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…

The hand of the diligent, that is, diligent men who use their hands, or other members of their bodies, or else their minds to some honest and profitable travel according to their calling, shall bear rule, and attain to some good place of estimation. But idle persons whom want and other occasions draw to deceitful courses to shift for themselves, as we have showed in the fourth verse of the tenth chapter, shall be made underlings, and brought into subjection and servility.

THe hand of the diligent, that is, diligent men who vse their hands, or other members of their bodies, or else their minds to some honest and profitable trauell according to their calling, shall beare rule, and attaine to some good place of estimation. But idle persons whom want and other occasions draw to deceitfull courses to shift for themselues, as wee haue shewed in the fourth verse of the tenth chapter, shall be made vnderlings, and brought into subiection and seruilitie.

Doct. They which are laborious and faithful in mean places, do take the way to rise to an higher degree.

Doct. They which are laborious and faithfull in meane places, doe take the way to rise to an higher degree.

True it is that divers attain not to such greatness as others do, and yet be no less diligent then others are, but the Lord maketh their inferiority a step towards their heavenly advancement: and they are not without estimation in that low estate: and God seeth their fruit to be better, and their comfort to be more there, than if they were raised up to higher preferment. Otherwise, they that serve God in what place soever, are sure to grow greater. The Scripture proposeth examples hereof, and showeth how the point hath been verified in former ages. Jacob at the first set himself to service, and was at the commandment of an other man, but at the last, being painful and true, he was able to keep servants himself, and other men were at his commandment. Joseph when he came into Egypt was bought and sold as a poor bondman, but being faithful in every place that he came into, he was promoted in every place that he came into. When he was a servant, when he was a prisoner, and especially when he was Prince. David had once the charge of a flock of sheep, and thereof was not a little heedful: but afterwards he had the leading of an army of men, and lastly, was exalted to the throne of a glorious kingdom.