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.

13 Hee that causeth the righteous to goe astray by an euill way, shall fal into his owne pit, and the vpright shall inherite good things.

By the corruption and malice of our nature we are all blinde and ignorant, and knowe not howe to gouerne ourselues, nor what way wee must holde to walke, and to saue ourselues from dangers, and chiefly from them which leade our soules to destruction. Now albeit that by our transgressions and disobedience wee had wel de∣serued to haue remained in darknesse and blindnesse, and to go vn∣to destruction, yet God hath had mercy on vs, and for to open the eies of our vnderstanding, hee hath giuen vs his worde, the which serueth vs as a lampe vnto our feete, and a light vnto our steppes: yea it is the way whereby wee must walke, if wee will not erre. And for to doe this wel, the Lorde doeth print the same in our heartes, by his holy spirite, according to his promise. Let vs then follow the guiding of the holy Ghost, and we shal not wander astray by the euil way of offences & dissolutions, of seditions, of vprores, of doctrines and inuentions of men, nor of other enormities, and shal not fal into the pit of ruine, of destruction, of damnation and e∣ternal death: but walking by the streight way, wee shal come vnto life, wherein wee shal inherite the true blessednesse which neuer shal faile.

Nowe as the Lorde of his meere grace doeth giue vs suche a guide, euen so woulde he haue vs direct the blinde, the simple, & ignorant: and that so much as wee possibly can, wee shoulde keepe them from going astray into the euil way. And for to doe the same, let vs exhort them to ascende vp to the hil, following the pro∣phesie of Esay. Otherwise, if wee giue offence by euil doctrine, or euil conuersation vnto our neighbours, and chiefly to them which are single of heart, & desire to liue sincerely in trueth, iustice & ho∣linesse, wee prepare a pit for them, but we shal fal into it ourselues: as Solomon threateneth, saying,

Hee that causeth the righteous to goe astray by an euill way, shal fal into his owne pit, &c. And in this threatening he doth wel shewe vs, that when God hath refourmed our heartes by his

worde, wee must take diligent heede with what people wee walke, and wee must needes flie a company of offendours and dissolute men, whose liues are an euil example. Otherwise, what righteous∣nesse & integritie soeuer there is in vs, yet are we in dāger to be cor∣rupted, and to forsake the good way for to stray by the euil. For al∣so without such companions wee are so weake, that without the of∣fence of other wee doe easily runne astray by an euil way. Beholde Dauid (of whome we say that hee was a righteous and perfect man, seeing that God doeth giue him witnesse, that hee had found a man according to his owne hearte) who by the regarde of his eies went fouly astray, by the euil way, in committing adulterie and murder. Saint Peter (for whom Iesus Christe had praied, that his faith might not faile) went astray by the euil way in renouncing his maister, by swearing, cursing, and forswering. And Solomon himselfe, who was so wise, was carried into the euil way, by committing whoredome with strange and Heathenishe women, and by committing of ido∣latrie.

Nowe albeit that suche going astray is wicked, dangerous, and mortal vnto them which giue offences, and not contented too bee corrupted themselues, labour to corrupt others and to destroy them: albeit (I say) that the going astray of suche men is deadly: as Solomon doth marke it, when he saith, Shall fall into his owne pit: yet is it not deadly vnto the righteous and perfect, to whome God of his grace and goodnesse doeth reueale, giuing faith and repen∣tance, to the end: that in steede of the pit of ruine and destruction, they might obteine the eternal blessednesse which God hath prepa∣red for his children, for their inheritance: as Solomon doth note it, saying,

And the vpright shall inherite good thinges. Wherein wee haue first of al to note, that sith that Solomon, against the pit, setteth good thinges, hee speaketh not onely of worldly thinges, which are commō both to the good and euil, and are of no conti∣nuance: but hee speaketh chiefly of the kingdome of heauen, and of euerlasting life. True it is neuerthelesse that the iust & faith∣ful doe inherite the good things of this worlde, and do obteine them in such abundance and sufficiencie that they haue enough: and the offendours, castawayes, and dissolute doe often fal euen in this

life, into great miserie: as the Psalmes before alledged doe pro∣nounce it, and as it might bee shewed by diuers examples. In Iere∣mie there are great threatninges against the false Prophetes which caused the people to goe astray: and so were foure hundred and fif∣tie false Prophetes slaine. Secondly, that the vpright and perfect are the children of God: otherwise they coulde not inherite this good thing: for the inheritance belongeth vnto the children. Third∣ly, forasmuch as this good thing is an inheritance, therefore it can not be deserued, but is obteined by grace: as also it is by grace that God hath adopted vs for his children.

Notes

• Psa. 119. 105
• Iere. 31. 32.
• Esay. 2. 3.
• 2. Sam. 11. Luke. 22. 32 Mar. 14. 17. 1. Kin. 11.
• Psal. 33. 18. 19. & 34. 10 11. & 37. 9
• Iere. 23. 1. Kin. 18. 4••