wil pleade their cause against thee This is as though he said because Orphans are weake quyte voide of al humane succour thou art so hardie as to polle and oppresse them but although men haue no care to take their cause in hand withstand the outrage violence that thou vsest to them or that thou thinkest thy selfe the strongest and none dare nor can resist thee yet neuerthelesse they are not voide of succour They haue a redeemer who not only hath good wil to deliuer them from thy hands and violence but also power which power he wil imploy against thee and thou shalt not resist him And as Orphans and fatherlesse children through their weakenesse and smal strength cannot let thee to eate them and destroy them euen so what valiancie soeuer thou hast yet canst thou not let but God wil bee reuenged vpon thee and wil put thee to perdition Hee is their father wherefore hee wil doe his duetie to maintaine his children The Play of Psa 68. 6. the strong redeemer shal be that he wil make knowne the wickednesse of the oppressours he wil condemne them and reuenge himselfe vpon them and they shal notwithstande nor haue any succour at al. 12 Apply thy hart to vnderstanding and thy eares to words of knowledge Esa 10. 2. 3. Oftentimes already Solomon hath sought to make vs attentiue to the doctrine of God the which hee calleth one while lawe another while instruction and another while wisdome science and vnderstanding He doth the same againe in this present sentence And it is because we haue great need to be ofteÌ„ aduertised of that which appertaineth to the glorie and honour of God to our saluation the edification of our neighbours for of our owne nature wee are so giuen to the worlde that wee despise that which is of God and it seemeth to vs that it is but time lost to apply ourselues theretoo because we be not thereby the more exalted to wordly honours nor more enriched with substance but the rather despised and reiected polled and oppressed Neuerthelesse if wee wil be exalted to true and perpetual honours and enioy the goods which wil not perish wee ought to followe that which Solomon hath alreadie often taught vs and that which presently he doeth teache vs. And to doe this same we ought to apply al our vnderstanding to learne to serue God and our neighbours and therein to spare neither bodie nor minde as God hath created both the body and the spirites and wil that wee bee wholy his and our neighbours True it is that the harte is the principal as wee ought to vnderstande it by many witnesses of the holy scriptures wherein is saide that God beholdeth the hartes and that wee are admonished to feare him and loue him with al our hart and that true worshippers worship the father in spirite and trueth And Solomon signifieth it heere somewhat when in the first place he requesteth the applying of the heart And afterwardes sheweth vs that by the right affection of the heart the outward senses ought to bee applyed to receiue instruction which hee calleth wordes of knowledge And in this manner hee sheweth vs that we are not sufficiently instructed if wee giue not our hearing to the woorde of the Lorde the which is our knowledge And so that the preaching of the word is very necessary for vs insomuch that without this holy ministery wee are all ignorant Not that God is not sufficient and of power to instruct vs otherwyse without outward meanes by reuelations and secret inspirations But he wil haue vs to folowe the order which he hath established in his Churche and that by mens meanes we be taught 13 Withdraw not correction from the childe if thou beate him with a rod he wil not dye It hath beene spoken of the chastizing and correction of children But because for the most parte children are very harde to gouerne Prou. 13. 24. 19. 18. 22. 15. and almost vncorrigible and there are many foolish fathers and worse mothers which wil neither chastise nor suffer others to correct their children for they striue to persuade themselues that they feare that one wil kil their children because they are tender and delicate in which doing they thinke themselues more wise theÌ„ the holy Ghost And yet they loue not their children so tenderly as they ought and haue not that care ouer them which they shoulde haue For perswading themselues that they preserue the bodies of their children not willing that they should in any wise be touched they send as much as in them lyeth their soules to perditioÌ„ maintayning them in folly and wickednesse for this cause Solomon not content with the former admonitions sheweth nowe that they ought not to be afraide that the rod wil hurt the children when he saith Withdraw not c. He is not content to say Correct thy child but considering how profitable it is to continewe in brydling and correcting children he wil not that parents hauing once begunne to chastice them shoulde leaue of incontinent and grieue to take the paine and care about them to correct them As many parents will giue ouer their children after that for one or two corrections they cannot make them to amende Either they despaire of them or else are afraide to make them dul and blockish or else vtterly to kil theÌ„ Solomon wil haue fathers and gouernours of children to continew in correcting and chastising them according as they shal see needful and therefore hee saith Withdraw not correction c. And to shewe that hee meaneth not correction only of wordes he addeth If thou beat him with a rod c. He knewe that children woulde put no beleefe in woords nor make no account of verbal speeches therfore he would haue one to deale with the rod and promiseth that the bodie shall not be hurt therewith so that death shal folow for he sayth Hee shoulde not dye Wherein he instructeth parents and sheweth them that they ought not to spare the rod but shoulde make â—heir children feele it sharply to make them remember to behaue â—hemselues wel and not to returne to their wonted folly And sheweth them that the markes or little woundes which they shall make with the rod vpon the bodie of their children shall not bee mortall Also parentes are admonished that in chastising their children they seeke not to kil them One may say moreouer that when Solomon sayth He should not dye That he giueth vs somewhat to vnderstande that those parentes which are carefull too correct their children doe saue them from the gallowes and doe let them from being executed by iustice Contrariwise they which make no account to chastice them send them to the galowes as much as they can but Solomon sheweth vs another deliuerance which is greatly to be set by when he sayth 14 Thou shalt beate him with a rod and deliuer his soule from hell The temporall gallowes or gibbet
yee may see Wee ought not to bee troubled with this destruction as though it shoulde destroy vs with them For euen as in vsing our tongues wisely wee are not their companions in euil speaking proud words euen so their destruction shal not come neere vs but our lippes shall preserue vs that is to say that God wil allowe of our wordes and therefore he wil preserue vs from destruction not so that wee can deserue it by our lippes as it ought to bee manifest vnto vs. For sith wee knowe that it is the gift of God to gouerne wel our lippes wee must not doubt but that it commeth by onely grace that wee are preserued and safely kept But the Scripture hath his proprietie to attribute that to the instrument which belongeth onely to the workemaister which guideth them and this serueth to beare with our rudenesse and to be made more easie 4 Where none oxen are there the cribbe is emptie but muche increase commeth by the strength of the Oxe There is none of vs all but loueth wel to haue greate rents for to liue at ease in this worlde but forasmuche as there are many carelesse and slouthful which had rather be idle then to worke and applie their minds to folowe some honest vocation therefore they must suffer pouertie and vtterly be destitute of riches as Solomon hath exhorted and threatened them And now vnder other wordes hee signifieth the same thing saying Where none oxen are there the cribbe is emptie Solomon applieth himselfe heere to our kinde of speaking for whē we are altogether destitute of things wee vse to say that wee are cleane emptie Hee placeth one kinde of labour heere vnder the which hee comprehendeth al others and doth declare vnto vs that except wee doe diligently followe the estate wherevnto wee are called and vse necessary meanes to prouide for ourselues and our familie wee cannot looke but for pouertie as wee deserue the same Contrarily if we doe imploy the power that God doeth giue vs and duely doe our office wee shall abounde in al wealth that is necessary for vs and according as God shall see to bee expedient for to mainteine and keepe vs in his seruice Solomon doeth signifie this same when hee saith But much increase commeth by the strength of the Oxe We haue none other doctrine heere then suche as wee haue hearde alreadie oftentimes and it is not without cause that Solomon vseth repetition For we are slow negligent and slouthful and haue neede to be prouoked as it were spurred vp and often to bee put in remembrance what wee haue to doe Furthermore by the care that he hath to repeate this doctrine often he doth shew vs how necessary for vs it is to labour Euē as the oxen doe drawe the plough for to breake vp and turne ouer the earth and to make it fit to bring foorth fruit euen so also must euerie one of vs be occupied about our woorke after his calling and beare the yoke which God hath laide vpon vs neither must wee be ashamed to be compared vnto Oxen neither disdaine to learne of them seeing that the Scripture setteth them foorth before vs for to be our Maisters and Doctours not onely before the common people but also before the greatest as Ieremy doeth complaine therof Thou hast smitten thē but they haue refused to bee tamed by discipline Ier. 5. 3. 4. 5 Mat. 11. 2◠c. Let vs in no wise be like vnto such rebels but rather let vs folowe the exhortation of the Lord. If wee must needes become subiect vnto worke for to obteine enough of corporal liuing much more must wee submit ourselues vnto the lawe of the Lorde and folowe the wayes that God doeth teache vs by the which hee woulde leade vs to eternallife Otherwise if wee say with the wicked Let vs breake their bandes The Lord wil make vs subiect vnto Psal 2. 3. Deut. 28. 48 Iere. 28. 13. cruel maisters as he hath done heretofore to the children of Israel according as he had threatened them And shalt be subiect to thyne enemie c. Thou hast broken the yoakes of wood but thou shalt make for them yoakes of yron The Papistes as we may knowe are vnder a very harde and heauie yoake when they are vnder such Mat. 23. 4. maisters as our Lorde describeth Let vs acknowledge and confesse the blessings that God doeth giue vs in employing vs in his seruice and hee wil giue vnto vs abundance of reuenewes chiefly such as are spiritual For seeing he commandeth Thou shalt not muzzle Deut. 25. 4. the Oxe that treadeth out the corne hee wil not leaue vs destitute of necessary things But if wee despise the blessings hee giueth vs and doe rebel against him let vs looke for punishment I haue nourished Esay 1. 2. and brought vp children but they haue rebelled against mee and consequently the desolations wherewith God hath threatened his people came vpon them 5 A faithfull witnesse will not lie but a false recorde will speake lyes This saying of Solomon is so manyfest and knowne to all men which haue the least good naturall wit and vnderstanding that it needeth none exposition but onely to bee considered vpon and thereby wee ought to learne not to lye but to say the trueth in all our talke And the rather because wee take it not wel to be counted or called lyars or false witnesses but faithful and true but chiefly because that God which ought to bee preferred before al our desires and affections our honour and reputation abhorreth falsenesse and lying as hee hath declared by his Lawe Deut. 19 and cōmendeth trueth vnto vs highly which he loueth otherwise hee Exo. 20. 7. 16. 23. 1. Leu. 19. 11. 12. Deut. 19. 16 2. Tim. 2. 13. Iohn 14. 6. 17. 17. shoulde denie himselfe the which we ought neither to thinke nor say and also it cannot bee Though we beleeue not yet abideth he faithful hee cannot denie himselfe Hee himselfe also is the trueth seeing that he neither is nor can bee separated from his word which saith I am the way the trueth and the life Sanctifie them with thy trueth Thy worde is trueth But forasmuch as euery man is a lyar we must confesse that of our nature wee are al false witnesses and therefore if wee wil become true witnesses wee haue neede that God woulde send and communicate his holy Spirite vnto vs who is the Spirite of trueth which leade the disciples of our Lord Iesus Christ into all truth for the which to obteine wee must pray Take not thy worde of trueth vtterly out of my mouth for I waite for thy iudgementes It is Psal 119. 43. 5. 7. necessary for vs that in all our wordes and talke wee bee armed with trueth if wee will not perishe For the Prophet Dauid saith Thou shalt destroy all them which speake leasing Wee haue a fearefull example thereof in the fifth Chapter of
