so farre as they are our enemies wee must not Leuit. 26. Deut. 27. 28. Psal 5. 5. Psal 139. 19 Mat. 5. 44. hate them but loue them Nowe albeit that vpon good cause the wicked are abhominable vnto the iust that the wicked ought to be conuerted and to labour to please both God the iust which are of a good and vpright conuersation by the which they bende vnto edification for to set the wicked in the way of saluation yet the wicked are hardened and become obstinate in their malice and doe delight therein so that of vice they make vertue and of vertue vice and in steede that they shoulde loue the iust that giueth them good example and to doe them honour and to reuerence them they abhorre them as Solomon saieth adding And he that is vpright in his way is abhomination vnto the wicked Hee speaketh here according to experience For Cain had not slaine iust Abel if hee had not hated him and abhorred him Abraham Isaack and Iacob were yl intreated of the inhabitantes of the lande of Canaan because they hated them Lot suffered the like of the inhabitantes of Sodome Moses Dauid the Prophetes Iesus Christ his Apostles were abhorred of the wicked also the wicked haue thought to doe good seruice vnto God by killing the iust as stil at this day they persuade themselues in persecuting them which professe the name of Iesus Christ But forsomuch as in so doing they iustifie the wicked and condemne the innocent cal euil good they are therefore cursed Esai 5. 20. 23. The xxx Chapter The wordes of Agur the sonne of Iaketh 1 The prophecie which the man spake vnto Ithiel euen to Ithiel and Vcal ACcording to the Hebrews the fourth part of this booke beginneth at this place and after the opinion of Aben Ezra Agur was a man that liued in the time of Solomon which walked in righteousnesse experte in knowledge and honourable amongst those of his age and for this cause King Solomon hath inclosed his woordes of wisedome into his booke and that Ithiel Vcal were wise men that were the companions or Disciples of Agur. But R. Leui the sonne of Gerson saith that it seemeth or it is thought howe Solomō was named Agur because of his words or sentences which he hath comprised in this booke that Agur signifieth a gatherer together and that he did name himselfe the sonne of Iaketh Howsoeuer it be the wordes which are set downe hereafter are called a Prophecie or charge for their excellencie and conteine verie graue sentences and of great waight 2 Surely I am more foolish then any man and haue not the vnderstanding of a man in me Whosoeuer he be that speaketh either Solomon or an other hee speaketh of himselfe in great humilitie though hee was indewed with great giftes and graces and hath vttered excellent sentences to the great edification of those which consider and lay them vp as they ought Diuers saints though they knewe that God did greatly esteeme them did not yet boaste of their greatnesse and excellencie for to tread downe others vnder them but they haue shewwed great humilitie Abraham might wel knowe howe greatly Gen. 12. 13. 15. 17. 18. Gen. 18. 27. 23. 7 Act. 7. 25 Exo. 4. 10 God esteemed him by the promises that he had made him and yet he pronounceth no excellent thing of himselfe but nameth himselfe pouder and dust and also doeth humble him before the Hethites Moses knewe also that God woulde giue deliuerance to the people of Israel by his hand and yet he confesseth that he is not sufficient Dauid knewe that God had caused him to be annointed king ouer the people of Israel and yet he submitteth himselfe vnto Saule who was reiected of God Afrer that the Lorde had declared vnto Hieremie that he had appointed him a Prophet hee humbleth himselfe saying he was a childe Saint Paule knewe that the Lord had counted him woorthie to be his Apostle and yet he confesseth that hee was not woorthie to be called an Apostle And notwithstanding that these holy men haue thus humbled themselues they haue not ceased to shewe themselues excellent in following boldely and manfully their vocation and doing their office duely Moreouer also though the personne that speaketh heere knowing what hee was himselfe doe greatly humble himselfe saying that he is more foolish then any man Yet for to explicate what he meaneth by foolishnes he addeth that he hath not the vnderstanding of a man and for more ample exposition saith consequently 3 For I haue not learned wisedome nor attayned to the knowledge of the Saintes And yet for all this he hath a spirite gorgiously decked with knowledge both humaine and diuine and sheweth himselfe very wittie and of a settled and discreete minde by the sentences and woordes that shal followe heereafter And therein he teacheth vs that our owne mouthes shoulde not prayse vs as Solomon hath Pro. 27. 2. admonished vs. Hee teacheth vs also that what giftes graces and vertues soeuer wee haue wee shoulde not extol ourselues aboue our neighbours by contenrion and vaineglory but that through humblenesse of hearte we shoulde esteeme an other man more excellent then ourselues as wee are admonished thereof Phillip 2. 3. For albeit that wee must esteeme the giftes of God that are in vs and to make them shine by good doctrine and holy conuersation yet must wee thinke they are not giuen vs for to boast of them nor to extol ourselues aboue our neighbours but to labor to set foorth the glory of God and the saluation of our neighbours Wee shoulde not then presume to haue of ourselues any humane wisedome or knowledge of the saintes that is to say of the worde of God and knowledge thereof the which may bee called Knowledge of the saintes for diuers causes Frst of al because that God giueth the knowledge of his word vnto his elect whom he sanctifieth and separateth frō the filthines and pollutions wherevnto the wicked and reprobate are giuen And by this worde are they sanctified and made saints Iesus Christ doeth wel shewe it saying Sanctifie them by thy trueth c. Secondly it may bee called the knowledge of the saints that is to say Iohn 17. 17. of holy things for there is nothing that maketh vs to be giuen vnto an holy life pure and cleane conuersation but only this word by the which God declareth vnto vs his wil which is the rule of al hones Thirdly it may be called the knowledge of saints that is to say of heauēly things because it bringeth vs to haue our cōuersation in heauen by faith and hope and at the ende to haue perfect possession thereof Wee shal not neede I say to presume of ourselues in this sort though wee bee but fooles before the worlde which woulde haue vs to praise and boast ourselues for God shal accept and alowe vs for wise men For the
