Commentary Upon Proverbs, Chapter 25
THE XXV. CHAPTER.
1 Alſo theſe are the Prouerbes of Salomon, vvhichwhich the men of Hezechia King of Iudah, gathered together.
THeſe Parables enſuing, were by the ſeruants of Hezechia copied out of ſundry writings, and peraduenture out of the publike Monuments or Chronicles, wherein the ſayings and actes of Salomon were ſet downe.
2 The glorie of God is to conceale a thing ſecret, See the roote hereof. Deut. 13.14. See an example. Iob. 29.16.but the kings honour is to ſearch out a thing.
Becauſe the Lord hath no equall or ſuperiour, to whom hee ſtandeth bound to render a reaſon, it is a point of honour vntounto him, to hauehave ſome waies ſo inſearchable, as that no creature can know the ſame, which to do, both men and Angels are not onelyonly vnable but vnworthie. The caſe ſtandeth otherwiſe with earthly princes, who as they are commanded by the Lord to inquire into matters, ſo then they are commended by men, when they boult out the truth in hard caſes.
3 The heauens in height, and the earth in deepeneſſe, and the Kinges heart, *Or is vnſearchable.can no man ſearch.
Infinit ſhould the care and wiſedome of a king be,See an example in this our Salomon. 1. King. 4. who ſhould be able to reach vntounto moſt high points of knowledge, and to pierce into moſt profounde ſecrets.
4 Take avvay the droſſe from the ſiluer, and there vvill proceed a veſſell for the finer.
5 Take avvay the vvicked from the king, and his throne ſhall bee eſtabliſhed in righteouſneſſe.
Princes are to puniſh offenders.See the ſame compariſon. Mal. 3.3. For as the Goldſmiths ſeparating with fire the refuſe mettall from the pure, cauſeth a fine cup to ariſe: ſo a wiſe ruler, by cutting off euil doers, cauſeth his land to flouriſh and eſtabliſheth his ſcepter.
6 Take not honour vntounto thy ſelfe before a king, Vſurping of honour, or intruding of a mans ſelfe into high places.and ſtand not in the place of great perſonages.
7 For it is better that it be ſaid vntounto thee come vp hither, then that thou be thruſt downe before a worthier perſon, which thing thine eyes do ſee.
Neither ambitiouſly ſeeke nor boldly intrude thy ſelfe into thoſe high places whereunto thou art not called:See the ſame paerable. Luc. 14. The ſame reaſon. Luc. 18. for he who exalteth him ſelfe ſhall be brought low: which thing is teſtified by dayly experience to be moſt true.
8 Go not foorth hastily to ſue any, Going to law.conſider what thou wilt do at the last, whē as thy neighbour ſhall hauehave put thee vntounto ſhame.
Runne not out of thine houſe vponupon eueryevery trifling occaſion,Deut. 19.16. to brabble or to law with him who is thine aduerſarie, leſt if thou receiue the foyle,Mat. 5.25. the iudge deliuer thee to the iaylor, & thou be caſt into priſon.
9 Debate thy matter with thy neighbour, but reueale not anothers ſecret,
10 Leſt he who heareth blame thee, and thine infamie do not ceaſe.
If at any time thou muſt needes hauehave any dealing in law,Blabbing. plead thy caſe without defacing thine aduerſarie or blaſing his ſecret offences, leſt the vmpire or iudge blame thee as a cruell purſuer, and ſo thou be ſpotted with perpetuall infamie.
11 As golden apples with pictures of ſiluer, Eloquence.ſo is a word ſpoken fitly.
Gold of it ſelfe and by it ſelfe, is pretious and excellent, but when both it is brought into ſome pretie forme, as for example into the faſhion of an apple, peare, or cherrie, and wrought about or embroidered with faire and curious picture-workes and fruteryes, as with ſiluer leaues,Ephe. 4.2.9. branches, and trees, then it is much more comely and glorious. In like manner, a ſage or pithie ſentence, is in it ſelfe acceptable and commendable, but when it is vttered with a grace and in time and place, it becommeth exceedingly pleaſant and gracious.
Teachers and hearers.12 As a golden earing and a iewell of fine gold, ſo is a wiſe reproouer, to an obedient eare.
