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.

The xxx. Chapter.

The wordes of Agur the sonne of Iaketh.

1 The prophecie which the man spake vnto Ithiel, euen to Ithiel, and Vcal.

ACcording to the Hebrews, the fourth part of this booke beginneth at this place: and after the opinion of Aben Ezra, Agur was a man that liued in the time of Solomon, which walked in righteousnesse, experte in know∣ledge, and honourable amongst those of his age: and for this cause King So∣lomon hath inclosed his woordes of wisedome into his booke: and that Ithiel & Vcal were wise men, that were the companions or Disciples of Agur. But R. Leui the sonne of Gerson, saith, that it seemeth, or it is thought howe Solomō was named Agur, because of his words or sentences which he hath comprised in this booke: & that Agur, signifieth a gatherer together: and that he did name himselfe the sonne of Iaketh. Howsoeuer it be, the wordes which are set downe hereafter are called, a Prophecie, or charge, for their excellencie, and conteine verie graue sentences, and of great waight.

2 Surely, I am more foolish then any man, and haue not the vnderstanding of a man in me.

Whosoeuer he be that speaketh, either Solomon, or an other, hee speaketh of himselfe in great humilitie, though hee was indewed

with great giftes and graces, and hath vttered excellent sentences, to the great edification of those which consider and lay them vp as they ought. Diuers saints (though they knewe that God did great∣ly esteeme them) did not yet boaste of their greatnesse and excel∣lencie for to tread downe others vnder them: but they haue shew∣wed great humilitie. Abraham might wel knowe, howe greatly * 1.1 God esteemed him, by the promises that he had made him: and yet he pronounceth no excellent thing of himselfe, but nameth himselfe pouder and dust: and also doeth humble him before the Hethites. Moses knewe also that God woulde giue deliuerance to the people of Israel by his hand, and yet he confesseth, that he is not sufficient. Dauid knewe that God had caused him to be annointed king ouer the people of Israel, and yet he submitteth himselfe vnto Saule, who was reiected of God. Afrer that the Lorde had declared vnto Hie∣remie, that he had appointed him a Prophet, hee humbleth himselfe saying, he was a childe. Saint Paule knewe that the Lord had coun∣ted him woorthie to be his Apostle, and yet he confesseth that hee was not woorthie to be called an Apostle. And notwithstanding that these holy men haue thus humbled themselues, they haue not ceased to shewe themselues excellent in following boldely and man∣fully their vocation, and doing their office duely. Moreouer also though the personne that speaketh heere, knowing what hee was himselfe, doe greatly humble himselfe, saying: that he is more foolish then any man. Yet for to explicate what he meaneth by foolishnes he addeth, that he hath not the vnderstanding of a man: and for more ample exposition, saith consequently.

3 For I haue not learned wisedome, nor attayned to the knowledge of the Saintes.

And yet for all this, he hath a spirite gorgiously decked with knowledge, both humaine and diuine, and sheweth himselfe very wittie and of a settled, and discreete minde, by the sentences and woordes that shal followe heereafter. And therein he teacheth vs, that our owne mouthes shoulde not prayse vs, as Solomon hath * 1.2 admonished vs. Hee teacheth vs also, that what giftes, graces, and vertues soeuer wee haue, wee shoulde not extol ourselues aboue

our neighbours, by contenrion and vaineglory: but that through humblenesse of hearte we shoulde esteeme an other man more ex∣cellent then ourselues: as wee are admonished thereof. Phillip. 2. 3. For albeit that wee must esteeme the giftes of God that are in vs, and to make them shine by good doctrine and holy conuersation, yet must wee thinke, they are not giuen vs for to boast of them, nor to extol ourselues aboue our neighbours, but to labor to set foorth the glory of God, and the saluation of our neighbours. Wee shoulde not then presume to haue of ourselues any humane wise∣dome, or knowledge of the saintes, that is to say, of the worde of God, and knowledge thereof, the which may bee called Knowledge of the saintes for diuers causes.

Frst of al, because that God giueth the knowledge of his word vnto his elect, whom he sanctifieth and separateth frō the filthines and pollutions, wherevnto the wicked and reprobate are giuen. And by this worde are they sanctified and made saints: Iesus Christ doeth wel shewe it, saying, Sanctifie them by thy trueth, &c. Se∣condly, it may bee called the knowledge of the saints: that is to say, * 1.3 of holy things: for there is nothing that maketh vs to be giuen vnto an holy life, & pure and cleane conuersation, but only this word, by the which God declareth vnto vs his wil, which is the rule of al ho∣nes. Thirdly, it may be called, the knowledge of saints, that is to say, of heauēly things, because it bringeth vs to haue our cōuersation in heauen, by faith and hope, and at the ende to haue perfect possession thereof. Wee shal not neede, I say, to presume of ourselues, in this sort though wee bee but fooles before the worlde, which woulde haue vs to praise and boast ourselues, for God shal accept and alowe vs for wise men. For the wisedome of this worlde is foolishnesse before God, & therfore he admonisheth vs saying, Let no man de∣ceiue himselfe: if any man amongst you seeme wise, let him become * 1.4 a foole in this worlde, that hee may bee made wise. It is not enough to say that wee are fooles, brutishe and ignorant, but wee must con∣fesse it, and feele indeede: for if wee haue nothing but the bare worde, and doe not thinke lowly of ourselues, there is nothing but feining and hypocrisie, the which is greatly detestable before God, who demandeth a sincere and vpright heart, and wherevnto the mouth agreeth. Let vs take heede then to be like those who for

to counterfeite the lowly, & repentant, wil with mouth blaspheme, but cānot suffer to heare their faults reproued, but to be reuenged, wil say, they are honest men, and are also good Christians or better then any other: and also wil labour to reuenge themselues vppon them, that take paiues to make them knowe their faultes.

4 Who hath ascended vp to heauen, and descended? Who hath gathered the winde in his fist? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the endes of the earth? What is his name, and what is his sonnes name, if thou canst tell?

Agur hath saide himselfe to bee foolishe, and for to expound howe he was suche, he hath declared that hee had neither humane wisdome, nor diuine knowledge.

Now for to shewe that none is capable of that whereof he con∣fesseth himselfe to bee destitute, hee maketh many questions, the which are so much as negatiues. And this is for to shew that there is none but God onely, that hath wisedome and vnderstanding, that is mightie and politike, that is wonderful and worthie of great re∣nowme and praise.

The first question, (Who hath ascended vp to heauen, and de∣scended?) ought to be vnderstood negatiuely, if we vnderslād it to bee spoken of men. For albeit that some by special priuiledge haue beene translated or rauished vp into heauen, as Enoc, Elias, and Paule: yet it is true that no man euer went vp into heauen or de∣scended of himself. For if we take the heauens for this great heauen∣ly firmament, wee knowe that they are vnaccessible and cannot bee reached: as also Moses doth giue the same something to bee vnder∣stoode, * 1.5 saying: For this commandement that I commande thee, this day, is not hid from thee, neither is it farre from thee, nor in hea∣nen, &c. And if wee take the ascending vp into heauen, for the pure knowledge of the mysteries and secretes of God, and for the light of spiritual vnderstanding, which is the true wisedome and knowledge of the saintes: as it is so taken in the 3. Chapter and the 13. verse, of Saint Iohn: No man ascendeth vp to heauen of his owne and naturall vnderstanding, which is brutishe and senselcsse.

For the natural doeth not comprehende the thinges that are of the spirite: there is none but the holy Ghost, who is the spirite of * 1.6 Christe, which ascendeth vp to heauen, & descendeth from thence. It is hee that is the spirite of wisedome and vnderstanding. And by him the sonne of man Iesus Christ did ascend vp to heauen. No man knoweth the father, but the sonne, who is the Lorde. And wee * 1.7 may say that the holy Ghoste descendeth from heauen, when by the worde of God hee teacheth vs al trueth, and guideth vs in the same. The which hee did when Iesus Christe being descended from heauen, tooke our nature, and in the same hath taught vs the wil of God his father, and doeth teache it vs dayly by the Apostles and mi∣nisters that he hath ordeined in his Churche, which are onely the instrumentes of his spirite, who reuealeth vnto vs what wee ought to knowe of God. And when the spirite doeth thus giue vs to knowe the thinges which are of God, it is not to the ende that we * 1.8 shoulde haue our affections fixed heere. and that wee shoulde bee as it were buried in earth, but as Christe is risen by the glory of God, so shoulde wee walke in newenesse of life, bending and setting all our desires aboue in the heauens: as S. Paul doth admonishe vs thereof. And being so ascended, let vs descende vnto our neigh∣bours without forsaking heauen. The which wee shal doe, if leading * 1.9 an honest, holy, and heauenly life, wee occupie ourselues in hea∣ring of holesome doctrines, admonitions, exhortations, and de∣clarations.

Thus doing, wee may say with Saint Paule, that our conuer∣sation is heauen. And so albeit that our bodies, yea our whole per∣sons bee on earth, yet are we ascended vp to heauen, & there haue our dwelling by faith and hope. And finally as Iesus Christe is as∣cended aboue al heauens, for to prepare the place for vs, so shal wee rise againe by his power, by the which also wee shal ascende vp to heauen, though none bee ascended: as it is giuen vs to vnderstande by this first interrogation. The seconde, Who hath gathered the winde in his fist? Cannot bee answered affirmatiuely of any man whatsoeuer: for hee hath no power to stay the winde: there is none but God that can vse it at his pleasure: as hee hath created * 1.10 the winde, so doeth hee holde and locke it vp, as in a treasure house, that it shoulde not blowe, and afterwardes doeth sende it foorth

when hee shal thinke good. There is none then but God that gathereth the winde in his fist? that is to say, which hideth it, and * 1.11 holdeth it by his power, and then vnlooseth it so softly and smally, so great and vehement as hee pleaseth: and there is no man that hath in any wise the winde at his wil, The Apostles, which were ve∣ry familiar and friendes of Christe, coulde not make the winde to ceasse that tossed them on the Sea: but Iesus rebuked the windes and the Sea, and a great stilnesse and calmenesse followed. And therein hee declared that hee was not onely man, but the sonne of * 1.12 God also, yea euerlasting and eternal God.

Nowe if a man haue not the winde in his power, which is a creature made for his vse, much lesse hath hee power ouer the spirite of God, who is the spirite that onely inspireth into man wisedome and prudence, and indueth him with graces according to the mea∣sure of the giftes of Christe, who hath the fulnesse of this spirite, for to holde the same as it pleaseth him, and also to distribute the same to whom he shal see good: & chiefly to the elect of God his father, which confesse him. And we al haue receiued of his fulnesse, grace for grace. Grace is giuen vnto vs according vnto the measure of the the gift of Christ. Nowe there are diuersitie of giftes: but there is * 1.13 but one spirite. The thirde, Who hath bounde the waters in a gar∣ment? The waters of their nature that God gaue them in their cre∣ation, couered al the earth: and for the commoditie and vse of man hee hath discouered the earth, making the waters to withdrawe themselues which he hath inclosed in their limites, that they should not passe their bounds without his leaue or commandement: as the * 1.14 Scripture witnesseth. And thus, there is no man that can binde so great an heape of waters with his garment: but God doeth inclose and holde them in at his pleasure: as besides these witnesses of the Scripture, we may see it in the myracles that he wrought in the red Sea, & in the flood of Iordan. And if a man hath not the power to binde in the material & corporal waters, so much the lesse are we capable of the clene waters of the holy Ghost, the which satisfie thē that drinke thereof, and doth fil them with al prudence, wisedome, knowledge and vnderstanding. But as God hath promised them vn∣to vnto vs, so doeth hee exhort and cal vs to drinke them. And as he doth exhort and cal vs, euen so doth he giue them vnto vs by Iesus

Christe, when by faith wee receiue his worde, the which quickneth vnto eternal life: as he doeth assure vs thereof.

The fourth, Who hath established all the endes of the earth? It may be answered, that it is neither one man, nor al men together. * 1.15 They haue no power to adde one cubite vnto their height, neither to make one haire white or blacke: howe then can they establish the earth at their pleasure or wil? And also the earth is an vncompre∣hensible heauinesse and greatnesse: as the Scripture doeth witnes. But God only creating the earth hath stablished the endes thereof, * 1.16 and there is none that can augment or diminishe it, it is hee who by his Prophet Esay saith, Who is hee that hath measured the wa∣ters with his fist, &c. Thou hast set al the borders of the earth, thou * 1.17 hast made Sommer and Winter. And if wee can neither giue ordi∣nance to the earth, nor establishe her boundes in our handes, so much the lesse can wee handle the wisedome of God which filleth heauen and earth at our pleasure: but wee must acknowledge that wee are bruitishe, and to demande of God the wisedome that is meete for vs. For if hee bee owner of the earth, and the contents thereof, and who hath giuen the same to men, by a more strong rea∣son he giueth wisedome, whereby we are drawne from the earth, and raised vp to heauen.

