Exposition of Proverbs 18-20, Title page – Table of contents
A PLAINE AND FAMILIAR EXPOSITION: Of the Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Chapters of the Prouerbs of SALOMON.
By IOHN DOD and ROBERT CLEAVER.
PSALME 34. VER. 8.¶ Taſte yee, and ſee how gracious the Lord is, Bleſſed is the man that truſteth in him.
LONDON Printed for Roger Iackſon, and are to be ſold at his Shop in Fleeteſtreete neere the Conduit.
1610.
To the Right Worſhipfull our approued Chriſtian friend, Miſtriſſe ELIZABETH WALTER of Wimbleton, Grace MercieMercy and Peace.
GOod Miſtreſſe WALTER, the plentifull fruites of your Chriſtian louelove towards vsus, and many others, doe not onelyonly binde vsus to offer vp our Prayers and prayſes to God for you in priuate, but alſo to giuegive ſome more apparant teſtimonie of our vnfained thankefulneſſe vntounto your ſelfe, as being a ſpeciall inſtrument of our good and comfort.
Here therefore we preſent vntounto you this ſmall Treatiſe, not doubting of your fauourable acceptance thereof, when our former VVritings did onelyonly paſſe by you, you alwayes called them in, and gaue them kind entertainement, not onelyonly in your Houſe, but in your heart; and therefore theſe now that come vnderunder your owne Name, and caſt themſelues vponupon your fauour, cannot bee vnwelcome. If your ſucceſſe in Reading, bee anſwerable to our deſire and purpoſe in writing, you ſhall not looſe your labour. And thus with all thankefull remembrance of our duetie, wee here commit you to the gracious protection of Almightie God, beſeeching him to make perfect that good worke which hee hath in great merciemercy begunne in you, and aboundantly to recompence all your kindneſſe and goodneſſe to his Seruants, in multiplying his comfort and bleſſings vponupon you and yours for euer.
Your worſhips much bound and in the Lord to be commaunded.
IOHN DOD and
RO. CLEAVER.
A Summarie of all the Doctrine collected out of the ſeuerall Verſes of theſe three Chapters.
CHAP. 18.
VERSE. I. Doct. WHatſoeuer any man beſt loueth, that he will with greateſt dilligence and prouidence labour for.
Verſe II. Doct. It is the roote of a ſinfull man to bee poſſeſſed with ſelfe-liking, and wilfulneſſe in his owne wayes.
Verſe VII. Doct. Euill words are moſt pernicious to thoſe that ſpeake them.
Verſe IX. Doct. A ſloathfull perſon ſtandeth in the ſtate of a ſpend-thrift.
Verſe X. Doct. They liue in best ſafety that are moſt aſſured of Gods fauor.
Verſe XIII. Doct. They that are too forward and haſty in ſpeaking, are apt to fall into abſurd lies, when they ſpeake.
Verſe XIIII.
Doct. 1. No trouble or affliction is too heauie for a cheerefull hart to vndergoe.
Doct. 2. The horrour of a terrified conſcience, is an importable burthen.
Verſe XV.
Doct. 1. He that would be wiſe to ſaluation, muſt apply both his heart and eares to Gods holy word.
Doct. 2. They that hauehave the beſt knowledge, are the moſt willing to learne more.
Verſe XVII. Doct. A bad cauſe commonly hath the aduantage at the beginning, and a good cauſe preuaileth in the end.
Verſe XVIII. Doct. Then a lot is lawfully vſed, when it either procureth or preſerueth peace and equity.
Verſe XIX. Doct. The more neerely men are knit together, the more greeuous the breach is, when iarres doe grow betweene them.
Verſe XXII. Doct. They onelyonly ſpeede well in mariage, whom God maketh the match for in mercy.
Verſe XXIII. Doct. Affliction and a lowe estate, is a meanes to bring men to lowly behauiour.
Verſe XXIIII. Doct. It is in vaine for him to expect conſtant kindneſſe from others, which is careleſſe to performe duties to others.
