Commentary on the Holy Bible

Verse 9. In the places of the paths,] X\Tt^ n'3 n^yj beith nethibolh nitstsabah, ** The Constituted housS of the paths.^' Does not this/mean the house of public worship? the tabernacle or temple, which stands a centre to the surrounding villages, the 'paths from all the parts les^ing to and terminating at it! Tn such a place, where the holy word of God is read or preached, there iki iai particulax manner does wisdom cry, and understdndingt ^ft up her voice. There are the warnings, the precepts, and the promises of eternal tmth; there the bread of Chd is broken to* his' chil-.dren, and thither they that wUl may come and take the water of life freely.

Verse 3. She crieth at the gates] 'ftiis might be well applied to the preaching of Jestis Christ and Ids apoetles, and their faithful successors in the Christian minist^. He went to the temple, and proclaimed' ihe^ righteousness of the Most High: he did the same in the synagogues, on the mountdifii, *by the seaside^ in the. villageSf in the streets^ of thfi" cities, and in pnvaie houses. His' disciples followed liis track**: in the same way, and in the same spirit, they proclaimed die unsearchable riches -of Christ. 6od*s wisdom, ia the hearts of his true ininisters directs them to' go and to seek shiners. Tiiere are, it is. true, temples, synagogues, ehurehes, chapels, &c.; but hundreds of thousand^ never frequent them, and therefore do^not hear the voice of truth: triji/<mi,- therefore, must go to them, if she wishes them to'lreceive her instructions. Hence the zealous mmisters of Chrifit go still to the highways and hedges, to the mountains add plains, to the ships and the cottages, to persoade* sinners to turn ftom- the error of their ways, and accept that Tedemption which was procured Iby the sacrificial offering of Jesus Chrisf.

Verse 4. Unto you, O men] t3'«r'K ishim, men of wealth and power, wiU I call*; and not to you alone, for my vofee is O'UC ^33 Sn al ieney Adam, '< to all the descendants of Adam -^ to the whole hum^n race. As Jesus Christ tasted 'death for every man^ so the Gospel proclaims salvation to all; io too — to every individual, my voice is addressed. Thou hast sinned; and thou must perish, if not SftvejT bygrace.'

Verse 5. O ye simple] C^^ios^ pethaim^ ye that are deceived, and with flattering words >uid fair speeches deluded and drawn away, • -

Ye fools] fcrS'OD kesilnh, ye stupid, stiff-necked, senseless people. That preaching is neVer likely to do mnch good, thai is not pointed; specifying' and. describing vices, and charging them home on the consciences of transgressors. Where this is not done^ the congregation is nneoneenied; ao nm

Ante I. oiymp. cellent tfamgs;. and the o|>ening Aate *u. c. ck. of uiy lips shall be rigKt things. ^^' 7 For my mouth shall speak

8. All the words of my ipoulh are ia.righteousness; there is nothing • froward or perverse in them.

9 ^ They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

he hdiB any thing to da in the business, especially If the pveaoher takes care to tell them, *' These v^ere the crimes of Jews, Roxnans, Qjreeks, of the people at •Coriath, Philippi, T^essalonica, Laodicea, and, of heaftaM in generd 4 bat 1 hojlte better things qf you^ » |p|fe. hare been bbrn. in k Christian land, and bap- In the Christian.faith. *^ Thus he arms their €iences in double brass agamst the good effects of - Ipk own teaching. ^

Verse 6^ JSear; for I wUl speak 0/ excellent Mn^] On^a3 negidim^ things \«hich aire pr^emiQeniti and maniGsstly superior to all others. The teaching is pot triflings though addressed tD triflers.

The opening of tnyiips shall be right thii^gs.'\ CS^^iET'D meysharim\ things which are calculated to corfeot your false notions, and set straight your crooked ways. Hence she deolares.

Verse 7. My mojuth shall speak truth] Tau'TB, without falsity, or any mixU^re of error, shall ba the whole matter of my discourse.

Verse 8. All the, trortfj-r-are t>^ righteousness] pnV3 ietsedekj in justice and eqpity, testifying what man owes to his God, to his neighbour, ahd to himself; giving to each his due. This is the true import of pn}f t^adak/.

Verse 9. They are all plain] a'nOJ nechochim, straight forward, over against every man, level to every capacity. This is true of ^L that coQcenis the salvation of the soul.

Verse 10. Receive my instruction, and not silver^ A Hebrew idiom; receive my instruction in preference to silver.

Verse 12. J wisdom dwell with prudence] Prudence is d^j^ed^ fiMwi applied to practice; so wherevjer

1 r» For wisdom is better than ab^ u. Car* rubies; and all the things that. ^'^' may be. desired are not to be compared to it.

19 I^iftdom dwell wijth ^ prudence, and find out knowjedge of witty inventions.

13 * The fear of the Lord is to hata evil: ^ pride, and arrogancy, dnd the eyil way, and ^ the frpwaid mouth, do I hate.

true' wisdom is, it will lead to action, and its activitj will be always in reference to the accomplishment </ the best ends by the use of the most appropriate meant. Hence comes what is here called hnawfedge of witty inventions, M^fOX niDTO -Djn daath mezimmoth emtse, " I have found out knowledge and contrivance.^ The faither wisdom proceeds in man, the more praciied knowledge it gains; and" finding out the nature and propertiea of things, and the general course of provideuce, it can contrive \y$ new combinations to prodnoe new re^t^lts.

~ A'^erse 13. The fear of the Lt^d-in to heOa evil] As it^is impo^ible to hate evil without loving ^^km^-; and as hatred to evil wUl lead a man to abandon the evi wqy;- and love to goodness will lead bim to do iHiat is right in the sight of God, under the influeaee of that Spirit which has given the hatred to evil^ Moi inspired the love of goodness: hence this implies the sum and substance of true. reHgitm, which is heis t^rtoed the fear of the Lord.

Averse 14. Coun^e/ is mine] Direction^hoif to wtL in all circumstances and on all occasions mu«t corns from wisdom: the foolish man can give bo caunsdy cannot show another how he is to act in -the vaiioiti changes and chances of life. The wise man alone caa give this counsel; and he can give it only as continually receiving instruction from God: for this Divine wi^om -can say, n*Bnn tushiyah, juAitence, reality, essence^ ail belong to me: I am. the Fountain whence all are derived. Man may be wise, and good, and prudent, and ingenious; but these he derives from me, and. they are dependently in him. But in m« all theso arQ independently and essentially inherent.

And sound wisdom] See above. This is a totallj false translation: TVJOM^ tushiyah means essence, sabstance, reahty; the source and substance of goed. Hdw ridiculous the support derived by certain authors from this translation in behalf of their system! See the writers on. and quoters of Pro v. viii.

/ have strength.] Speaking still of wisdom, as communicating rays of its light to man, it enables him to bring every thing to his aid-; to consbrudt machines by which one man can do the work of hundreds. Frpm.it comes all mathematical learning, gdl mechanicid knowledge; from it originally came the incUned ( 46^)

b; c: cil: looa is » By me kings reign, and Ante I. oimp. princes decree justice^ Anie u. c.'cif. 16. By me princes nde, and ^^' nobles^ even all the judges of

17 ° I love them Uiat love me; and ' tbbse that seek me early shall find-me^-

18 * Riches and honour are with me J yto, durable riches and righteousness.

planer the wedge^ the screw, the puUey, in all its muliiphcatiora; and the lever, in all its c<mibin4tutns ^d tfdrieties,' baroe from this wisdom. And as aH theki ean prodace prodigies of power, far surimssmg all kinds of animal energy, and all the effects of the utmost effohs of muscular fotcd; hen^e the maxim of Lord Baeon, ^'.Knowiedgcf is poweV' built on the mjixim of the iushiyah itself; ninj "h li gehurah, mikb is srasiiOTH..Verse 15. By me kings rei^] fivery wise and prudent king is such through the influence off Divine wisdom. And just laws aud their rigfiteous adminisiration come from this source. In this aOd- the following Yera%Jive degrees of ciiil power and mithorUy are mentioned. 1. D^pSome^ocAim, kimos^ 9L p^Jn rozenim, coifeuLS. 3. Xy^W sarim, princbs, OHisrs of the. pcfople. 4., D'*^*!} nedibim, nobles. And 5. ' 0*t>£)er shopketim, ^^doks or civil MAOurrBATss^ All Oi^ders of government* ai« from God.. Instead of ^ttOisr }fiK shopheley arefs, '* iudges of the earth," pl3C ^OOipr shophetey Uedetc, " ri^teous JudgeSf" or "judges oT righteousnessf^ is the reading of one hundred and. tixty-two of Kennicbtt's andl)e Roeai^s MSS., Wb in the text and in the margin, and of aevieral ancient editions.^ And this is the reading of the Visfgate, the Chaldee, and the Syriac; and should undoubtedly fcopersede the other. >*

Verse 17. / lace them thai love me] Wisdom shows itself; teaches man the knowledge of himself; shows llim also the will of God concerning him; manifest the snares and dangers of life, the aJlurement^ and un- Mtisfactory nature of all aiensual ai)d_ sinful pleasures, Che blessedness of true religion, and the soltd happiuj^ss which an upright soul derives Arom il\e peace' and apr probation of its Maker. If, then, the heart embraces this wisdom, follows this pivine teaching, and gives itself to God, his love wilf be shed abroad in it by thd influence of the Holy Spirit. Thus we love God beoaose he.hath first loved.us; atid' the more we Idve him, the more we shall feel of his love, which will enaUe us to love him yet moreand more; and thus we may go on increasing to eternity. Blessed be God f

And those that seek me early shall find me.] Not merely betimes injhe mornings though he who does •o shall find it greatly to his advantage; (see on Psa. (r.;) but early in life — ^in youth, and as near as posdbir to thB first dawn of reason. To the young this gnctoos promise is patticulariy made: if they seekt tliey shall find. Others, \i^ho are Mf may seeic and

21 That I may cause chosen that lore me to inherit substance: and I will fill their treasure84

'^' ^ The hxyaj3 possessekl me in the beginning of his 'way, before his works of oldi

23 'I was set up from everlasting, from

find; but never to such advantage as they^ would haV6 dode, had they sought edfly. Youth is the time q( advantage i? i^ery respect: it is the time, of learning, the.time of discipline $ the time of imprxtvemew^ the time of acquiring useful, solid, and gracious habits* As atxR'first'frvtite always belong to Godl, it is Ood't time; the time in which he is peculiarly gnckms; and in which, to sincere youthful seekeors, ho pews out his benefits with gte^ profusion. ** They t me esbrly shall find rae.'^

Hear, ye yeungi and ye little ones! God himself now to you, with all his treasures of grace and glory. Thank him. for ^is ineffable meVcy^ and embrace it without delay.. '.

Yerae 1 8. Riches atut honour are with me] Often the wise^ prudent, and discreet pian aiTive|. literally to riches and honour; but this is not always the case. 6ut there are other riches of which he never fails; and thjesa seem to be what Solomon has particularly in ▼ieWf diftable riches and righteousness; the treasurs deposited by Goid ip earthen vessels.

Verse 30. / lead in- the way of righteousness] Nothing but the teaching that comes from God.by hit word and Spirit can do this.

Verse 92. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way] Wi^om is not acquired by the Divine. ^ B^ng; man, ^d eveft angels, learn it by slow and ^ progressive degrees; but in God it is as eternally.inherent a».any other essential attribute of his nature* The 'targum nyakes this wisdoifi a creature, by thus translating the passage.: PTni «m3 "JKll RhSx £lahd harani liereish biriteiah, ^ God creMed me in the beginning of his creatjures.*' The Syriac is the same. This is as absurd «nd heretical as some modern glosses on xhe same passage.