The fifth, What is his name? It is vnpossible to bee named, seeing that (as hath beene saide) the foresaide thinges are not in no mans power whatsoeuer. And thus, man can haue no fame nor praise for the thinges aforesaide. But the mightie God is he alone, that hath al those thinges in his hande: whose name wee knowe not, except hee reueale it vnto vs. For albeit there is no people so barbarous, but knoweth that there is a god, yet whēhe is not glori∣fied as God, nor thanks giuen vnto him, but that the most part of the worlde and almost euery where, they are become vaine in their thoughtes, as saith Saint Paul: by this is shewed that wee know not * 1.18 his name. To the ende then that hee may bee glorified of vs, let vs worship him alone, in calling vpon him, giuing him thankes, singing foorth his praises, and confessing him to bee authour of al goodnes, and obeiyng him according to his worde in al feare and reuerence. Hee hath declared his name, vnto vs, which is not onely won∣derful,

and worthie that wee shoulde tremble at it, knowing our in∣firmitie, but also therewith that wee shoulde bee assured because of his goodnesse, and loue that hee beareth vnto vs. For as his name is the Almightie, the euerlasting, strong, feareful, taking vengeance, and punishing the wicked and vngodly, that hee is a burning fire, & cōsuming his enimies, and that it is a very feareful matter to fal in∣to the handes of the liuing God: euen so his name, is the God, onely Sauiour, father of mercy, pitiful, patient, slowe to wrath, she∣wing mercy vnto a thousande generations, protectour and defen∣dour of the afflicted, and al them that trust in him. Beholde a very wonderful name as it is hee is heere expressed: but it is far of from being set foorth and described according to the dignitie and excel∣lencie thereof. For there is no vnderstanding that can attaine vnto the perfection of this name: and consequently there are neither mouthes nor tongues that can declare and shew foorth this name, according to the worthinesse thereof.

The sixth, And what is his sonnes name, if thou canst tell? If wee knowe not the name of the father, we cannot know the name of the sonne: for the sonnes do oftentimes beare the name of their fathers, euen frō sonne, to sonne that they may boast of the Nobilitie and long continuance of their stocke and linage. Likewise, if the fa∣thers were neuer men of renowme, the children are little regarded to bee knowne. Wherefore, if wee speake heere of men, we may rightly answere, that no man knoweth the name of his sonne, that is ascended vp into heauen: for wee cannot knowe the name of that which cannot bee. And therefore, if wee wil knowe the name of his sonne that is ascended vp into heauen, wee must pul a∣way our regarde from men, and come to God, and hee wyll teache vs the name of his sonne: For none knoweth the sonne but the father. None can come vnto mee except my father drawe him. And * 1.19 againe, praying vnto the father that hee woulde glorifie him, hee sheweth wel that it is the father that giueth the name of his sonne to bee knowne. And also the sonne, who is the euerlasting worde of the father, is one selfe God with the father. And howe shal wee come vnto the father, seeing hee dwelleth in a light that is vnac∣cessible? * 1.20 For this cause hath hee sent vs his sacred woorde

by his Prophets, Apostles and Ministers, yea by his own sonne, by whom he hath declared his name vnto vs, such as wee haue heard: & also therein he declareth vnto vs the name of his sonne. And first of al, he sheweth him vnto vs, to bee almightie and eternal, when Moses doeth teache vs that God made al thinges in speaking the worde. The heauens were made by the worde of the Lord, &c. Al * 1.21 thinges were made by it, and without it was made nothing that was made, &c. By whome also hee made the worldes.

Secondly, he doth shewe him vnto vs, mercifull, and a redee∣mer. And al nations shalbe blessed in thy seede, who is Christ. The Scepter shal not bee taken away from Iuda, nor a law giuer from be∣twene his feete vntil that Silo come: which signifieth the sonne, or Messias. And in Leuiticus, by the Sacrifices, which were figures of the onely sacrifice, by the which hee hath founde eternal redempti∣on, in offering vp himselfe.

Thirdly hee sheweth him a Sauiour vnto vs, when hee saueth & deliuereth his people frō Egypt. For this is the angel that guided * 1.22 them, who is called the Lorde: and is called the angel of God. This name of Sauiour is wel expressed, when hee is called Emanuel. And a childe is borne vnto vs, and a sonne is giuen vnto vs, &c. It is also wel expressed in Saint Matthewe the first Chapter, and in Luke the second Chapter. Beholde an excellent and wonderful name, and the which cannot bee comprehended, nor expressed as is wor∣thie. For this cause Saint Paule exalteth him aboue al thinges that * 1.23 may bee named. Wherefore, let vs confesse ourselues brutishe that wee may glorifie God our father: the which wee cannot doe, if we contemne the sonne. For albeit that hee hath so much humbled and abased himselfe, yet God hath not ceassed to giue him al autho∣ritie, al power, al gouernment, and to commit vnto him the saluati∣on of our soules, to the ende that whosoeuer beleeueth in him, should not perish, but be saued by his name. And as we may vnder∣stād in these dictions, and words, God, and Iesus, we must not com∣prehende * 1.24 the name of the father and the sonne, but in the diuine and euerlasting power, in the goodnesse, righteousnesse, trueth and mercy.

5 Euery worde of God is pure: he is a shielde to those, that trust in him.

We neither wil nor can vnderstande what God is towards vs: & for this cause, when he speaketh vnto vs, wee beleeue him not, nor make account of his word, no more or lesse then of tales and fables. And when he offereth himself vnto vs to helpe vs, to defende & to deliuer vs, we do no more trust him then the most miserable man in the world. And albeit that he might iustly reiect vs, cast vs of, con∣demne and destroy vs for our malice & vngratitude, yet taking pitie vpon vs, he yeldeth himself vnto vs & beareth with our rudenes, & dissembleth & wil not know our malice and ingratitude. And for to do this he speaketh vnto vs, not in his almightie and high maiestie, but by similitudes that are familiar: and amongst other, for to teach vs that when he speaketh to vs, we ought greatly to praise his word, and to hold it true and infallible, without any douting, & also that it should be our chiefest delight, he compareth his word vnto siluer that is throughly purified & clensed frō al his drosse, & whose good∣nes & purenes may easily be knowne. And now the wise man doth * 1.25 the like, saying, Euery word, &c. Not that we can find any thing, in this worlde howe precious soeuer it is, that is worthy to haue the word of God to be compared vnto him: for it surmounteth infinitly & beyond reason, al things which are and that may be ymagined to be excellent and precious. Also there is nothing in this worlde how precious soeuer it is, but doth participate with the earth, & needeth * 1.26 to be purged and clensed frō his drosse and superfluities: before hee can be pure and cleane: but the word of God is pure and cleane of it selfe, and neither hath nor can haue any drosse: for it proceedeth not from a fornace and fyning pot, but from the mouth of GOD, which neither can, nor wil bring forth any worke, but shalbe so per∣fect as it ought to be, & wherein nothing may be amended. Wher∣fore when it is said, is pure purged, or tryed as it were in the fire, e∣uen as we purifie and try golde or siluer, it is not to say that at any time it hath beene in tangled or mixed with any filthines or super∣fluities, but only that it is vnfallible, true and faithful, and shoulde in no wise feare to beleeue our God, when he speaketh vnto vs by his scripture, by his seruants, Prophetes, Apostles, Pastours, & Doctors,

but that his worde shoulde be very precious and deere vnto vs, as the worldlings make great account of gold and siluer, of Iewels & precious stones when al those thinges are throughly purged from their superfluities and filthinesse: and so at the least let vs giue so much honour vnto our God, when it pleaseth him to speake vnto vs, and to offer vs his gifts and spiritual graces, his fauour and mer∣cy by his worde, as do the worldlings giue vnto goldsmiths whome they esteeme, to bee no deceiuer: and that we may say with an vn∣fained heart with Dauid. The lawe of the Lorde is perfect, restoring * 1.27 the soule, &c. If wee giue not thus much honour vnto the worde of GOD, albeit that of it selfe it is purified siluer, wee turne the same, so much as in vs lyeth, into brasse, yron, and lead, yea into drosse, and so to our destruction. And as the worldlings reioyce, & take great delight, when they are wel furnished with golde and sil∣uer throughly fined, and with very precious iewels: euen so ought * 1.28 our delight to bee in the worde of God, for to cleaue theretoo by faith and conuersation, so that wee may say, I haue delighted in the way of thy statutes, more then in al riches. In this sorte, as the riche which enioy their pleasures, are esteemed before the world to be happie, euen so shal wee bee happie and blessed before our God when our ioy shalbe in his word. Furthermore, when men are fur∣nished, * 1.29 with riches, they so glorifie and reioice, that they perswade themselues to be out of danger of their enimies, and do promise to themselues that none euil shal come to them. For they thinke they haue wherewith to withstand them and to defende themselues, and are strongly fortified: as Solomon hath pronounced, the riche mans * 1.30 goods are his strong citie. And if they haue such trust in their riches which are vaine and transitorie, by amore strong reason, when the euerlasting, & the liuing God doth giue himself vnto vs, both him∣selfe & al his riches by his worde which indureth for euer, we must wel vnderstand & marke what he saith vnto vs, & to be fully assnred therof, without any doute: for as it is written, He is a shielde to thē that trust in him. Whereunto the wise man agreeth in this present * 1.31 sentence. Wherin we are taught to feare nothing that may hurt vs: for we haue a good shield for to withstand al aduersarie and contra∣ry power, & to ouerthrow & confound thē. And forasmuch as God is our buckler & shield, we are admonished to shew ourselues strōg

and valiant. For as a buckler is not profitable in the hand of a feeble and weake child, of a slouthful, cowardly and faintharted souldiour: euen so except we be strong, diligent, & stoute, it is but in vaine that we shal cal God our shield. And therfore S. Paule doth admonish vs vs, Finally, my brethren be strong, in the Lord, & in the power of his * 1.32 might, &c. Moreouer, when it is expresly said, to those that trust in him, let vs vnderstand that as the vnbeleeuing do despise God, euen so doth he despise & cast them of, and giueth them vnto Sathan. For this cause S. Peter doth admonish vs to withstand him, being strōg * 1.33 in the faith: and in this sorte we shal obtaine victorie.

6 Put nothing vnto his wordes, least he reprooue thee, and thou be founde a lyer.

Moses hauing admonished the people of Israel to heare & to kepe the ordinances and statutes that he taught them to do: for to shew the people what obedience, submission and straight obseruatiō they ought vnto those ordinances: he saith, Ye shal put nothing vnto the * 1.34 word, that I command you, &c. This is that which he sheweth thē, that God for to try our obedience, wil not haue vs to runne by vn∣knowne & crooked wayes, for to runne crosse the fieldes, to deuise what we shal thinke good: but that he wil hold vs as it were boūde and tyed wholy vnto his word, and should know that the same is al our wisedome, and that we must not bee learned for to mingle any thing with the word of God: but should make this conclusion, for∣asmuch as God hath spoken vnto vs, it is not lawful therefore for mortal men to enterlace any thing therein, whatsoeuer: but should be cōtented to haue heard such a maister. But there is nothing worse kept then is this for men thinke alwaies to haue in them some rea∣son, and to be able ynough to gouerne themselues. Nowe this is a great pride, when men wil discerne betwene good and euil, yea after their owne fantasie: & contrarily God wil be esteemed alone wise for vs, and that we shoulde be as poore sheepe, hearing the voice of their shephearde, and that we shoulde forget this ablenesse that the vnbeleuing ymagine to haue: that we should know, Oh, there is nothing in vs but error & foolishnes, there is nothing but vanitie & lying in vs, vntil that God haue taught vs. And as when it is said: Ye shal put nothing thereto, this is for to shewe vs that God only is

wise, and hath authoritie to rule vs, and should learne to holde this simplicitie: to wit, that we should be only wise for to obey what he commandeth vs, that he may haue al preheminence: euen so whē he forbiddeth, to take any thing frō this word, it is not without cause. For if we wil partly and in somethings obey God, and notwithstan∣ding would exempt ourselues from what we thought good, behold such a partaking should neuer bee receiued, as there are many which wil bee content to obey that which shal not bee too grieuous and sore for them: but if there be once a thing that troubleth them, they straight wayes desire to be discharged, & do contemne the same. But whosoeuer keepeth al the law, if he breake but one point, yet is hee * 1.35 giltie of al. Heereunto agreeth the wise man: for hauing commēded the word of God vnto vs, in attributing there too purenes & fayth∣fulnes, dignitie and excellencie, saying that it is purified as golde or siluer is purified: hauing also attributed vnto God, that hee is our force, defender and protector, saying, that he is their shielde that put their trust in him: for to shew vs, that this only purenes & excellen∣lēcie, ought to suffice vs, & that we should ymagine no other truth, nor to labor to faine any other excellent thing besides this worde: and also for to shew vnto vs, that this worde is so excellent and pre∣cious, that it wil not suffer any mixture: and that thereby God cer∣tifieth vs sufficiently of the helpe, defence and protection that hee giueth vnto them which receiue this worde with assurance, he ad∣monisheth vs saying, Put nothing vnto his wordes. Hee saieth not, and take nothing from them: albeit that we must vnderstande, that as we ought to put nothing there too, so must wee not also take any thing from it: but the wise man woulde defende, and chiefly forbid that wherein wise, holy and deuout men in their owne sight doe most reioyce, and challenge merite: as Monkes and Nunnes, which bragge of their workes of supererogation, by the which they per∣swade themselues that they merite and deserue both for themselues and for other, for that, that they doe more (as they thinke) then is commanded them. But this their bragging and boasting is against their owne conscience. For if they haue seruantes or maydes which doe more then they are commaunded, they wil say, that they are seruantes for the Deuill, because they doe more then they are commanded. Wherevppon followeth, that so farre it

