through pride and vnthankfulnesse had deserued to be reiected of wisedome and to be abhorred and detested of him yet for al that she hath not left of from her work or ceased from the same vpon the earth which is giuen vnto man for his habitation nourishment This continuation is shewed vs when he sayeth 31 And tooke my solace c. The great and wonderfull mercy of our Lorde God is here set foorth vnto vs when he ceaseth not to take pleasure in mainteining man on the earth seeing that by his sinne and also by continuance therof from Father to Sonne he had deserued and stil daily doth deserue that the earth should sinke and not to beare him any lōger but that he should miserably perish and goe to eternal damnation Nowe howe wisedome hath continued and stil doeth continue to solace herselfe about the earth which Solomon most fitly calleth the earth of God for hee sayeth not simplie in the compasse of the earth but in the compasse of his earth for also it is his and the contentes thereof seeing hee hath created al thinges howe is it I say that shee taketh her pleasure Gene. 1. 1. Psal 24. 1. 50. 12. c. The scripture doeth teache vs howe When she is filled with so many louing promises aduertisements exhortations corrections and threatnings Immediatly after the fal of Adam wisedom began this solace and continued the same vnto Seth Enoch Noe Abraham to the Patriarkes to Moses and to the Prophetes But this solace was yet more plainly knowne when this wisedome which is the eternal worde was made flesh and dwelt amongst vs that Iohn 1. 14. Luke 15. 14. in his doctrine and miracles men behelde his glory c. This is the sheepheard that seeketh his strayed sheepe c. This ioye solace contineweth stil as we see it when in spite of Sathan and al his mainteiners and ministers the Gospel is purely preached and that we haue the Sacramentes whole and in their perfection and that the Lorde hath established amongest vs the forme of a true Church Heerein wee know what wisedomes sport is which shal be deerly sold vnto the vnthankful to whom God hath sent his Gospel without being bannished or hauing forsaken their coūtrie or goods to bee partakers of this solace The Lorde hath alreadie begun to punish this vngratitude and contempt in some places It is a sure thing that hee wil finishe his woorke in tyme conuenient and then scorners and contemners shal feele it Furthermore seeing the Ministers of the woorde are the instrumentes of wisedome they learne heere that they ought not to esteeme their ministery as a burthen and painful thing but as a ioyful and comfortable matter and so much as they possibly can they shoulde solace themselues euery where with their brethren Mat. 28. 19. Marke 16. 15 I say so much as they can for they ought to exceede their vocation 32 Therfore now harken O children vnto mee for blessed are they that keepe my wayes 33 Heare instruction and bee yee wise and refuse it not blessed is the man that heareth mee watching dayly at my gaies and giuing attendance at the postes of my dores 34 For he that findeth mee findeth life shal obteine fauour of the Lorde 35 But he that sinneth against me hurteth his owne soule and all that hate me loue death When wisedome hath declared what manner of one shee is to whome shee belongeth what riches shee hath and howe auncient shee is shee concludeth that wee must heare her if wee wil doe and followe what shee commandeth and teacheth promising felicitie to those that shal folow her gouernement and suffer themselues to be ruled by her Now shee calleth her children to heare Wherein wee are taught to be assured that if wee hearken vnto the Euangelical worde which is the voice of the greate Pastour who is our wisedome we are children of wisedome and the sheepe of Iesus Christ and are of God Contrarily they that despyse this word Iohn 8. 47. 10. 27. are children of follie and of the Deuil As then wisedome doeth sport herselfe and passe her tyme and taketh her solace with vs in speaking vnto vs by her ministers and calleth vs her children euen so al our ioye and delight ought to bee in hearing this voyce and that without any delay without putting of til to morrow for shee wil presently bee hearde And as without delay wee must heare so must we also perseuer to heare euen as wisedome doeth dayly continewe speaking vnto her children for so long as she speaketh it is alwaies to day and shal last vnto the last day In looking for the which as wisedome doeth cal vs so if we yeelde she doeth accept and heare vs to giue vs saluation But wee must marke wel that 2. Cor. 6. 2. wisedome saieth not generally hearken as if it were laweful to lende our eares vnto doctrines and traditions of men for it hath beene euer forbidden But wisedome sayeth heare mee declaring vnto vs that it is she onely that must bee hearde whereof followeth that this wisedome is the Sonne of GOD of whome it is saide This is my wel beloued Sonne in whome I haue taken Math. 17. 5. my delight heare him Whome nowe if wee wil heare wee must heare his ministers which doe preache vnto vs his pure word And for to heare them as wee ought and as wisedome demaundeth it is not ynough to hearken vnto the doctrine but the heart also is required theretoo that out of that affection therof we might rule our life in al holines and honestie in al iustice and innocency We ought so to vnderstand it when for to intice vs to heare it is not said that blessed are they which heare but which keepe the waies of wisedome Our Lorde also who is the true wisedome is not contented only to bee hearde 33 Heare instruction c. Because we are not onely negligent to goe whether wisedome calleth vs but also it is irkesome to heare it and in this wise wee seeke our destruction and damnation for this cause wisedome taketh pitie of vs and desiring our ioye and saluation doeth againe admonish vs to heare instruction and heerein shee sheweth that it is she which speaketh when wee are exhorted and admonished when we are corrected and reprooued by the woorde And for to shewe vs to what ende tendeth instruction shee addeth and bee wise And thus without instruction wee are without wisedome and but fooles Wherefore forasmuch as we cānot abide to be counted fooles but desire that men should esteeme vs wise let vs folow and embrace instruction and not put her backe as wisedome doth admonish vs otherwise she wil refuse vs. Contrarily it is said Blessed is the man c. When we haue to do with any great Lord we neuer cease to keepe watche and warde at his gate and to looke when hee should come foorth or that hee wil cal vs vnto him that
and which worst is doe despight God by their blasphemies they wel deserue to be rooted out The eleuenth Chapter 1 FAlse ballances are an abhomination vnto the Lord but a perfect waight pleaseth him FOrasmuche as the worlde is replenished with fraud and deceit with vsurie and greedinesse with theft robberie with counterfaiting and falsifying therefore the commandement is not esteemed Thou shalt not do vniustly in iudgement in line in waight or in measure Thou shalt not haue in thy bagge twoo maner of waightes a Leui. 19. 35. Deut. 25. 13. great and a smal There is no account made of the promise that God addeth vnto this commandement That thy dayes may bee made long on the earth neither also is the threatening feared that foloweth for whosoeuer shal so doe shal bee abhorred of the Lorde In this sorte wee iudge lesse of God then of mortal men If a mighty and riche man hath made promise of any thing wee wil trust to receiue according to his promise and in the meane while they wil bee diligent to please him if he threaten they wil feare him and wil take heede to doe any thing that shoulde displease him But although that GOD is true yea euen hee himselfe the onely trueth otherwise he shoulde not bee GOD and that hee doeth testifie his trueth vnto vs by diuers witnesses yet wil wee not trust his promises as wee shewe when wee make no account to labour for to please him And also though hee be true and faithful and doeth threaten but vppon iust cause yet doe we not tremble nor feare his vengeance albeeit he declare the same by faithful witnesses Moyses is one of the witnesses of the promises and threateninges as wee haue nowe heard After him came Solomon indued with great wisedome of GOD who doeth witnesse the same in this place First of al hee threateneth them which oppresse and deceiue their neighbours in any matter whatsoeuer it is when hee saieth 1 False ballances are abhomination vnto the Lord he doth threaten them I say with eternal destruction and damnation For it followeth wel that if a false ballance displeaseth the Lorde and that hee doeth abhorre them that then they which vse them are wicked and therefore cannot remaine but are as chaffe which the winde driueth away and so goe to destruction for the way of the wicked shal perish seing also that it is saide Thou art not a GOD that louest wickednesse c. But to the ende that we may knowe Psal 1. 6. Psal 5. 4. who they are that God abhorreth and that we also should abhorre them for nothing that displeaseth God ought to please vs but we should hate contemneit we must consider wherein the false ballance standeth and who they are that vse them Which for to doe let vs knowe that the ballance is taken for al waytes measures rule and for al Artes Sciences Lawes and behauiours that we vse towardes our neighbours wee may so vnderstande it by the place afore alledged by Moyses out of the which hee collected these things Likewise the Lord doth attribute rule and ballance to that which he doeth towards his Church for to restore it Iudgement also wil I laye to the rule and righteousnes to the ballance It is then a false ballance and deceiueable when wee doe not faithfully behaue vs towardes our neighbour when wee are slacke and negligent to paye our duetie or that wee labour to treade them vnder foote or to deceiue in any matter whatsoeuer it bee In all estates as we prooue by experience there are false ballances as betweene Merchantes Citizens Handicraftes men and labourers but the most hurtfull are they which are enclosed in the hands of false teachers who by fayre wordes and flattering speech deceiue the heartes of the simple and innocent After these may bee set the same of wicked Magistrates which are placed in the seate of God who is righteous and yet their houses are filled with the spoyles of the poore Nowe the perfection that is required of vs is that wee shoulde not imagine nor deuise any euil against our neighbours that wee shoulde not labour to become riche to their hurt but that in simplicitie vprightnesse of conscience we should procure their wealth with al our power This is the perfect waight which pleaseth the Lorde as sayeth Solomon They which vse this waight are acceptable vnto God and as the waight which they vse is perfect so doeth God allowe them for perfect and doth not impute vnto them the reliques of imperfection which is in them And forasmuche as they please God hee wil neuer bee displeased with them to destroy them Whereupon it foloweth that Solomon saying That a perfect waight pleaseth the Lorde doeth promise euerlasting life vnto them which vse it who although they be most commonly poore and miserable before the worlde yet are they riche enough and blessed for they are heyres of the heauenly kingdome and of wonderful riches 2 When pride commeth then commeth shame but with the lowlie is wisedome Man naturally desireth and wisheth to bee exalted vnto glorie and honour but hee knoweth not howe to attaine thereunto and therefore most commonly insteede to ascende and goe forwarde hee falleth backewarde and in place of glory and honour hee getteth confusion shame and dishonour and this is not without hurt but most commonly men are ashamed and confounded by the hurt that happeneth against their expectation and hope Our first Father Adam hath wel proued it and before him the Angels which kept not their first state but fel from their place Now as it hath happened vnto the Angels and to Adam euen so doeth it and shalbefal vnto al them that are proude This hath beene founde true in al ages And therefore according to experience Solomon doeth pronounce That when pride commeth then commeth shame If the world destroied by the fludde had beleeued Noe the messenger of righteousnesse it had not fallen into such shame and eternal destruction The builders of the Tower of Babylon haue tryed this true To be shorte if wee examine the holy histories Gen. 11. 9 of the Byble wee shal finde that they which haue beene raised through pride haue beene afterwardes confounded and ashamed and this same hath not befallen vnto the reprobate onely but also vnto the children of God as vnto Dauid and Saint Peter It is then good reason that the proude shoulde bee confounded and ashamed 2. Sam. 24. Mat. 26. for they rise not vp against men but against God to whom al knees ought to bowe and to whome al creatures ought to do homage seruice and to humble themselues vnder his mighty hande against the which none can resist For this cause I say it is necessary that they shoulde bee confounded and ashamed the one for a certaine time as Dauid and Saint Peter who by shame came to repentance but the other as the reprobate lye euer therein For what shame soeuer they feele in
giue reuerence to Kings and Princes of the earth esteeming them wise and prudent when they are verie careful and watchful to take heed to their subiects for to know how euery man doeth gouerne himselfe that so much as they can they may set al thinges in good order in their countries and dominions seeing that al the Empires Kingdomes and Princedomes of the worlde are nothing in comparison of the soueraigne Lordship of our eternal God wee must needes bee rauished into a great wonderment and wonderful astonishment for to confesse the inestimable and incomprehensible wisedome of God the which ouerseeth not one or two Kingdomes nor by mediatours and intercessours as Emperours and earthly Kings how litle soeuer the length of their Kingdome is haue not the power to looke ouer all and euerie where but haue neede to ordeine noble men heere and there to haue the ouersight the guiding and gouernment of townes and villages and that in their name and authoritie they may set order amongst the people but hee himselfe ouerseeth al countries of the worlde and euery particular person therin and for to order things aright therin he looketh not only vnto that which is done outwardly as do the gouernorus of the earth but hee perceth euen vnto the heart thoughts cōsidereth seeth al the cogitatiōs thoughts purposes affectiōs desires how deepe soeuer they be Solomō doth expresse this same vnto vs in fewe words when he saith The eyes of the Lord c. The holy scripture attributeth sight face vnto god Now we cannot comprehende the sight the face of God without eyes and therefore the scripture applying it selfe vnto our capacitie Gene. 1. 10. 32. 30. Exo. 3. 4. 7. 33. 11. Psa 14. 2. Gene. 6. 8. 18. 3. Psal 11. 4. 7 66. 7. Iob. 10. 4. Psal 139. 7 doth attribute eyes vnto God And yet he is a spirit hath no eyes Doest thou see as man seeth But the scripture yeelding to our dulnes speaketh of God by similitudes doth attribute vnto him that which is corporal that wee may the more easily comprehende that which he declareth vnto vs. Therfore when we see that the eyes of the Lord are in al places let vs take heed to imagine any thing carnal in him but let vs vnderstand that the prouidence of God is of suche length and breadth that hee looketh not onely to one parte of the world but hath care of al and nothing is hid from him There is no deepe so profounde but hee pearceth it for hee hath made al and ruleth all and nothing standeth nor abideth but by his will and ordinance And therefore Dauid by great admiration sayeth Whither shall I flye from thy Spirite But that which hee most regardeth in this worlde is man for whom he hath created al things albeit he doth prouide for the beasts yet his chiefe care is for men Also the Scripture maketh often Math. 6. 25. 1. Cor. 9. 9. 10 mention of the sight of God ouer men Likewise Solomon doth signifie here vnto vs after a sort that the eyes of the Lord are chiefly ouer mē For albeit he saith that the eies of the Lord are in al places that he knew wel that the world was not void of beasts yet hee saieth not that the eyes of the Lorde are ouer the beasts but beholding Psal 11. 4. 7. the euil and the good Albeit that of our vicious corrupted nature we are al euil yet because that God of his grace hath elected some before the foundation of the worlde was layde that we should 33. 13. 14. Gene. 6. 5. 8. 21. Psal 14. 3. Rom. 3. 9. Ephe. 2. 3. 1. 4. be holy through loue therefore Solomon letteth not to parte men into twayne that is to say into euil and good And it might seeme that he nameth the euil first because that al men by their nature are such those which are left in that nature are a far greater number thē are those which are reformed by the grace of god that we are first euil before we be good thus hee setteth our owne nature first before our eyes that what goodnes soeuer we haue we should not yet boast as though we had chāged our own selues not that it came by the onely grace and meere mercy of our Lord God I say expressely it might seeme not that it is so for wee must compel no man to beleue that Solomon hath had this respect in naming the euil before the good although that that which is sayd conteineth true and profitable doctrine to leade vs vnto humility lowlines as it is necessary for vs. But to come againe to that which Solomon mindeth to teach vs let vs note that he first saith that God beholdeth the euil by the which we must vnderstand them which delight to hurt and to doe euil vnto their neighboures and doe hate goodnesse These are they which are largely spoken of here before and also in Ieremie Such are the wicked who are here spoken of Pro. 1. 7. 10. 24. 2. 11. Iere. 4. 22. Solomon doth shew it whē he deuideth them from the good whose goodnes is neuer so perfect but that stil some seed of euil remaineth that we should need continually to aske forgeuenes of our sinnes but goodnes is imputed vnto them because they delight to do wel and that the euil which is in them displeaseth them Contrarily the euil haue no delight but too doe euil And therefore when it is sayde that God beholdeth the euill let vs knowe that it is not for delighte that hee hath in them nor in theyr wickednesse For Dauid saith Thou art not a God which louest wickednes neither shal any euil dwel with thee The Lorde alloweth the righteous Psal 5. 5. 11. 4. 34. 15. but the vngodly and him that delighteth in wickednes doth his soule abhorre The face of the Lorde is against them that doe euil to roote out the remembrance of them from the earth But contrarily he beholdeth the good delighting in them preseruing them from destruction The eyes of the Lord are ouer them which feare him c. The eyes of the Lord are ouer the righteous and his eares are open vnto their prayers Againe When the righteous crie the Lorde heareth them But the Lordes delight is in them that feare him and put their trust in his mercy Moreouer let vs Psa 33. 18. 34. 16. 17 18. 147. 11. note that the Lord doth not see as man seeth onely outwardly but he seeth knoweth euē the very bottome of him Let not the wicked thē loke to auoid punishmēt seeing they haue to do with him who is righteous and almightie And let the good what euill soeuer they suffer not feare to perishe seeing that the almightie who is merciful careth for them Finally let vs note that it is vnpossible to make any image
