that is angrie with vs but are rather tokens of his fatherly loue correcting vs. Vers 13. Blessed is the man i. hee hath abundance of blessings as Psalm 119.1 vnderstanding by one many also that findeth i. through earnest labour and studie obtaineth wisedome i. true and heauenlie wisedome and the man i. men as before in this verse to wit are blessed that getteth vz. from the Lord and through his blessing by the meanes mentioned chapt 2.1 2 3 4. verses vnderstanding i. sound and sincere knowledge of his will reuealed in his word Ver. 14. For the marchandise thereof i. both the paines taken for obtaining of it as the marchants are wont to trauaile sore for their goods and the thing it self being once obtained is better i. both more profitable and more of value and therefore the better to bee esteemed than the marchandise of siluer i. than the gaine or increase that ariseth of siluer though a man might multiplie it vnto mountaines and the gaine thereof i. the increase that commeth by it is better see before in this verse than gold yea than most fine gold see Psalm 19.10 The reason is plaine because these things are temporall but the fruites which she yeeldeth are eternall and this verse comprehendeth a reason why wisedome should bee imbraced Vers 15. It vz. wisedome and vnderstanding is more precious vz. in it selfe and ought so to be esteemed of them that bee truely touched than pearles i. than all sortes of precious stones see Psalme 119.14 72. Vers 16. Length of daies vz. of a mans life q.d. long life see verse 2. of this Chapter is in her right hand i. in her power to giue to all those that apprehend and take hold of her and in her left hand i. on the other side of her are riches and glorie i. abundance of other worldly blessings whatsoeuer I take it that wisedome is set out here as some honorable woman or great personage that with both handes giueth good things to such as followe her q.d. she hath all good thinges in her and doth with both handes i. plentifullie bestowe the fame vnderstanding also by these outward blessings inwarde and spirituall no doubt els were the other outwarde of no great value to account of Vers 17. Her waies i. the courses and orders that she taketh and prescribeth are waies of pleasure i. are pleasant waies so that a godlie man shall take great pleasure to be conuersant in the same and all her pathes by pathes he vnderstandeth the same that he did by peace before prosperitie or as it is in the Hebrue peace that is abounding with all manner of prosperitie see verse 2. of this Chapter It is worth the noting that he saith the waies of wisedome are not only pleasant but prosperous and safe for there are many waies which are pleasant but yet dangerous and on the other side there are many safe but yet without pleasure but in the waies of wisedome we shall finde both these commodities Vers 18. She i. wisedome is a tree of life i. a tree that giueth life and quickneth or as one interpreteth it a most assured signe of eternall life whatsoeuer it is he alludeth no doubt to the tree mentioned Genes 2.9 also Genes 3.22 to them i. to all them that lay hold on her vz. surely neuer letting their hold slippe for so much I suppose the Hebrue worde may well import and blessed is he vz. of what state or condition so euer he be see verse 13. of this Chapter that retaineth her vz. fast and sure with him hauing an earnest care and indeuour neuer to let her go Ver. 19. The Lord vz. himselfe by wisedome i. by his eternall word see Chapter 8.30 hath laied the foundation of the earth i. hath founded it so firmely that it shall not bee moued see Psalme 102.25 also Psalme 104.5 and hath stablished the heauens through vnderstanding i. by his eternall wisedome he hath established them and all the powers thereof in that comelines and beautie that we now see Vers 20. By his knowledge the depths are broken vp by depths he vnderstandeth fountaines and flouds breaking out and as it were flowing from the nethermost partes of the earth euen as though the earth did cleaue it selfe in sunder to giue them passage and the clowdes vz. of the ayre droppe downe the deaw vz. from heauen and here he speketh of deaw because it is very profitable for the increase of trées herbs plants c. Giuing vs to vnderstand hereby that all things are directed and kept in their courses by the eternall wisedome knowledge and prouidence of almightie God Vers 21. My sonne see Chapter 1.8 let not these things i. neither wisedome nor knowledge it selfe nor the reasons which I haue vsed to mooue thée to obey it depart from thine eyes i. be neuer forgotten of thée because we best remember those things that are in our sight but obserue i. diligently