done what is to be belieued In mind they are corrupt and vnable rightly to practise their duties they are not able to discerne betweene true doctrine and false the right course of teaching and the wrong But such as seeke the Lord in his word vnfeinedly shall know all things needfull for saluation for auoyding of error yea sometime for temporall good finally for the discharge of the duties of their calling wherein the wicked haue no vnderstanding Psal 82. 6 Better is the poore man who * In his vprightnesse then he which is peruerse in his waies walketh vprightly then hee who peruerteh his wayes though he be rich Men are to bee esteemed not according to their wealth but vertue See chapter 19.1 7 He which keepeth the law is a prudent sonne but he which keepeth company with banquetters shameth his father Among sundry vices which yoong men are to take heed of riotousnesse is one of the chiefe whereunto that age is peculiarly inclined Godly parentes charge their children to liue soberly to take heede of wasting and prodigalitie Hee then which keepeth this law of God and other duties which parents out of the word teach apply to their children is a wise sonne For by this meanes he auoydeth the wrath of God who in his law commanded such children to be punished as were dissolute disobedient vnto their parents Deut. 21. Moreouer by this meanes he reioyceth and honoureth them who haue begotten him and well brought him vp But on the contrary side he which not regarding the law spendeth his time and his substance in feasting and gaming is not only foolish but a blemish vnto his father for what will bee sayd but that such a one brought not vp his children well or that such a stocke is naught or if the parents of such a prodigall youth see him come to pouertie cast into prison or drawne to punishment for his sin how can they but blush and euen hang downe their heads for shame 8 Hee which increaseth his substance by vsurie and * Or giue franklie interest shall gather it for him who will be liberall to the poore As the Lord alloweth not the wastfull spender so neither doth he like of the vniust and cruell getter of goods Such are said to get their goods by vsurie and interest who in lending or letting the same to hyre byte and oppresse the poore either by an hard bargaine or by misreckoning them Now it may be these cormorantes sometimes do gather great wealth into their handes pilling and polling the poore who stand in need of their helpe and borrow of them after the hardest rate But by the iust iudgement of God such an heire shall succeed those miserable oppressors as will lend to the poore looking for nothing again and pitie their wantes for either the children or the kinsmen or the friends or the executors of these misers proue liberall or prodigall persons oftentimes Let therfore as the Apostle exhorteth none oppresse or circumuent his brother in any matter seeing the Lord is the reuenger of all these thinges There are many which cry out against vsurie who are most grieuous oppressors and vsurers indeed Some buy of the poore which are indebted a field very cheap and sell it very deare They are vsurers Some suffer their poore neighbour to fetch much on the score then set on more then was taken or make him pay double the worth of that which he hath fetcht These are vsurers Some get a great deale of bad mony and paie it away These also are vsurers Now vsury is not onely in mony but in other creatures Deut. 23. Giue not vsury to thy brother vsury of thy mony vsury of thy meate vsury of any thing that is giuen to vsury As therefore such as lawfully gaine by monie or other creatures offend not so such as vnlawfully gaine by corne wine or other such marchandise no lesse are vsurers then such as abuse their mony It may be diuers here expect some large discourse of vsurie but they may be satisfied by the briefe handling of three needful points pertaining to this question First what is vsurie properly taken secondly why it is vnlawfull thirdly what is to be thought of the vsuall compacts and dealings of vsurers in these times Vsury properly taken is a simple binding of the receiuer or borower of mony or goods to repaie the whole summe receiued and the aduantage thereof agreed on be it more or lesse This simple binding or compact is vnlawfull first because it is contrary to charitie equitie as may appeare in that it is a thing vnequall that the summe decaying through no negligence or fault of the receiuer but by Gods prouidence or some casualtie as by fire and water hee is bound to so great inconuenience as to make it good Secondly because the Lord hath enacted a law quite contrarie to this dealing as well touching borrowing as hyring the equitie whereof still remaineth as being grounded on Gods will and nature The law of borrowing is this Exod. 22.14.15 If any borrow ought of his neighbour and it be hurt or else dye the owner thereof not being by he shall surelie