that delighteth in the knowledge of God and his worde which is the true knowledge setteth nought by that which pleaseth the flesh and suffereth to bee taught more and more and receiueth with humblenes al discipline and correction to mortifie thereby the fleshe which the fooles doe not but hate that wherewith the fleshe is not delighted and doe persecute those both by word and deed which labour to instruct them Such was S. Paule before his conuersion Such are Idolaters of whome the worlde is full for among tenne millions scarce may one bee founde which is not either foolish either scorning either a foole or which hath them not altogether The Ministers then of the worde wil chalendge nothing to themselues but knowing it is God which worketh by his wisedome wil doe their Ministerie in feare and trembling without promising any thing of themselues and wil confesse the great inestimable goodnesse of God which he hath vsed and doeth vse towardes the world when he disdained not neither yet doeth disdaine to abase himselfe so low as to warne the foolish scornful and fooles by his wisedome the which notwithstanding is in such wise outraged that it is thought foolishnesse For Saint Paule sayeth The preaching of the Crosse is to them which doe perishe foolishnesse 1. Cor. 1. 8. 23 Turne you at my correction loe I will poure out my mynde vnto you and make you vnderstande my wordes When wisedome crieth after the foolish scorneful and fooles shee first accuseth reprooueth and correcteth them without condemning them and making them dispaire for shee rather laboureth to cause them to amend by repentance and fayth Shee saith not because ye loue foolishnesse scornefulnesse and folly you are vndone ye are lost for euer but shee sweetely entreateth them saying Turne you c. As if shee did say when I reprooue and â—orrecte you when I shewe you your foolishnesse scornefulnesse and hatred against the true knowledge harden not your heartes at my correction but suffer yourselues to be taught of it forsaking your wicked way and your vnrighteous thoughtes through which you haue bene turned from the Lord and come againe to seeke the Lord while he may bee founde and call vppon him while he is nigh the which you shal doe if you hate that which you loue and would haue and if you loue and desire that which you hate Nowe to the ende that your heart may thus returne at my correction I wil poure out my spirit as it were a spring Esai 11. 2. Ioh. 14. 16. vpon you which is the spirit of Wisdome c. Who is the comforter The Spirite of trueth which instructeth al thinges and leadeth into al truth By it wil I make you vnderstaÌ„d that that which I commaund is righteous that I chide not rashly and without aduisement that I threaten not wrongfully and by himselfe wil I witnesse to you of the certaintie and trueth of my promises Now Solomon sheweth wel here that he is not onely a teacher of the lawe but also of the Gospel for he is not contented to reprooue vices to commaunde and to forbid which is the office of the lawe but as our Lorde sayeth with repentaunce hath added sayth Repent and beleeue the Gospell and hath commaunded Mar. 1. 15. Luk. 24. 47. his Apostles to doe the like Euen so Solomon with repentaunce ioyneth fayth when hee promiseth the holie Ghost and the vnderstanding of the wordes of God which are the infallible trueth For fayth is a certaine knowledge and assurance that God loueth vs that he is our Father and our Sauiour through Christe as the holie Ghost witnesseth vnto the faythful by the preaching of the Gospel which he printeth in their heartes sanctifiyng and regenerating them As touching the rest when wee are corrected to conuert there is nothing offered which pleaseth the fleshe the sensuall man nor olde Adam for it is high and proude and can abide no correction The whole worlde is naturally infected and corrupted with suche vices as pride and impatience and therfore it is no maruell though there be so many incorrigible people vnto whom wee must not bee like For neither the corrupted nature of our fleshe and sensualitie nor yet the multitude shall excuse vs and deliuer vs from perdition if wee followyng them conuert not when we are corrected in the name of God and by the doctrine of the holy scripture the which is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improoue to correct c. Furthermore when calling vs to repentance God promiseth vs 2. Tim. 3. 16. his holie spirite wee must vnderstande that repentaunce is not a worke of man but of God who regenerateth vs and renueth vs by his holie spirite as appeareth by the witnesse of Ezechiel A newe heart also wil I giue you and a newe spirit wil I put within you c and consequeÌ„tly it is not of our free wil that we repent Eze. 36. 26. but of the onely mercy of God which wil not the death of a sinner The which also Ieremie confesseth saying O Lord I know Eze. 33. Ier. 10. 23. Ier. 31. 18. that the way of man is not in himselfe and therefore he prayeth on this wise Conuert thou me and I shal bee conuerted Moreouer we learne here that the wordes of God are hidden from vs if the holy Ghost be not giuen vs to instruct sanctifie vs. We must then pray with Dauid Create in me a cleane heart O God and Psal 51. 12. renue a right spirite within me Finally sith that in bidding vs repent God promiseth vs the knowledge of his wordes wee may perceiue who are the true repentants and who not and likewise that they which make no accompt to repent vnderstand not the wordes of God though they say what they list 24 Because I haue called ye refused I haue stretched out mine hand and none would regard 25 But ye haue despised all my counsel and would none of my correction 26 I wil also laugh at your destruction and mocke when your feare commeth 27 VVhen your feare commeth lyke suddaine desolation and your destruction shal come like a whirlewind when affliction and anguish shal come vpon you 28 Then shall they call vppon mee but I will not answere they shall seeke mee early but they shall not finde mee After Wisdom hath willed the foolish the scorners fooles to repent beholding the greatest part yea almost al vncorrigible obstinate hardned more more shee maketh coÌ„plaint against theÌ„ threateneth theÌ„ Shee complaineth of that that by her seruantes the Patriarkes and Prophetes shee hath cryed and doeth cry vpon the foolish to haue them returne to repentance presenting them her spirite through the vnderstanding of her words and that yet they refuse to repent to receiue the holy Ghost and to apply their wittes to her wordes 25. But ye haue despised In continuing stil her coÌ„plaint shee sheweth how farre
merie and put away sorrowe and to accomplish this to let slip the bridle vnto concupiscences and lustes of their flesh the which wil not bee made obedient to the lawe of God and turne to him through true repentance If they were wise they would loue wel the sorrowe which proceedeth of the obedience to the coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts for it bringeth no hurte but great profit therefore S. Paule repenteth him not that he had made the Corinthians sory Likewise our Sauiour promiseth comfort â— Cor. 7. 8. â— Mat. 5. 4. to them which mourne It seemeth to them also that to obteine rest not to be hindred froÌ„ liuing in felicitie prosperitie there wanteth nothing but the friendship of the world the which cannot be obteined by shewing to be the true faithfull seruant and childe of God by obedience to his woorde But therein they are deceiued for S. Iames saith Knowe yee not that the amitie of the worlde is the enimitie of God Likewise our sauiour warneth Iam. 4. 4. Iohn 15. 18. his disciples not to bee dismaide for the hatred of the worlde 3 Let not mercy truth forsake thee binde them on thy neck write them vpon the table of thine hart 4 So shalt thou finde fauour good vnderstanding in the sight of God and man After that Solomon hath generally warned vs not to forget the lawe to the ende that we might know howe to follow his admonition hee deuideth the lawe and commandements of God into twoo partes that is to say into mercie and trueth As also this is then his commandement that wee beleeue in the name of his 1. Iohn 3. 23 Sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as hee gaue commandement Vnder truth he comprehendeth al the honour and seruice that wee owe vnto God as is conteined in the first table and vnder mercie hee comprehendeth what we owe to our neighbours as is commanded vs in the seconde table Heerein wee see the summary of the lawe wherevnto agreeth that which our Mat. 22. 37. sauiour sayde to a Doctour For albeeit Solomon maketh not expresse mention of the loue of God yet doeth hee not altogether keepe it secrete when hee speaketh of trueth and mercie For as wee cannot bee assured of Goods goodnesse towardes vs vnlesse wee loue him so can wee not also bee truly mercifull vnto our neighbours except wee desire to obey God for that wee loue him For God requireth of vs such obedience to his lawe Deâ—t 6. 5. 1â— 12. as proceedeth of loue Solomon in this summary woulde haue vs so attentiue to the lawe of God that wee shoulde neuer suffer mercy and trueth to forsake vs But binde theâ—â—on our necke Wherein hee vseth three similitudes First of al for to shewe vs that wee must goe forwarde in truth mercy hee likeneth them vnto a yoake felowe with whome a man must be coâ—pled chiefly being in a dangerous way and may not suffer him to come dragging behinde or to goe too farre afore For if wee bee forsaken of this fellowship the spirituall theeues and robbers wil quickly assault vs and of ourselues wee cannot saue vs from their handes but must miserably perish Secondarily for to teache vs howe wee shoulde worke that this felowship may not forsake vs hee vseth another similitude making this felowship like vnto a yoake that is put on the necke of Oxen and fast bounde that it vnloose not and that is when he admonisheth vs to binde mercy and truth about our necke Wherein he woulde that with a willing minde we shoulde submit ourselues vnto the lawe of God for he saith not let vs suffer to be bound vnto this yoake but that we ourselues should bind them on our neckes And as the Oxen do neuer cast of the yoake from them whereto they are bounde but are compelled to remaine vnder the same euen so must wee force ourselues to beare the yoake of our Lord and continue vnder the same els wee should bee constrained to carry the yoake of sinne and so to be in the deuils bondage as our Lord doeth well signifie it in Mathew Come vnto me al ye that are weary laden Mat. 11. 28 I wil ease you c. Thirdly he likeneth our harts vnto the Arke of the couenaÌ„t in the which were the tables of stone wherein the law was written as God had commanded Moses Euen so least we forget the lawe our harts must be the arke of mercie and Exâ— 25. 21. trueth and neuer from thence to let them passe But as the lawe was inclosed within the arke and yet Moses and the Priestes ceased not to open the same vnto the people by preaching and holy liuing euen so wee also must not haue the lawe of GOD in our harts onely as also it is vnpossible but both in worke and mouth Solomon doeth wel shewe it when hee gathereth the lawe into mercie and trueth for they cannot bee in vs but they will bee Deâ—t 11. 20. seene when occasion is offred and when wee haue opportunitie the which wee must seeke as Solomon doeth wel shewe it when hee sayeth bynde them on thy necke c. Besides the former exposition it may bee sayde howe Solomon doeth admonish vs to bee merciful and faithful vnto our neighbours wherevnto also Saint Paule exhorteth vs Wherefore cast of lying and speake euery man trueth vnto his neighbour And that wee may â—phe 4. 25. goe forwarde hee admonisheth vs to binde the lawe and the commandements on our necks For by them wee shal be guyded vnto mercy and trueth and without them there cannot but bee in vs al vnmercifulnesse and crueltie also allying and vnfaithfulnesse Furthermore if we ascribe mercie and trueth vnto God wee may say howe Solomon doeth warne vs that if wee woulde haue Psal 117. â— God to continue his mercy towards vs and not make his promises voide vnto vs we must binde his lawe and commandementes vppon our neckes Nowe albeeit that these twoo last expositions conteine trueth yet are they not so fit for the lyne of Solomons texte as the first the which may bee seene by that which is gone before when he counseled that the lawe should not bee forgotten and also by that which foloweth when hee commandeth saying So shalt thou find fauour good vnderstanding in the sight of God man By faith we find fauour before God also please him as it is said of Enoch And after this sort wee obteine vnderstanding Heb. 11. 5. which is very profitable to guide vs to good learning Through gentlenes we please men chiefly those whome we are gentle vnto exercising the workes of charitie Through this commandement heere which is like vnto a promis wee ought to bee much stirred continually to thinke on the lawe of the Lorde and to goe forewarde in keeping of these commandements assuring ourselues of his goodnes and helping one another by charitie seing that in so doing we are
