the old Mosaical way of Sacrifices and holocausts of bullocks c. constantly offered up unto God by the Jews 9. I will take no bullock out of thy house nor he-goats out of thy fold Paraphrase 9. And never any more put the worshipper to that chargeable gross sort of service of burning of flesh upon Gods Altar that the smoak might go up to heaven and Atone God for them as was formerly required whilst the Jewish Temple stood 10. For every beast of the forrest is mine and the cattel upon a thousand hills 11. I know all the fouls of the mountains and the c wild beasts of the field are mine 12. If I were hungry I would not tell thee for the world is mine and the fulness thereof 13. Will I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats Paraphrase 10 11 12 13. For indeed this kind of service was never appointed by God as that which he had any need of or pleasure in it If he had he might have provided himself whole hecatombs without putting the Israelites to the charge or trouble of it having himself the plenary dominion of all the cattel on the earth and fouls of the air and the certain knowledge where every one of them resides so that he could readily command any or all of them whensoever he pleased But it is infinitely below God to want or make use of any such sort of oblations sure he feeds not on flesh and blood of cattel as we men do There were other designs of his appointing the Israelites to use these services viz. to adumbrate the death of his own eternal Son as the one true means of redemption and propitiation for sin and the more spiritual sacrifice of prayer and thanksgiving and almes to the poor members of Christ which may receive real benefit by our Charities which cannot be imagined of God 14. Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vows unto the most High Paraphrase 14. And such are the sacrifices which under the Messias are expected and required of us 1. That of the Eucharist the blessing God for all his mercies but especially the gift of his Son to dye for us and this brought to God with penitent contrite mortified hearts firm resolution of sincere new obedience and constantly attended with an offertory or liberal contribution for the use of the poor proportionable to the voluntary oblations among the Jews and these really dedicated to God and accepted by him Phil. 4.18 Heb. 13 16. 15. And call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Paraphrase 15. 2. That of prayer and humble address unto God in all time of our wants to which there is assurance of a gracious return and that must ingage us to give the praise and glory of all to the Messias in whose name our prayers are addrest to God 16. But unto the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth 17. Seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee Paraphrase 16 17. But as for those that make no other use of these mercies of God than to incourage themselves to go on in their courses of sin which think to perform these sacrifices of prayer and praise and yet still continue in any wilful known vice unreformed make their formal approaches unto God but never heed his severe commands of reformation these have no right to the mercies of this Evangelical Covenant and do but deceive themselves and abuse others when they talk of it and the more so the more solemnly they pretend to piety and talk of and perhaps preach it to others 18. When thou sawest a thief then thou consentedst with him and hast been partaker with adulterers Paraphrase 18. Such are not only the thief and adulterer those that are guilty of the gross acts of those sins but such as any way partake with them in these 19. Thou givest thy mouth to evil and thy tongue frameth deceit Paraphrase 19. Such the evil speaker and lyer 20. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother thou slanderest thine own mothers son Paraphrase 20. The backbiter and slanderer 21. These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Paraphrase 21. When men commit such sins as these God doth not always inflict punishment on them immediately but defers and gives them space to repent and amend that they may thus prevent and escape his punishment And some make so ill use of this indulgence and patience of his which is designed only to their repentance as to interpret it an approbation of their course and an incouragement to proceed securely in it But those that thus deceive themselves and abuse Gods mercies shall most deerly pay for it God shall bring his judgments upon them here cut them off in their sins and pour out his indignation on them in another world 22. Now consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Paraphrase 22. This therefore is matter of sad admonition to every impenitent sinner that goes on fearless in any course of evil immediately to stop in his march to return betimes lest if he defer Gods judgments fall heavily upon him selfe him and carry him to that place of torment for then there is no possible escaping 23. Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Paraphrase 23. Whereas on the other side the Christian duties required v. 14. Repentance and charity c. and the orderly spending of these few days of our life in this world are beyond all the sacrifices of the Law an eminent means of glorifying God and providing for the present bliss and eternal salvation of our souls Annotations on Psalm L. V. 3. Shall come The notion of Gods coming must here first be established as that
those that are in the greatest distresses be thou gratiously pleased to look upon me to be atoned and reconciled toward me 2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin Paraphrase 2. O let not any the least of these crimes that I have been guilty of in this matter be permitted to appear in thy sight or rise up in judgment against me but seal me thy perfect pardon for every one of them 3. For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me Paraphrase 3. For I do most willingly confess that I have committed in the compassing of one carnal pleasure many horrid and odious sins These are a perpetual terror to my conscience an amazing prospect continually outfacing and tormenting me 4. Against thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest and be clear when thou judgest Paraphrase 4. And though the dignity and office wherein thou hast placed me over thy people leave me not liable to any humane process or judicature among men yet am I most sadly culpable and liable to vengeance from thee the pure God of heaven the transcendent Ruler over all the Kings of the earth Thou mayest most justly proceed against me as against the most criminous rebel indite me and arraign me of adultery drunkenness and murther also and whatever suit thou wagest against me thou art sure to cast me whatsoever vengeance thou exactest to be inflicted on me I must most deservedly and inevitably fall under it 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me 6. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom Paraphrase 5 6. Lord I am a most polluted creature the corruption of my nature the bare inclinations of my will to any unlawful object ought in any reason to be strictly watched and industriously rejected by me and thy grace continually sollicited to inable me to overcome them and not in the least degree favoured or indulged or yielded to when I so well know that thou requirest purity of the heart and affections and forbiddest the very first thoughts of any unlawful injoyment and beside this revelation of thy will that I should thus keep my self pure art pleased to grant me thy grace to make me inwardly sensible of this part of my duty and this is a great inhauncing of my sin committed against all these obligations 7. Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than snow Paraphrase 7. Lord be thou pleased to absolve me and solemnly to declare and seal to me thy reconciliation after the same manner as the priest is wont to do when upon the unclean thing he sprinkles water mixed with the ashes of an heifer and of cedar wood and of hyssop and of scarlet Lev. 14.6 7. Num. 19.6 the solemn ceremony for the purification of sin v. 9. and whereby the blood of the lamb of God the death of the Messias was praefigured and then I shall again be restored to that blessed state from which I have so sadly fallen by my outragious miscarriages 8. Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Paraphrase 8. I am in a most sad and wretched condition thy just displeasure and wrath for my sins as long as it continues over me is the setting my soul upon the torture my own conscience being the executioner under thee O be thou pacified and reconciled toward me and it shall be the joyfullest news that ever came to any poor tortured suppliants ears when he is taken off from the rack and all his bones set and restored to ease again 9. Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities Paraphrase 9. Lord pardon my sins and return to thy wonted favour toward me 10. Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Paraphrase 10. I have sadly fallen from my wonted purity and sincerity Lord by the good work of thy grace upon my heart restore me to it again and renew me inwardly and throughly my very thoughts as well as my actions that I never fall into the least beginning of any such pollution again 11. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me Paraphrase 11. Lord it is just with thee to reject me from all spiritual commerce and communication with thee who have resisted thy spirit and wasted my soul by so many wilful commissions against thee just that thou shouldest withdraw thy grace to which I have done such despite O do not thou thus severely punish me by withdrawing that which now more than ever I stand in need of 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit Paraphrase 12. Without thy help and aids I am utterly unable to get out of this broken condition the free and voluntary assistances of thy spirit are so perfectly necessary to me that I can never think a good thought make the least attempt toward recovering the purity from whence I am fallen without them O be thou pleased to restore them to me and thereby to support and establish me 13. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee Paraphrase 13. And this thy exceeding mercy to a sinner so sadly laps'd may be a means to bring wicked livers home to repentance I shall be able to incourage them to return by proclaiming mine own success who have fallen as sadly as any of them can have done And being thus incouraged by my example and experience many I doubt not by the assistance of thy grace shall be brought home to thy service and the practice of the duties of new life 14. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness O God thou God of my salvation and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness Paraphrase 14. Oh that sin of murther is an horrid and crying sin of a black and deep dy and though mine own hands have not been polluted with it yet my conscience assures me the guilt of the murther of Uriah lies on me who projected and contrived it by others O thou blessed Lord from whom all my deliverance must come be thou pleased to deliver me from this one as from those other foul Commissions and it will be most joyful news to me and with the greatest exultation of heart shall I proclaim thy abundant mercies to me 15. O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Paraphrase 15. This work of grace from thee shall set my lips wide open in praising and magnifying thee 16. For thou desirest not sacrifice else would I give it thou delightest not in burnt-offerings Paraphrase 16. 'T is not any the richest hecatombe or most chargable oblation for my sin that thou expectest
