friends to sollicite his cause and to deale effectually for him Thirdly the Lord himselfe beholdeth their teares and sorrowes and suffrings hee heareth their most secret sighes and groanes his compassion is towards them hee is able to helpe them hee promiseth to deliuer them and therefore from his owne commiseration and pitie by his might and power and in his trueth and fidelitie hee will surely drawe them out of miserie Lastlie their life it selfe is not perpetuall but short and of small continuance and therefore how can it be that their troubles should be endles or any way of long durance It is an euerlasting trueth which the holy spirit publisheth in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for they rest from Reuel 14. 13. their labours that is from all kinds of sorrowes and sufferings Vse Reproofe of their follie which seeke to preuent troubles or to shake them off by shunning the duties of righteousnes As though righteousnes were not a sure friend to deliuer men but a treacherous aduersarie to betray them As though it were a matter of great perill to please God and the onely way for safetie to prouoke him As though the best meanes of defence were to disarme ones selfe and to be weaponed and armed were to expose himselfe to the shot and strokes of his enemie And yet this cowardlie heart and erroneous mind is in very many that they dare not addict themselues strictly to euery seruice of pietie and iustice lest they should cast themselues into snares and troubles and molestations They are not perswaded by S. Peters testimonie 1. Pet. 3. 13 14 that no man can hurt them if they follow that which is good neither be they affected with his consolation that blessed are they if they suffer for righteousnesse sake Comfort to them that are tossed with the waues of troubles and aduersities by persecutions temptations and necessities if searching their hearts they can finde their vprightnes and trying their waies they proue to be righteous there is no cause why they should call in question the state of their soules or thinke their present case to be irrecouerable If multitude or greatnes of troubles were to make Gods fauour doubtfull then few iust men should haue it certaine for he hath allotted them to all his children and made as due prouision for them of correction as of foode and he that is alwaies and altogether without it is not a sonne but a Heb. 12. 8. bastard If it were not an vsuall thing for good men to bee in afflictions the scriptures would not so vsually speake of their comming out of afflictions Let no man therefore say in prosperitie I shall neuer be moued so let no godlie man say in aduersitie I Psalm 30. 6. shall neuer be restored The Lord taketh as little pleasure to bee euermore afflicting his people as a most tender-hearted parent doth to be alwaies beating his children And as an indulgent father cannot indure to see violence offred to the shedding of his sonnes bloud in his presence so neither will our God permit the wicked to spoile and oppresse the godly continually in his sight Doct. 2 When the mercie of God beginneth to raise the godly out of afflictions his iustice is readie to cast the wicked into miserie The sinners are put into one scale of the weights and the saints into the other When the one riseth vp the other sinketh downe when the one commeth from troubles to prosperitie the other goeth from prosperitie to troubles This the Lord telleth wicked men before hand and will not faile to fulfill it in due season Behold saith he my seruants shall eate and ye shall be hungrie behold Isa 65. 13. 14. my seruants shall drinke and yee shall be thirstie behold my seruants shall reioyce and yee shall be ashamed behold my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and yee shall crie for sorrow of heart and shall howle for vexation of minde It seemeth to them an incredible paradoxe and a newes by farre more admirable then acceptable that there should be such a transmutation of conditions on both sides to contraries but he doth know that it will be so and can effect that it shall be so and hath decreed that it must be so and therefore relateth the particulars with such certainty as if forthwith the execution thereof should be presented to their senses Reasons First it is Gods ordinance and the order which he vseth in his proceedings that iudgement shall begin at his owne house as S. Peter teacheth and from thence be deriued to the wicked to 1. Pet. 4. 17. continue vpon them for euer The medicinable potion at the brimme of the cup he will haue his owne children to drinke for their health and preseruation but the dregges and poison at the bottome his enemies must swallow vp for their ruine and destruction Secondly troubles feares vexations and torments are the proper portion of sinners they receiue not their childs part nor enter vpon their inheritance till they fall into them Good men passe through them as a deepe mirie lane in a strange countrie but trauell home to their owne pleasant soile of comfort but the euill and rebellious gallop swiftly in the faire way of prosperitie and hasten to their owne vncomfortable home of hidious desolation and horror Thirdly their malitions behauiour against Christians doth with a strong hand draw themselues into miserie and lift the others out of it The Egyptians made it their exercise to drowne the children of the Israelites and God deliuering the Israelites made the Egyptians to be drowned Haman cast about with all his wits how he might bring Mordecai to the gallows and the Lord appointed in his wisedome that the gallows should catch vp Haman And so stood the case with Daniels enemies they were driuen with their owne flesh and familie to feede the hons which they had appointed to eate vp Daniel The Edomites were glad to see the Iewes drinke so bitter a draught of calamity as the Babylonians by Gods righteous iudgement had mingled for them and therefore the Lord would make the Edomites to pledge them in the same cup and was more fauourable to the Iewes for their reioycing at them For so hee speaketh to them both in the Lamentations Reioyce and be glad O daughter Edome that dwellest in the land of Vz the cup also shall passe through vnto thee thou shalt be drunken and vomit Thy punishment is accomplished O daughter Zion hee will no more carrie thee into captiuitie Lam. 4. 21. The doing of mischiefe to good men the attempting of it though they faile of their purposes their wishing of it though they dare not attempt it and their reioycing at it when it is effected by others all this doth assuredly bring mischiefe on sinfull mens owne heads Vse Admonition to the aduersaries of the Church and Christians that they deale more mildlie and moderatelie with them The
