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
and therefore is voyd of vnderstanding for he deserueth death and by the law of God he is to die He shall receaue a blow and blame and his reproch shall not be blotted out He who committeth adulterie shall be pursued by the whorish womans husband vnto death and executed by the magistrate neither onely shall he liue and die like a strained and spotted man but euen when he is dead his infamie shall remaine For the fierce rage of a man is in iealousie Although effeminate persons can put vp the wrong offred them in the defiling of their wiues yet those who haue any manhood in them will not neither possibly can Indeed priuat reuenge is vnlawfull but the secret motions of nature will so worke in this case that men will pursue those before the magistrates euen vnto the death who haue done them wrong in their chiefest treasures which are more deare vnto them then life How true this is may appeare in the example of that Leuite of whom mētion is made in the booke of Iudges who seeing his wife to haue bene shamefully abused sent the partes of her dead bodie to the tribes of Israell with this message Iud. 19.30 Consider the matter consult and giue sentence To conclude the husband which is inflamed with iealousie or rage for wrong offered vnto him in his wife will neuer be reconciled nor rest till he hath bene reuenged of his aduersarie the adulterer euen vnto the full Now if man will not pardon the offence this way done to him how much more will God punish the transgression of his law in this case yea how much more seuerely will he reuenge such villanie THE VII CHAPTER 1 My sonne obserue my wordes and lay vp my preceptes within thee 2 Keepe my preceptes and thou shalt liue and my doctrine as the apple of thine eye 3 Bind them to thy fingers write them on the table of thine hart 4 Say vnto wisedome thou art my sister and call prudence thy kinswoman 5 That she may preserue thee from the strange woman from the adulteresse who flattereth with her lippes THis Chapter wherein Salomon still intreateth of adulterie consisteth of a Preface contained in these verses and a parable which first is propoūded thē applied in the rest of the Chapter After what maner we are to receaue the word of God the wise king sheweth first in these speeches My sonne obserue my wordes c. If a man haue iewels he will not cast them in euery place but he will keepe thē as safe as he can vnder locke and key Such carefulnes would the holy Ghost haue vs also vse in hiding and keeping good instructions in our hearts Keepe my preceptes and thou shalt liue and my doctrine as the apple of thine eye The instruction of the word is the same to the soule which the eye is to the body For as the body without the sight of the eyes runneth vpō many things that hurt it and falleth at euery litle stumbling blocke So the soule most fearefully rusheth into sinnes if it wāt the light and direction of the word As therefore we are most carefull to keepe our eyes from hurt so should we be as charie and warie to preserue the admonitions of the Scripture When Nahash the Ammonit offred to make a conenant of peace with the children of Israell vpon condition that they would pull out their right eyes albeit they were in great distresse yet would they not yeeld thereunto In like manner then let vs not for any thing in the world part with the good instructiōs which once we haue receaued yea let vs sooner part from our eyes thē from them Let vs rather as is added bind them to our fingers and write them on the tables of our harts let vs haue them I say at our fingers ends neuer suffring thē to vanish or to perish To this end euery one is admonished in the last place to say vnto wisedome thou art my sister c. The loue betweene brethren sisters and kinsfolke is very naturall and againe their familiaritie verie great They often feast one another as did Iobs children and they liue louingly together as did Marie Martha and Lazarus In like sort then we are not to be strangers in the word but we must be dayly conuersant therein louing it most dearely and following it most carefully Thus if thou embracest and entertainest prudence then she will preserue thee frō the strange woman The summe of these words is that for as much as no man by himselfe is able inough to take heede of the harlot and the word of God is an onely soueraigne preseruatiue against this euill therefore it is with all diligence to be kept and regarded 6 For as I looked through the window of mine house out of a casement 7 I sawe among the fooles I marked among the lads a witlesse youth 8 Who passing through the street neare vnto her corner wēt the way toward her house 9 In the twilight at euening ryde in thē blacknesse of the night and the darknesse Now the wise king beginneth to propounde his parable describing in these verses the foolish and wāton yong man which was drawen at last to commit folly with the naughtie woman As I looked through the