to a people that therefore sinners and sinne be disgraced among the people How vnworthy a thing were it that good benefactours as all good men are to their country should be euill rewarded with reproache and contempt And how vnequall were it that permitious persons as all wicked men bee to the state should without cause be exalted with prayse and preferment The wise Magistrate well knoweth that therefore GOD hath giuen him so honourable a place and preheminence for 1. Pet. 2. 14 the punishment of euill dooers as Saint Peter testifieth and the prayse and incouragement of them that doe vvell It shall bee then a worthy seruice to God and a benefite and kindnesse to the whole kingdome for them that haue authority so to vse their authority as that righteousnesse and piety may prosper and flourish more and more and all iniustice and wickednesse may be suppressed and wither away Confutation of their opinion which dreame that nothing can be disgracefull that is common and generall whatsoeuer many doe allow they thinke to be graced and made commendable by the allowance of many And that causeth riot and quasting and garishnesse and couetousnesse and execrable oathes and impious sabbaoth breaking and diuers other vices of like nature to bee so little feared and so much committed But how shoulde a whole people then haue sinne turned to theire shame if the practice and consent of the multitude could take away the shame of sin The greate number of biles blanes and botches together doth not lesson the loathsomne thereof but augment it Neither is the face of any man or woman disfigured by three or foure pockhoales and made beautifull by three or foure score Neither is a garmente made the more handsome by hauing the more staines or patches or rags or rents vpon it Verse 35. The fauour of a king is toward a wise seruant but his wrath shall be toward him that causeth shame THe fauour of a King c. Euerie wise king and all other Godlie greate personages will take delight in and shewe countenance vnto their seruants or officers or any other that depend vpon them so farre as they shall finde them diligent obedient discreete and trusty and therefore will also bee readie to reward them according as theire faithfull seruice shall deserue But his wrath shall be towards him that causeth shame He that by folly offendeth his gouernour especially if he discredit him and his house by lewde prankes and misdemeanors must looke to feel his masters displeasure and that with frowning checkes chiding punishment or displacing The honest and vertuous behauiour of inferiours is the best way to get the fauour of superiours Doct. By this meanes there are none solowe which bee not in waye of preferment euen verie seruauntes are like to growe to greatenesse neyther is anye so high which will not respect them euen Kings themselues will take pleasure in them This is verified by that which Salomon speaketh in another Prou. 16. 13. place that righteous lippes are the delight of Kinges and the King loueth him that speaketh right things If words well spoken bee of such force to procure so much good liking and fauour it cannot be that workes faithfully wrought should faile of as comfortable successe to those that performe them First the prouidence of God hath a strong hand in disposing Reasons 1 of mens affections he inclineth their hearts to like or loath to loue or hate as seemeth good to himselfe and therfore when the waies of seruants please him he doeth often make them to please their masters alâ—o as Nehemiah and Daniell and many others haue found to their honour and comfort Secondlie the grace and feare of God preuaileth with Christian gouernors to loue and chuse and make much of and preferre them that be religious and seruiceable as Dauid did after a sort vow the conscionable care of this duety when he saied My eies shall be vnto the faithful of the land that they maie dwell with Psa 101. 6. 7. me he that walketh in a perfect waie he shall serue me There shal no deceiptfull person dwell within mine house he that telleth lyes shall not remaine in my sight The gaine that wise and godly mens seruices do yeeld to their masters doth make many masters much to esteeme of the seruices of wise and godlie men for they may vndoubtedly looke for all good faithfulnes at their hands and a prosperous successe of the workes which they deale in from Gods hand And that Laban sawe and acknowledged in the labours of Iacob and therefore was so vnwilling for many yeeres to part with him and that Potiphar and the keeper of the prison and Pharao and all that imployed Joseph well perceiued forasmuch as their houses were blessed for Iosephs sake and their estates did prosper by Iosephs meanes First for inferiours it seâ—ueth to confute theire erronious conceite Vse 1 that thinke to creepe into mightie mens fauours by swaggering boasting and brauery or by flatery â—aâ—shood and sycophancie or by other such like corrupt and sinfull courses which thrust out religion piety modestye and plaine dealing as the greatest makebates betweene Masters and seruants and the onely hinderers of all preferment But commonly they that so seeke to rise be either kept froÌ„ promotions and so defeated of their hopes or fall from their dignities and so are ouerthrowne by their sinnes when they which seeme to lye open to all contempt for their profession are vsually most regarded for their vprightnesse and honesty VVicked Haman being the worst of all that were about Ahashuerus was for a time the nearest vnto him and good Mordecai which was most faithfull was most hardlie proceeded against as being proscribed and destinated to death with all the nation that he came of for his sake and yet Haman could not still stand in that high estimation nor Mordecaie lye long vnder that heauy disgrace but down must Haman with the kings indignation into a shamefull destruction and vp must Mordecay with the kings especiall fauor to a supereminent place of authority And albeit it come often to passe that bad seruants be too much made of yet it is to their greater hurt at last and though good seruants haue bad requitall at their masters hands yet their best maister the Lord Iesus Christ to whome they performe their seruice in dooing their inferiour masters worke will in due time recompence them with a better reward Secondlie for superiours it serueth to instruct them to do that which in this text the Lord prescribeth as a duety fitt to be done namely to sette their delight vpon those which are vertuous and adorned with delightfull graces and to let their displeasure appeare against such as are vicious and feare not to displease God with their vngodly behauiour So doing they shall in their gouernment follow the example of the Lord himselfe who is the most righteous perfect and absolute gouernour His fauour and goodnesse is towards euery one of them that faithfully serue him and his wraâ—h and angry countenance is not onely against those that rebelliously contemne his lawes but which liue licentiously in the profession of his seruice And this may all gouernors infallibly conclude of that by yeelding due recompence to them that deserue well themselues do duelie deserue and shall surely obtaine prayse for the vertues of their people and by suffering misbehauiour in their houses or charges without punishment all the faults of their inferiours doe turne to their reproche For if sinne be a shame to a whole people as the former verse testifieth how can it but be ignominious also to a familye and the Master thereof as experience declareth FINIS Errata Page 4. line 21. for commandeth reade commendeth page 20 line 34. for contrutions reade contentions page 32. line 4. for protection reade protraction page 34. line 10 for mistery reade miserie page 39. line 32 for premisted reade premised page 40. line 19. for gills reade willes page 44. line 29. for displeasures reade pleasures page 48. line 22. for fittes reade fifties ibid line 35. for doth reade woulde pag 49 line 4 for saith read seeth page 50 line 13 for his read this page 68. line 3. for thine reade their ibid. line 4. for all that they reade all that they haue page 83. last line for mischance reade mischiefe page 115. line 6. for obiection reade abiection page 121. line 23. for seate read state
A PLAINE AND FAMILIAR EXPOSITION OF THE Thirteenth and Fourteenth Chapters of the Prouerbs of Salomon PROVERBS 2. 10. 11. When wisedome entereth into thine heart and knowledge delighteth thy soule Then shall counsell preserue thee and vnderstanding shall keepe thee PERIIT ET INVENTA EST Imprinted at London by R. B. for Roger Iackson and are to be sold at his shop in Fleetstreet neare the Conduit 1608. To the right Honourable Iohn Lord Harrington Baron of Exton and to the worthy and Noble Ladie his wife Grace and Peace RIGHT HONORABLE YOur Christian loue generally towards all the seruants of God together with the especiall fauour shewed to vs by your good acceptance of our former labours hath giuen vs great incouragement to offer this present treatise vnto your Honors patronage the purpose and vpright desire of our harts in all our writings is to glorifie God and to edifie his people The method which we obserue herein is the selfe same with that in our former bookes and the matter and manner of handling we commit to the iudgement of your Honors and of euery godlie and indifferent reader If our endeauours be as charitably interpreted by others as they be faithfully intended by vs we are sure they shall giue offence to none but satisfaction to all And thus nothing doubting but that your Honors will vouchsafe to receiue this testimony of our duty and vnfained loue we humbly commit you to the gracious protection of Almighty God beseeching him alwaies to direct and blesse you Your Honors in the Lord to be commanded Iohn Dod Robert Cleauer AN EXPOSITION OF THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER OF THE PROVERBS CHAPTER XIII Verse 1. A wise Sonne harkeneth to the instruction of his Father but a scorner will heare no rebuke A Wise Sonne that is a godly and prudent child of either sex male or female sonne or daughter will receiue obserue and obey the good lessons and counsell both of father and mother But a scorner that is an obstinate sinfull person will heare no rebuke that is hee will be so farre from profiting by the reproofes of any though he be a friend though a brother though a most tender father that he will not so much as brooke or beare it without contempt at least of the party which rebuketh him The wholsome precepts of parents are not to be light set by Doct. 1 It is the vsuall course and custome of the Scripture to intimate necessary duties by praysing their wisedome which carefully performe them and censuring their folly which negligently omitte them As the wise builder layeth his foundation on the rocke and Mat. 7. 26 the foolish on the sand The wise virgins tooke oyle in their vessells with their lampes and the foolish tooke no oyle with them Mat. 25. 4. And so for our present purpose in an other place of this booke A foole despiseth his fathers instruction but he that regardeth a rebuke is prudent And why is the one called foolish because he Prou. 15. 