12.3 If open opposing will not serve to rob and kill ambushes must 5. Doct. Many snares are laid for innocent men As for David by Saul that he might be killed by the Philistins or any other way So for Daniel by the Princes of the Kingdome by enquiring into all his wayes and by new projects Dan. 6.4 5. Reason 1. Because of the malice of ungodly men against them 2. Because of their subtilty If they were not malicious they would not lay snares for good men If not subtil they could not do it to prevail Vse Judge not them evill that have many snares laid for them Nets are not laid for Kites but for Pigeons For their souls that is for their lives For they cannot come at their souls to hurt them 6. Doct. The naturall life depends upon the presence of the soul 1 King 17.22 The soul of the childe came into him again and he revived Reason 1. Because there is no life in the infant in the wombe till the soul enter into it This we call quickening in the Mother a distinct act from conceiving 2. Life continues not if the soul depart 3. It ends then Souls departure from the body brings death 4. Continuance of life in the soul after the death of the body shews that the life of the body depends upon it 5. The souls returning at the resurrection brings life to the body 6. It brings eternall life to it also The soul continuing with the body to eternity that body then can never die Vse Be most careful of your souls Then your bodies wil live also Else both perish No life without the soul The body will live if the soul live And the body will live as the soul lives happily or miserably to eternity If the soul be damned say Farewell all bodily comfort for ever What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his owne soul Matt. 16.26 Vers 19. So are the wayes of every one that is greedy of gain which laketh away the life of the owners thereof Solomon's three arguments being handled whereby he seeks to draw the young man from bad company and ill courses now he proceeds to raise a larger conclusion to keep him not onely from robberies but from covetousnesse the root of it He tells him that not these grosse sinners onely but all that are covetous will be drawn to shed blood rather then to lose gain Here in a patheticall conclusion all that hath been said before is shut up with a vehement acclamation and applyed to more then robbers and murderers even to all covetous persons See the like collections or conclusions with enlargements Psal 128.4 Behold thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. Not onely with precedent blessings of successe and children but with consequent also of the Churches peace and lasting posterity vers 5.6 And Psal 144.15 Happy is that people that is in such a case yea happy is that people whose God in Johovah For the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So. The word signifies 1. The foot or lowest part of a thing The laver and his foot Exod. 30.28 1. A place or office Pharaoh shall restore thee unto thy place Gen. 40.13 Me he restored unto mine office Gen. 41. ver 13. 3. Right or true The daughters of Zelophehad speak right Numb 27.9 4. So. And that sometimes in the reddition of a fimilitude As the heavens are higher then the earth so are my wayes higher then your wayes Isa 55.9 And sometimes without a similitude And it was so Gen. 1.7 God effected what he spake Some take it here as a reddition to the similitude vers 17. but it is rather a conclusion of Solomon's disswasion of the young man from joyning with robbers and covetous persons not in regard of the unhappy event likely to befall themselves but in respect of their cruelty to others whom they deprive of goods and life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wages It signifies 1. A way or path in which men walk Dan shall be a serpent by the way an adder in the path Gen. 49.17 2. A company of traveller a going together in the way for safety as the Turkish Caravanâ— doe A company of Iskmaelites came from Gilead with their camels c. Gen. 37.25 3. A custome or manner of doing in which men are as constant as travellers in their way It ceased to be with Sarâ—h after the manner of women Gen. 18.11 Lest thou learn his wayes Prov. 22.15 And so it is taken in this place for the constant customes of covetous men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of every one He doth not say of some of them but of every covetous person Not a barrel better herring For the word see on v. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is greedy of gain Heb. that gaineth gain That makes it his greatest employment to thrive and makes truth and equity to yeeld to gain The word signifies 1. To cut or wound Cut them in the head or wound them saith the marg Amos 9.1 2. To be covetous or greedy of gain for such will cut and wound others in their bodies sometimes as robbers do So the word is used He that is greedy of gain troubleth his owne house Prov. 15.27 3. To finish a thing When the Lord hath performed his whole work Isa 10.12 for covetous or greedy men are very defirous to finish their work Here it is taken in the second sense and it is observed that in that signification it is never taken in a good sense for a lawfull desire or lawfull gain but alwayes in an ill sense for being so greedy of gain that they use unlawfull means to get it Which This word is not in the originall It may be left out and read He taketh away the life of the owners thereof That is the covetous man doth it Some would read It. That is gain or riches for many lose their lives for their wealth But it is rather to be understood of the robber or covetous man who will not onely deceive or cousen but also kill men for their money 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Taketh away See on v. 3. on the word Receive The Hebrews have no compounds and therefore the word signifieth to take away as well as to take The life See on vers 18. Of the owners thereof See on v. 17. Some understand it of the theeves intimating that when they had gotten wealth they should be never the richer it would bring them to the gallows But it is rather to be interpreted of rich men whom they would cousen or rob and if they finde them too strong for them or likely to reveal them then they will kill them This agrees with all the former verses especially the eleventh The word sometimes signifieth an husband that hath right to his wife So here it signifies lawfull possessors that have right to their goods and have onely authority to dispose of them The summe of all is They take
them up that they may be ready in time of need Keep by meditation what is got by study VER 22. So shall they be life unto thy Soul and grace to thy neck UNto the former exhortation are added many gratious promises of life and honour in this Verse and of safety Verse 23.24 He shews hereby what good wisdome brings to the soul body and estate it brings life honour security He had said as much before verse 18. but in a similitude She is a tree of life here he speaks more plainly she is life it selfe and that to the Soul also For the words So shall they To wit wisdome and discretion well kept and followed Verse 21. Be life Be the means to bring spirituall life into thy soul and to keep it there For life see on verse 2. Vnto thy Soul See on Chap. 1.18 on the word lives And grace to thy neck See on Chap. 1.9 Only take notice of the strange note of the Popish English Doway Bible which reads Grace to thy jaws and in the margin thus Merit for the words of thy mouth So willing are Popish writers every where to take a sleight occasion to set up mans merit and pull down Gods grace forgetting that these two are contrary If the reward be of grace then not of works if of works then not of grace Rom. 11.6 So if of grace as in the Text then not of merit as in the Popish note However it is very strange to call grace merit Figures Life The cause or means of life unto the soul the cause for the effect Note 1. What they bring to the soul 2. What to the body In the former observe 1. The cause So shall they To wit Wisdome and discretion 2. The effect Be life 3. The object Unto thy Soul In the latter note 1. The gift And grace 2. The subject of it Vnto thy neck Doct. 1. A foolish Soul is a dead Soul Having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their heart Eph. 4.18 Reas 1. Because there is no life in the Soul till knowledge come into it There was no living creature in the world till light was made God clears the understanding before he rectifie the will and affections he keeps the same method in the little world that he did in the great world We are no better by nature then the Ephesians of whom the Apostle speaks in the place newly cited As the body is dead without the soul so the Soul is dead without wisdome which is the soul of the soul Though the Soul be the life of the body yet it selfe is dead if without knowledge and such a man differs not from a beast unlesse it be in being subject to eternall miserie That a man then may live spiritually and not sensually like a beast it is the gift of heavenly wisdom and thy soul hath life with God if thou keep wisdomes precepts although thy flesh be pressed down under the discipline of correction or of the fear of death it selfe 2. Because as the foolish soul hath no life being without justification so it can have no health nor strength being without sanctification Health is a second life without which the first is a burden Better not to live then to live in pain or weaknesse 3. It hath no spirituall breath and without breath no life It cannot breath out prayers nor praises to God 4 It hath no spirituall motion and all living things move in one way or another dead things do not No motion to any spirituall duty till wisdome take possession of the soul Use 1. Pitty those thousands of poor souls that walk in the world yet are spiritually dead Ignorant men think dead bodies walk but we know dead souls walk Many are like scpulchers that have only the names of living men written on them 2. See if thy soul be not one of these dead souls If thou have not true wisdome thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead Rev. 3.1 It is not thy great birth wealth nor strength that can make thee alive it must be wisdome Doct. 2. Wisdome makes the soul live Keep my commandements and live Chap. 7.2 Hear and your soul shal live Isa 55.3 Reas 1. From the confession of the heathen Is proprie vereque homo est cujus omnis in anima rationali substantia existit Qua propter quicquid extra hunc hominem sit id ad se minimè pertinet Plato in Alcibiade He is properly and truly a man all whose substance is in the reasonable soule wherefore whatsoever is out of this man that belongs not to him in his own account 2. From the contrary Folly is the death of the soul sin that kills it is commonly called folly in Scripture 3. From the beginning of life Wisdom is as it were the seed of spirituall life 4. From the Progresse it maintaines the life of the soul as meat doth the life of the body Use 1. Take pains to get true and heavenly wisdome What pains doth the Husbandman take to get his seed into the ground he plows and sows What pains do poor men take for food they work hard early and late and all or almost all for the belly So do thou for wisdome And as the merchant runs through pain and perill for wealth so do thou for understanding 2. Spare for no cost to get it The husbandman Tradseman Merchant drive on their trades with great cost wisdoms trade is better It concerns eternity Spare then no cost to get and keep it 3. Doct. Wisdom is a great grace to any man The wise shall inherit glory ver 35. of this Chap. They shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head and chaines about thy neck Chap. 1.9 Reason 1. Because it is a sign of worth and dignity in a man Men nobly born or in great place wear gold chains and jewells Wise men are Gods children of the highest birth and more honoured with spirituall graces and holy behaviour then any other can be with gold and silver though never so rich costly They need not fear coming into Gods presence nor disgrace from men for good men will reverence them though they be never so mean and none will contemn them but wicked men which are themselves the most contemptible of all the creatures 2. Because it doth adorn men as gold-chains do Such as are beautifull themselves are more beautifull in costly dressings A wise man is more worthy to be looked at then Agrippa with all his pompous train that was but a fancy as the Greek text calls it He came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with much fancy Act. 25.23 A wise mans honour is reall Use It discovers the blindnesse of worldlings who cannot see this heavenly wisdom as moles and earthworms see not the Sunshine Let us then account those most honourable that have most of this heavenly wisdom though they want worldly
Hence Solomon had his His Father taught him ch 4.4 and his Mother ch 31. Timothy's saith came by derivation from his Grandmother and Mother 2 Tim. 1.5 He knew the holy Scriptures from a childe 2 Tim. 3.15 Reason 1. There are prayers and good examples used in godly families which are means of knowledge and grace as well as the publick Ordinances Men that fare well at home are fat as well as they that feast abroad 2. There be pull-backs from evill by discipline and correction which bridle our corrupt nature from evil as godly exercises are spurs to good 1. Vse It teacheth us to live in good families where godlinesse prevails Yea and Children should be willing to leave irreligious Parents houses to live with godly Masters 2. Parents should choose good Masters for their Children and not altogether look at trading Place them where they may learn how to live in heaven as well as here 3. Blesse God if he give you godly Parents or Masters It is a great mercy Men do so for rich Masters where they may live plentifully or skilfull ones where they may learn how to get an estate how much more for such as teach us true wisdome 4. Make hay while the Sun shines Make a good use of domesticall instructions God hath not given you good Parents or Masters for nothing Ye may learn to be wise your selves and teach yours to be so when God honors you with families of your owne 3. Doct. Parents are bound to instruct their Children in piety To bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Eph. 6.4 As Captains train up their raw Souldiers and exercise them in Arms. Train up a childe in the way he should goe Prov. 22.6 So did Abraham breed his Children Gen. 18.19 And David Prov. 4.3 4. Teach them thy Sons and thy Sons Sons Deut. 4.9 The like is required Deut. 6.7 11.19 Reason 1. Because men are much drawn by authority to give credit to what is spoken Men look more quis dicat who sayes then quid dicatur what is said Children will beleeve their Parents sooner then Brethren or Servants because they exercise the first authority over them Afterwards when they grow wiser they will hear reason from an equal or inferiour Hence it is that Children and ignorant persons follow authority but wise men follow reason The Samaritans beleeve at first for the Womans words afterwards for Christs owne sayings Joh. 4.39 â—2 So Augustine at first beleeved the Scriptures for the Churches authority afterwards for their owne Divine authority is above all Reason But among humane authority Parents is the first 2. It is most prevalent because Children see their Parents love from their youth Parents therefore must not lose that opportunity of improving their Childrens good opinion of them 3. Young yeers are fittest for instruction and those they spend under their Parents They are then easie to be ruled and of quick capacity not taken off with vices and cares They are like young trees easie to bow 4. The good taught then may abide with them all their life long Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem Testa diu Horat. The vessel keeps the savour of what it was first seasoned withall a long time When he is old he will not depart from what he learned young Prov. 22.6 It is harder to infuse truth or piety when error or fin hath taken possession first It is a double labour first to empty the glass of filthy liquor then to put in clean first to pluck up the weeds then to sow good seed Vse 1. Woe be to those Parents that neither teach their Children themselves nor yet put them to school only they labour to get money for them which their ungrateful heirs spend to their owne destruction in finfull wayes Deus disciplinam parentes jubet thesaurizare filiis non pecuniam Perennia praecepit non peritura conferre Salv. contra avarit God bids parents to treasure up instruction for their children not money He commanded to bestow on them lasting things not perishing 2. It reproveth such as marry before they know the grounds of Religion and so may have children before they know how to breed them I have heard that Horne Bishop of Winchester in Qu. Elizabeths dayes upheld a Minister that was complained of for refusing to marry a young Gentlewoman for ignorance of the grounds of Religion saying that he would have suspended him if he had done it though he had a license from his owne Officers adding withall What should we have families of Infidels For how can they instruct their Children that are so ignorant of the first principles of Religion themselves 3. It calls upon Parents to breed their Children wel How can they hearken to their instruction if they have it not Themselves would condemne Parents that should starve their childrens bodies what are they then if they starve their souls 4. Doct. Children are bound to give credit to and obey their Parents good counsels Come ye children hearken unto me Psal 34.11 The Children of Eli hearkened not unto the voyce of their Father because or therefore as Ps 116.10 with 2 Cor. 4.13 the Lord would slay them 1 Sam. 2.25 Reason 1. Because they are the first teachers ordinarily and therefore our ears should be open to them The Parliament hears and rewards the first Messengers of good news 2. They are the fittest teachers for they seek the good of their children out of naturall love Provide for them while they live give them an inheritance when they die desire their salvation They will commend good things to their children out of love Luk. 11.13 Whereas Masters may do it out of respect to their owne peculiar profit They require them not to lie or steal it may be but let them be profane or irreligious 3. Parents can more commodiously instruct them being still at hand to observe their courses and to resolve their doubts at any time 4. They have experience and know what is good for their children who know not what is good for themselves and whom should they hearken to rather then to their own Parents Object Parents may be Idolaters and perswaders to be Papists It is the Popish argument to be of their Fathers Religion Answ If they be such as Solomon was wise and godly they will not perswade us to Idolatry If they be Idolaters we must not hearken to them Object Parents may be wicked and give ill counsell Answ Yet it may be they may give good counsel to their children sometimes Parents that have been bad in their youth may give good counsell to their children in their age for their own quiet Etiam pudicam vult meretrix filiam A whore would have a chaste daughter And we are bidden to follow their precepts not their examples nor counsels neither if they be naught 1. Vse It shews the greatnesse of the sin of Children that will not be taught nor ruled by godly Parents 2. Let
