wil pleade their cause against thee This is as though he said because Orphans are weake quyte voide of al humane succour thou art so hardie as to polle and oppresse them but although men haue no care to take their cause in hand withstand the outrage violence that thou vsest to them or that thou thinkest thy selfe the strongest and none dare nor can resist thee yet neuerthelesse they are not voide of succour They haue a redeemer who not only hath good wil to deliuer them from thy hands and violence but also power which power he wil imploy against thee and thou shalt not resist him And as Orphans and fatherlesse children through their weakenesse and smal strength cannot let thee to eate them and destroy them euen so what valiancie soeuer thou hast yet canst thou not let but God wil bee reuenged vpon thee and wil put thee to perdition Hee is their father wherefore hee wil doe his duetie to maintaine his children The Play of Psa 68. 6. the strong redeemer shal be that he wil make knowne the wickednesse of the oppressours he wil condemne them and reuenge himselfe vpon them and they shal notwithstande nor haue any succour at al. 12 Apply thy hart to vnderstanding and thy eares to words of knowledge Esa 10. 2. 3. Oftentimes already Solomon hath sought to make vs attentiue to the doctrine of God the which hee calleth one while lawe another while instruction and another while wisdome science and vnderstanding He doth the same againe in this present sentence And it is because we haue great need to be ofteÌ„ aduertised of that which appertaineth to the glorie and honour of God to our saluation the edification of our neighbours for of our owne nature wee are so giuen to the worlde that wee despise that which is of God and it seemeth to vs that it is but time lost to apply ourselues theretoo because we be not thereby the more exalted to wordly honours nor more enriched with substance but the rather despised and reiected polled and oppressed Neuerthelesse if wee wil be exalted to true and perpetual honours and enioy the goods which wil not perish wee ought to followe that which Solomon hath alreadie often taught vs and that which presently he doeth teache vs. And to doe this same we ought to apply al our vnderstanding to learne to serue God and our neighbours and therein to spare neither bodie nor minde as God hath created both the body and the spirites and wil that wee bee wholy his and our neighbours True it is that the harte is the principal as wee ought to vnderstande it by many witnesses of the holy scriptures wherein is saide that God beholdeth the hartes and that wee are admonished to feare him and loue him with al our hart and that true worshippers worship the father in spirite and trueth And Solomon signifieth it heere somewhat when in the first place he requesteth the applying of the heart And afterwardes sheweth vs that by the right affection of the heart the outward senses ought to bee applyed to receiue instruction which hee calleth wordes of knowledge And in this manner hee sheweth vs that we are not sufficiently instructed if wee giue not our hearing to the woorde of the Lorde the which is our knowledge And so that the preaching of the word is very necessary for vs insomuch that without this holy ministery wee are all ignorant Not that God is not sufficient and of power to instruct vs otherwyse without outward meanes by reuelations and secret inspirations But he wil haue vs to folowe the order which he hath established in his Churche and that by mens meanes we be taught 13 Withdraw not correction from the childe if thou beate him with a rod he wil not dye It hath beene spoken of the chastizing and correction of children But because for the most parte children are very harde to gouerne Prou. 13. 24. 19. 18. 22. 15. and almost vncorrigible and there are many foolish fathers and worse mothers which wil neither chastise nor suffer others to correct their children for they striue to persuade themselues that they feare that one wil kil their children because they are tender and delicate in which doing they thinke themselues more wise theÌ„ the holy Ghost And yet they loue not their children so tenderly as they ought and haue not that care ouer them which they shoulde haue For perswading themselues that they preserue the bodies of their children not willing that they should in any wise be touched they send as much as in them lyeth their soules to perditioÌ„ maintayning them in folly and wickednesse for this cause Solomon not content with the former admonitions sheweth nowe that they ought not to be afraide that the rod wil hurt the children when he saith Withdraw not c. He is not content to say Correct thy child but considering how profitable it is to continewe in brydling and correcting children he wil not that parents hauing once begunne to chastice them shoulde leaue of incontinent and grieue to take the paine and care about them to correct them As many parents will giue ouer their children after that for one or two corrections they cannot make them to amende Either they despaire of them or else are afraide to make them dul and blockish or else vtterly to kil theÌ„ Solomon wil haue fathers and gouernours of children to continew in correcting and chastising them according as they shal see needful and therefore hee saith Withdraw not correction c. And to shewe that hee meaneth not correction only of wordes he addeth If thou beat him with a rod c. He knewe that children woulde put no beleefe in woords nor make no account of verbal speeches therfore he would haue one to deale with the rod and promiseth that the bodie shall not be hurt therewith so that death shal folow for he sayth Hee shoulde not dye Wherein he instructeth parents and sheweth them that they ought not to spare the rod but shoulde make â—heir children feele it sharply to make them remember to behaue â—hemselues wel and not to returne to their wonted folly And sheweth them that the markes or little woundes which they shall make with the rod vpon the bodie of their children shall not bee mortall Also parentes are admonished that in chastising their children they seeke not to kil them One may say moreouer that when Solomon sayth He should not dye That he giueth vs somewhat to vnderstande that those parentes which are carefull too correct their children doe saue them from the gallowes and doe let them from being executed by iustice Contrariwise they which make no account to chastice them send them to the galowes as much as they can but Solomon sheweth vs another deliuerance which is greatly to be set by when he sayth 14 Thou shalt beate him with a rod and deliuer his soule from hell The temporall gallowes or gibbet
much til they disdaine contemne others but also do so assure themselues in their wickednesse that they haue no feare of God nor reuerence to his word The Zodomites were thus high minded The Lord hath wel shewed that he Gene. 13. 13. 18 20. Eze. 16. 49. Gene. 19. 24. Esay 2. 11. 3 15. 5. 21. Luk. 16. 15. 24 abhorred their pride whē he ouerthrew thē He declareth the same in Esay Also our Lord declareth the same in Luke for that which is highly esteemed among men is abhomination in the sight of God The riche glutton likewise which was cloathed in purple and silke c. doeth shewe vs right wel that the proude are much hated with God and are of him abhorred when hee was throwne headlong into hel into such extremitie that hee coulde not obteine a drop of water c. God did wel shewe vnto Nabuchadnezar that hee detested pride c. But nowe albeeit that GOD doeth not dayly shewe vnto vs such examples of his hatred against the high minded and proude persons it is not therefore to say that GOD doeth not alwaies hate and abhorre them and that they shoulde feele the same at the time appointed as the examples and threatninges are conteined in the scripture Hee condemned Dan. 4. 28. ◠Pet. 2. 6. 9. 3. 9. the Citties of Sodome and Gomorrha to vtter ouerthrowe The Lorde knoweth howe to deliuer the faithful out of temptation The Lorde is not slacke concerning his promise and though the Lorde doeth punishe the proude immediatly let vs not waxe obstinate in our sinnes by contemning of his threateninges Let vs not be like vnto these scorners now now I say that wee are come to the last times which say Where is the promise of his comming 2. Pet. 3. 4. For since the fathers died al things cōtinue alike frō the beginning Those which speake think so shall at the last feele that they stroue against god that they haue opened their mouths against the holy one of Israel and haue blasphemed And seeing that God doeth declare vs these thinges by his worde if in steede of fearing that wee bee in his displeasure wee woulde bee assured of his loue and fauour towardes vs if in steede of fearing that hee abhorreth vs wee woulde bee ascertained that wee please him and are acceptable vnto him let vs humblie cast downe our eyes in fearing to offende him in trembling at his worde and not seeking after high thinges c. Thus doing wee may protest with Dauid Lord my heart is not hautie neither are mine eies loftie neither haue I walked Psal 131. 1. Rom 12. 16. in great matters and hid from mee And so farre of shall our destruction bee and that wee shoulde be stricken downe that wee shal rather bee exalted and preserued safe and sounde for whosoeuer humbleth himselfe shal be exalted For the Lorde is nigh vnto thē that are contrite and desolate c Not that we deserue it but it is his good pleasure to giue vs this grace Submit yourselues one vn 1 Pet. 5. 5. to another Deck yourselues inwardly with lowlinesse of minde for God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble Secōdly he hateth and abhorreth a Lying tongue a false and vnfaithfull tongue a tongue that speaketh deceitfully and craftily not without cause for sith that he is faithfull and true euen trueth it selfe we ought to vnderstand that he cannot abide lying but wil punishe it most seuerely and sharpely in the time that hee shal thinke conuenient The Lorde shal destroy them that speake lyes When GOD Psal 5. 