amongest the Papistes there are no wise men they are also destitute of health c. Moreouer let vs note that although the worlde bee filled with people which haue great appearance of wisedome yet are there fewe in it that haue healthful tongues Wherevpon wee may inferre that wise men indeede are thicke sowne and come but thinly vp c. 19 The lippe of trueth shal bee stable for euer but a lying tongue varieth incontinently Wee woulde not bee iudged reedeshaken and caried with euerywinde but counted constant And as we haue this wil so must wee bee also indeede and truly least wee bee nowe of one minde and immediatly of another except that hauing bene euil instructed before and euil mouthed wee change our euil woordes into good after that by the grace of God wee are informed This changing doeth not proceede of vnconstancie but of wisedome and good counsel The Turkes Papistes and other obstinate infidels and hardened in their superstitions and idolatries in their false religions deuotions do thinke themselues very constant when they wil in no wise be turned from them but it is not in this sorte that wee must count ourselues constant but before that wee may truely bragge thereof we must first be armed and furnished inuiolably with truth that our hartes and mindes may bee so fastened and filled with so great aboundance that they might ouerflowe Solomon doeth note it saying The lippe of trueth c. The man that from the abundance of his hearte speaketh trueth shal be so stable and cōstant that hee shal neuer turne therefrom his lippe shal not start at a soden and without good consideration but shal folow the guiding of his hearte and of his vnderstanding There are many which prate at pleasure holding true talke but yet shal not haue the lippe of truth as they wil shewe by their inconstancie that after diuers sortes for some will soone waxe wery of holding good talke and wil turne ouer vnto fables and vanities and other some fearring persecution had rather holde their peace or to deny the trueth then to perseuer in good and true wordes and othersome wil pleasure a company of carnal and worldly people and therefore if in any wise they know that their company delight not in true and Christian talke they change and turne vnto fables and vaine iangling If such men had their tongues of trueth they would remaine stedfast without euer turning Trueth is of suche nature that it neuer changeth otherwise it should not be trueth It hath this nature of God who is vnchangeable and therefore as the Psalmist saith The trueth of the Psal 117. 2. Lorde indureth for euer Againe There is no trueth but commeth from him onely who is trueth Wherefore if hee hath once writen this truethe in our heartes and that thereby wee bee truely renewed wee can neuer vary nor turne from it For the giftes and callings of God are without repentance and so we shal abide stable Rom. 11. 29. and constant for euer But for this constancie let vs not boast ourselues of it as though it came of vs but with humblenesse let vs confesse that it commeth of God as we may heere knowe it First of al because hee attributeth stabilitie vnto trueth the which wee cannot haue but of the onely grace and liberalitie of God Secondarily by that that he saith not it shal be stablished but it shal be stable Thirdly by this worde foreuer for man of himselfe hath no permanent continuall goodnesse We must therefore aske stedfastnesse of God Psal 51. 10. 12. as Dauid doth Create in me a cleane hart O God renew a right spirite in me and in the 12. verse of the same Psalm he saith Restore to mee the ioy of thy saluation stablish me with thy free spirite For they which haue their heartes infected with falshood dissimulation hypocrisie are not stable but turne with euery winde change their mindes incōtinently If they haue made any promise they doe easily falsifie their faith euē for euery vaine and light cause c. They wil often speake traiterously and vnfaithfully vnto their neighbours speaking one thing thinking another They wil flatter and praise their neighbours before their faces and behinde their backes they wil slaunder them and speake al euil they can of them They wil closly cary false tales and when they haue kindled the fire and that the matter is disclosed and that it is knowne to be by thē they doe shamelesly deny it If they haue reported any good or naughtie matter and that they are therfore like to come to trouble they sodenly change their mind and go backe from that which they haue saide Behold the inconstancie and vnstabilitie wherevnto the hypocrites and liers are subiect Solomon doeth signific the same briefly when he saith But a lying tongue varieth c. As if hee said The man that out of the wicked abundance of his heart is setteled in lying and hypocrisie is accustomed to lie with his tongue and cannot be stable and sure but easily and sodenly doth alter his purpose For though Solomon doth not expresse but the tongue yet notwithstanding he doeth accuse the heart the which is made manifest by the tongue which of itselfe is not moued but onely so farre as it is guided by the hearte For from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Naturally we are al such For let God be Rom. 3. 4. true and euery man a lyar Wherefore if we wil not be comprehēded vnder this accusation let vs follow the counsell of S. Paul that is That yee cast off concerning the conuersatiō in time past the old Ephe. 4. 22. man which is corrupt through the deceiueable lusts c. Moreouer let vs note that hee which hath the lip of trueth is stedfast for his wordes are true they conteine no repugnancie nor contrarietie but al agree wel together but they which haue a lying tongue do often times speake wordes which are contrary one to the other and so doe fouly vary sometimes through forgetfulnesse sometimes of set malice for to deceiue and hurt 20 Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine euil but to the counsellours of peace shal be ioy If he which intendeth to hurt his neighbors doth proceede vnaduisedly rashly to execute his enterprises he is quickly discouered and therefore it is the more easie for a man to beware of him and to defend himselfe When the wicked doth openly shewe himselfe to bee suche as hee is without disguising himselfe if hee be too mightie men flie from him and if hee bee weake they resist him But contrarily they which inuent euil and before that they bigin to execute their enterprises doe deepely thinke therevpon and doe a long while purpose in themselues howe they shal come to the end that their malice may not willingly too soone be discouered that they be not hindered to put in execution their
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
to moue vs to goodnes to turne vs from euil after the doctrine and aduertisemēt of the despising of fooles directeth to vs his words exhorting promising forbidding threatening The exhortation is My sonne heare c. In this exhortation to the ende hee would bee heard with more reuerence and feare he speaketh as the father to his childe Heere we may say that Solomon speaketh in the person of God who is the onely father of al or in the person of the Pastor teacher Mat. 25. of the Church who calleth those his children which hee instructeth teacheth because he begetteth thē to God to his Church through the worde Dauid vseth this maner of speaking likewise doeth S. Paule and S. Iohn Therein they attribute nothing to themselues neither by any meanes doe derogate from the fatherhoode of God for it hath pleased God to make them partakers of this honour when hee doeth vse them as instruments to encrease his Church and to beget him spirituall children Wherefore Solomon doth moue vs to obey God who only is our father instructer as it hath bene alreadie treated of in the 2. verse And when he calleth vs to heare he requireth also obedience which we must yeelde if we wil bee accepted of God for wise otherwise we enter into destruction with the foolishe For the worde which Solomon vseth doth not onely signifie to heare but also to obey Mat. 7. and follow It behoueth vs then not only to giue our outward hearing to this instruction but also our heartes that we vnderstanding howe healthfull it is for vs may followe it with true and continuall repencance detesting euil louing good with all our desire And forsake not When Solomon addeth this he giueth vs well to vnderstand that he doth not onely allure vs to heare but to obey And therewith immediately hee answereth to a question which might bee made to wit How shall we heare God seeing he is an inuisible incomprehensible spirite He giueth I say the solution admonishing vs not to forsake the teaching of our mother As if he did say if you will heare God to instruct you be obedient to the Church wherein hee doeth beget you and teach you by the ministerie of his Apostles and Prophets of his Euangelistes Pastours and Doctours Furthermore wee must vnderstande that God calleth al them his children which hee exhorteth by his worde and giueth them to his spouse which is the Church to be taught for the Church is the piller and strength of trueth not the popish Church which doth reiect the word of God and not acknowledge Iesus Christ for head but Antichrist and the enimie of God But forasmuche as wee ourselues cannot discerne the Church of the wicked from that of the faithfull we must aske of our heauenly Father the spirite of wisedome and discretion and vndoubtedly he wil giue it vs. For they shal be After the exhortation he putteth the promise by Mat. 7. 9. a figure and similitude as if he did say like as the worldlings delight to beholde a person decked and trimmed with gorgeous attires and precious iewels hanged about the head and the necke which are the parts most seene because they are most apparant and the person so decked is not ashamed to be seene but desireth to bee seene euen so my sonne if thou be truely decked with the feare of the Lorde and with his knowledge and doest willingly receiue his instruction and that thou desirest gladly to be taught in the congregation of the faithful thou shalt be acceptable and pleasant before God and his Angels before his elected and faithfull and thou shalt not need to doubt to present thy selfe before him and his neither needest to feare to be refused of him no more than the wel beloued pleasing and acceptable Wyfe is refused of her husbande but shalt be assured to obtaine of him ioye and prosperitie and all felicities in the life euerlasting for he which promiseth is true Wherein we haue first to note that albeit Solomon doeth here vse a similitude taken of the manners of the worldlings yet his meaning is not that it is lawful for vs outwardly to deck ourselues with sumptuous and precious things wherewith to please men but contrarily we must folow the doctrine of the Apostles For as our Sauiour 1. Tim. 2. 1. Pet. 3. Luk. 18. 2. compareth God vnto a wicked iudge and yet it is not lawful to say nor think that God is wicked euen so if Solomon compare the spirituall giftes vnto worldly ornaments it is not to say that it should be lawful for vs to folow the custom of the world in outward ornaments True it is that the wearing of golde and precious stones and other ornaments is not altogether and vtterly forbidden seeing that it is indifferent but it is not forbidden in so much as all they which deck themselues sumptuously are almost all ledde with too much desire to bee seene and are commonly giuen to superfluitie excesse to vnshamefastnesse and immoderatenesse to ambition and pride And forasmuch as women are most spotted with this desire to be seene in gorgeous apparel S. Paul and S. Peter direct their wordes to them Secondly because that God commaunding father and mother to be honoured adding thereto a promise thou shalt liue long vpon the earth some because that this promise for they shal be c. is placed immediatly after the exhortatiō to heare instruction would haue the said exhortatiō taken more simply to wit for the commaundement to obey vnto carnal fathers vnto whose charge the gouernment of their children is committed and that the children learne to be obedient to their parents should not thinke that they are able to rule themselues There are two reasons that cause me to dissent from this opinion The first is that in this same preface the 6. chapter he giueth commaundement to obey father and mother the second is that after he hath admonished and aduertised vs of the feare of the Lord of his knowledge by this exhortation he sheweth to vs by what meanes we may attaine thereto and be kept therein to wit by hearing and obeying 10 My Sonne if sinners do intice thee consent thou not 11 If they say Come with vs we will lay waite for blood and lye priuily for the innocent without a cause 12 VVe wil swallow them vp aliue like a graue euen whole as those that go downe to the pit 13 VVe shal finde all precious riches and fil our houses with spoyle 14 Cast in thy lot among vs we will all haue one purse 15 My sonne walke not thou in the way with them refraine thy foote from their path 16 For their feete runne to euill and make haste to shedde blood 17 Certainely as without cause the net is spread before the eyes of all that hath wyng 18 So they lay wait for bloud lie priuilie for their liues 19 Such are the wayes of euery one
also there where they bragg of the reformation of the Gospel Also when hee saieth in a day hee meaneth not that the foole doeth spue foorth al the poyson of his hearte in one day or in a little tyme. Experience teacheth vs the contrarie for wee see that from day to day the wicked shewe themselues more furious against the faithful but hee meaneth that they are easie and doe sodainely shewe their impatiencie and furie In this Solomon doeth exhorte vs that wee woulde not bee hastily angry except wee woulde bee counted fooles that is to say contemners of GOD and of his woorde the which for to obey and to fulfil the humour of choler is not fit neither do they care also and therefore Saint Iames doeth admonishe vs Let euery man bee swift to heare and slowe to anger c. Wee see heere that wee ought highly to esteeme gentlenes softnesse meekenesse and friendlinesse when wee woulde not that men shoulde esteeme vs fooles nor contemners of God If wee bee indued with such goodnesse as that we would not despise God labour also that he may not bee despised and that his name shoulde not bee blasphemed by vs likewise wee wil easily dissemble and couer the imperfections of our neighbours and wil not seeke to make them a reproche neither to lay any faulte to their charge though they haue offended vs and shal bee led and induced thus to gouerne ourselues by an holy wisedome and good counsel Solomon doth teach vs this same when hee saith But hee that couereth shame is wise That wee must thus vnderstande this sentence Solomon himselfe doeth shewe it when against the knowledge of wrath hee setteth hyding or couering of shame and against the foole hee setteth the wise man And though the Antithesis be very propre euen according to mans reason yet Solomon speaketh against the opinion and iudgement of the worlde in both the partes of this Prouerbe For first of al the worlde esteemeth and iudgeth the hearte of man to bee vpright and perfite and not fearefull nor cowardely if when hee sheweth by wrath and anger that hee cannot beare if hee feele himselfe grieued and that hee is ready to reuenge himselfe eyther by woorde or by deede Secondarily the worlde doth not count this discretion or wisedome when a man wil dissemble or couer an offence and that hee is not quicke to reuile and rage against him that hath offended him except hee flye for to take the better leape that is to say to seeke to haue him whome hee iudgeth to bee his enemie at his more aduantage and to handle him after his desire Solomon speaketh not of such wisedome which is rather set malice but of the same whereby wee beare with our neighbour and wish not to anger nor hurte him This wisedome proceedeth of true charitie whereunto 1. Cor. 13. 4 Ephe. 4. 2. 32. 5. 2. Col. 3. 13. Mat. 5. 39. Rom. 12. 14. 17. 13. 4 wee are exhorted Let vs therefore knowe that wee are heere admonished to flye and eschue reuenging of our owne and priuate iniurie as also our Lorde doth teache vs. But yet notwithstanding let vs not thinke but that it is lawefull for the faythful and Christians to exercise and execute the office of a Magistrate and iudge in dooing iustice by wrath vppon him that doth euil 17 Hee that speaketh trueth will shewe righteousnes but a false witnesse vseth disceit There are many wayes of speaking trueth though there bee Iohn 14. 6. 17. 17. Ephe. 4. 25. not diuers truthes but one which is God and his word Our Lord doeth shewe it and therefore in what state soeuer we be wee must speake trueth Nowe forasmuch as there are diuers states it foloweth there are many wayes of speaking trueth the which may bee gathered into foure partes First of al the Pastors of the Churche which are Ministers of the woorde of trueth which aboue al other ought to professe trueth haue their manner of speaking trueth by publike and priuate preaching the pure Gospel and by the same to admonishe to reprooue to comforte to chide and threaten and to make afraide Secondarily Iudges and Magistrates which ought to bee righteous and not falsly blamed haue their kinde of speaking trueth when they pronounce their sentences with desire of Exo. 18. 21. 23. 1. giftes without regarding the person but onely according as matters shal be duely and plainly prooued c. Thirdly they which are called for witnesses haue their way of speaking trueth when they plainely declare that which they knowe and desire not to slaunder nor flatter nor to speake any thing that may hurte the good name of their neighbour neither to hurte him either in his body or in his goods but doe labour to obey the commandementes of GOD written in Exodus the 20. chapter and 23. chapter Fourthly the manner of speaking trueth in our common familiar and priuate talke is that wee shoulde talke togither of thinges and matters euen so as they are and as wee knowe them without flattering and slaundering without affection of telling newes and without delighting to consume and passe away the time in reasoning and babbling as vaine people giuen to ydlenesse and slouthfulnesse for it is very harde for such men to go foreward in the truth but must needs frō the great vanitie of their heartes speake vaine thinges whose steppes wee may not follow and therefore must wee be sober in woordes and also not to open our mouthes but to talke and commen of thinges profitable and necessarie as of thinges which may serue to the glory of GOD and profite of our neighbours and of those matters which concerne our state and vocation c. Loe these are the manners the which wee must holde in speaking trueth vnto the which if wee bee wel giuen wee will vtter nothing that may redounde to the hurte of our neighbours but will rather procure that right may be done to them and to render to euery man that which is his without fraude or deceit Solomon doeth signifie the same saying Hee that speaketh truth wil shew righteousnesse The Ministers of the woorde doe wel preache righteousnesse when by their ministery they labour to turne vs away from al superstition and Idolatry and from al iniquitie and wickednesse whereby the Deuill doeth holde vs captiue vnder his tyrannie that they might deliuer vs from the same and by fayth to make vs partakers of the righteousnesse of our Lorde The Magistrates do shewe foorth righteousnesse when by their sentences and iudgementes they render right to them to whome it belongeth c. The witnesses by their true depositions doe shewe foorth righteousnesse for so much as in them lyeth they guide the iudges and shewe them the waye to minister iustice Also when in our familiar talke and communication wee continewe speaking of trueth wee shewe foorth iustice for our woordes doe tende neither to disceite nor hurte but to doe right pleasure and seruice
