16 The righteous laboureth to do good but the vngodly vseth his encrease vnto sinne When men occupie themselues and take some worke in hand they seeke to profite and gaine thereby but oftentimes they deceiue themselues For none but good people doe truely prosper in their affaires though mans reason doe iudge the contrary As touching the wicked what gain soeuer they get what ioy soeuer they haue yet doeth it all turne vnto their hurt It seemeth good to outward apparāce that good people are most miserable that ther are noone more vnhappy and cursed then they in all the worlde but Solomon which lyeth not doeth shewe vs their prosperitie when hee attributeth life vnto the worke of the righteous as if hee did say that the iust man doth not apply himselfe vnto any worke but vnto that which is the path way that leadeth vnto life Contrarily after the outward sight the wicked reape great profite by the works they take in hande but their destruction which is great is at hand vtterly to beate them downe Solomon doth signifie the same vnto vs when hee saith that the vngodly vseth his encrease vnto sinne For the rewarde of sinne is death But as the worke of the righteous doth not profite himselfe alone but doth serue to the releeuing Rom. 6. 23. of others euen so the euill manners of the wicked doe stirre vp others vnto sinne wherevpon followeth death And forasmuche as wee al desire to liue and doe abhorre death let vs follow the worke of the righteous let vs worship one onely God according vnto his word flying frō al idolatrie forsaking al doubt and distrust and doing vnto our neighbours as wee woulde they shoulde doe vnto vs. In this manner the worke of the righteous shal be life vnto vs. And let vs not desire to bee partakers with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse which are the reuenewe of the wicked but let vs rather reprooue them least they be imputed vnto vs for sinne whereof followeth damnation But although wee desire life yet doe wee not regarde to followe the workes of the righteous for wee beleeue not that in following it we shoulde obteine life seeing that as it is written wee see by experience that the afflictions of the iust are many in number they are exercised by many miseries and tribulations and seeme that they are in death and that they are destitute of all helpe Wherefore their workes ' Psal 34. 20. and sayinges are thought to bee vnprofitable As when Saul persecuted Dauid for to destroy him and compelled him to flie and too runne away no man would haue thought that what shifte soeuer hee coulde make that hee shoulde escape the handes of Saul and liue to become king of Israell Likewise when Iesus Christe was seene to hang on the crosse as a thiefe they thought him cleane destroyed and did not thinke that hee shoulde ascende vnto the glory of his father nor that his Gospell shoulde bee preached through all the worlde And so their workes were not seene but to serue to life for themselues and for others And at all times men haue iudged and still doe iudge thus of the faithfull Contrarily because the wicked are strong and floorishe with glory and riches of this worlde it seemeth that they ought to come to the end of their desire and of that they take in hande without hinderance and let and that none should withstand them Pharao his folke thought that they shoulde oppresse the people of Israell at their pleasure but the issue and en de shewed the cleane contrary for the people of GOD reioyced at their deliuerance and Pharao and his people made a miserable ende amongest the waues of the Sea The worke of Moses and Aaron and of such as obeied tended to life and Pharao with his people receiued the rewarde of sinne that is to say death Thus the worke of the righteous serueth to life for although hee fall into diuers dangers and is many wayes pursued yet finally and in the ende hee shal be deliuered and his works his doctrine and his counsels shall bring both himselfe and his neighbours life Contrarily God curseth the actions and counsels of the wicked when he counteth whatsoeuer they doe and say to bee sinne and consequently worthie of death This same is well described vnto vs in the first Psalme Let vs further note that albeit it is true that the righteous doeth not labour couetously nor to get estimatiō but onely to imploy the time vnto good works to haue necessarie thinges belonging to this life aswell for himselfe as for his family yet Solomon his minde and intent is not such heere as wee may knowe by the seconde part of his sentence wherein he opposeth and setteth the reuenewe of the wicked against the worke and labor of the righteous and sinne which bringeth death against life And albeit that God doeth giue vs this honour by his worde to attribute life vnto the workes and labour yet let vs not thinke that they are worthie thereof and deserue thereby but let vs in any wise confesse the grace and mercy of God which is true in his promises for the which to fulfil hee doeth thus rewarde our good workes whereof he himselfe is the only authour and wee but his instrumentes and seruants 17 He that regardeth instruction is in the way of life but he that refuseth correction goeth out of the way of life For to shewe vs the way of life Solomon in the fourth Chapter first verse hath shewed vs saying Heare O ye children the instruction of a father c. And to the admonition hath added the promise in the 4. and 6. verses Also in the 13. verse hee repeateth againe the selfe same admonition and thereto also hath added the promise The saide admonition so often rehearsed shoulde suffice to induce vs to receiue and keepe the instruction which is giuen vs by the Lorde and aso the promise so often repeated ought to bee sufficient to assure vs of the goodnesse of GOD towards vs and to make vs more enclined to submit ourselues vnto the good will of GOD. But wee are dull vpon the spurre and for one admonition or twaine we make no account to giue obedience and for one or two promises wee cannot bee assured of the infallible trueth of GOD so full of rebellion and disobedience we are so full of doubtfulnesse and distrust and therefore wee haue neede that we should be handled according vnto our rudenesse and infirmitie The which our Lord doth in his holy worde and also by the peaching of the same word in the which one self doctrin is oftē repeted For this cause Solomon is not negligent often to tell vs one very thing and that which he hath already saide many times heeretofore he repeateth saying To take heeds c. This affirmation conteineth an instruction and promise for by affirming it he would haue vs to vnderstande that he doeth admonishe vs
taste of Gods Counsel 13. a Notable doctrine of the Counsel in the heart of man 410. a. b The meaning of these words Confirme thy thoughtes by Counsel 419. a Against such as take Counsel at themselues and seeke not counsel at Gods woorde 398. a In what sense the Counsel of the Lorde is to be taken 398. a Of the firmenesse and stedfastnesse of Gods Counsel 398. a The miserie of people when their gouernors are destitute of good Counsel 179. a Of Counsel and what counsel it is that is required in Kinges and Princes 179. a We must be diligent folowers of good Counsel if we wil auoide falling 179. b Of Counsel which maketh men erre and of Counsel that tendeth to life 213. b That there is no Counsel against the Lorde and why 445 a The necessitie of good Counsel and wisdome in Kinges Magistrates c. 107. a That the people must folowe the good Counsel of their Superiours or els they shal fal 179. a. b Counsels That the Counsels of God are commaundements and the necessitie of obeying them 13. b Reasons why the Counselles of the wicked are called deceitful 203. b. 204. a Counsellers What rule wee must keepe in choosing ouâ— Counsellers 310. b That in the multitude of Counsellers there is stedfastnesse and how 311. a That the Counsellers of peace are oftentimes tormented c. 220 a That it is God which prouideth men of Counsellers that can giue good counsell 179. b That wee ought al and euerie of vs to bee Counsellers one to another 219. b. 220. a Of the Counsellers of peace and who haue that name 219. b Crie That the Preachers of the worde must not be greeued to Crie though they profit nothing thereby 104. a. b To Crie of duetie is required in the Ministers of the word 104. a To Crie for ioye and for sorowe when they are to be vsed 104. a Crovvne Of the Crovvne of the wise what is meant by the same 275. b That a vertuous woman is the Crovvne of her husband 202. b. 203. a Of the Crovvne which commeth by posteritie and issue of blood 349. b. 350. a That the scripture hath a Crovvne and vseth to giue a Crowne 269. a That the Crovvne of knowledge bringeth the Crovvne of life 269. a Crueltie A sharpe sentence against suche as vse violence wrong and Crueltie 273. b Of Crueltie against our neighbour and how many wayes it is committed 271. b 272. a That Crueltie doeth al the hurt that may bee to ones neighbour 272. Of Crueltie exercised in euerie estate 8. a Who are to bee reputed and comprehended in the number of such as exercise Crueltie 9. a. The Crueltie of the great men of the earth in former time 616. a. b Wherunto the Crueltie of great men is compared 616. b The Crueltie of the Pope and his shauelings 208. a By what things Crueltie is knowne and discerned 530. b Curiositie Curiositie and vaine pompe forbidden 556. a. b Curse The meaning of these woordes A Curse shal bee imputed vnto him that praiseth his friend c. 540. a. b What children they bee that are soonest readie to Cursse father and mother 614. b Excellent doctrine vpon these words There is a generation that doeth Curse their father c. 613. b. 614. a. b That we must not Curse suche as accuse and belie vs is shewed by examples 613. A Curse against those that are wise in their owne conceit 565. b A Curse against suche as are not contente with their owne patrimonie c. 463. a That wee must not giue occasion to any bodie to Curse and why 518. b Whereto the Curse that commeth causelesse is compared 518. a. b Of the Lordes Curse and that it destroyeth whatsoeuer commeth against it 53. a Howe and in what sorte the Curse of the Lorde is in the house of the wicked 53. a A Curse denounced against him which iustifieth the wicked 496. a Curssednesse That in whoredome is nothing but Curssednesse 77. b That there is nothing but Curssednesse in tiches c. 41. a That the wise man needeth not feare to fal into Curssednesse and why 41. a That the Papists seeke for nothing but Curssednesse and why 41. a Curssing That the Curssing of the poore oppressed is heard of God 192. a. b That the Curssing of the poore shal take effect against the couetous although it be not iust 192. a That God is offended with Curssing 192. a. Of Curssing and whether it be lawful to curse suche as enhaunce the price of corne 191. b. 192. a Custome That in al estates Custome is made a lawe and howe 263. a D. Dayes That all Dayes are the good creatures of God and therefore can not be euil 304. b Of good Dayes and euil Dayes and why they are so called 304. b That there is no euil in the Dayes but in the people which liue in the Dayes 304. b Darkenesse That by darkenesse is meantyl lucke miserie c. 421. a In what sense darkenesse is taken in the holie scripture 236. b Dealing That God is a louer of simple and plain dealing 418. a That which is desireable in a man is his vpright dealing 398. a. b In what respectes vpright dealing must be vsed 398. b That in elections of Magistrates and Officers wee must keepe vpright dealing 398. b In election of Ministers vpright dealing must be vsed 398. b By what thing iudgement may bee giuen of a mans vpright dealing 398. b Death Solomons woordes impugned Deliuer them that are drawne to Death 486. b Two sortes of people which thinke themselues to be in the way of life but tende vnto Death 144. b What we must doe if we desire life and abhorre Death 143 a They that hate wisedome doe loue Death and why 115. a He that vouchsafeth not to seeke wisedome dorth seeke Death 115. a Death commeth by desert but life by promise 114. b That it is not temporal Death which hee seeketh that doeth euil and why 186. a The cause why they which worke euil doe seeke Death c. 186. b That the wicked though they bee neuer so mightie cannot exempt themselues from Death 187. a. b Of the way leading to Death 227. a. b What we must doe if wee wil liue without Death 227. b. That temporall life is not without Death 227. b Al worldly wise men condemned to Death eternal and why 237. b Of Death temporal and death eternal 186. a Of the Death of the faithful and what it is 437. b That it is not in our power to deliuer ourselues from Death and why 241. a The Death of Christ our reconciliation with God 408. a The cause why God giueth sentence of Death against al flesh 282. a Of the hope of the righteous euen in Death 285. a Howe that they which feare God auoide the snares of Death 279 b What we must doe if we wil auoide Death 263. b That al of vs of ourselues incline and tend to
the Lord. 156. a What it is to trust in our owne hearte and that such trust is forbidden 576. a. b. Trust in the Lorde compared to a strong and high tower c. 597. b That wee must not looke to men to trust in them and why 542. b. 543. a That al our trust ought to be onely in God 368. b What kinde of trust it is that wee must put in our neighbour 50. b Of vaine and foolishe trust and that it is against the worde of God 50. b Carnall trust holdeth men in geering and mocking 153. b What we must doe to trust in God with all our hearts 33. b That there are but fewe which trust in the Lord as they ought and why 33. b That we cannot trust in God except we loue him 33. b That the wise of this world haue no trust in God and why 33. b Of trust in the Lorde and howe necessarie it is 33. a V. Vanitie Vanitie comprehendeth in it all kinde of sinnes 608. b Vanitie is the corruption and wickednesse wherein we are borne 608. b The fruites of vanitie if we yeeld thereunto 608. b. 609. a. Vertue Exhortations to parents to teach their children vertue in youth and why 426. b. What the world doeth account and cal vertue 426. b What kinde of vertue it is wherein noblenesse consisteth 426. b What we must doe that our vertue wax not feeble 486. a The nobilitie of yong men is vertue 426. a. b. Vices Of great contrarietie euen betwixt vices 427. a. b. Victorie That victorie commeth of the Lorde and of none other 445. b Victorie called safegard as appeareth by the sentence of Solomon 483. b. Violence Of violence and wherein the same consisteth 229. b Of violence done to the poore called by the name of Destruction 349. b Violence against the blood of a man is done diuerse wayes 570. a. b Examples most lamentable of such as haue done violence against blood 570 b. Vision Wholesome doctrine of a vision and that we must receiue it 591. b The meaning of these wordes Where there is no vision the people decay 591. a What kinde of vision hath euer bene necessarie in the world and why 591. a. Vnderstanding Who they be that are said to be destitute of vnderstanding 309. b. 310. a. That the man of vnderstanding walketh vprightly and who is such a one 310. a Of vnderstanding gotten by the word of God and why it is called good 32. a. b Of vnderstanding gotten by mans wit c. that it cannot bee called good and why 32. b The meanes and wayes to get vnderstanding and what they be 41. a. To what ende God preserueth vs through the vnderstanding that hee putteth in vs. 24. a Of vnderstanding both in the sheepe and the shepherd c. 19. b. 20. a Of vnderstanding and of the benefites obtayned by the vnderstanding of Solomons prouerbs 4. a. b What benefites are promised to the man of vnderstanding 3. b The taste of holy things standeth in vnderstanding 124. a When vnderstanding is saide to thunder with her voice 104. a Wee ought to bee children of vnderstanding and why 137. a Of the vnprofitable vnderstanding of the world and of good vnderstanding 241. a. b. Vnfaithfulnesse Of vnfaithfulnesse and that it is no smal euil 26. a Wherein the vnfaithfulnesse of an adulterous woman doeth stand 26. a. Vnmerciful A sharpe and seuere sentence against such as be vnmerciful 49 b. Vnrighteousnes Of vnrighteousnes and wickednesse among men and the cause thereof 165. b. 166. a. Vnitie Of the vnitie of sinners and wicked men 8. a. b. Vovv The meaning of these woordes What the sonne of my Vovv 624. b. 625. a. That we ought to keepe our vovv made vnto God in baptisme 424. a. Vovves To what ende wee vse often to make vovves 624. b Vpright That the vpright in his way is abhomination to the wicked prooued by examples 599. a. b. How we must behaue ourselues towardes them that are vpright 586. a That bloodie men hate him that is vpright how and why 586. a. Vprightnesse What vprightnes it is that the best of vs hath in this life 135. b Vprightnesse wherein it consisteth and that the worlde maketh no account thereof 135. b Vprightnesse and integritie are vertues depending one vpon another 166. a b. Looke integritie The false opinion of man touching vprightnesse c. 432. b How he that delighteth in vprightnes of hart wil temper his tongue and order his speech 529. b. Vsurer The meaning of these wordes The poore and the vsurer meete togither c. 588. a. b. Vpon what the minde and affection of the vsurer is set 588. a The sense of these wordes The Lorde lighteneth the eyes of the vsurer and of the poore 588. b. Why the vsurer hauing a couetous hearte contemnâ—th the poore 588. a. Vsurers Against vsurers and couetous men 252 a. Against vsurers a heauie iudgement and sentence 190. b Vsurers are wicked instrumentes whereby God gathereth riches c. 562. b. Vsurers seeme in a manner tollerable but it is nothing so 562 b. Vsurie Dehortations from vsurie and interest taken for mony c. 562. a Vsurie after a sorte and vpon a sodeine sight thought tollerable 562. a. b Remedies to make vs abhorre vsurie c. 191 b. 192. a Why the riche men of the world are giuen to vsurie 588. a. W. VVay Who haue walked in the euil vvay and how that came to passe 564. a. b Of the vvay of life on high and of hell below 312. a. b What this word vvay signifieth in scripture and for what the same is taken 307. b The vvay of the wicked compared vnto darknesse and what followeth by walking in such vvay 63. b. 64. a The vvay of the righteous compared vnto light and why 62. a. b Necessarie doctrine of the vvay of the Lorde 159. b. 160. a Of the broade vvay leading to death 23. a. 24. a and of the narrowe vvay leading to life 23. a. b Of foure things which order wel their vvay and are comelie in their going 621. b. 622. a. b To walke in the vvay of the Lord and to bee perfect is al one 159. b Whether it commeth of mans owne power that hee walketh and perseuereth in the vvay of the Lord. 159. b. 160. a That our vvay is right in our owne eyes and why it is called ours 213. b. The vvay of the Lorde is that which hee teacheth and commandeth vs by his worde 159. b Of the vvay leading to lâ—fe and the vvay leading to death 227. a Who they be that walke not in the shyning vvay of the righteous 62. b That the vvay of the wicked is the wickednesse wherein they walke 298. b. VVaies What we must do if we wil haue our vvaies please the Lord. 328 a. b That all the vvayes of a man are cleane in his owne eyes and how 323. a Against such as esteeme their vvayes cleane 323. a. b A notable lesson
the ministers of the word ought to reach with their cry whereto their cry should serue that is to counsel and correct that the world being warned by good counsel and holy sermons of the woorde of God might amende But the foolish wil in no wyse tast of his counsell but somuch as they can despise it and regarde it not and wil not haue the hande of God and of his wisedome to bee offred to them by correction and fatherly chastisement but as dul horses winch against the spurre so doe they despite and murmure against God and his ministers hating and persecuting them to kil and destroy them if it were possible for them Now let vs heere first of all note that wisedomes hand is the hand of God seeing that hee is neuer without this wisedome and that they both bee but one This hand is taken in diuers sorts to wit for the power goodnesse helpe fauour work acte punishment chastisement vengeance correction of God For in asmuch as God is a spirit wee must vnderstande that hee hath neither armes nor hāds that can be either touched or seene but the holy Ghost to accommodate himselfe to our rudenesse doeth attribute vnto God those things which properly and naturally appertaine vnto vs. This hand doeth stretch it selfe foorth after diuers manners to wit in sustayning and keeping in guiding and gouerning in ouerthrowing and destroying in correcting chastening But to exercise this hand hee hath many instruments the which he setteth on woorke as seemeth good to him Nowe when this hande is attributed heere to wisedome with the stretching out thereof and that the ministers of the woord ought aboue all other to vse wisedome wee wil take the stretched out hand chiefly for the correction and chastisement which is done in the church by the woorde of God Solomon also doth giue it wel to vnderstande after he hath made his complaint that none would regard this stretched out hand he addeth that they would none of his correction When wisedom maketh her cōplaint for that they haue despised her counsel wee must vnderstande that the counsels of God are as much as commandementes and that it is very necessary for vs to obey them if it were otherwise wisdom would not make such complaint against the despisers of her counsell Wherfore what though that commādement to loue our enimies were a counsell yet shoulde the opinion of the Papists be false Mat. 5. 44. whereby they holde that wee are nothing at all bound to obey it and that it is made for them which bee in the state of perfection Wherein they fayle twoo manner of wayes First in that they do not giue so much honour to GOD as they giue vnto an earthly Prince of whome it is commonly saide that his prayer is as much as a commandement Then that they place the most wicked in the state of perfection the which can not bee in this worlde But if wee wil not haue wisedome to complaine of vs wee must consider the goodnesse of God which doth not punish our malice so soone as wee deserue it but of his only mercy hee calleth vs by his worde both outwardly and inwardly and doeth so continue albeeit we regarde it not he stretched out his hande to correct and to chasten like a good father for to withdrawe vs from the gallowes from death and damnation and yet we wil not knowe it This beeing thus considered we must aske of God that it may please him not to ceasse to counsel vs by his wisedome that wee may drawe neere to profite by that counsell and that when he correcteth vs bee it by wordes or by affliction that wee may receiue al at his hande willingly And the better to doe the same we must not be grieued to heare wisedom cry though it be yrkesome to our flesh 26 I wil also laugh After that wisedome hath complained of the hardnesse of the foolish scorners and fooles and of their vnrepentant hartes shee threatneth to laugh at them mocke them when the destruction they feare shal light on their heads It may wel be thought that the wicked obstinate feare nothing bicause they are seene to be most stronge most in number that they very oftē bring their purpose about also that they liue at their case possessing much temporal riches for the which they are in reputation and esteemed notwithstanding their euill consciences doe often reproue them whereby they feele themselues gilty and are afraide of the iudgement of God They feare most of al eternal death which is their last destruction And therefore there can neuer so little trouble come vpon them in this worlde but that they are greatly adread and afraide It is the destruction and feare whereat wisdome will laugh and mocke But for so much as derision and mockage are the deedes of dissolute and riotous persons heere might be asked whether it be a fit and meete thing for the wisedome of God to deride and mock and whether it be lawful for to attribute vnto him any such things Answere that wisdome doth not laugh and mocke after the manner of men neither is it lawful for vs to attribute vnto him such derision and mockery for it were to make him like vnto the most wicked ympes of the worlde but the holy Scripture accommodating it selfe to our rudenesse and willing to expresse what wisdom shal be and seeme vnto the vnderstanding and opinion of the hard hearted obstinate doth attribute vnto her mockery and derision 27 When your feare The derision then and mockery of God and his wisdom is to feare sodainly to abash the wicked when they looke not for it to ouerthrow and destroy them in her anger and wrath without hauing any pitie of them for all their weepings and cryings and for all their diligence to seeke remedie The like mockery is expressed in the 2. Psal Where the Prophete shewing howe God can confute the pride and vaine enterprises of men rising vp against him and his Christ saith But hee that dwelleth in the Heauen shall laugh the Lorde shal haue them in derision And we must not thinke that the Psalmist and the wise man onely threaten the wicked of their time which submitted not themselues vnder the yoke of God by repentance But as the promises of saluation appertaine to al faithful in what time soeuer they bee euen so the threatenings are made for the wicked of all ages vnto the ende Saint Paule doeth well shewe Rom. 2. 5. it saying But thou after thine hardenesse and heart that cannot repent heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath c. Let vs then returne to repentance that we be not ouertaken and when wee shall say peace and safety then sodaine death come vpon vs. If wee thus doe God wil not deride nor mocke vs in fearing 1. Thes 5. 3. and destroying vs for feare and destruction appertaine not vnto vs they properly belong vnto the
