Explanatory Notes upon the Old and New Testaments

The title of the book, shewing the general design of it, ver. 1-6. The first principle of it recommended, ver. 7-9. A caution against bad company, ver. 10-19. Wisdom's reasonings with the sons of men, and the certain ruin of those who will not hearken unto them, ver. 20-33.

2. To know - Written to help men to know throughly and practically. Both human wisdom to conduct our affairs in this life, and Divine wisdom. Instruction - The instructions delivered either by God, or men, in order to the attainment of wisdom. To perceive - Which teach a man true understanding.

3. To receive - Willing to receive the counsels of others. Such as makes men wise and prudent, and to teach just judgments or equity.

4. Simple - Such as want wisdom. Young man - Who wants both experience and self-government.

5. Will hear - Is willing to learn. Attain to - The art of governing himself or others.

7. The fear - Reverence and obedience to God. Beginning - The foundation without which all other knowledge is vain. Fools - That is, wicked men, are so far from attaining true wisdom, that they despise it, and all the means of getting it.

8. My son - He speaks to his scholars with paternal authority and affection. Of thy mother - Those pious instructions, which thy mother instilled into thee in thy tender years.

17. In vain - The fowler who spreads, his net in the sight of the bird looseth his labour. But these, are more foolish than the silly birds, and though they are not ignorant of the mischief which these evil courses will bring upon themselves, yet they will not take warning.

18. Their own blood - The destruction which they design to others, fall upon themselves.

19. Greedy - That seeks gain by wicked practices.

20. Wisdom - Having expressed the counsels of wicked men, he now declares the voice of wisdom. By wisdom he understands the wisdom of God revealed to men in his word. And this is said to cry with a loud voice, to intimate God's earnestness in inviting sinners to repentance. Abroad - Or, in the streets or open places. Not in corners, but openly before all the world.

21. Gates - Where magistrates sit in judgment, and people are assembled. The city - Not only in the gate, but in every part of the city.

22. Scoffers - That scoff at religion and contemn the word and faithful ministers of God.

23. My words - By my spirit I will cause you to understand my word.

24. Called - By my ministers, by my judgments, and by the motions of my spirit and your own conscience.

26. Your fear - The misery you do or should fear.

28. Early - With diligence and fervency.

29. Knowledge - The practical knowledge of God and of their duty.

31. Eat - They should receive punishment answerable to their sins. Filled - With the fruits of them.

32. Turning - From God. Destroy - Shall prove the occasion of their ruin, by making them presumptuous, and secure.

Solomon shews, that they who diligently seek wisdom shall find it, ver. 1-9. He shews the advantage of it, that it would preserve them from evil men, ver. 10-15. And evil women, ver. 16-19. And would lead them into, and keep them in the way of good men, ver. 20-22.

1. Hide - Lay them up in thy heart with care, as men do their choicest treasures.

3. Criest - To God, the only giver of it.

4. Seek her - With unwearied diligence and earnest desire and patient expectation.

8. Path of judgment - Righteous paths, judgment being here put for righteousness. And keeping of paths may be put for keeping them in their paths.

9. Then - When God in answer to thy desires hath given thee wisdom. Equity - All the parts of thy duty to man, as well as the fear of God.

10. When - Thou dost truly love wisdom.

13. Darkness - Of sin.

15. Crooked - Who swerve from the straight way of God's law, and have windings and turnings, to escape conviction.

16. Strange woman - From the adulteress or whore.

17. Forsaketh - Her husband whom she took to be her guide and governor, in her youth. The covenant - The marriage covenant: so called because God is the author of that mutual obligation: and because God is called to be the witness and judge of that solemn promise and covenant.

18. For - Conversation with her (which was most usual in her own house) is the certain way to death, which it brings many ways, and undoubtedly, without repentance, to God's wrath and the second death.

20. That - This depends upon ver. 11, and is mentioned as another happy fruit of wisdom.

An exhortation to be steadily religious, ver. 1-4. To trust God, ver. 5, 6. To fear him, ver. 7, 8. To honour him with our substance, ver. 9, 10. To bear affliction well, ver. 11-12. The praise of wisdom, ver. 13-20. The good effects of adhering to it, ver. 21-26. Caution, against uncharitableness, strife, envy; if we would avoid a curse and inherit a blessing, ver. 27-35.

