to the worde of God in walking after his commandementes It is that wisdome which Moses taught the children of Israel in the same place Deut. 4. saying beholde I haue taught you ordinances and lawes as the Lorde my God commanded mee c. But heere it might bee sayde that Solomon needed not to haue written seing Moses had before already written and that hee teacheth no other wisedome but that which Moses taught It may bee aunswered that that which Moses hath briefly and obscurely taught for the capacitie of the people Solomon dilateth and amplifieth and therein hee serueth as an interpreter to Moses But it may bee sayde againe if Solomon doe teache no other wisedome than that which Moses taught that hee teacheth not Iesus Christ who of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnes and 1. Cor. 1. 10. therefore his doctrine appertaineth nothing vnto vs which should regarde to knowe nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified I aunswere that Moses hath spoken of Iesus Christ If you had beleeued Iohn 5. 46. Gal. 3. 24. Moses you woulde also haue beleeued mee The lawe was our schoolemaister to bring vs to Christ c. But Solomon teacheth not onely the lawe but also fayth and setteth foorth vnto vs diuers promises of GOD and consequently hee teacheth vs Iesus Christ of whome also hee was a figure for all the promises of God are yea and Amen in Iesus Christ Wherefore when wee heare the Prouerbes 2. Cor. 1. 20. of Solomon let vs not thinke that he wil leade vs only to doe the workes of the lawe outwardly but that chiefly he tendeth to frame our manners to the feare and reuerence of God the which is not done without fayth Secondly hee promiseth vs Instruction Whereby wee shoulde knowe what to doe and what to eschue for to liue in this present worlde soberly righteously and religiously the which instruction is not onely in woordes but also in temptations and afflictions Wherevppon it followeth that Solomon beeing on earth spake not Deut. 8. 1. earthly but heauenly for wee can haue no instruction vnlesse God speake to vs from Heauen as Moses doeth shewe it very well Out of Heauen hee made thee heare his voyce to instruct thee c. Deut. 4. 46. Wherfore if we be giuen to earthly and worldly things and perseuere therein wee cannot receiue instruction It is then needful for vs to withdrawe ourselues from the desire of worldly thinges and that by the meanes of Gods grace For S. Paul saith For the grace of God that Tit. 2. 11. bringeth saluation vnto al men hath appeared and teacheth vs that wee should deny vngodlinesse and worldly lustes and that wee shoulde liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world Thirdly he promiseth that we shall haue knowledge and vnderstanding in the lawe and woorde of God the which onely is our knoweledge and vnderstanding It is sayde also in Iohn And heereby wee are Deut. 4. 8. 1. Iohn ◠◠sure that wee knowe him if wee keepe his commaundementes This knowledge ought to bee greatly esteemed of vs as Ieremie admonisheth vs theretoo Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome c. But let him that glorieth glorie in this that hee vnderstandeth and Ier. 9. 23. knoweth mee Thorowe this knowledge we differ from brute beastes Wee ought then to giue good heede to these sayinges of the wyse Psal 32. 9. man Fourthly hee promiseth vs Instruction to doe wisely that is to say that by his sayings we shall learne to bee wel ruled and gouerned and also that willingly wee shall heare those which shewe vs our faultes and chiefly those which are expert and wise which knowe howe to reprooue and vse it in tyme and place that by their correction wee may amende our life and become wyse And by these sentences hee laboureth to withdrawe vs from death wheretoo the obstinate and stubborne are bent Or despisest thou the riches of his Rom. 2. 4. bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance c. Finally they serue so to frame our harts that we should delite to giue to our neighbours that which is theirs to suffer no man to doe them wrong and to gouerne vs in such wyse that no man finde in vs any thing worthy of reproofe or blame Wee learne then by these woordes to doe wel to all men to hurt no man and to bee a good example to our neighbours and not offensiue vnto them And heerein wee begin a blessed lyfe and to possesse the kingdome of heauen wherein is our abyding but those which doe the contrary begin euen now their hel As farre as wee can hitherto see these sayings learne vs to feare and serue God and to agree with our neighbours and accomplish our saluation 4 To giue vnto the simple sharpnes of witte and to the childe knowledge and discretion After that he hath shewed whereto these sentences serue he nowe declareth to whom they are profitable continueth furthermore in shewing what profite commeth of them By the simple hee vnderstandeth those which neither haue wit nor wisedome to gouerne themselues nor yet can discerne good from euill to doe the one and flye the other and so are easily to be deceiued and may sooner be persuaded to folowe wickednesse than righteousnesse to choose rather that which is hurtfull vnto them than their profite We are all of this nature if we be left vnto ourselues Adam hath wel shewed it vnto vs and not only Gen. 3. shewed but also from him as frō a spring hath this simplicitie flowed into all mankind But although it bee natural and come by succession yet if we perseuere therein we shall not be excusable but as by it wee shall haue folowed wickednesse and chosen our hurt euen so by it shal we miserably perishe with the wicked For sith that God doeth teach vs by his word to take heed from being seduced in giuing vs warning of the craftie inuentions and enterprises of Satan of the deceitfulnes of the worlde the alluring of our owne concupiscences and offring vs his helpe fauour and grace there is no falt then but in ourselues that this hurtfull simplicitie is not taken from vs and that wee haue not this sharpnesse of wit knowledge and discretion which the wise man promiseth vnto the simple which applie and studie his sayinges with all their heart When he maketh such promise wee must vnderstand that it is not good to be simple as are those which S. Paule speaketh Rom. 16. 18. of that suffer themselues to be deceiued with false teachers Yet he meaneth not that wee shoulde forsake simplicitie but so farre as it proceedeth of our naughtie and corrupt nature and that through this corruption it is accompanied either with malice or ignorance or else with them both Such simplicitie as is ioyned with wisdom and knowledge whereby a man
vs both inwardly and outwardly His inwarde corrections and reprehensions are When God setteth before vs the hainousnesse of our sinnes and for them hee doeth astonishe and feare vs with his sharpe iudgement the whiche wee coulde not auoide if GOD shoulde deale with vs according as wee haue deserued And also of ourselues wee cannot hope to bee exempted from that vntollerable iudgement when we knowe wee haue offended the goodnesse of our deare and precious GOD and haue prouoked his wrath and anger his I say who is a consuming fire Hauing this knowledge wee weepe and lament in our heartes wee are greeued and displeased to haue offended so great a fatherly goodnesse so high a diuine Maiestie and in such griefe wee runne vnto his mercy Neuerthelesse let vs note that such corections are necessary for all Gods children and whosoeuer is exempted from them cannot bee certaine that God loueth him The outwarde corrections are diseases pouertie hunger colde persecutions and other miseries and afflictions as commeth from without the which are cōmon both to the childrē of God and to the wicked And it is necessary that when they happen to the faithfull they shoulde knowe it is GOD which doeth chasten them because he loueth them and will saue them and for this cause they ought not to refuse them nor bee vexed at them but to beare them with ioy and patience Likewise when God ceasseth to examine them without and giueth them a refreshing as hee hath doone the old Fathers they ought not to thinke that God hateth them but being in peace and rest ought to thanke God and bee alwaies readie looking to receiue of his hand what it pleaseth him to sende beseeching him that in prosperitie hee woulde not suffer them to fall away by slacking the bridle to the lustes of their flesh to liue in ease and pleasures of this worlde and in aduersitie to giue them strength and constancie to obey and beare them not dooing as the wicked which knowe not that all thinges come from the hande of GOD. Suche praying is verie necessary for all the faithfull For if God leaue vs too ourselues in prosperitie wee shall quickly forget him and giue ourselues to the desires of the fleshe and in aduersitie wee shall dispaire in him murmure and set nought by him yea and shall vtterly renounce and forsake him Wee haue many and sundry examples thereof in the Scripture as in Caine Saule and others 13 Blessed is the man that findeth wisedome the man that getteth vnderstanding 14 For the merchandize thereof is better than the merchandize of siluer and the gaine thereof is better than gold 15 It is more precious than pearles and all thinges that thou canst desire are not to bee compared vnto her 16 Length of dayes is in her right hande and in her left hand riches and glory 17 Her wayes are wayes of pleasure and all her pathes prosperitie 18 She is a tree of life to them that lay holde on her and blessed is he that reteineth her Solomon therefore to make vs more and more attentiue vnto wisedome doth attribute to a wiseman that which euery one of vs greatly desireth that is that hee pronounceth him Blessed Now how he is blessed wee might haue learned by the promises wherby Solomō hath labored heretofore for to draw vs vnto wisdome and may yet vnderstand it heereafter by the reason that he wil giue to shew how the wise man is blessed by the promises that the will adde But to pronounce that the wise man is blessed Solomon vseth a Circumlocution and comparison The Circumlocution standeth in this that he saith not blessed is the wise man But Blessed is the man that findeth c. And hee vseth the comparison in this that he maketh the wise man like to a man growne rich by his labour For as the man that is carefull in labouring to finde riches and treasures and hauing founde doeth take them for himselfe and seaseth vpon them is iudged riche even so he which by yeelding himselfe attentiue to the worde of God getteth wisedome and abideth therein by keeping the commandements of the Lorde is wise and as the riche man iudgeth himselfe and is thought of the worlde to bee blessed euen so the wise man is assured that he is blessed before God Nowe albeit the wise and the riche are heere compared together yet it is not to say that the blessednesse of the one is like and equall to the other for the riches that are gotten by wisedome doe not change but from good to better therefore the wise man is blessed for euer and without ende And as the goodes of this worlde do consume and are transitorie so also the rich man is not blessed through his riches but for a certaine time What cōparison then soeuer there bee yet is there great oddes betweene them the which ought to giue vs to vnderstand vnto which of the two we must bee attentiue that is to say vnto wisdome to the which sith the Scripture doth attribute blessednesse it followeth therefore that in riches in all thinges else of this worlde there is nothing but cursednesse when they are possessed without wisedome Iesus Christe our Lorde doeth well shew it vs in the sixth of Luke The riche man Luke 6. 24. 12. 20. 16. 23. spoken of in Luke hath truely felt it Now wisedome is the gift of God and the blessednesse also which commeth thereof Whervpon it followeth that the wise man will not reioyce in any thing hee hath as though hee had it of himselfe but will confesse that all commeth from God with praise and prayers and thankesgiuing And sith the giftes of God and his calling are without repentance hee neede not feare to fall into cursednesse to perishe therein but may haue this assurance that if he stumble or fall God wil holde him vp with his hande that he shall not bee bruised nor broken but be blessed euerlastingly Forasmuch also as they which finde wisedome are blessed it followeth that the foolishe are cursed And forasmuch as there is no other meanes to be wise but by hearing of Gods worde it followeth that the Papistes seeke for nothing but for cursednesse when not onely they contemne the word wil not suffer it to be purely preached but also persecute them which preach it and receiue it and labour to destroy the bookes that are replenished with the holy and sound doctrine of God Now Solomon to giue vs to vnderstande who is the man that hath founde wisedome addeth And the man that getteth c. Therefore if wee wil finde wisedome and be blessed let vs not bee like the Horse and Mule which want reason but let Psal 32. 9. vs get vnto ourselues vnderstanding by the reading of the Scriptures by the hearing of the word beseching god that it may please him to illuminate and conduct vs according to his promise I will instruct thee and teach the in the way that
b. Lies Lies against God and lies against our neighbour 232 b That we loue lies in two sortes 232. a. b Of lies and when wee hate to heare them 232. a b That lies are in fained and counterfeite workes and why 224. b Against such as speake lies and that God wil punish them seuerly 89. a. b Of the meate of lies what it is c. and of not eating the same 465. a. Life Of two sorts of people which are out of the way of life 144. b Euerlasting life followeth the promise of earthly and temporal life 29. a Who they bee that are assured of euerlasting life 29 a That the length of life standeth not in the multitude of yeeres and in what 93. a. What we must doe if we desire life and abhorre death 29. a. b. 30. a He that findeth wisdome findeth fauour and life 115. a Life is not deserued but commeth of fauour and why 114. b That the life of the wicked though they liue many yeeres is not to bee counted long 158. a Of the life of the soule promised to such as embrace wisedome 46. b Why the worlde which persecuteth the wise doeth not see the life of the soule c. 46. b. Death commeth by desert but life by promise 114. b Why and wherefore eternall life is called a reward 185. b Where life is founde without the danger of death 227. a Of the way leading to life 227. a Of life eternal and life temporal 186. a. b That temporall life is not without death 227. b Why Solomon signifieth the fruition of eternal life by eating 229 b That where there are no wise men there is no spring of life c. 241. a In what thinges worldlinges thinke that life consisteth 293. a That this present life is counted a bitter and troublesome death 282. a Our state condition in this life liuely disciphered by comparison 539. b What we must doe if we wil doe wel before we die and depart this life 607. b Two thinges most necessarie for this present life 607. a. b The promise of life to a sounde heart with an aduertisement thereunto annexed 282. a. b What thinges are necessarie for the life of the soule and bodie 608. a. b. 609. a. 610. b. Life standeth onely in the way of wisedome 60. b What we must doe if wee desire long life 59 b That we loue nothing so naturally as this present life 386. a Of the spring of life what it is and how we shoulde attaine vnto it 338. a What wee must doe that the spring of life may not die in vs. 338. a The meaning of these wordes The feare of the Lorde bringeth a man to life 399. a The life present but a shewe of the life to come 399. a The life of them that feare God is in heauen 399. a. b That we make this earthly life miserable by defiling it by our sinnes 66. b That a miserable and painful life is counted no life but death 67. a Light The meaning of Solomon by these words The light of the righteous reioyceth c. 236. b Of light and who are compared and called by the name of light 236 a. b Of the light of the wicked and that it shal be put out 493. a The meaning of these wordes The light of the eyes reioyceth the heart 318. b. 319. a Lippes Against wicked and vngodly lippes and that they ought to be punished 231. a Of being snared by the sinne of the lippes and what it meaneth 210. b. 211. a What we must doe to be deliuered from lying lippes 211. b Of the lippes of the wise and the lippes of the foolish 296. b. 297. a What is meant by the talk of the lippes which bringeth want 275. a The wicked mans lippes compared to a burning fire and howe 341. a. b Of the sweetenesse of the lippes and what is meant by the same 337. b Lot What doctrine is to bee gathered out of this sentence The lot causeth contention to cease 375. a b Why God ordeined that the lande of Canaan should be diuided by lot 375. a Lottes The antiquitie or ancientnesse of casting lots 345. a That it is lawfull to vse lotterie and lottes with certaine caueats 345. a That we must attribute to Gods prouidence whatsoeuer we obtâ—ine by lottes 345. a. b Loue. That mutuall loue can not bee mainteined without vnitie in religion 92. a That in loue there ought to bee no respect of persons 271. b In what respectes we ought to loue the rich 271. a. b The loue of Christ set foorth by Saint Iohn 184. b The description of true loue and howe it is affected 184. a Sundrie instructions concerning loue 384. b The conditions and properties of loue which we are exhorted to folow 612. b Of loue towards our neighbours when they offende 138. b. 139. a Of loue and the fruites or exercises of the same 138. b Of the loue of parentes to their children and who doe faile therein 395. a. b The loue of our neighbour is a signe of our loue towardes God 430. a That we are beloued of God before wee loue him is prooued 107. b. 108. a That secrete loue is not so good as open rebuke 535. a The meaning of these words Loue couereth the multitude of sinnes 139. a Whether loue and feare can stand together 278. a That loue is the sauce which maketh meate good 306. a Of the loue of God towardes the righteous 298 b. 299. a The necessitie of loue grounded vppon good reason 178. a Our loue deserueth not forgiuenesse of sins 139. b That our loue serueth our brethren to obtein forgiuenesse of their sinnes and howe 139. a That the loue which is betweene knaues and whores is no loue and why 102. a Against the Papistes who woulde haue vs dout whether God doeth loue vs or not 5. a Louer The meaning of these words The wounds of a louer are faithful 535. b Lovvlinesse Of lovvlinesse and what reward it hath 37. a. b Lovvlinesse muche commended and not vnrewarded 165. a Lustes That the lustes of our fleshe beeing naturall are hard to be tamed 281. a That the foolishe and vndiscreete are not excusable in folowing their fleshly lustes although they be tempted and why 103. b M. Magistrate That wrath in a Magistrate is lawfull and howe 215. a Magistrates A lesson for Magistrates concerning punishment 140. a Howe and wherin Magistrates doe shew forth righteousnes 206. a Why and to what ende Magistrates are placed in the seate of iudgement 412. a The office of Magistrates and wherein the same consisteth 70. a Certaine speciall dueties of Magistrates and Gouernours 389. a A doctrine concerning Iudges Magistrates 9. a Against Magistrates which loue giftes and rewardes 351. a What Magistrates shoulde doe in time of insurrections and rebellions 270. a The charge of Magistrates in punishing euill doers 96. a Malicious Of malice and malicious men 282. b. 283. a We must not frequent ourselues
better then golde c. and why 108. b In what danger they are that contemne vvisdome 108. b That it is good and necessarie to loue and seeke vvisedome and why 108. a VVisedome wrought with God in the creation not as an inferiour but as an equal felowe 112. a To the attaining of vvisedome the feare of God is required 105. b Reasons to prooue vvisedome better then precious stones 105. a They that hate vvisedome loue death and why 115. a What kinde of bread wine is dealt at vvisedomes table 120. a Who they bee that haue no fellowship at the table of vvisedome and why 124. a Of the meates and drinkes which vvisedome giueth of their vse and abuse 124. a It is not lawfull for vs to vse vvisedome as the couetous vse their riches 124. b The fruites which proceede from the true vvisedome of the heart 135. a Worldly vvisedome is nothing but rebellion and why 135. a By vvisedome and vnderstanding we obteine life 98. a The Church houshold of God is the house of vvisedome 117. a Howe and after what sort the he use of vvisedome is made ours 116. a The next way to finde vvisedome is to cleanse ourselues 116 b Howe man is and is not of the house of vvisedome 116 b Of the seuen pillers wherein the house of vvisedome is set 116. b. 117. a The contemners of vvisedome worse then bruite beastes 115. a Howe and in what manner God hath ordeined vvisedome ouer his workes as his inferiour 110. b VVisedome must be sought by faith and repentance 114 b. 115. a The substance and wealth of vvisedome is eternal and why 109. a VVisedome is not a qualitie gotten by the industrie and labour of men and why 114. b That wee shoulde be watchfull after vvisedome is prooued by a familiar comparison 114. a Howe wee may assure ourselues to bee the children of vvisedome 113. b Of the highnesse of vvisedome and that it is to be wondred at 484. a. b The vvisedome of the heart will shew it selfe in the face and outwarde partes 470. b. 471. a To what ende God giueth vvisedome vnto men 585. b Of estimation proceeding and comming of vvisedome 205. a. b What our conuersation ought to be thereby to obtaine vvisedome 246. a That vvisedome resteth not in fanstes good intentions of men c. 471. a Of giuing our heartes to vvisedome and how the same is done 477. a What we must doe to enioye the goodnesse and sweetenesse of vvisedome 489. a They that resorte to the house of vvisedome doe finde the table throughly furnished 118. a That it is not enough to knowe vvisedome if we doe not finde it 489. a. b Why it may seeme that there is neither goodnesse nor sweetenesse in vvisedome 489. a With what eyes it behooueth vs to see the wayes of vvisedome 477. a. b The eternitie and euerlastingnesse of vvisedome set out at large 110. b. 111. a The meaning of Solomon in saying And so make warre with vvisedome 419. b VVise What vvise man Solomon meaneth when hee sayeth Reprooue the Wise 402. a. What Solomon meaneth by lodging among the vvise 320. a That it is better to be vvise late then neuer 397. a. b That the vvise are not like vnto diuers riche men and wherein 43. b That vvise men liue in riches honour and why 43. a Of being vvise in our owne eyes and of the contrarie 35. b Who is vvise indeede and replenished with true wisedome 139. b The number of vvise men is verie smal and almost none in this worlde and why 139. b The deedes of a vvise man 106. a. b Of suche as are vvise in their owne conceite and howe they are taxed 525. b. 526. a What vvise man he is that scaleth the Citie of the mightie 441. a Of sundrie sortes of vvise men and who are reputed vvise 457. a That they which are truely vvise despise and reiect the wealth of the worlde c. 275. b. VVitnesse That a false vvitnesse which speaketh lyes is one of the seuen things which God hateth 91. a. b That a false vvitnesse doeth sinne of set purpose 499. b The malice of a false vvitnesse is verie detestable and why 500. a The daunger that followeth the bearing of false vvitnesse 91. a b Why God hath a false vvitnesse in horrible execration 91. a. b A false vvitnesse compared to a hammer a sworde and a sharpe arrowe how 511. b. 512. a Why many weigh not muche to beare false vvitnesse 403 b The damnablenesse of a false vvitnesse 404. a. That the false vvitnesse deserueth death 512. a. That a false vvitnesse shal not be vnpunished 383. a. b. 386. b. 387. a Who it is that is a false vvitnesse and deserueth that name 91. b That a false vvitnesse hath neither loue faith nor religion c. 444. a. VVitnesses Of false vvitnesses and what they seeke 277. a Of most profitable vvitnesses and who bee such 277 a The way to shewe ourselues true vvitnesses 276 b False vvitnesses compared to gluttons and drunkardes 404. a That of our owne nature we are al false vvitnesses and why and what we must doe to amende this 257. b What wee must doe if wee wil not bee of the number of false vvitnesses 444. a A threatening against false vvitnesses and what wee haue to learne thereby 444. a. b. VViues Against brauling and contentious vviues 390. a. b Exhortations vnto vviues concerning their dueties 377. b A lesson for vviues to heare and beare away 202. b. 203. a Necessarie lessons for vviues cōcerning their dueties 181. a. b Of the dueties of husbands to their vviues 78. b Howe to tame wilde vviues and make them loue their husbandes companie 78. b The dueties of vviues tenderly loued of their husbandes 78. b. 79. a What suche vviues as desire to haue a good name should doe 100. b VVoman A contentious vvoman compared vnto a continuall dropping raine and why 540. b To what end the vvoman is giuen of God vnto man 540. b A vvoman is the principall temporal riches that a man can haue 391. a. b The danger that foloweth by letting a vvoman haue her wil. 628. b Of the excellencie and preciousnesse of a vertuous vvoman 628. b. 629. a A notable and excellent description of a vertuous vvoman a paterne for al women 628. b. 629. a. b 630. a. b. 631. a. b. 632. a. b. 633. a. b. 634. a. b. 635. a. b. 636. a. b. 637. a. b Much notable doctrine for a vvoman to cōsider and carrie in minde 202. b. 203. a An angrie vvoman compared to a wildernesse and why 439. a What Solomon meaneth by the strange vvoman 478. a. b That God praiseth and loueth the vertuous vvoman and how 638. b VVomen A natural vice in vvomen to be riotous and the mischiefe of such 541. a What kinde of vvomen Solomon calleth strange vvomen 79 a. b The meaning of these wordes Giue not thy strength to vvomen 625. a Howe the
fleeth all euill with all his might is much commendable Ephe. 4. 18. Herewithall it behoueth vs to be beautified as S. Paule exhorteth vs. But yet I would haue you wise vnto that which is good and simple concerning euill And Bee not children in vnderstanding Rom. 16. 19 but as concerning maliciousnesse bee children but in vnderstanding be of a rype age And the childe Forasmuch as the yonger sort are 1. Cor. 14. 20 commonly simple Solomon ioyneth them togeather and promiseth that if they giue good eare to his Prouerbes they shall obtaine knowledge and discretion He setteth knowledge first for without it children become stifnecked folowing their fansies affections and lustes not regarding what shall happen therof neither cōmonly are constant but are nowe of one opinion and by and by of an other nowe will they one thing and immediately after the contray But when Solomon spake of children promising them knowledge and aduertisment he had not respect only to the age but to the vnderstanding So of what age soeuer wee be if we be voide of all knowledge and discretion it is very needeful for vs to heare the sentences of the wise man and all such like doctrine and chiefly to bee attentiue vnto the doctrine of the Apostles Ephe. 4. 5 A wise man shall heare and encrease in learning and a man of vnderstanding shal attaine vnto wise counsels 6 To vnderstand a parable and the interpretation the worde of the wise and their darke sayings As the prouerbes of Solomon are necessarie and profitable to the simple and to children for their well framing of their heartes and right directing of their waies so are they to the wise for the encreasing of their wisedome and further knowledge Wherby it appeareth that not the simple children ought to be the schollers disciples of Solomō but also the wise Those then which count themselues so wise that they thinke they haue no neede to learne therefore contemne both preaching and reading of the holy scriptures not onely are voide of wisedome but also as much as in them is they make the holy Ghost a lyar which hath spoken by the mouth of Solomon And that we be not of the number of such people let vs be continuall schollers of our God and doe after the counsell of S. Iames. If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth Iam. 1. 5. no man and it shall be giuen him So doing we shall increase in wisedome and learning for to him that hath it shal be giuen and hee shal abound from him that hath not euen that hee hath shal be taken away And a man of vanderstanding To the end that we should be more diligent vpon doctrine and neuer to waxe weary of learning to vnderstand more perfectly the trueth Solomon sheweth vs what profite commeth thereof besides that which hee hath declared already in saying And a man of vanderstanding shall attaine vnto wise counsels As Solomon hath not asked worldly riches neither the pleasures and desires of the flesh but hath asked wisedome and prudence to gouerne both him and his people so also he promiseth not to the man of vnderstanding that he shal haue temporall goodes and that hee shall liue at ease in this worlde but he promiseth him wise counsels the which he expresseth by a worde that signifieth diligence and sharpnes of wit to gouerne Therewith shall those be endued which being wise and learned do alwaies pursue more and more to profite in the knowledge of the trueth for they shal knowe howe to moderate and rule both themselues and their owne affections and to keepe them vnder that they doe not raigne and also shal bee fitte and meete to shewe others the way to doe the like Heere we are taught what the gouerners both of the Church and Common weale ought to bee to wit that such should bee ordeined which both loue the trueth and are exercised therein Wee learne also that after wee haue hearde and knowen wee must not bee idle but bring foorth fruites Moreouer Mat. 7. 24. that without hearing the word of God no man can bee wise neither profite himselfe nor any other and that they which doe not gouerne themselues after the worde of God must needes be ignorant blind Iames. 1. 22. and fal into many vices that they are not onely vnprofitable but also hurtful to themselues and to their neighbours 6 To vnderstand Solomon hath already counted vnto vs many fruits which they receiue that apply their wittes to his sentences but yet there he setteth foorth vnto vs foure The first is that wee shal vnderstand the notable and excellent sentences of those which haue spoken by figures and similitudes to make them of more authoritie and estimation and that men shoulde bee more diligent to search out the meaning of them and that they might bee hid from them which are blinde of vnderstanding and that seeing they should not see c. The seconde commoditie which they receiue is to interprete and to expound these notable and excellent sentences to the edifiyng of the Church that the rude and ignorant might knowe so much as is expedient for their saluation The third is to iudge and discerne the wordes of the wise from those of the foolish the which oftentymes haue a fayre shewe of wisedome and holinesse and seeme at the first sight to please God albeit they be abhominable to him The sayings of the wise as of Moses of the Patriarches and Prophetes and other holie men be not of any great outwarde shew and yet for all that be not lesse pleasing vnto GOD for though they bee vttered by the mouthes of men yet are they neuerthelesse the wordes of God the which those may iudge that giue good eare to the Prouerbes of Solomon and such lyke doctrine Many are deceiued through the fayre shewe of mens wordes and therefore wee must knowe the woorde of God and not to beholde only with other mens eyes that in no wise wee bee deceiued with the fayre shewe which properly belongeth to false Prophetes and teachers of whome Iesus Christ commaundeth vs to beware The fourth is to vnderstande that which the wise haue Math. 7. 1◠spoken darkly as when they haue spoken of Gods prouidence of predestination and election of Saintes of reprobation and reiection of the wicked and such like matters which are al obscure and darke vnto the wicked who iudge all thinges to come to passe by chaunce albeit they are gouerned by the counsel and prouidence of God But let vs marke that when Solomon doeth attribute all these fruites to his notable Prouerbes hee meaneth not that all they which become attentiue to them are perfectly partakers of all these fruites For it is written Wee know in parte we prophecie in parte But when that which is perfect 1. Cor. 13. 20. is come then that which is in parte shal
