A plain and familiar exposition of the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of the Proverbs…A plaine and familiar exposition of the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of the Prouerbs…

Consolation for poor beginners, that have little or nothing to take to, if they have wills to take pains, and wisdom to deal discreetly, and faithfulness to walk uprightly in their callings. It is neither unpossible nor unlikely, that beginning with one Cow at first, they may attain to many at last: that one lamb may grow to a flock of sheep: that a small tenement or cottage, may be turned into a freehold or Farm. When Jacob came into Padan Aram, he brought only his staff in his hand, but when he departed thence, he drove away sundry flocks, and divers sorts of cattle. For God had ordained the fields aswell to maintain Jacob, though he was but a stranger there, and in place of a servant, as it did Laban, who was an inhabitant in the country, and had hired him only for his own turn. And albeit that many diligent men find not the earth and their labours to yield them such plenty, as thereby to become opulent, & have much aforehand, yet how many of them fail of sufficiency, as not annually from time to time to be provided for? And then if they be not destitute of apparel, if they be not deprived of competent meat and drink, if they want not those things that are needful for them, this Scripture is truly verified to the comfort of all that apply themselves to any good travels, that much food is by tillage for the poor.

Consolation for poore beginners, that haue little or nothing to take to, if they haue wills to take paines, and wisedome to deale discreetly, and faithfulnes to walk vprightly in their callings. It is neither vnpossible nor vnlikely, that beginning with one Cow at first, they may attaine to many at last: that one lamb may grow to a flocke of sheepe: that a small tenement or cottage, may be turned into a freehold or Farme. When Iacob came into Padan Aram, he brought onely his staffe in his hand, but when hee departed thence, he droue away sundry flockes, and diuers sorts of cattell. For God had ordained the fields aswell to maintain Iacob, though he was but a stranger there, and in place of a seruant, as it did Laban, who was an inhabitant in the country, and had hired him onely for his owne turne. And albeit that many diligent men find not the earth and their labors to yeeld them such plenty, as therby to become opulent, & haue much aforehād, yet how many of them faile of sufficiency, as not annually from time to time to be prouided for? And then if they be not destitute of apparell, if they be not depriued of competent meate and drinke, if they want not those things that are needfull for them, this Scripture is truly verified to the comfort of all that apply themselues to any good trauells, that much foode is by tillage for the poore.