to bring vnto the people that is to say the pure woorde of God inspired from God by the scripture the which is profitable to teache c. 2. Tim. 3. 16 It is the instruction of our father it is the learning whereunto al men ought to apply their mindes to obteine the true knowledge It is the doctrine which is profitable necessary for vs it is the lawe of God which we should neuer forsake but continually to be exercised therein In the which also he teacheth the people how to behaue themselues First of al that they should heare for to be instructed not by men but by our heaueÌ„ly father who is the only teacher for meÌ„ which speake are but his organes instruments SecoÌ„dly that they ought to be atteÌ„tiue giue diligent heed that they may be deliuered out of the duÌ„geon of ignorance to receiue light for to learne the true knowledge Thirdly that they shoulde confesse the goodnes and faithfulnes of God who wil not suffer them to be deceiued with fables and lyes with vaine and fruteles doctrines but doeth offer and set before them the wholesome doctrine of his lawe of his Prophetes and of his Gospel the which as hee freely vouchsafeth to giue vs so shoulde we againe willingly receiue the same with faith and obedience Fourthly that they shoulde not be negligent to doe wel as the lawe commandeth And in this manner wee shoulde apply our hartes and bodies vnto the seruice of our God as hee requireth and so wee shal not receiue the preaching of the woorde of GOD in vaine noâ— to our condemnation as they that doe come to heare but for order and fashion sake c. And to the end that none should doute of his doctrine and that they shoulde not bee grieued as with an heauie and hard burthen to beare he sheweth of whome he learned it and at what age 3 For I was my fathers Sonne tender and deere in the sight of my mother 4 When hee taught mee and saide vnto me let thine hart holde fast my wordes keepe my commandementes and thou shalt liâ—e King Dauid the Prophet was the father of Solomon who was indued with the holie Ghost wherby he did said and taught such things as were acceptable before God and profitable for his familie for al the people that were committed vnto his charge Now albeit that Dauid had many children yet Solomon speaketh of himself as if he had beene the only sonne of Dauid for hee saieth not we were many children of one father but he saith I was my fathers sonne It may be said that it is because that Dauid shewed greater signes of loue vnto SolomoÌ„ then vnto his other childreÌ„ exalted him aboue the rest making him King in his place His mothers name was Bersabee by whome he remained the only sonne of his father for he that was borne in adulterie was dead and the scripture maketh no mention that shee had any afterwardes and whiles his father and mother liued hee was yet â—ender and 1. Chro. 13. 5. 29. 1. was not yet come vnto mans age Againe also it may bee saide that Solomon was tender and deere and his mothers only sonne because she loued him tenderly and with a singular loue as shee sheweth But by the first exposition wee learne that Solomon whiles he was tender and yong did not runne from his father and mother to worke wickednes and to giue himselfe vnto follie and vanitie as the youth at these daies but was readie at hand to obey them as he declareth it when hee saith that hee was his fathers sonne tender deere before his mother For when hee thus speaketh he giueth to vnderstande that his father mother werâ— wel pleased with him and also endeuoured to please them Otherwise hee coulde not haue truly reioyced that hee was his fathers sonne c. For hee that trulie confesseth his parents hee loueth their presence for to obey and honour them We learne I say that the fathers and mothers ought to be careful and diligent so to gouerne their children that they should not be gadders abrode but be readie to come before them so often as need shal require to do â—â— kinde of dueties and not to runne abroade after foolishnes and vanitie We learne also that wee should not fly from the preâ—enâ—â— of GOD our only father to turne away from his woorde the which teacheth vs to giue vnto him al honour and obedience assure ourselues that we doe please him Contrarily wee decline from his instruction and forsake his lawe wherein wee shewe ourselues strangers and bastards and cannot truly reioyce that we are of his houshold and his children But not to flye the presence of our father it behoueth vs to be in the company of our mother the Church that we do often resort vnto the holy assemblies wherein the Gospel is preached vnto vs by the which we all beholde as in a mirrour the glorie of the Lord with open face Solomon being yet tender and not running from the presence of his 2. Cor 3. 18. father and his mother but being obedient vnto them was taught by his father in the worde of the Lord the which he himself witnesseth saying 4 When he taught me c. The youthes which make no account of instruction but doe hate correction and admonition and also giering and skorning all discipline and religion saying they are too yong to becom wise caÌ„not I say truly boast that they haue bin instructed of their fathers as doeth Solomon for none can be taught except he become willing to learne and cannot by their example induce others to heare good instruction as doeth Solomon when he saith that his father hath taught him as though he did say when I exhorte you to heare the instruction of your father I lay no more vpon you then I my selfe haue borne whiles I was yet yong Nowe Dauid for to haue his sonne Solomon wel taught committed him into the handes of Nathan the Prophet The lesson that Dauid giueth to his sonne is that hee saieth vnto 2 Sam. 12. 2â— him Let thine harte holde fast my woordes keepe my commandements Heere we learne that wee ought in no wise to doute of the instruction doctrine of Solomon we may iudge that he doth not teache vs any other thing then the same that he had learned of his father who was a Prophet and also as hath beene said before he set him to schoole with the Prophet Nathan For albeit that Dauid calleth the doctrine instruction which hee giueth to his son his words coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„ts yet it is not to say they are the commaundementes and woordes of any other but of GOD. But it is the phrase of the scripture that it attributeth vnto the Doctours that which they teache because they are the Organes and instrumentes of GOD by whome hee communicateth his woorde vnto vs and giueth vs his commandementes Wee see that GOD
his word 243. b Contempt Of Contempt and that wise men loue contemptes better then al worldly riches 43. a Of blindnesse proceeding from the Contempt of God 560. b Perdition the ende of the Contempt of Gods worde 591. b The proude Contempt of the wicked man described 364. a. b That Contempt commeth with the wicked in two sortes and howe 364. b Howe God wil punish such as haue his Gospel and word in Contempt 25. a The Contempt of scorners and fooles against God 15. b That we must not feare the Contempt of the world 272. a. b Of the Contempt of the poore and wherin the same consisteth 271. b That it is the Contempt of God which maketh men lewde in their wordes 255. a That God wil despise the wicked with a horrible and feareful Contempt 205. a Contentation Of Contentation 208. a b Of Contentation with foode clothing and other necessities 130. b That Contentation is more worth then al the excessiue abundance of the rich c. 249. b Exhortations to Contentation of life 556. b That Iesus Christ onely shoulde be our Contentation 45. a Of Contentation with quietues soundnesse of conscience 328. b. 329. a Of the Contentation of the poore with their litie c. 328. b. 329. a Against suche as stay not themselues vppon Contentation c. 328. b. 329. a. b Of the Contentation of the poore folowing his labour 250. b The Contentation of the righteous and wherin they shewe it 150. a Of Contentation and that there is no greater riches then the same 182. b Contention That strife Contention is the roote of mischiefe and howe 358. a What kinde of strife and Contention is to be mainteined 358. a. That Contention is onely mooued by pride 23. a. b The danger of stirring vp strife and Contention declared by comparison 355. b. 356. a That the Pope and his Clergie are full of pride and Contention 288. a Contentions Against Contentions being the fruites of euil thoughtes 51. a. That al Contentions are forbidden vs by the mouth of Iesus Christ 51. a That the lot causeth Contentions to cease and howe 375. b That suche as rayse vp Contentions among neighbours are one of the seuen thinges that God hateth 91. b. 92. a. Contentions That Contentions persons are the sonnes of the Deuil 92. a That al Contentions persons are the seede of Caine c. 237. b Conuersation Among the thinges that Solomon asketh of God he requireth holie Conuersation 610. b. 611. a. b What we must doe to haue a quiet and a modest Conuersation 623. a With what maner of men wee shoulde haue Conuersation 246. b What our Conuersation ought to bee thereby to obtaine wisedome 246. a Correction The necessitie of Correction and a promise annexed thereunto 591. a The time of Correction or chastisemēt of children when it is 395. b Howe children shoulde behaue themselues in time of Correction 395. b Against such as wil not haue children haue Correction with rods 395. b. 396. a That he which taketh Correction vpon him ought to doe it by the word of God 319. b Of the Correction of the Lord and howe we shoulde receiue the same 38. b. 39. a. b A reason why we must not refuse the Correction of the Lord. 39. a Whence it is that we regarde not Correction 75. a Of Correction and who can not away with it 12. a. 13. a b That the foolishe refuse Correction and chastisement 13. a That the flesh abhorreth correction as a childe doeth the rodde 320. b Of the continuance of Correction to be layde vpon children 469. b The danger ensuing the neglect of Correction in time conuenient 250. b That Correction is requisite and needeful in diuers degrees 250. b. 251. a. b Excellent doctrine for fathers c. touching Correction 250. b. 251. a b Sundrie sortes of Correction apperteining to sundrie estates 471. b That the rodde and Correction giue wisdome and howe 589. b Two sortes of Correction for children one by wordes the other by the rodde 469. b. 470. a What it is to regard Correction 244. a The necessitie of Correction for children and what mischiefes folow the omitting therof 135. a Of the Correction of life and the meaning of the same 319. b. 320. a Of Popishe Correction and from whence it commeth 320. a Wherein Correction consisteth 200. b The necessitie of Correction by the rodde for children 456. a The good and yll which commeth by vsing and not vsing of Correction to children 470. a To take Correction is a remedie against follie 397. a The meaning of Solomon in these wordes Take Correction 397. a Corrections That the Corrections of God are diuers as wel outward as inward 39. b. 40. a What kinde of Corrections wee ought not to receiue 294. b That the Corrections of the Lord are witnesses of his loue 39. a Couenant Why the Couenant of God with the faythful is called a Secret 52. b Of the Couenant of God with the faythfull and what it is 52. b Couetous Against the Couetous 334. b Couetous persons called theeues robbers and murtherers in scripture 239. a The incessant and restlesse care of the Couetous for riches 20. a In what sense and meaning wisdome would haue her children like vnto the Couetous 20. b The Couetous reprooued 316. a The Couetous saide to haue an euil eye and why 466. b Against a Couetous and distrusting rich man a most necessarie doctrine 76. b. 77. a Why God casteth Couetous men out of his kingdome 131. a. b The Couetous man hath no inheritaunce in heauen 131. a Against Couetous men and that they are alwayes needie 190. b. 191. b 192. a That the Couetous haue no true reioycing though they seeme neuer so ioyful 224. b Against such as are Couetous poore and cotous rich 142. b Against the Couetous 194. b. 195. a Couetousnesse That our nature doeth leade vs vnto Couetousnesse and why 334. b Couetousnesse iustly condemned 128. b The great benefite that commeth by flying from Couetousnesse 573. a Of the fruits of Couetousnesse and how hateful a thing it is 570. a Against the Couetousnes of the Iudges of the earth 351. b That such whose heartes are set on Couetousnesse lacke sweete and quiet sleepe 47. b That we must flie Couetousnesse and why 9. b. 10. a Couetousnesse an abhominable vice 130. b Eternal life promised vnto such as hate and abhorre Couetousnesse 316 b Remedies to make vs abhorre Couetousnesse 191. b. 192. a That Couetousnesse loadeth the heart of man with heauinesse 224. a Against Couetousnesse 196. a Counsel The secrete Counsel of our neighbour compared to perfume 537. b. 538. a Of such as despise Counsel and what foloweth thereupon 310. b That without Counsel thoughtes come to naught and howe 310. b That God abaseth himselfe to make vs partakers of his diuine Counsel and howe 311. a Vnto what Counsel Solomon admonisheth vs to giue eare 397. a That the foolish wil in no wise
taste of Gods Counsel 13. a Notable doctrine of the Counsel in the heart of man 410. a. b The meaning of these words Confirme thy thoughtes by Counsel 419. a Against such as take Counsel at themselues and seeke not counsel at Gods woorde 398. a In what sense the Counsel of the Lorde is to be taken 398. a Of the firmenesse and stedfastnesse of Gods Counsel 398. a The miserie of people when their gouernors are destitute of good Counsel 179. a Of Counsel and what counsel it is that is required in Kinges and Princes 179. a We must be diligent folowers of good Counsel if we wil auoide falling 179. b Of Counsel which maketh men erre and of Counsel that tendeth to life 213. b That there is no Counsel against the Lorde and why 445 a The necessitie of good Counsel and wisdome in Kinges Magistrates c. 107. a That the people must folowe the good Counsel of their Superiours or els they shal fal 179. a. b Counsels That the Counsels of God are commaundements and the necessitie of obeying them 13. b Reasons why the Counselles of the wicked are called deceitful 203. b. 204. a Counsellers What rule wee must keepe in choosing ouâ— Counsellers 310. b That in the multitude of Counsellers there is stedfastnesse and how 311. a That the Counsellers of peace are oftentimes tormented c. 220 a That it is God which prouideth men of Counsellers that can giue good counsell 179. b That wee ought al and euerie of vs to bee Counsellers one to another 219. b. 220. a Of the Counsellers of peace and who haue that name 219. b Crie That the Preachers of the worde must not be greeued to Crie though they profit nothing thereby 104. a. b To Crie of duetie is required in the Ministers of the word 104. a To Crie for ioye and for sorowe when they are to be vsed 104. a Crovvne Of the Crovvne of the wise what is meant by the same 275. b That a vertuous woman is the Crovvne of her husband 202. b. 203. a Of the Crovvne which commeth by posteritie and issue of blood 349. b. 350. a That the scripture hath a Crovvne and vseth to giue a Crowne 269. a That the Crovvne of knowledge bringeth the Crovvne of life 269. a Crueltie A sharpe sentence against suche as vse violence wrong and Crueltie 273. b Of Crueltie against our neighbour and how many wayes it is committed 271. b 272. a That Crueltie doeth al the hurt that may bee to ones neighbour 272. Of Crueltie exercised in euerie estate 8. a Who are to bee reputed and comprehended in the number of such as exercise Crueltie 9. a. The Crueltie of the great men of the earth in former time 616. a. b Wherunto the Crueltie of great men is compared 616. b The Crueltie of the Pope and his shauelings 208. a By what things Crueltie is knowne and discerned 530. b Curiositie Curiositie and vaine pompe forbidden 556. a. b Curse The meaning of these woordes A Curse shal bee imputed vnto him that praiseth his friend c. 540. a. b What children they bee that are soonest readie to Cursse father and mother 614. b Excellent doctrine vpon these words There is a generation that doeth Curse their father c. 613. b. 614. a. b That we must not Curse suche as accuse and belie vs is shewed by examples 613. A Curse against those that are wise in their owne conceit 565. b A Curse against suche as are not contente with their owne patrimonie c. 463. a That wee must not giue occasion to any bodie to Curse and why 518. b Whereto the Curse that commeth causelesse is compared 518. a. b Of the Lordes Curse and that it destroyeth whatsoeuer commeth against it 53. a Howe and in what sorte the Curse of the Lorde is in the house of the wicked 53. a A Curse denounced against him which iustifieth the wicked 496. a Curssednesse That in whoredome is nothing but Curssednesse 77. b That there is nothing but Curssednesse in tiches c. 41. a That the wise man needeth not feare to fal into Curssednesse and why 41. a That the Papists seeke for nothing but Curssednesse and why 41. a Curssing That the Curssing of the poore oppressed is heard of God 192. a. b That the Curssing of the poore shal take effect against the couetous although it be not iust 192. a That God is offended with Curssing 192. a. Of Curssing and whether it be lawful to curse suche as enhaunce the price of corne 191. b. 192. a Custome That in al estates Custome is made a lawe and howe 263. a D. Dayes That all Dayes are the good creatures of God and therefore can not be euil 304. b Of good Dayes and euil Dayes and why they are so called 304. b That there is no euil in the Dayes but in the people which liue in the Dayes 304. b Darkenesse That by darkenesse is meantyl lucke miserie c. 421. a In what sense darkenesse is taken in the holie scripture 236. b Dealing That God is a louer of simple and plain dealing 418. a That which is desireable in a man is his vpright dealing 398. a. b In what respectes vpright dealing must be vsed 398. b That in elections of Magistrates and Officers wee must keepe vpright dealing 398. b In election of Ministers vpright dealing must be vsed 398. b By what thing iudgement may bee giuen of a mans vpright dealing 398. b Death Solomons woordes impugned Deliuer them that are drawne to Death 486. b Two sortes of people which thinke themselues to be in the way of life but tende vnto Death 144. b What we must doe if we desire life and abhorre Death 143 a They that hate wisedome doe loue Death and why 115. a He that vouchsafeth not to seeke wisedome dorth seeke Death 115. a Death commeth by desert but life by promise 114. b That it is not temporal Death which hee seeketh that doeth euil and why 186. a The cause why they which worke euil doe seeke Death c. 186. b That the wicked though they bee neuer so mightie cannot exempt themselues from Death 187. a. b Of the way leading to Death 227. a. b What we must doe if wee wil liue without Death 227. b. That temporall life is not without Death 227. b Al worldly wise men condemned to Death eternal and why 237. b Of Death temporal and death eternal 186. a Of the Death of the faithful and what it is 437. b That it is not in our power to deliuer ourselues from Death and why 241. a The Death of Christ our reconciliation with God 408. a The cause why God giueth sentence of Death against al flesh 282. a Of the hope of the righteous euen in Death 285. a Howe that they which feare God auoide the snares of Death 279 b What we must doe if we wil auoide Death 263. b That al of vs of ourselues incline and tend to
by this That snares and thornes are in the way of the frovvarde 449. a Frovvardnesse Destruction is attributed vnto frovvardnesse 166. a Howe he which delighteth in frovvardnesse of heart ordereth his speech 530. a Of the frovvardnesse of the mouth and what is meant thereby 68. a. b. E. Gaine Greedinesse of Gaine disallowed in Magistrates officere and great men 316. a. b Against such as are greedie of gaine and who they be 316. a Against greedinesse to followe gaine 9. b. 10. a Gathering What is meant by gathering in sommer and watching in haruest 132. a. b That there is great wisedome in gathering in due season 132. b Gentlenesse Of gentlenesse and that it is necessarie for the obteining of honour 181. b That we please men through gentlenesse and howe 32. a Giftes The giftes and callinges of God are without repentance 127. a Against suche as persuade themselues that they doe no euâ—l in taking giftes 360. a That giftes are of power and force to preuaile 360. b A presenter of giftes compared to a messenger and in what respectes 373. b. 374. a Glorie The meaning of these woordes The glorie of God is to conceale a word 503. a. b Of temporal glorie and howe it shoulde bee vsed 371. a. b The way whereby to attaine and come by glorie what it is 371. b What the worldly wise do to darken the glorie of God 503. a The glorie giuen to a foole is like a precious stone heaped vp in a heape of stones 521. b. 522. a That al glorie commeth of God shame of ourselues 516. b. 517. a Of their fall which haue not beene content with their glorie 516. b That it is no glorie when men searche their owne glorie 516. b. 517. a Gluttonie Against gluttonie and what hurt commeth thereby 367. b Gluttons Against Gluttons and that they are neuer satisfied 209. a To keepe companie with gluttons forbidden and why 473. b. 474. a Gluttons cannot vse all meates indifferently with thankesgiuing 510. b Gluttons and drunkardes destroy themselues and howe 510. b The desire of vnsatiable gluttons what it is 252. a. b In what thinges gluttons doe most of all delight 467. a Against gluttons and drunkardes 252. a Of gluttons and drunkardes abounding in worldly riches 17. a God The inuisible properties of God namely his power and Godhead are seene and howe 111. b There is neither Superiour nor inferiour higher nor lower in God c. 110. b In what respect God is saide to be in a farre countrie from vs. 515. a Howe and when God seeketh vs draweth vs vnto him and holdeth vs fast 107. b The omnipotencie Almightinesse and Maiestie of God notably set foorth 601. a. b. 602. a. b. 603. a b The name of God what it is and that no vnderstanding can attaine to the perfection of the same 602. b. 603. a That none knoweth the name of the. Sonne of God and why 603. a. b The name of God the father and God the Sonne reuealed vnto vs 603. a. b A necessarie lesson concerning these twoo words God and Iesus 603. b By what meanes God speaketh vnto vs. 604. a That it is vnpossible to make any likenesse or similitude of God and why 293. a God compared vnto a wicked Iudge 6. b That God is compared to a shielde in what respectes 22. b That God is a Spirite and howe wee ought to thinke of him 13. a Solomons wordes disprooued that a good man shal rule ouer a wicked 264. b That patience is the meanes whereby the good ouercome the wâ—cked 264. b Of the vbâ—quitie of God or his presence in al places 317. b God compared to a Merchaunt and howe 323. a That God seeth al thinges wherin are many notable doctrines 80. a b That God hath a soule and that the same is not parted from the rest of his essence 88. b What we must doe to finde God and his wisdome truely 258. a That we cannot seeke wisedome except wee seeke God 258. a Why God is called the God of consolation 262. a Names and titles of God attributed vnto him in scripture 324. b. 325. a That none can giue vnto God titles or names so excellent and why 325. a That God hath no need of any creatures help 325. a The meaning of these words That God created al thinges for his owne names sake 325. a. b Godfathers The dueties of Godfathers and Godmothers and what is required of them 84. a Good A feareful threatning against them that hate the good 199. a b That wee must be careful to doe good to cur needie neighbours 193. a The meaning of Solomon by these wordes He that seeketh good thinges c. 199. a b Howe and by what meanes wee are made good and righteous 27. b The worde of good men may bee founde out in true fayth c. 27. b A promise made to such as walke in the word of good men and what it is 27. b Who they bee that are good men and righteous 28. a Where a man shoulde finde out the way of good men seeing there is none that doeth good c. 27. b That the good shal obtaine a blessing of God and howe 248. a That we must not trust to the good deedes of others 220. a Hee is good whome God maketh partaker of his goodnesse 248. a That wee are first euil before wee be good 292. b That the froward heart findeth no good note what good 358. b What wee must doe to walke in the way of good men 30. a To what ende the good and righteous are taken out of this world 29. a. b The wordes of Solomon impugned saying The euil shal howe before the good 269. b. What is meant by this That a good man shal liue of his leaues 265. a Goodnesse What goodnesse is required in vs and that we haue none of ourselues 265. a That our goodnesse can neuer be so eâ—cellent that it deserueth reuerence 270. b Goods Instructions teaching vs howe to get goods 248. a To what ende God suffereth vs to bee spoyled of our goods 249. a Of yl gotten goods and the ende of the same 248. a Gospel The doctrine of the lawe and the Gospel is called colde meate and why 126. a Of the preaching of the Gospel to the declaring whereof both a mouth and wisdome is promised 162. a The doctrine of the Gospel is the chiefe part of the blessing of the righteous 176. a Why the Gospel is called a sounde and wholsome doctrine 282. b That there is neither health nor life but where the Gospel is truely preached 282. b That wee ought to bee assured that wee are the children of God when wee gladly heare the preaching of the Gospel 66. a The office of the lawe and the Gospell 12. a With what care and diligence feare and reuerence we should heare the preaching of the Gospel 21. a. b Gouernment Of gouernment and who are fit and vnfit to gouerne 179. a. b. 180.
