Brief Treatise on Proverbs 11:22, Title page – Dedication
INDECORVM: OR A BRIEFE TREATISE vponupon one of Salomons Prouerbs. Chap. 11.22. WHEREIN IS SHEWED, how ill-beseeming all common gifts and worldly blessings are to all such, as are not furnished with some answerable measure of spirituall and sauing grace.
LVKE 10.42.
One thing is needfull, Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken from her.
AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston, for Richard Boyle, and are to be sould at his shop dwelling in the Blacke-friers. 1613.
TO ALL THAT ARE CALLED TO GLORIE AND VERTVE, BY NAME TO THE INHABITANTS OF THE CITIE OF LONDON, AND more especially to them of the Blacke-Friers, S. E. vvisheth increase of grace, and vertue, and grovvth in the assurance of eternall glory, from God the father, by the Holy Ghost, through Faith in the onelyonly merit and mediation of Iesus Christ.
FOr as much as wee are all strangers and pilgrimes on the earth, 2. Cor. 5.6. Heb. 11.13 1. Pet. 2.11it shall be our wisedome as strangers and pilgrimes to abstaine from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soule: euen as it is the wisedome of a pilgrime or traueller to abstaine (as much as is possible) from all things, that may distract his minde from the louelove and desire of his owne home, or cause him to linger in the way, and triflle out his time, til either his meanes or strength doe faile him, whereby hee should come to the end of his entended iourney.
For eueryevery pilgrime or traueller hath three things especially to looke vntounto. The first is the scope and end of his iourney. The second is the direct and ready way that leadeth to it. The third is what things they be, which may either further him or hinder him in this way, that accordingly he may embrace the one, 2. Tim. 3.16.and shunne the other. And these three are all of them plainely and plentifully laied out vntounto vsus in the Holy Scriptures.
The generall end & happines, as of al creatures, Pro. 16.4.so more specially of the redeemed of Christ, is the glory of God. Num. 9.23But there is a more particular end in regard of our selues, 1. Cor. 10.31.which we ought eueryevery day & houre, yea (if it were possible) eueryevery minute and moment to set before our eyes, and the same is double.
The first and principall end in regard of our selues, Psal. 16.11 &. 17.15.is, a perfect and perpetuall fruition of Gods most gratious and glorious presence in the kingdome of heauen. The second is a sound perswasion & comfortable assurance thereof in this present life.Luk. 10.20 2. Pet. 1.10
The way to bring vsus to the end of our iourney (being the second thing which a traueller is to looke vntounto) consisteth in two things, whereof the one is the first and more principall in nature and order, the other being the second, is like to the first and springing from it. The first is to belieue truely in the Lord Jesus Christ that hee Ioh. 20.28. &. 3.16.36.is our Lord and our God, Act. 4.12. &. 16.23.& that by him alone wee hauehave full remission of al our sinnes, and eternall felicity both of soule and body.
The second being as it were the fruit and branch springing from thence (without which wee vtterly deceiue our selues in it, embracing a shadow in stead of the substance & a fancie in stead of faith) is to repent vnfainedly of all our sins, beeing smitten with a godlie sorrow for them, and perfect hatred of them, firmely resoluing to forsake them finally, and daily to resist them, Luk. 13.3.5. Ier. 3.10.with full purpose of heart to cleaue to the Lord, 2. Cor. 7.10. 2. Kin. 5.17 Act. 11.23. & 24.16.and neuer to returne againe to folly, but to exercise our selues, to hauehave a cleere conscience, both towards God and towards men continually.
The thing (to come to the third point) that will most effectually further vsus in this spirituall iourney, is a religious and constant vse of all holy meanes and helps, both publique and priuate, 1. Thes. 5.22.which God in his wisedome and mercy hath ordained and sanctified to that end and purpose; 1. Tim. 4.7 8.13.14.15.16.and chiefly of the word and prayer, whereby those corruptions are kept vnderunder, that would bring vsus to perdition, 2. Tim. 3.15& those heauenly graces kindled and quickned in vsus, without which we can neuer come to eternall glory.
