to doe to suffer patiently They are freer for action in quietnesse Where God looks for suffering he puts not to action Vse Blesse God for the quietnesse and comfort we have had in this City in all these dangerous times both for soul and body Other parts both beyond Sea and in this Land have not been dealt so bountifully withall He sheweth his word unto Jacob his statutes and his judgements unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation and as for his judgements they have not known them Praise ye the Lord Psal 147.19 20. We have also had so much agreement between godly men of different judgements as is scarce any where else to be found Let God have the praise as we have the comfort 6. Doct. God many times makes good men thrive upon earth As Abraham Isaac Jacob. Reason 1. That it may appear that God doth not grudge earth to those to whom he will give heaven He that spared not his owne Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Rom. 8.32 Seek ye first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be added unto you Mat. 6.33 2. That they may have the more means to glorifie God having the larger talents Vse If God give any good man wealth and prosperity let him use it well that he may give a good account of it He is but a factor He must honor his Master if he will enrich himself This Gods bounty requires and he that doth so may look for comfort from God Vers 22. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it If fair means will not serve foul must be used The Wiseman having given a promise to allure now concludes with a threatning to drive such as will not be drawn The Writer proceeds in a right method and having spoken many things of the differing wayes of godly and wicked men now he concludes with their different ends So he doth ch 1. onely he puts the end of wicked men first The turning away of the simple shall slay them and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them But who so hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evill ch 1.32 33. For the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Heb. And. It is used sometimes as a figne of connexion Righteousnesse and judgement and equity vers 9. Sometimes as a signe of opposition But ye have set at nought all my counsel ch 1.25 Sometimes of assimilation As a man pleadeth for his neighbor Job 16.21 Sometimes of augmentation I am their song yea I am their by word Job 30.9 A proverb or by-word is more and goes further then a song Here it is taken by way of opposition Good men shall flourish and bad men perish in the end The wicked Restlesse and unquiet people Such as are alwayes doing mischief The Heb. word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes from a word that fignifies motion or unquietnesse Who then can make trouble Job 34.29 The wicked are like the troubled Sea Isa 57.20 Ahab and such like wicked men accuse Gods people for troublers of Israel 1 King 18.17 and of the City Act. 16.20 and of all the world Act. 17.6 But they may answer with Elijah that wicked men are indeed the troublers of themselves and of the world 1 King 18.18 Shall be cut off As a bough from a tree so that it shall grow no more Adulterers and such like evill doers shall be destroyed It signifies an untimely death as a bough cut off before it withers They shall be taken away in the midst of their prosperity and that suddenly From the earth Not onely out of that Land but out of all the world For the word see on v. 21. on the word Land And the transgressors The word signifies treacherous dealers They have dealt treacherously with thee Jer. 12.6 So it is also translated Isa 21.2 24.16 For transgressors that go beyond the bounds that God hath set them deal treacherously with God to whom they owe all subjection Shall be rooted of it If cutting them off will not serve to terrifie others God will root them out or pluck them quite out of the earth and destroy their posterity also Figures A Metaphor from a Tree in the words cutting off and rooting out If a wilde tree and offensive grow in a garden and the Gardner cut off the top of it if it send forth new sprouts as bad as the former he digs up the root it self So doth God deal with wicked men He takes them away and if their posterity follow their courses he proceeds to root out the whole name and family Cut off Rooted out Metaphors from Trees Note 1. Gods judgement on wicked men 2. On their memory and posterity In the former observe 1. The word of opposition But. 2. The subject the wicked 3. The adjunct shall be cut off 4. The object from the earth In the latter note 1. The subject And the transgressors 2. The adjunct shall be rooled out of it 1. Doct. God will sometimes in this world put a difference between good men and bad Then shall ye discern between righteous and the wicked Mal. 3.18 So God made a difference between the Israelites and the Aegyptians in the darkness and death of the first-born and at the Red sea Exod. 10. 12. 14. So did he distinguish between the Israelites and Canaanites in rooting out the one out of the Land and planting the other in it Josh 10 c. So he put a difference between Micaiah and Zedekiah when the one durst shew his face and the other hid his 1 King 22.24 25. Between Jeremiah and Pashur when one was a comfort to himselfe and his friends and the other a terror to both Jer. 20.4 Between Ahaz and Hezekiah the one made a prey to the enemy the other delivered from Senacharib 2 Chron. 