wil not lay aside his iniquities or impieties not onely his sinnes shall prouoke God but euen his prayers and they shal not onely be reiected but be abhominable and matter of offending and incensing the Lord to wrath As therfore such a one did refuse to heare God speaking in his law so the Lord will in iustice refuse him speaking to him by prayer Therefore aboue all things be more ready to heare then to offer the sacrifice of fooles 10 Whosoeuer leadeth aside the vpright into an euill way shall him selfe fall into his owne pit but the iust shall possesse that which is good Seducers are herein threatned with the Lords iudgement They are fitlie resembled vnto theeues or robbers who lead true men out of the way oftentimes to spoile them of their goods For euen so the wicked are seduced and seduce others 2. Tim. 3. drawing them into daunger vnto the committing of sinne or vnto heresies But they shall fall into their owne snare as did the accusers of Daniell Act. 13. Elimas the sorcerer Saul Haman Achitophell In the meane time they who are vpright or sincerely and constantly serue the Lord shall not only escape the euils which seducers labour to bring them into but attaine and enioy riches honour glorie and saluation 11 A rich man seemeth wise in his owne eyes but the poore man who is prudent findeth him out Conceited arrogancie vsually accompanying aboundance of wealth is now reproued It is the custome not of godly rich men but of wealthie worldlings both to ascribe the getting of their goods to their owne wisedome and to like wonderfully well of their owne speeches actions and courses Wherfore not without cause doth Paul will Timothie to put thē in minde not to be high minded Now againe it is the manner of foolish poore people who measure all things by wealth to flatter them as the multitude did Herod crying out it is the voyce of God and not of man But the godly poore man who knoweth the word is indued with the spirit of discretion will so search and finde the rich man out that he will discerne if neede require declare him to be either an ignorant or wicked person Iohn 9. as may appeare in blind Bartimaeus his conference with the Pharisies Neuerthelesse as this ought to humble the rich that the poore go somtimes beyond them in spirituall gifts so ought it not to breed any malapertnesse in the poore who should alwayes be farre off from dealing saucilie with their betters 12 When the righteous triumph there is great glory but when the * In the wicked mens rising vp wicked are listed vp a man is sought for Tyrannie is spoken of in this sentence a vice most contrarie vnto the mild and righteous gouernement of the iust For their raigne bringeth forth glory as a most pretious fruite so that it causeth Religion to florish peace to abound plētie to be in euery place to conclude temporall and spirituall blessings to spread farre and neare What miracles were done in the wildernesse whilest Moses ruled What conquests had Ioshua What peace was vnder Salomon What zeale vnder Dauid On the contrary side wicked rulers make hauocke of Church and common wealth They seeke for the godly to slay them the rich to spoile them all to molest thē But of this point more hereafter in the exposition of the 28. verse of this Chapter as also in the interpretation of the second verse of the next Chapter 13 He which hideth his sinnes shal not prosper but he which confesseth and forsaketh them shall receiue mercie Hypocrites are threatned with a miserable iudgement He which hideth his sinnes either by denying that euill which he hath done or lessening it or else continuing in it shall not prosper but shal be left and remaine in grief of minde pouertie sicknesse or some other trouble as Dauid was vntill such time Psal 32. as he confessed his sinne against him selfe But he which confesseth his sinnes to the Lord as Iob did Iob. 31.33 and not onely acknowledgeth them in wordes but indeede and affection forsaketh them shall not onely be forgiuen but obtaine many graces and blessings as did the prodigall sonne It is not alwayes necessarie to publish secret sinnes to men which may but breed offence and infamie and dishonour to the Lord. Neuerthelesse somtimes this also is to be done both publickly and priuatly But both manifest and secret offences are alwayes to be acknowledged vnto the Lord and sinne is alwayes to be forsaken It is no maruaile if diuers many yeares together are not taken from the racke of the Lordes visitation seeing they will not confesse their iniquities to him as they ought See a like promise Iob. 8. chap. 4.5.6.7 vers 14 Blessed is the man who greatly feareth alwayes but he which hardneth his heart shall runne headlong into euill Securitie is a forerunner of Gods iudgements but the mā is happy which feareth alwayes Indeed whosoeuer is possessed or tormented with a seruile feare is most miserable But he which is indued with a son-like feare so that he dreadeth to sweare vainly to prophane the Saboth or to sinne against God he which worketh on his saluation with feare and trembling so that he stādeth in awe of the Lord not only in the Church but out of the same finally he which reuerenceth the Lord continually so that he feareth him not for an houre or day or month or by fits as some which haue an aguelike feare now and then vpon them but all the dayes of his life is most happy For such a one doth no euill the Lord heareth his prayers and maketh him at the last an inheritour of his kingdome The secure people of the world on the contrary side harden their hearts both by resisting the word and by not profiting by the Lordes workes and by not yeelding vnto the motions of his spirit They do therfore but treasure vp wrath against the day of wrath so fall at last into sinne into trouble into the iawes of death to conclude euen into hell For whē they say peace peace then sudde in destruction commeth on them 15 A vvicked ruler ouer the poore people is as a roaring Lyon and a rouing beare The rage of tyrants is here fitlie compared to the crueltie and rauening of beares Lyons 1. Sam. 17. which pray on the lambes and on the sheepe For as the Lyon frayeth the poore beasts with his roaring prayeth on thē with his teeth and as the beare searcheth thē out and teareth them with her pawes so vngodly superiours of all sortes threaten oppresse and slay such as can make no resistance They which are of the lowest degree are sometimes as fierce as beares or lions but rulers should be pastors not wolues and parentes not tyrants Not onely diuers Magistrates are tyrants but many housholders are beares and lions in their families But Christian maisters must remit their threatnings and lay
wil poure out my spirit vnto you I will make known my words vnto you From reprouing Wisedome commeth to exhorting In this verse she first calleth men to repentāce and secondly promiseth them great fauor vpon this condition that they will returne from their wicked wayes To turne at the correction of wisedome is to returne from vice to vertue or in one word to repēt By the powring out of the spirit of wisedome a plentiful bestowing of the graces of Gods spirit is meant Whereas Wisedome promiseth to make knowne her wordes it is all one as if she should haue said that she wold not only secretly or inwardly deriue or conuey the light or sugred motions of the spirit of God into mens hearts but also by the outward ministerie of the Gospell reueale the whole counsell of the Lord vnto them For as the prophet speaketh in the Psalme Psal 25.14 the secret of the Lord is with those that feare him and his couenant to be a witnes vnto thē 14 For asmuch as I call but ye refuse I stretch out my hand but none regardeth 25 But ye withdraw your selues from all my counsell and yeeld not vnto my correction 26 I will also laugh at your * or Calamitie destruction and mocke when your feare commeth 27 When your feare commeth like an horrible desolation and your destructiō approcheth as a whirlewind when * or Oppression and distresse affliction and anguish shall come vpon you Now Wisedome commeth from exhorting to vpbraiding of men and to threatning of them for their contempt of so great grace as she hath offred First she obiecteth vnto them their refusing to come at her call or becke How true this is may further appeare by that parable in the Gospell wherin is shewed that a great number of those who were bidden to the kingdome of God Mat. 22.2 c. desired to be held excused some pleading that they had bought a farme other that they had bought oxen other that they had maried wiues Secondly she obiecteth disobedience to the aduise and reproofes of the word as also to the chastisements of the Lord. For diuerse also there are who are content to heare the word but they are not amended or reformed by it How true this is may appeare in those cities of whom mention is made in the Gospell Luc. 10.13 c. wherin many miracles were wrought many good instructions taught but yet they brought not foorth the frutes of repentance The Lord hauing thus set the faults of men as it were in order before their eyes proceedeth to threaten them with grieuous punishments and iudgements I will also laugh at your destruction saith he and mocke when your feare commeth c. There is not in the Lord any such affection of laughing or mocking as is in man but when in the course of his prouidence he so worketh that he leaueth the wicked in their miseries or maketh them a mocking stocke to the world he is sayd in the Scripture to scorne or to haue them in derision See Psal 2.4 because he dealeth as a man which scorneth Now we know that if no man visit him who is in aduersitie the afflicted person taketh it heauily But if any shall reioyce at his trouble this is a double corsey to him O then when the Lord himselfe shal not only not visit but deride mē in the time of such calamities as like a tēpest or whirlwind spoyl thē throw them downe into euill must not this needes be vnto them a state almost as hard to be borne as hell it self 28 Then they shall call vnto me but I will not heare they shall seeke me early but they shal not finde me 29 Because they haue hated knowledge and not chosen the feare of the Lord 30 Nor yeelded vnto my counsell See an example Luc. 16. Zac. 7.13 a type Heb. 12.17 but despised all my correction Another iudgement is herein threatened against impenitent sinners to wit that God will not heare their prayers This is a sore punishment For whē the afflicted are forsaken by men this refuge they haue that they may pray to God wherein if they finde no comfort or helpe how wretched is their estate 31 Thus shall they eate the frute of their owne way and be filled with their owne wicked deuises 32 For ease slayeth the foolish and the * or Peace prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them 33 But he who harkneth to me shal dwel * or Securely safely and be quiet from feare of euill These verses containe the conclusion of Wisdoms oration Thus saith she shall they eate the frute of their owne way This is the golden haruest of the wicked that as they sow to the flesh so they shal reape of the flesh corruption And be filled with their owne wicked deuises This is also their cup or portion that they shall not only be punished but be made drunke as it were with the plagues of the Lord inflicted on them for their wicked deeds For ease slayeth the foolish security is the cause of the afflictions of the vngodly and the prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them the peace and plenty which sinners enioy is their bane For if they stood in awe of the Lord or were vnder the crosse they would walke in obedience of Gods commaundements or forsake their sinnes But because they haue the world at will and suffer no aduersitie at all they are proud and full of all sorts of iniquities which cry for the vēgeance of the Lord against them Thus they are setled on their dregs as was Moab and fatted as oxen or swine against the day of slaughter .. But he who harkeneth vnto me shall dwell securely and be quiet from feare of euill On the contray side that person which obeyeth my precepts or putteth my counsels in practise shall not onely be safe but free from the dread of euill which oftentimes is greater then the euill it self See the roote of this promise Leuit. 26.3.4 For indeed the godly not being guiltie to them selues of grieuous crimes or being assured of the remission of all their sins through Iesus Christ haue peace with God Rom. 5.1 and a wonderfull courage within them selues Hence it is that the faithful man is not afrayd either of the terrour in the night or of the arrowe which flyeth by day Psal 91. of the plague which dwelleth in the darkenesse or of the Pestilence which destroyeth at noone day Sometimes in deede such feares may seaze on the godly or like fittes of an ague shake them as may trouble their spirits but these befall thē as chastisements for their sinnes are at the last driuen away by the grace and spirit of the Lord. On the contrary side the vngodly man flieth at the very shaking of a leafe when none pursueth him and hath a spirit of terror and trembling which euen dwelleth within him and continueth with him vntill his liues end THE II.
money mainteineth his right being sicke by money getteth all sortes of remedies finally being in want obtaineth all outward things in a manner by money or money worth On the contrary side pouerty is a sore estate which as we vse to say causeth the old wife to trot but this singular cōmoditie it hath that because the poore man hath nothing to giue or pay no quareller sueth him no thiefe setteth on him no magistrate seazeth on his house 9 The light of the iust shal reioyce but the candle of the wicked shall be put out The prosperitie of the righteous is here compared to the light of the day or to the sunne which reioycing to runne his course continueth firme frō time to time in the skie In like maner then the welfare of the godly shall increase remaine constant The glory of the vngodly on the contrarie side is fitly resembled vnto a candle For euen as a lampe or candle burneth but a while and quickly consumeth so all the pompe and flourishing of the wicked shall suddenly decay and vanish in a moment For this cause it is sayd in a certaine Psalme that light is planted vnto the iust man This maketh Bildab to affirme of the wicked man on the contrarie side Psal 97.11 Iob. 18.6 that the sparke of his fire doth not shine and his candle is put out in his tent 10 Through meere pride a man maketh cōtention but wisedome is with the well aduised The cause or fountaine of strife of peace is here opened and declared Through meere pride a man maketh contention The conceipt of a mans owne excellencie breeding in him contempt of all good counsell maketh his affections fierce and stirreth him yea emboldeneth him to prouoke his neighbors vnto wrath or to contend with them whatsoeuer commeth of it But with the well aduised is wisedome As for those who follow the aduise of Gods word or spirit they are indued with that wisedome which is peaceable whereby they auoyd all occasions of strife yea sometimes they pacifie wrath when it is kindled 11 Substance gotten by vanitie shall be diminished but he which gathereth with the hand shall increase it Goods ill gotten wil quickly consume but he who plyeth his calling faithfully shall thriue He is sayd to gather with the hand who getteth any thing in a lawful calling with a good conscience whether he labour with his bodie or his mind 12 The hope which is differred maketh the heart sicke but a desire which cometh is a tree of life This verse sheweth the danger or hurt of delay the comfort of present good things By hope the thing hoped for is meant whether it be some comforatble newes or some acceptable person Euen as meate long kept from the hungry stomach maketh the body weake so the thing longed for prolonged causeth a feeble soule See an example in Iacob Gen. 45 26. For the minde wanting the thing expected grieueth because it doth not presently enioy it and feareth that it shall neuer haue it On the contrarie side a desire which commeth or is present is a tree of life The sight or receiuing of the good thing which hath bene earnestly wished for healeth the maladie of the heart and reuiueth the spirits 13 He which despiseth the word shall be destroyed but he which reuerenceth the law shall haue peace Contempt of the word of God is threatned in this verse and a reward is promised to obedience So were the Israelites so were Corasin Bethsaida and Capernaum He which despiseth the word shall be destroyed That person who cōtemptuously reiecteth the commandement of God or will by no meanes be subiect thereunto shall be plagued at the last with some fearefull and grieuous punishment But he which reuerenceth or feareth the law So did Iasiah shall haue peace Whosoeuer trembleth at Gods word and putteth it into practise shall enioy prosperitie For as the Psalmist saith See Psal 117. Esa 66.2 there is great peace to those who loue Gods law 14 The doctrine of a wise man is a welspring of life to depart from the snares of death The meaning of this sentence is that the word of God wisely applied is profitable first as a spring of water to enrich the receiuers thereof with manifold good things secondly as a faithfull guide to preserue them from sundrie euils as from sin and death 15 Grace giueth good successe but the way of transgressors is rough Obediēce to the word of God meant here by grace causeth men to prosper the Lord being with them so long as they serue him But the way of transgressors is rough The life of sinners is full of troubles and miseries by reason of their sinnes and like away which is rugged or full of thornes 16 Euerie wise man dealeth with knowledge but a foole layeth his folly open Wisedome is now commended and folly condemned Euery wise man dealeth with knowledge Euerie one who is prudent doth his affaires exactly not onely setting downe the meanes of attaining his enterprises or the order of his matters according whereunto he will then proceed but forecasting the issues and preuenting the hinderances of his attempts But a foole layeth open his folly On the contrarie side he who is vnskilfull or vndiscreet goeth rashly and rawly about all things and by his rude and vnperfect works bewrayeth and layeth open his owne ignorance and vanitie 17 A wicked messenger falleth into euil but a faithfull embassadour healeth Trustie and vnfaithfull dealing in messages is now spoken of A wicked messenger falleth into euill He who doth his arrant slouthfully or guilefully not onely much grieueth other but hurteth him selfe drawing by this means on him selfe both his maisters displeasure and Gods iudgement On the contrarie side a faithfull embassour healeth A trustie messenger freeing his maisters mind from doubts feares and griefes so healeth the maladie thereof as a Phisition cureth the diseases of the bodie For which cause as the leech of the bodie vseth to haue his fee so this embassadour or Phisition of the soule shall haue the good will of men and the blessing of God for his recompence as it were 18 Pouertie and shame shall befall him who withdraweth him selfe from instruction but he which regardeth correction shal be honored The spirit of God herein intreateth of chastisements Pouertie and shame c. Iob. 5.17 Iam. 1.12 He that will not obey good counsell lightly euen in this world commeth to beggerie and infamie For the Lord will despise those who despise him But he which regardeth correction shall be honored He which yeeldeth to wholsome aduise and profiteth by chastisements is made partaker of many good things and namely of credit and dignitie For those who honor God he also will honor 19 The desire present is pleasant to the soule but it is an abhomination to fooles to depart frō euill Herein is shewed how glad men are when they enioy their pleasures how loth they are to