1. My law - The law of God, which might be called his law, as the gospel is called Paul's gospel, 2Tim ii, 8, because delivered by him.

3. Mercy - Mercy denotes all benignity, charity, and readiness to do good to others: truth or faithfulness respects all those duties which we owe to God or man, which we have special obligation from the rules of justice. Bind them - Like a chain, wherewith persons adorn their necks. Table - In thy mind and heart, in which all God's commands are to be received and engraven.

4. Understanding - Whereby to know thy duty, and to discern between good and evil. Of God - Grace or favour with God, and that understanding which is good in God's sight.

5. Trust - Wholly rely upon God's promises and providences. Lean not - Under this one kind of carnal confidence, he understands all other confidence in bodily strength, wealth, or friends.

8. Navel - To thy body, which is signified by one part of it. Marrow - Which is the nourishment and strength of the bones.

9. Substance - Lay out thy estate not to please thyself, but to glorify God. First-fruits - Or, with the chief or best; which answers to the first-fruits under the law.

10. So - This is not the way to diminish thy estate, but rather to increase it.

11. Despise not - Either by making light of it, or not being duly affected with it; or by accounting it an unnecessary thing: but rather esteem it a privilege and favour from God. Weary - Neither think it tedious or hard, but endure it with patience and chearfulness.

13. Findeth - Which supposes his diligent searching for it.

17. Peace - Procure a blessed tranquility in a man's mind and conscience.

18. A tree - A pledge of everlasting life. He alludes to the tree of life, and intimates, that this is the only restorer of that life which we have lost by sin.

19. Wisdom - Either by Christ, or by that Divine perfection of wisdom, which is the fountain of wisdom in man.

20. The depths - That great abyss contained in the bowels of the earth, breaks forth into fountains and rivers.

21. Eyes - The eyes of thy mind. Constantly and seriously meditate upon them.

22. Grace - Like a beautiful chain or ornament.

25. Be not - Thou shalt not be afraid. Sudden - For sudden and unexpected evils are most frightful. And fear is here put for the evils feared. Desolation - Which cometh upon the wicked.

26. Shall be - A sure ground of confidence to thee. Taken - In the snares either of sin or mischief.

27. With-hold not - Do not deny it, but readily and chearfuly impart it. Good - Any thing which is good, either counsel, comfort, reproof, or the good things of the present life. Due - That is, to all men, by that great and sovereign law of love.

28. Say not - The former verse forbad the denial, and this forbids the delay of this duty.

29. Securely - Relying upon thine integrity.

31. Envy not - For his impunity and success.

32. Abomination - Therefore sooner or later he must be miserable. The righteous - They are God's friends, to whom he imparts the favours and comforts to which other men are strangers.

33. The house - Not only upon his own person, but also upon his posterity.

35. Shame - Instead of that glory which they seek.

An exhortation to the study of wisdom, is forced by various arguments, ver. 1-13. A caution against bad company, ver. 14-19. Directions for the attaining and keeping of wisdom, ver. 20-27.

1. A father - Of me, who have paternal authority over you and affection for you.

3. Tender - Young and tender in years, and tenderly educated. Only beloved - Beloved above all the rest.

4. Said - The following verses, at least as far as the tenth verse, are the words of David.

7. With all - Even with the price of all.

8. Exalt - Let her have thine highest esteem and affection.

9. Grace - A beautiful ornament, such as they used to put upon their heads.

16. For - They cannot sleep with quietness.

17. For - Wickedness is as pleasant to them as their bread.

18. But - Just men daily grow in knowledge, and grace, and consolation, 'till all be perfected and swallowed up in glory.

19. Darkness - Full of ignorance and error, of uncertainty and confusion, of danger and misery.

23. Heart - Thy thoughts, will, and affections. For - From thence proceed all the actions, as of the natural, so of the spiritual life, which lead to eternal life.