28.5 32.21 Reason 1. That men may see that there is a God While they see no difference between good and bad men they think there is no over-ruling God The Heathen man confesses it Sollicitor nullos esse putare Deos I am sollicited to think there is no God Ovid. In a Common-wealth or in an Army where no difference is made between good and bad people and souldiers men think there is no Magistrate or Generall there So in the Church But when God puts a difference they cry out Verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth Psal 58.11 2. That men might see by this fore-running providence a pattern and proof of the generall judgement to come Vse When God shall do so with us let us acknowledge Gods mercy to us He might destroy us like wicked men Are there not with you even with you sins against the Lord your God 2 Chr. 28.10 See Gods distinguishing mercy in it and proclaim it 2. Doct. Wicked men are
it subsists of it selfe remains unmovable and upholds the rest of the world It is like the rock upholding the house Mat. 7.24 25. The earth is the lowest of all the elements the center of the rest upholding them all without any thing under it to uphold it Thus men and beasts have room where they may live and breath though it have no foundation yet it stands as fast as if it had a strong foundation answerable to the greatnesse of it The words may admit a double sense either that God did at first by his infinite wisdome so justly poise the earth that it should be upheld by its own equall weight and have no inclination to move upward downward or aside or else that Gods power immediately still without any thing wrought in the earth at first upholds it as a sure foundation and makes it a lasting foundation to uphold all the visible world God by his infinite wisdome so placed the earth as a foundation that should never remove out of his place lest the foundation failing the rest of the building should fall and perish The earth Not only the body of the earth but also all the creatures that are or live in it for it is opposed to the heavens He mentions the earth first because it is the center of the heavens and therefore saith he hath founded it But he is said to stablish the heavens above which have the earth for a foundation beneath For the word see on Chap. 2.22 By understanding God useth divers words to the same purpose to shew that all kind of wisdom is in God and his Christ For the word see on Chap. 2.2 Hath he established So fitted all the parts of heaven that they continue fast together and each observe their severall motions as Planets fixed Starres first mover in their places Orbes or Sphears This must be understood of the visible Heavens the beauty whereof we see and admire at Gods wisdome in it For unto us The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy work Psal 19.1 This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated fashioning Did not one fashion us in the womb Job 31.15 To wit by fitting and framing all the members of the body in the womb He covered the earth as it were with a roof the heavens he adorned with many Starres He hath not made the heavens unmovable like the earth but unweariable in their motion and not subject to diminution or dissolution This shews Gods infinite wisdom for palaces built by men fail 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The heavens The starry heavens so it is used Gen. 1.14 Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven Though sometimes it be put for the Aire for there are fouls of heaven mentioned as well as starres of heaven Gen. 1.20 I find not the Hebrew word used at any time in the old Testament for the invisible heaven which was not then so plainly made known although the Greek word in the new Testament be so used Our conversation is in heaven Phil. 3.20 That is heavenly like the carriage of Saints and Angells there It hath its name in Hebrew from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are waters And it intimats two kinds of waters one in the heavens above the other in the earth beneath which also may be intimated by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the duall number and by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the duall number also two visible heavens Starry and Airy Figures Founded A metaphor for the earth hath no foundation under it but God hath made it as fast as if it had a strong foundation to uphold it Earth For the earth and all things in or on it The part for the whole So likewise in the word Heaven The part put for the whole comprehending stars and all Note 1. The foundation of the earth 2. The establishment of the heavens In the first observe 1. The Agent The Lord. 2. The instrument By wisdom 3. The Act. Hath founded 4. The Object The Earth In the second note 1. The Agent He. 2. The Instrument By understanding 3. The Act. Hath established 4. The Object The Heavens 1. Doct. The world had a beginning In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth Gen. 1.1 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God Heb. 11.3 Reason 1. Because the world could not make it selfe and the refore the maker must needs be before it Causa prior causato The cause is before the thing caused A builder must needs bee before a house in time 2. Because it is compounded of Heaven Air Earth Sea Stones Trees Beasts Men Angells