My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; Ver. 1. _My son._] Fatherly and filial affection ought to be between teacher and hearers. "But who is their father?" 1Sa 10:12 "O my father, my father," said he to the dying prophet. 2Ki 13:14 "Dwell with me, and be unto me... [ Continue Reading ]
_So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, [and] apply thine heart to understanding;_ Ver. 2. _So that thou incline thine ear._] Lie low at God's feet, and say, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth." His saints "sit down at his feet, every one to receive his word." Deu 33:3 They are compared to... [ Continue Reading ]
_Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, [and] liftest up thy voice for understanding;_ Ver. 3. _If thou criest after knowledge._] _Bene orasse est bene studuisse,_ said Luther. Knowledge is God's gift (James 1:5; Jam 1:17), and must be sought at his hand, since he is "the Father of lights," and sells... [ Continue Reading ]
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as [for] hid treasures; Ver. 4. _If thou seekest her as silver._] _Opulentissima metalla quorum in alta latent venae,_ saith Seneca, _a_ Your richest metals lie lowest. _Viscera terrae extrahimus, ut digito gestetur gemma, quam petimus,_ saith Pl... [ Continue Reading ]
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. Ver. 5. _Then shalt thou understand._] Then shalt thou be as those noble Romans were, Rom 15:14 "full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish others"; in fine, well accomplished Christian, that hat... [ Continue Reading ]
For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth [cometh] knowledge and understanding. Ver. 6. _Out of his mouth cometh knowledge._] If it could be said by the divine chronologer, _a_ _Ex Adami sapientissimi doctoris ore promanavit tanquam ex fonte quicquid in mundo est utilium doctrinarum, disciplinar... [ Continue Reading ]
_He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: [he is] a buckler to them that walk uprightly._ Ver. 7. _He layeth up sound wisdom._] Heb., Substance, reality; that which hath a true being, in opposition to that which is not; so riches are described. Pro 23:5 Heaven only hath a "foundation"; Heb 11:1... [ Continue Reading ]
He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. Ver. 8. _He keepeth the paths of judgment._] Well may they walk uprightly that are so strongly supported. God's hand is ever under his; they cannot fall beneath it. "He keepeth the feet of his saints." 1Sa 2:9... [ Continue Reading ]
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; [yea], every good path. Ver. 9. _Then shalt thou understand righteousness._] Not as _cognoscitiva,_ standing in speculation; but as _directiva vitae,_ a rule of life. Knowledge is either apprehensive only, or affective also. This d... [ Continue Reading ]
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Ver. 10. _Is pleasant to thy soul._] Spiritual joy mortifies sin. His mouth hankers not after homely provision that hath lately tasted of delicate sustenance. Pleasure there must be in the ways of God, because therein m... [ Continue Reading ]
Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: Ver. 11. _Discretion._] Heb., Thoughtfulness, or good advisement. _Cogito quasi coagito._ _a_ _Notat sereitatem,_ such as is that of the wife "to please her husband," 1Co 7:34 casting this way and that way how to give best content: or t... [ Continue Reading ]
To deliver thee from the way of the evil [man], from the man that speaketh froward things; Ver. 12. _That speaketh froward things._] As if his mouth were distorted, or the upper lip stood where the nether should. See Acts 20:30. _a_ a διεστραμμενα .... [ Continue Reading ]
Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; Ver. 13. _To walk in the ways of darkness._] As thieves, drunkards, dicers, and our other _solifugae,_ that abuse even gospel light; that put not light under a bushel, but under a dunghill; that, when they have walked themselves w... [ Continue Reading ]
Who rejoice to do evil, [and] delight in the frowardness of the wicked; Ver. 14. _Who rejoice to do evil._] It is their meat, drink, sport; Proverbs 4:27 _; _ Pro 10:23 they cannot be merry unless the devil be their play fellow. This is reckoned as an aggravation of Jerusalem's sin: "When thou does... [ Continue Reading ]
Whose ways [are] crooked, and [they] froward in their paths: Ver. 15. _Whose ways are crooked._] How justly may God say to such, as the crab in the fable did to the serpent, when he had given him his death's wound for his crooked conditions, and then saw him stretch himself out straight, _At oportu... [ Continue Reading ]
To deliver thee from the strange woman, [even] from the stranger [which] flattereth with her words; Ver. 16. _From the strange woman._] Forbidden thee by God, as strange fire, strange gods, &c. _ Which flattereth with her words._] Whose lips are nets, whose hands are bands, whose words are cords t... [ Continue Reading ]
Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. Ver. 17. _Which forsaketh the guide of her youth._] That is, Her husband; as Helena, Herodias, Bernice, Act 25:13 and other odious harlots. _Adulterium quasi ad alterum, vel ad alterius torum._ _a_ This wanton never wan... [ Continue Reading ]
For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. Ver. 18. _For her house inclineth unto death._] Terence calleth harlots _Cruces, quia iuvenes macerent et offligant._ Venery _a_ is death's best harbinger: _Venus ab antiquis_ λυσιμελης _dicta._ She provideth, saith one, _b_ not for t... [ Continue Reading ]
None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life. Ver. 19. _None that go unto her return again._] Some of the ancients have herehence concluded that adultery is an unpardonable sin; but "all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men," saith our Saviour, ... [ Continue Reading ]
That thou mayest walk in the way of good [men], and keep the paths of the righteous. Ver. 20. _That thou mayest walk in the way._] This is another work of wisdom - as to keep us from bad company, so to put us into good, where much good may be learned. Dr Taylor, martyr, rejoiced that ever he came i... [ Continue Reading ]
For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it. Ver. 21. _For the upright shall dwell in the land._] Of Canaan, a type of heaven; for by these outward and corporeal things, inward, spiritual, and eternal are understood. Here the wise man speaks after the manner of Moses... [ Continue Reading ]
But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it. Ver. 22. _But the wicked shall be cut off._] Certainly, suddenly, utterly, _cum maxime velint vivere,_ when they have feathered their nests, and set up their rest, and reckon upon long life, as the fool... [ Continue Reading ]