with Dauid Direct me in the pathe of thy cōmandements for therin is my delight Psal 119. 35. 10 VVhen VVisedome entreth into thine heart knowledge delighteth thy soule 11 Then shal counsel preserue thee and vnderstanding shal keepe thee 12 And deliuer thee from the euill way and from the man that speaketh froward things 13 And from them that leaue the wayes of righteousnes to walke in the wayes of darkenesse 14 VVhich reioyce in doing euil and delight in the frowardnesse of the wicked 15 VVhose wayes are crooked and they are leude in their pathes Nowe Solomon willing to declare vnto vs from what euils we shal be preserued by this gift doth set before vs a cōdition wherby he warneth vs not to be negligent to accept this gift but with all diligence to prepare our heartes to receiue Wisedome when through the grace of the Lorde it entreth to dwell within vs and also that wee should not bee vnthankfull nor esteeming this free gift that we haue not nor can in any wise deserue but that wee should acknowledge it abhorring ignorance setting our whole delight in that that it pleaseth God to giue vs knowledge learning Folowing this admonition our heartes should be set on the lawe of the Lorde and to meditate therein day and night that Psa 119. 10. we ourselues might truely say what Dauid said With my whole heart haue I sought thee let me not wander from thy commaundementes Againe I haue had as great delight in the way of thy 14 testimonies as in al riches If we thus doe we shal be in great safetie and rest as Solomon declareth saying 11 Then shal counsel preserue thee c. When a wise man keepeth watch for a Citie the dwellers therof may sleepe without feare of being taken by their enemies Likewise when a man of vnderstanding hath the gouernance of another the same neede not to feare to be euil guided or that he should fall in danger but bee assured that he wil so guide him that he wil atchieue and accomplish to deliuer him safe and sound Euen so ought wee to vnderstand how Solomon doeth not heere promise vs any smal matter of litle importance but that he promiseth vnto vs safetie and rest which al the world can not giue vs though it stood armed rounde about vs on euerie side to defend vs. And because wee are more giuen to trust in outwarde and worldly things and that we seeke rather in them our safetie and rest then in the Wisedome of God the which we mistrust we shoulde continually pray vnto God to turne away our eyes from vanitie and to helpe our vnbeliefe Else we can not enioy this promise the which doeth not leade vs vnto a worldly and corporal hope and trust but is giuen vs to this end that we should be assured of the rest preseruatiō of our soules as we may perceiue it when Solomon addeth whervnto God tendeth by this watch and preseruation saying 12 And deliuer thee c. Whē God preserueth vs through the good counsell that he doth geue vs and when he doth keepe vs through good vnderstanding that he putteth in vs it is to the ende that we shall not walke in the way with sinners which goe to destruction for their wicked manners and doinges and that labour to drawe others after them but should be kept backe therefrom and directed in the way of saluation and life Nowe as this euill way is broade and wide and that many frequent and walke therein by whom it cannot be amended but impayred so is it full of diuers perils from the which God deliuereth those ouer whom he watcheth He doth deliuer them from those that speake froward things not that he doth take them away from amongst them but he suffereth them not to beleeue them lest through their peruerse froward wordes they should be turned away vnto errors to false doctrines vaine hopes that their good maners should not be corrupted Now the meanes whereby they are deliuered is 1. Cor. 15. 33. that he printeth in them his word whervnto they surely trusting cannot be remoued nor seduced 13 And from them He continueth stil shewing frō what persons from what dangers God doth deliuer the childrē of wisedom And whē he settetth here the right pathes against the waies of darknes it is to make vs to vnderstād that the waies of righteousnes are righteousnes innocēcy modesty sobernes honesty tēperance and such like vertues For the wayes of darknes are vnrighteousnes malice excesse vncleannesse and such vices as the Rom. 13. 12. Apostle speaketh of Let vs therefore cast away the deedes of darknesse and let vs put on the armour of light And againe So that Ephe. 5. 3. fornication and all vncleannesse or couetousnes bee not once named amongst you as it becommeth Saintes Nowe these vertues are called the wayes of righteousnes for whosoeuer foloweth them hee may be assured not to goe astray but that without let or stop he may attaine vnto eternal rest For hee foloweth Iesus Christ who is the light of the world the Way the Trueth the Life Contrarily the vices are called the wayes of darknesse for they that walke in them are vncertaine what shalbecome of thē as they which walke in darkenesse knowe not whether they goe It is then verie profitable and healthful to be giuen vnto Wisdom and very dangerous to contemne the same For by this contempt some goe into darknesse for euer where shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth as they doe wel deserue when so doing they forsake al vertues to folowe vices which is the way that leadeth vnto this darkenesse But as there be many wayes of darkenesse so doe they walke diuersly in them and therefore wee haue great neede that God should giue vs counsel and vnderstanding to deliuer vs not onely from one danger and one kinde of people which labour to drawe vs vnto perdition with them but it is necessarie for vs to flye the felowship of many that wee may bee deliuered from many dangers as indeede God doeth keepe vs for to deliuer vs therefrom and besides the rest he keepeth watche to preserue and deliuer vs. 14 VVhich reioyce in doing euil c. That is to say that we shoulde not be like to them which of set purpose are giuen to hurt their neighbours and also are glad when they can turne others to doe as euil as themselues making their boast triumph thereof as if they had done wel or as they had obteined some great praye Nowe it is needful for vs that God should deliuer vs from such people and that in no wise he suffer vs so to reioyce boast contrarily we ought to looke that God shoulde reioyce to giue vs according vnto our workes and take vengeance of our iniquities Not that God doeth delight to punish vs but the wicked shal feele him such towards them as they haue bin towards their
promised fauour vnderstanding the which aboue al things are to be desired nothing to be esteemed more Nowe first of al when fauour is promised vs for binding mercy and trueth vpon our neckes we must vnderstandâ— that what obedience soeuer we giue vnto the law of God yet hee cannot be our bondman for albeeit wee may deserue of men that they should be pleased with vs and that they stand bound by our mercy shewed towards them yet we can neuer be so faithful vnto God trusting in his goodnes but there wil be some doutfulnesse distrust incredulitie mixed therwith for the which we wel deserue to be forsaken of God And indeed we should be forsaken except he made vs finde fauour in his sight Likewise though it were so that wee were perfite in fayth yet coulde wee not boast ourselues to deserue seeing al the strength we haue or may haue is the gift of God Secondarily the vnderstanding that wee haue by the word of God which we kepe by faith obedieÌ„ce is called good because it bringeth foorth good frutes to the honour and glorie of God to the profit of ourselues and neighbours Contrarily the vnderstanding that is gotten by mans wit and naturall reason by doctrines traditions of men cannot haue this title of goodnes For though it be highly esteemed in the world yet sith it is reproued of God by him couÌ„ted foolishnes we ought to reiect it as vaine and vnprofitable yea as hurtful for it comes of the 1. Cor. 1. 3. 19 20. 3. 19. Rom. 8. 6. fleshe the desire whereof is death Therefore if wee wil auoyde death let vs not folowe the wise worldlinges but let vs rather choose to bee despised of them as fooles so shall wee bee wise in Gods sight Thirdly when wee are commanded that through trueth and mercy wee shoulde finde fauour and vnderstanding in the sight of God and man it is first shewed vs that the keeping of Gods commandements doeth not stande onely in outwarde woorkes as hypocrites doe falsely beleeue but euen as God seeth the harte and iudgeth the secret thoughts of men herewith that our words and outward workes are no whit hid from him so also al our affections purposes counsels thoughts minds are before Heb. 4. 12. him It foloweth that if we wil please be wise before God we must haue al our affections so ordered that hee bee in no wise offended by theÌ„ so that with al our inward parts we should be giuen to meditate his law keepe his commandements Further it is shewed vs that as God hath not created the inwarde parte of maÌ„ only but the visible earthly body also so he would not haue it vnprofitable but would that we should bestow it about his seruice not that he hath need therof but loke what we do through our bodies to the edifying profit of our neighbours according to his woorde he counteth it done vnto himself And this is the cause why Solomon would haue vs finde fauour good vnderstanding Rom. 12. 17. before men and that S. Paule counseleth vs to procure things honest not only before God but also before meÌ„ The which seemeth to bee very harde for there is no people so detestable before men as they that are giuen to goodnes NotwithstaÌ„ding they find fauour vnderstanding in the sight of men as Solomon coÌ„mandeth them so much as they can according to this holy word For euen the vngodly which often do them hurt wrong are oâ—â—rcome in their consciences that they be iust confesse no les as Pharao towards Moses the people of Israel Saul towardes Dauid Fourthly albeit wee must seeke the fauour both of God men yet is it not to say that it is lawful for vs to labour to please Gal. 1. 10. Mat. 6. 1. men or seeke to bee praised of them Finally sith that through mercie and truth wee obteine fauour in Gods sight it followeth that if we be infidels and vnmerciful we deserue to bee abhorred counted fooles both before God and men though by our carnal vnderstanding by our subtilties and enterprises wee obteine the fauour of the worlde 5 Trust in the Lord with al thine hart leane not vnto thine owne wisedome 6 In al thy wayes acknowledge him and he shal direct thy wayes To the ende that wee may the better knowe howe to guide ourselues Solomon doeth expounde the lawe vnto vs by partes giuing vnto vs diuers commandements And first of all to the intent we shoulde not bee forsaken of truth but thereby might find fauour before god he would haue vs to trust in the Lord wherby we should be assured he loueth vs as a good father doth his children therefore that he desireth nothing but our prosperitie saluation and wil not suffer vs to perishe This assurance is giuen vs by the worde the which doeth set foorth the good wil of God towardes vs. Solomon saying thus Trust in the Lorde woulde haue vs to lay holde by faith vpon the promises of God beeing certaine that God wil not nor cannot goe against them for hee is the vnfallible truthe likewise that no power can let him to keepe promis for he is the almightie whose counsel shal stand for euer and his whole wil shal be fulfilled Nowe hee sheweth vs that it is Esa 46. 10. not ynough to heare and talke but he requireth the hart And hee teacheth vs that it is not lawful to apply our harts to the lustes of our flesh and worldly pleasures for hee requireth the whole hart saying Trust in the Lorde with al thyne hart In this hee teacheth vs that which Moses teacheth in the twoo first commandements Ex. 20. 2. 3. 4 Thus our hartes must not bee parted to giue one portion vnto God and the other parte some where els that were to giue a companion vnto God the which hee cannot abide And because that diuers not esteeming the woorde of God the which ought to bee the wisedome and vnderstanding of his children seruantes doe dreame and forge in their braines diuine seruices whereby they thinke to honour God labouring much there abouts Solomon to withdrawe vs from this abuse and foolishe presumption doeth warne vs that to trust in God with all our harts we must not leane to our owne wisedome as Moses warneth the children of Israel By this wee may iudge that there are Deu. 12. 8. but a fewe which trust in the Lord as they ought for the greatest part of the world doe set their hartes on other thinges then on God and many also wil serue him after their owne fansie And this is through ignorance and contempt of the woorde that they fal into such beastly blockishnes as S. Paul saith For God also punisheth Rom. 1. 21. their vnthankefulnes in blinding and giuing them vp vnto a reprobate minde Moreouer considering wee cannot trust a man except we loue him
neere slipt For I fretted at the foolishe when I sawe the prosperitie of the wicked Againe Loe these are the wicked yet prosper they alway and increase in riches The elect and faithfull ones haue such like temptations but to the ende that they shoulde take heede from beeing ouercome with them Solomon giueth also the fift commaundement of mercy saying Be not enuious for the wicked man Therfore if wee wil folowe mercy wee must put far from vs the desires and affections to bee like vnto the enuious man and the man that suffers himselfe to bee caried about by his lustes and runneth after them with might and maine and cares not what hee thinketh or saieth or doeth whether right or wrong so that hee may come to the ende of his enterprises And because there are some that make themselues beleeue that they would not bee like the enuious and yet folowe their manners to the ende that wee shoulde not deceiue ourselues with them Solomon doeth warne vs to choose none of their wayes Whereunto wee must obey nothing declining from the right way albeeit wee finde therein great incombrances and that wee must suffer much euen to the vttermost after the feeling of the flesh Al those are like vnto these enuious men which doe choose such kinde of life as bringeth eyther spiritual or temporal hurte vnto their neighbours To auoide then the calamities of this present life and to liue easily wee must not wander out of the right way forsake mercie And to make vs more willing to obey his commaundement Solomon doeth bring vs reasons for to feare the enuious and to comfort the vpright shewing that the wicked cannot long endure and that the good shal not be alwaies in misery but that shortly they shal be deliuered therefrom The first reason is For the frowarde c. Hee whome before hee called enuious hee nowe calleth frowarde because that through his frowardnes wherevnto hee is accustomed hee goeth backewarde and falleth from the right way and therefore albeeit that he esteemeth himselfe and is honoured of the worlde which knoweth not what kinde of people are to bee praised hee is abhominable before the Lorde who can surely in due time suppresse his enuiousnes and cast it farre from him and depriue him of his helpe without the which nothing can stande Thus the enuious which forsake the right way of righteousnesse shal not endure but shal goe into destruction For as wee may see by the holy histories those which haue beene abhorred of the Lorde for their enuiousnesse and frowardnes haue not long continued but haue beene rooted out euen when they seemed to florish and prosper most haue bene rooted out not only by temporal punishment but also haue receiued Iudg. 3. 2. Pet. 2. â— iudgement of eternal fire and haue beene made example for al them which shoulde liue without reuerence of God This threatning serueth to feare the enuious and the froward which haue no reuerence of God nor mercy towards their neighbours and also to make them vnexcusable except they returne vnto repentance The faithful also ought to tremble at such threateninges and feare the iudgementes of GOD seeing that of their corrupt nature they are such that they cannot of themselues but bee in abhomination before GOD and so go to destruction as they deserue But to the ende that being humbled as it were in despayre of themselues they might take courage and not remaine vnder the burden of despayre the holy scripture for their comfort addeth the promise against the threatning As also Solomon vseth it to the same purpose for hauing threatned the frowarde saying that they are abhomination before the Lord he addeth to comfort the faithful but the secrete of the Lorde is with the righteous that is to say with them who for feare of offending GOD and for loue they beare vnto their neighbours doe abstaine from enuiousnesse and flye from all frowardnesse Nowe to haue boldnesse to folowe the righteous and to bee stirred to desire the communication and participation of this secrete wee must vnderstande that this secrete is the couenant of God with his faithful children whereby hee promiseth them to bee their GOD as it is written Beholde the dayes come saieth the Lorde that I wil make a newe couenant with the Iere. 31. 31. house of Israel and with the house of Iudah c. Dauid doeth teache vs thus to expounde it when hee saieth What man is hee that feareth the Lorde Hee wil teache him the way that hee shal choose c. This secrete then consisteth in this that God doeth giue vs to knowe his good wil towardes vs and doeth teache vs his lawe that beeing assured of his fauour and mercie wee shoulde giue ourselues to feare and obey him Nowe this couenant is rightly called a secret For first of al howe wise soeuer wee bee wee cannot enter into it of ourselues Iesus Christ doeth witnesse the same I giue thee thankes O Father Lorde of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these thinges from the Mat. 11. 25. wise men of vnderstanding and hast opened them to babes Blessed art thou Symon the sonne of Iona for flesh and blood hath not reuealed it vnto thee but my father which is in heauen And Mat. 16. 17. â— Cor. 2. 6. wee speake wisedome among them that are perfit not the wisedome of this world neither of Princes of this world which come to naught Secondly the faithful haue no more vnderstanding thereof then it pleaseth God to reueale vnto them by his holy spirite and yet what reuelation soeuer they haue thereof yet haue they no perfit knowledge in this worlde For wee knowe in parte and we prophesie in parte but when that which is perfit is â— Cor. 13. 9. come then that which is in part shal be abolished 33 The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked but he blesseth the habitation of the righteous 34 With the skorneful he skorneth but hee giueth grace vnto the humble In this worlde the enuious and the frowarde are blessed whome Solomon heere calleth wicked because hee hath neither feare nor reuerence of GOD nor good affection towardes his neighbours but suffers himselfe to bee led about of his vnbridled lustes Such a man is blessed of the worlde in whose iudgement he florisheth and prospereth and not only do they thus iudge of him but also his children seruants and housholde are counted happy so that there is preasse to speake with him and to serue him and his But heere at the faithful ought not to bee enuious neither to desire to bee in such estimation nor to haue such prayse knowing that such thinges cannot continue but fal to decay For the curse of the Lorde the which destroyeth whatsoeuer commeth against it is in the house of the wicked to spare neither him nor his familie that foloweth his trade I say expressedly which follow his trade for if the wicked man beget
