A godly and learned exposition vppon the Prouerbes of Solomon: written in French by Maister Michael Cope, minister of the woorde of God, at Geneua: and translated into English, by M.O.

3 The Lorde will not famishe the soule of the righteous: but hee casteth away the substacnce of the wic∣ked.

Wee may see the wicked prosper, and to abound in wealth, they haue their ease and pleasures, they spende their time ioyfully, and haue rest and quietnesse: and in the meane while the faithfull which studie to follow righteousnesse, are poore, and suffer muche sorrowe. This is common and ordinary through all the world: wherevpon it commeth that the children of God do enuie and are greeued and greatly tempted to forsake all righteousnesse and inno∣cencie, and to followe all wickednesse, that they may be partakers of the ease with the wicked, and to prosper for a time as they doe. They which flatter not themselues in their infirmities and imper∣fections,

and that truely knowe what they are: doe know and feele howe they are tossed with suche temptations. Dauid in his Psalmes doeth declare to haue felt it, as he confesseth. Hee admonisheth vs not to vexe ourselues at the wicked, neither to enuie them that worke wickednesse. And by the discourse of the Psalme, hee sheweth vs that the goodly shew of the wicked is nothing but vani∣tie, and that the poore estate of the faithful is much more better, and more profitable then it seemeth, or is thought to bee. In follow∣ing this doctrine, Solomon would not haue fathers & mothers to feare, that their children (which they shall instruct in wisedome and righteousnesse) shoulde perishe and starue for hunger, though they gather no great treasures for them. Hee also instructeth vs all ge∣nerally, that wee should not put our trust in our goods, though we abounde in them: and that wee shoulde not bee discouraged whe∣ther we haue little or much, prouided that we delight to walke in a safe conscience, as God teach vs by his worde. For to bring vs vn∣to this, and to perswade vs it, hee saith, The Lord will not famish, &c. Our Lorde doeth giue vs the like doctrine in the sixth Chapter of Saint Matth: No man can serue two maisters, and so foorth to the ende of the Chapter. But they which haue forsaken the Gospel, and receiued the interim, they which dare not confesse Iesus Christ for feare of loosing their liues & goods, do not beleeue his promi∣ses made by Dauid, Solomon, and Iesus Christe, which haue spo∣ken by the spirite of GOD: and thus, so muche as they can, they make God a lyar, spoyle him of his trueth, and consequently of his diuinitie, seeing hee cannot be God without his trueth. Suche kinde of people and others which do trust in their riches, shal finde themselues deceiued, as they deserue. They thinke to bee safe from euil, and that their goodes shall not faile them: but Solomon saith, The Lorde casteth away the substance of the wicked, The Lorde doeth this in diuers sortes, as is dayly prooued, to wit, by warre, by lawe, by tempestes, coldes, and surfettinges: in these manners hee casteth away the substance of the wicked, when hee spoyleth them of them, or that hee take them from the middest of their goodes, when they thinke themselues to bee at rest, and that it seemeth vnto them that nothing can hurt them. Moreouer, first

of all let vs note that as (in the seconde verse) righteousnesse is ta∣ken for beneuolence: so also in this place by the righteousnesse is ment him that renounceth all couetousnesse, and doth dedicate him¦selfe to do good vnto his neighbours, according as God hath made him able, and feareth not that his goodes shoulde diminish, or hee suffer want: hee saith with Dauid, A smal thing vnto the iust man is better than great riches to the wicked and mightie. Againe, I haue beene young, and am olde: yet I sawe neuer the righteous forsaken, nor his seede begging breade. Secondly, that if wee would be satisfied, we must fly the company of the wicked, & not to spare our goodes from the poore. Thirdly, that wee must not attribute any thing vnto fortune or chaunce, as doe the vnfaithfull and idola∣ters, which haue no true knowledge of God, neither of his proui∣dence: but as wee knowe that to him onely belongeth the conser∣uation and gouernment of all riches, euen so also doth wasting and destruction. It is he, that satisfieth and giueth power to the meates and drinkes to susteine vs: It is hee also which breaketh and ouer∣throweth all substance of bread and wine, taking from them the power of nourishing. And thus it is needefull for vs, that wee aske and craue of the Lorde, Giue vs this day our dayly bread. &c.

Fourthly when Solomon doth promise vs that which we see, not with our corporall eyes, but doe prooue and feele the cleane contrary after the sense of the fleshe, hee teacheth vs, that wee haue neede of faith, whereby wee may bee armed against the slaunders of the crosse. For when wee see that the wicked prosper, and that the good bee afflicted, the fleshe is offen∣ded thereat, and iudgeth that GOD careth not for to helpe them. But the promises of GOD require faith, wherby wee beleeue that GOD doeth helpe and defende vs: albeit that for a little time he suffer vs to be exercised by diuerse kindes of af∣flictions: and doeth defende vs not onely in preseruing vs in this life, but also too giue vs possession of the life to come. For sith that his giftes and callinges are without repentaunce, it followeth that his promises doe reache further then this worlde, as the ho∣ly Patriarkes did wel vnderstand it. Again, those which he counteth

not worthie of this world, cannot but looke for perpetuall miserie and calamitie. Therfore when hee threatneth to cast away the sub∣stance of the wicked, let vs vnderstande that hee threatneth them with eternall destruction: for they cannot bee worthie of the blessed life, when they are vnworthy of earthly substance. Fift∣ly, that Solomon doeth not promise vntoo the righteous great bankets, and aboundance of riches and goodes, for to liue plenti∣fully in carnall delightes and pleasures, but onely that they shall not bee famished. For wee must eate, to slake hunger and to quench thrist, and not to fill ourselues in gluttonie and drunkennesse: and also wee are taught to desire our dayly bread, and to content our¦selues hauing foode and clothing, &c. As doeth the Apostle al∣so admonishe vs, saying, Let your conuersation bee without co∣uetousnesse, and bee contente with those thinges which you haue: for hee hath sayde, I will not faile thee, neither forsake thee.

Notes

• Psal. 73. 2
• Mat. 6. 24.
• Psal. 37. 16. &. 25.
• Heb. 13. 11.
• 1. Tim. 6. 8. Heb. 13. 5