be talkatiue and exceede too farre in multiplying of words What though it be true that we say and so we know and are able to proue it Doth euery trueth befit euery time Should all men alwaies bee speaking all that they know It would bee a great meanes to hinder the increase of knowledge Some be talking when they haue more neede to heare some be teaching when they haue more neede to learne and many wrong themselues and them that are present in not giuing place to others that are more sufficient and better able to speake So did not Elihu he preferred his elders though not his betters before himselfe Hee would not open his mouth before his turne came and that he saw Iob and his three friends to Iob. 34. 4. 5. c. swerue out of the way on both hands Reproofe of those that destinate all their speehes and that in the ministerie of the Gospell to the setting forth of their owne praises It may truely be said of many that they preach not Christ so much as themselues contrarie to the faithfulnesse of Paul who preached not himselfe but the Lord Iesus Christ Their chiefe labour is not to win glory to God and men to saluation but credit to themselues and men to the admiration of their gifts and learning This they principallie aime at that all may be affected with their elocution that al may see the fruit of their wits that al may discerne of their skill in the tongues that al may witnes their paines in reading that all may wonder at their depth of iudgement If those be things that their hearts doe chiefly desire wee must conclude of them that their hearts doe publish foolishnes Verse 24. The hand of the diligent shall beare rule but the deceitfull shall be vnder tribute THe hand of the diligent that is diligent men who vse their hands or other members of their bodies or else their minds to some honest and profitable trauell according to their calling shall beare rule and attaine to some good place of estimation But idle persons whom want and other occasions draw to deceitfull courses to shift for themselues as wee haue shewed in the fourth verse of the tenth chapter shall be made vnderlings and brought into subiection and seruilitie Doct. They which are laborious and faithfull in meane places doe take the way to rise to an higher degree True it is that diuers attaine not to such greatnesse as others doe and yet be no lesse diligent then others are but the Lord maketh their inferioritie a step towards their heauenly aduancement and they are not without estimation in that low estate and God seeth their fruite to bee better and their comfort to bee more there than if they were raised vp to higher preferment Otherwise they that serue God in what place soeuer are sure to grow greater The Scripture proposeth examples hereof and sheweth how the point hath been verified in former ages Iacob at the first set himselfe to seruice and was at the commandement of an other man but at the last being painful and true he was able to keep seruants himselfe and other men were at his commandement Ioseph when hee came into Aegypt was bought and sold as a poore bondman but being faithfull in euery place that hee came into hee was promoted in euery place that hee came into When hee was a seruant when hee was a prisoner and especiallie when he was Prince Dauid had once the charge of a flocke of sheepe and thereof was not a little heedefull but afterwards hee had the leading of an armie of men and lastlie was exalted to the throne of a glorious kingdome Reasons 1 First promotion is from the Lord and hee setteth vp and putteth downe according to his owne will And therefore when he hath fitted men to authoritie by humbling them with labour he assigneth their places wherein they shall stand and by his providence preferreth them to the same some to bee Magistrates some to be Captaines some to be Ministers some to be Maisters some to bee Stewards some to haue one office and some another Secondly the hand of the diligent maketh rich and riches cause them that are wise and honest to be put into authoritie and imployed in the townes and places wherein they dwell or at least they grow to be housekeepers and beare rule in their owne families Thirdly painefulnesse with wisedome and faithfulnesse doth cause great personages to looke after them They entertaine them into seruice they put them in trust with their affaires they giue countenance vnto them and they many times are meanes of their rising and preferment And in this sense is that saying Thou seest that a diligent man in his businesse standeth before Kings and standeth not before the base sort Prou. 22. 29. Vse Reproofe of their follie that are ashamed and disdaine to take any paines vnlesse it be in seruing of sinne and lust and thereto they make themselues slaues and drudges And what is it that meaneth them to such nicenesse that they will not voutchsafe to put their hands to any worke or set their mindes to seeke for knowledge whereby they may bee fit for some good profession The feare of contempt the doubt that they shall bee little regarded if they applied themselues to such a base kinde of life It is not according to their birth and bringing vp to spend their time in labour or studie it will bee a hinderance to their preferment that they looke for But will they thus contrarie the word of God and crosse the trueth of his holy spirit Will they say that diligence doth make men contemptible when he saith the diligent hand shall beare rule will they say that idlenes doth bring men to promotion when he saith that the idle shall be vnder tribute He will as well crosse and contrarie them in their state and desires and make them feele his words to be true Who seeth not what beggerie and want and miserie they cast themselues into Are they not driuen to sell away and depart with that inheritance and patrimonie which their parents haue left them Are they not compelled to borrow and shift and to sincke deepely into debt And it is a true prouerbe that the borrower is seruant to the man that lendeth For further vse of this Prou. 22. 