neighbors whē they receiue the reward that they haue deserued VVhose wayes are crooked If we were like vnto such people we might look but for an horrible vengeance of God as the world destroied by the flud the Sodomites with the Gomorrhiās by a more sharpe punishment seeing that God hauing geuen vs his sonne doth dayly offer vs his Euangelicall word which is the message of the euerlasting couenant the contēners of which message shal be punished more greeuously then they of Sodome and Gomorrhe Matt. 10. 15. God then sheweth vs great fauour when he preserueth vs from being like to such corruptors and Apostataes 16 And it shall deliuer thee from the strange woman euen frō the stranger which flattereth with her words 17 VVhich for saketh the guide of her youth forgeteth the couenant of her God 18 Surely her house tendeth to death and her pathes vnto the dead 19 Al they that goe vnto her returne not againe neither take they hold of the waies of life When a path or way is much troden and beaten there is no count made of any danger whē a thing is often done although it is wicked yet doe they make themselues beleeue that in it there is no euill as they doe which rashly sweare which doe geue themselues to lasciuious and dissolute talke vnto couetousnesse vsurie wicked bargaining to slouth and idlenesse Likewise because that diuers forsworne vnfaithfull doe breake promise of holy marriage haue no cōscience to become adulterers that the worlde is full of mockers and contemners of the institution of holy marriage which God hath ordayned from the beginning of the world and had rather committee whoredome then by marriage to take vnto them an honest companion or wife the which is honorable among all men it seemeth to moste men that there is no danger to folow the way of adulterers whoremongers that Heb. 13. 4. they cōmit no euill in being defiled polluted with whoredome fornication But when the holy Ghost by the mouth of Solomō doth declare vnto vs that God doth giue vs counsel vnderstanding that we may be deliuered frō the strāge woman he sheweth vs wel that it is not so as the world iudgeth for if there were no dā ger we should not need that God should giue vs counsel vnderstanding to deliuer vs from her Let vs not then folow the opiniō of the adulterers whoremongers but let vs beleeue that there is great danger to go vnto an harlot to talk with her which Solomon here calleth a stranger and a forenner because that if shee be maried she belongeth not vnto him that haunteth her but vnto her husband from whō she departeth alienateth herself in playing the harlot and so she is also a stranger towards her husbande And if she be vnmaried she apperteineth to none but ought to abstaine by tarying til God send her a yoke felowe to be honestly ioyned by mariage so she is also a stranger and forenner if shee play the harlot seeing she belongeth to no man Our Lorde doeth warne vs thereof doeth daily make vs to vnderstand it by the preaching of his word the which he doth not cōmunicat so purely vnto al natiōs but yet neuertheles adultery whordō cease not to raigne They abstaine not from vnshamefast lookes countenances they refraine not their tongues from speaking foule filthy words to sing dishonest wanton songs By such wordes and songs do the whormongers harlots plainly vtter thēselues and albeit to excuse themselues they alledge that they thinke vpon no euil they are not to be receiued for al that but as wicked liers which falsly belie the vnfallible Trueth which pronounceth that Ma. 12. 34. from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Let vs not then despise the counsel that God giueth vs when hee telleth vs that mariage is to be had in honour among al men the bed vndefiled for whorekeepers adulterers God wil iudge Now that Heb. 13. 4. there is danger onely to talke with whoremongers harlots Solomon doeth shewe saying That the straunge woman flattereth with her words It is not needefull to declare what flatteries the harlots whorekeepers vse for they which desire to liue chastly need not to vnderstand them It ought to bee enough for them to know that it is not lawful for man womā to dwel together except they be knit together by mariage It is not also needfull to declare them to such as are giuen to whordom for they are but too much learned therin already True it is notwithstanding to admonish the vndiscreete that they may not pretend cause of ignorāce we may discouer vnfold the sweet words flattring speech of the harlots whorkeepers with their strange attires as Solomon Pro. 7. 5. doth declare them hereafter in the 7. Chapter After the flatteries Solomon discouereth the vnthankfulnes of the adulterers saying 17 VVhich forsaketh c. Solomon sheweth that there is much euil in adultery though a mā be accustomed therto for vnfaithfulnes is no smal euil but great wickednes therfore the more one is accustomed therto so much the more doeth he cōmit euil is the more worthy of great punishment for custom absolueth not a gilty persō but maketh him more gilty Loke what we iudge of murther and theft we ought also to iudge of euery transgressiō of the law in what point so euer it is for he that hath saide Thou shalt not kil hath said also Thou shalt not commit adulterie Whē Ier. 2. 11. then God giueth vs vnderstanding to defend vs from adultery he preserueth deliuereth vs from great wickednes The vnfaithfulnes of the adulterous woman cōsisteth in this that she leaueth forsaketh her husband not that she forsaketh him vtterly leauing him for euer without returning to him any more for vnfaithfulnes standeth not only in that but chiefly in this that she ioyneth hirself to an other separating herself frō her husbād making of one flesh two and yet she wil not leaue returning to her husbād to couer her vnfaithfulnes Euē so likewise is it with an adulterer and vnfaithful man to his wife And to shewe that the adulterous woman is not only vnfaithful but also disobedient rebellious vnthankful Solomō calleth her husband Prince Teacher guide of the youth of his wife wherin he sheweth that he is the head the gouerner hauing prerogatiue aboue her therfore that she ought to feare reuerence him with faithfulnes to giue him obedience That which Solomō doth here shewe vs in one word Ephe. 5. 1. 2. Pet. 3. 1. the Apostles S. Peter S. Paule doe declare more at large Likewise the adulterous man is not only vnfaithful to his wife but cruel for he doth not gouern the youth the weaknes frailtie of his wife in enterteining tenderly louing her as Solomō doth teach him
the Word is not directed but vnto the children of God yet it ceaseth not to sound in the eares of strangers which are mingled with the houshold of God but because they heare it with contempt as they declare by not receiuing the same with fayth and obedience for this cause it serueth vnto their condemnation of death Contrarily vnto them that receiue it to them shee is as life Solomon doeth so affirme when hee sayeth to his Sonne that his wordes shal increase the yeares of his life If then wee desire long life let vs yeelde ourselues willingly to learne and diligently to heare the preaching of the Word let vs submit ourselues thervnto with true obedience labouring to perfourme that which it commaundeth vs by reuerence that we beare vnto God who is our Father and through feare that wee haue to disobey him In this sort our yeares shal be prolonged not that we can liue in this worlde beyonde the terme that God hath ordeined from euerlasting but howe short so euer our life is it shal be so long as is expedient for the saluation of our soules as also wee will content ourselues therewith knowing that by temporal death our yeares are not shortened but that wee shal enter into the true length of life for the same shal be without ende Wee shewe right wel that wee beleeue not Solomon or that wee make no great accounte of life There are not many which giue eare vnto the Worde of life yet lesse that receiue it In so doing we declare vs to be folish and that we make no count to come vnto Wisedome wherevnto the wiseman laboureth to bring vs by his wordes as he sheweth saying 11 I haue taught thee in the way of VVisdome and ledde thee in the pathes of righteousnes 12 VVhen thou goest thy gate shal not be straight whē thou runnest thou shalt not fall 13 Take hold of instruction and leaue her not keepe her for shee is thy life When Solomon declareth that by his wordes he leadeth men to Wisedome and that hee guideth them the right way vnto life then he reprooueth those of folishnesse condemneth them vnto death which wil not heare receiue his words and therewith he sheweth what is the office of fathers vnto their children that is they should not mainteine them in vaine foolish thinges but in al Wisdome that they may say with Solomon I haue taught thee c. Likewise the dutie of children is to be willing to learne and to folow the Wisedome and righteousnes that their Fathers Superiours and Teachers shal teach them by the Worde of God But as it is verie harde to finde many Parents which doe teache wisedome and righteousnes for the most parte careth not what becomes of their children so that they spende not their goods so also the greatest parte of the worlde which are the youth are the worst ruled in such wise that they care not what they doe so that they may liue at ease And therfore albeit that we haue the Word of God daily preached vnto vs the which is the way of wisdome and righteousnes yet is it verie hard to persuade many that they are rebels against the Word and that the way hath beene taught them c. After the meaning of Solomon which speaketh vnto obedient children for none but they doe truely receiue the way of wisdome and walke in the pathes of righteousnes That Solomon doeth direct his words vnto these we may vnderstand by the promise folowing when he sayeth 12 VVhen thou goest c. This promise can not appertaine to the foolish scorners neither vnto the wicked and dissolute Pro. 1. 26. 2. 22. 3. 32. Psal 37. but contrarily they are threatened with sorow affliction with miseries and calamities with desolation destruction but it belongeth vnto the wise and righteous And forasmuch as Solomon doeth apply it vnto them to whome hee did direct his former affirmation saying I haue taught thee c. It foloweth right wel that he speake not vnto the foolishe disobedient but to those which through loue of wisedome righteousnes doe heare and receiue his words If we would then be exempted from sorow distresse and to be at libertie with ease as Solomon doeth promise saying VVhen thou goest c If wee would auoide desolation and destructiō and dwel surely and safely we must haue al our thoughts purposes al our sayings doings the which are our wayes paths to be taught by wisdō gouerned by righteousnes c. But though that Solomon hath directed himselfe to the wise and righteous making them this affirmation adding thereto the promise yet are we neuer so wise and wel ruled but that wee haue neede to bee admonished not to forsake the way that hath beene taught vs neither are wee alwayes so assured of the promises that are made vs by the Worde of God but that we haue neede to be exhorted and called vpon to receiue his admonitions and not to forsake them promising vs that we shal liue for he saieth Take holde of instruction This verse hath alreadie bene expounded in this same Chapter in the tenth verse 14 Enter not into the way of the wicked and walke not in the way of euil men 15 Auoide it and goe not by it turne from it and passe by 16 For they can not sleepe except they haue done euil and their sleepe departeth excepte they cause some to fall 17 For they eate the bread of wickednes and drinke tho wine of violence The waye of the wicked is to be giuen to doe hurt vnto their neighbours without cause the which is a most wicked custome Pro. 1. 10. and maner of doing therefore Solomon hath exhorted vs in the 15. verse Walke not in the wayes with them c. Likewise one of their wayes is to loue foolishnes Wherfore if we enter into their pathes then doe we not walke in the way of Wisedome wherof it foloweth that we fall into the straight and distresse and light vpon destruction and so runne vnto death For life standeth only in the way of Wisedome and righteousnes in the which for to preserue vs Solomon is not satisfied with the aduertisementes that he hath giuen but againe hee doeth admonish vs that in no wise we should folow the cōditions maners of the wicked And for to shewe vs that we should be verie careful to take heed from partaking with their doings it sufficeth him not to haue said Enter not c. But further to expresse how muche wee ought to abhor detest the maners of the wicked to shun thē he addeth 15 Auoide it and goe not by it Forasmuch as the greatest part of the worlde consisteth of the wicked and vngodly which prosper and are happy to the sense of the fleshe therefore the rude ignorant and simple and vndiscreete are tempted to follow them and count themselues happy if they may come to bee
although we think to be closely hidde by wandring out of the right way yet God ceaseth not to see vs and consider our deuises and wicked enterprises for to punish vs at such time as it shal please him And let vs not thinke that by giuing ourselues to euil we can escape For though it were so that God did not take heed vnto the wicked yet neuertheles they could not be exempted from punishment seeing they drawe their owne corde the which they spinne and twist and pul foorth by perseuering to adde iniquitie vnto iniquitie without remorce of conscience with greedinesse of desire and in the same they proceed so vnaduisedly and amasedly that they make readie the halter for thēselues and therein are taken so that they cannot vnloose thēselues but must be a pray for the Deuil This is that which Solomon would haue vs to vnderstand when he saith the iniquities of the wicked c. Heere we see howe Solomon is very careful throughly for to aduertise vs when one thing often saide doth not content him but vseth repetition for to helpe our ignorance and weakenesse and to wake vp our negligence and also to make the wicked lesse excusable for contemning the aduertisementes hee giueth them And when he compareth their iniquities and sinnes vnto cordes he sheweth them that they are more miserable then the brute beastes For the beastes doe not knitte the lines and nettes wherein they are taken neither also doe they cast themselues into the net if they perceiue it but shunne it but the wicked doe winde their owne halters and also runne into the same to be taken He sheweth also that they which nothing esteeme the admonitions corrections and threates that is made vnto them and become angry and doe defie those which exhorte and rebuke them asthough they woulde keepe them in bondage when they woulde asmuch as lieth in them deliuer them out of the snares and they contrarily willing to deliuer themselues by dissolutenesse and falling away doe further binde yelde themselues captiues For as they which obey and beleeue the word are vnbounde and deliuered from sinne from the Deuil from death and from hel euen so the rebells are slaues vnto sinne prysoners to the Deuil holden vnder with the bondes of death and hel and so are chained with the cordes of their iniquities Hee sheweth I say that such people are much deceiued and are in an euill way not only when they goe out of the way with the strange woman but also in what euil soeuer they inuēt with obstinacy hardnes of heart He hath made a pitte digged it and is fallen into the pit that hee made The wicked is snared in the woorke of his owne Psal 7. 16. 9. 16. hands To bee shorte what euil soeuer the wicked doe commit the same is their destruction and damnation but they thinke not so as they shewe it when by how much as they commit more euil by so much the more doe they thinke to bee out of danger as Solomon doth wel signifie it when he vseth these woordes shal be taken and shal be holden And in this they deceiue themselues as here wee see it and S. Paul doth wel signifie it vnto vs when he saith For when 1. Thessa 5. 3. they shal say peace and safetie then shal come vpon them sodaine destruction as the trauell vppon a woman with child and they shal not escape Besides this wee must learne in this aduertisement not to bee giuen to haue care to feed the flesh in his lustes pleasures For seing that the affection of the flesh is enimitie against God and cannot be made subiect vnto the law of God wee cannot take the Rom. 8. 7. pleasures of our flesh except we wil runne into al wickednesse and in so doing we twiste our owne ropes wherein wee are taken and holden wherevppon foloweth our destruction and thus the pleasures that the wicked take in sinning doe turne them to greate hurt for they engender not onely temporal but also euerlasting death Solomon doeth threaten them therwith saying 23 He shal dye for want of instruction c. When the promise of eternal life is made vnto those which receiue instructiō to gouerne themselues by wisdome and good discretion in holines righteousnes faithfulnesse truth It foloweth wel that they which neglect do wel deserue eternal death and ought also to vnderstande that when the scripture blameth them for the contempt of instruction and that it threateneth them with death that then they cannot looke but for eternal death except by true repētance they embrace instruction which before they had despised For the Lorde wil not the death of a sinner but rather that he should conuert and liue Solomon then saying that the wicked which is without instructiō shal Eze. 18. 32. die speaketh of euerlasting death the which the wicked do wel deserue for being without instruction hee is voide of wisedome and filled with foolishnes by the which being caried about he neither can nor wil holde the pathe of life but turneth another way out of the right way folowing the lustes of his flesh which is dead wherof foloweth wel that he is worthy to perish euerlastingly Here we are taught that if we wil eschue death and obteine life we must receiue the instruction that God giueth vs by his worde by assuring vs of the goodnes and loue of God towardes vs in Iesus Christ and giuing ourselues to the obedience of his lawes Heerein standeth the true wisedome of the children of God the which keepeth thē from going astray and wandring out of the path of life Wee also doe learne that the greatest part of the world must needs perishe seeing that it is without instruction some for that they are deceiued by superstition and idolatrie other some for that they receiue lesinges for trueth And which worst is there are many to whome godly instruction is offered but because they are without religion they contemne the instruction and doe nothing but skorne it and so much as they can doe persecute it The sixth Chapter 1 MY Sonne if thou bee suretie for thy neighbour and hast stricken hands with the stranger 2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth thou art euen taken with the words of thine owne mouth 3 Doe this now my sonne and deliuer thy selfe seeing thou arte come into the hand of thy neighbor goe humble thy selfe and solicite thy friendes 4 Giue no sleepe to thine eyes nor slumber to thine eye liddes 5 Deliuer thy selfe as a Doe from the hand of the hunter as the byrde from the hand of the fouler IT seemeth at the first sight howe Solomon goeth about to diswade vs from answering or to become pledge or surety for our neighbors For there is none of vs that would be intangled or in subiection and bondage to another but al naturally desire to be free and to vse the power that God hath giuen vs at
those which willingly and gladly do giue themselues vnto the obedience of the worde generally for also to them is long life promised Therfore shal ye keep al the commandements which I commande Deut. 11. 8. you this day that yee may be strong and goe in and possesse the lande whither yee goe to possesse it Also that it may prolong your dayes in the lande c. Nowe that these wordes of Solomon doe agree with this promise it is manifest for wee thinke not to haue life if wee bee depriued of these presente commodities it seemeth not vnto vs that we liue except our businesse doe prosper well it seemeth vnto vs that wee are in death except wee bee at libertie and may haue company with whome wee may talke familiarly When Solomon then doeth promise that the commandement of the Father the instruction of the mother shal keepe vs from going astray and shal make vs to sleepe in safetie and that in the day it shal talke with vs he doeth shew vs that they which obey the Word haue a blessed life and consequently long enough for the length of dayes standeth not in the multitude of yeares but in that wee liue godly and that wee content ourselues with the number of yeares which it shal please the Lord to giue cōfessing that he maketh his to liue in this world so long as it pleaseth him and is expedient for their spiritual health Notwithstanding there shal be no inconuenience if for that which wee cal promise here we take to be admonition as if Solomon did exhort vs to cleue so fast vnto the Commandements that we should neuer stray from them but that in al times and in al places wee shoulde gouerne ourselues by them in doing that which they commaund being assured that by them wee shal be perserued from al dangers then shoulde they be so wel grauen in our heartes we should so greatly delight in them that we woulde not desire any prophane or vaine communication but if we speake to speake as the wordes of God To bee short let it be whether we take this for a promise or that we take it for an admonition Solomon doeth shewe vs that wee must take 1. Pet. 4. 11. good heede from turning any thing at al from the Word if so be it we desire to doe wel and say wel and to walke safely We may vnderstand this same by the reason which foloweth when he sayeth 23 For the commaundement is a Lanterne and instruction a light and corrections for instructions are the wayes of life In this reason he sheweth that he speaketh of the Commaundements and instructions and corrections which are made by the Worde of God for to it onely belongeth these titles of Lanterne Esai 2. 5. 119. 105. 2. Pet. 2. 19. Psal 19. 8. light and life For the lawe of the Lord is a perfit lawe Thy Word is a Lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my path And we haue also a most sure Worde of the Prophets to the which ye doe well that ye take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntil the day dawne and the day starre arise in your heartes O house of Esai 2. 5. Iacob come ye and let vs walke in the light of the Lorde And that they are the wayes of life the Scripture not only in one or two places but in diuers doeth testifie and amongst others our Lord Iesus doeth wel shewe it when he sayeth that God so loued the worlde that he gaue his only Sonne to the ende that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And when hee Ioh. 3. 16. Mar. 16. 15. commaundeth the Gospel to be preached through al the worlde to euery creature And though the Scripture should not witnesse it there is none of sound iudgement but wil confesse that they which receiue the word of God are in the true way of life We haue therfore first of al to note that they which are disobedient vnto fathers and mothers and to them which haue the power to commaund are in darkenesse and know not whether they goe for they are blinde though according as the world iudgeth they are in a good way and that they know wisely to gouerne themselues and to do their busines wel Secondly that they which refuse or despise the reprehensions by which men labour to instruct them to change their euil life doe seeke their owne destruction and damnation they flie life and desire death Thirdly what trouble torment and affliction so euer the children of God haue they can not goe astray nor perishe for they haue the light of the Word the which guides them right vnto life 24 To keepe thee from the wicked woman from the flatterie of the tongue of a strange woman After that Solomon hath attributed life light vnto the Word generally hee bringeth an example for to shewe that without it no man can take heede from wandring and perishing They which yelde not obedience vnto the Word neuer make cōscience to commit whoredome so blinde are they and dull of wit making of vice vertue Contrarily they which delight to yelde obedience vnto the commandements of God do see how they should guide themselues by the light of the Worde and thereby knowing that the whoremongers and adulterers doe goe out of the right way and walke through darke wayes which lead vnto death they take heede of the harlot whom Solomon calleth heere the wicked woman that is to say the woman that serueth for nothing els but to worke wickednesse and to intice others vnto euil This inticing is ment by the flatterie of the tongue of the strange woman For wel to keepe ourselues from whordome and adulterie it is not enough to keepe the bodie cleane from whordom the tongue from wanton words filthie songes but also we must haue both heartes and eyes chast as Solomon exhorteth 25 Desire not her beautie in thine heart neither let her take thee with her eye liddes 26 For because of the whorish woman a man is brought vnto a morsel of bread a * or the vvife of a man hunteth after the precious soule woman wil hunt for the precious life of a man Our Lorde Iesus Christ declareth vnto vs the like I say vnto you That whosoeuer looketh on a woman to lust after her hath Mat. 5. 28. committed adultery with her alreadie in his heart The lawe giuer is spiritual and therefore let vs not thinke to fulfil it if wee shewe ourselues only outwardly obedient vnto his Worde doing the wordes that he commandeth and absteining from them which hee forbiddeth and in the meane whiles our heartes shal be rebellious and delight in filthie lustes and vnshamefast lookes By such inwarde rebellions by suche lustes and lookes wee are easily drawne to commit whoredome the first worlde is a witnesse thereof Wee may see it in Dina Dauid also hath tried it
to keepe the instruction and that hee doeth promise vs life And therewith hee teacheth vs too knowe who is righteous and what his worke is that serueth vnto life Wherevpon we may gather that hee is righteous which with an vnfeigned heart laboureth to giue obedience vnto the worde of God and doth wholy depend vpon the free promises of God This is to keepe instruction and not to labour to deserue by workes as doe the proude Papistes nor to thinke that faith onely without workes is enough to saluation as doe the slouth full thinke which loue workes already doone and suche as desire the libertie of the flesh For two sortes of people are out of the way of life for the one sort are proude and the other are vaine and both are blinde and deceiue themselues they thinke to be in the way of life and they tend vnto death they are companions of them which forsake correction of whome Solomon saith that they are out of the way They do refuse to be refourmed which make no account to amende their liues what aduertismente soeuer is made vnto them out of the worde but the one sort doth more slippe and slide away murmuring and despiting them which doe refourme and reprooue them Some willing to shewe themselues holy and deuout doe make themselues beleeue that they shall not faile in following of their good intentes and fantasies and the traditions and good customes of their fathers And the other sorte which are delicate and desire to rest in peace doe content themselues to haue a light opinion of the Iam. 2. 19. worde and doe cal the same faith as doeth Saint Iames graunt them euen suche as haue the diuels Al such kindes of people doe refuse to be refourmed and doe wander out of the way of life and so runne vnto death Wherfore forasmuch as we abhorre death and desire life let vs not be like vnto such folkes but let vs take heed to instruction and not refuse to be refourmed For to doe this same wel let vs receiue the worde of trueth which is the seede of life Let vs take al our ioy and delight therein in obeying the commandementes of the Lorde and by cleaning fast vnto his promises by faith being assured of his fatherly goodnesse to wardes vs. Let vs be patient in afflictions from what side soeuer they come knowing that it is GOD our Father and Sauiour that doeth chasten vs partly for to admonishe vs that wee haue offended him and that wee shoulde returne vnto him to aske pardon and deliuerance from these afflictions partly to prooue our fayth and patience and to make vs knowe howe weake and fraile wee be that feeling our necessitie wee shoulde runne vnto him for his helpe And if wee thinke that hee differreth his helpe so long that wee should not be discouraged through dispaire but with al patience we should looke for his helpe the which shal not bee wanting at Esay 30. 1◠time conuenient Thus doing we shal keepe instruction and shal not forsake correction as did the children of Israel who seeing themselues pressed with necessitie in the wildernesse did murmure and bewaile the countrie of Egypt and also when they were pressed with their enimies they had their refuge not vnto God but vnto the help of men against Gods commandement 18 He that doth dissemble hatred with lying lippes hee that inuenteth slaunder is a foole When one man belieth another hee putteth himselfe in danger to beare some euil for oftentimes hee which doeth slaunder is mooued with anger and is readie to stryke or to kil It is more often seene then were needful and albeeit that euery man is a lyer yet is there none but desireth to bee counted true and the greatest lyers shal bee they which wil bee most desirous to mainteine their honour and to reuenge themselues if they bee painted such as they bee and bee tolde to their face Nowe forasmuch as it is so that wee would not abide to bee called lyers amongst other vices wee must eschue dissimulation and hypocrisie we must take heede to faine to loue thē whome we hate otherwise we belie the holy Ghost which speaketh by the mouth of Solomon and further we doe resemble Iudas which by a kisse and fained salutation betraied the innocent blood Also when they which hate their neighbours dissemble the hatred by faire woordes and goodly shew they are lyers and consequently murtherers And thus Solomon doeth expresse but one parte of their style attributing vnto them false and lying lippes but he doth not expresse so smal thing but that hee accuseth them of a crime worthy of death Thou shalt destroy them which speake leasing But albeit to auoide lying and treason wee must not Psal 5. 7. dissemble hatred yet is it not to say that it is laweful to speake euill of our neighbour when wee hate him It is the parte of fooles to babble out what they haue in their harte against their neighbours Solomon doeth signifie it saying And hee that speaketh c. They which are so readie to slaunder their neighbours whither it bee wrongfully or that they haue some occasion are as much or more guiltie then they which dissemble For first of al they are led with hatred by so speaking which is equal with murther or at the least by such hatred men are stirred vp thereunto Whosoeuer is angrie with his brother vnaduisedly shal bee woorthy of iudgement Mat. 5. 22. Secondly they slaunder most often not caring what they say so that they may doe iniurie to their neighbours and hurte their good name in belying them falsly against their conscience so much are they kindled with anger and with euil affection Thirdly no thanke to them that their neighbours whome they blame are not hurte both in their bodies and in their goods And therefore when Solomon calleth such slaunderers fooles wee must not vnderstande that hee speaketh of the simple and idiotes which vtter whatsoeuer comes in their mouth without good consideration of that which they speake and promise but hee speaketh of them which through disdaine of wisedome of correction and counsel and through hatred that they haue to their neighbours doe maliciously speake and do lye by slaundering wittingly Such are wicked fooles and doe wel deserue to bee called fooles for they are destitute of wisedome and vnderstanding These are of the number of them that wisedome reprooueth and threateneth in the first chapter and 22. verse But when Solomon doeth accuse him that doeth dissemble hatred of lying and falshoode it is not to say that it is lawefull for vs too shewe vnto our neighbours that wee hate them but rather wee must learne to purge and clense vs of al wrath and indignation displeasure enuie malice and of al desire to hurte our neighbours to the ende that wee may speake truly to our neighbours without deceipt and without fraude and that wee shoulde eschue the accusation of lying whereunto Saint Paule