of Israel not onely to set foorth the riches of Gods mercie toward him who as if it were too litle to fill Salomons heart with wisedome did moreouer set the crowne of dignitie on his head but to assure vs that euen he was the author of the sentences of this booke of whom it is said in the sacred story 1. Kings 432. that he spake three thousand Prouerbes as also to moue vs highly to esteeme of these princely sayings which proceded from a Prince of high degree and of most excellent glorie 2 To know wisedome and instruction and to vnderstand * Or speeches the words of prudence In this second verse two endes or vses of the Prouerbes cōtained in this booke are pointed vnto The former end is the knowing of wisedome and instruction that is to say the attaining of two most excellent vertues the later is the vnderstanding of the words of Prudence that is to say the perceiuing or receiuing of most notable and profitable speeches and sayings Wisedome is an effectuall knowledge of spirituall things which are to be beleeued or to be done Instruction is a practising of those duties which the Lord requireth at our hands whereby we rightly vse our wisedome or knowledge The words of prudence or the sayings of skilfulnesse are those speeches or doctrines whereby a man may be made prudent to get and to keepe instruction and wisedome 3 To receiue the instruction of vnderstanding of iustice of iudgement and of all * or Righteousnesse equitie Sundry particular points or parcels as it were of that instruction which hath bene mentioned in the verse going before are now in this specified and rehearsed The instruction of vnderstanding according to the Hebrue phrase may here verie well be put for the instruction which giueth vnderstanding to wit of these three points iustice iudgement and all equitie Iustice is that vertue whereby euery ones due is giuen vnto him Iudgement is that vertue whereby the streight rule of Gods lawe is so put into practise as that nothing is done but that which hath some ordinance of the Lord for a warrant neither any thing in any actiō otherwise performed then as the statute in the word of God prescribeth or enioyneth Equitie is the vertue whereby whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer comely whatsoeuer iust whatsoeuer holy Philip. 48. whatsoeuer acceptable whatsoeuer of good report of aine praise or of any vertue are thought on practised or followed after 4 To giue vnto the simple * or Warinesse sharpnesse of wit and to the child knowledge and * or Wittinesse discretion That wisedome which was spoken of in the second verse is now in this diuided into certaine branches as namely into sharpnesse of wit knowledge and discretion As the Prophet Dauid affirmeth in the nineteenth Psalme that the testimony of the Lord which is true giueth wisdome to the simple so in this place it is sayd of the Prouerbes of this booke that they giue vnto the simple sharpnesse of wit or warinesse By the simple here they are vnderstood who are slow of vnderstanding heedlesse in their dealings rude or vnlearned By sharpnesse of wit or warinesse not only a quicke conceipt or a good capacitie but a forecast in foreseeing of dangers preuenting of harms is meant Moreouer as the same Prophet Dauid in the hundreth and nineteenth Psalme affirmeth Psal 119.99 that by the precepts of the word of God he became more learned then his teachers and more prudent then his elders so in the later part of this sentence the Prouerbes of this booke are sayd to be profitable to giue vnto the child knowledge and discretion By the child in this place that childish person is noted out who wanteth experience or stayednesse or who like to children is caried about as the Apostle speaketh with euery blast of doctrine Ephes 4.14 By knowledge an vnderstanding of truth and error or of the mysteries of the word is signified By discretion a ripenesse of wit ioyned with a soundnesse of iudgement and stayednesse in affection is insinuated 5 A wise man shall heare and increase in learning and a man of vnderstanding shall attaine vnto wise counsels 6 To * or To vnderstand teach a parable and an eloquent speech the words of the wise and their darke sayings This reading of this sentence the words do beare the matter seemeth to require 7 The feare of God which is the beginning of knowledge of wisedome and of instruction fooles despise The words of prudence mentioned before in the second verse of this chapter are in these sentences so distributed into their seuerall sorts and kindes as that withall is declared that the godly wise attaine vnto these speeches of prudence but as for the wicked who are fooles indeed whatsoeuer worldly pollicie they haue or account they carrie among such as are like them selues that they despise the reuerence of the Lord which is the fountaine of that knowledge wisedome and instruction which before haue bene spoken of A wise man shall heare and increase in learning Such a one as alreadie in part knoweth spirituall or holy things shall by hearing these parables see into diuine mysteries more cleerly and fully then euer he did And a man of vnderstanding shall attaine vnto wise counsels Moreouer he that is a profound clearke or a singular learned man shall by these instructions be furnished with such skill and cunning that he shall be mightie in words and deeds For as concerning the speeches of prudence mentioned before in the second verse he shall be able either to vnderstand him selfe or to vtter to other That these foure words are to be distinguished may appeare not onely by the signification of thē in the Hebrewe toung but by the vse therof in the scripture as Habacuk 2.6 Eccles 12.13 See the roote of this sentence Iob 28.29 That the feare of God is the beginning of wisedome is also taught Psal 111.10 That instructiō commeth by it is also affirmed in the 15. of this booke verse 33. Examples of the feare of God wee haue in Noah Ioseph the midwiues in Egypt and Cornelius first a parable or a common prouerbe secondly an eloquent speech or a fine description of a matter thirdly the words of the wise or choise termes full of Art or euidence of the spirit last of all their darke sayings or hard and obscure riddles which shadowe or couer some secret meaning Thus then as well the learned as the vnlearned shall be greatly instructed helped by these diuine Prouerbes both in deeds and in words inasmuch as hereby they shall attaine not only to wisedome or instruction but to the speeches of prudence or of vnderstanding But on the contrary side the wicked neither will seeke after neither can be made partakers of these vertues or graces neither shall reape any profit by these instructions or any other like vnto them For as is added in the seuenth verse the
way not be ruled or brought into the right path againe so these wicked wretches will by no meanes be reclaimed but rush on into all mischiefe and proceed forward in all leudnesse See how dangero usrockes wicked seducers are in the Epistle of Iude. Nowe then to be preserued or deliuered from naughtie men or from such daungerous rockes is a singular mercie of God and a precious frute of grace or of heauenly wisedome which the vngodly wanting fall into the hands of seducers that as they haue not had a loue of the truth so they may beleeue lyes 2. Thess 2.10 2. Tim. 3.6 and that as they haue polluted thē selues with sinnes so they may be led away captiue by sinners By such seducers or tempters the verie elect are somtimes led aside for the time but the Lord deliuereth them in the end out of temptation 2. Pet. 2.9 Apostle Peter plainly teacheth 16 To deliuer thee from the strange womā from the stranger who flattereth with her lips 17 Who for saketh the guide of her youth and forgetteth the couenant of her God 18 For her house tendeth to death and her pathes toward those who are voyd of life 19 VVhosoeuer goe vnto her returne not backe neither come vnto the wayes of life The naughtie woman a second most perillous euill is herein on the other side most liuely painted out in her colours She is called a strange woman in regard of her condition and disposition in as much as she seeketh to be familiar with many though in right she appertaineth to some one husband One of her properties is to flatter with her lips or to make her speeches very smooth For she entiseth young men to adulterie by wanton words and plausible perswasions telling them what affection she beareth toward thē what delite they shall haue that her husband is abrode and so foorth Another of her qualities is to forsake the guide of her youth and to forget the couenant of her God This misdemenour of hers argueth her impietie and impudencie For what greater shamelesnesse can there be in a woman then to cast away the vale of her eyes yea to reiect that her husband whō first she chose and was linked vnto euen in her tender yeares Again what greater vngodlines is there thē to breake that solemne promise which was made at the times of affiance and mariage both before God and his Angels and his people It is a great fault to breake promise in a small matter how much more in the greatest contract or bargaine that may be It is a speciall fauor of God to be kept from this adulteresse or harlor For as is afterward testified in this booke the mouth of a strange woman is a deepe pit he with whō the Lord is angrie shall fal therinto Yea as is affirmed in the eighteenth and nineteenth verses her very house is infectious and deadly For her house tendeth to death and her pathes toward those who are voyd of life The place where she keepeth is perillous yea the very way that leadeth therto is daungerous for which cause thou art not to come neare her habitation in any case Whosoeuer go vnto her return not backe neither come vnto the wayes of life Whosoeuer meddle with her are caught in her snares which she layeth not in vaine Herof this our Salomon had experience which maketh him as it may seeme both so often in this booke to warne men to take heede of the harlot and in Ecclesiastes to say Eccles 8.28 that he hath found that woman to be more bitter then death whose heart is as nets and snares whose hands as bands he saith he that is good before God shall be deliuered from her but the sinner shall be taken by her Now furthermore howe true it is that they who haue the feare of the Lord before their eyes are safely garded by aduisement and preserued by vnderstanding frō the straunge woman may appeare in the example of Ioseph who by this meanes was kept from yeelding to his mistresse 20 To the ende that thou mayest walke in the way of good men and keepe the pathes of the iust The ende why wisedome deliuereth the faithfull out of dangers is here shewed to be that they may serue the Lord in holinesse and righteousnesse all the days of their life following the example of the godly by whom they may be directed and made the better 21 For they that are vpright shall dwell on the earth the righteous shall remaine therin 22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth and the transgressors shall be pluckt out of it See the roote of these sentences in the 11. Deut. 8. and Psal 37.2 In this conclusion of the chapter the wise father pricketh forward his sonne by most forcible reasons to walke in the way of good men spoken of in the verse immediatly going before There is saith he great cause why thou shouldest shunne the wayes of the wicked and keepe the paths of the iust For first the wicked shall be cut off from the earth they that are of corrupt conuersation shal by some particular iudgement in this life or by Gods vengeance hereafter be taken away euen as the grasse is mowen downe and the transgressors shall be pluckt out of it such as breake Gods lawes shall together with their vngodly posteritie be quite rooted out as frutelesse plantes or naughtie trees On the contrary side the vpright shall dwell on the earth and the righteous shall remaine therein the elect and iust shall remaine for euer heires in Christ of heauen and earth THE III. CHAPTER 1 My sonne forget not my doctrine but let thine heart keepe my precepts 2 For they shall heape vpon thee length of dayes and yeares of life and peace IN this third chapter Salomon exhorteth and instructeth his sonne the third time In the entraunce thereof he prepareth him by a generall preface to receiue the speciall commandements following In the first verse he warneth him to looke to two points the one that he forget not his doctrine the other that he keepe his precepts They are sayd in the Scripture to forget the word who either let good lessons slip out of their memories as the Disciples of our Sauiour oftē did his sayings or put not the truth into practise as that naturall man of whom Iames speaking saith that he looketh his face in a glasse James 1.23 and immediatly forgetteth of what fashion it is Now on the other side they are sayd to keepe the word in their hearts who lay vp wholesome instructions in their remembrance practise it in their liues being like herein to the thrifrie housholder who treasureth vp his goods or to the good ground Luke 8.15 which keeping the corne in time conueniēt bringeth foorth frute Great rewards are promised in the second verse vnto those who obey good admonitions First of all a promise is made vnto them of long life the root
wherof is to be found in the fourth commandement of the morall law Secondly a promise is made also of peace that is to say of prosperitie euen in these outward things for godlinesse hath the promises both of this life the life to come But here may some say how are these promises performed seeing oftentimes the wicked liue as long or longer then the godly and enioy outward blessings more then they To answer briefly vnto this doubt first the promises of God touching outward blessings are not absolute or simple but conditional Secondly the obedience of the godly is not full but in part and therefore no maruell it is if in part onely they are made partakers of outward blessings Last of all the Lord giuing his children in heauen eternitie and glorie performeth a great deale more then here he doth promise 3 Let not * or Goodnesse or bountie mercie and truth forsake thee bind them about thy necke write them vpon the table of thine heart 4 And thou shalt find fauor and good successe before the eyes of God and man In these verses two points or precepts are summarily propounded which throughout the whole chapter afterward are seuerally handled To be briefe herein two vertues are commended and two rewards promised vnto the practise of them The former vertue is mercie whereby all sorts of duties seruing to the benefiting of mē are to be vnderstood as almes visiting of the fatherlesse and widowes and such like The later is truth vnder which gift faith vnfained sinceritie in all actions is comprehended For indeed the end of the law as Paule speaketh to Timothie is loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience 1. Tim. 1.5 and faith vnfayned And behold saith Dauid in the Psalme vnto the Lord Behold thou art delighted with truth Psal 51.8 and in secret hast made wisedome knowne vnto me Now euen as signes frontlets which are bound about the face or neck are alwayes present so both these vertues must alwayes be meditated on and practised Again as notes or letters written in paper or grauen in mettall continue so these graces must continually be thought on and firmely written not in paper or in stone but in the fleshly tables of our hearts The self same thing is here signified which is set downe in Deuteronomie where it is sayd lay vp these my words in your hearts and minds and bind them for a signe on your hands Deut. 11.8 place them betweene your eyes A like phrase is vsed by the Apostle Paule to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 3. Heb. 8. and by the author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes The rewards promised to the forenamed vertues being also two the former of them is fauour whereby is meant the well liking of the Lord before whose eyes the hidden man of the heart in the incorruptiblenesse of a gentle meeke spirit is much worth and most amiable The later reward is good successe that is prosperitie and acceptation among men who are wont to loue and recompence such as do them good This promise then is all one in a manner with that which the Apostle Paule setteth downe in the Epistle to the Romanes where speaking of righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.18 he saith that he which in these things serueth Christ pleaseth God and is acceptable to men 5 Trust in the Lord with thy whole hart but leane not vnto thine owne vnderstanding 6 In all thy wayes acknowledge him and he will direct thy pathes The first particular dutie which we are exhorted to performe to the Lord is herein set downe Trust in the Lord with thy whole heart doubt not of Gods fauour in Christ or of the truth of anie of his promises but leane not vnto thine owne vnderstanding on the contrarie side thinke not by thine owne pollicie to auoyd euils or to attaine vnto good things For in deed so long as we put any confidence in our owne gifts we can neuer truly or surely relye on God alone or looke for helpe from him onely Yea that which is more the wisedome of the flesh is enmitie to God and the naturall vnderstanding of man is not able to comprehend spirituall mysteries but disputeth against the plaine truth of Gods word or promises In all thy wayes acknowledge him In all the actions of thy life set the Lord onely before thee aske counsell what is best to be done at his word calvpon him by prayer giue him thankes and referre all things to his glorie And he will direct thy pathes The Lord will blesse thy counsel and enterprises For it can not be but that we must needes find God an approuer and defender of those actions and courses which we attempt and go about in his name and feare hauing him for our author and captaine 7 Be not wise in thine owne eyes feare God and depart from euill 8 So health shall be vnto thy nauell and moisture vnto thy bones In these verses we haue the second dutie of pietie commended vnto vs. Be not wise in thine owne eyes folow not thy corrupt reason neither in matters of religiō nor in the ordering of thy life and conuersation but follow the line of Gods word in all things For indeed conceipt and selfe loue causeth men to erre most grossely and to thinke they do very well when they do very ill as also to be secure in their sinnes yea to defend them selues in their most wicked deedes as may appeare in Saules offting of sacrifice and sparing of Agag Feare God and depart from euill 1. Sam. 13.9 Item 15.13 Be not so bold as to worship God after thine owne conceipt but follow the direction of his word reuerence his maiestie who will grieuously plague thee if thou continuest obstinately in thy wil-worship or euill course of life Wherfore if thou hast bene ouertaken with any sinne forsake it because thou canst not please God nor do good before thou hast departed from that which is euill So health shall be vnto thy nauell and moysture vnto thy bones When thou confessest and forsakest thine iniquitie then if thou art visited with sicknesse or any aduersitie thou shalt be restored to health enioy the welfare both of bodie and soule The Prophet Dauid felt the experience hereof in his own person for all the while that he kept close his sinne Psal 32.2.3 4.5 c. his humors were turned into the drought of summer but when he made it knowne or confessed it then the Lord tooke away the punishment of his iniquitie so that on the contrary side there was health to his nauell and moisture to his bones 9 Honor God with thy substance and with the first frutes of thy whole increase 10 So shall thy barnes be filled with plentifulnesse and thy wine presses breake in sunder with new wine These verses containe a precept wherin the third dutie of godlinesse is prescribed Honour God with