7. point see the fourth verse of the tenth chapter in the application of the second doctrine Verse 25. Heauines in the heart of a man doth bring it downe but a good word reioyceth it HEauines of heart that is such sorrowes or feares as are not godly and effects of faith but proceeding from infidelity or carnall respects especially being excessiue doth bring down the heart not humbling it kindely so as pride may be taken away but either filling it with discouragement or distemper against which the Prophet wrestled with sundry conflicts Why art thou cast down my soule and art vnquiet or tumultuous within me Psal 42. 5. Now withall
account and thy stocke slender and of no great value thy returne seldome and of no great commoditie yet if thou bee faithfull in a meane trade with a small stocke and a slow returne all shall bee acceptable all shall be profitable all shall be comfortable So often as thou hast mans custome to buy or sell with thee thou hast Gods companie to reward and blesse thee and whensoeuer thou dealest well with any he taketh notice of it to deale better with thy selfe Verse 2. When pride commeth then commeth contempt but with the lowlie is wisedome VVHen pride commeth that is when it groweth to maturitie hauing power to puffe vp mens hearts and shewing it selfe in words or workes in countenance apparell or gestures then commeth cōtempt that is shame then approcheth and is neere at hand marching in the next ranke after this loftie hart and insolent behaiuour As is to be seene in many who hauing bin first lifted vp in their owne hautie mindes were afterwards cast downe by Gods righteous iudgemēts either into phrensies or grosse sins or ruine of state or obloquie for their former hidden faults now published at last to their great disgrace The other part of the antithesis containing the honour that doth accompanie humilitie is argued by consequent in this manner When pride commeth then commeth follie which euer bringeth shame but when humilitie commeth then commeth wisedome which is neuer without glorie Doct. 1 Pride is a forerunner of shame and reproach It is a common prouerbe ordinarie in the mouth of the people Pride goeth before and shame commeth after And it is an holie prouerbe often vsed by Salomon in this booke Pride goeth before destruction and an high minde before the fall Prou. 16. 18. 18. 12. And it is a select poruerbe often vsed by Christ in the new Testament Whosoeuer exalteth himselfe shall bee brought low and hee that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted Luk. 14 11. We see in buildings that when walls waxe thicker by hallownes and swelling they will shortlie come lower by downefall and ruine and so standeth the case with all proud persons their great heart doth threaten some great mischeefe to bee nigh vnto them Which may be exemplified by diuers presidents in the scriptures which are proposed as real examples for euery man to take warning by When Nebuchadnezzar was bragging of his Babell which he had built for his glorie he was banished from all habitation not hauing so much as a cottage and like a beast made to liue among the the beasts in the fields with ignominie When Haman thought to ride on horseback and to be waited on like a King hee was driuen to lackie on foote and to waite attendance like a page and purposing to hang Mordecay on high to honour himselfe he prepared an high gallowes to bee hanged on himselfe When Herod thought himselfe good enough to take vpon him the state and honour of a god the Lord declared him to be bad enough to be deuoured of contemptible vermine Reasons First they haue God to bee their enemie he resisteth them and they are all an abomination vnto him not onely some arrogant Iam. 4. 6. Prou. 16. 5. fellowes that haue proud hearts and beggars purses but euen such also as sit vpon princely thrones and beare kinglie Scepters and weare imperiall Diadems And if he see them to be abomination and doth therefore abhorre them they shall appeare abominable and men will despise them Secondly they are fooles as the text it selfe intendeth and therefore cannot but behaue themselues foolishlie like drunkards Hab. 2. 5. which are ouercome with wine They are sinfull fooles more destitute of grace then of wit For proud behauiour is the foame or froath that proceedeth from much wickednes and a proud heart is a prison wherein they are withheld from comming to repentance And so their owne follie and Gods wisedome their owne sinfull waies and Gods righteous iudgements their owne impenitencie and Gods seueritie will bring them to the possession of their inheritance and that is shame and dishonour how highlie soeuer they haue been exalted Prou. 3. 