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.

24 The father of the righteous, in reioysing, shalbee glad: and hee that hath begotten a wise childe, shall haue ioy of him.

It is no inconuenience to say that Solomon in this sentence, and in the next, intreateth of that which in the 15. and 16. verses he hath doone, but in an other maner of speaking. Repetition (as hath beene often saide) is familiar in the scripture, in the which the holy Ghost sheweth the great care which he hath ouer vs, as is needful it shold bee so: for wee make no great hast to awake ourselues, and stu∣die to doe our duetie by one onely warning, it vanisheth away ea∣sily out of our vnderstanding because wee are vaine and carnal, and by nature enimies to iustice and wisedome: and so wee cannot re∣ioyce ourselues in the same, but in folly and iniquitie, according * 1.1 as we are conceaued and borne: Dauid reknowledgeth it, and S. Paul maketh great complaint thereof. Now therefore seeing by na∣ture,

none is wise and righteous: and it is very harde to come to it, when Solomon saith, The father of the righteous shalbe glad, and he that hath begotten, &c. hee meaneth not that by their first and carnal birth, children bee wise and righteous, as one may gather it by diuers sentences of his Prouerbes: but hee sheweth first of all to fathers, and mothers, that they ought greatly to loue righteous∣nesse, * 1.2 and wisedome, and in the same to haue al their delight, aswel in liuing after the same, as seeking to print them wel in the heartes and mindes of their children, for if they take no pleasure to followe righteousnesse and wisedome, and to obteine the same, and also too make their children partakers thereof by sounde doctrine, by good admonitions, corrections, & chastisements, they wil make no great account, to see them wise and righteous, nor cannot reioyce a whit in the same: much lesse wil they haue that great ioy which Solo∣mon requireth of them, as hee sheweth when hee is not content to say simply, that hee shalbe glad, but he doubleth the worde, saying, In reioysing shalbe glad. And yet againe hee repeateth it saying, Hee shall haue ioy of him.

Secondly, hee sheweth children that they ought to bee care∣ful to take good heede, to the honest manners and holy conuersati∣on, to the doctrine and admonition of their fathers and mothers: and that they seeke to mortifie their vaine and foolishe concupis∣cences, their carnal and disordinate affections, so that by the good reformation of their hearts they may shewe in their liues and con∣uersation, righteousnesse and wisedome, and may studie to giue by this meanes recreation to their fathers and mothers: So that (as Solomon requireth it) their parents in reioysing may be glad. This is the duetie of children to striue to giue such ioy to their fathers & mothers. And also Saint Paule giueth them expresse admonition thereof.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Psal. 51. 7 Rom. 7. 14. Ephe. 2. 3.
• * 1.2

  Pro. 12. 15.