euerlasting mercie there hee will Psalm 2. 5. speake vnto them in anger and for want of repentance will punish them eternally with iustice Secondly the fearefull iudgement of God vpon their hearts that they should not see how they were illuded in their expectation vntill their death when the case is remedilesse If the vanitie of their hope were discouered to them before they might cast it off sooner and lay a new foundation of a better whereas resting still vpon the stabilitie of that it breaketh when it cannot be repaired and they fall when they can neuer rise againe If the fiue Matth. 25. foolish Virgins had found their want of oile before the bridegrome was comming they might in time haue prouided themselues and be readie to enter with him to the wedding before the dore was shut If they which presumed so much of Christ his acquaintance because they had eaten drunk in his company and Luk. 13. 26 27. heard him preach amongst them had knowne before hand what small account hee would haue made of them they might haue vsed better meanes whiles time serued to grow into his fauour Thirdly the prerogatiue and priuiledge of Gods people would be much infringed if wicked men should haue hope with them in the life to come for therein standeth the contrarietie between them The wicked saith the Scripture shall bee cast away for his lewdnes but the righteous hath hope at his death Prou. 14. 32. For the present it commeth to passe commonly that bad men are full and good men are hungrie the one sort doe laugh and the other waile and weepe as our Sauiour testifieth Luk. 6. 25. and therefore hereafter their conditions shall bee changed on both sides the pleasure of the one shall bee turned into paine and the sorrowes of the other into endlesse comforts As it is said by the Apostle concerning the godlie that if in this life onely they had hope they were of all most miserable so it may be spoken touching the godlesse that if in the life to come also they had hope they were of all men most happie Vse 1 Reproofe of their folly which liue in hope that the time of their death will beget them hope and not destroy it They know that now they are sinfull persons without all grace and goodnes but they trust that then they shall be conuerted and brought in a moment to repentance They know that now they stand in state of damnation and if they should presently come to iudgement they must needes perish but they trust at the last gaspe to call vpon God for mercie and thereby get pardon for all their sinnes and so their soules shall bee saued As though death and the pangs thereof were appointed for the preferment of Gods vngodly enemies They haue bestowed themselues in the seruice of sinne and spent their daies in rebellion against the Lord and doe they looke for reward thereof to bee crowned with glory Are theeues and robbers are cutpurses and other malefactours therefore bound ouer to the Assises that they may bee put in commission and called vp to the bench Instruction to confirme our hope by putting our soules out of all perill of perishing afore our death or sicknes or any other danger least our euidence be to seek when our cause is to be tried Let euery one of vs vpon apparance of election by faith and the fruits of sanctification be able to say as trulie though not with as much feeling of assurance as the Apostle did I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things Rom. 8. 38. present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus This will make our life truely prosperous and profitable and our death blessed and comfortable and our state in the world to come immortall and glorious Consolation to such as feare God that death will deliuer them from the hopes and the liues of their sinfull enemies Away must their soules goe and downe must their carkasses and where then are their purposes and what becomes of their power Though they were as mightie as Leuiathan and as mischieuous as dragons yet when they bee dead as die they must what cause hath any man to be afraid of them Achab minded great matters against Micaiah at his returne in peace from Ramoth Gilead 1. King 22. but God minded to preserue Micaiah by defeating Achab of a peaceable returne from thence Let Hezechiah and all his people saith Zanecherib trust to it that I will speede them at my next comming to Ierusalem but God had appointed that hee should come no more that way but be drawne by the snowte like a fish Isai 36. 12. and 37. 29. or led with a bridle like a beast to the shambles and slaughter at Nineue The Egyptians were resolued to pursue Israel vntill they ouertooke them and to put them to the sword when they caught them and to take the spoile of their goods when they had slaine them but the waters were first to pursue themselues and death to ouertake them and the sea to haue the spoile of their bodies and hell to make a pray of their soules Verse 8. The iust escapeth out of trouble and the wicked shall come in his steed GOds fauour and goodnes doth not free his seruants from afflictions but deliuereth them out of afflictions Whereinto hee casteth the wicked though they be not alwaies of the same kind with those which the godly suffer but worse and more durable and such as are mixed with Gods wrath and poisoned with the sting of their owne euill conscience Doct. Though the afflictions of good men seeme sharpe and grieuous yet they are not perpetuall Before euer God bring his into troubles hee appointeth how they shal be preserued in them and passe thorough them and get out of them He doth as well foresee their arriuall as their launching forth and the end of the boysterous stormes which they must indure aswell as the beginning and entrance thereof Many Psalm 34. 19. or great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of all Neither number nor grieuousnesse nor continuance of crosses nor power of persecutors nor any other impediment can hinder his hand from helping his distressed seruants Reasons First they will keepe no silence when they bee in tribulation they will cry vnto God and bemone their case vnto him that hee may take their cause into his hands Neither is it any waywardnesse in them but wisedome and their bounden duty so to doe for he calleth them vnto him and commaundeth them to make their complaint Call vpon me saith hee in the day of trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Psal 50. 15. Secondly all Gods people are petitioners for euery one and euery one for all so that no member of Iesus Christ wanteth
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