B c' ft'' looa the beginning, or ever the. earth

Ante'u. c. cir. '24 When there were no depths, ^''' I tvas brought forth; vfhen there were no fountains abounding^ with water.

25 ^ Before the mountains were settled, before, the hills wast I brought forth: •.

26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the ^ fields, nor.* thq highest part of the dust of the world.

27 WKen he prepared the heavens, I tooj^ there: whea he sel ^ a compass upon the f5ace jiwMing concourse of original atfrniSyXYiki entered into the composition of created beings; all was the effect of the plans before conceived, laid dt>wn^ and at last acted upon by God's eternal wisdom.

Verse 24. When there were np depths] niOHft tehmnoth; before the original chadtic mass was formed. See Gen i. 2.

I was brought foriK\ ^vHlM^chdaltiy " I w%s prodneed as by labouring thzoes.^^ Mf. Parkhurst'\hvi\^ that the heathcfn poets derived*, their idea of Mmeroa^s (wisdom^s) bein^ bora of JupiterS brain, (jromsome siich high poetic petsonification as that in the text.

Verse 3& The highest part of the dust of the worii\ San nnii;; BTK*! rosh aphroth tebeU " ih^ first 'particle of matter." The prima materia,, the primitive sitom. All these verses (3-29). are a periphrasis Cot I existed Jfefore creation; conseqaently before time was. I dwelt in God as a principle which might be ootnnuinicated in its influences lio inteUectual beings when formed.. ' ' '

Verse 27. When he prepared the heavehs, I wai.,, 4f ^] ^^^ there is no part of thd creation oJT God in,V', iniich wisdom, skill, contrivance, are more manifest, '/% llian in the constrtiction of the visible heavens. "

When he sef a compass upon the face of the depth] Does not this refer to the BBtablishnvent <of the taw' of gravitation 7 by which a!l the particles of matter, tend-' Ing to a common centre, would produce in all bodies the orbicular Iform, which we see them have; so tliat even the waters are not ohty' retained 'within their boandaries, but are subjected to the circular form, in their great aggregate of seas, as othef parts of matter ar^." This is called here making a compass, Jkin Ipni techukko chug, sweeping a circle; add even this- on the face' of the deep, to bring the chaotic masb into form, regularity, and order.

Verse 28. The cfouds above] D'prw shechahim, ** the ethereal regions," taking in the whole of the Atmosphere, with all its meteors, clouds, vapours, <&c. ' Verse 2S^. When he gave to the sea his decree] When he assigned its limits, adjusted its saltness, and proportioned the extent of the surface to the quantity of vapours to be raised from it, for the irrigation of the terrene surface.

Th€ foundations of the earth] Those irreversible

PROVCRBS. antkqmiy ef imiaOL

28 Whdh he estabUshed the i^^^ ^ clouds above r when he strength- Ante i. oiji^. ened the fountains of the deep: Ante u. c. dr.

29 * When he gave to the sea * ^^' his decree,, that the waters should not pass his oommandmelit: when * he appointed the fouBdatipns of thebarth: •. '

31 Hejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and ^ my delights wer^ with the sons of nicn. "

laws by whioh all its motions are gorenied; its anoiai dnd diutnal rotation, and parfioolariy its centrifugal uA centripetal forces; hf the former of which it has ito annual motibh round the sun like all other planeti; and Vy the latter jblU its particles are prerented from flying off, iiotwitlistandiiig the great velocity of its tnotion round its own axis, which causies 4)ne thomani and forty-two miles of its' equator to paes upde^ anj giTen point in the heavens in the course of a sing^ hour! Th^e are, propetly speaking, the founiatums of the earth; (he principles On which it is constmctei and the laws by which it is governed:

Verse 30.* Then I was with him, ^a ofie^rcug'kt up] jlOM amon; a "nursling, a darting- child. ^ Wisdom continues it9 parable, says CaTmet; and represeota itiielf as a -new-bom child, which is ever neaor its parent, and takes pleasure to see him jact, and to sport in his presence. This is poetical and highly, figurative; and they Vho thiiik tliey find the deity of Jesus Christ in these Inetaphon diould be ' very cautious 1k>w they apply such terms as thaie; so that whijie they are endeavouring to defend (he truth, they may do nothing against the truth, in which most of* ibem unhappily fail. 'J

^Rejoicirig always before him\ - All the in^ages in this vejrse are borrowed from the state and eireomstances df a darling, affectionate, playful child; as any. one will be jBonvincfed who examines the Hebrew te^i,

Vefise 31. Rejoicing' in th§ habitable part of his s^'arth] There God dispUys especially his wisdom in ordering and directing human beings', and in providing for their waists. The* wisdom of God is in an espe« clal manner manifested in his providence.

My delights were \oith the sons cf men-l This Divine wisdom, as it delighted in the creation ofi so it continueii to delight in his- tn^ fi%e(son. is represented a$ offering its lessons of instmctioi^iaMitinually, and using every means and opportiuiily to call men from folly and vice to sound knawledge», holiness, and happiness.' It is to man that Grod espeeis|^ gives wisdom; and he has it in the 'form ' of j beyond all other creatures; therefore it Is i delights are with the soiis of.men;" to them ] _ choicest treasures. T4iey alow tt^capable of 4 intelligence, and discursive ftlt^t

Ante 1. oiymp. tmto mc, O ye children: for Ante u. c.'cir. * blesscd are they that keep my

Verse 3 2. ' Now therefore] Siooe I delight flo mdch in conveying instractiop; since i baye the happiness of the children of Adam so^much at heart,- hearken unto me;. ^nd ihis is for your own interest, i6zblesi9d azfi they who keep my waysi

Verse 34. Watching daily. aC my gates] Wisdom ia represented as having a jcAoo/ for >thef instruction of foen; and seems to point out some of the most.for-. ward of her scl^olars coming, through their, intense deaire to learn, even before the gates were opene^^ and waiting there for admission, that they might hear every word that was uttered, an'd not lose one accent of the heavenly teaching. Blessed are such.

Verse 33. Whoso' findetk me] The wisdom that conies from God, teaching to avoid evil and eleave to that which is good; findeth life — gets that knowledge which qualifies him to answer the purposes for which h& was made; for^he Ib. quickened with Christ, and- made a partaker bf.Jhe Divine life. Christ dwells tii JUs heart by faith; he- lives a new lifct for Christ lUf'eth in him; the law of >the spirit of life in Christ Jesus makes \dm free-Trom iiielaw of sin and death. Aj^d shall obr tain favour of the Lord, The more he walk% after the Divine counsel, the more lie obtains of the Divine image; and.the mope he resembles his ^ Maker, the •more he partakes of the Divine fkromr.

Vefsc 36. Wrongeth his own sotdf] It is npt Satan, it is not sin, properly speaking, that hurts liim; it is himself If he received the teachmg of God, sAi would have no dominion over him; if he resiled the devU, the devil ynt^Mfleefrom'htm:

Lpve death.] They do iv in jeffeet, if not in yact; for' as thiey love sin, that leads to death, so they may be justly said to love death, th^ wages of sinV He that works in this casd, works for; wages; and- he must love the wages, seeing he /a^cmrj 'so hard in the work.

I HAVE gone through* this iSne chapter, and given the best exposition of it id my power. I have also^ jeul well as others, weighed every word, and closely examined their radical import, their e5hnection azhotig llkteiserves, and the cor^nection of the subject of the cliapcer with what has gone before, and with Vhat folloi^ after; and I cannot come, conscientiously, to any alJBgt interpretation than that which I have given. I am thoroughly satisfied that it speaks not one word.•iAer about Uie Divine or human nature of Christ, p^iiStiti less of any eternal filiation of his Divinity.. 4*4 I am fully persuaded, had th^re not been a pre- • IMtas^ creed, no soul of man, by fair eriticism,.^pNMi9 have ever fmmd out that fond opinion of the Vernal sonship of the Divine nature, which so many commentators persoafe os they find here. That it ing at the posts of my doors. Ante i. diytnp.

eth life, and shall 'obtain; ^favour of the Lord.

36 Biit he that sinncth against me »• wrongeth his own soifl: all they that hate me love deadi.

has been' thas..api^ed in eaifiy agem, as lirell as iii modem times, I.am sufficiently aware; and that |hany other portions -Qf the Divine records have been appealed to, in order 'to support a particular opinion, and many that were false in themselvjes, must be known to those who aijB icqulainted with the fathers. But many quote them^ who know nothing of them..As to thfe fathers in general, they wisrs not all'agrtoedon this subjedt^ some •supposing' C^ri^I, others the Holy Spirit, was meant in this chapter. But of these -we may safely state, that there is not a truth in the most ortho^ dox creed, th^ cannot he. proved by their authority, nor a her^ that has disgraced the Rotnish Church, 'that may nqt challeoge them as ita abettors. In petnts of doetririei riheir aothority is, with me, nothing. The WORD of' God alone contains ipy creed. On a ■ number of points I can go to the Greek and -Latin fathers of the Churohr to know what they believed^ and what the people of their respective communions believed; but after all this I must returp to God's word^ to knqw what he would have mb to believ^. No part of ta Protestant creed stands* on the decision of /others and councils. By appealing to the Bible akme, a& the oAly rule for the faith.and practise of Christians, they confounded and defeated their papistical adversa^ ries, who could not {Arove their doorines but hy fathers and eouncils. Hence their peonliar doctrines stand' in their uHiraate proof upon thssi; vid' those of Protestantism on tl^e BiBLa^ « Some late writers upon thiv subject, whose iiames I spare, havis^ presumed much itt what they 'have said on this subject; iMit before vaf «> man, who seeks for sober truth, will receive any «ftheis conclusions^ he wilh naturally look whether their premises be -sound, or whether from sound principles they have drawn legitimute bonclusions. They, say this chapter is a sufficient foundation to build their doctrine on. I say it is no foundation at all; tliat it never has been proved, and n^ver can be proved, that it speaks at all of the doctrino in question. It has nothing to do with it. ' On this conviction of mine, their proofs draWn from this chaptef must go with me for. nothing. I have heen even shocked with reading over some things that have been lately written on the subject. I have said in iriy lieart, They have taken away my btirnal Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. I cannot believe their doctrine; I never did; I hope I never shall. I believe in the holy Trinity; in three persons in the Godhead, of which none is before or af\er another. I believe Jehovah, Jbsus, the Holt Ghost to be one infinite, eternal Godhead, subsisting ineffably in three persons. I believe Jesus the Christ to be, as to his Divine nature, as unoriginated and eternal as Jkhotah himself; and with

4lift Holy Qh69t to be pne infinite Godhead, neiiher MnoD being created^ begotten, nor proceeding, more hmn another: as to its essence, bat one Truott, in an infinite, eternal, and inseparable Umtr. And this TRioiti Goo is the object of my faith, mj adoration, and my confidence. But I believe not io an eternal sonship or generation of the Divine nature of* Jeaoff Christ, Here I have long stood, here I now stand, and here I tmst to st^d in the hour of death, in the day of jadgmeht, and to aU eternity. Taking Ae Scriptures in general, I find a pturalUy in the Divine oatore; taking the gralid part mentioned, l€att. iii. 10, 17, I find that plurality restrained to*> trinity, ia the most unequiyoeal and evident manner: Jesus, who was baptized in Jordan; the I^olt Ghost, who descended upon him who was baptised { and the Fa>^ THiR, manifested by the toiob from heaven that said, <» This is my beloved Son, in whom' I am well pleased.** And how that person called Je^s tf^e Christ, in wh6kn dwelt all the fiilness of the Godhead bodily, could be ealled the Son of God, I have ahOwn in my note on Luke i. 35. •

Some writers, in their defence of the doctrine above,, which I venture to say / <fo no/ believe, have made re«. flections, in real or pretended pity, on the belief of Iheur Trinitarian brethren, which have very little to da with oandour: viz., <*How the supportera' of this hypothesis can avoid either the error of Tri^^ism on the one hand, or Sabelliankm on the other, is difficult to coneeive/' Now, the supporter^ of thedoctri^ie of the onderived and unbogotten eternity of Christ's Divine nature, might as well say of them; How the supporters of the eternal sonship of Christ can avoid t^e error of Arianism on the onii haqd, and Arianism on the oth^r, it is difficult to- conceive. But I would not say 80; for though I know Arians who hold that doctrine, and express their ^belief nearly in the same words; yet 1 know many most censoientiou^ Trinitarians who hold the doctrine of the. eternal sonship, and yef believe in the proper deity, or eternal godhead, of Jesus Christ After all, as a very, wise and excellent man lately, said: 0% ** While^e have every reason to be satisfied of the soundn. Mas of eac)i other^ faiCh, we' must ailow each to explain his own sentiments in- his own words: here, in the iiforlftff used in explanation, a little latitude may be. stfely dlbwed.'*' To this correct sentiment I only add:—.' Soimus; et hand ven(am petimusqoe^damusc|ne vicisshn.— •HoBAcs. " I grant it; and the fioeiis& give and tak^«*'

1 have passed the waters of strife, jind'^o not wish tp recross them: the. wrath of man worketh not the rt^taoosoess of God, I will have nothing to 4o with ill-tempered, abusive men; I wiahihem more light airik better manners.