much til they disdaine contemne others but also do so assure themselues in their wickednesse that they haue no feare of God nor reuerence to his word The Zodomites were thus high minded The Lord hath wel shewed that he Gene. 13. 13. 18 20. Eze. 16. 49. Gene. 19. 24. Esay 2. 11. 3 15. 5. 21. Luk. 16. 15. 24 abhorred their pride whē he ouerthrew thē He declareth the same in Esay Also our Lord declareth the same in Luke for that which is highly esteemed among men is abhomination in the sight of God The riche glutton likewise which was cloathed in purple and silke c. doeth shewe vs right wel that the proude are much hated with God and are of him abhorred when hee was throwne headlong into hel into such extremitie that hee coulde not obteine a drop of water c. God did wel shewe vnto Nabuchadnezar that hee detested pride c. But nowe albeeit that GOD doeth not dayly shewe vnto vs such examples of his hatred against the high minded and proude persons it is not therefore to say that GOD doeth not alwaies hate and abhorre them and that they shoulde feele the same at the time appointed as the examples and threatninges are conteined in the scripture Hee condemned Dan. 4. 28. ◠Pet. 2. 6. 9. 3. 9. the Citties of Sodome and Gomorrha to vtter ouerthrowe The Lorde knoweth howe to deliuer the faithful out of temptation The Lorde is not slacke concerning his promise and though the Lorde doeth punishe the proude immediatly let vs not waxe obstinate in our sinnes by contemning of his threateninges Let vs not be like vnto these scorners now now I say that wee are come to the last times which say Where is the promise of his comming 2. Pet. 3. 4. For since the fathers died al things cōtinue alike frō the beginning Those which speake think so shall at the last feele that they stroue against god that they haue opened their mouths against the holy one of Israel and haue blasphemed And seeing that God doeth declare vs these thinges by his worde if in steede of fearing that wee bee in his displeasure wee woulde bee assured of his loue and fauour towardes vs if in steede of fearing that hee abhorreth vs wee woulde bee ascertained that wee please him and are acceptable vnto him let vs humblie cast downe our eyes in fearing to offende him in trembling at his worde and not seeking after high thinges c. Thus doing wee may protest with Dauid Lord my heart is not hautie neither are mine eies loftie neither haue I walked Psal 131. 1. Rom 12. 16. in great matters and hid from mee And so farre of shall our destruction bee and that wee shoulde be stricken downe that wee shal rather bee exalted and preserued safe and sounde for whosoeuer humbleth himselfe shal be exalted For the Lorde is nigh vnto thē that are contrite and desolate c Not that we deserue it but it is his good pleasure to giue vs this grace Submit yourselues one vn 1 Pet. 5. 5. to another Deck yourselues inwardly with lowlinesse of minde for God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble Secōdly he hateth and abhorreth a Lying tongue a false and vnfaithfull tongue a tongue that speaketh deceitfully and craftily not without cause for sith that he is faithfull and true euen trueth it selfe we ought to vnderstand that he cannot abide lying but wil punishe it most seuerely and sharpely in the time that hee shal thinke conuenient The Lorde shal destroy them that speake lyes When GOD Psal 5. 6. is so much mooued and offended with falsenesse and lying that hee threatneth the deceiptful and liers with so sharp a punishment they which haue the charge to leade the people vnto saluation and to keepe the same from perishing so much as lyeth in them ought to bee greeuously tormented in their mindes seeing that falsenesse and vnfaithfulnesse deceit and lying are so commonly vsed in the world not onely amongest them which want the worde of God Psal 12. 1. but also amongest them which dare well bragge that they are refourmed according to the Gospell For them chiefly shoulde the Ministers bee most greeued according too the example of Ieremie Iere. 9. 2. Besides this cause wee may marke others whereof the least being considered shal suffice for to iudge and discerne that GOD hath good cause to hate a false tongue and to abhorre it The tongue is one of the highest members of the body not of it selfe for the Lorde hath placed euery mēber in the body as it hath pleased him 1. Cor. 12. 18 The tongue then as the rest of the members ought too bee applied for a weapon of righteousnesse vnto God and if it bee false and lying it is a weapon of iniquitie vnto sinne and so it is a rebel against his maker Wherefore hee rightly hateth it and abhorreth it But to make our tongues to bee weapons of righteousnesse vnto Psal 34. 1. 35. 28. 5. 4 God wee must applie them to that which the Psalmist promiseth I will alwaies giue thankes vnto the Lorde his praise shal bee in my mouth continually And my tongue shal vtter thy righteousnes and thy prayse euery day Contrarily if we apply them vnto deceit and lying then are they weapons of iniquitie the which pleaseth not God for thou art not a God which louest wickednesse neither shal euil dwel with thee And this is vpon good right for such people are not onely rebelles against men but against God also for in them there is no righteousnesse If then wee wil vse our tongues Psal 50. 14. wel wee must giue them to praise God as wee are taught Offer vnto God praise c. And for to do this wel wee must abstaine frō offending our neighbours either indeede or in wordes For God hath saide vnto the wicked What hast thou to doe to declare mine ordināces that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be refourmed Now as touching ourselues and the corruption of our nature we are all such we must therfore pray that God woulde haue mercy vpp on vs and open our lippes and therewith let vs followe the exhortation of S. Paule Wherfore cast away lying and speake euery man trueth vnto his neigbour Heereby Psal 51. 17. Ephe. 4. 24. we may vnderstand that if wee haue a false tongue first of all we are vnthankefull vnto God not confessing that hee hath giuen vs a wel spoken tongue and not a dumbe as vnto beastes Secondly that wee are more vnreasonable then the beastes when we vse our tongues against the ordinance of GOD the which beastes wil not doe and so wee are rebelles and vnfaithful vnto GOD. Thirdly that we are traitours vnto our brethren These three reasons wel considered wee must not maruell though God abhorre a false tongue For hee hath well
shewed it vnto his people of Israel In Iosua wee may see that Balaam was slaine for hauing solde his Num. 11. 1. 14. 27. 16 32. Iosua 13. 22 1. Kin. 18. 40 Psal 109. 2. Mat. 27. 5 Act. 5. 5 tongue to curse the people of God The Prophetes of Baal were slaine Iudas Iscarioth of whome it was spoken The mouth of the wicked and the mouth ful of deceit are opened vpon me hath tried that God hateth a false tongue when he hanged himselfe Likewise haue Ananias and Sapphira And forasmuche as there is no exception of persons before God all false tongues must looke for destruction and damnation Nowe in the third place the Lorde hateth and abhorreth the handes that shead innocent blood that is to say them which doe wrong and extortion vnto their neighbours either in their persons or goods causelesse and that their neighbours haue not offended them nor done any wrong such kinde of people are murtherers and mensleaers theeues robbers stealers and rauishers the couetous and vsurers grasiers and engrossers of corne and vittaile to make the same deere and they which by vnlawful meanes doe drawe vnto themselues the substance of their neighbours in suche wise that there is no thankes due to them though their neighbours doe not miserablie perishe The Lorde God hath wel shewed the same to Caine to Pharao to Saule which persecuted Gen. 4. 9. Exo. 12. 12. 29. 14. 24. 1. Sam. 22. 17. 31. 4. 2. Sam. 11. 4. 15. 12. 10. 1. King 21. 19. Gene. 9. 7. Esay 1. 15. 3. 13. 14. 59. 3. Mat. 3. 2. 3. 10. 7. 2. Dauid and caused the priestes to be slaine when hee slue himselfe vnto Dauid also which had rauished the wife of his faithful seruāt and committed execrable murther For the which it was saide vnto him nowe therfore the sworde shal neuer depart from thine house Vnto Achab But it is not without cause that God doeth abhorre the murtherers for this sentence was pronounced therof long agoe Who so sheadeth mans blood by man shal his blood bee shed As touching rauishings by what meanes in what sort soeuer they be done the Lord sheweth wel that he doth abhorre thē whē he counteth thē murtherers manquellers And to the ende that wee deceiue not ourselues in condēning such people iustifie ourselues for that wee be no poulers and yet for al that wee care nothing for the poore let vs knowe that such as haue the riches of this world and doe not distribute them vntoo the poore needy are counted in the number of murtherers 1. Ioh. 3. 19 18 An heart that imagineth wicked enterprises This same is the fourth thing that God hateth and abhorreth Now forasmuch as it is not without cause that the Lorde hateth and detesteth these three things aforesaid it is no meruaile though he haue this fourth in abhomination also for out of this spring doth al euil proceede Wee may partly knowe the same by that that Adam was rebuked first for obeing his wife and for eating of the fruite Gen. 3. 17. ◠5. forbidden But it is more plainely shewed where as GOD complaineth of the imagination of mans hearte and when Iesus Christ sayeth Out of the heart come euil thoughts murthers adulteries fornications thefts false testimonies and slaunders and Saint Paule sayeth This I say therefore and testifie in the Lorde Mat. 15. 19. Ephe. 4. 17. that yee hencefoorth walke not as other Gentiles walke in vanities of their mindes c. Many men wil hate and abhorre the foresaide three thinges because they see and knowe that they are hurtfull vnto them but fewe wil hate and abhorre the hearte for they see no further then the face and cannot pearce vnto the heart nor iudge no further therof then they see the fruites which are the wordes and workes But God who created al thinges knoweth his 1. Sam. 16. 7. Psal 7. 10. Ier. 17. 10. creatures aswel within as without hee pearceth euen vnto the bottome of the heartes wherin there is nothing conteined but he seeth it And seeing hee is the God who is pleased with equitic and vprightnesse goodnesse and true dealing nowe if the heart of man is giuen to any thing contrarily and that hee wil not bee conuerted and apply the same vnto goodnesse it is vnpossible but GOD must hate him and abhorre him whereof foloweth the destruction of man I say expressely which is giuen c. Because that albeeit euery man hath an euil harte yet is hee not hated of GOD neither of him abhorred when he is displeased with his wickednesse Psa 51. 19. Esay 66. 2. We may here iudge that there are many people which thinke very much of themselues but their estimation doth profit thē but a litle for they are hated of God and contrarily that many are despised to whome their contempt bringeth no hurt because they are beloued of GOD and doe please him In the fift place The feete that be swift in running to mischiefe That is to say the raging boyling affections which carry away a man in such wise that he careth not what he doeth so that he may bring to passe for to hurte his neighbours and to worke the mischiefe that he desireth And herein he compareth such affectiōs vnto a furious madde man that hath nothing in him but hast to execute his anger Hee will forget all other necessary and profitable affaires for to followe his wicked enterprise and will bee content to suffer great losse to take great hurt on euery side that he may execute his foolish fantasie Likewise the froward and wicked haue none other thing in their minde but onely their displeasures their wicked enterprises but no minde on the feare of God no desire to reuerence his worde no feeling of the heauenly kingdome nor hope of euerlasting life In this sorte they haue a greatlosse for to pursue a thing of nothing and hurtful Nowe although that all men how righteous soeuer they bee haue euill motions tending to euill as may be gathered when our Lorde Iesus Christ saith He that is washed needeth not saue to washe Iohn 13. 1◠his feete wee ought not to vnderstande that Solomon woulde enclose the affections of them that are washed vnder the hatred abhorring of the Lord. For albeit the carnall affections tend to euil yet doe they not suffer them to post and to runne vnto mischiefe Rom. 7. 14 2. Cor. 10. 3 Rom. 13. 14. but doe drawe backe and retire themselues so much as is possible and albeit that they are carnal and sold vnder sinne yet they do not allowe that which they doe and walking in the flesh they fight not fleshly for they haue not their pleasures in these lustes If then we would take heed that our affections should not make post hast and run swiftly If we would auoid the hatred of our Lord God we must bridle them and
keep that sinne do not raigne in our mortall bodies 19 A false witnesse that speaketh lies c. In the sixth place he setteth the false witnesse bearer and this is not without cause for it hath an expresse commandement against it Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour and so the false witnesse Exo. 20. 1 knoweth not that there is a God which is his Maister and Lorde whome hee ought to obey where he laboureth to despite him For man hauing any knowledge of God if he make himselfe a false witnesse hee knoweth that hee prouoketh the wrath of God against himself and seeing that God is the trueth it cannot bee but he must needes haue a false witnesse in horrible execration But that wee may know who it is that is a false witnesse and that we may labour to auoide the displeasure of God and not to bee abhorred of him Solomon telleth vs that hee is one that speaketh lies Hee saith not that it is the periurer albeit that al periurers are lyers and doe speake lyes but to yoke in all lyers hee saith simply hee that speaketh lies Wherefore when wee are asked an answere of trueth we are false witnesses if we shal speake otherwise then the matter standeth though we be not asked vpon our othe Euen so those which lie in iudgement or otherwise are hated of God and are of him abhorred for the which they ought to looke shortly to bee destroied By a more strong reason then they which doe periure themselues ought wel to be esteemed false witnesses and when by their false othe they cal God vnto witnesse of their lies they would spoile him of his trueth and consequently that he shoulde be no GOD for seeing he is the trueth he cannot stand without it they well deserue of God to be hated to be of him detested and bicause there is no thanks due to them why the worlde doth not sodenly perish seeing they seeke to ouerthrow God without whome nothing can remaine they deserue wel speedily to be beaten downe the which shal be doone without remedie sooner then they thinke for In the seuenth place he setteth the seditious which raise vp contentions amongst neighbours which the Scripture calleth brethren not only by this that we are all children of Adam and Eue but that wee ought all to haue one heauenly father and also to shewe that as it is a good thing to be wished for that brethren shoulde dwel al together so also that is an euill thing that neighbours which ought to Psal 133. 1. be vnited together as brethren shoulde bee diuided and that the common peace shoulde be broken whereby friendship is mainteined and helpe is ministred one to another They which are the cause of the breach of this vnitie are hated of the Lord and are not without cause abhorred of him For first of all it is no thanks to thē that God is not spoiled of his delight which he taketh in the vnitie and concorde of brethren The which pleasure ought not to bee esteemed of smal importance when the lawe of GOD stretcheth wholy to maintaine the vnitie of religion the which is commanded vnto vs by the first table and in coniunction of mutuall loue the which is commanded vnto vs by the second Table the which loue cannot bee mainteined without vnitie in religion And therefore the Prophetes were very carefull to crie against the superstitions idolatries and against the false Prophetes and the Priestes of Baal Also our Lorde Iesus Christ exhorteteth men to take heede of false Prophetes aduertising that many should come in his name saying Mat. 7. 15. 24. 5. I am the Christ and should deceiue many And Saint Paul in diuers places And forasmuche as there is none that desireth that GOD shoulde hate his manners and dealinges and to abhorre them but woulde if wee haue neuer so little sparke of good wit that hee shoulde allowe them and that hee shoulde accept of them it is necessary therefore that we delight to giue ourselues to doe contrarily to that which God hateth and abhorreth and that in steede of hawtie eyes wee become humble and lowly in heart after the example of our Lorde Iesus Christe Secondly no thanke to them that he is not depriued of his paternitie no thanke to them that the children doe not deny their father and to take the Diuell for their father For as God is the God of peace so are also the peacemakers and peace followers his sonnes contrarily the seditious tumult Mat. 5. 9. raisers and brawlers are the sonnes of the Deuil Thus they which make debates labour to encrease the kingdom of the Diuel And if God doe abhorre those which so offende against the second Table of Moses by a more forcible reason doth he detest thē which transgresse the first through obstinacie and wilfulnesse 20 My sonne keepe thy fathers commandement and forsake not thy mothers instruction 21 Binde them alway vpon thine heart and tie them about thy necke Because the fathers and mothers which truely and tenderly loue their children will not commaunde nor teache them any thing but that which is pleasing and acceptable vnto GOD that the young folkes may learne to flie from the former things which God hateth abhoreth Solomō would that children should obey their fathers and mothers and that according to the lawe 21 Binde them alway vpon thine hearte c. When he maketh this exhortation he sheweth wel that he spake not but of fathers Exo. 20. 21. Deu◠5. 16. and mothers which doe labour to gouerne their children in that which is acceptable and pleasing vnto God in that which is according vnto his commandements For there is nothing wherevnto we ought to be so fast linked as vnto the cōmandements of God there is no yoke wherevnto we ought to submit ourselues but vnto the law of God the Lorde Moses also willing to induce the children of Israel vnto a continual obedience of the worde of the Lord sayth And these wordes which I commande thee this day shal be in Deut. 6. 6. 11. 18. thine hart lay vp then these words in your heart Now sith that this presēt admonitiō serueth for the whole word of god it might be said that when Solomō said My sonne keepe the commandement of thy father c. that he speaketh of God and of the ministery of his Church in the which there is nothing taught vs but the pure worde of God and whose children we are if we submit ourselues vnto his worde suffering to be begetten thereby into pure faith true repentance 22 It shall leade thee when thou walkest it shal watch for thee when thou sleepest and when thou wakest it shall talke with thee Albeit that this promise agreeth very wel with this same heere That thy dayes may be long vpon the earth c yet the same hindereth not but that it should regard to assure the goodnes of God vnto