5. playeth the parte of a foole and must therefore beare the burden of his folly And why is the other called prudent because he walketh in the way of wisedome and shall accordingly inioye the welfare of the wise First the authority is so ample and amiable as that in euery Reasons 1 respect it challengeth duety at the childs hand without gainesaying Who besides such as are brutish and voyde of all humanity would except against his fathers admonitions and say you speak from malice I take you not for my friend you beare me no good will Who without extreame and barbarous arrogancy nay grose and most shameful disloialty can say vnto him you haue nothing to doe with me meddle with them that belong vnto you I am too good to learne at your hands and you are too base to be my commander Fatherhood containeth loue and greatnesse and whatsoeuer may either allure the child to subiection or compell him to submission The gouernment of the greatest masters is thē commendable when they deale as parents the gouernment of the mightiest Princes is then renowmed when it is paternall and the subiects are vsed like sonnes the gouernment of the high God of heauen is therefore most glorious because it is fatherly and gracious and all his people are also become his children Secondly the lessons of godly parents be very forcible when they be duely imbraced of obedient children Their instructions and praiers ioyne together their tongues and hearts go together and their exhortations and Gods blessing worke togeather for good effect and profite And by this meanes are many prepared to liue as holy Christians vnder the minister in the Church and as faithfull subiects vnder the magistrate in the common weale and as fruitfull persons for themselues and others in their seuerall callings Thirdly the perill of contemptuous children is so great and their punishment shall be so grieuous as that happy is euery one that auoydeth that their sinne The eie that mocketh his father or Prou. 30. 17. despiseth the instruction of his mother let the Rauens of the vallie picke it out and the young Eagles eate it Such a one is like to suffer a violent and shamefull death and to want an honourable and honest buriall either hanging on a gibbet or lying in a ditch and so exposed to crowes and Kites and other rauenous soules that feede on carrions Now though it be true that many of them escape this ignominious end here yet neither is this a wish without successe nor a threatning without execution Though their bodies come not at the gibbet yet if their soules go to hell what are they the better for being buried as the rich man was Luke 16. Though their flesh and eies be not deuoured of Rauens and Eagles yet if their soules and bodies be an euerlasting pray to eternall death how much is their misery abated Admonition to children as in all good seruices to be officious Vse 1 and dutifull to their parents so in a principall manner to bee teachable and tractable when they are instructed by them Jt is a sufficient motiue to make thee attentiue to thy fathers words if there be any equity in them because he is thy father When he only commandeth for himselfe he is to be heard and obeyed sithence thou canst not performe so much vnto him as he hath deserued at thine hands He was the instrument of thy life and being he was by consequence the meanes and occasion of all the happinesse which euer thou shalt enioy Much more respect then is to be had of his speaches which proceed from his meere loue and kindnesse to thee which wholly tend to thy profit and benefite which God hath sent by him in mercy for the good of thy soule and body present and euerlasting When the Lord opened the mouth of Balaams Asse onely to reproue Balaams foolishnes it was Balaams great fault and folly that he tooke no more heed to that which was
and admonitions It is the stoutnesse of their heroicall stomacks and the vigour of their ripe wit that they will not be controlled at any mans hand But is it from their valure and courage that they will not beare a reprofe or from then impotency or bondage that they cannot is it the vertue of their wisedome that maketh them repell such wholsom instructions or the venome of their blindnesse as not knowing how to make vse of them As valiant as they be they are commanded and dealt with like seruile slaues by Satan and as wise as they be they are condemned plagued as most miserable fooles by the Lord. How frequent are places to this purpose in the scriptures Be no mockers least your bonds increase Instruction is euill to Isa 28 22 him that forsaketh the waie and he that hateth correction shall Prou. 15. 10 die Because ye haue despised all my counsell and would none of my correction Prou. 1. 25. 26 I will laugh at your destruction and mocke when your feare commeth c. Consolation to them that disdaine not to heare of their sinnes though they were not carefull ynough to auoyde them Their case is not so desperate so long as they are not obstinate and no mans hurt is incurable if he be not incorrigible Verse 2. A good man shall eate the fruit of his mouth but the soule of the transgressors violence THe meaning of the first part of this verse is that godly men shall be blessed both for and by their gracious wise seasonable speeches and consequently for their religious and righteous behauiour and to this in the other part is opposed the condition of the godlesse that their soules that is themselues at least in their soules shall be required with violence for their cruelty and other euill deeds which they haue done and consequently for their wicked words which they haue spoken So it is all one in sence with the fourteenth verse of the twelfth Chapter where it is sayd that a man shall be saciate with good things by the fruite of his mouth and the recompence of a mans hands shall God giue vnto him Verse 3. He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life but destruction shal be vnto him that openeth his lips wide HE that keepeth his mouth which is considerate and warie in his words neuer speaking but when he ought nor vttering any thing but which is true and conuenient he keepeth his life prouideth for his safety peace and quietnes But he that openeth his lips or strideth too wide to lewde speaking for so the word signifieth as a harlot prostitutes her selfe or spreadeth her body to filthy companions Ezech. 16. 25. destruction shall be to him he is like to meete with much trouble and at one time or other to be quite ouerthrowne The safety and happines of the whole life dependeth vpon the Doct. 1 well ordering of the tongue That is commonly a meanes when it is guided aright to lengthen the yeares of mens liues and that is vsually an occasion when it is misgouerned to lessen their daies make them shorter That being wisely and religiously imployed will procure supply of all their wants and that being rashly and sinfully vsed will quickly dispatch them of great abundance That being peace able discreete and modest will helpe to ridde them out of their troubles but that being boysterous hasty and arrogant is like to entangle them with molestations Death and life saith Salomon Prou. 18. 21. in the eight Chapter are in the power of the tongue And therefore it is both a prudent and holy direction which the Spirit of God doth giue vs in the Psalmes What man is he that desireth life and Psal 37. 12. 13 loueth long daies for to see good Keepe thy tongue from euil and thy lips that they speake no guile c. First it is proper only to good men to moderate and gouerne their tongues in due manner they that can do that are able to order Reasons 1 their actions iustly and they that do performe it will not fayle to make conscience of the rest of their waies If anie man sinne not in word saith S. Iames he is a perfect man and able to bridle all the Iames 3. 2 bodie And contrariwise If anie seemeth religious and refraineth not his tongue but deceineth his owne heart this mans religion is Iames i. 36 in vaine So that if it be peculiar to godly persons to keepe their mouthes and vnseparably annexed to religion it doth necessarily argue theyr happy condition which haue attayned vnto it and their dangerous case which be carelesse thereof Secondly all our actions are sutable to our speeches and a good tongue is the meanes whereby they are well managed And therfore S. Iames calleth it the rudder of the man by which his life is directed and he that wanteth it is in as great perill and is like to perish as a shippe in the roughest seas without either stearne or Pilote Jnstruction to set a guard of attendance and watchfulnes before Vse 1 our lips in euery place and at all times that pernitious words issue not out to other mens dammage and destruction It is as safe to let poyson come into our mouthes as pestilent speeches to goe out thence for that would worke on our selues alone but these will hurt our brethren with vs that would onely kill the body and take away naturall life and these will endanger both body and soule and depriue vs of eternall life Neither is it an easie matter to keepe them in vnlesse a continuall and serious care be had thereof There are no malefactors more ready to breake out of prison nor waters to flowe out of fountaines then lewd or foolish or fruitlesse words are to proceed out of mens mouthes How quickly shall the best forgette themselues in their talke if they be not very vigilant and warie How many vnfit at least friuolous and idle speeches will steale away and slip from them if they giue any passage vnto them without examination of their purpose and businesse The Prophet Isaiah was in good earnest and spake as he found and felt when he said that he was a man of polluted lippes and dwelt in the middest of Isai 6. 5. a people of polluted lippes Saint Iames was well aduised and knew what he writ and had the Holy ghost to warrant him when hee calleth the tongue An vnrulie euill more vntameable then the wilde beasts or any other liuing creature and if it were not Iam. 3. 6. 7. 8. well looked too Hell the Diuell that hellish fiende would fire it and it woulde set the whole course of nature on fire And Dauid did not without cause or neede directe his petition to GOD for helpe from heauen saying Sette thou O Lord Psal 141. 3. a watche before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lippes If it were a matter of no difficulty to gouerne the Tongue his
owne witte and reason would haue sufficed him for it If it were a matter of no perill to giue it head without gouernment he wold not haue asked ayde to keepe it but knowing it to be impossible with his owne strength to rule it and as dangerous to leaue it at liberty without restraint he craueth the assistance of the spirit for supply of his wants Terrour of them that turne their tongues loose and yeelde them liberty to vtter whatsoeuer the malice or pride or luste of their heartes can suggest yea whatsoeuer the Diuell shall put into their mindes and mouthes and prompte them withall Their case is a thousand times more cursed then that of the Serpents whome Satan spake by to beguile Euah and farre worse is it with them for their euerlasting state then with Marke 5. 5. 7. the possessed man for his present condition whom the diuel made to strike himselfe with stones and compelled his tongue to crie out against Christ which came to deliuer him He was driuen to this extremity so to do and so to speake by compulsion but these doe voluntarily offer the vse of their lips to Satan and willinglie apply them to his seruice against God and their owne soules And therefore the misery of that distressed captiue moued the Lord to commiseration and mercy and the sinfulnesse of these blasphemous wretches prouoketh his wrath and vengeance Such sinfull persons yet may be sayd to keepe their mouthes though not as our Text doth admonish vs by shutting them vp against all vnlawfull discourses but as musketours hauing them alwayes churged with some impious false and corrupt matter and leuelling euery where at such as they minde to infect or depraue by them But it were safer for them to shoote with rustie pieces though peraduenture they might marre their faces then with venemous mouthes that will surely wound their soules Their virulent and wicked speeches will euery one recoile vpon themselues and strike them to the heart besides their shame and misery that is like to forgoe their death and damnation Consolation to all those which haue power ouer their tongues and haue learned to hold their peace when it is time to be silent and to open their mouthes with wisedome when it is meete to speake the Lord hath giuen his word that their life shall be safe and comfortable They that blesse when they are rebuked they that pray when they are reuiled they that refraine their lips from deceipt and guile Saint Peter assureth that they are heyres of 1 Pet. 3. 