window of mine house They that wil stand in their chābers or looke out of the windows of their houses may heare and see many such things done and sayd as here are spoken of But Salomon through the window of his mind did view and behold the customes behauiour of wantons I saw among the fooles c. He considered and found by obseruation that some rash and vngodly youth with whom God is angrie for former sinnes falleth through his owne corruption into the deepe pit of the mouth of the harlot at the last Who passing through the streete neare vnto her corner Here he wold giue vs to vnderstand that the vaine yong man by going the way where the harlot dwelt was brought at last to commit whoredome In the twilight at euening tide in the blacknesse of the night and the darkenesse He cōsidered what was done sayd from euening to morning and all night long as also how the adulterer is wont to stray abrode when it is darke 10 Now behold a woman came foorth to meete him in whorish attire and subtill in hart 11 She is a babler and stubburne her feet abide not within her house 12 Now she is without now in the streetes and she lyeth in wayte at euery corner The wise king hauing described the wanton youth proceedeth to paint out the naughtie woman in her colours Now saith he behold a woman came foorth to meete him c. An vnmodest strumpet light in her apparell and cunning as well to hide her craft as to deceiue spying the wantō youth out of her house tooke this occasion to tempt him vnto follie She is a babler and stubburne c. She hath these three ill properties first she
heareth shall speake for euer He which deuising lyes reporteth those things which he hath neither seen nor heard shall be put to silence or punished with temporall or eternall death On the coÌ„trary side he who testifieth no other thing saue onely that which he hath heard or knoweth to be true shall continue speaking and finde good 29 A wicked man hardeneth his face but he who is vpright ordereth each of his wayes aright As a traueller who setteth his face to go to any place proceedeth on his iourney albeit he meeteth with many lets therein or is told of more so the vngodly person goeth on in his sinnes obstinately although he hath oft been crossed therein or warned thereof On the contrary side the iust man walketh warily and soberly in this world examining his actions whether they be such as are to be left off or proceeded in 30 There is no wisedome and no vnderstanding and no counsell against the Lord. The vanitie of worldly politickes is herein layd open There is no wisedome there is no plotting of matters and no vnderstanding no subtle deuise or inuention also and no counsell finally no aduise or debating of cases against the Lord able to withstand or ouerthrow the Lordes will or purpose 31 The horse is prepared against the day of battell but saluation it selfe is of the Lord. As before hath been shewed that no pollicie preuaileth against the Lord 〈◊〉 the roote â—ereof Psal 3.9 see like sayings â—cl 20.9 〈◊〉 33.16.17 so here is declared that no power can do any thing without the Lord. The horse is prepared against the day of battell Meanes vnto warre as namely the horse and the rider are made ready by men But saluation it selfe is of the Lord. As for the conquest and preseruation in the conflict these things proceede from God alone THE XXII CHAPTER 1 A good * Or faâ—â—â— name is to be desired aboue great riches fauour is better then siluer or gold IN this verse is declared that credit or reputation is a great good thing A good name is to be desired aboue great riches That glorie or fame which is gotten by well doing is more excellent then all the treasures of this world The reasons hereof are many and manifest First a good name maketh the speeches actions of the person in account acceptable Secondly a good name remaineth after death Thirdly it is a meanes of aduauncing a man oftentimes Last of all it doth good to a mans children who for their fathers sake are the more esteemed and the better helped Some may here obiect why but doe we not see that the wicked are in great reputation what then is credit or renowne so excellent a thing Tush the fame of the wicked is onely but a shadow of a good name the roote whereof is vertue onely It may again be demaunded if a good name spring from vertue or be so great a blessing how falleth it out that many worthie seruaunts of God liue obscurely and are in no reckening in a manner God seeth obscuritie as well as pouertie to be meete and profitable for some of his children Last of all some may thus argue that if a good name be a most pretious iewell then reproch or infamie wherewith the best are commonly most spotted and loaded is one of the greatest euils that may be The answere hereunto is ready and easie Ill report deserued by misbehauiour is an extreme miserie but reproch for well doing is a glorie which Moses preferred before all the treasures of Egypt Heb. 11. Now on the other side againe fauour