make vs to tremble and quake before God as men do before a sharp seuere cruel iudge but hee speaketh of suche a feare as doeth leade vs to honour God and to giue him willing obedience Hee doeth wel giue it to vnderstande when against feare hee setteth contempt saying But hee that is lewde in his wayes despiseth him After what sort soeuer wee take this worde his wayes either for the wayes of God that is to say for the kind of liuing and gouernment in this world that god teacheth vs by his worde or for the wayes of man that is to say for the conuersation that man ought to follow there shal be no inconuenience at al and the sense shal be al one For seeing that man is the creature of God hee ought not to haue other wayes then those which God teacheth him and commandeth him but ought to walk straight in them without turning from them either to the one side or to the other otherwise man doeth not feare God nor honour him but doeth despise him as Solomon doeth pronounce and heerein hee doth threaten al hypocrites and dissemblers al idolaters and superstitious al those which worke iniquitie shewing them that they can looke for nothing but destruction and damnation seeing they despise the authour of life and saluation Furthermore let vs note that if wee wil turne this sentence backwarde and say who so feareth the Lord walketh in his righteousnesse but hee that doeth despise him is lewd in his wayes the later sense shal not repugne the former but we shal heere learne as the trueth is that it is the feare of the Lorde which maketh men to walke in righteousnesse and contrarily that it is contempt of God which turneth mē aside and maketh them lewde in their waies 3 In the mouth of the foolish is the rod of pride but the lips of the wise preserue them It seemeth vnto the wicked which haue authoritie and power or thinke to haue maintenance and bee supported that it is lawfull for them to speake what they list and indeede they vse their tongues at theyr pleasure as a theefe doeth his sworde and muche worse for they sharpen not their tongues onely against men by wicked wordes by commandementes importable by false witnesse bearing lying flatteringes and slaunderings and backbitings but also against God in forsaking him and giuing themselues vnto the Diuel in cursing swearing and forswearing blaspheming and taking his name in iest and in aswel mingling it with the vanities and filthinesse as with humane and diuelishe doctrines with vnshameful and wanton songes in such wise that a man may blame them Thou giuest thy mouth to euil and with thy tongue thou forgest Psal 50. 19. 7. 9. 11. deceite euen so also wee may complaine that they haue lifted vpp their mouthes to heauen This is to haue the rod of pride in their mouth when they doe thus vse it against God and against their neighbours as they thinke without hurt and danger it is lawful Psal 10. 11. 94. 7 for them to raile For they say God will neuer see it neither wil the God of Iacob regard it And as touching men because they open their mouth against the innocent and weake they boldly say With our tongues we wil preuaile and our lippes are our owne Psal 12. 4 who is Lorde ouer vs But wee may say vnto them yee that are without vnderstanding heare and you fooles when will yee bee taught Therefore albeit that they thinke to remaine vnpunished yet shal they not escape nor auoide rhe hand of the Lorde for it is saide These thinges hast thou doone and I helde my tongue therefore thou thoughtest that I was like thee but I will reproue thee and set them in order before thee Againe Surely thou hast Psalm 50. 21 Psal 73. 18. Psal 94. 21. set them in slippery places and castest them downe into desolation Again They gather them together against the soule of the righteous and condemne the innocent blood Solomon doeth heere after a sorte threaten them with this destruction when hee doeth attribute pride vnto them for that which is highly esteemed before mē Luke 16. 15. 1. 51. is abhominable before God And the virgin Mary saith Hee hath scattered the proude in the imagination of their heartes God resisteth the proude and giueth grace vnto the humble Hee signifieth also their destruction when against the rodde of pride hee setteth the preseruation and conseruation of the wise saying But the lippes of the wyse preserue them The preseruation whereof hee speaketh is not worldly nor temporal it is neither corporal nor carnal for there are no people in the worlde counted more folishe proude and arrogant in wordes then the wise therefore are they hated and persecuted and put to death They speake trueth which the worlde cannot beare the which also the heathen haue knowne and saide That trueth getteth hatred But we must stay ourselues vppon the worde of the Lorde If the worlde hate you yee knowe that it hated mee before you Againe they shal excommunicate Iohn 15. 1◠16. 2 you yea the time shal come that whosoeuer killeth you wil thynke that hee doeth God seruice This is not the conseruation or temporal preseruation that is heere spoken of nor wherevpon wee must bee staied but Solomon speaketh chiefly of the spiritual and eternal preseruation as also the destruction of the foolishe which doe proudly speake is eternal True it is that as sometimes God sendeth temporal punishmentes too the wicked and is visibly reuenged of him euen so according as hee seeth expedient hee sheweth and declareth himselfe the preseruer of the wise Noe and other haue prooued it true And forasmuche as wee desire to bee preserued wee must cast from vs the rodde of pride and take the lippes which are opened with humilitie and modestie with trueth and temperancie The which wee cannot doe of ourselues And therefore let vs pray Open my lippes O Lorde and my mouth shal shewe foorth thy prayse Againe Set Psal 51. 17. 141. 3 a watche O Lorde before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lippes Thus doing wee shall not bee comprehended among them of whome the Scripture complaineth For there is no constancie in their mouth within they are very corruption their throte Psal 5. 9. 57. 4. 64. 2. 3. is an open sepulchre and they flatter with their tongue My soule is among Lions I lie among the children of men that are set on fire whose teeth are speares and arrowes and the tongue a sharpe sworde Hide mee from the conspiracie of the wicked and from the rage of the workers of iniquitie which haue whet their tongue like a sword and shot foorth their arrowes euē bitter words c Psal 140. 3. They haue sharpened their tongues like a Serpent Adders poyson is vnder their lippes Such kinde of people fal into destruction as in the places before alledged
For there is no man which had not rather loose al his goods then to loose his life But because euery man knoweth not the way how to proceede to saue his neighbours life therefore Solomon doeth teache it vs when he saith A faythful witnesse deliuereth soules And forasmuch as there is none but God only which is true vnlesse hee communicate his trueth by his woorde wee cannot doe this pleasure vnto our neighbours to saue their liues except we be diligent to receiue the woorde to speake after it and to giue ourselues to doe the workes which it teacheth vs. This is the way which wee must holde for to bee a true witnesse But albeit there is but this one way yet may wee shewe ourselues true witnesses in diuers sortes If being called in iudgement for to beare witnesse of the trueth or beeing ordeined iudges wee speake trueth although that vpon our deposition othe or sentence they leade our neighbour to the gallowes and that hee be hanged yet doe we not cease to be true witnesses and to deliuer soules For when Solomon speaketh of the deliuerance of soules hee meaneth the innocent who are wrongfully troubled are in danger of their liues except that God rayse them vp true witnesses And also when wee witnesse or speake truth against the wicked for to sende him to death though wee saue not his life yet doe wee not cease to bee a true witnesse and to saueliues For in purchasing the punishement of the wicked wee are cause that diuers doe liue in peace and rest and thus doe we preserue and saue liues the which is a very acceptable thing before God who wil haue the Magistrate Deut. 17. 6. Rom. 13. 3. 1. Tim. 2. 2. to punish the malefactor vppon the othe of twoo or three witnesses that the euil being purged wee might liue in peace Now if the Lorde be careful of such corporal and temporal sauing and preseruing let vs vnderstande that by a farre stronger reason hee taketh care for the spiritual and eternal sauing of liues as hee hath alwayes shewed when hee hath raysed vp true men which haue giuen themselues to shewe the way of truth vnto his people as were Noe Abraham Loth Moyses Iosua the Iudges the holy kings and Prophetes And not content heerewith hee hath sent his owne Sonne who not onely was a true and faythful witnes for to preach deliuerance as a minister and seruant but by himself hath made the purgation of our sinnes sheadding his most precious blood for the eternal redemption of our soules And if the deliuerance of our Heb. 1. 3. 9. 12. Rom. 8. 32. soules be so precious before God that he hath not spared his owne Sonne it foloweth therefore that we must be careful thereof before al other things otherwise we are great contemners of God and renoūce to be saued redeemed by Iesus Christ the which is to do him greate iniurie and consequently to put our soules in bondage with the Deuil for to loose them and not to deliuer and saue them Nowe for to be careful of our deliuerance we must as Iesus Christ hath sent vs his Apostles and disciples for to be true witnesses vnto vs and asmuch as lay in their ministerie haue deliuered vs from death and damnation euen so stil nowe wee shoulde demande of him such Pastours and ministers which wil bee true witnesses who wil declare nothing vnto vs but the pure woorde of God to the which if wee cleaue by fayth and repentance they shal deliuer our soules But if in steede heereof wee haue itching eares let vs looke 2. Tim. 4. 3. for bondage and destruction as Solomon doeth signifie when hee saith But a deceiuer speaketh lyes Forasmuch as he setteth the deceiuer against a true witnesse and lyes against deliuerance hee teacheth vs that false witnesses seeke nothing else but to holde their neighbours captiue and to destroy them folowing therein their father the Deuil who from the beginning hath beene a lyer and a murtherer But as they are the most profitable witnesses which Iohn 8. 44. preach vnto vs Iesus Christ euen so the most exquisite deceiuers are they which vnder the shadowe of religion doe set foorth mens traditions and doctrines of Deuils vaine speculations and subtill questions For such so much as they can doe shut vp the kingdome of heauen from men and doe deliuer them vnto the Deuil And the other deceiuers doe bring hurt either vnto our goods or to our name or to this present life the which is but a small damage in comparison of the losse of our soules Neuerthelesse the worlde is so much giuen vnto temporal riches and maketh so great account of his good name and loueth this life so wel that he careth nothing for his saluation and feareth more the deceiuers which bring temporall hurte then those which destroy them for euer yea hee is so blinde that he honoreth them 26 In the feare of the Lorde is an assured strength and his children shall haue hope It is a great comfort for vs when we thinke that our neighboures are so wel affectionate towardes vs that we may trust them that they wil not labour to doe vs any hurte but shewe vs al fauour pleasure and gentlenes Nowe forasmuch as al men are lyers and their helpe vayne and that there is none but God onely true and that hope onely in him confoundeth not in as much as hee neuer fayleth to graunt as he requireth wee must therefore conclude that they which trust in him shal not loose their hope If we may once knowe his good affection towardes vs and so trust in him assuring ourselues that he would vs nothing but good we should be therby a greate deale more be comforted then with all the good opinions wee can conceiue of men For let the man bee neuer so wise or good yet is hee vnconstant and mutable but God is faythfull Num. 23. 19. Esay 55. 8. 9 10. 11. and changeth not his mynde But to the ende that we conceiue not a vayne consolation falsely beleeuing that we haue a strong hope in God when we haue but a light opinion of his promises and yet wil giue ourselues licence to doe after our owne fantasie and are bold to folow our good intentes or to liue in al dissolutenes after the affection of our corrupt nature the which demandeth nothing but libertie of the fleshe to the ende I say that wee conceiue not this vayne consolation Solomon doeth teach vs where wee shall finde strong hope when he saith In the feare of the Lord is an assured strength If then we wil be assured that God wil not destroy vs but assist vs and prouide for vs al thinges necessarie both for our soule and bodie and will not forsake vs til he hath placed vs in his heauenly kingdome we must then haue the feare of the Lord as the good olde fathers fearing God stayed themselues vppon him Heb. 11. 4.
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
and hauing like affections and albeit they haue diuers fathers diuers mothers yet are they al of one blood by a stronger reason Acts. 17. 26 brethrē which are of one fleshe of one father and of one mother ought to be careful to keepe hold togither The which Iuda considering Gen. 37. 26. 27 saide What shal this profit vs to kil our brother and to hide his blood for hee is our brother and our fleshe And ought rightly to feare to bee diuided and separated through hatred and enimitie for if betweene strangers which agree not there are discords and combats very hardly to bee pacified yet are they much more harder to be appeased betweene brethren Solomon doth signifie the same saying a brother offended is harder to winne thē a strōg citie c. For speaking thus he sheweth that if a brother feeling himselfe or thinking to bee offended with his brother doeth reuolt from him and proclaimeth to bee his enemie that there is no lesse but more hardnesse to winne and quiet him then for an armie to take a strong towne and wel fenced citie by assaulte or to breake open the gates of a pallace c. And thus the brethren are admonished heere to be very careful to keepe brotherlie vnitie together and diligently to fly al occasions of strife and chiefly not to bee like vnto Caine who without any iniurie offred by Abel conceiued a deadly hatred not Gene. 4. 8. 37. 4. to folowe the children of Iacob which coulde not suffer that their malice shoulde bee discouered by Ioseph Therefore let vs fly al hatred anger and rancour for they that are intangled therewith are of the number of murtherers There are other literal expositions Mat. 5. 22. 1. Iohn 3. 15. but they al serue to shewe vnto the brethren howe profitable and necessarie it is for thm to agree together if they wil continue for if they be wel ioyned together they shal be as it were iuincible If it be thus amongest carnal bretheren by a stronger reason they that are brethren in Iesus Christ and holde spirituall vnitie shal be fortified against all worldly and hellish power 20 With the fruite of a mans mouth shall his belly bee satisfied and with the increase of his lippes shall he be filled Not onely man in the Scripture is compared vnto a tree but also almost euery member of his bodie as nowe Solomon maketh the mouth and the lippes like vnto a tree or to his branches or also vnto a peece of land whose fruites and reuenues we gather For he saith With the fruite of a mans mouth c. In the which comparison he vseth Repetition saying twice al one thing after the maner of the Scripture for a greater confirmation and to shewe that that which is sayde is very certaine and shall out of al doubt come to passe Wherevpon the faithful which are wel instrcted to speake wisely and purely ought to be rightly comforted and the wicked which talke vanitie and lying ought to be sore affraide if they vnderstoode what Solomon pronounceth against them for as touching the faithful which speake holy and honest things as praiers Psalmes and spirtual songues and al other woordes which serue too the glory and honour of God and to the edifying of their neighbours they haue a promise that their woorde shal be profitable and shal be rewarded so abundantly that they shal not want any thing and shal not neede to desire any more Solomon signifieth this same when hee saieth His belly shal bee satisfied For as when the belly is filled with meates and with drinkes abundantly he is full and desireth no more euen so the reward of the good speaker shal be so liberal that his desire shal be accomplished for euer For as in speaking trueth with his mouth hee hath confessed God euen so also hee shal bee confessed and knowne of God in the heauenly glorie wherein Psal 16. 11. 17. 15. there is fulnesse of ioy c. Contrarily the wicked which haue euil mouthes and venemous lippes haue an horrible and feareful threatning which is that as they doe giue their mouths and lippes vnto euil both against God and their neighbours euen so also they shal haue al their fil of plagues for euer By this same let vs knowe that it is no smal goodnesse for a man to gouerne his mouth rightly Psal 5. 7. 11. and also to talke wickedly is no smal euil 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue and they that loue it shal eate the fruite thereof Euen as by violent smyting of the hands we kil euen so contrarily in helping with them wee labour to preserue a man in life and as it seemeth right that the euil wee suffer and also the good which wee possesse doe proceede from the handes and that they are the instrumentes seruing eyther to wel doing or euil euen so we transferre it from the arme attributing it vnto the profitable or hurteful member of the handes as when Solomon saith Death and life c. Hee giueth an hande to the tongue because it is a member that hurteth very much if it bee applied vnto euil contrarily it helpeth much when it is wel vsed This same is knowne and is seene by experience for in lying flattering slaundering and false witnesse bearing against our neighbour wee goe about to destroy him and no thanke to vs which haue so venemous tongues that our neighbours of whome wee haue spoken euil be not slaine Contrarily in speaking trueth and by the same excusing our neighbours which otherwayes were in danger of their persons we haue preserued their life as Ioseph Dauid Susanna and others haue prooued it Also in hauing wordes of edification and wholesome doctrine in our mouths we lead our neighbours who are wel edified vnto eternal life But though Solomon doeth attribute vnto the tongue that it applyeth his hande vnto contrarie vses the same is not to say that hee alloweth that the tongue shoulde bee a murtherer except it be by accident against the minde and wil of him that ruleth his tongue for there is no tongue so wholesome nor healthful that bringeth not death vnto the wicked vnbeleeuing obstinate and indurate mockers and contemners of trueth And he shal smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lippes shal he slay the wicked S. Esay 11. 4. 2. Thes 2. 8. 2. Cor. 2. 14. Ia. 3. 3. 9. Iames agreeing with Solomon woulde haue vs to apply our tongues to nothing but to goodnesse for hauing made a complaint against the malice of the tongue he doeth admonishe vs not to vse it as the common sorte of men doe If we wil beleeue Saint Iames wee shal haue a good rewarde otherwise wee shal haue plagues our belly ful as hath beene handled in this present sentence and as nowe Solomon doeth signifie it when he saith And they that loue it c.
