man regarded him his seruents his haÌ„d-maids yea euen his owne wife despised him He had experience of this point and therefore it shall not be amisse to let him speak to it and declare what befell him My neighbours saith hee hath Iob. 19. 14. 15. forsaken mee and my familiars haue forgotten me They that dwell in mine house and my maides tooke me for a stranger in their â—ight I called my seruant but he would not answeare though I prayed him with my mouth My breath was straÌ„ge vnto my wife though I praâ—ed her for the children sake of my bodie The wicked despised me when I rose they spake against mee All my secret friends also abhorred mee and they whome I loued are turned against me Neither was it Iobs case alone nor belonging onely to that time but the like vsage hath bene found and is to be expected of euery one that falleth into misery at all times For the Holye ghost which best knoweth all customes which men haue vsed heertofore and what is now in practise presently and what will surely come to passe heereafter doth testify that all the brethren of the poore do hate him how much more will his friends depart far Prou 19 7. from him Though he be instant with words yet they will not First they looke to their credit herein esteeming it an honoure Reasons 1 to be in league with them that are of eminent place and good ability and a disgrace to be sociable with them that are little seâ— by Secondly they haue also an eye to their commodity knowing that mighty men and wealthy may greatly pleasure them if they be their friends or much endomage them if they be their aduersaries and so for their owne sakes will be linked to them in kindnesse And therefore it is sayd that riches gather manie friends The person of the rich man is not so much regarded as his wealth nor would be at all were it not for his wealth for that Prou. 19 4 is it which getteth so many mens good wills And on the other side they feare that if they should giue countenance to their needy neighbors or kinsmen or old companions they would presse too heauy vpon them by begging or borrowing or comming oft to their table or expecting helpe from them and so growe burdenous vnto them Instruction 1. If we fall into afflictions that we seeke not to Vse carnall friends for succour for they will rather adde to our burden by testimonies of hatred than minister comfort by the fruits of their loue They will be so far from relieuing vs by shewing mercy and compassion as that they will more grieue vs with their strange behauiour and vnkindnesse And therefore the Lord himselfe giueth this precept Enter not into thy brothers house in the date of thy calamitie for a neighbour that is neere is better Prou 27. 10 than a brother that is farre off He that is further off in nature and bloud may be much more neer in faithfulnes and loue 2. To depend vpoÌ„ the Lord who reiecteth not his people for their pouerty and crosses but pitieth them the more for their afflictions and though all men should cast them off in their misery and troubles yet he will not forsake them as Dauids case doth witnesse When my father and mother saith he forsooke me the Lord gathered me Psal 27 10 vp 3. To associate our selues with godly men for they will proue our surest friends Vicinity and neighborhood will faile and alliance and kindred will faile but grace and religion will neuer faile Jf wee adioyne our selues vnto them for their vertue and goodnesse they will not seperate themselues from vs for our calamities and trouble Ruth was no lesse kind to Naomie when she went away empty than when she came thither full and Ionathan was as faithfull to Dauid when Saul sought to slay him as when he made him his Sonne in law and shewed best countenance to him Vers. 21. He that despiseth his neighbour is a sinner but he that sheweth mercie to the poore blessed is he THis verse dependeth on the former wherin was declared the property of fleshly men which will despise their friends and neighbors in their necessity and here is set downe their state condition which shew such vnfaithfulnes that he which doth despise his neighbour when he is poore and distressed shall be a sinner that is shall be charged with sinne and conuicted of it and plagued for it The same word is so taken in the booke of Kings where Bathsheba telleth Dauid how needefull it was for him to appoint his successor before his death Else saith he when my Lord 2. Kings 1 21. the King shall sleepe with his father I and my Sonne Salomon shall be sinners that is shall be counted as guilty persons and punished as offendors Now this is illustrated by the contrary the great reward which they shall receiue that pitty poore men in their afflictions and seek to relieue and succour them in word deed and countenance they are pronounced blessed such as shall aboundantly partake of Gods fauours and mercies It is not safe to despise poore christians in their aduersity As God Doct. 2 will take veÌ„ngeaÌ„ce of the violeÌ„ce that they suffer punish their