to be an aduerbe is there a verbe and signifieth to rise timely in the morning and diligently to seeke so that it signifieth aswell the due care which good parents haue for the nurturing of their childreÌ„ as their prouidence to do it in good season whiles they be tender yong before they grow to strength and stomack and so either vtterly refuse or little regard all fatherly correction And that which we translate correction doth also signifie instruction so that the sentence may thus be well Englished He that loueth him hastneth chastisement and instruction to him And those are meet to be ioyned together somtimes stripes with admonitions and alwayes admonitions with stripes For the smart of the flesh and the paine of the body will bring small profit to the soule vnlesse they heare their fault declared and haue direction how to reforme it They are the best parents which shew loue to their children Doct. without fondnes Fond loue is cruell hatred a cockering father is a deadly foe and they that most faithfully exercise Gods discipline towardes their sonnes and daughters doe proue to be their surest friends The admonition which is giuen to parents in another Chapter of this booke tendeth wholly to this purpose Correct thy sonne Prou. 19. 18. while there is hope and let not thy soule spare which is to kill him The Holy ghost maketh them accessary to the destruction of their children which be so indulgent vnto them and tender ouer them as that their hearts will not yeeld to giue them correction The example of God himselfe the father of spirits doâ—h euidently confirme our point in hand His loue to euery one of his children doth infinitely surmount the loue of all the fathers in the world to theirs and he doth not only declare it vnto them by promises and blessings but likewise many times by chastisements and crosses insomuch that the Apostle saith to the Hebrewes Whome the Lord loueth he chasteneth and scourgeth euery Heb. 12. 6 8. sonne that he receiueth If therefore ye be without correction wherof all are partakers then are ye bactards and not sonnes First euery child whatsoeuer his estate or birth or disposition Reasons be hath need correction by reason of deprauatâ—â—â— of nature which is in all For frowardnes and folly would ouerrunne them if they were not awed and ordered by feare and stripes And therefore saith Salomon Foolishnesse is bound in the heart of Prouer. 22. 15. a châ—ld but the rodde of correction shall driue it awaie It is in vaine to bid foolishnes be gone vnlesse it be expelled and to as small purpose to perswade him to cast it out vnlesse you helpe to loose it Secondly the comfort and profite that insueth to children by castigation and stripes doth make their loue appeare that therein shall be friend them and discouer their vnkinde dealing which deny theÌ„ that benefit It is one of Gods ordinances wherby they are deliuered from many euils from hurts of bodies from ruine of state from blindnes of mind from sinfulnes of hearte from wickednes of life from destruction of the whole man And therfore doth the Lord testifie that the rod and correction giue Prou. 29 15. wisdome And therefore doth he also require that our children be not defrauded of it Withhold not saith he correction from the child if thou smite him with the rodde he shall not doe Thou shalt smite Prou 23 13. him with the rodde and deliuer his soule from hell Now what inhumanity is it for a man to see his son in daunger and will not succour him to see him plunged in a riuer and will not plucke him out to see him falling into the fire and will not preserue him to see him sinking into hell and will not helpe to saue him Reproofe of them that vse all the shiftes that they can deuise Vse 1 to exempt themselues from shewing this laudâ—ble loue and also their children from receiuing such wholesome correction Of all professions they are most vnwilling to become phisitions neither are so loath to minister to anie as to their owne whom God hath appointed to bee theire patients Though they lye and sweare and steale and bee stubborne yet theire faulâ—s bee not so greate they saie children will bee children and did not wee commit as grieuous offences our selues when we were yonge But are not childrens faults sinnes againste the Lord Are not childrens sinnes punishable by the lawe of the Almighty Are not children mortall and subiect to death aswell as men of grâ—â—â—â—â— age Shall not children appear before the iudgment seate of Jesus aswell as those which are elder And sithence we had the same corruptions our selues it should cause vs to bee more pittifull towards them and watchfull ouer them otherwise it is to be doubted whether as yet we be healed of the sins of our youth and pardoned for them But it is needelesse say they so far to trouble our selues yeares will bring wit and discretion or at least their owne rod will be ate them and make them to amend But who tould them that they shall liue to the yeras of discretion How if the sword of iustice cutte them off before for theire lewdnes and giue no time for theire owne rodde to worke anie goodnesse in them And though they should remaine and smart also for the sinfulnes of their childhood yet there is greater danger lest their hearts wil be more hardned and made worse than hope that they wil repent and be made better because Gods medicines haue