Ghost so as that the spirituall worshipper of God not onely practiseth the word of God with delite or meditateth therein with exceeding coÌ„fort Mat. 11.30 1. Ioh. 5.3 but seeleth certaine sugred motions of the spirit together with peace that is to say inward and outward quietnesse so that the godly wise man is at rest within him selfe Phil. 4.7 and moreouer through the fauor of the Lord findeth good successe in all things prosperitie The stones of the streete and the beastes of the field are in league with him who walketh vprightly He that is vnder the shadow of the Almightie shall not neede to feare the arrow nor the noysome pestilence Now because it would be endlesse to prosecute in this sort all the particular frutes which wisedome worketh in her children Salomon concludeth that which was affirmed in the beginning with an effectuall and excellent sentence saying She is a tree of life to those who lay hold on her and they who keepe her are blessed That is to say she saueth mens soules and maketh them immortall Looke then what a manner of thing the tree of life in Paradise was Gen. 3.22 which was a signe of Gods fauour or the tree of life shewed to Moses in Marah was Exod. 15.25 which sweetened the bitter and deadly waters or the tree of life seene by Iohn in a reuelation was Reuel 22.2 which brought foorth twelue frutes and the leaues therof were for the curing of the GeÌ„tiles or to conclude any liuing or good tree is which bringeth foorth frute whereby men may liue such a thing is the wisedome of God which sealeth vs vnto our election bringeth foorth in vs the frutes of sanctification purgeth out our corruption and maketh vs partakers of saluation 19 The Lord by wisdome hath founded the earth he hath established the heauens by vnderstanding 20 By his skill the depths haue bene cleft in sunder and the clouds aboue droppe downe the dewe In these sentences the praises of wisedome are enlarged by the meÌ„tioning of those great things which therby the Lord hath wrought in the world It ought not to seeme strange vnto any that Salomon hauing before considered wisdome as it is possessed by man now proceedeth to speake of it as it lodgeth in the bosome of Iehouah euen the first person in the Trinitie for so this name is taken in this place The riuer and the fountaine are both of one nature and when pure water hath bene looked on in the streame it is a pleasaunt thing to behold it in the conduict head Now Iesus Christ the wisedome of the Father working together with him is here shewed to haue wrought foure excellent workes of wonder The first is the founding of the earth which being made of nothing and being vpheld by nothing saue onely by the power of God and yet being also the mother pillar of all things must needs be a foundation and ground-worke of singular skill and cunning The second is the establishing of the heauens which declare the glorie of God as the Prophet speaketh The heate of the sun the moisture of the moone the influence of the stars the motions of the celestiall globes are manifest proofes of vnderstanding incomprehensible If we maruell at the litle clockes which are made by the art of man how much more may we iustly wonder at the skie the diall of the world The third is the cleauing of the deepes in sunder As the mercie of God appeareth herein that the earth as a nurse giueth waters as milke to quench the thirst of the creatures so his wisedome doth no lesse shew it self in that a passage is made in the ground and hardest rockes for soft and moyst waters to pierce through to rise vp by Psal 104.23 Now to come to the last effect of wisedome the Lord in causing the vapors to ascend out of the earth to the end that being distilled in the aire they might fall downe as honie drops on the ground beneath declareth his rare and singular art and cunning Not without cause then is this reckened among the workes of diuine wisedome that the clouds aboue drop downe the dew whereby the withered plants are refreshed and the parched earth is cooled And yet all this while nothing is sayd of the frosts of snow of haile of other meteors or creatures wherein the great power of the singular wisedome of God appeareth But the summe of all that doctrine which in these sentences is taught Ioh. 1.1 is that by the sonne of God all things were made and are continually gouerned and preserued 21 My sonne let not these things depart froÌ„ thine eyes keepe true wisedome and counsell 22 And they shall be life vnto thy soule and a grace vnto thy necke 23 Then shalt â—hou go on thy way securely and not stumble with thy foote 24 If thou shalt lye downe thou shalt not be afrayd but whilest thou restest thy sleepe shall be sweete 25 Thou shalt not be afrayd of any sodaine terror or of the destruction of the wicked when it commeth 26 For God will be present with thy trust and keepe thy foote from being caught Salomon commeth now to apply that doctrine touching the excellencie of wisedome which he