senses at the present and if it be liberally taken upon that invitation brings satiety and bitterness and pangs after it in the stomach for so honey doth Prov. 25.16 27. is any way comparable to this which as in the consequents it is most salubrious and profitable so at the very instant of the making use of it is most extremely delectable to any man that hath a palate qualified for such delicates 104. Through thy precepts I get understanding therefore I hate every false way Paraphrase 104. And the advantages it brings are not inferiour to the pleasure He that is not thus studied and instructed is apt to be seduced and insnared in many deceitfull and mischievous lusts but this instruction will keep men from that danger give them a timely knowledge and beget in them an hatred and abhorrence of all such fallacious flattering pleasures which mean us no kindness but treachery and the utmost malice NVN. 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my paths Paraphrase 105. Thy law is the onely guide and directour of all my actions 106. I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgments Paraphrase 106. And being instructed in that both what my duty is and what the means that may be safely relyed on for the performance of it thy grace to be obteined by constant prayer and vigilance diligence and indeavour to receive and make use of that grace and withall being by my admission into the number of thy people entred into a solemn sacramental covenant to perform obedience to those commands wherein God hath commanded us to walk and an obedience to which he hath in that covenant promised to justifie and accept us and without which either constantly performed or returned unto by a sincere repentance and persevering reformation he will neither justifie nor accept us I am now most indispensably ingaged and most nearly concerned to perform this obedience uprightly 107. I am afflicted very much quicken me O Lord according to thy word Paraphrase 107. Lord thou hast promised to relieve and support and refresh the afflicted be thou now pleased accordingly to reach out thy hand to me and seasonably to restore and revive me 108. Accept I beseech thee the freewill offerings of my mouth O Lord and teach me thy judgments Paraphrase 108. Lord I have nothing to present to thee but my prayers and praises those are my richest oblations which I most chearfully address to thee acknowledgments of thy former and petitions for thy continued deliverances Lord be thou graciously pleased to accept these and to add this constant mercy to all other thy grace to instruct and excite and assist me in a sincere obedience to thy commandments 109. My soul is continually in my hand yet do I not forget thy Law 110. The wicked have laid a snare for me yet I erred not from thy precepts Paraphrase 109 110. My malicious enemies have very treacherous designs against my life I am in continual danger of being seised on and destroyed by them yet shall not this fear amate or divert me from a most vigilant attendance on thee and constant performance of obedience to thee My dangers be they never so great shall not discourage or slacken my diligence in attending to and relying on thee from whom I am sure or from none my deliverance must come 111. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart 112. I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes alway even to the end Paraphrase 111 112. Whatever afflictions or distresses thou sendest or permittest to fall on me I have all reason to take them in good part having also so rich a portion as I have that of thy law and covenant and promised mercies These are an inheritance that will never fail me the most joyous and blissfull that can be to which therefore by all obligations of justice and gratitude I am bound to perform my constant obedience And this I shall carefully doe and all little enough by way of return to so superlative a mercy SAMECH 113. I hate vain thoughts but thy Law do I love Paraphrase 113. Wicked men I detest and fly from and have no such pleasure and joy as the meditation and practice of all holy duties 114. Thou art my hiding place and my shield I hope in thy word Paraphrase 114. When any distress approaches to thee I betake my self for relief and succour thy promises are my safe and constant refuge on them I can chearfully depend and am confident to be defended by thee 115. Depart from me ye evil doers for I will keep the commandments of my God Paraphrase 115. I have no need of the aids that wicked men can suggest unto me and as little am I concerned in their scoffs whereby they indeavour to weaken my confidence I will admit of no other policies but those of studying and practising his commandments who I am sure will continue stedfast to me if I do not forsake him 116. Uphold me according to thy word that I may live and let me not be ashamed of my hope Paraphrase 116. He hath promised me his support and will undoubtedly make it good unto me and in his time rescue me out of the saddest estate he will certainly answer and never disappoint this confidence O be thou now pleased to interpose thy hand effectually to defend and relieve me 117. Hold thou me up and I shall be safe and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually Paraphrase 117. Thus if thou doest I am then most certainly provided for What greater safety can I desire than the guard and tuition of the divine providence There shall I repose my self most chearfully and account it a continued felicity of my life that I am thus part of thy care considered and protected by thee 118. Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes for their deceit is falshood Paraphrase 118. Wicked men have no other wisedom or policy but that of their falshood and deceitfulness their lying and treacherous imposing on the simplicity and uprightness of honest men is the onely advantage they have above others and this being so contrary to all laws of God and man to justice and charity and common ingenuity but especially an affront to God a setting ones self in opposition to his rules and methods God is ingaged sooner or later to pluck off this visard to bring disappointments and ruine on those that make use of such impieties 119. Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross therefore I love thy testimonies Paraphrase 119. The wicked men of the world compared to the righteous are but as so much dross to good metal And the judgments of God which are as searching and discerning as fire will certainly make this separation first purge out the dross divide it from the purer metal and then
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they became liable to reprooss they seem to have taken ת for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the suffix which gives their sense and shall return to i. e. suffer rebukes In the same verse for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my spirit they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the speech of my breath in the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for breath as that is the instrument of speech V. 24. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye refused or would not they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye disobeyed as the Alexandrian copy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye heeded not fully to the sense After v. 27. the LXXII add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or when destruction comes to you as a farther explication V. 32. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the turning away of the simple shall slay them they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For for that they have wronged the little ones they shall be slain merely upon the former mistake v. 22. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies innocent simplicity and thence taking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in an active sense for subverting or wronging those innocents For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prosperity or tranquility they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 examination The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to be in peace and quiet and beside the use of that for prosperity it is sometimes taken for that stilness or peaceableness which hath treachery under it as when Joab 2 Sam. 3.27 took Abner aside to speak with him quietly or peaceably it signifies insidiously or treacherously and the LXXII there renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in treachery So Dan. 8.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by them rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by deceit In this sense they seem to have taken it here in consequence to the former interpretation of subverting the simple or innocent to which the 11 th verse might lead them and then I suppose they used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 treachery because examinations of others are especially designed to that end to entrap them whom they examine CHAP. II. 1. MY Son if thou wilt receive my words and hide my commandments with thee 2. So that thou incline thine ear unto wisedom and apply thy heart to understanding Paraphrase 1 2 3 4 5. The advantages of piety being so considerable what should avert any man from the vigorous pursuit of it Sure not that which perhaps is because nothing else can be pretended the difficulties of attaining it For whether it be in relation to our understanding the rules of it or to our practice of them the difficulties are not such but that we may by God's help which he is not backward to afford be confident to overcome them The whole matter may be referr'd to two heads the same that were forementioned ch 1.7 first the fear of the Lord as that signifies a pious and humble tender fear of displeasing him and secondly the knowledge of God as that also includes an uniform practice answerable to that knowledge and toward each of these God fails not to contribute his part to the first by his preventing to the second by his illuminating and exciting and assisting grace All that is demanded of us is but to receive these and faithfully to make use of them to the purposes to which they are afforded And our duty in this behalf is made up of four branches 1. an humble pliableness to receive instruction when 't is offered together with a care to lay up what is thus received for the direction of our lives 2. a bending our studies that way taking our selves off from the grosser cogitations of the world and flesh and applying our selves to the great concernments of our souls 3. a constant earnest importunate petitioning of God the fountain of all grace for those illuminations and assistances which our wants suggest and our condition makes necessary for us 4. an ardent affection and desire and a vehement pursuit animated therewith such as is ordinarily found in men toward the gains and advantages of the world when they will not be gotten otherwise and ought in all reason to be much more vigorously imployed in the gaining of this divine treasure These he that wants hath none to accuse but his own sloth and great injustice God being not wanting to him in his readiness to contribute sufficiently toward the acquiring of them And he that hath them need never doubt but he shall effectually attein what he so earnestly and sincerely pursues 3. Yea if thou criest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding 4. If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures 5. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God 6. For the Lord giveth wisedom out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding Paraphrase 6. For certainly God to whom his petition is addrest is abundantly able to furnish him He is the unexhausted fountain of grace revealing his will the rule of piety and assisting to the performance of it 7. He layeth up sound wisedom for the righteous he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly Paraphrase 7. And to those that sincerely make use of his preventing grace receiving what he gives and negotiating with it he will give that abundance of assisting grace that shall sufficiently enable them to walk acceptably before him This is laid up for them as riches in an inexhaustible treasure and shall never fail to be seasonably dispenced to them as they have need of it God having promised to be the protectour of those that keep close and approve their obedience to him and the most eminent part of that protection is to stand by them and aid and support them in all their temptations 8. He keepeth the paths of judgment and preserveth the way of his saints Paraphrase 8. To keep a strong and watchfull guard over all those ways that he hath authorized men to walk in such are the practices of all Christian vertues exact justice and charity and mercy and piety towards God and consequently to secure them as long as they shall continue stedfast to those ways and not wander out of them into blind paths of their own And as he hath promised so he is sure to perform Those that adhere to him he will never fail to preserve in safety 9. Then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgment and equity yea every good path Paraphrase 9. This then is the sure course viz. diligence prayer c. to arrive to that experimental knowledge of all vertue whether that of justice and charity in private life or uprightness in publick administrations see v. 3. and Note a and to discern the agreeableness of exact walking and of all vertuous practice to the eternal laws of reason and Religion that are planted in man's heart by God