heauenly wisedome because it will crosse their pride and sensuall lusts It will forbid the nice dames that make idols of their owne bodies to bestow so much time in tricking vp themselues with pranking and painting and therefore they haue no more desire to receiue godlinesse than to depart with beautie They are as willing that the small pockes should deforme their faire faces as the word of God should informe and cleanse their foule consciences Verse 23. The desire of the righteous is only good but the hope of the wicked is indignation WE must beware here that we iustifie not al the wishes and desires to be good which righteous men conceiue not condemne all to be vnrighteous which conceiue any wishes and desires that be not good for then should Dauid be excluded out of the number of the righteous or else his desire of hauing Bathsheba or wishing to know the number of the people should be allowed But he vnderstandeth the maine streame of their desires the course and current of their hearts is to godlinesse and goodnesse though sometimes they corrupt nature in themselues and the tempestuous temptations of Satan doe violently driue their thoughts another way which is wholly contrarie in the wicked For they desire nothing but mischiefe and euill and therefore in the end they shall receiue nothing but miserie and punishment which will be so great and so grieuous as will make them raue and rage with madnes and furie especially because they looked for a better state Thus then standeth the opposition the desire of the righteous is onely good and therefore their hope shall end in consolation but the desire of the wicked is onely euill and therefore their hope shall end in indignation Doct. Godly men are most desirous to please God and God doth as graciouslie accept of their desires in the best manner They are not willing to allow a thought in themselues that should not be lawfull and he is not willing to looke vpon or speake of their vnlawfull thoughts Though diuers things be many times amisse in their minds and in their mouthes and in their deedes yet there is faithfulnes and therefore he passeth by their faults So he testifieth of Dauid that he kept his commaundements and followed 1. King 14. 8. him with all his heart and did onely that which was right in his eyes And so he testifieth of all the godly Israelites in the booke of Numbers He seeth none iniquitie in Iaacob nor any transgression in Numb 23. 21. Israel And so he testifieth of all vpright hearted people whomsoeuer in the Psalmes Surely they worke none iniquitie but walke Psal 119. 3. in his waies Reasons 1 First he imputeth that to euery man and counteth it his which proceedeth from the predominant power in him In the regenerate nothing is theirs but their fruite and nothing is their fruite but the worke of the spirit And so though the vnregenerate doe many good things yet nothing is theirs but their fruite and nothing is their fruit but that which groweth from the flesh Secondly he seeth the force and violence of originall corruption how it assaulteth them how it woundeth them how it taketh them captiues against their willes and therefore rather pitieth them than accuseth them And hence it is that S. Paul by good warrant for example to all other good Christians doth once and againe disclaime all that euill from being his which he was vnwllingly drawne vnto If I do that which I would not I consent to the law which is good Now then it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me Rom. 7. 16. 20. Thirdly he knoweth that they will pursue their owne sinfull actions and thoughts with hue and crie and if any desire breake out from them that is not good they will send out many others after it for humiliation and pardon and purging of their hearts And therefore since themselues be so ready to complaine to him he will be sparing of complaints against them Vse 1 Consolation to the poore innocent seruants of God who yet are defamed with all kinde of false accusations They are called hypocrites heretickes rebels traytors and all that naught is Dauid was so charged by Saul his courtiers Paul was so charged by the malitious Iewes the godly Iewes so charged by Hamon Christ himselfe was so charged by the Priests Scribes and Pharises all good men must looke to bee so charged by all sorts of sinners Well it is for them that their hearts can witnesse that their desires are onely good and better that the Lord seeth it and best of all that they haue such a God as will openly publish it If he knew as much by vs as the wicked say against vs or would refuse to testifie that hee knoweth for vs as euery one of vs were more righteous so should hee be of all others most ignominious For no creature that euer God made the diuell not excepted is so much spoken against as good men are neither any so bad a name as they if the violent tongues of malitious persons may make a good mans name to be bad If sentence should passe vpon the godlie at the last day according to the verdict of them that are not friends or parties we should be all cast and condemned not one man would be acquited But here is an helpe against all these surmises of purposes within and accusations of behauiour without let appeale be made to him that beholdeth all and he will cleare the righteous from all these imputations This brought Iob to speake so confidently of his cause Oh that I had some to heare me behold my signe that the Almightie will witnes for Iob 31. 35. me though mine aduersarie should write a booke against mee This brought Dauid with such affiance to repose himselfe vpon God Iudge me Lord according to my righteousnesse and according to the Psal 7. 8. innocencie that is in me And this brought Isaiah to vse such liberty and boldnes in challenging his quarellous enemies Hee is neere that iustifieth me who will contend with me Let vs stand together Isai 50. 8. 9. who is mine aduersarie Let him come neere to me Behold the Lord will helpe me who is he that can condemne me And yet this is not all the comfort that a iust man hath though it be great but is increased by the testimionie which God giueth of their desires that seeing they are good they shall easily be graunted and seeing he taketh notice of no more then of those which are good their other infirmities shall be no impediment And therefore if they aske euerlasting life why should they make question whether they shall haue it If they seeke spirituall graces at his hands what should hinder the finding of them If they craue the good blessings for themselues and theirs for greater experience of his fauour in things of this life what should stay them from comming When his iustice