6. is so much mooued and offended with falsenesse and lying that hee threatneth the deceiptful and liers with so sharp a punishment they which haue the charge to leade the people vnto saluation and to keepe the same from perishing so much as lyeth in them ought to bee greeuously tormented in their mindes seeing that falsenesse and vnfaithfulnesse deceit and lying are so commonly vsed in the world not onely amongest them which want the worde of God Psal 12. 1. but also amongest them which dare well bragge that they are refourmed according to the Gospell For them chiefly shoulde the Ministers bee most greeued according too the example of Ieremie Iere. 9. 2. Besides this cause wee may marke others whereof the least being considered shal suffice for to iudge and discerne that GOD hath good cause to hate a false tongue and to abhorre it The tongue is one of the highest members of the body not of it selfe for the Lorde hath placed euery mēber in the body as it hath pleased him 1. Cor. 12. 18 The tongue then as the rest of the members ought too bee applied for a weapon of righteousnesse vnto God and if it bee false and lying it is a weapon of iniquitie vnto sinne and so it is a rebel against his maker Wherefore hee rightly hateth it and abhorreth it But to make our tongues to bee weapons of righteousnesse vnto Psal 34. 1. 35. 28. 5. 4 God wee must applie them to that which the Psalmist promiseth I will alwaies giue thankes vnto the Lorde his praise shal bee in my mouth continually And my tongue shal vtter thy righteousnes and thy prayse euery day Contrarily if we apply them vnto deceit and lying then are they weapons of iniquitie the which pleaseth not God for thou art not a God which louest wickednesse neither shal euil dwel with thee And this is vpon good right for such people are not onely rebelles against men but against God also for in them there is no righteousnesse If then wee wil vse our tongues Psal 50. 14. wel wee must giue them to praise God as wee are taught Offer vnto God praise c. And for to do this wel wee must abstaine frō offending our neighbours either indeede or in wordes For God hath saide vnto the wicked What hast thou to doe to declare mine ordināces that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be refourmed Now as touching ourselues and the corruption of our nature we are all such we must therfore pray that God woulde haue mercy vpp on vs and open our lippes and therewith let vs followe the exhortation of S. Paule Wherfore cast away lying and speake euery man trueth vnto his neigbour Heereby Psal 51. 17. Ephe. 4. 24. we may vnderstand that if wee haue a false tongue first of all we are vnthankefull vnto God not confessing that hee hath giuen vs a wel spoken tongue and not a dumbe as vnto beastes Secondly that wee are more vnreasonable then the beastes when we vse our tongues against the ordinance of GOD the which beastes wil not doe and so wee are rebelles and vnfaithful vnto GOD. Thirdly that we are traitours vnto our brethren These three reasons wel considered wee must not maruell though God abhorre a false tongue For hee hath well
and which worst is doe despight God by their blasphemies they wel deserue to be rooted out The eleuenth Chapter 1 FAlse ballances are an abhomination vnto the Lord but a perfect waight pleaseth him FOrasmuche as the worlde is replenished with fraud and deceit with vsurie and greedinesse with theft robberie with counterfaiting and falsifying therefore the commandement is not esteemed Thou shalt not do vniustly in iudgement in line in waight or in measure Thou shalt not haue in thy bagge twoo maner of waightes a Leui. 19. 35. Deut. 25. 13. great and a smal There is no account made of the promise that God addeth vnto this commandement That thy dayes may bee made long on the earth neither also is the threatening feared that foloweth for whosoeuer shal so doe shal bee abhorred of the Lorde In this sorte wee iudge lesse of God then of mortal men If a mighty and riche man hath made promise of any thing wee wil trust to receiue according to his promise and in the meane while they wil bee diligent to please him if he threaten they wil feare him and wil take heede to doe any thing that shoulde displease him But although that GOD is true yea euen hee himselfe the onely trueth otherwise he shoulde not bee GOD and that hee doeth testifie his trueth vnto vs by diuers witnesses yet wil wee not trust his promises as wee shewe when wee make no account to labour for to please him And also though hee be true and faithful and doeth threaten but vppon iust cause yet doe we not tremble nor feare his vengeance albeeit he declare the same by faithful witnesses Moyses is one of the witnesses of the promises and threateninges as wee haue nowe heard After him came Solomon indued with great wisedome of GOD who doeth witnesse the same in this place First of al hee threateneth them which oppresse and deceiue their neighbours in any matter whatsoeuer it is when hee saieth 1 False ballances are abhomination vnto the Lord he doth threaten them I say with eternal destruction and damnation For it followeth wel that if a false ballance displeaseth the Lorde and that hee doeth abhorre them that then they which vse them are wicked and therefore cannot remaine but are as chaffe which the winde driueth away and so goe to destruction for the way of the wicked shal perish seing also that it is saide Thou art not a GOD that louest wickednesse c. But to the ende that we may knowe Psal 1. 6. Psal 5. 4. who they are that God abhorreth and that we also should abhorre them for nothing that displeaseth God ought to please vs but we should hate contemneit we must consider wherein the false ballance standeth and who they are that vse them Which for to doe let vs knowe that the ballance is taken for al waytes measures rule and for al Artes Sciences Lawes and behauiours that we vse towardes our neighbours wee may so vnderstande it by the place afore alledged by Moyses out of the which hee collected these things Likewise the Lord doth attribute rule and ballance to that which he doeth towards his Church for to restore it Iudgement also wil I laye to the rule and righteousnes to the ballance It is then a false ballance and deceiueable when wee doe not faithfully behaue vs towardes our neighbour when wee are slacke and negligent to paye our duetie or that wee labour to treade them vnder foote or to deceiue in any matter whatsoeuer it bee In all estates as we prooue by experience there are false ballances as betweene Merchantes Citizens Handicraftes men and labourers but the most hurtfull are they which are enclosed in the hands of false teachers who by fayre wordes and flattering speech deceiue the heartes of the simple and innocent After these may bee set the same of wicked Magistrates which are placed in the seate of God who is righteous and yet their houses are filled with the spoyles of the poore Nowe the perfection that is required of vs is that wee shoulde not imagine nor deuise any euil against our neighbours that wee shoulde not labour to become riche to their hurt but that in simplicitie vprightnesse of conscience we should procure their wealth with al our power This is the perfect waight which pleaseth the Lorde as sayeth Solomon They which vse this waight are acceptable vnto God and as the waight which they vse is perfect so doeth God allowe them for perfect and doth not impute vnto them the reliques of imperfection which is in them And forasmuche as they please God hee wil neuer bee displeased with them to destroy them Whereupon it foloweth that Solomon saying That a perfect waight pleaseth the Lorde doeth promise euerlasting life vnto them which vse it who although they be most commonly poore and miserable before the worlde yet are they riche enough and blessed for they are heyres of the heauenly kingdome and of wonderful riches 2 When pride commeth then commeth shame but with the lowlie is wisedome Man naturally desireth and wisheth to bee exalted vnto glorie and honour but hee knoweth not howe to attaine thereunto and therefore most commonly insteede to ascende and goe forwarde hee falleth backewarde and in place of glory and honour hee getteth confusion shame and dishonour and this is not without hurt but most commonly men are ashamed and confounded by the hurt that happeneth against their expectation and hope Our first Father Adam hath wel proued it and before him the Angels which kept not their first state but fel from their place Now as it hath happened vnto the Angels and to Adam euen so doeth it and shalbefal vnto al them that are proude This hath beene founde true in al ages And therefore according to experience Solomon doeth pronounce That when pride commeth then commeth shame If the world destroied by the fludde had beleeued Noe the messenger of righteousnesse it had not fallen into such shame and eternal destruction The builders of the Tower of Babylon haue tryed this true To be shorte if wee examine the holy histories Gen. 11. 9 of the Byble wee shal finde that they which haue beene raised through pride haue beene afterwardes confounded and ashamed and this same hath not befallen vnto the reprobate onely but also vnto the children of God as vnto Dauid and Saint Peter It is then good reason that the proude shoulde bee confounded and ashamed 2. Sam. 24. Mat. 26. for they rise not vp against men but against God to whom al knees ought to bowe and to whome al creatures ought to do homage seruice and to humble themselues vnder his mighty hande against the which none can resist For this cause I say it is necessary that they shoulde bee confounded and ashamed the one for a certaine time as Dauid and Saint Peter who by shame came to repentance but the other as the reprobate lye euer therein For what shame soeuer they feele in
