Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Proverbs · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV.
Verſ. 1. A Wiſe woman buildeth her houſe, &c.] Though this might be underſtood literally of her provident care to repair her dwelling-houſe betimes, ſo ſoon as any where ſhe eſpies any decaies in it, (and ſo the like may be ſaid on the contrary of the fooliſh woman in the oppoſite clauſe;) yet I rather conceive that both clauſes muſt be taken figuratively: A wiſe woman buildeth her houſe; that is, ſhe upholds & enlargeth her family and eſtate, to wit, by her prudent education & government of her children and family, by her diligence & good huſwifery, but eſpecially by her piety, which procureth Gods bleſſing both on her and hers; ſee the Notes Exod. 2.21. 2 Sam. 7.11. and Pſal. 127.1: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands; as if he had ſaid, with both hands earneſtly, as it is Mich. 7.3. that is, ſhe undoeth all, to wit, by her pride, idleneſſe, and ill huſwifery, by her riotouſneſſe, and by neglecting her family and houſhold affairs, and in generall by drawing the curſe of God upon her and hers by her wickedneſſe.
Verſ. 3. In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride, &c.] To wit, 1. becauſe fooliſh men out of the pride of their hearts are wont with their inſolent, ſcornful and opprobrious language, to ſmite in a manner all they come near, laying about them like mad men, yea ſometimes by their preſumptuous ſpeeches to ſtrike at God himſelf, according to that Pſal. 73.9. they ſet their mouth againſt the heavens, &c: for as the almighty word of Chriſts command, whereby he executes judgements upon wicked men, is called the rod of his mouth, Iſa. 11.4. becauſe thereby the men of the earth are ſmitten to their utter ruine; ſo the ſlanderous and inſolent language of fooliſh men is here called a rod in their mouths, (as elſewhere it is called the ſcourge of the tongue, Job 5.2.) becauſe much pain & miſchief redounds to men that are ſmitten thereby. And 2. becauſe ſuch fooliſh men are uſually beaten, as it were, with this rod of their own mouths, in that they provoke God thereby to puniſh them, & in that thoſe men that are ſmitten by them are many times thereby provoked to fall foul upon them, and ſo they doe as it were put a rod or ſtaffe into other mens hands for the beating of themſelves. Yea and obſervable it is, which one of our beſt Expoſitours hath noted in this place, to wit, that this phraſe, In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride, may ſeem alſo to imply, 1. the ſodain puniſhment of ſuch men, in that the proud & preſumptuous words they utter do preſently become a rod for the puniſhing of themſelves; and 2. the reproachfulneſſe of their puniſhment, in that, notwithſtanding the pride and loftineſſe of their ſpirits, they are threatned, not with a ſword, but with a rod or a ſtaffe, even as amongſt men the baſer ſort are uſually threatned with being caned or cudgelled: whence it was that Goliahs ſpirit did ſo ſwell with diſdain againſt David, 1 Sam. 17.43. Am I a dog, ſaith he, that thou comeſt to me with ſlaves? As for the following clauſe, but the lips of the wiſe shall preſerve them, the meaning muſt needs be, either that ſuch men are preſerved from the hurt of ſlanderous and reproachfull ſpeeches, by their diſcreet anſwers & defences; or that by avoiding ſuch proud preſumptuous ſpeeches, they are ſecured both from the wrath of God, and from provoking others to ſmite them; and on the contrary, by their humble and gentle and courteous language, do procure the favour of thoſe amongſt whom they live. But ſee the Note alſo chap. 12.6.