beene deteined from them and his blessinges are not promised vnto them And who shall make any praier for them with comfort of good successe The sinfull sonne is neither able to doe it nor willing nor accepted if he shoulde and the negligent fathâ—r hath small incouragement to intreate the Lorde to doe that wherein hee himselfe hath vtterlie fayled of all dueties to serue his prouidâ—nce But graunting all this to bee true that so much euill proceedeth from the neglect of correction and so much good by the seasonable and moderate vse thereof yet one impediment hindereth them that they cannot bee broughte to exercise it Theire kinde hearte is so tenderly affected towardes theire little ones that they cannot endure to heare them crie or see them weepe and the rodde will make them doe both and therefore they muste needes forbeare it But you mistake the cause and miscall your affâ—ction it is not kiâ—dnesse but crueltie nor the tendernesse of your hearte but the hatred in it according to Gods testimony that can rather indure the diseases of sinne in your childrens soules then the curing of them with teares and sorow And yet this vnmercifull fauour doth rather prepare them to sorowe then priuiledge them from it because it will increase their misery in time to come If Dauid had moâ—â—â—rieued Adonitah with the rod rebukes when he was a child it is like that he might haue escaped the sinne
hath and falleth into great want and necessity A little with good husbandry is better than a great portion Doct. with vnthriftines It is not greatly materiall how much men haue to begin with but how well and wisely they guide their affaires He that is painfull and prudent in his businesse notwithstanding his wealth be small is rising from the bottome towards the toppe and he that is remisse and carelesse in his state though his substance be great is falling from the toppe towards the bottome Tending to this purpose there are many sentences both in this booke and in other places of Scripture as where it is sayd that by wisedome an house is builded and with vnderstanding it is established And by Prou. 24. 3. 4. knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all pretious and pleasant riches By house here like as els where he meaneth men whole estate the founding and finishing and furnishing whereof being all ascribed to wisedome of which one especiall point is to be industrious as is also the establishment and supportance of it And contrary by slothfulnesse which is a great branche of folly the Eccl. 10. 18. roofe of the house goeth to decaie and by idlonesse of the hands the house droppeth through And for this cause is that exhortation giueÌ„ in the 27. Chapter Be diligent to know the state of thy flocke and Prou. 27. 23. take heede of the beards For ritches remaine not alwaies nor the crowne from generation to generation As if he should haue sayde let not thy great substaunce bring thee to neglect thine affayres least the neglect of thine affaires bring thy great substâ—nce to nothing What though thou haue large and ample possessions and dignity left to thee by thy ancestors Yet if thou be carelesse and heedlesse in thy gouernment thou art like to leaue neither welth nor honour to thy posterity First the earth and the fruits thereof were created aswell for Reasons 1 the poore as the rich and appointed for their vse to yeelde them foode who shall painfully trauaile therein Gen. 3. 19. Secondly discretion and industry make gaine of seasons and places and opportunities and many commodities which indiscretion and idlenesse either see not or marke not or get not through want of labour and paines taking Thirdly the promise of blessing is made to them that are faithfull and diligent without respect of persons and the slothfull and vnthrifty haue the curse threatned against them whatsoeuer their conditions be He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread Prou 28. 19. but he that followeth the idle shall be satisfied with pouertie Vse 1 Consolation for poore beginners that haue little or nothing to take to if they haue wills to take paines and wisedome to deale discreetly and faithfulnes to walk vprightly in their callings It is neither vnpossible nor vnlikely that beginning with one Cow at first they may attaine to many at last that one lamb may grow to a flocke of sheepe that a small tenement or cottage may be turned into a freehold or Farme When Iacob came into Padan Aram he brought onely his staffe in his hand but when hee departed thence he droue away sundry flockes and diuers sorts of cattell For God had ordained the fields aswell to maintain Iacob though he was but a stranger there and in place of a seruant as it did Laban who was an inhabitant in the country and had hired him onely for his owne turne And albeit that many diligent men find not the earth and their labors to yeeld them such plenty as therby to become opulent haue much aforehaÌ„d yet how many of them faile of sufficiency as not annually from time to time to be prouided for And then if they be not destitute of apparell if they be not depriued of competent meate and drinke if they want not those things that are needfull for them this Scripture is truly verified to the comfort of all that apply themselues to any good trauells that much foode is by tillage for the poore Confutation of them that when their