INDECORVM: OR A brief TREATISE vpon one of Salomons proverbs. Chap. 11.22. WHEREIN IS SHEWED, how ill-beseeming all common gifts and worldly blessings are to all such, as are not furnished with some answerable measure of spiritual and saving grace.  luke 10.42. 
One thing is needful, Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken from her.  
AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston, for Richard boil, and are to be sold at his shop dwelling in the Blacke-friers. 1613.   

TO ALL THAT ARE CALLED TO glory AND virtue, BY NAME TO THE INHABITANTS OF THE city OF LONDON, AND more especially to them of the Blacke-Friers, S. E. counseleth increase of grace, and virtue, and growth in the assurance of eternal glory, from God the father, by the Holy Ghost, through Faith in the onely merit and mediation of Iesus Christ.  
FOr as much as wee are all strangers and pilgrims on the earth, 
2. Cor. 5.6. Heb. 11.13 1. Pet. 2.11  it shall be our wisdom as strangers and pilgrims to abstain from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soul: even as it is the wisdom of a pilgrim or traveler to abstain( as much as is possible) from all things, that may distracted his mind from the love and desire of his own home, or cause him to linger in the way, and triflle out his time, till either his means or strength do fail him, whereby he should come to the end of his intended journey.  
For every pilgrim or traveler hath three things especially to look unto. The first is the scope and end of his journey. The second is the direct and ready way that leadeth to it. The third is what things they be, which may either further him or hinder him in this way, that accordingly he may embrace the one, 
2. Tim. 3.16.  and shun the other. And these three are all of them plainly and plentifully laid out unto us in the Holy Scriptures.  
The general end & happiness, as of al creatures, 
Pro. 16.4.  so more specially of the redeemed of Christ, is the glory of God. 
Num. 9.23  But there is a more particular end in regard of ourselves, 
1. Cor. 10.31.  which we ought every day & hour, yea( if it were possible) every minute and moment to set before our eyes, and the same is double.  
The first and principal end in regard of ourselves, 
Psal. 16.11 &. 17.15.  is, a perfect and perpetual fruition of Gods most gracious and glorious presence in the kingdom of heaven. The second is a sound persuasion & comfortable assurance thereof in this present life. 
Luk. 10.20 2. Pet. 1.10   
The way to bring us to the end of our journey( being the second thing which a traveler is to look unto) consisteth in two things, whereof the one is the first and more principal in nature and order, the other being the second, is like to the first and springing from it. The first is to believe truly in the Lord Jesus Christ that he 
joh. 20.28. &. 3.16.36.  is our Lord and our God, 
Act. 4.12. &. 16.23.  & that by him alone wee haue full remission of al our sins, and eternal felicity both of soul and body.  
The second being as it were the fruit and branch springing from thence( without which wee utterly deceive ourselves in it, embracing a shadow in stead of the substance & a fancy in stead of faith) is to repent vnfainedly of all our sins, being smitten with a godly sorrow for them, and perfect hatred of them, firmly resolving to forsake them finally, and daily to resist them, 
Luk. 13.3.5. jer. 3.10.  with full purpose of heart to cleave to the Lord, 
2. Cor. 7.10. 2. Kin. 5.17 Act. 11.23. & 24.16.  and never to return again to folly, but to exercise ourselves, to haue a clear conscience, both towards God and towards men continually.  
The thing( to come to the third point) that will most effectually further us in this spiritual journey, is a religious and constant use of all holy means and helps, both public and private, 
1. Thes. 5.22.  which God in his wisdom and mercy hath ordained and sanctified to that end and purpose; 
1. Tim. 4.7 8.13.14.15.16.  and chiefly of the word and prayer, whereby those corruptions are kept under, that would bring us to perdition, 
2. Tim. 3.15  & those heavenly graces kindled and quickened in us, without which we can never come to eternal glory.  
The things that hinder us in our spiritual journey, are either as causes or occasions. The causes are partly from without us( though they come very near unto us and get within us) & partly( yea principally) from within vs. The causes from without us( and yet getting within us) are the sifting or winnowing of Satan & his Angels( against whom we are continually to wrestle) who as roaring Lions walk about seeking whom they may devour. 
luke. 22.3.31.  
2. Cor. 11.3 Eph. 6.12. 1. Pet. 5.8.   
The causes from within us and which( in Adam) wee witting and willingly pulled vpon ourselves( being indeed the direct and proper causes of our ruin) are our own corrupt affections, 
Gen. 3.1. &c. Acts 5.3. Eccl. 7.31. Mat. 15.18.  or( as the holy Apostle calleth them) our own pleasures, 
Iam. 4.1. & 1.13.14.  or lusts, that fight and make war in our members; and whereby( as he said before in the same Epistle) we are drawn away and enticed.  
The occasions which do encumber and hinder us in our spiritual passage towards the kingdom of heaven, are likewise of two sorts; whereof some are such as( according to the common phrase of speech) may be said to come on the left hand; others are such, as( according to the like phrase) may bee said to come on the right hand. 
Pro. 30.9.  The first( as the wise man saith) cause us to steal and rob men of their goods, the other causeth men to deny( or bely) God, and rob him of his glory.  
The occasions coming on our left hand are sickness, 
Deu. 28.34 Eccles. 7.9.  poverty, oppression, reproach, deformity, and the like, by occasion and means whereof many are distracted, dejected, 
Exod. 4.24 &. 6.9. &. 15.22.23.24. &. 16.2.3. &. 17.8.9  discouraged and greatly hindered in their passage towards the heavenly jerusalem; as the Israelites( through their own corruption) were hindered by the like occasion in their passage and travel towards the earthly Canaan.  
The occasions on the right hand, as they are much more grateful and pleasing to flesh & blood, then those are which come on the left hand, so are they much more powerful to do us hurt.  
Of this sort are prosperity, health, wit, wealth, riches, honour, beauty, and the like: of al which being abused( as for the most part, and by the greatest number they bee) it may bee truly said of them all which the Apostle saith of one of them( namely riches) that they bring men into tentation & snares, 
1. Tim. 6.9  and into many foolish and noisome lusts, which drown men in perdition and destruction.  
Of these occasional hindrances( as I may call them) the holy Apostle speaketh in the second Chapter of his first Epistle: saying, 
1. John. 2, 15.16.  love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love this world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in this world, as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life, is not of the Father but of this world.  
Where( as with some learned and godly men I understand it) by the lust of the flesh, he meaneth carnal and fleshly affections, feeding vpon beauty, and other like baits of the sensual and voluptuous person: fearful examples thereof, and of the judgements following there vpon, we haue in Shechem the son of Hamor: 
Gen. 34.2.25.26.27. et. 39.7.8.  in Potiphars wife the mistris of joseph; in Amnon, the eldest son of david the king; 
2. Sam. 1.3 1.2. &c.  in Herod Antipas, who being ravished with the wanton dancing of a light young woman, condescended to the beheading of John Baptist, a most zealous & faithful preacher, & the forerunner of Iesus Christ.  
Yea this bait hath, beguiled not onely the uncircumcised in the flesh, as Shechem, & in heart, as Herod, but also diuers of the deere children of God: do we not read how samson the Lords champion, 
judge. 14.7.  was caught with this bait? was not david by the like means entangled and drawn to dishonour God, 
2. Sam. 11.2. &. 12.10  and bring heavy judgements vpon himself and his house? 
Gen. 6.2.  did not the like lust of the flesh deceive a great number of the sons of God( whereof it is like some were sons indeed as well as in name) and brought destruction vpon the world?  
By the lust of the eyes, I understand a greedy desire of wealth & riches, which are as thorns & briars to the covetous man; examples whereof we haue in Achan, 
Ios. 7.21.25.26.  whose hart and eyes being pricked with these thorns, brought trouble to the whole Church of God, and especially to himself, 
1: King. 21.12.3.4. &c.  and his own family: and in Ahab whose greedy eyes being set on fire with the sight of Naboths vineyard, that lay so fitly( as he imagined) to serve his turn, made him give way to the murdering and oppressing of the innocent, which brought vengeance vpon him and his.  
The like may be said of the pride of life, whereby is meant worldly honour & preferment, great attendance, brave attire, gorgeous houses, stately service and other things of that kind which are as nets & snares to the ambitious. By these nets( to omit many other) was Absalom brought to that height of disloyalty against his lawful King, 
2. Sam. 15.1.2.3.4.5. &. 18.6.9.  and too loving father, that plotted a halter of his own goodly hair, and set up a gibbet to hang him vpon in the wood of Ephraim. The like pride of life, puffed up with glittering apparel and popular applause, 
Act. 12.21.22.23.  made Herod who a little before had killed james and imprisoned Peter, a pray to the lice and vermin that issued abundantly out of his body.  
Against these occasional encumbrances and impediments, in our spiritual passage towards the kingdom of heaven( and most properly against the first of them which is the lust of the flesh) doth holy Salomon in this divine proverb endeavour to strengthen us: and the penner hereof( according to his weak measure) aimeth at the same mark.  
This treatise returning into my hands without alteration, addition, or detraction, clean contrary to my expectation, by the unexpected, & to( speak according to man) untimely death of a dear friend and neighbour, to whom I had freely given it, for his own use, I thought good to present to you, as one that haue received much comfort from amongst you, and haue been( I trust by the grace of God by which alone I haue been that I haue been, 
1. Cor. 15. ver. 10. &. 6.  & am that I am) an instrument of some spiritual blessing to diuers of you, whereof many remain alive this day, and many are fallen asleep in the Lord.  
To you( I say) I do present it as a small testimony of my true thankfulness, both towards the dead, and towards the living, and of my unfeigned desire to draw such as remain alive, from the corrupt and carnal love of these vain things, 
Act. 14.15  to a more fervent and hearty love of the everlasting, most loving and lovely God, who made heaven and earth, the sea and all( the faire and beautiful) things therein: whence it followeth of necessity, that he alone is the perfection of all beauties, 
Cant. 1.16. & 5.9.10.11. Hag 2.8. Psal 75.6.7. & 16.12.  the store-house of all riches, and the well-spring of all true preferment, pleasures and delights in heaven and earth: and therefore that he alone is to be admired, adored, esteemed and loved far above all things in heaven, and earth besides.  
And this thing I desire and endeavour, 
A digression in lamentation of the death of our late Prince.  so much the rather to effect, because of late, the Lord of hostes hath sounded an alarum, & blown a trumpet in our ears, to awaken us out of that dangerous and deadly sleep of carnal security, into which wee are so deeply fallen: yea, he hath uttered his voice, & sent forth a sudden and terrible thunderclap, and that in a great calm and faire sunshine towards( through the expectation of a happy coniunction betwixt a most christian young Prince & princess) by taking from us the secondary breath of our nostrils, 
Lam. 4.10.  even the eldest son of our gracious sovereign, that peerless henry, late Prince of Wales, in the very prime & spring of his green and flourishing age.  
Wee reioyced indeed the fifth day of november( as wee had just cause) in remembrance of Gods most watchful and merciful providence towards us, disappointing the most devilish and deadly blow, that ever was intended and plotted against any kingdom in the world, being discovered the fifth of november 1605. for which cause the fifth of november ought worthily to bee kept( as the daies of Purim) with feasting and ioy throughout every generation. 
Est. 9.26.27.28.   
The Emperor Caligula( a monster rather then a man) onely wished that al the heads of the people of Rome stood vpon one neck, to the end he might chop them all off at one blow, meaning by heads their natural and bodily heads: but our jesuited Papists( divels rather then monsters) had not onely wished with many a long wish, but even almost wrought and gotten all our civil and politic heads( one of which is worth ten thousand of the other heads) into one net, 
2. Sam. 18.3. &. 21.17.  with full purpose and expectation to haue blown them to fitters with one blast. 
Psal. 124.7  Therefore we reioyced( and that in the Lord) because their net was broken, and we were delivered.  
But the next day, 
Ioel. 2.2. job. 30.31. 2. Sam. 1.10  was a day of darkness and blackness, wherein our harp was turned to mourning, & our organs into the voice of them that weep. Tell it not in Gath, neither publish it in the streets of Askalon, least the daughters of the philistines rejoice, least the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.  
Tell it not in Rome, neither publish it in the streets of rheims, least the daughters of the superstitious & idolatrous rejoice, least the seducers and the seduced triumph together Least they praise their Gods of gold and silver, 
Dan. 5.4. Esay 58.4.  of brass and iron, of wood and ston: least they glory to much in their hypocritical fasting( if eating of fish and drinking of wine at dinner, & iunckets at supper may be called fasting) this last summer: 
1. Cor. 15.39.  least they count it meritorious to abstain from flesh of beasts, who make so little account of the blood of their brethren; yea of their true and lawful Kings.  
For( give me leave to speak to you, as david sometime spake to his seruants and followers) know ye not that there is a Prince and a very great one( and of great expectation for virtue and valour) fallen this day in our English Israel? After this manner spake david by occasion of Abners death whom Joab had murdered & by this pathetical and earnest speech he justifieth his own fasting and mourning, provoking others by his example to do the like: showing therein, that the chief reason, why men are not moved with such judgements as they should, is because they do not know, that is, duly consider and lay to heart the greatness of their loss.  
If King david laid the death of Abner, being no son, nor heir to the crown, but a subject onely( and a late reconciled enemy) so near his hart; Oh how ought we to be affencted with this untimely death ( I speak according to man) of the eldest son of our gracious sovereign) being now come to mans estate, & to that maturity & ripeness of Princely wisdom and valour, that many hundreds were refreshed under his shadow, and many thousands, or rather millions, might haue tasted of the sweet fruit of his kingly virtue and magnanimity in time to come.  
But alas wee may now, if ever, take up the complaint of the holy Prophet and say of a number, not onely of our watchmen, 
Esay. 56.10.11.12.  but of all sorts, that they are all blind. They haue no knowledge: and a little after, they lie and sleep and delight in sleeping: and these shepherds( much more their sheep) cannot understand. Then followeth the reason. They all look to their own way, every one for his advantage and for his own purpose, saying Come and I will bring wine,( and Tobacco) and wee will fill ourselves with strong drink, and to morrow shall be as this day, 
Esay. 57.1.2.  and much more abundant.  
In the mean time( as the same prophet saith in the beginning of the next Chapter) The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken a way, and no man considereth, that the righteous is taken a way before the coming of that great evil. Yea no man remembreth( as he ought) the words of our saviour Christ, saying, The dayes will come( the Lord knoweth how so one and suddenly) when men shall say, 
luke. 23.29 30 31.  blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountaines, fall on us, & to the hills cover vs. And mark the reason here of in the next verse. For( saith he) if they do these things to a green three, what shall be done to the dry?  
Wherefore let us all, even the best of us all, consider as Salomon saith, the plague in our own hearts: yea let us( as some translate it, and understand it) consider the plague of our own heart: that is, 
1. Kin. 8.39 Mat. 15.19  our secret and open sins, whereof our heart is the sink and fountain, which haue brought this heavy iudgement vpon us, and do yet threaten,( though this were very grievous and lamentable) more grievous and lamentable iudgments against vs. For it is not( if we will go to the root of the matter) the practise of the Papists, the disorder of the patient, or error of the physician: it is the sins of the people that cut off Princes.  
This is that which holy Samuel teacheth in his divine exhortation to the people of Israell, 
1. Sam. 12.24.25.  saying, fear you the Lord and serve him in the truth, with al your harts, & consider how great things be hath done for you. But if you do wickedly, you shall perish, both you and your King. And though, blessed be God, wee haue a gracious King, and a hopeful Prince, yet touching our late illustrious Prince, 
Hose. 10.3.  We may say we haue no Prince Henry because we feared not the Lord.  
It was not the fword of Pharab 
Lam. 3.39. &. 5.16  niece,. but it was the sins of judah and Jerusalem( as jeremy sheweth in his spiritual lamentations) that cut off Josias, 
Lam. 3.39. et. 5.16.  that godly and zealous King of Judah, in the midst of his daies: neither was it any natural infirmity or artificial confection, that took away King Edward the sixth( to omit foreign and former examples) of blessed and holy memory, in the spring of his age: it was the sins of the people, yea of the Protestants of England, while every man dreaming of a long continuance of the gospel, the most part began to turn the grace of God into wantonness and worldliness. 
Iud. ver. 4.   
The like may be said of our illustrious and hopeful Henry) late Prince of Wales, who by the same sword of our sins, was cut off in the flower of his youth. For the multitude looking( as the manner is) onely downward vpon men; and seing that wee had not onely a most Christian king of middle age, a true defender of the Faith, both by his politic government and by his pen: but also a prince of such heroical parts and expectation for piety & iustice, to succeed him in the throne of the kingdom, whensoever God and nature should haue translated him to a higher crown.  
The multitude I say, looking onely downward vpon these things, and in confidence thereof growing profane, licentious, proud, covetous, ambitious and outrageous, in oaths, diet, apparel, oppression, and all other sins against the first and second table of the law, haue pulled down this heavy iudgment of God vpon our heads.  
But to conclude( least I be said to make the entry longer then the house) Let us search and try our ways, 
Lam. 3.40.41.42.  and turn again to the Lord. Let us lift our hearts with our hands to God in the heauens: and say, wee haue sinned and rebelled, therefore thou hast not spared, no not Prince Henry, the most lawful and hopeful successor of this imperial crown. O let us repent of these, not only soule-murdering, but also King-murdering and Prince-murdering sins. 
Esay. 56.6.  Let us in this common affliction, seek the Lord diligently while he may be found, and say to ourselves and one another; 
Hose. 5.15. & 6.1.  Come and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath spoyled; and he will heal us: he hath wounded us, and he will bind us up.  
Let every one of us forget the speech & manners of Ammon and Ashdod, 
Nehe. 13.23.24.  that is( as if I might say) of atheism and Popery, of blasphemy and ribaldry; and learn to use the language of Canaan, even such words as the Holy Ghost doth prescribe, saying. The Lord is my portion, 
Lam. 3.24.25.26.  saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good to them that trust in him and to the soul that seeketh him. It is good both to trust and to wait for the salvation of the Lord. And in another place. It is better to trust in the Lord then to haue confidence in Man, 
Ps. 118.8.9.  it is better to trust in the Lord then to haue confidence in Princes.  
We haue stumbled too long at this ston,( and yet wee will not bee taught) to the high dishonour of almighty God, and to the great hindrance of the true peace and sound comfort of our own souls; quiter and clean forgetting what wee haue so often red and heard out of the holy Prophet saying.  
5 Thus saith the Lord God, 
jer. 17.5.6.7.8.  cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and withdraweth his heart from the Lord.  
6 For he shall bee like the heath in the wilderness, and shall not see when any good cometh, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.  
7 Blessed bee the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.  
8 For he shall be as a three that is planted by the water, which spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not feel when the heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green and shal not care for the year of drought, neither shal cease from yielding fruit.  
wherefore obey Princes, 
Rom. 13.5.  pray for Princes, that if they bee good and gracious, they may continue & increase, if otherwise, 
Tit. 12. Eccles. 10.20.  that they may convert & amend, but speak no evil of them, much less spurn against them, and thus do, not because of wrath onely( or chiefly) but for conscience sake: because God hath so commanded thee, & because they are instruments of so great & manifold blessings unto thee; yet whatsoever they bee, bee thou always mindful of the admonition given by him who is King of all Kings, and Lord of all Lords, saying, put not your trust in Princes, nor in the son of man( saving in him who is also the son of God) for there is no help in him. His breath departeth, he returneth to his earth: the very same day his thoughts perish. Blessed is he that hath the God of jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God.  
To this God of jacob, & father of our Lord Iesus Christ let us daily pray, that it would please him by his holy spirit to teach us so to number our( short slippery and sinful daies) that we may get wise & understanding harts, to profit by his word, 
Psal. 90.12.  to profit by his works, to profit by his mercies, & to profit by his judgements, which what else do they preach unto us, but the sum of that most heavenly sermon which Christ setteth down in few words, saying, 
Luke 13.3.  Except you repent and amend your lives, you shall all likewise perish.  
God hath tried us by many judgements, & by many more mercies and deliverances, and of late yeares by a most mighty and merciful deliverance, from a matchless and( if it had taken effect) unrecoverable mischief, of which marvelous work, God the Father may say unto us Englishmen, as his son Christ said of his miracles to the Iewes; If I had not done works among them which none other man did, 
joh. 15.24.  they had not had sin; saith Christ & God may say of us, If I had not wrought such a discovery and deliverance, as was never wrought for nation since the beginning of the world, their ingratitude had been more excusable.  
But now having seen and tasted the sweetness of his love in that great mercy, & yet not been stirred up to love him again, and having also seen and felt the smart of his wrath in this heavy iudgement, and yet not been moved a whit the more to fear him, and forsake our sins, who shall entreat for us, whom neither such matchless mercies, nor such unlooked for judgements will work vpon?  
