5. He is a madman, a ' fool,' that hitrts (lud lioiiiuls himself. None else will do so. Wicked carnal men, they wound, and hurt, and stab their own consciences. Oh, if any man should do them but the thousandth part of the harm that they do themselves every day, they would not endure it. They gall and load their consciences with many sins, and they do it to themselves. Therefore it is a deserved title that is given them. God meets with the pride of men in this term of folly. For a wicked man, above all things, is careful to avoid this imputation of ' fool.' Account him what you will, so you account him a shrewd man withal, that can overreach others, that he is crafty and wise, he glories in the reputation of wisdom, though God account him a fool, and he shall be found so afterward ; and to abate the pride of men, he brings a disgraceful term over their wit and learning, and calls them fools.
Use 1. This should abase anij man that is not a right and sound Christian, that the ' God of wisdom,' and the Scripture — that is, God's word — esteems of all wicked men, be what they will, to be ' fools,' and that in their own judgments, if they be not atheists, if they will grant the principles they pretend to believe.
Let this, therefore, be an aggravation in your thoughts when you are tempted to commit any sin. Oh, besides that it is a transgression and rebellion against God's commandment, it is ' folly in Israel,' and this will be ' bitterness in the end.'
Use 2. Is he not a ' fool' that will do that in an instant, that he may repent many years after? Is he not a foolish man, in matter of diet, that will take that that he shall complain of a long time after ? None will be so foolish in outward things. So when we are tempted to sin, think. Is it not folly to do this, when the time will come that I shall wish it undone again, with the loss of a world. if I had it to give ?
Use 3. And beg of God the wisdom of the Holy Ghost, to judge aright of things, the ' ej'e-salve of the Spirit of God, to discern of things that differ,' Eev. iii. 18 ; to judge spiritual riches to be best, and spiritual nobility and excellency to be best ; and to judge of sinful courses to be base, however otherwise painful.* Let us labour for grace. ' The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,' Prov. i. 7. Those that do not fear the Lord, they have no wisdom.
Use 4. And pass notf for the vain censures of ivicked men. Tliou art hindered from the practice of religious duties, and from a conscionablej course of life. Why ? Perhaps thou shalt be accounted a fool. By whom ? By those that are fools indeed, in the judgment of him who is wisdom indeed, God himself. W^ho would care to be accounted a fool of a fool ? We see the Scripture judgeth wicked men here to be ' fools.'
We must not extend it only to wicked men, but even likewise God's children, when they yield to their corruptions and passions, they are foolish
* Qu. 'gainful'? — Ed. J That is, ' conscientious.'— G.
t Tliat is, ' heed not.' — G.
WITH A EETUEN OF PRAISE,
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for the time : in Ps. xxxviii. 5, ' My wounds stink and are corrupt, because of my foolishness ;' and in Ps. Ixxiii. 22, ' So foolish was I and ignorant,' &c.
Therefore, when any base thought of God's providence comes in our mind, or any temptation to sin, let us think it * folly ; ' and when we are overtaken with any sin, let us befool ourselves, and judge it, as God doth, to be foolishness. This is the ground and foundation of repentance. So much for the quality of the persons here described, ' fools.'
I come to the cause.
* Because of their transgressions, and because of their iniquities.'
Transgression especially hath reference to rebellion against God and his ordinances in the first table. Iniquity hath reference to the breach of the second table, against men; and both "these have their rise from folly. For want of wisdom causeth rebellion against God, and iniquity against men. All breaches of God's will come from spiritual folly.
Why doth he begin with transgi-essions against the first table, and then iniquities, the breach of the second ?
Because all breaches of the second table issue from the breach of the first. A man is never unjust to his neighbours, that doth not rebel against God's will in the first table ; and the foundation of obedience and duty to man, it riseth from man's obedience to God. Therefore the second table is like the first : that is, our love to our neighbour is like to our love of God ; not only Hke it, but it springs from it. For all comes from the love of God. Therefore the first command of the first table runs through all the commandments. * Thou shalt honour God ; ' and honour man, because we honour God. A man never denies obedience to his superior, to the magistrate, &c., but he denies it to God first ; a man never wrongs man, but he disobeys God first. Therefore, the apostles lay the duties of the second table in the Scriptures upon the first. St Paul always begins his epistles with the duties to God and religion, and when he hath discharged that, he comes to parents, and masters, and children, and servants, and such particular duties ; because the spring of our duty to man is our duty to God, and the first justice is the justice of religion to God. When we are not just to give God his due, thereupon come all breaches in our civil conversation and commerce with men. For want of the fear of God, men do this : as Joseph said, ' How shall I do this, and offend God ? ' Gen. xxxix. 9 ; and Abraham, he had a conceit they would abuse his wife, * Surely the fear of God is not here,' Gen. xx. 13. Therefore he thought they would not be afraid to do anything. He that fears not God, if opportunity serve, he wU not be afraid to violate the second table. He that fears God, he will reason, ' How shall I do this,' to wrong another in his name and repu- tation, or in his estate, and sin against God ? For I cannot sin against man, but I must first sin against God. That is the reason he sets it down thus, transgressions and iniquities.