make it good If the owner thereof be by he shall not make it good Marke here the principall in such cases is not to be required The law of hiring followeth If it were a thing hired it came for his hire he shall not repay it for that is to be repeated Marke here the vantage may be required but not the principall Now this is euident that in vsurie the thing is lent or hired By the equitie then of the law of God to bind both to the principall and to the vantage is a sinne and vnlawfull Hereby appeareth that the cōpacts now a dayes in vse are vngodly yea that they are horrible sinnes and plaine murderings both of the rich and poore Euery on almost now which hath a stocke of money to spare will let it out if the end be cōsidered seeking his owne cmmoditie if the persons to Christians if the manner binding them simply whether God blesse thē or no to paye such a sum of money after ten or more in the hundred Otherwise if the borrower do not to prison hee must his wife and children staruing in the meane season And can there be more cutthroat dealing then this Much more may be said but it is needlesse the summe is this there may be a gaine agreable to charitie in hiring in letting in borrowing and lending but all vsurie is vnlawfull I meane all simple binding and compelling of any rich or poore to repay the principall and the aduantage 9 Whosoeuer turneth away his eare from hearing the law euen his prayer is abhomination Sinners may flatter them selues and namely adulterers murtherers such vsurers stubburne children as before haue ben spoken of but if any willingly and wittingly turne away his eare from knowing or obeying the will of God so that he
feare of God which is the beginning of knowledge of wisedome and of instruction fooles despise By the feare of God is here meant not onely that dread of the power of God which respecteth some trouble or punishment but that reuerencing of his maiesty wherby it commeth to passe that a godly man hath the Lord alwayes before his eyes highly esteemeth him taketh care not to offend him and is readie in all things to obey him For in regard of his power he dreadeth him as his Iudge of his glorie as his king of his strength as his rocke of his care as his shepherd of his righteousnesse as his law-giuer of his mercie as his sauiour of his loue as the husband of his soule This reuerence or awe of the Lord is sayd to be the beginning or chiefe point of knowledge of wisedome and of instruction that is to say a principall part or roote thereof because it not onely preserueth men from all sorts of sinne but moueth and enableth thē to practise good workes of euery kind Now seeing the wicked or vngodly people of the world despise this beginning or fountaine of Gods graces it is impossible that they should come to the knowledge of the truth or to the wisedome of the spirit or to the obedience of the word Thus the elect then come to wisedome and such other vertues but the reprobate neuer attaine hereunto because they either neglect the meanes of their saluation or else quench the light or motions of Gods spirit so that they want the grace of God through their owne folly as here is insinuated when it is sayd that fooles despise the feare of God Rom. 1.19 That which may be knowne of God is manifested to them for God hath made it manifest vnto them but they loue darknesse more then light yea they hate the light because their workes being euill are thereby reproued Hence it is that they hold the truth of God in vnrighteousnesse as the Apostle speaketh 8 My sonne heare the instruction of thy father and forsake thou not the doctrine of thy mother 9 For they shal be a comely * or Attire ornament vnto thine head and a chaine vnto thy necke The preface of the whole booke being ended Salomon commeth now in the person of a father or mother to instruct his sonne One dutie whereunto children are here called is to heare instruction that is to say to open their eares and hearts that the admonitions which their parents giue them may enter thereinto vnto the reforming of their wayes Another is not to forsake doctrine that is when good counsell hath bene giuen not to let it slip or vanish but to keepe and practise it This admonitiō is enforced by a reason which is drawne from the reward or frute of obedience For they shall be a comely ornament vnto thine head and a chaine vnto thy necke that is to say as iewels and gay apparell greatly adorne and set out litle children so thy parents instructions by thee obeyed shal grace and beautifie thine heart and life in such sort as that thou shalt seeme amiable both vnto God and man For by the outward ornaments of comely attire and of a chaine long life a good name honor wealth the fauor of good men and of God him selfe yea eternal glorie happinesse are shadowed out whereunto obedient children attaine partly in this world partly in the world to come 10 If sinners entise thee consent thou not