wisedome of this worlde is foolishnesse before God therfore he admonisheth vs saying Let no man deceiue himselfe if any man amongst you seeme wise let him become 1. Cor. 3. 18 19. 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 confesse 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 confesseth 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 renowme and praise The first question Who hath ascended vp to heauen and descended 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 descended of himself For if we take the heauens for this great heauenly firmament wee knowe that they are vnaccessible and cannot bee reached as also Moses doth giue the same something to bee vnderstoode Gen. 5. 24 2. Kin. 2. 11. 2. Cor. 12. 2. Gen. 1. 1 Deut. 30. 11. 12. saying For this commandement that I commande thee this day is not hid from thee neither is it farre from thee nor in heanen 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. Cor. 2. 14. 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 Esay 11. 2. Mat. 11. 27. 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 ministers 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. Cor. 2. 10. 11. 12. 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 neighbours without forsaking heauen The which wee shal doe if leading Rom. 5. 4. Collo 3. 12 an honest holy and heauenly life wee occupie ourselues in hearing of holesome doctrines admonitions exhortations and declarations Thus doing wee may say with Saint Paule that our conuersation is heauen And so albeit that our bodies yea our whole persons bee on earth yet are we ascended vp to heauen there haue our dwelling by faith and hope And finally as Iesus Christe is ascended 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 Amos. 4. 13. 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 Psal 104. 4. 125. 7 Iere. 10. 13 51. 15 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 very 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 Mat. 8. 26 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 measure 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
12. 17. 10. 19. the creation and renewing of the minde and afterwardes hee asketh that God woulde open his lippes Againe Lorde thou doest heare the desire of the humble thou preparest their hearte and thine eare hearkeneth therevnto c. Thirdly it seemeth that hee preferreth the creature vnto the Creator attributing more vnto him then vnto Iam. 3. 6. the Lorde For though the tongue is a member very hardly too bee gouerned yet is it nothing in comparison of the hearte from whome verily proceedeth the hardnesse of the tongue We might alledge the fourth inconuenience that is that it should seeme that Solomon doeth attribute freewil vnto man as touching the inward operations and shoulde denie it him concerning the outwarde which are not of so great excellencie as our God doeth well shew 1. Sam. 16. 7. Psa 7. 10. Iere. 17. 10. it vs when hee challengeth the knowledge of the inwarde thinges Wherefore let vs not thinke that Solomon hath pronounced the first part of this sentence affirmatiuely as though hee gaue power vnto man for to prepare his hearte as hee wil but let vs vnderstande that he speaketh after a humane and carnal sense in deriding the foolish trust of men which doe boldly thinke to consult to purpose and to take in hand euery worke of themselues without calling vpon God seeing that without him they cannot pronounce the least worde that might bee spoken the which is farre much lesse then to purpose consult and take in hande any thing to do And is asmuch as if he did say man is so proude and arrogant that hee dare of himselfe take in hande al thinges euen the highest and the hardest and yet there is not a little worke that is in his power to doe We must then vnderstand howe Solomon vseth heere an ironical kind of speach against the arrogancie of men which dare take so much in hand And for asmuch as the holy Ghost doth deride thē it is an argument and proofe that they are neere vnto destruction Nowe to the ende that wee may not be mocked nor destroyed with Psa 2. 4. 5. the arrogant wee must humble ourselues truely confessing that we haue neither spirite nor vnderstanding which can of it selfe consult vpon any good work Solomō did wel vnderstand it as he doth here closely shewe it but it is more plainely expressed in the answere and demaunde that Solomon maketh vnto God and also in the answere that God made vnto him Let vs also confesse that wee haue neither mouths nor tongues which can pronounce any good thing except God giue it The confusion of tongues doeth shewe it 1. King 3. 6. Gene. 11. 7. Psa 51. 17. and in other places also I haue expresly saide nothing that good is for euil answeres come of ourselues and of the Deuill to whome God giueth the reprobate ouer Al the wayes of a man are cleane in his owne eyes but the Lord pondereth the spirits Neither Dauid Iob Esay nor Daniel did euer thinke their Psa 19. 13. 14. 51. 3. Iob. 14. 4. 15. 15. 25. 