the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many years say the Chaldee but the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hope In this Chapter there are these variations of the LXXII from the Hebrew After verse second there is this addition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but thou shalt apply it for instruction to thy son i. e. apply thy heart to understanding for that end to instruct thy son merely as a gloss or explication of the phrase precedent V. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the punctation seems to be taken for a verb and so is rendred diriges thou shalt direct whereas taking it for a noun in the accusative case plural it is exactly answerable to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rectitudes and then follows by apposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all good paths V. 10. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be pleasant they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall seem good merely a paraphrase the pleasantness of wisedom being the apparent goodness to the soul V. 12. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perversenesses they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing faithfull which is no unfit paraphrase V. 13. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who leave they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O ye that leave beginning a new period and they seem to be moved thereto by the change of the number the man that speaketh v. 12. and here who leave in the plural But such changes of the number are ordinary in these Books V. 15. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perverse in their paths they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their paths are crooked An easie figure by crookedness of paths to signifie the sins of those that walk in them V. 16. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from a strange woman they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from a straight way It is not easie to conjecture by what mistake unless for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Having made this change they proceed to alter the whole sense for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from a strange woman which hath sweetned her words they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alien from a right mind reading perhaps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All this by connecting the beginning of this verse with the end of the former whereas it begins a new sense in coherence with v. 12 c. for so after the mention of crooked paths v. 15. they render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to deliver thee by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to remove thee far which being done they thought it necessary to render that a straight way from whence the crooked paths removed them This being done the Transcribers found it necessary to add at the end of this verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 son let not evil counsel apprehend thee to support what follows in the Hebrew of the strange woman But these words are not found in many Greek Copies and certainly were not in that from whence the Arabick translated In all this though the original sense of the strange woman be lost yet another good sense which the words bear not is substituted in the stead of it Symmachus's rendring is literal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from a strange woman from a stranger whose words are smooth or slippery through which 't is easie to fall V. 17. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the guide they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doctrine in consequence to their former change when for the strange woman they rendred evil counsel V. 18. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the dead they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 near hades with the gyants from the double notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the dead and for gyants which seems to be two interpretations put together or if not the same word twice rendred V. 19. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of life they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 straight which is the sense though not the words the straight paths being the paths of life adding moreover 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for they are not apprehended by the years of life by way of paraphrase to shew the mutual dependence between straight paths and long life V. 20. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou mayest walk they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for if they had walked and instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keep they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they had found from the affinity betwixt finding and keeping V. 22. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ways of the wicked by way of paraphrase and in consent with Psal 1.6 CHAP. III. 1. MY son forget not my law but let thine heart keep my commandments Paraphrase 1. There is nothing wherein I can express a more paternal kindness to any man than by my most earnest advice that he will be mindfull of all the commands of God and heartily set to the uniform constant practice and performance of them The knowing or remembring his duty will be far from an advantage or privilege to him unless thereto be added a conscientious observance of it 2. For length of days and long life and peace shall they add to thee Paraphrase 2. And to engage thee to this I can give thee all assurance from God that beside the endless advantages of another world the promises of all the blessings of this life shall be on this condition made good to thee the prolonging of thy days here and all manner of quiet safety and prosperity accompanying it not that no pious faithfull servant of God shall ever fall under any afflictions in this world for there are many inestimable benefits of those changes sometimes for which God sends them to those he loves best but because in general observation the most obedient pious persons by God's special blessing on them and by the very temper of Christian vertues have a security of much greater wordly felicities those which are truly such than those which make use of any unlawfull arts to gain or encrease or continue the riches or honours of this world 3. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee bind them about thy neck write them upon the table of thy heart 4. So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man Paraphrase 3 4. For example there is no surer way to get the love and kindness of all to be approved of and highly esteemed both by God and man than to keep close to the constant continual practice of all works of justice and mercy and never to stray from them never to meditate or attempt much less to act the least injustice to be guilty of the least deceit toward any but to go about doing good to all even to sinners and enemies giving and forgiving This course never did nor shall fail to gain a good reputation and even veneration among men and is also secured of the favour and rewards of God And besides that in the enjoying of these two the main of the
reading it seems 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to acquire or possess which they the rather did because in the latter part they thought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fitly rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 emulate which being so mistaken they were to add somewhat to supply the Ellipsis which might be possest as the man of violence could not and this caused the addition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contumelies whether in the active sense the wrongs and contumelies which they deal out to others or the reproaches that fall upon themselves for their sins even their punishments in this world As for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that style fitly denotes the oppressours violent or injurious V. 34. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 surely he derideth the deriders from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 derisit they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God resisteth is set against the proud fully expressing the sense though not literally the words for as those that violate and despise God's Law are the proudest rebels so God's setting himself against them contrary to the giving them grace in the latter part is the scorning of them the not hearkening to or relieving their greatest wants And in this their rendring onely changing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God two Apostles recite this verse Jam. 4.6 and 1 Pet. 5.5 CHAP. IV. 1. HEar ye children the instruction of a father and attend to know understanding 2. For I give you good doctrine forsake you not my law Paraphrase 1 2. There is nothing so fit for all young and tender years to be seasoned with to be educated in by the care and discipline of their parents as the Laws of God for the directing of their lives It is the best portion the parent can assign the child more valuable than any other inheritance And then it nearly concerns us all that such a treasure be not cast away upon us that we lay it up safely in the heart make use of it to the direction and conduct of our whole lives and never knowingly or willingly transgress it as long as we live 3. For I was my father's son tender and onely beloved in the sight of my mother 4. He taught me also and said unto me Let thy heart retein my words keep my commandments and live Paraphrase 3 4. No child could be more passionately loved and valued by parents than the writer of this book Solomon was by his father David and mother Bathsheba And the great expression of this their love was the affording him this timely instruction daily inculcating to him the great necessity and advantages of exact and uniform obedience to all the commands of God towards a happy and prosperous life here and the attaining of eternity 5. Get wisedom get understanding forget it not neither decline from the words of my mouth Paraphrase 5. And the same paternal affection obliges me to inculcate this admonition to all the sons of men that whatever labour or industry it costs them they get this treasure into their possession the onely true wisedom and prudence that of knowing their duty of all sorts in order to the practice of it and never neglect or transgress those rules which this book gives them for the direction of their lives 6. Forsake her not and she shall preserve thee love her and she shall keep thee Paraphrase 6. And to this they have all encouragement as well as obligation Nothing shall tend more to their both present and eternal good than a strict unintermitted uniform observation of these rules All safety and tranquility and happiness here is made over to men on these onely terms They that thus keep close to God his providence is engaged to their protection and the very practice of these vertues it self hath a moral efficacy and an assurance of God's blessing accompanying it to keep men from all evil ghostly and bodily here and hereafter 7. Wisedom is a principal thing therefore get wisedom and with all thy getting get understanding Paraphrase 7. And therefore in all reason as this is to be the first and principal of our care to possess our hearts of this treasure so whatsoever else is afterwards sought or pursued must be with its due subordination to that The constant practice of all Christian duties must never be intermitted by the intervention of our secular aims but taken along to accomplish and secure all other acquests to us 8. Exalt her and she shall promote thee she shall bring thee to honour when thou dost embrace her Paraphrase 8. And no man shall ever loose by what is thus bestowed whatsoever value or love thou expressest to this sort of wisedom shall be abundantly repaid to thee by her They that endeavour not onely to exercise