24. Mouth - All sorts of sinful words.

25. Right on - Direct all thine actions to a right end, and keep thy mind fixed upon that way which leads to it, and neither look or turn aside to the right-hand or the left.

26. Ponder - Consider thine actions before thou dost them, and see that they agree with the rule. And - Let thine actions be uniformly and constantly good in spite of all temptations.

A farther exhortation to wisdom, ver. 1, 2. A caution against whoredom, ver. 3-14. Remedies against it, ver. 15-23.

3. The lips - It concerns thee to get and to use discretion, that thou mayest be able to resist those temptations to which thou art exposed.

4. But - The effect of that to which she entices men, is destruction.

5. Feet - Her manner of life.

6. Lest - To prevent thy serious consideration. Moveable - She transforms herself into several shapes, and has a thousand arts to ensnare. Know - Thou canst not discover all her practice.

9. honour - Thy dignity and reputation, the strength of thy body and mind. Years - The flower of thine age. The cruel - To the harlot, who though she pretends love, yet in truth is one of the most cruel creatures in the world, wasting thy estate and body without pity, and damming thy soul forever. 10. Strangers - Not only the strange women themselves, but others who are in league with them. labours - Wealth gotten by thy labours.

14. A moment - In how little a time am I now come into remediless misery! Assembly - And that in the congregation of Israel, where I was taught better things.

15. Drink - Content thyself with those delights which God alloweth thee in the sober use of the marriage-bed.

16. Fountains - Thy children proceeding from thy wife and from thyself. Fountains are here put for rivers flowing from them. Dispersed - They shall in due time appear abroad to thy comfort, and for the good of others.

18. Fountain - Thy wife. Blessed - With children; for barrenness was esteemed a curse among the Israelites.

19. Satisfy thee - At all convenient times: for that there may be excess in the marriage-bed is manifest. Ravished - Love her fervently. It is an hyperbolical expression.

22. Holden - He is in perfect bondage to his lusts, and is neither able nor wiling to set himself at liberty.

23. Die - He shall die in his sins. Astray-From the way of life, and from eternal salvation.

A caution against suretyship, ver. 1-5. Against slothfulness, ver. 6-11. The practice and end of a mischievous man, ver. 12-15. Account of seven things which God hates, ver. 16-19. An exhortation to keep the commandments, ver. 20-23. Farther warnings against whoredom, ver. 24-35.

1. Surety - Rashly, without considering how thou shalt discharge the debt as occasion require. Otherwise suretyship in some cases may be not only lawful, but an act of justice and charity. Stricken thy hand - Obliged thyself by giving thine hand, as the custom then was in such cases. With - With the creditor, whom he calls a stranger, because the usurers in Israel, who lent money to others, upon condition of paying use for it, were either Heathens, or were reputed as bad as Heathens, because this practice was forbidden by God's law, Deut. xxiii, 19.

3. Hand - Into the power. Friend - Of the debtor, for whom, as being thy friend, thou didst become surety; whereby thou art in his power, by his neglect or unfaithfulness, to expose thee to the payment of the debt. Make sure - Or, and prevail with thy friend, strive to win him by thine incessant and earnest solicitations.

4. Give not sleep - Until thou hast taken care for the discharge of this obligation.

6. Go - This is a distinct precept; and it is for the most part as needless to seek, as hard to find, coherence in the Proverbs.

11. Travelleth - Swiftly and unexpectedly. Armed man - Irresistibly.

16. Hate - Above many other sins which have a worse name in the world.

18. Deviseth - He whose practice it is to contrive wickedness. Swift - Such as greedily execute their wicked designs.

20. The law - The word of God, which thy parents delivered to thee.

21. Bind them - Constantly remember, and duly consider them.

22. It - The law of God which thy parents have taught thee. Talk - It shall give thee counsel and comfort.

25. Eye-lids - With her wanton glances,

30. Despise - Abhor, but rather pity him.

31. Restore - He speaks not of that restitution which the law required, but of that which either the wronged person might force the thief to make, or which the thief would willingly give rather than be exposed to public shame.

34. Rage - It enflames a man with rage. In the day - When he hath an opportunity to avenge himself.

An exhortation to cleave to wisdom, as a preservative from strange women, ver. 1-5. The snares they lay for unwary young men, ver. 6-23. A serious caution against coming near them, ver. 24-37.