The things that hinder vsus in our spirituall iourney, are either as causes or occasions. The causes are partly from without vsus (though they come very neere vntounto vsus and get within vsus) & partly (yea principally) from within vsus. The causes from without vsus (and yet getting within vsus) are the sifting or winnowing of Satan & his Angels (against whom we are continually to wrestle) who as roaring Lions walke about seeking whom they may deuoure.Luc. 22.3.31.2. Cor. 11.3 Eph. 6.12. 1. Pet. 5.8.
The causes from within vsus and which (in Adam) wee wittingly and willinglie pulled vponupon our selues (being indeed the direct and proper causes of our ruine) are our owne corrupt affections, Gen. 3.1. &c. Acts 5.3. Eccl. 7.31. Mat. 15.18.or (as the holy Apostle calleth them) our owne pleasures, Iam. 4.1. & 1.13.14.or lusts, that fight and make war in our members; and whereby (as hee said before in the same Epistle) we are drawne away and entised.
The occasions which doe incumber and hinder vsus in our spirituall passage towards the kingdome of heauen, are likewise of two sorts; whereof some are such as (according to the common phrase of speech) may be said to come on the left hand; others are such, as (according to the like phrase) may bee said to come on the right hand. Pro. 30.9.The first (as the wise man saith) cause vsus to steale and robbe men of their goods, the other causeth men to deny (or bely) God, and rob him of his glorie.
The occasions comming on our left hand are sicknesse, Deu. 28.34 Eccles. 7.9.pouerty, oppression, reproach, deformitie, and the like, by occasion and meanes whereof many are distracted, deiected, Exod. 4.24 &. 6.9. &. 15.22.23.24. &. 16.2.3. &. 17.8.9discouraged and greatly hindred in their passage towards the heauenly Ierusalem; as the Israelites (through their owne corruption) were hindered by the like occasion in their passage and trauel towards the earthly Canaan.
The occasions on the right hand, as they are much more gratefull and pleasing to flesh & bloud, then those are which come on the left hand, so are they much more powerfull to doe vsus hurt.
Of this sort are prosperitie, health, wit, wealth, riches, honour, beauty, and the like: of al which being abused (as for the most part, and by the greatest number they bee) it may bee truely saide of them all which the Apostle saith of one of them (namely riches) that they bring men into tentation & snares, 1. Tim. 6.9and into many foolish and noysome lusts, which drowne men in perdition and destruction.
Of these occasionall hinderances (as I may call them) the holy Apostle speaketh in the second Chapter of his first Epistle: saying, 1. Iohn. 2, 15.16.LoueLove not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man louelove this world, the louelove of the Father is not in him. For all that is in this world, as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life, is not of the Father but of this world.
Where (as with some learned and godly men I vnderstand it) by the lust of the flesh, he meaneth carnall and fleshly affections, feeding vponupon beauty, and other like baites of the sensuall and voluptuous person: fearefull examples thereof, and of the iudgements following there vponupon, we hauehave in Shechem the sonne of Hamor: Gen. 34.2.25.26.27. et. 39.7.8.in Potiphars wife the mistris of Ioseph; in Amnon, the eldest son of Dauid the king; 2. Sam. 1.3 1.2. &c.in Herod Antipas, who being rauished with the wanton dauncing of a light young woman, condescended to the beheading of Iohn Baptist, a most zealous & faithfull preacher, & the forerunner of Iesus Christ.
Yea this baite hath, beguiled not onelyonly the vncircumcised in the flesh, as Shechem, & in heart, as Herod, but also diuers of the deere children of God: doe we not reade how Sampson the Lords champion, Iudg. 14.7.was caught with this baite? was not Dauid by the like meanes entangled and drawne to dishonour God, 2. Sam. 11.2. &. 12.10and bring heauie iudgements vponupon himselfe and his house? Gen. 6.2.did not the like lust of the flesh deceiue a great number of the sonnes of God (whereof it is like some were sonnes indeede as well as in name) and brought destruction vponupon the world?
