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.

19 The euil shal bowe before the good, and the wicked as the gates of the righteous.

It seemeth at the first sight that this present sentence repugneth diuers proofes and experiences. For first of al, Caine was wic∣ked: and so farre was it of, that hee woulde bowe before iust Abel, that rather hee rose vp against him, and slue him. Secondly, the people of Sodome were wicked: and they greatly stroue against Lot who was righteous. Thirdly, Ismael scorneth Isaack. Fourth∣ly, Esau hated Iacob. Fifthly, the sonnes of Iacob spoyleth Ioseph their brother of his precious garment, and solde him. And al∣waies wee haue seene the wicked after the outwarde apparance to bee stronger and higher in authoritie, and to giue no reuerence to the good, but to esteeme them as doung and filth, to reiect and per∣secute thē, for to kil and vtterly to destroy them. And also our Lord saith vnto his Disciples: Blessed are they which suffer for righteous∣nesse sake. If the worlde hate you, knowe it hated mee before you. They shal excommunicate you out of their Synagogues. Again, In the worlde yee shal haue affliction, but bee of good cheere, I haue ouercome the worlde. I answere, albeit, for the exercise of the faithful, and to trie their patience, God doeth suffer the wicked to rise vp against them, contemne them and molest them: yet neuer∣thelesse at the time appointed, and when hee shall see meete, hee will beate downe the arrogancie of the wicked, and suppresse their furie and crueltie, and subdue them vnto the good and righteous. Esau had surely thought to haue slaine Iacob: but hee came to re∣ceiue him. The king of Sodome went to meete Abraham: And the brethreu of Ioseph came and bowed before Ioseph, &c. Then Pharao called Moses & Aaron, and saide, pray ye vnto the Lord, that hee may take away the frogges from mee, and from my people, and I willet the people goe, that they may doe sacrifice vnto the Lorde. The Lorde gaue the people fauour before the Egyptians, &c. Rahab, besought the spies. &c. And the Gebonites became the seruants of

Iosuah of the people of Israel. To bee shorte, the people of Israel, who for the most part were wicked, was constrained to bow before Moses, Iosua, the Iudges, Kinges, and Prophetes. Saule humbled himselfe vnto Dauid, when hee confessed and acknowledged his innocencie and righteousnesse. The wicked doe now also reuerence the good, when the iudges and Magistrates know howe to humble the sworde of iustice: and when by the preaching of the worde, they are confounded, and haue their mouthes fast stopped, or els that they returne from their wickednesse by true repentance sub∣mitting themselues to the exhortations and instructions that are made vnto them by the worde of the Lorde: in following that which is saide, Obey thē that haue the ouersight of you, & submit yourselues. Therefore this present sentence is true, vpon the which let vs first note, that the iudgements in the olde time were holden in the gates: & thither men came for to obey iustice. For this cause for to declare howe the wicked are constrained to submit them∣selues, and to giue obedience vnto the righteous: Solomon saith, that they bowe at the gates of the righteous. Secondly, foras∣muche as wee must chiefly bowe vnto kinges and gouernours, they are heere admonished to lay aside al malice, to flie al iniustice, and to giue themselues vnto goodnesse, and to shewe themselues truely iust, in rendering to euery man. &c. And if any do fal away and be∣come dissolute and rebellious, as there are which wil not encline to them, and wil not obey them as they ought, let them then knowe, either that God wil trie their forces & boldnesse, and whether they bee of good courage to withstande the wicked, and to suppresse their insolencies: either that God doeth punishe them, because they apply not themselues vnto goodnesse and iustice as they ought.

Therefore when any insurrections are, let the Magistrates hum∣ble themselues before GOD, weeping and lamenting their faultes: and yet for al this to loose no courage, but manly to vse the sworde which is committed vnto them. Thirdly wee are ad∣monished what kinde of men wee ought to place in authoritie. Fourthly, albeit that the wil of GOD bee (as it appeareth heere) that the wicked shoulde bowe before the good, yet is it not too say that wee shoulde desire men to bow and kneele before vs,

but so much as is required for the honour and glory of God, for the common peace, and for the order of pollicie. For our goodnesse and righteousnesse can neuer bee so excellent, that it should deserue that men shoulde bowe and reuerence vs. Fiftly, sith that vnto God the king euerlasting belongeth all honour and glory, and that it is before him that euery knee shoulde bowe, wee must therefore vn∣derstande that he maketh his Maiestie shine at the gates of the righ∣teous, when hee maketh the wicked to bowe before them. And for asmuch also as hee greatly esteemeth the good and righteous, when he maketh them partakers of the glory, which apperteineth vnto him onely: it is therfore a true argument that hee woulde haue vs highly to esteeme goodnesse and righteousnesse.

Notes

• ••eu. 4. 8. & 13. 13. & 19. 4. 2, Pet. 2. 7. & 27. 41. & 37. 23. 28.
• Mat. 5. 10. Iohn. 15. 18. & 16. 2. 33.
• Gen. 33. 4. & 14. 27. & 42. 9.
• Exod. 8. 8. & 12. 36. Iosu. 2, 12. ••9. 25.
• 1. Sam. 24. 1••
• Heb. 13. 17.
• Rom. 13. 13. 1. Pet. 2. 13.