is of that by their workes of supererogation (as they cal them) they deserue any thing of God, that rather, they forsake and renounce him for their Lord and maister, and doe auouche the Deuil for their maister, whome they serue as may be iudged by their own mouths. Therefore if the wise man forbiddeth that which is praise worthy before men, which forget their duetie, by a more strong reason let vs vnderstande that hee closely forbiddeth that which is euil without contradiction and gaine saying. For albeit that al men by their natu∣ral corruption doe take from the words of God, in not giuing vnto him perfect obedience, in not trusting onely in him altogither, yet there is no man whose conscience doeth not condemne, that it is ill done to diminishe and take from the wordes of God. The wiseman therfore laboureth to make vs forsake our own wisedom, the which is both a foule folly, and also detestable & abhominable before God, and would not haue vs to mingle it with the worde of God, which is so pure and cleane, so faythful and true. By this foule wisedom and foolish rebellions and ouerweening, we iudge that the word of God is but a smal matter, that it is too simple & plaine, and that it is of no great shew or apparance. And therfore by this wisedome, eyther we despise & refuse the word of God, or for to helpe him, or for to giue it more goodly shew, we bring in our deuotions and fantasies, our traditions and customes, thinking in this sort to haue a more strong staye, then if we did stand to the simple and plaine worde of God, and to be better armed and fenced, then if we were contented that God only should be our buckler and shielde. In which doing we do outragiously misuse our God, who only is most good & most migh∣ty, and treade vnder feete holy things and precious pearles, to wit, his word so excellently purified. And in this manner wee make our¦selues exceeding giltie and reproueable, not before the wise world∣lings, who in this matter doe wel allowe vs, but before God, who knoweth the heartes, and searcheth the raines. And also hee wil not faile nor misse to reprooue those which are so arrogant to put to his worde: for euen when they put and adde too, they doe then take from it, not yelding him the honour, that belongeth vnto him, nei∣ther rendering the obediēce they owe vnto him. For there are none of those braggers but wil omitte many things, and sinne fowly also in diuers things. And those that we shal esteeme the most holy and

most deuout, are commonly the foulest and most stincking, so that we may place them in the number of them which are reprooued & rebuked, in the Psal. 50. ver. 16. And also the wise man placeth thē in the like order, saying, least hee reprooue thee: adding theretoo the cause, & thou be found a lyer. For it is asmuch as if he said, God on∣ly is truth, and his word is only true: wherfore thou must trust vnto it, and not presume to adde vnto his word. For albeit that for a cer∣taine time he dissemble & wincke at it, yet at the last he wil reproue thee, and conuince thee of lying and falshoode. For hee that presu∣meth to adde vnto this pure and vnfallible truth, is alyer: not only because he putteth forth trifles for to obscure and darken the truth, but also that he reproueth God of lying, and so much as in him ly∣eth doth make the trueth nothing worthe, when hee hath mingled therwith, the fantasies and inuentions of his owne head. And thus, he rightly deserueth to be reproued and rebuked, yea with sore and grieuous punishment: wherewith the lyers are threatened. * 1.36

7 Two things haue I requyred of thee: deny me them not, before I dye.

Albeit that he which speaketh heere, hath called himself brutish, confessing what he was of himself, yet we see here that he was very wise and wel learned, when he knew that it was to God, to whome he ought to direct his prayers, in confessing him to be the authour, and also giuer of al good things, and that no where else we can finde nothing that is any thing worth or obtaine it. And knowing this, he sheweth himselfe very discreete, when hee directeth himselfe vnto God, who hath promised to helpe and to succour those which shall require him in truth that he wil heare them, giuing them according vnto their requestes when time requireth it, and as shalbe expedi∣ent. The which promise is enclosed in the couenant that the Lorde made with Abraham And in performing of this promise, hee hath prouided for the generation of Abraham, for to deliuer them from * 1.37 their bondage and afflictions: he sent Ioseph before thē into Egypt, for to feede them in the time of famine. When they groned and la∣mented vnder the tyrannie of Pharao, God remembred this coue∣nant, and prouided for them a deliuerer: And not only then, but also in al their necessities: when they cryed vnto God in sure trust, he suc∣coured

thē at their neede, as we may see in the holy histories, & by the care that he had to sent thē his seruāts the Prophets. The which Dauid doeth wel acknowledge. The wise man then looking & tru∣sting * 1.38 in this couenant, doth direct his request vnto God, saying vn∣to him, Two things haue I required of thee. When he saith, I haue required, and that againe he requireth the same: he sheweth that he was neither cold nor madde, neither light nor vnpatient to looke for the helpe and assistance of God, but that his hearte was feruent and through great and inuincible constancie he perseuered in prayer & patience, looking for his good pleasure, nothing distrusting but that he should obtaine his request: as he doth wel shew, when he is not grieued nor wearied to cōtinew his prayer: the which he could not do, if he distrusted God. And therewith by this continuation hee sheweth that he beleueth and knoweth how God only is the author of al goodnes, and howe we must not seeke for that which is profi∣ble or necessary for vs elsewhere, or of any other: and also this word thee, doeth shew it. For it is asmuch as if hee saide, for to obtaine whatsoeuer I shal need, I should not runne vnto the creatures, how holy and worthy soeuer they be: but as I beleue that thou art Cre∣atour of al things, euen so I beleeue that of thy power, goodnesse, and prouidence, thou onely gouernest thy creatures, giuing vnto them, whatsoeuer thou knowest to bee expedient vnto them: and therefore, it is thou only, who hast the power and the wil to helpe, and to graunt my request, that I haue alreadie required. And as hee doeth expresse, his request tendeth to obtaine twoo thinges: also twoo things chiefly are very necessarie for vs, for this present life: to wit, an holy and pure conuersation, and riches for to sustaine the outwarde man, that wee may be strong for to do our office. It may seeme after a sorte, that Iacob making his vowe vnto God deman∣deth * 1.39 of him these twoo thinges, that is to say holy conuersation, when he saith, If the Lord God wil be with me, & keepe me in the way that I shal walk: & wil giue me bread to eate, & clothes to put on, &c. True it is, he desireth the helpe, defence and protection of God, but vnder the same wee may comprehend holy conuersation, for it followeth the helpe of God. Nowe the wise man knewe very well that these two things are necessatie for vs in this temporal and transitory life: and therefore he requireth, saying,

Deny me not them, before I dye. When after hauing sayde, I haue required, he addeth, Deny me them not. He continueth stil his request, not by distrust or doubte that he hath, howe God will not heare him, but rather for to signifie and confesse that al riches both temporal and spiritual come from God alone, and that if he shoulde deny them vnto vs, there is none that can doe vs any good, neither can obtaine any thing healthful for vs. The holy fathers did wel vn∣derstande this: as they doe declare, when they doe, as it were im∣portunatly complaine of the absence of God, & that they demande, hee woulde arise, and woulde shewe his face, and that hee woulde not hide himselfe, nor be farre from them. He sheweth also, that hee prayeth with an earnest affection, without fayning, and that he fee∣leth trulie and indeede howe he had greate neede that God shoulde assist and helpe him. For also euery man of himselfe, wanteth what∣soeuer is necessarie for him: but there are none but the faithful which feele it truly: and therefore they pray with a true affection of hearte. Forasmuch as it is necessarie for vs in this life, to walke holi∣ly, and to haue victualls and foode: and that after our decease and departure we cannot giue remedie, and amende that which we haue done amisse, and that the dead do nothing participate with the li∣uing: Therfore the wise man requireth that God would graunt vn∣to * 1.40 him that which he requireth, before he die. Wherein wee ought to learne, that wee must not eate our bread with ydlenesse, but to spende our time in good workes, the which wee shoulde labour to obtaine by praiers and requestes: for of ourselues wee can doe no∣thing: It is God that worketh both the wil & the deede, euen of his good pleasure. And because that the dayes of man are short & that * 1.41 he vanisheth away as doeth the grasse, and that there is none that knoweth certainly either the day or the houre of his departing out of this life, we are taught that if we wil do wel before we dye, wee must not deferre nor put of from day to day, but with al care and di∣ligence to giue ourselues vnto goodnes, what age soeuer we haue: and that in working, wee shoulde not chalenge any thing vnto our free wil, or free choice, as if we had power of ourselues to gouerne vs: but we must confesse that it is the grace and mercie of God that guideth vs: as the wise man doeth shewe vs in this request, by the which he asketh twoo things, the which he now declareth, saying,

8 Remoue farre from me vanitie and lyes: giue mee not pouertie, nor riches: feede mee with foode, meete for mine estate.

When he saith that God hath created man vnto his likenesse & ymage, we ought to vnderstande that man at the beginning of his * 1.42 creation was pure and cleane, was wise, vpright, and true: as S. Paul also doeth giue vs the same to vnderstande, hauing admonished vs, to mortifie our earthly members, &c. He woulde haue vs to put on * 1.43 the newe man, which is renewed by the knowledge of God after the ymage of him that hath created him, &c. And for to shewe vs howe we should conserue this ymage in the knowledge of God, he doth admonish vs: Nowe therfore as the elect of God, holy and * 1.44 beloued, put on tender mercy, kindnesse, humblenesse of minde, meekenesse, long suffring, &c. And according heereunto, hee exhor∣teth vs, to cast of, concerning the conuersation in time past, the olde man, which is corrupt through the deceiuable lustes, &c. But men by their pride & ingratitude are turned away from this knowledge, and haue contemned it, as a vaine thing: and in steade that they were made excellent of God, they are concerning themselues as beastes: and in place that God had made them vpright, they haue * 1.45 sought many inuentions, by the which they haue cast of the vp∣rightnesse and excellencie, that consisted in righteousnes, wisedom, holinesse and trueth. And beeing thus spoiled, in steede that they shoulde haue humbled themselues, and bee confounded and asha∣med, they haue thought themselues to be wise: they haue cōmended themselues as if they were saintes, righteous and true: but they are become vaine, foolish, yea madde and lyers: so that it is not without cause why the scripture maketh diuers complaints of it. And in this sort they haue throwne themselues into death, from the which they in no wise of themselues rise againe, neither also wil bee raised: for * 1.46 it is to the same that their corrupt nature doeth wholy tende, and take his delight. Nowe because we desire not death, but do feare it, and woulde gladly shunne it, and cannot of ourselues, therefore it is necessarie for vs to aske of God, that he woulde purifie and clense vs from that which bringeth vs death: that is to say, frō our sinnes

and misdeedes: (the which the wise man comprehendeth vnder va∣nity and lying) and for the which we pray with him: Remoue farre from me, &c. Wherin first of al he sheweth vs, that if we wil truely pray vnto God, we must confesse our sinnes vnto him: as doeth the wise man, requiring that it might please God to remoue farre from him vanitie and lying. And in this maner he confesseth that hee is brutish, and that if God did not take mercy vpon him, he should be nothing but vaine, foolish, and to change the glorie of the incorrup∣tible * 1.47 God, into the similitude of the ymage of a corruptible mā. The which conteineth lying: for being ydolaters, we do falsly vsurpe the name of God, giuing the same vnto ydols. And for this cause also, the wise man hath ioined vanitie and lying together, & maketh but one thing of them both, the which is the first of the twoo thinges that hee putteth into his request. And also it is good reason that we should be careful first of al to serue God, and to yeld vnto him only, the honor and the glory which belongeth vnto him. And the same wel to beginne, we must abhorre ydolatrie: the which is heere sig∣nified by vanitie & lying. And also the Prophets do cal ydols, vani∣tie * 1.48 and lying: though they vse not the like wordes: yet those which they vse, are of like signification. Nowe it is not without cause that vnder vanitie, (which with vs, is ydolatrie) we should comprehend al sinnes: for it doth beget them and bring them forth. In al ages, & amongst al nations we haue seene, and may yet stil see, that the ydo∣laters (euen those which are the deuoutest) do giue themselues vn∣to dishonestie, filthinesse & vncleannesse, vnto oppression and cru∣cltie, euen with an vnbrideled lust and desire. And the Prophets also doe make great complaintes therof, and doe reproche the ydolaters that they haue forsaken God, and that they haue their handes full of blood. If then wee wil beginne earnestly to serue God, wee must beginne first to hate ydolatrie, folowing the doctrine that Iacob gaue to his houshold, and God in the beginning of his lawe. Not∣withstanding we might say that vanitie is the corruption and wic∣kednesse * 1.49 wherein we are borne, and that it is rooted in vs from our conception: the which vanitie, if wee yelde vnto, and obey, bringeth foorth his fruite: to wit, lying, eyther in wordes or deedes, or false∣hoode. The which fruite man bringeth foorth to the dishonour of God, and hurte of his neighbours: to wit, when hee is become an

hypocrite and ydolater: afterwardes vaine swearing, blaspheming, periurie, manifest contemning and scorning of the trueth, and holy Religion: when he is become a false witnesse, slandering, flattering, and a taleteller, and to counterfait & to shadow things to deceiue: and also when he doth not vnto his neighbor as he would be done vnto. And thus, the wise man desireth to be purified from al the in∣ward and outward transgressions that hee shall commit against the lawe of God. And because that euil wordes corrupt good maners, * 1.50 we haue neede not onely that vanitie which is in vs, and falshoode that wee commit, should be remoued far from vs, but also that wee should flye and auoide al euil and naughtie tongues, and all wicked men in their trades, and that we should aske of God to giue vs fel∣lowship of wholesome words and holy conuersation. The seconde thing, he requireth, is, giue mee not pouertie, &c. After that the wise man hath required what is necessarie for the life of the soule, he asketh such things as are necessarie for the body, the which wee may lawfully demande. For albeit that Iesus Christ doeth shewe vs by diuers argumentes and reasons that wee ought not to care for * 1.51 foode nor other corporal necessities of this life, and that hee doeth admonishe vs to seeke first of al the kingdome of God & the righ∣teousnesse thereof: yet neuerthelesse hee doeth not thereby forbid that we shoulde not aske and seeke for our corporal necessaries: o∣therwise he would not teach vs to pray vnto God our father for to giue vs our dayly bread: neither also should any man haue neede to til & plowe the earth, to plant, to sowe, to gather & lay vp in sellers & garners, the fruites that the earth hath brought forth. It is then lawful for vs to aske things at Gods hāds, that are necessarie for our bodies: as we haue seene heeretofore howe Iacob hath demanded them: but yet it must bee done without care, and without distrust: and that we should know that as the earth is the Lords, so doth the same obey him, bringing forth his fruites according as he comman∣deth it: and thus, we can haue no foode, but so much as it pleaseth God to giue vs therof, yea though we labour. For he which labou∣reth, or he that watereth, is nothing: but God that giueth the in∣crease. Wherfore we must knowe that it is not onely laweful for vs * 1.52 to aske and seeke for our bodily necessities, but also it is necessarie, (in humbling ourselues and confessing that all riches come vnto