Both are evill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And make baste This shews the meaning of the former word running Their feet are swift to shed blood Rom. 3.15 The word signifies 1. To doe a thing quickly or speedily Their sorrows shall be multiplyed that hasten after another God Psalme 16.4 2. To give a dowry to one He shall surely endow her to be his wife Exod. 21.16 3. To do a thing rashly as things done in haste lightly are The counsel of the froward is carried headlong Job 5.13 Here it is taken in the first sense to set forth speed in accomplishing their evil designes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To shed Not to let out some part of the blood for good but to pour it out abundantly till one be dead for the life is in the blood Gen. 9.4 Blood See on vers 11. Some understand it of their owne blood They rob till they come to the gallows And sometimes falling out about dividing their prey they kill one another Stobaeus tit 10. de Avar. quotes Aristotle saying that eight theeves falling out about the division of the prey four of them first killed the other four Then two of them which were left killed the other two Lastly of the two yet left one killed the other There was no end of slaughter til one only was left But here it is meant of others blood as appears by v. 11. v. 18. This is the first reason and a strong and powerfull one to disswade the young man from joyning with them or so much as entring into their way because they minde nothing that is honest but breath out bloodshed and horrible sins against nature which may make them and their courses justly odious to all men Few beasts will kill others of the same kinde Much lesse should men that have reason This is a very great wickednesse Therefore thou must not look so much at the riches and spoyls they promise thee as at the grosse evill they provoke thee to which even nature it self abhors Thus ye see the strength of Solomon's first reason to disswade the young man from joyning with evill men in their sinfull wayes Figures To shed blood To commit murder A figure of the cause for the effect Note 1. The coherence For. 2. The sentence And in it 1. A generall accusation 2. A particular In the generall 1. The agent their feet 2. The act run 3. The object to evill In the particular 1. The act they make haste 2. The object to shed blood 1. Doct. Good counsels must be backt with reasons God must be praised by righteous men because it becomes them and God deserves it Psal 33.1 c. We must not fret at evill men because they shall be cut off Psal 37.1 So Prov. 1.8 9. 3.1 2. Reason 1. To draw mens affections for it is not enough to inform the judgement The will and affections are more corrupt then it The Heathen woman could say Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor I see and like the best but follow the worst It is not the least work of a Teacher to move the affections There may be light but no life without this What had the Sun been good for if God had made no living creature to behold it Vela damus quamvis remige puppis eat Ovid. Tide and oars and sails are needfull on the water So are Doctrines Reasons and Uses in a Sermon 2. To dead objections and oppositions as mud-wals dead bullets The devil will have something to object against all Theorical and Practical truths We must have some solid reasons to weigh down his seeming arguments Vse It shews the need and justifies the practise of Ministers in not onely laying down but also backing truths with reasons that they may work both on head and heart 2. Doct. There is no member of the body so vile or mean but may be an instrument of sin and mischief Ye have yeelded your members servants to uncleannesse and to iniquity unto iniquity Rom. 6.19 So many use their throat tongues lips mouth feet Rom. 3.13 14 15. As birds use their beaks and talons wilde beasts their teeth claws and tails tame beasts their horns and hoofs to do hurt And men have eyes for adultery As David 2 Sam. 11.2 and ungodly men Having eyes full of adultery 2 Pet. 2.14 Others have eyes for covetousnesse as I saw a goodly Babylonish garment c. Then I coveted them And Ahab had eyes to covet Naboth's vineyard 1 King 21.1 Men have ears ready to hear wanton songs slanders c. Tongues for swearing lying flattering back-biting called the third tongue in Chaldee because it hurts the speaker hearer and person spoken of Hands to strike kill steal Feet to carry the whole body to mischief Vse 1. It teacheth us to bewail the spreading of corruption in us It cannot be enclosed in the soul but runs over every member of the body No Physician can tell all the diseases of the eye much lesse the sins of it 2. It shews us our great account that besides secret sins have so many to answer for in every member 3. It calls upon us for suspicion of and watchfulnesse over every member Not of the Eye or Ear alone but of all 3. Doct. Wicked men have a great affection desire and pronenesse to wickednesse As men have to those things they run after who yet hate those things from which they fly Wickednesse is sweet in his mouth he hides it under his tongue He spares it and forsakes it not but keeps it still within his mouth Job 20.12 13. Why boastest thou thy self in mischief O mighty man Psal 51.1 And sure men greatly affect what they boast of Reason 1. Because it is pleasing to their corrupt nature The Iron follows the Loadstone by a naturall sympathy So do wicked men pursue sinfull courses 2. Custome makes it dear to them Men are pleased with customes without a reason Vse Hence may we discern the vilenesse of our nature It were a stain to it to be drawn to sin but to love that which is evill and delight in it and run to it without solicitation argues a desperately corrupted nature 4. Doct. Sin is truly evill and hurtfull I have done this evil in thy sight Psal 51.4 Evill shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him Psal 140.11 Sin is evill by name and evil by nature For it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a breach of Gods Law or an unlawfull act 1 Joh. 3.4 It may be said of sin as Abigail speaks of her Husband Nabal or fool Is his name and folly is with him 1 Sam. 25.25 So evill is the name of sin and evill is in it It is the brood of that evill one It is evill before God whom it dishonors and who cries out against it Before men who make laws against it Hurtfull to others as all fins against the second Table being hurtfull to mens lives wives children states liberty credit Sin will pull down Church and
the man himself in the fift signification The Lord God hath sworn by himself Amos 6.8 Heb. by his soul Here it is taken in the second sense for the life because as the breath is the signe of life so the presence of the soul is the cause of life and the absence of it the cause of death Faulkeners if they catch birds in the net kill them If not they shoot them So do robbers with men They kill them with the sword or with the gun Thus the Adulteresse seeks a mans life ch 6.26 7.22 23. Figures Blood for life and soul for life The cause for the effect The same thing is doubled in divers words to shew the certainty of it that this is indeed the intention of robbers what ever they pretend to the young man So Pharaoh's dream was doubled to shew that the thing was established by God and God would shortly bring it to passe Gen. 41.32 And Kimchi on those words Isa 1.2 I have nourished and brought up children saith The doubling of the word is to confirm the thing in divers words though the matter be all one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And such is the custome of the Scripture in many places For the division Note 1. The efficient They the robbers 2. The act lay wait lork privily 3. The object for their blood for their lives To murder such as they rob It agrees with the former vers thus As fowlers lie hid themselves and lay their nets where birds come to catch and kill them though they never hurt them so these robbers lie hid privily to entrap them that hurt them not and to kill them for their goods 1. Doct. Similitudes rightly applyed are of great use They are much used in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament As by Moses Deut. 32.11 12. Where Gods care of his is set out by the Eagles tender care of her young ones By the Prophets Isa 49.15 16. which sets it out by the Mothers respect to her young children By Christ Matt. 13. who take similies from Sea Land Trade Husbandry to teach all sorts of men piety By the Apostles Jude v. 12 13. where the like are taken from Bodies of men Heaven Earth Sea Reason 1. Because they help the understanding much For earthly things are better known to us then heavenly They are glasses in which we may see better things The eyes convey much knowledge to the soul 2. Similitudes help the memory for things seen are tokens of things unseen as a thread on the finger of an errand The act of memory lodges one thing in one corner of the room another in another 3. They help the will When we see the willingnesse of beasts to provide for their young it puts Parents in minde of their duty 4. They help the conscience A similitude helped David to see his sin quickly 2 Sam. 12.1 c. He could soon condemne him that killed his neighbours Ewe-lamb that would hardly else have condemned himself for killing his neighbor and abusing his Wife 5. They help the affections The attractive ones are helped by similies taken from things liked the abstractive by similies taken from things disliked 6. They help to amend our lives The Ant can teach the Sluggard to labour Vse 1. Treasure up store of similitudes All places afford plenty of them Sea land shop house streets fields are not barren What can you doe that may not teach you some good lesson for your souls 2. Be sure to apply them right else they may doe much harm As that parable Mat. 18.23 where the Lords revoking his pardon vers 34. is applyed to falling away from grace contrary to Christs interpretation vers 35. God wil not forgive you unlesse you forgive others Simile non currit quatuor pedibus No similitude runs on four legs If it agree in some things it must differ in others else it were not the like but the same And what application can be better then that which leads to the scope of the propounder Theologia symbolica non est argumentativa Similitudes making nothing true but illustrate things that were true before The absurdest thing in the world might be proved by some similitude As that Parents need take no more care for their children then the Ostriches do for their eggs Job 39.13 c. But what childe will allow of such a proof Therefore apply similitudes carefully lest ye run into error Before v. 11. they say Let us lay wait c. Here Solomon affirms that they do so 2. Doct. A wicked man as he perswades others to evil so he acts it himself So Judah counselled to and joyned in the selling of Joseph Gen. 37.26 c. Judas did the like in bringing Christ to his end Matt. 26.14 15. Reason 1. To shew their reall approbation of the work For it is pleasing to their corrupt nature They give bad counsel out of love to evill as their deeds declare 2. To encourage others to mischief For deeds draw more then words examples then precepts Vse To blame many who give good counsel to others to be just yet prove unjust themselves and to be patient yet are impatient themselves Like Pharisees they lay heavy burdens on mens shoulders but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers Mat. 23.4 Fowlers have cunning pates to invent traps and strong hands to lay them 3. Doct. As wicked men have heads to invent so have they hands to execute mischief So Ishmael contrived and executed Gedalia's death and others Jer. 41.1 c. So did Joab Atner's and Amasa's death 2 Sam. 3.27 20.9 10. Reason 1. Because mens hands are naturally corrupt as well as their heads 2. Because else their plots will come to nothing if their hands be not nimble to execute as well as their heads to invent Vse It reproves such as have good heads and know well what they should doe but finde many rubs in the way when they should go about any good duty These are sluggards and cry A lion in the way Prov. 6.13 New words come to be expounded in every verse 4. Doct. Much pains is needfull to understand Scripture aright Continuall pains Continue in them 1 Tim. 4.16 Searching pains Search the Scriptures Joh. ch 5. vers 39. Reason 1. Because of the manner of writing Some things are plain but other things are figurative as I am the true vine and my Father is the husband-man Joh. 15.1 Some direct but others ironical as Rejoyce O young man in thy youth c. Eccl. 11.9 Some like Islands and Promontories as marks of good example to guide some like rocks and quick-sands as stories of bad example to avoyd 2. Because Ministers which have more gifts then others yet labour hard to understand Scripture Vse Let us take pains to know the meaning of Gods Word as Miners do that dig for gold silver or jewels or men that draw water out of deep wells even out of the wells of salvation Isa
vers and so carry the word straight on to the reddition in the fifth vers and make this vers to have no dependence on the first and the things altogether severall running into the fift v. as severall rivers into the Sea to be swallowed up there But the first way answers best to the Heb. text yet may there be severall means to attain wisdome although the first be an help to the second as the lower steps in a ladder help to mount up to the higher Thine ear The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Originall comes from a word that signifies to hear which is the proper function of the ear And it signifies 1. The ear the instrument of hearing Moses put of the blood upon the tip of Aarons right ear Lev. 8.23 2. The act of hearing Thou shalt read this Law before all Israel in their hearing Heb. in their ears Deut. 31.11 Here it is taken in the first sense Vnto wisdome See on ch 1.2 And apply Heb. Bow down For man is naturally proud and scorns to stoop to instruction Omnes nati sumus in monte superbiae We are all born in the mountain of pride Eucherius And as foolish as the wilde Asses there Job 11.12 Or stretch out For we are by nature far short of it and unwilling to hear of it For the word see on chap. 1.24 on the word stretched out It may import a willing attendance on instruction rather then humility 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thine heart The word is taken 1. For that fleshly member which we call by that name Joab thrust three darts through the heart of Absalom 2 Sam. 18.14 2. For the middle of any things because the heart lies in the midst of the body Thou hast cast me in the midst of the Seas Jonas 2.3 3. For the soule it selfe which brings life and resides first and last in the heart Davids heart smote him 1 Sam. 24.5 4. For the thought of the heart It may be my Sons have cursed God in their hearts Job 1.5 5. For the affection Is thine heart right as my heart is with thine 2 King 10.15 6. For knowledge or understanding He that heareth reproof getteth understanding Heb. getteth an heart Here it is taken in the third sense for the soul it selfe which must be applyed in hearing as well as the ear and is more needfull also for learning To understanding The same thing in divers words Heavenly knowledge is set out in many terms in this Book The summe is That thou mayst injoy this excellent treasure thy ears both of body and soul must be taken off from worldly and transitory things and fully set to get true wisdome The one will do no good without the other Both together by Gods blessing may attain it Figures Apply a Metaphor from corporall things that are applyed to their objects by bowing them downe or stretching them out So much the Hebr. word imports But the soul cannot be applyed to learning in that corporall way but in a spirituall way by giving heed to what is taught For the parts Two means of attaining spirituall wisdome are here prescribed 1. An outward one Inclining the ear 2. An inward one Applying the heart In the first note 1. The act So that thou encline 2. The subject thine ear 3. The object unto wisdome In the second note 1. The act And apply 2. The subject thine heart 3. The object to understanding 1. Doct. The ear must be first employed in hearing if we would get knowledge Ye men of Judea and all ye that dwell in Jerusalem be this known unto you and hearken to my words Act. 2.14 As if he had said All I shall speak will do you no good except ye hearken to it Who hath ears to hear let him hear Mat. 13.9 Reason 1. In generall because the ear is one fit instrument of learning from others what our eyes cannot teach us Auris sensus disciplinae The ear is the sense of learning Arist Ethic. 2. In particular It is a quicker way of learning by hearing then by any other sense or any labour of our own A man may teach that in a quarter of an hour for which he hath studyed many dayes Else Schools and Sermons were needlesse Vse Think not scorn to learn of others Blesse God for thine ears Faith cometh by hearing Rom. 10.17 Man is like the Hart of which Aristotle lib. 9. de Histor Animal writes that when he pricks up his ears he quickly hears the least sound but when he hangs them downe he is deaf and taken and killed So men stretching out the ear to hear hear quickly and escape when dull and deaf ones perish 2. Doct. The ear doth no good if the heart attend not My Son forget not my Law but let thine heart keep my commandements ch 3.1 Else hearing helps not Let thine heart retain my words keep my commandements and live ch 4.4 God opened the heart of Lydia that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul Act. 16.14 Reason 1. Because it makes no change in man if the word strike not on the heart And without a whole change no salvation is to be expected Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdome of God Joh. 3.3 2. Else there will be no belief of the Word nor submission to it without which it doth the soul no good The Word preached did not profit them being not mixed with faith in them that heard it Heb. 4.2 Vse Be sure to bring attentive hearts as well as attentive ears Be not hypocrites Give not bodies without souls Be not like the pillars of the Church to be present and get nothing If the heart be not drawn off the world no good comes by the Word 3. Doct. We must not rest in hearing till we come to compleat wisdome As Preachers are to preach for the edifying of Christs body till it be perfect Eph. 4.11 c. So are we to hear till we have attained to perfection of knowledge that is all our life long we must give heed to the sure word of prophesie untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in our hearts Reason 1. Because then and not till then ye understand things aright 2 Pet. 1.19 2. Else all your labour is lost Vse Be no more removed from Gods ordinances then the Sun is from his course So Valerius Maximus l. 5. commends Fabritius and Pyrrhus that the Sun might as soon be turned out of his way as they out of the way of justice or virtue Vers 3. Yea if thou cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voyce for understanding The third help to get true wisdome follows and that is earnest prayer unto God For the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea. This word here adds an Emphasis to this means above the former As if he had said A docible nature is good and instruction of men but both these cannot beget knowledge without Gods blessing Prayer therefore must be added