And whSe I am en this subject, let me ad^ one thihgTt which I am sure.N^ not pieate all the genention of his people; and it is this: that Jesna Christ, having taki^n u)M>n him human nature, which waa t^ terwards crucified, and Expired upon the cross, did by those acts make & foU, perfect, and sufficient offerii^, ttusrifice, 'and atonement fbr the-sin of the whole world. That he died* paid down the redemption yriee, for every soul of num, that was ever bom into the world, and shall ever be ^ominto it. That all who lay hold on the hope set before them shall be saved; (and afl may thus lay hold;) >uid none shadl perish hot thoss who would not come to Chri3t that they ttiight have life. And that men perish, no( because they were not redeemed, but because they would not accept of the nsdemption.

To conclude on this sobJe<^ it willlM neeeaauj to ref^r the reader to the teauxkiahle opposUi&n that nbsists between this and the precedinjg chapter. There, the prostitute is represented as gtfing out into the streets to seek her prey; and the aUurinf words [^ carnal wisdom to excite the animal ^petite to ^sinful gratification/ which.she uses: Aere,'heaTen)y tfisdem is represented as going - out into the streets^ to the high places, the gates of the cUy, to connteraetber -designs, and lead hack the simple to God and trothT

These pereonificaHons were -frequeqi- among the Jews. In' the Bode of EcclesiasticUs we, ^nd a simihur per9onificati6n,.and expressed in almost sinrilm' terms; and surel^ none wiU^ suppose that the writer of that Apocrypbal book had either the. Christii^ doctrine of the Trinity, 'ox the' sonship of Christ in vfew:

f' WisnoM shall glory in the midst of her people f in the corigregatian of the Most* High' shal^ she open her mouthy, and triumph before his power. I came out of the mouth qf the Most High, and covered the earth as a cloud. 1 4^elt in the. high places; I atoae cmnpdssed the circuit of the heaven, and walked in tlie, bottom of the deep, in the waves of the sea, and in all the earthy.. He crediedmefrpm the begumtag, before the world; ^nd.I shall never fail. I am the motheir of fair Ipve, and fear, and knowledge, and holy, hope, I therefore, ^n^ eternal^ am given to aU my eUldren which are named of him. Come unto nu, and fill yourselves with my fruits. 1 also came out as a brook from a jjver, and a conduit into a ^avden,'' ^c, &e.« Eecl, xxiv. 1, d^c. This kind of personification of wisdom we have had in the preceding chapters; sad in the following chapter we shall find tb6 figdie att keptnpr

Wisdom builds her house, makes her provision for a great feast, calls her guests, and exhorts them to par* take of her entertaitunent, 1-6. Different admonitions relative to the acquisition ofwisdonh 7-19. f%e character and conduct of a bad woman, 13-18.

^ she hath mingled her wine, she hath also furnished her table., 3 She hath • sent forth her maidens: ' she

Thd same Wisdom speaks here who spoke in the preceding chapter. There she represented herself as manifest in all the works of God in the natural world; all being constructed according to counsels proeeediag from an infinite understanding. Here^ she represents herself as the great potentate, who was< to rule all. that she had constructed; and having an immense family to provide for, had made an abundant provision^ ^nd calls all to partake of it. This, says Ccdmety is the continuation of the parable begun in the preoediog chapter, where wisdom is represented as a Tenerable lady, whose real beauties and solid pro-' mises are opi)osed to the false allurements of PlbasuRE, who was represented in the seventh chapter mider the idea of a debauched and impudent woman. This one, to draw young people. 4nto her snares, describes the per/umesj the bed, and the festival which she has prepared. Wi8IK)m acts in the same way: but, instead of the debauchery, the false pleasures, and the criminal. connections which Measure had promised, offers her guests a strong, well-built, magnificent palace, chaste and qolid. pleasures, salutary instructions, and a life crovinied with blessedness. This^ is the sum and the substance of the parable; but as in- the preceding part, so in ihii, men have * produced stfange creatures of their own brain, by'wey^of explanation.. One specunen of this mode of interpretation may suffice.

The house tmiH by wisdom. is the holy humanity of Jtsus Christ; the seven pillars ax^ the seven' sacra^ ments, or the sevenr gifts of the Holy Ghost, or the whole of the apostles, preachers, and ministers of the ' Church; the slain beasts are the jsaer^ce- of ChHsCs body upon the cross ^ and the bread and mingled wine, are the bread and wine in Vti<^'sa<iramenjt of the Lotfs Supper! — Fathbss and Doctors...

If we have recourse io.^y other particulars* than those given above in the summary.of the chaptei^, let us follow the first part of the parable, where wisdom is represented as laying the 4>lan of the creatiooi;. and then perhaps we may say with safety, that wisdom; having produced the grand ichnograph or ground plot of the whole, with all the requisite elevations and spe^ eifications of materials, comes to show us, in this part, that the whole has been constructed on this plan; sni speci^es the end for which this august building has been raised. ^

Verse 1. Wisdom hath buUded her house] The eternal counsel of God has framed the universe »

She hath hewn out her seven pillars] Every thing has been so constructed as to exhibit a scene of grandeur, stability, and durableness.

4 ^ Whoso is simple, let him Ante u. c. cir. turn in hither:. a* f&r him tliat ^^' wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

5 * Come, eat of iny bread, ani drink of the wine which I have mingled,

^^190^^. She halh'kiUed.her beasts] God has made ther most ample provision for the innumerable tribes of animal and intellectual beings, which people the whole vOrtex of created nature.

Verse 3. She hath sent forth her maidens] The wisdom of God has made use of the mast pT^>per means to colnmunicato Pivine knowledge to the inhabitants of the earth; as a.good and gracioiw Creator wills to teach them whence they came,_ hoio they are supported, whither they are going, and for \^at. end they were forraedi It is a custom to die present day,' in Asiatic coqnities,.to send their invitations to guests by a tsompany of females, preceded by eunuchs: they go to the doors of the iilvitod-; and deliver their -message.

Him that wanteth nnderstanding] Literally, he that wanteth a heart' i^ who is without courage, is feeble vaAfokUi and easily drawn asnle from the -holy commandment.

Verse 6. Come, eat of my bread] Not <»nly re- Qeive my instructions, but act according to my direo-,tions.

, Drinh of the wine^^I have mingled,] Enter inttf my eoonsels; be not contented with superficial knowledge on any subject, where any thing deeper may be attained. Go by the streams to the fountain head. Look into' the principles on which th^y were formed; investigate their nature, examine their properties, ac- ^quaint thyself with their relations, connections, influences, and vwous uses. ' See the skill, power, and.goodness of God in^ their creation. ' And when thoa 'has^. learned all within thy reach,' know that thoa knowest but little of the manifold wisdom of God. Let what thoa hast learned.humble thee, by showing. thee how very little thou dost know. Thou hast drunk of the provided wine; bat that wine was mingled with water, for God wiU hide pride from man. He dwells only on the surface of religious and philosophical learning, who does not perceive and feel that he is 3ret but a chili in knowledge;■ that he sees through a glass darkly; • that he perceives fnen like trees walking; and that there are lengths, breadths, depths, and heights, in the works and ways of God, which it wOl require an eternity to fa^om. -Here below thp pore wine is mingled witlr water: but this is God's work. Yet there is enough;. do not therefore be contented with a little. To this sabject the words of the poet oiay be well applied r —

A little learning is a dangerous thing;

Drink deept or taste not the Pierian spring:

For scanty draughts intoxicate- the brain,

But drinkmg Imgtfy sobers ua again. Pops.

geUedi to himself shame: and he thai rebuketli a wicked man gctieth him self a blot.

8 ^ Reprove not a econier^ leat he hate thee: * rebuke a wise man^ and he will love thee*

9 Give instruction to ^ wise man, ^nd he will be yel wiier: teach & just man^ ® aiid he will increase in learning.

10 ■'Tlic fear of ihe Lord i> the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy is undersiandingt

Among I be ancient Jev^s^ Greeks and RifmanSt wine waa rarely drank without being imngted with water; and among ancient writers we find sever^. oidinancci f4>r ihis. Some direct three parU of F^tcr lo one of iffine; some fine parta; and Pliny mentions aome ivines that required IwetUy waters: but the most Dommon proporliojva appear lo have been three parts qf water to tyf& of wine. Bmi probably the pD [" yatfin masacfh mifigled wiiie, was wine raibgledi not with water, to make it weaker i but with ^c^s and other ingredients to m^Jke it alronger. The ingredienta were honey^ myrrh, mandrag&ra, upium^ and aiich like} which gave it not only an init)3^€ating but Mtitpifythg qiiality elsn. Perhaps the mt^ed mi^e here, may mean wint of the ^trmgext and he$t qu^itif^ that which was good to cheer and rofrss^h the be»rt of man.

If we consider the mixed wine a> meaning this xtrofig wme, then the import oF the metaphor will be, a thorough investigation of ^ the works of God will in^ vigorate the soul, strengthen all the mentd powers, enlarge Iheir capacity, and enable the mind to take the most exalted viewa of the wohdera of Crd^i MkUl m&m— fested in the operations of his hand.

Verse 7* He that reproveth a s€om^\ ]*7 lets^ the person who mocks at sacred things;' the hh^rtinet the injidei i who turns the moat serious thmga into ridicule, and, by his wU, oAen succeeds in rendering the peraon wlio rcprovea him ridiculous. Wisdom seem? here to intimate that it is vsm to attempt by reproof to amend such: and yet we must not su^er ain upon out neighbour; at all hazards, we must deliver our otir own souL But no reproof should be giren to any, but in the spirit of loi^e and deep concern; and when they contradict and blafpheme, leave them to God.

Verse 9, GiW instruction to a wise man] Literally gwe to the mse, and he will be wise, Wiiatever you give to euch, they reap profit from it* They are like (Ji© becj they extract honey from every flower.