marke wisedome and counsell i. that wisedome and counsell which alone is true and holie that thou maiest bee acquainted with it and be partaker of the fruites of it Verse 22. So i. by that meanes and after that sort receiued they i. the wisedome and word of God shall bee life vnto thy soule i. shall quicken thee in the inner man and shall bee as it were the seedes and nourishments of eternall life in thee and grace i. comelines and an ornament vnto thy necke i. to thy whole man or to thée thy selfe a part put for the whole see also Chapter 1. verse 9. Vers 23. Then vz. when thou shalt bee thus instructed shalt thou walke safely by thy way i. thou shalt prosperouslie performe whatsoeuer thou hast to doo and thy foote shall not stumble vz. so that thou shouldest be grieuouslie hurt thereby q.d. all things which thou attemptest shall haue good successe and thou shalt liue peaceable and plentifullie Vers 24. If thou sleepest vz. in any place either in thy'ded or els where thou shalt not be afraide vz. of any hurt or euill that may decide thee because thou staiest thy selfe vpon his power and prouidence that neither slumbereth nor sleepeth and when thou sleepest vz. in any place as before thy sleepe i. the sleepe that thou shalt take and shall be giuen thee from God shall be sweete i. comfortable and profitable vnto thée Vers 25. Thou shalt not feare i. thou shalt not bee astonished or ouercome with feare for any sodaine feare i. for any thing that comming sodainlie vpon men doth commonly make them afraied and as it were take away their wittes and spirites from them neither for the destruction of the wicked i. that great destruction that shall come vpon the wicked for then the Lord will either miraculouslie deliuer thee or els howsoeuer thy bodie fall with the wicked yet thy soule yea and thy bodie also at the last shall bee receiued into euerlasting ioy when it commeth vz. fearcelie and sodainlie vpon thée see Chapter 1.27 Vers 26.
vs to goe to God in our iust causes before wee goe to the Magistrate and afterwards to goe to him for iustice and then no doubt wee shall speede better Verse 27. Teacheth vs that the wicked cannot abide the godly and that the godly on the other side should loath them in their wickednes CHAP. 30. Co. THis Chapter cannot well bee connexed to the former otherwise than thus that the holie Ghost proceedeth in deliuering other holie and wholesome instructions concerning faith and manners but yet by the ministerie and mean of another than Salomon as may appeare by the title and inscription of this Chapter Di. I Would diuide this Chapter into foure parts In the first he sheweth how Di. 1 blind we are in the comprehension of GOD and his matters how pure and perfect Gods word is and putteth downe a praier desiring to bee deliuered from vanitie lying pouertie abundance of wealth pride despaire from verse 1. to the end of the 9. In the second he dealeth against vniust accusers Di. 2 disobedient children hypocrites proud persons cruell and outragious men couetous men and contemners of parents and this reacheth from verse 10. to the end of the 17. In the third he intreateth of things beyond Di. 3 his reach of the trade or order of an adulteresse and of certaine things that breed great disorder and confusion in the earth also of some creatures which in their kinde doo instruct men and this reacheth from verse 18. to Di. 4 the end of the 28. In the fourth he speaketh of the lyon of a grayhound of a goate and of the maiestie of a King teaching men to beware of pride and wrath from verse 29. to the end of the Chapter Se. I Would make but one verse of the title of this Chapter the first verse it self reade them both together thus Vers 1. The words of Agur vz. which hée spake are these that followe Some would haue this Agur to bée Salomon but I see no likelihood of it and me thinketh the petition which is made verse 7. of this Chap. should plainlie proue it because Salomon was a King and had great store of riches and a promise giuen vnto him thereof see 1. Kings 3.13 I rather thinke some other good man whose name is not expressed saue here was the writer and that these were ioyned to Salomons Prouerbes both for the likenes of the argument and the breuitie or shortnes of the sentences the sonne of laketh He expresseth also his fathers name of which name we reade in no place of the scripture but in this onely the holie Ghost teacheth vs thereby not curiouslie to search into these things seeing it hath not pleased him to reueale more concerning them The prophecie i. the good and holie speach for prophecie is taken here for a speach concerning good and holie matters which the man vz. Agur himselfe spake vz. plainlie