the Philistins that the Israelitish women moued by his worthie and valiant exploits vnto reioycing sung in triumphing wise that Saul had slaine his thousands and Dauid his ten thousandes The latter part of the sentence declareth on the contrary side that the rule of the wicked ministreth matter of griefe and miserie vnto the whole multitude The estate of the poore people ouer which foolish persons or cruell persecutors haue the rule or tyrannize becommeth lamentable sundrie waies First the Lord himselfe vsually plagueth the land with iudgements from heauen wherein an enemie of his holdeth the scepter Secondly wolues in such a kingdome hauing the place of shepheards but the nature of deuouring beastes spoyle oppresse and eate vp the silly lambes and sheepe Thirdly the people liuing without all good order or meanes of their prosperitie fall daily into all sorts of sinnes and pits of destruction Sundry occasions then of griefe being continually offered the people through the carelesnesse or crueltie of euill gouernours if peraduenture they dare not openly complain for feare of further trouble yet how can they but sigh secretly in corners Certainly so did the Israelites oppressed in Egipt and Elias persecuted by Achab and Iezabell Euen as then the welfare of the sheepe dependeth on the shepheard and euen as such is the constitution of the bodie as is the dispositiō of the head so the condition of the people answereth in wo or wealth to the goodnesse or badnesse of the magistrates 3 A man that loueth wisedome reioyceth his father but he that keepeth companie with harlots vvasteth his substance Fornication This drift of the spirit in this instruction is to declare that whoredome bringeth beggerie at the last Two sorts of loue herein are spoken of one spirituall another carnall The spirituall loue is commended which is a wonderfull liking of and following after wisedome Such as are enamoured with this virgin of heauenly wisedome which is holy peaceable moderate full of mercy and good works Iam. 3.17 as Iames speaketh shall not onely by this meanes please the Lord or be profitable vnto themselues but comfortable vnto their parents Sundry waies doth a wise sonne cheare vp his fathers heart First by the vertues which are in him Secondly by the fame which is spread of him Thirdly by the hope which his father conceiueth that he wil be thriftie Last of all by his liberalitie and kindnesse towardes his parentes if peraduenture by reason of his gifts he be at any time exalted to honor as Ioseph was who also in this respect reioyced his father As concerning the carnall loue spoken of in the latter part of the sentence that is condemned and threatned with pouertie The vaine youthes of this world hauing shaken off the yoake of obedience and despised wisdome fall in loue with naughtie women with whom they are daily conuersant making them good cheare bestowing gifts on them and mainteining them in braue apparrell Hereby not onely they defile themselues with wandring lusts but spend their patrimony consume their parents goods so bringing sorrow vpon them in stead of the ioy wherewith they ought to labour to comfort them Such a lewde course tooke the prodigall sonne who hauing wasted his substance was put to feed with the swine Among other reasons then disswading from whoredome this is not the least to be regarded that strumpets are dangerous rocks and vnfatiable gulphes 4 A king by iudgement establisheth his realme but a man * A man of offrings which is a slaue to giftes that are offered destroyeth it Herein againe the holy Ghost admonisheth rulers of their dutie Iniustice He entreateth in this verse of two matters one the executing of iudgement an other the auoyding of bribes In the former place is shewed that iudgement is the prop or pillar of kingdomes when iustice is ministred without partialitie in such sort that the godly are rewarded and the wicked punished and euery man hath right done to him the Lord will blesse the lande the good will loue theyr Prince the bad shall be cut off and not be able to do any hurt This may be obserued throughout the stories of the kings of Iudah that all the while they gaue themselues to set vp true religion or to punish sinne their kingdomes were in peace and they got the victory ouer their enemies In the latter part of this sentence is declared that the receiuing of bribes is the ouerthrow and bane of a common wealth The reasons hereof are manifest and sundry First to respect persons which bribe takers do is an abhomination to the Lord and therefore such a transgression as pulleth downe his vengeance on the place wherein it is committed Secondly by this meanes no place being left for right but for gifts there must needes grow factions and mutinies Last of all a window being set open through such partialitie to hope of impunitie all sorts of sinnes the plagues of common wealths must needes daily multiply and increase 5 A man which flattereth his friend spreadeth a net against his feete In