vs from the bountifulnesse and liberalitie of our heauenly father) we shoulde not be vnthankful, but that without dissimulation wee should giue him thankes therfore. Nowe that wee may rightly aske and seeke for such thinges of him, as are necessarie for vs, wee must not folow the desires of our flesh, the which is vnsatiable, but to cō∣tent ourselues with mediocrite, as the wise man doeth shewe vs, in this present text, the which conteineth three members. The first is, he requireth that God woulde not giue him pouertie. Wherein there seemeth to be an absurditie. For albeit that he confesseth (as it may seeme) that pouertie is giuen of God, yet is it there refused, where it ought to be precious, if it be a gift of God: and also to con∣sider howe God hath alwaies had the poore in great estimation, & hath exalted many of them: and also Iesus Christ saith that to them * 1.53 belongeth the kingdome of heauen: likewise hee calleth them his brethren. Heereunto we answere, that as a childe saith to his father giue me no rods: euen so the wise man calleth pouertie, the gift of * 1.54 God, and requireth that God woulde not giue him pouertie. And this is because he knoweth that pouertie is a rodde, yea a curse that God sendeth in the world for the sinnes thereof. And albeit that we must patiently beare pouertie, when God giueth it, and neuer the more to thinke that God hateth vs, no more then a good and wise father hateth his childe, when he giueth him roddes: as we are well taught it, when God by his woorde so diligently commendeth the poore, as hath beene alledged sometimes. And although that Saint Paule saith, Rom. 8. 35. That neither hunger nor nakednesse shal se∣parate vs from the loue of Christ: and that in pouertie we must nei∣ther be discouraged nor despaire: yet is it lawful to auoide the same, by the meanes that God teacheth vs by his woorde, the which are labour, and prayer. For albeit that labour is ordeined of God, yet shal it not profite any thing, except God himselfe doe blesse it, the * 1.55 which we must obtaine by prayer: as he doth teache vs, when hee sayth, Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble, and I wil deliuer thee. Whereunto the wise man nowe agreeth, when he runneth to God, beseeching him, that he woulde not giue him pouertie. Thus pray∣ing he requireth priuily that God woulde graunt him grace that he might be able to labour, and that he woulde blesse his trauaile, the which otherwise, shoulde be vaine and of no profite. Wee see then

there is no absurditie in the request of the wise: but that it is lawe∣ful for vs to make the like request: as also Iesus Christ doeth teache * 1.56 vs, when he woulde haue vs to aske our dayly bread. The seconde is, hee asketh that God woulde not giue him riches. Wherein it might seeme at the first sight, that hee woulde rebuke riches, and reiect them, as if they were euil and hurtful: but if his intent were such, it shoulde be euil: seing that God hath created riches, and gi∣ueth them to whome he thinketh good for to make them to pros∣per: as he did to Abraham and other Patriarkes, to Dauid and other kings, to Iob and to diuers other: and also the scripture calleth ri∣ches a blessing: as hath beene already alledged diuers times. There∣fore it is not the minde of the wise man to refuse riches, as euill things: for in so doing, hee shoulde do iniurie to God: but the wise man did distrust himsef, and knewe that he was of the same nature, that were many more which had abused, and did abuse the riches of the world in diuers sortes, to the dishonour of God, to their owne hurte, and also the contempt and hurt of their neighbours. For the riche men of the world do often abuse their riches vnto ydolatrie: for the which to maintaine they wil spare nothing: as may be seene in the making of the molten Calfe, and when it is saide that the ymages of the heathen are but siluer and golde (albeeit it is * 1.57 saide for to shewe the vnprofitablenesse and the vanitie of ydolls, and the foolishnesse of ydolaters) and Solomon built an high place for Camos the abhominable ydol of the Moabites, &c. And Iero∣boam made twoo golden calues. And nowe also and at all times wee may see amongest the Papistes, howe the riche doe spate no∣thing for to mainteine their seruice, which they cal diuine. They abuse riches also vnto their owne hurte, when they distrust GOD, and put their trust in their riches. For so doing, they depriue them∣selues of the kingdome of God, as the riche haue done. Final∣ly, they abuse them, to the contempt and hurte of their neighbour. * 1.58 For they care not to helpe them, as the twoo foresaide: but rather do oppresse them. S. Paule hath comprehended these three abuses, from the which he woulde haue the riche (with out forsaking their riches) to turne away. Therefore when the wise man saith,

Giue mee not riches, &c. Hee doeth not condemne them, but hee protes••th that hee hath not set his hearte vppon them: and

prayeth vnto God, as Dauid did, Encline my heart vnto thy testimo∣nies, * 1.59 and not to couetousnesse. For except that God himselfe giue helpe, it is an ordinarie thing to be giuen vnto couetousnesse, euen from the least vnto the most. * 1.60

The thirde is, that hee requireth that God woulde feede him with the breadmeete for his estate. Wherein hee desireth accor∣ding * 1.61 to that which Iesus Christ doeth teache vs to say, Giue vs this day our daily bread. And therewith wee must bee contented, as Saint Paule doeth teache vs. Wherein wee are taught, that euery man shoulde carefully and faithfully imploy himselfe and labour in his vocation: otherwise he shal not bee maintained with the bread meete for his estate: that is to say, of the foode that God hath pre∣pared and appointed for him: but of the bread of other men: and so, he shal exceede. For heere, the state is not taken after the maner of worldlinges, who commit greate abuses for to maintaine their state. The worde that is heere translated, state, commeth of a verbe which signifieth, to ordeine and appoint. And so, when it is saide.

Maintaine mee with the bread meete for my state: it is not to say, according as I thinke to belong vnto mee, because of my highnesse and power, or of worthinesse and excellencie: but as the bread that wee eate iustly, wee cal ours, because God doeth giue it vs, and maketh it ours by his grace: euen so doe wee cal the bread that God ordeineth for vs, the bread of our state, and of the which we may iustly and lawfully eate without doing hurte to other. Now by the discourse of the former wordes, wee may see, howe the wise man hath asked of God holy and cleane conuersation, and wealth wherewithal to liue, which are twoo thinges very necessa∣rie for this present life: as hath beene handled, in the 7. verse. For if our heartes bee purified from vanitie, and our mouthes clensed from lying tales, as the wise man desireth, the rest of the actions and workes of man wil bee pure and cleane. And also that the wise man hath desired holy conuersation, he sheweth, by the reasons follow∣ing, when he saith:

9 Least I be ful, and denye thee, and say, who is the Lord? or least I be poore, and steale, and take the name of my God in vaine.

According as the wise man was the sonne of Adam, hee was of the same vicious and corrupted nature, aswel as other, the which he knewe wel ynough: and therefore distrusting himselfe, he feared least he shoulde fal into the enormities which are dayly committed by the word, whereby the wrath and anger of God is prouoked, and so come to destruction. Nowe hee sawe that the riche men were al∣waies ful, and filled themselues: that is to say, that they enioyed, so much as they coulde, their worldly and carnal delightes and plea∣sures, and wallowed in filthinesse, pollutions, and abhominations, with an vnbrideled lust, in taking their delightes and pleasutes, in sleeping and resting, in gluttonie and drunkennes, in whoredome & committing other shameful actes. For the which things God made his wrath to fal vpon them, sending a flood of waters vppon all the earth: making fire and brimstone to raine from heauen vppon So∣dome: sodainely killing of the riche glutton (Luke the 12.) who boasted of his abundance: and condemning the riche into hell, of whome Luke speaketh in his 16. Chapter. When these men were at their ease, because of the abundance of wealth and riches they had, therefore they made no account of any admonitions, declarations, and threatenings: as may be knowne in that that they amended not their lines, when Noe, the Ambassador of righteousnes, condemned them by building of the Arke: and when the Zodomites dayly affli∣cted, the soule of righteous Lot: also when poore Lazarus ful of sores, lay at the rich mans gate. In this manner they denyed God by deede: & though they had not at al opened their mouthes, yet had they in great contēpt & scorning said at the least in their harts, who is the Lord? Whereunto Iob agreeth, where hee accuseth the riche which say vnto god, depart frō vs, for we wil none of the knowledge * 1.62 of thy wayes: and Esay, Woe to those dreamers, which hide their counsel from the Lord: & say, who seeth vs? &c. Who saith, let him hasten his worke. For this interrogation, Who is the Lorde?

is asmuch as negation: to wit, that there is no Lorde. The which negation agreeth wel with the riche of this worlde, that are coue∣tous: * 1.63 for they are ydolaters. And forasmuch as they are ydolaters, they denye that there is a Lorde, if it bee not by wordes, yet it is with heart and deede, when they place their wealth and felicitie in riches which are of no continuance. And therefore we may vnder∣stande that it is not without cause that Iesus Christ doeth pro∣nounce woe, and that Saint Paule doth depriue them of the king∣dome of heauen. Therfore when man, which is left vnto himself, is * 1.64 so vnreasonable, that for transitorie and vaine riches he wil deny the euerlasting and almightie God, and loose his kingdome, it is not without cause why the wise man requireth of God, giue mee not riches. Hee sawe also that the poore did suffer much in this worlde. For they haue nothing wherwith to sustaine themselues, neither do they finde any that wil helpe their need, as they would gladly finde some. And because they set more store by their panches and bel∣lies, then by the lawe of God, which saith, thou shalt not steale, they forget this lawe, and giue themselues vnto stealing, labou∣ring to perswade themselues it is laweful to take something where they can finde it. I say expresly, labouring, and not beleeuing. For if they beleeued that it were lawful to robbe, they woulde not hide themselues: and also when they shoulde be demanded, they would freely confesse the theeuerie and robberie: but to couer themselues they are faine to bee forsworne, taking the name of God in vaine. The which the wise man feared, should happen vnto him, as he doth declare. And albeit hee addeth not, that it is in vaine, yet it neither ought nor can be vnderstoode otherwise, then to say the truth. For commonly theeues are more ready to sweare falsly, then to speake trueth. And also, forasmuch as God willeth and commandeth that we should sweare by his name, when we haue neede, therefore the wise man woulde not feare to take the name of his God, if it were not in vaine. Besides this, let vs learne twoo things. The first is, That when the wise man feareth to bee poore, least hee shoulde steale, and to be periured: he teacheth poore men to require of God patience and a contented minde, that they may forbeare to steale: & that this is the principall, that they may beware from taking

the name of God in vaine. For as God wil not holde him innocent, that taketh his name in vaine, euen so theeues shal not inherite the * 1.65 kingdome of heauen. And thus the robbers haue not onely men a∣gainst them, but also they fal into the handes of the liuing God, the which is an horrible and feareful thing. The second, that the rich are admonished to open their handes and their bowels vnto their poore brethren: as we haue diuers instructions thereof in the scrip∣ture, * 1.66 as wel in the olde as newe Testament, which haue beene some∣times alledged before: let them be careful to helpe their necessities, to the ende that they giue none occasion that the name of God bee blasphemed, neither that their neighbours should be spoyled & rob∣bed: but so much as they can, let them exercise mercy to the ende that so muche as in them lyeth they may saue both the bodies and soules of the poore. And as the riche ought to behaue them∣selues after this sorte towardes the poore, euen so ought the wise in like case to doe vnto the ignorant.

10 Accuse not a seruant vnto his maister, least he curse thee, when thou hast offended.

Wee say commonly, that wee must not adde to, or encrease his affliction that is already afflicted. And although wee shoulde or ought to vnderstande rhis same naturally, yet are we so euil, that we resist that which wee knowe to be our natural duetie. Because of this malice, God for to bring vs vnto amendmēt, or if we will not be corrected, for to make vs the more giltie and vnexcusable, doeth giue vs commandements, whereby he doth shew vs that we should not afflict the afflicted, but doth forbid it vs with threatnings. But there are no commandements nor threatninges that can hinder or let many to delight to trouble the miserable: as the flatterers, slaun∣derers, * 1.67 and tale carriers who because they may bee the better wel∣come, wil labour by their false tongues, to sting and to make poore seruants and slaues to bee hated of their maisters, who are sharpe enough otherwise, yea but too cruel: and wil tel such tales without knowledge of any faulte: sauing that by a sinister iudgement they

wil count some smal and light thing for a fault, which is not worth the speaking of: or els of set malice they interprete some thing euil which is not so of it selfe, or at the least wise is tollerable: or els, if a man make a fault, it may be ignorantly. The wise man woulde not haue vs like vnto these people, as hee very plainely sheweth vs, saying,

Accuse not a seruant vnto his maister. And this that he saith of the seruant (who was sometimes in a miserable state in respect of the worlde) we must obserue towards al persons which are in the power or in the subiection of an other. For albeit that we haue no such seruants, yet the doctrine ceasseth not, but to appertaine vnto vs: and in obseruing of it, we must adde nothing vnto the worde of God. For it is conteined vnder the cōmandement, Thou shalbeare no false witnesse against thy neighbour: and it teacheth vs to walke in loue, the which couereth a multitude of sinnes, as we haue seen. It is patient, it beareth the infirmities of our neighbors: so far is it of * 1.68 that it giueth affliction vpon affliction, or hath an euil tongue, for to torment him that seemeth to be at peace. Such charitie is cōman∣ded vs, not onely in the new Testament, but also in the olde: euen al∣so towards our enimies: by a more strong reason thē, towards those which nothing labour to hurt vs, we must be pitiful and merciful: * 1.69 or at the least wise, that we procure thē not any trouble, by our ac∣cusations, tales, slanders, or flatterings. For if we behaue ourselues otherwise, we shalbe greatly giltie for the wrong that wee shal doe them, and shal giue them occasion to curse vs, for the fault wee shal commit against them: as the wise man doeth expresse it say∣ing,

