Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Proverbs · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. Verſ. 1. Better is a dry morſel, and quietneſs therewith]
THough there bee not ſo much as a little Vinegar to dip in. See Chap. 14.17. with the Note there. The Hebrew word properly ſignifies a morſel of bread, as Rabbi Elias tells us. So then, better is a cruſt of courſe bread without any other cates or diſhes (never ſo little, with love and peace) than an houſe-full of Sacrifices; that is, of good cheer, uſually at offering up of Sacrifices, Prov. 7.14. And hereunto Saint James ſeems to allude, Chap. 5.5.
Verſ. 2. A wiſe ſervant ſhall have rule over a Son, &c.] God hath a very gracious reſpect unto faithful ſervants, and hath promiſed them the reward of inheritance, Col. 4.24. which properly belongs to Sons. This falls out ſometimes here, as to Joſeph, Joſhuah, thoſe ſubjects that married Salomons Daughters, 1 King. 4.10, 14. but infallibly hereafter, when they ſhall come from Eaſt and Weſt to ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, in the Kingdome of Heaven: and to enter into their Maſters joy, but the children of the Kingdome ſhall bee caſt out, Mat. 8.11, 12.
Verſ. 3. The fining-pot is for ſilver, &c.] God alſo hath his fire in Zion, and his furnace in Jeruſalem, Iſa. 31.9. his conflatories, and his crucibles, wherein hee will refine his, as ſilver is refined, and try them as gold is tried, Zech. 13.9. Not as if hee knew them not, till hee had tried them; for hee made them, and therefore cannot but know them: As Artificers know the ſeveral parts and properties of their works. Sed tentat ut ſciat, id eſt, ut ſcire nos faciat, ſaith Auguſtin. Hee therefore tries us, that hee may make us know what is in us, what droſſe, what pure metal; and that all may ſee that wee are ſuch, as (for a need) can glorifie him in the very fires, Iſa. 84.15. that the trial of our faith being much more precious than of gold that periſheth; though tried in the fire, may bee found to praiſe, and honour, and glory, 1 Pet. 1.7.
Verſ. 4. A wicked doer giveth heed to falſe lips] It is an ill ſign of a vicious nature, to bee apt to beleeve ſcandalous reports of godly men. If men loved not lyes, they would not liſten to them. Some are of opinion, that Solomon having ſaid, God tryeth the hearts, doth in this and the two next following verſes inſtance ſome particular ſins ſo accounted by God, which yet paſſe amongſt men for no ſins, or peccadilloes at the utmoſt, ſeeing no man ſeems to receive wrong by them: ſuch as theſe are; to liſten to lying lips, to mock the poor, to rejoyce at another mans calamity, and the like. Loe they that do thus, though to themſelves and others they may ſeem to have done nothing amiſſe, yet God that tries the hearts, will call them to account for theſe malicious miſcarriages.
Verſ. 5. Hee that mocketh the poor, &c.] See the Note on Chap. 14.31.
And hee that is glad at calamities, ſhall not bee unpuniſhed] Hee is ſick of the Devils diſeaſe, foreign, which Job was not tainted with. Chap. 31. as the Edomites, Ammonites, Philiſtims, and other of Sions enemies, Lam. 1. were. How bitterly did the Jews inſult over our Saviour, when they had nailed him to the Croſſe? And in like ſort they ſerved many of the Martyrs, worrying them when they were down, as Dogs do other Creatures: and ſhooting ſharp arrows at them, when they had ſet them up for marks of their malice and miſchief. Herein they deal like barbarouſly with the Saints, as the Turks did with one John de Chabes a Frenchman,Turk. Hiſt. fol. 756. at the taking of Tripolis in Barbary. They cut off his hands and noſe, and then when they had put him quick into the ground to the waſte, they for their pleaſure ſhot at him with their arrows, and afterwards cut his throat. Mr. John Deuly Martyr, being ſet in the fire with the burning flame about him, ſang a Pſalm; Then cruel Doctor Story commanded one of the tormentours to hurl a faggot at him, whereupon, being hurt therewith upon the face,Act. & Mon. fol. 1530. that hee bled again, hee left his ſinging, and clapt both his hands upon his face. Truly, ſaid Doctor Story to him that hurled the fagot, Thou haſt marred a good old ſong. This Story being after the coming in of Queen Elizabeth, queſtioned in Parliament for many foul crimes, and particularly for perſecuting and burning the Martyrs, hee denied not but that hee was once at the burning of an Herewigge (for ſo hee termed it) at Uxbridge; Ibid. 1918.where hee caſt a faggot at his face as hee was ſinging of Pſalms, and ſet a winnebuſh of thorns under his feet a little to prick him, &c. This wretch was afterwards hanged, drawn and quartered, and ſo this Proverb was fulfilled of him,Anno. 1571. Hee that is glad at calamities, ſhall not bee unpuniſhed.