The Lord grant that these things may awaken us, and work kindly vpon us, and that for his son Christ Iesus sake to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one true eternal, almighty, most wise and onely good God, bee given all glory and praise both now and ever.   

A brief TREATISE VPon one of SALOMONS proverbs.  PROV. 11.22. 

Pro. 11.22  As a jewel of gold in a swines snout, so is a faire Woman that lacketh discretion.  
THe saying of Salomon uttered else where, may be fitly applied to these divine and holy sentences set down in this excellent book of the proverbs: 
Eccl. 12.12  The words of the wise( saith he) are like goads and nailes fastened by the masters of the Assemblies which are guided by one Pastor: That is to say, 
2. Pet. 1.21  the Prophets and holy men of God, who spake( not out of their own brain) but as they were moved by the holy Ghost, haue a double use. The first is, by precepts, admonitions, exhortations, threatenings and promises( as it were by certain pricks and goads) to stir up the dulness and deadness of our blockish and drowsy natures to a cheerful and fruitful performance of all holy dueties of piety and iustice. The second use is( by the same helps and means) to bridle and restrain us from evil, and( as it were by certain nailes and pings, by which shepherds used to fasten their sheepfold to the ground) to retain and keep us within the bosom of the Church, and within the bounds of faith, and holy obedience to the commandements of God. And the rather( which is the chiefest commendation of all the rest) because they are the words of eternal life, 
John. 6.68  even the words of Iesus Christ the great and principal shepherd of our souls: 
Col. 3.16. 2. Pet. 5.4. Eph. 4.11. 2. Tim. 2.15.  freely given by him to his Church, together with officers and Ministers fit to divide them aright.  
This saying may be fitly applied to these most sovereign and holy sentences, which for the most part( by the opposition of one member to the other) contain in them, both a bridle to evil, 
Whence the word proverb hath his beginning  and a spur to goodness. I call them sovereign or ruling sentences, in respect of the Hebrew roote( or verb) from whence this word proverb doth spring, which signifieth to rule, reign, and bear dominion. The patriarchs disdained, and chafed, when they heard, 
Gen. 37.8.  that their younger brother should be their Lord. Shalt thou indeed( say they, using the very same word in the original which is here used) reign over us? Or shalt thou haue dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams and for his words. But let us not disdain, but rather desire and pray that these proverbs may dwell and reign in our hearts and govern our lives; and not our own lusts and carnal reason. When the people of Israell would haue made Gedeon their king, he refused, 
judge. 8.23.  saying; I will not reign over you, neither shall my child reign over you, but the Lord shall reign over you: even so when Satan or any of his instruments would persuade us( as jonadab did Amnon) to give way to our own lusts: 
2. Sam. 13.4.5.  let us answer with valiant and victorious Gedeon, you shall not rule me, nor lead me captive, but the Lord shall rule over me; 
Psal. 85.8. 2. King. 22.14.  always resolving with the holy Prophet to harken what the Lord saith, and with zealous and faithful Micaiah to speak nothing, but what the Lord shall put into our mouth, nor to do any thing, but what he shall require at our hands. Now to haue the Lord rule over us, and to haue his word( whereof these proverbs are an excellent part) rule over us, is all one. For God doth rule us by his word, and by his spirit: and the Prophet praying that God would feed( that is, 
Micah 7.14.  instruct and govern) his people with his rod, doth teach the same.  
These holy proverbs then( to return from whence we digressed) by the opposition of the one member to the other, do( for the most part) contain both a bridle to evil, and a spur to goodness; and may fitly be referred to some one commandement of the law, or to some one article of the faith: or at least either to the law or gospel in general. 
To what commandement this proverb belongeth, with the particular scope and drift of it.  Touching the proverb contained in this ver. though it cannot so directly bee referred to any one precept, as many of the rest may: yet it may serve as a bridle to restrain pride; that is, the over prizeing, and( as it were) the idolising of ourselves, forbidden in the first and second commandements. Likewise it serveth to restrain, the abuse of such outward blessings, & common gifts, as God bestoweth vpon men; by which abuse of the creature, the name of the Creator is taken in vain, contrary to the third commandement. It may serve moreover to restrain, the great profanation of the Lords day, which very many( as we shall hear anon) do very vainly and wickedly misspend, by occasion of such outward ornaments as God of his bounty bestoweth vpon them.  
The like might be said touching the commandements of the second table. For this proverb may serve as a bridle to restrain the insolency of them, who by occasion of these outward things are puffed up in themselves, and do honour many whom they should despise, and despise many whom they ought to honour, flat contrary to the fifth commandement. By the same reason it may serve to restrain murder( for onely by pride doth man make contention, 
Prou. 13.10.  pick quarrels, make frays, kill and shed blood) which is forbidden in the sixth commandement: and adultery( which many are drawn into by a faire face) forbidden in the seventh commandement: And theft( which a number commit to set forth as they imagine, and adorn this golden jewel) forbidden in the eight commandement: and lying( for pride makes men give more to themselves, and some others, 
judge. 8.28.29.  and again to detract and take away from some more then is due) forbidden in the ninth commandement. Finally concupiscence( forbidden in the tenth commandement) which is set on fire when beauty is had in more admiration then piety and virtue, is here restrained: and contrariwise it may serve very notably, as a spur, to piety, humility, meekness, modesty, chastity, iustice, truth, and many other holy duties required in the first and second table of the Law. Generally it doth admonish all such as haue good natural parts( as they are called) that is to say, wit, memory, utterance, strength, beauty, and the like; or do abound with outward things, as riches, honor, success and other of that kind: Or of industry, as arte, learning, experience, and such things as are gotten by study, labour, and travell.  
This proverb( I say) doth admonish all such, to labour so much the rather for an answerable measure of spiritual grace, without which these common gifts and endowments, do no way grace and adorn them; but rather disgrace and deform them, and make them more loathsome, and ugly in the eyes of God, and of all those whom he hath enlightened and sanctified with soundness of iudgement, and uprightness of hart.  
The argument( and as it were the nail and bridle) whereby all profane persons are restrained from taking pride in outward things, 
The logical Analysis and order observed, in handling of this proverb.  and likewise the spur and goad wherewith they are quickened, and pricked forward to labour, and study constantly, that their inward, and spiritual graces may bee answerable to those common gifts and outward good things which God hath bestowed vpon them; is drawn from a similitude or comparison, which may bee thus laid forth: If all outward, common and bodily gifts, become a profane and ungodly person, no better then a jewel of gold becometh a swine, vpon whose snout it is hung; then let no such persons please themselves, or take pride in their wit, health, strength, riches, beauty, birth, or the like outward, bodily, and worldly blessings; but rather, labour, and study continually to deck, enrich and beautify the inward and hidden man of the heart, and to make their spiritual and heavenly graces, answerable and suitable to their outward and natural gifts and endowments. But it is certain( for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it, and plainly set it down in this proverb) that none of these things become a profane person, any beter then a jewel of gold becometh a swine vpon whose snout it is hung. Therefore let no mere natural man, or profane & carnal person, take pride in any such thing, but rather bee humbled, and fear, and labour daily to adorn and beautify their souls, and enrich themselves with an answerable measure of spiritual and heavenly graces, by an holy use of all good means( as hearing, reading, praying, conferring and the like) which God hath appointed for that purpose.  
But what?( may some say) is it lawful for them that be regenerate, and spiritual persons, and are endowed with the gift, 
The regenerate neither do, nor can place their delight in such things.  and grace of discretion, to take pride in such things? I answer that it is not lawful for any to take pride in these things, because it is not lawful for any to sin: As touching those that be spiritual, and truly regenerate, as it is not lawful, so it is not possible; for if their chief glory and delight bee in such things, they are not spiritual but carnal. I grant that being( for a time) left to themselves, or given over to Satan( as holy david, 
1. Chron. 21.1.2 &c. 2. Chron. 32.31. Psal. 1.2.  and godly Hezekias were) they may be tickled with vain glory, and puffed up with pride by reason of these things: Otherwise their main delight is in the law of the Lord, 
& 4.6. Luk. 10.20. & 2. Pet. 1.10.  and in the evidence of his love, and assurance of their election to eternal life. Wherefore though Gods children ought to be thankful for such things, and take comfort in them, as pledges and testimonies of the love of their heavenly Father: yea and are sometime drawn away( by the law of their members, 
Rom. 7.23.  rebelling against the law of their minds) to glory and ioy in these things more then is meet: yet even when they sleep, 
Cant 5.2. Mat. 6.21. Rom. 7.22  their hearts are awake, their minds are in heaven, where their treasure is, and they delight in the law of God concerning the inner man.  
But( to come to the points to bee noted) let us first consider the meaning of the words themselves, 
The parts of this text.  with the answering of some such questions, and doubts, as may arise from them. And secondly let us observe and note some of the profits, and uses as may bee gathered from this proverb so cleared and expounded: 
The interpretation of the word and the answering of some doubts arising from them.  As a jewel of gold in a swines snout, that is to say, as any outward ornament of gold, pearl, precious ston, or any other costly, rich and curious thing, bestowed vpon a swine, or hung vpon the snout of a hog is most absurd, ridiculous, and unseemly, and doth no way become him, or hinder him from wallowing in the mire( for he will wallow never the less, yea perhaps the more to rub it of) but is rather spoiled, lost, and quiter cast away vpon him: even so are beauty, wit, strength, birth, portion, good education, and the like, bestowed vpon profane men( in true iudgement) absurd, ridiculous, and unseemly, and do no way become them, or hinder thē from tumbling in worldliness, and voluptuousness, and wallowing in the mire, & puddle of their sins.( for they will wallow never the less, yea much the more as shall be shewed anon by occasion of these things) but are rather quiter spoyled, utterly lost, and clean cast away vpon them. A woman that lacketh discretion.] That is, refractory, averse and opposite, to the sound advice, and wholesome counsel of her reverend parents, religious friends, or loving husband: One( as may be gathered by the proper signification of the Hebrew word) that doth not relish, or savour such things, but rather esteem them as things unsavoury, and loathsome to her taste. For as he that is sick of a fever, or cometh lately from some great feast, cannot taste his drink though it bee never so good, nor relish his meate, though it be never so dainty.( for as it is said in another proverb: 
Pro. 27.7.  he that is full despiseth an honey comb) even so, shee being sick of self-love, and full of pride and selfe-liking, cannot brook, or abide any godly counsel, and wholesome admonition, how mild, and loving soever it be; much like an impatient, and disordered patient, who being dangerously sick and diseased in his body, maketh his sickness much more desperate, by rejecting the counsel, and advice of the discreet, 
1. Question why beauty is put for all outward blessings. Gen. 12.15.  and learned physician.  
Here if any shall say, why is beauty( being one of the least) put for all other outward blessings? I answer; first, because it is generally more admired, marked, and spoken of by the greatest part of men and women in the world( at least in their young, and youthful daies) then any other outward ornament. Secondly, it is not a thing concealed, as strength, which is not known till it bee tried, or as learning, which lieth hide in the breast till it bee shewed; or as riches, which lieth hide in the chest till it come to light; but is obvious, and open, 
Gen. 39.7.  to the view and eyes of all, which maketh all( especially the vnchast, and undiscreet) to gaze at it, and talk of it, and them that haue it to take the more pride and delight in it. 
2. Question why this proverb is used of the woman.   
again, if it bee demanded, why this proverb is used of the woman rather then of the man, seeing pride is as deeply rooted in the man as in the woman, and seeing the holy Ghost( for the most part) both in this book, and throughout the scriptures doth put the man for both sexes, woman and man? I answer, first, because( in common account) beauty, and fairness of face is more admired, marked, and talked of, being bestowed vpon a woman, then when it is bestowed vpon a man, who is rather admired for his strength, wisdom, 
1. Sam. 17.42.  and courage, then for his beauty, and faire complexion. Secondly, because although both sexes( by reason of that corruption which is common to them both) be louers of themselves, and of these outward gifts, more then of God the fountain and giver of them; yet of the two( as both Scripture and experience teach) the woman is more frail and weak that way, 
2. Pet. 3.7.  and readier to take pride in her beauty and fairness then the man; whose credit and commendation( as hath been said) standeth rather in the strength of his body, 
judge. 8.20.21.  and courage of his mind, then in the beauty and fairness of his face.  
If it be demanded, 
3. Question. whether beauty be in itself a blessing or no?  whether beauty in itself be not a blessing, and to be reckoned among the benefits and gifts which God bestoweth vpon men? I answer, yes, it is an outward & bodily blessing, as health, strength, riches, and other things of that kind are, though far inferior to them, being neither so necessary for the comfort of mans life, nor so available to the performance of the duties of christianity, and of our several callings: yet a blessing and an ornament, which God bestoweth, both vpon men and women, for good and holy purposes. The divine beauty of Moses, was a special motive, 
Exod. 2.2. Act. 7.20.  to cause his mother so carefully to conceal, and hid him as long as shee could( even three moneths together) and afterwards to move Thermutis( as Iosephus calleth her) Pharaohs daughter, the rather to pity him and provide for him, and( by the overruling of Gods most wise and gracious providence) to put him again into the bosom of his own mother to give him suck. So likewise( among women) the beauty of easter was a special means to prefer her to be wife to Assuerus, 
easter 2.7.8. &c.  that great and mighty Monarch of Persia, and consequently a gracious instrument of that great deliverance and preservation of the whole Church, from the bloody designs of wicked Hamon, together with the ruin of him, and his whole family, and of all that cursed nation, who were prepared to make a massacre of the people of God. 
Gen. 39.6.7.20. Psal. 105.18. 2. Sam. 13.1.2.3.4. &c  And though Iosephs faire face were an occasion of his commitment to that foul prison, in which( as it is said) the iron entred into his soul; and Tamars beauty were an occasion first of filthy incest, and after of cruel bloodshed and murder: yet that is no dispraise to this ornament of beauty, which God in his wisdom, and of his bounty bestowed vpon them. For although the best outward gifts, and blessings of God bee by the sons and daughters of Belial abused( as the high and holy priesthood was by Elyes sons) yet they are notwithstanding to bee accounted good in their own nature, 
1. Sam. 2.12.22.  as coming from God, and given of him for very good and holy purposes, as in the examples before alleged, and in diuers others may evidently appear. For by the former, that is, by the beauty of joseph, which was accidentally an occasion of his commitment, and consequently of his preferment( for if he had not been prisoner in that place, Pharaohs butler could not haue had knowledge of his gift, and commended him to the King.) God made way for the manifestation of his mercy, and goodness; in preserving of Iacobs family, and posterity, that is to say, of the the whole, and onely visible Church of God, at that time remaining in the world; and by the other,( that is by the beauty of Tamar, which was the occasion of Ammons incest, and after of his being murdered by his brother absalon) God made way for the manifestation of his truth, and iustice, in that he punished the adultery, and murder committed by david, as he had threatened by the Prophet Nathan; 
2. Sam. 12.11.12. &c.  If any say that by the same reason sin itself, may be counted a blessing of God, seeing he turneth it to the good of his chosen: 
1. Cor. 4.6 Psal. 76.10  I answer the cause is nothing like, For although he who in the beginning commanded light to shine out of darkness; both can, and will turn the rage of man to his praise( as he did the rage of Zenacharib) and cause all things to work together 
2. King. 19.28.  for the best to them that love him: yet it is to bee considered, 
Rom. 8.28.  
Gal. 5.19. John. 8.41.44.  that sin is a fruit of the flesh and work of the divell; but beauty is the creature, and workmanship of God: 
Exod. 4.11 1. joh. 3.4. Numb. 22.30.  sin is a spiritual defection, and swerving from his law; which he willingly permitteth( as he did in Balaam) because( such is the infiniteness of his wisdom, power, 
Gen. 7.31. Prou. 16.4  and goodness) that he can turn it to the glory of his name, and good of his Saints: beauty is a bodily perfection, which he powerfully worketh( as he doth all other ornaments of the body, and mind of man) for the very same gracious and holy ends. The skilful physician maketh a wholesome medicine of the vipers flesh: shall we therefore compare the venomous viper with the sweet violet; or any other fragrant flower, and wholesome herb of the earth? or with any clean creature which God hath made both for meate, and medicine? The only wise and most good God, caused the violent passion, and vnchast affection of Potiphars wife, to turn to the good of his Church, and children: shall wee therefore compare her brutish lust with Iosephs beauty? or her foul heart( set on fire of hell) with his faire face given him( as it is said of Moses) from heaven? 
Iam. 3.6. Act. 7.20  Shall we compare the devilish envy of the patriarches; 
Gen. 37.6.10. & 18.19.20. &c. &. 45.5.6. & 50.20.  with the doue-like simplicity, and innocency of joseph, because God turned the one to good, as well as the other?  
But I proceed to the next. 
4. Question how that may bee counted uncomely and cast away which God giveth?  It may further bee demanded, how that which is good in itself, and given by the holy hand of God, onely wise, and good, can bee counted uncomely to them that haue it, and as it were cast away vpon them? I answer, it cannot bee said to bee uncomely, either in respect of the thing itself, which is Gods workmanship, or ill bestowed, in respect of God the giver of it, who hath( as hath been shewed) his own gracious end and purpose therein, whether it bee for mercy, or iudgement, comfort or correction; 
Deut. 32.6  but onely in respect of such profane, unthankful and foolish persons as receive them, who do not use it( as they ought) to the glory of God, and good of his Church, but rather abuse it to the dishonour of God that gave it, and to the hurt both of themselves, and other men, matching it with such ill properties and qualities, as make it less graceful in the eyes of the beholders therof. 
Luk. 15.12.13.20.  The portion which the father of the prodigal child gave unto him, was doubtless a liberal portion, and the money he put into his purse was good money, and yet because he spent it riotously vpon bawds, and harlots, it may bee said to bee ill bestowed, and after a sort cast away vpon him. The like may be said of those portions of outward things which God the father of heaven be stoweth vpon such careless, and graceless children. There remaineth yet an other question, which is, whether no reverence at all be to be given men, in respect of such outward gifts and ornaments? but of this point wee shall haue occasion to speak afterwards; and therefore I forbear to speak of it in this place.  
So much then touching the sum, and meaning of this proverb, and of the doubts arising from thence. 
4. Profits and uses of holy Scripture. 2. Tim. 3.16.17.  Now let us observe some of the profits and uses arising hereof. The whole Scripture( saith Paul) is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable to teach to connince, to correct, and to instruct in righteousness, that the man of God may be absolute, being made perfect to all good works: That is, that( chiefly) the Minister of whom most is required, may bee thoroughly furnished( both for life and doctrine) to all the works of his ministry. Out of which words we may observe four profits & uses of the holy Scripture, that is to say, doctrine, confutation, correction and instruction: whereof the two former serve to enlighten the mind, & to inform, & rectify the iudgement and understanding in the sound knowledge of the truth; and the two latter to reform, direct and quicken the will and affections to the true faith, fear, love, & holy obedience of the same. For there are usually in all assemblies four sorts of hearers, whereof some are ignorant not knowing the truth, and had need to be taught with words of wholesome doctrine: 
Tit. 1.7.  others are enwrapped, and entangled in some error, these must be confuted, and convinced by the word of truth. again, some though they know the truth in a good measure, and be not entangled with any dangerous error contrary to the wholesome doctrine they haue received; yet they are lead captive, and give themselves over to the service of some sin, one or other,( yea commonly more then one) these must be corrected and reproved: Others though they both know the truth, and bee free from any dangerous error, neither bee enthralled to any scandalous 'vice, or reigning sin; yet they are dull, and defective, heavy and forgetful, weak hearted, and slowhanded, in the performing of good and holy duties; these must be instructed, exhorted, admonished, encouraged and comforted, to the further strengthening of their faith, and quickening of their obedience. And in very dead, there is no congregation vpon earth, but there are some( more or less) of all these sorts: Nay( which is more) there is not any one man in the world so learned, but he may be, 
1. Cor. 13.9  yea, and is ignorant of some thing; nor so sound, and orthodox but he may err in some points of divinity; nor so holy but he is tainted ( though not in the like degree and measure that others are) with many sins: nor so forward-zealous and courageous, but in diuers things( especially at some time) he doth stand in need of comfort, quickening, and encouragement.  
To come therefore to lay forth some of the uses and profits of this present proverb. 