it when hee saieth The wicked woorketh a disceitful woorke By the which woordes wee must vnderstande that not onely they deceiue others but also thēselues they perswade themselues they cannot fal from their degree and state and that al must happen as they woulde haue it but whatsoeuer they take in hande and doe commeth to nought against their expectation The woorde of disceite doeth shewe it vs very wel so doeth the seconde part of the Antithesis or cōparison also when immediatly Psal 5. 12. hee saieth But hee that soweth righteousnesse c. Hee setteth the seed of righteousnesse against the woorke of the wicked and the sure rewarde against lying or disceitfulnesse Wherein wee may vnderstande that the sowing of righteousnesse is by assurance wee haue in the goodnesse of GOD and by the feare and reuerence that wee haue of his woorde and the greate desire wee haue for to obey him and giue ourselues to liue according to his commandementes whereby hee woulde that wee shoulde liberally and with a good wil helpe the necessitie of our neighbours The scripture exhorteth vs thus to sowe Breake vp your fallowe Iere. 4. 4. grounde and sowe not among the thornes bee circumcised to the Lorde and take away the foreskinnes of your heartes c. Sowe Oseas 10. 12 to yourselues in righteousnesse reape after the measure of mercie breake vp your fallowe grounde for it is time to seeke the Lorde til hee come and raine righteousnesse vpon you Hee which soweth 2. Cor. 9. 6. sparingly shal reape also sparingly and hee that soweth liberally shal reape also liberally Bee not deceiued GOD is Gal. 6. 7. 8. not mocked for whatsoeuer a man soweth that shal he also reape For hee that soweth to his fleshe shal of the fleshe reape corruption but hee that soweth to the spirit shal of the Spirit reape life euerlasting Thus by these scriptures wee see what it is to sowe and that the rewarde is not disceitful but true For they which sowe doe not loose their paines they receiue the fruite which is sayde a sure rewarde because it doeth not faile nor neuer shal but the righteous shal possesse it for euer It is the trueth that Solomon setteth against disceite but although that the wicked which doe abuse and deceiue others are wel woorthy to be againe deceiued and not to enioy that which they thinke and looke for that they deserue to be destroyed yet notwithstanding if contrary to them wee giue ourselues to sowe righteousnesse let vs not therefore challenge any merite but let vs altogither waite vpon the grace and mercie of GOD not deceiuing ourselues by and about his woorde rewarde and wages as if God were bounde vnto vs for to recōpēce vs for our seed of righteousnes For albeit there is a couenant bande betwene man and man to giue reward vnto them Leui. 19. 13. Deu. 24. 14. Col. 4 1. Iam. 5. 4. which labour for vs The workmans hire shal not abyde with thee vntil the morning Yee maisters doe vnto your seruants that which is iust and equal knowing that ye also haue a maister in heauen Beholde the hyre of the labourers which haue reaped your fields which is of you kept backe by fraude crieth and the cryes of them which haue reaped are entred into the eares of the Lord of hostes yet what righteousnesse soeuer we sowe we cannot make GOD bounde to giue vs any rewarde no more then the toole or instrument can for the goodnesse and finenesse of metal make the workeman bounde to it If we do any good woorke it commeth of the grace of God which guideth vs and stirreth vs vp wee are no more but his instruments Not that we are able of ourselues to thinke any thing as of ourselues but our sufficiencie is of God For it is 2. Cor. 3. 5. Phi. 2. 13. God that woorketh in you both the wil and the deed euen of his good pleasure Moreouer we are slaues and bonde men therefore our God who hath redeemed vs with the precious blood of his Sonne cannot stand bounde to vs what righteousnes soeuer wee worke we are vnprofitable seruants we haue done that which was Luke 17. 10 our duetie to doe Therfore when the scripture doeth offer and set before vs a rewarde or hyre let vs make no account of merite but let vs magnifie the grace and bountifulnesse of God whereby wee obteine eternal life the which is called a rewarde not because wee winne the same but for that that Iesus Christ hath gotten it for vs that after al our laboures the same is giuen vnto vs. It is the gift of GOD and not of woorkes lest any man should boast himselfe Ephe. 2. 8. 9. 19 As righteousnesse leadeth to life so hee that foloweth euil seeketh his owne death What worke soeuer we take in hande in this world our intent desire is to profite thereby and by the meanes wherof we may liue and bee at our ease and thus we labour to obteine a good rewarde of our worke which we would not misse and loose And the which for to attaine Solomon hath shewed vs howe wee must forsake the worke of the wicked and folow righteousnes by doing good vnto our neighbours Nowe when he saieth As righteousnes leadeth to life c. he sheweth what this sure reward is that is to say life And forasmuch as the wicked do liue in this world euen with greater carnal ioy then the righteous the which doe seeme often in the sight of the eyes to be rather dead then liuing for the troubles and pouerties miseries and persecutions that they suffer whereupon also through the weakenesse of their fleshe they doe complaine and say Haue mercie vppon mee O Lorde for I am in Psa 31. 9. 10 Psal 88. 1. 2. 3. trouble mine eye my soule and my bellie are consumed with griefe For my life is wasted with heauinesse and my yeeres with mourning O Lorde God of my saluation I crye day and night before thee Let my prayer enter into thy presence encline thine eare vnto my crye For my soule is filled with euils and my life draweth neere vnto the graue it foloweth that the life which is here spoken of is not the temporal life although it commeth of the gifte and grace of God howe miserable soeuer it bee as the faithful doe vnderstande ◠22 for they confesse God to be their Creator but it is the euerlasting life whereof the wicked are depriued for euer as Solomon doeth affirm saying So he that foloweth euil seeketh his own death Forasmuche as the temporal death is common to al men Eccle. 9. 2. and al thinges happen alike to al men and also that temporal death is an entrance vnto life it foloweth wel that the death which they seeke which folow euil is not the temporal death though it be vnto the wicked a part of their euil as an entrance vnto eternal death whereof here
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
vnto our neighbours Wherefore let vs vnderstande that to speake trueth consisteth not onely in the mouth but also in woorkes Solomon doeth well teache it vs when hee ioyneth righteousnesse togither with truth and that afterwardes against righteousnesse hee setteth fraude saying But a false witnesse vseth disceite As wee haue set foure kindes of speaking truth and to shew righteousnesse so may we do the like in speaking of false witnesse and in woorking disceite Besides this let vs learne that by this Antithesis or against setting Solomon doeth exhorte vs to haue trueth and righteousnesse in great reuerence seeing that none of vs woulde bee counted lyers nor deceiuers c. 18 There is that speaketh wordes like the prickinges of a sword but the tongue of the wise man is health There is none of vs that would be pricked or harmed but do aâ—â— desire health and do labour by al meanes possible to auoide all dangers and hurtes and to keepe our bodies in good order and safetie Nowe if wee haue care of our bodies which are not so excellent as our soules by a more strong reason wee must take care of them and to keepe them that they bee not pricked but that they may obteine health and that therein they shoulde continue and increase For to come to this there are companies and feloweshippes that wee must flye and reiect and others that wee must seeke and keepe Solomon doeth wel giue vs this same to vnderstande when hee saith There is that speaketh words c. Heere by that which he placeth the wise against him which speaketh like the prickings of a sworde wee ought to knowe that if wee will not bee hurte wee must beware of the foolishe for they are they which by their woordes are as swordes There are diuers kindes of these fooles which are very dangerous as are the wicked iudges and wicked magistrates false witnesse bearers flatterers lyers iesters and such as abounde in wanton woordes The woordes of such people doe pricke and smart after twoo sortes that is to say without and within If wee doe not consent with them and doe not become their familiar acquaintance and friendes and at their commandement doe labour by their wicked sentences by their false witnesse bearings by their wicked tales by their iestings and scornings for to hurte vs either in our goods or in our bodies or in our good name And if we walke familiarly with them they prick vs and sting vs within for they do what they can with their tongues to corrupt vs. Therefore Saint Paule doeth admonish vs saying Bee not deceiued euil woordes corrupt good 1. Cor. 15. 33. 2. Cor. 6. 14. Ephe. 5. 3. manners Againe hee saith Be not vnequally yoked with the infidels for what felowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnes c. He saieth againe But fornication and al vncleannesse or couetousnesse let it not bee once named among you as it becommeth saints neither filthinesse neither foolishe talking neither iesting which are things not comely but rather giuing of thaÌ„ks We learne then that we must fly such kinde of people and haue no acquaintaÌ„ce with them if wee woulde bee preserued from inwarde hurt which is a more dangerous and sore wounde then that without Nowe if wee must seuer ourselues from such folke by a stronger reason wee must flye and reiect false Prophetes and lying Doctours which by sweete woordes and fayre speeches doe deceiue the harts of the ignorant The wordes of such people are so dangerous and deadly that Saint Paule warneth Timothie To stay prophane and â— Tim. 2. 