wrong done to God by Idolatry is set out by this similitude Thou hast gone a whoring from thy God Hos 9.1 Reason 1. Because it wrongs him in his greatest propriety dearer to him then friends or children 2. It breaks the greatest obligation for he is her guide If he leave her she is in perpetual danger Her lovers having satisfied their lust will leave her 3. It may put the Husband to labour to provide for other mens children and is not that a great injury Vse Let women when they are tempted to wantonnesse think what wrong they do their Husbands So great that though they may repent and be pardoned by God yet they can never make their Husbands amends This is a soveraign antidote against Adultery 5. Doct. The Wise should be guided by her Husband Wives submit your selves unto your own Husbands Eph. 5.22 See the same words Col. 3.18 Reason 1. Because the Husband is the guide as in the text 2. He is the head and the body must not rule It were a monster in nature to see the body placed above the head Vse Let Wives be content to be subject A man that being sober overturns the ship and drowns the passengers is not fit to guide it when he is drunk If innocent Eve missed Adam Wives now in the state of corruption are not fit to guide but must be guided 6. Doct. An adulteresse sins against God as well as against her Husband She breaks the seventh Commandement where God forbids it and separates those whom God the author of marriage hath joyned together and joyn them together and joyns them together whom God hath separated Vse Let Wives think of this and of Joseph's carriage to prevent adultery saying How can I do this great wickednesse and sin against God Gen. 39.9 And if they be guilty let them say with David Against thee have I sinned Psal 51.4 And repent that they may be saved Vers 18. For her house enclineth unto death and her paths unto the dead The Wise-man proceeds to shew the greatnesse of the mercy of preservation from evill women by the greatnesse of the danger from which men are kept thereby That is from death it self which is most terrible in the thoughts of wanton persons and which if often thought of would keep them from wanton courses This danger is set out 1. In the kinde of it in this vers Death omnium terribilium terribilissimum The most terrible of all terrible things 2. By the irrecoverablenesse or hardnesse to return v. 19. For the first That the young man might see Solomon's counsel was not in vain he sets down the great mischief that befalls such as follow the Harlots wayes and enter into her house And how great evils he shall escape that comes not there is set out by the disorders of her house and deadly wayes of them that live there For the words For. This is no reason of the last vers why she wrongs her Husband and sins against God She did not do it that she might perish her self and undoe others but that she might satisfie her owne lust and covetousnesse But those words depend upon the beginning of v. 16. to shew the young man what a great mercy of God it was to keep him from the strumpets acquaintance and by consequence from utter destruction The Genevah translation reads surely As the same particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated Surely in vain the net is spread c. ch 1.17 And then it is an absolute sentence as if he had said Make account of nothing else but utter ruine if once thou enter into her house and joyn in her wayes Bain reads seeing And so ties it to the following v. as giving a reason why few return to wit because her house leads to death as if he had said to the young man If thou wilt not hearken to me but wilt enter into the Harlots house thou wilt finde death there and a great difficulty of returning Her house The filthy manners and wicked conversation used in her house For the word see on ch 1.13 Some understand it of the strumpet her self which leaving her husbands poor house lives with some adulterer in a stately house or hires one to entertain her lovers and thinks to live gallantly there but leaving her Husbands house hastens to the grave the house of darknesse and forsaking the covenant of her God goes to eternall darknesse But it is rather a caution to the young man to take heed of coming into her house because he shall find nothing there but death and destruction Enclineth Heb. boweth downward Not onely tends that way but with a descent and humiliation and laying low There is in her house a road-way to death and hell and that downward as men go down an hill apace not staying till they come to the bottome Vnto death It brings speedy death unto men both of soul and body And her paths See on v. 9. Vnto the dead It comes from a word that signifies to heal or cure by an Antiphrasis because the dead are past skill and cure of the Physician So a mountain mons à movendo because it moves not And a Wood lucus à lucendo because it wants light Wantonnesse takes men away from among the living and brings them to the dead in body and soul which have dyed before them either by a naturall death or by such like wanton courses as these men take Death and the dead here must include both spirituall and temporall death the grave and hell For it seems not a sufficient reason to keep men from adultery and from Harlots houses that they must die for this is common to all men A man may say as mockers do Let us commit adultery without any fear for nothing shall befall us which doth not befall the chastest men They must die as well as we It must needs therefore include hell also unlesse we should interpret it of a violent or early death which often befalls adulterers and may scare others more then hell For the one they see the other they beleeve not Many murders attend on adultery and ruine of whole families Others translate it unto the giants As the word is used Deut. 2.11 which also were accounted giants And then it comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to heal because they are strong and stout and need no Physician or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be faint or weak because the very sight of them makes others faint as if they had the pangs of death upon them And by these giants some mean the devils the tormentors of adulterers in hell others understand men of great might and great rebels against God such as those in the old world who abused their strength to wickednesse and wantonnesse whose bodies are now in the grave and souls in the deepest place of hell To both which places adulterers must descend to keep such wicked wretches company in eternall misery whom in their life they have
imitated in sinfull courses The summe is That all the courses that are used in the house of the adulterers tend to death both of body and soul that so the young man if he love the safety of his own soul and body should take heed of coming there Figures Her house The sins comitted in her house The subject for the adjunct Her paths A Metaphor from Travellers often used in this Book Note 1. The hurt gotten in her house Death 2. The bad company it brings men to Dead and damned men worse then to bring men among Lazars in the Hospitall In the former observe 1. The word of coherence For. 2. The cause her house 3. The effect inclineth 4. The object unto death In the latter note 1. The way And her paths 2. The end unto the dead 1. Doct. Much hurt is gotten by conversing with lewd women If Samson were alive he would tell you how by Dalilah's acquaintance he loft his strength liberty sight lise besides the danger of his soul Solomon would inform you how he fell from God to Idolatry by such company and how thereby his posterity lost the greatest part of their Kingdome Reason 1. Because nothing can be expected from creatures but what their nature yeelds Fire will burn Seas drown Ravenous birds feed on carkasses Wilde beasts devour them Evil women are naught Evil trees bring forth bad fruit not good Mat. 12.33 35. All the houshold of the adulterers and all her wayes tend to death temporall and eternall as in the text 2. All men and women speak according to their disposition and employment Navita de ventis de tauris narrat arator Enumerat miles vulnera pastor eves Of Winds the Sea-man of his Bulls The Plow-man speaks his Wounds The Souldier reckons of his Sheep The Shepherd talk propounds A covetous man speaks of bargains a voluptuous man of games a proud man of titles an angry man of injuries a strumpet of wantonnesse Evil communication corrupts good manners 1 Cor. 15.33 Vse Letus observe the carriage of women and if we evidently see wantonnesse in their words and deeds set a crosse upon their houses with Lord have mercy upon them as over houses infected Cum foeminâ semper esse non cognoscere foeminam plus est quam mortuum suscitare Bern. in Cant. Serm. 65. To be alwayes with a woman and not to know a woman is more then to raise up a dead man Touch not pitch lest ye be defiled Ye have fire enough in your owne natures seek not fuell abroad The young man when he grows acquainted with strumpets hopes to spend his dayes merrily in fine houses and is suddenly carried to death and hell He looked for a storehouse of pleasure fine gardens c. and behold desolation The Heathen man could say Nolo tanti poenitentiam emere I will not buy repentance so deer And the Proverb is Caveat emptor Let the buyer beware It serves then to admonish us to take heed of haunting the company of Harlots lest we defile our selves and consent to their filthinesse We would not willingly come neer a rotten and ruinous house lest it should fall and bruise or kill our bodies There is more reason to avoyd the company of Harlots whose society may not onely break our bones but eternally damn our souls 2. Doct. Many miseries attend upon adultery It cost the Israelites and the Benjamites deer the losse of many thousand lives and almost the destruction of an whole Tribe Judg. 19. 20. 21. It cost David deer 2 Sam. 12. The losse of his childe the abuse of his wives a lasting sword on his house besides the rape of Tamar and rebellion of Absolon and Adonijah with the murder of Amnon Reason 1. Because it was death by Gods Law and so it is now by ours Lose life and lose all comfort 2. It is infamous all the world over No modest persons care for joyning with adul torous families 3. It breeds many quarrels between the Husband and the Adulterers Wives and Strumpets Adulterers one among another and Strumpets also 4. It brings many murders The adulterers will hunt for the pretious life chap. 6.26 The Husband enraged will kill the Adulterer ch 6.34 35. 5. It brings bastards which is a disgrace to posterity 6. It procures disinheriting of Children when men suspect their Wives want of chastity 7. It breeds diseases in the body and shamefull ones too as characters of that wickednesse 8. It brings poverty on the state by Gods curse or the Whores covetousnesse For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread ch 6.26 Vse Think of the many mischiefs that attend upon adultery when thou art tempted to it A needfull theam for we naturally look not at sin as it is in it self but as it is to us not in its odious and filthy nature as we should doe though no danger followed it but in its hurtfull effects which is to fear the smoak more then the fire Yet so to look at it may be profitable to keep us from the fin if not for hatred of it yet for fear of the ensuing mischiefs Think with thy self there is great danger and much wickednesse in adultery else God which is so mercifull would never punish it with a double death temporall and eternall Remember that all conversing with strumpets tend to destruction And though she speak flattering words yet shamefull death follows adultery as well as theft or murder In Adrian's Gymnasium or place of exercise Venus is set forth as the ancientest of the Destinies not spinning the thread of life but cutting it asunder Quid Venus est quaeris est antiquissima Parca Filáque mox resecans at neque nens eadem Thou askest what Venus is She is The ancient'st Destiny That quickly cuts the threads of lise But knits them not truly Plutarch writes of a Temple inscribed Saerum Veneri homicidae Sacred to Venus the Man-stayer Chrysostome on Psal 50. saith What is an whorrsh woman but a sepulchre and the common burying place of mankinde is her house And in Rome because old Harlots were not permitted openly they harboured in caves of earth called Fornices from whence the word Fornication cometh and in this regard it is fitly sald in the text Her house enclineth unto death and her paths unto the dead To the grave an hole in the earth where the dead are laid A dark place fit for sin and fit for punishment Terence calls Harlots Cruces because they crucifie men Venery is deaths quickest Harbinger Pope John 12. being taken with an Adulteresse was stabbed to death by her Husband Aâ—xander the Great and Otho the third lost their lives by their lusts But how many alas by this means have lost their souls fleshly lusts do in an especiall manner fight against the soul 1 Pet. 2.11 And nothing hath enriched hell so much saith one as beautifull faces Let the young man think on these great examples
minùs ipsi lucet cum illi accenderit Ennius apud Cicer. offic l. 1. He that gently shews a wandring man his way doth as if he lighted another mans candle at his His shines neverthelesse when the others is kindled A man of understanding He that understands these Proverbs well or hath a better capacity then others will gather very profitable Conclusions out of them Such were the men of Issachar which had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do 1 Chr. 12.32 Shall attain to The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 1. To get any thing by price or labour or prayer or any way of right Thence Cain had his name I have gotten a man of the Lord Gen. 4.1 And Gen. 25.10 The field which Abraham purchased Heb. got 2. To possesse a thing when a man hath gotten it The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way Prov. 8.22 Here it is taken in the first sense He shall get by labour and industry in learning from others and so have a right to it and use of it as a labourer at night hath to that which was another mans in the morning Wise counsess 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We want a word to expresse it and are forced to use a Periphrasis or circumlocution to set it out in two words which is but one in the Originall The derivations are two but from the same root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to govern a ship Some derive it from the Governor that sits at the Stern called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who must guide the ship wisely or else all must be lost that is in it Sapientiâ suam Gubernator torquet nabem haud valentiâ Titin. apud Nonium The Governor guides his ship by wisdome not by strength He is called the Ship-master Jon. 1.6 As the Mariner long rouls up and down thoughts in his minde what to do in a storm so this wise man to guide his actions that he may choose the best upon deliberation The word imports any accurate way of doing any thing as Sea-men accurately guide ships between rocks and quicksands especially in storms Others derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rope As Sea-men clime up and down the ropes perpetually yet fall not into the Sea so wise men easily dispatch their affairs without damage though dreadfull to others as the former employment is to such as are fearfull or unskilfull Or it may be of preferment to places of command to guide others as a Pilot guides a ship by the sterne and tackling and rudder In this last word may be a Metaphor taken from Ship-men the rest are literall In this vers is first the augmentation of wisdome by reading these Proverbs Secondly the height of what is to be gotten In the first note 1. The agent or cause A wise man 2. The action or transitory effect as building will hear 3. The thing made by action as the house and will increase Set out by the object learning In the second note 1. The agent A man of understanding 2. The effect shall attain unto 3. The object wise counsels 1. Dect No man so wife but he may learn more And that both in Theoricall and Practicall knowledge how to think and how to do better We are all children while we are here and know but in part 1 Cor. 13.11 Christ himself increased in wisdome Luk. 2.52 Before the Law they had but a few Revelations and Traditions Under it they had the truth in obscure shadows and sacrifices After it the darknesse of the understanding remained though more light appeared Adam in innocency might know more by reasoning and occurrents Angels learn from Gods dealing with his Church Vnto the principalities and powers in heavenly places is made known by the Church the manifeld wisdome of God Eph. 3.10 Which things the Angels desire to look into 1 Pet. 1.12 Reason 1. Want of light The Sun of knowledge shines not so cleer here as in heaven clouds of ignorance come beween There are few clouds in Aegypt whence comes want of rain and they are forced to water their gardens with their feet Deut. 11.10 Seldome a cloud seen in Japan But there are many clouds in the wisest mens brains to keep them from understanding many truths 2. Want of sight We see here by the spectacles of Gods works Invisible things of God are seen from the creation of the world Rom. 1.20 We see by the perspectives of Ordinances and must so do till the day of judgement Eph. 4.11 c. We cannot see so cleerly here as we shall in heaven 1. Vse Be not content with that measure of knowledge ye have but labour still for more As men in trading finding the world come on them give not over but go on to get more riches Youth must learn middle age increase learning old age attain to wise counsels Bodies grow old Souls do not Solon was wont to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I grow old alwayes learning many things Platon Dialog de Philosophia de Fortitud de Repub. l. 7. in Cicer. de Senect Marcus Antoninus the Emperor went often to the house of Sextius the Philosopher saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is good even for an old man to learn Salvius Julianus a most famous Lawyer was wont to say Ets◠alterum pedem in sepulchro haberem adhuc addiscere vellem Although I had one foot in the grave yet I would learn still Pandect l. 4. Nulla dies fine linea said Apelles No day without a line And Augustine acknowledges himself both a Writer and a Learner Ego ex eorum numero me esse profiteor qui scribunt proficiendo scribendo proficiunt I professe my self to be of the number of them who write by profiting and profit by writing August Epist 7. Sapiens quamdiu vivit tamdiu addit A wise man adds as long as he lives Ambrose Vse 2. It shews us what little hope we have of children and young men that think they know enough already when old men and wise men may learn Multi potuissent ad sapientiam pervenire nisi se putassent jam pervenisse Many might have proved learned men but that they thought they were so already Senec. de Tranq c. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Opinion is the let of profiting Diogenes Laertius l. 3. de Bionis vita Ego senex à juvene Episcopus tot annorum a collega nec dum anniculo paratus sum doceri August apud Gratian. c. 24. q. 3. I an old man and a Bishop of so many yeers standing am ready to be taught by a young man and a Colleague scarce of one yeers standing 2. Doct. Much knowledge comes in at the ear We have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ Joh. 4.42 How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10.14 Hearing and Seeing are by Aristotle called the learned senses because by these dores learning
existimantis Plin. l. 10. c. 1. Great is the foolishnesse of the Ostrich who though his body be very high yet when he hides his neck under a shrub thinks he lies hid Vse Let Magistrates put them out of that conceit by doing justice on Malefactors Impunitas maxima est peccandi illecebra Impunity iâ— the greatest bait to sin Sparing some is cruelty to others Henry the Eighth his fool when the King denyed a pardon to a Gentleman that had killed two men before told him that the Gentleman had killed but one the King had killed the other for if he had hanged him for the first the second had been alive Bonis noâ—et quisquis malis pepercerit P. Syrus He that spares the bad hurts the good 8. Doct. Rich men though innocent are in danger As Naboth 1 King 21. The inheritance made the heir in danger of his life Mat. 21.38 Their riches breed them snares Cantabit vacuus coram latrone viator An empty traveller may sing before a theef Vse To condemne the immoderate desire of riches Our throats may be cut for them Vers 12. Let us swallow them up alive as the grave and whole as those that go down into the pit The former argument to perswade our Novice to joyne in thest and murther and unlawfull surprize of other mens goods and lives was taken from the safety of the action No danger No man should see to prevent it before or to accuse after This argument in this verse is from the easinesse of it The Novice might object The work is difficult the successe doubtfull They answer No. It may be done without any trouble with much ease and little resistance We shall as easily overcome them as dead men are put into the grave or a sop swallowed by a Dog For the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us swallow them up or we will or shall swallow them Joyn thou with us in the doing of it They desire not onely consent and approbation of the work but also assistance and help to effect it Let us swallow them up as wilde beasts devour their prey at a morsel or as the greater fishes devour the lesser whole and make no bones of them Hereby is intimated 1. The greedy desire of wicked men to destroy others for their goods as beasts or fishes are greedy for their food without which they cannot live 2. The easinesse they conceive of effecting it They can destroy them as easily as a Whale swallows a fish as they thinke that hath power to resist or escape 3 The suddennesse of the danger The party shall be destroyed before he know himself in danger as a fish is suddenly swallowed 4. The secresie of it None can tell what is become of that which is swallowed up No signe of blood shall be lest nor any member to avoyd all suspicion of murder 5. The irrecoverablenesse of the losse Things swallowed up are past recovery unlesse by miracle as Jonas came out of the Whales belly There will be then no fear of revenge at all from them By them he means the innocent parties and such as never did them any wrong mentioned vers 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alive This argues cruelty to eat and devour living creatures that are sensible of their pain and losse Dead carkasses feel not when they are devoured This cruelty is expressed lively Psal 124.3 Then they had swallowed us up quick when their wrath was kindled against us The word signifies 1. Life God breathed into mans nostrills the breath of life Cen. 2.7 2. Living or alive I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living Psal 116.9 3. Lively or strong The Hebrew women are lively Exod. 1.19 4. Men. Eve was the Mother of all living Gen. 3.20 Not of beasts but of men 5. Beasts for they live also At the hand of every beast will I require it Gen. 9.5 6. Moving things that have no sense A well of living watirs Cant. 4.15 Here it is taken in the second sense for living or alive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the grave The word is sometime translated Hell The wicked shall be turned into hell Psal 9.17 which is a receptacle for souls of wicked men after death Sometimes it is rendred the grave I will go down into the grave unto my Son Gen. 37.35 That is the receptacle of dead bodies And sure Jacob meant not to go to hell but into the grave or state of the dead for it is likely he thought his Son was not buried but devoured by wilde beasts as he was told It is taken directly for the Grave Prov. 30.16 So it is taken here for the Grave We will not stay till they be dead We will be their grave and hide them safe enough It is not an allusion to Dathan and Abiram swallowed alive by the earth as some would have it for theeves would not willingly mention such a judgement But the grave swallows dead men that they are no more heard of so will we swallow living men And it may be an allusion to any that are swallowed up quick as multitudes have been upon breaches made by earthquakes and hanging hills overwhelming Towns as lately in the Valtoline The name comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to crave or ask For the grave is never satisfied but alwayes craving for more carkasses It never saith It is enough Prov. 30.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And whole We will not hurt nor maim them nor cut off some members but swallow them all up at once The word sometimes fignifies upright or undefiled Blessed are the undefiled or entire in the way Psal 119.1 So some read here But that cannot be For 1. That is all one with innocent vers 11. And 2. It suits not well with the words following for most men go down into the pit defiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As they that go down into That descend into the earth by buriall or otherwise by casualty as some falne into Marle-pits and perished there or into Cole-pits as Psal 140.10 It is true literally for pits and graves are in the bowels of the earth and men are put down into them or metaphorically because the estate of dead men is a lower condition then of those that live on the earth A living dog is better then a dead lion Eccl. 9.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The pit The word sometime signifies a pool digged to receive rain-waters in those dry Countreys where water is wanting A pit wherein there is plenty of water shall be clean Lev. 11.36 2. It signifies a pitfall digged to catch birds or beasts in He made a pit Psal 7.15 3. A hole or dungeon whereinto offenders are cast Vnto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon Exod. 12.29 Yet good men have been cast into such places as Jeremy into a dungeon and Joseph into a pit 4. A grave wherein dead men are cast Thou hast kept me alive that I should not go down into