The uses and profits of this proverb.  The first and principal is for doctrine, and information of our judgements. For here wee are taught( as hath been shewed before and can never be spoken sufficiently) that all worldly blessings, 
All outward and common gifts lost where grace is lacking.  and common gifts, both of nature, art, industry, and outward things, are uncomely, ill bestowed, and even cast away, and lost vpon that man, or woman whosoever, that is not truly religious, in whose heart the unfeigned faith, and fear of God is not soundly planted, and in whose life the love of God, his word, and seruants doth not( at least in some competent measure and degree) shine forth and show itself. The truth of this doctrine is clear, and evident by the text itself, and by other texts of Scripture, and namely, by other proverbs tending to the same purpose. For that which he saith here of beauty, he saith in another place of honor, As the snow in summer, 
Pro. 26.7.  & rain in harvest are unseasonable: So is honour unseemly for a fool: that is, for a profane person, man or woman that wanteth godly wisdom, and discretion: And in another place of riches and ability. Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool, 
Pro. 17.16.  to get wisdom, seeing he hath not a heart? as though he should say, it is to no purpose in the world, no abundance will do him good, all outward helps and means are cast away vpon him. And in another place it is said of beauty itself; Fanour is deceitful( or fickle) and beauty is vain( or vanity) but a woman fearing the Lord, 
Pro. 31.30.  she shal be praised. As if he should say, a faire face( or person) without the fear of God is nothing worth, yea it is a dangerous allurement to vanity and fin.  
But because this holy truth is so hardly beaten into mens heads, or at least effectually graven and written in their hearts. I will further strengthen it by other testimonies of holy Scripture, 
All things without the fear of God are vain and hurtful; therefore beauty.  and reasons grounded thereupon. And first of all let us consider what the wise man teacheth us in that excellent book of his which is called the Preacher; that is to say, that all things in the world are vain where the fear of God is wanting, which is in effect the sum, and substance of that heavenly treatise: namely, that learning, pleasure, riches, 
Eccl. 1.1.2.3. &c.  honour and the like, without the true and unfeigned fear of God, are nothing else but most vain vanity and vexation of mind, as may appear by comparing the former part of the book comprehended in the eleven first chapters, and the most part of the twelfth; with the conclusion and shutting up of the whole contained in the end of the twelfth chapter.  
For having shewed the vanity, and vexation that is in study and learning, in pleasures and delights, in riches and preferment, in youth and old age, he maketh his conclusion by way of prevention, or meeting with that which might bee objected to him, or demanded of him, which in effect is thus much: If this be so that all these things( that is to say, study, learning, pleasure, riches, honour, youth and age) be full of vanity, and vexation of spirit, what shall men do? what course shal they take? or wherein shall they look to find any true comfort and contentment of mind? To this the wise man maketh answer; hear the end of all( or the conclusion of the whole matter, or as others translate it to the same effect, this is the sum and short of the matter, when wee haue heard and spoken all that can be said) fear God, 
Psal. 1.2. & 119.2. Heb. 13.18  and keep his commandements.( that is to say, let it bee thy continual request to God, make it thy daily study, labour and endeavour to the uttermost of thy power to abstain from evil, and do good, to exercise thyself in duties of religion, & mercy, or in the works and labours of thy lawful and honest calling.) For this is the whole duty of man, or( as Trem. 
Cap. 12.2.13.  and Iunius translate it) This is the whole, or all of a man: That is to say, this is the main( and in a manner) the onely thing wherein the whole man ought wholly, and thoroughly to occupy, and exercise himself all the daies of his life, and whereun to he ought to refer all his studies, labours, delights, riches and honours, with whatsoever he possesseth, doth, or endureth in the daies of his vanity. For( as he signifieth in the very last words of that book) none of these things will hold water, bear weight, or stand us in any stead, but rather be heavy witnesses against us, in the dreadful day of reckoning( which draweth so fast on) saving onely the holy fear of God, and the unseparable companions therof which are principally a true and lively faith( being as the root and fountain of all religious worship both inward and outward) with an answerable care and endeanour, 
Act. 24.16.  to haue a clear conscience both towards God, and towards men, always, and in all things, as the fruit, and stream proceeding from thence. This the wise man insinuateth when he saith, 
Vers. 14.  God will bring every work into iudgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good or evil.  
Now if all outward things, and common gifts( where the fear of God is wanting) bee vain, and hurtful, then beauty and the like must needs come under that account; and if all men and women in the world ( even Kings and queens) who want this heavenly wisdom, and discretion, bee vain and miserable, how can the faire and beautiful who are destitute of it be exempted?  
again, 
No outward thing separated from piety, is comely, therefore beauty is not.  if outward things make any person comely and amiable( to their comfort) they must make them so, either in the eyes of God himself, or in the eyes of the children of God, but they do it not in the eyes of either of these: for touching God himself, wee know that such things do not grace men and women in his eyes; who abhorreth all profane and ungodly persons, with their very best actions, and exercises, 
Pro. 15.8.  in so much that( as Salomon saith) The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. If the Lord abhor the holy duties which himself requireth, being performed by such, how can he delight in such outward ornaments, as make us no way( as the gospel saith of meate) more or less acceptable to him? 
job 10.4.  Hath God carnal eyes, or doth he see as a man seeth? No: he telleth his seruant Samuel, 
1. Sam. 16.7. 2. Pet. 3.4.  That man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart: and Peter( by the spirit of God) telleth Christian wives, that God esteemeth most of the inward beauty of the mind. It was not( as he sheweth in the words following) the outward beauty of Sarah, Rachel, Rebecea, and Abigail, that made the Lord in love with them, and the spirit of God to record their praises, but the piety, modesty, chastity, wisdom, housewifery, and other spiritual graces, which he had bestowed vpon them. 
Psa. 145.10  Therefore let none be so foolish as to think that God delighteth any whit the more in them, for those outward ornaments which he hath bestowed vpon them. Now concerning the children of God, they desire to bee like their heavenly father, 
Matth. 5.28.  and to bee( in their measure and degree) perfect, as he is perfect, and do love those whom he loveth, 
Psal. 97.10 & 139.21.22.  and hate those whom he hateth, O ye that love the Lord( saith the Prophet) hate evil; 
Pro. 6.16.27.  hate both sin and( in respect of their sin) sinners. For as the Lord doth abhor the proud in hart( notwithstanding his faire face) so do such as be the Lords. 
Psal. 15.4.  In whose eyes( as the Prophet saith) a vild person is despised. david was a man, 
2. Sam. 11.2.3.  and sometimes( as a natural man) was caught with this bait of beauty: but being a man according to Gods own mind, 
Psal. 119.9  and directing his actions and affections by the word and spirit of God, he was far more enamoured with the piety & wisdom of Abigail, appearing in her speech, 
1. Sam. 25.32.33.  then with the beauty and comeliness of her person. Seeing then that beauty without piety commendeth us not, either to the Lord, or to his Saints, in whose eyes are they faire and comely that fear not God. For if the Lord do loathe them, and the godly, wise, and religious abhor them, none but such profane ones as themselves bee, do admire, and dote vpon them; not for any grace that is in their hearts, or for any virtue that shineth in their lives, but only for the jewel of gold, that hangeth on their snout.  
Besides, the truth of this point may appear, 
Profane persons defile, and( as it were) bemire such things, therefore they become them not. Tit. 1.15.  because such persons as lack this discretion that Salomon speaketh of, do most notably abuse all the good gifts of God, to the dishonour of God, and to the hurt and ruin both of themselves and others. For as to the pure al things are pure, so to them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing, is nothing pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled. 
Pro. 26.9.  Salomon saith, As a thorn coming into the hands of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of a fool: That is to say, he maketh no better use of good words; then a drunken man doth of a bush of thorns; wherewith( the wine being in and the witout) he hurteth himself, and other men. 
Luk. 4.23.  Thus they of Nazareth abused the proverb ( physician heal thyself) to the reproach and dishonour of our saviour Christ. If the poison of profaneness bee so strong that it corrupteth such divine & holy sentences; how can such mere human & common gifts be free from the infection thereof? Our English proverb tendeth to the same purpose, which saith, that learning in the breast of a bad man, is as a sword in the hand of a mad man. And experience sheweth that no outward gift is more commonly abused by men and women, to wantonness and uncleanness( as it were to wallowing in the mire) then this gift of beauty is. 
1. Sam. 27.8.9.10. &c  The like may bee said of strength which makes a profane man more prove to challenge, and fight with others; and of birth, riches, authority and the like, which make men more proud, 
1. Sam. 25.10. 2. Sam. 13.4. 1. King. 21.7. 2. Sam. 11.4. Mark. 6.17 Est. 3.5.6. Matth. 2.8.16.  insolent, and vicious, more bold to sin, swear, and oppress, to play the Lion in cruelty, the fox in subtlety, and the Swine in uncleanness; as both the daily experience of the world, and manifold examples of the word do plainly prove. How then can these things be comely to such as do thus abuse them? Yea rather how are they not( in respect of men) utterly lost; and( as it were) quiter cast away vpon them?  
moreover, as such undiscreet and profane persons, 
Outward things where grace wanteth, brings grievous judgements; therefore not to be gloried in.  do( through their folly) abuse such outward gifts as occasions and instruments of sinning against God and their brethren; So doth God in his just and righteous iudgement( the rather in respect of their great ingratitude) use them as means and instruments of their plagues and punishments. There is( saith Salomon) an evil sickness that I haue seen under the sun, 
Eccl. 5.12.  to wit, riches are reserved to the owners thereof for their hurt. This is evident in Nabal, 
1. Sam. 25.7.10.14.15.37.38.  whose riches being not rightly used, to the relief and succour of religious and worthy men( who had deserved well, both of himself and the whole state wherein they lived) turned to his great hurt and loss; not of his reputation onely, but also of his life. For although david by the gracious providence of almighty God, and by the wisdom, and industry of virtuous Abigail, were stayed from executing that reuenge which in his heart he had resolved vpon, and with his mouth sworn to take: Yet the conscience of his sin, and the horror of the danger which( by Abigails narration) he perceives he had brought vpon himself, and his whole family, by his most insolent, unkind and niggardly answer to Dauids messengers, did so pierce his heart that( the Lord likewise putting to his hand) he died within ten daies after lo thus we see Riches reserved to the owners therof for their hurt. 
Luk. 12.16 17.18.19.20.  What better effect had his large revenues of whom Christ speaketh in the gospel? Did they not first distracted his mind with a thousand cares; then made him to resolve vpon great businesses, and chargeable buildings, pulling down, and setting up again; and all to the end he might live a voluptuous and swinish life vpon earth for a season, never thinking seriously of the great uncertainty and exceeding shortness of this present life, nor of the perpetuity of the pain and torments, prepared for such Epicures afterwards. That which he had but in purpose, another( of whom Christ speaketh a little after) put in practise, 
Luk. 16.19 20.21.  and received his reward accordingly: for he was clothed in purple, and fine linen, and fared well and deliciously every day; and when he died he was( sumptuously, as may bee gathered by the opposition between him and Lazarus) butted. But what followed afterward appeareth by the confession of his own mouth. 
Vers. 23.24.  For being in hell in torments he lift up his eyes, and seeth Abraham a far of and Lazarus in his bosom: and he cried and said, father Abraham haue mercy on me, and sand Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flamme. What heavier judgements can be devised then these, which by the abuse of such outward benefits men do bring vpon themselves, which are, in this world to live the life of bruit beasts for a short time and after to be tormented in hell, for ever.  
That which is said of riches, may be said of authority and promotion, which being separated from piety and virtue, 
Psal. 73.18.  is nothing else but a slippery place, and( as it were) a hill of ice, from which they are cast down headlong into ruin. The promotion and dignity of such men, 
2. Chron. 25.12.  may be fitly compared to the top of that rock to which the children of Israel did carry the Edomites, whom they had overcome in battle, to the end to cast them down headlong and burst them in pieces. Such was the promotion of Pharaoh King of Egypt, whom God raised up to that great height of earthly dignity, that he might drown him and his whole army in the bottom of the sea, and make him an example to all that abuse their honour and dignity, to the end of the world. 
Exod. 9.16 & 14.27.28.  And in very dead( saith the Lord) for this cause I haue raised thee up,( and made thee stand so high) for to show in thee my power, and that my name may bee declared throughout all the earth. 
easter 3.1. & 7.10.  Such was the promotion of Haman, whom God preferred, to make a fearful example of his heavy displeasure, and dreadful iudgement, against all the malicious enemies of his Church, and chosen children. Hence it is that the holy Prophet, after that he had gone into Gods sanctuary, and( by prayer consulting with his word and spirit) understood the end of these men, saith of them, 
Psal. 73.17 18.19.  Surely thou hast set them in slippery places, and cast them down into desolation: then presently he breaketh out into admiration of the wisdom, and iustice of God, saying, How suddenly are they destroyed, perished, and horribly consumed? As a dream when one awaketh: 
Psal. 39.6.  O Lord when thou awakest( by showing thy judgements) thou then wilt make their image( that is, them and all their pomp which is nothing but an imaginary shadow) to bee despised in the eyes of all that are truly wise, 
Psal. 69.23.  david saith of such men, that their very table is a snare unto them. Haman gloried greatly that easter the queen did let no man come in with the King to the banquet she had prepared, but himself: but this table was a snare unto him, 
Est. 7.3.4.5.6. &c.  and this banquet a bait laid for him, and this great preferment whereof he boasted, a means to bring him to the gallows.  
What pre-eminence is it to the thief that he standeth above the rest of the people vpon the cart or ladder, seeing the hangman is above him, ready to do execution at the beck of the Magistrate? And what pre-eminence is it to a profane man, that he is in an higher place then many of the Saints of God, seeing Satan, 
Ephes. 2.1. & 6.12. Luk. 16.22  prince of the air, is higher then he, and ready to cast him down, yea to carry his soul into hell at Gods commandement.  
The same thing may bee said of beauty, which being bestowed vpon vain and foolish persons, proveth an occasion of much uncleanness, and of many heavy judgements following thereupon: for the word of God must needs bee true which saith, that whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. 
Heb. 13.4.  The daughters of men were very faire to look vpon, 
Gen. 6.12.  but being destitute of the fear of God, 
2. Pet. 3.34  & wanting that inward beauty; whereof the Apostle speaketh, they were snares to the sons of God, and became occasions and instruments of the destruction and drowning of the whole world.  
Cosby, as shee exceeded many of her fellowes in birth, 
Numb. 25.6.7. &c.  and( perhaps) in beauty, so she went beyond them all in uncleanness and impudence, not shaming to sin openly( as it were) in the sight of the sun, by means whereof shee became an instrument and occasion, not onely of her own violent and bloody death, and his who was coupled with her in the act of uncleanness; but also of the deaths of many thousands, 
Mark. 6.19.22.  both of the Israelites, and Midianites besides. Herodias and her daughter Salome, being faire without grace, pleasant without piety, and lovely without religion, drew Herod to commit that most heinous and bloody sin of imprisoning and beheading John the Baptist, that most zealous and faithful seruant of Iesus Christ: A sin, which iudgement commonly followeth at the heels, 
Act. 12.2.22.  as wee read of the other herod; and this man scaped not long unpunished.  
The same thing might be shewed of the gifts of the mind, which being bestowed vpon persons unsanctified, and by them abused, are made likewise instruments, and occasions of many gross sins, and grievous judgements following vpon the same. 
2. Sam. 13.3.4.5. &c.  jonadab Dauids nephew, having more sharpness of wit, then godly wisdom, was an instrument of great sin against God, and of great affliction and heaviness to david by drawing his eldest son to commit incestuous fornication with his own sister, which caused him afterward to bee murdered by his brother Absolom, 
Ver. 28.29.  and that at such a time, and in such a manner as( in mans reason) there was no opportunity to repent and call vpon God. 
2. Sam. 16.21.  Ahitophel, by his great wit, and politic council animated Absolom to rebel against his own most loving and godly father; 
2. Sam. 15.31.32.33.34.35.36. & 17.23.  but this witty counselor( by the just iudgment of God, and by the faithful and fervent prayers of david( omitting also no princely policy that was fit in such a case) plotted a halter to hang himself. Thus wee see what grievous judgements, outward and common gifts both of body and mind do bring vpon men and women, that are void of godly wisdom and discretion.  
Furthermore, 
Piety makes all things comely; therefore impiety makes them unseemly.  the truth of this point may appear by the contrary. For as all things becometh children of God, who are born again, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God: so all things are uncomely to the wicked, 
joh. 1.13. job 21.14.  and profane, who say to God, depart from us, wee desire not the knowledge of thy ways: and as the one sort doth use all things to the glory of God, & good of themselves and their brethren; so the other do abuse and turn the good things they haue received to a contrary end. 
judge. 15.8.15.16. & 16.30.  faithful samson by his great strength did often save himself, and the people of God committed to his charge: whereas profane goliath, 
1. Sam. 17 43.44.  abusing his strength and stature, was the ouertbrow both of himself, and the whole army whereof he was the champion.  
The beauty of Abigail being joined with piety, 
2. Sam. 25.24.25.  modesty, godly wisdom, and other inward graces, appearing in her speech and carriage, both toward holy david, and toward her unholy husband became her well, and was not onely an ornament to her person, but also a means to bring her godly purpose to pass. For herein the saying is true, that virtue( which comprehendeth valor, 
Gratior est pulchro veniens è corpore virtus.  and all other graces of the mind) is more gracious when it cometh from a faire and beautiful body: as it did from joseph, Moses, david, Sarah, Rebecca, Rahel and diuers other, who were faire both without and within, who had beautiful faces, and religious hearts. How well did riches, and honour become King Salomon, 
Pro. 1.7.  while his wisdom( the chief point whereof was the fear of God.) remained with him. 
1. King. 4.34.  This made all nations and people both far and near to admire and honour him. This drew the queen of the South to take a long journey to see and hear him, 
1. King. 10.6.7.8.9.  and after to extol and commend him, saying: Thou hast more wisdom and prosperity, then I haue heard by report, happy are thy men, happy are these thy seruants which stand ever before thee, and hear thy wisdom: Blessed be the Lord thy God which loved thee, &c.  
wisdom( saith the same wise King) causeth the face of a man( how base and mean soever he be) to shine; 
Eccl. 8.1.  meaning by wisdom in that place,( as in many other) that true wisdom which consisteth in the true, and unfeigned fear of God. For( as job witnesseth) The fear of the Lord is wisdom, 
job 28.28.  and to depart from evil is understanding. As if he should say, godliness maketh both men and women faire, beautiful, and well favoured; of what colour, complexion, favour and feature of face soever they be: and contrariwise, folly, profaneness, and the like vices; and namely( as he speaketh here) this indiscretion, and distasting of good things, maketh the fairest complexion, and best favoured face in the world, foul, and deformed, black as a sack, and loathosme as a leper. And in this case, it is a point worthy our observation, that those things, which of themselves are marks and tokens of the decay of nature, and consequently an occasion of contempt with natural men( of which sort the most part bee) are an ornament and crown of glory, to them that fear God. 
Pro. 16.31  The hoary head saith Salomon( meaning by the hoarines or whiteness of the head old age, putting that one badge and mark of old age for all the rest) is a crown of glory when it is found in the way of righteousness: whereas a naughty heart, with an evil life( the unseparable fruit and companion thereof) doth make the yellowest hair, the ruddiest colour, and fairest face( with all other common gifts of the body, mind, and outward things) most ugly and uncomely in the eyes of God and of his Angels, and of all good men; 
Psal. 15.4.  in whose eyes such vile persons are odious and abominable, but they that fear the Lord are amiable, and honourable.  
To these I might add another very forcible argument, 
beauty without piety causeth a breach of all Gods commandements.  taken likewise from the effect of outward gifts bestowed vpon a graceless and undiscreet person, which is, that beauty and the like natural and outward endowments bestowed vpon profane and undiscreet persons are a strong occasion to make them transgress and break the whole Law of almighty God. But this hath been touched before, and hereafter wee shall haue occasion to speak of it again. 
As jewels of gold becomed not a swine, no more do good gifts become sinners.  Wherefore( to touch in a word one other reason) let us weigh the words of Salomon in this place, and wee shall not need to go far to seek out arguments to confirm the truth of this doctrine, seeing Salemon himself hath fitly and effectually set it forth by a similitude, or comparison, comparing particularly beauty, and by Synecdoche( where by one thing is put for many, and sometime for all things of that kind) with a jewel of gold hung vpon the snout, or nose of a swine. For as a swine is not a whit the more admired, or commended of any reasonable man in respect of such an ornament, but rather the more derided and scorned, and the jewel counted marred, and cast away vpon him; so it is in this case. A horse is a far more seemly creature then a hog, and better do his bridle, saddle, trappings, and other ornaments become his head and back, then a jewel of gold doth a swines snout: yet what man, how poor and miserable soever( being in his right mind) doth so admire a horse in respect of his sumptuous saddle, curious trappings, and costly bridle, with bosses of gold, that he doth wish in his heart that himself were such a horse? Why then should any admire a profane person, by reason of his beauty, birth, riches, honour, and the like outward and common gifts. Seeing the condition of such a man( continuing in his profaneness) is far more cursed and miserable then the condition of either of these. For when the horse, or hog death, his pain and misery death with him: but when the Epicure, or profane person death, his pleasure and delight is at an end, and his plagues and torments begin to seize vpon him, and so to continue without end, ease or remedy for ever.  