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
they do nothing care to do euil but do it of set purpose for al the admonitioÌ„s or threatnings that can be made vnto them yet do they nothing but scorne they make no more account of the woorde of God then of fables yea and lesse also Wherby we may iudge that they are without vnderstanding that they do wel deserue to be called fooles Now that they are without vnderstanding Solomon doth shew it when he sayth But wisedome ruleth the man that hath vnderstanding Hee setteth wisdome against foolishnes and vnderstanding against mocking shewing vs that the foole hath no wisedom and that the mockers are as beastes without any knowledge therefore they feare not to doe euil and doe assure themselues in their wickednesse Amongest the number of suche fooles and mockers wee may set Caine who after hee had slaine Abell passed not for his fault committed Gen. 4. 9. as wee may knowe it by the answere hee made when hee knewe not where his brother was c. And likewise the worlde destroyed by the flood For albeit that Noe did condemne it by the building of the Arke yet had they no care nor tooke no Heb. 11. 7. thought but continued still in their wickednesse passing the time away merily as our Lorde doeth shewe it saying For as they were in the dayes before the flood They did eate and drinke marry giue in marriage vnto the day that Noe entered into the Ark Mat. 24. 38. and they knewe nothing till the flood came and tooke them all away c. Sodome also the brethren of Ioseph Dauid also vntil Gen. 18. 19. Ezâ—c 16. 49 Luk. 17. 28 that hee was reprooued by the Prophet Nathan The Iewes which by enuie crucified Iesus Christ did mocke him saying hee hath saued other himselfe hee can not saue And nowe at this day the greatest parte of them which persecute the poore members Mat. 27. 41. of Iesus Christ are mockers And I woulde to God that there were none but in Poperie c. Wee bring foorth these examples to the ende that wee knowing that of our owne corrupt nature wee are not neither can bee better let vs therfore be diligent to aske of God that he would so print his feare in our heartes that thereby wee may renounce all carnal trust which is but follie and which holdeth man in giering and mocking And that by this feare wee might come and attaine vnto the true wisedome the which may make vs vnderstande that wee ought not to laugh and mocke but to bee sorie when we haue sinned but that of a sorowful spirite and contrite harte with al humblenesse we should aske with Dauid Haue mercy vpon me O God after thy great goodnesse c. Ps 51. 15. 3. 17. And to the ende that as wee vnderstande wee ought not to reioyce at our wickednes euen so also ought wee to conuert the foolish and bring theÌ„ vnto true vnderstanding Let vs aske with Dauid Make me a cleane hart O God and renewe aright spirit within me c. Again O Lord open thou my lips my mouth shal shew forth Mat. 7. 3. Rom. 2. 1. thy praise Otherwise if we take in hand to correct others wee be hypocrites and condemne other ourselues And forasmuche as wisedome is vnderstanding vnto man it is a certaine argument that we want wisdome when we know not howe to gouerne ourselues in the feare and reuerence of the Lord and thus we are fooles consequently mockers and scoffers And if wee bee suche wee cannot but looke for a horrible mockery for when wee make but Psal 2. 4. Pro. 1. 26. a mocke at sinne and doe euil wee scoffe at God refusing his yoke euen so also wil hee mocke at vs. If we desire to auoide the same let vs not tarry till the Lorde speake vnto vs in his fury but nowe whiles hee speaketh gently vnto vs by his sonne in his Gospel let vs heare him and obey him receiuing this holy Gospell with faith and repentance Those that receiue it after this sorte are wise and haue vnderstanding Contrarily they which despise him are fooles and scoffers as wee may see but too muche by experience 24 The thing that the vngodly are afraide of shall come vppon them but the righteous shall haue their desire It seemeth at the first sight that Solomon doth contrarie himselfe for hee hath saide that the feare is as mocking Nowe it seemeth like that the man which laugheth and leappeth for ioy is assured and that hee feareth nothing And also the vngodly is so proud that hee careth not for GOD neither is God in all his Psal 10. â— thoughtes And nowe hee saith that which the vngodly feareth c. But no man doeth gladly laugh that feareth for feare bringeth weeping howling carefulnesse and melancholie and if it happen that any man in feare laugheth it commeth not of ioy nor of assurance they haue but it is to labour to turne away this feare and to diminishe the griefe that men haue conceiued I answere The cause why the vngodly and a foole laugheth and mocketh when hee worketh wickednesse is not because hee is altogether without feare and doubt and that hee is truely assured that no hurt shall happen vnto him hee is destitute of the promises of peace of life of saluation and of all felicitie and prosperitie aswell of this worlde as of eternall ioy for these promises do appertaine onely vnto the wise and to the righteous elected And they are the same which truely may assure and deliuer a man from feare The assurance and safetie that the wicked labour to haue and doe promise themselues is not safetie but vaine presumption and a false opinion the which they striue to keepe still in their braines Caine doeth strongly striue to assure himselfe after he had slaine his brother but when hee answereth GOD howe hee Gen. 4. 9. knoweth not where his brother is become and that hee asketh if he be his brothers keeper hee well declareth that hee is not without feare for if he had been assured and had feared nothing hee woulde haue answered boldly I haue slaine him The reioycing then of the vngodly doth not proceede of true assurance but of that they endeuour to harden themselues and to waxe obstinate in euill that they may cast from them al fearefulnesse if it be possible Likewise Lamech albeit that he boasteth to be so strong and hardie that though hee were hurt may med yet in his strength he would kill a man yet doeth hee wel declare himselfe not too bee assured Gen. 4. 23. but afraide when without any worde of GOD hee threateneth him that shall kil him with more greeuous vengeance than GOD had threatened the man that should slaye Caine. Although then that the vngodly are but too mightie and too hardy to coÌ„mit euill and that without remorse of conscience with an vnbrideled desire they make horrible things yet do