Like as a pretious iewell & a golden earing ioyned together,See an example in Dauid and Abigail. 1. Sam. 25. And a like ſaying. Pſal. 141 are a mutuall bewtifying the one to the other, and moſt fitly do agree, ſo a mouth which vttereth pretious reproofes and admonitiōs, and an eare which liſteneth to them with attention and humilitie, are not onelyonly ſutable and well met, but a mutuall honour each of them to the other.
13 As the colde of the ſnow, in the time of harueſt, Meſſengers.ſo is a faithfull meſſenger vntounto thoſe vvho ſend him, for he reſtoreth his maiſters ſoule.
That auncient people in the hot countryes vſed to coole their drinke in ſommer, with ſnow water which to that end they reſerued, many glories teſtifie.Euen as ſnowe water which is moſt colde put into drinke to coole the ſame, is very pleaſaunt in the hot countryes, and refreſheth thoſe who labour hotly in the harueſt: ſo a ſpeedie and truſtie meſſenger, by his good newes, greatly reuiueth the heauie and longing mind, of thoſe who ſent him about their buſineſſe.
14 As cloudes and vvind vvithout raine, ſo is the man vvho boaſteth of a falſe gift.
Like as cloudes & wind without rain,Se the ſame compariſon in the Epiſtle of Iude. not only are barren & without water, but making ſhew of ſhowers which they hauehave not nor poure down, deceiue oftentimes the husband mans expectation and grieue his heart: ſo vayne promiſers of liberalitie, & hypocrites, are not onelyonly without grace and good workes, but by their falſe promiſes and ſhewes of bountie and holineſſe, delude and offende thoſe who hoped for ſome goods or goodneſſe from them.
15 By long ſuffering a Captaine is allured, Long ſuffering.and a ſoft toung breaketh the bones.
By patient ſilence, euen thoſe who carrie a moſt ſtout minde as for example warlike Captaines,See examples in Gedeon Iud. 8.2. and in Abigail. 1. Sam. 25. are eaſily pacified and quickly ouercome. Moreouer, albeit lightly ſoft things breake not hard, yet gentle ſpeech doth ſo deepely pearce and hath ſuch force, that it not only ſuppleth the vaynes of the ſtubburne heart, but mollifieth as it were the very bones.
16 When thou findeſt hony, eate that vvhichwhich is ſufficient for thee, leſt being filled therewith, thou vomite it vp.
17 Withdraw thy foote from the houſe of thy neighbour, Friendes. Moderation.leſt being filled vvith thee, he hate thee.
Whē thou haſt foūd a table or houſe like in ſweetneſſe vntounto hony, haunt it not without all modeſtie, leſt thy friend be wearie of ſuch a dayly gueſt, but rarely and ſparingly reſort thereunto, that ſo thou mayeſt alway be welcome and acceptable.
As an hammer and a ſword and a ſharpe arrovv, See the ſame copariſon Pſal. 120.3.4. Alſo 55.22. Before. 12.18.ſo is that man vvho vvitneſſeth a falſe teſtimonie againſt his neighbour.
As the hammer which breaketh hard thinges in peeces,See an example. 1. King. 21.13. and the ſword which cutteth faſt things in ſunder, and the arrow which pearceth into things moſt ſecret, are weapons of deſtruction: ſo a falſe witneſſe many wayes worketh deadly hurt to his neighbour.
Such is alſo the hope of a ſinner in the day of his viſitation, as is further shewed. Iob. 8.14. See examples in Iob forſaken by his friends, in Dauid reiected by Naball, & in Mephibosheth deceiued by Tſibah. Niter, is neither ſaltpeter, nor ſalt, nor chalk, but a kinde of earth hardened by the ſunne, white in colour, bitter in taſt. See Bellonius de Nitro. That liberalitie in due ſeaſon reuiueth the bodie & ſoule appeareth in the 31. Iob. 19.20. verſ. That vineger diſſolueth niter Ariſtotle teacheth. 4. Meteor. 6. That Muſicke eaſeth a troubled mind is manifeſt. 1. Sam. 16.24.2. Kings. 3.15. Dan. 6.19. Doing of good to our enemies.19 As a broken tooth or a foote out of ioint, ſo is truſt in one that is vnfaithfull in the day of trouble.