4. wayes to bee cleane And if with an vnfayned heart wee dayly aske pardon of God for our sinnes our wayes wil not seeme vnto vs to bee cleane For this cause when Solomon saieth All the wayes of a man are cleane c let vs vnderstande that hee speaketh of men which haue no knowledge of the trueth nor doe folowe it but are guided and ruled by their fantasies and make themselues beleeue so much as they vtterly can that whatsoeuer they thinke say and doe is good and iust and that there is nothing in them that may bee reprooued but praised and commended With such kinde of people poperie is much replenished and chiefly the celles and dennes of those spiritual theeues Monkes and Nunnes They also which cannot suffer to bee tolde their faultes but what wickednes soeuer they commit haue their mouthes ready open to lye in reporting themselues to be honest men doe labour so much as they can to make al their wayes cleane in their owne eyes and before their neighbours But of al these same their iniquities are so stinking that we may know that there is no cleannesse at al in them If they wil not confesse it yet God is not blinde he hath so sharpe and pearcing a sight that nothing can be hidde from him as already sometimes hath beene shewed by the scriptures and Solomon doth nowe shewe it vs when he saith But the Lorde pondereth the spirites Solomon compareth GOD heere vnto a merchant who for to discerne wel and truely betweene one marchandise another vseth ballances and waites Now the ballāces of God are his wisedom knowledge vnderstāding By such ballances he trieth the goodnes and the frowardnes of mens harts and thereby iudgeth with al equitie and vprightnesse and truely The Lorde is in his holie temple The Lordes seate is in Psa 11. 4. 33. 13. 94. 9. 44. 21. heauen His eyes consider the poore and his eye liddes trieth the children of men The Lord looked downe from heauen and beheld al the children of men Hee which hath planted the eare shal hee not heare If wee had forgotten the name of our GOD and helde vp our handes to any strange God woulde not God haue sought it out for hee knoweth the secretes of the hart Albeeit then that men doe flatter and praise themselues making themselues beleeue that there is nothing but al goodnesse in their waies yet they winne nothing thereby but doe rather loose and hurte themselues for they haue to doe with a iudge which wil not iustifie the vngodly which delighteth in his wickednesse Thou art not a Psal 5. 5. God which louest iniquitie Therfore what faire shewe of holinesse and righteousnesse soeuer that is shewed foorth in our life and conuersation yet let vs not esteeme al our wayes cleane but let vs confesse that we haue marks and blottes vncleannesses and filthinesses which haue neede to bee clensed and purged Let vs beleue That if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue ourselues and there is no truth in vs. When wee shal 1. Iohn 1. 8. truely confesse our filthinesse though wee haue a iudge that looketh narrowly vppon vs yet will hee haue compassion vppon Heb. 4. 13. vs. 3 Commit thy woorkes vnto the Lorde and thy thoughtes shal be directed Albeeit that wee finde howe harde it is yea almost vnpossible to bring many things to passe which we thinke of and to finishe them as wee woulde for most often our thoughtes and enterprises are made voyd yet are wee so wise in our opinion that we thinke ourselues sufficient to gouerne our affaires of ourselues and to order our thoughtes And heerein wee shewe a pride that Solomon laboureth to suppresse when he sayth Commit thy workes vnto the Lord and thy thoughtes c. He laboureth also to deliuer vs from such weakenesse as hindereth vs to
prouidence This same is gathered partly in this present sentence wherein Solomon more dispaireth of the hastie man then of the foole partly in the nineteeneth Chapter and 2. verse and partly in the one and twentieth Chapter fifth verse And because the hastie man is such he shal be cursed of God shal feele his vengeance as hath bene handled If we shal say hastie in his words the sense shal be fit enough for the tongue is a dangerous and an vnruly euil To the ende then that wee fal not into the number of Pro. 18. 20. Iam. 3. 3. 1. 13. suche hastiemen let vs obey the admonition of Saint Iames Let euerie man be readie and hastie to heare and slowe to speake Thus dooing we shal not be hastie in hearing and slowe of speaking So doing we shal not be giuen vnto idle talke vaine babbling to blaspheming to vniust rebukes to cursing to lying false witnesse bearing to backbiting to flatterie and false tales nor to dishonest talke Ephe. 4. 29. 5. 3. 19. Collo 4. 