how then with men of blood,
enraged, whose inveterate malice hath now occasion to vent against all the
godly? For thou wilt learn his ways, as we have always seen it by
experience, and thou wilt get a snare to thy soul. If thou go not in his
ways you cannot agree, you will fall out and quarrel, and that is a snare
to thee. Ver. 28. "Remove not the ancient land-mark which thy fathers
have set." If it be so dreadful and accursed to remove our neighbour's
marks and bounds, O! how much more to change and alter God's land-mark,
his privileges, oaths and covenants, &c. And chap. xxiii. 10, 11, Deut.
xix. 14 and xxvii. 17.

Chap. xxiii. 1, 7. "When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider
diligently what is before thee. For as he thinketh in his heart so is
he," &c. Consider diligently what men are, not what they pretend and seem
to be. For as they think, so are they, not as they pretend with their
tongue and countenance, but as they think in their heart, which is better
evidenced by their common and habitual speaking and walking, than any
deliberate and resolved profession contrived of purpose. But if thou
consider not this, the morsel thou hast eaten thou shalt vomit up. Thou
shalt dearly pay for thy credulity, and lose all thy sweet words. Ver. 23.
"Buy the truth and sell it not," &c. Do not we sell the truth, and cause,
and all, into the hands of the enemies of all? whereas we ought to ransom
the kingdom's liberty and religious interest, with the loss of all
extrinsic interest that does but concern the accession of one's honour.
Yet we sell, endanger, and venture all for that.

Chap. xxiv. 1. "Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire thou
to be with them." Godly men's hearts are often tickled to be acquainted
with, in league and friendship with wicked men, when they have power, that
they may not be hurt by them. But seeing there is no society between
light and darkness, let not the godly desire to be with them, (as in chap.
xxiii. 17,) but rather to be in God's fear always. That is good company.
The reason is (verse 2,) their heart studies the destruction of the godly,
(why then would thou walk with thine enemy?) and you shall hear nothing
but mischief on their lips. Ver. 12. It is not according to men's words
but works they should be judged. And why do not we follow that rule in
our judging? Do we mock God as one mocks another? Job xxxiv. 11, Psal.
lxii. 12, Jer. xxxii. 19, Rom. ii. 6, V