Thus we see the manifest truth of the doctrine, 
Luk. 16.25.26.  being the first and principal use of this verse, and the very ground and foundation of the rest. If any say, I haue used more proofs then need in so plain a matter, I should be of their mind, if I did not see the spirit of God onely wise, yea Iesus Christ the wisdom of his Father, use as many arguments to confirm and strengthen the truth of as plain a point as this. For who will not condemn carking care, and grant that it ought to bee laid aside? 
Mat. 6.24.25. to the end of the Chapter.  and yet our saviour Christ useth at the least six or seven arguments to condemn it. Dare any of us deny that whoredom is a sin against God, 
1. Cor. 6.13 14. to the end of the Chapter.  and a breach of the seventh commandement? Yet the Apostle useth at least, five or six several arguments to dissuade us from it. Doth any of us doubt or make question that the bodies of the faithful shall rise again at the last day? Are we not as confident therein as Martha in her speech to Christ shewed herself to be? For Christ saying to her, Thy brother shal rise again, 
joh. 11.23.24.  I know saith she, he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. And yet the Apostle Paul useth a number of arguments to confirm this plain truth and to strengthen our faith therein. 
2. Cor. 15. throughout.  If any say he did this in respect of certain spirits of error that were then sprung up in the Church, who denied( as our Atheists and Familists do now) the resurrection of the body. I answer that even for our sakes also were these things written, as the same Apostle testifieth elsewhere saying, whatsoever things are written aforetime, 
Rom. 15.4.  are written for our learning: even so whatsoever things are written afterwards by the Apostles and evangelists, are written not for the learning of the romans, and Corinthians alone, 
Eph. 3.18. 1. Cor. 15.58. Mat. 7.24.  but( mark it well) for our learning also. For it is not enough to beleeue the doctrine of faith and obedience superficially, but we must be rooted and grounded, and remain steadfast therein: as a house founded vpon a rock, otherwise wee shall be in danger to bee seduced by every subtle Papist, Atheist, Separatist or other spirit of error and impiety. We shall bee( as the same Apostle saith) As babes carried about with every blast and wind of doctrine, 
Ephe. 4.14.  by the deceit of men, 
Luke 18.8.  and with craftiness, whereby they lye in wait to deceive. O beloved, faith is a rare gift, 
A rare and hard thing not onely to beleeue in God, but also to beleeue God  and it is another manner of matter to beleeue God( or which is the same in effect) to beleeue the word of God, then most men do imagine: and yet I speak not of that wonderful, and excellent grace of God, 
joh. 3.16. et. 20.18. Rom. 8.1. 2. Cor. 15.58.  I mean of that saving and justifying faith; which is nothing else, but a true and unfeigned confidence, and resting vpon Christ alone for remission of sins, and eternal life; but of that faith which is a holding fast of that sound and wholesome doctrine, which the word of God teacheth, both concerning the enlightening of our judgements, and also concerning the reformation of our lives. Hence it is that so many lye open as a pray to every atheistical person, and jesuitical Papist, that seizeth vpon them, because they are so weakly, slenderly and superficially grounded in most plain and familiar points. They imagine they haue all idolatry in great detestation, and yet are easily drawn to that vild Idolatry of the mass, and why? surely because they beleeue not the second commandement, 
Exo. 20.4.5.6.  wherein all idolatry( even that of the papists) is so flatly forbidden, that for very shane they haue left it out of their catechisms. They think themselves to bee chast and honest( as wee say) of their bodies, and yet are easily corrupted and carried into all uncleanness, 
Exo. 20.14  and why? Surely because they do not firmly beleeue the seventh commandement, wherein the Lord hath said. Thou shalt not commit adultery: And concerning this present proverb; were it possible that any professing Christianity, should either admire, or envy such persons, as are void of godly wisdom, because they are faire, rich, noble, or the like, if they did beleeue this holy proverb in their hearts? 
Psal. 3.7. & 7.3. Prou. 24.1  or had well marked that which the holy Ghost setteth down in many other places of Scripture besides?  
I haue stayed the more largely vpon this point, because it is the first, and fundamental use of this holy proverb, and besides, 
The conclusion of the first use, with a passage to the second.  because all men naturally are so besotted, and blinded with an over weening of the excellency of these outward things, that they admire, & magnify themselves, and al such as haue them, how vain, profane, & ungodly soever they be. having thus laid forth and confirmed the doctrine( as the chief and fundamental point of this proverb) the way will be the more easy and open to the other three uses and profits; that are to be built, and grounded thereupon. For the iudgement being thoroughly informed, and the mind, and understanding being enlightened, with the sound knowledge of any holy truth, the way is made plain, either to confute such errors, and correct such vices as are contrary to it, or to instruct, comfort, quicken, exhort, and stir up to the practise of such duties as arise from it.  
The second use and profit then of this proverb is to convince, 
Is confutation.  and confute. And here( to omit other particulars) two sorts of people are convinced of vanity, and folly. The first are, such as are sick of self-love, possessed with the spirit of pride, 
1. Of such as are too much in love with themselves  enamoured of themselves, and worshipping( as I may say) the idol of their own beauty; wit, riches, or whatsoever it bee they most admire and dote vpon in themselves. 
Eph. 5.5. Colos. 3.5.  For as covetousness is branded with the odious name of idolatry, in respect of that confidence, and delight which the covetous man hath in his money: So may pride be called idolatry and the proud person an idolater, in respect of that confidence and delight, which he hath in his beauty, strength, wit, riches, or any other outward, and common endowment which God hath bestowed upon him; more especially this is to bee found true of beauty( consisting chiefly in the fairness of the face, 
1. Sam. 17.42.  and comeliness of the countenance) which being one of the meanest gifts, that God bestoweth upon men, doth never the less more puff up a number with pride, and selfe-liking then any of the rest. These may bee compared to Narcissus a beautiful and proper man, who( as Poets fain) beholding himself in a clear fountain, fell so far enamoured of himself; that to embrace that goodly body, and to kiss that faire and beautiful face of his own, he plunged himself into the water, and so was drowned in the same. And though it be hard to say, whether of the two sexes take greatest pride in their painted sheathe, yet of both( as hath been touched before, and may partly bee gathered by this proverb( which is used expressly of the woman) 
page.. 5.  the woman through her weakness is more subject to this vanity. But whether it bee the one or the other, that be thus bewitched, and blinded with admiration of themselves; let them labour to remove, and roote this error, and imagination of excellency out of their minds.  
For why art thou proud, or whereof art thou proud O dust and ashes? 
A brief repetition of the former arguments. Pro. 31.30 Luk. 12.48  wilt thou bee proud of that which is so full of vanity and vexation of spirit? wilt thou let thyself be puffed up with that, which being( through thy profaneness and indiscretion) utterly lost and cast away vpon thee, will make thy account more heavy, and hard to pass in the day of reckoning? Wilt thou glory in that which( being separated from piety) giveth thee no grace, 
Luk. 16.15.  either in the eyes of God, or of his Saints, but maketh thee loathsome, and ugly to them both? And admit these things were never so glorious in themselves, how can that bee decent and comely to thee, which( by thy profane abuse of it) thou dost daily defile, and( as it were) bedaube with dirt and mire? Canst thou take comfort in that, which( as thou usest the matter) is nothing else but a three-fold cord of vanity and sin, 
Esa. 5.18.  which will pull down vengeance vpon thine own head, as it were with a cart-rope? Shall not the dreadful destruction of the daughters of men( together with such as they had alured) rather move thee to fear and suspect thyself, 
Gen. 7.23.  then thy faire face make thee to take pride in thyself? And seeing( as was proved by the first reason) piety and godly wisdom, are not only comely and decent in themselves, but do also make all other things decent, and comely unto us; how canst thou imagine, but that profaneness, and indiscretion must defile and deform whatsoever good thing the Lord hath bestowed vpon thee? And how canst thou brag of those things which( as hath been shewed) are( to such as thou art) continual and daily occasions to cause thee to break all the commandements of the holy Law of God, 
Pag. 2.6.  
Deut. 27.26. Numb. 6.23.  seeing that the breach of any one commandement procureth the curse of God: and the reward, or wages of every sin is eternal death, and condemnation both of body and soul? Finally, tell me truly( whatsoever thou bee) dost thou think in earnest that a jewel of gold is any ornament to a swine? I know thou dost not; why then shouldst thou imagine, that beauty or any other the like outward and common blessing, can bee an ornament to thee, continuing in thy sin, and swinish qualities? For Salomon the wisest King that ever wrote or reigned( and yet his pen was guided by a wiser then himself) matcheth them together: 
2. Pet. 1.21  Wherefore learn ( and learn betime ere it be too late) to leave and lay away this most erroneous and dangerous conceit, whereby Satan, and thine own blind, and unbelieving heart hath born thee in hand, that thou art better then many other both men and women that fear the Lord, because thou art fairer, healthier, stronger, richer, or nobler born then they; considering that( as hath been proved) these things do make thy estate and condition more cursed, and miserable; then the estate and condition of the poorest beggar, and most deformed leper in the world that feareth God.  
The second sort of people convinced by this proverb, 
2. Such are confuted as dote too much vpon others.  are such as howsoever they bee not so highly conceited of themselves( though there bee hardly any but they think too well of themselves) nor so far in love with themselves( though most men love themselves to much) yet they haue the persons of others in admiration; not onely( as the Apostle saith) for gain and filthy lucre, 
Iud. v. 16.  but also for lust, and fleshly pleasure. These dote not vpon themselves as the other do, yet they haue eyes full of adultery, hearts full of sinpurity, yea, indeed of idolatry, loving pleasures more then God, admiring and magnifying the creature( yea the very skin, complexion and colour of the creature, and the same many times not brought with them into the world, but bought by them with their money) more then the creator, and maker of all things; who is to be blessed and praised for ever. Such a one was Shechem the son of Chamor and the Egyptian; 
Gen. 34.2. et. 39.7.  the wife of Potiphar, 
2. Sam. 13.1.2 Mark. 6.22  and Ammon the son of david, and Herod the murderer of John the Baptist. Such corporal idolaters and worshippers of vanity haue all ways abounded in the world, and( which is most fearful) do yet abound, notwithstanding this great grace of God and glorious light of the gospel, which hath so clearly shined unto us, 
Tit. 2.11.  teaching us to deny all ungodliness, and worldly lusts.  
Hence haue proceeded so many pernicious and hurtful pamphlets stuffed with filthy froth, 
This error( in admiring beaury) is the root of many profane, and heathen sh pamphlets.  carnal vanity, devilish devices, and deadly poison of sinful men foaming out their own shane, who not content to feed their own fleshly fancies with a profane admiration of fading beauty, do fill the heads of many other with carnal conceits and inflame their hearts with wicked lusts, and longing after sinful pleasures. These things savour more of the impure spirit and heathenish idolatry of ovid and other miscreants( who worshipped Cupid and Venus) then of the piety of Christians, 
Act 26.18.  whom God hath called out of darkness into light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them who are sanctified. We are charged to follow peace with all men and holiness; 
Heb. 12.14  without which no man shall see God: but alas how many for nicators, and profane persons( like Esau) are amongst us; who are ready for one portion of meate( mess of broth, or dish of p●ttage) to renounce their part in paradise, and their inheritance in the kingdom of heaven; or( at least the sound ioy & comfortable feeling and assurance of it in their own consciences, which to them that take such courses, and are so delighted in such things can be none at all. O the sweet and blessed hours, yea the daies, weeks, months and yeares of our most flourishing & golden age, that by a number are most woefully spent, & consumed in sacrificing( as the Chaldeans did to their net) to such swine by reason of the jewel that hangeth in their snout. 
Haba. 1.16   
But thou wilt say, what if beauty, and virtue, riches and religion, holinesse and nobility meet together in one person, as they did in joseph and Moses, david and Salomon, and( amongst women) in Sarah and Rebecca, Abigal and Bathsheba, and diuers other holy men and women, may wee not admire and magnify such a man or such a woman as these were? 
An answer to them that say inward graces and outward gifts may meet in one person.  
This is very rare.  I answer that we may; yet with these and the like Cautions, and considerations. First let us consider that this is a thing which very rarely and seldom falleth out. For such is the corruption, and frailty of flesh & blood, and the malice and subtlety of Satan powerfully working vpon the same, that( without the special grace, 
Psal. 62.10  and mercy of God) such as haue riches will trust in them, and such as haue wit, strength, birth, nobility, 
jer. 9.23.  and the like, will glory therein, and such as haue beauty will be proud of it and abuse it, and so provoke the Lord ( who resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble) to give them over into dishonourable affections; 
1 Pet. 55.  one way or other to defile themselves for worshipping, 
Rom. 1.24 25.  and serving the creature more then the creator, who is blessed for ever.  
And therfore let our second Caution bee this, 
Admire not the creature more then the Creator.  not to admire the creature more then the creator. Beware and take heed lest a preposterous admiration of the man or woman in whom thou seest these things do not steal away thy heart,( as it commonly cometh to pass) and cause thee to rob God of that glory, and praise which is due to him alone. Be not so taken up( as the most part are) with the commendation and admiration of the work, that thou forget the workman, 
Exod. 4.11 Iam. 1.17.  that is, almighty God; who is both the author, and giver, and also the maker and framer of all good things. For in this case vain and sinful men( as daily experience proveth) are more beholden to us, then God immortal invisible and onely wise: 
1. Tim. 1.7.  For if any man make some rare and curious piece of work( which thing, nevertheless he cannot do without the teaching and assistance of Almighty God) we make no end, 
Exo. 31.2.3.4.  nor keep any measure in admiring, and commending of him; while in the mean time, the great and marvelous works of God are made nothing else( according to our saying) but wonders of nine daies, yea the gods of the heathen and uncircumcised( which are but idols) are more beholden to their seruants, 
Psal. 96.5.  then the true and living God, that made heaven and earth, and all that is therein, is beholden to us; and do receive more honour from them, then he doth from vs. How did the uncircumcised Philistines praise their Dagon when samson was taken( as if their dumb and deaf, 
Iud. 6.23.24.  dead and senseless idol had delivered him into their hands) so the idolatrous Chaldeans praised their Gods of silver and gold for their success, 
Dan. 5.4.23.  prosperity and good cheer? whereas our God( being the true and everliving God) can hardly get a could and formal grace( as we call it, though there be oftentimes little or no grace in it) for all the prosperity and good cheer he bestoweth vpon vs. 
Respect the inward graces more then the outward gifts.   
Thirdly and lastly, wee must beware, lest in admiring the creature( woman or man) wee deceive our own souls, being more taken up, and ravished with a carnal and fleshly consideration of that which is without( as beauty, birth, riches and the like) then with a spiritual meditation of these heavenly graces that are within them. These rules observed, wee not onely may, but also ought to admire and commend such persons in whom there is a coniunction of spiritual graces, and outward gifts, remembering always that this is rare; and therefore the rather to give all the glory to God, and bee sure that wee set a higher price vpon that which is heavenly and spiritual, then vpon that which is earthly and carnal.  
But it is a world to see, how the greatest part of men and women in the world do deceive themselves in this behalf. 
This error the roote of many ungodly matches.  For when a mere human and fleshly affection( inueagled with the beauty of the face) hath bewitched them, or when the deceitfulness of riches hath blinded them, they will imagine there wanteth no piety, and spiritual graces in those persons, whom for mere carnal and outward respects they dote vpon. And if it were not so common as it is, it would seem most wonderful to hear what high praise and commendation they will set vpon such. If a man bee rich in goods or lands he wanteth no religion: but the most religious are desirous to match with him, and to bestow their children vpon him, though both parents and children( if they haue any spark of grace) they may rue and lament it all the daies of their life: yet if he be wealthy he must needs be wise and godly, if he bee able to make his wife a large ioynter, and leave a good estate to her, and the children of their bodies; no exception must be taken either to his zeal in religion or to his honesty in life, though in the iudgement of the godly wise( to whom he is known) he haue nothing in him( to say the best that can bee said of him with any colour of truth) which may not bee found in a mere natural man: 
josu. 24.15  
job 1.5.  No zeal of Gods glory, no love of his word, 
Act. 10.2.  no reformation of his family, no godly exercises in his house, 
Eccl. 9.2.  no godly exercises in his house, no fear of( no not so much as any forbearing) an oath( the most of which things a counterfeit professor may attain unto) yet this man who through his ignorance and profaneness cannot so so much as make a show of religion and godliness, shall haue some thing or other found in him to make him a good Christian. O( saith one) he favoureth such a good man, he is near a kin to such a godly Preacher, he useth to hear this or that zealous teacher, 
Pro. 14.20: Luk. 12.21.  he alloweth somewhat to the maintenance of such a Minister. These and the like excuses, and figtree leaves will be patched together, 
Pro. 19.14  to cover the nakedness of him that is not rich in God, if either by his own gathering, or by the gift of his ancestors he haue the goods, and riches of this world. Nay( to go a step further) let a Church-papist haue houses and lands, riches and revenues, and many things will bee alleged by worldly folk, to make him a good husband for any Christian woman: O( will they say) he is of a passing good nature, he is of a very gentle and tractable disposition: he cometh to Church( to save his purse, or keep his place) once in the month, and receiveth the communion ( to the same end) once or twice in the year, with many other like excuses. But the very main reason of all is the same which Hamor, and his son Shechem use to their tenants, and neighbours. 
Gen. 34.23  Shall not their flocks, and their substance and all their cattle be ours? 
Vers. 21.  They use other arguments likewise; namely, that these men are peaceable with us, the land is large enough for us both, & so forth. But the main and principal reason that prevailed most( as I haue said) was this. Shall not their cattle, and their substance, and every beast of theirs bee ours? even so it is in this case, for howsoever other reasons be alleged( as a good nature, a peaceable disposition and the like) yet that which striketh the stroke, is the same( in effect) with the argument of Hamor, and Shechem: Shall not his goodly houses, his lands and revenues, his plate and jewels, his rich furniture and household stuff bee our daughters, and her childrens? This is it that beareth the sway, not among Pagans and Idolaters onely( such as the Shechemites were) but even( alas the while) among Christians. And( as though the corruption of nature were not sufficient to draw us to sin against God in this behalf) Satan hath his proverbs( as well as Salomon, 
Satans proverbs.  though not so holy as Salomons) which he bloweth into our ears to harden us in this sin. As for example, Fat sorrow( saith one) is better then lean; and another( as very a worldling as he) saith, It is better to weep vpon carpets, then vpon rushes: insinuating thereby, that marriage, 
Heb. 13.4.  which the holy Ghost calleth honourable, is a heavy and miserable yoke,( especially to the woman) and therfore it is wisdom( for the sweetening and easing of it) to get & make the most rich and wealthiest matches that we can come by. 
Mat. 11.19  But wisdom is justified of her children; wherefore let us hearken to Salomon, rather then to Satan, and count it an error to admire any profane man for his goods, or for his gold, for his land, or for his living. Call a spade a spade, though it bee trimmed with silver, and an ape an ape, though he be clad in purple, and a hog a hog, though he be hung with jewels, and a papist a papist,( that is, an idolater, and limb of Antichrist) and an atheist an atheist( that is a vile person and limb of the divell) though their outward estates be never so great, and happy in the world. That which is said of the man, is to bee understood of the woman, and that which is said of riches( wherewith the greatest part of the world are carried away in the choice of their matches) is to bee said of beauty, which beguileth not a few, moving them in their choice, rather to couple themselves with the sons of men( yea indeed of the divell) in respect of their riches, 
Mal. 2.11.  then with the sons of God in regard of their religion.  
If it be demanded whether of the two do sin more, I mean, 
Whether sin more they that marry for money, or they that mary for beauty.  they that make riches, & money their mark, or they that are carried away chiefly with beauty and fairness of the person? I answer it is hard to say which of these two do sin most; the one being carried by the lust of his eye, and the other by the lust of his flesh; both of them haue their pretences, which will not hold weight, 
1. joh. 2.16  when they come to bee tried, by the balance of Gods sanctuary. The best of them is nought, even a sin and an evil sickness, the cure whereof must bee sought for at the hands of the heavenly physician, the one being usually the disease of the elder, the other of the younger sort. 
How parents sin in ruling and children in obeying in this case.  Here I might take just occasion to bewail both the profaneness and liveliness of most parents, and also the wantonness, and wicked resolution of many carnal and ungodly children. For as many parents little regard the liking, and contentment of their children,( which might be a good foundation of a chast & peaceable life) but greedily hunting after the pray, pitch their staff, and set up their rest, where they find greatest portions for their sons, and the greatest ioynters for their daughters; so many children, on the other side having more worldly wit; then godly wisdom; are willing to satisfy the minds of their bodily parents:( never looking up to the Father of spirits) and therfore in show they willingly accept of such as are tendered to them: 
Heb. 12.9.  so taking a wife or husband, to retain the love & good opinion of their earthly parents, and entertain a friend as they speak( Oh woeful friend or fiend rather) to provoke the wrath of God their heavenly Father ( who is a consuming fire) against themselves. 