Gomorrhians haue experimented such ease felicity First of al let vs thē Gen. 13. note that the way of the witoldes fooles is nothing but sinne wherof the rewarde is death And S. Iames saith Then when lust Rom. 6. 23. Iam. 1. 15. hath conceiued it bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished doeth bring foorth death It is not for nought that wee are warned not to consent to them and to walke with them in their way And as their way is not good and cannot bring foorth but euil fruite so their counsels are wicked and vngodly as wee haue seene for they tende to no other ende but to vndoe their neighbours and to contemne al discipline Whervpon it followeth they eate nothing that is ought woorth and againe albeeit the bodily meate which they take in this world doth please them yet it doth but poyson them for spending the goods which are none of theirs they deserue death which wil not spare them If wee then woulde haue our bodies wel refreshed let vs followe the counsels of wisedome Vnto the pure are al things pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleuing is nothing pure Secondly as the Tit. 1. 15. sottes and fooles shal eate of the fruite of their way c. as they deserue so wil God graunt this grace to those which apply themselues to wisdom and prudence that he wil satisfie them with the fruites of their good way and of their holy counsels Esay saieth Say yee surely it shal be wel with the iust for they shall eate the Esa 3. 10. fruite of their woorkes The sottes and fooles which forsake the Lorde shal bee depriued of such meate as it is said Beholde my Esa 65. 13. seruantes shal eate and yee shal be hungry behold my seruantes shal drinke and ye shal be thirsty and Blessed are they which hunger and thirst for righteousnes for they shal be filled And as ease Mat. 5. destroyeth the wicked for beeing fatted either they forget God or else spurne against him euen so when the wise haue beene afflicted they shal be quickned and not destroyed Wee haue many promises and examples in the scriptures but bicause of breuitie we wil omit them 33 But he that obeyeth me That the faithful which feele thēselues to run often astray according as their corrupt nature is inclined to euil shoulde not dispaire being feared with the threatnings that are made against the foolish and that they shoulde not thinke they are appointed to destruction without scaping wisedom maketh them a promise of great comfort wherin she sheweth the remedie and meanes whereby feare may be eschewed and destruction put away This promise ought greatly to comfort vs and for to receiue it there is no more asked of vs but that we obey the wisedome of God when it speaketh vnto vs by his Scriptures and by the mouth of his Ministers But the Pope and his demaund cleane contrarie and burne the bookes of the olde and newe Testament which containe the holie Scripture they persecute and put to death so much as they can the Ministers of the word and they that gladly heare them And in this sort it standeth not in them that the wisedome of God is not dumbe and we not deafe And so doing no thank to them that we be not in continual feare and destroied For sith the remedie and meanes to be deliuered of feare and escape destruction is to obey wisedome and they wil not suffer it it foloweth that they seeke nothing but our ruine and destruction Wherfore that may be saide to them which Christe did reproche the Scribes and Pharisies with all Woe therefore be vnto you Scribes and Pharisies Hypocrites because Mat. 23. 13. ye shut vpp the kingdome of Heauen before men for yee yourselues goe not in neither suffer yee them that woulde enter to come in When as much as in them is they take away the word which is the onely keye of the kingdome of Heauen they hinder men as much as can be from entring in For by the word the Heauens are opened vnto them which receiue it by the same they are shutte from them which reiect it Sainte Peter hauing the promise of the keyes hath receiued nothing but the charge to preache the Gospel which whosoeuer beleeueth shall be saued and so the dores shal be opened for him and hee that beleeueth not shall bee condemned and so the doore shall bee shut against him If the worldlinges delight to sing and heare pleasant songes to the fleshe and are not greeued thereat but if they bee able giue wages to those which can sing and playe vpon musical instrumentes that they may passe their time from day to day by a more strōg reason the childrē of God ought daily to apply their wittes and mindes to obeye this sweete voice of wisdome yea to forsake al that we haue in the world be they parēts or friends be they temporal goods reputations and honour rather than to be depriued of this voice so gratious desirable This voice bringeth vs the law of the Lord which is perfect conuerting the soule c This doing we shal truely obey wisdome and by this meanes we shal be safe and when affliction shal assault vs we shal not be Psal 19. 7. afraide As it is plainly shewed vs by the parable of the wise man that buildeth his house vpon a rocke By this same we may vnderstand Mat. ◠24. that what safetie or rest God doeth promise vs seruing and obeying him that we must not thinke wee bee exempted in this world from miseries and afflictions from feare and dread S. Paule hath well prooued it as he shewed it in the seconde to the Corinthians Likewise doe all they prooue it which will liue godlie in Cor. 1. 7. Christ Iesus as it hath bene afore told them The safetie then of the faithful consisteth not in not suffering any affliction in this world nor in not being astonished but heerein that whatsoeuer happen vs we shal not be ouercome with feare neither shall the afflictions come vpon vs like a whirlewinde which should consume and destroy vs. The deliuerance from all euils shal be when Christ hath gathered vs to himselfe shal wipe away all teares from our eyes and shal giue vs rest ioy and eternall felicitie The second Chapter 1 MY sonne if thou wilt receiue my words and hide my commandements within thee 2 And cause thine eares to hearken vnto wisedome and encline thine heart to vnderstanding 3 For if thou callest after knowledge and criest for vnderstanding 4 If thou seekest her as siluer and searchest for her as for treasures 5 Then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lorde and finde the knowledge of God 6 For the Lorde giueth wisedome out of his mouth commeth knowledge and vnderstanding TO the intent that we should not deceiue ourselues thinking to be sufficiēt simply onely to heare the wisdome of
abhorred If we thus do we shal walke in the way of good men And albeit that during this mortall life we haue many imperfections and that sinne dwelleth in vs yet wil not God impute them vnto vs for our destruction our house shal not be inclined to death but shall attaine the waies of the liuing and shal in them be preserued as Solomon doth affirme the same vnto vs saying For the iust shall dwell c. For to encourage vs to walke in the way of good mē he maketh vs a promise of a thing that naturally we desire that is to say to liue long vpō earth And immediately after hee giueth the reason wherefore hee allureth vs to walke in the way of good men in the which reason he sheweth who are the good men and righteous that is to say the iust and vpright And so he teacheth vs that wee are not righteous and good except we walke vprightly and sincerely But it may be said that this promise cānot giue vs courage to walk in this way for it belongeth nothing at al vnto vs which are heathen but onely to the seede of Abraham I answere albeit that after the doctrine of Moses Solomon heere speaketh expresly of the lande of Canaan appertaining to the children of Israell neuerthelesse nowe sith the worde of God is directed vnto vs and that thereby we know Gen. 12. 17. howe the earth is the Lordes we must take this word Land more generally For in what countrey so euer wee dwel sith the lande is his he giueth vs our dwelling and abiding therein And in this sort if we be good and righteous iust vpright the promise belongeth vnto vs ought to encourage vs to walke in the way of good men It may bee saide againe that the promise to dwell in the land is not beneficial vnto the iust and vpright because that most commonly they are oppressed violated and threatened Psal 24. 1. to bee rooted out of the earth Answere that the earthly life how wretched soeuer it bee and what aduersitie soeuer they suffer therein yet it cannot bee but profitable to the iust and vpright For this earthly life is to them a blessing of God if it were but forsomuch as God doth witnesse his fatherly loue towards them maintaining them in this life But it wil be said that this blessing lasteth not long and so that they haue no great benefite by dwelling in the lande I Answere Albeit that sometimes it happeneth that the Lorde doeth seeme to withdrawe the iust and vpright whome he most loueth out of this worlde yet hee leaueth not his worde vnaccomplished whereby he promiseth them that they shall dwell in the lande and remaine in it as we must vnderstande it For what earthly riches soeuer GOD doth promise we must take thē with condition so far as it is expedient for our spiritual health But it wil be said againe Though it were so that the iust should remaine long on the earth yet the promise could not ferue enough to prouoke thē to walke in the way of good men For we see the vngodly and froward the wicked and hypocrites to liue long and prosperously in this world wherewith the faithful may be tempted and therefore they are admonished in the 37. Psalm 37. 2. Psalme not to bee vexed though they see them prosper and reioyce seeing that their destruction is at hande from the which they shall neuer be raised vp againe I answere that they which are not iust and vpright vse not their owne in this life but they vsurpe other mens goodes as theeues and robbers though they haue them by succession by gift or getting for they holde them without Gods promise which onely maketh the faithful iustly to professe that which they haue in this worlde It might be further replied that for all the promise which the iust and vpright men haue to dwel in the lande that yet they haue nothing more than the wicked and that indeede they enioy not the land so largely nor so much at their ease as do the wicked and therefore that this promise cannot induce them to walke in the way of good mē I answere again That this is the same promise that God made vnto Abraham in Genesis And the selfe same which is often repeated in the lawe by Moses and in the Prophetes and as expounders Gen. 12. 7. of the lawe Wherefore the Lawe was our scholemaister to bring vs to Christ Again for al the promises of God in him Gal. 3. 24. are yea and are in him Amen vnto the glory of God through vs. Nowe Iesus Christ came not into this worlde to beare temporall 1. Cor. 1. 20. rule and to possesse great earthly riches as he hath declared both by worde and deede nor to place his at their ease and to make them great Princes of this worlde Therefore we must vnderstand that in the promise of the lande is enclosed the same of the heauēly heritage that there are none but them to whom the promise of the lande is made and which apprehend the same by faith who are made heires of euerlasting life As the promise of the lande is not giuen to the frowarde and wicked so haue they no hope in the kingdome of GOD. It is then no smal matter to haue this promise to dwell and remaine in the land as the auncient Fathers did wel vnderstande it for hauing the promise they rested not in the lande but aspired for higher things that by faith which hath no stay but on the promises onely For if wee beleeue and hope for that which is not promised vs wee shal be frustrate of that we looke for as fooles and arrogant That the auncient fathers haue aspired and looked for more excellent Heb. 11. ◠things by the promis of the lande the Apostle is witnesse therof By faith Abraham abode in the lande of promis as in a straunge countrie as one that dwelt in tentes with Isaac and Iacob heires with him of the same promis for hee looked for a Citie hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God If we should alledge this promis to the wicked which endeuour by violence to roote vs out of the world they would scorne and mocke vs for our labour for they thinke they haue the power to destroy vs at their pleasure and that they be maisters and Lords of the lande that no man should gaine say them But the holy Ghost by Solomon pronounceth the contrarie for he saith But the wicked shal bee cut of c. The 37. Psalme doeth set foorth this more at large Albeit then that the wicked florishe and prosper in this worlde yet Psal 37. shal they not continue long but shal within a litle space after their prosperitie perishe eternally For if God doeth not count them worthy to possesse the lande by promis much lesse will hee iudge them worthy of the heauenly kingdome out of
merie and put away sorrowe and to accomplish this to let slip the bridle vnto concupiscences and lustes of their flesh the which wil not bee made obedient to the lawe of God and turne to him through true repentance If they were wise they would loue wel the sorrowe which proceedeth of the obedience to the coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts for it bringeth no hurte but great profit therefore S. Paule repenteth him not that he had made the Corinthians sory Likewise our Sauiour promiseth comfort â— Cor. 7. 8. â— Mat. 5. 4. to them which mourne It seemeth to them also that to obteine rest not to be hindred froÌ„ liuing in felicitie prosperitie there wanteth nothing but the friendship of the world the which cannot be obteined by shewing to be the true faithfull seruant and childe of God by obedience to his woorde But therein they are deceiued for S. Iames saith Knowe yee not that the amitie of the worlde is the enimitie of God Likewise our sauiour warneth Iam. 4. 4. Iohn 15. 18. his disciples not to bee dismaide for the hatred of the worlde 3 Let not mercy truth forsake thee binde them on thy neck write them vpon the table of thine hart 4 So shalt thou finde fauour good vnderstanding in the sight of God and man After that Solomon hath generally warned vs not to forget the lawe to the ende that we might know howe to follow his admonition hee deuideth the lawe and commandements of God into twoo partes that is to say into mercie and trueth As also this is then his commandement that wee beleeue in the name of his 1. Iohn 3. 23 Sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as hee gaue commandement Vnder truth he comprehendeth al the honour and seruice that wee owe vnto God as is conteined in the first table and vnder mercie hee comprehendeth what we owe to our neighbours as is commanded vs in the seconde table Heerein wee see the summary of the lawe wherevnto agreeth that which our Mat. 22. 37. sauiour sayde to a Doctour For albeeit Solomon maketh not expresse mention of the loue of God yet doeth hee not altogether keepe it secrete when hee speaketh of trueth and mercie For as wee cannot bee assured of Goods goodnesse towardes vs vnlesse wee loue him so can wee not also bee truly mercifull vnto our neighbours except wee desire to obey God for that wee loue him For God requireth of vs such obedience to his lawe Deâ—t 6. 5. 1â— 12. as proceedeth of loue Solomon in this summary woulde haue vs so attentiue to the lawe of God that wee shoulde neuer suffer mercy and trueth to forsake vs But binde theâ—â—on our necke Wherein hee vseth three similitudes First of al for to shewe vs that wee must goe forwarde in truth mercy hee likeneth them vnto a yoake felowe with whome a man must be coâ—pled chiefly being in a dangerous way and may not suffer him to come dragging behinde or to goe too farre afore For if wee bee forsaken of this fellowship the spirituall theeues and robbers wil quickly assault vs and of ourselues wee cannot saue vs from their handes but must miserably perish Secondarily for to teache vs howe wee shoulde worke that this felowship may not forsake vs hee vseth another similitude making this felowship like vnto a yoake that is put on the necke of Oxen and fast bounde that it vnloose not and that is when he admonisheth vs to binde mercy and truth about our necke Wherein he woulde that with a willing minde we shoulde submit ourselues vnto the lawe of God for he saith not let vs suffer to be bound vnto this yoake but that we ourselues should bind them on our neckes And as the Oxen do neuer cast of the yoake from them whereto they are bounde but are compelled to remaine vnder the same euen so must wee force ourselues to beare the yoake of our Lord and continue vnder the same els wee should bee constrained to carry the yoake of sinne and so to be in the deuils bondage as our Lord doeth well signifie it in Mathew Come vnto me al ye that are weary laden Mat. 11. 28 I wil ease you c. Thirdly he likeneth our harts vnto the Arke of the couenaÌ„t in the which were the tables of stone wherein the law was written as God had commanded Moses Euen so least we forget the lawe our harts must be the arke of mercie and Exâ— 25. 21. trueth and neuer from thence to let them passe But as the lawe was inclosed within the arke and yet Moses and the Priestes ceased not to open the same vnto the people by preaching and holy liuing euen so wee also must not haue the lawe of GOD in our harts onely as also it is vnpossible but both in worke and mouth Solomon doeth wel shewe it when hee gathereth the lawe into mercie and trueth for they cannot bee in vs but they will bee Deâ—t 11. 20. seene when occasion is offred and when wee haue opportunitie the which wee must seeke as Solomon doeth wel shewe it when hee sayeth bynde them on thy necke c. Besides the former exposition it may bee sayde howe Solomon doeth admonish vs to bee merciful and faithful vnto our neighbours wherevnto also Saint Paule exhorteth vs Wherefore cast of lying and speake euery man trueth vnto his neighbour And that wee may â—phe 4. 25. goe forwarde hee admonisheth vs to binde the lawe and the commandements on our necks For by them wee shal be guyded vnto mercy and trueth and without them there cannot but bee in vs al vnmercifulnesse and crueltie also allying and vnfaithfulnesse Furthermore if we ascribe mercie and trueth vnto God wee may say howe Solomon doeth warne vs that if wee woulde haue Psal 117. â— God to continue his mercy towards vs and not make his promises voide vnto vs we must binde his lawe and commandementes vppon our neckes Nowe albeeit that these twoo last expositions conteine trueth yet are they not so fit for the lyne of Solomons texte as the first the which may bee seene by that which is gone before when he counseled that the lawe should not bee forgotten and also by that which foloweth when hee commandeth saying So shalt thou find fauour good vnderstanding in the sight of God man By faith we find fauour before God also please him as it is said of Enoch And after this sort wee obteine vnderstanding Heb. 11. 5. which is very profitable to guide vs to good learning Through gentlenes we please men chiefly those whome we are gentle vnto exercising the workes of charitie Through this commandement heere which is like vnto a promis wee ought to bee much stirred continually to thinke on the lawe of the Lorde and to goe forewarde in keeping of these commandements assuring ourselues of his goodnes and helping one another by charitie seing that in so doing we are
they sought by al means to preserue this life which they knew they had of Gods gift And yet in somuch as they were weake men like other their fleshe rebelled against their spirit so that their assuraÌ„ce was not so perfect but that it was coupled with doubtfulnesse and distrust For as it is saide in the Galathians The flesh lusteth against the spirite and Gal. 5. 17. the spirite against the fleshe and these are contrary one to another Nowe forasmuch as the length of dayes is in the right hande of wisedome it followeth that what prosperite and ease soeuer we haue in this worlde if wee be voide of wisedome wee doe not liue but are in death Contrarily what miserie and aduersitie soeuer wee suffer yet if we haue founde wisedome and doe get her vnto vs death hath no power ouer vs but we doe liue the which shal neuer be taken from vs. The worldlings doe scorne laugh at this and yet for all the wisedome we haue our fleshe which is of a vicious and corrupt nature doeth stirre and tempt vs to beleeue the contrarie For wee see that the wisest men are most commonly poorest and that there is no count made of them but are a reproche to the worlde and are persecuted and when wee want the riches and honours of this worlde wee esteeme not this to bee life but paine death And it is commonly saide that it is better to liue ten yeeres with ease than fiftie in paine Thus after the opinion of the world fantasie of the flesh it is better to folow the trade of merchandise or some other worldly meanes to become rich for to liue easily and haue honour and so to liue but a while then to folow wisdome and liue poorely and in contempt a long time For this cause then that the contempt of the worlde the moouing fantasie of our flesh shoulde not turne vs away from Wisedome Solomon doeth shew there is no paine in the life of wise men but that they liue in riches and honour for he saieth that in her left hand are riches glorie Wherein he compareth Wisdom vnto a liberal rich man that beareth a good wil towards the needie doth not despise his tenants vnderlings but carieth his purse in his hande readie to emptie it for the comfort of the poore and doeth not torment his inferiours by contempt but doeth honour them doing his duetie towardes them Such is Wisdome towards them that finde her for they that are truely wise what pouertie so euer they suffer in the feeling of the flesh yet are they neuer emptie but haue enough the which they preferre vnto all worldly riches and are contented therewith for also it is much better And moreouer though they bee in contempt of the world yet are they assured that God doth not despise them Psal 37. 1â— but by his mercy he greatly esteemeth them and therefore they esteeme loue contempts better then all the riches of the world As S. Paule witnesseth of himselfe and the Apostle testifieth of Moses and also our Lord woulde haue vs to reioyce in such contempts 1. Cor. 4. 10. Hebr. 11. 25. Mat. 5. 11. And when Solomon doth attribute a right hand a lefte hand vnto wisedome we must take good heede from thinking any carnall thing of it as if Wisdome had hands but by this kinde of speech SolomoÌ„ doth teach vs that the wise are assured to liue loÌ„g and that so much as shal be expedient for their spiritual health that they shal haue goods honors enough where with they shal be contented tarying looking by this promise to obtaine a life riches and honours permanent for euer the which the richest of the world can not promise themselues 17 Her wayes are wayes of pleasure When Merchants other worldly passengers walke in the fieldes they are glad when they finde faire way in the same doe meete with such things as are pleasant ioyful they greatly desire not to be stayed nor hindered in their iourney but to go at their ease without any disturbance the which sometime they misse For as the state which they professe can not assure them of that so also oftentimes they meete with that which is coÌ„trarie to their desire wherat they are grieued wax wery of their way are vexed through the euil mischances and finde no rest in their mindes The wise are not after this sorte for wheresoeuer they folow Wisdome they finde pleasure and their affaires doth prosper wel whervpon they haue great quietnes in mind euen in the most hardest afflictioÌ„s that can happeÌ„ in the worlde in folowing this counsel My brethren count it for an exceeding great ioy when ye fal into diuers temptations For they Iam. 1. 2. â—am 1. 12. doe well knowe that they are blessed that endure temptation c. And therfore by what way so euer they must passe to folow Wisdome yet are they cheereful merie Therfore the wise are not like vnto diuers rich men who although they abounde in worldly wealth yet on which side so euer they turne them nothing doeth please them they haue neyther ioye nor comfort nor rest in their mindes If then we would be happie let vs not folow the trade of worldly rich merchants but let vs lift vp our minds after wisdom and she wil enrich vs giue vs sufficient and contented mindes she wil pleasure vs deliuer vs from all sorow melancholy she wil giue vs rest and quiet mindes and wil make vs prosper in all things and that not for a litle space of time onely but all the daies of our life the which shal not be short as Solomon doeth affirme the same vnto vs saying that length of daies is in the right hand of VVisedome and also doeth affirme here after saying 18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her c. A tree of life that is to say a tree whose frute is of so great vertue goodnes that it giueth life to them which eate therof not like the trees which way faring men finde in the fieldes whose frute if they eate their thirst is alayed and they refreshed for a litle while but they that eate of the frute of this tree are quickened for neuer to dye and it is therefore called the tree of life Wherein Solomon compareth wisedome vnto the tree of life whereof Mofes speaketh in Gene. and doeth put a difference betweene Gen. 2. 9. 3 22. 24. Gen. 2. 9. 17. 33. the tree of knowledge of good and euil whereof also Genesis speaketh For as the tree of life was giuen vnto man for to assure him that hee shoulde liue euer and by the gift and promise of God it had this effect and vertue to make man liue to preserue him from death so doeth Wisedome giue eternal life vnto those which laye holde on her with trust in the goodnesse of God
by keeping of his commandements And herein it differeth from the tree of knowledge of good euil whose fruit maÌ„ eating brought death into the world and depriued himselfe and all his posteritie of life We must then take this tree of life and holde it by Fayth and obedience to the worde of the Lorde and not desire any thing that hee forbiddeth and which is not acceptable vnto him as we are taught by his lawe and his Gospel Thus doing wee shal be happie as Solomon concludeth saying And blessed is hee that reteyneth her This particle and is as muche as then as if he did say TheÌ„ blessed is he c. He saith not blessed is he which is counted amongst wise men and deferreth himself to their Wisdome but hee sayeth Blessed is euery man that reteineth her himselfe and liueth thereby as in the world they wil not iudge him happie that suffreth himself to dye with hunger in the midst of his goods and will onely content himselfe to see others eate and wonder at them that eate and satisfie their hunger As such people are right worthie to bee esteemed foolishe and madde and deserue to drye and fal away euen so also are they worthie which content themselues onely to esteeme wel of wise men and wonder at them With suche kinde of people is poperie sâ—uffed and â—here is no smal number of them besides in other places Wherof it foloweth that the world is full of cursed people and that the number of the blessed is verie small for of ten thousande hardlie shal one be found that wil take hold of this tree of life reteine her to refresh himself with her fruites and to enioy her reuenew The world is wonderfully out of tast it had rather eate the fruite whereby at the last it shal feele what benefite it hath forsaken and into what euils it hath cast it self headlong We also are all of this nature in as much as we are the children of Adam who contented not himselfe to eate of the fruite that GOD had permitted and giuen him but against the wil of God would taste of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and euil whereby after wardes he knew what riches hee had lost and into what miserie hee had cast both himself and al his posteritie if God of his goodnes mercie had not sent a remedie by our Lorde Iesus Christ of whome this tree of life was a figure For it is he which is the true Wisdome the euerlasting Word of God wherein life remained If then wee will liue be blessed wee must take Iesus Christ for our tree of lyfe wherwith our soules should be nourished eternally 19 The Lord by VVisedome hath laide the foundation of the earth and hath stablished the heauens through vnderstanding 20 By his knowledge the depthes are broken vp and the cloudes droppe the dewe 21 My Sonne let not these things depart from thine eies but obserue VVisdome and counsell 22 So they shal be life vnto thy soule and grace vnto thy necke To the end that we should not iudge that the Wisdom which Solomon doeth so carefully commend vnto vs attributing great vertues excellent graces vnto her is a thing fained in the braine of men and that it doeth perishe with them and for this occasion should be led to mistrust her and to despise her and therfore he doeth declare vnto vs his eternitie diuinitie power For if the Lorde haue builded the earth by Wisedome c it foloweth first that she is before al creatures so she is eternal and forasmuch as there is none but God that is euerlasting we must vnderstande that Wisdom is of one diuine essence with God and consequenâ—ly of all one power When Solomon speaketh thus of wisedome he doeth attribute â—he creation ordering and gouernment of al things aswel heauenly as earthly vnto her and therein he sheweth that it is the eternal worde wher of moâ—es speaketh Whereupon we must vnderstand Gen. 1 5. Iohn 1. 1 that this wisedome is the euerlasting Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ And so by these wordes Solomon allureth vs to put al our felicitie al the hope of our saluation al our ioy pleasure in Iesus Christ and that hee only should be our contentation and satisfying so that we shoulde not desire other riches nor treasures but that he should be vnto vs al in al as he only hath creaâ—ed things ordered al things ordered al and holdeth al in his power And if in this â—orte we take him vnto vs and holde him fast then blessed are we for we shal want nothing Nowe that by these woordes of Solomon we shoulde be induced to knowe the eternite diuinitie and power of wisedome to ioyne ourselues vnto her and to put al our trust in her wee may learne the same by other places of the scripture in the which the holy Ghost willing to turne vs from the vaine trust of Idols and to make vs leane vpon one God onely doeth attribute the creation of the worlde the disposing guyding Gen. 1. 1. Esa 40. 26. 42. 5. 44. 24. 45 18. Ier. 10. 12. and gouerning of al things vnto him It is then the maner of the scripture to set the creation of the worlde before vs when it endeuoureth to induce vs to put our trust in God and also when we make confession of our faith wee confesse that God is maker of heauen and earth As touching the rest when wisedome hath so holpen and stil doeth mainteine al things which are created for man his sake and doe serue him we ought to vnderstand thereby that she wil not forsake vs seeing that wee are much more excellent Mat. 6. 26. then the things which are created for our vse and seruice For if God take care of things that are lesse then we by a stronger reason he wil assist vs in al our needes Moreouer when wee see the earth so stedfastly settled and that it vpholdeth greate buildings and high mountaines without any remoouing that it beareth both great and smal trees and bringeth forth al greene things for foode to man and beast that the heauens with their hostes doe continually keepe their course without shaking and wearinesse that out of the deepes do rise the springs of waters from whence the welles riuers pondes and sea doe come for the necessitie both of man and beasâ—es and that we see also that to giue vs abundance and greater fruitefulnesse the cloudes drop downe the raine to moisten and to make the earth fat and that of all these thinges there is none in our power that by our thought and care wee can in no wise further them we must confesse it is God onely that worketh by his wisedome though he would haue that man should labour and that he vseth man as his instrument And therefore with knowledge we must confesse O Lord how manifolde are thy workes in wisedome hast thou made them