1 2 i> If thou be vrise^ thou ^^' shalt he wise for thyself i but if ihou accjrnest, tbou alone shalt bear it,

13 *i A foohsh woman is clamorous: she is simplei and knowelh nothing,

14 For she silteth at the door of her house, on a seat ' in the high places of the city,

15 To call passengers who go right on theii ways:

Yer^ 1 1> For by me thy days shsit 5« muitipiiei\ Vice shortens human Ufe^ by a necessity of consequence r and by the same^ righteousness lengthens it. There la a long addition here in tbe Septu€igint, Syrim, and Vulgate: '' He who trusts in &laity feeds on the winds; and Is like him who chases the fowlj of heaven. He forsakes the way of has "" own viaeyardr and errs from the paths of his own mheritAnce. He enters also into lonely and desert places^ and into a land abandoned to thirst; and hia hands coUeet thai which yieldeth no frutt.^'

Verae 19, If thou be wise] It is ihy own imanii to be reUgjous. Though thy e^tample may be reiy uaeful'to thy neighbours and friends, yet ihe cbmf benefit is to thyself But if thou scortt rcfpse 19 receive^ the doctrines of wisdom ^ and die in thy ama, thou alone shalt suflTer the vengeajice of an offended

Verse 13. A f oldish woman ia clmnGrous] Taui» empty women, are those chat make most n^e* And she that i8/«// of clamour, has generally Uule or n» sense. We have had this oharac^ter already, tee cliap. vii. 11. The translation of the SeptuagitU is very remarkable: Tvpv f^^Hjv ttat Bpaoeta^ ew6t^ ^h¥*^ yivttai, ^* A lewd and foolish woman ahall be in need of a morsel of bread."

Verse 1 4. For she sitkfh at the -dom- nf her hmse] Her conduct here marks at once her f6liy^ impudence^ and poverty. Sec above on chap, vii. d, Ac, where the reader will £nd taimilar character^

Verse 1 6. Whoso is sfmple^ let htm lum m ktth^r] PoLLv or pLEAscaa here peraon ified, use^ the very same expressions as employed by Wisdom, vei, 4^ Wisdom sayst " Let the simple turn in to me," No, says FoKy, *' Let the simple torn in to me." If he turn in to Wisdom* his fotly shall be taken away, ao^ he ahal) become w'ise; if he turn in lo Fidly^ his darkness will be thickened, and hia foli^ will re> main.

Wiedom sets up her schoot tg instruct the ignorant: Folly sets hor scliool up next door, to defeat tbe dedi^s of Wisdom.

" WheteTcr God e recta % h&use of prayer^ The devil surely huitds a chapel there. • And it is fouudt ii|h]ii e^cammation* The ^U«r 1ms tb© largtr congregatiimJ''

Db Foi. Verse. 17* Stolen waters art iweti] 1 suppose lb ia to be 1. proverbial mode of expression, importing^ that illicit pleasures are sweeter fhun those which are legal. The RieaQiag- is easy to be dLsceiaed { and the conduct of naultitudes shows that they are ruled by this ^age. On it are built all the adultereui i/ttertoursts m the land.

Versa 18. But Me knoweth not thai the d^ad are there] See on^chap. ii- 18, He does not know that it was in thk way the first apostates from God and troth walked. O^JO^i rephamt; jiytivrt^^ the oia^jts. — Septuagtni. The stms ^ men^ the earth-horn^ to

18 But he knowetU not that 4^^*^>?S£^ 'the dead are there; and that AnteLOiymp. her guests are in the depths of Ante u. c. iam helL

distinguish them from the sons of God^ those who were born from above^ See the notes on Gen. ri. 1, dltc.

If er guests are in the depths of helL] Those who have been dra^^T* out of the way of ondersiainting by froftigaey have in gcnerai lost their hvesy if not ilieir smds^ by th^r folly. The Septuagint^ S^nact and Arabtc tnalce a lomg addition to this verse: "But draw tbou baekf that thou mayesl not die in thia place; neither fix thy eyes upon her; so shak thou p^ss by those strange waters- ^ut abstain thou froni Strange waters, and drink not of ano therms fouotain, that thooroayest li^e a long time, and that years may be ^dded to thy life." Of this addition there is nothing in the Jfithrew, the ChaUee, or the Vulgate, as now printed i biH in the edUi^ princeps are the following words;— <Jui enira applicabilnr illi descendet ad mferos; nani qui abscesserit ab ea salvabilui. These words were in the copy fror^ which my old MS. Bible has been made, as the following version proves: SiJ^o forsotfi scNI lit It fojtueti to \}ht sctal Ullt IJoun Tn ts |)eU: tat tojif I)t ttiat uottj atoal fro lift, sctial be.»abcti. Three of my own MSS. have the same reading.

It UmipossiUe to gw* summaries of such chapiers m. these, where almost every verse cofHains a separate subject. C^ur common version not being able to i^hikit the contenU as usualt simjdy says, " From this chapter to the five and tweJiiieih are sundry observattons upon moral t^irlueSf and their opposite verses J* In general the wise man states in this chapter the difference between the wise and the foolish, the rightcoiis mid the wicked, the diligent and the idle. He speaks idso of lave and haired^ of the good and t^ ttiil tonguet or of the slanderer and the peace-mak^r*

T^HE proverbs of Solomon, * A wise son makcth a glad

Ante u. cJeir. father: but a foolish son is the ^^^^ heaviness of his mother.

Vefse 1. The praoerbs of Solomon] Some anelent MSS. of the Vulgate have J^roverbi&rum Hber se^ cundus, ** The second book of the Proverbs." The preeeding nine chapters can only be considered as an iniritductiont if indeed they may be said tu mmke even a part, of the proverbs of Solomon, which appear to commence only at the tenth chapter.

A wise son tnaketh a glad father] The paralTels in thb and several of the succeeding chapters are ihoae which Bishop Ijowth calls the antttAetic; when two lines correspond with each other by an oppoeiiion of term^ and sentiments; when the second is contrasted with the Urst; sometimes ia eMpressignt igmetimes ii

2 ^ Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: - " but righteousness delirereth from

seme only. Accordingly the degrees of antithesis are variolic; from an exact contraposition of word to word J through a whole sentence, down to a general disparity J with aomething of % contrariety in the tM'o propositions, as: —

Where every word has its opposite j for the terms father and mother are, as the logicians say, relatively opposite.

Dehvered from death] Treasures gained by robbery often bryig their posseaeors ^ m untimely death;

Ante I. oVmp.* the soul of the righteous to Ante u.^cir, famish:. but he casteth away ^^- • the substance of the wickei

4 ^He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack h^: but ' the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

5 He that giathereth in suminer. w a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest t^ ^ a <son ihiat causeth shame...

6 Blessings are upon the head of the ju^t: but * violence coVereth the mouth of the wicked.

7 ^ The memory of the just is blessed: but the naine of the wicked shall rot.

8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: ^ hut ™ a prating fool * shall fdl.

9 <» He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he

Verse -3. BiU he casteth away the substance of the wicked.] But instead of DU^'l reshavn, tie viieked, D*i:ip bogedim, hypocrites^ or perfidious persons, is the reading^ of twelve or fourteen of KennicotVs and Be Rossi's MSS.i ind some editions; but it is not Acknowledged by any of the ancient versions.

The righteous have God for their feeder; and hecaose ef his infinite bounty, they can never famish for want of the, bread of life. Ob the contrary, thd iiiol^ed are offten, in the course of his providence, deprived of the property of which they make a bad -use.

Verse 4. He b^cometh poor] • God has ordered, inr the course of his providence, that he who will not work shall not eat. And he always blesses the work of the industrious man. I

Verse 5. He that' gathereth in summer] All the wo^rk of the field should be donp in the\season suitable to it. If summer and hanuest be neglected^ in vftin does a man expect the fruits of aUtumn.

"^erse 6. Violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.] As blessings shall be on the head of the just^ eo the violence of the wicked shall cover their face with shame and confusion. Their own. violent de^ingS' shall be visited upon them. 3^^ vimt^ Umot^ of «n|i(toiM men tofcftninesse cobetet|f.-rO/J MS. Bible. " The forehead of the ungodly is past shame, and j)re8umptu-' ous." — Coverdale.

But the name of the wicked shall rot.] This is another mititheais; but there are only two antithetic terms, for memory and name are synonjrmous.— Zourtj^ The very name of the wicked is as offensive as putiM carrion.

Verse 8. A prating fool shall faU.] This clause is repeated in the tenth verse. The wise ^mh will re-

10,i»He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: ^ but a prating fool ' shall fall.

11' The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: btit * violence covereth the mouth of the wickedU

12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but •lore covereth all sins..

13 In the lips.of him that hath understanding wisdom i^ found: but ^ a rod is for the back of him thaft is void of ^ understanding.

H-^ Wise men lay up knowledge: but *the mouth of the foolish is neaj destruction.

Verse 9. He that walketkuprightly] The nprigfat m^ is always safe; bfS has not two ekofcaetersti^ 6up]port; he goes straight forward^ mid is never afraid oi detection^ hecause he has never been influenoed hf hypocrisy. 6t deceit.

, Verse 10. He that winketh vfith the eyei Instead of the latter clause, on which- see ver. 8, the SeptuagisU has, 6 de eXtyxuv ftem nap/nfoiac expffvoirotei' <* bat be that reproveth with freedom, mak^th peace. ** This is also the reading of the Syrian and Arabic. A fi^thft], ^peli repro^ring of sfn is more iikety to promote the peace of society than the passing it by vlight^, or taSdng no notice of it; for if the wicked torn to God at the -reproof, the. law of peace will soon be estahtisbed in his heart, and the law pf kindneite will flow /rom his tbiigue.'

' Verse 11." The mOtiM of a righteous man is a'weU of^life]: P'TI llpD mekof chaiyim, is the vein of lives r an allusion to the great: aortaj which conveys the blood from- the heart to every part.of the body. The latter clause of this verse «' is the same with that of verse 6..

Verse 12. Hatred stirreth up strifes] It seeks for occasions to provoke enmity. It delights in broib. On the contrary, love conciliates; removes aggrava^ tions; puts the best construction on every thing; and pours water, not oil, upon the flame.

Verse 13. A rodisfor the back of him] He that can learn, and will not ^^am,. should be made to learn. The rod is a most powerful instrument of knowledge. Judieiously applied, there is a lesson of profound wisdom in etery twig.

Verse 14. Wise men lay up knowledge] They keep secret every thing that has a tendency to disturb domestic or public peace; but the fooksbr man blabs all oat, and prodaoee much mischief Think moch,

15 7 The rich mao^s wealth is his strong city: the destructioo of the poor is their poverty.

16 The labour of die righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.

.17 He » in the way of life that keepetb instruction: but he that refuseth reproof * erreth.

18 He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and ^ he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.

19 ** In the muhitude o£ words there wanteth, not sin: but ^ he that refraineth his lips is wise.

20 The; tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of ihev wicked is Uttle worth.

tl^ The lipB of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want * of wisdom. ^ 22 « The blessing of the Lord, it maketh

speak little, _ and always think before yoq spelik. Thia will promote year own peace and thai of yoor neighbour.

Verse 15. The richmatUt wealth is his strong' city] Behold a mystery in provideaee; there is not a rich mon on earth bdt becomes soch l^ means of the poor! Bro^rty eomes from the labour of the jfoor,' ami.the king himself is served of the field. * How unjnst, diabolically so, is it to despise or joppress those by whose, labbor ^1 property is aeqaired! •. *

The destruction of th^ poor is their pov^ty.] A maa in abject poverty perer arises out of this pit. They faaVe no joudeus about which property may aggregate. The poet spoke well:-^

<*They rarely emetge from porerty, whose Aertions are cramped by ^ant at home.''