CHAP. 19.
VERSE. I. Doct. THey that bee ſmall and godly, are in better caſe then ſuch as be great and wicked.
Verſe II.
Doct. 1. An hart altogether ignorant, is altogether corrupt & ſinful.
Doct. 2, Whatſoeuer is raſhly done, is ill done.
Verſe III.
Doct. 1. EueryEvery mans hurt doth grow from his own ſinne & folly.
Doct. 2. Afflictions often make many wicked men the worſe.
Verſe IIII. Doct. Fleſhly men louelove onelyonly themſelues, vnderunder pretence of friendſhip to others.
Verſe V.
Doct. 1. Howſoeuer falſe witneſſes preuaile againſt others, they ſhall be ſure to ſpeede ill themſelues.
Doct. 2. No lier can liue in any good ſafety.
Verſe VI. Doct. Many pretende much loyaltie to Princes and Potentates, which beare little good will vntounto them.
Verſe VII. Doct. Neither conſanguinity nor familiarity will make a fleſhly friend firme to him that is in miſery.
Verſe VIII.
Doct. 1. It is aprerogatiue peculiar to the wiſe and godly, to be owners of their owne hearts.
Doct. 2. EueryEvery godly wiſe man is a true friend to himſelfe.
Verſe X.
Doct. 1. The liberty of delights and comfortable proſperity, doth nothing belong to the wicked.
Doct. 2. All ſinners are bondmen, and eueryevery good man is a Prince.
Doct. 3. Euill rulers neuer abuſe their authority ſo much, as when the godly fall into their hands.
Verſe XI. Doct. It maketh much for a mans credit to be gentle and peaceable.
Verſe XII. Doct. It is expedient for men to be good ſubiects, euen for feare or hope of the Princes affections.
Verſe XIII. Doct. The moſt delectable commodities of this life, turne many times to be very offenſiue.
Verſe XIIII.
Doct. 1. No man can poſsibly hauehave poſſeſsions of equall value with a good yoke-fellow.
Doct. 2. The more immediate any good gift of God is, the more precious it is.
Doct. 3. The Lord hath a principall hand in all good mariages.
Verſe XV.
Doct. 1. Sloathfulneſſe is a vice very hurtfull both to body, ſoule, and outward estate.
Doct. 2. Vnrighteous dealing bringeth that miſery vpō mens heads, which they are moſt afraid of.
Verſe XVI. Doct. So much conſcience as any man maketh of obedience to Gods will, ſo much aſſurance he hath of ſaluation and ſafety.
Verſe XVII. Doct. Whatſoeuer good is done to godly men afflicted, is accepted of God as done to himſelfe.
Verſe. XVIII.
Doct. 1. Correction of children ought not to be ouer-long deferred.
Doct. 2. They ſhew themſelues vnmercifull Parents, which exempt their children from due correction.
Verſe XIX. Doct. Correction is neither to be giuen in paſsion, nor omitted remiſſely.
Verſe XX. Doct. A godly man ſhall hauehave the greateſt benefit of his piety, and graces, when he draweth neereſt to his death.
Verſe XXI. Doct. Things come not to paſſe by mens purpoſes, but by Gods appointment.
Ver. XXII.
Doct. 1. Vertue and well-doing is the beſt ornament that any man can be decked with.
Doct. 2. Pouerty is no diſparagement to the godly, nor any preferment to the wicked.
Verſe XXIII.
Doct. 1. EueryEvery good man liueth alwayes in ſafety of his life.
Doct. 2. Godlineſſe procureth ſufficient prouiſion for mens outward eſtates.
Doct. 3. Nothing that is hurtfull can befall any man that is godly.
Verſe XXV. Doct. Though obſtinate perſons be excluded, yet they are not to be exempted from due puniſhment,
Verſe XXVII. Doct. Whoſoeuer will proceede conſtantly in the wayes of God, muſt take heede of ſeducers.
Verſe XXVIII.