Psal 52. 1. 5. 6. c. the louing kindnesse of God endureth daily God shall destroy thee for euer he shall take thee and plucke thee out of thy tabernacle and roote thee out of the land of the liuing The righteous also shall see it and feare and shall laugh at him saying Behold the man that tooke not God for his strength but trusted to the multitude of his riches But I shall be like a greene Oliue tree in the house of God for I trusted in the mercie of God for euer and euer Consolation to godly men that haue receiued to their owne hearts and giuen to other men a testimonie of faith and righteousnes no enemie without or corrections within shall depriue them of their comfort or of any good blessing that concerneth this present life or their euerlasting saluation Vers 29. He that troubleth his owne house shall inherite the wind and the foole shall be seruant to the wise in heart HE is said to trouble his house which doth mispend his goods and misguide his affaires and misgouerneth his people that dwell with him That either doth corrupt them with sinfulnes or molest them with frowardnes or afflict them with miserie When he either maketh them patients to beare the burthen of his follie or agents to commit follie with him He shall inherite the winde that is shall bring al to nothing His substance shal flie vp like smoake into the aire and nothing be left to maintaine him on earth And when all his goods are gone his libertie must goe after This foole shall be seruant to the wise in heart that is to one who is more prouident discreete and carefull for his state and household They were wont in great wants to sell themselues for seruants as the Egyptians did in Iosephs time And Gen. 47. 19. for great debts to bee taken by the creditours and either made their bondmen or else sold to others And one of these saith he Matth. 18. 25. is like to be the case of this vnthriftie trouble-house Doct. He that would not vndoe himselfe let him not disorder his familie and domesticall affaires It neerely concerneth an householder to know that his house is laden with his whole estate that his people saile together with him in the same vessell for his vse And if he will neither play the good Pilot himselfe in his owne place nor suffer them to be good Mariners in theirs how soone shall he runne his barke vpon the Rockes how quickly shall hee make shipwracke of all that he hath Reasons 1 First he takes the way to bring a curse vpon all by due desert The Lord hath made him a steward and in diuers respects committed a trust vnto him which hee doth vnfaithfully discharge He hath put his goods into his hands to be orderly disposed of as may be most for his glorie and those he expendeth vpon his owne lusts and to Gods dishonour and is it not iust then that they should be taken from him He hath made him an ouerseer of the persons that liue vnder him that he should be an example and guide vnto them in all vertuous behauiour and he groweth to be a dissolute Master of Misrule is it not equall that another should take his place of superiority he be made an vnderling Secondly either his household is discouraged from diligence by his crooked peruersenes or else withdrawne from faithfulnes by learning to be sinfull and both of these tend one way namely to the ouerthrow of his estate Vse 1 Admonition to bee good gouernours of our families and good husbands for our estates not onely in conscience to obey God for our euerlasting saluation but in Christian prouidence for our present condition if not to get yet to saue as to preserue our goods so to retaine our freedome For albeit that villenage and bondage be not now in vse among vs yet imprisonment is not altogether out of vse And euery one is so farre in seruitude and in the creditours power as hee wanteth abilitie to pay his debts He may well be said to be another mans seruant whose state and libertie doth stand at another mans curtesie Terror for them that giue ouer themselues to such sinnes as be not onely troublesome but trouble it selfe to their houses Those wee meane which cause the Gouernours to lay burthens vpon their inferiours and God to lay iudgements vpon the Gouernours Wee will not make mention of many nor insist long vpon them which wee mention Pride must haue the first place because it is predominant and carrieth a great sway among the rest From it groweth contempt and disdaine contentions railings and all manner of imperious insolencie And for recompence thereof and of all the cursed effects which it produceth against God and man the Lord threatneth to destroy the house of Prou. 15. 25. proud men Whoredome and incontinencie also worke much mischiefe to families and most of all to the heads themselues The holy Ghost in this booke is very frequent in this point As the stranger shall be filled with thy strength and thy labours shall be Prou. 5. 10. Prou. 6. 26. in the house of a stranger And because of the whorish woman a man is brought to a morsell of bread And Iob saith that if hee should that way haue defiled himselfe it would haue bin a fire deuouring Iob 31. 12. to destruction which would haue rooted out all his increase Gaming riot and vnthriftines so apparantly shew themselues in this ranke that it shall be needlesse to discourse of them Onely Couetousnes we will conclude with which seemeth to be an help to raise vp an house and yet vndermineth the very foundations of it This maketh men fierce and violent bitter and cruell like Beares and Lions among their people And this the Lord himselfe hath reckoned for one of these turbulent sinnes and so would haue vs to account of it He that is greedie of gaine Prou. 15. 27. troubleth his owne house but he that hateth gifts shall liue As if he should say If men be not wearie of this wretched greedines it will make them in all corrupt manner to pursue their commodities to the annoyance of theirs till Gods wrath pursue them to death and vndoing And whereas many proud persons and vncleane and couetous hold vp their heads still and decay not in state they come not into other mens dangers but haue many others fallen into their hands yet let not men thinke there is a possibilitie of impunitie because they are not scourged with the least rod but reserued to a greater for pouertie is one of the easiest punishments What though they come not to inherit the wind here yet if they inherit damnation in the world to come what gaine they by the change what though they bee not brought to bee seruants to men yet if they bee seruants to sinne presently and shall receiue the wages of sinne hereafter how much is