Terse 16, The labour of the righteous] The good man labours that he may be able to 'support life; this is luB first object: and then to hxwe something to di^ vide with the poor; this is his next object. ^ '

The fruit of the wicked to sin.\ This man liver to^ai and drink, and his property ho spends in riot and esceasi God's blessings are cursed to Imn^

Verse 11, He is in Me way of life] The truly religious man accumulates- knowiedge thii^^he may the bstter know how to li^ to God, and do most good

Verse 18. A that hideth^ This is a common case. HdW tnany, when^ull of resentment, add deadly hatnit meditating revenge and cruelty, and sometimes eren murder, have pretended that they thought nothing of the imjury they hadMus^ned; had passed by the insult, &c.! Thus lying Ups covered the malevolence of a wicked hean.

Verse 19. In the multitude vf words] It is impossible -to epesk much, andyet speak nothing hot

24 ' The fear of the wicked, ii shall come upon him: but ^ the deaire of the righteous shall be granted.

25 As the whirlwind passeth^ > so is'^e wickr ed no more: but ^ the^righteous is an everlasling foundation*

-26 As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes,' so is the sluggard to them that send him. •.,

27 ^ The fear of the Lord?* prolongeth days: but " the year9\pf the wiqked shall be shcnrtened.

Verse 20. The heart of the wicked is HtUe worth] OjroJ kimaty is like httle or nothing*; or is like dross, while tlie tongue of the jost is like ' silver.. A sinner's heart is worth nothings and is good for nothing; and yet because it is his most AfV/tferi'^Mrr/, he Tamitsof WS'honesty, goodness, &c.! Yes, yes; it is veiy honest and good, ody Uie deyil is in it! that is all.

Terse 82. The hlessvhg of the Lord, it maketh rich] WhateTor we receive in die way of proridence, has God's blessing in it, and will do us good. * Cares, troubles^ and difficulties come with all property not acquired in this way; but God's blessing gives simple enjpypi^nt, ahd leyies no tax upon'the'comfort.

Verse 2^. It is a' sport to a fpol' t& do mischief] What a millstone weight of iniqmty hangs about the necks of most of the jesterst facetious add t9t7<y people! '' How paany lies do they t^ll in jest, to go ta the/deVfl in earnest!**

Verse i24. The fear of the wicked] The wioked is fi)ll of fears and alanns; 'and alF that he has dreaded,, and more than he has dreaded.'-shall come upon him. The righteous is always desiring more of the salvation of God,andGodwiirezceed even his utmost desires.

Verse 25. A's the whirlwind ptuseth] As tornadoes that sweep* cTrery thing away liefore them; so shall the wrath of God sweep away the wicked; it shall leave him neither branch nor roiot. But the righteous, being built on the eternal foundation, xh\]f 1)0^ yesod olam, shall never be shaken.

Verse 26. As vinegar to the teeth] The add softening and dissolving the alkali of the bone, so as to impair their texture, and render them incapable of masticating; and as smoke zSeets the eyes, irritating their tender vessels, so as to give pain and prevent distinct vision; so the sluggard, the lounging, thriftless messenger, who never returns in time with the desired answer.

28 The hope of the righteous shall J)e gldidness: but the <* expectation of the wicked shall perish.

29 The way of the IiORD is strength to the upright: but? destruction.fAaZZ be to the workers of iniquity. • <

Verse 28. The expectation of the wicked shall perish,] A wicked man is alwaytf imposiag oa himself by the hope of God's mercy tJid ftnal.happisiess; and he coo^ tinaes hoping, till he dies without receiving that mercy which alone would entitle him to that glory.

Vera^ 29. Thewayofthe Lord is ftrength^ In Ae path of obedience the pipright man ev^ ^nds his strength renewed; the~ more he labours the stronger he grow;i. The same sentiment as that in Isa. Jd. -31. ^. * ^

Verse 30. The righteous shaR never Be rihioved] Because he is built on the eternal foimdation. See on ver. 35.

31 'la^e mouth of the just 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 ipeaketh ' frowardness.

This probably alludes to the punishment ot cutting ovt the tongtie for blasphemy, treasonable speeckes, pro^ fane swearing, ov such like.. de ttttifle of sc^tcWf nt^i pvcMtiL — Old MS. Bible. Were the toBgne of every shrew or scold to ' be extracted, we should soon have much less noise in the wor\d.

Verse 3d. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable] And what they believe to be OKMt pleating and most profiti^le, that they speak; but th0 wicked man knows as well what is perverse, scoi that he speaketh -forth. As the Iotb ef God isiol in his heart; so the law of kindness is not on his lips... ^ N

A parallel ^fthe'adva^tages of the figkteous and wise, eppondte th^miieries of the wieJM mul Aefeitiski,

NOTES ON CHAP. XI... Terse 1. A false balance is abomination] This refers ^0 the balance itself deceitfully coastnicti^, so that it is soon^ tozned at pne qnd than at the other. This is occai^ibned by one end of >the beam being longer than the other.

But a just weight) nober pK eben shelemah, the perfect stone, probably because weights were first made of stone; See the law, Deut. xxr. 13-35.

Verse 2. When pride cometh] The proud man thinks much more of himself than any other can do; and, expecting to be treated according to his own supposed worth, which treatment he seldom meets with, he is repeatedly mortified, ashamed, confounded, and rendered indignant.

' 6 The righteousness x>{ the per- Ante^. c. m. feet shall ^direct his way: but. ^^- the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

6 -The righteousnessof the upriglaishaQ deliver them: but * trani^gressoi's shall be taken in ^Aeir ot£;;t naughtiness, r

'With' the lowly] C3'j;uy Uenuint^ nmmiv, ihs haAnble, the modest, as opposed to the proud^ wefymi to in th» firsC' clause. The humble, man Jodks for nothing but justice; has the meanest opinieii' of hinself { expects notlHng^ in the way of commendstiar «r praise; and can never be disappointed but in leoeiviBg: praise, which he neither "expects nor desires:

Verse 4. Riches profit not in the day of wraiX] Among men they can do all things; but they eannoi purchase the remission of sins, nor tnm' aside the wrath of God- when that is inured oat upon the talent transgressor.

9 A "* hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.

10 ■ When it goeth well with the righteous, ithe city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, liiere is shouting.

.11 *» By the blessing of the upright the city* is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

12 /He that is yoid of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding hpldeth his peace. - -

iermination of his ills. But hope was not made for the wicked i and yet they are Xhe very persons that most abotnid in it ^ They hope ta.be saved, and get at last te the kingdom of God; though they have their face Awards perdition, aiid refuse to inxxL Bat their hope goes no farther than the grave. There the wicked mam^s etpectation is cut off, and his hope perishee. Bat to (he ^Oint, the penitent, and the cross* bearers in general, what a treasure is hope! What a Mm through life'!

. Verse 8. The wicked coffneth in his stead."] - (Tften God makes this distinction; in public calamities and in siiddeti accidents he rescues the righteous, and leaves the wicked; who has filled up the measure of his inhquities, to be seised by the hand of death. Justice, then, does \\M own work; for mercy hav'been rejected*

Verse 9. A hypocrite with V\9 mmiM] ^VTS-chaneph might be better translated infidel ijian Hypocrite.'^ The tatter is one that pretends to religion; that uses it for, secular purposes. The former is 6n^ 'w\io' disBelieves Divine Tevelation, and Jacoordingly is polluted, and Uvea in pollution. This is properly the fonje of the original word. Such persons deal in calumny tod lies, and often thtis destroy the character of their neighbour. Besides, they are very zealbus in propagjfting their own infldel ' notioi^s; and thus, by thft means, destroy their noighbour"5 but the experimental kno^iedge which the just have of God and his salvation prevents them from being ensnared.

Verse 10. When it goeth well] An upright, pious, sensible man is a great blessing to the neighboui^hood where he^^sides, by his example, his^ advice, and his. prayers. fThe considerate prize him on these accounts, and rejoice in his prosperity. But when the wicked perish, who has been a general curse by the contagion of his example and conversation, there is not only no regret expreased for hia decease, but a generaL joy becau^ GodL has removed him.

14 ■ Where no counsel w, tlie ^^' people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors ihere is safety.

1 6 * He that is surety for a stranger ^ shall smart for it:■ and he that hateth "" suretiship is sure.

17 *The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth.his own flesh.

18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but ^ to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.

Yerpe 13. He thai iv void of wisdom] A foolish man is generally abund&nt in his censures; he dwells on the defects of his neighbour, and is sore to bring th'em into the most' prominent viewC But a man of understanding-'-^ prudent, sensible man, hides those defects wherever he ckn, and puts the most chadt^le construction on those which lie cannot ^conceal.

Revealeth secrets] Whatever was conAded to him he is sure to publish abroad. The word' means a hawker, or travelling chapman. Such are always great newsmongers; and' will tell even their own se* eret^, niher than have nothing to say.

Verse 16. He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it] H^ shall find evil upon evit in it. See on chap. vi. 1. ••,.''

Veirse 1 6. ^1 gracious woman fetaineth honor] Instead of this clause, the Septuagint have, Twff evxaptoroc eyeipei avipiJSo^av, "A gracious woroaft riaiseth up honour to the man;** Bpovo^ Se arifuof ywri fiiaovoa diKfud, " Hut ^he that huteth righteous ihingB is a throne of dishonour." A good wife is. an honour to her husband '; and « bad wife is her liuaband^s reproach: if this be ao, hew careful should a man be whom he marries!

Verse It. The merciful man doeth good to Aw oum soul] Every gracious disposition is increased while a man is exercised in showing m'etcy. No man can show an act of disinterested mercy without benefiting his own sOul, by improving his moral feeling.

^But he that is cruel trou6lHh his dum flesh.] We seldom see a peevish, fretful, vindictive man either in good health, or good plight of body-. I have often heard it observed of such, " He frets his flesh off his bones."

Verse 18. Worketh a deceitful work] An unstable work; nothing i» durable that he does, except his crimes.

19 As righteousness tmideth to life: so fae that pursueth efil

heart are abomination to the LeRB.* but such as are upright in their way are his delight.

2 1 » Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but ^ the seed of the righteous shall be dehvered. ' -

22 As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which ^ is without discretion.

23 The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of (he wick^ « is wrath..

24 There is that ^ scat^ereth, and yet increase th: and there is that'withholdeth nwre than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. *

Ve^se 19. Righteousnks^ \^n^^ Lolife] Tr«e godliness promotes headth, and is the best means of lengthening oat life; bat wickt^I men live not out half their days. ".

Verse 21. Thoagh hand join in hani\ Let them' confederate as they please^ to support each othery justice will take care that they escape^not punMiment. The Hindoos sometimes ratify an engagement by one person laying his right hand, on the hand of another,-^. Ward.. \ ^

Verse 22. A jewel of gold in a swine* $ snQ)U\ That is, beauty in a woman destitute of ^oodbreeding apd modest carriage, is as. becoming us a geld ring o/i the. snout of a ^wine.. Coverdale translates' thus: '* A fayre woman Without discrete manors, is like ». ringe of golde in a swyne^s snoute." In Asiatic countries the nose jewel is very, oommoji: to this the text alludes.

Verse 24. There is. that scattereth^ 'Ond yet increaseth] The bouTitiful man, who gives to the poor, never turning aWay his fabe from any one in distress, the Lord blesses his property, and the br^ad is multiplied in his hand. To the same purpose the following verse.,

Verse 25. The liberal soul shall he made fat] He who gives to the diBtresased, in the true spirit of charity, shall get a hundred fold from 6od*8 mercy. How wonderful is the Lord! He gives ihe^property, gives the ^aW to use it aright, and recompenses the man for tho deed, though all the fvuit was' found from himself!