2. Live - Thou shalt live. Eye - With all possible care and diligence.

3. Bind them - As a ring which is continually in a man's eye.

4. And call - Acquaint and delight thyself with her.

8. Passing - Idle and careless, near the corner of the street in which her house stood.

12. Without - Without the door of her house. Corner - Of the streets, where she might either conceal or discover herself, as she saw fit.

14. Offerings - I have paid my peace-offerings which I had vowed. Whereby she signifies, that she had plentiful provisions at her house for his entertainment. For the peace-offerings were to be of the best flesh, Lev. xxii, 21, and a considerable part of these offerings fell to the offerer's share.

20. Hath taken - Which is an evidence that he designs to stay a considerable time. At the day - So that we need not fear any surprise.

22. As an ox - Going to it securely, as if it were going to a good pasture.

23. His liver - His vital parts, 'till his life be lost.

A recommendation of Divine wisdom, ver. 1-21. The praise of the Son of God, the eternal Wisdom of the Father, ver. 22-31. An exhortation to hearken to him, ver. 32-36.

1. Wisdom - It is a great question what this wisdom is. Some understand it of the Divine wisdom; others of the second person in the Godhead: and it cannot be denied that some passages best agree to the former, and others to the latter opinion. Possibly both may be joined together, and the chapter may be understood of Christ considered partly in his personal capacity, and partly in regard of his office, which was to impart the mind and will of God to mankind.

2. High place - Where she may be best seen and heard. Paths - Where many paths meet, where there is a great concourse, and where travelers may need direction.

3. Gates - The places of judgment, and of the confluence of people. The entry - To invite passengers at their first coming and to conduct them to her house. The doors - Of her house.

4. O men - To all men without exception.

5. Ye simple - Who want knowledge, and experience. Fools - Wilful sinners.

9. To him - Whose mind God hath enlightened. To them - That are truly wise.

10. And not silver - Rather than silver.

12. I dwell - My inseparable companion is prudence to govern all my actions, and to direct the actions of others. Find out - I help men to find out. Inventions - Of all ingenious contrivances for the glory of God, and for the good of men.

14. Wisdom - All solid and substantial and useful wisdom is assential to me.

15. By me - They rule their kingdoms wisely and justly, by my counsel and assistance. Their injustice is from themselves, but all the good they do, they owe to my conduct.

17. I love - I do not despise their love, but kindly accept it and recompence it with my love and favour. Early - With sincere affection and diligence, which he mentions as the evidence of their love.

21. Substance - Substantial happiness: opposed to all worldly enjoyments, which are but mere shadows.

22. Possessed me - As his son by eternal generation, before the beginning. Of old - His works of creation.

23. Set up - Hebrew. anointed, constituted to be the person by whom the Father resolved to do all his works, to create, to uphold and govern and judge, to redeem and save the world. From the beginning - Before which, there was nothing but a vast eternity. The earth - Which together with the heaven, was the first of God's visible works.

24. No depths - No abyss or deep waters. Brought forth - Begotten of my father.

26. The earth - The dry land called earth after it was separated from the waters Gen. i, 10. Fields - The plain and open parts of the earth distinguished from the mountains. Dust - Of this lower part of the world which consists of dust.

27. I was there - As co-worker with my Father. Depth - Of that great abyss of water and earth mixed together, which is called both earth and water and the deep, Gen. i, 2, when he made this lower world in the form of a globe.

28. Strengthened - When he shut up the fountains in the cavities of the earth, and kept them there as it were by a strong band. The deep - Which have their original from the deep, either from the sea, or from the abyss of waters in the bowels of the earth.

31. My delights were - To uphold them by my power and providence, to reveal myself and my Father's will to them from age to age, to assume their nature, and to redeem and save them.

34. Waiting - As servants or clients, wait at the doors of princes or persons of eminency.

Christ, under the name of wisdom invites us to his entertainment, ver. 1-6. Foretells the different successes of his invitation, ver. 7-9. Shews the fruit of fearing God, ver. 10-12. Sin, in the person of a foolish woman invites us to her entertainment, ver. 13-17. Which ends in destruction, ver. 18

1. Her house - For the reception of her guests. Seven - Many pillars; whereby is intimated the beauty and stability of the church. Pillars - Prophets, and apostles, and ministers.