our presence and why 68. b That sinne against the holie Ghost can neither be pardoned nor repented of 579. a Sinnes Of sinnes committed vpon set purpose 152. b. 153 a He that hideth his sinnes shal not prosper and howe that is meant 566. b What we must doe to obteine pardon of our sinnes 567. a What is meant by this That the wicked shal be holden with the roddes of his owne sinne 81. a. To what end Solomon compareth the sinnes of the wicked vnto roddes 81. a b Sinners Sinners of purpose deserue well to bee called fooles and why 153. a Against what kinde of Sinners we should not be enuious and why 481. b Of Sinners which sinne of ignorance and of purpose 481. b The cause why one is enuious against Sinners 472. b What Sinners they be whome God wil heare and not heare 15. a Howe and in what sense the purse of Sinners is saide to be one 8. b The wayes and pathes of sinners what they are 8. b A reason why we must not consent vnto Sinners nor walke in the way with them 8. b The great desire of Sinners to be riche described 8 a The scripture doeth not call Gods children sinners and why 7. a Of Sinners and who are to be called by that name 7. a. b What persuasions Sinners vse to entice others after them 7. b In what sense the scripture calleth vs not Sinners but Saintes 234. a Of the afflictions which doe folowe Sinners 247. a What is meant by these wordes To be enuious against Sinners 472. a Who be Sinners and deserue that name 471. b That Sinners haue nothing in the worlde which properly belongeth vnto them 249. a. Slanderers Of Slanderers and what kinde of fooles they are 145. b What dueties are required of vs concerning Slanderers 178. b Slanderers condemned for sundrie weightie reasons 178 a That Slanderers are murtherers and howe 178. a. b. Slaues That Slaues were handled worse theÌ„ beasts 612. b That we are all Slaues by nature and why 594. a That wee must confesse ourselues to bee Slaues yea bondslaues 592. a The state of Slaues that were bought from hande to hande 592. b In what respect we shewe ourselues no better then Slaues 592. a In what respect hirelinges are reputed slaues 592. b Sleepe Vpon what kinde of sleepe pouertie dependeth 415. b. 416. a That sleepe doeth not proceede of sinne 415. b That sleepe must bee moderately vsed why 415. b That sleepe is both naturall and necessarie 415. b Sleepe is one of the chiefest partes of the ease of this life 61. b That too much sleepe maketh a man dul witted and heauie 85. b Of sleepe and that the fulnesse of the riche wil not suffer him to sleepe 47. b Howe a wise man should sleepe and how the vnsatiable and intemperate 47. b That God giueth sleepe though it seeme a thing natural 47. b What we must doe if we sleepe quietly and what if wee cannot sleepe with ease 47. b That quiet sleepe is a part of our daily bread c. 47. b. 48. a. Slouthfull That the slouthful giue themselues to doe nothing but hurt 86. b Lessons of admonition for the slouthful 84. b Vnto what man SolomoÌ„ sendeth the slouthful to learne 84. b. 85. a Reasons why Solomon dealeth so often against the slouthful 400. b The slouthful set out by a liuely description 400. b. 401. a The desert of the slouthful by the iudgement of Solomon and Paule 401. a The shameful miserable state of the slouthful 401. a That the slouthful is hurtfull both to himselfe and others 156. b The slouthful compared vnto vineger and smoke and why 156. b The slouthful is cause of much sorrowe and anger and why 156. b. 157. a Of slouthfull persons which are wise in their owne conceites and who be such 527. a. b A threatening against the slouthful 392. a. The slouthful and the craftie compared together 392. a. The meaning of Solomon saying The slouthful mans way is an hedge of thornes c. 307. b That it is euill spoken to say that the slouthful man is an honest man 307. b. 308 a That slouthful and carelesse persons are to bee counted wicked wasters and howe 368. a Who they be that deserue to bee called and esteemed slouthful 308. a Of sundrie appellations and names giuen to the slouthful 86. b Negligence contempt and ingratitude in the slouthful 501. b Howe desirous the slouthful are to forge excuses 526. a. b What kinde of rest it is which the slouthfull haue 526. b. 527. a The slouthfull rebuked of too muche sleepe and lazinesse 502. a. b A description of the slouthful in louing sleepe 85. b That the slouthful shal be taken with spiritual hunger c. 231. b The punishment of the slouthful and the spending waster alike 368. b The care of the slouthful is not properly care but a beast lyke greedinesse 443. a That slouthful persons are no better then theeues and murtherers and why 368 a The slouthful mocked and derided by Solomon 455. a Sundrie sortes of slouthful persons and who be such 455. a Of suche as wil not seeme slouthful and yet are 409. a That beeing slouthful wee are grieuous and troublesome euen vnto God 157. a In what respectes a slouthful person is compared to a hunter 226. a The slouthful the righteous contrarie and why 443. a A description of the slouthful mans fielde 501. b. 502. a The slouthful threatened with neede and nakednesse 409. b That the slouthful are profitable neither to themselues nor other 85. b In what sort the slouthful are assaulted with pouertie 85. b To what ende Solomon doeth scoffe flout the slouthful 527. a Slouthfulnesse Against idlenesse or Slouthfulnesse 130. b. What wee must doe to auoide slouthfulnesse euerie man for his owne parte 157. a. b Of the detesting of slouthfulnesse but not as we ought 231. b The danger of slouthfulnesse and what vices ensue the same 527. a. b Persuasions to mooue vs to forsake slouthfulnesse 226. a Against slouthfulnesse 226. a. b Sobrietie Of sobrietie and temperance 76. a Sonne Of a wise Sonne and who is to be so reputed 228. a Of a foolish Sonne who are to be so accounted and what discomfortes they bring 361. a. b. Soothsaying Against Soothsaying and Soothsayers 331. a. Sorrovve That the contempt of godlie sorrovve is dangerous 152 b The difference betweene godlie sorrovv and worldly sorrovve 152. b Godly sorrovve causeth repentance vnto saluation 152. b That the sorrovve of the heart maketh the minde heauie 302. b That all sorrovve is not euill nor to be fled from 302. b That the begetting of a foole is the â—egetting of sorrovve and howe 359. a. b What we must do to be deliuered from heauinesse and sorrovve 261. b. 262. a Of sorrovve proceeding of the obedience to the Commandements 30. b Soule That the Soule in scripture is sometime taken for our neighbour 184. a The meaning of these wordes If thou
doeth admonishe vs Cast of the olde man which is corrupt through the deceiuable Ephe. 4. 22. 29. lustes Again Let no corrupt communication proceede out of your mouthes but that which is good to the vse of edifying that it may minister grace vnto the hearers But now put ye away euen al these things wrath anger maliciousnes cursed and filthy speaking out of your mouthes Likewise though that Solomon calleth him foole which slaundereth yet it is not to say that the Pastours and ministers of the Collo 3. 8. woorde ought to abstaine from blaming and reproouing of vices and of them that are hardened therein otherwise they shoulde deserue to bee called fooles Noe the embassadour of righteousnes by the building of the arke condemned the worlde Moyses the seruant and Prophet of the Lorde did reprooue the people of Israel for their disobedience The Prophets haue reprooued in diuers sortes Wee may see howe our Lorde Iesus hath shewed himselfe sharpe in chiding and rebuking the Scribes and Pharisees Saint Paule also and Saint Peter and Saint Iames and Saint Iude do reproue and openly blame them which resist the truth and lead a dissolute and slaunderous life And our Lord commandeth the vncorrigible to be put ouer vnto the Church the which cannot be without rebuking them of their vices wherein they are obstinate and indurate it shoulde be very rashly done of vs if for the saying of Solomon we should cal al these same and other which folow them fooles wee shoulde depraue the scripture the which calleth them fooles which through hatred do rebuke their neighbours and not them which by their reprehensions threates and accusations doe labour to reduce the strayed sheepe 19 In many wordes there cannot want iniquitie but he that refraineth his lippes is wise They that haue a tongue at large to speake readily delight much to speake and take pleasure also in their eloquence they mocke at them which are slowe and dul of speache esteeming them of no witte and whiles they prate at pleasure they woulde bee counted wittie and learned and doe thinke themselues cunning folke And by howe much as a man is more vaine in his woordes by so much the more doeth hee desire to bee accounted of them which heare him albeeit hee knowe that his wordes bring no profit nor edification And also the common people is easie to haue them in estimation which flowe in eloquence and doe thinke al wel saide that such people say but such tongue men doe faile and those which heare them are deceiued Solomon doth signifie the same when he saith Where much c. And forasmuch as al vices are to bee fled wee must take heede that wee vse our tongues soberly in priuate communication and to giue ourselues to iest and to babble at pleasure And therein to cōsume much time vnprofitably as doe ydle and curious folkes and chiefly maydes and wiues Beeing ydle they learne to goe from 1. Tim. 5. 13. house to house The keepers of Tauerns which spende the goods of God in gluttonie and drunkennes and the common players are stuft with many woordes not only vaine and vnfruiteful but hurtful and iniurious and also ful of horrible blasphemies Marchants handicraftes men and almost as many as haue entercourse or any thing to breake vnto their neighbours or lawiers and suters wil not briefly tel and plainly declare the trueth of the matter but to blind dasel mens eyes they wil haue trickes and knackes in their budget worthy to be mocked at and to astonishe the eares of men they wil flowe in superfluous and vngodly wordes with lying periurie slaundering with cursing and giuing themselues vnto the Deuil euen to the renouncing and forsaking of God and as they themselues doe so doe they teache their children and housholde folkes to doe the like Wee haue experience then in diuers wayes and more then were needful that there is vice offence in many wordes And if for to auoide to be guiltie of this vice wee must bee fober and discreete in our common housholde talke when wee commen and conferre togither of things which concerne touche this present life by a more stronger reason wee must bee well aduised to place our wordes and to talke no vncomely thing when wee treate of matters concerning GOD and which concerne the honour and glorie of GOD and the saluation of our soules as when wee take in hande to teache the people when wee make our prayers vnto GOD when wee giue him thankes and sing praises vnto him then must wee take heede to vse many woordes otherwise wee shoulde commit a vice for the which wee shoulde not goe vnpunished and that for good cause when by such vice GOD is greatly dishonored and wee and our neighbours both in danger of loosing our soules Wherefore wee ought to vnderstand that it is necessarie to flye abhorre the custome of the greatest parte of the worlde the which is replenished with false teachers deceiuers idolaters with superstitious with dreamers and hypocrites the which abounde in woordes the one sorte in hurtful talke and the other in vnprofitable vaine and superfluous talke Our Lorde doeth shewe vs wel that wee must not beleeue nor folowe them Take heede and beware of the leauen of the Pharisees and Saducees Their doctrine is very hurtful Wo therefore bee vnto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites because yee shutte vp Math. 19. 6. Mat. 23. 13. 24. 4. 11. the kingdome of heauen before men Take heede that no man deceiue you Againe And many false Prophetes shal arise and shall deceiue many Nowe I beseeche you brethren marke them diligently which cause diuision and offences contrary to the doctrine Rom. 16. 17. Mat. 6. 5. which yee haue learned And when thou prayest bee not as the hypocrites for they loue to stande and pray in the Synagogues and in the corners of the streetes because they woulde bee seene of men Al such kinde of people ought to bee eschued and fled except wee wil declare ourselues to be blinde and beastes as they are without vnderstanding Let them alone they be the blinde leaders of the Mat. 15. 14. blinde c. Nowe the ende of the commandement is loue Solomon doeth also partly signifie it when hee attributeth wisedome and vnderstanding vnto him which taketh heede of talking saying but he that refrayneth his lips is wise Wee must therefore to eschue vice and to shewe ourselues wise be sober in talke and that we vtter not al things that come into our thought Yet notwithstanding wee must not spare our tongues when neede is but must vnfolde them for the glorie and honour of GOD and for the profit and edification of our neighbours Wee see in the holy scriptures that the seruantes of GOD haue abounded with woordes in their sermons praises and praiers and thankes giuing and no faulte nor vice hath beene in them For as wise men they knewe to refraine their lippes
the similitudes of the virgins and the talents c. And if in the corporal necessitie wee must be watchful and carefull to doe well vnto our needie neighbours by a more stronge reason wee must diligently watch and trauaile for to edifie the consciences of the weake of the ignorant and vnbeleeuing which are void of spiritual goodnesse which is the good that al Christians shoulde procure and chiefly the Ministers and the pastours of the church Likewise the Magistrates ought to procure the welth of the people ouer which they are committed of God whose authoritie power they haue But to procure good things wel we must followe the instructiōs that are giuē vs. If euery mā in his estate would procure good things as they ought they should get fauour as Solomon doeth promise it that is to say first of al that hee shal bee pleasing Exo. 18. 21 Psal 2. 10. 82. 3. 2. Chro. 19. 6 Rom. 13. and acceptable and shal worke loue to himselfe he shal be wel welcome and men wil labour to do them pleasure seruice and honor and which is the chiefest and the most to bee desired is that God wil beare him fauour loue him wil delight in him wil assist him and be merciful vnto him and wil keep that no euil shal happen vnto him which shal destroy him but he wil preserue him that he make him blessed for euer The Lorde delighteh in them that feare him and attende vpon his mercy Bodily exercise profiteth litle but Psa 147. 11. godlinesse is profitable vnto al thinges which hath the promise of the life present and of that that is to come It is very expedient for 1. Tim. 4. 8 vs that in seeking the good wee shoulde chiefly get the fauour of God for it happeneth most commonly that if wee doe our dutie in the estate wherein wee are called that men in steede of being favourable as they ought doe hate persecute vs. Wherevpon we must not be abashed nor ceasse for al that to seek for good things for the like hath happened to our predecessours and aboue al vnto our Lorde and maister Iesus Christ But although the getting of fauor is here spoken of and chiefly of god let vs not set God in equal degree with mē the which we may bind to ourselues to beare vs fauour by our wel doinges It is not so with God for hee cannot bee bounde to vs whatsoeuer wee can doe And so when wee obteine fauour of him without any permutation and without receiuing any rewarde of vs because that wee receiue of him of his onely grace gift and liberalitie yet doth it not ceasse vnto vs to bee true getting For if we say that there is not better getting then that which is gotten by gift we must not thinke strange though wee call that which god giueth vs of his meereliberalitie getting Besides the Pro. 4. 5. 6. 7. Esay 55. 1. common maner of speaking wee haue the Scripture which exhorteth vs to get without any permutation Moreouer besides this let vs note that as they which procure good things haue promise of fauour So also they whose wealth wee seeke are admonished of their duties euery one in his degree And therefore let vs not followe the opinion of fantastical felowes which are not thankful for a good turne receiued of their neighbours But as for to induce vs vnto liberalitie Solomon doth set before vs this promise also for to turne vs away from doing hurt vnto our neighbours hee setteth a threatening saying But hee that seeketh euill it shall come vnto him Forasmuch as Solomon hath set seeking of euill against the seeking of good hee doth signifie vnto vs that hee speaketh of the hurte that wee procure vnto our neighbours calamities and miseries whereto wee endeuour to bring them and of the destruction and ouerthrowe that wee goe about to seeke for them for to make our particular profite and to come vnto the end of our purposes and intents And when against getting of fauour hee threateneth euill to come hee signifieth that the wicked which seeke for nothing but the hurte of their neighbours shal be depriued of al fauour and chiefly towards God who wil beate them downe from the which they shal neuer escape Beholde hee trauelleth with mischiefe he Psal 7. 15. 16. hath conceiued sorowe and brought forth vngodlinesse Hee hath grauen and digged vp a pit and is fallen himselfe into the destruction that he hath made for other Of this nūber were Caine Saule Absolon Iudas and others who after the sight of the eyes haue got ten fauour the which ought not to be accounted of seeing that it did not preserue them from wickedly perishing 28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall but the righteous shall florishe as a leafe Solomon pronounceth heere a sentence which is very harde to bee beleeued and as it seemeth the experience is in the contrary and therefore the worldlinges and carnal men which are couetous do despise it and mocke thereat This same is but too too common and hath no neede of probation notwithstanding there Luke 16. shal be no inconuenience to bring forth one example it is rehearsed that after Iesus Christ had admonished his disciples by the act of the steward to be liberal not to set their harts vpō riches it is said that the Pharisees which were couetous did mocke at him Nowe of our own nature we are no better then the Pharisees it seemeth vnto vs that riches are very profitable and that they are of great power and excellencie and that they which haue them with abundance are well stayed and vpholden and in this sort wee make riches our God and cast behinde vs and despise the true God which giueth abundantly al things for to vse The couetous which would bee esteemed saints and deuout persons doe make themselues beleeue that to set our heartes on the goods of this worlde doeth not let vs to serue God and euen the greatest theeues and vsurers doe iudge that they haue doone a great act very much for God when of their rauening they haue laide aside some parte for to bestow in the seruice of God fained by men or els that they haue made godly Legacies by testament not departing with any thing whiles they liue for feare they should want themselues But our Lord doth pronounce vnto vs No man can serue two maisters c. Hee sheweth it also by the seed cast amongst thornes for if the word which doth teach vs guide vs to serue god be choked it is vnpossible for vs to serue God but we do despise and reiect him to become riche and to encrease in temporal goods yea and there are some that are so vnshamefast and so ouercome with vnbrideled lustes that they determine wholy to forsake god for a time that they may become rich and are not ashamed to teach others to do the like In such manner of folkes
