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

Verse 6. By mercy and truth shall iniquitie bee purged: and by the feare of the Lord men depart from euill.

BY mercy] That kindnesse and free loue which the Lord beareth to his elect, [and truth] the faithfull accomplish∣ment of his promises (and in the same sense are the same words taken in Chap. 14. 8. 22. To them that thinke on good things shall be mercy and truth) [iniquitie shall be purged] as well originall guilt as actuall transgressions, and all that is amisse in the nature, and hearts, and waies of Gods chosen, shall bee remitted and washed away through the blood of Iesus Christ. That this is the meaning of this sentence, it appeareth by the force of the word, that signifieth to make expiation, which properly belonged to Christ to doe, though typically the

Priests of the Law were said to expiate by the sacrifices which they offered. For he (as S. Iohn witnesseth) which is our Ad∣uocate with the father, is likewise the propitiation for our * 1.1 sinnes: [and by the feare of the Lord] the knowledge of his will, the reuerence of his maiestie, and the regard of his fauour, [men depart from iniquitie] they decline from wicked waies, and doe those things which are lawfull and good. Yet nei∣ther of them are in full perfection, though both of them in sinceritie and truth. So that he declareth the causes of iusti∣fication in the former clause, and the exercise of sanctificati∣on in the latter: shewing by whom sinnes are pardoned, in the one; and to whom the assurance thereof pertaineth, in the other.

[Doct. 1] Remission of sinnes and saluation are giuen by God, and not bought by men.

That pride and presumption, to arrogate to ones selfe the praise of making himselfe happy, is most loathsome to the Lord, and therefore he hath stored the Scriptures with testi∣monies and proofes, to helpe our hearts against it. And to this purpose is that in Isaiah: I [euen] I am he that putteth away * 1.2 thine iniquities for mine owne sake, and will not remember thy sinnes. Put mee in remembrance; let vs reason together: count thou that thou maiest be iustified.

The meaning of the latter words is as if he should haue said, Shew thy righteousnesse, if thou hast any, and I haue for∣gotten it: Stand for thine owne worthinesse: Recount the meritorious workes which thou hast wrought, to be iustified thereby: but all will be in vaine. And S. Paul doth expresly disclaime all merits of this nature, both for himselfe, and all his brethren. He saued vs (saith he) not by the workes of righte∣ousnesse which we had done, but according to his owne mercy. * 1.3

[Reasons. 1] First, all mens workes, before remission of sinnes, are no∣thing else but sinnes, wherewith the Lord is offended: and can that pacifie his anger, which further prouokes him to be angry?

[ 2] Secondly, all the workes of the godly, euen after their sins are pardoned, be yet mingled with sinne, whereas the merit

of our redemption must bee absolutely righteous, and infi∣nitely holy, according as the Law broken, and the Law-giuers iustice are.

[ 3] Thirdly, the best workes of the best men, and that which is best both in the men, and in the workes, is his owne free gift: and would it become them to boast thereof, as though they had deserued at his hands for receiuing his almes?

[ 4] Fourthly, all the good that any man can doe, though hee could doe more than euer any meere man did, is it selfe a due debt, and farre lesse than is due: and how then should it goe for the discharge of all former debts and arrearages? The pai∣ment of some part of this yeeres rent will not serue the turne to heale the last yeeres forfeiture.

[Vse. 1] Confutation of the Papists, who will not be beholding to the Lord for their saluation, so as to yeeld him the entire praise thereof.

They must earne some part, or haue no part: They will ei∣ther winne it, or neuer weare it. But it may bee truly said of them, that they trusting in lying vanities, doe forsake their owne mercies.

[ 2] Consolation to Gods people, who haue a gratious God to flie vnto, and depend vpon, though themselues cannot helpe their soules against their sinnes. Notwithstanding their mi∣series bee many, and their merits none at all, yet his mercie and truth are sufficient to helpe against the one, and to sup∣plie the other, and to be all in all vnto them. In them there is efficacie, and constancie, and constancie, and perpetuitie, according as the Psalmist saith, His louing kindnesse is mighty towards vs, and his * 1.4 truth endureth for euer.