state is shrunke their wealth coÌ„sumed are as vnrighteous in misplating their coÌ„plaints as the very vnthrifty in mispending their portions Some parâ—e of the blame must lie vpon the greatnes of their charge some vpon the negligence of their seruants some vpon the smalnesse of their liuings some vpon the vnfaithfulnes of them whom they trusted and gaue word for some vpon the hardnesse of the season vnseasonablenes of the weather but nothing vpon their owne euill husbandry and sinfulnes But why did they entertaine such false seruants and trust such vnfaithfull friends why would they for ostentation burden themselues with more in family then were needful As for the other causes haue not some of their neighbors as many children and as little liuing as they and that in the same times and places wherein they liue And they prosper and decay not their substance is augmented and not diminished they haue ynough for their own present inioyment and surplusage to leaue to theirs after them But tillage say they which inforceth a necessity of housekeeping hath brought vs downe and therefore we lay downe tillage and giue vp housekeeping and so we hope to recouer our selues againe But sithence God doth commend tillage as profitable to euery degree and yeelding food plentifully to all why do they traduce it as a thing that were hurtfull and cause of vndoing to any Doth it not come often to passe that many by ouerthrowing of that do ouerturne their whole estate and they that pick such a quarrell at housekeeping are driuen to make sale of all and leaue themselues no house to keepe Reproofe of their folly that thinke the very hauing of lands and goods sufficient for perpetuall maintenance howeuer they order them They neuer dreame that wealth is subiect to waste when it is not well managed and that their state may fall into a consumption if it be not heedfully looked vnto Hence it is that they are so greedy to prouide liuings and riches for their childreÌ„ but no wisedome discretion how to vse them Nay they traine them vp in pride and idlenes and other foule sins as though their desire were to haue them expert and skilfull spendalls they set them betime to learne the art and trade of vnthriftines whiles themselues liue that they may swiftly run through their patrimony and inheritance when they are dead Verse 24. He that spareth his rod hateth his sonne but he that loueth him chastneth him betime HE that spareth his rod which withhouldeth due correction from his child when it is needfull hateth his sonne becommeth his enemy though not in affection yet in effect by omitting a duety so necessary for his welfare But he that loueth him vnfainedly with a â—â—â—nd affection and the loue of a godly father correcteth him betime The words in the Originall tongue are of great force for this betime which seemeth
of treason and the griefe of violent death when he was a man But the scripture noteth that hee would not displease him to saie why hast thou done so 1. Kings 1 6. Instruction to childreÌ„ to take notice with thankfulnes of their parents loue not onely for their food and apparrel for their portion and patrimonie but like wise and that in a principal maner for their good education for their holy instructions for theire wholesome and medicinable corrections though for the present they seemed somewhat sharp and bitter vnto them These things are onely profitable to their bodies and yet not alwaies nor for perpetuity but these are for the good of theire soules and that certainly and for euermore The fathers fondnes and Gods anger and the childs ruine goe often together with those earthly possessions but the fathers faithfulnesse and Gods fauour and the childes happines are alwaies conioyned where this healthfull discipline is duly exercised and regarded Vers 25. The righteous eateth to the contentation of his minde but the bellie of the wicked shall want THe righteous all those which are religious in hearte and vpright in their wayes eate that is inioy all good things as they shall not be starued through want of food so they shall not be destitute of cloathing or lodging or habitation or any other thing that is needfull for them eyther they shall abound with plenty or be prouided of that which is sufficient Sometimes they haue no greate store for their eies to looke vpon yet liuing by faith and not by sight they haue alwaies enough for theire soules to be satisfied with But the bellie of the wicked shall want and their backes also very often and according to the curse of the lawe manie of them liue in hunger and in thirst and in nakednesse and in need of al things And albeit this iudgement is not Deu. 28. 48. executed vpon them all yet coÌ„monly some other more heauy and hurâ—full is inflicted vpon them that escape it And of neither of them which get most nor of them which fare best it can be truely affirmed that they eate to the contentation of their minds For though they haue much wealth in their hands much meat at their tables and much wine in their bowles yet they haue not much nor any contentment in their hearts for they remaine vnsatiable As the godly are in better case than the wicked for their soules Doct. in regard of the life to come so they are for their bodies in respect of their present state He onely is blessed in earth that is to be glorifâ—ed in heauen and none can possibly be happy here so long as he standeth in state of damnation for hereafter When the Spirit of God giueth grace to the soule his prouidence will not fayle to minister all good things to the body And therefore the Apostle sayth that 1. Tim. 4. 