Common-wealth It is hurtfull to our selves bringing down many judgements on us It is evill privatively depriving us of much good Evill positively inflicting much sorrow Evill spiritually bringing spirituall judgements on the soul Evill corporally bringing much pain to the body Evill eternally making soul and body for ever miserable Vse 1. Hate all sin God is the object of love Evill of hatred Ye that love the Lord hate evill Psal 97.10 Amat Deum debes odisse quod odit Lovest thou God then must thou hate what he hates August 2. Beware of acting sin It is a disgrace to thee and matter of danger 5. Doct. Sinners are very nimble and industrious about sinfull actions Jezabel quickly findes a way to get away Naboth's vineyard 1 King 21.7 c. And Judas to bewray Christ Mat. 26.15 Reason 1. From an internall principle of love of sin Men are very nimble about what they love 2. From an externall principle of custome It is their trade and men are very nimble about their trade that go dully about other things They are in their element Elementum in loco suo non ponderat An element is not weighty in its own place How swift is water in the river How dull out of it Vse Marvell not at sudden villanies as robberies murders treasons Wicked men are quick at such things 6. Doct. Great sins are readily swallowed by ungodly men As murder and oppression Ahab can swallow Naboth's vineyard and life at a morsel 1 King 21. And Judas can digest the murder of Christ and thirty pieces of silver to boot Matt. 26.15 Some are so wicked they can murder Father and Mother 1 Tim. 1.9 Cain killed his owne Brother Gen. 4.8 Reason 1. They see not the evill of them 2. They foresee not the danger of them Vse Marvell not at great wickednesses while there be wicked men in the world Fire will burn down water overflow all before it Vers 17. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird We come now to Solomon's second argument to disswade the young man from joyning with these sinners And that is taken from the injustice of their course They wrong others without provocation by them or merit of evill in them It may be the young man might object against the first argument peradventure they had just cause to take the rich mens lives as well as their goods It may be that they have committed some great evil or done them much wrong No saith Solomon they had no cause at all to proceed so cruelly against them neither for any wrong done to themselves nor others It proceeds meerly from their owne covetous and cruel disposition They have given them no more cause then the bird doth to the fowler to take away his life For the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surely So it is translated Surely we will return with thee Ruth 1.10 And then it is an earnest asseveration of the truth of what is said It is as sure theeves kill without a cause as that fowlers kill harmlesse birds It may be read For as it is v. 9. v. 16. And then it ushers in a second reason to disswade the young man from joyning with them v. 15. because they are unjust as well as cruel For it cannot be a reason of the Theeves curelty mentioned v. 16. for they are not curel because they have no cause but though they have no cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In vain So our Translation and some others read it Some take it to be in vain in regard of the bird which will take no warning but will fly to the meat although it fall into the net So will Theeves go on till they come to the gallows notwithstanding examples of others hanged before or counsels of friends They will rob though they be hanged and for present content they will adventure suture ruine Their eyes are dazeled with the fight of gain so that they see not the danger Others take it to be in vain in regard of the fowler who is not alwayes sure to catch the birds for many times they spy the net and flie away And this some apply to the Theeves alluring the young man They often misse the precious things they aim at the owners espying their evill intentions and preventing them Therefore joyn not thou with them upon hope of uncertain gain Others apply it to the young man himself as if Solomon had said If birds have wit to see and avoyd snares thou my Son being a reasonable creature shouldst much more especially being warned by me see the danger of these evill mens counsels and not dare to joyn with them But the word should rather be translated without cause as it is v. 11. As fowlers kil birds taken in the net though they never wronged them that so they may feed on them so do these most unjustly kill them they rob as ver 11. 19. shew The one saith they lie in wait for them causelesly and the other that they take away their lives So the word is also used chap. 3.30 Strive not with a man without cause if he have done thee no harm Object not that they will not be so cruell though they be covetous for though mens riches may do them good yet they have given no cause to take away their lives No more hath the bird to the fowler But as the fowler cannot feed on the bird unlesse he kill it no more can they rob sometimes without killing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The net It is taken 1. Literally for an engine to catch birds beasts or fishes Ye have been a net spread upon Tabor Hos 4.1 2. For net-work made like a net Thou shalt make for it a grate of net-work of brasse Exod. 27.4 3. For devices to entrap men In the net which they hid is their own foot taken Psal 9.15 Here it is used in the first sense yet the third intended in the application of the similitude as appears v. 18. Is spread Laid abroad at length that it may catch the bird if it come within the verge of it In the sight Heb. in the eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 1. The eye in which is placed the Sense of seeing The eye is not satisfied with seeing Eccl. 1.8 2. The sight which is by the eye The heavens are not clean in his sight Job 15.15 So here where the bird either doth see it or may see it if he will look about him or where birds use to haunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of any Not of every bird but of any bird So it signifies here and that without a negative particle with it A thing not observed in Grammars and Dictionaries So Job 8.12 It withereth before any other hearb For the word see on v. 13. on the word All. Bird. Heb. owner or possessour of a wing That hath a wing at command to fly withall Thus God distinguisheth birds from beasts and fishes A bird of the air shall
hear thee 2 Sam. 15.3 And in Israel in Samuel's old dayes His Sons turned aside after lucre and took bribes and perverted judgement 1 Sam. 8.3 Samuel could say Whose oxe have I taken or whose asse have I taken c. 1 Sam. 12.3 But his Sons could not say so Reason 1. Because men have different humours and affections some spleenful some fearfull some covetous some ambitious 2. They have divers degrees Some are great and think they may do what they will with mean ones Some low and do wrong for need They are poor and steal Prov. 30.3 Some of a middle rank who envy superiours slight inferiours and wrong both Vse Let us be just in the midst of an unjust generation as Noah was Gen. 6.9 and as Paul would have the Philippians to be Phil. 3.15 and as the middle region of the air is cold being between the upper region hot as being neerer the Sun and the lower hot by reflexion The net is spread Fowlers have nets and spread them to take innocent birds that they may be sure they may not escape 4. Doct. Wicked men have cunning devices to doe mischief As Absalom to get away the hearts of his Fathers Subjects by flattery 1 Sam. 15.3 And Ishmael by tears to call them to Gedaliah whom he had slain before and so to kill them Jer. 41.2 6 7. Reason 1. To expedite the businesse the sooner that they may quickly effect their desires They long to be rid of their mischievous designes as a woman with-childe of her burden Behold he travaileth with iniquity Psal 7.14 As the Mathematician that made an Engine to convey a Ship into the Sea with one hand which others could not do with much help was a cunning man So have wicked men curious fetches to hurt others 2. To remove all impediments which requires much skill Vse Take heed of ungodly mens plots Use the Doves innocency but with the Serpents subtilty Matth. 10.16 5. Doct. God hath put some visible distinction between visible creatures Birds are distinguished from Beasts by wings He made birds to fly in the air fishes to swim in the sea beasts to go on the earth Gen. 1. Reason To shew Gods wisdome that hath set a several mark on all creatures in their several kindes Vse Let us in beholding the variety of the creatures give God the glory of his wisdome Rom. 1.20 21. 6. Doct. Creatures have a lawfull power over their members A bird is Master of a wing Reason God gives them this power Vse Honor God then with your members Yeeld your members servants to righteousnesse unto holinesse Rom. 6.19 Vers 18. And they lay wait for their owne blood they lurk privily for their owne lives Here the Wise-man proceeds to a third argument to disswade the young man from joyning with these robbers The first was from their cruelty v. 16. The second from their injustice v. 17. The third in this vers from their craft and indirect dealing to bring their wicked ends to passe For the words And or So. For thus this word is translated Pro. 25.23 The North-wind driveth away rain so doth an angry countenance at back biting tongue It sets forth a reddition to a similitude So it may do here As the Fowlers without provocation lay wait to kill the harmlesse birds that they may devoure them so robbers without provocation lurk privily to kill men that they may deprive them of their riches They lay wait See on v. 11. For their own It may be translated their or their own And therefore the word owne is in a little letter as not necessarily included in the Originall word They that take it for their owne understand it thus These robbers that are so solicitous to draw thee into their society think to undoe others but indeed undoe themselves in the end They come to the gallows They doe as it were hold a pistoll with a dark lantern in their hand and when they think to kill others shoot themselves to death Quae rapinâ sublata funt raptorem rapiunt Ab Ezr. Things unjustly snatcht away snatch away the snateher Some hold on the comparison and read it their not their owne and understand it of the birds which the fowlers are not content to take but kill them also And they make the reddition v. 19. But the best way is to read it their and apply it to the rich men whom the theeves would rob And so it is a part of the application As Fowlers lay wait to kill birds so theeves to kill men The reasons to inforce this interpretation are these 1. They that are to be killed are those whose blood they laid wait for v. 11. which was not their owne but such as they would rob And swallow up alive v. 12. And finde riches in their houses v. 13. 2. Because the other interpretation agrees not with the similitude v. 17. for fowlers run no danger themselves in catching or killing birds No law layes hold on their lives So it should be a dissimilitude rather then a similitude Though fowlers get no harm by killing birds yet thou shalt perish with murdering theeves if thou joyn with them But this agrees not with the words 3. Because it agrees not with v. 19. They seek the life of the owners of those riches and not their owne lives To conclude the dehortation is not taken from the hurt that might befall the young man if he joyn with them but that might betide others by his joyning with them in their crafty wayes which will not onely be the losse of their estates but of their lives also sometimes which the young man not used to blood and fraud would startle at in likelyhood though the seducers used to it could shed blood without remorse Bloud See on v. 11. They lurk privily See on v. 11. For their owne Rather for their That is for to kill those whom they rob See before in this vers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their lives Heb. Their souls The word signifies 1. The breath His breath kindleth coals Job 41.21 2. The life which cannot be without breathing But flesh with the life thereof shall ye not eat Gen. 9.4 3. The soul the cause and fountain of life Man became a living soul Gen. 2.7 4. A living body Let the earth bring forth the living creature Gen. 1.24 5. A man The souls that came out of the loynes of Jacob Exod. 1.5 That is the men 6. The body of a man He was laid in iron Psal 105.18 Heb. His soul came into iron As in the marg of your Bibles Yet it was the body of Joseph onely for his soul could not be bound in iron 7. A dead carâ—ase that had once a soul in it Whoso toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead Lev. 22.4 Heb. by a soul 8. The heart minde or desire of a man Ye know the heart of a stranger Exod. 23.9 Heb. the sul 9. For God himself as the soul of man was taken for
not give ease to them that never call on him but in trouble They cryed but there was none to save them even unto the Lord but he answered them not Psa 18.41 Though they cry in mine ears with a loud voyce yet will I not hear them Ezek. 8.18 Reason 1. Because they had no acquaintance with God before Men look after their acquaintance in time of trouble not after strangers that have no dependence on them 2. Because they look meerly after their own ease for the most part and have no love to God else they would have regarded his service in their prosperity Hos 7.14 Vse It teacheth us to get interest in God betimes even in prosperity to follow Solomon's counsell Eccl. 12.1 Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth We would be glad to have God to hear us in the troubles of old age Let us then be mindefull of him in youth 4. Doct. Affliction makes men earnest in prayer In their affliction they will seek me early Hos 5.15 When he slew them then they sought him Psal 78.34 Reason 1. Because affliction is compared to fire When thou walkest through the fire Isa 43.2 and fire will heat So doth affliction heat mens affections 2. Because they finde much need of help which in their prosperity they felt not A begger wil pray earnestly Vse It condemns our cold prayers both in fasts and other times in these sad dayes If ye will not pray earnestly now when will ye Wicked men will rise in judgement against you They pray earnestly in trouble 5. Doct. Prayer is a seeking of God Neither do they seek the Lord of hosts Isa 9.13 Seek ye the Lord Isa 55.6 Reason 1. He is as it were lost when he doth not help us God is departed from me and answereth me no more 1 Sam. 28.15 2. He may be found an helper upon intreaty Vse No marvell if many never found God They never sought him by hearty prayer in all their lives and must quite lose him at their death 6. Doct. There is a time when God will not be found of some men though they seek him earnestly Though they shall cry unto me I will not hearken unto them Jer. 11.11 When ye make many prayers I will not hear Isa 1.15 Then shall they cry unto the Lord but he will not hear Mic. 3.4 1. For the time 2. For the persons For the the time That is twofold 1. After a time of long calling on them to return yet slighted by them He that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law even his prayer shall be abominable Prov. 28.9 Yea true repentance then though it may deliver from the curse yet sometimes not from the crosse God would destroy Jerusalem for Manasses his sins though he repented and Josiah reformed 2 King 23.26 2. After this life It is too late to cry for mercy in hell Not a drop of water to be gotten Luk. 16. God hears not impenitent finners here much lesse in hell Here is time of repentance there none The dore of mercy is shut up for ever by death Mat. 25.10 When the golden time of life is gone no trading for souls health No physick after death For the persons they are 1. Impenitent sinners God heareth not sinners Joh. 9.31 Prayer and repentance must go together else no audience 2. Unbelievers The Word without faith doth no good No more doth prayer An unbeliever must not think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord Jam. 1.7 3. Hypocrites that have no religion but in shew and pray accordingly Will God hear the hypocrites cry when trouble cometh upon him Job 27.9 Sure he will not 4. Uncharitable men A father will not hear them that are cruel to his children Vse 1. It teacheth us to take heed of putting off repentance We may be in hell in a moment or God may be so offended with our peevish wayes that he will not give us true repentance nor hear us A great revenge It would vex a man that his friend would not hear him in extremity If we follow not Gods instruction in our prosperity he will not follow us with help in our misery He that meant to say Lord have mercy on me cryed out at his death Horse and man and all to the Devill Perkins government of the tongue 2. Let us hearken to God in our prosperity that he may hearken to us in our extremity else we perish eternally Quid aequius quid justius non respeximus non respicimur non audivimus non audimur Salv. What more equall what more just we regarded not we are not regarded we heard not we are not heard I speake unto thee in thy prosperity but thou saidst I will not hear this hath been thy manner from thy youth that thou obeyest not my voyce The wind shall eat up all thy pastours and thy lovers shall go into captivity surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickednesse Jer. 22.21 22. To conclude God will hear a penitent sinner at any time yea even at the houre of death as he did the penitent thief but he often denies true repentance to those that slight the means of grace and alwayes denies audience to those that cry not with their hearts to him when they howle on their beds for corn and wine Hos 7.14 Let not then an impenitent sinner ever presume nor a penitent despair Vers 29. For that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord. We are come to the third judgement denounced wherein Wisdome first sets downe the causes of the judgement v. 29 30. Secondly the judgement it self v. 31 32. For the first Wisdome repeats the former just causes to justifie her accusation yet with some elegant change of words and order to affect the more with the variety of them and to drive the causes of their ruine the more home to their hearts that at length they might repent and prevent it An usuall thing in humane judgements that the sentence may appear to be just The Clerk reads the causes of the condemnation and the Judge oftentimes repeats them Their plagues are fearfull therefore Wisdome would have the causes of them well known If any man should ask Why Lord art thou so inexorable and hard toward them The answer may be in the text For that they hated knowledge So the words may look backward and forward Thus he shews that they did justly perish and were justly neglected Four causes mentioned before are here repeated The two first in this vers The two lastin v. 30. The first in this vers is hating knowledge mentioned vers 22. The second in this vers also is not choosing the fear of the Lord intimated v. 7. The third in vers 30. is rejecting Wisdomes counsel mentioned v. 25. The fourth in v. 30. also is despising Wisdomes reproof mentioned likewise v. 25. And in an elegant order For 1. Knowledge is to be gotten 2. The fear of