is better then siluer or gold The loue and good liking of men alwayes adioyned to the good will of God toward vs is to be prised aboue money For first a maÌ„s cause vsually is ended as he is friended Secondly as we are wont to say in our English Prouerbe a friend in the Court is better oftentimes then a peny in the purse Last of all in warre a man escapeth with his life by finding grace in the sight of his enemie Hence it coÌ„meth to passe that the scepter and the sheepehooke are often ioyned together To conclude by this meanes the good of the whole Church of God is sometimes procured 2 The rich and poore meete together the Lord is the maker of them all In sundrie places the wealthie and needie concurre vpon occasions Now lest in this meeting of theirs the poore man be despised or the rich man enuied this is to be considered that both of them are created by the Lord according to his image and that both of them receâ—ue from him their estate and condition For indeede pouertie and riches fall not out by chaunce or fortune but by the will and prouideÌ„ce of the Lord. 3 A prudent man seeth the * Or euill plague and hideth him selfe but the foolish goe on still and are punished The first propertie of the wise man is that he seeth the euill to wit by the illightening of Gods spirite which giueth vnto him a sense and feeling of the greatnesse of sinne of the certaintie of the punishment thereof Euery one doth not perceiue this yea a man may haue all the preceptes of Diuinitie in his heart and in his head and yet not see the daunger of sinne or of Gods wrath vnlesse it be reuealed vnto him by the Lord him selfe after a peculiar manner The second propertie of a prudent man is vpon the sense of the plague to force him selfe by all lawfull meanes to escape It may here be demaunded how we are to flye when we discerne the plague to be coÌ„ming The answere hereunto is easie that the name of the Lord is a strong towre the righteous man flyeth vnto it and is exalted Another questioÌ„ may here be moued whether it be lawfull to flye euill ayre and places infected with the pestilence This doubt may briefly be thus resolued that a man may lawfully auoyde any vnnecessarie daunger or perilous place whereunto he is not tyed or bound by his calling or charitie But withall these instructioÌ„s are to be obserued that men in the time of the plague are especially to fly to God that they are to shunne sinne that they are to take heed of inordinat feare that they are not to leaue their callings that they are not to neglect the loue of their brethren by reason of a fond and childish feare of infection For hence it commeth to passe that when there is any pestilence walking in citie or countrye not onely some sicke folkes be suffered to dye away without all keeping but the women also great with child are forsaken in their need brethren are left of their brethren and parents shunned by their children Whereas then it is further added that fooles going on are punished this is to be vnderstood of vnnecessarie daungers or of such plagues which by some meanes they may lawfully auoyd In which latter part of the sentence not onely the blindnesse but the
the Philistins that the Israelitish women moued by his worthie and valiant exploits vnto reioycing sung in triumphing wise that Saul had slaine his thousands and Dauid his ten thousandes The latter part of the sentence declareth on the contrary side that the rule of the wicked ministreth matter of griefe and miserie vnto the whole multitude The estate of the poore people ouer which foolish persons or cruell persecutors haue the rule or tyrannize becommeth lamentable sundrie waies First the Lord himselfe vsually plagueth the land with iudgements from heauen wherein an enemie of his holdeth the scepter Secondly wolues in such a kingdome hauing the place of shepheards but the nature of deuouring beastes spoyle oppresse and eate vp the silly lambes and sheepe Thirdly the people liuing without all good order or meanes of their prosperitie fall daily into all sorts of sinnes and pits of destruction Sundry occasions then of griefe being continually offered the people through the carelesnesse or crueltie of euill gouernours if peraduenture they dare not openly complain for feare of further trouble yet how can they but sigh secretly in corners Certainly so did the Israelites oppressed in Egipt and Elias persecuted by Achab and Iezabell Euen as then the welfare of the sheepe dependeth on the shepheard and euen as such is the constitution of the bodie as is the dispositiō of the head so the condition of the people answereth in wo or wealth to the goodnesse or badnesse of the magistrates 3 A man that loueth wisedome reioyceth his father but he that keepeth companie with harlots vvasteth his substance Fornication This drift of the spirit in this instruction is to declare that whoredome bringeth beggerie at the last Two sorts of loue herein are spoken of one spirituall another carnall The