Christ and sin are rivals for the soul of man, and here we are told how they both make their court to it. 1. Christ, under the name of wisdom, invites us to accept of his entertainment, and is in enter into acquaintance and communion with him, ver. 1—6. And having foretold the different family of his institution, ver. 7—9. he shows, in short, what he requires from us, ver. 10. And what he designs for us, ver. 11. And then leaves it to our choice what we will do, ver. 12. 2. Sin, under the character of a foolish woman, enters us to accept of her entertainment, ver. 13—16. Pretends it is very charming, ver. 17. But Solomon tells what the reckoning will be, ver. 18. And now chuse you this day whom you will follow. 1. Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars. 2. She hath killed her beasts, the hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. 3. She hath sent forth her maidens, the criers upon the highest places of the city. 4. Who is simple, let him turn in his/her: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him. 5. Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled. 6. For sale the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding. 7. He that reproveeth a scarver, geteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man, geteth himself a blot. 8. Keprove not a scarver, lest he hate thee: "rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. 9. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will yet be wise: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. 10. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. 11. For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. 12. If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou korneth, thou alone shalt bear it. When in the days of his flesh the wisdom of God appeared upon earth, he chose for the most part to convey his divine instructions by parables, a method which he had used of old, to communicate the mysteries of his gospel. 1. A rich entertainment is provided in a sumptuous palace for wisdom's guests. She hath builded her house, the church of the redeemed on earth, founded on Christ, the rock of ages, and gloriously adorned with all the gifts and graces of the Spirit therein abundantly dispensed; or the heavenly mansions provided for the faints everlasting rest, the house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. She hath hewn out her seven pillars; intimating the stability and perpetuity thereof, seven being the number of perfection; or referring to the constant provision of wise and able ministers, qualified with gifts and graces for the edifying of the body of Christ, and the support of the interests of his church and people. She hath killed her beasts, or her sacrifice; she hath weighed her wine; she hath also furnished her table. The sacrifice is a crucified Jesus, offering himself upon the cross for sinners. The wine is his blood, the richest cordial to the guilty soul. The table is furnished with all the blessings of grace, pardon, righteousness, peace, strength, con- Refuse Christ 1000. Mat. xii. 12. Mat. xiii. 5. 6. Her killing, in law. 5. Ver. 5. Rom. x. 11. 10. 11. 9 Heb. Addeth. 4 Job xvii. 16. PC. ix. 23. Ezekiel. vii. 17. 27. The fear of the LORD + prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. Though God hath fixed the days of our life by an unchangeable decree, yet he who ordains the end, ordains the means. A regard to God and his fear, by preferring the body in temperance, soberness, and chastity, tends to prolong life; whilst a course of wickedness brings on diseases, and hastens the sinner to his grave. 28. The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. The hope of the righteous shall be, or is, gladness; it brings delight and satisfaction to the soul, and the issue of it will be eternal joy, when it shall be swallowed up in fruition: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. Whatever prospects are before him, and however he fastens himself with confidence of success, disappointment shall blast his enterprises, his hopes prove delusion, and despair eternal close the scene. 29. The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. 30. The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth. v. 29, 30. Say unto the righteous, It shall be well with them; but woe unto the wicked, it shall be ill with them. Vol. I. The upright, who walk in God's way, find him their strength; his providence is their protection, his grace their support in every trial, temptation, and difficulty; and they shall never be removed; preserved by God's unchangeable love, almighty power, and everlasting faithfulness; and thus enabled to persevere unto the end. But the wicked have no support: destruction terrible and irresistible awaits them; and out of that earth on which they place their affections, shall they be rooted, and cut off from the enjoyment of all their possessions. 31. The mouth of the jull bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out. 32. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable; but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness. v. 31, 32. By a man's words he may be known. The righteous, knowing what is acceptable, out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things, such as are suited to minister grace to the hearers, and make them wise unto salvation: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness, offensive to God, and hurtful to his neighbour; and therefore in jull judgment his tongue shall be cut out, or silenced in everlasting humanity. Hilberto we have been in the parch or preface to the Proverbs, here they begin; they are short but wroughty sentences: most of them are districts, true forerans in one verse, illustrating each other; but it is seldom that there is any coherence between the verses, much less any thread of discourse, and therefore in these chapters we need not attempt to reduce the contents in their proper hands; the several sentences will appear half in their own places. The scope of them all is to set before us good and evil, the blasting and the curse. Many of the proverbs in this chapter relate to the good government of the tongue, without which men's religion is vain. 1. THE proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh of his mother. Chap. xx. 11. &vii. 11. 12. &vii. 12. 13. &vii. 13. &vii. 13. Nothing is a greater comfort to parents, than to see their children profiting by their instruction and examples, and growing in wisdom and favour with God and man. This is a recompense for all their toil; though, if otherwise, it will be some satisfaction to them to have done their best. On the other hand, nothing is a bitterer burden to an aged parent's heart, than to see their children stubborn, disobedient, and refractory, bringing down their grey hairs with sorrow to the grave. The guilt of such conduct before God is exceedingly aggravated. 2. Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death. The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked. v. 2. 3. The wicked have here usually most of this world's wealth; yet, little are they to be envied; for treasures of wickedness, either such as are wickedly gotten, or spent in wickedness, profit nothing: they give no substantial satisfaction to the soul; the curse of God is upon them, and he casteth them away; either by some strokes of his providence depriving men of what they abuse, or at death removing them from their substance for ever. For different is it with the righteous. His righteousness delivereth from death; others, by his charity enlisting them; himself, as it prevents the judgments which sinners provoke. Or, as it is a part of that divine nature which is possessed through faith in Christ, it is a preservative from such eternal. The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish; for their bodily provision he will take care, and especially will find their souls with the bread of life, which cometh down from heaven. 4. He becometh poor that dealeth with a flack hand; but the hand of the diligent maketh rich. Before Christ 1. v. 4. Honestly is the best policy, and industry the forest way to prosper. He beasmoth poor that deaileth with a flesh on deceitful hand; who is idle in his business, or backward to relieve the distressed; or making haste to be rich by fraud and injustice, brings down God's anger, and loses his reputation among men. But the hand of the diligent, or acute, who are active and industrious, maketh rich. And in the concerns of our fouls it is equally true; they who give all diligence are those who will be richest in grace, and make their calling and election sure. 5. He that gathereth in summer, is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest, is a son that cauleth shame. Time must be seized by the fore-lock: the season of opportunity is precious; it is a mark of true wisdom to improve it; but idleness, and neglect of the proper season, bring want and shame to the foolish son, and his parents share his reproach. Youth is our summer, to provide for the winter of age; if we sleep this away, without furnishing our minds with knowledge and grace, we shall live to be mere cumberers of the ground. 6. Bleflings are upon the head of the jull: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. The memory of the jull is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot. v. 6, 7. The jull, or jullified, who by faith in Jesus are accounted righteous before God, are entitled to all the bleflings of grace and glory, more ornamental than the diadem, and a false protection than an helmet of polished steel: and when they go hence, their memory is precious, they are spoken of with honour, and survivors bless God for their good examples, and the sweet favour of their graces which remains behind them, by which, though dead, they yet speak. As for the wicked, it is not so with them: violence covereth their mouth; when speechless under the conviction of evil deeds, they have not a plea to make in arrest of judgment: or, their mouth covereth violence; they palliate with excuses their evil deeds, or hypocritically labour to conceal them. Their name shall rot; either they shall be buried in oblivion, notwithstanding their care to perpetuate their memory; or, if remembered, shall be mentioned with detestation, expressly of that abhorrence due to their wickedness. 8. The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall. They are truly wise, who are wise in heart, whose heads are not merely stored with knowledge, but their hearts fraught with grace; who give this proof of their wisdom, they will receive commandments, as obedient subjects, durdled children, and in all fidelity approving themselves to God. But a prating fool, that loves to hear himself talk, opinionated of his understanding, and conceiting himself very wise, shall fall into contempt among men; into sin, which ever attends a multitude of words; and consequently into hell, the end of those who say and do not. 9. He that walketh uprightly, walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known. He that walketh uprightly, in simplicity and godly sincerity cleaving to God's word and worship, and in his transactions with men speaking the truth from his heart, and shewing all good fidelity; he walketh surely; safe under