mh_parser/vol_split/20 - Proverbs/Chapter 26.xml

<div2 id="Prov.xxvii" n="xxvii" next="Prov.xxviii" prev="Prov.xxvi" progress="85.52%" title="Chapter XXVI">
<h2 id="Prov.xxvii-p0.1">P R O V E R B S</h2>
<h3 id="Prov.xxvii-p0.2">CHAP. XXVI.</h3>
<h4 id="Prov.xxvii-p0.3">Proper Treatment of Fools.</h4>
<scripCom id="Prov.xxvii-p0.4" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26" parsed="|Prov|26|0|0|0" passage="Pr 26" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Prov.xxvii-p0.5" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.1" parsed="|Prov|26|1|0|0" passage="Pr 26:1" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Prov.26.1">
<p class="passage" id="Prov.xxvii-p1">1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so
honour is not seemly for a fool.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Prov.xxvii-p2">Note, 1. It is too common a thing for
honour to be given to fools, who are utterly unworthy of it and
unfit for it. Bad men, who have neither wit nor grace, are
sometimes preferred by princes, and applauded and cried up by the
people. <i>Folly is set in great dignity,</i> as Solomon observed,
<scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p2.1" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.10.6" parsed="|Eccl|10|6|0|0" passage="Ec 10:6">Eccl. x. 6</scripRef>. 2. It is very
absurd and unbecoming when it is so. It is an incongruous <i>as
snow in summer,</i> and as great a disorder in the commonwealth as
that is in the course of nature and in the seasons of the year;
nay, it is as injurious <i>as rain in harvest,</i> which hinders
the labourers and spoils the fruits of the earth when they are
ready to be gathered. When bad men are in power they commonly abuse
their power, in discouraging virtue, and giving countenance to
wickedness, for want of wisdom to discern it and grace to detest
it.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Prov.xxvii-p2.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.2" parsed="|Prov|26|2|0|0" passage="Pr 26:2" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Prov.26.2">
<p class="passage" id="Prov.xxvii-p3">2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by
flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Prov.xxvii-p4">Here is, 1. The folly of passion. It makes
men scatter <i>causeless curses,</i> wishing ill to others upon
presumption that they are bad and have done ill, when either they
mistake the person or misunderstand the fact, or they call evil
good and good evil. Give honour to a fool, and he thunders out his
anathemas against all that he is disgusted with, right or wrong.
Great men, when wicked, think they have a privilege to keep those
about them in awe, by cursing them, and swearing at them, which yet
is an expression of the most impotent malice and shows their
weakness as much as their wickedness. 2. The safety of innocency.
He that is cursed without cause, whether by furious imprecations or
solemn anathemas, the curse shall do him no more harm than the bird
that flies over his head, than Goliath's curses did to David,
<scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.17.43" parsed="|1Sam|17|43|0|0" passage="1Sa 17:43">1 Sam. xvii. 43</scripRef>. It will
fly away like the sparrow or the wild dove, which go nobody knows
where, till they return to their proper place, as the curse will at
length return upon the head of him that uttered it.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Prov.xxvii-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.3" parsed="|Prov|26|3|0|0" passage="Pr 26:3" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Prov.26.3">
<p class="passage" id="Prov.xxvii-p5">3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass,
and a rod for the fool's back.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Prov.xxvii-p6">Here, 1. Wicked men are compared to <i>the
horse</i> and <i>the ass,</i> so brutish are they, so unreasonable,
so unruly, and not to be governed but by force or fear, so low has
sin sunk men, so much below themselves. Man indeed is <i>born like
the wild ass's colt,</i> but as some by the grace of God are
changed, and become rational, so others by custom in sin are
hardened, and become more and more sottish, <i>as the horse and the
mule,</i> <scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.32.9" parsed="|Ps|32|9|0|0" passage="Ps 32:9">Ps. xxxii. 9</scripRef>. 2.