which we owe them Let vs then take heed wee doe not as those which S. Iames reproueth saying For if a brother or a sister be naked destitute of dayly food and one of you say vnto them depart in peace warme yourselues fil your bellies notwithstanding ye giue them not those things which are needful to the body Iam. 2. 19. what helpeth it For the loue that wee owe vnto our neighbours is not paide with words Euen so whosoeuer shal haue this worlds good shal see his brother to stand in neede wil shut vp his compassion froÌ„ him how dwelleth the loue of God in him We must then be readie to pay our debts to helpe the necessitie of the poore otherwise we withhold the good froÌ„ the owner therof and bid them come againe to morow the which is a detestable theeuerie before God who can wel punish it euen as murther and manslaughter as the scripture witnesseth in diuers places although it be counted but a smal fault before men who doe pardon great theeues and hang vp the litle ones 29 Intende none hurt against thy neighbour seing he doth dwel without feare by thee For the thirde commandement of mercy hee sheweth that wee must walke in integritie of harte with our neighbours and chiefly with those which stande not in doubte nor mistrust vs otherwise wee deserue greatly to bee blamed of treason considering that they which dwell and occupie with vs doe not distrust vs because outwardly wee shewe them a faire face and smoothe countenance For none can bee assured of his neighbour except hee loue him and desire his prosperitie Therefore when wee see that our neighbours doe noâ— feare that wee wil hurte them let vs not inuent any euill against them and muchlesse put it in practise otherwise wee must looke for nothing but a curse as it is written hee hath didgged a pit and made it deepe and is fallen into it himselfe Hee that rewardeth euil for good euil shal not departe from his house And Psal 7. 15. Prou. 17. 13. albeeit that Solomon doeth not heere make mention but of the deuises that are made against those that thinke themselues to bee at peace and quietnes and woulde haue vs to abstaine from it it is not therefore to say that hee alloweth conspiracies and treasons that are made against enemies for hee saieth Say not thou I wil recompense euil but waite vpon the Lorde and hee shal saue Pro. 20. 25. 2â— thee Againe If hee that hateth thee bee hungry giue him bread to eate and if hee bee thirsty giue him water to drinke But by forbidding one kinde of treason hee giueth vs to vnderstande that al treasons are euil and that wee must haue our hartes pure from al euil thoughtes and purposes And namely hee forbiddeth to ymagine any thing against him that so loueth his neighbour that he hath no euil suspicion of him for if a man be giuen to ymagine against them that are such hee wil also ymagine against his enemies And albeit that Ieremie saith Cursed is Iâ—re 17. 5 the man that putteth his trust in man c. it is not to say that it is vnlawful for a man to trust in his neighbour when there is perceiued nothing in him but honestie For as the scripture blameth the trust that is put in man against the word of God euen so also it commandeth vs loue the which beleeueth al and hopeth al indureth al things and thinketh none euil If then wee loue our 1. Cor. 13. 7. neighbours in whome wee see none euil wee wil put our trust in them and wil not feare that they wil do vs wrong but rather that they wil helpe vs at our neede This is the trust wherof Solomon heere speaketh and not the vaine and foolishe trust that one putteth in another in worldly things forgetting God as the same which the Iewes had in the helpe of Egipt and like the same that the Papistes haue in their Saintes and in their merites and other baggage 30 Striue not with a man causeles when hee hath doonâ— thee no harme For the fourth commandement of mercy hee woulde haue vs â—o auoyde contentions which are fruites of euil thoughts and chiefly that wee shoulde not striue with him that douteth vs not For seeing that in not mistrusting vs hee sheweth vs signe of loue And againe that wee haue no tryal that hee woulde nor doeth vs any euil then shoulde we doe him greate iuiury to contende with him Hee expressely forbiddeth such contentions because they are most detestable both before God and men which haue any sparke of good feeling and also because that that man who is wont to striue without cause wil make no conscience to striue contend against them which shal something offend him The which Solomon alloweth not of as wee haue seene by the witnesses before alleaged Moreouer our Lorde Iesus Christ who is the true Solomon forbiddeth vs al contentions when hee saith But I say vnto you resist not euil and when hee saieth a little after Loue your enimies Mat. 5. 39. Rom. 12. 17. And S. Paul Recompense to no man euil for euil by forbidding vs these debates and commanding vs peace and loue with al men they adde nothing vnto the lawe though it bee commanded hee shal giue life for life For therein the iudges are taught howe they ought to punishe the offenders and not howe particular Exo. 21. 23. Deut. 19. 21. persons shoulde reuenge themselues vpon their enemies to whome by the lawe they ought to doe wel If thou meetest with the Oxe of thyne enemie or his asse going astray thou shalt bring it home to him Dauid did wel vnderstande the Exo. 23. 4. 1. Sam. 24. 2â— same as it may bee seene in the hunting that Saule made after him 31 Be not enuious for the wicked man neither choose any of his wayes 32 For the frowarde is abhomination vnto the Lord but his secret is with the righteous Forasmuch as they which are voide of mercy doe shewe vnmercifulnesse and crueltie wherewith they are ful fraught giuing themselues to inuent euil against innocentes which distrust them not and that they which stirre vp strifes without cause against the good doe florish commonly in the worlde liuing easily and peaceably and possessing great riches with honours and contrarily they which walke with integritie of hart which seeke peace and faine woulde doe wel doe suffer much miserie and are contemned of the worlde for this cause the poore faithful ones are tempted to forget mercie and to serue the wicked for parte of their prosperitie There is none so perfite in all the worlde if so bee it hee fal into affliction but doeth feele these temptations And Dauid also doeth acknowledge the same in his owne person and consequently in the same of all the Psal 73. 2. faythful saying As for mee my feete were almost gone my steppes had wel
the Word is not directed but vnto the children of God yet it ceaseth not to sound in the eares of strangers which are mingled with the houshold of God but because they heare it with contempt as they declare by not receiuing the same with fayth and obedience for this cause it serueth vnto their condemnation of death Contrarily vnto them that receiue it to them shee is as life Solomon doeth so affirme when hee sayeth to his Sonne that his wordes shal increase the yeares of his life If then wee desire long life let vs yeelde ourselues willingly to learne and diligently to heare the preaching of the Word let vs submit ourselues thervnto with true obedience labouring to perfourme that which it commaundeth vs by reuerence that we beare vnto God who is our Father and through feare that wee haue to disobey him In this sort our yeares shal be prolonged not that we can liue in this worlde beyonde the terme that God hath ordeined from euerlasting but howe short so euer our life is it shal be so long as is expedient for the saluation of our soules as also wee will content ourselues therewith knowing that by temporal death our yeares are not shortened but that wee shal enter into the true length of life for the same shal be without ende Wee shewe right wel that wee beleeue not Solomon or that wee make no great accounte of life There are not many which giue eare vnto the Worde of life yet lesse that receiue it In so doing we declare vs to be folish and that we make no count to come vnto Wisedome wherevnto the wiseman laboureth to bring vs by his wordes as he sheweth saying 11 I haue taught thee in the way of VVisdome and ledde thee in the pathes of righteousnes 12 VVhen thou goest thy gate shal not be straight whē thou runnest thou shalt not fall 13 Take hold of instruction and leaue her not keepe her for shee is thy life When Solomon declareth that by his wordes he leadeth men to Wisedome and that hee guideth them the right way vnto life then he reprooueth those of folishnesse condemneth them vnto death which wil not heare receiue his words and therewith he sheweth what is the office of fathers vnto their children that is they should not mainteine them in vaine foolish thinges but in al Wisdome that they may say with Solomon I haue taught thee c. Likewise the dutie of children is to be willing to learne and to folow the Wisedome and righteousnes that their Fathers Superiours and Teachers shal teach them by the Worde of God But as it is verie harde to finde many Parents which doe teache wisedome and righteousnes for the most parte careth not what becomes of their children so that they spende not their goods so also the greatest parte of the worlde which are the youth are the worst ruled in such wise that they care not what they doe so that they may liue at ease And therfore albeit that we haue the Word of God daily preached vnto vs the which is the way of wisdome and righteousnes yet is it verie hard to persuade many that they are rebels against the Word and that the way hath beene taught them c. After the meaning of Solomon which speaketh vnto obedient children for none but they doe truely receiue the way of wisdome and walke in the pathes of righteousnes That Solomon doeth direct his words vnto these we may vnderstand by the promise folowing when he sayeth 12 VVhen thou goest c. This promise can not appertaine to the foolish scorners neither vnto the wicked and dissolute Pro. 1. 26. 2. 22. 3. 32. Psal 37. but contrarily they are threatened with sorow affliction with miseries and calamities with desolation destruction but it belongeth vnto the wise and righteous And forasmuch as Solomon doeth apply it vnto them to whome hee did direct his former affirmation saying I haue taught thee c. It foloweth right wel that he speake not vnto the foolishe disobedient but to those which through loue of wisedome righteousnes doe heare and receiue his words If we would then be exempted from sorow distresse and to be at libertie with ease as Solomon doeth promise saying VVhen thou goest c If wee would auoide desolation and destructiō and dwel surely and safely we must haue al our thoughts purposes al our sayings doings the which are our wayes paths to be taught by wisdō gouerned by righteousnes c. But though that Solomon hath directed himselfe to the wise and righteous making them this affirmation adding thereto the promise yet are we neuer so wise and wel ruled but that wee haue neede to bee admonished not to forsake the way that hath beene taught vs neither are wee alwayes so assured of the promises that are made vs by the Worde of God but that we haue neede to be exhorted and called vpon to receiue his admonitions and not to forsake them promising vs that we shal liue for he saieth Take holde of instruction This verse hath alreadie bene expounded in this same Chapter in the tenth verse 14 Enter not into the way of the wicked and walke not in the way of euil men 15 Auoide it and goe not by it turne from it and passe by 16 For they can not sleepe except they haue done euil and their sleepe departeth excepte they cause some to fall 17 For they eate the bread of wickednes and drinke tho wine of violence The waye of the wicked is to be giuen to doe hurt vnto their neighbours without cause the which is a most wicked custome Pro. 1. 10. and maner of doing therefore Solomon hath exhorted vs in the 15. verse Walke not in the wayes with them c. Likewise one of their wayes is to loue foolishnes Wherfore if we enter into their pathes then doe we not walke in the way of Wisedome wherof it foloweth that we fall into the straight and distresse and light vpon destruction and so runne vnto death For life standeth only in the way of Wisedome and righteousnes in the which for to preserue vs Solomon is not satisfied with the aduertisementes that he hath giuen but againe hee doeth admonish vs that in no wise we should folow the cōditions maners of the wicked And for to shewe vs that we should be verie careful to take heed from partaking with their doings it sufficeth him not to haue said Enter not c. But further to expresse how muche wee ought to abhor detest the maners of the wicked to shun thē he addeth 15 Auoide it and goe not by it Forasmuch as the greatest part of the worlde consisteth of the wicked and vngodly which prosper and are happy to the sense of the fleshe therefore the rude ignorant and simple and vndiscreete are tempted to follow them and count themselues happy if they may come to bee
prodigal spend thrifts which are driuen to beg doe prooue the same with the prodigal child If their repentance were known and that they truly confessed their faultes as did the poore prodigal childe we ought to haue pitie on them and helpe their necessitie Gen. 2. 15. c. But that we must thus vnderstand this honour and these yeares Solomon sheweth it saying 10 Lest the stranger should be filled c. Forasmuch as from the beginning of the world the Lorde God tooke man and placed him in the garden of Eden that hee might dresse and keepe it and that in al ages suche as were of right iudgement haue bestowed themselues to good workes because they woulde not liue Exo. 20. ◠idlely and be vnprofitable in this world and that God sayeth vnto vs Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and also according to the saying of Saint Paule Let him that stole steale no more c. And againe Ephe. 4. 28. 2. Thes 3. 8. Neither tooke wee bread of any man for naught Wee will here take the strength and the labour for the goods that a man getteth and gathereth by his worke for to sustaine his life The Gen. 4. 12. Iob. 6. 22. 31. 38. Eccle. 2. 10 verse 11. 12. Deut. 28. 33. Psal 78. 46. Psal 105. 44. Scripture vseth it in this signification God said vnto Cain When thou shalt til the ground it shal not hencefoorth yeeld vnto thee her strength Was it because I said bring vnto me or giue a reward to mee of your substance If my land crie against mee c. Thus much for strength But labours is spoken of in diuers places My heart reioyced in al my labour and this was my portion of all my trauell The fruite of thy lande and all thy labours c. Hee gaue also their fruits vnto the Caterpiller their labour vnto the Grashopper And gaue them the landes of the heathen and they tooke the labours of the people in possession And albeit that it come from the power and goodnes of God that we become rich for of him onely haue we our strength and ablenes our wisdom and wil to imploy vs it is he alone that maketh the earth fruitful yet notwithstāding he is so good that what he giueth vs he esteemeth ours and doeth declare it vnto vs to the end that we shoulde know that hee hath giuen vs libertie to vse them with praise and thankesgiuing with ioy gladnes But if it be not lawful for vs to vse our owne goods prodigally so muche the lesse is it lawful to steale or to borow to spend prodigally and to liue dissolutely brauely and in costly buildings and belly cheare 11 And thou mourne at thine ende As in liuing chastly by sustaining ourselues with the goods which God giueth vs to vse soberly and temperately the bodie is mainteined and kepte from feeblenesse and diseases and is strengthened made strong to labour about good and honest things for to profit ourselues our neighbours euen so contrarily by whore hunting and wasting the goods of God immoderately we spoile our bodies and make them subiect to diuers sicknesses and become vnprofitable so that we can neither profit ourselues nor our neighbours but are constrained to perish miserably Wherevpon finally we mourne and make lamentation when we see and feele ourselues in so pitiful a case But al in vaine for so litle is our griefe assuaged by suche mourning that rather it is increased Solomon did wel perceiue the same by the wisedome he had receiued of God and therefore he forbiddeth to haue felowship with whores and to spende our goods prodigally and now he declareth the meanes whereby the bodie is consumed and looseth his strength nowe seeing perceiuing themselues in such miserie they lament but it is to late as he doeth wel signifie it saying That it is at the end and when we can no longer for the bodie and the strength faileth and can not be recouered nor restored For this cause Solomon woulde haue vs to liue with such shamefastnesse chastitie with such sobrietie temperancie that we should not be cōpelled to mourne Not so but that lamentations are profitable when they proceede out of a contrite lowly heart truely repentant For with suche Esai 66. 2. Psal 34. 18. 51. 19. Luk. 23. 42. Gen. 25. 32. 27. 34. Heb. 12. 17. mournings God is pleased doth hear thē also the mourning of the theefe was heard the bitter teares of Peter but the mournings that are made only for the paine wee suffer or that is iudged to be at hand not for the euil that hath bin cōmitted doth nothing profit them that so mourn Cain Pharao Saul Iudas haue prooued it Esau also may serue as an example for the prodigall At the first sight such kinde of lamentations seeme that they shoulde profit and that God should receiue them but Solomon doth condemne them as hee sheweth when hee sets before vs heere such as haue a faire shew saying 12 And say how haue I hated instruction c. Although Dan. 9. 5. 1. Ioh. 1. 9. Daniel confesseth his sinnes and the sinnes of his people and that Iohn saieth If wee confesse our sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes yet it might seeme that Solomon neede not to feare that the whorekeepers and spend thrifts should make this mourning lamenting their wickednesses past But if wee diligently marke wee shal see that Solomon doeth not reprooue the mourning but regardeth from whence the same proceedeth that is to say either from the paine they suffer or els that they feare to suffer and not from the griefe of hauing offended God frō the which the confession of our sinnes ought only to come not from the paine we feele or that we feare True it is that if wee bee afflicted we should cal to memorie that we haue offended God and confesse that we haue wel deserued to be punished cōfessing our sins and crauing pardon for them as did Daniel and the theefe Also this cōplaint should be made by al true repentant sinners for they Luk. 23. 48. ought to confesse that they doe not take the instructions and corrections in so good part as they should for wee al of our own nature commend ourselues think ourselues wise righteous enough They which repent not truely will oftentimes make most goodly confessions in shew and wil stuffe them with many words which shal seeme to proceed of a great sorowfulnesse of heart Solomon here doeth wel expresse it when hee is not satisfied to attribute to them the former confession but for a more plaine declaration thereof addeth their saying 13 And haue not obeyed In this addition we see how it commeth that men hate instruction and regarde not correction that is to say when they despise the reading of the holie Scriptures and are negligent to heare the preaching of the Worde To
those which willingly and gladly do giue themselues vnto the obedience of the worde generally for also to them is long life promised Therfore shal ye keep al the commandements which I commande Deut. 11. 8. you this day that yee may be strong and goe in and possesse the lande whither yee goe to possesse it Also that it may prolong your dayes in the lande c. Nowe that these wordes of Solomon doe agree with this promise it is manifest for wee thinke not to haue life if wee bee depriued of these presente commodities it seemeth not vnto vs that we liue except our businesse doe prosper well it seemeth vnto vs that wee are in death except wee bee at libertie and may haue company with whome wee may talke familiarly When Solomon then doeth promise that the commandement of the Father the instruction of the mother shal keepe vs from going astray and shal make vs to sleepe in safetie and that in the day it shal talke with vs he doeth shew vs that they which obey the Word haue a blessed life and consequently long enough for the length of dayes standeth not in the multitude of yeares but in that wee liue godly and that wee content ourselues with the number of yeares which it shal please the Lord to giue cōfessing that he maketh his to liue in this world so long as it pleaseth him and is expedient for their spiritual health Notwithstanding there shal be no inconuenience if for that which wee cal promise here we take to be admonition as if Solomon did exhort vs to cleue so fast vnto the Commandements that we should neuer stray from them but that in al times and in al places wee shoulde gouerne ourselues by them in doing that which they commaund being assured that by them wee shal be perserued from al dangers then shoulde they be so wel grauen in our heartes we should so greatly delight in them that we woulde not desire any prophane or vaine communication but if we speake to speake as the wordes of God To bee short let it be whether we take this for a promise or that we take it for an admonition Solomon doeth shewe vs that wee must take 1. Pet. 4. 11. good heede from turning any thing at al from the Word if so be it we desire to doe wel and say wel and to walke safely We may vnderstand this same by the reason which foloweth when he sayeth 23 For the commaundement is a Lanterne and instruction a light and corrections for instructions are the wayes of life In this reason he sheweth that he speaketh of the Commaundements and instructions and corrections which are made by the Worde of God for to it onely belongeth these titles of Lanterne Esai 2. 5. 119. 105. 2. Pet. 2. 19. Psal 19. 8. light and life For the lawe of the Lord is a perfit lawe Thy Word is a Lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my path And we haue also a most sure Worde of the Prophets to the which ye doe well that ye take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntil the day dawne and the day starre arise in your heartes O house of Esai 2. 5. Iacob come ye and let vs walke in the light of the Lorde And that they are the wayes of life the Scripture not only in one or two places but in diuers doeth testifie and amongst others our Lord Iesus doeth wel shewe it when he sayeth that God so loued the worlde that he gaue his only Sonne to the ende that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And when hee Ioh. 3. 16. Mar. 16. 15. commaundeth the Gospel to be preached through al the worlde to euery creature And though the Scripture should not witnesse it there is none of sound iudgement but wil confesse that they which receiue the word of God are in the true way of life We haue therfore first of al to note that they which are disobedient vnto fathers and mothers and to them which haue the power to commaund are in darkenesse and know not whether they goe for they are blinde though according as the world iudgeth they are in a good way and that they know wisely to gouerne themselues and to do their busines wel Secondly that they which refuse or despise the reprehensions by which men labour to instruct them to change their euil life doe seeke their owne destruction and damnation they flie life and desire death Thirdly what trouble torment and affliction so euer the children of God haue they can not goe astray nor perishe for they haue the light of the Word the which guides them right vnto life 24 To keepe thee from the wicked woman from the flatterie of the tongue of a strange woman After that Solomon hath attributed life light vnto the Word generally hee bringeth an example for to shewe that without it no man can take heede from wandring and perishing They which yelde not obedience vnto the Word neuer make cōscience to commit whoredome so blinde are they and dull of wit making of vice vertue Contrarily they which delight to yelde obedience vnto the commandements of God do see how they should guide themselues by the light of the Worde and thereby knowing that the whoremongers and adulterers doe goe out of the right way and walke through darke wayes which lead vnto death they take heede of the harlot whom Solomon calleth heere the wicked woman that is to say the woman that serueth for nothing els but to worke wickednesse and to intice others vnto euil This inticing is ment by the flatterie of the tongue of the strange woman For wel to keepe ourselues from whordome and adulterie it is not enough to keepe the bodie cleane from whordom the tongue from wanton words filthie songes but also we must haue both heartes and eyes chast as Solomon exhorteth 25 Desire not her beautie in thine heart neither let her take thee with her eye liddes 26 For because of the whorish woman a man is brought vnto a morsel of bread a * or the vvife of a man hunteth after the precious soule woman wil hunt for the precious life of a man Our Lorde Iesus Christ declareth vnto vs the like I say vnto you That whosoeuer looketh on a woman to lust after her hath Mat. 5. 28. committed adultery with her alreadie in his heart The lawe giuer is spiritual and therefore let vs not thinke to fulfil it if wee shewe ourselues only outwardly obedient vnto his Worde doing the wordes that he commandeth and absteining from them which hee forbiddeth and in the meane whiles our heartes shal be rebellious and delight in filthie lustes and vnshamefast lookes By such inwarde rebellions by suche lustes and lookes wee are easily drawne to commit whoredome the first worlde is a witnesse thereof Wee may see it in Dina Dauid also hath tried it