Verſ. 6. Childrens children are the Crown of old men] That is, if they bee not children that cauſe ſhame, as verſ. 2. and that diſgrace their Anceſtors, ſtain their blood. If they obey their Parents counſel, and follow their good example, for otherwiſe, they prove not Crowns, but corroſives to their aged Sires, as did Eſau, Abſolom, Andronicus, and others.
And the glory of children are their Parents] If thoſe children ſo well deſcended do not degenerate, as Jonathan the ſon of Gerſhom, the ſon of Manaſſeh (or rather of Moſes, as the Hebrews read it with a Nun ſuspenſum) Judg. 18.31. and as Elies, Samuels, and ſome of Davids ſons did. Heroum filii noxae: Manaſſeh had a good Father, but hee degenerated into his Grandfather Ahaz, as if there had been no intervention of a Hezekiah. So wee have ſeen the kernel of a well-fruited-plant degenerate into that crab or willow that gave the original to his ſtock. But what an honour was it to Jacob, that hee could ſwear by the fear of his Father Iſaac? To David, that hee could (in a real and heavenly complement) ſay to his Maker? Truly Lord, I am thy ſervant, …am thy ſervant, the ſon of thy handmaid, Pſal. 116.16. To Timothy, that the ſame Faith that was in him, had dwelt firſt in his Mother Lois, and his Grandmother Eunice? 2 Tim. 1.15. To the children of the Elect Lady? &c. To Mark, that hee was Barnabas his ſiſters ſon? To Alexander and Rufus (men mentioned onelyonly,Euſeb. foreign. Mark. 15.21.) but famouſly known in the Church to bee the ſons of Simon of Cyrene? To the ſons of Conſtaintine the Great, to come of ſuch a Father, whom they did wholly put on, ſaith Euſebius, and exactly reſemble? To bee deſcended of thoſe glorious Martyrs and Confeſſors that ſuffered here in Queen Maries daies?
Verſ. 7. Excellent speech becometh not a fool] A Nabal, a ſapleſs worthleſs fellow, in whom all worth is withered and decayed, qui nullas habet dicendi vires, as Cicero hath it, that can ſay no good, except it bee by rote, or at leaſt by book: what ſhould hee do diſcourſing of high points? God likes not fair words from a foul mouth. Chriſt ſilenced the Devil,Odi homine… ignava … p…r… philoſopha ſententia. when hee confeſſed him to bee the Son of the moſt high God. The leapers lips ſhould bee covered, according to the Law. The Lacedemonians, when a bad man had uttered a good ſpeech in their Council-houſe, liking the ſpeech, but not the ſpeaker, commanded one of better carriage to give the ſame counſel, and then they made uſe of it. The people of Rome ſware they would not beleeve Carbo, Liv.though hee ſware.
Much leſſe do lying lips a Prince] Or any ingenuous man, as ſome render it. A Princes bare word ſhould bee better ſecurity than another mans oath, ſaid Alphonſus King of Arragon: When Amurath the Great Turk was exhorted by his cruel Son Mahomet to break his Faith with the Inhabitants of Sfetigrade in Epirus, hee would not hearken, ſaying,Turk Hiſt. fol. 328. That hee which was deſirous to bee great amongſt men, muſt either be indeed faithful of his word and promiſe, or at leaſtwiſe ſeem ſo to bee: thereby to gain the minds of the people, who naturally abhorre the government of a faithleſs and cruel Prince. What a foul blur was that to Chriſtian Religion, that Ladiſlaus King of Hungary ſhould, by the perſwaſion of the Popes Legate,Ibid. 291. break his oath given to this Amurath at the great battel of Varna, and thereby open the mouth of that dead Dog, to rail upon Jeſus Chriſt? And how will the Papiſts ever bee able to wipe off from their Religion that ſtain that lies upon it, ever ſince the Emperour Sigiſmund, by the conſent and advice of the Council of Conſtance, brake his promiſe of ſafe conduct to John Hus and Hierome of Prague, and burnt them? But they have a rule to walk by now, Fides cum haereticis non eſt ſervanda, Promiſes made to Hereticks are not bee obſerved. And it is for Merchants, ſay they, and not for Princes, to ſtand to their oaths, any further than may ſtand with the publike good. This Divinity they may ſeem to have drawn out of Plato; who, in his third Dialogue of the Common-wealth, ſaith, that if it bee lawful for any one to lye, it may bee lawful doubtleſs for Princes and Governours, that aim therein at the Weal-publike. But God by the mouth of his Servant and Secretary Solomon here, aſſures us it is otherwiſe.
