Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Proverbs · Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV. Verſ. 1. Theſe alſo are Proverbs of Solomon, which the men]
SAlomon hath his thouſand out of this his Vine-yard of three thouſand Proverbs (1 King. 4.32.) and theſe men of Hezekiah that kept (and yet communicated) the fruit thereof,Prima ſequmtem boneſtum eſt in ſecundi… tertiiſque confiſtere. Gic. de Orat. their two hundred, Cant. 8.12. It is good for men to be doing what they are able for the glory of God, and good of others: If it be but to Copy out another mans Work, and prepare it for the Preſs: Them that any way honour God he will honour: that is a bargain of his own making, and we may truſt to it.
Verſ. 2. It is the glory of God to conceal a thing] That what we conceive not, we may admire (mirari non rimari) and cry out with Paul, O the depth! Rom. 11.33.as the Romans dedicated to their Goddeſſe Victoria a certain Lake, the depth whereof they could not dive into. God is much to be magnified for what hee hath revealed unto his people in the holy Scriptures, for their eternal good. But thoſe unſearchable ſecrets of his (ſuch as are the union of the three Perſons into one Nature, and of two Natures into one Perſon, his wonderful Decrees, and the no leſſe wonderful execution thereof &c.) theſe make exceeding much to the glory of his infinite Wiſdom, and ſurpaſſing greatneſſe;Ariſtot. in ſpeaking whereof our ſafeſt eloquence is our ſilence, ſith tantum recedit quantum capitur, ſaith Nazianzen, much like that Pool ſpoken of by Polycritus, which in compaſſe at the firſt, ſcarce ſeemed to exceed the breadth of a ſhield; but if any went in to waſh, it extended it ſelf more and more.
But the honour of Kings is to ſearch out a matter] As Salomon did that of the two Harlots, 1 King. 3.Job 29.16. There are that divide this Book of Proverbs into three parts. In the nine firſt Chapters things of a lower nature, and fit for inſtruction of youth, are ſet down and deſcribed. Next, From thence to this five and twentieth Chapter the wiſe man diſcourſeth of all ſorts of virtues and vices, ſutable to all ſorts of People. Laſtly, From this Chapter to the end he treateth (for the moſt part) of higher matters, as of King-craft, and State-buſineſs.
Verſ. 3. The Heaven for height, &c.] It is a wonder that we can look up to ſo admirable an height, and that the very eye is not tired in the way. If this aſcending line could be drawn right forwards, ſome that have calculated curiouſly, have found it 500 years journey to the ſtarry sky. Other Mathematicians ſay, that if a ſtone ſhould fall from the 8th Sphere, and ſhould paſs every hour 100 miles, it would be 65. years or more before it would come to ground. I ſuppoſe there is as little credit to be given to theſe,Aug de Civit. Dei. l. 16. as to Aratus the Aſtrologer, who boaſted that he had found out and ſet down the whole number of the ſtars in heaven: or as to Archimedes the Mathematician, that ſaid,Sphinx Philoſoph. that he could by his Art caſt up the juſt number of all the ſands both in the habitable and inhabitable parts of the world.
And the earth for depth] From the ſurface to the center, how far it is cannot be known exactly, as neither whether hell be there: but that it is ſomewhere below may be gathered from Rev. 14.11. and other places: Ubi ſit ſentient, qui curioſius quaerunt.
And the heart of Kings is unſearchable] Profundum ſine fundo. God gave Salomon a large heart, even as the ſand that is on the Sea-ſhore, 1 Kings 4.29. A vaſt capacity, an extraordinary judgement, and wiſdome to reſerve himſelf. No bad cauſe was too hard for him to detect, no practices which he did not ſmell out, no complotter which he did not ſpeedily intrap in their wiles, as Adonijah.
Verſ. 4. Take away the droſſe from the ſilver] The holy Prophets were not onelyonly moſt exactly ſeen in the peerleſs skill of Divinity, but moſt exquiſitely alſo furniſhed with the entire knowledge of all things natural. Hence their many Similies wherewith they learnedly beautifie their matter, and deck out their terms, words, and ſentences, giving thereunto a certain kind of lively geſture, attiring the ſame with light, perſpicuity, eaſineſs, eſtimation, and dignity: ſtirring up thereby mens drowſie minds to the acknowledgement of the truth, and purſute of godlineſs.