sentence he compareth the couetous foole vnto him which breaketh pearseth through the walles of an house so that the wind entereth in on al sides Now as the wind vanisheth cannot be holdē back euen so they which spēd their riches to the hinderance of their family shal not enioy them at their desire but shal be depriued of them miserably and shal receiue no profite of thē The winde is taken after this signification in Oseas For they haue sowen the winde and they shal reape the whirlewind Againe Ephraim is Oseas 8. 7. 12. 1 fed with the wind and foloweth after the East wind Also such as are prodigal riotous spenders of goods shal be heires of wind For as in consuming their goods without discretion and good aduise they doe loose them if they did cast chaffe in the winde the which doeth carry and scatter it so farre abroade that it cannot be recouered but they are worthy to beheires of wind that is to say to haue nothing for also they trouble their owne house bringing their family into necessitie of begging their bread and they themselues likewise constrained to beg and for to obteine that which they desire either in al or in part they must humble themselues before good houskeepers which haue the discretion wisdome to gouern and to spend their goods with reason We may see this same by experiēce in folowing that which Solomon in the second part of this sentence sayth The foole shal be seruant to the wise in heart The prodigal childe hath Luke 15. 14 proued his part c. Furthermore they inherite the wind which are so much giuen vnto quarrelling and law that they care not against whome they begin sute and for to get peace and loue they will quit neither forgiue any thing howe little soeuer it bee that they thinke doeth belong vnto them but rather then they woulde want of their purpose to obteine the victorie they become enimies vnto al men Such kind of people are worthie to haue nothing but wind for they trouble their owne houses experience doeth also shew it that not only their houses but also the kingdomes through braules and quarrels are ouerthwrone and they which possesse them are driuen out and are faine to become subiect vnto them whiche before were lesse then they I haue seene the seruantes on horseback and the Princes trot on foote as seruantes And if the maister of an houshold ought to be wise by a more strong reason thē ought kings princes to be wise which haue the townes prouinces kingdomes in gouernmēt to the end that they should not trouble their subiectes nor guide them as becommeth and that it doeth happen that their lordships kingdomes must be transported vnto others and that in this manner beeing spoyled they inherite winde and in steede of ruling are brought vnder the power of another by the sufferance of the Lorde vnto whome it belongeth to remoue kingdomes and to giue them vnto whome soeuer it pleaseth him As the Prophets do teach vs declaring that such mutatiōs do oftē happen Dan. 2. 21. 4. 14. 29. for the contempt of the Word as hath bin seene amongst those miserable poore men which haue receiued that deuilish interim 30 The fruite of the righteous is a tree of life and hee that winneth soules is wise The righteous is not like vnto the couetous niggarde neither vnto the witlesse prodigal neither the quarrelling rufler who doe profite no body but doe trouble al men and doe set all in disorder so that they destroy themselues and doe not bring profite vntoo their neighbours but hurte But as the righteous hath not his trust in men but doeth depende vppon the goodnesse of GOD which taketh care of his and as hee prouideth what so euer is necessary giuing him al thinges aboundantly for to vse euen so doeth hee dispose them in such wise to the profite of his neighbours that hee bringeth foorth fruite the which doth quicken his neighbours Solomon doeth signifie this same first of all when he calleth the workes of the righteous fruit as also the holie Scripture doeth often in other places For as the tree doeth not bring Psal 1. 3. Iere. 17. 8. Mat. 7 12. foorth his fruit for it selfe but for another euen so the true righteous doeth not regard his own particular profite but theirs which haue to doe with him And as the fruite of the tree doeth nourishe and giue strength euen so the righteous laboureth by his works to refreshe and quicken Solomon doeth wel expresse it when hee is Gen. 2. 9. not contented to say is as a tree but he addeth of life wherein hee alludeth vnto the tree of life which was planted in the midst of the garden of pleasure For as if Adam in steede of eating of the tree of knowledge had eaten of the tree of life hee had not dyed but had bene quickened for euer and had reuiued his posteritie the which hee hath made subiect vnto death euen so the righteous doth profite his neighbours for the benefite of life not onely temporal but also eternal For hee hath not care of the bodie onely but also and that chiefly of the soules Hee doeth his workes for to helpe the necessities of his neighbours and therewith and by the same he tendeth to edifie them to saluation giuing them a good example that they may be warned to prayse God and to giue him praise for that that he leaueth them not vnprouided of good succour and helpe and are taught that after their power they ought to doe vnto their neighbours as they would their neighbours should doe vnto them Beeing thus builded they shal liue eternally and also they who so doe build them Beholde howe the fruite of the righteous is as the tree of life Secondly Solomon doeth signifie vnto vs that the righteous doeth bring foorth fruite which doth giue life vnto his neighbours when he sayeth And he that winneth soules is wise Wherein for to signifie that the righteous by his good deeds and wel doing doth drawe vnto him and winne mens soules and doeth not suffer them to perishe but doeth saue them according vnto the wisedome that God hath giuen him Solomon compareth the iust man vnto a fisher For as the fisher to take fishe is faine to vse deceit and craft suttletie and discretion otherwise hee taketh no fishe but doeth driue them away and so doth spende his time in vaine and looseth his labour euen so the righteous hath neede of wisedome the which may guide him so wisely in his affaires that hee may winne his neighbours And also because our Lord saieth vnto his Apostles Folow me and I wil make you fishers of men Feare not henceforth Mat. 4. 19. Luk. 5. 10. thou shalt take men hee doeth endue them with great wisedome filling them with his holie Spirite for to guide and gouerne them in the taking of men And in this we must
the Deuil doe draw vs and lay baites 1. Pet. 4. 3 Ioh. 3. 3. 1. Cor. 6. 9 Rom. 6. 23 Gal. 5. 21. Mat. 7. 13. Hebr. 12. 1 1. Pro. 2. 1 for vs that delighting in the pleasures of the heathen that knowe not God we should walke dishonestly So doing we can not finde life The reward of sinne is death but wee must seeke for a straight pathe that may leade vs vnto life And for to runne wel therein let vs laye away al that presseth vs downe and putting away al malice let vs abstaine from carnal lustes which fight against the soule If we thus walke we shal finde life for that way is the path of righteousnes wherein as Solomon saith is life and no death therein When Solomon tooke his doctrine from the lawe whereunto it is lawfull for no man to adde or diminish we must vnderstande that he speaketh Deut. 4. 5. 8. 2. Cor. 1. 20 heere of eternal life chiefly For albeit that God by Moyses gaue vnto the children of Israel promises concerning this temporal life as neuertheles seeing that God doeth esteeme none but his children whom he hath erected to eternal life worthie of his promises for al his promises are yea and Amen in Christ wee must vnderstand that in these temporal and earthly promises are enclosed the heauenly and spiritual as the Fathers Hebr. 11. 9. 10 13. Leu. 18. 5. Rom. 10. 5. did wel vnderstande and also Moyses doeth signifie the same saying The which if a man shal doe he shal liue in them the which Saint Paule expoundeth of eternal life Then when Solomon saith Life is in the way c. Let vs vnderstand it of the blessed and eternal lyfe as he himselfe declareth it saying And in that path way there is no death For temporal life is not without death as experience teacheth alwayes and the Scripture witnesseth vnto vs I say vnto you brethren that fleshe and blood can not inherite the kingdome 1. Cor. 15. 50. Hebr. 9. 29 of God Men are appointed once to dye Wee must also take death heere for eternal death as doeth our Lord Iesus Verely verely I say vnto you that he which heareth my word is passed from death vnto life If any man keepe my worde he shal not see death Ioh. 5. 24. 8. 51. 11. 25. Whosoeuer beleeueth in me though hee were dead yet shal he liue If then wee wil liue without death let vs walke in the path of righteousnes as wee are taught by the Scriptures aforesaide The which shal be done if hauing the assured hope of our saluation in the righteousnes of our Lord we giue ourselues to liue after his commandements conteined in his lawe There is no death For albeit the righteous are the most that are slaine yet they dye not but doe passe from death vnto lyfe The xiii Chapter 1 A wise sonne wil obey the instruction of his father but a scorner wil heare no rebuke FOrasmuch as instruction consisteth in commandemēts counsels exhortations corrections and reprehensions wherof the rude simple and ignorant haue neede and not they that are indewed with so much wisdom as they neede ought to haue and liue according thereto before the world and walke so wisely that they are without reprehension haue no need that any man should shew them any thing Wee vnderstand not by the wise Sonne a man hauing wisdome premeditated for suche a man hath no need that his father should shewe him either reprooue or correct him but by a wise sonne we wil vnderstand him that humbleth himselfe vnto his father feareth and reuerenceth him wil receiue doctrine and endeuoureth to serue him and to be at his commandement This sonne is wise though ther be in him many things which require either admonitions exhortations or corrections Albeit then that wee haue many imperfections yet doe wee not cease therfore to be called wise by the Scriptures which lie not so that we confessing ourselues to be such as wee are doe become easie to bee Rom 13. 7. Ephe. 4. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13 taught tractable and endeuour to yeeld subiection obedience feare honour to them that wee ought folowing the counsel of S. Paul Giue vnto euery man that which is due to him c. So doing we shal be wise sonnes and wil take instruction of them to whome we are committed and to whom we owe honour obedience As then we see Solomon calleth children inferiours vnto wisdō that the youth the common people should not take licence to remain in ignorance as though wisdome did nothing belong to them For gladly such people are wont to say that they need not to be so wise they think that wisdō is not necessary for thē but for men in authority dignitie He doth also exhort thē to receiue instruction of the father vnder the which name of father let vs vnderstād al such as we owe obedience and honour vnto but as they make no account of wisedome euen so doe suche people commonly hate instruction though it be necessary for them It is too common a vice that things most necessarie are most despised in the world there is almost none but feareth to be either too wise or too honest wherin they are like to children who according as they are borne of fleshe doe loue that which is not good for them Now though we must be like vnto litle children yet when we are here called to be wise and to receiue instruction Mat. 18. 3 let vs folow the admonition of S. Paul Brethren in vnderstanding be not children but in malice let vs be children Take heed 1. Cor. 14. 20 Ephe. 5. 15 1. Pet. 2. 1 therefore that ye walke circumspectly c putting away al malice c. If we make no count of such instructions we are not wise but scorners as Solomon doth shew vs saying But a scorner wil heare no rebukes Wisdom hath complained here aboue Chaper 1. verse 22. and for their refusal hath threatened them afterwardes verse 24. By this sentence other alreadie alledged Chap. 9. verse 7. 8. we may vnderstand that scorners are proude wicked corrupted hardened vncorrigible Such people labour to make themselues beleeue Esai 28. 15 that what euil soeuer doth happen they shal be exempted And therfore they scorne al reprehension It is not to say that they are assured for their conscience in spight of their teeth wil reprooue them whereupon they are feared with the iudgement of God They shew thēselues verie bold as if they were in great assurance but the wicked are as the raging of the sea c. There is no peace to the wicked saieth God Besides this let vs note first of al that scorners haue Esai 57. 20 eares but they heare not they are of the number of them of whom Esai speaketh Goe say to this people heare and vnderstande not see and know not
fled that doeth depriue vs of the heauenly inheritance which is euerlasting Therefore wee must be careful to flye away from all that that may hinder vs from receiuing of the Gospel which is the power of God to saue vs and maketh vs inheritours and possessours of the heauenly and eternal riches Secondly for to shewe vs howe we shal abounde in wealth hee saieth But he that gathereth with the hand c. Here he exhorteth vs to worke and doeth promise vs that wee increase if wee wil labour and get our bread by good profitable and necessarie works the which hee meaneth by the hande as wee may vnderstande it when hee setteth the hande against vanitie Solomon hath made vs the like promises heere before Thus we learne that by flying of Pro. 12. 11. 13. 4. vanitie and doing some woorthie and excellent worke it is lawful to gather riches together but we must take heede we set not our heartes vppon them otherwise it shal not be togather with the hande but with vanitie for it is great vanitie for a man to occupie himself with greedinesse and couetousnesse As Dauid saith Doubtlesse man walketh in a vaine shadowe and disquieteth himselfe in Psal 39. 6. vaine hee heapeth vp riches and can not tel who shal gather them Againe I turned and sawe vanitie vnder the Sunne There is not onely vanitie in suche labouring but also great crueltie for they Eccle. 4. 7. which gather couetously care least to doe wrong vnto their neighbours and also through hunger to starue and kil them For this cause are they called in the Scriptures theeues robbers and murtherers Esai 1. 59. Amos. 8. and it is layde to their charge that their handes are full of blood 12 The hope that is deferred is the fainting of the heart but when the desire commeth it is as a tree of life When Solomon saith The hope that is deferred c. hee doeth shewe vs thereby that we haue great neede of patience and chiefly in looking for the eternal riches For by howe muche as the riches are more precious and more excellent by so muche are men more vexed whē they are long kept frō the possession of that which is longed for and desired The worldlinges doe prooue this in their temporal riches and the faithful doe feele it in the heauenly and eternal riches Saint Paule giueth witnesse thereto and not only Rom. 8. 23. the creature but wee also which haue the first fruites of the Spirite euen wee doe sigh in ourselues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our bodie Againe For wee know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle bee destroyed wee haue building 2. Cor. 5. 1. giuen of God that is an house not made with handes but eternal in the heauens Abraham felt this languishing as hee doeth shewe vs when a certayne time after that God had promised him I wil make thee growe into a great people hee complayneth saying O Lorde God euerlasting what wilt thou giue me Seeing I go childlesse Gen. 12. 2. 15. 2. Dauid also declareth this his longing in the 42. Psalme saying As the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God The Saintes therefore in looking for Psal 42. 2. that which they hope for doe languishe and fainte but so soone as they obteine their desires they waxe ioyful and are satisfied Solomon doeth signifie the same saying But when the desire commeth c. Dauid also doeth expresse it saying I wayted patiently for the Lorde and hee enclined vnto mee and heard me It is saide of Simeon That hee wayted for the consolation of Israel and the holie Ghost was vpon him And when hee had receiued his desire hee prayseth God and reioyceth and is satisfied as Psal 40. 1. Luk. 2. 25. 29. hee sheweth by his Canticle Nowe as the holie Fathers in their languishing were neuer vnpatient so must wee doe the like folowing that which the Prophet Abacuk saieth For the vision is yet for an appointed time but at the last it shal speake and not lye though it Haba 2. 3. Hebr. 10. 36. tarie waite for it shal surely come and shal not stay Again Ye haue neede of patience that after yee haue done the wil of God ye might receiue the promise 13 Hee that despiseth the worde shal bee destroyed but he that feareth the commaundement shal bee rewarded Wee must not doubt that Solomon doeth not speake here of the worde and commaundement of God the which speaketh to the world after diuers sortes as hee hath diuers Ministers and seruants He speaketh to the peoples and nations by his Apostles Euangelists Pastors and Doctors which in the name of Iesus Christ doe preach fayth and repentance according to the holie Scriptures He speaketh by Kinges Princes and Lordes of the earth when by holie lawes statutes and ordinances they labour to guide their subiectes in iustice and to cause them to liue peaceably and in true and holie religion Hee speaketh when fathers and mothers doe teach good manners vnto their children Hee speaketh also when euery man particularly doeth admonish or reprooue his neighbour when it is needful Finally he speaketh when we labour through honest and holie conuersation to edifie our neighbours Whosoeuer doeth despise the worde after what sort soeuer God speaketh shal bee destroyed first temporally as many haue tried it and doe daily feele it Secondly if there bee no repentance there foloweth eternal destruction The holie Scripture doeth shewe vs many examples therof and also it is replenished with threateninges against the contemners whereof wee presently haue one when Solomon sayeth Hee shal-be destroyed c. The first Chapter hath the like threateninges Pro. 1. 24 Contrarily if wee gladly heare that which is saide vnto vs in the name of God and by his authoritie that with true zeale of heart we endeuour to obey it wee shal be mainteined in good estate and shal not perishe Salomon doeth here pronounce it saying But hee that feareth the commaundement shal be rewarded Wherin let vs first note that he saith not simply he that feareth For albeit that the contemners are affrayde by the accusation of their consciences and that they tremble and feare when the worde and commandement is preached vnto them yet they cease not to perishe for they feare not the commandement wherein is promised rewarde but they feare the paines and torments Therefore if we Deut. 4. 10 10. 12. desire to be rewarded let vs feare not the paine but the commaundement forsaking euil and applying ourselues willingly vnto goodnesse because the commandement is holie iust and good This is the feare that our God demandeth Gather the people together vnto mee c. that they may feare me And nowe Israel what doeth the Lorde thy God aske of thee but onely that thou shouldest feare him They that shal haue this feare shal bee rewarded with euerlasting
doe finde them harde vngentle stiffe and cruel and so their way is harde and hated both to them and to their neighbours which doe knowe their hypocrisie dissimulation and fayning albeit that they seeme to bee gentle soft and gracious to the simple and vndiscreete and to their lyke As contrarily the men of vnderstanding which are soft and gracious to theÌ„ which loue wisedome doe seeme hated harde and sharpe vnto mockars and contemners 16 Euery wise man wil worke by knowledge but a foole will spread abrode follie Wee haue seene before that the craâ—tie or subtil man doeth Prou. 12. 23. hyde knowledge whereuppon it foloweth that hee is indued with knowledge and as hee is indewed therewith so doeth hee also gouerne himselfe thereby Solomon doeth signifie this guyding gouernement when he saith Euery wise man wil woorke by knowledge This knowledge is not the same whereof Saint Paule speaketh knowledge puffeth 1. Cor. 8. 1. Esay 11. 9. vp but the same whereof Esay speaketh which wil not hurte for the earth shal bee full of the knowledge of the Lorde as the waters that couer the sea Whereunto wee are exhorted by Saint Peter 2. Pet. 5. 5. Ioyne moreouervertue with your fayth and with vertue knowledge c. Solomon doeth wel shewe vs that hee speaketh of such knowledge when hee saith But a foole wil spread abrode follie The foolishe are depriued of this knowledge and therefore hee sheweth his follie proceeding in his affryres rashly without considering whither he doe wrong to his neighbours or no it is ynough for him to bee seene and praysed and to gaine something if it bee posible neither doeth hee care to bee beloued nor yet to loue his neighbours but is ready rather to fight against them if hee thinke that they hinder him to come to the ende of his enterprises Heereby wee may know that there are very fewe wise men in the world and that it is filled with the foolishe not with such as the worldlinges and carnal men doe count fooles true it is there are fooles about whome the mockers and iesters doe take their pastime and make them as it is sayde may games the world is but too full of such fooles but of such as are counted foolishe and are abhorred of the worlde their number is very smal Blessed are yee which suffer persecution for righteousnesse c. Againe Blessed are Mat. 5. 11. yee when men reuile you and persecute you c. Heerein standeth the true wisedome as Saint Paule doeth expresse Let no man deceiue himselfe If any man among you seeme to bee wise in this worlde let him bee a foole that hee may bee wise They 1. Cor. 3. 18. which folowe these admonitions are the wise which rule themselues by knowledge And the greate wise men of the worlde with their great traine are but foolish for the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse before God 17 A wicked messenger falleth into euil but a faythfull Ambassadour is preseruation When Solomon setteth A wicked messenger against a faythful ambassadour hee teacheth vs wherein wee may iudge the messenger to bee wicked to wit when hee doeth not giue himselfe faythfully to doe the message that hee is sent for and to execute the office that is committed vnto him Solomon doeth threaten such a messenger with the fal of euil that is hee doeth foreshewe him a sharpe and harde punishement as hee doeth deserue by his infidelitie and disobedience whereinto hee throweth himselfe headlong either by set malice or by negligence and contempt And thus there is a double fal one whereinto hee falleth headlong himselfe the which is cause of the seconde Wee iudge that messengers or Ambassadours are wicked and disobedient when they breake or leaue out any parte of the commission that is giuen vnto them by their superiours and rulers and that rightly they are punished as traytours and vnfaythful By a farre more stronger reason then they which are sent of God are to be counted disobedient and traytors when they neglect the message of their Lorde and consequently are very worthy to bee grieuously punished the which they can by no meanes auoide as Solomon doeth signifie it when hee saieth That A wicked messenger falleth into euill Amongest the messengers and ambassadours of God in this worlde the principals are Kings Princes Magistrates Pastours and Ministers of the Churche Wherein if they doe not labour to doe their Psal 2. 9. 12. 82. 7. Wisd 6. 6. Eze. 3. 17. 33. 8. 34. 2. message wel punishement is prepared As it hath beene saide the wicked messenger doeth wel deserue to fal into euil for also asmuch as in him lyeth hee hurteth his neighbours as Solomon doeth signifie saying But a faythfull Ambassadour is preseruation Forasmuch as hee attributeth preseruation vnto the faythful Ambassadour hee giueth closely to vnderstande that the wicked messenger bringeth death and is a murtherer for the which cause it is good reason that hee shoulde fal into euil The worlde is greatly filled with such messengers as wee may see by the multitude of decrees and wicked iudgementes that are pronounced and executed vpon the innocents Also we may see it by the false doctrines which are sowne by the hypocritical Fryers of the Popish Churche For to knowe that Kings Princes Magistrates and Pastours of the Churche are messengers let vs note that a man is called a messenger when hee is sent vnto any place for to doe or say any thing Wherevpon it right wel foloweth that wee may cal Kings Princes Magistrates and Ministers the messengers of God for they are sent from him And Saint Paule saith that powers are ordeined of God And the scripture doeth cal them by a 1. Pet. 2. 14. Rom. 13. 1. Psal 82. 6. 2. Cor. 5. 20. 1. Cor. 4. 2. 2. Cor. 6. 3. Mat. 24. 45. 25. 14. name that signifieth not only an Angel but also God Euen so wee cal the Ministers of the worde the messengers of God for they are sent for to carry the message of reconciliation in this ministery they ought to behaue themselues faythfully and without offence And consequently al faithful men euery one according to the charge which is committed to him ought to behaue themselues faithfully with care and diligence otherwise we fal first into corporal euil and afterwardes into euerlasting euil Contrarily they which haue faithfully executed their office as they are healthful and serue for preseruation to theÌ„ vnto whome they do seruice euen so also they themselues shal obteine health and preseruation they shal not fal into euil but shal prosper Solomon doeth signifie this same saying A faythful Ambassadour is preseruation Wee do very willingly receiue and welcome and honour a good Phisition by whose arte and science wee obtaine health wee shewe him a cheereful countenance and if wee bee able wee wil giue him giftes and presentes and doe wishe him felicitie and prosperitie Therefore when Solomon doeth attribute