I that children ill brought vp despyse them offend them do them wrong seeke in this sort to shut them out far from them where by right they should enterteine them carefully in al humanitie gentlenesse with feare humilitie and reuerence Such children are shameful and vnworthy principally before God which knoweth wel howe to destroy them and put them backe from him with the Diuel vnder whome they serue 27 My sonne heare no more the doctrine that leadeth thee vnto errours from the words of vnderstandinge Seeing that Solomon admonisheth his sonne that is to saie him that is minded to obay his commandements and beleeue his doctrine and hath already a good beginning or yeeldeth himselfe attentiue to learne good doctrine seeing I say that it is to such a sonne that hee speaketh and admonisheth him to heare no more any false instruction let vs vnderstande that he speaketh not of the instructions of the Priestes and Doctors of the Gentils which led them to abhominable obseruations who fought directly against the lawe in so much that the most rude amongst the children of wisedome amongst the people of Israel might knowe them and easilie keepe themselues from them if they woulde not worke against their owne consciences and despyse God willingly It was easie for them to take heede thereof for in the lawe they were often warned both by expresse wordes and by sharpe threatnings But hee talketh of the instructions of them who vnder shadowe of beeing Iewes and magnifying with their mouth the lawe of God shewing themselues very zelous of the glory of God and profite of their neighbours deceyued the people bringing in sectes and practising superstitions which had some spyce of holinesse and religion And so they peruerted the state of the Churche which was wel ordeyned and disposed as Core and his companions As also those against Rom. 16. 1 Ier. 4. 14. Ezech. 13. 1. whome the true Prophetes cryed and amongst the rest Ieremie and Ezechiel Of such Prophetes the number hath beene great as may bee seene in the 1. Kings chap. 18. vers 19. And not onely then but also in the tyme of our Lord Iesus Christ and his Apostles the Scribes and Pharisees and others were of that number as our Sauiour sheweth Math. 16. 6 23. 13. Phil. 3. 18. Ioh. 2. 18. 4. 1. it when hee willeth men to take heede of their leauen and when hee pronounceth them euil lucke Saint Paule also sheweth it and Saint Iohn Such fellowes are very dangerous because of their doctrine which beare a fayre shewe are in the meane whyle turned from the obedience of the lawe which is the true knowledge Deut. 13. 1. Esa 9. 15. Iere. 23. 18. 15. Rom. 16. 17. 2. Tim. 2. 14. Ose 4. 5. Mat. 24. 4. 11. 23. Act. 20. 29 30. 1. Tim. 1. 4. 2. Tim. 3. 1 2. Pet. 2. 1 Psa 25. 4. 119. 33. â—â—3 8. 10. as there are many aduertisementes thereof Saint Paule also sheweth the danger wel Solomon therefore admonisheth his sonnes to wit eche faythful ChristeÌ„ man not to giue eare to consent to the instruction of such false Prophetes which make the true preaching of the woorde to bee despysed which is the true knowledge without the which wee are blinde and â—â— force must goe astray stumble fall and perishe This present admonition is nowe as necessarie for vs as it was at the tyme of Solomon As wee ought to vnderstande by that which our Lorde Iesus Christe hath foretolde vs and Saint Paule and Saint Peter Let vs note therefore that wee are admonished diligently to reade the scriptures and frequent sermons of the woorde of trueth For it is there that wee heare the woordes of knowledge Not to goe astray therefore wee haue to pray with Dauid Lorde make me to knowe thy wayes direct mee in thy trueth and instruct mee 28 The false witnesse scorneth iudgement And the mouth of the wicked deuoureth iniquitie Many weigh it not much to beare false witnesse against their neighbours although their owne consciences reprooue them and this may bee because they thinke or else seeke to make themselues beleeue that they do no hurt but to them against whome they witnesse falsly who are men as they are and that they abuse none by theyr false witnessing but earthly iudges but heere Solomon doeth shewe them that this is not so light a matter as they make it and that they open their mouthes euen vp into heauen and speake against God for they scorne against iudgement the which although men exercise it notwithstanding it is not their iudgement but of God of whome iudges are but ministers and as it were instrumentes And hee alone is iudge of al the worlde and so the wrongful witnesse not onelie stryueth to set Gen. 18. 25. Rom. 3. 7. 8. 9. Psal 7. 9. 9. 8. 9. 75. 6. 7. 8. disorder trouble and confusion in worldly affayres in doing their neighbours dammage and abusing the iudges to make them erre from the right but also hee despyseth God and asmuch as in him lyeth depriueth him of his trueth and righteousnesse and consequently of his diuinitie for hee cannot bee God but hee must bee veritable and iust which is a mockery so detestable that God wil not leaue it vnpunished as Solomon hath saide before in this chapter ver 5. and 9. But the false witnesses are so affectionate to yl speaking and finde so much sweetenesse therein that they thinke not of that which wil folowe but onelie to speake euil with greate desire and pronenesse As gluttons and drunkardes doe which deuoure meate and swallowe vp drinke with the greate desire that they haue to fil their bellyes and cease not to put in their mouths for al their pastime is to eate and drinke Euen so false witnesses apply al their studie to speake wickedly Solomon signifieth the same saying And the mouth of the wicked deuoureth iniquitie Wherein also hee signifieth the ruyne of the wicked which giue their mouthes to euil speaking for as the gluttons and drunkardes kil and choke themselues with too much excesse euen so the wicked shal be condemned for the words of their mouths And wheras the holy scripture applyeth it self often to our maner of speaking it must not be thought strange of that which we haue said for when we see any one desirous to tel a tale we say he byteth vpon it as vppon an apple and so wee say of gluttons and drunkardes that they kil themselues because they neuer cease as it were to drinke and eate abundantly Neuerthelesse because the woorde deuoure doeth signifie also to hyde some expounde it that the wicked dissemble iniquitie because in bearing false witnesse they would bee thought to speake trueth 29 Iudgementes are prepared for the scorneful and stripes for fooles backes There are diuers scornefull persons in the worlde and in diuers sortes as experience sheweth it and Solomon hath witnessed it heretofore speaking of the scorneful
all shine with them and men haue them in admiration for suche sightes do dimme the eyes of the poore which are simple would gladly bee of power to appeare like vnto them So also they seeke to hoarde vp in their treasuries great sommes of gold and money And when they are so enriched they please themselues greatly as being possessours of the most precious thinges of the worlde And indeede there is no worldly thing more precious than golde and pearle Also the holie Scripture to applye it selfe to our rudenesse beeing willing to shew vs the excellencie of the worde of God and howe wee ought greatly to esteeme it compareth it to gold siluer and precious stones It is onely because of our rudenesse that such Ps 12. 7. 18. 31. Mat. 13. 44. Psa 19. 10. a comparison is made For the woorde of God surmounteth infinitely and incomprehensibly al riches of the worlde And therefore if wee esteeme and praise worldly thinges that are precious it behooueth vs farre more to be affectioned to the worde and say with a pure and cleane heart The iudgementes of the Lorde are more to bee desired than golde and more sweete than honie c. The doctrine of thy mouth is better vnto mee then a thousande 11. 119. 72. 127. Pro. 3. 13. peeces of golde or siluer I haue loued thy commandementes more then gold or Iewels Solomon hath shewed vs heeretofore that wee ought to be so affectioned to this worde Hee sheweth it vs presently when he saith There is golde c. Wee ought to esteeme nothing more precious then the worde of trueth which is spoken vnto vs by the lippes of the Ministers of the Lorde That worde is the knowledge which maketh their lippes precious And if the worldly sort do take pleasure and delight their eyes when they see fayre Iewels of gold and precious stones by a farre more reason wee ought to bee attentiue to the lippes of knowledge to receiue it not as the seede which falleth by the high way or on rockie grounde or amongest thornes to receiue thereby some transitorie or temporal tast but as the good earth doeth which maketh the seede to flourishe so it behooueth vs to receiue this knowledge in heart pure and neate thereby to reioyce and feede our soules Not as they which feede onely their eyes when they beholde any fayre Iewel and afterwarde haue no fruition thereof But if wee receiue the word with a good hearte it wil remayne with vs for euer and wil neuer departe from vs for it is not like fraile and transitorie things but endureth and abideth for euer And therefore Saint Peter counselleth vs to loue one an other in Esai 40. 6. 7. 8. 1. Pet. 1. 23. heart purely being regenerate not of corruptible seede but incorruptible to wit the worde of God liuing and enduring for euer If wee desire to come to this let vs folowe the counsel that Solomon giueth vs. Get thee saieth hee from a foolishe man c. Pro. 14. 7. Thus doing we shal not onely haue pleasure to heare the lippes of knowledge but also our heartes shal be so replenished with science that of the abundance there of our lippes shal be opened and speake to the praise of God and the edification of our neighbours after the counsel of Saint Paul Ephe. 5. ver 19. 20. 19 Take his garment that is suretie for a stranger and take a pledge of him for the vnknowne sake The Lorde God in his lawe permitteth that one take a pledge of him to whome hee hath lent any thing but hee wil that incontinent the pledge bee giuen againe to the poore and that rather one Mat. 5. 42. Luk. 6. 30. 35. endure some losse then to bee vnkinde and cruel towarde the indigent and needie folowing that which Iesus Christ hath taught vs. Solomon folowing the lawe wil that wee take heede of loosing our goods which we lende and for the suretie thereof to take a pledge for hee sayeth Take his garment c. And therefore he speaketh not of taking a pledge betweene brother and brother that is to say of him that is of the same nation and religion with him that lendeth and taketh pledge as there is expresse mention made therof in the law for it saith not when thou lendest to whosoeuer but to thy neighbour to wit hee that is a Iewe by nation and religion as thy selfe but hee speaketh of people which knowe not one another nor knowe not the faculties and neede the one of the other as may bee seene by that where hee saieth A stranger but for exposition he saieth also The vnknowne For this cause hee maketh no mention of restoring the gage againe straight way Neuertheles let vs not thinke that hee wil permit more or greater rigour then God doeth in his lawe For as it hath beene touched The lawe speaketh of them which are of the same nation and religion and which knowe one another and howe eche thing standeth amongst one another And Solomon speaketh of the vnknowne and willeth that one bee careful to take good assurance for one knoweth not whether they be men of a good conscience and conuersation or prodigal and excessiue in expences as dicers gluttons drunkardes and whoremaisters In whose handes it is not good to trust ones goods but if hee doe to take a sure pledge for safegarde for goods are committed to vs not to let them goe at randon but to dispende reasonably and helpe our neighbours therewith which are poore and indigent Meane while let vs esteeme none as strangers but those which are of a dissolute life For Iesus Christ hath vnited vs Ioh. 10. 16. Ephe. 2. 14. all 17 A man thinketh the bread sweet that is gotten with deceite but afterwardes his mouth shal be filled with grauel Wee ought to knowe by that which is commanded vs in the lawe and by the great number of aduertisementes which are made vs in diuers places of the Scripture that God loueth trueth iustice innocencie loyaltie and humanitie and wil that wee folow these vertues where contrariwise hee hateth lying iniquitie false dealing deceite and crueltie and al wicked traffickes deceites and disguisements which hee wil in no case that wee vse Then if wee were the seruantes of God fearing him as wee ought if we woulde frankly obeye our heauenly Father as good children wee shoulde thinke his commaundementes good and take great pleasure to folowe and keepe them being verie loath and sorie to faile in any one pointe of them But wee are of so corrupt and wicked a nature that wee wil not hearken to our God and Father but thinke that too sharpe and rigorous which hee commaundeth It seemeth vs that hee is too seuere and rigorous and that wee shoulde neuer haue good daye if wee shoulde yeelde ourselues subiecte to his wil. For this cause turning backe and wholy reuolting from him reiecting his yoke wee giue ourselues to the deuil and wil
them athwart maketh some to falhere and other some there so that they cannot rise againe euen so is it meete that they ouerthrowe and destroy the wicked And as in the time when they fought and went to warre with waggons or chariottes they ranne the wheeles ouer the bodies of the enemies which were smittē down to the groūd to bruze thē to the end that they should not reuiue again so kings superiours ought to bruse the wicked to the ende they haue no more power to doe euil to any body Hee that woulde vnderstande by the wheele any kinde of torment that the Iewes vsed it woulde be no inconuenience For the rest when Solomon threateneth so the wicked of being dispersed and brused let vs vnderstande that hee warneth vs too flie from wickednesse and to giue ourselues to wel doing according as God commandeth it in his lawe and according to the ordinances of our Princes and superiours which are wise and prudent and which seeke not but that God be serued and honored according to his worde and their subiects liue in peace and good vnitie togither 27 The lampe of the Lorde is the soule of man searching all the inward partes of the belly The lampe that is cleere and shyning serueth to many vses first to guide them that walke by night in the darke and to make them see their way to the intent they goe not astray nor smyte themselues against any thing or fal into any ditch or caue Secondly it giueth light to them that are locked in darke prisons wherein they see neither Sunne nor moone And for these twoo purposes it is as it were halfe a life to them that vse it for those that are or walke in darkenesse are as it were halfe dead Thirdly it serueth to finde things hid in holes in the darke Now that which the lampe doth outwardly and corporally the worde of God which liueth raigneth in our harts by the holy Ghost doeth the same in wardly and spiritually And therefore the scripture calleth it Lampe or light attributeth to the word the things aforesaid and this is not without cause for of ourselues we are and walke in darknesse of ignorance not knowing what we haue to doe and it conducteth vs. Thy woorde serueth for a lampe to my feete and as a light to my Ps 119. 105. 130. Rom. 7. 14. Eph. 2. 8. Ps 19. 8. 9. pathes Of ourselues we are dead being seruants slaues to sinne and death and the worde lightneth vs freeth vs and quickneth vs. Of ourselues wee are hypocrites and cannot nor wil not knowe that which is in vs. But the woorde discouereth and reuealeth the things that are hid in the depth of the heart And so it is not without cause that Solomon saith The Lampe of the Lorde c. For as the soule giueth life to the Iohn 8. 31. 32. 16. 8. Heb. 4. 12. Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. body so the word of God maketh man quicke and principally when man by faith cleaueth to his promises For by the lawe wee are accursed and condemned in so much as wee cannot accomplishe it but wee liue and are saued by the assurance which wee haue in the promises for the innocencie obedience iustice and holinesse of Iesus Christ are imputed to vs. Neuerthelesse wee ought not to separate the lawe from the promises For were it not Rom. 5. 18. 19. 1. Cor. 5. 21. Deut. 30. 15. Leuit. 18. 5. Rom. 3. 20. our corruption and naughtinesse it were to vs a cleere lampe to reioyce and quicken vs as one may see Also it searcheth well the inwarde partes of the bellie when it discouereth to a man the malice of his hart For by the lawe it is giuen to knowe sinne 28 Mercy and truthe shal preserue the king and with louing kindnesse his seate shal be established For as much as kings haue not one onely duetie towardes al their subiects indifferently but it behoueth thē to handle the wicked after one sort the good after another For this cause the holy scripture giueth them now one instruction and now another to the end that they may knowe how to render euery one his deserts We haue seene heretofore that when Solomon would encourage kings against the wicked hee hath attributed to them rigour seueritie crueltie and to make them meeke and gentle towardes the good he Prou. 16. 14. 19. 20. 2. Prou. 16. 35. hath attributed to them mercy and benignitie And nowe againe he warneth kings of their duetie towardes the good when he saieth Mercie and trueth c. And therewithal hee sheweth them that to raigne and beare rule long tyme and without resistance it is not meete that they vse tyrannie and crueltie disceyt or disloyaltie but that they bee merciful and true Benignitie regardeth principally the subiectes For they are willingly induced to loue their superiours and obay them freely when they see them gentle curteous pitiful and that they are more inclyned to mercy then to rigour and seueritie Trueth also regardeth the subiects For it is not meete that Princes vse fraude to their subiects but that they defende and keepe both them and their goods faythfully Notwithstanding one may say that trueth hath respect principally to them abrode with whome Princes haue any thing to practise For if they wil raigne peaceably and without contradiction it is meete that they keepe faythfully their promises and that they seeke no way to breake the fayth promised neither by disceit nor violence or any other meanes towards them with whome they haue to doe if one wil say that mercy regardeth men and trueth God I wil notwithstande them for it is necessary that kinges serue God in trueth according to his worde eschewing al thinges contrary to the same and making it bee kept of their subiectes as much as in them lyeth to the ende that God bee honoured as hee requireth And also as it is so that they holde the seate of God who is iust and true in al his iudgements it is meet that they iudge with iustice trueth without respect of persons or couetousnesse of giftes and presents and that they repulse the lyars flatterers talebearers and backbiters punishing them and destroying them with all false witnesses Thus doing they shal be preserued and established in their thrones as the good kinges haue tried it Pharao hath not vnderstoode this same neither hath hee beene preserued but after many plagues hath beene destroyed in the waters of the Sea one may ioyne Solomons sonne who woulde not handle his people gently If therefore kinges and princes wil not come to the like condition let them not lift vp their heartes ouer their brethren but let them followe the meekenesse of Moses Iosue Dauid Iosias Ezechias such others which haue been preserued and haue established their Deut. 17. 20 thrones by benignitie and mercy And because it is not most commonly profitable for the people to change their