and pithilie also as followeth to Ithiel euen to Ithiel and Vcal i. to these these men who were as it is well noted either his schollers or his friends who also he did instruct in good and necessarie matters I knowe some both reade it otherwise and from the interpretation of the names giue another fense applying it to Christ the Messiah but with the good leaue of so good men I hope I may vpon some good reason dissent from them in it for though the sense may be good and the doctrine gathered vpon it yet I would not so allegorise vpon the scripture specially when we haue other plaine places euen in the olde Testament that are plaine prophecies indéede of our Sauiour Christ and therefore I take Ithiel and Vcal to be mens names for whose causes he propounded these poynts following Vers 2. Surely J am more foolish than any man It may be and I doo not much dissent from some of the Rabbins in this that Ithiel and Vcal demanded his iudgement concerning hard matters and that he beginning to speake of them setteth out his owne vnméetnes q.d. you thinke thus and thus of me but I surely may rather say vnto you why aske you these things of me that am so vnskilfull my selfe as no man more and so he extenuateth or debaseth his iudgement beginning euen in his speach to them with that and haue not the vnderstanding of a man in me i. haue not so much vnderstanding in me as a meane man for he vseth the word Adam here which in the Hebrue tongue signifieth for the most part one of the common sort of people as the word Isph doth a noble and excellent personage Vers 3. For I haue not learned wisedome a reason of his debasing of himselfe q.d. so farre of is it that I can well speake of these things that I haue not yet attained wisedom or knowledge nor attained to the knowledge of holie things vz. such as God and his word are of which he speaketh in the next verses some reade of the saincts meaning thereby Angels and such faithfull ones as are alreadie gathered to God in heauen but the other is more plaine q.d. I am not instructed with the knowledge of diuine things that I should bee able to declare such hard poynts as these are Vers 4. Who vz. amongst men hath ascended vp to heauen vz. that he should fetch from thence the knowledge of God descende vz. from thence that he might tell vs what things he hath seene and learned there see Deutero 30.12 c. It is true that Paule and others haue béen rapt vp thether but yet not of themselues but by God and withall they haue seene things that it was not lawfull for man to speake see 2. Cor. 12.2 3 4. who hath gathered the winde in his fist i. who doth hold the wind in his hand that it bloweth not and letteth it lose when he will to blowe This onely can God aboue doo and not any man see Isaiah 40.12 who hath bound the waters in a garment i. as it were in a garment q.d. is it not God onely that kéepeth the waters in the clowdes as it were in a garment and afterward when he seeth it good dissolueth them into raine that falleth vppon the earth see Psalme 104.3 Some vnderstand by the waters here the waters which are aboue the firmament and are vpholden by the wonderfull power and prouidence of almightie God of which you may reade Genesis 1.6 7. and in other places but I thinke it better to vnderstand them of the waters in the ayre and firmament which is often in scripture called heauen who hath established all the ends of the world q.d. by whose meanes is it that the earth and all the wastes thereof remaine so firme and stable as they are is it not by the onely power of the almightie what is his name q.d. canst thou name a man that can performe these things and what is his sonnes name he speaketh this according to the custome of the Iewes who vsed to make men knowne by
commendeth her for her antiquitie great power c. Vers 22. The Lord vz. the eternall God hath possessed me vz. his eternall sonne and wisedome in the beginning of his way i. before he began to make or create any thing He commendeth this wisedome of the nature of it because he is one eternall God with the Father and the holie Ghost q.d. I was with God euen then when by the creation of al things he manifested plaine testimonies of his Maiestie See Iohn 1.1 2 c. Coloss 1.16 I was vz. eternall and God with him for nothing is eternall but God only before his workes i. before al or any work that euer he made of old i. which he made of old or long time agoe see Psal 93.2 Vers 23. I was set vp or after some annointed meaning that by Gods eternall decrée he was placed in his office of Kingdome Priesthood and Prophecie for such a metaphore he vseth in this place from euerlasting i. from before all beginnings whatsoeuer from the beginning vz. of