Heb. 12.29 et 13.4.  And not onely young men, and women, who are under the government of others, but many also, who are at their own disposing, rather then they will diminish their stock, impair their state, or( as they count it) disparaged themselves; will either venture vpon such, with whom they cannot( with warrant of Scripture) look to live a godly and peaceable life, or else abstain altogether from marriage, and lye open to the temptations and snares of the divell; forgetting the holy counsel of that blessed seruant of God, who saith, 
1. Cor. 7.9.29.  It is better to marry in the Lord, then to burn, in the lusts of the flesh.  
Wherefore let no man suffer himself to be misled any longer with an erroneous opinion & overweening of the excellency of any outward and common gifts( being separated from the fear of God) seeing the mischiefs and inconveniences therof are so great and manifold, 
The conclusion of the second use, with a passage to the third.  but rather stick fast to the holy truth of God, which the Scripture teacheth us both here and else where, as hath been at large laid forth and proved unto vs. And so much touching the second use of this proverb, which is the conviction of such as in the error of their judgements, do ouerprize a profane or undiscreet person in respect of some outward ornament of beauty, riches, honour or the like common gifts, that God hath bestowed vpon him. The third use followeth, which is for correction of such, as notwithstanding their judgements and consciences, be sufficiently convinced, of the vanity and hurtfulnes of such things, being separated from true sanctimony; yet they suffer themselves witting and willingly, yea( I might say of many) wilfully to be carried away captive, with lusting and longing after them. These must be( which is the third use of the holy Scripture) corrected, reproved, rebuked, and terrified, to keep them from sinning thus against knowledge and conscience. Here the Christian Reader is to bee admonished: 
2. Tim. 3.16.  That though all Scripture given by inspiration of God haue those four uses, which I haue set down out of the Apostle; yet every particular verse and sentence of Scripture do not alike pregnantly and properly afford them all; some Scriptures serving more fitly for doctrine and confirmation of the truth, and for conviction and confutation of the contrary error, other places for the correction, and reproving of sin, and instruction in the contrary duty; and therefore in such places as contain moral matter concerning the good life, and godly behaviour of a Christian, there is little difference betwixt confutation and correction, though I haue here distinguished the one from the other, for the deeper imprinting of this holy proverb in the hearts of all true Christians.  
Wherefore, to come to the third use, 
Correction.  it is the correcting & reproving of such earth-wormes, and carnal persons, whose judgements being thoroughly informed in the holy truth, which is according to godliness, 
Tit. 1.1.  and their consciences convinced, either of the falsehood of some opinion which they hold, or of the vnlawfulnesse and sinfulness of some behaviour which they use, yet( such is the headiness and violence of their affections) that they will stiffly maintain their false opinions, and wilfully persist in the practise of those wicked and ungodly actions, which the holy Scripture doth apparently condemn. This is true, not onely of such as are wholly given over to the sin of idolatry, and spiritual fornication( whom Moses compareth to bitter roots that bring forth gull and wormwood, who when they hear the words of Gods curse, do bless themselves in their hearts, saying, we shall haue peace though wee walk in the stubbornness of our own hearts, thus adding drunkenness to thirst) but also of all such as sell, and give over themselves to the service of any sin whatsoever it be. 
2. Pet. 2.19  This is verified( to omit other instances) of this sin of admiring ourselves and other profane and ungodly persons( whom Salomon in this proverb, 
Pro. 11.22 & 26.11. 2. Pet. 2.22  and else where; and Peter after him, and out of him compareth to swine and dogges) above that which is meet, in respect of these outward ornaments. A great number are fully persuaded in their hearts, and ready to subscribe with their hands, to the truth of that which Salomon saith here, and in another place, where he saith, favour is deceitful, 
Pro. 31.  and beauty is vanity; but a woman fearing the Lord, she shall be praised( as if he should say, shee is faire that feareth God) though otherwise she be hard favoured; she is rich that is religious though her portion be but small; she is honourable that is virtuous, though hir parentage bee never so mean, and so of the rest. A great number I say are fully persuaded hereof, who yet in their practise run a clean contrary way, and will sooner admire an undiscreet and profane person, in respect of that outward jewel of beauty, and favour that appeareth in his face, then a godly Christian, 
2. Sam. 14.226. & 19.25.26.  in regard of the grace, that shineth in his carriage, and behaviour, and will sooner embrace a wicked and ungodly Absolom, for his golden locks, then a lame Mephihosheth, for his religious and loyal hart. It is true indeed that the common sins of the world, as the lust of the flesh, 
1. joh. 2.15.16.  the lust of the eye, and the pride of life( that is to say, uncleanness, covetousness and ambition) do not so directly break the covenant betwixt God and his people, as Idolatry and false worship doth: 
Eph. 4.29.30.  yet they do certainly much provoke the Lord, grieve his spirit, 
Esa. 59.2.  and separate between him and such as do wallow therein; and therefore that fearful threatening, and thunderbolt denounced in the Law against spiritual fornicators, may very fitly serve to terrify such fleshly( as I may call them) and bodily Idolaters: namely, that The Lord will not bee merciful to them( continuing in their sin) but the wrath of the Lord shall smoke against them, 
Deut. 29.19.20.  and every curse that is written in the book of God, shall light vpon them, and the Lord shall put their names from under heaven, &c.  
The Iewes in former times pleased themselves, by reason of their outward privilege; and profession of the true God; yet the Prophet calleth their Magistrates, Princes of sodom, and the common people, people of Gomorra; and tells them, 
Esa. 1.10.11. &c.  that their outward service, and religious worship was irksome and tedious, yea loathsome and abominable to the Lord: and why? even because their hands were full of blood: meaning that their hearts, and lives, bodies and souls( yea even when they came to pray, and serve the Lord) were defiled with covetousness, cruelty, and oppression: and shall we think that our worship and service of God, our prayers and confession of sins, our thanksgiving, and singing of psalms, our hearing of Sermons, and receiving of Sacraments will bee accepted; so long as our hearts are set vpon vanity, our eyes full of pride and adultery, our minds blinded with admiration of beauty, and possessed with the love of riches, and preferment, more then with the love of God, or any spiritual grace proceeding from him?  
Nay what shall wee say to them that are so far from trembling at the word of God; 
Esa. 66.5. Deut. 28.58. 1. Pet. 2.2.  and fearing that great and fearful name of the Lord their God to take it in vain, and from desiring the sincere milk of the word to grow thereby, that they take a quiter contrary course. For having most woefully and wickedly spent the sweet prime of the morning( not in holy prayer and preparation for the duties of their calling, but in freting, & chafing with their domestics and others about provision for the flesh; and especially in curling and plotting of the hair, 
1. Pet. 3.3.4.  and putting on of apparel( not in decking the inward and hidden man of the heart) they come forth of their chambers, not as brides trimmed to meet the bridegroom Iesus Christ, but as unclean birds possessed by Satan the prince of darkness; to whom having offered the first fruits of the day, & misspent the whole forenoon; they are prepared, and fitted to offer up the whole lump to him; defiling themselves, and one another by hearing, and seeing things uncomely, as profane and filthy plays, and spending the rest of the day in such unfruitful and vnsauory works of darkness. And what is the end of all this? Surely nothing else but( as their own hearts might tel them, 
joh. 3.20.  and as God who is greater then their hearts doth see, and their lives show) to please themselves, and to become nets, and snares to simplo souls, who haue not( with holy job) made a covenant with their eyes, 
job. 31.1.  that they will not look upon a maid, namely( as Christ saith) to lust after her: 
Math. 5.28  yea and father to bee a scandal, and stumbling block to such as haue; whose eyes by the subtlety of Satan, and their own infirmity are to easily drawn away to gaze vpon such gorgeous images.  
The Apostle exhorteth us to be strong in the Lord, 
Ephe. 6.10 11.13.14.15. &c.  and in the power of his might, and to put on the whole armour of God) that wee may bee able to stand fast against the assaults of the divell, for ( saith he) we wrestle not against flesh, & blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the worldly governors, the princes of darkness of this world, and against spiritual wickednesses which are in high places. This wee shall find to be most true, as at other times, so especially when we meet together before God to here the words of eternal life, 
Acts 10.33 John 6.68.  even the holy Scriptures, which are able to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Iesus Christ; for there is no hungry foul so greedy of pray, 
2. Tim. 3.15.  no crow so ready to follow him at the heels, who casteth the seed into the ground, as Satan is ready to attend the ministry of the word, 
Math. 13.9 Mark. 4.15 Luk. 8.12.  and to take all advantages against the hearers thereof. Haue wee then so many, so mighty, so malicious, and subtle aduersaries continually hovering over our heads, and encamping themselves round about us; and shall we be secure? Haue we such enemies to fight against us, and shall wee fight against our own salvation, and the salvation of our brethren? Haue we so many tempters, so many divels and wicked spirits to deal withall, and shall wee become tempters of ourselves, and one of another?  
Thou wilt say( perhaps) thou meanest no hurt, 
It is not enough to mean no hurt, if wee neglect the means that leads to holiness, and use the contrary.  neither that thou hast any such purpose in thy heart; nor deckest up thyself for any such end. Why then dost thou take such a course, both in decking thy body, and neglecting thy soul, which( in regard of Satans malice, and mans corruption) must of necessity bring forth such evil effects both in thyself and other men?  
Many( I know) will pretend that from their hearts and souls they detest, and abhor those pollutions, and horrible sins, whereby the wicked Sodomites, dishonoured God, defiled themselves, 
Gen. 19.5. 2. Pet. 2.8.  & vexed the righteous soul of holy Lot that dwelled amongst thē: and yet if wee observe their practise, we shall see them wallow in the selfsame sins, of pride, idleness, 
Eze. 16.49  riot and vncleannes which they did( and that vpon the Lords day) not discerning the dangerous estate wherein they are. For surely that God that spared not the Angels that sinned, 
2. Pet. 2.4.5.6.7.8.  but cast them down into hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be kept unto damnation, neither spared the old( and flourishing) world, but brought the flood vpon the ungodly, and turned the cities of sodom and Gomorrha into ashes, will never suffer such proud persons, and profane abusers of his gifts, to go unpunished, unless they speedily forsake their sin, humble themselves under the mighty hand of God, and turn unto him by zealous and unfeigned repentance, and bring forth fruits worthy of amendment of life,  
It is said in particular of the women of jerusalem, who lived in the daies of uzziah, 
Esay 3.16.17. &c.  Iotham, Ahaz, and Ezechias kings of judah( whereof some were godly kings) that they were proud and haughty, that they walked with stretched out necks, and wandring eyes, tripping and mincing as they went, making a tinkling with their feet, which they( doubtless) did being puffed up with a carnal conceit of their painted sheathe, and a foolish overweening of their beauty & birth, wealth and riches, and other outward ornaments, that God had hung vpon them for another end. Therefore the Lord of hosts who before in the same chapter, had denounced a heavy iudgement against all ungodly, and wicked sinners, 
Vers. 11.  saying, Wo bee to the wicked, it shall go hard with them; for the reward of his hands shal be given him of the Lord, and in the next verse save one before that, he saieth the trial of their countenance testifieth against them, 
Vers. 9.  yea they declare their sins as Sodom, they hid them not: woe be to their souls, for they haue rewarded evil to themselves. This Lord of hosts, this jealous God, besides this general threatening, doth denounce particular judgements against such proud persons, saying that, He will make their heads bald, and discover their secret parts, 
Ver. 17.18 et 24.  ( and take away those golden jewels, wherein they gloried over much); and in stead of a sweet savour to sand a stink, and in stead of a girdle, a rent, and in stead of dressing the hair, baldness, and in stead of a stomacher, a girding with sackcloth. O consider this all ye undiscreet ones, which take occasion by the faire jewels of health and beauty, youth and riches, and other the like, that God hath hung vpon you, so foully to abuse, not onely them, but even yourselves, and your brethren also by reason of them, and to forget that good, & gracious God the fountain of all, as well outward, as inward ornaments, lest he tear you in pieces, 
Psal. 50.17 22.  and there be none that can deliver you saying; what hast thou to do with these my gifts, & what right hast thou to these my jewels and pearls, seeng thou dost thus abuse them to my dishonour, & the destruction of thyself, and other of my seruants.  
And here I might justly expostulate with a number, as Moses doth with the Iewes in that his heavenly and spiritual song, saying, will ye so reward the Lord O foolish people & unwise? Is not he thy father, that hath bought thee? 
Deu. 32.6.78. Pride and abuse of outward gists made more heinous by ingratitude.  He hath made thee and proportioned thee. For surely this is too great unkindness, and such unthankfulness, as would be counted intolerable if it were offered to a man. For if a man sand us a token or give us a ring, or bestow a jewel vpon us, it will move us to love him, and carry a kind remembrance of him in our hearts, and a care to maintain his credit, and speak well of him in all places where wee come; and if wee should not, all men would condemn us for it; and shall so many goodly gifts, and golden benefits which wee haue received from God; who we are sure hath bestowed the same vpon us, of his free love, and favor without any the least respect of our desert( yea clean contrary to that which our innumerable sins haue deserved at his hands) nothing move us? If unthankfulness to men be counted so great a fault, that when we say of any one, he is an unthankful man, wee say as much evil as can be said of him, and charge him with as many sins, as a man in one word can possibly be charged withall, ought not such monstrous ingratitude against the eternal God, only wise and good,( to whom wee owe our very selves) to astonish and terrify our hard and stony hearts? Many good works( saith God the son) I haue wrought amongst you( I haue fed your bodies, 
joh. 10.32.  I haue likewise fadde your souls; I haue healed your sick, lame, dumb, deaf, and blind; I haue raised your dead to life again, and the like, tel me now ye foolish Iewes and unwise) for which of al these things will ye ston me? In like sort may God the Father say, many golden jewels I haue bestowed vpon you; I haue given you life and breath, I haue given you beauty, and comeliness, riches and honor, health and prosperity, yea I haue given you mine onely son, 
joh. 3.16. Rom. 8 32.  my blessed gospel, and many other spiritual benefits; which of these( O ye foolish Christians and unwise) do move you thus to forget me and spurne against me, thus to pollute and defile yourselves and others, to inuegle my sons, or my daughters by your beauty, to oppress them by your wealth, and overreach them by your wit?  
I hau found( saith Salomon) more bitter then death, 
Eccl. 7.26.  the woman in whose heart are nets and snares, and in whose hands are bands( or according to Tremellius prisoners, and bondmen) that is the fair and subtle harlot, the beautiful woman without discretion,( whom Salomon here compareth to a hog with a ring or jewel of gold in his shout) who abuseth her wit; and beauty, her hair and her breasts, her tongue and countenance to the alluring of simplo and sinful men; who having not made a covenant with their eyes, 
job. 31.1. Psa. 119.37  nor prayed God to turn them from vanity, are easily caught with such golden baits, and being once caught, can as hardly leave their sinful society, and cursed company, as the poor prisoner can shake off his fetters, and bolts, or the sillie fly wind herself out of the artificial web of the venomous and subtle spider. That which is said of the abuse of beauty & wit, is to be understood of all other things of the like nature, the abuse whereof will light heavily vpon such as be guilty thereof at the last: 
2. Cor. 5.10 Math. 25.  for we shal al appear before the iudgment seat of Iesus Christ, where the sheep shall be separated from the goats, and the discreet from the profane abusers of Gods gifts, 
Act. 17.31  such as Salomon speaketh of in this verse. For God hath certainly appointed a day, wherein he will judge the world in righteousness and bring every work to iudgement, with every secret thing whether it be good or evil. 
Eccl. 12.14  A day wherein the righteous who haue used their gifts a right, to the glory of God, and good of their brethren shall stand before the Lord with boldness and great ioy, waiting with assurance to receive and here that most sweet and comfortable sentence, Come ye blessed of my Father, take the inheritance of the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For( by the right and holy use of the good gifts bestowed vpon you) when I was hungry ye gave me meate, when I was thirsty ye gave me drink, when I was a stranger, ye took me to you, when I was naked ye clothed me, when I was sick ye visited me, when I was in prison ye came unto me. On the other side, the wicked and unrighteous( who being voided of the true faith, & fear of God: and of the holy discretion whereof Salomon speaketh in this place) haue abused, and corrupted the golden gifts they haue received, shall quake and tremble, howl and lament, 
Reuela. 6.15.16.17.  yea even Kings and queens of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captaines, and the mighty men( so likewise the faire men and women, the learned and witty, that haue abused their gifts) shal hid themselves in dens and caues, and shall say to the rocks, and mountains fall vpon us, and hid us from him that sitteth vpon the throne, and from the wrath of the lamb, for the great day of his wrath is come, and who can stand? Yet all this shall not serve the turn, for they shall hear nevertheless that dreadful sentence, more terrible then any thunder bolt. 
Math. 25.  Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the divell and his Angels. For( by abusing the precious and golden gifts bestowed vpon you, you haue so handled the matter that) when I was hungry you gave me no meat( devouring my gifts with harlots, 
Luk. 15.30 Iam. 4.3.  and spending them on your lusts) When I was thirsty ye gave me no drink, when I was a stranger, ye took me not to you, when I was naked ye clothed me not, when I was sick and in prison ye visited me not. And these( profane persons voided of holy discretion) shall go into everlasting pain; and the righteous( who haue used their gifts aright) shall go into life eternal.  
To proceed a little further for the correcting and( if it be possible) for the reforming and reclaiming of such profane persons as Salomon speaketh of in this proverb) Let us mark what the Lord saith to the shepherds of Israel( that is to such as had charge over other, vpon whom for their better encouragement God usually bestoweth the greatest and most golden gifts) Thus saith the Lord God, behold I will come against those shepherds, I will require my sheep at their hands, and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep, 
Eze. 34.10.11.12.  neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more, for I will deliver my sheep from their mouths, and they shal no more devour them. For thus saith the Lord God, behold I will search my sheep, and seek them out, as a shepherd searcheth out his flock, when he hath been among his sheep that are scattered. So will I seek out my sheep, and deliver them out of all places, where they haue been scattered in the dark and cloudy day. mark I pray you how in this place, the most just and mighty God doth teach us what mind he carrieth towards such as haue received more and better gifts then others haue done, and what course he will take with them, and how severely he will proceed in iudgement against them. he will surely require his sheep at their hands, and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep; that is to say he will reckon with them, deprive them of their dignities, & take those honors and offices from them, which they haue so grossly abused, even so in like manner will he require his beauty, 
Psal. 50.10  his health, his strength, his riches, honor, & all other good things( for all are his) at their hands; at the hands( I say) of all profane and undiscreet persons, who haue abused them, to his dishonour & to the hurt of themselves and others: he will take a most severe and strict account of them: he will say unto them by the ministers of his word( or by some one or other messenger of his wrath and vengeance) or by the terrible summons of death, or desperate sickness; 
Luke 16.2.  give vpan account of thy stewardship, for thou mayst be no longer steward: give up an account of thy beauty, for now it is blasted, withered and gone: give up an account of thy sharp wit, and good memory, for now they are decayed and lost: give up an account of thy great strength, and ability of body, for now it is diminished and taken away: 
Psal. 39.6. jer. 27.11.  give up an account of thy wealth and riches, for now thou must leave them, thou knowest not to whom: or if thou know to whom, thou knowest not how he will use them, nor what he will do with them, nor whether he will prove( as Salomon saith) a wise man or a fool. 
Eccl. 2.18.19.   
If thou say( with cursed Cain) in the blindness of thy wicked heart, 
Gen. 4.9. 2. Sam. 15.20. 2. King. 5.25. Pro. 13.7.  that thou canst not tell what thou didst with them, or impudently deny( with Saul and others, that thou hadst any such jewels; the Lord will reply vpon thee and say( as he doth of the abuse of one of them, that is, riches) go to now ye rich men, weep and howl, 
Iam. 5.1.2.3.4.5.6.  for your miseries that shall come vpon you: your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moatheaten: your gold and silver is cancred, and the rust of them shall bee a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire ye haue heaped treasure together for the last daies. Behold the hire of the labourers which haue reaped down your fields, which is by you kept back by fraud, crieth, and the cries of them which haue reaped, haue entred into the ears of the Lord of Sabbaths. Ye haue lived in pleasure on the earth, and haue been wanton: you haue nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter: ye haue condemned and killed the just, and he doth not resist you. In like manner will he speak to the beautiful( for God is no accepter of faces) go to now ye faire ones, 
Act. 10.34.  weep and howl for your miseries that shall come vpon you, your beauty is blasted, and your fairness faded and withered, and your painted wrinkles and bought hair shall witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire: ye had thought to haue preserved your beauty all your daies: But behold now it is blasted, and the precious time and treasure which you haue spent, and made others spend by occasion thereof, doth cry, and this cry is entred into the ears of the Lord of hosts: You haue lived in pleasure vpon earth, and been wanton, and that by occasion of this brittle jewel, which hath made you cherish and pamper yourselves, as if your life were a continual feasting, and time of merriment: ye haue derided and scorned chased and sober Christians, and modest matrons, and godly Ministers, who haue no way wronged you, but rather laboured by all means to do you good, and called them precise, and puritan fools. Thus will the Lord in his just displeasure speak to all such profane and impenitent persons.  