can take any delight in them further than hee looketh to the end and is refreshed with comfortable effects in the way Thirdly no man can desire the holy knowledge of God with truth and feruencie vnlesse he haue had some taste of the fruit of it and he that hath tasted of the fruit hath profited by the means and he that hath profited by the meanes will loue them euer afterwards They that finde the comfort of life haue formerly felt the benefit of food and they that are desirous to continue their life are not vnwilling to receiue their foode and they that hunger after foode for the continuance of life haue also an appetite to it in regard of the relish Vse 1 Refutation of their boastings that goe before all in speaking of their desire and forwardnes to please God and be saued and come behinde euery one in shewing any good notes of it They make their mouthes and not their hearts the principall seate of their loue and likewise their words and not their deedes their onely arguments doe proue that they doe loue It is very burdenous for them to liue constantly vnder a faithfull Ministerie Euerie godly sermon is tedious vnto them for length if it bee not ended within the houre for the manner if it sauour not of humane wit and eloquence for the matter if it be wholesome and liuely and come home to the rebuking of any sinne which they are not minded to forsake And yet they would haue vs all to know that none are better friends than they to knowledge And yet they must giue vs leaue againe to tell them that euery friend of knowledge is better affected than they are to instruction Consolation to them that thinke it no paines to be painfull in labouring for the bread of life They feele not they say the loue of the word of God the desire of faith and care of repentance c. But from whence proceedeth that is it not hence that they are greedie and couetous of getting abundance of loue and desire and therefore they thinke that which they haue to bee nothing in comparison of that which they would haue But these men must be well confuted their troubles their attention their meditations their paines their reading their questions their conference their ioy in Christian companie their diligence in all good exercises with willingnes doth manifestly shew the error of their doubts and feares But may not an hypocrite do all these things and yet haue no touch in him But may an hypocrite doe all these things in good earnest with resistance of hypocrisie May an hypocrite continue an hypocrite and yet bewaile his want of sinceritie in the presence of God alone with promise and purpose to performe euery seruice more sincerely if possibly by any meanes he may be able It was an argument wherewith Dauid confirmed his owne heart in assurance that he truly loued the Lord and vnfainedly sought his owne saluation because he loued the law of the Lord meditated in his word and kept his precepts And Iob taketh it for a sure effect of his vprightnes that he had not departed from the commandements of Gods lips but esteemed the words of his mouth more than his appointed foode Doct. Is brutish c. They that will not be schooled of God to learne Christian knowledge are no better than if they had no manner of knowledge They are not all children that hate this kinde of correction they are not all naturals they are not all idiots but they are all starke fooles Then many haue been fooles and yet learned Philosophers and many haue been fooles and yet deep Politicians and many haue bin fooles and yet euery way worldly wise men This doth God charge vpon the multitude the greater number of a whole people They are a nation voide of Deut. 32. 28. 29. counsell neither is there any vnderstanding in them Oh that they were wise then they would vnderstand this they would consider their latter end Yea the wittiest of them are so reputed in the prophecie of Ieremy My people is foolish they haue not knowne me Ierem. 4. 22. they are foolish children and haue none vnderstanding they are wise to doe euill but to doe well they haue no knowledge Reasons 1 First their carnall wisedome is altogether vnsufficient to make them seruiceable to God or any thing which they doe to be acceptable vnto him and it standeth them in no steed for their credit For those which bee vile in his eyes shall in time be base in the sight of men and the punishment of their follie in the end shall make it appeare they were fooles all the time before Of this point speaketh the Prophet The wise men are ashamed they are afraide and taken loe they haue reiected the word of the Lord and what wisedome is in them Ierem. 8. 9. Secondly their carnall wisedome can neither preserue them from death nor prepare them to die blessedly It cannot stay their life from going neither can it stop the curse from comming Thirdly it cannot deliuer them from damnation in the world to come but rather increase the grieuousnes of their punishment It hath kept possession against this holy vnderstanding it hath made them vncapable of all good instructions it hath made them impatient of any rebuke it hath held them in ignorance and disobedience al their life and see what their ignorance will bring them vnto after their death The Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendring 2. Thess 1. 8. vengeance to them that know not God and which obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ Now lay all these things together and see wherein any man is bettered by any knowledge or wisedome which is ioyned with contempt of grace Doth hee thinke to please God the better the more is he offended Doth he hope to winne credit by it it will bring him to shame Would he haue it to keepe him from troubles it will draw him into them His death is made the more vncomfortable and bitter and his destruction following much more horrible and fearfull Vse Admonition to take heed that we conforme not our opinions to the iudgement of the world for that is directly contrarie to the testimonie of God Carnall reason and sturdie affections and vnbrideled tongues say that they are fooles which will digest reproofes and checks and suffer themselues to be censured but the heauenly wisedome and diuine trueth the sacred scriptures say that they are wise which hearken to the rebukes of Gods holy word and fooles as bad as beasts that despise them Ob. But men will laugh at our simplicitie if wee sit downe by such indignities Resp But God will laugh at our miseries if we quarrell with admonitions and counsels when hee vouchsafeth them vnto Prou. 1. 26. vs. Verse 2. A good man getteth fauour of the Lord but a man of wicked imaginations will he condemne A
his purse and the other in his conscience He would haue commerce and traffique to proceede from loue to be exercised in loue and more to increase loue and this course is altogether contrarie to loue and a meanes to ingender vnkindnes and hatred Hee requireth that iustice and equitie should moderate these affaites and that no man should oppresse or 1. Thes 4. 6. defraude his brother in any matter but here is filthie lucre most respected and followed and our brethren wronged and beguiled Thirdly this sinne is so much the more lothed of God by how much it is better liked of them that practise it Their closenes and cunning in acting of it doth for a time augment their wealth and not impaire their credit and therfore they count their course lawfull and themselues happie for such prosperous successe because man findeth no fault with them they thinke that God findeth no falsehood in them and seeing yet they haue no punishment inflicted vpon them they dreame also that no wickednesse is committed by them For so the Prophet complaineth Hee is a Hos 12. 7. 8. Merchant the ballances of deceit are in his hand hee loueth to oppresse And Ephraim said notwithstanding I am rich I haue found me out riches in all my labours they shall finde no iniquitie in me that were wickednesse Vse 1 Admonition not onely to forbeare all fraudulent and wrongfull dealing but with hatred to detest it and with horror to flie farre from it That which is hurtfull to our brother is hatefull to God and therefore can neuer bee helpefull to vs. If he iudge it vnrighteous we shall finde it vnprofitable if it be damnable in his sight and therefore his soule doth hate it it will at last bee in our sense and our soule shall rue it It may bring monie and wealth and raise vp mens state and familie but it will draw downe iudgements vpon familie state and wealth and monie and make all to be execrable For that which is spoken in another case is also verified in this Bring not abomination into thine house lest thou bee Deut. 7. 