the world neither doth the word from note that then he began as 1. Ioh. 1.1 and before the earth vz was created all this tendeth to set out the perpetuitie and eternitie of this great wisedome Vers 24. When there were no depthes vz. either of water or earth was I begotten vz. of the father when there were no fountaines vz. made nor yet abounding with water i. hauing plentie of water within them q.d. before all these and whatsoeuer things els was I who was the eternall sonne of the eternall father begotten of him before any thing that is or was as may appeare by the verses following Ver. 25. Before the mountaines were setled and before the hilles vz. were created was J begotten vz. of the eternall father q.d. I was God eternall before the earth mentioned generally verse 23. or any part therof spoken in this verse was Vers 26. He had not yet vz. when I was made the earth vz. no nor begun to make it nor the open places vz. of the world meaning hereby the champion and plaine countries nor the height of the dust in the world he vnderstandeth by height the excellent creatures and by dust though all were made of the earth the more base creatures q.d. when neither the one sort nor the other were created I was Vers 27. When he i. God the Father prepared i. created and framed as we see the heauens i. that same great frame which is ouer our heads passing as it were from the earth to it I was there vz. together with him and was a creator in that most excellent workmanship see Iohn 1.3 when he set the compasse i. the earth which he calleth by this name because it seemeth to be round vpon the deepe i. vpon the waters see Psalme 24.2 Vers 28. When he established i. appoynted and set by the word of his power the cloudes aboue vz. in the firmament that they might be kept there as it were in tunnes and bottles till he would haue them to powre downe their deaw or raine when he confirmed vz. to keepe within the boundes and compasses which he had set them the fountaines of the deepe vz. belowe in the earth which fountaines yeeld forth water and make them to growe as it were into bottomles pits q.d. before the waterie cloudes aboue and the waters vnder the earth were created I was with that same eternall God Vers 29. When he gaue his decrees to the sea vz. touching the bounds and listes of the same how farre it should goe and how farre it should not goe that the waters vz. of the sea and of the flouds should not passe his commandement i. goe beyond the bounds which by his word and commandement he had set them when he appoynted the foundations of the earth i. when he founded and laied it that it should remaine vnmoueable Vers 30. Then was I with him vz. working together with him in that great worke of his creation as a nourisher i. as a maintainer and vpholder of that his excellent workmanship of creation and I was daylie i. alwaies his delight i. one whom the father tooke continuall pleasure in as Math. 3.17 and Math. 17.5 reioycing alwaies before him i. being continually in his sight euen as his deare and tenderly beloued sonne Vers 31. And tooke my solace in the compasse of his earth i. not only reioyced at the excellent workmanship but also blessed all things created in the earth and my delight is with the children of men i. as I powred vpon all creatures abundance of my sweete blessings so chiefly vppon man induing him with all bodilie and spirituall graces and amongst men specially those which are my Church Vers 32. Therefore q.d. seeing my commendations and graces which I giue be so great now vz. while you haue time and grace is offered you hearken vz. diligently and attentiuely O children see Chapter 7.24 vnto me vz. Gods heauenly wisedome who calleth you to goodnes for blessed are they i. abundance of blessings shall light vpon them and he speaketh it in the present tense as though they had the things in possession alreadie that keepe vz. vnfeignedly and with a good heart my waies i. the waies that I prescribe them vnderstanding by waies his ordinances and commandements Vers 33. Heare instruction vz. from me or the instruction which I giue you and be ye wise i. learne to be wisely ordered and gouerned thereby and refuse it not vz. least it turne to your owne hurt and destruction blessed is the man see verse 32. of this Chapter Also Psalm 1.1 that heareth me vz. speaking vnto him vnderstanding by hearing obedience also of the things propounded as Ioh. 10.27 watching daylie i. continually at my gates i. at the dores of my house He meaneth such as both continually though with great labour and paine and also vnfeignedly euen with their whole hart and soule seeke him It may be a metaphore taken from clients who will not depart