PROVERBS CHAPTER 23 WHEN THOU SITTEST TO EAT WITH A RULER, when thou
art invited to a feast with a great man, CONSIDER DILIGENTLY WHAT IS
BEFORE THEE; either
1. What person or persons. Or rather,
2. What things; what plenty and variety of meats and drinks, by which
thou mayst easily be tempted to... [ Continue Reading ]
PUT A KNIFE TO THY THROAT; restrain and moderate thine appetite, as if
a knife or some other thing stuck in thy throat, and hindered thee
from swallowing what thou didst desire; or as if a man stood with a
knife at thy throat ready to kill thee, if thou didst transgress; or
though it be as irksome t... [ Continue Reading ]
Either because they do not yield thee that satisfaction which thou
didst expect from them, but rather load thee with ill humours, and the
seeds of divers diseases; or because they are not provided for thee
with sincerity and good will, but with some evil design upon thee,
either to discover and betr... [ Continue Reading ]
LABOUR NOT, Heb. _Do not weary thyself with immoderate cares and
labours_, as many covetous men do. FROM THINE OWN WISDOM; from that
carnal wisdom which is natural to man in his corrupt estate, which
persuades men to believe that it is their interest to use all possible
means to get riches, and that... [ Continue Reading ]
WILT THOU SET THINE EYES UPON THAT, i.e. look upon it with earnestness
and greedy desire, employing the eyes of thy mind and body about it.
WHICH IS NOT; which hath no solid and settled being; which is ours to
have, but not to hold; which is always upon the wing, and ofttimes
gone in the twinkling o... [ Continue Reading ]
OF HIM THAT HATH AN EVIL EYE; of the envious or covetous man, who
secretly grudgeth thee the meat which he sets before thee, as this
phrase is used, PROVERBS 28:22 MATTHEW 20:15; as, on the contrary, a
liberal man is said to have a _good eye_, PROVERBS 22:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
AS HE THINKETH IN HIS HEART, so is he: you are not to judge of him by
his words, for so he professeth kindness, as it follows; but by the
constant temper of his mind, which he hath fully discovered to all
that know him by the course of his life. HIS HEART IS NOT WITH THEE;
he hath no sincere kindnes... [ Continue Reading ]
When thou perceivest his churlish disposition and carriage, his meat
will be loathsome to thee, and thou wilt wish either that thou hadst
never eaten it, or that thou couldst vomit it up again. THY SWEET
WORDS; thy pleasant discourse, wherewith thou didst adorn his table,
and design both to delight... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAK NOT IN THE EARS OF A FOOL; cast not away good counsels upon
obstinate and incorrigible sinners. We have the same advice given
MATTHEW 7:6. HE WILL DESPISE THE WISDOM OF THY WORDS; he will
scornfully reject thy wise and good admonitions.... [ Continue Reading ]
Either to take away their goods; or rather, to possess their lands, as
this phrase is used, 2 SAMUEL 5:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR REDEEMER, Heb. _their near kinsman_, to whom it belongs to
avenge their wrongs, and to recover and maintain their rights, of
which see LEVITICUS 25:25 NUMBERS 35:12. Thus God is pleased to call
himself, to show how much he concerns himself for the relief of
oppressed and helpless persons.... [ Continue Reading ]
APPLY THINE HEART UNTO INSTRUCTION; content not thyself with outward
hearing or reading of it, but affectionately receive it into thine
heart, and lay it up there as choice treasure.... [ Continue Reading ]
It is a likely mean to prevent their corruption, and the destruction
which commonly follows it, as the next verse explains this.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
In the good success of my counsels, and in thy piety and happiness,
which is as truly desirable and pleasant to me as my own.... [ Continue Reading ]
I shall rejoice not only in show and profession, but inwardly, and
with all my soul.... [ Continue Reading ]
LET NOT THINE HEART ENVY SINNERS; let not the consideration of their
present impunity and prosperity stir thee up, either to envy them, or
to approve and imitate their evil courses. BE THOU IN THE FEAR OF THE
LORD; reverence the presence of the Divine Majesty, and dread his
power and justice, and th... [ Continue Reading ]
AN END; an expected and happy end for such as fear God, which was
required, PROVERBS 23:17. Or, A REWARD, as this Hebrew word is