16. vaine babblings for they shal increase vnto more vngodlinesse If it seemed good to Saint Paule to bee needful to admonishe so excellent a disciple of these things by so much the more haue wee very greate neede to bee warned thereof Of al these points we cannot take heede but haue neede that the Lorde shoulde keepe and deliuer vs. The Psalmist doeth wel shewe it vs when hee is Psal 57. 4. so diligent to pray My soule is amongst Lyons I lye among the children of men that are set on fire whose teeth are speares and arrowes and their tongue a sharpe swoorde Againe hee saieth 64. â— Heare my voyce O God in my prayer preserue my life from feare of the enemie Hyde mee from the conspiracye of the wicked and from the rage of the woorkers of iniquitie Which haue whet their tongue like a sworde and shot foorth their arrowes bitter woordes Further let vs note that Solomon doeth accuse such kinde of men to be murtherers when hee doeth attribute vnto them the prickings of a sworde and so consequently hee condemneth them vnto eternal death For it is said You know that no manslear hath eternal life abyding in him Therefore if wee will not perish with them let vs soften our tongues and make them 1. Iohn 3. 15. sounde and healthful the which wee shal doe if renouncing foolishnesse wee doe folowe the wise and that by their wholesome doctrine and good examples wee become wise for as Solomon saith But the tongue of wise men is health As wee commonly cal those things whereby wee get and mainteine corporal health by the name thereof euen so Solomon calleth the tongue of the wise health because that if wee vse the same and helpe vs by it wee obteine an excellent health and are kept therein If wee bee diligent to heare the wise and also careful to followe their wholesome doctrine wee shal haue health not temporal and bodily only but our soules shal bee so healthful that wee shal neuer die The tongue of the wise is of such vertue that whosoeuer shal helpe himselfe thereby in true fayth and repentance it shal bring vnto him eternal life for it speaketh the trueth it bringeth foorth the seede of life and euerlasting health as before in the thirde chapter and first verse vnto the nienth and the fourth chapter and 20. verse c. The Psalmist doeth wel shewe this same when hee Psal 119. 40 attributeth quickening vnto the woorde of the Lorde And our Lorde Iesus Christ doeth plainely declare it vs when hee compareth himselfe vnto the serpent and doth exhort vs to beleue in him Iohn 3. 14. Therefore if wee desire health let vs often resorte vnto the sermons for it is said Fayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the woorde of God Al Christians according to the measure they haue Rom. 10. 17. receiued ought for to bring this health but the Ministers of the woorde aboue al others for to them it is that the Lord hath committed the Gospel after the which they bring wholesome doctrine And therefore Saint Paule doeth admonishe Timothe to keepe the true paterne of the wholesome woordes c. Againe For a bishop 2. Tim. 1. 13. Tit. 1. 7. 2. 1. must bee vnreprooueable as Gods steward c. But speake thou the thinges which become wholesome doctrine c. Nowe forasmuch as
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
in vaine The answere is that Solomon speaketh not of man as hee is borne of man for in the same nature he is altogether destitute of iustice but he speaketh of man as he is regenerated by the spirte of GOD by whom he is so ordered and guided that hee abhorreth al iniquitie and delighteth in goodnesse and doth giue himselfe thereto so much as hee can For this cause though whiles he liueth in this body he hath stil some relikes of corruption and that sinne dwelleth in him Rom. 7. 14. yet because that the seede of God is in him he delighteth in the law of God Solomon doth impute none iniquitie vnto him but doeth purge him thereof as doth S. Iohn also He that is borne of God 1. Iohn 3. sinneth not c. And this is not without cause for inasmuche as Christ by his spirit his word dwelleth in vs sin is abolished in vs and yet for the principal part we are counted iust and to liue iustly because that with a pure affection we aspire vnto righteousnes And albeit that through the infirmitie of our flesh we often fal yet is it saide that we worke none iniquitie that wee doe not sinne because we doe not consent vnto sinne but rather in weeping we resist and fight against sinne so that we may truly witnesse with S. Paul That we do the euil we wold not do for this cause also it is not imputed Rom. 7. 19. 8. 1. vnto vs neither are we condēned for it This is not to say but that we should confesse ourselues truely to be sinners and continually to aske forgiuenes of our sinnes as Iesus Christ hath ordeined vnto al his Church Although then that none iniquitie come to the iust yet Psal 32. 1. Rom. 4. 7. the iust is not he that hath no sinne but he to whome God wil not impute it Wherefore for to make vs certaine that we are of the nūber of the righteous let vs aspire vnto wel doing in soundnesse and integritie of conscience praying vnto the Lorde Create in mee a cleane hart O God and renewe a right spirite within mee Contrarily Psal 51. 10. as touching that which hath bin saide at the beginning that the wicked are honored beloued of the world as if they were honest men yet Solomon doth depriue them of al iustice when hee saith but the wicked are full of euill When Solomon exempteth the iust from al iniquitie and that contrarily hee attributeth vnto the wicked fulnesse of euil hee declareth that the wicked doe purpose and determine nothing but to doe euil and to hurte And albeit that in some places they make a goodly shew of iustice and holines as in their almes fastings and prayers yet from the abundance of their euil they corrupt defile al Vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing nothing is pure but euen their minds and Tit. 1. 15. consciences are defiled This sentence thus considered wee may gather of the promise and threatening that Iesus Christ pronounceth They that haue done euil shal go vnto the resurrection of condemnation Ioh. 5. 29. And thus Solomon by this sentence doeth exhort vs vnto righteousnes and doeth labour to turne vs away from wickednes but there are verie fewe which make any account thereof and as we see by experience we may wel complaine with the Prophet Esai Esai 59. 6. 14. their works are wicked works and the worke of crueltie is in their handes Therefore iudgement is turned backward and iustice standeth farre of for trueth is fallen in the streete and equitie can not enter 22 The lying lippes are an abhomination to the Lorde but they that deale truely are his delight Lying hath alwayes liked men as appeareth there where wee may see that man rather beleeued the Deuil father of lying then obeyed Gen. 3. 6. God And as he was easie to beleeue lyes euen so gaue hee himselfe to speake the same with his mouth and to doe it also by worke in folowing his father and maister the Deuil and so made himselfe the enemie of God who is the father of trueth euen truth it self But albeit that mā doth delight to lie so that it is not without cause that the Scripture saieth that al men are liers yet his conscience doeth reprooue him therefore and causeth him to iudge that Psal 116. 1◠it is wickedly done of man for to lye as it is manifest by two arguments The first is that there is none that would haue any man to lye vnto him and also we say that a lier is worse then a theefe because we can not so wel take heede from a lier as from a theefe The second argument is That wee ourselues would not be counted lyers and if any man belye vs we are by and by prouoked vnto anger and if we be able we are readie to strike and to kil them that belye vs. Wee naturally then vnderstande that it is great wickednesse for to lye but for to make vs yet more excusable except wee folow this natural light the Lord hath giuen vs his lawe by writing the which saith Thou shalt beare no false witnesse c. Also let vs Exo. 20. 16. folow the instruction of S. Paule Put away lying and speake euerie man trueth to his neighbour c. Let not whoredome nor any other vncleannesse bee once named amongst you c. Thus doing we shal be acceptable vnto God as Solomon doth pronounce it saying But they that deale truely are his delight Whē Solomon is not contented to say which speake trueth but sayeth that deale truely he sheweth vs that trueth doth not lye onely in word but also indeed and works that are done so faithfully with such trueth that we feare not though they be examined seene and knowne Our Lord doeth wel shew it Nowe this is condemnation Ioh. 3. 19. that light is come into the word men loue darkenesse more then light And when he setteth to deale truely against lying lippes wee knowe thereby that lying is also in fained and counterfait woorkes the which haue their colour and disguising for lippes For it is as much as if they did bragge to be good and lawful Whosoeuer shal sel a counterfait worke or marchandise though he say nothing yet ceaseth he not to lye for he setteth it to sale and selleth it also as deare as he can Contrarily they that worke truely though they be dumbe yet are they true work truth the which God loueth and thē that work it as Solomon doth signifie whē he saith They are his delight Herein wee haue the promise of life enclosed cōteined for it foloweth wel if we please God we can not perishe 23 Awise man concealeth knowledge but the heart of the fooles publisheth foolishnes Solomon attributeth suttletie that is to say counsel and wisdom vnto the man that keepeth secret his knowledge but when we are not borne for ourselues onely