By the lust of the eyes, I vnderstand a greedy desire of wealth & riches, which are as thornes & briers to the couetous man; examples whereof we hauehave in Achan, Ios. 7.21.25.26.whose hart and eies being pricked with these thornes, brought trouble to the whole Church of God, and especially to himselfe, 1: King. 21.12.3.4. &c.and his own family: and in Ahab whose greedy eyes being set on fire with the sight of Naboths vineyard, that lay so fitly (as he imagined) to serue his turne, made him giuegive waie to the murthering and oppressing of the innocent, which brought vengeance vponupon him and his.
The like may be said of the pride of life, wherby is meant worldly honour & prefermēt, great attendance, braue attire, gorgeous houses, stately seruice and other things of that kind which are as nets & snares to the ambitious. By these nets (to omit manie other) was Absalō brought to that height of disloyaltie against his lawfull King, 2. Sam. 15.1.2.3.4.5. &. 18.6.9.and too louing father, that plotted a halter of his owne goodly haire, and set vp a gibbet to hang him vponupon in the wood of Ephraim. The like pride of life, puffed vp with glittering apparell and popular applause, Act. 12.21.22.23.made Herod who a little before had killed Iames and imprisoned Peter, a praie to the lice and vermine that issued abundantlie out of his body.
Against these occasionall incumbrances and impediments, in our spirituall passage towards the kingdome of heauen (and most properly against the first of them which is the lust of the flesh) doth holy Salomon in this diuine prouerb endeuour to strengthen vsus: and the penner hereof (according to his weake measure) aymeth at the same marke.
This treatise returning into my hands without alteration, additiō, or detractiō, cleane contrarie to my expectation, by the vnexpected, & to (speak according to man) vntimelie death of a deare friend and neighbour, to whom I had freely giuen it, for his own vse, I thought good to present to you, as one that hauehave receiued much comfort from amongst you, and hauehave beene (I trust by the grace of God by which alone I hauehave beene that I hauehave bin, 1. Cor. 15. ver. 10. &. 6.& am that I am) an instrumēt of some spirituall blessing to diuers of you, whereof manie remaine aliue this day, and manie are fallen asleepe in the Lord.
To you (I say) I doe present it as a small testimonie of my true thankfulnesse, both towards the dead, and towards the liuing, and of my vnfained desire to draw such as remaine aliue, from the corrupt and carnal louelove of these vain things, Act. 14.15to a more feruent and heartie louelove of the euerlasting, most louing and louely God, who made heauen and earth, the sea and all (the faire and beautifull) things therein: whence it followeth of necessitie, that he alone is the perfection of all beauties, Cant. 1.16. & 5.9.10.11. Hag 2.8. Psal 75.6.7. & 16.12.the store-house of all riches, and the well-spring of all true preferment, pleasures and delights in heauen and earth: and therefore that he alone is to be admired, adored, esteemed and loued farre aboue all things in heauen, and earth besides.
And this thing I desire and endeuour, A digression in lamentation of the death of our late Prince.so much the rather to effect, beecause of late, the Lord of hostes hath sounded an alarum, & blowne a trumpet in our eares, to awaken vsus out of that dangerous and deadly sleepe of carnall securitie, into which wee are so deepely fallen: yea, hee hath vttered his voice, & sent forth a sudden and terrible thunderclap, and that in a great calme and faire sunneshine towards (through the expectation of a happie coniunction betwixt a most christian yong Prince & Princesse) by taking from vsus the secondary breath of our nostrils, Lam. 4.10.euen the eldest son of our gracious Soueraigne, that peerelesse Henrie, late Prince of VVales, in the verie prime & spring of his greene and florishing age.