Doct. 1. A wicked perſon may eaſily be made a falſe witneſſe.
Doct. 2. The greater delight any man taketh in ſinning, the more greater a ſinner he is.
Verſe XXIX. Doct. Though wicked men deride the words of God, yet they cannot eſcape the execution of them.
CHAP. 20.
VERSE. I. Doct. THey that giuegive themſelues to drunkenneſſe, doe cast themſelues into many miſchiefes.
Verſe III. Doct. It is a laudable vertue to be of a quiet diſpoſition, and to auoid contentions.
Verſe IIII.
Doct. 1. Light occaſions will hinder careleſſe men from the doing of neceſſary duties.
Doct. 2. He that will take his eaſe when he ought not, ſhall feele miſery when he would not.
Verſe V.
Doct. 1. Malicious men hauehave further reaches and plots in their heads, then the world knoweth of.
Doct. 2. There be none ſo crafty, but others may be as wiſe to ſift them.
Verſe VI. Doct. The beſt works of vnfaithfull men be of no value with God.
Verſe VII.
Doct. 1. Whoſoeuer is ſincere & honeſt, the ſame is alſo righteous.
Doct. 2. Faithfull Parents hauehave no cauſe to dread the ſtate of their children after their deceaſe.
Verſe VIII. Doct. A vigilant Ruler is a restraint and terrour to vicious perſons.
Verſe IX. Doct. The best ſhall hauehave corruptions and ſinnes cleauing to them, ſo long as they liue.
Verſe XI. Doct. It concerneth the young as well as the olde, to be religious, and to liue vertuouſly.
Verſe XII. Doct. Our members and ſenſes are the workmanſhip and gift of God.
Verſe XIII. Doct. The abuſe of lawfull things is vnlawfull & hurtfull.
Verſe XIIII.
Doct. 1. The Lord doth take notice of all the behauiour of men in their trafficking one with another.
Doct. 2. Carnall men direct not their tongues ſo much to ſpeake truth, as to ſeeke their owne aduantage.
Verſe XVI. Doct. They that raſhly caſt themſelues into debt, are not ſo fauorably to be dealt with, as they that fall there-into through neceſsitie.
Verſe XVII.
Doct. 1. Nothing is ſo pleaſant to the wicked, as that which is moſt hurtfull.
Doct. 2. Though iniquity and wickedneſſe yeeld pleaſuree at the beginning, yet they will put men to paine in the end.
Verſe XVIII.
Doct. 1. A mans wiſedome ſerueth him for beſt vſe, when hee will not reſt vponupon it alone, but be holpen by the counſell of others.
Doct. 2. Wiſedome and counſell are as needefull and auaileable for warre, as ſtrength and power.
Ver. XIX.
Doct. 1. It is good wiſedome not to truſt a ſlanderer or tell-tale, with thy ſecrets.
Doct. 2. Both conſultation and conuerſation with flatterers is to be auoided.
Verſe XX. Doct. Rebellious children and ſuch as vilifie their Parents, are ſubiect to ſome not able miſchiefe and puniſhment.
Verſe XXII. Doct. All kinde of reuenge is vnlawfull for Christians.
Verſe XXIIII. Doct. God hath a prouident hand in the diſpoſing of all mens waies.
Verſe XXV. Doct. Sacriligeous perſons cannot long prosper.
Verſe XXVI. Doct. It is no cruelty for the Magiſtrates ſharply to puniſh lewde and diſordered perſons.
Verſe XXVII.
Doct. 1. That onelyonly is to be esteemed a life which is ſanctified with grace.
Doct. 2. Where God worketh grace, he alſo giueth knowledge and vnderſtanding.
Verſe XXVIII. Doct. The beſt way for Princes to confirme and ſtrengthen themſelues, is to be good to their ſubiects.
Verſe XXIX. Doct. God doth adorne men with ſeuerall gifts, according to the diuerſity of their conditions.
Verſe XXX. Doct. Seuere corrections are ſometimes to be vſed as good medicines against great ſinnes.