John Trapp on Proverbs 14:4

Verſ. 4. Where no Oxen are, the Crib is clean] The Barn and Garners are empty. Neque mola, neque farina, no good to bee got without hard labour of men and Cattel. Let the idle mans Motto be that of the Lilly, Neque laborant, neque neut. They neither toyl nor ſpin, Matth. 6.28. Man is born to toyl, as the ſparks fly unwards, Job 5.7. And Spinſter they ſay is a term given the greateſt women in our Law. Our lives are called the lives of our hands, Iſa. 57.10. becauſe to be maintained by the labour of our hands.

But much increaſe is by the ſtrength of the Oxe] This is one of thoſe beaſts, that ſerve ad eſum & ad uſum, and are profitable both alive and dead. An Heathen counſelleth good husbands that would thrive in the world, to get firſt an Houſe, then a Wife, and then an Oxe that luſtily ploweth, and bringeth in much increaſe. Bede applies this text to painful Preachers (ſet forth by Oxen, 1 Cor. 9.9. Rev. 4.7. for their tolerance and tugging at the work) where theſe labour luſtily, there is (commonly) a harveſt of holineſſe, [non-Latin text not transcribed] of [non-Latin text not transcribed] duſt. a crop of comfort. Only they muſt be duſtily diligent.