oppressors so he wil not passe by the despite that is done to theÌ„ nor beare with such as contemne them And hereof let the Moabites be an example whome the Lord most grieuously plagued Ier. 48 26. for this sinne as the principall cause of their destruction Moab saith Ieremie shal wallow in his vomite and he shall also be in derision For didst thou not deride Jsraell as though hee had hin found among theeues for when thou speakest of him thou art mooued First they add affliction to the afflicted and make their burden Reasons 1 more heauy which were sore pressed with other crosses and troubles before For nothing is more grieuous to mans nature nor pierceth his heart deepelier than to see himselfe despised It was not the least of theire fufferinges which our Sauiour indured the Scriptures foretelling of it and numbring it among his grieuous calamities J am a worme and not a man a shame of Psal 22 6 7. men and the contempt of the people All they that see me haue meâ— in derision they make a mowe and nod the head at mee And the Church also in the Psalmes doth complaine of the bitternes thereof and vehemently craueth help at Gods hand against it Haue mercie vpon vs O Lorde haue mercie vpon vs for wee haue Psal 123 3 4. suffered too much contempt Our soule is filled too full of the mocking of the vvealthie and of the despitefulnes of the prowde Secondly they thwart and contrary Gods worde and nature and waies for he is most pitifull to them that be in tribulation so requireth all others to shew themselues His poore seruants are as precious to him as those of the
are there perswasions and reasons to that purpose declared Come with vs say they we will lay â—ait for bloud and lie priuilie Prou. 1. 11. 13 14. for the innocent without danger we shall finde all precious riches and fill our houses with spoile thou shalt put in thy lot among vs we will all haue one purse And the fellowship of faithfull Christians in fasting and prayer in participation of the word and Sacraments and in all holy exercises of religion doth asmuch refresh the hearts of them that addict themselues to the seruices of God and vnfainedly seeke eternall saluation They gladly come together they willingly stay together they coÌ„fortably conuerse together as it is sayd in the Acts of the Apostles that they coÌ„tinued Acts 2. 46. daylie with one accord in the temple breaking bread at home did eate their meate togither with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart Confutation of them that giue the Papists so high a commendation for vnity which deserue so deepe a condemnation for conspiracy Vse 1 They loue one an other most dearely but it is because one knoweth an other to hate religion Christians and Prince and country most deadly idolatry and superstition and treachery and treasons are the foundations of their amity and kindnes Instruction to try what vprightnes is in our heartes by our loue or righteous men for righteousnesse sake Whosoeuer doth trulie detest iniquitie will louingly imbrace the company of them that be enemies vnto it and all that soundly sette their affections on goodnesse will estrange themselues from them that walke in wickednesse Dauid built his comfort vpon the firmnes of this groundworke when he said for the assurance of his fidelity towards God that all his delight was in the saints that were in Psal 16. 3. the earth and in the excellent And when he appealed to the lords owne testimony of his holy zeale saying Doe not I hate them O Lord that hate thee and do not I earnestly contend with those that Psal 139. 21. 22. rise vp against thee I hate them with an vnfained hatred as they were mine vtter enemies Consolation to them whome no vngodly man can fancy but euery one maligneth and speaketh euill of and setteth himselfe against What maketh this enmity and opposition but folly and malice on the one side and saithfulnes and well doing on the other It prooueth that themselues are too spirituall for fleshly fooles to fauour and their wayes too righteous for sinfull men to like of If they were of the world they should finde more friendship at worldly mens hands if they would runne to the same excesse of riot and sinne with the wicked they should be lesse traduced by wicked mens tongues In regard whereof on the contrary side it is not a credit but a blemish not for comfort but for terror to be magnified and much made of among them of whom God and his best seruants are despised and lewde men of worse behauiour are most countenanced Verse 10. The heart knoweth the bitternesse of his soule and a stranger shall not meddle with his ioie THe heart of a man that part of him which is the fountayne of life and seate of affections knoweth the bitternesse of his soule feeleth inward anguish and hath experience of pearcing sorrowes the meaning is that the feares and heart griefe of them that haue a troubled conscience are more felt of themselues than known to others And a stranger any other besides himselfe shall not meddle with his ioye cannot discerne how great his comfort 1. Pet. 1. 