this sentence is declared Flatterie that flatterers are a very hurtfull and pernicious kinde of people They are fitly here compared vnto hunters For euen as the hunter spreadeth the hay or net to in tangle the poore beast which commeth by it Rom 16. Luke 20.29 euen so flatterers be sweet speeches or salutations seduce the hearts of the simple and by their shewes of friendship righteousnes go about to get some aduantage at their handes thereby to drawe them into trouble Of this wicked dealing Micheas complaineth Mich. 7.2 saying The good man in perished out of the earth and there is none vpright among men as many as are lye in waite to slaie euerie one hunteth his brother with nets Flatterie then is no better then a secret or subtill kinde of murther in as much as therby diuerse are drawne either to receiue errors or to commit sinne so to fall into the snare of endlesse damnation or into danger of law or hazard of life 6 In the transgression of the wicked man there is a snare but the iust man singeth and is merrie Here is shewed what an hurtfull thing sinne is in generall Disobedience as before was declared how dangerous an euill flattery is How soeuer the act of iniquitie is ioyned with pleasure yet the end and wages thereof is paine and death The snare here spoken of is some losse or crosse as pouertie sicknesse griefe of minde punishment of law and the wrath of God all which pursue and follow the offender Hence it commeth to passe that in as much as the plagues of this world or of the world to come commonly molest the wicked they are in feare sorrow silence shame and confusion But the iust man singeth and is merry There is none so righteous as that hee is without sin but such are called iust heere who are iustified by faith in Christ and sanctified in
parentage and yet is in debt or hath not sometimes a penie in his purse or food sufficient for his dinner or supper 10 The righteous man regardeth the life of his beast but the bowels of the wicked are cruell Pitie is now commended and hard heartednesse condemned The righteous man regardeth the life of his beast A iust man wil not ouer toyle the poore dumme creature nor suffer it to want food or looking to But if he be so pitifull to his beast much more is he mercifull to his seruants his children and his wife As for the very bowels of the wicked they are cruell For they are vnmercifull to their beasts See an example in Balaam striking his asse in Dalila betraying Sampson and in the Iewes crying crucifige on Christ vnnaturall to their children hard hearted to the poore and bloodie persecutors of the people of God 11 He which tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread but he who followeth vaine things is voyd of vnderstanding The diligent person shall haue plentie but the spend-thrift who followeth carding dicing or such like vanities shall in time to come want necessaries as now he wanteth wit 12 The wicked man desireth a defence against euils but the roote of the righteous giueth frute So did Cain They that do euill wish for pardon of their liues a priuiledge or protection against troubles death and condemnation but all in vaine For in deede at the last Gods iudgement taketh hold on them On the contrarie side the roote of the righteous giueth frute The godly being rooted and grounded in Christ and as trees planted by the riuers of water are not onely preserued frō euils but prosper and flourish in good things Psal 1.3.4.5.6 bringing foorth frute in due season as it is in the Psalme 13 The euill mans * or Destruction snare is in the transgression of his lips but the iust man wadeth out of trouble Wicked men by their rash speeches cast thē selues into such troubles out of which they cannot deliuer them selues See an example in Daniel and his accusers but although sometimes the innocent being falsely accused are brought into question or molested yet they escape at the last as a bird out of the snare of the fowler 14 A good man is satisfied with the frute of his mouth and the * or Worke. recompence of a mans hāds shall reward him Albeit the opening of the mouth is a smal matter yet it shall be recompenced by the Lord with great blessings when it is done in wisedome For such as vse their toungs to Gods glorie and the edification of their brethren instructing them and exhorting them from day to day shall be loued by God man and tast many good blessings Now as good words so good workes also shall be rewarded For the recompence of a mans hands shall reward him That is to say 2. Cor. 5.10 Mal. 2.5 not only the wicked shal be plagued for their ill doing but the godly shal be blessed for their well doing The reward here spoken of is not a reward of merit but of mercy to the godly whose good actions are crowned with comfort and good successe as the euill deedes of the wicked haue a curse or crosse attending on them 15 The way of a foole is right in his owne eyes but he who harkeneth to counsell is wise Selfe liking is here reproued and hearing of aduise