Verſ. 5. A faithfull witneſſe will not lie, &c.] To wit, in his private ſpeeches at other times: but a falſe witneſſe will utter lies; that is, he that hath falſified his faith in a cauſe of publick judgement, will make no conſcience of lying in his private diſcourſe; ſee the Note chap. 12.17: and therefore he that would be accounted a faithfull witneſſe muſt alwaies make conſcience of lying, becauſe otherwiſe he will not be believed when he ſpeaks truth. Or, A faithfull witneſſe, having witneſſed the truth, he will ſtand to it; whereas a falſe witneſſe will eaſily be brought to unſay what he hath teſtified. But I rather conceive the plain meaning of the Proverb to be this; A faithfull witneſse will not lie, that is, He that is indeed & out of conſcience faithfull in bearing witneſſe, will not for fear or favour, for any threatnings or rewards, be drawn to lie, as by concealing any part of the truth he ſhould utter, or dealing deceitfully any way in his teſtimony; but a falſe witneſſe will utter lies, that is, a falſe man called to bear witneſſe will make no conſcience at all of lying.
Verſ. 6. A ſcorner, &c.] See the Notes chap. 1.22. & Pſal. 1.1: ſeeketh wiſdome; that is, that knowledge whereby men become wiſe unto ſalvation (for even the worſt of men may pretend in their way to be carefull for their ſouls; & ſome wicked men in a formal way attend upon the means of grace; eſpecially in the time of any great calamity, or at the hour of death; then they would repent, and get an intereſt in Chriſt, & pray earneſtly to God for it:) and findeth it not; to wit, either becauſe he ſeeks it in a way of his own carnal wiſdome, & not, where only it is to be found, in the word of God & the miniſtry of the word; or becauſe he ſeeks it not in a right manner, diligently, ſeriouſly & ſincerely, not out of love to God or goodneſſe, but meerly for his own glory, or ſome other outward reſpects, and ſo the continuing wickedneſſe of his heart hinders the gaining of true wiſdome, & makes him like thoſe 2 Tim. 3.7. that are ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; or becauſe having long deſpiſed the tenders of wiſdome & grace, God regards not his deſires & prayers in the time of his extremities: but knowledge is eaſy unto him that underſtandeth; to wit, that underſtandeth his own defects and infirmities, & the way wherein wiſdome is to be certainly found, and that hath already attained ſome true knowledge. But ſee the Note chap. 8.9.
Verſ. 7. Goe from the preſence of a foolish man, when thou perceiveſt not in him the lips of knowledge.] That is, either 1. as ſoon as he begins to talk wickedly & profanely; that thou maieſt not by ſtaying with him receive hurt by him, or at leaſt ſeem to approve his wickedneſſe: or 2. when thou thereby perceiveſt his folly; & that becauſe fools are alwaies ſelf-conceited and obſtinate, ſo that no counſell or reproof of thine will doe any good upon him; and for thy ſelf, no good can be expected, but much hurt rather, from the ſociety of ſuch men.
Verſ. 8. The wiſdome of the prudent is to underſtand his way, &c.] Two particulars are implyed in this: as namely that the wiſdome of the prudent is, 1. to know himſelf; to endeavour to know, & thereby to come truly to know whether he be in the ſtate of nature or grace, whether the courſe of life wherein he lives be ſuch as will bring him to heaven or no, and ſo thereupon to order his whole converſation aright; & 2. to weigh well every particular action of his, not to undertake any thing raſhly, but to underſtand aright how he ought to behave himſelf, and what he ought to doe, and to make ſure that he doeth nothing but what becomes a wiſe man, & one that fears God. And thus hereby is implyed alſo, that true wiſdome doth not conſiſt ſo much in contemplation & knowledge, as in the practice of what we know; not ſo much in prying into other mens waies, in reproving & teaching other men, as in looking carefully to our own waies; and eſpecially (for this I conceive is the main drift of the Proverb) that it conſiſts not in that wiſdome & policy of worldly men, in being cunning to deceive others, but in taking care that they do not deceive and deſtroy their own ſouls: for this is hinted in the following clauſe, but the folly of fools is deceit; that is, that which the world counts a high pitch of wiſdome, but is indeed the folly of fools, is that they are ſo cunning & crafty to deceive thoſe they have any dealing with, and underſtand all the myſteries & depths of Satan herein, not conſidering what the iſſue of theſe courſes will be; or thus, the folly of fools is deceit, that is, the wickedneſſe of wicked men, that never mind their waies, but give up themſelves to live after their own hearts luſts, proceeds merely from their folly & ignorance, however wiſe they may think themſelves, and tends to the deceiving of themſelves, be guiling them both in the opinion of what they are, and in the expectation of what they hope for: ſee the Note chap. 11.18.