speaking nothing but that wherwith they were diuinely inspired by the spirit of the Lorde 20 The tongue of the iust man is fined siluer but the harte of the vngodly is nothing woorth Solomon doeth compare the tongue of the righteous vnto the pure siluer vnto the siluer that is separated from al matter that may hinder the knowledge of his goodnesse and preciousnesse when it is mineral and hath not passed through the fire It is not without cause that hee maketh this comparison for as men doe naturally desire such kinde of siluer euen so the tongue of the righteous is greatly to bee desired of them which loue the true riches which proceede from wisedome and innocencie For the mouth of the righteous wil talke of wisedome and his tongue shal declare that which is right And also Blessed is the man that findeth Psal 37. 30. wisedome and the man that vttereth knowledge And as the pure siluer is carefully kept and is not gladly imployed indifferently to al vses euen so the righteous because hee is wise refraineth his lips and doeth not vnfolde his tongue for euery matter but as the precious siluer is not imployed but when it is very needful or about things of greate importance or there where a man wil be seene and get reputation euen so the righteous taketh heede to imploy wel his tongue vnto the glory of GOD and instruction of his neighbours and not to offende thereby wherewith hee winneth reputation and is greatly esteemed of the faythful which haue knowledge of the trueth Contrarily hee compareth the harte of the wicked vnto nothing or litle woorth and that rightly For as wee doe naturally desire aboundance of thinges that wee thinke to bee necessarie and profitable and doe disdaine and refuse that which serueth for nothing or is litle woorth euen so although that the vngodly doe praise and boast themselues and that their harte is haughtie sowln that they iudge that they ought to be praised yet God who knoweth the hartes doeth wel see that there is nothing in the hart of the vngodly that is any thing woorth therfore doeth he disdaine them and doeth abhorre them so doe they also that are led by the spirit of God For by the outward things is the vanitie of the hart knowne And as wee are wont not to spare the thinges that are nothing esteemed or smally but leaue them at randon euen so the wicked do vnfolde in euery matter the vanitie of their hart and care not what they doe nor what they say they haue no right thoughtes whervpon foloweth that their hart is nothing woorth and that they cannot do nor say any thing that is ought woorth Naturally wee are al such and haue neede that GOD by his holy spirit shoulde purge amende and renewe our hartes otherwise our tongues which from the aboundance of the heart doe speake shal not bee as pure and tried siluer but our vaine and vnprofitable heartes shal spurre forewarde our tongues to speake things nothing woorth and the rest of our members to doe vnprofitable and hurtful thinges If wee haue desire that God shoulde woorke in vs by his holy spirit wee must bee attentiue vnto his woorde For as the woordes of the Lorde are called pure Psalm 12. 7. as the siluer which from the earth is tryed and purified seuen times in the fire euen so the lawe of the Lorde is saide to bee vndefiled Wherefore besides the former expositions we may say that as there is no deceite in fine siluer but that it is true and tryed neither may Psalm 19. 8. any man deny to receiue and imploy it euen so the righteous instructed and taught in the pure and cleane woorde of GOD the which doth not deceiue thē that put their trust therein haue a pure cleane tongue neither is their fraude in his mouth but speaketh the truth from his hart and that freely Contrarily as by a thing of nothing which hath some faire shewe the vndiscreete are deceiued euen so the vngodly doe inuent nothing but deceite and hurt against their neighbours And as the iust which by his tongue seeketh nothing but the glorie and honour of God and the edification of his Church ought to be heard and receiued and his sayings obeyed as if God himselfe did speake euen so ought wee to bee careful to take heed of the wicked and chiefly of the ministers of Sathan which doe change themselues like ministers of light and doe labour but to seduce the hartes of the innocentes For other deceiptes can bring no hurte but to the temporal goods or to the bodies but the ministers of Sathan destroy for euer both the bodies and soules of so many as beleeue and reuerence them and followe their doctrine This last exposition agreeth wel with the sentence that foloweth when Solomon saith 21 The lippes of the righteous feede a whole multitude but fooles shal die for want of wisedome In what state soeuer wee be if wee bee righteous we wil labour to hurte no man by our woordes but wil delite to speake trueth and by the same to profit many in giuing good counsel in exhorting admonishing rebuking reproouing and correcting This trueth is the foode of life the vncorruptible seede which quickeneth a man for euer For man liueth not only by bread but by euery woorde that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Likewise the Gospel which is the infallible trueth is compared vnto a wedding Deut. 8. 3. vnto the which many bee called And the ministers which declare this Gospel are called Pastors and in the person of Saint Peter Iesus Christ commandeth them to feed his sheepe And somuch as in Iohn 21. 15. 1. Pet. 5. 2. Actes 20. 28 you lyeth feede the flocke of Christ Take heede to yourselues and to al the flocke wherof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseeers And as the Ministers of the Churche by their preaching doe feede the beleeuers vnto eternal life for the Gospel is the power of God to saue al them that beleeue euen so those Princes and superiours which pronounce good iust and vpright sentences for to giue right vnto him that it belongeth vnto and doe diligently watche ouer the slaunders and offences proclaming holy ordinances for to establish a sounde ecclesiastical pollicie doe feede many so much as in them is euen so doe al heads of housholde when no euil woorde doth proceed out of their mouth but doe speake very wisely and godly And as through them many are fed and quickened euen so also they feede themselues and deliuer themselues from death But they that are so colde and faintharted that they despyse al honestie and holy religion and care not though they offende and destroye their neighbours as by their wicked woordes proceeding from the weakenesse and fayntnesse of hart they leade many vnto death feeding them with poyson so much as lyeth in them so also shal not they bee spared but by the iust
GOD which giueth aboundantly all thinges to enioy That they doe good and bee riche in good workes and ready to 1. Tim. 6. 17 distribute communicate That which we distribute to the poore S. Paul calleth it a blessing or a beneuolence wherefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to come before vnto you and 2. Cor. 9. 5. to finishe your beneuolence appointed afore that it might be ready come as of beneuolence not as of niggardlines Thervpon Solomō doth say that the lord doth not giue trouble with his blessing But at the first sight the contrarie may seeme true for he hath not altogither spoiled man of his blessing and yet though hee had sinned and had deserued to be depriued of al goodnes the Lord hath giuen him of them abundantly but yet hee hath saide vnto him Because thou hast obeyed the voice of thy wife c. the earth shal be Gen. 3. 17. accursed for thy sake Hee enriched the Patriarkes the which liued not without trouble as may be seene by the historie of their life Hee blessed Dauid with riches and exalted him ordeyning him king in Israel but before that hee attained vnto it hee suffred very much and after that hee was exalted hee had much trouble and that by the meanes of his owne blood And our Lorde Iesus doeth not promise any riches vnto his faithful people but with condition of persecution And also hee woulde that wee al shoulde beare our Mar. 10. 13. Luke 9. 23. crosse I answere that the blessing of God doeth not exempt the faithful from afflictions in their flesh and that they should not suffer much trouble in this worlde for let vs knowe that the afflictions of this present time are not woorthy of the glorie which shal bee Rom. 8. 18. shewed vnto vs they beare them with patience and ioy and are at peace and quietnesse in their consciences and are assured of the goodnesse and loue of God towardes them they say with Dauid The Lorde is my sheephearde therefore shal I want nothing Ps 23. 1. 27 1. 34 18. The Lorde is my light c. When the righteous crye vnto the Lorde hee heareth them and doeth deliuer them out of al their troubles Yea though hee shoulde kil mee yet wil I put my thrust in Iob. 13. 15. him saieth Iob. Contrarily albeeit that the vngodly which doe not acknowledge the goodnesse and blessing of GOD doe greatly prosper in the outwarde sight of the worlde for it is saide that they feele no trouble c. yet so much as in them lyeth they refuse and reiect the blessing of GOD and are also greatly troubled in their consciences and are much vexed in their mindes they haue no peace nor quietnesse in their vnderstanding The wicked are lyke the raging sea which cannot rest whose waterfometh Esay 57. 20. with the myre and grauel Euen so the wicked haue nopeace saith God 23 It is pastime to a foole to do wickedly but wisdom is vnderstanding to a man When wee haue committed any faultes and offences howe smal and litle soeuer they bee and bee it that wee haue offended and sinned by infirmitie or malice by ignorance or of set purpose to doe euil it is necessary wee shoulde knowe that wee haue grieuously offended forasmuch as wee haue transgressed the lawe of our God the which is so holy good and iust And vpon the knowledge herof we must tremble and be afraid of the righteous iudgement of God the which wee haue deserued that hee shoulde poure vpon vs and exercise against vs his wrath and anger and that hee shoulde no whit spare vs but damne and destroy vs and being thus feared that wee may bee brought to say without colour and faynednesse with Dauid Correct mee not in thy wrath O Lorde nor chasten Psalw 38. 2. mee not in thy heauie displeasure It is also necessarie for vs that such a feare shoulde leade vs not to a despayre as it did Iudas but vnto a griefe and sorrowe which may make vs hate the euil that wee haue committed and to detest and abhorre the same This kinde of sorrowe is very profitable and needful for vs as S. Paule doeth declare when hee reioyced at that that he had made the Corinthians sory saying I nowe reioyce not that yee were sory but 2. Cor. 7. 9. that yee sorowed to repentance for yee sorowed godly so that in nothing yee were hurt by vs for godly sorowe causeth repentance vnto saluation not to bee repented of but worldly sorowe causeth death Nowe as this sorowe is healthful vnto them which refuse it not euen so also the contempt therof is very dangerous And in that day did the Lorde God of hostes cal men vnto weeping Esay 22. 11. mourning to baldnesse and girding about with sacke cloth And beholde they haue ioye and gladnesse slaying oxen killing sheepe eating flesh and drinking wyne Likewise Solomon rebuketh this contempt when hee saieth that hee maketh but a sporte of wickednes c. He speaketh here chiefly of faults sinnes which haue bin much thought on and are committed vpon set purpose for hee vseth a word which commeth of a verbe that signifieth thoughtes Such faults are very greeuous and abhominable before God bicause they proceede of very set malice and that they which commit them woulde doe no better but if they coulde they would yet more wickedly And albeit they know wel that they do euil that they wold not bee so serued and that they would be ready to reuenge themselues if any man shoulde offend them yet as though GOD sawe them not they spare not to thinke and do euill They haue no feare of God and doe laugh euen whiles they doe euil as if they were well assured and as though they had made a couenaunte with death and hell They are of the number of those that Esay speaketh of saying Woe bee vnto them that drawe wickednesse vnto them with Esay 5. 81. 19 20. cordes of vanitie and sinne as it were with a carte rope Let the counsel of the holie one of Israel come and drawe nigh that wee may knowe it Woe be vnto them that cal euil good and good euil which make darkenesse light and light darkenesse that make sweete Esai 28. 14. sowre and sowre sweete And therefore heare the worde of the Lorde ye mockers because ye haue saide we haue made a couenant with death and with hell are wee at agreement Solomon calleth such people fooles and not without a cause For though there were nothing but this that they are destitute of wisdome knowledge they deserue to be called fooles by a stronger reason when they esteeme not wisedome but mocke thereat contemning and refusing it and in so muche as in them lyeth doe persecute it they deserue to be called fooles Also they are without wit without reason without vnderstanding the which is cause that
of the present sentence wee might make thereof twoo contrary partes And for the seconde which is also that the hope of the vniust shal perish Wee will apply the first after this sorte that the wicked doe not come to the ende of their enterprises as they desire and hope but receiue the contrary whereby they are confounded and so their hope perisheth and this is chiefly in death wherein they shall remaine and bee vndoone for euer For to shewe that it cannot otherwise happen and that the wicked must needes bee frustrate and voide of their hope Solomon vseth a Verbe which doeth not signifie that which is or shal bee doone but that which is already doone thus it doth signifie vnto vs that we shoulde thinke the thing to bee lost which wee cannot obteine and whereof there comes no good end For if wee will giue the Verbe according to his time wee shall say that the hope of the wicked is lost and gone And by this word we may say that Solomon doth signifie that God doth not alwayes tary vntill death to confound the wicked by making them void of their hope as also it is the trueth and diuers haue prooued it true and do still feele it as it is very expedient for the rest and tranquilitie of the seruantes and children of God Againe wee haue not said that it is onely referred vntil death But chiefly Pharao looked surely too Exo. 1. 1. King 12. Esay 3. 6. Dan. 4. holde the children of Israel in bondage so did Roboam also Zennacherib and Nabuchodonosar They which inuent and striue against the Gospel and doe persecute the faithful from this life they loose their hope and shall loose the same in death except they come to repentance and that they settle their hope more stedfast Saint Paul whē he persecuted the Christiās lost his hope for this life the which was helthful vnto him they which haue receiued the interim haue hope to obteine a counsel which shall refourme all errours They haue beene for a certaine yeeres put off GOD for his mercy sake put them off stil to the ende that they shoulde returne for to consider from whence they are fallen and that they shoulde change their hope 8 The righteous escapeth out of trouble and the wicked shall come in his steede For to establishe right iudgement wee must not iudge according to the sight of our eyes nor after that that we see happen dayly otherwise we shold esteeme the righteous to be most wicked the most vngodly should be in our opiniō the best people But we must take heede to that which God pronounceth and if wee iudge after his sentence wee shal be righteous iudges Nowe hee excepteth not the righteous man from troubles as may bee seene both by examples and by witnesses which haue beene already alledged but in diuers places he promiseth to deliuer the faithful man from misery and calamitie Solomon after the Psalmist and others doth giue vs witnesse thereof when hee saith The righteous escapeth out of trouble As the holy scripture doth not determine the time so ought wee not too assesse special iudgement vpon this man or that man but we must be certaine that if we walke vprightly and in soundnesse of cōscience and that we be patient in aduersitie how long harde soeuer they seeme vnto vs that at time conuenient wee shal-be deliuered For yee haue neede of patience that after yee haue doone Heb. 10. 36. the wil of God yee might receiue the promise The iust doth not alwayes escape tribulation but it taken out of the worlde Contrarily what prosperitie soeuer we haue in this worlde howe long soeuer it be yet if we walke with an euil conscience we cānot looke but for misery and calamitie This is that which Solomon meaneth when he saith But the wicked commeth in his place as if hee saide the righteous which was counted vnhappy and miserable through the trouble that oppressed him doeth escape the same and is placed happily and the wicked which did oppresse him falleth into the misery wherein he laboured to bring and to keepe the iust and so hee commeth in his place When Solomon calleth trouble the place of the righteous it is not to say that the righteous haue deserued trouble though wee bee all worthie to be afflicted not onely with temporal sorrow but with perpetuall torments if God shoulde enter into iudgement with vs but hee meaneth the wicked which thinke to yeelde vnto the righteous that which hee needeth when hee troubleth and molesteth him shall at the last come into the same ranck and order and shall not escape as it is declared of Herode Acts the 12. Chapter Wee may also say that in his place after the language of Solomon importeth as much as for him or aboue him as if Solomō woulde say that the wicked shall come into trouble for the iust whome hee hath oppressed or in steede that he laboured to subdue the righteous he shal be placed aboue him and the wicked shal bee as the footestoole of the righteous The first sense is true so are these two last For it is a righteous thing with God to recompense 2. Thes 1. 6. tribulation to them that trouble you We may see also in diuers places that God threateneth and punisheth the wicked for the righteous Mala. 5. 3. Psal 47. 4 Psal 49. 14 and that the wicked are set vnder the iust The victories that God hath giuen vnto his people of Israel against the infidels haue bin a figure therof when truly it is said They lie like sheepe in the graue death deuoureth them and the righteous shal haue domination ouer them in the morning This same shal be thus done because the iust are members of Iesus Christ But to the end that none should presume of his owne worthines and excellencie of his owne power or cunning because it is saide the iust escapeth from trouble and also it seemeth at the first sight that Solomon doeth attribute some vertue vnto the iust as if hee did drawe himselfe out of Psal 110. 1 miserie let vs know that Solomon vseth here a verbe passiue wherby hee signifieth that it is by an other that the righteous escapeth and truely we are like vnto a litle birde taken in the net the which can not escape except some other breake the net For this cause we must humbly confesse it If the Lord had not bene on our side when Psal 124. 1 men rose vp against vs they had then swallowed vs vp quicke But the wicked doeth wel deserue trouble neither ought the fault to be imputed to any other then to himself for it is he which falleth into it of his owne proper malice 9 An hypocrite with his mouth hurteth his neighbour but the righteous shal be deliuered by knowledge The worlde doeth so flowe with hypocrites that the Scripture doubteth not to accuse al the bodie of the people of God of hypopocrisie
vnto our neighbours Wherefore let vs vnderstande that to speake trueth consisteth not onely in the mouth but also in woorkes Solomon doeth well teache it vs when hee ioyneth righteousnesse togither with truth and that afterwardes against righteousnesse hee setteth fraude saying But a false witnesse vseth disceite As wee haue set foure kindes of speaking truth and to shew righteousnesse so may we do the like in speaking of false witnesse and in woorking disceite Besides this let vs learne that by this Antithesis or against setting Solomon doeth exhorte vs to haue trueth and righteousnesse in great reuerence seeing that none of vs woulde bee counted lyers nor deceiuers c. 18 There is that speaketh wordes like the prickinges of a sword but the tongue of the wise man is health There is none of vs that would be pricked or harmed but do aâ—â— desire health and do labour by al meanes possible to auoide all dangers and hurtes and to keepe our bodies in good order and safetie Nowe if wee haue care of our bodies which are not so excellent as our soules by a more strong reason wee must take care of them and to keepe them that they bee not pricked but that they may obteine health and that therein they shoulde continue and increase For to come to this there are companies and feloweshippes that wee must flye and reiect and others that wee must seeke and keepe Solomon doeth wel giue vs this same to vnderstande when hee saith There is that speaketh words c. Heere by that which he placeth the wise against him which speaketh like the prickings of a sworde wee ought to knowe that if wee will not bee hurte wee must beware of the foolishe for they are they which by their woordes are as swordes There are diuers kindes of these fooles which are very dangerous as are the wicked iudges and wicked magistrates false witnesse bearers flatterers lyers iesters and such as abounde in wanton woordes The woordes of such people doe pricke and smart after twoo sortes that is to say without and within If wee doe not consent with them and doe not become their familiar acquaintance and friendes and at their commandement doe labour by their wicked sentences by their false witnesse bearings by their wicked tales by their iestings and scornings for to hurte vs either in our goods or in our bodies or in our good name And if we walke familiarly with them they prick vs and sting vs within for they do what they can with their tongues to corrupt vs. Therefore Saint Paule doeth admonish vs saying Bee not deceiued euil woordes corrupt good 1. Cor. 15. 33. 2. Cor. 6. 14. Ephe. 5. 3. manners Againe hee saith Be not vnequally yoked with the infidels for what felowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnes c. He saieth againe But fornication and al vncleannesse or couetousnesse let it not bee once named among you as it becommeth saints neither filthinesse neither foolishe talking neither iesting which are things not comely but rather giuing of thaÌ„ks We learne then that we must fly such kinde of people and haue no acquaintaÌ„ce with them if wee woulde bee preserued from inwarde hurt which is a more dangerous and sore wounde then that without Nowe if wee must seuer ourselues from such folke by a stronger reason wee must flye and reiect false Prophetes and lying Doctours which by sweete woordes and fayre speeches doe deceiue the harts of the ignorant The wordes of such people are so dangerous and deadly that Saint Paule warneth Timothie To stay prophane and â— Tim. 2. 16. vaine babblings for they shal increase vnto more vngodlinesse If it seemed good to Saint Paule to bee needful to admonishe so excellent a disciple of these things by so much the more haue wee very greate neede to bee warned thereof Of al these points we cannot take heede but haue neede that the Lorde shoulde keepe and deliuer vs. The Psalmist doeth wel shewe it vs when hee is Psal 57. 4. so diligent to pray My soule is amongst Lyons I lye among the children of men that are set on fire whose teeth are speares and arrowes and their tongue a sharpe swoorde Againe hee saieth 64. â— Heare my voyce O God in my prayer preserue my life from feare of the enemie Hyde mee from the conspiracye of the wicked and from the rage of the woorkers of iniquitie Which haue whet their tongue like a sworde and shot foorth their arrowes bitter woordes Further let vs note that Solomon doeth accuse such kinde of men to be murtherers when hee doeth attribute vnto them the prickings of a sworde and so consequently hee condemneth them vnto eternal death For it is said You know that no manslear hath eternal life abyding in him Therefore if wee will not perish with them let vs soften our tongues and make them 1. Iohn 3. 15. sounde and healthful the which wee shal doe if renouncing foolishnesse wee doe folowe the wise and that by their wholesome doctrine and good examples wee become wise for as Solomon saith But the tongue of wise men is health As wee commonly cal those things whereby wee get and mainteine corporal health by the name thereof euen so Solomon calleth the tongue of the wise health because that if wee vse the same and helpe vs by it wee obteine an excellent health and are kept therein If wee bee diligent to heare the wise and also careful to followe their wholesome doctrine wee shal haue health not temporal and bodily only but our soules shal bee so healthful that wee shal neuer die The tongue of the wise is of such vertue that whosoeuer shal helpe himselfe thereby in true fayth and repentance it shal bring vnto him eternal life for it speaketh the trueth it bringeth foorth the seede of life and euerlasting health as before in the thirde chapter and first verse vnto the nienth and the fourth chapter and 20. verse c. The Psalmist doeth wel shewe this same when hee Psal 119. 40 attributeth quickening vnto the woorde of the Lorde And our Lorde Iesus Christ doeth plainely declare it vs when hee compareth himselfe vnto the serpent and doth exhort vs to beleue in him Iohn 3. 14. Therefore if wee desire health let vs often resorte vnto the sermons for it is said Fayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the woorde of God Al Christians according to the measure they haue Rom. 10. 17. receiued ought for to bring this health but the Ministers of the woorde aboue al others for to them it is that the Lord hath committed the Gospel after the which they bring wholesome doctrine And therefore Saint Paule doeth admonishe Timothe to keepe the true paterne of the wholesome woordes c. Againe For a bishop 2. Tim. 1. 13. Tit. 1. 7. 2. 1. must bee vnreprooueable as Gods steward c. But speake thou the thinges which become wholesome doctrine c. Nowe forasmuch as