Verſ. 5. Take away the wicked] Who are compared elſewhere alſo to droſs, Ezek. 22.19. and fitly: for as droſs is a kind of unprofitable earth, and hath no good metal in it; ſo in the wicked is no good to be found but pride, worldlineſs, &c. Forbiſher in his voyage to diſcover the Straits, being toſſed up and down with foul weather, ſnows, and unconſtant winds, returned home, having gathered a great quantity of ſtones, which he thought to be minerals, from which when there could be drawn neither gold nor ſilver, nor any other metal, we have ſeen them (ſaith Maſter Camden) caſt forth to mend the high ways. Evill Counſellours about a Prince,Camd. Eliſah. fol. 189. are means of a great deal of miſchief, as were Do…g, Haman, Rheoboams and Herods flatterers, Pharoahs ſorcerers, &c. Of a certain Prince of Germany it was ſaid, Eſſet alius, ſi eſſet apud alios; He would be another man, if he were but amongſt other men. Say they be not ſo droſſie, but that ſome good oar is to be found in them, yet all is not good that hath ſome good in it. It is Scaligers Note, Malum non eſt niſi in bono. The original nature of the Devil is good, wherein all his wickedneſs ſubſiſteth. When one highly commended the Cardinal Julian to Sigiſmund; hee anſwered, Tamen Romanus eſt, yet he is a Roman, and therefore not to bee truſted. Thoſe Cardinals and Popiſh Biſhops being much about Princes, have greatly impoyſoned them, and hindered the Reformation. Zuinglius fitly compares them to that wakeful Dragon that kept the golden fleece, as the Poets have feigned. They get the royalty of their ear, and then doe with them whatſoever they liſt. David therefore vows, as a good Finer, to quit the Court of ſuch droſſe, Pſal. 101.4. and gives order upon his death-bed to his Son Salomon, to take out of the way thoſe men of bloud, 1 King. 1. that his throne might be eſtabliſhed in righteouſneſſe.
Verſ. 6. Put not forth thy ſelf in the preſence of the King] Ne te ornes coram rege. Compare not, vye not with him in apparel, furniture, houſe-keeping, &c. as the Hebrews ſenſe it. This was the ruine of Cardinal Wolſey, and of Viſcount Verulam.
And ſtand not in the place of great men] Exalt not thy ſelf, but wait till God ſhall reach out the hand from Heaven and raiſe thee, Pſal. 75.5, 6, 7, 8. Adonijah is branded for this, that he exalted himſelf, ſaying, I will be King, 1 King. 1.5. When none elſe would lift Hildebrand up into Peters Chair, he gat up himſelf:Quintil. lib. 9. cap. 2. For who (ſaid he) can better judge of my worth than I can? Harden thy fore-head (ſaid Calvus to Vatinius) and ſay boldly, that thou deſerveſt the Praetorſhip better than Cato. Ambition rides without reigns, as Tullia did over the dead body of her own father, to bee made a Queen. See my common-place of Ambition.
Verſ. 7. For better it is that it be ſaid unto thee] From this Text our Saviour takes that Parable of his, put forth to thoſe that were bidden to a feaſt, Luk. 14.10. Now, if before an earthly Prince, men ſhould carry themſelves thus modeſtly and humbly, how much more before the King of heaven? And if among gueſts at a feaſt, how much more among the Saints and Angels in the holy aſſemblies? That is an excellent ſaying of Bernard, Omnino oportet nos orationis tempore curiam intrare coeleſtem, in qua Rex regum ſtellato ſedet ſolio, circumdante innumerabili & ineffabili beatorum Spirituam exercitu. Quantâ ergo cum reverentiâ, quanto timore, Bern. de diverſ.quantâ illuc humilitate accedere debet è palude ſua procedens & repens vilis ranuncula? At prayer-time we ſhould enter into the Court of heaven, where ſitteth the King of Kings with a guard of innumerable bleſſed Spirits. With how great reverence then, with how great fear and ſelf-abaſement ſhould wee come, like ſo many vile Vermine creeping and crawling out of ſome ſorry pool or puddle?
