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
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
that righteous men will make their brethren commoners with them in their prosperitie When they are aduanced others shall not bee disgraced thereby but honoured when they are inriched others shall not bee impouerished thereby but relieued when they are made mightie others shall not be weakned thereby but supported And so it is said concerning Mordecai that when the royall apparell was on his backe and the crowne of gold on his head that vnto the Iewes was come light and ioy and gladnes and honour Hest 8. 16. Now all this is contrary in the state of harmefull persons when God declareth his anger by casting them downe the people publish their ioy by clapping their hands at them At the least Gods seruants for Gods glorie their owne peace and the publike safetie take comfort in this mercie that is shewed to the Church in taking away such enemies God inclineth their hearts to do this and the crueltie of the enemie hath procured it as the effects of both did manifest at the drowning of Pharaoh and destruction of Sisera Vse 1 Instruction to them that bee desirous to possesse the hearts of honest men that they gaine them by iustice and vpright behauiour by mercie kindnes and goodnes This course will draw their desires to wish well vnto them this will put arguments into their mouthes to speake well for them this will giue them incouragement to further their aduancement this will make their promotion acceptable to them and then desirous of the continuance and increase of the same Now many men desire to be popular but few to be righteous it is easie to affect the greatnesse of Mordecai who was second to the King and great among his people and accepted among the multitude of his brethren but it is hard Hest 10. 3. to follow his goodnes in procuring their wealth and seeking their peace and prosperitie Good liking is not gotten by pompe and power and fauour is not gained with wealth and riches and loue is not commaunded by authoritie and dignitie these may be allured with goodnes but neuer compelled by violence Reproofe of enuious persons that maligne the good estate of godlie Christians they reioyce not at their prosperitie like worthy Citizens but grieue and vexe at it like barbarous aliants Either they labour to keepe them vnder that they shall not rise or to vndermine them that they shall not stand as appeareth in the example of Daniels aduersaries But all is in vaine they shall Dan. 6. be frustrate of their purpose they shall be foiled in their practise they shall be shamed and cursed and plagued for their malitious hearts and mischieuous enterprises They that hate Zion shall all be ashamed and turned backeward They shall be as the grasse on the house tops which withereth afore it commeth forth Psal 129. 5. 6. Doct. 2 The citie reioyceth c. Godly men are the chiefe inhabitants wheresoeuer they dwell They that reioyce at the prosperitie of the righteous are called the citie the place hath denomination from them and it is certaine that neither all nor the most nor in many places the greatest are so wel affected but contrary minded So it is said in the booke of Hester that when the decree was gone forth whereby all the Iewes were proscripted and destinated to death that the citie of Shushan was in perplexitie Who was this citie there but the poore condemned Israelites who from their first comming thither were but strangers and captiues Ahashuerus and Haman were not of the number for they were merily drinking of wine and a great number both in the Court and Citie as it may appeare were glad of their miserie So saith the Apostle to the Rom. 1. 8. Romanes Your faith is published throughout the whole world meaning thereby in all the Churches Reasons 1 First they haue a good estate in their goods and hold their liuings by a right tenure through Iesus being inheritors of the earth whereas none else are so much as tenants at will by any right or warrant from God but meere vsurpers intruding themselues without any allowance into his possessions Secondly all others are aliants in Gods account and only their vnderlings and seruants For so he speaketh of such as hold themselues to bee maisters and commaunders of many others The strangers shall stand and feede your sheepe and the sonnes of strangers shall be your plow-men and dressers of your vines Isai 61. 5. Vse Consolation to them that haue the testimonie of the faithfull and approbation of godly Christians in their behauiour It is as good as if all the towne and countrie did commend them And that was S. Iohns meaning when hee said that Demetrius had a 3. Ioh. vers 12. good report of all men All wicked men would neuer speake well of him or if they should it had been little for his credit but forasmuch as the Apostle testifieth of him and the trueth it selfe also it must needes be that those all men were all good men which knew his goodnes Terror for them that haue the complaint of Gods seruants against them Though they be magnified of the multitude and applauded of neuer so many wicked they shall neither haue true honour nor sound comfort thereby The voices of Christians will carrie the cause and their verdict is that which will cast the faultie if they conuict the Lord will condemne for they neuer agree all to finde any guiltie but where the word of God and his spirit haue first giuen in euidence against them It went hard with Zanecherib when God told him that Zion despised him and Isa 37. 