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…

Confutation of them that when their state is shrunk & their wealth consumed, are as unrighteous in misplacing their complaints as the very unthrifty in misspending their portions. Some par•e of the blame must lie upon the greatness of their charge: some upon the negligence of their servants: some upon the smallness of their livings: some upon the unfaithfulness of them whom they trusted, and gave word for: some upon the hardness of the season, & unseasonableness of the weather: but nothing upon their own evil ⟨p. 72⟩husbandry and sinfulness. But why did they entertain such false servants, and trust such unfaithful friends? why would they for ostentation burden themselves with more in family then were needful? As for the other causes, have not some of their neighbours as many children, and as little living as they, and that in the same times, and places wherein they live? And they prosper, and decay not: their substance is augmented, and not diminished: they have enough for their own present enjoyment, and surplusage to leave to theirs after them. But tillage, say they, which enforceth a necessity of housekeeping, hath brought us down, and therefore we lay down tillage, and give up housekeeping, and so we hope to recover our selves again. But sithence God doth commend tillage as profitable to every degree and yielding food plentifully to all, why do they traduce it as a thing that were hurtful, and cause of undoing to any? Doth it not come often to pass, that many by overthrowing of that, do overturn their whole estate, and they that pick such a quarrel at housekeeping, are driven to make sale of all, and leave themselves no house to keep?

Confutation of them that when their state is shrunke & their wealth cōsumed, are as vnrighteous in misplating their cōplaints as the very vnthrifty in mispending their portions. Some par•e of the blame must lie vpon the greatnes of their charge: some vpon the negligence of their seruants: some vpon the smalnesse of their liuings: some vpon the vnfaithfulnes of them whom they trusted, and gaue word for: some vpon the hardnesse of the season, & vnseasonablenes of the weather: but nothing vpon their owne euill ⟨p. 72⟩husbandry and sinfulnes. But why did they entertaine such false seruants, and trust such vnfaithfull friends? why would they for ostentation burden themselues with more in family then were needful? As for the other causes, haue not some of their neighbors as many children, and as little liuing as they, and that in the same times, and places wherein they liue? And they prosper, and decay not: their substance is augmented, and not diminished: they haue ynough for their own present inioyment, and surplusage to leaue to theirs after them. But tillage, say they, which inforceth a necessity of housekeeping, hath brought vs downe, and therefore we lay downe tillage, and giue vp housekeeping, and so we hope to recouer our selues againe. But sithence God doth commend tillage as profitable to euery degree and yeelding food plentifully to all, why do they traduce it as a thing that were hurtfull, and cause of vndoing to any? Doth it not come often to passe, that many by ouerthrowing of that, do ouerturne their whole estate, and they that pick such a quarrell at housekeeping, are driuen to make sale of all, and leaue themselues no house to keepe?