execution of justice is a joy to him that hath observed the laws, but a terror to those that have violated them by their wicked deeds; who look upon themselves as in danger to be undone thereby. Ver. 16. The man that wanderetḥ out of the way of understanding, shall remain in the congregation of the dead.] He that will not live by those wise laws which God hath prescribed him, but follows the conduct of his own foolish lusts and passions, shall after all his extravagances be sent down to hell, and there confined to the company of the old giants, who, giving themselves over to debauched courses, were swept away with a deluge. (See ii. 18. ix. 18.) Ver. 17. He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man; be that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.] Nay, before he goes thither, he may suffer very much; for it is too frequently seen that voluptuous men destroy their own pleasures, by wasting their estates, and bringing themselves to extreme beggary; at the best, he can never thrive, who loves to feast, and to live delicately. Ver. 18. The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous; and the transgressor for the upright.] Nay, such is the distinction which Divine Providence makes between the good and bad, that righteous men are not only strangely delivered from those dangers which others fall into, but preserved from mischief, by its seizing on the wicked; and men sincerely virtuous escape in a common calamity, when they that prevaricate with God and with religion, by that very means (which they thought was best for their safety) are overwhelmed in it. Ver. 19. It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and angry woman.] It is more eligible (as was said before, ver. 9.) to dwell quietly in the most rueful place upon earth, than to live in a palace with a contentious wife; whom nothing can please, but is uneasy and angry at every thing, and always gives provoking language, Ver. 20. There is a treasure to be desired, and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.] Wisdom furnishes a man not only with the ne cessaries, but with all the conveniences and pleasures of life that he can reasonably desire; which it teaches him also to enjoy with great satisfaction, though but in a small habitation; but such is the folly of a wicked man, that he lavishly spends all those treasures, which he knows not how to get, nor how to live without. Ver. 21. He that followeth after righteousness and mercy, findeth life, righteousness, and honour.] He that makes it his business to be good, not contenting himself merely with doing no harm, but greedily laying hold on all occasions to exercise justice and mercy, shall lead a most happy life; for, besides the satisfaction and pleasure he hath in doing good, he shall preserve himself from being injured, and oblige all to be kind to him, and be highly esteemed, honoured, and praised every where. prevalent, than strength of body; for a whole city of mighty men are not able to resist a wise and pious commander that besieges them; but they are either taken by his cunning stratagem, or they yield themselves to his eminent goodness, unto which they trust more than to their fortifications. Ver. 23. Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth bis soul from troubles.] He that is wary and cautious in his talk, thinking seriously before he open his mouth, and taking care to offend neither God nor man by what he speaks, preserves his mind from a great deal of trouble, and himself from dangerous distresses. Ver. 24. Proud and baughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.] He that is puffed up with a great conceit of himself, whose ambition makes him insatiable in his desires, as he regards neither God nor man, so he cannot endure the least opposition, nor do any thing with moderation; but, being easily enraged with insolent fierceness and cruelty, proceeds against those that cross his designs. See Arg. [g] Ver. 25. The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.] A sluggard hath desire as well as other men; which must needs be a perpetual torment to him, because he will not be at the pains to give them satisfaction; nay, they bring him sometimes to a miserable end; because his sloth moves him to make provision for them by robbery, or other unlawful ways, rather than by following some honest, but laborious calling. Ver. 26. He covetetb greedily all the day long; but the righteous giveth and spareth not.] Nor is there any measure in his desires; but as they are endless, so they are exceeding eager and restless, to his own and other's great disturbance; but he that is diligent and honest is so far from desiring, much less stealing his neighbour's goods, that he freely gives away his own, and hath not the less thereby, but still enough to spare. Ver. 27. The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination ; how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?] God is so far from being pleased merely with scrifices, (xv. 8.), that when they are offered by impious men, who never think of amending their lives, he detests them, though presented with never so specious a shew of piety; especially, when at that very time they have some wicked designs in their heads, which they think to sanctify by their sacrifices. Ver. 28. A false witness shall perish; but the man that beareth, speaketh constantly. He that for money, or love, or hatred, shall testify any thing of which he hath no knowledge, shall soon lose his credit, and at last come to a miserable end, (xix. 9.); but he that, in obedience to God, testifies nothing but what he hath attentively