8. is being the same that Saint Peter calleth an vnspeakable ioye No griefe is so great as that which lyeth vpon an afflicted conscience Doct. 1 It is not only bitter but bitternesse it selfe more vnpleasant than gall or wormwood it is an vnknown burden and grieuously crusheth euery one which lyeth vnder it And therefore it is said that the spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie but a Prou. 18. 14. wounded spirit vvho can beare The mind of a man may beare out with patience the paines and diseases of the body or any outward crosses but what strength besides the power of Gods holy spirit is able to make a man without fainting or shrinking to endure the torment of a bitter afflicted soule No health no pleasures no comforts of this life can cheare it vp no might can enable any to stand firme and sure vnder such an intolerable waight Dauid compareth the horror of it not to stripes on the body or breaches on the skinne or wounds in the flesh but to the very breaking of the bones as he saith Make mee heare ioie and gladnesse Psal 51. 8. that the bones which thou hast broken may reioice First the sight of sinne is very hideous for a wakened conscience Reasons 1 to behold and that doth therefore pierce the heart with miserable pangues and terrors And hereupon was Dauid mooued with such importunity to sue for mercy at Gods hands that the booke might be crossed and all his iniquities pardoned because saith he my sinne is euer before me The memory and guiltines of Psal 51. 3 it pursued him euery where continually by night and by day abroad and at home in bed and at boord no time could free him from it no place could ridde him of it no power could preuayle against it Secondly the apprehension of Gods displeasure of all things is most terrible and fearfull and that is it which doth so much dismay the wounded consciences Iob had afflictions vpon afflictions and losses vpon losses losse of sheepe and Oxen losse of Asses and Cammels losse of seruants and children losse of foundnesse and good estate of his owne body and yet for all these his heart was not troubled vntill God seemed to be offended and then he was presently much perplexed The Prophets knew well that rebukes were wholsome and chasticements necessary and yet they pray earnestly that the Lord would not rebuke them in wrath nor correct them in anger but only chastise them in iudgement least they should be brought to nothing Psal 6 1. Ier. 10. 24. Our Sauiour Christ himselfe could easily endure both paines and pouerty and hunger and thirst and contempt and reproche and all other crosses from his youth vpward but when our transgressions brought vpon him Gods indignation when for the sins of his people he was to sustaine the wrath of his father then though he was most perfectly patient yet he could no longer forbeare to bemone his importable burden that lay vpon him My soule saith he is heauie euen vnto the death then he praieth Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me then in a bitter agony he falleth a sweating and that of drops of bloud and lastly after all this at the finishing of his passion and the perfecting of our redemption he sendeth vp a patheticall complaint to his father My God my God why hast thou forsaken me
and compassion but especially the griefes and gripings of the mind and inward parts are many and marueilous bitter as Caines case declareth First he can neuer be without vexation so long as his desires Reasons 1 be vnsatisfied and yet al enuious persons haue alwaies vnsatiable desires Secondly how much soeuer he hath of wealth or promotion it doth him no good if an other haue more or asmuch Saul could haue been aswell content to haue lost the victory as to haue Dauid preferred before him for the atchieuing of it though himselfe had asmuch praise as his prowesse deserued The spiteful man thinketh himselfe decaying whiles those whom he maligneth do prosper and his neighbours rising is little lesse grieuous than his owne fall No vlcer or stone or strangury is more painfull to him than to fee others to go before him or to keepe pace with him or to follow fast after him Reproofe of their folly which chuse a tedious and vnhappy Vse life and study to make themselues miserable by repining at the good estate of their brethren And the more byting will their griefe and anguish bee if Caine-like they fret at the grace and comfortable condition of the godly who shall neuer fayle of the comfort of Gods fauour and blessing VVe would deeme him in a wretched case that should be taken with a dolorous disease that were neither curable nor mitigable while the Sunne shined for he could no day be free from his fittes from morning to euening And is not Gods kindnesse to his more certayn than the sunne-shine And will not his goodnes more constantly continue with them both day and night for euer And are not their pangues then exceeding painfull and endlesse that can neuer bee without torment by meanes of their indignation vntill the Lord be without mercy towards his people Jt is an infallible euerlasting verity which the Prophet testifieth that the horne of the Psal 11. 