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 The poore and the vsurer meete together, and the Lord lighteneth both their eies.

Solomon hath saide heeretofore, The rich and the poore meete together, the Lorde is rhe maker of them al: and nowe hee saith the same, sauing that in steede of the rich, hee setteth the vsu∣rer. But there is no great differnce therein: for oftentimes wee see the riche men of the worlde to be giuen vnto vsurie, spoyling, to deceit and fraude, for to attaine vnto greater riches. Wee see al∣most dayly that the vsurers become riche, or at the least labour to bee riche. The poore then that is destitute of worldly riches, and the vsurer, whose minde and affection is altogether set to make pro∣fite of, and to multiply his golde and siluer, and other goods, to the hinderance of his neighbours, and chiefly of the needie and poore: though they bee of a cleane contrary state, yet doe they meete to∣gether: that is to say, that they are mingled together, and occupie one with another. The poore man hath need that the vsurer should helpe him with his abundance: and the vsurer which is ful and riche, cannot himselfe doe all his businesse alone: wherefore hee must needes set the poore man on worke. Beholde howe the poore and the vsurer meete together. Notwithstanding it often happeneth that the poore man being pinched & greeued with his needinesse and pouertie, and distrusting to be able to obteine that which is necessary, enuieth the prosperitie of the vsurer: and the v∣surer that hath a couetous hearte, and aboundeth in riches, doeth contemne the poore, either by pride, or for feare hee shoulde want himselfe.

Nowe they both proceede thus, through want that they know

not that God made them, and that as hee hath made them, so wil he also mainteine them in this life, and giueth them wit and vnder∣standing for to knowe howe to gouerne themselues in this worlde: as Solomon hath wel noted, saying, that the Lord is maker both of the poore and riche: and nowe, when he saith,

The Lorde lighteneth the eies of them both. For, to lighten the eies, is to quicken and to comfort: as it is so taken in diuers places of the scripture. Behold howe God lighteneth the eies both of the poore man and of the vsurer, quickening & giuing thē know∣ledge: but there are fewe poore, and vsurers that doe knowe the same, as we may iudge, for that that there are but a few poore men contented with their estate, and very fewe also of vsurers which doe lothe and abhorre their estate, to forsake it, and to abstaine from al extortions and exactions, from al fraude, deceite and spoy∣ling, If it were otherwise, they woulde euery where obey the ad∣monition of Saint Iames, that hee which is of a lowe and poore e∣state, woulde reioyce ween hee is exalted, contrarily, the rich would reioyce in his lowe degree and when hee is abaced, &c. As tou∣ching the rest, let vs note that when God lighteneth aswel the eies of the vsurer as of the poore, and that hee maketh the Sunne to rise both vpon the good and bad, we ought not to iudge of med accor∣ding to the prosperitie they inioy, nor after the aduersitie they suf∣fer. For also most commonly the righteous are in miserie and cala∣mities, they are afflicted, tormented, and persecuted: and the wic∣ked prosper and floorishe, they are honoured, and praised, as hath beene already sometimes handeled. Some vnderstand by lightening of the eyes, gouerning and moderating the heartes and mindes, so that God maketh the poore man to bee contented with his state, and the vsurer not so sore to afflict the poore man as hee woulde: the which conteineth trueth. Othersome vnderstande that God hath mercy on whome hee wil, and sheweth mercy to the poore man, to the rich, to the sinner and vsurer. And this sense conteineth trueth also: but the first is the most fittest: as may be seene by the scriptures alledged.

Notes

• Pro. 22. 2.
• Pro. 22▪ 2
• 1. Sam. 14. 27. 29. Esdr. 9. 8. Psa. 13. 4.
• Iam. 1. 9. 10. 11.
• Math. 5. 35.