the Deuil doe draw vs and lay baites 1. Pet. 4. 3 Ioh. 3. 3. 1. Cor. 6. 9 Rom. 6. 23 Gal. 5. 21. Mat. 7. 13. Hebr. 12. 1 1. Pro. 2. 1 for vs that delighting in the pleasures of the heathen that knowe not God we should walke dishonestly So doing we can not finde life The reward of sinne is death but wee must seeke for a straight pathe that may leade vs vnto life And for to runne wel therein let vs laye away al that presseth vs downe and putting away al malice let vs abstaine from carnal lustes which fight against the soule If we thus walke we shal finde life for that way is the path of righteousnes wherein as Solomon saith is life and no death therein When Solomon tooke his doctrine from the lawe whereunto it is lawfull for no man to adde or diminish we must vnderstande that he speaketh Deut. 4. 5. 8. 2. Cor. 1. 20 heere of eternal life chiefly For albeit that God by Moyses gaue vnto the children of Israel promises concerning this temporal life as neuertheles seeing that God doeth esteeme none but his children whom he hath erected to eternal life worthie of his promises for al his promises are yea and Amen in Christ wee must vnderstand that in these temporal and earthly promises are enclosed the heauenly and spiritual as the Fathers Hebr. 11. 9. 10 13. Leu. 18. 5. Rom. 10. 5. did wel vnderstande and also Moyses doeth signifie the same saying The which if a man shal doe he shal liue in them the which Saint Paule expoundeth of eternal life Then when Solomon saith Life is in the way c. Let vs vnderstand it of the blessed and eternal lyfe as he himselfe declareth it saying And in that path way there is no death For temporal life is not without death as experience teacheth alwayes and the Scripture witnesseth vnto vs I say vnto you brethren that fleshe and blood can not inherite the kingdome 1. Cor. 15. 50. Hebr. 9. 29 of God Men are appointed once to dye Wee must also take death heere for eternal death as doeth our Lord Iesus Verely verely I say vnto you that he which heareth my word is passed from death vnto life If any man keepe my worde he shal not see death Ioh. 5. 24. 8. 51. 11. 25. Whosoeuer beleeueth in me though hee were dead yet shal he liue If then wee wil liue without death let vs walke in the path of righteousnes as wee are taught by the Scriptures aforesaide The which shal be done if hauing the assured hope of our saluation in the righteousnes of our Lord we giue ourselues to liue after his commandements conteined in his lawe There is no death For albeit the righteous are the most that are slaine yet they dye not but doe passe from death vnto lyfe The xiii Chapter 1 A wise sonne wil obey the instruction of his father but a scorner wil heare no rebuke FOrasmuch as instruction consisteth in commandemēts counsels exhortations corrections and reprehensions wherof the rude simple and ignorant haue neede and not they that are indewed with so much wisdom as they neede ought to haue and liue according thereto before the world and walke so wisely that they are without reprehension haue no need that any man should shew them any thing Wee vnderstand not by the wise Sonne a man hauing wisdome premeditated for suche a man hath no need that his father should shewe him either reprooue or correct him but by a wise sonne we wil vnderstand him that humbleth himselfe vnto his father feareth and reuerenceth him wil receiue doctrine and endeuoureth to serue him and to be at his commandement This sonne is wise though ther be in him many things which require either admonitions exhortations or corrections Albeit then that wee haue many imperfections yet doe wee not cease therfore to be called wise by the Scriptures which lie not so that we confessing ourselues to be such as wee are doe become easie to bee Rom 13. 7. Ephe. 4. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13 taught tractable and endeuour to yeeld subiection obedience feare honour to them that wee ought folowing the counsel of S. Paul Giue vnto euery man that which is due to him c. So doing we shal be wise sonnes and wil take instruction of them to whome we are committed and to whom we owe honour obedience As then we see Solomon calleth children inferiours vnto wisdō that the youth the common people should not take licence to remain in ignorance as though wisdome did nothing belong to them For gladly such people are wont to say that they need not to be so wise they think that wisdō is not necessary for thē but for men in authority dignitie He doth also exhort thē to receiue instruction of the father vnder the which name of father let vs vnderstād al such as we owe obedience and honour vnto but as they make no account of wisedome euen so doe suche people commonly hate instruction though it be necessary for them It is too common a vice that things most necessarie are most despised in the world there is almost none but feareth to be either too wise or too honest wherin they are like to children who according as they are borne of fleshe doe loue that which is not good for them Now though we must be like vnto litle children yet when we are here called to be wise and to receiue instruction Mat. 18. 3 let vs folow the admonition of S. Paul Brethren in vnderstanding be not children but in malice let vs be children Take heed 1. Cor. 14. 20 Ephe. 5. 15 1. Pet. 2. 1 therefore that ye walke circumspectly c putting away al malice c. If we make no count of such instructions we are not wise but scorners as Solomon doth shew vs saying But a scorner wil heare no rebukes Wisdom hath complained here aboue Chaper 1. verse 22. and for their refusal hath threatened them afterwardes verse 24. By this sentence other alreadie alledged Chap. 9. verse 7. 8. we may vnderstand that scorners are proude wicked corrupted hardened vncorrigible Such people labour to make themselues beleeue Esai 28. 15 that what euil soeuer doth happen they shal be exempted And therfore they scorne al reprehension It is not to say that they are assured for their conscience in spight of their teeth wil reprooue them whereupon they are feared with the iudgement of God They shew thēselues verie bold as if they were in great assurance but the wicked are as the raging of the sea c. There is no peace to the wicked saieth God Besides this let vs note first of al that scorners haue Esai 57. 20 eares but they heare not they are of the number of them of whom Esai speaketh Goe say to this people heare and vnderstande not see and know not
blessednes which is a rewarde not of merite but of grace and liberal goodnesse Secondarily let vs note that if wee wil vnderstande this sentence of the sayings of Kings and Princes they ought to learne heere that their office is to roote out the wicked and to set good men at rest for we may also expounde the last woorde of this sentence by To obteine peace Mat. 24. 25. Thirdly let vs note that the worde Worde after the Hebrewe phrase doeth signifie a thing and after this signification wee may say that hee shal be destroyed which despiseth the thing that is committed vnto him 14 The instruction of a wise man is as the wel spring of life to turne away from the snares of death As the man which fainteth for want of drinke if hee meete with a fountaine of water and drinke thereof doeth slake his thirst and is so quickened that hee is out of danger to dye by thirst euen so when wee haue Lords and gouernous which do their duetie in politike gouernement when fathers and mothers are carefull of their families as behoueth and when the Pastours of the church doe employe themselues diligently vnto wholesome doctrine then haue wee wise men whose admonitions counselles and corrections if wee receiue then doe wee drinke of the fountaine of liuing water the which wil preserue vs from death and wil quicken vs when by such instructions the holy Ghost woorketh in vs sanctifying and making vs obedient by faith and repentance For without the working of the holie Ghost instruction is dead and is deadly to them to whom it is offered when they doe not willingly receiue it Solomon doeth exhort vs to drinke of this spring and fountaine when hee sayeth The instruction of a wise man c. For to drinke rightly of this fountaine let vs resort thither whither Esay calleth vs saying Al yee that bee a thirst come to the waters Esai 55. 1. Therefore for to receiue well the instruction of the wise and to be refreshed and to auoyde the snares of death wee must come vnto Iesus Christ that hee may make vs partakers of the graces and giftes of his Spirite teaching vs by the doctrine of his Gospel For as wee are corporally nourished with bread wine milke and water euen so ought wee to vnderstande that our soules are susteyned with the doctrine of the Gospel with the holie Ghost and other giftes of Iesus Christ and are so nourished and sustayned therewith that wee shal neuer neede any thing If thou knewest Ioh. 4. 10. 7. 37. the gift of God c. Againe whosoeuer drinketh of this water c. If any man thirst let him come to mee and drinke c. Ouer and besides this let vs note first of al that they which take vpon them to instruct others shoulde bee wise that no man may reprooue or blame them Thou which teachest an other teachest thou not thy selfe And they must be wise not as Turkes and Papists Rom. 2. 21. which thinke themselues verie wise when they are verie diligent to publishe humane doctrines and diuellishe traditions by the which they seduce the heartes of the simple and so doe drawe them to death and doe not quenche the thirst of the people with the spring of life they are not administratours of the waters of this liuely spring but they leade the people to a forsaking of the liuing God which is the fountaine of liuing water but they must folowe the wisedome of Moyses of the Prophetes and Apostles of good iudges and kings which haue ministred this liuely water Secondly let vs note that where there are no wise men there is no spring of life but al are snared in the nettes of death Whereupon wee may vnderstande howe greate the miserie is wherein the Turkes and Papistes are and to consider howe much more miserable are they which haue wise men and do despise them They are more miserable then they of Sodom and Gomorrha Mat. 10. 1â— Thirdly let vs note seeing that the scripture doeth attribute snares vnto death that it is not in our power to deliuer ourselues from death no more then it is in the power of a litle byrde to escape the net when he is entangled therein Let vs not boast ourselues therfore of our free wil as if thereby wee had the power to saue ourselues But when wee drinke of this spring of life that wee taste and digest it let vs knowe that it commeth because that our Lord Iesus 1. Cor. 15. 55 Psal 124. 7. Ephe. 2. Titus 3. Christ hath broken the bandes of death And therefore let vs confesse this grace and say Our soule is escaped as a byrde out of the snare of the fouler c. 15 Good vnderstanding maketh acceptable but the way of the disobedient is hated When Solomon speaketh thus it is not to say that there is any euil vnderstanding but hee so speaketh to distinguishe it from the same that the worlde esteemeth so much the which is but foolishnesse before God and consequently before them which are indued with the spirite of the Lorde This hee doeth also for to make vs to loue it and to induce vs to seeke it seeing that naturally wee loue that which is good Therefore when Solomon saieth Good vnderstanding c. It is asmuch as if hee did say Take heede yee order not your manners after the custome of them which thinke that they haue vnderstanding before the worlde It doeth nothing profite but to puffe vp men and to cause them to dispise their neighbours and often to become angrie enuious But giue yourselues vnto good wisedome and vnderstanding which wil not swel nor contemne other it maketh the man of vnderstanding acceptable vnto his neighbours whome hee by his wisedome doth admonishe and comfort administring vnto them the helpes of saluation Beholde howe good vnderstanding getteth fauour aswel to him that possesseth it as also to the neighbours which are holpen thereby either spiritually or corporally Both of these may bee seene in Ioseph and in Moyses And to the ende that wee shoulde knowe howe wee ought to gouerne vs after good vnderstanding Solomon doeth teache vs rightly wherein it consisteth to wit in faythfulnesse vprightnesse and trueth in gentlenesse easinesse and softnesse Wee may vnderstande this same by the Antithesis when hee saith But the way of the disobedient is hated Against good vnderstanding hee setteth the way of the vnfaythful and against grace or acceptation hee setteth heere sharpenes or hatred Whereupon wee may gather what is ment by good vnderstanding and that they which are indued therewith ought to be acceptable vnto their neighbours seeing that they become tractable and are at their commaundement in what soeuer they can as God willeth Let vs also note that the vnfaithful and disobedient can hardly counterfaite for to bee founde honestmen and in the meane time to worke the destruction of their neighbours And they which haue to doe with them
make vs to tremble and quake before God as men do before a sharp seuere cruel iudge but hee speaketh of suche a feare as doeth leade vs to honour God and to giue him willing obedience Hee doeth wel giue it to vnderstande when against feare hee setteth contempt saying But hee that is lewde in his wayes despiseth him After what sort soeuer wee take this worde his wayes either for the wayes of God that is to say for the kind of liuing and gouernment in this world that god teacheth vs by his worde or for the wayes of man that is to say for the conuersation that man ought to follow there shal be no inconuenience at al and the sense shal be al one For seeing that man is the creature of God hee ought not to haue other wayes then those which God teacheth him and commandeth him but ought to walk straight in them without turning from them either to the one side or to the other otherwise man doeth not feare God nor honour him but doeth despise him as Solomon doeth pronounce and heerein hee doth threaten al hypocrites and dissemblers al idolaters and superstitious al those which worke iniquitie shewing them that they can looke for nothing but destruction and damnation seeing they despise the authour of life and saluation Furthermore let vs note that if wee wil turne this sentence backwarde and say who so feareth the Lord walketh in his righteousnesse but hee that doeth despise him is lewd in his wayes the later sense shal not repugne the former but we shal heere learne as the trueth is that it is the feare of the Lorde which maketh men to walke in righteousnesse and contrarily that it is contempt of God which turneth mē aside and maketh them lewde in their waies 3 In the mouth of the foolish is the rod of pride but the lips of the wise preserue them It seemeth vnto the wicked which haue authoritie and power or thinke to haue maintenance and bee supported that it is lawfull for them to speake what they list and indeede they vse their tongues at theyr pleasure as a theefe doeth his sworde and muche worse for they sharpen not their tongues onely against men by wicked wordes by commandementes importable by false witnesse bearing lying flatteringes and slaunderings and backbitings but also against God in forsaking him and giuing themselues vnto the Diuel in cursing swearing and forswearing blaspheming and taking his name in iest and in aswel mingling it with the vanities and filthinesse as with humane and diuelishe doctrines with vnshameful and wanton songes in such wise that a man may blame them Thou giuest thy mouth to euil and with thy tongue thou forgest Psal 50. 19. 7. 9. 11. deceite euen so also wee may complaine that they haue lifted vpp their mouthes to heauen This is to haue the rod of pride in their mouth when they doe thus vse it against God and against their neighbours as they thinke without hurt and danger it is lawful Psal 10. 11. 94. 7 for them to raile For they say God will neuer see it neither wil the God of Iacob regard it And as touching men because they open their mouth against the innocent and weake they boldly say With our tongues we wil preuaile and our lippes are our owne Psal 12. 4 who is Lorde ouer vs But wee may say vnto them yee that are without vnderstanding heare and you fooles when will yee bee taught Therefore albeit that they thinke to remaine vnpunished yet shal they not escape nor auoide rhe hand of the Lorde for it is saide These thinges hast thou doone and I helde my tongue therefore thou thoughtest that I was like thee but I will reproue thee and set them in order before thee Againe Surely thou hast Psalm 50. 21 Psal 73. 18. Psal 94. 21. set them in slippery places and castest them downe into desolation Again They gather them together against the soule of the righteous and condemne the innocent blood Solomon doeth heere after a sorte threaten them with this destruction when hee doeth attribute pride vnto them for that which is highly esteemed before mē Luke 16. 15. 1. 51. is abhominable before God And the virgin Mary saith Hee hath scattered the proude in the imagination of their heartes God resisteth the proude and giueth grace vnto the humble Hee signifieth also their destruction when against the rodde of pride hee setteth the preseruation and conseruation of the wise saying But the lippes of the wyse preserue them The preseruation whereof hee speaketh is not worldly nor temporal it is neither corporal nor carnal for there are no people in the worlde counted more folishe proude and arrogant in wordes then the wise therefore are they hated and persecuted and put to death They speake trueth which the worlde cannot beare the which also the heathen haue knowne and saide That trueth getteth hatred But we must stay ourselues vppon the worde of the Lorde If the worlde hate you yee knowe that it hated mee before you Againe they shal excommunicate Iohn 15. 1◠16. 2 you yea the time shal come that whosoeuer killeth you wil thynke that hee doeth God seruice This is not the conseruation or temporal preseruation that is heere spoken of nor wherevpon wee must bee staied but Solomon speaketh chiefly of the spiritual and eternal preseruation as also the destruction of the foolishe which doe proudly speake is eternal True it is that as sometimes God sendeth temporal punishmentes too the wicked and is visibly reuenged of him euen so according as hee seeth expedient hee sheweth and declareth himselfe the preseruer of the wise Noe and other haue prooued it true And forasmuche as wee desire to bee preserued wee must cast from vs the rodde of pride and take the lippes which are opened with humilitie and modestie with trueth and temperancie The which wee cannot doe of ourselues And therefore let vs pray Open my lippes O Lorde and my mouth shal shewe foorth thy prayse Againe Set Psal 51. 17. 141. 3 a watche O Lorde before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lippes Thus doing wee shall not bee comprehended among them of whome the Scripture complaineth For there is no constancie in their mouth within they are very corruption their throte Psal 5. 9. 57. 4. 64. 2. 3. is an open sepulchre and they flatter with their tongue My soule is among Lions I lie among the children of men that are set on fire whose teeth are speares and arrowes and the tongue a sharpe sworde Hide mee from the conspiracie of the wicked and from the rage of the workers of iniquitie which haue whet their tongue like a sword and shot foorth their arrowes euē bitter words c Psal 140. 3. They haue sharpened their tongues like a Serpent Adders poyson is vnder their lippes Such kinde of people fal into destruction as in the places before alledged
can eyther by heaping vp of goods and riches together or by credite and power or by leagues with the more mightie more noble then themselues yet must their house fall for it is not built vppon the rocke Albeit then that the wicked doe boast and brag and exalt and lift vp themselues yet shal they not continue They thinke they are verie sure and stable as Solomon doeth signifie it attributing an house vnto them and attributing vnto the righteous but a simple tabernacle the which oftentimes is litle and lowe and easily remoued hither and thither Notwithstanding hee compareth the florishing state of the righteous vnto the appearance of the long continuance of the house of the wicked and doth also preferre the same before it when hee saith But the Tabernacle of the righteous shal florish First of al let vs note that when a simple and weake tabernacle is preferred vnto an house which seemeth strong and mightie wee are taught not to stay nor to trust vnto the fayre shewes of this worlde but rather to seeke humble thinges and to be contented with a lowe degree so doing we shal be raised vp vnto an excellent and euerlasting highnesse Secondly forasmuch as the state of the wicked is compared vnto an house wee must not therefore maruell though they bee greate in outwarde sight and doe long stande as it seemeth to those which haue not like prosperitie Their state is compared vnto an house but like to such an house as shal be destroyed and shal ouerwhelme such as are therein Nowe there is none of vs but had rather dwel in such a light tabernacle then to dwel in such a decayed house how great and faire soeuer it be They which know of destruction at hande cannot dwel but in great feare And forasmuch as the scripture compareth the state of the righteous vnto a tabernacle against the wicked their estate therefore wee must not departe from righteousnesse though that in folowing thereof wee bee despised of the worlde and that our condition be worse in outwarde sight then the same of the wicked For the pouertie of the faythful patiently borne is much more worth then the great prosperitie of the wicked Solomon doth signifie it when against destruction he setteth florishing saying But the tabernacle of the righteous shall florishe But seeing that the floure is soone passed and gone and that it withereth becōmeth haye very quickly dryeth as we dayly see and that the scripture compareth the most excellent thinges of this worlde vnto a floure to shewe therby their vnstablenesse inconstancie and vanitie it may seeme therefore that the excellent state of the righteous is not duely Iob. 14. 2. Psal 103. 15 Esay 4. 7. Iames. 1. 10. nor rightly signified when it is said that their tabernacle shal florish To the which I answere albeit that the floure is of smal continuance yet after winter in the which it seemeth that al herbes are deade when the spring time commeth in the which all herbes and rootes of the earth doe waxe greene spring and floorish wee finde al things well and in good case whereat we reioyce The Scripture also for to signifie the prosperous and blessed estate of the faithful doeth attribute to them flourishing it saith Heereafter Iacob shall Esai 27. 6. 35. 1. take roote Israel shal floorish grow the world shal bee filled with fruite The desert the wildernes shal reioyce and the wast ground shal be glad and floorish as the rose c. Such as be planted Psal 92. 13 14. in the house of the Lorde shal floorish in the courtes of our God And because that this prosperous and floorishing estate is not outwardly seene but that the faythfull most commonly are vnder affliction as experience doeth teach it The Scripture sayth not that they doe floorish for they are now as it were in the winter but it saith that they shal florish And herein it sheweth that their flowre shal continue euen for euer Solomon doth wel shew it here when against destruction he setteth flourishing 12 There is a way which seemeth right to a man but the yssues thereof are the wayes of death When any thing is often done in the world it seemeth there is no euil in it Wherevpon it followeth that it seemeth good and right seeing that betweene good and euill betweene wrong and right there is no difference There are but a fewe which be of this opinion but in al estates almost custome is made a law though it be against the honour of God and against the loue of our neighbour We may see the same in superstitions and idolatries in craftes and occupations in trades and merchandize Because the way that such folkes doe holde is commonly vsed therefore it seemeth too them right but they shal at the last feele that they wandred and went astraye after diuers sortes and very greeuously as Solomon doeth signifie the same when he sayth But the yssues thereof are the wayes of death Wherein he teacheth the very same thing that Moses taught the children of Israe Ye shall not doe after al these thinges that wee doe here this day that is euery man whatsoeuer Deu. 12. 8. seemeth him good in his owne eyes And immediately after hee Deut. 12. 8. threateneth that if wee followe that which is right in our owne minde and opinion that wee shal dye not onely temporally and corporally the which is common both to men and to beastes to the Eccles 3. 19. 9. 2. iust and vniust and also wee see that they which walke right after the iudgement of the worlde are not in so great danger of corporal death as are they which seeke to please God according to his word Who are rather counted sheepe for the slaughter But chiefly by eternal death wherein the wicked shal knowe that the way which Rom. 8. 36. they haue holden was not the right way Suche knowledge shal profite them nothing but further to torment them Wherefore let vs vnderstande that Solomon doth Wis 5. 3. admonishe vs to walke cleane contrarie to our owne opinion and fantasie if wee wil auoide death and obteine life Furthermore hee sheweth vs that wee al of ourselues do tend vnto death for wee thinke that wee are so wise that wee can alone guide ourselues This same is common to al men vntil they be regenerate and sanctified by the Spirite of God who by his annointing doeth teach and leade them To the ende then that we do not enter into the wayes of death Let vs pray Leade mee O Lord Psal 5. 8. 25. 4. in thy righteousnes because of mine enemies c. Againe Shewe me thy wayes O Lorde and teache mee thy pathes c. 13 Euen in laughing the heart is sorowful and the ende of that mirth is heauines When the worldlinges and carnal men doe feele themselues troubled and grieued or when they wil put away and resist