26 ^ He 'that wilhhotdeth com, Aat* O.a ik the people sihall curse him: but **" ^ blessing shall be upon the faettl 0f him dnt selleth it.

27 He that diligently seeketh good pro^uitdi favour: ^ but he that seeketh mischief^ it shal come unto him.

28 ^ He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but ^ the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

29 He that tn)ULbteth his owi^ house ■ shall inherit the wind: and the fool ^Aa// fo' servaol to the wise of heart.

30 The fruit of the righteous is si tree of Ufe; and *" he that -^ winneth souls is wise.

31^ Behold the righteous shaU be recompensed in the earth: much mc^re the wicked and the sinner^

He that watereth] ^ A ib^n who distnbotes in tht right spirit gets more good himself than the poor mu does wh9 receives the bounty. T^as ii is more biessti to give than to receive.

, Verse ^6. tie that withholdelh com] Whoiefii^ to sell iAcause he hopes for u dearth, asd then he caa make his own pricce.

The people shall Curse him] Yea, and God shal cursl him also; and if he do not return and repent, be will get God's curse, and the- curae of Ihe poor, whipk will be. a canker in his money during timos and io his ^ottl tliroughottt fitemity.

Verse S9« Sihall inherit the wind] He who dissipates his property by riotous living, thpXi be as oa«^ tisAed as he who attempt^ to feed u|m>o air.

Verse 30- The fruit of the righteous is a tree of Ufe] n^^^n yj; etr chaiyim^,** the tree of liv«s."' It iM like that tree which grew in the paradise of God; increasing' the bodily ^nd ment^ rigour of those wkot Ate of it.. _.. •

>- He that winneth souls is wise.\ Wisdom seeks te replaim the wpn^%ten; and he who i^ influenced by wisdom will do the same.; ^

Verse 3 1. Behold^ the righteous shall be recompensed in the earthy ^.] The Septuagint, SyriaCf and Arabie read this verse as follows -J " And- if the nghteoas ^arcely be saved^ wheie shall the ungodly and the sinner appear V And this. St. Peter quotes liiormiimt 1st Epist. iv. 18, where see the note.

Of the benefit of instruction^ and the cultivation of piety. The virtuous woman. The different lot of the just and unjust. The humane man. The industrious man. The fool and the- wise man,- The tmdltfritable. The excellence of the righteous. The slothful is in want. Righteousness leads to lift^ ^ 73^4 c tei. oiymp, '! ovc ill knowledge: bathe Anw u. c' cif. tliat hateth reproof is brutish*

rour of the Lord; but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.

S A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the ^ root of the righteous shall not be moved*

4 " A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she iliat maketh ashamed u ** as rottenness in bis bones*

5 The thoughts of the righteous are right:

Verae I. Wkmo toveth instruclitfrt] 1D1!D mtt^etft dlBciplioc or correction, Umes ktrnwledge; for correction is tho way to knawledge^

Bui he thai haieth reprGof is hruii^L] *1J,*1 fewr, he is a. bear; and tfxpects no more beoefit from correct Ion tUan the o^ does Ttoiii the gnad.

^'erse 2, -4 good man obiainelh fav&ur] First, il is,God who mikes bim ga&d; for every child of Adam is &ad till ibc grace of God changea his heart. Secondly, while he walks in ihe path of CibcdienDe he increases io goodness t aod caoaefjuentiy in th^fapoiit of the Lord* ^,.

Veroe 3. A man shail n&t he extaMiihed by wickediMjj] Esrjl is aJways variably; it haa no^ed principlci except the root that is in the human heart; and even that is erer aaaomijig new fonns. Nothing is permart^nl but goodnejsj; and ihat is umhangtahlt, Ji>ecau6e it cornea from Ood. The produce of goodness is permnTicHt, because it has God^a blessing in it: the J'rmi of \mckt^dnes3^ or the proper it/ pTocnied by wi^eketjness^ ia transitory ^*^<:>^ns^ it h^ta Gcid*B curiae in it* The righteous boa hia i;oo^ in God; and th^rofort he shall not be moved.,

Verse 4- *4 virtuous tj^ofttmi is a crawn to her husz ^nd] TT\ I\^tffM e^ hit h,c hay Hi ^ strong \totfmn. Our wurd virtue (virtus} is de^^'ed from vir^ a tn4n i and as muu is the noblest of Goii*a creaiores, virtue expressed} what i^ iiecoming to man; what ia no^iej courageous^ and dignified: and aa vir^ a manr cornea liom 1^, poiivcr or siretigth; so it implies what i$ strong and v}gorous m principle: and as m uncivilized iife strefiglh abd covrtsgc were considered the rery highaat, becauae fLpparentty the moat necessary, of all virtues; hence (he term itself might have become the denomiaalion of alt excellent moral qualities; and is now applied to whatever constitutes th« sjfstem of fnoraUty and moral duties: In some paria of the worlds however^ where arts and sciences have made little progreaa^ strength m one of the iirst cjual Locations of a tetJCj where the labours of the field are appointed to them. Itiis not an uncommon sight in different parts af -Africa, to aee the wives (queens) of the king^ and chiefs going otU in the morning to the plantations} wiih

6 "The words of the wicked AAie'u. c/eir. are to lie in wait for blood: ^^' ^but the mouth of the upright shall deliver

7 ^ The wtckcd are overthrown^ and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand.

8 A roan shall be commended according to his wisdom: ^ but he that is * of a perverse heart shall be despised*

9 ^ He that is despised, and hath a servant^

their mattock in their hcindi and their youngest child on Iheir back \ and when arrived at the ground^ lay the yoimg prince of princess npon Ihe earth, which when weary of lying on one aide, will roll itself on Ihe other, and ihaa continue doting the courae of the day, without uttering a single whimper, ctcept at the intervala in which its mother gives it suck; she being employed all the while in such labour a:^ -we in Europe ^neraJty assign to our horses. In these casea, the string wife is the highest acquisition; and is n crmtm to her hus' band^ tliongh he be king of Bonny or Cedabar. It Is certain that in ancient times the tromen in Judea did ^ome of the severeat work in the Jields, anch aa draW' ing water from the wells, and watering the flocks* &c, Cn this account, I think, the words may be taken litorally; and especially when we add another consideration, that a M'oman heal thy ^ and of good muscuiar powers^ h the moat likely to produce and properly rear up a healthy offspring; and children of this kind are a croujn to til eh* parenta.

Ia a* rottenness in hts Banes*] Does not this refer to a woman irregular in her mannera, who by tier incontpiertce not only makeih her husband ashamedf but contracts and communicates auch diseases as bring rottenness into th& bones? I think so. And I think ihiH was the view taken of the text by Ctmerdalet iii'ho translates thas; "A stedfast woman ia a crown e unto h^r huaabonde ^ but she thai bchaveth herself unhon€at1y ts a corrnption in hi$ hones"

Verse 7. The wicked are overt hrou^n] Seldom does God give such a long life or numerous olfapring.

But the htmse of ihB rightemis shall Stand. \ God bleasea their pro^eny^ and their families continue long iti the earth - whereaa the wicked seldom have many generations in a direct line. This ia God's mercy, thai the entail of iniquity may be 4n aomo sort cut off, ao Ihat the same vices may not be strengthened by successive genemtions. For generally the bad root produces not only a had plants hut one worse than itself.

Verac 0, He th^t is despised t and hmth a servant] I believe ihe Vulgate gives the true sense of this verse i Melior est pauper, ct sufficiens sihi; qpnm gloriosua, et indigens pane. *' Better is the poor man who pro* vidofl for himself, than the proud who is destitute of

1 1 * He that tlUeth his land shall be iatisfied with bread: but he thai followeth vain persons " is volA of understanding*

12 The wicked desireth p the net of evil men: but the root of the righleou* yieldeth fruiL

1 3 *i The ' wicked is snared by the trans* gression of his lips: ■ but the just shalj come out of trouble* brevd.^* The terBiorts in general agree in tiiis senae. Th^9 needs no comment. There are ^me ^vho^ through prtde of birih^ 4fc., would rather ttajTre, than put their hands to menial labour. Though they may be lords, how much lo he ptcferttd ia the simple peit- MutUi who eupportfi himaelf and ratnilf by the draJgery of life! -

Verse 10. ^4 rtghteoits rmmregetrdeth ike life of his Beast] One principal charaeteTistie of a holt/ m4n is rfiirc^ * croeUy is unknown to him ■ and hi» ben^o* lence exlende lo the meanest of Ihe hnite creation. Pity rales the heajrt of a ptous man; he can do Motliing that ifl crueL He considers what is best for the'eotnforti ease, healthy and life of Ihe beast that serves him; and he knowa that God himself careihfor o^en; and one of the ten oomiuatidmeuts provides a sa^tnth pari 4f lime to be allotted for ihe r€st of labouring beasii 93 well as for man. • •

I oflce in my travels me.l with The J^ebren? of Ibia clause on the sign board of a public Inri: tjraj pnv J,nr* iPDna yodea tsaddtk nephesh behemto, " A righteoo$ man cooaiderelh the life of his beast;^^ whichf being very appropriate^ reminded m« that I sbotald feed- my horse*

The feJider mercies ef the wi^Atd are PFt^if?.] '1T3*< athtari-, are vtotent^ wit haul mercy i ruthless. The wicked f influenced by 8atani can ahow no other dispo^ aition than what is in their master. If they appear at any time merciful, it is ^chak which they use lo cover purposes of cruelty. Ta accomplish its end, iniqnhy TVill assume any gaibi speak meicifuUy« e;ctol benevo- ]fsnce» sometimes even gim ia the poor! But, tjmeo BanaoSi et dona ferentes* The cry ff fire at mid' mght^ provided it be in another^'s dwelUng^ is more congenial to their souls thaa the cry of mercy. Look ftt the human fiends t *' out-heroding Herod," in horse rates, bruising matehes^ and cockfights, and in wars for the extension of territory > a ad the purposes of antbit|(in» The hell is yet undescribcd, that ia suited to such moHBters in cruelty.

Verse II. He that tilleth hrs land] Gkkd's blesdng will he in. the labour of the bonesr agriculturist.

with good by th c fruit of Ajjt mouih: " and ilie recompense of a man*s hands shall be rendered unto him.

35^ The way of the fool is riglit in hh omi eyes: but he that hcarkencUi onto coomel it wi&e.

11 r He thai speakelh tntih showelh fonfc righteousness: but a false witness deccji. 4

18 » There is that tpeakeUi like Ihe pierc- *] ings of a sword: but the tongue of line wise is health.

But he that ft^hweth vain persona] He who, whik he ehoidd be cultivating liis ground, prepaiiflg for i liiture crop, or reaping liia harvest, associstes with fmclerst amrttrs of hares j hnntets of foxes t or those engaged in any champaign amusementtt i^ ^oid of enderatatiding; and I have known several such eome it beggary.

To this verse the Septvagini add the foUowinf clause: *0r etrrtv ij^vx «* lavtjv Atatptitatfp' tr nwf imfTov Gptptifiaai HamXeiif'Si aTtftiav, ** He who it.i boon companion in bancfttets, sbidl lea^re dblioiMnir b his own -ibrlr esses,'' This bus berti enpied by tJw Vulgate and ihe Arahc, That is, The man who fre^ quents the ale-bouse enriches ik&t^ while he tmpaver^ ishes hi^ own' hahiiatiim^

Verse t3*' The wicked desired ihe net of mi wnt] They applaitd their ways, and ^re cafcfql to mirtiie them In their wiles.