In vita Apollon. l, 3. c. 14.Verſ. 8. A gift is as a precious ſtone, &c.] Heb. As a ſtone of grace. Like that precious ſtone Pantarbe, ſpoken of in Philoſtratus, that hath a marvellous conciliating property; or the wonder-working Loadſtone, that among other ſtrange effects reckoned up by Marbodeus and Pictorius, doth poſſeſſores ſuos diſertos & Principibus gratos reddere, make thoſe that have it, well-ſpoken men, and well accepted of Princes.
Whitherſoever it turneth, it proſpereth] Moſt men are foreign, and love with ſhame, Give yee. Yet ſome Perſian-like ſpirits there are (as hath been made good before by the examples of Luther, Galeabrius, and ſome others) that regard not ſilver, and as for gold (in ſuch a way) they have no delight in it, Iſa. 13.17. But theſe are black Swans indeed. The moſt ſing, Quis niſi mentis inops oblatum reſpuat aurum? Who but a fool would refuſe offered gold?
Verſ. 9. Hee that covereth a tranſgreſſion, ſeeketh love] In friendſhip faults will fall out: Theſe muſt bee many of them diſſembled, and not chewed, but ſwallowed down whole, as Phyſick-pills; for elſe they will ſtick in a mans teeth, and prove very unpleaſant. See the Note on Prov. 10.12.
But hee that repeateth a matter, ſeparateth very friends] Hee that is ſo ſoft and ſenſible of ſmalleſt offences, ſo tender and tickliſh that hee can put up nothing without revenge, or reparation: Hee that rips up and rakes into his friends frailties, and makes them more in the relating, having never done with them, hee ſhall ſoon make his beſt friends weary of him, nay, to become enemies to him.
Verſ. 10. A reproof entreth more into a wiſe man, &c.] A word to the wiſe is ſufficient: A look from Chriſt brake Peters heart, and diſſolved it into tears. Auguſtus being in a great rage, ready to paſs ſentence of death upon many, was taken off by theſe words of his friend Mecaenas, foreign. Dio in Aug. …. Maul. loc com.written in a Note, and caſt into his lap, Tandem aliquando ſurge carnifex. When Luther was once in a great heat, Melancthon cooled him and qualified him by repeating that verſe, Vince animos, iramque tuam, qui caetera vincis. Maſter you paſſions, you that ſo eaſily maſter all things elſe.
Than an hundred ſtripes into a fool] Hic enim plectitur, ſed non flectitur; corripitur, ſed non corrigitur. Beaten hee is, but not bent to goodneſs; amerced, but not amended. The Cypreſs, the more it is watred, the more it is withered, Ahaz was the worſe for his afflictions, ſo was the railing Theef. Jeroboams withered hand works nothing upon his heart. Hee had herein as great a miracle wrought before him (ſaith a reverend man) as St. Paul had at his Converſion,Dr. Preſton. yet was hee not wrought upon, becauſe the Spirit did not ſet it on.
Verſ. 11. An evil man ſeeketh onelyonly rebellion] viz. How to gain-ſtand and miſchieve thoſe that by words or ſtripes, ſeek to reclaim him: Some read it thus, The rebellious ſeeketh miſchief only, hee is ſet upon ſin, hee ſhall bee ſure of puniſhment. No warnings will ſerve obdurate hearts; wicked men are even ambitious of deſtruction: Judgements need not go to finde them out, they run to meet their bane, they ſeek it, and as it were ſend for it. But this they need not do, for a cruel meſſenger ſhall bee ſent againſt him. God hath forces enough at hand to fetch in his Rebels, viz. good and evil Angels, Stars, Meteors, Elements, other creatures, reaſonable, unreaſonable, inſenſible. The ſtones in the wall of Aphek ſhall ſooner turn Executioners than a rebellious Aramite ſhall ſcape unrevenged; Not to ſpeak of Hell-torments prepared for the Devil and his Angels, and by them to bee inflicted on Rebels and Reprobates.