Verſ. 8. Goe not forth haſtily to ſtrive] Contention is the Daughter of Arrogance and Ambition, Jam. 4.1. Hence Salomon (whoſe very name imports peace) perſwades to peaceableneſſe very oft in this Book; and ſets forth the miſchief or ſtrife and diſſention. Stir not ſtrife (ſaith he) but make haſte to ſtint it,foreign. Heredot. (ſo the words may be rendred) you may doe that in your haſte that you may repent by leaſure. Haſty men, wee ſay, never want woe. If every man were a law to himſelf (as the Thracians are ſaid to be) there would not bee ſo much lawing, warbling and warring as there is. There is a curſe upon thoſe that delight in War, (as King Pyrrhus did) Pſal. 68.30. but a bleſſing for all the children of peace, Mat. 10. who ſhall alſo bee called the Children of God, Mat. 5. Paul and Barnabas had a ſharp, foreign.but ſhort fit of falling out, Acts 15.39. Hierom and Auſtine had their bickerings in their Diſputations, but it was no great matter who gained the day; for they would both win by underſtanding their errours.
When thy Neighbour hath put thee to ſhame] That is, when thine Adverſary hath got the upper hand, and foyled thee. Thoſe are ignoble quarrels, ſaith one, Ʋbi vincere inglorium eſt, atteri ſordidum; wherein whether a man get the better or the worſe, he is ſure to go by the worſe, to ſit down with loſs in his name, ſtate, or both.
Verſ. 9. Debate thy cauſe with thy Neighbour, &c.] What ſhall I do then (may ſome ſay) if I may not right my ſelf by law? You may, ſaith he, ſo you do it deliberately: and have firſt privately debated the cauſe out of deſire of agreement, and moved for a compremiſe. See Mat. 18.15.
And diſcover not the ſecret of another] Meerly to be revenged on him for ſome ſuppoſed injury. There are that in their rage care not what they diſcloſe to the prejudice of another. Charity chargeth the contrary, 1 Cor. 13. It claps a plaiſter on the ſore, and then covers it with her hand, as Chirurgions uſe to do, that the world may be never the wiſer.
Verſ. 10. Leſt hee that heareth it put thee to ſhame] Repute thee and report thee an evill-conditioned fellow, a back-biter, and a tale-bearer, one not fit to be truſted with ſecrets, &c. True it is, that deareſt friends are in ſome caſes to be accuſed and complained of to thoſe that may do good upon them; as Joſeph brought his brethrens evil report to his father, and as the houſhold of Chloe told Paul of the Corinthian contentions. But this muſt be done wiſely and regularly, with due obſervation of circumſtances, as Salomon elegantly ſets forth in the following Proverb.
Verſ. 11. A word fitly ſpoken] Hebrew, ſpoken upon his weels, that is, rightly ordered and circumſtantiated, ſpoken with a grace, and in due place. It is an excellent skill to be able to time a word, Iſa. 50.4. to ſet it upon the wheels, as here. How good are ſuch words? Prov. 15.23. how forcible? Job 6.25. How pleaſant? even like apples of gold in pictures, or lattices, of ſilver, not onelyonly precious for matter, Eccleſ. 12.10. but detectable for order, as gold put in a caſe of ſilver cut-work.
Verſ. 12. As an ear-ring of gold, &c.] Ut inauris aurea, &c. A ſeaſonable word falling upon a tractable ear, hath a redoubled grace with it; as an ear-ring of gold, and as an ornament of fine gold, or as a diamond in a diadem. It is an hard and happy thing to ſuffer the words of exhortation, to digeſt a reproof,In vit. Jo. Gerſ. to ſay with David, Let the righteous ſmite me, &c. to be of Gerſons diſpoſition, of whom it is recorded, that he rejoyced in nothing more, quam ſi ab aliquo fraterne & charitative redargueretur, than if he were friendly and freely reproved by any one. Every vice doth now go armed: touch it never ſo gently, yet like the nettle, it will ſting you. If you deal with it roughly and roundly, it ſwaggereth, as the Hebrew did with Moſes, who made thee a man of authority? &c. Exod. 2.14. Ear-rings and ornaments are ill beſtowed upon ſuch uncircumciſed ears.
