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.

15 The way of a foole is right in his owne eyes: but hee that heareth counsel, is wise.

When after the natural reason, or humaine sense, or the affec∣tion of the fleshe, wee followe our fantasies, inuentions and good intentes, wee seeme to ourselues to bee very wise, and that wee walke vprightly. But sith that in so dooing, wee wander and goe out of the way which is taught vs by the woorde, the which only is right: Solomon, or rather the holy Ghost, letteth not to pronounce vs fooles, when hee saith, The way of a foole, &c. Moy∣ses seeing before hande howe the children of Israel did stray from * 1.1 the seruice of God, that hee had taught them, by his woorde, cal∣leth them fooles and vnwise, saying, they haue corrupted them∣selues towardes him by their vice. &c. For the selfe same cause, Ie∣remy also since that time, hath called them fooles, saying, Heare nowe this, O foolishe people, and without vnderstanding, which * 1.2 haue eyes and see not, which haue eares and heare not. And for∣asmuch as the Papistes at this day doe the like, delighting in their abhominations, wee may truely say they are a foolishe people. Nowe if they which thinke they doe wel, are foolishe, by a stron∣ger reason, they which boast themselues in their wickednesses, the which they commit against their consciences, deserue wel to bee counted foolish. For this cause also it is saide of them, The foole hath saide in his heart, there is no God, &c. Except therefore that * 1.3 wee bee assured that that which wee say, or doe, is according to that which God teacheth vs by his woorde, let vs take good heede from perswading ourselues that wee doe walke right. For there is no way right, but onely that which the Lorde God doth shew vnto

vs in his lawe. The same is not ours, aswel for that that of our nature wee forsake it, and are not pleased therewith, as also for that wee cannot walke, but that GOD wil guide vs, nor goe forewardes without his assistance, as may bee gathered out of the hundreth and nynetienth Psalme. Therfore when any thing doeth delight vs besides the woorde of God, wee are foolishe: for our way is right before our eyes. The same is called ours, aswell for that that wee become forgetful of God, despise him, and rebel against him, for to folowe our fantasies and affections: as also for that that whatsoeuer pleaseth vs, is inuented by our braines, or commeth from our Fathers which haue beene ignorant of the woorde, or that wee attribute the same vnto our wisedome and cunning, vnto our care and diligence. And indeede, we doe wel deserue that such way shoulde be ours, seeing it is nothing worth. For seeing that wee are good for nothing, wee cannot bee occupy∣ed about any thing that is ought. Wherevppon it followeth that wee are foolishe, if wee delight in such woorke: for in such sorte doe wee declare openly our foolishenesse, when that which is nothing worth, yea rather which is hurtful vnto vs, doeth please vs.

Contrarily, if so bee by renouncing of that which is our owne, and abhorre it, wee doe giue eare vnto those which giue vs good counsel, and beleeue the same, delighting to folowe it, and to order our life thereafter, wee are wise: as Solomon doeth affirme saying, But hee that heareth counsel, is wise. Hee speaketh not heere of the corporal and external hearing, but of the inwarde and * 1.4 spiritual. For albeeit that the counsel whereof hee speaketh is the pure woorde of trueth, which serueth to teache, to exhort, to cor∣rect and to threaten: many doe heare this woorde, and yet are not * 1.5 wyse. Wee must therefore heare with an earnest minde, to take pleasure, and to giue al diligence to folowe the counsel that is gi∣uen vs in the name of GOD, and by his woorde. Otherwise wee must looke for a feareful iudgement: yea more then the Pa∣pistes * 1.6 or other infidelles, which haue not such communication of counsel as wee haue. They haue counsel which maketh to erre, and wee haue counsel which leadeth vs straight to life, if wee fol∣lowe

it. Notwithstanding they shalbee no more excusable then the most vnthankeful: as are they whome God lighteneth by the preaching of the pure trueth and doe despise it, mocking, refusing and persecuting it. Moreouer, for to shewe ourselues wise, and * 1.7 not to bee counted fooles, let vs bee more ready to condemne our¦selues, then to boast ourselues: let vs not bee like vnto the Phari∣sees.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Deut. 3••
• * 1.2

  Iere. ••. 21.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 14. ••
• * 1.4

  Pro. 1. 25.
• * 1.5

  Mat. 7. 26.
• * 1.6

  Pro. 1. 26.
• * 1.7

  Luke. 18. 11. Iohn. 9. 28. & 34.