8. godlinesse is profitable vnto all things which hath the promise of the life present and of that that is to come On the other side vngodly men hauing no piety in them haue likewise no promise to them The best that may be hoped for is this that if they be Gods elect he will drawe them to himselfe by penury and wants or other scourges If otherwise let them know that he neuer giueth any thing to them in mercy whome he is minded to destroy in iustice A larger prosecution of this point see in the tenth Chapter verse the third vpon these words The Lord will not famâ—sh the soule of the righteous but he casteth away the substance of the wicked AN EXPOSITION OF THE FOVRTEENTH CHAPTER OF THE PROVERBS CHAPTER XIIII Verse 1. A wise woman buildeth her house but the foolish destroieth it with her owne hands A Wise woman Such a one as is both godly and discreet buildeth her house is helpfull and profitable to the state family of her husband and her owne But she that is foolish being destitute of grace and good prouidence how much wit soeuer she hath for many times the most witty wiues are the least thrifty huswiues destroieth it vndooeth her husâ—and her selfe and children and ouerthroweth the whole houshold It behooueth a man in regard of his whole estate to be wise Doct. and wary in making choyse of his wife Though his owne skill and power be slender and vnable to effect any matters of importance yet by a wise diligent helper he may bring great things to passe and though himselfe be neuer so industrious and expert in his calling yet by a wretchlesse and wastfull yoakefellow his labours may be all consumed A good woman comming to a house scarce side-wall high will set vp the roofe furnish the rooms but a lewd huswife finding an house already built and stored will rase the foundation of it and quickly empty it of all the furniture Some by their sloth carelesnesse neglect either to get or saue others by their pride or luxury or like vices spare not to lauish out and mispend and all by sinfulnes and rebellion against God do drawe downe his curse and iudgements vpon them Somewhat hath been already spoken to this point in the twelfth chapter and fourth verse vpon these words A vertuous woman is the crowne of her husband but she that maketh him ashamed is a rottennesse in his bones And more remaineth to be handled in the one and thirtieth chapter where the Lord himselfe doth at large illustrate the seuerall properties and good effects of a prudent godly and gratious woman Vers 2. He that walketh in his vprightnesse feareth the Lord but he that is lewd in his waies despiseth him BY walking and waies is meant in the Scriptures the ordinary vsuall and common course of mens behauiour by vprightnesse the sincerity and faithfulnes of their harts contrary to fraud and guile which pretendeth one thing and purposeth another in them which make a shew to doe seruice to God in that wherein they only or principally propose some carnall end to themselues and by fearing the Lord is vnderstood true piety and godlines So that the sence of the former clause is that euery one which accustometh himselfe to well doing vnfainedly without hypocrisie and halting is vndoubtedly the child of God and truely religious But he that is lewd in his waies that leadeth a wicked life whether openly in the sight and view of the world or secretly so as is known only to the Lord and his owne conscience despiseth him doth actually and in deed shew contempt to God by violating his lawes howsoeuer he may beare himselfe in hand and make others to beleeue that he doth much reuerence him The faithfulnesse or falslood of the heart may be discerned by the Doct. course of the conuersation The grace of the spirit cannot be dammed vp in the soule of a man but that it will flow forth and shew it selfe by goodnesse in his behauiour neither can there possibly be a constant streame
first they were discomfited Ioshua 10 11. by Ioshua then they fled in feare and great confusion then fell great hailstones vpon them and so they perished Jn the sâ—me case or as bad was Sisera who beeing vanquished by Barak was driuen from him his chariot and army to take himself Iudges 4 to his heels fly away alone in dread danger being weary and thirsty and where he hoped for helpe there felt hee hurte and wheme hee tooke for his friende and preseruer of his life hee found to be his foe and worker of his death And nothing better went the world with Saul who for want of answer from God in his calamities was driuen to aske counsell of the Diuell and then was daunted with threatnings and afterwards wounded with weapons hauing the Philistims against 1. Sam. 31. him and the Lord against him and his conscience against him and his owne heart and his owne hand and his owne sword and all to hasten his owne destruction First they reiect all admonitions one after another and will Reasons 1 receiue no instructioÌ„ when God offreth himselfe to teach them and therefore it is iust equall that he should pursue them with iudgements one after another and deny them all fauour when he setteth himselfe to plague them Secondly many of them vncessantly and proudely followe theyr delights and pleasures and those wayes which most content their carnall affections without any feare of Gods displeasure and therefore at the last the Lorde sendeth miseries as many and as fast after them which shall neuer leaue them vntill they haue brought them to ruine So it is said of that Romish and whoorish Babilon that idolatrous kingdome of Antichrist Reuel 18. 