spirituall loue is commended which is a wonderfull liking of and following after wisedome Such as are enamoured with this virgin of heauenly wisedome which is holy peaceable moderate full of mercy and good works Iam. 3.17 as Iames speaketh shall not onely by this meanes please the Lord or be profitable vnto themselues but comfortable vnto their parents Sundry waies doth a wise sonne cheare vp his fathers heart First by the vertues which are in him Secondly by the fame which is spread of him Thirdly by the hope which his father conceiueth that he wil be thriftie Last of all by his liberalitie and kindnesse towardes his parentes if peraduenture by reason of his gifts he be at any time exalted to honor as Ioseph was who also in this respect reioyced his father As concerning the carnall loue spoken of in the latter part of the sentence that is condemned and threatned with pouertie The vaine youthes of this world hauing shaken off the yoake of obedience and despised wisdome fall in loue with naughtie women with whom they are daily conuersant making them good cheare bestowing gifts on them and mainteining them in braue apparrell Hereby not onely they defile themselues with wandring lusts but spend their patrimony consume their parents goods so bringing sorrow vpon them in stead of the ioy wherewith they ought to labour to comfort them Such a lewde course tooke the prodigall sonne who hauing wasted his substance was put to feed with the swine Among other reasons then disswading from whoredome this is not the least to be regarded that strumpets are dangerous rocks and vnfatiable gulphes 4 A king by iudgement establisheth his realme but a man * A man of offrings which is a slaue to giftes that are offered destroyeth it Herein againe the holy Ghost admonisheth rulers of their dutie Iniustice He entreateth in this verse of two matters one the executing of iudgement an other the auoyding of bribes In the former place is shewed that iudgement is the prop or pillar of kingdomes when iustice is ministred without partialitie in such sort that the godly are rewarded and the wicked punished and euery man hath right done to him the Lord will blesse the lande the good will loue theyr Prince the bad shall be cut off and not be able to do any hurt This may be obserued throughout the stories of the kings of Iudah that all the while they gaue themselues to set vp true religion or to punish sinne their kingdomes were in peace and they got the victory ouer their enemies In the latter part of this sentence is declared that the receiuing of bribes is the ouerthrow and bane of a common wealth The reasons hereof are manifest and sundry First to respect persons which bribe takers do is an abhomination to the Lord and therefore such a transgression as pulleth downe his vengeance on the place wherein it is committed Secondly by this meanes no place being left for right but for gifts there must needes grow factions and mutinies Last of all a window being set open through such partialitie to hope of impunitie all sorts of sinnes the plagues of common wealths must needes daily multiply and increase 5 A man which flattereth his friend spreadeth a net against his feete In this sentence is declared Flatterie that flatterers are a very hurtfull and pernicious kinde of people They are fitly here compared vnto hunters For euen as the hunter spreadeth the hay or net to in tangle the poore beast which commeth by it Rom 16. Luke 20.29 euen so flatterers be sweet speeches or salutations seduce the hearts of the simple and by their shewes of friendship righteousnes go about to get some aduantage at their handes thereby to drawe them into trouble Of this wicked dealing Micheas complaineth Mich. 7.2 saying The good man in perished out of the earth and there is none vpright among men as many as are lye in waite to slaie euerie one hunteth his brother with nets Flatterie then is no better then a secret or subtill kinde of murther in as much as therby diuerse are drawne either to receiue errors or to commit sinne so to fall into the snare of endlesse damnation or into danger of law or hazard of life 6 In the transgression of the wicked man there is a snare but the iust man singeth and is merrie Here is shewed what an hurtfull thing sinne is in generall Disobedience as before was declared how dangerous an euill flattery is How soeuer the act of iniquitie is ioyned with pleasure yet the end and wages thereof is paine and death The snare here spoken of is some losse or crosse as pouertie sicknesse griefe of minde punishment of law and the wrath of God all which pursue and follow the offender Hence it commeth to passe that in as much as the plagues of this world or of the world to come commonly molest the wicked they are in feare sorrow silence shame and confusion But the iust man singeth and is merry There is none so righteous as that hee is without sin but such are called iust heere who are iustified by faith in Christ and sanctified in