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 By mercie and truth iniquitie shalbe forgiuen: and by the feare of the Lorde they depart from euill.

When the superstitious and idolaters doe thinke that God is angrie against them for their sinnes, and that they feare to bee pu∣nished for them, for to auoide the paine, and not sorowe for their sinne, they wil labour to content God with ceremonies and obser∣uations of doctrines and mens traditions, with foolishe deuotions which they do vpon a good intent, & other inuentiōs of their own braines that God neuer commaunded, but doe displease him: for hee woulde haue vs attentiue vnto his worde onely, and that wee shoulde serue him after his commaundementes, by the which hee doeth declare vnto vs his wil, whereunto wee must obey, forsa∣king al wickednesse. Thus doing we shal haue God merciful vn∣to vs: as Solomon doeth promise vs, saying, By mercie & trueth iniquitie shalbe forgiuen.

Solomon heere woulde not haue vs to linger about trifles for to please God, as if hee were a little childe that might bee pleased with an Apple or with a Ball; or some foolishe and vaine man, which is pleased with worldly pastime: but that wee may not bee like vnto the Scribes & Pharisies, & lest we deserue the rebuke that is in Saint Mathew, he setteth before vs what is the greatest pointe of the lawe, and that which God most requireth aboue al things: to witte, mercy and trueth: and doeth promise vs, that if wee bee true vnto our God, not turning from him after straunge Gods, but haue al our trust in him, beeing assured of his goodnes towards vs, and certified that he doth loue vs, & that in this certaintie & assu∣rāce we be soft, gentle, louing & merciful towards our neighbours, in helping them with that which they haue need of, that God wil be merciful, and wil not impute our sinnes vnto vs. Notwithstanding let vs not thinke that hee will leade vs to trust in our merites, nor that he intendeth that by our mercy & our truth we should satisfie

our faultes before God, so that by such satisfaction, God should bee pleased, and should forgiue vs the paine, the which otherwise hee had laide vpon vs for our offences: but after the maner of the scrip∣ture, hee signifieth that they which by mercy and trueth shall con∣uert vnto God, forsaking their former vices and sinnes, that they shal finde him merciful: as if hee saide, If wee rest and cease from our misdeedes and wickednesses, so wil God appease his wrath, and make his iudgement to cease, and wil forbeare the condemnation and punishment that wee had deserued. Nowe because it is need∣ful for to haue constant perseuerance in trueth, and folowe good∣nesse and mercie, let vs flye al wickednesse. Solomon doeth shewe vs howe wee shal come vnto the ende, when he saieth, And by the feare of the Lord they depart from euil. The which he hath taught vs before. Besides this, let vs first of al note, that although Solomon nameth mercie before trueth: yet wee must vnderstand, that by or∣der fayth proceedeth, and mercy foloweth as the fruite, but vnsepa∣rably.

Secondly, let vs note, that the iustification that wee obteine by the remission of our sins, is giuen to fayth, for that it layeth hold vp∣on the free promises of God, from whome come al blessinges to vs, and nothing from our merites.

Notes

• Mat. 23. 23.
• Pro. 3. 7. & 8. 13. & 14. 16.