to giue ourselues wholy with constancie and perseuerance he doeth therein teache such as are ministers of his worde howe they ought to behaue themselues towardes them they teache First of al except they knowe them to be desperate indurate and obstinate mockers and scorners of good counsel holy exhortations and wholesome corrections persecutours of the trueth and of the louers thereof they ought to speake louingly as the father doth to his sonne SecoÌ„dly as though through weakenes and dulnes they had not wel vnderstoode and borne away the former instructions let them begin to preach the same again vnto their hearers not twice but thrice yea foure times and more oftener if neede require let them not waxe weary of admonishing one thing often Thirdly let them labour to vse such vehemencie that they may not onely awake vpp their corporal eares but also stirre vp al the senses of man to vnderstand receiue keepe their exhortations for to go forward constantly in them in no wise to forget them Hee also giueth a lesson euen to vs al First of al that as hee speaketh amiably so should we also loue imbrace his exhortatioÌ„s as he declareth himself to be our father saying My sonne so we also should shew ourselues his children acknowledging him to be our father not onely generally but also particularly yea father of euery one of vs as he himselfe declareth saying to euery one of vs My sonne Nowe seeing hee hath no neede of vs and that wee can doe nothing without him we are very vnthankful very blockish and beastlike if we doe not confesse him to be our father also shew ourselues to be his children For to doe this wel we must giue diligent eare vnto his wordes the which Solomon calleth his not that hee is God but onely his Minister and his instrument by whoÌ„ he sendeth his wordes and therefore inasmuch as they come froÌ„ his mouth he calleth them his For throughly to vnderstand them he would haue vs applie wholy our eares preparing them to heare what is said vnto vs in the sermoÌ„s that our eies also shold be opeÌ„ without turning away froÌ„ them by distrust and vncertaintie by rebellion and disobedience by contempt and disdaine but that we shold haue them in so great estimation that we should neuer suffer them to depart from vs but that our heartes should be continually armed with them as he teacheth vs when he saith 21 Let them not depart from thine eies Heereby wee learne that Solomon requireth faith and obedience of vs and so that he is both a law giuer and an Euangelist as hath beene saide heere afore in the first Chapter For when he calleth vs to heare to prepare our eares it is to the end that we shold do according as we shal be coÌ„manded It is also to the end that we should beleeue that which shal be preached vnto vs. For faith coÌ„meth by hearing Rom 10. 17. and hearing by the worde of God But Solomon doth yet expresse this same more plainely vnto vs when he addeth Let them not depart c. For he speaketh not here of the bodily eies the which â—r not capable of the word which is spiritual but of the thoughts and inward mind where with we imbrace the law of God to obey it without declining from it Likewise by the Eies he meaneth the knowledge and intelligence whereby we delight in the worde of God and are assured of his goodnes of his loue toward vs as he doth declare the same by his gracious promises which are a parte of his worde That we must thus vnderstand that which hee saith of the eyes it is manifest enough but againe hee giueth the same to be vnderstood when he saith immediately after But keep them in the mids of thine heart there the eies of the body see nothing The scripture also in diuers other places speaketh of the eies in the same sense Mine eyes are euer toward the Lord. I lift vp mine eies to thee that dwellest in the heaueÌ„s The eies of the blind shal see Psalm 25. 15. 4. 21. 1. 23. Esay 29. 18. 31. 3. 35. 5. Mat. 6. 22. Iob. 11. 40. out of darknes The eies of the seeing shal not be shut the eares of them that heare shal hearken Then shal the eies of the blind be lightened and the eares of the deafe be opened The light of the body is the eye If thou diddest beleeue thou shouldst see the glory of God And when Solomon hath beene already so careful to commend wisedome vnto vs in like sort as he now commendeth vs his wordes we must vnderstand that by his wordes he guideth and leadeth vs vnto wisedome and that otherwaies we cannot attaine vnto it and consequently that his words are not earthly but diuine Furthermore forasmch as he calleth euery one of theÌ„ his sonne not carnally but by adoption and regeneration of the holy Ghost to whom he directeth his word we ought to be assured that we are the children of God when we gladly heare the preaching of the Gospel and doe diligently frequent the same and doe yeelde our heartes and vnderstandings therevnto to be guided in true obedience and assurance of the goodnesse of God towardes vs and to forsake al rebellion and to cast of al distrust in soundnes of heart voide of al dissimulatioÌ„ hypocrisie Besides this for to learn well our lesson in that which Solomon coÌ„tinueth and often telleth the same exhortatioÌ„s we must acknowledge our weaknes ignorance by desiring to bee fortified wel instructed wee may not be greeued ofteÌ„ to heare one doctrine that the same admonitioÌ„s repreheÌ„sioÌ„s be ofteÌ„ repeated vnto vs that we do not only prepare our eares to heare the sermoÌ„ but that we subdue al our seÌ„ses as SolomoÌ„ teacheh vs saying Let them not depart from thine eies For albeit he speaketh of the spiritual eies yet wheÌ„ after the custome of speaking men refer the sight vnto all the senses there is no incoÌ„uenience that by this kind of speach we should vnderstand that we must captiuate all our senses vnto the worde 22 For they are life As Solomon doth often exhort vs one thing so also for to encourage vs to follow his exhortations to Verse 4. 10. 13. Cap. 3. 2. 8. 16. 22. confirme vs more and more in the assurance of Gods goodnes he repeateth oftentimes the very same promises that hee hath made heere aboue After the custome of the worlde that which is most vsed is least of al esteemed and also it is said that men are weary to eate alwaies of one loafe Wherfore it might seeme to be good that Solomon did not so often set foorth one promise for feare it should be despised But as a very healthful stomack that doth well digest doth not refuse any good meat though his diet be not chaÌ„ged and that the same meate bee often giuen him euen so hee
day they continue Solomon doth shew it when he saith 2 She standeth in the top c. This is the same that hath bin saide before in the first Chapter verses 20. 21. But besides that which was there said we must note that Solomon vseth both there and heere a Verbe that signifieth to crie aloude either for ioy or for sorrow Nowe when hee crieth after men and that it is not for any vertue they haue but rather to reproue them for their sinnes then it followeth that the crye is made for griefe and sorrow That it is after men he expresseth 4 O men c. And that it is not for their vertues he sheweth when he calleth them ignorant and fooles saying 5 O yee foolish men vnderstande wisedome c. But although respecting them with whom he hath to doe hee is minded to crie for sorrow pitie and compassiō that he hath to see thē without vnderstanding and without hart yet he crieth chiefly for an other respect to wit because it is his duetie to crie and also that hee crieth not by pronoūcing vaine friuolous things as he declareth 6 Giue eare for I wil speake c. When Solomon in the person of wisdome is not greeued with much speaking but vseth copy and is plentifull in wordes saying I call you my voyce crieth vnderstande be learned hearken hee sheweth vs the great compassion that hee hath of the foolishnesse of men and therewith speaketh cheerefully and doth shewe vs that albeit that after the outwarde apparance wee thinke not to profite by preaching by exhortations and corrections that yet we must not be greeued too doe our office of teaching exhorting correcting reproouing and threatning by following Moses the Prophetes Iesus Christe and his Apostles And also albeit that the ignorant and foolish that wil not yeeld vnto the trueth but followe wickednesse and lying doe wel deserue to be deceiued by lyes and be left in a reprobate sense that yet our office is to speake of excellent thinges worthy to be proclaimed and which are so cleare and manifest that none can bee deceiued in hearing them so that any man cannot be turned from righteousnesse and equitie but that they shew the right way of them rather Solomon doth giue vs well to vnderstande this same when after hauing promised notable excellent or cleare thinges hee promiseth to teach thinges that are right by the opening of his lippes Wherevpon the reason followeth 7 For my mouth shall speake the trueth c. When Solomon setteth trueth in his mouth that speaketh notable things hee 1. Cor. 1. 2. 4 Col. 2. 8. sheweth that the Minister for to declare excellent thinges must not come with highnesse of wordes or wisedome neither must his preaching stand in inticing words of mans wisdome but in pure trueth also that the people should take heed to be ouertakē by Philosophie and vaine deception according to the tradition of men and institutions of the worlde Moreouer when Solomon placeth trueth against wickednesse we ought to vnderdande that the trueth standeth not onely in wordes but in sinceritie of hearte in vprightnesse of conscience in holy thoughtes in good desires and in a strong and liuely faith the which worketh by loue not fained doing good and righteous vnto the glory of God and profite and edifiyng of our neighbour thus doing wee may truely say with Solomon My mouth shall speake the trueth We must also vnderstand that whatsoeuer is contrary vnto the trueth is wickednesse and wee must abhorre and detest it though it haue an external faire appearance and that the wise men of the worlde doe praise it neuerthelesse Solomon speaketh heere chiefly of the doctrine of trueth the which is pronounced for to turne man away from his wickednesse and to guide him vnto iustice and equitie the which he sheweth when he faith 8 Al the words of my mouth c. If thē we would be preserued from frowardnesse and dissolution we must followe the sayinges of wisedome which teacheth vs by Solomon and by the Ministers of trueth whose doctrine tendeth to none other end then that al wickednesse being forsaken we shoulde giue ourselues vnto righteousnesse by deniyng all superstition and idolatrie all infidelitie and distrust all filthinesse and dishonestie all iniurie and wrong al deceipt and vnfaithfulnesse and that wee shoulde serue one onely God by faith in spirite and trueth and our neighbours in loue seeking that which is for their profite in al honestie chastitie It is the righteousnes that is taught vs by the sayings of wisdom to the which we must be very attentiue if we would easily attaine therto and not to remain in ignorance if we wil find them plaine he declareth saying 9 They are all plaine c. Also none but the carelesse ignorant and contemners doe finde the worde of GOD troublesome hard sharpe and seuere It behoueth vs then to be learned to be diligent to get knowledge and to preferre it before al thinges that can be desired in the worlde how precious soeuer they be Solomon doth cal vs therevnto when he saith 10 Receiue mine instruction c. Then shall we haue true knowledge Chap. 2. verses 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. It is not without cause that he doth thus admonish vs as he doth shew saying 11 For wisedome is better then precious stones c. This is the same that he hath saide in the 3. Chapter in the 13. 