Knowledge. It is a great kindness to shew us our faults. But God’s grace is necessary to make us reap benefit from correction, (Calmet) as self-love recoils at it.
1 Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.
Verse 1 Those who have grace, will delight in the instructions given them. Those that stifle their convictions, are like brutes. Verse 2 . The man who covers selfish and vicious designs under a profession of religion or friendship, will be condemned. Verse 3 . Though men may advance themselves by sinful arts, they cannot settle and secure themselves. But those who by faith are rooted in Christ, are firmly fixed. Verse 4 . A wife who is pious, prudent, and looks well to the ways of her household, who makes conscience of her duty, and can bear crosses; such a one is an honour and comfort to her husband. She that is the reverse of this, preys upon him, and consumes him. Verse 5 . Thoughts are not free; they are under the Divine knowledge, therefore under the Divine command. It is a man's shame to act with deceit, with trick and design. Verse 6 . Wicked people speak mischief to their neighbours. A man may sometimes do a good work with one good word. Verse 7 . God's blessing is often continued to the families of godly men, while the wicked are overthrown. Verse 8 . The apostles showed wisdom by glorying in shame for the name of Christ. Verse 9 . He that lives in a humble state, who has no one to wait upon him, but gets bread by his own labour, is happier than he that glories in high birth or gay attire, and wants necessaries. Verse 10 . A godly man would not put even an animal to needless pain. But the wicked often speak of others as well used, when they would not endure like treatment for a single day. Verse 11 . It is men's wisdom to mind their business, and follow an honest calling. But it is folly to neglect business; and the grace of God teaches men to disdain nothing but sin. Verse 12 . When the ungodly see others prosper by sin, they wish they could act in the same way. But the root of Divine grace, in the heart of the righteous, produces other desires and purposes. Verse 13 . Many a man has paid dear in this world for the transgression of his lips. Verse 14 . When men use their tongues aright, to teach and comfort others, they enjoy acceptance through Christ Jesus; and the testimony of their conscience, that they in some measure answer the end of their being. Verse 15 . A fool, in the sense of Scripture, means a wicked man, one who acts contrary to the wisdom that is from above. His rule is, to do what is right in his own eyes. Verse 16 . A foolish man is soon angry, and is hasty in expressing it; he is ever in trouble and running into mischief. It is kindness to ourselves to make light of injuries and affronts, instead of making the worst of them. Verse 17 . It is good for all to dread and detest the sin of lying, and to be governed by honesty. Verse 18 . Whisperings and evil surmises, like a sword, separate those that have been dear to each other. The tongue of the wise is health, making all whole. Verse 19 . If truth be spoken, it will hold good; whoever may be disobliged, still it will keep its ground. Verse 20 . Deceit and falsehood bring terrors and perplexities. But those who consult the peace and happiness of others have joy in their own minds. Verse 21 . If men are sincerely righteous, the righteous God has engaged that no evil shall happen to them. But they that delight in mischief shall have enough of it. Verse 22 . Make conscience of truth, not only in words, but in actions. Verse 23 . Foolish men proclaim to all the folly and emptiness of their minds. Verse 24 . Those who will not take pains in an honest calling, living by tricks and dishonesty, are paltry and beggarly. Verse 25 . Care, fear, and sorrow, upon the spirits, deprive men of vigour in what is to be done, or courage in what is to be borne. A good word from God, applied by faith, makes the heart glad. Verse 26 . The righteous is abundant; though not in this world's goods, yet in the graces and comforts of the Spirit, which are the true riches. Evil men vainly flatter themselves that their ways are not wrong. Verse 27 . The slothful man makes no good use of the advantages Providence puts in his way, and has no comfort in them. The substance of a diligent man, though not great, does good to him and his family. He sees that God gives it to him in answer to prayer. Verse 28 . The way of religion is a straight, plain way; it is the way of righteousness. There is not only life at the end, but life in the way; all true comfort.
But. Hebrew, “and he will condemn the man of devices,” (Mont.[Montanus?]; Haydock) or, “the man of thoughts doth wickedly,” (Calmet) as he trusts in them, rather than in God. (Menochius)
We are here taught to try whether we have grace or no by enquiring how we stand affected to the means of grace. 1. Those that have grace and love it will delight in all the instructions that are given them by way of counsel; admonition, or reproof, by the word or providence of God; they will value a good education, and think it not a hardship, but a happiness, to be under a strict and prudent discipline. Those that love a faithful ministry, that value it, and sit under it with pleasure, make it to appear that they love knowledge. 2. Those show themselves not only void of grace, but void of common sense, that take it as an affront to be told of their faults, and an imposition upon their liberty to be put in mind of their duty: He that hates reproof is not only foolish, but brutish, like the horse and the mule that have no understanding, or the ox that kicks against the goad. Those that desire to live in loose families and societies, where they may be under no check, that stifle the convictions of their own consciences, and count those their enemies that tell them the truth, are the brutish here meant.
We are here taught as before (v. 3 and ch. 10 25, 30), 1. That the triumphing of the wicked is short. They may be exalted for a while, but in a little time they are overthrown and are not; their trouble proves their overthrow, and those who made a great show disappear, and their place knows them no more. Turn the wicked, and they are not; they stand in such a slippery place that the least touch of trouble brings them down, like the apples of Sodom, which look fair, but touch them and they go to dust. 2. That the prosperity of the righteous has a good bottom and will endure. Death will remove them, but their house shall stand, their families shall be kept up, and the generation of the upright shall be blessed.
Diligent. Hebrew, “strong or virtuous,” (Haydock) including all the perfections of the sex, and in particular those of economy and chastity, chap. xiv. 1., and xxxi. 10.
Note, 1. We are really as we are with God. Those are happy, truly happy, for ever happy, that obtain favour of the Lord, though the world frown upon them, and they find little favour with men; for in God's favour is life, and that is the fountain of all good. On the other hand those are miserable whom he condemns, however men may applaud them, and cry them up; whom he condemns he condemns to the second death. 2. We are with God as we are with men, as we have our conversation in this world. Our Father judges of his children very much by their conduct one to another; and therefore a good man, that is merciful, and charitable, and does good, draws out favour from the Lord by his prayers; but a malicious man, that devises wickedness against his neighbours, he will condemn, as unworthy of a place in his kingdom.