2. Killed - Made provision for the guests. Mingled - With water, as they used to do in those hot countries. Furnished - With all necessaries, and now waits for the guests.

3. Maidens - Her servants to invite the guests, ministers of the word whom he calls maidens for the decency of the parable; for wisdom being compared to a great princess, was fit to be attended upon by maidens. Highest places - From such high seats as those from which Judges delivered their sentences, and officers made proclamations.

4. Simple - Ignorant, and weak.

7. A former - He shews whom he meant by the foolish, ver. 6, even scorners and wicked men, and presses his last advice of forsaking them because there was no good, but hurt to be got from them.

8. A scorner - An obstinate and incorrigible sinner.

12. For thyself - Thou dost not profit me but thyself.

14. At the door - Watching for occasions of sin.

15. Go right - Who are going innocently about their business.

16. Simple - This title is not given them by her, but by Solomon.

17. Sweet - From the difficulty of obtaining them; and because the very prohibition renders them more grateful to corrupt nature.

Here the Proverbs, properly so called, begin. They are short, but weighty sentences, most of which are two sentences in one verse, illustrating each other. But it is seldom there is any coherence between the verses, much less any thread of discourse.

2. Of wickedness - Such as are got by any sort of wicked practices. Death - Often from temporal, and always from eternal death.

5. Gathereth - The fruits of his field. In summer - In harvest. He that improved the opportunities of doing good to himself and others.

6. Violence - Their own violence or injustice. This may be an allusion to the ancient custom of covering the mouths and faces of condemned malefactors.

8. Who receive - Is ready to hear and obey the precepts of God and men. Fall - Into mischief.

9. Surely - Or, securely, or confidently, as the word properly signifies; quietly resting upon God's favour and gracious providence for his protections. Known - His wickedness shall be publickly discovered.

10. Winketh - That secretly designs mischief against others, as this phrase is used, Psalm xxxv, 19.

13. Wisdom - This wisdom shews itself in his speech. A rod - Rebukes from God and men.

14. Lay up - In their minds, to be brought forth upon fit occasions. Knowledge - Whereby they may be enabled to speak both what, and when it is seasonable. But - Fools are more forward to lay out than to lay up, and for want of knowledge speak much and foolishly, whereby they frequently bring destruction upon themselves.

15. Wealth - It often redeems him from dangers and calamities. Poverty - Is the cause of their ruin.

16. The labour - The fruit of his labour, to the preservation of this life, and obtaining eternal life. Fruit - The fruit of all their labour tends to sin, and serves only for fuel to mens pride and luxury.

18. Lying lips - With flattering words. He here condemns two opposite vices, secret hatred, and manifest slander.

20. Is - Of great worth and use. Heart - And consequently the tongue.

21. Feed - By their wise discourses and counsels. Die - They have not wisdom to preserve themselves, much less to feed others.

26. So - Unserviceable and vexatious.

28. Gladness - Shall be accomplished, and turned into enjoyment.

29. The way - The way of God's precepts. Strength - Gives strength, support, and protection.

30. Never be removed - They shall live happily here, and eternally in heaven. The earth - They shall not have so much as a quiet abode upon earth; much less shall they have any possession in heaven.

32. The lips - Knowledge is here ascribed to the lips, as it is to the hands, Psalm lxxviii, 72, because they are conducted by knowledge and wisdom. Acceptable - What is truly worthy of acceptation.

1. A false balance - The use of all false weights and measures in commerce.

8. Cometh - Into trouble.

9. Delivered - From the infection of the hypocrite's evil counsel.

11. The blessing - Wherewith they bless the city, by their sincere prayers, and wise and wholesome counsels. The mouth - By their curses, and oaths, and blasphemies, and wicked counsels.

12. Despiseth - Which he shews by contemptuous or reproachful expressions. Holdeth peace - Forbears all such expressions, and silently and patiently bears those reproaches.