Direction is given to use them accordingly. Princes, instead of
giving <i>honour to a fool</i> (<scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.1" parsed="|Prov|26|1|0|0" passage="Pr 26:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), must put disgrace upon
him—instead of putting power into his hand, must exercise power
over him. A <i>horse</i> unbroken needs <i>a whip</i> for
correction, and an <i>ass a bridle</i> for direction and to check
him when he would turn out of the way; so a vicious man, who will
not be under the guidance and restraint of religion and reason,
ought to be whipped and bridled, to be rebuked severely, and made
to smart for what he has done amiss, and to be restrained from
offending any more.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Prov.xxvii-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.4-Prov.26.5" parsed="|Prov|26|4|26|5" passage="Pr 26:4-5" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Prov.26.4-Prov.26.5">
<p class="passage" id="Prov.xxvii-p7">4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest
thou also be like unto him.   5 Answer a fool according to his
folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Prov.xxvii-p8">See here the noble security of the
scripture-style, which seems to contradict itself, but really does
not. Wise men have need to be directed how to deal with fools; and
they have never more need of wisdom than in dealing with such, to
know when to keep silence and when to speak, for there may be a
time for both. 1. In some cases a wise man will not set his wit to
that of a fool so far as to <i>answer him according to his
folly</i> "If he boast of himself, do not answer him by boasting of
thyself. If he rail and talk passionately, do not thou rail and
talk passionately too. If he tell one great lie, do not thou tell
another to match it. If he calumniate thy friends, do not thou
calumniate his. If he banter, do not answer him in his own
language, <i>lest thou be like him,</i> even thou, who knowest
better things, who hast more sense, and hast been better taught."
2. Yet, in other cases, a wise man will use his wisdom for the
conviction of a fool, when, by taking notice of what he says, there
may be hopes of doing good, or at least preventing further,
mischief, either to himself or others. "If thou have reason to
think that thy silence will be deemed an evidence of the weakness
of thy cause, or of thy own weakness, in such a case <i>answer
him,</i> and let it be an answer <i>ad hominem—to the man,</i>
beat him at his own weapons, and that will be an answer <i>ad
rem—to the point,</i> or as good as one. If he offer any thing
that looks like an argument, an answer that, and suit thy answer to
his case. If he think, because thou dost not answer him, that what
he says is unanswerable, then give him an answer, <i>lest he be
wise in his own conceit</i> and boast of a victory." For (<scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.7.35" parsed="|Luke|7|35|0|0" passage="Lu 7:35">Luke vii. 35</scripRef>) Wisdom's children must
justify her.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Prov.xxvii-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.6-Prov.26.9" parsed="|Prov|26|6|26|9" passage="Pr 26:6-9" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Prov.26.6-Prov.26.9">
<p class="passage" id="Prov.xxvii-p9">6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a
fool cutteth off the feet, <i>and</i> drinketh damage.   7 The
legs of the lame are not equal: so <i>is</i> a parable in the mouth
of fools.   8 As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so
<i>is</i> he that giveth honour to a fool.   9 <i>As</i> a
thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so <i>is</i> a parable
in the mouth of fools.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Prov.xxvii-p10">To recommend wisdom to us, and to quicken
us to the diligent use of all the means for the getting of wisdom,
Solomon here shows that fools are fit for nothing; they are either
sottish men, who will never think and design at all, or vicious
men, who will never think and design well. 1. They are not fit to
be entrusted with any business, not fit to go on an errand
(<scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.6" parsed="|Prov|26|6|0|0" passage="Pr 26:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): <i>He
that</i> does but <i>send a message by the hand of a fool,</i> of a
careless heedless person, one who is so full of his jests and so
given to his pleasures that he cannot apply his mind to any thing
that is serious, will find his message misunderstood, the one half
of it forgotten, the rest awkwardly delivered, and so many blunders
made about it that he might as well have <i>cut off his legs,</i>
that is, never have sent him. Nay, he will <i>drink damage;</i> it
will be very much to his prejudice to have employed such a one,
who, instead of bringing him a good account of his affairs, will
abuse him and put a trick upon him; for, in Solomon's language, a
knave and a fool are of the same signification. It will turn much
to a man's disgrace to make use of the service of a fool, for
people will be apt to judge of the master by his messenger. 2. They
are not fit to have any honour put upon them. He had said
(<scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.1" parsed="|Prov|26|1|0|0" passage="Pr 26:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), <i>Honour is
not seemly for a fool;</i> here he shows that it is lost and thrown
away upon him, as if a man should throw a precious stone, or a
stone fit to be used in weighing, into a heap of common stones,
where it would be buried and of no use; it is as absurd as if a man
should <i>dress up a stone in purple</i> (so others); nay, it is
dangerous, it is like <i>a stone bound in a sling,</i> with which a
man will be likely to do hurt. To <i>give honour to a fool</i> is
to put a sword in a madman's hand, with which we know not what
mischief he may do, even to those that put it into his hand. 3.