6. but we shal weigh our wordes folowing the holie admonitions of Saint Paule 21 Hee that delicately bringeth vp his seruaunt from his youth at length he wil be euen as his sonne There is a common prouerbe that saieth Saue the theefe from the galowes and he shal kil thee or Fat the villain and he shal prick thee And this is according to experience For if a man doe graciously intreate a villaine hee is readie to be vnthankful and in place to acknowledge the humanitie and the gentlenesse that is vsed and shewed towards him he wil vse sharpnesse do extreeme wrong without cause rising vp against him to whome he standeth bound and wil labour to subdue him and persuade men to beleeue that he to whome he is detter doeth owe vnto him and in steede that he should be his seruant hee would reigne ouer him yea destroy him Nowe according to this experience Solomon saith He that delicately bringeth vp his seruant c. He nameth a seruant by whome hee meaneth al persons that are bounde to giue honour seruice subiection and obedience to other And thus hee comprehendeth al those that are vnder the power of Kings and Magistrates of fathers and mothers of Lordes and Maisters And albeit that such inferiors are not of a seruile or slauish condition as were the slaues bought for monie or taken in warre notwithstanding they are bounde to acknowledge those with al humblenesse vnder whose tuition they are to be their superiours and to vnderstande that they ought in no wise to rise vp against thē but the more gētly they are handled so much the more to humble themselues as Saint Paul doeth closely teach them But forasmuch as wee see most commonly to happen that the seruantes and other of vile and lowe 1. Tit. 6. 1. condition before the worlde doe waxe proude when they are gently intreated and suffered to haue their pleasure Solomon by this sentence warneth al those that are in authoritie that they shoulde not slacke the bridle vnto those that are vnder their subiection and yoke for to let them liue after the desires of their fleshe nor to take their pleasures after the lust thereof but shoulde vse grauitie and moderate seueritie and should accustome them to bestowe the time about good workes after as they are called and to teach them to liue soberly and temperately yea rather austerely then to suffer them to runne where they list Otherwise the superiours are in danger to feele their pride and arrogancie as Solomon doeth signifie when he saith that at the length the seruant will be as the sonne yea euen as the sonne that feeleth and knoweth his hearte and because he knoweth himselfe to bee his fathers heire and that hee thinketh the goods doe appertaine and belong vnto him therfore hee wil doe after his pleasure as a Lorde and Maister and wil murmure against his father vnlesse hee suffer him to haue the ruling of the goods of the house at his pleasure and chiefly when the fathers are waxen old the children which haue bin most delicately brought vp do curse them calling them olde doaters and giuing them other iniurious words except they be permitted to doe with the goods as they wil. Now forasmuch as it is so that by our corrupted nature we are al of a seruile condition for we serue our wicked lustes vnbriled affections the law of sin the which holdeth vs captiues therfore we haue need that our God who is our Lord that hath dearely bought vs with the blood of his only sonne shoul hold vs vnder his yoke and discipline and not to nourishe vs vp with the ease of our fleshe making vs to enioye his riches in delicatenesse and pleasure in abundance and excesse but shoulde tame and chasten vs that we rebel not against him nor disobey him as it is our manner and custome to fal away when we enioye our pleasures euen as wee may see it in the holie histories and as experience teacheth through al the world It is then very needful for vs to craue of our God with Ieremie let him correct vs not in his wrath but in iudgement lest Ier. 10. 23. 24. 31. 18. hee bring vs to nothing Conuert mee O Lorde and I shal bee conuerted c. Thus dooing wee shal truely be the sonnes of the great Lorde of heauen and earth and fellowe heires of al thinges with Iesus Christ our Lorde by whome our good heauenly Father of grace mercie hath adopted vs for his children before the foundation of the worlde 22 An angrie man stirreth vp strife and a furious man aboundeth in transgression As it is saide Behold how good and ioyful a thing it is for brethren to dwel together in vnitie euen so there is no man if he haue Psa 131. 1. any sounde iudgement but desireth to liue in peace and concorde with his neighbours as also Saint Paule doeth admonish vs thereof But albeit that this is the iudgement yet many can not or wil Rom. 12. 18 Mat. 5. Ephe. 4 5. Phil. 2. Collo 3. not folowe the fit right meanes to obtaine this peace the which Saint Paule doeth teache vs in diuers places folowing the doctrine of Iesus Christ But in steede of beeing so humble modest patient soft and gentle wee wil striue with our neighbours in rising vp against them in wrath and anger and yet we wil persuade men that we dare not once murmure whinch against thē therfore they wil be out of troubles and farre from vexations Notwithstanding experience sheweth the cleane contrarie for such people doe often meete with shrewde heades that knowe howe to answere and resist them and giue them a sharpe repulse wherupon riseth strife According to this experience Solomon hath said An angrie man stirreth vp strife or debate and nowe he saieth againe An angrie Pro. 15. 18 man stirreth vp strife