9. 10. 12. blessing that the eies of the Lord are ouer them that his eares are open to their praiers and what can then be amisse with them His beholding is with pity and compassion his hearing hath alwayes in it a readinesse of granting and he cannot but helpe when he seeth their misery and they seeke for succour at his hand Albeit therefore they seeme to expose themselues to perills that will not requite wrongs with the edge of their tongues yet they ward of iniuries they haue the Lord for their refuge Albeit they séeme to run vpon the point of the sword that will speake bouldly for the cause of God and set themselues against the wicked wayes of the world yet they only prouide for their safety they are neuer disarmed of their buckler Faithfull and plaine dealing doth oft and commonly procure euill will and blame and troubles but neuer bring any hurt the greatest molestations for trueth and equity are not harmefull death it selfe in that case is desirable and not dangerous Vers 4. The sluggard lusteth but his soule hath nought but the soule of the diligent shall be made fat THe sluggard lusteth that is negligent and idle persons haue strong affections to riches and credit and all things which are in request and estimation but his soule hath nought they go without that which they long for their wishes get no wealth they faile of their desires through the want of constant indeuours to effect them Bu the soule of the diligent shall be made fat that is the industrious persons themselues which painfully labour in some honest vocation shall all be competently prouided for and many of them diuers times shall attaine to plenty and abundance The sluggard lusteth c. No men are more couetous then they Doct. which are most slothfull Where the hands and other parts of the body be negligent remisse in working the minde and thoughts of the heart are wholy intent and occupied in wishing The best Bee in the hiue is not more desirous of hony than the idle drone nor the most laborious husband in a country more willing to be rich than the luskish loyterers The Prophet Isaiah reprehending the blinde Isai 56. 10. 11. watchmen the dumb dogs that could not barke saith that they lie sleepe and delight in sleeping And these greedy dogs can neuer haue enough First this may appeare by the causes of it for they want the Reasons medicine of faithfull trauell which serueth to represse lust and abound with pride and voluptuousnesse which are wont to feed it It is very ordinary and common that slothfull persons be high minded and luxurious And that testimony is giuen of them by the Lord himselfe who narrowly looketh both into their hearts and waies He telleth vs that the sluggard is wiser in his own conceit Prou. 26. 16. then seauen men that can render a reason And likewise that the sleepy doggish shepheards as they were insatiable for their gaine so were they sensuall for their bellies saying Come I will bring wine and we will fill our selues with strong drinke c. And Ezechiel Isai 65. 12. lynketh them all together as three lewde companions in the example of the Sodomites saying This was the iniquitie of thy sister Ezech. 16. 49 Sodome pride fulnes of bread and abundance of idlenes was in her and in her daughters And though the Scriptures should be silent herein yet their owne practise woulde publish the trueth of this point Who seeth not apparātly that they which do least good seruice to God or man be most vaine garish and luxurious doe not they that mind to set vp the trade of lazinesse desire to creep into such families as where they may fare well and goe fine looke bigly and do nothing vnlesse it be to play the ruffians commit wickednes Now then if it be certaine that they are proude and voluptuous it will follow also that they must needs be greedy minded and couetous to maintaine if it were possible their credit and pleasures This cause ariseth from their owne sinfull corruption but an other proceedeth from Gods iust iudgement vpon them jf they lusted and obtained that which they wished for it would be a pleasure to them though they wāted that which they desired not they would not greatly feele it but now that they are so hungry for wealth and yet kept fasting from it when they see
others so stored with plenty this is a stroake of the Lords owne hand as a punishment of their sinne and addition to their misery Hereof he speaketh in another place saying The desire of the slothfull Pro. 21. 25. 26. slaieth him because his hands refuse to worke He coueteth euermore greedilie but the righteous giueth and spareth not Secondly this is manifest by the effects of it for who will vse so many shifts and deuises to come by goods as slothfull men vse to doe They will pawne and forset all their credit to get any mans money by borrowing They will aduenture all their state to winn away mens mony by gaming And in that case they spare not any friend either kinsman or brother either such as feast them or come to visite them or be inuited by them all is one so that they may come by the coyne they care not who they be that loose it They will hazard their liues to wrest and extort away mens money by robbery and filch away their cattell by stealing doth not this declare a violent affectiō of hauing when they straine themselues so far to get substance Confutation of them that charge none but rich men with couetousnes as if it were impossible for any to affect wealth that Vse 1 cannot effect their desires to inioy it All vnthrifty persons should be acquited of that sin and euery one that is faithfull in his caling and prosperous in his state should be condemned thereof if God would allow of their verdit But he hath not empannelled them vpon the iury they may iustly be challenged for partiality and being parties neither speake they according to law nor yet haue any sufficient euidence for the facts for the Lord himselfe testifieth that such as get little be desirous of much and they that haue nothing by their wills would haue all Instruction that we be not sluggards in spirituall things satisfying our selues with wishing for grace and saluation without further labour and trauaile for them Striue saith Christ to enter in at the straite gate for manie I say vnto you will seeke to enter in Luke 13. 24 and shall not be able If all should be saued that are not willing to be damned we should haue swarmes of reprobates in heauen The foolish Virgines would gladly haue gonne in with the Mat. 25. Bridegroome but they thought it too much paynes and charges to prouide themselues of oyle in due time And the riche Mat. 19. man had good liking of eternall life but no will to part with his wealth for it And so are there innumerable with vs now like as there haue beene allmost in all ages that woulde neuer fall into destruction if words and desires without Christian behauiour and mortification would preserue them from it For the other part of the verse concerning the plenty which they that be diligent are stored with see Chap. 10. 4. in the second doctrine Vers 5. A righteous man hateth a false matter but it causeth the wicked to stinke and be ashamed THe meaning is that all that are truely iust and godly 〈◊〉 decline from bad causes words and deeds with hatred therof so far as they appeare vnto them to be vnlawfull At least it is the duty of all good men so to do though somtimes peraduenture they faile in practise But contrarywise the wicked do not so but take pleasure in sinfulnes and thereby are brought to disgrace reproache especially in the sight of God and good men and oft also ordinary men such as are merely ciuill yea vngodly men and sinners do loath them and speake euill of them for their lewdnes Thus standeth the opposition The righteous hateth a false matter and therefore gaineth reuerence and honour but the wicked loueth a false matter and therefore is made odious and shamefull True righteousnes consisteth not only in forbearing that which Doct. is euill but in nating of it The affections are of as great force in the seruices of God as the words and actions and the heart hath no lesse place then the members of the body Jt must be one and the principall agent in loue where they haue calling to deale and it must deale alone with detestation of those abominatiōs which they are discharged to intermeddle with To this purpose it is that Amos saith Seeke good and not euil that ye may liue and the Lord God of hoasts shall Amos 5. 14. 15 be with you as you haue spoken But hate the euill and loue the good and establish iudgement in the gate c. And to the same purpose tendeth the description which Isaiah maketh of a righteous man that liueth in safety when others are in perill and retayneth his Isa 33 15 boldnes when others liue in feare He that walketh in iustice and speaketh righteous things despising gaine of oppression shaking his hands from taking of gifts stopping his eares from hearing of blood and shutting his eies from seeing of euill First it is the effect of sound prety and the worke of a heart Reasons truly religious as it is sayd The feare of the Lord is to hate euill Prou. 8. 13. Secondly it maketh men carefull constant in shunning that which is vniust and sinfull as Dauid saith I hate the work of them that fall away it shall not cleaue vnto me No man taketh delight to conuerse with his enemie or to put his hand to that which his hart riseth against Why doe not men and weomen vse to play with Adders and Snakes and serpents aswell as with whelpes birds and such like creatures because they hate them Why will they put sweete flowers and those things that are odoriferous to their noses and stop their noses at vnsauory smelles because their nature is delighted with the one sort and abhorreth the other Though sometimes men make shew of reformation of things that are amisse yet if it arise not from an internall enimity against them they are very like to fall backe againe vnto them as Saul returned to listen to witchery notwithstanding his former sharpe proceeding against witches Thirdly though godly men are sometimes surprized by sinne being either deceiued by the subtilty thereof or ouerborne with the violence of it yet if it be bitter vnto their soules and their harts haue a quarrell against it the Lord will neuer impute it to them Hereof the Apostle speaketh to the Romanes I allow not Rom 7 15. 16 17 that which I doe for what I would that doe I not but what I hate that doe I. If I doe then that which I would not I consent to the lawe that it is good Now then it is no more I that doe it but the sinne that dwelleth in me Instruction to informe our hearts against all manner of wickednes Vse 1 that they may be the more incensed against it The worse we like of sin the more righteous we are and the better the Lord will loue vs. And the more agreement