Lord and contrarily that it is a thing greatly to be feared for to bee abhorred of him For God loueth not the righteous for one time onely but hee continueth to loue them as Solomon doeth somewhat signifie by the Verbe of the Futuretence which he vseth And the Lord shal shew them this immutable loue when he shal giue them the eternal possession of the heauenly kingdome He hath loued theÌ„ before the fouÌ„dation of the worlde was laide wherevpon it followeth that hee wil alwaies loue them for hee is vnchangeable The giftes and calling of God are without repentance And forasmuch as he hath loued vs before the Rom. 11. 28. foundation therefore it followeth wel that it is not for our righteousnesse but of his onely grace and goodnesse and for the loue of Christe in whome hee loueth vs. Wee are not more worthie then the â—â—ildren of Israel to whome Moses saith Because he hath loued Deut. 4. 37. 7. 6. 9. 4. thy fathers and hath chosen their seede after them he hath brought thee out of Egypt The Lorde thy God hath chosen thee to bee a people for himselfe doe not thinke in thine hearte c. The Lorde for my righteousnesse hath brought mee into this lande Also our following of righteousnesse is neuer suche that it can deserue the loue of God For albeit that in folowing righteousnesse we doe giue a certaine witnesse that wee loue God yet is it not to say that thereby wee can binde God to loue vs but of his grace and goodnes hepreuenteth vs. And thus forasmuch as God for the loue that hee beareth vs doeth make vs to folowe righteousnesse to loue him and to loue his worke in vs and doeth accept it and giue vnto it a rewarde of his grace and liberalitie and not that hee oweth 1. Iohn 4. 10. neither that hee can owe any thing to him that followeth righteousnesse but the loue which hee beareth to them that followe righteousnesse is but a continuation of the same which was before the foundation of the worlde This perseuerance and continuation of loue ought to bee a spurre to make vs not to walke but to runne 1. Cor. 9. Gala. 5. 2. Tim. 4. Acts. 13. 20. 24. in the path of righteousnesse And also the life and conuersation of a Christian is compared vnto a course or rase in running 10 Instruction is euill to him that forsaketh the way and he that hateth correction shall die Solomon hath often spoken of instruction in exhorting vs to receiue it by praysing them which receiue and keepe it in complaining also of them which reiect it blaming and threatening them And then and there wee haue declared that instruction consisteth in doctrine in exhortations reprehensions admonitions corrections threateninges punishments and chastisements which are thinges very profitable and necessary for men after the conuersation they leade and as they are disposed and therefore they ought to counted good when they are applied vnto vs by the wise which can tel how to vse them not after our fantasie but as they see is needeful for vs. Neuerthelesse there is almost no man but is greeued as experience doth teach vs by the great number of rebels whereof the worlde is ful Solomon also doeth shewe it when he saith Instruction is euill to him that forsaketh the way Forasmuch as hee which forsaketh the way doeth finde instruction euil and doth not like of it it followeth therefore that it doeth naturally displease all for there is none but leueth and forsaketh the way when hee is guided after the corruption of his nature the which bringeth and leadeth vs to thinke and consider of ourselues great thinges and to make vs beleeue that wee are wise enough to rule and gouerne ourselues without hauing need of instruction we think that we are wronged if any man medle to shewe or correct and reproue vs and doe hate those which labour to bring vs the right way by exhortations and instructions by corrections and threatenings Thus doing wee stande in a poore state and in great peril and if God by his grace and goodnesse did not withdrawe vs and set vs againe in the way that hee sheweth vs by his worde wee goe vnto death For he that hateth correction shal die euen eternal death Wherefore we must change our nature or rather that God woulde change it in vs for of ourselues wee cannot and shoulde take suche heede to ourselues that we should not forsake his way wherein the Lord hath set vs and dayly doth set vs by his word Otherwise we should be afflicted as were the people of Israel and shoulde finde instruction euil and hate correction and therefore wee should die as Solomon doth threaten vs therewith 11 Hell and destruction are before the Lorde howe muche more the heartes of the sonnes of men When the wicked doe follow any cause which is not good they labour by al meanes that possibly they can to abuse the iudges and to cause them to finde theirs to be good either by subtil inuentioÌ„s and great heapes of rowling wordes either by giftes or presents or by importunate praiers that they cause their friendes kinsmen to make for them if they can by any meanes they wil work that the iudges shal not know their wrong matter and shal not see the iniutie that they labour to doe vnto their neighbor And if they behaue theÌ„selues vnfaithfully towardes the earthly iudges they thinke and say much more euil of God For forasmuch as they see not God before theÌ„ and that he doth not punish them incontinently for their wronges iniuries and violences they thinke that God maketh no account of those whom they doe wrong vnto and that he hath forsaken them or that he seeth not what they doe or els that there is no God The Scripture doth giue vs witnesse that such are the affections and thoughts of the wicked But I am a worme and no man Ps 22. 7. 8. 9. 71. 9. 10. 12. 94 7. 14. 1 c. They which see me laugh me to scorne He trusted in God that he would deliuer him Againe For mine enimies speak against me they that lay waite for my soule take their counsel together saying God hath forsaken him persecute him take him for there is none to deliuer him He hath saide in his heart tush God hath forgotten c. And yet they say tush the Lorde shal not see neither shall the God of Iacob regarde it The foole hath said in his heart there is no God Likewise when the good and innocent bee afflicted and persecuted either in their goods or in their persons without desert at their enimies handes and that the euil which is wrought against them is great and of long continuance in their iudgement and that they see not how they shal escape out of it they thinke that God is departed froÌ„ theÌ„ hath forsaken theÌ„ or that he knoweth not their
Otherwise there should be repugnancy in the scriptures the which ought to be neither thought nor said For our Lord Iesus Christ saieth Truly I say Mat. 12. 36. vnto you that for euery ydle word that men shal haue spoken they shal giue an account Wherupon it foloweth wel that man hath not ioy for euery answere of his mouth except it be some temporal transitory ioy which contineweth not But let vs not thinke that Solomon busieth himself to put forth a sentence of any light or slender matter and to ioyne theretoo a promise but let vs vnderstande that he promiseth heere a stedfast ioy and one of long continuance For these sentences are the wordes of God whereby we are rather withdrawne from vaine ioyes then inuited exhorted to set any hope or trust in it The Deuil the world our owne fleshe do draw but to much to take ioy pleasure in our words though they be nothing worth and that they be hurtful vnto vs as the end doeth shewe it Let vs vnderstand therfore that Solomon doth not speake generally of al words which proceed out of our mouths but only of those which are vttered as wee are commanded Solomon doeth expound it so himself when he asketh now saying And how good is a word in due season The which is as if he saide If wee wil haue ioy of the answere of our mouth our word must be good thē for to be good it must be spoken in due time for a foolishe and wicked woorde hath neuer no due time seeing it ought neuer to be vttered Now we cannot wel folow these admonitions except wee obey vnto that which is saide If any man speake let him speake as the words of God Wherupon foloweth that a word spoken Ephe. 4. 29. 5. 3. Collo 4. 6. 1. Pet. 4. 11. Ps 119. 13. 23 46. 54. 97. in due time being good is the woorde of God that it is the same answere of the mouth wherein there is ioy comming to the man that hath an vpright hart he may say with Dauid With my lips haue I declared al the iudgementes of thy mouth Princes also did sit spake against mee but thy seruant did meditate in thy statutes I wil speake also of thy testimonies before kings and wil not be ashamed Thy statutes haue beene my songues in the house of my pilgrimage Oh howe I loue thy Lawe it is my meditation continually And forasmuch as ther is no season wherein wee ought not to preache the woorde of GOD therefore it foloweth that it is good at al times and that they which pronounce it with good heartes haue ioy thereof And sith that the Scripture doeth attribute ioy vnto this woorde it foloweth that it taketh away ioye from the woorde of men For albeit that men doe laugh in their worldly communications and talke and delight therein and fauour it yet therein is no true ioye as wee may knowe in many men and as the ende doeth shewe it in all Contrarily although wee speake the woordes of God as we ought and are therfore persecuted and afflicted yet neuertheles we cease not to reioyce yea with an euerlasting ioy As our Lorde Iesus Christ doeth signifie it saying no man shal take away your ioy Albeit that the Apostles for speaking in the name of Iesus Christ were beaten yet were they Iohn 12. 22. Acts. 5. 41. not without their ioy And so departed ioyfully because they were counted woorthy to suffer for the name of Iesus Some doe vnderstand this sentence as if he woulde say that a man doeth reioyce and is well pleased when he obteineth what hee demaundeth Now albeit there is a diuersitie in these two senses yet there is no contrarietie 24 The way of life is on high to the prudent to auoyde from hell beneath He doeth shewe vs the trade and way that we must holde for to liue when he sayth The way of life is on high to the prudent And he doeth shewe howe we shoulde be affectionate and what knowledge we must haue for to holde and folow this path when he sayth that it is to the prudent that he addeth to auoid from hel beneth if then we wil liue we must not hang downe our heade except Luke 18. 13. it be for shame and sorow for our sinnes as was the poore publican but we must be righteous not after the maner of the Pharisee which bragged of his worokes which hee thought worthy of great reward cōmendation but for to lift vp wel both our eies our head let vs despise the world renounce ourselues let vs liue an heauenly lyfe as the Scriptures doe admonish vs in diuers places Amend your lyues c. Seeke first for the kingdome of God Mat. 4. 17. 6. 33. 16. 24. Luk. 21. 34. 36 Rom. 12. 1. 2 c. If any man will follow me let him renounce himselfe c. Take heede to yourselues c. Watch therfore and pray continually c. I besech you therfore bretherē by the mercies of god that you giue vp your bodies aliuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruing of God And fashion not yourselues like vnto this worlde c. And that considering the season that it is 13. 11. 12 now time that we should arise from sleep c. The night is past the day is at hand let vs therefore cast away the woorkes of darkenes and let vs put on the armour of light If then yee bee risen with Christ seeke those thinges that are aboue where Christ sitteth at Collo 3. 1. the right hande of God If we shoote not at this marke we cannot brag to be Christians for our conuersation is not such as it ought to be as S. Paule speaking in the name of al the faythful doeth shew vs saying Our conuersation is in heauen c. This conuersation is described vnto vs in Esay and in Micheas the fourth Chapter Phil. 3. 20. Esay 2. 1. Miche 4. 1. Thus much for the path of life which is aboue As touching nowe the affection and knowledge that is required for to holde this path let vs marke howe we are admonished Be you not like an horse or like a mule which vnderstand not But we must suffer ourselues Psalm 32. 9. to be handled and guyded by him which sayth vnto vs. I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way that thou shalt goe and I will guyde thee with mine eye Suffering ourselues thus to be guided by the woord which is our prudence and vnderstanding we shal be wise and as we desire we shal liue folowing the way of life and shal auoyde from hel beneath where there is nothing but eternall death nor can be none other For sith that the Gospel doeth attribute lyfe vnto high which is contrary vnto beneath it foloweth wel that he which hath not wisedome to goe vp and to auoyde
Iob. 36. 16. Psa 23. 5. 63. 6. 65. 12. Esay 55. 2. Iere. 31. 14. Pro. 11. 25. 13. 4. inwarde man whome Solomon laboureth by these sentences to frame otherwise they shoulde not bee notable Nowe that to make fat is taken for ease and prosperitie it is manifest enough in the holy scripture For I wil bring them into the land which I sware vnto their fathers that floweth with milke and hony and they shall eate and fil themselues and waxe fat 31 The eare that hearkeneth to the correction of Life shall lodge among the wise We wil not take the eare here for the corporal member which is so named nor harkeneth for the outward hearing only though it be verie profitable and necessarie for wee may see many of those which heare correction of life and yet doe not lodge amongst the wise but doe despise and flye them and some doe feare to meete them and other some doe hate them and persecute them diuers are sowne by the high wayes side But we wil take the eare for the vnderstanding and for the inward man and to heare for to receiue to get to obey In this sort there is no doubt but this sentence is generally true The eare that heareth or hearkeneth to the correction Mat. 13. 4. c. If we wil then be wise companions of the wise to be counted truely wise we must not chafe murmure despight nor stand against those which admonish reprooue and correct vs in the name of God and by his woorde but we must diligently heare the word of those which labour to amende and direct vs that they may draw vs away from death and leade vs vnto life They which chide correct and threaten vs are the organes and instruments of GOD for to quicken vs contrarily they which prayse flatter and dissemble to see our fautes are the organes instruments of the Deuil for to kil and slay vs. And therefore Solomon doeth attribute life vnto correction In this he doth shew vs that he which taketh vpon him to correct ought to doe it by the word of God the which only quickneth For this cause God willing to admonish rebuke his people by his Prophet Ezechiel doeth say vnto him Thou Eze. 3. 17. 18 19. 33. 11 shalt heare the wordes of my mouth And afterwards he sheweth him that if hee doe dissemble that death followeth after contrarily if hee did exhort them then life should followe both vpon him and vpon them which shoulde conuert As truely as I liue saith the Lorde God I desire not the death of a sinner We must be ware of the Popish corrections for they come not from the mouth of the Lorde but by the doctrine of the Diuel But if wee cast of suche filthines and corruptions and submit ourselues vnto the correction of life which is made vnto vs by the pure word of the eternal God wee shal dwel and lodge with the wise nor for a day or twaine or certaine yeeres but for euer for if we lodge in this world amongst the wise walking with them as wee ought wee shal followe them vnto the heauenly habitations and lodgings where is and shal bee their abiding for the very wise indeede haue no continuing Citie Heb. 13. 14. 11. 13. heere but they seeke for one to come They thinke thēselues guests strangers pilgrimes in this world Therefore when Solomon doth promise vs a lodging among the wise hee doth closely exhort vs to forsake the worlde 32 Hee that refuseth instruction despiseth his owne soule but hee that obeieth correction getteth vnderstanding It is very necessary that wee shoulde bee careful for our soules because that through the corruption and malice of our nature they bee weake and giuen to euil wherevpon they easily goe to destruction and damnation But there are but a fewe which thinke vppon this necessitie and they thinke that they prouide wel enough for their soules if they gather treasure enough So doing they turne Luke 12. 16 16. 19. their backs vnto God who is the father shepheard of our soules they cast away his worde which is the spiritual foode fit meete and necessary for our soules the which is communicated by the holy Scripture inspired of God It seemeth vnto them that in reiecting 2. Tim. 3. 16. the yoke of the Lord they shal haue a mery time and shal be at their case making good chere after the fleshe In this sort they are deceiued if they thinke to haue care of their soules for they doe rather loose them as witnesseth the general flood and the ouerthrowing Luke 12. 20 16. 23. of Sodome and Gomorhe and of the two rich gluttons Solomon also doth signifie it saying He that refuseth instruction or which careth not for or forsaketh instruction or discipline c. When by these words he signifieth the destruction of those which cannot endure discipline and instruction and correction by the word of God hee sheweth also that they deserue to perishe seeing that in despising their soules they doe against nature For no man euer yet hated his owne fleshe If the soule bee not gouerned as it ought then must the whole man faile which beareth the life of the soule the which is mainteined by discipline instruction and correction Albeit Eph. 5. 29. then that no correction for the present seemeth to be ioyous but greeuous yet let vs not refuse the same seeing it bringeth foorth fruite afterwardes True it is that the Apostle speaketh of the chastenings that God sendeth vnto his children the which ought not Heb. 12. 11. to bee esteemed after the feeling of the fleshe who abhorreth the crosse and shunneth it as children doe the rod not knowing howe profitable it is for them to bee corrected But wee must haue respect vnto the ende to wit that the chastisments bring foorth righteousnesse for the crosse leadeth vs vnto the feare of the Lorde vnto a religious and holy life Moreouer the instruction or discipline which is spoken of doeth not stande onely in woordes but also in temptations afflictions and aduersities which it pleaseth God to sende vs. When the Lorde doeth lay them vpon vs wee must not refuse them through impaciencie murmurings and dispitefulnesse He woulde haue vs to possesse our soules in patience otherwise wee despise him the which is very vnwisely doone of vs as wee ought wel to vnderstande it for it is great foolishnesse for a man to suffer Luke 21. 19 him to perish The which they do that refuse instructiō for in despising their soules they forsake them and so they must perishe Solomon therefore by the despising of the soule sheweth the foolishnes and destructiō of them which care nothing at al for discipline Contrarily hee sheweth vs the preseruation and wisedome of those which willingly and gladly receiue al good instructions admonitions and corrections that are made to them and doe patiently suffer the
Dauid hath wel vnderstood for this cause for to giue a lesson vnto Kinges hee maketh a goodly protestation Some good Kings but few in number haue folowed Dauid and so their throne was stablished for their time as the histories Psal 101. 2. do shew it though some of them haue born off great stormes as Dauid Iosias Ezechiel Notwithstāding because that in the feare of the Lord they haue bene turned away from wickednesse and so much as they haue bene able haue rooted it out of their dominion and haue folowed righteousnes in gouerning both themselues and their subiectes rightly they haue ouercome al dangers and haue reigned in peace and so they haue tried that to be true which Solomon saieth For the Throne is stablished by iustice The which we must not vnderstande onely of Kinges but also of al them which haue any authoritie rule and gouernment as of fathers and mothers of maisters and dames This is yet not to say that Kinges abhorring wickednes shoulde tende to stablishe their throne for to triumph and prosper after a worldly sorte but for to serue the glorie of God which doeth exalt them and for to make their subiects liue in peace vnder the feare of the Lorde And as Kinges haue here their lesson euen so also haue closely the subiectes which desire the prosperitie of their Kinges that is that it sufficeth not to crye God saue the King but wee must abstaine from al wickednes and folowe righteousnes otherwise wee procure the ouerthrowe of the Throne 13 Righteous lippes are the delight of Kings and the King loueth him that speaketh right thinges Hee continueth stil in giuing instruction to Kings and woulde haue that he should not delight to heare iesters flatterers liers and slaunderers and that they shoulde not suffer vnder them corrupt Iudges and Magistrates which pronounce either for hatred or for fauour for loue or for accepting of persons false iudgements and wicked sentences and harde ordinances but that they shoulde haue about them and intertaine in their houses and Courtes graue men wise faithful men and that they shoulde delight and reioyce in the wordes of their lippes and mouthes which are very profitable and necessarie for of such men yee shal heare nothing but iust and righteous words according as their hearts and mindes are directed and that in their countries dominions Lordships they should be careful to place such Iudges Magistrates and Officers not prouiding officers for men but offices of fit sufficiēt persons for to exercise rightly the iudgements of God to pronounce right things and sentences and to make iust and righteous ordinaunces for to guide and to mainteine the people committed vnto them in true religion in the feare of the Lord and in the reuerence of his word by the which their subiectes doe learne to liue in peace and loue 14 The wrath of a King is as messengers of death but a wise man wil pacifie it Solomon doeth not heere teach Kings and Rulers of the earth to be furious and cruel as was Pharao towardes the children of Israel Saule towardes Dauid and towardes Abimelech the Priest in 1. Sam. 22. 16. Dan. 3. 19. 6. 16. Exo. 2. 12. 32. 27. Rom. 13. 4. 1. Pet. 2. 14 Nob Nabuchadnezer towards Sidracke Misacke Abednago and towardes Daniel Herod towardes Saint Iohn Baptist as are now the great Lordes of the earth towardes the faithful Hee also doeth not reprooue their wrath which they ought to vse against the wicked as did Moses smiting the Egyptian and against three thousande men Iosua against the inhabitants of the lande of promise and as al Rulers ought to doe against Rebelles But when hee compareth the wrath of Kinges vnto messengers of death hee sheweth first of al that the Kinges ought not to be merciful gentle towards the wicked as was Elie towards his childrē as rulers 1. Sam. 2. 23. commonly wherevpon is come to passe as it is saide The rent gatherers haue spared the Crowes pardoned them but they afflict and torment the pigions and also the great theeues do escape the litle picke purses are hanged but they must do iustice in wrath and not let the wicked escape from their hands without punishment for that they haue deserued Let the Kings be careful diligēt to weaken the wicked to take from thē al resistance that they may Rom. 13. 4. haue no power to be reuenged as Solomon doth wel teach it when he is not contented to say the messenger of death singularly but in the plural number as Messengers For a man which hath but a litle heart wil not suffer himselfe to bee beaten of a man alone but if diuers doe assayle him howe valiant soeuer hee is hee can not with stande neither wil he trie to reuenge himselfe Secondly hee sheweth to the subiectes that forasmuch as death is naturally fearful therefore they ought to feare for committing any fault wherby they shoulde prouoke the wrath of their Superiours against them And not onely so but also that they ought to labour to quiet the wrath of their superiors though they haue not prouoked it through their fault And to doe it wel they must be wise as Solomon doth signifie here when hee saith But a wise man wil pacifie it Hee sheweth also to Kings what kinde of people they ought to haue about them to whom they must giue eare for to beleeue folow their counsels Furthermore forasmuch as the wise do pacifie wrath it foloweth that fooles doe stil mainteine it Nowe the wisedome which we must vse for to pacifie wrath and anger of Kings is to be Rom. 13. 1. giuen to doe wel and to giue them the honour and obedience that we owe them I say expresly that wee owe them for wee must not seeke the fauour of Kings by vnlawful meanes as doe flatterers but we must rather sustaine and suffer the wrath of Kings then to commit any thing that is against wisedome which is taught vs by the worde in folowing the custome and patience of Sidracke Misacke and Abednago for wee must rather obey God and honour and reuerence him then men how great soeuer they be 15 In the light of the Kings countenance is life his fauour is as a cloud of the latter raine As in the first parte of the former sentence hee hath shewed to kings and rulers of the earth what they ought to bee towardes the wicked euen so in this sentence hee sheweth howe they shoulde behaue themselues towardes the good that is that they should be so sweete so gentle so gracious fauourable that the good should feele themselues quickned and restored preserued from hurt and detriment from mole station and trouble from ruine and destruction and that they shoulde not liue in sorrowe and languishing but florishingly in their prosperitie and to be in peace and rest in ioy and pleasure Solomon signifieth these