26. accursed like it but vtterly abhorre it and count it most abominable for it is accursed As the gold and siluer and other costly matter whereof the idols were made and wherewith they were adorned was execrable in respect of impietie so is this trade of getting and riches so gotten in regard of iniquitie And therefore both are very offensiue to the Lord both are pestilent to mens families both are perilous to their state both are pernicious to their soules For a cursed possession may make the person accursed and bring the whole house to desolation Which should perswade men not onely to make stay of getting goods vniustly but to make no stay of ridding their hands iustly thereof For as they sinne grieuouslie which indirectly receiue that which is none of their owne so doe they also that retaine it and restore it not to the right owner And therefore in Micah it is set as a note of sinners and such as are obstinately sinfull and which conceiue of God as a patron of their sinfulnesse that vpon admonition giuen vnto them from the Lord would not reforme their falsehood Are yet the treasures of wickednesse in the house of the wicked and Micah 6. 10. the scant measure that is abominable Shall I iustifie the wicked ballances and the deceitfull weights Reproofe and terror of gamesters and those that make Dice Cardes and Boules with such like instruments of iniury to be the measures of their trade and the meanes of their maintenance Thereby are they made as odious to God as infestuous to men and as great aduersaries to equitie as they which by false weights doe wrong their chapmen They being ashamed to appeare in their practise doe secretly defraud men like theeues that filch in a corner but these impudently glorying in their sinfulnesse doe openlie professe their purpose like robbers that commaund mens purses by the hie way side They take the way to bring some part of their neighbours goods to their hands by receiuing much for a little but these striue to draw euery part to themselues by getting all for nothing And for this cause whatsoeuer successe they haue howsoeuer the world goeth with them they speed vnhappily If they winne other mens mony they lose their blessednes and Gods gratious fauour If they lose their owne monie they get a curse and Gods grieuous displeasure Doct. 2 But a true weight c. The Lord doth not onely respect the pietie which is vsed in his owne worship but the truth and iustice that is performed to men When the Lord himselfe is asked what manner of men should dwell in his tabernacle and rest in his holy mountaine that is which should haue a good estate here and an habitation for euermore in heauen he describeth them by their innocent and harmelesse behauiour towards their brethren Hee that walketh vprightly and Psalm 15. 2. worketh righteouslie and speaketh the trueth in his heart Hee certenlie regardeth that worke which hee so largely rewardeth with such wages and hee is well pleased with that person in this life whom he will receiue to life euerlasting and equall it is with him that they which conuerse with earthly people in righteousnesse should also continue with heauenlie saints in glory Reasons First they doe seruice herein to God himselfe for in conscience of his will and obedience to his word they giue themselues to this vprightenesse Secondly it is his owne worke and proceedeth from himselfe for all righteousnesse is the grace and fruite of his holie spirit As flesh and bloud with nature and reason did neuer yet beget any sound pietie and religion so it neither will nor euer can direct any mans heart to true iustice and righteousnes Thirdlie trueth both in word and deed is a part of his glorious image whereby his people are confirmed and made like vnto him and therefore he cannot but take delight in that which is so agreeable with his owne nature and a liuely representation of himselfe Vse Consolation to them that doe constantly and conscionablie addict themselues to the exercise of equitie None hath truely learned this but such as haue been apprentices in heauen whom the Lord hath informed in the mysterie of this trade Ob. But manie others gaine more monie and thriue faster and grow greater then they doe Sol. But they gaine more comfort and thriue better and grow happier then all others doe For howsoeuer it fareth with their state for quantitie of earthly possessions it cannot but goe well with their soules for plentie of heauenlie graces and though paraduenture they haue presently but little substance in their houses yet there remaineth from them an ample treasure in the heauens and that which is best for thē is most firmely assured to them which is Gods euerlasting loue and fauour Albeit therfore thy vocation bee meane and of no great
account and thy stocke slender and of no great value thy returne seldome and of no great commoditie yet if thou bee faithfull in a meane trade with a small stocke and a slow returne all shall bee acceptable all shall be profitable all shall be comfortable So often as thou hast mans custome to buy or sell with thee thou hast Gods companie to reward and blesse thee and whensoeuer thou dealest well with any he taketh notice of it to deale better with thy selfe Verse 2. When pride commeth then commeth contempt but with the lowlie is wisedome VVHen pride commeth that is when it groweth to maturitie hauing power to puffe vp mens hearts and shewing it selfe in words or workes in countenance apparell or gestures then commeth cōtempt that is shame then approcheth and is neere at hand marching in the next ranke after this loftie hart and insolent behaiuour As is to be seene in many who hauing bin first lifted vp in their owne hautie mindes were afterwards cast downe by Gods righteous iudgemēts either into phrensies or grosse sins or ruine of state or obloquie for their former hidden faults now published at last to their great disgrace The other part of the antithesis containing the honour that doth accompanie humilitie is argued by consequent in this manner When pride commeth then commeth follie which euer bringeth shame but when humilitie commeth then commeth wisedome which is neuer without glorie Doct. 1 Pride is a forerunner of shame and reproach It is a common prouerbe ordinarie in the mouth of the people Pride goeth before and shame commeth after And it is an holie prouerbe often vsed by Salomon in this booke Pride goeth before destruction and an high minde before the fall Prou. 16. 18. 18. 12. And it is a select poruerbe often vsed by Christ in the new Testament Whosoeuer exalteth himselfe shall bee brought low and hee that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted Luk. 14 11. We see in buildings that when walls waxe thicker by hallownes and swelling they will shortlie come lower by downefall and ruine and so standeth the case with all proud persons their great heart doth threaten some great mischeefe to bee nigh vnto them Which may be exemplified by diuers presidents in the scriptures which are proposed as real examples for euery man to take warning by When Nebuchadnezzar was bragging of his Babell which he had built for his glorie he was banished from all habitation not hauing so much as a cottage and like a beast made to liue among the the beasts in the fields with ignominie When Haman thought to ride on horseback and to be waited on like a King hee was driuen to lackie on foote and to waite attendance like a page and purposing to hang Mordecay on high to honour himselfe he prepared an high gallowes to bee hanged on himselfe When Herod thought himselfe good enough to take vpon him the state and honour of a god the Lord declared him to be bad enough to be deuoured of contemptible vermine Reasons First they haue God to bee their enemie he resisteth them and they are all an abomination vnto him not onely some arrogant Iam. 4. 