Verſ. 9. Fools make a mock at ſin, &c.] See the Note chap. 10.23: but amongſt the righteous is favour. It is very hard to ſay how this ſecond clauſe doth anſwer the firſt; and hence it is that ſo many different expoſitions are given of this Proverb by ſeverall Interpreters. 1. That wicked men make a ſport of wronging and abuſing their neighbours; but the righteous are ſo farre from this, that they beare unfeigned good will one towards another, & are ſtill ready to ſhew any favour they are able to thoſe with whom they converſe. Or 2. that wicked men make a mock of ſin, as if there were no danger in it, & ſo never ſeek to appeaſe Gods diſpleaſure, & to procure his favour, & that by this means they uſually draw Gods wrath upon themſelves; whereas the righteous are afraid of ſin, & if they ſin, are very carefull to ſeek reconciliation with God, & ſo they enjoy the love & favour of God. Or 3. that wicked men make a paſtime of ſin, therein lies all their jollity & delight; whereas the righteous, on the other ſide, take as great complacency and delight in their aſſurance of Gods favour, & in their loving fellowſhip and friendly ſociety one with another. Or 4. that wicked men are wont to make a ſport of other mens ſins, & to report them abroad in a way of deriſion and flouting at them, & by this means provoke men to hate them, and to be angry with them; but the righteous, quite contrary, do compaſſionate their brethren when they ſin, and are favourable and gentle towards them, ſeeking to hide and excuſe them as far as lawfully they may; and by this means they themſelves find favour alſo both with God and man. And indeed there is not any one of theſe expoſitions but hath much probability in it.
Verſ. 10. The heart knoweth his own bitterneſse; and a ſtranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.] The meaning of this Proverb ſeems to be this in generall; that the ſorrows & joys that are within the heart of a man no man can know but himſelf only: and that not only becauſe men may cunningly diſſemble both their griefs and joyes, but alſo becauſe their griefs and joyes are ſuch that they are not able to expreſſe them; & if they do undertake to relate what they feel inwardly, yet it is not poſſible that others ſhould conceive of it, as they inwardly feel it.
Verſ. 11. The houſe of the wicked shall be overthrown; but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.] That is, Though the eſtate & family & poſterity of the righteous be but, in compariſon of that of the wicked, as a little weak tottering tabernacle, in campariſon of a ſtately ſtrong-built houſe; yet ſhall this eſtate, a family and poſterity of the righteous proſper and encreaſe, when that of the wicked ſhall be utterly ruined. See the Note chap. 12.7.
Verſ. 12. There is a way which ſeemeth right unto a man, &c.] Some underſtand this thus; that many men think, that to live in plenty, and to enjoy all variety of pleaſures and delights, is the only happy & deſirable life. But by right here I conceive is not meant that which is delightfull & deſirable, but that which is blameleſſe & juſt. And though there be no evil way, wherein wicked men are not wont, upon ſome pretence or other, to flatter themſelves, according to that chap. 12.15. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes; yet becauſe there are ſome groſſe waies of wickedneſſe, which are ſo directly againſt the very light of nature, that the worſt of men cannot but judge them to be evil, therefore I rather think that Solomons aim here is, to ſhew that there are ſome waies, which though they be contrary to the will of God, & therefore hatefull in his ſight, yet men are apt to think that they are juſt & right, and pleaſing to God: and that either becauſe they have ſome appearance of goodneſſe in them; as it is in will-worſhips, and inſurrections againſt a lawfull magiſtrate abuſing his power, & oppoſing the true religion, & many ſuch like waies: or becauſe the gain & pleaſure they may find in thoſe waies, & haply the great ſucceſſe which God may give them therein, doth many times bribe their judgements, and makes them call evil good, and darkneſſe light. But the end thereof are the waies of death; that is, in the concluſion, if they perſevere therein to the end, they will be found to be waies that do certainly bring men to eternall death and deſtruction. And beſides, in that it is ſaid that the end of this way, which ſeemeth right to a man, is, not the way, but the wayes of death, this alſo may be hinted to us, that one ſuch evil way of errour and ſin doth uſually lead men into many more, till at laſt it brings them to eternall deſtruction.