for to folow this wel let vs obey S. Paul who saith Let al bitternes anger c. be put away frō you But now put ye away euē al these things wrath anger maliciousnes cursed speaking filthy speaking out of your mouth Thus doing we shal not commit follie but shal work wisdō The vice that Solomon placeth against hastinesse or anger is a long secrete purpose to hurt a mans neighbour the which at the last is discouered maketh a man hated who after hauing long dissembled the anger hate that he did beare to his neighbour doth declare him such as he is labouring to put his deuises in execution This is giuen vs to vnderstande when Solomon saith A busie bodie or a man of imaginations shal be hated He doeth here shew vs what reward the malicious are woorthie of that is to say that as they haue nourished in their harts wrath hatred euē so it cōmeth to passe that they are hated as they deserue first of God as Solomon saith in his 6. chap. The Lorde hateth an hart that imagineth wicked enterprises Hee maketh them also to feele this hatred as Dauid saith Thine hande Pro. 6. 18 Psal 21. 8. ◠shal finde out al thine enemies and thy right hand shal find out thē that hate thee Thou shalt make them like a fiery ouen in time of thine anger c. When the scriptures speake thus in the name of the afflicted against busie bodies it sheweth in the secōd place that they are hated of mē as they do also wel deserue But it is not to say that it is lawful for vs to hate them which imagine euil thinges against vs for our owne sakes but inasmuch as they bee the enemies of God Oh that thou wouldest slay O God the wicked and blooddie men to whome I say departe from me Which speake wickedly Mat. 5. 44 Rom. 12. 17. Psal 139. 1◠of thee being thine enemies are lifted vp in vaine Albeit then that Solomon saith that the busie bodie or man of imaginations shal be hated yet it is not to say that he alloweth vs to hate our neighbor howe wicked soeuer he be for his owne profit or disprofit but Solomon doeth shewe vs what doeth happen vnto the dreamers of malice and what they deserue to haue And because that we naturally desire to haue the loue and fauour of our neighbours and not their displeasure except we be voide of our right wits we must here therefore learne to thinke wel and to do wel to our neighbours 18 The foolish do inherite follie but the prudent are crowned with knowledge When wee despise or reiect any thing it is very harde to obteine and get it but if we bee careful as wee ought to followe any thing wee easily get the possession thereof Wherefore if the foolishe haue neither knowledge nor wisdome we ought not to wonder at it for as wee haue seene they reiect it And in steede of that Pro. 1. 7. 2◠they are earnest after folli◠and therefore they obteine it as Solomon doeth signifie it saying The foolishe doe inherite follie It is not of late but of old as it is heere signified after a sorte by the preterperfectence of the verbe which Solomon in his language vseth saying They haue inherited And so this inheritance is come or descended from father to sonne and hath beene more carefully kept than if it had beene any good thing But suche is the nature of man when hee is left vnto himselfe that hee is rather geuen to vanitie then to any profitable woorke rather to follie then to wisedome and is more delighted with ignorance then with knowledge Wherefore he is wel woorthie to inherite nothing that excelleth and they which folowe him can gather no profite thereby sith hee hath nothing but follie for a man can not take that of his heritage which it hath not Let vs therfore first vnderstād that we are here admonished not easily to beleeue all kind of words and to suffer ourselues to be deceiued Pro. 1. 26. as fooles for of such simplicitie or lightnesse there can come but folly which is not onely vnprofitable but also hurtfull Secondly let vs not greatly desire the companie of the foolish and to gette their acquaintance and familiarite for sith they possesse nothing that is ought worth we can haue nothing but hinderance to keepe them company though there were no other euill but this that wee loose our time amongst them except we rebuke chide and threaten them as they deserue partly to declare that we will not communicate with their vnfruitefull workes of darkenes partly for to labor to bring them againe to a sounde vnderstanding that they may bee turned away from folly and to giue themselues vnto wisdom for to be discrete and well gouerned By this meanes they shall not come to be blamed nor shamed for their folly but to bee magnified and honoured Solomon doeth pronounce it when he saieth but the prudent are crowned with knowledge As good worldly husbandes doe labour to get and to haue their possessions and heretages about them and do therin greatly delight for to see their houses to be compassed round aboute with goodly fieldes meddowes and vineyards and other earthly commodities and when they can safely keepe and defend their goods they are praised and honoured of the worlde and esteemed as young kinges euen so the prudent which do spiritually labour which are gouerned by the leading of Pro. 13. 16. the holy Ghost and worke all by knowledge do so abounde in the same that they are therefore in great estimation and account with them which do abhor foolishnes loue knowledge whatsoeuer is done and ruled therby After this sorte are the prudent crowned with knowledge aud it is veey meete so to vnderstande it For the Scripture hath a crowne and also vseth to giue a crowne for ornaments of glory honour and magnificence also for abundance as it is said He hath spoyled mee of mine honour and taken the crowne away from my head For thou hast made him little lower then God and crowned Iob. 19. 9. Psal 8. 6. 21. 4. 5. 43. 65. 12. 103. 4 him with glory and worship c. For abundance Euen as it is said of the foolishe that they inherite folly because they haue nothing else about them that for this very cause they are cōtemned euen so it is saide of the prudent they are crowned with knowledge because that the same is abūdantly shewed foorth both in their words and deedes this is the cause and why they are esteemed And that wee bee not deceiued in this worde knowledge let vs not thinke to be prudent when wee haue muche read and reteined humane sciences for humane sciences are but vanitie and folly of themselues and doe nothing serue but to puffe vp a man to make him boast and bragge which is great folly But then are we wise and