14. 15. verses and also againe in the same Chapt. in the 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. verses he hath shewed in what sort it is better The reasons that he hath giuen vs heeretofore ought to be sufficient to make vs careful to followe wisedome and to be diligent hearers of his sayings but for to stirre vs vp furthermore Solomon doth shewe vs here againe how wisdome is better when he saith 12 I wisdome dwell with prudence c. What abundance of wealth and what ease and pleasures soeuer man can haue yet hee is neither the wiser nor discreter thē if he were poore miserable but in what state and condition soeuer we be yet if we haue wisedome wee are discrete and wel aduised and gouerned Better is the Eccle. 4. 13. 9. 15. poore and wise childe than an olde and foolish king which wil be no more admonished And there was founde therein a poore and wise man and he deliuered the citie by his wisedome And because there is none of sounde iudgement which doth not much more desire to haue discretion and counsell for to be able to gouerne himselfe and to keepe himselfe from hurt and danger rather then to haue great riches and therewith to be ignorant and foolishe it followeth thereof that wisedome is best I say expresly of sound iudgement for we must not make cōparison of things after the opiniō fantasie of people which are of a frowarde or corrupted iudgement as are al they which haue their minde on this worlde they care
shee offer her selfe vnto vs and bestowe her riches vpon vs so much as shal be expedient But to finde this house wee must knowe where it is builded and of what matter and howe it is placed First of al although that heere wee heare spoken of a house and of buylding yet must wee not ymagine any thing that is earthly or carnal For wisedome is not like vnto the Princes of this worlde who as they are earthly so doe they builde their houses on earth and of earthly matter and doe set and grounsel them vppon lyke matter Wisedome is diuine heauenly and spiritual Likewise her house standeth in heauen about the throne of GOD there shee hath layed the foundation on herselfe If then wee wil finde wisedome Heb. 13. 14. wee must aspire vnto heauen For also heere wee haue no continuing Citie but wee seeke one to come And therefore our conuersation shoulde bee in heauen so that wee should not walke after the fleshe but after the spirit If we thus looke vp to heauen this house of wisedome is made ours not by merite but because GOD hath prepared it for vs if wee folowe the faith of the holy patriarkes of whome it is written They al dyed according to faith c. And therefore wee may say with S. Paule For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed Heb. 11. 13. 2. Cor. 5. 1. wee haue a building giuen of God that is a house not made with handes but eternal in heauen Now we must vnderstand that as the foundation is spiritual and heauenly euen so is the building therevpon whereof one part is of the Angels which kept stil their first state and haue not forsaken their dwelling nor country for if they had not bene grounded on this foundation they could not nor had beene able to haue standfast Saint Paule doeth wel signifie it when he saith that the Father in the dispensation of the fulnes of times Ephe. 1. 10. 2◠might gather togither in one al things both which are in heauen which are in earth euen in Christ c. Hee is also the head of the Angels as immediatly thereafter hee sheweth saying that the father hath set him at his right hande in the heauenly places c. Hee Col. 1. 15. is the first borne of euery creature For by him were al thinges created The Angels then are a parte of wisedoms familie The other parte of this house are the elect and faithful called vnto the knowledge of the Gospel and regenerate by the holy Ghost Our Lorde doth so signifie it when he saith If any man loue mee hee wil keepe Iohn 14. 23. 1. Cor. 3. 16. 2. Cor. 6. 16. my worde and S. Paule saith Know yee not that ye are the temple of GOD and Yee are the Temple of the liuing GOD. But some wil say that if the elect are the habitation of wisedome that this house is distinguished and that it is not all spiritual and heauenly for men though they bee elected are earthly and carnall The complaint of Saint Paule doeth wel shew it so doth also the battaile betweene the flesh and the spirit I answere that man in so Rom. 7. 14. Gala. 5. 17. Iohn 3. 6. much as hee is borne of the fleshe is fleshly and doeth the woorkes of the fleshe and so is not of the house of wisedome and cannot possesse the kingdome of God But inasmuch as hee is regenerate by the spirite and walketh according theretoo and not after the fleshe hee is spiritual and so is of the house of wisedome and belongeth vnto the kingdome of GOD. Saint Paule doeth so giue vs to vnderstande it when for to giue the reason wherefore hee calleth the faithfull the temple of GOD hee saieth The spirit of GOD dwelleth in you knowe yee not that 1. Cor. 3. 16. 6. 19. your bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost To the end then that wee may bee the spiritual house of wisedome wee must bee renewed that wee may put of our olde man mortifying our earthly members Saint Peter also doeth shew it saying Laying aside al maliciousnesse and all guyle and dissimulation and enuie Col. 3. 9. 1. Pet. 2. 1. and all euill speaking as newe borne babes desire the sincere milke of the woorde c. In this manner wee are fellowes vnto the Angels You are come to the companie of innumerable Angels And the Angel saieth I am thy fellowe seruant and one of Heb. 12. 22. Apo. 19. 10. Heb. 1. 14. thy brethren which haue the testimony of Iesus Christ It is no wonder thereof seeing they are our ministers Nowe as touching wee haue companions and ministers so pure wee must also studie to bee pure and cleane that the house of wisedome may be pure and cleane For to finde wisedom then it is not needeful for vs to runne hither and thither but only to clense ourselues Thus dooing though wee remaine on earth our conuersation shal bee in heauen ◠Cor. 7. 1. Philip. 3. 20. Whereuppon followeth that our earthly mansion doth not hinder but that the house of wisedome should be heauenly For to shewe how and whereon this house is set hee saith that wisedome hath heawen out her seauen pillers that is to say many for the number of seuen is taken for a great number vncertaine Also we know not the number of the pillers that wisedome hath made and ordered since the creation of the worlde to this present shal make and ordeine vntil the last day for to mainteine sustaine and repaire his house We know wel there hath bin shal be more then seuen but how many more we know not For it lyeth not in vs to number the holy Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Euangelistes Pastors and Doctors that wisdom hath placed and wil place in her house which is the Church and houshold of God Those are called pillers of the house and buylding of wisedome because that through their holy conuersation and pure doctrine of truth by supplications prayers thanks giuing by warnings and corrections by exhortations reprehentions to bee shorte by the ministery wherein God hath set them they haue borne vp doe beare vp shalbeare vp vnto the worlds end this house of wisedom Not that wisedom which is the true foundation is not able and strong ynough for to vpholde it when also she vpholdeth the pillers with al the rest but it so pleaseth him to honor men vsing their ministerie without the which she could worke wel ynough vpholding and mainteining her house of her own selfe yea al things in heauē earth but bearing with our rudenes applying herselfe vnto our smal capacitie shee openeth herself vnto vs she vpholdeth and keepeth vs in holines righteousnes and truth by the meanes of our brethren like vnto vs. Otherwise we should be confounded with his great glorie maiesty That by the Pillers the Pastours are signified is shewed vs in
nothing but sinne in their lippes For it is saide Generation of vipers howe can you speake good thinges when ye are euil For from the Mat. 12. 34. 36. aboundance of the hearte the mouth speaketh And therefore they must needes bee snared in their woordes For in the same former place it is saide againe But I say vnto you that of euery ydle woorde that men shal speake they shal giue account therof at the day of iudgement And as they haue wicked lippes so do they ioyne themselues to their like as to false Doctors vnto lyers and seducers and which haue nothing but vanitie and wickednesse in their mouthes After this sorte they become intangled and are snared But to the ende that wee may forsake their companie let vs folowe the counsel of Saint Paule And forasmuch as it is a singular benefite of GOD to bee preserued Rom. 16. 17. Col. 2. 6. Ephe. 4. 17. 5. 6. from the deceit and counterfaite speache fained and false and not to consent vnto heresies and wicked doctrines and also not to bee stained with any of them wee haue neede to pray vnto GOD after this sort Deliuer my soule O Lorde from lying lippes and Psal 120. 2. Psal 140. 1. 2. 3. from a deceitful tongue Againe Deliuer mee O Lorde from the euil man preserue mee from the cruel man which ymagine euil thinges in their heart and make warre continually They haue sharpened tongues like a serpent adders poyson is vnder their lippes But albeeit that the wicked may bee snared in al these foresaide manners yet the meaning most meete for this place is that the wicked cannot beware nor take heede from beeing ouerthrowne and destroied by faire and flattering speaches by lyes and false witnesses by slaunderinges and false reportes by false doctrines and traditions of men For as hee ymagineth nothing but euil and destruction and applyeth his mouth yea all his members to hurte and anoy his neighbours he rightly deserueth to haue the like happen vnto him This same may bee vnderstoode when against the euil man hee setteth the iust and against to bee snared hee setteth to come out of aduersitie saying But the iust shall come out of aduersitie He calleth him righteous heere which doeth not ymagine nor say any thing that may hurte or anoy his neighbours Hee doeth not promise him that hee shal bee without aduersitie for experience teacheth the contrarie Greate are the troubles of the righteous but the Lorde deliuereth Psal 34. 20. them out of all but according to the promise heere set downe he saith that he shall come out of aduersitie Whatsoeuer then the wicked doe ymagine thinke say or doe against the iust they cannot destroy them The wicked watcheth the righteous Psal 37. 22. seeketh to slay him but the Lord wil not leaue him in his hand c. In this promise wee are exhorted vnto patience for trouble or aduersitie lyeth vpon vs sith it is saide that the iust shal come out thereof Hee saieth not that hee doeth presently come out but in time to come hee shal come foorth Hee telleth not when and so it seemeth vnto our reason that GOD lingereth and tarieth long ere hee helpe vs but it is no slacknesse And to the ende that Heb. 10. 37. 2. Pet. 3. 9. Iam. 5. 10. Heb. 12. 