A plaine and familiar exposition of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of the Prouerbs of Salomon

Verse 4. The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake: Yea euen the wicked for the day of euill.

THE Lord hath made all things] By making is vnderstood as well that workmanship which was bestowed vpon all the creatures for their forme and existence, as the workes which he daily doth in his perpetuall gouernment and admi∣nistration: [for his owne sake] for his glory, which is seene in his wisdome and power, in his mercy and righteousnesse, with all other holy attributes. And this hee doth not onely propose to himselfe, as an end that were meet, and to bee wished, but commandeth and causeth, as an effect that is necessary and certaine: [euen the wicked against the day of euill] This clause is annexed, as a preuention of an obiection that might arise out of the former words: How truly may it bee said that hee hath made all things for himselfe, when repro∣bates, both men and Angels, continually set themselues a∣gainst him? Now to this he answereth, that hee getteth no small honour by them that are most vngodly and wicked: for sithence they refuse to yeeld him glory by their life, and to acknowledge his goodnesse in the time of their prosperi∣tie, he will glorifie himselfe by their death, and manifest his iustice in the day of their destruction. And to that damna∣ble estate they are fore-ordained by Gods righteous decree,

as it is intimated heere, and expresly affirmed in other places, and yet made worthy of it by their owne vnrighteous beha∣uiour: as is noted in Pharaoh, and other obstinate Rebels.

[Doct.] The praise of God is set foorth not onely by his most emi∣nent creatures and actions, but euen by the meanest of his workes, and the worst things that be.

This doth Dauid acknowledge in the generall, when hee saith, All thy workes praise thee, O Lord: and dilateth vpon it * 1.1 in the particulars, when not only hee prouoketh Kings and Princes, and all people to performe this duty, but bringeth in all sorts of beasts, and fishes, and fowles, and creeping things, * 1.2 as occasions and meanes thereof.

When the Lord was sending the Prophet Isaiah about a most vncomfortable message, euen by his ministerir to har∣den the hearts of the people, to their destruction, the Sera∣phims cried, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hoasts. * 1.3

When S. Paul had discoursed of the reiection of the Iewes from being a Church for many hundred yeeres, which mise∣rie he could haue beene content to preuent with the price of his owne soule, he concluded the point in this manner: Of him, and through him, and for him are all things. To him be glo∣rie * 1.4 for euer. Amen.

[Reason 1] First, the holy and only wise God cannot possibly doe any thing that is vaine, and fit for nothing, as euery thing is that serueth not for his glory. A prudent man will aime at some vse of those things which hee taketh in hand, and therefore much more will he which maketh men prudent, and giueth them their wisdome, and can turne all things to such vse as best pleaseth him.

[ 2] Secondly, the Lord is prouident for his creatures in all his workes, and regardeth their good, especially of the principall and most excellent, as men and Angels: Now hee respecteth none so much as his owne honour, nor matcheth any in e∣quality with himselfe; for whatsoeuer happinesse is confer∣red vpon them, it is subordinate to his praise: and that is the scope and chiefe end whereunto all other ends and procee∣dings are directed.

[Vse 1] Instruction, to obserue matter in all his workes and waies, whereby we may be mooued to yeeld him that praise which is proportionable to the obiect offered vnto vs. If we see pu∣nishments executed, there is cause that wee should bee hum∣bled, and made to tremble at his iustice: if mercies bee per∣formed, let vs blesse his name for his goodnesse. And so when things come to passe that are stranger than we thought of, or greater than wee expected, let vs wonder at his wis∣dome, and be guided by it; and magnifie his power, and re∣pose vpon it.

And because we our selues are of his making, and hee doth giue vs life, and breath, and all things; yea because we are of his second making, and hee doth giue vs eternall life, and grace, and all blessednesse, therefore ought we to be for him, and his glory, against sinne, and his enemies. And this may be a forcible motiue to make vs patient in all the afflictions which he imposeth vpon vs, because they are his worke, and for his honour, which will be the more procured by our hum∣ble and fruitfull submission to him in the same.

[ 2] Terrour for vngodly men, which giue all the members of their bodies, and faculties of their soules, as weapons of vn∣righteousnesse, to fight against God, and yet thriue in their wicked waies, and prosper in their sinnes. They are reserued (as S. Peter testifieth) to the day of iudgement to bee punished, * 1.5 though they should not be plagued sooner. The Lord will shew himselfe to be admirable in righteousnesse, when all the world shall see them miserable with torments.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Psal. 145. 10.
• * 1.2

  Psal 1. 48.
• * 1.3

  Isa. 6. 3.
• * 1.4

  Rom. 11. 36.
• * 1.5

  2. Pet. 2. 9.