Woe therefore, and woe again to thee O thou foolish and impudent man, and to thee O vain and carnal woman, voided of godly wisdom and discretion, who hast gained no glory to God with thy golden jewels, while they were in thy power and possession to do good withall: nay rather in a clean contrary course, by thy horrible abusing of them, and treading them under thy feet( as a swine doth precious pearls) hast highly dishonoured Almighty God the giver of them, 
Mat. 7.6.  deeply wounded and defiled thine own conscience, and either dangerously infected, or grievously oppressed the dear seruants of God, thy Christian brethren and sisters for whom Christ died. What wilt thou say then when that fierce and mighty Lion of the tribe of judah shall roar vpon the, 
revel. 5.5.  and that great and princely shepherd shal require his sheep at thy hands, 
Heb. 13.20  when that sovereign King, and high commander of heaven and earth the Lord of hosts shall bid thee render an account of thy stewardship, what wilt thou answer? when the King of kings, 
revel. 19.16.  and Lord of lords shall come to reckon with thee for his talents committed to thy trust, how wilt thou clear and acquit thyself.  
And mark well I beseech you( beloved in the Lord) what our saviour Christ saith to him that had received that one talent, who being called before his Lord, made this appologie for himself: 
Mat. 25.24.25.  Behold Lord thy piece, which I haue laid up in a napkin, and hide in the earth: 
Luk. 19.20.21.22.  for I knew that thou wast a straite and hard man, who takest up that thou laiedst not down, and reapest, where thou sowedst not, and gatherest where thou strowedst not: I was therefore a feared, and went and hide thy talent in the earth: Behold thou hast thine own. But what saith his Lord to him again? Of thine own mouth will I judge thee, O thou evil seruant and slothful, thou knewest that I am a straite man, taking up that I laid not down, reaping where I sowed not, and gathering where I strewed not, why then gavest thou not my money into the bank, into the hands of the exchangers, that at my coming I might haue received mine own with advantage? Take therefore that talent from him, and give it to him that hath ten talents, and cast ye the unprofitable seruant into utter darkness, where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth, mark it well I pray you. For if he that had but one talent were reckoned withall, how can they that haue received many think to avoid and shift off their account? And if he that did no hurt with his one talent, but kept it safe and sure, and delivered it whole and sound to his masters hands of whom he had received it, were called an evil seruant and slothful, had his one talent taken from him, and was cast into utter darkness, where is wailing & gnashing of teeth, and that only because he had done no good with it, but let it lye idle, and unprofitably lapped up in a napkin, butted and rusting in the ground; what shall become of us, who haue not onely done no good, but exceeding much hurt, with the many talents and jewels which God hath put into our hands, and as it were hung vpon us, not for the decking and garnishing of ourselves, but chiefly and principally for the glorifying of God, the gaining of our brethren, 
1. Cor. 10.31. Pro. 2. Pet. 2.10.  and making sure our own calling and election: What shall become of us, who haue with jonadab and Ahitophel abused our wits to villainy and wickedness? 
2. Sam. 13.3.4. & 16.21. Gen. 34.2.  who with the daughters of men haue( by the abuse of our beauty) been nets and snares to the sons of God, or being by profession the children of God, haue doted vpon the sons and daughters of men, and haue rather had them in high admiration for the jewel hanging on their snout, then in hatred and detestation for their cursed and abominable qualities? who with goliath haue rather abused our strength and courage to proud and unlawful challenges and quarrels, and with Shechem and Ammon, 
1. Sam. 17.8.9.10.  to rape and uncleanness, then with david and jonathan, used the same to the defence of the Church and people of God? 
judge. 9.1.2. Mat. 2.16.  who rather with Abimilech, Ahab, Herod and the like, haue abused our money, 
1. King. 21.  power, and authority to most vile purposes( even to the suppressing of truth and iustice) then with job, 
job 29.12. 2. King. 18.13. Nehem. 2.5.  Obadiah, Nehemiah & such other, used the same to the good of Gods people, to the maintenance of his Ministers, and to the relief of the godly poor? How can wee then think but that hell gapeth for us, and that the Lord the judge of the whole world is ready at hand to pronounce that dreadful sentence( whereof wee haue spoken before) against vs. go ye cursed of my father into everlasting fire prepared for the divell and his Angels. For I haue bestowed many jewels vpon you, and you haue done no good with them, nor got me any glory by them, but haue most highly dishonoured me by your brutish and horrible abusing of them, wallowing much more in the mire and puddle of your sins, than either you would, or possibly could haue done, if you had not had them.  
What shall it profit a man( saith Christ though he should win the whole world if he loose his own soul? 
Mat. 16.26  Nay what extreme hurt and hindrance shall the world( if a man had it all with whatsoever is in it) bring vpon him when for his abuse thereof he should bee deprived of the kingdom of heaven, and of the joys of the world to come, and cast into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone? Heathenish Alexander( surnamed the great) hearing a vain Philosopher arguing that there were innumerable worlds, fell a weeping for grief to think that he had not yet gotten one world to himself: but the wise man taught by the spirit of God was of another mind: for he feared riches, as much as poverty, and prayeth against the one as earnestly as he did against the other. 
Pro. 30.7.8.9.  Two things( saith he) I haue required of thee, deny me them not before I die. remove far from me vanity and lies, give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient for me, lest I be full and deny thee, and say who is the Lord? or lest I be poor and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. 
Matth. 4.8.9.10.  Christ encountering with Satan( for our example and encouragement) would not break one of Gods commandements, nor bow one knee to Satan to gain all the kingdoms of the world and glory of them: and shall we that are called Christians, for one of the least worldly benefits that is in the world( I mean beauty & favour of face) suffer ourselves to bee drawn away to transgress all the commandements of almighty God? we I say that are called Christians, 
Mat. 16.24 &. 11.28.29 Col. 3.1.  who are daily called vpon to deny ourselves, to learn of him, and to seek those things that are above? And because this proverb serveth chiefly for correction, give me leave( though I haue touched it before) once again to bewail the wicked and sinful vanity of many people in this age, 
Pag. 26. & 27.  who are so far from numbering their daies aright, and walking circumspectly, redeeming all occasions of Glorifying God, and doing good to others, 
Psal. 9.12. Eph. 5.16.  and to their own souls, that they haue not learned to make any true conscience, no not of the holy day of the Lord, which by so many and mighty reasons, 
Exod. 20.8.9.10.11.  he persuadeth us to consecrate to him alone, and wholly to bestow and spend in duties of piety and mercy, religion, and brotherly love, both in public and private, in his house and in our own.  
For as they spend the six daies very woefully in following the world, 
Outward blessings( and namely beauty) bestowed vpon carnal persons, a continual occasion of profaning the Lords day.  and the things thereof( especially the lusts of the flesh, and the pride of life) so they spend the Lords day most wickedly, in following and fulfilling the same more greedily and thoroughly, than they do any day of the week, nay oftentimes more than they do all the rest of the week besides. On the week daies they do some manner of work( though tending for the most part to pride, and superfluity) and bestow some hours in following their lawful affairs, but on the Lords day they lay hold only vpon these words, In it thou shalt do no manner of work) quiter forgetting the end of this restraint and cessation from their lawful labours, which is to keep the day holy to the Lord: as if God had forbidden lawful labour on the Sabbath day to give liberty to such employments, as are( some of them) not to bee used vpon any day, and others( especially as they handle the matter) unlawful and sinful on the Lords day. O( saith one) how much better were it( on the Lords day) to plow, than to play and be idle, to dig and delve, than to hop and dance? revel and drink drunk? O( may I say) how much better were it to plow thy ground than to paint thy face; to spend the time in some honest and lawful labour, than in superfluous and dishonest decking and trimming up of the outward man? dishonest( I say) not in itself, but by circumstance and consequence, because it necessary draweth with it, both an omitting of such duties as are required, and a committing of such sins as are forbidden on the Sabbath day. Many be the duties required on the Lords day, whereof some are to bee performed privately at home, others publicly in the house of God. 
Psal. 92.2.  The private duties are first( where there is ability of body) to rise betime. 
Rom. 13.13.14. Phil. 4.8. Tit. 2.3.4.  The second is, in as short time, and with as much speed as may bee, to make ourselves ready in such manner as is most sober and comely, and of best example and report, for men and women of our profession in the Church of God. 
Psal. 4.4. & 92.1. Rom. 15.20. Eph. 6.19.  The third is( after due examination of our hearts touching the sins of our life( and especially of the week past) to poure forth, humble, fervent, and faithful prayer, for the blessing of God vpon ourselves and others, chiefly of the same family and congregation, and namely, vpon the Minister thereof, that it would please the Lord to enlighten and sanctify his heart, and direct his tongue to divide the word of God aright, and to speak the things which become sound and wholesome doctrine, and to say something that may serve for the killing of our sins, and for the comforting and quickening of our souls in the faith and obedience of the gospel. The fourth duty is, 
Psal. 92.95 96.100. Esa. 58.13.  if time permit( as commonly it will, if it be well ordered and opportunity taken) to join with our prayers the reading( or singing) of some fit psalm, or other portion of holy Scripture, for the better preparing and seasoning of our hearts, to a more fruitful partaking of the public exercises of the Church? These and the like duties are required of us in private, before we go to the house of God; which duties are all of them by such persons quiter and clean neglected and omitted, and the whole time betwixt their rising out of bed( which is not usually very early) and their going to the house of God, is wholly misspent( as hath been shewed before) in plaiting of hair and putting on of apparel, in freting and chafing with themselves and others, both domestics and strangers, and namely, such artificers, who for their own private gain, 
●… utward ●… ings be owed on ●… racelesse ●… ersons, an ●… ccasion to make such as belong to them dishonour God.  are content to bee instruments of the others pride. This being their chief and( in a manner) their onely fore-noones work every day of the week besides, is made their special employment that part of the Lords day which should bee set apart for the preparing and sanctifying of themselves and others depending vpon them, to the better performance of all public duties of Gods most holy worship and service.  
By this means not onely they themselves are hindered, but the whole family depending vpon them is( as it were) famished and defrauded of that spiritual breakfast and refreshing, in the strength whereof they might go more heartily and cheerfully to the house of God, and being there, do the work of the Lord, not negligently( which bringeth a curse) but faithfully and fruitfully to his glory, 
jer. 48.10.  and their own good. For touching such as wait and attend about them, they are so busied in pleasing them, that they can scarcely find time to hang on their own apparel; the rest being left( as we say) at six and seven take liberty in the mean time by this occasion either to lye a bed, or being up to range abroad, or staying at home to spend the time in trifling and idleness. Hence it comes to pass, that both they that should govern, and they that should be governed come rudely and vnreuerendly poasting and huddling into Gods house, some from brawling, and chiding, others from sleeping and slugging, ideling and trifling, neither of both taking time to prepare and sanctify themselves by prayer to God for a blessing vpon his ordinance, & humble confession of their former sins( especially their abuse of his name and sabaths) with full purpose of heart to forsake them; having indeed taken hard & scant time enough to apparel themselves according to their minds: and yet they are bold to exempt themselves from partaking( at least in a great part) in the prayers & scriptures red in the public assemblies: not because they bee enwrapped in the error of them, who comdemne all stinted and penned prayers, with all set forms of liturgy whatsoever,( for many of them love plain service better then powerful Sermons) but because, 
1. John. 2.15.16.  not having the love of God the Father in them, and being carried away either with the lusts of the flesh, or the lust of the eye, or the pride of life, they will not allow themselves time to come before the Lord ( to whom alone all holiness belongeth) in any reverend and holy manner; 
Exo. 28.36  before the Lord( I say) who to work in them a care and conscience of this commandement. 
Reasons out of the commandement itself.  1. Hath put them in mind of his large and liberal allowance( even six daies for one) to follow their own lawful labours and delights. 2. Hath reserved this whole day peculiar to himself. 3. Hath by his own example provoked us to the sanctifying of it. 4. And finally for our sakes hath sanctified & set it apart, 
Marc. 2.27  that by the religious observation thereof wee might bee blessed in soul and body, and reap unto ourselves the blessings both of this life, and of the life to come. Thus notwithstanding all these forcible reasons, 
Esay. 58.13 14. 1. Tim. 4.8  the conscionable keeping of the Lords day is most lamentably neglected, and Gods holy commandment trodden down under foot, for the pleasing of vain and sinful man. Whether it be ourselves or others in whose eyes wee desire to seem faire and comely, though in the mean while we be never so foul & deformed in the eyes of Almighty God.  
Alas that men and women professing christianity, having given their names( in baptism) to the holy Trinity, and so often renewed their covenant with God in the other Sacrament should ever bee so blinded, and so shamefully forget themselves, and deal so unmercifully with their own souls, and with the souls of such as depend vpon them, defrauding both, not onely of that spiritual gain and heavenly riches, 
Leuit. 26.2 Deu. 28.1. &c.  but also of those outward and bodily blessings which are promised to the religious observers of the Lords day; 
jer. 17.27.  and pulling vpon both, all those plagues and curses that are denounced against the breakers thereof. These do not pray( with Moses) to the God of heaven, 
Psa. 90.12.  that they may get wise and religious hearts, but rather( as their deeds declare) to the God of this world, that they may get faire faces, beautiful hair and proper bodies. And what may bee their drift and end therein? Surely it cannot be to please God. 
1. Pet. 3.3.4.  For the Apostle telleth them( and their own consciences must needs confess that he telleth them the truth) that God looketh to other matters and is delighted with ornaments of another kind. What then is their end? undoubtedly it is to please themselves and some others as vain and foolish as themselves. Is not this to prefer the body before the soul, earth before heaven, vanity before virtue, & man( yea the divell & idol of our own imagination) before God, and true godliness? Then the which, what can bee more absurd, & unbeseeming a true Christian?( I mean) to hearken to the devil who driveth him forward to such evil courses, by his wicked suggestions; rather than to God, who by his word and spirit daily seeketh and striveth to reclaim him from them?  
But( to come nearer to the conclusion and application of this point) what is the ground that Satan( taking the advantage of their corruption) worketh vpon, to thrust them forward into so great profaneness? certainly it must needs bee either gross ignorance in not knowing, or great stubbornness and hardness of hart in not believing what the Lord saith in other places of holy Scripture, and what Salomon( from the mouth of the Lord) saith in this proverb, touching the vanity of beauty and all outward things, being separated from piety and virtue. The Lord complaineth of the obstinacy of the Iewes who being called vpon by the holy Prophet to forsake their filthy whoredom and spiritual fornication, refused to hearken, flatly opposing themselves and as it were resisting God to his face. 
jer. 2.25.  keep thou( saith the Lord) thy feet from barenes, and thy throat from thirst; that is, do not thus prostitute thyself to idols, but restrain thy violent appetite and insatiable thirsting after such wicked vanities; what answer made this people to the Lord? The prophet sheweth in the next words. But thou saidst desperately no, for I haae loved strangers, and them will I follow. 
Iud. ver. 16  The like complaint may bee taken up against such as I speak of in this place. The Lord saith, Haue not persons in admiration for advantage. So saith he( by good consequence of reason) Haue not persons( thy self or others) in admiration for outward beauty and comeliness. For as a jewel of gold in a swines snout: so is a faire woman which lacketh discretion. But such persons reply against God and say desperately. Noe( or not so) for wee haue admired beauty, riches and the like without godliness, and them we will admire. But as it is in the same prophet( in another place) What wilt thou say when God shall visit thee? 
jer. 13.21.  When either feeble age, or pining sickness, or anguish of soul shal seize vpon thee, and shal overtake as a woman in travail? For thou hast a long time called for vengeance against thyself by doting vpon such vanities, wherefore even as the thief is ashamed when he is found; 
Iere. 2.26.27.28.  so shall such profane undiscreet and carnal persons be ashamed and confounded for their vanity and folly in saying( as the Idolaters did to a stock, thou art my Father, and to a ston thou hast brought me forth) to a faire face, thou art my ioy, and to a full purse thou art my felicity. For they( even both these kind of Idolaters as well the corporal as the spiritual) haue turned their back to God and not their face: yet in the time of their trouble, feebleage, painful sickness, or anguish of soul, they will say Arise and save vs. But where are thy Gods( saith the Lord) that thou hast made thee? Let them arise if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble. mark I beseech you what cold comfort such find, at the hands of him who is the God of all true peace and consolation both of body and soul, and how bitterly he doth cast them in the teeth with their wicked madness, and blind folly, in doting vpon such things as could not help them in the day of adversity. A lively example hereof we haue( touching the spiritual idolatry) in the book of Iudges, where it is recorded that the children of Israell, who in the time of their prosperity had forsaken the Lord and followed idols, yet being oppressed by the Ammonites they cried vpon him; but what saith the Lord unto them, 
judge. 10.9.10.11.12.13. &c.  Ye haue forsaken me and served other gods, wherefore I will save you no more. go and cry to the gods which ye haue chosen: let them save you in the time of your tribulation. So doubtless many who in the time of their youth, health and prosperity, haue cast the fear of God behind their backs, and set their harts vpon beauty, riches, pleasures and other vanities, when they are tormented with the ston, colic, ague, or other affliction as the Israelites were with the Ammonites, will cry unto the Lord; but then they shall hear with terror( their own consciences accusing them, or some faithful man admonishing them) that they haue forsaken the Lord, & set then harts vpon the idols of their own beauty; riches and the like. Then they shall bee sent back with sorrow, & shane to those helpless vanities, whereunto before they had given their harts, and vpon which they had spent that time, and strength which in all right was due unto the Lord. For if Philemon did owe unto Paul even his own self, 
Epistle to Philomon. vers. 19.  for being an instrument and minister of his conversion; what do wee owe unto the Lord our God, who is the author and fountain not onely of our conversion, but also of our creation, predestination, election, redemption, vocation, justification, sanctification, glorification, and continual preservation, loading us with all blessings, keeping us from curses, filling our heart with fear & gladness, and daily providing for us all good things belonging both to this life, and the life to come.  
Paul in the conclusion of his epistle to the hebrews, saith, I beseech you brethren suffer the word of exhortation; 
Heb. 13.22  for I haue written a letter to you in few words( few indeed) in comparison of the weightiness, and excellency of the matter) so say I to you, I beseech you brethren and sisters in the Lord, suffer the word of correction, and reproof( though wicked men will not be rebuked, 
Pro. 9.7.8. Math. 7.6.  and scorners hate to be corrected even by word of mouth) for I haue used few words in comparison of that which the greatness and commonness of this sin doth require at my hands; 
Esto crudita. Gen. 20.16  and( as Abimelec said to Sara) Let every one of us be reproved, that are guilty of this most wicked maumetry & dotage vpon ourselves or others, in respect of any outward gift or ornament whatsoever, separated from the inward graces of sanctification and godly life. The Prophet Hosea( who lived in the same Kings daies that Esaiah did) complaining of the desperate estate of the Israelites, 
Esay. 1.1. Hose. 1.1.  telleth them That whoredom & wine, 
Hose. 4.11.  and strong drink do take away( and as it were forstale) the heart: meaning thereby that riot and vncleannes( the unseparable companions of beauty, health, & riches, where piety is wanting) do make both men and women so brutish; & blockish that no threatening or iudgments( though never so nere their necks) can once enter into their hearts. Had not such then need to be corrected and smitten with the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, 
Hebr. 4.12.  that the same being quick and powerful, sharper then any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, may bee unto them a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of their hearts, they may not onely bee convinced in their judgements of this palpable error in overprizing such outward gifts, where godliness is wanting( which was the second use & profit of this proverb) but also reproved and checked in their own consciences for their profane and ungodly conversation, proceeding from their blind ignorance and error of opinion? I haue heard( saith the Prophet) Ephraim lamenting, and bewailing himself thus; 
Ierem. 31.18.19.  Thou hast corrected me that I might bee corrected as an untamed calf( or bullock not accustomend to the yoke) convert thou me, that I may he converted, for thou art the Lord my God. Surely after I am converted it will repent me, and after I am instructed I shall smite myself vpon the thigh, I blushy for shane, and am confounded, because I bear the reproach of my youth.  
O that the ministers and men of God in these daies, might hear our Ephraimites( I mean our undiscreet profane & vain persons) lamenting & bemoaning themselves in this manner; O that they could hear them sigh and say( after they had spent the flower of their youth thus vainly and wickedly) How haue I hated instruction, 
Pro. 5.11.  and despised correction and reproof? how haue I been carried by overprizing such fading blossoms, to break all the commandements of my God? how haue I suffered my heart to be drawn away from all true love and delight in him, 
come. 1.  in whom alone all perfections of beauty, glory, and eternal felicity are complete? 
come. 2.  how haue I suffered my body to bee drawn from the holy exercises of his worship and religion, and given up my members to such carnal and devilish idolatry, honouring some painted sepulchre( as Ely did his sons) above God & Iesus Christ? 