2. we should not fayle nor stumble we must take heed vnto the holy Prophetes and chiefly vnto our Lorde Iesus Hee is not onely our example but also our strength and vertue It is he which is our patience for wee cannot stande fast and continue except that hee fortifie and vpholde vs. 14 A man shall be satiate with good things by the fruite of his mouth and the recompence of a mans handes shall God giue vnto him Solomon exhorteth vs to vse wel our mouthes and to imploy them to speake trueth to thanke to praise and to cal vpon God our Father by prayer when hee promiseth vs that a man shal be satiate c. And heerein hee somewhat alludeth vnto the olde sacrifices Deut. 12. 7. 14. 23. For as they which offred the sacrifices did eate of them by the permission and ordinance of God euen so by following the counsel of the Prophete O seas if we take the wordes with vs and Ose 14. 2 returne vnto the Lord and say vnto him Take away al iniquitie receiue vs graciously so wil wee render the calues of our lippes And that in al thinges wee giue thankes alwaies vnto God by Iesus Christ that is the frute of the lippes which confesse his name Heb. 13. 15. If I say in folowing the doctrine of the aboue named holy men wee apply our mouthes to speake trueth and that by them we giue good counsel vnto our neighbours admonishing exhorting correcting and threatening them for to bring them vnto true repentance and to strengthen them in the fayth if feeling our necessities wee open our mouthes for to require and cal vpon God for to helpe vs and truely confessing that hee is the authour of all goodnesse and doe occupie our tongues in giuing of thankes vnto him and to sing foorth his praises hee wil not suffer vs to lacke or want any thing but wil giue vs ynough and contentation The auncient Leuites and Sacrificers by the ordinance of GOD were nourished and sustained by vsing their ministery Num. 18. 9. Deut. 10. 9. 18. 1. 1. Chro. 6. 31. Num. 10. 10 Psal 8. 2. 11. Dauid ordeined of them to be ouer the arte of singing according as was commaunded in the lawe of Moyses And the Psalme 81. hauing respect vnto this order of the seruice of GOD doeth bid vs Sing ioyfully and afterwardes doeth promise vs that wee shal bee satisfied saying Open thy mouth wyde and I shal fill it For to do this wel it suffiseth not for the mouth alone to bee occupyed but the song must come from the minde c. That which proceedeth from the mouth of Papistes is no fruite but poyson as wee may vnderstande and gather And therefore this promise doeth nothing appertaine vnto them as also they are nothing partakers thereof for they burne so much with auarice that they are neuer satisfied and make themselues beleeue that they serue GOD and his Churche wel when they can make the water come to the mill as is saide or increase the goods of the Churche Of such kinde of people Saint Paule saieth that they are of a corrupted minde After this promise he addeth And the recompence of the hands c. This sentence conteineth partly a promise and partly a threatening as wee may vnderstande by other places This sentence as also the former promise shal chiefly bee accomplished at the last day Yet notwithstanding in looking for it the Lorde doeth shewe some proofes thereof for euen in this life present the good are so wel recompensed that they content themselues Contrarily wee may see feareful punishementes fal and
except they labour diligently wee wil not looke cheerefully vpon them they vexe and greeue vs and wee cannot bee pleased with them and that is chiefly because wee loue our profite and doe feare to bee hindered but heerewith wee haue an agreement that man doeth naturally detest slouthfulnesse But it is not so much neither so as wee ought For we do not abhor it in our owne persons but so far as we feare to die for hunger or to become poore and beggers Solomon doth somthing signifie this feare by the worde of lusting and when he doth threaten that this feare shal come vpon vs if we be slouthful when he saith But his soule hath naught The slouthful are heere threatened with pouertie and bodily want temporal scarcitie the which is very hard to beare but yet it is nothing in comparison of the spiritual hūger wherewith foloweth the depriuation of eternal riches wherewithal the slouthful shal be takē which haue nothing esteemed the threateninges of Solomon and chiefly they that haue made no account of gathering the spiritual seede of the word which is the foode of life To them also chiefly do the threatenings belong and vpon them are they put in execution not onely in this life but more miserably in the other For if God doe not esteeme them worthy of this present life and the riches thereof much lesse will hee counte them worthy of eternal riches And so the soule of the slouthful which make none account of their duetie shal haue naught for it shal bee depriued of temporal riches and of eternall and heauenly It is not then without cause that Solomon laboureth so often to awake vp the slouthful by such threatenings whē he seeth them in so great danger The care that Solomon hath so often to threaten the slouthful shal profite them that amend and shal make the vnrepentant more vnexcusable Now that such threates should not be executed against vs let vs take heede to turne away from slouthfulnesse and to occupie ourselues diligently in labour euery man according to his vocation So doing our soule shal want nothing but wee shal haue such aboundance of riches that we shal be contented Solomon doeth promise vs it saying but the soule of the diligent c. As heeretofore hee hath promised that hee might print it so muche the more into our wits and for to confirme it more vnto vs and to make vs more certaine of the goodnesse and liberalitie of God towardes vs and that being so assured wee may bee more enclined to giue ourselues vnto labour according to our vocation after as we vnderstande to be his wil. Wee wil therefore giue ourselues vnto labour according as God hath ordeyned it by his worde and as it hath bin handeled here before and wil diligently doe our worke not by desire of enriching ourselues and keepe backe to ourselues what God sendeth vs without making our poore brethren and members partakers thereof with vs. This is not the wayes to abounde and increase in riches nor to make our soules fatte as Solomon doeth shewe it If wee obey vnto his admonitions our soules shall not Pro. 11. 24. 25. 2. Cor. 9. 6. Gal. 6. 9. 1. Tim. 6. 17. onely haue worldly and temporal plentie but also after this life they shal fully enioy heauenly and eternal riches For the Lorde doeth not promise vnto his faithful people earthly riches in this life for to forsake them afterwardes and to suffer them miserably to perishe c. 5 A righteous man hateth lying woordes but the wicked causeth slander and shame If we wil be certaine in our consciences that wee bee righteous and also to giue true witnesse of our wisedome and honestie before men that they may bee edified and that we be no offence to them so much as we can we must abhorre lying as Solomon doth shew vs saying But the iust man hateth lying wordes There is none of vs but hateth to heare lying and chiefly when lying bringeth vs any hurt either to our body to our goods or to our name Such hatred doth not proceed of feare that wee haue to sinne but of feare that wee haue to suffer losse and therefore suche hatred cannot make vs certaine nor our neighbours that wee be honest men but therein for to haue and to giue a certentie that wee are honest men wee must hate ourselues in asmuch as we are enclining naturally to lying according as the Scripture witnesseth it saying That euery man is a lyar as we of our nature do lye euen so also are wee ready to beleeue lying and loue to heare lyes so that we thinke Psal 116. 11 therein is no hurte nor hinderance we delight to heare ourselues praised and wel spoken of and to be flattered in slaundering and in euil reporting of our neighbours whome wee hate Nowe as in two sortes wee loue lying and heereby haue a witnesse that we are wicked and vngodly and also for to haue a certaintie that wee are righteous and honest men we must hate the wordes of lying after twoo sortes so that wee shoulde feare to pronounce it with our mouth and to receiue it with our eares Albeit that al faythfull and true Christians shoulde be thus disposed and affectioned to folow the third nienth commandement For for obseruing of them well wee must not onely beware to abuse the name of God and to lye against our neighbours but wee also ought to procure that none should abuse this holie Name neither speake euil of his neighbours But I say that this same belongeth vntoo al Christians yet chiefly vnto the Ministers of the worde to pronounce trueth and to abhorre the declaring of lyes and to the Magistrates and Iudges not to receiue false accusation So doing the Ministers shal not seduce the people by false doctrines as doe the Friers and Exo. 23. 1. hypocrites neither wil the Iudges pronounce wicked sentences But sith that the Scripture doeth attribute righteousnes vnto them that hate the worde of lying wee must inferre thereupon that the number of the righteous is verie smal and almost none For it is saide Helpe Lorde For there is not one godly man left for the Psal 12. 1 faithful are nourished from among the children of men We conclude also that wee can not be iust except wee doe violence to our nature which is enclined to think and to speake lyes If we let loose the bridle vnto our tongue according as it is drawne and driuen by the natural inclination of man wee shal winne nothing to thinke ourselues iust and to pronounce that we are honest men Solomon by the spirite of trueth doeth pronounce vs to be wicked when he saith But the wicked deuiseth slaunder c. This is not to say that wee must not accuse them which leade a wicked life Besides this let vs note first of al albeit that though one feeleth himselfe to bee slaundered hee wil make so great a matter of
is a great waster Where in hee sheweth that hee would haue vs to count the slouthful careles for wicked wasters And so hee priuily accuseth them to bee theeues murtherers and that rightly for they steale that wherby they liue seeing that they winne it not lawfully and so much as in them lyeth they kil the poore for whome they should be careful and diligently to woorke And so slouthfulnes or slacknesse is no smal vice seeing that hee which is giuen thereto is not hurtful onely to himselfe but also to his neighbours though hee wil not knowe it For if wee tel him which is slouthful at his woorke that hee doeth not his duetie hee wil answere hee doeth wrong to none but to himselfe wherein he belyeth Solomon yea the holy Ghost which calleth him brother to the maister of wasting Let vs then vnderstande that almen are admonished to be watchful and diligent in their vocation and carefully to doe their office chiefly the fathers of houshold Magistrates the Pastours of the Church for the negligence of the maisters of the house doeth so muche or more hurte in the housholde then the superfluous and excessiue spending The carelesnesse of Magistrates hurteth as muche or more the common wealth at home thaÌ„ the enemies do with warres abroad The slouthfulnesse of Ministers and their ignoraunce together doeth no lesse hurte to the Churche then the crueltie of tyrantes which striue to oppresse it by warre and violence And as the negligent and slouthful is like vnto a great spender and waster euen so shal he be punished likewise as it is shewed vs in Mat. 25. the parable of the virgins and talentes That wee may not bee of the number of suche let vs watche carefully to doe our worke with prudence and faythfulnesse as wee are taught in the saide parables Mat. 24. 42. 10 The name of the Lorde is a strong Tower the righteous runneth vnto it and is exalted There is no man but desireth to liue in peace and to bee out of danger of his aduersaries And for to obteine the same euerie man according to the power hee hath doeth arme himselfe with leagues of friendship and retyereth into strong places and if he can hee wil remaine in places which seemeth him inuincible In olde time it was thought that the highest places were the surest for that the enemies had not easie accesse to the same We may see the same in the building of the Tower of Babel Likewise Dauid signifying the safetie either that hee had had before or that hee desired presently to haue speaketh of the high Gen. 11. 