They are not fit to deliver wise sayings, nor should they undertake
to handle any matter of weight, though they should be instructed
concerning it, and be able to say something to it. Wise sayings, as
a foolish man delivers them and applies them (in such a manner that
one may know he does not rightly understand them), lose their
excellency and usefulness: <i>A parable in the mouth of fools</i>
ceases to be a parable, and becomes a jest. If a man who lives a
wicked life, yet speaks religiously and takes God's covenant into
his mouth, (1.) He does but shame himself and his profession: As
<i>the legs of the lame are not equal,</i> by reason of which their
going is unseemly, so unseemly is it for a fool to pretend to speak
apophthegms, and give advice, and for a man to talk devoutly whose
conversation is a constant contradiction to his talk and gives him
the lie. His good words raise him up, but then his bad life takes
him down, and so his <i>legs are not equal.</i> "A wise saying,"
(says bishop Patrick) "doth as ill become a fool as dancing doth a
cripple; for, as his lameness never so much appears as when he
would seem nimble, so the other's folly is never so ridiculous as
when he would seem wise." As therefore it is best for a lame man to
keep his seat, so it is best for a silly man, or a bad man, to hold
his tongue. (2.) He does but do mischief with it to himself and
others, as a drunkard does with a thorn, or any other sharp thing
which he takes in his hand, with which he tears himself and those
about him, because he knows not how to manage it. Those that talk
well and do not live well, their good words will aggravate their
own condemnation and others will be hardened by their inconsistency
with themselves. Some give this sense of it: The sharpest saying,
by which a sinner, one would think, should be pricked to the heart,
makes no more impression upon a fool, no, though it come out of his
own mouth, than the scratch of a thorn does upon the hand of a man
when he is drunk, who then feels it not nor complains of it,
<scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:Prov.23.35" parsed="|Prov|23|35|0|0" passage="Pr 23:35"><i>ch.</i> xxiii. 35</scripRef>.</p>
<h4 id="Prov.xxvii-p10.4">The Conduct of Fools.</h4>
</div><scripCom id="Prov.xxvii-p10.5" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.10" parsed="|Prov|26|10|0|0" passage="Pr 26:10" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Prov.26.10">
<p class="passage" id="Prov.xxvii-p11">10 The great <i>God</i> that formed all
<i>things</i> both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth
transgressors.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Prov.xxvii-p12">Our translation gives this verse a
different reading in the text and in the margin; and accordingly it
expresses either, 1. The equity of a good God. The <i>Master,</i>
or <i>Lord</i> (so <i>Rab</i> signifies), or, as we read it, <i>The
great God that formed all things</i> at first, and still governs
them in infinite wisdom, renders to every man according to his
work. He <i>rewards the fool,</i> who sinned through ignorance,
<i>who knew not his Lord's will, with few stripes;</i> and he
<i>rewards the transgressor,</i> who sinned presumptuously and with
a high hand, who <i>knew his Lord's will and would not do it, with
many stripes.</i> Some understand it of the goodness of God's
common providence even to fools and transgressors, on whom <i>he
causes his sun to shine</i> and <i>his rain to fall.</i> Or, 2. The
iniquity of a bad prince (so the margin reads it): <i>A great man
grieves all, and he hires the fool; he hires also the
transgressors.</i> When a wicked man gets power in his hand, by
himself, and by the fools and knaves whom he employs under him,
whom he hires and chooses to make use of, he grieves all who are
under him and is vexatious to them. We should therefore <i>pray for
kings and all in authority,</i> that, under them, our lives may be
quiet and peaceable.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Prov.xxvii-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.11" parsed="|Prov|26|11|0|0" passage="Pr 26:11" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Prov.26.11">
<p class="passage" id="Prov.xxvii-p13">11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, <i>so</i> a
fool returneth to his folly.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Prov.xxvii-p14">See here, 1. What an abominable thing sin
is, and how hateful sometimes it is made to appear, even to the
sinner himself. When his conscience is convinced, or he feels smart
from his sin, he is sick of it, and vomits it up; he seems then to
detest it and to be willing to part with it. It is in itself, and,
first or last, will be to the sinner, more loathsome than the vomit
of a dog, <scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.36.2" parsed="|Ps|36|2|0|0" passage="Ps 36:2">Ps. xxxvi. 2</scripRef>. 2.
How apt sinners are to relapse into it notwithstanding. As the dog,
after he has gained ease by vomiting that which burdened his
stomach, yet goes and licks it up again, so sinners, who have been
convinced only and not converted, return to sin again, forgetting
how sick it made them. The apostle (<scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.2.22" parsed="|2Pet|2|22|0|0" passage="2Pe 2:22">2
Pet. ii. 22</scripRef>) applies this proverb to those that <i>have
known the way of righteousness</i> but are <i>turned from it;</i>
but God will <i>spue them out of his mouth,</i> <scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p14.3" osisRef="Bible:Rev.3.16" parsed="|Rev|3|16|0|0" passage="Re 3:16">Rev. iii. 16</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Prov.xxvii-p14.4" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.12" parsed="|Prov|26|12|0|0" passage="Pr 26:12" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Prov.26.12">
<p class="passage" id="Prov.xxvii-p15">12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit?