doeth admonishe vs Cast of the olde man which is corrupt through the deceiuable Ephe. 4. 22. 29. lustes Again Let no corrupt communication proceede out of your mouthes but that which is good to the vse of edifying that it may minister grace vnto the hearers But now put ye away euen al these things wrath anger maliciousnes cursed and filthy speaking out of your mouthes Likewise though that Solomon calleth him foole which slaundereth yet it is not to say that the Pastours and ministers of the Collo 3. 8. woorde ought to abstaine from blaming and reproouing of vices and of them that are hardened therein otherwise they shoulde deserue to bee called fooles Noe the embassadour of righteousnes by the building of the arke condemned the worlde Moyses the seruant and Prophet of the Lorde did reprooue the people of Israel for their disobedience The Prophets haue reprooued in diuers sortes Wee may see howe our Lorde Iesus hath shewed himselfe sharpe in chiding and rebuking the Scribes and Pharisees Saint Paule also and Saint Peter and Saint Iames and Saint Iude do reproue and openly blame them which resist the truth and lead a dissolute and slaunderous life And our Lord commandeth the vncorrigible to be put ouer vnto the Church the which cannot be without rebuking them of their vices wherein they are obstinate and indurate it shoulde be very rashly done of vs if for the saying of Solomon we should cal al these same and other which folow them fooles wee shoulde depraue the scripture the which calleth them fooles which through hatred do rebuke their neighbours and not them which by their reprehensions threates and accusations doe labour to reduce the strayed sheepe 19 In many wordes there cannot want iniquitie but he that refraineth his lippes is wise They that haue a tongue at large to speake readily delight much to speake and take pleasure also in their eloquence they mocke at them which are slowe and dul of speache esteeming them of no witte and whiles they prate at pleasure they woulde bee counted wittie and learned and doe thinke themselues cunning folke And by howe much as a man is more vaine in his woordes by so much the more doeth hee desire to bee accounted of them which heare him albeeit hee knowe that his wordes bring no profit nor edification And also the common people is easie to haue them in estimation which flowe in eloquence and doe thinke al wel saide that such people say but such tongue men doe faile and those which heare them are deceiued Solomon doth signifie the same when he saith Where much c. And forasmuch as al vices are to bee fled wee must take heede that wee vse our tongues soberly in priuate communication and to giue ourselues to iest and to babble at pleasure And therein to cōsume much time vnprofitably as doe ydle and curious folkes and chiefly maydes and wiues Beeing ydle they learne to goe from 1. Tim. 5. 13. house to house The keepers of Tauerns which spende the goods of God in gluttonie and drunkennes and the common players are stuft with many woordes not only vaine and vnfruiteful but hurtful and iniurious and also ful of horrible blasphemies Marchants handicraftes men and almost as many as haue entercourse or any thing to breake vnto their neighbours or lawiers and suters wil not briefly tel and plainly declare the trueth of the matter but to blind dasel mens eyes they wil haue trickes and knackes in their budget worthy to be mocked at and to astonishe the eares of men they wil flowe in superfluous and vngodly wordes with lying periurie slaundering with cursing and giuing themselues vnto the Deuil euen to the renouncing and forsaking of God and as they themselues doe so doe they teache their children and housholde folkes to doe the like Wee haue experience then in diuers wayes and more then were needful that there is vice offence in many wordes And if for to auoide to be guiltie of this vice wee must bee fober and discreete in our common housholde talke when wee commen and conferre togither of things which concerne touche this present life by a more stronger reason wee must bee well aduised to place our wordes and to talke no vncomely thing when wee treate of matters concerning GOD and which concerne the honour and glorie of GOD and the saluation of our soules as when wee take in hande to teache the people when wee make our prayers vnto GOD when wee giue him thankes and sing praises vnto him then must wee take heede to vse many woordes otherwise wee shoulde commit a vice for the which wee shoulde not goe vnpunished and that for good cause when by such vice GOD is greatly dishonored and wee and our neighbours both in danger of loosing our soules Wherefore wee ought to vnderstand that it is necessarie to flye abhorre the custome of the greatest parte of the worlde the which is replenished with false teachers deceiuers idolaters with superstitious with dreamers and hypocrites the which abounde in woordes the one sorte in hurtful talke and the other in vnprofitable vaine and superfluous talke Our Lorde doeth shewe vs wel that wee must not beleeue nor folowe them Take heede and beware of the leauen of the Pharisees and Saducees Their doctrine is very hurtful Wo therefore bee vnto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites because yee shutte vp Math. 19. 6. Mat. 23. 13. 24. 4. 11. the kingdome of heauen before men Take heede that no man deceiue you Againe And many false Prophetes shal arise and shall deceiue many Nowe I beseeche you brethren marke them diligently which cause diuision and offences contrary to the doctrine Rom. 16. 17. Mat. 6. 5. which yee haue learned And when thou prayest bee not as the hypocrites for they loue to stande and pray in the Synagogues and in the corners of the streetes because they woulde bee seene of men Al such kinde of people ought to bee eschued and fled except wee wil declare ourselues to be blinde and beastes as they are without vnderstanding Let them alone they be the blinde leaders of the Mat. 15. 14. blinde c. Nowe the ende of the commandement is loue Solomon doeth also partly signifie it when hee attributeth wisedome and vnderstanding vnto him which taketh heede of talking saying but he that refrayneth his lips is wise Wee must therefore to eschue vice and to shewe ourselues wise be sober in talke and that we vtter not al things that come into our thought Yet notwithstanding wee must not spare our tongues when neede is but must vnfolde them for the glorie and honour of GOD and for the profit and edification of our neighbours Wee see in the holy scriptures that the seruantes of GOD haue abounded with woordes in their sermons praises and praiers and thankes giuing and no faulte nor vice hath beene in them For as wise men they knewe to refraine their lippes
the assaultes of Satan of the world nor of the wicked for it is said They that trust in the Lorde shal be euen as the mont Sion which cannot bee remoued but standeth fast for euer c. And least wee shoulde bee deceiued with vaine presumption thinke to bee sure and not to bee shaken For further too stablishe Psal 125. 1 vs in the trust wee haue in God and in the hope that wee haue that wee shall dwell for euer in the courtes of the Lorde and in his holy mountaine we must walke innocently c. Who so doth these thinges shall neuer fall for he is wel sodered together with strong Psal 15. 5. faith and true repentance And this is the cause why Solomon saith But the righteous remaineth as a storng foundation Therefore if we wil be stedfast and not to be shaken through the rage and vehemēcie of the wicked neither feare them though they assault vs for to destroy either in our goods or in our bodies or that they labour to destroy our soules by ouerthrowing of the true and sound doctrine and by taking away of the pure religion wee must bee armed not with an idle and dead faith but with a liuely faith which worketh by loue as the Lorde teacheth vs in his worde Then shall wee bee built vppon the rocke wherevpon Iesus Christ hath built his Churche against the which the gates of hell cannot preuaile Our Lorde doeth well shewe it also by an other similitude It is not Mat. 16. 18. Mat. 7. 24. therefore without cause that Solomō calleth the righteous A strōg foundation For as we may vnderstand by the words of our Lord this foundation shall not onely be sure in this world but it shall remaine for euer in eternall blessednesse For blessed is the man that abideth temptation for after he hath beene tried he shal receiue a Iam. 1. 12. crowne of glory 26 As vineger is vnto the teeth as smoke is vnto the eyes euen so is a slouthfull body vnto him that sendeth him Solomon hath rebuked and reprooued the slouthfull for consuming of the time vnprofitably spending it in vnnecessary works and thereby runne in danger sodenly too fall into beggery and extreme pouertie And heerby hee hath shewed that the slouthfull was hurtful to himselfe Nowe to the ende that wee shoulde take heede of the slouthful And that wee shoulde not lightly set them a worke chiefly when speede and diligence is required hee sheweth vs that the slouthfull bringeth hurt griefe and trouble vnto them which imploy and set them on worke And for this cause he compareth the slouthful vnto vineger that is laide vnto the teeth the which it greeueth and troubleth because of the coldnesse sharpnesse thereof and because of his biting and harshnesse it heateth and setteth the teeth on edge and so doth hurt them Secondly he compareth the slouthfull vnto smoke which smiteth against the eies vnto the which it doeth much harme it doeth darken them and make them water and doeth seeth them and so doeth weaken the sight and hinder the eyes from doing their office and taking their recreation and pleasure It is not without cause that Solomon maketh these cōparisons and is not contented to cōpare the slouthful either to vineger or to smoke but vnto them both and chiefly the slouthfull body that is set about some good worke for he causeth not onely one griefe and hurt but many hee is cause of muche sorrowe and anger because hee doeth not faithfully nor with suche care and diligence execute and discharge his office duely as is required nor content and satisfie them which haue hired and set him on worke This hath no neede of proofe for they which hire and send labourers to do their work do sufficiently trie what hurt and hinderance they suffer if their laborers be slouthful negligēt albeit the matter is not great But we are al of this nature that we trouble ourselues except that men doe as we wil haue them euen in the affaires workes of smal importance neither wil we afterwards be serued with such slouthful and negligent persons againe but wee disdaine and reiect them for we would haue our workes so wel done that we could finde no manner of fault Nowe forasmuch as wee are of this nature let euery one of vs take heede by the lawe of charitie if wee be sent and appointed to doe some worke that through our negligence and slouthfulnesse we grieue no man but that faithfully and truely we giue vnto our neighbours that which wee owe them that we be readie to doe towardes our neighbours accōrding as we are able Let them which are lustie and strong labour with their bodies to helpe the feeble and weake let the riche bee riche in good workes let the wise prudent and discreete not spare their lippes and tongues for to teache and to direct the vndiscreete and them that goe astray Otherwise we shal not be onely as vineger and smoke vnto men but also vnto God for of what estate or condition soeuer we be it is hee that calleth vs thereunto which doeth ordaine and sende vs so that wee doe no good worke but that it is the worke of the Lorde If then we be slacke carelesse and slouthful to doe our duetie we are greeuous and troublesome vnto God as we may plainly knowe by the similitude of the talents To the ende therefore that we be not troublesome vnto our God and Mat. 25. ◠least we be rebuked of euil and slouthfulnesse wee must euery one of vs set ourselues to worke according to the number and excellencie of the talents that we haue receiued of the Lorde that wee may be like the faithful and wise seruant and not vnto the euil seruant For to do this wel let vs consider vnto what state we are called and to what worke wee are sent First of al that the Kings Princes and Superiours of the earth to whome God hath giuen this honour to communicate his name vnto them saying I haue saide yee are Gods and are al children of the most highest as God neuer ceaseth Psa .. 82. 6. seth working in gouerning the worlde by iudgement iustice and is careful and diligent to prouide for his creatures so also they should not be giuen to sleepe rest to take their ease and pleasures to take their sporte and worldly pastime to eate and drinke out of measure to delight in pompes and superfluous magnificence but should be diligent and attentiue as Dauid saieth Be wise now therfore O ye Kings be learned ye that are Iudges of the earth For to Psal 2. 10. Exo. 18. 21 31. 1. Psal 82. 3. Esai 1. 23. Ier. 5. 27. compasse this wel they must be men indued with vertue and careful to folow the lesson that is taught them and as they are commaunded to minister right vnto the poore c. Otherwise they shall be as vineger and smoke before
be blessed Shal man be more righteous Iob. 1. 21. 4. 17. 9. 2. 3. then God For howe shoulde man compared vnto God bee iustified If hee would dispute with him he could not answere him one thing of a thousande Nowe that it is not the rigour that God exerciseth his iudgement against the righteous Solomon signifieth it after a sort when he doeth declare that they shal be recompensed in earth The righteous of themselues are neuer a whit better then the wicked and sinners the which doe not onely deserue a temporal rewarde but eternal yet God is contented to chastice them in the earth so long as they liue here and wil not destroy them with the wicked which shal perish eternally and in this maner they shal bee more recompensed then the righteous as they do wel deserue when with al their might and ful course they folow wickednes and without remorse of conscience they giue themselues vnto vnshamefastnes for to commit al vncleannes euen with greedines But the righteous are displeased at their transgressions and faultes the which as they are not exempted in this worlde euen so the Lord doeth chasten them onely in earth and therefore that they deserue wel correction Solomon doeth cal recompense it or paiment And for to shewe that the chastisement is sweete and that it doeth not tende to destruction and damnation he saieth on earth Wherin we must obserue first of al that the righteous ought to walke in feare and humilitie when they vnderstand that they are not so innocent but that they doe wel deserue that God shoulde correct them for their 1. Pet. 4. 17 12. faults and that he beginneth to execute his iudgements with them The which he doth for their trial and therefore Saint Peter doeth admonishe vs Dearely beloued thinke it not straunge concerning the fierie tryal which is amongst you to prooue you as though some strange thing were come vnto you Secondly the righteous haue here iust occasion for to reioyce to be comforted whē they vnderstande that God doeth not punishe them for their faultes after this life but here in earth hee doeth chastise them gentlely in comparison of that which they haue deserued and that to the ende that they should not perishe with the wicked worlde Let vs then remember the admonition My Sonne despise not the chastening 1. Cor. 11. 32 Hebr. 12. 5 of the Lord neither faint when thou art rebuked of him For whom the Lorde loueth he chasteneth Albeit then that it is for our sinnes that God doeth recompense vs sending vs afflictions neuerthelesse hee doeth not proceede through hatred but by loue and good affection that hee beareth vs as a good father his children Thirdly when the righteous are set against the wicked we knowe that notwithstanding that the righteous of themselues are no more worth then the wicked yet their faultes are not imputed vnto them and for the same they shal not perish as also it is signified after a sorte when they are not so much recompensed as are the wicked This recompense of the righteous is the rod of man whereof God speaketh vnto Dauid But there is here a verie feareful threatening for them 2. Sam. 7. 14. which hate the good and haue bent al their desire vnto euil by the which they suffer themselues to be so caried away that they are giuen vnto dissolute and slanderous life without any shame or honestie These are they which Solomon calleth wicked and sinners The righteous doe sinne indeed and doe commit verie grieuous faltes but they abhorre them they are greeued for them and do take heed 1. Pet. 4. 15. to be slanderous as Saint Peter doeth admonish Let none of you suffer as a murderer or as an euil doer c. This is not without cause that this threatening ought to be feareful to the wicked For if they haue the afflictions of the righteous in abhomination iudging thē to be persecuted of God doe feare the like aduersities by a more strong reason they ought to be greatly afraid of the rewarde which Shlomō setteth forth vnto thē For it shal be greater then that which they see happē vnto the righteous the which they wold not receiue so much doe they thinke it harde sharpe The Lord striketh his first of al seemeth to spare the wicked wherevpō after the feeling of the flesh the state of the righteous seemeth to be miserable in cōparison of the same of the wicked Solomon doth after a sort signifie this same whē he setteth the recōpēce of the iust present saying Behold and maketh mētion of it before the same of the wicked And S. Peter declareth plainly saying It is time that iudgemēt begin at the houshold of God But the long sufferāce doth nothing profit the obstinate 1. Pet. 4. 17. wicked as Solomō doth here shew saying How much more c. Esay saith But when the Lorde hath accōplished al stis worke Esay 10. 12. vpon mount Syon Ierusalem I wil visite the fruite of the proude heart of the king of Asshur c. And if it first begin at vs what shall the end be of thē which obey not the gospel of God Albeit thē that the wicked seeme to be without feare in afflicting the faithfull yet 1. Pet. 4. 17 shal they not faile of their paiment For it is a righteous thing with God to recōpence tribulation to thē that trouble you c. Contrarily in our afflictiōs let vs take courage saying with Paul Therfore 2. The. 1. 6. 2. Cor. 4. 16. we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inwarde man is renewed dayly The twelfth Chapter 1 He that loueth instruction loueth knowledge but he that hateth correction is a foole WE are al of this nature that wee boast ourselues to haue great desire to be instructed we persuade ourselues that we loue knowledge and also we commonly say that knowledge is a goodly thing as it is indeede and not only goodly but of great profite and pleasure For thereby wee rightly gouerne ourselues and our affaires in this life and al our enterprises do prosper wel when they are gouerned by knowledge and therin we receiue profite and also great delectation for by knowledge we are so assured that we proceede in doing our duetie without doubting or feare knowing and confessing that whatsoeuer we doe be it in word or deed is wel done and it is that which we should do Now when we doe thus bragge we do giue signification that we abhorre ignorāce as indeed it ought to be detested seeing not only that it is troublesome but also vnprofitable and hurtful From the tyme that Adam sinned darknesse entred into the world and men loued darknesse more then light and so haue they walked in ignorance whereby they were giuen to al wickednes and in this manner haue depriued themselues of life are fallen into death But it is not