themselves constantly in the Law of God but to bring it in credit and fashion in the world to attract and engage all others in the same that prize and love it above all that appears most splendid or amiable in the world shall find this the most certain never-failing course to heap honour and estimation on themselves in the eyes of all such men whose good opinion is worth having And over and above all this the acceptation and praise of God and eternal glory with him hereafter is their most assured reward 9. She shall give to thy head an ornament of grace a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee Paraphrase 9. And indeed this is a special privilege of piety the exercise of Christian graces humility charity temperance c. that it renders thee amiable in the sight of all men S. Peter calls it the ornament of a meek and quâ—et spirit 1 Pet. 3.4 and S. Paul mentions it under the style of whatsoever things are honourable and of good report Phil. 4.8 no external ornament or bravery like it the most glorious regal crown doth not give such a lustre to him that wears it as the exercise of these graces doth But this is not all it not onely adorns but protects is by God's blessing and by the radiency of its own beauty a defensative and most sovereign amulet to him that hath it to secure him from the effects of mens malice the maxime being generally true though as other general rules it may bear some exception sometimes that men will not harm them who follow that which is good 1 Pet. 3.13 10. Hear O my son and receive my sayings and the years of thy life shall be many Paraphrase 10. Were I to exhort thee as a father a son most fatherly and prudentially to that whereon thy greatest and most durable weal even in this world depends I should absolutely recommend to thee the constant practice of piety the strict observation of those good rules which true saving wisedom prescribes thee being able to assure thee from heaven and even by a regular consequence that the blessings of a long and happy life do generally attend it From
the good providence of God who hath the dispencing of life and all good things it is to be expected that obedience to his methods shall thus be crowned godliness having the promises of this life as well as of another as far as God shall see them best for his servants And even in ordinary reason the practice of vertues tends to the preserving health and life both from diseases and from violent invasions temperance and sobriety secures from those many lothsome diseases to which the contrary betray men and meekness and peaceableness and mercifulness c. gain the kindness and generally secure us from the rages and violences and injuries of men and the hand of justice that avenges and cuts off sinners is designed not for the punishing but rewarding them that doe well 11. I have taught thee in the way of wisedom I have led thee in the right paths Paraphrase 11. Assure thy self the precepts and directions of life which I give thee from God tend most to all thy real advantages will lead thee a direct and straight way to all felicity and there is nothing tolerably wise but to order thy whole course according to them 12. When thou goest thy steps shall not be straitned and when thou runnest thou shalt not stumble Paraphrase 12. If thou doest so there shall no incommodation or danger befall thee of any kind whatsoever thou settest thy self to shall prosper 13. Take fast hold of instruction let her not go keep her for she is thy life Paraphrase 13. This then may conjure thee to give a most diligent ear to all the precepts of good life yea not onely to hearken to them when they are taught thee and set thy self to the practice of them as a duty owing from thee to God but most greedily to catch hold of them as thy greatest prize and crown thine own dearest interest as dear unto thee as is thy life and indeed the onely means to continue that comfortable to thee and therefore to be sought and kept with the greatest earnestness and diligence 14. Enter not into the path of the wicked and go not in the way of evil men 15. Avoid it pass not by it turn from it and pass away Paraphrase 14 15. As for the contrary ways of wicked men who hope to make great acquisitions of pleasure and profit by those means be carefull thou never suffer thy self to engage with them never flatter thy self that any such course is likely to thrive with thee the wicked are so far from being just matter of envy to godly men or consequently of imitation that their course is to be averted and dreaded and detested by all that mean kindness to themselves to be look'd on as a mere trap and snare from which every wise man will guard himself as diligently as it is possible and never approach or enter the confines of it 16. For they sleep not except they have done mischief and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall Paraphrase 16. One sad observation thou mayest make of wicked especially of violent injurious persons which is sufficient to deter any man from their society from envying or imitating them Their heart is most violently and transportingly set on their unjust designs they cannot take any rest enjoy their necessary refreshment of sleep unless they can compass the mischief they design By which means they put themselves into most painfull distempers through the eagerness of their pursuit especially if they encounter difficulties and are crost in them And all this while it is not any advantage which they project to themselves and are at all this expence to purchase but the bare empty gainless diabolical satisfaction of having done some mischief to others Their whole life is best pourtray'd by the emblem of the most sordid witch that submits her self to the basest and most horrid usages besides the giving her soul by compact to the devil onely that she may have the pitifull noisome pleasure of doing some mischief to her neighbour Just such is the whole life of malicious men 17. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence Paraphrase 17. And as for their sleep so for all other the most necessary refection their very meat and drink they contemn and despise it in the eagerness of their pursuits It is their meat and drink to wrong and defraud others their heart is set importunately upon that If they miscarry in their enterprises they are strangely discontented Ahab could enjoy nothing else if he were denyed Naboth's vineyard he turned away his face and would eat no bread 1 King 21.4 if they succeed they have oft no other benefit by it but the satisfaction of having been instruments of grieving others i. e. so many lictors or executioners or fiends and this is a strange sort of sensuality for any ingenuous man to be emulous of Or if they reap gain to themselves by rapine and violence and oppressing of other men even this is very unfit to be enjoyed in them The conscience of the injustice will deprive them of all real contentment or comfort in enjoying it when they know that every bit they eat is torn out of other mens throats taken by fraud or violence from the just possessours And this also may avert any man from their ways 18. But the path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day Paraphrase 18. Whereas the whole course of righteous men the beginning progress consummation is all imitable and exemplary fit to attract all others to it whether in respect of the inward lustre and excellency of it or the present satisfaction and pleasure that results from such practices above that which attends any other or the joy and comfort of conscience immediately following it In all these respects it cannot be more lively resembled than by the light of the Sun when it is come above our Horizon which is in continued increase till it come to high noon the day is all that while arraying and adorning it self as it were continually putting on addition of lustre from morning till mid-day and then the whole Horizon is fully illuminated no shade or degree of darkness any where remaining Such is the way of veâ—ue and good men it sends out a lustre constantly encreasing illuminates and warms at once attracts all that see it enamours them with its beauty enlivens with its rays see Matt. 5.14 16. till at length if they be not perfectly blind and insensate it brings all to partake of its excellencies 19. The way of the wicked is as darkness they know not at what they stumble Paraphrase 19. Whereas the wicked man's course is most black and dismall made up of all darkness the image of death and hell whether you respect the impiety of their deeds or the both present and future miseries that attend them And one direfull part of their condition
is that as men that walk in the dark and see nothing constantly stumble and fall and bruise themselves but know not what it is they stumble at and so could not possibly prevent it so these in the roads of their sins continually stumble and fall into misery and sad ruines and discern not by what means they thus fall and so cannot possibly prevent it A secret vengeance finds them out coming they know not from whence an invisible worm bred from their sin gnaws and devours their estate good name and oft their very flesh and like the flowing roll in Zachary ch 5.14 entring into the house and remaining in the midst of it and consuming it with the stones and timber is hardly ever gotten out of the family of unjust and violent men 20. My son attend to my words encline thine ear to my sayings 21. Let them not depart from thine eyes keep them in the midst of thy heart 22. For they are life unto those that find them and health to all their flesh Paraphrase 20 21 22. All this and much more which shall be added may very reasonably engage every son of wisedom every man that is not utterly void of all even secular prudence or care of his own safety to remember and practice all the wholsome admonitions that are given him and never to indulge himself the least liberty to deviate from them in the actions of his life considering that all the ease and pleasures and comforts of life depend upon this that the life of wicked men is a continual disease and misery and a kind of death save onely that in death there is no sense of that wretched condition but in a wicked life there is torments and smart in great abundance and on the contrary the practice of piety brings joy which is the onely true life and health with it the good conscience is a continual feast ch 15.15 and doeth good as a medicine ch 17.22 and both in that and many other respects such is the exercise of all pious duties here abstracted from the endless reward in another world 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life Paraphrase 23. This therefore renders it a most seasonable admonition that every man be strictly mindfull to guard and fortifie his heart his will or elective faculty the principle of motion and action from all prohibited objects that he beg God's continual restreining preventing and assisting grace and make most diligent use thereof to keep that from all consent to any sin fencing himself with all the steddiest resolutions and prayers for strength to make them good and wakefulness over all temptations and courage and constancy for resistance these so many sorts of the surest ammunition and armour of proof knowing and considering that as the heart is the spring or original of life in the body so the will or consent is the fountain from whence all life springs whether that signifie vital gracious actions instead of which if it be not diligently guarded springs up all impiety or whether the joys and comforts of this life present all depending upon a right ordering of our choices or whether everlasting life and continuance in bliss The guarding of the will or elective faculty from all consent the flying from and detesting all evil and the vigorous choosing and pursuing of all good enters men upon such a life of grace here which is an inchoation of endless glory and shall be swallowed up in it hereafter 24. Put away from thee a froward mouth and perverse lips put far from thee Paraphrase 24. And as the heart must be most strictly guarded so must the mouth or tongue The next care is due to that to keep it from all malicious words lying whispering detraction contumely that sword of the tongue which when it is managed by a malicious heart doth wound most sadly commits the most intolerable fatal riots of any thing 25. Let thine eyes look right on and let thy eye-lids look straight before thee Paraphrase 25. And so in like manner must the eyes be guarded also not permitted to stray to any forbidden objects but fixed on that which is perfectly upright and commendable and made use of to direct and manage all the actions of our life seeing and considering beforehand where dangers lie that they may be avoided and what means may most happily contribute to our spiritual ends that we may make use of them 26. Ponder the path of thy feet and let all thy ways be established Paraphrase 26. Lastly for the feet by which are signified all the actions of our lives they must be kept close to the commands of God and all consideration and foresight made use of to that purpose minding always and pondering what is best and never entring on any way that is unsafe or slippery And this beyond all other things shall tend to the confirming our prosperity to the preserving us from sin first and then from all mischief attending it 27. