A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise.
Ver. 12. A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him.] Nay, he "hateth those that reprove him in the gate," Amo 5:10 as Ahab did Micaiah; Herodias, John Baptist; the Pharisees, our Saviour. Bishop Ridley, lamenting, a little before his death, the state of England, even of the greatest magistrates, some, the king's highness excepted, evermore unkindly and urgently against those that went about most busily and wholesomely to cure their sore backs, spurned privily, and would not spare to speak evil of them, even to the prince himself; and yet would they toward the same preachers outwardly bear a jolly countenance, and fair face. As for Latimer, Lever, Bradford, and Knox, their tongues were so sharp, they ripped so deep in their galled backs to have purged them, no doubt, of their filthy matter that was festered in their hearts, of unsatiable covetousness, of filthy carnality and voluptuousness, of intolerable ambition and pride, of ungodly loathsomeness to hear poor men's causes, and to hear God's word. And these men of all others, these magistrates then could never abide, &c. Thus that godly martyr, and much more to the same purpose. a
Neither will he go unto the wise.] Men should "run to and fro to increase knowledge." Dan 12:4 The Shunammite rode ordinarily to the prophet on the Sabbaths, and other holy days. 2Ki 4:23 Those good souls in Psalms 84:7, passed on "from strength to strength," setting the best foot forwards for like purpose; yea, those that were weak and unfit for travel would be brought to the ordinances upon "horses, in chariots, and in litters." Isa 66:20 But now the scorner holds it not worth while to put himself to this pains; and is ready to say with Jeroboam, "It is too much for men to go up to Jerusalem," to go up "to the mountain of the Lord, to learn his ways." Isa 2:3 Yea, he set watchers to observe who would go from him to Judah to worship, that he might shame them at least, if not slay them. Hos 5:1 He would never have gone to the prophet to be reproved, and when the prophet came to him he stretched forth his hand to apprehend him. So Herod had a desire to see Christ, but could never find a heart to go to hear him; and yet our Saviour looked that men should have come as far to him, as the queen of Sheba came to Solomon. Mat 12:42
a Acts and Mon., 1616.