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
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
the Actes of the Apostles And if all our talke ought to bee true aboue all it is necessary that the wordes which concerne God and Christian religion shoulde bee vttered with trueth The Ministers therefore of the worde ought chiefly to bee true witnesses 6 A scorner seeketh wisedome and findeth it not but knowledge is easie to him that will vnderstande It seemeth at the first sight that the first part of this present sentence repugneth against diuers places of the Scriptures Pro. 1. 7. 22. 24. Pro. 2. 3. 4. 5. For Wisedome hath called and her counsell is refused And shee promiseth the knowledge of GOD. And thus it seemeth that shee speaketh agaynst herselfe Furthermore forasmuch as there is no wisedome but in GOD and from God wee can not seeke wisedome except that wee seeke God who is contemned of scorners and therefore they seeke neither him nor his wisdome but they say in their heartes there is no God The wicked careth not for God The foole hath saide in his heart There is no Psal 10. 4. 14. 1. Wis 6. 12. Mat. 7. 7. God On the other side Wisedome shineth and neuer vadeth away and is easily seene of them that loue her and founde of such as seeke her And our Lorde sayth Aske and it shal be giuen you c. We see by these scriptures that scorners do not seeke wisedome that if they did seeke her they shoulde finde her I answere For to finde God and his wisedome truly wee must seeke her with all our hart as we ought to haue vnderstood it before And Moyses doeth Pro. 2. 3. Deut. 4. 29. teache vs also the same But if from thence thou shalt seeke the lord thy God thou shalt finde him if thou shalt seeke him with all thyne hearte and with al thy soule And to doe this wel wee must forsake our wickednesses Seeke the Lorde whiles he may be found call vppon him whiles hee is neere And wee must walke truely in Esa 55. 6. Psal 145. 1◠the feare of GOD The Lorde is neere vnto all those that call vppon him yea to al that cal vppon him in trueth Mockers and scorners doe not seeke the Lorde after this sorte and therefore they doe not finde him And yet Solomon doeth not lye when hee sayth That the scorner seeketh wisedome For his intent is not to attribute suche care vnto scorners which nothing at al regarde the worde of the Lorde the which is our wisedome and vnderstanding when we receiue it in feare and that by the same wee learne to assure ourselues of the goodnesse of God towardes vs and that renouncing al wickednesse and abhorring it wee set all our delight to follow the commandement of the Lorde But because that the scorners doe labour to make themselues beleeue that they tende to gouerne themselues wisely and woulde be esteemed wise for if they be reprooued for their wickednesse incontinently they crie with open mouthes that they are honest men indeede we shal see some of them which wil shew some signes wherby it shal seeme that they tend to none other thinge but to behaue themselues wisely euen to bee guides of other for this cause Solomon saith that the scorner seeketh wisedome but because they seeke it not as they ought therefore they finde it not that is to say that they neither wil nor can gouerne themselues by wisdome But that it shoulde not trouble vs to seeke wisedome and that it might be easie for vs to find it rule ourselues thereafter we must haue knowledge Solomō doth declare it vnto vs whē he saith But knowledge is easie to him c. By a man of knowledge Solomon signifieth such an one as is careful to print the pure woorde of the Lorde in his hearte and to delight therein Such a man shal easily finde knoweledge and as hee truely seeketh wisedome so doeth hee also finde it and thereby doeth gouerne himselfe bearing Mat. 11. 30. willingly and gladly the yoke of the Lorde the whiche hee findeth easie 7 Depart from the foolish man when thou perceiuest not in him the lips of knowledge Because the worlde conteineth more fooles then wise men and that the fooles doe prosper in outwarde sight are strongest most riche and of greate credite and authoritie working all thinges after their owne minde and hauing flatterers to flatter them and to say they do well euen as they would therefore it seemeth vnto the weake and vndiscrete that they could do no better nor gouerne them more wisely then to ioyne themselues with them and to bee acquainted and familiar with them for too learne their knowledge whereby they may rule themselues as they doe and to attaine vnto the degree of their prosperitie credite and power But they are deceiued in this opinion for they can learne nothing to profit them Solomon doeth shewe it when hee saith Depart from the foolish man when thou perceiuest not in him c. Hee forbiddeth vs the companie of the foolishe their acquaintance and familiaritie also for it commeth not of feare that we prosper but rather in this that we be not cursed as are the foolish though they think farre otherwise and this commeth because they looke no further then to the earth and haue no knowledge of God but walke in darkenesse and haue their mindes and vnderstanding darkened with ignorance the which is the greatest plague they can haue in this life for suche an ignorance maketh them fall into muche wickednesse in the whiche they become obstinate and indurate whereupon foloweth their ouerthrow and destruction Nowe that the foolishe haue no knowledge of God Solomon doeth signifie it when hee giueth the reason wherefore hee warneth vs to departe from the foolishe man and saith When thou Rom. 1. 2. Ephe. 4. 17. 18. perceiuest not in him the lippes of knowledge Had they the knowledge of God and that their hearts were garnished with true knowledge they woulde speake of that which they knew and vnderstood For from the abundance of the hearte the mouth speaketh And Mat. 12. 34. thus wee might knowe in them the lippes of knowledge and learne of them to gouerne ourselues wisely The which can in no wise bee doone for not onely they are emptie and voide of knowledge but do also hate it wherof it foloweth rightly that they do not delight to speake thereof to cōmen or talke therof for the instruction and teaching of their neighbours In steede then to knowe in them the lips of knowledge wee heare vanities and filthie disordered speaches which proceede from foolishnesse and malice wherewith their heartes doe greatly abounde Solomon doeth somewhat signifie the same when he denieth them to haue the lips of knowledge for sith they are great talkers and babblers they must needes haue lippes through whose infamousnesse wee may learne that they haue no knowledge of God but are filled with malice and foolishnesse Pro. 12. 23. 13. 16. They are great
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
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
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
the wise from afflictions miseries but hee sheweth that they should not be grieued therat but beare it out patiently for they shal be of no long indurance Hee signifieth it when he saith and there shal be an end c. Nowe that hee meaneth the end of tribulations he sheweth it wel when he addeth And thyne hope shal not bee cut off For hope is linked to patience the which proceedeth of tribulation Wee glorifie ourselues in tribulation knowing that tribulation ingendreth patience patience experience experience hope If we hope for that which we see not wee looke for it by patience Although therfore that the wise because of their wisedom endure outwardly greate euils bitter yet neuerthelesse Rom. 5. 3. 4. 8. 25. they sticke not to feele the goodnes and sweetnes of wisedom for hoping that their tribulations shal be of no long endurāce and that finally by wisedom they shal obtaine great reward they reioice themselues according as Iesus Christ biddeth thē Wherefore Mat. 5. 10. 11. 12. Iam. 1. 1. 12. being trulie instructed in the word of the Lorde which is the true wisdom let vs say with S. Paule We wil not faint but although our outwarde man bee corrupted yet the inwarde man is renewed day by day c. And to say so truelie let vs take heede to 2. Cor. 4. 16. Prou. 23. 17. 18. will to flee afflictions in following wickednesse according as Solomon warneth vs thereof making vs the same promise that hee nowe doeth Note wee moreouer that it is not without cause that I haue sayde that for to try the goodnesse and sweetenesse of wisedome and to enioy the same it is not ynough to haue knowledge thereof if we doe not finde it For many are lightned with the knowledge of trueth which is the true wisdome as are they which receiue the seede by the hye way or in stonie places or amongst thornes and yet neuerthelesse they finde not wisedome neither yet prooue of what goodnesse or sweetnesse she is but after such knowledge they are in worse estate then afore Such men haue had the knowledge of wisedome but they haue not founde her because they haue not set their minde and affection thereon which it behooueth them to doe that wil finde her and haue the true ioy of her goodnesse and sweetenesse Wherein wee may vnderstande that it is not ynough to bee illuminate with the knowledge of trueth but that wee ought to bee regenerate and made newe creatures to walke in newnesse of life Beholde Iudas the traytour knewe the trueth but he was not regenerate and therfore Mat. 12. 43. 2. Pet. 2. 20. Prou. 2. 