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left remove thy foot from evil Paraphrase 27. In a word let no temptation either of hope or fear passion or interest be able to seduce or divert thee from the straight and even path of vertue but exactly and precisely preserve thy self from every thing that is evil And nothing shall so certainly tend to thy peace and happiness Annotations on Chap. IV. V. 2. Doctrine The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies properly to receive thence to acquire or get thence by a metaphor to learn or receive doctrine From hence the noun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by us with the authority of the Chaldee and Syriack read doctrine but the LXXII reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gift and so the Latin with the Arabick donum and so the circumstances encline it the foregoing giving and good for so the instructing men not to forsake his law though it be capable of the style of giving them a good lesson or doctrine yet it is surely as if not more agreeable to call it the giving a good gift and thus indeed the teachings and descent of the Holy Ghost called God's giving gifts unto men are Psal 68.18 exprest by receiving gifts for men Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a taking and a gift are with the Greeks all one differing onely by the relation that one hath to the receiver tother to the donor In either of these interpretations the sense is much the same for supposing it a doctrine the attribute of goodness intimates it to be a favour and so a benefaction or gift to him who is willing to be taught V. 3. In the sight It is not amiss here to note what the Jews observe that in this and one other place of the Bible the rendrings differ and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the sight is written for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the
and learn what an artificer she is and how venerable a work she makes whose labours kings and private men bring for health and she desirable and famous to all though weak in strength having honoured wisedom she hath been advanced This large addition having no footsteps in the Hebrew cannot be thought any genuine original part of the LXXII their Translation but inserted by a later hand yet it is so ancient as to be found in most copies and there read by S. Ambrose Hexam l. v. c. 21. and S. Jerom on Ezek. iii. In Proverbiis de ape dicitur c. V. 10. For a little sleep they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou sleepest a little thou sittest a little to note the sitting still as well as the sleeping of the sluggard For folding the hands to sleep they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou embracest thy breast with thy hands as it is the manner of the idle as well as the sleepy person to doe V. 11. For a traveller they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evil way-goer for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of shield which we render an armed man Symmachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 literally and Theodotion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spear-man they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good courser in the same manner as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 swift of foot is Homer's Epithet for Achilles that valiant Warriour or as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one of the Olympick Games or exercises of Valour and then they add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but if thou be diligent thy harvest shall come as a fountain and thy poverty shall fly as an ill courser meaning to illustrate the former sentence by the contrary But this with no more probability to be thought a genuine part of the LXXII than the passage of the Bee v. 7. was V. 14. For soweth discord they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such an one brings troubles to a city V. 16. For these six things doth the Lord hate yea seven are an abomination to him they reade in coherence with the former verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he rejoyceth in all things which God hateth but he is broken for the uncleanness of his soul In the former part for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 six they seem to have read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gavisus est which they frequently render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as here they doe Isa 66.10 and 14. Lam. 1.22.4.21 And in the latter part for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and seven they seem to have read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is broken and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abomination to his soul is easily transformed into for the impurity of his soul V. 19. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 breatheth lies they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accendeth inflameth lies from the diverse uses of the breath to inflame or set on fire as well as to speak V. 22. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she shall lead thee they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lead it away and let it be with thee by way of paraphrase for as in taking a guide to conduct one in the way this is the manner the man takes the guide and keeps him with him and he directs the man in the ambiguities of his way so here the taking the Law and keeping it with him is equivalent to the Laws conducting him in his journey V. 23. For the commandment is a lamp and the law is light they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the command of the law is a lamp and light joyning those into one the commandment and law which whilst they are severed are yet supposed to signifie the same thing Whereas in the end of the verse they sever those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reproof and instruction which in the Hebrew are in regimine reproof of instruction V. 24. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the smoothness or flattery for which Symmachus hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 smooth-tongued they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calumny whereas elsewhere they render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deceit and ch 7.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a snare either because flattery and calumny go together he that flatters one calumniates others to him or because the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies first to divide then to smooth and that of calumniating may refer to the former signification calumny breeding discord and division Accordingly the Syriack here reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from feeding on delations or accusations which is their phrase for calumny and accordingly they call the Devil he that eats accusations and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they use comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cut or divide V. 25. For lust not after her beauty in thy heart they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of excellent paraphrase for if lust gain the consent of the heart it hath certainly overcome that man before it break out into the actions V. 26. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 literally by a whorish woman to a cake of bread they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price of a whore is as much as of one loaf thus supplying the Ellipsis to which also the Latin agrees pretium scorti vix est unus panis the price of a whore is scarce that of one loaf And the learned Castalio seems to approve it nam meretrix libidinosa mulier cum valeat ipsa unum panem pretiosam venatur animam a whore when her self is worth but one loaf hunts the precious soul And thus the sense is well made up But the Ellipsis is most readily supplied by that way which our English hath made use of V. 32. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an heart which the adulterer is said to want they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understanding the volitive faculty which is seated in the heart CHAP. VII 1. MY son keep my words and lay up my commandments with thee 2. Keep my commandments and live and my law as the apple of thine eye 3. Bind them upon thy fingers write them upon the table of thine heart 4. Say unto wisedom thou art my Sister and call understanding thy kinswoman 5. That they may keep thee from the strange woman from the stranger which flattereth with her words Paraphrase 1 2 3 4 5. And as the caution thus far insisted on ch 6. was that which all parents see necessary timely and frequently to inculcate to their sons v. 20. so is it an eminent part of the admonition of wisedom to all her children as thereby is meant the commandment of God and the eternal wisedom of the Father the Messias and Son of God There is no duty that these exact of all more indispensably to be treasured up in the heart in order to continual practice to be prized as life and guarded as that which is soonest hurt and most tenderly valued by men to be
to conceal the pleasure of it to keep it from boiling over from running out at mouth in vain-glory To make a poor man happy and by a seasonable alms to reprieve and rescue him that was as it were appointed to death is that God-like quality as Pythagoras agrees with Christ that kind of creative power that of all things men are best pleased with and therefore naturally they love those better as their creatures whom they have thus obliged than any their liberallest benefactors This the good-natur'd Tyrant Phalaris if his Image be truly drawn in his Epistles took more joy in than in all his other Greatness design'd that Tyranny that cost him and others so dear to no other end than that it might yield him that one pleasure the power of obliging many and accordingly he wooes and beseeches to be allowed this favour nay quarrels and threatens his Bull to those that would not afford him this joy of pouring out his largesses upon them This so delightful a piece of duty so perfect voluptuousness to any ingenuous man is withal let me tell you be it never so incredible the gainfullest trade the thrivingest way of merchandise for the wealth of this world that any Projector can direct you to Give me leave for once to interpose in secular affairs thus far as to assure you of that that I will pawn my whatever is mine for the truth of it and for which I conceive I have so many plain promises in the Scripture that 't were infidelity in me I am sure to doubt of it That the exercise of this duty of alms-giving was never the impoverishing of any Family but constantly the enriching Let it be tried and I will once set up the Ensurers Office that whatever goes out on that Voyage shall never miss to come home with gain there is no man that parteth with any thing for Christ's sake saith he but he shall have an hundred-fold more in this life Add but this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this of gain to that of delight the policy to the even sensual ravishment of it and you will resolve that Christ was a good Master that if you had been call'd to counsel at that great Parliament had had your Negative in that power of making Laws for Mankind you would not have chosen a smoother and more agreeable yoke for your selves than this that Christ hath design'd for you I promised to make this as evident by another head of probation the enumeration of the special goods that