Solomon threateneth the sluggish therwith when he saith His desire shal kil him And when hee so saith he threatneth him secretly of eternal death For if God deeme not the slouthful man woorthie of this present life it foloweth that he wil not giue him life eternal It is therefore euil spoken when one saith of a sluggard that he is a good man except hee take good for vnprofitable for wee ought to attribute no goodnesse to him that God condemneth 26 He coueteth greedily al the day long but the righteous giueth and spareth not Sith hee putteth the righteous as contrarie to the slouthful he sheweth wel that the slouthful is wicked and that hee deserueth wel to haue pouertie destruction and decaie And when he putteth giueth and spareth not against coueteth greedily hee sheweth the insatiable auarice and great crueltie of the slouthful Hee sheweth that the slouthful hath no care of himselfe and that hee hath no compassion nor pitie of the poore And this is for no smal while but he perseuereth in his auarice crueltie For as Solomon saieth He coueteth greedily al the day long And contrarie The righteous neuer ceaseth to doe good as Solomon declareth when hee saieth And he spareth not Wherein we see that we cannot claime the title of being righteous if we perseuer not to vse charitie and doe the workes of mercie But although it be saide that the sluggarde hath a care of himselfe neuerthelesse the care that hee hath is not properly care but onely a greedinesse more then bestial For if hee had a due care of himselfe hee woulde studie to woorke the health of his soule with feare and trembling And in this maner he woulde saue both bodie and soule whereas nowe they go to wrack and ruine For iudgement shal be done without mercie to him that hath vsed no mercie Contrariwise the righteous man prouideth Deu. 12. 2. 3. Mat. 13. 41. 25. 31. Ioh. 5. 28. 29. for his soule and bodie by giuing and perseuering to doe wel Seeing that Blessed are the merciful for they shal obtaine mercie yea perpetual mercie both in bodie and soule 27 The sacrifice of the wicked is abhomination by howe much more they bring it with an euil wil. The wicked worke in diuers maners both towards God man for some proceede with good intention and think to doe God good seruice ought to bee praised of their neighbours for their deedes As Saint Paule did before hee was called to the knowledge of the Gospel As also many in the Papacie which thinke to doe God good seruice in murthering his seruauntes and children as Iesus Christ hath foretolde his Apostles But what good meaning soeuer Iohn 16. 2. they haue their workes are wicked and abhominable principally before God As Solomon hath saide He saith also anewe The sacrifice of the wicked is abhomination These here are hypocrites Prou. 15. 8. hauing some outward shewe of holines religion within there is nothing but malice which maketh them vse crueltie and inhumanitie Although they themselues thinke not so or at leastwise seeke to persuade themselues that there is no harme neither in their thoughts and deliberations nor in their enterprises proceedinges See here what they be that proceede with good intention and in what reputation their woorkes are with God Wherevpō ensueth that they may wel trauel afore they obtain that which they thinke they deserue for seeing their workes are abhominable before God it is meete that they goe to perdition and decaie There are an other sort of wicked men which are more shamelesse For although they knowe wel that they neither are nor wil be of any value and that they doe wrongfully against their consciences beeing wholly infected with wicked thoughtes mindes and willes yet neuerthelesse they wil haue reputation of religion and holinesse by some workes which haue faire apparance outwardly But as they wel deserue both they their workes are more abhominable then the others which proceed with good intention and their hypocrisie is more wicked As Solomon signifieth saying By howe muche more they bring it with an euil wil. In the number of these heere one must put al them that leade a life quite contrarie to the lawe of God and in the meane while seeke to blinde the eyes of others by ceremonies which shoulde be good if they had vpright heartes and that in the rest their conuersation were vnworthie of blame 28 The false witnesse shal perishe but a man that heareth shal stil speake Although the false witnesses knowe that they lye and that their consciences reprooue reprehend them and they can soone condemne those that should beare false witnesse against them and iudge them worthie of death not onely temporal but also eternal yet neuerthelesse they seeke to lye assuredly without remorce of conscience insomuche as they thinke that God neither heareth nor seeth them and they weene that their falshood and lying shal not come to the knowledge of any Iudge which shal haue power to punishe them For this cause the Scripture threateneth them often as we haue seene heeretofore as wel in the lawe and Prophetes as in this present booke And againe wee see this present threatening which is conformable to them that are gone astraie Suche menaces are made and redoubled for diuers reasons First to terrifie and afraie al lyers and false witnessers and those which take the name of God in vaine being such as sweare superfluous othes and are blasphemers cursers and renouncers of God and that being so often menaced they are made more faultie Secondly that wee bee wel admonished to take heede of ourselues to the ende wee become careful to folowe trueth and to flye from lying Thirdly to the ende that Iustices and Magistrates bee diligent to inquire out the trueth and not to let slip the false witnessers vnpunished as it is expresly commanded them in the lawe and hath bene alledged heretofore But because contrarie to the false witnesse he putteth a man that heareth and against perishe placeth speaking stil wee haue to note first of al that the lyar and false witnesser hath neither lawe nor Faith and consequently no religion for to yeeld obedience to the lawe one ought to heare and to submit himselfe to Fayth he ought also to speake And in these two pointes consisteth the Christian Deu. 4. 1. 6. 4. Esai 53. 1. Rom. 10. 14. Mat. 1. 15. religiō besides the which there is no religion We may know it by the beginning of the preaching of our Lord Iesus Christ Then seeing trueth consisteth in the word of God which is declared by the lawe and Gospel it must needes be that he which wil not heare the woorde must be voide of trueth and replenished with lying and falshood and that hee be without religion seeing also hee is without God and forceth not if God which cannot consist without his trueth be depriued of his diuinitie and be no more God For
feare one may say wel that Solomon speaketh not heere of that which kings do but of that which they ought to do And so cōmandeth almost al the kings of the earth for there are very few that are their freendes which loue cleannesse of hearte but rather hate them and persecute them Insomuch that if God did not defende the pure and cleane of hearte they shoulde bee often tempted to giue themselues to filth and infamie to shun the hate of kinges and too escape their persecutions Nowe when there is none of vs but hee desireth to bee beloued of superiours let vs vnderstande that wee are heere counselled to cleanse our heartes to the ende wee may haue gratious and pleasantlippes Vnder the which wee may heere comprehende not onely wordes but also al workes and deedes which shewe an inwarde cleannesse for to shunne prolixitie Solomon hath named but the lippes And also it woulde bee a thing of nothing and worthie of condemnation if wee vsed good woordes and that our works were not conformable thereto Let vs folowe therefore that which is taught vs. Washe yourselues therefore and be cleanly take away Esay 1. 16. 17 Iam. 4. 8. the filthinesse of your workes from before mine eies But what admonitiō soeuer is made vs it lieth not in vs to obey it neither can wee purifie our heartes ourselues there is naught but the blood of Christ Iesus that purifieth vs when wee drinke it by faith and that by the holy Ghost our consciences bee watered therewith too sanctifie vs and make vs obedient to the worde wherefore wee had neede to pray Washe mee wel from mine iniquitie cleanse Psal 51. 4 mee from my sinne 12 The eies of the Lorde haue regarde to knowledge but hee ouerthroweth the woordes of the transgressour If we desire greatly to haue grace in our lips to be acceptable to our kings and princes of the earth by a stronger reason wee ought stil to striue to please the almightie which is King of Kings seeth not only the lips but also al thoughts and deliberations be they neuer so deepe al enterprises and attemptes bee they neuer so hidden Nowe although al the world knowe not that GOD is so cleere of sight or that he printeth it not in his thought yet neuerthelesse there is none but he naturally vnderstandeth that hee is a God who ought to bee serued and pleased As one may see when there is no people so rude and barbarous which hath not some religion and some ceremonies by the obseruation of the which he maketh profession of his wil to serue God And so hee hath the zeale of God but this is not to say that hee pleaseth God For the zeale almost of al men is without knowledge wheretoo onely the Lorde hath regard As Solomon pronounceth saying The eies of the Lorde haue regard to knowledge This is not the knowledge of the wise and prudent of this world which is but vanitie but this is the knowledge by the which we are assured that God is our father that he loueth vs wil saue vs by the which also we know so his wil that we haue no greater desire but to obay him according as he commandeth This is the knowledge wheretoo the eies of the Lord haue regarde This pleaseth him so that hee demandeth al thinges to bee done by the same hee approoueth that which proceedeth from the same and maintaineth and preserueth them which walke according to the same Solomon vnderstandeth it so as he sheweth by the Antithesis saying but he ouerthroweth c. When he putteth ouerthrowing against to haue regarde hee giueth wel to vnderstand that God accepteth alloweth and preserueth the knowledge whereunto his eies haue regard Contrariwise that he hateth and disdaineth the woordes of the vnfaythful who are rebels to him seing he ouerthroweth their wordes And when he putteth The wordes of the transgressour a contrary to knowledge hee giueth wel to vnderstand that this knowledge is no other thing but the worde of trueth of iustice and equitie the which is so imprinted in the hart of man that he assureth himself of the bountie of God and demandeth nothing sooner then to obay him Contrariwise the wordes of the transgressour are al purposes counsels determinations and enterprises of those which despyse this knowledge and let themselues be caried away by their carnal affections and disordinate appetites to folow the wisedome of the worlde as also their deceites and malices Suche wordes or such doings please not nor cannot please God and therfore he ouerthroweth them and bringeth them to nothing and deceiueth the transgressours Esai 8. 9. 10. 19. 3. 30. 1. Iob. 21. 14. 15. Esai 2. 3. of their intents and enterprises as he doth threaten them Therefore let vs not be of the number of them which say to God depart from vs for we wil not know thy waies c. But that we inuite one an other saying Come let vs ascēd to the hil of the Lord he wil teach vs his wayes c. And albeit this knowledge al they which keepe it haue many enimies which craue but their decaie yet neuerthelesse they cannot preuaile against them for the Lord of hosts hath a care ouer thē he keepeth them defendeth thē as Solomon signifieth by the eyes of the Lord which haue regard to knowledge Also although the wicked which are enemies to the church of God wherin only is knowledge as the Pope is and al his adherents enemies of trueth vse many wordes and verie terrible although they determine and consult to mainteine themselues seeke practise to destroy the faithful Yet neuerthelesse let vs take heede not to renounce the true knowledge knowing that God hath a care ouer vs and that he wil not suffer his enemies to obtaine their desires but wil ouerturne al their enterprises destroy them And so the preaching of the pure trueth shal obtaine victorie and bee permanent whereas contrariwise the aduersaries shal perishe 13 The slouthful bodie saith there is a Lion without I shal be slaine in the streete One may wonder at Solomon that so often in so sundry maners speaketh of the slouthful but the cause wel vnderstoode one ought not much to wonder for the number of the slouthful is great and what admonition soeuer is giuen them yet they become not a whit more diligēt Also there are many which esteeme not thēselues slouthful because it seemeth to them that they haue good occasion to desist from their duetie They persuade thēselues that they haue good wil to be employed but there are many difficulties which will not permit them Solomon signifieth these difficulties by the Lion which is without which spareth not thē which are weake but killeth them and this is to mocke the slouthful withal Therfore if we wil not be mocked let vs beware we cōceiue no feare by the which we may desist from doing our duetie For it is meete that we
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
strong staye then if we did stand to the simple and plaine worde of God and to be better armed and fenced then if we were contented that God only should be our buckler and shielde In which doing we do outragiously misuse our God who only is most good most mighty and treade vnder feete holy things and precious pearles to wit his word so excellently purified And in this manner wee make ourselues exceeding giltie and reproueable not before the wise worldlings who in this matter doe wel allowe vs but before God who knoweth the heartes and searcheth the raines And also hee wil not faile nor misse to reprooue those which are so arrogant to put to his worde for euen when they put and adde too they doe then take from it not yelding him the honour that belongeth vnto him neither rendering the obediēce they owe vnto him For there are none of those braggers but wil omitte many things and sinne fowly also in diuers things And those that we shal esteeme the most holy and most deuout are commonly the foulest and most stincking so that we may place them in the number of them which are reprooued rebuked in the Psal 50. ver 16. And also the wise man placeth thē in the like order saying least hee reprooue thee adding theretoo the cause thou be found a lyer For it is asmuch as if he said God only is truth and his word is only true wherfore thou must trust vnto it and not presume to adde vnto his word For albeit that for a certaine time he dissemble wincke at it yet at the last he wil reproue thee and conuince thee of lying and falshoode For hee that presumeth to adde vnto this pure and vnfallible truth is alyer not only because he putteth forth trifles for to obscure and darken the truth but also that he reproueth God of lying and so much as in him lyeth doth make the trueth nothing worthe when hee hath mingled therwith the fantasies and inuentions of his owne head And thus he rightly deserueth to be reproued and rebuked yea with sore and grieuous punishment wherewith the lyers are threatened Psal 5. 7. 7 Two things haue I requyred of thee deny me them not before I dye Albeit that he which speaketh heere hath called himself brutish confessing what he was of himself yet we see here that he was very wise and wel learned when he knew that it was to God to whome he ought to direct his prayers in confessing him to be the authour and also giuer of al good things and that no where else we can finde nothing that is any thing worth or obtaine it And knowing this he sheweth himselfe very discreete when hee directeth himselfe vnto God who hath promised to helpe and to succour those which shall require him in truth that he wil heare them giuing them according vnto their requestes when time requireth it and as shal be expedient The which promise is enclosed in the couenant that the Lorde made with Abraham And in performing of this promise hee hath prouided for the generation of Abraham for to deliuer them from Gen. 12. 33. 13. 14. 15 17. 7. 8. Gen. 4◠7. 8. Exo. 2. 23. 24. 3. 4. their bondage and afflictions he sent Ioseph before thē into Egypt for to feede them in the time of famine When they groned and lamented vnder the tyrannie of Pharao God remembred this couenant and prouided for them a deliuerer And not only then but also in al their necessities when they cryed vnto God in sure trust he succoured thē at their neede as we may see in the holy histories by the care that he had to sent thē his seruāts the Prophets The which Dauid doeth wel acknowledge The wise man then looking trusting Psal 22. 5. 6. 34. 5. 6. 7. 8. in this couenant doth direct his request vnto God saying vnto him Two things haue I required of thee When he saith I haue required and that againe he requireth the same he sheweth that he was neither cold nor madde neither light nor vnpatient to looke for the helpe and assistance of God but that his hearte was feruent and through great and inuincible constancie he perseuered in prayer patience looking for his good pleasure nothing distrusting but that he should obtaine his request as he doth wel shew when he is not grieued nor wearied to cōtinew his prayer the which he could not do if he distrusted God And therewith by this continuation hee sheweth that he beleueth and knoweth how God only is the author of al goodnes and howe we must not seeke for that which is profible or necessary for vs elsewhere or of any other and also this word thee doeth shew it For it is asmuch as if hee saide for to obtaine whatsoeuer I shal need I should not runne vnto the creatures how holy and worthy soeuer they be but as I beleue that thou art Creatour of al things euen so I beleeue that of thy power goodnesse and prouidence thou onely gouernest thy creatures giuing vnto them whatsoeuer thou knowest to bee expedient vnto them and therefore it is thou only who hast the power and the wil to helpe and to graunt my request that I haue alreadie required And as hee doeth expresse his request tendeth to obtaine twoo thinges also twoo things chiefly are very necessarie for vs for this present life to wit an holy and pure conuersation and riches for to sustaine the outwarde man that wee may be strong for to do our office It may seeme after a sorte that Iacob making his vowe vnto God demandeth Gene. 28. 20. of him these twoo thinges that is to say holy conuersation when he saith If the Lord God wil be with me keepe me in the way that I shal walk wil giue me bread to eate clothes to put on c. True it is he desireth the helpe defence and protection of God but vnder the same wee may comprehend holy conuersation for it followeth the helpe of God Nowe the wise man knewe very well that these two things are necessatie for vs in this temporal and transitory life and therefore he requireth saying Deny me not them before I dye When after hauing sayde I haue required he addeth Deny me them not He continueth stil his request not by distrust or doubte that he hath howe God will not heare him but rather for to signifie and confesse that al riches both temporal and spiritual come from God alone and that if he shoulde deny them vnto vs there is none that can doe vs any good neither can obtaine any thing healthful for vs. The holy fathers did wel vnderstande this as they doe declare when they doe as it were importunatly complaine of the absence of God that they demande hee woulde arise and woulde shewe his face and that hee woulde not hide himselfe nor be farre from them He sheweth also that