a Of Gods vniuersall gouernment 329. b. 330. a What gouernment we must folowe if we wil be exalted 287. a Gouernours Lessons for gouernours set downe by the holie Ghost 332. a. b Of wrath in gouernours and when it is alowable and not alowable 333. a. b That temporal gouernours ought to attempt nothing in Ecclesiastical policie without the aduice of the spiritualtie 288. b Instructions for Kinges Princes and gouernours 288. a. b Of gouernment and gouernours 288. a. b Alterations of gouernours why and from whome they come 558. a. b The Gouernours and Lordes of the world accused to be wicked c. 364. b What wisedome that is which is required in gouernours c. 351. b What maner of men the gouernours of the Church ought to be 4. a Grace Of the continual feast of Gods grace why it is so called 304. b Of the grace of the lips and what is meant by the same 453. a. b Iesus Christ and al that is his is ours thorowe grace 77. a The grace of God compared to a fountaine howe and why 377. a b Of the lawe of grace and the lawe of seueritie 96. a. b Gracious The meaning of Solomons wordes That a woman must be gracious 181. a. b That women must not cease to shewe themselues gracious notwithstanding the contempt they are in 181. b Graciousnesse What graciousnesse is required in a woman 181. a. b What women should doe if they see themselues disdained this concerneth graciousnesse 181. b Guide That vprightnesse must be our guide and gouernour 166. a That wee are like blinde men which walke without a guide 165. b In what case we be beeing left to guide ourselues 166. a Into what mischiefes we fal when we desire to guide ourselues 166. a. H. Hande The meaning of these woordes Though hande toucheth hande he shal not be vnpunished 326. b. 327. a Notable doctrine vpon these woordes Laye thy hande vppon thy mouth 623. a. b What is meant by turning to the right hand and to the left 71. a What we haue to learne by this That wisdome is saide to haue a right hande and a left 43. a. b What is meant by the out stretched hande of wisedome 13. a That the hande of wisedome is stretched out diuers wayes 13. a God hath many instruments to exercise the hande of wisedome 13. a For what thing the out stretched hande of wisedome is chiefly to be taken 13. a Handes What maner of persons haue hands sheading innocent blood 90. a That hands she ading innocent blood are one of the seuen things which God hateth 90. a. b Harlot The inticements of a harlot in talke described 100. b Why Solomon calleth an harlot a straunger and forenner 25 b A harlot compared vnto an hunter and why 94. a. b Harlots What Solomon meaneth by these woordes of feeding harlots 581. a The daunger that commeth by an harlottes companie any way vsed 72. a. b The sundrie enticements of harlots wherein they consist 25. b That harlots labour as much as in them lyeth to destroy the image of God and how 94. b That harlots are vnsatiable and pitilesse 94. a Hastie A foole preferred before a hastie man and why 593. a The description of a hastie man by his dooings 593. a That the hastie man shal be cursed of God and feele his vengeance 563. a Of being hastie in wordes hastie indeedes 593. a. b Hate Suche as hate their brethren are manslears and pray not to God but against themselues 138. b Against such as carrie hate in their heartes and dissemble it 530. a. b Hateful Of the studie of the hateful and what he seeketh 531. a Of hateful women sundrie eâ—amples and how troublesome they are 620. a That the malice of the hateful shal be discouered 531. a Of seuen abhominations which are in the heartes of the hateful 530. b. 531. a Wee must not beleeue him that is hateful though hee speake neuer so fayre and why 530. b Haters Of two sortes of haters and that we must not be like vnto them 530. b Hatred Of hatred and what mischiefes the same worketh among men 138. a. b. 139. a Hatred separateth vs from God and hindereth vs from hauing accesse vnto him 138. b What filthinesse and wickednesse there is in hatred 306. a Admonitions to keepe vs from them which beare vs hatred 306 a Contention is the fruite of hatred and how 532. b Howe and in what sense hatred is attributed vnto God 88. a. b Of hatred against the poore and that suche hatred is manslaughter 271. a Hautinesse The hautinesse of the riche reprooued 450. b. Health What wee must doe if wee desire health 217. b Why Solomon calleth the tongue of the wise health 217. a That the Papistes are al destitute of health and why 217. b Of health and strength and that they are the giftes of God 36. b That we must not enuie the health strength of the wicked and why 36. b That we cannot deserue health through the good gouernment of ourselues 36. b That we must aske health of God who promiseth health and why 37. a Heart That the heart may be iudged by the outward workes 207. 