by necessitie as he signifieth saying he is destitute of vnderstanding and so he noteth him of infamie from the which he exempteth the thiefe He marketh also this miserie saying That he destroyeth his soule the which he hath not laide to the theeues charge Wherein we may see that the worlde is much voide of sound iudgement For a thiefe nowe shal be pursued with al diligence to be punished euen to death but the adulterer shal be pardoned there shal be nothing els but laughing at the horrible abhomination that he shal commit as were at a may game or puppet play In speaking thus wee doe not quit the theeues saue theÌ„ from punishment for we know what is written but wee would say that Rom. 13. â— they which punishe the theefe more grieuously then the adulterer do iniurie vnto God who hath appointed a more grieuous pain for the adulterer then for the theefe thus they doe wickedly for the which they shal not go vnpunished they are wicked iudges fauouring the wicked but they shal appeare before the righteous iudge who wil not fauour their vngodlines but wil punish them with al seueritie without any forgiuenes Although wee speake according to truth wherunto al ought to agree graunt without gaine saying yet it shal seeme good vnto the fauourers of whoredom adultery that we shal be ouercome they shal winne the victory if they should alledge vnto vs that Iesus said vnto the woman takeÌ„ in adultery Neither do I condemne thee go sinne no more but we Iohn 8. 11. answere that it belongeth vnto the Magistrates to execute the iudgement that God declareth in his law against the euil doers that to them only appertaineth to take vengeance of theÌ„ that commit euil and not vnto others But our Lord Iesus Christ was not sent into this world by God his Father for to exercise the office of the magistrate but to shew himself the Sauiour of the world Wherfore his office was rather to absolue then to condemne notwithstanding he hindred not the Magistrate neither tooke his office vpon him but it was lawful for the iudge to haue condemned this woman of adultery to be stoned to death according to the lawe Hee also saued the theefe which was hanged with him and yet hee reprooued not the iudge for punishing him respected not but that the theefe should suffer feele the paines that he had deserued before men But they which fauour whoredome adulteries wil reply that we are vnder the lawe of grace that the sharpenesse of the law is abolished I answere that God neuer did withdrawe his grace from his elect but that they haue felt the same alwaies at neede albeeit that nowe it is more plainly manifested by the comming of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and by the preaching of his Gospel And also hee is not so pitiful and merciful but that he is also iust and doeth commande the iudges to do iustice and iudgement in al times Moreouer if Iesus Christ by the forgiuenes that he pronounced vnto the adulterers did put away the lawe that doeth condemne the adulterers vnto bodily paynes euen vntoo death seeing that vnder the lawe of seueritie as they cal it the theefe is not so sore to be punished as the adulterer it should folowe that vnder the law of grace as they cal it the theefe ought not to be so grieuously punished as the adulterer otherwise the lawe of grace shoulde bring fauour vnto the most wicked and shoulde shewe seueritie that was not wont to bee vsed vnto them which are not so wicked thus the law of grace should deale sharply with them that were wont to be more gently entred vnder the lawe of seueritie But it wil be answered That it is expedient so to do because the theeues are more hurtful to the common wealth then adulterers I answere that maÌ„s wisedom doth so iudge it for men voide of the holy Ghost do make no great account of adultery in comparison of theft but God iudgeth otherwise as we may vnderstande by the lawe that he hath giuen and by the vengeances and punishements that he hath â—â—nt because of whoredomes and adulteries After this Solomon doth declare vnto vs what happeneth vnto the adulterer for the smalnes of his vnderstanding when he saith He shal find a wounde c. Solomon doeth not heere speake of that which we see commonly done vnto the adulterers for they are suffred to liue at their ease they are feasted and are not put backe as infamous and wicked He speaketh of that which ought to be done for if there were such gouernement in the world as there ought to be then the adulterers shoulde not escape grieuous punishmentes they should be more despised then the myre in the street we would fly further from them than from the most stinking dounghil of the world we would abhorre them more then the most dangerous PestileÌ„ce we would euermore haue them in execration and we would neuer name them but to their great shame and dishonor For as Solomon saith his reproche ought not to be put out And hee giueth the reason heereof in this verse folowing when he saith For ielousie c. If the husband of the wife with whome adultery hath bin committed did truly loue his wife before she had coÌ„mitted adultery and that he had his hart right his ielousie should be so kindled with anger and wrath against the adulterous man that he would withal diligeÌ„ce pursue him that he might be punished as he hath deserued and would haue no compassion of him but woulde craue vengeance to be done of him as behoueth there shoulde no prayers of freendes nor presentes nor giftes although they were great and precious which would moue him to turne from his anger as Solomon doth declare it by that which foloweth Hee can not beare the sight c. If then at the pursute of the husbande iustice be done the adulterer shal finde a wounde and shal be dishonoured for euer And if the Gouernours and suche as beare the sworde had the zeale of God as they ought to haue they woulde not tarie til the adulterers were pursued but when there were any discouered they should make diligent information to folowe them with al seueritie They woulde folowe the zeale of Phineas But in steade to haue such a zeale the greatest parte of Iudges Num. 25. 7. Psal 106. 30. 1. Sam. 2. 22. belike vnto Elie. The chiefe cause for the which men passe not to commit adulterie and whoredome and also that Iudges doe not punish whoremongers and adulterers as they deserue is for that euery man desireth to haue his carnal pleasure and therefore must beare with his Gosseps al commeth from the contempt of Gods worde Solomon hath wel shewed it heere aboue in the twentieth verse when to detest whoredome and adulterie hee admonisheth the children to obey their fathers and mothers He doeth wel shew it
is foolish in his talke and yet ceaseth not to be folish in his heart for from the abundance of the hart the mouth speaketh and also other outwarde workes doe folowe thereof for the outward parte is like to the in warde except wee disfigure ourselues by hypocrisie the which wil alwayes appeare holie and wise and not foolishe and therefore if we shewe any foolishnesse in wordes or in workes it is a plaine argument that wee are not wise in heart Wherefore wee may iudge that they which permit and take leaue to talke foolishly or to do acts against God and his worde for to auoide persecutions doe deceiue themselues when they would make men beleeue that they thinke not as they say or as they doe for the outward workes and chiefly suche as are wicked are certaine fruites conceiued in the heart of man the which is euil from his childhood And thus though Solomon doe not speake but of the lippes yet he forgetteth not to touch the hart which is the roote that bringeth foorth the fruite as we ought to vnderstande by the former reasons And also the Antithesis or comparison that hee maketh betweene the wise in heart and the foolish in talke doeth shewe it wel otherwise it should not agree In the first parte of the comparison he expresseth the roote for to exclude worldly wisedome which is of great shew and is nothing but rebellion for it wil not be subiect vnto the lawe of God for it is ledde by the desire of the fleshe afterwardes hee expresseth the Rom. 8. 6. 7. fruites which proceede from the true wisedome of the heart that is to say To receiue the commandements wherein hee noteth the obedience of the wise in heart to the which the wise worldlinges are contrarie and opposite whereof foloweth that they are disobedient In the seconde parte of the comparison hee expresseth but the euil fruite which can notlye and therefore in expressing it hee declareth plainly what the roote is that is to say euil for the tree is knowne by his fruite He immediatly after expresseth the recompence of them which speake and doe euil that is to say that they shal be beaten they shal bee chastened and punished first in this worlde if so be it that they watch diligently ouer the publike slanders and offences and that the Magistrates be zealous and that they bee careful to pronounce good and right iudgement vppon that which they knowe and is manifest vnto them in susteining and defending the good and punishing the wicked according as the fruits appeare for they haue not the knowledge of in warde foolishnesse but so farre as the same is opened outwardly and therefore Solomon sayeth not the foolish of heart shal be beaten but the foolish in talke that is to say hee which shal shewe himselfe foolishe by wordes and wicked workes If fathers and mothers loue their children are careful more for their soules then for their bodies they wil chasten them if their manners and conuersation be not good and honest They which spare the rodde at neede doe hate their children and make no count of the honour of God Wherevpon they ought to looke for grieuous punishment for sith they wil not strike whilest it is time they themselues are worthie to be beaten And also it happeneth often vnto them that their children which they haue borne withal in their malice when they come to age not only doe set naught by them and reiect them but also stand vp against them in robbing them cursing and doing them much hurt And finally if they doe not confesse their negligence they shal be beaten with eternal paynes If superiours doe truely loue their subiectes they wil chasten the foolishe that the good may liue in peace and that the slaunders and offences may be rooted out from the congregation of the Lorde otherwise they shal be beaten for first of all the foolish wil rise vp against them and in the ende they shal not auoide eternal damnation I wil honour them that honour mee c. 1. Sam. 2. 30. And as they which ought to punish the foolishe shal be beaten for their negligence euen so also shal the foolishe be for their foolishnes except they returne by true repentance 9 He that walketh vprightly walketh boldly but hee that peruerteth his wayes shal be knowne For as much as wee al desire to auoide perils and dangers and to liue safely and without feare of euil we must heare Solomon which doth admonish vs of the meanes when he sayeth He that walketh vprightly There is none in this worlde that liueth so perfectly but that he hath some fault For wee haue al neede to craue pardon for our sinnes and continually to confesse that we are sinners how vprightly soeuer we liue and thus the vprightnesse wherof Solomon speaketh lyeth not in a perfection that can not be mended wherto there can nothing be added for so long as we liue in this world we haue neede to repent to amend our faults and alwayes to grow forwarde in goodnesse through the knowledge of the trueth But this vprightnesse lieth in soundnesse of conscience whereby hauing our heartes right and not double we abhorre al dissimulations and hypocrisies and labour to folowe holines righteousnes and trueth in al things and with al men The worlde maketh no great account of this vprightnesse but al the worlde almost is giuen to deceit and craftie dealing vnto filthines and vncleannes vnto hypocrisie lying And forasmuch as the greatest parte of men women are such Psal 12. 2. they iudge themselues to be in safetie when they are giuen to such wickednes And so the number of them which beleeue the sentence of Solomon is verie smal and almost none Wherevpon foloweth also that there is almost none that walketh safely but it happeneth almost to al as it is said When they shal say Peace and safetie then shal come vpon them sodeine destruction The world destroyed by the flood Sodome and Gomorrha Dathan Core and Abiram and â— Thes 5. 3 diuers other wicked ones haue wel felt and shal feele it and if wee folowe them wee must looke also to feele the same For as the Lorde knoweth the righteous perfect for to deliuer them from temptation to keepe them to defend them and to saue them that hee may giue them victorie ouer al perils and dangers euen so also they which peruerte their wayes contemning all integritie and vprightnes and giuing themselues in diuers sortes vnto contrarie thinges can not be hid but shal be knowne by the Lorde to draw Mat. 13. 4. them and deuide them from the iust and perfect as wee separate the tares and the chaffe from the good corne for to sende them vnto vnquenchable fire In looking for the which albeit they say that God doeth not see them nor knowe them yet can hee finde them out as they daily feele by warres pestilences famines diseases by afflictions
16 The righteous laboureth to do good but the vngodly vseth his encrease vnto sinne When men occupie themselues and take some worke in hand they seeke to profite and gaine thereby but oftentimes they deceiue themselues For none but good people doe truely prosper in their affaires though mans reason doe iudge the contrary As touching the wicked what gain soeuer they get what ioy soeuer they haue yet doeth it all turne vnto their hurt It seemeth good to outward apparāce that good people are most miserable that ther are noone more vnhappy and cursed then they in all the worlde but Solomon which lyeth not doeth shewe vs their prosperitie when hee attributeth life vnto the worke of the righteous as if hee did say that the iust man doth not apply himselfe vnto any worke but vnto that which is the path way that leadeth vnto life Contrarily after the outward sight the wicked reape great profite by the works they take in hande but their destruction which is great is at hand vtterly to beate them downe Solomon doth signifie the same vnto vs when hee saith that the vngodly vseth his encrease vnto sinne For the rewarde of sinne is death But as the worke of the righteous doth not profite himselfe alone but doth serue to the releeuing Rom. 6. 23. of others euen so the euill manners of the wicked doe stirre vp others vnto sinne wherevpon followeth death And forasmuche as wee al desire to liue and doe abhorre death let vs follow the worke of the righteous let vs worship one onely God according vnto his word flying frō al idolatrie forsaking al doubt and distrust and doing vnto our neighbours as wee woulde they shoulde doe vnto vs. In this manner the worke of the righteous shal be life vnto vs. And let vs not desire to bee partakers with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse which are the reuenewe of the wicked but let vs rather reprooue them least they be imputed vnto vs for sinne whereof followeth damnation But although wee desire life yet doe wee not regarde to followe the workes of the righteous for wee beleeue not that in following it we shoulde obteine life seeing that as it is written wee see by experience that the afflictions of the iust are many in number they are exercised by many miseries and tribulations and seeme that they are in death and that they are destitute of all helpe Wherefore their workes ' Psal 34. 20. and sayinges are thought to bee vnprofitable As when Saul persecuted Dauid for to destroy him and compelled him to flie and too runne away no man would haue thought that what shifte soeuer hee coulde make that hee shoulde escape the handes of Saul and liue to become king of Israell Likewise when Iesus Christe was seene to hang on the crosse as a thiefe they thought him cleane destroyed and did not thinke that hee shoulde ascende vnto the glory of his father nor that his Gospell shoulde bee preached through all the worlde And so their workes were not seene but to serue to life for themselues and for others And at all times men haue iudged and still doe iudge thus of the faithfull Contrarily because the wicked are strong and floorishe with glory and riches of this worlde it seemeth that they ought to come to the end of their desire and of that they take in hande without hinderance and let and that none should withstand them Pharao his folke thought that they shoulde oppresse the people of Israell at their pleasure but the issue and en de shewed the cleane contrary for the people of GOD reioyced at their deliuerance and Pharao and his people made a miserable ende amongest the waues of the Sea The worke of Moses and Aaron and of such as obeied tended to life and Pharao with his people receiued the rewarde of sinne that is to say death Thus the worke of the righteous serueth to life for although hee fall into diuers dangers and is many wayes pursued yet finally and in the ende hee shal be deliuered and his works his doctrine and his counsels shall bring both himselfe and his neighbours life Contrarily God curseth the actions and counsels of the wicked when he counteth whatsoeuer they doe and say to bee sinne and consequently worthie of death This same is well described vnto vs in the first Psalme Let vs further note that albeit it is true that the righteous doeth not labour couetously nor to get estimatiō but onely to imploy the time vnto good works to haue necessarie thinges belonging to this life aswell for himselfe as for his family yet Solomon his minde and intent is not such heere as wee may knowe by the seconde part of his sentence wherein he opposeth and setteth the reuenewe of the wicked against the worke and labor of the righteous and sinne which bringeth death against life And albeit that God doeth giue vs this honour by his worde to attribute life vnto the workes and labour yet let vs not thinke that they are worthie thereof and deserue thereby but let vs in any wise confesse the grace and mercy of God which is true in his promises for the which to fulfil hee doeth thus rewarde our good workes whereof he himselfe is the only authour and wee but his instrumentes and seruants 17 He that regardeth instruction is in the way of life but he that refuseth correction goeth out of the way of life For to shewe vs the way of life Solomon in the fourth Chapter first verse hath shewed vs saying Heare O ye children the instruction of a father c. And to the admonition hath added the promise in the 4. and 6. verses Also in the 13. verse hee repeateth againe the selfe same admonition and thereto also hath added the promise The saide admonition so often rehearsed shoulde suffice to induce vs to receiue and keepe the instruction which is giuen vs by the Lorde and aso the promise so often repeated ought to bee sufficient to assure vs of the goodnesse of GOD towards vs and to make vs more enclined to submit ourselues vnto the good will of GOD. But wee are dull vpon the spurre and for one admonition or twaine we make no account to giue obedience and for one or two promises wee cannot bee assured of the infallible trueth of GOD so full of rebellion and disobedience we are so full of doubtfulnesse and distrust and therefore wee haue neede that we should be handled according vnto our rudenesse and infirmitie The which our Lord doth in his holy worde and also by the peaching of the same word in the which one self doctrin is oftē repeted For this cause Solomon is not negligent often to tell vs one very thing and that which he hath already saide many times heeretofore he repeateth saying To take heeds c. This affirmation conteineth an instruction and promise for by affirming it he would haue vs to vnderstande that he doeth admonishe vs
the Lorde hee wil be grieued at them as he wel sheweth when he doeth threaten them Thy Princes are vnfaithful and companions of theeues c. Beholde howe they are exalted and enriched Let the Ministers of the word which are Heraldes Postes and Messengers of the great King and Ruler of al the world for to carie the message of saluation and to proclaime the ordinances of their Lorde and Maister bee careful and diligent euen as the Gospel that they beare is compared to a course as also the life of al Christians and by a stronger reason their liues because they ought to proceede and go before their flock Let them Esai 56. 10 Act. 20. 28 not be like vnto sluggishe beastes vnto lying Doctours which are slowebellies which through sweete wordes and faire speeches for to serue their bellies and not God neither his Christe doe deceiue the heartes of the simple And let them not be of the number of thē of whome Esai speaketh Al their watchmen are blinde guides they knowe nothing c But let them folowe the counsel that S. Paule giueth Let euerie one of them learne to be diligent and to folowe Rom. 12. 11 the doctrine of Saint Paul to wit that they bee not slouthful to doe seruice c. 27 The feare of the Lorde encreaseth the dayes but the yeeres of the wicked shal be diminished To the ende that we should vnderstand howe our dayes shal bee encreased to liue long as there is none of vs but doeth desire the same forasmuch as the feare of the Lorde is the way thereunto we must not straye from it but must fixe the same in our heartes and make the same familiar and an housholde seruant not in fearing the Lorde as a cruel tyrant or seuere and sharpe iudge For after this sort we should haue the feare of punishment and torment and not the feare of the Lorde And as they which so feare the Lorde haue not the feare of the Lorde so also haue they neither wisedome nor vnderstanding For the feare of the Lotde is the beginning of wisedome Againe the beginning of wisedome is the feare of the Lord. Pro. 1. 7. 9. 10. And thus wisedome is not without feare nor feare without wisedome If we wil not be founde naked we must take diligent heede vnto the commandements of God And forasmuche as the Lorde promiseth in the lawe length of dayes vnto them which shal keepe his commandements it foloweth that it is not without cause that Solomon attributeth encrease of dayes vnto wisedome And hereby we may vnderstand that the feare of the Lord and wisedome are so Pro. 2. 1. Pro. 3. 16 knit together that the one is not without the other so that they which are wise are not without the feare of the Lord and they that feare him are not without wisdō It is thē the feare of the Lord that increaseth the daies of the wise making thē to liue lōg in this world so lōg as is expedient necessary for their spiritual eternal helth Contrarily the foolish which want the feare of the Lorde and therefore slippe and fal away to al rebellion and disobedience and so become wicked shal not continewe long but their yeeres shal be cut shorte albeit that in the respect of the outwarde sight they liue long but this length is nothing before God For a thousand yeeres in thy sight are but as yesterday that is past Moreouer the yeres of Psal 90. 4. Pro. 2. 21. 22 3. 20. the vngodly ought not to be counted long because that afterwards they shal go into eternal death 28 The patient abyding of the righteous shal be gladnesse but the hope of the wicked shal perish Although that after our vicious and corrupted nature wee be so blind ignorant that wee knowe not howe to reioyce nor what true godlines is yet are wee so affectioned after such a sort that we desire to reioyce with gladnes that wee might neuer want wee think that there is nothing better I haue knowen nothing better of al these things then to reioyce to do wel in this life Again there Ecele 3. 12 22. 5. 17 11. 9. is nothing better for a man but to reioice himselfe in his woorkes And it is a faire thing to eate and drinke for a man to reioyce of his labour c. And be merie in thy youth let thy heart bee glad Now as we are ignorāt euē so of ourselues do we neuer attein vnto this gladnesse though we doe much desire it But Solomon willing that we should obteine our desires doeth teache vs howe wee shal atteine thereunto when he sayeth the patient abiding of the righteous is ioye He attributeth ioy vnto righteousnes the which consisteth in this that being assured of the goodnes loue of God towardes vs we should delight to giue him obedience according to his lawe by louing him with al our hearts and our neighbours as ourselues If we bee such though wee haue many troubles griefes and sorowes for that which wee see to happen in the worlde and chiefly because of our sinnes and also for the offences and slaunders of our neighbours for it is that which ought to greeue vs more then al other thinges yet if of a free wil and perfect heart we aspire vnto righteousnes we shal not be depriued of ioy The seruants of 2. Cor. 6. 9. God doe prooue and may say with Saint Paule as vnknowne and yet knowne as sorowing and yet alway reioysing as dying and behold we liue as chastened and yet not killed as sorowing and yet alway reioysing as poore and yet make many rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing al thinges Forasmuche as they knowe and are assured that God loueth them they delight and reioyce in Psal 5. 12. 32. 1. his Worde knowing that God is true in his promises and holie in al his workes lawes and commandements and let al them that put their trust in thee reioyce they shal euer be giuing of thankes because thou defendest them they that loue thy name shal be ioyful in thee Reioyce in the Lorde O ye righteous for it becommeth wel the iust to be thankful But albeit the righteous do reioyce because they are assured God loueth them as Solomon doeth shewe when he is not contented to say that the righteous doe reioyce but hee doeth attribute their gladnesse vnto their hope For he sayeth The patient abiding of the righteous is ioye as if he saide that which reioyceth the righteous is the hope they haue in the Lorde who wil not deceiue them of that which they looke for of him and thus their ioy shal abide for euer seeing they shal haue full and perpetuall possession of that whereof they reioyce and looke for with gladnes Likewise what miseries soeuer they suffer in this worlde yet haue they good occasion and matter to reioyce as our Lord doth shew them making
wrath which shal fal vpon them and not vpon the righteous For the day of the Lorde shal come as a theefe in the night Likewise the substance of the 1. The. 5. 2. 3. righteous wherewith they shal haue made them friendes and treasures in heauen shal not bee vnprofitable vnto them when GOD shal declare his wrath and execute his vengeance vpon the wicked but their good deedes shal come in remembrance before God Solomon Mat. 25. 34. also doeth wel shewe it when hee setteth heere righteousnesse against riches and deliuerance from death against the day of wrath and that hee saieth but righteousnesse deliuereth from death Heere according as the Antithesis requireth wee wil take righteousnesse for the conscience of man which is righteous and vpright whereby man abhorreth fraude and deceite spoyling oppression and extortion iniurie and wrong al iniquitie and wickednesse and doeth in no wise desire to doe wrong vnto his neighbor what pouertie or miserie soeuer hee suffereth but if hee haue wherewith hee is readie to distribute of it and to helpe the necessitie of his poore neighbours not as by constraint with griefe and heauinesse but liberally with ioye such righteousnesse shal deliuer a man from death for God wil remember it When we thus speake Psal 112. 6. 2. Cor. 9. 9. we doe not attribute righteousnes to workes to deserue life before God for we bring workes and drawe them out of a pure and right conscience as out of a wel whose spring and roote is fayth For except that a man be assured that God loueth him and that he wil not suffer him to want but wil giue him sufficient he cannot haue such a conscience but before al other thinges hee hath temporal gaine or worldly honor in estimation and careth not though he doth wrong vnto his neighbours It is enough for him that he come to the ende of his enterprise and obteine his desire but the certentie and assurance that wee haue of the goodnesse power and prouidence of God doeth frame the conscience after such sort that a man loueth rather to suffer hurt then to bee an offence or to doe any other hurt or hinderance vnto his neighbours he will rather reioyce to see his owne taken away from him then to doe wrong to any other after the example of the good seruantes of God of whome the Apostle speaketh Ye suffered with ioy the spoyling of your goods c. Now that the same proccedeth of faith hee sheweth saying Heb. 10. 34. knowing in yourselues howe that yee haue in heauen a better and an enduring substance And by following this righteousnesse we 35 are deliuered from death hee doeth shewe it when hee doeth exhort saying Cast not away therefore your confidence which hath 38 great recompence of rewarde And also when hee alledgeth out of the Prophet that the iust shal liue by faith When wee haue so many faithful witnesses which doe alledge vnto vs that righteousnesse doeth deliuer from death let vs not desire to followe the wicked which prosper as it seemeth by their riches for they shall not endure but let vs followe iustice and equitie and we shall liue eternally not by our merites but because God is true in his promises For to looke for the same goodnesse in true righteousnesse we haue neede of patience And by this meanes wee shal bee partakers of these promises as saith the Apostle For you haue need of patience that after you haue doone the wil of God you may receiue the promise Heb. 10. 36. Wee see heere that the Papistes haue nothing for to build their merites nor free wil vpon for seeing that it commeth of faith it is the gift of God the which maketh in vs both the will and the deed euē of his good pleasure Euen so there is nothing for to establishe Phi. 2. 13. the opinion of those which aske the libertie of the fleshe for righteousnesse worketh not after his fantasie but according too the wil of God the which he doth declare vnto vs by his law which is the rule of perfite righteousnesse 5 The righteousnesse of the vpright shall direct his waye but the wicked shall fall in his owne wickednesse Wee wil take righteousnesse heere as wee did in the former sentence that is to say for a right and sounde conscience This righteousnesse is not founde in the wicked dissemblers and hypocrites in deceiuers and lyars in flatterers and slaunderers in theeues and vsurers but it is proper vnto a righteous man who walketh in integritie suche is declared vnto vs. Psal 15. Likewise Solomon doeth attribute it vnto the vpright and also hee denieth closely that it doeth not apperteine vnto the wicked For to shewe the profite of this righteousnesse hee hath saide heere before that it shall diliuer from death wherevpon followeth that the perfect right and iust Eze. 3. 21. 18. 5. 33. 14. man shall not dye but liue for euer But before that hee attaine the fruite of this life it behoueth the perfect man to bee a Pilgrime in this worlde and to walke in pathes which are not without great difficulties and lets greatly painefull the which man of himself cannot ouerpasse in such wise that oftentimes hee is tempted to forsake his way and to wander vp and downe fieldes and to enter into the brode way which leadeth to destruction He is I say tempted through the straightes that hee meeteth withall the which happen from diuers partes for in this way hee is besieged and assaulted of the Diuell by the worlde and of his owne fleshe not onely weake but also malicious But his righteousnesse his perfect and vpright conscience shal ouercome al these difficulties and shal passe ouer and escape al these stoppes for by the guiding thereof the perfect man shal bee strong in our Lorde Hee shal fight by faith and hope the guides and gouernours of his conscience against the worlde and shall ouercome it For albeit that hee shal be greatly tempted to leaue his way for to followe the wicked which prosper and in this life take their pleasures delightes ease that they may bee partakers yet is hee not carried away by suche temptation but going forwarde in goodnesse hee is pleased and satisfied with the blessing of God as it is saide in the 37. Psalme Also though the worlde doe mocke hate and persecute him yet careth hee not for it nor feareth it but putteth his trust in the Lorde which hath power in heauen in earth he prayeth Lord leade me in thy righteousnesse And trusting to bee heard to obteine his request hee Psal 5. 8. Psa 18 30. Psal 27. 1. saith The way of God is vncorrupt c. The Lorde is my light whome shall I feare The Lorde is the strength of my life of whom shal I bee afraide The Lorde himselfe doeth teache thus too fight and to bee assured saying If the world hate you knowe that it hated mee
