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…

Instruction to be pitiful to them whose hearts are wounded §2at the sight of their sins, and the fear of Gods judgements, if we know how to succour them, their case calleth for our help: if we can give them any direction, their distress requireth our counsel: and it is a service very acceptable to God, to declare our compassion to them, and be a means of their comfort. It would have bin as much for the commendation of Jobs friends to the end of the world, as it is now for their dispraise, if they had dealt like skilful and merciful physicians, as through indiscretion they showed themselves miserable comforters. But they that mock at their mourning, and deride their grief, as though it grew from melancholy or childishness, let them know that their own hearts will one day be bitten with gripings and grief, unless they repent, they shall be stung with the guiltiness of an evil conscience, either before they come to the end of their race, or upon their death-bed, or in place of destruction. ⟨p. 102⟩They now scoff at their brethren which groan under a burden that they feel not: who knoweth but that hereafter they may sink and perish under a burden which their brethren shall never feel?

Instruction to be pitifull to them whose hearts are wounded §2at the sight of their sinnes, and the feare of Gods iudgements, if we know how to succour them, their case calleth for our helpe: if we can giue them any direction, their distresse requireth our counsaile: and it is a seruice very acceptable to God, to declare our compassion to them, and be a meanes of their comfort. It would haue bin asmuch for the commendation of Iobs friends to the end of the world, as it is now for their dispraise, if they had dealt like skilfull and mercifull physitions, as through indiscretion they shewed themselues miserable comforters. But they that mocke at their mourning, and deride their griefe, as though it grew from melancholie or childishnesse, let them know that their owne heartes will one day be bitten with gripings and griefe, vnlesse they repent, they shall bee stung with the guiltinesse of an euill conscience, eyther before they come to the end of their race, or vpon their death-bed, or in place of destruction. ⟨p. 102⟩