A view of the threats and punishments recorded in the Scriptures, alphabetically composed with some briefe observations upon severall texts / by Zachary Bogan ...

Flattery.

Flatterers with God* 1.1 punished

With Destruction, without God's excee∣ding great mercy, even multiplyed mercy; as may be gathered by what the Psalmist saith Ps. 78. 36, 37, 38. Neverthelesse they did but flatter him with their mouth: and dissem∣bled with him in their tongue. For their hear•• was not right with him: neither were they sted∣fast in his Covenant. But he being full of compassion fogave their iniquity, and destroy∣ed them not: Yea, many a time turned he his anger away. Yea many a time turned he &c] In the Hebrew it is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 He multi∣plyed to turne away his anger; to intimate, how much their Hypocri••ie provoked him; as if he had said, His hand was up again and againe; and had he not multiplyed to par∣don, they must needs have been Destroyed.

Flatterers with themselves punished,

1 With certaine and severe punishment. And it come to passe, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he blesse himselfe in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walke in the imagination of my heart, to adde drunknesse to thirst. The Lord, will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoake against that man; and

all the curses that are written in this booke, shall light upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven, Deut. 29. 19, 20. He shall find, that he did but curse himselfe, when he thus blessed himselfe: and this shall be a great addition to his pu∣nishment, viz.

2 Vexation, upon discovery of their folly: He flattereth himselfe in his owne eyes, untill his iniquity be found to be hatefull Psalm. 36. 2. But this, perhaps, is not t••ll they have eaten of the fruit of their folly, and are punished.

3 With being made more miserable by those courses, in which they thought them∣selves happy. Let them (or, they shall) be taken in their own devices: For the wicked boasteth* 1.2 of (or commendeth) his heart's desire, Psal. 10, 2, 3. The last verse, in the Latin Trans∣lation, is thus rendred. Quia laudavit im∣pius desiderium animae suae: & avarus applau∣dens sibi blasphemavit Dominum: Because the wicked hath praised the desire of his soule; and the covetous man, applauding (or* 1.3 blessing) himselfe, hath blasphemed God.

This sinne is as dangerous, as it is common, and it is very common; for (as one saitha 1.4) Quis sibi verum dicere ausus est? men are a∣fraid to tell themselves the truth. That, they thinke, will beget nothing but vexation, and

sorrow, and hatred; (as usually the best chi∣rurgian puts a man to most paine in a dan∣gerous wound;) and therefore they resolve rather to heale* 1.5 the wound slightly, then be troubled to cure it. But alas! what foolish courses do men take! they are desirous (and threfore most wicked;) but they are unable, (& therefore most unhappy) to deceive* 1.6 their owne selves. They can gaine no more by so doing, then if a man should play at chesse with the right hand, and win the game of himselfe with the left. They cannot act be∣hind the curtaine to themselves; unlesse they could stand on both sides the curtaine; which they can never doe. Though thou hast burnt* 1.7 off the hand of thy conscience, that it cannot strike thee; thou canst not put out the eye of thy conscience, that it can∣not see thee. And therefore the saying of Cato Major was excellent, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Every man ought to reverence himselfe most, because no man can ever be out of his own sight.

Flatterers of other Men are punished.

1 With Being looked upon as enemies, by those whom they flatter. He that blesseth his freind with a loud voyce, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him Prov: 27. 14.

2 Being hated and cursed by every one else. He that saith unto the wicked, thou art righte∣ous, him shall the people curse, and nations shall abhorre him Prov: 24. 24, for though these words, by the verse that goes before* 1.8, must be interpreted only of Judges; yet, by the verse that follows, they may be interpreted of any other men.

3 Being cutt off▪ especially such as as flat∣ter great men, to doe others mischeife (such as I believe the Prophet meant) The Lord shall cut of all flattering lips Ps: 12. 3. Of this sinne in Ministers, see in the chapter of Ministers.

If there were no Scripture at all for it, I make no question of it, that flatterers shall be severely punished, because they are so much I say not, partakers, but causers, and encouragers of other mens sinnes; causers of pride, idlenesse, security, and of all the sinnes that follw them; and encouragers of any be∣sides. When one told Demaratus, that Orontes had not used him well, to give him ill language, he made answer 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he hath not offended me at all, for, I count, those that please a man, hurt him; and not those that displease him.

Neither is Flattering of others the occasi∣on of much sinning only in them, but in our

selves also. For as Truth, or the vertue of Telling Truth (for which we want a name as well as the Grecians;* 1.9) so in like manner Flattery (or the vice of Lying to a neighbour) being an homiletick habit, is versed in actions, as well as in words. So that the flatterer, whether it be* 1.10 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he that makes pleasing his only end, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he that makes profit his end, & pleasing the meanes, (being not able to please without comply∣ing) must doe, as well as speake, to please him whom he flatters. he must doe as hee does, and doe as he will have him, if it be ne∣ver so bad. Therefore, as I approved of what Demaratus said, viz: that those who please most, hurt most: So am I also of Thrasi∣as * 1.11 his mind, to say, plura peccantur dum de∣meremur, quàm cùm offendimus, that those who please most, doe likewise Sinne most. Ne∣ver lesse care not to offend God, then when there is too much feare to offend men.

Notes

• * 1.1

  See Hy∣pocrifie.
• * 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.3

  In Hebr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 we trans∣late, bles∣seth the co∣vetous whom the Lord ab∣horreth.
• a 1.4

  Sen. de tranquil. anim. c. 10.
• * 1.5

  Jer: 6. 14.
• * 1.6

  Jam: 1. 22.
• * 1.7

  1 Tim: 4. 2. quorum conscien∣tia caute∣rio resect•• est; so Beza.
• * 1.8

  If there be any re∣gard to be had to what lyes upon, and what lyes under, in a heap of pro∣verbs.
• * 1.9

  Graecia mendax. Juven.
• * 1.10

  Aristot. Eth. l. 4. c. 6.
• * 1.11

  In Taci∣tus.