spiritual house and an holy Priesthoode Wee al ought to endeuour to attaine thereto that it may bee saide of vs yee are no more strangers and foreners but citizens with the saintes contrarily if women bee foolishe folowing their owne carnal nature and committing foolishe actes to the dishonour of God and to the slaunder of their family they destroy and ouerthrowe their housholdes not onely in this that 1. Pet. 2. 5 Ephe. 2. 19 God doth forsake them for to bring al their temporal goods to disorder and confusion the which they scatter and waste in banketting and delicate fare in gay gorgeous apparel in playes and pastimes and other dissolutions and insolencies but also in this that they condemne themselues and no thank to them that their housholdes doe not fal into eternal destruction Solomon doeth signifie this same when he sayeth But the foolishe destroyeth it with her owne handes For wee ought too knowe that Solomon doeth in diuers sentences instruct fathers and mothers of housholdes for to teache them howe they shoulde gouerne and guide their families temporally and to defende the necessities of this present life as it is lawful for them and as they ought to doe as wee may knowe by the promises of God made vnto the auncient fathers and by their complaintes and prayers vnto God and also when our Lorde teacheth vs to aske our dayly bread notwithstanding his principal marke whereto hee tendeth is that wee shoulde take care to prouide for our spiritual necessities and wants and to builde and erect vp our houses in the heauens Thefore when hee speaketh heere of wise women hee meaneth not suche as are esteemed so before the worlde because they can richely make their temporal profite of their house preferring and setting it aboue the honour of God and the profite of their neighbours but hee speaketh of them which first of al seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousness◠thereof Suche women haue laide a good foundation which is Iesus Christe and therefore they make a goodly and pleasant building and need not to feare that their building should fall for want of a strong foundation for they builde vpon the strong rocke against the which the gates of hel shall not preuaile Let vs learne therefore that if our houses come to bee ouerthrowne it is because wee builde not vppon this foundation or that the stones that wee wil lay are neither fitte nor meete for the worke 2 Hee that walketh in his righteousnesse feareth the Lorde but hee that is lewde in his wayes despiseth him The Lorde by his worde doeth exhorte vs to feare him Gather Deu. 4. 10. 6. 13. 10. 12. mee the people together and I will cause them to heare my woordes that they may learne to feare mee al the dayes that they shal liue vppon the earth Thou shalt feare the Lorde thy God c. And this it is that hee doeth chiefly demaunde as Moyses declareth And nowe Israel what doeth the Lorde thy God require of thee but to feare the Lorde thy God to walke in al his wayes and to loue him and to serue the Lord thy God with al thine heart and with al thy soule And albeeit wee are bounde to feare him except wee wil miserably perishe with the worlde which was destroyed by the vniuersal flood yet that wee may bee lead to feare him willingly hee promiseth riches to them which shal feare him and contrarily hee threateneth and punisheth them which do not feare him To the end therefore that wee may not bee contemned of the Deut. 10. 13 Psal 34. 10. 145. 19. Leui. 26. 14. 1. Sam. 2. 29. Lorde nor may perishe wee must feare GOD and wee shal bee breserued and saued for euer But there are some which deceiue themselues making themselues beleeue that they feare God because they giue themselues vnto superstition and obserue mens traditions and obey the commandementes of men forsaking the right way of the law of the Lord from the which we must not decline neither to the right hād nor left Poperie is ful of such people by the deceipt craftie working of hypocritical frieres who may iustly be reproched with this saying ye haue made the cōmandemēt of God of no authoritie by your traditions Againe Woe therefore bee vnto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites because yee shut vp the kingdome of heauen beforemen Yee compasse Sea and land Mat. 15. 6. 23. 13. 25 23. to make one of your profession yee tythe Mint and Anise c. God of his mercy graunt that amongest vs there bee none suche like nor worse Nowe to the end that wee shoulde not bee deceiued with suche kinde of people Solomon doeth teache vs whereby we shal know whither wee haue the feare of God when he saieth He that walketh in his righteousnes feareth the Lord. For to knowe then whither wee feare the Lorde wee must walke in our righteousnes But when Moyses forbiddeth the Israelites Yee shal not doe after Deut. 12. 8. Pro. 12. 15. al these thinges that wee doe heere this day c. and that Solomon hath saide heere before The way of a foole is right in his owne eyes nowe by our owne nature wee are fooles delighting in our wayes and striuing to doe what seemeth vs right it might seeme that wee haue no certaine argument or proofe of the feare of the Lorde when wee walke in our righteousnes This shal serue for the answere Let vs knowe that there is no righteousnes that can be attributed vnto vs as hauing it of ourselues It is true that God Eccle. 7. 30. hath made man righteous but they haue sought many inuentions Man hath no righteousnesse the which is of his owne but of the gift of God and yet by his foolishnesse hee hath lost it Neuerthelesse in folowing of the scripture wee wil cal that ours which belongeth vnto God and which is by his grace and liberality giuen vnto vs for in giuing it vnto vs hee maketh it ours Therefore when GOD giueth vs grace certainely to knowe that hee is our GOD Father and Sauiour and that for Iesus sake hee wil not impute our sinnes vnto vs but doeth forgiue them vs and that also by this knowledge we are brought to abhorre and detest our wickednes willingly and gladly to folow goodnes to giue ourselues to do good works which he commandeth and hath ordeined that we should walke in them then doe we walke in our righteousnesse and may bee certified that wee feare the Lorde as is saide heereafter And for asmuche as wee are assured that Prou. 18. 13. wee feare GOD wee may bee assured also that wee please him wherevppon it followeth that we ought not to stande in doubt whether God doeth loue vs or not and wil saue vs or not Psal 51. 19. Esay 66. 2. But that we may not bee deceiued let vs know that Solomon doth not speake heere of suche a feare as doeth
the Actes of the Apostles And if all our talke ought to bee true aboue all it is necessary that the wordes which concerne God and Christian religion shoulde bee vttered with trueth The Ministers therefore of the worde ought chiefly to bee true witnesses 6 A scorner seeketh wisedome and findeth it not but knowledge is easie to him that will vnderstande It seemeth at the first sight that the first part of this present sentence repugneth against diuers places of the Scriptures Pro. 1. 7. 22. 24. Pro. 2. 3. 4. 5. For Wisedome hath called and her counsell is refused And shee promiseth the knowledge of GOD. And thus it seemeth that shee speaketh agaynst herselfe Furthermore forasmuch as there is no wisedome but in GOD and from God wee can not seeke wisedome except that wee seeke God who is contemned of scorners and therefore they seeke neither him nor his wisdome but they say in their heartes there is no God The wicked careth not for God The foole hath saide in his heart There is no Psal 10. 4. 14. 1. Wis 6. 12. Mat. 7. 7. God On the other side Wisedome shineth and neuer vadeth away and is easily seene of them that loue her and founde of such as seeke her And our Lorde sayth Aske and it shal be giuen you c. We see by these scriptures that scorners do not seeke wisedome that if they did seeke her they shoulde finde her I answere For to finde God and his wisedome truly wee must seeke her with all our hart as we ought to haue vnderstood it before And Moyses doeth Pro. 2. 3. Deut. 4. 29. teache vs also the same But if from thence thou shalt seeke the lord thy God thou shalt finde him if thou shalt seeke him with all thyne hearte and with al thy soule And to doe this wel wee must forsake our wickednesses Seeke the Lorde whiles he may be found call vppon him whiles hee is neere And wee must walke truely in Esa 55. 6. Psal 145. 1◠the feare of GOD The Lorde is neere vnto all those that call vppon him yea to al that cal vppon him in trueth Mockers and scorners doe not seeke the Lorde after this sorte and therefore they doe not finde him And yet Solomon doeth not lye when hee sayth That the scorner seeketh wisedome For his intent is not to attribute suche care vnto scorners which nothing at al regarde the worde of the Lorde the which is our wisedome and vnderstanding when we receiue it in feare and that by the same wee learne to assure ourselues of the goodnesse of God towardes vs and that renouncing al wickednesse and abhorring it wee set all our delight to follow the commandement of the Lorde But because that the scorners doe labour to make themselues beleeue that they tende to gouerne themselues wisely and woulde be esteemed wise for if they be reprooued for their wickednesse incontinently they crie with open mouthes that they are honest men indeede we shal see some of them which wil shew some signes wherby it shal seeme that they tend to none other thinge but to behaue themselues wisely euen to bee guides of other for this cause Solomon saith that the scorner seeketh wisedome but because they seeke it not as they ought therefore they finde it not that is to say that they neither wil nor can gouerne themselues by wisdome But that it shoulde not trouble vs to seeke wisedome and that it might be easie for vs to find it rule ourselues thereafter we must haue knowledge Solomō doth declare it vnto vs whē he saith But knowledge is easie to him c. By a man of knowledge Solomon signifieth such an one as is careful to print the pure woorde of the Lorde in his hearte and to delight therein Such a man shal easily finde knoweledge and as hee truely seeketh wisedome so doeth hee also finde it and thereby doeth gouerne himselfe bearing Mat. 11. 30. willingly and gladly the yoke of the Lorde the whiche hee findeth easie 7 Depart from the foolish man when thou perceiuest not in him the lips of knowledge Because the worlde conteineth more fooles then wise men and that the fooles doe prosper in outwarde sight are strongest most riche and of greate credite and authoritie working all thinges after their owne minde and hauing flatterers to flatter them and to say they do well euen as they would therefore it seemeth vnto the weake and vndiscrete that they could do no better nor gouerne them more wisely then to ioyne themselues with them and to bee acquainted and familiar with them for too learne their knowledge whereby they may rule themselues as they doe and to attaine vnto the degree of their prosperitie credite and power But they are deceiued in this opinion for they can learne nothing to profit them Solomon doeth shewe it when hee saith Depart from the foolish man when thou perceiuest not in him c. Hee forbiddeth vs the companie of the foolishe their acquaintance and familiaritie also for it commeth not of feare that we prosper but rather in this that we be not cursed as are the foolish though they think farre otherwise and this commeth because they looke no further then to the earth and haue no knowledge of God but walke in darkenesse and haue their mindes and vnderstanding darkened with ignorance the which is the greatest plague they can haue in this life for suche an ignorance maketh them fall into muche wickednesse in the whiche they become obstinate and indurate whereupon foloweth their ouerthrow and destruction Nowe that the foolishe haue no knowledge of God Solomon doeth signifie it when hee giueth the reason wherefore hee warneth vs to departe from the foolishe man and saith When thou Rom. 1. 2. Ephe. 4. 17. 18. perceiuest not in him the lippes of knowledge Had they the knowledge of God and that their hearts were garnished with true knowledge they woulde speake of that which they knew and vnderstood For from the abundance of the hearte the mouth speaketh And Mat. 12. 34. thus wee might knowe in them the lippes of knowledge and learne of them to gouerne ourselues wisely The which can in no wise bee doone for not onely they are emptie and voide of knowledge but do also hate it wherof it foloweth rightly that they do not delight to speake thereof to cōmen or talke therof for the instruction and teaching of their neighbours In steede then to knowe in them the lips of knowledge wee heare vanities and filthie disordered speaches which proceede from foolishnesse and malice wherewith their heartes doe greatly abounde Solomon doeth somewhat signifie the same when he denieth them to haue the lips of knowledge for sith they are great talkers and babblers they must needes haue lippes through whose infamousnesse wee may learne that they haue no knowledge of God but are filled with malice and foolishnesse Pro. 12. 23. 13. 16. They are great
Psal 34. 8. 145. 19. 20 by fayth as we may see by the historie of their lyfe We are exhorted to receyue this feare and also taught what we haue to doe for to liue therein And Dauid promiseth saluation to those which feare him But seing that we cannot strongly trust in God except we loue him as he requireth it might seeme that to haue a strong hope wee must not then feare for feare standeth not in loue I answere if wee knowe that God loueth vs wee doe surely trust in him and wil not feare to present ourselues before him and are wel disposed minded 1. Iohn 4. 18. to tarie the last day of iudgement being perswaded of the fatherly loue of God towards vs who neuer faileth vs at neede For perfit loue casteth out feare yea the feare which terrifieth troubleth and tormenteth the conscience causing man to feele himselfe charged and burdened with great burdens of sinne dare not offer himselfe to God but doeth feare him as a theefe that is taken feareth the presence of the iudge and trembleth being deliuered into the handes of the hangman for to bee executed This is the feare which tormenteth the which is not in his hearte that is perfit in loue that is to say which is wel perswaded that God loueth him Solomon doth not speake now of such kinde of feare but of the same that Dauid teacheth and which also hath bene often spoken of Solomon calleth the trust which is in this feare strong for to aduertise Psal 34. 1◠Pro. 1. 7. 2. 5. 3. 7. 8. 13. 9. 1◠10. 27. 14. 2. 16. Psal 34. 8. Esay 33. 1 6 vs that it is but vanitie when without this feare we thinke we trust in God contrarily he that feareth God shal neuer be shaken to fal For the feare he hath in God is as an inuincible fortresse The Angel of the Lorde doeth pitche his tentes rounde about them which feare him c. The Lorde is exalted for hee dwelleth on high hee hath filled Sion with iudgement and iustice and there shal be stabilitie of thy time strength saluation wisedome and knowledge for the feare of the Lorde shal be his treasure Wherein wee may see that the Papistes haue not the feare of the Lorde when they stande in continual doubte whither God loue them or not for they haue no sounde knowledge After that Solomon hath taught vs that in the feare of the Lorde there is assured strength hee sheweth vs who they bee which haue this trust and consequently th◠feare of the Lorde when hee sayeth And his children shall haue hope Forasmuch as the assurance or strong trust is in the feare of the Lorde and there are none but the children of God which are Psal 34. 12. exhorted vnto this feare none besides thē do receiue it therfore it foloweth wel there are none but they which haue assured strēgth Therefore if wee desire to bee assured of strong hope we must then become the children of God to obteine it The which wee shal obteine 1. Iohn 1. 12. if wee receiue Iesus Christ And although being the children of God we shal suffer much and that it shal seeme by the euils that we shal suffer that God hath reiected vs and that for this cause we haue good occasion to bee afraide and to be troubled as pore slaues vnder the bondage of a cruel tyrant neuerthelesse seeing that therin we are made like vnto the Sonne of God who hauing borne the shame of the crosse sitteth on the right hande of God we must bee assured that our miseries cause not God to denye vs for his children Therefore when afflictions shal pricke and pinche vs let vs Heb. 12. 2. Rom. 8. 35. Heb. 12. 5. Mat. 7. not doute of the fatherly goodnesse of GOD towardes vs but let vs aske of him his holy spirite and wee shal not bee refused nor denyed 27 The feare of the Lorde is a wellspring of life to auoide the snares of death Solomon sheweth vs that there is strong hope and assurance for the children of God which feare him when hee compareth it vnto the liuelie spring and that hee compareth the children of God vnto beasts which are hunted and driuen into the nets toyle which are set for them that they may be taken and slaine Nowe it is not without cause that hee vseth such comparisons or similitudes for to shewe the estate of the children of God which feare him For first of al the children of God are Pilgrims and passengers in this world for we haue no continual abyding citie heere for the land is mine Heb. 13. 14. Leui. 25. 23. Psal 39. 13. and yee are but straungers and so iourners with me Wherefore let vs confesse I am a stranger with thee c. And in this voyage they are subiect vnto many labours afflictions and temptations wherewith they are so changed that if they were not watered with the feare of the Lorde they shoulde faint through dispaire shoulde haue no sure trust in God and so shoulde perishe As a way faring man wearie and thirstie in his way if hee can finde no water to quenche his thirst doeth perish but if he knowe of any fountaine or spring that is neere hee reioyceth hoping that ere it beelong hee wil refreshe and coole himselfe and slake his thirst and bee more strong euen so he that truely hath the feare of the Lorde knoweth hee is neere vnto the liuing water also that hee is compassed about therewith and hath it in himselfe for the spring of liuing waters which is God dwelleth in him who mainteineth him quickeneth and comforteth him in al his temptations labours and calamities Thy mercie O Lorde reacheth vnto the heauens and thy faythfulnesse vnto the cloudes Contrarily Ieremy saieth O Lorde the Psal 36. 5. Iere. 17. 13. hope of Israel al that forsake thee shal be confounded they that departe from thee shal be written in the earth because they haue forsaken the Lorde the fountaine of liuing waters Nowe as God is the fountaine or liuing vaine and that hee is the spring it is not by it to prouide for himselfe but for them which feare him for it is for them for whome hee careth What man is hee Psal 23. 12. Esay 66. 2. that feareth the Lorde him wil hee teache the way that hee shall choose And to him wil I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirite and trembleth at my woordes Likewise the faithful are partakers of this spring not to water themselues alone therewith but to the ende that they may powre out streames of riuers vnto their neighbours and to the ende that as God hath giuen them his feare for they haue it not of themselues Gather my people together and I wil cause them heare my woordes that they may learne to feare mee al the dayes that they shal liue vppon Deut. 4. 10. the
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