from their Aduocates or counsellors dores till they haue talked with them Or it may be taken from painfull schollers who watch the schoole dores so that they be first in vpon the opening of them and last out vpon the shutting of them and giuing attendance vz. diligently least I escape at the postes of my dores vz. where I should come out Vers 34. For he vz. whosoeuer he bée that findeth me vz. seeking carefully and painfully for me findeth life i. me that am life as Iohn 11.25 Also Iohn 14.6 Meaning it also both of temporall and eternall life and shall obtaine fauour of the Lord i. great and excéeding grace from him Vers 35. But now he amplifieth by the contrarie he vz. whosoeuer he bee that sinneth against me i. that doth not reuerently esteeme me nor applie himselfe diligently to obtaine me for wee can not neglect Christ but with great offence hurteth his owne soule i. destroyeth himselfe both here and in the life to come and
34. Tend all to the dispraise of idlenes and sloth shewing what effects it bringeth foorth as first vnfruitfulnes and barrennes of ground Verse 31. Secondarilie speedie and vnauoidable beggerie Vers 34 32. Teacheth vs further this doctrine euen by the hurt of others to learne to make our owne good and profite as when we see any giuen to any vice to learne in the beginning of it in them to shunne it in ourselues CHAP. 25. Co. THis Chapter dependeth vpon the other thus that the holie Ghost proceedeth still in deliuering vnto vs more of Salomons prouerbes and sentences which may appeare by the word also vers 1. q.d. not onely these that you haue heard alreadie were Salomons but these that followe vnto the end of the booke Di. THis Chapter may bee diuided into three parts In the first he speaketh Di. 1 generally of Kings and Magistrates also he dealeth against proud boasters and vaineglorious persons and against contentious men and willeth men not to discouer secrets from verse 1. to the end of the 10. In the second Di. 2 he speaketh of seasonablenes of speach of good reproofes of faithfull messengers of false boasting of gentle words of moderate vse of pleasure and dealeth against ouer much boldnes against false witnesses vnfaithfull men and oppressors from verse 11. to the end of the 20. In the third he teacheth Di. 3 men to ouercome euill with weldoing to beware of receiuing reports and sheweth the discommodities of a brauling woman he speaketh of good tidings of the state of the godlie vnder tyrants of seeking mens owne glorie and praise and of not bridling the appetite from verse 21. to the end of the Chapter Se. Vers 1. THese vz. following as well as those that goe before are also parables of Salomon i. such as he himselfe spake and writ and seeme to be contained amongst those thrée thousand mentioned 1. King 4.32 Concerning the word parables see chap. 1.1 which the men of Hezekiah i. the seruants of King Hezekiah king of Iudah of him you may reade and of his acts 2. King chap. 18 19 20. copied out vz. of sundrie writings or bookes and made as it were but one bodie or matter of them Vers 2. The glorie of God is to conceale a thing secret i. because Gods iudgements are vnsearchable and his waies past finding out as Rom. 11.33 his glorie is so much the more great and excellent but the Kings honor is i. it is a very honorable and glorious matter for him to search out vz. very diligently and when hee hath found it to manifest the same vnto others a thing i. euery thing or matter that he may set out q.d. on the other side nothing is so honorable for a king as to looke throughly into all matters and to knowe euery thing and to make manifest euery thing that appertaineth to kingly dignitie and may get credite thereto Vers 3. The heauens in height vz. doo excéede mans knowledge and skill and the earth in deepenes vz. goeth beyond al the reach of his vnderstanding and reason and the Kings heart i. the imaginations deuises and actions that he thinketh vpon and performeth Here he putteth the heart for them all because it is the fountaine from whence they procéed can no man vz. how wise or cunning so euer he bee search out vz. by any meanes q.d. as the height of the heauens and the depth of the earth cannot certainlie bee comprehended of man so can no man search the affections of a King no not of any other as to haue a certaine knowledge thereof see 1. Cor. 2.11 Vers 4. Take i. let a man take the drosse from the siluer vz. after it is fined and there shall proceede vz. from the siluer so fined a vessell i. a good and a profitable vessell for the finer either for his vse or sake that fineth it Vers 5. Take away the wicked i. let the vngodlie bee remoued from the King i. from the Magistrates presence