After that we are estated in his mercies, we shall as certain∣lie remaine happie people for euer, as we know him to be a glorious God for euer. Hee can no more faile of any part of his mercy and truth, than of his whole nature and Deitie.

[ 3] Instruction, so to beleeue and liue, that wee may haue his promises for vs, and not his threatnings against vs: Other∣wise his truth and iustice will ioine together to condemne vs, and not his kindnesse and truth to forgiue and iustifie vs. He

will not cast off his righteousnesse, as he will not faile of his mercy. For if he should either punish his people that are pe∣nitent, or spare his enemies that are obstinate, he should for∣feit his truth: for hee plainly professeth, that those that walke * 1.5 after the stubbornnesse of their owne hearts, he will not be mercifull vnto.

[Doct. 2] And by the feare of the Lord] According as any man is religi∣ous in heart, so hee will striue to bee innocent, and honest in life.

He that is godly, will surely be good: and he that is impi∣ous, cannot chuse but be vnrighteous. The Apostle charge∣ing vnregenerate men with wicked behauiour, as that their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse, and their feet swift to shed blood, &c. assigneth this as a cause of all those euils, that the feare of God is not before their eies. Where Abraham doubted that the feare of God was not, hee looked for dishonest dealing: * 1.6 and iust cause hee had so to doe, though hee vsed vnmeet meanes to preuent it, and extended his suspicion too farre in misdeeming all, whereas it appeareth that there was pietie * 1.7 and godlinesse in some.

Contrariwise, Iob and Ioseph, by vertue of this reuerent awe of God, obtained power, not onely against the practise of grosse sinnes, but ouer their eies, that they should not cast * 1.8 wanton lookes; and ouer their hearts, that they should not conceiue vnchaste thoughts.

[Reason 1] First, it worketh an hatred of that which is euill; and we know no man will be desirous to meddle much with that which he * 1.9 loueth not.

[ 2] Secondly, it putteth men in remembrance of Gods pre∣cepts, of Gods presence, of Gods threatnings, of Gods iudge∣ments, and losse of his fauours and mercies. What portion (saith Iob) should I haue of God from aboue? and what inheritance from the Almighty from on high? Is not destruction to the wicked, and strange [punishment] to the workers of iniquitie? Doth not hee behold my waies, and tell all my steps? Iob 31. 2. 3. 4.

[Vse 1] Instruction, that if we wish well vnto our soules, and would not lay load vpon our consciences; if wee beare loue to our

bodies, and would not haue them polluted with corrupt con∣uersation; if we tender our credits, and would not be blemi∣shed with naughty practises, then let vs seeke to be sanctified thorowout with soundnesse of Religion and godlinesse.

Or would wee be glad that our people should prosper, and our children take good courses for our comfort? Are wee loath to see them vnthriftie, vnchaste, giuen to filching, or drunkennesse, or any other misbehauiour? Let vs then teach them to know the Lord, and perswade them sincerely to worship him, and that will be a preseruatiue against all these mischiefes.

[ 2] Conuiction of them which trust they are godly, and bragge that they are very religious, and yet the waies that they walke in, are most licencious and wicked. If they were any whit acquainted with the feare of God, they would be much more estranged from such leaud behauiour. The loyaltie and obe∣dience which they shew to sinne, doth prooue them to bee Traitors and Rebels against the Lord.

[ 3] Consolation for such as are reformed of all their former faults, and returne not againe to them, or to as bad: that they are vnfainedly religious, though peraduenture they haue not so sensible feeling of it. If they were not friends with God, and feared him, they would not fall out with sinne, and flie from iniquitie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Iohn 2. 2.
• * 1.2

  Isa. 43. 25. 26.
• * 1.3

  Titus 3. 5.
• * 1.4

  Psal. 117. 2.
• * 1.5

  Deut. 29. 20.
• * 1.6

  Rom. 3. 18.
• * 1.7

  Gen. 20. 11.
• * 1.8

  Iob 31. 1.
• * 1.9

  Prouer. 8. 13.