Verſ. 13. As the cold of ſnow in the time of harveſt] Harveſt men of all men, beat the heat of the day: being far from ſhade or ſhelter, far from ſprings of water, parched and ſcorched with heat and drought, in thoſe hotter countries eſpecially. Now as the cold of ſnow or ice (which in thoſe countries they kept under ground all the year about to mix with their wines) would be moſt welcome to ſuch; ſo is a truſty and ſpeedy meſſenger: for by his good news he greatly reviveth the longing and languiſhing minds of thoſe that ſent him: who during the time of his abſence, through fear and doubt, were almoſt half dead. This is much more true of Gods faithfull meſſengers, Job 33.23. whoſe very feet are therefore beautifull, and meſſage moſt comfortable, to thoſe that labour and languiſh under the ſenſe of ſin, and fear of wrath.
Verſ. 14. Whoſo boaſteth himſelf of a falſe gift] as Ptolomy ſirnamed foreign, from his fair promiſes, ſlack performances: As Sertorius the Roman, that fed his creditours and clients with fair words, but did nothing for them, (Pollicitis dives quilibet eſſe poteſt) As that Pope and his Nephew, of whom it is recorded, that the one never ſpake as he thought, the other never performed what he ſpake. Laſtly, as the Devill who promiſed Chriſt, excelſa in excelſis, Matth. 4.mountains on a mountain, and ſaid, All this will I give thee, when as that All, was juſt nothing, more than a ſhew, a repreſentation, a ſemblance, or if it had been ſomething, yet it was not his to give: for the earth is the Lords, and the fulneſs thereof. Phyſicians call their drugs foreign gifts, and yet we pay dear for them. Apothecaries ſet fair titles upon their boxes and gally-pots, but there is oftentimes aliud in titulo, aliud in pyxide, nothing but a bare title. Such are vain boaſters, pompous Preachers, Painted hypocrites, Popiſh prieſts: ſuch as was Tecelius, that ſold indulgences in Germany, and thoſe other Maſſemongers in Gerſons time, that preached publiquely to the people, that if any man would hear a maſs, he ſhould not on that day be ſmitten with blindneſs, nor dye a ſudden death, nor want ſufficient ſuſtenance, &c. Theſe were clouds without rain, that anſwer not expectation, Jude 12.
Verſ. 15. By long forbearing is a Prince perſwaded] If he be not over-haſty, his wrath may be appeaſed, and his mind altered. Our Henry the third gave commandment for the apprehending of Hubert de Burgo, Earl of Kent: who having ſudden notice thereof at mid-night, got him up and fled into a Church in Eſſex. They to whom the buſineſs was committed, finding him upon his knees before the high-altar, with the Sacrament in one hand, and a croſs in the other, carried him away nevertheleſs unto the Tower of London. Roger Biſhop of London taking this to be a great violence, and wrong offered unto the holy Church,Godw. Catal. pag. 194. would never leave the King untill he had cauſed the Earl to be carried unto the place whence he was fetcht. And this it is thought, was a means of ſaving the Earls life. For though order was taken he ſhould not ſcape thence, yet it gave the Kings wrath a time to cool, and himſelf leiſure to make his Apology: by reaſon whereof, he was afterwards reſtored to the Kings favour, and former places of honour. So true is that of the Philoſopher, Maximum irae remediumeſt dilatio; Sen. de ira.And that of the Poet.
Ovid.Ut fragilis glacies, interit ira morâ.
There are that read and ſenſe the words thus: By meekneſs a Prince is appeaſed, that is, when he ſeeth that he is not oppoſed, that his Subjects repine not, rebell not againſt him. An old Courtier of Nero's being asked how he had eſcaped that Lions mouth? anſwered, Injurias ferendo, & gratias agendo, by taking ſhrewd turns, and being thankfull.