6. Prou. 16. 5. fellowes that haue proud hearts and beggars purses but euen such also as sit vpon princely thrones and beare kinglie Scepters and weare imperiall Diadems And if he see them to be abomination and doth therefore abhorre them they shall appeare abominable and men will despise them Secondly they are fooles as the text it selfe intendeth and therefore cannot but behaue themselues foolishlie like drunkards Hab. 2. 5. which are ouercome with wine They are sinfull fooles more destitute of grace then of wit For proud behauiour is the foame or froath that proceedeth from much wickednes and a proud heart is a prison wherein they are withheld from comming to repentance And so their owne follie and Gods wisedome their owne sinfull waies and Gods righteous iudgements their owne impenitencie and Gods seueritie will bring them to the possession of their inheritance and that is shame and dishonour how highlie soeuer they haue been exalted Prou. 3. 35. Thirdlie they are sacrilegious persons and robbe God of his glory which is most proper and pretious vnto him and therfore it is equall that he should strippe them of the honour which is so much desired of them Vse Reproofe of their follie that vse pride as a stirrop to mount vp thereby to promotion and credit that thinke it the onely way to preferment if they can set forth themselues with some ostentation and lift vp their eye-brows aboue their brethren And this is growne almost to an vniuersall contagion wherewith the greatest number of states and ages of sexes and persons in all places are dangerouslie infected Some thereby seeking to be admired others to be aduanced many to be feared and al to be better satisfied in the accomplishment of their desires But how manie loose by seeking and sinke by aspiring and runne into reproch by hunting after vaine estimation whiles they leaue their standing and would rise aboue the toppe of their places they faile of their footing and fall downe to the bottome Instruction to be as much afraid of pride as of shame and euen of secret conceitednes within no lesse thē of open discredit without and therefore to vse al good remedies to cure this dangerous inflamation of such a windie stomacke And first for this purpose let euery man take heede that he bee not illuded with the glosses and colourable appearances of knowledge and wisdome or anie other good parts of nature or grace in himselfe when in trueth they are nothing but shews and shadowes For diuers by an ouerweening conceit haue themselues in hie admiration when others to whom they are better knowne haue them in great derision And albeit others either in flatterie or good opinion should commend vs for those good things which wee are priuie to our selues not to be in vs yet let vs not receiue the doubtfull testimonie of straungers against the euident witnesse of God and our owne consciences For this were as absurd as if a needie creature pinched with penurie and almost hunger-staruen should bee brought to beleeue that he swimmed in plentie and were a liberall house-keeper hauing his table alwaies furnished with varietie of dishes or one deepelie indebted and readie to breake for want of abilitie should bee induced to thinke himselfe the onelie monied man in the countrie sufficient in wealth to lend and to giue to many others Secondlie when God hath graced any with excellent gifts which are not adulterate and counterfeit but such as are currant and able to abide the touchstone and to hold weight in the ballance yet as they feele what they haue so let them find what they want as they see their graces and vertues so let them search into their corruptions and vices as they haue a good conscience in the performance of many good duties so let them consider the innumerable
as Iehosaphat Hezechias Isaiah and others who obtained wonderfull deliuerances for their people at the hand of the Lord. The land of Israel found the truth of it in the daies of their holie Prophets Eliah and Elisha who procured helpe against drowth famine and enemies and therefore were called the chariots and horsemen of Israel What should I speake of Ioseph of Moses and Samuel and Dauid of Nehemiah and Ezra of Hester and Mordecai and many others among whom S. Paul must be of the Quorum as one of eminent note specially for that marueilous preseruation of all that sailed in the shippe with him notwithstanding they were very infidels Reasons First hee will preferre the welfare of the publike state before his owne priuate aduantage and profite When Moses might haue continued a fauourite hee voluntarily for his commoditie sake incurred the Kings displeasure when he might haue been great in Aegypt hee rather forsooke Aegypt when hee might haue liued in credit pleasure and plentie like a prince hee chose to liue obscurely painefully and hardly as a shepheard When Hester was bid to aske and haue to the halfe of an ample and large empire she set aside all respect of lands and liuings and onely craued the liues of her people Secondly he will apply his tongue to all those meanes whereby hee may best effect his desire and profit his neighbours by prayers by counsels by exhortations and incouragements and specially by striuing against the sinnes that are among them Gods blessing vpon him doth make his blessing prosperous to others For wicked men many times doe speede the better for the fauour of the Lord which doth accompanie his seruants Laban knew and acknowledged that therein hee was much beholden to Iacob not onely for his faithfulnes and paines but for the good effect and successe of them Iosephs master and Iosephs keeper and Pharaohs house and all the land of Aegypt sped the better for the goodnes of God towards Ioseph On the other side in the sinfull person euery thing is otherwise His tongue and talke is hurtfull and noysome Hee is wholy carried with selfe loue and priuate lucre All his endeuours be to accomplish his owne wicked purposes and his meanes thereunto be vnlawfull and hurtfull As hee by rebellion hath prouoked the wrath of God against himselfe so is the curse sent out after him and bringeth a iudgement many times vpon the place where he is and the people that are about him and the countrie wherein hee liueth Vse 1 Instruction to vse all kindnes to godly men since we enioy so great a blessing by them If they helpe to exalt the citie let them be also exalted in the citie or be well spoken of or haue good affection borne vnto them at the least beware that they be not iniuriously oppressed The vnreasonable creatures which are commodious to the owners will euery wiseman bee willing to haue and carefull to keepe well The insensible trees which bring forth plentie of good fruite are husbandly dressed and heedefullie preserued that nothing doe barke the bodie nor browse vpon the branches nor breake downe the boughes And shall not faithfull men be regarded which doe more good in better manner to greater numbers for longer continuance God forbid that we should be so vnthankefull as to requite euill for good or so improuident as to hinder our good by requiting of euill or so foolish and franticke as to ouerturne our former good and change it wholy into euill and mischiefe For that is the euent that commonly ensueth vpon such as deale vnkindly with those who deale kindly with them This caused Ieremie to turne his petitions and accusations and his intercessions into imprecations Shall euill be recompenced for good for they haue digged a pit Ierem. 