A plain and familiar exposition of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of the…A plaine and familiar exposition of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of the…

Verse 33. Before the fear of the Lord goeth the instruction of wisdom: and before honour goeth humility.

Verse 33. Before the feare of the Lord goeth the instruction of wisdome: and before honour goeth humilitie.

Before the fear of the Lord] Before a man be truly religious and godly, [goeth the instruction of wisdom] he must be daily informed in the precepts and doctrine of Gods holy will expressed in the Scriptures: [and before honour] either that celestial glory which is prepared for Gods people in the life to come, or any comfortable advancement in this life, or the undoubted note and credit of unfeigned faithfulness and piety, [goeth humility] such as is not counterfeit, and merely in show, but proceedeth from feeling of corruptions, and sight of ones own unworthiness, whereby he is induced in the meekness of his mind, to esteem others better than himself. The word signifieth properly, in respect of the derivation of it, such a kind of lowliness as is wrought by afflictions, though it be also sometimes more largely taken. Now it is to be inquired, what connection there is between this clause and the former, which will easily be found if we observe that the virtue and reward here lastly mentioned, depend upon the duty and grace in the former place specified: for with instruction there is required humility, and to the fear of God there is adjoined honour. Doct. 1 No man can have any godliness in him, that will not learn to be godly.

BEfore the feare of the Lord] Before a man bee truly religious and godly, [goeth the instruction of wisdome] hee must be daily informed in the precepts and doctrine of Gods holy will expressed in the Scriptures: [and before honour] either that celestiall glory which is prepared for Gods people in the life to come, or any comfortable aduancement in this life, or the vndoubted note and credit of vnfained faithfulnesse and piety, [goeth humilitie] such as is not counterfeit, and meerely in shew, but proceedeth from feeling of corruptions, and sight of ones owne vnworthinesse, whereby hee is induced in the meeknesse of his minde, to esteeme others better than himselfe. The word signifieth properly, in respect of the deriuation of it, such a kinde of lowlines as is wrought by afflictions, though it be also sometimes more largely taken. Now it is to bee inquired, what connexion there is betweene this clause and the former, which will easily be found if we obserue that the vertue and reward heere lastly mentioned, depend vpon the duty and grace in the former place specified: for with instruction there is required humilitie, and to the feare of God there is adioined honour. Doct. 1 No man can haue any godlinesse in him, that will not learne to bee godly.