Bodies are compounded of the Elements Souls of faculties Empires of divers people A garment sewed together had a beginning 3. Because the world is mutable in all parts of it Sometimes the Sun shines in Heaven sometimes the Moon sometimes the starrs sometimes none of them are seen The air is sometimes clear sometimes stormy The Sea sometimes calm sometimes tempestuous The Earth sometimes dry sometimes wet Kingdomes one while in peace another while in war Living creatures one while well another while sick All mutable things had a beginning Who can change that which is eternall 4. Because it will have an end as appears in the parts of it Fishes Birds Men die Sea eats up Earth Beasts Earth expells Sea by mans art and labour Some things had a beginning which by the mercy wisdom and power of the Creator shall be kept from having an end who gives to all Creatures durance long or shorter as he please To men for their generations To stars to the worlds end to Angells soules of men and their bodies also after the resurrection for eternity But nothing that hath an end was without a beginning It could not be at first without him that can take the being of it away when he please If it were from eternity it can keep it selfe to eternity Use 1. It confutes those who think the world to have been from eternity Their owne bodies may teach them the contrary 2. It confutes those that think not the world formally but materially to be from eternity I say with Tertullian Quod non lego non credo What I read nâ—t I believe not Of it self it could not be so being a dead thing By God it could not be made so For every thing hath his being before it produce any other thing It were dishonourable to God to have any thing eternall beside himself It would take away from him the credit of making the world or at least of making it out of nothing which is a divine priviledge Singular priviledges are chiefest ornaments It is some derogation that others can do what we can The Magicians were put to filence by lice and confessed This is the finger of God Exod. 8.19 And this opinion wil help to bring in the form from eternity too For some forme it
had if it had a being and who can alter the form of that which is eternall And so by consequence God made not the world And scoffers will grow more bold and say All things continne not as they were from the beginning of the Creation 2 Pet. 3.3 4. But as they were before the Creation from eternity 2. Doct. The wolrd was made by God Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth Job 38.4 By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth Ps 33.6 Reason 1. Because it was not from eternity as appears by the changes in it 2. It made not iâ— self That were a contradiction It could not be in fieri facto made and to be made both at one time It must then work before it be 3. There was none else before the world was to make it but God onely If an house be found in an Island wherein never any man but one was hee must needs build that house 4. None else had wisdom enough to do such a work if there had been men or Angells before the world As no beast could build the foresaid house if there had been many in the Island Use Give God the glory of it and of all the comforts ye enjoy here or shall in heaven 3. Doct. God sheweth wonderfull wisdom in making the world O Lord how manifold are thy workes in wisdom hast thou made them all Psal 104.24 To him that by wisdom made the Heaven Ps 136.5 Reason 1. Because he made this spacious world out of nothing The wisest man in the world or Angell in Heaven cannot work without matter But God made the whole world of nothing Onely his infinite wisdome could doe such a work 2. That excellency that is in the world shews the Makers infinite wisdom What is the most curious picture of a man beast tree star to the thing it self Like a dark shadow to the shining Sun So low do mens best works lie below Gods This shews that the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men 1 Cor. 1.25 For that work of God in which he shews least wisdom argues more then that wherein the wisest man in the world shews most 3. Because of the variety of these excellent workes both of severall kinds and of severall dispositions in each kind Stars Rivers Trees Beasts Men Angells Hills Vallies what thosands of each No created wisdom can number them much lesse make them How many thousands of men are in the world yet every face differs from one another 4. Because of their excellent order The stars are above our heads to give light the air about us to breath in the Earth under us to tread on Severall grounds for corn pasture gardens orchards What not Vse 1. Let us in the view of the creatures not onely take delight in the fight and use of them but also take notice of the wisdome of the Creatour and praise him for it The Earth is a Colledge built by God that in it we may study his wisdom The Heavens a Common-wealth or Kingdom established by him The Sun the King the Moon the Queen the Starrs the Nobility Clouds the commons Spheres the Provinces So we see a mans wisdom in his workes and books and God shews us his in the Heavens and in his Law Psal 19.1 7. Comparata omnia creata ad Deum sicut artificia ad artificem Recuperus All created things compared to God are as artificiall works to the cunning workman As they shew the workmans wisdom so do these Gods Yea much more For if we admire a watch