4. Psa 18. 3. 34 27. 5. 40. 3 16. 3. places and of high rockes and heerein hee sheweth vs that all our trust is and ought to bee set in one onely GOD and when he keepeth vs that wee are strongly armed and defended against al contrarie power and that there is no violence either earthly or hellishe that can hurt vs. Solomon doeth signifie the same when hee saieth The name of the Lorde is a strong Tower c. Wherein wee haue to note that the name of the Lorde is not this woord God or Lorde or any other worde that wee speake of for to signifie that we speake of God neither is it also this writing of foure Hebrewe letters Iehouah which the Iewes doe say is the name of God and that it is ineffable And not knowing what this name of God ineffable is to say The which is none other thing then that there is nothing either in heauen earth hel depthes vnder the earth nor tongue nor voice that is able to expresse the least prayse which belongeth to God because of his great glory and excellencie they obserue a foolish foule superstition and dare not pronounce these foure letters aboue saide and in their place they say Adonaie But the name of the Lorde is himselfe as he is named the Euerlasting Creatour Gouernour and disposer of al thinges according as hee is called wise iust holie mightie merciful Father and Sauiour Gen. 4. 26. Exo. 3. 13. 14. 15. 34. 6. 7. Deut. 6. 13 and according to the fame of these vertues blessings which are without number incomprehensible and can not be expressed The holie Scripture doeth shew it vs. For this word of God ought not to be called vpon Hee expresseth wel this name And when he would haue vs to sweare in his name hee meaneth not this worde God or Lorde in witnesse of trueth His name therfore is himself which is compared vnto a strong Tower not as touching himself that hee can or ought to be compared vnto any corruptible thing howe excellent soeuer it can be but the Lorde for to humble himselfe vnto our rudenesse and weakenesse doeth compare himselfe vnto earthly thinges As here by Solomon he is compared vnto a strong Tower for to teache vs that as the worldlinges doe thinke themselues out of the danger of their enemies when they are inclosed in a strong Tower euen so if hee keepe vs wee shal not perish Now for to obtein such safetie we must fly al wickednes infidelitie and incredulitie al slouthfulnesse and carelesnesse and giue ourselues vnto al goodnesse and with care diligence commende ourselues vnto the keeping and protection of our God Solomon doeth teach vs this same when he saieth The righteous runneth vnto it and are exalted For the wicked vnbeleeuing negligent and contemners of the grace and helpe of God are cast off from him and thus they are not exalted out of the dangers of their enemies but are giuen vnto them to doe with them as they wil as diuers wicked men haue felt and doe feele For if they be not at the wil of their carnal enimies yet are they at their spiritual to wit the Deuils as finally they shall feele it in eternal tormentes being thrust downe into the infernal gulfes Let vs therefore vnderstande that Solomon doeth exhort vs â—o loue righteousnes and to delight therein and that in folowing Psal 9. 16. carefully our vocation and walking straight in our wayes iwee should depend wholly vpon the protection of our God and he shal exalt vs high and set vs in so strong a Castle that our enemies shal not be able to doe any thing against vs and also wee shal not feare them but holding fast the promises of our God wee shal say The Lorde is my light and my saluation whome shal I feare Bee Psal 9. 10. 12. 6. 33. 18. 19 34. 8. 18. 37. 39. 27. 1. 31. 2. vnto mee a strong Tower and as an house wel fenced for to saue mee Let vs also vnderstande that hee teacheth vs to knowe who they are that are righteous what their rewarde is Whereupon we may gather who they are that are wicked and what their destruction is And when hee saieth not Hee shal exalt himselfe But he is exalted hee doeth teache vs to
which is contrary vnto the outwarde man that is say for the inwarde man This spirit wee cannot haue of ourselues and therefore let vs aske Make mee a cleane heart O God and renewe a right spirite within mee This spirite is the meanes the strength and power which causeth our spirite strongly and manfully to beare al afflictions and aduersities which happen in this life and doe weaken and corrupt it and causeth that wee bee not grieued for any defaute that wee haue of necessarie things appertayning to the state of this life It is the spirite that maketh vs not to bee effeminate to bee afraide of our owne shadowe for to make vs soroweful and to trouble vs with the least hurte that might happen but giueth vs a mans hearte for to resist the temptations strongly to suffer patiently the miseries ioyfully to beare the burthens that our outward man refuseth and reiecteth for his weakenesse Beholde howe wee must vnderstande the spirite of a man wil sustaine his infirmitie to wit of man And also Solomon doeth giue it so to bee vnderstood when hee asketh But a wounded spirit who can beare it For against the spirit of man hee setteth a wounded sorowful and grieued and which hath no might the which is the spirite or courage of effeminate persons which are immediatly feared and quake at the shaking of euery leafe and weepe for the least griefe and faint and fal vnder the least burthen that can be laide vpon them It is vnpossible for man that hath such a spirite or courage so weake that he shoulde bee able to beare any thing seeing that his heart faileth him neither is it possible for the outwarde man euer to bee able to resist Let vs then vnderstande howe Solomon doeth heere admonishe vs that wee shoulde not bee afraide for the greatnesse and heauinesse of afflictions which happen vnto vs in this worlde but that putting our trust in God wee shoulde reioyce euen in the most hardest and troublesome time being certaine that the Lorde wil giue vs a good ende 15 A wise hearte getteth knowledge and the eare of the wise seeketh learning It is commonly saide that knowledge is a faire possession and therefore many doe aspire vnto it and looke after it as they thinke but yet fewe people doe atteine it for many in steade of folowing knowledge to be indewed therewith and to obteine it goe backewarde flying from it as from the pestilence euen as do the simple and idiots in Poperie when they dare or wil not reade the holy scriptures nor heare the pure trueth lest they should bee poysoned ther with and as doe the mockers and contemners which wil not learne so much goodnesse least they should be too wise and breake their wits These fellowes what worldly knowledge soeuer they haue yet are they ignorant what carnal wisdom soeuer they haue yet are they fooles And thus they get not knowledge and so long as they remaine in such fantasies neither can they nor wil they obteine her for she entreth not but into the hearte of the wise as Solomon doth pronounce it saying A wise heart getteth knowledge Wee expounde this same of the pure trueth of the word of God the which onely is worthy to be named knowledge Notwithstāding we do not refuse the knowledge of men and liberal artes which are giftes of God serue this present life but when wee haue learned them perfitly yet are wee blinde and ignorant stil except we haue the pure truth and that we submit and subiect al other sciences vnto the same And therefore for to be partakers of this getting we must not be like vnto brute beastes which haue no vnderstanding but we must haue an hart of vnderstanding and knowledge Solomon doeth teache vs what wee shal doe for to obteine this wisedome and learning when hee saith And the eare of the wise seeketh learning This is that wee shoulde haue a true affection to know the wil of God by his word and that for to attaine this knowledge we should become the schollers and disciples of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ reading the scriptures and hearing them diligently which purely preache the trueth And let vs note that he calleth not them wise which neede not to be taught but those which haue a right affection to learne to bee taught otherwise they shoulde not neede to seeke for learning Let vs also note that forasmuch as Solomō calleth knowledge a getting he teacheth vs that in the same is great profit seeing also that it is gotten by the wise and that he hath his desire thereuppon the which is signified by the hart And also that we must not thinke a wise man wil set his heart vpon a thing of nothing and vnprofitable And as touching the vtilitie and profit of this getting wee haue seene it handled heere before in diuers places 16 A mans gift enlargeth him and leadeth him before great men Solomon hath heeretofore rebuked the couetousnesse and vniustice of Magistrates Iudges and gouernours of the earth And because Pro. 17. 8. 23. that such wickednesses doe reigne and abounde in the worlde and are rooted so deepe in mens heartes that at al times and in al countries they haue spread forth their branches and brought forth their wicked fruites hee is not satisfied with the foresaide reprehensions but to make these couetous vngodly wicked theeues which occupie the seate of God the more vnexcusable hee doeth touche and reprooue them for this that the poore which bring thē no giftes are troden downe and oppressed and as compelled and not of free accesse but onely they which bring giftes are best welcome when hee saith A mans gift c. Heere hee compareth the presenter of giftes vnto a messenger that is thought to bring some good newes or that commeth from some greate Lorde they wil make those stande backe which hinder him to passe and come neere to doe his message they wil giue place vnto him and bring him to the kings chamber and shal be wel receiued not only of the meane sorte but of the king himselfe and of the greatest nobles of his court Euen so is it with him that bringeth giftes he is wil come towardes wicked iudges they wil not let him tarrie and waite at the gate to catche colde or for to be preassed and thrust of with one then with another which come and waite at the gate but the gate is opened so soone as hee commeth and is brought in Hee calleth heere the wicked iudges and magistrates great men because that God hath raysed them vp into authoritie and that they are in so excellent an estate that others are subiect vnto them or that themselues Rom. 13. 1. doe praise themselues and esteeme themselues so much that they thinke none ought to come neere vnto thē except they please Nowe after what sorte soeuer he calleth them greate yet doth hee put them in minde of their office teaching them