were weakned by the former delay As hope is neuer conceiued without comfort so it is seldome Doct. protracted without sorrow The elder sort and euery sort of people are like to litle children in this point that which they hope for and long for they would not long waite for and their hearts will cry if they be not soone satisfied The Prophet thought the time not short wherein he had continued expecting deliuerance and comfort at Gods hand wheÌ„ he sayd mine eies haue failed in waiting for thy saluation Especially Psal 119. 123. in the 13. Psalme doth Dauid declare his ardent desire of speedy helpe by multiplying of how long How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for euer How long wilt thou hide thy face from me How long shall I take counsell within my Psa 13. 1 2. selfe hauing wearines daily in mine heart First that which men desire with hope and yet cannot haue it Reasons doth worke in them a more sensible feeling of their need and so they are punished with the paine of hunger and thirst And so as foode long kept from the stomack doth bring the body to weaknes euen so the thing longed for prolonged doth driue the soule to faintnes Secondly it commonly commeth to passe euen to good men and those of the best gifts and greatest graces that they shall be assaulted with many feares after they lay hold on the couenant of God vntill it be performed vnto them The defect of their faith the sence of their wants their carnall reason their fleshly friends the temptations of Sathan will altogether attempt to draw them to doubt that either they were illuded in apprehending the promise or that the Lord is remisse in fulfilling of it Instruction to hope for nothing but that which is haueable Vse 1 may well be had and whereof we are capable and that doth belong vnto vs for if protection cause the heart to languish what will â—rustratâ—on and disappointment doe It is one of the threatnings against the wicked in Deuteronomie that their goods and cattell and children Should be giuen vnto another people and their Deut 28. 32. eies should still looke for them till they failed and there should be no power in their hand Now what is meant by this that their eyes should fayle That their expectation deceiued should turne them to asmuch woe as if their eies had lost their sight And that was because that they incurring the curse by their sinfull behauiour did yet presume of a restitution to happinesse as though nothing had appertayned to them but blessings So slothfull persons expell and chase from them all wealth and ritches by violence and yet trust that in time they shall bee able to compare with the best of them all in wealth and riches Not to limitte God nor prescribe to him in what space he shall fulfill his promises Jt was an impious and heathenish speache of the King of Jsraels messenger when he sayd in blasphemous manner and that in the hearing of Elisha that he neyther would nor ought to attend on the Lord anie longer But we neede not drawe admonitions against this from the infidelity of the wicked but from the infirmities of the godly as Abraham and Sarah had much adoe to beleeue that a childe should be begotten and conceiued of their bodies after theyr naturall vigour was consumed and therefore Hagar was brought in to helpe the matter and to supply that which was wanting in Sarah Not to depend on man nor to repose our hope in flesh and bloud for thereby we shall not onely be delayed of our helpe too long but defeated of it altogether For it is a righteous thing with GOD that they which will deifie creatures by confidence should be deceiued by creatures with confusion The poore Israelites sound this and felt it and cryed out vpon their owne folly for it Whiles we waited for our vame helpe our eies fayled for in our wayting we looked for a nation that could not Lam. 4. 17. saue vs. VVhere we vndertake to minister succour and can accordingly effect it let vs not grieue the hearts of them that are already in affliction by lingring too long before we relieue them So doth God teache vs to shew mercy and beneficence timely Prou 3. 28. and in due season Saie not vnto thy neighbour go and come againe and to morrowe will I giue thee if thou now haue it And this was one among sundry other testimonies of a good conscience whereby Iob was comforted in his extremities that he had not restrained the poore of their desire nor caused the eies of the widdowe Iob. 31. 16. to faile But when the desire commeth c The longer we stay for any Doct. 2 good thing the more ioy we shall haue at the receiuing of it See Chapter 10. v. 28. Doct. 1. Verse 13. He that despiseth the vvord he shall be destroied but he that feareth the commandements he shall be rewarded HE that despiseth the word c that is euery one is in a dangerous case and at least certaine to perish in the end who contemptuously reiecteth the holy Scriptures which because the Lord doth as it were speake in them declare his will by them are called his word and that for the perfect agreement and consent of all the parts is set downe in the singular number as if it were but one Neither is this punishment threatened only to the contemners of the bookes and sentences and Texts of the Scriptures but likewise to the despisers of the ministery thereof But he that feareth the commandement which reuerenceth and loueth and maketh conscience of the whole doctrine of God he shall be rewarded with peace and blessings of this life and glory and blessednes in that which is to come No sinne is more dangerous and hurtfull then the contempt Doct. 1 of Gods word The ignorance and neglect thereof in them which haue opportunity to know and imbrace it is not a small fault nor often passed ouer without punishment much lesse may they look to escape without some grieuous plagues and iudgements that set naught by it that despise it that obstinately reiect and deride it And in this case there is no priuiledge or immunity by age or state or place or multitude our Sauiours threatning is generall without any respect of persons Whosoeuer shall not receiue you nor Mat. 10 14. 15 he are your words when ye depart out of that house or that City shake off the dust of your feeâ—e Truelie I saie vnto you it shall be easier for them of the land of Sodome and Gomorrah in the day of iudgement then for that Citie Who knoweth not that the mystery of the Sodomites is very grieuous as their wickednes was very hainous Who hath not heard aswell of their lamentable plagues as of their damnable sinnes They are condemned as Saint Peter saith already and therefore not like to be saued hereafter and what
then shall be the condition of those which are subiect to a greater destruction than these First all the threatnings of the law be due vnto them and will Reasons 1 in time accordingly be executed as is sayd in Deuteronomie All these curses shall come vpon thee and shall pursue thee and ouertake Deut. 28 45. thee till thou be dectroied because thou obeiedst not the voyce of the Lord thy God Secondly they renounce the Lord himselfe from being their God and king they disclaime his crowne and scepter his authority and gouernment they actually deny his nature and attributes The rebellion of such vngodly persons the Lord complaineth of in the Psalmes saying My people would not heare my voice and Israel Psa 81. 11. would none of me The punishment of such contemptuous rebells our Sauiour doth foretell in the gospell saying those mine enemies which would not that I should raigne ouer them bring hither Luke 19. 27. and slate them before me Earthly Princes will not endure despite at their greatest subiects hands to haue their dignity defaced or their lawes violated or their gouernance trodden vnder foote and therefore much lesse will the Lord of glory of iustice power beare such indignities at the hands of sinfull men which are his most abiect and contemptible creatures Thirdly they cast from them all the remedies and medicines whereby they might be cured of their sins and deliuered from their euills What is the best way to be deliuered from pernitious plagues and punishments to pacifie Gods wrath and displeasure what is the way to pacifie Gods wrath and displeasure to haue a communion with Christ in his passion merits and graces what is the way to attaine to this communion in the passion merits and graces of Christ to bring a faithfull and humble heart to lay hold on his promises And by what meanes may the hart be seasoned with faith and humility by the efficacy and vertue of the word So then they that contemne the word refuse to be faithfull relinquish the promises loose all right in Christ liue in Gods displeasure and consequently expose themselues to pernicious plagues and iudgements And thus much the Scripture doth testifie by shewing vs a president of the peruerse and froward Israelites The Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers rising earlie and sending for he had compassion on his people and on 2. Chron. 36. 15. 16. his habitation But they mocked the messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets vntill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people and till there was no healing Terror for the Papists whose religion is altogether confected Vse and made of seuerall sorts of contempt for what is there in it that tendeth not wholly to the disparagement of the holy Scriptures Are they not despised when mens writings and many of them mere forgeries are made of equall authority with them Are they not despised when the commandements and traditions of men when trifles and toyes when legends and fables and shamefull lyes are preferred before them Are they not despised when a sinfull man that man of sinne shall vsurpe authority ouer them and prescribe a meaning to them and not permit them to haue any other sense or power than he shall vouchsafe to giue Are they not despised when they are so violently impugned when doctrine and practice is directly against them when men wilfully refuse the knowledge and vnderstanding thereof when they labour with all their might that all the world might be kept close prisoners in the dungeon of darknes and depriued for euer of the light of the Gospell 2. This sentence will presse sore vpon the Brownists who are become bitter despisers of the ministery of Jesus Christ by seperating themselues from the churches of God and deprauing all the holy meanes of saluation Howsoeuer they pretend to stand for sincerity yet they resist it and taking vpon them to be champions for Christ his kingdome they fight against it and though their arguments seeme to be grounded on the word yet being well sifted they proue meere falacyes haue no agreement with the meaning of the Holy ghost in the word They are strongly illuded by Sathan and made his agents as much as may be to peruert the right waies of the Lord. 3. Jt generally condemneth all those which wish that Gods will might be put backe that their owne might be set forwards that would haue his word to giue place that their lusts might take place that be readier to breake all his commandements then willing to crosse any one of their carnall affections He shall rather lose his seruice then they will lose their sinfull pleasures his lawes shall rather be transgressed then ought of their commodities lessened they care not how low his glory falleth so that their name and credit may mount vp aloft Some therfore bitterly professe hostility against sincere preaching some scoffingly deride the faithfull preachers and some fainedly make semblance of loue to both but all these as Dauid saith Doe hate to be reformed and cast the Psal 50. 17. words of the Lord behind them and therefore all these as Ieremie saith shall be ashamed and afraide and taken and so destroyed Ier. 8. 9. Many hope for safety in regard of that which they are not as because they be not adulterers nor theeues nor grosse offendors against mans lawes but they neuer thinke of the perill in respect of that which they are being irreligious and prophane and impious contemners of Gods lawes But he that feareth the commandement c. Whosoeuer are religiously Doct. 2 affected to the word and worship of God are sure to speede well for it Though nothing be merited by desert of their part yet all happines is due vnto them by promise on Gods part And if any one of them should fayle to be blessed the whole body of the Scriptures should ceasse to be true For it is the current of all those holy writings and the couenant which is confirmed by the bloud of Christ that Gods people in whose heart his word is shall neuer want safety nor comfort nor glory They that loue thy lawe saith Psal 119. 165. the Prophet to the Lord shall haue great prosperitie and shall haue Psal 119. 165. none hurt And to him will I looke saith the Lord by the Prophet euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at Isay 66. 2. my words His looke to his whome he loueth is very effectuall and he will looke that nothing shall be amisse with them whome he in mercy beholdeth First this reuerence and feare which is here spoken of is compounded Reasons 1 of saith and humility two graces very acceptable to God and amiable in all godly Christians Secondly by this they manifest their loyalty to him and subiection to his kingdome they declare themselues to be his people and really acknowledge him to