13. Secrets - Such things as were committed to his trust with a charge of secrecy.

16. Gracious woman - A woman endued with the grace of God. Retaineth - Or, holdeth fast her honour, or reputation.

18. Worketh - A work which will deceive his expectation. Soweth - That worketh it with constancy, and diligence.

21. Though hand join - Though they are fortified against God's judgments by a numerous issue and kindred, and friends, and by mutual and strong combinations. The seed - Not only their persons, but their children.

22. So is a fair woman without discretion - "Of beauty vain, of virtue void, What art thou in the sight of God? A slave to every base desire, A creature wallowing in the mire. Go, gaudy pageant of a day, Thy folly, with thy face display: Set all thy charms and graces out, And shew - the Jewel in thy snout!"

23. The desire - The desires and expectations of the righteous shall end in their happiness, but the desires and expectations of the wicked men shall be disappointed, and end in the wrath of God.

24. Scattereth - That gives liberally. Increaseth - Through God's blessing upon his estate. Poverty - By God's providence secretly blasting his estate.

25. Fat - Shall be enriched both with temporal and spiritual blessings.

26. With-holdeth corn - In a time of scarcity. Selleth - Upon reasonable terms.

27. Seeketh - To do good to all men. favour - With God and men.

29. Troubleth - He who brings trouble upon himself and children, either by prodigality, or by restless endeavours to heap up riches. Wind - Shall be as unable to keep what he gets as a man is to hold the wind in his hand.

30. The fruit - His discourses and his whole conversation, is like the fruit of the tree of life. Winneth - That gains souls to God.

31. Recompensed - Punished for his sins.

6. Lie in wait - Are designed to entrap others, and to destroy them. Deliver them - From those that lie in wait for them.

7. Are not - Both they and their families suddenly perish.

9. Despised - That lives in a mean condition. honoureth - That glories in his high birth or gay attire.

10. Regardeth - He will not destroy it either by labour beyond its strength, or by denying it necessary food or rest. Cruel - There is cruelty mixed even with their most merciful actions.

11. Tilleth - That employs his time in an honest calling. Vain persons - In an idle course of living.

12. Desireth - He approves those arts, which wicked men use like nets to ensnare other men. The root - That piety, which is the root of his actions, yields him sufficient fruit both for his own need, and to do good to others.

14. Mouth - By his pious and profitable discourses. Hands - Of his actions.

15. Hearkeneth - That distrusts his own judgments, and seeks counsel from others.

16. Covereth - The shame, or injury done to him, which he conceals and bears with patience.

17. Deceit - He who uses himself to lying in his common talk, will use falsehood and deceit in judgment.

18. Health - Tends to the comfort and benefit of others.

19. A moment - Liars, though they may make a fair shew for a season, yet are quickly convicted.

20. Deceit - They whose hearts devise mischief shall be deceived in their hopes, and bring trouble upon themselves: but they who by good counsels labour to promote peace, shall reap the comfort of it themselves.

23. Concealeth - He does not unseasonably utter what he knows. Foolishness - Betrays his ignorance and folly.

25. A good word - A compassionate or encouraging word.

26. neighbour - Than any other men. Seduceth - Hebrew. maketh them to err, to lose that excellency or happiness which they had promised themselves.

27. Resteth not - Does not enjoy the fruit of his labours. Precious - Yields him comfort and blessing with it.

2. Shall eat - Shall receive comfort, and benefit by his wise and profitable discourses.

6. Keepeth him - From that over-throw which befall sinners.

7. Maketh rich - Some men who have little or nothing, pretend to have great riches. Maketh rich - Some rich men profess to be poor.

8. Riches - Riches enable a man to redeem his life when it is in greatest danger, and poverty preserves a man from many injuries. Because they are cautious, that they may not provoke others; and because they are esteemed objects of pity.

9. The light - The prosperity. Rejoiceth - Shines with a pleasant and constant brightness. Rejoicing is here ascribed to the light, as it is to the sun, Psalm xix, 5, metaphorically. Put out - Their felicity shall have a hidden end.