howe miserable soeuer the same bee before our eyes and in the feeling of the flesh we must neuer mistrust nor feare to want but that we must be assured of the prouidence carefulnesse and goodnesse of our heauenly father and say with Dauid The Lorde is my sheephearde I shal Psal 23. 1. want nothing otherwise wee pray not in true fayth when wee pray giue vs this day our dayly bread notwithstanding what great worldly prosperitie soeuer wee haue wee must not trust theretoo for it is not in our power to mainteine ourselues therein but the Lorde hath changed it as hee doeth see good for al thinges are in his hande and hee doeth dispose as hee pleaseth without that any man can reprooue him of vniustice or crueltie or of tyranny Iob hath wel tryed the change and hath confessed that it came of God When the wicked doe feele it they grinde their teeth and murmur thereat and doe despite GOD in blaspheming him Let vs followe righteous Iob if wee haue any wealth let vs not bee neuerthe more assured nor reioyce any whit the more in them but in the onely goodnesse of the Lorde and in his knowledge Let not the wise man glorie in his wisedome nor the strong man Iere. 9. 23. glorie in his strength neither the riche man glorie in his riches And if wee loose let vs take patience on what side soeuer the losse commeth knowing that nothing hapneth vnto vs but by the prouidence of God The Lorde killeth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp The Lord maketh poore maketh 1. Sam. 2. 6. 7. riche Moreouer besides this let vs note that albeit that Solomon doeth not allowe that any man shoulde be assured because hee is not bound yet hee doeth somewhat teache vs that it is farre better to enioy our goods freely at libertie then to bee bounde for other and chiefly when hee is vnknowne as also it hath bene handled in the sixt chapter Furthermore let vs note that Solomō doth teache vs that if wee loue our neighbours as wee ought that wee wil not require them to be suretie for vs except it be necessarie and also that we haue wherewith to answere them and to keepe them from sorowe and to mainteine them that they may possesse their goods and safely enioy them 16 A gracious woman atteineth honour and the strong men attaine riches Whiles wee liue in this life and keepe a house and walke with our neighbours and acquaintance wee haue neede of reputation not that wee shoulde seeke the glorie of the worlde but that wee shoulde so liue that they amongest whome wee dwel may finde no faute in our kinde of liuing but that it shoulde bee so quiet honest iust and holy that they may bee constrained to glorifie GOD and to esteeme and iudge wel of vs to praise and commende vs. Solomon doeth shewe vs the way to come vnto such reputation when hee saieth a gracious woman attaineth honour He teacheth vs to be gracious if wee would attaine honour albeeit that hee nameth but the woman and doeth promise her honour if she be gracious Hee speaketh thus because that man in the houshold is the head and superiour and that the woman oweth him subiection and obedience Man is not of the woman but the woman is of the man Wiues submit yourselues vnto your husbands 1. Cor. 11. 8. Ephe. 5. 22. as vnto the Lord. Nowe for to be subiect and giue obedience as it behoueth she must bee gracious that is to say that she shoulde gouerne the housholde after her husbands desire without contrarying him in any wise that shee doe nothing in the house with trouble and vprores but that shee gouerne her housholde in al softnesse humilitie peace and gentlenesse and that without shee be not an offence vnto his neighbours neither by word nor deede but that she be sober modest humble and gentle towardes al men and chiefly towardes his neighbours amongst whome she is most conuersant This is the graciousnesse that Solomon requireth heere of the woman and Saint Paule I wil therefore that the yonger 1. Tim. 5. 14. Titus 2. 3. women marie and beare children and gouerne the house and giue none occasion to the aduersarie to speake euil The elder women likewise that they bee such in behauiour as becommeth holinesse not false accusers not subiect too much wine but teachers of honest thinges Likewise let the wiues bee subiect to their husbandes that euen they which obey not the woorde may 1. Pet. 3. 1. without the woorde bee wonne by the conuersation of the wiues The women which are thus gracious shal attaine honour First of al towardes their husbandes except they bee out of their wits furious and madde Honest and good men hauing such wiues wil make great account of them and wil earnestlie loue them and wil shewe al humanitie and gentlenes to them Secondly the housholde as the children and seruants wil loue them wil honour and reuerence them wil obey them and feare to offend them Thirdly their neighbours wil esteeme wel of them they wil speake wel of them and wil beholde them with great admiration and wil bee at their commandement in al honestie And seeing that Solomon promiseth vnto gracious women honour when women see thēselues disdained let them confesse that they are not so gracious as they ought to bee or that for their sinnes God doeth humble and make them contemptible or else that they haue to doe with vncourteous and churlish men whereby God wil prooue their patience For also this is the manner of the worldlings to contemne and persecute the true seruants of God Notwithstanding God ceaseth not therefore to performe his promise towardes women so farre as is expediēt for their spiritual health What contempt then soeuer they be in yet let them not cease to shew themselues gracious And if women which are the weakest vessels ought to striue to shewe themselues gentle for to attaine honor by a more stronger reason ought men which are the heads and ought to be more stronge shewe by their example the way to the women to be gentle for to obtain honour otherwise they are wel worthy to be despised But although the churlish whether they be men or women deserue wel to be despised and depriued of al honour the which Solomon doeth attribute but vnto the gracious women yet because God hath cōmanded children to honour their fathers and their mothers they must honour their parents of what manners soeuer they be when obeying and being at their commandement they breake not the lawe of the Lorde Children obey your parents in al things for that is well pleasing vnto the Lorde The men and maide seruantes for to doe their duetie wel shoulde not take heede vnto the manners of their Collo 3. 2◠22. maisters and dames but they shoulde looke to be subiect and giue obediēce in al things not only to
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
learne that Ministers of the Church chiefly stande in neede of wisdome for to learne wel to take soules by good example and sounde doctrine These are the nets that ought to be cast ouer the sea of this world c. Besides this let vs note that Solomon comparing the righteous and wise man vnto a fisher secretly admonisheth vs to bee watchful and careful Wee see that they which occupie the trade of fishing are vpon the water at al houres except the winde be contrarie and doe let them euen so also must we not let passe any occasion of time for to do wel and say wel for to drawe our neighbours vnto our nettes and snares And the same must bee done with a great affection and maruellous desire for if the fishermen for a temporal gaine and that soone vanisheth away are so careful that they care not for their owne lyfe the which they often put in danger by a more stronge reason no man ought to spare his owne person when it is required to take soules to make a perpetual gain For if they also proceede therein faithfully they shal neuer loose their labour nor forgo their reward It is not like vnto fishing for if the fishers do not take ought they loose their gain so haue laboured in vaine but they that fishe after Eze. 31. 9 33. 9. soules are not depriued of gain though they take nothing prouided that they do their duetie faithfully When you enter into an house salute the same and if the house bee worthie let your peace Mat. 10. 12. come vpon it but if it be not worthie let your peace return to you And herein we are admonished not to be vnthankful towardes the Lord which ceaseth not to reward vs wel though we bring nothing to him and not to forget the honour that he do vs when he doeth attribute vnto vs the taking of soules the which is his worke not mans this same is after a sort signified when our Lorde saieth Symon launch foorth into the deepe let downe your nets to make Luk. 5. 4. 1. Cor. 3. 6. 2. Cor. 3. 5. Ephe. 2. 10. a draught c. And S. Paul doth plainly shew it Who is Paul then and who is Apollo but the Ministers by whom ye beleeued and as the Lord gaue to euerie man Not that we be sufficient of ourselues to thinke any thing as of ourselues but our sufficiencie is of God We are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good which God hath ordained that we should walke in them For it is God Phi. 2. 13. which worketh in you both the wil the deede euen of his good pleasure Finally let vs note that though we be neither iust nor wise but so muche as wee are gouerned by the worde it foloweth that there is neither fruit of life nor taking of soules in Poperie for they are without the word insteed of fruit they haue deadly poison the inuentions doctrines of men superstitions idolatries and insteede to be taken and caught they are more drowned in the myre of this world We may also adde that sith that Solomon speaketh by similitude comparison we may apply this sentence vnto an other meaning to wit that the righteous doeth not inherite winde as doeth hee that troubleth his house but of his righteousnes hee gathereth excellent fruit and the wise is not like the foole which hath no wisedome to drawe others vnto himselfe and to make them to agree vnto him but must himselfe consent and be as it were made captiue and subiect vnto the wise which hath knowledge so to gouerne himselfe that hee draweth his neighbours vnto him by softnesse and gentlenes and other honest meanes 31 Behold the righteous shal be recompensed in the earth howe much more the wicked and the sinner We all naturally desire to haue recompense of our labour and trauel and are glad when wee are promised we shal be paide for that which is owing vs and that none wil withholde our labour and againe more ioyful when we haue our desires granted and promise perfourmed indeede Neuertheles when Solomon speaketh heere of recompense doth shew it present saying Behold if we vnderstaÌ„d wel this meaning he giueth none occasion vnto our flesh for to reioyce for he doth not promise such reward as it desireth as temporal riches worldly honours fauour of men delights pleasures peace and rest but he doth threaten vs with the contrary as we may see First of al when he sheweth the ready recoÌ„peÌ„se of the righteous saying Behold or lo here it is Secondly wheÌ„ he saith in the earth For the consideration and estate of the righteous in this life world is that they pay theÌ„ euil for good they are afflâ—cted persecuted they are subiect vnto pouertie and miserie vnto sicknesse cold and heate hunger and thirst to sorowes and griefes and most commonly they suffer such thinges so long as they liue in this world as the holy ancient fathers haue tried the Prophets our Lorde Iesus Christe and his Apostles also Wherevpon doe proceed these complaintes False witnesses did rise vp they laide to my charge thinges that I knewe Psal 35. 11 38 20. not They rewarded me euil for good to the great discomforte of my soule They also that rewarde euil for good are against me because I folowe the thing that is good And also other complaintes as may be seene in the 3. 6. 10. and 13. Psalmes c. Thirdly when he denounceth rewarde vnto the righteous as vnto the wicked sinners and doeth not put difference but onely that by interrogation hee sheweth that there is a greater reason that the wicked sinners should haue more greater recompense For albeit that al afflictions doe proceede from sinne as from their first cause for if Adam had not sinned we should haue bene subiect vnto no afflictions for the trueth is there is no righteous man but sinneth and consequently which doeth not deserue the foresaide rewarde but because the wicked doe sinne more they deserue greater recompense When Solomon declareth vnto the righteous this recompense or paiment hee doeth admonishe them that they should arme themselues with patience and what aduersities soeuer doeth happen vnto them yet doe they not murmure nor despight God which doeth afflict and chasten them For albeit that the Deuil and the wicked doe persecute them yet doe the righteous suffer nothing but so farre as God slacketh the bridle to Satan and to the wicked and maketh them executioners of his righteous iudgement the which he doeth not exercise with rigour against the iust as they doe wel deserue what righteousnes soeuer they haue Beholde Iob which hath witnes to be a perfect and vpright and fearing God yet God did afflict him by Satan and by robbers his ministers and instrumentes the which Iob confesseth verie wel saying The Lorde hath giuen the Lord hath takeÌ„ the name of the Lord
plaine but it is not easie to doe that wee can attaine therevnto without brideling Ephe. 4. 28 our corrupt nature considering the inclination thereof 10 A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast bu◠the mercies of the wicked are cruell For to shewe howe the poore despised man and hee that is his owne seruant is better he doeth attribute vnto him righteousnesse and that because so much it wanteth that he is not negligent in doing his duety towardes men that he doth not neglect nor contemne his beast which serueth him to labour with al but doeth administer vnto him that which is necessary he sheweth this same when hee doeth say A righteous man regardeth c. And heerein hee hath respect to the lawe which saith Thou shalt not muzzle c. Saint Paule doeth alledge this law for to shew that the ministers of the worde ought to bee rewarded for their labour and Deut. 25. 4. 1. Cor. 9. 9. that they shoulde haue distributed vnto them that which is necessary for them to liue and to doe their office And albeit there is not so little a birde whereof God taketh no care yet notwithstāding for to declare that by his law god hath had more regard vnto men for whome al thinges are created then to oxen Saint Paule denieth that god taketh care for oxē not that he wold exclude oxen from the prouidence of God without the which nothing can remaine in this worlde but hee meaneth that this lawe was not giuen for the cause of oxen but to the ende that we shoulde vnderstande howe great care we shoulde haue ouer our neighbours when God commandeth vs expresly to take care of oxen Nowe also when Solomon speaketh that the righteous man regardeth the life of his beast let vs not thinke that hee doeth attribute righteousnesse vnto a man for taking care of his beast neither that hee woulde that the man shoulde be counted iust because he regardeth to nourishe his horses or oxen which labour but hee reasoneth from the lesse to the greater as if he said If the righteous doth take paine to prouide for his beast and to doe al the good hee can to him or is necessary for him by a stronger reason hee will bee moued to shewe gentlenesse towardes his neighbours and wil accustome himselfe too vse vpright dealing to the end thereby that hee may doe his duetie to them and not to defraude them And so doing hee shal shewe that hee isled with a gentle and louing good and righteous affection and that hee hath no desire to hurte but that he intendeth to profite his neighbours By suche exercises hee shal not be righteous but because he is righteous he wil apply himselfe vnto them and wil shew himselfe righteous to the edification of his neighbours as the good fruite maketh not the good tree but because the tree is good hee bringeth foorth good fruite and thereby declareth his goodnesse Solomon then doth not here exalt our works to make vs to boast of thē but he prouoketh vs to do so well that our neighbours shoulde feele and perceiue vs to bee softe and gentle and not to contemne them to deale euil with them to hurte them and hinder them as doe the wicked euen as Solomon doeth signifie when hee saith But the mercies of the wicked are cruell He iudgeth the affections which are inward and hid the which are knowne to God onely The hearte is deceitful and wicked aboue all Iere. 17. 9. things who can knowe it I the Lorde search the heart and try the reines Againe God seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on 10. the outwarde apparance but the Lorde beholdeth the heart Yet neuerthelesse hee medleth not with the office of God but when hee seeth that the wicked doe abounde in euil fruites of wicked works that they exercise cruelties in borrowing and not paying againe seeing that such vngentlenes cannot proceed but of cruel affection 1. Sam. 16. 7 by such exercises Solomon doeth iudge rightly of the inward parts though hee doeth not beholde them with his eies For the tree is knowne by his fruite And in pronouncing of that which is within hee sheweth what their outwarde conuersation is that is to say infamous wicked and cruel For an euill tree cannot bring Mat. 7. 16. 12. 33 foorth good fruite And because that none would bee counted cruell therefore it is needeful first of al that wee refourme the inward parte as the Lorde doeth shewe vnto vs when hee reiecteth al the outwarde holynesse for the crueltie which hee expresseth saying For your handes are ful of blood And afterwardes when hee exhorteth washe yee then c. Yee make cleane the outside of Esay 1. 11. 15. 16. Mat. 23. 25. 26. Ezec. 36. 25 the Cuppe and of the Platter but within they are ful of bribery excesse But it is not in your power thus to doe it is the worke of the Lord. Then will I powre cleane water vpon you and yee shal be cleane yea from al your filthinesse c. Wherefore wee must pray vnto God and say Purge mee with hysope and I shal be cleane washe mee and I shal be whiter then snowe The Pope with his shauelinges hath neede thus to pray For if there bee any people in the worlde which beare any cruel affection they haue it seeing that Psal 51. 7. they do not only spoyle mens goods for to enrich themselues but also so much as in them lieth steale soules from God to giue them to the diuell They are of the number of them whom Ezechiel speaketh Woe vnto the shepheardes of Israel that feede themselues shoulde not the shephearde feede the flockes For this cause wee Ezech. 34. 2 are admonished to beware of them They which next succeede the false doctours in cruell affections are they which vnder colour of ministring iustice do iudge through parciality hauing regarde too persons taking bribes and not giuing the right vnto him that it belongeth Esay 1. 23. vnto Thy Princes are rebellious and companions of theeues c. 11 Hee that tilleth his land shal be satisfied with bread but he that foloweth the idle is destitute of vnderstanding For to giue courage vnto the man which is seruant for himself and his owne man hee maketh vs a promise the accomplishement whereof is very needeful for vs yea necessary to mainteine vs in this life he promiseth Satisfiyng with bread that is to say that the mā which shal be diligēt careful to do his office to folow his estate and vocation shal want nothing that is necessary for to liue in this worlde but shal haue enough and contentation For by bread are signified al thinges necessary for to vpholde this life and by satisfiyng is ment contentation Now hee that is contented with things necessary is rich enough Albeit thē that Solomō doth not name but bread only yet doth hee not promise any smal thing as
diligent man are precious Solomon doeth exhorte vs by this sentence vnto care and diligence that we shoulde not suffer that to be lost which we possesse but knowing that it is God which giueth vs that that we haue bee it litle or much that we shoulde make great account thereof to preserue the same for to vse when wee haue neede Now for to induce vs theretoo and to turne vs from slouthfulnes he compareth the slouthful vnto an hunter but not in al things For the slouthful Pro. 6. 9. sleepeth and maketh no account to occupie himselfe in labour and trauaile as Solomon hath reprooued him else where contrariwise the hunter is watchful and with great care and diligence hee considereth the meanes whereby hee may come vnto the ende to take some peece of flesh hee pitcheth his toyles and his nets hee trimmeth his pitfals hee goeth and runneth vp and downe according as hee seeth needful to pursue the pray that it may not escape from him But it happeneth that the hunter which is vndiscreete and taketh no heede after he hath taken the veneson knoweth not howe to trimme and dresse it for to preserue it from corruption that hee may make thereof his profit And in this sort it is that Solomon compareth the slouthful vnto the hunter as hee doeth shewe it when he doth say The slouthfull man rosteth not that he tooke in hunting Hee calleth the hunting of the slouthful not that which he hath got by his labour and trauaile for the slouthful refuseth to labour as it is but too much prooued and Solomon hath already shewed it wil shew it heereafter but the hunting of the slouthful are the goods that are come to him by the labour of other the which he possesseth by right of succession or by gifte or by theft polling and briberie Forasmuch as the slouthful wil not occupie himselfe for to get his liuing by honest labour and that hee careth not to busie himselfe about good woorkes hee is often compelled to rauish the goods of his neighbours and albeit that to do the same he watcheth and taketh great paines yet ceaseth not hee to be slouthful for that which hee doeth is done for nothing else but to auoide the labour that God hath appointed to enioye the pleasures of the body with the hurt hinderance of his neighbors Such slouthful are the most dangerous after the outward apparance also after the iudgement of the flesh but their bellies whereof S. Paule speaketh are yet worse for liuing ydlely and slouthfully they doe not only rauishe the temporal goods and doe not onely kil the Rom. 16. 18. Phi. 3. 19. Tit. 1. 10. body but in so much as in them lyeth they pul away the soules from God and giue them to bee deuoured of the Deuil of the which number are the Pope and al his whome a man may wel curse after the example of Iesus Christ Wo be to you ye Scribes Pharisees Mat. 23. 13. hypocrites for yee shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men for neither yee yourselues enter in nor suffer them that woulde to enter therein Al such people shal not roste that they toke on hunting they take no profit of that which they haue gotten by gaine dishonestie for either they spende the same vnprofitably or it is taken from them or else they are compelled to leaue the same without hauing any vse thereof This same is proued and we haue some Luke 12. 20. 15. 13. 16. 23. Ephe. 4. 28. 2. Thess 3. 7. examples thereof Nowe that wee may not bee of the number of such people let vs folowe the counsel of Saint Paule let him that stole steale no more and also so much as wee possibly can folowe his example Thus dooing we shal not loose that which we tooke in hunting for want of rosting but that which wee haue taken we shal keepe it diligently and shal holde it deere and precious as Solomon doth signifie it saying But the riches of the diligent man are precious It seemeth wel vnto the couetous and vsurers which take greate paine to gather treasures in this world that they holde their riches for very precious when they dare not vse their treasures for feare to diminish them and then it seemeth that in thus dooing they keepe and preserue them wel and make no smal account of them But sith God hath created al things that they shoulde bee occupied for the vse of man wee shoulde knowe that then our riches are precious vnto vs when wee make them serue according as God hath ordeined them For so doing we suffer them not to goe to losse but do keepe them togither Wee shoulde esteeme a thing wel kept when it is applyed where it ought to be and that it serueth and profiteth They then that are almose giuers charitable haue their riches precious for they doe wel bestowe it and put it foorth to good profit Giue and Luke 6. 38. 1. Tim. 6. 17. it shal be giuen to you Commande them that are rich in this world that they bee not high minded 28 Lyfe is in the way of righteousnes and in that pathway there is no death Forasmuch as there is none but desireth to liue to flye death except it be for great sorow that he suffereth hee doe desire death not preferring and choosing it before life but for the afflictions that he beareth and except hee were vnpatient and did dispaire to bee exempted from such sorowes in this world he would desire life and abhorre death as indeed he doth for being in his straights he thinketh himself to be in a death more hard thē if his soule were separated frō his body That we may obteine our desires we must know where life is founde without the danger of death Solomon doeth teach vs it when he saith Life is in the way of righteousnes c. When any man hath neede to make a voyage and vnderstandeth that the high way is dangerous for theeues and robbers that watch who come by he wil not take that way if hee may auoide it by any meanes but seketh some path that wil bring him to the place where he would bee and so he liueth and auoideth death whereof he had bene in danger if he had passed by the high way Wee are Pilgrimes Hebr. 13. 14 in this world For wee haue heere no continual dwelling Citie c. In folowing then the Faith of Abraham and of other holie Patriarkes dwelling in this world we shal walke as strangers looking for Hebr. 11. 10 the Citie that hath a sure foundation So doing God wil not be ashamed to be called our God For to accomplishe this voyage and to come to this Citie wee must take good heede from taking the Mat. 7. 13. high way for it leadeth to damnation because it is ful of theeues robbers and filchers which seeke for nothing but our destruction As our lustes the worlde and
the Deuil doe draw vs and lay baites 1. Pet. 4. 3 Ioh. 3. 3. 1. Cor. 6. 9 Rom. 6. 23 Gal. 5. 21. Mat. 7. 13. Hebr. 12. 1 1. Pro. 2. 1 for vs that delighting in the pleasures of the heathen that knowe not God we should walke dishonestly So doing we can not finde life The reward of sinne is death but wee must seeke for a straight pathe that may leade vs vnto life And for to runne wel therein let vs laye away al that presseth vs downe and putting away al malice let vs abstaine from carnal lustes which fight against the soule If we thus walke we shal finde life for that way is the path of righteousnes wherein as Solomon saith is life and no death therein When Solomon tooke his doctrine from the lawe whereunto it is lawfull for no man to adde or diminish we must vnderstande that he speaketh Deut. 4. 5. 8. 2. Cor. 1. 20 heere of eternal life chiefly For albeit that God by Moyses gaue vnto the children of Israel promises concerning this temporal life as neuertheles seeing that God doeth esteeme none but his children whom he hath erected to eternal life worthie of his promises for al his promises are yea and Amen in Christ wee must vnderstand that in these temporal and earthly promises are enclosed the heauenly and spiritual as the Fathers Hebr. 11. 9. 10 13. Leu. 18. 5. Rom. 10. 5. did wel vnderstande and also Moyses doeth signifie the same saying The which if a man shal doe he shal liue in them the which Saint Paule expoundeth of eternal life Then when Solomon saith Life is in the way c. Let vs vnderstand it of the blessed and eternal lyfe as he himselfe declareth it saying And in that path way there is no death For temporal life is not without death as experience teacheth alwayes and the Scripture witnesseth vnto vs I say vnto you brethren that fleshe and blood can not inherite the kingdome 1. Cor. 15. 50. Hebr. 9. 29 of God Men are appointed once to dye Wee must also take death heere for eternal death as doeth our Lord Iesus Verely verely I say vnto you that he which heareth my word is passed from death vnto life If any man keepe my worde he shal not see death Ioh. 5. 24. 8. 51. 11. 25. Whosoeuer beleeueth in me though hee were dead yet shal he liue If then wee wil liue without death let vs walke in the path of righteousnes as wee are taught by the Scriptures aforesaide The which shal be done if hauing the assured hope of our saluation in the righteousnes of our Lord we giue ourselues to liue after his commandements conteined in his lawe There is no death For albeit the righteous are the most that are slaine yet they dye not but doe passe from death vnto lyfe The xiii Chapter 1 A wise sonne wil obey the instruction of his father but a scorner wil heare no rebuke FOrasmuch as instruction consisteth in commandemēts counsels exhortations corrections and reprehensions wherof the rude simple and ignorant haue neede and not they that are indewed with so much wisdom as they neede ought to haue and liue according thereto before the world and walke so wisely that they are without reprehension haue no need that any man should shew them any thing Wee vnderstand not by the wise Sonne a man hauing wisdome premeditated for suche a man hath no need that his father should shewe him either reprooue or correct him but by a wise sonne we wil vnderstand him that humbleth himselfe vnto his father feareth and reuerenceth him wil receiue doctrine and endeuoureth to serue him and to be at his commandement This sonne is wise though ther be in him many things which require either admonitions exhortations or corrections Albeit then that wee haue many imperfections yet doe wee not cease therfore to be called wise by the Scriptures which lie not so that we confessing ourselues to be such as wee are doe become easie to bee Rom 13. 7. Ephe. 4. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13 taught tractable and endeuour to yeeld subiection obedience feare honour to them that wee ought folowing the counsel of S. Paul Giue vnto euery man that which is due to him c. So doing we shal be wise sonnes and wil take instruction of them to whome we are committed and to whom we owe honour obedience As then we see Solomon calleth children inferiours vnto wisdō that the youth the common people should not take licence to remain in ignorance as though wisdome did nothing belong to them For gladly such people are wont to say that they need not to be so wise they think that wisdō is not necessary for thē but for men in authority dignitie He doth also exhort thē to receiue instruction of the father vnder the which name of father let vs vnderstād al such as we owe obedience and honour vnto but as they make no account of wisedome euen so doe suche people commonly hate instruction though it be necessary for them It is too common a vice that things most necessarie are most despised in the world there is almost none but feareth to be either too wise or too honest wherin they are like to children who according as they are borne of fleshe doe loue that which is not good for them Now though we must be like vnto litle children yet when we are here called to be wise and to receiue instruction Mat. 18. 3 let vs folow the admonition of S. Paul Brethren in vnderstanding be not children but in malice let vs be children Take heed 1. Cor. 14. 20 Ephe. 5. 15 1. Pet. 2. 1 therefore that ye walke circumspectly c putting away al malice c. If we make no count of such instructions we are not wise but scorners as Solomon doth shew vs saying But a scorner wil heare no rebukes Wisdom hath complained here aboue Chaper 1. verse 22. and for their refusal hath threatened them afterwardes verse 24. By this sentence other alreadie alledged Chap. 9. verse 7. 8. we may vnderstand that scorners are proude wicked corrupted hardened vncorrigible Such people labour to make themselues beleeue Esai 28. 15 that what euil soeuer doth happen they shal be exempted And therfore they scorne al reprehension It is not to say that they are assured for their conscience in spight of their teeth wil reprooue them whereupon they are feared with the iudgement of God They shew thēselues verie bold as if they were in great assurance but the wicked are as the raging of the sea c. There is no peace to the wicked saieth God Besides this let vs note first of al that scorners haue Esai 57. 20 eares but they heare not they are of the number of them of whom Esai speaketh Goe say to this people heare and vnderstande not see and know not