Wee reioyced indeede the fifth day of Nouember (as wee had iust cause) in remembrance of Gods most watchfull and mercifull prouidence towards vsus, disappointing the most diuelish and deadly blow, that euer was intended and plotted against anie kingedome in the world, being discouered the fifth of Nouember 1605. for which cause the fifth of Nouember ought worthily to bee kept (as the daies of Purim) with feasting and ioy throughout eueryevery generation.Est. 9.26.27.28.
The Emperor Caligula (a monster rather then a man) onelyonly wished that al the heads of the people of Rome stood vponupon one necke, to the end he might chop them all off at one blow, meaning by heads their naturall and bodily heads: but our Iesuited Papists (diuels rather then monsters) had not onelyonly wished with manie a long wish, but euen almost wrought and gotten all our ciuil and polliticke heads (one of which is worth ten thousand of the other heads) into one net, 2. Sam. 18.3. &. 21.17.with full purpose and expectation to hauehave blowne them to fitters with one blast. Psal. 124.7Therefore we reioyced (and that in the Lord) because their net was broken, and we were deliuered.
But the next day, Ioel. 2.2. Iob. 30.31. 2. Sam. 1.10was a day of darkenesse and blacknes, wherin our harpe was turned to mourning, & our organs into the voice of them that weepe. Tell it not in Gath, neither publish it in the streets of Askalon, least the daughters of the Philistims reioyce, least the daughters of the vncircumcised triumph.
Tell it not in Rome, neither publish it in the streetes of Rhemes, least the daughters of the superstitious & idolatrous reioyce, least the seducers and the seduced triumph together Least they praise their Gods of gould and siluer, Dan. 5.4. Esay 58.4.of brasse and iron, of wood and stone: least they glorie to much in their hipocritical fasting (if eating of fish and drinking of wine at dinner, & iunckets at supper may be called fasting) this last summer: 1. Cor. 15.39.least they count it meritorious to abstaine from flesh of beasts, who make so little account of the blood of their brethren; yea of their true and lawfull Kings.
For (giuegive me leaue to speake to you, as Dauid sometime spake to his seruants and followers) know yee not that there is a Prince and a verie great one (and of great expectation for vertue and valour) fallen this day in our English Israel? After this manner spake Dauid by occasion of Abners death whom Joab had murthered & by this patheticall and earnest speech hee iustifieth his owne fasting and mourning, prouoking others by his example to doe the like: shewing therein, that the chiefe reason, why men are not moued with such iudgements as they should, is because they doe not know, that is, duly consider and lay to heart the greatnesse of their losse.
If King Dauid laid the death of Abner, being no sonne, nor heire to the crown, but a subiect onelyonly (and a late reconciled enemy) so neere his hart; Oh how ought we to be affected with this vntimely death (I speake according to man) of the eldest sonne of our gratious Soueraigne) being now come to mans estate, & to that maturity & ripenes of Princely wisedome and valour, that many hundreds were refreshed vnderunder his shadow, and many thousands, or rather millions, might hauehave tasted of the sweete fruit of his kingly vertue and magnanimitie in time to come.
But alas wee may now, if euer, take vp the complaint of the holy Prophet and say of a number, not onelyonly of our watchmen, Esay. 56.10.11.12.but of all sorts, that they are all blind. They hauehave no knowledge: and a little after, they lye and sleepe and delight in sleeping: and these shepheards (much more their sheep) cannot vnderstand. Then followeth the reason. They all looke to their owne way, eueryevery one for his aduantage and for his owne purpose, saying Come and I will bring wine, (and Tobacco) and wee will fill our selues with strong drinke, and to morrow shall be as this day, Esay. 57.1.2.and much more abundant.
