Exposition of Proverbs 9-10, Exposition 2 · Verse 1
CHAPTER. X.
The Parables of Salomon: A wiſe ſonne maketh a Verſe. 1 glad Father, but a fooliſh ſonne is a he auineſſe to his mother.
PARABLES. That is, wiſe and graue ſentences written by Salomon, but inſpired by the ſpirit of God, for the imformation of the minde, and the inſtitution of the life, according to the rules of Wiſedome, Iuſtice, and Pietie The other nine Chapters being preſixed as a preface to theſe, contained a continued diſcourſe, wherein the commendation of Wiſedome, and the exhortations to manie good duties were proſecuted with varietie of arguments: wheras in theſe that follow, for the moſt part, are ſet downe briefe ſayings, eueryevery verſe almoſt comprehending a whole point in it ſelfe, not growing vponupon dependance of that which went before, nor miniſtring th'occaſion of that which commeth after. Yet ſometimes it falleth out otherwiſe, and diuers verſes together hauehave dependance one with another, as will appeare in ſome place of this preſent Chapter. A wiſe ſonne, that is, a vertuous & towardly ſonne or daughter, maketh a ioyfull father, or mother: and a fooliſh ſonne, that is, a ſinfull and vngratious childe, is an heauineſſe, and griefe to his mother or father: yet it is not without cauſe that the mother is rather put in the latter clauſe, than the father: for that ſex is the weaker, & more impatient of ſuch a croſſe: and vſually contemptuous children be bolder to contemne the mother then the father, as Chap. 15. 20. A fooliſh man deſpiſeth his mother, as Rebeccah was more troubled with Eſau then Iſaac was: and very often the mothers by too much indulgence and fondneſſe, are meanes of their childrens vices, and ſo it is ſaid, A childe ſet at libertie maketh his mother aſhamed. Chap. 29. 15.
The comfort or ſorrow of parents ſtandeth much in the behauiour Doct. of their children. This is euident by the example of A good ſonne makes a glad father.Iacobs ſonnes: whereof Ioſeph a gracious child, was neuer but a refreſhing to him: but Simeon, and Reuben, and Leny, and moſt of the reſt, by their ſinfull actions did fill him with griefe and afflictions: and ſo had Dauid experience both waies, being peirced with ſorrow on the one ſide, by the villanous practiſes & miſerable ends of Abſolon and Ammon: and abounding with ioy on the other ſide for the ſingular wiſedome of Salomon.
Firſt, theſe affections doe proceede from the louelove that godly Reaſon. parents doe beare vntounto God, that thinking all too little that is done in his ſeruices, they hauehave now helpers euen out of their owne loynes, that will ioyne with them in the ſame: and when they hauehave finiſhed their courſe and ended their owne daies worke, yet the worke ſhall ſtill bee continued by their poſteritie. We ſee in humane affaires, that eueryevery good ſubiect will be glad to breede vp a ſonne that will bee ſit and able to ſerue his ſoueraigne: and how can it then but cheere vp the heart and refreſh the ſpirits of Chriſtian fathers or mothers to hauehave their children the Lords Souldiers, valiantly ſighting his battailes againſt ſinne and Sathan, and that in their owne ſight and preſence? eueryevery good maſter, as was Abraham, will think it a benefite to hauehave his ſeruants to be the ſeruants of the Lord: and eueryevery Chriſtian will gladly heare of Godly men, in another familie, in another towne, in another countrie, in another kingdome, and therefore much more will religious parents be rauiſhed with ioy to ſee with their owne eyes the feare of God in their owne houſes, in their owne children by the bleſsing of God vponupon their owne gouernement, and prayers: but they cannot but conceiue as great griefe by the ſinfulneſſe of impious children, which wholy caſt off the yoke of all holy obedience: that diſpite him whom they honour, and blaſpheme that name which they ſanctifie, and reiect that word which their ſoules doe liue by. The Prophets eyes guſhed out with riuers of waters becauſe ſtrangers, and aliants, and euen his very enemies obſerued not the commandements of God: and therefore much Pſal. 119. 136.more would he hauehave mourned when his owne ſonnes rebelled againſt them.
Secondly, louelove to the people of God will worke gladneſſe, when faithfull men diſcerne their children to bee inclining to goodneſſe. For they are growing to be fruitfull plants in the Lords orchard, and ſo many ſhall hauehave profit by them many waies, whereas the wicked are as thornes and bryars and noyſome brambles.
Thirdly, the happy condition of gracious and godly children themſelues doth procure to the parents much conſolation: for beſides their ſpirituall promotion and dignitie, being made the ſonnes of God, and kingly heires of euerlaſting glory, the fauour and bleſsing of God doth vſually appeare towards them for the things of this life: when rebellious and wicked children hauehave the curſe of God vponupon them, doing miſchiefe and hurt, and receiuing the reward of it, by ſhame and infamy, by debts and arearages, by ſlight and lurking, by bonds and impriſonment, and oftentimes by an ignominious death and deſtruction.