<i>there is</i> more hope of a fool than of him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Prov.xxvii-p16">Here is, 1. A spiritual disease supposed,
and that is self-conceit: <i>Seest thou a man?</i> Yes, we see many
a one, <i>wise in his own conceit,</i> who has some little sense,
but is proud of it, thinks it much more than it is, more than any
of his neighbours, have, and enough, so that he needs no more, has
such a conceit of his own abilities as makes him opinionative,
dogmatical, and censorious; and all the use he makes of his
knowledge is that it puffs him up. Or, if by a wise man we
understand a religious man, it describes the character of those
who, making some show of religion, conclude their spiritual state
to be good when really it is very bad, like Laodicea, <scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p16.1" osisRef="Bible:Rev.3.17" parsed="|Rev|3|17|0|0" passage="Re 3:17">Rev. iii. 17</scripRef>. 2. The danger of this
disease. It is in a manner desperate: <i>There is more hope of a
fool,</i> that knows and owns himself to be such, <i>than of</i>
such a one. Solomon was not only a wise man himself, but a teacher
of wisdom; and this observation he made upon his pupils, that he
found his work most difficult and least successful with those that
had a good opinion of themselves and were not sensible that they
needed instruction. Therefore he that <i>seems</i> to himself <i>to
be wise</i> must <i>become a fool, that he may be wise,</i>
<scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p16.2" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.3.18" parsed="|1Cor|3|18|0|0" passage="1Co 3:18">1 Cor. iii. 18</scripRef>. There is
more hope of a publican than of a proud Pharisee, <scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p16.3" osisRef="Bible:Matt.21.32" parsed="|Matt|21|32|0|0" passage="Mt 21:32">Matt. xxi. 32</scripRef>. Many are hindered from
being truly wise and religious by a false and groundless conceit
that they are so, <scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p16.4" osisRef="Bible:John.9.40-John.9.41" parsed="|John|9|40|9|41" passage="Joh 9:40,41">John ix. 40,
41</scripRef>.</p>
<h4 id="Prov.xxvii-p16.5">The Disgrace of
Slothfulness.</h4>
</div><scripCom id="Prov.xxvii-p16.6" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.13" parsed="|Prov|26|13|0|0" passage="Pr 26:13" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Prov.26.13">
<p class="passage" id="Prov.xxvii-p17">13 The slothful <i>man</i> saith, <i>There
is</i> a lion in the way; a lion <i>is</i> in the streets.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Prov.xxvii-p18">When a man talks foolishly we say, He talks
idly; for none betray their folly more than those who are idle and
go about to excuse themselves in their idleness. As men's folly
makes them slothful, so their slothfulness makes them foolish.
Observe, 1. What <i>the slothful man</i> really dreads. He dreads
<i>the way, the streets,</i> the place where work is to be done and
a journey to be gone; he hates business, hates every thing that
requires care and labour. 2. What he dreams of, and pretends to
dread—<i>a lion in the way.</i> When he is pressed to be diligent,
either in his worldly affairs or in the business of religion, this
is his excuse (and a sorry excuse it is, as bad as none), <i>There
is a lion in the way,</i> some insuperable difficulty or danger
which he cannot pretend to grapple with. Lions frequent woods and
deserts; and, in the day-time, when man has business to do, they
are in their dens, <scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p18.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.104.22-Ps.104.23" parsed="|Ps|104|22|104|23" passage="Ps 104:22,23">Ps. civ. 22,
23</scripRef>. But the sluggard fancies, or rather pretends to
fancy, <i>a lion in the streets,</i> whereas the lion is only in
his own fancy, nor is he so fierce as he is painted. Note, It is a
foolish thing to frighten ourselves from real duties by fancied
difficulties, <scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p18.2" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.11.4" parsed="|Eccl|11|4|0|0" passage="Ec 11:4">Eccl. xi.