18. 20. for my soule Remember that I stood before thee to speake good for them and to turne away thy wrath from them Therefore deliuer vp their children to famine and let them drop away by the force of the sword c. Reprehension of such as are spoilers of their cities and not exalters which ruinate townes and cities and countries but erect nothing but their owne houses habitations they are not properlie to be called because they seldome dwell in them and those they make sumptuous for pride and ostentation Of such the Prophet speaketh when he saith that desolation and destruction are Isa 59. 7. in their pathes they make hauocke of all that commeth within their walke and lay all waste before them And here the Iesuits and Seminaries and the whole crue of these vnnatural barbarous and cruell Papists are to be condemned which doe as greedily thirst after the bloud of their King and countrimen and the subuersion of the kingdome and countrie as any forraine enemies in their greatest hostilitie are possibly able Verse 12. Hee that is destitute of wisedome despiseth his neighbour but a man of vnderstanding will keepe silence A Foolish man which hath a beggerly heart as the words signifie being voide of sound iudgement and sanctified knowledge of Gods holy will desireth to vilifie others especially such as feare God and to make them appeare base and contemptible And this is done sometimes in bitter anger by rayling reuiling and contumelious reproches and sometimes in scurrill mirth by girding iests and laughter and sometimes in hidden craft by false reports and slaunders But they which haue more wisedome will frame themselues to better behauiour they will not onelie keepe silence from offering that indignitie to them that prouoke them not thereunto but will also forbeare to requite them with reproaches which haue not spared to seeke their disgrace For so doth Dauid testifie of himself in this case I am as a man that heareth not and as a dumbe man that openeth not his mouth Psal 38. 13. They which are the most contemptible persons are the greatest contemners of others As wisedome aboue all other things doth make a man to be excellent so needes must the want of it make him to be base and yet such as come not only too short of the perfection but not at all to the beginning thereof are readie to sport at them which are most graced with it When the wicked Prou. 18. 3. commeth saith Salomon then commeth contempt and with the vile man reproach None scoffed so much at Dauid as the abiects and Psal 35. 15. the drunkards made songs of him None mocked Iob so much as the vagabonds who were no better then their fathers and their fathers not so good as dogges They were the children of fooles and the children of villaines which were more vile then the earth And yet he was their song and their talke they spared not to spit in his face Iob 30. 1. 8. 9. 10. Reasons First where wisedome is wanting there pride aboundeth as an emptie stomack is full of winde and pride bringeth disdainefulnesse because they conceiue of wonders in themselues and discerne of nothing but wants
striueth earnestly herein may truely be said to worke for life For life is proposed and life he seeketh and life he shall finde If great wages were vncertaine or certaine wages were but small it would be but a small incouragemēt to take great paines but seeing now it is so sure and so large and so good what is too much to be performed and what is too grieuous to bee indured for the same True it is that righteousnesse will call for trauell and raise vp trouble but it is as true that all the trauels and afflictions of this present life are not worthie of the glorie which shall be shewed vnto vs. Rom. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre most excellent and an eternall weight of glory If nothing but bare life were bestowed vpon vs euen meere deliuerance from the danger of death it were a benefit not lightly to be esteemed It was said of Lot that he was preserued from destruction of Sodome the Lord being mercifull vnto him and yet his goods money and cattell which hee had in great abundance Gen. 19. 16. were all destroyed And the diuell spake the truth though in craft and malice concerning Iob skinne for skinne and all that euer a man hath will he giue for his life But when life is full of liuely comforts when it is adorned with endles glory when it is inriched with infinit treasures what crosses what pouertie what temptations what reproaches what persecutions and sufferings should diminish our desire of it or make vs remisse in seeking for it Reproofe of them that care not whose seruice they come into nor what worke they doe so that they may haue nothing to doe with God and his seruices They thinke no prison more streight then the Church no drudgery more grieuous then prayer and hearing of sermons singing of Psalmes and sanctifying of the Sabbath no bondage so burdenous as restraint from sinfull delightes and fleshly pleasures no miserie so bitter as sound Christianitie They distaste with great detestation all persons and actions and gestures and words that sauour of godlinesse or haue any stampe and print of pietie in them and as themselues abhorre all his worship so they labour to discourage all others from doing him any seruice These are they which are continually censuring of professours and deriding their precisenes and insulting ouer their pouertie and meane estate As though the Lord were not able to maintaine them that serue him or else did grudge to bestow good things vpon them as though he were a niggardly hard maister vnwilling to allow his people sufficiencie of food and wages That were a great dissoyaltie so to traduce a liberall Lord and free harted Prince who is readie to promote his seruants to liuing though it bee but for a time but it is an execrable impietie so to blaspheme the most bountifull God who giueth to euery one of his both liuing and life and all blessednes for euermore But many of them say that they speake by experience themselues haue been professors and as forward as the best and they neuer got any good by it And such Malachy bringeth in quarrelling against God Your words saith he haue been stout against mee yet yee say what haue wee spoken against thee Yee haue said it is in vaine to serue God and what profit is it that wee haue kept his commandement and walked humblie before the Lord of hosts Mal. 3. 13. 