rendered, PROVERBS 24:20. THINE EXPECTATION SHALL NOT BE CUT OFF; thou
shalt certainly enjoy that good which thou expectest, as the wicked
shall lose that happiness which... [ Continue Reading ]
BE WISE; rest not in hearing, but see that thou growest wiser and
better by it. GUIDE THINE HEART; order the whole course of thine
affections and actions. IN THE WAY; in God's way, oft called the way,
as hath been observed before.... [ Continue Reading ]
Avoid their conversation and company, lest thou be either infected or
injured by them.... [ Continue Reading ]
DROWSINESS; immoderate sleep and idleness, which is a ready a way to
poverty as gluttony or drunkenness is.... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT BEGAT THEE; and therefore desires and seeks thy good in all his
counsels. WHEN SHE IS OLD; when the infirmity of age is added to that
of her sex, which is apt to breed contempt.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUY THE TRUTH; purchase it upon any terms, spare no pains nor cost to
get it. _The truth_; the true and saving knowledge of God's mind and
will concerning your salvation, and the way that leads to it. SELL IT
NOT; do not forget it nor forsake it for any worldly advantages, as
ungodly men frequently... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER SHALL BE GLAD; he repeateth this again, as a
powerful argument to prevail with all children that are not void of
natural affection, to labour to be wise and good, that so they may
glad the hearts of their parents, to whom they have such high and
indelible obligations. SHE T... [ Continue Reading ]
GIVE ME THINE HEART; receive my counsels with thy whole heart. Solomon
speaking in God's name and cause, requires the heart to be given to
him. LET THINE EYES OBSERVE, let thy mind seriously and practically
consider, my ways; either,
1. The ways in which I have walked, my evil practices; take warni... [ Continue Reading ]
A DEEP DITCH; in which a man is in evident danger of perdition, and
out of which it is exceeding difficult to escape.... [ Continue Reading ]
LIETH IN WAIT AS FOR A PREY; watching all opportunities of insnaring
young men to their destruction. INCREASETH THE TRANSGRESSORS AMONG
MEN; she is the cause of innumerable sins against God, and against the
marriage-bed, against the soul and body too, and by her wicked example
and arts involveth man... [ Continue Reading ]
From the sin of lust he proceeds to that of drunkenness, which doth
frequently accompany it. BABBLING the sin of much and impertinent
talking; or, _tumultuous noise or clamour_, which is usual among
drunkards. See PROVERBS 20:1. WITHOUT CAUSE; upon every slight
occasion, which men inflamed with wine... [ Continue Reading ]
Either mixed with water, or with other ingredients, to make it strong
and delicious. Heb. _mixture_; mixed drinks of several sorts suited to
their palates.... [ Continue Reading ]
LOOK NOT THOU UPON THE WINE EARNESTLY, so as to inflame thine appetite
towards it; in which sense men are forbidden to look upon a woman, JOB
31:1 MATTHEW 5:28. WHEN IT IS RED; which was the colour of the best
wines in that country, which therefore are called blood, GENESIS 49:11
DEUTERONOMY 32:14;... [ Continue Reading ]
It hurts the body in many respects, impairs the rigour of the mind,
wastes the estate and reputation, wounds the conscience, and, without
repentance, will destroy the soul.... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, with evil intent, or lustfully, which is the effect of
drinking much wine, as is noted in Scripture, GENESIS 19:31,35 HO
4:18, and other authors. THINE HEART SHALL UTTER PERVERSE THINGS;
thine heart, which, when thou hadst the use of thy wit, concealed,
will then discover its wickedness by f... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT LIETH DOWN TO SLEEP, of which that word is frequently used, IN
THE MIDST OF THE SEA; in a ship in the midst of the sea. This phrase
notes the temper and condition of the drunkard, the giddiness of his
brain, the unquietness of his mind, and especially his extreme danger
joined with great securi... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY HAVE STRICKEN ME; I cannot deny that I exposed myself by my
drunkenness to manifold abuses and injuries. I WAS NOT SICK; I was not
then sensible of it, neither do I now find any great hurt by it; it
was but the effect of a present frolic, at which I have no cause to be
much troubled. WHEN SHALL... [ Continue Reading ]