3. That God may cleer his owne justice Vse 1. It ets out Gods goodnesse plainly before our eyes who being above all yet is pleased to make men acquainted with the reasons of his proceedings 2. Let us make good use of this information Let us observe the reasons of Gods judgements recorded in Scripture that we may avoyd the like sins and prevent the like judgements for God is as just now as ever Did he punish Adam and Eve for disobedience Cain for murder the old Word for violence Sodome for Iuxury He will punish others for it now They are examples to us upon whom the ends of the world are come 1 Cor. 10.11 Did he not spare Noah nor David when they sinned against him neither wil he spare his offending children now Let us then be wise and be ware 2. Doct. They are simple that do not hearken to heavenly instructions v. 22 23. Reason 1. Because they are made acquainted with the greatest danger to their souls that can be and yet will not avoyd it If a man were told of a pit in his way out of which there were no escaping and would for all that run into it were he not a simpleton 2. The way to attain greater good then all the world can afford them and that for eternity is made known unto them plainly so as they cannot deny it and yet will not look after it As if a man were shewed an easie way to get a Kingdome and yet would live a begger Is not such a man very simple Vse It shews the great distance between Gods judgement and mans Many of those that are of great account for wit and policy in the world God accounts to be very simple and so they will prove in the end They must prove so that will not hearken to the counsels of the God of Wisdome 3. Doct. Not hearkening to good counsell brings destruction They despised Gods words and misused his Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy Therefore he brought upon them the King of the Chaldeans who slew their young men with the sword c. 2 Chr. 36. 16 17. They east thy Law behinde their backs Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies Neh. 9.26 27. Reason 1. Because it brings many temporall judgements upon men God will set the brand of his displeasure and their disobedience upon them in letters of blood 2. If it bring not viol nce upon their bodies yet it brings both body and soul to perdition for ever No man can invent a way to heaven If he will not then go the way that God hath revealed he mustiperish Vse Let this drive men to hearken to good counsell If the odious name of simple ones will not do it let fear of eternall wrath open our ears and hearts 4. Doct. Men in prosperity will seldome hearken to good counsel I spake unto thee in thy prosperity but thou saidst I will not hear Jerem. 22.21 Woe to them that are at ease in Sion Amos 6.1 The Prophet had little hope to doe good on them Reason 1. Because they think they are good enough already 2. They think they shall continue so and look for no change Because they have no changes therefore they fear not God Psal 55.19 David said in his prosperity I shall never be removed Psal 30.6 Vse Let rich men take heed and not think themselves too good to hearken to good counsell They are in more danger then meaner men Their ears are stopt with their wealth 5. Doct. Prosperity and folly go often together Rich Nabal was a fool both in name and nature 1 Sam. 25.25 God calls the rich man fool Luk. 12.20 Reason 1. Because wealth is not alwayes gotten by wisdome It may come by gift or favour of Princes or by inheritance or by painful servants as Laban's by Jacob's pains Potiphar's by Joseph's 2. Because rich men are from their youth cockered by parents and flattered by others which keeps them from the knowledge of the truth Therefore said the Philosopher Great men learn nothing so well as to ride well because the horse will not flatter Vse Do not imitate rich men because of their wealth They may be fools for all that and then why should wise men be guided by them An Ape of a Fool is very ridiculous Prosperity and folly are well joyned together for where is most wealth there often times is least wisdome 6. Doct. Prosperity is the ruine of many As of those two rich men Luk. 12.16 16.19 Reason 1. It often makes men let go piety and then as boys learning to swim they let go their bladders and sink Quando hoc incautis non fuit ad disciplinam quod ignis ad ceram quod solis radius ad nivem vel glaeiem Prosperity to unwary persons is like fire to wax or the Sun beams to snow or ice Bern. de Consideratione l. 2. c. 12. Magnus est qui incidens in adversa non excidit à sapientia nec minor cui praesens faelicitas si arrisit non irrisit Ibid. He is a great man who falling into adversity falls not out of wisdome and he is no lesse on whom present felicity smiling mocks him not 2. It is harder to bear prosperity well then adversity The Dutch Proverb is The feet must be strong that carry prosperity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. Cyropaed It seems to me an harder thing to bear good things well then bad for the latter make many a laughing stock but the former makes all men wiser Peacocks let down their proud feathers when they see their black feet Hannibal's Army having overcome the troublesome Alps was spoyled by the Italian dainties Tribulatio probat unam patientiam prosperitas verò omnes virtutes examinat Anselm in Sentent Adversity tryes Patience onely but Prosperity examines all virtues 3. Prosperity layes men open to many sins To injustice in getting it Qui agit semper faelicitèr iniquè agit Euripides He that doth alwayes prosperously doth unjustly Quà m grave onus homo faelix insipiens nam stultitia germana est iniquitatis Aeschylus How great a burden is a rich fool For foolishnes is sister to iniquity Fortuna quem nimiùm fovet stultum facit Whom fortune cockers him she makes a fool Mimus And our Saviour calls riches the Mammon of iniquity because hardly gotten without it Luk. 16.9 It is often abused to sensuality One rich man cryes Soul take thine ease eat drink and be merry Luk. 12.19 The other was clothed in purple and fine linnen and fared sumptuously every day Luk. 16.19 It makes men secure Living long in prosperity they neither foresee nor seek to prevent their ruine It hardens men in sin as it did Pharaoh 4. It brings Gods judgements upon them Noverca virtutis prospreitas sic bajulis suis applaudit ut noceat Convivis suis ab initio propinat dulcia ut cum inebriati fuerint let
the mountains shake with the swelling thereof Psal 46.2 3. Si fractus illabatur orbis Impavidum ferient ruinae Horat. A godly mans Ark is pitched within and without tossed it may be but not drowned shaken but not shivered No Kingdome in the world no Empire hath such a priviledge 6. Doct. Trouble is evill in it self The yeers wherein we have seen evill Psal 90.15 Shall there be any evill in the City and the Lord hath not done it Amos 3.6 Reason 1. Because it is evill to the body helping to confume it by diseases 2. It is evil to the soul helping to vex it with grief and disquietnesse It makes a man cry out Why art thou cast downe O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me Psal 43.5 Vse Let us blesse God our heavenly Physician that turns our troubles to our good and makes an antidote of poyson CHAP. II. Vers 1. My Son if thou wilt receive my words and hide my commandements with thee Solomon having before in the words of Wisdome threatned obstinate finners with destruction now in his owne words falls to instruct such as are tractable Now that these things are spoken in the words of Solomon and not of Wisdome appears by the title given to the young man in this verse My Son Which is also given him by Solomon ch 1.8 But never by Wisdome in all this Book And by ch 3. v. 13. He saith Happy is the man that findeth wisdome If Wisdome had spoken she would have said that findeth me In this Chapter the Wise-man shews 1. How to get true wisdome to vers 5. 2. What good is gotten by getting it to the end of the Chapter And that 1. Positively from v. 5. to v. 10. 2. Privatively from thence to the end And this latter 1. By preventing danger from bad men from v. 10. to vers 16. 2. From bad women from v. 16. to the end For the first thing the way to attain true wisdome it is 1. By getting a docible minde v. 1. 2. By learning it of them that are wise v. 2. 3. By prayer to God for it v. 3. 4. By our owne studies and endevours v. 4. To return to v. 1. And first for the words My Son See on ch 1.1 8. It is a title often repeated to beget attention and obedience If thou wilt receive See on chap. 1.3 If thou wilt bring with thee a willing minde to learn of me and to receive my words into thy understanding will and affections So Lira interprets it of a Scholar docible and willing to learn Hugo Cardinalis takes it for a Metaphor from the earth which being plowed and opened receives the seed into it and brings forth corn So doth a docible Scholar As on the contrary Petrarch Dialog 41. speaking to a Schoolmaster that had or might have an undocible Scholar saith Discipulum indocilem babes Perdis operam littus aras semina projicis natura non vincitur Terrae aridae colonus es Solve boves Quid te torques Hast thou an indocible Scholar Thou loosest thy labour thou throwest away thy seed nature cannot be overcome Art thou a tiller of a barren ground Vnloose thy oven Why vexest thou thy self The word argues a greedinesse of hearing as the dry earth gasps for rain and drinks it in greedily Heb. 6.7 Others read it If thou wilt buy my words So the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used She considereth a field and buyeth it Heb. taketh it to wit by purchase For what men buy they may lawfully take ch 31.16 Now wisdome is bought by time and labour Metrocles dicebat res alienas pecuniâ ut domum vestem alia disciplinas autem emi tempore atque labore Metrocles said that other mens goods were to be bought with money as houses and garments and other things but arts were to be bought with time and labour Laert. l. 6. c. 6. It argues a greedy desire of knowledge sparing for no cost time nor labour to attain it Ab. Ezra expounds it thus Thou shalt be my Son if thou wilt receive my words But it is better to draw the coherence to vers 5. thus If thou wilt receive my words c. then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord c. My words See on ch 1.21 Some understand it of the words in the foregoing Chapter But it includes all spoken by him in this Book And hide Lay them up safe in thy heart and memory as men lay up treasures v. 7. Or at husband-men hide their corn in the earth to fructifie Or as men lay up jewels they would have kept There is no safer place to keep good counsel in then the chest of mans heart and memory Then will it not be forgotten My commandements Such as I have received from God and enjoyned thee These they must hide in their memory that Satan beguile them not of the knowledge of them but they may be ready for practise upon all occasions as money in a Treasury or victuals in a Storchouse With thee Not from others for thou must teach them but lay up the knowledge of them for thy owne use Some things are so dear to us that we will not trust our chests with them but carry them alwayes about with us So must we doe with wise precepts Maximus reports that Euripides the Philosopher seeing a young man buying many Books said Non arcae O adolescens sed pectori O young man these are not to be put into thy chest but into thy breast Communium Sermonum 17. I have heard that famous Buchanan King James his Master when a Germane Doctor coming into Scotland desirous to see him and observing his few books and great learning saluted him thus Salve Doctor sine libris God save you Mr. Doctor without books going into Germany afterwards and seeing in that Doctors Study a multitude of books and thinking him little learned retorted bitterly Salvete libri sine Doctore God save you books without a Doctor Intimating that few books well read were better then many never looked upon He is the first in the ship of fools that buyes many books and reads them not To this purpose Solomon seems to speak to the young man here as if he had said I have and will do my part to fill thee with good instructions see thou do thine in receiving them into thine heart and keeping them there Figures My Son a Metaphor For Solomon meant others to be taught by him as well as his Sons Receive A Metaphor from the earth receiving seed Hide a Metaphor from treasures locked up In the text there is 1. Avi ditas auscultandi A greedy desire of hearkening 2. Assiduitas memorandi A daily care of remembring In the first note 1. The person spoken to My Son 2. The act required if thou wilt receive 3. The object my words In the second note 1. The act And hide 2. The object my commandements 3. The subject place with thee Observations My
is to be commended but that we should be ashamed not to seek after wisdome so earnestly as they do after riches See how patiently they that love money labour and sweat for it forbear pleasure and delight take all occasions of gain avoid all occasions of losse And we do not so much for heavenly wisdome which is far better For riches diminish by use wisdome encreases So Christs coming is set out by a theeve's in the night 1 Thess 5.2 We are spoken to here after the manner of men Rom. 6.19 For wisdome should be sought with more diligence then riches 2. Because though God could give it us without our labour yet he will not that we may the more esteem it being hardly gotten So Husbandmen Shepherds Gardiners Labourers Inkeepers Merchants learn Languages Arithmetick incur many dangers Per mare pauperiem fugiens per saxa per ignes Impiger extremos currens Mercator ad Indos Horat. The greedy Merchant runs to the Indies through sea rocks and fires to avoyd poverty The unjust Steward cannot dig It requires no great skill but is too great a labour for him Luk. 16.3 3. Because we must not fodere only but effodere not only dig but dig out All the Diggers labour is lost if he dig not till he dig the oar out of the ground Yea men dig till they dig it all out So must we labour till we attain the height of knowledge 4. The pleasure and profit will answer all the pains It brings happinesse and better profit then merchandise of gold and silver chap. 3.13 14. It will make amends if a man sell all he hath for it Matth. 13.44 The fruit is answerable to the labour The treasure answers the Miners pains and fills him with joy when his labour is done He fares the better for it all his life long Vse Let us be ashamed that we have taken no more pains in the use of the means to get heavenly wisdome We may say of Knowledge as Simonides said of Virtue Fertur in rupibus aditu difficilibus habitare It is reported to dwell in rocks hardly accessible Sudor ante virtutem positus Sweat goes before virtue Clem. Strom. l. 4. A man must climbe or dig for it if he will have it Worldly men dig where they have hope of a Mine though with much uncertainty We may be ashamed of doing so little where there is certainty of finding wisdome Viscera terrae extrahimus ut digito gestiatur gemma quam petimus Quot manus afferuntur ut unus niteat articulus Simili studio industriâ constantiâ sapien iae inquisitioni incumbendum erat Plin. l. 2. c. 65. We draw out the bowels of the earth to get a jewell we desire to wear on a finger How many hands are worn out that one finger may shine The like study industry constancy should we use in searching for wisdome We may then marvell at and bewail our slothfulnesse in seeking wisdome who all our life long are so diligent to seek for wealth 6. Doct. We must be constant in our pains in the use of the means of getting wisdome So are men unweariable in digging for treasure This Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night Josh 1.8 The blessed man meditates in Gods Law day and night Psal 1.2 Reason 1. Because the Ministers are to preach constantly Preach the Word in season out of season 1 Tim. 4.2 And if Schoolmasters must keep hours it is fit Scholars do so also 2. We shall not be perfect in knowledge while we live no not if we had attained to Paul's stature We should know but in part till that which is perfect come 1 Cor. 13.9 10. And we must not give over means till we attain to a full measure of knowledge As a sick man gives not over physick and diet till he be fully recovered Vse Let such take it to heart who have found sweetnesse in Gods ordinances and now finde none Where is their constancy Qui thesaurum effodâ—nt in mundo licèt infinitas capiant divitias non priùs absistunt quà m totum exhauserint Non enim ut multa tollant sed ut nihil religâ—uant haec eos praecipuè cura tenere solet Multo magìs hoc nos in divinis facere thesauris opertet tamdiù effodere quoad totum exhauserimus apparens Apparens autem dixi quoniam omnia exhaurire non datur Chrysost in Homil. super orat Annae They that dig out treasures in the world although they get infinite riches yet cease not till they have drawn the Mine dry For this is their chief care not to get out much but to leave none behinde Much more should we do thus dig so long till we draw out all that appears Now I say that appears because no man hath power to draw out all Arborem quam summa conspicis viriditate laetari nisi fimo humore subterraneo foveatur continuè exarescet nec viror corticis quicquam valet nisi virtus stipitis humorem continuum sibi trahat Sic homo quantumcunque in sapientia virescat si novum humorem continuè sibi non trahat per studium acquisita viriditas facilitèr exarescit Cassiodor l. 2. The tree which thou seest enjoy the most greennesse unlesse it be continually cherished with dung and underground moysture will be dryed up neither is the greennesse of the bark worth any thing unlesse the force of the trunk draw moysture to it continually So a man how green soever he be in knowledge if he draw not daily new moysture to himself by study his greennesse gotten will easily be dryed up The cause why many get not saving knowledge is because discouragement makes them give over labour But seek and ye shall find Matth. 7.7 Plantin the curious Printers Motto was Labore constantia By labour and constancy But what are those means that we must use to get knowledge Answ Light and sight So in worldly things light of the Sun and our eyes must be used to distinguish objects The light is manifold 1. Of Creatures which must be used by observation of Gods power wisdome goodnesse characterised in them Rom. 1.20 The invisible things of God are seen from the creation of the world 2. Of Scriptureused by reading Nihil invenitur nisi quod per viam suam quaeritur Nothing is found unlesse sought in the right way 3. Of the Word preached used by hearing 4. Of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper used by receiving 5. Of good parts given to others used by conference 6. Of principles in our selves used by meditation The fight is twofold As the body hath two eyes so likewise hath the soul The first is Reason whereby man must seek to understand all the former means of knowledge truely The second is Illumination whereby he is made able to understand such things as Reason could not reach This is the cleerer eye of the twain These must be