eternal vnto those which hate and abhorre couetousnesse If wee 2. Cor. 8. 7. 9. 6. Ephe. 4. 28. 1. Tim. 6. 17. Hebr. 13. 5. wil be partakers of this promise let vs folowe the admonition of Saint Paule and of the Apostle and let vs in no wise folowe the opinion of the carnal and worldly which say there is no better getting then giftes 28 The heart of the righteous studieth to answere but the wicked mans mouth babbleth euil things Solomon doeth not simply say The heart studieth to answere for it were then a general and vniuersal sentence the which for the corruption of our nature and the malice thereof can not bee true for there are blockishe mindes and light wittes which studie not but doe onely rashly thinke what they wil say so that it seemeth they speake at a venture without studie as they themselues doe wel confesse either for to excuse themselues or for to shewe that they care not what they say For sith it is so as the trueth vttereth that from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh it foloweth that man doeth not answere without studie albeeit that Mat. 12. 34. it is without meditation for studie is done with thought deliberation counsel and aduise Solomon knowing this woulde not absolutely say the heart studieth but hee saieth The heart of the iust doeth studie And so he doeth not attribute studie to the hart but to righteousnesse If then wee woulde rightly studie to answere and speake as wee ought let vs change our nature and that of wicked and vnrighteous wee may bee made good and righteous Then God wil accept vs for righteous giue vs grace to studie for to answere not vaine nor wicked thinges but shal set our affection and desire in his lawe and therein shal studie continually in such wise as our mouthes shal talke of wisedome and that wee may truely say that the lawe of the Lorde is our continual studie as also it is Psal 1. 2. 37. 30. 119. 97. Deut. 6. 6. 11. 18. commanded And these woordes which I commande thee this day shal bee in thy heart lay vp then these woordes in your heart and in your minde and binde them c. If wee bee thus giuen to studie wee shal haue an argument of probation that wee are righteous and wee shal delight to answere and pronounce righteous and holy things Wee wil not also take the name of the Lord GOD in vaine neither wil wee beare false witnesse against our neighbours To bee shorte there shal not come foorth of our mouthes any thing but pure holy and cleane according too Saint Paules counsel And in thus dooing wee shal put away from vs a wicked mouth c. Contrarily if wee make no account of studie wee shal haue an argument and proofe that we are nothing Ephe. 4. 29. 5. 3. Pro. 4. 24. woorth and as wee shal bee wicked euen so shal wee bee light and rashe to pronounce euil things as saieth Solomon But the wicked mans mouth babbleth euil things to wit against God and against their neighbours for they make no conscience of blasphemie against God nor to belye and to slaunder their neighbours or else to infect them with euil woordes the which is against the opinion of those which say that words do not stinke against whome Saint Paule standeth saying Bee not deceiued Euil 1. Cor. 15. 33. woordes corrupt good manners Now albeit that he doth attribute euil thinges vnto the mouth yet it is not to say that they doe not proceede from the heart from the abundance whereof the mouth speaketh but wicked things are attributed vnto the mouth as vnto the instrument which the heart vseth for to blowe or vtter out Euen so the wicked may bee wel called people without heart after the common phrase of speeche which is to say that a man hath no heart when he foloweth not his duetie Furthermore the wicked sorte doe not thinke how they shoulde dispose and order their hartes neither doe they thinke they haue any as wee may knowe it when they boast that they haue spoken something without studie and that they reioyce in their sayings outward doings Let them then which speake at aduenture vtter something nothing worth not bragge to bee honest men sith that Solomon doth attribute the spewing out of euil thinges vnto the wicked But let euery one of vs reforme his tongue in not vttering any thing abrode which shal not be first of al wel meditated by the woorde of God otherwise wee cannot say that there is any religion in vs. If any man thinke to bee religious or deuout amongest Ia. 1. 26. you and refraineth not his tongue his religion is in vaine If wee studie wel for to answere according to the meaning as we haue saide before whome soeuer it bee wee proceed as we ought and obserue that which our Lorde commaunded his Apostles to Mat. 10. 19. Luke 12. 11 21. 15. keepe For hee forbiddeth not studie but hee woulde not haue vs careful and to take thought fearing to want an answere before the great men of the world 29 The Lord is farre of from the wicked but hee heareth the prayer of the righteous The scripture witnesseth that God filleth heauen and earth Wherin we must vnderstande that GOD is present euery where 1. Kin. 8. 27. Psa 139. 7. 8 Esay 66. 1. Iere. 23. 24. and ouer all And yet Solomon saieth nowe that the Lorde is farre of from the wicked but it is not by distance of place but by consent and helpe For the Lorde agreeth not with the wicked but abhorreth both them their thoughts and their woorkes as wee haue seene heere before Hee doeth not helpe them but forsaketh and casteth them of And also when the faythful are in affliction and feele not the helpe of the Lorde present Esay 59. 1. 2. they complaine that the Lorde is farre from them and hath forgotten them Therefore let vs vnderstande that the Lorde is farre from the wicked because hee giueth them not helpe and it is because Psa 10. 1. 13. 2. 22. 2. Pro. 1. 25. Psa 119. 155 they nothing regarde his worde Health is farre from the vngodly because they seeke not thy statutes Wee may say also that the Lord is farre from the wicked because that they themselues runne farre from him and wil neither knowe him nor vnderstande his workes but say there is no God and that fortune ruleth all Wee may choose these three senses of the Antithesis that Solomon maketh heere when hee saith But hee heareth the praier of the righteous For sith that against to bee farre of from hee setteth in this verse to heare the praier and the Lorde in hearing consenteth vnto the righteous is their helpe and the righteous by their praier doe draw neere vnto God so much as they can crauing his presence and his helpe and wishing to
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
spirite of the Lord or was his counsellour or taught him Neuerthelesse forasmuch as God hath nothing more precious nor more that hee esteemeth then his name his glory and his honour and that he wil bee knowne serued and honoured for this cause hee hath had regarde to himselfe when hee created al thingss and woulde and wil stil bee glorified in them Solomon doth declare it vs now when he saith The Lorde hath made all things for his owne sake Hee speaketh rightly so for when hee purposed to create the heauens the earth and that which is conteined in them there is nothing which can moue him thervnto but himselfe The goodnesse and excellencie of things which hee purposed to doe coulde not stirre him vpp to doe it for there neither is nor can be in any creature any goodnesse or worthinesse that God of his onely grace and pure liberalitie hath not put in them for the which he ought not but to be praised glorified and thanked To the end then that we may not haue such witnesses against vs let vs loke to what end God hath created vs and let vs followe it and willingly glorifiyng our Creator trusting vpon his goodnesse and giuing ourselues to followe his will and that wee bee not like vnto the wicked which doe tende to nothing but to dishonour God and wil not serue him and yet hee hath created them for himselfe as Solomon doeth signifie when hee saith All things They must therefore serue him against their willes and to their hurte and destruction Solomon doeth shewe it when hee doeth more openly expresse that GOD hath created the wicked euen for himself For hee is not contented to say that God hath made the wicked but hee saith euen the wicked for the day of euill This is a very strange thing at the first sight to say that God hath made the wicked to be glorified in their destruction But the matter well considered wee shal see the goodnes and iustice of God shine therein When hee stopped the purposes of the wicked and doeth bereaue them of their enterprises they take in hande against his people any man that hath sounde iudgemēt wil not say but that it is good when for their obstinacie and hardnesse hee shal destroy them men shal knowe that hee is iust as hee hath doone vnto the people of Sodom and to Pharao Gen. 19. 24. and to the people of Egypt vnto Saule and vnto diuers other wicked men And if they dare spue out this blasphemie against God say that the faulte ought to bee imputed vnto him seeing hee maketh the wicked to this end that it is not possible to resist his ordinance will to this wee may answere first of al that Saint Iames saith Whē any man is tempted let him not say I am tēpted of God for God tēpteth no man Secōdly that which Paul saith But what Iam. 1. 3. art thou O man which disputest with God We must not be so presūptuous as to iudge of gods works which surmoūt our capacity Rom. 9. 20. but in humbling ourselues vnder iustice which is incomprehensible vnto vs let vs crie O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! how incomprehensible are his iudgements and his waies past finding out In this our crie let vs feare the iudgements Rom. 11. 33. of God as did Noe and let vs haue compassion vppon the wicked as had Abraham Behold howe we must be haue ourselues towardes the iudgements of God and not to examine them from Hebr. 11. 7 Gene. 18. 24. point to pointe for to iudge of them after our sense and reason for they are vnsearchable And if we can not rightly behold the Sunne which is but a creature by a more strong reason wee must vnderstande that it is vnpossible to see God in his Maiestie wherevnto neuertheles wee labour when we enquire of his iudgements more then that he doth open vnto vs by his worde 5 All that are proude of heart are in abhomination to the Lorde though hand ioyne in hande hee shal not be vnpunished It is not without cause that Dauid protesteth Lord my heart is not hautie neither are mine eyes loftie neither haue I walked Psal 131. 1 in great matters and hid from mee For hee desired to liue after the wil of the Lorde as hee doeth shewe by his desires and prayers that hee maketh let the wordes of my mouth and the meditation of mine heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lorde my strength and Psal 19. 14. my Redeemer O Lorde I beseeche thee accept the free offeringes of my mouth and teach mee thy iudgements Teache mee to doe thy Psal 119. 108. 143. 10. wil for thou art my God c. Nowe hee knewe that hee could not please God but in submitting himselfe vnto him in al reuerence feare and humilitie for as hee wel vnderstoode the proude doeth displease him and are abhominable vnto him The Lorde hath wel shewed it in the ouerthrowe of Sodome Beholde the sinne of Sodome thy sister was pride fulnesse of bread and idlenes c. He hath done the like in the destruction of the enemies of his people and the Eze. 16. 49 Scripture doeth witnesse it in diuers places Amongst other places we haue Solomon who saieth nowe Al that are proud of heart are in abhomination to the Lord. And sith there is none of vs how ignorant soeuer he be that would be abhorred of the Lord but do all from the highest to the lowest desire to please him wee must renounce pride which chiefly consisteth in the contempt of the word and in the boldnesse or rather ouerboldnesse that we haue to giue ourselues vnto wickednes with a set purpose euen when we know well that wee doe euil and that therein wee be assured or at leastwise labour to make ourselues so beleeue that wee haue no neede to feare but notwithstanding what resistaunce soeuer wee meete withal wee wil goe forewarde with our enterprises The worlde destroyed by the flood was stained with suche pride as wee may Gen. 6. 2. Pet. 2. 5. 6. 7. knowe it when by the space of sixe score yeares they regarded not to heare Noe the Embassadour of righteousnes Euen so were the Zodomites which oppressed iust Lot by their filthie conuersation The people of Israel likewise was blotted therewith as wee may see by the rebukes that Moses and the Prophetes haue often giuen Deut. 32. 5 Esai 28. 14 them And nowe when the same wickednesses doe reigne amongst those which brag of the name of Christendome they shewe wel that they are defiled with the same pride wherevppon wee must looke for an horrible destruction for God chaungeth not If in time past hee hath so reuenged himselfe vpon the proude declaring that hee abhorred them although hee seeme to dissemble or that he knoweth not at this time the pride of these wicked mockers and contemners
and certaine answere as if God had reuealed spake by their mouths euen so that kinges and gouernours of the earth shoulde bee so instructed in the lawe of the Lorde that according thereunto they shoulde consult purpose and counsel to doe iustice and iudgement and shoulde giue themselues to pronounce righteous and true sentences and to publish holie decrees ordinances in such wise that for the aduancement of the glorie and honour of God and for the profite and saluation of the people they shoulde be in so great estimation towards the children of God as were the Diuiners amongst the superstitious and idolaters Solomon doeth expounde himselfe when hee addeth His mouth shal not transgresse in iudgement For hee declareth that hee woulde haue the diuination suche that the Kinges shoulde neuer speake but thinges that are right and iust Wherein he sheweth not what are the great men of the earth but what they ought to be in their wordes and so consequently in their thoughtes and affections of their heartes from which the wordes doe come Wherein also hee giueth vs to vnderstande that they which can not diuine doe straye from equitie and consequently are not worthie to bee in authoritie and gouernment yet it is not to say that their subiectes should not giue them honour and obedience in whatsoeuer they offend not against God Rom. 13. 1. 5. 1. Pet. 2. 13. 1. Tim. 2. 1. And they must pray for their Superiours Likewise let this sentence serue vs to exhorte vs to leade so holy a life that wee may please the Lorde and that wee take good heede from prouoking him to anger by our wickednesses otherwise wee should be worthie that hee shoulde remooue and take away from vs suche Princes Gouernours as haue diuination as hee hath threatened his people of Israel and hath executed it when hee gaue them Kings Gouernors and Priestes vnder whom al thinges were corrupted and when he Esa 3. 2. made them subiect vnto idolatrous Kings 11 A true waight and ballaunce are of the Lorde all the waights of the bagge are his worke The Kinges Princes and Lordes of the earth doe ordeine waights and measures in their countries and according to their ordinances must the Merchants sel and buy their marchandizes without any deceit or guile And to the ende that the same may bee the better obserued the Magistrates Iudges and Superiours ought to be watchful that the waights and measures should be knowne of al men they ought also to be vigilant and take diligent heede to this that they which sel keepe not two kindes of waights two kindes of measures Moyses was as the Prince and Gouernour of the people and it is to him that God speaketh that hee shoulde cause it to bee obserued Yee shal haue a iust balance and iust waightes c. Thou shalt not haue in thy bagge twoo maner of waightes Leui. 19. 35. Deut. 25. 13 Nowe forasmuch as God hath commanded iust and true waights and that hee abhorreth the contrarie it foloweth wel that they which cause iust waightes to bee kept and also they which sel them doe the woorke of God for hee commaundeth nothing but that hee himselfe shoulde doe Solomon did so meane as hee sheweth when he saith A true waight and Ballance c. Hee sheweth also that the false sellers and they which suffer them doe falsifie the woorke of the Lorde God and so muche as in them lyeth doe make him a false God and so not onely they deceiue their neighbours but also they labour to make God guiltie of great enormities for suche sale is abhominable as the places before alledged do shewe it And Micheas Are not the treasures of wickednesse Mich. 6. 1. 11. yet in thy house Shall I purge awaye the false Ballaunce c. Suche sellers also woorke the woorke of the Deuil and doe serue him for GOD must needes be serued otherwise wee serue the Deuil Furthermore let vs note that Solomon doeth set vs downe heere one kinde of Ciuil ordinances for to shewe vs that al suche as repugne not the worde and are made for to mainteine good order in political gouernment are of God and not of men Finally wee are heere admonished that God loueth the diuision of goods of the world which are done without deceit for if al things were common wee shoulde not neede balances nor waightes 12 It is abhomination vnto kinges to commit wickednesâ— for the throne is established by iustice The holie Ghost hath bene verie careful and diligent to shewe vnto Kings Princes gouernors of the earth their lesson as wee may see by the Scripture Moreouer Prouide thou among al the Exo. 18. 21. Deut. 17. 18. Psa 2. 10. 58. 2. 82. 3. 2. Chro. 19. 6 people men of courage fearing God men dealing truely hating couetousnesse and appoint suche ouer them to bee rulers c. And when hee shall sit vpon the throne of his kingdome then shal hee write him this lawe repeated in a booke by the Priestes of the Leuites And now by Solomon hee instructeth them saying It is an abhomination vnto Kings to commit wickednes c. For Solomon doeth not pronounce that which the Lordes of the earth daily doe as experience doeth shewe it from al ages for the most parte they haue bin are giuen to great vngentlenes crueltie but he sheweth them what they must do for to be truely kings and strongly to stablish their kingdome for to reigne and to rule in peace not only of this world but in ioy and rest of conscience First of al hee woulde haue the Kings and Rulers of the earth to abhorre wickednesse that is forasmuche as they are Lieutenantes of the holie and pure God which hateth al wickednesse they ought to esteeme themselues abhominable and to be displeased with themselues if they bee turned backe from purenesse and holinesse and if they shoulde bee giuen to thinke say or doe any wicked thing so that they might say with Dauid I abhorre al the wayes of falsehood Againe And I hate al false wayes The Lorde would haue Ps 119. 104. 128. 163. Amos. 5. 15 vs doe so I hate falsehoode and abhorre it but thy lawe doe I loue that is to hate the euil and loue the good And because that men refuse to obey him hee vseth great threateninges and complaintes and against the Rulers of the worlde Nowe as the Kings Psal 2. 2. 82. 2. Esai 1. 22. 23. ought to abhorre to bee giuen vnto wickednesse euen so ought they to counte their subiectes which commit wickednesse and wil not cease but doe delight to passe their time therein and hate them which labour to withdrawe them from it and ought to shew forth indeede that they hate and abhorre them The which they shal doe if they ridde both their houses and countries of suche people in punishing and rooting them out as they deserue as God hath commaunded it The which
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