thy substance by outward signes of thankefulnesse as by paying of tithes and by bestowing thy goods on holy vses declare and expresse that reuerence and account which thou hast the Lord in Albeit where abilitie is wholy wanting the Lord is content with the inward thankfulnesse of the mind alone yet he wold haue those who are rich or of abilitie to declare the gratitude of their hearts by outward testimonies and frutes of obedience The ninth verse is nothing else in summe but a repetition or exposition of that statute of the Lord in Exodus concerning the paying of first frutes and such like oblations to him For in the foure and thirtith chapter of that booke and the sixe and twentith verse Moses saith to the people of Israell from the Lord bring all the first frutes the first frutes of thy land into the house of Iehouah thy God Now albeit we are not at this time tyed as the Israelites in olde time were to bring our corne and wine into the Tēple to be offred or beasts to be sacrificed or the first borne to be redeemed with a summe of money yet we ought to honor the Lord by bestowing our goods on holy vses as on the maintenance of the ministerie and the reliefe of the poore For this cause Paul saith to the Galathians Gal. 6.6 let him which is instructed in the word minister to him who instructeth him in all things Be not deceiued God is not mocked Now wheras here we are exhorted not onely to honor God with our substance but with the first frutes or as the word also importeth the chiefe of our increase this sheweth that it is not inough for vs when God hath giuen vs abundance to bestow onely a litle and that of the worst of our goods on good vses no but we must be verie franke and liberall sowing plentifully that also we may reape plentifully Truly if any be indued with zeale or faith indeed they will not be sparing or niggardly but very forward bountifull in those things which appertaine to the Lord. An example of the truth hereof we may haue in Abel for whereas Moses affirmeth Gen. 4.4 that Abel did offer a gift to the Lord of the first borne and fattest of his flocke the Apostle vnto the Hebrewes plainly teacheth that he by faith offered a greater sacrifice to the Lord then Cain Heb. 11.4 insinuating that because Abel beleeued in God he cared not what cost he bestowed on his worship The promise which in the tenth verse is made vnto those who honour the Lord with their goods importeth thus much that such shall not want in this world or the world to come but enioy store of all good things Worldly people commonly think that if they bestow much on good vses they shall go a begging and that whatsoeuer goeth that way is lost But here we are taught that by our liberality toward the maintenāce of Gods seruice we do not onely not loose but gaine much to our selues For rhis cause the prophet Malachie speaketh thus to the people of Israell bring your tithes into the treasure house that in mine house there may be foode and trie me now herein saith the Lord of hosts Mal. 3.10 whether I will not open to you the windows of heauen and bring forth a blessing without measure 11 My sonne despise not the chastisement of the Lord neither faint vnder his correction 12 For whom the Lord loueth he correcteth and he * v ce ab I turne scourgeth reading it rather ca ab as the Apostle did Heb. 12.6 as the same word is vsed Iob 5.17 where see thee roote of this instruction scourgeth euerie sonne whom he receiueth These sentences wherein a fourth dutie of piety is commended containe partly an exhortation vnto patience and partly a reason enforcing the same My sonne despise not the chastisement of the Lord make not light account of the Lords visitation either imputing it vnto chaunce or fortune or suffering it to passe without any frute or profit to thine owne soule Neither faint vnder his correction Torment not thy self with griefe languish not nor pine away quaile not nor shrinke vnder the crosses which the Lord layeth on thee be they neuer so many so great or so continual For whom the Lord loueth he correcteth for the Lord oftentimes suffering his enemies to go vnpunished in this world in great fauor chasteneth his friends as it were See this place of Scripture amplified applied Heb. 12.5.6 that they should not perish with the world And he scourgeth euery sonne whom he receiueth The Lord also schooleth by aduersitie euery one whom he admitteth to be his spirituall sonne or daughter 13 Blessed is that man who findeth vvisedome and the man that getteth vnderstanding 14 For the marchandise thereof is better then the marchandise of siluer and the reuenue thereof is better then gold 15 Shee is more precious then pearles and all thy delites are not to be compared vnto her Nowe the wise king returneth to commend that wisedome whereof he hath before intreated Blessed is the man who findeth wisedome happie is he who attayneth to the knowledge of God and the man that getteth vnderstanding happie is he that commeth vnto the practise of Gods will for the marchandise thereof is c. for the gaine which is gotten hereby is exceeding great Ecclesiafies 7.13 seeing wisedome preserueth the life of a man and bringeth him vnto saluation She is more precious thē pearles c. To conclude Mat. 13.46 wisedome is also more excellent and more pleasant then all the treasures or pleasures of this world Psal 19.10 Phil. 3.8 which are but dung in regard of the excellent knowledge of Iesus Christ 16 Length of dayes is in her right hand in her left hand riches and honor 17 Her vvayes are the vvayes of pleasantnesse her pathes are all pathes of peace 18 Shee is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her and they vvho keepe her are blessed The gifts which wisedome bestoweth on men are rehearsed in these verses Length of dayes are in her right hand wisedome giueth long life yea immortalitie to those who seeke after her whilst in the meane season the vngodly perish by vntimely death some of them wasting their strength by adulterie some of them ouerwhelming their stomachs with drinke some consuming their hearts with enuie some breaking their galles with anger some being slaine in frayes some executed by course of lawes finally some being cut of by the immediate hand of the Lord him selfe In her left hand riches and honor Moreouer wisdome as a boūtifull Queene giueth to them who obey her not only long life but worldly wealth and earthly glorie or at the least spiritual graces which are durable riches and eternall saluation which is a crowne of immortall glorie Her wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse her pathes are pathes of peace Furthermore wisedome worketh ioy in the holy
but in the meane season he blesseth the righteous in their goods their bodies their soules the places wherein they keepe Surely he will scorne the scorners but he will geue grace to the humble Thirdly the Lord resisteth the proud crossing their enterprises ouerthrowing their estates powring on them temporall and eternall plagues but he honoureth the lowly enduing them with outward blessings the inward gifts of his spirit immortall glorie The truth hereof may appeare in the examples of the builders of the towre of Babel Pharao and Nebuchadnezzar on the one side and in Abraham Iob Iohn the Baptist Elizabeth and the Virgine Marie on the other Now they are called lowly who willingly submit thē selues to the Lord neither refuse any thing which either by the word of God or his prouidence is imposed on them The wise shall inherit honor but shame shall take away fooles Last of all they who are wise vnto the Lord and their owne saluation shall be aduaunced to account and estimation if not in this life yet in the world to come where they shall be crowned with euerlasting glorie but as for those fooles who contemne Gods word and follow their owne fancies the Lord will make them spectacles of vengeance shame either on earth or at the day of iudgement in hell If then the enemies of God may be pitied by the faithfull for these causes the godly are rather to take compassion on them then either in regard of their rage to be moued to anie passion or in respect of their prosperitie which lasteth but a while to follow their iniquitie which shall be punished for euer THE IIII. CHAPTER 1 Heare ô sonnes the instruction of a father and hearken to know prudence 2 For I giue you a good lesson forsake not my doctrine THis fourth chapter containeth the fourth sermō of Salomon wherein he reporteth to his sonnes the speeches of his father Dauid to him In these verses we haue a preface or forespeech wherin the wise king stirreth vp his children to hearken to his instruction partly by his fatherly authoritie partly by the excellencie of the doctrine which he deliuereth calling it a good lesson euen as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes tearmeth the holy Scripture Heb. 6.5 the good word of God 3 Whilest yet I was my fathers sonne a tender and onely one in the sight of my mother 4 He nourturing me said vnto me let thine heart hold fast my words keepe my commandement that thou mayst liue Salomon in these words setteth downe the first part of Dauids speech vnto him wherein he prepared him to receiue his instructions whilest yet I was my fathers sonne when as yet I was vnder my fathers wing by him accounted as his best beloued child a tender and a only one in the sight of my mother and when as albeit Beersheba who bare me had more sonnes by Dauid 2. Chro. 28. yet I was her darling and her ioy alone He nourturing me said vnto me let thine heart hold fast my words keepe my commaundedement that thou mayest liue Then he bringing me vp in the information of the Lord charged me with all attention to listen to his admonitions affirming that they would make me a partaker of the good things of this world and the world to come By this example of Dauid all Christian parents are to be stirred vp See examples of like care of bringing vp of childre in gods feare in Abraham Iob Eunice Bathsheba to haue regard not onely of the bodies but of the soules of their children 5 Purchase wisedome purchase prudence forget not nor decline from the speeches of my mouth 6 Forsake her not and she will keepe thee loue her and she will preserue thee One of those precepts or exhortations which Dauid gaue vnto Salomon is herein set downe and enforced by a reason Purchase wisedome purchase prudence forget not nor decline from thee speeches of my mouth Procure vnto thy selfe by selling thy commodities and pleasures and by vsing the meanes of cost and labor the knowledge of Gods will and the discretion of his spirit which graces once attained neuer through anie negligence in any case forgo Forsake her not and she will keepe thee loue her and she will preserue thee So doing wisedome and prudence as certaine watchmen will shield thee that thou come not into any danger and if peraduēture thou shalt fall into some trouble they will preserue and deliuer thee from destruction 7 First of all seeke wisedome purchase wisedome with thy whole possession purchase prudence 8 Magnifie her and she will aduance thee if thou shalt embrace her she will honor thee 9 She wil set on thine head a comely attire she will put vpon thee a crowne of glorie Here we haue another precept or admonition of Dauid accompanied with a most sweet promise Mat. 6.33 First of all seeke wisedome purchase wisedome before all things and aboue all things labour after the kingdome of God and with thy whole possession purchase prudence let nothing in the world be so deare or precious vnto thee as that thou wouldest not willingly part from it or bestow it rather then not obtaine the vnderstanding of Gods will which is as a treasure hidden in a field Mat. 13.44.45 or as a peerlesse pearle the which to buy a wise marchant sold all that he had Maguifie her and she will aduance thee if thou shalt embrace her she will honor thee If thou shalt count all things but dung in regard of the excellent knowledge of Christ certainely this grace of God as a Queene shall either make thee honorable in the eyes of prophane people as it did Ioseph in Pharaos sight or it shall make thee gracious and glorious in the sight of good men the Angels and God him selfe She will set on thine head a comely attire she will put vpon thee a crowne of glorie To conclude wisdome wil make thee a king and priest vnto the Lord yea an inheritor of that crowne of glorie Reuel 1.5 which the righteous God hath layd vp in heauen for those who loue him 10 Heare ô my sonne and receiue my sayings and yeares of life shall be multiplied vnto thee 11 I teach thee the way of vvisedome I leade thee by the pathes of equitie 12 When thou shalt walke thy gate shall not be strait and if thou shalt runne thou shalt not be hurt 13 Lay hold on her instruction leaue not of keepe her because she is thy life In these verses a third precept is comprehended attended on with reasons as were the former Heare ô my sonne and receiue my sayings and yeares of life shall be multiplied vnto thee I teach thee the way of wisedome I leade thee by the pathes of equitie O my child to the ende that that thou mayst continue on earth and liue for euer in heauen walke in those good paths of holinesse righteoushesse which I as a guide
21 Bind thē alvvay vpon thine heart and tye them about thy necke Solomon intending in this chapter againe to disswade his sonne from adulterie prefixeth in these words a preface containing his aduise My son obserue c. my child lay vp thy parents counsel as a most precious treasure and keepe it safely as most costly iewels 22 It shall leade thee vvhen thou walkest it shall vvatch ouer thee vvhen thou sleepest it shall talke vvith thee vvhen thou vvakest 23 For the commandement is a * or Lampe lanterne and doctrine a light and reproofes of instructiō a vvay of life 24 To preserue thee from the naughty woman and from the flatterie of the straunge vvomans toung Herein Salomon sheweth the reasons of that his aduise which he did set downe in the two verses going before It shall leade thee when thou walkest the counsell of thy godly parents or the word of God by them applied vnto thee shall as a guide direct thee in thy calling actions and iourneys It shall watch ouer thee when thou sleepest it will be also as a watch man to preserue thee from temptations troubles and dangers in the night season It shall talke with thee when thou wakest Finally it will likewise be as a familiar friend vnto thee conferring with thee in the morning or in the day time of the mercies of God of the promises of the word and of spirituall matters See Psal 19.8 See Psal 119.105 For the commaundement is a lanterne for the law of the Lord is as a bright lamp which in the night season shineth in a dark chamber inasmuch as it enioyneth that which is good and forbiddeth that which is euill And doctrine a light the instruction of the word is againe as the light of the Sunne which in the day time manifesteth the way which is to be gone For in like maner the doctrin of the scripture manifesteth truth error And reproofes of instruction a way of life Finally rebukes for sin or the admonitions of Gods word are like the way or path which directly bringeth men to their iourneys end or to the place whither they would go For as wholsome reproofes pull vs from our vices so they do hold vs in our duties To preserue thee from the naughtie woman the word of God I say is such a soueraigne preseruatiue as hath bin spoken of to keepe thee frō the adulteresse and from the flatterie of the strange womans toung and to preserue thee from being seduced by the entising speeches of the harlot 25 Desire not her beautie in thine heart neither let her catch thee with her eye lids Now Salomon commeth to warne his sonne that he be not drawne to go astray by any prouocations vnto vnchastitie Desire not her beautie in thine heart albeit she is faire yet looke not on her to lust after her Neither let her catch thee with her eye lids Neither yet suffer her wanton or pleasant lookes to be a net to intangle thee or a fire to inflame thee 26 For by a whorish woman one is brought to a morsell of bread and the adulteresse hunteth for life which is precious Two great hurts arising vnto men by following after strange women are here specified as sufficient reasons to disswade euery one from the foule sinne of adulterie One is the losse of goods For by a whorish woman one is brought to a morsell of bread Through whordome men come to extreme pouertie For the harlots haue one part of their substāce who haunt their companie baudes and ruffians another part officers before whom they are often conuēted another part the rest consumeth through a secret curse of the Lord and thus at last all commeth to nothing Another mischiefe is the losse of life it selfe For the adulteresse hunteth for life which is precious The vile harlot not onely bringeth a man to beggerie but to death and destruction being in this respect like vnto hunters who seeke after the life of the poore beast For the adulteresse seeketh by all meanes to draw her companion to commit folly with her whereby it commeth to passe that he is layd open to her husbands rage the magistrates sword Gods wrath Now because she vseth craft and deceipt to intangle her louers it is not onely here sayd of her that she hunteth but in the booke of the Preacher Eccles 7.28 that her heart is as nets and her hands as snares 27 Can anie take fire into his bosome and his garments not be burnt 28 Can anie walke vpon burning coales and his feete not be burnt 29 So is he that goeth in to his neighbours wife whosoeuer toucheth her shall not be vnpunished Now the wise king commeth to amplifie the former reasons which here he doth by a most fit similitude There is great likenesse betweene the adulteresse and fire both in the propertie of inflaming and consuming Can any take fire in his bosome c. Euen as it is impossible that fire should not consume those clothes or that body which it toucheth so it can not be but that the adulterous woman will vndoe or hurt at the least very sorely both in outward things and in his person him who cōmitteth folly with her The consideration hereof caused Iob to say from whom it is likely that Salomon tooke this comparison that the sinne of adulterie is such a fire Iob. 31.12 as would if he had committed it haue consumed him vnto destruction and quite rooted out all his increase 30 A threfe is not despised who stealeth to satisfie his soule when he is hungrie 31 But if he be taken he repayeth seuen fold he maketh recompence with any substance of his house 32 As for him who cōmitteth adulterie with a vvoman he is voyd of vnderstanding he vvho shall do this destroyeth his owne soule 33 He shall receiue a blow and blame and his reproch shall not be blotted out 34 For the fierce rage of a man is in iealousie and he sheweth no mercie in the day of reuenge 35 He hath no respect to any ransome and he resteth not albeit thou profferest many gifts The reasons before set downe tending to disswade from adulterie are in this conclusion of the chapter enlarged by a comparison betweene the lesser sinne and the greater A thiefe is not despised who stealeth to satisfie his soule Albeit it is a shame to steale yet theft is not so foule a fault as to defile another mans wife True it is he who did steale to preserue his life was by the law of God to be punished for he was to make full restitution or to be sold Exod. 22.1 but he was not to be put to death or to be noted with publike infamie at the least when he had made restitution all his discredit was to cease As for him who commiteth adulterie with a woman c. The case standeth otherwise with the adulterer who considereth not the greatnesse of his sinne or of Gods iudgement against it