principal treasure bee the feare of God For it is also the beginning or principal point of wisedome and without the same wee cannot bee wise nor consequently capable to keepe the goods which God giueth vs and dispose them as wee ought And this is why Solomon saieth that the foolish man which is without feare without reuerence of God and without wisedome shal deuoure the precious treasure Although hee striue to keepe that which hee hath and spare it asmuch as is possible and seeke to increase it neuerthelesse he deuoureth it because the same is not sanctified to his vse and commonly goeth away in smoke sooner then hee thinketh it or by that which is taken from him by warre sutes in lawe theftes and robberies or that hee himselfe is taken from his goods Besides this let vs note first of al that Solomon calleth treasure and oyle the goods that GOD giueth to the wise man because the wise man esteemeth it so greatly that although it bee litle and of smal valewe and that hee possesseth it with greate difficultie neuerthelesse hee contenteth himselfe with it hee reioiceth in it and giueth thankes to God for it beeing warie not to wast it prodigally but to spend it soberly and preferreth it before al the riches and pleasures of kings knowing Psal 37. 16. that better are a fewe things to the iust man then greate abundance to the vngodly For this same reason Solomon attributeth not to him castles pallaces or greate houses but onelie a dwelling place wherewith hee is content to dwel vnder couert and lodge there the litle goods which God hath sent him not that it is not laweful for the wise man to possesse greate riches haue a mightie house and reioice in the same with al modestie But hee is content with smal thinges and of litle estimation according to the worlde without desiring more for hee imagineth that the wil of God is such which hee wil no wayes withstand Let vs note secondly that seeing fooles and wicked persons beare enuy and hate against the wise and righteous that they robbe them and take of their substance asmuch as they can that it is not without cause that Solomon complaineth howe they deuoure the precious treasure and oyle as may bee vnderstood although wee haue expounded that the foole deuoureth his substance because hee keepeth it not by good and laweful meanes and it is not sanctified to his vse Note wee thirdly that the wise men are admonished to instruct their familie in all wisedome and vnderstanding to the ende that their children bee not fooles and that they bee not giuen to their mouth and belly to consume by gluttony and drunkennesse the substance which they haue spared but that they learne to vse it with al sobrietie and temperance and content themselues therewith without rauishing other mens goods to deuoure them and put them to euil 21 Who so foloweth righteousnesse and mercy shal find life righteousnesse and honour What thing soeuer we doe we cannot merit at gods hande nor binde him to yelde and pay vs any rewarde and this is for diuers reasons First hee hath treated it vs and not we ourselues and giueth vs al things abundantly for our vse wherevpon ensueth that we are bounde to serue him according to his wil and that wee doe nothing but that we ought to doe For this cause also our Sauiour Iesus Christ admonisheth vs When you haue done al things which are commanded you say yet we are vnprofitable seruants and haue left vndone those things which we ought to haue done Secondly Iohn 15. 1. we cannot do wel if we become not new creatures in Iesus Christ as hee himselfe sheweth vs whereby it foloweth that wee can merite nothing As also S. Paule argueth of the same reason that wee merite not saluation Thirdly wee are neuer so iust but wee sinne Ephe. 2. 8. Eccle 7. 21. 1. Iohn 1. 8. Mat. 6. 12. Rom. 7. 14. Also Iesus Christ sheweth it vs wel when hee wil that wee aske pardon for our trespasses Our workes also are neuer perfect bee they neuer so good For this cause S. Paule braggeth not of his merites but rather accuseth himselfe Notwithstanding if wee giue ourselues to doe wel according to the worde of God and if we continewe in the same we shal not loose our labour but shal bee wel rewarded as hee promiseth vs by his worde and wee haue testimonie thereof in the scriptures And amongst the rest when Solomon saith Who so foloweth righteousnes c. We see heere that there is great rewarde in store for them that continewe in doing wel It is nothing to begin if one continewe not And therefore Solomon is not content to say who so foloweth righteousnes c. wheretoo S. Paule accordeth inuiteth vs to this perseuerance It is not ynough therefore that for a certaine time we giue to euery one that which is his owne and that we be somwhat and for a certain space pitiful to them that haue need of another mans aide but it behooueth vs to be at al times iust merciful seeing we owe continuall obedience and submission to his commandements admonitions demonstratiōs which if we performe we are happy blessed as Solomon pronounceth it promising vs that we shal finde life righteousnesse and honour Wherein hee sheweth that wee shal want nothing but first of al God wil giue vs al things needful for the body which he comprehendeth vnder this word life Secondly that forgiuing vs our trespasses he wil assure vs of life eternal Thirdly that Rom. 8. 30. Colos 3. 3. 4. hauing iustified vs hee wil also glorifie vs. 22 A wise man scaleth the Citie of the mighty and ouerthroweth the strength wherin they trusted Seeing we haue neither wisedome nor foresight nor vnderstanding but that which wee bee taught in the woorde of the Lorde so that we serue him in feare and trembling it behoueth vs to vnderstand that a wiseman in this point is he which guideth himself vprightly according as he is taught by this worde neither trusteth in his bodily force nor in the fantasie of his natural sense neither in any industry or nimblenesse which is in him according to the mā but only leaneth vnto the Lorde taketh him for al his force and might as Dauid teacheth Now such a man shal not be void of aide Psal 18. 2. succour to be deliuered from the handes of his enemies for the Lord wil be alwaies ready when he shal cal vpon his name As Dauid saith not only wil deliuer him but also make him triumphe ouer his foes as Dauid acknowledged Which thing he himself prooued Psal 18. 29. many others before him As Abraham Iosue Sampson Gedeon and others which haue liued in the feare of the Lord. Solomō expresseth it in one word saying A wiseman scaleth c. And this is folowing the promises of God made to them which shal walke vprightly in his
