Exposition of Proverbs 1-3, Expositions · Chapter 1 · Verse 22
Verſ. 22. How long ye ſimple ones will ye love ſimplicity? and the ſcorners delight in ſcorning, and fools hate knowledge?
Here begin the words of Wiſdome, and laſt to the end of the Chapter. In which there is,
1. A reproof or expoſtulation, in this verſ.
2. An exhortation to repentance, v. 23.
3. A promiſe to enforce it, Ibid.
4. A variety of threatnings, from v. 24. to v. 33.
5. The concluſion, v. 33.
For the firſt, the reproof. Wiſdome begins with a great deal of earneſtneſſe, as willing to perſwade. She out of a Motherly affection bewails mens continued errors, and kindly invites them to reformation. See the like, Pſal. 4.2. O ye Sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into ſhame? How long will ye love vanity, and ſeek after leaſing?
For the words.
How long. Ye have continued too long in theſe wicked courſes. It is high time to think of returning to God.
Ye ſimple ones. Wiſdome doth not tell others of their ſimplicity, who may tell them of it again, but falls directly upon them, and calls them ſimple ones to their faces. Wiſdome cannot flatter. She chides thoſe that keep childiſh manners, when they be men. The word ſignifies ſuch as are eaſily drawn to beleeve any thing that comes into their heads, or that others ſuggeſt to them, though never ſo erroneous. The ſimple beleeveth every word, Prov. 14.15. See for the word on v. 4.
Will ye love. Will ye be carried away with worldly vanities, as men in love? It is a weakneſſe to be ſimple, one to be in love with ones own ſimplicity is a madneſſe. Mala ſua amare malorum ultimum eſt: For a man to love his owne evils is the worſt of all evils. Sen.
Simplicity. The ſame word as before. See on v. 4.
And the ſcorners. See on v. 6. upon the word Interpretation, where we ſhewed that the word ſignifies to interpret, to ſpeak cloquently, and to ſcoffe at one in ſcorn.
foreign, Delight in. Count it a thing very pleaſing to them to ſcoffe at goodneſſe. So the word is uſed, Gen. 2.9. Every tree that is pleaſant to the ſight. It is a ſport to a fool to doe miſchief, Prov. 10.23. or deſire it for themſelves, as Joſh 7.21. Then I coveted them, Heb. Then I deſired them for my ſelf. As if they thought it portion or religion enough for themſelves to be able to ſcoffe at others. The word may ſignifie either way here, or include both; for the things we deſire, when we want them, we delight in when we have them. Yet delight being a fuller affection then deſire, it is well tranſlated Delight in.
Their ſcorning, Heb. ſcorning for themſelves. The former is uſually expreſſed by the affix. And the latter ſometimes is a Pleonaſmus, ſo that ſcorning for themſelves is no more then ſcorning. As Gen. 12.1. Get thee out of thy Countrey, is no more then Go out of thy Countrey. Or it may be read, Delight themſelves in ſcorning▪ But it cannot be read, Deſire themſelves in ſcorning. And the charge is then more full. Men may deſire ſome things that they diſlike when they come to paſſe. But delighting in a thing, argues full content and pleaſure.
And fools. So foreign is tranſlated. A fooliſh man deſpiſeth his Mother, Prov. 15.20. Elſewhere it ſignifieth a ſtar, called Orion. Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, &c. Job 9.9. Becauſe as fools are very inconſtant, ſcarce an hour together in one minde, ſo that ſtar brings uncertain weather. Here it is taken in the firſt ſenſe. Fools are ſuch as have an habit of folly or wickedneſſe in them, becauſe they ſeek not after knowledge, as being above their capacity or beleef. Such as know not tre… wiſdome, though learned otherwiſe. Men that are not righteous, that is, right wiſe, as the Saxons writ it. So Cicero, one of the wiſeſt of the Heathen, is reported to cry out at his death. O me nunquam ſapieutem! Alas! I was never wiſe.
foreign, Hate. The word ſignifies,
1. To hate ſo as to ſeek ones deſtruction. Eſau hated Jacob, Gen. 27.41.
2. To contemne, as men deſpiſe things hated. If the later husband hate her, Deut. 24.3.
3. To love one leſſe then another. When the Lord ſaw that Leah was hated, Gen. 29.31. that is, loved leſſe then Rachel, verſ. 30.
Here it is taken in the firſt ſenſe, for hating knowledge. For threce ſorts of ſinners are here reproved in three ſeveral degrees, like ſteps of a ladder, where men ſtep from the one to the other, and each ſtep argues greater wickedneſſe then the former. It is bad to love ſimplicity, worſe to ſcoffe at piety, worſt of all to hate knowledge.
foreign, Knowledge. See on v. 2. & 4. Figure none. Note
1. The charge of ſimple ones.
2. Of ſcorners.
3. Of fools.
In the firſt note,
1. The perſons accuſed, ye ſimple ones.
2. The act, will ye love.
3. The adjunct of time, how long. Which alſo is underſtood in the other parts.
4. The object, ſimplicity. A thing unworthy of any love.
In the ſecond note,
1. The perſons indited, and the ſcorners.
2. The act, delight in.
3. The object, their ſcorning. To wit, of goodneſſe, which ſhould be honoured.
In the third note,
1. The perſons complained of, and fools.
2. The act, hate.
3. The object, knowledge, which deſerveth love.
Wiſdome had long forborne them, before ſhe did thus ſharply reprove them.
1. Doct. Reproof muſt not be ſharp at firſt. Such was Peter's reproof, 1 Pet. 4.3. The time past of our life may ſuffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles. The ſervant of the Lord must not ſtrive, but be gentle unto all, apt to teach, patient, 2 Tim. 2.24.