or oration in the rest of the chapter 4 O men I call vnto you and I vtter my voyce vnto the sonnes of men 5 O ye simple ones vnderstand warinesse ô ye fooles be wise in heart In this beginning of the proclamation the persons called by vnderstanding or wisedome euen by the personall wisedome of God Iesus Christ are described O men I call to you c. I Iesus Christ call all estates of people to heare my doctrine both those who are of high degree as namely on the one side the noble the learned and the rich and those that are of lowe degree as the poore the simple and contemptible 6 Harken for I will vtter excellent things and the opening of my mouth shall propound vpright things 7 For the roofe of my mouth shall record truth and wickednesse is abhomination to my lips 8 All the speeches of my mouth are iust there is nothing in them crooked or awry 9 All of them are easie to the prudent man and plaine to those who find knowledge 10 Receiue mine instruction and not siluer and knowledge rather then most fine gold 11 For wisedome is better then pearles and no delites can be matched with her The sonne of God declareth herein the excellencie of his doctrine to the end that euery one should hearken thereunto First he saith I will speake of excellent things The doctrine of the word is full of maiestie and royaltie For it doth intreate not of base arguments but of diuine and rare points as of election regeneration faith and the glorie which is to come Secondly the word of God is vpright For it is perfect and able to make a man wise vnto saluation in it is nothing wanting nothing vnsound Thirdly the word is also true For whatsoeuer God hath sayd See Psal 19. it shall come to passe whose word hath bene tried as the siluer seuen times in the fire Fourthly the speeches of Christ are iust condemning all things which are vnlawfull and commanding all things which are lawfull Fiftly the word of God is plaine and easie For albeit the naturall mā perceiueth not the things which belong to God yet the spirituall man discerneth all things Wherefore if the Gospell be hid from anie it is hid from those whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded that they cannot see the truth Sixtly the word is also profitable yea more profitable then gold For what would it profit a man to win the whole world to loose his soule eternally which by the word of God is saued Last of all the word of God is also most sweete and pleasant For it reioyceth the heart and sweeteneth the soule like an heauenly kinde of honie And who would not now rather hearken to the royall vpright true iust easie profitable and pleasant speeches of wisedome then the vile wicked flattering impure subtill and in very deed most bitter words of the harlot 12 I Wisedome dwell with * or Warinesse Prudence and find forth the knowledge of politicke deuises 13 The feare of the Lord the hatred of euill contemptuousnesse and haughtinesse the way of wickednesse a mouth of peruersenesse I hate 14 Counsell is mine and substance prudēce is mine strength mine owne Herein Iesus Christ proceedeth to make him selfe further knowne and more and more amiable by intreating a while of his owne diuine vertues I Wisdom dwell with Prudence or warinesse The Sonne of God Christ Iesus is most circumspect wittie prudent and politicke himselfe and the worker of these graces in mortall men The feare of the Lord the hatred of euil c. The sonne of God is also most righteous For he loueth the good and detesteth the euill Psal 45. wherfore God euen his God hath annointed him with the oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes Counsell is mine and substance c. The sonne of God is also a coūseller as Esay calleth him For he is both of the priuie counsel of his father and the aduiser of his church Moreouer he hath strength in him being the arme of God to conquer sinne with hell and Sathan is able to do whatsoeuer he will Substāce or the being of things is likewise his for he causeth all creatures to be subsist 15 By me kings raigne and rulers decree iustice 16 By me Princes beare rule and all the noble iudges of the earth Now Christ Iesus speaketh of his excellent wonderfull works By mekings raigne c. There is no power or potentate but they are from me the sonne of God yea by me also they discharge their functions for I giue all magistrates and worthie persons their places and graces The chiefe monarkes of the world come vnto their scepters by the power and permission of the sonne of God Law giuers and counsellers by his direction and inspiration giue aduise and inuent politicke lawes Inferior rulers and Lieutenants keepe their places countenance and authoritie by his assistance whereunto also they rise by his secret disposing of matters Finally iudges and iustices who vse to keepe courts and to sit on benches do by him frō him and for him pronounce sentence handle matters of state execute lawes and finally determine all cases 17 I loue them who loue me and they who seeke me earnestly find me 18 Riches and honor are with me enduring wealth and righteousnesse 19 My fruite is better then gold yea then right pure gold and my reuenue then most fine siluer 20 I walke through the waye of iustice through the midst of the paths of equitie 21 To cause my louers to wherit substance and I replenish their storehouses The heauenly wisdome of the Father Iesus Christ affirmeth in these sentences that he bestoweth all happinesse on his true worshippers For first he loueth them who loue him that is he giueth them his grace fauour like a friend talking walking dining supping with them and secretly chearing vp their hearts Secondly he bestoweth on them the riches of the mind as knowledge temperance patience and such like vertues which remaine in the faithfull for euer and which are more precious then gold or any mettall more pleasant then grapes or any frutes of the trees Thirdly he doth impute his righteousnesse vnto thē sanctifying them also by the holy spirit which leadeth them in the wayes of the Lords commaundements Last of all he will glorifie them in the world to come causing them to enioy the presence of God for euermore 22 Iehouah possessed me in the beginning of his wayes before his workes before all time 23 Before the world was I annointed before the beginning before the first beginning of the earth 24 Whilest yet there were no depthes was I borne vvhilest yet there vvere no springs abounding with waters 25 Whilest as yet the mountaines were not setled before the litle hilles was I borne 26 As yet he had not made the earth or the plaines no nor the groundworke or the dust of the world inhabited Herin the
the godly man plentifully vttereth good instructions as a good tree bringeth forth good frutes but the euill toung shall be hewen downe by the axe of Gods iudgements 32 The righteous mans lips shall find fauour but the mouth of the wicked the reward of frowardnesse He that speaketh gracious words shall be blessed Psal 52.7 but he that abuseth his toung shall be plagued THE XI CHAPTER 1 False ballances are an abhomination to the Lord but an vpright weight is acceptable to him THis sentence is a streame flowing out of the statute of the Lord which is set downe in the nineteenth chapter of Leuiticus and the fiue and thirtith verse There saith the Lord thou shalt practise no vnrighteousnesse in any office in measures or in weight c. Not onely deceipt it selfe but the deceiptful scales as the instruments of craft are abhomination to the Lord. Now surely not without iust cause doth the Lord abhorre such as vse false ballances For first they abuse the measures of iustice secondly hereby they most hurt the pore On the cōtrary side an vpright weight doth so please the Lord as that he will prosper those who vse faithfull dealing in their trades or bargaines 2 When pride commeth contempt commeth also but with the lowly is wisedome Herein is shewed that as deceipt is punished by the Lord so pride shall be reuenged When pride commeth c. When statelinesse goeth before infamie followeth after For what say people of an arrogant person but behold he is a stately foole But with the lowly is wisedome With the modest is such prudence as not onely is worthie of honor but aduaunceth them to dignitie and preferment 3 The vprightnesse of the iust guideth thē but the vnrighteousnesse of transgressors shall destroy them Righteous dealing causeth men to haue good successe but wickednesse ouerthroweth them in such sort as that they are as cities broken down brought to desolation 4 Riches profite not in the day of wrath but righteousnesse deliuereth from death Goods euen iustly gotten are not able to saue a man in the time of destruction See before 10.2 an example 1. Tsoph 18. but then the righteous are preserued by the Lord. 5 The righteousnesse of the iust man directeth his way but he which is wicked falleth in his wickednesse Balaam louing the wages of vnrighteousnesse may be an example A good cause hath good successe but an ill enterprise or action hath manie crosses bringeth great troubles on a man 6 The righteousnesse of the iust deliuereth them but the deceiptful are caught in their own mischiefe They that are innocent being in trouble are freed from it by the prouidence of God fauoring and clearing their vpright dealing Mardochai and Haman may be examples The craftie being in great power or prosperitie through the iust iudgement of God are brought into trouble for their subtiltie and iniquitie 7 When the wicked mā dieth his expectation perisheth the hope of his strength perisheth So long as the vngodly liue in prosperitie Iob. 8.14.15 they put their trust in their riches or friends perswading thē selues that if any danger come they shall be deliuered by these meanes Psal 49. But at the time of death or in extreame aduersitie they finde that all the things wherein they did put affiance can stand them in no stead and that all their wealth and glorie doth forsake them To conclude then the sinner perceiueth that all the hope he had of the mercie of Christ vanisheth and is turned into despaire 8 The iust man is deliuered out of trouble See the 21.18 of this booke An example Dan. 6.25 and the wicked man commeth in his stead O behold also this worke of Gods prouidence or point of dayly experience that the vngodly man succeedeth the iust man in his troubles The righteous are in aduersitie but by the helpe of God they wade out of it and their aduersaries or some malefactors come into it through his iust iudgement 9 The hypocrite corrupteth his neighbour with his mouth but the iust are preserued by knowledge One wicked man seduceth another 2. Tim. 2.13 2. Thess 2. deceiuing and being deceiued But as concerning Gods children they through the wisedome of the word as by a buckler resist and repell those who tempt them to any error or sinne 10 For the prosperitie of the iust the citie reioyceth and when the wicked are destroyed there is singing 11 By the blessing of the vpright the citie is exalted by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed When either the godly speed well and are aduanced or the wicked are disgraced put to death See examples 1. Sam. 18.6 Hest 8.16 the well disposed multitude is not onely inwardly glad but outwardly signifieth this internall ioy by testimonies of mirth Great cause there is why cities in these cases should thus be affected and carrie them selues For the societies of men are greatly benefited by the doctrines counsels and prayers of the good which are their blessings as on the contrarie side kingdoms are brought to ruine by the mischieuous speeches of the wicked 12 He who is voyd of vnderstanding reprocheth his neighbour but he who is prudent will keepe silence The harebraind man vseth to breake out into opprobrious speeches wherewith he loadeth somtimes his enemie sometimes his verie friend But he who is prudent See examples in Shimei and Dauid is so farre off from rayling or from giuing of taunt for taunt that he behaueth him selfe as a deafe man neither will seeme to heare any of his slanders or speeches by whom he is reuiled 13 He vvho vvalketh as a tale-bearer reuealeth a secret but he which is of a faithfull mind * or Conereth concealeth a matter Talkers and walkers from place to place disclose both the secret intents and faults of their friendes These packe-horses of Sathan are in all places to be found but God in his law giueth an expresse commaundement to his worshippers to take heede of this vice Leuit. 19.16 saying Thou shalt not walke among thy people with tale carrying But he which is of a faithfull mind concealeth a matter Such a one as is a friend not in shewes onely but in truth and hath power ouer his affections concealeth those faults purposes words and deeds of his friends which with a good conscience may be kept close 14 Where prudent counsels are not the people run to decay but in the multitude of counsellers there is health See an example in Reheboans Without sound aduise a cōmon wealth perisheth but by the politicke counsel of many wise gouernors it florisheth For where sound aduise out of the word of God is not giuē how can the people but be greatly hurt both in their bodies and soules and contrariwise Now if good counsel be not obeyed it is all one as if it were neuer giuen 15 He who becommeth suretie for a stranger shall wholly be broken but he
through with manie sorowes of minde or woundeth his bodie laying violent hands on him self as Iudas did On the contrarie side the godly man flieth to the Lord and putteth his confidence in him when he is in greatest extremitie and torment Great and grieuous were the troubles of that holy seruant of God Iob who was euen in a maner brought vnto deaths dore Neuerthelesse in the midst of all his aduersitie he made this protestation Iob. 5.15 that he wold trust in the Lord although he should slay him 33 Wisdome resteth in the heart of the prudent man but that which is within fooles See like seniēces 33. chap. 12.23.13.16 maketh it selfe knowne The meaning of this prouerbe is that wise men can keepe counsell but fooles can hold no secret Wisdome so resteth in the heart of the prudent man as that he vttereth not that which he knoweth vndiscreetly or vaingloriously But that which is in the heart of fooles so maketh it selfe knowne as that he publisheth and bableth whatsoeuer he knoweth be it good or bad As we vse to say in our cōmō prouerbe in it is and out it must 34 Righteousnesse exalteth a people but sin is a reproch to nations The cause of the safetie and againe of the ruine of common wealths is herein declared Righteousnesse exalteth a people The knowledge of God and the executing of wholsome lawes cause the inhabitants of a land to prosper and to be praised But sinne is a reproch to nations Againe the vices and sinnes of countreyes make them infamous in the end ouerthrow them Thus in old time the lewes were reproched for their stiffeneckednesse Ierem. 18.10 Ezech. 16.49 and the men of Creta for their lying Thus also in these dayes some countreys are infamous for drunkennesse other for pride all almost for one peculiar vice or other 35 The kings good will will be toward an vnderstanding seruant but his wrath will be toward him who causeth shame A godly ruler will affection and aduance a faithful and prudent subiect and officer Psal 101.6 but he will rebuke correct or put away him who doth his businesse so vntowardly or fondly as that thereby he receiueth some discredit or is ashamed THE XV. CHAPTER 1. A soft answere turneth away wrath but a bitter word stirreth vp anger See an example on the one side in Gedeon Iud. 8.2 c. On the other in Naball who by his currish answere moued Dauid to great anger A Speech wherein faire wordes are vsed or titles of reuerēce giuen causeth displeasure to cease But a bitter word stirreth vp anger sharpe and reprochfull termes moue choler The reason hereof is manifest For by the speaking of an hard word the cause of anger is increased Againe by vttering of a gētle speech the matter of wrath is diminished 2 The toung of the wise setteth forth knowledge but the mouth of fooles powreth out folly The prudent person speaketh in such sort as that his speeches carie a grace force with them which he placeth and ordereth rightly and wisely The vndiscret man on the other side hath no regard either to the matter or manner of his speech Col 4.6 Let then your speech be gracious alwayes and powdred with salt that you may know how to answere euery man 3 The eyes of the Lord are in all places beholding the wicked and the good Here is obserued that the all-seeing spirite of the Lord vieweth and pondereth all the corners of the world and all sorts of persons This is all one with that which the author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes meaneth when he saith Heb. 4. that all things are naked and manifest before him with whom we haue to do For as concerning the quarters of the world Psal 139. Lord whither shall I go from thy spirite or whither shall I flye from thy presence If I clymbe vp to heauen thou art there if I lay my bed in the graue behold thou art there also Now as touching the persons of all sortes the Lord is in the temple of his holynesse the Lordes throne is in heauen whose eyes behold and whose eye lids try the sonnes of mē The Lord trieth the iust mā Psal 13. but his soule hateth the wicked man and him who loueth violence 4 The healing of the toung is as tree of life the mischieuousnesse of it is as a breach made by the winde As a tree which bringeth forth pleasant and holesome fruites Iob. 8.1 Iames. 3. is a pretious and profitable thing so the toung which conuerteth and comforteth the hearts of mē is a rare iewell On the contrary side as a blustering winde which throweth downe trees houses doth much harme so a venemous toung which causeth troubles and great calamities is one of the greatest euils in the world 5 A foole despiseth his fathers instruction but he which regardeth a rebuke is very wise He who is an enemie vnto his owne well fare See the 10.1 will not be ruled by good counsell but he who is content to be reproued tendreth his owne happie estate 6 In the house of the righteous man there is great * or Strength treasure but the wicked mans reuenue wasteth of it selfe The meaning of this sentence is manifest namely that the goodes of the iust remaine and continew firme vnto them and theirs and that sinners substāce cōsumeth none in a manner can tell how The roote of this sentence is to be found in the booke of Deutronomie Deut. 28.17 where the Lord first maketh this promise to those who feare him that he will blesse their baskets and their barnes and secondly threatneth the transgressors of his lawes that he will curse them in their baskets and their kneading troughes yea in the fruite of their belly and of their ground 7 The lippes of the wise scatter knowledge but the heart of the fooles that which is not good The godly wheresoeuer they come speake to the edification of their brethren In their houses they Cathechise their children in the companie of their neighbours they intreat of Gods word and workes finally in the Church if they be teachers they publish wholesome doctrine On the cōtrary side the wicked out of the ill treasure of their hearts bringing foorth euill things spread abroad errours and vanities 8 The sacrifice of the wicked is abhomination to the Lord but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable vnto him The iudgement which the Lord carieth as well concerning the wicked as the iust herein is reuealed vnto vs. The sacrifice of the wicked is abhominotion to the Lord not onely all the labour but all the cost which the vnfaithfull or wicked liuers bestow on the worship of God is in vayne See an example in Cain and Abell yea it is nothing els but a sin and prouocation of the wrath of God The reason hereof is for that God respecteth not mens actions but their persons Sacrifices were at this