208. a When the worlde iudgeth the heart of man vpright and perfect 215. a. That the hearte is made manifest by the tongue 218. b The mouth is the organ of the heart 161. b Of the heart of the vngodly and that it is nothing woorth 147. b. 148. a By outward thinges the vanitie of the heart is knowne 148. a Solomons wordes impugned saying that the preparatioÌ„ of the heart is in man 322. a Of a ioyful heart and who haue and haue it not 301. b. 302. a By what signes we may knowe what a man is in heart 410. a Of cleannesse of heart and wherein the same consisteth 453. a Wherein soundnesse of the heart consisteth 282. a. b Of keeping our heart and that the keeping of the same is not in our owne power 67. a. b The meaning of Solomon by these words Hee that hath a heart c. 386. a. b. Of a sound heart and Solomons meaning by the same 282. a That fewe will hate and abhorre the heart though it bee neuer so euil and why 90. b The wayes of a declining heart and what they are 264 a That an heart imagining wicked enterprises is one of the seuen thinges which God hateth and why 90. b Heartes With what weapons wee must keepe our heartes 67. a. b By what meanes wee loose our heartes and consequently our life 67. b The heartes of men compared to running water 543. a Heauen Of certaine men which haue bene translated into heauen 601. a What heauen signifieth and that it cannot be reached vnto 601. a Of ascending vp into heauen and howe the same may be compassed 601. a In what sense the holie Ghost is saide to descende from heauen 601. b Of our conuersation in heauen though our bodies be in
shee offer her selfe vnto vs and bestowe her riches vpon vs so much as shal be expedient But to finde this house wee must knowe where it is builded and of what matter and howe it is placed First of al although that heere wee heare spoken of a house and of buylding yet must wee not ymagine any thing that is earthly or carnal For wisedome is not like vnto the Princes of this worlde who as they are earthly so doe they builde their houses on earth and of earthly matter and doe set and grounsel them vppon lyke matter Wisedome is diuine heauenly and spiritual Likewise her house standeth in heauen about the throne of GOD there shee hath layed the foundation on herselfe If then wee wil finde wisedome Heb. 13. 14. wee must aspire vnto heauen For also heere wee haue no continuing Citie but wee seeke one to come And therefore our conuersation shoulde bee in heauen so that wee should not walke after the fleshe but after the spirit If we thus looke vp to heauen this house of wisedome is made ours not by merite but because GOD hath prepared it for vs if wee folowe the faith of the holy patriarkes of whome it is written They al dyed according to faith c. And therefore wee may say with S. Paule For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed Heb. 11. 13. 2. Cor. 5. 1. wee haue a building giuen of God that is a house not made with handes but eternal in heauen Now we must vnderstand that as the foundation is spiritual and heauenly euen so is the building therevpon whereof one part is of the Angels which kept stil their first state and haue not forsaken their dwelling nor country for if they had not bene grounded on this foundation they could not nor had beene able to haue standfast Saint Paule doeth wel signifie it when he saith that the Father in the dispensation of the fulnes of times Ephe. 1. 10. 2◠might gather togither in one al things both which are in heauen which are in earth euen in Christ c. Hee is also the head of the Angels as immediatly thereafter hee sheweth saying that the father hath set him at his right hande in the heauenly places c. Hee Col. 1. 15. is the first borne of euery creature For by him were al thinges created The Angels then are a parte of wisedoms familie The other parte of this house are the elect and faithful called vnto the knowledge of the Gospel and regenerate by the holy Ghost Our Lorde doth so signifie it when he saith If any man loue mee hee wil keepe Iohn 14. 23. 1. Cor. 3. 16. 2. Cor. 6. 16. my worde and S. Paule saith Know yee not that ye are the temple of GOD and Yee are the Temple of the liuing GOD. But some wil say that if the elect are the habitation of wisedome that this house is distinguished and that it is not all spiritual and heauenly for men though they bee elected are earthly and carnall The complaint of Saint Paule doeth wel shew it so doth also the battaile betweene the flesh and the spirit I answere that man in so Rom. 7. 14. Gala. 5. 17. Iohn 3. 6. much as hee is borne of the fleshe is fleshly and doeth the woorkes of the fleshe and so is not of the house of wisedome and cannot possesse the kingdome of God But inasmuch as hee is regenerate by the spirite and walketh according theretoo and not after the fleshe hee is spiritual and so is of the house of wisedome and belongeth vnto the kingdome of GOD. Saint Paule doeth so giue vs to vnderstande it when for to giue the reason wherefore hee calleth the faithfull the temple of GOD hee saieth The spirit of GOD dwelleth in you knowe yee not that 1. Cor. 3. 16. 6. 19. your bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost To the end then that wee may bee the spiritual house of wisedome wee must bee renewed that wee may put of our olde man mortifying our earthly members Saint Peter also doeth shew it saying Laying aside al maliciousnesse and all guyle and dissimulation and enuie Col. 3. 9. 1. Pet. 2. 1. and all euill speaking as newe borne babes desire the sincere milke of the woorde c. In this manner wee are fellowes vnto the Angels You are come to the companie of innumerable Angels And the Angel saieth I am thy fellowe seruant and one of Heb. 12. 22. Apo. 19. 10. Heb. 1. 