Verse ]3. The \nieked is snared h^ the ironsgretsitm of hi9 r\ps\ A mkn who deals in h^» and fdu aaihs will aooner or later he found out to his own ruin. There Is another provertv as true ss this: J liar had need of a gaod memory,» for as the ir%th is t}ot in htiifi, he says and unsays ^ and oAen contrad^cU himself

A weak-minded man has no selfgm*emmeni; he is easily angered, and generally »peakjs whateFei comet first to his mindi

Verse 18. There is thai spedleth] Instead of non boteht Mahbing out, bttistering^ several M$5. hive HDU hotcaeh, TauaTiNo: and instead of /tiipiM ke^ madkeroth^ as the ptercings^ seven MSS.i with the C&mplutenMan Pobjght^ have nTO"t733 hemadktroih^ m the piercings. " There ts that trust eth m the piercioga of a sword: hut the tongue of iho wise b health.** But 1 suppose the former to be the reading*

20 Deceit h in ih© heart of ihcm thai imagine evil: but lo the counaellora of peace is joy,

21 There ahall no evil happen to the just r but ilie wicked shall be filled with mischief-

23 ** Lyin^ lips are abomination lo the Lord: but they llint deal truly are his delight*

23 * A pnidenl man concealetli knowledge; but the heart of fools proclairaeth foolish-

Verse 19. A lying tongue is bul ftrr a mt*meni-] Truth atiifids for ever; because m found fiiian is jndestractible: but ftdxekood may »t>0Q Ih; detected; and, though it giiin crc?dit for a while, tt had that credit because it was supposed to be (rttth.

Verse 2 1. There shait no evU happen to the Ju^i] No, for all ihitigs work together for good to them that love God. Whatever occurs to a righteous man God turns to his advantage. But^ on the other hatid, ihe wicied are filled with miichtef: they are hurt, grieTed, and wounded f by every occurrence; and Dothiog turns to ibeir profii.

Verae 23. A prudent, rhan amceaUth knowledge] " If a fool hold his peace he may pe^sa fpr a wise maiit'* I have kdawn men of some learning, so intent on immediately informing a company how well culiiTated their minds were^ that they have passed either for itisignificant pedants or sluptd asjtet.

Verse 34* The hand ff ihe diltgent shall learmie] And why t becimse by his own industry he t3 independent J and evety such person is respected wherever found.

Verse 25. Heaviness in the heart &/ a man makcth il stot>p] Sorrow of heart, hopeless love, or a sense of God*s disjdeasure— these proetrate the mail, and he becomes a child before them.

But a good ttord maketh it glad*\ A single good or fa TO u rah I e word will remove despondency; and that word, "Son, be of good cheer, (Fry sins are forgiven thee/' will instantly remove despair.

Verse 20. The righteous ia more exeeilenl than his neighb&url That h, if the ueighhour be a wicked man. The spirit of the proverb he& here; The pooe righteous man ia more exeellvnt than his sinfrd neighbour^ though affluent and noble. The St^Hac hiLS it, ^* The righteoua deviseth good to his neighbour." A late commentator haa translated It, *^ The righteous explore their pasturijs/' How iflif^O can be translated TBEiB pastures I know not ^ but none of the tersions nnderstood il in tliift way. The Vulgate is rather singular: Qot negtigit damnum propter amicum^ Justus £0t. *vHe nho negkcts or sustains a loss for the

24 •'The hand of the diliiieot i*^- '=^''?S21' shall bear rule: but the 'sloth- Ant^LOiymp. ful shall be under tribute- Ante u. c. cir.

man maketh it stoop: but ^ a good word maketfi it glad.

26 The righteous is more ^ excellent than liis nejghboar: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.

27 The slothful man roaateth not that which he look in hunting; but the substance of a diligent man is precious.

2B In the way of righteousness is life; and t>i the pathway thereof there is no death.

sake of his friend, is a jnst man." The Septuagait ia insufferable: *' The well-instructed righteous msn ahaJl he his own friend /^ One would bop^ these translators meant not e^lu4imi^ j ha should love hit neighbour as himself.

VerSfi 27. 7%€ slothful man roasteth not that which he took m hunting] Because he is a slothful man, he does not hunt for prey; therefore gets nonej ^nd cannot roast ^ that he may eat. There is some obscurity in the original, on which the versions cast little light. Coverdale translates the whole verse thus i "A discreatfull man echat fynde no vauntage: but he that it content with what be bath, is more worth than golde," My old MS. Bible: E^t gvlful man sctial ^°t ^f nD tBpnitDaitt I anti tt)c suhstante at n man st%al brn tfie f lis of QnXt.

By translating n^'Di retniyah the deceUfuh instead of the slothful man^ which appears to be the genuine meaning of the word< we may obtain a (y>od sense, as the Vulgate has done: " The deceitful man shall not find gain; hut the substance of a (Juai) man shall he the price of gold<" But our common version, allowiti^ PT'D") remiyah to be translated fraudulent, which is its proper meaning, gives the best sense; " The fraudulent man roaziteth not that which he took in huntingj" the justice of Goil snatching from his mouth what tie had acquired unnghitously.

But the suhstanee of a ddtgent man} One who hy honest industry acqtjires all his property — i* precious, hecaose it has the blessing of God in it.

Verse £9; In the way of righteousness is life] 0'*n ehaitfimt lives; life temporal, and life eternal-

And in the pathway thereof iKere is no death.] Nnt only do the general precepts and promises of God lend to life eternal, and promote life temporal; but every duty, every act of faith, pattence of hope^ and lahour af lovcf though requiring much selfalosemenf^ j^elf* dental t tnd of^ti an extension of corporal strength ^ all lead to life. For in ^'v^rj case, in every partiooiir, " the path of duty is the way of safety." The Jalter clause is only a repetition of the seme of the former*

VanauM moral sentences; the wise child; continence of speech; of the poor rich man and the nek poor man; ill-gotten wealth; delay of what is hoped for; the bad consequences of refusing instruction; praoidiagfor one's children; the necessity of correcting themy 4^.

the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.

3 ^ He that kecpeth his mouth kecpeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

4 ** The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath notliing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

Verse 1. A wise son heareth his father* s instruction] The child that has had a proper nurturing^ will profit by his father^s counsels; but the child that is permitted to fulfil its own will and have its own way, will jest at the reproofs of its parents.

Verse 3. He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life] How odcn have the foolish, headstrong, and wicked, forfeited their Ii?es by the treasonable or blasphemous words they have spoken! The government of the tongue is a rare but nscful talent.

But he that openeth wide his lips] He that puts no bounds to his loquacity, speaks on every subject, and gives his judgment and opinion on every matter. It has of\en been remarked that God has given us two ETES, that we may see much; two ears, that we may HEAR much; but has given us but one tongue, and that fenced in with teeth, to indicate that though we hear and see much, we should speak but little.

Verse 4. The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing] We often hear many religious people expressing a desire to hare more of the Divine life, and yet never get forward in it. Ho\v is this? The reason is, they desire, but do not stir themselves up to lay hold upon the Lord. They are always learning, but never able to como to the knowledge of the truth. They seek to enter in at the strait gate, but are not able, because they do not strive.

Verse 7. There is that maketh himself rich] That labours hard to acquire money, yet hath nothing; his excossivQ covctousness not being satisfied with what he possesses, nor permitting him to enjoy with comfort what he has acquired. The fable of the dog in the manger will illustrate this.

There is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.] "As poor," said St. Paul, " yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing all things.*' The former is the rich poor man; the latter is the poor rich man.

6 • Righteousness keepetli him ahic'lt. c.cir. thai is upright in the way: but ^^- wickedness overthrowctli ^ the sinner.

7 ' There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet Jiath great riches.

8 The ransom of a man's life are his riches: but tlie poor heareth not rebuke.

9 The light of the righteous rejoiceth: * but tlie ^ lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

As the words are here in the hithpael conjagation, which implies refiex action, or the action performed on one^s self, and often signifies feigning or pretending to be what one is not, or not to be what one is; the words may be understood of persons who/<?i^ ot pre* tend to be either richer or poorer than they really are, to accomplish some particular purpose. ^' There is that f eigne th himself to be rich, yet hath nothing; there is ih^ifeigneth himself io be poor, yet hath great riches.^ Both these characters frequently occur in life.

Verse 8. The ransom of a mans life] Those who have riches hare often much trouble with them; ai they had much trouble to get them, so they have mnch trouble to keep them. In despotic countries, a rich man is often accused of some capital crime, and to sate his life, though he may be quite innocent, is obliged to give up his riches; but the poor, in such countries, are put to no trouble.

Verse 9. The light of the righteous rejoiceth] They shall have that measure of prosperity which shall be best for them; but the wicked, howsoever prosperous for a time, shall be brought into desolation. lAghl and lamp in both cases may signify posterity. The righteous shall have a joyous posterity; but that of the wicked shall be cut off. So 1 Kings xi. 36: ^And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light (iJ ner, a lamp) always before me." XV. 4: ** Nevertheless fur David*8 sake did the Lord give them a lamp, to set up his son after him.** See also Psa. cxxxii. 17, and several other places.

Verse 10. By pride cometh contention] Perhaps there is not a quarrel among individuals in private life, nor a war among nations, that does not proceed from pride and amhilion. Neither man nor nation will be content to be less than another; and to acquire the wished-for superiority all is thrown into general confusion, both in puMic and private life. It was to destroy this spirit of pride, that Jesus was manifested in the extreme of humility and humiliation among men.

to u. c* cir. 11^ Wealtli gotten by vanity ^^- shall be diminished: but he that

1 2 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but " when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

13 Whoso » despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment ° shall be rewarded.

14 " The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from ^ the snares of death.

15 Good understanding giveth favour': but the way of transgressors is hard*

1 6 ' Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool ■ layeth open his folly.

The salvation of Christ is a deliverance from pride, and a being clothed with humility. As far as we are humble, so far we are saved.

Verse 11. Wealth gotten by vanity] Wealth that is not the resalt of honest industry and hard labour is seldom permanent. All fortunes acquired by speculation, lucky hits, and ministering to the pride or luxury of others, &c., soon become dissipated. They axe not gotten iu the way of Providence, and have not God*s blessing, and therefore are not p^rmatient.

Verse 12. Hope deferred maketh the heart sick] When once a good is discovered, want of it felt, strong desire for the possession excited, and the promise of attainment made on grounds unsuspected, so that the reality of the thing and the certainty of the promise are manifest, hope posts forward to realize the blessing. Delay in the gratification pains the mind; the increase of the delay prostrates and sickens the heart; and if delay sickens the heart, ultimate disappointment kills it. But when the thing desired, hoped for, and expected comes, it is a tree of life, O'Tl y^ ets chaiyim, ** the tree of lives;" it comforts and invigorates both body and soul. To the trCe of lives, in the midst of the gardens of paradise, how frequent are the allusions in the wTitings of Solomon, and in other parts of the Holy Scriptures! What deep, and perhaps yet unknown, mysteries were- in this tree!

Verse 13. Whoso despiseth the word] The revelation which God has in his mercy given to man — shall_ be destroyed; for there is no other way of salvation but that which it points out.

But he that feareth the commandment] That respects it so as to obey it, walking as this revelation directs — shall be rewarded; shall find it to be his highest interest, and shall be in peace or safety, as the Hebrew word 0^(7* may be translated.

Verse 1 4. The low of the wise is a fountain of life] Perhaps it would be better to translate, ** The law is

18 Poverty and shame sAaZ/ be Ante u. c. cir. to him that rcfuseth instruction: ^^' but ^he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured^

19 "^ The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.

20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools ' shall be destroyed.

il ^ l!vil pursueth sinners i but to the righteous good shall be repayed.