teacheth euerie man in al wisedome Now we haue the selfe same office which Saint Paule had and wee can not teach wisedome except we be wise not of ourselues but by the spirit of God Notwithstanding wee doe not so attribute wisedome to ourselues that nothing more may bee added but wee confesse that wee haue neede of daily encrease in the same 13 A ioyful heart maketh a chearful countenance but by the sorow of the heart the minde is heauie We are very glad whē our neighbors do beare vs a louing countenance and if we loue them truely we desire to shewe them a merie looke because we would not grieue them Now forasmuch as a ioyful heart as Solomon saieth maketh a chearful countenance it foloweth therefore first of al that wee ought to labour to cheare vp our neighbours not after a worldly and carnal maner which wil vse pleasant tales foolish toyes and vaine flatterings lyes and slanderinges for to passe away the time with as naughtie people as themselues But we wil endeuoure to make them glad in not doing them wrong and procuring their wealth towardes God so muche as we can to the vttermost of our power and chiefly their spiritual wealth for there is no true ioye in the heart without this spiritual wealth The ambitious auaritious whoremongers theeues gluttons and al dissolute persons will reioyce when they haue all that they can wishe and desire but they can not haue a ioyful heart as they well shewe by their grutching and murmuring and dispightfulnes that they make albeit that oftentimes they force themselues to laugh with open throte and to take al the pleasures that possibly they can neuerthelesse by other actes and words by other gestures which partly come from the face they shewe that they haue no inwarde ioye when their countenance sheweth it not For the face of man is al that is shewed outwardly for the word which Solomon vseth standeth alwayes plural and commeth of a verbe which signifieth to beholde and so signifieth whatsoeuer is seene in man Nowe in the worldly carnal men a man may see many things which are neyther faire good nor pleasant though they be laughed at wherevpō it foloweth that they haue no merie hearts And also their laughing lyeth not but only in dissolutions intisements filthines vncleannes and in these things consisteth the ioy of the world But the true ioy standeth in the holy Ghost as Iesus Christ doth wel shew whē Iohn 14. 16. he calleth him the Comforter And not without cause for there is none that truly can touch our harts but he we cānot but by him reioyce in God as the scripture doth teach vs admonisheth vs so to do Secondly it foloweth of this sentence that if for the loue that Psa 5. 12. 32. 11. 33. 31. 13 Phil. 3. 1. 4. 4. 1. Thes 1. 16 1. Pet. 4. 13. we beare to our neighbors wee desire to shew thē a chearful countenance we must haue a chearful heart not with worldly and carnal ioy but spiritual diuine as belongeth vnto the children of God The which we shal enioy if whatsoeuer happen vnto us we be cōtented take it in good part as cōming from the hand of God being assured that he loueth vs that hee sendeth vs nothing but is expedient for vs that knowing it we yeeld him thanks therfore and sing him praises and run vnto him in al our necessities Such ioy shal garnishe our faces and make vs acceptable vnto God and our neighbors which know and loue the trueth wil thinke vs faire and pleasant Those men women therfore which would haue shining Ps 119. 162. faces let them not seeke to paint nor to deck thēselues after the fashion and trade of the worlde but let them labour to reioyce theyr heartes in the Lorde The which they shal doe if they set all theyr delight in his word so that they may say with Dauid I reioyce at thy word as one that findeth great spoiles This is the ioy beautie whereof Solomon speaketh when he saieth A ioyful heart For let vs not thinke that hee woulde teache either men or women Psa 119. 162. howe they should trimme vp their faces there is none but is naturally too cunning a workman therein Let vs folowe this ioye and shunne the worldly the which bringeth nothing but sorow troble as they that desire it themselues doe feele it and confesse it for they say For one pleasure a thousande displeasures or sorows Now if we be greeued we can not haue a merie and ioyful face as Solomon A prouerb of worldly men doeth signifie saying But by the sorrowe of the hearte the minde is heauie For sith that by the heart and minde the bodie is guided and ruled and that there is no outwarde disposition in the bodie but commeth from within it foloweth verie wel that man can not shewe a louing face when he is inwardly troubled and grieued vnlesse he counterfaite and disguise himselfe But yet finally it can not be but that he must needs shew what he hath in his hart and that his fainednesse wil not declare for the hypocrite and dissembling man is so inconstant that he cannot alwayes hold one state and one purpose But albeit that Solomon against a good and holie Rom. 12. 15. 2. Cor. 6. 10. 7. 10. Esay 22. 12. ioye doeth set sorowe and heauinesse yet it is not to say that al sorowe is euil nor that it maketh man to haue an euil countenance nor that wee must flye al sorow Saint Paule doeth teach vs so 14 The hart of him that hath vnderstanding seeketh knowledge but the mouth of the foole is fed with foolishnesse Wee doe not gladly suffer ourselues to be called fooles neither do we desire to be counted such but we are glad whē we are counted wise learned and discreete and this is also a great delight vnto vs when wee can knowe that our wisedome answereth vnto the estimation and that we are truely such as wee desire to be esteemed and that wee can giue token and proofe thereof to our neighbours Now for to come by such knowledge and to giue such a signification we must not folowe the worldly and carnal people the superstitious and idolaters the ambitious and proude whereof some doe thinke themselues to bee verie wise and discreete when they haue wit and cunning to guide wel their particular affaires and to make their temporal gaine though it be to the hurt detriment of their neighbours Some wil attribute wisedome and discretion to themselues when they shal folow their owne fantasies and good intents and that they shal labour to shewe themselues verie zealous of the honour of God though they doe cleane contrarie vnto his worde Other some will thinke themselues wel learned when they can so worke that the world may wonder at them and honour them and can finde the meanes to
they do not only close shut their eyes and that they do not only moue their lippes but that they haue as it were an innumerable wayes of doing by the which they faine for to hurt openly The Deuil is a subtil Doctor and as he hath diuers knackes in his budget euen so doth he teache them vnto his disciples for to make thē maisters of art Among the which they are not the worst which seeke our goods and take away our good name and hurt our bodies but they are the worst which lye in waite to destroy our soules 31 Age is a crowne of glory when it is founde in the way of righteousnesse Albeit that men naturally desire to liue long in a flourishing state of meane age and to continew stil in the same power strength as we may know by old men who lament their youth past gladly woulde that the youth had tenne or twentie of their yeeres and haue no pleasure to thinke nor to heare speaking that they are old except it be that for their age they thinke that they shal obteine some office aboue and before the youth yet for al this there is none but doeth desire to attaine vnto a very olde age the which desire is not to bee blamed so that it is not for feare of death nor for doubt of what shalbecome of vs after this life as doe the infidels and faithlesse but let our desire beholde the promise that GOD Deut. 4. 4◠5. 33. 30. 16. hath made vnto them which shal obey his woorde to witte of prolonging their daies vpon earth Likewise when a man hath liued past seuentie or foure score yeeres hee boasteth often of his olde age and doeth reioyce therein and hee looketh that some shoulde reuerence him as a thing very honourable euen as at al times and amongst al peoples it hath beene except towardes wanton and shamelesse youths For it is a natural and very reasonable thing that folkes shoulde honour their elders and also God doeth commande Leui. 19. 32. it Nowe wel to obey this commandement the youthes must behaue themselues towardes their elders as children ought to behaue themselues towardes their fathers and mothers and chiefly to folowe their counsel so farre as they labour to leade vs according as GOD teacheth them by his worde otherwise age is no crowne of honour euen as Solomon doeth signifie when hee addeth When it is founde in the way of righteousnesse It is not age then which maketh the olde man to bee crowned with glorie as they which were destroied by the flood haue wel shewed and they of Sodome and Gomor and other olde doaters filled with foolishnesse ignorance and iniquitie but it is wisedome which maketh the crowne glorious Therefore if wee wil bee honorably crowned for our age let vs not aske to bee praised for our great age but let vs folowe that rightly which God requireth of vs euery one of vs according to the state wherein God hath called vs. Thus doing though wee bee no old men yet shal we haue age which shal bee a crowne of glory vnto vs. The scripture also speaking of the Elders hath not respect to the age but to their duetie office neither is it required that a man shoulde be olde in yeeres for to beare office but in manners And forasmuch as the aged ought to be of more experience and more wise that rightly they may gouerne others therefore for this they which beare office either in the common wealth or in the Church are called Elders and although they bee young yet if they behaue themselues as they ought they haue age which is to them a crowne of glorie Thus age doeth not make men honourable and glorious but righteousnesse 32 He that is slow to anger is better then the mighty man and he that ruleth his owne minde is better then he that winneth a Citie The mighty or rather the hastie furious are esteemed very excellent winne great fame in the world as we see also the holy scripture doth giue vs examples thereof At this time were the giants Gene. 6. 4. 10. 8. 91. dwelling on earth Those were the mighty ones which in al ages haue bin men of fame Nemrod became mightie on earth c. And as such mightie men are esteemed euen so do they also make account of themselues thinke they do profit that they are not cowards but haue a couragious heart because they suffer none to deuour them but can soone deuoure others Notwithstanding they which proceed with al gentlenes humanitie lenitie modestie clemencie which suffer with al patience that rather other should do them iniurie wrong violence then to hurt any person are coūted dizzards cowards nothing worth vnworthy once to talke with men of honestie worthy to be despised reiected of al honest men which wil suffer at no mans hand any molestation This is the iudgemēt of the world that is to say of al those which are not made newe creatures by the regeneration and sanctification of the holy Ghost But they which are lightened sanctified regenerated doe iudge otherwise pronounce with Solomon he that is slow to anger is better then the mighty Here Solomon doth first set and preferre the slowe to anger before him that is mightie not for to condēne the strong mighty except that through their force they take leaue to do iniurie outrage to their neighbors without cause the which cannot be done without anger hatred wrath furie And it is in this only point that the mightie ought to bee condemned for strength is the gift of God wherwith diuers of the elect children of God haue bin indued haue vsed the same in anger wrath against the enemies of God his people as Moses Iosua and other gouernours of the people of Israel as al the iudges mighty rulers ought to vse against thē which do euil We wil then with Solomon preferre the slow to anger before him that is mightie because that he is of great wisdom whereby he can temperate his passions and patiently beare the iniuries outrages that are done to him as he knoweth to be expedient the which is no smal vertue seing that Exo. 34. 6. Psa 103. ◠Esa 55. 7. Rom. 2. 4. in the same he is a folower of his God of whome the scripture witnesseth that hee is a God of pitie of clemencie and slow to wrath c. And as it is not for want of might that God is thus patient as hee can and coulde wel shewe taking vengeance of his enemies in conuenient time euen so God doeth not take force for him that is slowe to wrath but that hee may ouercome his enemies when the time is come whereas the mightie for his arrogancie is often depriued of his enterprises and his violence lighteth vpon himselfe by the iust punishement of God Loe this is the first
smally but to doe God great dishonour Solomon doeth signifie it saying Hee that mocketh the poore reprocheth him that made him c. Forasmuche as there is none but God that inricheth and maketh men poore it foloweth that wee doe reproch him when wee mocke the poore in not helping him as they ought in doing him wrong and in persecuting him for hee is despised for his pouertie troubled therefore and therfore it is euen asmuch as if we did reproche God for setting such a man to bee mocked troubled and molested and that if they doe him iniurie out of the which he can not deliuer himselfe that hee is the cause thereof This same is but to too common in poperie albeeit that they perswade themselues that they woulde doe no such iniurie vnto God but the effect doeth shewe the contrary when wee make no account of the poore in comparison of Images and ceremonies euen when for to mainteine them wee will polle the poore and woulde to GOD that they which boast themselues to bee reformed after the Gospell were not giuen vnto suche mockery or rather worse But what For to mainteine themselues at their ease and pleasure to winne credite and authoritie they wil vse crueltie towardes the poore or at the least will make themselues companions of those which doe oppresse them will as it were holde vp their chinne and make them more bolde All such kinde of people doe take their pastime and ioy so to handle the poore for to destroy them for the which they shal not escape vnpunished Solomon doeth declare it saying And hee that reioyceth c. Hee calleth the trouble vexation damage and detriment the spoyling and desolation which the poore doe suffer destruction because they are voide of humane helpe and are tormented and molested and no man helping nor succouring them as they ought but contrarily they haue not so little but they wil haue it This violence may wel be called destruction when they which doe it care not what miserie and desolation they bringe vppon the poore and woulde rather put them to death then to fayle of eating them euen to make them to begge their bread And therefore the Scripture calleth them murtherers and menslears And so they well deserue punishment as also the threateninges are conteined in diuers places as wee may Esai 1. 21. Osee 4. 1. 2 Psal 94. 3. Zach. 11. 4. 5 1. Ioh. 3. 15. Rom. 12. 15 1. Cor. 12. 26. Mat. 9. 13. Pro. 14. 31. Mat. 25. 40. see by the Scriptures God hath executed them also And forasmuch as there is none of sounde iudgement which woulde bee counted a mocker nor contemner of God nor destroyer of the poore nor that would haue God to punish him we must weepe with those which weepe that we may haue compassion of our poore mēbers which suffer shewing mercy by vnfained charitie to the needie I wil haue mercy and not sacrifice Thus doing we honour God For the good that we do towards the poore is counted to be done vnto God 6 Childrens children are the crowne of the elders and the glorie of the children are their fathers Forasmuch as God blessing man saide vnto him growe and increase Gene. 1. 28. 19. 1. 7. 13. 16. 17. 2. and replenishe the earth and to Noe and to Abraham and to other holy Patriarkes Therefore olde men ought wel to reioyce and count themselues happie and to counte it for a great honour and beautifying when they haue a great stocke and linage and that they may see themselues to bee Grandfathers Dauid Psal 128. 1 sheweth wel this same and Solomon hauing regard vnto suche promises sayeth Childrens children c. If wee haue then a multitude of children and cousins let vs confesse it with ioye and gladnesse that God hath blessed vs and honoured vs and let vs not resemble the worldly and couetous infidels which complaine to bee charged with too many children when they haue more then they doe desire where they ought to reioyce and thanke God who doth communicate vnto them the title of Father the which belongeth Mat. 13. 9. vnto him onely Let vs not also be like vnto them which doe so dote ouer their children that they suffer them to runne at randon and where they list and doe not teache them the feare of the Lord and neither doe correct and rebuke them for feare that they should trouble them Suche kinde of people so muche as in them lieth doe despise their Crowne for they take the way for to be troubled and dishonoured for their children seeing it is a daily common thing that the children which are not corrected waxe corrupted and giue themselues vnto dishonest and wicked liuing Therefore for to Ephe. 6. 4. Collo 3. 21. Gen. 18. 19 be crowned honestly with our children let vs folowe Saint Paules teaching Fathers prouoke not your children vnto anger but bring them vp in instruction c. Be ye the folowers of Abraham to whō God giueth witnes that he woulde commande his sonnes and his housholde after him that they keepe the way of the Lorde and to doe righteousnes and iudgement And although it is a common matter aswel vnto the children and elect of God as also to the children of the Deuil and reprobate to haue great posteritie and that ordinarily the infidels haue more children then the faithful that God suffereth them to increase yet the minde of Solomon is not to giue the Crowne vnto the faithful but onely to the beleeuers for what hee saieth is spoken according to the former promises the which are not sure and stedfast but vnto the faithful who doe acknowledge the honour that God doeth vnto them when he giueth them children abundantly And because they are not vnthankful towardes God hee doeth giue them a continual ioye the which shal neuer be taken from them but it shal rather growe vnto an eternal blessing wherin they shal obteine the crown of immortal glorie for God doeth not corporally crowne his for afterwardes to make no account of them otherwise their state should be no better then the same of the infidels for they reioyce and are glad and count themselues blessed to see themselues fathers of a greate stocke and kindred but suche ioye is not of any continuance considering the teares and gnashing of teeth which shal folowe it Nowe that it is the intent of Solomon to giue the Crowne vnto the elect of God hee doeth somewhat shewe it when he addeth And the glorie of the children are their Fathers For sith hee conferreth the glorie and honour of the children with the crowne of the Elders it foloweth wel that his minde is to attribute the crowne vnto the faithful Fathers for the children are not honoured by infidels fathers but Psa 95. 106. 6. 7. Esay 43. 27. 65. 7. Iere. 2. 5. 6. Exe. 2. 3. 16. 3. Mat. 23. 30. rather dishonoured and chiefly