guideth his mouth wisely and addeth doctrine to his lippes For want of hauing wisedome surely printed in our heartes we are naturally inclined to speake at aduenture neither doe wee make any account to take heede for to speake well For this cause if wee bee reprooued for speaking euill and that wee can not deny it wee excuse ourselues to haue spoken it without thinking to speake it This excuse shoulde be true if wee did adde this woord well saying that we haue spoken euil without wel thinking of that which we shoulde haue sayde We cannot speake without thinking for first of al if we speake ioyfully it is because we delight therein and that our heart taketh pleasure so to doe And if wee speake angerly or sorowfully it is because that we are troubled in our heartes for the matter whereof we speake Secondly wee must not belye the infallible trueth the which sayth that from the abundance of Mat. 12. 34. the hearte the mouth speaketh Solomon hath wel shewed vs that some doe speake at aduenture and euil also through want of wisedome Pro. 10. 8. 13. 14. 20. 21. 15. 2. because he hath attributed it to the same Hee doeth shew vs the same nowe also when he saith The heart of the wise guideth his mouth wisely c. Hee sayth not simply and onely the heart but he addeth of the wise for the heart alone of it selfe is nothing woorth whervpon foloweth that it can do nothing that is ought woorth It must be reformed by wisdome for to guyde our mouthes well and prudently If then wee bee voyde of wisedome wee cannot speake as we ought but where wisedome is there shal bee a good woorde as Solomon doeth declare the same when hee addeth And addeth doctrine to his lips That is to say that the hart of the wise doth teach his lips how they ought to be opened for to speake wel or that the hearte of the wise by his lippes teacheth other and giueth them doctrine These twoo senses are diuers but they agree wel together for a wise man also doeth them both and the second is not without the first 24 Fayre woordes are as an honie combe sweetenes to the soule and health to the bones The fleshe reioyceth and is pleased when a man is praysed and flattered it alloweth well of the woordes that are vttered as hee thinketh none coulde speake better to him nor vtter any thing which should please him more but howe long soeuer it be they which listen and giue their eares vnto such prayses and flatteringes shall feele that insteede they thought to eate honie they haue eatengal and that in steede of drinking some sweete liquor they haue drunken vinegre and insteede of hauing health they haue beene taken with death As Adam and Eue which beleeued the serpent as Roboam which beleeued his yong counsellers and as the children of Israel which cleaued vnto the false Prophets which preached to them peace when the Prophets of God did foretel them the greate miseries and calamities that were at hand Solomon also doeth Pro. 5. 3. 4. giue it vs to vnderstand The Papistes also shall feele what the woordes and preaching of their Friers are I haue sayde expresly that the fleshe and sensualitie doeth wel allowe of flattering words and not that they are so indeed Solomon doeth well shewe it when he doth giue vnto fayre woordes three titles which agree with the woordes of God The first is that they are likened vnto the honie combe the second that they are sweete vnto the soule the thirde that they are health vnto the bones For that which is proper vnto the woorde of the Lorde cannot agree with the woordes which come both from the diuel the flesh and it were a great blasphemy to attribut vnto them such fayrenes Nowe that these titles belong vnto the woordes of God the Scripture doeth shewe vs. The lawe Psa 19. 7. 119. 103. Pro. 4. 20. 21 22. of the Lord is perfit conuerting the soule c. Howe sweete are thy promises vnto my mouth yea more then hony vnto my mouth Wee will not then say with the worldlinges O howe wel is that spoken when men talke of matters pleasant to the flesh albeit that the woordes seeme to be of God and spoken of deuotion True it is that the gracious and gentle woordes of freendes are very fayre and are profitable as well to the soule as to the bodie when by them we proceede as God teacheth vs by his woorde and not when some haue respect onely to please men and to winne their fauour and good will 25 There is a way that seemeth right vnto man but the yssue thereof are the waies of death As it is not without cause nor vnprofitable that Solomon repeateth the sentence woorde for woorde that hee set in the fourteenth chapter and twelfth verse Euen so ought wee to bee carefull to meditate the same and therein to beholde our corrupt nature which followeth his fantasie and good intent turning away from the path that GOD teacheth vs by his woorde also to beholde therein our destruction that wee may labour to auoyde it 26 The person that trauelleth trauelleth for himselfe for his mouth craueth it of him There is none except he be impudent or blockish which doth deny that wee must beare the yoke of the Lorde willingly yet do we al naturally deny it not by woord but indeede For God hath layde payne labour and trauell vppon our backes and yet wee loue rest ydlenes slouthfulnes as wee are conuinced by our conscience and the rich worldlinges doe shew it when they liue after the pleasure of their fleshe making themselues beleeue that it is laweful for them to take their ease delightes and pleasures without applying themselues too some honest and profitable vocation for because that they haue abundance of goods for to liue without doing ought they would thinke it too vile and bace a thing for their maistership and worship to set hande to woorke or to giue themselues to some vocation wherin they might get some mony or serue their neighbours Al that serue and are hired either for a yeere or from day to day and doe not their worke so carefully and faithfully in the absence of their Maisters as in their presence either bee it in presence or in absence doe make no account to doe their worke wel do also shewe it And albeit that diuers euen of those which are not taught in the worde of God bee very earnest and stoute at their worke yet is it not to say that they worke willingly but it is because they loue themselues and desire to gaine something for their profit Solomon doeth signifie it saying The person or soule that trauaileth c. Or that most commonly they feare to haue nothing put in their mouthes and to eate The reason that Solomon giueth doeth shewe it when hee sayeth for his mouth craueth it He sheweth that it commeth not of
nearer then a brother We commonly say it is a good thing to haue friendes and that one ought to preferre thē before al worldly treasure for it is an easie thing to recouer goods but not so easie to obtaine friends And therfore if one be careful to keepe his temporal riches and to maintaine himselfe thereby by a farre greater reason ought he when he hath friends to keepe them wel and maintaine himselfe with them in amitie being at their commandement not in wordes onelie but indeedes also and trueth Solomon speaketh so when he saith The man that hath friends c. Heerein he regardeth that God in his lawe hath not giuen his commandements for a smal time by the which hee teacheth vs that which wee ought to doe to our neighbours and howe wee shoulde maintaine ourselues in amitie with them Wherefore let vs not thinke that Solomon speaketh heere of table friends of plaie fellowes or other dissolutions and wicked conspiracies But hee speaketh of the friendes which haue learned by the worde of God to loue and for his loue doe loue He sheweth it when hee yeldeth a reason why one shoulde mainteine himselfe in friendship and that hee saieth There is a friend c. Table friendes are not so surely conioyned but they may be easily separated by the least occasion that can be But it is a harde thing to make those friendes which loue together in God and by his worde to leaue one an other for they are brought to loue together by the holie Ghost which is a band indissoluble And so although carnal brothers fal out and forsake one an other yea although they lift themselues vp one against an other euen to the death notwithstanding they that loue in the trueth although they be not naturall brethren yet they haue a sure and stedfast coniunction Insomuch that they loue as muche or more in aduersitie then in prosperitie And so it is saide that in a matter of neede one knoweth his friend Our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewed vs by proofe that thus we ought to loue The xix Chapter 1 BEtter is the poore man walking in his integritie of life then he that abuseth his lippes and is a foole HEere Solomon hath no regarde to speech which is an easie thing and wheretoo the wickedest wil accord in woorde to the ende to get credite and to be accounted wise but if wee weigh more neerely the affections thoughtes opinions and phantasies of men which are verie harde to rule and gouerne wee shal knowe that Solomon saieth not so without great cause for as it is daily seene the poore man is in cōtempt and out of fauour with al men and be there neuer so much wisedome prudence or foresight in him yea although it plainly appeareth yet is he reiected as vnprofitable and persecuted as a wicked person And they which doe this wil persuade themselues they doe wel although the ordinarie talke goe quite contrarie But men for the most part speake as birdes in a cage not vnderstanding what they say nor receiuing fruite or benefite thereof And thus while the lyers deceiuers flatterers backbiters sowers of false doctrine and false opinions shal haue the vpper hande and be reputed honest eche one shal desire to resemble them because they are welcome and muche accounted of So see wee wel that not without great cause Solomon saith The poore man in his c. Hee knewe wel that we had neede of such aduertisement because there are verie fewe which make account of pouertie and muche lesse of simplicitie and purenesse Pouertie also is a thing which of it selfe ought not to be esteemed it ought to the ende it may bee of some value to be ioyned with a good conscience For this cause Solomon hath wel foreseene not to say simply The poore man is better c. but he addeth Walking in his integritie and purenes for it is that which maketh the poore man being nothing worth of himselfe to be founde profitable and good without the which he that is poore can not but annoy and hurt offende and endamage but when hee is accompanied with integritie hee contenteth himselfe with his estate and calling and wil bee right sorie to offende any man either in woorde or deede stil desiring to doe profit and pleasure to his neighbours And thus Hee is better then he that abuseth his lippes c. For hee that is suche a one not onely is vnprofitable but also noysome and hurtful As Solomon expresseth it saying Hee is a foole For as often it hath bene said he calleth him foole which is giuen to doe hurt and delighteth therin And herein hee sheweth that the peruersitie of the lippes proceedeth from the follie or wickednesse of the heart And therfore shoulde wee laye away our wickednes and walke in integritie the which is ours onely because it is giuen vs from God and therein let vs delight Let no man builde vppon his owne goodnesse although Solomon say Walking in integritie Besides this let vs note that when Solomon setteth the foole abusing his lippes a contrarie to the poore man walking in his integritie hee tasketh the riche worldlinges of follie which is the wickednesse of the heart whereby they depraue and abuse their lippes wherewith they speake in pride and malice and giue licence to their owne appetite to speake against God and their neighbors Then to the ende we merit not to be tasked with such wicked and foolish persons let vs loue integritie and walke in the same procuring in all our woords and actions the honour and glory of God and doing truely to our neighbours euery thing as wee woulde they shoulde doe vnto vs so that wee may say I haue beene vncorrupt before God and haue kept my selfe from offending him I haue lifted vp my heart to thee In thee my God haue I trusted If wee walke thus what pouertie or affliction soeuer wee Psal 18. 24 26. 1. haue wee shal want nothing for the Lorde God is our Sunne and Buckler The Lorde spareth no good from them which walke in innocencie Not because our owne righteousnes deserueth Psal 84. 12. it For although Dauid after recital how God assisted him saith The Lorde hath rewarded mee according to mine owne righteousnesse c. Psal 18. 17 21. Notwithstanding hee trusted not in his owne integritie but in God onely as hee sheweth it Note we also that according to the foresaide exposition when Solomon saieth That the poore man is better c. hee speaketh of the goodnesse of the conscience of maners Psal 18. 3. 31. 13. and behauiour as wel in worde as indeed and wil that for this goodnes the poore man be esteemed and preferred before the foole be hee neuer so riche and mightie As also God preferreth him But the opinion of some men is that Solomon prayseth more Psal 34. 11 Luk. 1. 51. 6. 20. Iam. 2. 5. the condition of the poore man then of the foole and
9. 7. 8. 13. 1. 14. 6. 15. 12. and stripes which he hath ordeined for them The second is when he sayth Strong drinke troubleth or is troublesome By strong drinke the Scripture intendeth ordinarily the drinke which hath force to make a man drunke But heere we take for the person which is so much giuen thereto and taketh so great abundance thereof that by the same he is mooued to strife debate and mutuny insomuch that one can haue no peace with him nor reconciliatiō at al. And so he that is giuen to take abundance of drink which maketh drinke is deliuered vp into a reprobate sense also he is vnreconciliable As one may see where Saint Paule sayth that they which are abandoned in a reprobate sense amongst other vices are full of strife and that they bee without naturall affection people The third is when hee sayth that who soeuer erreth in the same is not wise When either by ignorance or astonishment or wandering of the spirite he putteth himselfe out of the right way and goeth not where he should or by obstinacie or his owne opiniate minde leaueth his way and afterwarde cannot finde it againe nor knoweth not where he goeth Therefore drunkardes doe so abuse wine and strong drinkes that they loose thereby al memory sense and vnderstanding And what rebukinges soeuer one giue them thereof they make but a iest of it as Solomon pronounceth saying wine is skornefull And mooue strife and debate agaynst them which seeke to leade them in the right way sooner then they will geue them thankes for their friendly warninges as Solomon pronounceth it saying Strong drinke is troublesome or stirreth strife And so drunkardes by their scornfulnesse and strife doe goe astray and by ignorance astonishment and wandering of their wits and by obstinacie and malice deliberate Wherefore one may conclude with Solomon that they are not wise and also that they shall not be as Solomon signifieth vsing the future tense And also one may well say that they are abandoned into a reprobate sense for as experience sheweth vs they geue themselues to doe thinges which are not lawfull Thus doyng they goe astray in suche sorte that they neuer finde the kingdome of GOD. For first they haue in this life neyther fayth nor repentaunce Rom. 1. 29. without the which one cannot serue GOD and geue him the honour and homage which he oweth him acknowledging him for soueraigne king and gouernour But rather by incredulity and wickednes they serue the Diuell Secondly they shall not enter into the kingdome of Heauen to enioy the same with the wise iust and sober Let vs vnderstande therefore that Solomon aduertiseth vs couertly 1. Cor. 6. 10. of that which the holye Scripture in diuers places admonisheth vs. Let vs obey these holie and necessary admonitions otherwise wee shal bee without hearte and of force must die For wee shal bee without wisedome in the which there is life Some translate in the steede of to goe astray too delight both the two agree well with drunkardes and in as muche as they delight too bee drunke they loose their sense wherevppon of necessity they must goe astray 2 The feare of the king is as the roaring of a Lyon he that prouoketh him to anger offendeth agaynst his owne soule If the simple and feeble beastes which haue neyther teeth nor nayles sufficient to defende themselues withall or likewise little children and they which feele not themselues strong ynough and well defended are afrayde when they heare the Lyon roare and approche it is right necessaty that subiectes bee carefull too keepe themselues from committing any thing whereby they may merite to be threatned by theyr Lordes and superiours as Solomon hath shewed vs. And because euery one of vs hath the hearte of a king and that naturally wee couet libertie or rather Pro 19. 12 rule and Lordshippe and will not submitte ourselues as subiects but rather rise vp and make rebellions for this cause Solomon warneth vs agayne of the power seuerity and rigour of the yre and reuenge of kinges and superiours of the earth when hee sayeth The feare of the king c. Hee sheweth vs that as the Lion being hungry spareth not his pray when he hath it betweene his pawes so if wee bee apprehended hauing offended our superiours wee haue too knowe that our life dependeth therevppon As also he sayeth consequently vnder other woordes saying That he which prouoketh the king to anger offendeth agaynst his owne soule That is to say that he putteth his life in danger that he deserueth to bee executed and put to death by iustice or endure other paynes very grieuous For hee that is disobedient to the king and prouoketh him to anger not fulfilling his will by humble subiection is the kings pray and not they which liue honestly humbly and religiously Also kinges princes magistrates and gouernours doe not affray with threatninges such personages Much lesse seeke they to teare them in peeces and deuour them but they vse beneuolence towardes them which is as the deawe vpon the grasse When therfore Solomon saith Pro. 9. 1◠The feare of the king is as the roaring of a Lyon he that prouoketh him to anger offendeth against his owne soule It is not to harten proude and cruel Tyrantes agaynst they◠Subiectes and inferiours to the ende too vexe torment and destroy them But it is too aduertise kinges which will raygne truely as they ought of that seueritie and rigour which they ought to vse against the disobedient and rebellious the obstinate and stiffenecked in their wickednesse dissolutions and insolencies Such persons are the pray of kings and not the simple and innocent which seeke to render due obedience But as the vse is nowe the wolues eate the sheepe they spare the wicked and afray the good doing to them outrage and violence vnder the colour of iustice It is secondly to shewe Subiectes and inferiours that they ought to walke in feare vnder their Lords and superiours Otherwise to looke to proue their fury like the hungry lyons Also when Solomon saith And he that prouoketh him to anger offendeth agaynst his owne soule he teacheth vs not that we should spare kinges in their vices neyther that we shoulde feare to rebuke them for feare of their anger and incurring their displeasure Thus doing wee shoulde bee hypocrites dissemblers flatterers traytoures to God and to them which wee spare in their vices Which wickednesse to eschew let vs follow the constancy of the Prophets and Apostles who haue spoken frankly and couragiously to kings and Princes haue not feared their euill graces as the holy Scripture witnesseth Also they haue beene towardes such kings and Princes as the pray betweene the pawes and iawes of the Lyon And according to the opinion of the world they haue offended against their soules in not speaking and doyng as pleased those kinges and haue beene worthy of death in the opinion of carnal
them athwart maketh some to falhere and other some there so that they cannot rise againe euen so is it meete that they ouerthrowe and destroy the wicked And as in the time when they fought and went to warre with waggons or chariottes they ranne the wheeles ouer the bodies of the enemies which were smittē down to the groūd to bruze thē to the end that they should not reuiue again so kings superiours ought to bruse the wicked to the ende they haue no more power to doe euil to any body Hee that woulde vnderstande by the wheele any kinde of torment that the Iewes vsed it woulde be no inconuenience For the rest when Solomon threateneth so the wicked of being dispersed and brused let vs vnderstande that hee warneth vs too flie from wickednesse and to giue ourselues to wel doing according as God commandeth it in his lawe and according to the ordinances of our Princes and superiours which are wise and prudent and which seeke not but that God be serued and honored according to his worde and their subiects liue in peace and good vnitie togither 27 The lampe of the Lorde is the soule of man searching all the inward partes of the belly The lampe that is cleere and shyning serueth to many vses first to guide them that walke by night in the darke and to make them see their way to the intent they goe not astray nor smyte themselues against any thing or fal into any ditch or caue Secondly it giueth light to them that are locked in darke prisons wherein they see neither Sunne nor moone And for these twoo purposes it is as it were halfe a life to them that vse it for those that are or walke in darkenesse are as it were halfe dead Thirdly it serueth to finde things hid in holes in the darke Now that which the lampe doth outwardly and corporally the worde of God which liueth raigneth in our harts by the holy Ghost doeth the same in wardly and spiritually And therefore the scripture calleth it Lampe or light attributeth to the word the things aforesaid and this is not without cause for of ourselues we are and walke in darknesse of ignorance not knowing what we haue to doe and it conducteth vs. Thy woorde serueth for a lampe to my feete and as a light to my Ps 119. 105. 130. Rom. 7. 14. Eph. 2. 8. Ps 19. 8. 9. pathes Of ourselues we are dead being seruants slaues to sinne and death and the worde lightneth vs freeth vs and quickneth vs. Of ourselues wee are hypocrites and cannot nor wil not knowe that which is in vs. But the woorde discouereth and reuealeth the things that are hid in the depth of the heart And so it is not without cause that Solomon saith The Lampe of the Lorde c. For as the soule giueth life to the Iohn 8. 31. 32. 16. 8. Heb. 4. 12. Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. body so the word of God maketh man quicke and principally when man by faith cleaueth to his promises For by the lawe wee are accursed and condemned in so much as wee cannot accomplishe it but wee liue and are saued by the assurance which wee haue in the promises for the innocencie obedience iustice and holinesse of Iesus Christ are imputed to vs. Neuerthelesse wee ought not to separate the lawe from the promises For were it not Rom. 5. 18. 19. 1. Cor. 5. 21. Deut. 30. 15. Leuit. 18. 5. Rom. 3. 20. our corruption and naughtinesse it were to vs a cleere lampe to reioyce and quicken vs as one may see Also it searcheth well the inwarde partes of the bellie when it discouereth to a man the malice of his hart For by the lawe it is giuen to knowe sinne 28 Mercy and truthe shal preserue the king and with louing kindnesse his seate shal be established For as much as kings haue not one onely duetie towardes al their subiects indifferently but it behoueth thē to handle the wicked after one sort the good after another For this cause the holy scripture giueth them now one instruction and now another to the end that they may knowe how to render euery one his deserts We haue seene heretofore that when Solomon would encourage kings against the wicked hee hath attributed to them rigour seueritie crueltie and to make them meeke and gentle towardes the good he Prou. 16. 14. 19. 20. 2. Prou. 16. 35. hath attributed to them mercy and benignitie And nowe againe he warneth kings of their duetie towardes the good when he saieth Mercie and trueth c. And therewithal hee sheweth them that to raigne and beare rule long tyme and without resistance it is not meete that they vse tyrannie and crueltie disceyt or disloyaltie but that they bee merciful and true Benignitie regardeth principally the subiectes For they are willingly induced to loue their superiours and obay them freely when they see them gentle curteous pitiful and that they are more inclyned to mercy then to rigour and seueritie Trueth also regardeth the subiects For it is not meete that Princes vse fraude to their subiects but that they defende and keepe both them and their goods faythfully Notwithstanding one may say that trueth hath respect principally to them abrode with whome Princes haue any thing to practise For if they wil raigne peaceably and without contradiction it is meete that they keepe faythfully their promises and that they seeke no way to breake the fayth promised neither by disceit nor violence or any other meanes towards them with whome they haue to doe if one wil say that mercy regardeth men and trueth God I wil notwithstande them for it is necessary that kinges serue God in trueth according to his worde eschewing al thinges contrary to the same and making it bee kept of their subiectes as much as in them lyeth to the ende that God bee honoured as hee requireth And also as it is so that they holde the seate of God who is iust and true in al his iudgements it is meet that they iudge with iustice trueth without respect of persons or couetousnesse of giftes and presents and that they repulse the lyars flatterers talebearers and backbiters punishing them and destroying them with all false witnesses Thus doing they shal be preserued and established in their thrones as the good kinges haue tried it Pharao hath not vnderstoode this same neither hath hee beene preserued but after many plagues hath beene destroyed in the waters of the Sea one may ioyne Solomons sonne who woulde not handle his people gently If therefore kinges and princes wil not come to the like condition let them not lift vp their heartes ouer their brethren but let them followe the meekenesse of Moses Iosue Dauid Iosias Ezechias such others which haue been preserued and haue established their Deut. 17. 20 thrones by benignitie and mercy And because it is not most commonly profitable for the people to change their