1. Sam. 2.29. come. 3.  how haue I suffered my tongue( & some time my pen) to dishonour God, & take his glorious and fearful name in vain, by praising & magnifying Gods, 
Dan. 5.4.  not of silver & gold( as the Chaldeans did) the work of mens hands, 
Gen. 12.15 come. 4.  but of beauty & comeliness the workmanship of Gods fingers( though for a better end) as the Egyptians did? How haue I wasted my time( and yet not mine own but the Lords) even the holy Sabbaths which I should haue called a delight to consecrate them as glorious to the Lord, 
Esay 58.13.  and to honour him, not doing my own ways, nor seeking my own will, nor speaking vain and idle words? 
come. 5.  How haue I( to come to my sins against the second table) dishonoured my natural parents, and kinsfolk in the choice of my match, despising( with Esau) their counsel and authority, 
Gen. 26.34.35.  preferring in respect of beauty and outward things, a profane and irreligious person, before one that vnfainedly feareth the Lord? how haue I been barbarous and cruel to mine own flesh, 
come. 6.  and injurious to the Church of God, seeking even with the hazard of my own life, 
This is properly the sin of women bewitched with an overweening of the excellency of bodily beauty, to which sin some men are too ready to give way.  and health, to keep back and hinder the fruits of my womb, or else( if that will not bee) by skipping and dancing, by physic and slubbersauce, and other disorders to abolish the fruit of my own body? Thus( like a furious Medea) playing the wicked murderer of the children of my own womb, and all to preserve this brickle and fading blossom of outward beauty, and fineness of body, which becometh such a cursed woman no better then a jewel of gold becometh a swine.  
certainly as easter said to Assuerus of Haman, 
easter. 7.4. A digression in reproof of this sin.  that the adversary could not recompense or countervail the kings loss. So may I say to all christians of such women, aduersaries to all godliness and honesty, enemies not onely to the grace and fear of God, but even to the light of nature also, that they cannot recompense Gods loss, who is King of Kings, & Lord of Lords, in defrauding him of many sons and daughters, which might haue proved more profitable members in his Church, then ever they themselves were. The murderer of any man is severely inquired into by mans law in the Kings behalf, and that vpon this ground, because by means of that murder the king hath lost a subject: and shall wee think that he who is King of heaven, and earth; will wink at such wanton murdering of his subiects, yea rather of his children, and that by the bloody hands of their unnatural parents, whom he appointed to bee instruments, not onely of their being, but also of their well being, yea of their holy and happy being? No verily for he hath  told us the flat contrary, 
Eph. 6.4. Gen. 9.5.6  saying: Surely I will require your blood wherein your lives are: at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of a man, even at the hand of every mans brother will I require the life of man. whosoever sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be  shed: for in the image of God made he him. Paul saith that the woman, 
1. Tim. 2.15 Psal. 36.6.  notwithstanding her frailty & inferiority to the man, shall be saved( that is greatly blessed and comforted of God) in bearing children( or through bearing children) if they continue in faith and love, and holinesse with modesty and sobriety. If she shal be blessed in or by bearing of children, shall she not be cursed for abolishing of children? for if he be cursed that smiteth any man secretly( that is closely and cunningly concealing it from the magistrate) how much more shal she be cursed of God, that secretly and colourably( pretending sickness or infirmity) murdereth and maketh away the fruit of her own belly, to the end that thereby( in her imagination) she may maintain and preserve the comely slenderness and fineness of her body? How then dare any woman professing Christianity thus secretly smite her own flesh: 
Mal. 3.15. The word( seed) by a metonymy of the matter, signifieth a child or children. An objection answered.  and privily murder( as the prophet calleth it) A seed( that is a child, son or daughter) of God, before it see the light of the sun.  
Here perhaps some such mother( or rather monster) will say that these two are nothing like, and that there is no comparison betwixt the murdering of a child( man or woman) that is seen to live, move, breath, eat, drink, waike, talk, and use the like actions of life, and betwixt the marring and abolishing of a supposed conception, which no man can certainly tell what it is, or how it will prove, before it bee born into the world. In answering of whom I will not wade into the discussing of that question( which the opposition of some divines hath made difficult and doubtful) touching the original of the soul, whether it come mediately from the parents by the act of generation, or immediately from above by divine infusion: and if( which I take to bee the truer opinion) by infusion from God, whether it come before the quickening, or after the quickening: with these questions( I say) I will not meddle, my drift being onely to show that it is a grievous sin against God to deface and spoil his workmanship, and to corrupt and abolish a creature, which though it should not( as some think it doth wheresoever there is a true conception) carry the image of God engraven in it; 
Psal. 51.5.  yet it is at least( which none will deny) capable of it, and doth( as they term it) potentially or in power and possibility carry it already. Whereupon it followeth that the reason which the Lord useth to aggravate the heinousness of manslaughter( namely Because he made man in the image of God) will lye heavily against such unnatural and misproud mothers, 
Gene. 9.6.  or rather murderers of the fruit of their own bodies, though it be not yet come to the perfection that it might, and in all likelihood( at least for ought they know) happily would, if it were not thus unhappily prevented by their pride. moreover wee read in the law of God, 
Exo. 21.22.23.24.25.  that If men strive together and hurt( or smite) a woman with child, so that her child depart from her, and no death( mischief or destruction either to mother or child) follow he shall surely bee punished, according as the womans husband shall lay vpon him, and shall pay as the iudges determine. But if death( or any mischief or destruction) follow, then thou shalt give life for life; and so forth. Mark here the severity of Gods law against the mischieuing, or murdering of an infant before the birth & causing an untimely birth, yea though by another man, though unawares, through rashness and unadvised heat, though contrary to his purpose & meaning, which was onely to kill or mischief his neighbour, and not the woman, or that she went withall, what severe punishment then may we think in conscience to be due to the mothers themselves, who being provoked by no injury, nor stirred up to any passion( but ought rather to bee full of the bowels of compassion) do witting, willingly and of set purpose, even of mere pride, contend & strive with the work of God and nature, to murder or mischief it, 
Pro. 13.10  and that onely for the maintaining of( as they imagine) that blossom, which to such graceless persons is rather a blemish then an ornament? Who seeth not the necessity of this consequence, and force of this reason? And albeit mans law should neglect the equity of this judicial, will not God, who iudgeth whoremongers and adulterers, 
Hebr. 13.4  be avenged of such unnatural and cruel murderers? And if Onan were made an example of Gods wrath to all posterity) for corrupting his seed through envy before 
Gen. 38.8.9.10.  it came near any conception, how shall they think to escape, who spoil the same after it is come to further perfection? I speak not this of common harlots, nor yet of such who having fallen through infirmity, do add sin to sin, and cruelty to uncleanness, to hid their fault from the eyes of men, but rather of such who( contrary to the doctrine of this proverb) being possessed with an overweening opinion of the excellency of beauty without piety, do grudge and strive against that, which they might and ought to avow to the praise and glory of almighty God.  
From this roote springeth another sin of the same kind; 
A reproof of such as wilfully neglect to nurse their own children.  which though it bee not altogether so heinous as the former is; and haue fairer pretences then the other hath; yet it is a sin contrary both to the law of nature, and to the doctrine and examples of the word of God; I mean the sin of mothers, who having( by the providence of God) abundance of milk, health of body, and in competent & sufficient measure all abilities and opportunities, for the nursing & suckling of their own children, do notwithstanding out of an immoderate care of pampering their bodies, and maintaining their beauties, and bravery of apparel, unnaturally omit and reject so necessary, christian and comfortable a duty. That this is a sin against the law of nature, may appear by the practise of all nations both civil and barbarous( yea of the very brute beasts) christian and heathen, and by the manifold natural reasons, where vpon the same practise is grounded. That it is contrary to the doctrine and practise of the Saints; written for our learning in the holy book of God, might bee shewed by sundry testimonies and examples which to enlarge and stand vpon were to make another treatise.  
Wherefore referring the godly christian to the further reading, 
Genes. 49.25. &. 21.6 7. job. 39.14.15.16. Lamen. 3.4 Cant. 8.1.8. Exod. 2.2.9. 1. Sam. 1.23. Psal. 22.9. 1. King. 3.21. Luk. 11.27 2. Tim. 5.10. Tit. 2.4. The conclusion of the third use with a prayer and a passage to the fourth. 1. Cor. 11.34. Pag. 34.  and meditation of the Scriptures quoted in the margin, and other of the like nature; I end this third use, and profit of this holy proverb which is correction or reproof; beseeching almighty God, that their own wickedness( who are guilty this way) may correct them, and that their own hearts may smite them, as Dauids did for a less fault, and that they may so judge themselves in this world, that they may not bee condemned with this world. So much of the third use of this holy proverb, where vpon I haue dwelled some what the longer, because( as hath been said) the direct and proper use, and drift of this proverb is to correct and reprove the sin of them, who bring a curse both vpon themselves and others, by making a separation of those things, which God would haue us join together, that is of beauty and chastity, riches and religion, natural gifts and spiritual graces, 
Esay 40.6.7.8.  preferring flesh which is but grass, and the glory of flesh which is but as the flower of the field, before the word of the Lord which endureth for ever.  
Wherefore( to speak a word or two of the fourth use of this proverb) as it serveth to teach, 
Instruction.  to convince, and to correct; so doth it likewise serve to instruct, direct, awaken, quicken, comfort, encourage, and stir up all ages, sexes, and conditions to a cheerful constant and faithful performance of this holy duty of joining piety to beauty, a religious heart to a beautiful face, a good conscience to a great estate; and to prefer a little wealth, 
Psal. 37.16 Pro. 15.16  a little health, a little beauty, a few worldly comforts and benefits( yea if need be none at all) being joined with the fear of God, before any one, or all of these together, being joined with indiscretion and profaneness. harken then to Salomon O all ye faire ones that want discretion, ye noble and honourable, ye witty and wealthy, ye strong and helthie that fear not God, 
jer. 13.15.  which is the true wisdom, beauty and riches; bear and give care, be not proud of your painted sheathe & bullocks feathers, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it, that none of these things can make you comely and amiable in his eyes; if grace and godly discretion be wanting; 
1. Cor. 12.31.  Therefore covet earnestly the best gifts, and above all that you may fear the Lord, despise not prophesying which edifieth, but despise pride in outward things which puffeth up, and maketh that men know neither God nor themselves. For as the prophet saith of the people of Israel. 
Esay 1.3.  The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his masters crib( and the unclean hog his dames swil-tub) & in another place; 
jer. 8.7.8.  even the stork in the air knoweth her appointed time, and the turtle, and the crane, and the swallow observe the time of their coming: but my people knoweth not the iudgement of the Lord: so( may I say of such conceited and proud persons, that they also know not the iudgement of the Lord; they neither fear nor foresee his punishments coming vpon them for their sins, they neither know, nor aclowledge, worship or serve( with zeal and euotion) any other God, but the idol of their own brain; even the thing that they( in the error of their judgements) haue fancied to themselves, and set their hearts vpon; as pleasure, beauty, riches, and the like vanishing and unprofitable vanities; whereby it cometh to pass that they are much more brutish and senseless then the beasts themselves.  
Christ saith to the pharisees,( sinning in another kind) ye are they that justify yourselves before men, 
Luk. 16.15.  but God knoweth your hearts, for that which is highly esteemed before men( as external holinesse, fasting, prayer, alms deeds without sincerity) is odious and abominable in the sight of God. The like may the true ministers and members of Iesus Christ say to such vain men and women. ye are they that flatter and please yourselves, and desire to appear faire and comely, beautiful and glorious in the eyes of men, but God seeth your hearts, he seeth your pride, profaneness and indiscretion, which make these things which are highly esteemed before men( as beauty riches honor, and prosperity without piety) odious & abominable unto him. And though Samuel otherwise a holy prophet, were( as a man) vpon the sudden deceived and carried away with the goodly stature and comely person of Eliab the eldest son of Ishai, as if he were appointed to succeed Saul( a goodly tall man of stature) in the kingdom of Israel, 
1. Sam. 16.6.7.8.  yet God teacheth him another lesson, as wee may read in that place. look not( saith the Lord) on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I haue refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth, for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. wherefore( to return to our instruction the fourth and last use and profit of this proverb) O ye vain and foolish men and women, hear and give ear, bee not proud of such fading flowers, give glory to the Lord your God in confessing & forsaking your wicked lives( made much more sinful and committed with greater greediness by occasion of these outward gifts) before your light bee turned into darkness, your beauty into blackness( as most certainly it shalbe especially at the resurrection of the just) your strength into weakness and your plenty into want. 
Eph. 5.14. 1. Thes. 5.6 Esay 29.8.  Awake awake out of this spiritual sleep and golden dream. For all this while( that is so long as you dote vpon these things) ye are but as when a hungry man dreameth and behold he eateth, but when he awaketh his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and behold he drinketh; but when he awaketh his soul is faint and longeth: even so it is with you, you do but dream that you are faire rich and honourable, wise and happy, as the Church of Laodicea did; but if ever you awake, and arise from your sins( which is the first resurrection) & trespasses where in you are now dead, 
revel. 20.6.  and( as it were) butted, you shal with grief aclowledge it to be true, which they should haue done; that is that you are wretched and miserable, and poor, 
revel. 3.17.18.  and blind and naked, and in like manner foul and ugly and deformed, and had need to buy( and by faithful fervent and humble prayer to beg) of Iesus Christ gold tried in the fire, that ye may be rich; and whiter raiment, that ye may bee clothed and that your filthy nakedness do not appear, and anoint your eyes with eye-salve that ye may see.  
Wherefore( as Salomon saith of one outward blessing) travell not too much to be rich, 
Pro. 23.45.  so it may bee said of the rest; travel not too much to maintain thy beauty, to increase thine estate, or to aspire to preferment: cease from thy wisdom( that is from this carnal and worldly wisdom, which is not from above from the father of lights, but from beneath from the prince of darkness) for all these things will vanish like a shadow, they will take them to their wings like an eagle and fly away: 
2. Pet. 1.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.  and give rather heed( as the Apostle exhorteth) to join virtue with your faith, and with virtue knowledge, and with knowledge temperance, and with temperance patience, and with patience godliness, and with godliness brotherly kindness, and with brotherly kindness love: for it is not beauty and comeliness of person, it is not worldly pleasure and plenty of outward things, that will bring peace to our consciences vpon our deathbed: but if these things bee among us and abound, they will make us, that we neither shall bee idle, nor unfruitful in the acknowledgement of our Lord Iesus Christ, for he that hath not these thing is blind, and cannot see a far off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins, wherefore brethren, give rather all diligence to make your calling and election sure, for if these things be in you, you shall never fall, for by these means an entrance shal be ministered to you abundantly in to the everlasting kingdom of our glorious Lord and saviour Iesus Christ. lo here you see the robes & ornaments, wherewith all Christian men and women are to adorn and beautify themselves, that they may bee rich, honourable, comely and faire indeed, though not always in the wanton eyes of worldly men, yet in the sight of God, and his holy Angels. Of the like sort and kind are those jewels and ornaments, which in his former epistle he admonisheth Christian wives to deck and trim themselves with all. Whose appareling( saith he) Let it not be( chiefly) that outward, with broidered hair, and gold put about, but let it be the hidden man of the heart, consisting in the incorruption of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God a thing much set by. For after this manner in the old time, the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves, being in subiection to their own husbands even as Sarah obeied Abraham, and called him Lord, whose daughters ye are while ye do well, not being afraid with any terror. As if he should say, will ye needs bee in the best fashion? will you go costly gay and trim indeed? then get you garments that will not perish nor corrupt, but rather grow new and wax better every day get you jewels and pearls that cannot be plucked from you, get you painting that will not in time whither your skin, rot your teeth, nor corrupt your breath, but will stick by you all your daies, and make you fairer every day then other, yea fairer and fatter in your age then you were in your youth, if with Mary, 
Psal. 92.14  you choose that good part which shall never be taken from you.  
here some may say you haue used many reasons to prove that no outward thing is an ornament to an evil man, 
The way to avoid that sin which Salomon reproveth, and to practise that duty which he requireth in this proverb.  and to convince them that think otherwise, and to reprove such as are here transported and misled in their practise, now you exhort us to join virtue with beauty, godliness with riches, and honest heart with a faire face, and a good conscience with come linesse of person and other outward gifts, but you show us not how, or by what means we may attain to this. For the satisfying of whom, I will give( yet very briefly) the best direction I can out of the book of God. david( whose pen was guided by the holy Ghost) moved the like question long ago, saying, 
Psa. 119.9.  How( or where with all, and by what means) shall a young man that is, any seruant of God especially such as bee young,( in whom reason and iudgement is most weak and affection most strong) redress his way? that is reform his life, amend his manners, mortify his affections, and change his practise; and presently he receiveth this answer as an oracle from heaven, yea he himself( as in other places) doth answer himself, by the spirit of God, 
Psal. 15.1.  saying, even by taking heed thereto according to thy word, the onely plain and perfect rule of all piety and virtue, godliness and honesty. HIs counsel was( for a heathen man) grave and good, 
Socrates.  who advised men and women to behold themselves well in a glass, & if they found themselves to be faire and welfauored, 
Psa. 100.1.  then to make their inward virtues answerable to their outward beauties, & if they perceived themselves to be foul or hard favoured, then to supply the foulness of their faces, crokednesse of their bodies,( or whatsoever blemish they found in their outward shape) with the inward virtues and fairness of their mind and manners.  
This counsel( as from a natural man) was witty and good, but the counsel which we may learn from the word of God is more holy and wise, more powerful and effectual, 
Iam. 1.24.25.26.  where the Apostle telleth us that If one hear the word of God and do it not, he is like a man that beholdeth his natural face in a glass, for when he hath considered himself, he goeth his way and immediately forgetteth what manner a one he was. In which words he doth not say that every one, that looketh in a glass, doth always forget his own favor and complexion, or goeth away without cleansing any spot in his face, or mending any fault in his apparel; for daily experience teacheth the contrary: but his drift and meaning is to show, that careless and unconscionable christians( of which sort the most part are) reap no more fruit by the holy word of God, for the edifying of their consciences, & amendment of their lives, then they do for the cleansing of their skin or mending their clothes, who look in a glass after a slight and supersiciall manner. To apply this to our purpose in answering the question propounded. By these words of the Apostle: first the vanity and sin of carnal hearers is reproved: secondly all men and women are taught how and by what means to amend their lives: even( which is the same in effect the Prophet saith) by beholding themselves in the glass of the word of God, daily wiping away the spots and amending the faults, which there are set before them. For even as by the benefit of a glass heedfully looked into, wee see the spots that are vpon our face, & faults of our apparel( especially about our heads) and are admonished and directed how to amend them: so by the benefit of the word of God, heedefully & conscionably heard, we are made to see the corruptions of our hearts, and wickedness of our lives, and are also most effectually admonished exhorted and stirred up to amend the same. Wilt thou know then O thou vain man or undiscreet woman, that art faire without virtue, rich without godliness, learned without religion, and wise without honesty, how ill these things become thee? wilt thou see thine error in ouer-prizing them, and thy sin in abusing them, and learn how to make a right and holy use of them? then look advisedly into the rule of Gods word. Take heed to thy feet when thou interest into the house of God, and be more near to heer, 
Eccl. 4.17.  then to offer up the sacrifice of fools: that is, before thou set one foot into the Church, lay aside thy proud conceits, and sinful lusts, that thou mayst be fitted for holy exercises, and being entred into the Church give an attentive and conscionable care to the word read and preached, and to the prayers that are made and offered up to God the Father, through Iesus Christ in the name and behalf of the whole congregation, that thou mayst not onely haue thy mind englightned with a true knowledge of good and evil, but also thy heart enflamed, with a godly hatred of that which is evil, and a perfect love of that which is good. The holy Apostle speaketh to the same purpose a little before, as it were expounding and enlarging the words of Salomon, when he saith, Let every man be swift to hear, 
Iam. 1.21.22.13.14.15.  slow to speak and slow to wrath, for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. wherefore lay aside all filthiness, and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiving your own selves, for if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like to a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for having considered himself, he goeth his way: and presently forgetteth what manner of one he was. But who so looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, he shal be blessed in his deed.  