hath taught in the verses going before In the one twentith verse he giueth his sonne an admonition in the rest he sheweth him the frutes which he shal receiue by obeying his instructions My sonne let not these things depart from thine eyes keepe true wisedome and counsell or aduisement Euen as they who loue any thing continually and constantly set their eyes on that wherewith they are enamoured so cast thine eye alwayes and perpetually meditate on that heauenly wisedome which descendeth from aboue Iames 3.17 and is contrarie to that false and fained wisedome which is earthly sensuall and deuillish And they shall be life vnto thy soule and a grace vnto thy necke So by the word of god his spirit thou shalt be nourished in this life vnto eternall life yea thou shalt also be made partaker of the ornaments of this life and the life to come shining as a starre on earth and in heauen Then shalt thou go on thy way securely and not stumble with thy foote So prospering in thine affaires thou shalt be free froÌ„ the arrow that flyeth by day neither shalt thou commit any such wickednesse or incurre any such danger or trouble as that thou shalt fall or at the least without rising againe If thou shalt lye downe thou shalt not be afrayd but whilest thou restest thy sleepe shall be sweet So not onely abrode but at home not onely in the day time but in the night season when troubles most stir in the heart and enemies practise mischiefe thou shalt be safe and without dread or perplexitie of spirit Thig is that which the Prophet speaketh of in the Psalme when he saith Psal 127.2 that the Lord giueth his beloued sleepe Neuerthelesse
or oration in the rest of the chapter 4 O men I call vnto you and I vtter my voyce vnto the sonnes of men 5 O ye simple ones vnderstand warinesse ô ye fooles be wise in heart In this beginning of the proclamation the persons called by vnderstanding or wisedome euen by the personall wisedome of God Iesus Christ are described O men I call to you c. I Iesus Christ call all estates of people to heare my doctrine both those who are of high degree as namely on the one side the noble the learned and the rich and those that are of lowe degree as the poore the simple and contemptible 6 Harken for I will vtter excellent things and the opening of my mouth shall propound vpright things 7 For the roofe of my mouth shall record truth and wickednesse is abhomination to my lips 8 All the speeches of my mouth are iust there is nothing in them crooked or awry 9 All of them are easie to the prudent man and plaine to those who find knowledge 10 Receiue mine instruction and not siluer and knowledge rather then most fine gold 11 For wisedome is better then pearles and no delites can be matched with her The sonne of God declareth herein the excellencie of his doctrine to the end that euery one should hearken thereunto First he saith I will speake of excellent things The doctrine of the word is full of maiestie and royaltie For it doth intreate not of base arguments but of diuine and rare points as of election regeneration faith and the glorie which is to come Secondly the word of God is vpright For it is perfect and able to make a man wise vnto saluation in it is nothing wanting nothing vnsound Thirdly the word is also true For whatsoeuer God hath sayd See Psal 19. it shall come to passe whose word hath bene tried as the siluer seuen times in the fire Fourthly the speeches of Christ are iust condemning all things which are vnlawfull and commanding all things which are lawfull Fiftly the word of God is plaine and easie For albeit the naturall mā perceiueth not the things which belong to God yet the spirituall man discerneth all things Wherefore if the Gospell be hid from anie it is hid from those whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded that they cannot see the truth Sixtly the word is also profitable yea more profitable then gold For what would it profit a man to win the whole world to loose his soule eternally which by the word of God is saued Last of all the word of God is also most sweete and pleasant For it reioyceth the heart and sweeteneth the soule like an heauenly kinde of honie And who would not now rather hearken to the royall vpright true iust easie profitable and pleasant speeches of wisedome then the vile wicked flattering impure subtill and in very deed most bitter words of the harlot 12 I Wisedome dwell with * or Warinesse Prudence and find forth the knowledge of politicke deuises 13 The feare of the Lord the hatred of euill contemptuousnesse and haughtinesse the way of wickednesse a mouth of peruersenesse I hate 14 Counsell is mine and substance prudēce is mine strength mine owne Herein Iesus Christ proceedeth to make him selfe further knowne and more and more amiable by intreating a while of his owne diuine vertues I Wisdom dwell with Prudence or warinesse The Sonne of God Christ Iesus is most circumspect wittie prudent and politicke himselfe and the