nearer then a brother We commonly say it is a good thing to haue friendes and that one ought to preferre thē before al worldly treasure for it is an easie thing to recouer goods but not so easie to obtaine friends And therfore if one be careful to keepe his temporal riches and to maintaine himselfe thereby by a farre greater reason ought he when he hath friends to keepe them wel and maintaine himselfe with them in amitie being at their commandement not in wordes onelie but indeedes also and trueth Solomon speaketh so when he saith The man that hath friends c. Heerein he regardeth that God in his lawe hath not giuen his commandements for a smal time by the which hee teacheth vs that which wee ought to doe to our neighbours and howe wee shoulde maintaine ourselues in amitie with them Wherefore let vs not thinke that Solomon speaketh heere of table friends of plaie fellowes or other dissolutions and wicked conspiracies But hee speaketh of the friendes which haue learned by the worde of God to loue and for his loue doe loue He sheweth it when hee yeldeth a reason why one shoulde mainteine himselfe in friendship and that hee saieth There is a friend c. Table friendes are not so surely conioyned but they may be easily separated by the least occasion that can be But it is a harde thing to make those friendes which loue together in God and by his worde to leaue one an other for they are brought to loue together by the holie Ghost which is a band indissoluble And so although carnal brothers fal out and forsake one an other yea although they lift themselues vp one against an other euen to the death notwithstanding they that loue in the trueth although they be not naturall brethren yet they haue a sure and stedfast coniunction Insomuch that they loue as muche or more in aduersitie then in prosperitie And so it is saide that in a matter of neede one knoweth his friend Our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewed vs by proofe that thus we ought to loue The xix Chapter 1 BEtter is the poore man walking in his integritie of life then he that abuseth his lippes and is a foole HEere Solomon hath no regarde to speech which is an easie thing and wheretoo the wickedest wil accord in woorde to the ende to get credite and to be accounted wise but if wee weigh more neerely the affections thoughtes opinions and phantasies of men which are verie harde to rule and gouerne wee shal knowe that Solomon saieth not so without great cause for as it is daily seene the poore man is in cōtempt and out of fauour with al men and be there neuer so much wisedome prudence or foresight in him yea although it plainly appeareth yet is he reiected as vnprofitable and persecuted as a wicked person And they which doe this wil persuade themselues they doe wel although the ordinarie talke goe quite contrarie But men for the most part speake as birdes in a cage not vnderstanding what they say nor receiuing fruite or benefite thereof And thus while the lyers deceiuers flatterers backbiters sowers of false doctrine and false opinions shal haue the vpper hande and be reputed honest eche one shal desire to resemble them because they are welcome and muche accounted of So see wee wel that not without great cause Solomon saith The poore man in his c. Hee knewe wel that we had neede of such aduertisement because there are verie fewe which make account of pouertie and muche lesse of simplicitie and purenesse Pouertie also is a thing which of it selfe ought not to be esteemed it ought to the ende it may bee of some value to be ioyned with a good conscience For this cause Solomon hath wel foreseene not to say simply The poore man is better c. but he addeth Walking in his integritie and purenes for it is that which maketh the poore man being nothing worth of himselfe to be founde profitable and good without the which he that is poore can not but annoy and hurt offende and endamage but when hee is accompanied with integritie hee contenteth himselfe with his estate and calling and wil bee right sorie to offende any man either in woorde or deede stil desiring to doe profit and pleasure to his neighbours And thus Hee is better then he that abuseth his lippes c. For hee that is suche a one not onely is vnprofitable but also noysome and hurtful As Solomon expresseth it saying Hee is a foole For as often it hath bene said he calleth him foole which is giuen to doe hurt and delighteth therin And herein hee sheweth that the peruersitie of the lippes proceedeth from the follie or wickednesse of the heart And therfore shoulde wee laye away our wickednes and walke in integritie the which is ours onely because it is giuen vs from God and therein let vs delight Let no man builde vppon his owne goodnesse although Solomon say Walking in integritie Besides this let vs note that when Solomon setteth the foole abusing his lippes a contrarie to the poore man walking in his integritie hee tasketh the riche worldlinges of follie which is the wickednesse of the heart whereby they depraue and abuse their lippes wherewith they speake in pride and malice and giue licence to their owne appetite to speake against God and their neighbors Then to the ende we merit not to be tasked with such wicked and foolish persons let vs loue integritie and walke in the same procuring in all our woords and actions the honour and glory of God and doing truely to our neighbours euery thing as wee woulde they shoulde doe vnto vs so that wee may say I haue beene vncorrupt before God and haue kept my selfe from offending him I haue lifted vp my heart to thee In thee my God haue I trusted If wee walke thus what pouertie or affliction soeuer wee Psal 18. 24 26. 1. haue wee shal want nothing for the Lorde God is our Sunne and Buckler The Lorde spareth no good from them which walke in innocencie Not because our owne righteousnes deserueth Psal 84. 12. it For although Dauid after recital how God assisted him saith The Lorde hath rewarded mee according to mine owne righteousnesse c. Psal 18. 17 21. Notwithstanding hee trusted not in his owne integritie but in God onely as hee sheweth it Note we also that according to the foresaide exposition when Solomon saieth That the poore man is better c. hee speaketh of the goodnesse of the conscience of maners Psal 18. 3. 31. 13. and behauiour as wel in worde as indeed and wil that for this goodnes the poore man be esteemed and preferred before the foole be hee neuer so riche and mightie As also God preferreth him But the opinion of some men is that Solomon prayseth more Psal 34. 11 Luk. 1. 51. 6. 20. Iam. 2. 5. the condition of the poore man then of the foole and
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
their handes to the penne to make vs the more wise and skilful Suche perseuerance is wel signified to vs when Solomon saith Haue not I written to thee c. Which thing hee speaketh in the person of God or of the wakeful Doctours And sheweth vs that it is not enough to haue care of the Lordes flocke for a certaine season but that wee ought to continue Also that the people bee not vexed if one cease not to propounde the scripture to them and that one striue to print the worde of the Lorde so wel in his heart that putting his trust in God his continual delight be to meditate this doctrine to speake thereof and to confirme his life thereafter by good workes and holie conuersation For in as muche as we are enclined to contrarie thinges and when we are taught are slouthful and negligent and easily goe out of the right way which wee are entred into For this cause it is verie needful that one write vnto vs three times which is that hee cease not to propound vnto vs the holie scriptures which are replenished with counsels and learning 21 To the end to giue thee to know the assurāce of the words of trueth to answere wordes of veritie to them that sende to thee It is not enough that wee haue the holie Scriptures and faithful expositours but to the ende wee may make our profite thereby and doe good to our neighbours wee ought to read the scriptures and heare the Doctours to suche ende as God hath giuen them vs. Solomon sheweth vs the ende saying To the ende to giue thee to knowe the assurance of the wordes of trueth c. Wherein he declareth to vs that the scripture and Doctors are giuen vs to haue a sure knowledge of the trueth whereto Saint Paule agreeth Moreouer it is meete that hauing so profited in this assuraunce Ephe. 4. 11. and certeintie we knowe howe to render a reason of our Fayth to them which shal desire to bee instructed by vs or which wil impugne the doctrine that wee haue learned Solomon wil haue it so when he saieth To answere c. Whereto Saint Peter agreeth saying And be ye alwayes readie to answere euerie one that demaundeth reason of the hope which is in you 1. Pet. 3. 15 c. The Apostle to the Hebrewes sheweth them wel that one ought so to profite in the worde of trueth that hee may be able to answere when hee sayeth For when as concerning the time ye ought to be teachers yet had you neede againe that one teach you the first principles of the beginning of the worde of God c. And Hebr. 5. 1◠if wee ought al so to profite in the worde of trueth the Ministers aboue the rest ought to be careful thereof to the ende to instruct the people in sound doctrine and stoppe the mouthes of the aduersaries of the truth As Saint Paule admonisheth them therof chiefly when hee writeth to Timothie and to Titus But although we ought to answere euerie one yet this is not to say that we may be al Doctours to haue publike charge nor that wee ought to knowe of force howe to expounde the Scriptures point by point It is enough for the simple sort to knowe that Iesus Christ is their Sauiour and that they be so confirmed therein that the suttleest Doctors of the world nor al the power of hel cannot withdraw them from the hope which they haue in God by Iesus Christ our sauiour And as wee haue not to doe to be so suttle so it is not meete that wee be ouer curious to enquire after that which appertaineth not to the honour and glorie of God nor to our saluation nor to the edification of our neighbours 22 Polle not the poore because hee is poore and oppresse not the afflicted at the gate Solomon folowing the lawe and the Psalmes hath alreadie often tolde vs of the poore accusing and blaming them which doe them wrong But because the worlde amendeth not for any time that commeth but rather waxeth woorse and iniquitie encreaseth daily as is seene by proofe for this cause Solomon persisteth to admonish vs of our duetie towardes the poore saying Polle not the poore because he is poore c. In commanding this hee first warneth Magistrates and Iudges of the earth to haue pitie and compassion on the poore and to yelde them presently the right that appertaineth to them without suffering themselues to bee corrupted by giftes or brybes by friends or parents to peruert the iudgement and doe wrong to him who through his pouertie hath no succour at al. But because experience sheweth that at al times the world is replenished with wicked Kings Princes Magistrates and iudges which fauoure them whome they please to oppresse and hurte the poore and that rightly one may charge them that the spoyle of the poore is in their houses wee ought also to vnderstande that Solomon accuseth them of oppression and vniustice of great malice and crueltie for when they bee set at the gate where anciently they Esal 3. 13. sate to do iustice wheras for the pouertie affliction of the needful they ought to bee moued to pitie and compassion they take occasion thereby to polle and oppresse them against the duetie of their office and against their consciences And this is because they set not God before their eyes nor haue no feare nor reuerence of his woorde nor force not to bee blamed For if one speake not according to their wil and pleasure they haue power and therfore they reuenge it presently And so one prooueth in them the trueth of the prouerbe which saith That if one speake wel of princes hee lyeth and if hee speake euil they amende him Secondly by this commandement hee admonisheth euery one of vs to beware that wee doe no hurte to our poore neighbours which are afflicted for lacke of goods or worldly succour That wee doe them noe harme by disceyte nor violence nor vnder shadowe of iustice As they doe which by sutes in lawe gnawe and eate vp the poore or by any other subtil meanes but the worlde is like to those great Mastife Dogges who when they see any little curre that is poore and feeble incontinently they runne vpon him and all to byte him and teare him Euen so by how much more one seeth a man feeble and weake by so much the more he is readie to pille and polle him and to doe him all the damage he can whereas for his pouertie and affliction hee shoulde studie to doe him pleasure And because what meanes soeuer is made to forbid these theeues robbers these couetous catchpols and vsurers to doe so and yet they bee not moued a whit more to mercie but harden themselues in their disordinate desires in their crabbednesse and crueltie Let vs vnderstande that this sentence and others like it serue for their accusation and condemnation Wherefore if wee wil not be accused nor condemned as pollers
