Chapter 15

The fruits of fearing God: ℣.7 which fools and liars reap not, but the wise only. ℣.11 God is no way author of sin, ℣.14 but sinners themselves are the Authors, abusing their freewill.

1. 1

   He that feareth God, shall do good things, and he that hath justice shall apprehend her,

2. 2

   and she will meet him as an honourable mother, & a wife from virginity she will receive him.

3. 3

   She shall feed him with the bread of life and understanding, and give him the water of wholesome wisdom to drink: and she shall be made sure in him, and he shall not be bowed:

4. 4

   and she shall hold him fast, and he shall not be confounded: and she shall exalt him before his neighbours,

5. 5

   and in the midst of the Church she shall open his mouth, and shall fill him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and shall clothe him with a stole of glory.

6. 6

   Joy & exultation she shall heap upon him, & shall make him inherit an everlasting name.

7. 7

   Foolish men shall not apprehend her, & wise men shall meet her, foolish men shall not see her: for she is far from pride and deceit.

8. 8

   Lying men shall not be mindful of her: and true men shall be found in her, and shall have success, even to the beholding of God.

9. 9

   Praise is not comely in the mouth of a sinner:

10. 10

    because wisdom proceeded from God. For praise shall be with the wisdom of God, & shall abound in a faithful mouth, & the dominatour will give praise to it.

11. 11

    Say not: It is by God, that she is absent: for do not thou the things that he hateth.

12. 12

    Say not: He hath made me err: for impious men are not necessary for him.

13. 13

    Our Lord hateth all abomination of error, and it shall not be amiable to them, that fear him.

14. 14

    God from the beginning made man, and left him in the hand of his own counsel.

15. 15

    He added his commandments and precepts.

16. 16

    If thou will keep the commandment, and keep acceptable fidelity for ever, they shall preserve thee.

17. 17

    He hath set before thee water and fire: to which thou wilt, stretch forth thine hand.

18. 18

    Before man there is life and death, good and evil: what pleaseth him shall be given him:

19. 19

    Because the wisdom of God is much, and he is strong in might, seeing all men without intermission.

20. 20

    The eyes of our Lord are towards them that fear him, and he knoweth all the work of man.

21. 21

    He hath commanded no man to do impiously, and he hath given no man space to sin:

22. 22

    for he desireth not a multitude of faithless and unprofitable children.