A plain and familiar exposition of the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of the Proverbs…A plaine and familiar exposition of the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of the Prouerbs…

Conviction of profane persons to their terror, whose only hope of happiness consisteth in this that they have a good soul towards God, howsoever men think and speak of them: for they ⟨p. 82⟩love him with all their heart, & with all their strength, and that is as much as he requireth, and as the holiest of them all performeth And therefore preachers and others are too full of judging when they repute him to be so bad, and their faults to be so heinous, and their state to be so dangerous. But will you have the matter to be referred to God himself, as it must be whatsoever your will is? And will you stand to his sentence therein, as you shall be compelled, though it be against your wills? Then hear what he pronounceth of you that he which is lewd in his ways, despiseth him, nay yet more for the greater aggravation of the sin that he is a despiser, or despising of him, which is more emphatical, and employeth an habit, & accustomable practise, and professed contempt. You imagine that men are too sharp in their censures, and condemnings: you shall feel unless you repent, that the Lord will be far more severe in this sentence, with the execution of it. You will swear, and blaspheme the name of God, if it be but to anger them that like not of it you will use wanton & sinful exercises on the Lords day, in despite it of those that be grieved at it: You will proceed on your own ways, and vilify all such as shall reprove you for it: but whom in the mean time, do you contemn? and whom have ye sought to reproach? Even the mighty and glorious God, who is both able in power, and ready i• wrath to return your ways upon your own heads. He will be honoured and you shall be despised: he will have eternal praise, and you shall have everlasting confusion. But for those that sin not so presumptuously, nor with such an high hand, if that they be in the power of sin and without repentance, this point is very uncomfortable. They dream that the Lord is not so much offended with them, and their behaviour, as they hear spoken in sermons, but that he will lightly pass by those things which here are counted great matters: but let them know that he is more righteous then man, and hateth every sin more then all men hate all sins.

Conuiction of profane persons to their terrour, whose onelie hope of happines cōsisteth in this that they haue a good soule towards God, howsoeuer men think and speake of them: for they ⟨p. 82⟩