not scotfree they must in no sort be spared but feele more heauie and featefull punishments though not in the earth yet in the world to come Doct. The best must looke for stripes if they will take libertie to sin against God True it is that the Lord taketh not aduantage of infirmities he passeth by them he winketh at them he smiteth not his children for them but when they grow too bold he wil nurture and awe them with correction In this sense he may be said to be no respecter of persons that as he will not endure the sinfulnes of the wicked though they be neuer so great so hee will not allow of the sinnes of the godly though they bee neuer so good The vertues that men haue doe not warrant them to fall into any vice their religion and graces doe not priuiledge them to doe those things which are vnseemly for religious and gracious persons to practise Few points are more fully confirmed by manifest proofes than this The Scriptures propose many examples our eares haue heard many reports our eyes doe daily behold many presidents for this purpose and they that will not be perswaded by these shall finde it true by experience in themselues What dolefull complaints doth the Church make euery where in the Lamentations of Ieremy Behold O Lord how I am troubled my bowels swell mine heart is turned within me for I am Lam. 1. 18. 20. full of heauinesse the Lords sword spoyleth abroad as death doth at home The Lord is righteous for I haue rebelled against his commandement How lamentably do the godly bemone themselues and the state of the Church in the prophecie of Esaiah Be not angrie O Lord aboue measure neither remember iniquitie for euer Isai 64. 9. 10. loe we beseech thee behold we are all thy people Thine holy cities lie waste Zion is a wildernes and Ierusalem a desert The house of our sanctuarie and of our glorie where our fathers praised thee is burnt vp with fire and all our pleasant things are wasted In what patheticall manner doth the Prophet expresse the burden of his afflictions in the booke of the Psalmes Thine arrowes haue light vpon Psal 38. 2. 3. me and thine hand lieth vpon me There is nothing sound in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones because of my sinne Reasons 1 First God herein respecteth his owne glorie who will haue his people to know that he doth looke for seruice at their hands If they performe it willingly they shall not faile to be rewarded for it but if they grow carelesse and negligent to obey him they shall be driuen vnto it by compulsion This was that which made both Moses and Ieremie bestirre them when God shewed his anger to the one and threatned to destroy the other for being so backward to vndertake their ministerie Exp. 4. 14. Ier. 1. 17. And the wicked shall see by this that hee is neither remisse toward all nor partiall to any when his commandement is not regarded This seemeth to be one cause why the Prophet that came to Bethel and failed to fulfill that which was giuen him in charge was so seuerely handled He told Ieroboam that God had straightlie forbidden him either to eate or to drinke in that citie and yet Ieroboam might heare that he had both eaten and drunken in the house of an other Prophet there for which cause the Lord sent a Lion to kil him that it might be knowne to Ieroboam and others 1. Reg. 13. how dangerous it was for any to disobey his word Secondly he respecteth their good though it might seeme to be better for them if they were wholy freed from all manner of troubles and crosses How wanton how froward how stubborne would children be Into what perils would they cast themselues if they should be altogether exempted from the rod They could neuer feele the comfort of their parents fauour vnlesse they sometimes found the smart of their displeasure And so are the stripes and chastisements of God as needfull euery way to all his sonnes and daughters They make vs the more carefull to beware of euill they helpe vs to repentance when wee haue fallen into euill they confirme the loue of our heauenly father towards vs they be occasions of his holinesse in vs They bring the quiet Heb. 12. 6. 10. 11. fruite of righteousnes vnto vs. Finally to knit vp all in few words we are therefore recompenced with afflictions in the earth that we should not be punished with destruction in hell but rewarded with euerlasting glorie in heauen And this the Apostle sheweth to be the cause why God scourgeth vs. When wee are iudged saith he we are chastned of the Lord that we should not be condemned with 1. Cor. 11. 32. the world Vse 1 Admonition to euery one that feareth God to looke well to his heart and wayes that he retaine the feare of God constantly and not be venturous to doe any thing that may offend him The Lord hateth sinne as well in the godly as in the wicked and will sooner smite the godly for his sinne then the wicked though not so grieuouslie An example hereof was alreadie shewne in the Prophet slaine as he was going from Bethel Ieroboams transgressions were begun long before the fault that hee committed and yet the strooke came vpon him for his fault long before the destruction of Ieroboam and his house And let no man say I am safe because I am sure to be saued he may fall into great miserie in this life though he be in state of happines for the life to come Freedome from perdition doth not free men from all manner of punishments What plague besides destruction can Christians say we shall certainly escape vnlesse they bee sure to escape such sinnes as may prouoke God to plague them The Magistrate hath many punishments for offenders besides death as the stocks the goale the whip the pillarie c. and God hath more iudgements besides damnation as euery man may heare by the threatnings and see by the execution and feele by the burden of them Dauid was as safe from being condemned as Satan is out of all hope to be redeemed and yet his calamities made him to groane and crie and roare as he saith His bloud was dried vp his moisture was like the drought of summer His torment was as great Psal 32. 4. and 51. 8. as if his bones had been broken And as no man should take incouragement by ought that is in himselfe to doe that which is displeasing to the Lord so is there a care to bee had that wee bee not led by the examples of other men to doe any thing which the word doth not allow Some hereby take libertie for breach of the Sabbath some for gaming some for one thing some for another Good men say they vse these things and why then may not wee also But it is no part