Reaſon 1. To try if gentle means will prevail. So Phyficians give gentle purges firſt. Of ſome have compaſſion, making a difference, Jude v. 22.
2. To ſhew our love to the perſons reproved, that our words may work the more with them for their good.
Ʋſe. It blames them that are all vinegar, and cannot mingle kind words with reproofs, that put no difference between weak, and obſtinate ſinners. Non ſanat qui vulnerat, non monet qui mordet: He heals not that wounds, he admoniſhes not that bites.
2. Doct. Sharp reproofs muſt follow, if gentle ones will do no good. So here Wiſdome calls them ſimple ones, ſcorners, fools. The Phariſes are ſharply reproved by Chriſt, Woe unto you Scribes, and Phariſes, hypocrites, Matth. 23.13. Elymas by Paul, O full of all ſubtilty, and all miſchief, thou childe of the devill, thou enemy of all righteouſneſſe, &c. Act. 13.10.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe of their long continuance in ſin. A hand hardened by labour muſt be ſtrook hard, before it can feel. Cuſtome in fin hardens.
2. Becauſe they ſtop their ears againſt goodneſſe. He that is in danger of death, and will not open his mouth to take phyſick, muſt have it poured down his throat by violence.
Ʋſe. It blames thoſe that have no vinegar at all in their reproofs, that mildely reprove greateſt and longeſt finners. Eli broke his neck for dealing ſo mildely with his Sons, that were ſo wicked.
Here are three ſorts of finners mentioned one above another.
3. Doct. There be degrees of finners, ſome worſe then others, though all in their naturall eſtate be in the way to Hell. There are ungodly, ſinners, ſcorners, Pſal. 1.1. There are empty clouds, withered trees, raging waves, wandring stars, Jude v. 12, 13.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe corruption ſpreads more in ſome then in others, by their giving more way to it, as poyſon ſpreads in the body where the joynts are not bound.
2. Some are more reſtrained then others by outward objects of fear and ſhame. A fierce horſe may be kept in by a bridle.
3. Some are more violently tempted then others, and therefore ſin more, as an horſe ſpurred will run faſt.
Ʋſe. It reproves thoſe that are Phariſees in religion, that thank God they are not like other men, Luk. 18.11. Theſe have but Sodoms juſtification, they are not ſo bad as Jeruſalem, Ezek. 16.51.
4. Doct. We are by nature ſo ſimple that we love ſimplicity. Man is born like a wilde Aſſes colt, Job 11.12. The Laodicean Angel flatters himſelf in his ignorance, Rev. 3.17. being ſpiritually poor, he thinks himſelf very rich.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe our ſimplicity is our owne, and men love their owne children.
2. Becauſe naturally we know no better. The Moon is a fine light to him that never ſaw the Sun. Mantua was a brave City to the ſhepherds that never ſaw Rome. Virgil. Eclog 1.
3. Becauſe we look in a deceitfull glaſſe, that makes things look more beautifull then they are. And ſo ſimplicity ſeems lovely to us.
Ʋſe. Let us bewail our naturall condition, that not only are ſimple, but love ſimplicity. To be ſick is ordinary, to love ſickneſſe is unuſuall, yet we love ſimplicity.
5. Doct. Some are ſo bad that they ſcorn and ſcoffe at all goodneſſe. So Sanballat and Tobiah ſcoffe at the Jews buildings, Neh. 4.2, 3. Peter propheſies of ſcoffers in the laſt days, that ſhould ſcoffe at the very coming of Jeſus Chriſt to judgement, 2 Pet. 3.3, 4. Such ſcoffe,
1. At good men, becauſe the good lives of them condemne their bad ones. This moved one to give his vote to baniſh Ariſtides, Hoc tantùm me malè habet, quòd juſtus ubi que audit. This onelyonly troubles me, that every man counts him a juſt man.
2. They ſcoffe at good Miniſters, becauſe they reprove their ſins, and ſo perplex their conſciences.
Ʋſe. Let us expect ſco…. Others had triall of cruell mockings, Heb. 11.36. Iſaac the heir of Abraham, and Son of the promife, could not ſcape. Iſhmael's mocking Iſaac is called perſecution, Gal. 4.29. No, nor Chriſt himſelf the Son of God. They laughed him to ſcorn, Mart. 9.24. Scorners have a chair, Pſal. 1.1. but it is but a chair of peſtilence, as the Vulgar Tranſlation reads it.
6. Doct. Some grow worſe yet, ſo that they hate knowledge it ſelf. Every one that doth evill hateth the light, Joh. 3.20. They ſay anto God, Depart from is, for we deſire not the knowledge of thy wayes, Job 21.14.
Reaſon 1. Rati…ne acquiſition is laborioſe. Men are idle, and Ioth to take panſs for knowledge.
2. Ratione propriae impletion is venenoſae. They are full of bad liquor, and have no room for good.
3. Becauſe they know not the worth of it, elſe would they love it, and chooſe it, v. 29.
4. Becauſe it will not let them ſin freely, but raiſes whirlewinds in their conſciences. The evill doer comes not to the light, lest his deeds ſhould be reproved, Joh. 3.20.
Ʋſe 1. Wonder not if ſome will not be won by long and powerfull preaching. They hate knowledge.
2. Take heed of the height of evill. They ſhut reprovers out of dores, as naughty boyes doe School-maſters. Glem. Strom. l. 7. This damns many. They have both ſeen and hated both me and my Father, Joh. 15.24. Wiſdome is accuſed by bad men, but juſtified by her children, Mat. 11.19.