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.

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 righteous∣nesse: and that because so much it wanteth that he is not negligent in doing his duety towardes men, that he doth not neglect nor con∣temne his beast which serueth him to labour with al, but doeth ad∣minister 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 that they shoulde haue distributed vnto them that which is neces∣sary for them to liue and to doe their office. And albeit there is not so little a birde whereof God taketh no care: yet notwith∣stāding for to declare that by his law, god hath had more regard vn∣to men, for whome al thinges are created, then to oxen, Saint Paule denieth that god taketh care for oxē: not that he wold exclude ox∣en from the prouidence of God, without the which nothing can re∣maine in this worlde: but hee meaneth that this lawe was not gi∣uen for the cause of oxen, but to the ende that we shoulde vn∣derstande 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 regar∣deth to nourishe his horses, or oxen which labour: but hee reaso∣neth 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 mo∣ued, to shewe gentlenesse towardes his neighbours, and wil accu∣stome himselfe too vse vpright dealing, to the end thereby that hee may doe his duetie to them, and not to defraude them. And so do∣ing, 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 him¦selfe 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 there∣by 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 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 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, 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 foorth good fruite. And because, that none would bee counted cru∣ell, 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, say∣ing, For your handes are ful of blood. And afterwardes when hee exhorteth, washe yee then, &c. Yee make cleane the outside of 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 shalbe cleane: yea from al your filthinesse, &c. Wherefore wee must pray vnto God, and say, Purge mee with hysope, and I shalbe cleane: washe mee, and I shalbe 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 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 spea∣keth, Woe vnto the shepheardes of Israel, that feede themselues: shoulde not the shephearde feede the flockes? For this cause wee 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 be∣longeth vnto. Thy Princes are rebellious, and companions of theeues. &c.

Notes

• Deut. 25. 4. 1. Cor. 9. 9.
• Iere. 17. 9.
• &. 10.
• 1. Sam. 16. 7
• Mat. 7. 16. &. 12. 33
• Esay. 1. 11. 15. 16. Mat. 23. 25. &. 26. Ezec. 36. 25
• Psal. 51. 7.
• Ezech. 34. 2
• Esay. 1. 23.