Lest he curse thee when thou hast offended, The which is done when the afflicted complaine of them which oppresse them: for in crying out vpon, and complaining of the oppressours, is as much as if * 1.70 they cursed thē. Now God heareth the crie of such afflicted, where∣of it followeth, that hee counteth that which is doone and com∣mitted against the miserable poore, for sinne: of the which number were chiefly the seruants and slaues, the which were han∣deled worse then beastes. For this cause the wise man setteth them foorth, & would haue them to be borne with al, & their imperfe∣ctions and weakenesses to be dissembled, rather then to cause them

to be euil intreated through tales and flatteries. Yet notwithstanding if the miserable (as it is their custome for the greatest number) doe commit wickednesse and vngodlinesse to the dishonour of God, to the slaunder and detriment of their neighbours, we should not then holde our peace, nor feare their cursings, but to accuse them according to the order that Iesus Christe hath appointed▪ Moreouer let vs note, that albeit the wise man doth threaten the accusers of the * 1.71 miserable for their cursing, yet doth he not allowe that we shoulde curse, though also a man were accused wrongfully. Hee knewe wel enough that Ioseph a slaue in Egypt, had not cursed his maisters * 1.72 wife, though she had accused him falsely. Dauid being a poore fugi∣tiue, did not curse those which accused him vnto Saul, but saued * 1.73 himselfe as hee might: and also prayed for them. Hee therfore doth not allowe cursinges, but he reproueth the vnpatiencie of the mise∣rable, which knowe not that it is God which raiseth vp accusers a∣gainst them, for to trie their pacience, and to bring them vnto the knowledge of their faults, that they might come vnto amendment: and knowing that they haue wel deserued to be accused, not onely before men, but also before God, they require pardō of their faults. Therefore if wee bee miserable, and that it pleaseth God, to raise vp against vs such people as doe desire nothing but to staine vs, for to make vs yet more miserable, euen to destroy vs, yet let vs not for al that vse cursings, but let vs followe that which Iesus Christ tea∣cheth vs, concerning loue towards our enimies, and also his exam∣ple * 1.74 therein. For when he was accused, he cursed not, but stoode like a sheepee not opening his mouth before his shearer. Finally, let vs note, that as the seruants are miserable, that haue euil willers, e∣uen so for the greatest number the maisters are too sharpe & hard, too seuere and rigorous, too wicked and cruel: and therefore it is not without cause that the wise man woulde not haue seruants to bee accused to their maisters. And closely heerein hee admonisheth aswel the maisters, as the seruantes to do their dueitie one towards another. The which Saint Paule doeth largely and clearely handle in the Ephesians 6. and Collos. 3. 4. and Titus 2. and Saint Peter 1. Chapter. 2.

11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not blesse their mother.

God at the beginning created man like vnto his image and like∣nesse, that hee shoulde walke in al holinesse: as the Apostle Saint * 1.75 Paule declareth. And since that, for to correct his corruption and his wickednesse, hee hath giuen him commandements: and the better to drawe him, to frame his life after them, hee made him promises: and woulde that wee shoulde order ourselues with al our affection and in true humilitie, with al softnesse and gentlenesse vnder the o∣bedience of his commandementes, and shoulde trust altogether vp∣on his promises. And to the ende that wee shoulde feare to forsake them, hee addeth threatninges against the disobedient and vnbelee∣ning, and condemneth them vnto death. But there are but fewe people that make any great account to maintein this image in them, which obey the commandements, which trust in the promises, and which feare the threatninges and condemnation of death: as wee feele the same but too much in our time: and as hath beene seene in olde time, euen as the holy histories doe declare. And with these proofes we haue also now the wiseman which maketh great com∣plaint therof in this present sentence, and in other following: in the which he accuseth not one man alone, or some familie, but a great number. For he saith not, there are some men: but he saith, There is a generation. By the which word he signifieth a very great num∣ber, and a continual stocke: and is as much as if he saide, that from father to sonne, and from sonne to sonne, the euil continueth, & that the successours doe follow the corruption and the wickednes of their predecessours, in a great number, and in a long time toge∣ther. And as touching this present sentence, we must note, it is not without cause why the wise man maketh such complaint. For nature teacheth vs that we should greatly esteeme our fathers & mothers, and should honour them in obeying them, in helping their necessi∣ties, and in being altogether at their commandement without vex∣ing or troubling them: seeing we condemne those which do the contrary. Although that young children doe not thinke nor take suche heede vnto this natural lawe, as they ought to doe:

yet is it not to say, but that it shoulde bee grauen in their heartes: as wee may see it, when they are come to age, and haue children: For without the Scripture they coulde wel enough aske their chil∣dren the duetie they owe them. And the Heathen likewise, which neuer knewe any thing of the holy scripture, coulde very wel say, That wee cannot yeelde any recompence vnto our fathers and mo∣thers. But in the time of the wise man, and long time before, God, for to helpe nature, and to waken him vp, had giuen his com∣mandements by writing: amongest the which hee commandeth, Honour thy father and thy mother, and to mooue the children to obey them, he addeth a promise, saying, that thy dayes may be long * 1.76 on the lande which the Lorde thy God giueth thee. And albeit that the promise doeth closely import and carry with it a threatning and condemnation against the disobedient: neuerthelesse, to the end that wee shoulde feare and bee more giltie and vnexcusable, if wee failed in the duetie towards our parentes, God expresseth the threa∣tening. Hee woulde haue the parentes to procure the punishmente of their rebellious children, and to bring them before the iudges. Forasmuch as there is such natural light, suche commaundements, such promises and threatenings, and such condemnation, it is not * 1.77 therefore with out cause that the wise man complaineth or wonde∣reth at this, that in al ages there are so many disobedient children vnto their fathers and mothers, not onely ignorantly or carelesly, contemning their cōmandements, but also of set malice resisting thē with wronges and iniuries: as the wise man doeth signifie by the curse that hee repeateth, when he is not satisfied in saying, Curseth his father, but addeth, and doeth not blesse his mother, as it is the manner of the Scripture, to rehearse one very thing vnder diuers wordes. Orels wee may say that the wise man maketh heere an ar∣gument of consequence, from the greater to the lesser: as if he saide forasmuche as there is a generation of children, so corrupted, that they forbeare not to curse their fathers and mothers, which are the heads and lordes of the house, it followeth wel that they make no account to doe any good vnto their mothers, who are inferiours to their fathers. For it is also the custome of wicked children, that though verily they seeme to feare and honour their fathers, least they shold be beaten or driuen out of the doores, or dishinherited:

yet wil they boldly shewe, that they greatly despise their mother, & labour to perswade themselues, that they need not to make any ac∣count of them, because they are women, and haue no power nor authoritie to depriue them of their portion of the goods. Wherein there is great pride and great vnthankefulnesse: for seeing God hath giuen thē this honour to be mothers, the children ought to be sub∣iect vnto them in al humblenesse and obedience. And sith they haue * 1.78 suffered so much paines in bearing them in their wombes, and haue suffered so great sorowes in bringing them foorth, & haue so much care to nurse them and to bring them vp, they shoulde be ready and diligent to doe them good againe. The which the wise man doeth teach them to doe, when he complaineth, they blesse not their mo∣thers. And forasmuch as it happeneth most often that those childrē which haue beene wantonly brought vp, are the soonest ready to curse their fathers, and to greeue and trouble their mothers, the fa∣thers and mothers ought to learne that they are heere taught too nurse and bring vp their children in instruction and doctrine of the Lorde. And when also it is saide, Thou shalt not speake euil of the iudges of thy people, &c. princes are taught to be careful too keepe * 1.79 their subiectes vnder.

12 There is a generation that are pure in their owne con∣ceite, and yet are not washed from their filthy∣nesse.

He complaineth of a vice that hath reigned of long time, and wrought much euil: that is, that in place that we shold be displeased with our filthinesses, wee haue praised & esteemed them, as if we were very pure and cleane, and that there were in vs nothing to be blamed. Cain had the like estimation of himselfe, when he sayde, My punishmēt is greater then I can beare. The people in the time of Noe, the messenger of righteousnes, which had no repentance, haue * 1.80 wel shewed they were cleane in their owne eies: euen so haue those of Sodome done likewise in the time of righteous Lot, which wold not receiue any exhortations: and the Iewes, which woulde not heare the preaching of the Prophets, who rebuked thē in the name * 1.81 of the Lord: as they are often reproched for it: and the Scribes and

Pharisees in the time of our Sauiour Iesus Christe, who bragged of their righteousnesse, and mocked our Lorde, and blasphemed both him and his doctrine.

Now that these people haue fallen into this abhominable vice, & were greatly giltie before God, the scripture doth declare vn∣to vs: First ofal, when God regarded not the offering of Cain. Se∣condly, * 1.82 when it is saide, Nowe the people of Sodome were wicked and greeuous sinners against the Lord. Thirdly, what haue I to doe with the multitude of your sacrifices? Crie out with open throate, * 1.83 spare not: tel my people of their transgression, &c. Fourthly yee are they, which iustifie yourselues before men, but God knoweth your * 1.84 hearts, &c. Because of such hypocrisie, which was vncorrigible, great plagues folowed. The worlde was destroyed by the flood: Sodome and her neighbors were ouerthrowne with fire & brimstone: The Iewes were destroyed by warres, and the remnant caried away cap∣tiue to Babilon. And after the resurrection of our Lorde they were * 1.85 brought into great desolation, as he had foretolde, as wee also see it. And thus it is not without cause that the wise man complaineth thereof. In this he admonisherh vs that we should not brag of our purenes, as did the Pharises: but that we should humble ourselues, with the Publican: and that with Iob wee shoulde confesse there is none that is borne of an vncleane seede, that can bee made cleane. What is man that he should be cleane? and who is he that is borne of woman, that can bee declared righteous? And howe may a man be iustified with God? or ho we can hee be cleane, that is borne of a woman. Forasmuch then as wee can not washe ourselues from our * 1.86 filthines, let vs not therfore be so glorious, as that we should thinke ourselues to be pure and cleane: for if we say we haue no sinne, we deceiue ourselues and the truth is not in vs. But if we confesse our sinnes, he is faythful and iust for to pardon our sinnes, and to clense vs from al iniquitie. Let vs then bee ashamed of our sinnes, but not to confesse them, saying with Esay, Wee are all as filthinesse, and all our righteousnesse is as a polluted clothe, &c: and with Saint Paule, * 1.87 wee are carnal, solde vnder sinne. And in confessing them, let vs praye with Dauid, Haue mercy vppon mee OGOD after thy great goodnesse, and according vnto the multitude of thy mercies, do away mine offences, &c. When we shal do thus in good cōsciēce,

God wil accōplish his promise vnto vs, that he hath made vs, to wit, that hee wil powre cleane water vpon vs, and we shalbe cleane, &c. * 1.88 And albeit that of ourselues we are not cleane, (for sinne dwelleth continually in vs, & haue neede dayly to aske pard on for our sinnes and offences) yet if we truely humble ourselues, as hath byn saide, God wil accept vs for iust and cleane, hauing sprinkeled our consciences with the precious blood of his Sonne. And in this sort we shal not be cleane in our owne eies, and yet wee shalbe washed from our filthinesses, by the grace and mercy of our heauenly fa∣ther, who wil impute vnto vs the righteousnesse of his sonne: whom * 1.89 hee hath appointed to bee our righteousnesse, sanctification and re∣demptiō. We must therfore with al humilitie confesse Iesus Christ to be suche, least we be presumptuous, and puffed vp with our own righteousnesse & holinesse, as Simon: but let vs prostrate ourselues at his feete, as did Marie Magdalen. Thus doing, we shal condemne ourselues, and shal not be condemned, but shal obtaine remission of * 1.90 our sinnes, though they be neuer so many. Contrarily, if we thinke there be any cleannesse in ourselues, God wil blinde vs, and giue vs vp vnto a reprobate sense: as hee hath alreadie done the Iewes and * 1.91 the Papistes. In place then of iustifying ourselues, yea, though wee had done whatsoeuer God commaundeth vs: yet let vs say (as Ie∣sus Christ hath taught vs) We are but vnprofitable seruantes, &c.

13 There is a generation, whose eyes are hautie, and their eyeliddes are lifted vp.

In the former sentence he hath reproued the hypocrites, making a great complaint against them: & now he dealeth with the proude. And albeit that pride ruleth in the deepenesse of the heart, yet spa∣reth he not to iudge therof, marking it by the external and outward signes, which come from the disposition & inclination of the heart. Neither must wee maruell though hee deale with the proude, fra∣ming a complaint and accusation against them: seeing that man of himselfe is nothing: for God made him, and not hee himselfe. And although he be created according to the ymage and lykenesse of his Creatour, neuerthelesse he is made of the dust of the earth: and it is * 1.92 saide, that hee is dust, and shal returne to dust againe.