3. he hath not founde wisedome neither did hee enioy her goodnesse and sweetnesse 15 Lay no wayte as a wicked man against the house of the righteous and spoyle not his resting place As the wicked are neuer in peace first in their consciences Secondly without because they haue not such prosperitie as they desire euen so asmuch as is possible for them they put the good iust to trouble wast and destructiō And to doe this same they haue craftes and cautels subtil wayes and fetches outragious and violent vngodly and cruel Solomon signifieth the crafts that they goe about by laying of waite and the outrages and violences by spoyling when he saith Lay no waite as a wicked man c. Wherein wee haue to note that wee esteeme that which is gathered togither in the house or resting place to bee in suretie and commonly there is that which is best and most precious Also we ourselues drawe thither to be in couert and safetie Wherfore knowe wee that Solomon forbidding vs to lay waite as the wicked against the house of the righteous signifieth that the wicked spareth not the iust a whit but doeth him the greatest damage that he can and the most trouble that is possible and when in this point hee woulde not haue vs too bee like vnto him hee admonisheth vs that as much as wee can wee put our neighbours and their goods in safetie and let them liue in rest and peace not seeking any way to trouble them And although hee name but the iust yet this is not to say that it is lawful for vs to doe damage or trouble or molest them which wee know to be wicked but he forbiddeth namely the iust because the wicked wil rather do it to the iust then to their likes And also because by our nature we resemble God which when they see any little curre to bee assayled they al runne vppon him So doe they commonly against the iust which are the most weake and feeble before the worlde This similitude is not vnproper as it appeareth by the complaint which Psal 22. 17. 21. Dauid maketh and by his prayer Now the feeblenesse of the iust is wel marked when Solomon attributeth to them one onely little house and not a realme wel defended nor a strong castle And when hee attributeth to them resting place and not chambers wel garnished with Tapestrie and beddes of Parament Meane while what feeblenesse soeuer bee in the iust man Solomon wil not that wee lay wayte against him to trouble him and put him to destruction as the wicked striueth to doe to the ende hee may make himselfe great mightie and rich by the destruction of the iust man But the wicked abuseth himselfe farre and wee also if wee bee of his opinion and followe his order of doinges for it is vnpossible to ruinate and destroy the iust and the wicked cannot stande but destroyeth and vndoeth himselfe by his awaites and practises Solomō signfieth wel this same saying 16 For the iust man falleth seuen times and riseth againes but the wicked fall into mischiefe Although the wicked are hote to pursue the iust and neuer ceasse to afflict them to ruinate and destroy them and that oftentimes the iust bowe vnder the burden insomuch that it seemeth that they are dispatched and past remedie as likewise they themselues Psal 18. 5. 6. 22. 3. 4. 44. 10. are tempted to thinke as one may see by the complaintes of the holy ones in the scripture yet neuerthelesse they bee not abased nor ouerthrowne according to the desire of the wicked but as seuen times that is to say often they fal euen so they rise againe and recouer their falles not by their owne proper vertue but by the aide of God which heareth the complaints of the holy Contrariwise although the worlde fauour the wicked and susteine them and Psal 3. 5. 6 9. 10. 18 7. 22. 24. 25. 34. 18 that they themselues mainteine themselues wel as it seemeth too them and that they thinke and say in their heartes that no euil wyll euer come to them yet neuerthelesse the euil which they worke against the innocent ouerthroweth and destroieth them so that they can neuer rise againe Solomon pronounceth it in briefe when hee saith But the wicked
imagine that there may bee found in all the world a man that is faythfull of himselfe but let vs confesse that it hath pleased God of his meere mercie eternally to electe whome hee would whome also afterwardes hee Ephe. 1. would call by his worde that hee might bring them to righteousnesse and innocencie of lyfe in Iesus Christ And therefore if the faythfull man doe abounde in blessinges that is to say if GOD doe endowe him with his graces and giftes if hee giue vnto him abundaunce of wealth if he giue him rest and peace if he place him in glory and in honour amongst his neighbours to be shorte if althings come to passe as he woulde haue it and that hee wanteth nothing and that which is much more worth if God giue him witnesse by his spirite that hee is of the number of his children and inheritours of those number to whome Iesus Christ wil say Come ye blessed children of my father Mat. 25. 34. possesse the kingdome which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world yet this is not to say that he doth deserue by his faythfulnesse But as he is faythful by grace euen so by grace doth he abounde in blessings for also God should haue no neede to promise vs blessings if we coulde deserue them Now forasmuch as there is none of vs but woulde gladly enioy the foresaide blessings let vs therefore vnderstande that Solomon promising them vnto the faythful true vpright and perfect man doeth labour to bring vs to abhorre lying falshoode vnfaithfulnesse deceites and wicked trades and doeth exhorte vs vnto faithfulnesse trueth integritie and vprightnesse for to walke honestly with our neighbours as we ought to doe without labouring to bee riche to their hurte and hinderance Otherwise in steede of obtayning the former blessings and promises in the lawe the curses shal fal vpon vs as Solomon Deut. 28. doeth wel signifie briefly saying And hee that maketh hast to bee riche c. Hee saieth not which is riche for albeeit that for the greatest parte the riche are cursed and depriued of the kingdom of God because they trust in their riches and are not stayed vppon the prouidence of the Lorde and because they fil themselues and haue their comforte and care nothing at all for the affliction of the poore and passe not to feede the hungry soule and also because they rise vp and waxe proude despysing the little ones and so much as they can doe treade them vnder feete and that worst is not caring for God nor his woorde but blaspheming his holy name and by their violences and oppressions cause him to be blasphemed yee the riches are the good creatures of God and the riche men that vse them wel are blessed of God as Abraham Isaack Iacob Iob and the good kings of the people of God But hee saieth that maketh hast which is transported by his vnbrydeled concupiscences and affections and burneth with couetousnes runneth about in such wise that he careth not what he doeth be it good or euil be it wrōg or right prouided that hee can soone bee riche Such a man wil hold neither fayth nor trueth and therefore hee shal not abounde in blessings but forasmuch as hee serueth strange Gods setting his hearte vpon riches and turning his hearte from God and that againstloue hee proceedeth against his neighbours by vnlawefull meanes to enriche himselfe and to make them poore hee shal bee accursed as Solomon doeth signifie saying that he shal not be innocent And it is according to the manner of speaking of the scripture the which threatening the wicked with malediction and punishement saith that they shal not bee innocent True it is that the Exo. 20. 7. Deut. 5. Ier. 25. 29. 40. 12. Nehe. 1. 3. Luke 16. 1. Tim. 6. 9. 10 1. Tim. 6. 17. chiefest paine for such riches standeth in eternal death as the riche glutton and Iudas the traytour doe feele but in abyding such confusion they feele greate sorrowes in this world as Saint Paule doth shewe it Nowe to the ende that wee may bee exempted from such sorowes let vs flye couetousnesse and if wee haue abundance of those worldly riches let vs possesse them as wee possessed them not And that wee may wel doe the same let vs obey the lesson that Saint Paule teacheth the riche 21 To haue respect of persons is not good for such a man for a peece of bread wil deale vnfaithfully Hee saith that God is no acceptour of persons S. Peter speaketh thus after Moyses and the Prophetes And because that the superiours Act. 10. 34. 35 and gouernours of the earth haue the preheminence and power from God whose lieftenants as it were they are and euen Exo. 23. 3. Leui. 19. 15. Deu. 1. 16. 17. 2. Chro. 19. 6 7. Prou. 24. 23. are called Gods they are often admonished in the scripture not to haue respect of persons but to bee folowers of the most highest Solomon in folowing such doctrine hath said it is not good to haue respect of any person in iudgement But albeit that the superiours of the earth are so often admonished of their duetie and threatened with destruction and damnation for their disloyalty vnfaithfulnes notwithstanding it is seene that almost euery where the fauour respect of persons taketh place and iudgement is giuē in respect of persons and that the one is borne vp to oppresse the other that wrong is done to him that hath the right right to him that hath the wrong that the wicked is cleared and the iust and innocent blamed condēned For this cause Solomon is not contented with the admonition that he hath made heretofore but to stirre vp and awaken the superiours of the earth to rule them or to make them vnexcusable and more guiltie he doth admonish them againe saying To haue respect of persons is not good c. For to do shame vnto their superiours and to shew them their filthines hee compareth them vnto knaues and varlets who for a morsell of bread or messe of pottage or other thing of small price will doe or take in hand to doe whatsoeuer a man would haue when hee saieth for such a man for a peece of bread c. And indeede it is a thing very dishonest and fowle that they whome God hath placed in seate and doeth so much honour vnto them as to call them Gods should fall into the order of the most vile and abiectes of the world and should become knaues and villaines It is not to say that they which haue respect of faces in iudgement are cōtented with the offering of a peece of bread we will giue so much to a dog but by a peece of bread Solomon doeth signifie great presentes and giftes that are giuen vnto Gouernours Iudges and Magistrates for to corrupt them and to cause them to giue wrong iudgement And doeth shew thē that it is no great matter nor