4</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Prov.xxvii-p18.3" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.14" parsed="|Prov|26|14|0|0" passage="Pr 26:14" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Prov.26.14">
<p class="passage" id="Prov.xxvii-p19">14 <i>As</i> the door turneth upon his hinges,
so <i>doth</i> the slothful upon his bed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Prov.xxvii-p20">Having seen the slothful man in fear of his
work, here we find him in love with his ease; he lies in his bed on
one side till he is weary of that, and then turns to the other, but
still in his bed, when it is far in the day and work is to be done,
as the door is moved, but not removed; and so his business is
neglected and his opportunities are let slip. See the sluggard's
character. 1. He is one that does not care to get out of his bed,
but seems to be hung upon it, <i>as the door upon the hinges.</i>
Bodily ease, too much consulted, is the sad occasion of many a
spiritual disease. Those that love sleep will prove in the end to
have loved death. 2. He does not care to get forward with his
business; in that he stirs to and fro a little, but to no purpose;
he is where he was. Slothful professors turn, in profession, like
<i>the door upon the hinges.</i> The world and the flesh are the
two hinges on which they are hung, and though they move in a course
of external services, have got into road of duties, and tread
around in them like the horse in the mill, yet they get no good,
they get no ground, they are never the nearer heaven—sinners
unchanged, saints unimproved.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Prov.xxvii-p20.1" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.15" parsed="|Prov|26|15|0|0" passage="Pr 26:15" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Prov.26.15">
<p class="passage" id="Prov.xxvii-p21">15 The slothful hideth his hand in <i>his</i>
bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Prov.xxvii-p22">The sluggard has now, with much ado, got
out of his bed, but he might as well have lain there still for any
thing he is likely to bring to pass in his work, so awkwardly does
he go about it. Observe, 1. The pretence he makes for his
slothfulness: He <i>hides his hand in his bosom</i> for fear of
cold; next to his warm bed in his warm bosom. Or he pretends that
he is lame, as some do that make a trade of begging; something ails
his hand; he would have it thought that it is blistered with
yesterday's hard work. Or it intimates, in general, his aversion to
business; he has tried, and his hands are not used to labour, and
therefore he hugs himself in his own ease and cares for nobody.
Note, It is common for those that will not do their duty to pretend
they cannot. <i>I cannot dig,</i> <scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p22.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.16.3" parsed="|Luke|16|3|0|0" passage="Lu 16:3">Luke
xvi. 3</scripRef>. 2. The prejudice he sustains by his
slothfulness. He himself is the loser by it, for he starves
himself: <i>It grieves him to bring his hand to his mouth,</i> that
is, he cannot find in his heart to feed himself, but dreads, as if
it were a mighty toil, to lift his hand to his head. It is an
elegant hyperbole, aggravating his sin, that he cannot endure to
take the least pains, no, not for the greatest profit, and showing
how his sin is his punishment. Those that are slothful in the
business of religion will not be at the pains to feed their own
souls with the word of God, the bread of life, nor to fetch in
promised blessings by prayer, though they might have them for the
fetching.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Prov.xxvii-p22.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.16" parsed="|Prov|26|16|0|0" passage="Pr 26:16" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Prov.26.16">
<p class="passage" id="Prov.xxvii-p23">16 The sluggard <i>is</i> wiser in his own
conceit than seven men that can render a reason.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Prov.xxvii-p24">Observe, 1. The high opinion which the
sluggard has of himself, notwithstanding the gross absurdity and
folly of his slothfulness: He thinks himself <i>wiser than seven
men,</i> than seven wise men, for they are such as <i>can render a
reason.</i> It is the wisdom of a man to be able to <i>render a
reason,</i> of a good man to be able to give <i>a reason of the
hope that is in him,</i> <scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p24.1" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.3.15" parsed="|1Pet|3|15|0|0" passage="1Pe 3:15">1 Pet. iii.
15</scripRef>. What we do we should be able to <i>render a
reason</i> for, though perhaps we may not have wit enough to show
the fallacy of every objection against it. He that takes pains in
religion can render a good reason for it; he knows that he is
working for a good Master and that <i>his labour shall not be in
vain.</i> But <i>the sluggard</i> thinks himself <i>wiser than
seven</i> such; for let seven such persuade him to be diligent,
with all the reasons they can render for it, it is to no purpose;
his own determination, he thinks, answer enough to them and all
their reasons. 2. The reference that this has to his slothfulness.
It is <i>the sluggard,</i> above all men, that is thus
self-conceited; for, (1.) His good opinion of himself is the cause
of his slothfulness; he will not take pains to get wisdom because
he thinks he is wise enough already. A conceit of the sufficiency
of our attainments is a great enemy to our improvement. (2.) His
slothfulness is the cause of his good opinion of himself. If he
would but take pains to examine himself, and compare himself with
the laws of wisdom, he would have other thoughts of himself.