And as he is nothing of himselfe, euen so also hath hee nothing of himselfe: so that we may wel say vnto the proude, Wherof com∣meth it that earth and dust is proud: and What hast thou, that thou * 1.93 hast not receiued? and if thou hast receiued it, why doest thou boast as though thou haddest not receiued it? For the proud haue alwayes delighted in themselues, and boasted of their wisedome, power, counsel, credite, authoritie, antiquitie, nobilitie, experience, and ri∣ches, as if they had al these thinges in themselues: and haue not confessed that God holdeth al in his hand, and giueth being, to whō soeuer he pleaseth. He teacheth, strengtheneth, exalteth, maketh no∣ble, raiseth vp, and inricheth whom he wil. And as hath beene saide, the proude neither can nor wil in any wise confesse this same: and therefore it is no wonder though the wise man complaineth of thē. And as we haue saide, he noteth their pride by the outward signes, as we may see in other places, as the scripture sheweth, in threatning * 1.94 the proude. And because there is none of sound iudgement, but fea∣reth to be hated of God, and to be beaten downe with his mightie hand, we must humble our eyes, euen by the guiding of the heart: so that we may protest with Dauid, Lorde, I am not high minded: I haue no proude lookes, &c.

14 There is a generation, whose teethe are as swoordes, and their iawes as kniues, to eate vp the afflicted out of the earth, and the poore from among men.

He reprooueth now the crueltie of the great men of the earth, which hath continually raigned: as we may see it in Caine, and in * 1.95 Lamech, and in the mightie Giantes, which filled the earth with cruelties: in Pharao, and in his people: In Saule, who persecuted Dauid: as we may see by the complaintes that are conteined in the holie scriptures. Now I haue expresly saide, that the wise man tou∣cheth the crueltie of the great men of the earth, which are in diuers sortes: for some are great in riches, some are great in credite and authoritie, some in power, and other in multitude of friendes. The which also the wise man sheweth, when he saieth, That their teeth and their iawes do serue them as kniues and swordes, to eate vp the afflicted out of the earth, and the poore from among men:

and herein he sheweth that the Prouerbe is true, which saieth, the great eate the smal. And also cōmonly we see that the great wil not quarrel with their equals, but with them that are feeble and weake, and which haue no blood (as it is said) in their nayles, to be reuen∣ged, (that is to say) which can not scratch and haue none to support them, but rather are vexed on al sides, and knowe not to whome among men they may goe to haue refuge. Wherein there is great crueltie, as the wise man hath noted, when he compareth them vn∣to wilde and cruel beastes, which haue teeth and iawes meete to de∣uour the praye: and when hee compareth them vnto theeues, and murtherers, which vse knyues and swords to kil the passengers, and suche as they beare malice to. And albeit that in exercising their cru∣eltie, they shew themselues bolde and valiant, yet are they villaines and cowardes: as the wise man marketh, when he saieth not, that it is to fight against them which are mightie, wel armed, and of a stout stomake, but for to eate vp them which are of no resistaunce; and are altogether naked and destitute of al force & power, so that they can not defende themselues, from the violences of the vnmer∣ciful and cruel. And thus, it is not without cause that the wise man complaineth thereof. And herein, he exhorteth that if we haue any greatnesse and power, that we should haue pitie and compassi∣on of the afflicted, and such as are poore.

15 The Horseleach hath two daughters, which crye, giue, giue. There be three thinges that wil not be satisfi∣ed: yea foure, that say not, it is enough:

16 The graue, and the barren wombe, the earth that cannot be satisfied with water, and the fire that saieth not, it is enough.

If in these two sentences wee vnderstande nothing but that which is offered at the first sight by the letter, they shal serue vs to no instruction. And if the wise man woulde teache vs none other thing by them, then as the wordes doe sounde, he hath set downe no excellent thing in them, nor that is worthie of admiration. The which we neither ought to thinke nor to say.

And therefore, it is necessarie for vs to vnderstande that the wise man speaketh heere in parables and by comparison: and doth great∣ly touche theeues and robbers, the couetous and vsurers, the spoy∣lers and extortioners, the whoremongers and adulterers, the glut∣tons and drunkards: and al such as suffer themselues to be caried a∣way of their vnbrideled concupiscences. He calleth them first of all horseleaches: the which hath her tongue forked, as it is saide, and with these twoo forkes, which the wise man calleth two daughters, she sucketh mans blood, and wil not leaue the skinne, til she be ful, euē ready to burst. Euen so also these people are not easie to be plea∣sed, but hauing twoo daughters, that is to say, diuers wayes and meanes to hurte, and to oppresse their neighbours, and to vexe themselues, they cease not to desire more and more to folowe their lustes. The which the wise man signifieth, when hee is not conten∣ted to haue saide once, giue, but doeth repeate it, saying,

Giue, giue, Wherein hee sheweth an vnsatiable couetousnesse in such people: and therewith also hee calleth, the pollings, extorti∣ons, exactions, spoylings, whoredomes, delightes, voluptuousnesse and excesse giftes: not so that whatsoeuer they obtaine is giuen them with a free and liberall minde: but forasmuch as although that they exact and constraine, or vse craft and subtiltie to get what they desire, yet doe they not spare to vse this language, giue, giue: and also that which they take, and that which they vse doeth cost them nothing but the taking. Secondly, hee compareth them vnto foure things. And for to doe this, hee vseth repetition: for not to be ful, or not satisfied, and not to say, it is ynough: is al one thing. Hee vseth also Correctiō: for hauing affirmed but of three things, after∣wardes hee affirmeth of foure. And this is for to pricke so much the more the vnsatiable desires of those which haue no care but to serue their flesh.

The first is, the graue, which for the sinne of man, the more bo∣dies either great, meane, or smal that are giuen too it, yet doeth it refuse none, but doeth consume them al, and bring them al to dust, as an executioner of the sentence of God, In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread, till thou returnest to the earth a∣gaine, * 1.96 &c.

The seconde is, The baren wombe: the which though it be so

restrained, and as it were closed vp, that it can conceiue no children, yet doeth it not cease continually to desire seede: as wee may see by Rachel, the wife of Iacob. The thirde is, The earth that cannot bee * 1.97 satisfied with water, and yet is not watered with the raine from a∣boue, neither with fountaines or riuers for to be moistened: or wee shal take the earth that is not satisfied with water, for the same that is so cleft and so dry, that albeeit, it is throughly wette with water, yet it ceaseth not stil to want, and to receiue thereof somuch as commeth and falleth: as wee may see in sandy grounde. The fourth is, the fire, that consumeth whatsoeuer is cast into it, howe strong and hard soeuer it be. When the wise man compareth the carnal & sensual, the dissolute and thriftles, the vnmerciful and cruel, vnto these foresaide things, he blameth not the saide things: for they fol∣lowe nothing but the nature giuen to them of God. But as hath beene saide, he pricketh men which are corrupted and not conten∣ted to folowe the good nature wherein God hath created them at the beginning, but doe vsurpe the nature of those thinges which haue no reason, and doe so abuse them, that that which ought in no wise to be blamed in those creatures, yet is it very detestable & ab∣hominable when men folowe it: as there is none of vs, but doth so iudge of it. To make an Allegorie otherwise, it shoulde bee vnpro∣fitable: as al men of good sense may iudge it. But let vs learne to be modest, temperate and sober, being contented with that which God giueth vs, without abusing the natural kinde of the foresaide crea∣tures: otherwise they shalbee our iudges.

17 The eye that mocketh his father, and despiseth the in∣struction of his mother, let the rauens of the riuer picke it out, and the young Egles eate it.

It is a thing contrarie vnto nature (as hath beene handled heere∣tofore in the 11. ver.) that children should be rebellious and iniuri∣ous to their fathers and mothers: as also it is against the comman∣dement and threatening of God. And so it cannot bee, but that the children being of ful age, and yeeres of discretion, must needs sinne against their consciences, and of set malice, when they doe iniurie & wrong vnto their fathers and mothers: or also when with an enui∣ous

and malicious arrogancie, they mocke at them, and despise to heare their admonitiōs: it is a thing verie wicked, detestable, shame∣ful, and highly monstrous. For this cause the wise man feareth not to praye or desire that suche children might bee forsaken and giuen to be spoyled, as they doe wel deserue. The which desire he expres∣seth, saying,

Let the Rauens of the riuer, &c. Wherein wee haue to note, that the Rauens and Eagles doe flye and folow aftercarion and dead bodies: and because they are often times cast into the riuers, the which doeth often cast them vp againe vpon the shoare, the Rauens and Eagles resort thither for their foode, and chiefly pecke out the eyes, as we may see it by experience: and then as they haue neede, they eate the rest of the dead bodie. And thus the wise man com∣pareth the mocking and contemning children vnto carions, which are cast out vnto the deuouring birdes, and desire to haue them ea∣ten. And herein he desireth nothing of his owne minde, but accor∣ding to the threatning that God maketh against the rebels, which care not to obey his worde. And because we see in the gesture and * 1.98 moouing of the eyes, the mocking and despising that lyeth hid with∣in the heart, for this cause the wise man doeth not speake but of the eye: and thereby he signifieth al the malice of man, yea, wholly a malicious man, who is nothing but a carrion, woorthie to bee cast * 1.99 out, not onely vnto the byrdes of the ayre and beastes of the earth, but to the Deuil also, that is the birde that eateth that, which is sowne by the high wayes side, who is also, the roaring Lyon. Wee might also say, that this is a threatning against wicked children, vn∣thankful and contemners of so great paynes that their fathers and mothers haue taken for them: by the which hee denounceth vnto them, that not onely they shalbe preuented with sodeine death, but also that they shalbe cruelly and shamefully slaine, and cast to bee deuoured by the beastes, which they haue exceeded in crueltie: and shalbe left vnburied. And because he maketh mentiō of the instruc∣tion of the mother, therefore children are exhorted in feare and re∣uerence to receiue and obey the commandements of their mothers: though they be women, and that after the sense of the mockers and scoffers, they ought not to regarde their wordes. Moreouer, when instruction is attributed vnto the mothers, women shal not be ex∣cused

for the weakenesse of their kinde, for hauing learned nothing to teach their children.

18 There be three thinges hid from mee, yea foure, that I knowe not.

19 The way of an Eagle in the ayre, the waye of a Serpent vpon a stone, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man with a mayde.

20 Such is the way also of an adulterous wcman: she eateth and wipeth her mouth, and saieth, I haue not com∣mitted iniquitie.

Albeit that adulterie is a verie horrible and detestable sin before * 1.100 God: as he shewed at the first, when he ordeined mariage, and that he hath not saide, that three or foure, or more, shalbe one flesh, but, man shal forsake father and mother, and shal cleaue vnto his wife, and they two shalbe one fleshe. Secondly, when hee sent the flood vpon those which had taken the daughters of men for their wiues. Thirdly, when he saieth, Thou shalt not commit adulterie. Fourth∣ly, when he commandeth adulterers to be destroyed: yet neuerthe∣lesse, when there haue so many adulteries beene committed of long time, and that are stil daily committed, it is shewed, there is no great account made of suche filthinesse: and that as it were in de∣spight of God, they are delighted in that which hee greatly abhor∣reth. Wherein the men and women that are suche, doe shew them¦selues impudent and shamelesse. And as they haue not God before their eyes, and persuade themselues he seeth them not, euen so wil they not acknowledge their iniquitie: and thinke that they cannot be reprooued. For as they persuade themselues that they doe none iniquitie, euen so they make themselues beleeue that their trade & wayes can not be seene: and therefore dare they present themselues before the worlde without shame, as if they were honestmen, rea∣die, boldly to prooue them lyers, which would blame them, as they are woorthie thereof. The wise man in this present parable, doeth declare vnto vs this impudencie. And is as much as if he saide, Euen as men can not knowe the way of an Eagle in the ayre, &c: neither the signes and tokens of the pollutions of a man with a mayd: and

the secrete inticementes that the man vseth to make the virgin con∣sent vnto him, with whome he burneth in concupiscence, by the which allurements man is defiled, though he hath not once touched the virgin: euen the adulterers eate, that is to say, delight in their whoredomes. And then, as gluttons and drunken seruantes, when in the absence of their maisters, haue spent the time in eating and drinking, if they feele & perceiue their maisters to draw neere, doe wipe their mouthes, to seeme that they haue neither drunke nor eate: euen so the adulterers, after hauing committed whoore∣dome, doe wipe their mouthes: they counterfait and dissemble to be honest men, & they think they are not known, and that they can not be conuinced and ouercome, & their wayes to be as sealed let∣ters. And therefore as if they were pure and cleane, holie and righ∣teous, they boldly say, they haue done none euil: yea, and though * 1.101 they be taken in the deede doing, yet would they haue men to think that suche abhomination were natural thinges, and not to be re∣garded: the which is as much as if they saide, that they are not gil∣tie. But at the last they shal feele, that, that which they eate is bit∣ter. For God wil condemne whoremongers and adulterers.