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
to bring vnto the people that is to say the pure woorde of God inspired from God by the scripture the which is profitable to teache c. 2. Tim. 3. 16 It is the instruction of our father it is the learning whereunto al men ought to apply their mindes to obteine the true knowledge It is the doctrine which is profitable necessary for vs it is the lawe of God which we should neuer forsake but continually to be exercised therein In the which also he teacheth the people how to behaue themselues First of al that they should heare for to be instructed not by men but by our heaueÌ„ly father who is the only teacher for meÌ„ which speake are but his organes instruments SecoÌ„dly that they ought to be atteÌ„tiue giue diligent heed that they may be deliuered out of the duÌ„geon of ignorance to receiue light for to learne the true knowledge Thirdly that they shoulde confesse the goodnes and faithfulnes of God who wil not suffer them to be deceiued with fables and lyes with vaine and fruteles doctrines but doeth offer and set before them the wholesome doctrine of his lawe of his Prophetes and of his Gospel the which as hee freely vouchsafeth to giue vs so shoulde we againe willingly receiue the same with faith and obedience Fourthly that they shoulde not be negligent to doe wel as the lawe commandeth And in this manner wee shoulde apply our hartes and bodies vnto the seruice of our God as hee requireth and so wee shal not receiue the preaching of the woorde of GOD in vaine noâ— to our condemnation as they that doe come to heare but for order and fashion sake c. And to the end that none should doute of his doctrine and that they shoulde not bee grieued as with an heauie and hard burthen to beare he sheweth of whome he learned it and at what age 3 For I was my fathers Sonne tender and deere in the sight of my mother 4 When hee taught mee and saide vnto me let thine hart holde fast my wordes keepe my commandementes and thou shalt liâ—e King Dauid the Prophet was the father of Solomon who was indued with the holie Ghost wherby he did said and taught such things as were acceptable before God and profitable for his familie for al the people that were committed vnto his charge Now albeit that Dauid had many children yet Solomon speaketh of himself as if he had beene the only sonne of Dauid for hee saieth not we were many children of one father but he saith I was my fathers sonne It may be said that it is because that Dauid shewed greater signes of loue vnto SolomoÌ„ then vnto his other childreÌ„ exalted him aboue the rest making him King in his place His mothers name was Bersabee by whome he remained the only sonne of his father for he that was borne in adulterie was dead and the scripture maketh no mention that shee had any afterwardes and whiles his father and mother liued hee was yet â—ender and 1. Chro. 13. 5. 29. 1. was not yet come vnto mans age Againe also it may bee saide that Solomon was tender and deere and his mothers only sonne because she loued him tenderly and with a singular loue as shee sheweth But by the first exposition wee learne that Solomon whiles he was tender and yong did not runne from his father and mother to worke wickednes and to giue himselfe vnto follie and vanitie as the youth at these daies but was readie at hand to obey them as he declareth it when hee saith that hee was his fathers sonne tender deere before his mother For when hee thus speaketh he giueth to vnderstande that his father mother werâ— wel pleased with him and also endeuoured to please them Otherwise hee coulde not haue truly reioyced that hee was his fathers sonne c. For hee that trulie confesseth his parents hee loueth their presence for to obey and honour them We learne I say that the fathers and mothers ought to be careful and diligent so to gouerne their children that they should not be gadders abrode but be readie to come before them so often as need shal require to do â—â— kinde of dueties and not to runne abroade after foolishnes and vanitie We learne also that wee should not fly from the preâ—enâ—â— of GOD our only father to turne away from his woorde the which teacheth vs to giue vnto him al honour and obedience assure ourselues that we doe please him Contrarily wee decline from his instruction and forsake his lawe wherein wee shewe ourselues strangers and bastards and cannot truly reioyce that we are of his houshold and his children But not to flye the presence of our father it behoueth vs to be in the company of our mother the Church that we do often resort vnto the holy assemblies wherein the Gospel is preached vnto vs by the which we all beholde as in a mirrour the glorie of the Lord with open face Solomon being yet tender and not running from the presence of his 2. Cor 3. 18. father and his mother but being obedient vnto them was taught by his father in the worde of the Lord the which he himself witnesseth saying 4 When he taught me c. The youthes which make no account of instruction but doe hate correction and admonition and also giering and skorning all discipline and religion saying they are too yong to becom wise caÌ„not I say truly boast that they haue bin instructed of their fathers as doeth Solomon for none can be taught except he become willing to learne and cannot by their example induce others to heare good instruction as doeth Solomon when he saith that his father hath taught him as though he did say when I exhorte you to heare the instruction of your father I lay no more vpon you then I my selfe haue borne whiles I was yet yong Nowe Dauid for to haue his sonne Solomon wel taught committed him into the handes of Nathan the Prophet The lesson that Dauid giueth to his sonne is that hee saieth vnto 2 Sam. 12. 2â— him Let thine harte holde fast my woordes keepe my commandements Heere we learne that wee ought in no wise to doute of the instruction doctrine of Solomon we may iudge that he doth not teache vs any other thing then the same that he had learned of his father who was a Prophet and also as hath beene said before he set him to schoole with the Prophet Nathan For albeit that Dauid calleth the doctrine instruction which hee giueth to his son his words coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„ts yet it is not to say they are the commaundementes and woordes of any other but of GOD. But it is the phrase of the scripture that it attributeth vnto the Doctours that which they teache because they are the Organes and instrumentes of GOD by whome hee communicateth his woorde vnto vs and giueth vs his commandementes Wee see that GOD
