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 All the dayes of the afflicted are euill: but a good con∣science is a continuall feast.

Prosperitie is a state that al desire: and contrarily, there is none but wil auoide himselfe from miserie, so much as hee possibly can: but it is not giuen vnto al to enioy their desires, and some forsake that which they desire: and some yl handeled & persecuted of their neighbours, either in their good name, or in their bodies, or in their friendes. If they bee infidels and vnpatient, not knowing that God (who is iust & merciful) doth send them these torments & paines, they feele not this euil only without, but also they tormēt thēselues

within: and so they haue no prosperitie, neither in their owne o∣pinion, nor iudgement of the world. And in this sort is fulfilled in them that which Solomon pronounceth, that All the dayes of the afflicted are euill: that is to say, haue no good time, but lyueth, or rather pineth away with miserie and calamitie. But if they which are persecuted and tormented, or to whome there hap∣peneth any euill without the helpe of men, are faythfull men, and knowing that it is God which sendeth the affliction, from whom so euer it commeth, doe beare it patiently, and aske of the Lorde, that it may please him to maynteine, strengthen, and comfort them: al∣beit that such men (in the estimation of the worlde, and after the sense of the flesh) haue nothing but euill dayes. For what strength, constancie and boldnes soeuer the faythfull haue in their miserie and calamitie, yet they are not insensible: otherwise they shoulde haue no neede of patience, seeing they could suffer none: Euen so is pati∣ence begotten of tribulation: and the scripture exhorteth none vn∣to * 1.1 patiēce, but such as suffer. Albeit (I say) that after the outward ap¦pearance and feeling of the fleshe their dayes are euill, and haue no prosperitie, yet are they happy before God, both in their consciences and minds they haue more quietnes and rest, then haue they which count themselues most happie of the worlde, and so their dayes are not euill, though they be afflicted and suffer much. Notwithstanding wee doe not falsifie Solomon, for he speaketh chiefely of the affli∣cted, which neither can nor will beare affliction patiently, and spea∣keth after the iudgement of the world which sometimes faileth, and after the sense of the flesh which the faythfull resist, and by the help and grace of God doe ouercome it. And forasmuch as they be of good courage, they cease not euen in the middest of afflicton, how hard and sharpe soeuer they be, to be merry, as if they remained stil at a feast and banquet alwayes to make good cheere. Solomon doth signifie it, saying, But a good conscience is a continuall feast. God * 1.2 doeth exhort vs in diuers places, to be of good courage, and doeth also set foorth himselfe as an example, and doeth pronounce vs bles∣sed, if we endure patiently. The Apostles likewise thought them∣blessed, and went ioyfully before the Consistorie, because they were counted woorthie of this honour, too suffer reproche for the name of Iesus Christe. Their dayes then were not

al euil, but only in the iudgement of the world, which thought them to be cursed, and in the feeling of the flesh, which is alwayes weake and euil. Therfore if we wil auoide & shun euil dayes, and to be me∣rie, * 1.3 and to be in a continual feast, let vs not vex ourselues, what ad∣uersitie soeuer happen vnto vs: but let vs take a good stomake, re∣ioysing * 1.4 in the Lord: as we are admonished, Dearely beloued bre∣thren, thinke it not straunge, concerning the fierie trial, which is a∣mong you to prooue you, as though some strange thing were come vnto you. Let vs note further, that al dayes are the good creatures of God, and there is none euil in them, but they are called good or euil, according to that which happeneth in them, & after that which is either done or suffred in them. Iacob calleth the dayes of his life euil, because he had suffered much euil. And they are called euil be∣cause of the slanders and corruptions, which are done in them. And the times are called dangerous. The euil then is not in the dayes, but in the persons which are in them. And so, it is by accident that they are euil, and not by nature. As touching the rest, as carnall men doe thinke themselues to haue a merie time, when they see the table alwayes couered and beset with good meat, and that they haue a good stomake to eate and drinke, and haue their desire: euen so when we haue a good heart, what thing soeuer happen vs, we haue the continual feast of Gods grace, whereby we are mainteined, and * 1.5 doe neuer want, and also shal neuer want. This grace is wel compa∣red vnto a feast, when we are al called to drinke and to eate.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tribulation is the mother of patience.
• * 1.2

  Ioh. 15. 18. 19. 20. & 16 33. Mat. 5. 10. 11. Iam. 1. 12.
• * 1.3

  1. Pet. 4. 12.
• * 1.4

  Gene. 47. 9. Ephe. 5. 16. 2. Tim. 3. 1.
• * 1.5

  Esay. 55. 1. Math. 22. 2.