but in desire of their owne gaine and lucre for they respect their horses sheepe and oxen more then their neighbours state or their owne saluation but these are not the righteous men which are here commended A president and example of faithfull regard of his beast is to be found in the seruant of Abraham in his iourney to Nahors citie in Aram Naharaim who when he was come to the place whither hee was sent tooke order first that the Camels should bee vnsadled and meated and haue litter put vnto them and then dealt in the busines wherein Gen. 24. 32. hee was imployed and after these things tooke his owne refection Reproofe of those that requite euill for good to the poore beasts that trauell for them and vnder them whom they deale as hardly with as if they were rather noisome hurtfull vnto them Many waies they oppresse them as with burdens too heauie with stripes too many with spurring too often with pace too swift with iourneyes too long with meate too little with dressing too slender c. The Lord hath inioyned them perpetuall silence neuer to complaine of these things though they groane vnder them otherwise if they had libertie of speech and reason to lay open their grieuances the wronges which they sustaine would appeare to bee great and many And yet in an other sort more extremitie then this is vsed against other sorts of creatures and that is when men make a sport of making them miserable when it is a pleasure to put them to paine when it is a pastime to behold their torment and tearing This proceedeth not of a tender heart this is not the worke of righteousnesse this delight will leaue no comfort behind it Haue our sins in Adam brought such calamities vpon them and shall we adde vnto them by crueltie in our owne persons Haue our corruptions been a cause of that fiercenesse that is in many of them one against another and shall we solace our selues in seeing them execute it God forbid If wee doe it may iustly returne vpon our selues their teeth or hornes or pawes assaulting vs or else Gods owne hand by some other meanes reuenging their wronges Doct. 2 But the mercies c. All the fauours that sinfull men shew doe commonly tend to some hurt The Lord doth often vse the wicked as instruments of good vnto his children but though they do the worke yet he sheweth the mercie their hands and tongues are not so much directed by their owne loue and kindnes as by his purpose and prouidence Iacob was not ignorant of this point when he refused the curteous offer of Esau who would either himselfe haue been a companion to him in his way or left some of his seruants behind Gen. 33. 12. 13. 15. to gard him When Saul pretended most readines to bring Dauid to preferment by matching him with his daughter his meaning was to bring him to destruction by putting him into the 1. Sam. 18. 17. hands of the Philistins Reasons 1 First generally true mercie is peculiarly appropriated to the godly as all the fruites and graces of the spirit are and therefore the semblance of it in the wicked proceedeth from the flesh and is euermore counterfeit corrupt and fleshly Secondly in special they vsually transuert their fauor iustice shewing mercie where they should exercise seueritie and practising crueltie where they should shew mercie Saul was so pitifull that he would spare Agag though God commanded to slay him but Dauid should haue died if hee could haue caught him And hee made no scruple in killing fourescore and fiue Priests of 1. Sam. 22. 18. 19. the Lord in one houre it was a small matter in his eyes to smite a whole citie of innocent people with the edge of the sword both man and woman both child and suckling besides all their cattell And so Ahab gaue Benhadad King of Aram to know that he would vse him like a brother and graunt him his life whom God appointed to be handled like an enemie and put to death but he dealt with the Prophets of Israel in an other manner and slew as many of them as he could come by Euen the very sparing of notable wicked persons is a decree of crueltie against the righteous as they be iniurious to the liues of the sheep and lambs that permit the wolues and foxes to liue and breede among them They vse to peruert and ouerturne all their good turnes at one time or other with mischiefe or hurt either outwardly or to the soules of them whom they make beholden to them Vse 1 Instruction not to be like to them or to conforme our selues to their waies Let loue be in our rebukes let compassion bee in our stripes let our seueritie be mercifull but neuer let our mercies be cruell 2. Not to cast our selues into their hands in hope that they will be fauourable to vs if their meekenesse if their mildnes if their mercie bee cruellie how immeasurably cruell will their malice and wrath and rage and furie be Reproofe of those that neuer exercise any other mercie then that which is here condemned They are very carefull for their familie and people that they shall haue refreshing and libertie for their sports and delights but it is onely on the Lords day when it doth more harme to their soules then good to their bodies for they will spare them no time from their owne workes when they may recreat themselues with a good conscience Others are as forward in giuing they will be like to Iob not to eate their morsels alone but the poore shall euer haue part with them but the choise of their almsmen is altogether vnlike to Iobs for hee relieued the fatherlesse and widowes and poore impotent persons and they bestow vpon a filthie generation of idle vagabonds whom Iob chased from the very presence companie of people Iob 30. 5. Others will declare how pitifull they are by helping men that are in destresses and therefore if they might haue their wills there should not be so many punished But whose impunitie doe they seeke for whom would they haue to escape either whip or goale or gallows not such as be vniustly accused not such as be ouertaken with small infirmities not such as shew themselues most penitent for their faults but those that are ordinarie obstinate and impudent malefactors and most pernitious and grieuous offenders These are as full of compassion as the Iewes were of mercie when they cried to Pilate Barrabas Barrabas let Barrabas liue and be deliuered Verse 11. He that tilleth his land shall bee satisfied with bread but he that followeth the idle is destitute of vnderstanding HE that tilleth his land which is industrious and faithfull to doe good in any honest vocation shall be satisfied with bread shall haue competencie of all things that are needfull for him but he that followeth the idle vaine fellowes which giue themselues to no good trade or