Verſ. 12. Let a Bear robbed of her Whelps meet a man] A Bear is a fierce and fell creature, the Shee-bear eſpecially, as Ariſtotle noteth, but moſt of all when robbed of her Whelps, which ſhee licketh into form, and loveth without meaſure. To meet her in this rage is to meet death in the face, and yet that danger may bee ſooner ſhifted and ſhunned, than a furious fool ſet upon miſchief: Such were the primitive Perſecutors, not ſparing thoſe Chriſtians whom Bears and Lions would not meddle with. Such an one was our bloody Bonner, Act. & Mon.who in five years ſpace took and roaſted three hundred Martyrs, moſt of them within his own Walk and Dioceſs. Such another was that mercileſs Minerius, one of the Popes Captains,Ibid. who deſtroyed two and twenty Towns of the innocent Merindelians in France, together with the inhabitants; and being intreated for ſome few of them that eſcaped in their ſhirts to cover their nakedneſs, hee ſternly anſwered, that hee knew what hee had to do, and that not one of them ſhould eſcape his hands, but hee would ſend them to hell to dwell among Devils.
Verſ. 13. Who ſo rewardeth evil for good, &c.] Ingratitude is a monſter in nature, and doth therefore carry ſo much more deteſtation,Nihil eſt tam inhumanum, &c. quam committere, ut beneficio non dicam indignus ſed victus eſſe videare, Cic. as it is more odious even to themſelves that have blotted out the image of God. Some vices are ſuch as nature ſmiles upon, though frowned at by divine Juſtice; not ſo this. Licurgus would make no law againſt it, becauſe hee thought none could bee ſo abſurd as to fall into it. Amongſt the Athenians there was an action foreign of a Maſter againſt a ſervant ungrateful for his manumiſſion, not doing his duty to his late Maſter: Such were again to bee made bond-ſlaves.Val. Max. lib. 2. cap. 1. Zonaras in Annal. Turk. hiſt. 642. Who can chuſe but abhor that abominable act of Michael Balbus, who that night that his Prince (Le… Armenius) had pardoned and releaſed him, got out and ſlew him? And that of Mulcaſſes King of Tunes, who cruelly tortured to death the Manifet and Meſner, by whoſe means eſpecially hee had aſpired to the Kingdome; grieving to ſee them live, to whom hee was ſo much beholding: And that of Dr. Watſon Biſhop of Lincoln in Queen Maries dayes,Act. & Mon. fol. 1843. who being with Bonner at the Examination of Mr. Rough Martyr (a man that had been a means to ſave Watſons life in the dayes of King Edward the ſixth) to requite him that good turn, detected him there to bee a pernicious heretick, who did more hurt in the North parts than a hundred more of his opinion. Whereunto may bee added that of William Parry, who having been for Burglary condemned to dye, was ſaved by Queen Elizabeths pardon: But hee (ungrateful wretch) ſought to requite her by vowing her death, anno Dom. 1584.Speed. fol. 1178. To render good for evil is divine, good for good is humane, evil for evil is bruitiſh, evil for good is Deviliſh.
Evil ſhall not depart from his houſe] i. e. From his Perſon and Poſterity, though haply hee may eſcape the laſh of mans Law for ſuch an abhorred villany. See this fulfilled in Sauls family, for his unworthy dealing with David; in Muleaſſes and many others. Jeremy (in a ſpirit of Prophecie) bitterly curſeth ſuch, and foretelleth the utter ruine of them and theirs, Chap. 18.20, 21. &c. ſhall evil be recompenced for good? ſaith hee, Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and let their wives bee widows. Let a cry bee heard from their houſes, &c.
Verſ. 14. The beginning of ſtrife is as when one lets out water] It is eaſier to ſtir ſtrife than ſtint it. Lis litem generat: As water, it is of a ſpreading nature. Do therefore here, as the Dutch-men do by their banks; they keep them with little coſt and trouble, becauſe they look narrowly to them, and make them up in time. If there bee but the leaſt breach, they ſtop it preſently, otherwiſe the Sea would ſoon overflow them.
Fertur in arva furens cumulo,Virgil. Aneid. 2. campoſque per omnes
Cum ſtabulis armenta trahit.
The ſame may fitly bee ſet forth alſo by a ſimilitude from fire; which if quenched preſently, little hurt is done; As if not, behold how great a wood a little fire kindleth, James 3.5.ſaith Saint James. If fire break out but of a bramble, it will devour the Cedars of Lebanon, Judg. 9.15. Cover therefore the fire of contention, as William the Conquerour commanded the Coverfeu-bell.