prodigal spend thrifts which are driuen to beg doe prooue the same with the prodigal child If their repentance were known and that they truly confessed their faultes as did the poore prodigal childe we ought to haue pitie on them and helpe their necessitie Gen. 2. 15. c. But that we must thus vnderstand this honour and these yeares Solomon sheweth it saying 10 Lest the stranger should be filled c. Forasmuch as from the beginning of the world the Lorde God tooke man and placed him in the garden of Eden that hee might dresse and keepe it and that in al ages suche as were of right iudgement haue bestowed themselues to good workes because they woulde not liue Exo. 20. ◠idlely and be vnprofitable in this world and that God sayeth vnto vs Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and also according to the saying of Saint Paule Let him that stole steale no more c. And againe Ephe. 4. 28. 2. Thes 3. 8. Neither tooke wee bread of any man for naught Wee will here take the strength and the labour for the goods that a man getteth and gathereth by his worke for to sustaine his life The Gen. 4. 12. Iob. 6. 22. 31. 38. Eccle. 2. 10 verse 11. 12. Deut. 28. 33. Psal 78. 46. Psal 105. 44. Scripture vseth it in this signification God said vnto Cain When thou shalt til the ground it shal not hencefoorth yeeld vnto thee her strength Was it because I said bring vnto me or giue a reward to mee of your substance If my land crie against mee c. Thus much for strength But labours is spoken of in diuers places My heart reioyced in al my labour and this was my portion of all my trauell The fruite of thy lande and all thy labours c. Hee gaue also their fruits vnto the Caterpiller their labour vnto the Grashopper And gaue them the landes of the heathen and they tooke the labours of the people in possession And albeit that it come from the power and goodnes of God that we become rich for of him onely haue we our strength and ablenes our wisdom and wil to imploy vs it is he alone that maketh the earth fruitful yet notwithstāding he is so good that what he giueth vs he esteemeth ours and doeth declare it vnto vs to the end that we shoulde know that hee hath giuen vs libertie to vse them with praise and thankesgiuing with ioy gladnes But if it be not lawful for vs to vse our owne goods prodigally so muche the lesse is it lawful to steale or to borow to spend prodigally and to liue dissolutely brauely and in costly buildings and belly cheare 11 And thou mourne at thine ende As in liuing chastly by sustaining ourselues with the goods which God giueth vs to vse soberly and temperately the bodie is mainteined and kepte from feeblenesse and diseases and is strengthened made strong to labour about good and honest things for to profit ourselues our neighbours euen so contrarily by whore hunting and wasting the goods of God immoderately we spoile our bodies and make them subiect to diuers sicknesses and become vnprofitable so that we can neither profit ourselues nor our neighbours but are constrained to perish miserably Wherevpon finally we mourne and make lamentation when we see and feele ourselues in so pitiful a case But al in vaine for so litle is our griefe assuaged by suche mourning that rather it is increased Solomon did wel perceiue the same by the wisedome he had receiued of God and therefore he forbiddeth to haue felowship with whores and to spende our goods prodigally and now he declareth the meanes whereby the bodie is consumed and looseth his strength nowe seeing perceiuing themselues in such miserie they lament but it is to late as he doeth wel signifie it saying That it is at the end and when we can no longer for the bodie and the strength faileth and can not be recouered nor restored For this cause Solomon woulde haue vs to liue with such shamefastnesse chastitie with such sobrietie temperancie that we should not be cōpelled to mourne Not so but that lamentations are profitable when they proceede out of a contrite lowly heart truely repentant For with suche Esai 66. 2. Psal 34. 18. 51. 19. Luk. 23. 42. Gen. 25. 32. 27. 34. Heb. 12. 17. mournings God is pleased doth hear thē also the mourning of the theefe was heard the bitter teares of Peter but the mournings that are made only for the paine wee suffer or that is iudged to be at hand not for the euil that hath bin cōmitted doth nothing profit them that so mourn Cain Pharao Saul Iudas haue prooued it Esau also may serue as an example for the prodigall At the first sight such kinde of lamentations seeme that they shoulde profit and that God should receiue them but Solomon doth condemne them as hee sheweth when hee sets before vs heere such as haue a faire shew saying 12 And say how haue I hated instruction c. Although Dan. 9. 5. 1. Ioh. 1. 9. Daniel confesseth his sinnes and the sinnes of his people and that Iohn saieth If wee confesse our sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes yet it might seeme that Solomon neede not to feare that the whorekeepers and spend thrifts should make this mourning lamenting their wickednesses past But if wee diligently marke wee shal see that Solomon doeth not reprooue the mourning but regardeth from whence the same proceedeth that is to say either from the paine they suffer or els that they feare to suffer and not from the griefe of hauing offended God frō the which the confession of our sinnes ought only to come not from the paine we feele or that we feare True it is that if wee bee afflicted we should cal to memorie that we haue offended God and confesse that we haue wel deserued to be punished cōfessing our sins and crauing pardon for them as did Daniel and the theefe Also this cōplaint should be made by al true repentant sinners for they Luk. 23. 48. ought to confesse that they doe not take the instructions and corrections in so good part as they should for wee al of our own nature commend ourselues think ourselues wise righteous enough They which repent not truely will oftentimes make most goodly confessions in shew and wil stuffe them with many words which shal seeme to proceed of a great sorowfulnesse of heart Solomon here doeth wel expresse it when hee is not satisfied to attribute to them the former confession but for a more plaine declaration thereof addeth their saying 13 And haue not obeyed In this addition we see how it commeth that men hate instruction and regarde not correction that is to say when they despise the reading of the holie Scriptures and are negligent to heare the preaching of the Worde To