14. Who is so busie to complaine for want of wages as they which neuer performed any good worke let not the exceptions of murmuring apostataes preuaile in the eares or harts of any that haue vnderstanding They were neuer of the family of God though they crept into his house they neuer did one good chare in obedience and for what then should they haue their recompence They were alwaies proud hypocrites though they boast of humilitie and why should they be vsed as humble persons But be it that they pleade for others who haue faithfully kept the commandements of God and truely been humbled in his sight and yet labour in a low estate and meane condition Is there no profit in seruing of the Lord vnles there be present preferment and earthly promotion Our principall pay will bee in life whereof wee haue part in hand by grace in our soules in this world and the rest is behind vntill the pay day in the world to come So that a sinner cannot discerne of the happinesse of a Christian nor conceiue how God dealeth with him For the comfort of the heart is a thing vnknowne to him and the glorious life is hid with Christ in God and shall Col. 3. 3. 4. not fully be seene before we appeare with him in glory Doct. 2 But he that followeth The more violent wicked men are in their sinnes the more neere they draw to destruction When they course euill as the grayhound doth the Hare and hunt for it as the hungry lion or other wild beast doth after his pray for thence is the similitude taken then they will ouertake their death anon and come speedily to damnation As the miserie of the Aegyptians approached neere vnto them so their crueltie increased towards the Israelites And they were neuer more fiercely disposed to kill and to slay than when the waters were presently to doe execution vpon them Warre was concluded without any great consultation a mightie hoste was gathered without any busines of mustering they were all in a readines to fight without any further training So stood the case with the Sodomites they were all set on mischiefe and madnes immediatly before they were destroyed And so it fared with Ahab who tooke his farewell toward his voyage and death with contempt of the word of God and persecution of his Prophet And so we might note Belshazzer and Haman and many others for this purpose whom the Lord cut off in the very practise of some notable mischiefe Reasons 1 First this carnest pursuite of sinne with loue and liking of sin proceedeth from an heart hardened with custome of sinning being past remorse and feeling and this will bring men to worke all Ephes 4. 19. kinde of wickednesse euen with greedinesse And this is a forerunner of Gods iudgements Secondly this following of euill is also accompanied with impudencie and shamelesnesse as their hearts cannot feare before God so their faces cannot blush before men And what state these men stand in the Prophet Ieremy sheweth Were they Ierem. 8. 12. ashamed when they had committed abomination nay they were not ashamed neither could they haue any shame therefore shall they fall among the slaine when I shall visite them they shall be cast down saith the Lord. Thirdly this manner of sinning crieth in the eares of the Lord as it is said of the Sodomites and prouoketh him to anger and therefore will draw downe a speedie punishment vpon them Vse 1 Instruction
not so much respecting the price in selfe-loue as the profiting of his brother in Christian charitie and that he vse all other due circumstances accordingly As to sell that which is good at a reasonable rate and performe it in due season and full measure and such like Doct. 1 They are after a sort publique enemies of the countrie that procure or seeke for a dearth The Lord would haue vs to collect and deeme what harme they doe by the effects that ensue thereupon The exclamation and outcrie not of one person or familie but of the multitude of the people doth intend in this case some grieuance among them Scarcitie of foode is one of the most grieuous iudgements wherewith the Lord is wont to plague a nation and how can we then take them for our friends which wish so grieuous a punishment Salomon by prayer made 1. Reg. 8. 38. a way for the prayers both of the whole people and the particular friends and members thereof to come to God for remouall of such a miserie then what are they to be accounted that send forth desires and put forth endeuours to call for it and bring it Reasons 1 First they are heauie aduersaries of the poore and practise to adde sorrow to them that are alreadie in sorrow The greatest weight of this burthen is like to light vpon their backes because they are least prouided of armour to keepe it off An example thereof is to be seene in the prophecie of Amos where the selfe-same effect is wrought by the selfe-same meanes which wee are now in hand with Heare this O ye that swallow vp the poore that Amos 8. 4. 5. 6. ye may make the needie of the land to faile saying When will the new Moone be gone that we may sell corne and the Sabbath that we may set foorth wheate and make the Epha small and the shekell great and falsifie the weights by deceit and buy the poore for siluer and the needie for shooes yea and sell the refuse of the wheate They had long kept vp the corne for this purpose to haue it grow deare and now the time serued the turne and it must bee opened in all the haste they thought the daies of the Lords owne seruice too long vntill they were at it And now woe to the poore for the plot is laid to pray vpon them They shall buy the refuse deare which is little worth and sell themselues cheape to pay for it Secondly they are pernicious to men of all sorts and conditions vnlesse it be to a few of those few which haue corne to sell And to this point let them speake which can speake by experience and experience hath taught not long sithence the greater number of housekeepers that the higher the prices of corne doe rise the lower the states of families fall And the sellers of victuals do the more fill their purses with mony the lesse the poore seruants fill their bellies with meate Aske the traueller by the way aske the labourer in the countrie aske the tradesmen in the towne aske the common sort yea almost any sort of inhabitants in the citie and which of all these will say or truly may say it is no burthen to vs that things are no cheaper A great part of their care is to make prouision for household a great part of their labour is swallowed vp in prouision a great part of time is too little for their labour So that their care is more their labour greater their commons shorter and state much weaker Many be restrained from doing further good many be compelled to lessen former familie many thereby be brought to manifold inconueniences more than we expresse or thinke of Vse 1 Reproofe of all that affect such a mischiefe liuing in hope for their owne priuate lucre that so great an hurt will grow to the publike state of the land but specially of such as take the way and vse the meanes to effect this euill and to draw vpon it such a iudgement And of this sort are they which practise that which is here declared to be a noisome sinne namely to store vp their corne that no man shall haue any benefit by it whiles there is any good substance in it They are much more kinde hearted to Rats and Mice and Wesils than they are to their brethren for they shall haue all freely giuen them for nothing and men cannot buy any of it for their mony And therefore what can they say for themselues why they should not be as much liable to the woe and curse which S. Iames doth denounce as those whose other riches were corrupt whose garments were moath-eaten for want of wearing whose gold and siluer was canckred and rustie for want of vsage But worse are they which not onely hoord vp their owne corne that it shall neuer come foorth seasonably to preuent a dearth but ingrosse other mens also for the same purpose that they may make their gaine thereof to the detriment and hurt of many others But of all others worst are they which not onely keepe back corne from the marker but from the barne not from sale but from sowing which refuse to yeeld tillage and seed to the ground which yet further by force or fraud extort the ground from other men that they shall neither till nor sow it These drie vp the springs of the Market that the streames of plentie should be restrained from flowing to it these bring a curse vpon the earth and make it barren in comparison of the Isai 5. 