In the meane time (as the same prophet saith in the beginning of the next Chapter) The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart: and mercifull men are taken a way, and no man considereth, that the righteous is taken a way before the comming of that great euill. Yea no man remēbreth (as he ought) the words of our Sauiour Christ, saying, The dayes will come (the Lord knoweth how so one and suddenly) when men shall say, Luc. 23.29 30 31.blessed are the barren, and the wombs that neuer bare, and the pappes which neuer gaue sucke. Then shall they begin to say to the mountaines, fall on vsus, & to the hills couer vsus. And marke the reason heere of in the next verse. For (saith he) if they doe these things to a greene tree, what shall be done to the drye?
Wherefore let vsus all, euen the best of vsus all, consider as Salomon saith, the plague in our owne hearts: yea let vsus (as some translate it, and vnderstand it) consider the plague of our owne heart: that is, 1. Kin. 8.39 Mat. 15.19our secret and open sinnes, whereof our heart is the sinke and fountaine, which hauehave brought this heauy iudgement vponupon vsus, and do yet threaten, (though this were very greeuous and lamentable) more grieuous and lamentable iudgments against vsus. For it is not (if we will goe to the root of the matter) the practise of the Papists, the disorder of the patiēt, or error of the Phisitian: it is the sinnes of the people that cut off Princes.
This is that which holy Samuel teacheth in his diuine exhortation to the people of Israell, 1. Sam. 12.24.25.saying, Feare you the Lord and serue him in the truth, with al your harts, & consider how great things be hath done for you. But if you do wickedly, you shall perish, both you and your King. And though, blessed be God, wee hauehave a gratious King, and a hopefull Prince, yet touching our late illustrious Prince, Hose. 10.3.We may say we hauehave no Prince Henry because we feared not the Lord.
It was not the fword of Pharab Lam. 3.39. &. 5.16.Nece, but it was the sinnes of Iudah and Jerusalem (as Ieremy sheweth in his spirituall lamentations) that cut off Josias, Lam. 3.39. et. 5.16.that godly and zealous King of Judah, in the midst of his daies: neither was it any naturall infirmity or artificiall confection, that took away King Edward the sixth (to omit forraine and former examples) of blessed and holy memory, in the spring of his age: it was the sinnes of the people, yea of the Protestants of England, while eueryevery man dreaming of a long continuance of the Gospell, the most part began to turne the grace of God into wantonnes and worldlinesse.Iud. ver. 4.
The like may be said of our illustrious and hopefull Henry) late Prince of Wales, who by the same sword of our sins, was cut off in the flower of his youth. For the multitude looking (as the manner is) onelyonly downeward vponupon men; and seing that wee had not onelyonly a most Christian king of middle age, a true defender of the Faith, both by his politick gouernement and by his penne: but also a prince of such heroicall parts and expectation for piety & iustice, to succeed him in the throne of the kingdome, whensoeuer God and nature should hauehave translated him to a higher crowne.
The multitude I say, looking onelyonly downeward vponupon these things, and in confidence thereof growing prophane, licentious, proud, couetous, ambitious and outragious, in oathes, diet, apparell, oppression, and all other sinnes against the first and second table of the law, hauehave pulled downe this heauy iudgment of God vponupon our heads.
But to conclude (least I be said to make the entry longer then the house) Let vsus search and trye our waies, Lam. 3.40.41.42.and turne againe to the Lord. Let vsus lift our hearts with our hands to God in the heauens: and say, wee hauehave sinned and rebelled, therefore thou hast not spared, no not Prince Henry, the most lawfull and hopefull successor of this imperiall Crowne. O let vsus repent of these, not only soule-murdering, but also King-murdering and Prince-murdering sinnes. Esay. 56.6.Let vsus in this common affliction, Seeke the Lord diligently while he may be found, and say to our selues and one another; Hose. 5.15. & 6.1.Come and let vsus returne vntounto the Lord: for he hath spoyled; and hee will heale vsus: hee hath wounded vsus, and hee will bind vsus vp.
