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.

11 The rich man is wise in his own conceite: but the poore that hath vnderstanding, can try him.

The riches of this worlde are the good creatures of God, and by them in wisdome and prudence, we may and we ought to bring foorth good fruites of loue, pitie, compassion and mercy, in helping with a free heart and readie wil, the poore and needy. And suche fruites are of sweete sauour before God, who desireth mercy, and not sacrifise. And they that are careful to bring them foorth, are very wise and prudent, in the wisedome of the Lorde, but such wisemen are very rare and thinly sowne. As we may see by the great con∣tempt and disdaine that the poore are in, by the negligence, vn∣mercifulnesse, crueltie, rauening & theuery of the rich: who are ne∣uer satisfied, and haue neuer made an end in gathering of riches, but heape vp stil without ceassing: and so doing, they thinke they worke diligently and carefully. For as saith Solomon, The rich man is wise in his owne conceit. He saith expresly, in his owne conceite: for to shew vs that albeit the rich esteeme themselues wise, & that they would be so counted of other, yet are they not such indeede, for God iudgeth thē far otherwise: as we may see it, when he rebu∣keth, threateneth and condemneth such rich men, calling thē fooles theeues, robbers, & murderers, & depriueth thē of the heauēly he∣ritage. Euen so when by the worde of the Lord, we haue learned to despise riches, & to gouerne vs wisely in being contented with that which the Lord shal giue vs, we may try the worldly rich mē & ha∣uing foūd what they are by the worde, to iudge thē fooles. Solomon

doeth declare it so, saying, But the poore that hath vnderstanding, can trie him out. Yet Solomon doeth not simply say, the wise shal try him out: but he saith, The poore that hath vnderstanding. And this commeth because that the poore being in necessitie, is more inclined and hath more occasion to enquire out the riche, and to iudge that they are not suche as they esteeme themselues to bee, when they are voide of pitie and compassion, and vse not their ri∣ches as they ought. But either they locke them too fast (as doe the couetous and vsurers, which are afearde that the earth wil faile them) or els they fat themselues onely as hogges in a stye, or els do spende them in play, in sumptuousnesse and pompes, in superfluities and excesse, in gluttonies and drunkennesse, in whoredome and o∣ther filthinesse, as prodigal persons: and yet neuerthelesse care not a whit for the crie of the poore. He also saith not simply, the poore: For if the poore beee not wise and learned, hee wil desire to bee like vnto the rich: and thus hee shal not try him out for too iudge him to bee other then wise, seeing hee is of the same affe∣ction.

Furthermore, let vs knowe that Solomon giuing such wisedome of imagination vnto the riche, doeth priuily denounce their male∣diction: for it is said, Woe be vnto you that are wise in your owne * 1.1 conceite, and prudent towardes yourselues. Therefore if GOD hath giuen vs riches, let vs not delight in them, as though for them wee were more excellent then other, and as if it were lawful for vs to vse them after the lustes of our fleshe: but let vs humble our¦selues, and behaue ourselues faithfully, knowing that we haue no∣thing but what wee haue receiued, and also that wee haue recei∣ued it as disposers, for to distribute them according to the will of our maister. And therefore, let vs not esteeme and bragge neuer the more for our riches, but let vs followe the admonition of the Apostle Saint Paule, Charge them that are riche in this world, that they bee not high minded, and that they trust not in vncer∣taine * 1.2 riches, but in the liuing God, which giueth vs abundantly all thinges to enioy.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Esay. 5. 21.
• * 1.2

  1. Tim. 6. 17 18. 19.