21 For three thinges the earth is mooued: yea, for foure it can not sustaine it selfe.

22 For a seruant when he reigneth, and a foole when hee is filled with meate,

23 For the hateful woman, when shee is maried, and for a handmayde that is heyre to hermaistresse.

It is amost certaine thing that the earth remoueth neither high∣er nor lower, neither on the right side, nor on the left side, but remai∣neth stedfast in his place, that God hath ordeined for it, except he himselfe doe remooue and shake it. Now that it remaineth sure, the scripture doth witnesse it, And therefore, when it is saide, The * 1.102 earth is mooued, we wil not take it for this earthly Element, but for th•• ••••habitants therof, as it is so taken in diuers places of the scrip∣ture. And also the worde that is translated, moued, in the wise mans

tongue, doeth not signifie the remoouing of one place vnto an o∣ther, but to tremble, to be angrie, and to be stirred vp, and troubled * 1.103 for feare or for wrath. And so as touching the 21. verse, the wise man meaneth, that by the worlde the inhabitantes of the earth are trou∣bled, grieued, sorowful, feareful, and angrie, for the comming of foure thinges: and that also they can not holde, but be in feare, or to be angrie, it is not for vs to teache these thinges: for the trou∣bles and vexations that happen, are but too much knowne, when the vile and abiectes are exalted, when the foolish & wicked are made riche, when riotous women are maistresses in the house, and when maydes become dames. Nowe forasmuche as we desire not to bee troubled with suche thinges, let vs knowe, that the wise man doeth admonishe vs heere, that wee should be careful to looke narrowly and straighly what persons wee ought to preferre and exalt. And as we desire not to be troubled, euen so, when wee are exalted to an higher degree, let vs not trouble any man by our pride, malice, ri∣gour and chorlishnesse: as doe they commonly which are exalted from a lowe and miserable state. In the which number the wise man doeth first of al set the seruant and slaue, saying, that when suche a person commeth to be raised vp to honour, and power, hee is so proude and high minded, so churlishe and sharpe, so vnmerciful and cruel, that none can continue with him. And whatsoeuer is said of the seruant, we must also vnderstande it of euerie vile man, and abiect person, who hath not the feare of God, and is not contented with his state, wherin God hath placed him. In the which order we may set Saul, who was of the lowest trybes and of the least familie * 1.104 of Beniamin. I say expresly of the seruant, who hath not the feare of God: for Ioseph indeede was a seruant in Egypt, but the people were mooued neither with feare, nor with anger, when he was ex∣alted, and ruled the countrie. Dauid was a shepheard in the house of his Father, and when he had obtained the kingdome, he wrought no trouble nor sorowe to the people.

Secondly he placeth A foole when he is filled with meate, that is to say, the wicked foole, that feeleth himselfe riche and at his ease, of set purpose doeth despise his neighbours, and desireth more to hurt them, then to helpe them: as did Pharao King of Egypt: Na∣bal, the Carmelite and others. * 1.105

Thirdly, the hateful woman, who is of so straunge and trouble∣some manners, and of so vnmerciful and cruel conuersation, that she * 1.106 is feared, or rather that men are compelled to hate her, as she de∣serueth. In the which number, wee might also set the wife of Io∣sephs maister: Iezabel, Achabs wife, through whome the lande of Israel was mooued, and prouoked: Then Herodias. Fourthly, hee setteth, A handmayde, who of her selfe is miserable, when shee commeth to succeede her maistresse, when from a vile and low de∣gree shee is raised vp to honour, from riches to pouertie, from la∣bour and payne, to rest and pleasures. Most commonly such hand∣maydes keepe no modestie nor humilitie, but are so arrogant and proude, so churlishe and sharpe, that no man can abide them. To the ende therefore that we stirre not, nor mooue the earth, let vs be careful to behaue ourselues lowlie and gently, though we be ex∣alted and lifted vp.

24 There be foure smal things in the earth, yet they are wise, and ful of wisedome:

25 The Pismyres, a people not strong, yet prepare they their meate in sommer:

26 The Conies, a people not mightie, yet make they their houses in the Rocke:

27 The Grashopper hath no King, yet goe they foorth al by bandes:

28 The Spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in Kings Palaces.

The wise man continueth stil to teach vs by parables, setting foorth vnto vs, foure of the least and smallest beastes of the earth, to be our teachers and guides, that wee should learne instruction of them. And to the ende, that although it ought to shame vs, that we must be taught by such litle beastes, yet that we should not refuse their instruction, hee doeth attribute wisedome vnto them: and least we should despise this wisedome, he sheweth that it is not fayned by them, when he saieth,

Yet are they wise, and ful of wisedome. Whereupon foloweth that it is God, who hath created them in a wise nature, the which they haue not lost, nor yet forsaken, as man hath done, abolishing by his transgression and rebellion, the image and likenesse of God, wherein he was created: And is so spoyled of wisedome, and be∣come so ignorant, dul, and blockish, that the least beastes, must teach him his lesson, and shewe him, howe hee must gouerne himselfe. Nowe albeit we shoulde be ashamed thereof, yet should we thanke God, who by such Doctours, helpeth our rudenesse and weaknesse, and maketh that profitable vnto vs, which at the first sight, offereth it selfe before our eyes, and in our fantasie, to be vile and contemp∣tible, and as a thing of no price nor estimation. And also the wise man doeth cal them, The smal thinges of the earth. Wherein a∣gaine we should haue shame: for we should be wholly occupied to consider spiritual and heauenly thinges, for to be preserued in wise∣dome, to knowe to gouerne ourselues, and to spende the time as we ought, in woorking diligently and couragiously, without dout or feare, and should not suffer our weakenesse to make vs slouthful & negligent, or our highnesse to turne vs away from our office and duetie: and we must looke downe to the earth, and towardes lowe, smal, weake, & contemptible things for to be taught of thē. Where∣in we may know that we haue nothing to bragge ourselues of, nor to challenge any excellencie.

Notwithstanding, we are so pleased with ourselues, that ey∣ther we can not, or we wil not, take heed from esteeming ourselues, if wee feele and perceiue in ourselues any strength and power, any cunning or aptnesse. On the other side, we loue so much the ease, de∣lightes and rest of our fleshe, that we make ourselues beleeue wee are weake, and should marre ourselues if wee should labour: or by distrust and feare, giue ourselues ouer to the gouernment of those whom we esteeme mightie: no man dare come neere vnto the great Lords, least they should displease them, though with them he might employ himselfe to doe what God commaundeth him. It is the custome of those which wil doe nothing, to alledge they are feeble and weake, to be excused and borne with, and that they might eate their bread in idlenesse and without dooing any thing. But the wise man wil receiue no suche excuses, as hee doeth plainly shewe,

when he bringeth foorth the Pismyre, and declareth that it is a peo∣ple, that hath no strength, & that yet they labour in sommer, which is the appointed season to gather and to lay vp victuals in store. And * 1.107 this is that which Solomon sheweth vnto the slouthful. And there∣in he sheweth that we must in the appointed time and season, ap∣plye ourselues after the power and wisedome that God hath giuen vs: and that in so doing there shalbe no season so sharpe, wherein we shal not obteine, whatsoeuer shalbe necessarie for vs. For to pro∣uoke vs the more to take paine, and not to flye backe for our weak∣nesse, & that we should labour to folowe our vocation, and to per∣seuer therein, hee setteth before vs the Conies, which are without strength, & haue no resistance, but flye and sodeinly run away at the barking of the least whelpe that is: and yet notwithstanding are so continually in scraping, that they wil atchiue to pearce euen the ve∣ry harde rocke, for to make themselues lodging and to hide them∣selues therein. The rockes (saith Dauid) are a refuge for the conies. * 1.108 Therefore let not our feeblenesse make vs cowardes: Let euery one of vs occupie himselfe after his capacitie and abilitie, taking the rock, which is Iesus Christe for his refuge. And in this sort we shalbee in great safetie. And to the ende, that wee shoulde not looke for the protection and sauegarde of the great lordes and mightie of the earth: or if wee be destitute of their guiding and gouernement Let vs not be discouraged, as were the Iewes. In the thirde place he * 1.109 setteth before vs, the Grashoppers, saying, they haue no king, yet are they strong, and are guided valiantly, as people expert in the warres: as he expresseth, saying, they go foorth al by bandes: that is to say, they assemble and gather together a great multitude and by heapes: as those which God sent into Egypt. And also the holy scrip∣ture, for to signifie a great power, speaketh so of grashoppers. Though wee bee destitute of temporal protection, yet let vs not * 1.110 leaue of to beare ourselues valiantly, knitting ourselues together by faith, beeing assured, that wee haue the king of kings for our protectour and gouernour, who wil not forsake vs, but will giue vs weapons to resist the infernall and hellishe powers. And therefore, what euill soeuer the worlde or the Deuill doe in∣uent against vs, let vs not bee discouraged, but let vs folowe

Saint Paules admonition, Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stande against the assaultes of the Deuil. And be∣cause * 1.111 the greatnesse and authoritie of men, is often cause that the smal and weake dare not doe that which belongeth to their office, the wise man, fourthly setteth before vs, the Spider, that is verie weake, yet doeth shee not feare to haunt the Pallaces of Kinges, and there to spinne her webbe, crossing and trauersing, & one while ta∣king one side, and an other while an other, for to spread her web, and to make it so long as euer she can. Euen so, let no highnesse of Princes, turne vs away from dooing our duetie, and that we shoulde not largely doe whatsoeuer belongeth vnto our office. Ac∣cording to some mens iudgement, by the Pismire that laboureth willingly, and without constraint, men are rebuked for that they wil not labour but by compulsion: By the conies, they are reproued for their ouermuch boldnesse: By the Grashoppers, which flie keeping their orders, they are rebuked that though they haue kings, princes, and magistrates, yet do they not obey them, but would rule ouer o∣ther. By the Spider in kings pallaces, we haue an example of labour: and signifieth that they that rule the common wealth, ought a∣boue al thinges to be vigilant and careful.

29 There be three things that order wel their going: yea, foure are comely in going.

30 A Lyon which is strong among beasts, and turneth not at the sight of any,

31 A lustie grayhounde, and a goate, and a king, against whome there is no rising vp.

When a man walketh blamelesse in his maners and conuersation, & applyeth diligently himself to do his office, we say he goeth right: and if he doe the contrary, we say he goeth astray, and that hee wal∣keth not in the right pathe: and so wee cal the life of man, a pathe, a step, or a way. After the which manner of speaking the scripture a∣greeth, * 1.112 for to be the more familiar vnto vs: as it is saide, that Enock

walked with God: and Noe was perfect in his time, walking with God: and al fleshe had corrupted his way vpon earth. And because that albeit that God often doeth admonishe vs by his woorde to walke honestly, yet doe wee make no account thereof, and wil not acknowledge what our duetie is. For this cause to rebuke our negli∣gence, or rather our malice, God setteth beastes before vs, declaring vnto vs that they are of a better nature then wee be, and that they know wel how to doe their duetie: as we see in Esai the first Chap∣ter, and second verse, and in diuers places of these Prouerbes: and nowe the wise man setteth before vs three. And when such rebukes are giuen vs, they are not to confounde vs, but to make vs better aduised and more discreete, and also to be ashamed of that, that we must goe to the schoole with the beastes. The first of the three is, The Lyon, which is strong among beastes, not onely in his mem∣bers, but also of courage, and by the same his courage hee walketh fiercely in his way: and there is no beast howe strong or great so∣euer hee be, that may turne him or make him goe out of his way: and so he ordereth verie wel his steppes, and walketh comely. The wise man doeth not set before vs the crueltie of the Lyon: for if we did folowe him therein, we shoulde be like vnto the Deuil: but he * 1.113 would haue vs to folow the courage, the boldnesse and nimblenesse of the Lyon, to the intent that whatsoeuer the Deuil or men can doe against vs, yet shoulde wee alwayes goe boldly forwardes, as God doeth teache vs by his word, and should in no wise be afraid. Herein it is, that we should be like the Lyon, as Solomon doth shew vs. By the seconde, that is, the Greyhounde that is lustie to runne, he doeth admonish vs, that we should not be like vnto the Snaile, * 1.114 that creepeth verie softly, but should be readie & diligent to runne our course: as wee are exhorted in other places of the scriptures, * 1.115 that we may truely say, I haue fought a good fight, I haue finished my course, I haue kept the fayth. And for to doe this wel, we must take heede from folowing of hungrie Dogs. For if we be gorbellies, gluttons and drunkardes, we can not be swift to runne our course, but desire to be at rest: as the Prophet Esai, in the 56. Chapter 10. 11. blameth the rulers of Israel. And therfore Iesus Christ doeth ex∣hort vs saying, Take heede to yourselues, that your heartes bee

not ouercome with surfeiting and drunkennesse, &c. Euen so must * 1.116 we take heede from folowing their enuie, but that rather we should be ioyful for the prosperitie of our neighbours, and sorie for their miserie: let vs not be like vnto Semei: nor like vnto the multitude of people which mocked at the affliction of our Lord: who are cal∣led * 1.117 Dogges. By the third, that is the Goate, which by a natural care and boldnesse that he hath, feeling himself armed with strong horns, doeth walke before the flocke, when they are ledde to pasture, wee are admonished, that for to walke rightly, we must bee an example vnto our neighbours, and to labour to goe before them by honest and holie conuersation, that they may folow vs. This belongeth vn∣to al Christians, and chiefly vnto those which haue any gouernment either spiritual or temporal: but wee must beware that we stincke not as Goates doe, least we be placed at the left hande. The fourth * 1.118 thing, whereby we are here admonished to order our manners and conuersation right, is not a beast, but a man, not vile nor abiect, but one that is in authoritie, and hath power ouer other, and is ru∣led with such wisedome, grauitie and seueritie, that hee is obeyed, without any resistance or rebellion. For although before the world we are not al Kinges, and that it is not lawful for vs to vsurpe to ourselues the Kingly authoritie, yet, forasmuche as we haue al na∣turally royal heartes (for wee woulde be content that al men were subiect vnto vs, and wee subiect to no man) it is therefore good reason that wee shoulde order our steppes as wise, seuere and graue Kinges, that we might so rule and raigne ouer our lustes, and our sinnes, that they shoulde haue no reigne nor rule in vs, as Saint Paule doth admonish vs in diuers places.

And also, if wee be Christians, wee are Kinges. And in this, that wee are Kinges, it is not to reigne worldly. For our king∣dome * 1.119 is not of this worlde, but is spiritual: the which if we wil quietly possesse, we must tame and subdue our lustes. After some we may say, that this parable sheweth, what the Prince ought to bee, to wit, lyke vntoo the Lyon, to the Greyhound and to the Goate: that hee may bee feared of the wicked, and loued and ho∣noured of the good.