worker of these graces in mortall men The feare of the Lord the hatred of euil c. The sonne of God is also most righteous For he loueth the good and detesteth the euill Psal 45. wherfore God euen his God hath annointed him with the oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes Counsell is mine and substance c. The sonne of God is also a coūseller as Esay calleth him For he is both of the priuie counsel of his father and the aduiser of his church Moreouer he hath strength in him being the arme of God to conquer sinne with hell and Sathan is able to do whatsoeuer he will Substāce or the being of things is likewise his for he causeth all creatures to be subsist 15 By me kings raigne and rulers decree iustice 16 By me Princes beare rule and all the noble iudges of the earth Now Christ Iesus speaketh of his excellent wonderfull works By mekings raigne c. There is no power or potentate but they are from me the sonne of God yea by me also they discharge their functions for I giue all magistrates and worthie persons their places and graces The chiefe monarkes of the world come vnto their scepters by the power and permission of the sonne of God Law giuers and counsellers by his direction and inspiration giue aduise and inuent politicke lawes Inferior rulers and Lieutenants keepe their places countenance and authoritie by his assistance whereunto also they rise by his secret disposing of matters Finally iudges and iustices who vse to keepe courts and to sit on benches do by him frō him and for him pronounce sentence handle matters of state execute lawes and finally determine all cases 17 I loue them who loue me and they who seeke me earnestly find me 18 Riches and honor are with me enduring wealth and righteousnesse 19 My fruite is better then gold yea then right pure gold and my reuenue then most fine siluer 20 I walke through the waye of iustice through the midst of the paths of equitie 21 To cause my louers to wherit substance and I replenish their storehouses The heauenly wisdome of the Father Iesus Christ affirmeth in these sentences that he bestoweth all happinesse on his true worshippers For first he loueth them who loue him that is he giueth them his grace fauour like a friend talking walking dining supping with them and secretly chearing vp their hearts Secondly he bestoweth on them the riches of the mind as knowledge temperance patience and such like vertues which remaine in the faithfull for euer and which are more precious then gold or any mettall more pleasant then grapes or any frutes of the trees Thirdly he doth impute his righteousnesse vnto thē sanctifying them also by the holy spirit which leadeth them in the wayes of the Lords commaundements Last of all he will glorifie them in the world to come causing them to enioy the presence of God for euermore 22 Iehouah possessed me in the beginning of his wayes before his workes before all time 23 Before the world was I annointed before the beginning before the first beginning of the earth 24 Whilest yet there were no depthes was I borne vvhilest yet there vvere no springs abounding with waters 25 Whilest as yet the mountaines were not setled before the litle hilles was I borne 26 As yet he had not made the earth or the plaines no nor the groundworke or the dust of the world inhabited Herin the
good wil was not toward him as in former times Dauid going about to cleare himselfe from pride speaketh thus vnto the Lord O Lord I am not high minded I haue no proud lookes Psal 131. As then the humble man is knowen by his lowlie lookes his reuerent speeches his modest apparell his plaine gate so the proud person is discerned by his stately gestures Indeede many can dissemble notably yea it is now counted a comely and courtly grace to speake curteously or to giue the wall which they oft will striue to do whose hearts yet are full of pride But euen these at one time or other by one signe of pride or other will plainly bewray the hautinesse of their spirits For first they that are proud of their wealth and such outward things will manifest their lofty mindes either by coy lookes or disdainful speeches or affecting the higher places as did the Pharisies Againe those who haue receiued spirituall gifts and in regard thereof are puffed vp wil with the Corinthians either by vaunting them selues or censuring other declare to all how they stand vpon slippers Finally euen they which haue receiued no gifts at all but by reason of a pride in the heart despise their neighbours and rebell against God may be discerned oftentimes by their poysoned malice vayne behauiour as toades by their swelling and bladders by the puffing of them vp with wind The fourth generation is of those whose teeth are swords and whose cheek-teeth are kniues to cōsume the poore out of the earth and the needie frō among men Cruell oppressors are noted by this last stocke or kindred who are shewed to destroy the poore by their accusations tyrannie strength wicked