A ſoft tongue breaketh the bones] Though it be fleſh and no bones, yet it breaketh the bones: that is, ſtout and ſtern ſpirits, that otherwiſe would not yeeld. Thus Gideon broke the rage of the Ephraimites, Judg. 8.1. &c. and Abigail Davids, by her humble and dutifull oration, 1 Sam. 25. See the Note on Prov. 15.1.
Verſ. 16. Haſt thou found hony? eat ſo much as is ſufficient] i. e. Be moderate in the uſe of all lawful comforts and contentments. foreign, ſaith the Oratour,Iſac. for there is a ſatiety of all things, and by exceſs the ſweeteſt comforts will be diſ-ſweetned; as Epictetus alſo obſerved. It is therefore excellent counſel that the holy Apoſtle giveth, 1 Cor. 7.29. that thoſe that have wives be as if they had none, &c. that we hang looſe to all creature comforts, and be weanedly affected towards them; conſidering that Licitis perimus omnes. We generally moſt of all over-ſhoot our ſelves in the uſe of things lawfull; as thoſe recuſant gueſts did, Matth. 22. and the old world, Luke 17.26.27.
Hebraei ponunt rarum pro ca…o, ut 1 Sam. 3.Verſ. 17. Withdraw thy foot from thy Neighbours houſe] This is an honey that thou mayeſt ſurfeit on, therefore make thy foot precious or rare (ſo the Original hath it) at thy Neighbours houſe, by too-oft frequenting whereof thou maieſt become cheap, nay burdenſome. At firſt thou mayeſt be Oreach (as the Hebrew proverb hath it) i. e. welcome as a Traveller that ſtays for a day. At length thou wilt be Toreach, a charge, a burden. And laſtly by long tarrying, thou ſhalt be Boreach, an out-caſt, hunted out of the houſe, that thou haſt ſo immodeſtly haunted. It is a very great fault among many, (ſaith one) that when they have found a kind and ſweet friend, they care not how they overlay him, or abuſe his courteſie. But as we ſay in our common proverb, it is not good to take too much of a frank horſe.
Verſ. 18. Is a Maul, and a Sword, and a ſharp Arrow] A Maul, Hammer, or Club to knock out his brains, and make them fly about the room, as the Hebrew word imports. A Sword, or Murthering weapon, Pſal. 42.10. and 57.5.to run him thorow and let out his bowels. And a ſharp Arrow, to pierce his fleſh, and ſtrike thorow his very heart. Loe here the miſchief of an evil tongue, thin, broad, and long, like a Sword to let out the Life-bloud of the poor innocent; nay, to deſtroy his ſoul too, as ſeducers doe, that bear falſe witneſſe againſt the truth of God, and by their cunning lyes, deceive the hearts of the ſimple.
Verſ. 19. Confidence in an unfaithful man, &c.] In a Prevaricator, a Covenant-breaker, a perfidious Perſon, ſuch as Ahitophel was to David, Jobs miſerable comforters to him. (He compares them to the brooks of Tema, chap. 6.16, 17. in a moyſture they ſwelled, in a drought they failed) Egypt to Iſrael, a ſtaff or broken reed, whereon if a man lean, it will goe into his hand and pierce it, Iſa. 36.6. the Roman Senate to Julius Caeſar, whom they killed in the Council-chamber with twenty three wounds, and this was done à pluribus amicis quam inimicis quorum non expleverat ſpes inexplebiles (ſaith Seneca) by moſt of his pretended friends, whoſe unreaſonable hopes he had not ſatisfied.Sen. li. 3. de ira. How good is it therefore to try before we truſt, yea to truſt none that are not true to God? David durſt not repoſe upon Sauls fair promiſes, whom he knew to be moody and ſlippery. The French ſay in their Proverb, When the Spaniard comes to parl of peace, then double-bolt the door. The Hollanders make no conditions with the Spaniard (whom they know to hold that Machiavellian hereſie, Fides tam diù ſervanda eſt quamdiú expediat,) but ſuch as are made at Sea, and ſealed with great Ordnance. Calvin and other Proteſtant Divines were called to the Council of Trent, but durſt not venture thither, quia me veſtigia terrent, as the Fox in the Fable ſaid: they had not forgot how John Hus, and Hierome of Prague ſped at the Council of Conſtance, although they had the Emperours ſafe conduct. They knew that Turks and Papiſts concur in this, as they doe in many other Tenets, That there is no faith to be kept with doggs, that is, with Chriſtians, as Turks underſtand it, with Hereticks, as Papiſts.