35. Thirdlie they are sacrilegious persons and robbe God of his glory which is most proper and pretious vnto him and therfore it is equall that he should strippe them of the honour which is so much desired of them Vse Reproofe of their follie that vse pride as a stirrop to mount vp thereby to promotion and credit that thinke it the onely way to preferment if they can set forth themselues with some ostentation and lift vp their eye-brows aboue their brethren And this is growne almost to an vniuersall contagion wherewith the greatest number of states and ages of sexes and persons in all places are dangerouslie infected Some thereby seeking to be admired others to be aduanced many to be feared and al to be better satisfied in the accomplishment of their desires But how manie loose by seeking and sinke by aspiring and runne into reproch by hunting after vaine estimation whiles they leaue their standing and would rise aboue the toppe of their places they faile of their footing and fall downe to the bottome Instruction to be as much afraid of pride as of shame and euen of secret conceitednes within no lesse thē of open discredit without and therefore to vse al good remedies to cure this dangerous inflamation of such a windie stomacke And first for this purpose let euery man take heede that he bee not illuded with the glosses and colourable appearances of knowledge and wisdome or anie other good parts of nature or grace in himselfe when in trueth they are nothing but shews and shadowes For diuers by an ouerweening conceit haue themselues in hie admiration when others to whom they are better knowne haue them in great derision And albeit others either in flatterie or good opinion should commend vs for those good things which wee are priuie to our selues not to be in vs yet let vs not receiue the doubtfull testimonie of straungers against the euident witnesse of God and our owne consciences For this were as absurd as if a needie creature pinched with penurie and almost hunger-staruen should bee brought to beleeue that he swimmed in plentie and were a liberall house-keeper hauing his table alwaies furnished with varietie of dishes or one deepelie indebted and readie to breake for want of abilitie should bee induced to thinke himselfe the onelie monied man in the countrie sufficient in wealth to lend and to giue to many others Secondlie when God hath graced any with excellent gifts which are not adulterate and counterfeit but such as are currant and able to abide the touchstone and to hold weight in the ballance yet as they feele what they haue so let them find what they want as they see their graces and vertues so let them search into their corruptions and vices as they haue a good conscience in the performance of many good duties so let them consider the innumerable
the froward in heart shall be despised AS euery one is more wise and godly so shall hee haue more true praise and honour Sometimes and very often the wicked shall commend him commonly the righteous and alwaies the Lord himselfe but most of all at the last day before all men and Angels as our Sauiour telleth vs in the fiue and twentith of Matthew Contrariewise the froward in heart such whose hearts reiect all good instructions and graces shall bee despised and brought to contempt among men in this life or their faults breake out after they are dead or bee manifested before all the world at the day of the Lord. This is the opposition Hee that is vpright of heart shall be commended for his wisedome but hee that is froward of heart shall be despised for his follie Doct. They that are not voide of vprightnesse and wisedome shall not be destitute of praise and honour Though some be blind that they cannot discerne of their vnderstanding and graces yet others haue their eie-sight and behold them Though some be dumbe and will not speake of their vertues yet others haue their lippes opened to commend them Though some be malitious to carpe at and depraue them yet others be faithfull to giue them their due testimonie Neither is it a thing incident to some few as though it belonged onelie to principall men and great personages but to all of euery place that are therewith qualified both hie and low both puissant potentates and meane bondmen and seruants There is no exception or limitation of degrees when it is said that the wisedome of a man doth make his face to shine And seruants could not adorne the Eccl. 8. 1. doctrine of God if grace and godlinesse did not also adorne and beautifie them Tit. 2. 10. Reasons 1 First God himselfe testifieth for them and that is sufficient for their commendation for hee is not allowed that praiseth himselfe nor whom the world praiseth but which is praised of the Lord. Secondly he hath all mens hearts and tongues in his hands to make them to thinke well and speake well of those whom hee would haue to be in credit He appointed that cursing Balaam to speake for his people and blesse them when he came of purpose to cast out imprecations against them He compelled Saul with his lippes to cleere Dauid and to pronounce him iust and innocent when he had his weapons in a readines to punish him as a rebell Thirdly their owne amiable and louelie behauiour allureth the liking of men towards them and obtaineth their good testimonie of them This wisedome that is from aboue this heauenly wisedom which the spirit of God worketh is first pure then peaceable Iam. 3. 