that suffereth not that they should bee without euil for by reason of their ingratitude and crueltie which they knowe to bee against nature their consciences doeth reprooue them and haue their mindes in continual feare and are terrified with the iudgement of God For albeit they labour by al meanes to take their pleasure and bee mery for to forget the euil they doe or perswade themselues to beleeue that they doe none yet seeing that they yeelde euil for good they resist against nature and fight against it they cannot auoid but that their wickednesse will appeare before them and conuince them in their conscience that they are wicked and therfore they are in a continual trembling and fearefulnes although they labour sore to assure themselues and to be glad For there is no peace to the wicked And so they beginne their hel euen here hoth they and their housholdes which folowe their steppes and wayes Now forasmuch as by our corrupted nature we are al inclined and geuen to yeeld euil for good we ought wel to feare this threatning seeing we desire that al should be wel and prosper in our houses and families both in our time and after our decease from generation to generation Let vs take heede that we folow not our corruption least wee he of the number of those against whom the Prophet Ieremie doth both pray and prophesie Therefore to be exempted from such euil Ier. 18. 19. wee must bee gouerned by the holie Ghost which may make vs to yeeld that duetie which wee owe vnto our neighbours 14 The beginning of strife is as one that openeth the waters therefore ere the contention be medled with leaue off It is a verie dangerous thing to breake howe litle soeuer it be a browe or bancke which keepeth in a riuer in his course least it shoulde spreade ouer the erable lande or meddowes or through townes or villages for so soone as ther is but neuer so litle a breach begonne if the riuer beginne once to grow and to swel the violence rage of the water wil easily enlarge the breach thē there is an inundation flood made which bringeth great temporal hurt whereas the ouerflowing happeneth Nowe if wee feare such an opening for the danger or hurt that foloweth wee must needes feare to begin a striefe and to stirre vp any debate amongst our neighhours of what qualitie or condition soeuer they bee but chiefly betweene kinges and Princes and lordes of the earth For looke by how much as the riuer is the greater by so much shal the breache of the banke bee more dangerous euen so also by howe much as men are of greater strength and power by so muche is the striefe more dangerous which is begunne to be raised betweene thē We ought then to feare to begin any strife for as by a breache and opening of the banke the waters breake in which bring great hurt to the goods on the land euen so also the beginning of a strife bringeth greate hurte both to the bodies and soules of men for hatreds spites and desires of vengeance are kindled 1. Ioh. 2. 3. 14. which kil the soules Also by the beginning of strife are raysed seditions insurrections frayes and cruel warres and much blood is spilt besides theftes and spoylings besides whoredomes and adulteries and besides other oppressions Solomon maketh this comparison when he saith The beginning of strife is as one that openeth the waters c. Not that al thinges are like and equal as hath beene alreadie shewed and also may be seene by experience but Solomō maketh this comparison for to shewe that it is verie harde to let and stop that many euils shoulde not folowe vpon the beginning of stryfe And therefore hee admonisheth that wee shoulde take heede from beginning of debate saying Therfore ere the contention c. Hee doeth heere teache vs that if wee see our neighbours to bee incouraged to make debate with vs let vs bee readie to seeke peace and reconciliation with them and let vs be so gentle gracious and patient that wee may leade our neighbours vnto quietnes and to desist and leaue off the euil that they deuise And for to doe this wel we must take heede from nourishing of hatred in our hearts for hatred stirreth vp strifes And so to leaue off wel before the Pro. 10. 12 contention bee medled with wee must bee enclined to brotherly loue 15 Hee that iustifieth the wicked and hee that condemneth the iust euen they both are abhomination to the Lorde Wee al doe naturally knowe that God loueth the righteous and keepeth thē contrarily that he hateth the wicked letteth them perishe yea doeth punishe and destroy them Wee know also naturally that we must be folowers of God hating euil and persecuting it to bee louers of goodnesse folowers of it and wee would be accounted to be thus affectioned and are readie to think and pronounce of others which doe the contrarie that they be no honest men Wee also iudge naturally that the righteous ought to be mainteined and conserued and the wicked reiected and cast off Nowe for to helpe this natural iudgement and for to make them which shal stande against it more vnexcusable God hath giuen vs his lawe by writing by the which hee commaundeth vs the good and forbiddeth vs the euil not onely giuing vnto vs the twoo tables of stone but also diuers other commaundementes and forbiddinges for the exposition of the saide tables as wee may see it in the Bookes of Moyses whose doctrine Solomon folowing sayeth He that iustifieth the wicked c. When hee speaketh thus hee hath regarde vnto that which is saide for to declare this same Exo. 23. 6. Leui. 19. 15. Deut. 1. 17 16. 19. Esai 5. 23. 59. 14. Ier. 21. 12. 223. Amos. 5. 6. wel the Lord hath added vnto his lawe the Prophets which haue often cried out vpon the wicked Iudges And forasmuch as in iustifying the wicked wee goe against the right and natural writing wee woorthily deserue to be abhorred of the Lorde which is authour not onely of the lawe written but also of natural knowledge for we haue no knowledge nor natural light but that which hee hath giuen vs. Against the which if wee stande wee are worse then bruit beastes which folowe their nature and in going against the lawe written we are like vnto seruantes and maides which despise that which they be ordeined and commaunded to doe about their maisters woorke and labour to marre al for to vexe and to despite them whom they shoulde please and obey Nowe if such seruantes and maydes are hated of vs if we haue any such it foloweth rightly that wee must be in abhomination to the Lord whome wee ought to obey and please if wee stande agaynst the Law that he hath giuen vs by writing Whervpon foloweth eternall death for none can obteine saluation except he please the Lorde God Wherefore the
also king Iosaphat constituted Iudges For this cause the kings Exo. 18. 14. 2. Chro. 19. 5 eies may bee taken also for them which helpe him to administer iustice This while it is not meete to say that it is lawful to referre himselfe to them wholy without taking heede there to himself for if he make no account to looke with his owne eies and his officers doe any vniustice the fault shal bee imputed to him It is meete meete therefore that superiours which appoint officers vnder them regarde neerely what men they bee that they appoint For the rest although euery one ought to helpe his neighbour and defend him so much as is possible from al oppression and violence yet is it not lawful for particular persons which are not in office to place themselues vpon the throne of iudgement for to chase away euil Solomon sheweth it wel when hee attributeth this same to kinges So doeth our Lorde Iesus Christe when hee reprehendeth the Apostle Peter for the cut eare Matth. 26. 52. 9 Who shall say I haue cleansed my hearte I am cleane from my sinne It is written that God created man to his owne image and likenesse whereto Ecclesiastes hauing regarde saith That GOD Gen. 1. 27. Eccle. 7. 30. hath made man iust and right but by vnthankefulnesse and misknowledge by arrogancy and rebellion he hath soone defaced and abolished this image and is fallen from his righteousnesse as is seene in Gen. 3. and Ecclesiastes signifieth it when in this place afore alleadged hee sayeth that men haue sought out many inuentions Now man by his fal is somuch corrupted and made seruant to sinne and death that all his posterity is infected therewith Insomuch that none is exempt from sinne but all are so hardly bound therto that they cannot free themselues And this is not in the outwarde partes onely that hee is suche a one but principally in the inwarde partes which soyle and corrupt the other members And therefore Solomon demandeth not who hath washed his handes or feete or who hath cleansed his body for the outwarde washinges or bodily purginges although ordeined in the lawe serued to no ende but rather were hurtful but that they were instruments to conduct the person to search his spirituall purgation in the blood of Iesus Christ and to knowe that he had neede to bee clensed inwardely but he asketh Who will say I haue purged my hearte I am cleane from my sinne Wherein weee ought to learne that the filth and infection which soileth and corrupteth the person is of the heart and that the prrincipal care that wee ought to haue of ourselues is that wee be pure and neate in our heartes and consciences which thing we cannot attaine to by faith and repentance Let vs beware of resembling the Scribes and Pharisees to whome Iesus Christ obiecteth their Mat. 23. 25. hypocrisie Neuerthelesse the principal meaning of Solomon when hee maketh such interrogation is to shew vs that man be hee neuer so iust and holy ought not nor cannot truely vaunt himselfe that hee is pure and cleane from sinne This hath been shewed by the figures and shadowes of the lawe when it behooued vs so oft to renewe the sacrifices oblations and washings and before Solomon Dauid wel shewed it when hee was so heedeful to aske stil pardon for his sinnes It behooueth vs also to learne so of 1. Kin. 8. 46. Eccle. 7. 21. Psa 19. 13 14. 25. 6. 7 11. 51. 3. 4. 5 Luk. 18. 1. Mat. 6. 12. Luk. 18. 9. 1. Ioh. 1. 8. 9. 10. Esai 64. 6. 8. Psa 143. 2. Rom 7. our Sauiour when hee wil that one pray without cease and hee teacheth vs to demaund pardon for our sinnes And when he sheweth by the similitude of the Pharisee the Scribe that man ought not to trust in himselfe It is meete we learne it also of Saint Iohn Knowe wee therefore that wee ought not to vaunt of our cleannesse but in al humilitie and mistrust of ourselues say with Esay We are al as filth and doung and al our righteousnes is as a spotted peece of cloth c. And therefore wee shoulde pray with the same Prophet Nowe goe too Lorde thou art our Father we are the claye and thou art hee which formest vs and we are al the workes of thy handes Lord be not so angrie against vs neither remember our iniquities any more And with Dauid Lorde enter not into iudgement with thy seruant c. And that wee perceiue clearelie as Saint Paule did that there is no goodnesse in vs. Thus dooing wee shal not proudly vaunt ourselues to haue purged our heartes but wee shal bee humbled and then GOD will exalt vs. 10 Twoo manner of weighies or twoo manner of measures both these are abhomination vnto the Lorde When Marchants which seeke to enrich themselues by the hurt of others vse wicked and vnlawful fetches which they cal subtitle to the end to disguise the commodie and set it foorth to make it appeare better then it is or of more measure and weight or selling it dearer to the simple then to the skilful they thinke not that God regardeth it much lesse that hee taketh ill the iniquitie which they commit in deceauing their neighbours selling them as deere as they can either with disceite or with lesse weight or measure then is lawful they perswade themselues that God hath other thinges to doe then to to settle themselfe to see if there be true dealing amongest merchantes or no for they thinke that it is but aduenture or fortune or suttletie or diligence which is the cause of making a man riche This while although in crauing their trade of fraude and trumperie of theft and robberie they acknowledge not God as they ought to doe neuertheles they are greatly to blame because they doe against their owne consciences For they woulde be loath to haue one vse them so and woulde soone condemne as wicked al suche as vse suche traffickes were it not that they were of the same trade and studie to get profite thereby But when God hath a care ouer hearbes and litle birdes yea ouer the heares of our Mat. 9. 26. 10. 29. heades which wee esteeme no great matter it is good to vnderstande that hee regardeth wel howe men vse vs and taketh it not in good parte if one beguile vs or pil and powle vs but hath in hate and abhomination them which vse fraude and disceite Solomon sheweth it saying Twoo manner of weights c. Heere wee see howe for the iniquitie of the disceitful things without sense dead which can do neither good nor harme are abhominable before God much more they which so abuse them Which thing Solomon also wil that we should vnderstande by this present sentence Also it is good reason that such disceiuers be abhorred of the Lord. For asmuch as in them lyeth they falsifie them for weights and measures are the woorke of
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
doe runne away from vs as doeth water yet shal wee not remoue For they that trust in the Lord are as mount Sion which cānot Psal 125. 1. be remoued but standeth fast for euer Contrarily if forsaking our God we put our trust in men we shal be frustrate and voide of our hope and shal be accursed Albeit then that God hath created set vs in this worlde for to serue one another yet for to haue a sure Iere. 17. 5. Psal 129. 1. helpe we should looke to the Lord as Dauid teacheth vs. 20 The graue and destruction can neuer be ful so the eyes of man can neuer be satisfied At the beginning man was created after the ymage of God after the which he was exempted from death and destruction into the Gene. 1. 27. 2. Pet. 2. 4. Iude. 6. which the Angels fel to wit those that sinned Now the Deuil seeing himself thus depriued of glorie and felicitie and to bee damned for euer did enuie the glory blessed estate wherin mā was placed therfore from the beginning he hath made his batteries that he might throw man headlōg into the same damnatiō Now man hath Gene. 3. not resisted the assaultes of the Deuil but hath easily yelded vnto him by his rebellion disobediēce hath put out this ymage introducing sinne into the world and by sinne death And as the Deuill Rom. 5. 12. Iohn 8. 44. 1. Peter 5. 8. Ephe. 6. 10. Mat. 12. 43. Iohn 8. 44. from the beginning hath beene a lyer and murtherer euen so doeth hee not cease to pursue his worke S. Paule doeth wel signifie the same And thus the Deuil is neuer filled nor satisfied with the damnation of mankinde as also Iesus Christ our Lorde doeth signifie it wel And forasmuch as by the continual enuie of the Deuill and by the sinne of man who hath consented to the Deuil al humaine creatures tende to death and goe to the graue and that in mans iudgement and outwarde experience the sepulcher or graue corrupteth and bringeth al the body which it receiueth to nothing and neuer refuseth any nor neuer yeeldeth any backe againe but consumeth them without any remedie as the worldlinges and carnall men esteeme and as it is seene before our eyes and by experience in al worldes for this cause that which is proper to the Diuel is attributed vnto the graue and is called destruction that neuer can bee ful For when Solomon hauing named the graue setteth afterwards destruction this is by Repetition or expositiō For it is as if he said the graue which consumeth and swalloweth what soeuer is giuen too it is neuer wearie of receiuing corrupting al that is brought vnto it Nowe that which Solomon pronounceth in this place is seene by experience to the eye and therfore Solomon tendeth not to teache vs the nature of the graue the which is knowne but rather he wil set before vs our miserie and partly shewe vs the fruites of our sinnes which are death and destruction For if there had beene no sinne we had had no neede of graue and without sinne there had bin no temporal nor eternal death but because of sinne Iohn 11. 25. 26 we must dye and be buried Notwithstanding if we dye in the feare of the Lord being assured that he is our resurrection our life the graue shal not be our destruction but as a rest wherein our bodies doe sleepe looking for the blessed resurrection and our death is a ready passage from death to life Contrarily to the vnfaythful the graue and temporal death are their entrance vnto eternal destruction For albeit that at the last they shal rise againe yet shal it not bee to liue but to be tormented in paines euerlasting the which is a very sharpe hard death which neuer shal haue end Solomon thē Dan. 12. 2. Ioha 5. 29. doth rebuke mē for their vnsatiablenes cōparing their greedy desires vnto the graue and destruction as he doth shewe when he addeth So the eyes of man can neuer be satisfied Wherin we haue to note that hee speaketh of the man that is left in his natural corruption who suffereth himselfe to be transported by his euil concupiscences and disordinate affections For they that are regenerate and made newe creatures by the holy Ghost are satisfied and craue nothing further but onely that the good wil of God should be done and fulfilled And for to conserue this satisfying wel they fight labouring for to destroy and kil the relikes of sin which are stil in their fleshe the which because of the same relikes lusteth against the spirite And so Solomon speaketh not of the eyes of the children of God but of the euil affections of the children of Adam which also Gal. 5. 17. are the children of the Deuil And as the Deuil is not filled nor satisfied to see to pursue the decaie and destruction of men euen so his children haue neuer satisfied enough their affections but doe daily growe as we prooue it by experience in many as in the ambitious couetous vsurers Solomon calleth such affections eyes and not without cause for whatsoeuer is set before mans eye hee stil desireth to see more Euen so wee can neuer satisfie our affectiōs and chiefly when they tende to ruine and destructions wherunto they which tende thither are like vnto their father the Deuil who is neuer satisfied with the destruction of men 21 As is the fining pot for siluer and the furnace for gold so is euerie man according to his dignitie Wee haue alreadie had this same sentence sauing that in place of So doeth the Lorde trye the heartes we haue heere So is euerie Pro. 17. 3. man according to his dignitie This is not to say that man of himselfe hath any dignitie or excellencie wherby he should deserue to be so handled or thus or to haue suche and suche reputation for al men of themselues are nothing worth they are nothing but earth and durt filthinesse and corruption and are filled with malice and wickednesse and so they deserue not to be esteemed nor praysed But as the gold is more precious then the siluer not of it owne selfe for it is a dead creature and serueth to no vse except because that we trimme and dresse it for to serue vnto profite S vnto delight euen so one man shal be more woorthie and more excellent then an other because that God by his fauour esteemeth him and dresseth him for to make him serue as he shal thinke good as Saint Paul saith For who separateth thee and what hast thou that thou 1. Cor. 4. 7. hast not receiued c. And daily the more that God esteemeth and setteth by an humane creature so much the more doth he examime and trie him the more narrowly exerciseth him by great assalts as our holie auntient fathers haue alwayes tried by experience and aboue al Iesus Christ our Lorde who of