of the man is the mouth of the mans treasure that which he speaketh he best loueth that which is most in the lippes hath greatest place in the heart If therefore the trueth be deere vnto him he will assuredly shew it forth when hee shall stand for that purpose before God and his substitute and doe so good a seruice of loue and pietie but if hee haue any fellowship with falsehood he will now take part with it beeing voide of the feare of God and affraide to displease man and hauing so fit opportunity to gratifie his fleshly friends and to procure thanks and recompence to himselfe Secondly no man exerciseth the truth at any time conscionably but by the spirit of trueth and that directing mens hearts at other times in matters of lesse weight will not faile them at their greatest neede when they are to performe a duetie of so great importance and so on the other side Sathan hath the disposing of their tongues that giue themselues to lying he is their father he teacheth them their trade and tasketh them in their worke and they be wholy at his commaundement and who doubteth but that he will commaund them to be on his side and to take against the truth so farre as the knowledge of the truth shall make against his practises Vse Instruction for them that would not fall to falsewitnesse bearing that would not incurre the displeasure of God and hazard the losse of their owne credit that they acquainte themselues with true speaking in all their words so as it may bee familiar with them when they are in any cause to bee disposed that they deale soundly in the company of few lest they shew their falsehoode in presence of many that they hate all lying among the meanest and thereby auoide it among the greatest 2. To iudges and magistrates and all ministers of iustice that they be very circumspect so farre as in them is what manner of persons they admit for Iurours and Quest-men to deliuer vp verdicts or to be accusers or witnesses for giuing in of euidence and well to sift the testimonie of thē that are wont to faile of fidedelitie lest as they vse to fill mens eares with vntruths so they also defile the place of iudgement with periurie and vniustice How many righteous men may a few such deceiuers turne out of the right way what wrong may they offer what hurt may they doe what mischiefe may they worke both in oppressing them that are innocent and clearing of the wicked Doct. 2 Will shew righteousnesse vseth deceite c. The speaking of true words is no note of a faithfull man vnlesse it bee in due manner and plaine meaning False witnesses doe not alwaies vtter flat lies and palpable vntrueths for then they would be soone espied and quicklie conuinced and easily confuted they would bee censured of euery man and credited of no man but their fraude is couered with a faire shew of veritie as slips of copper appeare to be good coine when they are gilded ouer The promise of euerlasting life is not giuen to all that speake the trueth but onely to them that speake Psal 15. 2. the trueth in their hearts that is in sinceritie and vprightnesse The diuell himselfe did speake that which was true and euen the words of holy trueth to Iesus Christ when he said that God had giuen a charge to his Angels to hold his people in their hands Matth. 4. 6. that they should not dash their foote against a stone but it was guilefully deliuered a materiall part being suppressed and the rest peruerted to draw him to sinfull presumption It was a true information that was giuen to Saul by Doeg that Ahimelech the 1. Sam. 22. 10. 23. 19. Priest had ministred both foode and weapon to Dauid and by the Ziphims that Dauid hid himselfe in the wood by them It was a true informatiō that was giuen to Nebuchadnezzar by the Chaldeans that Shadrach Meshach and Abednego would not serue his Gods Dan. 3. 12. nor worship the image that he had set vp and it was a true information that was giuen to Darius by his princes that Daniel regarded not the decree that he had sealed but made his petition three times a day but all these true informations were made by false men of Dan. 6. 13. deceitfull lipes and malitious hearts for wicked purposes Reasons 1 First God heareth our words beholdeth all our proceedings he looketh to the heart especially and obserueth likewise the manner of our testimonies not onely what is vttered but how much whether all that ought to be or more then should bee or the iust measure that is required and onely they that can approue themselues to him for sinceritie and vprightnesse are to be reputed faithfull and the rest are but craftie dissemblers Secondly if true words alone would passe for currant without further respect of drift and manner those things would be many times separated which God would haue alwaies ioyned together and those things would be made opposite which hee appointeth to be subordinate one to another trueth is oftentimes spoken without loue that will peruert iustice and true dealing and stirre vp oppression and violence as is to be seene in the former examples But so it must not be a breach must not be made among those that are euer to be knit together with an vnseparable bond of vnion Thou shalt sweare saith the Prophet the Lord liueth Ierem. 4. 2. in truth in iudgement and in righteousnesse that is thou shalt truly rightly and righteouslie professe him and take an oath by him when thou hast a cause and calling to sweare and accordingly dispose of all the rest of thy speeches Vse 1 Instruction so to order and guide our lippes in all that we say that men may finde nothing but veritie in the matter which wee declare and God may see nothing but sinceritie in the end which we propose And so though we be sifted yet we shall not bee shamed and though there bee accusations as the trueth must looke to be quarrelled withall yet there will bee no conuictions so long as an vpright heart doth cleere vs. Reproofe of guilefull persons whose trade is to be painters of bad causes If any man haue ragged torne and rotten matters in hand which euery honest man reiecteth let him come to them and they will set such colours and pictures thereupon as shall make them appeare very beautifull But let them know that they shall make themselues to be base and God will bring such cunning deceiuers as hee hath alreadie dealt with diuers aequiuocant sophisters to shame and contempt Verse 18. There is that speaketh words like the pricking of a sword but the tongue of wise men is health THere is a brood and companie of sinfull fooles which speake words like the prickings of a sword that is dangerous and pernicious which pierce deeper to the hurt of mens names and states then the
