A godly and learned exposition vppon the Prouerbes of Solomon: written in French by Maister Michael Cope, minister of the woorde of God, at Geneua: and translated into English, by M.O.

13 A foolish woman is troublesome: she is ignorant, and knoweth nothing.

14 But she sitteth at the dore of her house, on a seate in the high places of the citie:

15 To cal them that passe by the way, that go right on their way, saying:

16 Who so is simple, let him come hither: and to him that is destitute of wisedome, she saith also,

17 Stollen waters are sweete, and hid bread is pleasant.

18 But he knoweth not, that the dead are there, and that her guestes are in the depth of hel.

Vnder the name of a foolish woman and ignorant, Solomon de∣scribeth

the folly, aswel of them which mainteine others in foolish∣nesse, as they that commit foolishnesse themselues. He attributeth troublesomnesse and ignorance vnto them, as if he saide, Where the fooles and doltes ought to holde their peace, and to giue eare vnto the wise for to learne of thē, bicause they are ignorāt, they are so presumptuous, that they labor to set forth & shew themselues, in criyng & making noyce, partly, bicause the wise shold not be heard, & that they seeme to be ouercome, partly to astonish the simple & vndiscrete, that they may holde them in their foolishnes and igno∣rance. Suche is the subtiltie of Satan, the maister and guider of such people, which doth puffe them vp with pride in such wise that they waxe bolde to shewe themselues, where they ought in no wise to appeare: they stand vp to speake, where they ought to hold their peace: they stirre vp strife, where ought to bee at quiet, and and to learne with silence. And albeit, as is saide, that they are ig∣norant, and that they deserue to bee contemned, yet will they bee the most apparant and most set by. Solomon doeth signifie it, when he saith,

14 But shee sitteth at the dore, &c. This desire to be seene, and to be honoured, is declared vnto vs by the Lorde, speaking of the Pharisees, which doe all their workes to bee seene of men, &c. They that followe them, as doe the Monkes and Priests with al the schoole doctours, doe sit at the gates of their house, the which they haue placed vpon the high places of the citie: for there is no people in al the world that desireth more to be seene, and more to be estee∣med & praised then they. Now the cause that moueth thē to desire to be so seene, is to draw a great number of people after thē: for the world desireth the things which are glorious, and is drawne by that which greatly appeareth, rather thā by that which is true. That they tend therevnto, Solomon doth signifie it, when he saith that it is,

15 To call, &c. Wee are al passengers and pilgrims in this worlde which seeke another place: at the leastwise we ought to be, and to walke right in our pathes by innocencie and righteousnesse, with contempt of earthly things, which haue a faire shew. Therfore when these holy men, so deuout & religious, desire vs to heare thē, they labour to stay vs on earth, and make vs fixe our desires and affections therevpon: they study to drawe vs out of the right way.

They desire not to haue their audience and hearers wise, & men of vnderstanding, but fooles and vndiscrete, the which cannot perceiue that their wisdome is foolishnesse before God: for they call:

17 Who so is simple, &c. When Solomon speaketh thus, he neither expresseth the thoughts, nor the sayinges of these foolishe maisters: for thinking themselues wise, and desiring to be so coun∣ted, they desire to be hearde of wise men for to make them more wiser: but he expresseth what they doe,, and what thir auditorie is: that is, that by their wordes and manners, they allure vnto folly and ignorance, and make those which giue eare vnto them, beastes, yea, wicked and malicious: for we learne nothing of them, but to giue ourselues vnto wickednesse and malice, and to take our pleasures & lustes. The which Solomon doth signifie by the stollen waters, and hidden bread: for as the wholsome doctrine of the law and the Go∣spel, which is plainely called water and bread, recreateth and refre∣sheth the mindes of the faithfull, and worketh goodnesse in them, and maketh them wholy to delight therein: & being thus disposed, are boulde to present themselues before, and desire not to go backe from the presence of God, neither feare to appeare before him: euen so the doctrines and traditions of men which are not simply called water and bread: but stolne waters, and bread that is secretely takē, do delight the carnal and infidels, and doe not teach them the pure trueth, and true righteousnesse and innocencie, but al kinde of fol∣lies and dreames, doe make them to be giuen vnto diuerse wicked∣nesses, and doe alwaies hold them in doubt, and being thus disposed dare not approch vnto God, but so much as in them lieth, do run & hide themselues from him as theeues. And this is the cause why the doctrines and traditions of men, and that which followeth of them are called stolne waters, and bread secretely taken.

18 But he knoweth not, &c. Whosoeuer drinketh of the wa∣ters of folly, & eateth of her bread, is greatly deceiued when he de∣lighteth therein. Solomon doth wel signifie it, when he saith, But he knoweth not, &c. It is a great deceit for a man to take delight in his destruction and perdition, and not to know it: and not onely an a∣buse, but also most perilous daunger, wherein there is no remedy, no more then if a blinde man not regarding a good guide, ceasseth not to runne hither and thither, vntill hee bee fallen

downe into a bottomlesse pit. Heere wee see that ignorance is very dangerous, and that it excuseth not the ignorant. True it is that if the ignorant will returne vnto goodnesse by true repentance, their ignorances nor yet wickednesses shall not bee imputed vnto them. Our Lorde doeth shew it, when he prayeth for his murde∣rers: and Saint Paule saying, Therefore I thanke him, which hath made me strong, that is, Iesus Christe our Lord: for he counted me faithful, and put me in his seruice: When before I was a blasphemer and a persecuter, and an oppressor: but I was receiued to mercy: for I did it ignorantly through vnbeliefe.

Notes

• Mat. 23. 5
• Heb. 13. 14. Col. 12. 20
• Mat. 15. 14
• Luke. 23. 24 1. Tim. 1. 12. 13.