17. gentle easie to bee intreated full of mercie and good fruits without iudging and without hypocrisie The sight of these graces the very report of them doth winne mens hearts and draw their affections to those that exercise them and much more when they feele the fruite and benefit thereof to themselues Now where wisedome is wanting and follie is flowing where meekenesse is a stranger and frowardnesse a commander what is to be looked for but reproach and contempt Are the poorest seruants and handmaides commended on the other side then the wealthiest Lords and Masters are despised on this side Doth the Lord praise all such as be godly wise then doth he disgrace all those that be sinfully foolish Doth hee deriue mens testimonies and fauours to those then will he draine and draw them away from these Is soft and gentle and mercifull behauiour a meanes to procure the good will of men then sowre and churlish and cruell demeanour will prouoke their offence and displeasure Generally that which God spake concerning Elies house holdeth true to all of both sorts Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be despised 1. Sam. 2. 30. Vse 1 Reproofe of them that loue nothing so much as praise for they are as desirous of it as Pharisies and yet nothing lesse than wisedome nor practise any thing so much as follie Doe they thinke that the dunghill of wickednesse is a fit mine to digge honour and credit out of Doe they thinke that the puddle water of pride and wantonnes and vanitie will make them beautifull to the eyes of men of vnderstanding Doe they thinke that the filth comming out of the sinke of quaffing and gaming and swearing and sinfull exercises will send out a sweete sauour of reuerend estimation Nay their kind friend follie hath much abused them and yet for her sake they will still illude themselues also Good men pitie them and bad men deride them the tongues of most despise them the hearts of all condemne them Consolation to them vpon whom the Lord hath multiplied the gifts of Christian knowledge and wisedome Though all countenance should seeke to discountenance them though all wits should set themselues on worke to inuent their disgrace though all tongues should be sharpened to cut downe their credit though all the vngodly Oratours in the world should be turned into one Tertullus against them yet they should nothing preuaile the praise that God putteth on they cannot pluck off they may as well stay the starres and planets from shining as take away the brightnesse of grace and wisedome Verse 9. He that is despised and is his owne seruant is better than he that boasteth himselfe and lacketh bread HE that is despised that is of meane estate for which the foolish proud worldlings commonly haue men in contempt and is his owne seruant that is industrious and diligent by labour to prouide himselfe of things that bee needfull and so euer they may truly be called their owne seruants that are faithfull in another mans seruice is better than he that boasteth himselfe that is which standeth vpon his reputation and yet lacketh bread hath little or nothing to maintaine himselfe withall for bread is put here for all manner of necessarie prouision Doct. They deale with best discretion that yeeld themselues to a low state when God calleth them to it It is the propertie of fooles either to rage at pouertie when it commeth vpon them or to brag against it or to fall down vnder it whereas wise men will beare it with patience and stoope to it in humilitie and yet resist it with great diligence It was a grace that the Scripture commendeth in Iacob that notwithstanding the honour and worthinesse of his father Isaack and grandfather Abraham yet when he could no longer bee in safetie from his brother Esau in his fathers house he betooke himselfe to bee an hireling to his vncle Laban in another countrey It was a vertue very eminent in Moses that being trained vp in his youth like a Prince in the Court of a great King he could debase himselfe in his middle age to be a sheepheard to a stranger of farre inferiour place and degree And it was the praise of Naomi
Elias Elisha and our Sauiour himselfe and he that is alwaies altogether destitute of this doth prouoke God to bee angrie with him for want of zeale and hatred of sinne But it is a passionate anger that is here reproued which is not a power of the soule but an impotencie He that conceiueth the other is an agent and doth a seruice to God but hee that is moued with this is a mere patient and sinne hath in that case preuailed against him Now it is said that a foole will be knowne the same day that is suddenlie and speedily as soone as he is prouoked he will shew it by outcries reuilings or threatnings or other such like signes of choller But a wise man so farre as his wisedome worketh and his naturall corruption and infirmities breake not out will hide shame that is will suppresse his anger and passe by the iniuries offered to him and not disgrace himself by returning reprochful speeches to him that hath done him the wrong Doct. They much be wray and lay open their folly that are giuen to be hastie to anger God did see it before within but now men shall also discerne it without that which formerlie did lurke in the soule will breake out by this into sight It will shew it selfe in their countenance in their gestures in their words in their actions And therefore it is said that the discretion of a man deferreth his anger and his glory Prou. 11. 