Children now are disswaded from folowing of euil companie and wicked counsell All men are transgressors but by the name of sinners in this place notorious offenders as for example theeues or robbers are meant If then such mischieuous wretches shall entise thee that is to say allure thee by flattering speeches or faire promises consent thou not yeeld not to them resist them like not of their sayings or of their doings The heart of man is prone by nature vnto all euill Now if besides the inward inclination there be an outward tempter to iniquity a man but especially a young man is easily caried away This aduise then is with all care to be remembred that when we are allured to any sinne by any person we consent not 11 If they shall say come with vs let vs lye in waite for blood let vs freely hide our selues against the innocent 12 We shal swalow thē vp aliue as the graue and whole as they that go downe into the pit 13 We shal find all precious substance and fill our houses with spoiles 14 Thou shalt cast thy lot amōgst vs * or Let there be there shall be one purse amongst vs all c. Salomon in the person of a carefull father cometh now to bring in those who steale or rob by the high way making an oration as it were to the young man wherin they perswade him to ioyne in a league with them Hereunto to draw him they not onely preuent the obiection of danger which he might make remoouing his feare of incurring trouble as well as they can but promise vnto him great gaine that the hope of a rich bootie may expell the doubt of hauing ill successe If they shall say come with vs let vs lye in wayt for blood let vs freely hide our selues against the innocent First here the robbers shew the yong man what course they meane to take in spoyling trauellers of their goods and liues They tell him that they will not openly steale or kill but lurke in some bush or corner to such an intent They affirme that they will handle their businesse so closely as that they shall neuer be called into question but escape scotfree Thus by breeding in him hope of lying hid and of impunitie they go about to bend him to their bow and to draw him into their companie We shall swallow thē vp aliue as the graue and whole as they who go down into the pit Now the theeues in these words declare how sure they are to meete with the pray to auoyd danger They auouch seeing they be manie and so strong that they will quickly take the passengers bind them fast inough for making hue and crie after them and most easily dispatch them For euen as the graue or the pit destroyeth and deuoureth those who are put or fall thereinto so say they we will spoile strip bind and quite dispatch those that come by the high way leauing them neither life nor any thing whatsoeuer whereby we may be bewrayed Wee shall get all precious substance we shall fill our houses with spoyels In these wordes profit is propounded as a lure to draw the yong man to theft and murder There is great force in this perswasion seeing though a thing be neuer so vnlawfull or vnhonest yet if it be gainefull commonly all sorts of people greedily follow after it The summe of this speech is as if the robbers had sayd to the youth by this course which we speake of we shall come to great
an example Iames. 4 13. neither set downe things to come so certainly in thine heart as if that thou couldest do what thou wouldest For where thou lookest for a furtherance there may be an hinderance neither canst thou tell whether time to come will bring forth vnto thee health or sicknes losse or gaine life or death 2 Let astrangers mouth praise thee Vaine glorie but not thine ovvne mouth another mans lippes but not thine ovvne Speake not thy selfe vaingloriously of thine owne wisedome or good deedes but let those who neuer knew thee or are of no acquaintance with thee commend thee and staie till thy neighbours praise thee 3 A stone hath heauinesse sand vveightinesse but the vvrath of a foole is heauier then them both 4 In anger is crueltie Wrath. Rage and in vvrath an ouerflovving but vvho can stand before enuie See an example in the Israelites to whom the Egyptians rage was more greeuous then their burdens It is not so hard or greeuous a thing to carry heauy burthens as to beare the displeasure of a furious person When anger doth but begin to arise it presently thirsteth for blood like the horseleach Now when it increaseth waxing greater and greater it ouerthroweth the welfare good name and life of many But when it commeth to the height so that it groweth to fiercenesse spite enuy then as a flame it consumeth all sortes of persons Iob. 5 2. yea the foole himselfe in whose bosome it resteth 5 Open rebuke is better then secret loue Secretloue 6 The vvoundes of a friend are faithfull but the kisses of an enemy are to be detested Reprouing of friends for their offences and wounding of them by sharpe wordes is better then either good will no way expressed or outwarde signes of friendship tending to deceiue For first Leuit. 