bewraieth openly and publisheth abroade his ignorance and foolishnesse He onely dealeth well both for his comfort and credit that Doct. groundeth his affaires on certainty and not on likelyhoods This is not the worke and behauiour of some few rare and speciall wise men who therein are singular by themselues and without companions but it belongeth as our Text saith to euerie one that is wise to walke in this way none is to be reputed prudent that is a stranger vnto it A reall example hereof we haue in our sauiour Christ whose steps we ought to walke in and who will impart to his people the wisedome of his spirit that they may be able to walke in his steps He as the Prophet Isaiah foretold of him doth Isay 11. 3. not iudge after the sight of his eies neither approue by hearing of his eares but with righteousnes c. That is he will not proceede by coniectures vpon slight and superficiall shewes without a cleare insight in the matter nor determine any thing vpon hearesay with out full hearing and examination of the cause for if he should so doe he could not but fayle in iustice whereas now taking due knowledge of all things hee ordereth all things with perfect equity First they that doe not worke by knowledge doe not walke Reasons 1 in obedience for then men shew themselues truely obedient when they duly performe those duties which they know Secondly whatsoeuer is not done in knowledge is not wrought by faith and whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Thirdly they shame themselues as the latter part of the Text notifieth which rush headily into any affaires and haue not before hand informed themselues of the state of the same and how they may deale orderly in them Instruction therefore to be as diligent to get knowledge as Vse 1 we see it necessary to vndertake any actions especially to performe any seruice to God It is farmore easie to worke and walke without light or eies then to doe any thing that is acceptable to him without vnderstanding Nay it is as possible for a man without the knowledge of Gods will to doe any thing well as for the body without the soule to doe any thing at all Reproofe of them that put hope and good meaning in place of knowledge whereas knowledge ought to be the mother and nurce and directer of hope and good meaning Without it though they make themselues beleeue that they meane well yet they shall not be able to deale well and though they trust that their hope is good yet they shall trie that their successe will bee bad And many are here to be reprehended for their temerity and rashnes which suddenly and without good grounds set their tongues and hands on worke to their ignominy and rebuke Some answer a matter before they heare it and so as the Scripture saith it turneth to follie and shame vnto them Some take vpon Prou. 18. 13. them to be sharpe censurers of other mens liues and actions and that with clamorous accusations and condemnation and yet they know nothing amisse by the persons further then they haue heard by false flying reports the causes which they passe so peremptory a sentence vpon they haue no skill at all to iudge of Let such men heare S. Peter telling them what account is to be made of them and what is like to become of them These as bruit 2. Pet. 2. 12. beasts ledde with sensualitie and made to be taken and destroied speake euill of those things which they know not and shall perishe through their owne corruption Some breake out into conuitious reuilings many times into violent outrage before the parties so rated and punished be conuicted of any fault Iob was farre from that disposition he would shew cruelty to none of his people his bondmen and handmaides and meanest in his house had liberty to speake for themselues and were sure to be equally dealt with as their cause required Some are forward and free in their testimonies being ready to giue commendations of any that will speak them faire though they haue no experience of any goodnes in them It would rise to a volume if we should declare all the euill that insueth vpon this swiftnes of praysing men at random without the proofe triall of them for the countenancing of worthy persons for the beguiling of them that giue credit vnto them and for their owne disgrace by making their testimony nothing worth If saint Iohn had taken their course he could not so boldly haue challenged a right to be beleeued Demetrius saith he hath a good report of all 3. Iohn 12. men yea and of the trueth it selfe yea we our selues beare record and ye know that our record is true Verse 17. A wicked messenger falleth into euill but a faithfull ambassadour healeth A Wicked messenger or seruant which either vndertaketh vnlawfull errands or seruices as Rabshakeh did when he was sent by his master to blaspheme defie the Lord his Church or dealeth vntrustily with them that vse him in a lawfull busines or is iniurious to them to whom he is sent either by concealing any thing from them which were fit for them to heare or adding any thing which were meet to be suppressed or doing his message in vndecent manner or returning an answer so as may turne to their hurt he shall fall into euil Gods heauy hand and iudgemēts by one meanes or other shall sooner or later light vpon him as the two churlish and imperious captaines found with their fistes which were sent for Elijah But a faithfull ambassadour or messenger he that faithfully performeth his charge whether publick or priuate doth heale is a meanes and instrument of good to his master whose mind he freeth from feares griefes so healeth the maladies thereof as a physitiā cureth the diseases of the body He is also helpfull to them to whom he is sent by deliuering cōforts comfortably lenifying that which is harsh and sharp mending that which is amisse by loue and discretion pacifying cōtentions furthering peace wherupō by cōsequence he also procureth his owne comfort So standeth the opposition A wicked vnfaithfull messenger hurteth therfore shall fall into euill but a godly faithfull messenger healeth therfore shall receiue good He that doth prosper in his own estate let him deale faithfully Doct. when he is put in trust with other mens affaires Some good men are wrōged with euill messengers yet neuer know it or passe ouer without punishment or else wāt power to giue correction but God saith and obserueth it and will surely plague the offenders for it Others are truelie dealt with yet know not how to make recompence the seruice performed to them they find to haue been faithfull but themselues are vnable to requite it notwithstanding the Lord is ritch in substance and ready in goodnes to yeeld them a proportionable and plentifull paiment
of goodnes in his behauiour vnlesse he haue a spring and fountaine of grace in his soule The Apostle S. Iohn is plentiful in this point 1. Ioh. 3. 7. 8. 9 maketh discourse thereof with many words Little children saith he let no man deceiue you be that doth righteousnesse is righteous as Christ is righteous He that committeth sinne is of the deuill whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seede remameth in him neither can he sinne because he is borne of God In this are the children of God knowne and the children of the deuill whosoeuer doth not righteousnes is not of God c. Where to do righteousnes is the same as heereto walke in vprightnesse to bee righteous as much as as heer to feare the Lord to commit sin is that which is heer to be lewd in his wayes and to be of the diuell is nothing different from that which is here the despising of God First the heart is in the man as the sappe in the tree and his Reasons 1 waies all one with the fruite therefore they declare what the man and his heart is as the fruite doth shew what the tree the sap is It is not onely meant of false Prophets but likewise of false hearted professours when our sauiour said that a bad tree cannot Mat. 7. 18. bring forth good fruite nor onely of faithfull ministers but also of sincere christians when he said that a good tree cannot bring forth bad fruite Secondly the communion which Christians haue with Christ doth cause their conuersation to be holy the wāt of the same in the wicked doth make their waies to be onely lewd and sinfull And so much S Iohn doth intimate saying If that we say that we haue fellowship with him and walke in darkenes we lie and doe ◠Ioh 1. 6 7. not truely But if we walke in the light as he is in the light wee haue fellowshippe one with an other Thirdly God himselfe doth iudge reward euery one according to his works and therfore the works are correspondent to the heart and the heart to the regenerate or vnregenerate estate of the man I the Lord saith he by the prophet search the heart Iere 17 10. try the raines euen to giue euery man according to his waies and according to the fruite of his workes Consolation to faithfull men though not void of infirmities against Vse 1 the temptations of Sathā the calumniations of wicked mē the feares of their own harts None are so much accused of cōtempt against God as they which are most religious in his seruice none are so much burdened with imputations of hypocrisie as they which are most vpright in their harts The deuil in his malice because he seeth their tēder cōsciēces easily affrighted doth labour to perswade thē that there is nothing in thē but fraud falshood Sinfull men when they can charge them with no misdemeanors not lewdnes of life take vpon them Gods office to be come iudges of the heart exclayming that they are hypocrites and dissemblers yet proceede contrary to Gods iustice condemning those of hypocrisie and dissimulation whome he doth commend for truth and sincerity And many doubts arise in theire owne soules by reason of the manifold imperfections of theire liues They feele want of knowledge in their minds and disorder in their affections they are priuy to them selues of duties neglected or negligently performed they finde a guiltines in regard of sundry sinnes committed and of diuers not soundly auoided they see still in their nature a pronenes to pride and many vanities but no aptnes to that which is good and needefull to be exercised All these things trouble their harts make them very suspicious of themselues least all their piety bee nothing but an outward profession and all their former comforts but meerly illusions But are they desirous vnpartialie to keepe euery commaundement if there power were answerable to their will Doe they indeauour truely to please God although they cannot do it perfectly Are they of the mending hand to yeeld more obediēce to the commandements of God though they cannot fulfill them Then there is no cause of discomfort then they are vpright in their waies and walke in the law of the Lord then God testifieth of them here that they are of the number of those that feare him and else where he testifieth of all those which feare him that they are blessed True happinesse is appropriated to them that none but they can be pertakers of it and none of them but haue