insinuated in the name of the widow whose estate is of all other most greeuous because she being desolated of her husband lyeth open to all wrongs but especially to the iniuries of great and wealthie men The Lord then will destroye the house of the proud God often ouerthroweth their families yea pulleth them vp by the rootes who in the pride of their hearts haue oppressed the poore taking from them either their lands or goods But he will establish the border of the widow The Lord will restore the poore to their right or els by some meanes or other he will so defend their possessions and fields against the power of the mightie that they shall not be able to pull thē out of their hands 26 The thoughtes of the wicked man are abhomination to the Lord but the wordes of the pure are pleasant wordes All things which proceede from the wicked as for example euen their thoughtes are vncleane and abhominable in the sight of God On the contrary side Tit. 1.15 not onely their thoughtes but the wordes of the godly which flow from the good treasure of their hearts are acceptable to the Lord and as a cleane and sweet sacrifice before him 27 He which is giuen to gaine troubleth his owne house but he which hateth gifts shall liue Couetousnesse is herein threatened He which is givē to gaine troubleth his owne house Such a one as getteth goods by hooke or crook or is addicted to euil gaine Hab. 2 9. is a cause and occasion of many euils in his estate familie But he which hateth giftes shall liue On the contrary side such a one as abhorreth bribes giuen to peruert iustice or to any such ill intent shall liue in prosperitie and peace 28 The heart of the righteous studieth to speake but the mouth of the wicked * or Powreth bableth out euill things A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth foorth good things See the roote hereof Psal 37.30.31 but an euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth foorth euill things The heart of the iust man studieth to speake the vpright person premeditateth what to say and when and how to vtter his wordes But the mouth of the wicked powreth foorth euill things The mouth of the vngodly cā neither be silent nor speake well but pratleth and bableth vaynely rashly offensiuely and lewdly 29 The Lord is farre off from the wicked but he heareth the prayer of the righteous See the roote hereof or a like sentence Psal 145.18 God is farre off from the vngodly not in place but in helpe On the contrary side God is neare to those who feare him not in presence onely but in fauour graūting their prayers and succouring them in their aduersities 30 The light of the eyes reioyceth the heart and a good hearing maketh the bones fat Those things which are teceiued in by the eye or eare haue great force to affect a man The light of the eyes reioyceth the heart a sight pleasant and acceptable to the eye reuiueth the spirites and a good hearing maketh the bones fat a good report but especially the doctrine of the Gospell which is the voyce of ioye and gladnesse not onely comforteth the minde but causeth the body to be in good plight 31 The eare that hearkeneth to the * or Reprose correction of life shall lodge among the wise The care that hearkeneth the person which heareth yeeldeth obedience to the correction of life to wholesome reproofes which teach men to liue well here and lead them to life eternall shall lodge among the wise shall not onely in this world haue a place yea honour also among the learned but hereafter raigne with them in Gods kingdome 32 He that * Or withdraweth him self from instructiō refuseth instruction despiseth his owne soule but he that obeyeth correction possesseth his owne heart He that refuseth instruction the contemner of good counsell who neither is wise him selfe nor will be taught by other despiseth his owne soule by wāt of knowledge and grace layeth open his life to destructiō But he that obeyeth correction possesseth his owne heart On the contrary side he who doth profit by rebukes preserueth his soule from death and from Gods wrath 33 The feare of the Lord is the instruction of wisdome and before honor goeth humilitie The feare of the Lord the reuerence of God is the instruction of wisedome Iob. 25.28 is that which maketh a man wise or which as a schoolemistres teacheth wisdome For the feare of God giueth a man many good lessons And before honor goeth humilitie And lowlynesse of mind bringeth a man to glorie THE XVI CHAPTER 1 The preparations of the heart are in mā * Or speech but the answere of the toung is from the Lord. THe preparations of the heart are in man oftentimes a man hath whole armies as it were of thoughts in his minde therein placed in an exact order as in battaile array but the answere of the toung is from the Lord but when a mā hath set downe how to speake the vttering of his minde is as God shall open his mouth Here then is taught that when a man hath obtained a former grace of thincking well he stādeth in need of a second grace namely to speake well without which he shall neuer be able to vtter aright any part of that matter or one of those wordes which he hath thought on or cond by heart 2 All the wayes of a man are pure in his owne eyes but the Lord pondereth the spirites All the wayes of a man are pure in his owne eyes a man looketh onely on his outward actions which seeme faire and cleane in his sight so that therein he pleaseth and iustifieth him selfe But the Lord pondereth the spirites On the other side the Lord considereth the inward intentes and affections of the heart yea he weigheth them and proueth them euen as a good Magistrate tryeth the measures of his subiects by the common standard 3 Commit thy workes vnto the Lord * Or cast thine affaires See the roote hereof Psal 37.5 55.23 See this sentence alledged 1. Pet. 4. and thy thoughtes shall be directed Commit thy workes vnto the Lord whereas thy troubles and thy labours in thy calling are as it were certaine weightie burdens which lye on thy backe torment not thy selfe with care but roll them as it were vpon almightie God and thy thoughtes shall be directed for so thy desires shall at last happely be accomplisheth Now by what meanes or after what sort we are to cast our affaires on God the Apostle Paule declareth in his Epistle to the Philippians when he saith Phil. 4.6 be carefull for nothing but in euery case let your petitions be made knowen vnto God by prayer and supplication with thankes giuing and so that peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall keepe your hearts and mindes in Christ Iesus Thus
as that it is a signe of some heauie vengeance or of present death See an example Hest 7.8 being herein like vnto messengers which are sent to slay a man But a wise man will pacifie it A prudent person by some gracious speech or wittie deuise wil ouercome and appease the indignation of a Prince See an example in Ioab 2. Sam. 14. although it is verie forcible and very terrible 15 In the light of the kings countenance is life his fauour is as a thicke cloud of the latter raine In the light of the kings countenance in the chearefull louing looke of the Prince is ioy and comfort and his fauour is as a thicke cloud of the latter raine his good will also is verie beneficiall and profitable For as the latter raine doth much good to the groūd and causeth the fruites of the earth to reuiue and florish so the fauour of the king is not onely very comfortable but verie fruitfull 16 How much better is it to get wisedome then gold and to get prudence how much more to be desire then siluer Seeing the possession of wisdome bestoweth temporall and eternall life on men is it not infinitely to be preferred Ecclesiastes 7.11.12 before corruptible mettals as gold and siluer 17 To depart from euill is the fortresse of the vpright he which keepeth his way keepeth his life The forsaking of sinne or abstaining there-from Psal 34.13.14.15 as it were a bulwarke preserueth the righteous from Gods iudgements so that he who ordereth his way aright saueth his owne soule 18 Pride goeth before destruction and an high minde before a fall Hawghtinesse and arrogācie are the causes of cōfusion and of manifold calamities yea of vtter ruine which oftentimes euen in this life befalleth proud persons as their proper reward 19 Better it is to be of an humble mind with the lowly than to diuide the spoyles with the proud It is more profitable and commendable indeede together with the afflicted people of God to be bruised in heart and lowe in port as captiues vsually are See an exomple in Moses Heb. 11 25. than after the manner of insolent conquerors who diuide the spoyles to be stately in behauiour or to practise any tyrannie 20 He which hearkeneth to the word obtaineth that which is good and blessed is he who trusteth in the Lord. He that exerciseth him selfe in reading and hearing the word of God shall thereby finde great comfort and instruction So also he which beleeuing the word Luc. 1.45 Heb. 4.1 putteth his confidence in the power and mercie of God shal attaine to many benefites both temporall and eternall But without faith the word profiteth not at all 21 He who is wife in heart is to be called prudent but the sweetnesse of the lippes giueth instruction He who is wise in heart he which knoweth much is to be called prudent is to be commended as a learned mā but the sweetnesse of the lippes but an elequent or gracious vtterance giueth instruction edifieth and profiteth the hearer 22 Vnderstanding is a well spring of life to them that haue it but the doctrine of fooles is a well spring of follie Vnderstanding is a well spring of life to them that haue it true knowledge ministreth continuall instruction to those who therewith are indued being in this respect like to a fountaine which floweth with tunning waters But the doctrine of fooles is a well spring of follie As for the instructions which seducers giue they do but infect peoples mindes with errours and vices so that although their doctrine floweth from them yet it is but as a spring of filthie or deadly waters 23 The heart of the wise man guideth his mouth wisely and by his lippes he ministreth instruction The heart of the wise man the minde of the learned mā guideth his mouth wisely moderateth his mouth for matter and manner of speech and by his lippes he ministreth instruction and the wise man by his gracious vtterance edifieth the hearers 24 Pleasant speeches are as it were an honie comb sweetnesse to the soule and health to the bones Pleasant speeches cloquent wordes and sayings are as it were an hony combe sweetnesse to the soule delite the minde as honie doth the tast of the mouth and health to the bones and cure also the body which they refresh and oftentimes restore to health 25 There is a way which seemeth streight to a man the end whereof is the high way to death The cōmitting of sinne in the beginning seemeth a good way vnto man in regard of pleasure or profit but in the end it worketh destruction 26 He which is troublesome troubleth him selfe for his mouth recoileth vpon him selfe He which is troublesome Thus with Tremelius I interpret this verse being lead into this sense by the sute of the sentences going before and following by the signification of the wordes and specially by comparing of the 15.16.17 vers of the 7 Psalme herewith Psal 7.14 c. the busie body who troubleth his neighbours troubleth him selfe draweth trouble vpon his owne pate for his mouth rocoileth vpon him selfe for his slaunderous or hurtfull speech whereby he went about to harme his neighbour causeth him to be hateth or to be punished being found false in the end Behold then he shall trauaile with wickednesse for he hath conceiued a mischief but he shall bring foorth a lye He hath made a pit and digged it and is fallen into the pit that he made his mischief shall returne vpon his owne head and his crueltie vpon his owne pate 27 Awicked man diggeth vp euill and in his lippes is as it were burning fire A wicked man diggeth vp euill a malitious person secretly practiseth mischief against his neighbour to vndermine him thereby and his lippes is as it were burning fire and in his mouth are railings as hote and as hurtfull as coales of iuniper 28 A froward person soweth strife and a tale teller separateth a chief friend A froward person soweth strise a treacherous backbiter maketh contētion and a tale teller separateth a chief friend a secret whisperer causeth diuision yea such a separation as that the greatest friends in the world forsake each other 29 A mischieuous man intiseth his neighbour to the end he may lead him aside into some euill way A seducer by faire or craftie speeches perswadeth and prolleth on his neighbour to goe to that place wherein he may be in danger or to doe that thing which may be hurtfull to his body or soule 30 He which wincketh with his eyes doth it to deuise mischief he which biteth his lippes worketh harme He which wincketh with his eyes that person who vseth oftē to shut his eye lids doth it to deuise mischief cōmōly thinketh on some euill which yet for the time he keepeth close and dissembleth He which hiteth his lippes But that person who in his angrie mood showeth by some signe in his lippes-that he is ossended
a man to giue a verdite vpon causes not throughly knowen vnto him or to pronounce an hastie sentence vpon any person 14 The spirite of a man beareth out his infirmitie but a * Or according to Tremellius a broken spirite who can lift vp wounded spirite who can beare This sentence teacheth that the diseases of the minde are more heauy and grieuous thē the diseases of the body The spirite of a man beareth out his infirmitie the minde of a man if it be couragious or sound susteineth with patiēce the diseases of the body or any outward crosse whatsoeuer But a wounded spirite who can beare as for a soule full of bitter grief the body cā not carie with cōfort no thing can ease no person cā quiet Albeit women in trauaile doe cōmonly forget all their paines and greatly reioyce when they haue brought foorth a male child into the world yet the wife of Phineas because her heart was full of sorrow for the taking of the Arke of God neither could nor would receiue any comfort by her new borne sonne So likewise although Musick is a medicine as it were to a pensiue minde and men are wont to take chief delite in their harpes and violes yet the Israelites being as it were resolued into mourning and teares at the waters of Babylon hung vp their instruments on the willowes in that place as things without force to minister any comfort vnto them Nothing then besides the grace of God alone can cure a wounded or broken spirit◠not melodie not feasting not any outward blessing No person can lift vp a minde extremely cast downe excepting onely God him selfe not child not father not friend not neighbour not husband not wife the greatest outward comfort in the world 15 The heart of the prudent man possesseth knowledge and the eare of the wise seeketh knowledge The heart of the prudent man the soule of that person who is indued with vnderstanding possesseth knowledge keepeth and holdeth fast that which it hath already learned and the eare of the wise seeketh knowledge they that regard their owne welfare endeuour by hearing of other to increase their knowledge to know that which yet they haue not learned 16 A mans gift enlargeth him and bringeth him before great personages There is great force in giftes or presentes both to deliuer mē out of trouble and to bring them into fauour The gift of a mā enlargeth him a present deliuereth a mā out of close prison bringeth him before great personages moreouer it maketh a mā gratious in the eyes of great states and leadeth him into their presence 17 He that is first in his * Or plea. cause seemeth iust but his neighbour commeth and maketh inquirie of him See an example in Tsibaes complaint and Mephibosbeths defence There is great force in orderly proceedings vnto the discerning of cases and deciding of cōtrouersies He that is first in his cause seemeth iust he that speaketh first in a matter maketh oftentimes such a show of truth or right as that although he hath indeede the worser part yet he seemeth to haue the better But his neighbour commeth and maketh inquirie of him Afterward the other partie pleadeth in the second place and inueigheth against the former person detecteth his sleightes confuteth his argumentes finally prooueth his own cause to be most sound and good Thus as we vse to say in our English Prouerbe one cause is good till another be heard for which cause we are to heare both parties speake before we determine ought on either side 18 The lot causeth contentions to cease and maketh a partition among the mightie In some cases as namely in those which otherwise can not be well decided the lot or straw as we vse to speake must be man of law The lot causeth contentions to cease the lot quickly endeth controuersies which otherwise are endlesse For it reuealeth Gods will and furthermore it being mooued by the immediate finger of the Lord euery one that hath any sparke of reason and Religiō will rest therein and yeeld thereunto And maketh a partition among the mightie Moreouer the lot is a meanes whereby spoyles and inheritances are diuided not onely among meane persons but the wealthie the strong and the honourable As concerning lots they were much vsed amongest the people of the Iewes as may appeare by sundry places of the Scripture neither is the vse of them now vnlawful Num. 33.1 Sam. 10. Act. 1. Ionah 1. Iud. 7. but warrantable by the word of God so that it be taken vpon iust occasions alwayes and ioyned with calling on the name of God These cautions obserued a lot may lawfully be vsed either in diuiding of possessions or in chusing of officers to some place or dignitie But when a lot is cast to inquire what successe men shall haue in their affaires or to set vp some odde bankerout with the deceiuing and disaduantaging of many or to play and to make sport it is abused Here occasion is offred to discours whether cardes and dise be lots as some verie learned and godly writers iudge them to be but because mine intent in this Treatise is not to dilate matters but to touch all things briefly nor to enter into controuersies but to expound the sense of the parables of this booke I passe this point ouer Neuerthelesse this one thing I can not let slip or pretermit concerning the vayne pastime of dising and so consequently of carding that euen one of our own Prophets old Chaucer by name hath noted in his writings to be full of spots as late Diuines teach that it hath the nature of lots howbeit abused For saith he Dising is the very mother of leasings And of deceit and cursed for swearings Blasphemie of God manslaughter and wast also Of battaile naughtinesse and other moe It is reproofe and contrarie to honour For to behold a common diser And euer the higher he is in estate The more he is holden desolate If that a Prince doth vse hazardie In all gouernance and pollicie He is by a common opinion Holden lesse in reputation Lordes may finde other manner of play Honest inough to driue the day away 19 A brother offended * Or falling away is harder to winne then a strong Citie and their contentions are as the barre of a Castle The warre betweene naturall or spirituall brethrē is here shewed to be vnreconcileable A brother offended is harder to winne then a strong Citie a kinseman or friend displeased or falling away and departing See an examples in Cain and Abell and in Paul and Barnabas resisteth all intreaties giftes and meanes of reconciliation more stoutly and stifly then a defended towne doth the assaultes of the weapon or the Ambassages which are sent for the intreating of peace And their contentions are as the barre of a Castle Moreouer the strifes of brethren are as strong as most strōg barres neither can be broken off by any meanes 20
loueth him selfe and he which keepeth wisedome shall obtaine that which is good That person who possesseth his soule in patiēce or holdeth fast the truth in the midst of all temptations or troubles whatsoeuer prouideth well for his owne welfare Moreouer he which not onely heareth but keepeth the word of God shall finde comfort in affliction and many blessings both of this life and of the life to come 9 A false witnesse shall not be vnpunished and he who forgeth lyes shall perish The reporter and inuentor of lyes shall be grieuously plagued 10 Pleasure is not comely for a foole much lesse for a seruant to haue rule ouer Princes A scourge is rather meete for a wicked man then receations or pastimes which either he abuseth or is vnworthie of seeing he hauing not weried or exercised him selfe in any earnest matters or good works as wise men are wont to do deserueth not to tast the sweetnesse of any solaces or delites But if recreation or pleasure which is but a light vanitie as it were See the expositiō of 22. verse of the 30. Chapter become not a vayne foole how much lesse then doth authortie or dignitie which things carie with them so great a waight of glorie especially when they are exercised ouer noble personages beseene one of a seruile disposition and condition 11 The vnderstanding of a man maketh him slow to wrath and his glorie is to passe by an offence Heauenly wisedome causeth a man to be long suffering and patient Moreouer it is a thing very prayse worthie sometimes to put vp a wrong and to take no notifie of an offence 12 The indignation of a king is as the roaring of a young Lyon but his good will is as the dew vpon the grasse The force of the affections of Princes is herein declared The indignation of a king c. As the roaring of a young Lyon is most strong and terrible so the displeasure of a Prince is most fearefull and deadly But his good will is as the dew vpon the grasse See afterward 20.2 On the contrary side as the dew of heauen refresheth the hearbes of the field and causeth them to florish so the kings fauour is most comfortable and profitable 13 A foolish sonne is a trouble to his father and the contentions of a wife are like a contitinuall dropping 14 House and substance are the inheritance of fathers but a prudent wife is from the Lord. Whereas it said that a foolish sonne is a trouble to his father the meaning hereof is that vngodly children by their wickednesse cast their parents into sorrow infamie diseases and sundry other calamities Now furthermore the cōtentions of a wife are affirmed to be like a cōtinuall dropping because as showers of raine do hurt buildings and annoy those persons which are therein all night or all day so brawling women by their scoulding greatly and continually molest their families their husbands Such an vngodly wife then is a great crosse but on the contraryside to insinuat that a vertuous wife is as great a blessing it is added that house and substance are the inheritance of fathers but a prudent wife is from the Lord. It is true that children receiue their inheritance from God but this they doe by the hands of their parēts as by meanes For those goods which auncesters grandfathers and fathers haue gottē with great labour or kept with care they leaue to their posteritie from hand to hand Thus thē a good patrimonie commeth from parentes but an happy matrimonie proceedeth immediatly from the Lord who directeth the sutor to a good choise who mooueth the