the divine protection, in the way to life and glory, and his end will be peace: but he that perverteth his ways; in crooked paths, doubles, and turns, dissembles, and acts hypocritically with God or man; shall be known: in some unguarded moment the mark will drop off, and his folly and sin be manifested to his shame in this world; at least, in the great day of recompense it shall be seen. 10. He that winketh with the eye, cauleth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall. He that winketh with the eye, to draw others into sin with him, or as a signal to companions in mischief, to carry on some scheme of wickedness, cauleth sorrow to the person against whom the design is laid; to those who concur with him, bringing them to share his guilt; and to his own soul, which must suffer for it: but a prating fool, less mischievous and dangerous indeed, but most disagreeable and troublesome, shall fall, or be beaten, for his folly and impertinence. 11. The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. A man is known by his words; for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life, sending forth the salutary streams of a gracious conversation, and ministring obfuscation to the hearers; but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked; his tongue is full of corrupt communication; or covers violence; speaking lies in hypocrisy, and, under the guile of friendship, cloaking the most pernicious designs. 12. Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins. Where hatred is in the heart, there will never be wanting occasion for strifes; for every look and word will be misinterpreted into a provocation; and where such a temper reigns, it will be ever scattering infatuation, calamities, and lies, to kindle the fire of contention: but love covereth all sins; draws the veil of oblivion over all affronts and injuries, conceals the evil which may be hid, and wishes to extenuate what cannot. 13. In the lips of him that hath understanding, wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding. Understanding in the heart will put wisdom in the lips: the conversation of such will be edifying, and their words heard with respect and advantage; but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding, or wants a heart; whose folly capsules him to shame and scourges, as his present punishment here; or to everlasting shame and suffering, the wages of sin hereafter. 14. Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. They who know the value of wisdom, lay it up as the most precious recitters, and by every means of prayer, reading, and meditation, seek to increase their share, that they may be ready to use it for the good of others; but the fool rashly blasts what brings ruin on others or himself. 15. The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty. Worldly wealth is a defence from injuries, few caring to assault those well able to defend themselves; and the rich are apt to place too great confidence in their possessions, and to be elated thereby, though they profit not in a day of wrath. On the other hand, the poor are ready to be oppressed by every foot, and are in consternation and distress often above measure, through fear of perishing for want. 16. The labour of the righteous tendeth to life; the fruit of the wicked to sin. The labour of the righteous tendeth to life; his industry is blessed with a provision for himself and family; or his care for his soul succeeds in an increase of spiritual life, and establishes his hope of eternal life: but the fruit of the wicked, whatever he possesses, whether by inheritance or acquired, all tendeth to sin; hardens him in it, and is abused to serve his lusts, his pleasures, and his pride. 17. He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof, erreth. The way to life eternal is the instruction the gospel of Jesus gives, and he that receiveth and keepeth it can never perish; but he that refuseth reproof, gives in God's word, by his ministers, parents, or masters, erreth from the path of life, and, as the fruit of his perverseness and obstinacy, rushes upon his destruction. 18. He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. They may think themselves very wise, who, when hatred boils in their heart, can smile, be gracious, and cover it with deceit; and he that uttereth slander, may think to do it in so artful a manner, that the author of it shall never be known; but in God's account they are fools; their wickedness will be detected, and their shame be made manifest at the last. 19. In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. Few words are best. They who must give an account for every idle word, need keep the door of their lips. Wisdom is known by silence and thoughtfulness, fully by talkativeness. 20. The tongue of the jull is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth. 21. The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom. v. 20, 21. Though rash and heedless talk is disconnuance, that is commendable which is for the use of edifying. The truly wife are not as dark landforms, that shine only to themselves; but communicative out of the good treasure of their hearts. The tongue of the jull is as choice flower; pure from drops, and precious, speaking of those truths of gospel-grace that enrich the soul more than all treasures: and their lips find many; to whom they break the bread of life, and by it they are nourished up in the words of sound doctrine. But the heart of the wicked is still worth; evil, and only evil continually within, and from a fourteen to corrupt nothing pure or profitable can be expected to flow. They may boast of the goodness of their heart, but he who knows it, asserts it to be deliberately wicked and worthwhile. No marvel therefore they die for want of wisdom; obli-nate and untrashable, who neither know, nor desire to know, the way of life and peace, but persist in the devices of their own soillnesses. 