commended The way of a foole is right in his owne eyes The cōceipted person thinketh his owne course to be best and as if he were a verie wise man himself or sufficient by him selfe to deale in any matter he vseth no aduise of other But he who harkeneth to counsell is wise That is to say he who enquireth after and practiseth the good aduise of other prouideth wel for his owne welfare 16 The vvrath of a foole is made knowne the same day but a prudent man couereth reproching The meaning hereof is that the furious person presently sheweth some signe of his choler but he who is godly wise suppresseth angrie speeches gestures and behauiour For this phrase the same day both here and elsewhere in Scripture Psal 84 11. noteth out a verie short time Thus the people in Ezechia his time couered a reproch whē they aunswered not a word to Rabsakeh So likewise by couering a reproch abstaining from reuiling and rayling is to be vnderstood 17 He telleth the truth who declareth that which is iust but a false witnesse vttereth deceipt He who telleth that which is agreeable to the matter in question and the circumstances thereof boldly and constantly auoucheth that which is sure and certaine not mingling therewith any thing which is doubtfull or vntrue On the contrary side he who maketh no conscience of lying Such were the false witnesses who rose vp against Steuen coloureth his forged accusations with plausible speeches and faceth down an vntruth 18 Some vtter vverdes like the pricking of swords but the toung of vvise men is a medicine Euill speakers and slaunderers as here is shewed hurt their neighbors not lightly but most grieuously in bodie goods and name For some as Ezechiel speaketh carrie tales to shed blood But the tong of wise men is a medicine The godly vttering wholsome seasonable speeches heale the innocent who haue bin troubled by pleading for them foes at variance by perswading them to peace and finally the heauie hearted by comforting them 19 The lip of truth shall be established for euer the lying toung scant for the space of a moment He who speaketh truth shall liue long in this world and continue for euer in the world to come but God will quickly destroy all those that speake lyes Psal 5 7. 20 Deceipt recoyleth on the heart of those vvho plot mischiefe but ioy vpon the counsellers of peace As for example Achitophel who for griefe hanged him selfe Thus Mardoches aduise which he gaue to Hester rebounded into his heart with ioy Euill counsell most hurteth those who giue it For such as are the authors of any mischiefe meete with some grieuous plague inflicted by God or man vpon them which bringeth bitter sorow into their hearts But ioy vpon the counsellers of peace Such as make cōcord betweene neighbour and neighbour or giue any aduice tending to their brethrens welfare are blessed 21 No euill shall befall the iust man but the wicked shall be full of miserie 22 Deceiptfull lips are abhomination to the Lord but they who deale faithfully are accepble to him In the former of these sentences a promise of preseruation is made to the righteous a threatening of destruction is denounced against the vngodly No euill shall befall the iust man Psal 91. Either no afflictiō at all shal betide the righteous person or onely such aduersitie as shall rather further then hinder his saluation For as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 4.8 we are pressed downe in euerie thing but
did that worthie Queene Hester who although it was present death for her to goe in to the king vnlesse she should finde speciall fauour in his eyes yet she so committed her wayes to the Lord hauing first vsed prayer and fasting that saying to her selfe if I perish I perish she boldly entred into his presence 4 The Lord hath made all men for him selfe yea euen the wicked man vnto the day of euill Predestination is here spoken of The Lord the eternall God by whom all things haue their being hath made hath not onely foreknowen but or dained all mē aswell Iewes and Gentils young as old rich as poore See for this doctrine the whole 9. chap. to the Rom. for him selfe for the setting forth of his wisdome power iustice and glorie Yea euen the wicked man he hath ordained the reprobate person him self also who because he is an enemie to Gods glorie may seeme not to haue bene appointed or created to his glorie vnto the day of euill to the day of Iudgement and of execution that so in this vessell of wrath the iustice of God may be declared The originall cause of the dānation of men is in them selues seeing they are wicked of them selues without any compulsion offred on the Lordes part But as here is shewed the will of God which is a rule of iustice is the fountaine not onely of election but of reprobation Thus God is without fault in refusing the wicked sith he is indebted vnto none but the wicked are most iustly condemned because by their sinnes they are indebted vnto God 5 Euery one who is proud in heart is abhomination to the Lord though hand ioyne in