wee shal eate the fruite of the same Likewise if wee participate with the trespasses of the wicked weâ— shal as they doe suffer violence c. 3 Hee that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life but hee that openeth his lippes destruction shal be to him There are two principal wayes of keeping the mouth and consequently of keeping the soule and life and both of them are very necessary The one is to keepe sobernesse and temperancie in eating and drinking They which haue no knowledge of GOD doe so iudge for they say Of sober life coÌ„meth long life They iudge so by a naturall light without the Scripture the which besides the saide light doeth lighten vs by admonitions and exhortations by reprehentions and threatenings If we receiue these admonitions and that wee tremble at his threatninges wee shall keepe our soules Esay 5. 11. 22. 12. 56. 10 Luke 21 34. Rom. 13. 13. 1. Pet. 4. 2. 3. not onely for a time in this worlde but also for eternall life The other manner of keepyng the mouth is too bee carefull in following the thirde and fourth commandements of the lawe Thus doeing wee shall keepe our soules for none wyll pursue vs to death but vniustly and so wee shall liue first of all in this worlde so farre as shal be expedient for our spiritual saluation afterwardes hel shal haue no power ouer vs for to swallow vs but the Lorde wil deliuer vs by his great mercy alone and not that wee can deserue it For albeit it is saide that wee keepe our soules yet must wee attribute nothing but vnto the grace and vertue of the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs and for this cause that which he doeth in vs is called ours Let vs then confesse that the keeping of the mouth and consequently the keeping of the soule is the gifte of the holy Ghost and let vs not thinke that Dauid doth attribute any thing to himselfe when hee saith I wil take heede to my waies c. Hee doeth shewe it well when hee saith Set a watche O Psal 39. 2 114. 3. Lorde before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lippes Beholde two kindes of keeping our mouthes the which are very harde for man to doe for wee haue bellies that cannot bee filled because they bee vnsatiable as are those of gluttons and drunkardes which eate and drinke tyl they burst and if they haue any thing too thrust into their mouthes they begin alwayes afreshe or els they are delicate desiring daintie meate and sweete drinkes as are gluttons and licorous fellowes that haue none other care but to seeke where good wine is and sweete morsels Nowe the mouthes of such bellies doe serue them to their appetites if they haue any thing to furnishe the same Thus much for the first manner As touching the second it is no lesse hard For in our mouth there is a little member which is the tongue but it is a fire euen a worlde of iniquitie c. The worlde is filled with such tongues whereof Dauid complaineth Iam. 3. 6. Psal 12. 2. 34. 14. Helpe mee O Lorde for there is not one goodly man left c. They talke of vanitie euery one with his neighbour c. It followeth theÌ„ that the number of theÌ„ which keepe their soules is very smal If we desire to be of this nuÌ„ber let vs obey the admonitioÌ„ Keep thy tongue from euil and thy lippes that they speake no guile It is of this kinde of keeping our mouth that Solomon speaketh heere as he himselfe doth giue it to vnderstande setting rashe speaking opening of the lippes against keeping of the mouth and oppression against keeping of the soule saying but he that openeth his lippes c. Heere the lyars periurers false witnesses and suche wicked men doe see what rewarde they are worthy of not only in this life but also after this life For as they which keepe their mouthes doe keepe their soules not onely for a time but also for euer euen so the wicked and the vngodly lippes ought too bee punished in this Leui. 24. 14. Deut. 19. 16 worlde The history also of Susanna doth witnesse it And if in time they come not to repentance let them looke for eternal death For the Lorde wil not holde him giltlesse that taketh his name in vaine The slaunderers shal not inherite the kingdome of God Kinges Princes and Superiours of the earth may learne a lesson whereof they make no account they haue their honour and excellencie 1. Cor. 6. 10. in most high commendations for they can wel tel howe to punishe them greuously which shall speake against them and do easily let passe the iniuries that are spoken and doone against God not doing any punishmente therefore or pay little So doing they shewe thereby that they are puft vp with excessiue pride and with a diuelishe arrogancie for they doe preferre themselues before God and doe iudge themselues more worthie and more excellent then hee but finally God shal finde them out wel enough and shal wel mainteine his honour in punishing them as they deserue euen as they are threatened therewith Diuers greate Lordes haue well prooued and shal feele that GOD resisteth Psal 2. 4. 82. 6. the proude 4 The sluggarde lusteth but his soule hath naught but the soule of the diligent shall haue plentie There are iesters and idle bodies who making no account of giuing themselues vnto good and necessary workes doe giue themselues to followe foolishe and vnprofitable desires and pleasures and yet for to seeme pleasant mery they are not ashamed to pronounce that they woulde not giue their pleasures for a great summe of money Such folke are muche vnprouided and voide of good sense and sounde iâ—dgment when against their conscience and affection they reiect by worde that which God hath created for the vse of men and contrarily doe esteeme and prayse that whiche God hath forbidden in the tenth commandement of his lawe Thou shalt not lust In this manner they doe more esteeme their fantasies which doe nothing profite then the liuing God who giueth vs all thinges aboundantly for to vse For this cause they wel deserue for to bee brought into extreeme and vtter necessitie and to haue nothing wherewith to mainteine themselues in this life but to bee in continual and miserable sorowe al the time that they haue to dwell in this worlde Solomon doth threaten theÌ„ with such misery saying The sluggarde lusteth c. Hee hath already diuers times vsed the like threates It is a thing very infamous and reprochable for to liue in idlenesse as wee doe iudge al naturally For albeit that naturally wee loue wel to doe nothing and that after the fleshe wee Pro. 6. 50. 11 10. 4. 12. 27. thinke theÌ„ happy that haue wherewithal to liue without doing any thing yet if wee haue men seruants or maide seruants or iourney men for to doe our businesse
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
this care bee naturall in vs notwithstanding wee prosper not if wee haue not the hearte in good plight as they say indewed with natural vnderstanding and that wee bee of a quicke wit and foresight For the foolishe and brainelesse sort oft put their life in great hazarde and in steede of finding goods loose the same and marre al they goe about and if wee loue so much this brief and transitorie life and the fraile and brickle goods for the maintenance of the same wee ought farre more to loue the heauenly life and felicitie which is eternal but of ourselues we cānot come to this loue for we are fooles wicked negligent slouthful and so we are loose of courage and faint hearted whervpon ensueth the destruction of our soules and way to death and to loue our soules wel and to enriche them it behoueth vs to bee prudent in heart as Solomon saith He that hath a heart loueth his soule and keepeth prudence to finde riches But when wee haue naturally a lacke of hearte wee cannot haue it of ourselues because wee cannot or will not change our nature That is the worke of GOD as wee ought to vnderstande by his promises wherefore we ought to pray Deut. 30. 6 Iere. 24. 7. Ezech. 11. 19 36. 26. O God create in mee a pure hearte and renewe in mee the spirite of righteousnesse And also by that which hath bin oftentimes touched of him that wanteth heart and is loose of courage And by that which hath beene touched in the 15. Chapter and the 31. 32. wee may and ought to vnderstande that hee possesseth hearte which is so instructed by the worde of GOD that by the same he hath sound iudgement and good aduise to conduct himselfe in the feare and reuerence of the Lorde and hath a good will and right affection to yeelde himselfe obedient to God and helpeful too his neighbours He that is such a one loueth his soule and not as Worldlinges doe and Epicures which studie to liue at heartes ease and haue the fauour and support of the worlde without any contradiction or resistance Such men are much deceiued as our Lorde Iesus Christe sheweth vs. But the man that hath a hearte loueth his soule in such maner that he hath a care to gouern it according Mat. 16. 24 Iohn 12. 25. to the wil of God prest to endure with pacience al maner afflictions which it shal please the Lorde to sende In this manner hee keepeth prudence which leadeth him to those goods which are proper to preserue his soule whom he loueth Now the goods which he getteth is the fauour acceptable to the Lorde by the which hee obteineth that his sinnes bee not imputed to him but is made partaker of the iustice of Iesus Christe by the which he commeth to euerlasting life Let vs note in the rest that although there bee none but God which prouideth of his owne meere grace and good wil al that which is necessary for vs for the time present and the time to come aswel for our bodies as our soules Notwithstāding this letteth not but with sound iudgement prudence and good aduise wee may followe those meanes by the which wee prouide for this life and doe that which is good and necessary for our health For it is no inconuenience that GOD doethal and wee bee his instruments by the which hee worketh What heart then soeuer wee professe what prudence or vnderstanding wee haue let vs reknowledge in veritie that it is onely God which willeth and accomplisheth and to him let vs giue all praise and glorie in al thinges 9 The false witnesse shall not escape vnpunished and hee that speaketh lyes shal perish Beteweene the fift sentence of this Chapter and this is no difference sauing in the ende of the fift sentence there is Shall not escape and in this Shall perishe which is the exposition of shall not escape And so this is here a repetition not vnprofitable to the wel disposed for they are againe warned that God greatly detesteth false witnesse bearers and lyars and therefore they to bee careful to thinke and say the trueth and flee all lying This repetition also serueth to make the false witnesse bearers and lyers more blame woorthy when they haue once despised so many warninges and not taken heede to amend 10 Pleasures are not seemely for a foole much lesse for a bound man to haue rule ouer Princes Although the wicked which despise true sapience and are therefore called fooles haue commonly good store of goodes eyther by succession or giftes or by their owne industry and that they enioy them in delight and heartes ease at theyr owne pleasure and that because they spende the time gallantly and make good cheere they are therefore accompted worthy to liue and haue abundance of riches notwithstanding because they haue not the feare of God with them and be not his children it were more fit for them to haue no riches at all And that which they haue they vsurpe it wrongfully by what title soeuer they possesse it Wherevpon ensueth that they cannot vse it nor rightfully enioy it at their ease and pleasure Solomon pronounceth it saying Pleasures are not seemely c. As when we know any one to be a thiefe liue by robbery we cannot nor ought not to allowe his wickednesse nor affirme his life good and honest but rather iudge it disordinate and detestable So before God who knoweth the foolish it is not found fit that they liue at their pleasure and ease of theyr fleshe although hee permit them as is seene For there is none in the world according to outward apparance that haue more their pleasures then the foolish and wicked And as God which knoweth all alloweth not that the foolish haue their pleasures to the damage of the miserable afflicted Euen so when God hath opened the eyes of his seruantes and principally those which he hath lifted vp in preheminence and geuen too vnderstande the wickednesse of the foolishe they ought too detest and hate those fooles whome they see so at theyr ease For they cannot enioy the delightes of this worlde without greate disorder And although a man cannot perceaue it alwayes yet it ceasseth not to boe a greate hinderaunce to the feeble simple and innocent of whome the foole makes no accompt but rather studieth to afflict vex them pilling and polling them or refusing to pleasure them to enioy the better his owne ease and pleasure Then if pleasures are not seemely for fooles who notwithstāding seeme fit to enioy them because they are rich or of noble parentage and in authoritie or because afore time they haue taken paynes to liue lastly at their ease If to such people I say pleasures are not seemely by a farre more reason it is not fitting that inferiours shoulde enterprise ought against or aboue their superiours to put themselues in their ease or haue their pleasures to the preiudice of their
omit nothing of that which is our office but serue to the glorie of GOD and edification of his Churche and in as muche as wee can conuert soules to God and serue to the augmentation of the kingdome of Iesus Christ our Lorde 20 Giue eare vnto counsel and take correction that thou mayest bee wise in thy later dayes Wee are all by nature not onely ignoraunt and brutishe but also foolish and wicked and neither wil nor can of ourselues chaunge and amende ourselues nor better our estate Notwithstanding wee haue not suche opinion of ourselues nor take it not in good parte that others shoulde account vs so but striue and studie to make vs bee thought good and wise and couet that our neighbours shoulde esteeme vs so Whereby wee are verie muche abused but the abuse is not suche but it may easily be remedied as Solomon sheweth vs saying Giue eare vnto counsel and take correction that thou maist be wise in thy later dayes Hee teacheth vs what wee haue to doe to dispoile ourselues of ignoraunce and brutishnesse to flye from follie and wickednes to the ende that at leastwise wee become wise in the latter dayes And to doe the same hee proceedeth by degrees First hee giueth vs remedie against ignorance and brutishnes when hee admonisheth vs to giue eare to counsel For the counsel whereof hee speaketh is the woorde of God which as hath beene diuers times spoken of is our wisedome and vnderstanding of the which wee participate not but by the holie Scriptures Wherevppon ensueth that Solomon inuiteth vs to the reading and hearing of Sermons wherein the holie Scriptures are declared vs this is the first degree as wee ought to vnderstande by Moyses and the Prophetes when they inuite vs so often to heare the woorde of the Lorde yea afore al other thinges It is the right entrie to come to true wisedome Secondly hee giueth remedie for follie and wickednes when hee woulde haue vs to take correction which is to say That we hearken to the word of God so attentiuely and with suche affection that the threatenings therin pronounced against vs make vs to tremble that we haue feare and horrour at the iudgementes which they shewe vs to haue bene executed against the wicked and of that they shal susteine in the time to come And that the admonitions exhortations and warnings make vs ashamed of our life passed and to beare a special hate to wickednes whereto wee haue not onely bene enclined but also giuen and addicted and that we take pleasure to amende our life in walking in al honestie holines and iustice Beholde what it is to take correction as may bee gathered by many places of these Prouerbes But one may say that they which walke by these two degrees are wise as hath beene seene heeretofore in diuers pointes of this booke The answere heereto is that Solomon meaneth that one hereby aduaunceth himselfe further in wisedome and encreaseth therein successiuely and is in waye to giue certaine proofe thereof and to bring foorth fruites There is also an other difficultie which is that Solomon seemeth to be content if we be wise in our later dayes Wherunto we answer that indeed it is better we be wise late thē neuer as may be seene by the theefe but we are not promised that when we haue spēt al our Luk. 23. 40 life in pleasures of follie and naugh tinesse God wil afterwardes giue vs the grace to amende and folowe true wisedome And Solomon giueth vs hope of nothing which hath not his foundation on the promises of God And therefore when he saith In thy later dayes c. Let vs take it for al that time wherein wee are called to fayth and repentance wee may wel cal it The later dayes for first after being once called it is not meete wee returne to our first estate of follie and wickednesse Secondarily the dayes of man are short and hee liueth by his wil longer in follie and wickednesse then in wisedome and goodnesse Wherefore one may wel cal his later dayes the time which hee applieth in wisedome and wel doing Let vs note finally that it is not to bee maruelled at if in the world there be many fooles and fewe wise men seeing they wil not folowe the counsell of Solomon 21 There are many thoughtes in the heart of man but the counsel of the Lorde shal stand fast There is none of vs which desireth not to bee in good estate and haue prosperitie of long endurance but man of himselfe cannot attaine to it in this world also there is nothing vnder the Sun which is not subiect to chaunge as is daily prooued yea Kinges themselues which are puisant and mightie haue not their estate permanent Notwithstanding man thinketh not so but he deemeth himselfe not of so smal value as to take vpon him an estate of no endurance Dan. 2. 21. rather al they which are come to any degree of prosperitie say naturally in their hearts that they wil neuer stirre nor moue and al because they haue tasted no aduersitie but it happeneth often that they are frustrate of their opinion which is cause that they thinke and rethinke they take newe counsels and make many deliberations as Solomon expresseth saying There are many thoughts in the heart of man when he speaketh so it is not to say that hee alloweth so many thoughtes to be in the hart of man but rather blameth them and sheweth that they are vaine when hee setteth against them the counsel of God saying The counsel of the Lorde shall stande fast Hee argueth and reprooueth those which of themselues wil gouerne themselues place them in estate stable and permanent and to come to the end thereof they thinke consult determine often and in many sorts and this without asking at the mouth of the Lorde without crauing counsel at him and aresting themselues at his worde It seemeth to them that they are but too wise to knowe howe to set in order and sure estate their businesse Such rashe headed and arrogant fooles ought wel to be reprehended whereon they esteeme themselues so much despise so boldly the eternal wisdome without the which we cannot but goe astray stumble and fall There are also in the scripture many complainres and threateninges against such arrogant fellowes Contrariwise hee promiseth a sure estate Iob. 12. 13. Ioh. 5. 12. Psa 33. 10. Isa 8. 9. Iere. 11. 7. Leuit. 26. 3. Deut. 28. 1. Psa 33. 11. to them which renounsing themselues and al their owne counsel take the counsel which God hath ordeined them by his worde which teacheth them to yeelde a voluntary obedience to the Lord and to cleaue to his gooduesse and mercy not any thing doubting of his fatherly loue towardes them Hee maketh not this promise of himselfe but following the holy Scripture hee hath also regarde to that which is saide The counsel of the Lorde shal stande for euer And so wee take not heere
the counsel of the Lorde for his eternal wisedome by the which afore the foundation of the world he hath ordeined al things This counsel is secrete and to vs incomprehensible Neuerthelesse wee shoulde not sticke to confesse that such counsel is and shal be firme as Esay confesseth it Also of the firmenesse of this counsell dependeth the firmenesse of that Esa 40. 12. Rom. 11. 33. Esay 25. 1. Rom. 16. 25. Ephe. 1. 9. which is giuen vs dayly by the worde for when the worde is pronounced to vs it is because God hath so ordeined it before the beginning of the worlde By the reuelation of this secret the elect of God are deliuered from vanitie and made firme and stable 22 That which is desirable in a man is his vpright dealing insomuch that the poore man is more profitable then the lyar Although wee be wicked of nature and many perseuer obstinately in their malice and naughtinesse taking delight to profite themselues by the hurt of others in deceauing polling and robbing and despise to order themselues by vpright dealing notwithstanding if they haue any thing to barter or vse traffique with their neighbours that which they most desire in them is vpright dealing and that they wil not seeme to deceaue them for although they be worth nothing yet they haue a certaine feare to deale with cousoners lyars hypocrites and dissemblers bee they neuer so rich and diligent in doing their businesse yea they loue better to haue to doe with a poore man naked of all goods with whome they thinke to profite more then with the lyar dissembler and deceiuer bee hee neuer so rich Solomon expresseth wel this same saying That which is desirable in a man is his vpright dealing If this sentence be practized and verified any whit by the wicked that is not say that it shoulde not bee practised in al thinges and principally in thinges of weight and excellency As if there bee a question to chose or make a King Lorde Magistrate or gouernour in a countrie it is meete to desire vpright dealing as Iethro sheweth also we may gather it out of many places of the Psalmist It behooueth vs not to be scrupulous about the poorenesse of the person as GOD sheweth wel to Samuel when hee appointeth him to annoint Dauid King ouer Israel we ought also to vnderstande it by that which Exo. 18. 21. Psal 2. 10 72. 1. 12 82. 1. 101. 1. 1. Sam. 16. 1 12 Eccl. 4. 13 9. 13 is saide els where It is not fit therefore to haue regarde to nobilitie or riches nor auncientnesse of race and family but to desire vpright dealing Likewise if there bee question to choose Ministers of the worde of God it is right necessary to desire vpright dealing because they haue the gouernment of soules which haue bin bought so dearely and preciously Also one can giue no iudgment of a mans vpright dealing but by his former conuersation whereof one hath certaine proofe This first part of this sentence may be expounded diuersly because of one worde which hath diuers significations in the Hebrue tongue to wit mercy shame religion reproche and defame but leauing the diuersitie of expositions aparte let vs learne heerein that as wee woulde our neighbours shoulde vse vpright dealing towards vs and not disguise themselues any way So wee shoulde doe the like towardes all men 23 The feare of the Lorde bringeth a man to life And hee that it is filled with the same lodgeth where no plague shall visit him God greatly recommendeth vnto vs his feare as is seene in the Lawe the Psalmes and Prophetes of whom we are often admonished Deut. 4. 10. Psal 22. 24. to this feare Nowe although the feare that hee demaundeth serue to his glory notwithstanding hee demandeth it not for any profite that hee shal reape thereby for hee hath no neede of vs neither can we profite him any way But hee demandeth it to the ende we be aduanced in goods and honour not onely fraile and transitory but chiefly heauenly and eternal Solomon signifieth it by this worde Life when hee saith The feare of the Lord bringeth a man to life True it is that Superiours ought to keepe from al wrong and violence those which feare God to the ende they may liue in peace tranquilitie seruing God And Moses in many places promiseth longlife vppon earth to them which keepe the commandements of God Wherevpon the Apostle Saint Paule building saith That the feare of God is profitable in al thinges hauing promise of life present and also of life to come Neuerthelesse seeing that the life present is common to men with beasts that the wicked oftentimes liue in this worlde more happily according to the outwarde apparance then the good and faithful which haue the feare of the Lorde before their face for this cause when wee haue promise of life wee vnderstande that the life present is not but as it were a shewe of the life to come and that wee ought not to stay therein to make our dwelling heere belowe as in our heritage but wee must aspire on hie to heauen where their life is that feare god folowing the faith of the good fathers And that with firme assurāce wee say with Saint Paule We are not we cried but although c. Aso wee knowe that if our earthly house of this Iodging be destroied Heb. 11. 13. 2. Cor. 4. 16. we haue an euerlasting house in heauē which is not made with handes Saint Paule inuiteth vs to aspire to this life Sith therfore it is aboue which wee ought to aspire to knowe wee and bee wee Col. 3. 1. assured that when life is promised them which feare the Lord it is meant chiefly eternall life Contrariwise when we see the threateninges which are spoken against them which are without the feare of God knowe wee that they shal not liue but death shall swalowe them eternally with that that from now many begin their Psa 55. 20. 24. hel partly because their owne consciences reprooue them they cannot rest therefore partly because they are afraide of the iudgements of God Whereby they dispaire not seeing any way howe they shal escape them and partly because they haue often great miseries and afflictions wherewith they are tormented greatly not knowing that hee is God which afflicteth them iustly Caine was Gen. 4. the captaine of suche people also hee began his hel in this worlde as may bee seene by that which is written of him Pharao may well come next after as is seene in Exodus by the plagues which GOD sent him and by the acknowledgement which hee made of his wickednesse in the which notwithstanding hee remained indurate and hardened Let vs put Saule in the thirde place who pursued Dauid vniustly against his conscience as is also seene by his owne confessions 1. Sam. 24. 18. 28. 7. 31. 4. Also God hath sent him great miseries and
afflictions frō the which seeing hee coulde not escape hee had recourse to the Diuel and dispaired and slue himselfe wee see therefore what a miserable thing it is to reiect the feare of the Lorde for to giue ones selfe to wickednesse and contrariwise that there is great felicitie for them which through the feare of the Lorde doe hate and detest iniquitie and couet to render true obedience to God according as he demandeth by his worde and to be also at their neighbors commandemēt asswel for the edification helth of their soules as for the commoditie of this life Solomon expresseth also in other words this felicitie saying And hee that hath the same lodgeth c. In the which hee sheweth vs that to bee happy by the feare of the Lord is not enough to feare him in any one part of our conuersation and in the rest to bee giuen to followe our owne fantasies as those which feared the Lorde seruing likewise their gods and as the Papists doe which are followers of this foresaide kinde of men for they make a shewe of fearing of God in that they folowe 2. Rom. 17. his worde some what and principally in this that they haue obserued baptisme and that they vse some loyaltie one towardes another for the rest they are abhominable in their Ceremonies and seruices which they call diuine beeing indeede diuellishe and they are also abhominable in their wicked traffiques fraudes and cousonages in their othes and blasphemies Therefore they obteine felicitie by the feare of God it is not enough to vse some faire apparāce of holynesse in contemning al the abuse and abhomination of superstitions and Idolatries of Painims Papists and other infidelles frequenting sermons of the woorde and communicating the Sacramentes and in the rest to bee Athiestes in our heartes and our mouthes replenished with euil talkings our affections burning with auarice wee embrased with hate and rancour and wholy giuen to fraudes cosonages and other abhominations But it is meete that as a man which desireth to bee whole and sounde of body followeth willingly the counsel of a good Phisition and to fil and satisfie himselfe eateth not but good meates conuenient proper to ingender blood and reiecteth al others which are not proper to mingle with the good Euen so wee shoulde entirely followe the counsel of God who is our soueraigne Phisition and fil and satisfie ourselues with his feare folowing orderly that which hee teacheth vs by his woorde and reiecting al other feare which our soueraigne Phisition reprooued Solomon vseth the same similitude here as may bee seene by the woorde filling which signifieth in his language satisfiyng or appeasing of hunger and promiseth to him that shal satisfie himselfe with the feare of the Lord great assurance when he saith That hee shall lodge where no plague shall visit him Hee vseth a similitude taken by a traueller or stranger who arriueth in a Isay 8. 12. 29. 3. 41 8. 43. 1. 44. 2. 1. Pet. 3. 14. lodging or Inne which is out of the danger of theeues hath good gates and walles very strong and those of the house are honest folkes and are careful to shut their doores and vse a traueller or passenger gently and see that hee be not offended nor suffer no wrong in their house Euen as such a traueller is in great suretie according to humane sense so hee that feareth the Lorde findeth good lodging sure entertainement and there is no man that can doe him any harme This is it which God hath promised to his people by Moses and afterwarde by Dauid and his holy Prophetes But one may say there is none in the worlde that suffer more outrages Leu. 25. 16. 2. Deut. 8. 6. Psal 22. 24. 25. 34. 8. Esay 33. 14. Exo. 25. 5. iniuries violences nor that are persecuted more cruelly then they that feare GOD. Abel hath prooued it Dauid the Prophetes Iesus Christe and his Apostles whome hee hath foretold their afflictions To this I answere That to bee visited with euill in this place is to bee vanquished therewith so that one is not able to recouer himselfe as it is taken in diuers places of the Scriptures 24 The slouthfull man hath shut his handes into his bosome and will not take paine to put it to his mouth Solomon hath often tolde vs alreadie the nature gestes and qualities of the slouthful the misery and pouertie which of force they must indure by their slouth negligence notwithstāding because the number of them encreaseth dayly and continueth and that wee are al of so wicked a nature that wee wil bee content too liue at our owne pleasure without doing any thing but to sporte and play and to enioy the delights and pleasures of this worlde and wil not thinke on the hyre of slouth nor heare speake of euil which shal followe after which wee must of force suffer will we or nil we if wee bee slouthful for this cause hee contenteth not himselfe with so many aduertisements which he hath alreadie giuen vs but to the end we may take more heede or at least wise be more inexcusable and iudged worthie of miserie hee repeateth heere againe vnder contrary wordes the negligence and little care of the slouthful by the gesture of a man who because of the great colde he endureth cannot put his hande to worke but is constrained to shut it into his bosome to keepe it warme when he saith The slouthfull man hath shut his hande into his bosome and will not take paine to put it to his mouth And by good reason speaketh hee soo for the slouthfull wil not warme himselfe with his businesse but is still as it were very chilly cold Whervpon ensueth that of force the great indigence which taketh and assaileth him must make him suffer hunger as Solomon expresseth saying And hee will not take paine to put it to his mouth In so saying hee sheweth the long abiding of the hande in the bosome and the continuall and obstinate negligence of the slouthful which if he woulde forsake hee might so one remooue his hande from his bosome and set it a worke whereby hee might haue wherewith to returne to his mouth and susteine himselfe But seeing hee maketh no account thereof he must of force perish with want and be poore and miserable And if one put a contrary to this that there is a great number of sluggardes which put well their handes to their mouth eate and drinke make good cheere and their goods neuer faile them as is seene in the Clergie monkery of the Papists Answere First Solomō sheweth what the slouthful are worthie of and what it is they deserue as also the Apostle Saint Paule sheweth when hee forbiddeth giuing meate to the slouthful Secondly 2. The. 3. 10. seeing they are not worthie to liue and that they vsurpe that which they haue as theeues and robbers that lyue by rapine yea
