Exposition of Proverbs 11-12, Biblical commentary · Chapter 12 · Verse 26
Verſe 26. The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour: but the way of the wicked will deceiue them.
THe righteous, that is, eueryevery godly man who hath attained to vprightnes, though not to perfection of righteouſnes, is better then his neighbour, is better beloued, and graced of God, and more eſteemed of godly wiſe men, and hath that in him which maketh him more commendable then any other that is vnrighteous and ſinfull; and ſo his way is anſwerable to his hope. But the wicked deſiring, and ſeeking, and expecting a more excellencie aboue others, are notwithſtanding contemptible, and grow in time to be contemned, and ſo their way deceiueth them.
Doct. Grace maketh good men to be the worthieſt perſonages. As they goe before all the vnregenerate in vertue, ſo they go beyond them in honour: and as they exceede them in pietie, ſo they ſurmount them in excellencie. The teſtimonie which the Prophet giueth of them to God himſelfe, by the inſpiration of Gods ſpirit, doth make this manifeſt. My goods, ſaith he, extend not to thee, but to the Saints that are in earth, euen to the excellent: all my Pſalm. 16. 3.delight is in them. And Iſaiah ſpeaking of the ſame ſort of people, though neuer ſo meane and poore, ſaith, that vponupon all the Iſa. 4. 5.glorie ſhall be a defence.
Reaſons. 1 Firſt, in regard of their condition in this preſent life they hauehave all prerogatiues, and preferments. By parentage eueryevery one of them is Gods child: By dignitie they are all Kings: by inheritance, they hauehave title to heauen and earth: their foode is heauenly manna: their clothing is the righteouſnes of Chriſt: their attendants are the holy Angels: what ſhould wee ſpeake of other things, wherein one man is wont to excell many others, and thereby waxe glorious and become renowned? Who is wiſe beſides them? who elſe hath any true fortitude in them? doe not all others in their follie bring ſhame vponupon themſelues? Hath not Sathan ſubdued, and as it were trampled them vnderunder his feete? They are dealt with as bond men, and put to the fowleſt workes of impietie, and falſehood, luſt, and lewdnes, and of all kinde of iniquitie.
Secondly, in reſpect of their ſtate that ſhall bee in the life to come, which by no compariſon can bee ſufficiently expreſſed. They ſhall hauehave perfect happines, and bee made like vntounto Ieſus Chriſt, more excellent and puiſſant, then the moſt glorious Angels. When all the wicked ſhall be brought to the fulnes of contempt: when ſhame ſhall couer them: when they ſhall be troden downe as the mire in the ſtreetes.Micah. 7. 10.
Vſe. 1 Inſtruction, to labour for excellency by thoſe meanes whereby we may be made excellent, and that is by growing godly and religious. This way will not faile to effect it, and none other courſe without it, will be of any force to bring it to paſſe. Men may bee very wealthie, and ignominious: they may hauehave gorgious apparell, and be contemptible perſons: they may be honourablie diſcended, and yet without al honour. To conclude, neither ſtrength of armes, nor eloquence of tongue, nor ſharpeneſſe of wit, nor beautie of face, nor comelines of ſtature, nor boldnes of courage, nor any other externall thing, or gifts of minde vnſanctified, can ſo adorne and ſet forth one, as that thereby he may truely bee reputed for a man that is praiſe-worthie.
Reproofe of ſuch as of all others moſt vilifie and contemne them that are moſt gracious and godly. Which make them (according to S. Pauls ſaying) as the filth of the world, and the ofſcourings 1. Cor. 4. 13.of all things. Which make leſſe reckoning of them that are truely religious, then of the duſt which they ſweepe out of their houſes, and caſt to the dunghill. They had rather hauehave their children and friends to bee Beare-wards, or chimnie-ſweepers, then mortified and faithfull Chriſtians. How different is their eſtimation from the teſtimonie of the holy Ghoſt? And therefore how little grace of the holy Ghoſt is wrought in their hearts?
S. Iames condemneth it for a haynous offence to hauehave a baſe Iam. 2. 3.opinion of the godly, and to put them behind wicked rich men for their pouertie: how grieuous then is their ſinne which contemne and loath them and put the vileſt before them, for their pietie? But one thing let them know, and that they ſhall in time to come both ſee and feele, vnleſſe in due time before, they ſee their fault, and feele godly griefe for the ſame, that they ſhall neuer inherit glory with the righteous in heauen, that be deſpiſers of them in earth. Nay not ſo onelyonly, but God doth condition with them that would hauehave an habitation aboue with him, that vile perſons muſt be contemned in their eyes, and they muſt honour them that feare the Lord.Pſalm. 15. 4.
The other clauſe of this verſe is the ſame in ſenſe, and almoſt in words with the eighteenth verſe of the former chapter, where it is ſaid, that The wicked worketh a deceitfull worke; and therefore we referre the reader to that place for the doctrine of it.