Verſ. 13. Even in laughter the heart is ſorrowfull, and the end of that mirth is heavineſse.] Becauſe exceſſive laughter doth naturally cauſe pain in the body, and maketh the heart to be afterwards the heavier, therefore ſome Expoſitours conceive that Solomon doth in theſe words allude hereto. But that which this Proverb ſeems to hold forth to us may be, 1. that as in outward proſperity there is uſualy ſomewhat of affliction that goeth along with it, and accordingly with all naturall joyes there is ſtill ſome mixture of ſorrow, even as there is ſtill ſome le…s in the ſweeteſt wines; ſo likewiſe great proſperity is uſually followed with ſome great affliction, and ſo great joys do uſually end in great ſorrows: 2. that when men do counterfeit mirth, & labour to drive ſorrow from their hearts, it will not be, there will be ſtill ſome ſecret gripings of grief even in their laughter, & at laſt their ſorrow will return upon them again, and ſo that mirth will end in heavineſſe: and 3. that it is thus eſpecially with wicked men, whoſe mirth is uſually mingled with terrours and tortures of conſcience, and at laſt is followed with Gods wrath and vengeance, and then their ſorrow is pure ſorrow without any allay of hope or comfort. And the drift of noting all this here is, to teach us rather to ſeek after thoſe joyes that are ſolid and permanent, and that will chear up the heart even in outward diſtreſſes.
Verſ. 14. The backſlider in heart, &c.] That is, The man that turns away his heart from God & his waies, and groweth dayly worſe and worſe; or rather▪ The man that falls away from thoſe waies of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe wherein he walked for a time, not ſlipping back only through infirmity in ſome particular actions, but having his heart wholly eſtranged from God: shall be filled with his own waies; that is, he that hath ſo ſoon his fill of goodneſſe, ſhall at laſt have his fill of wickedneſſe, to wit, in the puniſhments of it; ſee the Note chap. 1.31: and a good man shall be ſatisfied from himſelf; that is, from his own comforts that he feels within himſelf, or from his own works, which God will abundantly reward, eſpecially in heaven, where he ſhall be able to deſire no more then he ſhall have.
Verſ. 15. The ſimple, &c.] See the Note Chap. 1.4: believeth every word; to wit, every falſe report and flattery, & every fair plea of deceivers, and ſo is eaſily deceived and drawn into evil: but the prudent man looketh well to his going; that is, he will not take things upon truſt, and ſo will not be drawn to do any thing, but what upon due conſideration he finds he may lawfully & ſafely doe; ſee the Note above verſ. 8. It is indeed ſaid 1 Cor. 13.7. that charity believeth all things; but the meaning of that is only, that charity teacheth men not to be cauſeleſly ſuſpicious, but to interpret all things to the beſt, unleſſe there be apparent reaſon to the contrary; and there is a great deal of difference betwixt this goodneſſe of charity, and the lightneſſe of credulity.