Verſ. 20. As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather] Muſick in mourning is held moſt unſeaſonable: that was an Heatheniſh cuſtom that the Jewes had taken up, Matth. 9.23. Cantabat moeſtis tibia funeribus, ſaith Ovid. Faſt. lib. 4.Wee ſhould rejoyce with thoſe that rejoyce, and weep with thoſe that weep. Nabla & lyra lugentibus ingrata, ſaith Plutarch. Muſick and mourning agree like Harp and Harrow, like thin cloathing and cold weather, or like Nitre and Vinegar, ſaith Salomon. There are that read the words otherwiſe, and accordingly ſenſe them. Thus: As he that putteth on a garment in the cold ſeaſon, or Vinegar on Nitre; ſo is he that ſingeth ſongs to a ſad heart. That is,Junius. Triſtitiam diſſolvit cantus, ut veſtes diſcutiunt frigus, & acetum diſſolvit nitrum. As a garment warmeth the body, and Vinegar diſſolveth Nitre, ſo a ſweet ſinger, by his delightſome ditty, cheareth up the penſive ſoul, and driveth ſorrow out of it. See 1 Sam. 16.24. 2 King. 3.15. Dan. 6.19.
Verſ. 21. If thine enemy be hungry] Eliſha did ſo: he feaſted his Perſecutours, (2 King. 6.) by a noble revenge; and provided a table for thoſe who had provided a grave for him. Thoſe Syrians came to Dothan full of bloudy purpoſes to Eliſha: he ſends them from Samaria full of good chear and jollity. Thus,Dr. Hall's contempt. thus ſhould a Chriſtian puniſh his purſuers: no vengeance but this is Heroical and fit for imitation.
Verſ. 22. For thou ſhalt heap coals of fire] By heaping courteſies upon him, thou ſhalt win him over to thy ſelf: as the King of Iſrael did thoſe Syrians hee feaſted. They came no more after that by way of ambuſh or incurſion into the bounds of Iſrael. In doing ſome good to our enemies, wee doe moſt to our ſelves.
And the Lord ſhall reward thee] However men deal with thee. It may bee they may prove droſs that will not bee melted, dirt that will not bee mollified, but moulter to nothing, crumble to crattle as ſtones, &c. as having no metal of ingenuity or good nature in them. But deſiſt not, deſpond not, God will reward thee, and his retributions are more than bountiful. Or (as the words may be read) God will pacifie for thee, as he did Saul for David. Never did a charitable act goe away without a bleſſing: God cannot but love in us this imitation of his mercy, who bids his Sun to ſhine upon the evil and unthankful: and that love is never fruitleſs.
Caecias nubes attrahit.Verſ. 23. The North-wind drives away raine] Hence Homer calls it foreign, the fair-weather-maker, and Hierom, the ayres Beeſome. There is a Southerly wind, that attracts clouds, and ingenders rain.
So doth an angry countenance, a back-biting tongue] The ready way to be rid of Tale-bearers, is to brow-beat them: for like Whelps, if we ſtroke them, they leap upon us and defile us with fawning; but give them a rap, and they are gone: ſo here. Carry therefore in this caſe a ſevere rebuke in thy countenance, as God doth, Pſal. 80.16. Be not a re-ſetter to theſe privie Theeves, a receptacle for theſe mures nominis, as one calls them: the Tale-hearer is as blame-worthy as the Tale-bearer, and he that loves a lye, as he that makes it. Revel. 22. See Pſal. 15.3. Rom. 1.31.
Verſ. 24. It is better to dwell, &c.] See the note on chap. 21.9. and 19.13.