heart of the vertuous woman to like of him finally who bestoweth this his daughter not on euery one but on such a one as he doth singularely fauour 15 He who is giuen to slothfulnesse which causeth to fall a sleepe and the deceitfull * Or soule person shall suffer hunger Both they who by drowsines worke not that which is good as the Apostle speaketh and they who being craftie doe that which is ill getting their liuing by hooke or crooke shall in the ende come to penurie or beggerie 16 He that keepeth the commaundement keepeth his owne soule but he which regardeth not his own wayes * Or being punished shall dye shall be punished with death That person which walketh in the obedience of Gods lawes shall be spared in the time of vengeance and alwayes shall be blessed but he which careth not how he liueth shall perish and be made a publicke spectacle of shame 17 He which giueth franckly to the poore lendeth to the Lord and he will recompence him that which he hath giuen He which doth good to the poore 2. Cor. 9.9.10 doth not giue his goods but lend them not to a mortall men but to God not to his losse but to his great aduantage seeing the Lord will returne them backe againe with vsurie 18 Correct thy sonne whilest there is hope but lift not vp thy soule to kill him Chastise thy child by wordes and stripes whilest yet he is not growen stubburne but being young may by this meanes be amended Neuerthelesse in any case exceede not measure in thy correction Ephes 6.4 for so thou mayest be a murderer of thine own child in thy furious mood 19 He who is of great wrath will be punished albeit thou let him escape * Heb. and proceedest so to doe which is all one in sense This interpretation is confirmed by the iudgemēt of all expositors in a manner and by like places in this booke as 29.22.14.17.14.29 Tremellius is thought here to haue gone awry oftentimes He who is furious and moodie will on day meete with some trouble or punishment in goods or body although thou pardon him diuers times For his anger returning will cause him to do some mischief or commit some folly for which either some priuat person or publicke Magistrate will cause him smart 20 Hearken to counsell and receiue instruction that thou mayest be wise at the last O man whosoeuer thou art heare and obey the word of God to the end that howsoeuer thou hast spent the former part of thy time in vanitie and wickednesse yet in the end thou mayest attaine to grace and euerlasting glory 21 Many deuises are in a mans heart but the counsell of the Lord shall stand The intentes of mens mindes and the cogitations thereof are infinite changeable contrary to each other and so vayne as that they neuer oftētimes come into act But as concerning the decree of the Lord it is not onely one and the same but in due season is put into execution 22 That which is to be desired by a man is his bountifulnesse but he that is poore is better then he that is a lyar Liberalitie is now commended That which is to be desired by a mā c. Albeit all vertues and good things are to be laboured after yet in as much as is it an
abhorreth all meanes and instruments of iniustice Before 11.1 16. â—1 11 Euen a child is knowen by his doinges whether his worke be pure and right Indeede the proofe is all but yet young impes oftentimes declare by certaine signes what they are what they will be Euen a child is knowen by his doinges not onely the old So did Daniell on the one side and I smaell one the other but the young shew by their actions or behauiour whether his worke be pure and right whether the thing he doth be sincerely performed by him or no or proceedeth from a true and plaine heart 12 The Lord hath made both these euen the eare which heareth and the eye which seeth The Lord hath not only formed all the parts of meÌ„s bodies namely these two the eare the eye Exod. 4.11 Psal 94.9 but he it is who enableth quickneth theÌ„ to do their office 13 Loue not to sleepe least thou come vnto pouertie open thine eyes and thou shalt be satisfied with bread Sleepe not too much that thou become not a begger watch in thy calling and thou shalt haue plenty 14 It is naught it is naught saith the buyer 1. Thess 4.6 but when he is gone apart he boasteth Albeit the ware cheapened is well worth the money demauÌ„ded by the seller yet the couetous buyer to the end he may get it verie cheape disprayseth it to the vtmost and sayth that it is not worth halfe so much as it is prised at but when he hath bought the thing and is come home theÌ„ he will say to his friend had I not a good penieworth it is euen worth twise as much as I payd for it Thus to deale is to call good euill and to speake contrarie to a mans owne knowledge and conscience 15 There is gold and a multitude of pretious stones but the lips of knowledge are a most pretious treasure Worldly treasures are herein compared with true and gracious wordes There is gold and a multitude of pretious stones there are in the world mettals and stones of great price but the lippes of knowledge are a most pretious treasure but plaine dealing in word deede is the best iewel for indeed the one come out of the earth the other are giuen from heauen The one are esteemed by men the other by the Lord the one are corruptible the other immortall the one serue vnto the vses of this life the other are profitable to edifie the soule Balaam him self saw thus much for which cause he said to Balaak that if he should giue him an house full of gold and siluer he could not goe besides the word of God 16 Take his garment who is suretie for a straunge man and a pledge of him who is suretie for a straunge woman Rash suretieship is againe forbidden in this verse Although the garment of thy poore brother who flyeth vnto thee in his necessitie to borrow somewhat of thee Exod. 22.26 is not in any case to be kept by thee froÌ„ him neither yet his pawn to be retained yet when any person who is indeed in poore estate shall so dissemble or take on him the person of a rich man as to offer him selfe vnto thee to be surety for another thou mayest with a good conscience deale streightly with him and require thine owne of such a one 17 The bread of deceit is sweet to a man but afterward his mouth shall be filled with * Or sharpe stones grauell Great reasoÌ„ there is why all men should take heed of craftie dealing For the bread of deceit is sweet to a maÌ„ In the beginning goodes ill gotten are verie pleasant and delitesome to a craftie person but afterward his mouth shal be filled with grauell Neuertheles in the end he shall for the same meete with troubles For such sweet meate as we say will haue sowre sawce 18 Establish thy thoughtes by counsell and by prudent aduise make warre In all matters of doubt whatsoeuer seeke for and follow the direction and counsell of wise and faithfull men but especially bend thine owne wits to deuise all the pollicies in the world and take aduise also with other of skill and experience in so weightie matters as warre is Luc. 14. wherein the life of many a man is hazarded 19 To him who discloseth a secret going about as a * Or backbiter tale bearer and to him who flattereth with his lippes ioyne not thy selfe Take counsaile with wise meÌ„ about thine affaires but make not blabs acquainted therwith neither referre thy matters vnto those who will but faune vpon thee or glose with thee saying as thou sayest and doing all thinges to please thee not regarding their owne dutie or thy good 20 He who curseth his father or his mother shall haue his candell put out in obscure darkenesse That child doth curse his father or his mother See the roote of this sentence Exod. 21.17 who wisheth some euill vnto them or reuileth them His candell shall indeed be put out for his prosperitie and life shall be taken awaye See beneath 30.11 This shall be done in obscure darkenesse in as much as all his glorie shall not onely be taken away but turned into extreme miserie in a day of wrath and vengeance Disobedience then to parents is threatened in this sentence 21 An heritage is hastely gotten at the beginning but the end thereof shall not be blessed Substance by ill meanes or with greedinesse heaped together in short time at the last vanisheth or is accursed 22 Say not I will recoÌ„pence euill but wayt on the Lord and he will saue thee Neither in heart intend nor in speeches threaten reuenge Possesse thy soule rather in patience Rom. 12.19 See the fouÌ„taine of this precept Leuit. 19.18 looking for defence from the Lord. So doing thou shalt be preserued by him from the future dangers and deliuered out of thy present troubles 23 Diuers waightes are abhomination to the Lord Before 11.1 and false ballances are not good All meanes and measures of iniustice are detestable in Gods sight and hurtfull to those men who vse them 24 Amans steppes are of the Lord but what doth a man vnderstand of his way God not only knoweth but ruleth all the thoughts Psal 139. words deeds goings of a maÌ„ On the coÌ„trary side man perceiueth litle or nothing of the counsell or dealing of the Lord in gouerning the world 25 It is a * Or snare destruction for a man to deuoure that which is coÌ„secrated after vowes made to call backe See the roote of this precept Deut. 23.21 alike instruction Eccl. 5.3 an example of the daÌ„ger of breaking it Act. 5.1 the warrant of vowing Psal 76.11 what doings are not to be vowed Deut. 23 18. Iudg. 11.30 gather what a vow is out of the 30. Num. 3.4.5.6 vers See an example in Iudas who was a theefe froÌ„ the beginning That it was the
boldnesse of carnall men is reproued who proceede in wicked actions or walke on in daungerous places without any chaunge of minde or withdrawing of the body vntill they be ouertaken with some calamitie or ouerthrowen by some iudgement of the Lord. For example the rash man goeth to euery one that hath the pestilence or some such sore disease at the last he is infected The gamester goeth on in his dising and in the end commeth to pouertie The robber on the high way ceasseth not to folow his wicked trade and at last he is apprehended and executed The wanton walketh on toward the house of the harlot and in the end he committeth follie with her To conclude all sorts of sinners securely proceede in their impieties and iniquities but at one time or other they meete with some heauie iudgement of the Lord. Wherefore let euery one pray vnto the Lord that he may not be so brutish as to runne into the snare which is before him but that he may haue a quicke sight to espie and foresee and a mighty power to shunne and escape all sortes of euils which may any wayes hurt him in goods in name in body or in soule Psal 143.9 The safest best hiding of a mans selfe in daunger is flying vnto God Luke 21.20 But it is also lawfull somtimes to hide not onely the heart but the head and to change the place Euen as thē the Serpēt hideth him selfe when he spyeth a dāger but the seely bird flying on without feare meeteth with a snare or bullet oftentimes so he that is warie preuenteth or auoideth perils but he that is simple going on in perilous actions or places is punished with one afflictiō or other 4 The reward of humilitie with the feare of God is riches honor and life The reward of humilitie the mercifull recompence of meeknesse or lowlynesse toward men with the feare of God ioyned with the reuerence of the Lord is riches honor and life is store of good things as namely wealth and aduancement and length of dayes which things men especially desire 5 Thornes and snares are in the way of the wicked man but he which taketh heed to his soule shall be farre off from them Thornes and snares are in the way of the wicked mā sicknesse grief and shame with sundrie other euils befall the vngodly person He which taketh heed to his soule shal be farre off from thē They who watch ouer their hearts and walke vprightly are farre from these crosses 6 Teach a child according to the trade of his wayes and when he shall be old he will not depart from it The way of a child is first the feare of God Ephe. 6. secōdly learning or trades thirdly Dan. 1.3 ciuilitie or good behauiour Teach a child thus according to his way Gen. 33.3 and when he shall be old he will not depart from it For albeit good doctrine once learned in youth may quite vanish away yet lightly it doth not perish but the vessel alwayes retaineth some sent of the liquor wherewith it was seasoned at the beginning 7 The rich man ruleth ouer the poore the borrower is seruant to the lender The rich man ruleth ouer the poore he that is wealthie commaundeth the needie people yea sometimes he maketh them his drudges And the borrower is seruaunt to the lender Exod. 21.2 Mat. 18.25 Moreouer the debter oftentimes selleth him or is sold as a bondman by course of law vnto the creditor to satisfie the debt 8 He that soweth iniquitie shall reape affliction and the rod of his anger shall consume him He that soweth iniquitie shall reape affliction Iob. 4.8 Gal. 6.8 he that goeth about to trouble other shall be troubled him selfe and the rod of his anger shall consume him That thing whatsoeuer wherewith he vexed or oppressed other shall cause him to smart yea to decay or perish 9 He that hath a good eye shall be blessed for he giueth of his bread to the poore So did the widow of Sarepta and the Shunamite He that hath a good eye he that hath a pitifull and bountifull eye shall be blessed shall receiue store of spirituall or temporall blessings for he giueth of his bread to the poore sith he bestoweth necessaries on the needie Vnto him also it shall be said at the day of iudgement come thou blessed of my father Mat. 25. 10 Cast out the scorner and strife will goe out so contention and reproch will cease See a like precept 2. Thess 3.14 And an exāple in Sarah who did cast out Ismaell Cast out the scorner remoue the quarellour and the obstinate person out of thine house or iurisdiction and strife will go out so variance will be at an end so contention and reproch will cease so also defending and prouing together with railing or reuiling will be husht 11 He which loueth purenesse of heart and in whose lippes is grace the king will be his friend The Prince will fauor such a one Psal 101.6 who out of a sanctified heart vtteteth wise and gracious wordes or speeches 12 The eyes of the Lord preserue the man of vnderstanding but he ouerthroweth the * Or affaires wordes of the transgressor The eternall God with a mercifull eye fauoureth keepeth him from hurt who knoweth him aright On the contrary side Psal 34.16 the eternall with an angry face reiecteth the prayers ouerthwarreth the speeches and to conclude Iob. 5.12 ouerturneth the estate of the vngodly man 13 The slouthfull man saith a Lion is without I shall be slaine in the street In this verse the behauiour of sluggardes when they are called about their worke is notably painted out The sense hereof is that the idle person doth indeede so behaue him selfe as if one called to go abroad should plead that therefore he will not go out of doores because a Liō is in the strets By the slouthfull mā such a one is meant as deliteth in idlenesse or loytering By the Liō abroad some great danger is shadowed out Whereas it is said by the sluggard I shall be slayne in the streete he sheweth that he feareth not onely some harme but death it selfe Thus much then here is taught that although it is not the vse of idle persons to vtter the selfe same wordes which are set downe in this place yet indeede they alwayes so behaue them selues as if they spake them For the slouthfull hinder themselues from their worke by fainyng of lets and fearing of daungers as losse of fauour of goods of libertie and of life hauing alwayes one excuse or other either in their mouthes or in their hearts For when they are moued or exhorted to follow their trades or to serue God they alledge the hardnesse the impossibilitie the trouble the danger of the matter Vnto the sluggish persō watching fasting praying is a Lyon He that is afrayd to confesse his faith or to show his zeale saith often
in his heart I dare not make knowen my Religiō or declare my loue of the truth least the persecutor slay me Thus the sluggard flyeth smal troubles as if they were great and feareth vncertaine daungers as if they were certaine But put the case ô slouthfull mā that there were a Lyon abroad indeede yet when thy calling bindeth thee to go foorth thou art to proceede to the workes thereof setting aside all vayne excuses and fond feares Did Dauid leaue his fathers sheepe because of the Lyon did Daniell cease from praying vnto God because it was decreed that he who should so do should be cast into the Lyons denne Hath not God made a promise to those who walke in their callings that they shall tread vpon Lyons and not be hurt Sluggishnesse then is in any case to be shaken off which causeth a man to feare the dangers of this life more then God yea which oftentimes causeth him to imagine that a moule hill is a mountaine a Lambe a Lyon an easie matter hard a small daunger great 14 The mouth of straunge women is as a deepe pit he who is a detestation to the Lord shall fall therein They are called here strāge womē who are harlots or wantons The mouth of such strumpets is cōpared to a pit because with their speeches they go about to intangle the simple to cause them to fall into fornication It is said that he who is a detestation to the Lord shall fall therein because the Lord vseth to reuenge a notorious offendor Eccle. 7.26 whom he loatheth for his former sinnes by this most fearefull iudgement that deliuering him vp into a reprobate sense he suffreth him to be seduced by the mouth of the adulteresse and chaseth him as a beast into that pit Rom. 1.26 15 Foolishnesse is bound vp in the heart of a child but the rod of correction will driue it away Foolishnesse is bound vp in the heart of a child frowardnesse stubburnnesse and vanitie or wickednesse dwelleth in all the members of a youth but specially hath abode in their minds For their reason is weake their will peruerse their whole heart inclined to all euil Hence it is that Iob affirmeth that man new borne Iob. 11.12 is like a wild asse colt But the rod of correction will driue it away Neuerthelesse chastisement by stripes remoueth and beateth out the corruption which is in a child 16 Both he who oppresseth the poore to increase his owne substance and he which giueth to the rich shall surely come to pouertie That person who pulleth to him selfe the goods of such as stand in neede shall at last be punished with penurie Againe he who in the humor of vainglorie spendeth his owne goods on the wealthy by sending them rich presents or by feasting them sumptuously shall come to want in the end 17 Incline thine eare and hearken to the wordes of the wise and applie thine heart vnto my knowledge 18 For it shall be pleasaunt if thou keepe these sayings in thy belly and if they be directed together in thy lippes 19 To the end that thy confidence may be in the Lord I haue shewed knowledge this day vnto thee 20 Haue not I writtē vnto thee most Princely sayings in counsels and in vnderstanding 21 Making knowen vnto thee that which is certaine and speeches of truth that in thy speeches thou mayest returne the truth to those who send vnto thee A graue exhortation enforcing the preceptes going before and following after is contained in this place of Scripture It containeth certaine admonitions and certaine reasons enforcing the same The former admonition is incline thine eare c. apply with all diligence thine outward senses to the instructions of this booke The latter is and apply thine heart vnto my knowledge Moreouer bend the inward powers of thy soule to my doctrine The former reason is For it will be pleasant if thou keepe these sayings in thy belly c. For if thou shalt remēber talke of my lessons they will be vnto thee sweeter then the hony or the hony comb To the end that thy confidence may be in the Lord c. The secōd reason is set down in these wordes The summe of it is that the doctrine of this booke is to be embraced by euery one sith he shall receiue this double fruit thereby that both he may be confirmed thereby in the true faith See a like sentence 1. Pet. 3.15 Item Rom. 15.14 and be enabled to render a reason of his beliefe and doings to euery one who shall call him to account 22 Rob not the poore because he is poore neither tread downe the afflicted in the gate 23 For the Lord pleadeth their cause and will spoile their soule who spoile them Rob not the poore because he is poore do wrong to no mā but in no case to the poore man least of all in this respect that he is not able to resist thee or to reuenge thee See the roote hereof Exod. 22.21 c. Neither tread downe the afflicted in the gate aboue all thinges abuse not thy might euen in the seat of iustice to ouerthrow the right of the afflicted For the Lord pleadeth their cause for God much mightier then thou is the defendor of the needy of the comfortlesse And will spoile their soule who spoile them And will take away their life who put them to death 24 Make no friendship with an angry man neither go with a furious person 25 Lest thou learne his wayes and receiue * Or a snare destruction to thine owne soule Make no friendship with an angry man chuse not him to be thy friend who is giuen to wrath neither goe with a furious person and auoyd the very presence of a moodie man lest thou learne his wayes lest by his example thou be infected with his vices and receiue destruction to thine owne soule and lest thou meete with a deadly blow at his handes For indeede furious people are wont in their moodynesse sometimes to slay their nearest and dearest friends 26 Be not of the number of them who Or clap touch the hand nor of them who promise to pay debtes 27 If thou hast not wherewith to make recompence why causest thou that the creditor should take thy bed from vnder thee Be not a rash suretie for by this meanes thou shalt cast thy selfe into thy creditors daunger in such sort Before 20.16 as that he may by law distraine vpō all thy goods the very bed whereon thou lyest not excepted 28 Thou shalt not remoue the auncient boundes which thy forefathers haue set This Prouerbe teacheth that those things are not rashly or lightly to be chaunged which by law or by the custome of the elders are receiued Thou shalt not remoue the auncient bounds Thou shalt not encroch vnlawfully on other mens possessions nor deceitfully displace the marke of thine inheritance which being remoued the grounds or lands would be confoūded