heard or seen, as he never varied from what he disposes, so he shall always be believed, and continue in good esteem, as long as he lives. Ver. 29. A wicked man hardeneth his face; but as for the upright, he directeth his way.] All the endeavours of a man resolvedly wicked, is to grow so impudent that he may not blush at what he doth, nor be moved Y y Ver, 22. A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.] The virtue of the mind is of greater force, and more VOL. III. in the least by any man's admonitions or reproofs; but a man sincerely virtuous is so different from him, that he himself examines and censures his own actions if they be amiss, and makes it all his care sa to live, that he may not be ashamed of what he dott." Ver. 30. There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel, against the LORD] It is folly to design any thing which is not approved by the Lord; for let it be managed with all the skill that natural sagacity, long study and experience, can furnish men withal, with the most prudent foresight also of all contingencies, and with mature and deliberate advice about the most effectual means, and with due application of them to the end, they all signify nothing when they oppose the counsels and decrees of Heaven. Ver. 31. The horse is prepared against the day of battle; but safety is of the LORD.] Nor is power and force, though never SO great, more significant than counsel and advice; for after any army of horses, and chariots, and valiant soldiers, are set in battle array, they can give no security of victory, without the divine favour and help; from whom alone, therefore, both safety and prosperous success is to be expected. See Arg. [h] CHAP. XXII Where Melancthon hath a large discourse to shew that it is lawful, nay, necessary, to endeavour after a good fame; according to that saying, "I have need of a good conscience with respect to God, and of a good name for the sake of my neighbours." And he alledges some ancient sentences to the same purpose with this of Solomon, as that of Publius, Honestus rumor alterum patrimonium est; and that of Plautus, Honestam famam si servasso, sat ero dives. [b] There are more observations about riches, in ver. 7. 8. 9. which seem to me to have a dependance one upon the other, and so I have considered them in the paraphrase. And in the next verse but one, (ver. 11.), I have followed the judgements of Lud. de Dieu, who thinks Solomon observes two fruits of pureness of heart; one, that the word of such a man may be relied on; and the other, that the king (who loves not to be deceived) will not be his friend upon that account. This seems nearest to the Hebrew, unless he will take it thus: two things recommend a man to the affection of a prince, his integrity and his eloquence, which make him very capable to do his prince service. And then the paraphrase must run thus: "He that loves sincerity above all things, and is able to deliver his mind in acceptable language, is fit to be privy-counsellor to a king." [c] And to this, I conceive, he hath some respect in 1 THE ARGUMENT[a] After an admonition not to set too great a price upon riches, (ver. 1.), there follows another (ver. 2.) unto rich men, not to set too great a value upon themselves; but with an instruction also to the poor, not to be discontented with their condition, the rich having as much need of them, as they have of the rich. Greg. Naziantion of the disposition of slothful persons, who zen, indeed, (Orat. xvi. p. 263.), is of opinion that Solomon doth not say, that Go hath made one man poor and another rich, & S dňλov és Deódev Ń Toiduen diaígeris, for it is not apparent than such a distinction is from God; but his meaning is only this, that πλάσμα Θε8 ὁμοίως ἀμφότεροι καὶ εἴτα ἔξωθεν άνισα, "they are both alike the workmanship of God, though in external regards they be unequal." Which ought to shame rich men into sympathy and brotherly kindness towards them; that when they are apt to be lifted up, because of those things wherein they are unequal, they may be taken down again, and become more moderate, when they consider how in the greatest things they are both alike. But I have had a respect to the other thing also in this paraphrase; because, if God did not intend in the beginning so great a disparity as we now see, (which this is not a place to dispute), yet some disparity, it may be easily proved, he did design; the mean condition, that is (though not beggary) of some, in comparison with others. Which serves many wise ends of his providence; nay, beggary may be very useful, to give the greater occasion of liberality on the one hand, and of patience, humility, and honest diligence, on the other. And to be commended for these virtues, is much better than to be rich, as he observes in the first verse. " raise difficulties in their own fancies, where there are none, or pretending them greater than they are, will not so much as attempt any thing, because it is possible they may meet with insuperable hindrances. Which some have, not unfitly, applied to cowardly magistrates, who dare not punish great and powerful offenders, but excuse themselves, saying," He is a mighty man, there is no dealing with him," &c. Whereas a worthy magistrate (as an excellent prelate of our own, Bishop Sanderson, speaks) would meet with such a lion to chuse, that he might make God's ordinance to be reverenced, and clear the way for others, by tearing such a beast in pieces," and should no more fear to make a worshipful thief, or a right worshipful murderer, (if such a one would come in his circuit), an example of justice, than to twitch up a poor sheep