Verſ. 25. As cold waters to a thirſty ſoul, ſo is good news] This and many more of theſe Proverbs Salomon might well utter out of his own experience: for he ſent out into farre Countries for Gold, Horſes, and other Commodities, 1 King. 9.26. beſides Ambaſſies of ſtate, and enquiries into the natures and qualities of forein parts and peoples. Of the Converſion of other Countries to the faith, he could not then hear, as wee now may, and lately have good news from New-England. Neither had he the happineſs to hear that, which we have not only heard, but ſeen and handled of the Word of life, 1 Joh. 1.1. He had foreign the Promiſe, but we have foreign the joyful tidings, the ſum of all the good newes in the World, as the Angels, thoſe firſt Meſſengers cleped it, Luk. 2.10. Jeſus is a ſhort Goſpel, and the good newes of him ſhould drown all diſcontents, yea make our very hearts dance Levaltoes within us: as Abrahams did, though hee heard of him only by the hearing or the ear, or ſaw him afarre off. Heaven is called a farre Country, Matth. 25.14. good news from thence brought in by the hand of the Holy Ghoſt, witneſſing with our ſpirits that we are the Sons of God, and if Sons, then Heirs of that farre Country, of that fair City, whoſe maker and builder is God, how welcome ſhould that be to us, and how inexpreſſibly comfortable? See 1 Pet. 1.8.
Verſ. 26. A righteous man falling down before the wicked] i. e. Doing any thing (though by meer frailty) unbeſeeming his Profeſſion, or that redounds not to the ſcandal of the weak only (as Gal. 2.11.) but to the ſcorn of the wicked (as 2 Sam. 12.14.) is as a troubled fountain, &c. is greatly diſgraced and prejudiced. What a blemiſh was it for Abraham to fall under the reproof of Abimelech? for Sampſon to be taken by the Philiſtims in an Whore-houſe? for Joſiah to be in-minded of his duty by Pharaoh Necho? for Peter to be drawn by a ſilly Wench to forſwear his Maſter, &c? was not the Fountain here troubled, when trampled by the feet of theſe beaſts? the Spring corrupted, when Conſcience is thus defiled and gaſhed? Let it be our care to cleanſe this ſpring of all pollutions of fleſh and ſpirit: as a troubled fountaine will clear it ſelf, and as ſweet water made brackiſh by the coming in of the ſalt, yet if naturally it bee ſweet, at length it will work it out.
Verſ. 27. It is not good to eat too much honey] For it breeds choler, and brings diſeaſes.
So for men to ſearch their own glory] i. e. To be deſirous of vain-glory, Gal. 5.26. to ſeek the praiſe of men, to hunt after the worlds plaudite, to ſay to it, as Tiberius once anſwered Juſtinus, Situ volueris ego ſum, Si tu non vis ego non ſum, I am wholly thine, I am only thy Clay and Wax; this is baſe and in-glorious; this is to be Gloriae animal, popularis aurae vile mancipium, the creature of vaine-glory,Hier. ep. ad Julian. Conſolater. a baſe ſlave to popular applauſe, as Hierome calls Crates the Philoſopher, who caſt his goods into the Sea, meerly for a name. Some doe all for a name, as Jehu and the Phariſees; like Kites they flutter up a little, but their eye is upon the carrion. The Chaldee Paraphraſt by their glory, underſtands the Majeſty of the Scriptures, (which to David were ſweeter than honey) Theſe wee muſt ſearch, but not over-curiouſly: Ne qui ſcrutatur majeſtatem, opprimatur aegloria, as the vulgar here hath it, leſt prying into Gods Majeſty, we be oppreſſed by his glory.
Verſ. 28. He that hath no rule over his own ſpirit] Cui non eſt cohibitio in ſpiritum ſuum, that reigns not in his unruly affections, but ſuffers them to run riot in ſin, as ſo many head-ſtrong Horſes, or to ride upon the backs one of another, like Kine in a ſtraight. This man being not fenced with the wall of Gods fear, lies open to all aſſaults of Satan and other enemies, Epheſ. 4.26, 27. Jam. 4.7. as Laiſh, Judg. 18. or Hazor, that had neither gates nor bars, Jer. 49.31. or the Hague in Holland, which the inhabitants will not wall,Heyl. Geog. as deſiring to have it counted rather the principal Village of Europe, than a leſſer City.