Childrens children are Gods blessing and howe 349. b. 350. a Against such as complain that they are charged with too many Children 350. a What wee must doe to be crowned honestly with our Children 350. a What is meant by this That the glory of the Children are their fathers 350. b Who are Gods Children spiritualy begotten 5. a. Of the necessitie of knowledge in Children and why 3. a Of Children in age children in vnderstanding 3. a Of the dueties of Children to their parentes 92. a. b The names of Gods Children are registred in heauen 442. a Against such as would haue Children to doe according to their owne fansie 414. a Children which mocke contemne their parents compared to Carion howe 618. a What Children they be which offende and sin against their owne consciences 617. b. 618. a What it is that hindereth Children to inherit 248. b That a vertuous woman is worthie of publike praise whereupon followeth a lesson for Children 639. a What Children doe make glad their fathers 127. a The inconueniences which folow vpon not instructing of Children in their youth 450. a What parents must do if they desire to haue their Children prooue honest 450. b. Against such as thinke it not needful to busie themselues in teaching Children 449. b When Children neglect their duetie principally to their parentes 474. a. b A threatning against disobedient and rebellious Children 420. b Howe and when Children doe turne their parentes ioye into weeping and mourning 127. b Children that desire to make their parentes glad must folowe the word of God 127. b. Fathers mothers c. ought to be careful to see their Children instructed in gods word 127. a The wisedome of Children and inferiours standeth in obedience and sufferance to be ruled after the woorde of God c. and why 128. a. Church That we must be in companie with our mother the Church and why 58. a Against the Popishe Church and what wee must doe to discerne it 6. a b That we must be obedient to the Church if we wil heare God 6. a The Church is the spouse of God 6. a The Church is the piller strength of trueth 6. a Citie What Citie shal be eâ—alted by the blessing of the righteous 176. a Wherein the happinesse of a Citie consisteth 175. a What we must doe if we wil haue our Citie prosper and be happie 175. a By what blessing a Citie is exalted 175. b 176. a Cities That God alone ruleth Countries and Cities 175. a That hee which ruleth his minde is more valiaunt then hee which winneth Cities 345. Commandement For what reasons wee shoulde folowe the Commaundement of God with great diligence and loue 36. a That the keeping of the Commaundement is the keeping of the soule 393. a The Papistes confuted in that they holde opinion we should not obey the Commandement of louing our enemies 13. b The prayer of a Prince is as muche as his Commandement 13. b Commandementes That we decline not when wee despise the Commandements of men 71. a b That the Commandements of God are giuen vnto vs by men 56. a. b What is the meaning of these woordes To keepe the Commandements 392. b What lessons Moses teacheth vs in the two first Commandements 33 a. b The Commandements of God are the pathes of the righteous 30. a That the keeping of Gods Commandementes doeth not stand onely in outward works c. 32. b Why the length of our life is attributed vnto the lawe and the Commandementes 30. b The Commandementes diuided into mercie and trueth 31. What wee must doe to fulfil Gods Commaundementes and when wee fulfil them 19. b The meaning of Solomon by these wordes And hide my Commandements within thee 19. b Howe and in what sense we may say that the way of Gods Commandements is ours 260 b What kinde of loue God requireth of vs in the keeping of his Commandementes 239. b. 240 a Life is giuen vs by the keeping of Gods commandements 97. b What it is to receiue the commaundementes 134. a. b Companie Corruption of manners by wicked companie and euil examples 75. b The daunger of keeping companie with the wicked 61. b. 62. a The danger that commeth by an harlottes companie any way vsed 72. a b The Papists a hellish companie 246. b That we ought to take heede howe we keepe companie with whoores whoremongers and why 26. b. We must flie the companie of the wicked and not spare our goods from the poore if we would be satisfied 130. a The daunger and mischiefe of euil companie 106. a What companie wee must reiect and what companie we must seeke 106. b Compassion That we must haue pitie and compassion on them that hate vs. 513. a b Concupiscences Al such reprooued vnder the comparison of Horsleaches as are caried away of their vnbrideled concupiscences 617. a Confession Auricular confession condemned as hauing no foundation in scripture 567. a Confession of our sins to men necessarie and requisite and why 567. a Confession of sinnes to men prooued by sundrie examples 567. b Confession of sinnes ought to come only from griefe of hauing offended God c. 75. a Confession of sinnes comming from feare of punishment condemned 75. a What kinde of confession we should vse beeing afflicted 75. a Confession of mouth and consent of heart are required together in scripture 36. b Of the hypocritical confession of suche as repent not truely 75. a Confidence Against vaine confidence in worldly temporal thinges 159. a b Against vaine trust and confidence in riches 167. a Conscience The difference of conscience in the iust and the wicked 557. a. b That a good conscience is a continuall least and howe 304. a. b That the wicked doth not possesse that which he hath with a sound conscience 295. b Who bee the guides and gouernours of the righteous mans conscience 168. b A good conscience is stated vpon the grace of God c. 169. b. When the conscience of man is vpright and righteous 167. b None can flie the iudgement of the conscience 496. b What a man must doe to haue a pure and right conscience 167. b What is the cause that a man can not haue a pure and right conscience 167. b The framing of the conscience by the certeintie and assurance of Gods goodnes 168. a Of a right and sound conscience and in whom it is not to be found 168. b The euill conscience of the wicked doeth reprooue them and howe 14. a Consolation A consolation for the miserable and distressed 314. b. 315. a Howe the Lord ministreth consolation to the faithful afflicted 513. a Of such as are neuer the better for woordes of consolation 512. b. 513. a Constancie That constancie commeth not of ourselues but of God 218. a That there is no constancie without trueth 218. a Of constancie and who count that they haue it 217. b Contemners The iudgement of God against the Contemners of
principall organs and instruments to set forth knovvledge 296. b What we haue to learne by the comparison of knovvledge vnto seede 297. a Circumstances depending vpon true knovvledge 362. b That wee haue neede of increase of knovvledge 302. b. 303. a Of the certaine and infallible knovvledge of God from which nothing is hidde 487. b. What is the cause that knovvledge is not vsed so much as it ought 291. b. What knovvledge that is whereunto the eies of God haue regard 454 a. b Of the knovvledge of saintes and why it is so called 600. b That knovvledge is a faire possession and why few doe attaine to it 373. a Of the knovvledge of liberal arts which are the gifts of God 373. a A lesson for such as haue knovvledge in Philosophie not to be highminded 45. b The way to attaine vnto true knovvledge wherein it standeth 4. b Of the tree of knovvledge of good and euill differing from the tree of life 44. a. b. Of the true knovvledge of God and what excellent benefites followe the same 21. a. That without knovvledge children become stiffenecked c. 3. a What is needful for vs to doe if we be void of knovvledge 3. a The knovvledge and vnderstanding of Christians and what it is 2 a. b. L. Labour A commendation of labour and of those that doe vse it 85. a Man must woorke and labour according to the time and season of the yeere 132. a Labour is a burthen which the Lorde hath laide vpon vs. 131. a Necessarie points of doctrine concerning labour 182. b. 183. a The necessitie of labour and that it is the decree of God the father 131. b We must not labour for feare of being poore nor with a desire to bee riche and why 130. b Labour putteth not away pouertie except God blesse our labour 131. a The good and euill that is gotten and auoyded by spending the time in labour 132. b Of the man which cannot labour and howe he is to be intreated and vsed 182. a The labour of the righteous wherein it is employed 144. a Of labour and that necessitie is laide vppon man to worke 182. a The ende why wee labour what it is 185. b. What wee must doe if wee wil not loose our labour 184. b It is not necessarie that all men occupye themselues in bodily labour 182. b An exhortation vnto labour and a promise thereunto annexed 208. b Exhortations to labour 232. a That he which neglecteth labour is destitute of vnderstanding and the issues of the same 209. a. b Rules to followe if in dooing any thing wee wil not loose our labour 448. a. b The commendation of rurall labour or husbandrse 498. b Reasons inducing and drawing men to labour in their seueral callings 409. a The large signification of this woorde labour and what is meant by Winter 407. b That strength labour is taken for the goods that a man getteth by his worke to sustaine life 74. a By what reasons we are moued prouoked to apply and set ourselues to labour 339. b. 340. a Chiefe and special causes inducing vs to labour and trauel 346. b Labour commended vnto vs by sundrie reasons 336. a. b What wee must doe if wee will haue God to blesse our labour 274. a. b Labour commended and commanded vnder notable comparisons 621. a b Solomons wordes impugned saying in all labour there is abundance 274. a The labour of a man is for his mouth c. 16. b. Labours Diuerse vocations diuerse labours 182. b. The labours of the wicked and how they are recompensed 16. b. 17. a Lampe The sundrie vses of a cleere shyning lampe 425. a The worde of God compared to a lampe and why 425. a The meaning of these woordes The lampe of the Lorde is the soule of man c. 425. a. Why the lawe is not vnto vs a cleere lampe to reioice and quicken vs. 425. b The meaning of this woorde lampe in scripture 421. a What is threntened vnto vnrulle children vnder this worde lampe taken for issue and posteritie 421. a That this word lampe signifieth ioy and prosperitie 420 b. Lavve The lavve is the rule of perfect righteousnesse 168. a We ought not to separate the lavve from the promises 425. b That wee are accursed and condemned by the lavv and why 425 a What Solomon â—raneth by this woorde lavv in saying He that kepeth the lavv c. 561. b. 562. a What children must doe if they will keepe the lavv wel 562. a Who they are that forsake the Lavve after the sentence of Solomon 559. b. 560. a. What it is to forsake the lavve and who keepe it 560 a What is required of vs towards the keeping of the lavve 591. b Why the lavv which condemneth adulterers is compared vnto fire 95. a That the lavve foloweth the nature of the law giuer and how 95. a Why the length of our life is attributed vnto the lavve and the commaundementes 30. b The office of the Lavve and the Gospel 12. a What wee are bounde to doe vnto our parents by the Lavve of nature 613. b. 614. a Of the greatest point in the lavve and what the same is 327. a Of the Lavv of God many notable and singular doctrines 31. a b The Lavve of GOD is the way of good men 30. a The manner how we shoulde not forget the lavve of God 30. a The lavv deuided into mercy and truth 31. a Of the lavve of grace and the lavve of seueritie 98. a. b. Learning The meaning of these woordes And the care of the wise seeketh learning 373. b. Liberal What benefites God bestoweth vpon vs for being bountiful and liberal 191. a Who are liberal and what promises are made vnto such 191. a Persuasions to moue vs to bee liberal 192. b. That Christ admonished his disciples to bee liberal and how 194. a. Liberalitie The praise of liberalitie and the profit which it bringeth to such as vse it 128. b Against such liberalitie as consisteth only in promises 509. a Persuasions to induce vs to liberalitie 193. a. What ought to be our behauiour if wee bee disposed to vse liberalitie 509. b. Libertie When and in what cases we shew ourselues to haue true libertie and freedome 592. a That we are not at libertie of ourselues neither can be 592. a Of libertie and the commodities of the same and that there is nothing better 363. b. 364. a Of corporal and spiritual libertie and how wee are depriued of the same 363. b. 364 a. Lier That a lier shal not escape vnpunished 383. a. b. 386 b. 387. a What it is to make God a lier what manner of persons doe so 298. a. b. Liers That euerie man is a lier and who are the greatest liers 145 That the world is ful of liers from the prince to the people 348. a. b That liers bee daungerous and why 348. b. What wee must doe if wee wil not bee called liers 348.
that haue filthie thoughts in their hearts 315. b Of the thoughts of men and howe they come to naught 310. b What we must doe if wee will not haue our thoughts come to nothing 310. b. 311. a The meaning of Solomon in saying that there are many thoughts in the hearte of man 397. b Our thoughts are as present with God as if we shoulde expresse them by woordes or workes 409. b That GOD will giue a good issue to our thoughts vpon condition 311. a. Thriftinesse Of thriftinesse and that it is commendable 316. a. Tongue What Solomon meaneth saying that a wholesome tongue is as the tree of life 293. b The danger of a naughtie tongue proceeding from a froward heart 358. b. 359. a Of the tongue of destruction and who they be that haue such a tongue 348. a. b What mischiefes ensue if wee had a false tongue 89. b. 90. a The place of the tongue and howe the same ought to be vsed and applyed 89. b Why Solomon saieth that the tongue of the frowarde shal bee rooted out 163. a Sundrie terrible examples proouing that God hateth a false tongue 90. a The vse of the tongue and wheretoo wee ought to make it serue 147. a The tongue of the iust seeketh nothing but the glorie of God c. 148. a Vnto the tongue many wickednesses are attributed 162. b Why Solomon calleth the tongue of the wise health 317. a Of the tongue of the wise and what benefites the same bringeth 217. a The fruites of a froward tongue called euill fruites 162 a The office of the tongue when God hath it in ordering 322. a The meaning of these wordes A soft tongue breaketh the bones 510. a The tongue of the righteous compared vnto siluer and why 147. b That the frowardnesse of the tongue procureth the losse of our soules and howe 294. a That a lying tongue is one of the seuen things which God hateth 89. a. b The meaning of these wordes A false tongue hateth the afflicted 532. a. b A reason why Solomon giueth a hande to the tongue 376. b The vse of the tongue and howe it ought rightly to be applyed 377. a Who they bee that delight to haue an euill tongue 377. a. The excellencie of the tongue commended in holy scripture 291. a. b That the tongue of the wise vseth knowledge aright and how 290. b. 291. a. b. The rewarde of such as are busie of tongue with an admonition to keepe it 441. b. 442. a That death and life are in the power of the tongue 376. b. Tongues The reward of froward tongues after their misvsage at pleasure 162. a. 163. a With what kinde of tongues the world is filled 230. b Against euil tongues and lying lippes 211. a The complaints of holy scripture against wicked and accursed tongues 256. a. b How the wicked that are in authoritie doe whet their tongues both against God and man 255. b What we must do to make our tongues weapons of righteousnesse 89. b Against such as haue babbling tongues c. 371. b. Traditions The doctrines and traditions of men are called stolne waters and hid bread and why 126. a. Transgression Of the snares that are in the transgression of an euil man 583. a That transgression increaseth when the wicked increase and how 590. a. b. Transgressour What is meant by this worde Transgressour and of wages giuen to such 523. b. Treasure What we must do if we wil haue our dwelling places replenished with treasure and oyle 439. b What thinges are meant and vnderstoode by these woordes treasure and oyle 439. b. That our principal treasure must be the feare of God and why 439. b Why the goods which God giueth the wise man are called treasure and oyle 440. a. Howe and in what sense the house of the righteous is saide to haue much treasure 295. b What duties are required of vs to godward for the treasure of his wisedome 46. a. Treasures What Solomon meaneth by the treasures of wickednesse saying that they shal not profit 128. b. Triall The triall of God compared to a sining pot or furnace 347. a b The triall of heartes and wherein the same consisteth 347. b To what end God hath our hearts in tryall 347. b That it is good for vs to abide the Lordes trial and why 347. b. Trinitie A necessarie doctrine touching the Trinitie 111. a b. Trouble The meaning of Solomon by these wordes Trouble is the place of the righteous 172. b. The wicked shall come into Trouble for the iust and why 172. b. 173. a The cause of the wickeds trouble ought to be imputed vnto none but himselfe and why 173. a What kind of men they be that Trouble and set al things out of order 196. b Of the trouble which Solomon setteth against the feare of God 305 a. b The righteous escapeth out of trouble not of himselfe but by meanes 173. a. Troubles The righteous are not excepted from Troubles 172. b The righteous counted miserable for their Troubles sake 172. b The necessitie of patience in Troubles 172. b. Trueth Whatsoeuer is toutrarie to Trueth is wickednesse c. 104. b Why Solomon placeth Trueth against wickednesse and wherein Trueth consisteth 104. b Speaking of Trueth consisteth not only in the mouth but in workes 216. a The nature of Trueth and of whome shee taketh the same 218. a Of the lippe of Trueth and what doctrine is to be learned thereby 217 b. 218. a That God loueth Trueth and commendeth it 257. b That there is one Trueth but many wayes of speaking Trueth 215 a. b That he which wil not heare Gods woorde must needes bee voide of trueth 444. a. The knowledge of the trueth sufficeth not but a further thing is required 489. b Of trueth and that it is one of the partes whereinto the lawe is diuided 31. a The meaning of these words Buy trueth and sel it not 475. b. 476. a That there is no word of excellencie but the pure trueth 350. b. 351. a The Churche is the piller and strength of trueth 6. a. Trust Against vaine trust and confidence in riches 167. a Against trust and confidence in riches 194. a. b Of him that putteth his trust in man and him that putteth his trust in God 195. b That we must not trust to the good deeds of others 230. a Sundrie meanes ordeyned of God and teaching vs to put our trust in him 459. a. b. Confidence and trust in an vnfaythfull man in time of trouble like a broken tooth and a slyding foote 512. a. b That we cannot put our trust in God but by Iesus Christ 459. a The sure and happie estate of such as trust in the Lord. 604. b. 605. a It is ill done to trust in temporal and worldly helpes and why 159. a Of assured trust and wherein the same consisteth 278. a What it is to trust in the Lorde 576. a. The state of them that put their trust in
