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.

4 A slouthful hande maketh poore: but the hande of the diligent maketh riche.

When they loue to bee at rest, and woulde not labour, doe heare say that the Lord wil not hungerstarue the soule of the righ∣teous: it seemeth vnto them that they neede not to laye their handes to worke, and will eate their bread in idlenesse, and with∣out labour, and doe not thinke that it is possible for them to be∣come poore, & to haue neede: but Solomō doth wel shew them the cōtrary, saying, A slouthful hand maketh poore: He speaketh here nothing darkly, nor which is not dayly prooued true by experience: but when hee speaketh thus, it is not to say, that wee must labour diligently, lest wee become poore, and with desire to be riche: for in the first, there shoulde bee distrust of the goodnesse and pro∣uidence of God: And in the second, Couetousnesse, which are two vices abhominable before God. For he woulde that as he declareth himself to be our father, & doth promise to nourish vs, euē so shold we assure ourselues of his goodnes towards vs, & that we shoulde loke with patience for al goodnes to come frō him, without feare of

wanting, casting al our cares vpon him. So doing, we shalbe the true seede of Abraham, which is the father of all beleeuers. The promise shall belong to vs, Feare not, Abrahā, I am thy buckler, & thine ex∣ceeding * 1.1 great reward. The Lord shal bring it to passe vpon vs. Cast thy burden vpon the Lord, & he shal nourish thee: He will not suf∣fer the righteous to fall for euer. Cast al your care vppon him: for hee careth for you. And in thus easing vs of our burthen, let vs not be negligent and slouthfull, but let vs knowe that care, labour, and diligence are ordeined for al times. Wherfore let vs follow the bur∣den that God hath laid vpon vs, which is, In the sweate of thy face * 1.2 shalt thou eate thy bread. If then wee labour not, wee are well worthie to fall into great pouertie, and are not worthie to eate, vnlesse wee labour. Albeit then that wee must trust in GOD and commit our affaires vnto him, yet must wee not haue a slouthfull hande, but to be occupied in well doing. Commit thy way vnto * 1.3 the Lorde, and trust in him, and hee shal bring it too passe. But as hath beene saide, wee must not doe it for feare to waxe poore: for albeit that wee labour, yet shall we not ceasse to bee poore and nee∣dy, except God blesse our labour. For, neither is hee that plan∣teth, any thing, neither he that watereth, but God that giueth the encrease. It is very lawful to labour for to flie and auoide pouertie, but not to bee seased with the feare thereof: as it is lawful to be∣come * 1.4 riche by working with care and diligence, but it is not lawful to couet riches: for such desire is couetousnesse, which is very de∣testable before God, and hurtfull to our neighbours, which is not * 1.5 lawful to bee named. Whosoeuer is couetous, is an idolater: for he serueth riches, and not God: hee putteth his trust in vnsensible creatures, and not in the Creator, which hath giuen him wit and vnderstanding: hee worshippeth golde and siluer, and his belly, and not God, from who me all riches commeth. And as hee hath not * 1.6 his heart set on God, so hath hee no part in his inheritance. The couetous person which is an idolater, hath no inheritaunce in the kingdome of Christ and of God. Saint Paul nameth the couetous, amongest them which shall not inherite the kingdome of God. It * 1.7 is good reason that suche persons shoulde bee abhorred before God, and cast out of his kingdome, when they distrust him, which is all good and almightie, and doth good to all men: (for wee haue

nothing but of his goodnesse and liberalitie) & do put their trust in their owne arme: they leaue and stay themselues vpon transitory thinges, wherein they set their affection, for the which to satisfie and to possesse riches at their wishe and desire, they gather wrong∣fully and otherwayes then they shoulde: they pole and pill their neighbours diuerse waies, and so they make themselues the eni∣mies of God and of men. Wherefore they shall haue a great count to make. Besides this, when wee heare that the hande of the di∣ligent maketh riche, let vs not depriue God of his honour: but confesse that if through our diligence wee encrease in riches, that it is, because God guideth our hands, & our worke, and blesseth our labour, &c. Also that which wee haue saide to bee a slouthfull hande, Solomon in his speache calleth, a deceitfull hand. For they which are negligent and slouthfull, and which doe not their office and duetie, doe dreame hollowly and deuise vnlaweful meanes, to drawe vnto them the goodes of others. And because that Solo∣mon setteth diligence against deceit, we take deceit for negligēce & slouthfulnesse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rom. 4. 11. Gen. 15. 1 Psal. 55. 22. 1. Pet. 5. 7.
• * 1.2

  Gen. 2. 15. &. 3. 19. 2. The. 3. 10. Psal. 37. 3.
• * 1.3

  &. 15.
• * 1.4

  1. Cor. 3. 7.
• * 1.5

  Ephe. 5. 3. &. 5. Col. 3. 5
• * 1.6

  Ephe. 5. 5.
• * 1.7

  1. Cor. 6. 10.