9. 10. store it was wont to yeeld These labour for depopulation of houses and townes and fields and people Consolation to them that bring an vpright heart to selling though they cannot be so large in giuing therein they doe a seruice to God therein they performe a worke of loue to their neighbours and therefore they shall be better satisfied at Gods hand than at the buyers and his pay will be better in grace and goodnes than the other can be in gold and siluer Doct. 2 The people will curse him c. It is a grieuous plague to be pursued iustly with the cries and clamours of the people True it is that Ieremy and others of the most faithfull seruants of God haue been spoken euill of and cursed by the multitude And so it is Iere. 15. 10. true that as the sparrow by flying and the swallow by flying escape so Prou. 26. 2. the curse that is causelesse shall not come And it is most true they whom men reuile and persecute and say alll manner of euill for Christ his sake falsely are blessed But this is also very true that to be spoken against for sins sake truly is not a matter of blessednes but miserie the wings of a mans name reputation will be clipt so short that it shall not auoide the stroke and shot of a curse if it be dulie caused In this same manner are hurtfull men threatned which
for redresse of wrongs at his hands Herod thought that it would be too late for all the friends which Peter had to minister helpe vnto him when hee had clapt him vp in so sure a prison But hee remembred not how swift the godly be to prayer and how soone a prayer can come to God and in what readines God hath his Angels and what speede an Angell can make to succour them that are in danger Yet this is not the greatest comfort of Gods afflicted seruants but this that the Lord Iesus Christ is infinitely more righteous and mercifull than any man or all men possiblie can be and he will vndertake their cause and either minister help to their state or grace to their soules to beare their troubles till the fittest time of freedome from them He will preserue them from sinne and Satan which lie in waite for their eternall destruction The spirit of God is large in one of the Psalmes in setting foorth the tender care which he hath of his people He shall deliuer the poore when he crieth the needie also and him that hath no helpe He shall be mercifull to the poore and needie and shall preserue the soules of the poore He shall redeeme their soules from deceit and violence and deare shall their blood be in his sight Psal 72. 12. 13. 14. Verse 7. God ouerthroweth the wicked and they are not but the house of the righteous shall stand VVHen the state of the vngodly which are not Gods chosen changeth from prosperitie to aduersitie it seldome staieth till they be vtterly destroyed both themselues their houses This word are not signifieth a slaughter and killing as it is spoken of the murdering of the infants by Herod Mat. 2. 18. Ier. 31. 15. But here is more vnderstood than the losse of naturall life and that is the perdition of soule and bodie And yet not the extinction of either for the soule shall neuer vanish away nor the bodie for euer they shall not finde so much mercie at Gods hands Their being shall not cease but their comfortable and well being They shall be euerlasting euerlastinglie to beare the burden of Gods wrath and to suffer the vnsufferable torment of death and damnation But the house of the righteous that is he and those things which appertaine vnto him shall bee preserued from being ouerthrowne to ruine Doct. They that will not keepe themselues from wickednesie cannot keepe themselues from desolation They may rise but not stand for vnlesse they fall to repentance they shall be made to fall to destruction They may grow great but for a small time for they will soone bee brought to nothing The prophet thought too well of their state at the first as though they had bin in better case then any other men but he conceiued as hardly of it at the last when he had seene their end in the sanctuarie and deemed them of all to bee most miserable Surelie saith he to the Lord thou hast set them in slipperie places and castest Psal 73. 18. 19 them downe into desolation How suddenlie are they destroyed perished and horriblie consumed The Scriptures flow with testimonies and similies to declare both the certaintie and suddennesse and grieuousnesse of their decay as the withering of plants the putting out of lights the vanity of dreames the vanishing of smoake and many others to the like purpose Reasons 1 First they haue all the threatnings of God against them and euery threatning sendeth forth many curses and euery curse bringeth many plagues Secondly their owne deserts which in respect of any creature are infinite doe draw vpon them iudgements and miseries that are in explicable Thirdly the loue and trueth of God to his owne seruants will not permit a perpetuall prosperitie to his enemies By this hee perswadeth them not to faint in their owne afflictions because a reward remaineth for them and their end will be peace By this he perswadeth them not to fret at wicked mens successes because Psal 37. 38. there remaine punishments for them their end is to be cut off Vse 1 Admonition to sinfull men to tender their loue more that pitie them and desire that their case may be better If others tremble at their fall that is comming which yet neither feele the paine nor be in the perill thereof is it wisedome for them to cast off all care of themselues and onely picke quarrels against them that seeke their safetie When their wound is incurable they will wish that they had better regarded the plaister and the hand that applied it When the disease is remedilesse they will rue the reiection of the medicine and physition When hell shall haue them in hold they will bewaile the refusall of their friendship that would haue directed them to heauen It was good counsell of Philip and well followed of Nathaniel when hee perswaded him to come Ioh. 1. 46. and see whether Iesus were not the Christ And it was an indulgence of Christ to Thomas to helpe his faith in his resurrection Ioh. 20. 27. by the senses of sight and feeling but for matters of punishment and damnation it is good to goe from them and not to come at them to heare Gods testimonie and not to see it fulfilled vpon themselues to beleeue the trueth of that which is spoken and not to feele it by their owne experience Consolation that sinfull men shall not alwaies be molesters of the godly because they shall not alwaies be They shall not continually ouershadow the faithfull because they shall not stand continually Though their shew bee great now and terrible to Gods people yet their change will bee greater and fearefull to themselues He will speedilie ouerturne them and all their power of hurting shall be taken from them Now their rootes are low their toppes aloft and braunches broad and thereby ouer-droppe all that is vnder them then must their toppes come downe and rootes rise vp and all their braunches wither Now they are vessels that are full of power and wealth and malice but then must bee there a transposition the bottome must bee vpward and the brimmes must bee downeward and all their fulnesse be shed on the ground like water The ground of this comfort is neither vaine nor weake for God himselfe doth vrge it as a forcible reason to confirme the hearts of his people Feare thou not saith hee for I am with thee bee not affraide for I am thy God Behold all they that prouoke thee shall bee ashamed and confounded they shall be as nothing and they that striue with thee shall perish Thou shalt seeke them and shalt not finde them to wit the men of thy strife for they shall be as nothing and the men that warre against thee as a thing of nought Isai 41. 11. 12. For the firmenes of the righteous man and of his house see chapter the tenth vers 2. 25. Verse 8. A man shall bee commended according to his wisedome but