good thing of her husbande and why shee is so called 377. a. b A notable description of a good and vertuous vvife woorthie to be read and folowed 628. b. 629. a. b. 630. a. b. 631. a. b. 632. a. b. 633. a. b. 634. a. b. 635. a. b. 636 a b. 637. a. b. For what causes a man should not esteeme al the riches in the worlde so much as his vvife 629. a A vertuous vvife compared to ships of merchandise 630. b. 631. a That a wicked vvife is the corruption of her husbandes bones and howe 203. a. b Notable and excellent doctrine concerning the plague of a brauling vvife 433. a b VVinde Ariotous woman compared to vvinde and oyle and in what respectes 541. a. b Who they be of whom it is saide They shal inherite the vvinde 196. a. b In what significations this worde vvinde is taken in scripture 196. a. VVine The danger of vvine excessiuely taken declared by a double comparison 479 b. 480 a In what respectes vvine is saide to be scornefull 405. b. 406. a The inconueniences which come from immoderate drinking of vvine 405. b The meaning of these wordes Regard not thou the vvine when it is redde c. 479. a. b That vvine is taken in scripture for him that is addicted thereunto 406. a Why Kinges c. are forbidden to drinke vvine 625. b To what ende God giueth vs the vse of vvine 405. b Against the often and excessiue vse of vvine 405. b The necessitie of vvine and to whom it must be giuen 626. b. 627. a To what ende vvine must bee giuen to them that haue a heauie heart 627. a. b Vnto whome the giuing of vvine spirituall vvine I meane doeth belong 627. b. VVisedome What kinde of rest it is that Solomon attributeth vnto vvisedome 285. b Of the vvisedome of the prudent and the effectes of the same 285. b Howe blessed they are which loue vvisedome and of the contrarie 581. a Of the getting of vvisedome and who possesse her 56. b. 57 a. b After what three kindes of people vvisedome crieth 11. a The wordes of Solomon impugned when he hiddeth vs eâ—alt vvisedome 58. b The opinion of trauellers into strange countries concerning vvisedome 360. b. 361. a. That the welspring of vvisedome is like a flowing riuer and howe 365. b That the vvisedome of the heart is shewed foorth in the lippes and howe 337. b. The house of vvisedome is in heauen about the throne of God 116. a Howe and after what sort vvisedome doth solace herselfe and taketh her pleasure on earth 113. a VVisedome compared to the great Lordes of this worlde 118. a The bountifulnesse of vvisedome and her liberalitie set out by example 124. b. We loose not our time when wee giue ourselues to vvisedome and why 124. b. VVisedome calleth vs not to her banket after the manner of the worldly wise 120. b. VVisedome doeth not call vs to her table after the manner of Princes 120. a. Of the vvisedome of Solomon and that al Kinges c. ought to applie themselues thereunto 1. a Solomon was a mirror of vvisedome in his time 1. b What kinde of vvisedome Solomon promiseth to teach vs. 1. b. 2. a That vvisedome is not a thing framed in the braine of men c. 44. b That vvisedome is of one diuine essence with God c. 44. b. 45. a Of many goodly blessinges benefits which come to vs by vvisedome 43. b That vvisedome is a tree of life whereupon dependeth much goodlie doctrine 44. a The singular commodities that the faythfull haue in this life by vvisedome 47. a. b That there is a certaine kinde of vvisedome which we must detest and what it is 35. b The wonderful workes of vvisedome described 45. a. b That being voide of vvisedome we doe not liue but are in death and why 42. b. 43. a The woordes of Solomon impugned saying That length of dayes is in vvisedomes right hand 42. b VVisedome compared to a liberal riche man Marke the circumstances 43. a VVisedome compared to merchandise and whome she is like and not like 41 What we must doe if we wil not haue vvisdome complaine of vs. 13. b The vvisedome of worldlinges and wherein it sheweth it selfe 20. b A reason of coÌ„traries prouing that the sweet voice of vvisedome must bee obeyed 18. a. b. That vvisedome is neuer idle and howe God worketh by the same 10. b What wee must doe to increase in vvisedome and learning 3. b VVisedome compared to a strong man and in what respectes 42. b How carefully and diligently we should seeke after vvisedome 20. a. b That the worde of God is perfect vvisdome 10. b. 11 a Our vvisdome is to keepe and to do the commandements of God 134. a What wee must doe to liue in the house and cate at the table of vvisedome 120. b VVisedome and her house is spirituall c. 118. a Who are the maidens and damsels of vvisedome 119. a Why God hath imparted his vvisdome to his Ministers 104 a Whether vvisedome crieth out for ioye or for sorrowe 104. a God hath neuer purposed nor ordeined any thing in his eternal decree without vvisedome and howe 110. a VVisedome shal be giuen if it be asked in true faith 114. a VVisdome wil be here presently without putting off till to morrowe 113. b As wee must heare without delaye so wee must perseuer to heare vvisedome 113. b What true vvisedome is and wherein it standeth 127. a We haue nothing except God giue it vs by his vvisedome and without it wee are neuer contented 109. b VVisedome is equal with God and is of the same essence with him 110. b The heauenlie heritage cannot bee taken away from the children of vvisedome c. and why 109. a. b VVisedome is the tree of life to them that lay holde vpon her 108. b VVisedome crieth by the voices of the Pastors of the Church 104. a VVisedome is not without feare nor feare without vvisedome 150. a VVisedome is alwayes profitable because it is alwayes in season 162. a What kinde of persons are accompanied with vvisedome 165. a. b VVisedome worketh yet stil euen as shee did in the creation and howe 112. b VVisedome hath not left off from her worke c. notwithstanding man hath deserued otherwise 112. b Of the generation of vvisedome 111. a. b The eternitie of vvisedome prooued 112. a The meaning of these woordes VVisdome is set vp from euerlasting 110. b The description of vvisdomes eternal power 109. b. 110. a The way to fill our treasures to the brim is to loue vvisedome 109. b The necessetie of vvisedome euen in worldly affaires 107. a The meaning of these woordes That our vvisedome is in the onely word of God 110. a That vvisedome is in GOD vnseparable from GOD and consequently God 110. a VVisedome loueth not in words but in truth 108. a The vvisedome of God is his eternall sonne and his word 110. a The fruite of vvisedome is
vvomen of this age should learne to be wise 253. a. b What strength Solomon requireth of vvomen 202. b That wise vvomen are verie scant and harde to finde 253. a What kinde of vvomen they be that haue laid a good foundation 254. a Earinges of great antiquitie with maidens and vvomen and yet at this day vsed 508. a. b VVord What preferment the vvord of God ought to haue and why 402. b The meate of our soules is the word of God c. 536 b True wisdome is taught by the vvord of God 134. b That the administration of the vvord is verie necessarie and why 457. a That wee must folowe rightly the vvorde if we wil liue c. 437. b The cause why the vvord of God is despised and of none account 437. b Nothing can assure vs that we doe well but onely Gods vvord 437. a The peculiar workes of Gods holie and blessed vvord 224. a. b To what ende the vvord of God is compared to golde siluer c 417. a That the vvord of God speaketh to the world after diuers sortes and howe 239. b The vvord of God the principall rod to deliuer children from hell 470. a. b They that haue a reuerence to the vvorde mainteine the ordinance and establishe the gouernment of wisedome 111. a Of the spirituall swoorde of Gods vvord and against whome it must bee vsed 487. a The vvorde of God maketh man quicke and liuely c. 425. a To what ende the vvord is preached vnto vs. 473. a That nothing is more precious than the vvorde of God 417. a The vvorde of trueth is the seede of life 144. b. The despising of Gods vvorde is the cause that the worlde is so euil gouerned c. 106. b The vvorde of God ought to bee continually in the mouth of man and why 162. b. 163. a The vvorde and Sacramentes compared to victual and wine 118. b The vvorde of God interlaced with sundrie deuises of men 606. a The reward of suche as put any thing to the vvord of God 606. b That wee must not mingle any thing with Gods vvord 605. a Why God biddeth vs to put nothing vnto his vvorde nor take any thing from it 605. a. b The excellencie preciousnesse and purenesse of the vvord of God 604. a b That the vvorde of God is the knowledge of Saintes and for what causes 600. b The commendation of a good vvord spoken in due time 311. b Ioy attributed to the vvorde of God and taken away from the vvord of men 312. a That there is no euill but that which is committed against the vvorde of God 71. a. b That the vvord of God ought to be the rule of our life c. 70 b. 71. a Fewe heare the vvord of life and lesse receiue it 59. b That the vvorde of God is not directed but vnto his children 59 b Why the vvorde of God serueth the wâ—cked vnto their condemnation 59. b The vvord of God is the right entrie to come to true wisedome 397. a That there is none other meanes to bee wise but by the hearing of Gods vvoorde 41. a That the vvorde of God is the onely keye of the kingdome of heauen 18. a In what manner wee ought to receiue the vvorde of God our Father 19. a. b That the vvorde of God is perfect wisedome 10. b. 11. a Without hearing the vvorde of God no man can be wise 4. a That they which obeye Gods vvorde haue a blessed life and howe 92. b. 93. a Of obedience to the vvorde 93. a. b They that are attentiue to the vvord of God to execute that wherewith they are charged are the maidens and damsels of wisedome 119 a The way to forsake fooles is to bee instructed in the pure vvoorde of God c. 121. a Wisedome and knowledge proceedeth from the vvord of God 98. a The wicked by contemning the vvord worke the destruction of their owne soules 97. b Who they be that finde the vvorde of God troublesome and harde c. 105. a That the vvoorde of GOD is our onely wisedome and knowledge 106. b In what danger they are that contemne the vvorde of God which is the true wisedome 108. b The wicked which despise the vvord haue filthie and polluted mouthes 163. a The deserte of suche as make no account of Gods holle vvord 102. b VVordes When and in what exercises wee must take heede to vse many vvoordes 147. a What vvoordes they be from whence ioy doth proceede 311. b Solomons meaning in this sentence The vvordes of a mans mouth are like deepe waters 36. a. b The meaning of these vvoordes A wise man seeth the plague and hideth himselfe 447. a. b The singular commendation of vvoordes spoken in their due place 507. b. 508. a The danger of sweete vvordes compared to a honie combe 339 a Of three seuerall titles and properties ascribed and giuen vnto faire vvordes 339. a. b. Of wicked vvordes which point after twoo sorts and how 216. b Who they bee whose vvordes are compared to pearsing swordes 216. b Of the vvordes of false Prophetes and howe dangerous they be 216. b. 217. a That the vvordes of the foolish are like pricking swordes 216. a. b Of the vvordes of men and what ioy they minister to the sorrowful 224. a What kinde of wicked persons abounde in vvordes and that wee must auoide them 147. a That our vvordes must bee as cleane as water c. 365. b. VVorke A comparison of the oxe teaching vs howe wee shoulde bee occupied at our vvorke 257. a That God is alwayes at vvorke and that nothing is done but by him c. 329. b. 330. a. Of the vvorke of the righteous and the wicked with the fruites of them both 143. a. That wee ought to tye ourselues to our owne and not to meddle with others vvorke and office 208 b. VVorkes That we must commit our vvorkes vnto the Lord and of such as haue and haue not 323. b. 324. a Against vvorkes of supererogation of Monks and Nunnes 605. b. 606. a Of vvorkes of supererogation excluding the grace and mercy of God 63. a Against such as woulde winne paradise by their vvorkes 49. a Against such as haue the goods of this worlde and yet doe no good vvorkes a heauie sentence 129. a Outwarde vvorkes are certaine fruites conceiued in the heart 134. b Why we regarde not to followe the vvorkes of the righteous albeeit they bring life 143. b Against deseruing by vvorkes 144. a. b Wee deserue not by our vvorkes that God should fauour vs or hold vs in his grace and why 114. b Life commeth by promise and not by vvorkes 114. b An obiection of vvorkes saide to haue the power of sauing with an answere therevnto 129. a Good and comfortable doctrine concerning good vvorkes 129. a Against righteousnesse of vvorkes that they deserue not life before God 167. b Of vvorkes both good and bad and the spring from whence they issue 171. a Why
fleeth all euill with all his might is much commendable Ephe. 4. 18. Herewithall it behoueth vs to be beautified as S. Paule exhorteth vs. But yet I would haue you wise vnto that which is good and simple concerning euill And Bee not children in vnderstanding Rom. 16. 19 but as concerning maliciousnesse bee children but in vnderstanding be of a rype age And the childe Forasmuch as the yonger sort are 1. Cor. 14. 20 commonly simple Solomon ioyneth them togeather and promiseth that if they giue good eare to his Prouerbes they shall obtaine knowledge and discretion He setteth knowledge first for without it children become stifnecked folowing their fansies affections and lustes not regarding what shall happen therof neither cōmonly are constant but are nowe of one opinion and by and by of an other nowe will they one thing and immediately after the contray But when Solomon spake of children promising them knowledge and aduertisment he had not respect only to the age but to the vnderstanding So of what age soeuer wee be if we be voide of all knowledge and discretion it is very needeful for vs to heare the sentences of the wise man and all such like doctrine and chiefly to bee attentiue vnto the doctrine of the Apostles Ephe. 4. 5 A wise man shall heare and encrease in learning and a man of vnderstanding shal attaine vnto wise counsels 6 To vnderstand a parable and the interpretation the worde of the wise and their darke sayings As the prouerbes of Solomon are necessarie and profitable to the simple and to children for their well framing of their heartes and right directing of their waies so are they to the wise for the encreasing of their wisedome and further knowledge Wherby it appeareth that not the simple children ought to be the schollers disciples of Solomō but also the wise Those then which count themselues so wise that they thinke they haue no neede to learne therefore contemne both preaching and reading of the holy scriptures not onely are voide of wisedome but also as much as in them is they make the holy Ghost a lyar which hath spoken by the mouth of Solomon And that we be not of the number of such people let vs be continuall schollers of our God and doe after the counsell of S. Iames. If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth Iam. 1. 5. no man and it shall be giuen him So doing we shall increase in wisedome and learning for to him that hath it shal be giuen and hee shal abound from him that hath not euen that hee hath shal be taken away And a man of vanderstanding To the end that we should be more diligent vpon doctrine and neuer to waxe weary of learning to vnderstand more perfectly the trueth Solomon sheweth vs what profite commeth thereof besides that which hee hath declared already in saying And a man of vanderstanding shall attaine vnto wise counsels As Solomon hath not asked worldly riches neither the pleasures and desires of the flesh but hath asked wisedome and prudence to gouerne both him and his people so also he promiseth not to the man of vnderstanding that he shal haue temporall goodes and that hee shall liue at ease in this worlde but he promiseth him wise counsels the which he expresseth by a worde that signifieth diligence and sharpnes of wit to gouerne Therewith shall those be endued which being wise and learned do alwaies pursue more and more to profite in the knowledge of the trueth for they shal knowe howe to moderate and rule both themselues and their owne affections and to keepe them vnder that they doe not raigne and also shal bee fitte and meete to shewe others the way to doe the like Heere we are taught what the gouerners both of the Church and Common weale ought to bee to wit that such should bee ordeined which both loue the trueth and are exercised therein Wee learne also that after wee haue hearde and knowen wee must not bee idle but bring foorth fruites Moreouer Mat. 7. 24. that without hearing the word of God no man can bee wise neither profite himselfe nor any other and that they which doe not gouerne themselues after the worde of God must needes be ignorant blind Iames. 1. 22. and fal into many vices that they are not onely vnprofitable but also hurtful to themselues and to their neighbours 6 To vnderstand Solomon hath already counted vnto vs many fruits which they receiue that apply their wittes to his sentences but yet there he setteth foorth vnto vs foure The first is that wee shal vnderstand the notable and excellent sentences of those which haue spoken by figures and similitudes to make them of more authoritie and estimation and that men shoulde bee more diligent to search out the meaning of them and that they might bee hid from them which are blinde of vnderstanding and that seeing they should not see c. The seconde commoditie which they receiue is to interprete and to expound these notable and excellent sentences to the edifiyng of the Church that the rude and ignorant might knowe so much as is expedient for their saluation The third is to iudge and discerne the wordes of the wise from those of the foolish the which oftentymes haue a fayre shewe of wisedome and holinesse and seeme at the first sight to please God albeit they be abhominable to him The sayings of the wise as of Moses of the Patriarches and Prophetes and other holie men be not of any great outwarde shew and yet for all that be not lesse pleasing vnto GOD for though they bee vttered by the mouthes of men yet are they neuerthelesse the wordes of God the which those may iudge that giue good eare to the Prouerbes of Solomon and such lyke doctrine Many are deceiued through the fayre shewe of mens wordes and therefore wee must knowe the woorde of God and not to beholde only with other mens eyes that in no wise wee bee deceiued with the fayre shewe which properly belongeth to false Prophetes and teachers of whome Iesus Christ commaundeth vs to beware The fourth is to vnderstande that which the wise haue Math. 7. 1◠spoken darkly as when they haue spoken of Gods prouidence of predestination and election of Saintes of reprobation and reiection of the wicked and such like matters which are al obscure and darke vnto the wicked who iudge all thinges to come to passe by chaunce albeit they are gouerned by the counsel and prouidence of God But let vs marke that when Solomon doeth attribute all these fruites to his notable Prouerbes hee meaneth not that all they which become attentiue to them are perfectly partakers of all these fruites For it is written Wee know in parte we prophecie in parte But when that which is perfect 1. Cor. 13. 20. is come then that which is in parte shal
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
promised fauour vnderstanding the which aboue al things are to be desired nothing to be esteemed more Nowe first of al when fauour is promised vs for binding mercy and trueth vpon our neckes we must vnderstandâ— that what obedience soeuer we giue vnto the law of God yet hee cannot be our bondman for albeeit wee may deserue of men that they should be pleased with vs and that they stand bound by our mercy shewed towards them yet we can neuer be so faithful vnto God trusting in his goodnes but there wil be some doutfulnesse distrust incredulitie mixed therwith for the which we wel deserue to be forsaken of God And indeed we should be forsaken except he made vs finde fauour in his sight Likewise though it were so that wee were perfite in fayth yet coulde wee not boast ourselues to deserue seeing al the strength we haue or may haue is the gift of God Secondarily the vnderstanding that wee haue by the word of God which we kepe by faith obedieÌ„ce is called good because it bringeth foorth good frutes to the honour and glorie of God to the profit of ourselues and neighbours Contrarily the vnderstanding that is gotten by mans wit and naturall reason by doctrines traditions of men cannot haue this title of goodnes For though it be highly esteemed in the world yet sith it is reproued of God by him couÌ„ted foolishnes we ought to reiect it as vaine and vnprofitable yea as hurtful for it comes of the 1. Cor. 1. 3. 19 20. 3. 19. Rom. 8. 6. fleshe the desire whereof is death Therefore if wee wil auoyde death let vs not folowe the wise worldlinges but let vs rather choose to bee despised of them as fooles so shall wee bee wise in Gods sight Thirdly when wee are commanded that through trueth and mercy wee shoulde finde fauour and vnderstanding in the sight of God and man it is first shewed vs that the keeping of Gods commandements doeth not stande onely in outwarde woorkes as hypocrites doe falsely beleeue but euen as God seeth the harte and iudgeth the secret thoughts of men herewith that our words and outward workes are no whit hid from him so also al our affections purposes counsels thoughts minds are before Heb. 4. 12. him It foloweth that if we wil please be wise before God we must haue al our affections so ordered that hee bee in no wise offended by theÌ„ so that with al our inward parts we should be giuen to meditate his law keepe his commandements Further it is shewed vs that as God hath not created the inwarde parte of maÌ„ only but the visible earthly body also so he would not haue it vnprofitable but would that we should bestow it about his seruice not that he hath need therof but loke what we do through our bodies to the edifying profit of our neighbours according to his woorde he counteth it done vnto himself And this is the cause why Solomon would haue vs finde fauour good vnderstanding Rom. 12. 17. before men and that S. Paule counseleth vs to procure things honest not only before God but also before meÌ„ The which seemeth to bee very harde for there is no people so detestable before men as they that are giuen to goodnes NotwithstaÌ„ding they find fauour vnderstanding in the sight of men as Solomon coÌ„mandeth them so much as they can according to this holy word For euen the vngodly which often do them hurt wrong are oâ—â—rcome in their consciences that they be iust confesse no les as Pharao towards Moses the people of Israel Saul towardes Dauid Fourthly albeit wee must seeke the fauour both of God men yet is it not to say that it is lawful for vs to labour to please Gal. 1. 10. Mat. 6. 1. men or seeke to bee praised of them Finally sith that through mercie and truth wee obteine fauour in Gods sight it followeth that if we be infidels and vnmerciful we deserue to bee abhorred counted fooles both before God and men though by our carnal vnderstanding by our subtilties and enterprises wee obteine the fauour of the worlde 5 Trust in the Lord with al thine hart leane not vnto thine owne wisedome 6 In al thy wayes acknowledge him and he shal direct thy wayes To the ende that wee may the better knowe howe to guide ourselues Solomon doeth expounde the lawe vnto vs by partes giuing vnto vs diuers commandements And first of all to the intent we shoulde not bee forsaken of truth but thereby might find fauour before god he would haue vs to trust in the Lord wherby we should be assured he loueth vs as a good father doth his children therefore that he desireth nothing but our prosperitie saluation and wil not suffer vs to perishe This assurance is giuen vs by the worde the which doeth set foorth the good wil of God towardes vs. Solomon saying thus Trust in the Lorde woulde haue vs to lay holde by faith vpon the promises of God beeing certaine that God wil not nor cannot goe against them for hee is the vnfallible truthe likewise that no power can let him to keepe promis for he is the almightie whose counsel shal stand for euer and his whole wil shal be fulfilled Nowe hee sheweth vs that it is Esa 46. 10. not ynough to heare and talke but he requireth the hart And hee teacheth vs that it is not lawful to apply our harts to the lustes of our flesh and worldly pleasures for hee requireth the whole hart saying Trust in the Lorde with al thyne hart In this hee teacheth vs that which Moses teacheth in the twoo first commandements Ex. 20. 2. 3. 4 Thus our hartes must not bee parted to giue one portion vnto God and the other parte some where els that were to giue a companion vnto God the which hee cannot abide And because that diuers not esteeming the woorde of God the which ought to bee the wisedome and vnderstanding of his children seruantes doe dreame and forge in their braines diuine seruices whereby they thinke to honour God labouring much there abouts Solomon to withdrawe vs from this abuse and foolishe presumption doeth warne vs that to trust in God with all our harts we must not leane to our owne wisedome as Moses warneth the children of Israel By this wee may iudge that there are Deu. 12. 8. but a fewe which trust in the Lord as they ought for the greatest part of the world doe set their hartes on other thinges then on God and many also wil serue him after their owne fansie And this is through ignorance and contempt of the woorde that they fal into such beastly blockishnes as S. Paul saith For God also punisheth Rom. 1. 21. their vnthankefulnes in blinding and giuing them vp vnto a reprobate minde Moreouer considering wee cannot trust a man except we loue him