Verſ. 16. A wiſe man feareth, and departeth from evil, &c.] That is, when ſuch a man ſeeth Gods judgments executed upon men, or foreſeeth any evil approaching, whether it be by the warning that is before-hand given him, or otherwiſe, he will be afraid, and ſo wiſely decline the evil feared; or rather, he will be afraid of Gods diſpleaſure, and the puniſhment whereof he apprehends himſelf in danger, & ſo will forſake his ſins, as the cauſe of thoſe evils: but the fool rageth, and is confident; that is, he rageth againſt thoſe that reprove him, and tell him of the evil that is coming upon him; or, like a mad man, he breaks out into all manner of outrageous wickedneſſe, & furiouſly proceeds from ſin to ſin, and ſo ruſheth upo… the pikes of Gods diſpleaſure, being as the Apoſtle Jude ſpeaks, verſ. 13. as raging waves of the ſea, foaming out their own shame, and yet is confident that all ſhall be well with him.
Verſ. 17. He that is ſoon angry dealeth foolishly, &c.] That is, he uſually ſpeaketh and doeth many abſurd things, many things that are hurtfull to himſelf; and hereby he maketh himſelf a laughing-ſtock to men; yea ſuch a man for his folly is rather to be pitied then hated: and a man of wicked devices is hated; that is, he that concealeth his anger, carrying all fair outwardly, but inwardly plotting revenge ſeverall waies, is uſually hated as a miſchievous perſon. The ſtill malicious man is far worſe then the man that is haſty of ſpirit.
Verſ. 18. The ſimple inherit folly, &c.] The grounds of this expreſſion may be theſe: 1. that the folly of ſimple wicked men is bred and born with them, it deſcends to them as an inheritance, by naturall generation from the loins of their parents: 2. that it is proper and naturall to them in all things to behave themſelves fooliſhly; there is nothing ſo fooliſh & ridiculous but they will embrace it, nor ſo abſurd and wicked but they will doe it; though they pretend to ſeek after knowledge, yet it will not be, though they be ever learning, yet they will never come to the knowledge of the truth, 2 Tim. 3.7: 3. that they rejoyce in their folly, as men do in their inheritance, and will by no means part with it; they are as wiſe as their forefathers, and they are reſolved to be no wiſer: and 4. that folly in due time will certainly be the fruit & reward of their ſillineſſe and wickedneſſe; all their great hopes will deceive them, & folly at laſt will be their recompence, to wit, when the puniſhments of God ſhall fall upon them, & in particular ſhame and reproach: which ſeems to be implyed by the oppoſition of the following clauſe, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge; that is, they by diligent ſearching after true wiſdome attain ſound knowledge, which is an honour and glory to them; a means many times of their advancement here in this world, but alwaies a means of bringing them to a crown of glory hereafter.
Verſ. 19. The evil bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.] To wit, as ſuitors are wont to wait at the gates of great men, bowing themſelves before them, when they come out unto them; which ſhews that this is meant here of Gods exalting the righteous in regard of their outward condition, and the wickeds crouching before them in that reſpect: though it be true too, that many times wicked men are forced by their own conſciences to reverence and reſpect the righteous, even merely for thoſe eminent gifts and graces, that admirable wiſdome and piety which they diſcern in them, and ſometimes in an humble ſubmiſſive manner to ſeek unto them for their counſell and prayers.
Verſ. 21. He that deſpiſeth his neighbour ſinneth, &c.] That is, He that ſo ſlights and vilifies his poor neighbour, that he relieves him not in his wants, ſhall find by his puniſhments that he did therein greatly offend God; though the world may judge otherwiſe of it, yet by experience he ſhall find it ſo: & therefore he is a wretched unhappy man. For that this is implyed is evident by the oppoſite clauſe, but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he; to wit, becauſe he doeth that which is pleaſing to God.