so much as is expedient for their saluation And in this sort it is not properly men which fauour them but God alone And therfore let vs confesse that Solomon saieth verie properly That a good man doeth drawe vnto him the fauour of the Lorde and let vs comfort ourselues in this vnfaithfull promise knowing that if we be good though al the world should ryse vp against vs yet their enterprises shal nothing hurt vs for God fauoureth vs. And therefore let vs say The Lorde is my light and my Psal 27. 1. Psal 119. 6 saluation whome then shal I feare The Lorde is the strength of my life of whome then shal I be afraide The Lorde is on my side I wil not feare what man doeth vnto mee Against this promise hee setteth a threatening for to feare the wicked saying But the man of wicked imaginations wil he condemne Here Solomon setteth the man of wicked imaginations against the good man and so though the word which he vseth doeth in his tongue signifie the thoughts whether they bee good or euil yet by the Antithesis hee sheweth that he speaketh of him whose cogitations and thoughtes whose purpose and enterprises doe tende but to euil and hurt the which hee signifieth also in condemning the man of wicked imaginations For if his thoughtes were good he should not bee condemned but shoulde get fauour of the Lorde whose office is not to condemne him which hath good cogitations whereby hee tendeth to doe wel Psal 72. 12 vnto his neighbours but to iustifie and absolue him when the wicked doe condemne him Hee shal deliuer the poore when he cryeth the needie also and him that hath no helper It is the manner of the worlde to oppresse the good and to iustifie and absolue and to quit the wicked For the worlde is so blinde that it counteth the wicked imaginations for pollicie and finesse of wit wisedome and good counsel for watchfulnes and care It is commonly saide of the wicked that they are woorthie to liue because they dispatche their affaires wel at the cost and hinderance of the poore But such iustification shal not profite them before the Lorde before whome wee Rom. 14. 10 2. Cor. 5. 10 Psal 5. 4. must al appeare Nowe hee knoweth them to be wicked and therfore he wil not be fauourable For thou arte the God that hast no pleasure in wickednesse neither shal any euil dwel with thee But as God is righteous so wil he condemne their desert This condemnation shal be declared in the last day in the meane while the Lord doth often dissipate the enterprises of the wicked and so they come not to the end of their imaginations but are frustrate as experience hath taught and doeth daily teach 3 A man cannot be established by wickednes but the roote of the righteous shal not be mooued This present sentence may seeme to be a recital of the former For it foloweth wel if God doe condemne man which doeth imagine euil and none can resist his iudgement that the wickednes of man shal not profite him for to keepe him stedfast in one estate and to make him prosper as he desireth and as him seemeth because hee seeth himselfe vpholden with such as fauour him that he hath credit and aboundeth in temporal wealth and as him seemeth the poore doe tremble vnder him because of the wrongs and oppressions that he committeth but hee is farre of from his reckoning as Solomon Psal 9. 16. doth here pronounce and also Dauid in his 9. Psalm saying The vngodly is trapped in the worke of his handes Contrarily albeit that the godly righteous are sharpely tossed with diuers temptations and that often it seemeth they are lost destroyed yet because they get the fauour of the Lord it foloweth that they are so wel rooted that their roote shal not remooue but shal prosper for euer though it seeme contrarie vnto the world 4 A vertuous woman is the crown of her husband but shee that maketh him ashamed is a corruption in his bones Solomon doeth here shew vnto the woman what she ought to be amongst her housholde and in her conuersation with her neighbours for to be ioyful vnto her husband an ornament honour vnto him and not to vexe nor grieue him And therefore the wiues which loue their husbāds haue good desire to do their duety towards them ought diligently to hearken vnto this lesson that they may vnderstād what they haue to do or what to auoid for to shew their loue and to put their good desire in execution First of al when Solomon saieth A vertuous woman hee doeth shewe vs that the wiues ought not to desire nor seeke the delights pleasures rest idlenes of the flesh but to carrie the armour for to resist fight against the concupiscences of the flesh by the which women are naturally drawne to become subiect vnto the former things and so of themselues they shew thēselues to be weak faint hearted yet doe they not think so but do think thēselues to be very valiāt whē they can get their desires be they good or euil doe thinke to bee verie strōg when by loud crying by cursing railing by scratching biting or other like violēce they withstād thē which do hinder thē to obtain their wil do as they would Behold what is force power of the greatest part of women But the strength that Solomon demandeth of women is spiritual the which ought to be exercised by the holie Ghost who doth teach guide them to their duetie according as it is shewed them in the holy scriptures wherin women haue faireglasses to looke in what they ought to bee howe they ought to behaue themselues as for example Sara Rebecca Abigail and others They haue therin also exhortations laws commandements to the end that in folowing them doing their duetie they should shew themselues vertuous strōg The places of Scriptures seruing therto haue bene alledged Nowe that this vertue or power ought to be exercised as hath bin said Solomon doth shew it when hee calleth A vertuous woman the Crown of her husband For as Pro. 11. 16. 22. we cannot reioyce of a tree neither glory nor boast of his goodnesse and excellenice except it bring vs forth good fruit euen so if a woman doeth not exercise her power and shewe the same by honest and godly conuersation she cannot be the crown of her husband For he cannot reioyce nor glorie in the vertue of his wife as of an excellent and honourable vessel except that this vertue be shewed outwardly by godly exercise When we thus speake we shew that Solomon doth heere take the crowne for ioy glory honor precious or namēt after as crownes Iob 19. 9. Psal 21. 5. 65. 11. 12 103. 4. Esa 23. 9. 28. 1. 3. 62. 3. Phil. 4. 1. 1. Thes 2. 19 Iam. 1. 12. 1. Pet. 5. 4.
