shall reprooue Cham What Oliues can we gather of our Magistrates when they bee not Oliue trees in Gods house but catching brambles and minde not iustice but scratching couetousnes for if the head be sicke can the heart be merry Esa. 1.5 and if the eye be darke how great is that darknes the eye that will giue light must haue light and they must bee good Magistraâ—es that will make a good people A consolation against the reproaches that are cast vpon men when they set themselues to feare the Lord and to walkâ— in his wayes Now they begin to be fooles saith the world nay now they doe wisely saith the Lord. Men say They haue beene taken for sensible wise men but now they dote God sayth They are now sensible good men and take the way for good vnderstanding The world iudgeth them fooles and God calleth them wise Before they ruled by forcâ— onely now they rule by discretion before as men now as wise men before in darknes or vnregeneration now in the Lord. By perfect way the Prophet meaneth as we heard the way of Religion and true godlinesse by the word which is perfect it is called the perfect law Psal. 19.7 Or perfect law of libertie Iam. 1.25 And perfect will of God Rom. 12.2 because in it is contayned perfectly whatsoeuer is required to righteousnes or mans saluation The doctrine from whence is The holy Scripture and word of God as it is the onely register of true wisedome so it is a most sufficient rule of mans life to instract him in righteousnes and to make him absolute to all good works for this it is called the wisedome of God and the power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 Rom. 1.16 and the whole of it is saide to be giuen by inspiration and to bee profitable that is sufficient for doctrine for rebuke for instruction for correction and therefore is it further sayd to make not the meane person onely but the man of God the Minister himselfe not able in part but absolute and not to some worke or some few works but to all good works 2 Tim. 3.16 Yea so perfect is the word of God that hee that addeth to it addeth to his owne plagues and hee that taketh any part from it taketh so much of his part out of thâ— Booke of life Apoc. 22.18.19 and in Iude 3. we reade of a faith once giuen that is sufficiently or once for all Indeed the holy Bookes and Monuments of the righteous are as strong Chests and Store-houses wherein God hath reserued alway some precious foode for posteritie neyther may wee reiect the industrie of the Heathen for euen they haue some foode meete for liberall men in matters naturall and politike seruing well if due regard bee had and choyse made for good direction in the things of this present life but these knowledges meerelie humane as those waters of Tema spoken of in Iob â—â—yle those that drinke of the Riuer thereof and delight in the Brooke thereof for when men are dryed vp with Gods burning indignation and consumed with a hot fire in their bones because of his wrath these sciences profit not they that goe to Tema haue considered them and they that trauell to Sheba wayted for them yet were they confounded when they hoped and ashamed when they came thither for as waters that passe away they failed out of their places and departed from their way and course Iob. 6.15.17.18.19.20 But the waters and this riuer of the word is a well of liuing water hee that drinketh of it shall neuer bee more a thirst Ioh. 4.14 The other foode contracteth corruption as our naturall foode doth but this is the bread that endureth to euerlasting life Ioh. 6.27 That wisedome is earthly and tasteth of the soyle from which it came but this wisedome is heauenly and from God who abideth for euer The Reasons The word is heere called the perfect way of a Christian the way that will bring him to heauen if hee walke in it and in no other and therefore that which is sufficient that is in and by it selfe sufficient to his saluation Secondly the Scriptures are perfectly holy that is holy in themselues by themselues Psal. 19.8 and perfectly profitable that is profitable by the truth which is in them and profitable without any other truth added to them to instruct to saluation 2 Tim. 3.16 and therefore all other writings supposed necessary are superfluous Thirdly what is perfect but that which is entire of it selfe and needeth nothing Now that which is so entire and independent what lacketh it that it hath not and what can we adde vnto it that is not already in it but so perfect is the word For where the Prophet speaketh of the perfect way it is not meant that he could be perfect that did walke in that way except perfect in account and by endeauour as Gods righteous seruants are said to be but he meaneth the word written which he calleth the perfect way Vses A confutation to Poperie Papists adde to the written truth their vnwritten truths as they call them truths which they affirme to be as necessarie rules of faith to saluation