was giuen ouer to sinfulnes and rebellion he could as easily destroy it with raine and water as if it had been but one man Thirdly they cannot thereby increase their owne power to make themselues able to incounter with him and so to auoide his stroakes by resistance for strength and might consists not in the multitude of men but is limited by Gods hand who onely hath the bestowing of it because it is his owne and to whomsoeuer he giueth it from the same he can at his pleasure take it when it is abused by them Were it not so the diuell and all his hoste about him would trie what they could doe before they would be cast into that miserable and desperate torment at the last day There was neuer so great an armie as that will be of reprobate men and angels and if any thing would make them to striue it would be the damnable estate whereunto they shall bee adiudged then presently to enter but they shall sensibly see and feele it to be bootlesse and therefore they will neuer attempt any such matter Vse 1 Instruction to vse better meanes to be freed from punishment and that is to take heede before how we fall into sinne So did Iob prouide for his impunitie by preseruing his eyes his heart and Iob. 31. his hands from lust and lewdnes from violence and crueltie from Idolatrie and couetousnesse and all such misbehauiour as might prouoke Gods wrath against him And if that be past wee haue done such things alreadie runne not from God to friends for to saue vs let vs not seeke the helpe of their hands vnlesse it be to be lifted vp with ours in prayer but runne to God by faith and holy humiliation No other course wil secure vs from iudgements deserued neither the multitude of friends nor the meanes they can make nor their tender affection towards vs will preuaile to succour vs if we fall into the hands of the liuing God Haman in all mens iudgement was surely backt and so were Baals prophets and yet committing sinnes of death they receiued the sentence of death and felt the execution of death in the presence of those 1. King 18. 40. whom they most depended vpon Admonition to beware how wee take vpon vs the defense of sinful men to keepe thē from such correction as is due vnto them for we lose our labour if wee seeke to stay them from all punishment many by escaping the parents rodde doe come vnder the Magistrates whip and many by escaping the whip doe come to the gallows and many by escaping the gallows doe fall into damnation for they are depriued of those medicines which might haue wrought a cure in their soules And what doe wee in this case but withstand the discipline of God himselfe How would the Magistrate take it if the offenders whom he is to punish should be pluckt away and rescued out of his hands do not they which make such attempts bring themselues into the compasse of the same faults which the malefactors were to suffer for whatsoeuer the others were condemned for these haue now made themselues accessarie vnto whether it be fellonie or treason or any other grieuous offence and yet it is a thing little feared of men they which haue neither mercie nor courage to deale in the cause of a poore oppressed innocent are readie and bold to protect and maintaine those which are impious and sinfull and walke in such lewde and wicked waies as are offensiue and abominable to God and man How many are kept from their condigne punishment by the countenance of great mens cloath and seruice How many doe words and letters preuaile for how many are cleered by corrupt Iurors who lay the guiltines of many soule and fearefull faults vpon their owne consciences Doct. 2 But the seede of the righteous c. The best way for any man to doe his children good is to bee godly himselfe Hee that setteth himself to serue God to seek euerlasting saluation is busily occupied in prouiding for his posteritie that which his soule shall find to bee most comfortable to him his seed shall find to be most profitable to them The same spirit of trueth which here doth affirme this doth in diuers other places confirme it as in the twentith Chapter of this booke He that walketh in his vprightnes is Prou. 20. 7. iust and blessed shall his children be after him He needed not to say that he himselfe is blessed though he knew it to bee so and so likewise meant it for true iustice is euer ioyned with true blessednes but to prooue the fulnes of his owne happie estate he sheweth that it shall flow ouer also to his children So is it said in the Psalmes both concerning himselfe and his Blessed is the man that Psal 112. 1. 2. feareth the Lord and delighteth greatly in his commaundements his seede shall be mightie vpon the earth the generation of the righteous shall be blessed Reasons 1 First he himselfe is become the sonne of God and so his are Gods sonnes children and then consider the abundant loue euen of earthly parents to the seede of their sonnes and daughters Manasse and Ephraim were as deere to Iacob as if he had been their immediate parent and so were Ephraims and Manasses children Gen. 48. to Ioseph though Naomi was but mother in law to Ruth yet how acceptable was Obed the sonne of Ruth vnto her though Moses was but the adopted sonne of Pharaohs daughter though of another nation though of such a nation whom they held as bondseruants though of a people that was an abomination to him and his people though such a people as he feared and sought to destroy yet Pharaoh loued him and preferred him and shewed all kindnes to him for his daughters sake when she had taken him to be hers Secondly a Christian parent is most fit and competent to deale with his children to bee seruiceable to God and to deale with God to be mercifull to his children great is the force of a fatherly admonition when a godly father admonisheth and marueilous is the efficacie of a parentlike blessing when a holy parent doth blesse the fruite of his bodie So much doth Iacob intimate to Ioseph for his exceeding great comfort The blessings of thy father Gen. 49. 26. shall be mightie with the blessings of my elders vnto the end of the hils of the world they shal be on the head of Ioseph That prophane Esau as wicked as hee was did assure himselfe that he should be the better for his father Isaacks blessing if he could obtaine it and therefore wept for sorrow when he went without it Thirdly the children of religious and faithfull parents are intituled to the promises and blessings of God both for soule and bodie as appeareth in the holy records by that argument S. Peter perswaded them to beleeue whose hearts were pricked at his doctrine To you is the promise