thou shalt goe and I Psalm 32. 9. will guid thee with mine â—ie If we desire truely to be blessed and to get the true riches we mâ—â—t thus doe that is to say finde wisedome and get vnderstanding 14. 15 For the merchandize thereof is better There is no state in the worlde that is so much occupied as merchandize looke how much as one merchandize is thought to bring more profite than another so muche the more is it desired of many and they that get most by it are counted most blessed And therefore Solomon willing to induce vs vnto wisedome and to giue a reason why the wise man is blessed compareth wisedome vnto merchandize and doeth magnifie it aboue all precious and pleasant thinges to bee wished in this worlde And because he maketh this comparison wee must consider wherein wisedome is like vnto merchandize First of al to occupie deale with merchandize it is requisite that the Merchant bee not slouthfull and negligent but watchfull and diligent The like is required in wisedome as wee haue seeene heere before in the seconde Chapter Pro. 2. 4. Likewise our Lorde Iesus Christ and his Apostles teaching vs the true wisedome doe warne vs to watche for wee bee inuironed and compassed with theeues and robbers which labour for nothing but to destroy vs as the false teachers the diuels our fleshe Secondarily the merchandize that ought not to remain shut vp but to bee put vnto sale that it may helpe them that haue neede thereof euen so wise men ought too make profession of Matth. 5. 14 Matth. 25. their wisedome by good doctrine and by good workes as it is said in the parable of the talentes Thirdly as the merchaÌ„ts do encrease by occupiyng become rich by selling and buing euen so they which labour to profite in wisdome shal abound For whosoeuer Mat. 13. 12. hath to him shall bee giuen hee shall haue aboundance But there are some differences whereof the first is that if wee haue Pro. 2. 6. Esay 55. 1. Iam. 1. 5. Mat. 6. 19. Iam. 5. 2. neede of merchandize wee must dearely buie it of the owners but the Lorde giueth wisedome freely to them which neede the same as it hath beene saide heerebefore and in Iames and Esay The seconde is the merchandize may bee stollen and also waxe rotten but wisedome is euerlasting Thirdly the gaine of merchandize is but to maintaine the body for a while but the gaine of wisedome is the kingdome of heauen and euerlasting life which the wise man shall possesse for euer It is then true that the merchandize of wisedome is better and more certaine but fewe men beleeue it because they are more busied about thingeâ— earthly than heauenly and they also to whome this merchandize is euery day freely presented and offered make no great account thereof Wherefore the merchants of this world which take so great paine for thinges that perishe and vanishe awaye and yet cost them very deare shal be their iudges at the laste day But if wee woulde not then haue them to be our iudges we must take them for our maisters and teachers learning of them to guide ourselues vnto spirituall and heauenly thinges with such diligence care and earnest affection as they follow carnall worldly things Mat. 13. 44. Nowe wee must acknowledge the great kindnesse of our GOD who yeelding to our rudenesse doth teach vs by things most common Luke 19. 1â— and familiar in the world And when it so commeth to passe that wee loue or atleast wise iudge that wee should loue the better thinges and that wee woulde bee very loth too make the holy Ghost a liar who hath spoken by Solomon the merchants which say count themselues Christians should not be like these asses or rather dogs and hogges which had rather esteeme the teÌ„porall merchandize aboue the wisedome of God which labour to gaine a penny to their purse than to heare any good instruction by the worde of God and take it for a troubling of their head when a man speakes to them of God also think make theÌ„selues beleeue that sith they are merchantes they neede not vnderstande what belongeth to God and that it is enough for them to knowe how to order and mainteine their shop Wee may gather of this comparison as the trueth is that it is lawfull for to vse precious â—hinges for also they are not created of God without cause but they that vse theÌ„ ought to be very careful not to exceede measure 16 Length of daies There is no merchandize in the world how good soeuer it is nor pearles how precious and pleasant soeuer they be that can assure vs to liue long but coÌ„trarily the greatest merchants and they that possesse the precious and pleasaunt thinges to the eye and in the iudgement of the worldlinges are they that most feare to die and also their death is more wished than others and it happeneth oftentimes that some lye in waite for their liues and labour to rob to kill them for to spoile them of that they haue This is one of the miseries belonging to greaâ— merchantes and riche men of the worlde that looke what they feare doth happen vnto them euen after their death and cannoâ— obteine their desire but are depriued of it for euer The merchandize of wisdome is farre otherwise for whosoeuer doth enioy it is assured to liue long as Solomon doeth affirme vnto vs by Circumlocution saying Length of daies is in her right hande and heerein he compareth wisdome vnto a strong man that hath his right hand wel armed and fenced with good warlike weaponâ— to defende their liues which are vnder him and in his seruice Wherevpon it appeareth that the man which findeth wisdome is blessed and that his merchandize is better than the same of the merchants of this world which are neuer satisfied and at the end doe not inioy all that they haue gotten But it might be said thaâ— some prooue haue tried that the wisest liue not loÌ„gest there Gen. 4. 8. Gen. 12. 12. Exo. 2. 14. Gen. 32. 7 1. Sam. 19. hath beene some which haue not been assured of their liues Abel died before his Father Abraham feared the Egiptians Moses also feared after he had slaine the Egyptian Iacob feared when hee knew that his brother Esau came to meete him And Dauid feared to stande before Saul As touching the Prophetes and Apostles some of them were slaine in the floure of their age c. Answere That the first part of this obiection hath been handled and Pro 2. 21. resolued heere before in the 2. Chapter Concerning the seconde part the answere is That the ancient holy Fathers doubted not but their daies were numbred determined before God were assured there was no power in the worlde howe mightie soeueâ— it were that coulde shorten them but because they knewe noâ— the number and woulde not tempt God
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
keep that sinne do not raigne in our mortall bodies 19 A false witnesse that speaketh lies c. In the sixth place he setteth the false witnesse bearer and this is not without cause for it hath an expresse commandement against it Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour and so the false witnesse Exo. 20. 1 knoweth not that there is a God which is his Maister and Lorde whome hee ought to obey where he laboureth to despite him For man hauing any knowledge of God if he make himselfe a false witnesse hee knoweth that hee prouoketh the wrath of God against himself and seeing that God is the trueth it cannot bee but he must needes haue a false witnesse in horrible execration But that wee may know who it is that is a false witnesse and that we may labour to auoide the displeasure of God and not to bee abhorred of him Solomon telleth vs that hee is one that speaketh lies Hee saith not that it is the periurer albeit that al periurers are lyers and doe speake lyes but to yoke in all lyers hee saith simply hee that speaketh lies Wherefore when wee are asked an answere of trueth we are false witnesses if we shal speake otherwise then the matter standeth though we be not asked vpon our othe Euen so those which lie in iudgement or otherwise are hated of God and are of him abhorred for the which they ought to looke shortly to bee destroied By a more strong reason then they which doe periure themselues ought wel to be esteemed false witnesses and when by their false othe they cal God vnto witnesse of their lies they would spoile him of his trueth and consequently that he shoulde be no GOD for seeing he is the trueth he cannot stand without it they well deserue of God to be hated to be of him detested and bicause there is no thanks due to them why the worlde doth not sodenly perish seeing they seeke to ouerthrow God without whome nothing can remaine they deserue wel speedily to be beaten downe the which shal be doone without remedie sooner then they thinke for In the seuenth place he setteth the seditious which raise vp contentions amongst neighbours which the Scripture calleth brethren not only by this that we are all children of Adam and Eue but that wee ought all to haue one heauenly father and also to shewe that as it is a good thing to be wished for that brethren shoulde dwel al together so also that is an euill thing that neighbours which ought to Psal 133. 1. be vnited together as brethren shoulde bee diuided and that the common peace shoulde be broken whereby friendship is mainteined and helpe is ministred one to another They which are the cause of the breach of this vnitie are hated of the Lord and are not without cause abhorred of him For first of all it is no thanks to thē that God is not spoiled of his delight which he taketh in the vnitie and concorde of brethren The which pleasure ought not to bee esteemed of smal importance when the lawe of GOD stretcheth wholy to maintaine the vnitie of religion the which is commanded vnto vs by the first table and in coniunction of mutuall loue the which is commanded vnto vs by the second Table the which loue cannot bee mainteined without vnitie in religion And therefore the Prophetes were very carefull to crie against the superstitions idolatries and against the false Prophetes and the Priestes of Baal Also our Lorde Iesus Christ exhorteteth men to take heede of false Prophetes aduertising that many should come in his name saying Mat. 7. 15. 24. 5. I am the Christ and should deceiue many And Saint Paul in diuers places And forasmuche as there is none that desireth that GOD shoulde hate his manners and dealinges and to abhorre them but woulde if wee haue neuer so little sparke of good wit that hee shoulde allowe them and that hee shoulde accept of them it is necessary therefore that we delight to giue ourselues to doe contrarily to that which God hateth and abhorreth and that in steede of hawtie eyes wee become humble and lowly in heart after the example of our Lorde Iesus Christe Secondly no thanke to them that he is not depriued of his paternitie no thanke to them that the children doe not deny their father and to take the Diuell for their father For as God is the God of peace so are also the peacemakers and peace followers his sonnes contrarily the seditious tumult Mat. 5. 9. raisers and brawlers are the sonnes of the Deuil Thus they which make debates labour to encrease the kingdom of the Diuel And if God doe abhorre those which so offende against the second Table of Moses by a more forcible reason doth he detest thē which transgresse the first through obstinacie and wilfulnesse 20 My sonne keepe thy fathers commandement and forsake not thy mothers instruction 21 Binde them alway vpon thine heart and tie them about thy necke Because the fathers and mothers which truely and tenderly loue their children will not commaunde nor teache them any thing but that which is pleasing and acceptable vnto GOD that the young folkes may learne to flie from the former things which God hateth abhoreth Solomō would that children should obey their fathers and mothers and that according to the lawe 21 Binde them alway vpon thine hearte c. When he maketh this exhortation he sheweth wel that he spake not but of fathers Exo. 20. 21. Deu◠5. 16. and mothers which doe labour to gouerne their children in that which is acceptable and pleasing vnto God in that which is according vnto his commandements For there is nothing wherevnto we ought to be so fast linked as vnto the cōmandements of God there is no yoke wherevnto we ought to submit ourselues but vnto the law of God the Lorde Moses also willing to induce the children of Israel vnto a continual obedience of the worde of the Lord sayth And these wordes which I commande thee this day shal be in Deut. 6. 6. 11. 18. thine hart lay vp then these words in your heart Now sith that this presēt admonitiō serueth for the whole word of god it might be said that when Solomō said My sonne keepe the commandement of thy father c. that he speaketh of God and of the ministery of his Church in the which there is nothing taught vs but the pure worde of God and whose children we are if we submit ourselues vnto his worde suffering to be begetten thereby into pure faith true repentance 22 It shall leade thee when thou walkest it shal watch for thee when thou sleepest and when thou wakest it shall talke with thee Albeit that this promise agreeth very wel with this same heere That thy dayes may be long vpon the earth c yet the same hindereth not but that it should regard to assure the goodnes of God vnto
be stirred vp for to gouerne themselues wel and honestly For loue is pacient c. 1. Cor. 18. 4. 19 For mine husband c. Albeit that the harlot hath alledged her sacrifices and vowes that shee hath perfourmed and paide for to shew that it was lawful for him to giue ouer himselfe yet she knoweth well that she doth euil euen so doth the young man as it appeared by the twilight or mistie morning c. It appeareth nowe againe in the absence of her husband the farre iourney and the day appointed are heere alledged for it is as much as if hee did say that she knowes well that she will commit wickednesse that she durst not do her husband being present and yet though he is absent that she woulde not be so bolde but that she knowes that hee is gone a farre iourney and hath matters of waight in his mind as it is noted by the bagge of money and also that hee had tolde her the day of his returne againe for otherwise she would be afraid to be taken in the act doing And in the holding herself assured she laboureth to assure the young man that hee shoulde not feare to bee hurt or haue shame on her husbandes parte the which were not needeful except the whoremonger knewe wel that hee doeth euil in committing such filthinesse But besides this we doe first learne that the married man ought not to absent himself far of frō his house chiefly if he haue a daintie dame for he leaueth her in danger and if he himselfe be not very chast is assaulted of many lustes from the which he should be exempted being at home with his wife Secondly that it is not the greatest blessing that can happen vnto a woman to be richly married and chiefly whē to encrease the goods the husband must trauel abrode It happeneth also that the riche man for to take his pastime and to recreate himselfe taketh in hande long voyages which are not necessary but hurtful both to his family and to the poore for whose helpe in their necessitie he shoulde stay himselfe c. 21 Thus with her great craft c. By suche persuasions the vndiscrete doth feele that the lips of the strange womē drop as an honny combe but after sweetenesse commeth bitternesse and it commeth before that a man thinke of it and without looking for it Solomon doth shew it when he saith 22 And hee followed her c. Hee vseth foure similitudes for to shewe that there is great bitternesse in whoredome that the whoremongers are so dul witted that they perceiue nothing wherein the Prouerbe is verified A foole neuer beleeueth so long as he receiueth The similitudes are manifest and they are dayly prooued and thereby wee shoulde bee sufficiently aduertised to beware of whordome and adulterie Notwithstanding Solomon ceasseth not to exhort vs stil as his children 24 Heare me nowe therefore O children and hearken vnto the wordes of my mouth 25 Let not thine hearte decline to her wayes wander thou not in her pathes 26 For shee hath caused many to fall downe wounded and the strong men are all slaine by her 27 Her house is the way vnto the graue which goeth down vnto the chambers of death By this admotion wee may see whervnto hee tended by the former similitudes that is to say to teach vs to take good heede that wee giue not our heartes vnto straunge women and to followe whoredome and adulterie Also hee teacheth vs that the chiefe remedie for to auoyde suche vncleannesse is to heare the worde of GOD and therevnto too applie our vnderstanding They then which make no count of this holy worde are very worthy to be forsaken of God and giuen vp to a reprobate sense for to commit filthinesse with all greedinesse of minde 26 For shee hath caused many to fall c. Because there are some which iudge that it is but a trifling matter to keepe company with knaues and whores and doe thinke themselues so wise that they haue no neede to bee diswaded from suche company and that whatsoeuer acquaintance they haue with such people that they wil keepe themselues wel enough from defiling and wil take no hurte thereby Solomon sheweth heere that his exhortation is necessary for al men when he saith that the harlot maketh many to fall c. The vniuersal flood is an example thereof Sampson Dauid and Solomon haue prooued it to be true for a time And for to shewe that hee speaketh not of the corporall nature but of the losse of the soules of those which wil not abstaine he addeth 27 Her house is the way c. This is the same that hee hath said in the 2. Chapter 18. 19. verses and Chap. 5. verses 4. 5. Wherfore it shall not neede to repeate the same againe The viii Chapter 1 DOth not wisedome crie and vnderstanding vtter her voice 2 She standeth in the top of high places by the way in the place of the pathes 3 She crieth besides the gates before the citie at the entrie of the doores 4 O men I cal vnto you and vtter my voice to the children of men 5 O yee foolish men vnderstand wisedome and ye O fooles be wise in hearte 6 Giue eare for I wil speake of excellent things the opening of my lippes shall teache thinges that be right 7 For my mouth shal speake the trueth my lippes abhorre wickednesse 8 All the wordes of my mouth are righteous there is no lewdnesse nor frowardnesse in them 9 They are al plaine to him that wil vnderstand straight to them that would vnderstand 10 Receiue mine instruction and not siluer and knowledge rather then fine golde 11 For wisedome is better then precious stones and al pleasures are not to be compared vnto her 12 I wisedome dwell with prudence and I finde foorth knowledge and counsels FOr to shewe vnto the foolishe and vndiscreete that they cannot bee excused for hauing followed and obeyed the desires and lustes of their flesh although they haue been tempted after diuers sorts Solomon doth here pronounce vnto vs by an interrogation that if the foolishe and vndiscreete haue yelded to enticement by temptation following their vntamed lustes that it hath not bin for want of doctrine exhortation correctiō but by contempt of wisdome vnderstanding wherby they care not to giue their heartes and mindes vnto the holy sermons which are made by the Pastours of the Church both publikely and priuately by whome wisedome crieth and vnderstanding lifteth vp thundereth with her voyce when they purely handle the Scripture seeking the glory of GOD and the edifiyng of their neighbours And to the ende that none shoulde alledge that he hath not hearde this proclamation nor vnderstoode this calling Solomon doth shew vs that God hath not imparted his wisdome vnto his ministers for to hide themselues and to stoppe their mouthes so haue they openly shewed it and preached it plainely and yet stil as this