11. is to passe by an offence Reasons First the originall and roote of this rash and hastie anger is sinfull and euill it proceedeth from the corruption of nature it is the worke of the flesh and a limbe of the old man Gal. 5. 20. Col. 3. 8. That holy anger against sinne and Gods dishonour doth not come so easily nor is so readie at hand that must be labored for and obtained by prayer and other godly exercises and when there is cause of it our flesh is very vnwilling to entertaine it Secondly more specially pride and a hie minde that disdaineth to beare any indignities doth kindle it and cause the flame thereof to breake out so violently Thirdly for the manner thereof it is inconsiderate and without all iudgement taking those to be enemies that are friends and those to be offences that are kindnesses and those offences to be the greatest that are the least and that to deserue much blame and punishment which is to be passed by with silence Fourthly the effects of it are daungerous as S. Iames saith that the wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God Iam. 1. 20. And this scripture that he that is hastie to anger committeth follie yea exalteth folly Prou. 14. 17. 29. as shall bee shewed more particularly in that place And our Sauiour that hee that is angrie with his brother vnaduisedly shall bee culpable of iudgement And he that shall raile with all and call his brother foole shall be punished with hell fire Mat. 5. 22. Vse 1 Instruction to vse meanes that our hearts may bee stored with the wisedome which is from aboue that is peaceable and gentle Let vs not rake in the sinke of others mens faults to annoy our selues with the vnsauorie smell of them and therewith to be defiled and made as vnsauorie to others Hee that will take all aduantages of wronges done to him shall wrong his owne name with infamie and he that couereth the shame of others in priuate iniuries doth actually publish his owne praise as the holy Ghost saith It is a mans glorie to passe by an offence it is his honour to cease from strife Pro. 19. 11. 20. 3. Consider how amiable and louely a grace this mildnes this meekenesse this long sufferance and forbearance is it declareth wisedome it winneth credit it draweth loue it pearceth their hearts if any thing can that are so spared it bringeth comfort to our owne soules for the assurance of Gods mercie in pardoning of our sinnes Reproofe of them that for credites sake because they would not be counted fooles will rifle into euery word that is spoken and euery action that is done against them And so to auoide the name of fooles they will doe the workes of fooles and to haue the reputation of wise men they will practise that which is contrarie to wisedome they will shame themselues in desire of honour and bring contempt vpon their owne heades in hope to be much regarded When they shew themselues much displeased it seemeth to them that they are much feared and indeede they are much despised great heate with offer of reuenge they thinke will be imputed to great courage and magnanimity but God and wise men ascribe it to folly and debilitie It is a certaine rule of truth that he is most valiant that is most patient and so getteth Rom. 12. 21. the victory that ouercommeth euill with goodnesse And no conquerer is so mightie as he that subdueth his owne passions and distempered affections For so doth the Lord himselfe who is the fittest vmpiere in this and all other causes set downe his award He that is slow to anger is better then the mightie man and hee that Prou. 16. 32. ruleth his owne mind is better then he that winneth a citie Verse 17. He that speaketh trueth will shew righteousnesse but a false witnesse vseth deceit HE that speaketh ordinarily in his common speech that which is true will shew righteousnesse that is will carie himselfe iustlie and further righteousnesse with his testimonie when hee shall bee publikely called thereunto But a false witnesse a false man becomming a false witnesse will vse deceit will make a shew of trueth and peraduenture vtter some part thereof but with such craft and cunning as shall be contrarie to righteousnes and hurtfull to any good cause Doct. 1 He that speaketh the trueth c. They that vse not their tongues to the trueth in priuate can hardly be brought to deale truelie in publike There must be as well a trayning of that to make it fit for equitie and iustice as of the hands and other parts of the bodie to make them skilfull in handling a weapon and bearing of armes and doing of other feates that belong to a souldier As no man is meete to be made a publike person and to be called to eminent place either of magistracie or ministerie that hath not before declared his worthinesse by shewing forth those vertues and excellent qualities which the holy Ghost prescribeth in the scriptures so likewise is not any competent for any worke that is publicke vnlesse his former conuersation vpright and honest commend him vnto it but least of all if the contrarie be found common and ordinarie with him The rule which our Sauiour giueth in another case will hold as firmely in this Hee that is faithfull in the Luk. 16. 10. least he is also faithfull in much and he that is vniust in the least is also vniust in much Reasons First the mouth