a portion in it Conuiction of profane persons to their terrour whose onelie hope of happines cōsisteth in this that they haue a good soule towards God howsoeuer men think and speake of them for they loue him with all their heart with all their strength and that is as much as he requireth and as the holiest of them all performeth And therefore preachers and others are too full of iudging when they repute him to be so bad and their faults to be so haynous and their state to bee so dangerous But will you haue the matter to be referred to God himself as it must be whatsoeuer your will is And will you stand to his sentence therein as you shall bee compelled though it bee against your wills Then heare what he pronounceth of you that he which is lewd in his waies despiseth him nay yet more for the greater aggrauation of the sinne that hee is a despiser or despising of him which is more emphaticall and imployeth an habite accustomable practise and professed contempt You imagine that men are too sharpe in their censures and condemnings you shall feele vnlesse you repent that the Lord will bee farre more seuere in this sentence with the execution of it You will sweare and blaspheme the name of God if it be but to anger them that like not of it you will vse wanton sinfull exercises on the Lords day in despig it of those that bee grieued at it You will proceede on your owne wayes and vilifie all such as shall reprooue you for it but whom in the meane time doe you contemne and whome haue ye sought to reproch Euen the mightie and glorious God who is both able in power and ready i◠wrath to returne your waies vpon your owne heads Hee will bee honoured and you shall be despised he will haue eternall praise and you shall haue euerlasting confusion But for those that sinne not so presumptuously nor with such an high hand if that they be in the power of sinne and without repentance this point is very vncomfortable They dreame that the Lord is not so much offended with them and their behauiour as they heare spoken in sermons but that he will lightly passe by those things which heere are counted great matters but let them know that he is more righteous then man and hateth euery sinne more then all men hate all sins And
man regarded him his seruents his haÌ„d-maids yea euen his owne wife despised him He had experience of this point and therefore it shall not be amisse to let him speak to it and declare what befell him My neighbours saith hee hath Iob. 19. 14. 15. forsaken mee and my familiars haue forgotten me They that dwell in mine house and my maides tooke me for a stranger in their â—ight I called my seruant but he would not answeare though I prayed him with my mouth My breath was straÌ„ge vnto my wife though I praâ—ed her for the children sake of my bodie The wicked despised me when I rose they spake against mee All my secret friends also abhorred mee and they whome I loued are turned against me Neither was it Iobs case alone nor belonging onely to that time but the like vsage hath bene found and is to be expected of euery one that falleth into misery at all times For the Holye ghost which best knoweth all customes which men haue vsed heertofore and what is now in practise presently and what will surely come to passe heereafter doth testify that all the brethren of the poore do hate him how much more will his friends depart far Prou 19 7. from him Though he be instant with words yet they will not First they looke to their credit herein esteeming it an honoure Reasons 1 to be in league with them that are of eminent place and good ability and a disgrace to be sociable with them that are little seâ— by Secondly they haue also an eye to their commodity knowing that mighty men and wealthy may greatly pleasure them if they be their friends or much endomage them if they be their aduersaries and so for their owne sakes will be linked to them in kindnesse And therefore it is sayd that riches gather manie friends The person of the rich man is not so much regarded as his wealth nor would be at all were it not for his wealth for that Prou. 19 4 is it which getteth so many mens good wills And on the other side they feare that if they should giue countenance to their needy neighbors or kinsmen or old companions they would presse too heauy vpon them by begging or borrowing or comming oft to their table or expecting helpe from them and so growe burdenous vnto them Instruction 1. If we fall into afflictions that we seeke not to Vse carnall friends for succour for they will rather adde to our burden by testimonies of hatred than minister comfort by the fruits of their loue They will be so far from relieuing vs by shewing mercy and compassion as that they will more grieue vs with their strange behauiour and vnkindnesse And therefore the Lord himselfe giueth this precept Enter not into thy brothers house in the date of thy calamitie for a neighbour that is neere is better Prou 27. 10 than a brother that is farre off He that is further off in nature and bloud may be much more neer in faithfulnes and loue 2. To depend vpoÌ„ the Lord who reiecteth not his people for their pouerty and crosses but pitieth them the more for their afflictions and though all men should cast them off in their misery and troubles yet he will not forsake them as Dauids case doth witnesse When my father and mother saith he forsooke me the Lord gathered me Psal 27 10 vp 3. To associate our selues with godly men for they will proue our surest friends Vicinity and neighborhood will faile and alliance and kindred will faile but grace and religion will neuer faile Jf wee adioyne our selues vnto them for their vertue and goodnesse they will not seperate themselues from vs for our calamities and trouble Ruth was no lesse kind to Naomie when she went away empty than when she came thither full and Ionathan was as faithfull to Dauid when Saul sought to slay him as when he made him his Sonne in law and shewed best countenance to him Vers. 21. He that despiseth his neighbour is a sinner but he that sheweth mercie to the poore blessed is he THis verse dependeth on the former wherin was declared the property of fleshly men which will despise their friends and neighbors in their necessity and here is set downe their state condition which shew such vnfaithfulnes that he which doth despise his neighbour when he is poore and distressed shall be a sinner that is shall be charged with sinne and conuicted of it and plagued for it The same word is so taken in the booke of Kings where Bathsheba telleth Dauid how needefull it was for him to appoint his successor before his death Else saith he when my Lord 2. Kings 1 21. the King shall sleepe with his father I and my Sonne Salomon shall be sinners that is shall be counted as guilty persons and punished as offendors Now this is illustrated by the contrary the great reward which they shall receiue that pitty poore men in their afflictions and seek to relieue and succour them in word deed and countenance they are pronounced blessed such as shall aboundantly partake of Gods fauours and mercies It is not safe to despise poore christians in their aduersity As God Doct. 2 will take veÌ„ngeaÌ„ce of the violeÌ„ce that they suffer punish their oppressors so he wil not passe by the despite that is done to theÌ„ nor beare with such as contemne them And hereof let the Moabites be an example whome the Lord most grieuously plagued Ier. 48 26. for this sinne as the principall cause of their destruction Moab saith Ieremie shal wallow in his vomite and he shall also be in derision For didst thou not deride Jsraell as though hee had hin found among theeues for when thou speakest of him thou art mooued First they add affliction to the afflicted and make their burden Reasons 1 more heauy which were sore pressed with other crosses and troubles before For nothing is more grieuous to mans nature nor pierceth his heart deepelier than to see himselfe despised It was not the least of theire fufferinges which our Sauiour indured the Scriptures foretelling of it and numbring it among his grieuous calamities J am a worme and not a man a shame of Psal 22 6 7. men and the contempt of the people All they that see me haue meâ— in derision they make a mowe and nod the head at mee And the Church also in the Psalmes doth complaine of the bitternes thereof and vehemently craueth help at Gods hand against it Haue mercie vpon vs O Lorde haue mercie vpon vs for wee haue Psal 123 3 4. suffered too much contempt Our soule is filled too full of the mocking of the vvealthie and of the despitefulnes of the prowde Secondly they thwart and contrary Gods worde and nature and waies for he is most pitifull to them that be in tribulation so requireth all others to shew themselues His poore seruants are as precious to him as those of the
greatest countenance in the world And for that cause Saint Iawes so sharply reprooueth the partiality which is vsed in preferring the gold rings and gay garments of the rich with the disgrace and contempt of the poore Hath not God saith the Apostle chosen the poore of this world that Iaâ— 2 5. they should be rich in faith and heires of the kingdom which he promised to them that loue him But ye haue despised the poore c. Though a Parent himselfe will sometimes giue correction to his dearest children yet he will no take it well that euery seruant and kittchin boy should therefore laugh at them or thinke the more basely of them Thirdly the contempt and reproach which is offered to the people seruaÌ„ts of God in their calamities the Lord doth take as offered to himselfe therefore it is saied that He which mocketh 〈◊〉 1â— 5. the poore reprocheth him that made him he that reioyceth at his aduersitie shall not be vnpunished The vses see in the eleuenth chapter and 12 ver inferred vpon these words He that despiseth his mighbor is destitute of wisedom But he c. He taketh a good way for his owne happines that Doct. 2 is pittiful to other men in their miseries The point hath been handled in the eleuenth chapter ver 17. where it is said that he which is merciful rewardeth his own soule Vers 22. Do they not erre that imagine euill but to them that thinke on good things shall be mercie and truth THe question is not mooued heere in waie of doubting as though it were vncertain whether they that study to do euil should speed euil or not but of assurance that they shal certeinly fail of their hope expectation And therfore the interrogation is put for a coÌ„fident asseueration of that which is affirmed that neuer any wicked maÌ„ could obtain his hope to his sul contentmeÌ„t in has sinful deuises Either he commeth too short of that which he concludeth to do or misseth of that happines which he looked for in his exploits or falleth into those troubles which he neuer stood in fear of But to theÌ„ that think on good things which set their minds to meditate of performing good seruices to God and his people in the best manner to them shall bee mercie and truth the mercie of God shall be manifested by the multitude of his blessings vpon them and his truth declared by fulfilling of his promises to them No men are so much defeated of their purposes as they which most apply their harts to mischiefe Doct 2 They looke for the best successe and meete with the worste they hope to finde greate happines in their enterprices and are miserably vexed with great repulses The Lord seeth all their daÌ„gerous plotting how they are continually vndermining the scate of his seruants and therfore by a watchful prouidence doth couÌ„termine their practises Jt hath beene already shewed in the 12 chapter that deceit commeth to the hearts of them that imagine Prou. 12. 