made saith he and to your children Act. 2. 39. and to all that are a farre off euen as many as the Lord our God shall call And by the like reason the seruants of the Lord who giue themselues to pietie and mercie are comforted notwithstanding their great afflictions and the florishing state of the wicked The righteous is euer mercifull and lendeth and his seede enioyeth the Psal 37. 26. blessing Vse 1 A reproofe of their follie and foule impietie that are so farre deuoted vnto their children and carried with such a desire of their aduancement that they cast off all deuotion towards God and neglect the good care of their owne saluation They feare not to cast themselues deepe into hell so that they may raise vp their name and their houses high vpon carth And for this cause they giue ouer themselues to miserable niggardlines and pinching to burdenous vexations and trauels to shamefull iniustice and falsehood to violent oppression and crueltie They haue a good peniworth as they thinke and buy very cheap when they can gaine worldly wealth by losse of their heauenly happinesse when they can purchase liuings to their posteritie by passing away the life of their soules But hearken a little ye sillie wretched creatures O foolish men when will you begin to learne wisedome your thriuing is wastfulnes your rising is falling in purchasing you forfeite in semblance of loue you practise hatred in seeking to set vp your seede by such vnlawfull courses you take the way to pluck them down and vtterly to vndo them for euer No man but Ieroboā could euer haue wrought so much mischiefe to Ieroboams familie and Ahab and Iezabel were most mortall enemies of their race and linage and Nebuchadnezzar prouided woe and miserie to his issue that was yet vnborne when he died And by what meanes did all these persons bring all this hurt vpon their seede by relinquishing religion and the true seruice of God by exercising tyrannie against the seruants of God and greedie getting of goods to make themselues and their children great that which in taunting manner is charged vpon one of them is euery way verified vpon euery one of them Ho he that coueteth an Hab. 2. 9. 10. euill couetousnes to his house that he may set his nest on hie to escape frō the power of euill Thou hast consulted shame to thine owne house by destroying many people and hast sinned against thine owne soule Consolation to religious parents whether they bee rich or poore whether their children be dead or liuing whether the liuing be godly or sinfull If they haue wealth they may hope it shall be for the vse of their sonnes or daughters if not that the al-sufficient God will prouide for them sufficiently without their helpe or substance If they be dead they haue great incouragement to comfort themselues in the perswasion of their saluation If they liue though wee should die and depart hence yea and leaue them in afflictions and distresses yet this comfort we haue that as the mercie of God to our selues was not assured vnto vs for tearme of life but eternally for euermore no more is his goodnes to ours to cease with our life or bee determined at our death Poore lame Mephibosheth had a father liuing yea an euerliuing father that appointed him to be well prouided for and maintained when good Ionathan that begot him was slaine and gone The godly poore Prophet that left his wife so far in debt that neither she was able to satisfie it nor the creditor willing to bee satisfied without taking of her sonnes to bee his bondmen yet had taken order before his death for the payment of debt for libertie of sonnes for maintenance of familie namely by possessing the constant fauour of God which both conueyed him to 2. King 4. heauen and remained with his houshold here in earth If they should be wicked yet the Lord hath grace enough and power enough to make them good It is without trouble or charge to himselfe or hurt to his creatures and why should they not then both earnestly pray for it and constantly waite for it what if it be not wrought at first yet it may bee effected at the last and so long as they haue a naturall life so long may their friends hope for their euerlasting life Iacobs sonnes were not all godly the first yeere nor in many yeeres and yet not without goodnes in their latter yeeres And so stood the case with Manasse the sonne of Ezekiah and many other holie Christans To godly children of religious parents who besides the state they haue in the promises of God in regard of their owne faithfulnesse haue also a portion therein by right of their progenitours and so they haue a double portion and may warrantably take double comfort if withall they can yeeld to God his double praises It was a strong and mightie prayer that Iacob made and full of assurance of hearing and happie successe when hee remembred that the Lord was the God of his father Abraham and the God of his father Isaac and had promised to doe him good and formerly performed it and would yet be more mercifull to him and his Gen. 32. 9. 10. 12. seede after him it is not a trifle or matter of small consequence to bee able truely to pleade before God ones owne faith and integritie and the pietie or godlines of their father or mother or others of their ancestors Verse 22. As a iewell of gold in a swines snout so is a faire woman that lacketh discretion AS a ring of gold or any other ornament doth not adorne but misbecome a swine no more doth beautie stature strength wit apparell wealth or any other externall thing bring true praise or commendation either to man or woman which wanteth true wisedome or vnderstanding Doct. 1 Swines snout c. God maketh no more reckoning of sinfull people without vnderstanding then of brute beasts without reason Though they haue humane nature and carrie the forme and shape of men and women with best shew yet if there bee nothing in them but that which is humane euen flesh and bloud and sinfulnes no beautie nor brauerie no personall excellencie or artificiall additaments make the best of them is more acceptable to him than is the basest of all the other creatures It is a very homely comparison wherewith the holy Ghost disgraceth wicked men in this booke and yet so true that hee auoucheth it againe in the new testament The dog is returned to his owne vomit and the sow that was washed to the wallowing in the mire Prou. 26. 11. 2. Pet. 2. 22. And as in these places for impuritie they are likened to filthie beasts so in others for hurtfulnes they are resembled to fierce and venomous beasts as Leopards Lions Wolues Beates Dragons Aspes Adders Vipers and Cockatrices Isai 11. 6. Reasons 1 First all those creatures for their parts haue euer since the