dealings euen as beares or liōs or wolues such beasts who hauing sharpe and strong teeth deuour the silly sheepe and lambes By these comparisons the cutthroate dealing of the wicked is oft expressed in the Scripture Dauid in the Psalme speaking of his deadly enemies saith I am among the huge lyons Psal 57.5 I lye amōg the firebrands among mē whose teeth are speares and arrowes and whose tongue is a sharpe sword Salomon going about to note out false accusers there is saith he one that speaketh wordes like the pearcings with a sword Prou. 12.18 but the tongue of wise men is health Iohn in the Reuelation describing the persecuters of the Church Reuel 9.8 which should arise affirmeth that their teeth were as the teeth of lions Such are not onely tyrants but slaunderers extortioners heretikes and idoll shepheards For such either spoile men of their liues or most cruelly destroy their soules In all ages there haue bene such now are great nūbers of them but wo be to thē saith Iude for they haue gone the way of Cain The fatherlesse the widow the poore tenāt and the vnderling can not resist or withstand these oppressors But the Lord will take their part reuenge their wrong 15 The horsleach hath two daughters giue giue Gen. 48.22 there are three things which are vnsatiable yea foure which do not say hoe 16 The graue and the * The shutting vp of the womb wombe which is shut vp the earth is not satisfied with waters and the fire doth not say hoe These similitudes seeme all to tend to expresse the condition of the people of the fourth generation before mentioned whose insatiable desires can neuer be satisfied euen as the things here spoken off neuer say there is inough In the former of these verses Agur declareth that in the course of nature there are foure things which cannot be sufficed and in the latter he sheweth what these foure things are The two daughters of the horsleach crie giue giue that is to say two things are not sufficed but call for more more yea three things yea foure things are not satisfied This to be the meaning of this sentence may appeare in that Agur both before and after obserueth the number of foure and in that Amos vseth a like phrase whē he saith for three transgressions and for foure that is for foure The wise man then here riseth vp to the number of foure as it were by certaine steps and degrees As if that he should haue said the horsleach is a worme keeping in the water which hauing once begun to sucke mā or beast leaueth not the skinne vntill she be full of bloud hath two forkes in her toung wherewith she sucketh bloud which in regard of their greedie vnsatiablenesse may be called giue giue yea three things there are which are not satisfied yea foure things which say not hoe The nature of the things them selues further may induce vs thus to vnderstand this place For first the graue in the Hebrew tongue hath his name of crauing and it is as it were a mouth which neuer being filled alwayes crieth no hoe Habakuk speaking of the vnsatiable couetousnesse of the Babilonian expresseth it by this comparison of the graue saying that he enlargeth his soule as the graue Habacuk 2.5 and is as death which is not satisfied but gathereth to him self all nations and assembleth to him selfe all people Before in this booke hath also bene affirmed Prou. 27.20 that as the graue destruction cā neuer be filled so the eyes of man can neuer be satisfied In like sort againe the barren wombe is not satisfied but saith giue giue It pleaseth the Lord to lay vpon some the crosse of barrennesse so that they haue no childrē which may resemble them or beare their names or be their heires These commonly take their estate heauilie and as wonderfully in this respect they are cast down so infinit is the desire wherewith they couet so great a blessing The truth hereof may appeare in Rachell who perceiuing herselfe to be barren came to Iacob her husband and said Gene. 30.1 giue me childrē or else I dye But the word here vsed of the shutting vp of the wombe may be referred not onely to those which are barren but which are incontinent And indeed such as the Apostle Peter speaketh haue eyes full of adulterie 2. Pet. 2.14 and which are not satisfied with sinning Such were the Gentiles who as Paule affirmeth of them gaue themselues to the working of all vncleannesse with greedinesse or vnsatiablenesse A third thing which is vnsatiable is the earth which being drie by reason of the heate of the Sunne sandie is not satisfied with waters but drinketh vp great showres of raine and flouds which sometimes ouerflow the same so that within a short time no remnants of them are to be seene Psal 63. Dauid in this respect goind about to expresse the desire which he had to be in the Lords house My soule saith he thirsteth after thee as the drie landes In the reuelation of S. Iohn it is likewise said that when the Serpent did cast water after the woman which was couered with the Sun the earth opened her mouth and