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.

6 Blessings are vpon the head of the righteous: but iniqui∣tie shal couer the mouth of the wicked.

So long as we liue in this bodie, wee can not iudge by our out∣ward wit what the righteous are, (that is to say, those which by the feare, reuerence, and Fayth they beare vnto the worde of God, doe delight to serue the Lorde and their neighbours, and desire to pro∣fite al men, and to hurt no man,) neither that they can be counted blessed, nor that they are in the grace and fauour of God, seeing that we see them abounde in miserie, and to bee beaten downe with ca∣lamities: they are afflicted of the world by peeling and polling, pri∣sonment, woundes, banishment, cursing, lying, slandering, and ca∣uillations, & diuers other wayes, which can not be easily expressed. For some doe suffer in one sort, and some in an other: to be shorte, it seemeth that God is their enemy, and that hee persecuteth them to destroy them. And therefore, fewe esteemeth wel of them, as Eliphas the Themanite of Iob. Remember, I pray thee: who euer perished being an innocent? Or where were the righteous destroy∣ed? The Iewes did no lesse esteeme of the Prophets, and of our Lord Iesus Christ, and of his Apostles. The Papists haue the poore Chri∣stians which suffer persecution for the Gospel, in like reputatiō. Cō∣trarily, the wicked (that is to say, the infidels, which with wil and minde, with deed and word, doe despight God, and make no count of their neighbours,) are iudged happie and blessed: they are fea∣sted, they are praysed and commended, and it seemeth wel that they are in the grace and fauour of God, and that he doeth blesse them, that hee doeth loue them and mainteine them. Such is the iudge∣ment of carnal man, which iudgeth after the outwarde sight: but Fayth iudgeth farre otherwise, and the worde whervpon Fayth is stayed, pronounceth also contrarie: as we see it, when Solomon is not contented alone to say, that the righteous shal obteine blessing: but to shewe that he is euen here happie in diuers sortes, although he be greatly molested: he sayeth, blessinges are vpon the head of the righteous: hee appointeth not the time, neither present nor to

come, for to declare that the blessings shal not fayle them: but ha∣uing had their beginning in this life, they shal endure for euer. Bles∣sed are ye, when men reuile you, and persecute you, and say al man∣ner of euil against you for my sake, falsly. My brethren, count it ex∣ceeding ioy, when ye fall into diuers temptations. Againe, Blessed is the man, that endureth tentation: for when he is tried, he shal receiue the Crowne of life, which the Lorde hath promised to them that loue him. Contrarily, though the wicked doe florish, yet are they, and shalbe cursed, as may be knowne plainly, when their ini∣quitie shalbee opened, and that for the same they shalbe ashamed, for because of their iniquitie, which shalbe as a choke peare to stop their mouth, they shal not be able to alledge any thing worthe to defende themselues with al. Solomon doeth signifie it, when hee sayeth, But iniquitie shal couer the mouth of the wicked. In some it is opened sooner, and in other some later. Some mens sinnes are manifest before hande, and goe before vnto iudgement: but some mens folowe after. For their iniquitie committed, they shal suffer punishment before al men, wherwith they shalbe greatly confoun∣ded: and the righteous shalbe glorified and honoured, and their felicitie shal shine and shalbe seene of al men. Solomon doeth wel signifie the same, when he placeth the blessings to light on the head, the which is the highest part in man, vpon the which the ornaments can not be hid. These ornaments of blessing are nowe hidde in the worlde: but they which are not stayed at the outwarde appea∣rance, but by Fayth, do beholde the goodnesse that God hath done vnto his faythful seruantes in the midst of their troubles, doe see euen presently the head of the righteous garnished with blessinges, the which they shal more plainly see in the possession of the hea∣uenly kingdome.

Notes

• Iob. 4. 7.
• Psal. 7. 3.
• Mat. 5. 11. Iam. 1. 2. Iam. 1, 12.
• 1. Tim. 5. 24.