10. Pride - It is chiefly, pride which blows up the coals of contention. Well-advised - Who are not governed by their passions, but by prudent considerations. Wisdom - Which teaches them to avoid contention.

11. Vanity - By wicked practices.

12. Hope deferred - Delays in obtaining what a man passionately desires. The desire - The good desired. A tree of life - It is satisfactory, and reviving.

13. The word - The word of God.

14. The law - The instruction, or counsel; as the word law, is frequently understood in scripture.

15. Giveth - Makes a man acceptable to God. Rough - Offensive and hateful to God and men, as rough ways are to a traveler.

16. Knowledge - Considerately and discreetly. Layeth open - By his foolish actions.

17. A messenger - Who is unfaithful in the execution of that which is committed to his charge. Is health - Procures benefit, as to his master, so to himself.

19. Sweet - Whatsoever men earnestly desire, the enjoyment of it is sweet to them; therefore sinners rejoice in the satisfaction of their sinful lusts, and abhor all restraint of them.

21. Evil - Punishment proportionable to their sin.

23. The poor - Poor persons by their diligent labours, and God's blessing often grow rich. Destroyed - Or, consumed, brought to poverty, for want of discretion.

24. Hateth his son - His fond affection, is as pernicious to him as hatred.

1. Buildeth - Maintains and improves her family and estate. Her hands - By her idleness or sin.

3. A rod - His insolent speeches as they are like a rod, offensive to others, so, they make a rod for their own backs.

4. The crib - The stable is empty of food for cattle, and much more for man. In the same sense cleanness of teeth is put for famine, Amos iv, 6. The strength - By their labours, or by diligence in husbandry, which then was principally managed by oxen.

6. Findeth it not - Because he doth not seek it aright. That understandeth - That is honest and pious.

8. His way - Consists not in vain speculations, but in a diligent study of his duty, and of the way to eternal happiness. The folly - The wit of ungodly men, which is really their folly, is employed only in finding out ways of deceiving.

9. favour - They find favour both with God and men.

10. Bitterness - The inward griefs and joys of mens hearts, are not known to any but a man's self.

12. Right - There are some evil courses which men may think to be lawful and good. The end - The event shews that they were sinful and destructive.

13. In laughter - The outward signs of joy are often mixed with real sorrow.

14. In heart - He who departs from God inwardly. Filled - With the fruit of his ways, the punishment of his sins. Satisfied - From the pious temper of his own heart, which cleaves to the Lord, he shall receive unspeakable comfort.

15. The simple - A foolish man. Looketh - He orders his dealings in the world with due circumspection, not considering so much what other men say as what he ought to do.

16. Feareth - Trembles at God's judgments when they are either inflicted or threatened. Rageth - Frets against God; or is enraged against his messengers. Confident - Secure and insensible of his danger.

17. Foolishly - His passion hurries him into foolish speeches and actions. Wicked devices - One who suppresses his passion, but meditates revenge. Hated - Both by God and men.

18. Inherit - They possess it as their inheritance, holding it fast, and glorying in it. Knowledge - The saving knowledge of God and of their own duty.

19. The evil - Good men shall have the pre-eminency over the wicked.

20. Hated - Despised and abandoned.

21. Despiseth - That does not pity and relieve the poor.

23. The talk - Idle talking will bring a man to poverty.

24. Riches - They are a singular advantage and ornament to them. But - As for rich fools, their folly is not cured, but made worse and more manifest by their riches.

25. Souls - Such as are innocent, from false accusations.

27. To depart - To preserve men from destructive courses.

29. Exalteth - Hebrew. lifteth up, like a banner, makes it known and visible to all men.

30. A sound heart - Free from envy and inordinate passions. Is life - Procures and maintains the health and vigour of the body.

31. His maker - Whose image the poor man bears, by whose providence he is made poor, and who hath declared himself to be their protector and avenger.

32. Driven away - In his death, from God's favour and presence. Death - In his greatest dangers and distresses, yea even in death itself.

33. Resteth - Is laid up and hid there. In the midst - In the heart. Made known - They will publish in all times and companies.

35. Shame - Both to himself, by his foolish management of the king's affairs, and to the king who made so foolish a choice of a servant.