For the Lyon vseth no crueltie, except he be prouoked: & holdeth

in his nayles so fast as doeth the catte, and neuer displayeth and vn∣claspeth thē but only in the fight. Euen so should princes neuer ex∣ercise their wrath and displeasure, nor take weapon in hand but vp∣pon necessitie. The Greyhound doeth not persecute his guestes, but onely the wilde beastes: the Goate goeth before the flocke as a keeper: Euen so the Prince ought by good lawes to rule his flocke and to preserue it. If the princes doe thus gouerne themselues, no man wil rise vp or rebel agaynst them. For they haue GOD for their keeper, and defender against rebels and seditious subiects.

32 If thou hast beene foolish in lifting thy selfe vp, and if thou hast thought wickedly, lay thy hand vppon thy mouth.

Of our vicious and corrupted nature, we are all senseles, and doe delight in our malicious foolishnes, and doe thinke wee are something and are readie through pride & arrogancie to exalte our¦selues aboue or against our neighbours, and which worse is, against God. And being thus senseles, we can not so much as think a good thought, but all euil. Therefore when the wise man speaketh con∣ditionally, * 1.120

If thou hast. &c. We may resolue his woordes casually, in saying, forasmuch as thou hast been folish. &c. Whē he so speaketh, he teacheth vs, that although we of ourselues are nothing woorth within, yet ought we to take heede to be defiled in our conuersati∣on. And therefore let vs vnderstand, that he doeth exhort closely to labour to refourme our thoughtes, desires, purposes, counsels, affe∣ctions and lustes. For otherwise we cannot haue a quiet & modest conuersation: the which he signifieth, By laying the hande on the mouth. Mow he maketh mention of the hand, and the mouth, be∣cause by those members we shewe and exercise foolishnes, arrogan∣cie and malice which is within: with the hand we make signes of i∣niquitie, we steale, we vse shameles touching & feeling, & doe vio∣lence, in fighting, killing, & sleying. And for this cause the scripture reprocheth that they haue stretched out their hands vnto theuery & * 1.121 that their hands are ful of blood, & also it doeth exhort vs to keepe thē innocent frō euil. From our mouthes come vain woordes, othes,

false othes, blasphemies, false witnessinges, tales, backbitinges and flatteringes: whereuppon doe folowe great inconueniences, and great offences: and are readie chiefly to misuse our mouthes, and it * 1.122 is verie harde for vs to tame the same, and to cause it to keepe si∣lence, as it ought: as we prooue the same but too often, as also the scripture declareth it. Wherefore we must stande vpon our watch, folowing that which Dauid saieth, I wil take heede to my wayes, * 1.123 that I offende not with my tongue, &c. But forasmuche, as of our¦selues it is an vnpossible thing, therfore we must pray vnto God that it woulde please him to haue care to open and shut our mouthes, as * 1.124 he shal see to be expedient: as the scripture teacheth vs to doe.

33 When one churneth milke, hee bringeth foorth butter: and he that wringeth his nose, causeth blood to come out: so he that forceth wrath, bringeth foorth strife.

Albeit that Saint Paule saieth, Be angrie, but sinne not: yet is it not wel done at any time nor a man to be giuen and accustomed * 1.125 vnto wrath, nor to be sodeinly angrie, as Saint Paule doeth shew it, when he saieth, Let not the Sunne goe downe on your wrath. For also from thence doe proceede debates and strifes. He that forceth wrath: that is to say, which often and sodeinly is angrie, bringeth foorth strife. The wise man compareth such a man and his fruite, vnto two thinges, whereof the one is good, and the other euil: that is to wit, after the nature & kinde of butter, and sheading of blood. But the same maketh not the similitude fautie. For in a comparison it is not required that al the partes should agree and be like in eue∣rie pointe: it sufficeth that there bee some one pointe agreeable to the matter that is handled: otherwise there should bee in the Pro∣phets and Euangelists certaine comparisons verie absurd: the which we must neither thinke nor say. Therefore, albeit that it is profitable to beate and churne the mylke, to bring foorth butter, yet shoulde it be verie wickedly doone of a man, often or sodeinely to be angrie. For as of the beating and churning of the mylke, wee bring foorth butter, euen so, an angrie man stirreth vp and

prouoketh strife. And as by too muche wringing of the nose, wee wipe it not, but wring and make blood to come out, which is euil: euen so also of wrath and striefes doe oftentimes rise murders.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gen. 12. & 13. & 15. & 17. & 18. Gen. 18. 27. & 23. 7 Act. 7. 25 Exo. 4. 10
• * 1.2

  Pro. 27. 2.
• * 1.3

  Iohn. 17. 17.
• * 1.4

  1. Cor. 3. 18 19.
• * 1.5

  Gen. 5. 24, 2. Kin. 2. 11. 2. Cor. 12. 2. Gen. 1. 1 Deut. 30. 11. 12.
• * 1.6

  1. Cor. 2. 14.
• * 1.7

  Esay. 11. 2. Mat. 11. 27.
• * 1.8

  1. Cor. 2. 10. 11. 12.
• * 1.9

  Rom. 5. 4. Collo. 3. 12
• * 1.10

  Amos. 4. 13.
• * 1.11

  Psal. 104. 4. & 125. 7 Iere. 10. 13 & 51. 15
• * 1.12

  Mat. 8. 26
• * 1.13

  Iohn. 1. 16 Ephe. 4. 7 1. Cor. 12. 4
• * 1.14

  Gen. 1. 9 Psal. 33. 7 Iere. 6. 22 Iob. 38. 8. 9 10. 11. Psal. 104. 6 7. 8. 9 Exo. 14. 21 Ios. 3. 15. 16 Eze. 36. 25 Esay. 55. 1 Iohn. 4▪ & 7
• * 1.15

  Mat. 6. 27 & 5. 36.
• * 1.16

  Iob. 38. 4. 5. 6
• * 1.17

  Esay. 40. 12. Psal. 74. 18.
• * 1.18

  Rom. 1. 21.
• * 1.19

  Mat. 11. 27. Iohn. 6. 44. & 17. 1. 5.
• * 1.20

  Iohn. 1. 1. 1. Tim. 6. 16
• * 1.21

  Gen. 1 Psal. 33. 6 Iohn. 1. 3 Collo. 1. 15 16. 17. Heb. a. 1. Gene. 22. 18. Gala. 3. 8. 16.
• * 1.22

  Gene. 49. 10. Heb. 9. 12. Exo. 13. 21. & 14. 15. Esay. 7. 14. & 9. 6.
• * 1.23

  Phil. 2. 9. Iohn. 5. 23.
• * 1.24

  Iohn. 3. 16. Actes. 4. 12.
• * 1.25

  Psal. 12. 7. & 18. 31. & 119. 14.
• * 1.26

  Psal. 119. 21 127. 162. Pro. 3. 13.
• * 1.27

  Psal. 19. 8.
• * 1.28

  Psal. 119. 14
• * 1.29

  Psal. 1. 2.
• * 1.30

  Pro. 10. 15.
• * 1.31

  Psal. 18. 31.
• * 1.32

  Ephe. 6. 10.
• * 1.33

  1. Pet. 5. 9.
• * 1.34

  Deut. 4. 2.
• * 1.35

  Iam. 2. 10.
• * 1.36

  Psal. 5. 7.
• * 1.37

  Gen. 12. 33. & 13. 14. 15 & 17. 7. 8. Gen. 4••. 7. 8. Exo. 2. 23. 24. & 3. 4.
• * 1.38

  Psal. 22. 5. 6. & 34. 5. 6. 7. 8.
• * 1.39

  Gene. 28. 20.
• * 1.40

  Eccle. 9. 6.
• * 1.41

  Phil. 2. 13.
• * 1.42

  Gene. 1. 27.
• * 1.43

  Col. 3. 5. 10. 12
• * 1.44

  Ephe. 4. 22.
• * 1.45

  Eccle. 3. 18. & 7. 30.
• * 1.46

  Psal. 4. 3. & 39. 6. & 62. 10. & 116. 11.
• * 1.47

  Rom. 1. 23.
• * 1.48

  Esay. 41. 44. 29. & 44. 20 Iere. 2. 5. 11. & 10. 3. 14. 15. & 14. 22. & 51. 17. 18 Rom. 1. 24.
• * 1.49

  Gene. 352. Exo. 20. 3. 4.
• * 1.50

  1. Cor. 15. 33
• * 1.51

  Mat. 6. 25.
• * 1.52

  1. Cor. 3. 7.
• * 1.53

  Mat. 5. 3. & 25. 40.
• * 1.54

  Gen. 3. 17. 18 Leui. 26. 14. Deut. 28. 15 Prou. 6. 9.
• * 1.55

  Gene. 2. 15 & 3. 17. Ephe. 4. 28. 2. Thes. 3. 6. Psal. 50. 15.
• * 1.56

  Mat. 6. 11.
• * 1.57

  Exo. 32. 3. Psal. 115. 4. 1. King. 11. 7. & 12. 28.
• * 1.58

  Mat. 19. 23. Luke. 12. 19. & 16. 19. Iames. 2. 6. & 5. 4. 1. Tit. 6. 9. 10 17. 18. 19.
• * 1.59

  Psal. 119. 36
• * 1.60

  Ierem. 6. 13.
• * 1.61

  Mat. 6. 11.
• * 1.62

  Iob. 21. 14. 15 Esa. 29. 15. 16. & 5. 19.
• * 1.63

  Ephe. 5. 5. Col. 3. 5.
• * 1.64

  Luke. 6. 24. 1. Cor. 6. 10.
• * 1.65

  1. Cor. 6. 11
• * 1.66

  Heb. 10. 31.
• * 1.67

  Exo. 22. 21 22. 23. 24
• * 1.68

  Pro. 10. 12 2. Cor. 13. 4.
• * 1.69

  Exo. 23. 4. 5.
• * 1.70

  Deut. 15. 9
• * 1.71

  Mat. 18. 15
• * 1.72

  Gen. 39
• * 1.73

  Psa. 109. 3. 4
• * 1.74

  Mat. 5. 44
• * 1.75

  Collo. 3. 10
• * 1.76

  Exo. 20. 12.
• * 1.77

  Exo. 21. 17. Deut. 21. 12
• * 1.78

  Iob. 4. 4. Eccle. 7. 24
• * 1.79

  Exo. 22. 28.
• * 1.80

  Gen. 4. 13
• * 1.81

  Gen. 19. 7
• * 1.82

  Gen. 4. 5. & 13. 13.
• * 1.83

  Esay. 1. 11. 58. 1.
• * 1.84

  Luke. 16. 15 Mat. 23. 25.
• * 1.85

  Mat. 23. 35. & 24. 15. Luk. 18. 11 13. Iob. 14. 4. & 15. 14. 15. 16 & 25. 4. 5. 9.
• * 1.86

  1. Iohn. 1. 8. 9
• * 1.87

  Esay. 64. 6. Rom. 7. 14. Psal. 51. 3. Psalm. 51. 1.
• * 1.88

  Eze. 36. 25.
• * 1.89

  1. Cor. 1. 30.
• * 1.90

  Luk. 7. 37. 39
• * 1.91

  Luk. 17. 10
• * 1.92

  Gen. 2. 7. & 3, 19.
• * 1.93

  Eccle. 10. 1•• 1. Cor. 4. 7.
• * 1.94

  Psal. 18. 28. Pro. 6. 17 Esai. 2. 11 & 5. 15 Psal. 131. 1.
• * 1.95

  Gen. 4. 8. 23 & 6. 4. Exo. 1. 8 1. Sam. 18 Psal. 14. 4 & 57. 5. Miche. 3. 1.
• * 1.96

  Gene. 3. 19.
• * 1.97

  Gen. 30. 1.
• * 1.98

  Deut. 28. 26 Ier. 16. 4. & 34. 20.
• * 1.99

  Mat. 13. 4. 19. 1. Pet. 5. 8.
• * 1.100

  Gene. 2. 24. Gene. 6. & 7. Exo. 20. 14. Leui. 20. 10. Deut. 22. 22.
• * 1.101

  Htb. 13. 4.
• * 1.102

  Iob. 9. 5. 6. Psa. 18. 8. 1. Chro. 16. 30. Psa. 93. 1.
• * 1.103

  Eccle. 1. 4. 1. Sam. 27. 0. Esai. 11. 4. 9.
• * 1.104

  1. Sam. 9. 21. & 15. 17.
• * 1.105

  1. Sam. 25.
• * 1.106

  Gen. 39. 1. King. 16. 31. & 18. Mat. 14.
• * 1.107

  Pro. 6. 6.
• * 1.108

  Psa. 104. 18 Mat. 16. 18 1. Cor. 10. 4.
• * 1.109

  1. Sam. 8. 5
• * 1.110

  Exo. 10. 12. Iud. 6. 5. & 7. 12.
• * 1.111

  Ephe. 6. 11.
• * 1.112

  Gene. 5. 22. & 6. 9. 12.
• * 1.113

  1. Pet. 5. 8.
• * 1.114

  Pro. 28. 1.
• * 1.115

  Psal. 119. 32 1. Cor 9. 24 Heb. 12. 1. 2. Tim. 4. 7.
• * 1.116

  Luk. 21. 34
• * 1.117

  2. Sam. 16. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Mat. 27. 29. 40. Psal. 22. 17
• * 1.118

  Mat. 25. 33.
• * 1.119

  Rom. 6. 12. Exo. 19. 6. Apo. 1. 6. Iam. 4. 1. 2.
• * 1.120

  Gen. 6. 5. & 8. 21.
• * 1.121

  Esai. 1.
• * 1.122

  Iam. 1. 19. & 3. 2.
• * 1.123

  Psa. 39. 2.
• * 1.124

  Psa. 51. 17. & 141. 3.
• * 1.125

  Ephe. 4. 26. Pro. 15. 18. & 26. 21. & 29.