14. 26. In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. 27. 'The fear of the LORD is the fountain of life, to depart from the sinners of death. v. 26, 27. The fear of God comprehends the substance of true godliness, and great is the blessedness thereof. (1.) It gives strong confidence; for they who walk in God's fear, may be assured of his protection. (2.) In every day of trial, God's children have a fair refuge from all the storms of wrath, and the rage of earth and hell. (3.) This fear is a fountain of life, it is what brings present comfort and satisfaction to the soul, and will spring up to everlasting life hereafter. (4.) All who are governed by it, depart from the sinners of death; it keeps us from sin with all its allurements, and thereby shields us from the sufferings which are the wages of sin. Lord, put this fear in my heart! 28. In the multitude of people is the king's honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince. As numbers are the great security of a kingdom, it is the labour of every good king, by the mildness and equity of his administration, to encourage trade, manufactures, and agriculture; and the flourishing condition of his subjects redounds to his honour. Whilst, where the government is rigorous, tyrannical, and arbitrary, property is insecure, the spur to industry is lost, the land uncultivated and deserted, and the nation's forces weakened, leave it a prey to every invader. Heb. Short of Spirit. 29. He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit, exalteth folly. A deliberate liar is an undone soul; but a man of integrity speaketh the truth from his heart; suffices what he hath heard and knows, without wavering or variation. 29. A wicked man hardneth his face: but as for the upright, he directed his way. They shew great understanding who curb their passions, restrain their anger, continue undisturbed under provocations, and in their patience possess their souls; but a man hasty of spirit, that fires in a moment, and in looks, words, or actions, hears his anger, exalteth folly, the slave of his passion, and exposing himself to contempt. PC. call. 10. 30. A found heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones. Impunient sinners cease to blush at their abominations, and despise alike the terrors of the law, and the wrath of the Almighty: no rebuke confounds, no correction humbles him; but the upright, he directed his way, according to the rule of God's word. 30. "There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel against the LORD. 31. The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD." v. 30, 31. Many are the devices that human and diabolical craft have planned against the kingdom of Jesus and his people; but vain are the deepest politics, or the most subtle designs; God mocks at the efforts of impotent malice: and as no counsel can prevail against him, neither can any strength protect without him. However just the cause, or great the preparations made, the issue of the battle depends upon him who giveth it not always to the strong. Under his protection we are false in the midst of danger: and as in all human conceits the victory or salvation is of the Lord; so in all our spiritual conflicts also, his power and grace alone are our stability, and secure our eternal salvation amidst the attacks of corruption, earth, and hell. A found heart, right with God, and truly turned to him, or a healing heart, that seeks to compose all differences, or a light heart, good humoured and cheerful, is the life of the flesh, or fifties, contributes to our own and other's health and comfort; but envy the rottenness of the bones, it waftes the body, preys upon the spirits, and brings men to be walking corpses, before they go into the grave. x. 32. Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways. 33. Hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not. 34. "Blessed is the man that heareth me, 'watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. 35. For whose findeth me, findeth life, and 'shall obtain favour of the LORD. 36. But he that sineth against me, wrongeth his own soul; all they that hate me, love death. When one so great and glorious speaks, yea, and to us withal so inexpressibly good and gracious, well may it be expected, that every ear should be attention, and every heart obedience. 1. The exhortation is, Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children; my redeemed people, the children of the covenant of promise, whose ears are by divine grace opened to attend; four instruction, and be wise; so hear, as to mark, learn, and inwardly digest the sacred truths of gospel grace, and from them obtain bound wisdom: and refuse it not; however contrary to flesh and blood the precepts may appear, and mortifying to our fallen nature, we shall find them most healthful to our souls good. Watching daily at my gates, in prayer, meditation, and all the ordinances and means of grace, public or private, where God disposes liberally to all who lack and seek wisdom, and upbraideth not, John. i. 5. waiting at the posts of my doors, humbly, patiently, perseveringly, for then he never will send the hungry empty away. 2. Great will be the blessedness of those who hear and obey the dictates of wisdom, and yield up themselves to Christ, to be governed by his word and spirit. Favour with God, acceptance of their persons, forgiveness of their sins, a sense of his love, the spirit of adoption, the grace of the Saddiker, and the comforts of the Holy Ghost: there are the present blessings provided for the faithful in Christ Jesus, and life, spiritual and eternal, found in him, decreed from him, and to be enjoyed with him in the world of bliss and glory. May this blessedness be mine! 3. Dreadful will be the misery of all who reject the Lord Jesus and his gospel. He that sinners against me, by hardened impenitence resulting to return, or in proud self-dependance trusting on their own doings and duties, instead of his grace and righteousness, wrongeth his own soul: they do against their own mercies, refuse the only remedy that can heal them, and bring down upon themselves wrath to the uttermost. All they that hate me, love death. Our taken nature is comity against God; every sinner is practically a hater of God; yea, is avowedly so, when he murmurs against the restraints of God's law as severe, and against his threatenings as hard or cruel: but all such love death, not intentionally indeed, but it is the necessary consequence of their ways; they chuse the paths of sin, and thereby court their own destruction. They perish, because they will perish, and in hell will have none to upbraid but themselves. That son, who attentively regards his father's instruction, and submits to his correction, as the word may be rendered, is wise, and shews true grace in his heart; but a former, a disobedient child, beareth not rebuke, cannot bear to be told of his faults, and refuses to amend them. a Chap. xii. 14. 