house court or kingdome and his throne i. his whole kingdome shall by that meanes be established vz. very certainlie and surely in righteousnes i. in vpright and iust dealing see Chap. 20.8 I would ioyne these two verses together and reade them as a similitude q.d. as when the drosse is remoued from the siluer there remaineth nothing but good and pure matter for the finer to frame a good vessell so the way to haue his kingdome established in peace and prosperitie is to take away the wicked for he resembleth the wicked to drosse the King to the finer and his kingdome to fined siluer or a vessel made thereof Ver. 6. Boast not thy selfe i. make no glorious shewe of the things thou hast either in wordes countenance apparell c. before the King i. in his presence court or kingdome and stand not vz. either ouer long or els gloriouslie in the place of great men i. either in their palaces or in such places as doo properly appertaine to them q.d. be content with thine owne place and calling He meaneth to drawe men from ambition and to teach them not to affect places or callings that are too high for them Vers 7. For it is better vz. by much or many degrees that it be said vnto thee vz. openly and before others that by them that are the rulers and gouernours of the house come vp hether vz. higher and so shouldest be exalted than thou to bee put lower vz. for lifting vp thy selfe too high and that to thy great shame in the presence of the prince i. before some great or noble personage whom thine eyes hath seene i. to whom thou hast drawne nigh that thou mightest very familiarly looke vpon him as it were see Luke 14.7 8 9 10. Vers 8. Goe not foorth vz. at any time out of thine owne house land or limites hastelie i. rashly vnaduisedly or without cause to strife vz. against thy neighbour or any man least vz. thou be thereby brought to such extremitie that thou knowe not what to doo vz. against thine aduersarie or in thine owne defence and this hée speaketh not onely because rashnes maketh men rush into vnlawfull thinges but depriueth them as it were for a time of all their senses in the end of thereof i. at the end of that strife and contention when thy neighbour i. he that dealeth against thee or against whom thou hast dealt hath put thee vz. by the sober and wise handling of his matters and thorowe thine owne rashnes and hastines to shame vz. before men Vers 9. Debate q.d. conferre rather quietlie betweene thee and him thy matter i. the cause that thou hast with thy neighbour i. with him whome thou hast to deale our Sauiour seemeth to giue the same counsell and to allude thereto Matth. 5.25 26. Matth. 18.15 and discouer not vz. at any hand the secret vz. of another man which is commited to thee to another vz. that is not acquainted with that cause Vers 10. Least hee that heareth
teeth are as swordes i. very sharpe and keene and there chawes as kniues vz. ready and prepared to cut to eate vp i. vtterlie to destroy and deuoure the afflicted i. the poore and needie out of the earth i. from dwelling in the same and the poore from among men vz. that they alone might dwell vpon the earth Isaiah 5.8 And here he speaketh against tyrannous men and oppressors of the poore Vers 15. The horse-leach The creature here named is well knowne hath two daughters in her tongue whereby first she pricketh and pearceth the skinne and afterwards sucketh the bloud see Plin. lib. 32. cap. 10. which crie vz. in their manner giue giue vz. vnto vs meaning by the doubling of the word that they are seldome or neuer satisfied And vnder this speach he setteth out the insatiable desire of such as oppresse the poore q.d. as the horse-leach is neuer satisfied but when she is filled at which time she falleth of yet afterwards if she take hold either of the same place or some other shee will sucke more bloud so these oppressors are not content once to haue spoyled men but come againe and neuer leaue till they haue depriued them of all their riches and substance There be three things that will not be satisfied yea foure that say not it is inough these wordes and the meaning thereof are plaine what the things are he rehearseth particularly in the next verse Vers 16. The graue for that is neuer satisfied with bodies but doth deuour al things put therein how many or how great soeuer they bee see Chapter 1.12 and the barren wombe I doo not onely referre this as some doo vnto barren women but to incontinent women also whose lust is neuer satisfied the earth that cannot bee satisfied with water but drinketh in all water powred vpon it yea that great store of raine that falleth from heauen and is alwaies ready as it were to receaue more and the fire that saith not it