22. laughed him to scorne and shooke her head at him But what cared he for that Did not he despise her as much True it is that he despised her as much but not with so much danger to her His was a vaine foolish absurd and contemptible contempt like paper shot against a strong bulwarke but hers was mightie and effectuall carrying force with it like a Cannon against a weake cottage which will shake it to peeces in a moment Verse 11. By the blessing of the righteous the citie is exalted but it is subuerted by the mouth of the wicked THe meaning is that iust men are very beneficial to the societies of men by their religious prudent and profitable speeches for so the word blessing signifieth in many places and so it is here meant as the antithesis sheweth and so a poore man in aduersitie may as well be an instrument of good to his countrie as a rich man in prosperitie as Salomon testifieth Eccle. 9. 15. On the other side the wicked with his mouth and hurtfull words doth worke mischiefe among whom he conuerseth Doct. By the blessing c. A godly man will alwaies do good to the place where he dwelleth that many shall fare the better for him The land of Iudah found the trueth of this by comfortable experience in the daies of their good Kings and Prophets
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
and fountaine of all hurts and dangers and that is sinne the guiltinesse of it is taken away by remission and the punishment by his suffring and the power by his grace what then is the peril that we shuld stand in feare of Secondly he maketh all his fruitfull and the fruite is a fence to Gods trees though mens bee more beaten and broken by cudgels and poles for that which groweth vpon them Thirdly euery one of them that haue Christ for their roote haue God the Father for their dresser and keeper Ioh. 15. And therefore if any thing bee hurtfull in them he taketh it away if any thing be wanting to them he maketh supplie if violence be attempted against them he resisteth it This happinesse of the Church and vse of particular Christians doth God himselfe speake of making profession of his prouident care of them in the prophecie of Isaiah Sing saith he of the vineyard of red wine I the Lord doe keepe it I will water it euery moment lest any assaile it I Isai 27. 2. 3. will keepe it night and day Fourthly one especiall part of the sappe that Christ the roote of Christians doth send vp to his branches is the spirit of prayer and that maketh their prayers fit to come vp to him and hee maketh them meete to be presented to his father now then in all their troubles they will surely crie to him and whensoeuer they doe crie he will more surely heare them and whensoeuer he heareth them he will most assuredlie helpe them Vse 1 Instruction to trie in what state we stand by the roote that we grow vpon Euery man and woman euery person that is discended from Adam is a braunch of a tree either growing naturallie as he was borne in the old stocke and so hee is subiect to Gods displeasure iudgements or els is ingrafted into Christ as being new borne and so hath his part in Gods fauour and mercies If we would therefore haue our harts at libertie without dread of calamities and miserie we must draw all our safetie from whence we deriue our saluation and that is from the Lord Iesus our Sauiour and our being in him and growing in him and communion with him Externall meanes will not suffice to secure vs from hurts without this inward medicine and deliuerance from plagues by God owne hand will not comfort vs without the respect of this cause Consolation to them that be in Christ as the Apostle saith to the Romans that there is no damnation to them so the spirit saith Rom. 8. 1. here that there is no danger to them there is assurance that nothing shall keepe them from heauen and euerlasting life and here is a warrant that nothing shall hurt them in earth and in this life That godly gloriation which is vsed there against the enemies of our soules may fitly also bee vsed here against the enemies of our bodies If God be on our side who can bee against vs Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish Rom. 8. 31. 