Therefore leave off contention before it bee medled with] Antequam commiſceatur. Stop or ſtep back, before it come to further trouble. Satius eſt recurrere quam malè currere, better retire than run on, in thoſe ignoble quarrels eſpecially, ubi & vincere inglorium eſt & atteri ſordidum, wherein, whether hee win or loſe, hee is ſure to loſe in his credit and comfort. Wee read of Francis the firſt King of France, that conſulting with his Captains how to lead his Army over the Alps into Italy, whether this way or that way? Amaril his fool ſprang out of a corner, where hee ſate unſeen, and bad them rather take care which way they ſhould bring their Army out of Italy again. It is eaſie for one to intereſt himſelf in quarrels, but hard to bee diſ-ingaged from them, when hee is once in. Therefore Principiis obſta, withſtand the beginnings of theſe evils, and ſtudy to bee quiet, 1 Theſ. 4.11. Milk quencheth wild-fire. Oyl (ſaith Luther) quencheth lime; ſo doth meekneſſe ſtrife.
Verſ. 15. Hee that juſtifieth the wicked, and hee that condemneth the juſt, &c.] To wrong a righteous man in word onelyonly is a grievous ſin; how much more to murther him under pretence of Juſtice? as they did innocent Naboth; as the bloody Papiſts do Chriſts faithful witneſſes, and as the Jews did Chriſt himſelf, crying out, Wee have a Law, and by our Law hee ought to dye, &c. This is to play the Theef or Man-ſlayer cum privilegio, this is to frame miſchief by a Law, Pſal. 94.20. The like may bee ſaid of that other branch of in juſtice, the juſtifying of the wicked. Bonis nocet, qui malis parcit. Hee wrongs the good, that ſpares the bad: better turn ſo many wild-Boars, Bears, Wolves, Leopards looſe among them, than theſe monſtrous men of condition, that will either corrupt them, or otherwiſe miſchieve them. For thou knoweſt this people is ſet upon miſchief, Exod. 32.22. They cannot ſleep, unleſſe they have hurt ſome one. Neither pertains this Proverb to Magiſtrates onelyonly, but to private perſons too; who muſt take heed how they precipitate a cenſure: Herein David was to blame in pronouncing the wicked happy, and condemning the Generation of Gods children, Pſal. 73. for the which over-ſight hee afterwards ſhames and ſhents himſelf, yea be fools and be beaſts himſelf, as well hee deſerved, verſ. 22.
Verſ. 16. Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool? &c.] Wealth without wit, is ill beſtowed. Think the ſame of good natural parts, either of body or mind: ſo, for authority, opportunity, and other advantages. Whereto ſerve they if not rightly improved and employed? Certainly they will prove no better than Uriahs letters to thoſe that have them; or as that ſword which Hector gave Ajax; which ſo long as hee uſed againſt his enemies, ſerved for help and defence; but after hee began to abuſe it to the hurt of hurtleſſe beaſts, it turned into his own bowels. This will bee a bodkin at thy heart one day, I might have been ſaved, but I wofully let ſlip thoſe opportunities that God had thruſt into my hands, and wilfully cut the throat of mine own poor ſoul, by an impenitent continuance in ſinful courſes, againſt ſo many diſſwaſives. Oh the ſpirit of fornication, that hath ſo beſorted the minds of the moſt, that they have no heart to look after Heaven, while it is to bee had, but trifle and fool away their own ſalvation!
Verſ. 17. A friend loveth at all times] Such a friend was Jonathan, Huſhai the Archite, Ittai the Gittite, who ſtuck cloſe to David when hee was at his greateſt under. B. Morton.But ſuch faithful friends are in this age all for the moſt part gone in Pilgrimage (as hee once ſaid) and their return is uncertain. David met with others, beſides thoſe above mentioned, that would bee the cauſes, but not the companions of his calamity; that would fawn upon him in his flouriſh, but forſake him in his trouble. My lovers and friends ſtand aloof, &c. The Antients pictured Friendſhip in the ſhape of a fair young man, bare-headed, meanly apparelled, having on the out-ſide of his garment written, To live and to dye with you, and on his forehead Summer and Winter. His breaſt was open, ſo that his heart might bee ſeen; and with his finger bee pointed to his heart where was written Longè, Propè, Far and near.Humphrey Duke of Gloceſter, being wounded and overthrown by the Duke of Alenzon, at the battel of Agincourt, was reſcued by his brother King Henry the fifth, who beſtriding him, delivered him from danger, &c. Speed.