Indulged slothfulness is at the bottom of prevailing
self-conceitedness. Nay, (3.) So wretchedly besotted is he that he
takes his slothfulness to be his wisdom; he thinks it is his wisdom
to make much of himself, and take all the ease he can get, and do
no more in religion than he needs must, to avoid suffering, to sit
still and see what other people do, that he may have the pleasure
of finding fault with them. Of such sluggards, who are proud of
that which is their shame, their is little hope, <scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p24.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.12" parsed="|Prov|26|12|0|0" passage="Pr 26:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>.</p>
<h4 id="Prov.xxvii-p24.3">Hatred and Strife.</h4>
</div><scripCom id="Prov.xxvii-p24.4" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.17" parsed="|Prov|26|17|0|0" passage="Pr 26:17" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Prov.26.17">
<p class="passage" id="Prov.xxvii-p25">17 He that passeth by, <i>and</i> meddleth with
strife <i>belonging</i> not to him, <i>is like</i> one that taketh
a dog by the ears.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Prov.xxvii-p26">1. That which is here condemned is
<i>meddling with strife that belongs not to us.</i> If we must not
be hasty to strive in our own cause (<scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p26.1" osisRef="Bible:Prov.25.8" parsed="|Prov|25|8|0|0" passage="Pr 25:8"><i>ch.</i> xxv. 8</scripRef>), much less in other
people's, especially theirs that we are no way related to or
concerned in, but light on accidentally as we pass by. If we can be
instrumental to make peace between those that are at variance we
must do it, though we should thereby get the ill-will of both
sides, at least while they are in their heat; but to make ourselves
busy in other men's matters, and parties in other men's quarrels,
is not only to court our own trouble, but to thrust ourselves into
temptation. <i>Who made</i> me <i>a judge?</i> Let them end it, as
they began it, between themselves. 2. We are cautioned against it
because of the danger it exposes us to; it is like taking a
snarling cur <i>by the ears,</i> that will snap at you and bite
you; you had better have let him alone, for you cannot get clear of
him when you would, and must thank yourselves if you come off with
a wound and dishonour. He that has got <i>a dog by the ears,</i> if
he lets him go he flies at him, if he keeps his hold, he has his
hands full, and can do nothing else. Let every one <i>with
quietness work and mind his own business,</i> and not with
unquietness quarrel and meddle with other people's business.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Prov.xxvii-p26.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.18-Prov.26.19" parsed="|Prov|26|18|26|19" passage="Pr 26:18-19" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Prov.26.18-Prov.26.19">
<p class="passage" id="Prov.xxvii-p27">18 As a mad <i>man</i> who casteth firebrands,
arrows, and death,   19 So <i>is</i> the man <i>that</i>
deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Prov.xxvii-p28">See here, 1. How mischievous those are that
make no scruple of <i>deceiving their neighbours;</i> they are
<i>as madmen that cast firebrands, arrows, and death,</i> so much
hurt may they do by their deceits. They value themselves upon it as
polite cunning men, but really they are <i>as madmen.</i> There is
not a greater madness in the world than a wilful sin. It is not
only the passionate furious man, but the malicious deceitful man,
that is <i>a madman;</i> he does in effect <i>cast fire-brands,
arrows, and death;</i> he does more mischief than he can imagine.
Fraud and falsehood burn like fire-brands, kill, even at a
distance, like arrows. 2. See how frivolous the excuse is which men
commonly make for the mischief they do, that they did it in a jest;
with this they think to turn it off when they are reproved for it,
<i>Am not I in sport?</i> But it will prove dangerous playing with
fire and jesting with edge-tools. Not that those are to be
commended who are captious, and can take no jest (those that
themselves are <i>wise must suffer fools,</i> <scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p28.1" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.11.19-2Cor.11.20" parsed="|2Cor|11|19|11|20" passage="2Co 11:19,20">2 Cor. xi. 19, 20</scripRef>), but those are
certainly to be condemned who are any way abusive to their
neighbours, impose upon their credulity, cheat them in their
bargains with them, tell lies to them or tell lies of them, give
them ill language, or sully their reputation, and then think to
excuse it by saying that they did but jest. <i>Am not I in
sport?</i> He that sins in just must repent in earnest, or his sin
will be his ruin. Truth is too valuable a thing to be sold for a
jest, and so is the reputation of our neighbour. By lying and
slandering in jest men learn themselves, and teach others, to lie
and slander in earnest; and a false report, raised in mirth, may be
spread in malice; besides, if a man may tell a lie to make himself
merry, why not to make himself rich, and so <i>truth quite
perishes,</i> and men <i>teach their tongues to tell lies,</i>
<scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p28.2" osisRef="Bible:Jer.9.5" parsed="|Jer|9|5|0|0" passage="Jer 9:5">Jer. ix. 5</scripRef>. If men would
consider that a lie comes from the devil, and brings to hell-fire,
surely that would spoil the sport of it; it is <i>casting arrows
and death</i> to themselves.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Prov.xxvii-p28.3" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.20-Prov.26.22" parsed="|Prov|26|20|26|22" passage="Pr 26:20-22" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Prov.26.20-Prov.26.22">
<p class="passage" id="Prov.xxvii-p29">20 Where no wood is, <i>there</i> the fire goeth
out: so where <i>there is</i> no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
  21 <i>As</i> coals <i>are</i> to burning coals, and wood to
fire; so <i>is</i> a contentious man to kindle strife.   22
The words of a talebearer <i>are</i> as wounds, and they go down
into the innermost parts of the belly.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Prov.xxvii-p30">Contention is as a fire; it heats the