14. thy brethren which haue the testimony of Iesus Christ It is no wonder thereof seeing they are our ministers Nowe as touching wee haue companions and ministers so pure wee must also studie to bee pure and cleane that the house of wisedome may be pure and cleane For to finde wisedom then it is not needeful for vs to runne hither and thither but only to clense ourselues Thus dooing though wee remaine on earth our conuersation shal bee in heauen ◠Cor. 7. 1. Philip. 3. 20. Whereuppon followeth that our earthly mansion doth not hinder but that the house of wisedome should be heauenly For to shewe how and whereon this house is set hee saith that wisedome hath heawen out her seauen pillers that is to say many for the number of seuen is taken for a great number vncertaine Also we know not the number of the pillers that wisedome hath made and ordered since the creation of the worlde to this present shal make and ordeine vntil the last day for to mainteine sustaine and repaire his house We know wel there hath bin shal be more then seuen but how many more we know not For it lyeth not in vs to number the holy Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Euangelistes Pastors and Doctors that wisdom hath placed and wil place in her house which is the Church and houshold of God Those are called pillers of the house and buylding of wisedome because that through their holy conuersation and pure doctrine of truth by supplications prayers thanks giuing by warnings and corrections by exhortations reprehentions to bee shorte by the ministery wherein God hath set them they haue borne vp doe beare vp shalbeare vp vnto the worlds end this house of wisedom Not that wisedom which is the true foundation is not able and strong ynough for to vpholde it when also she vpholdeth the pillers with al the rest but it so pleaseth him to honor men vsing their ministerie without the which she could worke wel ynough vpholding and mainteining her house of her own selfe yea al things in heauē earth but bearing with our rudenes applying herselfe vnto our smal capacitie shee openeth herself vnto vs she vpholdeth and keepeth vs in holines righteousnes and truth by the meanes of our brethren like vnto vs. Otherwise we should be confounded with his great glorie maiesty That by the Pillers the Pastours are signified is shewed vs in
spirite of the Lord or was his counsellour or taught him Neuerthelesse forasmuch as God hath nothing more precious nor more that hee esteemeth then his name his glory and his honour and that he wil bee knowne serued and honoured for this cause hee hath had regarde to himselfe when hee created al thingss and woulde and wil stil bee glorified in them Solomon doth declare it vs now when he saith The Lorde hath made all things for his owne sake Hee speaketh rightly so for when hee purposed to create the heauens the earth and that which is conteined in them there is nothing which can moue him thervnto but himselfe The goodnesse and excellencie of things which hee purposed to doe coulde not stirre him vpp to doe it for there neither is nor can be in any creature any goodnesse or worthinesse that God of his onely grace and pure liberalitie hath not put in them for the which he ought not but to be praised glorified and thanked To the end then that we may not haue such witnesses against vs let vs loke to what end God hath created vs and let vs followe it and willingly glorifiyng our Creator trusting vpon his goodnesse and giuing ourselues to followe his will and that wee bee not like vnto the wicked which doe tende to nothing but to dishonour God and wil not serue him and yet hee hath created them for himselfe as Solomon doeth signifie when hee saith All things They must therefore serue him against their willes and to their hurte and destruction Solomon doeth shewe it when hee doeth more openly expresse that GOD hath created the wicked euen for himself For hee is not contented to say that God hath made the wicked but hee saith euen the wicked for the day of euill This is a very strange thing at the first sight to say that God hath made the wicked to be glorified in their destruction But the matter well considered wee shal see the goodnes and iustice of God shine therein When hee stopped the purposes of the wicked and doeth bereaue them of their enterprises they take in hande against his people any man that hath sounde iudgemēt wil not say but that it is good when for their obstinacie and hardnesse hee shal destroy them men shal knowe that hee is iust as hee hath doone vnto the people of Sodom and to Pharao Gen. 19. 24. and to the people of Egypt vnto Saule and vnto diuers other wicked men And if they dare spue out this blasphemie against God say that the faulte ought to bee imputed vnto him seeing hee maketh the wicked to this end that it is not possible to resist his ordinance will to this wee may answere first of al that Saint Iames saith Whē any man is tempted let him not say I am tēpted of God for God tēpteth no man Secōdly that which Paul saith But what Iam. 1. 3. art thou O man which disputest with God We must not be so presūptuous as to iudge of gods works which surmoūt our capacity Rom. 9. 