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
perished being an innocent Or where were the righteous destroyed The Iewes did no lesse esteeme of the Prophets and of our Lord Iesus Christ and of his Apostles The Papists haue the poore Christians which suffer persecution for the Gospel in like reputatiō Cōtrarily the wicked that is to say the infidels which with wil and minde with deed and word doe despight God and make no count Psal 7. 3. of their neighbours are iudged happie and blessed they are feasted they are praysed and commended and it seemeth wel that they are in the grace and fauour of God and that he doeth blesse them that hee doeth loue them and mainteine them Such is the iudgement of carnal man which iudgeth after the outwarde sight but Fayth iudgeth farre otherwise and the worde whervpon Fayth is stayed pronounceth also contrarie as we see it when Solomon is not contented alone to say that the righteous shal obteine blessing but to shewe that he is euen here happie in diuers sortes although he be greatly molested he sayeth blessinges are vpon the head of the righteous hee appointeth not the time neither present nor to come for to declare that the blessings shal not fayle them but hauing had their beginning in this life they shal endure for euer Blessed are ye when men reuile you and persecute you and say al manner of euil against you for my sake falsly My brethren count it exceeding ioy when ye fall into diuers temptations Againe Blessed Mat. 5. 11. Iam. 1. 2. Iam. 1 12. is the man that endureth tentation for when he is tried he shal receiue the Crowne of life which the Lorde hath promised to them that loue him Contrarily though the wicked doe florish yet are they and shal be cursed as may be knowne plainly when their iniquitie shal bee opened and that for the same they shal be ashamed for because of their iniquitie which shal be as a choke peare to stop their mouth they shal not be able to alledge any thing worthe to defende themselues with al. Solomon doeth signifie it when hee sayeth But iniquitie shal couer the mouth of the wicked In some it is opened sooner and in other some later Some mens sinnes are manifest before hande and goe before vnto iudgement but some mens folowe after For their iniquitie committed they shal suffer 1. Tim. 5. 24. punishment before al men wherwith they shal be greatly confounded and the righteous shal be glorified and honoured and their felicitie shal shine and shal be seene of al men Solomon doeth wel signifie the same when he placeth the blessings to light on the head the which is the highest part in man vpon the which the ornaments can not be hid These ornaments of blessing are nowe hidde in the worlde but they which are not stayed at the outwarde appearance but by Fayth do beholde the goodnesse that God hath done vnto his faythful seruantes in the midst of their troubles doe see euen presently the head of the righteous garnished with blessinges the which they shal more plainly see in the possession of the heauenly kingdome 7 The memorial of the iust shal be blessed but the name of the wicked shal rotte Albeit that nowe presently it seemeth vnto the worlde that the righteous are forgotten before God because that no man reuengeth the iniuries wrongs that are done them as Dauid doth declare it saying He hath saide in his heart God hath forgotten he hideth Psal 10. 11. away his face and wil neuer see O Lorde the auenger O God the auenger shewe thy selfe clearely And for this cause also the faithful doe lament and complaine Why standest thou farre of O Lord Psal 94. 1. Psal 10. 1. Psal 13. 1. Psal 45. 23. 24. and hidest thee in due time euen in affliction Againe How long wilt thou forget mee O Lorde for euer Howe long wilt thou hide thy face from mee Againe Vp why sleepest thou O Lorde awake be not farre of for euer Wherefore hidest thou thy face and forgettest our miserie our affliction yet notwithstanding he hath not so much forgotten them but that he doeth remember to blesse them for to doe them good and shewe them grace and fauour to giue them helpe defence and sauegarde so farre as hee knoweth to be expedient to bring them vnto eternal blessing Solomon doeth signifie the same saying The memorial of the iust shal be blessed Contrarily the wicked are famous they are commended and doe prayse themselues He sayeth in his heart I shal neuer be mooued Psal 10. 6. 12. 4. nor be in danger And With our tongue wil we preuaile our lippes are our owne who is Lorde ouer vs but their name shal be abominable and filthie Solomon doeth declare it saying The name of the wicked shal rotte 8 The wise in heart wil receiue commandements but the foolish in talke shal be beaten Our wisedome is to keepe and to doe the commandementes of Deut. 4. 6. God Wherefore the wise sayeth verie wel that the wise of heart will receiue them Hee sayeth expresly the wise of heart that is to say hee which truely loueth wisedome and is no counterfaite as the worldly wise which iustifie so much themselues that they can not abide any admonition though it be very needeful as S. Paule doeth shewe it This knowe also that in the last dayes shall 2. Tim. 3. 1. come perillous times c. Those that are such can not suffer any admonitions neither of Father nor Magistrates neither yet of Ministers and yet lesse of priuate and particular persons But he which hath wisedome printed in his heart knoweth well that hee hath neede of wisedome and desireth to increase therein and therfore hee gladly heareth that which is shewed him in the name and by the Worde of GOD and laboureth to conforme himself vnto the doctrine that is set before him This same is to receiue the commandements and not to be like vnto the sonne which promised to his father to doe that hee commaunded and did nothing But rather if in time past wee haue saide we wil not goe that nowe by true repentance Fayth let vs giue our hearts to obey God our father consequently them which hee hath ordeined ouer vs to direct and gouerne vs. Thus doing wee shal not bee woorthie of stripes and woundes but rather of good rewarde and recompence though wee can not deserue it but suche is the wil of God our Father so to recompence his obedient children and seruants Contrarily if we declare ourselues to be rebels and disobedient let vs looke to be beaten as we deserue because of our follie which we shew in gain saying and striuing against the trueth and that by iustice and equitie Solomon doeth shewe it vs saying But the foolish in talke shal be beaten Hee that maketh not count of true wisedome which is taught vs by the worde but doeth giue himselfe to speake and doe things contrarie therevnto
in holines and the end euerlasting life for the righteous Rom. 6. 22. doeth not teach nor counsel but onely that which serueth to saluation life Solomon doth signifie it when he calleth his mouth the welspring of life Our Lorde saith that from the abundance of the hart the mouth speaketh Now it is said the law of his God is in his hart therfore his steps shal not slide Whervppon foloweth that it Mat. 12. 34. Psal 37. 31. bringeth life to them which receiue this doctrine which folow his counsels tremble at his threatnings delite in his exhortatiōs also do assure thēselues of the promises of life that is preached vnto them Cōtrarily as out of a durty puddle we can draw nothing but filthines and infection for to infect poison to kil those which drinke therof so also it is saide there is no constancie in the mouth of the wicked within they are very corruption their throte is an open sepulchre they flatter with their tongue Wherupon foloweth Psalm 5. 9. that we can learne nothing of the mouth of the wicked but al euil when we heare no maner of goodnes come from their mouth but it aboūdeth with al filthy corrupt words as it appeareth for it doth open it self Solomon doth signifie the same saying but iniquitie couereth the mouth of the wicked When Solomon saieth doth couer he neither excludeth the time past nor present but speaking in the future tence hee sheweth the hardnes and obstinacie of the wicked to the end that we should stande vpon our watche at al times For as they haue not ceased nor do cease so also they shal neuer cease vntil the ende of the worlde to speake filthily to giue euil counsel to spread abroade false doctrine But the euil men deceiuers shal waxe worse worse deceiuing and beeing deceiued Now they which folow their vncleannes wickednes giuing thēselues vnto iniquitie shal fal in death For it is saide The rewarde of 2. Tim. 3. 13. sinne is death Heeretofore we haue expounded the 2. parte of this sentence otherwise but not contrary that by force of the Antithesis Rom. 6. 23. or comparison that Solomon maketh there Heere hee setteth the vertue of wel speaking ruling the mouth against the vice of peruerse and wicked mouthes Hee doeth this honor vnto them which speake wel for to attribute vnto them the welspring of life and to make them as it were auctors of health and life vnto these which learne of them Saint Iames doeth the like saying Brethren if any amongst you hath erred from the trueth and some man hath conuerted him let him knowe that hee which hath conuerted Iam. 5. 19. 20. the sinner from going astray or out of his way shall saue a soule from death And this is according vnto the doctrine of our Lorde Thus it pleaseth the Lorde to honour such as speake trueth Contrarily Mat. 18. 15 Iohn 20. 23. Solomon accuseth those which haue their mouthes couered with iniquitie of murther hee expresseth not the accusation but it must bee vnderstoode by the present Antithesis Nowe sith that they which haue an euil tongue are murtherers they cannot looke but for death Contrarily those which out of the good treasure of their hartes do bring good thinges are assured of life as by their office they are the auctors of life c. 12 Hatred stirreth vp contentions but loue couereth all trespasses When men or women are kindled with hatred wrath anger with enuie and yll wil against their neighbours although it be very wrongfully and without cause and that their neighbours haue giuē them no maner of occasion to beare euil affection towardes thē yet can they not speake gently and louingly vnto them they cannot say wel of them but do wrong and deale iniuriously with them and speake al the euil they can against them do greatly reproche them to their faces being ready to stryke beate them to murther kil the innocents behind their backes they slaunder do falsly bely them they diffame them bring them into the hatred so much as they cā of al the world that many may rise vp against them which haue not offēded that they may be destroyed vndone So much as possible they cā they set al in trouble they stir vp seditiōs vprores persecutions against those that wish them no euil Solomō doeth signifie it saying hatred stirreth vp contentions This stir is made as is sayde and as the innocentes in al tymes haue had trial As Abel Moyses Dauid the Prophetes our Lorde his Apostles and other faithful men and yet stil the wicked cease not to doe and to speake the like against them that folowe the trueth and that desire nothing but their health and saluation But the saying of Solomon ought not to be restrained vnto this maner of hatred For we haue experiēce that whē there is hatred betweene parties that they bite sting one another do charge reproch one another with al the villanies they cā they detract one another there is nothing but they wil blame interpret the doings sayings one of another altogether in the euil parte the which is cause of mortal strife of seditions of vprores of battels and warres of murthers and slaughters Mat. 5. 22. 1. Ioh. 3. 13. Solomon doeth wel signifie it here and so he accuseth al them which hate their neighbours of murther manslaughter hee pronounceth them guiltie and breakers of this commandement Thou shalt not kil as doth also our Lord who soeuer hateth his brother is a mansleyar They that are suche can not pray vnto God but against themselues as appeareth Wherefore we must vnderstande Mat. 6. 18. that hatred is a sinne most detestable and which wee ought greatly to abhorre when it separateth vs from God and hindereth vs to haue accesse vnto him Contrarily for that which hath beene saide of hatred if men and women doe truely loue their neighbours they wil speake vnto them with al softnes and gentlenes they will haue none euil suspition of them they wil not labour to hinder their good name but where they are euil spoken of they wil endeuour to excuse them and euen when we haue offended them they wil dissemble and beare with many thinges they suffer and yet forgiue many thinges burying their neighbours faultes and labour to saue their honestie Solomon doeth wel signifie it saying But loue couereth all trespasses and after him Saint Paule sayeth Loue is 1. Cor. 13. 4. patient We haue here a doctrine of great excellencie whereunto we must diligently apply ourselues if we wil auoide strife and contentions to be the true children of God Beloued let vs loue one another for loue cōmeth of God euery one that loueth is borne 1. Ioh. 4. 7. of God and knoweth God Notwithstanding this is not to say that if our neighbours be
16 The righteous laboureth to do good but the vngodly vseth his encrease vnto sinne When men occupie themselues and take some worke in hand they seeke to profite and gaine thereby but oftentimes they deceiue themselues For none but good people doe truely prosper in their affaires though mans reason doe iudge the contrary As touching the wicked what gain soeuer they get what ioy soeuer they haue yet doeth it all turne vnto their hurt It seemeth good to outward apparāce that good people are most miserable that ther are noone more vnhappy and cursed then they in all the worlde but Solomon which lyeth not doeth shewe vs their prosperitie when hee attributeth life vnto the worke of the righteous as if hee did say that the iust man doth not apply himselfe vnto any worke but vnto that which is the path way that leadeth vnto life Contrarily after the outward sight the wicked reape great profite by the works they take in hande but their destruction which is great is at hand vtterly to beate them downe Solomon doth signifie the same vnto vs when hee saith that the vngodly vseth his encrease vnto sinne For the rewarde of sinne is death But as the worke of the righteous doth not profite himselfe alone but doth serue to the releeuing Rom. 6. 23. of others euen so the euill manners of the wicked doe stirre vp others vnto sinne wherevpon followeth death And forasmuche as wee al desire to liue and doe abhorre death let vs follow the worke of the righteous let vs worship one onely God according vnto his word flying frō al idolatrie forsaking al doubt and distrust and doing vnto our neighbours as wee woulde they shoulde doe vnto vs. In this manner the worke of the righteous shal be life vnto vs. And let vs not desire to bee partakers with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse which are the reuenewe of the wicked but let vs rather reprooue them least they be imputed vnto vs for sinne whereof followeth damnation But although wee desire life yet doe wee not regarde to followe the workes of the righteous for wee beleeue not that in following it we shoulde obteine life seeing that as it is written wee see by experience that the afflictions of the iust are many in number they are exercised by many miseries and tribulations and seeme that they are in death and that they are destitute of all helpe Wherefore their workes ' Psal 34. 20. and sayinges are thought to bee vnprofitable As when Saul persecuted Dauid for to destroy him and compelled him to flie and too runne away no man would haue thought that what shifte soeuer hee coulde make that hee shoulde escape the handes of Saul and liue to become king of Israell Likewise when Iesus Christe was seene to hang on the crosse as a thiefe they thought him cleane destroyed and did not thinke that hee shoulde ascende vnto the glory of his father nor that his Gospell shoulde bee preached through all the worlde And so their workes were not seene but to serue to life for themselues and for others And at all times men haue iudged and still doe iudge thus of the faithfull Contrarily because the wicked are strong and floorishe with glory and riches of this worlde it seemeth that they ought to come to the end of their desire and of that they take in hande without hinderance and let and that none should withstand them Pharao his folke thought that they shoulde oppresse the people of Israell at their pleasure but the issue and en de shewed the cleane contrary for the people of GOD reioyced at their deliuerance and Pharao and his people made a miserable ende amongest the waues of the Sea The worke of Moses and Aaron and of such as obeied tended to life and Pharao with his people receiued the rewarde of sinne that is to say death Thus the worke of the righteous serueth to life for although hee fall into diuers dangers and is many wayes pursued yet finally and in the ende hee shal be deliuered and his works his doctrine and his counsels shall bring both himselfe and his neighbours life Contrarily God curseth the actions and counsels of the wicked when he counteth whatsoeuer they doe and say to bee sinne and consequently worthie of death This same is well described vnto vs in the first Psalme Let vs further note that albeit it is true that the righteous doeth not labour couetously nor to get estimatiō but onely to imploy the time vnto good works to haue necessarie thinges belonging to this life aswell for himselfe as for his family yet Solomon his minde and intent is not such heere as wee may knowe by the seconde part of his sentence wherein he opposeth and setteth the reuenewe of the wicked against the worke and labor of the righteous and sinne which bringeth death against life And albeit that God doeth giue vs this honour by his worde to attribute life vnto the workes and labour yet let vs not thinke that they are worthie thereof and deserue thereby but let vs in any wise confesse the grace and mercy of God which is true in his promises for the which to fulfil hee doeth thus rewarde our good workes whereof he himselfe is the only authour and wee but his instrumentes and seruants 17 He that regardeth instruction is in the way of life but he that refuseth correction goeth out of the way of life For to shewe vs the way of life Solomon in the fourth Chapter first verse hath shewed vs saying Heare O ye children the instruction of a father c. And to the admonition hath added the promise in the 4. and 6. verses Also in the 13. verse hee repeateth againe the selfe same admonition and thereto also hath added the promise The saide admonition so often rehearsed shoulde suffice to induce vs to receiue and keepe the instruction which is giuen vs by the Lorde and aso the promise so often repeated ought to bee sufficient to assure vs of the goodnesse of GOD towards vs and to make vs more enclined to submit ourselues vnto the good will of GOD. But wee are dull vpon the spurre and for one admonition or twaine we make no account to giue obedience and for one or two promises wee cannot bee assured of the infallible trueth of GOD so full of rebellion and disobedience we are so full of doubtfulnesse and distrust and therefore wee haue neede that we should be handled according vnto our rudenesse and infirmitie The which our Lord doth in his holy worde and also by the peaching of the same word in the which one self doctrin is oftē repeted For this cause Solomon is not negligent