Verſ. 22. Do they not erre that deviſe evil? &c.] That is, They do unqueſtionably erre. And two waies this may be underſtood: 1. that they who ſin not of infirmity, but do adviſedly plot miſchief againſt men, are quite out of the way of life eternall; yea, as ſome adde, though they never bring it to paſſe, but only deviſe it: or 2. that they that deviſe evil againſt others do uſually miſſe of that which they aim at, and bring evil upon themſelves. But mercy and truth shall be to them that deviſe good: ſee the Note 2 Sam. 15.20.
Verſ. 24. The crown of the wiſe is their riches, &c.] That is, ſay ſome Expoſitours, wiſdome, which is the crown of the wiſe, is alſo their riches. But doubtleſſe Solomon ſpeaks here of outward riches, and ſaith that theſe are the crown of the wiſe, that is, they are an ornament & an honour to them: to wit, 1. becauſe their wealth is many times obtained by their wiſdome and piety: 2. becauſe men will honour & admire them and their wiſdome the more for their riches; whereas the wiſdome of poor men is uſually diſregarded, in rich men it ſhall be ſure to be highly extolled: 3. becauſe the wiſe being rich have the greater advantage and opportunity to manifeſt their wiſdome & piety: and 4. eſpecially, becauſe the wiſe having the command of their riches, do to their great glory uſe them well, for the advancement of Gods glory, for their own ſpirituall and eternall benefit, and for the good of others. But the foolishneſſe of fools is folly; that is, be they poor or be they rich, they will ſhew themſelves fools, & their folly is all the ornament they have to honour them. As an ape will be an ape, though men put him into a golden coat; ſo a wicked Nabal will ſhew himſelf a fool, though he have never ſo great riches, & ſo will live and die with contempt and diſhonour: yea the richer ſuch men are, the more wicked and fooliſh they will be, and the more they will diſcover their wickedneſſe & folly; becauſe they will truſt in their riches, and abuſe them exceedingly to the diſhonour of God, and to the hurt both of themſelves and others. This, I conceive, is the full meaning of this Proverb. Yet ſome make this only to be the meaning of the laſt clauſe, that the foolishneſſe of fools, that is, of wicked men, is folly, that is, folly indeed; there is no folly like unto that folly.
Verſ. 25. A true witneſſe delivereth ſouls, &c.] That is, by teſtifying the truth he often delivereth many innocent men from thoſe dangers wherein they were for their eſtates, or otherwiſe by ſome falſe accuſation; or, he delivereth ſouls, that is, the lives of men, when through falſe accuſations they were in danger of death: ſee the Note chap. 12.6. Yea in delivering any one man from ſuch dangers, it may be truly ſaid that he delivereth ſouls, becauſe all that have their livelyhood by him are thereby alſo delivered. To which ſome adde alſo, that even by bearing witneſſe againſt malefactours, a faithfull witneſſe may be truly ſaid to deliver ſouls, becauſe the cutting off ſuch miſchievous perſons tends to the preſervation of many. But a deceitfull witneſſe ſpeaketh lies, and ſo deſtroyeth ſouls: ſee the Note above verſ. 5. and chap. 12.17.
Verſ. 26. In the fear of the Lord is ſtrong confidence, &c.] That is, Whereas the fear of man doth uſually work in men much faintneſſe of heart & ſpirit, they that fear the Lord, on the contrary, are, and have juſt cauſe to be, very courageous and confident; ſee the Note chap. 10.9: and his children, that is, ſay ſome, the children of God, or rather, the children of the man that feareth God, shall have a place of refuge; that is, ſhall be protected by God in times of danger.
Verſ. 27. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, &c.] That is, it is a conſtant never-failing means to make men live holily and comfortably here, & to bring them to life eternall hereafter: ſee the Notes chap. 10.11. and 13.14.