20. euill and there this matter hath beene more largely prosecuted Verse 23. In all labour theâ—e is aboundance but the talke of the lips onelie bringeth want IN all labour in euery honest vocation wherein a man shall diligently and faithfully imploy himselfe there is abundance a competent measure of prouision to be found for his owne maintenance and a surplussage to bestowe on other good vses But the talke of the lâ—ppes onelie bare and vaine words when a man will labour with his tongue and let the rest of his members bee idle when the mouth shall bee ready to discourse of his busines but the hands be negligent to perform it when words alone shall be vsed in steed of workes that bringeth onelie want filleth him with neede and pouerty No mans thriuing consisteth so much in the gainefulnes of his Doct. trade as in his faithfulnesse and diligence in it Let the fuÌ„ction be neuer so commodious and profitable yet it will yeeld little benefit to them that are remisse and slothfull therein and let the worke be neuer so meane and little sette by yet it will requite their trauels with sufficiency that apply themselues constantly to be industrious in it Many rich marchants fall and growe to be bankerupts and many poore seruants rise nd grow to be wealthy When it is said Blessed is euerie one that feareth the Lord walketh in his waies In eating the labours of thine hands thou shalt bee blessed and it shall be well with thee There is not a limitation Psal 228. i 2. that if they haue good liuings or great stocks or gainefull trades and occupations they shall be so happy and not otherwise for that were to restraine the largenes of Gods liberality and al sufficiency and make him a respecter of persons in his promises and mercies The blessing of God is that which maketh rich and it is not appropriated to such sciences as men like best of and hope to Reasons 1 get most by but belongeth to euery one that is faithfull in anie honest calling Secondly they that painefully and conscionably imploy themselues in any vocation how base contemptible soeuer it seeme to be are in the Lords worke and him they serue as the Apostle speaketh euen of bondmen and is it possible that his workmen shall worke without wages or sufficient allowance Hee reprooueth those men which neglect to giue to the hireling his recompence for his trauell or faile in due time to discharge it and shall we thinke then that hee will be carelesse of his owne seruants himselfe Jt appeareth by the parable that many receiue Mat. 20. much more at his handes than eyther hee promiseth or they looke for but none hath lesse wages from him than his worke commeth to Incouragement to those of lowe places to labour cheerfully in Vse 1 their seuerall seruices sithence they haue Gods word for their security that they shall not be vnprouided of so much as is expedient for them Jf he say once that in all labour there shall be aboundance they shall neuer haue cause to contradict him and say wee labour hard faithfully and yet liue in penury Reproof of them which in the decay of their state extremities where into they fall exclaime vpon their occupations but neuer recount their sluggishnes in them there is no good to be done they say in their trade but they consider not what euil their idlenes hath done to their trade Are there none others that dealing in the same trades which they so much coÌ„plaine of do yet thriue in the same If they doe it appeareth plainelie that their want groweth rather from their owne vnthristines for want of managing their affaires in due maner than from the calling whereby good husbands doe well prouide for themselues and their housholds Terror for iesters and stage players and others of like lewde and sinfull demeanoure whose whole worke consisteth in talking and talking vainelie and talking
hurtfully and drawing others to mispend their time in hearing of theire vaine and hurtfull talke Beggery is appointed for their wages and beggary shall duelye be paide vnto them and beggary they maye surely looke for and if they receiue it not presentlie in hand it will bee doubled with interest at the last Or if it should neuer bee performed at all in that kinde it will certainely be recompenced with some other punishment that shall more than counteruaile it And let it not bee obiected heere that the minister also dealeth onelie with his tongue though a principall parte of his function bee exercised in speech for it is an holie worke and a fruitefull worke and a worke which God calleth him to and assisteth him in to speake to his people But hee must also watch ouer his flock and study to make prouision for them if he will shew himselfe a faithfull minister of God If he be negligent in that duty howsoeuer he be not laden with pouerty he will be empty of knowledge and comfort and pressed with the burden of an euill conscience Verse 24. The riches of the wise are their crowne but the foolishnes of fooles remaineth follie THey which haue wealth with godly wisedome are made the more honorable by it for their credit for so much the word crowne doth often import in the Scriptures And though sinfull fooles haue neuer so great abundance of riches they nothing auaile them against their foolishnes They be as ignoraÌ„t and more wicked than if they possessed nothing their lewdnesse is not made the lesse grieuous and damnable by their great substance and their absurdities be more seene noted to their shame than if they liued in a poore estate and obscurely When the heart of a man is beautified with grace his outward Doct. preheminences be ornaments to him Some in the Scriptures be commended for their strength and valiantnesse as Dauids worthies some for their vnderstanding wisedome as Chusai and Daniel some for their authority and promotion as Ioseph and Mordecai some for their wealth and substance as Iob and Abraham and some for all these as Dauid and Salomon First to godly men they testify the loue and kindnes of the Reason 1 Lord towards them as Iob saith that the light of Gods countenaÌ„ce shined vpon his head and by his light hee walked through the darknesse 〈◊〉 9 3 in the daies of his great prosperitie Secondly they glorifie God and adorne religion and get true praise to themselues by the good vsage of those thinges which they possesse Instruction for wise men to be thankfull to God when he dealeth Vse so bountifully with them as to adde earthly blessinges to his heauenly graces VVhen wisedome bestoweth riches and glorie though she bring them in her left hand it is a gift of greater value Prou. 13. 16. than if the mightiest monarch in the world should giue the greatest treasure in the world with his right hand If a man be inritched by vertue and godlinesse vvhich hath the promise of this life 1 â—in â—4 8 present and of that vvhich is to come If God giue him power to get Deut. 8 18. substance to establish his couenant with him there is iust cause why he should conceiue comforte in his owne soule in regard of the Lords louing fauour towards him but more equall it is that hee should returne praise to Gods name who hath so multiplied his mercies vpon him Reproofe of those which seeke to disgrace the godly so much the more if they be blessed with ritches when nothing else can be charged vpon them to their reproche they picke quarrels against their goods to depraue them therewith as though it were impossible for any to be wealthy vnlesse hee be also vniust and worldly But our Sauiour telleth the cause of this grudging though the drift of the parable tend to an other purpose namely their eie is euill because he is good and they thinke that he giueth Mat. 20. 15 too much wages to his seruants and too short allowance to them Confutation of their folly that thinke riches and other outward things to suffice for their credit though they be vtterly emty of all heauenly vnderstanding The miser which Christ speaketh of in the Gospell had abundance of wealth and substance and yet no honour for God called him by his right name foole and by that shall he be known to the end of the world and then be euidently seene to be such a one Herod had dignity and power and wit and eloquence and pompe and fleshly glory and yet what is written of him or spoken of him which doeth not continue the memoriall of his miserable and wretched estate Verse 25. A faithfull vvitnesse deliuereth soules but a deceitfull one forgeth lies A Faithfull witnesse which both hath sure knowledge of that which he affirmeth and an vpright heart to doe seruice to God good to his brethren by his testimony deliuereth soules indeauoureth by declaring the truth to helpe innocent men out of their troubles and infamy where into they are fallen or like to come by vniust accusations or false surmises of them For by soules in the Scriptures is often meant the persons of men As Exod. 1. 5. All the soules that came out of the loynes of Iacob were seuenty soule But a deceitfull one a false witnesse or crafty accuser forgeth lies as sometimes he peruerteth the trueth and abuseth it to crosse iustice and true dealing so if that will not bee for his turne to effect his purpose then he inuenteth a lye and setteth a colour vpon it to destroy or molest his harmlesse neighbours For here doth the holy ghost oppose the deceitefull to the faithfull and forging of lyes to deliuering of soules in regard of the effect that it worketh because by that meanes many men are brought to danger and destruction And as this is vnderstood of the whole man that a faithfull witnesse will deliuer him so it is true concerning that part of man the soule so properly called that a faithfull witnesse either minister or priuate person according as opportunity serueth will specially laboure to deliuer the heart from sinne by testifying the trueth of God against it and so preserue his brother from destruction This is according to that which S Iames speaketh Brethren if any of you hath erred from Iam 5. 19. 20. the truth and some man hath conuerted him let him knowe that hee which hath conuerted the sinner from going astraye out of his waye shall saue a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes On the other side the false Prophets and seducers of all men are the most deceitfull and dangerous do greatest mischiefe with their corrupt doctrine and pestilent errors The sence of this verse is agreeable to the sixt verse of the twelfth chapter where it is sayde that the talking of the wicked is to lye in waite for bloud but the mouth of the righteous