As a broken tooth faileth and paineth him who goeth about to chew his meare, and as a foote out of ioynt diſappointeth & tormenteth him, who ſetteth it on the ground to go: ſo the hope which hath bene repoſed in a friend who ſtarteth aſide in aduerſitie, doth fall away and turne into indignation.
20 He vvhichwhich putteth on a garment in the cold ſeaſon, is as vinege on niter, or as he vvhichwhich ſingeth ſongs to a ſad heart.
The liberal perſon who clotheth him that is naked in extreme cold weather, as when it is froſt or ſnow, cauſeth his numneſſe to relent and depart out of his body, and ſofteneth the ſtiffeneſſe of his ioynts, as vineger diſſolueth & looſeth the dry niter (which ſomtimes is ſo by a ſtone), and moreouer, cheareth vp his ſpirites, like as a ſweet ſinger by his deliteſome dittie and pleaſant voyce, driuing away ſorrow from a penſiue minde, raiſeth it vp vntounto ioy and comfort.
21 If thine enemy hunger, feede him vvith bread, and if he thirſt giuegive him vvater to drinke,
22 For [ſo] thou ſhalt heap as it vvere burning coales vponupon his head, and God vvill recompence thee.
Be farre off from ſuffering thine enemy to periſh,See the r…e hereof Exod. 23.4.5. rather nouriſh him, yea miniſter not one alone but many benefits vntounto him, according to his neceſſitie. Thus doing, thou ſhalt ouercome euil with good, yea thou ſhalt inflame him to louelove thee by thy benefites,See examples hereof in Saul 1. Sam. 24 17. and in Elizeus. 2. Kings. 6.22.23. Rom. 12.20. which will ſeeme ſo many burning coales vntounto him. But, put the caſe he remaineth obſtinate or be not able to requite thee, yet God who commaundeth thee to louelove thine enemy, will repay thy good deedes and coſt vntounto thee.
23 As the Northvveſt vvinde ingendreth rain, ſo doth the *Or ſecret.vvhiſpering tongue, a *Or ſad.lowring looke.
As the winde in Iudaea comming from the Northweſt, cauſeth not a drought but raine, by reaſon of the ſituation of the great ſea, which is Northward: ſo the ſlie or backbiting tongue, cauſeth ſadnes in their countenance and frowning in their lookes, who are therewithall bitten.
24 Better it is to dwell in a corner of the houſe top, then with a contentious woman in a wyde houſe.
This ſentence hath before bene expounded in the 21. chap. 9. verſe.
25 As cold vvaters to a vveary ſoule, ſo is a good hearing out of a farre country.
As coole waters quench the thirſt and reſtore the ſtrength of the feeble and weary trauellour:See an example in Iacob. Gen. 47. And in Peters tydings. Acts 12. in like ſort, good newes much longed & looked for, aſſwage the griefe and cheare vp the ſpirites, of him who heareth them out of a farre country.
26 As a vvell troubled vvith the heel, or a ſpring vvhichwhich is corrupted, ſo is a righteous man caſt downe before the vvicked man.
Like as when the mud is ſtirred vp in a fountaine, or any filthie thing is caſt into a ſpring,See examples in Habachucke. Hab. 1. in Ieremie. Ier. 12. and in Dauid. Pſal. 73. the cleare water therof looſeth his grace and vſe by this means, and this is taken in ill part: euen ſo, to ſee the righteous moleſted or defaced by the vngodly, is not onelyonly a vile indignitie, but ſuch a ſpectacle, as cannot but mooue great indignation.
27 It is not good [for men] to eate too much hony: ſo, the ſeeking of their owne glorie, is not glorie.
As hony immoderately taken, breedeth diſeaſes and doth much hurt:See an example in Dauid ſmarting for numbering of his people. ſo, greedie hunting after praiſe or honor (things in ſweetnes like to hony) is no commendation but a ſhame and an hurtfull thing.
28 As a citie broken downe, without a vvall, ſo is eueryevery one vvho hath no power ouer his ſpirite.
As a towne vndefenced is not able to reſiſt any aſſault, but lieth open to enemies and to ſpoile: ſo hee who cannot bridle his vaine glorie, wrath, luſt, or ſuch other affections, falleth into great ſinnes and incurreth many troubles.