al diligence seeke to ouercome al difficulties to the ende they neither put themselues nor their familie in danger to begge their bread and for the most parte not to finde one which wil giue any thing As the slouthful deserue wel and also Solomon threateneth them therewith saying The slouthful body wil not labour c. As for the manace of pouertie it hath beene amplie treated of But wee must note first of al that there are many which thinke themselues not slouthful neuerthelesse if they meete with any little winter that is to say any let which seemeth to them harde to ouercome they are so deintie that they thinke one shoulde excuse them of the woorke Such persons after Solomon ought to bee esteemed slouthful for they labour not in the winter Heere vnder Winter hee comprehendeth al the seasons that seeme difficile to them that woulde liue at their ease and would eate their bread and doe nothing but that which seemeth to them good according to the sense of their fleshe As also vnder the name of labouring wee ought to vnderstande al dooings wherein men ought to apply themselues Secondly it is to bee noted when hee saieth that the slouthful shal begge or craue in Haruest that idle persons will thinke thereby that one ought to giue them their demande when hee hath gathered goods ynough and that hee ought not to spare from them seeing they are in pouertie and knowe wel how to spend it There is a great number of such sluggardes in the Papacie were it but amongst the Monkes and Priestes And in euery country whatsoeuer there are many idle persons which followe plaies and pastymes after the which they make great cheere and search out the tables of them whome they thinke are riche or haue made a good haruest and are liberal Thirdly let vs note that when hee saieth That the slouthful shal haue nothing Hee speaketh principally of that which the slouthful deserue and also of that which cannot fayle them For although ydle bellies bee for a tyme filled notwithstanding it is not wholy to their contentement for they haue neuer so much as they would haue yet at last they come to a miserable indigence and are naked of al goods As they finde which are in hel The riche also are warned not to communicate their goods to such slouthful persons 5 Counsell in the heart of man is like deepe water and a man of vnderstanding will drawe it out There is none but God alone which can know and bring to light that which lyeth hid in the heart of man as hath bin shewed heretofore by the scripture in diuers places And although we think very profoundly without any outward motiō yet our thoughts stick not to be present with him as wel as if we should expres thē by words or works the 136. Psalme sheweth this wel and foorthwith declareth what it is insomuch as GOD hath formed vs as wee are But al though it appertaine to him alone to haue such knowledge and that none other can haue it neuerthelesse wee are so curious that we wil know that which we cannot know as appeareth by that which hath been already saide for seeing it apperteineth to God the creature can do nothing in it and ought not once to presume to attaine thereto Solomon also sheweth it wel when he compareth the cogitations deliberations enterprises and willes of the heart of man to deepe waters saying Counsell in the heart of man c. This is not to say that the heart of man is nor more hidden and harde to sounde then the bottome of the deepest waters in the worlde But Solomon maketh such a comparison to shewe that if a man finde it harde yea vnpossible to pearce the depth of the great Sea then he ought not to presume to knowe that which man cōsulteth decreeth in his hart for it is yet more hiddē thē the depth of Sea also it disguiseth it selfe in diuers fashions as euery one of vs may knowe if wee consider it more neerely according as he is sensual and giuen to his natural corruption Likewise there is none of vs which knoweth intirely the counsels of his hearte for then wee should haue no sinnes which shoulde bee hidden from vs for the which Dauid Psal 19. 13. prayeth saying Who is hee that knoweth his offences Deliuer me therefore from my hidden faultes Neuerthelesse this argueth not but one may somewhat knowe what a man is in hearte for if wee haue the patience to consider according to the woorde of the Lorde the which onely is our wisedome and vnderstanding the wordes behauiour and doinges of them which seeke to hide and disguise themselues at last their heartes wil not bee discouered too vs and wee shall knowe their counsels deliberations and enterprises For God by his woorde will giue vs such wisedome that it wil bee as easie to vs to discouer and see that which is in their heartes as it is to draw water out of a wel or riuer which is at euery ones commaundement Solomon sheweth vs this saying And a man of vnderstanding will drawe it out It is not without cause that hee sayth A man of vnderstanding Math. 7. 15. Act. 20. 28. Rom. 16. 17. for it is very needefull that one haue a neere regarde too drawe out such counsell Our Lorde and Sauiour sheweth it vs and the Apostle Saint Paule True it is that the Lorde to giue vs the more occasion to watch permitteth for a time that wee bee somewhat deceiued by hypocrites to the ende also that afterwardes hauing our eies opened we may knowe that it is hee alone who giueth vs the vnderstanding howe to drawe out that which lay too deepe for vs before 6 The mightie man is named a well doer but who shal finde a faithfull man It is the manner of worldly men which seeke to get some of the substance of the riche to flatter them and curry fauour with them calling them wel doers It is al one to them if they lye making them beleeue that if in times past they haue receiued nothing of their benefites yet by such flatteries in time to come they wil induce them to be beneficial to them Solomon expresseth this in briefe saying The mightie man is named a well doer Nowe as hee is called a man beneficial or wel doer hee ought also to bee so for the Scripture giueth not such a name in vaine neither heere nor els where and this is not to aduance flatterers and encrochers but Luke 22. 25 Rom. 13. 3. to mainteine the good and iust But it is a thing very rare to finde a Prince or great Lorde which answereth to the titles that are attributed vnto him as experience doeth wel shewe whereto Solomon hath regarde saying But who shall finde a faithfull man Although it bee vniuersally true and without exception that God alone is faithful and that al men are vntrue notwithstanding in this place as the
perfect for the remission of their sinnes whereat they were sore agreeued and displeased And then when hee gaue the tenne commandementes hee ordeined sacrifices which is a good argument that they were acceptable too him as is seene in Leuiticus I haue spoken specially of the faithful which are neither hypocrites nor ambitious nor theeues nor murderers For although the faithlesse full of al iniquitie violence extortion did offer oblations and sacrifice which had great apparance of holynesse and religion and that they shewed by Ceremonies that they had a meruellous great zeale to the seruice of GOD neuerthelesse their sacrifices pleased not the Lorde but rather prouoked him to wrath and anger and he despised them as thinges abhominable but hee willeth that the wicked shoulde turne from his euil wayes refraining to doe iniurie and violence and giuing himself to al right and equitie in restoring to euery man that which belongeth vnto him helping the oppressed and afflicted Psa 40. 7. 50. 7. and deliuering them from the handes of those which doe them wrong which thing apperteineth principallly to kinges and superiours of the earth but it is meete also that euery one apply himselfe therein as much as is possible And so his workes shal be agreeable to the Lorde more then al the oblations of beastes or fruites of the earth Solomon pronounceth it thus in briefe saying To doe iustice and iudgement c. Hee sheweth vs in one worde that which wee haue principally to doe to the ende wee studie not on thinges which haue a faire apparance outwardly and bring no profite aide nor succour to the poore afflicted Also he reproueth in briefe the kinges and gouernours of the earth which are hypocrites as were the Scribes and Pharisees which are oppressours Hee reprehendeth likewise all hypocrites which loue to bee seene and praised and in the meane while haue no care of their Mat. 22. 23. 25. Esa 1. 10. 23 neighbours as are in the Papacie the eaters of the crucifixe as also are they which come to sermons of the worde and communicate the Sacraments and yet sticke not to bee replenished with fraudes deceites in humanitie and crueltie Wherefore let vs not thinke that Solomon reproueth sacrifices vnder the which he comprehendeth al the works commauded in the first table but onely the abuse committed therein neither is he contente that one doe iustice and iudgement for one ought principally to mainteine the honour and glory of God and to obserue true religion which is commanded vs in the first table But by the workes of the seconde Table the obseruation of al the lawe is set downe for if wee abstaine to doe iniury to our neighbours if in asmuch as in vs lyeth we doe succour them which are oppressed and deliuer them if finally wee imploy ourselues to doe the workes of charitie we giue signification of the feare of God by the which the fruites of iustice iudgement charitie are brought forth And therfore although one cānot loue god vnles hee loue his neighbour notwithstanding this is not to say that the loue of God proceedeth of the loue of his neighbour But if wee loue God truely it is necessarie that we loue our neighbour As also wee haue the commaundement of him That hee that loueth God loueth also his neighbour It is true that if we loue our neighbour we giue a signe that wee loue God for the loue that we 1. Ioh. 4. 20. 21. Rom. 13. 10. beare towardes our neighbour is the fruite which bringeth foorth the loue which wee haue to God warde And so when Saint Paule saieth That hee which loueth his neighbour hath fulfilled the lawe hee exempteth vs not from the workes of the first Table for his intent was to speake in this point of the duetie which the lawe commandeth vs to doe to our neighbours whereto wee woulde not applye ourselues if wee did not loue them but louing them truely we doe to them al duetie And meane while it is true that the lawe is accomplished by charitie towardes our neighbours the which proceedeth not but of the loue that wee haue to God and therof yeeldeth testimonie as the effect doeth of the cause 4 An high looke and a proude heart which is the lanterne of the wicked is sinne When the wicked allowe of themselues in their owne hearts and that they think they are somewhat more excellent then others they cannot guide themselues but they must giue some outwarde signe of this pride and arrogancie and persuade themselues that in so doing they doe wel and by this meanes keepe their credit and come to the ende of their attemptes gallantly but in suche sorte of dealing they abstaine not to do iniurie and violence to their neighbours against whome they lift vp themselues fiercely and take ioy and delight therein And so there is great wickednesse in their proceedings estate and ioye Solomon sheweth it by this worde sinne when he saith An high looke and a proude heart c. Wherein we haue to note first of al That an high looke as al other brauities and pompes of the bodie is a signe and token of the pride which is in the heart And therefore one calleth it pride and it is sinne as it is iudged naturally to bee without the scriptures for men wil say Beholde a great pride to wit when one seeth any to bee very glorious and beare his head on high or vse any other gesture contrarie to humilitie and lowlinesse And they wil say hee hath a stoute and loftie heart Therefore with nature the Scripture imputeth this to pride and blameth and condemneth it and threateneth to destroy it as hath beene seene to happen to some who haue bene destroyed for their pride which they shewed by outwarde gesture And because wee wil not be so beaten downe by the wrath of the Lorde it be hooueth vs to humble ourselues as wel in our hearts as in our gesture and dooinges so that wee may protest Lorde I Esa 2. 11. 3. 15. 5. 14 Dan. 4. 26. 5. 22. Psa 131. 1. am not high minded I haue no proude lookes c. Thus dooing humilitie shal be deemed a vertue in vs and we shal be exalted of our God Note secondly that the pride which is betokened by high lookes and a proude heart is called the Lanterne of the wicked because they guide themselues by the same and therein place their ioy and pleasure for they think they should not doe their businesse halfe wel if they shoulde not seeke by pride to extoll themselues aboue others Note we thirdly that of the proude heart proceedeth the high looke with al the other fruites of pride which are in great number which we ought to take to be comprehended heere vnder one kinde Let vs note finally that seeing the lampe of the wicked is imputed as sinne to them they make of vice vertue so contrarie Esa 3. 20. 5 The thoughts of the
not ouerthrowe vs with the wicked to destroy 2. Cor. 2. 14. vs but if we bee comprehended with the wicked in temporal destruction God wil gather vs againe to himselfe and deliuer our soules from perdition but he wil destroy for euer the soules of the wicked without any remission 13 Hee that stoppeth his eare at the cry of the poore shall crye himselfe also and not bee heard God hath shewed himselfe very merciful towardes vs when before wee euer called vpon him hee prouided for our necessitie creating al things for our vse and giuing vs plentie thereof Neuerthelesse to the ende we shoulde not be vngrateful but acknowledge whence this comes he permitteth vs to haue pouertie and wil that we vnderstand that without his grace liberalitie and blessing our goods profit vs nothing to the ende that wee may bee careful to craue that he wil giue vs our daily bread as Iesus Christ teacheth vs to aske and as our good God and father is merciful vnto vs and giueth vs liberally that which wee request So hee wil that wee resist according to our power the pouertie of our neighbours distributing to them any goods as wee woulde they shoulde doe vnto vs if wee were in their cace And heerein hee requesteth nothing but that which is reasonable as wee ought naturally to vnderstande without scripture Notwithstanding to waken our nature which is negligent to doe good to the needie and to shewe vs that hee hath great care ouer the poore hee recommendeth them to vs by diuers commandementes in the Lawe and Prophetes and in the wrytings of the Apostles and Euangelistes adding promises and also threatenings to the commandementes to giue hope to the liberal and pityful and to afray the cruel and vnmerciful and make them the more inexcusable As hath beene alledged heeretofore But because that God executeth not presently his threatnings Pro. 14. 31. 19. 17. or forgetteth them easilie and therefore it is needful that one repeate them as Solomon wel knewe For this cause to the former promises and threatnings he addeth another saying Hee that stoppeth his eare c. This present threatning is executed often in this life For one seeth that by warres lawing famine and euil gouernement many riche men are impouerished and when they craue any thing then they obtaine not that which they desire and whereof they haue need The scripture also giueth vs examples thereof As of Esau who soulde his byrthright One seeth Gen. 25. 29. 27. 34. Heb. 12. 17. Luke 16. 19. Mat. 25. 14. Iam. 2. 13. that Esau was giuen to his pleasures which is a signe that hee made no accompt of the poore As also the yonger of the twoo sonnes spending his portion prodigally sheweth well that hee had no care nor regarde of the poore It is executed also very horribly after this lyfe in hell in damnation and death eternal as is seene in the scriptures Also as wee ought to bee liberal of our earthly goods towardes the indigent to susteine this bodily life so wee ought to haue pitie on the soules of them which haue neede to haue their fautes pardoned Otherwise God will not Mat. 12. 14. 15. 18. 23. pardon vs ours 14 A priuie rewarde pacifieth displeasure And a gift in the bosome stilleth furiousnesse When men beganne to multiply on the earth it was corrupted Gen. 6. before God and replenished with extortion and wrong Wherein wee haue argument that the feeble and weake were oppcessed that the poore and needy were despised and forgotten For this cause God was much an angred and destroied the worlde by the flood Also the Lorde saide The cry of Sodome and Gomorrha is multiplyed Gen. 18. 20. and their sinnes are very grieuous c. Ezechiel expoundeth Eze. 16. 49. what this cry and sinne was For this cause Gods wrath was kindled against them and hee destroied them Heerein wee ought to bee aduertised that if wee resemble them wee shal also perishe by the iust vengeance of God Nowe to shunne this yre and furie Solomon sheweth vs what wee haue to doe when hee saieth A priuie gift c. Wherein wee haue to note that to imprint surelie in our hartes that which hee teacheth hee saith one thing twise Also the doctrine which hee giueth vs heere is so excellent and necessary that it deserueth wel to be repeated and also declared and expounded Of it Iesus Christ himselfe is a good expositour If wee take this present sentence in this sense wee haue together with the doctrine Mat. 6. 1. therein promise of euerlasting life for seeing that God refreineth his anger and rage when wee giue to the poore for his sake it foloweth wel that wee shal not perish but that by his grace and goodnesse we shal liue eternally But if we vnderstande this sentence of brybes and giftes that the iudges and gouernours of the earth take to peruert the lawe and equitie it be hooueth vs to say that Solomon accuseth the Magistrates and rulers of rapine which Rom. 13. ought in their anger to roote out the wicked But to spare and fauour them they let themselues bee corrupted by giftes and brybes for the which they doe wrong to the innocent and fauour the wicked as hath beene alreadie spoken of diuers times In this sense wee haue a menace of eternal death against wicked iudges that spoile and rob For theeues and couetous persons haue no parte in the kingdome of God They are also accused that they and those which giue them giftes and bribes proceede against their consciences 1. Cor. 6. knowing wel that they doe wickedly when they dare not publikely before the worlde the one giue nor the other take which thing Solomon signifieth wel speaking of priuie giftes and of bosome 15 The iust man hath ioy to do iustice but horror is to them that worke iniquitie Wee al desire to reioyce and be merie and to bee exempt from al feare and horrour But there are very fewe which knowe howe they ought to reioice nor in what For after the common trade of the worlde the manner of reioicing is to take pleasure in laughing at vanitie and follie at filthinesse and villanie at dissolution and naughtinesse and this is when one reioiceth at the desires of the flesh As when one hath abundance of riches credite and power or when one commeth to the end of his enterprises and findeth no resistance but rather eche one fauoureth him and seeketh to please him in al things I say namely that this is the common trade of the worlde whereof the iust man is not And therefore hee reioiceth not in this manner nor at such thinges But hee reioiceth in doing wel and helping those which haue neede of his aide defending and deliuering them which are oppressed Such a care according to the worlde is but trouble griefe and sadnesse for dooing thus one hath neuer good day as worldlings say and thinke But making no