have ever been prized by Mankind but that were a new Deep and you have no stock of patience to hold out that Voyage Among all that have ever pretended to that Title I will suppose that of Honour hath gotten the Primogeniture supplanted all other Pretenders in an ingenuous Auditory and therefore one word to that and I shall think I have made good my undertaking Honour I conceive to be the Daughter of Heroick action and specially of Victory And is there any such sweeping triumphant Conqueror in the world as the regenerate Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he overcometh the world overcomes himself that Lion and that Bear that David combated with his furious rageful Passions Achelous in all his shapes and is always in pursuit of that Victory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still in the present he is always overcoming overcomes enemies the injurious person by not retributing of injuries the very tyrant persecutor whose adoration he hath when he can get none of his mercy whilst t'other that is frighted out of his conscience and integrity is scorn'd and kick'd into hell by him yea and the Devil that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evil one whom when the Christian resists he conquers fugiet he shall flie from thee yea and overcomes and reproaches and triumphs over all the world besides practises those duties upon Christ's commands which neither Jew nor Heathen ever thought themselves obliged to Athenagoras can challenge all the Philosophers and Law-givers of the world to equal Christ in one Precept or Christians in one practice of theirs that of blessing of enemies and no Goliah of Gath being able to answer his challenge no uncircumcised Philistine of confidence to meet him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Christian is the only victor he conquers the whole world about him yea and those glittering Courtiers of the superior world outvies and conquers Angels in that one dignity of suffering for Christ and so becomes the renowned'st Champion under heaven To this I should add again if I had not said so much of it already and if 't were not a baser earthier consideration the profit and secular advantage of which the Christian life let the insensate worldling think what he will hath the peculiar only promise from him which hath the sole disposing of it Some mistakes there are in judging what worldly Prosperity is Let it be rescu'd from these mistakes as particularly from that of signifying a present few months vicissitude of power and wealth so sure to be paid and confuted from deserving that Title by that of the Prophet When thou ceasest to spoil thou shalt be spoiled let it signifie as alone it doth truly signifie that competency not that superfluity which hath all the advantages and none of the pains of wealth in it and no question the doing our duty though it be the present leaving of all for Christ's sake is that which doth not use to fail of the liberallest sort of harvest the hundred-fold more in this life i. e. all the true advantages of those possessions without that addition which would be bare profitless incumbrance and which if it were added would prove a most disadvantageous diminution I shall venture the brand and punishment that belongs to the most infamous Cheat whenever any Disciple of Christ shall think fit to call me his underminer or enemy for this doctrine when he shall think fit to tell me really that Honesty is not the only Prudence the surest foundation and treasure of worldly bliss I have done with the particulars I promised And now put all together and you will never think the Preacher a Tyrant more never pity the Melancholick but envy the ravishments of him that hath taken up this yoke yea though it have a Cross annexed to it to follow Christ you will never put in for your part in Mahomet's Paradise exchange your purer Gospel for a grosser Alcoâ—an having in this very yoke of Christ a satisfaction to all your longings a richer harvest of joys in the present possession than all the false Prophets and false Christs could feign for their Clients in the latest reversion And having thus fortifi'd you I shall now challenge the Rival Satan to come out to thee to bring forth his pleas and pretensions for thee to interpose his exceptions if he have any why this hour should not be the solemn Aera the date of thy long farewel to the Kilns and
made a most excellent sanctified use of these Times I confess I am glad to see such quarrels glad that any thing can allay that mad passion that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Isidor calls it that fury of love and doting on our earthern Gods glad that they that have been so long tormented in their own Gallies suo calculo damnati ad metalla by their own tyrannical covetous minds condemn'd to that old Roman punishment a digging and hewing in the Minerals for ever are by the bounty of these ill Times return'd from their thraldom their captivity before their year of Jubilee expell'd from these Gallies banish'd out of this Inquisition glad that the World 's forsaking of us can work any degree of cure on our fits of spleen our hypochondriack passions to the World 'T is possible that the man thus dispossest of his old Familiar may at length have hospitable thoughts for some nobler guests that the ill usage from the Harlot may bring the Spouse into favour again that the sense of the ill Master that we have drudg'd under so long may make us seek out some more gainful service that the unprosperousness of the arm of flesh the several failings of the Second causes which we have idolized so often the many delusions and ill successes we meet with in the world may make some forsake those Atheistical colours and bring in Proselytes to Heaven and so this contempt of the World may be a piece of prooemial piety an usher or Baptist to repentance but till it be thus improv'd and built upon till this excellent piece of Philosophy be as Clemens saith of the Pagan School 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 baptized by that Baptist christianiz'd by the addition of Repentance till the thorns that are now in the flesh enter to the pricking and wounding of the heart to the letting out all worldly trusts and aiery hopes out of it till he that is fallen out with this world and his Aegyptian Master there come with him in the Gospel unto Christ in quest after the blessed heavenly Master running and kneeling and asking Good Master what shall I do to get my portion in another World and pursue Christ's directions to the utmost in that design that contemner of the World must still know he hath not yet taken out the Baptist's Copy not made such use of the Doctrine of the Rod as is expected from him he is not yet advanced so far as to John's Baptism to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the so much as almost a Christian which the Baptist could have made him O then let him go on to the perfection of the Text not satisfie himself with that use of it In another perhaps the complexion of the Times have had a yet nobler influence inspired him with a perfect valour an athletick habit of Soul a contempt of Life it self brought him to a dreadless approach of that supreme terrour and that not only the martial man whose calling is to heard that Lion but even the soft Courtier who had imbibed no such bold principles 't is now no news to hear Death kindly treated We can think of Death as of a Preferment of the Grave as one of the greatest Dignities in the Church and not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bless this enemy when we have not so much meekness or charity for any other count them happiest and blessedest that come earliest to it each discontented Jonah hath his Take I beseech thee my life from me the whole Kingdom is become wilderness a many prickly Juniper-trees scattered every where in that wilderness and an Eliah sate down under every one of those Juniper-trees a sighing cut his request for himself that he may die It is enough now O Lord take away my life and I see this passeth with some for a special piety and mortification which let me tell you considered aright is an act of the sullenest Atheism a fellonious intent against themselves which because like Saul they are too cowardly to execute with their own hands God must supply the Armour-bearer's place be call'd in to do it for them But I am not so uncharitable to think that all our thoughts of kindness to death are the congelation of such black melancholick vapours 't is I hope in some an obedience to Plato's precept the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the endeavouring to behave ones self comely in whatever fortune a Christian submission to God's will in either of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which way soever the oeconomy of providence disposes us even as far as to death it self no hatred or satiety of Life but an indifference to either lot the hating Life only as we are commanded to hate our Parents not with an absolute but comparative hatred the denotation of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only chusing the rest preferring the dormitory the being asleep in Christ in Paradise with Christ rather than to be in those uneasie postures laborious marches that an Hell on earth provides for us And then I shall commend your righteous judgment but yet still not flatter you that this is a sufficient Use of this Baptist's Sermon of the present impendency of God's punishments Thou may'st not only be content but wish to die and be with Christ which is far better more desirable even to the carnal man most gladly exchange the torments of a brittle life for the joys of an Eternity and yet not have deposited the lusts and basenesses of this nauseated life the former is but an act of the Judicative faculty a conclusion that such premisses once considered cannot chuse but extort from us but the other is an act of the Will which is not so easily brought to perform its duty to mortifie the flesh with the affections and lusts the work of Repentance here required of us And I beseech you let us not be too confident that we have performed our task though we could resolve to be content nay glad to die with Christ for so you know Peter could do and deny and blaspheme him after it unless we have that second Martyrdom that Cyprian or some body in his disguise hath wrote a Book of that vital Martyrdom of our exemplary saintly penitent lives to improve and consummate t'other and so still we are not got so far as Repentance we require more storms more thunderbolts more rouzing tempests more pressing calamities yet to drive us thither A third sort may have arrived to a third and greater degree of proficiency yet in the School of Judgments to a resolution and practice of Patience under God's hand how heavy soever it prove and yet let me tell you come short of Repentance still for I beseech you observe there is a double submission unto God to his will and to his wisdom that to his will reveal'd as well as secret reveal'd for the duties secret for the sufferings of this life the first in an active the second in