is inough for how much wood or other matter soeuer is laide vpon it it burneth and consumeth the same I suppose that all these similitudes tend to expresse the insatiable desire of the couetous men oppressors that as these are neuer satisfied so the wicked men haue neuer inough Vers 17. The eye i. the person himselfe a parte put for the whole and he speaketh of the eye both because it is a very excellent parte of mans bodie and also because in it many times is contempte and scorning most bewrayed that mocketh his father vz. for any cause and despiseth the instruction of his mother i. the good counsell that she shall giue him let the Rauens of the valley picke it out he maketh mention of those Rauens that abide commonly in valleyes and by riuers that runne in valleys because they are thought of some to bee more fearce and cruell vpon their prayes and that which is read here by the way of a wish as it were some read it by the way of a prophecie thus they shall picke it out but the sense commeth all to one meaning that he should bee destroyed and the yong Eagles vz. who are more busie and better able with there beakes and talents to deuoure their pray eate it vz. vp and vtterly spoyle it so that there bee no memorie or remembrance of him nor his name Vers 18. There are three things hidden from me i. they are more high than I can atteyne vnto and exceed my capacitie farre yea foure vz. things there are all which foure hee reckoneth vp in the next verse that I knowe not vz. how to yéeld a certaine and sound naturall reason of them Ver. 19. The way of an Eagle in the ayre i. flying in the ayre for she leaueth no notes or pathes as it were of her flights though this be common to all other birds yet he nameth specially the Eagle both because she is the chiefest of birds or fowle and also flieth most high and very swift with all the way of a Serpent vpon a stone vz. or sharpe and stéepe rock that a Serpent as an Adder or snake should crawle vpon the earth being flat and euen is no great matter but how shée shoulde goe vp into craggie and stéepe mountaines is very wonderfull the waye of a ship in the middest of the sea this is strange also for though it be true that when the ship goeth specially in a calme there is some path of it left yet after that the waters haue come together againe it cannot be séene sée Iob. 9.26 and the way of a man i. the order course dealing or knowledge of a yong man hée speaketh of an vncleane and dishonest thing in cleane and honest termes with a maide i. with one that would so bée taken and so will shamelesly affirme hir selfe to be when it is neither so nor so as may appeare by that which followeth in the next verse Vers 20. Such is the way also of an adulterous woman i. so close and vnknowne fâ—â— to that end had hée alledged these foure strange things rehersed before by certaine similitudes declaring as it were the close subtill and impudent dealing of harlots shee eateth and wipeth hir mouth i. when shée hath committed wickednes shée maketh a goodly shewe as though she were honest in good termes expressing euill matters teaching vs thereby to auoide filthie talk and saith vz. impudently and shamelesly J haue not committed iniquitie and yet hir owne heart and knowledge can tell hir the contrarie all this tendeth in my minde to set out the closenes and shamelesnes of strumpets whose wicked facts can hardly be knowne q.d. when they haue committed whoredome they will deale as some doo who when they haue deuoured somewhat which they should not they will wipe their mouthes as though they had not done it so in the shamelesnes of their face they will deny the fact of euill and behaue themselues towards their husbands as though they had not deceaued them because no note or marke of their filthines appeareth whereby it may bée knowne Vers 21. For three things vz. amongst men the earth is mooued i. either the inhabitants of the earth themselues haue good occasion to tremble and shake or els by Hyperbole to expounde it thus that it were reason when thrée things following are done vpon the earth the earth it selfe shoulde as it were tremble for horror and feare yea for foure vz. things which hée reckoneth vp afterwards vers 22.23 it cannot susteyne it selfe vz. in any good strength and order he meaneth nothing else hereby but that the things themselues are intollerable amongst men Vers 22. For a seruant when he reigneth i. when any vnmeete for high callings are aduanced to the same for they knowe not how to vse authoritie but abuse it both to their owne hâ—â—rt and oppression of others and a foole i. a wicked man when hee is filled with meate i. when hee hath all abundance and plentie of euerie good