not bee riche But he saieth He that loueth By the which worde hee sheweth that hee speaketh of him which is wholy giuen to banketting drunkennesse and gluttonie and hath no delight in sobernesse and temperance Solomon threateneth such a one of pouertie as our Sauiour doth also which pouertie beginneth after in this life as is prooued by them which Luk. 6. 52. hauing spent their goods prodigally are constrained to begge their bread some frō dore to dore othersome in borrowing money neuer to restore it againe the rest in seeking their liuing by playing the Parasites and flatterers which is a miserable estate but it shal bee without comparison far more miserable after this life As one may see in the riche man which is in hel Let vs folowe therefore sobrietie and temperance not desiring to enriche ourselues For although Luk. 16. 23. that riches are good and that it is laweful to bee riche yet neuerthelesse one should not set his affection thereon As hath beene shewed heeretofore by the scriptures Also beeing in pouertie we shoulde not detest it to rage and murmure against God nor to giue ourselues licence to take goods where wee finde them but by lawful meanes and waies wee shoulde seeke to shunne the same applying ourselues ech one to his businesse wheretoo he is called 18 The vngodly shal be a ransome for the righteous and the wicked for the iust It might seeme at the first shew that Solomō speaketh against experience and against the scriptures First of al as it is prooued in the worlde one beateth the dog before the Lyon And so the wicked and vngodly pay not ransome for the iust and righteous but rather the innocent are the ransome of the wicked The answere to this experience is that it is not amisse that Solomon speaketh contrary to the same for his intent is not to shewe how the wicked are handled of the world and in the world For the world afflicteth not his owne to spare the innocent Secondly as concerning the scriptures Solomon speaketh not against them for although Iesus Christ bee the ransome of the wicked and vngodly who is onely iust righteous Isa 53. 4. Mat. 20. 28. 1. Cor. 1. 30. Gal. 3. 13. 4. 4. 5. 1. Tim. 1. 5. 1. Ioh. 4. 9. 10. by nature which hee hath paide for vs wicked and vngodly as was figured foorth in the lawe by the sacrifices and oblations and was foretolde vs of the Prophetes and also as hee himself hath saide and his Apostles affirmed Neuerthelesse there is no diuersitie betweene the scriptures and that which Solomon speaketh saying The vngodly shal be a ransome c. For if wee take good heede wheretoo the enterprises of the wicked tend and howe God can wel ouerthrow them we shal vnderstand how the vngodly shal be the ransome of the iust For the intent of the wicked is to destroy and roote out the iust and righteous without al remedie But what force soeuer they shewe against them yea although they put them to death yet neuerthelesse God wil deliuer them and put the vngodly and wicked in their place that is to say he doeth to them as they had thought to haue done to the iust and so they are the ransome of the righteous For when God punisheth the wicked because of the euil which they had practised against the righteous it is as though he toke some ransome of them That which hath bene saide in the 11. chap. vers 8. accordeth wel to this Then seeing the vngodly and wicked are called ransome let them knowe that God wil neuer discharge thē no more then an earthly Prince doeth send away his prisoners of account till hee haue pledge or ransome for them Note wee moreouer that although the wicked bee the ransome of the iust and righteous yet neuerthelesse they satisfie not for them for Iesus Christe onely is the satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world 19 It is better to dwell in a wildernesse then with a chyding and an angrie woman A wildernesse not only is vnprofitable but also noysome and hurtful as the children of Israel deemed it as may be seene by their complaintes and murmurings against Moses Also it is prooued by this that besides one cannot haue there what is needeful it is also replenished with wilde beastes venemous and cruel Notwithstanding Solomon preferreth the habitation and dwelling in a desert before a chyding and an angry woman and so declareth that it is a very pittiful cace to be accompanied with such a woman And herein hee saith nothing else in substance but that which hee hath saide heere aboue vers 9. although he vse other words For strifes or debates proceede of furie or indignation Wherefore one might say that Solomon vseth Repetition to admonish them surelie that will mary that they enquire diligently of the partie which presents herselfe what manners and conuersation she is of For when one is maried he cannot separate himselfe againe as one may retire himselfe out of another country 20 In a wise mans house there is treasure and oyle but a foolish body will deuoure it Although it seeme that Solomon praiseth the wiseman because hee hath in his house precious treasure and oyle by the which things are signified greate riches delicacies pleasures and voluptuousnesse yet neuerthelesse let vs not thinke that if we haue worldly prosperitie that for the same wee are wise nor that it is laweful to seeke to gather togither great store of worldly substance nor to take delight in our owne pleasures and doings after the desires of the flesh For the most fooles and naughtipackes are seene to haue plentie of riches For the scripture as wee haue partly spoken of teacheth vs that wee ought not to set our hartes vppon the riches of this worlde nor that wee bee giuen to delightes and pleasures to vse our flesh to his appetite This is not to say that it is ill done to haue much goods and enioy the delightes and pleasures of this worlde so that it bee in sobernesse and temperance and that willingly 1. Cor. 7. 29. wee make our poore neighbours partakers thereof according to their necessitie and neede and that wee be readie to yeelde to euery one without any grudging when they neede our aide according as S. Paule teacheth vs. But Solomon instructeth vs that to possesse and keepe the goods and pleasures wel which God giueth vs in plentie to enioy them and vse them as wee ought and not to loose nor scatter them abroade it is necessarie that we be endewed with wisedome This sense is plaine vnto vs by the Antithesis which he maketh saying But a foolish body wil deuoure it When hee saith that the foolishe knowe not howe to keepe their goods but disperse and wast them hee sheweth wel that it is very necessarie for vs to bee wise if wee wil haue our dwelling places replenished with precious treasures and oyle and by consequent that our
lawe So the wisedome which is the feare of the Deut. 28. 17. Lorde is of a farre more excellencie then al worldly force without comparison It is that which wee ought principally to retaine in this sentence to the ende wee folowe that which the Lorde teacheth vs by his Prophet Ieremie and not that wee enterprise Iere. 9. 22. 23 warre for to occupy another mans dominions For although these holy personages aboue named and others haue made warres and that they haue obtained victory against their foes Yet neuerthelesselet vs not thinke that by their example it is lawful for vs to inuade another mans countrie for first they knewe that it was Gods wil they shoulde doe so Secondly they were not led by their owne proper affections searching their particular profite But they pursued the glory of God striuing to destroy his enemies the enemies of his Churche Thirdly this happened them in figure to the end wee shoulde learne to behaue ourselues valiantly against the Diuel our flesh and sinne which are enemies to God Wee are inuited to this warre in many places of the scriptures as it hath bene alledged partlie heeretofore Moreouer let vs learne that it is follie to trust in places wel fortified and defended according to the worlds opinion and that wee ought so to walke in fayth and in the feare of God that wee may say with Dauid Some put their trust in chariots and other some in horses But we haue recorded the name Psa 20. 8. 9. of the Lord our God 23 Who so keepeth his mouth and his tongue the same keepeth his soule from troubles Itseemeth to many that to shunne afflictions nothing else is needeful but to haue a multitude of friends and that they bee redoupted and mightie And to get such friends one ought to be conuersant with greatmen stil pleasing them and flattering them lying making false reportes and backbyting iesting and telling tales of laughter Such people thinke themselues sure ynough and out of danger but they are far disceiued as common proofe sheweth For one shal see it oftē come to passe that those which haue such vaine venemous tongues fal in great distresse according as they are also menaced in the scriptures These menaces are put in execution now by iudges another while by stryfes seditions and warres and sometimes Dent. 19. 16. Psa 5. 7. 12. 2. 50. 19. by other punishments Now to the ende that we may shunne such threatnings and punishments Solomon sheweth vs what wee haue to doe when he saith Who so keepeth his mouth c. He teacheth vs to be silent fly al vaine talke that is superfluous hurtful to folow that which Dauid saith I haue bin domb not said a word And to do wel this same it behoueth vs to praye like him Psal 39. 2. 141. 3. Set a watch Lord before my mouth keepe the dore of my lips If we do thus he promiseth vs that we shal keepe our soules That is to say our persons from tribulation not that we shal keepe them but that there wil come many but that by the grace of God wee shal ouercome them al as it is written Such deliuerance shal not be of smal endurance as Dauid sheweth vs. There is another kinde of Ps 34. 19. 13 keeping ones mouth of the which together with this same it hath bene spoken of Chap. 13. verse 3. 24 He is called proude arrogant and scornful which in his wrath worketh presumptuously Although sometimes men of the world attribute names vnto personages suche as they deserue yet neuerthelesse most vsually they attribute names titles which are nothing fitting for the persons and this is either to flatter them or to reproche and blame them without iust cause onely because they wil bee welcome vnto thē vnto whō they vse these honourable titles because they hate them whome they reproch and blame in giuing them vile and infamous names And therefore the children of God shal haue no regarde to suche names and titles knowing that their names are registred in heauen and that the memorie of them is eternal before God But the holie scripture calleth no man but as is wel agreeing either to his nature his affections or his maners It flattereth no man although it giue verie honourable names and titles to the faithful neither blameth it any bodie but vpon iust cause For the scripture is diuinely inspired and indited by the holy Ghost which is teacher of al trueth and hath lying in hate And so when Solomon saith That he is called c he setteth here no title which is not fitting for him that worketh presumptuously That is to say to him that doeth his deedes by audacitie temeritie and rashnesse and persuadeth with himselfe that hee ought not to faile but to mooue himself furiously against them that wil any way withstand him Of such men the presumption is so great that they dare striue against God in despiting cursing and renouncing him and despising rashly al holie religion good admonitions and corrections Also it is by good right that Solomon calleth them proude arrogant and scornful as in truth they are whē they are transported with so furious a presumption Nowe seeing such names and titles displease vs let vs haue regarde to vse ourselues vprightly in al modestie feare and humilitie and the Lorde wil graunt vs his grace But if wee beare the name of proude arrogant and scornful hee wil resist vs stoutly and destroye vs according to the threatenings which haue bene alledged heretofore Wee may wel be obstinate and hardened in our opinion despisers of God and of his worde reuengeful wrongdoers and outragious but this can not let God to do his worke and vse and execute his iust vengeance against vs for his highnesse which is to vs incomprehēsible is aboue al worldly highnesse As he hath wel shewed at the flood vpon Sodome and Gomorrha on Pharao and the people of Egypt and vppon many others 25 The desire of the slouthful shal kil him for his handes haue refused to labour Solomon bare great hate both to slouth and the slouthful as hee sheweth wel when so often he threatneth the slothful with pouertie and need with destruction and death And by suche repetitions he teacheth vs to flye slouth And againe presently when hee saieth The desire c. Wherein also hee sheweth vs who are the slouthful that is to wit curious of the goods and substance of an other man For by what right soeuer they possesse goods seeing they employe not themselues to labour they vsurpe and eate the bread of them which folow the vocation whereto God hath called them for they are the seruantes and children of the Lorde whose the earth and the heauen is and al therein contained and consequently they onely are inheritours of the worlde And so the slouthful are couetous theeues and robbers whereupon ensueth that they are woorthie of death Also
in as muche as in him is hee maketh him authour of vntruth and seeing wee vtterly abhorre the false witnesser yea as it were by nature it behooueth vs to heare and yeelde ourselues attentiue to the worde of trueth and then we shal not be of the number of false witnesses which perishe but wee shal bee in safetie in the Church of our Lord God which is kept by the veritable Secondly after lyers and false witnesses haue once vttered Psal 15. 1. their lyes quite against their consciences to dishonour God and blame and vndoe their neighbours finally they shall haue their mouthes closed and be vtterly confused seeing themselues reiected of God and bee in damnation and death eternal and that the euil which they thought to doe by their lying be falne vpon them for euer without any remedie And also where they see that they whome they woulde haue destroyed vndone and made dombe by their falshoode shal haue their mouthes open and shal speake without cease and not perishe As Abel the righteous although hee was slaine by Caine yet notwithstanding his blood cryed and Gen. 4. 10. Hebr. 11. 4 beeing dead yet hee spake for God had care ouer him as hee wil haue also ouer al them which are attentiue to his worde taking vengeance in his yre and furie vpon those which haue vexed them and placing them in the celestial glorie to haue ioye honour and sauegarde for euer See howe Solomon meaneth that those which heare the worde of God shal speake stil 29 An vngodly man hardeneth his face but the iust reformeth his owne way Although the wicked knowe wel that they doe nothing that is good and that naturally without the scriptures they see that they are guiltie and principally before God as they giue and haue certaine argument thereof when they are afraide of the iudgements of God because their consciences reprooue them of their misdeeds Yet neuerthelesse as Solomon saith They harden their faces That is to say they haue a fierce and arrogant behauiour both in wordes and gesture to giue to vnderstand that they neither feare nor doubt any thing and the more wicked they are the more they striue to assure themselues and set a good face on the matter saying in their heartes wee haue made aliance with death and knowe what hell is And in this opinion they make no account to conuert themselues to any goodnesse bee Esai 28. 15 it to thinke say or doe Solomon sheweth that hee meaneth this by hardening the face When hee saieth But the iust reformeth his owne way For against hardening the face hee putteth reformeth his waies which is no other thing but the feare and reuerence which one hath to the woorde to studie howe to frame his Phil. 2. 3. minde and thought his wordes and workes to the wil of God for to serue him duely and worke his soules health with feare trembling Psa 5. 9. 25. 4. 5. 8. 9. 119. 5. 143. 10. Which thing of ourselues we doe not for it is God which worketh in vs both the wil and the effect according as it pleaseth him Wherefore we haue to pray with Dauid Lord leade me in thy righteousnesse c. 30 There is neither wisedome nor vnderstanding nor counsell against the Lord. We ought to be resolued of this that God aloweth that which is not against him loueth it and maintaineth it and maketh it serue to his honour and to the edification of his according as hee seeth expedient But hee reprooueth the wise and sage men of the world And their wisedom vnderstanding and counsel cursing them ouerthrowing them and destroying them as the scriptures witnesse Whereby it may seeme at first viewe that Solomon saying There Iob. 5. 12. 13. Esa 5. 21. 29. 14. 15. 44. 25. 8. 9. 10. Psal 33. 10. is neither wisedome c. saide against the scriptures And therefore when he saith Against the Lord That is to say which can let or stay the counsel of the Lord ouerthrow his ordinances and breake of his attemptes For although the wise men of the world studie to resist him yet neuerthelesse his wil must needes bee accomplished yea at his only worde without any other adoe Wherefore whē we haue God on our side although we be but a litle handful and folks Psal 33. 8. 9. Esa 46. 9. 10 without force and worldly wisedome yet wee ought not to bee afraide though al the worlde and al the power of hel were against vs but in al safetie to say with Dauid I haue laide mee downe and slept and haue risen vp againe for the Lorde susteined mee I will not be afraide of tenne thousand of men c. Wee ought to confesse Psal 3. 5. that which Iob saith Yea with him is wisdom and force counsel and vnderstanding 31 The horse is prepared against the day of battel but the Lord giueth victorie Men make many preparations for the warres to the end that by the same they may compasse their enemies and obtaine victorie against them or that if it happen that they be too weake they may saue themselues And therefore there is no preparation wherein man more trusteth then in the Horse for a man beeing mounted vppon a light and valiant Horse as him seemeth hee may pursue his enemies with more speede and ouertake them sooner then if hee were on foote and if hee haue neede to flye hee shal saue himselfe the better for this cause the Scripture making mention of warre of assault or of fight speaketh rather of Horses Deut. 17. 16. Psal 20. 8. 9. 33. 16. 17. 76. 6. 7. Esai 31. 1. then of any other Munitions blaming and accusing them that trust therein Wherefore to the ende wee be not blamed and accused of vaine confidence let vs put al the hope of our health victorie and deliuerance in the Lorde as the Scriptures teach vs. And also Solomon nowe admonisheth vs when hee saieth The Horse is prepared for the day of battel Hee forbid deth not that one should defende himselfe against his enemies neither to resist them manfully and to kil and slaie them if hee cannot otherwise discomfite them but he wil that one haue regarde to the Lorde And that we knowe that al our preparations and Munitions Psal 121. 1 123. 1. Psal 124. 1. 127. 1. 144. 1. Psal 145. 18 147. 10. Exod. 14. 24. 15. 1. Gen. 15. 14 are but vanitie and serue to no purpose if God himselfe labour not defending deliuering and sauing vs from the violence of our foes And if we wil feele this aide let vs not feare men be they neuer so wel appointed but let vs feare the Lorde and cal vppon his name And as he can wel saue and keepe the faithful which put their trust in him so can he easily destroy their foes as the Scripture witnesseth whereof the people giue thankes And thus folowing the promise made