be born without saving knowledge yet if we could get it of our selves it were something Many a man born foolish for the world poor mean yet by Art improving Nature proves worldly wise rich great But we cannot get heavenly wisdome so 2. Get it of God by prayer and go out of your selves else ye will never attain it as being naturally blinde and unable to see the way to heaven Rev. 3.17 3. Doct. It is not enough that wisdome come into the head unlesse it come into the heart also So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdome and apply thine heart to understanding vers 2. of this chap. Let thine heart keep my commandements chap. 3.1 Let thine heart keep my words chap. 4.4 His mother kept all these sayings in her heart Luk. 2.51 God opened the heart of Lydia that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul Act. 16.14 Reason 1. Because else truths will not be regarded nor affected 2. They will not be remembred nor retained 3. Neither will they be applyed nor practised In effect neither affections memory nor life will do their part Vse Let us then receive heavenly truths into the heart with joy that we may be wise Let us set open the dores of our hearts to let in the King of glory Psal 24.9 It is not enough that truth come into thine ears by hearing or touch thy heart by understanding but it must enter into it by pleasing admission and be received in love 2 Thess 2.10 Wisdome must enter into thee as a man into his own house Ab Ezr. taking possession of all the faculties of thy soul Thou must not onely conceive aright of truth but willingly receive it There is an Emphasis in the word Entring or coming in Mans heart is a dark labyrinth It is hard for the light to come in but very usefull It is needfull for all the corners of the soul The Soul saith Macarius Hom. 5. is a great shop wherein are many rooms and ware houses There is the Trade of upright dealing in justice c. Every affection keeps shop by it self and is very unruly Much wisdome is needfull to direct every one as much light in every corner of a shop The outward light of the world may serve to direct the body but wisdome must direct the soul Salazar 4. Doct. Knowledge is better then all outward riches He doth not say riches or honour but knowledge is pleasant This dying David especially commends to living Solomon Thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father 1 Chron. 28.9 Reason It will stand by us at death when all outward comforts forsake us and must be left Vse Labour more earnestly for it then for riches or honor for which worldly men take so much care and pains 5. Doct. There is much pleasure and delight in knowledge Gods judgements are sweeter then honey and the honey-combe Psal 19.10 How sweet are thy words unto my taste yea sweeter then honey to my mouth Psal 119.103 Pleasant words are as an honey combe sweet to the soul and health to the bones Prov 16.24 Reason 1. Because it gives wonderfull satisfaction to mens expectation And such things are pleasing to men 2. It eases a mans minde in the mids of worldly cares and businesses It is as a Noah to Lamech This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toyl of our hands Gen. 5.29 3. It sweetens all worldly crosses which are very bitter to fools It brings in Christ to help bear the burthen 4. It sweetens all worldly blessings by teaching us how to use them aright I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Phil. 4.12 13. Vse We may well wonder then why knowledge which is so sweet in it self is so bitter to many and they will take no pains to get it Surely it is not entred into their hearts They are yet carnall To good men it is sweeter then all worldly comforts Fables and Tales are pleasing to others but Gods Word and knowledge to these It is like honey to them and outward comforts like gall in comparison of it As when a man hath taken honey other things are bitter to him Exercise makes that sweet to one man which is bitter to another 6. Doct. Knowledge will raise up a drooping soul The sight of the Sun much rejoyceth dulled spirits the knowledge of Gods Word much more The Law of the Lord is perfect comforting the soul The statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart Psal 19.7 8. Reason 1. Because trouble of minde comes from a double ignorance 1. We are ignorant of our nature as if we were not subject to change Not onely Rivers but Seas ebbe and flow 2. We are ignorant of the nature of things who take things to be hurtfull that are not Non sunt omnia mala quae hominibus videntur mala Nauta queritur silere ventos mundum non laedit tranquillitas Arnob. All things are not evill which seem evill to men The Mariner complains that the winds lie still yet still weather hurts not the world Homines perturbantur non rebus sed opinionibus Si mors malum esset Socrati ita videretur Epict. cap. 10. Men are troubled not with things but with opinions Had death been an evill it would have seemed so to Socrates Me occidere possunt sed ladere non possunt Ibid. cap. 78. They may kill me but they cannot hurt me 2. Knowledge gives grounds of comfort from the sugar of Gods promises of profit strength singular deliverances Vse Love this knowledge better then ever ye did What good will all the world doe you if ye have troubled spirits Knowledge onely can lay these storms Vers 11. Discretion shall preserve thee understanding shall keep thee Now for the preservation it self of those persons that receive and entertain wisdome in this vers They shall be delivered from many spirituall and corporall dangers which foolish men fall into and they themselves are subject unto by reason of the remainder of sin in them and allurements of others both men and women As if he had said God shall give thee such warinesse and understanding of the true nature of things that thou shall be carefull to keep thy self from all evils which would weaken thy whole life by means of pot-companions and stâ—umpets who will continually be ready to set upon thee in thy young and slippery age to undoe thee if they can This preservation is a great benefit For the words Discretion See on ch 1.4 It imports a carefull examining things in the minde before we do them that we may avoyd evill The Syriack reads a good thinking that is to think well before-hand whither thou goest and what thou dost shall keep thee from going and doing amisse Cogito
quasi coagito Notat sereitatem Beeman To think is to bring thoughts trgether in the minde It notes seriousnesse Such is the care of the Wife how she may please her husband 1 Cor. 7.34 She casts this way and that way how she may give content So every wise woman buildeth her house ch 14.1 She studies in every businesse how to set every thing in order So the Carpenter studies how to set every thing in joynt Shall preserve thee As a buckler keeps from wounds v. 7. or as a guard which Princes and great men are wont to have about them for the safety of their persons Their souls shall be as safe as the bodies of those great ones who have a Band of men alwayes waiting on them Or as Cities that have a strong garrison to keep them from danger of assaults by the enemy Discretion shall preserve thee from all enemies and disasters Vnderstanding Carefull examination will give thee understanding to see what is fit to be done and what to be avoyded For the word See on v. 2. Shall keep thee See on v. 8. It shall keep watch and ward over thee It brings delâ—ght and safety The same thing spoken in the beginning of the v. in other words for assurance and to enlarge our affections to wisdome as if no words could sufficiently set out this benefit of preservation by it and to urge us to entertain it and rejoyce in it as in a most beautifull spouse If we so do it will shew us the way how to be free from sinfull courses Figures Preserve thee A Metaphor from persons or Towns kept by a guard Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 The word signifies kept as with a band of Souldiers in a garrison The same benefit is twice inculcated Note 1. The preserver Diseretion and understanding 2. The act shall preserve shall keep 3. The person preserved thee He that joyfully entertains it and takes pleasure in it shall be kept by it 1. Doct. Men are subject to many dangers till they get wisdome He goeth after her straightway as an Oxe goeth to the slaughter or as a fool to the correction of the stocks Till a dart strike through his liver as a bird hasteth to the snare and knoweth not that it is for his life ch 7.22 23. Thou fool this night shall thy soul be required of thee then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided Luk. 12.20 Reason 1. Because their reputation is in danger and men had as leeve lose their life as their credit if they be generous Folly will give occasion of disgrace 2. Their goods and essate will be in danger which is a great losse How many lose them by folly breaking out into unseemly words and deeds 3. Their body and life is in danger which are dearer then credit and goods Skin for skin yea all that a man hath will be give for his life Job 2.4 Is not the life more then meat and the body then rayment Mat. 6.25 4. The soul is in danger and lies open to eternall misery Therefore sin which damns the soul is called folly He had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacobs daughter which thing ought not to be done Gen. 34.7 And wicked men that go to hell are chronicled for fools all over this Book of Proverbs And this is the greatest danger of all What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his owne soul Matth. 16.26 Vse It discovers to us the cause of many troubles and calamities in the world want of wisdome to prevent the occasions I say not of all but of many for Gods servants are often persecuted without a cause and for tryall of their graces yet we may do well to attribute our sufferings to our folly as David did My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishnesse Psal 38.5 2. Doct. Young men are most in danger of allurement For he speaks to his Son all along vers 1 2 c. He that is seduced by the Strumpet is said to be among the youths ch 7.7 Such are most subject to walk in the wayes of their heart and in the sight of their eyes Eccl. 11.9 Reason 1. Brcause they are more subject to be set upon by strumpets riotous theeves as having least gravity to keep such off My Son a young man if sinners intice thee ch 1.10 Old men they will not set upon so soon Nay the thought of an old grave man present might keep men from secret sins as the Heathen man said Think Socrates or Plato sees thee and thou wilt not commit folly 2. Young men have least wit and experience to resist such temptations and therefore Solomon writ his Proverbs to teach the young man knowledge and discretion ch 1.4 3. Because old men want fuel for many sins to be kindled by temptations and allurements They cannot exercise wantonness riotousness robbing killing for want of bodily strength The grassehopper to them is a burden and desire fails Eccl. 12.5 They cannot taste what they eat and drink nor hear the voyce of singing men or singing women 2 Sam. 19.35 Old men have seen the mischief that falls upon evill courses of life and therefore are not easily drawn to them Old birds will not be caught with chaffe Vse Take heed young men you think your selves strongest and you are weakest your strength and heat of blood will soonest draw you to folly for lust is strongest in young men by reason of natural heat Therefore Paul bids Timothy Fly youthfull lust 2 Tim. 2.22 Be not proud and carelesse but humble and watchful 3. Doct. When men get discretion and knowledge they will be free from many enormities into which others fall So the prodigall Son who fed on husks before when he came to himself found bread enough in his Fathers house Luk. 15.17 So the Angel of Laodicea might be freed from blindnesse poverty and nakednesse if he would follow Christs counsel Rev. 3.17 18. Truth hath a freeing power Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free Joh. 8.32 1. Because Satan is daunted by repulses as he was by Christ Then the devil leaveth him Mat. 4.11 2. Wicked men give over soliciting when they see it cannot prevail as Joseph's Mistresse did who though she brought him to prison could not bring him to adultery Gen. 39. 3. Because men seeing the uglinesse of sin grow more wary and so escape snares A blinde man sees no rubs in the way but follows his guide carelesly He that sees looks at stumbling-blocks and goes beside them 4. God watches over such and men that have a guard are free from many dangers into which others fall If a Rulers word hath power Gods Word hath more Vse It shews a reason why some escape those sins and dangers that lay hold on other men and themselves had formerly incurred because they have got more discretion and true wisdome
greatest pleasure Neither is there any greater victory then that which is gotten over pleasure 2. It reproves such as follow the world so close for gain that they will have it by hook or by crook and so run themselves upon manny rocks of sorrowes So they fill their soules with cares and fears while they live Mens in terrenis occupata semper est in angustiis Bern. De modo benè vivendi Cap. 8. A minde imployed in earthly things is alwayes in straits They fill their bodies with labour day and night trouble themselves and all theirs and go to hell for ever The world is the sea profit the wind the soul the ship easily drowned 2. Doct. Delight in sin drawes men from good wayes to bad As it did Sampson the strongest man and Solomon the wisest Reason 1. Because it drownes all pleasure men take in good wayes as water quenches fire 2. It sets men on fire to follow bad wayes So many go from thirst to drunkennesse It is as a sport to a fool to do mischief Chap. 10.23 Vse It shewes us the reason why some that have made a shew of goodnesse grow very bad scandals to Religion grief to themselves and to all their friends that fear God Delight in sin hath made them cast off all goodnesse and wallow in all wickednesse Facilis descensus Averni It is easie to go down to hell They that run down a steep hill cannot stay till they come to the bottome When men cannot have their pleasure in a lawfull way it is but an easie step over the bridge to unlawfull things Hircum lex non sacrificat praeterquam propter solam malorum ablegationem quandoquidem voluptas est vitii metropolis Clem. Strom. l. 7. The law did not sacrifice a Goat except only for the putting away of evils because pleasure is the metropolitane City of vice 3. Doct. Pleasure of wisdome should kill pleasure of sin in us Wherewithall shall a youngman cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word Psal 119.9 Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee Psal 119.11 Reason Because wisdome affords us many daggers to stab sin to the heart As prohibitions which if we regard God our Kings authority are very prevalent Threatnings which if we regard the power of God our Master have great force to kill sin in us Promises which if we regard the affection of God our Father are very perswasive not to offend him Directions how to avoid sin which if we regard God our Physitian will prevail with us to prevent sin which is hurtfull to soul and body Vse 1. It shewes us why many take so much pleasure in fin Because they have no pleasure in wisdome Therefore wicked men are called fooles frequently in Scripture 2. Let us take so much delight in spirituall duties that it may kill the pleasure of sin in us Carnis amor spiritus amore superatur desiderio restinguitur Hieron The love of the flesh is overcome by the love of the spirit 4. Doct. Many delight to do evill and take fingular pleasure in committing sin They sleep not except they have done mischief and their sleep is taken away unlesse they cause some to fall They eat the bread of wickednesse and drink the wine of violence Chap. 4.16 17. Woe to them that devise iniquity and work evill upon their beds when the morning is light they practise it because it is in the power of their hands And they covet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away so they oppresse a man and his house even a man and his heritage Mic. 2.1 2. It is a sport to a fool to do mischief Prov. 10.23 When thou dost evill then thou rejoycest Jer. 11.15 Some have pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2 Thess 2.12 Reason 1. Because of their great desire of sinning They are like a woman with child at no case till they be delivered of their wicked projects by word or deed And then they are full of joy when their lust is satisfyed like a longing woman that hath what she longs for 2. Because they find sin pleasing to their corrupted nature In most sins there is fleshly pleasure earthly profit or worldly honour which delight carnall men as the bait doth the fish 3. Because of custome in sinning which makes harsh things pleasant and brings a vicious habit which causeth delight in sin Signum habitus-generati est delectatio in opere Aristot Ethic. 2. The signe of an habit gotten is delight in the worke 4. Because of ignorance They walke through darke wayes v. 13. and know not whither they go For if they did look upon the punishments to which their sinfull courses tend they would stop their steps and correct their harmesome mirth by wholesome tears Vse Here is a note of triall to discern our spirituall estate Wicked men rejoyce in sin good men sorrow more for sin then for troubles as being more offensive to God Ahab is sick till he have Naboths Vineyard 1 King 21. Good men rejoyce in doing good like their Saviour whose Meat it was to do the will of him that sent him Joh. 4.34 Wicked men are like them that are drawn in by cheaters and lose all their money at play or like the Grashopper that sings merrily a while and then dyeth with hunger and cold Of such an one saith Nazianzen Oblectorque malis mortemque in pectore fixam Rideo Sardonico risu I am delighted in evils and laugh at death by a Sardonian or deadly laughter There is a certain herb the juice whereof being taken makes a man laugh till he dieth the like is also said of some touching certain poisonous spiders that the leap and dance till they die Euseb Emisse These cannot be merry unlesse the Devill be their play fellow Sed-melior est tristitia iniqua patientis quà m laetitia iniqua facientis Augustin But better is the sadnesse of him that suffereth unjust things then the gladnesse of him that doeth them It ye be such flatter not your selves but be assured ye are wicked men 5. Dect Many triumph in their evill deeds and brag of them Many mans glory is in their shame Phil. 3.19 Why boastest thou thy self in mischief O mighty man Psal 52.1 Reason 1. Because they have no good to boast of And men are naturally proud and would boast of something 2. Because they goe beyond others in wickednesse Simeon the Sorcerer gave out that himself was some great one Act. 8.9 Vse It teacheth us to bewail the madnesse of those men that brag of their wicked exploits how many they have made drunke c. They shew their joy herein by leaping dancing and other outward signes How can they chuse but be mad that boast of such things as godly men are ashamed of Tale est quod facimus quale cum rident phrenetici Nulla verior miseria quà m falsa laetitia Bern. That which we do is like the
and tremble 3. Doct. Wantonnesse shortens mens dayer Give not thy strength unto women nor thy wayes to that which destroyeth Kings Prov. 31.3 The adulteresse will hunt for the precious life ch 6.26 Reason 1. Because it wasts a mans strength and when strength fails life will fail If fuell decay the fire goes out And thou mourn at the last when thy flesh and thy body are consumed ch 5.11 2. It breeds noysome diseases which oft-times prove incurable 3. It hath gluttony and drunkennesse for companions which alone can shorten mens lives much more accompanyed with wantonnesse Plures gulà quà m gladio periisse certum est It is an undoubted truth that more perish by the throat then by the sword 4. Strumpets kill men in private either for their money which they have about them or for want of money when all is spent lest they should be a burden to them on whom they have spent it Vse Let us quench lust with this water If our life be gone all is gone Men are at great cost to preserve life by physick They forbear many pleasing meats and keep a diet But no physick nor diet will keep an adulterer long alive Strumpets will waste more then those helps can do good If they do not yet may the Magistrates sword or Gods judgement do it The King of Babylon caused Ahab and Zedekiah to be rosted in the fire because they have committed villany in Israel and have committed adultery with their neighbors wives Jer. 29.22 23. 