19 17. Mat. 18.15 God commandeth vs to rebuke our brethren secondly sharpe reproofes do winne men to repentance last of all as secret loue engendreth suspitions so the flatterie of enemies worketh mischiefe 7 The soule which is full Psal 141.5 Hunger * Or treadeth vnder foote despiseth an houie combe but to the hungry soule euerie bitter thing is sweet Hunger is the best sauce wherefore a moderation is to be vsed in meares and drinks and all sorts of delightes Changing of a mans dwelling or calling 8 As a byrd vvhich vvandreth from her neast so is a man vvhich vvandreth from his place None is to leaue the standing place whereunto God hath assigned him For euen as a silly bird which vnnecessarily by reason of a certain lightnesse wherwith shee is carried wandreth from place to place doth not onely by this meanes leaue her yoong ones in great danger but wearieth her owne winges hazardeth her owne life meeting sometimes with a net sometimes with a pellet so the person who rolleth from house to house or rashly chaungeth his charge or profession by this his inconstancie greatly hurteth himselfe and his in often remoues meeting with manifold losses and troubles 9 As an ointment and perfume reioyce the heart so doth the * Hebrew Sweetnesse Friendes A friends counsaile is called sweet Psalme the 55. Friendship is resembled to an oiniment Psalm 153. That a friends counsaile doth much delight and is very good may appeare in the example of Ionathan comforting Dauid in the Lord and of Iethro aduising Moses to appoint of ficers vnder him sweet aduise of a friend reioyce euerie one rather then a mans owne counsaile 10 Thy friend and thy fathers friend forsake thou not neither enter into the house of thy brother in the day of thy calamitie a neighbour neere is better then a brother farre off Euen as there is great force both in a pretious ointment and perfume vnto the quickening of the spirits and comforting of the sences so the aduise of a friend doth greatly ease refresh a perplexed and pensiue heart but a man is not so fit or able be he neuer so wise by himselfe or his owne cogitations to comfort himselfe when he is sad Seeing there is so great vse of a faithfull friend breake not off familiaritie or amitie with an old or tried acquaintance but maintain friendship with him and vse him in thy necessitie Enter not then rather into the house of thy kinsman then of thy friend in the time of thine affliction for nature is not too much to bee trusted neither are brethren commonly kind but vnnaturall rather to their brethren in aduersitie See an example in Iosephs brethren 1. Pet. 2.17 Cherish also neighbour-hood as a kind of friendship which is very necessary and profitable For one who is neere both in affection and place may and will at a pinch helpe and pleasure thee more then a naturall kinsman far off in dwelling albeit hee beare thee much good wil. As we say in our English prouerbe if thou hast a good neighbour thou shalt haue a good God-morrow 11 My sonne be wise reioyce mine heart Children that I may be able to answere him who would fayne reproch me with some matter O my child by thine obedience and discretion fulfill my ioy that I may proue to the face of mine aduersaries who would gladly picke an hole in my coate and staine me with some infamie that I haue performed the dutie of a good father toward thee Wisedome or warinesse 12 The prudent man foreseeing an euill hideth him selfe but fooles going on still are punished The prudent escape daunger by their auoyding of perilous places and actions See before 22.3 where this sentence is at large expounded Suretishi but the foolish by their simplicitie fall into euill 13 Take his garment who hath bene suretie for a strange man and take a pledge of him vvho hath become suretie for a strang ewoman Make the rash suretie smart for his follie See the 20. chap 16. vers according as he deserueth to do 14 Vnto him who blesseth his friend with a loud voyce betimes in the morning rising vp early a curse shall be imputed Importunate flatterie Impornate flatterie or flattering importunitie is hatefull and often condemned by those toward whō it is expressed To him who blesseth his friend that person who saluteth or praiseth his neighbour with a loude voyce after an importunate manner and so as all may heare See an example in Absalon 2. Sam. 15. betimes in the morning in a season of good lucke as it were rising early shewing him selfe with the first or before all other to the end that he may seeme the chiefest well willer or valentine as it were a curse shall be imputed in stead of a great reward looked for shall for this his fauning and vnseasonable dealing but be the more suspected and ill spoken of 15 A continuall dropping in the time of a most vehement shower Women and a contentious woman are alike 16 Euery one who hideth her may as wel hide the wind