A plain and familiar exposition of the eleventh and twelfth chapters of the Proverbs…A plaine and familiar exposition of the eleuenth and twelfth chapters of the Prouerbes…

Use. 1 Refutation of their boastings, that go before all in speaking of their desire and forwardness to please God, and be saved, and come behind every one, in showing any good notes of it. They make their mouths and not their hearts, the principal seat of their love: and likewise their words, and not their deeds, their only arguments do prove that they do love. It is very burdenous for them to live constantly under a faithful Ministry. Every godly sermon is tedious unto them: for length, if it be not ended within the hour: for the manner, if it savour not of humane wit and eloquence: for the matter, if it be wholesome, and lively, and come home to the rebuking of any sin, which they are not minded to forsake. And yet they would have us all to know, that none are better friends than they to knowledge. And yet they must give us leave again to tell them, that every friend of knowledge is better affected than they are, to instruction.

Vse. 1 Refutation of their boastings, that goe before all in speaking of their desire and forwardnes to please God, and be saued, and come behinde euery one, in shewing any good notes of it. They make their mouthes and not their hearts, the principall seate of their loue: and likewise their words, and not their deedes, their onely arguments doe proue that they doe loue. It is very burdenous for them to liue constantly vnder a faithfull Ministerie. Euerie godly sermon is tedious vnto them: for length, if it bee not ended within the houre: for the manner, if it sauour not of humane wit and eloquence: for the matter, if it be wholesome, and liuely, and come home to the rebuking of any sinne, which they are not minded to forsake. And yet they would haue vs all to know, that none are better friends than they to knowledge. And yet they must giue vs leaue againe to tell them, that euery friend of knowledge is better affected than they are, to instruction.

Consolation to them that think it no pains to be painful in ⟨p. 115⟩labouring for the bread of life. They feel not, they say, the love of the word of God, the desire of faith and care of repentance, &c. But from whence proceedeth that? is it not hence, that they are greedy and covetous of getting abundance of love and desire, and therefore they think that which they have to be nothing, in comparison of that which they would have. But these men must be well confuted: their troubles, their attention, their meditations, their pains, their reading, their questions, their conference, their joy in Christian company, their diligence in all good exercises with willingness, doth manifestly show the error of their doubts and fears. But may not an hypocrite do all these things, and yet have no touch in him? But may an hypocrite do all these things in good earnest with resistance of hypocrisy? May an hypocrite continue an hypocrite, and yet bewail his want of sincerity in the presence of God alone, with promise, and purpose to perform every service more sincerely, if possibly by any means he may be able? It was an argument wherewith David confirmed his own heart in assurance that he truly loved the Lord, and unfeignedly sought his own salvation, because he loved the law of the Lord, meditated in his word and kept his precepts. And Job taketh it for a sure effect of his uprightness, that he had not departed from the commandments of Gods lips, but esteemed the words of his mouth more than his appointed food.