stealer. But the Lord Bacon applies it, no less wittily, to the laziness of mankind, in the Advancement of Learning, (l. 1. c. ult.), the knowledge of some things being so abstruse, that it is impossible to be compassed by human industry. Whereas," all those things are to be held possible and performable, which may be accomplished by some persons, though not by every one, and which may be done. by the united labours of many, though not by any one part, and which may be effected in a succes sion of ages, though not in the same age; and in brief, which may be finished by the public care and charge, though not by the abilities and industry of particular persons." But there is no excuse for those who will not set themselves to any inquiries, because some things cannot be known. Which is perfectly the temper of the sluggard Solomon here mentions, who, because a lion sometimes comes into the street, would not stir out of his doors. It was not ordinary, you must know, for lions to come into towns; no, nor to rove in the day-time, (the night being their season, Psal. civ. 20). But sometimes by the divine vengeance they were stir red up to leave the desarts, and go into inhabited places, (Jer. v. 6. 2 Kings, xvii. 25. 26.), and likewise, if we may believe the great philosopher, in his History of Animals, when they grow old, is Tàs zónas exorta unisa, &c. they haunt cities more than other places, because then they are not so able to prey upon beasts, and therefore lie in wait for men. The same is affirmed by Pliny, as Bochartus observes, 1. iii. c. 2. part 1. [e] In the 16th verse I have followed our translation, and expressed the sense to as much, adyan-. tage as I could. But I think the vulgar Latin, which Luther and some others follow, comes nearer to the Hebrew, which runs thus: "He that squeezes the poor to increase his own estate, gives to the rich (not to secure what he hath gotten, but) only to impoverish it;" that is, He shall be squeezed by some mightier person than himself; and so the paraphrase, in more words, should be this: "Such is the just providence of Almighty God, that he who, to enlarge his own estate or power, oppresseth the poor by violence or deceit, shall meet with the like extortion from others more powerful than himself, and thereby be reduced to as poor a condition as those whom he oppressed." Ver. 1. A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.] Riches are not so great a good as men imagine; for a wise man will prefer the fame of using them well (or any other virtue) much before them; and chuse much rather to be esteemed and be loved of good men, than to be possessed of abundance of silver and gold. See Arg. [a] Ver. 2. The rich and the poor meet together the LORD is the maker of them all.] The world doth not consist all of rich, or all of poor, but they are mixed together, and have need one of another; and will agree well enough, and not clash one against another, if they both consider, that there is one Lord, who is the Creator of both, and hath by his providence ordered this inequality for their mutual good. See Arg. [a] Ver. 3. A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.] He whose long experience and observation of things hath made him cautious and circumspect, foresees a calamity before it come, and withdraws himself from the danger, into a place of safety; but an incautious and credulous person is easily abused by crafty men, to overlook the mischief which even they intend against him, and so he goes on securely in his accustomed tract, till it overtake him k Ver. 4. By humility, and the fear of the LORD, are riches, and honour, and life.] A modest sense of a man's self, and humble subinission to the meanest condition, arising from a religious regard to the divine majesty, is the way to be promoted, both to wealth. and to honour, and to enjoy them both also a long. time in joy and pleasure. 1. ..Ver. 5. Thorns and snares are in the way of the fro ward be that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.] The life of a man that winds and turns any way to bring about his ends, is very scandalous to others,' and will entangle him at last in most grievous troubles; he therefore that hath a care of his soul, will have no society with such persons, and thereby avoid the danger of being undone by them. Ver. 6. Train up a child in the way he shoull go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.] Instruct a child as soon as ever he is capable, and season his mind with the principles of virtue, before he receive other impressions, and it is most likely they will grow up with him, so that when he is older, he will not forsake them, but retain them as long as he lives. Ver. 7. The rich ruleth over the poor, and the bor rower is servant to the lender.] Riches draw dominion along with them over the meanest sort, nay, though a man be not absolutely poor, yet if he be forced to borrow, he loses his liberty, and depends upon the will and pleasure of the lender. Ver. 8. He il at soweth iniquity, shall reap vanity; that and the rod of his anger shall fail.] But let not such abuse their power, for no man can reap better than he sows; but if he do injury to others, it shall produce his own trouble; and the authority which he employs vexatiously and spitefully shall fail him, and not be able to bear him out in his inhumanity. Ver. 9. He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for be giveth of his bread to the poor.] On the other side, he that, beholding the miserable condition of others, takes compassion upon them, and friendly relieves them,, shall be blessed by God, and commended by men; because he doth not put them off to be supplied by others, but imparts of his own goods to him that cannot requite him again. Ver. 1o. Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease. Throw the scoffer, who derides all things, out of a society, and contention, which he is wont to raise, will go out together with him; there will be no quarrels, no suits, nor reproachful words, wherewith contending persons are apt to bespatter one another, when such insolent and turbulent men are excluded. Ver. 11. He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of bis lips, the king shall be his friend.] He whose heart is so free from guile, that he places his pleasure in the integrity of his mind, and the purity of his conscience, will never gloss, nor flatter, nor study to put false colours upon things, but speak ingenuously, according to the sincere sense of his soul, upon both which accounts a wise prince will value him, and advise with him as a friend. See Arg. [b] Ver. 12. The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and be overthroweth the words of the transgressor.] There is a special providence of God, which watches over honest men, (who speak as they think), and which prospers the advice they give, and the affairs they manage; but he subverts such as are treacherous and perfidious, and blasts all their counsels and de signs. See Arg. [c] Ver. 13. The slothful man saith, There is a lion with out; I shall be slain in the streets.] A slothful man never wants pretences to excuse himself from labours, for he can feign to himself imaginary difficulties, and make a dreadful representation of them; affrighting himself with dangers where there are none, or which happen very rarely. See Arg. [d] Ver. 14. The mouth of a strange woman is a deep pit; be that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.] When thou art enticed by the beauty and blandishments of those lewd women, from whom thou oughtest to estrange thyself as far as they are estranged from God, Ver. 15. Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child s but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.] False opinions and bad inclinations stick so close sometime to the mind and will of a child, and are so twisted with them, that no admonitions, no reproofs, nor the wisest discourses, but only seasonable chastisement, and that not without some severity, will temove such obstinate folly. Ver. 16. He that oppresseth the poor to increase bis riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.] There are some men have such a mixture of ill qualities, that at the same time they will take from the poor to enrich themselves, though it be by violence or fraud, and give to the rich and powerful to wink at their oppressions; but all in vain, for such practices shall surely bring them to beggary. See Arg. [e] END OF THE FIRST PART OF THE BOOK OF PROVERBS. THE SECOND PART OF THE BOOK OF PROVERBS. CHAP. XXII. THE ARGUMENT.-Now, from this verse, there is scarce any interpreter but hath observed another form of speech, much different from the former, begins and continues unto the 25th chapter; and therefore it may not unfitly be called, The second part of the book of Proverbs. From the beginning of the 10th chapter to this place, the instructions of wisdom are delivered in short sentences, and Proverbs, properly so called, which have seldom any connection one with another, or not easily discerned, shewing what is good or bad, true or false, &c. But now follow exhortations, and precepts, in the imperative mood of speech, and those comprehended in two or three, or more verses, before he finish what he intends. In which alteration, some think the weakness of the reader is consulted; who, being weary of the sententious way of instruction, may be refreshed and awakened unto new attention, by varying the form of writing. And thus the son of Syrach, after his gnomæ or sentences, adds an earnest exhortation to the study of wisdom and virtue, like this of Solomon, in the following section, which I call his second part. Which may have respect both to that which follows: As if he had said, Let not all that hath been said be lost, or superficially regarded; but take a serious review of the foregoing counsels, and give ear also to what I have farther to deliver, &c. [f] And to move the greater attention, he commends them, (ver. 20.), under the name of Schalischim, "words fit for a prince to speak, and the best men of the world to hear;" which we truly therefore ren. der excellent things. There is another notion of the word, I know, which I have not altogether neglected; but it always signifying in the Bible, either great captains and commanders, and nobles, or the best sort of musical instruments, (as it doth in one place), I look upon this as the most proper interpretation of it. [g] And among those principal rules of life, he first commends this, ver. 22. not to be injurious to poor people, especially by oppressing them in a form of justice. Which all know was administered by the elders in the gate of their city, as may be seen in many more places besides that which I have noted in the paraphrase, Deut. xxi. 19. xxii. 9. xxv. 7. iv. Ruth, 1. 2. &c. Which being so common a notion, it is strange that the Greek interpreters should hete understand this verse of poor people begging at their doors; whom the wise man admonishes them not to abuse. This seems to be their sense but the word tedakke signifies more than ardons, dishonour, or abuse, (which is the word whereby the LXX express it), for it denotes as much as to crush, and that into bits, i. e. to undo people utterly; which nobody is inclined to do unto poor wretches begging at their doors, who are undone already. [h] Then follows a most necessary advice about the choice of a friend, ver. 24. 