account of him which reprooueth him and thinketh him wel garnished and adorned therby And as hath bin seene hee loueth him which reprooueth him becommeth sage thereby and Pro. 9. 8. 9. groweth vp in doctrine Wherefore let vs neuer think ourselues so wise but men may finde wherin to reprooue vs chiefly if we bee wise we wil acknowledge that we are wel worthie of rebuke Not that I wil say that wise men commit crimes wittingly but they offend by infirmitie Wherof perceiuing themselues guiltie they suffer willingly to be reprooued and take pleasure therein thinking it a great honour to do so They resist not by murmuring and despight they brag not themselues to be honest men as do the folish wicked who rise vp against them which seeke to decke them with earings and spiritual iewels of sapience whose marchandise is better then the marchandise of siluer and her reuenue then fine gold Pro. 3. 14. 15 13 As the cold of snow in the time of haruest so is a faithful messenger to them that send him for hee refresheth the soule of his maistresse A faithful messenger hath bin spoken of elswhere notwithstanding Pro. 13. 17. Solomon letteth not to treate of it now againe to shew vs what we ought to be in our charges and commissions and what we ought to do therin and whereto to attende For there is none of vs but he is a messenger not that the charges or commissions are all alike for some haue more power then some And to shewe vs this same he setteth before vs those messengers or Embassadours which serue their maisters faithfully by this meanes giue them matter of ioy and content them so that they repose themselues wholy vpon thē And hee compareth thē to the cold of snow which wintereth the corne that is in the ground and commeth in such a season that it maketh it to prosper so that the haruest folowing is fertile and abundant Or also which seemeth more conuenient he compareth them to colde which commeth in haruest time much like to the cold of snowe to refresh them which reape and labour in a whote region such colde is a greate recreation for it maketh that they which trauel are not altered surfeited nor choked vp with the great heate And it is not without cause that he maketh such a comparison for they which doe their message faythfully doe keepe their maisters which sende them from great griefe and from al vexation and asmuch as they can yeelde them matter of recreation As wee knowe that it is a great pleasure to a Gentleman when hee hath seruantes that execute wel the charge that is committed to them Nowe wee are al messengers and Embassadours of our God who hath called vs into his familie sendeth vs as he thinketh good giueth vs a charge which he wil that we execute Not that we haue al publike charge as kings superiors of the earth nor as Pastors ministers of the Church which are the principal messengers as hath bene said aboue But the Lord sendeth vs to our neighbors giuing vs charge that we haue care one ouer another according to the talent which he hath put into our hands If we execute our charge faythfully we shal be to him as the cold of snowe in the Haruest Not that we can doe any thing to recreate or reioice him but he alone of his bountie reioyceth and delighteth himself when in vprightnesse of heart we seeke to execute our charge faythfully 14 He that boasteth of false liberalitie is lyke cloudes and winde without raine When men see cloudes driuen by the winds they looke that they shal haue raine but it chaunceth sometimes that none at all falleth and so they loose their expectation Euen so when men see any one which is franke of his promises they hope to obtaine the same of him But they are very often deceiued and prooue that the greatest promisers are cloudes wind without raine They are rich and liberal in promises but there is no effect folowing and so they boast themselues falsly and are of no profite They are content to beare a fayre face and make men gape after them and holde them in hope of thinges Those which are such not onely are vaine as cloudes which are without water but also hurtefull as the winde which dryeth the earth sucking his humor without sending him any againe but making it yawne for thirst and drynesse The captaine of such men is the Diuel and of him they haue learned to boast themselues falsly Adam wel prooued the boasting of the Diuel Gen. 3. 1. Kings 22. to be false Likewise Achab and Iosaphat haue prooued it after that they had beleeued false Prophetes by whose mouth the Diuel spake The Diuel sent cloudes and winde without raine when hee Mat. 4. 9. Luke 4. 6. promised our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ to giue him al the kingdomes of the world and boasted that al the glorie thereof was his We see then that they which brag of things which thy neither wil nor can do are supposts of the Diuel who is a lyer the father of lyes Also as the cloudes wind without raine vanish away Iohn 8. 44. come to nothing euen so these greate boasters shal perish with the Diuel their father For Thou shalt destroy al them that speake lyes and chiefly when the lye is in slaunder As is the false doctrine of the Papistes which teache of free wil and merites and other abhominable Psal 5. 7. lyes promise that by this meanes men shal win paradice obtaine life eternal Their destruction is plainly shewed thē Wherfore we ought to take great heed of al false boasting And principally 2. Pet. 2. 3. of things which are to come which are to vs vncertaine of them wee shoulde make no promise but at Gods good wil and pleasure Also of things which are present with vs if wee wil shewe liberalitie let vs doe it in secret without ostentation or vaine shew euen as our Lord Iesus Christ hath taught vs. Last of al let vs vnderstand that the holy Ghost teacheth vs heere to loue one another indeede and trueth as also we are admonished thereof in Iohn 1. Iohn 3. 18. 15 A Prince is pacified by the staying of anger and a softe tongue breaketh the bones Albeeit the anger of kings and greate men of the earth bee meruellously to bee feared because of their highnesse and power Pro. 16. 14. 19. 14. 20. 2. Pro. 16. 19. and that men hardly escape it and with greate difficultie and danger yet neuerthelesse if one shewe himselfe sage before them hee may pacifie them and in steede of beeing harmed finde pleasure and vtilitie Nowe to shewe ones selfe wise it behooueth him to put of an angry and furious hearte which is seditious and arrogant hautie and rebellious and not to bee easie nor hastie to shew his anger nor wrath
wisedome of this worlde is foolishnesse before God therfore he admonisheth vs saying Let no man deceiue himselfe if any man amongst you seeme wise let him become 1. Cor. 3. 18 19. a foole in this worlde that hee may bee made wise It is not enough to say that wee are fooles brutishe and ignorant but wee must confesse it and feele indeede for if wee haue nothing but the bare worde and doe not thinke lowly of ourselues there is nothing but feining and hypocrisie the which is greatly detestable before God who demandeth a sincere and vpright heart and wherevnto the mouth agreeth Let vs take heede then to be like those who for to counterfeite the lowly repentant wil with mouth blaspheme but cānot suffer to heare their faults reproued but to be reuenged wil say they are honest men and are also good Christians or better then any other and also wil labour to reuenge themselues vppon them that take paiues to make them knowe their faultes 4 Who hath ascended vp to heauen and descended Who hath gathered the winde in his fist Who hath bound the waters in a garment Who hath established all the endes of the earth What is his name and what is his sonnes name if thou canst tell Agur hath saide himselfe to bee foolishe and for to expound howe he was suche he hath declared that hee had neither humane wisdome nor diuine knowledge Now for to shewe that none is capable of that whereof he confesseth himselfe to bee destitute hee maketh many questions the which are so much as negatiues And this is for to shew that there is none but God onely that hath wisedome and vnderstanding that is mightie and politike that is wonderful and worthie of great renowme and praise The first question Who hath ascended vp to heauen and descended ought to be vnderstood negatiuely if we vnderslād it to bee spoken of men For albeit that some by special priuiledge haue beene translated or rauished vp into heauen as Enoc Elias and Paule yet it is true that no man euer went vp into heauen or descended of himself For if we take the heauens for this great heauenly firmament wee knowe that they are vnaccessible and cannot bee reached as also Moses doth giue the same something to bee vnderstoode Gen. 5. 24 2. Kin. 2. 11. 2. Cor. 12. 2. Gen. 1. 1 Deut. 30. 11. 12. saying For this commandement that I commande thee this day is not hid from thee neither is it farre from thee nor in heanen c. And if wee take the ascending vp into heauen for the pure knowledge of the mysteries and secretes of God and for the light of spiritual vnderstanding which is the true wisedome and knowledge of the saintes as it is so taken in the 3. Chapter and the 13. verse of Saint Iohn No man ascendeth vp to heauen of his owne and naturall vnderstanding which is brutishe and senselcsse For the natural doeth not comprehende the thinges that are of the spirite there is none but the holy Ghost who is the spirite of 1. Cor. 2. 14. Christe which ascendeth vp to heauen descendeth from thence It is hee that is the spirite of wisedome and vnderstanding And by him the sonne of man Iesus Christ did ascend vp to heauen No man knoweth the father but the sonne who is the Lorde And wee Esay 11. 2. Mat. 11. 27. may say that the holy Ghoste descendeth from heauen when by the worde of God hee teacheth vs al trueth and guideth vs in the same The which hee did when Iesus Christe being descended from heauen tooke our nature and in the same hath taught vs the wil of God his father and doeth teache it vs dayly by the Apostles and ministers that he hath ordeined in his Churche which are onely the instrumentes of his spirite who reuealeth vnto vs what wee ought to knowe of God And when the spirite doeth thus giue vs to knowe the thinges which are of God it is not to the ende that we 1. Cor. 2. 10. 11. 12. shoulde haue our affections fixed heere and that wee shoulde bee as it were buried in earth but as Christe is risen by the glory of God so shoulde wee walke in newenesse of life bending and setting all our desires aboue in the heauens as S. Paul doth admonishe vs thereof And being so ascended let vs descende vnto our neighbours without forsaking heauen The which wee shal doe if leading Rom. 5. 4. Collo 3. 12 an honest holy and heauenly life wee occupie ourselues in hearing of holesome doctrines admonitions exhortations and declarations Thus doing wee may say with Saint Paule that our conuersation is heauen And so albeit that our bodies yea our whole persons bee on earth yet are we ascended vp to heauen there haue our dwelling by faith and hope And finally as Iesus Christe is ascended aboue al heauens for to prepare the place for vs so shal wee rise againe by his power by the which also wee shal ascende vp to heauen though none bee ascended as it is giuen vs to vnderstande by this first interrogation The seconde Who hath gathered the winde in his fist Cannot bee answered affirmatiuely of any man whatsoeuer for hee hath no power to stay the winde there is none but God that can vse it at his pleasure as hee hath created Amos. 4. 13. the winde so doeth hee holde and locke it vp as in a treasure house that it shoulde not blowe and afterwardes doeth sende it foorth when hee shal thinke good There is none then but God that gathereth the winde in his fist that is to say which hideth it and Psal 104. 4. 125. 7 Iere. 10. 13 51. 15 holdeth it by his power and then vnlooseth it so softly and smally so great and vehement as hee pleaseth and there is no man that hath in any wise the winde at his wil The Apostles which were very familiar and friendes of Christe coulde not make the winde to ceasse that tossed them on the Sea but Iesus rebuked the windes and the Sea and a great stilnesse and calmenesse followed And therein hee declared that hee was not onely man but the sonne of Mat. 8. 26 God also yea euerlasting and eternal God Nowe if a man haue not the winde in his power which is a creature made for his vse much lesse hath hee power ouer the spirite of God who is the spirite that onely inspireth into man wisedome and prudence and indueth him with graces according to the measure of the giftes of Christe who hath the fulnesse of this spirite for to holde the same as it pleaseth him and also to distribute the same to whom he shal see good chiefly to the elect of God his father which confesse him And we al haue receiued of his fulnesse grace for grace Grace is giuen vnto vs according vnto the measure of the the gift of Christ Nowe there are diuersitie of giftes