aside all bitternesse Ephe. 4. 6. wrath and outcries The inferiors which are oppressed are as the sheepe of Christ to beare iniuries patiently They are also to pray to be deliuered frō such lions and to assure them selues Psal 22. that they shall at last in some sort tread them vnder foote Psal 91. 16 A gouernour * Vnderstandings voyde of all vnderstanding and much in oppressions shall shorten his dayes but he which hateth gaine shall prolong his dayes As tyrannie so couetousnesse ought to be farre as from all men so chiefly from rulers Politike Pharaos imagine they deale wisely when they lay grieuous burdens on the Israelites Foolish Rehoboams thinke it the most prudent course to scourge the people with scorpions But such rulers who are much in oppressions incroaching the peoples landes getting their goods by hooke and crooke and exacting extreme tribute estraunge their subiects hearts offend God fall into many foolish hurtfull lustes which plunge men into destruction and therefore haue indeed no vnderstāding But he that is so farre from couetousnesse that he is a mā as Iethro would haue rulers be which euen hateth gaine that gaine I say which is vniust shall waxe old in the fauour of the people as Samuell did be beloued of all mē and blessed of the Lord. 1 Sam. 12. Let then the conuersation of euery one be without couetousnesse as the Apostle exhorteth and let euery one be cōtent with the things Heb. 13. that are present Would any know a couetous man Looke on his conuersation his bargaines his housekeeping c. Would a couetous man know whether this roote of all euill be in him selfe or no Let him looke on his minde his cares his feares his desires But aboue all other Psal 119. let Magistrates say to the Lord with Dauid Incline mine heart to thy statutes and not to couetousnesse 17 Let a man pursued for the bloud of a * Soule or life flie to the graue let none vphold him Magistrates are not to pardon wilfull murderers By Moses law they who flue any at vnawares might haue cities of refuge Exod. 21.22 and be preserued from death by the rulers but he which offred violence and maliciously slue his neighbour was to die without mercie They which maimed their neighbours were to pay eye for eye tooth for tooth But he which tooke away life Gen. 9. by man was to be depriued of his life Magistrates may be moued by rewards to shew such fauour Num. 35. but the Lord would haue no reward taken for a man-slaier Pitie may sometimes incline them to mercy but the Lord wold not haue their eye to spare them Magistrates then being the deputies of the Lord are to execute this law on wilfull murtherers as Salomō did on Ioab 1. Kings 2. When men take no vengeance on him which sheddeth innocent blood God pursueth him as he did Cain The Papists impietie is here notably detected who did set open sanctuaries and priuiledged places vnto all sortes of notorious offenders 18 He which walketh vprightly shall be saued but he who is peruerse in * His two waies his waies falleth * In one therein This is the course which magistrates are to obserue in their iudgements imitating the Lordes example namely on the one side to defend and spare the righteous who neither declining from the right hand nor the left walke circumspectly in the straight way of the Lordes preceptes and on the other to punish the transgressor who either doth that which is wicked or dealeth vnlawfully in those actions which are lawfull Those then who either vse deceit in their best actions or commit grosse sinnes and walke therin shall at one time or other bee taken napping as was Shimei 1. Cor. 10. and be plagued in some one of their iniquities as were the Israelites If magistrates alway punish not the wicked and cherish the good as they ought yet surely the Lord will 19 He which tilleth his land shall be satisfied with foode but hee which followeth vaine persons shall be filled with pouertie Disorderly walkers who do nothing Before 12.10 23.21 but go vp and downe as busibodies haue bene oft before reproued and here are taxed againe Amongst other vpright waies this is one that a man diligently follow his vocation When husbandry or any such trade is well put in vre it will through the Lords blessing yeeld vnto a man sufficient to content him and to maintain his family as may appeare in the rich estate whereunto Iacob came by the Lords blessing on his industry The prouident then and the diligent shall haue foode to kill hunger with garmēts wherewith to couer them and money for good vses But the good companions and youthes of this world which follow hunting halking carding dicing stage-players and such vanities or are vagabonds roging vp and downe the countrey shall not onely want necessaries but be filled with pouertie bondage grief and miserie as was the prodigall sonne 20 A * Of faithfulnesses faithful man is full of blessings but he which hasteth to waxe rich shall not be vnpunished As vnthriftinesse shall be punished by the Lord so posting to be rich shal be reuenged by him A man of faithfulnesse to speake as the spirite doth in the originall tongue who dealeth plainly and truly not only in word but deede both with God and men not onely in one matter but all shal be much inblessings shal be made partaker not of one good thing onely but of many His credit shal be great he shall haue peace of heart his store shall increase he shall haue children vnto him at last it shal be said Come thou blessed of my Father Now as touching those who make hast to be rich or who as Paule speaketh wil be rich as it were whether God will or no who get their goods by hooke and crooke or by playing the partes of drudges and snudges to conclude who labour after wealth but vse not to call on the name of God nor regard his word these make commonly more hast then speed seeing they are not vnpunished but fall into temptation and a snare meeting with some losse or crosse in steed of gaine and aduantage as birds hasting to the pray are oft in their flight striken and stayed with a pellet Achab made hast to Naboths vineyard but at last dranke a cup of bloudie grapes for his posting 21 It is not good to accept * The face persons for so a man would transgresse for a morsell of bread Of the number of such as make hast to be rich are they who respect persons in iudgement He that is infected with this vice albeit he be a man of high calling in the common wealth and although there is no comparison betweene truth or iustice and a morsell of bread yet will he easilie be hired brought to hold his peace or to giue a false sentence for
a little paltrie gaine for a dinner yea for a morsell of bread Not onely Magistrates are to take heed that they be farre from this sinne but other also If Ministers are giuen to this vice they will teach false doctrine or smoother the truth that they may still enioy the rich mens trenches If people be caried away with it you shall see them extoll a Papist for a litle relief at his doore 22 A man of an euill eye maketh hast to get riches but he knoweth not that pouertie shall befall him Of the crew before spoken of are moreouer miseserable niggards who are noted to be men of an euill eye because with the eye they desire other mens goods enuie their neighbours prosperitie grudge those who come vnto their tables the very meate which they eate Such Labans spare care and toyle exceedingly imagining through their industrie and pinching both to attaine to abundance and alwayes to liue in plentie Yet at last by some casualtie or by death pouertie which they flie by all meanes commeth vnto them Luke 12. Luke 16. as may appeare in the rich glutton described in the Gospell See this parable expounded in the Psal 39.49 Also oft before in this booke 23 He which reproueth a man in the * Or after me 〈◊〉 Tremellius taketh it end shall rather finde fauour then he * Softeneth his tongue vvhich flattereth with his tongue The vaine and needie people of this world seeking by all meanes to enrich them selues vse flattering speeches to this intent knowing that faire words make fooles faine But yet as here is shewed they which reproue shall finde more fauour then they which flatter Indeede many finde fault with other and controll them but because they do this with an harsh spirite and in an vndiscreet manner their speeches make them rather odious theÌ„ gracious vnto the parties rebuked But he which reproueth his neighbours iustly wisely charitablie that to a good end and as Paule speaketh to Titus that they may be sound in the faith he shall reape a pretious frute after his labour True it is the wicked and sottish people of the world will hate them most which rebuke them most for sinne For with such flatterie getteth friends and truth hatred Neuerthelesse they which haue any sparke of grace or are wise will beare good will to a reprouer and hate a flatterer The consideration of the reprouers affection his reasons will winne the partie reproued to amendment and raise vp in him a great liking of that man or that woman who told him of his fault as may appeare in the example of Dauid Psal 141. Let vs then rather by wholesome rebukes labour to profit our frieÌ„ds then seeke to please them by soothing speeches O saith flesh and bloud I shall loose my friend and gaine if so I do But fie vpon such lothnesse to displease as betrayeth a friend eueÌ„ vnto Sathan him selfe Let rather the commaundement of our Sauiour moue vs to reproue our brother betweene him and vs. Ezech. 13. Let wo threatned by Ezechiell hold vs backe from sowing pillowes vnder euery elbo◠〈◊〉 He vvhich spoiling his father or his mother saith it is no sinne is companion to a man vvho is * Destroyer or spoiler as Exod. 32.23 before 13. â—0 a murderer Robbing of parents or spoyling of them by any meanes is a great and grieuous sinne To steale from a stranger is no small fault which sinne those who commit are iustly punished with death It must needs then be a detestable kinde of robberie and iniurie when not strangers but parents shal be not lighty endamaged but spoiled by their children and that without scruple of conscience and securelie A notable example hereof we haue in Micha of whom meÌ„tion is made in the bookes of Iudges Iud. 17. who although he had stolne from his mother eleueÌ„ hundred shikles of siluer yet made he no conscience to disclose his theft or to restore it vntill such time as he heard his mother wish a bitter curse vnto the theef then he acknowledged his fact not of any remorse of heart but onely to auoyde the curse which his mother had pronounced Thus doth the heart of vngodly childreÌ„ seduce them oftentimes who say these goods belong vnto me they are mine own I haue my part in them why should I not take them vse them spend them But howsoeuer such a wretch may delude him selfe he is in the fault and punishment to be ioyned not a common theefe and robber but with a destroyer and murderer That the word here vsed signifieth thus much may appeare 64. Esay Exod. 12.23 The Lord in Deut. 21. expresly commaundeth that such children be stoned to death Of this generation are all childreÌ„ who pilfer from their parents spend their goods riotously incurre debt and make their parentes pay it put their mothers by from their right after their fathers decease or as Lords ouer their parents goods do what they list with them 25 He vvhich * Broad is high minded stirreth vp strife but he which trusteth in the Lord shal be made fat The high minded are here beaten downe for that such are meant by those who are of a large soule may appeare by that expectatioÌ„ of Paul to Timothy â— Tim 7.17 which may serue as a perfect exposition of this sentence CoÌ„mauÌ„d the rich of this world not to be high minded nor to trust in the vncertaintie of riches but in the liuing God who giueth vnto vs all things richly vnto fruition The which last words also declare what is meant here by being fat which being a borowed speech taken from those who are in good plight of body noteth out the abundance of Gods blessings He then which is high minded secure and frolike in regard of his outward prosperitie â—uke 12. as was the rich glutton saith that he shall neuer be remoued Psal 30. as Dauid did and despiseth his neighbours oppresseth them and raiseth vp vnnecessarie warres and strifes â— Chro. 18. as did Iehosaphat when he prouoked the Syrians by the which iarres and contentions he must needes be vexed and somewhat pulled down in his estate But he which is humble in all estates and trusteth in the Lord Psal 131. as the Prophet willeth Israell to do shall prosper in body and in soule and be satisfied with peace of heart and many good things Psal 63. 92. as it were with marrow 26 He which trusteth in his owne * Heart soule is a foole but he vvhich vvalketh * In wisedome vvisely shall deliuer him selfe They that are wise in their owne eyes fall into the sinne before coÌ„demned and are here fitly reproued Such trust in their heart as imagine that they haue no neede of the helpe or aduise of other and refuse to follow the direction of the godly wise giuing theÌ„ sound couÌ„saile out of the word For these deuise new conceites
haue made naked want Iesus Christ the robe of righteousnesse and happinesse want faith want mortification and sanctification Ephe. 6. Math. 22. want the whole armour of God the wedding garment How is it possible but that their soules must needes be pined away and starued for want of spirituall foode and comfort in the midst of temptations and afflictions Amos. 8. And will it not come to passe that such poore people walking as heathen in the darknesse and vanitie of their mindes will rush into errors fall into idolatries breake out into blasphemies runne into all sortes of sinne follow after witches finally degenerate into the nature of brute beasts waxe worse thē they But on the other side blessed is he that keepeth the law Diuerse heare the word but it is to their condemnation and therefore the outward enioying of the exercises of Religion maketh not any happie but rather those it maketh most miserable who onely are partakers of them and are not with them partakers of Gods spirit or transformed thereby into the image of Christ but remaine vnreformed pratling hypocrites such as onely haue an outward shew of godlinesse but deny the power thereof in their deeds But the happinesse of that man on the contrary side is vnspeakable who is not a forgetfull hearer Iames. 1. but a doer of the word who beleeueth in Christ Iesus who bringeth foorth good frutes as a tree planted by the riuers side and that in due season and without withering finally who groweth dayly in all sortes of gifts of the holy Ghost For this sound and true Christian shall by the meanes of the word which he firmely keepeth be directed in all his particular actions preserued from sinning against the maiestie of God comforted in the midst of all his afflictions and after that God hath poured vpon him many blessings in this world be made an heire of the kingdome of glory which is in heauē Although prophane Esaus shall seeke this blessing with teares they shal not finde it but as our Sauiour testifieth in the Gospell blessed is he and surely he onely who heareth the word of God and keepeth it 19 A seruant is not to be chastened with wordes alone when as vnderstanding yet he answereth not Stubburne disobediēt seruants are here shewed to be of so vile a disposition as that rebukes by words alone will not make them do their dutie and therefore they must be beaten with stripes Some seruants are so stout that whē they either are called to come to their maisters they will not come making shew that they heare them not or when a question is asked of them they will hold their peace of a curst stomach These are of the nūber of those who whē they heare do not answere and such birdes as can speake and will not speake must be made to speake But such againe are of this sort who though they say they will do all which their maisters enioyne them yet answere not their commaundements by putting them into practise in which sense the word of answering is oft vsed in the Scripture as where the Lord is said to answere those his suters whose prayers he graunteth It seemeth that our Sauiour had relation to this prouerbe when he saith in the Gospell that the seruant which knoweth his maisters will and doth it not shal be beaten with more stripes then he which knoweth it not Let seruants in families according to the exhortation of the Apostle be subiect vnto their maisters Tis. ◠seruiceable in all things not gainsaying them Let those who professe thē selues to be the seruants of God when they know their dutie out of the word not neglect to practise it lest the Lord lay on them his scourges of pouertie sicknesse and other afflictions 20 Hast thou seen a mā hastie in his words There is better hope of a foole then of him As disobedience and sullennesse is a bad propertie in seruants so likewise is a quicke and talkatiue toūg here condemned both in them after a speciall manner and in all generally as a great fault The foole which is slow of speech and speaketh sparingly sinneth and offendeth for want of matter or of wit But the pratler which is quicke and busie of his tongue so that he giueth his neighbour or maister a crosse answere and quip without any studie offendeth by reason of an ill habite and an arrogant spirit This vice of babling is at all times to be taken heed of but especially in prayer Eccles 5.2 10. as the wise king exhorteth in the booke of the Preacher saying make no hast with thy mouth and let not thy minde beswift to vtter any thing before God For a fuller expositiō of this sentence returne to reuiew the notes set downe on the 26. chapter of this booke and the 12. verse 21 He that bringeth vp his seruant daintily from his youth shall * In his end at the last be bereaued of his children As all are the worse for libertie so here is shewed that such who be of a seruile estate or condition thereby of all other are most spoiled and corrupted Seruants are then brought vp daintily when they are lifted vp to great offices whereof they are not worthy or clothed with fine apparell or fed with good cheare or suffred to haue too much ease or familiarly spoken vnto and intertained When they are tried to be faithfull they may be trusted lawfully with great matters and put in high places as was Ioseph But to aduaūce or let loose the bridle vnto some natures is to spoile them according as this wise king found by experience 1. King 11.28 who placing Ieroboam his seruant ouer the familie of Ioseph and his workes or munitions felt him at last an heauie aduersarie and rebell And indeede the insolencie of such beggers set on horsebacke is intolerable as is insinuated in the latter part of this sentence They will not only beate their fellow seruants as is shewed in the parable of the Gospell but slay or put by and hurt their maisters children Zimri the seruant of Ela king of Israell was by him so aduaunced esteemed as that he was placed Captaine and ouerseer ouer the halfe part of his chariots 1. King 16.11 But within a while Zimri affecting to be a Lord not onely slue Ela his good maister but the whole stocke of Baasha Elaes father 22 * A man of wrath A wrathfull man stirreth vp strife and a * A Lord of anger furious man is full of transgressions As too much remisnesse so wrath is to be taken heed off Let anger be kindled neuer so little in any the wrathfull person will prouoke such as he dealeth withall vnto brawling or fighting either by his irefull lookes or crosse speeches or hastie strokes and blowes But if anger increase in any great measure so that it burning into a flame maketh the person therewith enflamed furious it not onely breedeth