account of their opinion let vs sticke to that which the holy Ghost saith thereof by Solomon saying The iust man hath ioy to doe iustice c. Now seeing it appertaineth principally to Kings Princes and gouernours to doe iustice they are heere taught that their ioy ought not to bee in delights pompes in pleasures and playes as their common vse is when they haue no feare of God but to render right to euery one carefully in defending the innocent feeble and weake and deliuering thē from the violence and oppression of the wicked and punishing the oppressours and offenders Otherwise they are not iust but wrongful and wicked which thing is not seemely for them which are placed in the seat of God which loueth iustice and righteousnesse and taketh pleasure therein Also that which causeth ioy to them that doe iustice is that they are certaine that God accepteth their doings esteemeth of them and they themselues do nothing whereof their consciences reprooue them The vngodly and wicked haue no such certaintie true it is that they striue to assure and harden themselues in their misdeeds and deliuer themselues from al scruple and cast away care to reioice in riots and insolencies excesse and dissolutions But the word is true without exception which saith that there is no peace for the wicked which accordeth wel with that which Isa 48. 22. Solomon saith here But horror is to thē that worke iniquitie And it is in folowing the curses which are threatened to the transgressors of the lawe Although then that the iust in this worlde which Deut. 28. 28 65. 66. giue themselues to doe their duetie seeme sad and sorowful neuerthelesse for the quietnesse and ease of their consciences and for the assurance that they haue that their workes please God they reioice and take pleasure to employ themselues to doe good Also although the wicked seeke to leade a pleasant life in toying and fooling and though they seeme merie yet neuerthelesse they haue no true ioy for through their misdeeds their consciences accuse them and torment them mawgre their harts with the feare of the iudgementes of God And so although they striue to shewe out wardly a smyling countenance and take their pleasure in making good cheere eating and drinking singing leaping and daunsing yet they cease not to haue within them the worme that gnaweth grieueth them and maketh them sad and thus they haue no true ioy If therefore at our neede wee wil haue ioy that is durable let vs beware to doe any thing whereof our consciences may reprooue and accuse vs which thing wee shal wel doe if the onely woorde of GOD bee the rule of al our actions for wee can haue no peace in our consciences but by the same And there is nothing which can assure vs that wee doe wel but this holy woorde Wherefore it behoueth the wicked which make no account to doe good to their neighbours but rather afflict them and haue no right knowledge of God to tremble and haue no assurance Then if they so tremble they cannot bee in lasting ioye but must needes haue Ps 14. 4. 5. continual horrour and feare griefe and sorrowe where contrariwise the iust are inuited to ioy Ps 32. 10. 11 16 The man that wandereth out of the way of wisedome shall remayne in the congregation of the dead Because the worde of God is simple and teacheth vs not hye excellent things in the opinion of the world for this cause it is despised and men make no account to folowe the way which it teacheth thinking it a great dishonor to be conformable to the same and that they shoulde bee scarce worthy to liue Likewise men persecuted at al times and presently doe those that folowe it as wicked and esteeme them vnworthy of life But those which despising the worde seeke out things which are in price with the worlde and folow thē are reputed honest men are placed alwaies in the most honorable place amongst worldlings Which is the cause that they thinke themselues to be in good estate and of such force that they shal neuer perish Wherein they disceiue themselues for seeing the worde of God is our wisedome and vnderstanding and that hee which doeth the things appointed by the same shal liue and as wee Deut. 4. 6. Leuit. 18. 5. Pro. 16. Mat. 22. 32. see there is long life in her right hande it foloweth that without this wisedome there is nothing but death And therefore Solomon saith The man that wandreth out of the way c. Hee speaketh not of them which are dead bodily for if they haue bene faithful they are not dead but liue Solomon therefore condemneth al worldly wise men to death eternal for there is none that shoulde bee esteemed dead but those that are in the same In the death of the faithful Iohn 5. 24. 11. 25. 26 there is nothing but a passage to life seeing that our Sauiour so saith Wee are therefore heere admonished to folowe rightly the only worde if we wil liue and are threatened death eternal if wee wander out of the way of the same 17 The man that loueth banketting is worthy of pouertie and who so delighteth in wyne and delicates shall not be riche It is not ill done to liue pleasantly bee it in taking bodily repast or doing any other thing as it hath bin partly spoken of elsewhere God hath not put vs in this world to giue vs onlie necessarie things for ourselues but also delectable and pleasant to recreate vs with sobrietie and temperance without any disordinate desire It is not without a very needful cause that I say with sobrietie for it is not meete that the children of God bee like vnto worldlings which neither thinke their meate sweete nor drinke good if they laugh not with open mouth as they say and bee in companie with those which doe play the vnthrifts Whiles they are busie about such delights or rather about such wantonnesse they thinke not that they offende a whit and therefore they spare nothing but spende superfluously and with great excesse But although it be late yet they shal receiue their hyre which they deserue that is to say pouertie and want As Solomon threateneth them saying The man that loueth c. This is not to say that it is ill done to reioice in taking ones repast naturallie nor that it is amisse to vse sweete wine and meates which Solomon comprehendeth vnder the name of delicates if so bee it we vse them as S. Paul teacheth For in this also consisteth the ioy of the Christians and not in ryot 1. Timo. 4. 3. and greate desire to fulfil the appetite of the belly and pleasant taste of the mouth As is the tricke of the prodigal and gluttons to seeke to satisfie their sensualitie Also Solomon saieth not The man that delighteth c. shal haue pouertie and hee that drinketh wine and eateth good meates shal
in as muche as in him is hee maketh him authour of vntruth and seeing wee vtterly abhorre the false witnesser yea as it were by nature it behooueth vs to heare and yeelde ourselues attentiue to the worde of trueth and then we shal not be of the number of false witnesses which perishe but wee shal bee in safetie in the Church of our Lord God which is kept by the veritable Secondly after lyers and false witnesses haue once vttered Psal 15. 1. their lyes quite against their consciences to dishonour God and blame and vndoe their neighbours finally they shall haue their mouthes closed and be vtterly confused seeing themselues reiected of God and bee in damnation and death eternal and that the euil which they thought to doe by their lying be falne vpon them for euer without any remedie And also where they see that they whome they woulde haue destroyed vndone and made dombe by their falshoode shal haue their mouthes open and shal speake without cease and not perishe As Abel the righteous although hee was slaine by Caine yet notwithstanding his blood cryed and Gen. 4. 10. Hebr. 11. 4 beeing dead yet hee spake for God had care ouer him as hee wil haue also ouer al them which are attentiue to his worde taking vengeance in his yre and furie vpon those which haue vexed them and placing them in the celestial glorie to haue ioye honour and sauegarde for euer See howe Solomon meaneth that those which heare the worde of God shal speake stil 29 An vngodly man hardeneth his face but the iust reformeth his owne way Although the wicked knowe wel that they doe nothing that is good and that naturally without the scriptures they see that they are guiltie and principally before God as they giue and haue certaine argument thereof when they are afraide of the iudgements of God because their consciences reprooue them of their misdeeds Yet neuerthelesse as Solomon saith They harden their faces That is to say they haue a fierce and arrogant behauiour both in wordes and gesture to giue to vnderstand that they neither feare nor doubt any thing and the more wicked they are the more they striue to assure themselues and set a good face on the matter saying in their heartes wee haue made aliance with death and knowe what hell is And in this opinion they make no account to conuert themselues to any goodnesse bee Esai 28. 15 it to thinke say or doe Solomon sheweth that hee meaneth this by hardening the face When hee saieth But the iust reformeth his owne way For against hardening the face hee putteth reformeth his waies which is no other thing but the feare and reuerence which one hath to the woorde to studie howe to frame his Phil. 2. 3. minde and thought his wordes and workes to the wil of God for to serue him duely and worke his soules health with feare trembling Psa 5. 9. 25. 4. 5. 8. 9. 119. 5. 143. 10. Which thing of ourselues we doe not for it is God which worketh in vs both the wil and the effect according as it pleaseth him Wherefore we haue to pray with Dauid Lord leade me in thy righteousnesse c. 30 There is neither wisedome nor vnderstanding nor counsell against the Lord. We ought to be resolued of this that God aloweth that which is not against him loueth it and maintaineth it and maketh it serue to his honour and to the edification of his according as hee seeth expedient But hee reprooueth the wise and sage men of the world And their wisedom vnderstanding and counsel cursing them ouerthrowing them and destroying them as the scriptures witnesse Whereby it may seeme at first viewe that Solomon saying There Iob. 5. 12. 13. Esa 5. 21. 29. 14. 15. 44. 25. 8. 9. 10. Psal 33. 10. is neither wisedome c. saide against the scriptures And therefore when he saith Against the Lord That is to say which can let or stay the counsel of the Lord ouerthrow his ordinances and breake of his attemptes For although the wise men of the world studie to resist him yet neuerthelesse his wil must needes bee accomplished yea at his only worde without any other adoe Wherefore whē we haue God on our side although we be but a litle handful and folks Psal 33. 8. 9. Esa 46. 9. 10 without force and worldly wisedome yet wee ought not to bee afraide though al the worlde and al the power of hel were against vs but in al safetie to say with Dauid I haue laide mee downe and slept and haue risen vp againe for the Lorde susteined mee I will not be afraide of tenne thousand of men c. Wee ought to confesse Psal 3. 5. that which Iob saith Yea with him is wisdom and force counsel and vnderstanding 31 The horse is prepared against the day of battel but the Lord giueth victorie Men make many preparations for the warres to the end that by the same they may compasse their enemies and obtaine victorie against them or that if it happen that they be too weake they may saue themselues And therefore there is no preparation wherein man more trusteth then in the Horse for a man beeing mounted vppon a light and valiant Horse as him seemeth hee may pursue his enemies with more speede and ouertake them sooner then if hee were on foote and if hee haue neede to flye hee shal saue himselfe the better for this cause the Scripture making mention of warre of assault or of fight speaketh rather of Horses Deut. 17. 16. Psal 20. 8. 9. 33. 16. 17. 76. 6. 7. Esai 31. 1. then of any other Munitions blaming and accusing them that trust therein Wherefore to the ende wee be not blamed and accused of vaine confidence let vs put al the hope of our health victorie and deliuerance in the Lorde as the Scriptures teach vs. And also Solomon nowe admonisheth vs when hee saieth The Horse is prepared for the day of battel Hee forbid deth not that one should defende himselfe against his enemies neither to resist them manfully and to kil and slaie them if hee cannot otherwise discomfite them but he wil that one haue regarde to the Lorde And that we knowe that al our preparations and Munitions Psal 121. 1 123. 1. Psal 124. 1. 127. 1. 144. 1. Psal 145. 18 147. 10. Exod. 14. 24. 15. 1. Gen. 15. 14 are but vanitie and serue to no purpose if God himselfe labour not defending deliuering and sauing vs from the violence of our foes And if we wil feele this aide let vs not feare men be they neuer so wel appointed but let vs feare the Lorde and cal vppon his name And as he can wel saue and keepe the faithful which put their trust in him so can he easily destroy their foes as the Scripture witnesseth whereof the people giue thankes And thus folowing the promise made
vs and condemne vs as one may see in the holy scriptures wherefore we shal doe no iniurie to the diuine prouidence when wee shal search diligently the scriptures and shal carefully heare the worde which is faithfully expounded vnto vs and that by this meanes they shal learne a good wisedome to the ende to gouerne ourselues warily that we be not surprised with dangers on the soden but that wee may shunne the damage which may happen to vs that as to sottes foolishe and yl aduised wee make no account to keepe ourselues and to drawe backe from the danger which presenteth it selfe to assaile vs and intrappe vs. Solomon praiseth such wisedome when he saith A wise man seeth c. Here he speaketh not of carnal worldly wise men for they cannot hide themselues so wel but they wil be surprised but hee speaketh of them of whome it hath bene spoken off heretofore They that are suche by the worde of the Lord Iob. 5. 12. 13. Pro. 13. 16. 14. 8. 15. 16. doe foresee the euil which is to come to the wicked which set not their mindes vpon this worde They knowe also that men practise many euils to them which seeke to liue in holinesse innocencie righteousnes And so they see the euil hide themselues trusting in the shadow of the wings of the Lord saying Keepe me as the apple of thy eye hyde me in the shadow of thy wings And as Psal 17. 8. 9. 57. 2. they demande this same putting their trust in the goodnes mercy of God so they obtain it For although by persecutions other aduersities they dye fal away according to outward apparance yet notwithstanding they are surely hid vnder the defence protection safegard of the Lord. But they which haue not the foresight nor make no account to guide themselues according to the worde although for a certain season as for the space of this life they seeme to bee out of al danger yet neuerthelesse experience teacheth often that GOD spareth them not and when the plagues and dangers of this worlde wil not touche them yet they shall not shunne the tormentes that are eternal Solomon signifieth thus saying But the foolish goe on still and are punished By this woorde goe on or passe forwarde is shewed assurance and inconsideration or rather the ouer boldnesse and obstinacie which the ill aduised vse who make no account to learne by the worde to flie from the plague but tary they neuer so long yet they are punished but principally after this life where is no redemption The foolish therfore whereof Solomon speaketh be scorners and contemners of GOD and of his worde which onely giueth vnderstanding and foresight The foolishe are also those which the worlde reputeth for most hardy and valiant and those that think themselues so In number with such men one may put Pharao Saul Sennacherib Nabuchodonozer Iudas others which suffered themselues to be caried away by the malice of their heartes and are hardy to do say ill without sparing but when sometimes fearing men more then God they make shewe to withdraw themselues and abstaine from doing euil to the ende to shunne temporal tormentes But they cannot flee so long but at the last they wil be punished with euerlasting torments 4 The rewarde of humilitie and the feare of the Lorde are riches honour and life It is not enough to imploy ones selfe about something to bee recompensed for many meddle with matters wherein they haue no knowledge but to marre al and so they merite sooner to bee punished then to haue rewarde But in doing any thing one ought to knowe howe and by what meanes he should proceede not to loose his labour Many to get goods and honour and to make themselues as it were immortal thinke that there is no way so good as to make themselues of value by arrogancie and pride by boldenes temeritie and rashnesse without hauing regarde to the reuerence which wee owe al to God and to his worde but after hauing takeÌ„ great paines in this sort they find at last that not only they haue beaten the winde and profited nothing but also that they are â—uynated and come to decay Some feele it in this life and al the wicked shal feele it in death eternal for the sentence must needes bee true that Whosoeuer exalteth himselfe shal be brought low and contrariwise hee that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted as it hath beene Pro. 16. 18. 19. 18. 12 treated heretofore The humble therefore looseth not his labour but is wel rewarded as Solomon declareth it plainely when hee saith The reward of humilitie and feare of the Lord c. Wherby he sheweth that the waies to aduance ones selfe are humilitie and feare hee putteth not humilitie alone for many haue been humble that is to say vile abiect out castes and afflicted which haue not obtained this hyre but haue beene still miserable and finally haue perished for euer but hee ioyneth with humilitie The feare of the Lorde for if we be afraide indeede to offend God desiring to yeeld him obedience according to his worde although to the outwarde apparance wee be the most vile and abiect the most poore and miserable of al the worlde yet the Lorde can wel pay vs in opportunitie when he shal see good the hyre wherof mention is made seeing he cannot lye but his trueth is infallible Nowe hee hath promised to them that feare him that they shal lack no good thing and hee hath promised great riches to their ofspring Dauid praiseth the Lorde for the giftes that hee giueth to them which feare him and promiseth them that feare him to fulfil Psa 34. 9. 10 11. 25. 12. 13. 14. 31. 20. 21. 145. 18. 19. 20. their desires Solomon according with the foresaide scriptures saith that the humble which feare the Lorde shal haue riches honour life they shal haue riches for they shal haue suffisance and contentment They shal haue honour for the Lorde shal deliuer them from al rebukes and shal place them in honours from this time present if it bee needeful as Dauid Ioseph Moses and others But it shal be principally in eternal and heauenly honours They shal haue life for hee wil deliuer them the handes of those which persecute and oppresse them and shal make them liue yea in this world as hee hath made the aforesaide and as hee maketh presently the poore faithful flocke which hee hath rent out of the handes of their persecutors but the principal life shal be in that glorious immortalitie 5 Thornes and snares are in the way of the frowarde but who so keepeth his soule will flee farre from them Hee compareth the frowarde to the hunter which striueth to take and kil wilde beastes for as the hunter hath no pitie of the beastes neither spareth hee them but setteth snares in bushes and thornes wherethrough hee chaseth the beastes so to
wil pleade their cause against thee This is as though he said because Orphans are weake quyte voide of al humane succour thou art so hardie as to polle and oppresse them but although men haue no care to take their cause in hand withstand the outrage violence that thou vsest to them or that thou thinkest thy selfe the strongest and none dare nor can resist thee yet neuerthelesse they are not voide of succour They haue a redeemer who not only hath good wil to deliuer them from thy hands and violence but also power which power he wil imploy against thee and thou shalt not resist him And as Orphans and fatherlesse children through their weakenesse and smal strength cannot let thee to eate them and destroy them euen so what valiancie soeuer thou hast yet canst thou not let but God wil bee reuenged vpon thee and wil put thee to perdition Hee is their father wherefore hee wil doe his duetie to maintaine his children The Play of Psa 68. 6. the strong redeemer shal be that he wil make knowne the wickednesse of the oppressours he wil condemne them and reuenge himselfe vpon them and they shal notwithstande nor haue any succour at al. 12 Apply thy hart to vnderstanding and thy eares to words of knowledge Esa 10. 2. 3. Oftentimes already Solomon hath sought to make vs attentiue to the doctrine of God the which hee calleth one while lawe another while instruction and another while wisdome science and vnderstanding He doth the same againe in this present sentence And it is because we haue great need to be ofteÌ„ aduertised of that which appertaineth to the glorie and honour of God to our saluation the edification of our neighbours for of our owne nature wee are so giuen to the worlde that wee despise that which is of God and it seemeth to vs that it is but time lost to apply ourselues theretoo because we be not thereby the more exalted to wordly honours nor more enriched with substance but the rather despised and reiected polled and oppressed Neuerthelesse if wee wil be exalted to true and perpetual honours and enioy the goods which wil not perish wee ought to followe that which Solomon hath alreadie often taught vs and that which presently he doeth teache vs. And to doe this same we ought to apply al our vnderstanding to learne to serue God and our neighbours and therein to spare neither bodie nor minde as God hath created both the body and the spirites and wil that wee bee wholy his and our neighbours True it is that the harte is the principal as wee ought to vnderstande it by many witnesses of the holy scriptures wherein is saide that God beholdeth the hartes and that wee are admonished to feare him and loue him with al our hart and that true worshippers worship the father in spirite and trueth And Solomon signifieth it heere somewhat when in the first place he requesteth the applying of the heart And afterwardes sheweth vs that by the right affection of the heart the outward senses ought to bee applyed to receiue instruction which hee calleth wordes of knowledge And in this manner hee sheweth vs that we are not sufficiently instructed if wee giue not our hearing to the woorde of the Lorde the which is our knowledge And so that the preaching of the word is very necessary for vs insomuch that without this holy ministery wee are all ignorant Not that God is not sufficient and of power to instruct vs otherwyse without outward meanes by reuelations and secret inspirations But he wil haue vs to folowe the order which he hath established in his Churche and that by mens meanes we be taught 13 Withdraw not correction from the childe if thou beate him with a rod he wil not dye It hath beene spoken of the chastizing and correction of children But because for the most parte children are very harde to gouerne Prou. 13. 24. 19. 18. 22. 15. and almost vncorrigible and there are many foolish fathers and worse mothers which wil neither chastise nor suffer others to correct their children for they striue to persuade themselues that they feare that one wil kil their children because they are tender and delicate in which doing they thinke themselues more wise theÌ„ the holy Ghost And yet they loue not their children so tenderly as they ought and haue not that care ouer them which they shoulde haue For perswading themselues that they preserue the bodies of their children not willing that they should in any wise be touched they send as much as in them lyeth their soules to perditioÌ„ maintayning them in folly and wickednesse for this cause Solomon not content with the former admonitions sheweth nowe that they ought not to be afraide that the rod wil hurt the children when he saith Withdraw not c. He is not content to say Correct thy child but considering how profitable it is to continewe in brydling and correcting children he wil not that parents hauing once begunne to chastice them shoulde leaue of incontinent and grieue to take the paine and care about them to correct them As many parents will giue ouer their children after that for one or two corrections they cannot make them to amende Either they despaire of them or else are afraide to make them dul and blockish or else vtterly to kil theÌ„ Solomon wil haue fathers and gouernours of children to continew in correcting and chastising them according as they shal see needful and therefore hee saith Withdraw not correction c. And to shewe that hee meaneth not correction only of wordes he addeth If thou beat him with a rod c. He knewe that children woulde put no beleefe in woords nor make no account of verbal speeches therfore he would haue one to deale with the rod and promiseth that the bodie shall not be hurt therewith so that death shal folow for he sayth Hee shoulde not dye Wherein he instructeth parents and sheweth them that they ought not to spare the rod but shoulde make â—heir children feele it sharply to make them remember to behaue â—hemselues wel and not to returne to their wonted folly And sheweth them that the markes or little woundes which they shall make with the rod vpon the bodie of their children shall not bee mortall Also parentes are admonished that in chastising their children they seeke not to kil them One may say moreouer that when Solomon sayth He should not dye That he giueth vs somewhat to vnderstande that those parentes which are carefull too correct their children doe saue them from the gallowes and doe let them from being executed by iustice Contrariwise they which make no account to chastice them send them to the galowes as much as they can but Solomon sheweth vs another deliuerance which is greatly to be set by when he sayth 14 Thou shalt beate him with a rod and deliuer his soule from hell The temporall gallowes or gibbet
by the eternal prouidence of God which is immutable bee wee certaine and assured that hee loueth vs and therefore what tribulation soeuer happen to 1. Cor. 10. 13 vs bee it neuer so greeuous yet he will not forsake vs but wil apply al his power to defende our cause for hee is faithfull and wil not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that wee bee able c. Also to keepe wel that our vertue waxe not feeble let vs not tarry too meditate these thinges vntil the trouble bee come vppon vs but let vs watch at al times foreseeing calamities as Iesus Christe admonisheth vs Mat. 24. 42. Mar. 13. 33. Ephe. 6. 10. thereof and arme ourselues with the harnesse of God as S Paule biddeth vs. 11 Deliuer them that are drawne to death and wilt thou not preserue them that are led to be slame God hath giuen many commandements by the which he sheweth Gen. 9. 6. Deut. 24. 14 that hee wil that the wicked be not spared but that they bee put to death Then sith that the commandements of God bee such Exod. 21. 12 Num. 35. 16 Deut. 13. 8. Rom. 13. 1. it foloweth that we ought to obay them and that we shoulde in no case let them to bee executed And likewise he hath ordeined superiour powers to be his ministers and shewe vengeance and yre vpon them which doe euil And they which resist this resist the ordinance of God Wherefore it might seeme at the first shewe that Solomon repugned the lawe and the ordinance of God when hee saith Deliuer them that are drawen to death c. The answere is that as God wil yeeld death to the wicked and that the magistrates punish them yea with death if the cace require it Euen so hee will that one haue pitie of the innocent and that wee suffer none to doe them violence but deliuer them from the handes of those that oppresse them and vexe them this is first the office of them which are placed in preheminence and holde the seate of iustice Moses vnderstoode it wel as one may see it by the Sermon of Saint Stephen and therefore hee smote the Egyptian Also the Lorde raised vp to the people of Israel many iudges for to deliuer and saue thē Act. 7. 23. Exod. 2. 11. 12. Psa 82. 2. Esay 1. 23. from the hands of those which molested and vexed them as one may see by the booke of Iudges And God sheweth Iudges wel that such is their office when he reprehendeth them for the fauour that they beare to the wicked and commandeth them to doe right to the miserable and Orphan c. It is secondly the office of euery one of vs in asmuch as hee can not vsurping the authoritie of the Magistrate or resisting him which turneth to a scandale and euil example It is also to euery one of vs that God speaketh Washe yourselues then bee yee cleane take away the euil of your workes from before myne eyes c. Doe iustice and iudgement and deliuer Esay 1. 16. Iere. 22. 3. him which is oppressed from the handes of him which wrongeth him But it is chiefly the office of Magistrates which are placed in the seate of God who attributeth to himselfe this office of deliuering Also the scripture calleth him the only Sauiour and by good right for they which deliuer their neighbours from oppression are Gen. 15. 13. 14. Psa 50. 15. Esa 49. 25. 26. but the Organs instrumēts of this great Sauiour who doth this honor to his creatures to constitute thē in his place meanewhile as it is said euery one of vs ought to apply himself to aide the oppressed not going aboue nor against the magistrate no although he exercise tyranny Dauid shewed it wel when hee suffered not that they shoulde trouble Saule which was a wicked man and woulde not himselfe trouble him although hee were the annointed of the Lorde Iesus Christ also sheweth it wel to Saint Peter Notwithstanding 1. Sam. 24. 26. Math. 26. 52. this is not to say that one shoulde not resist and stande against vniust and cruell magistrates but then the swoorde that they shoulde vse must bee spiritual to wit the worde of God which the Prophetes and Apostles vsed in admonishing reprehending and threatening by the same those kinges and princes of the earth which were wicked and cruel this is the way that they shoulde vse which are not in authoritie to deliuer those which are drawne to death 12 If thou say behold wee knewe not of it hee that pondereth the heartes doeth not hee vnderstande it and hee that keepeth thy soule knoweth hee it not and will not hee also recompence euery one according to his workes Saint Paule warneth vs that wee should not euery one regard the thinges which are our owne but also those which are other mens and complaineth greatly that al men seeke the thinges that are Phi. 2. 4. 21. their owne and not those of Iesus Christe which complaint may bee vttered almost to al kinges princes and magistrates of the earth which are led by ambition and care not but to make themselues great and make no account to minister true iustice they force not if the innocent the poore and feeble bee oppressed For although the wrong which men doe to the innocent bee wel knowne vntoo them and that the bruite thereof bee spread al abrode yet neuerthelesse as though they were blinde and deafe they make semblant to know nothing therof if one come not and make great plaints to thē and furnish thē out with money to make information of that which they knowe wel enough And yet to fauour the wicked the more they wil not informe themselues as they ought They which can speak of it best which would tel the truth shal not be heard nor they wil not examine them and yet they wil bee so impudent Lyers that they wil say wee haue inquired diligently but wee cannot finde it so as they report it they may wel make excuses before men to appeare honest but that wil serue them but for more condemnation before God who knoweth al and can wel at time conuenient render ech one his hyre Therefore let no man make himselfe blind nor deafe but let euery one according to his power deliuer his neighbor from the violence and oppression which is doone to him let vs not seeke to finde excuses when we haue not doone our dueties as wee ought for it is not good that wee should striue to deceaue God with our falshood no although it coulde bee yet we shoulde not wil it Solomon telleth vs that we should not make excuses when he saith If thou say behold we knewe not of it This is as though hee saide thou shalt not say wee haue not knowne this same And by by hee sheweth vs by three reasons that wee ought not to vse suche excuse that it wil serue vs to no purpose And to