man keepeth it tyll afterwardes That is to saye Albeeit that the wise after his wisedome beeing solde vnder sinne is prouoked to shewe foorth his wrath and his choler yet neuerthelesse by the wisedome wherewith hee is indewed hee restraineth it and powreth not foorth his thought but keepeth it backe til afterwardes that is to say till hee see that it is needefull to declare it or til afterwardes signifieth that hee committeth the matter vnto God who can at the last wel shewe what he thinketh of the foolish and to bee reuenged of them 12 Of a Prince that hearkeneth vnto lies al his seruauntes are wicked Forasmuch as the Princes of the worlde haue great burdens that also in great number the which they cannot wel execute by themselues as Iethro doeth declare to Moses for this cause they haue neede to haue officers and Ministers vnder them that they may beare a part of the charge and burden as sayth Iethro Exod. 18. 18. 21. 22 Nowe the right and true Princes do desire to haue good ministers and good officers and are careful to admonish them to doe iustice and iudgement as did king Iosaphat They that are like vnto 2. Chro. 19. 6. 7. him doe not desire to haue about them a great number of Ministers to serue them with a faire shewe to bee magnified and exalted aboue their subiectes by pride and arrogancie They desire not to bee accompanied in their houses with scoffers and iesters talecarriers flatterers and slaunderers but they followe what Dauid protesteth to doe I wil knowe the perfect way and wil walke in my Psal 101. 3. house with a perfect hearte Contrarily wicked and vnfaithfull Princes doe gladly hearken vnto flattering tales false reportes and backitinges and therefore they loue not to haue either in their townes or houses vpright and true men but doe reiect yea persecute thē For this cause they can haue none other but wicked ministers and seruantes as Solomon doeth very plainly pronounce saying Of a Prince that hearkeneth vnto lyes c. We may heere alleadge Pharao Saul Acab and other Wee may say also that there is a threatning enclosed within this sentence to wit That God for to punish the Princes that delight to heare lying tales wil not suffer that they shal bee serued with good and vertuous men but as they are wicked euen so doth God giue them for their companions wicked men which wil bee very readie to shew them some wicked act of vnfaithfulnesse as they also are vnfaithful vnto God when in steede that they shoulde continually meditate in the lawe of God and haue al their delight therein for to learne to followe the way of trueth they giue themselues vnto lyes Therefore let the princes which desire to be wel serued become the true good seruants of God who loueth trueth the which they ought to follow for to serue him rightly and minister iustice truely otherwise they serue the Diuel and iniquitie reigneth in them by the which the feeble poore and innocent are oppressed 13 The poore and the vsurer meete together and the Lord lighteneth both their eies Solomon hath saide heeretofore The rich and the poore meete together the Lorde is rhe maker of them al and nowe hee Pro. 22. 2. saith the same sauing that in steede of the rich hee setteth the vsurer But there is no great differnce therein for oftentimes wee see the riche men of the worlde to be giuen vnto vsurie spoyling to deceit and fraude for to attaine vnto greater riches Wee see almost dayly that the vsurers become riche or at the least labour to bee riche The poore then that is destitute of worldly riches and the vsurer whose minde and affection is altogether set to make profite of and to multiply his golde and siluer and other goods to the hinderance of his neighbours and chiefly of the needie and poore though they bee of a cleane contrary state yet doe they meete together that is to say that they are mingled together and occupie one with another The poore man hath need that the vsurer should helpe him with his abundance and the vsurer which is ful and riche cannot himselfe doe all his businesse alone wherefore hee must needes set the poore man on worke Beholde howe the poore and the vsurer meete together Notwithstanding it often happeneth that the poore man being pinched greeued with his needinesse and pouertie and distrusting to be able to obteine that which is necessary enuieth the prosperitie of the vsurer and the vsurer that hath a couetous hearte and aboundeth in riches doeth contemne the poore either by pride or for feare hee shoulde want himselfe Nowe they both proceede thus through want that they know not that God made them and that as hee hath made them so wil he also mainteine them in this life and giueth them wit and vnderstanding for to knowe howe to gouerne themselues in this worlde as Solomon hath wel noted saying that the Lord is maker both of Pro. 22 2 the poore and riche and nowe when he saith The Lorde lighteneth the eies of them both For to lighten the eies is to quicken and to comfort as it is so taken in diuers places of the scripture Behold howe God lighteneth the eies both of the poore man and of the vsurer quickening giuing thē knowledge 1. Sam. 14. 27. 29. Esdr 9. 8. Psa 13. 4. but there are fewe poore and vsurers that doe knowe the same as we may iudge for that that there are but a few poore men contented with their estate and very fewe also of vsurers which doe lothe and abhorre their estate to forsake it and to abstaine from al extortions and exactions from al fraude deceite and spoyling If it were otherwise they woulde euery where obey the admonition of Saint Iames that hee which is of a lowe and poore estate woulde reioyce ween hee is exalted contrarily the rich would Iam. 1. 9. 10. 11. reioyce in his lowe degree and when hee is abaced c. As touching the rest let vs note that when God lighteneth aswel the eies of the vsurer as of the poore and that hee maketh the Sunne to rise both vpon the good and bad we ought not to iudge of med according Math. 5. 35. to the prosperitie they inioy nor after the aduersitie they suffer For also most commonly the righteous are in miserie and calamities they are afflicted tormented and persecuted and the wicked prosper and floorishe they are honoured and praised as hath beene already sometimes handeled Some vnderstand by lightening of the eyes gouerning and moderating the heartes and mindes so that God maketh the poore man to bee contented with his state and the vsurer not so sore to afflict the poore man as hee woulde the which conteineth trueth Othersome vnderstande that God hath mercy on whome hee wil and sheweth mercy to the poore man to the rich to the sinner and vsurer And this sense
wrong vnto our neighbor and aboue al vnto the needie Solomō doth briefly touch it when he saith Hee that oppresseth the poore c. We do wrong vnto a man when we giue him not that we owe him or when we take frō him that which hee possesseth iustly and without the which he nor his family can bee mainteined in this life And this wrong is doone most commonly vnto them which are poore and haue no abundance of wealth forasmuch as they haue no power to defend themselues and that no seruice nor pleasureis looked for at their hands This commeth also because of their weakenesse why God abhorreth those which doe them wrong and counteth it dishonour doone by them not that it is laweful to doe wrong vnto the richer sort nor to pul away from thē that which they possesse though they bee wicked and haue nothing sanctified to their vse Nowe although wee ought to doe no wrong vnto suche kinde of people yet haue they no neede to bee commended for they wil not willingly suffer to bee wronged and as they wel thinke they are strong enough to defende themselues and do rather pul away the goods of others then to suffer losse or hinderance Likewise God hath no care to commende them but hee commendeth vnto vs the needie pronouncing that the wrong that is done them turneth to his dishonour and that the euil and iniurie that is doone vntoo the poore is doone vnto himselfe so that when a poore man is wronged we do not iniurie to a man onely that hath no power but we stande vp against almightie God who knoweth wel howe to reuenge the wrong that is doone vnto him Solomon doeth note this power when by signifiyng God hee saith reproueth him that made him yea who is aswel a man as the most excellent And if God hath made man who is the most excellent creature of the world it followeth wel he is of power to make al other things and to defende and deliuer the needie from him that doeth him wrong Neuertheles by this woorde Hath made him Solomon doeth not chiefly and onely pretende to marke the power of God but rather would signifie that a man though he be poore and needie yet ceasseth hee not to bee the worke and creation of God aswel or better than the richest and forasmuch as he is his worke that hee wil take care of him and not forsake him And so this worde Hath made him ought to be a great comfort to the needie and to assure them Heb. 13. 5. ◠of the fatherly care of God towards them as they are admonished On the otherside it ought to feare and terrifie the vnmerciful and cruel for they are admonished that in doing wrong to the needie they doe not despise the worke of a man but so much as lyeth in them they destroy what God hath made Wherein they take a worke in hand which they cannot bring to an ende and the wrong that they inuent for their neighbour shal fal vpon themselues The number of them which doe wrong vnto the needie is verie great as wee may see The wordle is ful of suche Whereuppon it foloweth that God is greatly dishonoured although al the worlde woulde be esteemed that they reuerence and feare God Nowe Solomon desiring that wee shoulde not be of that number which doe dishonor Psa 7. 