and hauing like affections and albeit they haue diuers fathers diuers mothers yet are they al of one blood by a stronger reason Acts. 17. 26 brethrē which are of one fleshe of one father and of one mother ought to be careful to keepe hold togither The which Iuda considering Gen. 37. 26. 27 saide What shal this profit vs to kil our brother and to hide his blood for hee is our brother and our fleshe And ought rightly to feare to bee diuided and separated through hatred and enimitie for if betweene strangers which agree not there are discords and combats very hardly to bee pacified yet are they much more harder to be appeased betweene brethren Solomon doth signifie the same saying a brother offended is harder to winne thē a strōg citie c. For speaking thus he sheweth that if a brother feeling himselfe or thinking to bee offended with his brother doeth reuolt from him and proclaimeth to bee his enemie that there is no lesse but more hardnesse to winne and quiet him then for an armie to take a strong towne and wel fenced citie by assaulte or to breake open the gates of a pallace c. And thus the brethren are admonished heere to be very careful to keepe brotherlie vnitie together and diligently to fly al occasions of strife and chiefly not to bee like vnto Caine who without any iniurie offred by Abel conceiued a deadly hatred not Gene. 4. 8. 37. 4. to folowe the children of Iacob which coulde not suffer that their malice shoulde bee discouered by Ioseph Therefore let vs fly al hatred anger and rancour for they that are intangled therewith are of the number of murtherers There are other literal expositions Mat. 5. 22. 1. Iohn 3. 15. but they al serue to shewe vnto the brethren howe profitable and necessarie it is for thm to agree together if they wil continue for if they be wel ioyned together they shal be as it were iuincible If it be thus amongest carnal bretheren by a stronger reason they that are brethren in Iesus Christ and holde spirituall vnitie shal be fortified against all worldly and hellish power 20 With the fruite of a mans mouth shall his belly bee satisfied and with the increase of his lippes shall he be filled Not onely man in the Scripture is compared vnto a tree but also almost euery member of his bodie as nowe Solomon maketh the mouth and the lippes like vnto a tree or to his branches or also vnto a peece of land whose fruites and reuenues we gather For he saith With the fruite of a mans mouth c. In the which comparison he vseth Repetition saying twice al one thing after the maner of the Scripture for a greater confirmation and to shewe that that which is sayde is very certaine and shall out of al doubt come to passe Wherevpon the faithful which are wel instrcted to speake wisely and purely ought to be rightly comforted and the wicked which talke vanitie and lying ought to be sore affraide if they vnderstoode what Solomon pronounceth against them for as touching the faithful which speake holy and honest things as praiers Psalmes and spirtual songues and al other woordes which serue too the glory and honour of God and to the edifying of their neighbours they haue a promise that their woorde shal be profitable and shal be rewarded so abundantly that they shal not want any thing and shal not neede to desire any more Solomon signifieth this same when hee saieth His belly shal bee satisfied For as when the belly is filled with meates and with drinkes abundantly he is full and desireth no more euen so the reward of the good speaker shal be so liberal that his desire shal be accomplished for euer For as in speaking trueth with his mouth hee hath confessed God euen so also hee shal bee confessed and knowne of God in the heauenly glorie wherein Psal 16. 11. 17. 15. there is fulnesse of ioy c. Contrarily the wicked which haue euil mouthes and venemous lippes haue an horrible and feareful threatning which is that as they doe giue their mouths and lippes vnto euil both against God and their neighbours euen so also they shal haue al their fil of plagues for euer By this same let vs knowe that it is no smal goodnesse for a man to gouerne his mouth rightly Psal 5. 7. 11. and also to talke wickedly is no smal euil 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue and they that loue it shal eate the fruite thereof Euen as by violent smyting of the hands we kil euen so contrarily in helping with them wee labour to preserue a man in life and as it seemeth right that the euil wee suffer and also the good which wee possesse doe proceede from the handes and that they are the instrumentes seruing eyther to wel doing or euil euen so we transferre it from the arme attributing it vnto the profitable or hurteful member of the handes as when Solomon saith Death and life c. Hee giueth an hande to the tongue because it is a member that hurteth very much if it bee applied vnto euil contrarily it helpeth much when it is wel vsed This same is knowne and is seene by experience for in lying flattering slaundering and false witnesse bearing against our neighbour wee goe about to destroy him and no thanke to vs which haue so venemous tongues that our neighbours of whome wee haue spoken euil be not slaine Contrarily in speaking trueth and by the same excusing our neighbours which otherwayes were in danger of their persons we haue preserued their life as Ioseph Dauid Susanna and others haue prooued it Also in hauing wordes of edification and wholesome doctrine in our mouths we lead our neighbours who are wel edified vnto eternal life But though Solomon doeth attribute vnto the tongue that it applyeth his hande vnto contrarie vses the same is not to say that hee alloweth that the tongue shoulde bee a murtherer except it be by accident against the minde and wil of him that ruleth his tongue for there is no tongue so wholesome nor healthful that bringeth not death vnto the wicked vnbeleeuing obstinate and indurate mockers and contemners of trueth And he shal smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lippes shal he slay the wicked S. Esay 11. 4. 2. Thes 2. 8. 2. Cor. 2. 14. Ia. 3. 3. 9. Iames agreeing with Solomon woulde haue vs to apply our tongues to nothing but to goodnesse for hauing made a complaint against the malice of the tongue he doeth admonishe vs not to vse it as the common sorte of men doe If we wil beleeue Saint Iames wee shal haue a good rewarde otherwise wee shal haue plagues our belly ful as hath beene handled in this present sentence and as nowe Solomon doeth signifie it when he saith And they that loue it c.
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