hand he shall not be vnpunished See examples in Pharao the builders of Babell Nebuchadnezar and Herod The Lord will plague euery high minded person who neither by any aide nor by any art shal be able auoide his Iudgemēt Some are not very lofty in their lookes nor glorious in their apparell and yet haue in them most stout hearts and proud spirites These are abhominable in Gods sight and shall be plagued as well as the gay and boasting peacockes of the world 6 By mercie and truth iniquitie is purged and by the feare of God euill is departed from It is most sure and certaine that sinnes are couered and pardoned vnto men not by the vertue or excellencie of their good workes or merites but by the tender mercy of God in Christ Luc. 1.72 Psal 25.10 Psal 85.9.10 by his performing of his promises in him Neuerthelesse it is also an vndoubted truth that by vnfained repētāce the iudgement of God is preuented when as iniquitie is broken off by practising of that which is good The Prophet Daniell teacheth this doctrine most paynely whē he sayth to Nebuchadnezar breake of thy sinnes with righteousnesse and thine iniquities with mercy toward the afflicted Dan. 4.27 that thy prosperitie may be prolonged Thus then by mercie and truth iniquitie is purged sinne committed is remitted by the meere grace of God in Christ in whom all his promises are yea and amen but moreouer when pitifulnesse and faithfulnesse is practised temporall chastisements for foule faults threatened or inflicted are stayed or remoued the Lord beyng well pleased with such sacrifices of obedience albeit the sacrifice which Christ hath offred on the Crosse is onely meritorious who is the onely propitiatiō for our sinnes And by the feare of God euill is departed from The awe or reuerence of the Lord is that thing which maketh men to shunne sinne so that abstayning from iniquitie they incurre not the wrath or indignatiō of the Lord. This verse thē teacheth whereby the pollutiō of sinne may so be washt away as that it shall not cry for vengeance and againe whereby it may so be auoyded as that it shall not be able to infect vs. 7 When the Lord fauoureth the wayes of a mā he maketh his enemies at peace with him See examples in the I sraelites the Egyptians in Dauid and Saul in Ahasuerus and Mordecha◠and a like sentence Iob. 5.23 When the Lord fauoureth the wayes of a man at what time God is reconciled to an vpright person he maketh his enemtes he causeth those who were his aduersaries for the time to be at peace with him not onely to lay aside their hatted but to beare good will or to enter into a league of friendship with him 8 Better is a litle with righteousnesse then a great reuenue with wrong A small stocke gotten prospereth better and is more to be esteemed then great wealth scraped together by iniurie and oppression 9 The heart of man purposeth his way but the Lord ordereth his steps Mā purposeth as we say but God disposeth Many iourneyes are often intended many courses are deuised but God causeth things to come to passe as he seeth good 10 A diuine sentence shall be in the lippes of the king his mouth shal not transgresse in iudgement Kings in old time did vse to sit in iudgemēt Hence it is that here it is sayd a diuine sentence shall be in the lips of the king The meaning hereof is See the roote hereof Exod. 23.2 An example 1. King 3.27 that a Prince or ludge should haue a gift of searching or ferretting out the truth His lips shall not transgresse in iudgement he should neuer giue a rash or false sentence on any matter See the roote herof Deut. 1.17 I tem 25.13 a like charge 2. Chron. 19.6 11 The beame and scole of the ballances of iustice belong to the Lord all the weights of the bagge are his worke All the parts of the ballance and all things thereto belonging are the Lordes ordinance yea he hath also commaunded that they be vsed aright 12 It should be an abhomination to kings to commit wickednesse for the throne is established by iustice It should be an abhominatiō to kings to cōmit wickednes it is the part of rulers so to abhorre the working of iniquitie See an example in Dauid Psal 101. as that they neither thē selues commit grosse vices nor allow them but rather detest thē in other For the throne is established by iustice The cause why Princes should aboue all other abhorre iniquitie is because the royall crown and authoritie is mainteined not so much by strength as by equitie which subiects loue and God doth blesse 13 Righteous lippes should be the delite of kings and he who speaketh right things is to be loued by them Righteous lips should be the delite of kings wise and faithfull speeches should please Princes and he who speaketh right things is to be loued by them the person also who vttereth the truth or giueth sage aduise is to be entertained in their courts and to be esteemed 14 The wrath of a king is as messengers of death but a wise man will pacifie it The wrath of a king is as messengers of death the furie of Princes is of so great force