spirit, burns up all that is good, and puts families and societies
into a flame. Now here we are told how that fire is commonly
kindled and kept burning, that we may avoid the occasions of strife
and so prevent the mischievous consequences of it. If then we would
keep the peace, 1. We must not give ear to <i>talebearers,</i> for
they feed the fire of contention with fuel; nay, they spread it
with combustible matter; the tales they carry are fireballs. Those
who by insinuating base characters, revealing secrets, and
misrepresenting words and actions, do what they can to make
relations, friends, and neighbours, jealous one of another, to
alienate them one from another, and sow discord among them, are to
be banished out of families and all societies, and then strife will
as surely cease as the fire will go out when it has no fuel; the
contenders will better understand one another and come to a better
temper; old stories will soon be forgotten when there are no new
ones told to keep up the remembrance of them, and both sides will
see how they have been imposed upon by a common enemy. Whisperers
and backbiters are incendiaries not to be suffered. To illustrate
this, he repeats (<scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p30.1" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.22" parsed="|Prov|26|22|0|0" passage="Pr 26:22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>) what he had said before (<scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p30.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.18.8" parsed="|Prov|18|8|0|0" passage="Pr 18:8"><i>ch.</i> xviii. 8</scripRef>), that <i>the words of a
tale-bearer are as wounds,</i> deep and dangerous wounds, wounds in
the vitals. They wound the reputation of him who is belied, and
perhaps the wound proves incurable, and even the plaster of a
recantation (which yet can seldom be obtained) may not prove wide
enough for it. They wound the love and charity which he to whom
they are spoken ought to have for his neighbour and give a fatal
stab to friendship and Christian fellowship. We must therefore not
only not be tale-bearers ourselves at any time, nor ever do any ill
offices, but we should not give the least countenance to those that
are. 2. We must not associate with peevish passionate people, that
are exceptions, and apt to put the worst constructions upon
everything, that pick quarrels upon the least occasion, and are
quick, and high, and hot, in resenting affronts. These are
<i>contentious men,</i> that <i>kindle strife,</i> <scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p30.3" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.21" parsed="|Prov|26|21|0|0" passage="Pr 26:21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. The less we have to do
with such the better, for it will be very difficult to avoid
quarrelling with those that are quarrelsome.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Prov.xxvii-p30.4" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.23" parsed="|Prov|26|23|0|0" passage="Pr 26:23" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Prov.26.23">
<p class="passage" id="Prov.xxvii-p31">23 Burning lips and a wicked heart <i>are
like</i> a potsherd covered with silver dross.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Prov.xxvii-p32">This may be meant either, 1. Of <i>a wicked
heart</i> showing itself in <i>burning lips,</i> furious,
passionate, outrageous words, burning in malice, and persecuting
those to whom, or of whom, they are spoken; ill words and ill-will
agree as well together as <i>a potsherd</i> and the <i>dross of
silver,</i> which, now that the pot is broken and the dross
separated from the silver, are fit to be thrown together to the
dunghill. 2. Or of <i>a wicked heart</i> disguising itself with
<i>burning lips,</i> burning with the professions of love and
friendship, and even persecuting a man with flatteries; this is
<i>like a potsherd covered with</i> the scum or <i>dross of
silver,</i> with which one that is weak may be imposed upon, as if
it were of some value, but a wise man is soon aware of the cheat.
This sense agrees with the following verses.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Prov.xxvii-p32.1" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.24-Prov.26.26" parsed="|Prov|26|24|26|26" passage="Pr 26:24-26" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Prov.26.24-Prov.26.26">
<p class="passage" id="Prov.xxvii-p33">24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and
layeth up deceit within him;   25 When he speaketh fair,
believe him not: for <i>there are</i> seven abominations in his
heart.   26 <i>Whose</i> hatred is covered by deceit, his
wickedness shall be shewed before the <i>whole</i>
congregation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Prov.xxvii-p34">There is cause to complain, not only of the
want of sincerity in men's profession of friendship, and that they
do not love so well as they pretend nor will serve their friends so
much as they promise, but, which is much worse, of wicked designs
in the profession of friendship, and the making of it subservient
to the most malicious intentions. This is here spoken of as a
common thing (<scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p34.1" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.24" parsed="|Prov|26|24|0|0" passage="Pr 26:24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>): <i>He that hates</i> his neighbour, and is
contriving to do him a mischief, yet <i>dissembles with his
lips,</i> professes to have a respect for him and to be ready to
serve him, talks kindly with him, as Cain with Abel, asks, <i>Art
thou in health, my brother?</i> as Joab to Amasa, that his malice
may not be suspected and guarded against, and so he may have the
fairer opportunity to execute the purposes of it, this man <i>lays
up deceit within him,</i> that is, he keeps in his mind the
mischief he intends to do his neighbour till he catches him at an
advantage. This is malice which has no less of the subtlety than it
has of the venom of the old serpent in it. Now, as to this matter,
we are here cautioned, 1. Not to be so foolish as to suffer
ourselves to be imposed upon by the pretensions of friendship.