7 PC. xxvii. 11. 22. The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. Those are the truly valuable riches, which are acquired with God's blessing, and employed to his glory: no guilt attends the gain of them, no sorrow embitters the enjoyment of them. 1. + A False balance is abomination to the LORD: + Lev. xix. but + a jull weight is his delight. Some appearances of honestly there may be, without religion; but there can be no religion towards God, where there is not honestly towards man. God abhors all fraudulent dealings, and however a man may by thrift weights and measures increase his profits, he is only treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath: but a jull weight, and conscientious integrity is our dealings, is his delight, as being the evidence of his fear, and love in our hearts. 2. When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but + Chap. xx. with the lowly is wisdom. All is from God; to think, speak, or act aright is solely his gift, and without him we can do nothing to please him: or it may be rendered as a concussion, that though the preparations of the heart are in man, and he hath the overblushing, as the word signifies, of his thoughts; yet, unless God gives him utterance, his memory will fail, his tongue hesitate, or his speech be confounded. 2. ' All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes: but the LORD weigheth the spirits. Pride and shame are, like the body and shadow, inseparable. Among men, every one wishes to mortify the arrogant; and God will certainly bring the lofty low in the day of recompense, when Satan's sin will meet Satan's punishment: but with the lowly, who have a humble taste of themselves, and poor attainments, there is wisdom; they judge rightly of themselves, find favour with men, and acceptance with God. 3. The integrity of the upright shall guide them: + Chap. xiii. but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them. We are too apt to be partial to ourselves, and the self-righteous especially, ignorant of the perfection of God's law, are ready to think they can and do obey it, so as to obtain life thereby: but our self-deceit will appear when God weighs us in the balance of his sanctuary; he trieth the heart, and all the righteousness in fallen man will be found utterly defective, both in principle and practice. 3. ' Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. Where the heart is sincere before God, there we shall never willingly denate from the path of truth, and we may comfortably expect the Spirit of God to teach us the right way, and guide us in it; but destruction is in the sinner's road, and his perverseness in rejecting the teachings of God's word hurries him on to his ruin. 4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death. Whilst we take the helm into our own hands, our affairs both of body and soul will be in a dangerous way, and ready each moment to suffer shipwreck; but all is safe when our care is cast upon him, the storm of anxiety then will be calmed, and our voyage to the shores of eternal rest fore to be safe and prosperous. 4. ' The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. Whatever defence riches are now, they profit nothing in a day of wrath; unable to protect us from the stroke of death, or to buy us off at the bar of judgment; and therefore we should put the less value on what can be of so little advantage to us, and be the more solicitous to obtain the true riches of grace, even that righteousness, imputed and implanted, which delivereth from death; takes out sin, the flung of it, here, and saves us from eternal death hereafter. 5. The righteousness of the perfect shall + direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. 6. The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but + transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness. v. 5, 6. Perfect righteousness and uprightness is indeed to be found in Christ alone; but by faith we are compleat in him, and, renewed by his grace, are enabled to make great pains for our feet, are preserved from falling in the hour of temptation, and delivered from the power of death: whilst the wicked and transgressors shall be cut off in the midst of their career, and perish by the very methods whereby they thought to avert their judgment. 7. When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth. The great Author of all designed in all his works to shew forth his own glory, nor shall the apostasy of angels, or the sins of men, defeat his purposes; the creatures that glorify not the riches of his grace in their salvation, shall glorify the severity of his justice and the greatness of his power in their damnation. 5. ' Every one that is proud in heart, is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. Pride of heart, whether on worldly greatness, or conceit of our own excellence above other men, is God's abomination; nor let the shout-hearted be secure in their numbers, power, or policy; he is able to abate them, his truth hath engaged for it, his business demands, and his power will execute upon them condign punishment. Many flatter themselves with delusive hopes, whom death will quickly undeceive: then the worldling will see the fruits of his injustice fire from him; and the self-righteous by- 9 A poetise, Before Chall 2000. crise, who dreamed of heaven, be terribly surprised to find his foul in hell. 1 Chap. xii. 18. 