doctrine Paule teacheth the Corinthians when he saith whether any aske the question concerning Titus be is my fellow and fellow helper vnto you whether of the brethren they are the messengers of the Churches the glorie of Christ Therefore shew the declaration of your loue and of our boasting of you in the sight of the Churches Thus much concerning the title Now as concerning the instructions we are therin also to obserue foure points wherof the first is that the author thereof did not know holy things by the light of nature the second that this is true knowledge to know God the father and his sonne Christ the third that the word of God being the meanes of this heauenly knowledge is most pure the last that this word is to be beleeued and sincerely obeyed When as Agur saith I haue bene brutish since I haue bene a man and there is not the vnderstanding of a man in me he plainly confesseth and openly proclaimeth that of him selfe he is voyde of sauing knowledge For he which speaketh after this sort of him selfe declareth that he wanteth his reason and common sense in spirituall things And certainlie as Ieremie speaking more generally witnesseth Euery man naturally is more brutish Ierem. 10. then that he can perceiue for the naturall man perceiueth not the things which belong to God yea the oxe knoweth his owner Esay 1. and the asse his crib but I sraell hath no knowledge and the people of God no vnderstanding Were it possible that Idolaters should be so blockish as they are to kneele down to a peece of wood or of stone vnles they were by nature brutish As concerning the second point the question is demaunded what his name is who ascended vpinto heauen and descended c. and what is his sonnes name The answere vnto the former question is that it is not any mā or creature but the true God onely wise onely mercifull and onely iust who onely doth these actions as may appeare in that they are attributed vnto him Amos. 9. Psal 104 Esay 40. Iob. 38. For first he by his effectes ascended and descended Gen. 2.1 perfecting both heauen and earth and all their hosts at the beginning of the world neither doth he still cease working in these places Iohn 3. Ephe. 4. Indeede our Sauiour after a speciall manner ascended into heauen and descended but here those workes are meant and mentioned which the father worketh in common with him as the mouing of the sunne and the starres Amos. 9. and as Amos speaketh the building of his vpper chambers in heauen the founding of his armies vpon the earth Againe God holdeth the winds in his fist There are no members of a body in the Lord but these things by a borrowed speech are ascribed to him to shew that there is some what like in regard of his effectes Euen as then he which holdeth any thing in his fist hath full power ouer it to dispose thereof so God disposeth the winds and ruleth ouer the element of the aire Therefore Dauid saith Psal 135. that the Lord maketh the lightning and raine and bringeth the wind out of his treasures Furthermore the Lord bindeth the waters in his cloke for as men vse to wrap vp things which they will carrie and to tye vp loose trinkers in cloths and clouts so the Lord incloseth the waters and compasseth them about with his decree with the bankes of the earth Iob. 38. with the clouds which in this respect Iob calleth the Lords bottels The waters at the beginning were gathered by the Lord into one place and now the sea is wrapped as it were in swaddling bands as Iob speaketh To conclude the Lord establisheth the boundes of the earth euen as a cunning builder of an house For at the beginning he said let the drie land appeare and now he so preserueth the earth by the word of his power that it remaineth still firme and vnmoueable But the name of this true God cā not be knowen aright vnlesse also we know his sonnes name and therfore the question is demaunded what is his sonnes name if thou canst tell The answere hereunto is that his name is wonderfull counseller the Prince of peace God manifested in the flesh and iustified in the spirit coëternall coëquall coëssentiall with the father he also who ascended and descended Now then let vs know the sonne of God and we shall know the true God For he is the angell in whō Gods name is written he is the grauen image of his glorie Therfore our Sauiour saith to his Apostles If ye had knowē me Iohn 14. ye had also knowē my father Now thē the summe of this diuine doctrine is that which Iohn setteth down this is eternall life to know thee to be the only true God and whō thou hast sent Iesus Christ But as touching the word of God which sheweth these misteries it is said that the whole word of God is most perfectly purified Albeit none by nature can perceiue the forenamed mysteries yet by the word of God they may be vnderstood in some sort in some cōfortable measure Therefore Paul saith to the Romanes Say not in thine heart who shall go vp into heauen for the word is neare in thy mouth and in thine heart And euery part of this word is pure both the preceptes and the promises the stories and prophesies finally the law the Gospell Nay it hath bene purified as the siluer in the fining pot most perfectly For what iotte or title of Gods word euer fell to the ground What did God euer say which came not to passe Yea Abraham found it true euen when he was about to slaie Isaac the Israelites tried the truth of it in the firie furnace of Aegipt Dauid had perished in his afflictions but for it Philosophie is vaine mens words are full of deceit flesh and blood is fantasticall but the word neuer seduceth neuer faileth any that laie hold on it God therefore the authour of this word is to be beleeued who as is added is a buckler to those who betake themselues vnto him God therefore giueth vs his word that faith thereby being wrought in vs we should flie to him for helpe which doing we shall be preserued from dangers from euill men yea from sinne and Satan by his mightie power for the Lord is not onely a light as Dauid speaketh that is a giuer of good things but a buckler that is a preseruer of vs from euill Sorrow sticketh in vs trouble is on vs temptations cease not to assault vs. Satan preuaileth against vs because we flie not to the name of God as wee ought But the word of God must also sincerely be obeyed Adde not to his words that he do not reproue thee and thou become a lier To search out with modestie or to deliuer truly the sense of the scripture is not to adde thereunto but to consent vnto it But they are said to
adde to the word who infect the puritie thereof or say or do any thing contrary thereunto Such adders vnto the word were in old time the Scribes Pharisies who taught for doctrines the traditions of men Saul also when he spared Agag added his owne carnall reason to the commandement of God Agur disswadeth from adding to the word of God by a reason taken from the punishment which the Lord vseth to bring on those who this way offend The Lord threatneth in the Reuelation that he will adde vnto such the punishments written in that booke For this sinne Nadab and Abihu were consumed with fire from heauen and Vzzah perished most fearefully Last of all the greatnesse of this sinne is shewed to the end it may be auoyded Lest thou be found a liar To belie men were a great offence how much more then to be found a false witnesse concerning God It is treason to falsifie and corrupt the Princes coine and image what high treason must it needs be then to counterfeit or corrupt the pure word of God Let vs learne here to be content with the simplicitie of the word in all things not adding our owne inuentions or customes nor pursuing togither with it our profits and pleasures 7 Two things I request of thee forbid them not from me * whilest yet I die not so long as I liue 8 Remoue farre from me vanitie and * A word of lying lying giue me not pouertie nor riches feede me with the food of mine allowance 9. Lest being filled I lie and say who is the Lord Or lest becomming poore I steale to conclude * Laeie hold on I abuse the name of my God 10 * Offend not with thy tongue Accuse not a seruant vnto his maister lest he curse thee and thou be * Or arraigned blamed These verses containe a praier which Agur made and an admonition which he gaue In the praier we are to obserue the preface which he vseth to the lord before it and the matter of it The preface is this Two things I request of thee forbid them not from me whilst I liue There is no doubt but that Agur desired euen a thousand things at Gods hands for he stood in need of so many necessaries yea and of infinit more as also we all do But he begged two things principally particularly as most needfull for him in regard of glorifying God and his owne good Let vs learne by his example to looke before we come to pray what we stand in need off especially and to consider what sutes we will put vp to the Lord. Now as concerning the time wherein he desireth to enioy the things for which he praieth it is so long as he should liue not for a day or moneth or yeare onely Hee doth then craue as it were not a lease but a fee simple of the Lords benefits So doth Dauid when he saith Psal 27. One thing haue I intreated of Iehouah that I will request euen that I may remaine in the house of I ehouah all the daies of my life The matter of the praier consisteth of certain sutes and of certaine reasons of those sutes The sutes are of two sorts as first for the graces desired secondly for the meanes whereby those graces may be attained One of the graces is Remoue farre from me vanitie that is to say let not pride vnthankfulnesse worldlinesse or idolatrie or such like vanities of this world take hold on me at anie time The prophet in the psalme affirmeth this to be one of the properties of a citizen of heauen Psal 24. That he lifteth not vp his soule vnto vanitie Certainly it is a verie hard thing not to trust in riches or not to delight in this world aboue measure and therfore we are no lesse earnestly then Agur did to sue for this holy grace The other grace by him requested is That a false matter or a lying speech may be remoued from him that is to say all vnfaithfull dealing craft forgerie cousenage periurie hipocrisie The prophet in the psalme in like sort ioyneth both these togither when he saith How long will ye loue vanitie Psal 4. and seeke after leasing This is a special and a rare grace as may appeare in that all estates of people in all places almost are giuen to dissimulation Ephe. 4. The Apostle willeth vs to put away lying but before we can so do we must pray that the Lord would remoue it farre from vs. Now as concerning the meanes of attaining to these two graces Agur in the former place requesteth that he may not haue too litle saying Giue me not pouertie that is to say suffer me not throughout my life to be in extreme want as not to haue food and raiment or the necessaries of this life It may be thought by some that this desire to auoyd extreme penurie in Agur was not lawfull For was not Lazarus exceedingly poore and yet the seruant of God and not driuen by his want to vnfaithfull dealing Again was not Paul needie oftentimes and yet walked vprightly because he knew how to want and how to abound Rather as it may seeme Agur was to pray for that gift which Paul had then that he should not be so extremely poore But in as much as Agur doth not abhorre pouertie simply or otherwise then for the danger of sinning which it bringeth men often vnto and might cast him into and for the obtaining of truth and plaine dealing his heart being rightly disposed the praier which he maketh to this entent is holie and was acceptable no doubt vnto God In this sort to the ende we may glorifie God the better we may pray against sicknesse and aduersaries wants including alwaies this condition as he did to wit if God saw it good for him and to this effect that we be neuer tried aboue that which we shall be able to beare In the next place Agur praieth and saith Giue me not viches feed me with the food of mine allowance A seruant of God as appeareth in Abraham Dauid and Ioseph of Arimathea may haue riches and yet performe his dutie Agur thē simply praieth not against wealth or altogither condemneth riches but he requesteth that he may haue the food of his allowance that is the daily portion which God hath cut out for him in his decree to the supplying of his wants Lue. 11. and the furthering of him in his seruice be it neuer so meane rather then such abundance as would be an hinderance of him in holinesse or an inducement to commit euill Thus to pray against abundance is as lawfull as when we come to a table well furnished to beseech the Lord that we may take so much of the food set before vs as may strengthen our bodie and make our soules more fit to his seruice and not cramme in more then wil do vs good or so much as will oppresse our hearts As concerning the reasons
woman is commended in the chapter ensuing for setting her hands to the wherue and her fingers to the spindle Before also it hath bene said in this booke Seest thou a man which is diligent in his affaires he shall stād before Princes and not among meane personages It is a thing prayse worthy to attaine vnto any meane facultie of good things or to stād in the second or third place amōg the vertuous Neuerthelesse euery Christian is to labour to be exact in his workes to follow after spirituall gifts with a ielousie finally to seeke after such a spirit of wisedome as was in Bezaleell and Aholiab 29 These three things * Do well in marching do well in walking order vvell their going yea these foure things are comely in their pace 30 An aged lion most valiant among the beasts which retireth not back forfeare of any 31 An horse vvhich hath his loynes girt vp * Or a goate and a goate and a king against vvhom * Not to rise vp against him none riseth vp As Agur in the former verses hath shewed vs foure schoolemaisters of wisedome so now he representeth here vnto our view as many paternes of comelinesse The first of these is the lion which going to any place trembleth not by the way nor flyeth backe though he see the eliphant or the tiger or the beare but proceedeth on forward with a valiant courage The second is the horse which hauing his loynes girt vp not onely praunceth it gallantly but couragiously Iob. 39.22 and swiftlie rushing into the battaile as the Lord him selfe testifieth in the booke of Iob goeth not backe at the sight of the sword nor is terrified at the ratling of the quiuer nor troubled at the shrill sound of the trumpet The third is the goate who being the ringleader of the flocke not onely walketh before the same with a certaine statelinesse but with chearefulnesse first in the sight of the rest climeth vp the craggie rockes and mountaines The last is a king against whom none riseth vp or on whom a most honorable gard of his officers attendeth before whom the enemies quake for whom the subiectes pray vnto whom all that are vnder his iurisdiction yeeld obedience Such a king carying in him the courage of a liō feareth not the face of any person nor ceaseth for any daunger to go forward in good actions Againe girding vp his loynes as the horse he encountereth with his aduersaries and taketh vengeance on them To conclude imitating the goate in this respect he leadeth by his example the people committed to his charge vnto all vertuous actions and exercises of Religion In these respectes the Scriptures sometimes compare the Monarches of this world vnto these beasts as namely in the 7. and 8. of Daniell But in as much as these patternes of comelinesse are propoūded to this intent to teach all sortes of men to deale orderly in matters to walke seemelily in their calings both Magistrates Ministers priuate persons are to learne hereby to walke more orderly then vsually they do Neuerthelesse euery one is to take heed that he be not too stately or lift vp him selfe against his neighbour into which sinne yet if any through infirmitie haue fallen he is to recouer him selfe out of the same by following that diuine counsaile which is giuen in the verses following 32 If thou hast bene foolish in lifting vp thy selfe or if thou hast thought some euill put thine hand on thy mouth 33 For as the pressing of milke draweth out the butter and the vvringing of the nose draweth out bloud so the pressing of anger draweth out strife Those who haue bene ouertaken with anger are herein exhorted not to sinne nor let the sunne go downe vpon their wrath If thou hast bene foolish in lifting vp thy selfe if by some contemptuous speech or boasting behauiour thou hast bewrayed thy follie or if thou hast thought yea if onely thou hast bene puffed vp in mind or cōceiued some mischief in thine heart put thine hand to thy mouth be silent do so no more abstaine from executing it Common with thine heart on thy bed and be still For as the pressing of milke draweth out butter as the vehemencie of stirring the creame causeth it at last to take an other nature and the wringing of the nose draweth out bloud as the rubbing of the nostrels to much causeth bloud to fall into the same so the pressing of anger draweth out strife to much prouoking either of a mild or of an hastie nature causeth brawling yea sometimes bloudy blowes A notable example of the truth hereof see in Asahell 2. Samuell 2.21.22 THE XXXI CHAPTER 1 A gathering together of the vvordes of king Lemuell vvherewith his mother instructed him THis chapter consisteth of two parts the one the title the other the discourse it selfe In the title which is contained in this entrance thereof two persons are specified the one Lemuell or Lemoêl the other the mothe◠of this Lemuell Salomon is called Lemuel by taking away the first letter of his name in Hebrew to wit Shin by adding to the last letter thereof the word El which signifieth God This name was giuen vnto Salomon by his mother that thereby he might be put in minde that as his parents had dedicated him to the Lord so the Lord had promised to be his father The sentences set downe in this chapter are called the wordes of king Lemuell not for that they were vttered by him but for that they were committed by him to writing when as now he was a king They are then the wordes not of Salomon but of Salomons mother but who she was it remaineth now to be inquired It is manifest that the mother of Lemuell was Beersheba who indeede once fell most grieuously but afterward vnfaynedly repenting she walked in the feare of the Lord a testimonie whereof we haue in that care which she had of informing her son therein which how notably she did may appeare in the preceptes following in this chapter 2 What my sonne and vvhat ô sonne of my vvombe and vvhat ô sonne af my vowes The title of this chapter being ended the discourse it selfe followeth which containeth partly a preface partly sundry preceptes The preface cōprehended in this verse declareth how Bathsheba vsed three reasons to perswade or allure Salomon vnto the receiuing of her instructions The first reason is taken from the bond of nature what my sonne This argument may thus be concluded a sonne ought to obey his parents thou art my son thou oughtest therfore to obey me The secōd is drawen frō the right of desert What ô sonne of my wombe Thus it may be framed he which hath bene bought most dearely ought to obey most dutifully thou hast cost me much paine thou oughtest thē with all reuerēce to kearkē to my voyce The third is deriued from the rule of pietie or Religion and what ô sonne of my vowes It may thus be made