35. or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sword Though Sathan and sinners would yet they can doe nothing against vs that shall bee for our hurt and though God himselfe can yet he will doe nothing to vs that shall not turne to our good Verse 13. The euill man is snared by the wickednes of his lippes but the wise shall come out of aduersitie AS wicked men doe maliciouslie abuse their tongues to the hurt of others so also many times they ouershoote themselues so farre as that aduantage is taken of their words to their owne perill and hurt as on the other side the godly doe often times helpe themselues out of troubles by the wisedome of their speeches Doct. 1 They that haue euill tongues doe most hurt themselues with them This point we reserue to be handled in the sixt and seuenth verses of the eightenth chapter where will bee fitter occasion to handle it more fullie Doct. 2 But the righteous shall come out c. He is neuer destitute of a good helper in his troubles that hath a good tongue to deale for him Hee doth not here onely set downe the assurance that such as feare God haue to escape from their afflictions but the meanes whereby they obtaine their deliuerance God hath ordained troubles for his people to be tried with and he hath appointed the issue out aswell as the entrance in and their enemies malicious words doe commonly worke their molestation and their owne Christian speeches doe vsually procure their peace and libertie Reasons 1 First the wrath of those that are incensed against them is thereby much abated if not altogether pacified If they bee not wholy implacable and such as haue cast off all humanitie milde and gentle speeches will mitigate their displeasure A Prince is pacified by staying of anger and a soft answere breaketh the bones Prou. 25. 15. Secondly words of trueth being wisely deliuered will very much grace a good cause to the satisfying of them that knew it not before and the refuting of them that are false accusers and the winning of their fauours that for mercie were not so well affected to them Hereof we haue an example in the prophecie of Ieremie The Priests and the Prophets accused him to the Princes and people as a man deseruing to be put to death for his doctrine Hee hath libertie to speake for himselfe hee proueth his innocencie by shewing the author of all that he preached and that was God giuing him a commaundement to publish it and the end that they should repent and amend their waies and so escape the iudgements threatned The Princes and all the people presently were on his side they spake for him they cleared him of that crime which was charged vpon him they iustified his faithfulnesse in his ministerie This man is not worthie to die say they for he hath Ierem. 26. 16. spoken to vs in the name of the Lord. Thirdly with godly and gracious words of prayer godly men preuaile with God himselfe as it was said of Iacob and therefore Gen. 32. 28. no aduersitie can preuaile against them For this and the vses thereof see the eight verse of the former chapter where are almost the very words of this present text Verse 14. A man shall be satiat with good things by the fruite of his mouth and the recompence of a mans hands shall God giue vnto him A Man shall be satiate with good things c. That is shall bee recompenced by the Lord with great blessings for the good vsage of his tongue when hee speaketh to Gods glorie and the edification of his brethren or for iustice and equitie in the behalfe of them that are wronged and iniuriouslie dealt with Hee will stirre vp men to loue him and shew kindnes vnto him yea those sometimes which be of great place and able to doe him much good as it is
said he that loueth purenes of hart for the grace of his lippes the King shall be his friend Prou. 22. 11. But especiallie hee himselfe will bestow vpon him all good things for this life and graces for euerlasting life and glorie for life euerlasting And the recompence c. And so shall euery mans good workes bee also rewarded with mercie and fauour though there bee nothing in them of desert and merit Doct. Nothing shall be vnrewarded that is well performed in word or deede This hath bin alreadie handled in the eighteenth verse of the former chapter vpon these words He that soweth righteousnesse shall receiue a sure reward Verse 15. The way of a foole is right in his owne eies but he that heareth counsell is wise THe way of a foole The wicked course and behauiour of a sinfull person whom God reputeth a foole for it is not vnderstood of an idiot as may appeare by the comparison betweene them cap. 26. 12. Seest thou a man wise in his owne conceit there is more hope of a foole than of him is right in his owne eies hee liketh of it and alloweth himselfe in it as safe and good for him to walke in and consequently reiecteth all good aduice and admonitions But hee that heareth counsell which suspecteth his owne iudgement and receiueth direction from them that are wise and godly and obeyeth it he is wise sheweth the wisedome that he had before and learneth more and findeth the fruite of it by good effect Doct. The worse any man is or doth the lesse he seeth his euill They that commit the most sinnes haue hope that they stand guiltie of fewest they that fall into the greatest transgressions imagine that their faults be the smallest they that sinke into the deepest dangers doe dreame of greatest safetie they that haue longest continued in rebellion against God of al others for the most part are slowest to repentance These are they which are spoken of when it is said there is a generation that are pure in their owne conceite and yet are Prou. 30. 