Thus the slouthful and other wicked doe not keepe the path of wel speaking vnto the honour and praise of God but as they are vnprofitable and vaine so doe they giue their mouthes to take the name of God in vaine For beeing ydle they labour to take some recreations according vnto their desire the which are ful of vanitie Wherefore out of the abundance of their vaine hartes they speake vanitie in al dissolutenesse and abhomination in mingling the name of GOD in their iestes in blaspheming him in singing dishonest songes and speaking wantonly Also they hold not the way of well speaking of their neighbours but as they are frowarde and wicked euen so by their words they labour not but maliciously and wickedly to hurte and to hinder their neighbours by slandering by bearing false witnesse against them and in swearing to their losse This is more prooued then is needeful that the ydle and slouthful do gouerne themselues thus simplie euen in al estates c. 13 Hee maketh a signe c. Because that the frowarde and wicked man would not bee knowne nor counted such it is needful for him that hee often holde his peace for seeing that hee is euil he cannot continue speaking wel and so his malice shoulde bee too much seene against his wil and for this cause somewhat to hyde himselfe he disguiseth and vseth dissimulation and fainednesse hee conterfaiteth and turneth himselfe nowe on this sorte and then of another Solomon doth signifie the same by the signe of the eyes by the speaking of the feete and by the token of the fingers The froward the wicked do thus counterfaite themselues in diuers sorts byting in their woordes for albeeit they haue no desire but to speake wickedly yet doe they spare to speake because they woulde not bee knowen and yet notwithstanding cannot keepe in but that they giue some signification of their malice vnto their fellowes or els dissemble somewhat to deceiue those which they wil drawe vnto their wickednesse If they would in no wise bee knowne Solomon woulde not expresse their fictions and coulorings by signe woorde and token For they which doe signe speake and shew do not seeke to be vnderstood but the wicked giueth the watch word as it is sayde they haue their tokens and manners of dooinges whereby one of them may be knowen to another what is to bee done that they may catche and beguile them which are none of their companie or winne others to consent vnto them 14 Lewde things are in his harte c. Wee must not maruell though the frowarde and wicked haue such manners and customes for there cannot come any other thing out of the sacke then that which is within The frowarde as Solomon saieth are stuffed at the hart not with one malice alone but with diuers for lewde things are in their heartes and albeeit that no man seeketh to doo them hurte yet is their hearte so poysoned and embrued with lewde thinges that they can neuer cease from thinking and seeking meanes howe they may execute their displeasure for to hurte them which doe them no wrong Solomon doeth wel expresse it when hee saieth that hee ymagineth euil at all tymes Nowe the euil that they ymagine is to set al in troubles and confusion by dissention that they stirre vp through the frowardnesse of their mouthes by their dissimulations and by the lew denesse of their heartes Solomon doeth signifie the same saying That they rayse vp contentions But as they deuise the destruction of their neighbours euen so also sooner then they thinke of they shal bee destroyed without remedie as he saith 15 Therfore shal his c. Howe the wicked after alitle time of prosperitie at the last fal into destruction is in other places very Psa 7. 37. Pro. 1. 26. wel described 16 These sixe thinges doeth the Lord hate yea his soule abhorreth seuen 17 The hautie eyes a lying tongue and the hands that shed innocent blood 18 An heart that ymagineth wicked enterprises feete that be swift in running to mischiefe 19 A false witnes that speaketh lies him that rayseth vp contentions amongst brethren It is a thing that wee ought not to doute of that the thing which pleaseth not God cannot long endure Wherfore we must not wonder though the destruction of the froward and wicked shal sodenly fall without any helpe Hee pleaseth not God therefore hee doeth abhominable things Solomon hath something touched it before hee saide that hee shoulde bee destroied that hee shoulde bee sodenly strocken but for to shewe that it cannot otherwise bee done hee declareth vnto vs more amply what are the manners and customes of the frowarde and wicked and doeth affirme vnto vs that they are much displeasing vnto God And for to begin this declaration hee saieth There are sixe things that God abhorreth as if he had not expressed a number sufficient he correcteth himselfe saying that there are seuen and as if the hatred were not ynough for to shew that the frowarde and wicked deserueth wel to be destroied and that his liuing is not acceptable vnto God hee addeth that God abhorreth them And forasmuch as in God we liue Acts. 17. 28. and haue our beeing it is necessary that what hee hateth and abhorreth must come to decay verse 12. Nowe as heere before hee hath noted the frowarde and the wicked by his mouth eyes feete and handes or fingers and by his heart and by the contentions euen so nowe for to shewe that it is necessarie hee perish hee declareth that God hateth and detesteth these thinges not that God is ledde with troubled affections as men which are often ledde as their affections doe carrie them GOD neuer changeth but in all thinges hee woorketh according as hee hath determined from euerlasting and before the foundation of the worlde was laide Hee proceedeth not then by hatred and anger to destroy the wicked but because that they which he destroieth and ouerthroweth according as they haue deserued doe feele him as if hee hated them the Scripture doeth attribute hatred vnto him as the transgressor wil deeme of the iudge that sendeth him vnto the gallowes Also albeeit that God hath not a soule distinct from the rest of his substance and essence for there is nothing in him that can be parted nor diuided as the man which is compounded of a soule and a body the which may bee separated by temporall death yet the scripture doeth attribure a soule vnto him where with hee loueth the righteous and hateth and detesteth the wicked that the good may learne that the promises of life are not made vntoo them faynedly and coulorably and the wicked shoulde knowe that it is no play nor pastime when they are threatened with death and damnation c. 17 The hautie eyes c. The first thing of the seuen that the Lord hateth and abhorreth are the hautie eyes the which are proude the which not onely praise themselues so
they wel know they do euil and that there can none but euill fall vpon them and so they can not bee without al doubt and feare Saint Paule doeth shewe it All that haue sinned without the law shall perishe without lawe What ioy soeuer the vngodly haue yet doth the same not procede Rom. 2. 12. of quietnesse and rest that they haue in their consciences For the wicked are like the raging Sea which cannot rest Moses also saith Esay 57. 20. Deut. 26. 56. vnto the contemners of the Lawe The Lord shal giue thee a fearefull heart and daselingeyes and a sorowefull spirite c. But though the fooles and wicked doe tremble and feare the same doeth auaile them nothing for after they are tormented in their mindes they cannot deliuer themselues from the miseries and calamities but fall from one to another as saith Solomon that which the vngodly feareth shall come vppon him The builders of the towre of Babylon haue felt it The vnbeleeuing and rebellious children of Israel did feare to be destroyed if Gen. 11. 4 they went vp into the lande of promise also the destruction fell vpon them were destroyed fourtie yeeres in the wildernes Saul Num. 14. 1. feared himselfe and his house to be destroyed that Dauid should be king of Israel the very which happened To be short the vngodly desire to floorish and triumphe many yeeres together and at last doe feare destruction and damnation the which also hapeneth Psal 37. 9. and shal come vpon them Wherein wee may see that the world deceiueth them which beholde him and put their trust in him For this cause also Saint Paul doth admonish vs And this I say brethrē because the time is shorte heereafter that both they which haue 1. Cor. 7. 29. wiues be as though they had none and they that weepe as though they wept not and they that reioyce as though they reioyced not c. Againe Saint Iohn saith Loue not this worlde neither the thinges that are in this worlde If wee withdrawe and separate ourselues 1. Iohn 2. 15. from the worlde which is set vpon euill and againe that we giue ourselues to followe the feare of God desiring too doe iustly wee shall not be compassed with the feare of the wicked but what aduersitie and afflictions soeuer doe assault vs wee shall by faith ouercome them the Lorde helping vs. Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lorde deliuereth them out of all And againe Psal 34. 20 145. 18. The Lorde is nigh vnto al them that call vpon him in trueth c. And according to the saying of Solomon but the righteous shall haue their desire And because that these thinges are seldome seene vnto the corporall eies the worlde doeth laugh and mocke at this trust and hope as the wicked are reprooued therefore Whervpon the children of God haue great neede of pacience With Psal 14. 6. Heb. 10. 36. Mat. 7. 7. 1. Iohn 5. 14 these witnesses so faithful we haue the infallible trueth which saith Aske and it shal bee giuen you And this is the trust that wee haue to Godwarde that if wee aske any thing according to his will hee heareth vs. 25 As the storme passeth euen so shall the vngodly vanishe away but the righteous remaineth as a strong foundation A storme is an horrible and feareful thing as experience proueth and this is partly bicause that it commeth with a great noyse vnlooked for partly because also that in smal time it maketh destruction and bringeth great hurt euen vpon the soden Euē so the holy scripture willing to feare the vngodly by signifiyng vnto them soden destruction doth threaten them with a storme And the same shal come quickly as if it were a storme c. Solomon compareth the wicked which is strōg mighty vnto a tēpest for so much as he vtterly Pro 2. 27. Psal 83. 14. Esay 29. 5. can he sheweth himselfe horrible and feareful vnto the poore faithful and doeth destroy and kil them so much as in him lyeth Likewise the fury violence and vehemencie of the wicked are compared vnto the tempest and storme Dauid doth shewe it when hee prayeth Take heede vnto mee and heare me howe I mourne in my Psal 55. 2. 3. prayer and am vexed The enimie crieth so and the vngodly commeth on so fast for they are minded to doe some mischiefe so malitiously are they set against mee c. Againe I woulde make hast to 8. escape because of the stormie winde and tempest Woe shal bee to the multitude of much people which shal make a sounde like the Esay 17. 12. noyse of the Sea But although the vngodly bee so stormie and violent the faithful ought not to be afraid therof First of al because the fiercenesse of the wicked doeth not long continue The holy histories doe shew it and amongest others the violence of the Egyptians agaist the children of Israel and the furie and vehemencie of the Iewes against Iesus Christe The Psalme also doeth plainely declare it Yet a little while and the vngodly shal be cleane gone thou shalt looke after his place and he shal be away And according heerevnto Solomon saith heere that the wicked shal be like the storme Psal 37. 10. that passeth away or when it is past Solomon then doth not heere compare the wicked vnto the tempest for to make the faithful righteous and innocent afraide but rather to the ende that the faithful shoulde not feare the vngodly seeing their violence continueth not as Solomon doeth shewe by this comparison wherein his chiefe intent is to comfort the poore afflicted to the ende that they shoulde knowe that they shal not bee long vnder the raging tyrannie of the wicked Iust Lot hath prooued it by experience And Gen. 19. 24. Exo. 14. 13. Moyses sayth vnto the children of Israel Feare yee not stande still and behold how the Lord shal saue you this day c. And according vnto his worde they were soone deliuered and the Egyptians rooted out c. And when the children of Israel beganne to enter into the Lande of promise many Kinges and nations assaulted them with great fiercenesse but they continued not long for the Lorde fought for his people of Israel Absolom rebelled against his father Dauid with great furie and violēce but he was soone ouerthrown 2. Sam. 15 2. Kin. 18. 19. The fiercenesse of the Assyrians was also of smal continuance Secondly the crueltie and rage of the wicked howe long and forcible soeuer they bee ought not to feare the faithfull For as when a foundation laid with good stones being wel ioyned sodered together is stedfast and stable so that there is no storme so strong that can shake the same euen so the righteous man which putteth Esa 36. 37. his trust in the Lord being stayed vpon his power goodnes ought not to care for
Christ and his Apostles haue tried it by experience and also nowe we haue trial thereof in the scorners and contemners of the woorde of the Lorde when wee labour to sharpen and quicken them vp by wholesome doctrine by holy admonitions exhortations and declarations by reprehensions corrections and threatninges Such kind of men are like vnto swords which haue their edge so thicke and so blunt that it wil not cut doe what you can albeit that you take great paines to whet and sharpen it Now to the end that we may not be of the number of such indurates let vs be counselled to awake out of our sinnes when dayly we are laboured to be sharpened by the word of the Lord without any regarding whither we be strong mighty learned and wyse We must therfore be folowers of Dauid in that that hee patiently suffred Nathan to sharpen his face and of S. Peter which wept when Iesus Christ sharpened his face by his countenance and resisted not when S. Paule did also sharpen by his reprehension 18 Hee that keepeth the Fig tree shal eate the fruit thereof so hee that waiteth vpon his maister shal come to honour By the Fig tree we may vnderstand al things that are brought out of the earth and carie fruite And so Solomon doeth signifie that he which is careful of keeping the blessings that his lande bringeth foorth shal be sustained and nourished with them so that hee shal neuer want nor neuer shal be constrained to begge his bread nor neuer shal bee blamed for negligence nor for contempt of the good creatures that God hath giuen vnto him for his vse as are the slouthful the prodigal and light people which haue no consideration of not wasting the substance that God giueth them for to keepe it wel and for to distribute the same wel vnto their houshold and to the poore that neede and want Solomon doeth signifie this same when he saieth Hee that keepeth the Fig tree c. Neuerthelesse this is not onely to shewe vs of the foresaide care but to make comparison as he doeth shewe it when he addeth So he that keepeth his maister c. Wherein he warneth seruantes not to forsake their maisters promising vnto them that as the Fig tree bringeth foorth his fruite for his vse that keepeth good watche euen so the maister shal helpe al the necessities of his seruaunt that forsaketh him not but doeth keepe him at home with him and is careful to serue him And thus as he honoureth his maister keeping him and not forsaking him euen so his maister wil honour him not blaming nor casting him off but wil succour him in al his necessities Wee haue heere then diuers instructions The first is that wee should not contemne the earthly blessinges as vnprofitable but that we should keepe a good watche for to vse them as God hath ordeined So doing wee shal not be beggers but enriched by the blessing of God who wil giue vs the right and Mat. 6. 24. 25. profitable vse of the riches hee giueth vs into our handes Yet notwithstanding in keeping watche of our goods let vs take heed that Luk. 12. 15. 22. we be not careful of to morowe but rather let vs be careful of this to folowe the doctrine of Iesus Christ The seconde point That al 1. Tit. 6. ◠Hebr. 13. 5. ◠subiectes and inferiour persons al children and seruantes ought to helpe their Superiours to be readie at their commandement and diligently to doe their wil as it hath beene to fore shewed by the scriptures The third pointe That al they which are in authoritie Rom. 13. 1. Ephe. 6. 1. 1. Tim. 6. 1. Tit. 2. 9. 2. Pet. 2. 13 should keepe wel that they contemne not nor despise their subiects and inferiours which are not disobedient nor forsake them but do honour them doing their office and paying vnto them that which belongeth to them as they are warned to doe in the places before alledged The fourth If it is not lawful for subiects and inferiours to forsake their carnal maisters by a more strong reason must wee bee careful to keepe and hold fast our heauenly great maister and he wil not despise vs but giuing vnto vs abundātly al things in this world to vse in the ende hee wil honour vs glorifying vs in his heauenly kingdome for euer 19 As in water face answereth to face so the hart of man to man When a man looketh into a cleare spring of water he seeth his image euen as if he sawe himselfe in a glasse or little difference and so he seeth howe taul he is by the correspondancie or representation that is shewed in the water and as he remooueth and changeth place euen so doeth his representation and if he stande stil it standeth stil also so that it might seeme to them which are not accustomed to see suche a thing that the representation had moouing life vnderstanding the which is false neuerthelesse as we know for it is nothing but a dead shadowe and which soone vanisheth away Euen so when we apply our heartes and mindes to behold the natures customes maners of our neighbours we see our image and may iudge what we are for wee are like vnto ourselues and are the liuely images and the true representations one of an other in as much as we are al the children of Adam And so if we see any malice in our neighbours let vs not be pleased in ourselues flatter vs in praysing ourselues more then they for we haue the roote of al euil in vs as we shewe wel when God doeth slacke vs the bridle It may seeme at the first sight that Solomon doeth admonishe vs hereof when he saieth As in water c. But there is another sense and meaning which agreeth better according to the nature which is in the water and in the heart of man For as one water agreeth is like vnto another but yet it runneth hath no stedfastnesse to come and stande by the other euen so albeit that the hearts of men are one like to another and that they haue some likenesse togither and some knitting and coniunction yet is there no tenure and holde for as one man doeth easily separate himselfe from another and turneth away his minde not caring for his acquaintance alliance or confederacy To day a man wil shew himself wel minded towards his neighbour in lesse while then turning of a hande he wil be gone and shewe disdaine or wil declare to be his enemie And thus Solomon teacheth vs that we must not looke to men to trust in them no more then to the water which rometh and is not knowne where it becōmeth but the Lord is faythful and changeth not in whome we must trust and say with an assured heart with Dauid it is better to trust in the Lord then to trust in men c. Thus dooing though the heartes of Psa 118. 8. 9. men