as the Scriptures are and so the Papists require a supply but wherefore a supply when the thing is sufficient That Booke that was sprinckled with the bloud of the Lambe that onely was put into the Arke and fetched from thence Heb. 9.19 and this is the word of faith which we preach Rom. 10.8 Also we reade of a sure word of the Prophets 2 Pet. 1.19 and the same Apostle chargeth the Christians of his time and vs in them to take heede vnto it not to the vncertaine breath of man but to the most certaine word of God for who will walke in a blinde way when hee hath a knowne way to goe in But that place in Mathew is notable to this purpose where an Angell in his message to Ioseph would not vse his owne credit and authoritie for that hee speake but alledgeth Scripture for it Math. 1.21.22.23 Ioseph might haue maruelled that his Wife should bee with childe by the holy Ghost though an Angell had spoken it but when hee heard Scripture for it he beleeued An instruction to Christians chiefely to such as haue charge of others to read much deliberately in the word for it is it onely that can make vs perfect to all good works both in respect of knowledge what ought to bee done and of power to doe it Quest. But may a man be perfect in this life seeing Dauid saith Hee will doe wisely in the perfect way and Christ exhorting sayd Be perfect as your heauenlie Father is perfect Mat. 5.28 Answere No man who is not more then man can and therefore where Dauid promiseth to walke perfectly and Christ exhorteth to bee perfect Dauid meant not that he could be perfect saue in respect of Gods imputation or as he stood in balance with others who were ruder in knowledge
agreeable to nature wee helpe our delight by often speaking of and repeating them Much more in things aboue nature or rather against corrupt nature should we get furtherance and seeke helpe to our duties by promising often to doe them to God vnfainedly in his seruice Which I speake not to iustifie Popish vowes made of matters from which a Christian hath no warrant to binde himselfe or of Marriage c. Vses From hence wee may first gather that there is a weake desire in the best to good things and therefore that all stand in neede of this discipline which also warranteth some kinds of vowings in the Gospell and for our better sufficiencie in spirituall matters commandeth them Psal. 76.11 Further here are reprooued all sluggish Christians that neuer open their mouthes to God in the new Testament for the pricking of them forward to good or the holding them backe from â—â—ill I confesse that such vowes are not any parts of Religion yet are they as hath beene noted bonds to our mindes for a faster setting of vs onward to Heauen and a speedier drawing of vs out of the world and from the loue of worldlie things Another protestation concerning the Prophets person followeth I will doe wisely in the perfect way c. OR I will prudently attend vnto and with all diligence walke in the perfect way The sweete Singer of Israel Dauid â—s he is called 2 Sam. 23.1 hauing promised to sing the sweet and diuine dittie of mercie and iudgement to the Lord in the first verse doth in this next further promise for his owne person that hee will sing it also to the same God his King and Deliuerer Where first he speaketh of the meanes according to which or by the helpe of which hee will both toward himselfe and others performe his song and then of the things to bee performed by him in that song In the meanes he telleth how he will doe these duties and how long He will doe them wisely according to the word wherein is true wisedome And hee will doe them till God come vnto him to wit In his promise to make him King and by death to take his Kingâ— that is to his last breath he will doe them Before he said That hee would sing deuoutly heere hee saith that hee will doe wisely and so promiseth to be at once both merry and wise A good resolution and promise of some hardnesse which made Iobâ— when his Sonnes gaue themselues to feasting to giue himselfe to sacrificing for his Sonnes lest Mirth might enter and God bee shut out Iob. 1.5 And it was a singular blessing of God that Salomon could taste of all Courtly delights and yet his wisedome remaine with him Eccles. 2.8.9 But Dauid will bee merry and wise and sing and doe wisely knowing that it is an euill thing vnder the Sunne when an errour proceedeth from the face of him that Ruleth Eccles. 