9 10. righteous shall be exhalted with glory the wicked shal see it be angry he shal gnash with his teeth and consume away the desire of the wicked shall perish Jnstruction to fence and fortify our selues against this dirall diuelish enuy whereby so many men are so much annoyed and tormented All remedies are to be constantly vsed aswell for the preuention as the remoouall of it as 1. to purge away pride and selfe-loue from whence it sumeth to store our harts with humility Christian charity which will make vs thankful for our owne portions glad to see our brethren blessed in theirs 2. To be well perswaded of Gods holy administration in the destribution of his gifts that he ordereth the matter with exquisite wisdome iustice For who can charge him with folly that hee bestoweth on any more then is meete or who can challenge him of vnrighteousnes that he giueth vnto them lesse than is due 3. Not onelie to eie the blessings and comforts which our brethren inioy but to think of the troubles and sorrows which they also sustaine that so the consideration of one might stay vs from grudging at the sight of the other 4. To remember that the graces and good things of other Christians are for our benefite as the strength and good estate of one member serueth for the vse of an other and therfore in repining at their happines what doe we else but maligne our owne welfare Vers 31. He that oppresseth the poore reproacheth him that made him but he that sheweth mercy to the poore doth honour him BY poore hee meaneth not onelie such as liue in want and penury but those which are vnder the burdē of any other afflictions and vnable to defend themselues and by oppression he vnderstandeth all kind of hard dealing whether it be by craft or force or false accusations and slaunders or bitter and contumelious speeches to bring them into contempt or hatred Hee that thus wrongeth any distressed person reprocheth him that made him that is the Lord who hath allotted to him that poore estate But he that sheweth mercy to the poor which doeth good ministreth comfort to them that are in misery by helping the Lords seruāts declareth his loue and estimation of the Lord their maister Doct. All the wrong that is offered to the poore the Lord doth take as done to himselfe Though in the sight of the world they seeme forlorne persons without any friends to take their suffrings to heart and in appearance seeth nothing but safety in trampling vpon them yet God professeth his tender care so far towards them as that he maketh their case his case and their friends his friends and reputeth them for his soes that declare themselues to bee theirs In an other chapter not onely they are charged with contempt of him that practice mischiefe against them or violently worke them woe Prou 17 5. and sorrow but it is saied that he also which macketh the poor dispiseth him that made him First his commaundement is thereby violated and broken for Reasons 1 in many places he strictly forbiddeth all how great soeuer to grieue the poore and calleth vpon euery one to be pitiful to thē One place for this purpose may serue in sleed of many that may be brought for confirmation of the point Zachary telleth the people of his time what duety the Lord required by the former prophets before the captiuity and what message was committed to him now after their returne and that was Execute ye true Zach. 7. 9. 10. iudgement and shewe mercie and compassion euery man to his brother And oppresse not the widdow nor the fatherlesse the stranger nor the poore Secondly he hath vndertaken to be their gordian keeper and they are become his wards and pupills and therefore whosoeuer dealeth iniuriously with them doth deeme God either to be so vnfaithfull that he regardeth not the safety of his charge or so weake and feeble that he is not able to protect and defend them Thirdly our texte yeeldeth a forcible reason why they which oppresse the poore doe in like manner despise the Lord because he is their creator in respect of their persons they are the work of his hands and in respect of their condition they are also his handy work as Hannah fang The Lord maketh poor and maketh 1. Sam. 2. 7. rich he bringeth lowe and exhalteth So that if they wrong them as men they misuse his creatures which haue their form and being from him if as poore men they disgrace his workemanship in shaping them such a state Terror for cruell mē who vse as the prophet saith to grind the faces Vse 1 of the poore and treade vpon their heads for they ouermatch themselues infinitely and bid battell to him that will crush them in peeces with his countenance The lesse power they haue to defend themselues the more he exerciseth for their defence the weaken they be and more vnable to resist theire aduersaries the stronger he will shew himselfe to be