4. Doct. He that will scape an Harlot must keep out of her house Had not Joseph been in Potiphar's house he had not been in his Mistrisses danger Gen. 39. Joseph scapes by getting him out of the house The young man Prov. 7. is undone by going into the Harlots house Reason 1. Because her house is full of baits ch 7.16 17. Fine fare and ornaments 2. It hath locks and keyes and private opportunities of sinning Vse If ye know such houses keep out of them Strumpets like Cocks crow on their owne dunghills They count all their owne that comes within their dores Keep out then and be safe 5. Doct. The house of uncleannesse is the gatehouse of death Come not neer the dore of her house lest thou give thy yeers unto the cruel ch 5.8 9. Her house goes down to the chambers of death ch 7.27 Reason 1. In respect of spirituall death For what life of grace can be expected in a stews 2. In respect of corporal death and that many wayes as ye heard before The Strumpets house is the Devils armory wherein are weapons of all sorts to destroy men for the devill was a murderer from the beginning Joh. 8.44 3. In respect of eternal death both of soul and body Her house is like Sodom If Lot go not out of it he must be burned with fire and brimstone His condition that converses there grows still worse and worse His soul is dead his body will be soon dead and then no space for repentance and so he dies eternally Vse Pity those gallants that pity not themselves that go from their own houses into naughty houses and from thence to the grave and hell Out of a lesser and temporary fire into a greater and eternall 6. Doct. Adulterers go downward Her feet go down to death ch 5.5 And questionlesse her adulterer goes down with her Let not thine heart decline to her wayes for she hath cast down many wounded ch 7.25 26. Reason 1. Because they go downward in their strength as was shewed before 2. In their estates For much is spent upon strumpets to the impoverishing of themselves and theirs Vse Let such repent quickly lest they go so low that they never get up again Vers 19. None that go unto her return again neither take they hold on the paths of life The wounds gotten in the Harlots house which are deadly were set out in the former v. The ordinary neglect of them and irrecoverablenesse is set out in this v. For the words None Not onely her self but also all her customers are in danger of perishing Hebr. not all which in Scripture language is none As Psal 143.2 In thy sight shall no man living be justified Heb. not every one living See more on ch 1.24 on No man Some of the ancientest have hence concluded that adultery is an unpardonable sin But they forget that all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men save onely the sin against the holy Ghost Mat. 12.31 Not none of any condition or none of all simply though the word be used both these wayes in severall places but none in comparison or very few So few return from adulterous courses that in respect of them which do not return they are as none So None calleth for justice Isa 59.4 There is none that calleth upon thy name Isa 64.7 That is very few do so He compareth them which are given to adultery to Souldiers that go into the war and there place and thrust themselves so forward that they are slain We say All the City went to see such a sight that is the most of them It may be some could not and others would not We know that David did repent of adultery but we read of few more that did it Some understand it that none do or can return by their owne wit or strength have they never so good naturall parts but by Gods extraordinary grace some may and do return But the former interpretation is better That go unto her That go in unto her to commit adultery with her A modest expression of a secret or foul action frequent in Scripture Jacob went in unto Leah Gen. 29.23 David had gone in unto Bathshebab Psal 51. in the title Or that go into her house to converse familiarly with him Or that go into an untimely death by wantonnesse Or figuratively that fall into her sinful wayes and so are spiritually dead She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth 1 Tim. 5.6 That interpretation of few returners from adultery is best because he had spoken before of the sinful and deadly courses used in her house v. 18. And now he intimates that her snares are like lime-twigs they hold fast all that converse with her in her house and so fast that very few or none think of returning So that this vers is an explication men because they are so bewitched with the unlawful pleasure ◠of her house that they scarce ever think of leaving those finful wayes while they live For the word Goe see on ch 1.26 on the word Cometh Return again Some understand it of returning to prosperity Gods judgement follows them for the most part and wastes them and their estate to the consumption of both But it is rather meant of returning by repentance leaving those sinful paths of death to walk in the good wayes of life as follows in this v. For the word see on ch 1.23 on the word Turn Neither take
body businesse and societie of friends yea and in Soul also for the Soul hath a fellow-feeling of the bodies joy or sorrow in regard of the neer conjunction of them 2. From the contrary because sicknesses and diseases are threatned as crosses and sometimes as curses See Deut. 28.29 c. The leprosie of Naeman shall sleave unto thee and unto thy seed for evers 2 Kings 5.27 3. Because health fits us for duty to God and men sicknesse makes us unserviceable to both Use To inform us that we may lawfully pray for health because in it self it is a blessing Spirituall blessings are best worth asking yet temporall not to be despised 5. Doct. Prosperity also is a blessing in it self the Devill confesses it to be so to Iob. Thou hast blessed the work of his hands his substance is encreased in the land Job 1.10 Abraham's servant confesses it in his Master The Lord hath blessed my Master greatly and he is become great and he hath given him flocks and heards and silver and gold and men-servants and maid-servants and Camells and Asses Gen 24.35 Reason 1. Because it is a gift of God I will give thee riches and wealth and honor 2 Chron. 1.12 2. He hath given it to some of his choisest servants as to Abraham Joseph David Solomon Use Abuse it not to luxury or oppression To be naught thy self more freely or to hurt others more powerfully Remember outward prosperity is Gods gift use it then to Gods honor and bless him for it Take heed it proves not as Tertullian calls it Campus quo ambitio decurrat A field in which ambition may run his course 6. Doct. Long life health prosperity are sometimes the rewards of well doing and obedience If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the Land Isa 1.19 O that thou hadst hearkened to my Commandments then had thy peace been as a river Isa 48.18 That is thy prosperity as was shewed in the exposition of the Text. Reason 1. Because of Gods bounty who besides Heaven often gives comforts to his here 2. Because of mans frailty who is by prosperity much encouraged to obedience and discouraged by the contrary 1. Object Godly men oftentimes live but a while and in much pain and and poverty Answ Besides what was said before on the third Doctrine I answer 1. That their obedience is but in part and the reward is answerable 2. Promises of outward things are but conditionall And God by short life or sorrows keeps them from corruption or persecution and trouble 3. God gives them a longer and better life in Heaven So God verifies his promise with advantage As if a man should promise twenty shilling a week for a year and at the first months end void the bargain and give the party a thousand pound What cause had the receiver to complain either of falshood in the promiser or of losse to himself 4. Their short life have more sun-shiny daies and true and spirituall comforts there then any wicked mans long life Summer fruit may be as ripe as winter fruit though gathered some months before Use 1. It blames those who think that the study of wisdom and piety shortens their childrens daies They say they are too wise or too good to live long Such bring up their children foolishly and impiously and so shorten their daies which they would prolong 2. It encourages us to get wisdom and obedience Ungodly men think there is no better way in the world to make them live long then to be merry and to put away sorrow by letting slip the bridle to all manner of concupiscence but let us remember that a long healthfull prosperous life is the reward of obedience and live accordingly VERSE 3. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee bind them about thy neck write them upon the Table of thine heart NOw follow particular duties to bee performed to God and Man enterlarded with many excellent promises and rewards for encouragement to obedience And first the wise man begins with two duties to men setting the Exhortation to mercy and truth in this Verse and the encouraging promise in the next For the words Let not mercy and truth These two are oft enjoyned together in Scripture and it is pitty that they being so nearly joyned in themselves should ever be separated Sometimes they are jointly attributed to God His mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth to all generations Psal 100.5 His merciful kindness is great towards us and the truth of the Lord eudureth for ever 117.2 Sometimes to man Mercy and truth preserve the King Chap. 20.28 When they are attributed to God then Gods mercy is shewed in promising or giving man any good that deserves nothing but ill of him His truh is shewed in performance of his promises When they are spoken of man then is mercy seen in giving freely to the poor who deserve nothing of us yea to enemies who deserve ill of us Truth is manifested in doing what we owe by promise or debt to men Misericordia est gratia qua ex nostro libero animo benefacimus alteri non ex debito non ex passione Veritas quâ exclusa omni fictione adaequamus facta dictis verba cordi cordebitis Gratia qua gratuita veritas qua debita exhibemus Cajeetan Mercy is favour whereby out of our own free mind we doe good to another man not out of debt not out of passion Truth is that vertue whereby shutting out all feigning we do equall our deeds to our words our words to our haart our heart to our debts Grace or mercy is whereby we give free things Truth whereby we pay or restore things due to others Some interpret the Text here of Gods mercy and truth and that two waies 1. So carry thy self that God may deal mercifully and truly with thee But this cannot be the sense For though a man may so carry himself that God will not deal mercifully with him yet he cannot carry himself so badly that God will not deal truly with him for that were a blemish to God If he be upright God will perform his promises to him if not God will execute his threatnings upon him whichsoever God doth he shewes forth his truth 2. By way of promise not of exhortation And they read it Mercy and truth shall not forsake thee And they tie it to the former words if thou forget not my Law c. then God wil deal mercifully with thee and perform all his promises to thee But 1. This crosses the ordinary sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a prohibition and that without need 2. The words following are imperative 3. In the first and second Verses ye have a prohibition and promise This method is also observed in the verses following and most likly so here in this Verse and the next The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 1. Mercy or favour All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth Psal
here meant See more on Chap. 1.33 Figures In thine own eyes 1. A metonymie of the cause for the effect In thine eyes that is in thy sight So it is translated Chap. 1.17 in the sight of any bird Heb. in the eyes as the margin there shewes and so it might have been translated here 2. A metaphor In thy sight that is in thy judgment For the judicial faculty is the eye of the Soul The Soul passes sentence on things by judgment as the body by sight so Gods eyes are on good men though poor I wil look to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit Isa 66.2 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous Psal 34.15 So are Davids Mine eyes shal be upon the faithful of the land Psal 11.1.6 It signifies approbation Depart A metaphor from a traveller that being in a wrong way leaves it to go in a right path So must we leave those sinful waies in which we walk naturally Note 1. A lesson of humility 2. of the fear of God 3. of avoiding evil In each of these is an act and an object in the first the act is Be not wise the object in thine own eyes In the second the act Fear the object the Lord. In the third the act And depart the object from evil Doct. 1. A good man should look into his own condition to know the truth of it else he may soon think better of himselfe then there is cause Give diligence to make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fal 1 Cor. 10.12 Reas 1. Because there is a difference of mens conditions else no need of search Some are in the broad way to hel others in the narrow way to heaven 2. We are all naturally in the worst condition and should therefore take notice of it and seek to get out of it 3. It may be doubtful whether we be out of it or no because of the likenesse between common and saving graces There is in wicked men sometimes some kind of repentance and faith There is a way which seemeth right unto a man but the end thereof are the waies of death Chap. 14.12 Try which is right 4 It is a difficult thing to discern for a wicked man may go far in outward performances and forward profession Use 1. To tax all such as have no mind to look into their spirituall condition they are forward to cast up their books to know their temporal estates and upon every distemper to advise with the Physician for their bodies for fear of a disease breeding in them only the poor soul is neglected we fear such as eat and drink any thing and have no regard of diet that they wil be sick and such as love not to look into their debt-bookes that they wil be bankrupts So we may fear that they are yet in their natural estate that look not whether they be out of it or no. 2. To exhort us to be more diligent to search out our spiritual then our worldly or bodily condition that we may not be deceived in our selves To move us to seek to know our spiritual condition truly let us think of these motives 1. That the spiritual estate is best we look more after health then wealth because the body is better then the estate the Soul is much more better then the body 2. Because it is a more lasting estate Every man prefers a see-simple before a lease Heaven lasts longer then any fee-simple infinitely more then it doth beyond a lease Follow then Master Greenhams counsel Of all prisoners often visite thine own soul Doct. 2. A good man should not think highly of himself David did not he professed as much before God Lord my heare is not haughty nor mine eyes lofty neither do I exercise my selfe in great matters or in things too high for me Psal 131.1 He would keep none such in his house Him that hath a high look and a proud heart wil I not suffer Psal 101.5 Reas 1. Because an high conceit of our own wisdome and parts cannot stand with the fear of God which is required in this verse And therefore this it set before it as a removal of a great let of it which i◠selfe liking It wil never agree with Gods fear which among other grounds ariseth out of the sight of our own vilenesse compared with Gods greatness and Majesty such an opinion then of our own wisdome would make us rebels against God and disobedient 2. It cannot agree with departing from evil which also is required in this verse for it makes men secure in their actions not trying them before hand whether they be good or evil because we trust too much to our own wisdome and so bring them not to Gods Law to be examined which is the only true touch-stone Also it will make a man seek out witty shifts and devices to excuse his sins that so he may continue in them So the Pharisees had their Corban to bring in gain from children by neglect of Parents Mark 7.11.12 3. It shewes and upholds ignorance in a man It shewes it because wisemen discern their ignorance but fooles see it not Menedemus aiebat multos navigare Athenas qui primum essent sapientes deinde fieri sapientiae amatores deinde Rhetores postremo idiotas In Philosophia quo magis profeceris eo minus turgebis fastu Plutarch ut à Maximo citatur Serm. de ignorantia Menedemus said that many sailed to Athens who first were wise to wit in their own eyes and after that became lovers of wisdome then Oratours and last of all Idiots they faw their own folly which they could not discern before In Philosophy by how much the more you profit the lesse will you swell with pride It upholds ignorance because he that thinks himselfe wise thinks it a base and unbeseeming thing to learn of others Familiaritèr domestica aspicimus semper judicio favor officit puto multos potuisse ad sapientiam pervenire nisi putassent se pervenisse Quis unquam sibi ipsi verum docere ausus est Quis inter blandientium adulantiumque positus greges plurimum tamen sibi ipsis assentatus non est Senec. de ira lib. 3. c. 36. We look familiarly at things at home and favour alwaies hinders judgment I suppose that many might have attained to wisdome had they not thought they had attained it already Who ever durst teach himselfe truth Who being placed among the flocks of fawning and flattering companions hath not yet most of all flattered himselfe And therefore Solomon here desiring to have his precepts regarded perswades the young man not be wise in his own eyes 4. It is the cause of all errors and heresies the broachers whereof are observed in Ecclesiastical histories to be learned men proud of their wisdome and in his qui sibi credunt Daemon saepè propheta fit Climachus Grad 3. In them that beleeve
themselves the devil oftentimes becomes a Prophet Many professing themselves to be wise became fools Rom. 1.22 Therefore Chrysostome compares the heart of a man wise in his own conceit to a labyrinth his own good opinion of himselfe leads him into it but there are so many wandrings and turnings of error in it that he knowes not how to get out of it Chrysost Hom. 2. in Epist ad Rom. Us 1. To reprove such as are guilty of this over-weening conceit of their own wisdome and so sooth up themselves in ignorance and evil Nunquam satisfacit arti cui semper artificium satisfacit He never doth things wel that is alwaies pleased with what he doth This cursed self-love infects our souls with the dangerous plague of pride Every man though a fool thinks himselfe wise naturally this engenders in him a great contempt of other men Bis desipit qui sibi sapit He is twise a fool that thinks himself wise This selfe conceit spoiles all Socrates was esteemed the wisest of men because he said hoc scio quod nihil scio This I know that I know nothing Consilii satis in me mihi I know wel enough how to advise my selfe may be the proud fooles posy He that wil be wise must become a fool that he may be wise 1 Cor. 3.18 Intus existens prohibet alienum A conceit of wisdome barrs out wisdome Socrates was wont to say if a cryer should call all Taylors and Shoo-makers in a company to rise they would rise and other tradesmen would sit stil but if he should bid all wise-men rise no body would sit stil The heathen man Cicero could say Est illud maximum animo ipso animum videre It is the greatest matter by the soul it self to see the soul As it is an hard matter by the Suns light to see the Sun it is easier to discern other things by it Simonides hearing a man brag of his wisdome bid him remember that he was a man Take the Apostles counsel then Be not wise in your own conceits Rom. 12.16 Fear the woe of the Prophet woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight Isa 5.21 In the next Verse Hee sends forth another woe against drunkards Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine and men of strength to mingle strong drink Isa 5.22 As if men selfconceited were spiritually drunk Remember that of Augustine Qui sibi placet stulto placet He that pleaseth himself pleaseth a fool Use 2. Labour to cure this pride and self-love that makes thee think highly of thy self To this purpose 1. Measure thy thoughts by Scripture that is thy wisdom by Gods Then thou wilt see that thou art a fool 2. Distrust thine own judgemnt and be willing to hear other mens of every thing propounded Moses was taught by God yet was he content to hear Jethro and thinkest thou that thou hast need to hear no body He is wise in his owne eyes who hearkens not to those that rightly admonish him 3. Examine thine actions past Respice velut in speculo actiones tuas ut bonas augeas ornes malas corrigas retractes Bias. Look back upon thine actions as in a glasse that thou maist encrease and adorne the good and correct and retract the bad Then wilt thou not be wise in thine own eyes 3. Doct. A good man should think very meanly of himself and of his own wisdom So did Paul We know in part wee see through a Glasse darkly 1 Cor. 15.9.12 So did Agur Surely I am more brutish then any man and have not the understanding of a man Prov. 30.2 Reason Because as in natural things men are not born workmen so much lesse in Divinity and things of God Men that are quicksighted in other things are bleareyed in these The best hath cause enough to think lowly of themselves Use Acknowledge then your own ignorance and bee humble 4. Doct. A good man must nourish the fear of God in his soul The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge Chap. 1.7 See this Doctrine more largely handled there And unto man he said Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom Iob. 28.28 This is true wisdom and who would not be wise Reason 1. Because there is abundant cause in God why wee should fear him He is to be feared for his truth justice power wisdom greatnesse goodness 2. Much good comes to us by it It guides us aright in our journey to Heaven as a rider guides the horse or as a Pilot guides the ship and prevents maâ—â— dangers in the way as a watchman on a Tower It is in the heart of the Text here and is a way to make us think meanly of our selves as it did Joseph It is not in me Gen. 41.16 And it will also keep us from evill as it did to Joseph How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39.9 Use See ye alwaies fear to offend God A reverend and religious man had written in his study Noli peccare Nam Deus videt Angeli astant diabolus accusabit conscientia testabitur infernus cruciabit Sin not For God sees Angells stand by the Devill will accuse thy conscience will bear witnesse Hell will torment thee Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies Chap. 28.14 Carnall security is naught in worldly affairs but worst of all in matters of religion If ye fear him not here in time ye must feel him in Hell to eternity 5. Doct. A godly man must take heed of every sin and make a totall departing from evill Depart from evill Psal 34.14 Cease to do evill Isa 1.16 Reason 1. Because it is the beginning of true obedience to avoid disobedience as of wisdom to get away foolishnesse Virtus est vitium fugere sapientia prima Stultitiâ caruisse Vertue it is to flye vice and the beginning of wisdom to be without folly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil The be ginning to the receiving of good things is the departing from evill things If men can keep their unruly affections from doing evill they will be ready to do good Fight then daily against sin for this is an honest and necessary War 2. It is a notable proofe and effect of the fear of God if it be generall so that wee endeavour to refrain from all evill in thought word and deed Use Take heed then of those baits that lead thee to thy former sins or any other lest thou be insnared and fall into new sins or relaps into old 6. Doct. We naturally chuse sinfull waies Else the wise man would not bidus to depart from them In time past ye walked according to the course of this Wold We all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh Eph. 2.2 3. The Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind and have given themselves over unto lasciviousnesse to work all uncleannesse with greedinesse