Remember to distrust when a man <i>speaks fair;</i> be not too
forward to <i>believe him</i> unless you know him well, for it is
possible there may be <i>seven abominations in his heart,</i> a
great many projects of mischief against you, which he is labouring
so industriously to conceal with his fair speech. Satan is an enemy
that hates us, and yet in his temptations speaks fair, as he did to
Eve, but it is madness to give credit to him, <i>for there are
seven abominations in his heart; seven other spirits</i> does one
unclean spirit bring <i>more wicked than himself.</i> 2. Not to be
so wicked as to impose upon any with a profession of friendship;
for, though the fraud may be carried on plausibly awhile, it will
be brought to light, <scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p34.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.26" parsed="|Prov|26|26|0|0" passage="Pr 26:26"><i>v.</i>
26</scripRef>. He <i>whose hatred is covered by deceit</i> will one
time or other be discovered, and <i>his wickedness shown,</i> to
his shame and confusion, <i>before the whole congregation;</i> and
nothing will do more to make a man odious to all companies. Love
(says one) is the best armour, but the worst cloak, and will serve
dissemblers as the disguise which Ahab put on and perished in.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Prov.xxvii-p34.3" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.27" parsed="|Prov|26|27|0|0" passage="Pr 26:27" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Prov.26.27">
<p class="passage" id="Prov.xxvii-p35">27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and
he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Prov.xxvii-p36">See here, 1. What pains men take to do
mischief to others. As they put a force upon themselves by
concealing their design with a profession of friendship, so they
put themselves to a great deal of labour to bring it about; it is
<i>digging a pit,</i> it is <i>rolling a stone,</i> hard work, and
yet men will not stick at it to gratify their passion and revenge.
2. What preparation they hereby make of mischief to themselves.
Their violent dealing will return upon their own heads; they shall
themselves <i>fall into the pit they digged,</i> and the stone they
rolled <i>will return upon them,</i> <scripRef id="Prov.xxvii-p36.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.7.15-Ps.7.16 Bible:Ps.9.15-Ps.9.16" parsed="|Ps|7|15|7|16;|Ps|9|15|9|16" passage="Ps 7:15,16,9:15,16">Ps. vii. 15, 16; ix. 15, 16</scripRef>. The
righteous God will take the wise, not only <i>in their own
craftiness,</i> but in their own cruelty. It is the plotter's doom.
Haman is hanged on a gallows of his own preparing.</p>
<verse id="Prov.xxvii-p36.2">
<l class="t1" id="Prov.xxvii-p36.3">—————nec lex est justior ulla</l>
<l class="t1" id="Prov.xxvii-p36.4">Quam necis artifices arte perire sua—</l>
<l class="t1" id="Prov.xxvii-p36.5"/>
<l class="t1" id="Prov.xxvii-p36.6">Nor is there any law more just than that the contrivers</l>
<l class="t1" id="Prov.xxvii-p36.7">of destruction should perish by their own arts.</l>
</verse>
</div><scripCom id="Prov.xxvii-p36.8" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.28" parsed="|Prov|26|28|0|0" passage="Pr 26:28" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Prov.26.28">
<p class="passage" id="Prov.xxvii-p37">28 A lying tongue hateth <i>those that are</i>
afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Prov.xxvii-p38">There are two sorts of lies equally
detestable:—1. A slandering lie, which avowedly hates those it is
spoken of: <i>A lying tongue hates those that are afflicted by
it;</i> it afflicts them by calumnies and reproaches because it
hates them, and can thus smite them secretly where they are without
defence; and it hates them because it has afflicted them and made
them its enemies. The mischief of this is open and obvious; it
afflicts, it hates, and owns it, and every body sees it. 2. A
flattering lie, which secretly works the ruin of those it is spoken
to. In the former the mischief is plain, and men guard against it
as well as they can, but in this it is little suspected, and men
betray themselves by being credulous of their own praises and the
compliments that are passed upon them. A wise man therefore will be
more afraid of a flatterer that kisses and kills than of a
slanderer that proclaims war.</p>
</div></div2>