what they said before lest they tell a contrarie tale for the thing related cannot put them in mind of it For they vse not to frame their words to the veritie of the matter which they speake of and to the seruing of their owne turnes and effecting of their purposes as he speaketh of the vnconscionable chapman It is naught it is naught saith the buyer but when hee is Prou. 20. 14. gone apart hee boasteth A notable example of a wandring vnregenerate and vnstable tongue speaking contrarieties almost with the same breath is to bee seene in that blasphemous rayling Rabshakeh whom the King of Ashur sent against Ierusalem in the time of Hezekiah In the entrance of his speech hee seemed to bee all for the Lord he taxeth Hezechiah for taking downe his hie places and altars hee pretendeth obedience vnto him as though he came thither by his commaundement saying The Lord said Goe vp against this land and destroy it But before he had made an Isai 36. 7. 10. 19. 20. end the Lord God of Israel and the Idols of the Gentiles were all one with him And therefore hee matcheth him with the conquered Gods of Hamath and of Arpad and of Sepharuaijm c. that seeing they could not deliuer their countries out of his hands the Lord was not able to deliuer Ierusalem from him The lying miscreants in the Psalmes are bragging of the liberty and Psal 12. 4. freedome of their tongues being altogether slaues and drudges to Sathan lust and lewdnesse Though it bee neuer so much against their knowledge though it lie neuer so heauie vpon their conscience though it turne to their perpetuall shame and disgrace yet if the diuell and the corruption of their hearts will haue them to speake they must affirme it if to denie they must gainesay it and eate their wordes how vniustly and impudentlie soeuer Vse Instruction to be aduised in our speeches that we vtter nothing but that which will become vs to speake againe and is lawfull to performe It was a fault in Dauid to sweare so peremptorilie that he would kill Nabal his familie and euery mothers child of them It was his stabilitie in goodnesse to breake off such a purpose and neither to say it againe nor doe it at all And it was the rashnes of Peter to be so resolute in promising that which was not in his power to performe It was to be imputed to his conceitednesse and not constancie that he stoode so stiffely in deniall of that which Christ told him would come to passe and gaue no place therein to our Sauiour but had the last word of him It is wisedome then to foresee the euents that are like to follow If wee affirme ought let vs know our warrant and ground that wee are able to proue it if wee denie any thing let the case be cleere that it be not prooued against vs if we vndertake any thing let vs be fully assured that it is lawfull and meete and possible for vs to doe it And yet this sufficeth not vnlesse there be soundnesse and sinceritie without carnall respects in our sayings If the ende bee not good which is aimed at in speaking if the heart bee not faithfull of him that speaketh there can neuer bee any firmenesse or certeintie in the speeches There is no constancie saith Dauid Psal 8. 9. concerning the wicked in their mouthes within they are very corruption For other vses that might haue been made of this point looke in the tenth chapter and twentith verse Verse 20. Deceit commeth to the heart of them that practise mischiefe and ioy to the counsellers of peace DEceit commeth to the heart c that is sorrow and griefe commeth to the hearts of them that plot mischiefe against others by aduise or attempt when they shall finde themselues deceiued in their deuises But such as vse their thoughts and words to moue men to be at peace with God and their neighbours and to walke in the way of peace and good propseritie shall not faile of the comfort of their faithfull and wholsome counsell Doct. 1 Craftie persons shall feele the smart and woe of their owne subtill practises When their hearts take pleasure in inuenting of euill they must be put to the paine to beare the burden of their euill inuentions Vexation and mourning are not so meete for any as for them that studie how they may vexe their brethren and bring them to mourne As we haue alreadie shewed that wicked workes deceiue them that doe them so for the same causes it will appeare Chap. 11. 18. that the warping of sinfull courses will turne to their hurt that imagine them Reasons 1 First their successe will not answere to their expectations they shall faile of that which they fullie assure themselues of as it is said Doe they not erre that imagine euill Where the question is Prou. 14. 22. not proposed in way of doubting but of certeintie as of a thing that is cleere and manifest and in no wise to bee gainesaied Neuer any man of an hurtfull heart had his will satisfied and his desire fulfilled to his contentment and consequently according to his hope Women commonly haue paine in breeding of child and pangs in trauell and comfort when they are deliuered but malitious men conceiue ioy all the time that they goe great with their purposes and most when they are bringing forth and nothing but anger and sorrow and shame when they see nothing but a mishapen monster to be borne vnto them Secondly though they seeme to preuaile for a time and effect their purposes so as their hearts wished yet somewhat hindreth their full comfort for the instant as it did Hamans and Achabs and all be ouerturned in the ende and themselues be ouerwhelmed therewith as the case of Haman and Daniels aduersaries testifieth Thirdly though they should worke their willes and bring their purposes to passe and escape vnpunished as long as they liue yet because there is a iudgement to begin when life is ended they are nothing the better for being spared so long All their cunning all their craft all their wiles and shifting will not serue the turne to wind themselues out of the woe that is denounced against them and the wofull punishments that shall bee executed vpon them Vse 1 Instruction that we vse our thoughts and mindes to better meditations and studies then to nourish that by art which groweth too fast by nature Our flesh breedeth an aptnesse and inclination to doe euill and become hurtfull that we shall not neede to beare our braines about it but rather haue cause with all carefulnesse to bethink vs how we may shun and auoyd it Let vs leaue that craft to the diuell which is the master and teacher of it who laboureth to haue all to be his apprentices and is most ready to informe euery one to be most expert and skilfull in that damnable trade of craftines But neither himselfe from