by what title soeuer they possesse their goods Thirdly if the slouthful for a time liue at their ease they come atlast vnto great pouertie as is dayly seene in many who inherite richly their fathers patrimonies and afterwardes liuing in delightes without doing any thing haue not had wherewithal too put their hande to their mouth but by begging filching robbing or deceiuing Fourthly if God spare the slouthful for a time hee knoweth howe to visite them afterwardes and if it bee not in this worlde it will bee in death euerlasting as may bee seene by the wicked riche man Luke 16. 25 Smite the scornefull person and the ignorant will take better heede for if one reprooue the wise man hee hath vnderstanding to knowledge One saith commonly that it is best to beate the dogge before the Lion whereby is signified that to warne and feare the hautie proud arrogant stiffnecked and obstinate it is best to chastice the feeble although they haue sinned in little or nothing And as one saith who without al right or reason so one doeth wickedly in doing so and the sentence is practised which saith Censours torment and afflict the Doues and spare the rauens and pardon them For one shal see as the common vse is that Kings Princes and magistrates and iudges wil sooner and more sharpely punishe the simple person which hath not much offended They are not so taught by God who resisteth stoutly the proude and giueth grace to the humble as he hath wel shewed at the Deluge at the subuersion of Sodom the destruction of Pharao and other desolations whereas hee hath smitten the scorneful and spared the lowly to the end that the ignorant and simple which are not yet wel aduised may feare and learne to walke wisely Therefore sith the superiours of the earth are in the seate of God they ought to bee his followers in punishing them that haue no feare of God nor reuerence of his woorde and that by their dissolute life and insolencie worke great scandalles and offende their neighbours with wronges and outrages and violences to the end that the rest may be afraide to giue themselues to such wickednesse Solomon warneth them hereof saying Smite the scornefull person and the ignorant will the better take heed for if one reprooue the wise man hee hath vnderstanding c. Hee saith not admonishe freendly the mocker and reprehende him in secrete for he knewe wel that one shoulde profite nothing that way as hee hath aboue saide But hee will that one smite him and punishe him according to his demerites to the ende hee may bee an example and that others may come to repentance and amendment of life and that they be not so hardy to giue themselues to wickednesse but haue it in abhomination and flee from it intierely See heere the heede which Solomon speaketh of when hee saith That the ignorant wil take better heede Hee wil not that by his heede he hurte his neighbours but that he flee from mockerie For the rest when hee putteth the wiseman a contrary to the scorneful saying If one reprooue the wise hee wil haue vnderstanding to knowledge And that hee saith not Smyte him but reprooue him hee sheweth principally two thinges First that one calleth not him wise which hath no faute for such a one is not any way to bee founde or if hee bee founde yet hee is not to bee reprooued but praised and extolled but hee which by infirmitie beeing falne relieueth himselfe by repentance and taketh in good parte to bee argued blamed and reprooued for hee knoweth that such admonitions and corrections serue him for a schoole to bee come yet more wise and better aduised As Solomon expresseth it saying Hee hath vnderstanding to knowledge For hee vnderstandeth not at the beginning but by augmentation wherof hath beene spoken heeretofore Secondly That they which are tractable and of good capacitie ought not to bee handled rigorously as the vncorrigible scorneful and contemptuous although one may wel vse sharpe woordes and seuere speeches as is to bee vnderstoode by this woorde reprehending for if a man haue wit of himselfe hee ought therefore to bee better aduysed and to guide himselfe wel that hee fal not and it ought to bee a greate shame to him to commit a fault worthy reprehension bee it neuer so little 26 Hee that hurteth his father or shutteth out his mother is a shameful and an vnworthy sonne There are some children which thinke it is laweful for them to spende their fathers goods at their owne pleasure and so they make greate wast of the same and put their fathers in pouertie and want and despyse their mothers because they are women who doe nothing but trouble the house a lest and offende them and seeke to chace them out principally when their fathers bee dead And in thus doing they thinke themselues couragious champions honest men good companions and men of accompt and light on table fellowes and playepheers who knowe howe to flatter them and make them beleeue that they are worthy to haue goods because they knowe howe to spende them pleasantly and in good felowship But because the woorde of God ought to bee preferred before al humane wisedome and so by consequence before al foolish phantasies and that such children consumers of substance and contemners of their parents not only despise humane wisedom which teacheth children to be sober modest temperate and humble to their parents but also are disobedient and rebellious against God who commandeth that one honor father and mother for this cause Solomon calleth them shameful and vnworthy saying The sonne is shameful and vnworthy c. Solomon speaketh not heere obscurely for he speaketh according to our maner which is to cal a person shameful and vnworthy which leadeth so wicked filthy abhominable life and in such inhumanitie ingratitude and crueltie that not only he ought to be ashamed thereof but also deserueth to bee opprobrious despised Which thing those children wel deserue which hurte or vndoe their fathers and chace or shut out their mothers The law ought so to handle them that they bee an example to others But because it pleaseth vs not that our children should come to such reproch and shame as to be punished openly for offendors that we ourselues shoulde be abashed griened vexed thereat it is meete aforehande that fathers and mothers be careful to order their life according to the worde of God and according to the same word to watch ouer their children bringing them vp in the feare knowledge of the Lord. And that mothers take heed of being too much doted ouer their children but that they shew themselues graue and make them feare them For it hapneth oftentimes that children which are cockered and brought vp tenderly worke most woe to their mothers And principally whē they haue most neede of succour which is after the discease of their husbands when they are widdowes or sick or aged It is then say
iniurie outrage and violence to their neighbours dispoiling them of their substance for this cause their iniurie shal returne vnto themselues As Solomon pronounceth it saying The rapines of the wicked shall destroy them Wherein he speaketh principally of kinges iudges and gouernours of the earth which are the greatest theeues and raueners as is aforesaide The reason which he addeth sheweth wel that it is of such men that hee speaketh when he sayth For they haue refused to doe iustice True it is that we ought al to doe our endeuour in helping eche one his neighbour and defending him inasmuche as wee can from the yldealing of the wicked But because the Superiours of the earth are placed in the seate of God and that their office as they can wel tel is to doe iustice It is lawful to vnderstande that this present sentence pronounceth principally that they shal perishe wickedly for they make no account to doe right in ayding the feeble and defending them but rather eate and deuoure them as it is laide to their charge they Psal 82. 2. 6. 7. are manaced destruction Ia. 33. 1. 8 There is a man whose waye is frowarde and strange but the worke of the pure man is right There is none but he thinketh or striueth to persuade himself that he is an honest man and that hee walketh so vprightly that in him is nothing worthie of reprehension so proude and haughtie is the nature of man striuing to forget his owne iniquities which are continually before his eyes Insomuch that if he commit any thing or imagine against his neighbour that which he would not should be done vnto himselfe it can not be but his conscience wil reproue him Notwithstanding hee resisteth it as euerie one may feele in himselfe naturally and as Solomon hath sometimes spoken when hee saieth heere aboue verse 2. That euerie mans way seemeth right in his owne eyes And nowe hee sheweth openly that this opinion of vprightnesse is false when he sayeth There is a man whose way is frowarde and strange Wherein we haue to note that although it be saide The Lord hath looked from heauen vpon the children of Psal 14. 2 Esai 64. 6. Iere. 17. 9. men to see if there were any which vnderstoode and sought after God but they are al gone astraie c. And wee are al as it were filth c. The heart is deceitful and frowarde more then al other thinges c. Neuerthelesse Solomon condemneth not vsal because that God accepteth the woorkes of him that is regenerated which Solomon calleth pure saying But the worke of the pure man is right For although beeing left off in the corruption of our nature wee walke in frowarde and strange wayes doing wrongful and abhominable woorkes which leade vs to perdition and that we cannot be so iust but wee must needes sinne neuerthelesse when our Lorde Iesus Christ by his holy spirite mortifieth our wicked concupiscenses and disordinate affections hee purgeth vs so that our affections are holy good and iust and cannot be otherwise insomuche as the holie Ghost conducteth them and guideth them The it foloweth that wee take pleasure to walke vprightly and wee cannot be turned therefro to abandon intirely the right way and withdrawe ourselues wholly from righteousnes for we haue the seed of God which is perpetual that is to say which maketh them to perseuer in holines and iustice which are engendered of God by his seede For whosoeuer is born of God doeth not sinne for his seede remaineth in him c. This 1. Ioh. 3. 9. is not to say but this seede is sometimes choked of them that are regenerate as it hath beene in Dauid but it is neuer wholly extinguished 9 It is better to dwell in a corner on the house toppe then with a brauling woman in awide house God at the beginning created man and woman and ioyned them together in marriage to the ende they shoulde liue together in peace and vnitie whereby they might haue ioye and consolation and be an aide and comfort one to the other as members of one bodie And principally it is sayde that the woman is an helpe too man But men and women despise the end and purpose of GOD Gen. 2. 18. and not weighing the duetie which they owe one to another seeke for earthly goodes and substance and couet earnestly the highnes and magnificencie the glory and honour of the world When they are about to marry they enquire not principally of the life and maners of the man or woman that is to be had but aboue all thinges they haue regard to the goodes and riches to the might credite authoritie and noblenes of the parentage that thereby they may become greate and haue support and credite and a greate number of people which shall woonder at their riches reuerence them and court them Or at leastwise that they may haue wherewith too walke by their neighbours liue at their ease and vse great traffique or haue inheritāce of great reuenue Now because in this sort they forsake God and regard more the world it comes to passe that for the confusion of such persons and to punish their vanitie and pride their greedines and auarice God ouerturneth the lawes of mariage So that a man that wil marrie insteede of finding an honest wife which should support and aide him giue him peace ioy and consolation God giueth him a proude and fierce wife which serueth to no other purpose but to torment vex him braule make war with him and put him to great trouble and sorrow when a man hath mette with suche a matche hee saieth in his heart that which Solomon auoucheth saying It is better to dwel in a corner on the house toppe c. Also the wife that wil marie in steed of finding an honest man which wil loue her and be acceptable pleasant to her meeteth with a proud and cruel man a churle and one with whō she can haue no quietnes Then saith shee also in her heart That it is better to dwel in a corner on the house top then with a brawling husbande in a wide house Beholde heere howe wee shoulde applye this sentence although Solomon make mention but of the woman and not without cause for seeing that the woman is chosen by the man was created to assist and obeye him and be subiect to him as the Church is to Iesus Christe It is good reason that shee be rebuked by name when in steede of keeping the housholde in silence and peace shee Ephe. 5. lifteth vp herselfe against her husbande and resisteth him also because by proofe women are more prompt readie to striue against their husbands and that this vice is most common amongst them Solomon speaketh the rather of the brawling woman and blameth her who in as muche as shee is inferiour to her husbande shee ought to suffer patiently the seueritie of him rather then to moue debates and
account of their opinion let vs sticke to that which the holy Ghost saith thereof by Solomon saying The iust man hath ioy to doe iustice c. Now seeing it appertaineth principally to Kings Princes and gouernours to doe iustice they are heere taught that their ioy ought not to bee in delights pompes in pleasures and playes as their common vse is when they haue no feare of God but to render right to euery one carefully in defending the innocent feeble and weake and deliuering thē from the violence and oppression of the wicked and punishing the oppressours and offenders Otherwise they are not iust but wrongful and wicked which thing is not seemely for them which are placed in the seat of God which loueth iustice and righteousnesse and taketh pleasure therein Also that which causeth ioy to them that doe iustice is that they are certaine that God accepteth their doings esteemeth of them and they themselues do nothing whereof their consciences reprooue them The vngodly and wicked haue no such certaintie true it is that they striue to assure and harden themselues in their misdeeds and deliuer themselues from al scruple and cast away care to reioice in riots and insolencies excesse and dissolutions But the word is true without exception which saith that there is no peace for the wicked which accordeth wel with that which Isa 48. 22. Solomon saith here But horror is to thē that worke iniquitie And it is in folowing the curses which are threatened to the transgressors of the lawe Although then that the iust in this worlde which Deut. 28. 28 65. 66. giue themselues to doe their duetie seeme sad and sorowful neuerthelesse for the quietnesse and ease of their consciences and for the assurance that they haue that their workes please God they reioice and take pleasure to employ themselues to doe good Also although the wicked seeke to leade a pleasant life in toying and fooling and though they seeme merie yet neuerthelesse they haue no true ioy for through their misdeeds their consciences accuse them and torment them mawgre their harts with the feare of the iudgementes of God And so although they striue to shewe out wardly a smyling countenance and take their pleasure in making good cheere eating and drinking singing leaping and daunsing yet they cease not to haue within them the worme that gnaweth grieueth them and maketh them sad and thus they haue no true ioy If therefore at our neede wee wil haue ioy that is durable let vs beware to doe any thing whereof our consciences may reprooue and accuse vs which thing wee shal wel doe if the onely woorde of GOD bee the rule of al our actions for wee can haue no peace in our consciences but by the same And there is nothing which can assure vs that wee doe wel but this holy woorde Wherefore it behoueth the wicked which make no account to doe good to their neighbours but rather afflict them and haue no right knowledge of God to tremble and haue no assurance Then if they so tremble they cannot bee in lasting ioye but must needes haue Ps 14. 4. 5. continual horrour and feare griefe and sorrowe where contrariwise the iust are inuited to ioy Ps 32. 10. 11 16 The man that wandereth out of the way of wisedome shall remayne in the congregation of the dead Because the worde of God is simple and teacheth vs not hye excellent things in the opinion of the world for this cause it is despised and men make no account to folowe the way which it teacheth thinking it a great dishonor to be conformable to the same and that they shoulde bee scarce worthy to liue Likewise men persecuted at al times and presently doe those that folowe it as wicked and esteeme them vnworthy of life But those which despising the worde seeke out things which are in price with the worlde and folow thē are reputed honest men are placed alwaies in the most honorable place amongst worldlings Which is the cause that they thinke themselues to be in good estate and of such force that they shal neuer perish Wherein they disceiue themselues for seeing the worde of God is our wisedome and vnderstanding and that hee which doeth the things appointed by the same shal liue and as wee Deut. 4. 6. Leuit. 18. 5. Pro. 16. Mat. 22. 32. see there is long life in her right hande it foloweth that without this wisedome there is nothing but death And therefore Solomon saith The man that wandreth out of the way c. Hee speaketh not of them which are dead bodily for if they haue bene faithful they are not dead but liue Solomon therefore condemneth al worldly wise men to death eternal for there is none that shoulde bee esteemed dead but those that are in the same In the death of the faithful Iohn 5. 24. 11. 25. 26 there is nothing but a passage to life seeing that our Sauiour so saith Wee are therefore heere admonished to folowe rightly the only worde if we wil liue and are threatened death eternal if wee wander out of the way of the same 17 The man that loueth banketting is worthy of pouertie and who so delighteth in wyne and delicates shall not be riche It is not ill done to liue pleasantly bee it in taking bodily repast or doing any other thing as it hath bin partly spoken of elsewhere God hath not put vs in this world to giue vs onlie necessarie things for ourselues but also delectable and pleasant to recreate vs with sobrietie and temperance without any disordinate desire It is not without a very needful cause that I say with sobrietie for it is not meete that the children of God bee like vnto worldlings which neither thinke their meate sweete nor drinke good if they laugh not with open mouth as they say and bee in companie with those which doe play the vnthrifts Whiles they are busie about such delights or rather about such wantonnesse they thinke not that they offende a whit and therefore they spare nothing but spende superfluously and with great excesse But although it be late yet they shal receiue their hyre which they deserue that is to say pouertie and want As Solomon threateneth them saying The man that loueth c. This is not to say that it is ill done to reioice in taking ones repast naturallie nor that it is amisse to vse sweete wine and meates which Solomon comprehendeth vnder the name of delicates if so bee it we vse them as S. Paul teacheth For in this also consisteth the ioy of the Christians and not in ryot 1. Timo. 4. 3. and greate desire to fulfil the appetite of the belly and pleasant taste of the mouth As is the tricke of the prodigal and gluttons to seeke to satisfie their sensualitie Also Solomon saieth not The man that delighteth c. shal haue pouertie and hee that drinketh wine and eateth good meates shal
vs and condemne vs as one may see in the holy scriptures wherefore we shal doe no iniurie to the diuine prouidence when wee shal search diligently the scriptures and shal carefully heare the worde which is faithfully expounded vnto vs and that by this meanes they shal learne a good wisedome to the ende to gouerne ourselues warily that we be not surprised with dangers on the soden but that wee may shunne the damage which may happen to vs that as to sottes foolishe and yl aduised wee make no account to keepe ourselues and to drawe backe from the danger which presenteth it selfe to assaile vs and intrappe vs. Solomon praiseth such wisedome when he saith A wise man seeth c. Here he speaketh not of carnal worldly wise men for they cannot hide themselues so wel but they wil be surprised but hee speaketh of them of whome it hath bene spoken off heretofore They that are suche by the worde of the Lord Iob. 5. 12. 13. Pro. 13. 16. 14. 8. 15. 16. doe foresee the euil which is to come to the wicked which set not their mindes vpon this worde They knowe also that men practise many euils to them which seeke to liue in holinesse innocencie righteousnes And so they see the euil hide themselues trusting in the shadow of the wings of the Lord saying Keepe me as the apple of thy eye hyde me in the shadow of thy wings And as Psal 17. 8. 9. 57. 2. they demande this same putting their trust in the goodnes mercy of God so they obtain it For although by persecutions other aduersities they dye fal away according to outward apparance yet notwithstanding they are surely hid vnder the defence protection safegard of the Lord. But they which haue not the foresight nor make no account to guide themselues according to the worde although for a certain season as for the space of this life they seeme to bee out of al danger yet neuerthelesse experience teacheth often that GOD spareth them not and when the plagues and dangers of this worlde wil not touche them yet they shall not shunne the tormentes that are eternal Solomon signifieth thus saying But the foolish goe on still and are punished By this woorde goe on or passe forwarde is shewed assurance and inconsideration or rather the ouer boldnesse and obstinacie which the ill aduised vse who make no account to learne by the worde to flie from the plague but tary they neuer so long yet they are punished but principally after this life where is no redemption The foolish therfore whereof Solomon speaketh be scorners and contemners of GOD and of his worde which onely giueth vnderstanding and foresight The foolishe are also those which the worlde reputeth for most hardy and valiant and those that think themselues so In number with such men one may put Pharao Saul Sennacherib Nabuchodonozer Iudas others which suffered themselues to be caried away by the malice of their heartes and are hardy to do say ill without sparing but when sometimes fearing men more then God they make shewe to withdraw themselues and abstaine from doing euil to the ende to shunne temporal tormentes But they cannot flee so long but at the last they wil be punished with euerlasting torments 4 The rewarde of humilitie and the feare of the Lorde are riches honour and life It is not enough to imploy ones selfe about something to bee recompensed for many meddle with matters wherein they haue no knowledge but to marre al and so they merite sooner to bee punished then to haue rewarde But in doing any thing one ought to knowe howe and by what meanes he should proceede not to loose his labour Many to get goods and honour and to make themselues as it were immortal thinke that there is no way so good as to make themselues of value by arrogancie and pride by boldenes temeritie and rashnesse without hauing regarde to the reuerence which wee owe al to God and to his worde but after hauing takeÌ„ great paines in this sort they find at last that not only they haue beaten the winde and profited nothing but also that they are â—uynated and come to decay Some feele it in this life and al the wicked shal feele it in death eternal for the sentence must needes bee true that Whosoeuer exalteth himselfe shal be brought low and contrariwise hee that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted as it hath beene Pro. 16. 18. 19. 18. 12 treated heretofore The humble therefore looseth not his labour but is wel rewarded as Solomon declareth it plainely when hee saith The reward of humilitie and feare of the Lord c. Wherby he sheweth that the waies to aduance ones selfe are humilitie and feare hee putteth not humilitie alone for many haue been humble that is to say vile abiect out castes and afflicted which haue not obtained this hyre but haue beene still miserable and finally haue perished for euer but hee ioyneth with humilitie The feare of the Lorde for if we be afraide indeede to offend God desiring to yeeld him obedience according to his worde although to the outwarde apparance wee be the most vile and abiect the most poore and miserable of al the worlde yet the Lorde can wel pay vs in opportunitie when he shal see good the hyre wherof mention is made seeing he cannot lye but his trueth is infallible Nowe hee hath promised to them that feare him that they shal lack no good thing and hee hath promised great riches to their ofspring Dauid praiseth the Lorde for the giftes that hee giueth to them which feare him and promiseth them that feare him to fulfil Psa 34. 9. 10 11. 25. 12. 13. 14. 31. 20. 21. 145. 18. 19. 20. their desires Solomon according with the foresaide scriptures saith that the humble which feare the Lorde shal haue riches honour life they shal haue riches for they shal haue suffisance and contentment They shal haue honour for the Lorde shal deliuer them from al rebukes and shal place them in honours from this time present if it bee needeful as Dauid Ioseph Moses and others But it shal be principally in eternal and heauenly honours They shal haue life for hee wil deliuer them the handes of those which persecute and oppresse them and shal make them liue yea in this world as hee hath made the aforesaide and as hee maketh presently the poore faithful flocke which hee hath rent out of the handes of their persecutors but the principal life shal be in that glorious immortalitie 5 Thornes and snares are in the way of the frowarde but who so keepeth his soule will flee farre from them Hee compareth the frowarde to the hunter which striueth to take and kil wilde beastes for as the hunter hath no pitie of the beastes neither spareth hee them but setteth snares in bushes and thornes wherethrough hee chaseth the beastes so to
