Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 3 · Verse 35
VER. 35. The wiſe ſhall inherit glory, but ſhame ſhall be the promotion of fooles.
HEre is the laſt motive to ſtir us up to get wiſdome, and forſake the waies of wickedneſſe, becauſe the one brings glory, the other ſhame; and it is fitly knit to the former: for the humble, who are the only wiſe ones, go from grace to glory: and the proud ſcorner, who is the greateſt fool, ſhall fall from honour to ſhame. Seeing humble men are counted ſimple, and proud men wiſe, and ſin prefers many, and grace makes many contemned in the world, he therefore raiſes up the dejected heart of the one, and caſts down the proud ſpirit of the other, by pronouncing the lowly wiſe, and the ſcorners fooles, and by promiſing honour to the one, like to men in a riſing condition, and threatning diſgrace to the other, as to men going down the wind. Glory followes fitly after grace, and ſhame after ſcorning; for men honour thoſe they favour, and put them to ſhame whom they ſcorn.
For the words.
The wiſe. Godly men, who are wiſe indeed. For the word, ſee on Chap. 1.5.
Shall inherit. Shall firmly injoy it for continuance, as children enjoy their inheritance left them by their parents: they ſhall not have glory for a moment of time, but for ever, by an hereditary right. The Papiſts bring merit out of this word, but it rather concludes the contrary, for no child deſerves his inheritance.
Glory. They ſhall be honoured by God and men. Lyra tells us, that the commentator on the firſt book of the Ethicks (I ſuppoſe he means Ariſtotles) ſaith, that reverence, honour, glory, exceed one another. I may reverence a man for any cauſe; yea, though it be but out of fear: but if I reverence a man for his vertue, then I give him honour, though it be in ſecret, and before a few: But when I commend him, or preferre him for vertue openly before many, then I give him glory, which is a cleer acknowledgment with praiſe: He addes, Wiſdome makes a man honorable before a multitude, not only in earth, but alſo in his heavenly country. For the word, ſee on verſe 16. on the word Honour.
But. See on Chap. 2.22.
Shame. Contempt from God and man, which may make them hold down their heads for ſhame. As the word foreign that ſignifies glory, comes from a word that ſignifies weight, So the word foreign that ſignifies ſhame, in the originall Text comes from a word that ſignifies lightneſſe: For as there is weight in true honour, ſo nothing but emptineſſe in diſgrace:
Shall be the promotion of fooles. Shall be the greateſt honour wicked men can attain: They look for great honour by their wicked devices, but they ſhall end in infamy. Others read, Fooles carry away ſhame: they bear it away for their portion. And then it is a Noun plurall, with a Verb ſingular, intimating, that it is the portion of every fool. Others thus, Shame taketh away fooles. That is, deſtroyeth them, and all their hope of good. Others thus, The exaltation of fooles is ſhame. That is, their honour ruines them, becauſe they know not how to uſe it: The filthineſſe of their fooliſhneſſe moſt appears when they are exalted, as the deformity of the Apes buttocks appeares moſt, when he climbs up on high. For fooles, ſee on Chap. 1.32.
Figures. Inherit. A metaphor: they ſhall have it as ſurely, as children their inheritance. Promotion. An hard metaphor, as ſperare, to hope, for timere, to fear. Promotion for puniſhment. Note
1. The wiſe mans portion.
2. The fooles.
In the firſt, obſerve
1. The heir, The wiſe.
2. The act, Shall inherit.
3. The object, Glory.
In the ſecond, note
1. The portion, But ſhame.
2. The beſtowing of it, Shall be the promotion.
3. The object, Of fooles.
Doct. 1. God counts godly men wiſe, and wicked men fools. Fooles becauſe of their tranſgreſſion are afflicted. Pſal. 107.17. The righteous ſhall ſee it, and rejoyce. Who ſo is wiſe, and will obſerve thoſe things, &c. Pſal. 107.42 43. A wiſe man will hear, and will increaſe learning. Chap, 1.5. Fooles deſpiſe wiſdome. Chap. 1.7.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe good men walk in the right way, which is a ſign of wiſdome: and wicked men miſſe the way to happineſſe, which is a ſign of folly.
2. Becauſe the former ſpeed well in the end, and that for ever, whereas wicked men like fooles, undoe themſelves eternally.
Uſe. Let not us think our ſelves wiſer then God. Let us eſteem ſimple good men righteous, or right wiſe men, for ſo the Saxons write it, and wicked men fooles, as Chriſt doth, though never ſo worldly wiſe. Thou hast bid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them unto babes. Matth. 11.25.
2. Doct. Honour is the wiſe mans inheritance. They that be wiſe ſhall ſhine, as the brightneſſe of the Firmament. Dan. 12.3.
Reaſon. 1. He hath a proper right to it, as the heir hath to his inheritance. Laws of men ſettle the one: Gods word who can perform it againſt all the world, ſettles the other. The Scriptures are able to make thee wiſe unto ſalvation. 2 Tim. 3.15.
2. They have a perfect, and unqueſtionable right given them by God, who is poſſeſſor of Heaven, and Earth. Gen. 14.19. And Gods gift is a ſure title. No creature can queſtion it: with this argument Jepthtah pleads againſt the King of the Ammonites, Wilt not thou poſſeſſe that which Chemoſh thy God giveth thee to poſſeſſe? ſo whomſoever the Lord our God ſhall drive out from before us, them will we poſſeſſe. Iudg. 11.24.
3. They have it by perpetuall right, not for term of life onelyonly, but for eternity in another world. Wicked men may get honour here, but they loſe it for eternity when they die.
4. They have a right to make uſe of all good reſpect from God, and men, both here, and hereafter.
Uſe. Which of you would not have glory both in this world, and that which is to come? Hee that would not, let him live, and die with ſhame, like a fool. He that would, let him ſhew himſelf wiſe in knowing, and coming to God, and walking according to his will. Then will eternall glory follow him, as the ſhadow doth the Sun.
3. Doct. Shame is the fooles preferment. My ſervants (who are wiſe) ſhall rejoyce, but ye (fooliſh ſinners (ſhall be aſhamed. Iſa. 65.13.
Reaſon. 1. Becauſe if they do get promotion, it is but a ſhame to them, becauſe they know not how to uſe it: Stultus in gloria, ſimia in purpura. Lapids. A fool in glory is an ape in purple.
2. Becauſe their glory ends in their temporall infamy ſometimes, but alwaies in eternall miſery. There ſhall not be one fool in heaven.
Uſe. Envy not wicked fooles. Shamefull promotion is good enough for them, unleſſe they were better. Honour here is a gibbet to ſend them to Hell hereafter. Fret not thy ſelf then becauſe of evill doers, neither be thou envious againſt the workers of iniquity. For they ſhall ſoon be cut down like the graſſe: and wither as the green herb. Pſal. 37.1, 2.
Thus endeth the Expoſition of Solomons Preface to his Proverbs. To God alone be glory through Jeſus Chriſt for ever, and ever. Amen.
FINIS.