16. 17 Luk. 16. 23 God doeth teache vs howe wee should behaue ourselues towards our needie neighbours for to honour God when he saith But hee honoureth him that hath mercie on the poore If we wil then doe acceptable honour vnto God wee must haue mercie vpon the poore and vnderstand that Solomon setting mercy against wrong doeth shewe vs that whosoeuer hath not mercie vpon the poore doeth wrong vnto him though hee neither curse nor strike him nor take ought of his from him It is to do him double wrong when he wil not giue him that which he oweth him the which he doth when he hath power and abilitie for to helpe his needinesse and careth not to helpe him He doeth him great wrong for in this case hee hateth his brother and is a murtherer of him Let vs not 1. Iohn 3. 15. then loue in worde nor in tongue but indeede and truth and wee shal do honour vnto God which shal very much please him I wil haue mercie and not sacrifice and our Lord Iesus Christ doth shew Mat. 12. 7. it when he saith Come ye blessed children of my Father c. For I was an hungry and ye fed mee c. And the Apostle saith To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is Mat. 25. 34. Heb. 13. 16. pleased 32 The wicked shall bee cast away for his malice but the righteous hath hope in his death Many are giuē to do euil and beare enuie vnto the senselesse seeing the prosperitie of the wicked It seemeth vnto mans wit carnal reason that such prosperitie ought to continue and that the wicked shal alwaies florishe for the worldlings and carnal men haue Psal 73. 3 no further regarde then to that which they outwardly feele and see before their eyes but the Spirite of God doth teach vs farre otherwise by Solomon when hee saith The wicked shall bee cast away for his malice The which Solomon doth here expresse briefly and in another place doeth declare at large There is nothing sayde there but the wicked hath already felt it and we confesse it if we wil open our eyes as we ought Leui. 26. Deu. 28. Psal 37. for to beholde the iudgementes that God hath executed vppon the wicked as vpon Cayn vpon the world destroyed by the vniuersal flood vpon Sodome and Gomorrhe and other wicked men By so many examples as haue happened and doe dayly come too passe we may knowe that God casteth away the wicked for their malice and maketh them to fall and perishe in affliction and miserie were it not that we esteeme not to regarde the prouidence of God and to haue pacience til he hath in time fulfilled his counsel but we attribute almost al vnto fortune We may geue vnto this first parte two other senses wherof the one is that the wicked shal be cast away in his misery that is to say he shal not stand when aduersity shal assault him but shal be so beaten downe that he shal fal and perishe The other sense is that the wicked shal be cast away in his euil that is to say that the euill that he thinketh to doe vnto his neighbour Psal 7. 16. shall fall vpon himselfe by the iust vengeance of God These three senses are diuerse and not contrarie For trueth doeth not withstande trueth seeing there is but one trueth the which notwithstanding is declared after diuers sortes Now these three senses are all true as the Scriptures doeth prooue and also as the wicked haue felt tried it And with this that these three senses
conteyn truth they agree also with the Antithesis For when Solomon saieth but the rightoous hath hope in his death he sheweth that the righteous shal be sure and stable and that he shal be preserned that no euil shall happen to destroy him His body may be put to death but it shal not be to cast him away for his malice for the faith hee hath in God the which worketh by loue is imputed vnto him for righteousnesse and no malice is attributed vnto him but all his iniquities are blotted out neuer more for to be remembred before God His body shal suffer much affliction calamities by the which he might faint but because he hopeth in God the which confoundeth not he shal obteine according therevnto shal not be cast away in his afflictions but the Lord wil receiue him to himselfe and deliuer him His body shal be subiect to receiue much euil euen to be slaine but seeyng that his conseience doth not reproue him to haue inuented Psal 34. 20. euil against his neighbor he feareth not by dying to be cast away froÌ„ God for to be recompensed him but shal stande sure in this hope that by his death he shal obtein the reward of the righteous which is euerlasting life Herein doeth Solomon geue vs a sufficient proofe for to make euery one of vs to coÌ„sider whether we shal be cast away or whether we haue hope For sith it is the righteous that hath hope it doeth wel followe that they which are geuen vnto wickednesses cannot hope but do looke to bee cast away and too receiue a worthy rewarde of their mallice Contrarily sith that righteousnes is set against malice or euil it followeth that the righteous who is contrary vnto al euil and doth abhorre it hopeth not to bee cast away For albeit that his righteousnesse is not worthy of that which he hopeth for yet he knoweth and is assured that God is true in his promises according to the which he cannot perishe And therefore what grieuous afflictions soeuer he suffer and albeit he haue motions and sightes which are harde and sharpe for him to beare yet doeth he not vexe himselfe for to distrust the mercy of God On the other side forasmuch as we cannot haue this hope but by the woorde of God which is refused almost of al it foloweth that the number of the righteous is very rare and that very few haue hope True it is that so long as afflictions shal not presse vs we make ourselues beleeue to be of ioly courage but when wee bee touched to the quicke or thinke thereof then wee faint Further more let vs note though that by the corruption of our nature the malice of vs al is so great that wee deserue to bee cast away yet God is so merâ—iful that he imputeth our hope vnto righteousnes and doth not suffer vs to perishe Wherein we may know that it is very necessary for vs continually to meditate the word of our Lord and to labour to conforme our liues therereafter 33 Wisedome resteth in the heart of him that hath vnderstanding and is knowne in the middes of fooles There is none but doth naturally esteeme himselfe to be wise also there is none that would endure to be counted a foole and yet almost al do despise knowledge and vnderstanding and chiefly diuinity the which is the most necessary and that there are but a very few but wil be troubled when a man speaketh to theÌ„ therof Some of theÌ„ would think themselues hypocrites and superstitious if they gaue themselues therevnto some thinke themselues too young for to set their heartes therevppon and thinke it is nothing but Melancholy the which agreeth not with young folkes but that it belongeth vnto those which are olde to be geuen to learning and vnderstanding And when they are waxen old it is great paine trouble for them to leaue their wonted trade And thus alwayes they refuse knowledge and vnderstanding and yet they cease not to attribute to themselues wisedome though they be altogether voide therof as Solomon doeth wel signifie when hee saieth Wisedome resteth in the heart of him that hath vnderstanding c. Therefore of what age soeuer wee be we must if we wil get wisedome be prudent and for to be suche let vs not reiect knowledge and vnderstanding as doe the foolish which nothing esteeme the pure worde of God which is the prudence and intelligence of the faithful which loue wisedome and are careful to seeke and enioy her And when he saieth that wisedome resteth let vs not thinke that shee is idle and of no power but let vs vnderstand that if we be prudent wee are so seased of wisedome and doe so carefully possesse her that we can not suffer to bee depriued thereof And notwithstanding shee is not vnprofitable and they which possesse her doe not disdaine to open her and to sende her foorth that shee may doe her office and may gaine that whereabout she is appointed Also the prudent doe cause their wisedome to shine euen amongst fooles and if it lay in them the fooles shoulde bee made wise and prudent for from the abundance of the hearte the mouth speaketh and other members also doe execute their office Solomon doeth signifie it saying And is knowne in the mids of fooles It is not to say that the fooles doe receiue her to bring her foorth into light and to imparte her vnto their neighbors for if they should vse her so they should not be fooles but wise but it is to say that the prudent man walking amongst fooles whereof the world is ful doth not frame himselfe after their maners nor foloweth their trade as they which say wee must barke with the dogge and houle with the wolfe and disguise ourselues after al fashions for to apply vs to them with whom we chance to meete but hee sheweth himselfe wise and prudent in his deedes and wordes so that they which haue sounde iudgement doe easily knowe him from amongst other Al true faythful Christians ought to bende theretoo Brethren bee not children in vnderstanding 1. Cor. 14. 20 Ephe. 5. 15. Col. 4. 5. Ephe. 4. 11. 14. but in malice be as children Againe Take heede therfore that ye walk circumspectly not as fooles but as wise Againe Walk wisely toward them that are without and redeeme the season This is the cause also why the Gospel is preached And hee therfore gaue some to be Apostles and some Prophetes and some Euangelistes and some Pastours and teachers That we hencefoorth be no more children wauering and caried about with euery winde of doctrine c. But the Pastours of the Church should chiefly make their wisdome to bee knowne in the mids amongst fooles For to them doth Iesus Christ say Ye are the salt of the earth c. And S. Paule demandeth Mat. 5. 13. 2. Timo. 3. 2. Tit. 1. 6. 17. of them greate prudence The Nicodemites cannot boast that they