take them and vse them at his pleasure Euen so the frowarde hath no pitie of the innocent and to destroy him hee hath secrete fetches which are without al humanitie and cruel as Solomon signifieth by Thornes and snares for the thornes pricke and the snares that are pitched in the same doe stay the pray til the hunter come to worke his will and pleasure thereon Now as concerning the froward which one may cōpare to hunbters there are some which set snares and hunt after both goods and odies ro rob and murder them as theeues couetous men and vsurers doe which are replenished with great crueltie wherwith being led trāsported they pitch the snares of violence oppression of processe striffes and debates of swordes and weapons of giftes to corrupt the Iudges or other subtil wayes to doe iniurie outrage to the innocent such frowarde persons are very wicked and hurtful and noysome to their neighbours as experience sheweth but too much But thinking to aduance themselues and make great profite by this meanes they choke themselues vp with the thornes of riches and care and the delights and pleasures of this worlde And by and by they fal into temptation Yet notwithstanding they are not most hurtful for they spoyle but temporal goods and kil but the bodies Also it is not of them that Solomon speaketh heere nowe as he himselfe sheweth when he saith Who so keepeth his soule c. for to keepe ones soule is not to flee farre from them and their ambushes to shunne the damage that they may doe to the goods and body bee it not that wee take the soule for this present life and the commodities thereof They that flee far from the ambushes of such froward persons keepe their soules that is to say they liue out of al danger and enioy the commodities that are temporal and corporal But Solomon hath regarde to another life and other commodities to wit spiritual and eternal Wherfore let vs note that there are other frowarde persons farre worse then the aboue named for they set snares to destroy the soules and sende them to hel and fire vnquenchable These are the infidels superstitious idolaters friers and monkes which persecute the members of Iesus Christe because of his name The false Prophetes also and teachers of lies and heretiques which pitch the snares of false doctrine and wicked opinions And because they are perillous the scripture vseth great complaintes against them and chiefly in the Psalmes Psal 10. 9 35. 7. 8. Rom. 16. 17. If wee wil truely keepe our soules vnto life euerlasting it is best we bee careful to flee from their snares as the Apostle Saint Paule teacheth vs. 6 Teache a childe in the entrance of his way for hee shall not leaue it when hee is olde Many thinke that it is not need eful to busie themselues about little children to teache and instruct them Some because they thinke that one shoulde let them play at their pleasure and not break their braines with melancholy about knowledge and instruction Others because that children are light and wanton and not yet capable to reteine that which is taught them because they set not their mindes thereon but rather on vanitie and folly but when Iesus Christe receiued the children that were brought him hee sheweth wel that wee ought to bee careful to instruct them and also when hee accepted the praise of children Saint Paule likewise sheweth it wel whē he praiseth Timothie in that he was instructed frō Mat. 19. 13. 21. 16. 2. Tim. 3. 15 his infancie It is meete therefore to instruct children in the feare of the Lord by his word and not to suffer thē to liue loosely in lasciuiousnesse to the ende that when they become olde they may bee so accustomed to holde the way of holinesse innocencie iustice and true religion that they can neuer withdrawe themselues therefro againe but haue al their delight and pleasure therein Solomon teacheth vs to doe so when hee saith Teache a childe c. when he saith teache or giue the first principles of science and instruction he sheweth that if one haue no care to conduct as it were by the hande children in the right way and knowledge and trueth it must needes be that they wil remaine ignorant for they can of themselues learne nothing of that which they ought to vnderstande but rather giue themselues too vanitie and folly yea to malice and wickednesse as experience sheweth it And when he saith the childe and not the man he sheweth in what age one is capable to receiue instruction and that we must not tary til the person bee come to great age and almost past teaching for we see that it is almost vnpossible to put any good thing into the head of such a one but as hee hath liued in ignorance so he wil continue therein It is therefore very necessary to learne betimes and not to tary til one haue an harde vnderstanding Moreouer when he saith In the entrance or in the mouth of his wayes Let vs vnderstand that as a little childe cannot of himselfe take his bodily foode if it be not put in his mouth so hee cannot guide and gouerne his soule if that from the beginning hee be not wel entered and that one faile not to set him right in the mouth of his way which is called his not because he naturally walketh therin or that hee chooseth it of himselfe but because it is meete that for the health of his soule and to doe his duetie towardes God and men he followe such a way as the Lorde hath ordeined him by his worde If children from the beginning be so wel entred they wil perseuer in goodnesse as long as they liue in this worlde as Solomon signifieth well saying For he shall not leaue it when he is olde yea if they haue wel receiued the instruction so that they haue wel printed it in their mindes and heartes for as one cannot bee nourished by putting meate in the mouth if hee doe not chawe it swallowe it and disgest it So what paine soeuer one take with children to instruct them yet hee shal not profite with them if God giue them not the grace to take pleasure therein If therefore one see many of those with whome one hath taken paine in their youth to bee loose and dissolute in their age it is a signe that they haue not taken pleasure indeede to haue one teach them and that they are vnthankful for that goodnes which one would haue done to them as there are many of that sort specially in the place where the Gospel is most preached wherefore if fathers and mothers desire that their children become honest let them beginne betimes to instruct them also let rulers and magistrates bridle youth and ministers bee carefull to administer the worde faithfully with suche facilitie that it bee as milke too little ones to nourishe and increase them 7 The rich beareth rule
destroyeth but the body for a certaine time but hel swalloweth the soule for euer yea and the body to after resurrection to remayne in perpetual torments both bodie and soule Wherefore if fathers and gouernours ought to be careful to keepe the bodies from the gallowes by chastizing and beating their children with rods by a farre more reason when by meanes of the rod one may keepe them from death eternal they ought not to be negligent to vse the rodde and yet neuertheles noâ— thinke that the materiall rodde which one holdeth in his hande hath such vertue of it selfe alone for it is an instrument that GOD maketh to preuaile as he thinketh good The principall rod to deliuer children from hel is the woorde of the Gospell which is the power of God to saue al beleeuers And so it is not ynough nor yet the principall point of correction and chasticement To beate with the rod but with the same the principall and most necessarie is that fathers and gouernors bring vp their children in the knowledge and wayes of the Lorde And therefore they that haue Ephe. 6. 4. children in charge ought to beecareful to shewe them good examples in liuing soberlie in this present world so that no filthy worde proceede out of their mouthes but only that which is good to the Tit. 2. 12. Ephe. 4. 29. vse of edifying c. 15 My sonne if thy heart be wise my heart shal reioyce and I also Carnal and worldly fathers are maruellously reioiced when they see their children increase in beautie or temporal prosperitie when they see their bodies are in good health and they receiue pursely profit in augmenting earthly goods and when they haue the craft to maintaine themselues ciuilly with their neighbours to haue them stil at their commandement And yet they are not careful a whit howe they dispose of their soules They haue no care but of that which is seene with the eye and reioice in no other thing Likewise the children of such men for the most parte resemble their fathers and reioice not but in worldly matters But the faythful and true Christians reioice principally when their children inwardly are wel disposed by wisedome Solomon sheweth it when he saith My sonne if thy heart bee wise c. When Solomon is not content to say simply my heart shall reioyce but addeth and I also hee admonisheth vs very wel that the greatest ioy of parents ouer their infants ought to be when they see them wise but not after the worlde for the wisedome of this worlde is but folly before God but that they bee filled with diuine wisedome although this world reprooue it Therefore when man beholdeth but the face and there is none but God which seeth the hart one may aske how fathers mothers may reioyce at the wisedome of the heartes of their children The answere is that if the heart be wise it will shewe himselfe so by workes and words which are of God For the hart which is truly giuen to wisedome suffereth not the outwarde members to bee ydle but as much as in him lyeth forceth them to say and doe things which are to the glory and honour of the Lorde and to the profite and health of his neighbours And so it behoueth the children to reioyce their parentes imploying themselues to say and doe things good and honest iust and righteous Solomon signifyeth it saying 16 And my reines shal leape for ioy when thy lips speake righteous things See heere how the wisdome of the hart is manifested by the lips by the which we shal vnderstand al other members which we must turne from wickednesse and apply to wel doing according as God teacheth vs by his word But Solomon to shunne prolixitie speaketh but of lips and the rather of them than of other members because they are readiest to manifest the inward partes and most fit to shew forth the praises of God and likewise to mainteine the heart that it wander not heere and there out of wisedome as we prooue for when wee thinke of any thing it is streightwaies gone out of our hearts except we common and talke of it and speake with our mouthes And also when the lippes speake according as the heart is affectionate the other members are the more ready to execute that which is vttered And when he saith My reines shal leap for ioy he vseth repetition which is familiar in the scriptures It is the same which he hath said My heart shal reioyce and I also For the reines are taken for that which is most profoundly hidden in man which is the hart as may bee vnderstoode in that the knowledge thereof is reserued to the Lord and when he ioineth speaking of righteous things to the wisedome of the heart he sheweth that Iere. 17. 9. 10. wisedome resteth not in phantasies and good intentions of men but in true knowledge of the wil of God the which he declareth to vs by his word which is the perfect rule to guide vs to wil thinke lay and doe that which is right and equitie which resteth onely in this that we yeelde the honour to God which appertaineth to him and that wee aide one another in true charitie and brotherlie loue This thus considered wee see whereof it is that parentes ought to reioyce principally in regarding the conuersation of their children The superiours in seeing their subiectes And the ministers in considering the flocke that they haue to feede Therefore sith folly is bounde in the heart of the childe it foloweth wel that al they which haue any gouernement of youth ought Prou. 22. 15. very carefully to obey that which Solomon commandeth them ver 13. 14. Otherwise they cannot haue true ioy for folly remayneth And so the lips speake not of righteous things where at all faythful and Christian gouernours ought greatly to reioice And therfore according to the estate that they occupy they ought to vse correction to driue a way folly which is bound in the harts of children the magistrates in one sorte the ministers in another and the fathers in another for they haue not al one and the same power The ministers force consisteth onely in the worde Magistrates haue the sworde and fathers the rod and also they may vse warnings and admonitions by the worde For although it appertaineth onelye to ministers to preache the worde publikely yet neuerthelesse as magistrates and parents ought to gouerne themselues by the same so ought they to vse it towardes them which they haue in gouernement 17 Let not thyne hart bee enuious against sinners but let it bee in the feare of the Lorde continually It seemeth wel to yong folkes that they are wise ynough if they folowe the multitude and seeke to raise themselues vp and bee of value in aduauncing themselues and working their owne profit although it bee to the damage of their neighbours and so they are sinners that is to say hauing their hartes infected and corrupted
with malice and wickednesse and shewing it in their conuersation with the which they are wel pleased And vsing themselues in this sorte they florish and prosper in outwarde apparance they haue their desires and wishes and liue at their ease as it is seene and hath beene alledged by the scriptures Contrariwise they which are wise indeede and folowe righteousnesse haue often miserie and calamities whereby it commeth to passe that they are tempted too doe as the foolish and wicked doe to haue part of their prosperity But Solomon sheweth them that if by the wisedome of the hearte they will speake of righteous thinges as belongeth to them they ought not to obey such temptations saying Let not thy heart be enuious agaynst sinners Heere Solomon teacheth vs in briefe that which Dauid treateth amply in the. 37. Psalme wherein wee haue to note that to be enuious against sinners is in regarding their temporal prosperitie to be agreeued at our owne miserie and not to care what wee doe so we may attayne to their ease and doe as we thinke they doe And so vnder this worde of enuie or zeale or affection wee vnderstand that Solomon comprehendeth the prosperitie of the wicked and signifieth that they are happie according to the outwarde apparance for why one seldome enuieth the poore and miserable neither coueteth to be in their estate but rather detesteth them flyeth their companie as much as is possible For it seemeth that one shal come thither but too soone Also by this worde Enuie or affection Solomon sheweth that hee speaketh to them which are miserable according to the worlde for they which are at their ease thinke not on other mens estates to desire them except they bee vnsatiable gluttons which knowe nothing what they ought to doe Note wee secondly when hee putteth the feare of the Lorde against euuie or zeale that they which suffer thēselues Prou. 16. 6. to bee caried away by such enuie or affection haue no feare of the Lorde for by the same they withdrawe themselues from euil And when one desireth to prosper as the wicked doe there is no euil whereto he giueth not himselfe to come to his desires And when after hauing spoken heere afore of the wisedome of the heart and speach of righteous things hee admonisheth vs to the feare of Lorde hee sheweth that if wee doe not feare the Lorde wee are voide and naked of all wisedome and righteousnesse and although it bee necessary and that otherwise it cannot bee but the feare of the Lorde is permanent yet neuerthelesse when Solomon addeth Continually hee saith no superfluous thing but expoundeth to vs more clearely the true nature of the feare of the feare of the Lorde and sheweth vs that if wee feare the Lorde truly wee shoulde continue in wisedome and righteousnesse And although according to the outwarde apparance sinners floorishe and prosper and that miseries assaile on al sides them which feare God as though they shoulde perishe without redemption and that there were no ende of their calamities Notwithstanding those which feare the Lord haue an hope of the which they shal not be frustrate 18 For surely there is an ende and thyne hope shal not bee cut off Albeit the sense be very true that the calamities of the iust men which feare God shal haue ende and that without al fault as one may confirme it when Solomon saith And thyne hope shall not bee cut off Yet notwithstanding it is no inconuenience to say that Solomon yeeldeth a reason why one should not enuie sinners when he saith For surely there is an ende c. The cause why one is enuyous against sinners is because at al times hee hath seene them prosper and yet seeth them and it seemeth that they shal doe so stil But there wil be an end and that shortly as Psal 37. it is wel declared vnto vs. Wheretoo Solomon accordeth saying For surely c. Which thing might wel afray sinners and make them loose their courage if they had any sense at all For if there bee as it is very true an ende of their prosperitie it followeth that they perishe without redemption seing that all their endeuour is in that which is of no indurance And so the ende shal be taken heere for depriuation of al prosperitie as also one may vnderstande it when Solomon putteth the hope of the iust a contrary to the ende and saith That it shal not be cut off When hee attributeth hope to him which feareth God he sheweth that those which walke in doubt distrust are nothing worth although they make a faire shew of holinesse and iustice as doe those which feare God by the commandements of men He sheweth also that it is the common vse of them which feare God to haue afflictions in that that hope is ioyned Esa 29. 13. Rom. 5. 3. 4. 8. 25. Iam. 1. 2. 3. to patience which proceedeth of tribulation What afflictions then soeuer happen vs let vs bee patient And our hope shal not bee cut off For dooing so wee shal not bee of the number of the wicked which are threatened to bee cut downe as the grasse but wee shal be borne anewe of seede incorruptible which shal remaine for Psal 37. 2. 1. Pet. 1. 23. euer 19 O thou my sonne heare and bee wise and guide thyne heart vprightly in the way When our wisedome and vnderstanding consisteth not but in the worde of God as hath often beene saide and as it hath beene Deut. 4. 6 alledged It is not without cause that Solomon inuiteth ech one of vs to heare desiring that by hearing we may become wise And that we may be the more careful to obay him hee is not content to say Thou whosoeuer thou art heare but O thou my sonne heare In calling eche one of vs his sonne hee sheweth his greate charitie towards vs. And by the same he presseth vs to giue him our hearts inclyning ourselues to folowe willingly his admonitions and instructions Hee sheweth also with what affection Pastours and Ministers of the Church ought to beled towardes the Lords flock which is that they beare themselues as fathers towardes their children so to leade them the more easily to the obedience of the word As S. Paule likewise doeth it in many places He wil that hauing heard we become wise for he saith And be wyse As hee hath admonished vs heeretofore And afterwardes that by this wisedome wee doe our duetie as wee ought to doe For hee saith And guyde thy heart vprightly c. And so wee vnderstande that the worde is not preached vnto vs to liue in negligence and ydlenesse but that by the same hauing learned to bee wise wee may bring foorth the fruites of wisedome which is to guyde ourselues vprightly in this worlde yeelding God the honour which hee asketh vs by his lawe and dooing pleasure and seruice to our neighbours according as hee commandeth vs by the same See heere the way in
spoile him of his Maiestie glorie power And so it is not true that the worldlings and carnal men speak agreeable to this sentence but in apparance onely for Solomon doeth not here in any wise pretende to derogate the gouernment glorie power and Maiestie of God but rather to mainteine them when hee pronounceth that the riches and honours of the worlde are of no long continuance and heerein hee confesseth the prouidence of God Otherwise he should not haue spoken in true wisedome Pro. 8. 14. 15 16. 10. 22 16. 9. 33 and also he should speake against himselfe For here before speaking in the person of wisedome he hath saide I haue counsel wisedome I haue vnderstanding and I haue strength c. And the blessing of the Lorde doeth make men riche And the heart of man purposeth his way but the Lorde doeth direct his steppes The lot is cast into the lappe but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lorde Daniel also did wel knowe the prouidence of God as appeareth Dan. 2. 20. 21. 22. 4 14. in his booke Wherefore let vs not be careful to attaine vnto high degree but whilest it shal please the Lorde that wee are in a lowe state let vs not loose that which our fieldes bring foorth but let vs with care and diligence gather them according as God hath sent it vs and shewed in our earthly possessions the which Solomon doeth signifie by the mountaines saying 25 The heye discouereth it selfe and the grasse appeareth and the hearbes of the mountaines are gathered He speaketh thus after the situation of the lande that the Lord had giuen to the children of Israel wherein there were a multitude of mountaines And as we must be diligent to gather the goods that God giueth vs euen so also ought wee not to be curious of braue and costly garments which may be of great shewe and great price nor a multitude of men liuing of our wages for to doe our worke with so great superfluous exspences or to be about vs to reuerence vs but according to the profite that we can lawfully spend by our reuenue let vs be clothed and holde seruantes to doe our worke Solomon doeth teach the same saying 26 The Lambes are for thy clothing the Goates are the price of the field Likewise we should not be greedie of daintie and delicate dishes nor to be superfluous and excessiue in eating and drinking as wantons gluttons drunkardes nor to deny foode to those which doe our worke as vnmerciful and cruel men which sucke the blood and the substance of their hirelinges as much as they can but let vs be sober and temperate contenting ourselues with litle and as we would be nourished euen so let vs administer necessities vnto our seruantes maydes and hirelings according to that which Solomon doeth teach vs saying 27 And let the milke of the Goates bee sufficient for thy foode for the foode of thy familie and for the sustenance of thy maydes And as we must be sober so must wee mainteine our familie our children and houshold seruantes in sobrietie And thus in these fiue last sentences we are taught to flye couetousnesse and to content ourselues with thinges present not to be ambitious but to continue and holde stil the state wherein God hath placed vs walking in the same with al humblenesse to abhorre al brauenesse and gorgeous attires walking with simple and honest garments and to hate daintinesse gluttonie drunkennesse vsing common meates with sobernesse and temperancie The xxviii Chapter 1 The wicked flye when none pursueth but the righteous are bolde as a Lyon WE do al naturally desire to haue peace and rest to liue safely and without feare and also to flourishe to triumphe and to prosper in this world This desire of it selfe is not euil but the meanes most often times are vnlawful and wicked by the which men labour to inioy their desires and also our minde and heart is fixed and set so much therevppon that wee suffer ourselues by them to bee transported and carried away neither doe wee care what wee doe prouided that wee may come to enioy them The wicked for to accomplish their desires will not care what they doe but wil runne hyther and thither vp and downe doing oppression and violence vnto the innocent which can not bee reuenged as Cain against Abel his brother the sonnes of Iacob against Ioseph their brother Pharao against the children of I-Isreal and Iudas against Iesus Christe But as these haue obteined nothing by their violence and oppression euen so al wicked mē shal profite little better And albeit that in mans iudgement outward apparance wee tremble and quake vnder them and that wee on the one side doe greatly feare their presence and that they on the other side are bolde and safe and feare no man yet for al that in spyte of them and let them doe what they can their conscience doeth reprooue and rebuke them so liuely that though no man doe pursue and hunt them but that al the world as a man mightsay doth commende and praise them yet doe they not cease to feare and tremble within as wee may knowe by the confessions which the wicked before alledged haue made and by witnesses of the scriptures And according vnto the threatenings conteyned in the lawe Solomon saith The wicked flye c. Wherein wee haue to note that Solomon speaketh of the flight of the wicked in the plural number and of the Leui. 26. 36. 37. Deut. 28. 65 66. 67. Esai 57. 20. 21. pursute in the singular and is as much as if hee did say Albeit that no man pursueth a wicked man no not one yet do they al flye and are al troubled and feared by their owne conscience which fighteth against them Contrarily although that in mans iudgement and outwarde appearance the iust and innocent be poore and miserable and that they are alwayes in danger and bee neuer in safetie and are not suffered to liue in rest and that men labour to feare trouble them by great pursutes that are made against them and that it seemeth they haue neither place nor time where they may be safe and in peace yet God maketh them inuincible because hee hath purified their consciences the which doe not condemne them and because they desire nothing more then to obey his worde And this is according as hee hath promised in his law And by his Prophetes hee doeth often promise that hee wil deliuer his poore sheepe and Leuit. 26. 3 Deut. 28. make them dwel in safetie that none shal make them afraid Whervnto Solomon accordeth saying But the righteous c. Wherein let vs note that as the Lion of himselfe hath no power to defend and saue his pray and cannot assure himselfe and be bolde except that God had giuen him suche a nature and mainteined him therein euen as wee of our owne selues are not righteous but the same
but the Deuil seeketh to deuour vs. And thus on al sides wee are open as a praye but for al that wee must not feare nor bee discouraged for as muche as we haue the Almightie on our side who in time conuenient can and wil safely deliuer vs from al dangers and perils and to place vs in safetie 16 A Prince destitute of understanding is also a great oppressour but he that hateth couetousnesse shal prolong his dayes It seemeth vnto the Princes of this word that they haue nothing to doe to labour to learne wisdome either humane or diuine and therefore they are blockishe and brutishe and doe suffer themselues to be transported with a loose bridle by their lustes and carnal affections but God hath wel shewed them that they ought not to be so beastly and ignorant when for to guide his people of Israel he ordeined Moses who was instructed in al wisedome of the Egyptians and was mightie in doings and sayings and that for his Act. 7. 22. Exo. 18. 21. Deut. 17. 18 19. 20. better instruction and to make him more wise hee gaue him his lawe his statues and ordinances He also hath shewed them by Iethro when he saide And doe thou prouide amongst the people men of strength fearing God true place them ouer the multitude Thirdly he sheweth it when he willed the King to write out a booke of the lawe for himselfe Fourthly when he hath placed so many wise Kings ouer his people as Dauid Solomō Iosaphat Iosias Psal 2. 82 Esai 1. 3. 56. and Ezekias Furthermore he doth shewe it by diuers admonitions that he pronounceth against them It is therefore a most wicked thing that the Princes and rulers of the earth should bee voide of wisedome and vnderstanding and it is also verie hurtful and dangerous as their subiectes doe prooue it by experience For how great desire soeuer they haue to get wherewith to furnishe out their easie liuing and to mainteine themselues long in credite authoritie and power and to doe al thinges after their desire yet doe they oppresse the people by extortions Solomon doeth pronounce it so saying A Prince destitute of vnderstanding c. When he is not contented to say destitute of vnderstanding but in the plural number saieth Of vnderstandings hee sheweth that it is not enough for Princes to be wise gentle and prudent after the iudgement of the flesh but that they must be verie diligent to heare the word of God the which is our wisedome and prudence And that they doe commit extortions of couetousnesse of getting Solomon doeth shewe it when hee setteth the hatred of couetousnesse against extortions saying But he that hateth couetousnesse c. Hee sheweth also that the fruites of couetousnesse are extortions that they which doe them are couetous though they doe excessiuely wast the riches that they rauishe He sheweth also that they which are giuen vnto extortions are of no long continuance when he affirmeth that hee which hateth couetousnesse shal prolong his dayes The which is true For albeit that after mans iudgement it seemeth that the oppressours and rauishers doe liue long yet forasmuche as when they thinke least and rather then they woulde they are taken out of this worlde they doe not prolong their dayes But though they which hate couetousnesse should decease this life in the flower of their age yet forasmuch as they despise the worlde and aspire vnto the heauenly riches they content themselues with suche number of dayes as it pleaseth God to giue them and had rather to dye then to liue and thus they prolong their dayes for also they obteyne eternal dayes and contrarily the couetous which worke extortions doe perish eternally And before their ende it often happeneth that they which doe extortions are hated and meete with many euil thinges which shorten their dayes after mans iudgement Contrarily they which hating couetousnesse doe no extortions but vse gentlenesse and liberalitie are loued and therefore they are preserued and saued so much as may be The Princes here then are admonished to giue themselues vnto wisedome and prudence and therby to flye auarice For so farre is it of that wee shoulde prolong our dayes by couetousnesse that rather thereby we are destroyed For Pro. 15. 27. as we haue seene the couetous of gaine doth trouble his houshold Hereunto we may adde that which is treated of in 12. Chapter of Saint Luke and 1 Tim. 6. Iames. 5. 17 A man that doeth violence against the blood of a person shal fly vnto the graue they shal not stay him Violence against the blood of a person is done in diuers sorts First of al in killing of our neighbour as Cain slue his brother A-bel and as the infidels and Idolaters doe persecuting and burning Gen. 4. 8. the poore innocents Secondly in dooing some wrong vnto our neighbour as did the sonnes of Iacob selling their brother Ioseph vnto the Israelites They wrought violēce against his blood as they Gen. 34. 28 42. 21. 22. afterwardes confessed it As Iudas betraying the innocent blood and as doe al those which fayning to knowe the trueth doe betraye the poore faithful Thirdly violence is done to the blood by thefts rauenings exactions and extortions as did the greatmen of Ierusalem and the common people of Iuda Israel towards the poore Esai 1. 59 Eze. 22. 17 Miche 3. 9 10. 11. 7 2. and feeble euen as the Prophets doe reproch them for it Fourthly violence is done vnto the blood when we doe not our duetie in helping the needinesse of the poore For after wee are destitute of loue there is nothing but hatred which is counted murther Nowe after which of these foresaid maners soeuer we do violēce vnto the blood we think to make our profit and to take our ease and to be in credit and authoritie and out of danger And indeede whilest God doeth dissemble and patiently giue the looking on the wicked beare the sway doe flourishe and prosper in the outwarde apparance and therefore euerie man is at their commandement they are mainteined as if they were honest men and it seemeth that they should neuer perishe nor bee destitute of people to mainteine or supporte them but though he tarrie yet must they themselues as they tend to destroy other fal headlong into destruction without hauing any man to giue them succour for to keepe them from it Solomon doeth threaten them there with when he saith A man that doeth violence c. And for to shewe that they shal not auoide destruction he maketh them like vnto them which flye and can not be kept backe and also finde no man to pul them backe if they meete with a pit they fal therin In the number of such people we may place Pharao which perished in the sea Saul who slue himselfe with his own sword Absolom who remayned hanging by the heare of his head Iudas who hung