and compassion but especially the griefes and gripings of the mind and inward parts are many and marueilous bitter as Caines case declareth First he can neuer be without vexation so long as his desires Reasons 1 be vnsatisfied and yet al enuious persons haue alwaies vnsatiable desires Secondly how much soeuer he hath of wealth or promotion it doth him no good if an other haue more or asmuch Saul could haue been aswell content to haue lost the victory as to haue Dauid preferred before him for the atchieuing of it though himselfe had asmuch praise as his prowesse deserued The spiteful man thinketh himselfe decaying whiles those whom he maligneth do prosper and his neighbours rising is little lesse grieuous than his owne fall No vlcer or stone or strangury is more painfull to him than to fee others to go before him or to keepe pace with him or to follow fast after him Reproofe of their folly which chuse a tedious and vnhappy Vse life and study to make themselues miserable by repining at the good estate of their brethren And the more byting will their griefe and anguish bee if Caine-like they fret at the grace and comfortable condition of the godly who shall neuer fayle of the comfort of Gods fauour and blessing VVe would deeme him in a wretched case that should be taken with a dolorous disease that were neither curable nor mitigable while the Sunne shined for he could no day be free from his fittes from morning to euening And is not Gods kindnesse to his more certayn than the sunne-shine And will not his goodnes more constantly continue with them both day and night for euer And are not their pangues then exceeding painfull and endlesse that can neuer bee without torment by meanes of their indignation vntill the Lord be without mercy towards his people Jt is an infallible euerlasting verity which the Prophet testifieth that the horne of the Psal 11. 9 10. righteous shall be exhalted with glory the wicked shal see it be angry he shal gnash with his teeth and consume away the desire of the wicked shall perish Jnstruction to fence and fortify our selues against this dirall diuelish enuy whereby so many men are so much annoyed and tormented All remedies are to be constantly vsed aswell for the preuention as the remoouall of it as 1. to purge away pride and selfe-loue from whence it sumeth to store our harts with humility Christian charity which will make vs thankful for our owne portions glad to see our brethren blessed in theirs 2. To be well perswaded of Gods holy administration in the destribution of his gifts that he ordereth the matter with exquisite wisdome iustice For who can charge him with folly that hee bestoweth on any more then is meete or who can challenge him of vnrighteousnes that he giueth vnto them lesse than is due 3. Not onelie to eie the blessings and comforts which our brethren inioy but to think of the troubles and sorrows which they also sustaine that so the consideration of one might stay vs from grudging at the sight of the other 4. To remember that the graces and good things of other Christians are for our benefite as the strength and good estate of one member serueth for the vse of an other and therfore in repining at their happines what doe we else but maligne our owne welfare Vers 31. He that oppresseth the poore reproacheth him that made him but he that sheweth mercy to the poore doth honour him BY poore hee meaneth not onelie such as liue in want and penury but those which are vnder the burdē of any other afflictions and vnable to defend themselues and by oppression he vnderstandeth all kind of hard dealing whether it be by craft or force or false accusations and slaunders or bitter and contumelious speeches to bring them into contempt or hatred Hee that thus wrongeth any distressed person reprocheth him that made him that is the Lord who hath allotted to him that poore estate But he that sheweth mercy to the poor which doeth good ministreth comfort to them that are in misery by helping the Lords seruāts declareth his loue and estimation of the Lord their maister Doct. All the wrong that is offered to the poore the Lord doth take as done to himselfe Though in the sight of the world they seeme forlorne persons without any friends to take their suffrings to heart and in appearance seeth nothing but safety in trampling vpon them yet God professeth his tender care so far towards them as that he maketh their case his case and their friends his friends and reputeth them for his soes that declare themselues to bee theirs In an other chapter not onely they are charged with contempt of him that practice mischiefe against them or violently worke them woe Prou 17 5. and sorrow but it is saied that he also which macketh the poor dispiseth him that made him First his commaundement is thereby violated and broken for Reasons 1 in many places he strictly forbiddeth all how great soeuer to grieue the poore and calleth vpon euery one to be pitiful to thē One place for this purpose may serue in sleed of many that may be brought for confirmation of the point Zachary telleth the people of his time what duety the Lord required by the former prophets before the captiuity and what message was committed to him now after their returne and that was Execute ye true Zach. 7. 9. 10. iudgement and shewe mercie and compassion euery man to his brother And oppresse not the widdow nor the fatherlesse the stranger nor the poore Secondly he hath vndertaken to be their gordian keeper and they are become his wards and pupills and therefore whosoeuer dealeth iniuriously with them doth deeme God either to be so vnfaithfull that he regardeth not the safety of his charge or so weake and feeble that he is not able to protect and defend them Thirdly our texte yeeldeth a forcible reason why they which oppresse the poore doe in like manner despise the Lord because he is their creator in respect of their persons they are the work of his hands and in respect of their condition they are also his handy work as Hannah fang The Lord maketh poor and maketh 1. Sam. 2. 7. rich he bringeth lowe and exhalteth So that if they wrong them as men they misuse his creatures which haue their form and being from him if as poore men they disgrace his workemanship in shaping them such a state Terror for cruell mē who vse as the prophet saith to grind the faces Vse 1 of the poore and treade vpon their heads for they ouermatch themselues infinitely and bid battell to him that will crush them in peeces with his countenance The lesse power they haue to defend themselues the more he exerciseth for their defence the weaken they be and more vnable to resist theire aduersaries the stronger he will shew himselfe to be
and more ready to destroie their aduersaries Men thinke it easiest to goe ouer where the hedge is lowest and most safe to presse downe them that are least friended but they wil wish in the end that they had rather climbed ouer the toppes of trees and prouoked those which haue greatest potentates to take their parts They shall finde it their folly to contemne Salamons wise preceptes and it will turne to their paine that they cast themselues into such perilles Rob not Prou 12. 12 faith he the poor because he is poore neither oppresse the afflicted in iudgement For the Lord will defend their cause and spoile the soule of those that spoyle them And againe in an other place he repeateth the same matter in other words saying Remooue not the auncient Prou. 13. 10 11 bounds and enter not into the field of the fatherlesse For hee that redeemeth them is mightiâ— he will defend their cause against thee Yf it be then so dangerous to wrong men because they bee poor how perilous is it to persecute them because they be poore and godlie Yf for this cause oppressours be reputed despisers of God for that they lift vp their haÌ„ds against his pupils how much more shall they be counted his enemies when they deale cruelly with his children when they strike at the members of his body when they attempt to scratch out his eies As Zachary speakeh He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye Yf so seuere a Zachar 2 8. sentence shall be passed vpon them at the last day that neglect to comfort and relieue him in his members shall there not bee a far more heauy punishment inflicted vpon those which shall wouÌ„d Mat. 25. and spoile him therein Instruction to them that be poore and oppressed to contain theÌ„selue from all impatiency Is the Lord reproched by that which is done against thee and is his worde and worke and gouernement thereby despised Then is the cause more his than thine and it belongeth to him to redresse it with iustice and not to thee to staine it with distemper Oh how men marie their owne matters when they will steppe into Gods place and sit down in his throne and execute his office Jt is an impotency that is in their heartes when they can beare iniuries no better without reuenging hands or reuiling tongues and it is a great defect of faith when they waite not till the Lord take off their burdeÌ„s and it is a needles dread wherewith they dauÌ„t theÌ„selues to think their case remedilesse Doth the Scripture in vaine and to no Ecclc. 5. 7. purpose or with no truth animate vs against such grieuances when it saith Yf in a country thou seest the oppression of the poore the defranding of iudgement and iustice be not astonied at the matter for he that is higher than the highest regardeth and there bee higher than they Consolation to the poor afflicted especially if they be the meÌ„bers of Christ howsoeuer they are discountenanced of men reiected of the world as refuses whom it world willingly be rid of yet they are more esteemed of him whose estimatroÌ„ is more worth thaÌ„ al the mightiest worldlings Abâ—athar thought himself in good safegard though Saule sought his life when Dauid told him that the enemy which came against one of theÌ„ should be coÌ„mon to them both and yet Dauid himselfe who must defend Abiathar was pursued by the King and in peril of his own life how great cause then of boldnes incouragement haue they whome Dauids keeper doth keepe and protect which taketh their cause for his cause their wroÌ„gs for his reproch the hurts doÌ„ne to theÌ„ for defyaÌ„ce bid to himselfe And what a grace fauor is this on the otherside to his poor seruants that he chooseth to bee honoured and serued by the mercy and compassion that is shewed vnto them do hoe not thereby-assure and induce inioyne and binde all his people to do them good It serueth also for the great comfort of euery good man that is pittiful and helping to them that be needy and distressed It is accepted of the Lord Iesus Christe as if it were a beneuolence to his owne person I vvas an hungred saith he and ye gaue me meate J thirsted and ye gaue me drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged mee I vvas naked and ye clothed mee I was sicke and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came vnto mee And being asked by the righteous when and how this kindnes by them was shewed vnto him he telleth them that inasmuch as they did it to one of the least of his brethren they haue done it to him VVe thinke it a great preferment as there is cause why we should for Marâ—â— Magdalen and other women to minister vnto him of their substance and for Martha and Mary to haue him for their ghuest and for the woman in Bothania to powre the oyntment on his head and for Ioseph of Arimathea and Nicodeâ—â—s to bury him and why then should it be counted a matter of no value since it is a prerogatiue not much inferiour to those before specified to haue a mercifull heart and liberall hand in succouring and relieuing his members Diuers of the Pharisies and other vngodly men as it may seeme gaue him entertainment in their houses and had him to dinner and neither yeelded honour to him nor receiued praise from him nor euer shall bee rewarded by him but none that is mercifull to any of his though neuer so meane and despised shal be passed by without acknowledgement nor sent away without recompence VVhatsoeuer is lent vnto them in compassion is bestowed vpon him in regard of acceptance and whatsoeuer is bestowed on them in pitty is lent vnto him in regard of repaiment Vers. 32. The wicked man is pursued in his miserie but the rightious hath hope in his death THe wicked is pursued the worde which wee translate pursued signifieth to be thrust â—t or to throwe downe meaning that when his calamity once beginneth he shall bee driuen on forwards vntill he fall into destruction But the state of the righteous is contrary for he hath hope that is not onely confidence good expectation but refuge and deliuerance in greatest extremities yea in the very danger and torment of death it selfe yea than especially and more than euer at anie time before Doct. 1 VVhen godlesse men stand in greatest neede of helpe and comforte they shall be most of all pressed with plagues and terrours The imprecacion which Dauid made against his enemies may stand for a coÌ„mination against al Gods enemies that when they Psal 35. 5 6. are become chaffe or dust the wind shall rise and blow them away and when they walke in waies that bee darke and slipperie the Angell of the Lord shall persecute them Wee reade of diuers kings and Canaanites which came to destroy the Gybeonites because they entred into league with Israel that