2. A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence. A man shall eat good, or a good man shall eat of the fruit of his mouth, the blessing of his gracious discourse shall be repaid him: but the soul of transgressors shall eat violence; as he moved to others, it shall in just judgment be measured to him again. b Chap. xii. 15. 3. He that keepeth his mouth, keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction. It is wise to think before we speak; a guard upon our tongue is the preservative, both from much sin and much forever: whilst lavish discourse brings destruction or conformation; those who are offended, sedant the injury; quarrels and deeds unless; and worse, God is provoked, and his wrath threatens eternal perdition. c Chap. xii. 16. 4. The soul of the fluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. If wishing would do, the fluggard would be wise and rich, but he hates the pains, without which neither can be attained, and therefore continues deftance of both. But the soul of the diligent shall enjoy the comfort of his labours; whether temporarily, in the increase of his wealth, or spiritually, in the abundance of grace and consolations ministered unto him, in answer to his unwearied prayers. 5. A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is hothsome, and cometh to shame. A righteous man not only abstains from lying, but abhors it as a sin most offensive to God, and injurious to man: but a wicked man is hothsome, like a putrid corpse, sending forth the confidential effluvia of sin, and cometh to shame; his lies are detected, and he justly exposed; or makes himself to shack, an object odious to God, and detected of all good men. 6. Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthrooeth the sinner. They who possess the grace of God in truth, will be preserved upright in the way, found in the doctrine, and desirful in the practice of the gospel, unmoved by Satan's temptations, or the world's crowns or feudies: but wickedness overthrooeth the sinner, or sin, for he is such a mass of corruption, that all he is and does is evil, and only evil, and that continually; no wonder then, that he is overthrown with everlasting destruction. e Chap. xii. 19. 7. There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. They are not always the richest who make the greatest figure in the world; but oftentimes men appear in all the extravagance of dress and equipage, when they are worse than nothing, in debt, never manning, or able to pay it. Thus Vol. I. hypocrites, and talkative persons, make large professions of piety, when in fact they have only a name to live, and are really dead in trespasses and sins. On the other hand, some, with the shew and constant complaint of poverty, are really wallowing in wealth; yet, for fear of want, and through forbid avarice, pise in the midst of plenty. Thus also many truly rich in grace, and heirs of the kingdom, yet have sometimes sad complaints and fear for themselves, whether ever they have been partakers of the blessing. 8. The ransom of a man's life are his riches: but the poor beareth not rebuke. Riches are often a tempting bait, and bring the life of their possessor into danger, which he is glad to ransom at the price of all his treasures; but the poor having nothing to lose, no accusation is brought against them, as they have no bribes to pay, and no robber mindless their empty coffers: or spiritually, the poor and lowly in heart are accepted of God, and have no rebukes in anger from him; whilst the rich, who trust on their wealth as their ransom, will be utterly condemned. 9. The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. Joy is sown for the righteous: in time he shall walk in the reviving light of God's countenance; in eternity, his sins shall never go down; but the lamp of the wicked, his glimmering short-lived prosperity, the momentary pleasures of sin, shall be put out in eternal darkness. 10. Only by pride cometh contention; but with the well advised is wisdom. Pride is the root of all quarrels. The opinionated cannot bear contradiction; the aspiring, a rival; the self-willed, opposition. Hence come uners and pleasury, but unite the well advised, who speak or do nothing rashly, but consult their bibles, their able friends and their pillows, it wisdom; they will not give a handle for contention, and avoid all occasion of dispute. 11. Wealth gotten by vanity, shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour, shall increase. Light come, light go; wealth gotten by vanity, by tricking, fraud, gaming, &c. will be diminished; soon it shall melt as snow before the sun, for the curse of God is upon it: but the fruits of honest industry will be an interesting and lasting possession. 12. Hope deserved maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. Suspense is a state of mind the most uneasy, and the long delay of our hopes, almost as painful as their disappointment: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life, the soul is transported with joy, and in a temporary paradise. Note, (1.) It is good to have little expectation from creature good; then anxiety will give us no pain, or disappointment vice etc. (2.) Though the desire of the saints after perfect holiness and happiness seem long delayed, it will be the forester when it comes. 13. Who so despiseth the word, shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment, shall be rewarded. Many make light of God's word, despise his ministers, and slight his warnings, who will quickly rule their folly; for they who refuse to be ruled by it, must be ruined: destruction of body and soul in hell will be their judgment. Whilst he that feareth the commandment, with reverence hears, trembles at God's word, and with diligence obeys, shall be rewarded with present comfort, and eternal glory. 14. The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. The laws of the wise, the doctrines of truth they inculcate, taught by the all-wise Prophet, is a fountain of life, refreshing, comforting, enlivening the soul, and a constant preservative from the snares of death, from which we are warned thereby to depart. 15. Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard. They will be respected in general, who shew themselves intelligent, and particularly an understanding enlightened by the spirit to know the things of God, giveth favour with him, and all good men: but the way of transgressors is hard; sin is the vileth forritude, makes men a plague to others, a burden to themselves. Strange! that we should ever be so infatuated, as to prefer this hard way, to that service which is perfect freedom! 16. ' Every prudent man deaeth with knowledge : but a fool + layeth open his folly. A prudent man is cautious : hears, examines, and weighs before he speaks, and chutes not to be engaged in any thing, till he has a thorough knowledge of the subject : but a fool, calls and thoughtless, layeth open his folly, exposing himself to the ridicule of every company.