12. not washed from their filthinesse Obserue it in all sorts of sinners and it will be found that the greatest offenders are furthest from all remorse for their offences Papists and Idolaters doe thinke they merit at Gods hand and deserue heauen for their idolatrie and superstition Persecutors and tyrants as our Sauiour saith Ioh. 16. 2. will thinke they doe God seruice when they kill Christians and Ministers and Apostles If men of smaller infirmities bee admonished of things amisse in them it is not very hard to bring manie of them to a sight of their offences insomuch as they will acknowledge themselues to be faultie thanke him that reproueth them but when notorious adulterers or drunkards or blasphemers be rebuked what distemper what rage what furie doe they breake out into as though a most grieuous indignitie were offered vnto them as though most innocent men were vniustly defamed Reasons 1 First they are ouerwhelmed with the mist of darknesse and couered with the spirit of error and ignorance the diuell hath blinded their minds as the Apostle saith that all iudgement and 2. Cor. 4. 4. vnderstanding is taken away from them And S. Paul testifieth that when he was in the worst case he knew nothing but that hee had been in the best before he knew the meaning of the law hee made noe doubt but that he had been aliue but when hee saw the sense and iustice of the commandement he found sinne to be aliue and himselfe to be dead Rom. 7. 9. 10. Secondly the custome of sinning doth obdurate the heart and depriue it of all sense of the sinne though neuer so hainous the feeling faileth and lust with a greedy desire of satisfying it selfe in euill increaseth euery day to a fulnesse Thirdly the text it selfe yeeldeth a reason why they haue so good opinion of their owne waies because they are led with pride and heare not such as might shew them any thing to the contrarie They haue allowance by word and practise from fooles like to themselues and their own carnall reason doth consent with them and then they take to proceede from enuie whatsoeuer is spoken against them Vse 1 Terror of conceited persons which proceede on wilfully in their wicked waies and no man can reclaime them They are wise they trow hauing liued so long to know what is good for themselues they are not now to learne how to serue God and be saued But the wise God calleth them foolish men he saith that their streight way is crooked and their safe way is dangerous and that the issues thereof are the waies of death When they take themselues to be happie he iudgeth them miserable when they looke for welfare he threatneth woe when they presume of a blessing he pronounceth and will accordingly execute a curse Hereof speaketh Isaiah Woe to them that are wise in their owne Isa 5. 21. eies and prudent in their owne sight They make themselues odious to God they flie from repentance they shun reformation they run into destruction Confutation of them that imagine a good meaning towards the seruice of God and their owne saluation to be sufficient whatsoeuer their meanes be which they vse If their mind be to haue their way good they thinke it cannot be euill if there bee a willingnesse that it should be streight they rest assured that it will not be crooked But if the opinion and willes of men be of such force to rectifie their waies what way would not leade to saluation We shewed before that such as murdered the Saints of God thought to serue God and bee saued by it Why then was not Paul in as good case before his conuersion as afterwards Men of corrupt minds and destitute of the trueth thinke that gaine is godlines 1. Tim. 6. 5. why should not many courtious men then enter into the kingdome of heauen A traueller in his iourney may wander out of his way notwithstanding his meaning to goe right if he will make no enquirie for it And no trade or science is attained vnto by the willingnesse of hauing but of learning of it Consolation to them that are not confident of themselues to leane on their wisedome but enquire for direction in the booke of God and take aduise and counsell from his seruants Though the world deeme them sillie soules and voide of wit yet the Lord esteemeth them for wise and men of vnderstanding And so will he proue them and so shall they find and so by euent in the end shall others well perceiue Verse 16. A fooles wrath is made knowne the same day but a prudent man couereth shame THe meaning of the holy Ghost is not to condemne all kind of anger for it is one of the powers of the soule which God created as an ornament in man and godly anger is a part of Gods Image in him and a grace commended in Moses