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…

Verse 27. The deceitful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting; but the riches of the diligent man are precious.

Verse 27. The deceitfull man rosteth not that which hee tooke in hunting; but the riches of the diligent man are precious.

The deceitful, &c. That is a proverbial kind of speech, signifying that they shall not enjoy nor have the benefit of that which they get by craft and falsehood. If the whole similitude be fully set down, the meaning will the better appear. Even as hunters many times when they take a pray, yet taste not of it, nor fare the better for it: (for dogs may eat it up, or some other occurrent may fall out to deprive them of it, as many lets come between the mouth and the morsel) so unjust and deceitful men, though they attain to wealth and riches, may be assured that they shall never have any sound profit or comfort by them. Where by the way, may be seen the different end of the hunting that was used in those days, and of this which is practised of many in our times. They made it an exercise for profit, & thereby, as it may appear, provided food for themselves, and the families wherein they lived, as is to be seen in the example of Esau himself, who used to bring home venison to his father. But it is ordinary now with divers to bestow a great part of their time to hunt merely for pleasure, without any commodity. They voluntarily defraud themselves of the pray which they take, their households have not the better cheer by their hunting, but the worse. They consume themselves, and wast their goods, and impoverish their wives and children, by following their sports, and neglecting their estate: by feeding so many dogs, as that thereby they fail both of care and ability to provide for their people. But ⟨p. 187⟩the riches of the diligent are precious, that is, those things which they that are both faithful and industrious do gain and get by lawful means, shall do them good, and serve for their comfort.

THe deceitfull, &c. That is a prouerbiall kind of speech, signifying that they shall not inioy nor haue the benefit of that which they get by craft and falsehood. If the whole similitude be fully set downe, the meaning will the better appeare. Euen as hunters many times when they take a pray, yet tast not of it, nor fare the better for it: (for dogges may eate it vp, or some other occurrent may fall out to depriue them of it, as many lets come betweene the mouth and the morsell) so vniust and deceitfull men, though they attaine to wealth and riches, may bee assured that they shall neuer haue any sound profit or comfort by them. Where by the way, may be seene the different end of the hunting that was vsed in those daies, and of this which is practised of many in our times. They made it an exercise for profit, & thereby, as it may appeare, prouided foode for themselues, and the families wherein they liued, as is to be seene in the example of Esau himselfe, who vsed to bring home venison to his father. But it is ordinarie now with diuers to bestow a great part of their time to hunt meerely for pleasure, without any commoditie. They voluntarilie defraud themselues of the pray which they take, their households haue not the better cheere by their hunting, but the worse. They consume themselues, and wast their goods, and impouerish their wiues and children, by following their sports, and neglecting their estate: by feeding so many dogges, as that thereby they faile both of care and abilititie to prouide for their people. But