8. The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and 8. 8. The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and 9. 8. The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead. Before death comes, God is pleased sometimes even here to distinguish the righteous from the wicked, by the dispensations of his providence, delivering the one out of their troubles, and bringing the other into those very miseries they plotted against the just. Mordecai was advanced, but Hamam hung on the very gallows he had erected for him. a Job vii. 15. 9. An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered. The tongue is a mortal poison. By batteries, false doctrines, and artful seduction, the hypocrite destroyeth his neighbour, drawing him into sin, and thereby into misery; but through knowledge of God's word, shall the just be guarded against the temptor's wilks, and delivered from the destruction intended. 1 Chap. seven. 15. all. 8 Chap. min. 8. 10. When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting. 11. By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. v. 10, 11. Whether others are like them or not, yet the prosperity and advancement of good men is matter of general joy, because, as magistrates, they use their power, or as men of wealth, their substance, for the good of their fellow citizens. By the blessing of the upright, through God's blessing upon them, or their prayers, advice, and kindness, the city is exalted, and all who dwell with them fare the better for them: but the wicked are the plague and curse of the places where they dwell; they corrupt their manners, and bring down God's wrath upon them. When they are cut off therefore by death, or their power, influence, and authority are broken, it is matter of general joy, and all who have any sense of goodness, or knowledge of their own interests, shout at their fall. Heb. Heart. 12. He that is void of wisdom, despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace. 13. A tale-bearer revealed secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. v. 12, 13. Two marks of folly and sin are here censured, (1.) Contemptuous treatment of our neighbour, either in looks or words, proceeding from the conceit of our own superior wisdom or holiness. (2.) Tale-bearing, going from house to house, revealing what was spoken in secrecy, sowing discord, and doing mischief irreparable. Far different is the conduct of the wise; if he can say no good of his neighbour, he will be silent; if provoked, will never answer in opportune language; what is trusted to his bosom, is sacred; and he seeks to cover under the veil of oblivion, whatever might be to the prejudice of another. n 1 Kings xx. 1, &c. 12. Heb. Words of pianistiasis. 26. ' The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words. Though thoughts are invisible to us, yet God trieth the hearts, and less and abhors the imaginations of the wicked, which are only evil, and that continually: but the thoughts of the pure, being cleansed by the inspiration of his holy spirit, their words please him, they are edifying and acceptable, the fruit of the root of grace he hath implanted. 19. 27. He that is greedy of gain, ' troubleth his own house: but he that hateth gifts shall live. They who are in haste to be rich, and with anxious and ceaseless pursuit slave for the world, both weary themselves, and plague and harash all around them; bringing withal the earle of God upon their gains, that like the worm at Jonah's guard, will cause it to wither: but he that hateth gifts, and for no advantage can he be bred to speak a false word, or do a wrong thing, shall live; his comfort shall be secured, and his real interest be thereby advanced, for honesty will in the end be found ever the best policy. 28. The heart of the righteous studied to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poured out evil things. A good man takes heed to his words; knowing he must be accountable for them, he thinks before speaks, and weighs a question before he answers it: but the wicked, thoughtless of consequences, lets go what is uppermost, and the evil of his heart gushes forth as a fountain, without thought of the mischief done to others, the dishonour cast on God, or the ruin he is bringing on himself. 29. ' The LORD is far from the wicked: but ' he heareth the prayer of the righteous. Though God he near the wicked, to seize them for vengeance, he is far from them respecting any honour or communion, and hears or grants none of their prayers, and shortly they will be eternally banished from his presence: but no prayer of the righteous is offered in vain; more ready to give than we to ask, he is a sure and present help to all that call upon him faithfully. 30. The sight of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat. As the beautiful prospect gladdena the eye and makes the heart gay, so doth good news enliven, and is heard with pleasure: but the heart's greatest joy is to behold a reconciled God in Christ, and the prospect of eternal glory; and the best report is that which the gospel brings, disluding present gladness in the soul, the foretaste of eternal bliss. 31. The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise. The reproofs of life are those which are drawn from the life-giving word, urged with affectionate warmth upon the conscience, and tending to the spiritual and eternal life of those who receive them; they that with attentive ear regard them, are in the way to be numbered with the wise. 32. He that refuseh instruction, despiseh his own soul: but he that heareth reproof, § geteth understanding.