Let eueryevery one of vsus forget the speech & manners of Ammon and Ashdod, Nehe. 13.23.24.that is (as if I might say) of Atheisme and Popery, of blasphemy and ribauldry; and learne to vse the language of Canaan, euen such words as the Holy Ghost doth prescribe, saying. The Lord is my portion, Lam. 3.24.25.26.saith my soule; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good to them that trust in him and to the soule that seeketh him. It is good both to trust and to waite for the saluation of the Lord. And in another place. It is better to trust in the Lord then to hauehave confidence in Man, Ps. 118.8.9.it is better to trust in the Lord then to hauehave confidence in Princes.
We hauehave stumbled too long at this stone, (and yet wee will not bee taught) to the high dishonour of almighty God, and to the great hinderance of the true peace and sound comfort of our owne soules; quite and cleane forgetting what wee hauehave so often read and heard out of the holy Prophet saying.
5 Thus saith the Lord God, Ier. 17.5.6.7.8.cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arme, and withdraweth his heart from the Lord.
6 For hee shall bee like the heath in the wildernesse, and shall not see when any good commeth, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wildernes, in a salt land and not inhabited.
7 Blessed bee the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.
8 For he shall be as a tree that is planted by the water, which spreadeth out her roots by the riuer, and shall not feele when the heat commeth, but her leafe shall be greene and shal not care for the yere of drought, neither shal cease from yeelding fruit.
Wherfore obey Princes, Rom. 13.5.pray for Princes, that if they bee good and gratious, they may continue & encrease, if otherwise, Tit. 12. Eccles. 10.20.that they may conuert & amend, but speake no euill of them, much lesse spurn against them, and thus doe, not because of wrath onelyonly (or chiefly) but for conscience sake: because God hath so commanded thee, & because they are instruments of so great & manifolde blessings vntounto thee; yet whatsoeuer they bee, bee thou alwaies mindfull of the admonition giuen by him who is King of all Kings, and Lord of all Lords, saying, put not your trust in Princes, nor in the sonne of man (sauing in him who is also the sonne of God) for there is no help in him. His breath departeth, hee returneth to his earth: the very same day his thoughts perish. Blessed is hee that hath the God of Iacob for his helpe, whose hope is in the Lord his God.
To this God of Iacob, & father of our Lord Iesus Christ let vsus daily pray, that it would please him by his holy spirit to teach vsus so to number our (short slipperie and sinfull daies) that we may get wise & vnderstāding harts, to profit by his word, Psal. 90.12.to profit by his works, to profit by his mercies, & to profit by his iudgements, which what else doe they preach vntounto vsus, but the summe of that most heauenly sermon which Christ setteth downe in few words, saying, Luke 13.3.Except you repent and amend your liues, you shall all likewise perish.
God hath tried vsus by many iudgements, & by many more mercies and deliuerances, and of late yeares by a most mighty and mercifull deliuerance, from a matchles and (if it had taken effect) vnrecouerable mischiefe, of which maruelous worke, God the Father may say vntounto vsus Englishmen, as his sonne Christ saide of his miracles to the Iewes; If I had not done workes among them which none other man did, Ioh. 15.24.they had not had sin; saith Christ & God may say of vsus, If I had not wrought such a discouery and deliuerance, as was neuer wrought for nation since the beginning of the world, their ingratitude had beene more excusable.
But now hauing seene and tasted the sweetnes of his louelove in that great mercy, & yet not beene stirred vp to louelove him againe, and hauing also seene and felt the smart of his wrath in this heauy iudgement, and yet not beene mooued a whit the more to feare him, and forsake our sinnes, who shall entreate for vsus, whom neither such matchlesse mercies, nor such vnlooked for iudgements will worke vponupon?
The Lord grant that these things may awaken vsus, and worke kindly vponupon vsus, and that for his sonne Christ Iesus sake to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one true eternal, Almightie, most wise and onelyonly good God, bee giuen all glory and praise both now and euer.