homage to it as Servants always to attend and confirm its Proposals never to contradict it as Aristotle hath it Met. 2.2 3. Though Faith depend not upon reason though it subsist entirely upon its own bottom and is then most purely Faith when it relies not on reason and adheres wholly to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Gods word yet doth the concurrence and agreement and evidence of reason add much to the clearness and beauty and splendor of it takes away all fears and jealousies and suspicious surmisings out of the understanding and bestows a resolution and constancy on it For Faith though in respect of its ground Gods word it be most infallible yet in its own nature is as the Philosopher defines it a kind of opinion and in our humane frailty subject to demurs and doubts and panick terrors for fear it be false grounded and therefore Aristotle saith of it that it differs from knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a sickly man from a strong 't is very weak and aguish subject to sweats and colds and hourly distempers whereas the evidence and assurance of sense and reason added to it bestows a full health and strength upon it an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perfect state that it shall never be forced or frighted out of In brief where reason gives its suffrage it unvails Faith and to adherence super-adds evidence and teaches us to feel and touch and handle what before we did believe to gripe and hold and even possess what before we apprehended and these are believers in a manner elevated above an Earthly condition initiated to the state which is all Vision where every thing is beheld 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naked and display'd as the entrals of a Creature cut down the back or with open face beholding as in a glass 2 Cor. iii. 28 4. There be some difficulties in Religion at which an illiterate understanding will be struck in a maze some depths of mystery where an Elephant can scarce tread Water a Lamb must not hope to wade Many above the apprehensions of the most capacious brain where reason being not able to express must be content to shadow and describe in some rude lines what it cannot perform in pourtraicture and here I say learning though it cannot reach yet can heave up and point at profit though not perfect us help us to some images and resemblances to conceive that which we cannot fully comprehend so saith Philoponus will Mathematical abstractions facilitate the simplicity of Gods Essence to our understandings the lucid nature of the Sun express the brightness of his glory and the mysterious numbers of the Pythagoreans represent the Trinity to our phansies And thus doth Zoroastes in Patricius Philosophari de Deo subdue as it were divinity to reason and raise up reason to join issue with divinity and by his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that paternal depth made of three threes comprise all the secrets of the Godhead But besides these secrets of the upper Cabinet these supernatural depths there are others secundae altitudinis and as Halicar calls those which are above the reach of all but Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Aristotle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natural miracles which none but Scholars can attain to And these I hope shall never be discust upon a Shop-board or enter into any brain that is not before well ballast with weight and substance at the bottom I need not name them to you you may know them by this that when they come into an empty brain they breed Winds and turn all into vertigoes and dizziness There be yet farther lights of a third magnitude which yet every one hath not Eyes to gaze on and of this condition are almost all the speculations in divinity nay the ordinariest truth in a Catechism can scarce be forced into a vulgar understanding his brain is not set that way and many of our subtilest Worldlings have mistaken the Virgin Mary for an Angel and the Apostles Creed where only they find mention of her for a prayer and then you cannot imagine what stead a little learning would stand these men in what even Miracles 't would work upon them 5. 'T is but necessity and exigence of nature that those which are the weak should apply themselves for help and directions to those that are stronger the Child in a Cradle must be put to a Nurse which may give it suck till it be able to eat and for a while bear it in her arms that it may be taught to go There be in nature saith Aristotle in his Mechan many wants she performs not all our needs and therefore Engines were invented to supply defects Thus is Art a Machina or invention 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to furnish us with those abilities which nature was a niggard in and therefore to deprive our selves of this guidance when it is offered is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to put out an eye of his that hath but one in all which was of old a great aggravation to the injury in the Rhetor. indeed to leave our selves desperately blind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Iambl In matters of Religion we must not so much as speak nay not think without a Candle we shall want the guidance of some Teacher to direct every such word out of our mouths or thought into our hearts An ignorant man must not have leave so much as to meditate on God without a guide for he is mad say the Philosophers and then every thought of his will be a kind of delirium or phrenzy 'T is the law of nature saith the Historian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that superiours should have a kind of sovereignty over all that are inferiour to them a magisterium and command over them to rule and order them and this superiority and sovereignty hath the learned Pastor or generally the Scholar over all ignorant men be they never so rich or potent and whosoever denies or scorns thus to obey I say not is to be slain as the Law was in the ancient Wars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without an assizes but to be condemned of much peevishness and more stupidity and his punishment is Let him fall into his own hands i. e. be ruled by a fool or mad man 6. Much of the speculative part of Religion may be had from a Pharisee as well as a Disciple Christ himself bears witness of him that he was Orthodox in matters concerning the Law They sit in Moses Chair and therefore whatsoever they bid you that observe and do Mat. xxiii 3 They err indeed in prescribing their additions to duty as divine command but the chief obliquity was in their lives they were Hereticks nay Apostates from their Doctrine and therefore do not after their works for they say and do not verse 4. If I am resolved of such a mans abilities in learning but see him a scandalous Liver I will borrow of his gifts and
the world but out of the Gospel and he that hath refus'd them is past any farther treaty He that believeth not is condemned already John iii. 18 his damnation is sealed to him and the entail past cutting off 't is his purchace and now wants nothing but livery and seizin nay 't is his patrimony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecclus. xx 25 he is as sure of it as of any peny worth of his inheritance And the reason is implyed 1 Cor. xv 17 If Christ be not risen you are yet in your sins there is no way to get out of our sins but Christs resurrection and he that believeth not Christ is not risen to him 't were all one to him if there had never been a Saviour and therefore he remains in his old thraldom he was taken captive in Adam and hath never since had any other means to restore him the ransom that was offered all he would none of and so he sticks unredeemed he is yet in his sins and so for ever like to continue And now he is come to this state 't were superfluous farther to aggravate the sin against him his case is too wretched to be upbraided him the rest of our time shall be imployed in providing a remedy for him if it be possible and that must be from consideration of the disease in a word and close of application The sin being thus displayed to you with its consequences O what a spirit should it raise in us O what a resolution and expression of our manhood to resist and banish out of us this evil heart of unbelief Heb. iii. 12 what an hatred should it work in our bowels what a reluctancy what an indignation what a revenge against the fruit of our bosom which hath so long grown and thrived within us only to our destruction which is provided as it were to eat our souls as an harbinger to prepare a place within us for the worm in Hell where it may ly and bite and gnaw at ease eternally 'T is an Examination that will deserve the most precious minute of our lives the solemnest work of our souls the carefullest muster of our faculties to shrift and winnow and even set our hearts upon the rack to see whether any fruit or seed of infidelity lurk in it and in a matter of this danger to prevent God inquest by our own to display every thing to our selves just as it shall be laid open before God in judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. iv 13 naked and discernible as the entrals of a Creature cut down the back where the very method of nature in its secrecies is betrayed to the eye I say to cut our selves up and to search into every crany of our souls every winding of either our understanding or affections and observe whether any infidel thought any infidel lust be lodged there and when we have found this execrable thing which hath brought all our plagues on us then must we purge and cleanse and lustrate the whole City for its sake and with more Ceremony than ever the heathen used even with a superstition of daily hourly prayers and sacrificing our selves to God strive and struggle and offer violence to remove this unclean thing out of our Coasts use these unbelieving hearts of ours as Josiah did the Altars of Ahaz 2 King xxiii 12 break them down beat them to powder and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron that Cedron which Christ passed over when he went to suffer John xviii 1 even that brook which Christ drank of by the way Psa cx 7 And there indeed is there a remedy for infidelity if the Infidel will throw it in If he will put it off be it never so dyed in the contempt of Christs blood that very blood shall cleanse it and therefore In the next place let us labour for Faith let not his hands be stretched out any longer upon the cross to a faithless and stubborn generation 'T were a piece of ignorance that a Scholar would abhor to be guilty of not to be able to understand that inscription written by Pilate in either of 3. languages Jesus of Nazareth King John xix 19 Nay for all the Gospels and Comments written on it both by his Disciples and his works still to be non-proficients this would prove an accusation written in Marble nay an Exprobration above a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In a word Christ is still offered and the proclamation not yet outdated his sufferings in the Scripture proposed to every one of you to lay hold on and his Ministers sent as Embassadors beseeching you to be reconciled 2 Cor. v. 20 and more than that in the Sacrament of the Eucharist his body and blood set before our eyes to be felt and gazed on and then even a Didymus would believe nay to be divided amongst us and put in our mouths and then who would be so sluggish as to refuse to feed on him in his heart For your Election from the beginning to this gift of Faith let that never raise any doubt or scruple in you and foreslow that coming to him this is a jealousie that hath undone many in a resolvedness that if they are not elected all their Faith shall prove unprofitable Christ that bids thee repent believe and come unto him is not so frivolous to command impossibilities nor so cruel to mock our impotence Thou mayest believe because he bids Believe and then thou mayest be sure thou wert predestinated to believe and then all the decrees in the World cannot deny thee Christ if thou art thus resolved to have him If thou wilt not believe thou hast reprobated thy self and who is to be accused that thou art not saved But if thou wilt come in there is sure entertainment for thee He that begins in Gods Counsels and never thinks fit to go about any Evangelical duty till he can see his name writ in the book of life must not begin to believe till he be in Heaven for there only is that to be read radio recto The surer course is to follow the Scripture to hope comfortably every one of our selves to use the means apprehend the mercies and then to be confident of the benefis of Christs suffering and this is the way to make our Election sure to read it in our selves radio reflexo by knowing that we believe to resolve that we are elected thereby we know that we are past from death to life if we love the brethren 1 John iii. 14 And so is it also of Faith for these are inseparable graces So Psal xxv 14 Prov. iii. 32 Gods secret and his Covenant being taken for his decree is said to be with them that fear him and to be shewed to them i. e. their very fearing of God is an evidence to them that they are his elect with whom he hath entred Covenant Our Faith is the best argument or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