of wisdome saith a learned writer Reas 1. Because they were written by an infallible spirit and therefore the writers could not erre in giving their own meaning or the meaning of one another 2. None have an infallible spirit now and therefore the best may erre in interpreting some place of Scripture Quest How can we interpret Scripture by Scripture Ans 1. By consulting with the originall As if children differ about their fathers legacy Non itur ad tumulum sed curritur ad Testamentum They go not to the Tomb but run to the Testament Optat. 2. By observing the coherence with what goes before and what followes as we pick out the meaning of a friends letter by the Scope of it and by the rest of the words 3. By paralell places as by comparing divers letters to one purpose 4. By plain places or grounds of religion to interpret the rest that are built thereupon as we do in Logick and other Arts. Use 1. To blame the Papists who submit the sense of the Scriptures to Fathers Councels and to the Pope singly 2. To teach us to use this help in difficult places and not to allow of any sense of any place of Scripture not agreeing with other Scriptures So about Baptisme Go teach all nations The originall is Make Disciples of all nations Mat. 28.19 And that by Baptizing as followes in the words and Teaching followes afterwards verse 20. So that this place makes nothing against Infants baptisme So about the resurrection 1 Cor. 15.50 is pleaded against it yet all the Chapter before and after pleads for it The Apostle saith there Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God His meaning is mortall and corruptible flesh and blood cannot come to heaven till it be changed so he expounds himselfe in the end of that Verse and the Verse following Neither doth corruption inherit incorruption And We shall all be changed Thus John 14.28 is brought to disprove Christs divine Nature Christ saith My father is greater then I This must be understood of his human nature for in regard of his divine the Apostle saith He thought it no robbery to be equall with God Phil. 2.6 The Jews understood this that He made himselfe equall with God John 5.18 which had been blasphemy indeed had not he been true God So for excluding bread out of the Lords Supper Mat. 26.26 This is my body is cited by the Papists but it must be understood figuratively not literally The meaning is this is the sign of my body for Paul calls it bread when it is eaten 1 Cor. 11.26 God cannot contradict himselfe Doct. 2. Wisdome affords true nourishment Not for a time as fruits of trees do but for ever therefore it is compared to milk for babes and strong meat for men Heb. 5.12 13 14. And to milk again 1 Pet. 2.2 Reas 1. Because it shews how to get and dresse food for the body 2. How moderately to exercise the body without which food will not disgest 3. How to keep a cheerfull mind without which food will not be profitable to the body nor nourish it 4. It shews how the soul may be nourished by justification through the blood of Christ without which it pines away under the sense and of guilt of sin and of the wrath of God 5. How it may be nourished by sanctification that so all sins which are as obstructions being killed all the graces of Gods Spirit may be encreased in us 6. How it may be fullfed to glorification where it shall need no more food Use Labour for this true wisdome as men doe for food to nourish them This is to be found in the word of God Let others despise the scripture as Aenaeas Silvius speaks of councills so may we say of Gods word call bread stones if you will so you give it me to nourish me Acts and Monuments in the end of the raign of Henry the sixth All the labour of man is for his mouth Eccles 6.7 Men plow sow plant work for bodily food why should we not labour more for wisdome that will feed the body here and the soul to eternity Praeclarè Plato beatum ait cui etiam in senectute contigerit ut sapientiam verasque opiniones assequi possit Cic. 5. de finibus Plato excellently saith He is happy that in his old age can attain wisdome and true opinions Doct. 3. Wisdome makes a perfect cure The leaves did heal the nations Rev. 22.2 The Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 Reas 1. Because it cures hereditary diseases which Physicians cannot as the darknesse of the mind perversnesse of the will crosnesse of the affections received from our Parents 2. It cures infectious diseases as sinfull courses received from others by bad counsell or example 3. It cures the thoughts of the heart which no law of man nor Physick can do 4. It cures the tongue and words and teaches how to speak wisely and profitably 5. It cures the life and teaches how to avoid temptations and provocations to sin 6. It cures the body too from some diseases here by Physick and other good means and perfectly at the Resurrection Then God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying neither shall be any more pain for the former things are passed away Rev. 21.4 Use Praise God for communicating this wisdome to you in his word especially if ye have found good by this course of spirituall Physick already it is Gods work and he will finish it Doct. 4. Wisdom doth good to none but to those that get it fully and firmly As fruit of trees doth no good to them that seek it only or touch it so the fruit of wisdome to none but those that eat that is obtain it that seek it not sleightly or think a little enough but that take pains still for more not that look over the precepts as men look over an Almanack but as men seriously study good books John Baptists and Christs preaching did no good but to them that regarded it We have piped unto you but ye have not danced c. Mat. 11.17 Pauls Gospell is hid to them that are lost 2 Cor. 4.3 Reason 1. Because there must be a conjunction of things before there can be an operation of the one upon the other The soul must be infused into the body before it can work on the body to make the tongue to speak the foot to goe the hand to work A man must be married to a woman before hee can take care for her as for a wife So must wisdom be joyned to the heart before it can worke on heart soule or body 2. Because it is so in all other gifts of God A man cannot be liberal to whom God gives no riches nor fight stoutly to whom God gives no strength nor doe any good with wisdom or get any good by it to whom God gives it not Use See
it subsists of it selfe remains unmovable and upholds the rest of the world It is like the rock upholding the house Mat. 7.24 25. The earth is the lowest of all the elements the center of the rest upholding them all without any thing under it to uphold it Thus men and beasts have room where they may live and breath though it have no foundation yet it stands as fast as if it had a strong foundation answerable to the greatnesse of it The words may admit a double sense either that God did at first by his infinite wisdome so justly poise the earth that it should be upheld by its own equall weight and have no inclination to move upward downward or aside or else that Gods power immediately still without any thing wrought in the earth at first upholds it as a sure foundation and makes it a lasting foundation to uphold all the visible world God by his infinite wisdome so placed the earth as a foundation that should never remove out of his place lest the foundation failing the rest of the building should fall and perish The earth Not only the body of the earth but also all the creatures that are or live in it for it is opposed to the heavens He mentions the earth first because it is the center of the heavens and therefore saith he hath founded it But he is said to stablish the heavens above which have the earth for a foundation beneath For the word see on Chap. 2.22 By understanding God useth divers words to the same purpose to shew that all kind of wisdom is in God and his Christ For the word see on Chap. 2.2 Hath he established So fitted all the parts of heaven that they continue fast together and each observe their severall motions as Planets fixed Starres first mover in their places Orbes or Sphears This must be understood of the visible Heavens the beauty whereof we see and admire at Gods wisdome in it For unto us The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy work Psal 19.1 This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated fashioning Did not one fashion us in the womb Job 31.15 To wit by fitting and framing all the members of the body in the womb He covered the earth as it were with a roof the heavens he adorned with many Starres He hath not made the heavens unmovable like the earth but unweariable in their motion and not subject to diminution or dissolution This shews Gods infinite wisdom for palaces built by men fail 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The heavens The starry heavens so it is used Gen. 1.14 Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven Though sometimes it be put for the Aire for there are fouls of heaven mentioned as well as starres of heaven Gen. 1.20 I find not the Hebrew word used at any time in the old Testament for the invisible heaven which was not then so plainly made known although the Greek word in the new Testament be so used Our conversation is in heaven Phil. 3.20 That is heavenly like the carriage of Saints and Angells there It hath its name in Hebrew from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are waters And it intimats two kinds of waters one in the heavens above the other in the earth beneath which also may be intimated by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the duall number and by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the duall number also two visible heavens Starry and Airy Figures Founded A metaphor for the earth hath no foundation under it but God hath made it as fast as if it had a strong foundation to uphold it Earth For the earth and all things in or on it The part for the whole So likewise in the word Heaven The part put for the whole comprehending stars and all Note 1. The foundation of the earth 2. The establishment of the heavens In the first observe 1. The Agent The Lord. 2. The instrument By wisdom 3. The Act. Hath founded 4. The Object The Earth In the second note 1. The Agent He. 2. The Instrument By understanding 3. The Act. Hath established 4. The Object The Heavens 1. Doct. The world had a beginning In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth Gen. 1.1 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God Heb. 11.3 Reason 1. Because the world could not make it selfe and the refore the maker must needs be before it Causa prior causato The cause is before the thing caused A builder must needs bee before a house in time 2. Because it is compounded of Heaven Air Earth Sea Stones Trees Beasts Men Angells Bodies are compounded of the Elements Souls of faculties Empires of divers people A garment sewed together had a beginning 3. Because the world is mutable in all parts of it Sometimes the Sun shines in Heaven sometimes the Moon sometimes the starrs sometimes none of them are seen The air is sometimes clear sometimes stormy The Sea sometimes calm sometimes tempestuous The Earth sometimes dry sometimes wet Kingdomes one while in peace another while in war Living creatures one while well another while sick All mutable things had a beginning Who can change that which is eternall 4. Because it will have an end as appears in the parts of it Fishes Birds Men die Sea eats up Earth Beasts Earth expells Sea by mans art and labour Some things had a beginning which by the mercy wisdom and power of the Creator shall be kept from having an end who gives to all Creatures durance long or shorter as he please To men for their generations To stars to the worlds end to Angells soules of men and their bodies also after the resurrection for eternity But nothing that hath an end was without a beginning It could not be at first without him that can take the being of it away when he please If it were from eternity it can keep it selfe to eternity Use 1. It confutes those who think the world to have been from eternity Their owne bodies may teach them the contrary 2. It confutes those that think not the world formally but materially to be from eternity I say with Tertullian Quod non lego non credo What I read nâ—t I believe not Of it self it could not be so being a dead thing By God it could not be made so For every thing hath his being before it produce any other thing It were dishonourable to God to have any thing eternall beside himself It would take away from him the credit of making the world or at least of making it out of nothing which is a divine priviledge Singular priviledges are chiefest ornaments It is some derogation that others can do what we can The Magicians were put to filence by lice and confessed This is the finger of God Exod. 8.19 And this opinion wil help to bring in the form from eternity too For some forme it
opinion of wisdom whereof he had given so large commendations before and gives more afterwards in this Chapter propounding more benefits that will come hereby Wisdom is a treasure inestimable wonderfull profitable and full of pleasure as we have heard and still may hear out of this book when we see that Solomon is not content with the former praises whereby he hath declared unto us the profit and pleasure that they have which are possessed with wisdom but doth admonish us in the text carefully to keep it For the words My Son See on Chap. 1.1.8 Let not them Some carry it back to the words foregoing and conceive that Solomon charges the young man to be carefull to think often of Gods wisdom appearing in the Creation of Earth Heaven Water and Air ver 19.20 But it is rather to be referred to the words following in this verse requiring him to remember such precepts of wisdom and discretion as Solomon had or should teach him in this book His end being to bring the young man to get wisdom hee urgeth this as a principall means Thus the antecedent follows Psa 87.1 2. His foundation is in the holy Mountains The Lord loveth the gates of Zion Depart Be forgotten For things forgotten by us are departed from our minds From thine eyes From the eyes of thy mind Let them never step out of thy memory no more then jewells that hang in thy sight ver 3. Do not think of them onely at leisure times but meditate of them continually Keep wisdom once gotten as charily as men do things which they affect so much that they will never let them go out of their fight but watch them perpetually as God doth Zion Behold I have graven thee upon the Palmes of my hands thy walls are continually before me Isa 49.16 Let them be as the delight of thine eyes on which thou canst never look enough as the Prophets wife was to him I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes Ezek. 24.16 For eyes see on Chap. 1.17 on the word sight Keep Constantly in thy memory and ready for practise For the word see on Chap. 2.8 Sound wisdome Hâ—b Essence or Being See on Chap. 2.7 And discretion See on Chap. 1.4 Figures A metaphor in Eyes taken from the eyes of the body and applyed to the soul Let thy heart look upon them by meditation Note 1. The negative part 2. The affirmative In the negative or prohibition observe 1. The person spoken to My son 2. The action forbidden Let them not depart from thine eyes Wisdomes precepts must not be forgotten as if they were out of sight and out of mind In the affirmative or injunction note 1. The act Keep 2. The object Sound wisdom and discretion Doct. 1. Wisdome once gotten must never be forgotten This is one of the last lessons of the old Testament Remember the Law of Moses my servant c. Hos 4.4 It is required in the new Remember how thou hast received and heard and hold fast Rev. 3.3 Reas 1. Because of the excellency of wisdome shewed before we do not easily forget things excellent either for beauty or use Who forgets the virgin he is in love withall or the medicine that heals him 2. For the profit of them we easily forget things that bring no gain but who forgets his gold or trade though he be old Sirs ye know that by this craft we have our wealth Acts 19.25 3. Because of the losse that followes on the losse of wisdome which is very great the losse of all those good things which wisdom would procure for us temporall spirituall or eternall besides the losse of memory it selfe that when it hath unburdened it selfe of that which is good will easily forget meaner things 4. Because of the danger that followes this forgetfulnesse it will bring all those evills in the world which wisdome retained might prevent He that forgets his medicine must bear his pain It will also bring eternall misery in another world Use 1. To reprove such as have lost more knowledge then they have left whose blossomes were fair but are fallen off they are like many witty tradsmen that spend money as fast as they get it 2. To exhort us to remember the good things we have gotten Motives 1. Wisdomes precepts cost us much pain to get and should not then easily be lost we strove against natures streams to get it 2. We look for much good by it which will be lost with it Means 1. Think often of wise instructions especially the principall So Archers think often of the mark Pilots of the guiding starre travallers of the marks of the way The Jews wore Phylacteries to keep Gods commandements in their memories Numh. 15.38.39 The way is hard to hit and dangerous to misse 2. Set your affections upon them else other things will take you off from thinking of them Children easily forget what they learn play takes them off Men are serious in what they like As the stone on the still waters makes circles one after another and so the former perish so doth businesse put out wisdoms precepts 3. Speak often of wise things A Master learns by teaching scholars 4. Practise them No man forgets his trade while he is able to work in it To conclude this point think how carefull worldly parents are to call upon their children to keep transitory riches and take notice how gently and often Solomon calls upon us in this book not to forget wisdomes precepts lest we lose spirituall profit here and eternall glory hereafter offered to us and so perish eternally and then forget wisdome precepts if thou canst Doct. 2. Wisdoms precepts must be dear to us As dear as silver and as pretious as hid treasures Chap. 2.4 Dearer then silver gold rubies Chap. 8.10 11. Reas 1. Because they have been so alwaies to Gods people as the delight of their eyes without which they could not be satiated nor satisfied So they were to David O how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day Psal 119.97 So to Paul I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. Phil. 3.8 2. Because they are so to them in all conditions the pleasures of prosperity cannot take off their affection from them nor the crosses of adversity Use To reprove those who set light by wisdoms precepts many books will down with them and human histories but Gods word is sleighted by them Doct. 3. Wisdoms precepts must be carefully laid up by us So did David Thy word have I hid in mine heart Psal 119.11 So did the Virgin Mary His Mother kept all these sayings in her heart Luke 2.51 Reas 1. For direction in time of prosperity for then our waies have much danger in them 2. For consolation in time of adversity of which we have much need Use Let us do with wisdoms precepts as worldly men do with needfull instruments not throw them about the house but lock