10.5 Now by doing wisely the Prophet vnderstandeth the doing of his matters with good report order and warinesse as if hee should haue sayd That he would waigh matters in the balance of true iudgement by the word before he would deale in them and by perfect way hee meaneth the way of the word to which he will addresse his steps and bring his heart and so doe wisely in matters both at home and abroad Thus Dauid vvill doe wisely and wherein wisely In the perfect way that is in that integritie of sound Religion and incorruptnesse of honest life that the word prescribeth which is cleane and endureth for euer Psa. 19.9 The summe is this He will wiselie demeane himselfe in all his gouernment vvalking in the way of grace and obedience to God as hee hath learned in his perfect Lawe The doctrine from hence is They that rule shall rule wisely so long as they walke prudently in Gods wayes following his vvord for there is no sound direction for matter of Religion or manner of conuersation but from it So much knovvledge vve haue as vvee knovv it and so much ignorance is in vs as vvee are ignorant of it The Prophet vvho is authour of the 119. Psalme in the 98.99 and 100. verses of that Psalme maketh this conclusion whosoeuer shâ—â—l hide the Commaundements of God in his hearâ— shall bee wiser then his enemies then his teachers then the auncient But the Prophet did so and so doe the godlie and therefore hee found this wisdome and therefore they shall finde it Dauid while he rested on God vvas wise but vvhen hee numbred his men and trusted in man he was confounded 2 Sam. 24.14 Salomon so long as he walked before the Lord with a perfect heart was wiser then his Father Dauid for the wisedome of God was in him to doe iustice 1 King 3.28 but vvhen hee turned away by the temptation of his out-landish wiues to serue other Gods and to walke in other waies he was more foolish then any man for hee turned the face to Idols and the backe to God 1 King 11.1.3.4.9.11 Asa did wisely so long as he did that that was good and right in the eyes of the Lord and God gaue him great victories 2 Chr. 14.2.11.12.13 but hee did foolishly when hee rested on the King of Arâ—m and trusted not in the Lord when he was wroth with the Seer and put the Lords Prophet in prison after that he had warres 2 Chr. 16.7.9 Iehosaphat Hezekiah and Iosuah three worthie Kings raigned worthily so long as they walked in the perfect way doing wisely by it but when and so long as they turned from it to carnall wisedome they did vnwisely in matters and well in nothing Therefore the people that knoweth not God that is that knoweth him not in his word are called A foolish people Ier. 4.22 and they that cast off God in his word that is that care not for the word by which onely commeth true vnderstanding haue no wisedome in them Ier. 8.9 The Reasons The Scripture vsually calleth men without Religion Men of no vnderstanding Deut. 32.28 and vnregenerate men Fooles for no man can bee truely wise who is not vnfainedly Religious therefore the feare of the Lord that is his true seruice by the Scriptures is sayd to bee the beginning of wisedome Pro. 9.10 and men beginne not to be wise till they begin to feare him Eccles. 12.13 Psal. 111.10 Wisedome is a streame and the seruice of God by the word of God the fountaine from which it floweth to vs. If we be Suitors to wisedome this is the father that must giue her If wee be Merchants of wisedome this is the Key and Hauen at the which wee must haue her If we delight in wisedome wee must reioyce in the Lord and delight in his waies so shall wee finde wisedome and iudgement and righteousnes and euery good path Pro. 2.9 Secondly the word and our walking according vnto it maketh vs to walke safely Pro. 3.23 which is an effect of wisedome and recompence of one that is
and weaker in faith then himselfe and Christs words Be perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect implie onely a like qualitie but no way an equalitie Obiect How then can the Scriptures make vs perfect in all good works Answere The Scriptures are able to make vs perfect if there were no defect in vs the obiect they worke vpon and yet the way of the godly is called perfect not in respect of action but of endeauour and desire Luk. 1.6 There are great infirmities in our best works yet if we striue against our imperfections and labour to perfection the euill that we doe shall not bee remembred the good that wee would doe shall bee taken as done for we are by imputation what we are in affection and hee is no sinner who for the loue that he beareth to righteousnesse desireth to be none If then we would be perfect in Gods account and by imputation and bee meanes to make others so wee must attend to reading and as it were weare the Booke of God in our hands hauing it alway with vs Deut. 17.19 The practise of this we reade Psal. 119.97 Oh how loue I thy law it is my meditation continually Where the Prophet sheweth that the loue of God is the loue of his word and that so much as we loue him so much wee loue his truth The King must exercise it Deut. 17.18 and God be thanked that our King is so well exercised in it Now is it necesssary for the King often to reade in the word to teach him to rule and is it not as necessarie for common persons and all inferiours that haue more time to meditate in it that they may learne to obay Is it necessarie for him to grow learned by reading