Behold here, 
Psal. 45.15. luke. 12.11 Eph. 3.16.  you that desire to be faire within, as you are faire without, to be rich in God, as you are in goods, to bee strong in the inward man, as you are in body, behold I say what course you must take, what means you must use, what glass you must look yourselves in, and after what maner. But if ye say, ye will not take this course, nor obey the voice of the Lord your God, nor look into this perfect law of liberty to continue therein, but spend more time in looking and prying into a glass of steel( and that with greater earnestness) then you did in reading, hearing and meditating the word of God, then certainly( as hath been proved) you shall never please God, nor be accepted in his sight, howsoever you may please your own fancies, and be had a little while in admiration of such profane, and ignorant persons as yourselves. As for thereligious and godly wise, notwithstanding they will( and that of conscience, as the word of God doth teach them) give you that civil honor and respect, which is due to the place, and calling you are in, yet they will think of you in their harts( while you continue in the lusts of your ignorance) no better then of swine hung with jewels, whited walls, and painted sepulchres, slaves and bondmen to Satan, fools set on horseback by Gods most wise and powerful permission and appointment, 
Eccl. 10.6.7. The person of aged and of the minister and chiefly of the magistrate to be reverenced in respect of their yeares and calling  while they that be princes indeed and heires of glory, are fain like seruants to trot afoot.  
But least any conceited and ignorant person, seduced by the spirit of pride and error( as many haue been in al ages) should take occasion hereby to despise government and spurn against authority, because their inward graces, shining in their speeches and actions, are not answerable to their outward ornaments and honours, we must keep in mind the distinction and difference of outward things and common gifts indifferently bestowed vpon al men, namely that they be either the gifts of the body, or of the mind, or such as appertain to the whole man. Now concerning the gifts of the body, as health, strength, beauty, and the like bestowed vpon a profane person, who doth abuse them, they do not bind us to respect and reverence him a whit the more, but rather to loathe and despise him; yet with all to pity and pray for him. The like is to bee said of the gifts of the mind, whether they be naturally engrafted of God, as wit and memory, or gotten by industry, as art and learning, which being bestowed vpon a man of a wicked life, we are rather to loathe, pity & pray for him in respect of the spiritual graces, which he wanteth, then to admire him in respect of the natural gifts that he abuseth, which is true as of them, so of riches, good success faces and the like gifts belonging to the whole man or woman, which do not of themselves bind us in consciences, to give any reverence to such as haue them; but onely so far forth as they are joined to authority, dignity and pre-eminence of calling or yeares. For in these respects wee are to give honor to them even for conscience sake. Thus Abraham did reverence and humble himself to the uncircumcised canaanites; 
Gen. 13.7 Gen. 33.3.  and jacob bowed to profane Esau, and david( a man according to Gods own mind) did not onely stoupe to Saul a wicked king, 
1. Sam. 24.9. & 25.8.  but also in some sort to Nabal a churlish kinsman, calling himself his son because he was his superior in yeares. We red what monsters rather then men( as Nero and others) were in authority, when Paul lived: yet mark what a law, and what awe he layeth vpon all Christians to reverence and obey them saying, 
Rom. 13.1.2.3.4.5.6.  Let every soul be subject to the higher powers; for there is no power but of God, and the powers that be are ordained of God. whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation; for magistrates are not to be feared for good works, but for evil: wilt thou then be without fear of the power? do well, so shalt thou haue praise of the same: for he is the minister of God for thy wealth: but if thou do evil, fear: for he beareth not the sword for nought, for he is the minister of God to take vengeance on them that do evil: wherefore we must be subject, not because of wrath only, but also for conscience sake, for this cause ye pay also tribute; for they are Gods ministers, attending continually vpon this very thing. give to al men therefore their due: tribute to whom ye owe tribute, custom to whom custom: fear to whom fear, and honour to whom ye owe honour.  
If any object that Paul himself did not practise this doctrine, 
Act. 23.3.4 5.  when he taunted the high priest before a multitude. It must bee considered that the office of the high priest was now at an end, Christ Iesus( who was a high priest for ever after the order of Melchisidec) being not onely come in the flesh, but risen from the dead, and entred into glory, and seated at the right hand of God in the highest heaven, possessed of his eternal kingdom and priesthood. Besides, Paul himself doth profess before them all, that he did not know( or at least aclowledge) him to bee a lawful high priest; for if he had, he would not haue used those words, nor called him whited wall, because the Scripture saith, Thou shalt not revile the ruler of thy people. And we red how submissely, and modestly he behaved himself afterwards towards Festus( an idolatrous & heathen man) being a magistrate. 
Act. 28.25.  For notwithstanding he were by him openly upbraided with frenzy and madness; yet he answered( as with boldness and courage so) with patience & humility. I am not mad O noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and soberness. again, though Paul as a man, 
Gal. 2.11.  should haue failed aswell as Peter did, who was also an Apostle( though we never red that Paul did fail in any public action) yet that rule which Christ giveth concerning the jewish Priests ought to hold even concerning the Apostles also. 
Matth. 23.2.3.  The Scribes and pharisees( saith he) sit in Moses seat, all therefore what so ever they bid you do, that observe and do, but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. In like manner it may bee said. The Apostles sit in Christ his seat, and therfore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do, but do not imitate them in all their personal actions, wherein( as private men) they might be deceived. If any say that Elias dealt roughly with Ahab,( being a King) returning his dung vpon his own face, when he told him it was he and his fathers house that had troubled Israel: 
1. King. 18.18.  and that Elisha dealt rudely with King jehoram, 
1. King. 3.13  when coming before him, he told him, that He had nothing to do with him, and bid him get him to the prophets of his father, and to the prophets of his mother and so forth. To such I answer as Christ did to his disciples james and John in the like case; Ye know not of what spirit ye are. 
Luk. 9.55.  Finally( to leave this question) that charge which Peter giveth to seruants belongeth to all inferiors: 
1. Pet. 2.18 29.21.  Seruants( saith he) be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and courteous, but also to the froward: for this is thank worthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully, for what praise is it, if when you be buffeted for your faults, you take it patiently? for Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow, mark here how he saith: not only to the good and courteous; but also to the froward( whose authority, riches, & pre-eminence become them no better, then the jewels that are hung vpon the snout do become a swine) who are notwithstanding to be reverenced, & respected for conscience sake, because of the commandement of God, and of that image of his government and superiority which they carry. The like he saith( in the chapter following) to wives, whose husbands were infidels & idolaters, 
Eph. 2.12.  even( as Paul saith) very Atheists in the world. Wherefore let none say O if I had a virtuous wife, or a religious husband; if I had a courteous & discreet master, I could most willingly submit myself, & yield al duty and obedience unto them: O let no such voices bee heard out of our mouths, for( as Peter saith) it is not worthy thankes( though it bee more then is found in a great number) to bee obedient and dutiful to such. Besides the commandement is general without restraint. 
Exo. 20.12  Honor thy father and mother, &c. whether they be froward or courteous, bitter or sweet unto thee. 
Eph. 6.1. Coloss. 3.18.  Onely the Apostle Paul addeth one limitation when he saith. In the Lord, that is so far forth as you may without sinning against the Lord, who is out spiritual and heavenly husband, father, king, and master. If any say, this will make them more proud and insolent then otherwise they would bee? I answer what is that to thee? 
John 21.2.22. 1. Sam. 24.14.  follow thou the Lord Iesus Christ, and say with holy david. Let wickedness come from the wicked, but let not my hand be against him. Besides the Apostles( who wrote by the infallible direction of the holy Ghost) telleth us that this is the way to gain them and to make them better, 
1. Pet. 3.2.  
Psal. 36.1.  and not the way to loose them, and make them worse: wherefore though thy conscience tell thee, 
Esay 1 3.  that( continuing in their wicked course) they are very Atheists in hart, and worse then brute beasts in the sight of God; yet let it also teach thee that they are to bee honoured, and obeyed in the Lord.  
But to shut up the fourth and last use of this proverb, 
The conclusion of the whole.  which concerneth instruction. Let us mark first, what jewels, talents and gifts, more or less, greater or smaller wee haue received, and are as it were decked and adorned with all. Secondly, let us remember from whom wee haue received them, 
Iam. 1.17.  even from above, from the father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Thirdly, let us observe how frankly and freely, the Lord hath given the same unto us, even( as the Apostle saith in the next verse) of his mere will and pleasure, without any the least respect of our worthiness or desert. Fourthly, let us consider for what end and purpose he hath, so freely and graciously bestowed the same vpon us, namely( which is the chief and principal end of all things) for the setting forth of his praise and glory; 
Prou. 16.24. 1. Cor. 10.31.  and in the next place for the spiritual good and eternal salvation of ourselves and others. Fifthly and lastly( which is the main scope and principal drift of this proverb) let us evermore bee mindful( having duly and thoroughly considered what natural parts, and outward gifts wee be endowed with all) to strive & stir up ourselves daily, 
Mark. 9.23  to make our inward and spiritual graces( as virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and love) equal to them, yea if it bee possible( as all things are possible to him that believeth and useth the means) far to exceed and go beyond thē. These goulden virtues well linked together, will make a more precious and comely chain, then either nature, or art, our own industry, or the favour of others( though they bee the greatest princes in the world) can possibly bestow vpon us: they will give such a grace and set( as they call it) a lustre vpon us, that whatsoever our lot bee, whether beauty or blackness, strength or weakness, plenty or want, nothing shall disfigure us, but rather make us amiable and acceptable in the eyes of God, and his seruants, yea sometimes of his enemies. What wise marchants and provident chapmen would not make sale of all they haue to furnish themselves with such wears, as are not onely precious and vendible in themselves, but will also correct and commend the most refuse and dead commodity that can fall into their hands?  
This course if we take( according to the scope and drift of this divine proverb) wee shall not need with that vain Philosopher) to drown our riches in the sea, lest they should drown us; nor with another( as foolish as he) to spoil our favor, 
Crates Thebanus. Spurina Etruscus.  and disfigure our faces lest any should be enamoured of vs. Nor with some popish princes( of ignorance and superstition) to change our palace for an unclean cloister, or our crown of gold for a monks cowl. Nor with some impatient person, to curse our beauty; birth, or any other blessing of God; but rather with faithful david to cry out, 
Psal. 116.12.  What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me? How shal I improve, and employ my health and strength, my beauty, and comeliness, my wit and learning, my birth and nobility, my riches and authority to the glory of God that gave them, and to my own salvation to whom he hath given them. O that the Lord would due me with this holy discretion, that he would give me a believing and religious heart, and make all these outward ornaments, and common gifts, instruments of grace, and spurs to godliness. 
2. Tim. 6.8.  For as godliness alone is that precious treasure, and onely rich revenue, that bringeth with it true contentedness; so it is the fresh and lively colour, which setteth such a gloss vpon all the gifts of God, as maketh them comely and well-beseeming to all that haue them: yea which maketh a chain of iron more beautiful and sightly( being hung vpon the arms and legs of the seruant of God) then any chain of gold or pearl being 
Act. 26.29. et. 28.20. Eph. 6.20. 2. Tim. 1.16.  hung vpon the neck of a swine, or seruant of the divell. O the felicity, and blessed estate of that man, and of that woman faire, or foul, healthy or sickly, rich or poor, base or noble, that hath attained this golden gift, even this saving & sanctifying grace of godly discretion. For to such a one all things, even things of base and common account in the world,( as poverty, imprisonment, persecution, banishment, sickness, & the like) are most decent and comely, on the contrary part) O the misery, & cursed condition of them that want this holy discretion, how many glorious gifts and good things soever they haue received of the Lord beside. For none of all these things do become them, but rather disfigure and deform them, and are utterly cast away vpon them, make their persons more odious & detestable, and their estate more damnable and inexcusable before God and his holy Angels, and before all good men, judging soundly according to the truth of the word of God.  
To show this( ere I end) in one particular, in that sex which Salomon intendeth chiefly to instruct by this proverb. A virtuous woman( saith he( is the crown of hir husband( or a crown to hir husband) but she that maketh ashamed, 
Pro. 12.4.  is as rottenness in his bones, meaning by a virtuous woman, a religious, discreet, chast, modest, and huswifely woman, and by one that maketh ashamed, one( according to the phrase used in this text) that lacketh discretion, that is, godly wisdom and understanding to redress hir ways, according to the word of God. A crown( we know) is a comely and kingly ornament, 
2. Sam. 12.30.  rich and sumptuous in the highest degree. It is said of the crown of the king of Ammon which david took from him that the weight thereof was a talent of gold, set with precious stones, which must needs bee of very great value, yet Salom●n compareth a discreet and virtuous woman to such a comely, sumptuous and princely crown; yea in another place he prefereth such a one before things of greatest price and value vpon earth, who( saith he) can find a virtuous woman? 
Pro. 31.10.  for hir price is far above pearls, and precious stones. The meaning is, that a virtuous wife doth far excel all outward blessings that heart can wish, & doth bring a man more true credit, sound joy, comfort, contentment and hearts ease, then a crown of gold set with pearls and precious stones can bring to any ambitious Absolom whatsoever: and that a vicious woman yoked to a man in marriage, taketh away al the ioy of his life, and is the greatest plague and torment in the world, comparable to any gout, ston, or bone ache that the frail and sinful body of man is subject unto. 
Gen. 18.12. & 21.10 &. 27 46. Luk. 1.16. Iud. 16.5.6 job. 2.9. & 29.17.  Sarah was such a crown to faithful Abraham, Rebecca to Isaac, and Elizabeth to Zachary: on the other side Delilah was such a grievous bone ache to valiant samson; Micol to holy david, and Iobs wife to his afflicted and patient soul. Now what is it that maketh a virtuous woman so precious, & a vicious woman so vild? Surely it is not beauty; birth, or riches; nor on the other side, blackness, baseness, poverty or the like( as hath been proved) but the piety, modesty, huswiferie, chastity, and in a word the holy discretion of the one, and the profaneness and indiscretion of the other.  
Wherefore( deere brethren and sisters in the Lord) let us all like good Israelites wrestle with God, let us weep and pray to him, 
Gen. 32.14  let us contend and strive( as Paul saith) for 
Hosse. 12.4  this gift of holy discretion as for a price or mastery: 
Colos. 4.12  let us strive I say( as for a garlond) for this golden discretion, which will make us amiable in Gods eyes, an ornament to good men, 
Esay 48.18 42.  and a comfort( for without this there is no sound comfort) to ourselves: and let us labour and fight, as against a most deadly and dangerous enemy, so against this profane and carnal indiscretion, which will make us( though wee had all the ornaments in the world besides) odious to God, a reproach to men, and a burden to ourselves, 
Mat. 16.26  What will it( saith Christ profit a man if( by apostasy and worldly wisdom, which with God is extreme folly and indiscretion) he shall gain the whole world, and loose his own soul? 
Pro. 11.30  Or what shall a man give for recompense of his soul? Salomon saith in one of his proverbs that He( or she) that winneth souls( which is done by holy doctrine, 
Dan. 12.3.  and example of life, the later whereof is in effect the same with godly discretion) is wise. For such( as saith the Prophet) shall shine as the stars for ever and ever. This spiritual gain and covetousness( as I may call it) moved the holy Apostle to make himself all things to all men, that he might win the more; and by an elegant comparison to provoke all Christians( after his example) to take the like course. 
1. Cor. 9.24.  Know ye not( saith he) that they who run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prise? So run that ye may obtain; and every man that striveth for mastery is temperate in all things: Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but wee for an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as vncertainelie; So fight I not as one that heateth the air but I beate down my body, and bring it into subiection, least by any means having preached unto others, I myself become a castaway. mark here a lively example of a Christian Champion, to bee imitated not onely( though chiefly) of Ministers, but generally by all, that profess christianity and beleeue( with Paul) the resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust, and do hope and long after the life everlasting. For this is as much in effect, as if he should say what a shane, yea what a madness were it, for us ( who look for an exceeding superexcellent and eternal weight of glory) to pamper the body, 
2. Cor. 4.17.  to dote vpon beauty, bodily pleasures, transitory riches, worldly honor, or any thing that may hinder us in our Christian race, seeing they are so strict and temperate in diet, that look only for a garlond of leaves?  
Let us therefore( beloved in the Lord) in like manner so run that wee may obtain. Let us beate down our bodies, and keep them in subiection to the spirit, least when wee haue a little while pleased ourselves in following the lust of the flesh, 
1. joh. 2.15 16.  the lust of the eye and the pride of life, wee loose the fruition of the Lords most blessed and holy presence for ever. Let us deny ourselves, 
Col. 3.5.6.  and mortefie our earthly members, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affections, evil concupiscence and covetousness( in like manner, pride and self-pleasing, ouer-prizing and doting vpon outward things) which is idolatry, for which things sake, the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. Let us( as was said before) like good Israelites so wrestle with God by faithful, earnest, and humble prayer, that wee may prevail, and get power and victory over the vanity of our minds, and pride of our hearts, and to detest the dreams, and pollute the idols of our own brains, to cast away all carnal imaginations, and profane admiration of outward things, 
Esay 30.22  to say to our wires and tires, our deckings and paintings, and all our gewgaws( not befeeming gravity and sobriety) Get you hence, 
josu. 24.21.24.  we will worship the Lord our God, and him onely will wee serve, wee will go and return to( the Lord) our first husband, for it was better with us then, 
Hose. 2.7.  then it is now: wee will abhor vanity, and despise vild persons, and honour them that fear the Lord, 
Psal. 15.4. & 119.63.  and their companions will wee be: we will esteem better of the poor( base deformed sickly simplo and unlearned) that walketh in his integrity, 
Pro. 19.1. & 28.6.  then of him that abuseth his lips( boasting of his riches, birth, beauty, health, wit, and learning) and wanteth grace. 
Gen. 32.26.  Finally let us firmly resolve with valiant jacob never to leave our hold, nor to give the Lord any rest, till he haue blessed us, that is, bestowed vpon us, some competent and comfortable portion and measure of this saving and sanctifying grace of holy discretion, without which nothing will become us, or commend us in the eyes of Almighty God and his blessed Angels, and saints, and with which, all things whatsoever( sin only excepted) will beautify and adorn us, and make us faire and comely, rich and wealthy, strong and healthy, learned and witty, noble and mighty, though not to the eye of flesh and blood; yet to the eye of faith and sound belief in the perfect law of the onely wise God, to whom alone bee all glory for ever Amen. Now the God of all mercy and consolation, who is near to all them that call vpon him in faith and singleness of heart, grant to every one of us a comfortable measure of this heavenly grace of godly and holy discretion, and that for Christ Iesus sake his most dearly beloved, and onely begotten Son, and our alone mediator and advocate. To whom with God the Father, and God the holy Ghost, being the King eternal, invisible, and immortal, the only wise, most just and good God, be given all power and dominion, all glory and honour, thanksgiving and obedience for ever and ever, Amen.  
FINIS.   

Printed at London by Felix Kingston for Richard boil, and William jones. 1613.   

Faults escaped through the imperfection of the copy.  
page. 63. line 18. for first, red( fift.) pa. 66. l. the last put out( great). p. 73. l. the last put out( they.) pa. 105. l. 5. in the margin for Ier. 27. red( 17.) pa. 131. line. 1. for fear, red( food.) p. 155. line 18. for and red( an.)  
As these faults are not many nor great, so the rest( as the omitting, misplacing, or mistaking of a section, comma, colon, semicolon, or period and sometimes of a letter) as they cannot but besomewhat harsh to the judicious, so they will not( I hope) hinder the ingenuous Reader.   

TO THE CHRISTIan Reader.  
BEing the last summer saving one, solitary in the Country, I was much refreshed by the weekly letters of one M. John Withyman, a learned and godly young man, who( if poverty had not compelled him to spend that time in attending vpon the press, which he should and most gladly would haue bestowed vpon his study) might haue proved( in mine opinion) if God had prolonged his daies and blessed his labours, a man in all learning( especially divine, whereunto he was devoted, being a minister and preacher of the word) inferior to few that I know in this age. This good young man, being my kind neighbour, and having been sometime my seruant and scholar in the city; and after( by my means) placed in the university,( where for the time his profiting was not ordinary) did in one or two of his letters request me, that if I had any thing lying by me, that I thought might be of use for Gods people, and a benefit to him, I would sand it to him, because now he had good leisure to perfect and publish it, faithfully promising that he would use such liberty in adding and detracting, & altering both the phrase and matter, as that it might bee truly counted his own. Vpon this condition I sent him this little Somewhat which here you see, not doubting, but that( according to his promise) he would haue put a better coat and shape vpon it; but being prevented by the stroke of God, which at that time was to him so unexpected( but for which he was at no time unprepared) it returned( after some space of time) to me again as it went from me, whereupon I entered into some doubtful deliberation what to do with it, inclining rather to bury it in silence, then to suffer it to see the light, in this censorious and learned age, yet in fine( being encouraged by some friends) I gave way to the publishing of it; trusting by the mercy of God, that it may be profitable to some, and hoping that it will neither be offensive nor hurtful to any; for which I pray, and desire thee therein to join with me. Thus having plainly and truly shewed thee the occasion of this bold adventure. I commend us all to the grace of God in Iesus Christ this 18. of December. 1612.  
Thine in the Lord S. E.