thereon nowe nor to tel why the whore is called a strange woman for it hath bene shewed Onely note we that the Ditch and Pit are often taken in the scripture for ruine and perdition Also Solomon compareth the whoorishe person to a hunter which lyeth in waite for the beast to bring him into his snares and kil him when he saieth 28 Also shee lieth in waite as for a praye and she encreaseth the transgressours amongest men These Ambushments haue beene declared here aboue where it is saide That a woman hunteth for the precious life of a man shee is not content to lye in waite for one man but she allureth many Pro. 6. 26. 7. 10. to her Not those which keepe themselues firme and constant in veritie and loyaltie and wil in no wise breake the promise made to their lawful choyce but those which feare not God and make no account to lye and deceiue their beloued It is that which Solomon meaneth when he saieth And encreaseth the transgressours amongest men That is to say that they which are of an euil fayth are easily allured to whoredome be they men or women For that which is spoken of the whorishe woman ought also to bee vnderstoode of the man giuen to whoredome which suborneth and entiseth by flatteries lyes or other suttle or violent meanes many maydes and wiues which are not of a good Fayth and loyaltie towardes God and men For the rest if we wil vnderstand these two sentences of spiritual whordome which is farre more dangerous then the bodilie or at leastwise take an admonition by the same to wit that if it behooueth vs to be careful to flye from whoredome to giue our heartes to our father by a farre more reason we ought to abhorre idolatrie which is a whoredome not onely dangerous but also greatly displeasant and abhominable before the eyes of our father before his Angels and al his elected which knowe the trueth Wee may take allegorically the harlot and strange woman for the gouernours heades of the people which haue not the true religion for such gouernors are wel like to the deepe ditch and narowe pit seeing they leade al those to perdition whom they gouerne in superstition idolatrie yea what zeale or good intention soeuer be in the leader or in them which are ledde For if the blinde leade the blinde they fal both into Mat. 13. 14. the ditch Of suche whoremaisters and whores the Papaltie is ful Likewise there are in the same many hunters which lye in waite and laie ambushes for the people by false doctrine and traditions of men and the Deuil and allure to them great multitude of those which keepe not fayth and promise with their Creator as they ought It behooueth vs to bee verie warie to take heede of suche hunters to the end we may be a chast virgin to Christ To doe this same wel we ought to holde the simplicitie of the Gospel and to refraine ourselues from al other faire apparance of holinesse and religion 29 To whome is woe To whom is sorowe To whom is strife To whome is mourning To whome are woundes without cause and to whom is the rednesse of the eyes Because wee feare incommodities and reioyce when al thinges come to our wishe and yet neuerthelesse we cease not to sleepe stil in vices and dissolutions which are most commonly cause of the incommodities which we feare and are yrkesome to vs For this cause Solomon to waken vs and bring vs in minde to flye the dissolutiōs from the which this yrksomnesse proceedeth vseth many in terrogations saying To whome is woe c. And this is as though hee asked who are they which merite by their excesse dissolutions to haue so great incommodities miseries that they are constrained to crie out we are woe Who are they which come by good right to so muche pouertie that they cannot but haue care and vexation and that greatly Who are they which come iustly to suche brutishnesse that they force neither of peace nor concord but stirre vp strife with euerie one who are they which are constrained to grone and weepe and to shead many teares who are they which seeke to bee wounded for a thing of nothing for the which they ought not to striue but rather leaue off seeing it bringeth no profite but hurt for they receiue stripes for it who are they which merite to haue red eyes Heere Solomon maketh mention of many corporal and temporal incommodities and asketh to whom they are proper who are they to whome they happen commonlyest and who well deserue them when he maketh such a demaund it is not for ignorance but to awake vs from sleepe for he giueth by and by after the answeare saying 30 Euen to them that tarry long at the wine and to them that goe and seeke mixture Heere hee noteth drunkardes which loue to sit long about the cuppe and to emptie it often and are careful or rather greedie and couetous to enquire out tables where they fill out wine abundantly that they may drinke excessiuely such prodigal distribution or excesse in drinking is heere called mixture Esay vseth the same word rebuking the vntemperancie of drunkardes Solomon therefore answereth Esay 5. 22. that the miseries and incommodities aforesayde are well due to the drunkard And also we see them come to passe vppon them oftentimes and they are greeuously vexed Wherefore to the ende we may wel giue our heart to wisedome and shunne the miseries aforesaide wee ought to obey this woorde of wisedome when she sayth to vs 31 Regarde not thou the wine when it is red and when it sheweth his coulour in the cuppe or goeth downe pleasantly He will not haue vs to resemble franke drinkers which are not content to take and drinke wine with sobriety and temperance and to delight therein moderately as to this ende God hath created wine and other drinkes for man but they giue themselues ouer wholly to drinking and vse therein great libertie the which they thinke to be delight and place there affection wholly thereon As they shewe wel when they employ their time to consider of the coulour of the wine in the cuppe and stande a greate while to tast and sauour it and let it goe downe softly and cannot bee content but when they drinke largely thereof Solomon sheweth vs that such fashions are not good when hee biddeth Regarde thou not c. This is not to say that the colour of the wine shoulde not be good or that it is ill done to see if the wine bee whyte or red if it bee cleere or troubled nor also that one doeth ill when he tasteth his wyne to the ende to vse it if it be good and neate and to refuse it if it bee corrupted But it is not meete to bee so curious as the drunkardes are which haue no other good but drinke as they wel shewe when they are so much giuen theretoo When they
out good cheere and tarie not til they bee bidden but haue the face to present themselues and sit downe at anothers mans table are not afraide to bee hated it is ynough for them to satisfie their bellies Of the number of which are the begging fryers to whome the worlde is bounden as they thinke And therfore they are importunate too aske and goe not away for two or three biddinges but thinke that men doe them wrong to deny them that which they aske 18 A man that answereth against his neighbour as a false witnesse is like a hammer a sworde and a sharp arrowe Solomon hath already often treated of the false witnesse hee hath shewed partly the frowardnesse of the false witnesse and Pro. 6. 19. 12. 17. 14. 5. 25. threatned him destruction the which he wel deserueth as hath bin largely declared And because it hath bene but partly that hee hath declared his frowardnesse and that it is verie needeful to knowe it better to the ende to vnderstande that they perishe not without cause and that wee may haue them in more disdaine now he setteth out their crueltie more plainly And to do this same he nameth the witnesse by circumlocution calling him A man that answereth c. Wherein we haue first to note that although in the scripture to answer is taken oftē for to speake not being asked nor prouoked by other wordes notwithstanding one may say that in this place Solomon hath regarded that false witnesses to make their wordes be taken come not to speake before the Iudge vntil they be called by oath Secondly let vs note that it is saide expressiuely Against his neighbor because the intent of the false witnesse is to hurte his equals either in goods or in good name or in his body or in al the three and hath not God in his minde and yet neuerthelesse he that answereth against his neighbour tyeth himself to God riseth vp against him to bring him to nothing if it were possible Solomō signifieth it when he calleth him a false witnesse For seeing he forsweareth himselfe he maketh God the author of lyes and depriueth him of his trueth as much as in him is without the which God cannot consist so there is great boldnes temeritie in the false witnesse whē he wrongeth not man only but God himself also who hath al power whome it is vnpossible to resist Hee expresseth afterwards his crueltie making him lyke to three instruments with the which men do many murthers for the hammer breaketh the bones shiuering thē into peeces heere there The sworde cutteth and giueth great woundes in the fleshe The sharpe arrowe pearceth deepe and cannot bee easily drawne out but the iron wil remaine in the body And so the false witnesse hath a tongue very soft it seemeth and which is not other in apparance but that which speaketh trueth but it is very harde very sharpe and very pearcing when it murdereth and killeth the innocentes It is not therefore without cause that the Apostle Saint Iames complaineth of the tongue Nowe when Solomon accuseth the false witnesse of such cruelty Iam. 3. 6. 7. 8 hee sheweth that he is worthie of death for he that sheedeth another mans blood his blood shal be shed Then seeing wee wil bee neither thought murderers nor be murdered let vs learne to speake Gen. 9. 6. trueth and flie from lying 19 Confidence in an vnfaithfull man in the time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a sliding foote They that haue broken teeth eate not as they woulde and as necessitie requireth but if they be an hungred languishe and cannot remedie themselues according to their desire Likewise a lame man which is weake of his feete cannot goe lightly nor soone dispatch a long iourney nor helpe another to pasle it for his feete are not stedfast but slide and lets them fal whome he thinketh to helpe This is wel knowne by experience neuerthelesse there is none so toothlesse but hee thinketh to feede wel if hee haue wherewithal and there is none which hath so great desire to goe as the lame and weake of foote but often the toothles and lame are both frustrate of their intent and chiefly in their most neede euen so when one trusteth the vnfaithfull That is to say those which haue no feare of God nor reuerence of his word nor haue any affection of humanitie towardes their neighbours nor make it no difficultie to lye deceiue them to hurt and betray them when I say one hath confidence in such wicked persons they eate not when they haue need nor goe not when they shoulde goe that is they are frustrate of that which they looked for of them when they fal into tribulation for they are like a broken tooth and a lame foote in the time of neede If they bee such towardes their neighbours it is no maruel seeing they are no more profitable to themselues forgiuing themselues to al despising of God and al treason towardes their neighbours for they promise them that they shal prosper and bee without harme and shalbehaue themselues valiantly against al assaultes but they come to their purpose for God breaketh their teeth and maketh their feete slide and stumble If therefore the vnfaithful Iob. 4. 8. 9. 10 Psal 38. 58. 7. Psal 37. 18. haue any confidence it is vaine and if wee haue any in him wee are abused And so it is the surest way to trust only in the Lorde 20 Hee that taketh away the garment in the colde season is like vineger powred vpon * or Alumme or Sope. Nitre or like him that singeth songues to an heauie hearte When it is very colde and wee wil keepe our bodies from harme we put on clothes enough to keepe vs warme and lay them not away willingly for feare of catching colde the which we cal the enimie of nature for without taking away the garment the colde being great pearceth so that one feeleth it euen in his bones as may bee seene when eche man trembleth thereat And when men powre vineger vpon Alum or Nitre which is vnknowne to vs they melt it away for it looseth it hardnesse Also if any one haue an heauie hearte hee hath no pleasure to take paines to comfort him but rather is vexed and greeued thereat the more and chiefly if his hearte bee frowarde and malitious and hee doe bite on the bridle as one woulde say and is displeased and taketh it in yll that he is not come to the ende of his wicked enterprises but is desperat therewith Or also when a poore conscience is as it were ouerwhelmed with the iudgementes of GOD and seeth nought but death and hel about him because of his sinnes The more one seeketh to comfort suche men the more they are greeued and vexed and their sorowe is augmented for they neither wil nor can giue place in their mindes to any good woorde of consolation as is seene by proofe
commeth of the grace and mercy of God which changeth our nature and imputeth the righteousnesse of his Sonne Iesus Christ vnto vs euen so of ourselues wee shoulde fly as wicked but by the free promises he assureth and maketh vs bolde printing them in our heartes by his holy spirite And this is the cause for the which we see the poore faithful to bee so constant in bearing the persecutions with ioy and patience And as the Lyon according to the nature hee hath receiued of God knoweth wel how to vse his strength to assure himself and be bolde euen so the righteous trusting in the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ the which is imputed vnto them doe feare no power whither it bee earthly or hellish carnal or spiritual but say with Dauid The Lorde is my light and my saluation of whome shal I bee Psal 27. 1. 2 3 afraide c. And thus it is not in their owne power that the iust doe trust assure themselues are bold but in the power might of GOD in his grace and mercie For as of themselues they are bare and voide of righteousnesse as they knowe wel enough euen so also they knowe wel that they want al strength except that the almightie doeth vpholde them and worke in them both the wil and the deede Notwithstanding let vs vnderstand that albeit none of himselfe is iust but that of our own nature we are wicked vngodly yet doeth the holie scripture cal vs righteous when we referring giuing vnto the grace mercy of God by the meanes of the obedience that Iesus Christ hath rendred for vs and trusting that he is our righteousnesse our satisfaction redemption we mourn and lament our sins striuing to bring foorth fruites worthie of repentance in loue vnfained For the principal fruites that God requireth that we should bring forth towardes our neighbours is that whatsoeuer we would that men should do vnto vs we should doe vnto them the like And the scripture calleth those wicked which vtterly despise these things scorn thē delight in al kind of wickednes 2 For the transgression of the lande there are many Princes thereof but by a man of vnderstanding and knowledge a realme likewise endureth long If we diligently read the holie scriptures wee shal finde that the children of Israel in smal time haue had many Gouernours Iudges and Kings And if we ouerlooke the profane Chronicles we shal see that in al nations there hath beene often mutation and changing of gouernors Princes Kings The worldlings carnal do not think from whence these alterations come but doe chiefly attribute them vnto fortune yea when a King hath bene ouercome by his enemy we wil say That fortune was against him But the holie Ghost by the scripture doeth teach vs farre otherwise to wit that it is God who changeth Kinges and kingdomes as seemeth him good and albeit that hee doeth change them after his wil yet is it not without Dan. 2 4. good cause Sometimes he doth remoue take away Kings because they be wicked as he tooke away Soul others sometimes because the people was vnwoorthie to haue good Kings as hee tooke Iosias the King of Israel from the children of Israel in the 18. yeere of his reigne or there aboutes for he was verie angry against Iuda because of their iniquities And this is the cause that Solomon 2. King 23. setteth before vs when hee saieth For the transgressions of the lande there are many c. And because that oftentimes we see it happen that the people followe the maners of their King and of his gouernours wee ought to bee verie careful diligent to pray vnto God that it would please him not to giue vs a King in his wrath but that hee woulde place ouer vs suche rulers as are of a sounde and perfect conscience and that wil walke honestly and religiously iustly and vprightly before vs to the end that after their example we might liue holily and chastly vnder them separating ourselues from al iniquitie foolishnesse and wickednesse Thus doing the Lorde wil not sodeinly change our gouernours after he hath giuen vs good for to punish our iniquities but because that through vnderstanding and knowledge we haue bene turned from al offences dissolutenesse and insolencie from al maliciousnesse wrong dooing and crueltie the Lorde wil haue pitie vpon vs and hauing giuen vnto vs by his grace good Superiours and vpright Magistrates he wil continue his grace towardes vs in prolonging and making their kingdome and gouernment long to endure This is it that Solomon meaneth when hee sayeth And by a man of vnderstanding c. Albeit that Solomon speaketh in the singular number yet because of the Antithesis we must vnderstande that he speaketh of many men by whose wisdome and good counsel Kinges and Rulers are confirmed and stablished and are not sodeinly changed True it is notwithstanding that whatsoeuer commeth to passe by the vnderstanding knowledge of many may also be done by the wisedome and good counsel of one as the Ecclesiast declareth We may also say that a King Eccle. 9. 13. 14. 15. of vnderstanding and knowledge may long vpholde and mainteine himselfe in his estate and to let and stop his enemies from stealing his Empire and kingdome from him as it happened in the dayes of Dauid Solomon and Ezekias But howe soeuer we take this sentence yet haue Kings Princes Gouernors and Iudges of the earth their lessons therein by the which they are admonished to bee attentiue Deut. 17. 18 19. 20. Psal 2. 10. 11. 12. Psal 20. 21. and diligently to heare the lawe of God as it is appointed them and that they should not be ignorant but learned in the feare of the Lord as the holie Ghost doeth counsel them So doing they shal not perish in the wrath anger of God but he wil giue vnto them their desires raise them vnto glorie dignitie as the faithful doe craue and require the same as they affirme confesse it And as they should be thus ruled by the word of the Lord euen so also ought they to be diligent careful in nourishing and mainteining of their people And for to finish this wel they must be diligent to mainteine defende the good quiet to roote out the wicked seditious as Dauid doth teach them by the protestation hee maketh as S. Paul doth teach them The people also haue therein Psal 101. Rom. 13. Esai 3. 2. 3. Osee 13. 10. 11 their lesson to wit that they are admonished to liue holily innocently not to prouoke God to wrath by their iniquities least God giue them a King in his wrath as hee hath threatned before this time the children of Israel 3 A poore man if he oppresse the poore is like a raging raine that leaueth no foode It is a verie euil thing that is daily committed in the
that the prayer whereof Solomon speaketh heere is not properly praier but crying which proceedeth of no right affection but onely of hypocrisie or of feare of tormentes or of custome and as if a man woulde acquite a thing in hope of gaine and profite With such kinde of clamours poperie is filled But Solomon doeth cal it prayer because it hath some shewe thereof and that the wicked doe so cal it c. For also true prayer is neuer abhomination before God seeing that it is the principal seruice that wee can doe vnto God not that hee hath neede thereof but forasmuch as calling vpon him in our necessities wee hope to receiue al good things of him and not of any other confessing that he is the only authour of al good things and that wee can haue them no where else And also vnder the inuocation of the name of GOD the scripture comprehendeth al the seruice that wee owe vnto him Let vs note then that albeeit the lawe was not written vntil the time of Moyses yet in al times there hath beene doctrine whereunto it behooued to giue Gene. 4. 26. Ioel. 2. 32. Rom. 10. 13. eare that such as hearde the same might beleeue in God and obey him Otherwise the sacrifice of Abel coulde not haue pleased God no more then the oblation of Caine. For without faith it is vnpossible to please GOD Heb. 11. 6. It is not to say that faith must needes bee perfect for to make our prayers to please God but it suffiseth vs to folowe the steppes of Cornelius Actes 10. Furthermore let vs note that if their prayers which turne from the lawe were abhominable by a more strong reason then must theirs which turne away from the Gospel bee much more abhominable and they that are such must looke for wonderful great tormentes Heb. 10. 29. 13 Hee that causeth the righteous to goe astray by an euill way shall fal into his owne pit and the vpright shall inherite good things By the corruption and malice of our nature we are all blinde and ignorant and knowe not howe to gouerne ourselues nor what way wee must holde to walke and to saue ourselues from dangers and chiefly from them which leade our soules to destruction Now albeit that by our transgressions and disobedience wee had wel deserued to haue remained in darknesse and blindnesse and to go vnto destruction yet God hath had mercy on vs and for to open the eies of our vnderstanding hee hath giuen vs his worde the which Psa 119. 105 serueth vs as a lampe vnto our feete and a light vnto our steppes yea it is the way whereby wee must walke if wee will not erre And for to doe this wel the Lorde doeth print the same in our heartes by his holy spirite according to his promise Let vs then Iere. 31. 32. follow the guiding of the holy Ghost and we shal not wander astray by the euil way of offences dissolutions of seditions of vprores of doctrines and inuentions of men nor of other enormities and shal not fal into the pit of ruine of destruction of damnation and eternal death but walking by the streight way wee shal come vnto life wherein wee shal inherite the true blessednesse which neuer shal faile Nowe as the Lorde of his meere grace doeth giue vs suche a guide euen so woulde he haue vs direct the blinde the simple ignorant and that so much as wee possibly can wee shoulde keepe them from going astray into the euil way And for to doe the same let vs exhort them to ascende vp to the hil following the prophesie Esay 2. 3. of Esay Otherwise if wee giue offence by euil doctrine or euil conuersation vnto our neighbours and chiefly to them which are single of heart desire to liue sincerely in trueth iustice holinesse wee prepare a pit for them but we shal fal into it ourselues as Solomon threateneth saying Hee that causeth the righteous to goe astray by an euill way shal fal into his owne pit c. And in this threatening he doth wel shewe vs that when God hath refourmed our heartes by his worde wee must take diligent heede with what people wee walke and wee must needes flie a company of offendours and dissolute men whose liues are an euil example Otherwise what righteousnesse integritie soeuer there is in vs yet are we in dāger to be corrupted and to forsake the good way for to stray by the euil For also without such companions wee are so weake that without the offence of other wee doe easily runne astray by an euil way Beholde Dauid of whome we say that hee was a righteous and perfect man seeing that God doeth giue him witnesse that hee had found a man according to his owne hearte who by the regarde of his eies went 2. Sam. 11. Luke 22. 32 Mar. 14. 17. 1. Kin. 11. fouly astray by the euil way in committing adulterie and murder Saint Peter for whom Iesus Christe had praied that his faith might not faile went astray by the euil way in renouncing his maister by swearing cursing and forswering And Solomon himselfe who was so wise was carried into the euil way by committing whoredome with strange and Heathenishe women and by committing of idolatrie Nowe albeit that suche going astray is wicked dangerous and mortal vnto them which giue offences and not contented too bee corrupted themselues labour to corrupt others and to destroy them albeit I say that the going astray of suche men is deadly as Solomon doth marke it when he saith Shall fall into his owne pit yet is it not deadly vnto the righteous and perfect to whome God of his grace and goodnesse doeth reueale giuing faith and repentance to the end that in steede of the pit of ruine and destruction they might obteine the eternal blessednesse which God hath prepared for his children for their inheritance as Solomon doth note it saying And the vpright shall inherite good thinges Wherein wee haue first of al to note that sith that Solomon against the pit setteth good thinges hee speaketh not onely of worldly thinges which are commō both to the good and euil and are of no continuance but hee speaketh chiefly of the kingdome of heauen and of euerlasting life True it is neuerthelesse that the iust faithful doe inherite the good things of this worlde and do obteine Psal 33. 18. 19. 34. 10 11. 37. 9 them in such abundance and sufficiencie that they haue enough and the offendours castawayes and dissolute doe often fal euen in this life into great miserie as the Psalmes before alledged doe pronounce it and as it might bee shewed by diuers examples In Ieremie there are great threatninges against the false Prophetes which Iere. 23. 1. Kin. 18. 4◠caused the people to goe astray and so were foure hundred and fiftie false Prophetes slaine Secondly that the vpright and perfect are the children of God otherwise they