And a Brother is born for adverſity] Birth binds him to it, and although at other times fratrum concordia rara, brethren may jar and jangle, yet at a ſtraight, and in a ſtreſſe, good nature will work, and good blood will not belie it ſelf. And as in the natural, ſo in the ſpiritual brotherhood, Miſery breeds unity. Ridley and Hooper, that when they were both Biſhops, differed ſo much about Ceremonies, could agree well enough, and bee mutual comforts one to another, when they were both priſoners. Eſther concealed her kindred in hard times; but Gods people cannot. Moſes muſt reſcue his beaten brother out of the hand of the Egyptian, though hee venture his life by it.
Verſ. 18. A man void of underſtanding ſtriketh hands] Of the folly and miſery of raſh ſuretyſhip, See Chap. 6.1, 2, &c. with the Notes there.
In the preſence of his friend] Or, before his friend, that is, before his friend do it, who was better able, and more obliged. Thus like a Woodcock hee puts his neck into the ginne, his foot into the ſtocks as the Drunkard; and then hath time enough to come in with the fools had I wiſt, and to ſay as the Lion did when taken in the toil, Si praeſciviſſem: If I had foreſeen this. But why ſhould there bee amongſt men any ſuch Epimetheus, ſuch a Poſt-maſter, an after-wit?
Verſ. 19. Hee loveth tranſgreſſion that loveth ſtrife] Its ſtrange that any ſhould love ſtrife, that Hell-hag, foreign. And yet ſome, like Trouts, love to ſwim againſt the ſtream; like Salamanders, they live in the fire of contention; like Phocion, they hold it a goodly thing to diſſent from others; like Pyrrhus, they are a people that delight in war, Pſal. 68.30. Like Davids enemies, I am for peace, ſaith hee, (that was his Motto) but when I ſpeak of it,Pſal. 120.7. they are for war. Theſe unquiet ſpirits are of the Devil doubtleſſe, that turbulent creature, that troubler of Gods Iſrael. Hee knows, that where envying and ſtrife is, there is confuſion and every evil work, James 3.16. and that hee loveth tranſgreſſion, that loveth ſtrife; hee taketh pleaſure in ſin, which is the cauſe of his unquietneſſe. Good therefore and worthy of all acceptation, is the counſel of the Pſalmiſt; Ceaſe from anger, and forſake wrath; fret not thy ſelf in any wiſe to do evil, Pſal. 37.8. Hee that frets much, will ſoon bee drawn to do evil. An angry man ſtirs up ſtrife, and a furious man aboundeth in tranſgreſſion, Prov. 29.22. Hence our Saviour bids, Have ſalt within your ſelves, that is, mortifie your corruptions, and then, bee at Peace one with another, Mark 9.50. Hence alſo Saint James ſaith, that the wiſdome from above is firſt pure, and then peaceable. And Saint Paul oft joyns faith and love together; there can bee no true love to, and good agreement with men, till the heart bee purified by faith from the love of ſin.
And hee that exalteth his gate, ſeeketh deſtruction] Eventually hee ſeeketh it, though not intentionally: that exalteth his gate, that is, his whole houſe, (a part being put for the whole) which hee that builds over-ſumptuouſly, is in the ready rode to beggery, the begger will ſoon have him by the back, as they ſay; quaerit rupturam, hee will ſhortly break. Others read the words thus, And hee enlargeth his gate that ſeeketh a breach, that is, ſay they, hee that picketh quarrels, and is contentious, ſetteth open a wide door to let in many miſchiefs.
Verſ. 20. Hee that hath a froward heart, findeth no good] Who this is that hath a froward heart, and a perverſe tongue, Solomon ſhews; Prov. 11.20. viz. the hypocrite, the double-minded man, Jam. 1.8. that hath an heart and a heart, Pſal. 12.2. One for God, and another for him that would have it, as that deſperate Neapolitan boaſted of himſelf. And as hee hath two hearts, ſo two tongues too, 1 Tim. 3.8. wherewith hee can both bleſs and curſe, talk religiouſly or prophanely according to the company, James 3.10, 11. ſpeak Hebrew and Aſhdod, the language of Canaan, and the language of Hell; like thoſe in an Iſland beyond Arabia, of whom Diodorus Siculus ſaith, that they have cleven tongues, Antiq. l. 3.ſo that therewith they can alter their ſpeech at their pleaſure, and perfectly ſpeak to two perſons, and to two purpoſes, at once. Now how can theſe Monſters of men expect either to finde good, or not to fall into miſchief? How can they eſcape the damnation of Hell, whereof hypocrites are the chief inhabitants,foreign. Mat. 24.31. yea the free-holders as it were? for other ſinners ſhall have their part with the Devil and hypocrites.