Verſ. 28. In the multitude of the people is the kings honour, &c.] And conſequently his ſtrength & ſafety alſo, as is implyed in the following clauſe, but in the want of people is the deſtruction of the prince; that is, it tends to his diſhonour & contempt▪ and ſo alſo to his ruine. And the ground of both theſe is, becauſe a numerous people doth not only yield great revenues to a Prince, &, when occaſion is, mighty armies for his defence, but is alſo a very probable ſigne that ſuch a Prince is wiſe & juſt & mercifull in his government, and doth maintain peace and piety amongſt them, ſeeing ſuch a way of governmēt doth of it ſelf tend to the encreaſe of the people; & beſides God doth uſually bleſſe good kings with a great people: But then where there is want of people, the contrary may be ſaid in every regard.
Verſ. 29. He that is ſlow to wrath is of great underſtanding, &c.] To wit, becauſe much wiſdome is required for the ſubduing of mens corrupt paſſions, that are ſo hardly tamed: but he that is haſty of ſpirit exalteth folly; that is, he diſcovereth himſelf to be a man of great folly; or he maketh his folly conſpicuous that all men may ſee it, as things lift up are the more eaſily ſeen by many: but ſee the Note above verſ. 17.
Verſ. 30. A ſound heart is the life of the flesh, &c.] This may be ſpoken in alluſion to the heart in a mans body, & ſo the full meaning of the words may be this: that as when that principall part of mans body, the heart, is ſound & incorrupt, it makes the whole body lively & healthfull; ſo when the mind is ſound, that is, free from all ſinfull paſſions, which are the morall ſickneſſes and diſtempers of the ſoul, & particularly from envy, (as the oppoſite clauſe implyeth) even this alſo, through Gods bleſſing, & the quiet and joy which it works in thoſe that have it, Prov. 17.22. doth render the whole body vigorous & healthfull, and ſo to appear outwardly, and conſequently it lengthens mens lives; yea it hath this effect in thoſe that are of the weakeſt & tendereſt conſtitution: for this ſome think may be implyed in the word flesh. But envy the rottenneſse of the bones; as if he had ſaid, A rotten heart full of envy doth, on the contrary, waſte and conſume the ſtrongeſt bodies: ſee the Notes chap. 12.4. and Job. 5.2.
Verſ. 31. He that oppreſſeth the poor, &c.] That is, that any way wrongs him, though it be but by neglecting to relieve him, out of a baſe eſteem that he hath of him, not regarding though he periſh in his wants, (for that this is implyed the oppoſite clauſe ſheweth) reproacheth his maker; to wit, 1. becauſe it is a wrong to the Creatour, when his creature is wronged, eſpecially a man, that is made after Gods own image, which the poor man is, as well as the rich: 2. becauſe it is God that hath made him poor, and the oppreſſing of thoſe that God hath put into a poor condition, is a baſe perverting of the wiſe providence of God, in making ſome rich & ſome poor, which God hath done for many holy ends and purpoſes; and it imports as much as if one ſhould think, that God made them poor, that the rich might cruſh and oppreſſe them: 3. becauſe by oppreſſing the poor he doth as it were ſet himſelf at defiance againſt God, who hath promiſed to protect them; or at leaſt carrieth himſelf as if he thought that God could not or would not maintain their cauſe againſt him. But he that honoureth him, hath mercy on the poor; that is, he that hath a deſire to honour God, will ſhew mercy to the poor; or, he that ſheweth mercy to the poor, doth thereby honour God▪ to wit, 1. in that he is carefull to obey Gods command herein; 2. in that he relieves thoſe for whom God hath undertaken to provide, and ſo God is honoured in the accompliſhment of his promiſes; 3. in that he relieves them as Gods creatures, and made after his image, and ſo God takes it as done to himſelf; and 4. in that this argues that he reverenceth the wiſe providence of God in mingling rich and poor together.