feare the Lorde yet forasmuch as wee neuer thinke thereupon as we ought and that wee trust too much to ourselues and that it is most necessarie for vs to walke in feare trembling seruing the Lorde as Dauid doth admonish vs for this cause Psal 2. 11. Pro. 14. 16 by promise he doeth exhort vs nowe againe to feare saying Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes c. Him that he calleth now blessed he hath before called wise saying The wise man feareth and departeth from euil And indeed he that departeth from euil doth shewe great wisedome wherin there is great prosperitie felicitie Pro. 3. 13. But he is not contented simply to say He that feareth but he addeth alwayes Wherein hee sheweth that wee must perseuer vnto the ende in the feare of the Lorde otherwise wee should not woorke out our saluation but should fal into euil as Solomon doth declare it saying But he that hardeneth his heart shal fal into euil That which nowe he calleth hardening of the heart he calleth before is carelesse saying But a foole rageth and is carelesse Therefore hee that hardeneth his heart is a foole whereupon it doeth wel folow Pro. 14. 16. that he deserueth to fal into euil as he is nowe threatned And forasmuch as Solomon setteth hardening of heart and to be carelesse against fearing therein he sheweth vs that for vs righly to feare we must humble ourselues and distrust ourselues and become gentle and easie to be taught vnder the yoke of the Lorde confessing that therein is rest and out thereof is falling and destruction And whilest we doe thus feare distrusting ourselues let vs take good heed from distrusting the helpe of God or to dout what loue hee beareth vs. In this sort in fearing and beeing careful and diligent to keepe vs in the obedience of our God we shal not feare to be forsaken nor reiected of our God and Father for there is no feare in loue but 1. Ioh. 4. 18 perfect loue casteth out feare c. If we beleeue that God loueth vs his loue is so perfect and accomplished that when we haue any knowledge thereof we rest quietly out of feare neither are troubled with any fearefulnesse And although we be not altogether exempted from feare yet doeth it not let that wee should not enioye peace which we obtaine by fayth when we haue our refuge vnto God as vnto a stil and safe harborowe or Hauen from al daunger of tempestes and perils Further more let vs note that as their felicitie which doe alwayes feare doeth chiefly stande in the remission of their sinnes and in eternal life euen so the euil whereinto the hardened of heart doe fal lieth chiefly in this that hauing heaped sinne vpon sin they neuer obteine pardon but are cast downe headlong into eternal death 15 As is a roaring Lion and a hungrie Beare so is a wicked ruler ouer the poore people It is knowne that the Lyons and the Beares are wilde and cruel beastes and chiefly when they desire the pray after they haue bene long without meate to meete with them is verie dangerous for if they haue once caught their praye they teare and deuoure it without any remedie for asmuch as they are mightie and do proceede therein with so great violence that none can deliuer the pray from their pawes or iawes Euen so the holie scripture willing to declare the crueltie violence and power of men doeth compare Psal 7. 3. 17. 12. 22 22. Esai 5. 29. 30 them vnto Lyons and Beares And nowe Solomon compareth the wicked vnto Lyons and Beares which haue power domination and exercise their crueltie vpon their subiectes which are so pulled downe that they can not resist their power nor deliuer themselues from the oppression of the wicked rulers and euen so they are as poore sheepe betweene the pawes and teethe of Lyons and Beares Solomon for to signifie the weakenesse smal power of poore subiectes vseth a word in his lauguage which commeth of a verbe that signifieth to attenuate or to lessen and to make weake And saieth expresly Ouer the poore people feebled and brought downe the which is for to taxe the cowardize and slacknesse of the wicked which dare doe nothing against their equals and like but doe counterfeit the valiant captaines against those that cannot be reuenged We may daily see that wicked rulers wil fauour the wicked which shal be amōgst the people wil oppresse the poore simple We need not to go farre of to seeke examples hereof It is not long since that we might haue said to the Citie which did boast herselfe of the reformation of the Gospel that which Esai reprocheth to the Citie of Esai 21. 22 23. Ierusalem saying How is the faithful Citie become an harlot Shee was ful of equitie and iustice lodged therein but nowe they are become murtherers Now albeit that the wicked rulers are mightie cruel as Lyons hungrie Beares yet as Dauid tooke away the pray 1. Sam. 17. 34. from the Lion and the Beare and slue them euen so the wicked rulers cannot alwayes come vnto the ende of their enterprises and to haue their desires for the Lions shal suffer want be hungerstaruen And this is by the power and might of the Lord which rayseth the poore beateth down suppresseth the high minded as haue Psal 34. 11 Pharao Saul Achab Nabuchodonozer many other proued true Wherfore though the wicked gouernours be cruel mightie yet ought we not to stand in feare of them seeing that the ruler of heauen earth is on our side against them so that we may say The Lord is mine helper I wil not feare what man can do vnto me And though we feare them not yet must wee not leaue of from obeying them when they do not turn vs away from the true seruice of God by their oppression extortions On the other side when the rulers Psal 118. 6. Rom. 13. 1. Pet. 2. are the Lieftenants of God who is of a pitiful merciful nature they ought to be greatly ashamed for degenerating by crueltie from him who hath done them this honour to communicate his name vnto thē insteed to be gētle as lambes they should become like vnto Lions Beares And when as they should trēble for their destruction For if God doeth giue power vnto his faithful seruantes Psal 9. 13. Esai 31. 4. Osee 11. 10. 13. 7. 8. to tread the Lion vnder feete he can also destroy the wicked which become Lions Beares for he is the great mightie Lion as hee is called by the scripture Moreouer let vs note that whē the wicked rulers are compared vnto Lions Beares that wee be admonished for to take heed of thē by a stronger reason then of that Lion the 1. Pet. 5. 8. Deuil For these same make no warre but for to get riches to take our bodies
imagine that there may bee found in all the world a man that is faythfull of himselfe but let vs confesse that it hath pleased God of his meere mercie eternally to electe whome hee would whome also afterwardes hee Ephe. 1. would call by his worde that hee might bring them to righteousnesse and innocencie of lyfe in Iesus Christ And therefore if the faythfull man doe abounde in blessinges that is to say if GOD doe endowe him with his graces and giftes if hee giue vnto him abundaunce of wealth if he giue him rest and peace if he place him in glory and in honour amongst his neighbours to be shorte if althings come to passe as he woulde haue it and that hee wanteth nothing and that which is much more worth if God giue him witnesse by his spirite that hee is of the number of his children and inheritours of those number to whome Iesus Christ wil say Come ye blessed children of my father Mat. 25. 34. possesse the kingdome which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world yet this is not to say that he doth deserue by his faythfulnesse But as he is faythful by grace euen so by grace doth he abounde in blessings for also God should haue no neede to promise vs blessings if we coulde deserue them Now forasmuch as there is none of vs but woulde gladly enioy the foresaide blessings let vs therefore vnderstande that Solomon promising them vnto the faythful true vpright and perfect man doeth labour to bring vs to abhorre lying falshoode vnfaithfulnesse deceites and wicked trades and doeth exhorte vs vnto faithfulnesse trueth integritie and vprightnesse for to walke honestly with our neighbours as we ought to doe without labouring to bee riche to their hurte and hinderance Otherwise in steede of obtayning the former blessings and promises in the lawe the curses shal fal vpon vs as Solomon Deut. 28. doeth wel signifie briefly saying And hee that maketh hast to bee riche c. Hee saieth not which is riche for albeeit that for the greatest parte the riche are cursed and depriued of the kingdom of God because they trust in their riches and are not stayed vppon the prouidence of the Lorde and because they fil themselues and haue their comforte and care nothing at all for the affliction of the poore and passe not to feede the hungry soule and also because they rise vp and waxe proude despysing the little ones and so much as they can doe treade them vnder feete and that worst is not caring for God nor his woorde but blaspheming his holy name and by their violences and oppressions cause him to be blasphemed yee the riches are the good creatures of God and the riche men that vse them wel are blessed of God as Abraham Isaack Iacob Iob and the good kings of the people of God But hee saieth that maketh hast which is transported by his vnbrydeled concupiscences and affections and burneth with couetousnes runneth about in such wise that he careth not what he doeth be it good or euil be it wrōg or right prouided that hee can soone bee riche Such a man wil hold neither fayth nor trueth and therefore hee shal not abounde in blessings but forasmuch as hee serueth strange Gods setting his hearte vpon riches and turning his hearte from God and that againstloue hee proceedeth against his neighbours by vnlawefull meanes to enriche himselfe and to make them poore hee shal bee accursed as Solomon doeth signifie saying that he shal not be innocent And it is according to the manner of speaking of the scripture the which threatening the wicked with malediction and punishement saith that they shal not bee innocent True it is that the Exo. 20. 7. Deut. 5. Ier. 25. 29. 40. 12. Nehe. 1. 3. Luke 16. 1. Tim. 6. 9. 10 1. Tim. 6. 17. chiefest paine for such riches standeth in eternal death as the riche glutton and Iudas the traytour doe feele but in abyding such confusion they feele greate sorrowes in this world as Saint Paule doth shewe it Nowe to the ende that wee may bee exempted from such sorowes let vs flye couetousnesse and if wee haue abundance of those worldly riches let vs possesse them as wee possessed them not And that wee may wel doe the same let vs obey the lesson that Saint Paule teacheth the riche 21 To haue respect of persons is not good for such a man for a peece of bread wil deale vnfaithfully Hee saith that God is no acceptour of persons S. Peter speaketh thus after Moyses and the Prophetes And because that the superiours Act. 10. 34. 35 and gouernours of the earth haue the preheminence and power from God whose lieftenants as it were they are and euen Exo. 23. 3. Leui. 19. 15. Deu. 1. 16. 17. 2. Chro. 19. 6 7. Prou. 24. 23. are called Gods they are often admonished in the scripture not to haue respect of persons but to bee folowers of the most highest Solomon in folowing such doctrine hath said it is not good to haue respect of any person in iudgement But albeit that the superiours of the earth are so often admonished of their duetie and threatened with destruction and damnation for their disloyalty vnfaithfulnes notwithstanding it is seene that almost euery where the fauour respect of persons taketh place and iudgement is giuē in respect of persons and that the one is borne vp to oppresse the other that wrong is done to him that hath the right right to him that hath the wrong that the wicked is cleared and the iust and innocent blamed condēned For this cause Solomon is not contented with the admonition that he hath made heretofore but to stirre vp and awaken the superiours of the earth to rule them or to make them vnexcusable and more guiltie he doth admonish them againe saying To haue respect of persons is not good c. For to do shame vnto their superiours and to shew them their filthines hee compareth them vnto knaues and varlets who for a morsell of bread or messe of pottage or other thing of small price will doe or take in hand to doe whatsoeuer a man would haue when hee saieth for such a man for a peece of bread c. And indeede it is a thing very dishonest and fowle that they whome God hath placed in seate and doeth so much honour vnto them as to call them Gods should fall into the order of the most vile and abiectes of the world and should become knaues and villaines It is not to say that they which haue respect of faces in iudgement are cōtented with the offering of a peece of bread we will giue so much to a dog but by a peece of bread Solomon doeth signifie great presentes and giftes that are giuen vnto Gouernours Iudges and Magistrates for to corrupt them and to cause them to giue wrong iudgement And doeth shew thē that it is no great matter nor
shoulde be ashamed thereof yet should we thanke God who by such Doctours helpeth our rudenesse and weaknesse and maketh that profitable vnto vs which at the first sight offereth it selfe before our eyes and in our fantasie to be vile and contemptible and as a thing of no price nor estimation And also the wise man doeth cal them The smal thinges of the earth Wherein againe we should haue shame for we should be wholly occupied to consider spiritual and heauenly thinges for to be preserued in wisedome to knowe to gouerne ourselues and to spende the time as we ought in woorking diligently and couragiously without dout or feare and should not suffer our weakenesse to make vs slouthful negligent or our highnesse to turne vs away from our office and duetie and we must looke downe to the earth and towardes lowe smal weake contemptible things for to be taught of thē Wherein we may know that we haue nothing to bragge ourselues of nor to challenge any excellencie Notwithstanding we are so pleased with ourselues that eyther we can not or we wil not take heed from esteeming ourselues if wee feele and perceiue in ourselues any strength and power any cunning or aptnesse On the other side we loue so much the ease delightes and rest of our fleshe that we make ourselues beleeue wee are weake and should marre ourselues if wee should labour or by distrust and feare giue ourselues ouer to the gouernment of those whom we esteeme mightie no man dare come neere vnto the great Lords least they should displease them though with them he might employ himselfe to doe what God commaundeth him It is the custome of those which wil doe nothing to alledge they are feeble and weake to be excused and borne with and that they might eate their bread in idlenesse and without dooing any thing But the wise man wil receiue no suche excuses as hee doeth plainly shewe when he bringeth foorth the Pismyre and declareth that it is a people that hath no strength that yet they labour in sommer which is the appointed season to gather and to lay vp victuals in store And Pro. 6. 6. this is that which Solomon sheweth vnto the slouthful And therein he sheweth that we must in the appointed time and season applye ourselues after the power and wisedome that God hath giuen vs and that in so doing there shal be no season so sharpe wherein we shal not obteine whatsoeuer shal be necessarie for vs. For to prouoke vs the more to take paine and not to flye backe for our weaknesse that we should labour to folowe our vocation and to perseuer therein hee setteth before vs the Conies which are without strength haue no resistance but flye and sodeinly run away at the barking of the least whelpe that is and yet notwithstanding are so continually in scraping that they wil atchiue to pearce euen the very harde rocke for to make themselues lodging and to hide themselues therein The rockes saith Dauid are a refuge for the conies Psa 104. 18 Mat. 16. 18 1. Cor. 10. 4. Therefore let not our feeblenesse make vs cowardes Let euery one of vs occupie himselfe after his capacitie and abilitie taking the rock which is Iesus Christe for his refuge And in this sort we shal bee in great safetie And to the ende that wee shoulde not looke for the protection and sauegarde of the great lordes and mightie of the earth or if wee be destitute of their guiding and gouernement Let vs not be discouraged as were the Iewes In the thirde place he 1. Sam. 8. 5 setteth before vs the Grashoppers saying they haue no king yet are they strong and are guided valiantly as people expert in the warres as he expresseth saying they go foorth al by bandes that is to say they assemble and gather together a great multitude and by heapes as those which God sent into Egypt And also the holy scripture for to signifie a great power speaketh so of grashoppers Though wee bee destitute of temporal protection yet let vs not Exo. 10. 12. Iud. 6. 5. 7. 12. leaue of to beare ourselues valiantly knitting ourselues together by faith beeing assured that wee haue the king of kings for our protectour and gouernour who wil not forsake vs but will giue vs weapons to resist the infernall and hellishe powers And therefore what euill soeuer the worlde or the Deuill doe inuent against vs let vs not bee discouraged but let vs folowe Saint Paules admonition Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stande against the assaultes of the Deuil And because Ephe. 6. 11. the greatnesse and authoritie of men is often cause that the smal and weake dare not doe that which belongeth to their office the wise man fourthly setteth before vs the Spider that is verie weake yet doeth shee not feare to haunt the Pallaces of Kinges and there to spinne her webbe crossing and trauersing one while taking one side and an other while an other for to spread her web and to make it so long as euer she can Euen so let no highnesse of Princes turne vs away from dooing our duetie and that we shoulde not largely doe whatsoeuer belongeth vnto our office According to some mens iudgement by the Pismire that laboureth willingly and without constraint men are rebuked for that they wil not labour but by compulsion By the conies they are reproued for their ouermuch boldnesse By the Grashoppers which flie keeping their orders they are rebuked that though they haue kings princes and magistrates yet do they not obey them but would rule ouer other By the Spider in kings pallaces we haue an example of labour and signifieth that they that rule the common wealth ought aboue al thinges to be vigilant and careful 29 There be three things that order wel their going yea foure are comely in going 30 A Lyon which is strong among beasts and turneth not at the sight of any 31 A lustie grayhounde and a goate and a king against whome there is no rising vp When a man walketh blamelesse in his maners and conuersation applyeth diligently himself to do his office we say he goeth right and if he doe the contrary we say he goeth astray and that hee walketh not in the right pathe and so wee cal the life of man a pathe a step or a way After the which manner of speaking the scripture agreeth Gene. 5. 22. 6. 9. 12. for to be the more familiar vnto vs as it is saide that Enock walked with God and Noe was perfect in his time walking with God and al fleshe had corrupted his way vpon earth And because that albeit that God often doeth admonishe vs by his woorde to walke honestly yet doe wee make no account thereof and wil not acknowledge what our duetie is For this cause to rebuke our negligence or rather our malice God setteth beastes before vs declaring vnto