A plain and familiar exposition of the eleventh and twelfth chapters of the Proverbs…A plaine and familiar exposition of the eleuenth and twelfth chapters of the Prouerbes…

Reasons. 1 First, all those creatures, for their parts, have ever since the beginning of the world stood and continued in the state wherein they were first made, & that deprivation which is in the nature of any of them, proceeded not from themselves, but from the fall of man, which hath not only deformed himself, but distempered every thing about him: and the cause why they have not knowledge and understanding, is, that they are not capable of it: but wicked men are wholly degenerated from their original excellency, and have defaced the image of God in their own souls. They have lost their justice and fallen to unrighteousness: they are deprived of holiness, and become profane: all sound understanding ⟨p. 79⟩is gone, and nothing is in them but ignorance of Gods holy will, and of the mysteries of salvation. And therefore Jeremiah saith, that every man is a beast by his own knowledge. And ¹Zophar in the book of Job proceedeth further and showeth what kind of beast he is most like. Vain men, saith he, would be wise, ²though man borne (that is, in his own estate not regenerate) is like a wild ass colt.

Reasons. 1 First, all those creatures, for their parts, haue euer since the beginning of the world stood and continued in the state wherein they were first made, & that depriuation which is in the nature of any of them, proceeded not from themselues, but from the fall of man, which hath not only deformed himselfe, but distempered euerie thing about him: and the cause why they haue not knowledge and vnderstanding, is, that they are not capable of it: but wicked men are wholy degenerated from their originall excellencie, and haue defaced the image of God in their owne soules. They haue lost their iustice and fallen to vnrighteousnesse: they are depriued of holines, and become prophane: all sound vnderstanding ⟨p. 79⟩is gone, and nothing is in them but ignorance of Gods holie will, and of the mysteries of saluation. And therefore Ieremy saith, that euery man is a beast by his owne knowledge. And ¹