John Trapp on Proverbs 14:16

Verſ. 16. A wiſe man feareth and departeth from evil] Hee trembleth at the judgements, whiles they hang in the threatnings, meets God with intreaties of peace, and ſo redeems his own ſorrows. Solo auditu contremiſco, ſaith Hierom, Speaking of that terrible text, Ezek. 16.42. I tremble at the very hearing of it. So Eraſmus repeating thoſe words, Ezek. 3.18. His blood will I require at thy hands; Theſe, ſaith hee, are fulmina, non verba, not words, but thunderbolts. A good childe, if but threatned only, will amend his fault; yea, if hee but hear others threatned. Daniel was more troubled than Nebuchadnezzar was, Dan. 4.18. Habakkuck, when in a viſion hee ſaw the judgements of God that were to come upon the Caldeans, it made his very heart to ake and quake within him, Chap. 3.16.

But the fool rageth, and is confident] Some render it Rangeth, and is confident, tranſit & confidit (ſo the Vulgar, and Original will well enough bear it) hee paſſeth on from ſin to ſin, like a mad man, and yet perſwades himſelf that all ſhall do well; ſuch a deſperate fool was Balaam, though the Angel met him with a drawn ſword, yet hee would needs on; and what was the iſſue? hee dyed by the ſword of Iſrael, though hee ſeemed a friend to Iſrael. Not to bee warned, is both a juſt preſage and deſert of ruine.