Verſ. 21. Hee that begetteth a fool, doth it to his ſorrow] Solomon might ſpeak this by experience, and wiſh as Augustus did, Utinam coelebs vixiſſem, aut orbus periiſſem. Hof. 4,O that I had either lived a batchelour, or died childleſſe! to bring forth children to the murtherer, children to the Devil, that old man-ſlayer; Oh what a grief is this to a pious Parent! how much better were a miſcarrying womb, and dry breaſts? What heavy moan made David for his Abſolom, dying in his ſin? How doth many a miſerable Mother weep and warble out that mournful ditty of hers in Plutarch over her deceaſed children, Quo pueri eſtis profecti? poor ſouls what's become of you!
And the Father of a fool hath no joy] No more than Oedipus had, who curſed his children when hee died, and breathed out his laſt, with Per coacervat… percat domus impia luctus.
No more than William the Conquerour had in his ungracious children: or Henry the ſecond, who finding that his ſons had conſpired againſt him with the King of France, Daniel fol. 112fell into a grievous paſſion, curſing both his ſons, and the day wherein himſelf was born; and in that diſtemperature departed the world, which himſelf had ſo oft diſtempered.
Verſ. 22. A merry heart doth good, like a medicine] foreign: So the Septuagint render it. And indeed, it is foreign that makes foreign. All true mirth is from rectitude of the mind, from a right frame of ſoul. When Faith hath once healed the conſcience, and grace hath huſht the affections, and compoſed all within, ſo that there is a Sabbath of Spirit, and a bleſſed tranquillity lodged in the ſoul, then the body alſo is vigorous and vigetous, for moſt part, in very good plight, and healthful conſtitution, which makes mans life very comfortable. For ſi vales, bene eſt. And foreign. Go thy waies, ſaith Solomon, to him that hath a good conſcience, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, Eccleſ. 9.7, 8, 9.ſith God accepteth thy works. Let thy garments bee alwaies white, and let thy head lack no ointment. Live joyfully with the wife of thy youth, &c. bee lightſome in thy cloaths, merry at thy meats, painful in thy calling, &c. theſe do notably conduce to, and help on health. They that in the uſe of lawful means wait upon the Lord, ſhall renew their ſtrength; they ſhall mount up with wings as Eagles; they ſhall run, and not bee weary; they ſhall walk, and not faint, Iſa. 40.31.
But a broken ſpirit drieth the bones] By drinking up the marrow and radical moiſture. See this in David, Pſal 32.3. whoſe bones waxed old, whoſe moiſture or chief ſap was turned into the drought of Summer: his heart was ſmitten, and withered like graſs; his daies conſumed like ſmoak, Pſal. 102.3, 4. his whole body was like a bottle in the ſmoak, Pſal. 119.83. hee was a very bag of bones, and thoſe alſo burnt as an hearth, Pſal. 102. Ariſtotle in his book of long and ſhort life aſſigns grief for a chief cauſe of death. And the Apoſtle ſaith as much, 2 Cor. 7.10. See the Note there, and on Prov. 12.25. All immoderations, ſaith Hippocrates, are great enemies to health.
Verſ. 23. A wicked man taketh a gift out of the boſome] i. e. cloſely and covertly, as if neither God nor man ſhould ſee him. The words may bee alſo read thus, Hee (that is the corrupt Judge) taketh a gift out of the wicked mans boſome; there being never a better of them, as Solomon intimateth by this ambiguous expreſſion.Stapleten. Rain is good, and ground is good, yet ex corum conjunctione fit lutum. So giving is kind, and taking is courteous; yet the mixing of them makes the ſmooth paths of juſtice foul and uneven.