20. but in humbling ourselues vnder iustice which is incomprehensible vnto vs let vs crie O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! how incomprehensible are his iudgements and his waies past finding out In this our crie let vs feare the iudgements Rom. 11. 33. of God as did Noe and let vs haue compassion vppon the wicked as had Abraham Behold howe we must be haue ourselues towardes the iudgements of God and not to examine them from Hebr. 11. 7 Gene. 18. 24. point to pointe for to iudge of them after our sense and reason for they are vnsearchable And if we can not rightly behold the Sunne which is but a creature by a more strong reason wee must vnderstande that it is vnpossible to see God in his Maiestie wherevnto neuertheles wee labour when we enquire of his iudgements more then that he doth open vnto vs by his worde 5 All that are proude of heart are in abhomination to the Lorde though hand ioyne in hande hee shal not be vnpunished It is not without cause that Dauid protesteth Lord my heart is not hautie neither are mine eyes loftie neither haue I walked Psal 131. 1 in great matters and hid from mee For hee desired to liue after the wil of the Lorde as hee doeth shewe by his desires and prayers that hee maketh let the wordes of my mouth and the meditation of mine heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lorde my strength and Psal 19. 14. my Redeemer O Lorde I beseeche thee accept the free offeringes of my mouth and teach mee thy iudgements Teache mee to doe thy Psal 119. 108. 143. 10. wil for thou art my God c. Nowe hee knewe that hee could not please God but in submitting himselfe vnto him in al reuerence feare and humilitie for as hee wel vnderstoode the proude doeth displease him and are abhominable vnto him The Lorde hath wel shewed it in the ouerthrowe of Sodome Beholde the sinne of Sodome thy sister was pride fulnesse of bread and idlenes c. He hath done the like in the destruction of the enemies of his people and the Eze. 16. 49 Scripture doeth witnesse it in diuers places Amongst other places we haue Solomon who saieth nowe Al that are proud of heart are in abhomination to the Lord. And sith there is none of vs how ignorant soeuer he be that would be abhorred of the Lord but do all from the highest to the lowest desire to please him wee must renounce pride which chiefly consisteth in the contempt of the word and in the boldnesse or rather ouerboldnesse that we haue to giue ourselues vnto wickednes with a set purpose euen when we know well that wee doe euil and that therein wee be assured or at leastwise labour to make ourselues so beleeue that wee haue no neede to feare but notwithstanding what resistaunce soeuer wee meete withal wee wil goe forewarde with our enterprises The worlde destroyed by the flood was stained with suche pride as wee may Gen. 6. 2. Pet. 2. 5. 6. 7. knowe it when by the space of sixe score yeares they regarded not to heare Noe the Embassadour of righteousnes Euen so were the Zodomites which oppressed iust Lot by their filthie conuersation The people of Israel likewise was blotted therewith as wee may see by the rebukes that Moses and the Prophetes haue often giuen Deut. 32. 5 Esai 28. 14 them And nowe when the same wickednesses doe reigne amongst those which brag of the name of Christendome they shewe wel that they are defiled with the same pride wherevppon wee must looke for an horrible destruction for God chaungeth not If in time past hee hath so reuenged himselfe vpon the proude declaring that hee abhorred them although hee seeme to dissemble or that he knoweth not at this time the pride of these wicked mockers and contemners
woorke the which doeth seeme for to surmount our power and capacitie Hee laboureth to turne vs away from distrust which doeth torment vs although with great boldnes we imploy and occupie ourselues about our duetie but wee thinke that the labor that wee take shal not bring foorth such fruite as wee desire or that it shal come to nothing and that wee shal loose our paines and our thoughts shal vanishe into smoke Therefore for to remedie these three vices pride weakenesse and distrust hee woulde haue vs to referre ourselues to the pronidence of God They which haue committed themselues thereto haue come to the ende of their affaires whereas other haue beene made voide of their hope Adam and Gen. 3. 6. Eue did not commit their affaires vnto the Lord but to the Diuel and therefore they did not obteine their desire Noe contrarily referred himselfe vnto the prouidence of God building an Arke at his commandement for the sauegarde of his housholde and his thoughts were directed for as hee hoped so came it to passe Let them then which feele thēselues weake voide of al mens help not bee discouraged nor dispaire as though it were vnpossible that they coulde obteine their wishe and desire but in working as God giueth them let them rest vpon the prouidence of God and hee wil giue vnto them prosperite as shal be necessary for them Solomon is not onely a witnesse hereof but his father Dauid before him seeing the worldly prosperitie of the wicked the which was a greate temptation vnto the faithful and innocent which were in aduersitie doeth admonish them also saying Trust thou in the Lorde and be Psal 37. 