25. upon which the Lord Bacon hath passed this judicious remark, (Advanc. of Learning, b. viii. ch. ii. par. 26.). By how much the more devoutly the laws of friendship among good men are to be observed, by so much the more it stands us upon to use the caution, even at the very first, in the prudent election. of friends. And let the disposition and humour of our friends be what they will, so far as concerns ourselves only, they are by all means to be borne withal; but when they impose a necessity upon us, to behave ourselves just as they would have us towards other men, it is a very hard and unreasonable condition of friendship. Wherefore it highly concerns us, as Solomon here admonishes, for the preserving of the peace and safety of our life, that we intermingle not our matters with men of a choleric nature, and such as easily provoke or undertake quarrels and debates. For such kind of friends will perpetually engage us in contentions and factions; so that we shall be constrained either to break off friendship, or to be wanting to our own personal safety." [i] In the two next verses, (ver. 26. 27.), he seems to warn men against such friendships as will en gage them to be bound for the debts of others. There are several admonitions before, against being surety for a stranger, vi. 1. xi. 15.; and in one place (xvii. 18.) he seems to caution against rash engagements, though for a neighbour or friend; but especially, he here adds, when a man is conscious to himself that he hath no éstate, and doth but déceive him to whom he stands bound for another man's debt; and so, by pretending to be more able than he is, deprives himself of the benefit of that law mentioned Exod. xxii. 26. 27. and repeated Deut. xxiv. 6. [k] What is said in the 28th verse against the removing of the boundaries whereby one man's possessions are distinguished from another's, and that by ancient consent, is applied, by all sorts of writers, as a caution against innovations. And it is a great mistake to imagine that only Popish authors make that use of it; for the best of the Protestants have thought fit to accommodate it to the same purpose. And among the rest, Melancthon hath very judiciously explained it in this manner. "This pre cept is not obscure, if it be cited allegorically for not changing the laws which antiquity by grave authority hath delivered, unless there be an evident necessity. For this is often repeated among the precepts of political life, not rashly to change the ancient laws. And here he quotes a long passage out of Demosthenes against Timocrates, concerning the people of Locri, who ordained, That he who proposed a new law to them, should do it with an halter about his neck, &c. And if there were such severity now, saith Melancthon, we should not have so many new dogmatists and Lycurgus's, about wax candles, and bells, and such like things; of whose change, as there is no necessity at all, so it would bring no utility. And wise men require us to pardon and indulge some small inconveniencies to custom, lest by motion, as it is in sick bodies, the commonwealth should suffer a greater evil. It is necessary, indeed, here to add this caution, when any doctrine is impious, and the law establishes impious opinions and idols; then we ought to prefer rules before them, and to obey God rather than man. But when such amendment is necessary, the boundaries and limits of our fathers are not taken away, but restored; because we only return to the doctrine delivered by God to our first father, according to that of Tertullian, Primum quodque verissimum est. All our care, therefore, herein, is to inquire diligently what is the true antiquity; for that is a great confirmation of our faith, when we understand the true State of the church in all ages, to follow the testimony of those who retain the foundation." [1] In the last verse, Solomon doth not merely commend industry and diligence, as some understand it (taking this to be the same with the Greek proverb, Túi nơi đã đóng), but something more, which the Hebrew word mahir plainly imports, viz. speed, swiftness, readiness, and chearfulness, in the dispatch of business. To' which is required a quickness of apprehension in discharging the fittest means, and a dexterity in the application of them; so that the business is not only done, but done speedily, and without much noise and bustle. On such a person, if he can be found, Solomon here makes this remark, That he is likely to come to great preferment. "For there are no qualities," as is observed by the Lord Bacon, b. vili. ch. ii. parab. 19. "which princes more respect and require in the choice of a minister, or servant, than celerity and alacrity in the dispatch of business; which is above all the rest, as he shews by this induction. Men of profound wisdom are many times suspected by kings as too prying, and able by the strength of their wit, as with an engine, to turn and wind about their masters insensibly, whether they will or no. Then popular persons are hated, as those that stand in the light of kings, and draw the eyes of the people too much unto themselves. Men of courage are commonly taken for turbulent spirits, and more daring than is meet. Honest men, who are valuable for their integrity, are thought too stiff, not so pliable as their masters desire, to their will and pleasure in every thing. To conclade, (saith he), there is not any other good quality, which presents not some shadow where With the mind of kings may be offended; only |