7 8. Inasmuch as she glorified her selfe and liued in pleasure so much giue ye to her torment and sorrowe for she saith in her heart I fit being a Queene and am no widdowe and shall see no mourning Therefore shall her plagues come at one daie death and sorrow and famine and she shall be burnt with fire Thirdly the most part of wicked men by word or deede by one meanes or other doe set themselues to ouerthrow their harmlesse neighbours which feare the Lord and are innocent towards them and therefore it is a righteous thing with God as the Apostle saith to recompence tribulation to them that trouble 2. Thes 1. 6 his people and to cast downe those which thrust so sore at his seruants Admonition to euery man so to demeane himselfe in time of Vse hiâ— peace and prosperous estate as that hee may be supported and held vp and not pushed at and cast downe in his troubles How needfull a thing is it therefore to walke alwayes modestly without insolency and mildly without fiercenes and innocently without harmfulnesse that when afflictions come wee may haue the fauour of God and the friendship of Gods seruants and the comfort of our owne soules to establish vs that we fall not What was so pernitious and preiudiciall to that cursed Haman when he sunke into aduersity as his pride and presumption while he swimmed in prosperity Downe would hee haue the whole Church and all the people of God both men women and children and therefore downe must Haman himselfe come into reproche and disgrace And then how many tongues were against him how many feete were vpon him and how much anxiety and horror was in him His wife forespeaketh him the Queene accuseth him the Eunuch conuinceth him the king condemneth him the executiones hangeth him and the Lord destroyeth him But the righteous c. No danger nor death can take away the Doct. 2 comfort or happines of godly men It standeth not with the will and wisedome of the Almighty to exempt his seruants wholly from troubles and to free them altogether from feares for they are ofttimes very needfull and expedient but it is most agreeable with his prouidence and best for the praise of his power to preserue and deliuer them when they are in distresses Many are the promises which to this purpose are made by God and manifold are the professions which holy men make of their confidence therein both in the old and new testament As for example Iob saith though the Lord should Iob. 13. 15 slaie me yet would I trust in him still And the Psalmist saith God Psal 46 1 is our hope and strength and helpe in troubles readie to bee found Therefore will not we feare though the earth be moued and the mountaines fall into the midst of the sea Though the waters be troubled Rom. 8 35. and the mountaines shake at the surges of the same And saint Paul sayth Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or peril or sword As it is written for thy sake are wee killed all the day long we are counted as sheepe for the slaughter Neuerthelesse in all these things we are more than conquerours through him that loued vs. First because it is not in the power of troubles temptations Reasons 1 dangers or enemies either to stop faithfull men from praying to the Lord or to stay the Lord from hearing the prayers of faithfull men Dauids enemies could hinder him for a time from going to the Temple but not one moment from repairing to heauen they would not suffer him to bring his sacrifices to the Altar but they could not withholde him from presenting his petitions in Gods presence That he might doe and that he did and that he found a meane of his helpe and succour His distresses were exceeding great his supplications were very feruent and his deliuerance was maruellous comfortable And so much himselfe acknowledgeth or rather the Lord by him doth testifie saying The sorrowes of death compassed mee and the flouds of wickednesse Psal 18. 4. 5. 6. 16. made me afraid The sorrowes of the graue haue compassed mee about the snares of death ouertooke me But in my trouble I did call vpon the Lord and cried vnto my God hee heard my voice out of his Temple and my crie did come before him euen into his eares He hath sent downe from aboue and taken me hee hath drawne me out of manie vvaters c Secondly the Lord loueth his people aswell and is aswell able to protect them in the moste boysterous stormes of calamity as to preserue them in the quietest calmes of tranquility according as was formerly shewed out of the eight chapter to the Romanes Thirdly our Sauiour Christ hath so vanquished the power of troubles and death it selfe by his suffring and dying that they cannot hurt his members and so seasoned and sanctified them to his people that they are mâ—de verye commodious and profitable to them Fourthly death is so farre from depriuing the godly of the comforte of their hope as that it rather sendeth them to the possession of theyr happinesse which they haue so long hoped for Instruction to