Verſ. 32. The wicked is driven away in his wickedneſſe, &c.] That is, for his wickedneſſe, or in the very act of his wickedneſſe; or, his wickedneſſe is the very outward means of his ruine. And that Solomon means here the wicked mans being driven away in his death is evident by the oppoſite clauſe, wherein he mentions the death of the righteous; ſee the Note alſo Job. 18.18. Accordingly therefore the full drift of this expreſſion may be to imply, 1. that the wicked are many times ſodainly & unexpectedly and violently hurried away out of this world, where becauſe they live in pleaſure, they would by their good will live for ever; and hereto alſo agree thoſe expreſſions elſewhere, Luke 12.20. Thou fool, this night thy ſoul shall be required of thee, and Job 27.8. what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his ſoul? 2. that when God begins to raiſe the ſtorms of his diſpleaſure againſt wicked men, they are no way able to free themſelves, but are driven away, as duſt or ſmoke or chaff is driven away by the wind, & ſo ſent packing to their place; ſee the Note Pſal. 1.4: if they ſeem to eſcape for a time, yet God doth ſo follow them on with his judgements, that he never leaves till he hath driven them into the pit of deſtruction: and 3. that wicked men are driven away by death, not only from their preſent enjoyments, but alſo from all their hopes either for this life or that which is to come. But the righteous hath hope in his death; to wit, becauſe death it ſelf is a great advantage to them, & the ſpirit of God chears up their hearts in their greateſt agonies with a hopefull expectation of their glory hereafter. I know ſome Expoſitours underſtand the firſt clauſe, either of wicked mens being driven away from ſin to ſin by the violence of their corrupt luſts & affections; or of their diſappointments in generall, that they are uſually driven away from the accompliſhment of their wicked deſigns, yea that nothing ſucceeds well with them. And ſo likewiſe ſome underſtand the ſecond clauſe, either of the righteous mans hope in the moſt deſperate dangers, even when he walks, through the valley of the shadow of death, as David expreſſeth it, Pſal. 23.4. (for which ſee the Note Job 3.53) or elſe, that the righteous hath hope in his death, that is, the wicked mans, he hopes that God will in time cut him off, and that then it will be better with the righteous. But the firſt expoſition is, I conceive, that which Solomon intended.
Verſ. 33. Wiſdome reſteth in the heart of him that hath underſtanding, &c.] That is, He that is truly an underſtanding man will be ſure to ſtore up holy & heavenly wiſdome in his heart, and when he hath gotten it, he will as carefully preſerve it as a precious treaſure; ſee the Note Pſal. 119.11: there wiſdome conſtantly reſides as in her own houſe, and from thence they that deſire it may fetch it; for thence ſhe doth upon all juſt occaſions manifeſt her ſelf: which laſt is implyed by the following oppoſite clauſe, but that which is in the midſt of fools is made known; that is, nothing but folly dwells in ſuch mens hearts, and that themſelves do continually proclaim. Or (which is farre the moſt probable) Wiſdome reſteth in the heart of him that hath understanding, that is, A wiſe man can and doth uſually conceal his wiſdome; he will not indiſcreetly or vain-gloriouſly utter what he knows: but that which is in the midſt of fools is made known; that is, ſuch men will be babling whatever they know, be it good or bad; in it is, & out it muſt, according to that Hebrew proverb, One farthing in an empty pitcher will make a great noiſe; and ſo they will be ſure to make known their folly: ſee the Notes chap. 10.14, and 12.23.
Verſ. 34. Righteouſneſſe exalteth a nation, &c.] To wit, becauſe when a people is for the generality religious & righteous, this is both in it ſelf a glory & an honour to them, & alſo a means to bring them into a flouriſhing condition in every regard, and ſo thereby they become renowned: but ſin is a reproach to any people; to wit, both in it ſelf, and by means of the calamities and ruine it brings upon them.
Verſ. 35. The kings favour is toward a wiſe ſervant, but his wrath is againſt him that cauſeth shame.] To wit, that by his fooliſh carriage of himſelf in his place, makes his Prince aſhamed, that he hath entruſted his buſineſſe with ſuch an one, according to that, Iſa. 22.8. then the charriots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lords houſe: ſee the Note alſo chap. 10.5.