fall into mischiefe or by mischiefe to wit that which they imagine and worke And it is that which is saide Beholde hee trauelleth to bring foorth iniquitie and hath conceaued affliction but wil bring foorth lying Hee hath digged a pit and Psa 7. 15. 9. 15. made it hollow but hee is falne into the ditch which he hath made c. The Heathen are sunke into the pit which they haue made c. And so the ruine of the wicked is mortal and without recouery but there is remedy for the iust mans fal Wherefore when wee are in affliction and aduersitie and wil knowe if wee may bee deliuered and raised vp from the same let vs take good heede to put our affiance in God our father and assure ourselues that he loueth vs for the loue of his sonne Iesus Christe and giue ourselues to yeelde obedience to his commandementes Thus doing wee are on a sure grounde that God accepteth vs for inst and therefore hee wil not suffer vs to perish in our afflictions but wil raise vs vp againe Some expounde the two former sentences otherwise to wit as though Solomon spake to the wicked saying Let it suffice thee to bee wicked entangle not the iust man with thee in thy wickednesse Put no lets before him seeke not occasion to slaunder him nor trouble not his rest Prouoke not the anger of God against thee who loueth the iust and restoreth the decayed Take no pleasure in the fal of the iust man for hee falleth oftē because he is enuironed with the infirmitie of the flesh And there is not a iust man on earth which doth good and sinneth not But the iust sinne somtimes greeuously And God permitteth it to the ende that being brought lowe they may loue him more feruently and may become better aduised and more gentle to their neighbours The iust man in falling looseth not his faith hee acknowledgeth quickly his fault and repenteth incontinent and al and euery time that hee falleth hee riseth againe Hee falleth not to deth because the Lord holdeth him vp with his hand God suffereth him to fal but not to lye there stil But the wicked fal in their mischiefe Their fal serueth them to no good for they repent not nor they conuert not nor haue no remorse They are naked of confidence and perseuer in their wickednesse And likewise that which is good turneth not them to good Now although such sense conteine good doctrine yet the first is better for the woorde which Solomon vseth which signifieth to fall is hardly founde in the Scripture for to sinne but stil to suffer aduersitie 17 Bee not thou glad when thine enimie falleth and let not thine heart reioyce when he stumbleth It is saide that God hath not made death and that he taketh no Sapi. 1. 13 Ezeh 18. 32 33. 11. Esay 59. 2. Rom. 5. 10 Col. 1. 21 pleasure to see the liuing perishe and it is conformable to that which the Prophet Ezechiel saith I couet not the death of him that dieth saith the Lorde c. I am liuing saith the Lorde I couet not the death of the infidel but that hee conuert from his way and liue Nowe when it is so that by our sinnes wee are enimies to God hee declareth and sheweth himselfe very merciful when hee seeketh not our destruction but calleth vs to him againe giueth vs accesse by Iesus Christ his sonne by whome hee hath reconciled vs to him to giue vs life and saluation for euer And as hee is such a one towards vs who are his enimies by nature for the affection of the fleshe is enmitie against God euen so wil hee that wee be pitiful and charitable towards them which are our enimies as he declareth it vnto Ro 87. 8. vs sufficiently by the benefites which he sheweth vpon vs dayly of the which we are not once worthie But not content herewith because we are as it were blinde dul and sluggish not caring to consider his meruellous workes ful of great benignitie and bountie hee declareth it vnto vs by his worde He hath also declared it vnto vs by examples as of Ioseph towards his brethren of Dauid towards Saul of Iesus Christ towardes mankinde and very manifestly towardes Exo. 23. 4. 5. Leui. 19. 17. 18. Mat. 5. 44 Rom. 12. 17. them which put him to death and of S. Stephen towards his persecutours And therefore it ought to bee manifest that it is not without cause that Solomon admonisheth vs saying Bee not thou glad when thine enimie falleth and let not thine heart reioyce when he stumbleth And as it is manifest vnto vs euen so wee ought to followe it otherwise wee are not the children of God our heauenly father which maketh his Sunne shine on the good and on the euil But some wil say that the children of Israel sang a songue to the Lord for the destruction of Pharao and Mat. 5. 45 Fxo. 15. 1. Ind. 5. 1. Psal 9 18 3. 8 Esay 1. 24. his people And Debora Barac sang to the Lorde for the discōfiture of their enimies And Dauid reioyced at the fal of his enimies And God saide I wil solace my selfe with my aduersaries reuenge mee on mine enimies and therefore that it is laweful to reioyce at the fal of the enimie I answere That wee may reioyce at the fall of our enimies when it serueth to the glory of God and that by the same fal wee learne to feare the Lorde and magnifie him and exalt him But if wee haue regarde to followe our proper iniuries and search our particular profite if wee mingle our affections therwith which are ordinarily il gouerned and if because we loue ourselues wee are the swifter to reioyce at the ruine of our enimies our ioy is not righteous And also it is that which Solomon forbiddeth vs in this present 18 Least peraduenture the Lorde see it and it displease him and hee turne his wrath from him Hee putteth foorth to vs three reasons to restraine vs from the ioy and pleasure that one taketh in the fal and stumbling of his enimie The first is that God seeth it whereon they thinke not which reioyce in the euill of their enimies neither wil they because in pleasing themselues they proceede with an euil conscience bearing hate rancor against their enimies because it seemeth to thē that they are wel reuenged of thē whē they see that the euil hapen to them which they wished for And therefore they thinke not in their thoughts that God seeth them although it bee so for al thinges are plaine and manifest to the eies of the Lorde yea afore their being as also Solomō knew wel but he saith Least peraduenture c. for they which set not God before their eies as they ought regard not the care and prouidence the knowledge and vnderstanding of the Lord but attribute al to fortune and chaunce And so hee speaketh according to the sense
and apprehension of worldlings and carnal men and in the meane whyle telleth vs that God knoweth al our thoughts although we think it be not so Seeing then that wee will not haue God to see the pleasure that wee take in the fall of our enemies let vs haue pitie and compassion on their fal helping to raise them vp againe asmuch as wee can The second reason is that such ioy is wicked in the Lordes sight that is to say displeaseth him for it is contrary to the lawe of charitie the which is agreable to him aboue al things as he sheweth it wel whē he declareth that he wil haue mercy and not sacrifice And also they which reioyce in the fal of their enimies are cōuinced in their owne consciences that they are replenished with hate in that of determinate malice they take pleasure in other mens harmes and so in spite of their heads they condemne themselues The third reason is that God wil turne his wrath from him that is to say from the enimie in whose fal wee take pleasure And in this manner hee which taketh pleasure in the fal of his enimie shal be confounded seeing God wil pacifie him raise him vp in his fal for commonly the enuious which reioyce in the harmes of other men and are greeued at their prosperitie are confounded when they see it happen wel to them whom they hate For the rest let vs know that Solomon sheweth vs heere somewhat that aduersities ruines and desolations come to men because of their sinnes for God is not angrie with vs but because of our sinnes And therefore if hee turne away his wrath he pardoneth the sinnes Note wee also that seeing hee turneth away his wrath from him at whose harmes wee reioyce that hee which hath such ioy sinneth And so the anger which is turned from his enimie falleth vpon him wherefore let vs vnderstande that it is very daugerous to take pleasure in the fal of ones enimie 19 Frequent not thy selfe with the malicious neither bee enuious at the wicked Because it is a temptation very dangerous and which greatly ouerpresseth the feeble and weake Insomuch that it is very harde for them to keepe themselues from being brought into the same that is to search the familiaritie and acquaintance of the wicked because that they see them prosper with the eye according to outward apparance and too bee vexed and greeued when they are not in so good estate as they are For this cause Solomon knowing the necessitie that we haue to be wel and often admonished that we take no heede of the prosperitie of the wicked for to lust after it and adioyne ourselues to them is not content with these former admonitions but now agayne he admonisheth vs of the same saying Frequent not with c. This is not to say that we can exempt ourselues from the presence of the wicked for the Darnel shal be Pro. 1. 10. 2. 12. 3. 31. 4. 14. 23. 17 24. 1. 1. Cor. 5. 7. 2. Cor. 6. 14. Ephe. 5. 11. amongst the good wheat euen to the consummation of the world But that wee purge the olde leauen that wee couple not ourselues with Infidels and that we be not pertakers of the vnfruitful workes of darkenesse Wherefore let vs reioyce when wee are often warned of such thinges seeing that otherwise wee goe vnto vtter destruction with the wicked For by our nature wee are of the same affection that they are and incline to their manners and wil not be withdrawne thefro Wee studie on the outwarde face temporall and transitory wee regarde that ordinarily the wicked floorish and prosper and it seemeth to vs that they are exempt from all dangers al afflictions and al aduersities wherewith the iust are as it were ouerthrowne insomuch that it seemeth they shal neuer recouer it But the iust at the last shal be raised vp as they hope for there shal be an ende of their euils as wee haue seene it Contrariwise wischiefes shal assayle the wicked of the which they shal neuer rid themselues and shal bee ouerwhelmed therewith that there shal remaine no worke of their prosperitie Solomon Pro. 23. 18. 24. 14. pronounceth it so when hee saith 20 For there shal be no ende to the euill man the light of the wicked shal be put out When heere before he hath said that there shal be an end for the iust and wise which hope in the Lord he meaneth not that they shal perish but that their afflictions shal haue end we haue to note that when he saith now that there shal be no end of the euill man hee meaneth not that the wicked shal bee permanent and that their prosperitie shal bee of long indurance but that there shal bee no end of the plagues which shal affaile them Hee himselfe sheweth that wee shoulde vnderstande it so when hee addeth The light of the wicked shal be put out For by the light hee vnderstandeth the glory the ease and prosperitie of them as hath been saide aboue 21 My sonne feare the Lorde and the King and meddle not with them that are disguised Solomon sheweth vs heere the office of a good Pastour for first hee calleth them whō he teacheth his sonnes In that he propoundeth vnto them the worde of God which is the seede of life by the which he formeth and begetteth them to the Lorde as much as is possible for him Whereby Ministers ought to learne that their dutie is to take care ouer the flocke which is committed to them as ouer their children yea to bee more careful of them because the charge of them is more difficil more great more excellent then of carnal children because the spirites are more excellent then the bodies and more harde to rule guide and gouerne Secondly hee teacheth that which God hath demanded at al times to bee honoured and serued as appertaineth to him when he saith feare the Lorde c. Now that at al times God hath demanded to be feared it appeareth first when he woulde that Adam should obey his worde threatened him of death if hee did it not Secondly when Abel by faith offered Sacrifice which was agreeable to the Lorde and that Gen. 2. 17. 44. 26. 5. 24. 69. in the time of Enoch sonne of Seth men began to cal vpō the name of the Almightie And Enoch walked according to God and Noe was a iust and an vpright man walking after GOD. This coulde not bee but that these men were taught in the feare of the Lord. Thirdly when the Lord said that he knew that Abraham shoulde commande his children and his house after him that they Gen. 18. 19. Deu. 4. 6. 10. Psal 34. shoulde keepe the way of the Lorde c. Moses also sheweth it in his writings as also doeth the Psalmist plainely and in many places Solomon hath greatly praised this feare and hath inuited vs thereto and yet
vnreasonable thing to see fooles esteemed and exalted to glory for glorie is an excellent gift of God which exalteth them that seeme worthie And those which desire it haue not stil the inioying of it but are often cast off and depriued of it vtterly And in steede of glory reape conteÌ„pt rebuke and ignomie For fooles knowe not howe to vse glorie according as it is appointed by God but rather abuse it when in steede of giuing themselues to grauitie vertue magnanimitie prudence and wisedome Pro. 25. 27 they folowe lightnesse vice pusillanimitie blockishnes vanitie and follie and so their glorie can be neither profitable nor delectable no more then a precious stone which is inclosed so farre in a heape of stones that one cannot come by it Wherefore they which haue power to distribute states and degrees are here taught that if they wil not loose the precious stone they should take heede not to aduance fooles malicious persons dissolute and loose liuers nor any suche because it is a thing lost For as one cannot see a precious stone shine which is inclosed in a heape of coÌ„mon stones as wel for the multitude as for the grosenesse and waight of the stones which are vpon it euen so the foolishe abound so much in vanities and follies in filth and infamie in scandales and dissolutions in malices and wickednesse and are so wayghed downe with the same that they darken and adnihilate the glorie in which they are placed for they themselues thinke say and doe things which tende to the extinguishing of it And so they are wholy vn worthie yea what greatnesse or noblenesse soeuer they haue yet they are notcapable thereof no more then it is to hide a precious stone in a heape of stones bee it neuer so great Saul was mightie and puisaÌ„t yet neuertheles he shewed himself vnworthie of the glory 1. Sam. 9. 1. 2. 15. 11 23. 16. 1. 1. Sam. 16. 7 12. 13. of the kingdom Dauids brethren were greater then he and yet they were deiected in that they were not annointed and Dauid the least of them al was annointed for King Euen so although the Pope haue power and authoritie yet neuerthelesse hee is not capable of the glorie which the world giueth him 9 As a thorne standing vp in the hand of a drunkarde so is a parable in the mouth of fooles The man that is giuen to drinke much and so is drunke is so blockish dull and foolish so voide of sense reason vnderstanding and feeling that hee seeth not commonly nor knoweth not what it is that he hath or holdeth in his hande nor howe he ought to vse that which he hath betweene his fingers He makes no more difficultie to gripe in his hande a sharpe thorne then he doth a soft feather wil giue it to kisse to them whoÌ„ he meeteth as if it were a nosegaye of flowers or sweete smelling hearbes And in this wise hee sheweth that he careth not what harme he doe to himselfe nor to his neighbours but as he pricketh himselfe so he pricketh and spoyleth them which doe him no hurt and which likewise desire that he were in sounde estate and good disposition And so we see that the drunkarde leadeth a miserable and wicked life whereby it appeareth that one ought to haue drunkennesse in great horror and detestation and flye the company of drunkardes as a madde Lion or any sauage beast Nowe if wee ought to take heede of a thorne standing vp in the hande of a drunkarde because he cannot handle it as hee ought euen so wee ought to vnderstande that fooles wordes are verie dangerous As Solomon pronounceth it saying As a thorne standing vp c. Wherein wee haue to note that as the drunkarde maketh no difficultie to pricke his neighbors and hurt them with some thorne or other sharp instrument which he hath in his hande euen so the foolishe are hardie and rashe to pronounce wordes or speeches which are yrksome grieuous or hurtful to their neighbours And that in diuers sortes for some speake to their neighbours making no shewe to hurt them and yet secretly practise their death As Cain dealt with his brother when they were together on the fielde Cain rose vp against his brother Gen. 4. 8. 2. Sam. 3. 27. 20. 9. 10 11. 6. Mat. 26. 49. 22. 15. Gen. 39. 17 Mat. 26. Luk. 23. Abel and killed him Ioab killed Abner in treason the same Ioab killed also Amasa by treason Dauid vsed such faynednesse towardes Vrias Iudas and the Pharisies towardes Christ Other backbite and defame in secrete as those which in the absence of Dauid spake yl of him to Saule Others beare false witnesse as Iosephes maisters wife and the Iewes against Iesus Christ Others speake openly foule woordes and outrages against the innocent as if they were greatly woorthie of blame as they did to the Prophetes to Iesus Christ and his Apostles and as they doe presently to the true seruants of God And which is the most sharpe and pricking thorn of al some beare about false doctrine the which pricketh the soules to death And so the mouth of Papistes is the most dangerous and they are the wickeddest and woorst fooles of the world One may adde those Magistrates who insteede of pronouncing equitie make vnlawful ordinances and giue wrong iudgement Wee haue also to note that as the drunkarde pricketh himselfe euen so fooles wordes are their owne destruction as it hath bene alreadie shewed both by witnesse and examples Forasmuch therefore as wee wil not be reputed drunkardes nor fooles let vs looke that wee cast away thornes and carie sentences which are not pricking that no woorde passe out of our mouth which is not sounde pleasaunt and amiable to the glorie and honour of God and to the edification and health of vs and our hearers And this is that which appertaineth principally to Ministers of the word and to them which are committed to doe iustice and iudgement and this towardes them which yelde themselues tractable and readie to be taught For we ought to vse thornes against them which are obstinate and vncorrigible not fearing to incurre the note of drunkennesse or of follie Some saide that Iesus Christ had Belzebub that he was a glutton Mat. 12. 24. 11. 19 Act. 2. 13. a drunkard and a friend to them that liued wickedly And that the Apostles were drunke but being assâ—â—â—d that they walked vprightly they letted not to pricke where it was needeful So ought al they to doe which haue any administration to guid theÌ„selues vprightly in prudence and wisedome 10 The mightie man doeth al thinges by himselfe but the foole giueth wages yea he giueth wages to the transgressours When Solomon praiseth the man that is great excellent in vertue insomuch that he is sufficient of himselfe to doe his office and duetie euen so he doth it and applieth himselfe therto carefully and to expresse this same he saieth
of any great profit for to take gifts and that if they had a noble heart right perfect they would in no wise take giftes how great and excellent so euer they were no more then a varlet which feeleth not himselfe an hungred woulde not gladly receiue an almes of bread but would haue a peece of money and euen so a daintie curre being vsed to the greasie kitchen will not care for a peece of bread And thus the wicked superiours are heere compared vnto hungry dogges which cannot bee filled Esa 56. 10. 11 22 A man with a wicked eie hasteth to riches and knoweth not the pouertie that shall come vpon him An enuious man is vexed when he seeth that his neighbours do prosper and he that is not stayed vpon the prouidence of God feareth that he shall not be soone enough rich For this cause both the one and the other do poste hither and thither to get riches so much are they caried away with sinister and euil affection the which Solomon doeth signifie by a wicked eye saying A man with a wicked eye c. It is not needful to expounde what it meaneth to haste after riches for it hath beene expounded heere before in the 20. vers and also it may be vnderstoode by that which hath beene saide at the beginning but wee must note that it seemeth to them which haste both by enuie and by distrust that if they can gather riches that they shal neuer want Solomon doeth pronounce it so saying and knoweth not the pouertie shal come vpon him He speaketh after the opinion of those which haste to bee riche and yet for all that hee threateneth them with pouertie and declareth vnto them that their actiuitie shal not exempt them from want as wee dayly see the experience thereof and this commeth because that God bloweth vpon the riches of such men their riches consume as smoke and S. Paule doeth note it well when hee attributeth vncertaintie 1. Tim. 6. 17. Psa 34. 10. 11. vnto riches And this is according to the scripture which doeth attribute vanitie vnto the riches of this worlde And thus we are admonished to clense our eyes and not to set our heartes vpon worldly riches that wee bee not tempted to rauish the substance of other men but rather that by loue wee shoulde bee enclined vnto liberalitie and wee may assure ourselues that wee shal neuer want Moreouer let vs note that the worlde esteemeth such men for honest of good wit and vnderstanding that can quickly become riche and doeth reuerence them but the holy Ghost pronounceth that they are filled with enuie and falshood the which doeth blinde them feede them with vaine trust as they shal feele chiefly when they are Luke 16. 19. with the richeglutton 23 Hee that rebuketh a man shall finde more fauour at the length then hee that flattereth with his tongue Those that are feeble and needie or that are not contented with their state desire to make their gaine at them that are great riche and seeke by al meanes for to obtaine good wil and to get the fauour of those which may raise their state And amongest other meanes they vse to flatter knowing that such woordes are pleasant and acceptable in the eares of such as are delicate boasters and proude which seeke after nothing but the praise of men and would be exalted as high or rather more high then God But they which walke in the feare of God and in al humblenesse doe confesse that they haue neede to bee admonished yea corrected and rebuked and not flattered but rather are thankeful to them which are seuere sharpe As Dauid did receiue the reprehention of Nathan with all humblenesse as also Ezekias did patiently heare the threateninges of the Prophete Esay They then that feare God which are wise 2. Sam. 11. 2. Kings 20. humble are not troubled when they bee rebuked but rather honour them which rebuke them wil gladly heare them and followe their counselles It commeth to passe also that euen they themselues which loue to bee flattered thinke not wel of themselues for hauing giuen eare to flatterers and at last come to knowe that they which rebuked them spake the trueth and that for their profite and therefore at length they detest the flatterers and do loue them that are sharp and seuere And this is it which Solomon pronounceth when he saith Psal 141. 4. 5 Hee that rebuketh a man c. Dauid doeth well shewe vs that they which rebuke vs ought to be best welcome saying Inclyne not my heart to euil that I shoulde commit wicked woorkes with men that worke iniquitie and let mee not eate of their delicates let the righteous smite mee for that is a benefite c. Let vs then learne not to resist nor despite them which reprooue vs but rather let vs giue them thankes and to loue and reuerence thē for in rebuking vs they seeke not our hurte but they seeke our benefite our honour and saluation where they which dissemble to see Eccle. 6. Pro. 15. 5. 12 31. 32. 19. 20. 25. our faultes care not though wee goe to destruction Let vs learne this same of this sentence To this purpose it is saide It is better to heare the rebukes of the wise then the song of fooles c. If wee passe not after this sorte to abase and to humble ourselues wee shewe that wee are fooles and mockers wherevpon foloweth destruction and damnation Let vs therefore vnderstande that they which rebuke vs when wee fayle either in woordes or deedes are organes and instrumentes by whome God wil pull vs backe from death and bring vs to life 24 Hee that robbeth his father and mother and saith it is notransgression is the companion of a man that destroyeth The fathers and mothers which gouerne and guide their childrē as it behoueth are not without great care and great paine for they desire that their children shoulde profite and prosper and shoulde chiefly growe in wisedome and discretion and heerein they beare a great loue vnto their children For this cause God not willing that children should be vnthankful towardes their parents doeth commande Exo. 20. 1◠Honour thy father and thy mother This honor stādeth not in words and gestures of the body only but in reuerence and feare in obedience helpe succour and seruice also so that the children for to giue the honor they owe vnto their fathers and mothers ought to haue such affection towardes them that they should loue them commend them and greatly to feare their displeasure and to do all thinges in such sorte that their parents doe suffer no losse through their faulte but so much as in them is they should helpe them to ease and be altogether at their commaundement Solomon doeth teach vs briefly saying Heare thy Father who hath begotten thee c. The same doeth our Lorde and S. Paule Wherefore Prou. 23. 22 Mat.