23 A good man leaVeth an inheritance to his children's children: and ' the Wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

to the wise man a fountain of life.*' It is the same tohim as the *' vein of lives," 0*^n *ilpO mekor chaiyim^ the great aorta which transmits the blood from the heart to every part of the body. There seems to bo here an allusion to the garden of paradise, to the ^f^tt of hives, to the tempter, to the baleful issue of tint temptation^ and to the death entailed on man by \im unwisely breaking the law of his Grod.

Verse 1 6. The way of transgressors is hard,] "Sem was a truer saying; most sinners have more pain and difficulty to get their souls damned, than the righteous have, with all their cross-bearings, to get to the kingdom of heaven. ■

Verse 17. A wicked messenger] The Septuagint: BaoiXevc Bpaaevq, a bold king; instead of "JK^rD malach, a messenger, they had read ']h:2 melech, a king: bat they are singular in this rendering; none of the other versions have it so. He that betrays the counsels of his government, or the interests of his country, will sooner or later fall into mischief; but he that faithfully and loyally fulfils his mission, shall produce honour and safety to the commonwealth.

Verse 20. He that walketh with wise men shall be wise] To walk with a person implies love and attach" ment; and it is impossible not to imitate those we love. So we say, " Show me his company, and I'll tell yoa the man." Let me know the company he keeps, and I shall easily guess his moral character.

Verse 3d. A good man leaveth an in?ieritance] He files many a prayer in heaven in their behalf, and his good example and advices are remembered and quoted from generation to generation. Besides, whatever property he leA was honestly acquired, and well-gotten goods are permanent. The general experience of men shows this to be a common case; and that property ill-gotten seldom reaches to the third generation. This even the heathens observed. Hence:

23 ^ Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is thai is destroyed for want of judg-

24 ^ He that sparcth his rod hateth his son:

<*The third generation shall not possess the goods that have been unjustly acquired."

Verso 23. That is destroyed for want of judgment,] O, how much of the poverty of the poor arises from their own want of management! They hare little or no economy, and no foresight. When they get any thing, they speedily spend it; and a feast and a famine make the chief varieties of their life.

Verse 24. He that spareth his rod hateth his son] That is, if he luited hun, he could not do him a greater disservice than not to correct him when his obstinacy or disobedience requires it. We hare met with this Bubjeot already, and it is a favourite with Solomon. See the places referred to in the margin.

25 •The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but _. the belly of the wicked shall want.

The Rot. Mr. Holden makes some sensible observations on this passage: ** By the neglect of early correction the desiires (passions) obtain ascendancy; the temper becemes irascible, peevish, querulous. Pride is nourished, humility destroyed, and by the habit of indulgence the mind is incapacitated to bear with firmness and equanimity the cares and sorrows, the checks and disappointments, vrhich flesh is heir to.^^

Verse 26. To the satisfying qf his soul] His desires are all moderate; he is contented with his circumstances,' and is pleased with the lot which God is pleased to send. The wicked, though he use all shifts and expedients to acquire earthly good, not sticking eren at rapine and wrong, is frequently in real want, and always dissatisfied with his portion. A contented mind is a continual feast. At such feaaCs he eats not.

■g VERY * wise woman ^ buildeth her house: but the foolish pluckcth it down with her hands.

2 He tliatwalketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord: "^ but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.

3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of

Verse 1. Every wise woman buildeth her house] By her prudent and indnstxious management she increases property in the family,/Mmi/wrc in the house, and fdod and raiment for her household. This is the true building of a house. The thriftless wife acts difierently, and the opposite is the result. Household /timt/tir0, fiir from being increased, is dilapidated; and her household are ill-fed, ill-clothed, and worse educated.

Verse 3. The mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride] The reproofs of such a penson are ill-judged and ill^ timed, and generally- are conveyed in such language as renders them not only ineffectual, but displeasing, and eyen irritating.

Verse 4. But much increase is by the strength of the ox.] The ox is the most profitable of all the beasts used in husbandry. Except merely for speed, he is almost in every respect superior to the horse. 1. He is longer Uved. 9. Scarcely liable to any diseases. 3. H% is steady, and always puUs fair in his g«Aa.

4 Where no oxen are the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength -of the ox.

5 • A faithful witness will not lie witness, will utter lies:

4. He lives, fattens, and maintains his strength on what a horse will not eat, and therefore is supported on one third of the cost. 5. His manure is more profitable. And, 6. When he is worn out in his labour, his flesh is good for the nourishment of man, his Aoms of great utility, and his hide almost invaluable. It might be added, he is little or rio expense in shoeing, and his ^ears are much more simple, and much less expensive, than those of the horse. In all large farms oxen are greatly to be preferred to horses. Have but patience with this most patient animal, and yon will soon find that there is much increase by the strength and labour of the ox.

Verse 6. A scorner seeketh wisdom] I believe the scomer means, in this book, the man that despises the counsel of God; the infidel. ' Such may seek wisdom; but he never can find it, because he does not seek it where it is to be found;~ neither in the teaching of God's t^ritf nor in the revelation of his

8 The wisdom of thc prudent is to understand his way: but Uie folly of fools t^ deceit.

9 ' Fools make a mock at sin; but among Uic righteous there is favour.

10 The heart knowelh ^'his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.

Verse 7. When thou perceivest not — the lips of knowledg^e.] Instead of n>n daath^ knowledge^ several MSS. have "^pZ^ sheker, a lie. How this reading came I cannot conjecture. The meaning of the adage is plain: Never associate with a vain, empty fellow, when thou [vcrceivest he can neither convey nor receive instruction.

Averse 8. Is to understand his way] Instead of psn hahin, to understand, |'3n hachin, to direct his way, is found in one MS. It makes a very good sense.

Verse 9. Fools make a mock at sin\ And only fools would do so. But he that makes a sport of sinning, will find it no sport to suiTer the vengeance of an eternal fire. Some learned men by their criticisms have brought this v^rse into embarrassments, out of which they were not able to extricate it. I believe we shall not come much nearer the sense than our present version does.

Verse 10. The heart knowelh his own bitterness] waj ryy3 morrath naphshoy " The bitterness of its soul.^* Under spiritual sorrow, the heart feels, the soul feels; all the animal nature feels and suffers. But when the peace of God is spoken to the troubled, soul, the joy is indescribable; the whole man partakes of it. And a stranger to these religious feelings, to the travail of the soul, and to the witness of the Spirit, does not intermeddle with them; he does not understand them: indeed they may be even foolishness to him, because they are spiritually discerned.

Verse 12. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man] This may be his easily besetting sin, the sin of his constitution, the sin of his trade. Or it may be his own false views of religion: he may have an tmperfect repentance, z, false faith, a very false creed; and he may persuade himself that he is in the direct way to heaven. Many of the papists, when they were burning the saints of God in the flames at Smithfield, thought they were doing God service! And in the late Irish massacre, the more of the Protestants they piked to death, shot, or burnt, the more they believed they deserved of God^s favour and their Churches gratitude. But cruelty and mnrder are the short road, the near way,\o eternal perdition.

Verse 13. Even in laughter the heart is sorr&wful] Many a time is a smile forced npon the /ace, when

1 3 Even in laughter thc heart is sorrowful; and " tlie end of that mirth is heaviness.

14 The backslider in heart shall be "filled with his own ways; and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

15 The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.

the heart is in deep distress. And it is a hard task to put OD the face of mirth, when a man has a heavy heart.

Verde 1 4. The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways] 1. Who is the backslider? }}D sug. 1. The man who once walked in the ways of religion, but has withdrawn from them. 2. The man who once fought manfully against the world, thc devil, and the flesh; but has retreated from the battle, or joined the enemy. 3. The man who once belonged to the congregation of the saints, but is now removed from them, and is set down in the synaj;ogiie of Satan.

2. But who is the backslider in heart? 1. Not he who was surprised and overcome by thc power of temptation, and the weakness of his own heart. 2. But he who drinks down iniquity with greediness. 3. Who gives cheerful way to the bent of his own nature, and now dehghts in fulfilling the lusts of the flesh and of the mind. 4. Who loves sin as before he loved godhness.

3. What are Aur own ways? Folly, sin, disappointment, and death; with the apprehension of the Wrath of God, and the sharp twingings of a guilty conscience.

4. What is implied in being filled with his own ways f Having his soul saturated with folly, sin, and disappointment. At last ending here beldw in death, and then commencing an eternal existence where the fire is not quenched, and linder the influence of that worm that never dieth. Alas, alas! who may abide when God doeth this t

And a good man shall be satisfied from himself] 1. Who is the good man t (31D tC^'« ish tob.) 1. The roan whose heart is right with God, whose tongue corresponds to his heart, and whose actions correspond to both. 2. The man who is every thing that the sinner and backslider are not.

2. He shall be satisfied from himself — ^he shall have the testimony of his own conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, he has his conversation among men.

3. He shall have God^s Spirit to testify with his spirit that he is a child of God. He hath the witness

foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.

1 8 The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned witli knowledge,

19 The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous,

20 ^ The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but "i the rich hath niany friends.

2 1 He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: ' but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy w be.

God in his conscience, and the testimony of Qod in bis Bible, show him that he belongs to the heavenly family. It is not from creeds or confessions of faith that he derives his satisfaction: he gets it from heaven, and it is sealed upon his heart.

Verse J 6. A wise man feareth] He can never trust in himself, though he be satisfied from himself He knows that his sufficiency is of God; and he has that fear that causes him to depart from evil, which is a guardian to the iove he feels. Love renders him cautious; the other makes him confident. His caution leads him from lin; his confidence leads him to Qod,

Verse 17. He that is soon angry] O'Sm "lyp ket- SOT appayim, ** short of nostrils:'* because, when a man is angry, his nose is contracted, and drawn up towards his eyes,

Dealeth foolishly] He has no time for reflection; he is hurried on by his passions, speaks like a/oo/, and acts like a madman.

Verse 10. The evil how before the good] Tiiey are dmost constrained to show them respect; and the wicked, who have wasted their substance with riotous Hving, how before the gates of the righteous — of benevolent men— -begging a morsel of bread.

Verse 90. But the rich hath many friends,] Blany who speak to him the language ot friendship; but if they ptofesB friendship because he is rich, there is not one real friend among them. There is a fine saying of Cicero on this subject: Ut hirundines festive tempore prttsto sunt, frigore pulse recedunt: ita falsi funici sereno tempore praesto sunt: simul atque fortune hiemem viderint, evolant omnes.—- Lib. iv., ad Herenn. '' They are like swallows, who fly off during the winter, and quit our cold climates; and do not return till the warm season: but as soon as the winter •eta in, they are all off again.'' So Horace: —

Donee eris felix, multos numerabis amicos: Nullus ad amissas ibit amicus opes.

<* As long as thou art prosperous, thou shalt have many friends: but who of them will regard thee when ^lou hiMt loff^ thy wealth V

23 In all labour there is profit: Ant« u. c. dr. but the talk of the lips tendeth ^^- only to penury.

24 The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly.

25 ' A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.

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 a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

28 In the multitude of people is the kiug s

Verse 21. He that despiseth his neighbour sinnetk] To despise a man because he has some natural Uemidi is unjust^ cruel, and wicked. He is not the author of his own imperfections.; they did not occur through his fault or folly; and if he could, he would not retain them. It is, therefore, im/uj/ and wicked to him for what is not his /an//, but his misfortune.

But he that hath mercy on the poor] Wlio raproaches no roan for hjj^ poverty or scanty intellect, but divides his bread with the hungry — happy is he; the blessing of God, and of them that were ready to perish* shall come upon him. -