3 55. 23. 1. Pet. 5. 7. doing good Cast thy care vpon the Lord and hee shall relieue thee And after them Saint Peter And heerein we must not scatter with ehe wolues nor feare if wee become sheepe that the wolues should tate vs but knowing the prouidence of God and the care that hee hath ouer vs let vs bee patient and gentle and let not the wickednesse of men prouoke vs to be like vnto wilde beastes which reuenge themselues with their teeth feete nailes and hornes for to keepe that which they haue or to spoyle other of theirs Let vs then bee at peace and quietnesse in our consciences and mindes and towardes our neighbours let vs bee soft modest gentle and lowly Concerning the rest though wee must commit our affaires and cast our burden vpon the Lorde yet is it not to say that God woulde haue vs to bee like vnto stones and that wee shoulde bee voide of al iudgement Solomon doth signifie it when he saith Commit thy workes and Dauid when he saith And giue thy selfe to doe well They doe not preache vnto vs that God careth for vs for too leade vs vntoo idlenesse slouthfulnesse and carelesnesse but least that wee shoulde bee ouercome with feare and that ouer muche thought shoulde driue vs vnto impaciencie for the knowledge of the prouidence of god doth not deliuer vs frō al care so that it is lawful for men to be without care and to liue after the pleasure of their sensualitie and lust Wee must not for the prouidence of God suffer our fleshe to haue his ease but that our faith should make vs quiet and peaceable and that wee shoulde prouoke ourselues neither inwardly nor outwardly against our neighbours When euery one of vs shal be careful to folow his vocation in a good conscience beholding that God doth commande vs so to doe and hoping that God wil blesse our labour as he shal see expedient committing our workes vnto the Lorde then shal our thoughts bee directed for wee shal not be made voide of our hope but shal obteine our desires as the scripture doth shew in diuers places Therfore let vs vnderstande that Solomon woulde haue vs to bee careful and that we shoulde diligently imploy ourselues vnto work and that we should doe our workes not thinking that of ourselues wee can finishe to make our enterprise prosperous or that in our worke wee must trust vpon some body and that one of vs shoulde stay himselfe vpon an other scattering our workes heere and there and committing them to many as doe the poore miserable Papistes which haue their recourse and trust in many Patrones and Aduocates but contenting ourselues with one onely Aduocate wee must make as it were a scroule of our workes binde them vp together and commit all the charge to him without distrusting him Thus doing our thoughtes shal bee directed and established that wee shall obteine as wee desire Solomon hath so vnderstoode it when hee saide Commit thy workes c. 4 The Lorde hath made al things for his owne sake yea euen the wicked for the day of euill The names and titles which are attributed vnto God in the scripture doe shewe that he is of suche vertue maiestie and might that hee hath no neede of any creature for to borrowe that which hee wanteth or to make him more perfect in himselfe The scripture doeth name him the Almightie The Lorde The Almightie the highest the holy one not after the maner of men which for to flatter the great men and to bee welcome towardes them wil giue thē titles which might wel agree vnto their estate but they withstād their manners and kinde of doings as some wil cal the Pope their holy father and yet there is neither holinesse nor fatherlinesse in him except hee beget bastardes or children to the Diuel by doctrines and mens traditions Other shal be called Catholike and most Christian and yet notwithstanding they shal haue neither faith nor Christianitie but shal labour for to abolishe the faith and religion as the interim doeth giue witnesse and the prisons banishmentes confiscations and burninges doe shewe it in Poperie But our God is of such nature that no man can giue vnto him titles and names too excellent yea it is altogether vnpossible that wee should expresse by words what he is for hee surmounteth infinitely al things both heauenly and earthly both corporal and spiritual so that wee cannot worthily enough either thinke or speake of him Wherefore let vs with al humblenesse feare and reuerence thinke and speake of our God knowing that of ourselues we are not fit nor meete thervnto Now for to thinke or speake wel thereof let vs beleeue cōfesse that which was saide at the beginning That hee is of suche vertue and power that hee hath no neede of any creature to borrowe and take of him what he needeth He hath wel shewed this same when Gen. 1. Psal 33. 6. Esay 40. 12. of nothing hee created al things by his onely worde Esay also doth wel shew it who is he that hath measured the waters with his fist counted heauen with the span comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and waighed the mountaines in a waight and the hilles in a ballance Who hath instructed the