Fourthly, wiſe children yeeld matter of comfort to their parents in being officious vntounto them, and vſing all good behauiour towards them: for they are moſt forward to obay their commandements, they are moſt cheerefull to releeue their neceſsities: they are moſt faithfull and prouident to preſerue their life, and health, and welfare. In which reſpect the Scripture compareth them to arrowes or any other weapons, whereby men may be defended. Pſal. 127. 4. And as they are preſt and ready to performe eueryevery duetie that is required of them, ſo will they alſo carefully regard their parents dealings towards them: the father giueth counſell, and the ſonne is directed by it: the father giueth rebuke and the ſonne trembleth at it: the father giueth correction, and the ſonne doth humbly ſubmit himſelfe vntounto it. Now at the handes of a fooliſh child, what is to be expected, but folly: contempt of commaundements and counſell: murmuring againſt admonition and reproofes: reſiſtance againſt correction and chaſtiſements? if their parents bee in wants, they are aſhamed of them, and thincke it an intollerable burthen to bee charged with them: and ſo ſhorten their dayes by opprobtious and hard vſage: if they hauehave wealth, they ſeeke to make a ſpoyle of them: if they be like to leaue them patrimonie or inheritance, no enemie doth ſo much deſire their death: if they bee ſimple and want vnderſtanding, they eyther vſe contemptuouſly to checke and ſ…b them, or elſe to mocke and deride them. If they declare their wiſedome and true pietie, they ſhew then bitterneſſe againſt their godly zeale and ſincere profeſsion.
Inſtruction, Firſt, to children to take it as a motiue to ſtirre Vſe. 1 them vp, & prouoke them to Chriſtian conuerſation, that they ſhal miniſter comfort to their parents, and pleaſure themſelues, and pleaſe the Lord: for all thoſe concurre and meete together in one. The ſonne doth neuer giuegive iuſt occaſion of gladneſſe to his father, but hee hath a iuſt cauſe to be glad for his owne ſake; becauſe God hath ſo ſeaſoned him with grace, and made him acceptable to his friends, and vouchſafed vntounto him his owne fauour. Whereas on the contrary ſide when the parents are much grieued for the childes miſdemeanours, the child ought to bee more grieued for his owne wretchedneſſe; for he ſhall bee moſt puniſhed for his rebellion. Secondly, to parents that for as much as their childrens vice, or vertue is their woe or welfare, therefore they doe their beſt indeauour to hauehave their ſeede to be vertuous and holy. And he that will How a man may be a ioyfull father.doe this, muſt lay the foundation of beeing a comfortable father, beefore hee bee a father, and take the way to hauehave good children, beefore hee hauehave children: and that is by a due care that himſelfe doe marry in the Lord: that he propoſe ſuch an ende, and vſe ſuch proceeding, and match with ſuch a wife, as will bring the bleſsing of God vponupon his houſe and poſteritie. Secondly, if he be deſirous that his children ſhould yeeld him the crop of comfort, he muſt beſtow vponupon them the ſeede of inſtruction, and the tillage of good education. Thirdly, great care is to be had for the wiſe and orderly diſpoſing of them in marriage, that all the former hopes be not cut off through the neglect of this dutie: For diuers times good people in this regard are like to corne that proſpereth well in the blade, but afterwards is either blaſted or withered in the eare. Many ingenious and towardly young men and maidens hauehave beene vtterly ouerthrowne by coupling themſelues to profane yokefellowes, and being ingrafted into ſinfull families.
Reproofe of thoſe that take leaſt care to get wiſedome for their children, but onelyonly labour to prouide them wealth, and thereby they are made idle, and proude, and vnthriftie, and prepared to waſt with riot all that they hauehave gotten with care and trauell. And yet they bee far worſe and altogether vnworthie of the name of fathers, that grieue at the graces of the children, and reſtraine them from all the meanes whereby they might attaine vntounto knowledge and wiſedome.
Conſolation to them that be inriched with this treaſure of good children, howſoeuer the world goeth with them in their ſtate otherwiſe. If they be wealthy and ſtored with poſſeſsions, they hauehave ſuch to leaue them vntounto, as are fitted for them, and know how to vſe them, and are like long to inioy them. Wheras many parents doe leaue portions that are better than the children to whom they are beequeathed: and the good creatures of God are put into the hands of vnworthie men, who are therefore vnable long to retaine them. If they be pore and deſtitute of other riches, & maintenance, yet the want of things of leſſe value, is ſupplied by that which is of more worth, one good child is better then many wedges of gold: and no earthly inheritance is ſo faire a demaines, as a religious ſeede, which God doth giuegive in goodneſſe, and by his owne teſtimonie commendeth as a bleſsing that maketh a man to be happy. Pſal. 127. 3. 4.