and by meditation to bee made wise in the Scriptures that he may not by the swelling of the heart a grieuous disease in Kings commaund things vnlawfull and intolerable and is it not as necessary for these with like diligence to exercise themselues in the word that in too great a basenesse of minde they yeeld not themselues seruilely to obay man rather then God That we may giue our selues thus to the studie of the word we must pray that we may loue it for where loue is there is delight and what we loue to doe that we delight to doe The rich man loueth to be rich and therefore meditateth of riches The ambitious person loueth prayse and therfore casteth to be praysed The Naturall man loueth naturally and therefore liueth naturally and so if we had no greater pleasure wealth or glorie then to meditate in the word our loue this way would constraine vs continually to reade and meditate in the same A reproofe to Popish superstition and our common peoples prophanesse who are so farre themselues from reading the word that they abhorre that others should read it The Papists keepe it from the people vnder the Loâ—ke of a strange tongue and our people that may reade and heare it read in their Mother-tongue neglect it altogether Of such we cannot say by their fulnesse in the word that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Luk. 6.45 For if wee shall iudge of their inward knowledge by their barren tongues we may truely giue sentence against them that there is no droppe of heauenly learning in them and that their Fountaines within are as a long drouth in Summer So farre for the manner how the Prophet will doe these good duties the time how long followeth Till thou come vnto me c. THe Prophet will doe wisely by the word and waite on God doing his will till he come vnto him that is as some restraine it during his interim of attendance and till God should giue him the Crowne of Saul by Sauls death but as I take it not onely so long but till his dust should returne to earth as it was and the spirit to God that gaue it Eccles. 12.7 that is till God by death should come vnto him calling him out of this land of his pilgrimage and valley of misery by his happie change and translation from an earthly to an heauenly Kingdome And so the Prophet promiseth to walke in the way of the Lord by his practise of patience till the Kingdome fell vnto him and of true wisedome after it was fallen for when God should set him in the Throne may we thinke that hee would leaue off to doe wisely nay but hee vndertaketh this taske by promise till God should call him out of this world by death Indeede though in that great distance and gulfe of time that was from his being annointed by Samuel when hee was by God owne mouth proclaymed beyre apparent to the Kingdome which Saul then had he saw many weary dayes endured many hard penances by the iniury of Saul yet he neuer hastned his owne aduancement by the making away of his Soueraigne And though by the prouidence of God Saul who deadly pursued him was offered into his hands once in the Wildernesse of Engodi 1 Sam. 24.3.5 And another time in the Desert of Ziph Ch. 26.8.9.10.11.12 yet he spared him and would offer no manner violence to him committing the iudgement to God and tarrying his leasure till hee should possesse him of the Royall Diadoâ—â— And when once he had it he promiseth to perseuere in a godly course till God should take him away and till his chaâ—ge came Before he had it he would not practise for it and when hee had it he would doe wisely in it First therefore hee promiseth to keepe within the bonds of dutie to his Soueraigne while hee was subiect to Saul which may be a good lesson to vs when God deferreth vs in any thing that hee hath promised to walke in hope not to goe out of the way of patience til 〈◊〉 comeâ— So Sarah receiued strength to conceiue seede being past children by ordinarie course because she iudged him faithfull that had promised Heb. 11.11 Isaac waited for children tvventie yeeres and prayed vnto the Lord that is vvaited Gods good pleasure for them and he had two at a birth Gen 25.20.24.26 The pittifull Church waited long for the God of her helpe did she therefore cast away her confidence and by meanes altogether vnlawfull become her ovvne helper no but shee practised patience and exercised prayer saying Let vs lift vp our hearts with our hands to God in the heauens Lam. 3.41 Of an excellent Prophet we read that his life claue to the dust but vvhat follovveth it follovvethâ— and his heart claue to Gods testimonies Psalm 119.25.31 Heere Dauid vvould bee Gods King 〈◊〉 King and as this was his practise so this vvas his precept waste vpon the Lord and hope in him Psa. 37.7 Now vvhy hath God in his vvord and in the vvorld left vs so many examples of this holy subiect but for our imitation and that vvee by them should learne to runne this race of patience and of a contented life in