Verſ. 24. Wiſdome is before him that hath underſtanding] Or,Vultut index animi. Profecto oculis animus inhabitat. Plin. the face of an underſtanding man is wiſdome, his very face ſpeaks him wiſe, the government of his eyes, eſpecially, is an argument of his gravity. His eyes are in his head, Eccleſ. 2.14. hee ſcattereth away all evil with them, Prov. 20.8. Hee hath oculum irretortum, as Job had, chap. 31. and Joſeph had oculum in metam (which was Ludovicus vives his Motto) his eye fixt upon the mark; hee looks right on, Prov. 4.25. hee goes through the world as one in a deep muſe, or as one that hath haſte of ſome ſpecial buſineſſe, and therefore over-looks every thing beſides it: Hee hath learned out of Iſa. 33.14, 15. that he that ſhall ſee God to his comfort, muſt not onelyonly ſhake his hands from taking gifts (as in the former verſe) but alſo ſtop his ears, from hearing of blood, and ſhut his eyes from ſeeing of evil. Vitiis nobis in animum per oculos eſt via, ſaith Quintilian; Quintil. declam.ſin entereth into the little world, thorow theſe windows, and death by ſin, as fools finde too oft by caſting their eyes into the corners of the earth, ſuffering them to rove at randome without reſtraint, by irregular glancing, and inordinate gazing. In Hebrew the ſame word ſignifies both an eye and a fountain; to ſhew (ſaith one) that from the eye, as from a fountain, flows both ſin and miſery. Shut up therefore the five windows, that the houſe may be full of light, as the Arabian Proverb hath it. Wee read of one, that making a journey to Rome, and knowing it to bee a corrupt place, and a corrupter of others, entred the City with eyes cloſe ſhut; neither would hee ſee any thing there but Saint Peters Church, which hee had a great mind to go viſit. Alipius in Auſtin being importuned to go to thoſe bloody ſpectacles of the gladiatory combats, reſolved to wink, and did; But hearing an out-cry of applauſe, looked abroad, and was ſo taken with the ſport, that hee became an ordinary frequenter of thoſe cruel meetings.
Verſ. 25. A fooliſh Son is a grief to his Father] See the Note on chap. 10.1. and 15.20.
Verſ. 26. Alſo to puniſh the juſt is not good] The righteous are to be cheriſhed and protected, as thoſe that uphold the ſtate. Semen ſanctum ſtatumen terrae, Iſa. 6.13. What Aeneas, Sylvins ſaid of learning, may bee more properly ſaid of righteouſneſs, Vulgar men ſhould eſteem it as ſilver, Noble-men as gold, Prines prize it as pearls. But they that puniſh it (as perſecutors do) ſhall bee puniſhed to purpoſe, when God makes inquiſition for blood.Pſal. 9.
Nor to ſtrike Princes for equity] Righteous men are Princes in all Lands, Pſa. 45. yea they are Kings in righteouſneſſe, as Melchiſedec. Indeed they are ſomewhat obſcure Kings, as hee was, but Kings they appear to bee, by comparing Mat. 13.17. with Luk. 10.24. Many righteous, ſaith Matthew, many Kings, ſaith Luke. Now to ſtrike a King is high-treaſon:Daniels Hiſt. 198. And although Princes have put up blows, as when one ſtruck our Henry the ſixth, hee onelyonly ſaid, Forſooth you do wrong your ſelf more than mee, to ſtrike the Lords annointed: Another alſo that had drawn blood of him when hee was in priſon, hee freely pardoned, when hee was reſtored to his Kingdome, ſaying; Alaſs, poor ſoul, hee ſtruck mee more to win favour with others, than of any evil will hee bare mee. So when one came to cry Cato mercy, for having ſtruck him once in the Bath, hee anſwered, that hee remembred no ſuch matter. Likewiſe Lycurgus is famous for pardoning him that ſmote out one of his eyes; yet hee that ſhall touch the apple of Gods eye (as every one doth that wrongeth a righteous man for equity eſpecially) ſhall have God for a revenger. And it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, Heb. 10.
Verſ. 27. Hee that hath knowledge, ſpareth his words] Taciturnity is a ſign of ſolidity, and talkativeneſs of worthleſneſs. Epaminondas is worthily praiſed for this (ſaith Plutarch) that as no man knew more than hee, ſo none ſpake leſs than hee did.
And a man of underſtanding is of an excellent ſpirit] Or, of a cool ſpirit. The deepeſt Seas are the moſt calm,
Where river ſmootheſt runs, deep is the ford,
The Dial ſtirs, yet none perceives it move, &c.
Verſ. 28. Even a fool when hee holdeth his peace, &c.] foreign. O that you would altogether hold your peace, and it ſhould bee your wiſdome, ſaith Job to his friends that ſpake much, but ſaid little, Job 13.5.