made by the art of man for the rare workmanship and frame of the wheels and their motions how much more should we admire the wisdom of God in making the glorious lights of Heaven with their revolutions without which no watch could exactly measure time And in the variety of earthly creatures without which our lives could afford us no comfort 2. Use Take heed of finding any faults in the workes of God They were all made in wisdom though thy shallow brain cannot reach them 4. Doct. God upholds the Earth strangely The world is established that it cannot be moved Ps 93.1 No man can tell whereupon the Foundations of the Earth are fastned God poses Job with this question Iob 38.6 and may pose all the world They must answer with him God hangeth the Earth upon nothing Job 26.1 And that 1. Because there is nothing above it or under it to uphold it It is the lowest Element and the Heavens above cannot uphold it 2. Because it is above the power of nature to do it or to know how it is done Use When we tread on the earth let us take notice who upholds it and makes it able to uphold us No creature can do it The earth would sink under us if God did not strangely uphold it for us Give God the glory then of your sustentation 5. Doct. God preserves the heavens and heavenly creatures in their motion It is God that in them hath set a Tabernacle for the Sun to run a race Psal 19.4 5. Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and of the evening to rejoyce Psal 65.8 Reason 1. Because the Heavens and the Sun Moon and stars have no principle of life in them whereby to move themselves much lesse of reason to direct them in their various courses 2. Because no creature either man or angell hath wisdom or power enough to do it Use Take occasion from the daily motion of the heavenly bodies to blesse God our spirits are comforted and bodies directed by them they are watches to keep time for us God keeps them in their motion else would they deceive us and deprive us of their light and comfort Doct 6. All manner of wisdom is in God It is expressed by divers words in the Text Wisdome and Vnderstanding We may well cry out with the Apostle O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God Rom. 11.33 Reas 1. His word shews it to us in which are the grounds of all arts and sciences and higher things then they 2. His works shew it none hath wisdom to do the like Use Be humble and see thine own folly be thou never so wise thou art but a fool in respect of God thou wantest some wisdome he hath all Thou mayest say of thy wisdom as David of his age Psal 39.5 My wisdome is nothing before thee Verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity Selah VER 20. By his knowledge the depths are broken up and the clouds drop down the dew GODS infinite wisdome was set out in the former verse by the higher parts of the world the heavens and by the lower the earth or as was mentioned in the former verse by setling solid substances there and liquid ones here and by ordering the two middle elements aire and water For the words By his knowledge Not by
you earthly things and ye beleeve not how shall ye beleeve if I tell you of heavenly things Joh. 3.12 Etiam sine probationibus ipsius monetis autoritas adest quo modo jurisconsultorum valent responsa etiamsâ—ratio non reddatur Advocatum ista non quaerunt affectus ipsos tangunt naturd vim suam exercente proficiunt Even without any proofs mony hath authority in it self as Lawyers answers though no reason be given These seek no advocate they touch the affections themselves and prevail by their own nature exercising its strength Senec. Epist 94. And in the same Epistle Quis negaverit brevissimis quibusdam praeceptis feriri efficaciter etiam imperitissimos Haeo cum ictu quodam audimus n.c. ulli licet dubitare aut interrogare adeo etiam sine ratione ipsa veritas ducit Who can deny that some very short precepts strike effectually upon the most ignorant These things we hear with a certain stroke neither may any man doubt or ask so far even without reason doth the truth it self lead And in his 33. Epistle Stoicorum tot us contextus virilis est inaequalitatem scias esse ubi quae eminent notabilia sunt Non est admirationi una arbor ubi in eandem altitudimen tota sylva surrexit The whole context of the Stoicks is manly know that there is inequality when some things more eminent are observable One tree is not admired when the whole Wood is grown to one height And in the same place Quocunque emiseris oculum id tibi occurret quod eminere posset nisi inter paria legeretur Turn your eye which way you will that will come to your view that would be eminent if it were not read among equal sayings Lastly they contain many lively pictures of mens manners and carriages set out lively and to the eye Ye may see the sluggard folding his arms the drunkard reeling as the Lacedemonians shewed their drunken servants to their children that they might abhor drunkennesse the labourers working the good houswise spinning and imploying her maids and providing for all her household the King chasing away wicked counsellours with his eyes so that they dare not appear in his presence Pictures are very delightful to us and affect more then letters We hang them therefore in our sight Sight of shadows works often more then words of substance As musical sounds sometimes make men weep sometimes rejoyce being sutable to what is within so doe Parables Omnis imitatie est similis effectrix Every imitation brings forth the like Plato Dial. 2. de leg They breed good manners as well as resemble them Arist Politic. l. 8. c. 5. Imagines parabolas necessarias existimo ut imbecillitatis nostrae adminicula sint ut discentem audientem in rem praesentem adducant I judge Images and Parables to be necessary in speech that they may be helps to our infirmitie and that they may bring the learner and the reader into the thing as present Sence Epist 59. Praeclarae adinferendam rebus lucem repertae sunt similitudines Similitudes are found to be very excellent to bring light to things Quintil. Inst l. 1. 