abroad in Tents we have seen or heard of him but have not yet brought him home into our hearts there to possess and rectify and instruct our wills as well as our understandings Thirdly The whole mystery of Christ articulately set down in our Creed we as punctually believe and to make good our names that we are Christians in earnest we will challenge and defie the Fire and Faggot to perswade us out of it and these are good resolutions if our practices did not give our Faith the lye and utterly renounce at the Church Door whatsoever we profest in our Pews This very one thing that he which is our Saviour shall be our Judge that he which was crucified dead and buried sits now at the right hand of God and from thence shall come to judge the world this main part yea summ of our belief we deny and bandy against all our lives long If the story of Christ coming to judgment set down in the xxv of Matthew after the 30. Verse had ever entred through the doors of our Ears to the inward Closets of our hearts 't is impossible but we should observe and practise that one single duty there required of us Christ there as a Judge exacts and calls us to account for nothing in the World but only works of mercy and according to the satisfaction which we are able to give him in that one point he either entertains or repels us and therefore our care and negligence in this one business will prove us either Christians or Infidels But alas 't is too plain that in our actions we never dream either of the Judgment or the Arraignment our stupid neglect of this one duty argues us not only unchristian but unnatural Besides our Alms-deeds which concern only the outside of our neighbour and are but a kind of worldly mercy there are many more important but cheaper works of mercy as good counsel spiritual instructions holy education of them that are come out of our loyns or are committed to our care seasonable reproof according to that excellent place Lev. xix 17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart but in any wise reprove him a care of carrying our selves that we may not scandal or injure or offer violence to the Soul and tender Conscience of him that is flexible to follow us into any riot These and many other works of mercy in the highest degree as concerning the welfare of other mens Souls and the chief thing required of us at the day of Judgment are yet so out-dated in our thoughts so utterly defaced and blotted out in the whole course of our lives that it seems we never expect that Christ in his Majesty as a Judge whom we apprehend and embrace and hug in his humility as a Saviour Beloved till by some severe hand held over our lives and particularly by the daily study and exercise of some work of mercy or other we demonstrate the sincerity of our belief the Saints on Earth and Angels in Heaven will shrewdly suspect that we do only say over that part of our Creed that we believe only that which is for our turn the sufferings and satisfactions of Christ which cost us nothing but do not proceed to his office of a Judge do not either fear his Judgments or desire to make our selves capable of his mercies Briefly whosoever neglects or takes no notice of this duty of exercising works of mercy whatsoever he brags of in his theory or speculation in his heart either denies or contemns Christ as Judge and so destroys the summ of his Faith and this is another kind of secret Atheism Fourthly Our Creed leads us on to a belief and acknowledgment of the Holy Ghost and 't is well we have all conn'd his name there for otherwise I should much fear that it would be said of many nominal Christians what is reported of the Ephesian Disciples Acts xix 2 They have not so much as heard whether there be an Holy Ghost or no. But not to suspect so much ignorance in any Christian we will suppose indeed men to know whatsoever they profess and enquire only whether our lives second our professions or whether indeed they are mere Infidels and Atheistical in this business concerning the Holy Ghost How many of the ignorant sort which have learnt this name in their Catechism or Creed have not yet any further use to put it to but only to make up the number of the Trinity have no special office to appoint for him no special mercy or gift or ability to beg of him in the business of their Salvation but mention him only for fashion sake not that they ever think of preparing their Bodies or Souls to be Temples worthy to entertain him not that they ever look after the earnest of the spirit in their hearts 2 Cor. i. 22 Further yet how many better learned amongst us do not yet in our lives acknowledge him in that Epithet annext to his title the Holy Ghost i. e. not only eminently in himself holy but causally producing the same quality in us from thence called the sanctifying and renewing spirit How do we for the most part fly from and abandon and resist and so violently deny him when he once appears to us in this Attribute When he comes to sanctifie us we are not patient of so much sowreness so much humility so much non-conformity with the world as he begins to exact of us we shake off many blessed motions of the spirit and keep our selves within garrison as far as we can out of his reach lest at any turn he should meet with and we should be converted Lastly The most ordinary morally qualified tame Christians amongst us who are not so violent as to profess open arms against this Spirit how do they yet reject him out of all their thoughts How seldom do many peaceable orderly men amongst us ever observe their wants or importune the assistance of this Spirit In summ 't was a shrewd Speech of the Fathers which will cast many fair out-sides at the bar for Atheists That the life of an unregenerate man is but the life of an Heathen and that 't is our Regeneration only that raises us up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from being still mere Gentiles He that believes in his Creed the Person nay understands in the Schools the Attributes and gifts of the Holy Ghost and yet sees them only in the fountain neither finds nor seeks for any effects of them in his own Soul he that is still unregenerate and continues still gaping and yawning stupid and senseless in this his condition is still for all his Creed and Learning in effect an Atheist And the Lord of Heaven give him to see and endeavours to work and an heart to pray and his spirit to draw and force him out of this condition Fifthly Not to cramp in every Article of our Creed into this Discourse we will only insist on two
in then doth it run about the pastures scorns to be kept within any compass Thus is it with the soul of man if it be ordered within terms and bounds if it have a strict hand held over it if it be curb'd and brought to its postures if it have reason and grace and a careful Tutor to order it you shall find it as tame a Creature as you need deal with it will never straggle or stray beyond the confines which the spirit hath set it the reason is because though it be in it self fluid and moist and ready to run about like water yet Deus firmavit Aquas God hath made a Firmament betwixt the waters as he did Gen. i. 7 i. e. he hath establisht it and given it a consistency that it should not flow or pour it self out beyond its place But if this Soul of man be left to its own nature to its own fluid wild incontinent condition it presently runs out into an Ocean never staies or considers or consults but rushes head-long into all inordinacy having neither the reins of reason nor God to keep it in it never thinks of either of them and unless by chance or by Gods mercy it fall into their hands 't is likely to run riot for ever Being once let loose it ranges as if there were neither power on Earth to quell nor in Heaven to punish it Thus do you see how fluid how inconstant the Soul is of its own accord how prone it is how naturally inclined to run over like a stream over the Banks and if it be not swathed and kept in if it be left to the licentious condition of it self how ready is it to contemn both reason and God and run head-long into Atheism Nay we need not speak so mercifully of it this very licentiousness is the actual renouncing of Religion this very walking after their own lusts is not only a motive to this sin of scoffing but the very sin it self A false Conception in the Womb is only a rude confused ugly Chaos a meer lump of flesh of no kind of figure or resemblance gives only disappointment danger and torment to the Mother 'T is the soul at its entrance which defines and trims and polishes into a body that gives it Eyes and Ears and Legs and Hands which before it had not distinctly and severally but only rudely altogether with that mass or lump Thus is it with the Man till Religion hath entred into him as a Soul to inform and fashion him as long as he lives thus at large having no terms or bounds or limits to his actions having no form or figure or certain motion defined him he is a Mola a meer lump of man an arrant Atheist you cannot discern any features or lineaments of a Christian in him he hath neither Eyes to see nor Ears to hear nor hands to practice any duty that belongs to his peace Only 't is Religion must take him up must smooth and dress him over and according to its Etymon must religare swathe and bind up this loose piece of flesh must animate and inform him must reduce him to some set form of Christianity or else he is likely after a long and fruitless travel to appear a deformed monstrous Atheist But not to deal any longer upon simile's lest we seem to confound and perplex a truth by explaining it I told you the licentious voluptuous life was it self perfect Heathenism For can you imagine a man to be any but a Gentile who hath abandoned all love all awe all fear all care of God any one of which would much contract and draw him into compass who hath utterly put off every garb of a Christian who hath enjoy'd the reins so long that now he is not sensible or at least contemns the curb or snaffle if he be but check't with it gets it in his teeth and runs away with it more fiercely The Heathen are noted not so much that they worshipt no God at all but that they worshipped so many and none of them the true Every great friend they had every delight and pleasure every thing that was worth praying for straight proved their God and had its special Temple erected for its Worship So that do but imagine one of them every day worshipping every God whom he acknowledged in its several Oratory spending his whole life and that too little too in running from one Temple to another and you have described our licentious man posting on perpetually to his sensual devotions worshipping adoring and sacrificing every minute of his life to some Idol-vanity and bestowing as much pains and charges in his prophane heathenish pleasures as ever the Gentiles did on their false gods or the most supererogating Papist on their true We are wont to say in Divinity and that without an Hyperbole that every commission of sin is a kind of Idolatry an incurvation and bending down of the Soul to some Creature which should alwayes be erect looking up to Heaven from whence it was infused like water naturally inclined to climb and ascend as high as the Fountain or Head from whence it sprang And then certainly a licentious life is a perpetual Idolatry a supineness and proneness and incurvation of the Soul to somewhat that deserves to be called an Idol i. e. either in St. Pauls acceptation of it nothing an Idol is nothing 1 Cor. viii 4 or else in the most honourable signification only an Image or some rude likeness or representation of God We are the Image of God our selves and whatsoever is below us is but an imperfect draught of him containing some lineaments some confused resemblances of his power which created them have no being of their own but only as shadows which the light doth cast And therefore every love every bowe every cringe which we make to any Creature is the wooing and worshipping of an Image at best in plain terms of an Idol nothing What degree then of Idolatry have they attained to who every minute of their lives bowe down and worship make it their trade and calling for ever to be a solliciting some pleasure or other Some exquisite piece of sensuality to bless and make them happy which have no other shrines to set up but only to their own lust to which they do so crouch and creep and crawle that they are never able to stand up right again like those Trees which the Papists talk of which by bowing to our Ladies House when in walks by the Wood toward Loretto have ever since stood stooping Thus do you see how the latter part of my Text hath overtook the former the walking after his own lusts becomes a scoffer the licentious man proceeded Atheist and that with ease his very voluptuous life is a kind of Atheism and the reasons of this are obvious you need not seek or search far for them For first this walking in their own lusts notes an habit gathered out of many acts he hath