2. Because they are Solomons Proverbs to whom God gave more wisdome then to any other meer man since the fall living either in his time before or after it For he was wiser then all men then Ethan the Ezrahite and Heman and Chalcol and Darda the sons of Mahol and his fame was in all Nations round about 1 King 4.31 When God gives more excellent gists to some then to others he conveys more excellent things to us by them then by others Greater talents are put to greater use Paul laboured more then all the Apostles in preaching and writing and spreading the Word far and neer I laboured more aboundantly then they all 1 Cor. 15.10 From Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ Rom. 15.19 For God had bestowed better breeding and greater gifts on him then on others I was brought up saith he in this City at the feet of Gamaliel and taught according to the perfect manner of the Law of the Fathers Act. 22.3 He was caught up into Paradise and heard unspeakable words which it is not lawfull for a man to utter 2 Cor. 12.4 He writ more highly then the other writers of the Epistles as John the beloved Apostle excelled among the Gospel writers to shew what learning could doe improved by grace though now too much contemned Augustine wished for three things To have seen Christ in the flesh Paul in the Pulpit and Rome in her glory So doubtlesse more excellent things are communicated to and by Solomon then some other holy writers for pipes filled with water or Wine run out accordingly Solomon was also the son of David His Father was a powerful King a wise Prophet and an holy man who bred his son accordingly Had he been meanly bred as Amos among the herdmen of Tekoa Amos 1.1.7.14 15. yet being so wise he had deserved audience much more coming of such a Father He was also a King not a subject nor a Tyrant but a wise and a good King Kings speeches though mean are Chronicled and greedily received as from those that in regard of their Office have Gods Image stampt upon them and are called Gods Psal 82.5 6. In that respect they are worthy of audience Neither was he King of a small Nation but of Israel a great people which he guided with much wisdome and made very prosperous and therefore may well guide us by his counsels He was King of all Israel of all the twelve Tribes before the Kingdome was lessened by division as afterwards It was much more populous in his time then in after dayes He was also King of Gods people and of his only people upon earth a great wise and understanding Nation Deut. 4.6 and best able to judge of these Proverbs of all the people in the world Having Gods Law to guide them they could best discern the solidity of Solomons Proverbs And fit it was that they should have a very wise King Therefore we may the better learn of him As this addes to Solomons honour to be King over the wisest people in the world so to our esteem of the Book written by the wisest man a great King and son of a great King and King of the wisest people The first use is for Ministers to study these Proverbs well that they may be able to crack the shell and give the kernel to the people So great is the fulnesse of these sentences that though many have written and preached on this book already yet they have left matter enough for others As in the silver and other rich mines men are dayly digging and yet still meet successively with more matter of like price that which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alludes unto Joh. 5.39 So the treasures of divine wisdome in this Book cannot be drawn dry Study it
the pit Psal 30.3 Some understand it the second way of men cast alive into some deep gulf whence there is no recovery Some in the fourth sense of the grave Either sense will serve for the thing is the same An utter irrecoverable destruction is intended They shall be like men cast into a grave or a deep pit never to be seen any more Mercer and some others understand it of taking away their estates not in part but altogether in the midst of their prosperity Which agrees they say with the verses following that speak of great riches to be gotten But how doth it agree with blood-shed mentioned vers 11. v. 16 But our former interpretation suits well with both To kill them that they may have their goods Figures Swallow A Metaphor from great fishes swallowing the lesse In the text note 1. The actors Let us 2. The act swallow up 3. The object them 4. The manner 1. Alive 2. As the grave 3. Whole 4. As they that go down into the pit Note from the coherence 1. Doct. Innocent persons are the object of bad mens wrath Nocent Cain kills innocent Abel 1 Joh. 3.12 Because his own works were evill and his Brothers righteous Ishmael persecutes Isaac He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit Gal. 4.29 Joab kills two men better then himself 1 King 2.32 Pii ab improbis tanquam exprobrautes aspiciuntur Severus Sulpitius The wicked look upon the godly as upbraiding them for their wicked courses Reason 1. Contraries seek to expell one another especially the worst seek to drive out the best as darknesse to expell light and cold to drive away heat Wicked men are contrary to innocent persons in judgement will affections words actions use of creatures They are both men and the Logick rule holds in them Species to ti maximè sunt consentaneae sibi dissentaneae Particular kindes agree very much in the generall and disagree as much among themselves And therefore two contrary Kingdomes of Christ and Satan cannot agree 2. Envy sets evill men on work to contemne inferiours quarrel with equals hate superiors Satan envyes God wicked men envy good mens present state future happinesse 3. Shame sets them on work Other mens good works shame their bad ones in all times places companies Hoc tantùm me malè habet quòd justus ubique audit This onely troubles me that every one speaks well of him and counts him a just man Spoken of Aristides by one that knew not his face yet requested him to write his name in a shell to passe his vote for his banishment Vse Let us not marvel at insurrections against and oppressions of good men If it be objected that they give no cause it is easily answered Their goodnesse or wealth is the occasion Nec Milvo nec Accipitri rete tenditur Men lay not nets for Kites or Hawks Terent. But for birds that are harmlesse and good to eat Da veniam corvis vexat censura columbas Men let Ravens go free and vex Pigeons with their censures They often let go the offender and punish the innocent 2. Doct. Wicked mens spleen is often against them that do them no wrong What wrong did David to Shimei or Saul Mephibosheth to Ziba Spleen overflows in such as poison in a Toad that spits venome on him that treads not on it and fiercenesse in a Wolfe which sets on him that passeth by and thinks no harm Vse It shews a difference between wicked men and good Ill men seek the hurt of friends good men forgive enemies As dogs bite them that strike them not but sheep bite not them that strike them 3. Doct. Evill men intend to go through with their plots So did Jezabel in the businesse of Naboth without any thought of the danger of innocent blood So Judas betrayed Christ without any thought of Christs kindnesse in preferring him to the Apostleship Reason 1. Their intention is frustrate else as a Gardiners if the tree bear no fruit or a Builders if the house be not finished 2. All their labour is lost also if their plots take no effect Vse It shews us the corruption of our nature that is not content to be evill think evill plot evill but is never quiet till it act it Joseph's Brethren were never quiet till he was gone They regarded not their Fathers grief that would ensue 4. Doct. Ungodly men are cruell men Their very mercies are cruell Prov. 12.10 A good man regards a beasts life they care not for a mans but kill women and children like Hazael 2 King 8.12 13. They can dash the mother in pieces upon her children Hos 10.14 Reason 1. Because we are naturally so degenerate that we are compared by God who best knows us to the cruellest wilde beasts To Wolves to Lions and Bears Isa 11.6 7. 2. Because ungodly men have no fear of God to restrain their wicked disposition Therefore Abraham feared the loffe of his life in Gerar because he thought the fear of God was not in that place Gen. 20.11 Therefore Joseph's Brethren needed to fear no hurt from him because he feared God Gen. 42.18 3. Because they are afraid to be revealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mauritius de Phoca Fearfull men are murderers Vse Marvell not then at insurrections treasons poysonings cruel murdees There will be such as long as there be wicked men left in the world 5. Doct. Wicked men could wish that there were no footsteps left of their iniquity Such is the way of the adulterous woman she eateth and wipeth her mouth and saith I have done no wickednesse Prov. 30.20 Reason 1. Out of shame They know others will condemne their wicked courses though they flatter themselves Psal 36.2 2. Out of fear left they should be called to account as many wicked men have been strangely and long after murders and wantonnesses committed Vse Let us be ashamed of those courses that wicked men themselves are ashamed of and will one day wish that themselves and their sins were at the bottome of the mountains 6. Doct. Sinners want not patheticall expressions to draw others to sin They have hony words and sugared baits See the fawning speeches of the Adulteresse Prov. 7.14 c. and of the Drunkard Isa 56.12 For sin seen in its owne colours would be hated Ill stuffe will not off without a good glosse Vse Do evill men want no pathetical expressions to move to sin Let us then bewail our barrennesse to perswade to good If sinners have their Come vers 11. should not Saints have their Come to the house of the Lord Isa 2.3 Should we not incite intice whet and provoke one another Heb. 10.24 sharpen and extimulate Prov. 27.17 rouse and stir up each other to love and good works 2 Pet. 1.13 God forbid Yea let us labour to go beyond them our cause is far better Vers 13. We shall finde all precious substance and shall fill our houses with spoyl The